A/N: So, two things I need you to keep in mind: This fic is in present day (don't know if I've ever said that but it has been since day one in my head) and AU (I mean Jeff with the Intersect should have told you that but….)

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck.

Chuck was standing at the Nerd Herd desk, feeling uncomfortable. He felt the eyes on him, and he wasn't sure why… but he'd had enough. He left the desk, and walked over to the Beastmasters, stopping in front of John Casey.

"Look, I don't know if you're mad about me laughing the other night, or if you find me attractive. And if that's the case, while highly flattering, in spite of what Lester says about Morgan and I, I am a heterosexual."

"What I'm trying to figure out is why Walker's old boyfr…" He paused seeing the look on Chuck's face and gave a grunt. It sounded suspiciously like one of respect. "…deceased boyfriend, sent you the…" he looked around. "Computer program."

"Wait… deceased?" Chuck asked. Casey's eyes went wide. "Bryce… Bryce is dead?"

"Yeah," Casey replied.

"I mean, are you sure? He's a spy, he could have faked it, he-"

"Kid," Casey said, with a touch of remorse on his face. "I did it, and I don't miss." It wasn't bragging, it was simply a fact.

"Does Sarah know?"

"If she's not dating him, she wouldn't care," he said with a shrug.

"You mean to tell me there are people in your life you've have had some type of relationship with, and if you found out they died, it wouldn't bother you?" Casey studied Chuck for a second, then let out a sigh.

"Christ," he muttered. "I guess I should tell her."

"No," Chuck said, grabbing Casey by the arm and stopping him. Casey looked down at Chuck's hand grabbing his arm. Chuck looked down at the same hand, and quickly removed it. "Sorry, but of the two of us… I'm probably better suited for this mission."

"It's not a mission, numbnuts. You're just telling his ex-girlfriend that he's dead."

"Ah, there is a heart in there." Casey's lips pulled back and Chuck swore he heard a low growl. "I think I might have gone too far. I'm going to see Sarah," and he fled. He quickly went to find Morgan, who's eyes were wide, listening to Jeff.

"I'm telling you there's been a lot of talk amongst the PC users about that porn virus," Jeff insisted.

"But you only work on Macs," Morgan countered.

"I've changed my ways," Jeff replied. He looked at a TV talking about a diplomat coming into town, and Jeff's face made a couple of funny motions. "I've gotta run," he said, and took off.

"Fine, you weren't on the clock today anyway," Morgan said, shaking his head. "Chuck!" he said, a smile on his face. "Uh-oh, I recognize that look, this is employee-to-Ass-Man time instead of life-partners time."

"I really wish you wouldn't say either of those," Chuck said, shuddering. "Listen, you remember Bryce, right."

"May he have a million STDs," Morgan said.

"He used to date Sarah," Chuck continued.

"May that curse be retracted," Morgan amended.

"He's dead, Morgan," Chuck finished.

Morgan's eyes went wide. "Does Sarah know?" Chuck shook his head. Morgan looked over at the Nerd Herd desk. "Skip, you want some extra hours?" Morgan called out, and Skip nodded. "Go," Morgan said, his hand on Chuck's shoulder. "And if you need tomorrow, just let me know."

"Morgan, thanks," Chuck said, pulling his buddy into a hug.

"Hey, just remember," Morgan began, and Chuck nearly groaned. "How one acts in the first emergency after the collision will set the tone for all other emergencies."

"What does that even mean?" Chuck asked.

Morgan gave him an amused look. "She'll see who you are, she'll see that she can depend on you, Chuckster. She'll get to meet the guy we all love. Now go, be there to help her, and don't judge her feelings."

"Never," Chuck said, and took off.

Morgan watched him go. "He's almost ready to leave the nest," Morgan said wistfully.

}o{

"YOU CAN TAKE THAT CORNDOG AND SHOVE IT STRAIGHT UP YOUR-" Sarah was screaming, backing out the door of the Weinerlicious.

"Whoa," Chuck said, wrapping his hands around her middle and swinging her away from the door, hoping Scooter didn't hear her. "You don't need to cuss him out." She spun and looked at him, a strange expression on her face. "Sorry, didn't mean to touch you like that, but… I didn't want to see you fired over a moment of anger."

"I've never let anyone manhandle me like that," she said, her eyes blazing.

"I promise I'll never do it, unless it's to save you… like that just now," Chuck said, hands up in surrender.

