A/N – Thanks to DLK for the beta but for also summarizing this chapter as lies and their consequenses. There is no denying that Sarah loves Chuck but will her decisions always be the one that he'll accept…

Chuck vs The Cardinal Rule

"I know you hate me now, but some day you're going to realize that I've been looking out for you. I have been all along"

Bryce Larkin

"Eve" The word is spoken in a whisper as Shaw stares at the screen. The grainy footage playing in a loop had been taken by Chuck on his solo assignment yesterday. The lighting is too low and the resolution sucks but he can recognize her anywhere, the curve of her neck and the mole at the side of her mouth. He feels lightheaded such that he has to lower his head and take a few deep breaths before he can once again stare at the screen showing his wife alive and apparently working for the Ring.

For the past five years, Shaw's entire focus had been to take down the organization that killed his wife. Going after each and every operative he uncovered, not only because they were betraying the country he swore to protect but because they were all complicit in her death.

"What's going on? " He looks up to see Sarah coming down the stairs, a frown on her face as she looks at the screens showing Eve's profile. "Who is she?" Shaw's call to her had been brief but it was his specific instructions to come alone that piqued her interest.

"Chuck's mission yesterday was to surveil a Ring Operative that has been sent to find and kill me." He takes out his wallet and removes a picture and stares at it before handing it to her. "That's Evelyn Shaw. She was deep cover within the Ring when they found out she was a double agent and killed her." He wants her to tell him that they are two different people, that the resemblance he sees is a figment of his imagination and that his wife is dead.

The picture is a candid one of Shaw hugging a petite brunette with a mole on the side of her mouth. There are a number of explanations she can give him for the resemblance but she knows he won't accept any of them until he finds out the truth for himself.

"She's also Chuck's Red Test." Shaw knows that Sarah hates him for what he's made Chuck do but in this instance, their wants have converged and he knows she wants the same thing he does.

"He has a confirmed kill in Paris." He voice takes on the hard edge he's expecting and she crosses her arms when she turns to face him.

"It was out of self defense and not an ordered hit." Shaw raises his hand to stop her response, "I can have the order rescinded." He had promised to love her forever and even when she died, he kept his ring on him to remind him of his promise. Sarah was the only one who would understand his predicament and she would be the one who would do anything to protect Chuck, even commit treason.

"What do you want me to do?" Chuck was still having nightmares about the kill in Paris, waking up most nights gasping for breath and only calming down when she would take him into her arms. He would never be able to carry out an ordered hit and she would do everything in her power to ensure he was never put in that position.

He's spent most of his life protecting his country, knowing what he needed to give up and even when he first met Eve, he had held her at arm's length. But she had been persistent and the two years they had together were the best of his life. "I need to see her, talk to her…I was the one who identified her remains in Moscow." What he does not say is that he had spent the next month in a constant state of inebriation, staring at his gun and only came out of his stupor with the understanding that he would take as many of the Ring agents out before he did anything else.

He stares at Sarah as she processes his words as she finally sees the parallel between them. It does not detract from the fact that he is asking her to defy orders to help him and by extension, Chuck. "We will be going off book for this. If Beckman finds out…"

"No one will find out, especially not Chuck." Her lies of omission have always been to protect him and this is no different. She does not love him blindly but with a passion that dwarfs any of her past relationships and shapes all her choices.

"Okay, I know I'm not a full spy as yet but I don't need to have a baby sitter when Sarah goes on a mission." Chuck leans against the locker when he sees Casey put on his nametag.

"First, I'm more liable to shoot you than sing you a lullaby and second, there is no mission." Casey's actually glad for that because Beckman had put him on a two weeks suspension for not informing her of his sting operation. How Walker had spun that story and got Beckman to agree was still a miracle to him.

"Of course there is, Jeff told me he saw Smoking Sarah and some Superman looking dude get into a suburban carrying two black bags." He remembers kissing her good bye in the morning and wonders if it will always be like this, not knowing what mission she's on and worrying about it until he sees her again. "Is it dangerous?" He puts voice to his fears and knows Casey would at least be honest with him.

"For the last time, Walker and Shaw are not on a mission, unless you count serving Obama Guava dangerous." Casey didn't trust a lot of people but he trusted Walker enough to know that she considered him her partner and she did not trust Shaw. "Why don't you just go over and you can see for yourself that Jeff is not the most reliable witness especially after he's had his afternoon break."

