AN1 Hi everyone :) I hope you all had a good weekend. A LOT will happen in this chapter. It will contain very important moments, and I would greatly appreciate your feedback afterwards :)


The Spy and the Soldier

Chapter Ten, The Spy vs the Stubborn Hero


"You look rough, Bartowski."

Chuck stopped walking to look at Casey. "Yeah. But I'll freshen myself up in Castle. I didn't want to wake Sarah, so I left without making any kind of noise which would have happened if I'd have showered," he said as a grin lit up his features.

Casey tensed up. "Falling for the CIA skirt already, Bartowski?" he asked, shaking his head, and he turned his head away from Chuck as a visual reprimand of what he had heard.

Chuck scoffed sharply. "Hardly! Caring for my partner's wellbeing does not mean I'm falling for her, Casey..."

A short while earlier

Chuck woke on the sofa he had crashed out on after having dinner with Sarah. Falling asleep on a couch was not as comfortable as a bed. However, to a tier-one special forces soldier, a sofa by all intents and purposes was paradise, compared to some of the other arsenal of objects on which Chuck had fallen asleep over the years...

Having taken a minute to rub the sleep from his eyes and start his brain into life, Chuck glanced over to the bed, and his gaze connected onto his partner, who was sleeping soundly on the mattress but with just her dressing gown over her.

Shifting his gaze down to his person, he took note of, and he registered the duvet of the bed placed over him for the first time.

Chuck's face lit up with a grin.

She gave me the blanket. But it was a chilly evening last night, and I've slept in FAR colder conditions than the previous night. She must surely have been a lot colder than me, so why would she do that?

Unable to obtain an answer to his question, his glance shifted briefly to his watch so that he could ascertain the time. With the knowledge that it was 6am—which was still relatively early—in mind, his gaze fixed back towards Sarah once more.

She evidently went out of her way to ensure that I slept comfortably last night. So I will now return the same gesture to her. I'll arrange to meet Casey for breakfast in the dress that I'm already in. And I'll freshen up afterwards at Castle. I need to get to know Casey anyway, so this situation has handed me the perfect opportunity!

Rising to stand, Chuck picked up the duvet, placed it onto his arm, and made his way towards the bed. Arriving close to Sarah, he grinned down at her because she looked as peaceful as she did beautiful in her sleep. Her dressing gown covered most of her upper frame, while her perfect long golden legs were on show, and her stunning face was on full display. Chuck allowed himself to admire and take in the beauty of his partner for a few seconds more until he recognized that his actions were quite stalkerish towards her. He quickly snapped out of his thoughts, and he gently moved to place the blanket over Sarah.

Sarah moaned briefly at the touch of the blanket connecting onto her, but the air quickly filled with silence once more, and Chuck expertly, with complete noise discipline, departed their room, and he headed for the apartment of Casey while he texted Sarah of the development in the process...

Lincoln's Waffle Shop

"I judge a man based on his chosen car, Bartowski. So, impress me," Casey said with a sturdy look towards Chuck.

Chuck put his breakfast fork down on his plate, and he raised a hand to rest on his chin. "Well, while I'm a sucker for flashy sports cars, I do like to ride something with attitude, so the Mustang. How can you not love the V8? It's the pinnacle of engine power," he declared with a grin.

Casey frowned briefly before he nodded his head. "I'm impressed, Bartowski. With you Rangers being one-dimensional, you almost always go for a Toyota."

"I take offense to that, big man," Chuck said, pointing at Casey in contempt.

Casey grunted as he began to smirk at Chuck.

"But what about yourself? Is the Crown Vic out there," Chuck nodded out into the street, "yours?"

A slight hint of a smile escaped from Casey, and his chin raised with pride. "Roger that. A 1985 Ford Crown Vic. A perfect example of American automotive genius," he said.

Chuck snorted. "Old school. Nice."

"Most durable car out there, Bartowski," Casey protested.

Chuck nodded. "That may be. But it's also a gas hog..."

x-x-x-x-x-x

Sarah woke just after 7:30am. Raising herself up on the mattress, she glanced over towards where Chuck had crashed out on the sofa the previous night, but he was no longer there.

Changing her glance towards the door to the bathroom, she ascertained it was wide open.

