A/N: Thank you to JoeltotheD and mxpw, and thank you guys for reading.

Guide: The following scene takes place right after Rogue Spy's third chapter.

Rogue Spy: the True Story

Or What's Really Going On With Sarah Walker

Undisclosed Bar, Miami

October 23, 2009

Sarah hung the pay phone back, and hurried to the bar.

"Another one," she immediately told the bartender.

He raised his eyebrows at her. His glance went to the back area—where there were two pay phones—to the bathroom door—where Carina had left a few minutes ago—and then back at her.

Sarah gave him a look. He retreated to serve her mojito, her beverage of choice ever since Ellie had introduced her to it.

"Missed me," Sarah heard behind her. She had been eyeing the judgmental bartender and Carina startled her. Sarah bumped her left hip against the bar when she whirled around toward Carina. She winced in pain, and set her jaw.

"Sorry," Carina said, although she was gazing at Sarah with surprise in her eyes. It wasn't like her to be startled; especially since the incident in Lisbon.

Sarah didn't acknowledge the look. "You want another?" she asked instead.

"Of course," Carina said, and signalled the bartender. He nodded to indicate his understanding, and gave another weird glance toward Sarah. "What's this guy's problem?" Carina asked when she caught it.

Sarah shrugged.

"He probably has a crush on you," Carina said with a wink.

Sarah chuckled nervously, and guilt made her look away.

When Carina had left for the bathroom, Sarah had taken the opportunity to call Chuck. It wasn't fair to Carina, but after the last incident (Sarah put her money on another evil French-Canadian to be responsible for it, but she didn't know who had attacked her the day before, scarring her left flank in the process.), Sarah had wanted to hear from him. She wasn't sure why—maybe it was that he could make her feel safe in a way that nobody else could; maybe she had just wanted to make sure that he and everybody else in Burbank were okay too; maybe both. It didn't matter.

It had been a mistake. Chuck had convinced her to meet with him in Seattle in November. How was she going explain that one to Carina, now?

"We should show him he's wasting his time," Carina said meaningfully, and crushed Sarah's side, even though there was plenty of space at the bar.

The place was loud and crowded, but not enough to require that much proximity. There were laws against such things. Sarah shook her head at herself. Since when did she care about these laws? That last attack had really messed her up.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Carina asked with more concern than usual. "You look kinda pale."

"I'm just tired," she replied.

The bartender, obviously on tap tonight to make Sarah as uncomfortable as possible, put down both of their glasses in front of them. He never saw anybody stray a little bit? He was a bartender for Christ's sake! Carina shoved money in his direction, and dismissed him immediately. She didn't like guys intruding on her "Sarah time."

She sipped on her vodka before turning completely to Sarah, still invading her personal space. Not that Sarah really minded. "Maybe we should just call it a night then," she said, her fingers playing low with the pendant of her necklace.

Sarah's eyes flickered down at the gesture.

Carina's grin broadened.

When Sarah didn't respond, though, her smile faded slightly. Not one to give up easily, she sunk her fingers down into her glass and grabbed a slice of lemon. "What do you say, Blondie?" she said, before lifting it up to her lips, and sucked.

Mesmerized by what Carina's mouth was doing to the slice of lemon, Sarah indulged herself a moment to watch. She had almost died the day before, after all. Some happier times were well deserved.

Plus, Carina was certainly helping with Sarah's "I'm-always-cold" issue.

Sarah smiled then, in the way she knew Carina particularly liked. She drank her mojito bottoms up, and took Carina's hand, like she often did.

"Let's go," she said over her shoulder while leading them outside.