A/N: Thanks to those of you that left reviews for the last chapter, and sorry for the four-week wait for this one.
It took me a while to decide what I thought would happen during the seven and a half months between the end of season one and the start of season 2. A few months ago, I discussed this period with MyNameIsJeffNImLost, as he was going to cover it in his "Chuck vs the In Between" (now published) ,which helped me firm up my thoughts, so thanks for that, Jeff.
Thanks to Captainrick944 for the beta. This one was a lot of work for him due to the length of the chapter. Much appreciated.
So, this chapter includes a rewrite of "Chuck Versus the Marlin" but also covers some of that time between seasons 1 and 2.
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Chapter 11: Bugs, Fish and Vacations
Chuck was not happy. Period. Neither of his direct reports had told him what was going on because neither had been aware. If it hadn't been for his ability to read their minds, he would have doubted that, but it seemed that Jeff and Lester had managed to hide it from Anna, their supervisor. Probably just as well, as Chuck shuddered to think what she would have done to them if she had found out.
So, when Chuck walked through the store and didn't find the two reprobates, he had to go looking for them.
He soon found them in the AV room, projecting a video captured on Jeff's phone onto the large monitor.
He always blocked out the images from Jeff's head but didn't exert so much effort on those from Lester's, as he was all talk and very little real imagination. The images today, we're very clear, however.
Chuck was shocked at the size of the boobs on display there. The woman's naturally large breasts projected onto the 52-inch monitor was quite a surprise.
"What the hell are you guys doing?" he shouted.
Neither of them jumped as he'd hoped. Both slowly turned to him. Lester smirked, and Jeff just said, "Mammary Cam."
Lester glared at his friend. "You're not supposed to say that."
"Well, guys, you know Big Mike's policy on that. He grabbed the camera that was connected to the monitor and removed the memory stick. "This gets destroyed."
"Aww. There were some great ones on there," Jeff whined.
"And no more of this, guys," Chuck said and walked out into the store.
Ten minutes later, Jeff was back at the Nerd Herd desk, and Lester was on the other side talking to him. Chuck thought they looked suspicious, but then, when didn't they? However, he decided to walk over and check.
He was walking up behind Jeff when the two of them perked up. The new delivery girl for Pita Palace was walking in with an order. Chuck groaned. This girl had the top buttons of her blouse undone. Almost as if she was inviting these two to look at her boobs.
Lester said to Jeff, "Here comes the Schwarma girl." When she got closer, he said, "Hey."
She smiled at him. "Hey... Here you guys go." She bent forward to put the food down, and Chuck could see Jeff's camera track her boobs. She was looking at Lester, but must have noticed. "Be careful. It's really hot. I don't want to... for you to burn your tongue on it." Then she stood up. "Wow, twenty-nine orders this month. One more, and you'll get a free baba ghanoush."
Lester hurried to get his wallet out of his back pocket.
Chuck had lost interest in the conversation. He had read the girl's thoughts when she mentioned the number of orders. She'd been planting bugs in the store each time she came in. She worked for Fulcrum.
She took Lester's money and started to walk away. Chuck followed, continuing to read her thoughts. It seemed there was a controller capturing the recordings hidden in the store.
Chuck rushes back to the Nerd Herd desk. "Give me the video recording. Now!"
He looked angry enough that Jeff actually gave it to him. Chuck turned and, after picking something up from the end of one of the aisles, rushed out of the store and over to the Wienerlicious. He didn't notice Devon walking toward the store, but Devon didn't see him either.
Sarah was on her own when he arrived. She looked up. She was going to say hello, but read his mind and said, "Bugs?"
"Yeah. Apparently twenty-nine of them so far. I don't know where, other than this one I saw her plant it on her way out of the store."
"And she works for Fulcrum?" she asked.
"Yeah."
"You haven't told Casey? Good. He'd tell Beckman, who'd probably want you transferred to a bunker. We have to find that controller."
Chuck thought about what the woman had in her mind when thinking of the controller. "It's hidden in the marlin in Big Mike's office."
"How the hell did she get it there?"
Chuck shrugged. "I guess Big Mike had a food delivery, too," he said.
"We have to get that out of the marlin tonight, Chuck."
"Okay. I'll work late and call you over when everyone has gone," he replied.
However, Sarah was thinking this through. "No. We need all the bugs as well. We'll have to report it." She grabbed her phone and made a call. "Hi, Casey. Can you come over? Chuck has made a discovery." She smiled at her boyfriend while Casey spoke. "Yeah, he's over here now."
When she ended the call, she thought at Chuck, 'You followed her out of the store and overheard her talking about it.'
He nodded. That sounded plausible.
When Casey walked in, his first comment was, "You should have come to me in the Buy More rather than leaving the store and walking over here to tell her."
"Hey, I was already out of the store when I found out," Chuck said.
"Found out what?" Casey growled.
Chuck pulled the bug out of his pocket and gave it to Casey. "There are 28 more of these in the store and a controller in the marlin in Big Mike's office."
"Hey, you didn't show me that," Sarah said, sounding frustrated.
"Guess he doesn't give you everything, huh, girlfriend?" Casey said, smiling for a change.
Casey called Beckman, and Sarah called Graham. After they'd sent photos of the device off, a video call was quickly set up, and the three stood behind the counter in the Wienerlicious, looking at one of the screens.
