a/n: It's always something with this bunch…..
A/N: I usually don't do A/Ns with Playing it Cool, it's part of the whole ChuckQuinn thing. But this time I need to, I need to apologize. One of the things I was excited about on the morning of December 10th, 2021 was that I was going to have three weeks off and I was going to get to write this chapter. Some fourteen hours later, I was just glad to be alive and have my house intact. Six months ago today was the last time I opened this file. I just couldn't do it. There's a certain…playfullness, a certain humor needed for this fic, and I didn't possess it, and I'm not 100% sure that I fully possess it now, but I'm gonna try. I love this fic. I know it's been very slow coming out but it's one that I try to get that perfect feel everything. Thank you for continue to read. Now I'ma gonna shut up and let ole ChuckQuinn do his thing.
A/N 2: I wrote that A/N a month ago. That is how long it has taken me to write this. Sorry fam, life is hard.
I don't own Chuck
"I swear to God, if anyone Fa-La-Las one more time, I'm going to use Maggie," Casey groused, tired of the music that was playing through Walker Retrevials. It was just the three of them in the office, like most days. Usually when anyone contacted them, it was through email or a phone call, and then an in-person appointment was set up. There were very few walk-ins, and when there were, it was people who wondered what exactly the three of them did.
"Casey," Sarah growled.
"On myself! On myself!"
"No, you aren't, you wouldn't do that," Sarah reminded him, patting him on the shoulder as she walked by. "Now, what has you all grumpy? Carina leaving has you upset?"
"No," Casey grumbled.
"Hey, Casey, it's okay that you miss her," Chuck began. Casey glared at Chuck and snarled a bit. "Dude, you are allowed to have feelings for her." The snarling intensified. "Fine, all you two do is have crazy hot spy sex, is that better?" Casey's snarl left and he grunted an affirmative. "But, you enjoy spy sex with her, more than anyone else?" Casey let out a deep sigh and nodded. "Good talk, buddy."
Sarah pulled Chuck away from Casey and took him downstairs to Castle. "We have some intel for me to look at?" Chuck asked.
"No, I'd like my fiancée to survive until the wedding," Sarah told him. "Why are you doing that to him?
"I'm just trying to get him to admit his feelings, that's all," Chuck said with a shrug. "He's always so mad and grumpy about things, and if he'd just accept who he is, someone that loves love, he'd be better off."
Sarah stared at Chuck. "We talking about the same John Casey?" she asked in a tone that sounded like she thought Chuck had lost his damn mind.
"Sarah, he is our biggest fan," Chuck insisted.
"I think he's just happy now that we're together you're out of his hair," Sarah countered.
"But am I?" Sarah frowned and shook her head. "He's around us more than ever, he's constantly involved, take the talk with Carina in the car."
"Could it be, Casey recognizes his deficiencies and perhaps used your words to Carina to help his own personal….cause?" Sarah countered.
Chuck was surprised by that. "Hadn't thought of that," he muttered. "So, you're saying-"
"Chuck, what Casey and Carina have or don't have is what they have," Sarah began.
"Wait, I'm trying to carry the one on that one." Chuck's grin fell of his face with the look she gave him. "Got it," he said, clearing his throat and looking slightly ashamed. "Continue, please."
"The way people express love doesn't have to be a certain way, or tradition," Sarah continued. "That's what I realized before Thanksgiving. Maybe we won't look exactly like the typical family, but it doesn't mean people can't see the love we have for each other. Your mom and dad, does not look like a 'normal couple' should, yet, there's no doubt they love each other. Honey and Woody don't either. And that's not necessarily because they are spies, but…"
"It's what you said a little over a year ago," Chuck said softly. "During my seduction lessons."
"You still haven't finished those by the way," Sarah reminded him, grinning.
"I thought you wanted me to make it to the wedding?" he asked in a low voice, making her giggle. He grinned at her. "But it is, it's what you said about Bryce, and other people practicing on you. You don't just shrug that off."
