Don't own Chuck

Casey and Kat stayed out walking around the pier after the boat returned not wanting to go back to the hotel and reality. This was the closest Casey ever felt to being Alex Colburn and what he had left behind. This was the closest Kat had ever been to recovering what she thought had been lost forever. The air was brisk from the vapor coming off the falls but they didn't feel it they were living the magic of the moment. Kat couldn't help but think this was what life was supposed to be for them. However, like early morning fog when the first rays of the sun break the rim of the gorge they vanished into the night. Finally they realized they had to go home.

"We have to go back now or Alex will be sending out the police on both sides of the border looking for us. If she hasn't already moved a satellite and is tracking us from overhead."

"She reminds me a lot of you. I mean that in a good way. She's strong and independent," said Kat as she took his hand. "Thank you."

"Thanks for what? I'm the one who should be thanking you for coming here with me. Especially after everything I did to you leaving you all alone."

"But you didn't leave me alone; I always had a part of you with me. Every time I look at Alex was like looking at you. Her eyes, her nose, her mouth reminded me of you then there was that thing you do with your finger that she does too."

"My itchy trigger finger," he said as they both laughed. "Come on we need to pick them up and get across the border if we're going to make lunch at the Skylon tower."

Casey drove back to the hotel to find Alex and Morgan camped out front, huddled together under a blanket. After they parked they walked up on them quietly. Casey was shaking his head as Kat knelt down in front of Alex to stroke her face gently with her hand.

"Hey wake up, don't tell me you guys stayed out here all night. Weren't you cold?" said Kat as Alex woke up stretching and yawning. She reached over and shook Morgan to wake him up too.

"All night, it's been all night," said Alex with a smile across her sleepy face. "Is this the time a person comes in from a date?"

"Don't even try it," said Casey. "If I knew you two were going to camp out here, I wouldn't have paid for the rooms in advance. I could've saved some money."

"So how'd things go" asked Morgan as he winked at Casey. "I bet you guys had a good time if you're rolling at this hour."

"That had better be because you got something into your eye," Casey grunted. "Or my fist is going to go in the other one. Troll sometimes you're the king of cool."

"Thanks, John…" said Morgan thinking that Casey was paying him a compliment but Casey corrected himself.

"But not now, idiot. Let's load up we need to get across the border and I don't know how long the border crossing is going to take but we're going to Skylon Tower..." Casey started to explain why but Morgan cut him off.

"I read about that in my Fodor's guide to Niagara Falls on the plane here while I was rooting. It's 775 feet tall and from the observation deck you can see the whole gorge with its three falls, the wine district as well as the skylines of Buffalo and Toronto."

"You're going to see stars if you make us miss lunch yapping. Now get in the car and let's go before I have to strangle you." Casey got everyone in then headed out. Alex kept looking back and forth at the two of them trying to figure out what had happened but the fact that it had lasted the whole night had to mean something good.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Turkish Airlines flight TK 17 arrived at Pearson International Airport Toronto on schedule. It taxied up to the debarkation gate located in terminal one then the hatch opened and passengers deplaned. Stefan waited for Monica to leave letting her get off before him but it was impossible to leave a thirty yard cushion with everyone getting off at the same time. He was met by a man from the consulate, Boris, who handed him a package then escorted Stefan around the crowd. With his diplomatic credentials now in hand he didn't have to go through customs but simply went around then doubled back to where everyone was exiting.

"We'll wait here and pick her up as soon as she clears customs." Stefan looked down at his watch then looked at the masses exiting. He had a bad feeling. "Boris let's check her position I was able to get a RX-77 on her while we were at the bar." Boris pulled out a tracking device that looked like cell phone and locked on to her signal.

"Sir I've got her…," said Boris as he turned around to get a better fix. "Oh crap, she's already out in that direction, in the parking garage."

"Give me that you go get the car and drive up in the garage. Maybe this is good we can take her there." Stefan took off running across the road almost getting run over by a speeding motorist. Insults were shouted but Stefan kept on going. He followed the signal going up floor after floor until he reached the right floor. "Boris, I'm on the fourth floor," radioed Stefan. He pulled the weapon that Boris had given him then he began searching the floor but when he finally saw her, she was already in a late model Ford pulling out.

