A/N: First of all, thank you ever so much to Michael666 for giving me a beta on this, again. Not just a couple of mistakes, did he find. Some of it was just inexcusable. Except that I'm still sick. Yes, I know I wasn't sick when I wrote it. I still reserve the right for a future summer cold to have been the reason for my errors, haha. Okay, so in this chapter, we get back to some Anna. Or AnnaSarah, whatever you want to call her. It's really getting to be go-time in this story, and things are heating up. I hope you enjoy it!

P.J. Murphy: You make a good point, and don't give up on Chuck's goodness just yet. But right now, he's under the Sarah influence. That can be a powerful drug, whether she's in her body or not.

TioPaco: Thank you! Yes, Sarah is a confident woman. When she's spying. But when it comes to matters of the heart, she's still a scared little girl, in a lot of ways. She's not so "emotionally developed" as some would say. This is one of the things that keeps her endearing in this story, I think, whereas if she didn't have those deficencies, she could just come off as cold and uncaring of others.

Devangel6: Hehe, things are heating up! Thanks for the review.

Zerctica: Yeah, that's still a story that I'm VERY proud of. A traditional holiday tale? Not at all, but what's the fun in being traditional, right? And yeah, Sarah being evasive is fun for me to write, and even more, to visualize, as you know she was getting flustered.

Michael: I think if we look at banner, it would say "Michael Love Fluff." And that's your Arrested Development reference of the day. I thank you.

KryptonitePoinson: There's a line between belief, and knowing, and I think that's where Chuck was. Logically, he knew it didn't make sense. And he was confused, but deep down, his gut was revealing the truth to him.

Fire From Above: Yay! I was so happy that you were reading/reviewing this story again, especially because it was prompted by you to begin with. Heh, Morgan? Well, I don't know that it will get to that point, but I think it's safe to say that the bearded guy would be VERY confused. Thanks for the review!

Chapter 14: Wake Up Little Anna

The sound that Anna made was somewhere between a growl, a gasp, and a raspberry as she was slammed, kicking and flailing back into the world of the conscious.

"Jesus, Walker," Casey said, touching his lip where Anna's fist had accidentally struck him. "It's just smelling salt."

Anna was fully awake, the obnoxious smell of ammonia still burning in her nostrils, but to say she was disoriented would be a mild understatement.

Whipping her head from side to side, she did her best to evaluate her situation. She was on a hard floor inside the secret spy base, she was still fully dressed, and Casey, who she had to remind herself still thought she was Sarah, had to wake her with smelling salts.

"Wha—"

Her question died on her lips, as the memories of the previous night flooded into her mind. She went on her first mission, then Sarah revealed their secret to Chuck and Casey, then they locked Sarah away, then Amy told Anna she would help in reversing the spell, then Sarah tricked her into opening her cell door, and Sarah escaped, leaving her unconscious.

"What the hell happened?" Casey demanded.

"Sar—Anna got away!" she replied.

"Well, no shit," Casey grumbled. "I'm asking how."

"She, um, I went in to talk with her, and then I hugged her, and she drugged me, somehow, and then she ran," Anna said.

Casey pointed to the stain on Anna's right sleeve.

"I'm guessing you had a vile of 3471-A in that pocket."

"Say that again?" Anna asked, confused.

Casey rolled his eyes. "Coma-in-a-can," he said, as if that should explain everything. "Wake up already."

Anna thought for a minute. All of that stuff would probably make perfect sense if she was indeed Sarah Walker, as Casey thought. And she didn't want to disabuse him of that notion, as she needed his help to track down the real Sarah before anything was done to prevent her from putting things right. Sarah was, after all, no doubt doing everything in her power to make their change permanent, based on the things she'd told Anna the previous night.

"Oh, right, that," Anna said, feigning recollection.

She stood on still wobbly legs, and stretched her long arms above her head. Sleeping on a concrete floor was hell on her back. Or Sarah's back, at least. Made sense, what with Sarah being at least half a decade older than Anna.

"We need to go after her," Anna said, moving carefully to the door.

"Yeah, we do," Casey conceded. "But you need to be honest with me here."

Anna swallowed nervously. She wasn't in peak condition at all, and she wasn't confident in her ability to lie under Casey's scrutinizing gaze. If he asked her the wrong question, she knew he'd figure out that she was hiding something.

