A/N: Here we are...the end...Chuck is broken, Sarah isn't sure what to do...well...that's what she keeps telling herself...remember, Noir is filled with broken people...and if these two aren't broken, then they're both a little bent...Walker, PI, Ch 10, The End

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck.


(Italics indicate a voiceover)

The next day, I found myself in front of his door. There I stood, trying to figure out exactly what I was doing. Nearly every part of me said to turn around, leave, walk away and never see him again…but I couldn't. He had gotten into me, into my soul, into my skin, into my heart, and those were the parts I was listening to. He had done something terrible, but I had to ask myself, if it had happened to me, what I would have done? I knew the answer. I put my hand on the knob and turned it. I heard a gun being cocked, but I ignored him. His hand was shaking, and when he saw it was me, he lowered it. For a second I wondered if he was considering eating a bullet. He sat at a table. On it was a glass and cheap whiskey, probably Rotgut. It was unopened. I picked it up, walked over to the sink, opened it, turned to watch him, and poured it down the drain. He never moved, except to put his gun back on the table. I put the empty bottle on the counter by the sink, walked over to him, pulled an envelope, and an USB drive out of my bag and placed it in front of him. I picked the gun up, took out the clip, the bullet out of the chamber, and put it in my purse as he watched me, never flinching. He didn't even have the decency to look ashamed. His eyes went to the USB drive and he looked back up at me, and that when I finally saw what I was looking for, shame.

"I brought you your share of the reward," I said. He closed his eyes in disgust with himself. "Funny thing is, my phone is ringing off the hook now because of you." I looked around his apartment, still as bare as the last time I was here. "Maybe you should use the money to do something with this place."

"I've got all of the money from my company," he said, looking sick. I wasn't sure what to say. He pushed the envelope toward me. "You keep it."

"Buy yourself something nice," I said, about at wits end, and turned to go.

"What if I wanted to buy part of your agency?" he asked. I turned around, one eyebrow raised.

"I don't work with drunks, thieves, or murders," I replied. He nodded, knowing he was all three. "I mean one can redeem themselves from being a drunk…" I trailed off, not really knowing how to end the sentence. "Funny thing is, there was a time during this case I thought you could be the partner I need, the one to keep me in check from doing something stupid. The partner I needed with the skills I didn't have. Appears I was wrong." Again he nodded, with nothing really to say. I should of left. I should have walked away, but what would I have done if I had been him? I know what I would have done. "I had a whole lot of ideas of ways I could repay you for everything you've done for me," I said, looking right at him, leaving no doubt as to what I meant. He swallowed, loudly. I couldn't help but grin as I slowly walked toward him. "Now, I have a few problems because of you," I said, tracing my finger up the buttons on his shirt. He was trembling, but there was no smell of alcohol on him. Was the trembling from me, or the withdrawals, I couldn't say.

"Since I caused the problems, it seems only right I find a way to make them go away," he said, his voice catching. I looked right into his eyes. He started to lean toward me, and I put my hand on his chest stopping him, his lips an inch from mine. He could have leaned in, but he was too broken, too beaten, to think of it.

"If I turn in the real thief, I become a laughing stock." He nodded, again, just inches from my lips, I couldn't help myself, reached up, grabbed his head, and pulled him in. There was no alcohol on his lips. There was a desperation in him, a hunger, that couldn't be disguised. I wanted to give in, but no, he didn't deserve anything more. I pushed him away, but I wanted to pull him in. "It's a pity, there's so much more we could have done." With that, I turned to walk out of his life forever. Part of me prayed he'd say something, anything.

"Wait," he shouted. Everything in me jumped. I composed myself. I'd been played and he had to make things right. I turned back around to face him. His eyes had a desperation in them that made me want run to him, but I stood my ground. If I had any sense, I'd have walked out that door, but I didn't. Love makes you do funny things, and I had fallen, hard. "I lost my moral compass. They killed Jill and my mom. Jill didn't do anything, except see something she shouldn't have, and they killed her and got away with it." I stared at him, the same thoughts having run through my mind for the last several days.

