I still don't own Chuck.

Okay, I've documented my surgery issues elsewhere so I won't get into it here. But one thing that this has made me realize… however bad things get there is always someone in a tougher spot.

So in that spirit, I would like to dedicate this chapter to my friend and most loyal reader esardi1124. He's in a tough spot right now, but fighting with everything that he has. I'm sure he would appreciate a quick prayer just as I do. Dude, keep swinging and beat this thing.

You'll probably notice that Sarah seems a little schizophrenic in this chapter. That's by design. She is still figuring out how to be the Agent Walker that her family needs right now without losing the new life that she adores.

I understand that there isn't a review function on this site. But I would still appreciate your comments. The worst thing for an author is silence. You can't tell if you're connecting with your readers, if they're getting where you think the story is going or not. And those comments don't have to be praise. Of course, I'd be lying if I tried to say that I don't enjoy the praise. But I actually learn more from the critical comments. Just as long as you're respectful and allow me to respond, you can say anything.

Role Reversal

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Sarah sat in the back seat while Devon drove the car, carefully following the directions that Orion had given them. It was one of those glorious mid-summer days where the sun looked like a beach ball hanging in the sky and you thought that it might never set.

Devon and Joan were in the front making absolutely no effort to hide their excitement over being allowed to go on an actual, honest to goodness, in the field, spy assignment. At first Sarah thought that their giddy nervous banter was a little cute… for about thirty seconds. Then it got annoying… increasingly more and more annoying. Sarah was honestly not in the best of moods anyway. She was most definitely on edge. It wasn't necessarily about the mission. It's just that Chuck wasn't with her. And ever since a couple of days ago in the hospital when she came within an eyelash of losing him she felt a little anxious whenever she wasn't physically touching him. Not only that, Orion had been pretty vague about what Plan B actually was. If he hadn't made such a big point about it being so much about trust, she would have protested a lot harder. Now she was beginning to regret giving up so easily. At least he would be surrounded by agents that she trusted. Josh, Joey, and Carina were there. But especially Casey would die before he allowed any harm to come to Chuck.

She was frankly almost as worried about Ellie. She was in over her head here. Oh her good looks alone would probably get Bryce out of that bar. But could she manage the ride to the hotel without something happening that she would struggle explaining to Devon? Say what you want about Bryce, but the man was smooth. He could have an unsuspecting female's panties around her ankles before she even knew what was happening. Fortunately Ellie had Carina to talk her through it and this was definitely Carina's strength. Even more fortunately, Devon didn't seem concerned at all. He was definitely taking his friendship with Casey a bit too seriously. If anything Devon seemed as if he wanted to hear the exciting story of Agent Elise being relieved of her panties. If that was the case then Carina being the one talking her through this might actually work out perfectly.

Sarah knew instinctively that she could never do this kind of assignment again, especially not with Bryce. Chuck would have been going nuts right about now. There was a time in the not too distant past when Sarah would have wished that Chuck would have been more like Devon in that regard. But now she honestly wished that Devon would, maybe not become as jealous as Chuck, but show a little more concern for Ellie's honor's sake. Maybe she could show him a picture of how good looking this Bryce was. Maybe that would get his attention and get him with the program a little.

So Sarah tried to relax. Except that the silliness coming from the front seat certainly wasn't helping. Damn it, this was a mission. Okay, maybe an easy mission, but still a mission. And nothing got under Sarah's skin more than not respecting the mission. That was how you got dead.

Of course, even Sarah had to admit that, as missions go, this one was pretty tame. Steven clearly sent Joan and Devon for Sarah to baby sit and keep them out of his way more than because she needed any help. But she also knew that she had to set some sort of boundaries. And this was getting ridiculous. "Stop the car," she finally said, with probably more intensity than she originally intended.

Once Devon had the car safely pulled off the road, both he and Joan were looking back at Sarah expectantly. Her first inclination was to launch a huge tirade at them that neither would ever forget. She would scream at them that this was not playtime or some act in a play. This was as serious as it got. That there were people out there with very real guns and more, and that if they didn't take it seriously being killed was one of the better outcomes they could hope for.

