You live and learn has been floating around in my head for some time now and I would fast forward the scene where Sarah is staring at the two phones that are both ringing and at the end my ears would be still hearing Chucks phone. My question was always what if she'd left, what if she chose Bryce over Chuck. Don't worry if you think that I have flipped my lid on having Sarah and Bryce together. But the idea that it could have easily gone that way. The writers were actually decent in season two and they could have had a mini arch with this story line but chose to keep us in suspense till Sarah arrived late for early debriefing with Beckman. So, I am going to take that leap and go there, but only briefly. It's all totally Chuck and Sarah as it should be. Please let me know what you think, please review. Well let's get started….Mssupertigz

You live and learn Chapter 1

Sarah stared at the two phones. Both ringing a haunting tone but for the one, she had heard many times before. And each time it warmed her heart the split-second note that echoed in her ears brought joy, peace and that little feeling of giddiness inside her. But tonight, it brought tears for the first time since she came to LA. The other rang that standard of rings and she knew that he'd be her escape. Her excuse to leave no questions asked. It was expected of her to get up and go, that was the kind of person she was. Many in DC were surprised that she had lasted this long in one place. But it wasn't the mission, she could get this kind of mission anywhere, it was the him. The one who had chiseled away at her that very first time he yelled her name when the black SUV came barreling down the street and she hoped she flung the knife in time. His voice above everything else hit her hard. Then when he accepted their help on the beach. He didn't have to trust her, but he did, and she knew by how he looked at her, that this would work.

Sarah walked over to the phone. "Walker here." And all he said was 'You up for a change?'

Sarah left Casey a message to meet her at a local cafe near her hotel. When he arrived, he came right out with his opinion. "You know he can do this mission by himself?"

"I know."

"So why now? You're not leaving because of the Von Hayes incident?"

Casey looked up at Walker. "I was just making an observation."

"No, you weren't."

"Right."

"I promised myself that if I couldn't do this job right, I'd leave."

"So now after one miss calculation."

"Just say it. I couldn't take the shot. How good am I, if I can't do that?"

"And what will I tell him?"

"He doesn't need to know."

"Ha! You not being there is going to keep him quiet. He came over earlier asking me to come over for leftovers. Then he asked me what Bryce meant by Omaha."

"And what did you tell him?"

"I told him the truth. That it might have been a code name or something that you two said to each other. He's not dumb. And you leaving with Bryce."

"I have too."

"Maybe but to leave with him. Chuck better be worth it." Sarah finished her coffee and got up and grabbed her bag. "It has to be, I don't know what else to do."

Casey walked to the door as he saw Bryce waiting in a cab. Sarah got in and drove off.

Middle of January

Chuck hurried into Castle after Beckman woke him up by coming on his big screen tv. Scaring the heebies jeebies out of him.

Chuck saw Casey then he saw a familiar figure standing beside him. She was wearing that black skirt and purple blouse that he loved seeing her wear and it always caught his eye, every time. His heart started to beat faster and the calmness that he had in his head now had sped up. He walked in and she looked up at him. And instantly pushed back her smile when he didn't smile back at her. Chuck looked at her and thought 'She has no right to be here'. Chuck passed Casey trying to avoid looking at her. But she was everywhere. Then Beckman came on. She smiled at her team. "It's good to see the three of you. It has been a long time. Welcome back Agent Walker."

Chuck looked back. 'Did she say welcome back?'

Chuck tried to focus on Beckman. "Sorry Chuck for waking you up like I did."

"No problem. I must have fallen asleep with my tv on. It seems to be the only way I can fall asleep as of late."

Sarah's ears picked up on that. 'Why would he have trouble falling asleep?'

"Casey and Chuck, I called you in here after Agent Walker called me with some intel she found."

"What our identities are hidden again so we can call it a day."

"If only Chuck. But after we got the chip back and found out what was on it. And we took down those Fulcrum agents. Sarah and Bryce headed down to Mexico and worked an angle."

'Yeah I bet they did,' Chuck says under his breath.

Casey grunted. Sarah wasn't amused. "Agent Walker, I will let you explain."

"Thank you General. Agent Larkin and I were down in near Albuquerque when we got chatter of a Fulcrum cell or so we thought. We followed the lead and came across a man named Jose' Luis."

