This is for my dear friend csishewolf who requested Chuck/Sarah & complicated.
I of course own nothing in the world of Chuck or any of my other fandoms and have made no money from writing this fic.
There was nothing so complicated as running into an ex while out with the new person in your life. Not that this had ever been an issue in Chuck's life before, but on the one night he had talked Sarah into not being a super agent for just one night, the previously unheard of situation occurred.
They had driven to a little hole-in-the-wall Italian place he had gone to with Ellie over the years. It wasn't glamorous, but the food was wonderful and the atmosphere was really romantic at night.
Only sitting there, in a booth in the corner was Jill. Jill that left him for Bryce. Jill that ripped out his heart, stomped on it, then handed it back to him skewered.
He quickly tried to steer Sara out of the harpy's sight, but Jill's cry of "Chuck? Chuck Bartowski is that you?" halted them both dead in their tracks.
The three of them stood there, in the middle of the restaurant, with awkwardness permeating the room faster than the marinara scent wafting out of the kitchen. Sarah, sweet, beautiful, dangerous Sarah, thank the heavens for Sarah and her quick thinking, quickly stuck out her hand to the other woman.
"I'm Sarah, Chuck's fiancee," she said while sliding her arm around Chuck's waist. Knowing it would be easier to play along than stand there all night nervous and upset, he draped his arm around Sarah's shoulders. Jill's face was priceless. Gaping fish would have been a kind description.
"Um, Jill," the other woman replied. "The um, ex-girlfriend. Look Chuck," she started twisting her hands. "I'm really sorry for what happened back at Stanford. It's just Bryce was so handsome and charming, and it's no excuse for what happened, but I really am sorry."
Luckily their waiter had doubled back to check on them, so Chuck let his arm slide down until he was holding Sarah's hand.
"It's fine Jill. After all, without the things that have happened to me, I'd have never met Sarah. So, it's fine," he finished and gave Sarah's hand a tug.
They followed the waiter to their booth in silence. They were on the other side of the restaurant and out of sight of Jill now. But instead of Sarah letting go of his hand, she scooted in keeping hold of the digits.
"That took a lot of courage and forgiveness, what you did back there," Sarah said giving his hand a squeeze. Chuck's shrug let her know he wasn't quite ready to discuss it yet, so Sarah told the waiter they'd start with a bottle of merlot and some stuffed mushrooms.
When the waiter left them alone, Sarah rubbed her thumb across the back of Chuck's hand while listening to him take deep calming breaths.
"I meant it you know," he said looking straight at the candle on the table as if it held all the answers in the world. "What I told her. That everything in my life, good and bad, has led me to being with you."
"Chuck," Sara whispered sadly. Knowing she did not need to fall for Chuck and all his sweetness made her heart hurt. She closed her eyes and went to withdraw her hand from his. The tightening of his grip was followed by the gentlest of kisses placed on her lips.
"Just for tonight," he whispered to her as he pulled back. "Just for tonight, we're Chuck and Sarah. Out on a date and unconcerned about the fate of the world. Ok?"
Thinking that one night spent not being Sarah Walker, CIA agent, sounded nice she nodded.
"For tonight," she said breathlessly and kissed him again.
