300A/N: So Zettel gave me this idea, and here's something you may not know about me, I grew up on a 100+ acre farm in Kentucky. Corn, soybeans, tobacco, and pigs were all a part of my background. Yes, what Chuck is about to do, I have done, and it's not pleasant for anyone involved. No Intersect, just life, just…fun, and fluff. Small town life, you might say. This fic takes place in fictional Sadie, Kentucky, a town in fictional LaCompt County, Kentucky. Places like Owensboro, Daviess County, and Owensboro Community and Technical College are real.
If you are one of the 8 who bought one of my short stories, thanks, but if you read it, or are one of the 40 who read my blog, you may recognize a little bit of one of the subplots. I promise, it's not the main plot. Also, fic takes place present day.
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck
"Well?" Casey asked. Chuck looked up at him. "What do you think, Doc?" It was a warm summer day in Kentucky. Chuck's curls were everywhere due to the humidity, and he had already sweat through his shirt. Between the heat, the humidity, the smell of the pig farm, and the current location of his right arm, Chuck was sure he'd had better days.
"You want the simple answer, or the correct answer?" Chuck asked, grunting while he spoke. His arm was… well, for lack of a better term, up the birth canal of the sow in front of him. Casey had called him in a panic not thirty minutes ago. The sow had begun to give birth, but he knew something was wrong. Chuck had hopped in his truck and drove over as quick as he could, not worrying about the speed limit. He had seen the entire county police force inside Lou's as he had pulled out of town, so that wouldn't be an issue.
When he got to Casey's farm, he had hurried down to the hog barn. There, he found Casey watching the sow trying to give birth, obviously distressed. Chuck climbed right into the pigpen and began to feel the sow's abdomen. He'd told Casey there was still at least one more piglet inside.
"You've got your hand so far up my pig's inside, I'm gonna say for her sake, give me simple."
"Cords are around the piglet's neck," Chuck replied, grunting again. He moved a little to the left, giving him a little more leverage. He had found the piglet's back legs and was moving his hand around the piglet. He found the front legs, and then felt what he had feared; the umbilical cord wrapped around the piglet's neck, choking the little guy.
"Damn, Bartowski, that looks… damn."
"Got it," he said, triumphantly, as he moved the cord and felt the tightness give. There was no time for natural birth, Chuck wasn't sure the little guy was breathing. He pulled his arm out slowly, pulling the piglet out of the sow. There was no breathing from the piglet, and Chuck rubbed his fingers on the piglet's chest.
The sow squealed and started to get up. "Stay where you are," Chuck said firmly. Casey's eyes went wide as the sow remained on the ground. "Come on," he whispered. A small squeal came from the piglet. Chuck reached down, grabbed the clippers, made the cut, and Casey quickly used the iron to cauterize the wound. The piglet squealed unhappily. Chuck put him to the ground and the piglet hurried away, squealing. "I like that cover you built in here."
"Thanks," Casey said, admiring the boards that were about a foot off the ground and stuck out about a foot all the way around the stall. "Does no good to have her birth them, only to lay down on them."
"Nope," Chuck admitted. He was checking out the sow while he was talking to Casey. "You might want to help me hold her." Chuck pulled out a needle.
"Christ," Casey muttered. "That's how you get kicked in the face."
"That's why I said hold on to her," Chuck said, quickly giving her the shot. The sow squealed, but didn't move. "She doesn't seem to be in distress, but how about I hang out here an hour or so to make sure."
"Doc, don't you have appointments?" Casey asked
"I had your daughter reschedule them," Chuck replied, grinning at Casey.
"I can't thank you enough, Bartowski," Casey said, the pride he had for his daughter obvious from the smile on his face.
"I should thank you," Chuck replied. "She's been a godsend."
"John," they heard the female voice calling out.
"Shit, she's gonna give me hell for calling you out here," Casey said.
"If you didn't, that piglet could have died, gave the sow sepsis… then you'd had a hell of a time on your hands," Chuck told him.
"Seems your old man had a case go bad years ago," Casey said, shaking his head.
"I honestly don't know if it was or not. I suspect it was, but I don't know. Every one of the piglets died in her, and she wouldn't go into labor," Chuck said, thinking back to one of the first times he was involved in being a vet.
"What happened?" Casey asked.
"You had to do what I just did… but…" he trailed off.
"How bad?" Casey asked, fearful to hear.
"They came out in pieces," Chuck told him.
"Christ," Casey muttered.
"Lost the whole litter, and the hog died shortly thereafter. We had to get her out of the pen before the others ate her."
"So she wouldn't poison the others?" Casey inquired. Chuck nodded.
"John Casey, you tell me right now you didn't call him down here!" Gertrude yelled, coming into the barn.
"Now Gert," Chuck said, making her give him a level look. Chuck just grinned at her. "If Casey hadn't called me… you'd have at least one dead piglet, and possibly a sow, too."
Gertrude studied the two and then huffed a sigh. "Have you at least offered him a drink?"
