Chuck couldn't believe where he was in that moment. Just weeks ago he was sleeping outside in a rainstorm, the hope of being reunited with Ellie being the number one thing keeping him going. Now here he was, drinking on payday with Lester, Morgan, and last but certainly not least, Sergeant Sarah Walker.

Chuck had to actively try to keep his eyes off the gorgeous blonde cop who looked so natural in a white tank top, brown leather jacket, tight jeans and a cold bottle of MGD64 beer in her hand.

Meanwhile, Chuck didn't think he belonged anywhere near the beauty. Chuck was still in his work uniform minus the nametag and pocket protector. He still felt the boost of confidence that he had gotten from his morning shave, and he felt Sarah's eyes on him a little stronger a number of times throughout the day. He was certainly going to have to keep a razor around.

"Walker," Captain Casey said gruffly as he approached, a glass of scotch in his hand. "I haven't heard from you in a couple of days."

"You haven't checked up on me in a few days either," Sarah said back with a dead even tone, successfully avoiding playfulness or argumentative.

Casey grunted. "Anything I should know?" he asked as he circled the single ice cube in his cup.

Sarah quickly shifted a glance to Chuck, and it was all Casey needed to see.

"Spill, Walker," Casey ordered. Even though he wasn't in uniform, his black slacks and tight polo shirt still had an air of authority to them, aided by the outline of the dog tags underneath.

"We got a visit from Bryce Larkin. He knows where Ellie Bartowski is, and that she's alive," Sarah admitted. She stole another look at Chuck, and he looked frozen, like a deer. He was just waiting to see what Casey would do with the information.

"I know," Casey said before taking a long sip. "Larkin told me first. I was just wondering if you were going to lie to my face about it. You didn't tell me immediately, which is bullshit, but you didn't lie to me."

"I'm sorry, sir. I wasn't sure what to do. I didn't know if you would try to stop him. It just seemed like the best bet to get Ellie back," Sarah said.

"It is the best bet. It's why I didn't stop him." Casey paused and looked from Sarah to Chuck, and then back to Sarah. "If you withhold any information about this case again, and I mean anything, I'll pull you off of it and you will never see detective, do you understand?"

"Yes sir," Sarah said, straightening up even taller. "No more secrets."

"Good. Now enjoy your night, Sergeant," Casey saluted the young sergeant and went to go talk to a pair of homicide detectives.

"I feel like that could have been worse," Chuck said, finally able to breath again.

"I still have a job and you're still alive, so I'd say I'm pretty happy with it," Sarah laughed. "Come on, let's get another drink. I'll buy this round."

Xxx

Morgan and Lester called it a night around 11:45, but Chuck and Sarah continued to hold down the booth and didn't seem to have plans to give it up any time soon.

"We don't really know what happened after that," Chuck said, finishing the last sip of his beer. "Upe, I'm out," Chuck said, looking at the empty mug.

"Let me get us another," Sarah said, putting her hand on Chuck's and shakily getting up.

"Let me. I think it's my round," Chuck said, trying to get to his feet, too. "You don't owe me anything, anyway."

"Hey, what's that mean?" Sarah asked, her voice getting a little sharper as she grabbed Chuck's forearm, stopping him from walking away.

Chuck stumbled a little and caught himself on the edge of the table before trying to answer. "I can't let you buy more drinks than me," Chuck said with a hiccup. "It's not a thing of pride, it's that I owe you big time."

"Chuck, do not make me ask you what you're talking about again," Sarah growled, pulling Chuck over the table by his collar.

"You've done so much for me already, Sarah. You don't have to buy me around tonight, too. I can cover drinks for the rest of the night."

Sarah pulled tighter on Chuck's shirt. "I'm not helping you because I want you to owe me or pay me back, Chuck. I'm helping you because it's the right thing to do, it makes me feel like I'm still a good person, and because you deserve to be helped."

"But why did the universe decide it had to be you, Sarah?" Chuck asked, his face softening and the fear leaving his features. "Why does it have to be you?"

"Why does it have to be me?" Sarah asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Why does it have to be you?" Chuck asked again. He swallowed deeply and looked away from her questioning blue eyes, looking for an escape route.

Sarah roughly grabbed his chin and made him focus on her. "Elaborate," she ordered.

"Why does it have to be the only woman I've ever deeply fallen for?" Chuck gave in, Sarah's inquisition and the alcohol making him cave to the interrogation. "I tried so hard, Sarah. I tried so hard not to catch feelings for you, but how couldn't I? Look at you! Think about who you are and who you have become to me. How couldn't I fall for you?"