"You don't," Sarah admitted. "And, Chuck, baby, you have to know I would never think that you would do that."
"Remember a few days ago when we talked about the brain betraying us?" Sarah nodded. "I gotta believe sometimes your brain betrays you."
"It does," she said softly. "And it's not fair to you." She looked down at the ground.
Chuck bent at the knees, lowering his face until she looked up at him. She couldn't help but smile at his antics. "And my mind has been completely fair to you?" She snorted. "Exactly, so how about we both admit we're a bit flawed, but together…Darlin' we're marvelous!" Sarah laughed, moved closer to him, put her hands on his chest, and tucked her head under his chin.
"I don't deserve you," she said softly.
"No one deserves this hot mess that I have made my life," Chuck agreed. She swatted him. "You're hurting your fiancée."
"Well, tell my fiancée to quit saying stupid things and I won't have to remind him not to," Sarah told him.
"So you believe in spare the rod, spoil the child?"
"Listen, you big goof, we both know you like it when I swat you," Sarah said.
"Yeah, we do," Chuck admitted, making her laugh into his chest.
}o{
"Dr. Hernan…dez…" Chuck began, and wondered what he did to make the doctor flee from him.
"He's not allowed to be near any of us," Devon said, seeing Chuck and walking up to him. "It appears we may have caused a bit of a spat at home."
"That's terrible, I should go apologize to him," Chuck said. He began to move when the gentle, but oh-so-firm grip of Awesome found itself on Chuck's bicep.
"Or, we could not make things worse for him," Devon countered.
"Okay, fine," Chuck relented. After Chuck's talk with Sarah he began to get into his own head and needed advice. He told Casey and Sarah he had an errand he had to run. Casey gave the affirmative grunt, while Sarah told him, "Say hi to Ellie for me." Chuck didn't even bother trying to correct her. "Do you have a moment?"
"For my favorite soon to be brother-in-law, always," Devon told him.
"That implies that there are unfavorite brother-in-laws," Chuck pointed out.
"Okay, I see where your head is at today, what happened?" Devon asked, the two walking toward the doctor's lounge. Chuck turned to argue, but Devon was giving him a raised eyebrow and Chuck didn't even bother trying to disagree, he just told Devon everything.
}o{
"Okay, okay," Devon said once Chuck had finished. "That's a lot, but I'm not sure what you're worried about."
"Okay, follow me on this," Chuck began.
"Is this like a ride to Morganville?" Devon asked. Chuck gave him a glare. "My bad," Devon said, holding up his hands.
"So, I haven't gotten Sarah an engagement ring yet because of all the insanity and I was thinking maybe giving it to her for Christmas, but that felt like I was trying not to get her a present and use the engagement ring as the present," Chuck began. Devon blinked, trying to keep up.
"BUT, after what she told me today, I think what I should do is get her something that says family, and I thought about giving Sarah my mom's bracelet, but what does that say? Does it say family, or does it say, hey, if you need to disappear on a mission it's cool for several years. Also, is it cheap, because again, I've spent no money."
"Jesus," Devon breathed out. "This is a special spiral."
"But the bigger question is now, if I don't give her the engagement ring, then when? New Year's?" Devon nodded. "No, that's too much getting engaged on New Year's Eve."
"But you're already engaged," Devon pointed out.
"Focus, Devon," Chuck said. "Now, some would think Valentine's Day, but now haven't I just done what corporate America wants me to do?"
"Get laid?" Devon asked.
"Jesus, Devon, focus," Chuck told him.
"I'm trying, but this is intense, bro."
"So then when do I?" Chuck continued. "Ellie wants us both to get married on the beach, and that's soon, right? Like May, and so do I propose in March?"
"Again, you're engaged," Devon stressed.
"Devon, you're not understanding!" Chuck said, irritated. "I'm so sorry," he said quickly. "It's just…."
