Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, or anything really of interest to Chuck fans. Unless you count my sweet POG collection that I still have in storage somewhere.

A/N: Hi everyone!Thank you guys for all of the reviews and kind words about chapter 8. I was really proud of that piece, and I'm glad that it played well with you the readers. This chapter is different. It's more dialogue, and less introspection, but hopefully, it still will be enjoyable. I think a lot still happens, and it sets us up for the climax. There are two chapters (or one chapter and an epilogue, depending on how I decide to label it) left after this one, so we are almost done. But fear not, fans of this story, because Ashes is just the opening shot in this arc. I look forward to hearing your feedback, and please enjoy Sarah vs. Ashes of an American Flag chapter 9: As He Have Giveth.

Cast in order of appearance

John Casey-----------Adam Baldwin
Carina Hansen-----------Mini Anden
Sarah Walker-----Yvonne Strahovski
Chuck Bartowski---------Zachary Levi
Ellie Woodcomb-----Sarah Lancaster
Nurse---------Keisha Knight-Pulliam
The Operative---------Chiwetel Ejiofor
The President-----------Don Cheadle
The Secretary of Defense---Rip Torn

Casey's Safe House
Moab, Utah
March 26, 2010

Casey had nearly worn a whole in the floor pacing back and forth. Walker should have easily made it there by now. Even if she'd run into some company, three days would have been more than ample time to arrive. He'd tried to convince himself that his concern for her was based on a sense of honor, and the 'never leave a man behind' attitude. Deep down, he knew that wasn't the case.

In much the same way that Bartowski had become like Casey's annoying little brother during their work together, Walker had become the overachieving little sister he'd never had. Death was a part of this game, and no one knew that better than Casey; but if something happened to her he knew he'd blame himself for not being there to help.

So caught up was he in his thoughts that he didn't sense Carina approach him. "She's here," the woman flatly stated. He knew that there was no love lost between his former and new partners. Carina had told him the story of there scuffle at the Fulcrum compound at length when Casey had informed her that Sarah would be coming to stay at the safe house with them. He didn't know what she'd hoped to accomplish by sharing that with him, but if it was intended to keep the blonde out, she had failed miserably.

Walker had been a good and loyal partner. Carina wouldn't even be of concern to him if she wasn't giving them intel on Fulcrum and The Ring. If he'd had to choose between the two, it would have been the redhead that found her self without shelter.

Tucking away the comparative thoughts for the moment, Casey went to the door to greet his newest guest. "What the hell took you so long Walker?" His voice was as gruff and emotionless as she'd remembered, but his eyes betrayed his feelings of relief and joy to see her alive and well.

"I figured you'd want me to lose the tail they'd put on me before I got here. And I had to make a stop." The last sentence was said in almost a whisper. Sarah had hoped that her initial continuance of their usual banter would negate the addendum. She had no such luck with the detail oriented Colonel.

"What kind of stop?" He eyed her suspiciously.

"It's been nine weeks." Now Casey took on a look of confusion. Nine weeks since what? She didn't answer his questioning gaze, but instead reached inside her jacket pocket and produced what looked to be a picture. She handed him the photo, and Casey immediately recognized it as…

"Dammit, Walker. Don't tell me you plan on keeping this thing."

The terrifying look he received in response would have been enough to cause panic and paralyzing fear in lesser men. It was almost enough to make even John Casey nervous. He realized then that he needed to back off. He was now dealing with a grizzly bear protecting her cub. No matter how good they had been as partners, Casey knew his importance ranked behind that of this child by leaps and bounds in the eyes of Sarah Walker.

"Yes Casey," she began with a disturbingly cool voice. "I plan on keeping it. In fact, I plan on keeping both of them." Casey swallowed the lump in his throat. He couldn't believe she was going to go on the run pregnant in the first place. Now he'd discovered that she planned to do it while carrying a litter of the moron's offspring. He knew she couldn't make it on her own. It would be up to him to make sure she and her children were safe. Failing them was not an option to him.

Carina watched the exchange from afar. She was shocked to learn that Sarah was with child, but it now made sense why she would be seeking help. Walker and Chuck had clearly been sickly in love with one another. The only thing that would have made her leave him was if she had something to protect. Even to a career field type like Carina, the woman inside of her knew that she would have done the same thing given that circumstance.

It was largely a relief to the auburn haired beauty as well. Carina really didn't feel up to the continuation of their Valentine's Day tussle, and in the state she was in, Sarah was really no threat to attack. That was really for the best. Carina's relationship with the Independents was still tenuous at best. She had no doubt that if she and Sarah started going at it there in the safe house that Casey would not hesitate to shoot her. She made a decision that when the blonde got settled in that the two of them would have a long talk to clear the air. They were all on the same side now.

