A/N: Uhh so Bela and Casey get caught out in this chapter, pretty much from the get go. So... enjoy. And I'll be trying to write more Chuck/Sarah as well, but they're not the main focus of the story so I'll see how it turns out. I also said that I'll write how Chuck and Bela first met, but I'm saving that for a later chapter, so bear with me. Oh! And please review.
"Ouch," Bela mumbles, sleepily stumbling through the apartment towards the knocking coming from the door.
"Sarah?" she asks groggily. "What-"
"Bela?" Sarah asks glancing down at the oversized shirt she was wearing.
"Oh, crap," she groans, realizing where she was.
"What are you...?" she asks slowly.
"Oh crap, oh crap," she mutters, looking around. "It's not... what you think..."
"Bela, where's Casey?" she asks, walking in.
"Um... um," she says, wide eyed.
"Bela..." Sarah says, closing the door. "Come on, where is he?"
"He's in bed," she sighs, running a hand through her hair.
"Thank you," she nods before leaving the room.
Sarah enters the bedroom slowly, walking around the clothes left on the floor. Casey was asleep in the middle of the bed, the sheet only just covering him; something Sarah was very thankful for.
"Casey, get up," Sarah says, kicking the end of the bed. He groans, rolling onto his stomach.
She watches as he sweeps his arm across the space next to him, growling.
"Bela," he mumbles, opening his eyes.
"Bela?" Sarah asks.
"Walker," he growls, pulling the sheets closer to him. "What the hell are you doing?"
"What the hell are you doing? With the intersect?" she yells.
"I'm not-"
"Bela is in the kitchen," Sarah says, stopping at the door. "I think we all need to talk."
He growls, glaring at her as she pulls the door shut.
"Okay," she says, joining Bela in the kitchen. "We're going to have to talk about this."
"I have no underwear on," Bela blushes, staying behind the counter.
"I'm sorry, but I need to know what's going on," Sarah says. "This is not allowed and if Beckman or Graham found out-"
"They won't," Casey says, pulling a shirt on as he walks in. Bela stares at the two fully clothed agents, frowning at her bare legs.
"You didn't let her dress?" he growls. Bela stiffens as he walks behind her, pouring himself some coffee.
"I don't think you get to tell me about what I did and didn't do to her," Sarah says, making Bela look away embarrassed.
"Cute," he growls before turning to Bela and handing her a cup of coffee. "Go get dressed."
She looks at Sarah who nods, Casey watching her leave before turning back to his coffee.
"You care about her," she says, his jaw twitching.
"She's one of the intersects, we have to care," he growls. "You and Chuck-"
"No," she says, shaking her head. "This is different."
"It's just sex," he shrugs. "Are you going to report it?"
She watches him carefully, straightening up.
"No," she says. "Unless it begins to interfere with the missions."
"It won't," he growls as Bela walks out, placing her cup in the sink.
"I'm heading home, I need to change for work," she says, watching the two take in her outfit from last night. The coat was tied, but the stockings were bunched up in her hand.
"Halloween," Bela explains to Sarah, scratching her neck nervously.
"I'll drive you in today," she says, ignoring Casey's glare.
"Oh, okay. Give me a half hour?" Bela asks.
"Sure."
"What are you doing?" he asks once Bela's out the door.
"I want to make sure it's just sex for her as well," she says, leaving a moment later.
"Bela, what's up?" Sarah asks, glancing at her. They were half way to the Buy More, and Bela had attempted to say something numerous times before stopping herself.
She stares out the window, her fingers drumming against her knee.
"Bela?"
"I flashed on him," she says, frowning.
"On who, did you just see someone?" Sarah asks, pulling the car over. Bela grips the door, glaring at the other woman.
"No!" she yells.
"Then what?" Sarah asks, watching her.
"I flashed on Casey. The first time we slept together... just before I-we... I flashed on him," she says, not making eye contact with the other woman as she turns red.
"You flashed on him," Sarah nods, hiding her smile.
"Laugh it up, it could have been Chuck and you," Bela mumbles.
"Excuse me?"
"You know Chuck likes you, and not just for the cover," Bela says, shrugging.
