The Trapped Assassin

By SarahsSupplyCloset

Author's Note: I've been slow updating, but only because I'm trying to build a lead in the actual writing part. If I have a few chapters that need editing, I feel more comfortable, so I'm a little ahead now. Hopefully once I really get going, I can update faster. Thanks for still being here, old readers. And to new readers, welcome! Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own CHUCK. I'm not making any money from this.

Sleeping in.

That was something she valued above almost everything. Survival might've been the only thing she valued more, for obvious reasons.

It just felt so good to feel the sun's rays stretch across the room and over her body that was tangled in the sheets. She'd learned very early to appreciate missions when she had a bed, especially a bed as comfortable as this one. She'd learned to take advantage of missions when she could sleep for as long as possible, because there were too many missions when she didn't get a bed to sleep on. She'd slept in dirt too many times to count. Alleyways. Rooftops. In cars, in trees, and unfortunately in a trunk once. That last one had been involuntary.

And it was rare when her sleep extended past an hour or two sitting up in a bus or train.

So she slept in when she could.

And she could here.

But that wouldn't last much longer.

Maybe.

Sarah groaned and pushed her hands through her hair, tugging a bit to punish herself, and then roughly tossing herself from her back onto her stomach and punching her pillow for good measure. She was so sick of this going back and forth. She was sick of not knowing what to do.

She usually had more control over herself, over her decisions. But maybe that was because she'd always had a path laid out in front of her once she joined the CIA. A mission had set instructions from her superiors. She planned. She executed the plan. And she moved onto the next mission and did the same thing. That was how things would be with the CIA for as long as they would have her. It was easy to have control in a life like that. There were no surprises, no hard decisions outside of things that came up during missions.

That wasn't the case anymore.

Because this was a massive decision. A life-changing decision. One that would affect the trajectory of her existence from here on out.

And she was at such a loss.

Because she'd experienced so much in Nice. Strange what had stemmed from her stealing a cell phone from a tourist.

The oddity of life.

The beauty of it, she should probably say. Because she'd recently started seeing that there was beauty in life. Not in survival, no, but in life. That was even before Chuck nearly got his ass kicked by a surfer. Months before. Maybe even a year before.

But it was this mission in Nice and subsequent suspension that really made her question what she wanted out of life, besides just … to live.

And while Chuck wasn't the only reason this decision was gnawing at her so intensely, he was absolutely part of it. Even if she left the CIA, there was no guarantee that whatever this was between them would continue. It was a fling, a romance, complete with amazing sex…but she wasn't fool enough to believe she was living in some sort of romance novel fantasy with soul mates and other bullshit like that.

This thing with Chuck would end, but at least she'd know she could go somewhere else, some other beautiful place in the world, and meet more people. People like Chuck. People different from Chuck. But normal people, for God's sake. And she wouldn't have to lie to them, manipulate them, or kill them.

Then she'd remember just how many people she'd already killed. She'd see their faces. She'd remember the people who cared about them even if they were terrible tyrants, criminals, or murderers themselves. It wasn't regret, really, or even remorse. She was sure most of the people she'd killed over the last decade deserved to be dead. She was sure what she'd done for the CIA had saved lives, maybe hundreds or even hundreds of thousands.

But that didn't make the blood on her hands go away. She didn't deserve to be free of that burden. She'd killed people. Whether it was for the CIA or not, she'd done it. And there was no way she'd let herself off the hook for those deaths.

And so she'd end up on the other side of the decision. Because at least the CIA wouldn't be sullied by her presence. They accepted her, warts and all. In fact, the CIA embraced the warts gladly, even preferred her with her warts. The death toll at the hands of their Ice Queen meant their gamble with the con artist's desperate teenage daughter paid off all those years ago.

And then Sarah would be full of spite. Bitter that the CIA saw her that way, that Graham saw her that way. And she'd go back on the other side of the decision again. Because she wasn't going to let them fuck around with her like that.

And then she'd find herself with Chuck, she'd feel that tickle in her chest that happened whenever she laughed…and she'd swing back to wanting to leave the CIA.

Part of her knew that the smart thing was to keep her distance from Chuck. It would at least be a way for her to make her decision without a walking, talking conflict of interest around.

Sarah finally pushed herself to sit up and ran her hands down her face. At least she'd slept in after a late night that was fun, even if there had been a dark cloud hovering over her the entire time.

She glanced at the clock and saw it was after 9. She was hungry. She should go get herself breakfast, she mused. Or maybe order room service, even if that meant it would take a little longer.

And just as she resigned herself to lying back down and shutting her eyes again out of pure laziness (because she could!), a knock sounded on the door.

Sarah shot right out of bed and frowned. It was a brisk knock, heavy handed. And it was totally different from the knock she'd gotten used to. A playful staccato knock that always signaled Chuck's arrival.