Black Rock Base
Barstow, California
March 27, 2010

Fulcrum's first in command, and the de facto Vice President of the very young alliance that was known as The United Republic of North America had been holed up in his quarters for five days now. When he'd returned from his latest trip to Washington for meetings as it related to a new constitution and the dismissal of the now defunct Legislative Branch of the former United States, he'd found that Sarah Walker had gone missing. That was a bad day for his staff and any other people within the compound that had come into contact with him.

Unlike the last time Sarah had left Chuck, however, he wasn't busy wallowing in self pity. He'd supposed that every bout with heartbreak was different. The Jill heartbreak had been a low, dull, lingering ache that lasted for five years. The first Sarah heartbreak had been a white hot flame that felt as if a nuke had been dropped on his chest. The second Sarah heartbreak was, however altogether different than either of the others.

The first two times he'd had his heart broken, he didn't know what he'd done wrong. Neither of those times was he given a reason that he was being left. This time he had been told in no uncertain terms in her note why she was gone. This time, all of it was his fault. He'd let this world change him. And Sarah had promised to wait for him to find himself again. So the past five days had been spent in self reflection. He'd done his best to figure out his problems on his own.

On this fifth day however, Chuck realized that he couldn't do this by himself. He needed help finding Chuck Bartowski and leaving Charles Carmichael behind. There was only one person that he knew could help him heal his sense of self. She had been the one to always help Chuck when he needed it. If Chuck could actually beat this demon that had overtaken his mind and body, Ellie would be the one to show him the way.

Chuck,
I'm sorry I have to leave,
but I can't be with you right now.
One day, when you remember
who you are, I'll be waiting.
That will be our time.

Love Always,
Your Sarah

He read the note once more before neatly folding it and putting into his pocket. "I won't keep you waiting long, Sarah. I'm going to figure this out for you," he spoke to the empty space in his room. Taking a deep breathe and one final glance around the room he'd made home for months now he headed for the door, and hopefully towards his future with his true love.

Casa Awesome
Echo Park, California
September 6, 2010

Ellie quietly checked on her still slumbering brother. He'd been back in the house with her and her family since late March. He initially said that he was needed there to help protect Ellie, Devon, and their infant son Worth Stephen. After a week back in his former room, however, he confided in Ellie that he'd returned home to try to rediscover who he was. He'd explained then that Sarah didn't want to be around this "Charles Carmichael" and that she'd left, promising to return only when he could remember himself.

Ellie had been happy to accommodate him. The two siblings had always looked out for one another, and she had been eager to really get to spend some quality time with her brother for the first time in almost a year. She'd insisted that they have one hour every night that was just "Brother/Sister time" during which they would talk about their day, their hopes for the future, and anything else under the sun. She hadn't wanted to push Chuck into telling her what exactly had changed about him, but she knew if she made him comfortable enough he'd eventually come clean to her.

And she'd been right. It hadn't happened all at once. In fact, it had taken many hours, and months of reassurance from her that it would be alright before he started the process of learning how to be honest with his sister again. But once the dam had been broken, there was no stopping the rush of information that she received from Chuck about just who he had become.

Up until that point, all she'd been told about his work was related to the very general requirements of the job. The details of what he'd done had always been off limits. So he had started again from the beginning, telling her about his early missions with Sarah and Casey. He told her how they would always tell him to stay in the car, but he never would. He told her about La Ciudad and their tango. He told her about Lazlo and his crazy plot to destroy the world. She was regaled with the stories of Carina's first visit, Casey's French lover, the true story of her engagement ring and the moment he'd shared with Sarah that night.

Ellie learned about the confrontation with Mr. Colt, Chuck playing Missile Command to Rush music to save the world, his fight in a Gravitron, and Sarah's dad and a wealthy oil sheik. Chuck told his sister all about the war with Fulcrum, and how he'd helped to cripple the cabal along with his team.

Ellie was proud of each story she heard from him about his first stint as the human Intersect. It was amazing to learn just how much of a hero he'd been all along without anyone really knowing it. Her pride was shelved however when he began telling her stories about what he'd done as the Deputy Commander, and then the Commander of Fulcrum.

Never in a million years could she imagine her sweet, loving brother doing the things he told her about. More than thirty men had died directly at his hand. He'd been party to the deaths of hundreds more. And on top of that, he'd ordered and played witness to the torture of countless individuals, many of whom, apparently, had nothing to do with his cause. He'd had them tortured for his own amusement.

