CHAPTER 37

Driving to Echo Park, Sarah was anxious knowing she would have to hear from Casey what she saw in Bryce's eyes after she didn't take the shot. She knew Bryce was disappointed, and though she didn't much care for his opinion, Casey's still mattered to her. He was her partner and the second or third person she trusted most in her life. It was hard to gauge her trust of Casey on the field against her trust of Ellie in normal matters and those of the heart.

When she arrived at the Courtyard she saw the Bartowskis were in the kitchen talking, but made her way to Casey's for their debrief with Beckman. Bryce had given his and was gone again, knowing better than to try asking her to leave again.

After Beckman ended the call Casey went to his liquor cabinet, taking out a single glass and pouring himself a drink at his table while Sarah set aside a file, walking over to stand beside him.

"I know I hesitated," she said making clear she didn't need him to chastise her more than she was herself, "I let my guard down momentarily and it was a mistake." Looking to him she assured, "But I can protect Chuck."

Downing the rest of his glass he asked, "You know what your mistake was, Walker?"

Sarah rolled her eyes in anticipation of another compromised talk. "What's that?"

"You didn't move behind her," he said set the glass down, rising from his seat.

"What?" Sarah watched him walk over to a cigar box and pull one, clipping the end and lighting before turning to her again.

"Not taking the shot wasn't a mistake," he said letting out a puff of smoke. "I didn't take the shot either, remember."

Sarah shook her head. "What do you mean?"

"When Larkin came back and held the kid hostage," Casey said with a shrug. "Larkin's taller than that Fulcrumite. Even I didn't take the shot, and I'm a better shot than you." He smirked seeing Sarah wanted to argue the point but knew it was true. "So whatever crap Larkin has you thinking is just that, crap. If you want to tell yourself you made a mistake, then it was not moving behind her and taking the same shot I did. But did you notice the moron while your old boy toy was telling you to shoot him? Was he worried?"

"No," Sarah said thinking back. "He was smiling mostly."

"Because he knew we'd get him out of it if he couldn't get himself out."

"It could have just been nerves," argued Sarah.

"That's from his own mouth, Walker." Casey walked over to set the cigar in an ash tray while giving her an examining look. "I think you need to watch something before you go meet the Moron," he said walking over to his computer and typing, but then stopped and looked to her. "I'll remind you of what I said yesterday… As long as it doesn't interfere with our work it's not my or anyone else's business."

Sarah's brow furrowed watching him tap a key and walk around the desk, picking up his cigar and walking to the living room, pulling a book off his shelf and sitting with his back to the computer. Making her way to the desk, Sarah saw the monitor displaying a still from security footage of the courtyard with Chuck and Bryce standing together. With a glance to Casey's back she hit the space bar, letting the video start.

"I'm worried about Sarah," Bryce said as it began, and Sarah sank into her chair grimacing.

She grew more concerned as Bryce spoke, but then smiled at Chuck's talk of choices and bonds, only to gasp when he told Bryce to kill himself and explained why he should to prove his point. Though shocked to hear him talk in such away about Bryce's death, she couldn't help but laugh hearing Bryce switch topics rather than risk conceding a point.

But then Chuck kept speaking, throwing her choice months ago in Bryce's face and yet covering it as her doing her duty. She hoped it was him covering it because of the cameras, because if that was what he thought he was wrong.

Her hand rose to her lips hearing him describe the reminders of how he wasn't as good as Bryce, but then beamed hearing it swing around. He thought she deserved someone better than Bryce, thought her finding her heart again made her better than Bryce. The heart he revived, if not gave her. And then he said it. He didn't want to be an agent. And then he said exactly why she never wanted him to be an agent. And finally, he said the truth she'd known for a long time now; Chuck Bartowski was better than the Bryce Larkins of the world.

Just as she thought it would end another section began, this time at night, but she barely heard him confirm what Casey said about his trust that they would save him. She was overcome by the first half, but then she realized what Casey had said before going to sit. What he was doing for her, for them.

Rising from her seat, Sarah's eyes burned even as she took a breath and smiled. "Thank you," she said looking to Casey.

"Not my business," he repeated, flipping a page to feign disinterest despite his smirk growing at the emotion in her voice. Watching her exit the apartment and stride across the courtyard like a woman on a mission, Casey felt secure he made the right choice.

Ellie had gathered Devon and Chuck around the kitchen table where she'd laid out some bridal magazines when they heard the knock. Devon made his way to the door and smirked seeing Sarah on the other side. "Heeey, it's out favorite bridesmaid."

