A/N: This is probably my longest author's note ever, but I wanted you to know exactly what you were getting into.
I had this plan on December 14th, I was gonna start dropping a fic every day until Christmas, but then I realized, I might be a bit busy come Christmas time. So, my gift to you, if I can finish it, is the Christmas fic EDC wants (for those of you at home doing the math that's Evil David Carner) now before you get worried, what he wants is a fluffity Christmas fic from Season one that we never got. What he wants is one that rivals last year's Christmas postings of Sarah vs the Life. This fic wasn't going to end in marriage and then I told my beta about it, and she had the same evil smile I did. So I'm not sure how it's ending at this point.
So where does this fic take place? Right after and during Crown Vic. Sarah and Chuck's parts are not during Crown Vic, but other players are. Listen if your one who doesn't want these two together in season 1, just pass on this. If you can't handle Charah insanity, pass on this. If you want angst…yeah, pass on this. There will be conflict, there will be a mission (yes, I know, I rarely write missions, I am aware…I am uber aware)
This fic will involve breaking cannon in half, writing something really fluffy, and involving Christmas. Such a fic will really push the boundaries of my writing ability. That's uncharted land for me. I hope you all can suffer through this with me. Thanks for joining me on the David vs The Christmas Fics, 2018 Challenge. I give you, DC's 12 Days of Christmas Ch 1, That Old Christmas Spirit
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, regardless of what anyone tells you.
It was the day after the Buy More Christmas party. Chuck and Sarah found themselves on stakeout duty. Chuck had brought a mix tape, well, two actually. He brought a stakeout mix tape and a Christmas mix tape. Sarah had given him a look at the Christmas one but they were currently listening to it.
"Do you feel, Baby it's Cold Outside is a little…oh I don't know, creepy?" Chuck asked. Sarah put down the binoculars and turned toward him.
"This is one of those times I should trust my instincts and not ask, but I'm just dying to know, so tell me, and is that anyone," she said, handing him the binoculars and pointing toward a man coming out of the establishment they were watching.
"No flash," he replied after checking out the man exiting the building and heading toward his car. "I like the song, but is he being pushy?" He put down the binoculars and handed them to her as he turned toward her. "He keeps insisting she stays."
Sarah sat there quietly for a second. "Perhaps it's because she never really says no…or, I don't want to," she answered softly, her face full of confliction.
"Yeah but she does tell him all the reasons why they can't," Chuck replied, just as softly.
"Maybe….maybe she really wants to, but everything tells her it's a bad idea."
"But if it's a bad idea why doesn't she just say no. Why does all she say is it's a bad idea? I guess what I'm asking is, he's putting it all out there, how he feels, shouldn't he stop?"
"Maybe…maybe deep down she doesn't want him to stop." She paused. "Because, it isn't fair to him, or to her, but she likes knowing someone cares about her, wants her. He's never gone too far. He's always respected her boundaries. Maybe she really wants to stay. Maybe she wants to so bad it hurts, but she can't. And she hates it, and it hurts her just as much as it hurts him."
"Sarah?"
She licked her lips and swallowed. "Yeah, Chuck," she said shyly.
"Can I have the binoculars? There's someone coming out of the building."
She blinked, realized what he was saying and handed them to him. He looked through the binoculars.
"Anything?" she asked.
"He's not in the Intersect," Chuck replied. He thought about saying more. He put down the binoculars and watched as she pulled out her cellphone and dialed a number.
"Casey," she said. "Nothing." She listened a second. "Okay, see you soon." She ended the call and looked over at Chuck. "I guess we're heading back."
"Why didn't he come with us?"
Sarah didn't say anything for a second. "Our cover was boyfriend and girlfriend…parking."
"Does anyone use that term anymore?"
Sarah twisted her lips into a smile. "You mean besides Casey?" Chuck nodded, grinning. "Not that I'm aware of."
"We screwed that cover up," Chuck added. Sarah gave him a look. "We were in the front seat! Usually you do that in the back seat…or so I hear."
"Not a lot of practice parking, Chuck?"
"None, Sarah, none."
"Well, the Porsche really doesn't have much room back there."
"Got it, so no making out in the back." She glanced at him, and he reddened. "You know what I mean."
"Yeah," she said sadly. "I do." The rest of the drive to Echo Park was in silence.
-ooooo-
They pulled up and Sarah noticed her first, but not by much. "What did we do?" Chuck asked under his breath.
"Don't drag me into this, she's your sister," Sarah replied, seeing Ellie standing there, waiting for them.
"You're supposed to be my bodyguard," Chuck countered.