The thought of the monster that Chuck had become made her skin crawl. He was getting better, and as such, she'd never tell him this, but she understood why Sarah had left. Even though the blonde woman must have seen similar or worse things during her time as an intelligence operative, seeing the man that she loved do those things would certainly affect her. But that was why Chuck had come home. He was here to learn to be himself again. Ellie knew that she'd do anything in her power to help him accomplish that.

He'd shown particular progress that day. Ellie was leaving town for a five day medical conference in Salt Lake City, so the two had made a day of it. Worth was getting to spend the day with his maternal grandparents, and so Ellie and Chuck had planned a full schedule to build up reserve sibling bonding time to last over her five day absence.

She was proud that Chuck was starting to show remorse for the things that he'd done because of the nature of the acts themselves and not just that they'd caused him to lose Sarah again. That was an important breakthrough in her mind. If he was going to overcome the Carmichael monster, he had to realize that what had been done was monstrous.

And so, as she left her apartment to head to the airport, Ellie felt good in the knowledge that Chuck was well on the road to recovery. Her little brother was still there, and he was showing himself more everyday. There was certainly a storm on the horizon, however, as far as she could tell. As Chuck continued to make improvements, he'd eventually expect Sarah to show back up in his life. She worried what would happen when the other woman didn't return. No one knew where Sarah Walker was, or even if she was still alive. And as much as Ellie wanted to believe that Sarah would keep the promise she'd made to Chuck to be waiting for him, the prospects of that reunion looked bleak. Ellie would be prepared when the eventual fallout occurred, just like she'd always been for him.

St. Mark's Hospital
Salt Lake City, Utah
September 9, 2010

"Ms. Franco?" Sarah looked up at the nurse who'd just entered. "Dr. Succop had to leave town on a family emergency. If it's fine with you, we have a visiting doctor seeing his patients in his absence."

Sarah considered the offer. She'd spent weeks searching for an acceptable OBGYN anywhere in the state of Utah. It made her uneasy to see any doctor without being able to do a thorough background check, but in her current state, it wasn't wise to leave the safe house any more than was absolutely necessary. Deciding that it was highly unlikely that the doctor would have Fulcrum connections, and even less likely that they would recognize her as a person of interest to the cabal even if they did, she reluctantly agreed.

It was a decision that she wished that she could have back when the door opened again to reveal Dr. Ellie Bartowski-Woodcomb. Knowing that there would be no escape from being identified even if she was in peak physical condition –which she was most certainly not- Sarah dropped her head in defeat.

Ellie glanced over the chart of the patient. She didn't get to do much in women's health back in LA, and she was enjoying the opportunity for the experience. "Rebecca, how are you…" Ellie's voice trailed off as recognition of the woman she was examining washed over her. "Sarah?" she asked weakly.

"Ellie, I can explain-"

"Explain what?" Ellie's voice was frighteningly hard and shrill. "Explain how you left my brother with a promise to come back if he changed? And he did change Sarah. He has spent the past nearly six months trying to be a better person all for you. And how do you respond? You go off and find some guy and get pregnant. Well, I assume it's just one guy. Do you even know who the father of this child is you whore." Professionalism was right out the window in that moment. Ellie had a family to look out for. Chuck was always so busy trying to help others; he never took up for himself. It always made her happy to come to his defense.

"Ellie, they're Chuck's!" Sarah shouted. Ellie stopped in her tracks. She stared at the blonde before her in disbelief. If this woman was carrying her brother's children, why would she have left?

"Then why…why did you leave him Sarah? Why wouldn't you let him know that he is going to be a father?" Ellie didn't know how to feel. She felt hurt for her brother; she felt confused at Sarah's actions; but as a woman, she felt like she needed to at least hear the other woman out.

"Ellie, I don't know if you know what Chuck had become…how bad it had gotten." Ellie nodded and began to speak, but instead allowed Sarah to continue. "Ellie, I love your brother. I will always love him. But when I realized that I was pregnant, I suddenly had someone else to think about. I can't let my children grow up in that environment Ellie. I can't let them be around Charles Carmichael." She paused, licking her lips before continuing. "If he has really changed, then maybe we can be a family. We can go somewhere and raise our daughters and be happy. But I have to know first Ellie. I have to see him with my own eyes. I have to know that these little girls will be safe."

