It should have been easy enough. Another mission was as familiar as falling asleep; though, ironically it was those missions in particular that caused him distuptions in sleep from fear or recollection. All aside, this mission should have been a walk in the park. Besides, he inadvertently instilled himself with full fledged agent status after uploading and destroying the new intersect two weeks ago.

Knowing really how much of an asset Chuck could be for the government in providing them with a super version of his previous self, or more or less the holy Grail of covert intelligence, who cared if Bryce was dead? The government had someone with all of Bryce's subliminal capabilities and more. Plus, he already had training in handling an intersect computer in his head. So the government didn't care about Bryce Larkin being dead, but Sarah Walker definitely did. She stayed with his body for as long as she could, but all Chuck saw was Sarah with Bryce's body until he was shuffled out himself for a late night debriefing and evaluation with the general herself, as well as government M.D.s and psychiatrists.

Finally alone in the conference room with no windows, all Chuck could think about was Sarah, and the look of complete disbelief, the only look she gave him from when he saved all of their lives to now. He looked down at his hands, but only for a second as everyone shuffled back in, including Sarah, Casey, and his father.

"Well, Chuck. We have all discussed what has happened and what we wish to happen," sternly spoke the General. Chuck glanced at Sarah only for the slightest to see them lock eyes, and then have her turn her head away from him disgustingly.

"And so what is going to happen? Underground bunker? Can I pick my handlers?" said Chuck in a mocking tone, hoping for Sarah to notice and shake her head in annoyance, which she did.

"Chuck, we all have decided that the best course of action is for you to follow what drove you to upload the intersect in your head. Remember? Something about believing in yourself of what you are truly capable of-"

"I think it was more along the lines of 'how many times do I have to be a hero to know that I'm in fact that guy?' if that's what we're referring to."

Chuck again looked at Sarah, hoping to have gotten a rise out of her again, but she stayed the same.

"Oh, yes. That is what we're referring to. We're all aware of that. We were all watching the evaluation in the other room while you were in here with the psychiatrists."

"I didn't see a camera."

"We're the NSA and the CIA. That's the point."

"Oh, sorry General," said Chuck softly, confused at why Sarah was still obviously pissed instead of embarrassed of which he thought she'd become after finding out that he did this for and because of her.

"I'm going to say this again, Chuck. It's time for you to become a spy. No more special agent Charles Carmichael. Just special agent Charles Bartowski."

Still in awe from everything, but right now in an even hightened version, Chuck said, "Dad, you think this is a good idea?"

"We have all talked about it, and yes I do, Charles. This organization, The Ring, is a very powerful terrorist group that has the capability to do damage no one has ever seen before, and it will affect everyone. We have the competitive edge here over them with me and you, son."

"So no underground bunker?"

"Not for you, but yes for me," whispered Stephen Bartowski, "But everything will go back to normal. You, Casey, and Sarah with the missions-"

"What? An underground bunker isn't normal, and it sure as hell isn't normal if you're the one going in."

"This is how it has to be. You saw how much Fulcrum was vying for me to build them their own intersect. When that didn't prove successful, their money was riding on stealing ours. The computer itself is physically destroyed, so the Ring thinks that they need to go back to square one. I am square one. It's pertinent that they do not find me."

"What am I supposed to tell Ellie?"

"You can tell her the truth."

"Wait, really? The whole intersect thing and-"

"No. You don't tell her any of that. You just tell her simply about my ties to the CIA, but nothing in specific about what I did or am doing for them. All she needs to know is that I'm helping them. With you though, I'm afraid it's a different story."

"What?" questioned Chuck, as confused as ever.

"We're being relocated to Chicago," announced Sarah, cold and stoic as she stared into space.

"I thought you guys said everything would go back to normal! On the contrary, it's the freakin' opposite!"

"Oh calm down, supernerd. The ring is believed to have a clear prevalence in the E-market that is the market trading of the future founded in Chicago. That is all we have right now. It is you and Agent Walker's job as a married couple to infiltrate this circle of trust that is being fronted by a legitimate financial firm," added Casey.

"So what you're saying is that Agent Walker and I will go to Chicago. I'll get a job in this e-trading business of which I really have little knowledge of even considering this supercomputer in my head. I know, ironic. She'll be my little stepford wife at home while we put up our own front so that I can grow relationships with coworkers aka flash on anyone and everything."

"Precisely," answered the General, "You guys will be leaving in two weeks. Consider this your vacation time until then."

Chuck returned back home that night and went straight to bed, sleeping in his suit and all. Thankfully, he dreamed about nothing. It was as if his mind was completely exhausted; he was completely exhausted. At around 7AM, he woke up abruptly with the sound of voices outside of his bedroom. Chuck ran out to find Ellie and Awesome, along with the elder Mr. and Mrs. Woodcomb, saying their goodbyes to his dad. Noticing the scene right away, Chuck walked over and scooped Ellie up in a big hug.

"Hey little brother, we're only leaving for two weeks. We'll be back before you even know it," laughed Ellie, as Chuck finally set her down.

"Actually, sis, I have to tell you something. I guess I have to tell you all something. I'm leaving in two weeks. I got a job in Chicago."

