Don't own Chuck

ECHO PARK

Sarah walked through the front door with Chuck to find the apartment immaculate and almost sparkling clean not the way she had left. However, she had half expected it given the number of messages and phone calls he had made while she was gone. Chuck brought in her suitcases thinking now who had over packed.

"I'll put these in the bedroom. Do you mind putting a pot of coffee on?"

"Sure, just sit them in the closet. I'll take care of them later. Thank you." Chuck put them away then joined her in the kitchen.

"I see you've missed me," Sarah said as she rubbed the counter top with her finger and held it up. "Now that's clean."

"What can I say I didn't know what to do and I had to do something. You can play only so much Halo and Morgan was feeling about the same. I guess I could've gone out with Casey but that would've ended badly. You know what he says about dating, he either leaves or they die."

"My poor Chuck," Sarah said as he came close and kissed her.

"I missed your lips."

"Just my lips?" she asked as she kissed him back. Suddenly he didn't feel so sleepy. "Sweetie, wait we need to talk first," as she pulled away.

"We can talk in the bedroom."

"Yeah, like there will be a lot of talking. No, first we need to talk about what Beckman ordered you to do." He felt like someone had thrown ice water on him and he sat flopping down in a chair. As quickly as his tiredness disappeared it returned.

"Here," Sarah passed him a cup of coffee.

"If we're going to talk about the fact that she ordered me to tranq Casey I'm going to need something stronger but feeling the way I do that'd put me to sleep."

"She ordered you to tranq him? I knew you were supposed to watch him but to tranq him well considering Casey maybe."

"There was no way I was going to tranq him and besides he already figured out what she told me."

"Sweetie, how did Casey know you talked with Beckman?"

"I told him."

"Remember our pact no secrets, no lies well that's between us. Casey doesn't count so the next time, please keep quiet. I'd ask why you and Morgan were even at the funeral but I'm afraid it has to do with the abundant number of messages you sent me."

"Maybe. But what are we going to do about Casey?

"Is there a problem? That's what I need to know from you." Chuck went on to describe the day's events and Casey's reactions.

"I don't know if I'm over reacting because that would be what I would do or if there's an actual problem with the Big Guy. I mean if it were anyone else I'd think they'd have trouble wrapping their head around it. But Casey?"

"I think I need to go over and have a private chat with him," said Sarah. "He might feel like opening up to me."

"Remember who we're talking about. Listen do you want me to come with you? I don't mind."

"Sweetie, don't take this the wrong way but sometimes you rub Casey the wrong way and I'm going to have to use my best interrogation skills to pry out information from him."

"We could be good cop, bad cop."

"How about good cop, silent cop and if you say one word it'll be good cop, absent cop."

"You know you can interrogate me when we get back," he said as he got up and put his arm around her waist.

"Count on it buster," she said as she kissed him. "I want to know all your sordid plots," she whispered in his ear.

"Oh, I've got quite a few, sister," he said as he kissed her back.

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CASEY'S APARTMENT

Casey put the key in his lock and opened his door but as he entered the apartment the hair on the back of his neck stood up. His senses told him to go on alert and slowly he reached for his pistol. Quickly he ducked inside not wanting to stand in the door way and be the perfect target. Someone was in his apartment hiding he could feel him but how had they avoided being detected. Whoever it was had to be as good as himself.

"Evening Alex," called a voice from the dark. "Or should I call you John? That's what you go by these days, isn't it?"

"Ned is that you? What are you doing here? You know half the government's looking for you and the other half wants you dead."

"Of course I do. John put your weapon on the table slowly and keep your hands where I can see them. I don't want to shoot you but I will if I have to."

"Have you come here to finish the job you started," said Casey as he laid his weapon on the table.

"What are you talking about? You and I both know if I wanted to kill you this morning you'd be dead now. Please sit down and let's have a talk. It's been a while hasn't it," said Ned as he switched on the lights holding one of Casey's favorite Sig's.

"You probably guessed that this is a CIA safe house. There are agents everywhere who will come running at the first sound of danger."

"You mean the Nerd next door and his pregnant wife. They're supposed to be a threat, come on we faced worse in Honduras."

"But that was a long time ago."

"Longer for some," said Ned. Casey wasn't sure what he meant by that.

"Alex or John I need your help. You've got to believe me I was set up."

"Well, Ned it's hard to believe someone when they're holding a gun to your face and telling you've got to trust them but hell, I'm listening. I can kill you later."

"Always the same, well, that's all I can ask for. You see it's simple I got in over my head. At the time I was running with mercs and one of our old friends, Colonel Keller."

"Keller's dead. I killed him."

"I figured as much but as I said I was in over my head. I was deep in his operation and when Keller was killed each squad went out on its own. The only thing I could do was run but to do that I needed to die so I took a page out of your book and faked my death."

