A/N - I am actually surprised I wrote this. It was halfway done and I knew how I wanted this chapter to end but just did not have impetus to get there and in the end just wrote whatever popped into my head. I hope its not too disjointed. Anyway, hope you're still reading this.

Chuck vs The Cardinal Rule

An unlikely team can produce successful results

Diane Beckman

"You want Sarah to what?" Chuck sees Sarah's bemused expression at his reaction although he can tell that she is worried about him when she does not protest at his words, instead, just holding his hand as she stands next to him.

"Agent Bartowski, I expect Agent Walker to infiltrate the Ring Cell as their computer communications expert. Now without anymore interruption.." Beckman stares at Chuck as she says this, "The Intel we have is time sensitive and at this point, Agent Walker is our only operative on the ground that has not had direct Ring dealings. Colonel Casey was identified by Colonel Keller and we're still not sure how much Agent Shaw told them about you being the Intersect." Beckman knows Sarah will react to that and her response does not disappoint.

"General, I have no issue with the assignment although I think that Chuck needs to provide backup especially if I need to sound credible." Sarah needs this mission to be a success for a variety of reasons but most importantly, she wants Chuck to know that he has not changed and his skills will always be as important as the Intersect in his head. Morgan was still not returning his calls and worse of all, they had all not told Beckman of Morgan's new found knowledge.

"Very well. I expect results and good luck."

Sarah nods at Beckman before turning to Chuck, "You need to check what equipment we need and Casey and I will go over the escape routes." She can tell that he's still affected by Morgan's reaction and she knows that she can at least do something about it as she sees him go to their storeroom.

"What are you planning?" Casey can spot a ploy a mile away and he knows that Walker does not need him to go over escape routes. He just hopes he's not about to be roped into some harebrained scheme to jumpstart the Chuck and Morgan bromance. He actually cringes as the word flashes in his head and really hates the small smile gracing Walker's face as she reads his mind.

"I swear that you'll have to take a bullet for me to make this up to me." Casey mutters under his breath as he leans against the door, waiting for Morgan to enter the break room.

"Simmer down, Casey. You know as well as I do that he needs Morgan as much as he does all of us." She hears Casey's grunt in response and knows that he agrees which is why he did not protest too much when she broached the idea of him talking to Morgan. She had tried to do it herself but Morgan would always run away and she did not have the heart to threaten him because she knew Chuck would not approve. However, Casey did not share that view. "He's walking towards you now. Thanks for doing this."

"Don't thank me yet but I'll collect soon enough." Casey slams the door shut and pulls on Morgan's arm, yanking him forward and handcuffing him to a chair. He can hear Sarah's voice in his ear telling him not to hurt Morgan but he does not acknowledge it.

"Shut up." He directs the words at Morgan although Sarah chooses to obey them as well as she stops talking. "I'm only going to say this once so listen up because your life does depend on it."

Morgan gulps audibly, his left foot bouncing up and down as he stares at Casey, mouth slightly open before slowly nodding.

"Good. Chuck Bartowski is a hero, not because he wants to be but because he just is. He never wanted to be a spy but when his country called, he answered. He did it to protect his family and to protect his friends. He does it to keep Ellie and Walker and you safe." Sarah holds her breath as she hears Casey's words, surprised at the emotion behind them.

"You've not earned the right to know any of this and if it were up to me, you would be detained at our government's discretion, never to be heard of again." Casey bends down, enunciating each word as he stares unblinking at Morgan. "Chuck needs you to be you." Casey sneers the last word out, his mouth scowling. "Ellie's his sister and Walker is his heart but he still needs you."

Casey is surprised that Morgan hasn't peed in his pants although he does flinch at each word he has spoken, clearly scared out of his wits. So it really does surprise him when Morgan actually replies.

"He's my best friend and I always knew he was better, different…I knew Chuck Bartowski but this Chuck, Sarah's Chuck, Spy Chuck is someone I don't know." Morgan sees Casey's face contort in anger and he closes his eyes waiting for the hit but still continuing with his speech nonetheless. "I want to know who this Chuck is but I'm not sure he'll want me in his life because I'm still Morgan…I'm still screw up Morgan Grimes and he's…well he's Chuck."

Morgan slowly opens his eyes to see Casey staring back at him, his arms crossed over his chest. "Then just talk to him because Chuck just needs you to be his friend and if you ever say a word about anything I said today, I will kill you." Casey turns and walks out the door stopping Morgan's next words as he tosses the key to the cuffs just out of Morgan's reach.

