A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and PMs about the last chapter.
Thanks also to Captainrick944 for the beta.
This chapter is a long one, rewriting three episodes of season 2: "Chuck Versus the Sensei," "Chuck Versus the DeLorean," and "Chuck Versus Santa Claus."
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Chapter 17: Past Catching Up
Having viewed the other apartment two weeks ago and deciding to take it, Chuck and Sarah were finally moving in. The previous tenants had left a lot of furniture, so they didn't need to bring much. Sarah stood in the first property she regarded as her own.
Chuck walked up next to her. "Welcome to your new home, Sarah."
She turned and pulled him into a fierce hug. "I can't believe we've actually done it! A place just for you and me." She could feel the tears rolling down her face. "I love it."
They stood there for several minutes, savoring the feeling.
"We need to put everything away and make the bed for tonight," Chuck said.
Sarah gave him a look. "If you think we're waiting until tonight to christen it, you are very much mistaken!"
He just carried the bedding through to the bedroom and started making the bed. Sarah followed him, laughing.
As they lay naked on the bed, afterward. Sarah commented that they may need bedding on top of them at night. He pouted. "But then, if I wake in the night, I have to lift the covers off you to get to see this wonderful body."
She chuckled. "Or just wake me, and I will happily show you," she replied, then added with a saucy grin, "And probably do more than that."
He pulled her to him, and she slid her body on top of his. After a long kiss, she leaned away from him to be able to look into his eyes. She was going to say something, but he beat her to it. "I love this, Sarah. Just the bodily contact. Lying together like this. It's so wonderfully intimate."
She leaned down and gave him a brief kiss, then back up again. "We can do this whenever we want in here. No constraints."
"I thought my old bedroom with you in it was heaven. Now heaven is a whole apartment."
They kissed again. Then, they heard a knock on the front door.
"Probably Ellie," he groaned.
She climbed off him and slipped on a robe. "Don't be like that. If it wasn't for your sister, we wouldn't have the place."
"You going to see her dressed like that?"
She grinned. "Ellie knows what we're like, and it will make her think twice about bursting in when we give her a key."
She padded down to the door and just checked it was Ellie before opening it.
Ellie looked at her and grinned. "As your hair isn't soaking wet, I take it the bed has been for its first test drive."
Sarah grinned. "And the second."
Ellie groaned. "I asked for that."
"We've not unpacked anything yet," Sarah confessed.
Ellie laughed. "Priorities, huh?"
Sarah grinned. "Yep."
"Need any help?"
"No, I want to experience this just the two of us. It's a big step."
Ellie nodded and pulled her into a hug. "Love you, sis."
Sarah felt tears forming. She hugged back. "Love you, too. Thank you so much for this."
After Ellie left them to it, Sarah thought about that exchange. It wasn't just Chuck that had changed her. His sister had too. She did love that woman.
She shook her head. She was becoming a softer version of herself because of these siblings. It wasn't a bad thing, though. It would be more appropriate when she retired from her current job.
Their next mission was a hard one for Casey. It all started with a discussion in Castle about the Global Launch Agency.
"GLA has sent probes to every planet except Pluto," Chuck told them. "Although Pluto's not officially a planet anymore, which really bums me out."
Beckman joined in at that point. "GLA also conducts top-secret research for the NSA. Most of our surveillance and weapons tracking technology is developed there. We picked up intel that someone might try to penetrate one of the lab's secure facilities." She looked at her team. "I want you to surveil the facility."
They all nodded.
Beckman then focused on her field analyst. "See if there's anyone who you flash on, Chuck."
"Sure," he replied.
Chuck wasn't impressed with being left outside in the surveillance van, but the other two needed him to hack into and manage the internal systems of the facility.
He had hacked in and was using the internal cameras. "I have all the entrances and exits covered. It looks pretty quiet."
"You're not seeing anything?" Sarah asked.
"Nothing. No flashes, nothing," he replied.
"I'm all clear here," she told Casey.
Casey responded, "All clear. Security's tight."
Then, the other two heard glass crashing and a thud. Casey had obviously been hit. Then, alarms started going off.
Chuck was desperately scanning through all the cameras.
Casey suddenly shouted, "Close the west lab doors, Chuck!"
Chuck initiated that and homed in on the camera pointing at those doors. They were slowly closing, but not in time to stop someone in a white protective suit, including a head covering, from running and sliding through.
"Shit!"
He saw Casey slide to a halt on the wrong side of the doors. "Sorry, Casey. Opening them again."
Sarah headed in that direction and entered an area within which was a sealed room with two men in protective clothing inside. They looked panicked, and as one pointed above her, she sensed their thoughts. 'He's behind you!'
She didn't have time to think or issue commands. She was just turning to look, when someone from behind and above her swung down and hit her chest with both feet, sending her crashing down, breathless.
Chuck couldn't see or hear anything. Sarah wasn't visible and he'd seen Casey leave the building but then disappear from view. He was worried about his fiancée and, although he'd been told not to leave the van, he jumped out the back intending to go look for her.
A truck drove slowly past him, and Chuck sensed smugness in one of the occupants. He looked up, and the man in the passenger seat looked at him.
Chuck flashed on him, which delayed his reaction. By the time he could do anything, the two men in the truck were beyond his mental reach. He felt he should follow them, but his worry about Sarah was more important to him.
He ran around the building and found Sarah just approaching Casey.
They both 'read' Casey's thoughts, how he "knew" the man and that he would always get the better of Casey. Both wanted to help in any way they could.
General Beckman was not happy. "Ty Bennett. Karate master. Kung fu expert. Master strategist. A former instructor at our training facility..." She looked at the three of them. "..and today, one of our most-wanted rogue agents."
Chuck looked at Casey. "Sorry, your sensei is bad."
Casey snarled. "He's not my sensei. He's a traitor."
Sarah looked at Casey. "Wow. I've heard of Bennett, but I've never met anyone who trained with him."
"I can't talk about it. It's classified," Casey growled.
Beckman said, "We're opening Bennett's file. Any personal knowledge you have could be vital to the success of this mission."
Casey looked at Beckman. "General, if I may, why wasn't I told Bennett went rogue?"
"Ty Bennett has been recruiting his former students," she replied.