"What Chuck and I have is a professional relationship," Sarah says, beginning to get flustered. "And we have a friendship, as I have with you but it goes no further than that. Unlike you and Casey-"
"Casey and I are just having sex," she shrugs, staring out the window. "It relieves... stress... tensions."
"Mhmm," Sarah nods, not completely believing her.
"Hey," Chuck says, meeting Bela at the front of the Buy More. "I'd stay away from Casey today, he looks pissed."
"He always looks like that," she frowns, walking past him into the break room.
"Well aren't we happy this morning," he says, following her. "Bad night?"
"Excellent night, bad morning," she mumbles, shaking her head as she turns to him.
"They don't look so nice in the morning, do they?" he teases.
"Like you would know, Bartowski," Casey says, joining the two. "Theatre room; now."
"A mission, or-or, um," Bela squeaks, clearing her throat as Chuck slowly turns to her.
"Mission," he growls before leaving.
"You're so weird," Chuck laughs, the two walking into the theatre room as Casey makes sure it's secure.
"Wow, that new High Def. Screen sure shows every wrinkle," Chuck notes, glancing at Beckman on the screen.
"They can hear you," Casey growls as the two sit on the couch, Bela hiding her amusement behind her hand.
"What-twinkle, every twinkle... in her eye-eyes!" Chuck stutters.
"We have a situation," she says, ignoring his comments. "A CIA asset has gone missing; we've had no communication from him for two days."
"Oh my God," Bela whispers as Chuck leans forward, staring at the image on the screen.
"What, did you flash?" Sarah asks.
"No, we don't have to," Bela says.
"That guy was our professor at Stanford," Chuck explains, the two agents glancing at each other. "Wait, asset he's CIA? Our professor was a spy?"
"The CIA recruits on campuses across the country," Sarah explains. "Professor Fleming is a company scientist, not an operative."
"This is our last communication from him," Graham says before playing the audio.
"Do we know what Intel he copied?" Sarah asks.
"We don't," Beckman sighs.
"He's handled many sensitive projects for us over the years, any leak could prove devastating," Graham adds.
"How can we help?" Casey asks.
"Fleming has contacts in LA; if we find him you can extract him."
"We'd like your help on this, Bela, Chuck," Beckman asks, the two glancing at one another.
"Look, I really don't think I can do this one," Chuck says.
"Your knowledge of Fleming and Stanford is key here, both of you," Graham says. "We only have his official report; you both have a personal connection."
"Yeah, I do have a personal connection, a very bad personal connection," Chuck says. "Look you guys have Bela, and you have the file okay you know all about Fleming and what happened to me, the guy kicked me out of school."
"Professor Fleming is one of us," Sarah tries. "And yes we do have Bela, but you don't want to let her do this on her own?"
"I can't do this, I'm sorry," Chuck says, standing up and leaving. Bela stares at her feet, frowning.
"Bela, you'll help us?"
She looks up at them, wide eyed.
"She'll be fine," Casey says, ending the communication link. "She's obviously more man than Bartowski."
"You would know," Sarah mumbles as she leaves the room.
"Ignore her," Casey growls, watching Bela rise from the couch.
"What?" she asks confused.
"You haven't been listening to a single-Bela," he sighs.
"I need some air," she whispers, brushing past him.
"Hey," Bela says, meeting Chuck as he brings out a box to the garbage. "I uh, missed you at work today. You were avoiding me..."
"Look, don't ask me to do this Bells, please," he says as he tosses the box into the bin, a piece of plastic falling to the ground.
"I wouldn't ask you to do that for me," she smiles, kneeling down to pick up his Stanford library ID card. "And stop calling me Bells, Chuckles."
"Funny," he smirks.
"Oh," she gasps, her head snapping up. "I-I-Chuck, I just flashed on you."
He grabs the card from her hand, staring at it as she gets to her feet.
"What the hell?" he whispers before turning and storming toward Casey's.
"Chuck-Chuck, wait!" Bela says, following.
"What?" Casey growls, holding his gun at his side as he swings the door open.
"I just flashed on myself," he says, holding up his card. "Why am I in the intersect?"
Casey sighs, letting the two in. He hands Bela the gun as he takes out his phone, dialing Sarah. Chuck stares at her, then down at the gun.
"What?" she asks.
"He gave you his gun!" he whispers. "What the hell?"