Sarah tossed a photo onto the table. Chuck looked at the photo. Sarah waited to see if Chuck would flash. Chuck shook his head. "Nothing."

"We followed Jose' Luis for a few days till he arrived at the home of one Pablo Xavier Consuelo." Sarah showed him his photo. Chuck looked at the photo. Chuck stood back. "Yeah. He's been on the FBI watch list for some time. Guns, drugs, you name it he is his hands in it."

"And so that is what we thought. So, we based on recognisance on him. But when the FBI stepped in, they shut us down and I knew that there had to be more. We dug a bit deeper and found this."

Sarah showed Chuck and Casey schematics of a list of names that were under the title of the Elders. "So, who or what are the Elders?" Chuck looking at the names. "That's what we need to find out Chuck."

"That is why Sarah and Bryce are back. The FBI are looking into his other dealings; we want the other stuff."

Sarah continued. "When we took down Juliette, we believe that she had to been in contact with Pablo who we think is working with this group called the Elders. And if she told them anything. It directly affects you Chuck."

Chuck looked up then Casey looked back at him. They had been in the clear for months and now this. He didn't like it and he knew Chuck didn't like it either. "General how do we know that Juliette said anything and even Von Hayes?"

"If she hired Von Hayes, she had to be working for someone. She wouldn't have just hired him to keep the chip safe."

"But we know Von Hayes was worried for his life?"

"And we will work with that Chuck." Sarah trying to be professional.

Beckman adds. "Team find out why there's a connection. I will be in LA by the end of the week. Casey, I want you to find Von Hayes and Chuck and Sarah I want you to look into Juliette and see she knows anything."

"Me and Sarah?"

Beckman looked up.

"Sorry Sarah and I?"

"Yes, and why not?"

"She's been working with Bryce."

Beckman looked at him. "Not on this. She is back and she is working with you."

Chuck was less than thrilled and Sarah could tell by his body language.

"Good luck team and welcome back Agent Walker."

Sarah nodded and Chuck headed to the stairs. "Where are you going?"

Chuck turned around. "The spy stuff is your job, I flashed I did mine."

"Chuck!"

Chuck turned around.

"What? How many times do I need to be hurt by you?"

Sarah looks up. "Did you ever think that you hurt me too? Jill, Lou?"

"Yeah but I didn't leave with my ex."

"There's things in my life."

"Yeah same ol' things that you can't trust me with I understand that but it's me. Then it's the will we won't we. I don't care about CIA protocol or that agents can fraternize with their assets."

Sarah just stood there. Chuck threw her another question. "If I was the spy and I was assigned to protect you, would things be different, knowing you had feelings? Or would I give up like you did because the fight was not worth the pain of not getting what you put into it."

Sarah heard everything and it still Chuck got his answer. She just stood there, not expecting the lambasting tone he just gave her. Chuck left Castle like he did many times before. Casey came out from the back and startled Sarah. Sarah looked at him trying to show him that she was affected by what Chuck just said to her and how he said it. "What I am about to say is not something I'd say to just anyone or want to say to a woman but how many times can you let him walk away and you add one more layer to that wall you have built up. Chuck has done nothing to you except treat you like the person he sees you to be. I made my choice not to have relationship and I have to live with that. But that is me. You had the opportunity to be with a terrific guy who is not I repeat not a spy. And some one who loves you Sarah Walker the girl."

Sarah looked at him. Casey continued. "Don't wake up tomorrow morning and realize that you made another mistake."

Sarah's cell rings and Casey sees that it is Bryce. Casey watched to see what she was going to do. "I'm not in love with Bryce."

"But you left with him."

"I left with Bryce because of my feelings for…"

Casey looked up. "For the nerd."

"He has a name."

"He does and he deserves the same respect from you. Good luck. If you expect him to take you back when you clearly have proven where your loyalty lies."

Sarah looked up with distaste for what he had just said. "My loyalty is with this team. I made a wrong judgement call and I have been paying for it."

"I don't expect you to understand. But what you did to the kid. You expect him to forgive you."

"He's worth fighting for?"

Sarah leaves after Casey tells her good luck. Sarah goes over to his place.