Moving to stand, Sarah called out, "Chuck?" in the direction of the bathroom, her tone sounding laboured due to having just woken.

Having received no response, Sarah walked to the bathroom to peek inside, but it was deserted.

Departing the doorway to the bathroom, Sarah became alert, and she entered agent mode as she made her way towards the location of her phone.

Maybe Chuck has left me a message, or maybe Casey knows where he is.

Picking up her phone, Sarah jabbed her finger on the screen, and the screen lit up. Studying the display, she was alerted to two messages awaiting her.

Sarah studied the latest message first, which was from Casey. It read: Have assumed protection of the assignment. Will link up at Castle.

Sarah cooled and relaxed her posture slightly with the knowledge that there was no immediate threat to Chuck, and she began to read the following message, which was from Chuck himself: I snuck out again, but this time, I did it with good intentions because I didn't want to wake you. I intend to head out with Casey for breakfast, and I'll meet up with you again at Castle in a few hours from now. Thanks for the duvet :D

Continuing to gaze at the screen in the palm of her hand, an elegant smile escaped through Sarah's lips, and she paused in place for several seconds before she placed the device onto the bed, and she departed for the bathroom to begin her morning.

x-x-x-x-x-x

"Your most difficult opponent?" Chuck asked, glancing at Casey seated facing him at the diner they continued to have breakfast at together.

"Russians. Always the Russians," Casey said.

Chuck nodded. "I couldn't agree more with that. I've had the unlucky experience of crossing paths with Alpha Group (Russian Delta Force equivalent) once upon a time, in such and such a place."

Casey winced. "You've crossed paths with them, Bartowski?"

Chuck sighed in a moment of depression as he thought back to his encounter with the tier one Russian special operations outfit several months ago. "Yeah. They're one tough unit."

Casey nodded. "Roger that, but so are your outfit, so I'm sure you held yourselves well. This brings me to something that's been on my mind. At our briefing a few weeks ago, you wore your formal service dress despite being afforded the luxury of wearing whatever you darn well choose because of your outfit. Why?" Casey asked as he held a warm glance with Chuck.

Chuck took a moment to ponder his partner's question and collect his thoughts. "Firstly, Casey, because I love this country, and I would sacrifice my life if necessary for its values. Second, I wore my uniform with pride because I love the military. And finally, I wore my uniform in honour and respect of every person who wore this uniform before me. It's all that I know, and it's the only way that I can operate," he said with a shrug.

Casey nodded, and he emitted a warm glance towards Chuck that was filled with complete respect.

"So, Casey, have you had any good teammates in this life that we're now both in?" Chuck asked.

Casey shook his head.

Chuck frowned as the partners held their glance. "May I inquire as to why not?"

Casey shrugged. "Things are different in this world, Bartowski. Walker would shoot me in the back without a second thought if her assignment gave her a reason to do so."

Chuck shook his head, and he sniffed his nose in frustration. There was no way he was prepared to accept that reply as the new normal for him on this assignment, and he would sure as hell seek to change that way of thinking for as long as he was a part of the spy life.

"And I suppose you would shoot her in the back without a second thought if given the purpose to do so also, huh?" Chuck asked as he continued to shake his head, and he scoffed in disgust because he already knew the answer to what he had asked.

"Roger that. I'm glad you're finally figuring out how things are done in the spy world, Bartowski," Casey said.

"Casey, that's not a spy team. You can call it a spy team, a military team, or whatever else you want to call it. But it's still a team," Chuck protested.

"The 'team' in the spy world is a lot different to what you know that meaning to be, Bartowski," Casey said calmly.

Chuck became uncomfortable in his seat. "But Casey, there is no 'I' in team," Chuck said as he shook a finger dismissively towards Casey.

"There is one in spy team, Bartowski," Casey said.

Chuck waved his arms in protest like a lunatic. "Casey, I can't accept that. We are all working for the United States government. Surely that counts for something? We're all on the same team. There shouldn't be inter-agency rivalries," Chuck continued to argue his point.

"Nobody in the spy world received that memo, Bartowski," Casey said, and the two partners paused for an extended moment as they continued to share a glance. "If you're wise, Bartowski, then look out for yourself because everyone else on this assignment and every other spy who we will encounter for the duration of the assignment intends to do the same..."

x-x-x-x-x-x

Sarah arrived at Castle. Entering through the encoded door, her gaze connected towards Casey, who was seated alone at a table on the facility's ground floor. Sarah moved to descend the stairs, and Casey met her gaze.

