This is not an original story. It was written during the middle of season 2. The original story assumed a sequel that never happened. So there will be some brand new content in this rewrite and several new chapters at the end.

I still don't own Chuck.

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Different Perspectives

x-x-x-x-x

Sarah was in the bathroom getting ready for bed. It had been such a good night so far. First she played Seth like a fiddle and got out of having to spend the night with him. Then she got to spend some quality time with her soon to be sister. Then she got to be in a fight, well, maybe not a fight exactly. She was the only one who threw a punch. Maybe it was more like a beating. Dumb asses should have never touched her car.

Finally, there was telling Ellie the truth. That could have gone poorly. But Ellie was great. She was plainly looking forward to the next installment of Carina – Slutty Super Spy.

Hopefully this wonderful night would continue with Chuck. But she was totally willing to do her part. He was on the computer clearly reading the transcript of her meeting with Seth when she walked into the room. Some of that was probably hard to read about. So she was determined to make this up to him by creating the most erotic night of Chuck Bartowski's young life. Except there were several, well, if not problems, then issues to overcome with that.

First and foremost, most-erotic-night would already be something of a tall hill to climb. They had been a couple for only a full week today. And they had spent most of the week in bed. They had already made love well into double digits already. Chuck was clearly now comfortable seeing her fully naked, even in daylight. And for her part she was now fully comfortable asking for the things from him that she had discovered were her favorites. Or more accurately, the one thing that was her favorite multiple times.

For another, Chuck clearly wasn't yet totally comfortable in making sex a game, even between them. He had this old fashioned thing going on. Sex was an expression of love… period. Any other reason bordered on sin. She guessed that's why he struggled so much with something as simple as the possibility of showing her tits to Seth Roberts. It's something that a spy would do for a mission without even thinking about it. Chuck clearly thought of it as a sexual act. So she would have to tread a little carefully making sure that he knew whatever she was about to do for his benefit was different, an expression of love.

So she was torn. Should she put on one of her negligees and just blatantly seduce him? Maybe she could just give him the sexy strip tease they had talked about last night. The problem is that either might backfire. The negligee was what she was going to offer Seth, and Chuck knew it. He saw it in her bag. She already told him that the strip tease is what Bryce would have wanted. She sure didn't want to give Chuck the impression that she was treating him like she would those guys.

Finally she decided that she was over thinking this and would just go out there and talk to him about it.

Chuck was clearly enjoying himself over something. "Oh my God," he said mixed with laughing as soon as she stepped out of the bathroom. "Didn't the CIA teach you anything about negotiation?"

Sarah had no idea what he was talking about. But at least he was laughing. That was a good sign. "Not really," she said. "What do you want to negotiate about?"

"Not me, silly," Chuck said, still laughing. "Your husband. Ten times? You do realize that he would have settled for three?"

That got Sarah laughing herself. "And I would have willingly given up a hundred," she replied. "It got me out of spending the night. You do realize that it's not happening, not once?"

"I'll keep that in mind the next time we're negotiating," Chuck laughed.

Sarah stepped up and put her arms around his neck. "I would never cheat you," she said as their lips met. "But now you get to choose your reward."

"Reward?" Chuck asked, clearly confused. "Reward for what?"

"For not freaking out about reading that transcript," Sarah said as she kissed him again, broke the embrace, and stepped back. "You've been so great about this whole thing with Seth. I'm really very proud of you. You deserve a reward. You can either have my sexiest lap dance or a sexy fashion show with five of my virtually invisible negligees. So what will it be?"

Chuck paused for a long, long time. Finally Sarah piped up with a laugh. "Is this really that hard of a decision?" she teased. "With just a little sweet talking, you could probably get both."

Chuck just looked at her. "Sarah, are you unsatisfied with our sex life?" he finally asked so softly that she wasn't even sure that she heard him correctly. "I'm doing my best."

You could have knocked Sarah over with a feather. And since it was the very, very last thing she ever expected him to say, her response was less than smooth. "Huh?" she asked? "Why on earth would you say that?"

"It's just that you always seem to be trying to spice it up," Chuck said. "Isn't what we're doing enough?"

Sarah's perfect night was quickly going down the drain. She resisted the temptation to be pissed. She tried to resist it anyway. She wasn't totally successful. "So that's seriously the conclusion you've come to?" she asked incredulously. "After all the moaning, the multiple orgasms, the daily asking you for my favorite thing, the waking up every morning lying on your chest naked, you've concluded that I'm unsatisfied somehow, that I need more. You're simply going to have to help me out here, Chuck. I really don't have a fucking clue what could possibly be going on inside that head of yours. The fact is that I've never come close to feeling like I have for the past week. It's been nothing short of magical. I didn't think it was possible to be this happy, this contented. I never want it to end. I just wanted to do something special for you, to thank you. But you making that wrong somehow? Tell me what you're thinking because I'm stumped."