"Insane, drunk," she shrugs as Casey hangs up, taking the gun from her.
He moves to the computer, beginning to type as the door slams shut.
"What's going on?" Sarah asks as her eyes dart around the room.
"We flashed on Chuck's ID card," Bela explains, frowning.
"Nothing's coming up," Casey adds from behind the computer.
"So you don't know why I'm in the intersect?"
"Well you didn't appear on the NSA radar until after Bryce sent you the intersect."
"Same with the CIA," Sarah says.
"Why don't I find that reassuring," Chuck frowns.
"So the files that you saw were of you in college, right?" Sarah asks.
"Yes, yes, wait a minute what about Professor Fleming? I was in his class, he was CIA; could that be it?"
"Well if we could find Fleming, maybe he could give us some answers," Sarah hints, glancing at Bela.
"Okay," Chuck says. "Let's do that."
"What?" Bela asks, staring at him.
"It won't be easy," Sarah says.
"The intel suggests that the professor's being hunted, the NSA interviewed one witness in Fleming's class who identified a Magnus Inersonsen," Casey says, bringing images of the man up onto the screen. "He's an Icelandic spy."
"I'm sorry, Iceland does espionage?" Bela asks.
"Magnus buys and sells Intel to the highest bidder," Casey explains before smirking. "Iceland isn't 'officially' aware of his activities."
"It says here the crossbow is his weapon of choice," Sarah notes.
"Oh, what slingshot too ineffective?" Chuck mocks.
"What are you doing?" Casey asks, walking into the break room. Bela jumps slightly as she stares at the notice board.
"Avoiding Tang," she says, before pointing at the board. "And thinking that this is an awesome dog."
"No," he says, getting her attention.
"No?" she asks, staring up at him.
"You don't need-right now is not the time to get a-no," he growls.
"You're unbelievable," she says, glancing at his clothes. "What do you want, you're not working today?"
"We need you, Bartowski can explain to you on the way," he says as she sighs, reluctantly following him.
"Are we going to talk about this morning at all?" she asks. He glances down at her, frowning.
"It's been taken care of," he says.
"Okay, alright," she nods, before gesturing between the two. "So this is over."
He laughs, shaking his head at her.
"This is definitely not over," he answers, sliding his hand across her back before they reach Chuck.
"We'll extract the professor as quickly as possible," Sarah says from the front seat next to Chuck. "You'll keep watch?"
Bela leans next to Casey in the back seat, staring out at the house.
"If we flash on any bad guys we'll call," Chuck says.
"Everything looks quiet, but-"
"I know, I know," Chuck sighs. "Stay in the car."
"Good," Sarah says, climbing out. "Let's go."
Casey follows, Bela moving into the front seat next to Chuck.
"Excitement plus," Bela says, the two watching Sarah and Casey enter the house.
"At least it's safe in the car-wait," Chuck says, seeing the professor walking up the sidewalk next to the car. Bela exchanges looks with Chuck before the two jumps out of the car.
"Professor Fleming, wait!" they yell, following him as he drops his bags and runs.
"Professor, it's Bela and Chuck!" she yells, chasing him. "Professor stop, we're here to extract you; Black Castle!"
This stops him, and he slowly turns to face them.
"I'm sorry, we didn't mean to scare you," Chuck says. "But, but it's Chuck. And Bela."
"We were in your psychology and symbolism class at Stanford, I don't know if you remember us?" Bela adds.
"Chuck Bartowski and Bela Tiernan, of course I remember you," he smiles.
"I guess it's not every day you kick a guy out of school, huh," Chuck jokes. "Or at least I hope not."
"So you're with the agency, now?" he asks, looking at the two of them. "Why didn't you say so?"
"I don't think we're supposed to, really," Bela says, glancing at Chuck.
"We have code phrases," the Professor says. "Didn't they train you?"
"Uh, we mostly just stay in the car."
"Next time, if it's a dangerous situation say 'Are you coming to the toga party?'."
"A real code phrase, I like it that's awesome," Chuck grins.
"So uh, so what are we doing now, who's bringing me in?" he asks.
"So yeah, Sarah and Casey will do that," Bela starts before Chuck pulls her back slightly.