"I didn't say all that," she said softly, and grinned as she was sure she saw smoke pour out of his brain. "Come to take your girlfriend out to lunch?" His face fell. "Hey, what's wrong."

"We need to talk, in private," he said. Scooter walked outside at that moment. "Scooter, I need you to give Sarah the rest of the day off."

"Chuck, I can't just…" Scooter began.

"Scooter, do we want to talk about that hard drive I repaired?"

"With pay?" Scooter asked.

"I would appreciate it, and she may need a few other days off as well."

"What's going on, Chuck?" Sarah asked, getting concerned.

"It's about Bryce," Chuck replied. Sarah narrowed her eyes. "Please, trust me." She nodded at him and looked at Scooter.

"Yeah, I'll take care of things," Scooter replied.

"I owe you one, seriously," Chuck said, leading her to her car.

}o{

They were sitting on the side of the fountain in the courtyard. "He's dead," she said, looking at the ground, after Chuck explained things. She sighed and lifted her head. "He dumped me, went rogue, stole that Intersect thingy, and Casey shot him."

"That's the best I can put together," Chuck said, nodding. They both sat there a second, Sarah looking off into space. Chuck wondered if this was his place, but realized with all they've been through in their short time together, he was probably the only person she felt comfortable talking with. She might not feel comfortable, even with him. He took a deep breath. "You know it's okay to grieve him," he said softly.

"Why?" she said with a shrug, but her face betraying her.

"He was your partner, and there had to be some sort of bond," Chuck replied.

"It wasn't love, or even… I don't know," she said, blinking back tears.

"You knew him, a life was taken," Chuck continued.

"Why are you so kind to him?" she asked, a single tear running down her cheek.

"He was my friend," Chuck said softly, looking down. "He was my roommate, and someone I cared about. And as mad as I am for what he did to me, that doesn't erase that I did care."

"I did, too," Sarah said quietly. Chuck looked over at her. Her lips were pressed together, and he could tell she was near her breaking point.

"Com'ere," he said softly. He pulled her close, her head on his shoulder, and she let her emotions loose. "Why do I think you didn't do this often, with him?"

She snorted into his shoulder. "Bryce didn't care for talking much."

"Oh," Chuck replied, and she swatted him.

"I meant, he didn't care too much about feelings. He mainly cared about the mission and… well, uh…"

"Action," Chuck added. She looked up at him, a faux glare on her face. "You said you were a woman of action."

"Oh, God," she groaned, leaning her head back onto his shoulder.

"Docking?" he asked. She raised her head and stared at him. "For the port in the storm?" She shook her head, got up, and headed toward her apartment in mock disgust. "I'm sorry."

"No, you're not," she said, pausing at her front door. "Would you mind going for a ride with me?"

"Absolutely," Chuck answered.

"I'm gonna change. You might want to as well," she said, with a smirk.

"I thought you like my tie," Chuck called after her.

"You tend to run into my car wearing that outfit," she called out, shutting her door.

"I know," he said with a grin, heading inside.

}o{

When he exited his apartment a few minutes later, dressed much more casually, he saw Sarah and John talking. He worried for a second, but quickly calmed as he noticed the demeanor of the two. While John didn't seem sympathetic, he also didn't seem as smug or cocky, and there was almost an apologetic look on his face. Sarah had a look of understanding; irritation, but understanding. They shook hands, and Casey saw Chuck. Casey gave Chuck a nod, then went inside.

Sarah walked over to him. "Mom's got Molly tonight," she said. "I called Morgan and you have a few days off. I owe him." Chuck nodded. "Think you can take a ride with me to Stanford?" Chuck's eyes went wide. "We'll be gone a few days. If you can't I understand, but…"

She bit her lip, reached into her purse and pulled out a red disk. "This is Bryce's spy will. He gave it to me." Chuck looked up at her. "I mean, I thought this was a move toward something… more. At the time I welcomed it. He told me I was the only one he trusted with it. He told me when I opened it, I would need to find a civilian and take him to Stanford with me. When I grabbed it a minute ago, I opened it. Guess who the civilian is?"

"Why would Bryce want me?" Chuck asked.

"Because he said you were his only friend in the world, and there's something you need to know. And it's at Stanford," she replied with a shrug. He looked at her, and tears were in his eyes.

"What do you think I should do?"

"I think you deserve to know what happened," Sarah admitted.

"Then I guess we're going to Stanford," Chuck replied.

A/N: Gosh David, this fic seems a little out of order of the episodes. *Goes and checks the secure site*