"I'll have your back with Beckman, but you have to let me know. What are we up against? Is Wu an enemy agent? Fulcrum?"

Anna breathed a sigh of relief. That, she could answer without worry of being found out as a liar.

"No," she said. "She's not an enemy. She's just really confused. And desperate."

Both things were absolutely true. Sarah was insanely desperate. That was clear in Sarah's voice, even before her actions proved her desperation. And she was confused. Sarah was not only willing, but was a proponent of their switch becoming permanent. A woman who would so willingly give up her own identity was clearly confused, at least in Anna's eyes.

Not that she didn't enjoy being Sarah Walker for a little while. It was fun at first. Almost like a really elaborate cosplay. But Anna would never give up her own person forever, no matter how much more exciting her life would be as someone else.

"Hmm," Casey grunted. "Well, that makes things easier." He paused. "And harder."

"Harder?" Anna asked.

"Well, if she's not an enemy, and she doesn't pose a real threat, we can't just shoot her."

Anna's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. Shoot? Casey would maybe shoot her body, if there was a threat posed? Because Sarah would most certainly pose a threat. Already, she'd shown she was willing to go to any lengths to keep things as they were. And if Casey shot Sarah, then Anna wouldn't have a body to go back to. And there was no telling how a death would screw things up. Would Sarah actually die, or would Anna die, or would no one die, leaving two souls trapped in one body.

Anna didn't want any of those things to happen.

"I don't think anyone needs to get shot," she said defensively.

Casey shrugged. "Never know," he said.

"I do know!" Anna responded. "I know you won't have to shoot Sar—Anna."

Casey looked at her oddly, no doubt because she'd almost called who he thought was Anna, Sarah. She had to change the subject, and fast.

"Let's go," Anna said. "We can't let her cause anymore damage."

Anna explained to Casey that her phone had been stolen in the previous night's assault, and he let her borrow his to make a couple of calls. She excused herself to the room with all the guns so she could talk in private, as Casey started combing over pictures from local traffic cameras.

First, she tried to call Sarah. Tried Sarah's phone, and her own. Neither call got an answer, but then, Anna wasn't really expecting one. But it was worth a shot.

Next, she called Chuck.

"Casey?" he answered.

"No Chuck, it's me."

"Oh, hey Ann-Sarah," he said.

So, he still believed Sarah's story. To Chuck's credit, what he was believing was the truth. Still, it didn't make Anna's job any easier.

"Chuck, has Anna tried to contact you?"

"Anna?" Chuck said, his voice cracking just a little. "Um, nope, no Anna. Why, did you guys let her go or something?"

Chuck would make a horrible poker player, Anna decided. How someone so bad at lying had become a spy was beyond her. But maybe that's why he had to stay in the van when they were on a mission.

She knew she couldn't believe anything he was saying. Clearly Sarah had been in contact with him, and he was on her side.

Anna was tempted to appeal to Chuck's humanity, to admit that, yes, she was Anna Wu, and that she just wanted her own body, her own life back. Chuck was a good guy. Surely he would see things clearly. Or at least, he wouldn't be as blinded by desperation Sarah was. But she decided against that. If she was wrong, and Chuck stood by Sarah and her decision to stay as she was, he might tip Sarah off, and that would make things even more difficult. And Anna really didn't want Casey to shoot anyone.

"Okay," she said. She'd give Chuck his horribly executed lie. "Well if you hear anything, just let us know, okay?"

That, Anna figured, would give Chuck an out in case he decided to help her instead of Sarah.

"I will," Chuck said. Though Anna wasn't counting on him following through on that promise.

"Be careful, Chuck," she said. And that, Anna meant, in so many ways. He needed to be careful not to get in the middle of what was about to go on. At least not anymore than he already was. She genuinely liked Chuck, and didn't want to see him hurt. Physically or otherwise.

"You, too," he answered.

His concern even sounded sincere. Which, Anna figured, it probably was. If anyone knew how dangerous Sarah Walker could be, it was Chuck. And now Sarah Walker was backed into a corner. Things could go really bad, and Anna knew it. But she didn't have to tell Chuck that.

"Walker," Anna heard Casey shouting from the other room.