"He's turning agents?" he asked.
"With the team he's assembled, Bennett has been effective at stealing weapons and reselling them on the black market."
They all wondered if Beckman hadn't told Casey because she thought he might turn. None of them thought that possible, but did she?
"What did he steal from the GLA?" Sarah asked, as much to get their minds off those thoughts as to actually know the answer.
"An advanced inertial guidance system," Beckman replied.
"Well, that's not a weapon," Chuck said as he looked at the images shown.
"It's part of one when put in a missile," Casey replied.
Beckman continued, "We have intel pinpointing the location where Bennett plans to transfer the GLA technology to his buyer. It's a construction site in Simi Valley. Stop the deal and recover the guidance system."
"We're on it," Sarah said.
As the call ended, Casey left, grumbling to himself.
The other two walked up the stair more slowly. 'He's nervous and on edge to be facing this guy,' Chuck thought.
'Yes, he is,' she replied. She could relate to how Casey was feeling more so than Chuck did. 'Casey trained with Bennett for a long time. And when you have a mentor like that, a real trust develops between you. Casey feels betrayed.'
'Think he'll be okay?'
'We'll be there to help him if he needs it,' she thought.
Chuck, Sarah and Casey were hiding behind a wall.
"Bennett will never show," Casey muttered.
"Why?" Sarah asked.
"He's too smart for this," Casey replied.
They had foolishly only brought one pair of binoculars. Equipment was Casey's responsibility, so this just showed his current state. Neither of the others said anything about it. Sarah gave them to Chuck. "See if you flash on the plates. Then, we'll know who we're dealing with."
Chuck looked but got nothing.
Then, a black car pulled up next to the van.
"Hey, that's the buyer," Casey said, cocking his gun and standing.
Sarah stood too. "Stay here, Chuck, just in case."
Chuck was too far from the car to 'read' the occupants' minds and would have to get closer, but then Sarah could do that, so he stayed put.
As they got closer, Sarah could only 'read' one mind, and it was just a driver who knew nothing. "This doesn't feel right, Casey. He's just a driver."
Sarah ran to the van and opened the back door. It was empty.
Casey called out to the car driver, "Get out of the car!"
The man did with his hands up. "I'm just a driver. I'm here to pick up a passenger, give them that." He opened the back door and pointed at a white case. A white case with a red light flashing on the side of it.
Casey swore. "Bennett." He shouted at the man. "Run! Go, go!"
Sarah was already running back to Chuck, now with Casey just behind her and the driver not far behind.
The car suddenly exploded, and all three were knocked to the ground, but thankfully were far enough away to avoid injury.
As they were driving back, Morgan called Chuck on his cell phone.
"Hey, Morgan. Not feeling very chatty at the moment."
"Dude, some scary guy came in here looking for Casey. When I said I had no idea where he was, he crushed my grape soda can in his hand! If you know where Casey is, let him know!"
Chuck looked at the two in the front of the car. "Did you see where he went?"
"Lester saw him heading to the Large Mart. Maybe he's still there."
Chuck needed to relay this information, but Morgan had more to say, "Your sister is here with Devon and his parents. I think Ellie is going to blow soon."
Chuck had forgotten Devon's parents had come to "help" with the wedding. He knew he would need to help his sister through this.
"Ok, thanks, bud," Chuck replied and ended the call. "Bennett went to the Buy More looking for you, Casey!"
"Damn. I stabbed him with a Buy More pen!"
"And he just got up and walked away?" Chuck asked.
"Yeah. Sterner stuff that you, Bartowski," Casey replied.
"So, we don't know where he's gone?" Sarah said.
"He was seen heading to the Large Mart. Maybe he's in their parking garage," Chuck suggested.
They headed that way.
As they drove into the garage, Casey growled. "This is stupid. Why would he be here?"
Then a car appeared before them. Casey recognized the driver's face. "Bennett!"
Bennett obviously saw John. Both of them revved their cars.
Sarah looked at her partner. "Casey, what are you doing?"
Both she and Chuck saw his thoughts. "The Vic can take the hit," Casey said as he put his foot down.
"No, Casey, stop! Chuck's in the car," Sarah said.
Chuck just 'read' Bennett's thoughts as the distance closed. "He'll swerve," he called out. And that is exactly what Bennett did. He crashed into a parked car and then leaped out.
Casey and Sarah ran too. Sarah took the stairs down and Casey followed Bennett's path. Chuck stayed in the car for once.
Sarah didn't get to see Bennett at all, and Casey lost him. There was nothing in Bennett's car of any use to indicate where he might have gone.
They headed back to Castle thoroughly dejected.
"Bennett tried to recruit me," Casey told them. "I refused and threw him the handcuffs to put on and he jumped."
"We'll get him, Casey," Sarah said.
He just grunted. They both 'read' his thoughts that they would never get him.
General Beckman glared at the three of them. "So, Bennett got away. Again." She looked at Casey. "Sounds like Bennett has decided to make this personal, and so have you. I'm pulling you off the case."
"With all due-" Casey started.
"This is why I didn't tell you. I knew you'd turn it into a vendetta. I'm bringing in another team to clean up your mess."
Casey was stunned. "But I know Bennett. I know how he operates."
"Not good enough, Major. You will remain in Castle until the mission is completed." She ended the call.
Casey shook his head. "I can't believe it. Beckman was out of line pulling me off this mission."
Sarah wasn't so sure but said nothing. She felt for her partner being treated like this, even if he was getting too emotionally involved.
Beckman had wanted Casey locked down in Castle, but there was no way either of his partners was going to do that to him.
"Just promise us that you won't go after him on your own, Casey," Sarah said to him.
They both 'read' his thoughts about that before he managed to lock them down, out of 'sight.' He did plan on going after Bennett on his own.
Sarah placed her hand on his wrist. "We have to eat with Chuck's sister and Devon's parents this evening. Please wait for us, and we'll go together."
He looked at her and then nodded.
The meal with Devon's parents was the last straw for Ellie.
"So, we are all in agreement, then?" Honey, Devon's mom, looked at the others. "Yes to the trout. No to the beef au jus." She then looked at Ellie. "What was your favorite cake, Ellie?"
Ellie was taken aback at being given a choice. "Mm."
