A/N: Last chapter retold S3E10, where the team foiled Keller's attempt to get the Laudanol. Unfortunately, there were still two problems on this mission. Chuck taking the drug changed him in a disturbing way and Casey had to leave the NSA.
This chapter is the retelling of S3E11, "Chuck versus the Final Test."
If you left a review, I thank you. I also thank my pre-reader, JohnnyRayChandlett, for his help making this as good as it can be.
Disclaimer: No ownership of Chuck is implied in this chapter.
Prove Yourself
Chapter 17 – Tests
Flying to DC with the general had not been a great experience. Certainly not as good as the last two flights she'd had with Chuck Bartowski. She couldn't snuggle up to him, kiss him or sleep on him. It put her in a foul mood.
At least she was able to sit next to him and, when he was awake, hold his hand without a raised eyebrow from the general.
Mind you, he'd not been awake much. The main aftereffect of the Laudanol have been complete exhaustion.
The general had never been a talkative person and Sarah wasn't either, so for most of the flight, the cabin was in silence.
Sarah had closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but that just wasn't happening. So, she sat thinking about Chuck on that last mission. The cold stare he had given her when dosed up and how he had started to walk towards her with death in his eyes.
Apparently, it was a very small dose, far smaller than the intended dose for the field, which may be partly responsible for him coming out of his trance, but more than enough to take out several men, some with guns or blades.
It was close to something she'd read from Old Norse stories. Berserkers.
Berserkers were said to have fought in a trance-like fury. This characteristic ultimately appeared in modern English; the word berserk, meaning "furiously violent or out of control".
He had certainly been out of control, but not in a fury. He'd been more robotic, but worse than that, Chuck Bartowski wasn't behind those eyes at all. It was as if his mind and soul were either locked away, completely buried, or not even there at all. It had startled her, and that wasn't easy to do.
She never wanted him to take another of those pills and was determined to make the powers that be see reason and stop production completely.
Chuck himself had been strangely silent about the effects. She thinks that because he was out of it completely, but part of her worries that he actually desired the feeling of power and control.
She would have to talk to him about this when back in bed together in her old DC apartment that the CIA still had available to her.
Thinking about taking Chuck to her bed brought much better memories. He was the best lover she had ever had. She relished every minute they had together, making love. These were definitely happy thoughts and she drifted off thinking about the time they will have in her apartment later that evening.
Sarah had declined the general's offer to drop them off at her apartment. She just wanted to have Chuck to herself again. Of course, that didn't allow for the fact that they were in a cab and the driver so interested in them. Well, not them. Her.
On top of that, Chuck was still struggling to stay awake. At this moment, he has his head resting on her shoulder and he was completely out. Normally, Sarah would love this closeness, this normalcy, but tonight she was just so worried about him. Being normal felt so far from their reality.
The cab driver takes the opportunity to engage her in conversation. "DC's beautiful this time of year. You from this area?"
"No. I did live here, but will soon be selling the apartment you're taking us to."
"Where you going?"
She knows for the foreseeable future it's Burbank, but they may move later. Maybe closer to their beach? She just says, "California." Then, wanting to close down any further conversation, she adds, "With my boyfriend." She kisses her boyfriend's head.
He'd slept for nearly five hours on the flight over, then dozed in the cab and, once she'd guided him there, gone straight to sleep in her bed.
Not the night of passion she'd been hoping for, but her worry for him pushed such thoughts to the back of her head.
She'd lain next to him, fretting for at least an hour before drifting off herself.
When the bed suddenly shifts, she wakes instantly, reaching for the gun under her pillow, but then she hears Chuck gasp. She turns and finds him sitting up, breathing rapidly and looking panicked.
She sits and pulls his shaking body to her and holds him tightly, speaking to him softly that he's alright and she's with him.
His shaking eventually stops and he just starts quietly crying. She continues her ministrations.
After several minutes like this, he stops crying and just hugs her as if she is his lifeline, which she guesses is probably true.
He eventually pulls away and looks at her. "Sarah, I'm so, so sorry."
"Shh. You've nothing to be sorry about, my love."
"Yes, I do. I had been suppressing it, but now the full realization of what I did has come back to me. I killed men, Sarah." He looks at her with such pain in his eyes, but the anguish increases with his next words, "And worse than that, I could've killed you, too."
She places her palms on either side of his face. "Not you, Chuck, the Laudanol."
Just the name makes him shake again. "I never want another of those pills, Sarah. Ever."
"I know, and I never want you to have another either."
She guides him back down to his pillow, asking, "Do you want me to hold you, so you can get back to sleep?"