Beckman and Graham appeared on the screen.
"You don't need to be here for this, Mr. Bartowski," Graham said.
"Oh, I do if Fulcrum is bugging the Buy More," Chuck replied.
"Let the intelligence staff handle this," Graham said, looking annoyed.
"And look how well they've handled this so far. I don't think so. I'm involved whether you like it or not." Sarah was surprised at how Chuck was standing up for himself.
"Can we just get on with how we are going to handle this?" Casey growled.
Beckman nodded. "The bug Chuck found is a GLG-20, one of the most advanced counter-espionage listening devices in the CIA arsenal."
"This is a CIA design?" Sarah asked.
"Figures," Casey muttered.
Graham said, "The GLG-20 is a low-power transmitter. In order to avoid detection, it has a maximum range of about twenty yards."
Beckman then said, "So, there will be a receiver hidden in the Buy More, as Chuck has confirmed."
"We believe it's recently become a favorite of the FULCRUM agents," Graham told them.
Casey huffed. "So, you're telling us the secret government cabal that abducted Bryce Larkin and came within a hair of figuring out that Chuck's the Intersect is now skulking around the Buy More?"
Graham's reply was, "We need you to retrieve that receiver and apprehend the person who planted it."
"You have forty-eight hours. If you cannot capture the enemy operative in that time, we will have no choice but to relocate Chuck to a secure government holding facility," Beckman stated. She looked at Chuck. "I'm sorry, Chuck."
Chuck was reeling at that thought.
Graham added, with a certain amount of pleasure, Sarah thought, "Bartowski's time as a civilian may be coming to an end. For their own safety, his family may never see him again."
The call ended.
"Bastard!" Chuck was going to say more, but Sarah sent him a thought not to.
Casey, however, muttered, "Then they can just kill him without anyone being the wiser."
This was an opportunity not to miss, so Sarah turned to him. "You know something, don't you?"
Casey realized he'd spoken aloud. "No, nothing."
She stopped him from leaving. "Has Beckman told you he's to be eliminated?"
Casey turned that back on her. "Has Graham told you that?"
"No. He hasn't. What has Beckman told you?"
Casey had all the thoughts at the forefront of his mind. He tried to push past her and found one of her blades at his throat. "Talk, Casey. Something is coming out of your mouth. Either the truth or I push this up, and your tongue drops out."
Casey could see the steel in her eyes. He thought about trying to push her hand away but knew she was too fast for that. He sighed. "Okay. Can we sit and talk without that at my throat?"
Sarah could see he had agreed to talk, so she nodded, and took the knife away.
Chuck had been standing behind Sarah, saying nothing. He knew his girlfriend was deadly, but here, she was just terrifying. He was so glad she hadn't done what she threatened.
They sat at one of the tables. Casey on the inside on one side, with Chuck next to him and Sarah opposite.
"When the new Intersect comes online and is loaded into agents, Beckman has ordered me to execute Chuck." He looked at the man next to him. "I don't want to do it, but I always follow orders."
Chuck looked shocked. He was actually surprised that Casey had told them, so the shock wasn't completely untrue.
Sarah, on the other hand, played this for what it was worth. "Casey! He's our partner. Our job is to protect him. Not kill him!"
Casey was embarrassed and sad about it, they could both read that in his thoughts, but his words were straight from the spy handbook. "Walker, you know orders change. You also know this assignment was never meant to be permanent."
She was angry now. "that's right, not permanent, but nor was it supposed to end in Chuck's death!"
Casey threw his hands up in the air. "I don't make the orders; I just follow them."
"Oh, like you did about Ilsa," Sarah said.
"Yeah, I shouldn't have done that," Casey said quietly.
"So, it's okay to disobey orders if they suit you?" she questioned.
"What do you expect me to do?" Casey said exasperatedly. "If I don't do it, someone will come and shoot me as well as him!"
"This is an illegal order, anyway. She shouldn't order you to kill an innocent American citizen."
Casey winced, and filed that thought away, but said, "When has that ever been considered. If she wants him dead, he will be."
"I can't believe I'm sitting here listening to you talking about me like this," Chuck said.
Sarah patted his hand. "Sorry, Chuck. Do you want to go back to the Buy More?"
"Hell, no! If you two are deciding my fate, I want to hear it!"
Sarah could see that Casey was trying to think of a way around killing Chuck and that he'd been doing that for weeks now. She decided to challenge his ideas. "What if I took him away from here?"
Casey looked at her. "You'd give up your career for him?" He said that but was thinking, 'Of course she would. She's in love with him.' Neither Chuck nor Sarah knew he thought that before.
Sarah decided to push Casey on this.
'Are you sure, Sarah?' Chuck thought at her.
'Yes, I am,' she replied.
"Casey, I think you know how I feel about Chuck."
Casey looked at her for a while and then sighed. "You two are in love with each other. It was easy to see with Bartowski, but you were harder to read, Walker. I don't know how long, but I'm guessing that the protection you are providing isn't all that's going on in his bedroom."
Chuck blushed, but Sarah didn't. She was better at controlling how she appeared.
"Yes, we are in love," she replied. "And I will do anything to protect him." She gave Casey her icy look that terrified enemies. "From anybody."
Casey sat back. The other two read his discomfort at being in her sights like that. "So, you run, and I struggle to find you. Is that it?"
"Pretty much," Sarah replied.
