First of all, I must apologise for submitting this while there were any typing errors. I did go through this on Microsoft Word, before uploading, but then got carried away, editing it, when it came to the Edit/Preview stage, on this site.

The song at the end [You'll know when the time comes ;)] is by the Fleet Foxes and is called Textbook Love.

Also, to avoid any confusion, if it's in Italics, it's being thought, but if it's in quotes and Italics, it's being whispered. Hope that helps! :D

My spy-dy senses are tingling. Damn it – I'm spending too much time with Chuck. And really? Spiderman? Come on, Sarah, that's your least favourite Marvel film, to date! If you're going to ruin a quote at least go for something worthwhile. She argued with herself. Then again, how many superheroes have use able quotes, in real life situations, even if I am a spy? And other superheroes just haven't the same subtlety as Spiderman – a hero in secret. She liked the parallels, even if she was channelling Chuck in drawing parallels between her own secret heroics and those of Spiderman. But the important thing now was that she sensed something was off, and it was the worst time to be channelling Chuck, in any situation with a possible threat present. The only viable threat in the room is Chuck.

She laughed aloud. Chuck merely tilted his head to the side in confusion and carried on talking, whilst hoping she would invite him on, into her room.

Stay on your guard, Walker.

"Sorry Chuck – you were saying?" Turning her back to Chuck, at the door, to signal for him to follow her in, she hid her knives within easy reach, as Chuck comically fumbled with the latch on the door.

Moving to sit on the bed, he continued. "Sarah, you ok? You seemed a little spaced out, there" concern evident in his voice.

"Yeah. Chuck. I'm fine – promise." That should keep him at bay – don't want him panicking, not if there's a threat coming, and he needs my A game.

"Ok, but anyway, Sarah – like I said, I need you to trust me. Can you do that?" he said, worry in his voice and then standing up, again, to lean in for a hug, which definitely caught her off guard, but all the same, she returned it.

Something has Chuck worried, too - maybe he knows what it is. Ok, carry on as normal, keep assessing the threat level, and get Chuck into a position where he can easily be defended, if anything happens. Weapons out, Walker. Thought Sarah, channelling Casey - now, that is a damn site more effective.

"Chuck, of course I trust you" she uttered, having not really listened to what he was saying, as she continued to discreetly assess their surroundings, whilst feeling his hands caressing her, as his right hand furthered its path, towards her neck. Slowly, gently. Typical Chuck she mused, distracted now, in more ways than one, until; a light prick to the neck he was previously caressing, and a very sudden drowsiness.

"Chuck… I'm… gonna…-" she managed to splutter out, before he cut across her, while she fell further into his arms.

"It's ok, Sarah, you trust me? Remember? Just relax? For me - please? I had to use a tranq Sarah, you'd never have-" but his comment became redundant, as a loud snore erupted, from what seemed to be a sleeping angel. Woah - a girl that beautiful, with a snore, that loud...

Panicked, she awoke tied to a chair. What have you gotten us into, Chuck?! Still drowsy, but somewhat more drug free than the night before. She untied herself - amateurs - before even lifting her head, only to be completely dumbstruck, when she did.

Chuck? Oh my… Chuck!

"SURPRISE!"

And that it was.

Chuck was already there, even before the last syllable was yelled by her 'captors', unsuccessfully trying to cut the visible rope to set Sarah free. But his super-spy was already out, and wrapping herself around him, in a big hug, with a bigger smile, calling a big thank you to all of those who surrounded her, in the decoration covered Bartowski living room.

She nestled her head in Chuck's neck, part for cover, and part because she actually wanted to, but mostly because she needed to get a few things off her chest, before enjoying the party. Even if Jeff and Lester were there.

"If you ever do that again, Chuck – you might find out that you wake up without your most prized possessions."

I hope she means my Tron poster and my Xbox... She gave him a death glare, seemingly in response to his thoughts, eliminating any possibility of him being confused.

An audible gulp came from him, as he tried to pull away, but Sarah just held him closer. He looked tired enough as it was - exhausted, even, without her threatening to do things to him in his sleep. The tired look in his eyes, was swiftly replaced with a glimmer, as she held him at arms length, to inspect he was ok, before returning to a position where it was safe for them to talk, privately. "Next time? Just ask, Chuck" humour riddling her voice.

Everyone behind, who'd started chatting about how surprised she looked, sent sideward glances at the couple, who, it seemed, were whispering sweet nothings into each others ears. The atmosphere erupted, music playing in the background, some party poppers already pulled, all drinks already in hand.

"Somebody's getting lucky tonight" boomed Devon, to the chagrin of Ellie, giving him the look, as he talked about her little brother, slapping him lightly on the shoulder.

"Let's just say I'm not the only one" Jeff drawled, looking over at Chuck and Sarah, suggestively, as if there was any scenario in the universe, where Devon's comment was aimed at him.

"Eww! Get him away from me!" said Anna, with such contempt that a few of the party goers edged away from her.