"Relax Bartowski, she's doing fine." Casey bites into his sandwich as his eyes scan the monitors, his hand reaching out to adjust the angle so that he could see the door behind Sarah better. "She's sitting in the control room surround by geeks.."

"Geeks who work for the Ring. Geeks who could get her killed." Chuck knows that despite his words, Casey is ever alert for even the slightest hint of danger to Sarah. However, he'll never be able to stop his worry regardless of how much a better agent she is.

"You're Cyrano act got her this far and right now, they've practically handed their entire system interface to her because they think she's that good. In a couple of minutes, she'll get all the information we need to pinpoint exactly what that son of a bitch director is hiding. I'm going to take a leak. Don't touch anything" Casey wants to have another sweep through of the grounds. It's not any one particular thing that has put him on the edge but he has this feeling that he cannot shake. He's professional enough not to tip off Chuck but he really needs to look around to ensure that they're not in any danger, especially Walker.

"Bartowski?" Casey waits until Chuck looks directly at him. "She needs you to stay here and ensure she's out and can give you a visual signal." Only after he sees Chuck nod once, his expression solemn, does he exit the van.

Casey looks at his watch and knows that Walker will almost be done with her download and makes an excuse to leave. She'll have to exit at the South end of the building and all he really needs to do is to ensure that her path is clear. He knows by now that Chuck can see him on the monitors and hopes that for once, he does his job and waits in the van.

Chuck's so focused on Sarah's profile that he does not waver in his line of sight until she exits the room, closing the door behind her. It's only then that he lets out the breath that he has been holding and scans the other monitors. He immediately spots Casey, gun in hand as he makes his way towards the South end of the building.

Chuck knows this was not part of the plan and he feels his heart again begin to hammer loudly in his chest, fear and adrenaline coursing through his veins as he holds onto the side of the chair, fingers digging into the leather rests. He wants desperately to activate Sarah's watch and pinpoint her exact location but he knows that it could also give away her location to the Ring.

He knows he should watch Casey's back but instead, he quickly enters a string of commands into the computer and almost immediately, he's scrolling through the sixty or so cameras situated throughout the inside of the complex, looking for a familiar blonde and hoping that Casey's really just finding a place to take a leak.

It's a longshot but Chuck knows that he can only stay in the van if he can catch a glimpse of her. He gives himself three minutes before he knows he has to switch the cameras back to watching Casey's back and the door at the South entrance.

Sarah does not allow herself to feel anything except vigilance as she makes her way to the exit that will bring her to Chuck and Casey. She tamps down on excitement at finally getting a break on the Ring as well as anticipation of meeting Chuck and celebrating their win. She's singular in her focus to just get to the extraction point because she's experienced enough to know that close enough does not count in their line of work. She knows the door to her freedom is just around the next corner and getting there is her only choice.

It's then that she picks up the noise of someone struggling and the distinct sound of a gun being cocked. She looks down at her watch to see the small light flashing indicating that either Casey or Chuck has been caught. Sarah does not hesitate as she careens round the corner, her left hand palming the knife she has managed to hide in the small of her back.

She sees Casey being dragged through the door by two men, blood streaming from his temple and for once she cannot help but feel relieved that it's not Chuck. The guilt stemming from this thought, forces her to react in a way that Agent Walker would never have done. She throws the knife, taking out the man on his right. However, instead of assuming nothing, she reacts and barrels into the second man, pushing him and Casey out the door, thinking that Chuck would not be far behind.

The harsh sunlight causes her to squint, her reaction just a second too late as the man, gun in his hand points at Casey's crumpled body. She launches herself not at the gun but at Casey's prone form. She hears the shot and a split second later, feels the bullet enter her back, the force of it sending her crashing down onto Casey.

Chuck stayed in the van. Casey had said that's what they had planned, what Sarah had expected of him. He needed to stay in the van until she walked out the door and signaled to him. Only, she didn't walk out. She had tumbled out all hands and legs and it had taken him a few seconds to make out that there were two men on the ground next to her.

He stands up from the chair, backing towards the door, his eyes still on the monitor as he sees her push herself up and jump towards the man prone on the ground. Chuck knows its Casey and feels the fear once again spread through his veins. He sees the flash from the muzzle on the screen before turning and launching himself out the door.

He's alive and running, blood pumping through his heart. But it's the distant echo of the gunshot though, that shatters it.

The End

I really thought I lost all compulsion to write so it was a joy to actually get this chapter out. It would be nice to hear if you think it was any good so please review.