Posted October 15, 2021

A/N: This Casey-POV story follows "Morgan vs the Spies," a Charah AU from Morgan's POV, set after season 1.

Reminder of that story: Morgan knew something was wrong, accidentally overheard something, and followed Chuck and Sarah on what ended up being a mission. He discovered part of the truth, not that he understood it. The thing that made the least sense was Chuck and Sarah were not a real couple. (We all know that Morgan was right and that Chuck and Sarah were the ones who didn't realize it.) Determined to help his best bud on the next mission, Morgan screwed up, forcing Chuck and Sarah to hide from security in the closet. Unintentionally, that worked out well for Charah, and the next day at breakfast at The Pie Shack, Morgan learned the new truth about Chuck and Sarah, which is what he thought initially. Sarah unveiled her new plan. Chuck was supposed to be happy dating Sarah before, and he couldn't start acting differently now that the relationship suddenly was real, but Sarah had a reason for that happiness that would help with Chuck's safety, too. Morgan met Alex, who was waitressing at The Pie Shack. Seeing sparks fly and assuming Morgan would start dating her, Sarah suggested Casey start a background check on a new person that was going to be in Chuck's sphere.

This story starts later that day. While Morgan knows some things, only Chuck and Sarah know he knows. Sarah needs to tell some people her new plan for protecting Chuck. Part of that is a relationship which is no longer a cover.

"Morgan vs the Spies" was Morgan's POV with pre-Charah to Charah as a backdrop. Since it was about things that Morgan cared about, Alex made a couple appearances. This story is Casey's POV, dealing with the fallout of new Charah and of learning about Alex.

Disclaimer: Nobody else owns anything here, so why would I?
Disclaimer 2: davida6 is beta again! He has said he won't catch everything, so if you see something, please send PMs my way. There's no time limit.

In addition to being a valuable beta, davida6 gets credit for this sequel existing. He said it was necessary, and I can't argue with that. I suggested switching to Casey's POV, and he insisted on being beta again.

Saturday, March 8, 2008
Echo Park Apartments

Casey struggled to find his calm center. Last night, he hadn't been able to get away from his unnecessary job at the Buy More because the bearded troll who wore a green shirt wouldn't cover for him. Normally, he could intimidate Morgan to do whatever he wanted, but not last night. He tried a couple others on the sales team, but surprisingly, there were no takers. Apparently, everyone's Friday night plans were more important than saving the world. Unfortunately, he couldn't tell them the reason he needed off was more important than selling electronics. He would have thought that their fear of him would be greater than their desire to not be at the Buy More anymore than necessary. He'd have to be more intimidating in the future.

Part of him wanted to just skip out. It's not like other employees didn't do that every so often. Walker assured him that it was a routine mission and that he wasn't needed. He trusted her, and since he wasn't needed, he refused to abandon is post, even at a stupid cover job. He'd hate to admit it, even to himself, but a tiny part of him was worried Walker was saying that because the two of them were captured last week. She rescued him, so maybe she didn't want him as a partner anymore. Fortunately, he didn't have to say anything. Walker explained that he would be bored. All he would've done is stay in the van while she and Chuck were the cover couple inside.

When Casey suggested that he handle any security overrides, Walker said that if it came to that, something had really gone wrong. If she did her job right, there was no need. Casey didn't want to insult her skills at infiltrating a party, sneaking off, and completing the mission. If he had any doubts, he wouldn't hesitate to say something, but he trusted his partner. Walker was the best, so if she said so, he wasn't needed this time.

He still didn't like being out of the action. When he got home from his cover job, he immediately checked for messages on the team's secure server. Walker had said the mission was a success, but she also cryptically said she needed to talk to him on Saturday.

A little while later, a minimal mission report was filed. She had successfully broken into the safe at the mansion where the party was. While she was doing that, her cover-boyfriend hacked into the financial records using a computer in the same room as the safe. They didn't need him, after all.

A sensor alerted him that someone was entering the apartment courtyard. After bringing up the surveillance camera, he saw it was the CIA skirt and the walking computer. They were holding hands going to Chuck's apartment. Ellie was not working until the evening shift, so they were probably maintaining the cover in case she saw them. Walker was going to talk to Casey, and he wanted to know more about what happened. If Ellie saw them first, who knows when they could get free, so Casey poked his head out to the courtyard.

He called the other spy's attention. "Walker."

She told Chuck, "Go ahead. I'll be there in a minute." Then she kissed him quickly on the lips and walked over to Casey.

Casey nodded to the other agent when she came over. She looked happy, but also like she had not slept much. "What's going on, Walker? I thought you'd be here an hour ago for a mission debrief."

