A/N: Do not own Chuck. Updates will not come as fast as "Odds" due to work and college, but I will make every attempt to post weekly and more often as I can. Please enjoy.

Chapter 1 – Welcome to the Team

From Chuck vs. The Odds.

"And, that should do it." Chuck stands up and turns on the entertainment center. "Everything is set and should be in proper working order."

"Chuck, what's that little black box with the single light?" Carina is curious.

"That's the new Apple TV. It can play our iTunes library, sync our iPads and Macbooks, and we can watch Internet based movies and television shows."

"Can it can play music?" Sarah's interest is piqued.

"Sarah, since when do you care about music?" Chuck turns to look at her with raised eyebrows.

"Well, I found a song on iTunes I want you to hear." Sarah states. "I placed it in our library."

"Ok. What's it called?"

"You're My Home by Billy Joel." Sarah smiles at Chuck.

He plays the acoustic guitar heavy ballad, especially enjoying the final lines about his love being his castle, his cabin, his instant pleasure dome, and how he needs her in his house for it to be home.

"And that my love is what I was telling you this morning!" Sarah stands on her tiptoes and kisses him.

The sound of a throat being cleared makes them all turn to the monitor.

"Sorry to intrude team." General Beckman is on the screen. "We have a lead on our friends."

"Well we know I hooked everything up right."

There is a knock at the door.

"That should be your newest team member. With us having two Intersects working on the team, I wanted another security team member. Someone please answer the door for Agent James Fisher."

Carina exits and returns with a dark haired man slightly taller than Morgan and about the same height of Sarah and Carina when they are barefoot, he has a build similar to Casey and apart from the height looks to be a younger version of Casey.

"Mr. Grimes," General Beckman speaks directly to Morgan, "will you accept reinstatement to the team?"

Chuck stands there not speaking outwardly. Now I know why my parents always got mad when I asked if Morgan could stay over with him standing there. How can I speak up and not hurt his feelings? Well-played Beckman. Well played.

-o-

James Fisher moved into the room taking in the scene. He found it interesting when the blonde-haired woman and the tall man next to year both made a face of slight discomfort and the blonde-haired woman became dizzy.

"Are you guys alright?" Fisher had a look of curiosity more than concern.

"Their fine?" Casey moved forward to distract Fisher's attention from Chuck and Sarah, who had just flashed on Fisher.

-o-

Chuck looked at Sarah right after the flash. He is curious if she saw what he saw about the new agent in their living room.

"General, why is a former US Army Infantryman, now NSA agent being assigned to our team?" Chuck turns looking at the screen with furrowed brows.

"Agent Bartowski, did I not just tell you I wanted added security? There are now two NSA agents, two CIA agents, one DEA agent, and a independent contractor." As she spoke, she points to each one of the people before her.

"What's the matter CIA feeling outnumbered?" Casey just smiles at Chuck while clapping Fisher on the back.

"Colonel, as the team leader I am leaving you to assign the mission roles, and to maintain oversight of all operations. Think of this as your first run as a station chief. Congratulations team, you are now an off-the-books sub station. Beckman out."

Just like that, the screen displays the NSA logo and their supervising director vanishes.

"Well, at least she didn't ask if we had any questions before cutting us off, but she never mentioned the lead on our 'friends'." Chuck shrugs and turns his back to the screen. "Shall we move this to the dinning room?"

-o-

Everyone takes their seat quietly as they eye Fisher. Chuck and Sarah sit at the heads of the table where they can see one another. With Sarah's memories restored, Chuck hopes their ability to silently communicate is as well. The new agent takes the seat between Chuck and Carina. Carina sits next to Sarah. This leaves Morgan across from Fisher, and Casey across from Carina.

Casey leans forward and crosses his arms, "So let's get some introductions out of the way."

He waits a moment and everyone nods.

"Ok. Agent Fisher, you're first."

"Hi everyone, I'm James Fisher and I'm an intelligence junky. All right, bad joke. Seriously, I'm from a small southern state. I served in the Army for a few years, climbed in rank, saw some action, and was recruited for a special security mission that lead to my current job. So, let me guess who each person is around the table."

All eyes are on him, but Chuck and Sarah. She has her head down and Chuck is watching her.

"Well I know that you're Colonel Casey," he states pointing to Casey.

"You must be Morgan Grimes" Morgan smiles that hey you guessed right kind of smile.

"Sorry man, the beard gives it away. That leaves you as being Charles Bartowski, and since I know Jenny, that means you must be Carina."

"Wait, did you just say, you know Jenny?" Chuck looks incredulously at Fisher.

"You must have me mistaken with someone else. My name is Sarah Bartowski and I'm Chuck's wife." Sarah has a hardness about her that Chuck has not seen since she returned from the failed Quinn mission thinking he was the enemy.