"I assume Keller told you that I was alive."

"Yeah but I didn't believe him that is not until I saw you at my funeral today. You know I was the one they sent to tell Kathleen. I never saw someone so tore up before but I guess you got what you wanted."

"Cut the crap. How did Paul Norton end up in your place?"

"Was that his real name? I didn't know. I was watching from a roof top when I saw the shooting. Remembering how Kathleen reacted, I came to take one last look at my wife before running then all hell broke loose."

"Sounds awfully convenient, where's your wife at now?"

"That's it I don't know. I lost her in the crowd."

"John, I need a favor. It's about Margery. You owe me this."

"I don't owe you anything. But what is it you want?"

"I need for you to find Margery and make sure she's safe." Casey thought for a bit Ned had been good to Kathleen and helped her through her lose.

"Okay, I'll look for her. She's a part of this investigation too but you know I'm going to have to come for you. You'd make it easier on everyone if you turned yourself in."

"I can't do that if I did I'd put you and Margery in danger. You don't know the people who are looking for me and take it from me you don't want to either. John, let them blame me for that guy's death and close the investigation. I'll disappear and all of you can be safe."

"Semper fi."

"Semper fi."

"I have to ask, why did you lie when you testified against me? I thought you were my friend."

"John you ever want something so badly that you can almost taste it. I wanted Spec force that much and when Keller came to me with his plan well I took it. I thought well you'd get what you'd wanted and so would I. I just didn't think Keller would screw me over afterwards and get me kicked out. He said didn't want a Marine in his corps that would sell out his buddy. Can you believe that he came to me afterwards offering me a job as his merc sniper."

"Yeah, I can. Keller tried to recruit me but well I killed him."

"I wish I had."

"So what's your involvement with the ATF?" Casey was beginning to think his friend could be telling the truth.

"It was supposed to be a sting operation. Our team was picking up arms and explosives south of the boarder then smuggling them in. We'd meet a man around Tijuana transfer the items into trucks then after dark slip them over. The mechanics I don't know, my job was to sit on a ridge and give cover fire if necessary."

"How does Paul Norton fit in?"

"I don't know. Other than he approached me one night in a bar in San Diego and laid out our whole operation. He said if I didn't want to spend the rest of my life in SuperMax I needed to cooperate and I did."

"Where was your wife in all this?" Casey was wondering about the story of him just happening to be in a bar. "Ned most married men don't just happen to be in a bar."

"We hit a bad spot after I was given the boot but it seemed things were getting better after I started making money with Keller. But about the time I started cooperating with the ATF things got a little cold again. It was probably because she thought I was cheating."

"Why would she think that?"

"Because Norton or whatever his name was used to call me all hours of the night and arrange for late night meets. I can't blame her if that's what she thought. I would've if I were her. I told that jerk that we needed another plan and he was supposed to be coming up with a safe house for our drops."

"A safe house? Did he happen to mention where he was looking?"

"Looking no but we met once in a cabin he said he owned by Lake Havasu." Just then they heard a knock on the door. "Are you expecting guests?"

"Probably Girl Scouts," Casey said. "They won't go away if I don't answer."

"Then go John. By the way do you mind?" asked Ned as he took one of Casey's cigars then disappeared into a dark recess out of sight. Casey was about to make a comment but the knock got louder.

"Christ, hold your horses," yelled Casey as he went and opened the door. Standing in front of him was Chuck and Sarah.

"John, do you mind if we come it?" asked Sarah. Chuck was about to speak when she turned and gave him a look. "We were worried about you and thought we'd drop by to check up on you." but as they were coming into Casey's apartment Sarah felt something was off. When she saw John's holster empty and his pistol on the coffee table she drew her weapon from her bag.

"Who's here," she yelled to John pushing Chuck back outside closing the door with her foot.

"Stand down," said Casey as he grabbed her gun hand. "I had a visit from Ned."

"Is he still here? Where's he at?" As she asked she heard a window bang. "You didn't let he go, did you?" It was then they heard gunshots. They both looked at each other and said "Chuck!"

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INSIDE A PARKED CAR OUTSIDE ECHO PARK

"Our man is inside let's wait a bit until it gets dark then we'll move in. Are you clear with what we're supposed to do?"

"Correct this morning's mistake."

"Right and there can be no errors this time."

"What does the boss expect? We get signaled at the last minute to take a shot it's only natural that targets can get mixed up. You know what I mean. Things like that take time."

"You complain too much. Just do your job."

"It was different when Keller was in charge. Things ran smoothly and everyone knew what they were doing. None of this cowboy crap. That's how people get killed or how we get ourselves killed killing other people."

