Chapter 9!! Yay!! Okay, huge thanks to Wep and also Jimmy. The song this chapter is "The Ice Is Getting Thinner" by Death Cab For Cutie. Hmmm, I also want to thank Wep for reminding me that if I don't get another chapter out fast after this one, my VIR (Yokaputo) is likely to hold a gun to my head and force me to write quickly, so Yok, I'll be saving you the plane ticket and go ahead and start my next chapter right now ;-) hehe.

Thanks to everyone who reviews this! It means a lot to me to know that some people are actually reading this little story of mine :-)

We're not the same, dear, as we used to be.
The seasons have changed and so have we.
There was little we could say, and even less we could do
To stop the ice from getting thinner under me and you.

…

"Bryce?!" Chuck exclaimed, his eyes bugging slightly.

"You know him too?" Emily whispered. She then sighed and leaned against the door frame of the kitchen arch. Chuck glanced at her and then back at Sarah and Bryce. Sarah stopped smiling and nodded at Emily.

"I went to college with Bryce," Chuck explained, looking at Emily. "And he used to be," Chuck looked back at the darker haired man. "Used to be Sarah's...partner."

Emily seemed to catch the underlying meaning in her father's expression and if she didn't understand the whole message her father's eyes contained then she certainly caught the gist of it. Sarah's eyes narrowed slightly at Chuck and she gave him a murderous look. That was just perfect; let their daughter know her history with Bryce.

Sarah looked at Bryce. His expression practically screamed "awkward family reunion" and Sarah shook her head. "Bryce, we should let Hardy know you made it here."

"Yeah," Bryce followed Sarah down into the basement. "So, how old is your double now?" Bryce asked as they entered the small set of stairs.

"Sixteen," Sarah replied immediately. She'd always remembered Emily's birthdays every year, and every year she'd always imagined what she would have done for it. She always wished she could have been there. Other than the day Bryce came to their house, Emily's birthdays were the hardest thing for her to get through.

"Wow," Bryce chuckled and stepped up to the computer. "Will you do the honors?"

Sarah quickly typed in a few keywords before being prompted by a voice code. "Walker, Sarah."

She pressed another button and soon Director Hardy's face appeared on the small screen.

"Agent Larkin," Hardy's gruff features look relieved. "It's good to see you alive."

"Sir," Bryce nodded. "So what's our intel on the CHAOS agent?"

"Honestly we don't know much. We know he works for HAWKEYE," Sarah glanced at Bryce whose eyes had glazed over but his face remained composed. Hardy paused until Bryce blinked and then continued. "And that he is probably looking for both of the Intersects, either using them to further CHAOS' agenda or selling them to the highest bidder; seeing how there are two Intersects perhaps they planned on both." Hardy took a breath and glanced at a paper in front of him. "I've just received a report that a bogey was spotted outside Mister Bartowski's house and also the home his sister resides in." Sarah's jaw set.

"How did Smith even find Chuck and Emily?" Sarah's anger was reignited and she didn't even try to disguise it; she was about to be fully released from the CIA anyways. How could they be so lazy?

Hardy's eyes narrowed. "Mrs. Bartowski, I can assure you the fault doesn't lay on our end; perhaps you should look to yourself for the person at fault. We had no leaks in my department; not that I'd even expect any. I trust my team." Sarah and Hardy were engaged in a staring contest and probably would have stayed like that if Bryce hadn't interrupted.

"How about we stop pointing fingers and start trying to take down Smith? He has to go down for Sarah's protection. He knows what she is. Sir, if I may suggest you continue your search for a possible leak just to ensure everyone's safety in this delicate situation."

"Don't forget about your own safety; with Bartowski's release coming at the end of this...you will be that last remaining Intersect until another candidate is found." Hardy reminded, folding his hands together.

"Yes, sir." Bryce nodded. "I understand."

