Disclaimer: I don't own CHUCK... unless my parents say so in their wills. I also don't own the fascinating editor work on this chapter and for all coming chapters. You have hhooppyy to that for that. Finally, I don't own the song By Chance (You and I) by JRA. It just happens that I'm madly in love with that song.

PS: No mention of Chuck and Sarah but don't fret. I introduce to you, Nico's beau: Arlene.

After his early morning run, Nico sat down while breathing hard and grabbed a towel from his gym bag. Swiping at the sweat that threatened to trickle down his face, Nico stared straight ahead and watched in fascination as the sun rose, oblivious to the rest of the world around him.

"Hey, Daniels."

A voice came from behind him and he turned to check who it was-Karl Rimple, Kimple for short. The nickname pissed Karl off, but what could he do about it when the people in the company liked calling him that. While he may be Shaw's enforcer, aka Shaw's chihuahua, he didn't have the power to stop anyone.

"Daniels, your first job is to get close to Shaw." Casey told him.

Nico spit out the soda that was making its way down his throat. "Excuse me?" He coughed twice and said out in a strained voice. "Like… seduce him?"

While Sarah managed to hold in her laughter at the concept- just barely, she couldn't hide the teasing grin on her face. At the slight movement made and the tiny gasp of the swallowed laugh, both agents turned to her-Nico with a pronouncedscowl.

"Smoke some more beer, Sarah."

Sarah cleared out her throat and quickly rearranged her face into an impassive mask. "Sorry. Go on."

"No, moron. You'll insinuate yourself into his life and become his right hand man." Casey said irritatedly. "However, to be his right hand man, you have to kick this guy off his throne." He took out a photo of a man standing inconspicuously under a tree and holding a cigarette and passed it to Nico.

"That is Karl Rimple."

Upon seeing the picture, Nico tensed slightly...

Nico's entire career with the Ring seemed to be one big fight with Karl. From day one, Karl seemed to hate his guts. Although, Nico never really understood why and the job became an unspoken competition between the two of them-who could outdo the other, who could rise through the ranks faster, who could get the better missions, and overall prove who the better man was. Simply put, they hated each other and they never saw any reason to try and hide it.

Last time the two men had come face to face, Nico was being sent on a high profile mission to the other side of the world and Karl was stuck with some confidential stuff in LA.

In the spirit of their rivalry, Nico couldn't help but gloat at his good fortune and Karl's seeming misfortune. While at the time it seemed odd that Karl didn't react to the taunting, Nico let it go thinking that maybe Karl was learning to keep himself in check.

Little did he know, that while he was headed off on a high profile mission, Karl was actually being sent off on a top secret mission regarding the Ring's attempt to build an Intersect for themselves.

At the end of his seemingly successful mission in the Spratly Islands, Nico was recalled back to base… but not soon enough as the guy he had been tailing found out about him and tried to kill him.

On a boat.

With a bomb.

In the middle of nowhere.

As fate would have it, Casey had been tasked with the mission to eliminate Nico. However, after seeing the assassination attempt against him, Casey somehow figured that they could be allies, and that, as they say, was that.

"Karl. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Nico turned around and addressed him dryly.

Karl walked up to Nico and poked a finger at his sweat-covered shirt. "Listen up, Daniels," he droned out his name with a sneer."I'm not here for you. I came here because for some unknown reason, Shaw trusts you. But you know what I see? An ass kissing bastard."

Nico pissed him off even more when his only response was to offer up a large mocking grin.

"His office. 10 o'clock. Don't be late." He backed away slowly and Nico gave him a mock salute.

"I'm watching you, Daniels. You're up to something. I know it." Nico gave him a final wave as he turned around and left.

And so it begins.

~0~0~

"Hi. I'm here to see Daniel Shaw." Nico stood confidently in front of Shaw's secretary. After his brief encounter with Karl that morning, he took extra time to clean up. He even took the time to buy a new suit- Armani.

What a waste of taxpayer's money, his Casey conscience told him. Ignoring the disembodied voice, much like he ignored the man himself, Nico confidently walked forward with an ever increasing smile gracing his features.