"Sorry, Sarah, but Casey said there's no way I'd manage to plan a surprise party for a trained spy, without them noticing, unless they were unconscious" his whispered apology, and accompanying frile (as she'd affectionately nicknamed his half frown, half smile) made it impossible for her to stay mad.

"D'you not think that maybe you took his advice a little bit too literally?" she continued, jokingly.

"No, because I know that he was right, and as amazing as you think I am..." he smiled "I know that I couldn't keep this from you, and I still had to make sure you were unconscious, or in a different country before even thinking about telling Ellie – and I had to make sure that the shops should be open, whilst you were unconscious, and that Ellie and Awesome weren't on shift and that we had the ingredients and time for Ellie to work her magic with the cake, and that there was time to get the rest of the food together - not to mention the decorations, and inviting people..."

Ignoring his ramblings, Sarah only registered the mention of Ellie's home made cake, as her eyes grew visibly wider.

"Thank you Chuck" she finally murmured into his ear, realising the expanse of his efforts – knowing that he only looked the way he did, because he'd done this for her. Standing up from the chair, she pulled him from his knees, and into another hug.

"A-Anything, for you, Sarah" he stuttered, but it wasn't necessary, once their hearts started beating out the cha-cha.

"Chuck?" the whispered conversation continued

"Yeah?"

"Don't be so nervous, it's just me."

"I know… but... I guess... That's why I'm..-so nervous" his voice hitching, towards the end.

"Chuck?" Sarah breathed, although it might have been Chuck's imagination telling him that the longer this conversation went on, the more sultry her tone became, and the less distance was between them.

"Yeah?" he barely whispered, thinking about their very gradual proximity, while Sarah looked down at the hand which she had subconsciously taken.

"Could you…?" She looked down, awkwardly - embarrassed and very unlike Sarah Walker, bringing an abrupt end to the closeness she had initiated.

Visibly dejected, he quickly released her hand, babbling "Oh, yeah sorry, I just thought you... You know..-wouldn't mind, being as you.. Well, you took my hand, so I kinda thought that... Yeah." he gradually finished mid sentence, feeling foolish having got his own hopes up about there being something real between them.

Although she was equally quick to dispel his disappointment, "No, that wasn't it Chuck, I just meant about your hands, you know – because you're nervous, I was just hoping-"

Chuck just offered her a blistering smile, hoping that he was in fact seeing a trained assassin and secret agent, reduced to a just a normal girl, who was rambling and anxious, because she was talking to her crush. She looked at him with those wide, blue eyes, realising her error, but he just wiped his hands on his jeans, with a slight frile, as if to say that he just couldn't help being such a lovable nerd.

One day, I'll get used to this - whatever it is, and that day onwards, she wont make me so nervous. He silently wished.

"It's ok, Chuck. " she assured him, brightly, practically in response to his thoughts, bringing an end to their whispered discussion, and her own thoughts of her crumbling mental barriers.

Continuing with the celebration, she took his hand, as she thanked all the guests, very genuinely for the surprise. Although Chuck noted throughout the night, that even if he wasn't next to Sarah, but the word "surprise" could be heard, her eyes went slight, as they found him, only to be replaced with her dazzling smile, soon after. Is the Sarah Walker flirting with me? and not out of necessity? He asked himself with a serious helping of uncertainty.

The party died down quite some, after a few hours and the obligatory Jeff related incident, where he got drunk (or at least elevated his level of drunkenness) and tried speaking to Anna. The highlight of that being the part where Anna roundhouse kicked him through the Bartowski's front window, hurriedly promising to pay for it to be fixed, and leaving, with a silent but wide eyed Morgan fixed to her heel. Jeff wasn't hurt. He was used to it. A few people remained, but by this point most had taken their leave – seeing Anna's roundhouse kick as a cue to get the hell out of Dodge. Some of Ellie and Devon's hospital friends remained, dancing outside the Bartowski residence, lending to the elegant atmosphere and the calm end of the evening. Ellie and Devon took this opportunity to join their friends, dancing, after finding out 7 hours prior, that it was Sarah's birthday, and having not stopped since.

Sarah crept up, towards Casey, while he was leaning against the Bartowski residence, outside, in the courtyard – not intentionally sneaking - it just became instinct, after years in the spy game. She pressed on, not really expecting to catch him off guard. A man like John Casey is never off guard.

"I know, Walker. I know"

Sarah Walker, however, was not expecting him to say that.

Schooling her surprised features, and finding comfort against the wall behind Casey, she promptly deduced what he would see as her most likely first comment - and the appropriate reply. She wasn't a spy for nothing.

"Then why did you tell him, John?" She said, now leaning up against the wall, watching Chuck enjoy himself, with some of the last few guests, and his family, around the fountain.

"The nerd deserves it, you know?" She knew only too well.

A pregnant pause dominated the music, as Sarah waited for the rest of his comment. She didn't have long to wait.

A sigh.