Honey didn't let her think. "It doesn't matter. Let's agree on the red velvet."
Chuck could see his sister starting to get mad. He looked at Devon, who clearly also saw it, but wasn't doing anything.
Devon's dad, Woody, said, "I love sorbet between courses."
His wife nodded. "Great idea, Woody."
Honey looked at the next thing on her list. "Are you gonna wear your hair up?"
It was Woody that prevented Ellie from answering this time. "Wait a second. I had a brilliant idea. White ties."
Honey replied, "Woody looks so handsome in a white tie. That's not too formal, is it?"
Ellie said, "I don't know."
Woody shifted the conversation again. "I know you're not in contact with your dad. So, I would be honored to walk you down the aisle on your wedding day."
To Chuck, Ellie's smile had no warmth in it. She gulped down her champagne.
Devon finally spoke, "Maybe we should just table the wedding talk."
Unfortunately, Sarah and Chuck 'read' Ellie's thoughts and knew Devon had waited too long.
"Mm." Everyone looked at Ellie who said, "No, I, uh, have something I'd like to say actually."
Chuck and Sarah braced themselves, and even Devon looked nervously at his fiancée.
Ellie continued, "Um, I said yes to the big wedding, and I said yes to the burgundy organza bridesmaids' dresses..." She then raised her voice slightly. "...and I just can't say yes anymore." She looked at the two parents. "And I'm sorry. I know that you're trying to help, but the answer is no! I'm sorry." She looked at Devon and said another, "I'm sorry." Then, she stood up and rushed out of the room.
Devon stood as well. "Babe? I'm sorry." He ran after her. "Sweetie? Sweetheart? Sweetheart?"
Honey gasped as Ellie slammed the door after running out. Both parents cleared their throats.
Woodie looked at the younger blonde. "Uh, Sarah, uh... So, you're in the yogurt game?"
She smiled, hating that she had to say this. "Yeah, yogurt. Heh."
Woody looked like he was going to continue, feeling embarrassed and not knowing how to react, but Honey stood up. "Woody, I think we should go for a walk. Give the kids some time to themselves." She was clearly smarter than she had seemed.
After they left, Chuck and Sarah cleared the dining room table and stacked everything in the dishwasher.
"Time to go and help Casey," she said.
He nodded, and they went to their apartment to change clothes before walking over to their partner's apartment.
Casey quickly let them in. Chuck looked down at the bags on the floor. Looking up at the NSA agent, he was told. "We might need a lot of firepower."
They quickly set off, making sure that they weren't seen by Devon's parents.
"Chuck, please stay in the car," Sarah pleaded with him.
"Why would I come here and sit outside?" he asked.
"Because I don't want you getting hurt, my love," she replied.
"Both of you can stay out here for all I care," Casey said.
"I might be able to distract Bennett," Chuck said. He was thinking of doing a lot more than that.
"No! He's mine, I don't want assistance," Casey angrily replied.
"Okay. What about others in there?" Chuck said.
Casey grunted. "Might help."
Sarah glared at her fiancé. "You better not get hurt, Chuck!" 'Or I'll withhold sex for a week,' she added.
He held her close. 'We both know you won't last a week, but I will be careful.' He kissed her pouting lips, and she couldn't help relaxing into it.
"I'm going in," Casey said and got out of the Crown Vic. The other two scramble to follow.
Casey knocked out the man who had tapped in the security code and opened the door. "I got the code anyway," Chuck said, earning a glare from Casey.
As they walked through the building, Chuck and Sarah sensed a lot of people beyond the next set of double doors. Some of them were thinking about the new device in there with them.
Casey opened the door, intending to slip in quietly.
Bennett was staring at them. "Ahh. Casey. Do join us."
Chuck wanted to shut that man up, but Sarah thought. 'No. You'll upset Casey.'
They walked in, and each had their hands bound.
Casey just glared at Bennett. "No matter where you run, where you hide, I'm gonna be there waiting."
Bennett smiled. "Casey, careful. Always so proud, so righteous, John. But I have business to attend to. I can't have you interfering." He pulled out his gun and aimed at Casey.
"I thought you were a man of honor," Casey snarled. "If I'm not good enough to make your team, surely you can defeat me without the gun. With honor."
A smile formed on Bennett's face. "You're right." He looked around the room. "My students, this is a special lesson: How to kill a man with honor. It will happen very quickly."
They started to fight and Casey certainly seemed to be outmatched.
Chuck had been verbally encouraging him, which was irritating Casey.
Bennett was taunting Casey, "You lost your calm, John. Your center is filled with conflict."
Chuck suddenly knew Casey's anger was not his weakness.
Sarah realized that Casey's self-doubts were also a problem. He could beat the man but just thought he couldn't. Casey needed to beat his own demons. She thought it was like some of her own mental blocks that Chuck helped her with.
The couple looked at each other. 'Casey doesn't really have a calm center. It's more of an angry center. That's his strength. Casey needs to believe in himself and channel that strength. He can win!' Chuck excitedly thought.
Sarah started planting thoughts in Casey's head. 'I can beat this scum!'
It wasn't untrue. It was just his doubt was stopping him. Casey snarled. "Filthy traitor!"
Chuck was proud of his fiancée doing this.
'Thank me later,' she thought.
After Casey threw Bennett to the floor on his back, the guy groaned. Casey glared at the men sitting around the room. "There he is. There's your sensei. Take a good look at him." He panted, then said, "Who's next?"
Then, the FBI stormed the place.
Casey glared at his two partners. "Who told Beckman?"
Sarah replied, "Backup. Just in case you were right to doubt yourself."
Casey drove them back to Echo Park in silence.
When they reached his apartment, he looked at his partners strangely. Sarah 'read' that he was suspicious of more than just calling Beckman. He thought someone planted the thoughts in his head. Then, he thought of all the strange occurrences recently.
Chuck started to panic, but Sarah told him to calm down. 'I think we can trust him, and knowing will help us as a team.'
Casey was trying to work out how to ask without seeming stupid. "Does this Intersect allow you to put thoughts in heads, Bartowski?"
Chuck was about to answer, when Sarah said, "I can do it, too, John."
Casey snapped his head toward her. "You?"
