Chuck vs Destiny

"Fate is for those too weak to determine their own destiny."

A/N: This is meant to be the long awaited ending to Fate and a kind of prelude to the long overdue sequel. For those who were/are looking forward to this, I apologize for the long delay. Military life often precludes other things, and sometimes everything. But I'm back and hopefully better than ever. We are in completely uncharted territory now. No guarantees for Charah or otherwise. Enjoy, or don't, your choice. Review or not, also your choice. I'm putting this out cause I like the characters and, like a good movie, we all want to know what happens next...

Finale:

Lisa picked up and put down her phone several times that night, wrestling with herself for hours on whether to stay or ask for reassignment. In the end her heart won out and she didn't make the call. If no other reason than to not upset her access to her daily dose of Chuck. It was an insatiable need. She had told herself it was because too much of his 'family' had been torn from him during his life It gave her a warm feeling to be considered by Chuck to be part of his family. She had certainly considered how much easier the divorce would be to sell to Ellie if she up and left, and with Sarah back it would be even easier to sell. The return of an old lover sparking a split was so predictable as to be bordering on clique. Maybe it's because it freaking works better that way.

Even after all these thoughts, Lisa contemplated the immense task of satiating and consoling Ellie over Chuck's ever complicated love life. It was a fact of life that if you were a part of one of the Bartowski siblings lives then you were just as involved with the other. Ellie had, in the past decade, invested in three separate women of Chucks, all of whom were going to be a disappointment at one point or another, hurting or abandoning Chuck in some way. Which by extension caused pain, worry and frustration for Ellie. There was no way Lisa was leaving Chuck to fight that fight alone. She had promised to be there for him in all things and she wasn't going to go back on that. Not ever. The "wedding" they had may have been for the cover but she'd meant every single word that came out of her mouth that day. "Till death do us part."

Later that night, Lisa decided to pull a page from Chuck's playbook and finally did pick up the phone. Not to call The Director of the CIA. This time it was to General Beckman. She wasn't sure how much good it was going to do,or if the General would even hear her out. She just felt the need to try something, anything, to help what was quickly becoming an impossible situation for her, for all of them.

"Beckman. Secure. Bartowski honestly, what now?"

"Not the Bartowski you're expecting, this is Agent Lisa Bartowski." For how much longer do I get to say that...?

"Agent Anderson, what is this about?"

Ignoring the obvious barb regarding her name, Lisa pressed on determinedly.

"Ma'am, I'd like to be brought into the fold. Pulled from the CIA, to the NSA, and fully into the Intersect program. I think we can both agree I have both a professional and personal vested interest in both the program and the subject. I can be a more reliable asset to the team if I'm not being interfered with by a competing agency."

"You mean you think it's less likely you'll get separated from the Intersect if you're on the team and you work for the same boss he does?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean, Ma'am. I can't, no, refuse to be without him. I'm sure you foresaw that when you paired me up with him. He seems to have this effect on all the women attached to him. I know the obvious difficulties that may arise with Walker know around. But she's no longer active and having a real agent on hand just seems the prudent thing to do."

"You're correct Agent, it wasn't an unforeseen situation. I must agree, Agent Bartowksi's recent 'negotiations' have certainly put a wrench in the whole situation. Combined with, other issues, her return is fraught with potential problems. While Bartowski certainly does nothing in guile, he, like his father, get's tunnel vision and ignores the far reaching and unseen consequences of his actions." Beckman paused, before continuing. "If I make this move to add you to the team and into the fold of NSA, I would expect your help in keeping his vision more, open."

"I think that's an easy enough request to carry out. However I have one more request to put forward. Will you hear it?"

"Go ahead, agent." Lisa could practically hear the General's eyes roll.

"While its driven solely by my selfish need to remain with Chuck. Additionally to avoid unnecessary emotional turmoil being pressed on the rest of his family, I think it would be both beneficial and maybe necessary to bring the rest of the Bartowski's into the fold. The entire family is fiercely loyal to each other. Chuck's secret as you have probably already surmised, would be safe, hell, safer with them, his family, then with most of the analysts working for you. It would also clear up misunderstandings both between me and Chuck and Sarah and Chuck. As it stands, Ellie is likely to murder Sarah on sight. And after the upcoming requirement for Chuck and I to end our current cover relationship, I'll be in the shallow grave next to her. I know that Sarah herself is not a primary concern now that she is a civilian, but we do know that Chuck will move heaven and earth for her, not to mention heads of intelligence directorates. Internal strife that is not truly fixable without the truth would cause rifts and emotion turmoil that would ultimately cause problems for your asset, and the agency."

Lisa thanked her Dad for once. One thing growing up in the military did was teach you how to talk/grovel to your bureaucratic bosses.

There was a pregnant pause on the line as Beckman put serious thought to the well presented proposition placed before her. It was certainly a refreshing change from her interactions with the other Agent Bartowski.

