I still don't own Chuck. Not sure who does at this point. Maybe Subway.

Sarah isn't having the best of nights. Let's see if she can turn that around.

I'll be sure to post warnings on chapters that have violent or sexual situations. I'm going to keep this T – but I might dance on the edge for a bit.

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Down a Peg

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The evening wasn't really going the way Sarah had originally expected it to… not at all. But one good thing was – she was clearly winning her bet with Elise. Okay, so she was cheating. When Elise was gone Sarah made a deal with the bartender that every other shot of what was supposed to be her tequila was actually water. It was ridiculously easy. For one thing, like most of the country, he had watched her devastate Daniel Shaw on TV – live. That meant he was eager to get on her good side. And even if that wasn't true, the one extra button opened on her blouse meant that he would have drunk the tequila himself had she asked it of him – standing on his head. Naturally, Sarah had a sixth sense to know when a man was looking down her shirt – but she didn't need it tonight. He was making absolutely no attempt to hide it. Maybe he wasn't that afraid of her after all. The hundred dollar chip that she slipped into his hand, courtesy of her husband's earlier amazing prowess at blackjack, was simply icing on the cake. It wasn't necessary. There was no way that he would betray her.

Under normal circumstances, Sarah would have buttoned her shirt back up, ordered shots until Elise didn't know where she was, turned her over to Joe who would carry her back up to their room, and… well, that was as much as she really wanted to know.

But tonight wasn't normal. It was actually far, far from normal. For one thing, Kate and Heather had clearly crossed the line from silly to shit-faced. Fortunately, Janice and Ellie were watching them like a bulldog watched a bone lying on the floor. So that was one less worry that Sarah had – which was good. Because she had all she could handle as it was.

Tonight really wasn't supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be a happy celebration topped off by her watching Elise make a fool of herself – both with tequila and with Amy's dad. Okay, so those were both Sarah's own fault. Still, things would have worked out perfectly – except Joe had to show up.

Then there was Joe. What was with him tonight? Joe was normally so not the jealous type. And for very good reason. He clearly worshiped Elise just as much as she clearly worshiped him – and everybody knew it. Nobody understood what female agents did better than Joe. So why was he constantly looking over at Elise dancing with Bobby – with gritted teeth?

"Look at her," Joe growled as he tipped up his shot of tequila and slammed the glass down on the table. 'She's letting him put his hands all over her ass – right in front of me. Tell me that she doesn't know what she's doing."

Sarah reached out and grabbed Joe's arm. "Come on, sweetie," she said soothingly. "I explained this to you already. Elise is running a scam on this guy. You know the deal. This isn't real. It's a mission."

"Bullshit," Joe muttered. "I surprise her by showing up when she didn't expect me – and I find her with another guy. Mission? That's pretty convenient. I'll bet she had another mission earlier – probably with the same guy."

Sarah did a double take. If he only knew how right he was. And she had to admit – Elise and Bobby were putting on quite the show on that dance floor. It was on the edge of being inappropriate. Elise was currently pressed into him. She was clearly pressing her chest into his. Was she actually kissing his neck? That's farther than she would ever have to go to keep him interested – especially knowing that Joe was watching. Sarah was starting to get a sinking feeling. Something wasn't right. "Joe," she said. "What's really wrong? This isn't like you. You know that Elise would never really cheat on you. She's an agent. She's on a mission. Okay, I'll admit – it's a silly mission. But still…"

"I just wish that was true," Joe sighed. "I might as well come clean. Lise and I haven't wanted to worry our friends – but the truth is we haven't been getting along all that well lately. We've even talked about the possibility of a trial separation. Clearly she is telling me that she's ready for that to begin. But actually seeing her with another man… I have to do something."

Sarah's alarms were going off. When she told Elise that she would flirt with Joe, she had no idea that they were having a relationship crisis. That changed the whole dynamic. Now Joe would interpret any flirting from her as… The thought was too weird to continue. But the last thing that she wanted was for Joe to confront Elise and Bobby here in the club. For one thing, Sarah was floored to hear him say that they were having problems. Floored, that didn't come close. She wanted to start bawling. A trial separation? That was crazy. Where was that even coming from? Sarah hadn't suspected a thing. In the hospital the other night, they were all over each other. But one thing was for sure. If they were having problems, a public fight would be the worst possible thing for their relationship. And that was the top priority – getting her best friends back in a good place.