"You may be, but I first knew you as Jenny. I was there on the day your life changed, it's just the CIA got there first. I watched Graham talk to you and give you the alias Sarah Walker before you even said yes."

Sarah looks across the table at Chuck and he immediately knows she is not comfortable with the new guy knowing about her and her father.

"Are you kidding me? You knew Graham gave her a new alias and you still walk in here, take a seat, and reveal her past. Are you out of you're ever loving mind?" Carina is boiling.

"Sarah, you were a Jenny before you were Sarah?" Morgan is looking at Sarah.

"Can it moron!" Even Casey is appalled at Fisher.

"Look, I just wanted you to know that you could trust me." Fisher raises his hands as if someone yelled 'stick 'em up'.

"Then why didn't you share more about yourself rather than sharing about me."

Sarah is ready to destroy her new dinning table with his face. Everyone notices she is holding on the edge of the table trying to stay calm as she continues.

"You know like the fact that you were enlisted. You served during Operation Desert Shield, on the Implementation Force for the Dayton Peace Accords, or that you were recruited while serving on a general's protection force in Europe. How about sharing that you were married once, or that you basically serve as the team sniper where ever you're assigned, or that you've had a different partner each year since being recruited in 1998."

Chuck smiles. He knows she has not given all the information, but it is enough to put the new guy in his place.

"Well I guess they fixed your intersect. However, it did little to remind you how dangerous I can be when pushed." Fisher is scooting his chair back in visible anger at being called out.

Chuck reaches over and grabs his arm. "I wouldn't do that. I don't know how much you've improved, but she is faster now than she was back when she knocked you out. You know, when they had Farm cadets take on your NSA instructional squad."

"How?" Fisher sits looking at Chuck.

Chuck just smiles at Sarah who is returning his smile. He then turns to Fisher and taps his head.

"Honey, did your head tell you that was the recruit record for taking out a fully trained team of NSA or CIA agents?" Sarah crosses her arms as she sways back and forth in satisfaction.

"You know dear, I think I did see a record board in the flash except they left off your full name. It simply said 'Sarah Walker' when it listed you with your team mates." Chuck smiles her smile. The one only she gets, everyone else gets a muted version of her smile.

"Chuck, what more should it say?" She bats her eyelashes and raises her eyebrows.

"How about 'Sarah Walker, super-ninja-spy-girl'?" He puckers his lips at the end and blows her a kiss.

"Oh, I don't know if I like that. You should say more like 'Sarah Walker, super-lover-of-the-greatest-husband-on-earth"

"Sarah, we didn't know each other then, so how could it say…"

"Stop it! We're never going to function as a team like this. Fisher, as lead I'm telling you to keep any personal information from anyone's past undisclosed. Am I understood?" Casey is standing up and leaning over the table.

"Hoorah!"

Casey grunts and sneers.

"You two knock it off. This may be your home, but we need to work, and then we can celebrate your new home."

"Well, if we're done taking measurements, maybe we can get on to our new roles. Johnny, are you going to make me beg to find out what we're going to be doing now."

Casey just looks at Carina and opens his laptop.

He looks at the team file folder and verifies his secure connection. He takes a moment and looks over the role 'recommendations' from the general."

He takes a deep breath; this is not going to be good, he thinks to himself.

-o-

The sun stretches down the mountain. He feels the cool air on his face and he looks toward the sky underneath the canopy of trees. He enjoys how the light slants through the small openings between the coniferous branches. While, he would never be free from his own personal prison, he was free from the super max. Joseph Benetti was a city person, but his years of service had prepared him to live in any environment. Therefore, he feels comfortable in the small cabin biding his time until they are ready to strike. He hears her long before she arrives. His wife, at least the one who got him out of prison.

Kayla walks slowly up to him. "Aren't you afraid of some satellite picking you up?"

He shakes his head and slowly turns. "Everything must be ready if you are out here looking after me."

"Yeah, it's almost time for the teleconference. When we get inside would you like for me to get you something to eat?" She smiles as she begins to walk slowly away to suggest he should follow.

"No, I'm not hungry. Thank you miss." He never smiles; he just looks at her as he has since she picked him and the 'director' up on the roadside.

The director had taken off with Sands after they arrived and now only the two of them remained here. She thinks, He is always a gentleman, so sad, but still a gentleman.

"You know that once this begins, they'll get you back what was supposed to be yours and then you can bring the pay back." She tries to encourage him.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold. It can never restore what I lost, but if I can bring down those who willingly sacrifice good people on the alter of the greater good, then it is a dish I'll indulge." Benetti looks at her with dead eyes.