"But uh, I was wondering if I could ask you something first?" he asks. "Why did the CIA have a file on me at Stanford?"
"I'm sorry," the Professor shrugs before collapsing forward onto Chuck.
"Oh, hey, hey buddy," Chuck says, patting him on the back. "Let's not beat ourselves up, the past is the past."
"Chuck..." Bela says slowly, staring at the arrow in the professor's back.
"Give this to Bryce Larkin," Fleming gasps, clutching a piece of paper in his hand as Chuck falls back with him on top of him.
"Bryce Larkin?" Bela asks, kneeling next to them. "What does he have to do with this?"
She yelps as an arrow shoots through the piece of paper, right next to where she was. They both stare up as Magnus stalks over to them, crossbow in hand. He leans down next to Bela, grabbing the paper and arrow.
"We're no one, I swear," she whispers as he glances down at her name tag, turning to read Chuck's as well. He straightens back up and leaves them unharmed.
"Casey come on, over here!" Sarah yells before they move around into their line of sight.
"We need help!" Bela yells, the two joining them, guns drawn as Chuck struggles with Fleming's dead weight on top of him.
"You're okay?" Bela asks, watching Chuck from the window sill. He glances up at her, nodding.
"I'm, uh, I'm okay. You're okay?" he asks before she jumps as Casey and Sarah crack open the blinds. She pulls them open, glaring at the two as she moves to let them in.
"I'm sorry guys but we have to talk," Sarah apologises as she climbs into the room, Casey following.
"Okay, so how was the hospital?" Chuck asks, Casey sitting in the chair next to Bela on the sill. "Is the professor gonna be okay?"
"They're putting him into surgery now," she nods.
"Problem is we can't talk to him, sort any of this out," Casey frowns. "You're sure it was Magnus you saw?"
"Gee, I don't know Casey, how many psycho archer's do you know?" Chuck snaps before Bela clears her throat.
"It was Magnus," she answers, nodding.
"I asked Fleming about Stanford, about why I was in the Intersect; I should have brought him right to you, I'm sorry," Chuck says.
"Hey, it's not your fault Chuck," Sarah says.
"Yeah, well I keep thinking about what he said," Chuck adds. "Why would he want us to bring those numbers to Bryce?"
Bela tenses at his name, Casey glancing at her briefly before turning back to the others.
"Bryce must have been one of his CIA contacts, and Fleming was probably never told of his death," Sarah explains.
"List off the numbers you remember," Casey says.
"I don't know there were like ten of them, a couple of nine's," Bela says.
"A five, definitely started with a two," Chuck adds.
"That's it?" Casey asks. "Between the two of you and a computer in your brain's that all you come up with?"
"Look, it was a very stressful situation, Casey!" Chuck yells. "We watched a guy get skewered by a crossbow."
"Look, Fleming knew something," Bela adds. "Right before he fell, he said 'I'm sorry', why would he say that?"
"I don't know," Sarah shrugs.
"Yeah well I think he might know why I'm in the intersect," Chuck says, staring at Bela.
"And you're okay?" Casey asks, rolling onto his back. Bela nods, moving to rest her head on his shoulder.
"I'm okay," she says before sighing. "Magnus nearly hit me with an arrow."
"You hadn't mentioned that," Casey growls, pulling her on top of him. She lies on his chest, resting her head on her arms as she stares down at him, frowning.
"Because he didn't hit me, and I'm okay," she shrugs, tensing at the knocking coming from the front door. "Were you expecting company?"
"No," he growls as she climbs off of him, the two quickly dressing. "Wait here."
He leaves her on the bed, moving out of the room and to the front door, swinging it open.
"I know what the numbers mean!" Chuck says, pushing his way in. Casey glares at him as he follows him into the next room.
"They're for a book in the Stanford library," Chuck continues. "Bryce had a place where he would stash stuff, right? I bet he told Fleming about it, the professor must have left the Intel there for Bryce to find."
"It's only a matter of time before Magnus figures it out, beats us to the book," Casey says.
"Bingo."
"Unless we can beat him to it," Casey thinks.
"Well, Bryce kept his stuff on the third floor, it was-there was a turn," Chuck begins before pausing, thinking some more. "I'd have to be there to remember. I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I have to go back to Stanford."
"Cool," Casey shrugs.