He sat for a while, as the two mind readers 'watched' him think this over.
He then nodded. "Okay. I'll let you know when I get the final order." They could both see that he would do that and intended to stall to give them as much time as possible.
Sarah acknowledged how big a deal this was for him with just a nod, but that was all that was needed.
Chuck wanted to hug the guy, but Sarah thought, 'No, Chuck. That'll just piss him off.' So, Chuck got up and just said, '"Thanks, Casey. You're a good man."
Casey looked at him and nodded. "Sit down again, Bartowski. We need to discuss what to do with those bugs and the receiver. Oh, and that girl."
Chuck sat and pulled out the two memory sticks he'd taken from Jeff and Lester. "One of these has her on it." He blushed and looked at Sarah. "I took them from Jeff and Lester," he said. "Mammary Cam."
He mentally told her what he had planned to do with the first one so she wasn't perturbed, but she now had to tease him in front of Casey. "And what were you planning to do with these, Chuck?" Her raised eyebrow said, 'Be careful how you reply.'
Casey snorted and said, "Maybe no sex tonight if you answer wrong, Bartowski."
Sarah was laughing mentally at this, so Chuck knew he wasn't in trouble. "One is to be destroyed. The other is for you two to find that girl." He handed both to Casey. "The times of the recordings will tell you which is which. The bug woman was taken just before I headed over here." Then he grinned at the NSA agent. "You can destroy the other one when you've finished checking out the boobs."
Sarah burst out laughing. "He got the green light from me for tonight, Casey."
Chuck blushed again and had to get out rather than focus on what she'd just said. He left the other two to look at the recording and headed back to the Buy More.
As he walked in, he was immediately accosted by Devon Woodbridge. So, he didn't get a chance to work until he'd talked with him. Chuck was over the moon about what Devon planned and was only too happy to both give his permission and to help. He took the engagement ring in its box from Devon.
"It's been in my family for years," Devon told him. "This was my great-grandmother's. Ah, you think she'll like it?"
"Like it? She'll love it," Chuck said. "I, um, I'm just not sure she'll be able to lift her hand anymore."
"Oh, one other thing. Ellie is a bloodhound when it comes to these kinds of things. If I keep this in the apartment, she will smell the diamond. Can you hold onto this, just for a day or so, man? I mean, just until I figure out how to pop the question?"
Chuck didn't want that responsibility, but Devon just hugged him and thrust it into his hand before walking off.
Chuck didn't feel anything was safe in the Buy More now, after all the Fulcrum bugs, so he kept it in his pocket. He'd get Sarah to keep it safe somewhere.
Chuck took a late lunch, hoping that the food rush at the Wienerlicious would have died down. He was always amazed at Sarah's ability to speak in multiple languages, but when he walked in, and she was talking to a customer in German, he was reminded of how talented she was.
He was pleased to see that the woman's order was for "take out" and the Wienerlicious would be empty after she left. 'Is it bad that I find that you talking in a language I don't understand is really hot?'
With a sultry expression, she thought back, 'Ich bin heiß. It means, I am hot.'
'God, you are! Can we go somewhere to explore that thought a bit further?'
Sarah chuckled. 'No! But you might be able to persuade me to talk in German to you tonight.'
Chuck knew the bit about now was true. She was still serving food, after all.
"I have something I need you to hide for me," he said.
Before he took it out of his pocket, Sarah had already read his mind and knew what it was and, more particularly, who it was from and for. Still, she couldn't help teasing him. She pouted. "Not for me, then?"
He looked at her and said, "If I could afford something like this, I'd be down on my knee right now."
Sarah was surprised. Neither had talked about anything like this before. She knew she didn't want to leave him, but marriage? He'd actually want to marry her? She looked shocked at him. "Really?"
"God, Sarah! You're it for me. Of course, I want to marry you. We just can't right now."
That was right. Not with the whole asset/handler thing going on and the termination order looming.
He pushed the ring box across. She had a quick look at it. "Phew! Quite a stone on that," she commented. "I'll put it in the safe."
She did that, then returned. "Chuck, tonight the NSA is going to find all those bugs. They wanted to gut the store, but Casey persuaded them that there were only the twenty-nine, so they'll do a sweep to find those. Oh, and the receiver in the marlin."
"So, you and I don't need to be involved?" he asked.
"Nope, Casey will be leading it," she replied. "You can have some language lessons." The innocent expression wasn't matched by the thought she sent him.
"Yes, please," he said.
Before they headed home, Casey asked Chuck, "Does the girl come into the store each day?"
"Yeah, she does, but if all the bugs and the receiver have gone, won't she know?" Chuck asked.
"I doubt the receiver is capable of broadcasting, so she'd have to retrieve it first," Casey replied.
"What if she does that before you get to it?" Chuck asked.
"I'll be working late tonight, so I'll be there before her, even if she comes tonight," Casey replied.
"Okay, sounds like a plan," Chuck replied.
"If she comes in tomorrow, we'll get her then," Casey stated.
Chuck and Sarah were sitting and having dinner when Sarah got the next call, again from Casey. Thankfully, Ellie and Devon were out, so she put it on speaker again.
"Got the receiver," Casey told them. "No broadcast capability, so Bartowski's secret is safe."
Both were glad to hear that. "Thank you, Casey," Chuck said.
