.

.

The vial drops. Poison rises from the floor and starts filling the air; there's a stricken look on Sarah's face, and Ellie waves her hand at the smoke.

"We only have five hours," Sarah says. Her voice is a whisper.

Ellie glances back at Casey, and she knows there's nothing they can do.

xXx

.

"This truth serum? Sucks."

Ellie is sitting against the wall. The poisoned vapor is circulating freely in her system now; her inner filter is knocked out of place. "I'm a doctor. Do you know how much residency sucks? And how much med school sucks? And how I spent my entire fucking life studying? Now I'm actually an attending, but who cares? I'm going to die and this really sucks."

Casey and Sarah both have a fine film of sweat on their faces, and if Ellie concentrates hard enough, she knows she's sweating, too. An autonomic response. "And for the record? The Intersect blows. God. Can you imagine if Chuck were the one to get it? I can barely handle myself, God knows how Chuck would be able to do."

"Chuck is fine," Sarah says. Ellie's face pinches. "Look, the past is in the past, we just have to concentrate on dealing with this now."

"How about let's concentrate on dying?" Ellie says. Yup, no filter. She knocks her head against the wall. "This sucks."

"We have to think of a plan," Sarah says. "Something to lure the assassin back into the open. He's got to have an antidote."

"It's too late," Ellie says. "We're doomed."

Ellie knocks her head against the wall. Casey glares. "You know what? This is your fault, Bartowski," Casey says. "I told you to take the antidote, but no. You had to go and give it to Captain Moron over there, and what the hell do you see in him, anyway? He's an oversized fratboy! God! I wish he died first, at least you could've survived."

"You wished Devon were dead?" Ellie says.

"Guys, c'mon," Sarah says.

"No, I want to hear this!" Ellie says. "Casey! Devon is a civilian, and he was saving that guy's life, I gave him the antidote because he doesn't deserve to die like that!"

"You gave him the antidote because you're still in love with him!" Casey says.

"Guys!" Sarah says.

"That's not true," Ellie says.

"Well you sure act like it," Casey says.

"It's a goddamn truth serum, Casey! Are you really that fucked up, you can't even believe a person when they're on fucking truth serum?" Ellie says.

"Guys!" Sarah says. Casey and Ellie turn.

"Look we can't do this," Sarah says. "We only have a few hours left, we can't turn on each other right now."

Casey growls. Ellie knocks her head against the wall.

"You know, what the hell is with you, anyway?" Ellie says. "Why should you even care if I'm in love with Devon? I thought our fake relationship was exactly that: fake!"

"Bartowski." There's a warning in his voice.

"No, you know what? I am sick of it!" Ellie says. "Every day I'm on pins and needles around you, I never know what the hell is going on, what you're feeling, why you're acting the way you do, and I know this is a job for you, but guess what? It's my life. It's my life and I'm sick of it! I'm sick of everything!"

Ellie huffs against the wall. Casey looks hurt and angry. "I guess you hate me, too," Casey says.

"Guys, c'mon," Sarah says. Ellie glares.

"I wish I could hate you," Ellie says.

"You know what, you guys, let's just stop," Sarah says. "Let's just stop now and try to think of a plan, okay? We can do this," Sarah says.

"Walker, can't you just mind your own goddamn business? We're having a discussion," Casey says.

Sarah glares. "Well why don't you just tell her?" Sarah says.

"Tell me what?" Ellie says. Sarah shoots a sharp look at Casey. "Casey, tell me what?"

"That I'm in love with you. Wait! Dammit!" Casey slams his hand against the floor. "Goddamn truth serum! Dammit!"

"You're in love with me?" Ellie's eyes are wide.

"No! I mean, yes. Desperately." Casey's eyes widen. "Jesus, fuck."

Ellie's hand brushes against something.

"What's this?" Ellie says, and she picks up the box. It's a...

Fingerprint
Mugshot
REARDON PAYNE
gymnast
picture of him with a blown knee
a gun
stolen documents
WANTED emblazoned in red on a mug shot.

Ellie blinks, shoved out of the moment. "You guys! His name is Reardon Payne, he's an ex-olympic gymnast but he blew out his knee, now he makes a living selling government secrets on the black market." She holds out the tracker. "We can use the tracker to track Payne. He's been exposed, he needs the antidote, too! We can find out where he's hiding!"

"Okay we have to move," Sarah says. She scrambles to her feet. "We need to go, now."

They scramble to their feet, following the beeping of the tracker.

xXx

.

They're able to get the antidote. Before Ellie can talk to him, Casey takes a quick swig; there's something in his eyes that she can't place, and he looks like he wants to ask her something, but he doesn't and his face screws up tight. He tosses the vial in the garbage and avoids her eyes.

xXx

.

At the Castle, Sarah smoothly gives report while Casey hangs in the background. Ellie watches. It's not until Sarah leaves that Ellie walks toward him.

"Hey, Casey," Ellie says. She pulls her sweater around her chest. "Can we talk?"

Casey grunts. He's cleaning one of his guns. "I'm busy, Bartowski, maybe you should bother someone else," Casey says.

Ellie pulls her sweater tighter. "Casey, about what you said before-"

"I was compromised," Casey says. He snaps the magazine into place. "Maybe you should go talk to Walker."

Ellie hesitates a moment, but then presses forward.

"I love you," Ellie says. Casey stops, but doesn't look at her. "Casey, did you hear me? I said I love you, too."

Casey grunts, then shoves the gun back onto the table. "Irrelevant," Casey says.

"How is that irrelevant? You feel the same way I do."

"Feelings will only compromise the mission." Casey's face is pinched. He still won't look at her.

"Bartowski. I'm going to pretend this didn't happen. It'd be best for you if you did, too."

Ellie softens. "Casey..."

Casey pushes past her and starts loading the bunker. Ellie hovers by the door for a few more minutes before turning to leave.

She closes the door before he can see her start to cry.

xXx

.

Ellie is crying in the hospital parking lot. She's sitting on the loading dock steps, crying into a tissue as ambulances and supply trucks roll by. Someone touches her shoulder. "Ellie?"

Ellie looks up. "D-devon?" Her face is splotchy and her eyes are swollen. "What are you doing here?"

"I got called in on an emergency. Jesus, El, what happened?"

Ellie shakes her head. "Nothing," Ellie says. She hugs herself, tight. "You were just in the hospital," Ellie says. "You shouldn't be operating."

Devon gives a small smile. "It was just dehydration, babe, I'm totally fine now." He sits next to her. "You want to talk about it?" Devon asks. Ellie shakes her head.

"Not really," Ellie says. She smiles, sadly.

From far away, Casey is parked in a dark van, listening with his headphones. He watches Ellie and Devon talk; their body language is perfectly in sync.

Devon is quiet. "What happened to us?" Devon asks. "I thought it was you and me, together. Why..." he takes a breath. "Why did you leave?"

Ellie closes her eyes. "I ask myself that every single day," Ellie says.

Casey watches the two of them leave together, and he takes off his headphones.