"So you killed a man, stole a priceless artifact to frame them for something they didn't do, so they would go to jail for something they did do." He nodded his head. I was quiet for a moment, and when I spoke again, it was very softly. "Is there anyone else you would do that for?" I asked. I hated myself right then. I sounded so needy, so desperate. Who was he? This guy who would risk everything, all the money he had, his freedom, just to get revenge…no justice, on those who had his girlfriend killed. He was silent for a minute as he looked at me. He looked at the ground, his shoulders slumped. I nodded. I found my answer…and then….then he surprised me.

"I don't know," he said softly. Then he shook his head and chuckled to himself. He looked at me, and I began to melt inside. He was so lying. "We both know I'm lying. I sound like a fool. I loved her. I would move mountains for her, but she's out of my life. Forever." He paused and looked me straight in the eye, his voice barely above a whisper. There's probably someone else I would do this for. The look on his face made my knees buckle. There was no doubt who that someone was, and right now it was I could do not to find out what all he would do for her. "What I do know is I would do anything to make this right." I looked at him for a minute.

"Anything?" I asked. He nodded. "You'd go confess to crimes that no one knows you committed to make this right?" He nodded. "Would you live with what you've done, and keep quiet?" He nodded. "Would you quit drinking? Would you quit drinking even when those around you every day still did? Would you?"

"I already did." I looked at him suspiciously. He raised his hands in defense. "I quit after you kicked me out of your office. I did it to give me the courage to do what I had to do."

"We keep everything we talk about between you and me?"

"Absolutely." I raised an eyebrow. "It was a victimless crime, and the statue is back." I walked toward him, slowly. I felt a tiger stalking my prey, and have no doubt, he was dinner.

"Daniel Shaw?

"He was a murderer that deserved to die for what he did," he answered. I couldn't disagree with him.

"So we're clear, you killed him?"

"Yes." I studied him. Everything in me wanted him.

"I'm the victim. I could lose everything if it was ever found out." He surprised me by walking to the kitchen quickly. He came back with a hammer, worrying me for a second, before he brought it down on the USB drive destroying all the evidence. "Just like that?" He smiled and walked toward me, hammer on the table. He stopped inches from me. "You work for me now." He smiled.

"Yes ma'am."

"You don't drink anymore."

"Yes ma'am."

"And if you don't, then maybe, just maybe, I could think about those repayment ideas I had earlier." He smiled at me, and my heart skipped a beat. I needed some distance before I showed that fool how much power he had over me. I turned, walked toward the door, and opened it.

"You're just gonna leave?" I stopped at his words, go my head screamed.

"I don't get involved with drunks I told you." I had barely turned my head.

"What about murders?" His tone was lighter, playful. Stay, my heart said.

"He deserved it, they all did." I played his game, I shouldn't have.

"What about thieves?" His voice sounded like he was moving closer, I hoped it was.

"It was a victimless crime." I may have bounced a shoulder.

"I'm a recovering alcoholic." He said it so cheekily, I knew his game, he wasn't really an alcoholic.

"You haven't recovered enough yet." I needed to stop this, now because if I didn't…

"I was right about you, you know. They said you would do anything to solve a case, and I knew you wouldn't. I knew you'd do the right thing. Maybe we can help each other be each other's moral compasses." Something in me melted with those words, all my resolve, all my anger, and only one thing was left. Love.

"And what if both our compasses are broken now? What if we're both willing to do anything for each other?" I had just asked the most dangerous questions ever, and he knew it.

"That…well…that could be interesting." With that I shut the door, and locked it. I turned around and stared at him. I should have walked out that door, but I'm glad I didn't.


A/N: I hope you enjoyed it...It was different, fun, and just a moment to step back from the normal Chuck fanfic. Special thanks to Steampunk . Chuckster, Zettel, and AngelGurl0 for all their assistance on this one. Reviews and PMs are always welcomed!

DC