"Where's Chuck?" Sarah asked.

Casey nodded over towards the washing facilities. "He's taking a shower because he crept out on you this morning because he didn't want to wake you. The kid's getting soft and falling for you already, Walker."

Sarah scoffed as she shook her head. "He's not falling for me, Casey!" Sarah snapped, glaring at him.

"Whatever you say, Walker. I'm just glad he's not bunked in with me. Do whatever you both want. He's your partner, not your asset. But keep me out of it, and don't compromise our assignment because of your lady feelings towards each other, or we'll have a problem."

Sarah continued to shake her head, and she glanced at Casey a final time with disdain due to how little respect she felt towards him before moving away from him to do something else.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Freshened up from his shower, Chuck arrived at the workout facilities inside Castle. Entering inside, he observed Sarah—who had her back to him—kicking and punching away at a five-foot punching bag.

Chuck grinned in approval at Sarah, as her workout was very intense, and she had built up quite a sweat. He observed her for a few moments more before he coughed to announce his presence.

Sarah paused her actions, and she turned to face him.

Chuck held his grin towards her, and Sarah took a moment to regulate her breathing.

"Hi," Chuck said softly.

"Hey," Sarah replied, her tone raspy due to her intense workout.

Chuck began to approach the punching bag, and Sarah stepped aside slightly to allow him access. Chuck proceeded to strike the bag with multiple jabs before he backed away from the bag slightly, and he turned before he immediately turned back around once more as he executed a flawless spinning roundhouse kick onto the bag.

Regaining his stance from his manouvre, he jabbed away at the bag a few more times before he stopped, and he turned to face Sarah.

A wide smile lit up Sarah, and they made deep eye contact with each other.

"Impressive kick," Sarah said, holding her smile.

Chuck returned her warm gaze. "Thanks."

"That was Taekwondo, right?" she asked.

Chuck nodded. "Yeah, along with Jiu-Jitsu, it's my favorite martial art."

Sarah held her friendly gaze towards him before she proceeded to nod over towards the sparring area. Returning her gaze to him, she asked, "Do you want to?"

Chuck frowned. "What, with you?" he asked, his tone sounding apprehensive.

Sarah nodded while smiling expectantly at him.

Chuck took a moment to think before he shook his head, and his lips pursed with a smile of regret.

Sarah's smile faded, and she started to scratch her hair. "Why not?" she asked, her tone confrontational.

Chuck sighed. "Sarah, because I would just hold back against you, even in pads. I can't throw punches at a woman, and that's just one thing that I'm not prepared to do on this assignment. Sleeping with and fake dating a teammate is already bad enough for me, but I refuse to break all of my codes and principles. I'm sorry."

Sarah shook her head as rising frustration continued to build, and her former cordial stare towards him had now been replaced with a hostile glare. "Then I am disappointed in you, Chuck!"

Chuck threw his arms out in resignation. "Sarah, like I said, I'm sorry. I was taught through all of my time in the military never to hold back in training. But if I sparred with you, then that is exactly what I would be doing. I would be holding back out of respect towards you, and I will admit that freely. And if I hold back, my chance of an injury increases massively, and that's not something I'm prepared to accept for a little fun."

"I don't want your respect or you to hold back on me, Chuck!" Sarah shouted as she got into his face.

Chuck sighed. "Sarah, I realize how this sounds. And it's precisely the way that it sounds also. I won't make up excuses and try to say that it's something that it's not, but I'm not backing out of this stance."

"And what if I was a hostile, Chuck?!" Sarah asked as her frustration continued to boil over, and she pointed at him.

Chuck scoffed, and he moved to cross his arms. "Sarah, come on..." he protested.

"I'm serious, Chuck! If you freeze at taking the hostile out for a split second too long, you're finished, and so am I, and so is Casey!"

"Sarah, if she was a clear threat to the team or to me, then I would neutralize that threat without a second thought. It's what I was trained to do. But you aren't a hostile nor a threat, and I'm not going to throw punches at you for no reason to do so."

"Casey wouldn't hesitate," Sarah argued her point.

