Time seemed to stand still as they leaned into each other, his harm surrounding her. The sun cast a gentle warmth upon their skin, confirming Morgan's earlier proclamation -

it truly was magical. It was a passionate kiss, the two of them just pour out all the emotions in it like they wanted to believe there is a happy ending to this story.

Sarah pulled back slightly, resting her forehead against Chuck's before meeting his gaze, a smile playing on her lips. "Hi," she murmured softly.

Chuck returned her gaze "Hi," he replied, his tone filled with a mixture of affection and uncertainty

"No magic, right?" Said Chuck with a hint of sarcasm

Sarah's smile widened. "No," she said, her voice tinged with amusement.

They lingered in silence for a moment, both aware that the spell of the moment needed to be broken.

"I…probably should go" Sarah finally said, breaking the silence as she stood up and retrieved her shoes.

Chuck nodded "Oh, yeah …sure… well, I … do you need a ride?"

Sarah paused, considering his offer before declining. "No thanks, Chuck. I can call a taxi."

Chuck's words stumbled over each other "Are you sure? I mean… I don't want to be… I mean… for me, there are…"

"Chuck!" Sarah interrupted "It's okay, I can take a taxi" she reassured him.

Chuck exhaled slowly, a sense of resignation settling over him. "Sure..."

"Bye, Chuck," Sarah said, taking a step back as she began to walk away, her eyes never leaving his.

"Bye Sarah"

He continued to watch her as she walked away from the beach until she disappeared from his sight. The air was still warm and there was a peaceful atmosphere. The only sounds were the gentle rhythm of the waves crashing against the shore and the distant laughter of a child.

Chuck turned his gaze back to the ocean, lost in thought until the sudden ringing of his phone jolted him back to reality.

"Hi Morgan" Chuck answered

"Chuck! What happened? Did you find her? Where are you?" Morgan's voice came through the receiver, filled with concern and curiosity. He paced nervously in their apartment, waiting for Chuck's response.

"*Morgan! Stop! let me hear*" Chuck overheard his sister talking in the background

"Hi Ellie", Chuck added with a smile on his face.

Ellie took Morgan from the arm pulling him closely so that she can put her face near the phone to listen in.

"Yes, I found her, she indeed left just a few minutes ago"

"Good good!... *AND?* " Ellie said interrupting Morgan

Chuck chuckled softly "Aaaand no magic"

"I'm sorry buddy, I would have bet everything... it's not possible. According to my sources, this would have succeeded in 99% of cases… Wait a second"

Morgan broke free from Ellie's grip, and shifted his tone "Did you... uh... kiss her?"

Chuck's voice faltered for a moment. "Yeah, I think I... but I'm just relieved we talked."

"I know, I know. Did she say anything about staying?" Morgan pressed.

"*Morgan! Why are you whispering?*" Chuck heard Ellie's voice again.

"Guys, stop!" Morgan exclaimed, regaining control. "Sorry, Chuck. Go on."

Chuck smiled "Actually, no... I think I'll let her decide. I've made my moves, my Bartowski moves."

"Okay, buddy. Just know we're here for you... no matter what," Morgan reassured him.

"Thanks Morgan, I really appreciate it", Chuck said sincerely, his gaze drifting back to the sea. "I just want her to know that we're family, and she can count on me for anything."

"She knows, Chuck. Don't worry. She's still a spy..." Morgan's voice trailed off knowingly.

Chuck laughed softly. "Yeah, you're right... So, see you at home, okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Whenever you're ready," Morgan replied before ending the call.

Chuck slipped his phone back into his pocket, lost in his thoughts until he felt a presence behind him. Startled, he turned around to find Sarah standing there

"Geez, you scared that hell out of me" Chuck exclaimed, his hand instinctively moving to his chest.

"Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on you. I came back for this…" Sarah gestured towards her sweater lying on the sand.

Chuck immediately grabbed it from the ground and lend it over to her. He hadn't noticed it until now.

"Thanks" Sarah said as she reached out for the piece of clothing. "And thanks for earlier... sorry, I didn't mean for you to overhear the conversation."

"Oh you mean… how long I stayed there without moving?" Sarah tilted her head, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Enough," she added with a smile. "I should go for real this time. See you, Chuck."

