Author's Note: Okay, so initially I didn't plan to write much fanfiction during the next month, but this story kept coming back to me no matter how hard I tried to resist. Besides I needed a distraction from obsessing over the fate of the show and what will happen in the finale. So here is the first chapter of a four chapter fic. This story takes place in the same alternate Chuckverse as my previous other two stories: Chuck vs. The Sweet Science and Chuck vs. Two Smoking Barrels. Like the other two, there are similar thematic, character, and plot links between the three stories, but they are not traditional sequels. This story will be a little different from the other two as I will be changing point of view for each chapter. It's also not a oneshot. There is no real connection between these stories and the show's current canon. However, if I were forced to give a proper context, this story takes place after events in Chuck vs. The Lethal Weapon.
For the first chapter, we have Casey. Be kind, I've never written in Casey's point of view before and it's...hard. I don't think I did the big sugar bear justice. Hope you enjoy!
"I am fed up."
Casey looked up from price checking the DVD players to see Chuck standing just off to the side. The nerd was standing up much straighter than usual, his arms crossed over his chest, and his eyes steady and focused. Casey blinked and straightened up in response. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen Bartowski look so serious and confident. It kind of unnerved him.
He spun around to face Chuck head on, leveling his best impatient, no-nonsense stare at the younger man. To his surprise, Chuck didn't quake and waver under his gaze as he normally did. If anything, his stare seemed to embolden the man even further. "What the hell do you want, Bartowski?" He did what he usually did when faced with an unknown situation: he went on the offensive. It was becoming entirely too common these days where Chuck surprised him.
"I said, I am fed up."
"I heard you the first time." Casey pointed the price gun at Bartowski in a vaguely threatening manner and hoped the man got the message that he was not in the mood for his normal stupidity. "Unlike you, some people here actually care about doing their job."
"See, that's exactly what I'm talking about!" Chuck bristled and glared at him.
"Bartowski, I don't have time for your usual blathering."
"I'm tired of you constantly making fun of me. You're nothing but a bully."
Casey was genuinely surprised. Was Bartowski actually standing up for himself? This could either be a very good thing or a very bad thing. Maybe the firearms training and teaching him how to defend himself was not the best idea. He had to tread carefully, as he knew how quickly a confrontation with the kid could spiral out of control. Chuck just had a way of getting to him that no one else in his life ever had. "Watch your mouth, Bartowski."
There was real trepidation and uncertainty in the man's eyes, but Casey could actually see Chuck push those fears away and replace them with haughty confidence. He was suitably impressed. "Or what? You'll hurt me? Call me more bad names? Threaten me with your usual empty and inane threats? Go ahead." Chuck actually stepped closer and lowered his voice to a cool whisper. "I dare you."
Casey actually heard the plastic handle of the price gun crackle as his grip tightened. It was better the easily replaceable device than the irreplaceable Intersect. At least that's what he told himself was the reason for not beating the little snot into the ground. "Walk away right now and I promise I'll forget this conversation ever happened."
Bartowski just snorted in contempt. "Maybe I don't want you to forget that it happened."
Before he could stop himself his hand shot out and grabbed a large handful of Chuck's white shirt. He squeezed his fist, his fingers digging painfully into Chuck's chest, and pulled the other man closer. He growled, "Say another word and I'll start breaking bones."
Not only did Chuck not dissolve into a puddle of whining, terrified goo at his actions, but he actually chuckled, albeit with clear strain in his voice. "You can't hurt me, I'm the Intersect."
The little bastard actually had the gall to sound smug. He needed to disabuse Bartowski of the notion that he was free from retaliation. "Oh Chuck, there are a lot of things that I can do to you that won't stop you from flashing." He pulled Chuck even closer and jammed the end of the price gun into Chuck's abdomen. "Take for example the fact that things would probably be a lot easier for Walker and I with you stuck in the car do your unfortunate inability to continue walking."