"Stanford," Bela grins as she walks with Casey onto the campus. "Just as I remember."
He rolls his eyes as she accepts a cup of something from someone, not even asking before taking a sip.
"Strong," she grimaces before he snatches it from her, tossing it in a nearby bin.
"No," he growls. "No drinking, we've been over this."
She glares at him, moving over to one of the stalls. He stares at her red summer dress for a moment before clearing his head and following her.
"So Stanford," he says. "You were in the same classes as Bartowski?"
"I though that was obvious," she says, glancing at him in disbelief. He sighs, scratching the back of his neck quickly.
"And you knew Bryce," he adds, ignoring the look of realization in her eyes.
"Ohh," she nods before turning to hide her blush. "Bryce and I were pretty close, yeah."
"How close?" he asks before they're interrupted.
"Plant a Stanford tree?" one of the students asks, holding up a plant and brochure. "It's a renewable resource for your children's future."
"Oh, you want to save our environment, huh?" Casey asks, staring down at him. Bela watches the two nervously as he snatches the paper from him, scrunching it up. "Take a shower, hippie!"
"I'm sorry," Bela apologizes after he throws the paper at the student. She quickly follows Casey, whacking him hard on the arm.
"Ouch," he complains as they join the others.
"Nice job blending in with the crowd, who're you routing for, Death?" Chuck asks, glancing at Casey's clothes.
"Leave the quips to me," he growls, looking around.
"Library's this way, across the quad," Bela says, stopping as Chuck pauses. "What is it?"
"I don't know, I figured this would be tough but this place..." he sighs. "It's just a lot to take in, you know? We used to have so much fun here and then..."
"And then?" Sarah asks, staring up at him.
"It was the worst day of my life, getting kicked out of here," he explains. "Having to hear Ellie's voice when I told her I was coming home, packing up all my stuff, and leaving as Bryce just stood there... he said I brought it on myself."
Bela bites her lip, turning away momentarily at the memory.
"Why do you think that Bryce would betray you?" Sarah asks, ignoring Casey as he rests a hand on Bela's back.
"I don't know," Chuck says. "He's had four years to call and set the records straight, and now that he's gone... you know what, forget it. Bryce has betrayed a lot of people, hasn't he?"
He glances at Bela before making his way to the building's entrance. Bela takes a deep breath before following.
"Oh, no no no no," Chuck says as he searches his pockets.
"Looking for this?" Casey asks, handing him his student library ID card.
"You stole my ID?" Chuck asks as Bela takes hers, glancing down at it confused.
"I borrowed it to reactivate it," he says before turning to her. "Yours was more difficult."
"Because it was at my dad's," she says slowly.
"This one is new, Photoshop," Casey explains as they all swipe their cards.
"Unbelievable," she says, shaking her head.
"There, there that row," Chuck says, pausing at all of the books on the ground.
"We're too late," Casey sighs. "Magnus beat us here, he's got the book."
"Hold on," Chuck says, staring at the shelf. "Hold on a second."
They all watch as he reaches above the books, sliding a disc out of the hidden compartment in the shelf.
"Gotcha," he smirks, holding it up.
"The Intel," Casey says.
"The book number was just a way to mark the spot for the professor," Bela says.
"Okay, well let's get out of here before Magnus realizes that book he has is worthless," Sarah says.
"Hey you don't move!" says the older man from the front desk. "Charles Bartowski? You still owe the library two hundred and ninety four dollars and sixty eight cents in late fees."
"Do you take credit cards?" Chuck asks.
"This isn't funny," he growls, storming back to his desk.
"Late fees," Bela snorts as Casey and Sarah stare behind them.
"Both of you, run!" Sarah says, pushing them out of the way. "Head for the back door!"
"I miss the car!" Bela hisses as she catches her shoulder on a corner, Chuck steadying her before they sprint down the stairs onto the grass.
"He's right behind us!" Chuck pants as he pulls a banner down in front of the man, stalling him momentarily.
"This way," Bela says, grabbing at him as she sees Devon and Ellie.
"Table," he says as he pushes her under it, following her closely. He reaches for her as an arm grabs hers, pulling her to her feet.
"There you are," Casey says, Sarah helping Chuck up.
