A/N: I may be pushing the T rating a bit in certain parts of this chapter, but it's nothing extreme. If anything, it's what you were waiting to see.

One more time, I'd like to thank you all for your encouraging comments.

Chapter 10

Sarah was having a dream that was a lot different than the usual ones she'd been having lately. In her case, usual meant wild and uninhibited sex dreams, starring her and Chuck. Right now, different didn't make it any less vivid.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Sarah exclaimed.

Instead of replying, Carina smacked her upside the head again.

"Carina!"

"Shut up, Sarah. You deserve it."

"What? Why?"

"You're sitting there, unashamedly telling me that you spent a week in Paris with Chuck, in the same hotel room, sharing the same bed and you didn't screw his brains out six ways from Sunday?"

"I'm not like you," Sarah began to say.

"Hush! Not long ago, you all but admitted having the hots for him. Tell me something. When was the last time you got laid? Don't answer that, I already know what you are going to say. It was when I hooked you up with my friend from the Secret Service before you left for Marseilles. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong."

"No," Sarah mumbled. "You're right."

"Sometimes I wonder if you are really my sister. You are attracted to him, at least physically, right?"

"He's a good looking guy. Not only that, he's funny, caring, kind..."

"Enough! He meets your perfect guy standards. Why on earth didn't you do something about it?"

"I was scared. I still am. I value our friendship a lot and didn't want to ruin it for a night of fun."

"Look at his team mates, Larkin and Roberts. They never miss a chance to go at it."

"Jill and Bryce are different. They are a committed couple. Chuck and I are friends."

"No, sis, you are afraid to admit you may be falling for him, if you haven't already."

"The cover we had to adopt makes it difficult enough for the both of us. I don't need you telling me to take the plunge. Do you know how much it'll hurt everyone if it doesn't work out between Chuck and me?"

"Excuses, now you're making lame excuses, Sarah. Let me tell you, it's not too late, even now. Go out there and claim what's yours. And this," Carina said, hitting her sister again, "is so that you won't forget."

Her eyes popped wide open and surveyed her surroundings. She was still in bed, in their hotel room, right on top of Chuck. Wait, what? On top of Chuck? She looked beneath her and saw that she had indeed climbed almost on top of her partner in her sleep and was grinding against him. Her arms were around him and one of her legs was hooked over his. Slowly and deliberately, Sarah removed herself from him and scooted over to the far end of the bed. Suddenly, she realized something else: She was soaking wet with sexual arousal. Thinking and dreaming about being with Chuck in an intimate setting was turning her on and apparently sharing a bed with him now had the same effect on her. The icing on the cake was his contented smile as he slept.

"I need a cold shower," she muttered and got up, going to the bathroom. Chuck was still asleep when she returned fully dressed and just sat there, watching him sleep.

Later, after a very filling breakfast, they walked along the Seine again when they came upon a beautiful bridge. Chuck took his camera from its carrying case and turned it on, snapping a few pictures of the old structure.

"Sarah, can you please sit here?" He directed her to a stone parapet. "I need to take some more pictures for the folks back home."

"Sure," she replied and struck a very nice pose.

"You know, you could have had an amazing career in modeling," he told her as he reviewed the shots he'd just taken.

"My turn. Put your hands here, look towards the far bank… there." Then she noticed him looking at something. "What?"

"See that?"

"It's an old cargo barge."

"It was an old cargo barge," he corrected her. "It's a houseboat now. If I lived here, I'd definitely stay in one."

"Somehow the concept sounds familiar."

"A houseboat much like this one was often featured in Highlander: The Series, which ran in the nineties."

"Yes, I remember now. I used to watch it sometimes. I had a huge crush on Adrian Paul."

"Well, I never missed a single episode," he admitted, simultaneously filing her previous comment away for future reference. A Highlander marathon would definitely be on the list of things to do when they got back to Burbank.

"Nerd," Sarah laughed.

"Guilty as charged."

"What time is it?" The beauty of the city had captivated them both and they had lost track of time.

"It's time for lunch. Come on, I'm buying."

"We should also call Graham and tell him about our visit to Evelyn Nichols."

"All in good time, Sarah. All in good time. Right now, let's go visit a museum or two. Don't forget we're here as tourists."