"I am not at this time authorizing a shift in the current cover story. Unless I determine or Bartowski can prove to me that it will not create more problems than it solves. Namely, salving the emotional stability of one ex CIA agent."

"Conversely, I can't honestly see a foreseeable downside to bringing them in on the program. I would suggest that before it's done, both for my sake and yours, that you put this decision to reveal the operation, before Bartowski. Let him know that it's sanctioned if he baulks at it. While he's a rebel when his mind is to it, he's a lover of right and wrong, he'll see this decision in that light and go for the right one. I do expect you to pass on my instructions regarding your cover. Good luck Agent Anderson. You're going to need it."

The line went dead in the normal perfunctory manner that was General Beckman.

There was an audible and emotional sigh of relief on both ends of the line.

On Lisa's because she's won both her objectives and her life would be immeasurably easier, and on Beckman's as she imagined she had just dodged the biggest bullet to come her way in a long long time. She did not like being wedged between two extremely smart, intelligent and determined Bartowski's.

She was torn by Beckman's decision regarding their cover relationship. She had been mentally preparing herself for this for weeks now, and it was going to be a blow to Chuck. She didn't know if she could stand to see the disappointment in his eyes when she told him. Lisa knew he would want to fight it. However, she knew, just like Chuck would, that you had to pick your battles. This wasn't one of those.

Lisa put down the phone and mentally went over her impending conversation with Chuck. She moved into the bunker to give Chuck space and avoid being murdered by Sarah. Lisa hadn't yet considered that she might have to move out on her own. It gave her a cold chill and she had to suppress a sob escaping her throat. Separating from Chuck was going to be harder than she had initially thought.

Ellie sat up in bed most the night, her mind reeling, spinning and baulking at the day's revelations. How in the Hell is Sarah back? Wasn't Chuck deserving of something stable in his life? What was it with these volatile woman worming into Chucks life, one after the other? Was it her fault? Did she not do enough to protect him from the 'crazies'?

Ellie became determined to fix this, come high or hell water. Sarah would answer for her deeds and Chuck would be at peace for once.

Devon's voice reached out of the darkness broke her internal rant, "El, worryin' over it all night's not going to help, babe. You can go all Momma Bear over it tomorrow. From the looks of your hand you've already said your piece, once. Give that pretty head of yours a rest. You can maim 'the one who must not be named II' tomorrow."

Ellie took a deep breath before responding, "Thanks, sweetie, but only if you promise to talk some man sense into my brother."

"Lie down babe, I'll attempt some man talk with Chuck, only if you lay down right now and keep your husband warm." Devon responded, while reaching out his arms and dragging her down to him.

Ellie sighed and laid back and into the arms of her man, thanking her stars or whatever it is that rules the universe for her family and pleaded that whatever 'it' was, would make this all right again.

Back in DC, the Director of the CIA, was fuming and spinning in his chair. A move that he'd become famous for during his rise through the ranks. It meant, "I'm thinking. Disturb me and your new desk is in a basement somewhere, probably your mom's." His secretary had already popped her head in once, saw the chair spinning and had high tailed it out of there. She had two kids to support.

Meanwhile the Director was reeling from his conversation with Beckman. That interfering little shit, Charmichael, would not, could not, be allowed to dictate the will of the CIA. Whatever latitude the NSA allowed him, it wouldn't be extended to him from the CIA. Not on his watch. The Director didn't know what this so called Intersect wanted with his most accomplished agent but if the CIA was going to be denied her so was he.

The Director made a couple of highly questionable calls and send several ill-advised emails.

Across the globe, while combing the web for bits of intel, several analyst's eyes got large and round, seeing promotions and accolades in the their futures. The "Angel of Death" as she was known among most foreign intel agencies, now had a name and location. Sarah Walker. Los Angeles, CA.

Most of the same analysts didn't make it through the night. After making their reports may found themselves facing the wrong of guns, knives and worse. Intel this sensitive must be handled only at the highest levels and by the most trusted assassins.

Chuck Bartowski lay next to his injured love, in their bed. Were, they were finally able to be "Sarah and Chuck" again? Finally in each others arms? Certainly now, there were o sanctions, regulations or eyes in the sky looking for them. A moment of pure bliss. Chuck began contemplating what they were destined for in the future and stopped himself. He'd beaten Fate into a corner and finished him off, no need to worry what else came, he would deal with it later. Now was now and nothing could change or take that away.

The whirring and beeping of medical machines, and the stark white walls that could only belong to a government installation were the only things that greeted him as he suddenly became aware of himself. Straining to see or hear anything else hurt, and heard or saw nothing before drifting off again.

Seriously, why can't they just leave me dead? He would have wondered it aloud but he honestly couldn't move his mouth. Joy.

The whirring continued, unabated.

A/N: I owed an ending to vs Fate. But truly I just want to write vs Destiny. Considered leaving Fate where it was, as it wasn't a horrible place to stop. So for those who are just finding this, hope you enjoyed it. For those who have waited, I hope it didn't disappoint.