"Hey you, freeze!" one of the men yells before Casey elbows him in the face.
"Alright, they've spotted us," Sarah says, looking around. "Okay, we have to go."
"I swear this school has it in for me," Chuck sighs.
"Come on," she says, grabbing his hand.
Casey glances down at Bela, quickly pressing his hand against her back as he nudges her forward.
The four run into the main building, Casey checking behind them before they turn a corner.
"Here," Sarah says, guiding them into an empty lecture theatre. They look out behind the door before shutting it again, both agents taking out their weapons.
"We're safe, for now," Sarah sighs, Chuck and Bela moving across to the front of the room.
"I need to see what's on this disc," he says.
"Hey, Chuck that's top secret!" Sarah growls, stalking over to him.
"Yeah, well so am I," he defends. "There could be answers on this disc on why I'm in the intersect."
Bela looks over from beside Casey as he guards the bottom doors.
"It's testing data," Sarah says, leaning next to Chuck as he clicks on a file.
"And video taped interviews, these are all just students," Chuck says.
"Exactly, students that were recruited into the CIA by Fleming, ten years worth," Sarah says as Casey and Bela join them. "It's all their current information."
"No wonder Magnus wanted it so badly, foreign governments would pay a fortune for that," Casey adds as Chuck scrolls through the list of names.
"Look at this, right next to 2002, Bryce Larkin," Chuck says, Bela moving closer to the screen.
"Bryce joined the CIA our junior year?" Bela asks, confused.
"That's enough, now we know what he's after," Casey says.
"No, no wait! That's me, that's me; I'm in here, too!" Chuck yells, seeing his name.
"Click it," Casey says as Sarah orders him to do the opposite.
"I never applied to be in the CIA," Chuck says as the top door swings open.
"Get down!" Sarah yells, Casey quickly pushing Bela behind the desk. She clutches Chuck's arm as gunshots surround them.
"Don't you think this would be a good time for us to be waiting in the car?" he asks as Sarah and Casey fire back.
"I have an idea, get us out of here!" he continues as Bela reaches up and takes the Intel from the computer.
"Guys, when I say go run out the side door," Sarah orders, glancing over at Casey. "Take the disc, we'll cover you."
Casey shoots one of the beakers to his left, causing an explosion of white smoke to rise.
"Go!" Sarah yells, and the two quickly crawl across the floor, clambering out the exit.
"In here," Chuck says, pulling her into another classroom. She quickly looks behind herself before climbing into one of the chairs, putting the Intel disc in the computer.
"Take your phone out," she says, clicking on the most recent list of recruits. "Call her; get her here to help now."
He nods, staring at her as he dials the number. She takes out her own phone, clicking on the next name.
"Crap, there's a code phrase," Bela says before turning to Chuck. "Are you coming to the toga party?"
They continue ringing until Bela throws her phone down, ejecting the disc.
"That's everyone," she sighs, jumping as Chuck's phone rings.
"Morgan, listen this is really, really not a good time," he says into the phone, Bela growling in annoyance. "Okay buddy I get that, but I'm at Stanford, what do you want me to do about it?"
He grips the phone tighter, moving it away from his head before sighing and bringing it back to his ear.
"Okay, okay the code is OU812#," he says, Bela glancing up at him as he hangs up.
"Why does Morgan need the code to the master remote?" she asks. He shrugs, the two pausing as they hear someone behind them.
"Oh no," Chuck says, quickly pushing Bela to the ground and covering her. An arrow shoots past them, smashing the computer they were sitting at seconds before.
Magnus rounds the desks, stalking over as he aims the crossbow at them. They get to their knees as he leans towards them, taking the disc out of Bela's shaking hand.
"Please don't, please don't," she stutters, staring up at him wide eyed. He backs away slightly, his finger twitching against the trigger.
"Don't!" a voice says from behind him, the woman jumping and planting a solid kick into his chest. He moves to get up before she slams her arm into his face, knocking him out cold.
"You must be Chuck Bartowski," she says, staring down at the two. "I just got your message, you guys okay?"
"I'm just glad you check your voicemail," he says as he picks up the disc, the two getting to their feet.
"Hi," Bela says as Chuck walks into his bedroom. He jumps slightly, glancing at the beer in her hand.
