New Beginnings

Chuck Bartowski's hand pressed his mother's metal charm against the steering wheel, causing the shape to form upon his skin. Eyes blurred with tears, he drove quickly, wanting to get to back there, back to his new purpose in life. His mother.

"Chuck, please, tell me where we are going. Tell me what's wrong." Sarah Walker's beautiful face was stricken with worry, her right hand was clenching her leg as her left softly ran up and down Chuck's arm. She was so pretty, so smart, so perfect. Chuck still couldn't believe he had managed to end up with her. But she was so much more than a pretty face. He trusted her, more than anyone. That's why she had to see it. She could help him, she would.

"I... Sarah, I can't explain. You need to see it."

Sarah's eyes softened. "Is this about your father?"

Chuck's stomach dropped at the mere mention of his dad. He blinked furiously, determined to hold back any tears.

Sarah put her head down. "I've been a spy for so long, seen so many innocent people die, and I still don't understand how someone can so easily, so casually, take another's life."

Chuck laughed bitterly. "Put yourself in Shaw's shoes, Sarah. He lost his wife. He was doing what he thought was best to honor her memory. God, if anything happened to you... well, I don't know what I would do, but for all I know, it may be something like what Shaw did."

"No." Sarah's hands grasped Chuck's arm. He winced from the pain. He forgot sometimes that Sarah was a trained spy.

Stopping at a red light, he turned and looked at her. "How do you know that?"

"Nothing will ever happen to me. I will never leave you."

The light turned green, but Chuck couldn't move his eyes away from hers. He moved his hand up to softly caress her cheek. "Everything that's happened today, well, yesterday by now, but.. well, it's just you... well..."

Sarah smiled at Chuck's bumbling as he took a minute to breathe. "I love you, Sarah Walker."

"And I love you, Chuck Bartowski." Their heads drew closer together, and Chuck's heart raced. No matter how many times they did this, his heart always raced. As their lips were about to touch, a loud honk came out of nowhere, causing them both to jump. They both smiled as Chuck hit the gas.

They drove in silence for a while, before Chuck pulled into a driveway, up to an older house. "What is this place, Chuck?"

Chuck popped open the driver's side door, than turned and looked at her. "This is where I grew up."

Sarah nodded. "I can see why you would want to come back here. Do you want me to come in with you?"

"Yes, there's something I must show you, something I found, earlier tonight..."

Sarah's eyebrows creased in curiosity. "Okay." She stepped outside the car, and together, they walked in the house. Her hand grasped his as they entered the house. She stared at the inside, all the furniture covered by white sheets, that were in turn covered by layers upon layers of dust. Chuck turned and walked towards a red door that was partly open, pulling Sarah along. They entered a room that was smallish in nature. Chuck went up to the light switch and flicked it once, than again. No light was coming on.

"Chuck, its been a while since you lived here, I don't think the power is turned..." Sarah stopped midsentance as she saw the floor move, the tiles shift right in front of the fireplace, and a staircase appeared. She turned and looked back at Chuck, who still had the same grim look on his face. "What is that?"

"That, Sarah, would be my father's Batcave." He held his hand out. Sarah eyes were moving so quickly right now, he could see her brain working. She took his hand, and together, they went down the steps.

It was dark down there, though there were lights, and computers were still working. Chuck figured that his father had tapped into some secret power source or something. But he wasn't looking at his surroundings. He was looking at Sarah. Looking at her as she took in the hundreds, maybe even thousands of filing drawers, each with individual tags indicating what was inside upon them. Sarah did a complete scan of the room, than looked up at Chuck. "Your father has been busy while he's been on the run." It wasn't a question.

"Very busy." Chuck replied. "It's clear he was here a lot, so close to me and Ellie... I wish he would have came and saw us more."

"He did it to keep you safe. When did you find out about this place?"

"About an hour and a half ago. Come on, I have something you need to see." Chuck didn't grab her hand this time. His eyes were fixed on one cabinet, one file, and that's all he could see right now.

Sarah followed him until he stopped, than stood beside him, following his eyes to see what he was staring at. She read it softly, in a loud whisper. "Mary Elizabeth Bartowski: Missing." Chuck winced. It hurt him to hear it out loud. Sarah wedged herself in-between him and the cabinet, and wrapped her arms around him. "Chuck, is that your mother?

Chuck put his eyes on her, fire blazing in them. "Yes, and we are going to find her."

Sarah nodded as she laid her head on his chest. "I'm with you, Chuck. No matter what, we will find her."

Hugo Longhi relaxed in his comfortable leather chair, his long hair hanging off the back of it. What a wonderful gift from his boss. Ten years of service, of being a personal assistant, and a rather comfortable paycheck as well. He was only slightly jealous of the field workers. Even though their paychecks were much larger, the turnover rate was much higher. Hugo chose life over riches.

The phone rang. It was the private line, one that very rarely ever rang. It was eight years before Hugo's boss trusted Hugo enough to let him answer that line. Hugo reached to pick it up. "Mr. Caplan's office, Hugo here, how may I help you?"

Whatever was said on the other side, Hugo's eyes widened, and he sat up quickly in his chair. "What? No, I believe you. Yes, of course I'll tell him. Bye." Throwing the phone down, Hugo got up as quickly as a man of his stature could, and ran into the door behind him without knocking, something he had never done before. White light blinded him as he walked in, as the whole wall opposite the door was a window, and the sun was streaming in, causing Mr. Caplan and his desk to become dark figures. "Mr. Caplan?"

His deep voice answered. "What is it Mr. Longhi?"

Hugo took a deep breath. "It's Stephen Bartowski, sir. He's dead." Mr. Caplan's shadow shifted slightly.

"Do you know what this means, Mr. Longhi?"

"It means that the CIA will go into lockdown, and it means that more than likely, they are going to move her."

Mr. Caplan laughed, loud and deep. "Yes, soon, hopefully, we will have Mary in our custody. Now Mr. Longhi, go and call the other partners. Tell them to meet me here, as soon as they possibly can. It's time for the Fornax Group to meet once again."