I don't own Chuck or anybody else in the Chuck world.

A/N: Sorry for the long delay, I hope someone still wants to read this.

I really don't know how to express all the gratitude I feel to jagged1 for all her work. She keeps saying she is having a hoot doing this but it keeps her away from writing her own story. For that I apologize to everyone waiting for another chapter of 'Chuck vs. the Upgrade'. Almost done this so then I can nag her. Ha-Ha. You should really read it, it's great.

Anyway, like always if you find some small part that you like it is because of her and if you don't blame her anyway. Ha-Ha.

Thank you for all the wonderful reviews and I hope you enjoy this. Please leave a review.

We finally got the episode we have been waiting for. It's been a long three year ride but I now feel it's been worth it. I hope everyone else does too.

Xxx

Chapter 9

Xxx

"John, you don't look good. What's wrong?"

Devon had sprinted up the stairs when he met Casey around the third floor landing sitting on a step and sweating.

"Don't worry about me, go help Chuck. I'll be fine. Fourth floor, door at the end of the hall. Go, he needs help more than me."

Devon took one more look at Casey before turning and ran up the last flight of stairs. As he got close to the room Casey had directed him to, he started to hear sobs and shouting.

Sitting on the floor, Sarah was holding a piece of her blouse she'd torn off, trying to stem the flow of blood. She was stroking Chuck's face with the other hand. "Chuck, please, stay with me. Don't leave me again."

Chuck inhaled deeply and the smell that greeted his nose filled his heart with joy. It was a scent that was deeply rooted in his brain, a scent that he remembered. A scent that always made him smile.

Devon ran into the room and gently pushed Sarah out of the way. "I need to look at him. Let me help him."

Sarah moved to the side, still holding Chuck's hand, while Devon lifted the wad of bloody cloth to look at Chuck's wound. It was bleeding freely, but from the look of it, Devon surmised it was far enough away from any major organs and it hadn't shattered a bone. The shot had gone completely through. It was low on the left side of his stomach. Pulling a dressing from his bag, he applied it before carefully rolling him over to look at the exit wound. Another dressing and he felt Chuck would be stabilized until he was moved to a hospital for an MRI and could get the wounds further examined and stitched up.

"Sarah, Sarah. He's going to be fine but we need to get him to a hospital. The ambulance should be here in a minute."

Sarah just gazed at Chuck. The left side of his face was a mess and his nose looked like it had been broken. His hair was shorter and not the brown she was used to but when he'd looked at her with his warm brown eyes she knew it was her Chuck - the man she fell in love with and would always love. The man she thought she'd lost months ago. She couldn't let him go now.

Xxx

Casey slowly levered himself up from a sitting position on the stairs. He needed to go down and help the paramedics find Chuck. Climbing down the stairs was easier than up but was still an effort; the adrenalin that had been coursing through his body was dissipating and he felt tired and nauseous. Once on the main floor, he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Someone was running down the corridor. Shit, we missed a Fulcrum agent.

Forcing himself to follow as fast as he could, Casey pushed open the door and peered into the room. The Fulcrum traitor pressed the last of a sequence of buttons on the computer console before turning around and gloating. "Done."

The other occupant of the room lifted his weapon and shot the man in the head, the smile still on his face. Casey pushed the door open all the way and it gave a slight squeak. The agent whirled on him and twin gunshots rang out. Casey and the Fulcrum agent fell to the floor simultaneously.

The building was plunged into darkness as an automated voice reverberated through the building intercom system. "Building lockdown activated, computer purge activated, self-destruct activated. Ten minutes until self-destruct." Warning klaxons sounded throughout the building.

Xxx

The ambulance had arrived and Carina was directing the paramedics to the building, hobbling along on her walking cast, trying to keep up. When they were ten feet from the front door, they heard the klaxon and steel shutters slammed down on the inside of the building, the doors and windows effectively locking them out and the others inside.

"Casey, Sarah? Can you hear me? What's going on?" Carina screamed, while the paramedics backed away from the building and the crazy woman with the gun in her hand.

Carina took a tentative step forward to survey the door. The steel shutters that protected the building appeared to be segments of steel that once deployed, interlocked. They were almost an inch thick and were obviously used by Fulcrum to provide protection while an evacuation could be planned.