"Nico! Hey." Shaw's secretary, Arlene, perked up slightly upon seeing him.

"Hey, Arlene. Good day?" Nico asked as he rested his arms on the counter, giving her a small smile and a wink while doing everything in his power to remain semi-professional when all he wanted to do was ask her out again.

"Better, now." She blushed and gave him a shy smile before dialing Shaw's number. Seeing her smile, Nico couldn't help but remember the day they met...

Nico Daniels was not a happy camper. After being dropped off by Casey, he ran 3 blocks before reaching his destination.

"Blowing my cover, my ass." Nico grumbled under his breath as he climbed onto the elevator heading for the 22nd floor. " I'm as wet as a freaking fish." Nico couldn't help but add while pulling his shirt away from his chest. Using some pathetic bathroom paper towels, he dabbed at his face and neck hoping to make himself semi-presentable but before too long he was crumpling the paper towels into a ball and sighing in resignation.

Hearing the ding of the elevator as it stopped on Shaw's floor, Nico crumpled up the useless paper towels and threw it to the nearest trash can. Realizing that even with the unexpected delay in the form of Casey, he was still twenty minutes early. Nico quickly looked around hoping to spot a restroom he could duck into in order to clean up a little better. Spotting a bathroom on the way to Shaw's office, he surreptitiously looked around before pushing the door open and locking the door behind him.

Fifteen minutes later, he came out dry and in high spirits. Lucky for him, there was a blow drier inside that bathroom. Why it had one, he didn't dare to question. Who was he to question the universe's impeccable timing? So he strode inside Shaw's office confidently and approached Arlene who was trying to control her hair.

Looking up as Nico walked in, Arlene's arms quickly fell back to her desk and her cheeks flushed hoping he hadn't seen her primping.

Walking up to the desk, Nico found himself looking at possibly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. The light pink that tinged her cheeks only made her look more beautiful. Quickly looking away before she could discover his fascination with her, Nico dropped his head and coughed slightly to get her attention.

"I'm here to see President Shaw."

"Mr. Daniels, I assume?" She asked, professionally despite the loud thumping of her heart.

"That is correct."

"Just one moment, please."She said picking up her phone.

Nico started singing a song to himself under his breath while she was on the line and she couldn't help but listen...

Hi! Girl, you just caught my eye.

Thought I should give it a try and get your name and your number.

Go grab some lunch and eat some cucumbers.

Why did I say that? I don't know why.

But you're smiling and it's something I like on your face.

Yeah, it suits you. Girl, we connect like we had bluetooth.

Unwittingly, she started smiling while the phone rang. She looked up to try to sneak a peak at him when her eyes met his. He grinned widely when he noticed a blush overcome her whole face.

"Hello?" Arlene coughed to recover her voice when the other line picked up.

"Sir, there's a Nico Daniels here to see you." She managed to choke out.

"Send him in." Shaw replied.

"Yes, sir. Anything else?"

"Arlene, you don't sound so good. Why don't you take the rest of the day off?" He said before abruptly hanging up the phone.

She sighed helplessly as she put the phone down. She raised her eyes and gazed upon Nico's smiling face. "You can go in now."

Nico nodded in understanding and walked towards Shaw's door. Slowing down, he started singing: "Go grab some lunch and eat some cucumber..."

Turning slightly, Nico looked into Arlene's eyes and asked, "Do you want to?" before turning around and heading into the office.

"Hey, Nico. Mr. Shaw will see you now." Arlene said with a smile, interrupting him from his day dream.

"Thank you! See you later." He drummed his hands on the counter three times and was off with a wave, leaving a lovestruck woman in his wake.

~0~0~

As Nico walked in, Shaw leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs and evaluated Nico over steepled fingers. Nico did his best to appear unphased by this inspection and stood, almost bored, with his hand in his pockets lilting slightly to the left- challenging Shaw to find fault in him. After holding this stand off for a minute, Shaw shifted forward, uncrossing his legs, and stood up with his arm extended for a handshake and a slight smile on his face."Daniels."

