A/N Hi guys, I opted for a rewrite of this chapter. I think it works better now. Chuckles is not mine.

Chapter 10

"I'll get you something to sleep in," Chuck says as he closes his bedroom door behind him. "We'll go get your things in the morning." It's the first time he spoke since they left Castle.

"Thanks." Sarah sinks down on his bed, totally exhausted. Chuck hands her a pair of boxers and a T-shirt.

"I'll give you some privacy. I'm going to make some coffee. Can I get you anything?"

"I'm good thanks."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

Sarah changes and slips into her side of the bed. I can't remember the last time I shared this bed with him. It feels like years ago.

There's a soft knock on the door. "You decent?" Sarah smiles. That's my Chuck. How could I ever think that he's changed that much?

"Yeah, Chuck. It's safe."

Chuck opens the door, careful not to drop the tray he's carrying. He kicks the door shut with his foot and places the tray on the desk. Good job, Agent Carmichael, you managed not to make a mess.

"Here," Chuck hands her a plate with some sandwiches. "I figured you haven't had anything since breakfast." That was about right, only it was breakfast the morning before. She hasn't even been thinking of food since Chuck returned from Cabo.

"Thanks."

"And," he places a glass on the nightstand next to her, "some warm milk to help you sleep." Sarah stares at it for a moment. The last time someone brought me warm milk, I was seven. The next day she left.

"Sarah? Sarah, hey, it's going to be okay. We'll get Shaw. I won't let him hurt you, I promise." Sarah shakes herself out of her reverie. She hasn't thought about her mother in years.

"I know." I want to tell you about my mom, Chuck. I want to tell you about the day they came to take my dad away and recruited me into the CIA when I was only seventeen. I want to tell you what the name on my birth certificate is. I want to tell you about my Red Test. The worst day of my life. Maybe then you'll understand why I reacted the way I did. How scared I was that you would not be same person again. That you wouldn't feel like the same person again. I really hope I get the chance.

They eat in silence. Chuck clears away the dishes before making himself comfortable in his recliner, coffee in one hand and a comic book in the other.

"Aren't you coming to bed?" Shit, that came out wrong.

Chuck didn't seem to notice the freudian slip. "I'm on first watch. Casey has set up surveilance in his apartment, so he will take over at three, monitoring from there. Carina is scheduled from six, if we can tear her away from Morgan." Man, that's something I never thought I would say. Sarah smiled, thinking the same thing.

"I can stay up with you if you'd like. We never got to finish our earlier conversation."

"Not tonight, Sarah. You need to get some sleep. Besides, Casey bugged the room."

Sarah sighs. "You're probably right." It could be worse. He could have used the asset-handler excuse I had to hide behind for so long. Sarah slips deeper under the covers. "Good night, Chuck."

"Good night, Sarah."

Chuck opens his comic book. After twenty minutes he was still staring at the first page. "Chuck, do you love me?" That question has been replaying in his mind ever since they left Castle.

The sunlight through the window woke Sarah from her sleep.

"Well, it's about time, sleepyhead." Carina was curled up in Chucks recliner, one of his comic books open on her lap. First she uhm...bunks with Morgan...now she's reading comic books? This was just too weird.

Sarah stretches and pushes herself up against the headboard. "What time is it?" She yawns.

"Nearly eight. How did you sleep?" Carina joins Sarah on the bed.

"Good thanks. You? Or shouldn't I ask?"

"Don't ask."

"Yeah, I don't want to know. Why didn't you wake me? I could have kept you company?" Sarah felt guilty that she was the only one who seemed to get a decent night's sleep. Even if it was a first in weeks.

"Believe me, I was tempted. I wanted to hear all about what happened after you woke up in that little comprimising position I made sure you and Chuckles were in last night."

"I should have known that was your idea."

Carina smirkes. "I can't take all the credit. The detention part was all Casey. Well, that and using the tranq darts. So how did it go? Did you tell him?"

"No. He did most of the talking and then Beckman interrupted. Speaking of Chuck, where is he?"

"At Casey's getting an update from Beckman. Do you want to go take a shower? I packed your stuff last night and brought it over." Carina motions her head to Sarah's suitcases by the Morgan door. "I'll get some coffee going. Something tells me we're in for a long day."

"There is still no sign of the director or Agent Shaw." General Beckman looked like she didn't get much sleep herself. "I've arranged for a private plane to take you to Rome tonight. The sooner Agent Walker gets out of Burbank, the better."