A/N: takes place after 4.08. Nope don't own Chuck and never will. I just felt like playing in their sand box for a bit. I promise to put them back when I finish with them.

Specialist Brown pulled his Gore-Tex jacket tighter against his body in an attempt to keep the biting north wind from chilling him even further. The snow that was coming down in copious amounts earlier was now down to flurries. He turned the corner and could see the welcoming lights of the enlisted club looming up ahead. Like a moth drawn to a flame he increased his pace and continued his walk. Entering the club he removed his jacket and hung it on the back of the chair, removed his hat shaking the remaining snow off and placing it in his cargo pocket.

"Smith, Boyle, can you tell me why on earth we had to come here on a night like this?"

"It's Friday Brown, time to get out all the frustrations of the week," answered Smith.

"Plus we ship out to the Stan in a month. Pretty soon it will be lock down city for us. So enjoy it now while it lasts," added Boyle.

"If this weather keeps up we won't be enjoying anything for a while. Most of the main roads off post are closed and the ones here aren't much better," Brown stated.

"Damn Brown, enough about the weather. You gonna bitch the entire time over there?" Smith added heatedly.

"Whoa there big fellow," Brown said while holding up his arms in the universal I surrender manner. Big fellow was an apt description of PFC Smith. He stood just a bit over six feet tall and weighed in at least two hundred and seventy five pounds.

"How about some pool? I just saw a table open up," Boyle stated in an effort to defuse the situation. He had seen both of his team mates in sparing matches in the gym and knew if they got going in here the MP's would have to called. He knew Smith had anger control issues that landed him in hot water a lot of the time. He could also see the anger starting to form in the eyes of Brown.

"You two play the first game while I catch up on the news," suggested Brown.

As soon as the pair left he ordered his drink and thought back to how he ended up here in the frozen wasteland.

"You're not a spy!" the words still haunted him to this day. He knew she was right. Without the intersect he wasn't a spy. He tried to prove to her that he was a spy by going on a mission that turned out badly. He had to be rescued by her and the rest of his team. Even Morgan was doing better than him. That led to a month of fighting and bickering between them. His argument to her statement was "I'm not a spy because you never trained me how to be one, you just let the intersect do the work. Casey and you should have made me work at it!" After that their relationship fell apart. It was almost a month after that the General called them for a briefing in the Castle.

"We have uncovered some intel on a Special Forces unit. The intel suggests that one or more of the members may be selling secrets to either terrorists or countries not on friendly terms with us. I need one of you to go under cover inside that unit."

"I'll pack my bags General when do I leave?" questioned Casey.

"Not you Colonel Casey, say hello to private Bartowski."

"General you can't be serious Bartowski can't pull it off," snapped Sarah.

"You need to stop putting your team mates down Agent Walker! Chuck's taken to training himself with the help of a former Marine Drill Instructor for the past months. But in a way you are correct, Chuck will need to start from the ground up, passing all the needed requirements to get accepted by the Special Forces. The Gunny assures me that Chuck will be just fine."

It was now eight months later and he still had very little to go on.

"Hey Chuck you're my next victim," Boyle called to him from across the room. Chuck walked over to the rack of cue sticks hanging on the wall and selected one he felt he could use. He racked the balls and waited for Boyle to break.

"How are you and the girl back home doing? Are things getting any better than before?" Boyle inquired.

"I think so, we started talking more since I got out of training. I'll wait till we get back from the Stan before I put much more effort into it."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea Brown. From the picture you showed me a girl that hot won't stay single for long. You should see her when we get block leave before we ship out."

"That's up to her isn't it? She knows how much I love her, problem is she doesn't think I'm good enough. The last thing I want to do is ship out after another huge fight. That's something none of us need." Brown said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Change of subject. You know Hollingsworth, the admin guy?"

"Not really, why?" questioned Brown.

"I haven't told Sarge yet but something is off about him." This peaked Chuck's interest.

"What makes you say that?"

"My squad went in to do the records review last week to make sure everything was straight before we ship out. Most of our files were screwed up, like he has no idea what he's doing. He should know by now what's supposed to go where, don't you think?"

"Maybe he's just a dud?" suggested Brown as he moved to line up another shot.

"Could be, but that's not all. A couple weeks back there was a party in his room; you were on duty that night, he was chatting online when I got there. I didn't see much but I could tell he wasn't chatting in English that's for sure."

"You should hold off on telling Sarge about it for now. Give it a week and see what happens. Maybe he's just having a bad month? Lord knows I am." Brown said as he sank the eight ball to win the game. "Smith you're up! Prepare to get your ass whooped again!" Brown called over to Smith who was chatting it up with some females at the bar.

They played several more games before deciding to call it a night. Chuck braved the cold and wind on his way back thankful the snow had stopped completely. Almost two feet of the white stuff covered the ground as he made his way home. Once he reached his room he booted up his lap top and sent an email to General Beckman informing her that he had a lead in the case and would planting a bug in the suspects room. He also informed her that if this didn't pan out he would be going to Afghanistan in a month if she couldn't get him out. He knew he was begging but he didn't care. With the time difference he knew he wouldn't get a response till morning so he went to sleep.

The first thing that Chuck did before hitting the latrine was boot up his lap top. When he returned he saw the new email icon flashing. He got the reply he expected from the General. It was short and to the point, nice work, plant a bug in the room and the computer. Get back when you have more information.

Chuck waited outside Hollingsworth's barracks until he saw him leave for chow. He made his way quickly to the room and using the skill he learned from Sarah deftly picked the lock and entered the room. He planted several bugs and got to work on the computer. Within minutes he had all the recent saved chats downloaded and the virus up loaded. Insuring he hadn't a trail he left the room and headed home. On the way to his room he passed Hollingsworth who was yelling into the phone. The intersect kicked in allowing Chuck to understand the Russian Hollingsworth was speaking.

