This is a work of fantasy. We don't own Chuck or any of its characters.

This takes place a couple months after the end of the series. Sarah has regained almost all of her memories and they are about to begin their new lives together outside the spy life. They say it was a happy ending. Maybe… Eventually.

For what it's worth, I only write Charah stories.

The Casting Couch

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Mark heard the knock on his office door and sighed. There was a time, really not all that long ago, when this was the highlight of his week. It used to be that the sweet young thing knocking on his door in search of her first big break halfway expected that she would pay her dues and prove her dedication by spending some time on his casting couch 'auditioning' for the imaginary lurid love scene. The 'Me Too' movement ended that. It made any suggestion of a casting couch far too risky. The sweet young things were smarter now. They knew that the courts would love the publicity of throwing the book at the predators like himself… delivered in the form of huge financial judgements. Since there was no such thing as sexual predator insurance, that money came directly out of your pocket. That turned the tables. What used to be the hunter had turned into the prey. Even when the sweet young thing offered to 'audition'… and they sometimes did… it was still too risky. Imagine his surprise when he opened the door to find not a sweet young thing… but two.

"Sarah?" Mark asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Sarah didn't answer. She just sauntered into the room. Her smile always lit up the room… today more than usual. "This is my friend, Carina from Washington," she said. "She'll be staying with us for a few days."

Mark looked at the 'friend' for a long moment. Reasonable people might disagree on who was better looking. They were very different… almost physical opposites… but most would agree that both were amazing. "Hi, Carina," he said. "Any friend of Sarah's is a friend of mine."

The two ladies shared a knowing look until Carina made a beeline over to the sofa. "So this is the famous casting couch," she said as she bounced on it playfully. "Tell me, Mark. Now that we're friends what scene do you need to see me audition to make me a star? Please let it be a girl-on-girl seduction scene. Maybe the experienced redhead seduces the reluctant innocent blonde to give it up for the first time. I've been trying to get Blondie here to help me rehearse that particular scene for years now. So far, I've gotten nowhere. Ooh, I know. How about a threesome scene? That works. Maybe a session on the casting couch would loosen her up."

Sarah fought back the laugh, sat next to Carina, and sided playfully into her. "I don't know, Mark," she teased. "That's pretty lurid. A threesome? Right here in your office? After, I'll become a star? My problem is that Chuck keeps me busy. I really don't have the time to be a big star. What else you got?"

At least Mark was now sure that they were teasing. "Why are you here?" he asked again.

Sarah got up and went to stand in front of him… maybe they weren't quite touching… but far closer than would be appropriate in this situation. "Come on, Mark," she said. "Don't be like that. I'm sorry that we're teasing you. I'm here to apologize for last night. As it turns out, Chuck isn't happy with the way I treated you. I'm sure that you understand that I can't stand it when Chuck is unhappy with me. He sent me to tell you that I owe you one. So, I'm here to apologize. I'm genuinely sorry. I'd really appreciate it if you could tell Chuck we've made up. Please? What can I do to make this up to you?"

Mark couldn't believe this turn of events. The game was back on. Not only that… he now had the upper hand. Victory had just been snatched from the very jaws of defeat. Thank you, Chuck. She had just offered something… but exactly what? "You owe me one?" he asked. "Anything?"

Sarah was grinning. "Down boy," she teased. "Yeah, I owe you one… but anything is probably too much. Chuck told me to apologize to you… not rock your world. It would have to be something my husband would approve of… so the threesome on your casting couch is probably out… at least not without him watching. Maybe not so soon anyway. Surely you can think of something that gets you over last night but keeps my virginity intact. Try me."

Wow. Well, this was a little odd with her friend in the room… but she was plainly flirting and waiting for him to make a move. It was time to push.

Sarah grinned and made no effort to pull away when his hand landed on her chest. "So, Mark," she said. "I think I've made my position clear about my chest being groped without Chuck's permission. That position is still the same. Since you're currently not in the process of being incapacitated… well, you're a smart guy… so tell me."

"Are we even now?"

x-x-x-x-x

Chuck was waiting, not so patiently. He really didn't wait for them to get completely in the room. "How did it go?" he asked.

Both Sarah and Carina were plainly giddy. "Her virginity is still intact," Carina said.

That got them laughing. "I have good news," Sarah said. "You're going to get to sleep with Darcy tonight."

Both girls started laughing harder at the look on his face. "I'm teasing you, sweetie," Sarah said. "It's a metaphor. I don't anticipate much in the way of actual sleeping. You have to admit… she's very attractive."

Chuck tried to stay calm and finally found his voice. "Yes," he said. "Of course, she's attractive. Noticing someone is attractive doesn't make you want to sleep with them. I can look you in the eye and honestly tell you that I've never had a thought about sleeping with Darcy."

Sarah's eyes narrowed. "You didn't listen to me," she said. "It's a metaphor. There will be no sleeping."