"Well, I'm not Casey, Sarah," Chuck replied as he remained unyielding in his stance, and he held Sarah's confrontational glare.

"Nor would Bryce," Sarah continued her argument.

Chuck tensed up, and he became angry for the first time. "And I'm most certainly not that asshole!" he fired back with extreme hostility.

"So you'll spar with Casey but not me, and the only reason you won't spar with me is because I'm a woman? I would like to hear you clarify this position for me so that I know where we both stand moving forward on this assignment."

Chuck nodded in resignation.

Sarah shook her head, and she burnt a scornful stare into his eyes for a final moment before she turned away from him, and she stormed out of the workout facilities.

Chuck sighed for a long moment as he gazed at the back of Sarah as she departed. Due to Sarah's confrontational state, Chuck decided to do something that wasn't very smart right now, as he followed on after her.

"Sarah?" Chuck called out to her out in the hallway.

Sarah stopped, and she turned around to face him, her gaze towards him still one of confrontation. "You've said what you have to say, and you've made your position clear. Now, if you don't mind, I have things to do. That is unless you want me to remain at home cooking and cleaning?!"

With her response given, Sarah turned away once more, and she quickly paced away from Chuck, who chose not to follow on after her any further.

Just great, Chuck! Way to come across as a patronizing douchebag!

Chuck quickly returned to the workout facilities, as he felt a sudden need to let loose on the very same punch bag that Sarah had just minutes ago...

x-x-x-x-x-x

Sarah stormed along the corridors of Castle in an extremely pissed off state. Throughout her career in the CIA, Sarah had been looked down on as lesser and not valued as an equal to her male counterparts on multiple occasions. But she had never had a partner treat her that way before, until today.

He thinks he needs to protect me from harm? I would kick his ass all over this facility! I don't like or appreciate those remarks he made towards me! The stubborn, egotistical ass!

Sarah scoffed, and she continued to shake her head, unable to remove Chuck's comments from her mind as she entered another area of Castle, and her glance connected onto Casey.

He is the last person I want to see right now!

Sarah glared over towards Casey, who met her glance.

"What has your panties in a twist, Walker? You look ready to explode," Casey said mockingly as he grunted in approval.

Sarah sharply clenched her teeth, and she curled her hands into fists. "Mind your own business, Casey!" she snapped.

Casey grunted satisfactorily. "This isn't the sparring area, Walker. If you want to let off, all you have to do is ask," Casey said.

Sarah glared daggers at Casey. I would kick your ass too!

"That sounds like an excellent idea, Casey!" Sarah said with hostility.

Casey nodded. "I'm glad you're here, though, Walker," he said, his tone cooling to a more friendly approach. "We're more than a week into the assignment. Do you have any status to report? With you assuming primary protection of Bartowski, is there anything I need to be updated on?"

Sarah puffed out a strong sigh in an attempt to compose herself enough to give Casey a report. "I have nothing to report, Casey. I have encountered no potential threats to the asset, nor has any form of surveillance been uncovered."

Casey quirked his eyebrows. "I think you're on the wrong assignment, Walker. Bartowski is not your asset. Our orders are to work with Bartowski. Per those orders, I am to consider Bartowski as a partner of mine, and I will do so until I'm instructed otherwise, and so will you, unless you've been given counter orders, and there's something I should know about?"

Realizing her mistake, Sarah swallowed air.

Casey walked into her vicinity. "I asked you a question, Walker. Is there something I should know about?"

Sarah shook her head. "There's nothing you should know about, Casey. My orders are that Chuck is my partner. The Intersect computer inside of his head, however, is an asset of both of our agencies, and you know that as well as I do," she said with a straight face.

Casey nodded. "Just so we're clear, my orders are to take measures to protect that asset but to also work with my partner. I want no lone wolf CIA bullshit from you on this assignment, Walker. And if you endanger the mission, I won't hesitate to take you out," he said with a stern look towards her.

Not breaking nor feeling intimated by the NSA agent's stare towards her, Sarah scoffed. "If there's a threat to this mission, Casey, then it will come from you. You're a burnout."

"I'm glad we know where we stand, Walker," Casey said.

Sarah nodded. "Me too."

x-x-x-x-x-x

Chuck, Sarah and Casey were stood together on the ground floor of Castle, and they were preparing to retire for the day.

