A/N NB - I rewrote Chapter 10. Added some stuff. Also moved part of it here, hence the dejavu feeling...I think is works better now. I don't own Chuck.

Chapter 11

"Don't you think you're taking this a little too seriously, Bartowski?" Casey watched them in the rear view mirror. "I feel like a taxi driver."

"Not at all, Casey. Sarah would be a sitting duck in the front seat and she can't keep a lookout from both windows all by herself at the back. Just keep your eyes on the road." He didn't tell Casey about his call to Colonel Saunders. He had a bad feeling about this. Casey would have just grunted anyway. Grunt number one – you're a moron. And who knows what General Beckman is going to say when she receives that bill. But he'll do anything to keep Sarah safe. It was his mission. And she was the woman he...Focus damn it. Feelings will get you killed. Or worse, get her killed. As if reading his mind, Sarah locked eyes with him. That's when something in his peripheral vision made his blood run cold.

"Casey, watch out!"

Casey swerves the Crown Victoria to the right in an attempt to avoid the van that was barreling out of the side street towards them, but to no avail. What is it with bad guys and vans? Chuck pulls Sarah against him to get her as far away from the impact as possible, shielding her head against his shoulder. The van hits them on Sarah's door. Chuck closed his eyes and pressed his face into Sarah's shoulder to avoid being cut by the shards of glass flying towards them. The car skids across the road and slams into a tree, crushing the front passenger side.

Chuck pushes Sarah slightly away from him, not letting go of her shoulders. Their eyes lock as Sarah asks out of breath "are you okay?" It was second nature for her to protect him.

"Yeah, you?"

"I think so." Instinctively Chuck pulls Sarah back into his embrace. She's fine. Sarah is safe.

"Casey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, moron. Thanks for remembering I'm here too. I'm touched," Casey answers sarcastically.

A little embarrased Sarah pulls back from Chuck. "Sorry Casey." She was so relieved that Chuck was okay, she completely forgot about her partner.

Casey answered with one of his typical grunts. "I'll go check out the van. You two stay in the car." He assessed the damage to his beloved car as he got out.

"You can't go without back-up, Casey," Sarah started to protest.

"It would seem that I have an entire tactical team," Casey grunts approvingly as he noticed the men in black mission gear surrounding the van about two block behind them. "Didn't think you had it in you, Bartowski. Now for once, will you just stay in the damn car."

There's a moment of awkward silence. Sarah takes a deep breath. I guess now is as good a time as any. "Look, Chuck, I..." She stops when she realises that Chuck is looking past her through the broken window, his eyes wide.

Sarah gasps as she feels the cold gunbarrel press into the base of her skull. "I believe we have a score to settle, Sarah. Don't even think about reaching for your gun, Chuck. Or are you still wheeling a tranq pistol?"

Chuck's eyes dart between Sarah and Shaw. Sarah shook her head. Don't listen to him, Chuck. Pull your gun. Remember what we taught you. Pull your gun. When he shoots me, you shoot him. Don't let him kill you too. Sometimes you have to shoot first. Sometimes you have no choice.

Sarah's heart broke when she saw Chuck putting his hands up instead. Shaw was going to kill us both.

"This is not you Shaw. Put your gun down."

Shaw snorted. "I thought you said he was a real spy, Sarah?"

"I am a real spy." Chuck was getting annoyed that he had to keep reminding them of that.

"No Chuck, real spies are not ruled by their emotions. It's a liability. Emotions get you killed."

"You should know all about being ruled by your emotions, Shaw. You fell in love with a spy too." Chuck took his eyes of Shaw and focused them on Sarah. The message was clear. Trust me. What was he doing? Pull your gun, Chuck. Save yourself. Forget about the damn asset-handler rules. I don't want you to take a bullet for me.

Shaw cocked his gun. "You know what, Chuck, you're absolutely right. I never thought about it that way." Shaw aims his gun away from Sarah, pointing it at Chuck. "Sarah killed the person I loved most in this world. Seems only fair that I return the favour." Sarah closed her eyes. I can't watch this, I can't watch him die. And I can't save him.

A/N I have created a monster. It's 2 am again. I haven't been to bed in over 43 hours. Maybe once I've had some sleep, I can get them out of this? *evil grin* See you tomorrow...well, later :)