Her Smith & Wesson was in her hand immediately, pre-loaded for situations like this. She crept out of her bedroom into the main room of the suite and moved to the door. She reached out and turned the extra lock slowly, painstakingly, before she undid the chain, and finally pushed down on the door handle. She didn't open the door wide, instead stepping back and waiting for whomever it was to push it open themselves and enter.

She'd be ready for them, watching from where she stood at the hinges of the door, gun pointed.

"Fffwuhff?"

Shit.

She knew the voice as the door thumped open. And now she was standing here with a gun. It would freak him out so bad. She quickly stuffed her piece down the back of her panties and pulled her cami over the rest of it. It was a nonsensical action, considering there'd still be a gun-shaped bulge under her clothes but…

Chuck finally stepped into view and she hurriedly opened the door wider for him.

"Chuck! What're you doing h—I mean, hi."

He had two large bags, one under each arm, and a cardboard drink holder wedged between his teeth, two short coffees in the slots. "Hhhllllnnff."

Sarah reached over and took the tray out from his teeth. He worked his jaw, wincing. "In hindsight, two trips might've been smarter, but I never said I was a genius."

"What's this?" she asked, her heart racing still. Adrenaline was coursing through her. The cool metal of the gun was pressed against the now overheated skin of her lower back.

"Uh…" He stood up a little straighter and stepped away from the door so that she could close it. Then he looked down at the bags shoved under his arms. She realized now why his knock was so different. He'd had to use his foot instead of his hand. "I'm starting to realize that it's kind of…erm…presumptuous. But I bought breakfast and thought maybe…"

"Presumptuous?" she asked, purposefully angling her body so that he couldn't see the gun when he moved further into her suite.

"Well, I mean…just showing up out of the blue."

"Hey, I showed up out of the blue to make you go for a run with me. You showed up out of the blue with breakfast. I think you win." She smirked at him as he chuckled, looking a bit more appeased now.

How was she going to get rid of the gun without him seeing? She couldn't do this all morning. Maybe she could get rid of him. Maybe she could tell him she had to shower. Sorry, can you come back in five minutes so that I can shower? No, no. That wouldn't work. He didn't have to leave her entire suite for her to shower. He'd seen her naked enough times now that it would be weird if he didn't stay while she showered.

"I just thought…Well you said you were tired last night." He walked over to the table by the balcony doors and set the bags down as Sarah shifted again so that she was facing him full on. She moved just a little closer, arms crossed.

"Oh. Yeah. Yeah, I really—I really was tired. Yeah."

"I thought you'd like me to bring you breakfast this morning. You know, if you were still tired. Like room service, but I'm bringing it instead of some strapping young French lad who spends a little too much time looking at those long, long legs of yours." His eyes settled on her legs and she pursed her lips, amused and flattered at the same time.

"You mean, like how you're looking at them right now?"

"Am I?" he breathed, and then he shook his head and cleared his throat, turning away. "Uh…sorry. Guilty."

She liked the smirk on his face as he looked down at the food.

Sarah was wary about getting too close. She had to find a place to stash the gun. And quick. The adrenaline was coursing through her. She squirmed nervously, eyes flicking back and forth, taking in her surroundings.

The TV stand had drawers, and it was only 10 to 12 feet away from her. She could hide it if he turned away from her for long enough.

And then Chuck gave her an idea…because she saw his gaze flick to her legs again before he took the coffees out of the holder.

Sarah's limbs were well rested, her nerves alive, fired up, and her skin heated. That, coupled with the look of him, in black jeans and a navy blue t-shirt that complemented his tan skin and dark curls, was making her squirm in…Well, it was desire, wasn't it?

And there he went looking at her legs again. He turned away and reached over to open the bags of food and she moved closer to him, running her fingers up his arm and squeezing. She purposefully made it suggestive, a quick tight squeeze that might remind him of something else.

He turned his amber colored eyes to her and raised an eyebrow.

She'd only meant to interest him, but he caught her by surprise by turning to face her and moving to grab her waist in his hands. She stepped back quickly, her nerves alight, heart racing. "No, I—I should—I should brush my teeth. Morning breath."

He made a face and scoffed. "I don't care."

He closed in on her again, his fingers curling around her hips but she quickly grabbed his hands and pushed them away, taking a few steps back.

She really hadn't thought this through. Clearly.

"Wait, wait. I…" He was confused now. She needed to think of something fast. And then … Ah. Of course. Two birds with one stone, as the saying went.

"Close your eyes!" she said in a rushed voice. And then she calmed herself just enough to give him a seductive look through her eyelashes, popping her hip. "Close your eyes, Chuck," she said, much slower, the words dripping out of her mouth like honey, the 'k' at the end of his name clicking in the silence in a way that made his chest heave with a quick intake of breath. Still got it, she thought to herself.

He dropped his hands to his sides and closed his eyes.

"Don't peek," she teased as she sprinted silently to the drawer under the TV, sliding it open painstakingly, slipping the gun inside, and shutting it again.

"I'm not," he teased back. And she trusted him.