"I have the documents you want. Met me by the main entrance to the mall at six o'clock tonight."

"Same amount as always, cash only remember. I can't put the money in an account it would raise suspicions." And he hung up.

Chuck hurried up to his room and contacted Beckman.

"Beckman secure"

"Brown Secure. General the drop is taking place tonight. Hollingsworth is meeting his contacts at 1800 hours by the main entrance to the mall. He was speaking in Russian to his contacts."

"Excellent work Brown, you can start packing you bags and come home. I'll clear it with your commanding officer. Nice work Bartowski."

"General I need to be there for the arrest. I don't know if the MP's will be able to take in his partners. Plus I'm probably the only one here that speaks Russian. Just have a plane ready for me in the morning. Brown out."

Chuck quickly packed his duffel bags and got his room ready for its next tenant. He made his way to the company headquarters building. He found the staff duty officer and made his presence known.

"Sargent Dalton I need your help. Private Jones leave the room and stop anyone from coming in."

"At ease specialist" Sgt. Dalton spoke in a harsh but commanding tone.

"Correction Dalton," Chuck said while getting out his Identification "Special Agent Charles Bartowski, CIA." Dalton sat down at his desk and ordered the private outside to stand guard.

Chuck quickly went over what needed to be done and who needed to be called. He wanted a secure conference in one hour in the company conference room. He would be setting up the communications himself. He gave the staff duty officer the general card and instructed him that if he needed verification to call the number on the card. When all the requested parties arrived Chuck gave them the information on what would be going down and when.

The bust went down with very little trouble. One of the Russians tried to escape but Chuck subdued him in several seconds. The NSA had a team standing by to take Hollingsworth and the Russians into custody once the MP's made the arrest. Chuck contacted the General to inform her of the success and headed to the airport to catch his flight home. Once on the plane Chuck felt himself tensing up for the first time in months. He knew it was because he would be facing Sarah for the first time in over eight months. In many ways he was excited about seeing the woman he was in love with and many ways that had him scared to death. Could they put the past months behind them or was she lost to him forever. He was glad the Morgan had moved in with Alex so he would have a couple days of peace before the awkwardness began. As these thoughts rolled around his head he drifted off to sleep.

Sarah wandered around the empty apartment just like she had every night for the past eight months. As she walked by one of the many pictures that were scattered around the room her thought went back to that day when her world started falling apart.

"You're not a spy! She would never forgive herself for saying those words. The look on Chuck's face and those of the others in the room were locked in utter shock. Nothing was the same for them since. All the fights and arguments came back to her like they did every night. She hated the feeling she had when Chuck wasn't there beside her every day. It wasn't until a month after he was gone did she truly know why she was the state she was in. I'm not afraid of him getting hurt because of me. I'm afraid of me getting hurt because he's not with me. I never depended on anyone like I depend on him. He's my rock. No matter what I said or did in the past nothing ever hurt as much as that one misspoken line. The teams not the same without him sure, but I'm not the same either. It's been eight lousy months since I have seen him and the few calls and emails don't help. I need to see him again and hold him. I acted stupidly and so did he. I just want one more chance to see him. What I would give for that. I do all a can to protect him and look where it got us. I needed to have more faith in him and I didn't. In order to protect him I drove him away. In a month he'll be in a war zone, with a Special Forces unit doing God knows what and I'll be here unable to protect him. The General has been giving us updates on him and by all accounts he is doing very well. Maybe I don't need to worry about protecting him after all. I just want one more chance to tell him I love him and for him to come back to me. I know we can make this work. I just need the chance.

She was torn from her inner turmoil when she heard the lock on the front door being turned and the door opening. She grabbed her weapon form the table held it behind her back. When the door opened the object of her inner thoughts stood before her. He looked haggard and tired but to Sarah Walker, Chuck Bartowski never looked better.

Chuck could only get out "Sarah" before he found himself surrounded by the sobbing blond. Her weapon that dropped to the floor was long forgotten as she hugged him for dear life, because to Sarah Walker, Chuck was her life. She was crying and telling him how much she loved him how sorry she was for not realizing it sooner.

"Sarah" Chuck managed to get out between gasping for breaths. "What are you doing here?"

She stood there with her face on his chest and she began to speak "I have been here every night since you left. I'm sorry for all the hurtful things I said and did before you left. Please let me finish so I can get this all out. While you were away I realized something. I need you in my life Chuck. I never thought I would need anyone like I need you. These past moths have been horrible for me. My work has suffered and because of it the team has suffered. You're my rock Chuck, I'm afraid that by losing you I'll lose myself and be like I was before. I'm going to take a bold leap here, one I never thought I would ever take, will you Charles Irving Bartowski marry me?"

When she finished she looked into his eyes and she could tears starting to fall. When he didn't answer her right away she started to push away but he just held on tighter. Gazing back into her eyes his face began to change and he answered the only way he knew how.

"Yes"

He gently lowered his head until his lips met hers in a kiss. It was a gentle and loving kiss that expressed more emotion than words or deeds ever could. They felt the past months trials and tribulations melting away as the kiss continued for several seconds more until they broke to catch their breaths. That kiss brought them together in ways that most people would never understand or be able to reach. They knew that from now on they would be together as one. Their strengths would outweigh the others weaknesses. It had been a long and hard road getting to where they were now, but with the pain of the last months fading behind them, they knew the road ahead of them would be full of danger. To the couple standing in the middle of the living room hugging each other, the future never looked better.

Thanks for reading, Cardinal23. Reviews are welcome.