Chuck snapped back to reality, his heart pounding in his chest. "Sarah, just…" he waited for her to turn to him again "Ju… just call me if you need me, ok?"

"Understood," Sarah nodded, waving briefly before turning to leave.

"Sooooo, did you guys speak?" Morgan entered the room balancing a bowl of cereal in one hand.

Chuck shook his head, taking a bite of his breakfast at the dining table. "Nope. It's just a couple of weeks, I can handle it."

Morgan scoffed, his spoon gesturing animatedly. "No, you can't."

Chuck smirked, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "Thanks, Morgan. You're a real friend."

"Chuck, listen to me," Morgan insisted, leaning forward. "That woman is like the wind, she's free. You can't just let her slip away like that!"

Chuck couldn't help but roll his eyes. "How's living with Alex going?" he asked, changing the subject.

Morgan's expression softened, a smile tugging at his lips. "Well, buddy, everything seems perfect. It's kinda scary, you know? I mean... I don't want to sound insensitive, but

I've always looked up to your relationship with Sarah as the gold standard. And Alex... well, she just feels right."

Chuck returned the smile, genuinely happy for his friend. But as he glanced at his phone lying on the table, the smile faded from his face.

"Chuck?" Morgan's voice broke through his thoughts, concern evident in his tone.

Chuck shook his head "I'm fine, Morgan. Just... thinking."

"Sarah, tell me"

"General Beckman, sorry to bother you, but I... I just wanted to ask... is there any way I could access all the files related to Mission Bartowski?" Sarah's voice trembled with uncertainty.

The general hesitated "Do you mean all the mission reports?"

"Yes, ma'am" Sarah confirmed.

The general sighed "Sarah... those files contain classified information."

"I understand, General. I'm not asking as one of your former agents, but as the Sarah you've come to know over these five years," Sarah was standing still in front of the screen, arm hanging by her sides "I need to understand why I became that Sarah... and how." "I'm asking a lot of you, but please, General, I need to know... If not for me, then for Chuck," Sarah implored

The general regarded her with a mixture of compassion and respect before saying "This conversation never happened, you will find the files in your hotel room…"

Sarah's lips twitched into a slight smile of gratitude. "Thank you, General."

"Take care, Sarah. Don't make me regret it," the general cautioned before ending the call.

Sarah stood alone in the quiet room. After a moment to collect herself, she grabbed her bag and left.

The afternoon was quite cooler than usual, and the trees were moving with the wind.

Sarah was walking head down, no one was around but she didn't seem to be bothered by that. He had passed many tombstones by now, but none of them was the one she was looking for.

Suddenly a name, she was standing still surprised and sad at the same time.

"Brice Larking," she murmured softly, her voice tinged with a mixture of emotions.

The tomb was clean, adorned with flowers left by another visitor Sarah couldn't help but voice her thoughts aloud. "I thought you wanted to be cremated in Lisbon."

A few moments passed in silence before she continued, her tone heavy with sadness. "Why Chuck? Why did you choose Chuck?" Sarah sank to her knees before the grave, clutching flowers in her hands. "Why me? Why did you leave me? I thought we were a team," she whispered, the weight of her words hanging in the air.

She placed the flowers beside the tombstone, wiping away the tears that stained her cheeks. With a deep breath, she rose to her feet and turned away, casting one last glance at the grave.

"Yeah, I know... he's a good guy. I'll give you that."

In her bedroom, Sarah was surrounded by scattered files, seated cross-legged on the bed as she pored over a document. Recognizing her own handwriting, she noted the meticulous details of missions, from targets to strategies and encounters. With a sigh, she let herself sink back against the pillows.

She looked exhausted and also a little bit disappointed.

Reaching for a small diary and pen, she opened it letting the pages slide slowly between her fingers. The pages were filled with code words, familiar places, and small details that only she and Chuck could know.

She brought the diary close to her head, pressing it against her forehead as if to help herself remember better. Finally, she searched for a blank page "Why?" she wrote, frustration evident in her scribbles.

"Why did he break you with me?" "And why didn't I follow orders to keep the asset secure?"

Her pen moved furiously across the paper "How could he have gotten away with this decision?"

As she was writing down her thoughts, a sudden rush of emotion swept through her from head to toe, leaving her petrified.

She stood there motionless, her gaze fixed, lost in space as if she were imagining something.