And just a very few weeks ago they would have gotten that profanity laden earful. But it was probably as good of an indication as any of how much Chuck had changed Sarah's thinking in the past few weeks. She was able to resist the strong temptation enough to realize that yelling at them would hurt their relationship. So she took a deep cleansing type breath and tried to control her voice. "Look, guys," she finally said. "I'm trying very hard to stay calm here. I understand that this is exciting for you, that this is outside of your past experiences, and you have some adrenalin flowing. There is nothing wrong with that. But we need to get something straight between us. This is not a fucking game. We are going after one of the richest, most powerful, and most ruthless men in the whole world. He has resources at his disposal that you can't imagine. And if he really wants too bad enough, he can make your last few hours of life pure hell. He can make you beg him to allow you to die and finally be free from that hell. We cannot afford a single mistake, no matter how minor. There is only one way to survive for very long in this business, and that's by totally concentrating on the mission."

Sarah paused for a moment to gauge their reaction. Once she realized that they were clearly taking her seriously, she continued. "We're family," she said. "I get that. I'm actually excited about it. I think that I know who you are already. I'm looking forward to getting even closer over the years. But we're setting that aside tonight. I know that you think you know me and who I am. But I'm here to tell you that you don't, not really. You know Sarah Bartowski. I'd like to think that she's a nice person. Unfortunately she's not going to be with us tonight. I'm about to become a totally different person. I'm about to become Agent Walker, a stone cold, hard-ass spy on a deadly mission. In fact, you're not going to like Agent Walker very much… practically nobody does. I'll make no apology for that. My spy instincts have kept me alive for the past ten years and they're going to keep you alive tonight. So until further notice when I say something to you, you are to assume that I've issued you an order. I expect immediate compliance. I don't want you to stop and think about it. I don't want you to question what it means. I just want you to do it. And if I get anything less, I've been thoroughly trained to find a very painful way to punish you. Do we understand each other?"

Normally seeing the near panic in their wide eyes as they both quickly nodded would have struck Sarah as funny. She usually enjoyed it when she knew that other agents were afraid of her. But tonight it just made her angrier. In fairness, they would have no way of knowing her particular hot button. Maybe it was time to acquaint them. "When I ask you a question," she growled. "I expect a verbal response. So, once again, do we understand each other?"

Their simultaneous and incredibly nervous 'yes, ma'am' actually did finally strike Sarah as funny. She realized that she was on the edge of scaring them. But she also realized that it was probably better for tonight if they were a little afraid of her. It meant they would be much more easily controlled. She made a mental note to make up with them separately later. So she continued her terse lecture. "You're both very nice people," she said. "You live nice normal lives. You follow all of society's rules. But with the situation we're in we simply can't afford nice. Nice gets people we love killed… or worse. Our new rules are – we don't have any rules. You're going to see things tonight that make you uncomfortable, things that you will recognize are illegal, even things that you find horrible and just plain wrong. I also make zero apologies for that. I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect my family, with absolutely nothing off the table. If you're going to go on an assignment with me, then you'd damn well better be just as willing. If you can't deal with that then just say the word and we'll turn the fucking car around right now."

"Do we still understand each other?"

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Ellie sat in the bar sipping her drink, waiting for Bryce Larkin to finish meeting his contacts so that she could make her move. She maybe looked alone, but she knew that the place was surrounded by her new family just waiting to come in guns blazing at the first hint of trouble. Carina told her that Casey was particularly anxious. Apparently he hadn't shot anyone in a few days and well… Hopefully she was kidding. But actually Carina was talking in her ear almost incessantly, clearly trying to keep her from getting nervous. The funny thing was that, not only wasn't it necessary, it was getting on the edge of being downright annoying. Ellie wasn't nervous at all. She was excited. This was the battle for justice that had been brewing her whole life and she was right in the middle of it. Although she knew that he was potentially an ally, she started off tonight being totally prepared to not like Bryce Larkin… not even a little bit. Even the name was enough to make the bile rise up her throat. He had been the source of a ton of heartbreak for her brother.

This would normally be a hundred miles out of Ellie's comfort zone. She simply wasn't the prick teasing kind of girl. In fact, girls like that disgusted her. But tonight seemed like the opportunity for an exception. Teasing this Bryce prick, getting him all hot and bothered with an erection that would make it difficult to stand upright, and then making fun of him as she walked off and left him high and dry actually sounded like a bit o fun. And if that meant getting felt up a little in the car… well that was an acceptable price to pay. But after seeing him, that anger was tempered… a little anyway. Sarah hadn't told her how incredibly pretty this dude was. No wonder Chuck was so jealous of him.