As she scurried back to where she'd been standing, she whipped her camisole off over her head and tossed it to the floor, pushing her panties down once she stopped in front of him and stepping out of them, kicking them away.

"Open your eyes, Chuck."

He did.

And color flooded his cheeks, his golden eyes darkening to a deep brown, swirling in lust. "Uh…whoa."

She put her hands on her hips and shrugged one shoulder, bouncing her eyebrows and biting her lip. "You've got some catching up to do," she said.

A quiet growl came from deep in his chest and then his shirt was being whipped over his head, catching his nose for a moment and causing him to wrinkle it with a wince as he tossed the shirt away. She ignored it graciously and watched him set his fingers to the button and zipper of his jeans.

"W-what about breakfast?" he asked.

"I don't care about breakfast right now," she said truthfully.

His sneakers were kicked away, his socks and jeans joining them, and then he had her in his arms, their bodies pressed flush against each other.

Sarah kissed him hard, weaving her arms around his neck.

So much for keeping her distance from him so that she could make her decision without distraction.

Oh, well.

—-

Chuck had made a move towards the couch at first, but that was altogether too close to where she'd hidden her gun from him. So instead she gave him a teasing tug towards the bedroom.

His eyebrows popped, but he followed her readily enough, slipping his arms around her waist and pulling her back into his front. They had to practically waddle the rest of the way into the bedroom, but they made it.

And he surprised her again when he turned her in his arms and pinned her to the door of the bedroom the moment it shut behind them.

Chuck's kiss was addictive. His taste, the skill with which he moved his lips against hers, and of course…God, the way he used his tongue. It was ridiculous how good this was. But she wanted more.

He delicately curled his fingers around her wrists and lifted them up to pin them by her head. His eyes bore into hers, his jaw clenching in a way that made her feel heat bubbling behind her belly button.

"What are you planning, nerd?" she asked in a low voice, smiling a little.

The corner of his mouth tilted up in an adorable half-grin and then he lowered his mouth to close around one of her nipples.

"Ah!" she gasped, her body jolting with the pleasure of it. His tongue blanketed her hard nub, flicking it, sucking. And she wanted so bad to touch him. But she couldn't, what with the way her wrists were still pinned up by her head. So she tilted her face back and blinked at the ceiling, her breaths coming out in soft whimpers.

Chuck pulled back, teasing her nipple between his teeth gently, and it felt like thousands of little needles were pricking her skin all over her body in the best way. "Chuck!"

She gaped at him as he looked up at her. And then he dove in to taste her neck, his tongue licking her pulse point.

And then he was kissing her lips. That addictive kiss that made her want to melt into a puddle at his feet.

She bit his lip teasingly.

"Ow!" He chuckled and sucked on his lip where she bit him. "That was bad," he said in a warning tone.

"Did I ever give you any indication I was particularly good?"

Chuck's face became pinched in awe and he shook his head with a softly breathed, "Damn."

And Sarah promptly sank to her knees, tucking her fingers into his boxers and pulling them down to his ankles. She didn't even give him time to step out of them, instead immediately wrapping her fingers around his length and stroking it, squeezing just a little.

She leaned in and took him into her mouth. Wrapping her hands around his hips, she began to bob her head back and forth, swirling her tongue around him, humming deliciously against his cock to make him groan.

She stayed there for a few minutes, getting him hard by teasing, stroking, sucking…

Until his fingers tucked under her arms and he gently gave her a bit of a tug, just a slight indication that he wanted her to stand up. So she did, letting him fall from between her lips, smirking as she dragged her front over his when she stood.

His hand tangled in her hair at the back of her neck and he pulled her in for another kiss. Her toes curled, she shivered, and she had no choice but to moan. He tasted so delicious. Like he'd already sipped the coffee, along with the mint of his toothpaste.

She was in his arms then, forced to wrap her legs around his waist, dragging her fingers through those delicious curls, and she kissed him, giggling when she heard and felt him run into something and grunt in pain.

"You okay?" she whispered, grinning.

"Oh, sure, yeah."

And she laughed outright when he unceremoniously tossed her onto her unmade bed, crawling over her with narrowed eyes. She laughed even harder as he growled like a dork, diving in to attack her neck. She figured out what he was about to do right as his fingers made contact, and he began to tickle her.

"No!" she yelped, still laughing even as she fought him off. It was easy to pin his arms to his sides. And even though it meant his full weight smashed her into the mattress as he laid on top of her, she found she liked it. She liked how heavy he was, his body made up of hot, smooth skin and rippled muscle.

She bit her lip as he looked down into her face, still grinning wildly, his nose wrinkled. And she leaned up to his ear and said, "I want you inside of me."

Chuck's body tensed above hers, and then he shifted down her body a little, and she felt his hardness against her thigh. His brown eyes flashed as he looked down at her. "Say it again." He swallowed hard.

"I want you inside of me," she whispered, nudging him with her hips.

When she let go of his arms, he tucked them underneath her body, cradling her close and kissing her so passionately, and so slowly. She felt like someone had lit her bed on fire.

