A/N :

Not too much to elaborate on this one. Sarah's mind's pretty much going to speak for itself.

I don't own Chuck.

Hope you're enjoying! Don't forget to review!


Chapter 7- Sarah vs The Moment

2005 … 2005 … Mr & Mrs Anderson … Lisbon … El Dorado International Airport … Bogota

She and Bryce are in the hotel room in Bogota. Sarah emerges from the shower, a towel about her head, and another around her. She pets the single rose that Bryce had shoplifted for her.

"Now that's just hilarious," Bryce growls as he rattles on his laptop. "We spend a month and a half collecting evidence of an illegal guns pipeline heading from manufacturers in the states to the Colombians, and just as we get it, their enforcer pulls a custom-made Colt on me. Six weeks of paperwork and investigations, calling in favors from the ones in the Bogota PD who are straight, and this guy tells us in 20 seconds, what it took us six weeks to find out on our own."

"I'll bet the BATF will be thrilled to go poking around Hartford to find out who's been moving guns down south. Well, at least we got to see Bogota" Sarah grins. "And I got to be the heroine in this encounter" Her grin turns predatory, as she turns to Bryce.

"Oh, yes you did, Mrs Anderson" Bryce leers at her. "C'mere"

"Hold up there, cowboy" Sarah challenges. "I'm the heroine today. That means I call the shots tonight. Right?"

"But of course" Bryce says.

"Okay then," Sarah says, grabbing the ice bucket. "Step one for you is this; You go run down to the ice machine and fill us up for the wine."

"All right," Bryce obediently exits the room.

Sarah shuts the door behind him, abandons her towels on the floor, and opens her suitcase. She quickly finds a gorgeous crimson bra and panties set and slips them on. Immediately she jumps to the bed, and lies on her right side, facing the door. When she hears Bryce return, she strikes her pose, propping her head up on her right hand, her left arm draped along her side, her left hand down by her hip. She pops her blue eyes wide as the door opens.

Upon entering, Bryce is impressed. "Wow".

"Hmm" Sarah smiles sweetly at him. "Now for you to do step two"

"I think I know what that is" Bryce says as he puts the ice bucket near the head stand.

"I don't think you do. Stay right there" Sarah commands, holding out her left hand in a halt gesture.

Bryce stands there silently and tilts his head to the side, puzzled.

"Now", Sarah says, licking her lips. "Take your clothes off. Everything."

Bryce gives off a slightly embarrassed grin, but tries to comply with the unfamiliar request. Once his shirt is off, it's plain that he's looking more uncomfortable. A blush begins to form as he's stands bare-chested in front of her. His hands then move to the button on his slacks when he suddenly pauses.

"You're really going to make me do this, aren't you?"

"Oh, yes" Sarah stays firm. "My night, my rules"

The pants come off, and Bryce is clearly good to go right now, but his eyes give a bit of a distant look that Sarah has by now seen before. Bryce much prefers it when sex is on his own terms, not Sarah's.

"Don't worry sweetie" Sarah grins as she pats the bed in front of her, motioning Bryce to sit down. "I'll make sure you'll have a good time too".

Sarah knows there's a bit of fakery in her smile right now – she's ever so slightly disappointed and annoyed that Bryce is anything but enthused at sleeping with her. The notion that sex with her could be described as " Enjoyable…* " rankles her just a bit. Her ideal lover would not put any asterisks next to the experience of being ordered to undress for her.

Still, as Bryce gets into bed with her, putting his gun on the night stand, it's clear that there's no such thing as "ideal" in any of this. Ideal couples don't have "almost-died-and-am-happy-to-be-alive" sex as a baseline. Ideal couples don't hide their names from each other. Ideal couples have futures … plans … ideas about growing old and wrinkly together…. Sarah and Bryce spy, infiltrate, seduce, deceive, betray and on occasion, kill. Then they retire to the boudoir to drink and to toss each other around the bed and celebrate a victory. The only future to think about is "Next Time". "Next Time" could easily be "The Last Time" … the time when a bullet or a bomb, has one or both their names on it.