"Please."
She holds her boyfriend, gently stroking the back of his head and occasionally planting soft kisses on his forehead, until her drifts off to sleep again.
She is determined about the future. I'll never let them drug you again, Chuck!
Taking Chuck to the CIA headquarters feels strange. She never expected to come here again, but the scientists that had developed Laudanol worked for the Agency, so Beckman had advised Sarah to bring him here.
To be honest, it felt strange being here herself. She has been assigned to work with the general and the NSA, after Graham died.
The labs were not somewhere she had been before, however. As she looks around the one they are sitting in, it felt like they were objects for experimentation. Looking at her very nervous boyfriend, she knows he is feeling the same way, but it must be worse for him; he's the one the scientists are interested in.
This visit is just the start of the day's sessions and, thankfully, just one of information gathering. The scientist they will be talking to will not be 'experimenting' on Chuck, just asking questions about his experience and her observations on how it affected him.
Beckman had told them that there would only be the one scientist, one that had been cleared to know about the Intersect. So, here they sat, patiently, or in Chuck's case, not so patiently, waiting for the scientist's arrival.
She reaches out and holds his hand. "It'll be okay, Chuck."
He smiles at her and nods.
The door opens and an attractive woman, around thirty years old, breezes in. "Good morning, I'm Dr. Franklin," She pulls a chair closer to them and sits down, with a notebook on her lap. She crosses her legs and opens the notebook.
Sarah sees a shapely leg exposed, but, for once, doesn't feel in anyway threatened. She looks at Chuck who is tightly gripping her hand and feels like smiling, but suppresses that. The small amount of time together, so close, seems to have overcome one of her insecurities. She trusts Chuck completely.
Turning back to Dr Franklin, she waits for the questions.
"I'd like to start with you, Mr. Bartowski."
He immediately responds, "Chuck."
The scientist looks a bit taken aback, so he elaborates. "My name is Chuck. Mr. Bartowski was my dad."
The fact that Chuck reacted like that reminds Sarah that he is completely over the drug and is indeed 'her Chuck'.
Franklin finally says, "Okay, Chuck and my name is Rachel."
"Sarah," says Sarah.
Rachel nods, almost dismissively, and turns back to Chuck. "We know how our test subjects reacted to the Laudanol, but we obviously hadn't tested with someone like you, so can you tell me how it felt, for you, when it started to take effect, please?"
He sat for a few seconds, before answering. "To start with, I just felt supremely confident, that I could do anything, then, quite quickly, I started to feel like I was losing control of my body. I…" He looks at Sarah, who nods to let him know he can tell this woman about it, so he continues, "I flashed, several times."
Rachel frowns, so Sarah tells her, "That's what he calls it when he receives information, images if you like, from the Intersect."
Chuck continues, "Skills, in this situation. Fighting skills and weapons skills. My mind was being suppressed too. In no time, I had no control over my body. It had become a weapon and I was just an observer. After a while, I couldn't even do that." He hangs his head in shame.
Sarah puts an arm around his shoulders and just holds him. She had guessed some of this, but hearing it from the person affected was much more chilling.
The scientist in front of them comments, "That's interesting. It sounds like the Intersect took over your body instead of increasing your mind's control of it." She puts her notepad back down on her lap. "I'd like to do some controlled tests of that."
She is shocked at the immediate response that she gets from both of them. "NO!"
Sarah continues in a more controlled voice, "There will be no tests on him. There will be no more Laudanol doses. We are leaving." She gets up, as does Chuck and they walk towards the doors of the lab.
As they walk, Sarah hears the woman talking, "They're trying to leave."
Just before the pair reach the doors, they open and two men with rifles enter pointing them at Chuck and Sarah.
Sarah just says one word, "Flash," before she kicks the rifle out of the hand of the one on her side. She senses Chuck doing the same with his man. Within seconds, there are two men unconscious on the ground and Chuck and Sarah run out.
Sarah calls General Beckman as she's running.
A worried sounding general answers, "Agent Walker, is something wrong?"
"I'm hoping this isn't at your instigation, but the CIA scientist just had two guards aiming guns at Chuck and I, so she could give him more Laudanol."
Beckman sounds angry when she replies, "No. That's not what I was told would happen. Are you still in the CIA building?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"I'm with the Director. Come straight here."
Turning to her boyfriend, Sarah informs him, "Chuck, Beckman's with the CIA Director, we're going there."
"Can we trust her?" He sounds doubtful.
"Unless you can think of a better way, Chuck, I think she's our best hope of getting out of here, so we have to." She looks at him to see his response.