"You think Chuck would harm your children? He would never do that Sarah. He would love them-"

"You're right Ellie; Chuck would love them more than anything in the world. He'd be the greatest father in the world for them. If I knew that I was going to be with Chuck then I would have no doubt in my mind about going back. But he is a different person sometimes Ellie. I've seen it. If he can prove to me that he really has remembered how to be the man that I fell in love with, then I will go back to him. I swear I will Ellie. But he doesn't know about our daughters. I don't want him to know until I see that he's changed."

Ellie wore a very conflicted expression. She didn't know how she could lie to Chuck about something this huge, but at the same time, she didn't want to risk bringing harm to children.

"Ellie, I know that I lost the right to appeal to you as a friend the first time I left Chuck. I was wrong then. I have no right to ask you to betray your family on my behalf." She paused, heaving a deep sigh. "But I'm asking you, as a mother, to keep this secret for the safety of my children. Please Ellie." The doctor couldn't help but see the sincerity in the pleading eyes of the mother-to-be. She was torn on what she should do. No matter what, she would feel like she was betraying her family. She either would have to lie to her brother, or endanger her unborn nieces.

Then Ellie remembered the conversation she'd had with her mother the morning after she'd come back into their lives. Their mom had left because it was the only way to protect her and Chuck. Despite how much it had ripped her apart inside, she'd done what she had to do to keep them safe. As much as she'd missed having a mother during her adolescence, she was very grateful for what Emily had done for the siblings. This would be Ellie's chance to repay the universe by helping another mother that was only trying to protect her children.

"Okay, Sarah. I won't say anything. You have my word. On one condition." Sarah looked at the brunette woman urging her to continue. "After you have the girls, you meet with Chuck. See if he's changed. I trust you to make that decision, but please, give him a chance."

"Ellie, nothing would make me happier than to have my Chuck back. Once they're born, I will arrange a meeting with Chuck. You have my word."

Ellie would keep her word to Sarah. While she was more upbeat around Chuck upon her arrival back home, she never betrayed the secret that she'd discovered in Salt Lake.

And on October 14, 2010, during her thirty-ninth week of gestation, Sarah gave birth to two beautiful, healthy baby girls. Kate Walker and Karin Lisa Bartowski were born eight minutes apart, each weighing 5.2 pounds.

Casey's Safe House
Moab, Utah
October 31, 2010

It amazed Sarah how much their daughters looked like them. She knew it shouldn't; after all, it was simple genetics. But she'd long dreamed of having a daughter that was the perfect mix of her and Chuck. What she got instead was Kate with fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes, the spitting image of Sarah, and Karin who was clearly her father's daughter with darker skin, dark brown hair, and those deep soulful brown eyes that had always made Sarah melt. It was almost perfect. And today was the day that Sarah would find out if she could make it completely perfect.

"When they're asleep, you're supposed to be asleep." Carina's voice was gentle so as not to startle the sleeping infants or their mother. It shocked her how much watching Sarah through the process of becoming a mom had changed her. Carina had always put her personal well being and happiness in front of everything else in the world. Now she knew that she'd sacrifice her life for the two tiny people that she'd just met. It was a disturbing feeling.

"Not this time, Carina." The red head looked up in question to the other woman. She was shocked when she saw Sarah drop her bathrobe to the floor to reveal that she was already decked out in full mission gear. Before Carina could speak up in protest of whatever the blonde had planned, Sarah strode past her into the common room where Casey sat.

Before the flood of questions could start, Sarah spoke to the other two agents who'd fixed her with bewildered stares. "I'm going to meet Chuck. I promised Ellie that I would in exchange for her keeping the twins existence a secret, and I will. If everything goes well, my family will be whole for the first time." Sarah smiled briefly at the thought of that dream finally coming true. The smile quickly faltered when she thought of the other extreme outcome. "However, if something happens to me, John, Carina, please take care of my girls. Make sure they're safe…from everyone."

"Sarah, why go now? We can keep hiding. They never have to find you or the children. All of you are safe with Casey and me." Carina was pleading with her friend to reconsider her choice. As unorthodox as three spies and two infants in one house seemed, Carina had come to think of this as her family.

Sarah sighed. "Carina, if I don't go back…if I don't at least meet with Chuck, he'll eventually come looking for me again. You know that he will." Carina nodded sadly in agreement. "I can't take the change that he'll find Kate and Karin. He'll take them, Carina. They'll have Intersect testing done on them before they know how to spell their names. I can't let that happen. I'm going to meet Chuck to stop that from happening. It won't stop as long as I'm on the run." Sarah's voice was sad, her expression resigned as she ticked off the reasons that she had to go.

