Disclaimer: 'Chuck' and all it's affiliated characters and settings are the property of their respective owners
Disclaimer: 'Chuck' and all it's affiliated characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. This fiction is written for entertainment only.
No profit was made. None that I'll ever see, anyway.
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Once Sarah got over her initial shock at Chuck's driving, he managed to explain what had happened. She was amazed; admitting she hadn't believed him when he said the Intersect was acting strangely.
"It actually is imparting skills on you?" She asked, for perhaps the fifth time. "Not just information?"
"Well, it's kinda both." He clarified, glancing over from the driver's seat. "Like today, at lunch, when I flashed on your mentioning the driving course, it's like the entire course guide was dumped into my head."
She blinked in amazement. "We need to report this right away."
"Nuh-uh." He shook his head. "It's our anniversary. A video conference with Washington is not my idea of a good time."
She smiled indulgingly. "It's a cover date, Chuck. We're allowed to cancel it."
"Hey, the way I see it, cover date or not, it's still the first anniversary of the day we met." He turned to smile at her. "That's definitely worth celebrating."
"Oh." She blushed lightly, and cleared her throat. "Well, I suppose we don't need to report this right away."
He grinned. "That's the spirit."
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The restaurant was classy without being stuffy, and as the waiter led them to their table Chuck silently thanked Devon for recommending it.
Ever the gentleman, Chuck pulled Sarah's chair out for her before he took his own seat.
Their conversation was light, casual, and pointedly not work related. They even managed to make it through appetizers, the main course, and halfway through dessert before Sarah's curiosity finally got the better of her.
"Chuck." She ventured slowly. "There's something I'd like to try."
He looked up, his eyes curious. "Okay. Shoot."
She smiled. "Advanced Combat Training, Block 3, Course 9."
The effect was instantaneous. Chuck's face went blank as the flash came over him, dumping the associated information into his head. In his mind's eye, he could almost see a book appear, with the title Sarah had just spoken. Then a dizzying barrage of images that almost overwhelmed him
After a long moment, his face lit up, and he shot her a million-megawatt grin. "So that's how you do all that ninja stuff."
She beamed back at him. "So it worked?"
"If you asking 'did all kinds of kick-ass martial arts knowledge just get zapped into your brain?' than the answer is a resounding yes." He shook his head in wonder. "This is amazing. It's like the Matrix. In fact..."
"What?" She asked curiously.
He gave her an enigmatic smile. "I know kung-fu."
"Is that right?" She laughed brightly.
"Um... I think your line was 'Show me'."
"In a crowded restaurant? Bad idea." She eyed him speculatively, leaning forward to whisper to him. "Besides, Intersect or not, I could kick your butt any day of the week, Neo."
He held his hands up in surrender. "Point taken."
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Chuck opened the door for her, and offered his arm. She took it, smiling. "What a gentleman."
He offered her a grin, and the two of them began walking back to the car.
Suddenly, a dishevelled man emerged from around a corner. Pulling a snub-nose revolver, he levelled it on them, a wild look in his eyes. "Gimme your goddamn wallets!"
"Holy crap!" Chuck exclaimed, his body tensing. Unconsciously, his stance dropped slightly to match Sarah's, as both of them reacted to the threat.
"Shut up!" he barked, gun waving back and forth between the two of them. "Cash, now! And the chick's jewellery. Hurry up!"
"Okay." Sarah's voice was completely calm, her open hands held out. "Just settle down."
"Don't you tell me to settle down, bitch!" The mugger's nostrils flared. "Get on the fucking ground! Both of you!"
"Alright." Sarah replied, unfazed as she lowered herself to the ground, eyes never leaving the gun.
As soon as she was prone on the ground, the mugger turned the gun on Chuck. Stepping forward, he pointed the weapon right between Chuck's eyes and sneered. "You too, pretty boy. On the ground or I waste the bitch."
Chuck's eyes blazed at the thought of Sarah getting hurt, and he moved on reflex.
Swatting the gun aside with his left hand, he launched right his right fist across the mugger's jaw, followed by an elbow to the man's temple. Ignoring the instant pain that lanced up his arm, he dropped into a crouch and fired his leg into the side of his assailant's knee.