"I thought you weren't allowed to drink," he smirks, watching her reaction. She scowls, taking another sip.
"I'm allowed to drink, just not like I used to," she sighs, nodding at his hand. "So we gonna watch this or what?"
He walks over to the computer, putting the disc in as she climbs off of the bed.
He scrolls through the list of names again before pausing, inhaling sharply.
"Bela," Chuck says slowly, staring at the screen. "You're on here, too."
"What?" she asks, leaning over him. "That can't be right."
Chuck glances at her before clicking the file.
"Test subject 0325, Isabela Tiernan, this is her first interview," Professor Fleming says on the screen.
"Bryce," she whispers as she watches him walk in the door. "I remember this day."
"Bryce, you can't be here I'm waiting for another student."
"Isabela Tiernan," he nods. "She never got your message."
"What are you talking about?"
"You put her on the CIA recruitment track."
"It's not up to me, Bryce," the Professor explains. "They want her for the Omaha project."
"That's a military operation, it'll destroy her," Bryce says, staring at the other man. "She's not..."
"I'm required to send all the top test results to the agency."
"I want my girlfriend out of this."
"Look, key words in her essay responses correlate to 98 percent of subliminal images in the exam."
"You don't get it," Bryce says. "She's a good person; she's got too much heart for this kind of work, she's no operative. You can't put her out in the field, she won't survive!"
"The agency is not going to let go of a recruit this promising, the amount of information she can retain..."
"They're not gonna give her a choice?" Bryce asks.
"She's in no matter what."
Bryce pauses, staring at his hands for a moment before looking up.
"What if she's pregnant?"
"They need her priorities to be them, not... a child," he sighs.
"Then tell them that, it's all they need to know about her."
"Bryce, is she-"
"Tell them she's pregnant, and that she won't be joining their program anytime soon."
"Oh my God," Bela whispers as the video ends. "Oh, no."
"You were pregnant?" Chuck yells.
"No, he lied!" she growls before sighing. "He lied to protect me."
He stares up at her, not knowing what to say.
"My God, Bryce," she whispers before turning quickly to the door. "How long have you been there?"
"I'm sorry," Sarah apologizes, stepping into the room. "But we can't let you keep this."
"Chuck needs to see his," says quietly, sitting back onto the bed. "He needs to know, too."
"Okay," she nods, moving over behind Chuck. Bela stays on the bed, glancing up now and then as she listens to her ex lover's voice on the video.
"Bryce framed me for cheating to save me," Chuck says after it finishes. "He lied to protect the both of us... then why couldn't he just tell us that to begin with?"
"He couldn't," Sarah says, her voice shaking. "They had already recruited him."
"Well look if he had good reason for getting me kicked out, maybe he had good reason to breaking into the Intersect, too," Chuck says, glancing at Bela.
"And maybe he had a good reason for sending it to you," she whispers, toying with her now empty bottle. "I just wish I could talk to him..."
"No one can know about this," Sarah interrupts, taking the disc. "For your own safety, okay?"
"Sure," Chuck sighs. "No one would believe me, anyway."
"I'm uh, I'm gonna head home," Bela says, standing up and quickly moving to the door.
"Bela..." he starts, staring at her with concern.
"I'm fine, Chuck," she smiles. "It's... I'm fine."
He nods and she quickly leaves, Sarah turning back to Chuck.
"Is she okay?" she asks as he stands up, walking with her down the hallway.
"Well I'm sure you know by now that Bryce and Bela dated at Stanford," he says, holding the door open for her.
"I gathered that, from the video," she nods.
"He loved her," he smiles as he sits down at the fountain, Sarah joining him.
"She loved him back?" she asks quietly, taking it all in.
"He met her dad, and no one does that," he laughs, shaking his head.
She nods, playing with the disc in her hands.
"I'm sorry, I know you and Bryce..." he says, frowning.
"It's alright," she smiles. "Bryce and me weren't... it wasn't very serious."
"Oh," Chuck says surprised, hiding his smile.
"Stop," she laughs, bumping her shoulder against his. They sit in a comfortable silence until she looks up at him. "What happened to her?"
"What do you mean?" Chuck asks, curious.
"When Casey and I were first assigned to the two of you, Bela was... well, drinking and dating," she laughs.
