Hi! I'm back! And now my series is officially in AU territory, given that Season 3 has started. My goal now is to complete MY Season 3 before the actual Season 3 finishes. I don't want to risk them beating me to my big finale.

To those who may be frustrated by the start of the actual season, I hereby promise that nowhere in my Postcard series will there be anybody named Shaw or Hannah.

Now, a plea. Given what has been happening in the actual Season 3, I expect that initial reactions to my first sentence in this chapter may lead many readers to run screaming. PLEASE finish this chapter. My fervent hope is that you will not regret it.

My wife and Anon are still my editors, and they are still extraordinary.

I own nothing in the Chuck U.

Added 1/27/10. Due to the nature of my long storyline, and because of the gaps between posting, some readers have understandably become a bit confused, and one person asked me to post a summary of what has gone before. Good idea. I'm not going to post every little detail or bit of foreshadowing, but here is probably more than you need or even want. ;) This is only for people who have already read the previous arcs. (No cheating, new readers!)


Part 1 - Chuck Vs. the Postcard:

-Chuck's uploading of the new Intersect wreaks havoc on both his body and his relationship with Sarah.

-Sarah requests reassignment, but is turned down by Beckman.

- Orion agrees to work again for the government. In return, Beckman provides him a house which he gives to Ellie and Devon.

- Roan Montgomery is spying on Beckman for Orion.

- Team Bartowski learns that the Ring is purging Fulcrum agents.

- Dr. Jill Roberts is saved from Ring assassins by Vincent Smith.

- Casey confirms that Chuck's Intersect skills only activate when Sarah is physically threatened.

- After an emotional discussion, Chuck and Sarah reconcile and agree to a romantic relationship.

Part 2 - Chuck Vs. Interdependence

- Ellie and Devon notify Chuck that they are moving. Chuck and Sarah take over the apartment.

- Chuck and Sarah discover that all surveillance has been removed from the apartment.

- Jill and Vincent are on the run, and plan to take down the Ring. They intend to get help.

- Casey has another encounter with his old Sensei, which causes him to reevaluate his working relationships.

- Chuck problem-solves how to have safe sex with Sarah.

Part 3 - Chuck Vs. Systematic Desensitization:

- Casey has a difficult time adjusting to Chuck and Sarah's behavior, or lack thereof.

- TB is sent on a mission to steal a cellular phone from a possible ex-Fulcrum agent, requiring Sarah's seduction skills.

- Chuck discovers a new Intersect wrinkle which once again threatens his relationship with Sarah.

Part 4 - Chuck Vs. the First Handler:

-Roan reports to Orion, having spied on TB during Systematic Desensitization.

-Orion revisits his past with Bryce Larkin.

-Orion finds Bryce's hidden plans to the Intersect 2.0.

Part 5 - Chuck Vs. the Child-Proof Safety Locks

- Chuck is having difficulty with the concept of killing.

- Chuck and Sarah go on a dinner date, followed by mini-golf.

- A mission at a Ring Warehouse turns out to be just a test of Chuck engineered by Casey and Beckman. Sarah beats Casey up. Casey insists that Chuck has to take responsibility for his choice to update the Intersect, and all that entails.

- Sarah tells Chuck she loves him.

- Chuck flashes to protect a mysterious intruder.

Part 6 - Sarah Vs. the Best Friend

- Sarah must fight to keep her sanity when Morgan returns and moves in with her and Chuck.

- Mei Ling Cho requests TB's help in taking down a Triad cell.

- Smooth Lau kidnaps Morgan, and Sarah must fight for his life.

- Jill and Vincent intervene to save Chuck.

- Chuck flashes to save Casey.

- A traitor is revealed.

Part 7 - Chuck Vs. the Strange Bedfellows

- Chuck and Orion have a discussion about Chuck's role in the spy community.

- Jill and Vincent break into the home of Ellie and Devon. Ellie is injured. Devon learns that Stephen is more than he seems.

- Orion unveils the house's security and captures Jill and Vincent.

- Chuck learns of Jill's role in the break-in and shows a new side of his personality.

- Orion executes Jill.

All right! Onto the new arc!

They were almost half-way to Ellie and Devon's house when Sarah broke up with Chuck.

