I still don't own Chuck. But I did just get the season one DVD for Christmas. So I've got that going for me, lol.

Let's see if we can crank up the tension a little. It may just be getting a little to cozy in Chuckland. Thanks to Happydayz for the ideas. And, of course, thanks to BrickRoad for keeping me on the straight and narrow.

If you enjoyed this or any of the stories on this site, please take a second and send the author a review. It's the only reward that we get for putting ourselves out there. I want to thank everyone who has sent me a review. I really appreciate the support that you've given me. It really helps me stay motivated.

If you're a Chuck fan (and who isn't), join us in the forum on this site. We would love to hear your thoughts on the show and where it's going. Since we've talked about every possible outcome, someone is sure to be right.

Happy Anniversary

- - - -

Casey was in the Castle talking to Beckman on the video conference hookup.

"Get Agent Walker in here as soon as possible." Beckman said firmly. "I want to brief her. If the new intersect comes online tomorrow as planned, we'll have to talk about new assignments."

"Yes, ma'am," Casey said. "I'll set up something for this afternoon. What are your thoughts?"

"I think it would be prudent to give the new intersect a week to make sure that it is working properly." Beckman said thoughtfully. "After that, you can take care of Bartowski. Think of something that makes it look like an accident. After Agent Walker attends the funeral, I'll give her the new assignment."

"Ma'am," Casey said softly. "With all due respect, isn't there another solution? Bartowski has served his country with honor and to the best of his ability. It just seems wrong to kill him."

"Major," Beckman replied angrily. "We have been all through this. We simply can't have an intersect walking around the streets. And I can't afford to have my top two agents baby sitting him. I know that it's not the fairest thing in the world but it needs to be done. Now, are you going to be able to do this or should I send someone else?"

"I follow orders, ma'am." Casey said sternly. "I think that should be above question."

"What about Agent Walker?" Beckman said. "What is your assessment of her possible reaction?"

"It's going to be about ten times stronger than mine just was, ma'am." Casey said with a sad smile. "I'm really not sure what she'll do."

"On second thought," Beckman said thoughtfully. "Cancel today's briefing. You can tell her about the new intersect and that we are thinking about leaving one of you to watch Bartowski. Then, when he has his accident, we can reassign Walker. She'll never know."

"Yes, ma'am," Casey said stiffly.

"Dismissed," Beckman said as the screen went dark.

"You bitch," Casey spat to the blank screen.

- - - -

"How could this be?" Sarah whispered as she stared at the test strip that Ellie was holding, unable to look away.

"I know that I'm kind of like an older sister," Ellie said in a teasing voice. "But I was really hoping that we were past me having to give you a birds and bees type talk."

"But Ellie," Sarah said with her eyes still fixed to the test strip that Ellie had just handed her. "I take birth control. We're very careful to use a condom. How could this be?"

"Sweetie," Ellie said soothingly. "Didn't you take sex education classes in high school? No method of birth control is one hundred percent effective."

"I can't believe it." Sarah whispered.

"Sweetie," Ellie said softly as she put her arm around Sarah. "You know how very much I love you, right? Can I ask you some incredibly personal questions?"

"It's Chuck's…" Sarah said quickly.

"Oh my God, sweetie," Ellie said quickly with a gasp. "I wasn't going to ask you that. I assume that it's Chuck's. I was just going to ask where it's going between you two. Sometimes I think that I know and sometimes I'm not so sure."

"You're not so sure?" Sarah asked.

"Please don't take that the wrong way." Ellie said quickly. "I can look in your eyes and tell that you're in love with him. And people passing by on the street can tell that he is in love with you. But…"

"There's a but?" asked Sarah sadly.

"Sweetie," Ellie said sadly. "It's just that you two have been together for a year and a half now. And it doesn't look like its progressing. Frankly, until I saw that test result, I wasn't sure that you had a physical relationship at all."

"It's complicated…" Sarah said sadly.

"And that's your way of telling me to mind my own business." Ellie said softly. "I got it."

"No, Ellie," Sarah said softly. "It's my way of saying that I don't know how to explain it to you. Most of it is I'm ashamed to admit this to you. I treated Chuck really badly for the first year. I only gave him enough to keep him interested. But never enough to make him feel secure. I just knew how bad I was at relationships and I didn't want to screw up his life. So I kept insisting that we go ridiculously slow. All that changed about three months ago."

"What changed?'

"I realized that I was in love." Sarah said as tears filled her eyes. "For the first time in my life, I realized that I trusted someone enough to admit that I loved him. He is my life now, Ellie. And I'm ashamed that I held myself back. But that's over. I'm not sure how much that I have to give. But whatever that is, I'm giving it."

"That's so sweet," Ellie said as she wrapped her arms around Sarah.

"I'm scared, Ellie" Sarah whispered as she clung to her.

"That is perfectly natural." Ellie said softly as she gently rubbed Sarah's back. "But you're not alone. Never forget that."

"Off the top of my head I can think of a hundred reasons why I shouldn't have a baby." Sarah said. "I should be sobbing right now. But instead, I can't keep this silly grin off my face. I don't understand."

"You're in love." Ellie said. "Having someone's baby is the ultimate expression of love. I'm so excited. I can't wait to be an aunt. I want to baby sit. A lot."

"I can't wait," Sarah said with a grin as she held up the test strip. "To see the look on Chuck's face when he sees this."

"Promise that you'll call me later." Ellie said. "And tell me all about it. I'll want every detail."

"I'll call," Sarah said while trying to suppress a giggle.