He just shrugs. "No, I can't."
As they arrive at the director's office, his assistant waves them straight in.
General Beckman is pacing the floor, but not saying anything. A grey-haired man is sitting in the chair the Langston Graham had always sat in when Sarah came here before. He motions them to two chairs in front of him. Beckman sits in the third.
"Thank you for joining us CIA Agent Walker and NSA Analyst Bartowski," says the general.
The director noticeably winces at the titles, but acknowledges the pair with a nod.
Beckman states in a very controlled, monotone voice, "Director, I understand one of your scientists was going to forcibly give Laudanol to one of MY analysts. Care to explain."
He put on a conciliatory expression. "I'm sorry. The scientist in question was not following orders and will be disciplined."
Sarah can always tell when someone was lying and that is certainly the case here. In spite of him being her senior, she is about to call him out on that, but Beckman gets there first. "Bullshit!"
He looks surprised at her saying that and starts to respond, but she cuts him off. "You knew exactly what she was doing. You ordered it. I remind you, this visit was a courtesy visit only. You have absolutely no authority over MY staff and will be hearing from your superiors about this, Director." She gets up and motions for the other two to follow.
"Agent Walker," the director angrily states, "Is one of MY staff."
"Beckman turns back and snaps, "On permanent loan to me. She's mine until I release her. I'm also more senior than you, with a lot more influence, so you better be careful, if you want to keep your job!"
In no time, the three of them are in Beckman's car leaving the CIA facility.
Chuck finally finds his voice, "Well, that was interesting!"
Beckman looks at him. "I'm sorry, Chuck, I never expected that to happen." The fact she used his first name seems to silence him.
"Thank you, General," Sarah says quietly.
Beckman nods, then says, "I'm taking you to the NSA medical facility for health checks. No more CIA interference. Then, I'll have a talk with the Director of National Intelligence about this."
Chuck has been looking puzzled for a while. Sarah tells him, "The man both NSA and CIA report to."
He replies, "Oh, I know that, I'm just confused over why the CIA would do this and why he even needs to be told."
Beckman chuckles and Sarah says, "And that's probably why you'll never be in politics, Chuck." And she silently ponders that might be even worse than becoming an agent.
The medical checks confirm Chuck is mostly normal apart from a slightly reduced level of serotonin. The doctors told them that current research indicates that if reduced further, it could increase aggressive behavior, as well as affect decision-making and impulse control.
Apparently, on checking tests done on Chuck when he first got the Intersect, this is different to back then.
The final words from the doctor are, "We don't know if the Intersect did than in response to the Laudanol or if that is the normal affect of the drug and the Intersect just took control. Either way, you effectively became an aggressive robot."
This just confirms Sarah's fears. A killing machine!
Beckman had been making her calls, but had just rejoined them in time to hear this. Sarah looked at her. The general concurred with Sarah's thought. "I don't want that. I need my Intersect carrier to be able to make decisions based on the data he receives. His decision- making is just as important as these other skills."
Sarah feels like she could just kiss the woman, but settles for saying, "Thank you, General."
The general nods to her, then notifies them, "The Director of the DNI is 'helping' the CIA understand that Mr. Bartowski is completely off limits."
She smiles at the happy faces in front of her.
"Oh, and Agent Walker, I don't recommend staying in CIA property anymore, so have arranged for you both the stay in a hotel for the rest of your stay."
Chuck asks, before Sarah can, "Rest of our stay, General?"
"I'm aware of the fact that you've never visited the capital, so, two nights here, before your flight home?"
Both Chuck and Sarah are left speechless.
It hadn't taken long to collect what Sarah wanted from her CIA apartment. She hardly had anything there. The main items were what they had brought from California.
The room Beckman's team had provided for them overlooked the White House. The Jefferson wasn't the most expensive hotel Sarah had stayed in, but seeing Chuck's reaction to the view was a joy, which made this the best hotel for her, too.
Although he was keen on seeing the sights, he, like Sarah, was missing their intimacy. So, an afternoon in bed was the result.
Sarah had loved it when he helped her undress and then said, "These are all the sights I need today, Sarah."
She had laughed and replied, "Well, you better start exploring, Chuck. Get the most out of the sights." And he did, for hours.
Waking in a hotel bed on a free day is now one of the pleasures in life for Sarah Walker, but, she knows, it wouldn't be so if Chuck wasn't with her.
Chuck has a lot that he wants to see today, so no sex in bed before getting up; they made do with just making love in the shower. Such a hardship!
She had not really explored the city in all the time she had been there, so was happy to go anywhere.
