A/N: Lots of action in this one. Still find it difficult to write so welcome any suggestions.

Don't own it but sure do miss it.

Casey and Morgan got back to Echo Park very early in the morning. As they entered the courtyard Casey grabbed Morgan's arm and pulled him back. "Look sharp, Grimes. We are in big trouble here."

"Why? What did you see?"

"The mother bear ... Ellie Bartowski. She's on the prowl."

"Oh we are so dead."

"Grimes! Casey! I saw you. You get over here right now!"

The two men walked very cautiously into the courtyard to see Ellie standing in front of Chuck and Sarah's apartment, arms on her hips and a scowl on her face.

"You two get over here and tell me what's going on? Chuck and Sarah's flight is hijacked and you two just disappear without a word? Talk to me ... NOW!"

They both jumped at her exclamation. "Ellie, it's true. They have been hijacked. We attempted a rescue mission and got all the passengers off the plane except Chuck and Sarah. We did see them both and they were fine but the plane took off again before we could get to them."

"John, Morgan, you heard me tell Chuck he was done with the spy world and you also heard him tell me he was done. How could he lie to me like this?"

"Really, Ellie, we don't think this has anything to do with Chuck and Sarah. They just happened to be on that plane. However, the kidnappers probably either recognized them or they tried to stop them and got caught. Chuck has not gone back on his word to you. But he and Sarah ... together ... are our best hope of stopping that plane. Now look, it's very late and we need our rest, as do you. I promise you we will keep you informed as best we can. But we can't compromise any mission that may come out of this. More importantly, we have to make sure we can help those two kids."

"Okay. I guess that's the best I'm going to get from you two tonight. But. I. Better. Be. Told. If. You. Hear. ANYTHING." Ellie punctuated each word with a poke in Casey's chest and a glare at Morgan.

Backing away with his hands up in surrender, Casey replied, "That's fair, Ellie.

"By the way, Ellie, have you seen or heard from Alex today?"

"No Morgan, I haven't."

Casey glared at Morgan, grunted, and walked away.

XXXXXX

Sarah had been working on her bindings since O'Broghlan walked away. She refused to use Casey's trick and break her thumbs to free her hands; with no weapons she would be relying on her hand to hand combat skills. Even if she did acquire some sort of weapon she would need her hands intact to use it. Oh, for her thigh knife belt! She was using the leg on the seat in front of her to try to saw through the restraint on her feet. It did seem to be working but was very slow and she had to keep a look out for the guards so they didn't catch her.

She was also trying to form a plan if and when she got loose. There was still the issue of getting her hands free. She knew she could take out any one of the guards with her feet but there were at least ten plus O'Broghlan. If she could isolate one then she could get a knife and free her hands. Once she was free to work, what then? Find a way to sabotage the plane? Rush the cockpit? She just didn't have any good options being alone with this many goons.

The strap soundlessly broke and Sarah's feet were free. She began discreetly looking around to map out the positions of everyone in sight. There was only one guard on this upper level right now and O'Broghlan was in the cockpit as far as she knew. I wonder if any of these jerks have gotten any sleep since taking over the plane? If not, they will soon get to the point where fatigue will play into my hands.

"Chuck, I so miss you. We are such a great team ... as spies ... and as husband and wife."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

This was the critical moment. The elevator was coming to a stop. If there were guards in the galley Chuck would be a sitting duck. His fighting skills were decent but without the Intersect induced kung fu, he was limited. Fists up ... he was ready.

Chuck jumped out of the elevator and ... no one there. He spun around but still no one. How fortunate. But where were the guards?

Suddenly he heard what sounded like a kick to the face and a loud grunt. Then silence. He waited, wondering what was happening. The sound had come from the left aisle of the cabin ahead so he moved quickly to the right entrance to the galley and pulled himself against the front wall, hoping if someone came around the corner they wouldn't see him immediately.

Suddenly someone came around the corner, saw Chuck, and started to unleash a roundhouse kick.

Chuck saw the movement and started to throw his hardest punch to the face.

Eyes locked onto eyes and they saw...

"Chuck!" "Sarah!" They each called out in a whisper and pulled their kick and punch back quickly.

And then they were in each other's arms. Well, not exactly because Sarah's were still tied behind her back. She crushed up against him and his arms enveloped her. Their lips met and crushed each other's until Chuck remembered how hurt Sarah was. He pulled back and looked into those dazzling blue eyes. "Oh, Sarah, baby, sorry! I forgot your lips are all busted up."

"It's okay, Chuck. For that kiss a little pain right now is nothing. But ... how did you get here and where did you get that uniform?"

"Long story sweetie. But I was not going to let you fly away without me." He gently kissed her once again. "Hey, let's get your hands free," and started pulling drawers out looking for a knife.

Just as he found the right drawer they heard O'Broghlan: "Son-of-a-Bitch! You dumb bastard. How did you let her get free?" Then they heard the distinctive "pfft" of a silenced gun shot.

