Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

A/N: I'm back, and like requested, a chapter from Casey's POV!

Uplink2 – Thanks! I prefer the longer chapters!

Wish – Glad you like it! And your suggestion, as follows

John Casey

I closed the door slowly, leaning back against it. I knew that Zoe was about to come at me, brandishing one weapon or another.

"Before you attack me, it's just me," I sighed.

"Casey, you may be a spy, but you have to stop being so- so stealthy. It gives me the creeps." Zoe's shoulders shuddered. "Well, now that you're back, maybe I can get some sleep."

Zoe disappeared upstairs, squeezing her arms a little. It was like she was scared of something. I had never seen her this way before. Not once. I went towards my computer, realising it was on. With a swipe of the mouse, the screen lit up. 'Connection terminated' was emblazoned across the screen in bold red letters. I was about to go into our room when I heard a squeak from Liam's room. I tried to ignore it and gripped the door handle.

"No…"

I heaved a sigh and went into his room. He was holding himself up in the cot. "What do you want then?" I squatted down by the cot.

His fists opened and closed at me. "Daddah," he demanded rapidly, frowning at me. I had seen that frown in Zoe. And trust me, you did not want to be on the receiving end of that.

"Fine then, come on." I reached down, picking up Liam out of the cot. "You going to tell me what you want?" It was weird to think that this was one of the first times I had held him in a while. Boy, did it feel weird. He was still glaring at me. Another sign that told me something was wrong. "Food?" No response, just the frown. "If the wind changes, you'll be stuck like that." A tiny hand hit my face, not that it hurt at all but it made me see things for how they were. I gritted my teeth, accepting the truth. "Okay, I admit it. I was wrong to say the things that I sat to Mom. I admit it. I love her, I love you. Nothing will get in the way. Believe me. I hope that one day, you understand just how difficult a family and a job can be. Especially for me. And your mom."

"Casey, that's beautiful, for you to say." I rolled my eyes and let out a slight chuckle to myself. "I caught you then, with your guard down." She then threw herself at me, wrapping her arms and legs around me. I had to take a step forwards to steady myself.

"You're getting too big to be climbing on me like I'm some sort of climbing frame you know."

"Well excuse me, what are you saying? Now think very, very carefully about your next answer, otherwise, you will be M I A. Cause of death, unknown," she whispered sensually in my ear.

"I'm kidding. Okay, I submit."

Zoe dropped down, rolled around me and took Liam from my arm. "Hello bubie." She kissed Liam's rosy cheek. "Now, will you say Mommy? Mom? Ma?"

I was amazed at how well she was with Liam, I couldn't help but smile, leaning against the door frame as I watched her try to trick her son into saying Mom. It was purely luck that he had said Dad first, it's not like whenever Zoe was out, that I was say Dad over and over again to him. I was doing the total opposite. Mom, Mom? Go on Liam, say Mom. It was just typical that he would pick up Dad quicker.

"Bubie?" Zoe asked again, hoping that Liam would reply. "Don't look at me like that. The pair of you."

"Me? What am I-"

"You're looking at me like I'm crazy. Bubie is what my Dad called me when I was a baby. It stuck in my mind. Liam's looking at me like I'm crazy. Oh well, it was worth a shot. One day he will say Mom." Zoe lowered Liam into the cot and I stood behind her, holding her close. "Mom? Mommy, go on Liam." She put a hand up to one side of her mouth. "Come on, Daddy won't mind. He knows you can say it… No, well fine then."

"Why don't we go to bed? You've got a Buy More shift coming up."

"Don't even remind me."

I carried her to our room. "I mean what I said Zoe, you and Liam-"

"You don't have to say anymore. You need to keep this tough exterior. It's part of who you are. Now let's go to sleep," Zoe interrupted me, lifting the covers up for me.

When I eventually climbed in, she huddled up close to me. Normally, her mess of brown hair in my face would bother me, but this time, it didn't.

"Sorry," Zoe squeaked, leaping out the door, almost kicking me in the process.

"What is it, Zoe?" I groaned, rolling onto my back. I tilted my head to see her tying her hair. "What are you doing?"

"Like a lot of people, you don't like hair in your face." She smiled, throwing herself at the bed. She crawled onto me, moved her face an inch or two from me, I went to kiss her but she retracted a little. Taunting me a little because, as she pinned me down, I couldn't reach her.

"Hey, quit it!" I tried again as she laughed hysterically. Whilst she was off guard, I rolled her off me.

"Hey!" she protested, with a kick and a shove, along with some unbalance from being on the edge of the bed, I was on the floor.

"Ow," I squeaked, feeling tightness in my chest. Zoe's hands were clasped around her mouth. "Why are you laughing when I'm in pain?"

Zoe disappeared to bury her head in the pillow as I got up. I could hear her snorting and laughing. "I'm sorry, I'm just nervous whenever people are in pain. It's a natural instinct."

"Can I go to sleep in peace?"

"Of course, come on grumpy. I'm sorry." Zoe jokingly patronised me. "I love you, Casey really I do."