Chuck knew that she had worked in the White House when she had spent her year in the Secret Service, but she'd told him that was mostly in parts that visitors weren't allowed. A tourist visit was what he wanted, so here they were. She is finding that that seeing the tourists' view with Chuck is fun. Just as in Paris, his enthusiasm is infectious, strengthening her love for this man at the same time.
After lunch, a trip to Lincoln Memorial and she revels in the sight of Chuck's face in awe looking up at the president.
She isn't surprised at the next stop. The National Air and Space Museum is just the sort of thing Chuck would like, and like it he did. She is surprised at how much she enjoys it, though.
They get back to the hotel with enough time to change before heading out for their evening meal.
Thankfully, they don't overeat and return to their hotel room for a night of passion before they are both so exhausted that sleep is inevitable.
They have an afternoon flight back to LA tomorrow, but have decided that continuing bedroom adventures is more appealing than further sights.
Resting her head on one of Chuck's shoulders and holding his hand, is definitely a better way to fly, she thinks.
Chuck being awake during the flight is also a bonus, as is not worrying about him, like she had on the way out.
"So, no Laudanol, just plain old Chuck with his massive database," Chuck suddenly mentions.
Sarah grins, "I wasn't sure what you were going to say after 'massive'!"
Chuck blushes.
She leans over and whispers in his ear, "We'll have to see when we get home, won't we?"
"Sarah! I was going to have a serious conversation," Chuck says, trying to look annoyed, but failing miserably. It was clear to see she had stroked his ego right and that pleased her in return.
She laughs. "Not after you start with that, Chuck!"
"Seriously, though. Without that drug, they can't make me a spy, can they?" he replies.
She ponders for a few seconds. "Not sure who 'they' would be, but it's possible they try. If they do try, we won't let them."
"We?" he questions.
"You and I," she firmly states. "And Casey, even though he's now a civilian."
Chuck looks down. "I feel horrible about Casey. I wish we could've done more for him."
"I think we need to find a way to get him back into Beckman's good graces. She had to do what she did, but I now think she has a heart after all. And she'll want her best assassin back."
"That's you now, Agent Walker."
That comment takes her by surprise. She hadn't thought about that. Chuck is probably right, at least on record. "I don't think I am anymore, Chuck. You've made me go soft," she confesses in a very small voice.
He shakes his head. "That's not true, Sarah. Casey told me you killed five Ring agents the other day."
"They weren't assassinations, Chuck. I don't think I can do those anymore."
Not wanting to continue with this topic, Sarah starts a different conversation, "I had a wonderful time in DC. This visit is the first time I've felt that way about the city." Twisting so she can look straight into his gorgeous chocolate eyes, she says, "That's all because of you, Chuck."
"Or because we left the bedrooms for so little time?" he teases.
She slaps him on the chest. "Mood spoiler!"
"Sorry."
"I'm being serious, Chuck. My life is so much better with you. I'm happier, more fulfilled … everything. All because of you."
He blushes, but also nods. "It's the same for me, Sarah. You came into my life at its lowest and made me feel better straight away. Even when you were keeping me at bay, it felt better than before…"
The 'at bay' comment makes her wince. "I'm so sorry about tha-"
He puts a finger over her lips to silence her. "I know, Sarah, but I hadn't finished. Having you in my life was good, even then, but since you became my real girlfriend…" She giggles at the 'real'. "… I am so, so happy. I can't imagine being happier. I love you, Sarah Walker."
"And I love you too, Chuck Bartowski." She leans over and kisses him.
He looks thoughtful when she pulls away. "What is it, Chuck?"
He quickly replies, "Oh, nothing."
"Remember, 'No secrets, no lies,' Chuck."
He looks away. "I was just thinking I could be happier if I got this thing out of my head, but only if you stayed with me." He looks back at her. "I thought you were going to leave me, when the first version was removed, Sarah."
She looks down, taking her eyes from his view. "The CIA wanted me to …, as did Bryce."
"Oh, I know he did!" Chuck says angrily.
She looks up at him again. "Bryce was going to continue the fight against the Ring, but, you're right, he wanted to renew our relationship more. I was torn, Chuck. Not because of him, though. I was terrified of my feelings for you, I felt so out of control, but I couldn't leave you either, just wanting to spend more and more time with you."
She pauses for a while, then continues, "I knew I was falling in love with you. Hell, I had totally fallen in love with you, but that was so scary for me. Bryce demanding that I leave with him made me realize that my love for you was stronger than that fear, so I stayed.""
He locks eyes with her. "So, you'd stay again, if it was removed?"