Casey grunted. "I also found eight of the bugs just by doing a quick visual check. She didn't try very hard to hide them."
"Only twenty to go then," Chuck responded.
"Hold on, I think I heard the rear entrance. I think we have a visitor," Casey stated.
"Don't let her get the receiver, Casey," Chuck said.
"Think I'm an amateur?" Casey growled, then he ended the call.
Chuck had been focusing on the call and only realized Sarah was no longer sitting at the table. "I'm going over there," she told him.
"I'm coming with you," he replied. Before she could tell him not to do that, he added, "I need to let you into the store."
"You know I can pick locks, don't you?"
"Yeah, but why bother when I can make it simpler," he replied.
"Ok, but…"
"I'll go back in your car," he replied.
She kissed him for saying that.
Chuck carried a tranquilizer gun pushed into the back of his jeans. "Just in case," he told Sarah.
She was actually quite proud of him. It wasn't long ago that he would have been terrified.
"It is just one woman," he reminded her.
"I'm just one woman, too, and I am deadly."
"Deadly gorgeous," he muttered.
She loved what he was saying, but stepped out of the way for Chuck to open the back door into the Buy More. Just as he was bending down to do this, the door burst open, and he was knocked out of the way.
A figure dressed all in black, including a black balaclava, burst out and, spotting Sarah raising her gun, shot her.
Sarah was hit in the shoulder of the arm holding the gun and dropped it. The figure was going to barrel through where she was standing, but then fell to the ground in front of Sarah.
Sarah stood, ignoring the pain in her shoulder, and grabbed her gun with the other hand. The figure was lying face down with a tranquilizer dart in the neck.
"Nice shooting, Chuck," Sarah said as she pushed the gun into her holster and pulled the balaclava off.
"That's the delivery girl," Chuck said.
Sarah grinned. "Glad you recognize her by her face rather than needing to see her boobs."
"You know yours are the only ones I want to see, Sarah," he replied. "See, fondle, lick, bite…"
Sarah had to stop him, or she'd drag him inside and make him do those things.
She reached down and opened the bag the woman had been carrying. In it, amongst other things, was the receiver.
Sarah grabbed her phone and made a call. "General, I have the receiver and the woman who planted it."
"You captured her?" Beckman asked.
"No, general, I didn't capture her. Mr. Bartowski did that." She winked at Chuck.
Beckman was obviously surprised. "And where are you? Did she come to the apartment complex?"
"No, ma'am. We're at the Buy More. We came to help Major Casey."
"And where is he?" Backman asked.
"We need to find him, but my guess is that she got the drop on him before he got to the receiver."
"He'd told me he had a team going there to find the bugs," Beckman said.
"I'm hoping they can take this woman somewhere secure," Sarah commented.
"They can," Beckman replied.
Sarah ended the call. She went back to her car and found some zip ties, which she gave to Chuck to secure the woman. "Can you stay with her while I look for Casey?"
"Sarah, you have a gunshot wound. You should get that treated."
"Chuck, I've had worse. Keep an eye on her. If she starts to come round, shoot another dart in her." She didn't let him say anything else and hurried into the store.
She found Casey just outside the entrance to Big Mike's office. He'd been shot, too, and had a wound in the top left part of his chest. He was unconscious and bleeding from a head wound. He must have hit his head as he fell.
She had the number for the local medical facility that covered the NSA and CIA staff and told them about Casey's condition and her wound. She then called the team lead that Casey had organized, telling him to bring his men to the back of the store and that they'd also have a prisoner to deal with.
She walked back to Chuck and sat with him, waiting for the NSA teams to arrive.
Sarah was treated quickly, and she and Chuck sat together, waiting to find out about Casey.
"You know you probably took this threat out on your own," Sarah said.
"I wouldn't have even been there if it wasn't for you and Casey," Chuck replied.
"He and I will be berated for failing where you succeeded."
"But that's ridiculous. She would have shot me if she'd not been firing at the person with the gun," he argued.
"True, but they won't see it that way."
"Maybe you can point out that we make a great team, and it would be a bad idea to split us up."
Sarah looked at him. "We are a great team."
Just then, a doctor came out to talk to them. "He's conscious, grumpy, and wants to see you two."
He led them to the room Casey was in.
"Glad to see you're still with us, Casey," Chuck said as he walked into the room.
That got a grunt in return. Casey then noticed Sarah's arm in a sling. "She got you too?"
Sarah nodded. "Yeah. She would've gotten away if it hadn't been for Chuck."
Chuck was going to brush that off, just as he always did when being praised, but Sarah shot him a thought, 'Don't! I want him to really understand how important you are to us both.''
Chuck stayed quiet, and Casey looked at him. "You caught her?"
Chuck didn't get to answer. "He shot her," Sarah said. That really raised Casey's eyebrows. "With a tranquilizer dart."
Casey still appraised him in silence, then said, "Well done, Bartowski. Seems you're better than either of us." The other two could see how impressed he was with Chuck, and it added to his determination to save Chuck somehow.
'Good!' Sarah thought.
"So, have you now got the receiver? And does the general know I had it and lost it?"
"It's secure, and the team will have collected all the bugs by now," Sarah told him.
"And Sarah told the general that the woman must have got to it first," Chuck added.
Casey's eyes shot to Sarah, who nodded.
