A/N: Thanks for coming back to this story and obviously thanks to those that left reviews for the last chapter too. It's been three weeks since the last chapter. This one took longer because I needed to create activities for the team at the end. Then, I got focused on other stories for a while. Sorry.

Beta thanks go to Captainrick944, as always.

This chapter is very loosely based on S1E13, "Chuck Versus the Marlin," plus some of what happens after the end of season 1.

Piranha vs The Intersect

Chapter 15: Bugs

Chuck hadn't known about Jeff and Lester's antics until Anna called him over to the Nerd Herd station.

The two men were cowering underneath the desk, looking at Anna with terror in their eyes.

Anna handed Chuck a recorder that was hooked up to the computer. "Play that," she hissed.

He looked at the screen, which was showing a collection of thumbnail images. His heart sank as he saw what they were. Anna had the arrow pointing at the latest one of them.

Chuck clicked on the mouse and a close up video of a woman's boobs appeared on the screen. He took a step back and wondered how either of these two men had managed to get that close to any woman. Then, the image panned back. 'Oh, it was zoomed in before,' he realized.

The woman with those boobs was the girl who had been coming in daily with food that the staff ordered.

He'd not interacted with her himself, annoyed at how fickle people were. He understood them not buying from the Wienerlicious, even though Sarah's beauty was a draw, because the food was pretty bad, but they had all loved Lou's sandwiches. Now, she was losing customers to this woman. What he was seeing suggested that it was her boobs that were getting her customers, at least in the context of the two cowering below.

He leaned down and snapped at them, "Are you trying to get the store into trouble?"

Both shook their heads and Jeff said, "Mammary Cam."

Lester glared at his friend. "You're not supposed to say that."

"Well, guys, you know Big Mike's policy on that. You will not do this again." He looked at Anna then back at them "Or Anna has permission to beat you up."

In the recording, as the Pita Parlour delivery girl walked away, and Jeff focused the camera on her butt, Chuck saw her surreptitiously place something on one of the shelves.

Chuck wandered over to the shelf and pulled the item out. He flashed on it. "Shit!" he muttered.

He turned back to Anna and said, "Don't let either of them use recorders again." Then, he headed over to the Wienerlicious.

He didn't notice Devon walking toward the store, but Devon didn't see him either.

Sarah was on her own when he arrived. She looked up and smiled until she saw the worried look on his face. "What is it, Chuck?"

He placed what he'd found on the surface between them. She looked at it. "looks like a bug. Where'd you find it?"

"The Pita Parlour delivery girl, Lizzie, who's been leaving spicy food for some of the guys daily for a few weeks planted it in the store on her way out today. I don't know how many others there are."

"Well, it won't be for Beckman. She has you bugged enough already," she muttered.

"I flashed on it," he said. "It's a CIA design."

She looked at him. "Graham would tell me if another CIA agent was sniffing around. Flip the sign on the door to close and we'll call Graham." She grabbed her laptop and sat at one of the tables. As Chuck sat beside her, she made the call.

Graham looked up at his screen. "What now?"

"I found this bug in the Buy More after a woman planted it there. It's a GLG-20, a CIA bug."

Graham frowned. "We've stopped using those, but they've become a favorite with Fulcrum agents."

"So, Fulcrum has the place bugged?" Chuck was starting to panic now.

Graham said, "It is a low-power transmitter. In order to avoid detection, it has a maximum range of about twenty yards. That limitation stopped the CIA using it,"

Chuck understood the implications. "So, there'll be a receiver hidden somewhere in the store."

Graham nodded. "Correct. I suggest the two of you find it quickly before the woman retrieves any recordings on it."

"We'll need Casey's help," Sarah said.

"I'd advise not. If Beckman gets wind of this, she'll use it in her argument to bunker you, Chuck."

Chuck looked at Sarah as the call ended. "How do we find a receiver?"

You look through recordings since she started coming to the store, Chuck. See if you can see her put it anywhere."

"Shit! That'll take hours!"

Chuck had headed home sick to work on this problem.

Casey came into the Wienerlicious. "What's Bartowski really doing?"

Sarah had been thinking about what Graham had said regarding Casey. She took him to one of the tables as the place was still empty. Maybe the sign is still saying closed?

"I'm trusting you here, Casey. Trusting you not to let Beckman know." She held his gaze for quite a while, waiting for him to accept.

He grunted. "I seem to be keeping more secrets from her than you two!"

She pushed the bug across to him. "It's a CIA design that we no longer use, but Fulcrum does."

Casey examined it.

She carried on, "Chuck spotted the Pita Parlour delivery girl plant it there. She's been taking daily orders and then bringing in food for several weeks."