-o-

"And don't forget to dig out my Highlander DVDs," Chuck told Morgan over the phone. "They are either in a box in the storeroom, or in the cupboard by the home theater system."

"Dude, didn't you make a list once with the precise location of every LP, CD, tape and DVD you own?"

"Thanks for reminding me! Yes, yes of course I did. It's in the cupboard."

"I'll check it out. What do you want those particular DVDs for?"

"Oh, I'm just planning on having a Highlander marathon with Sarah when we get back. She also liked the series and it'll be good for the cover."

"I won't fail you, man. Is it going to be a screening for two, or do you want the entire gang in on it?"

"Morgan, it's more fun if we're all together. I'll send you an advance notice."

"Cool. Take care."

"Thanks. You too. See you in a few days."

"Chuck!" Sarah called as he hung up the phone. "We need to contact Graham!"

"Coming!" He joined her and opened his laptop, quickly establishing a video link to Langley.

"I thought I made it clear that I didn't want to see your ugly mug for two weeks," Graham joked.

"You did, but we have something to tell you, Boss. We are in Paris."

"What are you doing over there?"

"Chuck wanted to take me on a trip, for the cover. And he also had something else in mind, which fortunately panned out."

"Do you two care to let me in on the secret?"

"Yes, Boss. It was about Shaw's mission here in Paris a few years back that Sarah provided support for."

"Go on."

Sarah took over. "He duped me into killing his wife."

"You killed Eve Shaw?"

"At least I thought I did. Chuck noticed some inconsistencies in the files, did some digging and discovered some things. Eve's alive. She had been critically injured when I shot her and also hit her head, causing amnesia, so she was unable to contact the Agency when she recovered. She lives right here in Paris under the name Sophie Letord. Chuck and I were able to jog her memory and she started remembering things. We also advised her to expect further contact from the agency. At this stage, she's not sure if she wants to go back to being an agent, which is quite understandable, if you ask me."

"Send me her contact information and I'll instruct some people in Human Resources to look into the matter. Your reports can wait. And don't bother me for the rest of your vacation, unless it's a matter of life and death, you understand?"

"Yes sir," Chuck and Sarah chorused just before Graham cut the connection.

"So," she said, turning to look at him. "Any plans for tonight?"

"No, I didn't get around to making any yet. What about you? Is there anything you would like to do?"

"Let's go for a drive," she suggested. "Maybe we'll find something to do in the process."

They ended up in the Hard Rock Café after a quick dinner at a nearby Burger King, just to get a taste of home. He also learned something new about her: she liked her cheeseburgers medium rare, with extra pickles. Right now, they were enjoying their beers, while a really good band played.

"Would you like to dance?" Sarah asked suddenly.

"Sure, why not?"

They spent the rest of their night out in the Café, dancing and having tons of fun. Before driving back to the hotel, they walked the streets in the area, to cool off.

"Would you like to shower first?" Chuck asked when they got back to their room.

"No, go ahead," she replied. "I'll be in the balcony, getting some fresh air. I drank a little too much beer tonight."

"Okie-dokie."

The refreshingly cool night air was just what Sarah needed. She leaned on the railing and looked down at the nighttime traffic, deep in thought. Quite unsurprising, her thoughts revolved around her partner. Finally, she decided to deal with the dilemma by her usual way: examining the facts.

Fact 1: Chuck was a good looking guy. Fact 2: Chuck was a really nice guy. He even took her to Paris in order to remove the burden of guilt from her shoulders and that was just the icing on the cake. Fact 3: He had become a good friend and she'd made more friends thanks to him. Fact 4: All the above combined explained her attraction to him, even though the beginning of their relationship had been anything but smooth. But now it was all about Chuck and Sarah, not Charles Carmichael and Samantha Burton. Fact 5: He was a good kisser. She knew that from the last mission. Fact 6: She had urges that had not been satisfied in over a year and she was getting horny as hell, which could adversely affect her focus. Fact 7: He enjoyed teasing and flirting with her as much as she enjoyed teasing and flirting with him, a case in point being last night. Fact 8: She was concerned about their friendship but, based on what had happened between them so far, she was reasonably confident that it would survive and perhaps be even better if a sexual component was added. Being friends with benefits is always better than just friends, right? Fact 9: There were no official barriers to what she was wanting, as both were of equal status in the CIA. Fact 10: He was definitely attracted to her.

