Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, reading that is still funny in my books!
A/N: It has been fun writing this one but I can see that there are going to some complications with Casey and Zoe's relationship being discovered by General Beckman, ish/in a way, you know what I mean…
Zoe Taylor
I had to show my face at Buy More which wasn't exactly where I wanted to be. I sat at the Nerd Herd circle and plugged through the computer doing the usual, putting in orders, solving people's petty problems.
And when work finally finished, I quickly and swiftly changed into jogging pants and a tank top. Only when I turned to leave I noticed Morgan and two other guys standing in the doorway, staring at my with puppy dog expressions.
"Okay, walking out now guys. See you later," I squeaked squeezing past them. I ran through town until I saw Chuck and Devon in the lobby of a tall building. I burst in the door. "Chuck where are the others?"
"Down in the car park."
"And you don't need my help?" I taunted.
"Stay there," Chuck demanded.
I waited and tucked myself around by the elevator. I watched a woman walk into the building. I watched her walk into the lift. "Chuck, a woman just walked in the building, should I follow?"
"Wait a second. Hold up. Follow her." I was snaking my way up to the lift when it opened again, I dived rolled to the side and Sydney strode out.
"I wouldn't if I were you SparrowHawk," she said. I feared the worst, were people going to find out about my past? If she knew I was SparrowHawk, what was she going to do? Instead, I returned to the Castle where I saw Shaw was with Sarah and Casey.
"So who is this?" The guy looked up and saw me. I instantly realised he was playing the fool, I wasn't meant to know he was here. "Millie Hill? Is that you?"
"Daniel Shaw? It's been so long." I hugged him close. "But I've had another name change." I held out my hand again. "Zoe Taylor, pleasure to meet you."
"Indeed it is."
"Chuck? What are you? Crazy?" Sarah whimpered on the phone. Shaw took the phone.
"You know what Chuck? Not a smart move, I mean, you start something on you own you finish it on your own." Daniel chucked the phone back to Sarah.
"Daniel? That is not how you work," I protested. "You told me it didn't matter who was in charge but you had to be a team."
"I always told you to expect attack at any point," he growled at me.
"You still hung up on that?" I spat.
There was a time when we were training together in combat and I floored him. It was one of the most humiliating points in life. For him. He was normally the top dog, no one could do it, until I did it.
"I don't believe you sometimes." I wiped my face, sitting down on the stairs, counting, trying to hold back the anger. I stood up and was about to leave when I heard a gun click.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"You know what, you should know by now that I would. I would." I burst out the door and into the Buy More store. I saw some henchman trying to search the place. No one was around but them. So I flipped into action, somersaulting through the air and kicking out at one.
"What the?" They cracked. I vaulted onto the top of the shelving units and diving onto another guy when I noticed Casey and Sarah come into view. I tried my best to deflect the fists of this guy but I was out matched. I didn't stand a chance. I rolled backward.
"So you want to play dirty, huh?" I smiled.
I swung my leg at theirs. My bad knee clicked again. I dropped to the floor as they did. I was crawling feebly away. For my own life. My bad leg was grabbed and I was dragged backwards. I fought to struggle away but my arms and stomach got immense carpet burn. I managed to roll over and that's when I was lifted off the floor. And dropped to the floor. I scrambled away towards where I had last seen Casey. He tossed me a spare gun and I shot at the guy who dropped me within a second. A shot between the eyes. I was pulled backwards and Casey threw me over his shoulder.
He took me home and then returned to the Castle. I inspected down at my leg and hobbled to a first aid kit. Fishing out a muscle bandage and some dressing to go around my stomach and hands. They were still healing from the crash and irritated by the carpet burn. I rested for a moment.
The next day, Shaw decided to hold a meeting with myself and the rest of Team Bartowski, which was fast becoming Team Shaw.
"The problem with Chuck's development is, it's not developing and the problem is the rest of you, well, from what I hear, and from my analysis, Casey and Walker are the main problem. I cannot talk for Taylor but, you seem to have made a one off break through with the intersect. This is why I am sending Chuck on a mission."
"No Shaw, he's not ready, please don't do that!" I snapped weakly, before suddenly wanting to hold back. "I'm going to actually work now, maybe I'll see you there." I nodded to the others. When I got back to Buy More, I quickly changed to my work uniform in the toilets. I noticed Casey walk away to call Sarah and, when he got off the phone, he came back to the locker room. We exchanged a subtle smile until Morgan walked in wanting help.
"Please, help me Casey, I don't know what to do," Morgan murmured.
"Oh you are a little puppy dog. You don't stand a chance," I squeaked, ruffling his hair. "Just so that we are on the same page, there was nothing in that kiss. I guess I just wasn't that into you." I went to go back to work. Not long after, Casey took a call from Chuck.
O crap. It was not looking good for Team Chuck.