"Thanks," I replied. I grunted as she thumped me on the back. "Okay, I love you too Zoe. I do. Even if you result to violence in order to get what you want." We drifted off together, only to be awoken by the phone ringing. I picked the phone up drowsily and then threw it across the room.

"What was that?" Zoe sat upright. I pulled her back.

"No, leave it, let's just sleep."

"Tough, you're a spy, there's no time for sleep. Hello, oh hey… Yeah. Sorry about that, I am! Mission, why that is my middle name. You want me at the Castle. You got it Morgan, I will see you there." Zoe prodded me in the back. "Get up. I'm going to drop Liam at Devon and Ellie's so you be ready by the time I come back, okay?"

I jumped up off the bed and changed into the usual. Leaving a jacket, I headed for the door. Zoe was just coming back from Ellie's.

"Perfect timing. Morgan's waiting for us. Are you sure you don't want a jacket? It's cold."

"I'll be fine."

"Yeah." Zoe began to mock me. "Because I'm a man!" She ran towards the abysmal excuse of a car that Grimes drove. "Come on."

"I'm fine, I'll take mine." I followed them to the Castle where Bartowski and Walker were sitting at the table talking to General Beckman.

"Lieutenant Taylor, Colonel Casey. Mr Grimes. Take a seat."

"What's the mission, General?" I asked. Walker slid a bunch of files over my way. Zoe peered across, glancing at them. Her face twitched and she nodded.

"Got it, so what's the mission?"

"It seems Mr Carmichael will be at a new event that a suspected new and improved intersect will be at."

"I go with him-" Walker started, only to be interrupted by the General.

"I don't think that would be appropriate Agent Walker. Too many people may recognise you on this one."

I wasn't liking where this was going at all. She was about to put Zoe on the mission with Bartowski. There wasn't really much that I could do about it, except hope that I would be either put on surveillance, or be a bartender.

"Lieutenant Taylor, I would you to accompany Agent Bartowski. As both of you are holders of the intersect, you will have the advantage and be able to possibly identify an intersect. You leave on a plane in the evening. Grimes, you will be on backup duty. Walker and Casey, you'll be on surveillance."

I froze, so even Grimes got to go on backup whilst I sat in the back of a van doing surveillance. Great…

"I'll do it," Zoe looked over to her other side at Chuck. "Old intersect buddy."

I know I shouldn't have, but jealousy was definitely beginning to build.

"Is there something wrong, Colonel Casey?" Beckman raised her eyebrows at me. "Hmm?" she added, prompting an answer.

"Not at all, I'll just get on to reading these." I got up, holding the bundle of files together. I went away, towards one of the spare rooms of the Castle. The files were pretty self-explanatory, the usual.

"What's wrong, Casey?" I looked up and saw Zoe almost hiding behind the door. "Is it bothering you? The fact that I'd be working with Chuck? Because, I won't if you don't want me to."

I couldn't, could I? No, I shouldn't.

"Of course not, it isn't worth jeopardising a mission Zoe, you should know that."

Zoe sat down beside me. "You know I've only got eyes for you." She rested her head on my shoulder. "It's not like we will be far apart."

"What about Liam?"

"I'm sure- That someone will look after him. If Ellie and Devon would take him, that would be good but, they've got Clara, it wouldn't be fair."

"I know, so, where are we off to?"

"Haven't you read anything, we're off to some far off land." Zoe squeezed me close. "Come on, surely you'll want to pack your favourites, won't you? And I'm not talking your favourite pair of boxers, I'm talking your favourite weapon." She winked at me, before hugging me and leaving the room.

"I just don't want you to go, Zoe," I muttered to myself when I was sure that she was gone. So I did what she suggested, I packed. Picking up a series of large black cases, I headed for the stairs.

"Are you sure you want to take all of them, Casey?" Grimes asked, trying to lift one of the larger boxes, struggling considerably.

What happened next made me smirk. In an attempt to pick it up, Grimes propped the large case on the last step. Zoe came along and picked up the case and laid it across her arms, holding it out flat in front of her. She made it look effortless.

"That's my girl." I laughed, kissing her cheek as she reached the top of the stairs. "You can take those two boxes on the table if you can handle them, Grimes." I pointed at the two medical kits that were on the edge of the table before going outside after Zoe. "You ready for this?"

"Yeah, one stop at home and then, then I'll be ready."

"I'll take you," I replied, pulling her towards my car. "Why are we going home?"

"To get ready. To be Charles Carmichael's other half."

I really didn't like it when she said that, but I just kept reminding myself that it was for the benefit of the mission. Zoe said she loved me anyway. Nothing was going to get in the way of that, well I certainly wasn't going to do anything to change that. I waited, standing beside the car, for Zoe to come out. I cracked my knuckles, trying to distract myself a little more.

"John…" I looked up to see Zoe. "How do I look?"

My tongue moved, but no words could leave my mouth.

"Positive feedback, that's good then."

She got in the car and divulged in the details of the dress. White polyester, crotchet lace on the waist and shoulders. Not that it meant anything to me, but she was happy talking about it.