There was an explicit and dangerous level of tension now present between all three of the partners, and they all knew it.

Chuck had seen many bad things happen from tension and stress between teammates through his six years in the military, and he was not prepared to roll with the anxiety nor accept it as the new normal between the three of them.

"I can tell that we're all five minutes away from tearing each other's throats out right now. Instead of that happening, why don't we clear the air and all head out for dinner together, and we can talk it over and resolve it amicably as professionals?" Chuck suggested, glancing at both Sarah and Casey.

Sarah met Chuck's gaze, and she proceeded to nod at him, though her glance towards him was a distant one.

Chuck grinned at Sarah before he focused his attention towards Casey. "Casey?" he asked.

"I'll save whatever clearing of the air that needs to be done from my behalf for sparring. And I'm looking forward to it, Walker," Casey said.

Chuck immediately broke his gaze from Casey to look inquisitively towards Sarah instead.

Did she tell him about the incident?

Sarah met Chuck's gaze, but she seemed unconcerned by what Casey had said.

Chuck turned his glance towards Casey once more. "Fair enough, but I think that's a mistake. But it's your decision, and I will respect that..."

x-x-x-x-x-x

"Sarah, I'll just freshen up, and then we'll head out," Chuck said, closing the door to their room after him.

"You don't need my permission to wash, Chuck. I will do the same after you, that is if I have your permission," Sarah said as she rolled her eyes, and she averted her glance away from him, and she walked to a different part of the room.

Chuck sighed, and he closed his eyes for a brief moment knowing that Sarah's behaviour towards him was the fallout over his comments to her earlier in the day. Despondently, he departed to freshen up, and he changed into clean clothes.

x-x-x-x-x-x

"Did you tell Casey what I said to you earlier at the punching bag?"

Sarah looked up from her menu to glance at Chuck seated opposite her inside the restaurant they were having dinner together.

"Why would you say that?" she asked, as she placed her elbows onto the table, and she raised her hands up to rest on her chin.

"Because when I asked the both of you out earlier, he brought up the line 'I'll save clearing the air for sparring', so I just thought that maybe you had," he said softly.

Sarah scoffed as she shook her head, her mindset still in a pissed off state. "Well, no, I didn't tell him, actually. But why? Are you worried that your decision would be viewed badly by others?"

"Actually, I'm not worried in the slightest bit about that, and I couldn't care any less what people think of my decision. I haven't physically hurt anybody, and if you want, I'll be glad to make my position on the matter clear in front of Casey or whoever else you want me to at the very next opportunity, if that's what you want?"

Sarah ignored his question, and she averted her glance away from him as she concentrated her attention towards the menu for the next minute.

"Can we talk about what happened earlier?"

Sarah abandoned her activities, and she raised her gaze to glance at him again. "I'd rather not talk about it," she said distantly, and they held their glance.

"Well, I would, Sarah. That's why we're here, after all. I know my comments towards you were inappropriate. I also know they were borderline sexist, and that you feel insulted because your agent status is somehow lessened 'cause I won't spar with you," he paused briefly, and Sarah held her gaze into his orbs as she heard him out. "But Sarah, I'm not going to do something that I don't feel comfortable in doing, even if it makes somebody else feel uncomfortable because of it. I am simply going by my principles and values of what I don't feel is right. I would ask you to understand this, though I know you won't. But if I tried to make you do something you didn't want to do, then you wouldn't do it either, no matter how frustrated my response would be to your refusal, so I actually feel like your behaviour on display isn't very fair towards me right now," he said.

Sarah collected her thoughts before she said, "Chuck, I don't depend on you for my safety. I don't want your safety. And I don't appreciate those comments that you made towards me."

Continuing to hold their glance, Chuck said, "Sarah, what other way could I have told you that I won't do something I have been asked that I don't want to do? It's not what I said that you don't like. It's what I won't do."

"Chuck, you're not a gentleman; you're a soldier. And I'm not a woman; I'm a spy. Gender is irrelevant to this assignment. I asked to spar with you because you are my partner, and there is only one acceptable response that you should have given."

Chuck shook his head. "Sarah, I don't agree, and I can't agree with you. I'm sorry. I'm not perfect, but my principles and my codes should not be held against me, and I should not be forced into doing something that I'm not comfortable with doing in the name of 'partnership'."

