I took a scene that I saw from an NBC preview of the episode "Chuck vs. The Beefcake and used it as the basis for the first part of this story.

This chapter has been revised a little bit from when I first posted it. It is the same story as before with the thoughts and actions of some characters expanded on.


Sarah was sitting behind the counter of the Orange Orange counting down the seconds till the briefing later in the afternoon when the front bell rang indicating a customer. When Sarah looked up and saw Chuck walking through the front door a genuine smile lit up her face. "Chuck you're early." Sarah was a little surprised when Chuck didn't respond with to her genuine smile. He usually lit up like a Christmas tree whenever he saw her

"Yeah um. Look Sarah we need to talk." Chuck's expression was a combination of determination and depression that usually meant he had to say something that the other person wasn't going to like. Sarah remembered him wearing the same expression before he "broke up" with her in front of the fountain right after Bryce came back.

"What do you need to talk about?" she asked though she had a pretty good idea of what was he was going to say.

"Our cover relationship." Chuck took a deep breath obviously preparing himself for what he was about to say. "We need to break up our cover relationship. I just can't take it anymore"

Even though she knew it was coming Sarah was still hurt by his words and struggled to stay composed. "What is it you can't take Chuck?"

"The lying to my friends and family Sarah. People are starting to notice that something is off with us, that we aren't moving forward and I don't know how to respond to them."

"Just tell them that we like spending time together and don't feel the need to become more serious." Sarah smiled thinking that was a pretty good answer to Chuck's statement.

"But that's just another lie isn't it." Sarah's face fell a little and Chuck quickly backtracked. "Not that I don't like spending time with you it's just that your explanation implies that there's hope for something more in the future and I don't think I've got any left."

Sarah was shocked by Chuck's words. She'd never thought that she would have to deal with the pain of Chuck rejecting her again like he did in front of the fountain. This felt as bad as the Jill situation. At least then he wasn't directly rejecting her, he was just going for the relationship he could have. But now Sarah could tell by his body language that he really didn't believe that anything real was possible between them. God we always have the worst timing she thought with Chuck's invitation to hang out in the suburbs on her mind

"You say that we can't be together while I'm your asset but when I stop being your asset the CIA will send you to other side of the world and we'll never see each other again. I can't keep pretending that those facts don't bother me anymore Sarah. I want us to be together but do you ever see that happening?'

Sarah just looked at him with a carefully selected neutral expression. She couldn't argue with his logic but she wanted to shout at him to not give up.

"Exactly. That's why we have to break up. Our covers will be so much easier if we can just be friends and not have to pretend that something more is happening."

Sarah thought hard about what to say next for the next few seconds. She wasn't even sure why she wanted to argue with him. She couldn't say okay lets be a real couple, the CIA would ship her out so fast her head would spin. And there was no way that Sarah was going to admit that their relationship even if it was fake made her feel normal and loved. Instead she asked him, "is this what you really want?"

Of course it isn't! Chuck thought. I want to be with you. "Yes it is," he said looking Sarah in the eye. For a moment Chuck and Sarah just stared at each other together in misery, neither one with any idea of how to make things better.

"Well I guess we'll tell General Beckman at today's briefing," Sarah said ending the moment. "Do you want to tell Casey or should I?"

"I'll do it," Chuck said. He didn't want Sarah to have to endure Casey's teasing her about being 'dumped'.

"Oaky is there anything else Chuck?" It hurt Chuck to see Sarah slipping into agent mode but he knew that it was probably for the best.

"No that's it. See you in an hour." Chuck tried a lighthearted grin but Sarah only responded with an emotionless nod.


John Casey was best known in the intelligence community as a killer, tough guy, or enforcer. He was the man you called when an enemy agent needed immediate injuring or killing. However you can't become one of the top agents in the NSA solely on the ability to inflict pain on people and John Casey was no exception. He was a keen observer of everything around him and a very effective gatherer of intelligence. This applied to both his enemies and members of his own team.

Casey had spent enough time around Chuck and Sarah and reviewed enough covert surveillance footage to be convinced that the two were crazy about other. He figured if questioned Walker would deny everything and say that it was all part of maintaining their cover but Casey knew better. The longing looks she gave Chuck when they were alone and unobserved expect by camera combined with the way she (in Casey's opinion) coddled Bartowski would convince any observer let alone one as savvy as him that she was head over heels for the nerd. As for Bartowski Casey guessed that the kid would gladly tell anyone who cared to ask that he was in love with Walker.

When Chuck had told Casey about breaking up the cover relationship the hulking NSA agent had spent much of the next hour worrying about the complications it would cause. He wasn't overly concerned about the lady feelings of either Bartowski or Walker but he was concerned about the effectiveness of his team. Chuck's flashes tended to be less frequent and reliable when he was in a funk about Walker and the last time that Chuck "fake dumped" Sarah for the sandwich girl she'd gone through their next mission more concerned about breaking up Chuck's date than catching the bad guys. Sure Chuck and Sarah had recovered pretty well after the "breakup" at the fountain but Casey believed that having the cover relationship to rely on really helped ease the tension. He was worried that things wouldn't go as smoothly this time

As team Chuck sat in the Castle the tension between Chuck and Sarah was almost palpable. They hadn't said a word to each other since Casey and him had walked in 15 minutes ago and were even trying to avoid looking at each other. Casey thought they were acting like a bunch of school kids and couldn't help thinking Christ I hope they resolve their issues before I have to actually talk to them.

Finally General Beckman appeared on screen and broke the awkward silence. "Good afternoon Agents, Mr. Bartowski." All three nodded in response. "I called this meeting not for a mission but to announce that there will be a change in arrangements for your team." Chuck's eyes went wide as he immediately thought of an underground bunker.

"Now that Mr. Bartowski has the Fulcrum Intersect in his brain he is in more danger than ever. I want him covered by at least one of you at all times. To facilitate this Agent Walker will move into Chuck's apartment to provide around the clock protection."

There was nothing but stunned silence for the next few seconds till Chuck asked the General, "by moving into the apartment you mean that Agent Walker will…? "

"She will move into your room and share the same bed. Will this be a problem Mr. Bartowski?"

Chuck was about to speak when Casey stared at him and very subtlety shook his head know. "No of course not General but is this really necessary?" Chuck asked. "I mean Casey's been doing a great job of keeping the apartment complex safe."

"Yes it is necessary Mr. Bartowski," Beckman answered sharply. "The alternative is to lock you away in a secure government facility. Would you prefer that option?"

"No Ma'am," Chuck said meekly.

"Good. Agent Walker I want you settled in the Bartowski residence no later than two weeks from today. Understood?'

"Yes Ma'am," Sarah answered. "What is the cover reason for this move?

"You can tell Mr. Bartowski's family anything you want to Agent Walker. Just make sure they believe that you two are in a committed long term relationship." Chuck and Sarah looked at each other with extremely worried expressions at the General's last statement.

"Well I trust that you three can fulfill these orders easily. Contact me when the move is complete." Beckman then pushed a button and the screen went blank.

The room was silent for the next few minutes as the team digested the surprising news. "Come on Bartowski, let's get back to the store," Casey said. Chuck looked like he wanted to say something to Sarah but thought better of it and followed Casey up the long staircase of the Castle. Right before he shut the door Casey turned and saw a bewildered expression on Sarah's face. This should be fun Casey thought sarcastically before shutting the door.

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