"Shit!"

She nodded. "It's a short-range transmitter so there'll be a receiver in the store."

"We have to find it," he said.

"We can't let Beckman know about it. You know what she'll try to do," she said.

"Yeah. Bunker, then dispose." He looked up from the bug. "So, what's Bartowski doing?"

"Trawling through old store recordings trying to see if he can spot her setting up the receiver."

"That'll be out of hours," Casey said. "But it'll still take ages. I'll go and see if I can share the load with him."

"Do you know what she looks like?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah."

"I'll come too," she said, then smiled. "I'll close this place due to a bug." She was pleased with her play on words.

He rolled his eyes and groused, "You're mixing with Bartowski too much!"

"Chuck wasn't comfortable with Casey being involved, but she convinced him just before the NSA agent turned up.

Chuck gave them both access to the drives with the old recordings. They agreed which time periods each should review.

"I don't know what she looks like," Sarah said,

"She's the first on this recording," he said, handing her Jeff's USB drive.

She sat on his bed and looked at the USB drive first. Her eyes snapped up. "Where did you get this?"

"Took it off Jeff," he replied absentmindedly.

She swiveled his chair around. "I hope you were planning on disposing of it in some way."

Chuck detected the cold tone and realized what had caused that. "Of course I am."

"You better because all of these breasts are bigger than mine!" she hissed.

He stood and pulled her up, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. Then he pulled back, undid a couple of buttons on her blouse while she watched. He bent down and kissed each side. "These are the only ones that interest me."

She groaned. "It's only been a few hours since you last touched them and now I want to ravish you again."

"Are you sure it wasn't me ravishing you?" he said with a big smile.

"It was," she replied.

Then she remembered what they were supposed to be doing and turned back to her laptop with a sigh.

"Chuck was the one that watched the woman go into Big Mike's office carrying what he'd ordered. The view from the recording wasn't great, but as she didn't close the door after entering, Chuck saw her put the food in front of the seated man and walk behind him. With her hand sliding around his neck.

Chuck doubted his wife would be happy about that, but he also guessed that Big Mike didn't even notice as he was so focused on the food.

She briefly seemed to look closely at the wall and then walked out of the office.

Chuck thought this was significant and called Sarah over to watch it with him.

"I can't see what's on the wall," Sarah commented.

"Just the marlin that Big Mike put up there," he replied. "No one believes he actually caught it, but he claims he did." They both looked at each other and then back at the recording.

"We need to get that marlin tonight," she said.

"We should collect up all the bugs at the same time," Chuck said.

"And her when she returns tomorrow," she added.

Chuck went back to the Buy More pleased that they had a plan, but obviously still worried about the bugs and any recordings that may have been made.

As he walked in, his arm was grabbed and he was pulled to one side by Devon. "Where the hell have you been" Devon hissed. "I need to talk to you."

"I've been with Sarah," Chuck replied, "Have you been waiting for me?"

""Yeah. I want to talk to you about Ellie."

"God, what have you done?" Chuck asked.

"Nothing, it's what I want to do," Devon replied.

"Spit it out Devon," Chuck said, thinking it was ironic him saying that.

Devon straightened his back and took a deep breath. "Oh, man. This is harder than I thought.

Chuck just waited quietly. He wasn't used to Devon being lost for words. This must be a big problem.

"I've been thinking a lot about the way things are between me and your sister. And you're the man in... in Ellie's family, so I was wondering... Can I have your permission..." He brought a red ring case up and opened it. "Can I marry Ellie?"

Chuck looked at the ring. "Wow. That-That's quite... quite a rock you got there."

"Is that a yes, Dude?" Devon asked.

"Oh, yes. Yes! I was just overwhelmed with that ring. Of course, you have my blessing."

"Thank you. Thank you." Devon looked at the ring too. "It's been in my family for years. This was my great-grandmother's… Ah, you think she'll like it?"

Chuck nodded. "Like it? She'll, she'll love it. I'm just not sure she'll be able to lift her hand anymore."

Devon ignored that comment. "One other thing. Ellie is a bloodhound when it comes to these kind of things. If I keep this in the apartment, she will smell diamond. Can you hold onto this, just for a day or so, man? I mean, just till I figure out how to pop the question?"

Chuck thought of all the problems he had right now. "I don't think it's actually a good idea."

Devon wasn't listening and grabbed him into a hug. "Thank you! Thank you so much, bro." He stepped back and grinned. "Hey, pretty soon, I'm going to mean that literally." He thrust the case into Chuck's hand. "There you go." And turned and left the store.

Chuck was left holding the case. He opened it and looked at the ring again.