"He may be the second most annoying person in the world, Walker… But he's a patriot. Reluctantly? Yeah. But he's got courage - he serves his country well. And something like this? It's not even for him, but look at him. And that smile on his face is because of that. It's the least I could do. "

"Why not any other day, Casey?" she asked, already realising the answer, but carefully matching his tone, knowing that Casey talking (well, more than a grunt, a "Yes, General" or an "I love gunplay") was a rarity, and she needed to be delicate in the unique situation.

"It had to be some day… And besides, it was the only recorded birthday in your file."

There was a pause between them, as it dawned on Sarah that this front he put on, was just that. And she was grateful of that fact. She continued her musings, as Casey began to walk across the courtyard, towards his own accommodation, she called him. He just turned, waiting on her response.

"Thanks".

It was a simple gesture, but spoke volumes of how grateful she was. The only reply she got from the half man, half machine was a quick "Don't mention it", he grunted, definitely sounding more like a threat than a just a fleeting comment.

Typical Casey, she scoffed.

"So… I guess we can celebrate your birthday nearer to Valentines Day, next year, if you want?"

Damn it! I always let my guard down when he's near – I didn't even see him walk away from the fountain! Head in the game Walker, head in the game.

"Maybe you can move it to Christmas, for me, you know - one less present to worry about." he joked, cheekily, just wishing he could find out this one thing about her.

"No, Chuck."

It was a strange response, but it got his attention. He knew something was coming. Something real.

He waited. Silently waited. The silence lay entrance to the background music and it could be heard alongside the slamming of John's front door, after some surprisingly pleasant good bye's, but this didn't register with either Chuck, or Sarah.

The silence continued, but Chuck couldn't wait any longer - he needed to say it. Needed Sarah to know.

"Hey.. Look, Sarah, I was just kidding. I know that you need to maintain your cover, so this is now your birthday, as Sarah Walker, but. I just… I was hoping you'd see that we? Ellie, Devon, Morgan, me?" He gesticulated wildly "We all care for you Sarah. You deserve this. Sarah Walker, or no - whether this is your birthday, or just another day you've got to celebrate, to maintain whatever... Whatever it is that..." He took a deep breath, composing himself, and thinking carefully of the right words. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was the needless cover maintenance she'd demonstrated to throughout the night, but whatever it was, it gave him the courage to open his eyes, place a finger under her chin and gaze longingly into her perfect blue eyes, as he simply said "..whatever we have".

Silence.

Her eyes became noticeably more moist, the longer he gazed into them, but the strength of her returning gaze allowed him to continue.

"I'm sorry Sarah. You already know that I asked Casey, and even though this isn't your real birthday, it was for one of your covers, so I was just trying to give you something real, from some time – you know - something to remember us by, after your reassignment, before you have to go save the world, killing terrorists with gummy bears."

This earned Chuck a smile, reminding Sarah of the time he asked her out for their first date. This time she

Silence.

"Ok, Sarah, but I just thought you should know that we all see you as family and tha-"

"It's my real birthday." she barely breathed.

Feeling like he was practically reading her every thought, she turned her eyes from his penetrating gaze, suddenly finding the slow dance between Ellie and Devon very captivating. She closed her eyes, to capture the tears. A slack jawed Chuck Bartowski stared at a tight eyed Sarah Walker. All that could now be heard was the slow music. Chuck smiled, feeling special, and knowing that everyone else in the world was completely oblivious to what sort of courage had just been shown.

After what felt like hours, Chuck managed to pull a very quiet Sarah Walker towards him, holding both of her hands, between them, and realising that neither had said anything nor really moved for almost 10 minutes.

"Sarah?" he inquired, requesting permission to dance with her. A slight nod, and he as bringing her to the fountain and slowly initiating a dance to the last few seconds of Arcade Fire's 7 Kettles, before The Fleet Foxes' "Textbook Love" came on.

"Thank you, Chuck" she said, being held by Chuck, while they were both swaying, and not necessarily in time.

"Thank you, Sarah"

It was only after this that either of them were content with their thoughts, enough to enjoy their proximity with each other, and just listen to the music.

I was in the classroom after school,

Working on the chalkboard once again.

You were in your uniform,

Standing by the door,

When I saw you,

Saw you there.

You were wondering if I'd walk you home

Even though I lived on the opposite side,

I said sure I don't need to home soon anyway,

Anyway.

Oh textbook love,

Textbook love,

Hold my little hand baby.

Hearing the lyrics, Chuck looked down with smiling eyes, to a teary eyed, but smiling, Sarah - both suppressing knowing laughs, at the ridiculous possibility that what they had, whatever it was, could be interpreted as anything even close to textbook love.

I can't believe I'm stupid enough to have not noticed the flat line, in the editing bar and thought "Hmmm... Maybe that's what authors use to create their own 'notes'"

Anyways, this is my first story, so I really would appreciate some feedback, even if it's just one word or even a (Y) or (N)
Oh, and a big thanks in advance!