"That," he says, smiling lightly. "That is how she's been ever since she moved here."
"Why?" Sarah asks, confused.
"Because she's Bela, and she doesn't want to get attached to anyone again," he shrugs. "Not after Bryce."
"But Bryce didn't hurt her," she says slowly.
"We were all best friends, and we couldn't understand why he'd do something like that," he explains. "She broke up with Bryce, finished Stanford and never spoke to him again."
"That must have been hard on her," Sarah says before smiling. "She's lucky to have a friend like you."
"Ahh, now you're getting all sentimental on me," he smirks before remembering something. "But Bela's doing okay now, especially now that you guys talked to her about her habits."
"What do you mean?"
"You know, how she can't keep getting drunk and sleeping with different men every night," he says, blushing slightly.
"That was Casey's rule, which is understandable under the circumstances," she smirks.
"Circumstances?" he asks confused.
"She didn't tell you?" Sarah asks, mentally berating herself as she realises what she's said.
"Tell me what?" he asks, confused at her guilty expression.
"Chuck, I really should let her tell you."
"What did she do?" he sighs.
"Casey."
"What?"
"She's sleeping with Casey," she explains.
"No... no, she wouldn't..." he starts, looking up as Casey exits his apartment, walking over to the two as he throws a bag in the trash.
"Well isn't this cosy," he says, eying them as he walks back past.
"You slept with Bela?" Chuck asks his voice surprisingly steady. Casey turns around, shrugging.
"And?" he asks, before Chuck's fist makes contact with his jaw. Caught off guard he stumbles back, quickly steadying himself.
"Hey!" yells Sarah at the look on Casey's face. "Intersect, intersect."
"He just hit me!" he growls, stepping towards Chuck again.
"You slept with my best friend!" he yells.
"I thought that hippie was your best friend," Casey says, rubbing his jaw.
"They both are. She's like family to me. God, you touched her!" Chuck says, shaking his head in disgust.
"And she moaned through all of it," Casey smirks, making Chuck launch at him again.
"Hey! Chuck, stop it!" Sarah yells, pulling him back.
"Casey go home!" she orders.
"You know what? I might go pay someone a visit instead," he smirks, heading towards Bela's.
"You need to report this!" Chuck yells at Sarah, glaring at the other man.
"Chuck," she says, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"You need to report it, now!" he growls, shrugging off her arm and storming into his apartment.
"Casey?" Bela asks, opening her door as she wipes at her eyes. "What happened?"
"Your stupid friend," he growls, rubbing his jaw as he glances down at the beer in her hand.
"Chuck hit you?" she asks, trying to hide a smile. "With what?"
"His fist," Casey says, leaning towards her. She eyes him suspiciously before shoving him out the door, locking it behind her.
"Where are you going?" he asks, following her down the sidewalk.
"Chuck's."
"What? Bela-"
"Go home Casey!" she yells, not looking back.
"I'm sorry," Bela says, standing in the door way. Chuck looks up at her surprised, noticing the ice pack in her hand.
"Why… why Casey?" he asks. She sighs and sits down next to him.
"Chuck you've known me longer than anyone here. I sleep with inappropriate men, you know that."
"Is that all it was?" he asks, looking up at her.
"What?"
"Is that all it was. A one time thing?" he asks, watching her face.
"I can't tell you that Chuck," she says and he sighs. "But I can promise you, whatever happens I'll tell you first, okay?"
"Fine... But why Casey?" he asks, noticing the hint of a smile playing at her lips.
"I don't think you really want to know," she says, causing him to laugh slightly.
"Yeah, you're right," he says as she hands him the ice pack, pressing it lightly against his bruising knuckles.
"The sex is great, though," she says after a moment, causing him to flop backwards, pulling a pillow over his head. "Just... wanted to share."
"No sharing, ever!" he yells, his voice muffled.
"As you wish," she laughs as he throws the pillow at her.
A/N: So now everyone knows. Well, the important people anyway. And yes, Sarah should report the two of them, but the way I'm writing this I'll be playing up her feelings for Chuck a lot more so if it was the two of them, she wouldn't want Casey to report it either. This way she has something to hold over Casey, too. Next chapter should be up soon, but probably not until early February. Please review.