Chuck went over and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry if I reacted poorly," he said. Then he paused for a long moment. "I'm really not trying to make you feel bad. Maybe I can explain it in a way to help you understand my perspective. Do you remember the mission with Lon Kirk?"

"Barely," Sarah answered. "Was he the guy on the yacht? Why?"

"I remember watching you with him," Chuck said. "I remember every single detail about that day. I was so jealous. I remember thinking to myself. If I could ever get that girl to kiss me like that, to neck with me in that barely there bikini, to let me slide my hand inside her top, to offer to take me below and make love with me, I'd be the luckiest man in the whole world. I'd be content for the rest of my life."

"But, Chuck," Sarah pleaded. "Come on. Sweetie, be serious. That Lon Kirk guy was an assignment. Every single thing I did with him was fake. I can barely remember his name. I've done all of those things with you, and far more… for real. And I'll remember the first time we kissed for real in that hospital bed for the rest of my life. I can close my eyes and still feel how your lips felt against mine. When you finally worked up enough courage to seek out my tongue with yours, how purely magical it was. Then you finally got around to putting your hand on my breast. I was in a hospital bed. I had been unconscious for six hours, my ankle was on fire, and I was totally ready to start ripping your clothes off. I still get a tingle right now thinking about it. So I ask you, how can you possibly compare those things?"

Chuck shook his head sadly. "I'm not comparing them," he said. "You're misunderstanding me. I agree that you've done all of those things. Don't you get it? Now I'll be content for the rest of my life. I don't need anything more. I honestly worship you. I don't need you to perform for me."

Wow. It so wasn't fair for him to break out that much sweetness when she was good and pissed. How could you possibly stay mad at that? Sarah sat next to Chuck on the bed and put her head on his shoulder. "Okay," she said. "Chuck, I get that. I do. It was very, very sweet. But you're the one who doesn't get it. I worship you every bit as much, Chuck. Every bit. Why do you question that?"

"I don't question that," Chuck said.

"Well, can't you understand why I would want to do something a little extra every once in a while?" Sarah asked gently. "Something that I know you would like? Am I misreading you somehow? Are you really saying that you wouldn't enjoy seeing me model some negligees for you without turning it into an opportunity to feel guilty?"

"I'm not saying that," Chuck said firmly. "I'm sorry if it came across like that. What red blooded man wouldn't want to see the most beautiful woman in the world giving him a private negligee show? I'm just saying that you don't have to do that to keep me interested."

"I think what we have here is a failure to communicate," Sarah said. "I get that we see sex a little differently. I'll admit that my natural reaction is to see it the way a spy sees it. Something that men want, something to use as a weapon against them, something to bargain with, a feel good release of tension. I get that those thoughts horrify you. I don't fault you for that. I'm even trying to be sensitive to it. You see sex as an expression of love. Period. Any other possible reason for sex makes you feel guilty. Do we agree on that at least?"

"I guess," Chuck said non-committally. "What's your point?"

"My point is that you're not being fair to me," Sarah said. "If I offered a lap dance to Seth, yes, it would be a weapon. When I offer it to you, it's an expression of love. The very same act would mean totally different things. Can we agree on that?"

Chuck sensed that he was now trapped in a losing argument. So he just nodded.

"So do I have to apologize for my expression of love?" Sarah asked. "I fully understand that you're not demanding it from me. I get that. I want to do something special for you, the man who I'm going to spend the rest of my life with. Can't you just have the good grace to accept it? The honest truth is that I'm going to enjoy driving you crazy."

That got a smile. "Okay," he said. "You win. You're right. I'm really sorry that I was looking at it the wrong way. Thank you for pointing out the difference. That would be very sexy. I'd like it very much."

Sarah wasn't sure which made her happier, getting Chuck to agree, or winning a logical argument with him so decisively. That never happened. But she still wasn't totally ready to let him off the hook. "Good," she said obviously relieved. "But now you've made me upset. Maybe you should be the one to strip for me."

Chuck put his arm around her lovingly. "You were totally right and I was totally wrong," he said with a grin. "I'm very sorry. Tell me, did that help? Maybe just a little?

Okay, so now he was off the hook. Indeed, she couldn't help the grin. "It actually helped a lot," she said. "Maybe you could say it again?"

That got them both laughing. "Okay," Chuck said. "Now you're just gloating."

"I know," Sarah said, still laughing. "It doesn't happen that often. I have to enjoy it when it does." Then she got more serious. "Chuck, I need a favor," she said softly.

Chuck could tell by the tone of her voice alone that she was being serious. "You know that you don't have to ask me for a favor," he said. "What do you need?"