She got him to let them into his apartment, and they all sat down.
Sarah took a deep breath before starting their story. "I was with Chuck when he triggered the download. I saw it too."
Casey just stared at her for half a minute. "I've never seen you flash. Can you?"
She chuckled. "I have to hide it, but yes."
"And the planting of thoughts?"
She nodded. "Something we have only recently discovered we could do. Usually, commands."
"So, one of you commanded me to fight him?" He was not happy about that.
She placed a hand on his arm. "No, I commanded you to believe in yourself. You did the rest."
He sat and thought about that. "Thank you, Walker."
She wanted him to know everything. "We can read the surface thoughts of those near us."
That alarmed him. "So, did you read mine about the termination?"
She smiled. "You and I are trained to bury our thoughts and only think about relevant things. But, yes, when you were thinking about it."
"And you didn't just run?" he questioned.
"We hoped you'd come around."
He grunted. "And I did."
"Yeah."
"I guess you read each other's thoughts."
Chuck chipped in. "My thoughts about Sarah were pretty obvious from the start."
Casey chuckled. "Yeah!"
"My feelings for Chuck were brought out by Carina," Sarah said.
Casey hummed. "Jealousy? You?"
"Chuck helps me with that," she admitted.
He looked at them both for a while. "You're good for each other but also good as a team. I'll say nothing to Beckman about this."
"Thanks, Casey." They both said.
Before he joined Sarah at home, Chuck popped in to see how Ellie was feeling.
"Um, where are Awesome's parents?" he asked.
"Mm. He's taking them to the airport," she replied.
He 'read' that Honey and Woody were going to let Ellie and Devon plan their own wedding now.
"You know, I, um, I've never been one of those girls that dreamed about what their wedding day would be like. What I would wear, or even the person that I would marry. It was all kind of hazy. Except..." She sighed. "Except one thing was clear. That Dad would walk me down the aisle."
She started to tear up and Chuck pulled her to him. "Hey, Ellie. Hey."
"I know it's not gonna happen. It's just…. It's just really hard to let go of that," she said while resting her head on his shoulder.
This was the woman who had always been there for him. Always been strong. And now, here she was, showing her vulnerability to him.
He knew it was too dangerous for their dad to be at either of the weddings, but it was hard when Chuck couldn't even tell her that he was alive.
He knew he needed to tell their dad about how Ellie was feeling to see if there was any possibility of him being there for her.
That is exactly what he did when he got home.
"If either the government or Fulcrum find me, all hopes of removing the Intersect from your heads will be over," Stephen told the two of them. "Both groups are after the Intersect creator."
Chuck nodded. "I know that, Dad. It's just hard to see how upset Ellie is."
"If she knew I was alive and avoiding her, wouldn't that be harder still?"
"I think it would, Stephen," Sarah said. "I find it hard with my dad."
"For now, it's best she thinks I've gone," Stephen finished.
Five days later, it was Sarah's past catching up with her again.
When Sarah got a message on her old burner phone, she got alerted on her CIA one. This was a service she had set up some years earlier when she was notified her dad was being released. She had given him a phone. For all his faults, he was still her dad and she wanted to keep in touch. When she charged up the burner, she looked at the message.
Will be in LA in a couple of days. Catch up?
Her first thought was, 'How the hell does he know I'm in LA?' Then, she put that thought out of her head. Her dad always managed to throw her with what he could and couldn't do.
She texted back and told him to meet at a restaurant that she and Chuck never normally visited.
She looked at her fiancé. "Chuck, I am going to meet him. I don't recommend you come. He can't be trusted."
"Are you kidding? Meeting your dad would be fantastic."
She groaned. "He will try to con you. It's what he does. He will also scoff at us being together."
"We can show him he's wrong. That we deserve to be together."
She knew this was going to be a disaster but went along with it.
Jack Burton looked just like Sarah remembered him from when he was arrested. He was looking around the restaurant for his daughter. He spotted her as she stood and waved to him. He sauntered over. "Hi, Dad. You look great. A lot better than when you were released."
He looked at her. "I don't know what alias you are using these days."
She smiled. "Still Sarah. It's my legal name now."
"I still can't get over how different you look to that seventeen-year-old."
She hadn't told him before and still wasn't going to tell him about the CIA. "I polished up well."
She could 'read' him wondering what scam she was now on.
Chuck chose that moment to join them. He had thought it would confuse her dad if they were together when Jack first arrived. He held out his hand. "You must be Sarah's dad. I'm Chuck, her fiancé."
Sarah 'read' her dad. She knew this one was coming anyway. 'So, this is who she's conning.'
Sarah showed her dad the ring. "We've not set a date yet, but I assume you won't be coming."
"We'd love you to, though," Chuck said.
'As if it's going to happen,' Jack thought.
"This is real, Dad. It's not a con. I love him."
Jack snorted, then saw how serious she looked. Jack looked at his daughter for a moment. "Love is a con, darlin'."
Sarah looked straight at him. "I used to think that, Dad. Then, I met Chuck." She glanced at her fiancé. "Love is very real for me now."
Jack shook his head again. He was going to just ignore the comment when he realized she'd said about cons in front of Chuck. He looked at Chuck. "You're in on it?"
Sarah didn't give Chuck a chance to answer that. "Chuck and I are together. We live together and will soon be married. Get over it."
Jack sat back. "Doesn't feel real."
"I love your daughter. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me," Chuck stated.
Sarah sat up, then leaned over to gently kiss him. "He's the best, Dad. I never thought I could find someone so wonderful."
Jack shook his head again. "If this is real, you're not the girl I brought up anymore."
She leaned forward and just said, "Thank god!"
Chuck didn't want this to spiral any further out of control, so he changed the subject. "So, what are you here for, Jack?"
Jack looked at Chuck and then at Sarah. He was trying to decide how much to tell. "I'm here to complete a transaction with an oil baron." Of course, they both read all of it. They discover his con and who it is he's conning. Both flashed.
"What's wrong with you two?" Jack said.
Sarah reacted quickest. "We both had problems with oil barons before. Bad memories."
Jack chuckled. "So, you two have tried to con them too?"
"Not con, business dealings with one of them," Sarah replied. 'Run with this, Chuck, please.' They both knew they needed to get the team involved.