And then he pulled away and buried his face in her neck. She felt his teeth close around her earlobe and tug and she laughed again. He laughed with her, and they were still laughing even when he finally entered her.

Sarah spread her legs wide, bending them at the knees and digging her heels into the mattress so that she could rock herself into his thrusts. She was so distracted by the feel of him buried inside of her that she didn't expect him to try to tickle her again.

"No!"

She squealed and bumped her groin against his, earning a groan, even as he chuckled. But before she could grab at him, he caught her wrists and pinned them above her, thrusting harder.

Sarah wrapped her legs around his waist and quickly threw herself to the side, rolling him onto his back. She broke his hold on her wrists and started tickling him this time, her laughter almost evil as she gyrated into his lap and let her fingers wiggle under his armpits, down his ribcage, and back up again.

His laughter was hysterical, and she saw the beginnings of tears in his eyes. And she had to admit…

As much as she despised being tickled, this was the most fun she'd had…ever.

He flipped her onto her back, rolling onto her, again taking advantage of her distraction. She was wedged at an angle against the pillows that were propped at the headboard and he arched over her. His strokes were long and hard, making her whimper and grin like an idiot. His arms flexed above her as he held onto the headboard to strengthen his thrusts. And instead of continuing the game right away, she just enjoyed. Being propped up a little meant she could watch him, study his body, the way his abdomen's muscles jerked with every stroke.

There was no way he was as physically strong as some of the other men she'd had sex with in her lifetime, men who'd obsessively chiseled their muscles and increased their strength to survive, but right at that moment, as she felt him, watched him, she found herself boggling at his strength, impressed by him, so turned on.

She reached down and grabbed his ass in both hands, tugging him against her and loving the way he said her name in a breathless whimper.

Chuck pushed himself up at even more of an angle, then tucked his thighs underneath hers, reaching down to grab her hips tightly. He bucked hard against her, their groins making a soft thumping sound that made Sarah feel like she might be going insane, she was so turned on.

She cried out in pleasure, letting out a breathless giggle in awe. He leaned back just enough then that she felt him at her g-spot. With one hand flattened on her stomach just under her belly button, he snuck his thumb over her clitoris and started rubbing it in circles as he thrust into her center.

And it took only a dozen or so seconds for her orgasm to build and come crashing over her.

She let out a ragged moan of his name, the fingers of one hand twisting in his hair as she dug the fingers of her other hand into the muscles of his ass. She thought nothing of the nail marks she was probably leaving there.

But she didn't want to stop. This was way too much fun.

So she moved her hands down to his hips and held him in place, hovering over her. "Don't move," she panted, and then she planted her heels, spread her legs more, and started lifting herself against him. Her upward thrusts had him sinking into her over and over. And as she slid a hand back to feel his ass again, she could feel him clenching, reaching for finish.

She held him tightly and thrust faster, whimpering, yelping in pleasure, until finally, he was strung so tight, his body nothing but muscle and hardness.

"Ahhhh! Sarah!"

He came inside of her and she slowed her thrusts, squeezing his ass cheeks as she gently gyrated up into him.

As he finished, they both slumped down to the mattress in a warm heap. She whimpered, as he was still buried inside of her, dragging over her walls. And she bit her lip to keep from whining when he rolled to the side, leaving the cool air to grace her skin where he'd been moments before.

Her eyes were shut and she was controlling her breathing, the exact opposite of alert. So she was unprepared for the feeling of his hand blanketing her crotch. "Chu—nng!"

His fingers slid into her opening, and then he curled them, sending spots into her vision. And he didn't stop pumping and stroking until she came again. She arched herself off of the bed and covered her face to keep him from seeing just how out of control she was.

They laid there limply for a few minutes, silence in the room save for their heavy breathing, and then she felt and heard Chuck shift just a little.

"You really don't like being tickled."

She giggled, finally pulling her hands from her face and blinking at the ceiling in complete awe. "I told you that."

"Yeeaaahhh," he grumbled in satisfaction. "You sure as hell did."

And she laughed hard, enjoying this moment for everything that it was worth.

—-

Sarah decided Chuck had even more money than she'd thought when he didn't even bat an eyelash at renting a car at a moment's notice. It was expensive. Incredibly expensive. Way more expensive than public transportation in coastal France.

There were other ways to get to Les Gorges de la Cagne besides just renting a car and driving there. But Chuck determined it was a lot harder and would take much longer. So he forked up the money for a one day car rental without telling her just how much he'd had to fork up, refusing to let her pay for part of it, and then they got in the car and were off.

It had been a crazy idea, something they'd talked about while lying in her bed after eventually eating the then less-than-warm breakfast Chuck had brought to her suite. He said he still hadn't seen any of France's coastal rivers that people always talked about and she said, "Then let's go."

So here they were.

Over 45 minutes of driving through the stunning streets of Nice, along the coastline and past the airport, then inland and up through Vence into the mountains. They stood at the beginning of the path the pamphlet Sarah had snagged from the lobby of their hotel talked about.

