I still don't own Chuck. But one good thing. In this story there are no reruns for a week.

Thanks to Happydayz for the ideas and for holding my virtual hand through all the angst on the show. And, of course, thanks to BrickRoad for keeping me on the straight and narrow. And even though she likes Cole, I forgive her.

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With Friends Like You

- - - -

"I want to speak to a lawyer" Ellie practically screamed. "I know my rights."

Casey stood in the holding cell trying to decide how best to proceed. He knew that he needed to calm Ellie down. He just wasn't sure how to do that. Would she respond better to authority? Or to a friend? And one thing was obvious. She didn't view him as a friend. Casey knew that it would take some time to get her to think of him in that way again, if she ever would. And time was something that Casey didn't have a lot of right now. But he knew that he'd better try. For one thing, Sarah would have his guts for garters if he didn't make every effort to make her as comfortable as possible.

"Ellie," Casey said as soothingly as he could. "Please calm down. I…"

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down," Ellie interrupted with a near scream. "I want a lawyer, you pig."

"I'm sorry," Casey said calmly. "You're being detained under a national security executive order. Your constitutional rights have been temporarily suspended."

"What," Ellie exclaimed. "You mean that I can't see a lawyer?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Can I at least talk to Devon?" Ellie said as tears of frustration started to flow down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," Casey said softly. "I wish it could happen. But it can't right now."

"You bastards," Ellie said as she turned her head so that Casey would not see her cry.

"Look, Ellie," Casey said as he stood up to leave. "I know that it might not look like it to you right now but I'm trying to be your friend. I'm trying to look out for you. I know that the situation is hard but we just need to find Chuck. Someday, you'll realize that I did everything for you and Chuck that I could."

Ellie just stood silently facing the wall.

"This is totally against the rules," Casey said. "And if my superiors found out, I would get in serious trouble. But I'll go talk to Devon and explain as much as I can to him so he won't worry."

"Will you take him a note?" Ellie finally whispered. "We haven't spent a whole day apart in over a year. He needs to know how much I miss him."

"Ok, Ellie," Casey finally said with a sigh. "You can't tell anyone. But I'll give him a note. I'm going to read it first. Just so you know."

"Thanks, John," Ellie said as soon as she could compose herself enough to speak.

"In my line of work you really don't make friends very easily," Casey said as he opened the cell door. "And understand something. I will do my duty, no matter what. I know that you hate me right now. I don't blame you. I would hate me in your shoes too. Hell, I even hate myself a little. But someday I hope you'll understand."

Ellie turned just enough to be able to see Casey's face. She was surprised at the concern she saw.

"Chuck is my friend, Ellie," Casey finally said as he struggled to keep his own composure.

"I'm just as worried about him as you are."

- - - -

Chuck sat at the kitchen table trying to eat a bowl of cereal. Over the past two years he had been in a lot of tense situations. He had been threatened with death more times than he could count. He had been thrown off buildings many more times than an actuarial would have predicted. But as he sat at that kitchen table, Chuck longed for those good old days. Because across the table from where he was sitting, Janice was eating her own bowl of cereal. She had crashed in their guest room last night since she had a lot to drink. And having nothing else to sleep in, she had stripped down to her underwear. She was still wearing said underwear… and nothing else. And, wow, what underwear. Chuck had never heard of a bra made out of cellophane before. And given the coolness of the room, the impression was unmistakable. Chuck didn't know what to do with his eyes. No matter where he looked, Janice's more than ample assets filled his vision. And it totally didn't help that Janice pretended to stretch her arms every couple of minutes which did nothing except amplify the view that Chuck was getting.

"If your plan is to resist sleeping with her," Sarah finally leaned in to whisper in his ear. "It might be a good strategy to stop staring at her chest so much."

Chuck quickly turned his head to look at Sarah. There was a small smile on her face. But her eyes were nothing but serious. Given the blush that he could feel raising from his neck, Chuck knew that a denial was pointless. So he did the only thing possible under the circumstances. He retreated.

"I'm going to check the computer to see if there is any update on our news story," Chuck said as he got up from the table and walked over to where the computer was set up.

While Chuck was booting up the computer he missed the exchange of looks between Sarah and Janice. And it's probably a good thing that he did. Because the look of determination that both had on their faces would have been more than a little intimidating. Just as Chuck was about to bring up the local newspaper's web site he felt Sarah slide in to sit on his lap. She was obviously making a statement for Janice's benefit as she put her arms around Chuck's neck and kissed him tenderly.

"I'm sorry," Chuck whispered as soon as the kiss broke. "I tried not to look. I swear I tried. Please don't be mad at me."

"Sweetie," Sarah whispered back. "I'm not mad at you. There isn't a man on the planet that wouldn't have looked. That's what I'm trying to tell you."

With that Sarah kissed Chuck again with a little more intensity.