Nico walked up to him and gave him a firm handshake. Shaw promptly ended the handshake, retracted his arm and proceeded to sit back down as he gestured to the seat across the desk that Nico should take. "Have a seat."

"Power play," Nico thought to himself as he sat down. In response, he also made himself comfortable and rested his right leg on his left. Fight fire with fire.

Shaw frowned slightly at the insubordination being displayed but quickly shaped his face back into its normal stoic facade. Clearing his throat he once again crossed is legs before placing his hand in his lap, one gently on top the other. He cleared his throat and sat up straight. "Anyway, I called you in for two reasons. First: I want to congratulate you on the capture of Colonel Casey. We wouldn't have caught him without your assistance."

Nico gave a smug grin and replied. "Idiot thought that I actually turned my back on The Ring. And he was the one calling me moron. Who's the moron now?" He raised a questioning eyebrow with a smirk.

Shaw laughed out loud and turned around to his mini bar. He took 2 glasses and a bottle of scotch. "When you're right. You're right." He poured scotch to the glasses and placed them on his desk.

"The second reason you're here is because I have reason to believe that we have a traitor in our midst." He picked up his glass and took a sip. He studied Nico's profile over the top of his glass before resting it on the chair's armrest.

Nico's hand was on its way to pick up the glass when Shaw said it. He stiffened almost imperceptibly for a second before his hand continued its journey.

"Oh?" He gave Shaw a bored look and drank out of his glass. "Who?"

Shaw put his glass down and leaned forward towards Nico. "I have reason to believe that it is someone close to me." Nico met his stare and gulped slightly.

"I don't take too kindly to traitors, Daniels. Not a lot of people have the guts to betray me." Shaw droned, patronizingly.

"You see, I trusted this man. He knows a lot. You know what I think? I think he deserves to die, don't you?" Shaw looked at him... daring him to say otherwise.

"Trust begets trust. Trust lost can never be redeemed." Nico answered smartly.

"Well said, Daniels. Well said."

Leaning back slightly, Shaw reached down and opened a drawer in the desk. Pulling out a gun, he quickly checked that it was loaded, tuned the safety off and pointed it at Nico. Trying to maintain his calm facade, Nico sat perfectly still staring down the barrel of the gun. Nico's eyes never left the barrel. Hoping that this was just a test, Nico kept his eyes open knowing that closing his eyes and accepting the bullet would be proof of his betrayal -were he suspected, but trying to grovel to save himself would have the same result. As Shaw's finger curled around the trigger, Nico found his resolve to keep his eyes open wavering. When he could wait no longer, he let his eyes close in what he hoped was a blink, and in that split second, the world stood still as heard the hammer fall...

This is it. This is how I die... We were so close. Thank you, Casey- for giving me a chance at a new life. For helping me realize that helping people is greater than any other achievement I might get. Thank you, Lord. For a new chance of life... for making me make up for all those people I've killed and wronged. Thank you, for Arlene...'cause she's so pretty... at least I got a date with her... even just once...

I haven't even kissed her!

"Bang."

Here it comes... Oh God. I'm gonna die... Please make it quick. How fast will the bullet penetrate me?

'Quick enough,' his subconscious answered.

Shut up. Shut up. You could be wrong.

'I'm never wrong.'

I'm talking to myself.. in my mind. I'm insane...

Am I gonna see a white light like some people say... Oh no! What if I end up in hell?

Wait a minute...Why am I still talking to myself?

How am I still talking to myself? Shouldn't I be dead? Or writhing on the ground or grasping for air...

… and unconscious?

After a few more seconds of silent ruminations and the realization that he is still, as a matter of fact- alive and not in any pain, he slowed his breathing as he opened his left eye cautiously. Curiouser and curiouser, he opened his left eye fully before opening the right one. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion when he saw Shaw grinning wildly to himself- pleased with his practical joke.

"Congratulations, you passed. Now, your first job as my right hand man is to kill Karl Rimple."

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