"Love is a lot," they heard Neal say from the doorway. They both turned to him. "I'm sorry, I was coming to apologize. Frank didn't tell me to stay away from you, I did that." Neal looked ashamed of himself, came the rest of the way in, and sat at the table with them.
"I love Frank, and when I got involved with whatever happened at that biomedical conference, I became worried about my relationship. It is so important to me that…I did stupid things, things I normally wouldn't do," Neal continued.
"Ellie always says you can't go too far for love," Devon agreed.
"She is so wise," Neal said nodding. "But what I did wasn't for love, it was for fear. For fear that no one loved me the way I loved Frank."
"So you stayed away from Ellie, Devon, and myself so that you wouldn't scare yourself again?" Chuck asked. Neal nodded. "So why tell us?"
"Because I miss Ellie," Neal said with a shrug. "We laughed so much together, and I…I miss my friend."
"I'm sorry we put you in that spot, Neal," Chuck said sincerely.
"Me too, Neal," Devon added.
"You misunderstand," Neal told them. "What happened was my fault. I over-analyzed something instead of doing the simplest thing possible." He turned to Chuck. "Talking to Frank."
"But it will ruin the surprise," Chuck argued.
"Bro, she's…" Devon trailed off, glancing at Neal, not completely remembering how much Neal knew about Sarah. "She isn't a fan of surprises."
"She's not," Chuck agreed. "So…you're saying I should talk to Sarah."
"Yes," both men said at the same time. Devon and Neal glanced at each other and laughed.
"But I would ruin the surprise," Chuck groused.
"Well, you could talk to my dad about it," Devon offered. Chuck looked up at him. "He is married."
"I could," Chuck said nodding, and idea coming to him. Devon and Chuck both looked at each other, the same idea occurring to them at the same time. "Orrrr."
"Orrrr," Devon replied, nodding.
"Or what?" Neal asked.
}o{
Chuck stood outside the door, waiting for it to open. He grinned at the surprised face that looked back at him. "Hey, Dad." Chuck scratched the back of his head. "I could use some advice, and this time, you kinda know better than anyone."
"Come in," Stephen said, opening the door for him. "Everything going okay?"
"Not really," Chuck admitted, taking the seat Stephen offered him. "You know Sarah and I are engaged."
"I do," Stephen replied.
"Well, I haven't bought an engagement ring yet, because I wasn't sure if I should," Chuck began. Stephen's eyes went wide as Chuck poured out everything.
}o{
Stephen took a drink of his tea, and blew out a breath. "Are you sure I'm the person you should be talking to about this?" he asked, a little unsure of how to proceed.
"What would you do?" Chuck asked.
"Go get the engagement ring," Stephen began. "Give her the bracelet, but also, buy a charm for it, so you can give her all of that at Christmas."
"That's a great idea," Chuck said, slapping his hands on his knees, and standing. "Wait, when do I give it to her?"
"Are you engaged?" Stephen asked. Chuck nodded. "Then I would think you would have already given it to her."
"Crap, what do I do?"
Stephen shook his head. "Get in the car, I'll drive."
}o{
"Your mother is going to be mad at me," Stephen said sometime later, as they were pulling up to the jewelry store.
"For me going to you, and you not telling me to go to her?" Chuck asked, confused.
"No, son," Stephen said, running a hand through his hair. "I'm really not supposed to leave the apartment without her, and I was so worried about getting you here, that I really didn't pay attention to see if anyone was following me."
"Dad, do you really think Mom would come back here, if she thought someone knew where you two lived?" Chuck asked. "She'd literally be using you as bait." Stephen gave him a look. "You two have a very confusing relationship."
"I love her, she loves me," Stephen said shrugging. "She told me she'd always protect me, no matter how it looked, I had to know she would protect me."
The two went into the store and began to look at rings. It was about twenty minutes later that Chuck looked up as the door opened and a man came in. Chuck went back to looking at a ring as the salesperson droned on about the ring. Chuck wasn't sure what he should buy Sarah.
