Hi everybody! Well, this chapter brings us to the end of another part of the saga. Thanks to all for reading and reviewing this one.
As always, thanks to Anon and my wife for editing.
I don't own any part of the Chuck universe.
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After driving in silence, the team arrived back in Burbank and convened in Casey's apartment. First aid was applied to everybody's wounds. Sarah required the least, consisting of bandages to her hands. Chuck's side, shoulder, and face were cleaned and disinfected. His body had suffered heavy bruising and his muscles were quite sore. His face looked like he had been in a fight. One eye was becoming quite swollen, and there were multiple abrasions, though minor. He had gotten off easy compared to Casey, who was limping, had to have his wrist splinted, and was almost unrecognizable now due to his facial damage. On the ride home, Chuck had asked Casey if he needed to be taken to the emergency room. There was always the possibility of concussion, or worse, internal bleeding. Casey denied the need for it, saying that his nose wasn't even broken this time. Even so, Sarah checked him over thoroughly upon the return, before she was satisfied that they could avoid the hospital. They sat him on the couch, covered in ice packs. They turned around and were about to walk out, when Casey spoke with effort. "Don't you want to know how you did?"
Chuck turned back, glaring at the older man. He wanted to tell Casey that he didn't care about the results, that the whole test was a dirty trick, and that Casey could take his results and shove them up his ass. But…
Chuck sighed. He sat down on the couch and mumbled, "Tell me how I did."
Sarah couldn't seem to believe it. "Chuck!"
"Sarah, just…. I need to know, OK?"
She seemed to gnash her teeth but didn't say anything else.
If Casey was satisfied, there was no way to tell it from his damaged face. He pulled out his timer, and read, "33 minutes, 22 seconds. That's from the moment I shot the gun to when you came through the door and found us." Chuck looked at Casey, wanting to ask if that was good, but willing himself not to do it. Casey reached for a remote. Two clicks and he had dimmed the light and turned on his television. Another click and an image came of the van interior, and of Chuck, inside. Casey forwarded the footage to just before the flash. Chuck watched as he reacted to the events, as his eyes fluttered, then seemed to glaze over. They watched all the action within the van, up to the point where Chuck jumped. Chuck had assumed that this was where the action ended, but in fact, the screen simply switched to an external view of the van, and tracked Chuck's jump and fall.
Sarah hissed and Chuck grimaced, but Casey paused the scene and replayed it in slow motion. Chuck thought that Casey might be mocking him, but the Colonel said, "That's actually pretty good. By the time you jumped, the van had slowed down to just over 20 miles per hour. It's very hard to land safely going from that speed. First few times I did that, I got banged up pretty bad."
Sarah nodded, though she appeared to do so reluctantly. "Me too. You did well."
Chuck turned a bit red. "Well, it was the Intersect actually. If I'd tried to do that myself, I probably would have broken my neck."
Neither of his partners commented. Casey restarted the video. They timed Chuck's run back to the warehouse. "Wow," Chuck whispered, watching himself sprint.
"You're outpacing me," Casey said in a neutral voice. "I haven't reached that speed. I'm pretty fast too. Don't think you quite have Walker's record, but-"
"He's pretty close to it, though." Sarah was leaning forward, obviously fascinated.
They watched the video Chuck slow down as he reached the warehouse and go to the correct door, then listen, shoot the lock, and enter.
"Solid approach," said Casey. "That's the way you're supposed to do it."
Sarah muttered, "I remember when you weren't able to shoot the lock off of that freezer door." She smiled at Chuck then. He smiled in return.
New infrared cameras tracked him inside the warehouse. They watched his careful but quick approach.
"How did you know which direction to go, Chuck?" asked Sarah.
"I think the Intersect drew from my memories of watching you two. I knew the exact way you had gone in, up until the point that I started nodding off in the van." He looked guiltily at Casey, but the big man said nothing. Eventually, Chuck was right outside the front door. They watched him open it, and Casey fall through.
"And this is where the Intersect turned off, right as I realized what happened." He looked at Casey again, and didn't feel guilty anymore. He felt righteously pissed off. "So?"
Casey turned off the video and sat back on the couch. "So in addition to fighting capability, the Intersect also gives you vehicle and device specs, and helps you pick correct firearms, and to effectively hold, aim and discharge the weapon. It allows you to make a jump from a moving vehicle with relatively minor damage. It gives you sufficient adrenaline to go from a jump like that without rest to a 2-mile sprint. It allows you to safely enter and navigate a building in darkness where hostiles may be present."