Sarah and Chuck read the gratitude in Casey's thoughts. "Thank you, Walker," Casey said, then looked at Chuck. "And thank you, Bartowski. Quite a team." He lay back and said, "I need to sleep now. They've drugged me up. Good luck with the interrogation tomorrow, Walker."
Sarah nodded, took Chuck's hand, and led him out.
The next morning, there were police at the Buy More. Sarah walked in with Chuck to see why.
Nothing looked out of place, so Chuck told Sarah, 'It's not about the sweep as everything looks to be where it should be."
"BARTOWSKI!" They both turned to look where that yell had come from. Big Mike's office.
They walked over. "Have you any idea how my marlin was broken in half?" demanded Big Mike.
Sarah remembered the door to this office had been slightly agar when she found Casey just outside the night before. 'That must have been done by the woman trying to find the receiver.'
Chuck looked at it and the mess on the manager's desk. 'Yeah. Shame the sweepers didn't tidy this up.' "No, Big Mike. Have we been robbed, or was this done by vandals?" he asked.
"That's what we're trying to find out," Big Mike said.
"Was anything taken?" Sarah asked.
"Not that I can see," Big Mike replied. "But look at the damage." He pointed down to the two parts of the fish.
"Seems to be just vandalism," the detective said. "You upset anyone recently?" he asked the store manager.
"I can't see how. I let Bartowski run the store for me," was the reply.
The detective looked Chuck's way rolling his eyes. 'He's probably had enough of Big Mike,' Chuck thought.
"I'm writing this up as vandalism," the detective stated and walked out.
Chuck's phone rang, and he quickly answered it, seeing it was Devon. "I'm going to propose this evening, Chuck, so I'll need the ring."
Chuck didn't have to say anything to his girlfriend. 'I'll bring it as we go home, Chuck,' she thought.
'Thanks, beautiful. It'll make Ellie so happy,' he replied.
The black spot on the day was when Sarah got to the NSA secure location where they were holding the woman.
"What do you mean she's dead?" she demanded.
"She grabbed the firearm from one of the men escorting her. She shot him but was shot by the other agent."
"Escorting? She was a bound prisoner, not royalty!" she snapped.
She took the woman's cell phone and stormed out. She'd get her hacker boyfriend to get into it so they could see what they'd find.
At lunchtime, Chuck did exactly that. They got a set of numbers to follow up on and told the general and the director.
"So, you captured the woman and the intel, Chuck?" Beckman commented, looking sideways at the director.
Graham looked almost annoyed that it had worked out so well but said, "Well done," before Beckman ended the call.
Sarah grinned. "I think she might be warming to you, Chuck."
That evening, Chuck gave the ring to Devon, and he and Sarah 'decided' to go and sit by the fountain and take in the beautiful sunset.
They didn't really go to the fountain, but watched through the window as Devon went down on his knees and proposed. Ellie leaped into his arms, looking happier than Chuck had ever seen her.
He looked at Sarah and saw the smile on her face. 'You know I'd like to propose to you someday.'
Sarah did know that. Chuck was an open book to her. She'd been thinking about it, too. It partly scared the hell out of her. Making a commitment to someone was such an alien concept to her. And settling down in one place, too. However, she knew Chuck was it for her, and she shouldn't be scared. She never wanted to be apart from him. Marriage was just confirmation of the love they already had for each other. So, she thought back, 'I know.'
He took her hand and led her back into the apartment. Ellie rushed over and hugged both of them. The joy was infectious.
When they went to bed, Sarah snuggled up to her boyfriend. "I didn't say much when you mentioned it outside, but when you do propose, Chuck, the answer will be yes. Scary though marriage feels, I never want to leave you."
He tenderly kissed her and then just as tenderly made love to her.
Casey was released two days later but told to rest for both the chest wound and the concussion. Sarah was also recovering from her wounded shoulder. Fortunately, no new assignments came in during this period of rest, and recuperation was the focus.
"Only kept me in because I'd been unconscious," Casey grumbled.
Sarah knew how he felt. She hated being kept in the hospital, just as much.
They were sitting in Casey's apartment, drinking his whiskey.
"I owe you both," Casey said. "For Ilsa and for covering for me this time. I'll not forget either."
Once again, Sarah had to stop Chuck from playing it down.
She looked at her NSA partner. "We definitely need your help avoiding that termination order, Casey."
He nodded, but neither said anything. Nor did either think of any solutions.
Once both agents had recovered. Beckman and Graham decided that their agents should take the time off. As long as one of them was ensuring Chuck was secure, the other could have a break. The way Graham said it to her made Sarah feel like it was an order.
Sarah discussed this with Chuck and then with Chuck and Casey.
"The general has not said anything more about that order," Casey told them. "But I'll ask what's happening. When she mentioned it last, at the beginning of December, it almost sounded imminent. However, I don't expect it to come through when you go away."
He looked at both of them. "I've been thinking about when the order is made. I think your plan to take him away is the only way. I will probably be assigned to track you down with a team, so best get well away. Covering your tracks, obviously."
"About this enforced vacation, Chuck and I don't want to be apart," Sarah said.
Casey looked at her for a moment before saying, "You've got it bad, haven't you, Walker?"
She blushed but nodded.
He gave her a single nod, then said, "Don't let it cloud your judgment." He looked at Chuck. "I know you've been like this from the start."
Chuck just grinned.
