Hi everybody! OK, so here's the final chapter of Sarah Vs. Best Friend. Thanks to my wife and Anon for editing the sucker.
Thanks everybody for your reviews. Please keep them coming.
I don't own anybody in the Chuck U, and this will be brought home sooner than I thought if the show returns earlier rather than later.
As I said before, I anticipate the next section will take awhile to write. From here on out, it will only get harder. (Well, I'll just have to take that out on the characters. Duh-DUH!)
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Later that day, after visiting Casey in the hospital, Chuck and Sarah had their video conference with Beckman. The two had already discussed what they were going to say, specifically about Chuck's "plan". But first, there was the matter of reviewing the events of the previous night. During this process, Beckman's face was inscrutable. After Chuck and Sarah had finished though, the General gave her summation.
"This was a mixed operation to put it mildly. At least, the mission parameters were achieved, but six FBI agents were lost, including the undercover operative that Cho mistakenly killed. Colonel Casey was wounded. The Intersect activated inconsistently, and refused to kill any of the enemy. And," – the General turned her face to Sarah – "Agent Walker left without leave in the midst of the mission."
Sarah returned the General's gaze with a neutral one of her own.
Chuck said, "General, Smooth Lau had uncovered the location of our residence. It was necessary for Agent Walker to deal with her before Lau could spread the information. Agent Walker successfully neutralized the threat."
"I see," was the General's dry response. "And the fact that your friend, Mr. Grimes, was saved from Smooth Lau is just a bonus in your eyes, Mr. Bartowski?"
Chuck shrugged. "Doesn't really matter how I feel. What matters are the results. Agent Walker knew that we had sufficient manpower to deal with the prime mission, and she recognized the need for her to address the new threat."
The General's eyes narrowed. "You would evaluate that you did well in the prime mission?"
Chuck flinched slightly. "No, General, I would not."
Sarah looked at him sharply. This wasn't what they had discussed, but Sarah shouldn't have been surprised. Chuck had initially related the events to her with glee, particularly because of what he had said to Casey afterwards. However, in the midst of his story, Chuck had made a sobering realization, one that he was coming forward with now.
Chuck continued, "I was unsuccessful in activating the Intersect's offensive / defensive capabilities, until after Colonel Casey had been shot. I take responsibility for his injury."
The General's expression appeared uncertain. Not surprising, that. Beckman was used to the immature, unprofessional Chuck Bartowski. This man reporting to her was not making jokes. He was acting mature, taking responsibility for himself. He was speaking in a professional manner. As much as Sarah adored Chuck's irreverent side, she admitted that there was a time and place for it, and that wasn't when they were in the General's presence. Casey had been on Chuck's case forever to change his attitude. Maybe the Colonel had finally succeeded, the hard way.
"What about the fact that you didn't kill any of the enemy agents, but only wounded them?" asked Beckman.
"What can I tell you, General? I never specifically thought, 'Don't kill them.' If the Intersect picked that up subconsciously from me, there's not much I can do about it. I was successfully able to incapacitate the enemy through wounding. You'll be able to secure information from them, and possibly future arrests. It wasn't necessary to kill them. I'm not going to kill just to prove I can do it. Maybe there will be a point somewhere along the way where it will be necessary for me to kill. If or when that time comes, hopefully, both the Intersect and I will recognize the need and do it. Not before."
"Is that the plan you agreed to have for me? 'Wait and see?'"
"As to the plan"- Chuck paused, looked at Sarah, and then returned his gaze to the screen – "My plan would have us resume as we have been. Continue a combination of testing and actual missions, not necessarily keeping me apprised to which is which. Agent Walker will take part in planning those tests as well, and will not inform me of which is test and which is real."
The General raised her eyebrows. Clearly, she hadn't expected that suggestion from Chuck. She looked at Sarah who maintained her neutral expression. Sarah and Chuck had planned this. They knew that even though the General would not talk about it overtly, she was well aware of what Sarah had done in the last test. By both agreeing to have Sarah actively take part in the test planning – that she would sometimes be dishonest with Chuck – they were communicating to the General their willingness to put the mission ahead of themselves. At least, in this case.
"What else?" asked the General.
"I was thinking we could try some hypnosis with me, if the government is willing to pay for it. Since my subconscious isn't cooperating, maybe we could plant some suggestions in my head to convince the Intersect that it needs to activate when I ask it to, or at least to protect myself when necessary."
Beckman frowned. "I don't know how much television you've been watching Mr. Bartowski, but in real life, hypnosis isn't exactly a consistent tool. Results are variable."
Chuck sighed. "I know it's not a great plan, General. I'm just saying it might be worth a try."
"It might be worth consideration," replied the General. "And if we try it and it doesn't work?"