Without thinking she says, "I'd leave the agency." Then, she realizes what she's said and puts a hand over her mouth to hide the gasp.
She gathers her thoughts for a minute or so. "That was an instant reaction, Chuck. I've never even thought about that situation, but now I am, my gut instinct is right, I would leave the agency for you."
His smile lights up his face and does the same to hers.
She can see in his eyes that he fully understands the gravity of her words - leaving what had been all of her life for thirteen years for him and start a new one. He clearly struggles to express his gratitude.
She continues, "We've said it before, but it's absolutely true for me, you are my forever, Chuck."
He pulls her to him and the kiss lasts until they can't breathe anymore.
Sitting beside Chuck waiting for the general to establish the link, Sarah reflects, sadly, on the absence of John Casey. They had been partners for two and a half years. Not always happily so, but they had established a rapport that she hadn't experienced before and, eventually, he had become the best agent partner she had ever had. Obviously, Chuck is her best partner in so much more than the spy game, but as someone with experience to work with, Casey was definitely the best.
Now he was just working in the Buy More until he could find something better to do. It just feels so wrong. She's sure Chuck feels the same, although they haven't talked about it, with the Laudanol challenges and then wanting to just be together.
The screen comes on and General Diane Beckman appears. Gone is the almost motherly look she had last shown them. "Good morning, team. Hopefully a simple mission, but one that I think will need both of you."
Sarah bites her lip, not wanting to simply refuse for Chuck to go on a mission with her, but that's something she should let him decide.
"Your mission centers around this man, Anatoli Zevlovski." An image appears on the screen and Chuck flashes. The general continues, "A Russian FSB agent. He's in Los Angeles to meet with a person we believe works for us. A mole within the CIA, who has been selling secrets to Anatoli, who then sells them to the Ring. This mole is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of civilians and nine of our agents. We have intel that Anatoli is meeting with him, or her, at the Cobalt Hotel and Spa tonight."
Sarah now knows why Beckman wants Chuck on the mission with her. "Your mission is to ascertain the identity of the mole and bring in, or remove, him or her."
Chuck looks at his girlfriend, not sure whether to accept involvement or not. Sarah responds for them both, "Yes, General."
When it's just the two of them again, she turns to Chuck. "You only need to be involved in the first part of this. Just identifying the mole."
He nods, grateful not to be involved in the second part. Then he looks at her. "I hope you don't have to 'remove' him, Sarah."
She loves that he thinks of her. "Me too, Chuck, but I may have to."
"If only trigger-happy Casey was with us."
She doesn't reply immediately, just gives him a kiss on his cheek. "This evening, we'll stakeout the hotel's entrance and let Anatoli lead us to the mole. In the meantime, go and talk to Casey and find out what he's doing. We can then see what we can do to get him back."
Chuck heads to the Buy More while she goes to collect what will be needed later.
"Wow! This place is a mess!" Chuck is looking around the area where they will be carrying out the surveillance.
"This being renovated makes it perfect for us. No one here," she comments as she walks to the edge of the room to set everything up.
"Kind of like old times," he replies. She knows he's thinking 'just without Casey involved,' but doesn't reply. She's thinking the same thing.
She sets up two chairs for them with the equipment in front of them. Across the street is the hotel and they have a great view of the entrance. She sits down and Chuck sits beside her.
"I love coming on stakeouts with you, Sarah, just not when I get left in the car."
She looks at him fondly. "I know, Chuck. Being with you always makes it feel better, somehow."
After contemplating that for a few seconds, she continues, "I always preferred working on my own before coming here."
"Must've been lonely."
"I have spent most of my life on my own, Chuck, so that just felt normal." She turns to face him. "Now I hate being on my own, because I miss you."
He leans over and gently kisses her lips.
She looks back towards the hotel and sees the back of three men walking into the hotel. "Shit! Did you see him? Did you flash?"
"No, I... no, I didn't. Should I have?"
"I think that was Anatoli entering the hotel."
"She gets a notification on her cell. "He is. He just swiped a credit card he uses at the spa."
"If he goes in some part of the spa, you won't be able to go in, Sarah, I'll have to."
"Shit! Losing my concentration!"
"Sorry, my fault."
She grips his arm. "No, it's not, Chuck. It's mine, but we don't have time to debate that, we have to get over there."
They arrive at the spa with Chuck in the lead. The man at the desk looks up. "Sir… Do you have an appointment for a treatment?"
Chuck replies, "Not an appointment, per se. I, uh, made plans with a friend of mine... A Russian fellow... to meet here."
The man nods. "Yes, I think he and his party just checked in. The day use fee is $100, not including treatments."