Carina turned to the startled medics, trying not to show her rising panic. "Hey, boys. Got any explosives in that meat truck?"

Xxx

Sarah and Devon exchanged a look when the emergency lights came on. Devon's eyes shifted from his patient to Sarah. "This can't be good?"

"I think we need to get out of here now. We can't wait for the paramedics."

Devon hesitated for a moment, weighing the risk of moving Chuck, but the incessant clang of the warning system told him he would need to listen to Sarah.

"Can you help lift him – under an arm? I'll get the other side."

Sarah and Devon shifted Chuck to a sitting position, and each lifted an arm over their shoulder to lift him up. They moved out of the office and toward the stairs dragging Chuck between them.

Carina's frantic voice came over Sarah's ear mic. "Casey, Sarah, steel shutters just went down over all the windows and doors. What do you want me to do?"

"Casey, Casey, what's going on?" Sarah yelled into her mic.

After getting no response from Casey, Devon bent down and hoisted Chuck over his shoulder. "I've got him, go check on Casey. I'm right behind you."

Xxx

Casey heard the voices screaming in his ear and rolled over onto his back, chastising himself for being sloppy and having been shot. Sitting up, he saw the gunshot wound in his leg.

I've had worse.

Then he heard the tinny voice on the intercom. 'Nine minutes and thirty seconds to self-destruct'.

"Carina, what's going on?" Sarah pleaded. "Casey, where are you?"

"I'm on the first floor, computer room," Casey slurred. "What's the status, Walker?"

Sarah entered from around the corner with her gun drawn. Looking around, she noted the dead man sprawled over the keyboard and the other lying on the floor just behind him and Casey sitting on the floor leaning against the wall.

"Casey" Sarah said urgently, and gave him a few sharp taps on the cheek.

"Sarah? Casey?" Sarah could hear a tinge of panic in Devon's voice, coming from the hall way.

"In here, Devon," Sarah yelled.

Devon entered the room, gently setting Chuck on the floor before turning to Casey and Sarah. "What's going on?" His eyes drifted to the pool of blood on the floor, and noticing the blood on Casey's leg, he pulled his bag open and pulled out supplies to dress the wound.

"Whoa. John, are you hit anywhere else?" Devon looked for any other signs of injuries while cutting away the pant leg to apply the dressing.

Casey ignored him.

"We missed a couple Fulcrum agents. One of them set the self-destruct. We need to get out of here," Casey rasped.

"Carina, what's happening out there? We've got a countdown to self-destruct."

Carina could hear the countdown in the background.

'Nine minutes to self-destruct.'

"Sarah, steel shutters have come down over all the windows and doors."

"Carina, go to the van and get my bag. There are explosives in it. Get them and get to the front door and I'll tell you what to do. Hurry," Casey ordered.

Hampered by the walking cast, Carina cursed under her breath, but returned as quickly as she could to the steel shutter door that separated her from the rest of her team. She set down Casey's bag and began calling to him through the mic for instructions on setting the explosives.

"Casey, I'm ready. What do I do?"

Sarah glanced down at Casey but he was glassy-eyed. Sarah slapped him again, hoping he would wake up.

"Enough. Damn it, Walker." Casey drawled.

"Tell Carina how to set the explosives," Sarah yelled wide eyed.

Casey blinked, shaking his head. Devon looked up from dressing the wound.

"Sarah, he might go into hypovolemic shock…"

Sarah slapped him hard again.

Casey's eyes steeled and he spoke slowly. "Carina put the whole bag against the door. Pull a timer out and set it for forty-five seconds. The code to activate it is Forty's inauguration date. Put it in."

"What the - Sarah, what is he talking about?" They could hear a confused Carina through the mic.

"The Gipper." Casey interrupted, and Sarah could see he was slipping out of consciousness.

"Casey, we don't have time for this. What's the damn code?"

"Jesus, Walker. 200180." The date Ronald Reagan was inaugurated. Get far away. It's going to be a big bang."

"Forty-five seconds, Casey?! Walking cast, remember?"

"Move your ass as fast as you can, Carina."

Carina knew there wasn't time to argue, and did as instructed. She set the timer and hobbled as far away as she could, dropping behind the van for protection.