"Sarah!" Ellie beamed watching Devon close the door while Sarah strode toward the table.

Chuck turned to her smiling. "Hey, you should've told me you were here, I-" He saw her eyes were glassy and knit his brow, but before he could ask anything she grabbed his cheeks and pulled him into a kiss.

Ellie's hands clapped over her mouth as she gasped while Devon gave an approving not. "Get it, girl."

Chuck was shocked yet again, but it didn't last long. The moment he realized she hadn't somehow tripped and fallen into his lips he grabbed her, pulling her to him, never wanting to let her go again. She clutched at his curls and he felt her tongue on his lips, her fingers brushing across his neck on their descent to clutch at his shirt in an attempt to pull him even half a centimeter closer.

It was Ellie's shriek, which seemed to throw her hands from her face, that made them realize how short of breath they were and pull their lips apart. Sarah sank to the ground, staring into his eyes but not moving back, still clutching his shirt.

"I'm done being numb too," she said, glad to see he realized it meant she saw what he said in the courtyard.

"Oh god, he showed you?"

Sarah nodded. "Thank you for saying that about me."

"He's going to be insufferable," Chuck groaned.

Sarah started to smile but winced along with Chuck as Ellie launched into them, wrapping them in her arms. While Chuck groaned again, Sarah chuckled and Devon approached with a grin, wrapping his arms around them as well. "Group hug!"

"You guys are kinda killing a moment," Chuck said quietly.

Pulling away, Devon chuckled. "Sorry bro."

Once they pulled away from them, Chuck looked to Sarah, who had finally released him and taken a step back out of his arms. Ellie looked between them, reaching for Sarah's shoulder. "Why don't we look at this stuff another night?"

"No, no, I promised," Sarah said shaking her head.

"You sure?" asked Ellie.

Sarah smiled to Chuck, lacing his fingers with hers. "We'll have plenty of time."

Their hands stayed linked almost the entire night, but by the time they had finished their wedding planning session Ellie practically dragged Devon to their room so Sarah and Chuck could have the living room to themselves. The two sat on the couch with a few inches between them where their hands laid until Sarah pulled hers away to turn toward him, her arm moving to the back of the couch. Chuck mimicked her movements in reverse, and both shared a smile as their eyes met.

"So," Chuck began.

"So," Sarah repeated.

"Did I actually get shot and this heaven?" Chuck asked leaning forward conspiratorially, "Or is this actually real?"

Sarah slid a bit closer, reaching out to brush her hand across his cheek. "It's real."

"What changed? Did you…" He sighed, not wanting to say it just in case she didn't see the footage. "You saw it, right?"

"From the courtyard?" Sarah nodded. "I watched you tell Bryce off and say so much of what I wanted to. Chuck what you said about being an agent, or not wanting to be one, that's what I meant. Not that you can't be one, but that I don't want you to become one and risk losing all those good things about you. The things that make you my guy. My Chuck."

"I'm sorry I was so angry about that," he said shaking his head. "I think some part of me knew what you meant, but I just… Obviously your opinion means the world to me. I should have handled it better, but it was like every time I thought about answering your call or even seeing you all my doubts would come back and spiral into themselves making me feel worse than I was. And then with Roan… it was like I'd proved I could be a spy but after seeing him I didn't want to be one, because you're the only decent CIA agent I know of apart from maybe Zondra."

"And then Bryce screwed it all up," she said with a nod. "I'm so sorry about that, Chuck. I swear nothing happened."

"Even if you hadn't said that already, I'd imagine Bryce wouldn't have been so pushy about things if you had," Chuck said with a shrug. "I know what he says and I get where he's coming from and the sense of it, but I don't believe it. Not for us."

"I know, and I don't want to either, it's just…" Sarah sighed at the doubt crawling up her throat.

Then it turned to ash as Chuck slid closer, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear while leaning his head to meet her gaze with a smile. "I think I can prove it wrong."

"Oh?" Sarah snickered. "How's that?"

For a moment he seemed concerned, but pushed on, letting his hand trail down her arm. "I-I know you maybe won't want to say, so you don't have to. But we haven't failed yet, and I know for me I've felt like this about you from the start. So, uh, unless you just started feeling anything for me our record is proof that it works, at least for us."

Sarah wanted to tell him it was there from the start too, but felt like if she tried to she'd never get it out, so said the easier answer. "It's not new for me."

Chuck's face lit up with a smile. "There you go. Proof that this can work. If anything I'd imagine it'll work better. I have no doubt we're better together."

"I think you're right," Sarah said smiling as she caught Chuck's hand as it passed over her wrist. "But you were wrong about one thing."