"Don't underestimate her."

- - - -

Casey sat in the cubicle that the FBI had set up to be his makeshift office. He was so frustrated that he struggled to stay in his seat. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out how Chuck and Sarah could avoid being seen for so long. Especially someone as attractive as Sarah. She would be sure to be noticed by any man that she passed. The first time they walked into a store, someone would be sure to recognize them.

"It just couldn't be possible," Casey whispered to himself.

Casey finally pounded his fist on the desk in frustration. As he did, he knocked a stack of folders onto the floor. The top folder opened as it hit the floor and its contents scattered across the room. The top folder just happened to be Sarah's file. As Casey picked up the papers to shove them back into the file, his eyes locked on a table that detailed Sarah's partners and their current location.

Name / Current Status

Janice Beckman / Retired – Current residence – Denver, Co.

Jeff Bloom / KIA

Bryce Larkin / CIA – Currently on deep cover assignment

John Casey / NSA – Currently on classified assignment

As Casey stared at the paper, the light bulb suddenly went on.

"Son of a bitch," he whispered to himself. "That's how she is staying hidden."

The smile that came over his face was more relief than humor. And it was the first time in days that he had hope. He had finally figured it out.

"Someone is helping her."

- - - -

Chuck was only pretending to be interested in looking at the local newspaper's web site. Virtually all of his attention was being taken up by the fact that his lovely wife was sitting on his lap. And she wasn't just sitting there. She was putting on quite the show.

"I just figured out my new strategy," Sarah whispered into his ear as she kissed her way up and down his neck. "I'm going to leave you so exhausted that you wouldn't have any energy left for Janice even if you were inclined to do anything with her."

Chuck tried to tell her how silly she was for even thinking that he would cheat on her. But before he could say anything, Sarah's mouth was on his. Not only was Sarah's tongue preventing him from speaking, it made him totally forget what he had wanted to say anyway. So Chuck simply surrendered. And it became a movie night type kiss. One like they hadn't shared in a few days. As their tongues danced, Sarah grabbed two handfuls of Chuck's hair as was her custom. Finally Sarah broke the kiss and returned to Chuck's neck.

"Can't we take this into the bedroom?" Chuck whispered as soon as he could breath. He could see Janice staring at them intently out of the corner of his eye. She was making absolutely no effort to look away.

"Nope," was Sarah's simple response. "I'm tired of this. It's about time that she saw how you actually seduce someone. And I'm going to show her."

"Sarah," Chuck whispered. "I'm not going to have sex here on this chair in front of Janice."

"Wanna bet?" Sarah whispered mischievously as she attacked his lips again.

Chuck could feel his resolve to not put on an exhibition quickly fading away. So, to distract himself, he tried to concentrate on the web site.

"You're fighting this I see," Sarah said softly. "I would have expected your hand inside my shirt by now."

"I'm trying my best," Chuck said with a smile of his own. "Are you making this a battle of wills?"

"Yup," Sarah replied with a small giggle in between kisses. "It's a battle of wills. And I will win. We both know it."

And Chuck did know it. He was trying to fight but it was pointless. Who did he think he was kidding anyway? His hand had entered her shirt and was about halfway to its target when the battle suddenly ended. The problem is that Chuck had forgotten if he had won or lost. But regardless, it was over when he saw Ellie's picture pop up on the website. The headline under her picture was telling. It also ended any hope that Sarah had of proving her seduction skills for a while.

"Doctor arrested in connection with convenience store killings,"

- - - -

Casey knocked on the door of Beckman's temporary office. Rank had its privileges, after all. She had an office with real walls and a door. Not just a cubicle.

"Ma'am," Casey said quickly as soon as Beckman invited him to enter. "I would like to go to Denver."

"Why?" Beckman said as she looked up from her report for the first time.

"I have a feeling that they are there, ma'am," Casey said. "And I think I would be more effective directing activities there on scene."

"Do you have any specific leads?" Beckman asked.

"No ma'am," Casey lied. "It's more of a feeling."

"Ok," Beckman said. "It makes some sense. You'll be closer when they are found."

"Thank you, ma'am," Casey said. "I would like to take Dr Bartowski with me. She would be valuable in talking them down if we do trap them somewhere."

Beckman paused for a long moment. Finally she responded. "Do you think she will cooperate?"

"I'm not sure, ma'am," Casey said softly. "Right now, no. But I think I can work on her a little. She once viewed me as a friend. Maybe I can get that back."

"Ok," Beckman said with a sigh. "Carry on. It's better than sitting here, I suppose. Arrange for a military flight. Check in with the FBI office in Denver when you arrive."

"Thank you ma'am," Casey said as he turned to leave.

"John," Beckman said causing him to turn back towards her. This time there could be no doubt that there were tears in her eyes.

"Please bring them back,"

- - - -