Carina could feel the van forcefully move, pushing her when the explosion went off. When she looked around the van she was dismayed to see the steel shutter was dented but not blown off like she thought it would be.

"Casey, it barely dented the steel shutter. Did you have any more explosives, something more powerful?"

"That was all I had. I never expected to have to blow up Fort Knox. Did the director send a team yet?" Casey asked.

"ETA, ten minutes." Carina responded.

Everyone was taken aback when a cold voice spoke behind them. "Get me to the computer console. I might be able to shut it down."

Sarah jumped and moved quickly to Chuck's side but when she looked into his eyes, it wasn't the soft brown she'd seen earlier, but the black lifeless eyes of Agent Michaels.

I'll save you my Angel. I love you and I don't even know your name.

"Chuck, what do you mean?" Sarah asked.

"I should be able to shut it down. Help me to the computer terminal."

Sarah stared incredulously at the man who spoke. It didn't sound like the man she loved. It was a stranger.

Devon and Sarah reached under each arm, and lifted Chuck, hefting him to the seat in front of the bank of computers.

Chuck wavered in the chair a bit, but took a deep breath, and started typing as fast as he could.

The others watched him in silence, and after three minutes, Chuck turned and looked at the expectant eyes trained on him that were hoping for a miracle.

"Their encryption is a lot higher than I expected. I can't shut down the self-destruct but I was able to shut down the computer wipe. I was able to download this. It contains the names of most of the Fulcrum agents." Chuck handed Sarah a flash drive with all the data he'd been able to find. "I can open the door. You'll have to hurry. It'll open in exactly one minute. Get Casey ready to go."

"No, Chuck, we won't leave you behind. I lost you once and I won't lose you again," Sarah cried.

Chuck looked at his Angel. He had to save her. She'd saved him so many times. It was his turn now.

"You don't have much time - please go," Chuck pleaded. Something about this woman agent made him want to protect her. Her misty blue eyes spoke so much that he couldn't decipher.

Devon looked confused. This wasn't Chuck. This was someone he didn't know. So cold and emotionless.

Sarah held onto Chuck's arm, not letting it go. She wouldn't let him go. Not after she'd spent the last few months mourning him.

"Get Casey to the door. I'm right behind you. Fifteen seconds till the door opens. Get in position," Chuck stated.

Devon looked around nervously wondering how these people handled situations like this all the time. I've white water rafted, climbed mountains and parachuted from airplanes but this scares the crap out of me.

"I need some help, Sarah," Devon moaned as he tried to pick up Casey.

Sarah looked at Chuck and tried to pull him from his seat to go with them.

"Go, my Angel, Casey needs help. I'm right behind you," Chuck pleaded. "I need to finish here."

Sarah looked around, hoping Chuck would relent, but he'd returned to the keyboard leaving her to begrudgingly help Devon carry Casey to the door.

They dragged a semi-conscious Casey out the door and down the hall. They were still ten feet away when the steel shutter made a groaning sound. The damage from the explosives kept it from opening all the way but did open far enough that they could crawl under, pulling Casey behind them.

After Casey, Sarah and Devon were safely out, they turned to wait for Chuck, and the door slammed shut again before any of them could move to stop it.

Sarah ran back to the steel shutter screaming at the top of her lungs. "Chuck, Chuck. You promised. Open the door again."

Carina pulled Sarah away from the door, her ear mic counting down the time until the self-destruct. Chuck had saved them. Sacrificing himself to save them.

They had barely made the cover of the van when the ground shook and it was pelted by pieces of debris from the building.

Casey looked back after the explosion and looked at the building falling down upon itself. A true American hero, not once but twice.

Devon was holding a screaming and crying Sarah. The man she loved was lost to her again.

Xxx

After the steel shutter had closed again, Chuck tried to get it to open again but once the countdown reached three minutes remaining the computer locked out all users.

Chuck tapped on the keyboard again and again but there was no response. The lock out was to stop anyone from getting cold feet and surrendering when the thought of death started to become a reality.

A thought struck Chuck. While steel shutters made the building impenetrable, it wasn't a long term solution. It was temporary to allow escape. Eventually they would break through the shutters.

It was then that he pulled up the schematics for the building. There had to be a secret exit, a way to get away before reinforcements arrived.

Chuck was getting tired; his eyelids were beginning to droop. He'd saved his Angel - that was all he cared about. He smiled to himself knowing she was safe.