Glancing at their hands he asked, "What's that?"

"I stayed for you," she said letting her left hand slide along the back of the couch to cup his cheek. "I chose you over him. Just like I would every time."

It was surprising to watch the shift in his eyes, the surprise, the warmth as he realized her sincerity, and then watching it all pool and darken as a smirk touched his lips. She felt his right hand slide beneath her hair as he leaned forward, but before he could pull her closer to close the gap she'd done it for him. Their lips crashed against one another, her tongue brushing his as both slid closer, their intertwined hands breaking apart to grasp at one another.

She felt him start to lean forward, but Sarah pushed back, and Chuck let her force his back against the couch. Her lips barely left his, following him until she slid her leg over his lap to straddle him. Sarah felt his hand trailing up her back again, basking in the shiver it pushed through her, making her press against him. The moan that escaped her throat made broke the contact of their lips, letting both gasp and lean their forehead against each other for a second, each taking turns quickly kissing the other's lips.

A smirk crept to her lips feeling Chuck's hand slide across her torso, coming to a stop below her bra where it seemed to plant itself. Of course he'd need permission even when she was basically riding him on the couch. But just as she went to move his hand up, he moved his head away from hers and pressed a kiss to her neck. Then another a bit lower, and suddenly she felt his thumb brush against the bottom of her breast and realized she'd maybe underestimated him.

Somehow it was only then that she realized where this would go if they continued, but not wanting to make him retreat and apologize she grabbed his head and kissed him as hard as she could. After a few seconds she pulled away and pouted. "We can't go far tonight."

"Is there an end point I should know ahead of time?" Sarah rolled her eyes, patting his chest as she rolled off him. "So there," he concluded with a nod.

"It's not that I don't want to," she said facing him, her side against the couch right next to him while he turned his head toward her. "It's just we still have to be careful about this. Casey's basically agreed to keep quiet as long as it doesn't effect missions, but if Beckman or Graham find out they'll still try to send me away from you."

"Try?" Chuck noted.

Sarah grinned, pleased he caught it. "Yes, Chuck. Try. And fail."

"Okay, so we have to have a real relationship that looks fake beneath our fake relationship that has to look real?" Chuck shrugged. "Sounds easy."

Shaking her head, Sarah pressed a hand to his chest. "We have to act a bit strained for them still, make it seem like our cover relationship is a sacrifice, but not so much they think it would be better to have someone else take my job. We're playing the parts because we have to and we're friendly, maybe friends, but that's it."

"I guess I'll have to cancel the banners I ordered to let everyone know we're together," Chuck said with a mocking click of the tongue, "and I already paid the deposit on the sky writer."

Chuckling, Sarah let her hand slide up his chest and neck as she leaned toward him whispering, "I'll make it up to you." It took barely five seconds before she found herself shifting to straddle him again, so pulled herself back.

"Okay, okay," he let out a breath, turning to her much as she was him. "So what? We're only really together in here?"

"Places we know they don't monitor. Everywhere else, even on missions. We can't slip."

"And fall into a supply closet?"

Sarah shook her head. "As fun as that sounds, no. Besides it interfering with the mission, people go through all of our footage afterward. We don't want to give anyone a show, do we?"

"No," he said quickly. "Here or your place, then. Maybe we can make it look like another attempt to secure the cover? Only this time without Ellie being poisoned by truth serum and telling you about my aspirations of one day being a big boy."

"I don't know, you felt big enough to me," Sarah said with grin which grew when Chuck went wide eyed and tried to look away in embarrassment like she'd hoped. "I think it sounds like a good idea. We need to be careful. We can't just suddenly start spending the night together all the time or someone will catch on."

"Sarah, before you leave," he said sensing that was soon, "I need to tell you some stuff."

Sarah tilted her head. "This had better not be another Piranha secret."

Chuck snickered and shook his head. "No, no, though one does have to do with him. The more recent one first though. Bryce left his glasses here, and it turned out they were some kind of Intersect glasses. He put the microchip we picked up in them."

"How?" She asked shaking her head. "We sent it away."

"Maybe he made a copy? I recognized it from Hayes' key chain," Chuck waved his hand before she could speak, "but it also had another chip on it. The one holding the upgrade Ellie worked on with Orion."

Sarah sat up. "Have you tried any of those flashes yet?"

She watched him stare into space a moment before turning to her with a smirk. "Ja. Ich habe fruher Fronzosisch versucht," he answered in German, saying he'd tried French earlier.