Neither Casey nor Carina could argue her logic. The babies would be much safer after Sarah found Chuck. It was really the only choice to keep the girls safe. "Thank you," she said to her two partners, before hugging both of them on her way out the door. Given the circumstances, Casey had no problem with the show of affection like he normally would. This was very possibly a good-bye to Sarah Walker forever.

Once out the door, Sarah placed a call that would begin the next -and hopefully best- chapter in her life. "Ellie? It's Sarah. Is Chuck around? Well, I'm keeping my promise Ellie, just like I said I would. I'm coming to see him. I should be there tomorrow afternoon. No, I'm driving in. I can't risk being seen at the airport. There are still far too many people that would see me dead. Ellie, just make sure that Chuck's there. You can make it a surprise if you like, it doesn't matter to me, I just want to see my Chuck. Alright, bye Ellie, and thank you." Sarah put her phone away a prepared herself for the long journey ahead.

Casa Awesome
Echo Park, California
November 1, 2010

"No, Chuck. Just stick around for a little while, please?" Ellie had been in frantic Ellie mode all day. Chuck couldn't understand for the life of him what had gotten into his sister.

"Sorry, Ell, I have business to take care of. I'm sure that whatever you have planned is going to be great. I will try to make it back in time to enjoy…whatever it is." Ellie was now at the end of her rope with her little brother. She'd really wanted Sarah's appearance to be a surprise, but she would have to blow the surprise if it was the only way to keep him here.

"You can't leave because-" Before Ellie could complete the thought, the doorbell rang. Sensing that this would be a great chance for escape, Chuck quickly moved across the room to open the door. Not even looking up, he greeted the visitor as he tried to slip out of the front door.

"Hi, how are you? Come on in won't you?" Chuck began his attempted slide past the person at the door, when he made eye contact with…"Sarah?" He turned to his sister. "Ell, you knew? This was the surprise?"

Ellie couldn't tell whether Chuck was happy or upset to see the woman. Maybe he was upset with her for not telling him about Sarah's visit in advance. Whatever it was, his unreadable emotions had put the brunette on edge. Luckily Sarah spoke to break the tension.

"I told you that I would wait for you, Chuck. I came to see if you're ready." Her voice was soft, but confident. That confidence had likely come from her rehearsal of that line over and over in the car during the long drive from Utah.

"I am Sarah. Since you left, I've done nothing but try to become the man I was again. I'm him Sarah. I'm ready." He was smiling, but it was a nervous smile. The most important thing in his life –his relationship with Sarah- hung in the balance.

"I'm happy to hear you say that Chuck, but you'll understand if I'm a little skeptical to believe you. The things I saw you do, Chuck…" her voice trailed off. "We need to have a long talk about it, and then we'll see." She looked up at him through eyes that still held love for him, but were clearly wary of the situation.

"Alright, let's talk." He grabbed her hand to pull her into the apartment, but she resisted.

"Not here. Come with me." He looked at her quizzically, but followed her out into the courtyard still the same. Soon, he had taken his old seat: riding shotgun in Sarah's Porsche. Twenty minutes later, they'd pulled into a familiar parking spot, overlooking a familiar stretch of beach. Sarah was the first out of the car, but Chuck was soon to follow as the couple made their way to a place they hadn't been in a very long time. They would have this talk in their spot.

The Oval Office
White House
Washington, D.C.
November 1, 2010

"Sir, they've just walked out onto the beach," said the voice of the operative the President had assigned to watch his second in command.

"Very well, then. It's done." The President conferenced in his Secretary of Defense. "Secretary, Commander Bartowski has become compromised. Put all units on alert and prepare to execute the Machiavelli Initiative on my command."

"But, Sir, that's a complete cleaning order. Is that really necessary?"

The President would not have his orders questioned. "Prepare to execute the Machiavelli Initiative Mr. Secretary, protocol 3. It will commence at my command." The Secretary of Defense nodded gravely. He only hoped he could forgive himself for all of the innocent blood that would be spilled that day in the name of the "Greater Good."

A/N: What exactly is "The Machiavelli Initiative?" What will Sarah and Chuck talk about, and will they even get a chance to talk under the watchful eye of the President's Operative? Will Casey and Carina be able to keep the girls safe? Okay, there are a lot more questions than that, but that's a start, and almost everything will be answered in the next chapter!

Thank you so much for reading guys. The reviews and support for this fic have been terrific despite how it is…well…depressing, hehe. I really appreciate hearing from everyone of you, and I look forward to your feedback on this chapter. Until next time, this is Wepdiggy saying all of you guys are awesome. Peace.