She stuffed the pamphlet back in the bag Chuck had slung over his shoulder and gestured to it. "Well?"

"I should have bought a compass," he said.

She giggled. "Why would you need a compass? We have a river. Just stick close to the river. Then we turn around and follow it back."

"Okay, Dora the Explorer. I'd still like a compass, just in case. So that I know where the ocean is. Unless you've done this before."

"I've been hiking before, yes, Chuck," she said in a flat voice, and she received in even flatter look in return.

"Yeah, me too. I mean…just…you know, like this. Just going to a place you've never been to before and…Never mind, let's just walk," he said with a pout, marching forth onto the pathway.

It was flanked by lush, beautiful green plants and tall trees that arched towards the river. It looked like a fairie land or something straight out of Lord of the Rings.

"Are you pouting?" she asked, following after him, taking in the beauty even as she wondered what was up with him.

"No."

"You seem a little bit like you're pouting."

He turned to face her, slowly walking backwards, narrowing his eyes at her, and then that grin of his swept over his handsome features and he chuckled. "I was pouting a little bit."

She smiled back and reached over to pull at the hem of his shirt affectionately. "Why? We're on a nice hike along one of the most gorgeous rivers in France, some say in all of Europe. You're on a bajillion-week-long vacation in paradise. No pouting."

He chuckled again. "Sorry. But it was only a half-pout."

"I saw a full-pout."

"No, half is this…" He pouted a little. "Full is this." He pouted a lot.

It made her sniff in amusement and shake her head at him.

He turned back around and continued along the path. "I just don't wanna get stranded out here, ya know?"

She made a face, trying not to make fun of him. He'd told her he wasn't a big traveler, that he hadn't been to many places, that most of his travel was only for business. Instead, she decided to ease his mind as best she could without saying she had been stranded in actual forests without rivers to follow, followed by mercenaries with guns at the same time.

"Well, don't worry. I'll get us back. I have a sixth sense about direction. I always seem to know where I am. And, like I said, we're following a river."

They walked in relative silence for a good 15 minutes after that, just taking in the breathtaking scenery. The water was a calming hue of blue, murky around the edges, see-through in the shallow areas, with large boulders dotting the surface. Chuck wandered out towards the water at one point and climbed onto one of the larger boulders, leaning down to dip his hand in, yelping and exclaiming it was cold.

Sarah decided to find out for herself, taking her boots and socks off, rolling up her capris a little, and walking into the water. She flinched, because it truly was cold, but it felt better as she moved even further into the river until it was midway up her calves.

"You're crazy," Chuck said from his perch atop the rock. But there was admiration in the quiet smile he sent her way.

"You like it," she teased.

"I really, really do." He said it without pause, without shame. And then he looked down the river, his smile growing.

"You should try crazy, Chuck. It's kinda fun. Cold. But fun." She winked when he met her gaze, and then she tilted her head down towards the water invitingly.

He pressed his lips together and squinted at her, and then he groaned and rolled his head on his shoulders, climbing back to the shore and pulling his shoes and socks off.

"Yeeess!" she cheered, giving him a round of applause as he stepped into the water.

"Eep! So cold!" He squirmed and shivered, walking like he had a stick up his ass as he neared her. It made her laugh. "You completely understated the amount of cold, Sarah. Jesus Christ."

"I think you're overstating it," she giggled, reaching out for his hand and grasping it as his foot slipped on the rocks and he nearly pitched to the side. "Careful…"

"Hey. I'm 6'4". This is a lot of body to have to control. Grace is not my strong suit."

She turned to face him and held him by his elbows, looking up at him through her eyelashes as he stepped up close to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "You've got a lot of other strong suits. I find a new one each day."

"Thank you." He nodded his head at her. "Wait, wait. Have you found one today yet?"

She made a show of thinking about it. "You are a planner. All the snacks you packed into your bag and the little First Aid kit. I never would've thought about that."

"That's true. And look…" He reached behind him and snagged the pamphlet, pulling it out again and opening it. "I have a place to keep our brochure thanks to my buying this backpack. Which means we now know there is a really pretty bridge in here…" He glanced over his shoulder, down the river. "Somewhere."

"I think we have to go further down, to where it gets a little higher, more rocky."

"Well, Miss Sixth Sense About Direction, I will follow you wherever you lead me." He nodded emphatically and she couldn't help but move up on her tiptoes to kiss him right beside his mouth.

They hiked along the path for awhile, sticking close to the river line. Everywhere they went, they could hear the trickle of moving water somewhere. Birds and other creatures chirped and clicked as Sarah and Chuck explored.

And she watched happily as Chuck found some rocks to climb onto, pulling himself all the way to the top and dangling from the ledge. He puffed his cheeks out and made baboon sounds, kicking his feet out.

Her instincts kicked in and she pulled her phone out of her pocket, snapping a quick picture of him.