"Sir, I hate to bother you, but have you seen my dog?" the man asked, holding up a picture on his phone. Both Stephen and Chuck saw the picture and began to flash. The man pulled out a gun and pointed it at the salesperson. "This is a robbery."
}o{
Ten minutes later the two Bartowski men were shuttled out to the awaiting car and it took off. Chuck pressed a button on the side of his watch. "What did you do?" Stephen whispered.
"Called in the calvary," Chuck replied.
}o{
Earlier that morning.
"Good morning, Walker's Reclamations. How can I help you find what you have lost?" Casey asked in a cherry voice. He hated the way he had to answer the phone, but Chuck reminded him it was this or return to the Buy More. Casey answered the phone every time with the bottled cheer that he was out of that special slice of hell.
"Good Lord, John," he heard the female on the other end say. "How much do they pay you to do that?"
"I would never take advantage of our country, Mary to put up with something that's a little uncomfortable," John replied. There was silence for a moment. "Sarah did say she was going to get me a bonus for how well I do my job," he added, making Mary chuckle. "What can I do for you this morning?"
"It's almost Christmas, and I think my husband has a tail," Mary replied. "I need a way to make sure this guy is part of the Ring and get rid of him. I'd hate to ruin Christmas."
John grinned. "Mary…have you ever heard of the magnet?"
}o{
Twenty minutes later, Sarah joined the conversation and when all three hung up, Casey was nearly smiling. "Casey, we have a plan in place, but it all hinges on Chuck needing to talk to his dad."
"Walker," Casey said, sitting back, a shit-eating grin covering his face. "You've been here a while now. Do you really think Bartowski's head won't come up with something that will send him to his dad at some point? He's been running to Devon all this time because he had no male role model he could talk to…at least not about that crap."
"You have such a way with words," Sarah murmured, chuckling.
"Trust me, Walker, by the end of the day, you'll be calling Mary, saying that Bartowski is on his way to see Awesome," Casey told her.
"And how can you be so sure?" Sarah asked.
Casey grinned. "Because you want a good Christmas as well, and I know the first opportunity you have to say anything that will make him bolt out of here to talk to Devon, you will."
"Okay, let's say you're right," Sarah replied. "He's still not running off to Stephen."
"Walker…Sarah…you're telling me that you can't come up with a scenario that mirrors your's and Bartowski's and his parents? I'm not asking you to play him or anything like that. I'm just saying…if anyone knows about this crazy life and making it, it's Stephen and Mary, and if you ask me, you two are heading down a similar road. Not to say you two will go on the run and abandon your kids-"
"Whoa! Who said a thing about having kids?" Sarah asked.
Casey chuckled. "So you're still in denial I see," Casey said. The door opened and Chuck came in, having been over at the Buy More helping out the Nerd Herd…AGAIN. "I'm just saying, it never hurts to talk to someone that's been there."
"You're being very thoughtful, John," Sarah admitted.
"You trying to make me use Maggie on myself?"
"No, if there's a bad guy, you might get to use it on him though," Sarah said, walking off, and over toward Chuck. Casey grunted, appreciatively.
}o{
"I hope to God I'm being used as bait," Stephen said softly to Chuck.
"I was wrong earlier," Chuck admitted. "You two love each other, and if Mom used you as bait, it's probably because she has a plan, a good plan."
"So you hope I'm bait as well?"
"Yes, God, yes."
}o{
Earlier
"Mary, Chuck's on his way to the hospital, be ready," Sarah said, hanging up. She looked over at Casey who was grinning. "You don't know he's going to run to his dad."
"Why did you mention his mom and dad?" Casey asked. Sarah's eyes narrowed, and it was then Casey realized he had been caught listening in to Chuck and Sarah's conversation. "Okay, yell at me later, but why?"
