I don't own Chuck. Actually, I don't own much of anything.

I'm not really un-retiring… not yet anyway. This is not new content. In fact, it is almost ten years old.

This was a sequel to The Real Relationship. The thing is, I'm not a writer. As a result those first efforts were… well, embarrassing. At the time this was originally written, between seasons one and two, we thought of Sarah as a reluctant spy. She really longed for home and family. Over time, we learned that she was a more complex character. I have always seen her (and still do) as lovesick… in love for the first time in her life and not knowing how to deal with it. At first, I was admittedly in far too big of a hurry to get her there. Sarah was never going to be the crybaby that she was in the original. She's in love, and that's new to her. She doesn't always know what to do about it. Sarah is the strong, silent type. She doesn't express herself well. She has things in her past that she isn't eager to re-live. So she's trying to balance that with her new fiancé who is exactly the opposite. He wants to know every detail.

One of the things that I always loved about Chuck and Sarah is that they were so different. They look at things differently. They both had serious flaws. One is strong where the other was weak. It's actually recognizing those differences that make them such an unbreakable couple. Together, they fill in each other's gaps and depend on each other. So instead of WT/WT, I try and put them together and let them work out those differences as a couple.

So hopefully, I can fix those flaws here. One other thing. When I first started writing, there were several teenaged girls, just a little younger than my daughter, in the community who were my friends. Call me old fashioned, but I was uncomfortable writing anything about sex knowing they would be reading. Now those girls are grown women. So I'm not nearly as uncomfortable. This will always be T. But it will be more descriptive.

Look, I get that interest in things Chuck has waned. That's as it should be. So, while I'd always love to hear from you, I'm not doing this for hits or reviews. I'm doing this for me. Hopefully you can enjoy it as well.

Off The Grid

x-x-x-x-x

Chuck and Sarah were finally driving home. It had been a brutal day. So brutal that Chuck could barely keep the Nerd Herder on the road. He had never been more tired in his life. In the past seventy-two hours he had worked three shifts at the Buy More and completed two missions for the CIA. So when Beckman insisted that they spend their evening inside the bowels of Castle going over records seized in the Fulcrum bust… well even the workaholic Casey couldn't claim to be enthusiastic.

Of course, it wasn't all bad. That same seventy-two hour period saw him become engaged to a goddess, the woman of his dreams. Not to mention the twelve very physical and very long lovemaking sessions that came along for the ride.

Before now, Chuck wouldn't have thought that having sex twelve times in three days was even physically possible. It certainly had never happened to him before. It was more times than with Jill in a month… a very good month. Sarah was simply insatiable. She was also pretty aggressive and persuasive. It was a hard thing to complain about. Of course, they had a year's worth of unfulfilled sexual tension to work off."

Whatever the reason, Chuck had been running on adrenalin and it was about gone. Chuck could tell that Sarah was tired to. Her head was drooping as she fought to keep awake. "Are you okay?" he asked. "You really look tired."

Sarah was tired. That was unusual. She was used to operating on not much sleep. But Chuck looking after her, when he was just as tired, was sweet enough to get that certain tingle. "I am," she replied without opening her eyes. "I really hope we don't have any missions tonight."

"Me too," Chuck sighed. "I can't wait to get home and crawl into bed." One good thing had happened in his spy life. Beckman knowing about their engagement meant there would be no more sneaking around. They officially lived together. Of course it was only a hotel room. But pretty much all they had used so far was the bed anyway. Maybe he should clear up any possible confusion. "And go to sleep," he quickly added.

Sarah caught his meaning. She couldn't have agreed more. The love making had been magical. But tonight, sleep sounded much better. Maybe a little teasing would be in order. She opened her eyes as a small smile crept across her lips. "Not getting bored with me already, are you?" she pouted.

"A little," Chuck said. Of course he quickly backpedaled at her look. "Come on. I was just kidding."

That got them both laughing. "One thing that you need to learn about me," Sarah said. "You should never challenge me, especially about sex. We both have tomorrow off. Let's sleep until noon. Then I'll see how bored you really are."

Sleeping until noon sounded heavenly. When they finally arrived at Sarah's… well, now it was their room, they were too tired to even get ready for bed. They both just stripped down to their underwear and got directly between the sheets. Even though his body ached, Chuck had never felt more contented. Sarah felt like an angel in his arms. She had fallen asleep practically the second her head touched the pillow. Even though Chuck was exhausted, he took a moment to watch her rhythmic breathing. Of course, their lovemaking had been fantastic. But in a very real way this was even better. Chuck smiled to himself as he buried his face in Sarah's hair and quickly drifted off. At least they would get to sleep in tomorrow.