Sarah made a decision. "I have an idea, but it would need your help, Casey. If Chuck and I traveled up the coast for some time away together, would you cover for us?"
"What, make it seem that your boy toy is still here?"
She hated his using that term, but as Chuck didn't react, she didn't either. She just nodded.
"What about the Buy More? Either Beckman or Graham could check the records and find he was on vacation."
Chuck grinned. "Not if I doctor the records."
Casey thought about that. "Yeah, that could work."
"Who goes first?" Chuck asked.
"Casey," Sarah immediately said.
"What will you do, Casey?" Chuck asked.
"One of my ex-marine colleagues now lives in Canada. I've been meaning to go hunting with him. I'll find out when he's free."
"Okay. We'll fit in around that," Sarah said.
And that was what they did. Casey's contact was able to go a week later, for two weeks, and Chuck and Sarah booked a two-week stay at a hotel up the coast the week after he returned.
When Casey went, Sarah was in daily contact with the general, Graham being absent once again. The whole of Fulcrum seemed to have gone on vacation too. As no new assignments came in during that period.
Sarah and Chuck made the most of it. He ate with her each lunchtime, but that was nothing new, but they went out for meals in the evening too. Sarah had all the surveillance switched off in the apartment. So, they were able to completely relax in the evenings. Sometimes, that was with Devon and Ellie, and sometimes just the two of them.
Their love for each other grew during this relaxed time, and their love life certainly spread its wings. When Devon and Ellie were out, they found many new locations around the apartment to make love.
Then, Casey returned, and he took over the contact with Beckman.
It was during this time that he broached the subject of the termination order with the general. He had invited the other two over to his apartment while he had the video call. They obviously kept out of sight.
Beckman was not happy about this topic. "There have been complications with the new Intersect."
Casey asked, "Complications?"
She huffed. "Failures."
"Do we have the best scientists on it?" Casey questioned.
"So, Graham tells me… it's being developed by CIA scientists. Graham is spending a lot of time with them."
"So, no NSA scientists?"
"No. Last time I went to see what was going on, which was ten days ago, one of them told me he thought it would be a few months before it was ready. Even Graham now thinks this will be a summer delivery."
Casey grunted.
Beckman said, "I don't want to discuss that project further, Major. I will let you know when it is ready."
Casey nodded.
"When Agent Walker returns, you should get your recertifications done. Graham tells me she needs to do the same, so coordinate with her."
He asked about other assignments. She replied, "When you've finished this one, there are plenty more that will need your skills.
The call ended shortly after that.
He turned around and looked at the two sitting together. "Well, no running off for a few months," he said.
"I'd forgotten about recertifications," Sarah muttered.
Casey chuckled. "I'll take good care of him when you go."
"How long is this?" Chuck asked.
"About a week," she grumbled.
"A week's not too bad," he replied.
She huffed.
Sarah did manage to get approval to take Chuck to Comic-Con in San Diego in July. She told him when they got home that evening. She didn't mention it before because she wanted to look into his eyes and see his reaction.
Chuck was excited and picked her up, swung her around, and kissed her deeply, full of thanks.
However, he eventually put her down, and his expression was no longer as happy. "Sarah, you'll never get tickets."
She looked at him. "One of the benefits of working for the CIA is that we never have a problem getting in anywhere."
The rest of the week passed quickly, and they were soon off for the vacation.
"It'll be my first vacation without Ellie and Devon," he said as Sarah drove them up the coast. Turning to look at her, he added, "And our first together. I am so excited!"
She chuckled. "Well, it's only my second vacation since I joined the CIA."
"Really?"
"I tend to throw myself into my work," she replied.
"So, where was the first?" he asked.
Sarah realized she shouldn't have mentioned anything. She looked over at Chuck. He had already read her thoughts. "Sorry, Chuck."
"Cabo with Bryce Larkin," he grumbled.
She grasped his nearest hand and squeezed it. "You do know that I love you, and you mean so much more to me than he ever did."
He nodded. "And you hadn't met me then, so I can't complain."
Sarah could feel how this was affecting him, though. He was trying to push it down, but it was there.
She pulled off the highway at the next opportunity and parked the car.
"Why are we stopping, Sarah?" he asked.
She undid their seatbelts and twisted around. She pulled him to her and gave him a kiss that made her feelings for him very clear.
She wanted to envelop him in her love and banish the pain away. They had both been able to share thoughts and feelings before, but this was the first time either had been able to directly affect the other's mind. Surprising both of them, she was able to capture the pain and bury it for him while at the same time flooding his mind with her love for him. It was the most intimate experience they had ever experienced.
Their embrace continued for several minutes. Neither wanted it to end.
However, they needed to continue their journey, so after they had their foreheads together for a while, she finally twisted back to start off. "I want to explore that capability more tonight, Chuck."
He nodded. "I love you so much, Sarah."
She had to kiss him again after that. "And I love you too, Chuck."
She then she did start the car and set off.
A little while later, Sarah thought they should talk about what they would be able to do where they were going, both in the area and in the bedroom. When she mentioned that, he asked how quickly they'd be there, which made her laugh, although she was now thinking the same. They were both keen to get there anyway, but now It would include exploring this new mind transfer.
The hotel was on the beach, and their room had a magnificent view of the beach and the ocean. They both stepped out onto the balcony and held each other as they looked out.
They had discussed the latest development in the car as she drove them here. Neither had been able to do that before.