Sarah can see Chuck's shoulders tense. "$100," he repeats.
Sarah walks up to him. "I'm assuming you want to see your friend. I'll head up to our room. See you later."
As she walks away, she hears Chuck say, ""Here's my card."
She heads up to the lobby. When she gets there, she hears Chuck through her earpiece, "I just checked the men's locker room; nobody's here."
She replies, "They'll probably be in the steam room."
"Hmm. And this is why you couldn't do this, huh?" He sounds slightly amused.
She laughs. "Depends what you see, Chuck."
Grunt.
She grins. "Now you're just impersonating Casey."
After a couple of minutes, she hears, "Wow, it's really steamy in here."
She shakes her head. Always stating the obvious. "Just sit tight. Steam will clear up in a minute or so."
After a few seconds, he says, "Oh, wow. Hi there. Looks like I'm not alone after all. No, just... three other people in here... with me. How fun."
She tells him, "That must be Anatoli Zevlovski and his muscle. He must not have made contact yet with the mole. Let me know when they leave."
She then hears the voice of the man at the desk. He must have gone in to the steam room for some reason. "Mr. Drago? Mr. Ivan Drago?"
Another voice, "Yes." After a couple of seconds, this person, who must be calling himself Drago, but is probably Anatoli Zevlovski, continues, "He's paranoid. Believes we're being followed. "Wants to meet upstairs in the room. Let's go."
After another pause, Chuck says, "Did you hear that. They're on their way, Sarah."
She replies, "Did you get the room number?"
"He dropped the note he received; I'll get it."
Then another voice, one she hasn't heard before, with a strong Eastern European accent ,"Hey. Why so quick to pick up trash on banya floor?"
She guesses that is one of Zevlovski's muscle. "Chuck, get out of there."
She then hears Chuck say, "Just doing my part. Keeping it green."
After a short pause, she hears fighting. She trusts that the Intersect has kicked in. Literally, along with a few punches and throws.
Suddenly, the thought of Chuck in just a towel, getting sweaty down there thrills her. She shakes her head trying to get that image to disappear. Not the time, girl!
He finally tells her, "I'm done here, Sarah."
She replies, "Chuck, I need to get to the mole before he leaves. What's the room number?"
She then hears the desk guy say, "Lockers to your left, sir."
Chuck comments, "Sarah, the note in smudged I can't read the room number."
"Can you read any of it?" There's silence. "Chuck?" More silence. "Chuck? … Damn it, why won't you answer?"
After a couple of minutes, he does answer, "Zevlovski's on the seventh floor. He's here meeting the mole."
She starts for the lift. "Why didn't you tell me, damn it?"
"Didn't have time, Sarah."
"Okay. Your priority is identifying the mole, but do not get seen, Chuck. I'm coming there now, but I need to know the room number."
"Got it."
She overhears him talking as the lift doors open onto floor 7, she is still hearing it through the earpiece but can faintly hear it from her left. She runs that way.
"Ah! Good shower time. Oh, I think I got my watch a little wet, so I'm just going to dry it off on the balcony. Sorry, I forgot to put the 'Privacy please' sign up."
Sarah turns a corner and sees a woman closing a door near the end and placing the sign on the outside. She hurries to the woman. "I'm sorry, I left my key inside with my fiancé, but he's not answering his cell. He must've gone out without me. Could you open the door for me, please?"
The woman looks at her and obviously decides that she is telling the truth. Not surprising really, as Sarah perfected lying a long time ago and knows just the body language needed to be convincing.
The woman opens the door for her and Sarah smiles. "Thank you so much."
On entering the room, she can't see Chuck but remembers that he had told the woman he was going onto the balcony. Seeing that the blinds are shut, that must be why she can't see him.
She opens the blinds and the door, but Chuck isn't there. "Chuck, where are you?"
"This would have been easier in underpants," he tells her. She can hear him and it sounds like he is outside but off to the left. She then notices his fingers on the edge of the wall to the left and, looking down bare toes on the balcony wall.
She grins. "I take it they are in the next room."
He doesn't say anything, but she starts to hear Zevlovski talking, which must be from the other room, but being his watch. "Well done. You are about to become an even richer man. We should begin the process of retrieval."
Chuck gasps. She looks around the corner and he has lost his footing on the other side, but is managing to sort himself out. He just has a towel around him, which must be why he mentioned underpants. He looks great, but she has to focus.
As Chuck straightens up, she hears a new voice, which must be the mole. "Change of plans, Anatoli. I'm dealing directly with the Ring now. Your services are no longer needed."
Chuck gasps. "Oh, God... Oh, my God... The mole just killed Zevlovski."