Then there was poor Bobby. He was an innocent bystander in all of this. Joe was a big strong man – who was trained to kill people with his bare hands. If he got physical with Bobby, it simply wasn't going to end well. Sarah knew that she had to keep that from happening, no matter what. And if that meant actually keeping Joe's attention off that dance floor – well, that's what it meant. So she did what she had to do. She put her most beaming smile on her face. "Joe," she said. "I want you to look at me. You're being silly. All couples have problems sometimes – but Elise worships you. I know that for sure - because she's told me. Now here's what is going to happen. You are going to show me a good time tonight. We're going to dance and talk and laugh – and pretend that Elise isn't even here. Then tomorrow, you and Elise are going to sit down and talk this thing out. Deal?"

Sarah could see the beginnings of a smile on Joe's face. He reached over and rubbed her arm. Then it happened. He let his eyes wander down her body – from the top of her head – to the tips of her toes – and back again. He even stopped on both trips to linger at her chest. What was up with that? "Well," he said. "If I'm going to pretend to be single for a night, I guess I could do worse than one of the sexiest women in the whole world."

Now Sarah's alarms were really going off. Pretend to be single? What in the hell did that mean? Sure, she was willing to flirt a little. Okay, maybe even more than a little if that's what it took to prevent a disaster. But the very, very, very last thing that she wanted was to send any wrong signals to Joe. If he made a move, that would put a strain on their friendship that would take a long time to get over. This night was simply quickly turning into a train wreck. Fortunately, she was saved from having to say anything by Janice walking up – with Kate in tow behind her.

"Uncle Joe," Kate said with a giggle. "You owe me a dance. You never danced with the bride."

Of course, there was no way for Joe to refuse such a request. As soon as he and Kate left, Janice plopped down in the chair that Joe had been sitting in. The grin on her face clearly said that she was very pleased with life in general. Sarah assumed that Janice was simply rubbing it in. After all, I-told-you-so was her favorite phrase. "Okay," Sarah sighed. "I can see that you're having a good time. Let me have it. You were right. This night is a disaster. I'm going to have to figure out how to keep Joe from killing Bobby, while at the same time keep Joe's hands out of my shirt. Oh, and keep Chuck from killing Joe."

"Don't judge so quickly," Janice said with a laugh. "The night is still young. I have a feeling that it might just pick up a little for you when you hear this news. Bobby must not know how close we are. Because, guess what he told me when I was getting him his drink?"

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Sparky had to admit – this night was starting to be fun. Even though boxing wasn't his favorite sport, all of the fights had been exciting. The one they were currently watching had turned into a barn burner. It was hard to not get excited about it – especially with Alex sitting next to him screaming with every punch. And they hadn't even gotten to the main event yet.

And there was that. It was hard to sit there and watch your best friend have so much fun – without wanting to join in. And the best part was that he was actually beginning to sober up – a little. So was Dad. He hadn't kissed his ear in three rounds now.

But Sparky had to admit the real reason that he was having such a good time. For the first time, he was now accepted as part of the men. Uncle Casey had even offered him a cigar. Naturally, the very last thing that Sparky would ever do would be to light up a cigar. So why did it feel so great to be offered one? Then he grinned as he answered his own question. Sparky had finally crossed that invisible but very real line - the line that separated the boys from the men.

"Come on," Alex yelled in semi-disgust. "Go for the body." Unfortunately, the fighter that he was rooting for clearly didn't take his advice – or the advice wasn't that sound. Because a right hand to his jaw sent him crashing to the canvas. As they leapt to their feet to celebrate the knock-out, Alex locked eyes with him. He was clearly having a blast. And, even though he didn't say any words, the grin on Alex's face – and his slap on Sparky's back felt… well, wonderful.

It felt so good that he didn't even miss his new wife – much.

x-x-x-x-x

Actually, Sarah's first reaction was relief. Joe and Elise's marriage wasn't in trouble. That would be hard to take. She loved them both. But then the realization of what had just happened hit her – between the eyes. "Sonofabitch," she said under her breath as she slumped into her chair. "You have got to be kidding me. Elise would really use Joe against me like that? Knowing our history? That's pretty low."