"Nooo!"

She laughed. "Why not?"

"I'm being ridiculous! You're not supposed to take a picture of someone when they're being ridiculous."

She made a face that clearly said 'You're wrong'.

"Um. I'm pretty sure that's when you're supposed to take the picture, Chuck."

He narrowed his eyes and dropped down off the ledge to land amongst the leaves. But the leaves on the ground hid the root that was sticking up, and when Chuck landed on it, he toppled backwards and landed on his ass. Hard.

Sarah rushed to his side, her hand pressed to her mouth. She did her best not to laugh, but it was difficult as she knelt beside him. "Are you okay?"

"Just my pride. I think Mother Nature has it out for me personally, making sure the leaves land just so to cover that root. Could've broken my ankle."

Sarah sniffed in amusement. "You don't think Mother Nature has better things to do with her time?"

And just as he opened his mouth to reply, everything suddenly seemed a little darker.

With a frown, Sarah looked around, then tilted her head back to look up.

Clouds were obstructing the sun. When had that happened? The sky was clear when they'd been driving up to the river.

And then there was a flash of light.

"Uh oh," she heard Chuck mutter.

The rain started immediately, just a few large drops that slipped through the trees. And then there were more, and they were coming faster.

"Apparently Mother Nature doesn't have better things to do with her time," Sarah said, meeting Chuck's gaze.

"See?" His curls were already getting smashed down by the rain. "What do we do?"

"We have to go back. If there's lightning, it isn't all that safe under the trees."

He made a disappointed face but didn't argue. He was a man of his word, Chuck Bartowski. Because apparently he had every intention of following her lead like he said he would.

"At least we got half a day in," she said over her shoulder, and she grabbed his hand to lead him back along the path.

The rain got worse, though, as they trudged through the mud, and Sarah found she was soaked to the bone after a half hour. It didn't let up for a moment. And she wondered at what point it would actually be dangerous for them to be out here.

"So you can take back the nice thing you said about me being a good planner earlier," Chuck said over the rain. "Because I definitely didn't look at the weather forecast for today."

She chuckled and shook her head. "Okay, you know what? We can't keep going. We need to just get out of it."

"Where?" Chuck asked, looking around, water dripping from his nose, chin, hair, everything. "There aren't any conveniently placed, random cottages out here."

"No, but there's that conveniently placed rock formation that looks like it might provide a bit of cover." She pointed at the other side of the river, across a rope bridge that looked sturdy enough but still daunting at the moment.

"Of course. A janky-ass bridge leading right to it. You know what happens to people in movies when they're in this situation, Sarah?"

"What, Chuck?" she asked in amusement, pushing wet hair out of her face and moving along the sopping wet brush towards the bridge.

"They go 'Oh look! A bridge! How fortuitous!' And they go to cross the bridge, and at least one of their party falls off, or the rope breaks on the last person, and they get rushed down the river and are lost forever."

Sarah just laughed and shook her head. "Life isn't a movie, Chuck. We just have to be careful. This bridge has been here for awhile, by the looks of it." And she'd crossed worse looking ones, that was for sure. She didn't want to say that out loud. He'd wonder when she'd had to cross a terrible bridge in the middle of a jungle before.

She tugged on the thick rope they'd be walking on. It didn't even budge. And then she stood up straight and grabbed at the rope railings. They didn't budge, either. So she shrugged and put her foot on the rope, ready to start crossing.

"Wait." She looked over her shoulder at Chuck and raised an eyebrow. "This bridge might not be sturdy. I'll go over first."

He looked so serious, his brow furrowed, jaw clenched. And she did everything she could to keep from laughing.

"Right, and if you don't die, then I can cross," she said, her mouth twitching in mirth.

He gave her a flat look. "Sarah—"

"Chuck, we can both go at the same time. It's a perfectly workable bridge. The water isn't even that deep here. The river isn't even moving yet. If you did fall in, you could just swim to the embankment on the other side. You'd be soaking wet, but that's not much of a difference from this." She picked at her soaked shirt and shrugged.

He pressed his lips together into a tight line and gestured to the bridge. "Will you please let me go first? Just in case? I have this inherent feeling that you'd be much better at rescuing me than I'd be at rescuing you. I'd try my damnedest."

She giggled and stepped away. "Go ahead, Sir Galahad."

Sarah watched him as he carefully stepped onto the rope with one foot, grabbing the railings tightly and starting to inch along. She was teasing him but deep down, she felt a warmth she hadn't felt since the rain started when she realized he was trying to be protective. She couldn't remember the last time someone had actively tried to protect her.

Even if he was being a little too I'm-A-Man-I'll-Make-The-Sacrifice about this. And in an unnecessary situation. The rope bridge was completely safe. In fact, she was sure hikers crossed it all the time without batting an eye.

She joined him on the bridge and followed behind, not saying anything even as he moved especially slow.

He hopped over the last three feet and landed in the mud on the other side with a splash, turning around and offering her a hand. She took it, despite not needing it, and he helped her down to his side.

