Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck.

This chapter takes a peek at what Casey and Sarah go through during vs the Cougars.

Casey becomes more involved in "handling" his partner's relationship. Sarah is still hurting from vs the Break-up. Chuck is still Chuck, immature but still deeply infatuated with Sarah and curious as always to learn more about her.

One Month Later – during vs the Cougars

That morning…

Casey looked up from the disassembled sniper rifle to watch a clearly unhappy Walker walk quickly by, pistol in one hand, boxes of ammunition in the other. Good thing Bartowski is not at the firing range right now.

Casey's thoughts returned to the problem facing him. It had been put off long enough. Something has to be done.

Casey muttered aloud his thoughts "What am I going to do with these two? I hate when lady feelings get involved. Ruins everything. This team is starting to come together. Walker is the best partner I have worked with and if Bartowski would grow up he'd be a highly productive agent."

Casey sat down to review his surveillance transcripts in order to prepare his report on the week's activities. He pondered the recorded conversation of Bartowski breaking off the relationship, or any chance of a real one, with Walker as the pair sat at the fountain. To Walker's credit, she maintained cover and went into the apartment to spend the evening with Ellie and Awesome.

Walker does not deserve this. Bartowski has no clue about her past and if Numb Nuts did he would realize that the cover relationship is real to Walker. It is as real a relationship as Walker thinks she is capable of having. Moron thinks I'm the insensitive member of the team.

Casey pondered his options. Walker was quickly becoming a train wreck waiting to happen. Bartowski would be dead without Walker's obsessive protection. Not even he, John Casey, could protect the Moron as effectively as Walker. If a 49-B did not happen soon, Walker was just as liable to do something to get the asset and herself killed. All of these issues would reflect poorly on him and were all caused because Walker and Bartowski could not control their lady feelings.

Gotta do something. The team has to be protected. My responsibility. The problem is the lady feelings. If it was just killing someone I could resolve this quick.

I have to be cold blooded and logical about this. Someone has to.

Walker has lady feelings for the Moron. When Walker is happy nobody is better at her job than Walker.

When Bartowski is happy, feeling secure and thinks Walker has lady feelings for him, he functions well in the field and is a valuable asset.

Walker happy, Bartowski happy, team functions like no other.

Problem is Numb Nuts is so insecure he acts like a jerk to her at the slightest hint of emotional turmoil. Walker responds in kind and then the lovebirds spiral out of control. Worse still is when Walker gets jealous, making her unpredictable. I don't like that Walker. Same with Moron.

If I call for a 49-B, Walker will get reassigned. I'll lose the most effective partner I have ever had and Moron will become impossible to deal with. He'll never work with another handler. He'll have to be bunkered. Or worse. Casey did not like the idea "of worse."

Bartowski didn't ask for any of this. Whining aside, the Moron does his job as well as he can, all things considered. In spite of his fear, his complaining, whining and all the other objections, he still shows up, does his duty. He's served his country with honor, as best as he knows how. It's all you can ask.

Life has dealt Walker an even worse hand. Her emotional growth has been stunted, she has real abandonment issues, family issues, not to mention all of her trust issues. Can't blame her for pushing Moron away when he hurts her. Walker has served with honor as well.

Casey came to a sudden realization. They're both so broken they need each other.

Casey looked at the photo of President Reagan for help, asking his beloved leader,

"Sir, what do I do? How do I resolve this? What would you do?"

Casey returned to his paperwork and in doing so, reached a decision. This is the best team I have ever been a part of. I will do what it takes to protect my team. I will do what it takes to make this team function like it should. This is now my primary mission.

Reagan help me, I can't believe I going to do this. I am going to cover for Walker with Beckman. I am going to keep those two idiots together and try to keep things as calm as I can. Hope these two grow up, workout their lady feelings.

This is all Bartowski's fault. If he could just accept the fact the cover is real to Walker, that she needs the cover relationship to be as real as he wants a real relationship with her to be, this would be so much easier. He's supposed to be the sensitive one, the caring one and Walkers a girl. Girls are supposed to be sensitive. Here I am, supposedly the cold school sniper, having to be sensitive for them both.

Casey shuddered and felt a cold, tingling sensation run down his spin as he came to a sudden realization. Is this what it feels like to be a parent?

After the interrogation of Mark Ratner…

Casey dropped the box in front of the sitting Chuck, grunting to get the Moron's attention.

Chuck lost in thought, jumped at the sudden noise.

Getting in touch with your lady feelings about Walker?

No, not that it's any of your business Casey.

Anything affecting a mission is my business. Got it Numb Nuts?