There was a brief pause, and Sarah broke her gaze from him briefly before she returned it once he continued their lively discussion once more.

"Sarah, if you asked me to kill somebody right now, anybody in this restaurant, and I didn't want to do it, would that be held against me also?"

"Chuck, you can't take it to the extreme to win an argument," she protested.

He nodded. "Yes, I can if it helps my perspective to be understood. There has to be codes and principles. Without them, we are just cold-blooded government assassins without any emotion, and I refuse to be that guy, Sarah. Maybe Bryce was like it with you during your last partnership, and I don't doubt it for a second because he's a douchebag. But I will never be that guy."

Sarah swallowed air, and she refused to reply because she had none to give to him.

Sighing, Chuck said, "It's clear that we cannot agree on this issue and that neither of us will compromise on our stance. I hope we can remain professional despite it, Sarah. I'm not a perfect guy, but your previous partner could not have been perfect either, or you wouldn't be here."

He has a point. At least he's honest and unafraid of standing up for what he believes in. I may not like what he did to me, but at least I can trust him, which is more than I can say for Bryce, and certainly Zondra!

Sarah puffed out a long drawn out sigh. "Chuck, every partner I've had since I became a spy has thought about their own interests and desires and never about what I want," she said.

Chuck shook his head, and holding his gaze with her, he said, "Not me."

Sarah nodded, and she pointed at him. "Yes, Chuck, even you. You put your own feelings and desires before my own today. Until you can at least accept that that's what you did, then I cannot move on from the issue."

Chuck took a moment before he nodded several times in succession. "Ok, fair point. That's kind of what I did, but in a mild context because not wanting to throw a punch at you is a little different than whatever happened between you and Bryce. I'm sure it wasn't good because I also had a taste of that asshole Bryce freaking Larkin at college. And I have no doubt that this issue between us right now is minor in comparison to your issues with Zondra also, don't you think?"

Sarah nodded, and she swallowed air. "Yes, Chuck, it is different. You did what you did because you didn't want to hurt me. And while I found those actions by you earlier unacceptable, and I still do, it is totally different to previous partnerships that I have had, so yes."

Chuck grinned at her for the first time since they arrived. "Sarah, thank you for saying that. You can always trust in me to have your back, so long as you have mine. I promise it here and now. But for the record, I don't believe that Zondra was the traitor, and I think the issue with the CAT squad is a catalogue of misconceptions and that the real traitor is neither of you."

Sarah frowned as she began to gaze at Chuck like he had four heads. He sounds like he knows a lot about the CAT squad or that he knows Zondra

"What do you know about the CAT squad and Zondra?" she asked.

Chuck held their glance. "I only know what was in your file, Sarah," he said.

Sarah took an extended moment to study his body and facial language. There's more to it than that. He looks a lot more convincing than at the pool yesterday, but I sense that there's something else there that he's not telling me. I just don't know what

"Chuck, are you sure? You can tell me. We are having an open discussion," she said.

He nodded. "Sarah, I'm sure. That's all I know. So have you decided what to order?" he asked, diverting the topic.

Unwilling to move on from the discussion just yet, Sarah continued her inquisitive glance towards him for a few seconds more. There's more to it. But if he won't say what, then there's nothing I can do

x-x-x-x-x-x

It was after 10pm in Washington D.C., and Chuck was walking back to the hotel with Sarah after a brief stroll together.

I'm glad that I cleared the air with her eventually. Though the way she was looking at me when I brought up the CAT squad has me convinced that she knows I know more about the CAT's than I was letting on. But when I asked her if she had a thing with Bryce on the journey from Fort Bragg, she blew up at me. So why should I tell her about Zondra and reveal my own personal life?

Putting his thoughts to one side, Chuck and Sarah passed an alleyway together, and they were about to continue on. However, Chuck paused as his glance connected onto some kind of incident about twenty yards deep into the dark and dreary alleyway.

Chuck started to squint his eyes as he attempted to ascertain what was happening, but it was hard of sight up the dark passageway.

"Chuck, I can't see the altercation. It's too dark. What are they doing?" Sarah asked.

Glancing at her briefly, he said, "I'm not sure."