"Follow her," said Stefan as he jumped in the car on the fly. "Stay with her Boris. We can't afford to lose her in traffic."

"This road ends on the other side," said Boris glancing over he saw Stefan's look. "What I mean is she's heading for the US border. What do we do if she goes over? Our credentials will raise some eyes as well as questions if we try to cross."

"If she tries we'll take her before. You can rear-end her then we'll grab her out of the hospital. Be careful make sure she doesn't see you. Crap where's she going now."

"I know where she's going," said Boris as he pulled off. Looming over the top of them was a 775 foot tower. "This is the Skylon Tower from the observation deck you can see the whole gorge and the restaurant revolves as you eat. It turns a full 360 degrees every hour." Stefan gave him a look while he was talking. "We've used it a few times before as a drop site and it's just really cool."

"I think you've been in country too long Boris. You remind me of myself when I got my first duty assignment overseas but things were different back then…" Stefan started to explain but Monica got out of her car with the canvas bag over her shoulder and went inside the tower. "Come on we need to follow her," said Stefan as he and Boris got out running over to the entrance. Inside they looked around but she was nowhere to be seen. "The elevator, she's on the elevator." Stefan saw the light was on indicating it was in use.

They had to wait for the next one but the elevator took less than a minute to get to the top so they didn't have long to wait. Jumping on they pushed the button for the observation deck agreeing one would go right and the other left but when they got off they were bumped into by two men pushing past them to get on. Stefan thought they were awfully rude not waiting until they got off but he was in too much of a hurry to say anything.

"Boris do you see them," asked Stefan but Boris didn't say anything instead he collapsed on the deck holding his left side. "Boris," said Stefan as ran to him. Already Boris was gone Stefan moved his hand and he opened his jacket to find he's been stabbed just under his armpit straight into the heart. This was a professional job. Stefan felt rage he looked up to see Monica dash out the steps. "Your mine," said Stefan as he pulled his weapon. At this point he didn't care who saw him he was going to get even for Adem and Boris if it was the last thing he did.

"Look out," he heard someone yelled from the crowd that was gathering around them. "He's got a gun." He got up and ran for the stairs looking over the railing he saw Monica running down so he gave chase. He jumped two and three steps at a time to catch up to her. He was determined not to let her get away. She broke into the dining area with Stefan right behind her.

"Stop or I'll shoot," yelled Stefan but instead she turned holding up a vial over her head waving it for him to see.

"I don't think you will," she said. "Some diplomat."

"If he doesn't shoot you I will just I'll like it a lot more lady," said Casey pulling out his Sig. "We can sort this out later after you put whatever you have in your hand down."

"Casey? What are you doing here?" asked Stefan surprised but pleased too. He hoped this meant Chuck was close behind. They were the only people in the CIA he trusted.

"I could ask you the same thing. A person can't go out to have a nice meal anymore without some nut job breaking in and interrupting. I ought to shoot both of you just for indigestion."

"She took something that belongs to us and she's killed two of my men. The last one just bleed out on the observation deck and his blood isn't even dry yet so this is personal for me."

"Crap that's where I left everyone," said Casey thinking this really wasn't what he had planned when they started out that morning. "Like I said I'll have to take everyone in then we can sort it out."

"Well I hate to break your bubble gentlemen but no one is taking anyone in. If I drop this everyone in this restaurant is dead. What's in this makes Ebola look like the common cold." Suddenly the doors to the elevator opened a man with a hoodie opened fire with an automatic weapon. Both Casey and Stefan ducked for cover as Monica jumped inside tossing the vial in the air behind her. The doors closed and she was gone.

"The vial," yelled Casey as both men dove for it but they were too far away. It fell to the floor shattering in pieces releasing a misty gas that floated out.

"John you're not going to believe…" Morgan started to say as he was about to come in but Casey cut him off yelling for him to stay out.

"Morgan out, stay out and make sure no one comes in and have Alex go down below get some tape. Seal the doors and make sure no one gets on the elevator for here," yelled Casey as he and Stefan looked at each other.