"Beer, Bartowski?" Casey asked, thankful Chuck had saved his backside.
"I've got more work to do this evening," Chuck admitted. "How about some Iced Tea?"
"Coming up," Gertrude said, heading back up toward the house. Soon all three were on the porch, drinking their tea. "Chuck, you had an appointment, didn't you?"
A slow grin covered Chuck's face. "Aw, hell, Bartowski, tell me it wasn't her." The grin grew. "It's like you live now to piss her off."
"What happened to you two, Chuck?" Gertrude asked. Chuck sat there, staring off into the distance, at the gentle roll of the hill. He watched as the corn moved slightly with the gentle, warm breeze. He had asked himself that question many times… What happened to them?
"All I can tell you is when we got to Auburn…" Chuck trailed off. "Either she became who she really was and had been hiding, or she decided that she wanted this other life." He was silent, listening to the birds call in the woods across the fields.
"You've been back three years, Chuck," Casey began. "That's the most I've heard you say about her, and Auburn."
Chuck shrugged and took a sip of his tea. "Who the hell calls that little toy poodle 'Fredrico', and brings him in for a checkup every three months?"
Casey snorted. "So Fredrico missed another checkup?" Chuck laughed and shook his head. Chuck and Jill had been high school sweethearts after his parents had been killed in a drunk driving accident. Chuck didn't run the vet clinic after his parents died, but no one knew more about animals than Chuck Bartowski by that time. Jill had accompanied him many times to the surrounding farms, as he assisted any way he could when needed. Casey and Gertrude had become Chuck and Ellie's de facto guardians.
While many don't consider Kentucky the south, Kentucky does. Small towns like Sadie looked out for one another. Chuck and Ellie continued to live in their house, helped out by the Caseys when needed, but they lived their life. Ellie had broken many hearts in town when she didn't go to UK or U of L, but instead left the state and went to Vanderbilt University. There she met the love of her life, Devon Woodcomb. They now worked at the University of Kentucky Hospital.
No one was surprised when Chuck and Jill went off together to Auburn University. However, many were surprised, including Mayor Roberts, that Jill came home after finishing her bachelors accompanied by her boyfriend, Bryce Larkin. Chuck had caught Bryce and Jill in a compromising position during their junior year, and that had been the end of Jill and Chuck. Chuck had finished his degree and was now running the old family business, and God, did it look old.
Stephen Bartowski and John Casey had literally built Animals, Large and Small from the ground up. John was an experienced carpenter, and Stephen was many things, including a licensed electrician. The good people of Sadie had been taking their pets to Owensboro, about a thirty-minute drive. The larger animals, they didn't have anyone close by to help them.
When Chuck reopened his family vet practice, farmers all over the county rejoiced. It was understood that the domestic pets would sometimes have to wait for a farm emergency. Chuck was on call at all times. Most of LaCompt county understood, except for one person: Jill Roberts.
Jill had been lobbying for another vet to come to Sadie before Chuck ever returned, and after he returned, she continued lobbying for the smaller animals. She claimed Chuck preferred the larger animals – pigs, horses, cows, what have you – over domesticated pets. That wasn't true, except for Fredrico.
Fredrico was a tiny, whiny, nippy little snot of a dog that reminded Chuck of her owner. So of course, when a call came in that a horse might be having issues, Chuck quickly responded to the call, leaving Jill sitting in his lobby. That was the last straw for Jill. Chuck really wasn't sure what the first straw was, but by the same token he didn't care, either. Bryce said he knew someone, strings were pulled by Jill, and a nice new shiny veterinarian clinic was being built in Sadie called Creature Comforts.
Truth be told, Chuck didn't mind. He had all the business he needed. He worked ridiculous hours, but also there were a lot of animals in the area, and there were times he could use some help. He figured that a new vet wouldn't be interested in working together with him, but there might be times it was called for; required, even.
"She's probably gone by now," Casey said, making Gertrude snort. Chuck just grinned, stood, and stretched. He started back down to the barn. "Where you goin'?"
"To check on that sow," Chuck replied. "I seriously stayed here for her." They watched him walk down to the barn.
"You told him about the cattle?" Gertrude asked.
"Nope, he's doing too much for us as it is," Casey said softly. "I'm concerned about this new vet, what it might do to him."
"He's made his choices, John."
"I know, Gertrude, but you know Bartowski. He'll give someone the shirt off his back, after he has it dry cleaned."
"And properly starched," Gertrude added. "Might ought to remind him he should bathe before he heads back into town." She took a sniff of the air. "Same goes for you."
}o{
Chuck drove his old F-250 back into Sadie, having bathed. He was glad Casey offered to fix his truck last time in lieu of payment. He had a 2.5-55 AC until Casey had installed the new air conditioner. (That's the two side windows down, and the back window slid open going down the road at 55 miles per hour, for you city folks). He pulled into Sadie and went directly to Lou's. He hadn't eaten since breakfast, and while the smell at barn had dulled his appetite, the shower and drive back had reminded him of his current gastronomic situation.