Sarah shook her head slightly. "Nope, not on this one."
Chuck opened the door and got out. "Something wrong, El?"
"Yeah, you two, in the house, now," Ellie said, with a scowl on her face.
"Ellie," Sarah began.
"Sarah, zip it. In the apartment, NOW!" Sarah didn't salute, but just barely. She and Chuck exchanged a look, but neither said anything. They walked in and Ellie shut the door behind the three of them. "What in the hell is wrong with you two?"
"Ellie-" Chuck began.
"Chuck, don't even start," Ellie said, cutting him off. "You've been moping around for days like you've lost her. Chuck, your self-confidence is destroyed because of that hellspawn Jill, but Sarah…you should see the way she looks at you." Ellie turned to Sarah. "Sorry, he has to know."
"It's okay-" Sarah began.
"And you!" Ellie said, cutting Sarah off, making Sarah raise her eyebrows. "You are here, with my brother, yet, sometimes you're not. Listen, are you two together or not?"
Sarah glanced at Chuck. The look on his face told her he didn't know what to say. "Ellie," Sarah began.
"I swear to God if one of you says it's complicated I will murder you," Ellie growled.
"I'm with him," Sarah blurted out. "I care for him, I am here for him, but life…life isn't easy."
"It's not, but love is," Ellie countered. She spun on Chuck.
"She means the world to me," Chuck said, looking straight at Ellie. Sarah's knees nearly buckled. "We just have to figure things out at our pace."
"Fine, then you two will either be here having Christmas cheer splashed all over you or at her place together, because I am sick of this," she pointed from one to the other. "Whatever you two are doing, you doing it halfway. It's obvious to everyone around you how you feel except apparently you two."
"We're gonna what?" Chuck asked, his mouth having dropped open.
"From now until New Years, you two are to be together. Either you figure out it can't work, or you figure out in can, but no one can take any more of this, are we clear?" Chuck and Sarah both nodded. Ellie smiled. "Good, now John needs to talk to you."
"Ellie, you said from now until New Years, Sarah and I have to work."
"Oh, no," Ellie replied. "I called Big Mike and told him you were close to having a mental breakdown. I was considering having you suing the Buy More and he gave you vacation for the next two weeks."
"ELLIE!"
"Chuck, he uses you all the time, and what I said isn't wrong. You aren't right, and neither is she. Something has happened to you two and you need to figure it out."
"But Ellie, she still has to work," Chuck insisted. Ellie shook her head. "You did the same to Scooter?" Ellie smiled and nodded.
"Also, you're getting a $1.50 an hour raise, Sarah," Ellie said. She smiled and walked toward the kitchen. "Don't forget to go see John…together."
The two trudged from the house. "Sarah, what are we gonna do?"
"I have no idea, Chuck, if we do what she wants…well, we can't, and if we don't we'll blow our cover."
"Right," Chuck replied. Sarah wanted to scream in frustration. Chuck knocked on the door and Casey was laughing. "You heard everything, didn't you?"
Casey just grinned. "You two have got some serious work to do."
"Casey, we can't and Beckman and Graham are going to flip out when they hear," Chuck replied.
"When we hear what?" Beckman asked. Chuck and Sarah both slowly turned toward the TV monitor. "About your sister's demands?" Beckman took her glasses off and stared at them. "What are you going to do?"
"What can we do?" Chuck asked, frustrated beyond belief. "To give my sister what she wants isn't fair to Sarah."
"Wait," Sarah replied. "You don't get to answer for me."
"Sarah, I'm not, but I can't…do that. Not like that."
"Chuck, I don't do what your implying with marks."
"I never meant to imply you did," Chuck replied. "Good to know," he muttered under his breath. "But it wouldn't be just making out and snuggling on a couch, my sister thinks we're…."
"Lovers," Sarah replied. Chuck's cheeks puffed up, and he blew out air.
"You know, what you're supposed to do with someone else," Casey added in.
"I got it!" Chuck snapped at Casey. He turned back to Sarah. "There's no way to fool her." He turned to Beckman. "There's got to be a mission you can send us on somewhere. One that takes weeks."
"That's a good idea," Sarah added. "Wait…" she said, turning toward Chuck. "You'll miss your family's Christmas."
"Well, so will you," Chuck replied, shrugging.
"I don't do Christmas," Sarah said softly. Chuck turned toward her slowly, his eyes wide.
"I'm sorry, it just sounded like you said you don't do Christmas. What do you mean you don't do Christmas?"