Sarah was stunned. Her jaw dropped but her firm grip on Chuck's face stayed in place. "Chuck… she whispered, not sure what else to say, other than his name. "Chuck, we shouldn't be more than friends right now, not while you're in my care," Sarah said, pain clear in her voice.

"I know that, and that's why this sucks even more. You can do so much better than me anyway. It's a stupid crush, and I need to get over it, you know?"

Sarah fervently shook her head. "It's not stupid, Chuck, it's not. None of your emotions are stupid, okay? They're real, and they're genuine. It's not about leagues or me being better than you, it's just… it… we can't happen right now."

"Stop saying right now. Don't give me hope for a future where we can be a thing. Don't lead me on, Sarah. If anything, that's all you owe me."

"I'm not leading you on, Chuck. I would be lying if I told you I hadn't thought about it, too. Think about what you've become for me; a shoulder, a friend, the most emotionally open man I know, and someone who cares about my career goals and aspirations, and you're easy to look at, especially with the beard gone."

"Sarah, I think we should stop drinking. It's making us say things," Chuck warned.

"Yes, it is. It's making us say truths we won't dare share when we're sober, and I think that's bullshit."

Chuck sighed and looked at his empty cup, and then Sarah's expectant face. "I'd usually ask what could one more hurt, but I'm afraid the answer is that it could hurt a lot."

"If you want to stop, we'll stop, Chuck. I won't push you to drink," Sarah yielded.

"I really think we should, Sarah. I don't want to make things ugly for us, or awkward. I'm afraid how we'll be around each other in the morning."

"I know what you mean," Sarah said, visibly deflating. "We'll show up like nothing's wrong, like we don't have feelings for each other, like we're just friends caught in a rough situation together. We'll keep playing that game until either we're guaranteed you're safe… or until we can't control ourselves," Sarah revealed her predictions for the coming days ahead.

"I'm sorry, Sarah. I wish I hadn't complicated your life," Chuck said, his head bowed.

"Really?" Sarah asked, cupping Chuck's chin in her hand again, lifting his head to look at her. "Because I'm not. I just wish it didn't have to be this complicated."

Chuck smiled at Sarah, and she smiled back. "C'mon. Let's get you home and get some food and water in you, try to get some remedies in to keep the hangover at bay," Chuck suggested, and Sarah nodded in agreement.

XXX

The next morning, Sarah could barely open her eyes. She was afraid to, the sunlight piercing her eyelids was bad enough without her actually opening them. She was afraid to even move her head, hoping that if she didn't move, the headache would stay dormant.

She heard movement coming from her kitchenette, so she cursed the stars and slowly pulled open her nightstand drawer to grab her pistol. She'd be a terrible shot in her state, but she hoped she could pull enough of an act together to scare off whoever was out there.

With all the strength she could muster, she took the gun and slowly got up, her head immediately working against her as she suspected.

Tiptoeing barefoot through her apartment, Sarah took her time getting to the living room without making a sound. Before she could get to the kitchen, however, she smelled bacon.

She stopped and sniffed, and the strong smell of heated pork fat definitely hung thick in the air. She lowered the gun to a more at ease position but still crept around the corner.

Standing there at the stove was the 6'4" nerd who had gotten her a cab home and safely into bed.

"Chuck?" Sarah asked, rubbing her forehead.

"Good morning," Chuck whispered, knowing to keep his voice low. "Whoa, uh, Sarah…" Chuck said as he turned around. "You're uh… just wearing panties and a tank top."

Sarah slowly looked down and then back up at Chuck who was in his usual sweats. "Whatever. You're welcome. What are you still doing here?" she asked, squinting.

"Well I have the day off, and I thought you could use taking care of after last night," Chuck explained.

"Why aren't you hung the hell over?" Sarah grumped.

"We drank the same amount, but I'm way bigger than you, and I've already thrown up and taken something for the headache already."

"Urgh," Sarah groaned, slouching against the wall.

"Get back to bed, Sarah. I'll finish breakfast and bring it to you. Coffee's almost done."

Sarah weakly laughed. "And you said I've done so much for you."

"Ha, you remembered that, huh?" Chuck asked nervously.

"Some of it. It's a bit foggy," Sarah admitted. "I remember something something feelings, something something bad idea?" Sarah asked as she headed back the way she came, pistol hanging limply at her side. "Oh, and did you undress me last night?"

"No," Chuck said, his eyes bugging even though she couldn't see them. "You did, but I don't know when. I slept on the couch last night," Chuck told her.

"You're a gentleman, Chuck, and it's one of the things I appreciate about you," Sarah trailed off as she headed back into her room, leaving the door open.