I was about to sit beside Zoe on the plane when Walker pushed me away, downgrading my chair further. I turned to catch a glimpse of Zoe and Chuck laughing. He had his arm around her.

"Don't let it get to you, Casey," Walker said, sitting down in the seat beside her. "Zoe loves you, that's all that matters." Walker pulled her seat belt across her. "Besides, that dress is a killer number on her."

"Tell us something we don't know," Grimes added from Walker's other side.

All I did was growl, "Watch it Grimes, I'm warning you."

"O-kay Casey, you need to stop this. The last thing that you want to do is jeopardise the mission."

When we landed, all I could do was watch Zoe saunter away, arm in arm with Bartowski. I even had to watch Grimes get ready to go to the bar, but I had to let it go. Like Walker said, I couldn't jeopardise the mission.

Walker and I set up surveillance in the rooms of the hotel that we could get to without being seen, which was a fair few.

"Grimes, it's up to you to keep track of Bartowski and Zoe. We're counting on you. I'm counting on you."

Grimes picked up again tried to twiddle it around his finger. "It's okay, you got it. You can count on me." The gun flew off his finger and I lunged to the side, catching it in the process.

"Best to keep you on a tranquilizer," I murmured, tilting my head to one side. Walker drove Grimes and I towards the hotel where I kicked Grimes out, practically dropping him on the curb.

"Come on Casey, we got work to do. Shut the door and we can get out of here," Walker called out from the driver's seat.

I slammed the door shut, angered by the fact I could have been in Grimes' place. I didn't understand why Beckman hadn't put me in his place.

"Audio, visual, set and ready," I said, seeing all the cameras up on the screens and raising the earpiece to one ear.

I could see Bartowski and Zoe in the living area of their hotel room. She would sitting at the dresser, combing through her hair in yet another stunning outfit. Seeing her look so amazing, only made me want to have been in Bartowski's place more. He was dithering, as if he couldn't keep calm. Zoe went over to him and held either side of his face but, she soon took them away.

"Now get a grip Chuck, I need you to have a solid mind on this one. Come on, are you ready?" Zoe held her hand out to Chuck. "Is Charles Carmichael ready to make an appearance?"

Walker and I followed the two of them through the hotel, down towards the ballroom. It was there that tables were laid out around the edge of the dance floor.

"I will bet you five bucks that their intersects will kick in with the dancing." Walker held out the bill, wafting it in front of me. "I know you can't resist a bet."

"But it would take a fool to accept a bet when I already know that it will happen," I replied quickly. "Oh look, there we are. Bartowski and Zoe are dancing about like professionals. I wonder how that happened."

"You're not as much of a fool as I thought. But I still have my five bucks."

"Why don't you treat Bartowski to an ice cream later on?" I patronised her a little and she just wrinkled her face at me. "Come on Bartowski, you're looking for an intersect here." I prompted him.

"I'm trying Casey, there's just a lot of people in the room. It's hard to distinguish who is an intersect and who is not." Bartowski swooped Zoe down over his knees. "Woo…"

"Trust me Casey, I'm not clicking on any of this guys here. None of these men or women have it in them," Zoe replied quickly, spinning back up and walking backwards as Bartowski lead their dance.

"Quit dancing about and start looking." I growled.

"I could always look for-, hello there, aren't you looking pretty?" We heard Grimes say.

"Morgan, what's going on?" Walker asked.

I reverted my attention back to Zoe.

"Oh my gosh. Frank McCoy, is that you?" Zoe smiled at some man who was standing on his own. "We were counsellors at that summer school in California, year of ninety something."

"Yeah, I was there. How have you been?"

"I've been good, glad I could have the night off from parenting. It's hard being a single parent you know."

"Mmm. I'm sorry to hear that. I always wondered what it must be like to be a parent. Charles here is being prude and mean in the matter. He doesn't want them."

Bartowski activated and began to stammer a lot. "Now, I- I- didn't quite say that, did I now?"

"See what I mean Frank? So, who is the little gem, I'm assuming it's a girl?" Zoe predicted eagerly.

"Yes, little Willow. Quite the genius if I may say so myself. Come with me, you must want to meet her." Frank led Bartowski and Zoe away up the stairs towards the penthouse suite.

"Do you have an idea as to what she's up to, Casey?" Walker asked me, as if I knew the answer.

"How should I know? But I'm intrigued to find out now." I leant forwards, peering at the screen. "Walker, get into the security feed near the penthouse suite."

Walker tapped at the keyboard and the best we could was the front door of the penthouse suite.

"That's them coming out the lift." Walker and I observed the pair coming out the lift, following Frank McCoy into the suite.

Then we had no visual inside the penthouse. We didn't hear much else.

"Casey, I think we found what we're looking for," Zoe whispered.

Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = Okay, I admit it, it's blatantly obvious what I'm implying, or maybe that is just what I think, I could be wrong! I have to say, it was definitely a struggle to write a chapter from this POV, but I'm glad I did it, it was nice for a change.