Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, reading that is still funny in my books!

A/N: Any idea what Zoe is going to tell John? Will he forgive her?

Zoe Taylor

I froze, crouched down on the floor in my old room. This was last thing I wanted to happen. All I wanted to do was to slip in, pick up the box and slip out again without.

"Are you going to tell me what you came back for? And why you left?" he asked, lowering his gun.

"I needed space, I need space John." My chin began to quiver, I tried everything to stay strong, but this time, I just didn't have it in me. I gasped, trying to hold it back.

"And you left this little treasure box here because you wanted to remind me of what I used to be like I guess," Casey grunted. My mouth moved, trying to say something.

"No, you know that is not the case John. I was in a rush to get out and only just now, did I remember that I had left it here," I protested, turning to face him. "I know it has been a difficult time for you but you didn't give me a choice. You have a family of your own and I really think that you should go tell Kathleen the truth. That you are the man she used to love. She deserves to know. Now give the box to me."

"It's downstairs on the table," he replied in a hostile tone. "But remember that it was your choice to leave. Just like it the last time. When you were Lauren." The word Lauren had spitefulness to it. He was reminding me of the reason that I left Alex, for his own good, before he got hurt.

"Hey, that is not fair, I had no choice." I pointed at him like a mother telling off its child. "I left you because I had to." I paused momentarily. It was time to tell him the truth. "You want to know something, I'll tell you why, even though I swore I would never tell you. Because I trust you, I trust Alex, and I trust John. I always have. All those years ago, when we were in a relationship, my stepmother and father were heading up an underground weapons black market. And they ended up pulling me into it, I did for a bit. What I did was so wrong, so I had to get away and I knew that if I told them I ended things with you, that they wouldn't hunt you down for answers when I joined the agency. But I had to break up with Alex for real. For your own safety. I wasn't to know that the NSA would pick you up. And you know that I would never and have never ever told anyone that so that must count for something. Now please get out of the way John."

He grudgingly stepped aside and let me pass him by.

I stopped in the doorway. "I never stopped thinking about the things that could have been. I always told myself that you would be the one that I married, the one that I shared a family with. The only one I love. I never stopped thinking- about you. About what I run away from. About what we could have had if I hadn't run away. If I hadn't come across the underground weapons black market, then maybe I would have proposed to you." I forced myself to stop and to not to look back as I walked out the door. "I will always love you, John," I whispered. I picked up the box and carried it out the door, close to my chest.

I entered Chuck's empty house, a post it note on the fridge said to help myself to what I could find in the fridge, but I didn't need to do that. I was a guest, not an inhabitant.

"Chuck, you sweetie." I checked the fridge, it was practically empty, no wonder he was letting me take what I wanted, there was nothing to take! I sat down on the sofa with a mug of hot water and watched a movie.

I paused it when I noticed people standing by the fountain. I crept to the window to see Casey and Chuck. I opened the window a little enough to hear. When the front door opened I slammed the window shut.

"Congratulations Chuck!" I smiled, pointing at the package on the table. Sarah had been in not moments ago to deliver a blue package. He tried to call her but ended up leaving a message. "She'll get back to you, Chuck."

"They want me to go to D.C, tonight." Chuck turned to face me.

"Chuck, I don't know what to say," I murmured, did he want to go? "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. But Casey was asking after you, he's worried, worried about you, and for you. For him, it's not like him, you mean something to him, don't forget that."

There was a knock at the door. Chuck went to open it, I picked up the gun from my hideaway and hid behind the door as Chuck opened it.

"Agent Bartowski, your plane leaves in an hour. I'm here to take you to the airport." A woman with her hair tied in a neat bun. Chuck looked to me and closed the door behind him.

"Morgan comes home soon. I should really move my stuff out into the living room." I mumbled to myself, I piled everything into the suitcase wheeling it to the living room.

I didn't realise but I then ended up falling asleep on the sofa, a thin blanket had been draped over me as I lay sprawled out on the sofa. My feet were slightly elevated. I stretched and squirmed realising my feet were in someone's lap. "Err, oh, what the? Morgan?" I retracted my feet back towards me.

"Zo-eeyy. Hey, what brought you here? Was it me?" He could barely keep a straight face.

"I needed some place to stay and here I am."

"What happened to Casey?"