There was a moment when she thought she might kiss him, in spite of them being a couple dozen feet from makeshift shelter. Their eyes met, their chests brushing, her hand still trapped in his loose grip, and she leaned in close. "I'm super wet."

He bit his lip, probably to keep from chuckling, and then he widened his eyes dramatically. "Whoa there, tigress. Chill out with the innuendo. We're in public."

She was still laughing even as she ducked under the rock overhang to slip into a small dry nook that was covered well enough by the rock that the ground was only slightly moist beneath them. It felt good not to be pelted by rain anymore.

And she turned around to face Chuck, scooting deeper into the cave, she scoped out their new digs, so to speak. It was about 3 x 4, and just tall enough for Chuck to sit up straight she thought.

The only problem with this arrangement was that there was no way of knowing when the rain would stop, or if it would stop.

But she'd cross that bridge (again) if she came to it.

For now, she let Chuck plop down against the stone floor of the small cave-like nook first, and then she joined him, leaning against his shoulder and pulling her legs close to her chest.

"This was quite the find, Dora."

"Would you quit with the Dora the Explorer shit? You realize there are better references out there. Like, what about Indiana Jones? What about the Tomb Raider lady?"

His body jolted against hers and she turned to look at him, furrowing her brow. "What?" she asked.

"You know what Tomb Raider is?"

"Of course I do. She's a bad ass English lady version of Indiana Jones. I saw the movie."

He shook the gape off of his face. "Right. The movies with Angelina Jolie. I forgot about those."

"I know it was a video game first."

Chuck made a pained humming sound. "Sarah, you have no idea how hot it is to hear you bring up Lara Croft on your own, with no prompting from me, an actual nerd. I'm dripping wet from the rain and there's a cool breeze coming in here that's definitely shiver-worthy, but I'm almost too warm now."

She reared her head back and raised her eyebrows. "So what you're saying is that you have a nerd kink."

"I probably do. But it never happened with anybody else. Just you. I might have a you kink."

That made her laugh. "That's probably the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders with a chuckle, pulling her into his side. "You need to hang out around nicer people, Sarah Walker."

"Mm. Maybe."

She nuzzled against him quietly, pressing her face into his shirt, reveling in his body heat. They stayed that way for awhile. And the steady rise and fall of his chest, the thump of his heartbeat against her cheek, had lulled her into a state of half-sleep, he just felt so comfortable and safe.

After nearly an hour, he finally shifted a little against her and she opened her eyes, aware of the permanent small smile on her face.

"Sorry," he said as he jostled her by readjusting against the ground. "I have exactly no ass whatsoever, so it's basically bone on stone, here."

She burst into laughter. "Bone on stone. That's a new one."

"It's true." He squirmed in discomfort.

"Put most of your weight on one cheek and lean against me."

He did and she cradled him close, her arms around him. "Better?"

"Mmmm so much." He nuzzled his face into her chest and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes, even though he wouldn't see it anyways.

They were silent for a few more minutes and then his voice drifted up to her, a little muffled by her breast that his face still pressed against. "I got trapped in a rainstorm once before. Never in a French wonderland forest. But…it was a rainstorm."

"Oh, yeah? Where were you?"

"Driving in upstate Washington, near the border with Vancouver."

"I hear it rains a lot there," she teased, and he laughed.

"Uh, yeah. But this was bad. I was driving with my then girlfriend and it got so bad, I literally couldn't see ten feet in front of me. I had to turn on my high beams and guide the car into a clump of trees, then turn off my lights so that cars behind me didn't rear-end me." He snaked his arms around her waist and scooted closer, moving his face so that it was tucked in the crook of her neck. She felt his breath fanning her skin and it sent a shiver through her.

"What were you doing in Washington with your girlfriend?"

"We had a week off from college—I think Thanksgiving maybe? And, uh, well…Her uncle had a cabin so…"

Sarah giggled. "It's cute that you don't want to tell me you had a vacation in a cabin in the woods with your college girlfriend, Chuck, but I promise, I'll survive the info."

He pulled back and winced. "It's just…weird…talking about her while I'm in this semi-dry cave in the wilderness with an infinitely better person than she could ever be. And, not that this matters in the grand scheme of things, but…you're so much hotter. Whoever created you turned the sexy dial up to 11."

"Up to 11?"

"Spinal Tap reference. No to Spinal Tap?"

She shook her head, super warm again. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize for not being a giant dweeb, Sarah. Never apologize for that."

She laughed. "But I appreciate the sentiment. You're not so bad to look at, either."

"You mean my dashing good looks? Full head of hair?" He smoldered at her and she couldn't help it anymore. She cupped his face and leaned in to kiss him. She held on tight, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and tugging him close.

He held her back just as tightly, his fingers twisting in her shirt, opening his mouth to taste her.

Sarah wasn't sure how long they ended up making out in their tiny sanctuary in the woods, but he eventually turned to pin her against the smooth rock surrounding them.