Chuck turned his attention back towards the quarrel before he started to walk closer towards the incident.

"Chuck, we shouldn't get involved in any kind of dispute. We need to keep ourselves to ourselves on this assignment to protect our identity. Let them figure it out between them," Sarah gave her professional opinion.

Chuck paused from walking as he shook his head. "Sarah, I have to act. One of them may need my help," he said.

Chuck resumed to head closer towards the altercation, and as he did so, he finally obtained a better view. A woman was pinned against a wall in the alleyway, and a man was trapping her in place. The male in question had his hand over the woman's face, likely to stop her from calling for help.

Chuck's adrenalin immediately began to build as his mind came to conclusions over what was happening here.

"What's going on here? Do you need assistance, ma'am?" Chuck called as he paused in place a few yards away from the altercation.

The male who had his back to Chuck started to turn himself to face him, and as he did so, he revealed his hand that was formerly obstructed of view.

The male was brandishing a knife.

Chuck instantly zoned out, and he flashed on information from the Intersect, which revealed the knife in possession of the armed assailant to be a flip knife with a three-inch blade.

With his composure restored from the flash, Chuck shifted his posture into a fighting stance. "Drop the knife on the floor, and back away from her, or I'll take you down!" Chuck warned, locking his glance onto the armed assailant.

The armed assailant complied with one request, as he released hold of the woman, and she quickly ran towards Chuck and Sarah. However, the attacker did not comply with the second request, and he lunged himself towards Chuck in an attempt to stab Chuck in his torso, but Chuck managed to dodge the lunge.

With the attempt to stab him successfully avoided, Chuck reacted instantly, and he took hold of the attacker's wrist. Within seconds, he had disarmed the attacker of the knife, and it fell to the floor, as the attacker, with his free hand, began to grapple with Chuck.

Chuck kicked the knife a distance away from the engagement while he grappled with the attacker. The assailant attempted a punch towards Chuck's jaw, but Chuck was able to block the attack.

Taking hold of both of the assailant's arms despite fierce resistance from the criminal, Chuck lifted his head back slightly before sending a devastating headbutt with such ferocity that connected onto the assailant's nose, and Chuck heard something snap.

The attacker's grip on Chuck instantly loosened, and he fell back as he started to grimace in significant discomfort from Chuck's headbutt.

Chuck was on the stumbling attacker in an instant. Lining himself up, Chuck fired off a destructive uppercut that sharply connected onto the criminal's jaw, and it knocked him out cold.

Chuck immediately took in his surroundings in search of the weapon and the location of Sarah and the woman. Reasonably satisfied that the knife was out of the equation, and ascertaining that Sarah was now armed as she had retrieved her sidearm from out of her bag, and that the woman he had just saved who was cowering behind Sarah was now safe, he calmed himself slightly. Affording Sarah and the young female a brief glance, Chuck took out his phone while ensuring to keep the assailant in his sight the entire time he reported the crime.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Chuck and Sarah were still at the alleyway where Chuck's intervention had taken place twenty minutes ago. A police squad car was now in attendance, and Chuck and Sarah had already flashed their relevant credentials, and Chuck, Sarah and two police officers were now in discussion.

"I'll prepare a report in the coming days, and I'll have it forwarded over to you," Chuck said to the police officers.

"I'll also do the same," Sarah added in.

"That will be fine, Agent Bartowski. We are satisfied with the reasonable force you used to disable the assailant, and I thank you for the intervention," a police officer said.

Chuck nodded. "If there's nothing else, I'd like to check in on the victim before we depart to make sure she's ok?" Chuck said.

"That's fine by me. We'll take over the incident from here. Have yourselves a good night," another police officer said.

Chuck nodded as he offered out a handshake to the two police officers, which they both accepted. Completing the handshake, Chuck made his way towards an ambulance that had also arrived and attended to the victim.

Arriving at the ambulance's rear, Chuck connected his glance onto the victim and two EMS responders.

Detecting his presence, one of the responders walked towards Chuck, and he glanced down at him.

"I have to leave in a moment, but I was hoping to have a brief word with her to ensure she's ok?" Chuck asked.

The EMS nodded and smiled at Chuck before he departed from the vehicle, and the second EMS who had overheard him had done the same.