It started to rain which added to the ambience of the whole swale of emotions that Sarah was feeling. And most of them were because she came back and wasn't welcomed. She had prepared herself to have some reaction from him but the cold shoulder and his words that were not typical of his character, were hard to take. She knew as he started to talk to her the way that he did, he had been thinking about that day and what he'd say and when it finally arrived, he got his chance. She drove to Echo Park on the same route, saw the same lights, buildings and she believed that her car knew how to get there by itself. She parked in the back not to have him see her yet and if he slammed the door in her face she wouldn't have far to walk back. But she forgot that it was a bit longer to walk from the back and she hadn't planned to walk in the rain. By the time she raised her hand to knock on his door she was soaked. She heard the lock turn and she hoped for the best. The door opened and Sarah looked up. There stood Ellie. "Sarah?"

"Hey Ellie."

"Welcome back? Its good to see you."

"It's good to see you too."

Sarah tried to peak inside. "Is Chuck here?"

Ellie paused in answering. Sarah stepped back ready to head back to her car.

"He doesn't live here anymore?"

Sarah was starting to shut down. "He moved out after Christmas and felt that it was time to get his own space. We were planning to move up there, but Chuck took it instead."

"Up there?"

Ellie leaned out trying not to get wet. "Right up those steps."

"Thanks."

"It's good to see you."

"You too."

Ellie closed her door and Sarah looked at the stairs. Running up the stairs soaking wet she knocked and waited. What did she have to lose? She was about to knock again when Chuck opened the door. He stared at her and barely got between the door and her, when their bodies crashed together, Chuck kicked his door shut and carried her wet body inside.

He kept his lips close to hers as she tried to unbutton her blouse, but her hands were frozen. Chuck took her hands away as he unbuttoned her blouse and tossed it. He reached for her skirt and unzipped the zipper as Sarah shimmied out of it and laid it over the chair. Chuck looked at her as she pulled his wet shirt off him. He picked her up and carried her upstairs. He didn't care if this was real or not. She was there and that was all that matter right now. He laid her down on the warm sheets. His body pressed again hers. As chilled as her body was his warm breath warmed each spot they touched. She took a big swallow as he undid her bra and tossed it. She didn't care where it landed. Chuck stood up and started with his shoes then his jeans. Sarah moved to the end of the bed and took his belt and pulled back releasing it from its hold and undoing his button and zipper. He pulled his jeans off and leaned into her as she took him with her and laid back down on the bed. His touches ignited her; his kisses startled her; his body covered her. They took each other breath as they became one and shared more than what they had ever dreamed about. They moved together and as the rain fell, Chuck made love to Sarah.

Sarah rolled over seeing his arm covering her chest. Her body still pulsating and her lips still feeling his lips pressed against hers. She slid out of his warm hold and reached for her few items. She found her underwear and bra that found its place on his Tron poster. She was about slip them on even if they were a little damp but all she had to do was get back to her place. Chuck rolled over and woke up. "You leaving?"

Sarah turned to face him. She covered herself up and started to cry. Chuck got up grabbed a pair of shorts and took her damp bra and her underwear and placed them over the heater. He gave her a t-shirt and a pair of boxers. Chuck grabbed a t- shirt and sat down beside her. They just sat there then he headed down to the kitchen. He made some coffee and something to eat. He saw her coming downstairs with a blanket wrapped around her and her hair in a messy bun. Chuck wanted to kiss her, but an uncomfortable feeling filled the room. Sarah nibbled on what he had there and drank some coffee and Chuck turned to face the sink and clean up when Sarah moved in behind him and placed a kiss on the middle of his back. Her lips were warm, and he could feel them through his shirt.

Chuck turned around and held her close. Sarah slips her arms around him. "You want to talk about earlier?"