After another quick moment of reflection, she answered him.

"You find something?" she asked, walking back into the spy base's main hall.

"Yeah," he said. "And before you see it, I just want you to reflect on how adamant you were that no one get shot."

Anna was intrigued. What could Sarah have done that, if it was Anna, would so incite her? Was there an image of her making out with Chuck? Doing other stuff with Chuck? Killing someone close to Sarah?

"Just show me," she said.

Without another word, Casey hit a button and spun his chair so he could see her reaction as an image popped up on the screen. It was from a traffic camera. The car was a black Porsche, and behind the wheel was Sarah.

Anna was momentarily confused. Why was she supposed to be upset about—

Oh. Sarah was no doubt highly protective of her car.

"That bitch!" Anna said, doing her best to sound angry.

"Relax, Walker. Like you said, she's just confused."

Clearly Casey was trying to goad her into a fury, but Anna wasn't taking the bait. Mostly, because it was Sarah's car, not hers.

"Whatever," she said. "We just need to find her before she hurts someone." Like Amy, so that I can't perform the ritual to make this all go away, she added silently.

Casey grunted. "You call the geek?"

No doubt he meant Chuck.

"Chuck said he hasn't seen her," Anna said.

"Yeah, 'cause Bartowski would never lie about some piece of tail he's after. Hell, do you even remember the whole thing with Jill, or have you blocked it from your memory? And by the way Wu was acting…"

Casey just left his comment hanging, but Anna got the gist of it. Apparently Chuck liked to step out on Sarah from time to time. Which, considering they weren't actually dating, Anna couldn't really blame him. She was a little hurt, though. If Chuck was that desperate for just some side action, Sarah had been around for months before she started dating Morgan. Why hadn't he come to her with his needs? Anna would've gladly taken care of him.

But no matter.

"Yeah," she said. "I know, Casey." She didn't, but she knew she should know, if she was Sarah.

"I don't know, Walker, the way he's always running off like this, maybe it's time you went dark."

"Dark?" Anna asked, confused.

"Up top," Casey said.

That clarified nothing, and the confused expression Anna gave him conveyed that.

"Dye your hair, dumbass," Casey said. "The boy has a definite type, and it ain't you, apparently."

"What?" Anna asked, affronted by the accusation for some reason. "Chuck loves Sarah. Um, me," she said.

Casey looked at her queerly. "You're weird today. We should get you checked out when all this is cleared up."

"Right," Anna said. She didn't know how else to answer him.

Casey plopped his elbows on the table and leaned closer to her. "Look, I'm just busting your balls, mostly," he said sincerely.

"I know," Anna said.

"But seriously, it might not be the worst thing if you gave the geek a spin or two around the block. Keep him from running after every skirt he sees. It would be safer for him."

"It's not that simple, Casey," Anna said. Which was true. Not for the reasons he no doubt thought, but the line still worked in either context.

"Pfft," Casey blew out. "Don't give me that crap, Walker," he said. "I know you want that just as much as he does. Hell, you've had to do worse for missions before. A hell of a lot worse. And Bartowski, for all the hell I give him, he's a good man."

"He is," Anna admitted.

"So just tell the brass that you have to take measures to control the asset. That'll keep them off your back, and I'll look the other way for all the lady feelings and crap."

"I—"

Before she could answer, Casey's words started to sink in. There was a way for Sarah to be with Chuck. She didn't have to become someone else to do it. Surely, if she could find a way to let Sarah know, the madness could stop, and Anna could perform the ritual, and everything could go back to the way it was before.

But first, they had to find Sarah.

"Ah-ha," Casey announced. "I got a hit on Wu's phone. We can use GPS to track her movement now." There was a pause as Casey watched the movement on the screen. "She just turned onto North Keystone," he announced.

"I know where she's going," Anna said, as she turned to run up the steps. She didn't even wait for Casey's reply, but by the sound of his clomping footsteps behind her, she knew he was hot on her heels.

They had to get to Amy. Sarah was almost there.

A/N: And that's all for now. As I said, things are kind of coming to a pass. I just ask, in advance, that you guys stick with me for this. Things are going to get weird. Yes, even weirder than they are right now. Just tough it out, and hopefully it will all make sense in the end. You guys are awesome. Peace.