"WTF, Dude?" Morgan appeared at Chuck's side. "You can't propose to Sarah already!"

Chuck looked at his friend bemused for a second, then realized. "Hey, buddy. This ring is one Awesome got for Ellie. I've not gotten one for Sarah yet." However, now the idea was in his head, he really wished he could afford one.

Morgan beamed. "Oh, thank God, man. I thought I was losing you completely!"

"Morgan, that'll never happen. You're still my best buddy."

Morgan hugged him. "So, why've you got the ring?"

Chuck closed the case. "He wants me to keep it safe and make sure Ellie doesn't know about it. How do I do that?"

"Hide it in your locker here and don't mention it to her," Morgan replied.

"You know I can't keep secrets from her," Chuck complained. Another lie!

"Just forget it exists… until Devon wants it."

Chuck told Sarah about the ring on the way home. "It's another secret I'm keeping from her!"

"This one's a good one, though, Chuck. And only for a little while."

"I guess… If I look like I'm gonna mention it, kick me or something."

She grinned. "Are you giving me permission to hurt you?"

He groaned. "Set myself up for that one, didn't I?"

They both chuckled and then fell silent the rest of the way home. Both deep in thought.

'Would she accept if I proposed to her now?' Chuck was thinking.

Sarah was also thinking of the same thing. 'I wonder when he'll propose to me, and when he does, will I just blurt out yes?'

Later that evening, Casey drove Chuck and Sarah to the Buy More, arriving at 11pm. He parked the Crown Vic at the rear of the store and they went in the rear entrance. Chuck's first action was to switch off the security cameras, but he found they were already off.

When he rejoined Sarah and Casey, he whispered, "Cameras were already off. Someone else has done that.2

Sarah hissed, "Must be her. Chuck, stay here and Casey and I will go and take her out."

"She may have already gone," Casey replied.

"And why would she switch off the cameras when she'd be recorded going to the switch?" Chuck asked.

"Let's check anyway," Sarah said and Chuck watched the two agents head into the store, amazed at how easily they found their way in the dark. He walked to the entrance to the main floor and the place was completely silent. Suddenly, the light came on in Big Mike's office and he hurried to it.

"She's obviously not here," Sarah said. "Casey's getting the fish down so that we can see if the receiver is still in it."

Casey tipped the fish up and, lo and behold, the receiver dropped onto the floor. "Looks like it wasn't her that switched the recording off."

"What if she comes looking for it and finds it gone?" Chuck asked.

Casey looked at the device and switched it off. "Can you wipe the recordings off, Bartowski?"

Chuck held out his hand. "Easily." He took it back to the cage and hooked it up to the computer he had set up in there. He quickly formatted the drive and handed it back to the NSA agent. "Crude, but effective. If it boots from the drive, you could even leave it switched on."

"No. We'll leave it off and just drop it back in," Casey said and did just that before remounting the fish on the wall.

They switched on the main lights and searched the store for bugs and found twenty-nine, the exact number of days the woman had been visiting. After that, they switched off the lights and Chuck switched the security cameras on.

The next day when Lizzie came in, Chuck signaled to Casey who had agreed it was sensible to tranquilize rather than kill her. The NSA agent followed her out of the store after noticing her depositing another bug.

She woke up in Casey's Crown Vic.

Casey interrogated her. Chuck was only too happy to avoid seeing that. It seemed that Casey was not squeamish about hurting women if they were bad.

When he'd finished with her, he came out to tell Sarah and Chuck what he'd found out.

"Fulcrum knew Larkin had been here. They decided to bug the place to see if anyone mentioned him and where he'd gone."

"So, they aren't after me?" Chuck said, feeling relieved.

"They're after the Intersect," Casey growled. The recordings could've caught us talking and given you away."

"Don't forget that there was a bug in the Home Theater room," Sarah reminded them. "That would've caught us talking to Graham and Beckman."

"We need somewhere better," Casey said. "Anyway, for now, problem solved."

"What have you done with her?" Chuck asked, pretty sure he knew what the answer would be.

Casey looked at him briefly, then said, "She won't be bringing any more bugs to the store. "

Chuck had expected it. He shuddered and then said, "Or filled pita."

"Or flashing those boobs," Sarah muttered.

Casey snorted. "They wouldn't be in any state to be seen after our chat."

Chuck really didn't want to hear that!

Chuck got a call from Devon mid-afternoon. "After careful consideration of all potential proposals, I have made a decision. Dinner, Chuck. Romantic, candlelit dinner, just the two of us. Then, I'll give it to her in the apartment."

"You do mean the ring, don't you?" Chuck asked.

Devon chuckled. "Yeah. I give her the other every night."

