A/N: Dear Guest who reviewed chapter 4 and said, "This is a typical DC fic, so, its hollow and shallow that is forgettable because there is no redeeming quality and depth." I think if you'll look in my bio I say something to the affect of, "If you are looking for a deep, rich, story that will move you, and be on a rollercoaster ride, you aren't going to find much of that here." So my suggestion would be not to read any of my stories. None. Just pass on them.

However, since you are here, may I say, I find your views, selfish and typical. I receive pms, reviews, and all sorts of communication thanking me for my writing because they need fluff, laughs, or whatever hollow, shallow things I do. See, I hate to break your heart, but I'm not writing for you, and I'm writing for me. I'm writing to entertain me because I have anxiety, and asperger's and 2020 is a full-on shitstorm. If YOU would like to add to the Chuck fanfic community, there is a program called google docs that you can access for free and then upload your work into . I'm tired. I'm exhausted, and frankly I'm sick and tired of these drive by guest snipes of people who don't have the balls to attach their names to anything, put up their own work, and feel safe behind their keyboards to be a "warrior".

I promise you, I have so many who are thankful for what I done, and I'm not saying that to brag, its because I am proud to help people get through a shitty day, or just put a smile on their faces. So the next time you start to open one of my stories, remember exactly what I said in my bio, I'm NOT going for something deep and rich. I'm hollow…shallow, you said so yourself. Do your mental health a favor and just scroll on by.

Everyone else, I'm sorry, I've just had it, and had to say it. Now on with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

The phone rang, pulling her out of her comfortable sleep. "Don't you move," she growled at Chuck, reaching over and grabbing her phone. "Walker, secure but with Chuck."

"Agent Walker, I need you to meet me at the NSA substation later today," Beckman said. "I want to show you a spot we have, to put you and Chuck in temporary lockdown if something ever happens. If you find the arrangements suitable, Director Graham will swing by here tomorrow to look it over with you."

"Okay," Sarah said, confused. "I'm sorry, I just woke up… you can't do it at the same time?"

"Director Graham is on vacation, and is only going to swing by if you and I agree," Beckman explained.

"Okay, General. See you shortly," Sarah replied.

"Take your time, Agent Walker," she said. "I have plenty to do here, and it can wait until Mr. Bartowski is at work." And with that, she disconnected.

"Everything okay?" Chuck asked, starting to raise his head from her shoulder.

"Everything is fine," she said, pushing him right back down where he had been. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I figured we had to go," Chuck said. He hovered just over her shoulder, wanting to snuggle against it, but not wanting to be told to get up the second his head touched her.

"No, I don't have to go until you go to work. And that means I still have snuggle-time with…" she trailed off.

"Chuck," he told her, not realizing what she had almost let slip out.

"My Chuck," she said, pushing his head against her shoulder. She felt him freeze. "Oh come on, this cannot be a shock to you."

"It's not, it's just… you're admitting it," Chuck told her.

"Keep it up, and you're gonna be admitted to the hospital for interrupting my Chuck time. Understood?" Chuck snuggled against her, wisely choosing not to tell her that hurting her Chuck would lessen her Chuck time.

}o{

Sarah stood in front of the nondescript building, wondering what was going on. Beckman never came to California, and now Graham was here as well. With family? Sarah shook her head, entered the building, signed in, and was led through the halls.

She was left alone, in front of a door. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door, and was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't just a room, it was a rather large apartment. Then she became worried; was the NSA and CIA about to put Chuck in this bunker?

"This is for emergencies only, and when the crisis is adverted, he will rejoin society," Beckman said from behind her. Sarah spun, surprised, as Beckman stepped inside and shut the door behind her. "You will be here with him the entire time. And he would not be confined in this apartment, but he would be confined to the building, if the need to protect him were to present itself."

Sarah was silent, glancing around, taking in the apartment. "General," Sarah began.

"Agent Walker, we have a choice: we can dance around things and spend all day here, or we can get to the point, and you go do what you need to do. And I… I get to try to have a personal life." Sarah turned back to Beckman, surprise on her face. "You don't think I can have a personal life, Agent Walker?"

"No ma'am, you deserve one, it's just…" Sarah trailed off.

"Rising through the ranks of the NSA, a woman… when would I have time, when would it be a priority?" Beckman asked. Sarah nodded. "It wasn't… and it was, but mostly… it wasn't."

"I see," Sarah began.

"No, you do not see," Beckman said. Sarah didn't speak, and Beckman sighed. "Agent Walker… Sarah… you are on the road to becoming who I am. An amazing and distinguished career, the top of your field, and very alone."

"But you've accomplished so much," Sarah argued.

"And who the hell do I have it to share with?" Beckman asked. Sarah pursed her lips, thinking that one over. "Who do I to talk to when I doubt myself, or just want someone to listen… and maybe not understand, but just listen?"

Sarah stood there, quietly. "But how am I supposed to do that when-"

"Agent Walker, when have you ever failed a mission?" Beckman asked.

"Never," Sarah replied, shrugging. "But I don't see any way of completing this one."

"What is the best way to have a successful mission?" Beckman asked.

"Gather as much evidence as possible before or during the mission, so you can make the correct decisions," Sarah replied, wondering why they were talking basic tactics.

"All I know is, sometimes having a partner means discussing things with them. Regardless of how bad things may seem, regardless of how hopeless it looks. Because in that moment, maybe they know something, or have an idea that can help you," Beckman said.

"General, if I have a relationship with Chuck, would you have me removed from the team?" Sarah asked.

"The Intersect is the single most valuable asset in the United States, Agent Walker," Beckman replied. "If you are compromised by that asset…" she spread her hands.

Sarah dropped her head back. "I don't understand the point of this conversation."