"And I agree. My search for any possible leak - however unlikely - will continue; the last thing we want is this incident to repeat itself. Now if that is all I have-"

"I request additional protection for Chuck's sister," Sarah cut in and Hardy's face turned stony. "With CHAOS it's possible they could use them to draw us out of hiding." Sarah added, hoping to keep Hardy's temper at bay.

Hardy sighed. "Very well then. I'll assign another agent. If any attempt to secure them is made by CHAOS, we'll move in and take them to a safe house."

"Thank you, sir." Sarah replied.

"Mrs. Bartowski, Agent Larkin; it's absolutely vital that you two remember that you are the only Intersects. You're safety is top priority. The Intersects safety is top priority, therefore, you two are the most valuable people in the world."

"What?" Sarah and Bryce's heads jerked up in unison. Chuck stood at the bottom of the stairs, a shocked expression covering his face. "Did I just hear what I think I heard?"

"What is it?" Hardy asked.

"Um, a complication." Bryce stated. "Bartowski."

"What?" Hardy's eyes went to Sarah, his expression puzzled.

"Not me," Sarah hissed. Hardy's eyes lit up into understanding. "Permission to tell him the truth?" Chuck would never leave her alone if she didn't explain, not only that he'd be especially angry with her.

"Granted. Contact me in eight hours." The screen went black.

"Sarah," Chuck began. "You're the - I mean...you're the -" Chuck stuttered and then exhaled deeply.

"Chuck," Bryce started and Sarah raised a hand.

"Can you give us a moment, Bryce?" Bryce nodded and started for the stairs, glancing at Chuck as he went past. "Chuck," Sarah started.

"Sarah," Chuck cut in. "Did I hear that you and Bryce are the Intersects?"

Sarah nodded. "Yeah, you did."

"How long?" Chuck asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Ten years," She replied quietly. Chuck's eyes widened.

"You mean -" He started.

"It's the reason I left."

"You left to become the Intersect?" Sarah saw anger starting to build in his eyes.

"Chuck!" Sarah cried. Her tone was sharper than she had intended and she immediately softened her expression. It angered her that he would think for a second that her departure wasn't directly involved with his safety. "They were coming for you. The CIA wanted you. Bryce came and warned me before they had the chance to grab you. You would have been forced into service and most likely never released. I couldn't stand-" There was a slight crack in her voice. "Stand the thought of you in that life. So I made a deal with them. Yours and Emily's safety for my service."

Chuck's expression turned pained but Sarah could still see the anger in his fisted palms and tense shoulders. "I know I caused pain for all three of us, but," she went over to him, wishing she had the guts to touch him. "I did it for your protection. I did it to keep you safe. You didn't deserve a life like that." She finished quietly, casting her eyes to the floor. She waited patiently for his response.

"And you decided to make this huge decision involving our family by yourself?" Okay, she had not been fully expecting that.

"What?" Sarah asked, off guard.

"Do you realize what you've done to us? What you've done to Emily?"

"Chuck, I did it-"

"For us, yeah I heard that, Sarah!" His shoulders were shaking with anger. "You should have told me! We could have worked through that! Did you have such little faith in us - and by us I mean you and me as a married couple - that you thought we couldn't figure things out? We could have thought of something!" He was almost yelling now. "I spent the last ten years wondering what I did wrong and now you tell me it was because you made a decision to protect us? You didn't protect us, Sarah, you destroyed us!"

Sarah blinked and unconsciously took a step backwards, feeling like she'd just been slapped in the face. "Chuck, the CIA would have taken you if I hadn't acted, I thought-"

"You thought leaving the way you did would be better? You thought basically telling me "get this kid away from me" and then leaving me in the worst possible way would make things better? You, Sarah, had the advantage of knowing why you left and knowing it wasn't your fault...I've been blaming myself almost from day one. Don't you say it was for our protection when it was you who hurt us worse than the CIA could have. Becoming an agent would have been a comfort compared to what you did!" Chuck paused a moment to catch his breath and Sarah waited for him to finish, trying to keep her own anger at bay.

"Sarah, we could have made something work. You don't understand that? That was something we should have decided together! That's what married couples do and you went and stabbed me in the back! How long was it before you slept with someone?"

