A/N: They still won't listen, so I'm letting them do what they want.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck.

Sarah woke up, looked around, and saw only darkness. The SUV was stopped, and Chuck was nowhere to be found. She blinked, and slowly began to make out things in the darkness. She discovered the SUV was parked in the woods, and saw a light in the distance. Leaning forward, she peered into the inky darkness, when the door beside her gently opened. She spun in her seat and in an instant, her knife was at Chuck's throat. He had opened the door and was now standing there with his hands up, not moving a muscle.

"So no surprises, you're saying," Chuck said, locking eyes with her. Sarah pulled the knife away and expected to see Chuck to relax, when she realized there was no need. She blinked, confused. "You wouldn't have hurt me; you recognized me in plenty of time."

"Plenty of time?"

"Well, enough that you didn't cut me," Chuck told her. "Now, the ground is a little rough, so I'm afraid if I carry you, I might trip and fall. So how about we just go real slow."

"You should use that line on her," Sarah told him. Chuck didn't follow. "The love of your life. You should use that line on her, about you two going real slow."

"Okay," Chuck said. "We should go real slow, so we don't trip and fall."

"Oh, well played, Bartowski. Well played." She accepted his help getting out of the SUV, completely missing the look on his face.

}o{

"Of course there's only one bedroom, with one bed, and it's a double," Chuck groused.

"I don't understand… he always said he had safehouses for the entire family," Sarah replied, looking confused. "He was quite proud of that." Chuck walked over and opened the closet door, and Sarah's jaw dropped. "Two army cots?!" Chuck just shut the door. "Does he know you're much taller now?"

"Probably not," Chuck replied. He turned, and went back out into the main room and looked at the couch. "Well, it's better than the floor."

"No, there is no way you'll fit on that couch," Sarah insisted. "We'll sleep in the bed together."

"Nope," Chuck replied.

"Why, scared you'll think I'm the love of your life and make a move?" Sarah asked him. He was silent for a moment, and when he spoke, it was in a very low voice.

"Sarah, there is no way I can sleep with you in that bed."

"And why is that, Chuck?"

"Because if something like you suggest were to happen, I can't do reconstructive surgery on myself," Chuck told her. Sarah's face threatened to crack into a smile. "I mean, can you see me trying to stitch myself?"

"I can put you back together," Sarah told him. "And I promise, knowing it's you in the bed, if you were to accidentally do something I wouldn't cut you."

"Yeah, but you might hurt me," Chuck replied. "You're good with those knives."

"I'd never hurt you, Chuck," she said softly. "Besides, if I didn't have my knives, how would I protect myself… how would I protect you?"

"I would protect you," Chuck told her. "Not in some me-Tarzan-you-Jane type of way, but in an I won't let anyone hurt you, including me manner."

"You like protecting me, Chuck?" Chuck felt like there was a little something extra on the way she pronounced the k.

"You're my best friend, and I love you. It's not whether I like or don't like protecting you. It's that I want to, when you need it. When you don't, I just need you to know I'm here."

"I know you're here, and I'll know even better when you're in bed with me." She reached out, and smoothed his shirt. "We're gonna be here a while, and we both need to be as comfortable as possible. And while I get that there may be some nerves sleeping with me," and she chuckled at Chuck's raised eyebrow, "I think it's for the best." Chuck was silent, a grin on his face. "Just go ahead and say it."

"So you're saying I need to sleep with you."

She couldn't help laughing.

}o{

It took a bit of adjusting, but the two lay there, side by side. She glanced over at him, finding he had an amused look on his face as he stared at the ceiling. She elbowed him gently, and he looked over at her, the amused look changing slightly. His features softened, and he reached over, brushing a fallen lock of hair from her face to tuck behind her ear.

"What are you thinking?"

He shook his head.

"Chuck," she said, with the slightest pout on her face. "Is this about the talk we need to have?"