"Not your guy, though," Chuck added.
Sarah notified the general of the situation. "General, in the spirit of full disclosure, my father has conned Sheik Rajiv Amad out of seven hundred thousand dollars. That is a down payment. The sheik is coming here to complete the transaction." She blushed. "My father always thinks he's better than he is. He's selling the Nagamichi Plaza building!"
Beckman considered this. "Amad's been on the CIA's terror watch list for years. He's suspected of funding terrorist regimes in Afghanistan and Kenya." She looked at them "We have no recent photos, and he goes by many different aliases. Any information your father could provide about his financial holdings would be valuable intel."
Sarah was uncomfortable but had expected this. "General, my father is unaware of my CIA career. In fact, I'm not sure he would be all that proud."
Beckman's features softened. "No one is asking you to reveal your station, Agent Walker. Just talk to your father." She looked at Chuck. "I'm sorry. The Intersect may be needed too." She sighed before turning back to Sarah. "Your father is conning a very connected, very dangerous man. He won't survive long without help."
They were dining in the main restaurant at Jack's hotel. They were almost following a script. One that they knew well from reading it in Jack's head.
"These oil guys were just dying to buy anything American," Jack was telling them.
Sarah pretended to look surprised. "Oh, no, you didn't?"
Jack looked smug. "Of course I did."
Chuck looked confused, so Sarah said, "He pulled a Lichtenstein. Lichtenstein is a crazy invention of my father's. A German billionaire who has fallen on hard times. Needs to sell something fast."
"So, like a piece of art or jewelry?" Chuck asked.
"Bigger." Jack grinned.
"A boat? A plane?" Chuck asked.
"Closer, Charlie," Jack replied. "I brought you to this restaurant in my hotel for a reason," Jack said. "I sold them that." He thumbed at the building behind him.
"What? You sold them Nagamichi Plaza?" Chuck gasped. "That's incredible."
"Dangerous. They're gonna find you," Sarah said.
"Oh, relax." Jack looked pleased with himself. "The seven-hundred grand is a finder's fee for putting them in touch with Lichtenstein. By the time they know, I'll be on an island."
As the meal progressed, they continued discussing what would happen and how Sarah and Chuck could be involved.
As Chuck and Sarah were leaving the hotel. Four men walked in and straight past them. Both flashed on the lead man. It was the sheik. Jack spotted him and sauntered over. Welcoming him to the States.
Chuck 'read' that the sheik wouldn't conclude the deal without seeing what he was buying and meeting Lichtenstein. And he had brought his own translator, not trusting Americans. Chuck groaned. They had agreed he would play the part of Lichtenstein, and Sarah would translate his attempt at German. Now that wasn't an option.
He turned to Sarah and quietly said, "Maybe if we practice, you can talk German through my mouth."
Sarah was always amazed at his brilliant mind, but this was quite a surprise. "Let's try when we get home."
"I can then focus on reading the sheik's mind for his access code," he added.
Jack didn't know anything about the translator, so had happily made the arrangement for the next day.
Sarah and Chuck had practiced as soon as they got home. Initially it didn't work because Sarah was reticent about controlling Chuck in that way. He got frustrated and told her to just do it.
Sarah succeeded after a few goes. Chuck was speaking fluent German by the time they finished. He had no idea what he'd said, but he would trust Sarah.
"Letting go of your control over your own mouth is unsettling," he told her. "I had to try really hard not to freak out!"
"You seemed more relaxed at the end," she replied. "I deliberately didn't try to sooth you because I'll be focused on translating tomorrow, so you'll be in charge of your reactions." Then she thought about that. "I might have to let you know what he asks for you to get your reactions correct."
"Okay. We can do this," he said.
They had cleared the occupants out of the building and made the office appear to be for Lichtenstein Enterprises. Chuck was dressed in his suit as "the man." Jack, Sarah, and Casey were dressed in their outfits.
Casey was at the security desk on the first floor. He called Sarah, who was sitting outside Lichtenstein's office. Her role was Miss Applebaum, his Personal Assistant. "They're here. Show time."
Jack said to Chuck and Sarah, "We need to convince him that we don't wanna sell the building. He's the one getting the deal, not us."
As the elevator doors opened, Sarah was pretending to be on a call. "I'm sorry, Mr. Lichtenstein will be in Prague on Friday…. No, Monday he's in Moscow."
Jack was at the entrance to the main room, on his cell phone. "Wendy, I don't wanna be interrupted…. I don't care if Mr. Trump calls. Tell him the building is no longer for sale. I'll see him next week in New York." Jack turned and appeared to see the men. "Gentleman, welcome."
Sarah finished her call as well. "He'll have to call you back next week. Bye-bye."
She looked up at the sheik. "Mr. Lichtenstein will see you now."
She took them through into the main room, where Chuck was standing by the window. Sarah said, "Gentlemen, may I present to you Mr. Hans Lichtenstein."
Jack smiled at the sheik. "I'm sure you're busy, so we'll make this as painless as possible." He leaned down to his laptop and continued, "After your lawyers examine the contracts and the inspections are done, we can have a formal meeting."
Sarah said, "For now, we only require a three-percent deposit to take the property off the market."
Jack stood and looked at the sheik. "And that would be $10 million."
The sheik spoke for the first time. "First, I would like to have a word with Mr. Lichtenstein."
Sarah smiled, "Of course. I'll translate."
She told Chuck, in German, "Mr. Amad would like a word with you."
However, as she and Chuck expected, the sheik said, "I'm sorry. I don't trust you. I brought my own translator." He presented his man.
The translator said, in German, "Hello, Mr. Lichtenstein. Anything you wish to say, you say through me."
Sarah took over control of Chuck's mouth and voice and said, again in German, "And what is your name?"
The sheik looked at his man, who turned to him, speaking in English. "He asked my name."
"Tell him and get on with this," the sheik replied.
The translator and Sarah, through Chuck, continued to speak in German. The man knew the questions the sheik wanted answered and only spoke to him with translations.
"Very well," the sheik finally said. "I will transfer the money."
Jack stepped back from the laptop. "Uh, well, sheik, would you care to type in your account number for security purposes?"
The sheik stepped up, and the transfer was completed.