"Something happened during the mission, so I had to modify the cover. I was dealing with part of the new situation this morning. I have to deal with more right now. Then, I'll come back here, and we can talk to the General and the Director."

That sounded like something was left out of the mission report. "I thought the mission was a success."

"It was a complete success. After the video call, I want to talk to you alone. I have to go. I'll be back in a few minutes." She went over to Chuck's.

Walker hadn't revealed anything. All she had done was make him more worried. What's going on?

Casey went over to his computer and put on his headphones so he could hear what was so urgent that Walker had to do it before talking to him. He could hear the front door to the other apartment open.

"Hi, Ellie!" Chuck called. "Sarah and I need to talk to you."

Ellie answered from the back, "I'll be right there." A moment later, she was in the main room with her brother and Walker. "Hi, guys. What's up?"

"Maybe you should sit down," Chuck said.

"Stop stalling. What did you want to tell me?" Apparently, Ellie didn't do what her brother suggested.

Walker said, "Chuck, tell Ellie the news."

There was a silent pause. Chuck was not getting to the point, like always. Finally, he asked, "Can Sarah move in?"

Did Casey hear that right? Did Chuck just ask Ellie if his cover-girlfriend could move in with them? What was the CIA agent thinking?

Casey heard a quiet, high-pitched, noise. Oh, no. Ellie was getting excited. She heard what Casey thought he might have misheard. Casey pulled his headphones off just in the nick of time. With the headphones, he still heard Ellie's reaction. The entire apartment complex heard it. If Casey had been wearing the headphones, he might have permanent hearing loss.

Despite the loud auditory proof, he still couldn't believe it. What was Walker thinking? She had a job to do and that didn't involve playing hide-the-salami with a walking computer. By saying something to Ellie, it wasn't just an idle thought. The spy wanted this to happen, and Ellie wouldn't let this go. It would have been nice to get a heads-up. It must be what she wanted to talk to him about.

Casey couldn't hear Ellie's squeal anymore, so he put the headphones back, hoping to learn more. He didn't hear anything initially, but then he heard Chuck struggle to say, "El, we can't breathe."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hug you both so tightly."

Walker calmly said, "We're fine. No harm done. Chuck and I are moving in together. If it's ok with you and Devon, I'll move in here. Otherwise, he can move into my apartment."

Ellie said, "In my excitement, I never actually answered. Of course, you can move in here, Sarah. Don't worry about Devon. You know what he'll say. The only issue would be if you two want privacy."

Even Casey knew what Devon would say. He'd say the idea was "awesome."

Walker presented an argument as if Ellie wasn't already on board. "You and Devon work enough that Chuck and I will be fine. If it really is alright, I'd rather live here. You've always made it feel like home."

"We should celebrate." Casey heard some noises in the kitchen. "We don't have any champagne, but we have wine. I know it's a little early, but this is definitely great news." Times like this made Casey think Ellie was too involved in Chuck's happiness and love-life. She was acting as if she had just found out her fiancé was moving in with her.

"Wine would be great," Walker said. "We should wait until after I move in for a celebration. We can have a nice dinner or something. I love your cooking."

Walker was right about that. Getting to eat what Ellie cooked was one of the biggest perks of this assignment. Part of him was a little jealous that the other agent would be getting that on a regular basis.

However, Walker said to wait until she moved in. Maybe she was going to wait a while and had an angle. Ellie asked what Casey was thinking. "When are you going to move in? You're not thinking in six months, are you? You don't have to wait."

"My rent is paid until the end of March, but I agree there's no need to wait. I was thinking I could move here next weekend."

Casey barely got the headphones off again before Ellie once again squealed.

A few seconds later, when he put the headphones back on, Ellie was toasting. "To my new apartment-mate, the woman who has made my brother happy." He could hear the glasses clink for the toast. Then, something happened.

It was hard to tell the minor commotion at first. Finally, Walker said, "I'm such a klutz. Since my stuff is not here yet, I have to hurry home and change."

Ellie said, "It's ok, Sarah. We don't mind."

"I know, but even though it's Saturday, I have a meeting later with the contractors for the new frozen yogurt shop that is going in where the Wienerlicious was. They start early Monday morning, so they need to be squared away. I can't show up with a big wine stain on my blouse. I'll be back in a half hour."

"Of course," Ellie agreed. "Someday, you should tell me about your new responsibility in the new store." The doctor did have a point about the cover. The Wienerlicious was a job for a teenager, but now, Walker's cover was that she was the supervisor. The fact that it was a CIA front made the cover more flexible.

Walker left, and Casey quickly put the headphones to the side. After a minute, he heard a knock at the door, and he let the CIA agent in. She had gone out to her car where she kept a change of clothes in the trunk. She went to change.