She stretched her legs out to get more comfortable, but then frowned into the kiss. "Mm," she pulled back just a little. "I'm not sure I've ever made out with someone in a less comfortable place."

"Thank you," he chirped.

She furrowed her brow, amused. "Thank you?"

"Yeah. You're still making out with me, in spite of how uncomfortable this damp sort-of-cave is. So I'm taking it as a compliment."

Her giggle bubbled out of her as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close, pressing her lips against his damp neck. She willed any thoughts about anything other than him out of her mind, refusing to think about Langston Graham, the CIA, the questionable future of her career.

"I've made out in less comfortable places, honestly."

Her eyes snapped open and she turned her face to raise an eyebrow at him, letting him see her smirk, careful not to show any jealousy. Not that she was jealous. It didn't make sense to be jealous of some woman he was with however long ago.

However, her mind let her know that there would be women after her. Maybe the woman. Someone he'd decide to spend the rest of his life with. That woman did send a red hot spike of jealousy through her.

She shook it off, not wanting him to see it.

"Have you?" she teased. "See, now I'm curious."

"At the LA Fair, at the top of a broken-down ferris wheel."

"Wow. Congratulations on that one."

"Thanks. Then there was the time the police came to break up one of the parties at Stanford. My girlfriend and I hid in the bushes a block away."

"You were drunk?"

"Yes. Yes, we were." He nodded.

"Classy."

Chuck laughed and shrugged. "I'm a pretty classy guy."

She grinned.

The storm only lasted a few more minutes before it lightened enough for Sarah to finally decide they could continue their trek back to the rental car. They crawled out of their erstwhile sanctuary into the light drizzle that got lighter ever moment.

And finally, as they hiked back, it stopped altogether.

"At least the sun's finally coming out again," Chuck said as he walked in front of her.

She snorted. "Yeah. Thankfully. Maybe our clothes will be dry enough that we won't ruin the seats in the rental car."

"That'd be nice."

Sarah had thought about maybe continuing their hike further along the river again, but it made more sense to go back. There was no telling whether the rain would start up again, and she was sure the small cave she'd spotted were few and far between.

When they finally got back to the start of the trail, it was late afternoon, and Chuck looked as beat as she felt.

She slid into the driver's seat and smiled to herself when he didn't try to argue with her, instead folding himself into the passenger's seat and falling asleep almost immediately.

Sarah mused on how easily he could fall asleep in this rental car, in a country thousands and thousands of miles away, across an ocean, with someone he'd met only a week earlier driving him…how could he even be sure she was taking them back to the hotel? But he was sure. He was comfortable. He obviously felt safe enough to sleep, give her access to him in his most vulnerable state.

And for the hour they spent in traffic, Sarah felt herself wanting to get to a place in her life when she could feel that safe and at peace. When she could trust someone the way Chuck trusted people.

But by the time they arrived back at the rental headquarters, that notion had flown out the window. It wasn't possible. Even if she did leave the CIA, she would always look over her shoulder.

She'd spent too much of her life deep in the system. Always looking for possible danger.

That would never stop.

She had enemies everywhere.

Always.

Whether she was working for the CIA or not.

"Are you getting that 'rain' feeling in your body like I am?"

She turned to glance at Chuck. "The 'rain' feeling? In your body?"

"Yeah. It's weird. The air just feels…weird. It's giving me inner feelings. Like it's gonna rain again."

Sarah turned in the keys to the car and they walked away from the rental place, walking down the road to the main street and making their way back to the hotel. It was only about a 20 minute walk thankfully.

"What are you doing for dinner, Sarah Walker?" Chuck asked as they slid into the hotel lobby. He glanced around at the Mediterranean themed decor, or maybe he was watching the people…and then she thought maybe he was looking for his sister. Would he bolt or would he see it as a way to introduce them? She wasn't sure how she felt about either option.

"Uh…" She shook her head, realizing she still hadn't answered him, as lost as she was in her own head. They got to the elevators and he pushed the button to call one down for them. "I don't know. I hadn't thought about it."

"I saw a sandwich place by the rental place. Do you want to have dinner out on my terrace later? Something light and cheap?"

"Your terrace?" She laughed. "It's a balcony."

"Let me live my rich boy dreams for a moment, Sarah, God." She laughed harder as they stepped into the elevator. Chuck pressed the button for their respective floors.

"What time do you want me?"

He shrugged. "Whenever you're hungry."

"Okay."

They split up then, and Sarah slid into her shower, standing there under the jet for awhile, washing the mud and stray leaf bits from her skin, scrubbing her hair, and tossing her crusty clothing into a bag she'd send down to be professionally laundered with the rest of her things before she left Nice for good. Which, she decided, could be in just two days.

Two days. God.

Dinner on the terrace? Yes, please. (Balcony, yes. I know, Sarah. Let me live my rich girl dreams for a moment GOD)

Please review! Thanks, all!

SarahsSupplyCloset