She looked at him for a long moment before she couldn't hold the laugh in any longer. "I'm still teasing you, Chuck," she said. "Please take a breath. I'm not accusing you of anything. You're a perfect husband."

"Why are you in such a good mood?" he asked. "This is a risky topic for me. You're usually so jealous. I still have the scars from the frostbite I got for noticing that model was pretty in Castle that time."

"I'm still jealous," Sarah protested. "Let me be clear. If I ever catch you noticing a pretty girl in the grocery store… well the day isn't going to go so well for you. Frostbite might be tame. Darcy's different. If you were ever to go behind my back with Darcy… or anyone when it comes down to it, I'd be devastated. I'd stop wanting to live. It's never going to happen. It's not you. It will never be you. I don't fear it at all. You're simply not that guy. If anything like that ever happens, it'll be a game… and because I think it would be exciting for you. I'd take your hand and lead you through it… and I'd fully participate."

Carina was trying to keep calm… but this was very bad news. This wasn't Sarah. She had years of experience to know that anyone so bold as to suggest the possibility of a threesome including Agent Walker had just made a very bad decision and would wake up with a sore jaw. This was plainly the suggestion talking. How could she not panic Chuck? Maybe keep it light. "Wait a minute," she protested. "You're planning a threesome… and not with me? What's wrong with me?"

Sarah turned her grin towards her best friend. "Sorry, Red," she said. "I know that you've put in a lot of effort over the years to make this happen. I'd like to reward you. It's just that you scare him… not in a 'badass superspy' way… in a 'he might catch something that makes his man parts fall off' way."

At least that got them laughing… until Chuck caught Carina's eye and remembered Quinn's suggestion… and her unspoken meaning. "You're the one," he finally said. "You think that Darcy's attractive. You want this to happen."

"Yes," Sarah teased. "Of course, I notice that she's attractive. I've been told that noticing someone is attractive doesn't make you want to have sex with them. It would be a first for me. If I had ever wanted to be with another woman, Red here has offered me ample opportunity. I'm a different person now. Life's too short to have hangups. In case you've forgotten, I worship you. My main purpose in life is to find new ways to make things exciting for you. Allowing Darcy to participate would be a big step for us… but it's probably the next logical step. I'd want to do anything to make sure you had a good time. I get your point. Anything that is exciting for you is, by definition, exciting for me. My enthusiasm would probably surprise you."

Chuck really didn't know what to say. He was already surprised. This was something that couldn't be undone. Even if this all worked out, how would his wife remember this? Ellie's words echoed in his mind. How could he slow her down without adding stress? Fortunately, he was saved from that decision… for now.

"Please relax," Sarah said. "I'm sorry for teasing you. You're not ready to go that far yet. You'd be uptight. By definition, I'm looking for ways to excite you… not make you tense. Let's put that on the back burner and save it for a rainy day. Nothing is going to happen tonight. I just need for Mark to think it is."

Chuck was able to breathe a sigh of relief. "I take it that your mission with Mark is going well," he said.

"It's going perfectly," Sarah said.

"Let me tell you about it."

x-x-x-x-x

Carina started laughing at the sight. "Wow, Mark," she said. "You don't know how honored you should feel. Very few men have had their hands on Blondie's chest… well… and stayed conscious long enough to brag about it anyway. She must really feel guilty. Chuck must have cracked the whip."

Sarah made no attempt to pull away. She was still grinning. "You didn't answer my question," she said. "Are we even now?"

Mark really didn't know what to do. She was standing there grinning at him, getting felt up without protest. If anything, she looked like she was enjoying this. That alone was huge progress from last night. Were they negotiating? The first rule of negotiation was to always make the other party make the next offer. "I don't know," he teased.

Sarah didn't take the bait. "You've had your hand on my chest for about a minute now," she teased. "Aren't you getting bored with the feel of my bra? What's your long game?"

Huh? Maybe she had caved more than he thought. He probably couldn't get her naked right here in his office… not with her friend standing there. "Why don't you come over tonight after the party?" he suggested. "We can talk about it."

That got Sarah laughing. "Talk?" she asked. "What are we… in High School? Are you going to ask me to the senior prom? I seriously doubt that you want to talk. Why don't we stop the silly dance? We're adults. If you want something from me, just tell me. Trust me. It won't be the first time I've heard it. There may be a way for you to get it."

Now Mark was confused. He knew how this game was played… and this wasn't it. "I think that you know what I want," he said. "I think you want it too. Chuck would be okay with this?"

That got Sarah laughing even harder. "You misunderstand Chuck," she said. "Everyone does. He likes to play as much as anyone. I play the game by his rules. If you want to play, it has to be by those same rules."

"Let me get this straight," Mark said. "If Chuck told you, you'd sleep with me tonight?"