"Because you were right," Sarah replied. "If we had no one that was in a similar situation, we would make it, but Chuck…Chuck needs someone to listen, to understand, and it would make his life easier if he and his father had a much better relationship. It would be better if Stephen could listen, and understand because he's not from this life."
"So it wasn't so I could use Maggie?" Casey asked. Sarah shook her head and walked off. "That's not a no!"
}o{
"Casey, we need to roll, they're on the move," Sarah told him.
"Sanitation worker?" Casey asked, Sarah nodded. "You taking the north end, me the south?" She nodded again. "God, I hope they go south," he muttered to himself.
}o{
"Did he take the garbage truck just so he could smoke a cigar?" Mary asked on coms, her eyes on the jewelry store.
"I can't prove it," Sarah replied. "Anything?"
"No…wait. They're coming out. Sarah, they're heading south!" Mary said. "Move it!"
"What would we have done if they had gone east or west?" Sarah asked.
"I had them east," Honey chirped in.
"And I had them west," Woody added.
"Holy shit," Sarah said, mashing her foot to the floor to catch up. "We're a freaking spy family."
}o{
"Dad, you might want to hang on," Chuck told his father.
"Why?" Stephen asked.
"Because I think that garbage truck is going to run that red light and hit the front driver's side of the carrrrrrr!" Chuck replied, just as Casey did exactly that.
"Hey! I'm driving!" Casey yelled, getting out of the car.
"He's on our side?" Stephen asked, groggy.
"Mauser, LAPD!" the man yelled who had brought Chuck and Stephen to the car at gunpoint. He stepped out of the car, holding up his shield. "We have two suspects we are transporting.
"John Casey, not of Sanitation, but NSA," he said, pulling his gun. Mauser, turned and fled.
"Holy shit," the driver said, getting out of the car, his hands raised. "I'm a nobody, I'm just Ned."
Casey tossed Chuck cuffs. "Cuff him, you two okay?" Chuck nodded. "Honey and Woody will be here in a second." He touched his earpiece, activating it. "Mary, Sarah, our suspect is on foot," and took off after him. "I think he's headed into that Christmas tree lot."
"I've got him," Mary replied. She had seen the whole thing take place, and followed Mauser as he ran away. She went slowly through the lot, clearing it as she went. Mary saw him, and sprang, knocking Mauser to the ground. She got off of him, stood, and pointed the gun at him, as he slowly stood up.
Mauser chuckled. "So, it is you, the famous Mary Bartowski, the Ice Queen."
Mary cocked the gun.
"You may have beaten me, Agent Bartowski, but Fulcrum's won. I know your husband, and your son, are the Intersect," Mauser told her.
Mary shook her head. "Chuck and Stephen's secret is safe. And you're going straight to a CIA detention facility, never to be seen or heard from again."
Mauser chuckled again. "You go right ahead, Agent Bartowski, arrest me." He paused, and grinned. "But say good-bye to your family. I'm not like those other Fulcrum agents. They'll do whatever it takes to find me." He paused, grinning evilly. "And when they do, every Fulcrum agent we have is going to know your family is the Intersect." Mary swallowed. "It's going to be the end of their pathetic existence. So take me in, Agent Bartowski." He held his hands out to her, to be cuffed. "I'm ready to go."
"Or, I kill you right now," Sarah said, walking up, her gun trained on Mauser.
"Sarah, you don't have to do this," Mary told her.
"You don't either," Sarah replied. "But he can't go to the detention center, he's right."
"Wait," Mauser began.
"What we have to do-" Sarah jumped as a gun shot went off and a hole appeared in Mauser's head. She whipped her head over to Mary, who was standing there looking as confused as Sarah was.
"Good Lord, do I hate the evil villain soliloquy," Casey said, walking up between the two of them, grinning. "However, it gave me time to get here and shoot him, thanks." With that he turned and walked away. "General, we're gonna need a cleanup," he said into the phone. He hung up. "Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Fa-la-la-la-la la. La. La. La. La."
a/n: Thanks for reading.