"You're babbling on like an old woman. Keller's dead and this is what we've got so put up and shut up. Wait we've got more people pulling up."

"I don't like this."

"If you want you can walk but the boss won't like it and I don't think you want that."

"I can't wait until I can say goodbye to all this and retire to some tropical island with lots of girls. I want to buy a house on the beach and just kick back all day." The man's partner listened. He thought the only thing this guy's going to buy is the farm and if he keeps up his complaining he'd be breaking ground soon.

"Okay, let's go set up on both sides of the entrance that way we can cover the courtyard." Both men got out and made their way across the street. After crossing they drew pistols and went into position.

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Sarah pushed Chuck back out the door then closed it on his face but he wasn't going to leave her to fend for herself so he started to run back around the apartment. However, as he started to go he saw a man jump out of Casey's window and he flashed.

"Ned stop," yelled Chuck as he tried to grab the man but they fought. Chuck was holding his own against Ned blocking his punches and then with a spinning back kick sent him flying towards the fountain. "Stop, I don't want to hurt you," said Chuck. "Please just stay down." But instead he gave a Casey grunt number forty nine, anger with a hint of being pissed. He charged Chuck and had him in a bear hug but Chuck clapped both Ned's ears making him release his hold.

"You know you're pretty good for a nerd," Ned said as he rubbed his head.

"I'll take that a compliment but can we stop before someone gets hurt."

"Sorry but I've got to run," and Ned turned to race but as he turned around he saw the two men coming out of the dark with weapons drawn.

"Look out," yelled Chuck as he ran to Ned but in that instance Ned drew and fired killing one. However, the other man got off a round that clipped Chuck as he pushed Ned out of the way. The gunman turned and ran. Ned heard Casey's door opening so he took off too.

"Chuck!" Sarah screamed as she emptied her whole clip at Ned but he had already cleared the gate before the first shot. Chuck propped himself up against the fountain. How much he liked the sound of water it was so relaxing it was like Sarah's voice. One of the last things he remembered was the taste of her tears in his mouth.

"So salty," he said before he passed out.

Time seemed to stand still. Sarah sat on the ground next to Chuck holding him in her arms, crying telling him to hold on. Casey was on the phone asking for an emergency response team and as they waited Casey cased the area finding the other dead man.

"Looks like Ned got one over here," said Casey more trying to make himself feel better for what had happened. "I think he's one of Keller's men." But Sarah wasn't listening and she could've cared less. She just rocked back and forth with Chuck in her arms covered in his blood.

Chuck came to the next morning in the hospital looking around trying to remember how he got there. He found Sarah lying across him sitting in a chair.

"Hey, what's going one," he asked as he brushed her matted hair back and saw her blood shot eyes.

"Hey, you right back," she said. "You gave me a scare. What can you remember about last night?"

"Well, I saw Ned climbing out of Casey's window then we fought. Two men showed up and there was gun fire. I didn't get a good look at either of them. It happened so fast. I saw one was going to shot Ned so I pushed him out of the way." It was then he realized he had given too much information.

"Chuck! Will you stop playing the hero! You know you could've gotten yourself killed! You were lucky last night." She wanted to cry but her tears were all dry.

"Where's Casey? How's he doing?" said Chuck trying to change the topic.

"He and Morgan stepped outside and went to the waiting room. If you want I can go get them."

"I could use a kiss first." She bent over and kissed him whispering.

"Please don't do this again. I love you."

"I love you to."

"Sweetie you have that look, what is it?" Sarah could see the cogs in his brain turning or better the electrodes light up. He was on to something.

"I have a look? What kind of look is it?"

"It's the look that says I know something and I'm dying to tell you so please ask."

"I do? Are you sure?"

"Well, will you tell me. What is it you figured out?"

"Well it's not so much I figured something out as it is I've more questions. The first being how did these people know where Casey lived?"

"They could've followed him."

"They could've followed Casey from where? They'd have to have been following him all day and Casey didn't notice them in the mirror. Not likely. You could argue though they were following Ned but the same thing would apply. No they had to know to go there and they had to know Ned was likely to show up there. You know what that means."

"Go ahead and tell me," said Sarah but she thought this was the I know something ask me look.

"That whoever is involved had to know that Ned and Casey knew each other and that means they had to know Casey as Alex Coburn."

"But couldn't Keller have told someone. He knew both."

"That's a possibility but not likely. Keller lived black ops and in that line of work you keep secrets close. I don't see him going around blabbing to his friends over a beer. Especially if it were a secret he could exploit later on like he did with Casey and the Laudanol."

"Who do you suspect?"

It's easier for me to tell who I don't suspect. You, Casey, Morgan, Alex and that's it."

"You suspect General Beckman?"

"She's the man," said Chuck as the General walked in.

"Agent Bartowski, Chuck."