"No," Chuck replied. "I guess we should do that in the morning." Sarah nodded. She kept looking at him, her grin steadily growing.

"You didn't change the subject like you thought you did," she said.

"Fine, but it's stupid," Chuck began. He waited, watching her, hoping she'd let it go.

She did not.

"Okay, I was just laying here, and a random fact popped into my head."

She gave him a minute. When he didn't volunteer the factoid, she prodded "And the fact?"

He blew out a breath, and laughed. "Otters hold hands while they sleep, so they don't float away from each other."

Sarah was silent for a second. "I don't think that was random," she said. Chuck didn't say anything. "I think it's been playing on your mind that you 'lost' me for a while, and you are afraid I'll float off." He didn't answer, but shrugged instead. "Okay." With that she flipped over onto her side, her back facing him. Chuck rolled over onto his back.

After a bit, she looked over her shoulder at him. "Get over here."

"Huh?" Chuck said, surprised.

"Wrap your arm around my waist, and hold my hand. That way, you can sleep tonight without worrying I might float off," she explained.

Chuck moved over beside her, placed his arm over her waist, and her fingers immediately threading between his. She sighed contently. He cleared his throat. "You don't-"

"Oh yes I do," Sarah interrupted. "I don't need you floating away from me, either. You're not the only one that lost someone, Chuck Bartowski." Chuck didn't know what to say. He lay there, completely convinced he wouldn't sleep.

He was asleep in seconds.

}o{

He couldn't help himself as he awoke that morning. His hand held hers, and he began to slowly stoke the back of it with the pad of his thumb. He kept his eyes closed, just allowing himself to enjoy this one little thing. He felt her shift, and he opened his eyes to find hers, the orbs of cerulean staring back at him. Those flashing eyes that were staring past his, deep into him. And in that moment, he knew he had never wanted anyone more in his life than he wanted Sarah Walker. But before he could act, she brought herself within an inch of his lips, staring into his eyes.

He moved forward, capturing her lips with his. Her left hand went to his cheek, and her lips opened, allowing his tongue to sneak past. A giggle escaped from her, and he felt her move closer against him. His left arm snaked around her, and his large hand on her back held her gently but firmly. As he moved to deepen the kiss, she pulled away.

"Chuck, we can't!" There was panic in her voice, and he nodded, ashamed of himself. He had taken advantage of the situation. He had taken advantage of her.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"It's not your fault. I started it, and I shouldn't have. I'm so sorry," Sarah apologized.

"What?" Chuck just stared at her like she had lost her mind. "I kissed you."

"I moved toward you first," she told him.

"So, you wanted to kiss me?"

"Of course I wanted to kiss you, hence why I was kissing you. But I knew I shouldn't kiss you, because you're in love with someone else. It wouldn't be right to you, or to me," Sarah added the last part softly.

"I don't understand why it wouldn't be right," Chuck said.

Sarah stared at him. "I thought you weren't like that, Chuck?"

"Like what? I'm not allowed to kiss someone I'm in love with?"

"Of course you are, Chuck, but you've been in love with someone for years, correct?" Chuck nodded. "And it's an unrequited love, correct?"

"I may have been mistaken," Chuck admitted.

"Wait… you think the person you love loves you, and you don't understand why we shouldn't be kissing?"

"Correct. But I'm not sure she loves me," Chuck added.

"She's a fool if she doesn't," Sarah muttered. Chuck began to grin. "Why are you grinning? Why are you being weird?"

"Sarah, why'd you kiss me?" Chuck asked. Sarah sat there, blinking, and then looked away. "Sarah, it's me… you can tell me anything."

She turned to him. "I know, Chuck," she said. "But, God, this is so embarrassing."

"Hey," he said, putting his arm around her, pulling her in. "How about I tell you who I'm in love with, and then you tell me why you kissed me?" She turned toward him, thankfulness covering her face. She nodded. "The reason I don't understand why I can't kiss you, is because, it's you, Sarah. I'm in love with you."