To his relief, he saw the hesitation and fear return to the younger man's eyes. It seemed he had just pushed past the kid's threshold. Chuck was learning, and he was learning fast, but he still wasn't nearly as confident in the Great Game as he had been trying to put on. He honestly didn't know what he'd do if Chuck had continued pushing him. He would have almost had to do something, if only to maintain his authority over the kid. Such an action, of course, would have inevitably led to a fight with his partner, an ass chewing by the General, and probably seriously harming his cover. But if Chuck thought, for even one second, that he could actually manipulate him like he could do to Sarah, they'd be screwed. There'd be no stopping Chuck then from pretty much running roughshod over everything. Sometimes, only his ability to intimidate Bartowski was what kept the missions from devolving into complete disasters.
He loosened his grip on Chuck's shirt just slightly and waited for the man's response. He didn't have to wait long. "What do I have to do, Casey? Tell me. What do I have to do to earn your respect and get you to back off? Beat you in a fight? Kill somebody? Complete a mission single-handedly? I'm tired of you treating me like crap and I want it to stop. I'm tired of your constant digs about Sarah. I thought we had an understanding. Isn't that why you've been training me?"
Casey was seriously at a loss for words. Chuck really wanted his respect that much? He knew that Chuck often wore his heart on his sleeve, that he really did think of him as a friend, and that most days he was just as determined to get him to show his human side as he was determined to get into Walker's pants. Still, it always unnerved him how earnest Chuck was. He just wasn't used to such open displays of emotion, especially when they were directed toward him. Wasn't the fact that he hadn't bludgeoned Chuck to death over the time they'd spent together proof enough that he actually liked the idiot? Since when was it written he actually had to voice that affection out loud?
Casey let go of Chuck's shirt and gave him a rather mild push backward. "You're the Intersect, an asset. It's not necessary for you to earn my respect. I'm here because it's my job. And I've trained your sorry ass to make my job easier, that's all." He straightened up and crossed his arms over his chest. He did his best to drive home his point; he had to get Chuck off this dangerous path. "I'm not here to hold your hand and play nice. That's Walker's job." He poked Chuck in the chest. "I'm not here to talk with you until long hours of the night, braiding your hair and gossiping with you about the cute boy in class. That's Morgan's job." He poked Chuck again. "I'm not your friend, I'm your handler. That's my job. Get that through your head and maybe things will go a lot smoother."
Chuck took a step back and rubbed his chest absentmindedly. "You know what, Casey? I don't believe you."
He growled, "I don't care what you believe."
Chuck just shook his head. "I'm gonna find some way of proving you wrong. I don't care if it takes me forever, but by the time I'm done, not only will you admit that you actually consider me a friend but that you like me too." Chuck grinned his stupid grin that always made Walker swoon and himself uncomfortably at ease. Damn Bartowski for being so easily likable. It was not the first time that Chuck reminded him of the younger brother he always wished he'd had.
Casey laughed, but it was a strained laugh. The thing was, he knew Chuck was completely serious. Worse yet, he knew that he'd probably succeed too. But damn if he was going to give Bartowski an inch.
# # # # #
Casey sighed and rubbed a hand across his forehead wearily. They were still arguing. They had been arguing for the last 15 minutes and their argument today was about the same mundane crap they'd been fighting over for the last month. On the one hand, it was a huge relief to Casey. Ever since Chuck had confronted him in the Buy More, he'd been watching the nerd extra carefully. He had no idea what the man was planning, but he knew he had to be planning something. Bartowski had been way too serious and determined to prove himself right, and it wasn't like him to give up on something he really wanted. Chuck Bartowski had a lot of negative qualities, but a lack of tenacity was not one of them. And yet, ever since he had started fighting with Walker, it seemed his mission to earn Casey's respect had disappeared. After a month of constant fighting, he was starting to relax. Chuck clearly had more important things on his mind.
Still, the fights were annoying as hell and he wished they would stop. His complaining and ribbing had not made a dent on either of them. If it was one thing it was another. Bartoski had slipped up with their cover around his sister. Walker had somehow offended Bartowski's delicate sensibilities. Bartowski had been late. Walker had been early. Blah, blah, blah they went on and on in circles. They fought about anything and everything and neither had been very pleasant individuals since the fighting began. They were starting to fight everywhere and all the time too: in Castle, at Bartowski's, on cover dates, in the Orange Orange. He could not get a moment's peace because of it. So far they hadn't let it bleed into any actual missions, but he figured it was only a matter of time. Neither of his two idiot teammates was particularly adept at hiding their emotions, especially for each other.