They all walked to the elevator. "Feel free to look over the space," Jack said. "We'll give you a moment."
"No. I have business elsewhere," the sheik replied and entered the elevator with his men.
As the doors closed, Casey said to Sarah, "We got company. Time to wrap it up."
"The sheik is already on his way down," she replied.
There was no time to remove the signage, so they rushed to the stairwell and headed down.
They reached jack's hotel room and started to celebrate.
Jack raised a glass. "To Lichtenstein."
They clinked glasses and drank the champagne.
Jack looked at Chuck. "Impressive German."
Chuck nodded, thinking, 'Sarah is impressive at everything she does.'
'There are many things you can do that are impressive, too,' Sarah replied. She left no doubt in his mind about the things she hoped for that night.
Jack then said, "You pulled it off, kid. You made me a believer." Chuck 'read' what he meant, but Jack just continued, "I believe you two are a couple."
Then Jack looked at the rest of them. "I'm gonna get some ice."
"Love you, Dad," Sarah said.
He stopped and smiled at her. "Love you, too, darlin'."
Chuck and Sarah knew what Jack was doing.
Casey called Beckman to tell her what had happened. "Yes, General. Mission accomplished. Money was transferred to the CIA account about an hour ago." He listened for a while and then ended the call.
"Beckman never got the money." Casey opened the laptop case. "Laptop has gone, too."
"We have the money and the access code to the sheik's account. We're good," Chuck told him.
Casey looked at him for a while. "Of course you do. "Get the account details to Beckman," Casey said as he ran out.
"He'll be long gone, Casey," Sarah called.
Casey came back in fifteen minutes later, fuming. "How did he con us so easily?"
Sarah chuckled. "It's what he does. If Chuck and I couldn't read minds, he would have gotten away with it." She turned to Chuck. "You have changed the password for your account, haven't you?"
Chuck gave her a flat look. "Who do you think you're talking to? Of course, I have."
She chuckled.
Chuck soon sent the details to the general so that she could initiate freezing the sheik's accounts, and then he transferred the money to the CIA account.
They all set off for their homes.
Chuck and Sarah were drinking coffee in their apartment when her burner phone rang. As there was only her dad who used that, she answered sharply, "What?"
Jack said, "Baby, I'm sorry. But I got a perfect excuse for what happened."
"Oh, I'd love to hear all about it," she replied. "Some other time."
"Just remember, I did it all for you," he said.
Then, Sarah heard a different voice, Amad's. "So touching. Family reunion." Then, his voice turned cold. "Now, where the hell is my money?"
"I don't have it," she responded honestly.
"Well, then, we have a real problem," Amad said.
"Don't give it to him, honey," Jack called out.
"If anything happens to my father…." Sarah started.
Amad sounded amused. "What? You will con me out of more money?"
"No. I'll kill you," she growled. That was true, as well.
"Then bring me what is mine and we won't have a problem. I'll call you in an hour."
Casey had joined them before the call came through. Knowing they'd 'read' his thoughts, he said that Beckman had told him where Jack had gone. "He checked into a downtown motel under the alias Guido Merkins."
"Typical," Sarah said.
"So, Beckman doesn't trust you, Sarah?" Chuck asked.
"She'll want to lock him up, so I guess she doesn't," Sarah replied with a shrug.
Then, the phone rang, and she got the details of where to go. The three of them set off.
Knowing that Casey was coming through the other doors onto the roof and Chuck was behind them, Sarah felt comfortable walking toward the armed men with the two bags, which contained rifles hidden underneath clothes. Of course, her gun in the back of her pants was reassuring too.
She had gotten close enough that she would be able to command Amad and two of the closer men, but there was one on the other side of the car, and she 'read' in the sheik's head that another was behind and above her. She muttered into her mike, telling Casey about that man.
"That's close enough," Amad called out. She stopped. "You have something for me?"
"Where's my father?" she demanded.
Amad called to the man behind the car, who pulled Jack out and walked forward with him, pressing a gun into his side. Amad waved to show Jack was there.
Sarah dropped the bags to the floor.
Amad nodded for the translator to go and check them. The man pulled out a gun, pointed it at her, and walked forward. Sarah waited until he looked down before commanding everyone there to go to sleep.
All of them, including her father, slumped to the ground. She got a pain in her head and nearly dropped herself.
She heard a gunshot and knew Casey had taken the outlier down.
Chuck ran out. "God, you're so hot when you do that, Sarah."
She grinned at him for saying that, but said, "Affecting that many was probably too much. My head is now killing me."
They quickly cuffed all the men apart from her father. The NSA cleaner team would take care of them.
They took Jack back to Chuck and Sarah's apartment, seeing no reason to hide it from him anymore.
Chuck was with the still unconscious Jack Burton while Casey and Sarah reported to the general.
Beckman said, "Thanks to your efforts, we were able to freeze a billion dollars of the sheik's foreign accounts. Well done. We can't detain him, though. Diplomatic immunity."
Casey grunted unhappily.
"Now to the unpleasant news," Beckman said. "Agent Walker, we're sending a unit to pick up your father for the previous embezzlement charge at 5:00 today. Say your goodbyes. That's all."
Casey stopped her ending the call. "General. As you know, Mr. Burton was invaluable in the seizure of these funds. Perhaps that could lessen his prison sentence."
Beckman replied, "Prosecution will be made aware of that." Then, she ended the call.
"Thank you," Sarah said to her partner.
She got into her car and headed back to the apartment. When she got there, she thought about how she didn't want her dad to get put away again.
'Shall I let him go for a walk?' Chuck asked.
'Please. I know it's silly not wanting to cross that line, but I can't.'
'Not silly at all. You are a duty-bound operative,' he replied. 'Who I love very much.'
She looked at the time. 4:50. Jack was, thankfully, awake.
"Don't know how that all happened, darlin', but I'm glad it worked out ok."
"Dad, I can't have you here right now," she said.
"Compromising?" he asked.
"Something like that," she replied.
"Maybe head out to your car," Chuck suggested.
There was something she wanted to know, though. "Why did you put the money in Chuck's account?"
"I needed to put it somewhere because I didn't trust cop face."
"But you trusted Chuck?" she asked.