He'd have to admit it. Spilling on herself was a good ruse. Chuck would keep Ellie distracted. The other agent had time to come over to his place for a mission status report. If it took less than a half hour, Ellie would assume Chuck's new roommate had driven fast in her Porsche. That was a reasonable assumption from anyone that knew her.

Walker came back downstairs from changing her shirt in less than a minute. Pointing at the headphones by his computer, she said, "I assume you heard."

She assumed. Of course, he heard. He didn't need the bugs to hear part of that. Even hearing that, he didn't understand what Walker was doing telling Ellie she was moving in with Chuck. She was probably going to be reassigned after a stunt like this. He'd have to break in a new partner.

Casey opened his mouth to say something, but Walker cut him off and said, "I'll explain to you after we talk to Graham and Beckman." He supposed the General and Director should handle this rogue action.

He opened the call to the General's office. She was at her desk, and the CIA-boss was standing behind her, like he normally did.

The Director spoke first. "We saw the mission report. Sarah, did you have something to add?"

Walker was standing at his side, almost at attention. Casey always liked that about her. For someone not in the military, she showed the proper respect when they talked to their superiors. Normally only other people in the military did that. It was a good start for what was about to be a train wreck even worse than when Chuck was at one of these video meetings.

Walker said, "First, I'm sorry for the hour." That was a good point. It was already Saturday afternoon on the East Coast. This was a long time for them to wait for details about the mission last night.

Beckman responded, "If the mission couldn't be completed, it should have been in the report."

Considering what Casey had heard about Walker moving, the report left out some details. The CIA agent didn't back down from the General's insinuation. "The mission was completed as stated in the report."

Graham said, "Analysts have been pouring over the intel you acquired. What's the problem?"

"I've made an adjustment to the cover."

An "adjustment?" That's what it was called now? He wondered how the CIA agent was going to spin this.

Walker continued, "A few Buy More employees showed up on the mission." That explains it. Casey couldn't get anyone to cover his shift because they were on his mission. Although, if he swapped with one of them, the others might have seen him. He wouldn't have had an excuse to be on Chuck and Sarah's "date."

After a brief pause while everyone considered the possible implications of Buy Morons on a mission, she said, "They did not see either Chuck or me. Unsurprisingly, they caused a security alert, but Chuck and I were able to hide in a closet." Oh. That must be what started this new phase in Chuck and Walker's cover.

"We were able to safely complete the mission, even using the distraction to our advantage." Advantage? That's what the kids were calling it these days?

"The close call really brought things into focus. With Fulcrum closer, we need to protect Chuck more closely. To make that possible, I'm moving in with Chuck." Well, that was it. Too late to do anything but be ready for the consequences.

With a disapproving scow, the General said, "49-B." Casey knew there was no way that Walker would pass one of those.

Walker said, "Director, is that what you are ordering? Where I live is a CIA issue, not that a 49-B even applies."

Graham said to Walker, "You don't have to do this to control him."

"I know I've never been that kind of agent. I do wetwork, and I don't do long-term assignments," Walker said. "This is different. I want to do this. As a bonus, it's the best way to protect Chuck."

"She's clearly compromised by the asset," the General said.

The Director ignored that judgement and said, "Sarah, if you can no longer do the job, I'll reassign you."

Looking at the other agent, Casey wasn't sure he had ever seen Walker more determined. "My job is to protect Chuck. He is not an asset by any definition of an asset I've heard. He is an American citizen, not a foreign national. He's not expendable. He's saved hundreds of lives. In the last few months, he has done more good than most agents do in years.

"I want to continue protecting him, which is the best for this country. The best way to protect Chuck is to stay closer to him. Fulcrum knows about the Buy More. They know about Agent Casey. For Chuck's safety, this isn't the time to try to establish a new cover with a new fake girlfriend."

Walker had a point about that. Chuck wouldn't accept anyone else if they tried to assign a new CIA handler. She had the best chance of controlling him. It was still hard to believe she was actually trying to use that argument to her advantage, but it was true.

Beckman said, "I see what you two are doing," meaning Walker and Graham. "The CIA is trying to push out the NSA. That's not going to happen. This is an NSA project. The CIA is only involved because I permit it."

"That's not what I'm doing," Walker said. "If Director Graham reassigns me, that's his call. Whether or not he does that, I'm changing my home address from an apartment in DC I never see. I'd prefer Major Casey to remain my partner." Walker wants him around?

"Major Casey, what do you think?"

Casey was surprised by the General's question. On one hand, he didn't think it was professional for an agent to be involved with an asset. However, what Walker said was true: Chuck wasn't a normal asset. With Fulcrum sniffing around, they needed to protect him better. Casey assumed that Walker was proposing this change to the cover because something happened between her and Chuck. That's not what she was saying now. Everything she said about Fulcrum raising the stakes was true. He said, "As long as they keep coming through on missions, I'm fine with the change." Actually, without all of the unresolved sexual tension, some problems go away.