Sarah paused for a long moment. "Understanding," she finally said softly. "Look, Chuck, I know this sounds odd to you. But the honest truth is that I've been treating you like crap for a long time. I knew that. Hell, everybody knew that. I would lie in bed at night feeling so guilty. And the way I got myself through those horrible nights was by promising myself that if I ever got the chance I would make it up to you someday. Okay, I can already hear you saying that I don't need to make anything up to you. You can just save your breath. I already know that you're not expecting that. It's sweet… but it also misses the point… by a mile. It's something that I need. I need to know that I'm doing everything I possibly can to make you happy. And make no mistake. When I say happy, I mean so aroused that all you can think about is whatever I happen to be doing to you, to trust me enough to lose control. I understand that you're not totally comfortable with that, you think somehow that it's just what I would do for a mark. But it's not the same at all, Chuck. So maybe if you could just meet me halfway here?"

Chuck took the arm that was wrapped around her and gave her a squeeze. "Let me get this straight," he said. "I'd be doing you a favor by allowing the most beautiful woman in the whole world, who also happens to be the love of my life, to try her best to see how hot she can make me without whining about it. Then after she's given me the biggest orgasm of my life to lie there catching my breath and maybe act just a little appreciative. Is that about right?"

That broke the tension. "That's about right," Sarah said with a giggle. "I know it's a lot to ask. So which negligee would you like first?"

"Actually," Chuck said with a grin. "If it's all the same, I think I'd rather have the lap dance."

"Morgan picked out the perfect panties for you to wear."

x-x-x-x-x

Casey was already in the conference room when Chuck and Sarah arrived. Beckman was on line and they were just passing time waiting for them. They quickly took their normal seats.

"Agent Walker," Beckman began the meeting. "We've already all seen the transcript. Very well done. It looks like you were successful. Congratulations. Do you have anything further to report?"

"Not really, ma'am," Sarah said. "My mission went much better than expected. Seth Roberts believes that I am willing to defect to Fulcrum using my alias Sarah Anderson. Seth is going to set up a meeting with his Fulcrum contact. We made plans to meet in Vegas in two days."

"Excellent," Beckman said. "I assume that Mr. Roberts doesn't suspect you. What is your confidence level that this Fulcrum contact will agree to meet you?"

"Seth gave me no indication that he suspects anything," Sarah said softly. "I'm hopeful that the Fulcrum contact will agree to meet me. Seth is going to offer him, um, an incentive."

"Good," Beckman said. "Agents Casey and Bartowski, will you please excuse us for a moment? Just before this meeting started we intercepted a call from Seth Robert's cell phone that we haven't had time to transcribe. The other side of the call was secured so we couldn't trace it. But it has some interesting information. I want to play it for you and it has some embarrassing language. Out of professional courtesy, I would like Sarah to have the chance to listen to it first."

As Chuck and Casey got up to leave, Sarah grabbed Chuck's hand. "Excuse me ma'am," she said. "But I'm tired of keeping things from Chuck. And as hard as this assignment has been for me, I'm sure that it has been twice as hard on him. Would you mind if he stayed?"

"Are you sure?" Beckman asked. "There is some fairly crude language directed towards you."

"I'm very sure," Sarah said as she gave Chuck's hand a squeeze and looked directly at him. "I need for him to trust me so he needs to know how much I trust him. And that means not keeping anything from him. This is all mission related. If we're going to spend the rest of our lives together, we need that mutual trust. Casey is free to stay as well. He's our partner. He deserves to hear anything related to our mission."

"Very well," Beckman said as she began playing the conversation.

The call was from Seth to his Fulcrum contact. And even though they could only really hear one side of the conversation, it was plenty to get the general gist of what was being discussed. He was setting up the meeting with Sarah. He was describing in very graphic terms what a good time he could expect from Sarah. It was the kind of conversation that you might hear in a locker room.

As Chuck sat and listened to Seth brag about his totally fabricated night with Sarah and how many positions he had her in and how awesome she was in bed, he kept his eyes on her. Even though she was trying her best to stay professional, Chuck could tell that she was struggling. Her eyes were starting to get glassy and there was a slight tremor forming in her hands. It broke Chuck's heart to see Sarah in such pain. To have to sit there next to him and listen together to this man who she hated, lie about her so crudely.

He just had to figure out the best way to help her. Getting mad wasn't going to help, that was for sure. And he knew that trying to comfort her in front of Beckman wasn't a smart move. The last thing she would want would be to break down in front of Beckman. She could probably live with Casey seeing her cry. But Beckman… No way. So that only left one thing to do… follow her advice.

"It's obvious that this Fulcrum contact is eager to meet Agent Walker," Beckman said in disgust. "I'm sorry that we had to all listen to that. Are there any questions?"