It really didn't work out that way. The phone didn't wake Chuck up but Sarah stirring to answer it did. He strained his eyes to try and focus on the clock. It flashed 8:06. "Come on," Chuck grumbled to himself in exasperation. "Who would be calling us now? Only two hours?" Then he noticed the sunlight streaming through the window. It was morning. They had been sleeping for fourteen hours.

Sarah was just as frustrated. She wasn't kidding about sleeping until noon. Beckman's face on her phone was perhaps the last thing she wanted to see. This had better be good. "Walker, secure," she answered, making no effort to keep the annoyance from her voice.

"Beckman, secure," Beckman replied. "Agent Walker, we have a very serious situation. It appears that Steve Jones has escaped. We're not sure how yet, but obviously it's an inside job. We fear that it's very possible that he is going to attempt to exact revenge on you and Agent Miller. You need to immediately prepare to go off the grid. Report to Casey's in twenty minutes. Do you understand?"

Suddenly Sarah was wide awake. At least Beckman had a good reason… for once. "Yes ma'am," she said.

"We'll have someone pick up your car," Beckman said briskly. "Put all of your personal stuff in the trunk."

"Yes ma'am," Sarah confirmed as she hung up the phone. "Chuck," she shouted. "Wake up."

Chuck sat up with a smile. "I'm awake," he said. "What's the matter?"

Sarah knew that this would freak him out. "I'll explain once we're in the car," she said breathlessly as she began throwing on last night's clothes. "Right now seconds count. We need to get out of here immediately. Get dressed."

Of course Chuck had heard that tone in Sarah's voice many times. It wasn't the time to question her.

While Chuck was putting on his clothes, Sarah went to her closet and retrieved two black duffel bags. "Are you ready," she asked.

Chuck didn't answer. He just nodded.

"Let's go," Sarah said. She was already headed out the door. Once they got outside, Sarah walked to the Porsche and opened the trunk. "Chuck," she said firmly. "No questions right now. I need your wallet, cell phone, and watch."

Sarah placed then in the trunk. Then she also placed her handbag and cell phone in the trunk and closed it. "Chuck," Sarah said. "You need to drive us to Casey's as soon as we can get there safely."

Once Chuck had the car on the road he turned to Sarah. "You're scaring me," he said. "What's going on?"

"That was Beckman," Sarah replied tersely. "Steve Jones escaped. They think he might be coming after Carina and me. Effective immediately, we're off the grid."

It was too much information to process so soon after waking up from such a deep sleep. "What does that mean?" he asked. "How would he know where you are?"

Sarah finally took a breath and realized that she was freaking him out. She forced the calm into her voice. "It just means that we're going to disappear for a few weeks," she said. "It's called going off the grid. A spy always has to be prepared to disappear in case they become compromised. We have lots of enemies. Steve Jones probably doesn't know where to find us. But we really don't know what he knows or where he gets his information from. Beckman said his escape was an inside job."

Chuck shook his head. "That doesn't sound good," he said. "If he can break out of a high security federal prison, who knows what he's capable of?"

In spite of the tense situation, Sarah was forced to smile at how perceptive he was. "Don't worry, sweetie," she said. "I've planned ahead. In those two bags, I've previously prepared new identities for both of us. Nobody knows any details… not even Beckman or Casey. That way, nobody can track us or give away our location. Casey and Carina have similar identities prepared that I'm not aware of. I have everything that we're going to need to be two brand new people. Even if Fulcrum has infiltrated the agency grid, they won't be able to find us. That's called being off the grid."

Chuck was now grinning. "It sounds like a vacation," he said. "Who are we going to be?"

"More like a honeymoon," Sarah teased. She fished a wallet out of one of the bags and handed it to him. "You're now Chuck Anderson. Inside you'll find a driver's license, credit cards, and all of the usual stuff. I'm Sarah Anderson. We've been married for two years."

"Two years?" Chuck asked. "This must be a second honeymoon. I'll bet we had a hell of a first one."

That got them both laughing. "That's what I hear," Sarah said. "We have an amazing marriage. It's been two years and we still can't keep our hands off each other."

"No kids?" Chuck teased. "I know that Sarah Anderson really wants a daughter."

Sarah punched him playfully in the arm. "Not yet," she said. "I think that Chuck Anderson might have some slow swimmers."

Chuck took full note of her teasing. "That's too bad for him," he said. "I guess he'll have to make up in quantity what he lacks in quality."

x-x-x-x-x

When they got to Casey's, Carina was standing there. Sarah wondered why she was still hanging around. Had she just gotten there? Or had she always been there? On second thought, Sarah found that she really didn't want to know.