"I think it shows that this ability of ours is still developing," Sarah said.
"Maybe, although it may be triggered by strong emotions. You were really wanting to make me feel better," Chuck replied.
"Well, let's do an experiment. You just sit there, and I will try to inject some thoughts and then feelings into your head. Try to block me, or you'll probably defeat the whole point of this."
He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. She sat next to him.
A half-hour later, they gave up, feeling frustrated. They found it impossible to tell whether she had pushed thoughts and feelings or he had just 'heard' or 'felt' them because the link was there at all. However, they both knew that something different had occurred in the car that afternoon.
She lay down with him, and he pulled her into his embrace, kissing the top of her head. They stayed like that until Sarah decided she didn't care whether she pushed her next thought or he just 'read' it. 'Make love to me, Chuck.'
Chuck responded immediately, and they gave the bed they would share for the next two weeks its first run. They were very satisfied.
Most of what they did on their vacation they could have done at home with a small amount of driving, but being able to walk to the beach was great and making love in bed with the balcony doors open, hearing the sea and the gulls was very different.
Some days, however, they didn't leave their room and explored each other's bodies and reveled in their unique lovemaking. They didn't have any dream sex but weren't surprised with all that they had when awake.
For Sarah, this, her second vacation since joining the CIA, was wonderful. She had enjoyed her first with Bryce, but that paled in insignificance with this one with the man she loved. Everything they did together, whether in the bedroom or out and about, was wonderful.
Chuck had only been away with Ellie and Devon for the last five years, so not being the spare part was great, but being with Sarah and finding out the things she enjoyed was a dream. He knew some of what she enjoyed in the bedroom, but being able to explore that without any worry of interruptions was marvelous. It wasn't just there, though. When they went out he learned more about her tastes. For instance, finding out how much she enjoyed surfing and snorkeling. It made him determined to take her to the beach more often when they got back home.
They saw very few people as they kept to themselves, deliberately so that the thoughts of others did not intrude.
Chuck knew her gorgeous body well, but seeing her in the water swimming was awesome. Sarah found Chuck to be more athletic in the water than on land, so they made sure to swim each day.
Sarah kept her phone on silent, but did check it throughout the day to make sure there were no urgent calls. Each morning, she would call Casey to check in, always after his scheduled call with the general.
Beckman had no new assignments and only asked about Sarah on the day she and Chuck left. It was almost as if she had lost interest in the Intersect.
Not surprisingly, they were both sad when the vacation came to an end, and she had to drive them home.
Sarah scheduled her recertifications for early June.
She and Chuck had a call with Stephen Bartowski two days before she left for DC.
"I have almost finished the modifications to my offline version of the main code of the new Intersect. I can test that here over the next month or so. My expectation is that I will be ready to apply it by early August, but will hold off until they complete successful testing of what they currently have." He chuckled. "Of course, they can't do that until I stop adding glitches, which I'll do when this is ready."
"So, sometime in September, earliest?" Chuck asked.
"Probably," his father replied.
"That's good," Sarah said. "Two things happening before then. Firstly, I am flying to DC for my recertifications next week, so Chuck will be on his own with Casey."
Stephen chuckled. "First time apart since you hooked up?"
Chuck replied, "It's not funny, Dad. We've been mind-linked for over seven months now. It will be like having one of your senses removed."
Stephen nodded. "You're right. You and I can talk each night to make sure you are okay. You've also got your sister and your friends. I guess this will be harder on you, Sarah."
She had been trying not to think about that. "I've always been a loner, Stephen, but I have become dependent on our closeness since we've been together."
"Sorry about that," Stephen said.
"Oh, don't be!" Sarah said. " I never want to be without this. I just need to be around, Chuck." She grinned at her boyfriend. "Most of the time."
"If you want to talk and can't get hold of Charles, you can call me any time."
Sarah was bowled over by that offer. "Thank you, Stephen. Very kind of you."
"Hey, you are both keeping my son safe and happy. It's the least I can do."
Sarah smiled, but still appreciated it. "The second event is us going to Comic-Con at the end of July."
Stephen looked at his son. "You're making this poor woman go with you to that?"
Chuck put up his hands. "Not my idea, Dad."
"He's not been able to go before but always wanted to, so I got tickets for us," Sarah said.
Stephen shook his head. "I hope you survive, Sarah."
The week apart was awful for them both.
As his dad had mentioned, Chuck had a support network, so he fared better than Sarah. She was occupied during the day, but at night, the loneliness crept in. She was invited out in the evenings by the others going through the process with her. Some of the men tried to hit on her, even, but she rejected all invites. Her behavior reaffirmed the common view of her being unapproachable and even cold. She knew this was the belief, but reading it in their minds was not pleasant. However, that wasn't the worst thing about the trip. She missed Chuck and their link terribly.
They had a video link at both ends of the day. She called him just before starting her sessions, at 8:45. That was early for him with the three-hour time difference, but he never complained. It was only a brief call, but it did help her face the day, and he just loved talking to her at any time. He called her when he got home at the end of the day. That enabled a longer conversation, but it still left her with time on her own before going to bed. If she needed it, she sometimes called him again later in the evening just to stop this overwhelming loneliness.
She did call Stephen one evening, as she'd heard rumors of some testing going well and wondered if that was the Intersect testing. He appreciated the information and was pleased that she felt comfortable calling. He was able to reassure her that the next glitch was about to be applied.