"Yes, ma'am," Chuck said in a hesitant voice. "Excuse me but I'm a little confused. What does it mean that Sarah is going to fuck this Fulcrum guy's brains out? Is that some new sanctioned form of CIA torture? It sounds really painful, worse than water boarding. And I thought we were trying to entice this guy, not scare him off."

As Chuck was speaking he looked directly at Sarah, smiled, and arched his eyebrows suggestively. Chuck could see that Sarah was fighting to keep a straight face.

"And another thing, ma'am," Chuck continued without waiting for a response. "What difference does it make to Fulcrum how religious Sarah is? Why would he care if she spends more time on her knees than the pope?"

That totally broke the tension in the room. For a long moment Sarah tried to hold her laughing in. Finally she gave up and joined the rest of the room as they exploded in laughter. Even the disciplinarian Beckman had tears running down her face. Casey could tell that she understood that this was a release that the team needed so he decided to join the fun. He turned to Chuck with his brow furrowed in mock confusion.

"And what did he mean," Casey said while trying to control his own laughter. "When he said that Sarah could suck a tennis ball through a garden hose? What's up with that?"

"I'm not sure," Chuck agreed. "It sounds really hard, and actually kind of gross." Then he turned to Sarah. "Can you really do that?"

That sent the room into another fit of laughing. Sarah was laughing so hard that she had to lay her head on the table as the tears ran down her face.

Beckman let the laughter go on for a long moment before she finally tried to settle them down. "Okay, people," she finally said. "We still have some decisions to make here. I think we can safely assume that Fulcrum no longer suspects the Buy More. We can simply wait a few days, deal with Seth Roberts, and call it a day. Or we can follow up and perhaps catch some bigger fish. Since Sarah is doing the heavy lifting on this, I'm going to defer to her. Sarah, what do you want to do?"

"Well, ma'am," Sarah said. "Would it be okay if I talked to Chuck privately for a minute? I think that he deserves a voice."

"Of course," Beckman said. "You two take a minute and talk about it. Agent Casey and I will wait here."

x-x-x-x-x

Sarah took Chuck by the hand and led him to a private room. As soon as the door closed she threw her arms around him and smashed her mouth to his. "I'm so proud of you," she said when she finally needed to come up for air. "You made it a joke."

Chuck just smiled at her.

Sarah smiled back. "But this is not a normal situation," she said. "Seth Roberts is not a typical mark. No one could expect you to endure seeing their fiancé pretend to be married to another man. So if you say stop everyone, me included, will understand."

"But that's not what you want," Chuck said with a smile. "Is it? Please be honest with me."

"My top priority is you," Sarah insisted firmly. "It always has been. It always will be. You're safe now. So I'm not willing to put you through any more pain."

"What pain?" Chuck said. "You hate this guy, right?"

Sarah nodded.

"And you're not really going to have sex with anyone, right?" Chuck asked with a smile.

"Well," Sarah said with a grin. "You have a serious shot if you play your cards right. But no one else."

"No paying off to Seth?" Chuck teased. "You did make the man a promise."

That got an even bigger grin. "I'll tell you what," she said. "We'll make you his heir. When he's dead, I'll pay off to you."

That got Chuck's face red, but he ignored it. "Then I want you to listen to me," he said as his demeanor turned serious. "You're my best friend in the world. I love you very much. Do you believe that?"

"Of course," Sarah said. "That question had better have been rhetorical. Otherwise be prepared to have your ass kicked."

Chuck ignored her teasing threat. "So," he said softly. "Let's do what you've dedicated your life to doing. Let's bust these bastards. I'm thinking for my reward tonight, we'll go with the negligee show."

That got Sarah laughing again. "Getting a little cocky are we?" she asked as soon as she could speak.

"If I said that I was getting more than a little… and bigger all the time," Chuck said in faux seriousness. "Would you think that I sounded like Seth?"

That brought on some serious laughing from both of them. "Maybe a little," Sarah was finally able to get out. "But I'm giving you a pass. You want the show? Okay. You got it."

"Fair warning, I'll be expecting you to prove to me how cocky you are."

x-x-x-x-x

Sarah led Chuck back into the conference room. As soon as they sat back down, Sarah turned to the screen. "We would like the chance to continue, ma'am" she said. "The risk is minimal and the possible reward is huge. It's what we do."

"Great," Beckman said. "If that's your decision, we have two days. Let's get together then."

"Yes, ma'am" Casey said.

"I'm putting out a sanction on Seth Roberts and Laura Carter," Beckman said. "They can still connect Sarah to the Buy More. I assume that nobody has a problem with that."

"The only problem I would have," Sarah said with a smile. "Is if I don't get to pull the trigger."

"We'll see," Beckman said thoughtfully. "If there is nothing else, you're dismissed."

As soon as the screen went blank Sarah leaned over to whisper in Chuck's ear.

"Let's go home. I suddenly feel religious."

x-x-x-x-x