After serving about three people, Morgan called the Buy More employees to the home theatre room. I smirked at him when I walked in, he was using Casey for the scare factor. I just sat to the side. I wanted to see how this pans out, until I was the last remaining person there. Morgan was a little more than relieved.
"Hey, I have to say it but I could take Casey on any day." I walked out the theatre confidently and went back to working. I got a phone call not long after. "Chuck?"
"I did it. My first solo mission was a success. Your method worked too. Protect and intersect."
"Congratulations Chuck. I'm really happy for you."
That night was a long and sickly, quite literally sickly. When I awoke the next morning, I decided to take it easy in the Castle.
"You don't look so good." Shaw murmured to me. "And that is generous."
"Well I don't feel so good if it's any constellation." I slowly propped my elbows up on the desk.
"Any particular reason why that may be?"
"Nope, probably just a twenty four hour stomach bug."
"Well someone else will have to molly coddle you," Shaw taunted in a patronising way before he turned to leave the Castle.
Instead of working at the Buy More, when I wasn't being ill, I was investigating some kid they wanted to find out some money transfer about. Part of me knew this kid, but I don't think now was the right time to let on that I knew. But I had no idea what he was up to.
I felt a twinge in my wrist. I looked at my wrist and saw all the stitches over the knife mark. From when I was kidnapped on the day I joined Team Bartowski.
"What is the problem with me?"
"Lieutenant Taylor? I was hoping to catch you alone." I looked up to see General Beckman staring at me with her beady eyes. "I hope I'm not disturbing you. Am I?"
"No, not at all." I was panicking inside, it was weird, she knew about me and Casey. "What can I do for you?"
"I am concerned for you."
"What about me?"
"I am under the impression that you have been vomiting for the morning." Her eyebrows raised.
"Let's not beat about the bushes General." I coughed feebly. "Excuse me."
"Of course, I want you to watch yourself, I don't want to lose an asset to this team over something so small."
"I'm sure that isn't the case General."
"I don't want to hear anymore health reports from Shaw. Understood?"
"Understood General." I nodded swiftly.
"I need you to accompany Colonel Casey to this Weap-Con."
"Weap-Con. What?"
"We need to secure the weapon that is to be sold to the highest bidder."
"Let me at it." I changed into some fake army uniform topped off with aviator glasses.
In Dubai I was amazed to hear all the utter crap from this kid's mouth about how amazing he was. No muscle, blah, blah, uncoordinated, blah. Blah. And all it took was a part of glasses. He was a complete and utter laughing stock. And when he asked for volunteers I was so tempted, put up intersect to intersect. As soon as I took one step, Sarah and Casey grabbed an arm.
"Don't draw attention."
"Oh come on, we know he don't stand a chance."
"I think he does when you look at him now." I turned to see the little kid kicking and fighting he way about like he knew exactly what he was doing. But I couldn't let on that I was another intersect test, and I had seen the intersect 2.0 that Chuck had seen.
"Actually Zoe saw the intersect 2.0, so she would stand a good chance." Chuck blurted out before everyone started cheering and clapping. I smiled weakly.
"No way," Sarah gasped.
"Yes way. So how are things going to go down?" I followed the others around the back of the curtains. Chuck refused to let Casey use his methods. Gun clicks startled me and my fists clenched but I held it back. Next thing I knew, I was chained to a chair.
"I've got that laser thing that can get through anything. Chuck, get your mouth over here." I watched in shock as Chuck got the laser pen out of Casey's pocket.
"Let's get out of here. And go save the day again."
Until we found the kid it was fine, until we found the kid. We weren't the only ones after him, the Ring wanted him too.
"I'd rather kill him," Casey murmured.
"I have a laser pen that will take the wings off a fly." Chuck clicked the pen and a knife dropped out of it. I vaulted onto the cases and slammed into one of the goons tackling them to the ground.
After an almost silent flight home, we returned to the Castle. Like nothing had happened.
"Chuck I thought you were my friend!" I called out.
"I'm not. I'm a spy," Chuck replied coldly.
"Chuck! Chuck!" Sarah and I watched him disappear.
"He'll come around soon Sarah," I added.
Sarah, Casey and I waited in the Castle.
"I should go clock in at the Buy More, they're going to think that I don't work there soon." I went into the store and saw Chuck and Morgan having a practical stare off with one another. Kinda, creepy to say the least.
"Come on guys, shouldn't we be working?" I laughed pushing Chuck away.
"Thanks for that one Zoe," Chuck said. "I thought I was never going to get away from that one."
"It's not the first time I'm going to have to bail you out." I paused. "Knowing you, it'll be one of many times."
"So how are you enjoying the Buy More? You seem to make quite the impression, especially now that you and Hannah are working at the Buy More together."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Just something Morgan said to me."
"I'm not even going to ask," I murmured typing away on the computer. "Everything will be okay, you know that don't you?"
"Sure, sure I do."