"Things got difficult. Enough said." I stood up pulling my vest top off over my head, quickly taking a tartan shirt from my suitcase and some jeans to match. I hoped and think Morgan glued his eyes to the blank T.V screen. "Well come on, you need a lift to work right?" I dropped Morgan off at the Buy More and when I had turned around the car, Chuck slammed into the bonnet.

"I need your help."

"Well get in then," I squealed, a little shocked at the guy who had just ran into the car.

"Casey didn't want to help. But you can-"

"Help with what?"

"Sarah's distress beacon activated. I have to help her." I was a little hurt, he could have asked me first, rather than Casey.

"John's a guy who lives by the book, if he's been relieved of duty, then he will follow the set protocol."

"I'm calling in Colonel Sanders." I had heard of Colonel Sanders once before.

"Wow. This means business," I murmured. "Give me the coordinates to Sarah's location." He plugged in the coordinates in to the navigation. "Hold on tight, you're in for Zoe Taylor's driving."

"Right," he replied, gripping the car door. "Don't kill the three of us then."

"I won't Chuck, I won't endanger another life. Never. And you're sure you're not overreacting. Sarah could be fine."

"Well I'm not taking that risk okay."

"Okay then." I pressed the gas down and we zoomed away, we got there in no time. I grabbed a bullet proof vest and holstered a gun in the spare pouch. "Isn't that a little over kill?" I asked looking at Chuck who was wearing the whole kit, vest, glasses, comms links and all.

"It's necessary."

"Whatever you say." I tied my hair up, preparing for action. "Lead the way Agent Bartowski." But, like I predicted, Chuck had gone a little overboard and we found Sarah who was perfectly safe, with Shaw. "Oh Chuck," I sighed, this didn't bode well for Chuck. Oh boy.

I waited by the car, I didn't want to be there when Sarah spoke to Chuck. I sat in the passenger seat and got a little bored of waiting, instead, I climbed over to the driver's side and drove back to Burbank.

Back to the good old Chuck's home, I sat in a chair in Morgan's room. When I came to grab a drink, Sarah came in the door. I realised Morgan who was strapped to a chair. Sarah cut him loose and, before I could grab a drink Morgan led me back into his room so that Sarah and Chuck could 'talk'. We just listened at the door and watched through the crack in the door. I watch how happy Sarah was when she told Chuck she knew about his test.

But when we heard the word 'mission' in their conversation, Morgan and I burst into the hallway. Morgan heaved Chuck off the sofa and we told him that we were going on the mission. That caused Sarah drove us to the building, the Ring headquarters.

"Ready? Don't worry about what's already happened," Daniel said, clipping a harness onto Sarah and Chuck.

"Good luck guys," I added, watching them descend into the elevator. I heard the door open and then two men entered the room, Shaw had certainly improved since I last fought with him. A little too well to me.

"Right, opening the hatch." Shaw and I pulled at some switches. "Did he just say cipher?" We listened some more. "The cipher is like a new intersect." I listened to Sarah and Chuck interrogate the Ring agents.

"Hurry up, Daniel," I urged. The lift kicked into place. "Geez, you do take your time, don't you?"

"Come with me." Daniel ignored my comment and tossed me a gun. We passed through the corridors. "Wait here. Chuck and Sarah will be along soon." I listened as Daniel paced around the corner. I was sure I heard him re-holster his gun, in the Ring's headquarters? I made my way out of the building and, when I heard footsteps around the corner coming towards me, I lifted my gun but lowered it when Chuck and Sarah came around the bend.

"Zoe." Sarah smiled.

"Look at you two." I smirked at them. "Cuties. I'm going back to the Castle now. Shaw will meet us there." I turned to face Chuck. "And I will be moving out tonight. It's a little cramp. So I will see you later guys."

"No, just kip on the sofa, it'll be fine." Chuck reassured me once we were at the car.

When I got home, Morgan was busy taking out a bottle of wine and two glasses. I decided not to hang about. I went to the Castle where, after a nap, I sorted out some paperwork. I jumped when the door swung open.

"We need your help. We need you to convince Casey to help us." Chuck burst in, Morgan glued behind him. They came quickly down the stairs.

"No Chuck, you know I can't. I haven't spoken to him since I practically moved in with you and Morgan. He's pissed off enough as he is, because I walked away again. I don't want to make it worse"

"Well it's time we changed that, don't you think?" Chuck's eyes darted down at my stomach.

