Author's Note: Here's another one. I shall be very sad when this week ends because I'll be back to work and won't be able to update as often. But in the meanwhile, do carry on enjoying this…and please do let me know what you think.
Chars to all who review…its your nice comments and helpful advice that keep me going. As does AB!
JC Carmicheal
The Rest Of The Day Off
Team Bartowski got back to Chuck's apartment fairly quickly thanks to Casey's urgent driving. They were greeted by an excited Morgan ("James Bond is here, Chuck!") and a very awkward moment passed between Sarah and Barker when they met. Barker saw the discomfort with Chuck as well and had tried to greet Casey instead of lingering in the uncomfortable moment.
Casey wasn't in the best of moods, Cole could tell. Mainly by the way he stormed through the door and began to set up for a debrief. It was only when Alex lightly touched her father's back, did he calm and give her a stiff Frankenstein style hug. The lack of feeling in that hug confused the young woman, but when she saw Barker watching them, she understood.
"He's hugged me like that, because you're here." said Alex, smiling and touching at her hair. Casey grunted inquisitively a number 27 grunt, his eyes widening in surprise at the way his daughter was looking at the British man. The surprise and inquisitive growl tuned to one of annoyancer and his eyes narrowed with threatening intent.
Cole shook his head and held up his hands to show for Casey that he wasn't doing or going to do anything wrong. Especially not with his daughter.
Before the NSA agent could say anything further, Chuck's television screen winked into life and General Beckman appeared before them all.
"My cue to leave." said Alex, waving to everyone, but saving the finger wiggling and seductive one for Cole. "I'll see you later."
Cole waited for the sound of the door closing after the young woman, before joining the rest of the team, moving in closer together to begin the debrief.
Beckman welcomed and thanked Barker for lending his assistance before Sarah, Chuck and Casey gave their reports. All the way through, Barker saw how tense Casey was feeling, he saw the clenched fists, he heard the grinding of his teeth and it was clear he was not himself. Something was bothering him.
The rest of the debrief went by quite quickly, though even as they explained their next course of action, Barker couldn't help but notice the tension in the room.
And it wasn't coming from Chuck or Sarah.
Casey had remained silent after giving his report and stood behind the three shorter agents and Morgan, shifting from foot to foot, heaving deep breaths of frustration.
"Are you all right, Colonel?"
It appeared Beckman had noticed too and she didn't look impressed.
"I'm fine, General." Casey lied.
"Beg to differ, old man." said Cole looking up at Casey over his shoulder.
"You just got here." sneered Casey. "You don't even know….."
"I agree with Agent Barker." said Beckman, changing her positioning in her chair. "I can quite clearly see you are not yourself. It's not a good start for you, Colonel, considering."
"Oh, you're not well, John?" asked Morgan turning round and running to the kitchen. "We've got some Aspirin somewhere…I can fix up a hot water bottle for you and….."
"Mr Grimes!" Beckman's loud cry made the short man jump in fear. The General scowled and then addressed Casey, who was not feeling any better thanks to Cole's snotty remark. "Colonel, in the light of recent events, perhaps it would be best if you took the rest of the day off. Your 49-B will be arriving in the morning and these new group sessions with Janet Milligan don't commence until-?"
"Day after tomorrow, General." said Chuck.
"I'm sure that Agents Walker, Bartowski and Barker can resume with the suspect investigations without you."
"General…" Casey shook his head. "I must protest, I'm fine. I am not ill or impaired. I'm more than capable of doing my job."
"It's all right, Casey." said Chuck. He patted his hand on John's shoulder and the look of surprise and betrayal on the older man's face turned to out right confusion when Chuck smiled at him. Sarah looked confused as well. "We can manage. Honest. Follow the General's order. Besides we're going on a stake out…recon only. Do we really need all four of us cooped up in one vehicle?"
"Colonel you are off until after your initial meeting with your 49-B." said Beckman picking up some files from her desk. "The rest of you…I don't have to keep reminding you the importance of this mission."
"No ma'am." said Walker. "But surely Casey can…..
Beckman cut off the link before Sarah could even finish her sentence.
If the tension and awkwardness in the room was bad when the team came back, it was ten times worse now. Casey's face had gone red and his whole body was shaking with barely suppressed rage. Chuck stupidly placed his hand on Casey's shoulder again, resulting in a sharp head turn from Casey and glare of disbelief and anger. Chuck immediately retracted his hand.
"49-B eh?" Cole tutted. "Seriously Agent Casey, tough break. She must be really special."
There was the sound of a cracking bone and again Casey's head turned sharply, towards Barker.
"Chuck! Cole! How could you do that to him?" Sarah angrily stated. "Casey is perfectly able to continue on this mission!"
Chuck turned round to Sarah and gave her a wink and a toothy grin which said "I've got a plan, trust me!" Then he spun back round to the Colonel, though he kept on grinning in the same goofy manner in the hopes that the same message would get through Casey's red rage.
"You have not had a "personal" day off in months, buddy. I understand you can be a little stressed, especially after everything that's been going on. Why…why don't you take this opportunity to spend some time with Alex? Hmm? You haven't spent that much time with her and I do think she was round here to see you."
"And me…of course!" quirked Morgan, leaning on the kitchen counter and waving. He didn't realise that it was the wrong thing to say. He was now in the firing line of those fiery blue eyes.
There was a growl.
"Alex will be back later," Chuck hurriedly carried on with his plan. "Use that quality father and daughter time you've been missing out on and enjoy yourselves. We can handle this. Right?"
"Oh! Of course." Sarah and Cole both chimed in together.
There was the growl again, a definite number 3. "Rage."
Everything went deadly silent, nothing could be heard except the deep panting and yet restrained breaths of John Casey.
"Wait was that the doorbell?" gasped Morgan in an obvious attempt to break away from the stare and make a run for it. Yet by the time he got to the door, the bell did actually ring.
It startled everyone, mostly Morgan who had to catch his breath before opening the door.
His eyes lit up.
"Hi, Morgan." Ellie Bartowski beamed a sunshine filled smile. "Is John here?"
Cole Barker no longer heard the impending explosion of Mt Casey when the beautiful woman came walking into the lounge. He heard the purring of a sated lion.
"She's the reason you've got a 49-B paying you a visit?" Barker whispered into Casey's ear. "I was right. She is special."