Oh, make no mistake. Ellie would never, ever, under any circumstance do anything to intentionally hurt Devon. There was a line she wouldn't cross tonight. But that's what was so great about this situation. Devon was fully on board. It was an expression of trust that went far beyond what could reasonably be expected from a fiancée. And to say that she was grateful didn't come close to the reality.

So now Ellie had traded one kind of excitement for another. She honestly wasn't sure which was more responsible for stoking the inferno that was currently threatening her panties with bursting into spontaneous combustion. Was it the excitement of getting to be Slutty Agent Elise again, playing a sexy role with an incredibly sexy man with zero consequences? Or was it thinking about the erotic reward that she was about to deliver to her amazing fiancé as soon as she could get him behind closed doors? Well, maybe it was a bit of both. But as she finally saw the men shake Bryce's hand and leave, Ellie Bartowski knew one thing for sure.

She was about to find out.

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Volkoff may have taken away Bryce's memories. But he sure hadn't changed his tastes any. Sarah recognized the place as soon as they pulled into the parking lot. It brought a brief but genuine smile to her lips in spite of the tension. It was of those seedy motels that specialized in cheep hookers and one night stands, one where it was best if you didn't think too much about what the sheets you were lying on had been doing an hour ago. It was a place where they didn't ask questions, the last place on earth one would look for a glamorous super spy. It was dumps just like this where she and Bryce would have some of their biggest fights. He was always looking for her to dress and act like a pro to 'blend in.'

They found Beckman in the room just like Orion said. She was none too gently bound and gagged on the bed. "Agent Walker," she said excitedly as soon as the gag was removed. "Thank goodness. Agent Larkin has gone totally insane. Untie me and let's get out of here before he returns."

And just like that Joan and Devon would be eternally grateful… because Sarah was instantly in a good mood. "I don't think so," she said with a short shake of her head. "I'm afraid that the nature of our relationship has changed."

"What do you mean, you don't think so?" Beckman asked incredulously. "Agent Walker, you untie me this very second."

Sarah's grin now had… well, a touch of evil. She put the gag back in place. "I've already grown tired of listening to you jabber," she said. "I believe that we've had this discussion more than once. My name is no longer Agent Walker. It's Sarah Bartowski… Mrs. Charles Irving Bartowski. Now it seems that we have something of a role reversal thing going on. It's now me that is calling the shots. I'm the one now insisting that you be the one to make a huge personal sacrifice to do the right thing. Ironic, isn't it? Tell me something, General Beckman, how does it feel to have someone else control your life? Be honest. It's a little disconcerting, isn't it?"

Sarah's question was clearly rhetorical. And she was just as clearly enjoying just watching Beckman struggle to speak against the gag for a few seconds. "Here's the deal," she finally said. "This visit is a professional courtesy to brief you. In a few minutes Volkoff's men are going to come and take you to Russia. But here is the twist. Volkoff doesn't really want you. He may try and scare you a little but he really wants Chuck. He thinks that I'm the way for him to get Chuck to agree to work for him. For some bizarre reason he is under the entirely mistaken impression that you and I have a mother / daughter mentor thing going and that I'll come and try and make a deal to rescue you. Today is the day for irony, huh? He doesn't realize that I wouldn't inconvenience myself enough to walk across the street to help you. But you're a smart lady… heartless but smart. You've probably already figured out that we're setting a trap for him. Do this right and we end Alexei Volkoff and his evil empire forever. I figure that would make you and me about even."

Sarah headed for the door. "So, mom," she said over her shoulder sarcastically. "I'll see you in a few days."

"When I do come and rescue you, maybe you should act a little grateful."

x-x-x-x-x

"I thought they would never leave."