"Oh my God! He just shot the guard … his own man. O'Broghlan has really lost his mind!" Sarah was whispering to Chuck as he cut her loose. She grabbed as many knives as possible from the drawer and moved to the rightside doorway. Chuck moved to the left.

"Erin ... oh, Erin. Come out, come out wherever you are," O'Broghlan sing-songed. "I know you can't be too far away and I'm going to get you this time. I'm going to screw you 'til you can't walk and then I'm going to cut off your nose and punch out your eyeballs!"

Chuck and Sarah looked at each other with a touch of fear. With O'Broghlan, now a crazed maniac with a gun, they were at a disadvantage. Chuck motioned that he would jump out and get his attention so she could then come out and get him with a knife. Sarah shook her head NO emphatically. She should go first. She had that stay in the car, Chuck frown on her face that still scared him. But he shook her off this time. Not waiting for her he ran out into the aisle and yelled to get O'Broghlan's attention. Sarah watched in horror as he left . "Chuck ... NO," she yelled! But it was too late. She gathered herself quickly into spy mode again and moved out in the cabin, ready to toss her knives.

'Pfft ... pfft ... pfft.' O'Broghan got off three quick shots before Sarah could get out far enough to see him. She couldn't see if Chuck had been hit as she quickly tossed two knives at O'Broghlan. But after all the hours of being tied up her arm just didn't want to work quite right and she missed with both. She ducked behind a seat as O'Broghlan turned the gun her way. Just before he shot at Sarah, Chuck jumped up and ran at him again, screaming one of his 'girly screams' at the top of his lungs.

The distraction was enough to stop any shots at Sarah but the distance was far enough for O'Broghlan to once again switch his attention and punched Chuck just as he arrived. Now Sarah was back up and another knife was on the way, finding its mark in O'Broghlan's right bicep. He screamed in pain, then turned and ran up the aisle and into the cockpit.

Sarah ran over to the other aisle where Chuck was just starting to get up. He had a nasty cut on his lip but seemed otherwise alright. "Chuck, Chuck ... are you alright? Are you shot?"

Slightly out of breath Chuck answered, "No, I don't think so but I really hit my chest hard on an armrest after he punched me. Sarah ... I'm okay, baby," he reassured her. She was crying now as she ran her hands over his chest and arms looking for wounds.

Now they had another problem. All the screaming had attracted the attention of the guards from the lower deck. Four were cautiously advancing up the stairs. Using the railing like a pommel horse Sarah swung herself 360 degrees, striking the first man in the throat and throwing him backwards down the steps. In falling he took the other three behind him down as well. Three ended up unconscious and the other one cautiously moved away from the stairs. Now three more were coming up.

By the time they reached the top Sarah had retrieved the murdered guard's handgun and quickly dispatched all three. Chuck looked at Sarah in astonishment, then winked and gave her a quick smile and 'thumbs up'.

"If we try to go down they will pick us off easily. On the other hand, we hold the high ground so they can't get up here. At least as long as we have ammo. Any ideas?"

"There are only four or five left. Can we use the elevator to go down and get behind them?"

"Ah, Sarah, another reason I love you. Always knowing how to find an advantage. Let's go!"

Giving Chuck the gun, Sarah grabbed more knives from the galley once they were in the elevator. "Chuck, here's the gun. Get down on the floor in case they are waiting for us. Even if they shoot it won't be at the floor so you'll be able to shoot back."

"But Sarah, that means they will be shooting at you!"

"Have you no faith? You've made me watch The Matrix I don't know how many times. I know how to dodge the bullets." All said with a delicious smile on her face.

"Come on, babe. Even I know that is fake." Chuck was not in a joking mood.

"Well, we don't have any other choice so get down there, sweetheart."

The elevator stopped and they anxiously waited for the door to open. Finally it did and ... no one there. These guys just weren't very sharp. Of course, they were dealing with the best spy team in the world so they never really stood a chance. Three knives, two bullets, and a bunch of round houses and karate chops later, and the four men they found were quickly dispatched. They did a quick search but didn't find any more. "Hopefully that's all. I think there is one more in the cockpit along with O'Broghlan. He is really going to be mad ... and even crazier ... now!"

"We better get back upstairs in case they try to venture out of the cockpit."

"First let's secure all these guys." There were seven in all and were all injured in one way or another so it was an easy task. Sarah knew where they kept the zip strips so they quickly had them bound hand and foot to the legs of the seats. They weren't going anywhere now.

"Let's try using the stairs rather than risk the elevator."

"You think that's safe, Sarah? Remember how easily we picked them off."

"I know but we'll go up one at a time so they can't get both of us at once. My turn to go first."

"Sarah..."

"No Chuck. This marriage is about us being equals and taking care of each other. I'm going first this time!"

With the force of that last statement and the look in her eye Chuck knew it was useless to try to change her mind. "Okay, but if you get shot I will never forgive you."

"Fair enough..."

And with that Sarah started up the stairs.