"John I don't want to tell you your business but they should go after them," said Stefan. The staff and customers inside started to panic running for the doors. Stefan fired two rounds into the ceiling.

"Everyone go sit down no one is going anywhere. At least not until we know what was just released. If you're contagious you'll spread what you have to everyone you come in contact with including your loved ones. John you need to call your people and call Chuck."

"He's in Chicago and unless we absolutely need him I'm not going to call him. They're probably long gone away and if we don't contain this here we risk a lot more. We'll find them just we need to take care of things here first. Morgan are you out there?" yelled Casey.

"Yes John and Kat's with me too. What do you want? I can call Chuck and Sarah for you and get them here to help."

"Not yet," said Casey. "Jesus why is everyone Chuck dependent lately. What did they do before Chuck? No moron, we'll handle this. You need to go to security and get the CCTV feed play it back looking for a guy in a hoodie and a petit red head on the cute side that ran out right after this mess started."

"A what?" yelled Kat from the other side of the door. The words just came out without her thinking afterwards she felt a little embarrassed but Morgan grinned he could wait to tell Alex.

"Those were Stefan's words not mine," said Casey looking over at him. "This is all your fault I want you to know."

"You owe me for," whispered Stefan then he spoke out loud. "Look there might be another person involved so you should be looking for two or three people. Start by looking in all the areas that have poor CCTV coverage. These people are professionals so they'll know how to hide from the cameras but we might get lucky."

"We? What's this we anyway? Okay if this is 'we' then what was in that vial she broke and why were 'we' chasing her?"

"I don't know and those were my orders. Do you question your orders? Somehow I don't think so. Let me call someone and see what they'll let tell you. Morgan are you still out there?"

"Yes, Stefan I remember you. John there's a big debate out here as to whose jurisdiction this falls under. The Canadians want to give it to us and we want to give it back to them. It seems there's a long standing argument where the border is here."

"Morgan, while they hassle that out get us a bottle of scotch and I'm going to have delivered to you self-injecting atropine syringes from our consulate. Put everything on the elevator and send it up."

"Atropine is used against nerve agents, what the heck was in that vial?" asked Casey. He already noticed some of the people with them were having trouble coordinating their movements.

"Honestly I don't know, I just know where this began. Don't ask me anymore because I can't tell you but if I'm worried you should be too."

"And to think everything was going along so well today. Casey looked around as people started dropping. He got up and had everyone stretch out on the floor. At least like this when they drop they wouldn't hurt themselves.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Devon arrived home in the late afternoon, an hour before Dr. Myer to make sure everything was ready. On his way home he stopped and bought a bouquet of Calla lilies plus a pie to serve as desert. The only problem was when he got home he found Ellie had already made dessert, a crème brûlée. With Chuck and Sarah's help she had prepared everything and the smell was tantalizing as soon as you walked through the door. There were canapés with crab and spinach followed by a first dish of penne al salmone then she bake Cod Venetian style with a white sauce and had a Waldorf salad as a side.

"My Lord, you did a great job. I should invite people over more often," said Devon joking but the humor wasn't appreciated. "I should be calling you awesome."

"You try this again and I'll lay out a package of hotdogs for you then I'll take Clara and we'll go out to eat. The people you should thank are Chuck and Sarah if they hadn't helped that would've been the menu for tonight."

"I'm sorry. You're right and thanks guys. It's just things got out of hand and I was really pushed into this by the administrator. She left word I was to schmooze this woman."

"I don't know if I like that," said Ellie. "Oh if you haven't noticed someone's been waiting for your surgical skills." Ellie pointed behind him and standing in Captain Awesome's shadow was Sam holding Ellie's purse. "A boy tore Mr. Rabbit's arm I put a band aid on him but I promised her that you'd take him into the OR and stitch him up."

"Oh really," said Devon as he knelt down in front of Sam. "Nurse I need to have a look at the patient. May I?" Sam nodded her head and handed him Ellie's purse. He opened it pulling out Mr. Rabbit. "I think we can fix him up good as new. Let's transport him into the operating room."

