A/N: A compilation of one shots focusing on Charah. Slightly AU, some definitely set before season 3, others set after they began dating – the context should make this pretty clear! I hope you all enjoy these – and if you are wondering where 'Casey vs. the Intersect' is going, well, it's on hold for a few weeks whilst I endure the torment of exams. These one shots I can write in a few off minutes between the pain that is revision, whereas a multi chapter story requires my full attention. By no means is it finished, just give me some time. Well, without further ado, the first of my Charah romance one-shots, entitled 'Perfection'.


Perfection

Chuck closed his eyes and listened to the quiet lapping of the waves on the beach. Amber light filtered through the curtains, everything it touched resonating with a soft orange glow. The near silence allowed him to listen to the muted breath of the girl next to him, her arm lying casually across his chest, its warmth spilling out onto his body. Continuing their tranquil assault on the sand, the waves rolled and receded, with a different hum each time. A smile slowly spread its way from cheek to cheek across Chuck's face – he was pretty sure that if this wasn't perfection, it wasn't far off. His attention was diverted back to the girl beside him again, as she stirred in her sleep, the gentle rustle of covers indicating her movement. Her arm slid across Chuck's stomach, before finding a perfect resting spot in the crook of his arm. She murmured slightly, before falling silent once more, the gentle rising and falling of her chest restarting. Opening his eyes bit by bit, Chuck looked at the other side of the bed. There she was. Sarah Walker, top CIA agent, and the love of his life. And she was his. He still couldn't quite believe it. She was so perfect in every single way, as he stared tenderly at her flawless back; her perfect blonde hair which cascaded elegantly down the curvature of her face...

He quietened his breathing – he didn't want to wake her. She moved again, restless even in her dreams, and this time she motioned towards him, her body pressing up against his. He drew a breath, not willing to believe that this was all true. Just a few years before he'd been stuck in a dead end job, with no career prospects and no idea of what he wanted out of life. The idea that he would be lying in bed watching the woman of his dreams in a couple of years was out of the question to him. And yet here he was. As she moved closer to him, he could smell the sweetness of her perfume, and a few locks of her hair brushed his cheek. She was now lying up against him on her side, facing away from his body but arching hers to press against his. He let out an uneven breath, and moved a shaking hand towards her head. Gingerly, he took a strand of her hair which had curled inwards, towards her mouth and pulled it away, before shifting the covers up smoothly to cover her back. Despite the fact that she remained asleep, her subconscious actions suggested that she appreciated the sentiment, as she nestled her head deeper into the pillow, and brought her arm back, draping it across Chuck's chest once more.

With sleepy eyes he examined it. Her perfectly slender fingers were resting over his breastbone, and they would shift ever so slightly on occasion, but always remaining in relatively the same place. Tentatively, he lifted an arm from beneath the covers, manipulating his own fingers to fit hers. He slipped his hand inside hers, interlocking fingers and squeezing slightly. She still didn't wake, and he was glad, the heat resonating from her hand warming his own. The barely audible waves and the quiet tweeting of larks as they skirted the clouds outside the window were the only indications of an outside world, but they were wonderful ones all the same. Sarah rolled in her sleep, this time more prominently, to the point where she now faced Chuck. For the first time since waking, he could see the features of her face – the way her lips met at the corners; the way her eyelids fluttered almost imperceptibly as she dreamed; the way the shadows adorned the side of her face...

Chuck shifted just a small amount, but it was enough. Casually at first, she creaked open her eyes, revealing her ocean-blue irises which gazed out lovingly at him. He tried breathing, but it was no use – he was totally taken in. The amber glow coming from the window was drawn by some unseen force to her eyes, and it accented the blue perfectly, forming a palette so indescribably calming to the senses that Chuck struggled to even think. He watched intently as she gained awareness; she blinked several times and smiled fondly at him, her breath less regular now, more eccentric and alive. He wasn't even sure what to do next; he hadn't been prepared for the gravity of the situation he now found himself in. He drew in as much courage as he could and lifted an arm, wrapping it reassuringly around her shoulder and drawing her closer to him. Wisps of her hair swept along his arm, the blonde strands quivering nervously against his skin. He'd almost half expected her to refuse this gesture, but she rested eagerly under his arm, moving closer and closer until her head lay on his shoulder. The larks continued their comforting call outside the window, almost spurring Chuck on. He knew what he wanted to do so badly – he wanted his lips to touch hers with every inch and fibre of his being, for the subtle moistness of her tongue to lap oh-so-slightly against his. He wanted her; for the rest of his life, for as long as he could imagine.

His heart beating that little bit faster, he went for it, lifting her chin lightly with his fingers and leaning in, his eyes fixated on hers, and hers on his, until their noses brushed delicately, and their lips met just moments later. It was just as he had imagined, only more so. Her scent touched his nostrils tantalisingly, and the kiss lasted for but a moment. As they drew away, Chuck couldn't help but smile. He let out a breath of disbelief, and Sarah picked up on this, her lips and cheeks forming a heartening expression which constituted both intense desire and happiness. She raised an eyebrow and spoke for the first time.

"How long were you watching me for?" she asked in a hushed tone.

"Long enough to realise just how beautiful you really are."

"And just how long was that, Mr Carmichael?"

He grinned, and chuckled slightly.

"Sarah, this morning, waking up...I realised how perfect this is. How perfect we are. And there's something I wanted to say, which I've never been able to say to you before."

"What, Chuck?"

Chuck drew in oxygen sharply, his forehead glazed with a certain amount of sweat.

"I love you, Sarah Walker. And I always have. Right from the first time I saw you, when you came into the Buy More with a broken phone...from that day, to now, and forever more, I love you."

Sarah did nothing for a moment, other than let the words sink in.

"Chuck," she breathed tenderly, "when I walked into that store I figured it would be like any other mission. And then I set eyes on you. There's something about you, Chuck. Something about you that I couldn't take my eyes off. Chuck, I love you too. And I always have."

He tensed, and his heart skipped a beat. His mind couldn't even begin to contemplate what she had just said, but the soothing nature of her words spread through his body like a wildfire, rejuvenating everything about him. He knew words couldn't describe how he felt about what she'd just said, so he leaned in once more, his lips caressing the nape of her neck, and then her chin, and finally her own lips, which parted slightly, allowing Chuck tender entry. They kissed passionately for a few moments, lying beside one another, legs splayed out in a sea of limbs. Parting, Sarah's breath splayed across his cheeks, making Chuck's stomach flutter in sequence with the sensation.

"What do you want to do today?" he exhaled, staring attentively at her.

"Why do anything?" she asked, lying leisurely back in her pillow.

"That's the best idea I've heard in a long time." he mused, wrapping his arm around her tightly, drawing her into the most adoring embrace he could manage.

He leant back, allowing the pillow to swallow him whole, still observing the girl he still held ever so closely, his ears recognising no sound other than the gentle breaking of the waves on the shore and the larks progressing with their epic chorus.

Perfection.


A/N: I hope you enjoyed that – it really was something written from the heart! I suppose that 'Perfection' is set pre-season 3, perhaps between 221: Chuck vs. the Colonel and 222: Chuck vs. the Ring, as this is the peak time of their relationship in season 2. Not entirely sure. Expect another one shot soon, and please review – good or bad, I appreciate both!