They had gone back briefly to the hospital room to say their good-byes. Devon was staying overnight, but the nurse had thankfully indicated that visits from others needed to be kept brief. Stephen Bartowski had called with apologies, stating that helping the police investigation had taken longer than he imagined it would; thus, he wouldn't be able to see Ellie until the morning. Ellie didn't seem bothered by this, but the normally unflappable Devon appeared irritated. "Your father..." Devon shook his head, muttering.

Ellie, surprised as any of them by her husband's reaction, ran her palm softly across Devon's cheek. "Don't worry about it, Honey. Trust me; he's more reliable now than he's ever been. Besides, we both need to get some sleep."

Chuck had smiled with effort. "And we'll visit in the afternoon." He leaned over and kissed his sister on her cheek. "We've just gotta take care of a couple things."

Ellie replied, "Chuck, you don't have to-"

"I'll see you in the afternoon," Chuck said firmly.

Ellie sighed, resigned. "When you make up your mind, nobody can change it. OK, see you later. Sorry for the early morning wake-up."

Chuck barely maintained his grin. He nodded to his sister, then to Devon, before turning and walking out. Sarah quickly wished the couple well, and rushed to follow him.

Since then, they had driven in silence. Sarah wasn't sure what was going through Chuck's mind, though his words, "I want her dead," had repeated over and over again through hers. She honestly didn't know what he needed at this point, but she finally decided she couldn't just watch him sink further into this dark state so antithetical to who he was. She ventured forward. "What are you thinking, Chuck?"

He didn't look at her, but said in a hollow tone, "I'm just waiting for you to give me the heave-ho."

Sarah's hands first went numb and then they gripped her steering wheel until they hurt. She pulled over onto the side of the road. Chuck noticed, and looked at her, a question barely penetrating his haze.

"All right," Sarah said firmly. "Get out."

"What?" he asked dully.

"Get out," Sarah said impatiently. "I'm breaking up with you."

His mouth dropped. He stared at her dumbly.

She slapped his face. His hand immediately went to where her palm had left its mark. She didn't raise her voice, but repeated, "Get out. I'm breaking up with you."

Chuck tried to speak a couple of times, and obviously couldn't. He unclasped his safety belt, opened the car door, and stepped out, closing the door behind him. He stood on the side of the road, staring at her.

Sarah matched Chuck's gaze. They stared at each other for a full minute. She counted silently.

Finally, she leaned over and opened the door. "OK, get back in," she said. "We're getting back together."

He blinked. She waited. Finally, he said, "Uh…. What?"

"I said, get back in the car. We're getting back together."

He paused another thirty seconds before he got back in and looked at her. She was happy to see that he seemed shaken out of his daze. "What…. What just happened?" he asked.

"You expected me to break up with you," she replied, affecting her most professional and logical voice. "So I did, and got it out of the way. Now, we're back together."

Chuck appeared completely nonplussed. "I…. OK. What, we were broken up less than two minutes?"

"Less than two minutes is about all the time I'm willing to break up with you over Jill. Any longer than that is time I'm not going to allow her to hurt our relationship." Sarah added in a significant tone, "Understand?"

Chuck gulped and quickly nodded.

Sarah cupped his cheek much as she had seen Ellie do earlier with Awesome, though granted, Ellie hadn't slapped Devon first. "Chuck, I know you're hurting. You're angry at Jill and most of all, at yourself. I understand, and I will stand by you during this, and always. This thing with Jill is not about you and me." She leaned in and kissed him.

When she pulled back, he whispered, "Thank you."

She smiled. "You're welcome. I'm sorry we don't have time for makeup sex, but we need to talk to your father." With that, she put the car back into gear, and they were off again.

Though she was accustomed to working at all hours of day or night, General Diane Beckman rarely received calls at early hours of the morning, except from a few notable people: Immediate subordinates with the most urgent matters. Senators. Every now and then, the President.

The secure webcam call she received this evening was from a man who she had not even realized knew her phone number. That bothered her, as so many things about this particular man bothered her, and the news that he brought to her this evening was so much worse. With tense, boiling silence, Beckman listened to the report.