Chuck said, "It didn't compensate well for your GPS trick."
Casey shook his head. "You wasted less than 20 seconds on the GPS, before you turned around and got to the guns. That's still amazing reaction time." He looked at Chuck. "We successfully learned more about some of the new Intersect's capabilities. And there's probably more where that came from."
"That you're going to learn through more tricks?" spat Chuck.
Casey crossed his arms. "If I have to."
"Just one problem with that, Casey. I'm onto you now. It's the whole 'crying wolf' scenario."
"Are you willing to bet Walker's life on that, Chuck?" Casey ignored the dangerous looks from his partners, but continued. "Sure, it may be a set-up sometimes, but other times, it's going to be deadly real. Are you willing to take bets on which? The Intersect probably won't be able to tell." In response to their scowls, Casey leaned forward. "You need to get off of your high horse, Bartowski. All this crap with 'I want to be an agent but I don't want to kill anybody' or 'I have this power but I don't want to use it unless my girlfriend is in danger' is just that. Crap. You were annoying as hell when you were only an asset, but I could brush it off, because you were put in this situation against your will, and you still tried, but now you have made a choice, Bartowski. You signed up, and none of us made you do it. Now, you're all whiny that you don't want to have to do everything that choice entails. Well, no more. Either grow the fuck up or go find your daddy and have him take the Intersect out again. With what this country is up against, we don't have time for this shit.
Chuck stood up, chewing his lip and glaring at the Colonel. Then, he walked to the door, muttering, "I am so going to get you for this, Casey."
Casey grunted. "I'll be waiting, Nerd Boy."
In spite of himself, Chuck smirked. He then looked at Sarah. "Are you coming?"
"Give me a few minutes, and I'll be there," she said.
He nodded and walked out.
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When the door closed, Sarah turned to her partner. "I'm not going to apologize for what I did."
Casey shrugged. "I'm not going to apologize for what I did, either."
"You could have told me what you were planning."
"Sure. Would you have gone along with it? If you had, then what? Either Chuck would have found out and gotten hurt because you went along with it, or you wouldn't tell him, and you'd feel guilty. Each outcome would put a strain on your relationship, and I am already sick of you two moping around."
"You said I'm compromised." There was no anger or petulance in her voice. No argument. "Why haven't you asked for me to be reassigned? Or are you going to after this?"
"I don't think we'd be able to get you reassigned unless you actually got Chuck or me killed."
A chill ran through her. "Do you think I'm going to?"
Casey seemed to think about it for a moment. "No. When it comes down to it, I think you're going to come through. Maybe not on anything that requires hurting Bartowski's feelings, but hey, that's what you've got me here for, right?" He didn't seem to have any ill will when he said it.
Sarah looked at him. In spite of herself, some shame was sneaking in. "Maybe…. Maybe I do owe you an apology."
He shook his head. "Don't. You did what you needed to do. Leave it at that."
"Are you going to be OK?"
"Yeah. Seems like I get beat up a lot on this assignment, doesn't it?"
She nodded, slightly smiling.
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Chuck was on his computer, typing away, and whistling "Ride of the Valkyries."
When Sarah entered the apartment and asked him how he was doing, Chuck looked up and said, "I'm mad, Baby. Mad." He said it with a smile though.
"You don't seem that angry," she commented.
Chuck shrugged. "Oh, I'm not, really. I don't like how Casey went about it, but I get what he was trying to do. Besides, you kicked the crap out of him."
Sarah grinned. "I always do. So, does this mean that your threats for revenge-"
"Oh, I'm gonna get him. I'm gonna get him in a way he least suspects." Chuck turned the flat screen of his monitor around so Sarah could see. On it was a large picture of Casey. He was wearing his government suit. His arms were crossed and he had a grim smile on his face. Below the picture were Casey's vital statistics, hobbies, and other interests.
It was a profile for a dating website.
Sarah's eyes widened in horror. "My God! He'll kill you!" She stopped and thought about it for a moment. Gradually the look of horror turned into another expression entirely. "Can I help?" Her tone was eager.
Chuck's grin turned wider. He gestured for her to pull up a chair.
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Chuck microwaved some leftover Chinese food, and they spent some quality time with Casey's profile. They should have been exhausted, but were too wired to sleep.
About an hour in, Chuck brought up the events of the night. "Casey was right. I know he was right. But it's not like I'm consciously controlling this thing in my brain."
Sarah's expression grew solemn. "I know."