"Because I know exactly how you feel. Trust me, I do."
The next few days I worked at Buy More working up a storm which drew the attention from Hannah, and the fact that Chuck had been getting, close with her.
That night I sat in the armchair at the Burbank apartment. I was cosy in thick socks and a woollen jumper tucked up in the armchair. I heard the door open and close. But there was no "hello, I'm back," which would normally follow the door closing. Thinking the worst, I instantly flashed. I vaulted over the chair, throwing myself at the person in the doorway.
"What the?" Casey growled at the fact that I had an arm up against his throat.
"I'm so sorry. How are things?"
"They are, more than fine. Better to be back here." He reached up and kissed my lips.
"I need to go to the store and pick up some stuff, do you need anything?" I asked.
"Nah."
I kissed his cheek. "Oh and before I leave, the General is suspicious of where things are going with us and my health, the health one is a weird one."
"Which is probably because you're so love sick," he mocked. I gently slapped his arm. "See you in a bit." I walked to the car and drove to the convenience store and bought what I needed to. When I got to the car and took a hold of the steering wheel I noticed a dot on my wrist. A red blinking dot.
"What the heck?" I muttered. I picked out my phone and called Chuck. "Chuck. I really need you to look at something, I'm freaking out."
"Where are you?"
"I'm home. At the Burbank apartments."
"Well I have a moment, hopefully I can sneak out without Morgan noticing, I'll wait at the fountain." I ran out the car, dropped the shopping on the doorstep and tapping the door before running around to the fountain. Chuck was standing there with Morgan.
"Chuck!" I squeaked. "And Morgan…" I smiled sarcastically.
"Yeah, he doesn't like being in the house alone," Chuck gave me an awkward glance that said 'I'm so sorry'.
"Chuck!" Morgan squeaked turning towards Chuck. "Hi Zoe." He held out his hand but I took it with my non-spot hand.
"I'll tell you what Morgan." I leaned closer to him. "If you can stay in the house for five minutes, I'll treat you to a little something. A little more than a kiss," I whispered in his ear and he practically ran back into the house.
"How did you do that?" Chuck asked in a high pitched voice.
"Unfortunately, all I can offer is something you actually can't offer Morgan I'm afraid." I let out a short breath. "To the point. My intersect is a little rusty. I need you to have a look at this." I held up my wrist. "This blinking has started to happen." Chuck's face didn't twitch. "No. No, no, no. That can't be. You didn't either?"
"I don't know. Maybe there's something at the Castle that can help." He pulled me away, holding at my wrist
"No Chuck, what if it's a tracker? I can't risk someone finding out the castle's location. Our location." I jerked my hand from his grip
"Casey will have something to help." Chuck took a hold of my wrist again and took me there. "Casey, Casey?" He hammered on the door. Casey opened the door and Chuck held up my wrist. "We've got a problem."
"What the hell is with you two?" Casey grabbed us, pulling us indoors. He held my arm on a table and poked the dot.
"Ow!" I slammed a fist into Casey's temple. He shook his head. "Sorry, it's an inadvertent reflex. You know what, give me a knife."
"No, that's ridiculous." Chuck put a hand over the spot.
"No, what's ridiculous is the fact no one is doing anything!" I snapped. Casey gave me a painkiller injection and picked uap knife. I bit gently on my thumb as he cut along the stitches, the skin broke with a tiny prick of the knife and I looked away, unable to watch anything.
"What the hell is that?" I heard Chuck say. I opened my eyes to see Casey wrapping a bandage around my wrist, clipping a safety pin to it. I looked at the electrical thing that had been hidden under my skin. It was a weird metallic disc.
"That thing was under my skin?" I screwed up my face and allowed Casey to dispose of it. Burning it and coating it in a layer of wax. "I think I should call it a night, goodnight guys." I kissed Casey's cheek accidently, with my hands on either side of his face. I panicked and took my thumb and forefinger pinching his chin. "Goodnight Chuck." I squeaked, kissing Chuck's cheek and squeezing his chin. I felt so embarrassed as I went up the stairs.
The next day, Casey, Sarah and Shaw went on some mission, leaving me to babysit Chuck and when a group of guys came to interrogate the Buy More workers, I kept out of the way. I noticed Morgan looking extremely jittery.
"Morgan?" I said.
"Where's Chuck?"
"What's wrong, Morgan?" I asked again in a flirtatious tone to change his mind.
"Nothing."
"I'll give you the treat," I tempted him, whispering a little in Morgan's ear.
"Okay, there's a CIA base underneath the Buy More store." Chuck overheard this and I pushed him away.
"Go talk to Sarah, or someone else!" I snapped quietly.
"Come on Chuck, time is running out, we have to do this. It's time for me to be a hero." Morgan added boldly.
Next thing I was watching Chuck and Morgan get taken away into the Castle. I kept to the shadows and waited for a moment.
Time to take action.