She felt herself transported into Chuck's courtyard, and there she was, sitting by the fountain, listening to Chuck confess his feelings for her once again. She felt a surge of emotion, a mix of pain and a desire to cry, hearing those words. She knew all too well that their relationship was just a cover, but those words had hurt her nonetheless.

She shook off that feeling, and quickly grabbed her old footage. Crossing the dates, she played back the recording of herself from that day. She was in tears, just like she was at that moment. "Why?" she whispered.

As the video played on, she heard her own voice concluding that Chuck had made the right decision. Confusion clouded Sarah's mind as she turned off the recorder "Chuck did the right thing … we couldn't go live together, it would have been too tough"

Returning to her diary, she jotted down her thoughts, questioning the connection between their fake breakup and the prospect of living together.

She closed the diary and set it aside, right next to her phone. She picked up her cell phone and dialed the number.

"…" no answer "…" no answer again "…" Sarah was about to close the call, when she heard his voice

"Hello… hello?"

Chuck was deeply absorbed in his work, his eyes fixed on the computer screen, when the ringing of his phone shattered the silence. "Oh, come on, I don't have time for this now," he muttered, ignoring the call. But as the ringing persisted, he reluctantly glanced at the screen. It was Sarah, his Sarah.

"Sarah?!" He stood up immediately and answered the phone with a trembling voice

"Hello… hello?!"

"Why did we break up?" She was very firm and her voice steady

Chuck wasn't expecting that question "Wha.. What do you mean?"

"Why did you leave me that day? if it was all fake, why did you break up with me? We weren't really together yet right?"

"Yeah, well, we weren't really together yet, but..."

"Speak, Chuck." Sarah demanded

"Okay, okay, calm down." Chuck replied, sensing the frustration in Sarah's voice.

"We broke up because we were supposed to live together so that you could watch over me 24/7. But I couldn't do it. I was completely in love with you back then, and I couldn't bear to have you there with me day and night without being able to look at you or even touch you the way I wanted to." Sarah listened in silence.

"You knew that perfectly well, and maybe you wouldn't have been able to do it either. I'm sure even you felt something for me at that moment. That's why I left you, because I loved you and the last thing I wanted was to hurt you and deceive myself" Chuck's words left his mouth one after the other and there wasn't much he could do to stop them

Sarah abruptly hung up the phone.

"And…Sarah… I'm sorry to change the subject, but... I was really worried in these days, are you still here in Los Angeles?"

"…" no answer

He stared at his phone screen, realizing the call had ended.

"Aaaand I talking to myself" Chuck put away the phone "Yes Chuck, I'm fine and I miss you" Chuck mocked Sarah's voice titling his head left and right.

"What the hell are you doing?" Morgan's voice startled Chuck, causing him to jump in his seat.

"Nothing… nothing! And Morgan … stop sneaking up on me!"

"You're creepy man, and you're becoming crazy" Morgan left the room and Chuck return looking at his phone for answers "Are you really…okay, Sarah?" he whispered to himself. He picked up the phone and searched for her number. He was about to call her back, but he stopped there just if he knew how Sarah deals with her emotions. The last thing she would want was to talk to him in that moment. He put back the phone on the table and went back to work.

Sarah hung up the phone call and she begun to walk inside the room. She paced the room, her fingers nervously tangling in her hair. Instinctively, she reached for her wedding ring, twirling it distractedly on her finger, only to freeze as she realized what she was doing.

"What am I doing here?" she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible in the silence of the room.

With a deep breath, Sarah retrieved the key to her apartment and without another glance back, she left the room behind.

*Knock Knock Knock*

The evening hadn't yet settled in, but Chuck had been lying in bed for a while now, unable to close his eyes after Sarah's phone call. He kept staring at the phone screen as if hoping it would light up again.

The knock on the door snaped him back to reality. Chuck hesitated, his expression was a mixture of confusion and fear. "Morgan?!" he called out

*Knock Knock*

With cautious steps, Chuck approached the door, brandishing the Guitar Hero plastic guitar like a weapon. He flung the door open, holding the guitar high above his head, ready to strike.

"Chuck, what are you doing?" Sarah's voice cut through the tension, her expression a mix of confusion and amusement.

"Sarah! Thanks god, I thought it was a thief or something"

Sarah chuckled, gesturing towards the guitar. "Nice choice of weapon."