He looked at her. "Um, what do you think about it? About the Intersect only going into 'action mode' when you're in danger?"
She cleared her throat. "Ah, I, uh.... I agree with Casey. That can't be the only time it activates. It's dangerous, otherwise."
"Oh." He looked a little sad.
Her brows furrowed. "Oh, what?"
"Well, I just… I know that it's not - not safe, but... well, I was thinking that maybe at least a part of you might, um, like it."
Sarah looked confused for a moment, but then her eyes widened as his meaning sunk in. Her face suddenly became very red, and she smiled a little bit, actually looking shy. She suddenly turned her gaze away from him.
Chuck's eyebrows rose. "Wait a minute."
She started rolling back her chair away from him, keeping her face firmly planted in another direction. Chuck started rolling after her with his own chair. "Wait a minute. Hey! Look at me!" He reached out to take her hand. She playfully slapped it away. He said, "Holy crap. You do like it!"
She muttered under her breath, "I don't know what you're taking about," but he could tell she was struggling to not laugh.
"Oh, come on! Admit it!"
"No."
"No?"
"No." The way she said that was high-pitched, almost giggly. Coming from Agent Sarah Walker, it was absolutely adorable.
"OK. Look at me in the eyes and say that."
Slowly, Sarah turned her head to look at him.
Then, right before she was about to make eye contact, she bolted from the chair out the door.
Chuck laughed and dived after her, barely avoiding tripping over her chair in the process.
He caught up to her in the living room.
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"Ow," said Chuck, half-sighing.
"Mmmmm?" Sarah's eyes were closed. She was smiling, half-asleep.
"My body aches from everything I did this evening. On top of that, I'm now rug burned."
"Well earned," she yawned. She rolled over to him and kissed him on the hurt shoulder.
"Yup." He grinned. "So, you still haven't admitted it."
She groaned. "The sex was supposed to be a distraction."
"Yeah, well, you distracted me for..." He blinked up at the clock. "Almost a half-hour. Now admit it."
Her eyes opened and she smiled. "You are pushing a deadly spy whose fingernails are right next to your privates."
Chuck gulped. "You make a good point. I'm going to roll over now."
He began to do just that, when she grabbed his shoulders, though careful not to hurt him. She was gently laughing.
"Wait, wait. OK." Sarah took a deep breath. "A little."
"A little?"
She clarified. "I admit to liking just a little bit that the Intersect turns on to protect me." Seeing his grin widening, she added, "Gloat, and no rolling over will save you."
Chuck did his best to get his expression under control.
Sarah's smile faltered. "But Chuck... I know it's romantic in its own way, coming from you, but it's also extremely dangerous. You know that."
He shook his head. "I don't care. I'd give my life for you."
In response to that, Sarah began to look away. He took her face in his hands and held her gaze. He said, "You would give your life for me. It's only fair."
"Fairness has nothing to do with it. Your life is more important than mine."
He rolled his eyes. "Because of the secrets in my head. Because of my importance to the country, blah, blah, blah..."
Her gaze became steely. "Yeah, all that stuff. And also, because your death would kill me. It would kill me."
Now he had difficulty keeping her gaze. He said, "You can't ask me not to try to save you. I'm not able to do that."
To his surprise, she said, "OK." He looked back at her. She seemed resolved. "OK. You want to protect me, just as I try to protect you? I won't stop you. All I ask is that you find a way to get the Intersect to protect yourself too, just as I use my skills to protect myself. Fair?"
He nodded, tentatively. "Fair. I can't make any promises, but I'll try."
Sarah said, "Good. I know you would die for me, and while I appreciate that, Chuck, I want you to live for me, more."
He smiled. "I like that. Hey, what's wrong?"
Sarah seemed nervous now. Uncomfortable. "I have something I've needed to tell you for awhile." She swallowed. "I'm afraid you're going to take it the wrong way."
He took her hands in his and tried to communicate trust and safety with his eyes. It seemed to work.
"Chuck," she paused, and then continued softly, "I love you, Chuck." She looked down quickly at his hands as if afraid he was going to pull them away. He didn't.
Instead Chuck gently said, "Hey, that's the first time you've said that to me." She nodded, jerkily. Speaking softly, he asked, "How would I take that other than the most wonderful thing I've ever heard?"