This was all his fault, she had no doubt. She had warned Orion of the dangers of leaving Chuck Bartowski and his family free and unsecure. Orion had insisted that between him and Beckman's agents, they could keep the Intersect and those close to him safe. In fact, he had made his cooperation contingent upon them remaining free. If that had been the only thing he had demanded...

Orion had the US government, and her, by the metaphoric balls. Zarnow had gone rogue and was now incarcerated. Busgang had been tricked by Fulcrum and now was dead. Then there was Bryce Larkin, damn him. Larkin had always been virtually impossible to control, only a little less so than Orion himself. Larkin had added his own spin to Orion's Intersect, but didn't share the secrets with anybody. Then he went and got himself killed, and Orion was the only person left with the smarts to recreate what Larkin had left behind.

There were some who argued to arrest Stephen Bartowski, thinking they could force him to operate out of a bunker. Beckman found herself having to stand up for the man, not because she liked him. She simply understood the reality. Orion had successfully evaded the government and Fulcrum for years. Even if they somehow managed to keep him incarcerated, he would not be forced to cooperate, by any means. Furthermore, if they were to arrest Orion and his son were to find out, the government would be faced with an even bigger problem. The bottom line: They needed both Stephen and Chuck Bartwowski on their side.

So, they had to use the carrot, much as that galled her. Orion had demanded that the government recompense him with a blasted house, with ridiculous over-the-top security systems, which he then turned over to his daughter. He also insisted that Agent Walker remain as Chuck's handler, in spite of the fact that the agent was so clearly compromised and unable to perform her duties. Beckman had gnashed her teeth at that one. However, she had played her part, allowing Walker's indiscretions to continue for the sake of the project. Beckman only hoped that in Orion's quest to play his son's matchmaker; he wouldn't end up seeing Chuck killed through the negligence of his handler.

Beckman had looked forward to a day when Orion would complete the latest version of the Intersect, so she could be quits with him. He had taken longer than was expected to produce acceptable results, however. Oh, he'd demonstrate progress here and there, but he would point out that he hadn't been privy to Larkin's updates, and they were difficult to reproduce without any notes. He was going to have to improve his outcomes soon, or there would be hell to pay. Scratch that, there already was.

Somebody had attacked Orion's family at the home of his daughter. Chuck's sister. Orion had identified them as Dr. Jill Roberts and Vincent Smith, both late of Fulcrum. He said that they had escaped, in spite of the security system. Orion's daughter had been hospitalized. The whole thing was a fiasco.

Beckman immediately argued again for bunker protection for the whole Bartowski family. Orion responded that he was not going to punish his children for his mistakes, said he'd take responsibility to find Roberts and Smith, and continued to threaten to not finish the Intersect project if Beckman forced the issue.

She wanted to have him killed, but she couldn't. As insane as developments were becoming, Beckman had to keep Orion in line until he delivered. Him and Chuck. But hell if she was going to leave the tracking down of Roberts and Smith to him. She had her own plans in regard to that.

The call took almost an hour, before Beckman ended it with assurance to Orion that they were all on the same side, while she longed to throttle him. She hung up, cursing, and returned to bed.

Roan stirred in his "sleep". Beckman grimaced. "Oh, please. You've been listening the whole time."

The dashing man turned onto his back, opened his eyes, and then winked at her. "I couldn't help myself, Diane. I find your filthy language so enticing." He grinned, stood up, walked to the fridge, and pulled out the alcohol. "Nightcap?" He shrugged, when she shook her head, then proceeded to mix a martini for himself. "Anything I can do to assist?"

Beckman stopped and considered for a moment. "Actually, I may take you up on that."

"The Martini? Ah, your wisdom is in bloom-"

"Not the drink," she interrupted. "The assistance."

By the time Sarah's Porsche parked in front of the house, the police vehicles had been long gone, but that didn't mean the area was deserted. Stephen Bartowski was standing in the doorway, waiting for them, in spite of the fact that it was now past 5 a.m. He looked weary.

"Dad." That was all Chuck said before he walked over and hugged his father. Sarah heard Stephen tell his son that it would be all right. She wondered if Orion would still feel that way, if he knew of his son's recent thoughts.