On Friday evening, when she had completed and passed everything, she got a flight back, arriving in LA gone midnight.
Chuck collected her and as soon as she saw him, she hurried to him. They couldn't make a big display of affection in public, but they mind linked and mentally caressed each other immediately. They both wanted the physical side of their relationship to restart, but this was even more important, somehow.
Of course, when they got home, they didn't go straight to sleep, the passion ensured they lasted well into the early morning hours.
Beckman knew of her plans to take him to Comic-Con at the end of July. Her argument that he needed a break as much as she and Casey did was surprisingly well received. She was ordered to ensure his safety while in San Diego, something that made them both laugh when the termination order had not been cancelled.
Early in July, the general surprised all three of the team in Burbank. She announced that the government would be converting the Wienerlicious into a yogurt shop and building a new base of operations beneath there which would also have access from the Buy More. They would start the work when Chuck and Sarah were away and it should be ready by September.
The three discussed this in Casey's apartment after the call with the general.
"I don't understand why the NSA and CIA would be investing the money if they planned to kill me," Chuck said.
Casey grunted. "Me neither. I'll talk to the general about that."
"Maybe they've changed their minds," Sarah said hopefully.
"I'll find out," Casey told them.
"Well, whatever happens, your days burning sausages are numbered," Chuck said.
"I won't miss that," she replied.
Casey did discuss the topic with Beckman later that day, so that evening the three got together in his apartment to discuss it.
"The construction orders came from above our two bosses," he told them. "Plus, there seems to be some disagreement between those two on your fate, Bartowski."
The other two were eager to hear more.
"As far as the construction work goes, it seems that more senior people were not impressed with the local NSA handling of that Fulcrum agent. It started as them wanting a more secure place to lock up enemy agents. They will be collected from there. It will be more than that, though. In all, it will have a weapons room, firing range, gym, interrogation room with one-way glass observation, a room dedicated to the servers that support the monitors and satellite links, multiple detention cells, and 'safe' rooms.
"Its main entrance is in the Orange Orange, your new yogurt shop, but an escape tunnel also leads directly to the Buy More across the street."
"It sounds impressive. Hardly what you would set up for a team you plan to disband," Sarah said.
Casey nodded. "That's what I said to her. She stated that this part was out of her hands, but she also mentioned that your accomplishments, Bartowski, have not gone unnoticed. In fact, the three of us are seen as the most effective team in the two agencies."
"Wow!" Chuck grinned. "Good to be part of the best for a change."
"You mentioned disagreement?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah. Graham hasn't been around much, with his focus on the new Intersect, whereas Beckman has been both feeding us missions and receiving the results back from us. She is also aware that some of the missions have been instigated from here." Casey looked at Chuck. "From you."
"And?" Sarah prompted.
"And she is wondering about continuing to use this team in this new setup, even after the new Intersect is downloaded into 'real' agents."
Chuck sat back. "So, I wouldn't be executed?"
"She's wondering. Not made a decision yet. Apparently, when she broached the subject with Graham, he went apoplectic. He seems to really dislike you, Bartowski, and wants to get rid of you as fast as possible."
"Well, that's a real bummer!" Chuck muttered, but Sarah could sense the extent of his upset. He always wanted to be liked, and being told that someone felt completely the opposite hurt. Almost as much as what Graham had planned.
Sarah really wanted to wrap her arms around her boyfriend but couldn't here. 'I can't comfort you here, Chuck, but I will when we get back to our room.' She squeezed his hand, and he nodded his thanks.
Casey summed it up. "So, at the moment, the order still stands, but she is unsure."
Comic-Con was a very different experience from their last vacation. Where in that one, they avoided people as much as possible, this was quite the opposite.
Sarah had to keep repeating to herself that there was safety in numbers, but sometimes, when in a crush, that didn't feel very comforting.
There were moments when she really wished she hadn't come, but overall, she enjoyed their time there. What she liked best was just being with Chuck and experiencing his enthusiasm for what was going on around them. He was like a kid in a candy store.
There was one downside. She got a lot of attention herself, being a beautiful woman, but she clung onto Chuck, making it very clear that she was with him and uninterested in anyone else.
Dressing up was not compulsory, for which Sarah was grateful, but she decided on the final day that they should do that. It was easy for her, as she still had the costume she wore for Halloween, so she went as Leia and Chuck as Han Solo. They were late getting to the first panel that he wanted to attend because they both loved how the other looked in their costume, which didn't stay on for long that morning. Fortunately, Sarah's hair remained intact as they made mad passionate love. When they climaxed, each managed to cry out the name of the character the other was pretending to be, although she had been saying his own name throughout and he hers. Still, Han Solo screwing Princess Leia was going to be a fond memory from San Diego!
Needless to say, when they did get to the convention center, Sarah drew even more attention. She did, however, refuse to go on stage for a photo session.
They were both glad that they had learned how to block out thoughts all those months ago and that they had been doing that ever since. They both really needed that capability for those four days.
When they finally set off for home, Chuck had collected so much memorabilia that Sarah wasn't sure it would fit in her Porsche, but they managed.
A.N: Well, that concludes season 1 and most of the gap period before season 2. Next chapter will cover the last six weeks of that period and "Chuck versus the First Date," the first episode of season 2.
So, thoughts on this chapter?