"It will be a movie night that he'll never forget."

- - - -

It was a relief when Casey called and asked Sarah to meet him at the Castle. She was dying to find out if he had listened to the tape and what he knew. Not that it really mattered anymore. There was no way to hide this for very long. It would be nice to have a few more weeks to work on contingencies. But, no matter what, it had to be dealt with.

Sarah really couldn't put a finger on how much support she could depend on with Casey. She knew that she could never ask him to violate orders. But he had proven in the past that he might be willing to look the other way on occasion. And inside of that gruff shell, he had a soft spot. She saw it. But she also knew that she would have to deal with Casey straight up. There was no way to gain an advantage by flirting with him or with fake tears. He would see right through that and it would make him even more distant. She was going to have to make a rational, morally clear argument if she expected any help from him.

As Sarah climbed down the steps into the Castle, she could see Casey sitting at the table. His face showed no sign of any concern. But Sarah would have been surprised if it had. Teaching you to have a poker face was one of the first lessons a spy learned.

"Hey," Sarah said as she sat down across the table from Casey. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I just got off the phone with Beckman." Casey said without looking up from the report that he was reading. "The new intersect will be coming online tomorrow."

"And," Sarah asked expectantly.

"Beckman wants to give it a week to shake out." Casey said as he looked at Sarah for the first time. "She is thinking that one of us might have to stay for a while to watch over Bartowski. The other would be immediately reassigned."

Sarah willed herself to keep the excitement from showing on her face. This might actually work out.

"You know, John," Sarah said as casually as she could. "I actually wouldn't mind staying for a while. I know that you're anxious to get to something a little more exciting."

Suddenly the schooled super spy persona was gone. Sarah could immediately tell by the look in his eye that something was seriously wrong.

"I'm sorry, Walker," Casey said. "But I need to tell you something. This is off the record. Are we clear?"

Sarah nodded as her heart leap into her throat.

"A week after the new intersect is up," Casey started slowly. "Bartowski is going to have an accident. They are going to let you stay for his funeral to end your cover. Then you'll be reassigned."

There was silence for a long moment as Sarah tried to figure out what Casey meant.

"Son of a bitch," Sarah finally yelled. "Those ungrateful, low life bastards. After everything that Chuck has done, they are just going to dispose of him?"

"It looks like it," Casey said sadly. "I tried to talk her out of it but she wouldn't even have the conversation."

Suddenly Casey was looking into the barrel of Sarah's Glock.

"I'm not going to let you do it." Sarah said as tears started to flow down her cheeks.

"Relax, Sarah," Casey said calmly. "You know better. If it's not me they'll just keep sending replacements until someone is successful. That's just the way it is."

"Why are you telling me this?" Sarah asked as she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"Because you're carrying the baby intersect," Casey said with a smile. "Congratulations, I guess. Not the brightest thing you've ever done but it does change things. You deserve to know."

"We've been married for two months." Sarah said softly as she lowered her gun. "I love him, John. I can't stand here and let him be killed. What am I going to do?"

"You only have a few options." Casey said calmly. "You can run. I can give you a three day's head start. But you know what your odds are going to be. You can make Bartowski valuable again. And that would mean destroying the new intersect. Or you could convince them that he isn't a threat. And I have no idea how to do that."

"Or I can track down Beckman," Sarah said with a guttural growl. "And put a bullet between her fucking eyes."

"You could do that." Casey said softly. "And that might make you feel good for a minute. It might even be justice. But it won't help Chuck."

- - - -

Sarah looked in the mirror to make sure that there was no sign of her earlier crying before Chuck came over. She knew that the news was going to freak him out enough as it was. The last thing that he needed was to see fear or despair in her face. She was going to have to convince him that she had a plan. For them to have any kind of chance he was going to have to truly trust her to an extent that he never had before. And for her plan to work he was going to have to witness things that he had never seen before. And she vowed he was not going to see her cry.

When Chuck came through the door, he was carrying a grocery bag. Sarah immediately took it from his hand and sat it on the table. Then she launched herself into his arms for their traditional movie night kiss. It was no more intense than usual but that didn't mean much. They always had put everything they had into that kiss. Sarah, as was her routine, grabbed two handfuls of hair as she pressed their faces together. It was funny, at some point Sarah had expected this routine kiss to become, well, routine. But it certainly had showed no sign of that happening yet. If anything, each time it was growing more important. As their tongues danced, Sarah was almost able to forget their troubles for a moment. But as her knees weakened she realized that if she let this go on much longer they were headed directly for the bed. Just like they had about half the times before on previous movie nights. So Sarah reluctantly broke the kiss with a smile.

"I missed you." Sarah said as she led Chuck into the room. "What's in the bag?"

"Well," Chuck said with a smile. "I don't know if you know but today is our two month anniversary. So I brought you a little surprise for dinner.

"Thai Curry noodles," Sarah said expectantly.

"Of course," Chuck replied with a grin as he took the take out box from the bag. "I bought a small bottle of wine. Oh, and we were about out of condoms. So I picked up a box."

Sarah took the box of condoms from Chuck. She hadn't played basketball since high school but her shooting form was still excellent as the box arched towards the waste basket.

"One good thing," Sarah said with a smile as she dragged Chuck to the table. "We won't be needing those any more."

Sarah had to laugh at the look of horror on Chuck's face as he was unable to tear his eyes from the trash can.

"Why don't we need condoms?" Chuck asked hesitantly without looking away from the trash can.

"Have I done something wrong?"

- - - -