The doorbell rang so seeing as everyone was busy with the operation Chuck went and answered the door. There standing in front of him was an attractive brunette. He invited her in taking her coat.

"You must be Chuck the brother in law," said Liz as she introduced herself. "Elizabeth Myer, Liz," she said as she offered Chuck her hand. Chuck flashed. He had a vision of a fiery automobile crash along with old newspaper clippings.

"Oh," said Chuck as he closed his eyes then opened them up. "It's the cold it sometimes has this effect on me. I'm sorry about your parents," said Chuck as he shook her hand.

"How'd you know… Oh Awesome, that's right I told him," said Liz as Sarah gave them a look then she came over and introduced herself.

"Devon's in surgery right now" said Sarah as she took her to where Awesome was operating on Mr. Rabbit under a pair of watchful eyes. Sam was glued to him.

"Evening Liz," said Devon as he reintroduced everyone while he was stitching. "Kind of reminds me of when we were interns and practicing on pig feet." Sam gave him an evil look.

"I wouldn't piss her off" said Ellie. "She's already taken care of the boy who did that. He was twice as big as her but that didn't stop her from cleaning his plow."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Kind of reminds me of her mother," whispered Chuck. Sarah elbowed him but smiled because he wasn't wrong.

"What was that at the door? Did you flash?" whispered Sarah. He nodded yes then whispered the doctor's full name in her ear. She flashed too.

"Okay there we are right as rain, good to go," said Devon as he put a band aid over the sutures then handed Mr. Rabbit back to her. "The patient is all yours nurse. He's ready for post-op."

Sam took Mr. Rabbit gave Devon a kiss then ran back to their bed room where she put Mr. Rabbit to bed, tucking him under the covers then dragged a chair over to sit next to him. Sarah stood in the doorway and watched Sam as she sat next to Mr. Rabbit thumbing through a book looking at the pictures. She felt Chuck come up behind her and wrap his arm around her waist.

"Ellie sent me back to tell you to bring Sam and let's start eating before everything gets cold. But I can tell them to start diner without us just as easily if you want."

"No I think you should go eat with them. Devon is trying to impress this woman so you should go help. I'll stay here with Sam we can eat something later. I wonder if we haven't taken her too many times to the hospital with us."

"I think you worry too much about her but you do because you love her and that just makes me love you even more," Chuck said as he kissed her.

"Guys come on," said Ellie. "Chuck I sent you back here to get Sarah not to make out. The food is getting cold and Devon is nervous."

"I'm coming but Sarah will join us later for desert, she wants to stay a little bit with Sam. Sam's… well busy with the patient and wild horses won't be able to pull her away."

"I understand just come along," said Ellie as she disappeared back down the corridor and into the kitchen.

"Go or Ellie will get mad," said Sarah as she kissed him. "But save me some dessert." Chuck arrived just in time as Devon was pouring the wine.

"So Chuck is it," said Liz as Chuck sat down. "Devon and Ellie are doctors so what is it that you do for a living?"

"I work in cyber security. You know assuring sites are secure from outside attacks, building firewalls and the like. Sometimes I have to work on site and actually get my hands dirty. The government is our biggest contractor it's almost as if I work for them at times." Devon coughed trying to tell Chuck to cut his explanation.

"Honey, drink some water," said Ellie. "I hope everyone likes seafood because that's what's on the menu for tonight."

"Yes Devon and I had a wonderful lobster dinner and a marvelous bottle of pinot," said Liz as she smiled at Devon. "Oh I forgot to tell Devon, you understand we were busy at lunch, but I'm allergic to Salmon."

Chuck saw anger and fire in his sister's eyes but there wasn't anything he could do. Just as he was about to suggest that they should just skip the first dish and go straight to the second his phone rang, anonymous caller. "I'm sorry I really need to take this," he said as he answered. He immediately recognized Anatoly's voice. "Pree-vyet, hello Anatoly what can I do for you?" said Chuck as he began speaking in Russian.

"Your bother speaks Russian? His accent, he sounds like a real Russian."

"There goes my brother the linguist, you could say he has a gift for languages. It helps him in his job and makes him valuable for his company. Now about our meal there's a small problem."