If the situation was tense, you couldn't tell it by the spies. "Hi," Carina said with a grin as they entered the room. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Carina White."

Sarah matched her friend's grin. "Chuck and Sarah Anderson," she replied. "It's good to meet you."

"My new name is John Black," Casey growled.

That got Chuck laughing. "Wait a minute," he said. "You mean that you and Carina are Black and White? It's not Oil and Vinegar… but it might as well be."

Of course Casey took Chuck's teasing in stride like always. "Very funny, moron," he growled as he shook his head. "Who knew?"

Sarah turned to Chuck and grabbed his hand. "You have a couple of minutes to go next door and pack a quick bag. Then we'll have to leave."

Chuck looked at her. They had been so busy with missions… oh, and sex, that they hadn't told Ellie about their engagement yet. "Wait a minute," he said. "How long are we going to be gone? What should I tell Ellie?"

Sarah forced her smile. This wasn't something that she was looking forward to. But it had to be done. "Would it be okay if I talked to Ellie while you pack?" she asked. "I've wanted to talk to her for a while and this is as good a chance as any."

Chuck tried to read the expression on her face. He just couldn't. "What are you going to tell her?" he asked.

"Easy," Sarah explained. "I'm going to tell her the truth. I'm going to tell her that we're eloping." She couldn't help but laugh at the shocked look on his face.

"Trust me."

x-x-x-x-x

Ellie was just finishing up breakfast when they walked in. Her eyes brightened as she saw them. "Chuck, Sarah," she said. "It's been days since I've see you. Do you want some breakfast?"

"No, thanks," Sarah said. "We can't stay. We just came so Chuck could get some clothes. I would like to talk to you for a minute if that's okay. Alone?"

Chuck would have loved to stay and see the look on Ellie's face when Sarah told her the news. But they did have to hurry. "I'll be in my room," he said.

Ellie turned to Sarah. "We never get a chance to girl talk," she said. "What do you want to talk about?

Sarah stood and considered the question. It was odd. Ellie wouldn't hurt a fly. She was going out of her way to be friendly, like she always did. Yet Sarah always felt uncomfortable. She was much better at talking to men. She knew how to control the conversation with a man. The pouting look. The shy smile. The extra button undone. None of those tactics worked with Ellie. "Well, Ellie," Sarah started hesitantly. "I'm sure that you've noticed by Chuck not being here much lately that we're kicked up our relationship a notch."

Ellie grinned. It looked like they might be starting to get serious. It was about time. "I have," she said. "I think that's just great."

Finally Sarah couldn't keep it in any longer. "Ellie, I'm really nervous," she admitted.

Ellie was genuinely surprised. "Why would you be nervous?" she asked. "Sarah, we're friends. You know that you can say anything to me?"

The truth was that they weren't friends. Ellie tried her best. It was something that simply had to be fixed. But she couldn't say that. "I know," Sarah said. "I'm nervous anyway. Maybe it's better if I just say it."

Now Ellie was curious. She nodded with a smile.

Sarah took a deep, cleansing breath. "Here's the deal," she began. "I know that you're much more than just Chuck's sister. I get that. You're more like his mother, father, and sister all rolled up into one. You're the only family either of us has and I know that he loves you more than anything. I just wanted to tell you what a fine job you've done raising Chuck. He is the most honest, genuine, nicest man I could ever imagine. It's taken me a long time to believe that he wasn't too good to be true. I never believed that I could feel what I'm feeling. But now that I do believe it, I never want to be apart."

Ellie had been waiting to hear something like this ever since the day they met. Her eyes filled with tears as she nodded for Sarah to continue.

"I wanted to come here today," Sarah continued. "I wanted to look you in the eye and make sure you understand how much I love Chuck. How much I treasure him. That I understand what it is that I'm asking of you and that I'll never, ever cause him any pain. I guess what I'm asking for is your blessing to marry Chuck."

Now Ellie was sobbing. She couldn't find words for a long moment, so she threw her arms around Sarah and continued to sob. "I'm so happy that Chuck found you," she finally said. "I've been so worried about him. Ever since what happened at Stanford, he just seemed lost… like he couldn't find a way to be happy. Now he truly is. I've never been happier in my life." She pulled back to look at Sarah. "I don't think I was this happy when Devon proposed to me." She paused for a moment. "Let's keep that part between ourselves. Okay?"

That got them both laughing. "Of course," Sarah said. "I do have some bad news though."

Ellie paused for a moment, them nodded for Sarah to continue.