"Then, you still have your choice. You can let us continue on as we have been, realizing that I am making progress, though maybe not as fast as we'd like. For all I know, General, after what happened with Casey last night, the Intersect might now click on, realizing the consequences of what happens if it doesn't."
Sarah didn't say anything, but she thought there was a strong chance that might actually happen. They'd experienced the precedent with her and the seduction nightmare.
Chuck continued, "If you're not satisfied with that, then you always have the alternative you've been threatening me with. I don't want that, but I can't stop you, can I?"
The General nodded slowly. "Very well. We'll look into the hypnotism track, and Agent Walker will be included in any testing plans. Then, we'll see." She appeared to be wrapping up the meeting, but then added, "Oh by the way, except for the undercover agent, all the FBI agents who were killed had been in the buildings around the warehouse."
"Uh, yeah. Smooth Lau had obviously found out about the operation and had her Triad thugs set a trap for us," said Chuck.
"Yes. We're still trying to determine how she found out. But there's something else. There might have been more federal agents murdered, but the Triad assassins were themselves shot and killed on the site. None of the federal agents are taking credit for this, and the bullets taken from the Triad bodies weren't federal issue. We haven't been able to determine yet from where they came. None of the agents saw anybody, but it appears our side had some kind of guardian angel last night."
Chuck and Sarah looked at each other, bewildered.
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They had come home, and spent a couple hours cleaning up the apartment with Morgan, who, to their astonishment, had already started the process in their absence. After that, Casey had called. Sarah had taken the phone into the other room and reviewed the meeting with Beckman. Casey seemed impressed with their performance in the meeting, though perhaps, a little skeptical that she would be willing to lie to Chuck again. She assured him that both she and Chuck were going to do what was necessary. After that, Casey had asked to talk to Chuck. She was walking with the phone back to the living room, which she caught the conversation.
"-And Mom's OK with me staying on the couch until I find a place. I had to tell her I wouldn't walk around naked, either." Morgan laughed.
She heard Chuck reply, "Morgan, that's… Thanks, buddy."
"Nah, thank you, Chuck. Both you and Sarah have put up with me-"
That was the point where Sarah came in to interrupt. Both men went silent at her entry. "Um, Chuck, Casey's on the line. You'd better take it in the other room."
"Oh!" Chuck looked at Morgan then wordlessly took the portable phone from Sarah and walked into the bedroom.
Sarah turned to Morgan. He was watching Chuck walk away, his face gradually falling into a sad frown. Sarah felt bad. Morgan was leaving, and now he was miserable. She had caused this.
"Beef stir fry for dinner?"
Morgan nodded absently still looking wistfully in Chuck's direction. Sarah started pulling her ingredients.
Obviously, the phone call with Chuck and Casey was going on for awhile. She had been five minutes into her meal preparation, when she heard, "Sarah?" She turned. Morgan had turned his wounded face toward her.
"Yes, Morgan?" She tried to put on a brave smile. Why was she worried about what he would say?
"What does John Casey have that I don't?" Morgan whined.
"Huh?" She had no idea what to do with that.
"I mean, I've been there for Chuck for years. Then that big slab of meat comes along and kicks me out of the best friend slot. It's like Bryce Larkin all over again!"
Just like that, Sarah's nerves relaxed, and it was all she could do not to start laughing. Instead, she placed her hand on her forehead, sighed and sat down across from the little man.
"Morgan, I know Chuck pretty well. I assure you, you have nothing to worry about from John Casey."
"Really?" Morgan looked hopeful.
"Really. Trust me, you'll always be Chuck's best friend." Sarah didn't feel threatened by the label anymore, and Morgan needed it.
"Oh good." She saw his face filling with relief. "Thanks Sarah. You may be scary sometimes, but you're really cool. I'm glad you're Chuck's girlfriend."
She could tell he was being absolutely genuine.
Sarah said, "Y'know what? We're going to have to get a weekly game night over here for you guys. I mean, Chuck and I have weird work hours sometimes, so we might need to reschedule, but if we have to do that, we'll make it up."
Morgan's grin widened. "Hey, I'd like that!"
"I'm sure Chuck will too." She walked over to the counter, laid out the meat, and pulled out the butcher knife and spices. She looked at Morgan. He was looking back at her and smiling, gratefully. She thought, Oh, what the Hell, why not?
She casually took the knife and gave it a lazy flip into the air. It somersaulted twice. She caught it easily by the handle, and began slicing the meat. She let her eyes shift to Morgan.
His mouth had dropped wide open. "How….How?"
"I once worked in Hibachi, myself. I never told you?"
Morgan stammered, "My GOD! Would you teach me?"
Sarah smiled.
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