"I suppose. Come on," I sighed.

I sat in the back seat of the car and listened to Morgan hype himself up about the 'mission.' "Calm down Morgan, I don't even know if Casey will change his mind. He won't change it-"

"Come on Zoe, it's you, you'll do just fine," Chuck interrupted, pulling up outside Casey's house. "How could he say no?" I walked carefully to the front door, my hand lifted up to it. After hesitating, I knocked on the door. When it opened a smidge, I rammed into the door, stumbling inside.

"Wait John, let me do the talking. Chuck and Morgan really need your help. I can only help so much but you have a greater strength than I do by miles. I mean, you can stay here all day in your granddad pyjamas and be the Buy More dog, but that is not who you are. John, I know that is not who you are." He started growling at me, but I didn't back away. He was towering above me. I straightened out. "Don't try and intimidate me John. And please don't push me away, you haven't lost me yet, don't do something stupid, please, just help Chuck and Morgan so we can save Sarah from Shaw." I looked at him. "You are the only one that can help us. Please."

"Get me my suit, the black one." I let out the biggest sigh. I genuinely didn't think he would come around.

Casey, Chuck and I ended up squeezing onto a row of three on a jam packed plane. Chuck was busy flicking through some files, I watched him, Casey leant across me to see as well. It a picture of Shaw, I momentarily flashed on the image and saw a load of CIA data. Chuck blinked rapidly. I instantly dropped my head between my knees, cradling my head, the intersect was starting to cause pain.

"You too?" he asked, I nodded. "It's a mission from years ago. But there is nothing I can do."

"Stop panicking Chuck!" I snapped, trying to block out the pain.

"Stop it, focus Chuck, before all this happened you were a smart kid." Casey reached across. I thought for a moment and plucked one of those leaflets from the pouch of the chair in front. I jotted down some things.

Shaw, Walker, the Ring, red test, Evelyn Shaw, forgiveness, CIA, betrayal? Pain?

"What's that?" Chuck asked, plucking the leaflet from my hand. "I know, I know where she is." I let him keep the paper and fell asleep, slouching in the chair a little. When I awoke, my head was resting on Casey's arm.

"Sorry," I whispered. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine, don't worry."

Once we were off the plane I strapped a bulletproof vest on, and took the safety off my gun. "Come on guys," I said, spinning two guns around my finger before holstering them. Casey and Chuck stood there in amazement. "Go then! I'll wait here in case any back up comes." I watched as Chuck and Casey ran around the building, it was silent and I couldn't stay still, I paced about. "I have to help." I ran around through the building diving through it looking for Sarah and Shaw.

I heard a ruckus and followed the noise of grunts and squeaks. When I stepped out into a large courtyard I saw Chuck, Sarah and Shaw. A knife was in Shaw's hand. He took a hold of Sarah and held her up.

"NO!" I screamed pulling out my gun, one shot from Shaw's gun hit my gun, sending it out of my hand. I chased after them. Chuck held a gun tightly in his hand. "Daniel, don't do this, you don't want to do this," I said as Shaw held Sarah out on a bridge. "Please." I jumped as I heard a gunshot, thinking I had been shot. I watched as Shaw fell over the edge of the bridge, his hand gripping Sarah's. "Sarah!"

Chuck and I lunged forwards, catching Sarah before she herself tumbled into the river. I fell to the sides, away from Chuck and Sarah, more falling back, I hit the curb, knocking me out cold.

I felt bed covers around me. My fingers wound themselves around the covers.

I was back in Burbank.

Back in my old room.

Back at Casey's.

Back at the Burbank apartment.

I stretched out slowly. I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror, turning to the side and running a hand over my stomach. The pregnancy was still hidden, no one would be able to tell just yet. And hopefully not for a while now.

"Good morning." I jumped and turned to see Casey standing in the doorway. I couldn't say a word, I didn't have it in me. "Something the matter?"

"No, of course not," I whimpered a little.

"Now, I know you enough, far too much. I can tell when you're lying."

"Okay, okay, just sit down."

"Why?"

"For your own good. That's why," I squeaked. "I need to apologise. For everything. Everything that I have done wrong, that has hurt you. I am so sorry for what I have put you through." I was kicking myself inside, why couldn't I just tell him I'm pregnant?

Casey leant forwards and kissed me. Our foreheads touched.