The mugger crumpled like a house of cards, his head striking the pavement and leaving his unconscious.
In the movies, fight scenes are built for the visual effect. They're choreographed and planned to stretch them out, make them last. The fighters perform all manner of gravity defying manouvers before it's over. Chuck had just preformed a real-world hand-to-hand attack...quick, brutal, and ultimately effective. His opponent had gone from threat, to dead weight, in less than seven seconds.
And if he'd messed up, it could have meant his own life, and Sarah's, just as quickly.
Turning, he saw Sarah once more gaping at him in wonder. He moved over, and reached out a hand to help her up. Pulling her to her feet, he brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. "Are you okay?"
She nodded, eyes dancing between him, and their unconscious attacker. "You know, I could've..."
"I know." He acknowledged. "But I couldn't give him the chance to hurt you. Forgive me?"
"Yeah. I mean, of course." She answered easily, beaming up at him. "Chuck, that was really good. Hell...that was amazing."
He smiled embarrassedly. "Hey... you taught me everything I know."
She blinked, and let out a soft chuckle. "I guess I did."
The two of them fell silent as they realized how close they were standing. Glancing down, Chuck saw that their hands were still joined. Looking up to meet her eyes, he suddenly found himself short of breath.
Leaning forward, he softly captured Sarah's lips. He felt a soft gasp of surprise escape her, but after a second her arms snaked up around his shoulders, pulling him closer.
It was the complete opposite of their kiss on the docks, the night Bryce had returned. That kiss had been about fear and danger and passion, the perfect last kiss.
This kiss was full of trust and romance and affection. The perfect first kiss.
The analogy, Chuck admitted, certainly had it's appeal.
When they parted, ever so slightly out of breath, neither of them knew exactly what to say. Smiling shyly to one another, they walked back to the car hand-in-hand.
Just before they got in, though, Sarah cleared her throat. "Chuck... I realize you don't want to hear this right now..."
Chuck's heart plummeted into his shoes instantly.
"...but we really should report in tonight. About the Intersect." She finished, climbing into the car.
The breath he'd been holding came out in a rush. "Oh, thank God."
She looked at him quizzically as he collapsed into the driver's seat.
"I kinda thought you were gonna...you know...say we'd just made a mistake, or something..." He trailed off, smiling awkwardly.
"Chuck, you're an asset and I'm an agent." She smiled ruefully, reaching over and placing her hand over his. "We're definitely making a mistake."
His expression began to fall again, when she continued. "But some mistakes are worth making, Chuck. You're...worth it."
His glowing smile was infectious, and Sarah quickly felt a similar smile spreading across her own features. Leaning over, she placed another quick kiss on his lips. "Now, let go get that report over with."
The Nerd Herder's engine had never been pushed so hard in it's life.
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Squealing to a stop outside his apartment building, the sound of Sarah's alarmed shriek came echoing from the Herder's interior.
As she and Chuck climbed out of the car, he turned to her somewhat smugly. "See? Not so fun as the passenger is it?"
She tried to glare at him, but quickly dissolved into giggles. "I can't believe you outran that police car in reverse!"
"What can I say?" He responded, patting the Herder's hood affectionately. "She's got moves."
Rolling her eyes, she smirked at him. "Of course. Men and their cars."
The two of them walked into the courtyard. Looking over to Chuck's place, Sarah noticed all of the lights were off. "Ellie and Devon gone out?"
He shook his head. "Late shift at the hospital. They won't be back till, like, six am."
"Really?" She purred, running a fingertip along his jaw.
He gulped, nodding silently.
She leaned forward, her lips mere millimetres from his. "Good."
Drawing back suddenly, she laughed as Chuck almost pitched over forward.
Grinning, she gestured over her shoulder to Casey's apartment. "I'll just go make a quick report. Wait right here. I'll be right back."
Not trusting his voice, he nodded again and gave her a thumbs up, and watching her hips sway as she walked away, he took the opportunity to thank every god he could think of.
Just in case.
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