Casey glared at Bartowski. And they say I'm the insensitive one. This kid is clueless. Why does Walker put up with this?

Grunting again to get Chuck's attention, Casey motioned at the box.

Take that with you. It's a dress. Walker will like it. Make sure you give it to Walker before you tell her about tonight's mission. Might save you from bodily harm.

Chuck glared resentfully at Casey as he fingered the box containing the dress.

Sarah's a pro Casey. She won't have a problem with the mission. What reason would she have to hurt me? It's just a high school reunion.

Could Bartowski be so clueless about women he hasn't picked up on the obvious waves of anger Walker is emitting. I only know the few details about her past included in Walker's case file, but one thing is obvious, as far as Walker is concerned, her past is off limits to everyone.

This was something Casey understood. The past was something to be left alone. It was just too painful. Like an old wound, picking at it would only cause needless pain.

Given the level of Walker's rage, her defiance of Beckman over going to dinner as Jenny Burton, Casey believed Walker not only did not want the details of her past emerging, her past was something she was deeply ashamed of.

Casey glared at Bartowski, piercing him with his assassin's thousand yard stare.

Bartowski you're a moron. Give her the dress before you do anything. Be nice. Do not press Walker for any details about her past.

Then, do your goofy nerd thing. Make her smile. Reassure Walker.

This is not a suggestion you idiot. It's an order.

Oh, and one other thing Bartowski, you damn sure better tell Walker she looks pretty in the dress. She's a girl. They like that sort of thing Numb Nuts.

Before shoving Bartowski out of the way to go about his Buy More duties and finish his shift, Casey grunted to let Chuck know failure to follow his order meant certain pain would be inflicted.

Chuck, sensing Casey was serious, held the dress box to his chest and watched the big man walk away, approaching a customer looking at a Beastmaster grill.

"Yeah," Chuck whispered in fear, "tell Sarah she looks pretty in her new dress. I can do that."

After Chuck visits Sarah…

Driving his modified Nerd Herder, Chuck pondered Sarah's unusual, for her, behavior when he had visited her in her hotel room.

First, what made Sarah so angry she before our mission date with the Ratners. That was pretty scary when she threw the pencil and stuck it in my eye in the photo. What set her off? Sarah likes cover dates. I don't see what the big deal is about letting me know one or two things about her when she was in high school. It's not like I didn't have my share of misery in high school.

Then she's gets all girly today when I tell her about the mission at the reunion. What was up with how she staring at the floor and hitting the heavy bag like a girl instead of how she normally does? How could high school have been worse for her than the rest of us? I better not tell Casey about this. It just upsets him when Sarah is emotional before a mission.

That afternoon in Sarah's hotel room…

I just want to get this over with. Why of all the spies who could deal with this did I have the misfortune to draw the assignment? Why couldn't Chuck and Casey just go? It's not like they really need me tonight. Chuck is handling Ratner and Casey can handle anything that comes up.

I hate Jenny Burton. I hate how she looked. I hate how people treated her, how they treated me. I hated everything about being a senior at Buchannan High. Of all times for my father to get arrested, to leave me alone, and now this. I have to go back, with Chuck, and see all those people.

Chuck will see right through me. He'll learn who Jenny Burton was, is, who I am when you take Sarah Walker away. Chuck will see I am a nobody. I'm nothing!

Early that evening…

Chuck knocked on Sarah's door and waited, feeling anxious. Strangely, he was more anxious about picking Sarah up than he was the mission.

The swung open slowly and Chuck entered, pausing to stand still.

Standing before him, wearing her new purple dress, stood Sarah, holding her purse with both hands just below her waist, looking down.

Without raising her head, Sarah tentatively turned her eyes upward to glance at Chuck. Sarah asked "how do I look?"

Remembering Casey's stern warning, Chuck smiled and said "you look fabulous Sarah!"

Sarah's head popped up quickly and a hesitant smile spread across her face, warming Chuck's heart.

Really? You think I look nice?

Sarah, I will be escorting the most beautiful woman at the reunion tonight.

Sarah's smile of delight spread across her entire face. It was one of the best Sarah smiles Chuck had ever seen, which was something considering her smiles were a thing of wonder to him.

Chuck thinks I look beautiful in the dress he gave me! Maybe we can have a nice cover date after the mission and the evening won't be a total loss.

You're looking especially dapper.

Thanks!

Sarah quickly moved over to groom Chuck, every so slightly adjusting his tie before looking for any lent or stray threads on his suit.

At least having a cute escort might make this evening bearable.

Sarah, it won't be that bad.

Chuck, you just don't understand.