Sarah saw Chuck get the look on his face he got when he knew he'd gone too far. Sarah reached out and slapped him with enough force to leave her hand print behind. How could he stoop so low?

"Don't you dare!" She cried. "Stabbed you in the back? That's ridiculous! I know the CIA; what I did was the only way to get you safe and away from them for good!" Sarah snapped. Chuck had gone too far. She'd done this all for him. "You have no idea what I went through when I made that decision! Nothing could have changed what happened!"

"What you went through? What about our daughter?" His question completely stopped Sarah in her tracks.

"Chuck," She started. "Don't try to make me out to be selfish or uncaring. In no way am I saying it wasn't hard for you. But, for one second, take into account what I felt. I knew I was leaving not only you, the person I've loved since the first year I met you; but also our daughter, my only child who I would have slit my own throat for if it meant she'd be safe. I have lived everyday of these ten years in agony. I saw Emily grow up...in pictures. I saw her grow to look so much like me it scared me; I got her report cards and had to celebrate her success in school by myself; and not only that, I watched you live everyday without me." She paused, tears threatening to pool in her eyes. "I even saw you get over me and move on. Do you know how hard that is?"

Chuck opened his mouth but Sarah raised her hand. "Ah! I'm not done." She continued. "In no way am I forgetting your pain, but I just want to remind you of my own. I look at Emily and see the resentment she has for me and know that I will never get to be her mother now; that I'll always be that woman who left her. I lost you two. But I still wouldn't change my decision, because it would be so much worse if you would have had to go in the field. I would have died inside, knowing you were risking your life like that."

She started for the stairs, unable to keep her composure for much longer. This was how all their fights ended, Sarah saying something and then rushing out because she couldn't hold herself together. Even when they'd been married she'd done it; she saw crying as a weakness and it was one she'd rather not have Chuck see right now.

"Stop, Sarah," Chuck grabbed her arm and she spun back around, her eyes turning red from the tears in her eyes.

"You made your point, Chuck. As soon as this is over I'll go okay? I get it, you and Emily were happy and then I came back and ruined it."

"Sarah, shut up." Chuck ordered gently. "I wish you would have just talked with me then and let both of us come to a solution. Things would have been different; better, and none of this would have happened. That's why I am angry. That you left without even really trying to save us first. But you thought it was best and while it wasn't..."

He stopped and closed his eyes, letting out a sigh. "I never said I wanted you to leave again, Sarah." His hand still rested on her arm, his fingers wrapped around her forearm applying gentle pressure. Sarah had really missed contact with Chuck; even in something as simple as his hand on her arm, she could feel his apology. "I shouldn't have mentioned you sleeping with anyone." He said quietly.

Sarah blinked back tears and quickly pulled away, rushing for the stairs. How could she be angry he mentioned it? He was right. It hadn't even been six months before she had slept with another man. "Sarah, I'm sorry." Chuck started after her just as Sarah was opening the door and stepping out.

We bury our love in the wintery grave
A lump in the snow was all that remained.
But we stayed by its side as the days turned to weeks
And the ice kept getting thinner with every word that we'd speak.

…

Unfortunately she was stepping out as Bryce was about to step in and they collided into each other. An awkward moment was shared between the pair as they maneuvered around each other. They mumbled an apology and Sarah rushed to her room. "Sarah?" Chuck called just as she closed the door then looked at Bryce, who offered him a slightly sympathetic look.

"She told me..." Chuck started. "That you came and warned her...y'know. Anyway, I guess in one way I owe you thanks."

"I did it for you and her," Bryce slightly emphasized the word "her". How closely had they worked together over these years? "But, Chuck, I saw Sarah during her ten years...just don't be too hard on her." Bryce turned and stepped into the basement.

Chuck went to Sarah's room and knocked on the door. "Sarah?"

No answer. So this was how it was going to play out. Chuck sighed and went into the living room where Emily sat in silence.

"Emily? Are you doing okay?" He sat down beside her.