"Yeah…well, this was an improvised weapon" Chuck put the guitar down rapidly "Come in, come in"

Sarah took some step forward "Sorry for showing up here without any notice"

"No problem, don't worry about it" Chuck was heading towards the couch "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No…well…yes" Sarah seemed embarrassed by the situation. She sat down beside Chuck

"It's ok Sarah" Chuck tried to be as reassuring as possible

"I …I think … I remembered something, but it was different this time…"

"Wait, wait… you remembered something?"

"No… not really… mostly I remember details, places, names… but…" Sarah was staring straight ahead with a serious expression on her face.

"it was like… there were emotions attached to it"

"I felt like I couldn't grasp what was happening, like I had no control over my emotions" Sarah quickly wiped a tear from her face, brushing it away with her hand.

"Hey..." Chuck reached out his hand towards hers, gently squeezing it to reassure her.

Chuck immediately realized his gesture and quickly withdrew his hand, recomposing himself and changing his position on the couch. Now, he was facing her.

"The Sarah I met five years ago would be punching some bad guy in the face right now and would never have come here to talk to me about what happened…" Sarah let out a smile.

"What I'm trying to say... is that... we're different people from who we were five years ago. We've both grown and faced so much together." Chuck continued.

"And that… is something that will never change. No Intersect can ever erase those emotions and feelings."

Both were sitting in silence, looking into each other's eyes.

"So!" Chuck stood up from the couch with excitement. "I made you a promise, didn't I? How about helping me keep it?" Chuck reached out his hand to Sarah as if to help her up.

Sarah allowed herself to be pulled to her feet and she found herself face to face with Chuck.

"Let's go!"

"Where are we going?" Sarah asked sounding curious.

"It's a surprise" Chuck smiled at her, walking towards the door. "Come on!"

"An arcade?" Sarah was very confused, but Chuck stood there in front of her with a pleased expression.

"I know, I know what you're thinking. Sarah Walker, one of the best CIA spies, playing video games?"

Sarah shook her head "Chuck, I appreciate the effort to cheer me up, but... it's no happening" Sarah turned as if to leave.

"Wait, wait, I'm not trying to do that... well, partly yes, but let me explain…" Chuck stepped closer, blocking her path meeting the eyes again.

He took a deep breath "I should have told you this from the beginning… I don't need you to remember everything, and and I'm not assuming we can go back to how things were. But one thing's for sure, I want us to rebuild what was taken from us."

"So, I thought… what was Chuck Bartowski good at before he met the woman who changed his life?" He lifted his eyes to the arcade sign and then turned back to Sarah.

He paused and then he extended his hand forward "Hi, I'm Chuck, and you are..."

Sarah remained silent, listening to Chuck. She was hiding a smile.

"Shut up, Chuck!" Sarah took a few steps forward, surpassing Chuck "I have some games to win."

Chuck grinned, following her lead.

"Ooh, you're going against the Intersect, and none other than the reigning champion of…"

"Missile command, I know I know" Sarah finished for him, her tone teasing.

Chuck looked Sarah straight in the eyes. "It'll be fun"

Sarah was putting on her leather jacket after carefully closing the suitcase that was on her bed. She took the plane ticket in her hand and stared at it closely.

She was startled by a sudden sound behind her, the doorbell of the room.

She approached cautiously, peering through the peephole before swinging the door open "Chuck?!... what are you doing here?"

"Hey, I've been trying to reach you for days. When I didn't get through, I got worried... thought I'd better check in."

His voice softened with each word, until it was almost a whisper. "I didn't mean to force you, Sarah. I just... are you leaving?" Chuck's gaze drifted to the suitcase resting on her bed,

Sarah hesitated " Yes, Chuck... Beckman called me last Friday, wants me in Washington for a new assignment. Details are still sketchy, but it looks like I'll be away for a while."

Chuck's expression darkened, a mixture of understanding and disappointment "I see..."

But then, a flicker of a smile crossed Chuck's face as he met Sarah's gaze once more. "I get it. Just promise me one thing... don't disappear without a word next time. I'd rather have a messy goodbye than no goodbye at all."

Sarah chuckled, the tension between them momentarily lifted. "Otherwise, you know I'd come looking for you." The two laughed and remained silent for a few seconds.