Chuk groaned. "I wish I'd kept my mouth shut!"

"So, can you bring me the ring and then you and Sarah go out for the evening?"

"Sure."

He called Sarah. "We're calling Graham from your hotel room this evening."

"Ooh. Want to make love in the green room?"

"Well, yes, but that's not the reason for being there. Devon's laying on a candlelit dinner at the apartment and then proposing to Ellie. He doesn't want us there."

"Aww. Okay, can do."

"I'm surprised you involved Casey," Graham said to the two of them that evening, back in Chuck's bedroom.

Sarah explained, "He's on our side now, Sir. Beckman's attitude toward Ilsa canceled any loyalty to her. That was enhanced by Chuck helping the two of them."

"If she orders him to shoot Chuck, it'll be very hard on him," Graham commented. "He's a good soldier and follows orders."

"How's things going with that, Sir?" Chuck asked.

Graham scowled. "It'll be discussed at the next Internet Steering Committee mid-February. Nothing will happen before then."

That was a surprise to Chuck, he thought it was to be early February, he said nothing.

"Won't General Beckman fight any campaign against her plans, or move the Intersect lab?" Sarah asked.

"She never attends and the military presence will be … missing… None of those there talk to her."

"That's a relief," Chuck said, letting out a breath.

Sarah was pleased with her boyfriend. They already knew about the meeting, but his act will have masked that.

"So, have all the bugs been destroyed?" Graham asked.

"Yes, Sir," Sarah confirmed.

"We're funding some changes there. You're getting a base of your own beneath the Wienerlicious and the parking lot. Once that's in place, no more conversations in the Buy More. And from now on, no calls from there either."

"When's that happening, Sir," Sarah asked.

"Work will start on it in June." Graham noticed Sarah's shoulders slump. "Sorry, Sarah. Sausages for a while longer."

As they lay next to each other in her hotel bed, Chuck was thinking about what Devon must have done by now.

He knew his relationship with the blonde next to him was not as long as Ellie and Devon's, but he already knew she was the one for him. Someday, he'd get the ring his sister was holding onto for him, their mom's, and propose to the love of his life. He was pretty sure she'd accept, maybe already would, but their current situation wasn't conducive to such actions.

Sarah was also thinking about what had meant they needed to be in her hotel room.

She knew Ellie and Devon had been together for a number of years, whereas she and Chuck had only been a couple for just over four months, but how long did a couple need to be together before they got engaged?

She also wondered if Chuck would be the one doing the proposal. It was the typical way things went, but he was prone to self-doubt and also over-thinking situations. He would probably convince himself he wasn't good enough for her, even though he absolutely was. Maybe she should propose to him.

She decided that it was too soon right now. Too many balls in the air already. Maybe not throw another up there.

Chuck looked over at her, "I think it's probably safe to head back over there. Ellie will've accepted by now and will want to gush."

She chuckled. "Gush?"

He grinned. "Yeah."

"Okay then. She slipped out of bed and reached for her underwear. He just lay there looking at her. She realized she was the only one standing and turned back. The expression on his face made her grin. "You can see me naked again when we get to our bed, Chuck. Get dressed or we'll never get there!"

"Put your panties on and I might be able to do that."

She laughed and stepped into them.

When they approached the apartment, they could see Devon and Ellie only just moving into the living room. "The dinner must've taken a long time to cook and eat," Chuck said.

"Or Devon's cooking was a disaster and they had to order a delivery," Sarah replied. "Or maybe he even had to go out and collect something."

Chuck groaned. "God, he would be so stressed! I think if the latter was needed, we would've gotten a call to get it for them."

"True." She noticed movement in the room. Devon was getting up and reaching into his back pocket. This must be the moment. She nodded at the window for them both to get closer. "You want to?"

He grinned, "What, spy? You?"

She nodded and pulled him closer to the window and hooked her arm in his. They watched Devon, on bended knee, show Ellie the ring and then her excitement.

"She looks so happy," Chuck said.

Sarah agreed, "Yeah, she does."

"I'm so glad I'm not having to leave them," he said.

"Well, not because of bugs," she replied. He turned to her, frowning. She locked eyes with him. "Someday, I hope you're going to make an honest woman out of me."

He couldn't believe she'd said that. He froze completely and then couldn't string words together, "You… what...? did…?"

She loved him being like this. She stood on tiptoes and gave him a peck on his lips. She dropped down again. "Don't you think you should go in and congratulate Ellie?"

"You have to come with me," he replied, getting his brain back in gear. "Especially after what you just said."

She grinned. "I'm serious, you know!" His eyes started to glaze over. "Seriously, you should go in, but this is family time."