"Yup," Sarah said quickly. "In half a second. If Chuck told me, I'd do almost anything… including rocking your world tonight on your kitchen table. Don't get too excited. It's not going to happen. I think you need to temper your expectations. Chuck didn't get to be a billionaire by being a weak negotiator. The road to getting him to tell me to rock your world is long, winding, full of potholes, and has several toll booths."

Mark considered that for a moment. "It doesn't sound very romantic," he said… more to stall than anything.

That got both girls laughing. "It's not romantic at all," Sarah said. "If you're looking for romance from me, we have nothing to talk about… and we never will. This is an edgy game… nothing more. Pay Chuck's price, and you'll get something in return."

Mark really didn't know what to say. "What's his price?" he asked.

"For tonight, Darcy," Sarah said. "Chuck thinks that we've been friends long enough that we'd like to get to know her better… if you get my meaning. If she were to knock on our door after the party… dressed appropriately… willing to be… umm, adventuresome… she'll come home with some new experiences to tell you about."

Mark nodded. At least this was something he could easily make happen. "And in return, you'll come over to my place… willing to be… adventuresome?"

That got the girls laughing again. Sarah turned to her friend. "Tell him about the exchange rate," she said.

Carina took a long moment to stop laughing. "Chuck loves business metaphors," she finally said. "If you came from Mexico with a peso, you couldn't trade it for a dollar. It's not worth as much. There's an exchange rate."

"Darcy's a good kid," Sarah said. "She's my best friend here in the city. She has some real potential. Maybe we can mentor her a little. In fact, Chuck is going to expect that… but let's be real. For the edgy game we're playing, Red and I have more to offer. Darcy is currently not in our league. It can't be me tonight anyway. I'm going to be busy with Chuck getting to know Darcy better. Chuck is willing to have Red here keep you company and spend some time with you in a session of second base necking. Trust me. It's a core competency of hers."

Mark shook his head. "That's too high of an exchange rate," he protested. "He gets a threesome with my wife… and I get some necking with a complete stranger?"

"You forgot the second base part," Sarah teased as she finally stepped away from his hand. "That's plainly a favorite. I think that the exchange rate is more than fair. Look at her. You've known her for twenty minutes now. Are you going to stand there and tell me that you haven't already imagined her naked? Chuck has already made very clear what he expects her to deliver tonight. I listened to his instructions. They were quite vivid. Are you really trying to play the victim here? Let's be honest. You're not after sex. You already get all the kinky sex you want. You're after a conquest. That can happen… but the path to that conquest is a marathon, not a sprint… and it goes through Chuck."

"FYI," Carina teased. "I might be a complete stranger… but I'm just as motivated to follow Chuck's instructions. A heads up. A conquest of Blondie here is akin to the conquest of Mt. Everest. It's a lot harder than it seems… takes a ton of training and preparation… and a significant percentage of those who attempt it don't survive."

Sarah grinned. "In contrast," she said. "A conquest of Red is akin to the conquest of Space Mountain. No training. No preparation. All you have to do is be willing to wait in line."

That got the girls laughing again. "So, Mark," Sarah said. "It's your decision. Are you ready to take the first step of the marathon quest? Is the juice worth the squeeze? If so, it starts slowly tonight. That's his offer. Next time, it will probably be more. Let me know at the party if it's worth it to you."

"Take it or leave it."

x-x-x-x-x

Fred Jones was trying in vain to catch his breath. Yeah, agents were expected to always keep themselves in shape… but he hadn't worked out like this since the Academy. As it turned out, convincingly faking fighting was harder than actual fighting. They told him over and over how honored he should be to be picked for this assignment… not to become an Intersect… just to pretend to be one. He probably would have figured a way to duck out of this… except they showed him her picture.

Wow… just wow. Fred was no stranger to beautiful women. Truth be told, they pursued him just as much as he pursued them. This one was different. 'It' was hard to define... but whatever 'it' was, she had tons to spare. That wasn't even the best part. If they were right… and they were confident that they were… she wouldn't only pursue him… she would worship him. Even that wasn't the best part. His assignment was to push her…to see how far down the path of degradation her worship would take her. That might be a little fun. It was surely worth a little physical workout.

So Fred Jones got back to work.

Ellie was watching them practice the choreographed fight scene on the monitor with mixed feelings. Yeah, Sarah would probably buy that he was an Intersect. Then what? Ellie was usually fairly immune to good looking men. They typically dripped with arrogance. After all, she was married to Devon. He was just as good looking… without the arrogance… but even Ellie had to admit. This guy was amazing. Where did the CIA find these studs? What would Sarah do? It was the six million dollar question. At least it would be a valid test.

General Beckman walked up. "How's it going?" she asked.

Ellie was surprised. Was the General actually asking for her opinion? About spies? That was a first. "Fine, I guess," she said. "Do you think he's ready?"

"He has to be," Beckman sighed. "This has to happen right away. We have no choice. I just talked to Agent Miller."

"I'm afraid she's getting worse faster than we feared."

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