A/N: Thanks for continuing to read and review on this. It's a breeze to write, but I'm still not too sure what you guys think of it yet. There's a poll on my profile, and I'd really love it if you could take a quick second or two to vote. As for the last chapter, when Chuck beat Sarah: Guys, I know she's a pro. And Chuck dodging all her hits is unlikely….unless of course, she was holding back. Why? Well, that's what the story is for. Sorry if I didn't make that too clear before. Anyway, thanks a million and I hope you guys enjoy.

Chapter Three:

-ONE WEEK LATER-

Bryce sat by Carina, watching as Sarah tore at the punching back, leaving no mercy like she'd done with Chuck last week. On the other side of the room, Chuck was lifting weights just as dedicatedly, putting in extra effort to see improvement.

Bryce had already finished and grabbed a towel, taking a seat beside Carina, out of earshot of both of the other agents.

"I want to get back together with Sarah." Bryce announced, but only Carina could hear him anyway.

"You out of your god damn mind?" was her reply. Typical Carina; blunt and somewhat abrasive.

"I take it you don't like that prospect."

"After what you did last time?" She raised a brow, not wanting to remind him.

"It was a mistake….I told her…" he sighed.

"Either way, she's different now, Larkin." Carina stated, sipping her water.

Bryce wiped his face with his towel. "What do you mean?" he feigned innocence.

"Come on, don't bullshit me of all people, Bryce." She replied. "You know. She became the ice queen, the queen bitch…."

Bryce chuckled. "That's harsh."

'It's true. And she's only somewhat nice to me because-"

"-she trusts you." Bryce stated. "I know."

Carina sat there in the strange silence, Carina eyed the oblivious Chuck, who seemed far more suitable.

"I need to gain it back…..her trust, that is." Bryce sighed.

Carina rolled her eyes. "Oh, go somewhere else with your pity story….I've got more important things to worry about."

Bryce seemed to ignore the last jab, continuing on with his ramblings. "I've got to start back tracking…I need to find out about Sarah's past."

Carina bit her lip. "Dangerously thin ice there, pretty boy."

"You know?"

"Yeah."

"And you won't tell me?"

Carina stood up, laughing. "Ever heard of the saying, 'Ignorance is bliss?'" Carina smirked.

Bryce threw his towel at her, which she dodged in a swift motion.

"Later, lover boy." She quipped, leaving the gym area.

-0-

"Your first mission will be a breeze." Jack Walker addressed his top team comfortably, as they were all circled around the conference table. "Kid." He turned to Chuck. "You'll be observing from the van, unless you're needed. I need to know if you can handle the van before you can shoot a man." He ordered, Chuck nodding obediently.

"It's going to be a simple data extraction." Jack continued. "CIA needs the dirt on one 'La Ciudad'….." Jack informed them.

Chuck took a chance and glanced at Sarah, who was listening intently, eyes on her father.

"All we know is….well, she could be any of the women there, so…..It'll be fun trying to figure her out. It's a party, so Casey will be posing as bartender, and Larkin here as the main suitor. Darl, you and Carina will be guests. And remember kids…" he smirked. "It is a party….have a little fun."

Sarah rolled her eyes, standing up. They all rose and left to their respective offices. Chuck, however, followed Sarah to hers.

"Sarah! Hey, wait!" he called.

"Come in, close the door." She replied, taking a seat behind her desk.

Chuck did as he was told, standing before her rather awkwardly.

"What is it, Chuck?" she asked.

Chuck smiled inwardly. She'd actually remembered his name. That was a good sign…wasn't it?

"Your dad….he told me I was on surveillance, right?"

"Mhmm" she replied nonchalantly, glancing up at him. Her piercing blue eyes found his and immediately the two glanced away.

"Ah….um…..Anyway, the mission entails a male suitor to find La Ciudad, right?"

"Right, the only way to get the chip the CIA wants would be to get intimate with her, and get in her room, where it'd be…presumably."

Chuck took a breath. "Then I think it makes more sense for me to be out in the field….since I'm a guy….."

He waited for the onslaught that he thought was certainly headed his way.

"Okay….Carina will be more than happy to sit in the van."

"Sorry….wait what?" Chuck raised a brow.

Sarah may have had the ghost of an amused smile on her lips. "I'll let her know."

"Oh….alright….ah…..thank you!"

"Go get ready….we leave in a few hours." She suggested, standing up and grabbing the keys to her Porsche.

"Alright….." Chuck nodded, turning with a smile. That had gone a lot smoother than he'd thought.

-0-

Carina was at a slight loss for words when she first saw Chuck later on that night. He looked like a model. He wore a very formal suit, with a crisp shirt under. His hair was slicked, and he looked damn good. Bryce didn't even compare tonight, though he looked damn good as well.

"Wow boys." Carina smirked as she saw them walk in to Sarah's office, the designated rendezvous point. "You too clean up pretty well."

Chuck smiled. "Thanks."

Bryce smirked cockily. "You probably knew that."

"Where's Sarah?" Chuck asked curiously.

Carina smiled. "She should be here any minute…." Chuck noticed she was in casual wear anyway. Maybe van duty was an easier ride. "She had to get ready."

"Let's go, team." Behind them, in the doorway, was the stunning Sarah Walker.

"Oh my god…." Chuck actually said it out loud, watching her. She was dressed in a beautiful black dress, with elegant heels to match. Her hair was down, but it made her look sexy.

Bryce smirked, but said nothing. Chuck couldn't help what came out of his mouth.

"God, Sarah you look so beautiful…." He blurted truthfully, immediately covering his mouth. Bryce frowned while Carina smirked.

Sarah was equally surprised to see him all dressed up, she thought he looked very dapper.

"I….uh….thank you… Chuck." She turned, so that the blush wasn't visible. "We should get going if we want to be there on time."