She stammered, "You could- you might think I was trying to use your feelings to control you, that I might not be telling the tru- mmmmpppphhh"
He had grabbed her and pulled her face to him. It was a few minutes later when he broke away from her, and looked in her eyes again. "I'm insecure, I'm jealous, I don't know how I got so lucky. But, Sarah, when you tell me that you love me, I believe you. I thank you. I love you."
The smile that she gave him was perhaps the most beautiful he had ever seen from her.
They kept eye contact for an unknown length of time, then she whispered, "Chuck?"
"Yes, Sarah?" He replied, also in a whisper.
"You stopped kissing me."
He licked his lips. "I'd better make it up to you."
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Sarah woke up later. They had fallen asleep, but not before Chuck had retrieved blankets to drape over them in the living room.
She rose to get a drink of water from the kitchen, noting that the first signs of dawn were beginning to seep through the curtains. They'd be able to sleep in today. Casey had said that the follow-up with Beckman wouldn't need to be until that evening, and it being a weekend, they didn't need to go into the office.
Chuck was out, gently snoring. She stood considering his face. Even with the injuries, he was beautiful. Sarah allowed herself to relive her overdue revelation to him, and his response. She'd never believed she could feel this elated, this happy. The highs and lows of this relationship were unlike anything she'd ever felt, even with Bryce.
She had never experienced young love in high school. Was this what it was like to feel like a teenager? Out of control hormones? She found herself not caring.
Her mind flickered to what Casey had said about her being compromised. Well, she was. Of course, she was. She had made a genuine effort to avoid this, even tried to leave, and Beckman wouldn't let her. Part of her knew this was an awful mistake, becoming more dangerous every day. Yet, that part was being drowned out more and more by the intensity of these emotions that she was feeling. She wanted these feelings. She wanted him. She loved him. She smiled widely. I am so gone.
The sound of the breaking glass caused that wonderful high to turn into something else, in but a second's time. Her head snapped in the direction from which the sound came. Chuck's bedroom. She was standing there naked, without her weapons, and danger was coming to take him away. This time, the reality of being compromised hit her like a brick. She was not going to fail him. They were not going to take him. They were not.
Sarah had left her gun in the bedroom, but her knives were available among her discarded clothing. She grabbed them. She didn't bother to put any clothes on. There wasn't time. She needed to protect Chuck. So focused was she that she didn't notice a stirring behind her as she turned toward the bedroom.
There was more sound of glass shards falling on the floor. Sarah snuck her face around the doorframe and looked inside. Somebody was outside the window; well, window frame now. Most of the window was smashed into pieces on the inside of the bedroom. Even with the coming daybreak, it was impossible for Sarah to make out the intruder's features. The face was hooded, in shadow, though she thought she could make out the silhouette of a man's chin. He was using his elbow to knock out the remaining glass. This done, the man placed his hand on the interior latch. Sarah didn't make a sound as she hurled one of her knives, aiming for the man's chest. At that moment, things happened very fast.
The man raised his head, and too late, Sarah recognized him. However, the knife had flown. Less than a second later, the man went flying away from the window with a startled shout, another man entering the space where the first had vacated. A hand came down from the new man, and caught the knife by the handle, turning the blade less than an inch away from where it would have struck him. Sarah's eyes widened.
Sarah heard a familiar voice say, "Ow! What was that? Chuck? Hey, what happened to you?"
Chuck made shushing noises in the direction of the voice. His eyes glanced ever so briefly at Sarah. Chuck dropped the knife back into the bedroom. Then he walked toward the voice.
Sarah stood frozen for a moment. She had almost stabbed-! And then Chuck had pushed him out of the way! Where had Chuck come from? And Chuck had caught her knife? The only way he could have done that was if the Intersect had turned on! The Intersect had turned on for somebody besides her?
Forcing herself to move, Sarah retrieved her knife, then stashed her knives and gun into a dresser drawer. Wrapping a sheet discreetly around herself, she ran back into the living room, and noted the ajar front door.
She ran outside. There they were. Chuck was in nothing but his boxers. At least nobody else was up at this point. Chuck was talking to the would-be intruder. They were actually laughing.
"Hey!" she said, trying to keep her voice down.
Chuck turned his head, and smiled. "Hey hon! Look who I found lurking around."
He stepped aside to reveal a short man still sitting awkwardly on the ground, his hoodie now pulled completely down around his face that had obviously been recently shaved.
Sarah had never seen the man without his beard.
Clearly trying not to ogle at her almost unclothed form, Morgan Grimes, said, "Uh, hi Sarah! Miss me?"
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To be continued in "Sarah Vs. the Best Friend"
