Thank you to all the AWESOME reviewers from Chapter 1! This chapter is going to change from Chuck's POV to a general POV and I'll be keeping that going forward...sorry for the change up, but it suits the story better from here on out.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or any intellectual property related to the Chuckverse.

Chuck vs. The Morgan Door

Chapter 2

"The three men you identified at the drop have been recovered in a joint effort with the DEA. Between their imminent cooperation and the list of their banking institutions provided by the Intersect…"

"You're welcome." Chuck's cocky smile slides into an apologetic frown under Beckman's chastening look.

The General clears her throat and continues, "The treasury should be able to track the funds transfer which resulted from this mornings' exchange and freeze those assets. On the surface, this was a clean operation; however, I'm bothered by some of the details."

Sarah shifts uncomfortably, "General, we had to exaggerate the boundaries of our cover relationship in order to clear the area of an unexpected civilian presence shortly before the operation. I assure you, it was nothing more than that."

"That's interesting Agent Walker…but I was referring to Agent Casey's security lapse which brought the mission within dangerous proximity to the asset's home. Major, I expect a thorough report on the incident and a procedure proposal that will outline how this will never happen again, on my desk tomorrow morning. Understood?"

Casey's jaw tightens and his shoulders square automatically, but his eyes flicker down as he responds, "Understood."

"Wait, wait…General this wasn't Major Casey's fault it was all me." Three pairs of speculative eyes focus on him, "Well every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month is Buy More poker night and I got a little carried away and Agent Casey ended up having to escort me home. You can ask my sister Ellie, well actually you can't, but anyway…no one man can reel me in, I'm a horribly loud and clumsy drunk." Sarah raises an eye brow at me and Casey's face is stoic, betraying nothing. "So you see it's because of my behavior that the syndicate was able to track Major Casey."

"Very well. Major Casey please draw up a standard operating procedure for future reference, anytime the Intersect is imbibing alcohol he'll hence forth be escorted home by two agents to adequately cover security protocols. In the event only one handler is available, the Intersect is to be sedated for recovery."

Chuck's brow furrows, he hates being tranquilized, "That seems a tad excessive?"

"Compared to the prospect of endangering your family with drug cartel meetings outside their residence?"

Chuck thinks back to that morning and a chill runs down his spine at the thought of what could have happened to Morgan had Sarah not been so quick on her feet or irresistible in her wiles. "You're right. I think I'll just stick with Mr. Pibb from here on out."

"Good. Agents, I expect your full reports in the next 24 hours. Dismissed."

The screen goes blank and an uncomfortable silence falls across the castle. It's Casey who finally breaks the stalemate, "Agent Walker I'd like a moment alone with the asset."

Chuck's skin bristles at the impersonal moniker; he hates being called 'the asset', a fact Casey knows very well. He watches Sarah leave slowly, a nod of encouragement thrown his way before she closes the door.

"What's your angle Bartowski?"

Chuck's eyebrows rise so high they almost join his hairline, "Well you know what Casey, I just thought that perhaps since you and Sarah are always putting yourselves in harms way so that I can have a life outside of a bunker, I might owe you solid."

Casey exhales deeply through his nose, not quite angry but not comfortable with the direction of the conversation either. "I don't need your protection. I screwed up and I deserved to be called out on it. I should have been paying closer attention."

"Well Jack Daniels can be a very distracting fella," Chuck takes a small step back physically at the look that earns him, but presses forward, "Look I know that you and Sarah would never knowingly put me or my family in danger, but I also accept the fact that you're human." At Casey's questioning stare, "At least, I'm almost positive…Morgan has a theory that you're the 5th Cylon but I digress." John folds his arms over his chest, knuckles cracking a song of impatience and Chuck's next words come out in a rush, as though sprinting across this line will help him escape injury. "Anniversaries aren't easy; they stir up a lot of memories and feelings. I know that last Monday was the date that you and Isla met and I don't blame you for needing a night off to deal with that."

Casey goes impossibly still, the dangerous stagnation that always proceeds the wildest of attacks. He keeps his eyes trained on the far wall, voice monotone, "I owe you one for covering with Beckman, but if you ever use the Intersect to pry into my past or personal affairs again…"

"I'm a dead man, got it."

"No Bartowski," he closes the gap between them to ensure that Chuck can feel each syllable, "I'll quit." Chuck's been threatened with eminent death too often of late for it to be an effective deterrent, but abandonment…that's another issue altogether. He knows that Chuck considers him a friend, truth be told he's tempted to reciprocate that sentiment on rare occasion, but the kid needs to understand that there are boundaries which can't be crossed.

"Casey?" Chuck swallows hard, "Believe me when I say that no one can sympathize with a lack of privacy in their life more than me…I didn't mean to pry. I know what your job means to you and considering everything you do for me….I don't know…I was just trying to be a friend." He stands and tentatively extends a hand, "It won't happen again…the prying thing, not the looking out for a friend thing." Casey doesn't take his hand, merely turns around and heads up the stairs toward the exit.

He pauses at the door, unwilling to leave a debt unpaid, "I'll omit the details of Agent Walker's inappropriate behavior this morning from my report to the General." He turns back briefly, "We're square."

"Sarah was just doing her job, it wasn't…"

Casey rolls his eyes, "Spare me Bartowski, even you're not that naïve." He takes one step over the threshold but can't bring himself to leave without cautioning, "Be careful, Chuck."

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The image enhancement program focuses on the selected quadrant, bringing the image of the beautiful blonde into greater prominence. The video replays on a loop, in slow motion. The reality of intimacy on display is cemented approximately 1 minute and 35 seconds into the exchange when the female agent's eyes drift closed as the asset draws her into a desperate kiss. Her line of sight to the nearest exit is unobstructed for the remainder of the feed and according to the time stamp; the bogey enters and observes the couple for exactly 48 seconds before being detected.

The General pauses on the exact frame which captures that dawning of recognition and reality. "That's very interesting indeed Agent Walker."

Author's Note: Hello again...wow...Chuck fan's rule! My apologies to the Charah fans for the lack of interaction, but I needed this chapter to set up some future plot stuff and I wanted to stretch my Chuck/Casey frenemy legs. How did I do on the Chuck/Casey vibe...still feels awkward to me, but practice makes perfect...I just ask that you stick with me and provide feedback or advice if you have any. CHARAH Cheerleaders, I promise all kinds of angsty goodness for chapter 3...and maybe even a little smut:-)

Hugs for readers...kisses for reviewers. Cheers!