Sarah could see the fear in her face. "Don't worry," she said quickly. "We're not moving away. I wouldn't do that to you. It's just now that we've made this decision, we don't want to wait… not for another day. We also don't want to take any of the thunder away from your wedding. So we've decided to elope… today. Can you please forgive me for having to miss Chuck getting married? I promise that we'll do something formal when we get back and after your wedding."

Ellie breathed a noticeable sigh of relief. "That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard," she said. "Of course, I'm not happy about missing it, but I do understand. How long will you be gone?"

Ellie wasn't the only one to breathe a relieved sigh. That could have gone badly. "At least a couple of weeks," Sarah said. "Then we'll play it by ear. Ellie, I'm feeling pretty guilty. I strung him along for far too long. I want to spend some time with Chuck making up for the past six months of hell I've put him through."

Ellie nodded. "What about your jobs?" she asked.

Sarah wanted so badly to tell Ellie the truth. She just couldn't. It would be stupid. It would make everyone less safe. But she couldn't let Ellie think that her brother wasn't a hero. "We're both quitting," Sarah settled for. "Ellie, we both know that Chuck is not an eleven dollar an hours computer technician. He's going back to school to finish his degree."

That was too good to be true. "But how will you live?" Ellie asked. "Do you need some help?"

It was an incredibly generous offer. Ellie and Devon were both doctors. But they also had a mountain of student loans to pay off. "Actually," Sarah said. "I've got that part taken care of. Do you really think a fast food clerk drives a Porsche? I have more than enough money to last us for a long time."

Of course, Ellie always knew there was more to Sarah than she was telling. It was more than just the car. "Wow," she said. "Does Chuck know?"

Sarah shook her head with a laugh. "I never told him because I didn't want it to make him feel awkward," she explained. "I don't think he has a clue. He may be brilliant but he sure can be thick sometimes."

That got them both giggling. "Thick as a brick," Ellie agreed.

"There's one other thing," Sarah said. "I have this situation. I have an ex from D.C. He was very possessive and didn't take the breakup very well. That was the main reason I moved here. I needed to get away from him. He's hired a private investigator to try and find me. If anyone comes around asking about me, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't tell them anything. We're also not taking our cell phones. We'll try and get a hold of you sometime and let you know that we're okay."

"Of course", Ellie replied. "I hate possessive men. And don't worry about calling me. You're going to be on your honeymoon."

"Thanks," replied Sarah. "I'm going to wait outside so you can say goodbye to Chuck. Thanks so much for understanding."

As Sarah opened the door, Ellie called to her. "Sarah?"

Sarah didn't answer. She just stopped and listened.

"When you get back, let's go shopping and maybe to a club for a few drinks," Ellie said softly. "I mean, we're sisters now."

Yesterday, Sarah couldn't think of many things more terrifying than having a girl's night out with Ellie. Now?

"You'll never know how much I'm looking forward to that."

x-x-x-x-x

After about five minutes Chuck appeared outside with a bag in his hard. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"How is she?" Sarah asked.

"Are you kidding?" Chuck teased. "If I was allowed to get jealous, I think now might be a good time. I think she might want to marry you herself. What did you tell her anyway?"

Sarah knew that he was teasing about being allowed to get jealous. She had grown tired of correcting him. So she just smiled. "I made up a story about an ex boyfriend trying to find me," she said. "That way if anyone comes checking up on me, she'll know not to say anything. Other than that, I just told her the truth."

Carina and Casey were already in Casey's car waiting for them. Chuck put his bag in the trunk and climbed in the back seat next to Sarah.

"Where to boss?" Casey asked.

Sarah wasn't sure who he was talking to. Surely Casey didn't consider her the boss. "Well we are supposed to be eloping," she said. "How about Vegas?"

"Sounds good to me," Casey answered. "I can get in a little blackjack." He started to drive.

"You know?" Carina asked. "We're off the grid and the risk here is really fairly low." She slid over to be next to Casey and put her head on his shoulder. "Obviously, we need to be alert," she continued. "But why don't we try and have some fun? Lord knows we could use the break."

Agent Walker wouldn't ever think about having fun on a mission. It wasn't done. It's how you get killed. But even Agent Walker had to admit, Carina had a good point. "Sounds good to me," she said as she snuggled into Chuck.

"Carina," Chuck said. "I'm afraid to know what your idea of fun is… especially in Vegas."

That got them all laughing. Unfortunately, they failed to notice the grey Camry following them about a quarter mile behind.

In the car a man was talking on a cell phone. "Yes, sir. Smith's intel was right. Miller led us right to her. It's definitely Agent Walker."

"Yes, sir. There's more good news. They're both in the same car."

"Yes, sir. They're with two men. From the looks of things they appear to be boyfriends."

"No, sir. Don't worry. I won't lose them."