He slapped Chuck on his shoulder. "I read people. It's the only real talent I got. One thing I know, this kid would never betray you." He smiled. "I made a $10-million bet that he really did love you." He chuckled.
Chuck lead him out the back way. They got to Jack's car, and Chuck got in with him. "Just drive, Jack. You can't be here."
Jack set off, and before they got too far, they heard the sirens wailing.
"Well, Charlie. It seems like you two are not conning. You're both some kind of cops, aren't you?"
"Something like that," Chuck replied.
"She turned out pretty good. Even with a lousy father." Jack pulled over to the side of the road and looked at Chuck. "Take care of her."
Chuck replied, "I'll do my best." He got out and watched the car drive away.
A week later, it was Christmas Eve, one of the busiest days at the Buy More.
Because it was Christmas Eve, Chuck had let Ellie and Devon in early to get his staff discount before the rush. Chuck didn't agree with the price hike Big Mike had put on the products, but he understood why.
A lot of the staff were watching the local news of an outside broadcast.
"Action News reporting as police continue their chase through downtown Burbank.
"If anything, he appears to be picking up speed in this residential neighborhood. We'd like to warn anyone in the area that this is an extremely dangerous situation."
All in the store heard police sirens blaring nearby.
"It appears the perpetrator has just turned off Burbank Boulevard into a shopping complex, and he's not slowing down. He's not slowing down!"
Of course, it had to be here, didn't it?
There was a loud crash as the car smashed through the front doors.
The driver burst out, waving a gun. Chuck was with Ellie and Devon, so away from the area where the car halted. He hustled his sister and her fiancé further away.
"Uh, my name's Nathan Edward Rhyerson. Uh, people like to call me Ned." He didn't seem much of a threat. "I'm sorry about the entrance. Can someone please tell me who's in charge here?"
Most looked for Chuck but, in his absence, spotted Big Mike, who was forced to seal the store so no one could get in or out.
Sarah was in Castle when it occurred but was monitoring it. She homed one of the cameras in on Ned and flashed. This wasn't a criminal but a junior Fulcrum operative.
Casey walked in at that point. "What's going on over there?" he asked.
"Looks like a crazy guy crashing into the Buy More, but it's not. The guy is a Fulcrum operative."
"A flash?" Casey asked. Sarah nodded. "Better let the general know," he replied.
The Nerd Herd phone rang.
Ned looked up quickly and rushed over to it. "Who's calling?"
Chuck didn't want his people getting involved, so he rushed over. "Um, that's probably the police. Maybe they wanna know what's happening."
Ned recoiled. "I don't wanna talk to anyone. You think you can answer it?"
Chuck could see this was an act but had to go along with it. "Nerd Herd. How can I help you?"
The man at the other end replied, "This is Lieutenant Mauser, LAPD. Who am I speaking to?"
"Uh, this is Chuck Bartowski. Assistant Manager."
"Chuck, I'm gonna need to talk to Ned."
Chuck turned to Ned. "He wants to talk to you."
The whole refusal to talk and Chuck having to do it pissed Chuck off, but he went along with it. He told Mauser that no one was hurt and that Ned didn't want any trouble.
"Tell him to send out a hostage as a sign of good faith," Mauser said.
Chuck relayed that. Ned was trying to work out what was best for him. He was going to suggest Ellie, but then a voice cried out, "Pick me, pick me, pick me."
Emmett Milbarge, the efficiency expert who was still there, pushed himself forward. "My 86-year-old mother is dying of a very rare disease. It's leukoplakia. And she needs me, her bo-bo."
Ned sighed. "Uh, okay, fine, send him."
Chuck was quite pleased to see the back of him. He'd been whimpering in the background, unnerving the others further.
Chuck just hoped that Sarah and Casey would come through soon.
Beckman called them back very quickly. "The suspect's name is Nathan Rhyerson. He is a civilian. No record. Not even a speeding ticket in the past ten years."
"We think he's Fulcrum, General," Sarah stated.
Casey was itching to use a new gun he'd acquired.
Sarah said, "We can't go in there all guns blazing, General. It'll blow all our covers."
"Then you better slip into Buy More from Castle and see if you can remove Chuck, but I want that operative too, so you'll have to try to get him away from the police, as well."
They headed out. A new access had been made through the lockers in the Buy More, so they went in that way.
Just after they walked in, Chuck joined them.
Mainly for Casey's sake, Chuck verbally told them about Ned.
"We know, Chuck," Sarah replied. "We need to capture him."
"No. There is someone in charge who sent him here. We need that person. Ned just knows that you two are around looking after someone who knows Bryce. He acts simple and is a dangerous weapon, but no more than that."
Chuck then sensed Ned approaching. "He's coming," he hissed.
As Ned walked into the room, he looked shocked that Sarah and Casey were there. "What?" He looked at all three of them. "What are you three doing in here?"
Chuck replied, "I was here with my fiancée. I told her to stay here, out of sight. John joined us."
Both of the mind readers knew what Ned was about to do. Sarah made him shoot to Casey's left. Ned had planned to shoot Casey's toe off. "That was lucky," Chuck said. "Perhaps you'd better let me take that and stop it firing so easily."
He reinforced that with a command. He then commanded Ned to close his eyes and freeze.
Ned frowned but did do. Chuck took the gun off of him. He got instructions from Sarah, took the bullets out, and then handed the gun back.
Ned looked at it, confused, but knew he could easily use it again. He didn't realize Chuck had emptied the bullets out.
Ned was trying to decide how to repeat that so he could injure Casey. The plan was clear for both Chuck and Sarah. The other person involved was, too.
'We'll have to con this Mauser, Chuck.'
'I know. When he calls, can you distract Ned?'
Mauser did call about the shooting. Chuck brushed it off as an accident but said that someone was injured, but would live. That made Mauser think Casey was both at reduced capacity and they could get him out of the Buy More.
After the call, Ned said he didn't know what to do and would call his wife.
Chuck interceded, "I'm lucky to have my fiancée in here with me, but others are freaking out, and their partners at home probably are too. How about letting them make a call to loved ones?"
Ned stared at Chuck. It was an excellent act. He really did seem to be unbalanced. His mind, however, was focused on talking to Mauser about the NSA guy.