Emily looked up at him. "No, Dad, I'm not. I just found out my mom and dad worked for the government and saw my mother kill someone in front of me. Then I find out the other agent the CIA sends to ensure our safety is an old...friend or whatever he is; and, on top of that...I am sleep deprived." Chuck saw Emily's eyes mist over and heard a sniff. Emily laughed. "I'm sorry. I know it's stupid to cry..." Chuck wrapped his arm around Emily and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Not at all. Listen, we're all tired." He kissed the top of his daughter's head. "I love you, Em."

"Dad," Emily straightened. "I'm sorry I yelled earlier. I'm just so upset that you lied to me, on top of everything that has happened." She paused.

"Em, I met your mother eighteen years ago. It was because I suddenly became very valuable to the government – which I am not sure I can say why – and my life turned crazy too. I learned to trust your mother to protect my life. You can trust her to do that too. It was Sarah and Ellie that got me through my tough times and I will help you get through yours. You can trust your mom to protect you, okay?"

Emily nodded and sniffed once more. "Okay, Dad, I'll try." She walked to her bedroom and Chuck watched her disappear through the door. Bryce came back out of the basement, glancing at Chuck, who watched the agent go to Sarah's door and knock.

"I'm not Chuck," he heard Bryce mutter. The door opened and he stepped inside. Jealousy (an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time) flared up in him when he watched the door close behind the agent. Could this morning have been any worse?

And when spring arrived
We were taken by surprise when the floes under our feet bled into the sea
And nothing was left for you and me.

…

"What do you want?" Sarah asked, pretending to be busy picking up clothes off the floor (she almost blushed when one article of clothing was underwear, which Bryce reminded her was something he had seen before) and making her bed.

"Hey, it'd take a blind, deaf, and dumb person to not see how much pain you were in back there. Once again, I am here as your friend, Sarah. Just like before."

"Well, bad things seem to happen when you come to be my "friend"." She saw Bryce flinch and immediately regretted her words. She shouldn't be taking out her frustrations on him, he'd done nothing wrong. "I didn't mean that."

"Yeah you did," Bryce smiled at her. "Its fine," He stood. "You should get some sleep." He started for the door.

Sarah started to stop him, but decided against it. It wouldn't look good to Chuck if Bryce was in her bedroom more than a few moments, and while she was angry with Chuck, she didn't want him getting the wrong ideas about Sarah and Bryce's relationship. The other agent left the room and Sarah sunk onto her bed, wondering how she could even start to fix this.

Bryce sunk into a chair in the basement. He assumed he was entered into the system and stepped up to the computer. "Larkin, Bryce." He entered a few keywords and Hardy appeared on the screen.

"Agent Larkin?" Hardy leaned forward, resting his hands on the desk.

"Sir, I'm concerned about Sarah." Bryce stated. "Her and Chuck just had a fight. I think she may be too emotionally compromised to make a decent decision." Bryce wouldn't be telling Hardy this, if it weren't Sarah who was endangering herself. She was going to get hurt.

"What are you suggesting, Larkin?" Hardy asked and Bryce was certain he was doing his best to keep from rolling his eyes.

"I'd like to have another agent join us, just to pick up any slack Sarah may leave. She is very distracted, sir." Bryce replied. He really felt like Sarah could use less stress, hopefully another agent would help with that.

"Do you have an idea of who you might trust?" Hardy asked. Bryce smiled slightly. There was only one person he and Sarah both trusted. One person Bryce knew would have his back and not dance around issues.

"Yes, Sir. I do." Bryce nodded. This keeps getting more interesting, doesn't it? He thought to himself.

We're not the same, dear,
And it seems to me
There's nowhere we can go
With nothing underneath.
And it saddens me to say
But we both know, well, it's true
That the ice was getting thinner
Under me and you.
The ice was getting thinner
Under me and you.

…

Let me take a moment to think of a clever way to beg for reviews ... ... ... Okay, nothing is coming this time. But uh... Please, please, review! :D