He grabbed her hand and unlocked the door, pulling her in.

Ellie rushed over and hugged both of them. The joy was infectious and they were pulled into the celebrations with the engaged couple.

The next few weeks were quiet. No missions and no flashes. That meant Chuck and Sarah had plenty of time on their hands after work. They spent some of that with the happy couple, and also just themselves together, either in the bedroom or going out.

However, Chuck also spent time on his old cyber-security product. Updating its capabilities, as well as debugging the code.

Of course, they tried to contact his dad several times, but usually got no reply.

Chuck was upset that he couldn't tell his sister about their dad, especially now that she was planning to get married. He was equally frustrated that he couldn't tell his dad about the engagement. He didn't want to do that by text.

He knew his dad was evading capture, so couldn't use his phone or laptop, but that didn't make it any more tolerable.

Chuck couldn't help worrying that his dad may have been captured, but tried not to think about that as much as possible.

A frustrated Director Graham contacted them a week after their last mission. "The committee meeting has been put back by a month and a half, so now won't be until April 3."

Chuck found that alarming. "Isn't that about when their new Intersect is to be switched on?"

Graham's mood changed. "It won't be an issue. It seems they're having a lot of problems, so that's delayed. They don't have a new date yet, so we still have time." He narrowed his eyes. "Are you responsible for the delays, Chuck?"

Chuck suspected it was his dad that was causing it, but was able to honestly reply, "No, Sir. I don't have access."

Graham stared at him for quite a while before saying, "Maybe the problems are of their own making." He looked doubtful, though.

When the call ended, Sarah looked at Chuck and said, "Your dad."

He nodded. "I suspect so. I wish he'd just talk to us.

On March 25, Chuck received a text message from his dad,

'Speak at 8PM tonight?'

Chuck knew Ellie and Devon would be out, so immediately texted back,

'We'll be at home. Video call?'

The reply was just as quick.

'Yep'

So, at 8pm that evening, Chuck and Sarah sat together facing the monitor and the camera on top. Stephen's face appeared. "Hi, kids."

Chuck replied, "Hi, Dad."

Sarah grinned at being called a kid, but replied, "Hi, Stephen."

"Beckman's Intersect has continued to have problems," Stephen told them.

Both laughed. Chuck said, "We heard. I take it that was you, Dad."

Stephen nodded. "Sorry I've not been keeping you informed. Been a bit busy."

"Are you still being hunted, Stephen?" Sarah asked.

"They're quite persistent," he said.

"Where are you, Dad?"

"Berlin," his dad replied.

"Dad, I'm hoping you'll be back in the States before the end of the year. Ellie and Devon are engaged and planning on getting married early next year."

Stephen looked dazed. "Eleanor getting married. Oh my God!"

"She'd want you to walk her down the aisle, Dad," Chuck added.

Stephen refocused. "Even if I get away from Volkoff's men, there's still the CIA. They're after me, too. I'm not sure I can be there, Chuck."

"What if we get Graham's consent for you to be free?" Chuck asked.

Stephen snorted. "He's not the only one after me, Son."

"They've recognized that the Intersect doesn't work with anyone but me, Dad. The CIA aren't after the Intersect inventor."

"I do have other inventions they will want," was the reply.

"Your inventions or Orion's?" Sarah asked.

"Hmm, yes. Orion's," Stephen said. "Let me think about it."

"What did you call about?" she asked.

"I just wanted to update you on the new Intersect," he replied. He smiled. "Professor Isaac is pulling his head out, what little there is."

That lightened the mood and they spent the next ten minutes describing Devon and how he was perfect for Ellie.

Stephen ended the call with, "He sounds like a fine young man. I would like to meet him. I'd love to see my beautiful daughter, too. I'll see what I can do."

When the call ended, Sarah took Chuck's hands. "He'll try, Chuck. He really wants to be there."

"I know. I just wish I could tell El, you know?"

"I know."

She pulled him into a tight embrace. 'Families are complicated,' she thought. However, it didn't stop her wanting to be part of this one.

A/N: In the show, there was a gap of 7.5 months from the start of February, at the end of season 1, to mid-September 2008, when season 2 started. The next chapter will continue to cover that period, as well as S2E1, "Chuck Versus the First Date." We know during that time Castle was created and the Wienerlicious was converted into the Orange Orange. In addition, the new Intersect must have been completed as it was so close in the first episode of season 2. Here, there's more happening.

So, I've got about 5 months of their time to fill with totally new stuff that then feeds into a modified new season. I haven't started any of that yet, so I'm not sure how long it'll be until the next chapter comes out.

I'd love to know what you thought of this chapter, though, so please drop me a review.