He slowly climbs the steps to the porch. He stops, stretches, and then opens the door. Moving in front of the computer screen, he stops, and waits for her to finish the connection. The screen flickers and four windows open, each filled with a different man. In clockwise manner, he looks at Sands, Richardson, the 'Director' (Nathan Scott), and a pixilated disguised person.

"Well gentlemen, I presume, thank you for my release. What can I do for you or better yet, what else can you do for my personal cause?" Again, he never smiles, no emotions, it is though he is made of wood.

Kayla thinks, I've never seen a living person so dead. I wonder what happened to him?

The shadow laughs. "We didn't break you out to help you. If our mission assists your life goals, so be it, but make no mistake, we're not here for you."

"Why should I help then?" Still cold, still dead, but at least he shrugs his shoulders.

"Simple. We give a copy to empower you, in exchange for the list." Sands smiles. "Is Kayla treating you nice?"

"She doesn't bother me, and I don't bother her. I've got a single interest in life and despite her beauty, she doesn't fit in my plans."

"Given up women have you, chap?" Scott smirks as he slightly tilts his head. "I thought I heard about you and a blonde sometime back. Rumor has it you didn't mind playing house with her and her daughter for a while."

"That was a very long time ago. Long before, I met my wife, and the CIA destroyed our lives. Besides, the woman was a means to an end. The little girl ended up with her grandmother, and the woman went off grid. She never knew my plan to take down the agency, she was simply my doorway."

-o-

John Casey knew he was in trouble, but he also knew he had the authority to disregard the general's recommendations. However, he was not going to pass up the opportunity to assess Sarah's mental and emotional state. Sun Tzu once said that if you know yourself and your enemy the outcome is assured. Well he needed to know his team, for he knew his enemy would not stop.

"The general is concerned with the security of both Intersects. While each has proven themselves as a capable agents without the Intersect, their value to national security has increased exponentially."

Sarah and Chuck share one of their silent looks. It is almost as if they are communicating telepathically.

Chuck's looks screams I don't like the direction this is headed.

While Sarah's look is one of rebellion and mutiny If I don't like this I'm going to hurt someone and then do what I want.

"Therefore, it's her recommendation that each Intersect be teamed with another member of the team…"

Morgan blurts out an interruption "I got dibs on Chuck."

"It doesn't work like that Moron. As I was briefing…" Casey gives Morgan a scowl, "the general wants Chuck to work with Carina, and Sarah to work with Fisher. This way, if we need a couple to work two separate angles you're operationally familiar with one another."

"Not going to happen! No way am I going to go on missions without my husband, nor am I going to pretend to be interested in any one else but Chuck. Get the little red headed…"

Casey knew this wouldn't go over well, but he didn't expect this reaction and he wouldn't allow a superior officer to be disrespected, especially in front of an unknown like Fisher.

"Stand down Agent Walker!"

"Her name is Bartowski, not Walker, and you need to stand down, before the government is without an Intersect all together." Chuck was holding both pairs of removal glasses.

Carina quickly places a soothing hand on Sarah who immediately slaps it away.

"Don't touch me! Give me those Chuck; we can end this game right now. I dump this thing that has brought nothing but trouble to us, and you keep yours." She is now making her way around the table with her hand held out to take a pair of glasses from him.

Fisher reaches out to stop Sarah and Chuck flashes. He performs a front ball kick to Fisher's chest sending him to the floor on his back.

Morgan grabs Chuck to calm him and Sarah flashes. She grabs his wrist and hip tosses him to the floor. Carina and Casey both back away as Sarah and Chuck take up fighting stances back to back. Each of them ready to defend the other from any perceived attack.

"Whoa Chuck!" Casey is facing Chuck with his hands held up in surrender.

"Easy Blondie! No need to get hormonal here!" Carina is standing completely still with her hands clearly in plain view.

"Casey, I mean it! No one is stopping me from being with Chuck. Not again!"

"What she said," Chuck states throwing a thumb over his shoulder.

"Ok, Ok. Look just calm down, and hear me out. Remember I said it was a recommendation, not an order." Casey speaks in a low soft voice trying to calm the suddenly very defensive couple.

"Fine" they both state in unison.

"Congratulations, after that performance you two can work together. The general wanted me to make that recommendation to see to what lengths you would fight to be together, but I don't think any of us thought you would actually fight." Casey shakes his head.

Morgan groans from the floor, "What I just got my tail handed to me so Becky can have confidence that Mr. Never-Stay-In-The-Car and Mrs. No-One-Touches-My-Chuck will protect each other?"

"Oh man, love may not make them compromised, but the old saying is still true: love hurts." Fisher quips as he is sitting on the floor rubbing his chest.

Carina just laughs and offers him a hand to get up.

"What about me?" Morgan has his hand out for help.