Sarah tells him, "Forget Zevlovski. The mole is leaving. You gotta get a look at his face to see if he's in the Intersect.
Chuck makes some strange noises and then "Got him." Then there's silence.
He must be flashing! Shit!
Sarah hadn't thought about him flashing when hanging on like that. She rushes to grab the arm nearest to her, determined to hang on to him if he slips. Then he does slip, but only his towel drops.
He is now completely naked. She grins even more than before. "You could've waited until you got back in here with me before dropping that, Chuck, but I guess it's only my clothes we need to remove when you do!"
"Ha-ha. Very funny."
As she helps him back onto the balcony. She admires his body. She ought to be asking who the mole is, but what she sees before her takes her mind off that. She virtually drags him in and onto the bed and starts shedding her own clothes.
Good job that "Privacy please" sign is up.
Beckman has the image of the man Chuck saw up on one of the screens in Castle. "Hunter Perry has been with the CIA for many years."
Sarah comments, "I know him. I've worked with him before."
Beckman looks at her. "I know. It's unfortunate. He'll recognize you. Our analyst is to meet him instead."
Chuck looks shocked "What?"
He beat Sarah, but she says, "No, General. That man just stabbed his original contact. He won't have any hesitation to do the same to Chuck."
The general glares at her. "Are you saying the Intersect won't help him defend himself?"
"W… well, no," she replies.
She then feels Chuck's hand on hers. "I can do this, Sarah. Remember?"
She does remember their conversation about her being over protective and needing to stop. She nods.
The general states, "Then he will meet with Agent Perry. The restaurant in Union Station at 8pm"
Chuck had had to stay late at the Buy More, fixing some of the equipment wrecked by the Ring agents. He'd told Sarah to meet at the station.
Beckman had wanted him to go on his own. Well, that wasn't going to happen. Sarah would be there, but lurking in the shadows. First they would meet to make sure Chuck was ready.
So, here she sat in the furthest corner of the restaurant waiting for him.
Lurking in the shadows summed up her existence before coming to Burbank. A shadowy figure in the shadowy world of espionage. She is so done with that now, but knows that she may be ordered back there by Beckman. She now wants to leave that life to be with Chuck, but she only knows how to be a spy. What else could she do?
Her thoughts are disturbed by Chuck's arrival. "Wow. You look great. Better than great."
Chuck could always lift her spirits. She grins at him. "Thank you. You look great, too."
He preens himself. "Thank you very much. Feel pretty good."
She reviews this mission with him. "Let's go over again what you're doing this evening. Perry is a seasoned agent. He thinks you are CIA, like him. You're here to get him to help identify possible rogue agents. He will want to turn you. Play him along. We'll take him outside."
She pushes a gun across to him. "You'll need this."
He looks at it for a few seconds. "I guess so. To look like a spy."
"That's right, Chuck. It's not loaded, though, so don't worry about shooting him."
He looks up at her. "No, I think it should be loaded. What if I have to protect you, Sarah, if he sees you. I won't have a tranq gun."
She ponders that. "Won't you just take him out with your Intersect skills?"
"I guess. Okay, Sarah. You'll be near?"
"I will."
She gets up and leaves.
Perry won't be able to see her, she is sure of that, but she watches him arrive at the restaurant and hears him too.
"Has Carmichael checked in?"
The girl points in Chuck direction.
The mike that Sarah had had Chuck fit under his shirt then starts to pick up the conversation. Perry first, "Carmichael?"
"Yeah, that's me." Chuck doesn't sound nervous, which is good.
Perry replies, "Hope this doesn't take too long. Got a date later."
"Yeah, that shouldn't be a problem," Chuck states. "These are some photos of some folks that I work with. Just wanted to see if maybe you recognize any of them."
Perry replies, "Uh, yeah, maybe I will. Sort of pride myself on never forgetting faces. I should hit the restroom first, though. Is that okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, sure, not a problem," Chuck replies, amiably.
Sarah can see Perry must be onto him. She wishes now the Chuck had worn the earpiece he wanted, but that would have been too obvious. He now must act on his own, without guidance. Thankfully, he gets up and follows Perry to the restroom.
She hears Chuck kicking open the trap doors. Not subtle, Chuck!
Then, she hears fighting. Trying to stay calm, she waits, telling herself over and over, Chuck's better than Perry. He will win!
Finally, she hears Chuck's voice. "Get up. Get up!"
Perry replies, "Relax, relax! Look, I had no choice... These people... the Ring... You have no idea."
Chuck snorts. "Oh, I have an idea."