"Huh….oh, definitely." Chuck mumbled, leaving out into the van.

-0-

"Nervous, Chuck?" Carina asked, smirking inwardly when she saw Walker's head turn ever so slightly. She loved teasing the two of them like that.

"Hmm? A little." He admitted, though confidence was still there in his tone. Carina thought it was sexy.

"Well, once you finish, we could always have a…..after party…" she whispered, smirking.

Sarah coughed, causing the two of them to jump apart, Chuck grateful she'd done so. He had no feelings for Carina….at least not like that anyway.

Carina winked at Walker, who rolled her eyes. Chuck glanced out his window. That was one hell of friendship.

"Ready to go?" Bryce asked, parking the car outside.

"Yeah, let's get this over with." Sarah replied, stepping out.

The hotel was fancy, and the party was unbelievably large. There seemed to be some sort of art show, Chuck pondered, as he stepped through the main entrance.

Suddenly, he felt an arm slip around his waist faintly, and the sweet scent of vanilla assaulted his senses. He jumped ever so slightly, turning to see Sarah, who acted as if it were perfectly natural.

"What are you-"

"We're a couple." Sarah replied in a low whisper. "Just play along with what ever I do, okay?"

Chuck nodded, still a little shaky.

"You can relax, Chuck…" Carina laughed over the comm. "Walker doesn't bite….most of the time, anyway."

Sarah rolled her eyes, and Chuck smiled ever so slightly, taking a seat at the bar with Sarah.

"What can I get you two?" a gruff voice woke Chuck from his musings. Chuck glanced up, and there was John Casey…..as a bartender.

"I'll get a martini for the lady…." He smiled. "And another for me, please."

Casey grunted, faking a smile. "Very good, sir." He set off to make the drinks, Sarah actually finding Chuck very very attractive at the moment for some odd reason, his warm hand wrapped around her waist.

"Here you go…" Casey handed the two drinks, surveying the crowd. He saw Bryce talking to a dark haired woman in the far corner of the room.

"Don't have too much now. Looks like pretty boy's got her and he's heading upstairs right now." He grunted, wiping a glass clean.

Sarah nodded gently, setting her drink down. "Follow my lead, Chuck…." She pulled him into the elevator right after Bryce and La Ciudad.

Once the doors shut, Sarah relaxed ever so gently. "Once we get the door number from Carina, we bust in and tranq her, got it?" she transitioned back to business mode so quickly…..Chuck was both hurt and impressed at the same time.

"Yeah." Chuck nodded, stepping out the door on the floor Carina had just supplied them with.

Carina zoomed in on Bryce's cam. "Okay….it was 546." She told them. "There are guards at the front…..You should get close and then take them out." She suggested.

"Roger, thanks." Sarah replied quietly.

"Chuck, play along, got it?"

"Wha-"

Sarah giggled, pulling a stunned Chuck almost to the guards. She walked as if she were tipsy, and Chuck began to do the same, laughing as she did. The whole act was very believable.

Within ten feet, Chuck and Sarah pulled out the tranqs, hitting each guard square in the chest.

"Nice work, team." Carina told them, eyeing Bryce's cam. "Now, she's in the bathroom. He's searching for it." She told them.

Silence filled the air for almost two minutes. Suddenly, a small cry. "Assist him!" Carina called. Chuck busted the door in, while Sarah dove onto La Ciudad, wrestling the gun from her hands.

Bryce was wheezing in the corner, barely conscious.

Chuck saw La Ciudad going to choke Sarah. In that instant, he fired to tranq shots, hitting her twice in her side. Within seconds, she was out.

"Everything okay?" Carina's voice sounded.

"Yeah…." Chuck breathed. "We're good."

"How soon can you get someone here to pick her up?" Sarah called, kneeling beside Bryce.

"They're on their way. How's Larkin?"

Sarah gently felt for his pulse, a worried tone in her eyes. "He's been drugged….non lethal." She declared with relief. "We can't hospitalize him anyway….too risky."

"So you want him to ride home with us? How?" Carina questioned.

Chuck finally spoke up. "Carina, can you get us a back way out?"

After a few seconds, Carina's voice caused the earpiece to crackle back to life. "Mhmm….."

"Okay, pull the van out around." Chuck instructed. Kneeling, he lifted Bryce, hauling him up and over his shoulder. Something fell to the ground.

"The chip!" Sarah picked it up, inspecting it for damage. "All clear." She reported.

"Perfect." Carina sounded.

Sarah watched in quiet admiration as Chuck carried Bryce down and out of the hotel through the unused back way. He was doing Bryce, the cockiest, most arrogant and rude guy around, a favor. All on Sarah's whim. She'd remember that.

Sure enough, the van was at the back exit, as promised. Casey stood out to help haul Bryce in. Chuck took the moment to suck in the cold night's air, some what out of breath after carrying such a heavy weight for such a long period of time.

Leaning against the outside of the van, he felt Sarah touch his shoulder ever so gently.

"Nice work tonight….Chuck." she said quietly, the authoritative ring from her voice gone.

Chuck said a simple "thank you", too tired to play anymore games.

"You didn't have to do that….I-"

"Sarah." He smiled gently, not making too much eye contact. "I am part of the team." He reminded gently, climbing in to the van.

Sarah breathed out. "I'm glad you are, Chuck."

With that, she stepped in, closing the door behind her.

"The clean up arrived." Carina informed her gently.

"Good job, team." Sarah stated finally, leaning back in her seat. She felt Carina's hand touch her shoulder somewhat comfortingly. It would be an interesting week.

A/N: So, some advancement here with the mission. Yes, they could have called an ambulance or taken him to a hospital….but where's the fun in that? Anyway, thanks a million for reading and reviewing. As always, have a great one, guys.

-LLC