His side began to hurt and he looked down and saw the dressing. Blood was starting to seep through it. He didn't remember what had happened. Had he been wounded?

I love you, my Sarah. I'll always love you. Chuck thought as his head dropped and landed with a thud on the keyboard.

Chuck, not Agent Michaels, was in control and he wondered what he was going to do.

Oh crap oh crap oh crap, there has to be way – think think!

And, then, he saw it on the schematics. There was an elevator that went down to a sub basement and that led to a long tunnel, ending almost a quarter mile away in another warehouse.

Rushing to the elevator, Chuck heard the countdown voice chime down the hallway. 'Thirty seconds to self-destruct.'

The elevator was hidden in the corner behind a seemingly innocuous closet door. Pulling it open quickly rushing inside. Once he pulled the door shut, he pressed the only button, down. Just before the doors closed, he heard the voice again 'Fifteen seconds to self-destruct.'

The elevator came to a stop and Chuck ran out of the small elevator, knowing that he had only a few seconds to escape. Whoever had intended to use this as an escape route left a pack on the floor. He grabbed it, hoping it contained something he could use and threw it over his shoulder as he stepped into the tunnel. The explosion shook the very ground he was standing on. The lights in the tunnel went out and he was in total darkness. Pieces of cement began to rain down from the roof.

Stepping to the side, and putting his right hand on the wall he moved as quickly as he could toward the other end of the tunnel and hopefully escape. He'd read once that to get to the center of a maze that you put your right hand on the wall and follow it, to escape the same maze you used the left hand.

Chuck could feel the rise of panic when the tunnel quickly began to fill with smoke. He kept his hand on the wall, forcing himself to push forward. He bent over coughing, struggled to get air after the first hundred yards. He started to falter; first he fell to his knees and crawled; ten feet after that he was on his stomach trying to avoid most of the smoke.

Chuck was almost at the end of his rope; he felt like he couldn't go on. The smoke was tearing at his lungs and his eyes were burning and he had to keep them closed.

Lying on the concrete, he was about to give up, when his mind focused on his Angel. She stood just in front of him, urging him to come to her, begging him to keep going. He pulled himself closer but she took a step back and he was again forced to pull himself closer.

His Angel was telling him she loved him and never wanted him to leave her. She would save him, no matter what. The tears streaming down her cheeks made him want to keep going.

After what seemed like days and hundreds of miles that he'd dragged himself, Chuck noticed he was no longer choking on thick smoke. Chancing opening his eyes and losing his Angel, he noticed the air had cleared somewhat and he could make out a doorway a ways down the tunnel. It was open and he could feel fresh air on his face. Sucking in a deep lungful of the smoke-free air, he was suddenly aware of an intense pain in his chest and stomach.

Rolling onto his back and then sitting against the wall, he looked down at his torn shirt. The rough surface of the tunnel had caused many abrasions on his chest and the side of his stomach was bleeding freely. Struggling to stand, he used the wall to support himself and went through the door, stumbling into an open area filled with empty boxes and packing crates.

Slanted rays of light were coming in from the windows and he could hear sirens in the distance. Looking for a door to the outside, he noticed light coming from an old office at the rear of the building.

Agent Michaels took over. The existence of the secret exit told him that the only people that might be there were Fulcrum and that they had escaped like he had.

Xxx

Casey was lying on a gurney in the back of an ambulance, trying but failing to sit up. Devon just kept telling him to lay back and let him help him.

The effects of the concussion that had dogged him since his beating at the hands of Fulcrum was still affecting his balance.

"I put a dressing on your leg wound but we need to get you to a hospital. Lie still for a bit and I'll let you sit up. Carina is taking care of everything," Devon said. He wished he could've called Ellie and told her that Chuck was alive. Now if he ever told her anything it would be to tell her Chuck was dead again. Better to never say anything, even if the government agencies ever gave consent, he didn't want to put her through all of that again.

"Where's Walker?" Casey struggled to say.

"Not good John, I think she's having a breakdown. Losing Chuck a second time…she's sitting on the back of the ambulance and keeps repeating that she loved Chuck. Carina tried to comfort her but I don't think it helped."

"I need to talk to her. Can you get her in here?" Casey asked.