"Then you know these people weren't going to put me in jail. They were going to kill me. You're not here to arrest me either. I should have known. You might as well be one of them."
Chuck is very clear and sounds totally in control of the situation. "I am not one of them... I will never be one of them... . And I am going to arrest you. Now, you and I, we're going to take a nice, friendly, calm, leisurely walk out of this men's room. Turn around." Then he shouts, "Turn around!"
She hears no more, but then sees them walk out of the restroom. Of course he succeeded!
She gets up to follow them outside.
Then Perry starts talking again. "Mind easing up on that piece? My back's all screwed up."
No! Don't take the gun away!
Perry just says, "Thanks, buddy."
Chuck replies, "Slow it down, okay?"
Then almost in slow motion, Sarah watches Perry push a woman into Chuck and run off. Standard agent tactic. Damn it!
She starts to run after them both. They exit onto the tracks full of trailers. She can't see either of them, so starts to search, gun in hand.
After a minute, she hears a gunshot. She is sure that Chuck would have taken any gun Perry had off of him, so that can't have been Perry shooting. Maybe Chuck was using Perry's gun. She runs in the direction she heard.
She comes around one of the trailers and she sees Perry on the ground in the next row with Chuck pointing a gun at him. She doesn't want to cause Chuck to accidentally pull the trigger, so she moves forward very slowly.
Perry holds his hand towards Chuck and starts talking, "Wait, don't do it, don't do it. Don't you see? This is exactly what they want."
Chuck replies, "You shouldn't have run."
Perry pleads, "Please... I had no choice."
Chuck stares, frozen in place, but Sarah sees Perry slowly lower one of him arms. She knows this maneuver, so she raises her gun, as Perry pulls one out of a holster on his leg, but before either of them fire, there's a gunshot.
Perry falls back to the ground, leaving Chuck looking at his gun. Oh shit! Chuck shot him!
Knowing how this will make Chuck feel, she runs towards him. He turns around, looking away from Perry or her, even though his body is facing her.
By the time she gets to him and can see back that way, there's no one there. She just sees Chuck, still holding the gun, looking down at Perry's corpse.
She rushes up to him. "Did you shoot him, Chuck?"
He looks up at her. "No. It was Casey."
She looks around. "Casey? Where the hell is he, then?"
"He disappeared into the shadows."
She gently takes the gun out of his hand.
He looks at her. "For a second, I thought I'd shot him, Sarah, but I didn't, thank God."
She notices he is shaking, so she wraps her arms around him and pulls him into an embrace. "It's okay, Chuck."
He pushes away. "We can't tell anyone it was Casey. He's a civilian now. He'd be arrested."
He's right. Then she frowns. "He got a gun pretty quickly."
Chuck immediately looks embarrassed. "That's because I got one of his from Castle and gave it to him."
"I ought to berate you for that, Chuck, but I'm so glad you did. Perry might have shot you."
He looks at her. "You saw that?"
She nods, "Textbook agent recovery when caught by someone inexperienced."
He huffs, then he looks at her with a sheepish grin. "I guess that's me, Mr. Inexperienced."
She pulls him down towards her and says, "Only as a spy. You seemed very experienced in the shower this morning, Chuck."
He grins until she kisses him.
They'd been back at their apartment for an hour. An hour of passion.
Chuck is looking happily exhausted, but also a bit confused. "Wow, Sarah. You attacked me as soon as we entered the apartment. It was as if you thought this was our last time."
Sarah had been worried about confessing this, but follows her rule, 'No secrets, No lies.' "Chuck, I thought Perry was going to shoot you. I can't lose you, Chuck."
A tear rolls down her cheek. Chuck brushes it away with his thumb. "I could've shot him, Sarah."
She looks him in the eye. "But you didn't. And I couldn't get a shot at him in time." He pulls her up and kisses her lips.
As she pulls away again, she says, "We'll tell Beckman that I shot him. She can't know about Casey and if she thinks you did it, she might start thinking of you being a spy again."
Chuck is quiet for a moment. "Could that've have been my Red Test, Sarah?"
She hadn't thought about what his Red Test could be, but this is exactly the type of test they might've used. "Yes, it could have been something like this."
"I'm glad I don't have to do that. So glad," he intones.
She just tenderly kisses him. Kissing away these awful thoughts of Red Tests.
Of course, those tender kisses eventually turn more passionate again.
A/N: So, a different retelling of S3E11, preceded by further Laudanol scenes. I was always amazed that they didn't discuss the drug immediately after the last episode, almost acting like it had never happened.
I'd love to hear what you think of this, so please leave a review.