"What?" Sarah replied, her eyes wide.

"See, a long time ago, there was this badass girl who liked me for who I was, and she was – and hopefully still is – my best friend. She taught me to ride a bike. She taught me to swim-"

"Not really," she said, wincing. "It was more like pulling you out of the deep end when you jumped in."

"Okay, she made sure I didn't drown," Chuck continued, as he pulled her tight against him with his arm around her. "It's you, Sarah. I got in shape to go fight for you. I put a computer in my head to go find you. I would do anything for you, but I didn't even know if you knew I existed."

Sarah turned, wrapped her arms around his neck and sat in his lap in such a swift move, Chuck swore she was a speedster. "I've always known you existed, you nerd, but then… then, you had to go and get all sexy-like? Not cool, Chuck."

"So I need to eat more candy?"

"Chuck, no," she said simply, and then she grinned. "It looks like you were wrong about something."

"Not the first time, won't be the last," Chuck told her, as her fingers worked their way through his curls. She leaned forward to kiss him, but he pulled away, grinning at her. "Uh-uh. You have to tell me why."

"Because I wanted to taste you," she said, making his eyes widen. She leaned in and kissed him, staring into his eyes. Her hands slid down his back and suddenly she pulled his shirt off him. She sat back and eyed his chest. "I must say, you do look damn good."

"Thank you," he replied. "You still haven't answered my question."

"I haven't?" Sarah replied. Her right hand landed right below his belly button, and she slowly drug her fingertips up his stomach and chest, watching him shiver. "I wanted to see how you'd react to my touch."

"That's very scientific of you," Chuck managed to get out. "But are there other reasons you asked?"

She leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose, then his lips, briefly. She kissed his chin, and slowly made her way down his jaw to take his earlobe into her mouth, making her hum.

"That's not really an audible answer," he said.

He felt her grin against his neck as her lips attacked it, and then his shoulder, as she began to work her way down his chest. She suddenly squealed as she found herself flipped onto her back, Chuck over her, grinning down. "Hi," she said, grinning up at him.

"Hi yourself," he replied. "I've missed you, Sarah."

"You don't even know how bad you have yet," she replied, and laughed as he blushed. "Chuck Bartowski, I kissed you because I love you."

"You do?" he replied. "I'm glad."

"I'm glad that you love me, because that's gonna make what happens next so much better," Sarah told him.

"Ooo, are we gonna do crafts?" She shook her head at him. He leaned down and kissed her where her neck met her shoulder. It was all she could do to not squeal out loud. "How about," and he paused as he worked his way around her neck, "we read a mystery novel together?"

"No," she said, lacing her fingers behind his neck, and pulling his lips to hers. "But I know who dun it."

"Who?" Chuck asked her. She smirked at him. "Is it you, in the bedroom?"

"It doesn't have to be the bedroom, but it would be the most comfortable," she told him. His hand slipped under her shirt, touching her skin, and she nearly hissed. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting you more comfortable?"

"Good answer," Sarah told him, kissing him as she helped him lift her shirt.

"How comfortable do you want to be?" Chuck asked, as it pulled over her head.

"How about we just keep going, until one of us is uncomfortable," she suggested. "And I'm pretty sure no matter what, I'll always be comfortable around you."

Chuck began to kiss her again, as clothes were discarded. Heads bumped into each other, making each giggle, until the giggles were swallowed up by kisses. "Hey," he said, worrying her for a moment. "Your leg…"

"It's fine," she assured him.

"Well, I'll just be extra gentle, and we'll take it slow, so no one stumbles." Sarah pulled back a bit, and gave him a long look. After a few seconds, she shook her head.

"You were telling me the whole time," she said. "I love you, Chuck."

"Love you, Sarah."

A/N: So this and everything else is probably going on hiatus for a bit. There are a few more things I have at beta but I haven't written in a few days and am not feeling it. Life, you know? Take care, I'll be back soon.