"So, ready to go?" Chuck stepped aside, gesturing for Sarah to join him. "You've got a flight to catch."

Sarah nodded "Thank you," she whispered, a hint of gratitude in her voice.

Chuck was kneeling in front of a box and was trying to open it without breaking anything inside. Indeed, on the side, it was clearly written "fragile." It was his collection of action figures and comics. He picked up one in particular and began flipping through it with a satisfied smile on his face. It was full of drawings and references to ORION and the intersect. "I thought I had lost it," he said to himself.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he answered without hesitation.

"Hi"

"Chuck!"

At the sound of that voice, Chuck moved the phone away from his ear and glanced at the screen to make sure he heard correctly.

"General?! What happened?! Why are you calling me?!"

"It's about Sarah, I need Agent Charles Carmichael once again… but I can't give you all the details over the phone."

"I see you're in the new house, good... Find the box labeled 'kitchen cupboard'... it should contain Sarah's old computer."

"Wait—how... never mind."

"Sarah had made arrangements for emergency contact. I never anticipated needing it... especially after..."

"Found it!" Chuck rushed to follow the instructions.

"Excellent. Chuck, I'll reach out to you from there."

As Chuck powered up the computer, the general's face appeared on the screen.

"Chuck, I apologize for involving you like this, but you're our best hope to help Sarah in this moment."

"General, I still don't understand. Is Sarah in danger?"

"A month ago, Sarah went undercover as a secretary for a powerful politician here in Washington, suspected of illegal activities"

"She's provided valuable intel, but she hasn't reported in two days. We fear her cover may be blown. Her last known location was a restaurant called Davi's."

Chuck was listening very carefully, but as soon as he heard the name of that restaurant, Chuck had a flash thanks to the Intersect.

"General! Davi's isn't just any restaurant! The owner, Richard Davi, is a CIA asset under witness protection for his ties… to… Volkoff." Chuck said the last words more slowly, as if he were gradually understanding the gravity of the situation.

"I'm aware, Chuck. That's precisely why I called you. We suspect Sarah may have been spotted by Davi."

"But Sarah... she has no memory of Volkoff!" "We need to act quickly before they harm her!"

"There's a plane waiting for you. See you in Washington, Chuck."

Sarah emerged from the water, taking a deep breath. She was being held by the hair by a man much taller than her, who was keeping her head raised.

"I won't ask twice. Who do you work for, Agent? Is Volkoff behind this?"

Sarah was struggling to catch her breath, finding it difficult to remain conscious.
"Elisabeth! If that's even your real name... Talk, or you'll be taking another dip very soon."

"I'm waiting," Sarah said defiantly.

The man nodded, signaling to his partner, who plunged Sarah's head beneath the surface once more. Sarah struggled to break free from his grip but unsuccessfully. Eventually, she lost consciousness, and the man brought her back up.

"Move her! let me know when she wakes up. We'll try a different approach," the man ordered, looking at a table stocked with syringes.

"Chuck, you'll be on your own from now on. We haven't been able to locate Casey at the moment, but we're working on it. I know your request wasn't random, which is why I'm personally handling the matter."

Chuck was adjusting his earpiece. "As I've already told you, I've already lost contact with one of my best agents... don't play the hero, Chuck... this is an order."

The general had a very worried expression. "I know, General. My only goal is to come out alive with Sarah…at all costs"

"Well... good luck." The General closed the call and Chuck put on his hat and stuck on the fake mustache. He opened the car door and stepped out, walking towards the restaurant.

"We're closed, sir. I'm sorry," the waitress blocked Chuck's path, her tone firm.

"I think you have something of mine..." Chuck adopted a fake Russian accent. "You don't understand who you're dealing with..." He brandished his gun, causing the waitress to duck behind the bar.

A man emerged from the kitchen, his face bruised. "Ah, you mean the Volkoff's girl? Well, I'm delighted to inform you she's not here anymore."

He limped, supported by the woman beside him.

"What do you mean? Where is she?" Chuck demanded

"They left this morning, after the girl passed out again," the man explained.

Chuck aimed his gun. "Where did they go?" The man showed no fear, only resignation. "If I knew, I'd have told you."

Chuck lowered his gun and swiftly left the restaurant. "General, we've got a problem... Sarah is not here."