He parked his truck to the side of Lou's, got out, walked in, and headed to the bar. "Hey, good lookin'," Lou said to him, grinning. "Where have you been hiding?"
"Haven't you heard, Lou?" Chuck heard the female voice say. He closed his eyes, not before he saw Lou wince. "He only cares about large animals, not people or their pets."
"Jill, you're being ridiculous," Fred said, sitting on the other side of the bar.
"It's okay, Fred," Chuck said softly. "Thanks," he said with a nod.
"Have you any decent reason as to why you left me and poor Fredrico waiting in your office… again?"
"I do," Chuck said, turning towards her. Why don't we go to my office and discuss it, after I've had a bite?"
"No, you embarrassed me, so I get to do the same to you," Jill said, slapping the bar angrily.
"Jill, what I need to explain to you is quite graphic, and people are trying to eat," Chuck pleaded. "Lou doesn't need to lose business today over this."
"It's fine, Chuck," Fred said. Jill gave him a look that read, see.
"Okay," Chuck said, resigned that he had tried to warn them. "One of Casey's sows was in distress. The piglet was caught by the umbilical cord, and it was choking to death. If the piglet died, it could have rotted inside the sow, killing it." Fred dropped the piece of bacon he was eating onto his plate, pushing the plate away. "Tried to warn you, Fred." Jill looked a little queasy. "Listen, I took care of the sow, and the piglets, went home, showered because of the heat and the smell, and came here to get some food. Let me eat, and I'll be glad to see your dog."
Jill's face froze. "Say his name," she said. Chuck had to fight to not roll his eyes.
"Let me eat, and I'll be glad to see…" he looked down at the dog she had in her purse. "Fredrico."
"No," Jill said, with a smirk. "Fredrico and I will be one of the first to see our new vet in town, Sarah Walker, next week."
"Okay," Chuck said, turning away and picking up the menu. "How's the meatloaf, Lou?"
"Amazing with some boiled cabbage, white beans, cornbread, and a glass of tea," she answered, wrapping silverware off to the side, giving him a wink.
"That's what I'll have," Chuck said, with a nod.
"What about me?" Jill asked.
"You like meatloaf?"
Jill huffed. "God, you are such a dope. Chuck, why? Why can't you see the bigger picture? Why must you be like this?"
"Like what?"
"Stuck here," Jill replied.
Chuck studied her a second. "I don't feel stuck, but it sounds like you do." Jill rolled her eyes, huffed and started to storm out. She shoved the door open, hitting Bryce with it as he began to come in. Several jumped up to help Bryce and Jill. Chuck turned his chair away and back to Lou. "You feel stuck, Lou?"
"Nope," Lou answered with a grin.
"You gonna sneak me a piece of that Pecan Pie?"
"Nope, but I'll sell it to you."
"You drive a hard bargain." Chuck took a drink of the tea Lou had placed in front of him during the door incident. "How's Henry?"
"He cussed me, Chuck," Lou said, disgust in her voice.
"You ever cuss him?" Chuck asked. Lou looked away. "That bird probably learned it from you. I did warn you."
"Oh, what do you know," she said, faux glaring at him.
"According to the majority of women in this town, not much," he said spreading his hands.
"Oh, hush, you," she said, as she turned and got his food from the kitchen opening. "Eat, before you have to go run off and save someone else's livelihood."
Chuck gave her a look, and she quickly straightened and moved away. "There is something wrong at his farm, isn't there?"
"It's not my business, Chuck," Lou answered.
"When has that ever stopped you," Chuck groused. She stuck her tongue out at him and moved away. Chuck began to eat, but paused after a bit and slowly looked over his shoulder. No one was paying him any attention, in fact… they appeared to be going out of their way to not pay attention to him. He slowly turned back around, but stopped when he had Fred in his sight. Fred looked very nervous. "Wanna tell me what's going on, Fred?"
"Nope," Fred answered.
"Well, that tells me something is going on," Chuck said, still looking at Fred.
"They're worried," Lou said, walking back his direction.
"Who?"
"Everyone, Chuck. They're worried this new vet will put you out of business."
Chuck turned around in his seat. "Everyone, listen: From what I understand, she's going to concentrate on small animals, like pets. And we all know that I'm running all over the county. It's fine, I get it. I'm not that reliable because I never know when I'll get called away." Everyone looked extremely uncomfortable.
"They're also worried she's not as good as you," Lou told him.
"Well of course she's not," Chuck said with a grin. No one else was grinning. "What do they want me to do, watch her work?" Chuck noticed a few heads perk up. "Guys, I can't."
"I understand, Chuck," Lou said. She leaned in toward him. "It's them… they don't." Chuck laughed and began to eat his meal.
A/N: We're just warming up with this one. Do we like it? Next chapter, we meet the new vet as only Chuck Bartowski can.