Conclusion: She could move forward with Chuck, without worrying overmuch about unwanted complications. And she'd have to do it fast and stake her claim before some skank like the brunette from yesterday decided to poach in her territory.

"Chuck Bartowski, prepare for Sarah Walker," she muttered with a satisfied smile. A master seductress, she'd used her talents repeatedly for the job. Now, she'd be doing it for her own pleasure. Tonight was out of the question though. She was tired, he was tired and anything less than perfect was simply unacceptable. Still, she could tease him a little more, she decided with an evil smile.

The teasing occurred after her turn in the shower. She emerged from the bathroom clad only in a short tight grey v-necked t-shirt and a pair of modest, but strangely provocative, cotton panties. Chuck's eyes just about bulged out of their sockets when he saw her and she performed a mental dance of joy. Then, acting completely normal, she burrowed under the covers, she and Chuck wished each other goodnight, turned off the lights and surrendered to the fatigue of the day.

In the morning, they were spooned together, Sarah's back pressed against his chest, as he discovered upon waking up. They were also holding hands. It felt so comfortable and natural to him, so just he gave her hand a gentle squeeze and ran the pad of his thumb lightly over her knuckles. The increased contact woke her up and she turned to face him. The look they shared made talking unnecessary. Their lips crashed together into a passionate kiss, their hands pulling them both closer before moving to explore each other's body. Suddenly, he broke the kiss.

"Stay here," he commanded hoarsely as he got up. "Don't move, don't breathe, don't move!" He went to the bathroom, where he'd left his pants hanging the night before. Taking his wallet from a pocket, he opened it, but, instead of the object he was looking for, he found a neatly folded note. He read it carefully, his expression turning to one of incredulity. 'IOU one condom. Your pal, Morgan' was scrawled on it in Morgan's handwriting. "I'm gonna kill you Morgan," he growled in frustration. He stumbled back into the room, pulling his pants on and looking for a shirt, fully intending to find a condom vending machine or, failing that, the nearest pharmacy.

"Chuck, what are you doing?"

"Uh, I, um, we… need… supplies," he said.

"Supplies?"

"Yes. Stay here, I won't be long." He ran out the door, leaving a slightly disheveled and greatly aroused Sarah behind.

"Dammit," she huffed. She was this close to having her way with him and he doesn't have a condom? Without getting up, she fished in a bag for her phone. "What is this?" Her hand pulled out an unopened pack of condoms, undoubtedly courtesy of her sister. She laughed and called Chuck.

"Yes?"

"Get your ass back here. I've got what we need."

Seconds later, he barged back inside the room, jumped in bed and picked up where they left off.

"Chuck," she said while fumbling with his belt buckle. "Please go slow. It's been over a year since I last, you know…"

"Anything you want, Sarah."

A few hours later, both were spent but fully sated. She was clinging to him, head pillowed on his shoulder, her hand drawing lazy circles on his chest as she tried to put her thoughts in order. Right now she could barely form a coherent thought and she felt like she'd lost the ability to speak, such had been the intensity of their lovemaking. She was once again impressed with Chuck. He was able to anticipate and satisfy her needs and she was thankful for it. Normally, most guys care about their own gratification, but he treated her with respect, which in turn maximized the pleasure for both of them.

Later, Chuck ordered them some room service, which was delivered while Sarah was in the shower, from which she emerged wearing one of his shirts over her underwear. Noticing the balcony door open, she padded out and saw him arranging a variety of delicious looking goodies on the table there.

"Hmmm, very thoughtful of you to get us something to eat. I'm starving." She stood on tiptoes and kissed him.

"We need the food to recharge," he said seriously and poured her a glass of wine. "To us," he smiled and raised his own glass.

"To the benefits we added to our friendship," she added. "May we keep enjoying them."

They ate and then spent a couple more hours cuddling on the couch, watching TV and checking their emails. Luckily, the Company left them alone, and their families and friends only had good news for them. Sarah also remembered something.