Graham said, "The plan of Agent Walker moving in with the a…with Chuck is approved, for now. We will be monitoring the situation closely, and if it's not working, we will pull the plug."

The video call disconnected.

Casey stared at Walker. "You finally let Chuck mix his chocolate in your peanut butter. Now, you get to keep doing it. There better not be any more lady feelings nonsense getting in the way of missions. You are in charge of keeping Chuck under control. I don't want to see anything."

"You won't have a problem when we are working. I'll make sure Chuck is even more dedicated."

"Your new boy toy will be silly happy. He'll blow the cover."

"Any change in Chuck's behavior will be something we can attribute to me moving in with him." That was true. Chuck acted like a lovesick schoolgirl before. If he started acting happier, Walker moving in with him was a plausible reason.

Walker said, "I do have a concern that I didn't want to mention in front of the General or the Director. It's about the Beta Intersect." Uh, oh. She knows something. "Do I have to worry about you?"

She stared long and hard at Casey. Casey was used to being stared down by superior officers. He learned how to deal with that at the Naval Academy. He hadn't seen the look like that from his partner before, though, even when she pointed a gun at him once.

If he was ordered to kill Chuck after the Beta Intersect came online, he'd do what was necessary to protect the country. "I follow orders."

"Illegal orders?"

"What? No. Why illegal? We both do what needs to be done."

Walker explained, "Chuck is an American citizen who didn't commit a crime. He has saved hundreds of lives. He has never shown any sign of being a traitor who would sell our secrets to an enemy. He didn't blow up the Alpha Intersect, killing Federal employees. An execution of an American citizen who committed no crime and with no trial would be illegal."

"We can't have a human Intersect wandering around."

"Doing what? Helping people. Fulcrum has infiltrated the government. Any order to kill a hero should immediately be suspect. The fact that someone would suggest such an unconstitutional act is a sign that the person might be Fulcrum. At the least it's treasonous. The biggest Intersect scientist tried to sell him to North Korea, but even he is getting a trial."

Casey didn't know what to say to that. He followed orders. He wouldn't follow illegal ones, though. All of Walker's points were good ones. If Chuck had been taken away to a bunker when Fulcrum bugged the Buy More, then they killed him when the Beta Intersect came online, it would be killing someone in Federal custody. If the Beta Intersect was successful, why not simply put him in a bunker? A kill order would be illegal. So far, it had only been insinuated, but insinuating an illegal order was bad.

"I'd do something about it," Walker said.

That was a threat, so Casey's had to respond. "This is all because of your lady feelings."

"That shouldn't matter to you. I've been staying in hotels, like Maison 23, for years. Moving in here, that stops. Building Castle when Chuck might be killed? How many millions of dollars would that waste? The only reason to build a new base in LA is if we intend on using it."

She made good points, but Casey still wondered what she thought of the future. She had to have thought of that. "What about when Chuck isn't useful anymore?"

"One mission at a time. For now, this is what makes sense."

Casey nodded in agreement but couldn't help but say, "It better not be a problem. I don't want you two hiding in closets and making out on missions." He refrained from adding "anymore." Last night, it might have been necessary, but that wouldn't always be the case. He didn't want closets on missions to become make-out destinations.

"We were protecting the cover in case we were discovered. We were always going to finish the mission. Now, Chuck and I know where things stand, so things will be smoother. This morning, Chuck and I talked to Morgan at breakfast. He'll help keep the others away from our 'dates.' Speaking of which, he's going on a date, himself."

"He's back with Anna?"

"Not her. Chuck explained that Morgan broke up with Anna in front of Jeff, so she will never forgive him. In my opinion, it's just as well. Morgan is flaky, but he's extremely loyal to Chuck. For all practical purposes he's Chuck's family member, and a lot better than his absent parents. Considering how Morgan disrupted the La Ciudad and the Lon Kirk missions, we need to vet anyone he might bring into Chuck's sphere. Since diving into the background of harmless civilians is an NSA thing, please do a background check on his date.

Casey grunted that he would take care of it. Walker left a piece of paper with the name of Morgan's future squeeze. He opened the piece of paper… that name was a coincidence. She worked at a local restaurant as a waitress. On his computer, he pulled up NSA records about the poor woman who was going to have to deal with Morgan. At her age… that was a big coincidence. He pulled up her employment file and saw her emergency contact was her mother.

Uh, oh. Not a coincidence.

A/N: The table has been set. Now what? (Not the dinner table for the party. That's later in the story.)