Chuck climbed into the ambulance, and Sarah entered with him. They moved to sit opposite the victim.

Smiling at the victim, Chuck said, "Hi, I'm Chuck."

The victim returned his smile, but she still appeared shaken up from the terrible ordeal she had been subjected to, which was uncovered to have been a vicious assault, and attempted raping. "Rachel."

"I have to leave in a moment because I shouldn't be here right now. If my boss knew I was, then he probably wouldn't be too happy. But I wanted to check in on you before I depart to make sure that you're ok."

Rachel held her smile towards him. "I am. Thanks to you. I don't know what would have happened to me if you hadn't have passed when you did," she said in dread.

Chuck emitted a trademark grin towards her. "But that didn't happen. Unfortunately, there are a lot of evil people in this world. I don't know how scumbags like him can set out to hurt such a lovely person like yourself. I hope that you never have an experience like that ever again in your life, but if you do, I want you to contact me," Chuck paused as he moved to collect some paper from the ambulance and a pen. Returning to the sight of Rachel, he continued, "Very few people have this number because of my line of work, but if you ring this number, and you need me to take care of anybody who has violently mistreated you, then I will make him answer for what he has done to you. You have my word."

Chuck handed the piece of paper over the Rachel, which she took from him, and she moved to put a hand on her heart as she beamed him a loving smile. "Thank you," she said.

Chuck held his grin towards her. "That's no problem at all. I'm glad to have met you, but not in these circumstances. I should go now, before I get into trouble. Goodbye, Rachel."

Rachel nodded in acceptance, and she held her smile towards him. "Bye, Chuck."

Chuck departed the ambulance, and Sarah followed after him. They walked a short distance until they turned to face each other.

Gazing at Sarah, he gave her a faint smile. However, there was nothing faint about the smile that Sarah returned to him, and it easily trumped any that Chuck could have made.

"What you just did was very heroic, Chuck," Sarah said with a sparkle in her eye.

Chuck shook off the praise. "Sarah, I only did what most people would have done."

Sarah sharply began to shake her head. "That's bullshit. Chuck, most people would have been scared to get involved, and they would have walked away, but not you."

"Sarah, I don't want praise," Chuck said dismissively.

"Chuck, if you don't want that, then I won't praise you out of respect for what you just did. But I can tell you right now that I won't forget what you did in the alleyway a short while ago for a very long time, never mind what you just did inside the ambulance, and neither should you," she finished, and she proceeded to nod at him with pride and respect.

Chuck processed Sarah's words before he nodded, and the partners returned to their hotel.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Sarah and Chuck entered their hotel room. It was well after 11pm, and both partners were tired.

"Sarah, I can take the sofa if you want me to?" Chuck suggested.

Sarah froze in place, and her mind entered into confusion and shock, as she could not figure out why he had said that.

"Chuck, why would I want you to take the sofa?" she asked, her mind still in conflict and the look of confusion remained evident on her face.

"Because of what I did this morning. If you want me to, it's fine," he said with a smile.

Sarah did a double-take as she registered and processed his words. To be frank, she had forgotten all about the events this morning because the only events at the front of her mind right now were Chuck's heroism in saving a woman from being brutally raped and everything he had done after it inside the ambulance.

She proceeded to shake her head. "No, Chuck, I don't want you to take the sofa," she said.

Chuck grinned at her. "Does that mean we're friends again then?"

Sarah contemplated his words as she gazed at him, and a loving smile escaped her lips. "Yeah, friends," she said.

Chuck nodded as they held their affectionate glance towards each other for a very long moment before they broke it, and the spy and the soldier soon headed for bed together...

End of Chapter

AN2 Well then. A lot happened in this chapter, didn't it? What did you like most about it? My favorite scene, of course, was how touched Sarah was by Chuck's heroism. This is my version of Chuck helping the Ballerina girl in canon. This is also when Sarah fell for Chuck in canon, by the way.

AN3 Once more, I offer my thanks to everybody who has interacted with my story by leaving a review for it in recent days. Please continue to do so, and in return, I will continue to keep the chapters coming!

AN4 Next Chapter: Chuck and Sarah wake up in a compromised position (how will they react to it?). There will also be some further Chuck/Sarah reaction to Chuck's intervention, some additional Chuck/Graham fireworks, and more!