"Mr. Bartowski," Beckman interrupted. "We have a serious problem, and while I understand what Christmas means to you-"
"I don't know that you do," Chuck said. Beckman glared at him. "Shutting up."
"Major," she said, turning to Casey. "Do you have any idea how to solve our problem?"
"NSA Policy 9-5-8a," Casey said, smiling.
Beckman straightened. "What do you think Agent Walker?"
"I'm not familiar with that, General," Sarah admitted.
"General, the situation seems to be Walker is worried about a 49-B if she were to explore a…ugh," Casey couldn't finish the sentence.
"I'm really not comfortable talking about this," Sarah said.
"I'm not comfortable listening," Chuck added.
"You two have a problem," Beckman said. Chuck and Sarah both looked worried. "Something happened when Larkin came back." They both began to say something, but Beckman raised her hand, stopping them. "I don't want to know what. What I do know is right now Graham is on vacation with his wife. A 49-B could be called, and that is a CIA right, although not something I totally agree with. However, if there is….something." She gave both of them a hard look. "The best thing would be for you two to explore it now. Out of the way of cameras. And, if it's something you are interesting in pursuing, Chuck could apply to be a NSA analyst." Chuck raised his hand. "Yes, Mr. Bartowski?"
"Would I get paid for that?"
"Yes, Mr. Bartowski, and before you raise your hand again, even if you don't choose to pursue…whatever, you could apply." Beckman looked at Casey. "Would you proctor the tests? That's all he'd need."
"Be glad to, General."
"What about Sarah, if I'm NSA won't the NSA take over this project?"
"Agent Walker is the best bodyguard I have ever seen," Beckman replied. "NSA employee or not, I would want Agent Walker guarding you. But that is Agent Walker's call."
"I don't want to leave, General," Sarah replied quickly.
"Agent Walker, this could be a very long term assignment," Beckman warned. Chuck turned to Sarah. She was pale, and she refused to look at Chuck. She clearly swallowed, and Chuck saw the terror on her face.
"I don't know that this is fair to Sarah, G-" Chuck began, never turning from Sarah.
"I'm not leaving, General Beckman," Sarah said clearly, cutting off Chuck.
Beckman smiled. "Good, now the problem is to get you away from Ellie, where you two can figure this out, and I have a mission, but it won't be easy."
"I'm ready for any mission, General," Sarah said.
Beckman chuckled and leaned forward. "Agent Walker, you and your cover boyfriend, Chuck will be going to Grindelwald, Switzerland, located in the Swiss Alps." Sarah's eyes widened. "Your target is one Hans Grueber."
"You have to be joking," Chuck muttered.
"It is Christmas time, Mr. Bartowski," Beckman replied with a grin. "There are reports of Hans recruiting young couples to join his…group of followers.
"What does Hans do?" Chuck asked.
"He's a ski instructor," Beckman replied. Chuck blinked. A picture popped up on the screen. "We've procured chalets in Grindelwald, Switzerland. One will be for the two of you on your Christmas romantic getaway. The other will be for your rich uncle who procured you the chalet. You two are very much in love, that is the cover. Will this be an issue?"
There was silence as Chuck turned toward Sarah. "General," he said looking at Sarah. "Exactly what is to be expected of the two of us…for the cover?"
"Mr. Bartowski!" Chuck spun around, his eyes wide. "I would NEVER ask you or Agent Walker to do anything like what your suggesting!"
"Who's suggesting anything?!" Chuck asked.
"General, I think Chuck is saying, he's…not used to this, and he doesn't know what is required in these situations."
"I see," Beckman said. "Since you two will have some time together, perhaps you should teach him." Sarah nodded. "Also, you only have these two weeks, and if you should finish early, you might as well stay, because these chalets are already paid for."
"How's that?" Chuck asked.
"Another mission using the chalets fell apart," Casey answered quickly. Chuck saw Beckman give the slightest of nods to Casey.
"So, do you two want this mission, and this…opportunity?" Chuck turned to Sarah
"I do," Sarah said softly, still not looking at Chuck.
Chuck looked back at Beckman, terror on his face. He swallowed. "I do," he said. Beckman smiled. Chuck wondered, did he just get spy married?
"Will you start the paperwork on NSA Policy 9-5-8a, General?" Casey asked, grinning.
"Consider it done," Beckman replied, and reached to cut the feed. "What about Ellie?"
"I'll tell her I won a vacation package," Casey replied. "We got this General."
"Good luck you three." Chuck swore she was chuckling as she cut the feed.
A/N: EDC is smiling. I hope you enjoyed it. Reviews and PMs are always welcomed. Til Next Time
DC