To make matters worse, with each passing day their fighting seemed to escalate to become louder, more biting, more on point. Today it appeared to be as bad as it'd ever been. It seemed that the idiot was actually breaking up with her yet again. Casey shook his head. One of these days, Walker was liable to kill Bartowski for screwing with her head so much; of course that wasn't to say he didn't appreciate the fallout. Watching his team members argue and bicker was about the only decent form of entertainment he got these days even if he did want them to stop. He'd take what he could get.
"I'm sorry, but I just can't keep doing this!" Bartowski yelled. His face was an odd reddish color. It reminded him of a baboon's ass. Frankly, he was surprised the kid had the balls to confront Walker so directly, and in front of him no less. Usually he just resorted to passive aggressive barbs in an attempt to get Walker to open up to him. "It's the same thing every time. I think we're actually getting somewhere and then bam! You pull the rug out from under me again. I can't take it anymore, Sarah. I'm tired of you pushing me away and building walls around yourself. I'm tired of all the back and forth. I just want something real for once." Bartowski calmed himself considerably. Casey arched an eyebrow and grunted contemplatively to himself as he watched Bartowski rein in his emotions quickly to present a placid front. Bartowski was getting better at controlling himself.
It seemed that all the time they had been spending together hadn't been a complete waste. Maybe the kid was finally starting to learn what it took to be in this line of work.
He looked at his watch and groaned. There was still 20 minutes left in Bartowski's lunch break, which meant that if he had any hope of getting any work done, he still had 20 minutes left of listening to Bartowski and Walker sharing their feelings. It was times like this where he actually wished they were screwing just so they could make up already and leave him alone.
"Chuck, this is not really the best place to be having this kind of conversation."
Casey smirked at the very tightly controlled, annoyed tone in Walker's voice. It was clear as day to him that she was very upset. He almost laughed at the not so subtle way she kept trying to indicate him off in one of Castle's many alcoves, but Bartowski didn't seem to care about having an audience. Walker must have done something especially harsh to get Bartowski riled up enough to hash out their drama in front of anybody, let alone him.
It was obvious that his partner was doing her best to maintain her control; the way her eyes seemed frozen in ice, her arms held tightly to her sides, her entire body screaming to anyone who would listen that she was not to be messed with right now. He could only imagine how much she probably wanted to hit something at this point. How much she probably wanted to hit Chuck. He knew that if Bartowski had been arguing with him the way he and Walker had been fighting lately, he'd probably already have killed the little twerp. Still, he knew that this probably wasn't easy for his partner. He knew how much she actually liked Bartowski, but was doing her best to maintain her sense of professionalism in an increasingly complicated situation.
It was clearly a losing battle. About the only upside to the whole fiasco was that Walker had had the willpower to hold out this long. He just wished she'd never let herself get compromised in the first place. If he was being honest, on his really good days, he often found himself getting upset at Bartowski on Walker's behalf. It was a brothers-in-arms feeling that he rarely got these days, but if anyone could bring that feeling out of him, it was his partner (and his idiotic asset, but he really didn't like dwelling on that fact). If the idiot just showed a little more patience, he knew he'd eventually win out. There was no need to push so hard for something that couldn't really happen. All he was accomplishing was making Walker withdraw in upon herself, completely defeating his repeated hopes for getting her to open up to him.
He shook his head and looked down at the file in his hand. He tried to read about the latest intelligence regarding recent Fulcrum movements, but the soap opera playing out in front of him was too hard to resist.
"I should have just left with Cole, at least then I wouldn't have to put up with this crap."
He froze and barely stopped himself from whistling out loud. Damn. Even he had to admit that was crossing the line. He peeked over the top of the file to see Bartowski's reaction. He felt a brief flare of pity at the pain and sadness that was plainly written across Chuck's whole face.
"Maybe you're right. Maybe it would be best if we just stopped this. For good this time." Bartowski moved his hand to indicate everything that was between them. "That's probably for the best. I wouldn't want you to compromise yourself," Bartowski sneered. "God knows that if the great Sarah Walker ever showed any real emotion, the Universe would probably collapse in upon itself."