"What?! Dad's going to D.C. and you're going to Chicago? Chuck, you just quit your job yesterday. How did you find something so quick?"

"Well, I've been interested in this one job supervising in the IT department of a financial service firm for a while now. It's a bunch of stupid lingo that I don't even know all about. But they called me last night, and I went for an interview. I got the job and I'm needed in Chicago. That's where the headquarters are."

"This all happened last night?" asked Ellie, "Just like that and you're moving to Chicago."

"They really want me, Ellie. What can I say? Your brother is finally going somewhere in his life."

"Chuck," said Ellie, hugging Chuck one more time, "Maybe I can hold off on my honeymoon- help you pack and then go to Chicago to settle you in."

"No, no, that's okay. You go on your honeymoon. I'll be fine. Besides, Sarah's coming with me."

"That's awesome, bro," chimed in Awesome.

"I promise we'll come back in a little while to visit once we're settled in."

"Agh, Chuck. Everyone is leaving me now."

"Don't worry. You've got your own family to worry about," said Chuck, winking at Awesome, "Take care of her."

"Will do."

"I love you sis."

"I love you too, little brother."

Everything seemed to glide since then in the past two weeks. Chuck spent the rest of his vacation time in the solitude of his bedroom, ruminating everything over and over in his head, and playing the occasional game of Call of Duty with his dad or Morgan (of whom decided to just start working at a Benihana in L.A, but to also move in an apartment with Ana). He didn't even try to get a hold of Sarah. She was about to spend practically every moment with him for the next God knows how long, and she barely could stand to be in the same room with him as it was.

Now two weeks later, the day Ellie and Awesome were to get back from their honeymoon, Chuck and Sarah sat in an airplane on the way to O'Hare airport when he would have been back at LAX waiting to pick them up. Chuck had the aisle while Sarah continued her trend of staring into space, or basically out the window of the 747.

Hesitating as to if he should talk to her or not, Chuck finally gained up the gumption and said, "So is Casey meeting us in Chicago?"

"He's already there setting up our house," answered Sarah, with no hint of emotion.

"Good to know."

"You'll find out more once we get there."

"I get it."

A car was waiting for them at the airport. Chuck was kind of hoping that it was Casey so at least he could break the tension up a bit. But to no avail, it wasn't, and Chuck and Sarah spent another hour getting to the suburbs in awkwardness. Chuck had never been to Illinois or really anywhere in the midwest, but he now understood the true meaning of the suburbs once they reached their destination of Wheaton. Trees lined the streets. The air smelled like pine. Kids were riding bikes along the sidewalk. It was like he was in the movie, American Beauty, but with no creepy connotations. There was a downtown area that was separated by train tracks of which Sarah informed him would be where he would be commuting to work. The town had this pleasant sort of ambiance to it that warmed him in a way that looking at the ocean never did.

Turning suddenly on a road called Nightingale, the first thing Chuck noticed was Casey's crown victoria and a moving truck in a driveway. The next thing he noticed was the house connected to the driveway. Made of a boston red brick and accented with grey stone, this house was utterly gorgeous. Though it looked like the newest house on the block next to older classics, it nestled quietly in between them. All of the doors to the three car garage were open as moving guys shuffled in and out with boxes. The entire thing was surreal, and entirely more surreal than when they first took a trip to the suburbs a couple months ago. This was different.

It was supposed to be like any other kind of mission, but just expanded. Though as Chuck walked past the mailbox complete with "Bartowski" on it, walked past the Audi Q7 and Audi S4 in the garage without even noticing the red bicycle with training wheels on it beside the cars, and entered the house, he knew this mission was not going to be like any other kind of mission. Standing still in the kitchen, a little boy probably around the age of five suddenly ran up to him. Weirdly, Chuck's instinct was to pick him up.

The boy looked at him with his blue eyes striking a strange resemblance to Sarah's cobalt color. He smiled a goofy smile at Chuck, and Chuck couldn't help but reflect that goofy smile back. The boy's hair was a short brown, but with an obvious wave to it. Slowly, Chuck started putting the pieces together.

"My name's Andy," said the little boy in Chuck's arms, "And you must be my daddy."

Yes, this mission was most definitely not going to be easy enough

I'd really appreciate for you to review at this point. I know most people say it's a motivator to keep writing, but let me tell you- I am in love with writing this story as it is. Reviews will motivate me to publish another chapter if it deems that it's well received. What I mean is that I'm doing this for you. So let me know that there are "you"s. Maybe give me a vote of confidence? lol. Tell me what you want to see happen.

May 18th, 2009:

Just want to say thank you to all who reviewed, and all who might review in the future. I wasn't lying when I said they'd motivate me and all. I'm almost done with chapter two. In writing a story, I like to go back and watch real scenes of the characters in that my writing stays true to the character. I keep watching scenes of Chuck and Sarah, and I'm loving it. I'm pretty sure I'm getting their dialog right, so here's hoping; I guess.

Again, thank you. The next chapter should be up soon. One more review and I might just put it up tonight. haha. We'll see what happens...