Stephen took them inside the home that had only a few hours ago hosted a wonderful family gathering. While he made them coffee, Sarah and Chuck looked around. There was almost nothing to find, though.

"The agency was pretty thorough," Orion said. "They took what little evidence they could find, but I'm guessing it isn't anything you'd likely flash on, Son."

"I should still see it, Dad, just in case."

Orion nodded, "I'm sure your boss will give you the chance. I've got something else for you, too." They followed him to his cottage, where Stephen had them sit in front of one of his computer monitors.

He inserted a disk, and in a moment they were staring at footage of the inside of the home. They saw the two intruders already inside. "The recording was activated by the alarm, but there was a glitch. The alarm and video should have started when these two were on the outside perimeter. I don't know what happened. I must have screwed up, somehow." His voice was shaken, and it occurred to Sarah that there was a lot of self-blame to go around. She figured that wasn't lost on Chuck, as he leaned over to squeeze his Dad's shoulder. They continued to watch the footage. When the confrontation with Ellie happened, Chuck hissed and bit his lip, and Sarah couldn't blame him. Then Devon showed up, but almost immediately after his appearance the video suddenly clicked off. They looked at Orion, confused. He shook his head. "I've been spending the last hour or so trying to retrieve the rest, but no go. The video went off the moment the security measures were activated. My guess is that the systems weren't compatible. The activation of one shut the other off." He sighed, then said, "I assume you want to see these two in close-up?" Sarah and Chuck nodded. Orion scrolled back the video, froze on first one, than the other. The picture was extremely clear and detailed.

Chuck moaned as they looked at the woman. Sarah knew that he had hoped Ellie had been mistaken, but neither of them had really believed that would be the case. "That's Jill Roberts. She's disguised, but that's her," Chuck said in a monotone.

"And I know this one," said Orion. "So do you." They immediately recognized the undisguised form of Vincent Smith.

"Jill and Vincent," said Sarah. "Well, they were both Fulcrum, though I never imagined them hooking up." She noticed Chuck looking aghast, then realized what she just said. "Sorry, poor choice of words." She considered the faces. "Any idea what they were after?"

Orion shrugged. "It being Vincent, probably me, I'd guess. I'm sure they know Fulcrum was destroyed, but Vincent never did know when to give up. They must have thought I could be found in the main house. Of course, they could have been trying to get a hostage to use against me, you…" He shrugged again. "They escaped. The security systems didn't work the way they were supposed to."

Sarah couldn't help but be a bit surprised. From everything that she knew of Orion, these kinds of mechanical failures were almost unknown to him. Well, maybe he had just gotten used to normal life. Hell, she hadn't even been aware until this evening that any kind of security or surveillance system had been in place. Chuck had only mentioned the former to her right before they had arrived. "We'll want to bring the video to our superior," she said, "and you may be called upon to report what happened from your own perspective."

"Whatever I need to do," Orion said. "And after that, I assume your team will be going after them."

"Absolutely," said Chuck, his voice almost a growl.

They had left soon after that. He watched them drive away, knowing that they wouldn't be getting a chance to sleep. They'd have to report, first to their partner, Colonel Casey, then to Beckman. They'd make their recommendations, and Beckman would send them off, after their targets.

Good. Vincent might not have been able to catch him, but the man knew how to elude pursuit. He'd lead them on a merry chase. Orion had a feeling though that their first quarry would be Dr. Roberts. He knew his son, after all. He knew Chuck would want, no, need, to find Jill, and that he would not stop until he had done so. Of course, Chuck never would find her. The search would be fruitless and frustrating. However, it would also be a search in which there was very little chance for danger. Chuck and his friends would be safe, and while they were chasing a ghost, Orion would complete his work.

He would work with Vincent, and together, they just might be able to do some damage to the Ring. He would do this for his son, so Chuck would be able to live a normal life without guilt from unfulfilled responsibilities.

Stephen had made progress on the New Intersect. Much more than he had confided in Beckman, of course. He just needed a little more time and then he would fix this matter.

Chuck was going to live a normal life with the woman he loved.

Stephen realized he wasn't going to get much sleep, himself. He had work to do.

Hi. Anybody still with me? If so, thanks for reading to the end of the chapter. I appreciate it! Onto Chapter 2!