"I'll try."

Devon tried to coax Sarah to move into the ambulance but she'd resisted so he just picked up the grieving Sarah and sat her inside the ambulance on a seat near Casey so he could talk to her. Then, he walked away to give them some privacy.

"Sarah, Sarah," Casey spoke in the most commanding voice he could manage.

Sarah looked at Casey and he saw the lines of tears streaming down her face and her disinterested eyes.

"Chuck loved you, Sarah. Carina said he spoke of his blonde Angel coming to him in his sleep. I never knew where that came from until I realized it was Chuck. It was you, Sarah, even though they did something to his brain, he still kept the memories of you. He saved you. It was his final act. Honor him, don't let his sacrifice go. He wouldn't want that."

"Casey, I've already lost him once, I don't think I can go through it again. I already miss him so much," Sarah cried.

Xxx

Chuck approached the lighted office, keeping his body pressed tightly to the wall. When he reached the window he peeked inside to see three men inside two standing around a desk talking animatedly while another was obviously unconscious handcuffed to a chair.

Chuck only saw two of the faces but he fell to his knees in an instant when he flashed. His head was in his hands. The two he saw were the regional commander of the FBI, Edward Standish, and the other was Daniel Shaw. Despite the pain in his chest and stomach, he forced himself to stand. He looked around for a weapon; the only thing he saw was a vast collection of fluorescent light tubes and some construction lumber.

Finally remembering the pack he had dragged through the tunnel, Chuck looked inside. No weapons except for a few concussion grenades and a pack of C4 with a timer attached.

Just my luck. Okay, maybe time for a diversion at least, Chuck thought to himself. It was the best he could think of at the moment. He picked up one of the pieces of lumber, a sturdy board about three feet long.

Moving to the glass light tubes, he positioned himself out of sight and began tossing them out into the open spaces to crash on the cement floor.

Chuck could see that the men in the office were startled to hear the abrupt noise. Standish rushed out of the office with his gun drawn. Chuck swung the piece of lumber and hit him over the back of the head.

Chuck quickly jumped on the man and grabbed the weapon that had fallen from the unconscious man's hands.

Chuck moved to the door and aimed the gun at the other agent standing in the room.

"Agent Michaels, or should I say Mr. Bartowski, put the gun down and we can leave. I now have both the man who created the original Intersect and the man who is the Intersect. Today is my lucky day."

Chuck looked at the handcuffed man and fell to his knees again. So many images flooded his brain; this was the man he'd wanted to search for. The man who could remove this curse from his head. It was the elusive Orion, the man who had created the Intersect.

"I can make do with one of you. Which shall it be?" Shaw taunted. Shaw began to raise his gun

When Chuck looked up he was no longer Chuck but had again morphed into the persona of Agent Michaels and a lopsided grin appeared on his severely bruised face.

"Agent Shaw, Fulcrum is done. I'm giving you the chance to surrender."

Shaw looked at Chuck and laughed. The audacity of this man, he was Daniel Shaw. Raising his gun and pointing it at Chuck he laughed again.

"I think you'll be coming with me."

"I don't think so."

Chuck looked into Shaw's eyes and lifted his gun. They fired their guns almost instantaneously but Chuck was slightly faster. His bullet pierced Shaw's heart throwing him back to land on the table. The bullet meant to be between Chuck's eyes was off target and hit him, just grazing the skin near his temple.

At the last moment before Chuck lost consciousness he tossed the C4 pack he'd been holding. He needed help, hopefully this would bring help and it was his last thought before passing out.

Xxx

Carina heard the explosion and immediately dispatched agents to check it out. She followed as fast as her walking cast would allow. The pain was incredible and she knew she would need the leg reset but now was not the time.

Carina called into the communication device she'd been given when the main force had gotten on site and she'd commanded that she was in charge. "What have you found?'

"Four people; two of them are dead and one is close. Another is handcuffed and unconscious. We need an ambulance for one of them if you want him to live."

"Get the paramedics there. Now," Carina screamed.

She could hear the agents calling for the ambulance as she finally ambled into the warehouse.

"Oh my god, it's Chuck. If you don't save him I'll kill you myself!" Carina screamed, brandishing her gun. She saw the head wound and the blood seeping from his stomach.