"She's heading for the staircase." Sarah turns her head slightly as she speaks into her watch, her eyes following Eve as she sees Shaw slowly make his way over from the entrance to follow in her stead. Sarah lifts her drink and empties it, counting to a hundred in her head before tossing a few bills on the bar and heading towards the stairs.

She hears voices coming for a few floors up and she takes out her gun before making her way towards the sounds, the words becoming clearer with each step she takes.

"Who are you?" The pain in Shaw's voice is unmistakable, his low tone still conveying more emotion that she's ever heard from him. Sarah finally sees him, gun in hand, as he stares at the woman whom he thinks is his wife.

"I'm no one of consequence and you can shoot me but others will take my place." Her orders had been clear and failure was never an option until now. Daniel Shaw's question and responses are unnerving but his emotional reaction allows her to slowly palm one of her hidden knifes. She still has the chance to kill him and she does not want to waste it as she makes her move when he blinks and glances away.

Eve's movement is so familiar to Sarah that she reacts before she calls out, pushing Shaw to the floor just as Eve throws her knife, which embeds itself in her upper arm. Sarah sees Eve reach for her gun only to have Shaw's voice stop her. "I'm your husband."

Shock registers on Eve's face but it's fleeting as she pulls out her gun. Sarah knows her choices are limited and she takes the shot, aiming for Eve's hand even as she hears Shaw's plea to not shoot. She hits her target as Eve drops the gun and runs out the door on the landing. Sarah stands to give chase only to have Shaw hold her back.

"Let her go." There had been no flicker of recognition in her eyes but it had been Eve. She even smelled the same, a mixture of lavender soap and her own unmistakable scent. He had grabbed her jacket to stop her when he caught up to her in the stairwell, planting a small tracer at the same time. He turns to Sarah's frustrated expression. "I put a tracer on her that automatically activates in twenty four hours. We may get lucky and we need to dress that wound."

Shaw finally shakes himself out of his daze to note Sarah' bleeding upper arm and to realize that she had saved his life. "Thanks, for the save." He places his hands around her upper arm, stemming the blood flow.

"Was that her?" Her voice is surprisingly caring and he as to take a moment because he can feel the despair within dissipate slightly only to be replaced by fear for Eve and for himself because he's sure that he'd give up almost anything to get her back.

"Yeah…yeah, I…it was her." For the past five years, his entire life revolved around bringing down the Ring because it was the only way he could deal with his loss. He pushes those thoughts aside as he quickly strips off his t-shirt and uses part of it as a tourniquet. "We should get back to Castle as Chuck's shift should end soon." He's using Chuck as a distraction and is glad to see it work when Sarah's expressions shifts to guilt.

"Don't freak out." The words run like a mantra through his head as he stares at the Orange Orange entrance, hoping to see her saunter in. He knows enough not to call just in case she's really on a mission. He also does not want to go back to Casey to tell him that he was wrong and that Sarah and Shaw were probably on a mission that he was not privy to because of his recent insubordination.

It's at times like this where he sometimes wonders what Bryce would do and whether he ever got worried for Sarah's safety. It's then that he spots the Suburban pull up to park near the store and Shaw quickly exit the vehicle to help Sarah out. One hand protectively held around her shoulder as they walk into the store.

Chuck's relieved to see Sarah unhurt as he turns to walk back to the Buy More, knowing that she'll meet him back at the hotel and he'll need to pick up some sizzling shrimp because she always got hungry after missions.

Chuck sees her hunched over her laptop when he enters and proffers the carton to her. "Here, I thought you could use this." His smile is infectious and she answers in kind before taking the carton.

"Wow, you got me shrimp. So what are you trying to make up for?" Her wide smile dims when she sees the confusion on his face. "Thanks." Her voice softens as she reaches up to kiss him on the lips and his hand automatically curls around her bicep only to feel her jerk back out of his reach. "Sorry, I forgot, um, Shaw told me to tell you that you have an early morning briefing tomorrow."

Chuck nods at her words. He's always trusted her with his life ever since she talked to him on the beach and trusting her with his heart was a natural progression. "So what did you and Shaw do today?" He looks straight at her and feels his heart constrict when she smiles and answers him with a lie.

"I" she emphasizes the word "served yogurt and then we had paperwork to finish at Castle and Shaw left early. But not without ordering me to tell you of the meeting tomorrow as soon you came back." She loves him and reminds herself that it's her job to protect him always.

The End

So, just wanted to reiterate that I am an avowed Charah shipper ;) Anyway, tell me what you think and also where you think the story is going. Again if you have a favourite quote, send it along and I'll incorporate it into a future chapter. Otherwise hope you're still enjoying this series.