"You have to admit," Janice said when she could finally control her laughing. "You started it. And it was a perfect scam. Let's face it. You bought it hook, line, and sinker. You thought that he was about to make a huge pass at you. We both know that's true. The real question is what are you going to do about it?"

"You're kidding, right?" Sarah asked incredulously. "A big part of me is relieved - very relieved. I was starting to get really worried. A pass was the least of it. One thing is clear. Joe has to pay. And even more, a certain redhead has to pay - double. Trust me, it is so on."

"I figured as much," Janice said. "What do you want me to do?"

"You?" Sarah asked in a shocked tone. "I thought you were the one you didn't want any trouble tonight?"

"That was a few shots of tequila ago," Janice laughed. "Besides, you're right. She needs to be taken down a peg. I love her – but this is getting ridiculous."

"Actually," Sarah said with an evil grin. "I do have an assignment for you. Welcome to team Sarah."

x-x-x-x-x

Sarah sat patiently at the table waiting for Joe to get done dancing with Kate. It took a few more minutes because Heather insisted that she also get a bridal dance. Sarah took the opportunity to give herself a pep talk. She knew that she had to keep from laughing. That really wasn't going to be a problem. Spy training was designed to prepare you for these types of situations. She thought about going upstairs and changing. After all, she was still wearing the fairly conservative blouse and skirt that she had on for the dinner with Bryce and Amy – and this was war. But she finally decided that she didn't have time. Besides, one extra button – and this outfit would be sexy enough. That's the other thing that spy training had taught her.

Sexy was a state of mind.

Sarah knew that she was about to scare Joe to his core. Tough. He clearly had it coming. So she scooted as close to Joe as she could. She knew that grabbing both of his hands would force him to face her. She also knew when she leaned forward that his entire field of vision would be filled with – well, Sarah's assets. "Joe," she said. "I'm so sorry. I should have been more sensitive. I needed to be there for you guys. Elise has been telling me for a few months now that she wasn't happy. I didn't realize that it was to this extent. Probably because I just didn't want for it to be true. I always thought that you two kids were meant for each other. I should have taken her more seriously."

That caused Joe's head to snap up in surprise. "Lise has talked to you?" he asked. "She told you that she's not happy?"

Sarah had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the fear in his eyes. "Don't worry, sweetie," she said soothingly as she nodded her head. "All couples go through a phase where the passion fades away. They stop exciting each other at some point in their relationship. You just have to figure out a way to relight that flame."

Joe's mouth fell open. "Lise told you that she's not excited anymore?" he asked numbly. "When did she say that?"

"Come on, Joe," Sarah said. "You have to keep this in perspective. Having fantasies about other men when you're making love with your husband probably isn't all that unusual. And I'm sure that most women fake orgasms at one time or another."

Joe did a double take. "Lise actually told you that she fakes orgasms?" he asked incredulously.

"Oh, no, sweetie," Sarah said. "Not every time. She said only about half the times. Although she did say it was getting worse lately. But don't you worry. I'm going to help you get that fire back."

Joe was clearly stunned. He slumped back in his chair sadly. So Sarah grabbed his finger and twisted it until she was sure that she had his undivided attention. "It's not too much fun to be messed with," she said. "Is it? I know that you and Elise have been messing with me tonight. As you can probably surmise, I'm not really all that happy about it. With our history, I would have hoped for a little more sensitivity from you."

To Joe's credit, he kept his composure. "You know?" he asked. "How did you find out?"

"That's not really important," Sarah said with a grim smile. "Is it? If I were you, I'd want to know what my options were to survive tonight."

"Sarah, please," Joe said. "Can you let go of my finger and we can discuss this rationally? For the record, I was against this. Lise… well, she sort of talked me into it. I'm very sorry if you're mad at me. It was meant as a joke. I love you. I love Chuck. I would never want to do anything to hurt our friendship."

"I'm not mad," Sarah said as she released his finger. "I'm not mad at all. For the record, we love you too. There isn't much you could possibly do that would hurt our friendship. We're family. And I'll admit, you guys really had me going. But I can't let that go un-avenged. It wouldn't be right. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. So I'm going to give you a choice. Help me get my revenge and profit from it – or be destroyed by it."