Carina called to Sarah and Casey but they weren't answering. They must have removed their ear mics after the explosion. She had to tell them that Chuck was alive.

"Agent Mitchell, I want Casey, Woodcomb and Walker here in ten seconds. Tell them Chuck is alive," Carina threatened waving her gun at the man.

Mitchell ran the almost quarter mile in less time than an Olympic sprinter. He was out of breath when he arrived but managed to spill his story between ragged breaths to Devon Woodcomb who was sitting on the back of the ambulance

"Agent Hansen said to tell you Chuck is alive."

Devon jumped up and ran to the driver's seat yelling over his shoulder as he took off in the direction Mitchell indicated.

"Carina says Chuck is alive, in a warehouse up the street," Devon spit out as he maneuvered the ambulance toward the warehouse.

Sarah had become wide eyed at the mention of Chuck being alive and was out of the back and headed into the building before Devon even had the vehicle at a full stop.

Devon grabbed his bag off the seat and took off after Sarah ignoring Casey's demand to help him get out of the van.

Sarah followed the corridor to the only room with a light on, and quickly glanced around looking for danger. She fell to her knees and pulled Chuck to her, crying in his ear.

"Chuck, Chuck?"

Devon was only seconds behind Sarah and had to pry her away from Chuck so he could assess his condition. The dressing he had applied to his stomach was gone and it was bleeding again. His most urgent concern was for the head wound, the weak pulse, and labored breathing.

Devon turned to the agent standing guard in the corner, "Get the gurney in here, we need to get him to a hospital or we'll lose him."

Casey came in being helped by Agent Mitchell and Carina pointed her finger at the two agents. "You heard him, go."

Sarah was sitting on the floor beside Chuck, holding his hand like it was her lifeline. Her eyes were pleading with Devon to save Chuck while at the same time looking lost.

Xxx

The ride to the hospital had been even more dangerous than the ride Sarah had subjected them to earlier. Casey had pushed the two agents away when he said he would drive. He wasn't going to let a mere leg wound stop him. He steeled himself knowing he wouldn't let his friend down. It wasn't a question of ability but drive and desire. He would save Chuck. Walker was in the back and Carina was in so much pain it was left to him. Damn useless CIA pukes would probably obey all traffic signs and lights.

Casey used the sirens and lights to his advantage, cruising through red lights and stop signs, never letting up on the gas pedal. If he'd had his Vic it would have been a smoother ride.

The occupants of the ambulance were being tossed from side to side. Devon called the hospital to tell them to prep an operating room. He needed them to be ready for Chuck.

Holding Chuck, Sarah whispered her words of love to him. She was frantic that they might not make it in time.

When the ambulance screeched to a stop in front of the emergency entrance, two doctors and several nurses were already waiting. They yanked the doors open and pulled the gurney out ready with an IV and blood.

Sarah was left behind as the surgical team pushed Chuck toward the operating room as fast as they could. Devon was shouting instructions and inserting the IV before they even made it to the door.

Xxx

Sarah paced outside the door, ready to charge in with her gun drawn. She had been forbidden to enter. Dammit, she needed to know how Chuck was. She needed to hold his hand and know he was going to be okay.

Casey had been admitted for treatment for his concussion and gunshot wound. Carina was in a room getting her leg reset and a new cast. She was all alone; no one to help her deal with the inner turmoil she felt every time she thought of what her life would be like without Chuck.

She'd lost him once, she wouldn't lose him again. That much was certain.

Sarah had chambered a round and clicked off the safety about to find out for herself, when Devon pushed the door open and smiled at her. "Chuck's going to be fine. We made it in time."

Sarah collapsed onto the chair she'd just stood from. "Can I see him?" She looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"He'll be in recovery. For another half hour and then moved to intensive care. You can see him then. Can I call Ellie and tell her?"

"Are you sure he's okay?" Sarah asked.

"Yes Sarah, can I call Ellie? Please."

"Call her Devon; let her know we all need her."

Xxx

A/N: Hope you enjoy. If not let me know how I can get better.

Thanks to all the readers who left reviews and all who put alerts on this story, I hope you like this chapter too. I love you, not as much as I love Sarah but close, actually not even close but thanks.

I thought the next chapter would be the last but I don't think I can fit everything in so there will be at least an epilogue after.