A quick Author's note to start with: The liner note for Bryce's mix is done, but sadly, this site won't let me put a link to it here, so drop me a line if you're interested!

00000

Chuck is good on his word and on the way home from a dirty, rat-infested sewer of a

mission, he turns to Bryce and hands him a jewel case.

They're all disgusting. Covered in grime and slime and torn clothes and cuts and bruises but the Somali terrorists have been apprehended, and Sarah is sleeping in the seat on Chuck's other side. Casey is reading Winston Churchill's memoirs in the seat in front of them.

"That was fast for you," Bryce says quietly, looking at the jewel case. Inside it is a printed-out liner note with the playlist. The Buy More Nerd Herd symbol is partially covered up with the words "OR BUST" and below it are the words "Top Secret" and "A Bryce Larkin Sanity Check" and a little graphic of a frying pan holding an egg in the shape of a handgun.

It's cute and a little weird and definitely something Chuck would make.

Bryce hasn't actually owned a CD since he left college. He opens up the jewel case on a shiny CD. In black sharpie, written in Chuck's handwriting are the words "For Lazypants."

He shakes his head and punches Chuck's arm.

"Ow," Chuck hisses. "Ow ow ow, watch it. That's the arm that got slammed in the door on the way out."

"You did good today," Bryce says.

"Thanks," Chuck says quietly, and his attention turns to Sarah, still asleep, despite their antics.

Bryce lets Chuck brood over Sarah and looks down at the playlist.

"I only know like three of these songs."

"Five. You know Norwegian Wood," Chuck corrects, not looking away from Sarah. "And that song Time? That's a Pink Floyd cover. I know you only liked like four bands back in college, but you could use to branch out a little."

"There is nothing wrong with David Bowie, The Beatles, Pink Floyd and the Clash."

"You're forgetting Simon and Garfunkel," Chuck grins, turning back to him. "You used to sing Cecelia in the shower."

Casey snorts from the seat ahead of them and Bryce narrows his eyes at Chuck.

"What about me? When do I get a mix tape?"

Chuck's eyes widen at Sarah's sleepy words and he slowly turns to her. "I...it'd be a CD...and...and I didn't know...I mean I would have...I didn't know you liked..."

She shrugs and stretches. "Bryce has been bellyaching about when he would get his all week. I might as well see what the fuss is about." She gives him a grin and pushes her hair away from her face.

Bryce sighs and gets up to switch seats. He knows this is going to be bad. He knows that Chuck is going to fret and agonize and tear his hair out over making Sarah THE PERFECT MIX, the way he did with Jill, except it'll be so much worse because of everything that's happened.

Bryce flops down into the seat next to Casey, who raises an eyebrow at him.

"I'm just giving them some space," Bryce says.

Casey rolls his eyes. "You're all morons."

"Thanks, Casey. Thanks."

00000

Chuck is swiveling around in the chair at the Nerd Herd desk, staring off into space.

"It's just that is has to be perfect."

Bryce rubs his eyes. "Chuck. You do know that when we're sparring tonight, you can't be thinking about Sarah's mix CD, right?"

"I can multitask," Chuck says quickly. "I can flash and think of the perfect songs. I already have a perfect song. But I feel like it'd be too much. It's too...it doesn't send the right message. Or...it does, but it comes on too strong."

"Oh my god," Bryce grumbles.

"You know what Sarah reminds me of?" Chuck says, looking up as Morgan walks over. "Sarah reminds me of soul. Motown. slow horn riffs."

"Dude," Morgan chides. "Really? If you want to woo the lady with music, it is all about Barry White."

Bryce can't help the laugh that he lets out.

Chuck blinks. "No. Nnnoooo."

00000

When they get down to Castle, it's to find Sarah and Carina Miller waiting for them.

Bryce grins.

Carina smirks. "Larkin. Hi, baby."

"Hi," Bryce replies, stepping over to peck her lips. It's been a while but Carina is still as beautiful as he remembers.

Sarah manages an eye roll, and Chuck looks properly surprised.

"But-."

Bryce turns to Chuck and quirks an eyebrow that clearly says 'slut shame me, and I'll tell Sarah all of your embarrassing college stories.'

Chuck shuts his mouth and shoves his hands into his pockets. "Okay. We clearly have a mission."

"Nice catch there, genius," Carina grins. "Not that I wouldn't love this to be a social call." She pats Bryce on the butt on her way into the briefing room, and Chuck's eyes widen, as he follows Carina.

Bryce looks to Sarah, and Sarah looks back, wholly unimpressed.

"Jealous, Agent Walker?"

Sarah merely smacks him upside the head before following Chuck and Carina.

Bryce flinches and pouts just a little.

00000

The operation is mostly a success. Casey has to wear a ridiculous fake mustache, and Bryce has to go in playing Carina's ridiculous jealous ex, and Chuck gets gassed and tells Sarah he's in love with her just before passing out, but they got what they were looking for.

All in all, it's a good mission, but the aftermath of Chuck's little confession leaves things awkward and uncertain between him and Sarah. He doesn't talk about the mix CD for the rest of the night.

Bryce wakes up the next morning to find Carina dressed and packing up her things. He rolls over in bed and grins.

"Leaving so soon? I could buy you breakfast on my way to work."

Carina grins and crawls onto the bed to kiss him thoroughly. "As tempting as that is, I've got places to be."

"But you'll call," Bryce smiles. It's a joke. It always is. It's okay that he won't hear from her. She won't hear from him either.

She kisses him again and then gets up. "Not until you start sending me naked photos. Then you get called."

"Be careful what you wish for!" he calls back, as the door shuts behind her.

00000

The CIA extraction team comes to the get the Ring briefcase they secured, and they're not allowed to know what's in it.

It makes Bryce leery, but he doesn't argue. Especially since he knows that Casey, Sarah and Chuck feel the same way.

Something isn't quite right.

They talk a little about it, and decide not to make any moves, and then break because they all have to get back to their covers.

"So you figure out more songs for that mix for Sarah?" Bryce asks as they head to the Nerd Herd desk.

Chuck sighs. "Actually...I think I'm gonna put it on the back burner for now. It just doesn't seem like the right time."

Bryce opens his mouth, and Chuck beats him to it.

"I know. I know. Wussball. But...I mean...I feel like such a fool, telling her I love her and then passing out...and she obviously didn't take that very well, so..."

"She was blindsided," Bryce says. "You guys have been dancing around each other for a long time, and for you to just come out and say it..."

"It was stupid, I know," Chuck mutters, scuffing his shoe against the cheap floor of the Buy More. "Maybe this is a sign that I should just..."

"If you say what I think you're going to say, I will drag you into the break room, and beat you with a chair," Bryce says. "Do not let her get away."

"She's not a fish, Bryce," Chuck snaps. "She's a person, and if she doesn't want to be with me, I can accept that."

Chuck walks away, and Bryce doesn't know how he overcomes the urge the beat him with a chair right on the sales floor.