It shocked Sarah to hear him speaking German with a decent accent. It wasn't perfect, but good enough he could pass for a German who spent a lot of time in the US. "Any side effects? How does it feel?"

"Fine, easier than the other flashes," he said still struggling how to explain them. "Less jarring and sudden. More like I'm just remembering how to do something than having it shoved into the front of my brain."

"Don't overuse it," she said clutching his hand. "And always wear the Governor."

"I will, but Ellie said it should put much less strain on me than it would have with the original encoding."

"Okay, now what's the other thing? The Piranha one?"

"I was kinda upset after the whole Montgomery thing-"

"Montgomery?"

"The, uh, white jacket, wine and rose," Chuck said warily. "Roan told me it was known as the Montgomery. You didn't recognize it?"

Sarah shook his head. "No."

"Well it's probably for the best then," Chuck laughed. "I would've felt bad telling his world famous move failed."

Grinning, she shook her head again. "It wouldn't have failed, Chuck."

"Really?" He asked equal parts surprise and interested.

"I thought you looked adorable."

"Well golly gee, I'll have to remember it for picture day."

Her smile faded as she brushed her hand against his chest. "I was so disappointed then. I wish we could've had our night."

"We'll have others," Chuck said leaning in to kiss her collar.

"Mm. We'll have to get you another white jacket so you can try again." Looking to him as he kissed her neck he smiled adding, "No white pants, promise."

He chuckled against her neck, smiling when he placed a kiss on her jaw. "Just no strawberries. I think I'm off them for good."

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter," he said swiftly kissing beneath her ear.

Pressing a hand into his chest, she pulled back. His voice made it clear he was concerned about telling her. "You can tell me."

"Well it'll kill my mood," he pleaded.

With a laugh she slid back. "Good. I should leave soon."

Failing not to pout, Chuck searched her face before admitting, "Bryce fed them to you. I was watching you eat them with him. First it was that and then the dancing. I just…"

She watched him turn away, leaning his head back against the couch, shaking his head. Moving closer, Sarah slid her arm under his back and around him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. If it helps I hated it too."

Still staring at the roof he said, "Is it weird that is kinda does but also kind of makes it worse?"

"Why is it worse?" she asked confused.

"Because that means they made you do something you didn't want to," said Chuck.

Sarah reached up for his cheek, making him look at her. "Thank you. I mean it, Chuck. Thank you. What you said to him about my heart, you're the reason I found it again. It's the same with Casey."

"I hope not," Chuck said cocking his head, "I don't know if I'd enjoy kissing him as much."

"What was the Piranha thing," she said with a smirk, swatting his arm.

"Right, right" he sighed, standing to keep himself from trying anything else. "I, uh... I decided to look into Alexei Volkoff."

"You're going Volkoff?" she asked leaping to her feet. "Why?"

"Well Casey mentioned him once and when I looked into him a bit it seemed like he's just about the biggest fish around. It seemed fitting he should fall to a little Piranha." Chuck's smile was solemn as he continued. "I don't think he'll be my last, but... I thought maybe after we take him down the Piranha could slow down a bit."

"We?" she noted.

"We," he nodded. "I'll find all I can and this could be how we bring in Casey. As far the higher ups will know the Piranha will just give it to us because of our record, but we'll tell him the truth and the three of us can bring down a criminal syndicate all while fending off Fulcrum and whoever else is out there."

"You make it sound so easy."

"Sarah," he said taking her hand, "I feel like I could take on the world with you at my side. Throw in Casey and I'm pretty sure we can take over the solar system. Maybe even make myself King of the Universe."

"Well as long as I'm Queen," she said before standing on her toes to kiss him.

AN:

I noticed early on there was a slight pattern with the relationship that was the opposite of how Chuck thought of the Bartowski curse earlier. Instead of having a rise and being knocked down further than he rose, they had a dip and then come back better than before. I'm a fan of knocking around characters so they have further to rise, so I went with that for the relationship stuff the last few chapters.

Originally I considered a different ending for the Break Up. I was never doing the one from the show, but considered one where she actually pulled away from him because of him saying he's going to have Orion give him more upgrades and become an agent. I'd still do the next bit, and have it end with Suburbs with them being together forcing them to a big confrontation, but then when I had Chuck say he doesn't want to be an agent it felt more interesting so I changed things around and got them together here. Either way I wasn't dragging it as long as the show.

One of the things I dislike about most romances is that they focus so much on getting together, as if that's the only interesting part of a relationship. Romance is more than that, so I'm not limiting it to that either. Now the focus becomes about them dealing with being together, the issues they have and the spy world.