"I found this on the bathroom floor." She showed him Morgan's IOU.

"Yeah, I don't even know when he filched it. My guess is that he took it from my wallet while he was still seeing Anna, a girl we knew since college, when we both worked summers at the Burbank Buy More."

"I'm going to give him a lecture on making good on his IOUs. Had Carina not sneaked that pack of condoms in my bag before we left, we'd have a serious problem in our hands."

"Carina? As in Carina Miller who works for the DEA? What am I saying? You two are friends, I noticed you talking before a lecture once."

"Chuck, Carina is my sister."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"No offence, but you don't look like sisters."

"None taken. She mostly took after Dad's side of the family. I, on the other hand, look more like Mom."

"Well, you met my parents. Ellie looks like Mom, while I look like Dad."

"So I noticed."

"It is glaringly obvious."

"Uh-huh. Any suggestions regarding what to do for today?"

"Come to think of it yes, I had an idea."

"Tell me."

"Are you familiar with the Velib bicycles?"

"Of course I am. I used them a lot instead of taking my issued car when I was stationed here. They are very convenient."

"I was thinking, maybe we could rent a couple of bicycles for the day and see more of the city."

"Chuck, it's a great idea. Plus, it's good exercise. I definitely need it if I want to keep in shape."

"I don't," he chuckled. "I have good metabolism."

"I hate you," she said, but there was no malice in her voice.

"I know a good gym near our place. It has a dojo, too. We could spar together occasionally."

"Get ready to have your ass kicked, Chuck."

"It'll be only because I can't hit a girl."

"You're too chivalrous for your own good."

"And you're way too nice to be a spy."

"So are you."

"Come on, let's finish lunch and go out. It's a very nice day and it won't do to spend it indoors."

"Unless we're busy with each other," she smirked.

"Later," he said, giving her a look that was full of promises.

-o-

Chuck and Sarah had a lot of fun riding their rented bicycles. She even took him to see her old neighborhood, where she'd been staying back when she was still using the Elana Truffaut alias. An old lady recognized her and greeted her cordially.

"Madame Michelet was my next door neighbor before I moved to Marseilles," she explained later.

"She likes you, a lot."

"Well, if she knew what kind of business I'm in, I'd never hear the end of it. Her obsession is spy adventures. She has an extensive collection of spy novels and movies."

"Ha-ha, you're right. She would have interrogated you in order to learn how the spy world really works. Where to now?"

"Follow me."

Chuck had taken the lead when he suddenly slammed on the brakes, forcing Sarah to swerve to avoid a collision.

"What the hell?"

"Sorry Sarah, I didn't realize you were so close."

"Apology accepted, but why did we stop?"

He pointed to a news stand selling international press. "The latest issue of Justice League is out and this is one every fan expected for weeks. By the time we get back in the States they'll have disappeared from the stores, but this is not a problem here."

"I almost crashed into you because you wanted a comic book?" Sarah was incredulous.

"Graphic novel," he corrected her. "And I am a hardcore DC Comics fan, so it's stronger than me."

"Hrmph. Just get it over and done with, but don't expect to be reading it tonight. You're going to be busy with something else."

"I wouldn't have it any other way. Oh, check this out. I think you'll like it."

"I don't usually read comic books, okay, graphic novels."

"Make an exception. It'll be worth it."

"If you say so," she said with a hint of disbelief in her voice and leafed through the issue Chuck suggested. She was immediately drawn to the quality of the art and from what she could see the plot wasn't half bad, either.

"So far only the first three books of the series have been published in English, but you can find all eleven in French. They're about a CIA agent, code named Alpha."

"Do you have them?"

"Only the first three, but even though I can read French, I'll wait until the rest are published in English."

"Suit yourself. I have no problem reading them in French." She moved to a shelf and picked up all eleven albums. "What's this?"

"Les Schtroumpfs?" Chuck read the title. "Oh, it's the Smurfs."

"I liked the Smurfs. I'll take this one, too."

"Who's the bigger Nerd now?"

"You are, Chuck. Hands down."

They laughed as they paid for their purchases and then rode the bikes back to the rental point near their hotel. Their graphic novels could wait, for they both had other plans for tonight.