Walker's face was blank and he could see just how rigid and tense her body was. Coldly, she responded, "Fine. Then from now on, we're just coworkers."
Anger returned to Bartowski's face, his eyes narrowing. "Fine. Sounds good to me!" He spun on his heel and marched over to the steps leading out of Castle. "I'm going back to work. Don't bother stopping by later, Agent Walker."
Wow, maybe he was finally getting his wish after all. He had never heard Bartowski sound so cold and angry before. He stared at Bartowski's back as he walked up the stairs and out into the frozen yogurt shop. Once the kid had disappeared from view, he quickly found Walker, who was staring at him.
"Not a word, Casey."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Please, don't even pretend that you didn't hear everything."
Casey shrugged his shoulders and figured there was no point in pretending he hadn't been listening. "Kinda hard not to, what with you two lovebirds yelling at each other like that. Or should I say former lovebirds?" Casey grinned.
Sarah narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't say a word.
He put down the file on the desk in front of him, giving up any pretense of reading. He gazed levelly at his partner. "So how long do you think he'll last this time before he comes running back begging to get back together? A day? A week?"
Again, she didn't respond. She pointedly turned to her own intelligence update sitting on the large table in front of her. She looked so tightly coiled that the slightest touch would probably send her exploding angrily in any direction. She could try ignoring him all she wanted, but he was not about to give up his fun that easily. "And how long until you get all desperate and pathetic and take him back like nothing happened?"
Her shoulders twitched and she slammed the file folder onto the desk. Finally, a reaction! He smiled and waited for her to unload. "Can't you ever just stop? Just once?"
"I know it's been a while for you, but if you just gave the idiot a thrill once in a while stuff like this would never happen." He smirked as her eyes widened and then narrowed into slits. He could practically feel the heat radiating off of her. She was really upset, her face getting flushed. Then realization slammed into him and he snapped forward in his chair, his own eyes narrowing and boring into her. "Or is that what happened? You finally slipped, gave him what he wanted, but then took it all back after it happened, didn't you?"
Walker shut down completely, the only indication that he was onto something was the utter coldness of her eyes. "Drop it, Casey."
He grunted in triumphant. "You did." He whistled this time. "I'm impressed. I knew you could be cold, but I'm finally starting to see how you got to be the CIA's best. Not that that's saying much."
"I said drop it, Casey. I am not having this conversation with you."
He shrugged his shoulders, not caring whether or not she wanted to talk about it. "I gotta admit, as a way of getting Bartowski to back off it's a bit harsh, but it's about time you started doing your job right."
Sarah gritted her teeth, what control she still had left he could see slipping away. "Chuck and I did not, nor have we ever, slept together. So just drop it."
"Not from lack of trying, I'm sure."
"Nothing happened!"
"I don't believe you."
She pushed away from the table and stood up. He quickly straightened up in his chair, preparing himself in case she attacked. She wasn't usually one for physical confrontations but he knew that Chuck was about the only thing that could get her crazy enough to actually lash out physically at someone. It'd been a while since he had a good tussle.
To his great disappointment, she didn't come at him. In fact, she didn't say a single word. She just turned her back to him and walked up the stairs and into the store. Damn it, he was really hoping he might get more out of her than that. His curiosity was piqued though. He was going to have to give the surveillance tapes a much closer look than he had been recently to make sure she hadn't done anything stupid. The last thing he wanted was to have to report her. He doubted he'd find anything. They weren't careless enough to do anything in a place where he might be able to observe them. No, if anything went down, it had happened at Walker's hotel room.
He would give her a few more days to fix things with Bartowski. Otherwise he was going to have to take things into his own hands. He couldn't have their little romantic squabbles disrupting the team dynamic.
Will Casey find out why Chuck and Sarah have been fighting? Will Chuck and Sarah get back together? Has Chuck forgotten his promise? Should Casey be scared? These questions and many more will hopefully be answered, so please stick around till next week! Not that I will actually update next week, it's just a saying.
And don't forget to buy your Subway on Monday!