"It's okay, I forgive you. How could I not? I love you Zoe." He kissed me again. "And I need your help to get Sarah and Chuck back to Burbank. We're on our way to find him."

"And it looks like I can use my frequent flyer miles. First class, here I come."

"Not quite."

"You're kidding? I'm going to have to put a complaint forwards to General Beckman at this rate. And I like the privacy of first class. Just like the last time."

"Tell me about it, and I've packed for you."

"Thank you." I kissed his cheek and rested my head on his chest. "Thank you for everything. Thank you for your forgiveness." On the plane, I was perched in between Casey and Morgan for what felt like a lifetime. Sleep was the only thing that got me through the journey. Anything to block out Morgan's insufferable chatter. I awoke just before the plane landed. "Casey?" I nudged his arm, cowering a little, leaning back into Morgan, his cheek practically against mine. "Wake up." I sharply kicked his leg and doubled over like the brace position as I knew his hand would shoot out. "Sorry Morgan." I squeaked seeing Casey's hand grip Morgan's neck. "Come, time to get the train." I pushed Morgan off the plane and we journeyed to the station.

Where Morgan was a total embarrassment.

Casey and I watched in disgust as our dorky companion fished out his ticket. Me, on the other hand, had it in the inside pocket of my handbag.

I followed Morgan through the train until he knocked a guy who was running along the train. And then I had to listen to Sarah and Chuck, in a way, declare they were leaving the CIA. It was a nightmare having to wait for the long conversation between Chuck and General Beckman to finally be over.

"Well?" Sarah asked.

"We're staying here for a while." Chuck put his thumbs up. I had a moment to clear my head, and waited outside. Chuck and Sarah walked out of the café.

"So you're really leaving?" My voice cracked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry." Sarah hugged me and then left Chuck to talk to me.

"Look at you now. I'm so happy for you, for the both of you."

"Thank you, and I should say the same for you." He leant closer. "And baby Taylor. Or-" He smiled. "Are you going to tell him?"

"I wish I could blackmail you into staying but that is wrong. Maybe I will and maybe I won't." I pulled Chuck close and hugged him tightly, my hand rested on the back of his head. "Don't forget us. Don't ever forget us." I watched Sarah and Chuck walk away, arm in arm. I walked towards the river and took a breather. I went back into the café and froze as a group of agents had Casey, Grimes and Juan surrounded. I turned back, reaching for the door again, but I was grabbed from behind. I lashed out, kicking and blocking attacks, but when I was held in a headlock, I stopped, only to be strapped down to a chair. They mutter complains about 'this one putting up a great fight'.

A moped crashed into the glass. I leapt up and spun around, whacking a guy in the side with the chair legs. But, with a swift kick, he took the chair legs out from underneath me. I crashed to the floor and managed to slither out of the ropes and crawled away to see Chuck and Sarah taking out the men who had captured us. I watched Chuck and Sarah fighting. That's when I realised something incredibly special. I understood that they didn't want to not be spies. They just wanted to be together.

I looked at Casey with wide eyes. I knew that I wanted exactly the same. To be with him.

When we were home, I dropped the holdall on the floor, it landed with a thud.

"What's up?" Casey's arms snaked around me. I smiled and reached for his face. "Zoe?"

"What happened to me after I passed out by the river?"

"Chuck carried you to our hotel where the CIA arranged transport to take you home."

"Oh, okay. Why didn't you take me to a hospital?"

"Why would I do that? It was nothing."

I spun around. "Nothing?" I paused. "Oh wow. This is going to be harder than I thought."

"What? What do you need to tell me?"

"I want to tell you that I, I-" I stopped, again, I just couldn't do it, I couldn't tell Casey that I was pregnant, just yet. "I love you."

"And I love you too Zoe."

"I'm going to sleep for now, see you in the morning." I smiled at him. He stared at me. And kissed me. Casey carried me up the stairs and dropped me on the bed. He was about to leave when I grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him close. "Where do you think you are going?" I laughed, pulling him onto the bed and kissing him. "This is how I want it to be," I mumbled, curling up beside him on top of the covers.

Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl: Hi! So when I was writing this chapter, I found that I was trying to build a stronger relationship with Casey. And I wondered about how Zoe would get back into the Burbank apartments. But I didn't want to Zoe to tell him that she was pregnant, just yet. Maybe she will in the next chapter?