For the most part, Sarah's at ease with living in the moment, as her crimson lingerie finds its way off of her and onto the floor. For the most part she's able to enjoy the sensations of Bryce beneath her, inside her. For the most part, she's happy.

For the most part…

Perhaps an hour later, they drowse in the bed. Sarah makes a pillow of Bryce's admittedly fine pectoral. Bryce's attempts at cuddling are half-hearted at best. His hand sometimes lazily comes up from the bed to stroke her body, and then usually returns down to a resting position on the bed. The air conditioner at the two-star-at-best hotel can barely compete with the fact that it's been 104 degrees in the shade all day. Sweat glistens both Sarah's and Bryce's bodies as they lounge about on the bed, atop the covers.

Sarah's voice breaks the stillness. "So, what do you think the chances are of another mission before Christmas?

"Don't know… you know it's impossible to say."

"Mmmm. I know." Sarah purrs as she strokes Bryce's chest. "It's just that … Well I wanted to ask you something."

"Hmm?"

"Every year I do Christmas with my mom. I try to call her every few weeks when I'm not on assignment… but Christmas … it's usually the only time of the year I get to see her. Well this year … I've kind of let it slip that… umm" Sarah hesitates and starts again. "She knows that I've met someone, Bryce."

Bryce decides to tease. "Really? Who?"

Sarah smiles. "Heh. … oh, nice guy. Kind of quiet. Looks great with his shirt off. G-7 clearance. …" A sly whisper into his ear "… Likes it on top."

"Don't we all? I've met the type." Bryce grins.

"Huh. Well, long story short, Mom says I ought to try to bring you out to California for Christmas. Ever see California at Christmas?"

"A few times, yeah. My roomie back in college – his family was big on Christmas. You wouldn't think that Twilight Zone marathons would be a big Christmas tradition, but you'd be surprised. It can be kind of fun when you're buzzed on egg nog. His sister was a great cook. Pretty hot too – ow!" A wistful smile cut short by Sarah pinching his arm.

"Cheat on me again, and you'll get worse." Sarah snarks. Then she heals the arm with a soft kiss.

"So, Christmas with mom." Bryce muses. He looks pretty deep in thought, but she can't tell if he's seriously contemplating going with her, or putting a lot of thought into his excuse. "I'm not sure it's really a great idea."

Well, that little mystery solved.

"Right. Got it." Sarah's poker face hides her disappointment.

"What I mean is … We're not really like normal couples. I'm not sure it's a great idea to give your mom the impression that we are. I mean I guess it'll mean big questions about how we met, where I see myself in five years, do we have any serious plans? Are we going to give her grandchildren? Stuff like that?"

Sarah gives off a rueful grin … "Well yeah, I can't promise there won't be any of that. Although I do kind of like the idea of her being impressed that I found such a cute boyfriend."

Bryce's stiffening at the label makes it clear that she's lost this conversation on all counts. Sarah sighs – and retreats to her side of the bed. "Okay, fine. Bad idea. " She can still rely on her poker face to hide her disappointment. "One question. When I call her when I get stateside, and she asks if I'm bringing my 'boyfriend'" Sarah uses air –quotes at the word "should I correct her on her use of the word 'boyfriend'? My mom's not a big fan of profanity, so I can't call you a 'fuck buddy'. I'll have to think of another way to put it. " Well her poker face is in place, but she's not as good at keeping the ice out of her words.

"Well, you can just tell her the truth", Bryce defends.

"What's that?"

"We're partners … and It's complicated."

Sarah decides to drop the issue… out loud, anyway. Am I being unfair? Is Bryce right? We don't have normal jobs. We don't have normal lives. Is it fair to expect him to be a normal boyfriend? Is it fair to want it, even if I can't expect it?

Sarah grouses on her side of the bed. Bryce is right. It is complicated. She's getting a little tired of Bryce being right about that.

Guys will let you down, Walker.

And Sarah is also getting tired of Carina being right about that.