However, Ned decided to allow others to make calls as it would take attention away from the call he wanted to make.
Sarah commanded Ned to stall before making the call to allow Chuck to pass on to others that they could use their phones. Chuck's range for reading and commanding was greater than hers, so it made sense for him to be within that range when Ned made his call.
As it turned out, Sarah was able to drive it. 'Casey is injured, as planned,' she fed into his head. It wasn't a command but a confirmed fact.
Ned relayed that and said the CIA woman was there too. Posing as Chuck's fiancée.
She couldn't hear Mauser's reply but got the message. Mauser would come into the store, and Ned would persuade Chuck that the two agents should go. The injured one and his so-called "fiancée."
That wasn't how she planned it.
Sarah's phone rang, and she saw that it was Chuck. "Hi, Chuck." She was grinning to herself. "Glad I got a call from you."
"I noticed I didn't get one from you, though."
"Where are you?"
"I'm in the romantic-comedy section. Although, for irony's sake, I suppose I should probably be in hostage-thrillers."
She walked over and joined him. She kneeled down where he was. Then, leaned forward and kissed him. 'You know you're my loved one.'
She thought through what Mauser had planned and how they should react. 'I'll tell Casey,' she added.
She walked over and sat beside Casey and explained everything.
"You two are going to plant thoughts in their heads?"
"Yeah. Can you look injured when Mauser comes in? It'll make it easier."
"Sure."
"Can you also contact Beckman and ask for some NSA assistance to take Mauser and this guy away?"
"If they know who we are and guess about Bartowski, we are in real trouble."
Sarah hadn't thought that. "If he hasn't told anyone yet, it would be best to kill them both."
Sarah knew that was true, but also that Chuck would hate it. "I'll talk to Chuck."
Casey was going to say something, but she got up and rushed off.
Her mind link conversation with Chuck was hard for both of them. Both understood the other's point of view.
'Even if I agree with you, it will blow your cover,' he thought.
'Not if they shoot each other.' She let that thought linger.
'What if I can force them to forget us?' he asked.
She hadn't considered that idea. 'Too risky with Mauser, but maybe with Ned.'
He looked at her, and she read him wishing he could test it on Ned now.
'You can't do that. He needs to be compliant initially. We also need to read Mauser to see what he knows and who, if anyone, he's told. Then, he can forget us, but Ned needs to see Mauser as a threat.' She paused. 'Casey will need to disarm Ned after he shoots Mauser.'
Chuck sighed. 'Okay.'
When Chuck let Mauser in. He read his mind. They were lucky. He hadn't told anyone but Ned. He didn't want anyone muscling in and taking the credit.
Chuck walked him into the store, firing what he'd learned to Sarah.
He then made Mauser see an injured Casey as he walked the man to him.
"Maybe I should go over there and tell him that you're taking over. Kind of put him at ease, so he doesn't get upset."
Mauser looked at Chuck. "You've developed a little trust, haven't you?"
Chuck nodded. He really wanted to be close to affect Ned's mind.
"Okay, well, yeah. Good idea," Mauser told him.
Chuck rushed over to Ned. He started the mind-change instructions. 'Put your gun down! You know nothing about any NSA or CIA agents here and nothing about Chuck Bartowski!'
Ned looked puzzled and asked Chuck who he was.
"Never mind me," Chuck said.
Sarah cut in then. 'This guy Mauser, he's no good. He is here to kill you unless you kill him first!'
She had swapped her gun for Ned's as Chuck had been dealing with him.
Ned grabbed his gun, stood, and shot Mauser in the head.
Casey had edged close and grabbed Ned from behind, forcing him to drop the gun.
Chuck ran to the controls and opened the door. Instead of police, there were military-looking men, the NSA team, who rushed in and scooped up both Ned and Mauser's body.
Sarah threw herself into Chuck's arms. 'Make it look real,' she instructed him. He didn't really have to try. He hugged her, just so glad she wasn't hurt.
Suddenly, Ellie and Devon were by their side. "You were both so lucky you didn't get shot!" Ellie angrily stated.
"Well done, bro," Devon said. Then he turned to Casey. "You too."
Casey grunted.
As they got home, Chuck was still in deep thought. Sarah hadn't interrupted him on the journey.
He walked in and sat down. She brought him a drink which he quaffed quickly.
She sat by him. "Do you want to talk about it?"
He realized he'd locked himself in his little bubble. Something he used to do before Sarah came into his life. "I'm sorry. I'm just thinking that I probably could have done Mauser as well, and he didn't have to die."
She explained it to him. "Ned seemed a bit mad from the start. Him not understanding what he was there for and why he killed Mauser is easy to explain away. The Fulcrum mastermind? Impossible. He had to die."
He nodded. "I guess." He sighed. "At least you didn't have to kill him, Sarah."
She thought there was not much difference and was about to say so, but he said, "No. You didn't even make Ned shoot him. You just planted the idea that he needed to die. Ned made that decision."
She looked at him. "I think that's a very fine line between them."
"But it's there!" he declared.
She could see they weren't going to agree, so she let him have this one.
They both bucked up for Christmas Day.
After calling his dad to wish him Merry Christmas and getting a very quick update on progress, which was good, they headed over to Ellie and Devon's for the rest of the day.
Both put that incident behind them. Chuck asked Ellie and Devon not to talk about it, and they reluctantly agreed. So, they had a normal Bartowski Christmas. Sarah's second.
Seeing how much she was enjoying it helped Chuck let go of the upset. Sarah was even more expressive of her joy of the day than the previous year, he thought.
Sarah really did throw herself into the happiness there. She loved these people and knew they loved her too. Sometime next year, she would no longer be a Walker. She'd be a Bartowski. Here, with the three of them, she already felt like it, but then they really would be family. That gave her a warm feeling all over.
Chuck saw her thoughts and pulled her in for a kiss. Life together was good.
A/N: A longer chapter than normal. It covered three episodes so that I could include the Christmas one for season 2. So, as these two spend their second Christmas Day together, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, if you celebrate it, but happy holidays to you, whether you do or not.
I think I have another six chapters to go in this story. I haven't started on the next one yet, so they will all appear in the New Year. Here's hoping it is a happier one for us all than 2022 was.
A review would be nice, if you have the time.