Sarah shook her head in his chest. Sarah looked up and grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it up and over his head. She looked at his chest almost trying to feel it to memory. Then kissed him hard. Chuck pushed her into the corner then picked her up and lifted her on up the counter. Heating up quickly Sarah wrapped her legs around his waist and Chuck carried her back to the couch. It was instant magic. Though they needed to talk, physically they were expressing months of waiting and wondering. Chuck pressed her into the couch as Sarah ran her fingers down his spine and felt his back arch with her touch. She loved him but this was something she couldn't explain. What she was feeling, and not the intimacy part but the feeling it gave her - what she was feeling as this man, made love to her. Chuck kissed her softly then adding to the urgency he focussed on certain areas that needed his attention. Chuck lowered his hand and scooped her left leg and held it close to him as he needed to be even closer to her. Sarah pinned his face in her palms and kissed him and looked into his eyes. She saw his love for her in his brown eyes. Chuck slid his arm around her and rested it under her hips but lost sight of the width of the couch and rolled onto the floor. Sarah shuddered as she now laid on top of him. She leaned back and looked at him. Running her hands over his chest. She had noticed how much he had changed in the last year and half but also in the last few months. Chuck held his hands on either side of her hips, as they continued to move as one. Sarah pushed her hair back over her shoulder and leaned downward to kiss his lips. She moved into him again and again and in those moments time stood still. She fell into him exhausted and laid on his chest. Chuck held her close as he felt her heartbeat with his. Caressing her back they laid on the floor looking at each other, holding each other, kissing and gazing at each other. Sarah eventually slid to Chucks side as she grabbed the blanket, she had earlier she covered them up. But looking at his body wasn't the worst thing she could stare at. As the rain continued to fall outside, the earlier hours added a chill in to the air as their bodies were cooling down. Chuck held her close.

Hours later

Sarah grabbed his shirt and slipped it on as she looked down at him sleeping. She got up and walked around his new place. She had seen the stairs to this place but never thought about them. It wasn't decorated as she figured it would look like. It was not one of those frat college bachelor suites, but it was his style. It reminded her of a place they saw when they flew into Italy on one of their missions. It had an industrial feel to it. It suited him and it suited this place.

She dragged her finger across the items on his shelf and stopped when she saw the same picture she had secretly stuffed in her suitcase. That picture that was the last thing she looked at before she went to sleep. The conversations she had with it and the one of the many reasons she came back. No mission or excuse like getting back to work with Bryce would stop her. She made the mistake and her answer was standing in front of her the whole time. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water drinking half of it then looked into the fridge. When she closed it, Chuck was leaning on the counter like a child did waiting for a fresh baked cookie. "You hungry? You just ate a little bit."

Sarah nodded then closed the fridge door slightly as Chuck moved in beside her. She kissed him and he smiled. Sarah looked at the clock and it was little past three. It was still raining which made it look darker than it was. Chuck made her some toast. Chuck cleaned up and sat down on the couch with his coffee. Sarah joined him and covered her legs sliding them between him and the couch. Chuck held his coffee on one hand and caressed her toes with the other. They had made love twice and she knew she had to come clean. But Chuck just looked at her. Was it to torment her into confessing or was it his way of showing he understood? Either way it pained her. Chuck sipped in his coffee as Sarah composed her words carefully in her head what she was going to say.

"Chuck?"

"No, not now."

"But I need to."

"For once listen to me."

Sarah put her coffee cup down and grabbed his. She took his hand and walked upstairs and crawled into bed. She just planned to go to sleep but being that close to him it was harder than she thought. Chuck had laid on his side but when their fingers entwined and Sarah turned to face him, they had to act on how they felt. Chuck leaned back taking Sarah with him as he held her close. He fell back into the bed cradling her in his arms and pulled back taking her lips, breast and anything that he could touch with his lips over the top. She grabbed his shirt and hers and felt his naked body touch hers. It was fast, raw and intense. As their bodies crashed, his body did things to hers that made her reaction trigger another feeling. This repeated itself till he collapsed in her arms.

Hours later

Sarah grabbed her skirt and her blouse was dry but wrinkled but she didn't care. She left him a note and grabbed her heels. She walked to the door and opened it quietly and closed it behind her. She headed down carrying her heel and saw Ellie walking out her door. She slipped down and sat on the stairs as Ellie walked out the front of the courtyard. Sarah waited till she was gone. She didn't want her to see her leaving her brother's place. Then she'd know what they did. As Sarah walked to her car her feet splashed through the puddles. She drove home and showered; she could still feel his fingers touching her. Every part of her ached from his touch. She didn't want to leave him, but she needed some more time to get her words just right. She was back but was last night a start or the end.