Bryce Larkin wasn't in the best of moods. He'd fucked up the mission. Oh, he had Beckman. That was his primary objective. But his girlfriend had been captured. And if that's all it was, he'd have just headed back to Russia. The truth was that she wasn't a very good girlfriend anyway. But it was worse than that. He felt like he had just let his friend, Alexei down. That was unacceptable. Not only that, he still had this splitting headache thing going. But when he looked up to find out who was speaking to him all that was suddenly driven away by the sight standing before him. It was hard to tell which was most attractive. Her raven hair flowed shimmering over her shoulders. Her bright smile simply took your breath away. But naturally Bryce's attention was riveted to her headlights… her high beam headlights. So he put on the boyish smile that had always been so very useful in these situations. "Excuse me?" he asked.

"Your friends," Ellie said with a grin. "I thought that they would never leave. I've been waiting to come over and buy you a drink."

Ellie watched as Bryce's smile turned into a full grin of his own. She clearly noticed that his eyes never left her chest. So she stuck out her hand to make sure that she had his attention. "My name is Elise," she said.

"Bryce," Bryce said as he took her offered hand.

"Well, Bryce," Ellie said. "It's nice to meet you. At the risk of sounding like a total slut let's put some cards on the table, shall we? I'm never this forward with men. Not to sound boastful or anything, but quite frankly, I don't have to be. They usually come to me. Now we can play the game here tonight. I can buy you a drink, sit down, bat my eyes at you, and laugh at your jokes while you stare at my tits until you're comfortable enough or horny enough to make your move. Normally I'd have a little fun and make you work for it a little. But that seems like a huge waste of time in this case. You strike me as the kind of man who knows what he wants. So here's the brutal truth. You're the sexiest man I've ever laid eyes on. And tonight I'm in the mood to fuck."

"So what do you say, Bryce? Can we skip all the preliminaries and take this to your place?"

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Sarah was suddenly and rather un-expectantly in a good mood. She was sitting in the back seat while Devon drove them to the location where Bowles was being held. The look on Beckman's face when she reapplied the gag had her fighting back the giggles.

Now the plain truth was that Sarah was feeling guilty. She definitely struggled with how to handle this situation. Devon and Joan perhaps were safer if they were a little afraid. But they were going to be her family for the rest of their lives. She knew that she couldn't allow that to adversely affect their relationship. "Stop the car," she finally said.

They clearly remembered the last time she had them stop the car to lecture them. Their looks as they sat there in the dark waiting for her to speak bordered on panic. It was actually kinda funny. "Everything that I said to you earlier is still absolutely true," she began. "I make zero apologies for that. When we're in potential danger I'm going to be in pure agent mode. And when I give you instructions, you need to follow them immediately, for all of our safety's sake."

Sarah allowed the smile to come to her face. "But I should have found a better way to say it," she said. "So, I'm very sorry that I got harsh with you. I'm no longer the stone cold Agent Walker. I've changed. And you've both had a big part in changing me. So I hope that you don't feel like you have to be afraid of me."

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Sarah's good mood instantly evaporated as Jennifer Bowles stood in front of her with that incredibly annoying smirk on her face. This was a Fulcrum Elder. It was the organization that had been trying to capture Chuck and torture him into compliance, the very one that had made her life hell for the past year. Not to mention her own history in Vegas or the disgusting night Laura had suffered at her… well, hands. Devon and Joan must have sensed as much because they stood as far away as they could possibly be from where the two adversaries stood glaring at each other.

"Agent Walker," Bowles said sarcastically. "It looks like you survived."

Sarah was simply not prepared to take any crap, from anybody when it came right down to it, but certainly not from this bitch. "You'll speak when you're asked a question," she growled. "Not before. I'm in total charge here. I expect total cooperation from you. Understand?"

Bowles didn't back down a bit. "Fuck you," she said, drawing out the words.

Sarah's smile belied the mood in the room. The last time they had met, Bowles had captured her, hit her several times, and believed that she had just sentenced her to be tortured to death by Agent Carmichael's sex drug. "Good," she said sweetly. "I was hoping you would say something like that. You see, this is a little personal for me."

Jenifer Bowles had never witnessed Agent Walker in action. That in itself wasn't unusual, most hadn't. But it also meant that she had no idea that her favorite fighting weapon was her lighting fast left foot… until it impacted just under her jaw. The force of the vicious blow knocked Bowles against the wall. She slumped to the floor in a semi-conscious heap. Sarah knelt down to look into Bowles glassy, clearly unfocused eyes.

"That was for flirting with my husband."

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