"So," Joe sighed as he slumped into his chair and rubbed his finger. "You were just getting back at me about Lise not being happy. That was cruel. She's my life."

"Okay," Sarah said as she reached for his finger again. "But maybe not quite as cruel as telling me that my best friends were thinking about a trial separation. And that I was about to have to pry your hand off my chest – again."

That actually got the beginning of a smile. "Okay," Joe said as he moved his hand out of her reach. "Yes, point well taken." Then the smile turned sad. "Sarah, please," he pleaded. "Have a little pity here. Lise promised me… umm… a reward. One that I'm really looking forward too."

"Don't worry," Sarah said. "Come through for me and I'll make sure that you get your stupid dress-up-night."

"From Lise?" Joe said slowly as his face broke into a grin. But then he saw the look on her face. "Hey, I'm just checking. You're kind of starting to really freak me out."

"Yes, Joe," Sarah said with her own grin. "Most definitely from Elise."

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Bryce Bartowski tried to get his mind back on his speech recognition circuit. After all, there was definitely a heat problem. There was no way to submit his invention to any commercial companies like this. It had to be solved for his project to be called a success. And Bryce's specialty was solving problems. But the real problem was – well, one that he couldn't solve. His mind was simply someplace else. Bryce had just told his mom that today was only the second best day of his life – and he meant it. But if he had to judge the best hour of his life, it would clearly be today's limo ride. And not just because of the second base thing. Although, like most sixteen year old guys, that was a moment he had been dreaming about for… well, forever. But that wasn't it totally. It was more the fact that she clearly liked him.

Oh, Bryce had no illusion of anything grander. Amy didn't love him. She never would. And he didn't love her. She really wasn't even his type. Come on - she was a freaking homecoming queen. Back at school, she would have been going out with a football player and wouldn't have ever given Bryce a second glance. That was just a cold hard fact. This was nothing more than a fling to keep her from being bored on vacation with her dad. In a very real way, she was using him. And the truth was, even that was okay. Because Bryce knew what Elise and his mom were trying to do. And they had succeeded by this measure.

Bryce Bartowski now knew that there was a girl somewhere out there for him. He also knew that when he found her, he would have an honest shot. That's what today had done. And all-in-all, that was a very, very good thing. Of course, Bryce was also smart enough to know that it meant that Aunt Elise would now be dragging him all over the State of California looking for her. But even that was okay. More than okay – it was… sweet. And truthfully, Bryce could think of a lot of people that he would have less fun being around then Aunt Elise. Sure, he had always had a huge crush on her – but it was more than that. She was simply a blast to be around.

Bryce was startled out of his daydream by a knock at the door. Somebody was clearly here to check up on him. He grinned as he tried to guess who had drawn that duty. Probably Aunt Ellie, she was the worry-wart of the family. Some national hero. Can't even stay in his hotel room on a guarded floor alone for an hour without someone checking up on him.

"Amy," Bryce said in surprise as he opened the door. "How did you get up here? The guards aren't supposed to let anyone up."

"My name was on the list," Amy said as she leaned in to gently kiss him.

"My Aunt Elise must have done that," Bryce said.

"Well, she thinks of everything," Amy said with a smile. "Can I come in?"

"Wow, Amy," Bryce said hesitantly. "I'm not sure that my mom – or your dad would be wild about us being up here alone."

"I'm sure that they wouldn't," Amy said. "That's why we're not going to tell them."

"I thought that we were going to meet tomorrow for breakfast," Bryce said as he moved out of the way and allowed Amy to enter the room. "Then we were going to drive to Hoover Dam. Are we still going?"

"Of course, silly," Amy said. "I was just bored sitting all alone. I figured you would be bored. My dad is down partying with your family. I figured…" Amy paused as she looked around. "Oh my God," she suddenly said. "This suite is fabulous. Look at that Jacuzzi. And that view. We have to get in."

Bryce blushed. "I didn't bring my suit," he said.

Amy grinned at Bryce's discomfort. "You're so cute," she said as she held out her hands. "Do you see me carrying my suit? Besides, you've already seen most of what I'm about to show you. Aren't we past that? Seems only fair that you return the favor. Come on. It will be fun."

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