"To make sure this apartment is suitable for you and Chuck, if the Intersect needs to be put under protection," Beckman told her.

"It's fine," Sarah said.

"Then I'll call Graham, and you two can meet tomorrow," Beckman said. Sarah nodded and started for the door. "I wished I had talked, when I was your age," she said softly. Sarah paused, but didn't turn back. She didn't think she was supposed to. "I wonder if I had talked it out, if things would have been different."

"Why didn't you?" Sarah asked.

"I wanted my career," Beckman said.

"It's not that simple with me," Sarah began.

"Oh, I'm not comparing your situation and mine. What I am saying is that my partner, he had different ideas, and thoughts than I did." There was silence a second. "Merry Christmas, Sarah."

"Merry Christmas… Diane," Sarah replied, and headed out the door.

A minute later the door opened, and Casey and Anna walked in. "She still doesn't get it," Casey muttered.

"General, I think Major Casey deserves a medal for not shooting either of them over the last year," Anna added.

"I couldn't push too hard," Beckman replied.

"You did fine," Anna assured her. "Besides, you have someone to go see." Beckman nodded, and headed toward the door. "Did you send him any pictures?"

"Why do you think he wants to see me so bad?" Beckman asked, closing the door behind her.

"Christ," Anna and Casey muttered at the same time.

"Think Bartowski will figure it out?" Casey asked after a moment of silence.

"Nope," Anna replied. "But, that's why we have future ghost."

"I just hope he shows up," Casey said. "I'm not sure we can count on him. Lord knows Sarah couldn't."

"They'll get there, Casey," Anna assured him. Casey gave her a look. "I mean, I'm not betting money on it."

"Shit," Casey muttered.

}o{

"Hey, Chuck," Morgan said, as he walked by the Nerd Herd desk. "Got any plans tonight? I'm thinking of watching Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan."

"Not sure," Chuck replied.

"Oh, the old ball-and-chain have plans?" Morgan asked.

"We'd have to be together for that to be in any way accurate. Plus, I hate that term," Chuck told him, gathering his stuff to go clock out.

"Sorry, buddy, just a figure of speech. Won't do it again," Morgan told him. "Maybe Sarah would like to watch Star Trek II?"

"I don't know," Chuck admitted. "Maybe." Chuck punched the clock, walked out of the Buy More, got into Sarah's Porsche, and the two took off. "How'd things go with Beckman?"

"Weird," Sarah said. She took a deep breath. "So apparently, she has some regrets in life." Chuck turned to Sarah slowly, shock on his face. "What? You don't think she does, or shocked that she has feelings?"

"No, I'm stunned she told you," Chuck replied. He sat there, waiting for her to say anything. "Why did she tell you?"

Sarah looked straight ahead at the road, and played with her hair with her free hand, driving with the other. "She, ah… she may have said that… she may have implied that her regrets have to do with putting her job over her love life."

Chuck blinked, turned and looked at the road, turned back to Sarah, blinked again, and shook his head. "So… did you two…" Sarah gave him a look. "Listen, you are two of the most badass women I know, but you're allowed to have talks."

"Well, I'm glad you feel that way, because she said something to me about how she wished she had talked things over with her partner." Sarah glanced at Chuck. "So, do you have any ideas, nerd?" Chuck's eyes went wide.

"Uh, about what, exactly?" Chuck asked.

"About how to win in a no-win situation," Sarah replied. "If I act on my feelings, I get reassigned. If I don't… I lose you," she finished softly.

"No, you won't," Chuck replied. He saw her swallow. He reached over, and laid his hand on hers that was on the steering wheel. She took the wheel with her other hand, and placed the one covered by his hand on the center console. "As long as you keep being honest with me, you will not."

"I guess it was too much to hope you had some nerdy idea of how to fix this mess," Sarah said, chuckling, their hands still entwined together.

"Well, I mean," Chuck paused. "There is the Kobayashi Maru."

"The who do what, now?" Sarah asked.

"The Kobayashi Maru, the no-win scenario," Chuck told her. She straightened up in her seat, intrigued. "Kirk did beat it."

"How?" Sarah asked, a little breathless.

Chuck's shoulders slumped. "He reprogrammed the simulator. There is no simulator in this scenario, this is real life."

"So, I have to find a real-life solution to reprogramming the simulator," Sarah said.

"Sarah," Chuck began.

"Chuck, I know… but what you're getting at is, think outside the box. Think of something you would do," Sarah said. "Beckman wouldn't tell me about her life, if there was nothing I could do."

"You can be with me, and we not be together, or be with me, and be in another country," Chuck said, shrugging.

"Or…." Sarah said, smiling, "I can reprogram the simulator."

"That kind of talk is gonna upset Casey," Chuck pointed out.

"I'm okay with that," Sarah said, grinning. "I'm gonna figure this out."

"Okay," Chuck said.

"That's it? That's all you got?" Sarah asked him.

"All I know is when Sarah Walker tells me she's 'gonna' do something, something is 'gonna' get done," Chuck told her. Sarah laughed. She had hope. Christmas was in three days. And if that wasn't a time for hope, then when was?

A/N: She's gonna figure this out, pinky swear. Next time the Nerd Herd strikes:

Four men stood in the door way of the Buy More, watching the Porsche drive away.

"He's off tomorrow, right?" Morgan asked.

"He is," Big Mike confirmed.

"We close at three?" Morgan asked.

"We do," Big Mike confirmed again.

"Is the van ready?" Morgan asked Lester. Lester looked over at Jeff.

"It is, and the equipment for the kidnapping," Jeff replied.

"Does it bother you he already had that stuff?" Morgan asked Big Mike softly.

"This whole damn thing bothers me," Big Mike replied. "Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure I don't want my legs broke," Morgan replied. "It's time for us to do what we do best."