A very loud buzzing sound filled the room, hours too late to fulfill its purpose. Sarah had spent the better part of the night tossing and turning, never really achieving anything that could rightfully be called sleep, and she was officially beyond exhausted. She had watched that stupid movie a total of three times last night, and she was amazed that she had neither died of severe dehydration nor suffocated under the mountain of tissues next to her bed. She had been about to start the movie for the fourth time when a moment of sanity broke through the fog and she'd turned it off instead, planning on salvaging what she could of a night's sleep.

Yeah, well, so much for that brilliant idea.

Why did she rent that movie, anyway? Already in a down mood after a boring and lonely day at work and facing the prospect of a lonely night without a mission or company (she wouldn't let herself admit that the only company she really wanted was Chuck), she should have known better than to rent a sappy romance. She should have just eaten a quick dinner, maybe had a stiff drink or two, and hit the sack. But no, she had to fall back on her crutch, which promptly hit her right between the eyes. For the better part of nine hours she watched that movie, thinking about Chuck, Bryce, and others, about spending her life being lonely in strange places, about what if anything her future held. And now it was eight in the morning, she was depressed enough to consider medication, and the only reason that damned alarm hadn't been speared to the wall like its predecessor was that it had been a gift from Chuck.

Sarah was trying for the thousandth time to talk herself into actually getting up to turn off said alarm when there was a knock at her door. Who the hell? Probably Casey, she thought with irritation, here about some stupid minor emergency that's come up or just upset that she hadn't checked in with him last night. Like she was a teenager out after curfew or something. Hmmph. Well, let's get this show over with, she thought. She crawled out of bed and headed for the door, then caught her reflection. There was a guy she'd like to see her in these particular pajamas, but that guy wasn't Casey. She slung her robe around her, not even bothering to tie it because Casey was going to be here all of ten seconds before walking away in a huff, his ears still ringing. Her exhaustion and irritation were such that she didn't even look through the peephole before throwing open the door, but her angry invective died on her lips as she found herself face to face with Chuck.

And he was holding a fresh box of – God love him – Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

All of a sudden, that damned movie was in her head again as she stared at him. He really was like Jamie, she thought - making the grand gesture, showing up at her door because he thought that she needed him. And in that, he was completely correct. Just seeing his million megawatt smile made the clouds part and Sarah's world was no longer gray and gloomy.

Good God, this guy was more dangerous to her than any terrorist could ever dream of being.

For his part, Chuck completely misinterpreted the angry look on Sarah's face when she'd opened the door. Fearing that she was about to lecture him yet again for his impetuous behavior, Chuck immediately launched into an obviously rehearsed explanation. "I know we agreed on lunch, but I was in more of a breakfast mood. And I know we agreed on Wienerlicious, but Krispy Kreme had the "Now Glazing" sign on, and I figure that the trans fat we gain here will make up for the nitrates we're losing from the corn dogs. Seems like an even trade on the 'Things That Are Bad For You' scale. I didn't want to spill coffee all over the car, though, so we'll have to make some here. After all, every hotel room has a coffee maker, right? However, I don't see one here in the hall, so it must be inside. I'll gladly come in and look around for it if you'll take two steps back."

Sarah looked at him intently for another moment, then managed a weak smile as she stepped aside. His speech over and apparently successful, Chuck finally took a good look at Sarah as he entered, and his grin dissolved into a look of puzzlement mixed with worry. "Wow, Sarah. Don't get mad or anything, but you look, um, well...let's just say I've seen you look better. Either you had a worse night than you let on, or most of your retirement is tied up in bank stocks."

Sarah's weak smile turned into a weak chuckle. "Like I said last night on the phone, yesterday was just a long, crappy day."

Chuck's smile turned sympathetic. "Well, these will definitely make you feel better. Warm Krispy Kremes can cure anything short of terminal cancer, and frankly I think that more testing needs to be done before that's ruled out. I'll leave the box on the table here so you can get started, and I'll go get the coffee brewing. I'm guessing it's in your little bath/lounge area over here?"

Sarah barely nodded as Chuck left the room. She was looking at the box of doughnuts, thinking of another time and place entirely. She was in pajamas, but unlike the lacy black ones she was currently wearing, these had little pink feet. She had woken up when she heard the front door open, like she did most mornings when her dad worked the night shift at the plant. He always stopped at Nicholas Bakery on his way home, when the doughnuts were fresh from the fryer, and he made sure every time to get two of her favorite glazed rings. Her still sleeping brother liked the gooey ones, all full of jelly or pudding or whipped cream, but she preferred the simple rings, just good yeasty dough and sugary glaze melting on her fingers. Daddy always had one out of the box and ready for her when she came bounding into the kitchen, and they sat and ate together, Daddy with a tired smile on his face as she jabbered on about anything at all. When he died of the heart attack a couple of years later they'd partly blamed his diet, but she always knew that it couldn't have been the doughnuts.

She came back to the present and turned to watch Chuck puttering around making them coffee. He reminded her so much of her dad. It wasn't a physical resemblance; they looked nothing alike. It was more of a feeling, a sense that they would both love her no matter what, that they would do anything to keep her safe and happy. After all, that was why Chuck was here this morning, wasn't it? She'd been upset last night, he'd picked up on it during their very brief phone conversation, and here he was at eight in the morning, smiling brighter than the sun and holding a box full of warm memories.

How does he do these things? Is there a file in the Intersect on how to make me melt like a Popsicle in July? Sarah knew that thought wasn't rational, but God, the way he affected her...he always seemed to know exactly what to say or do. He'd told her that they could never be, that he wanted something normal, but does a man keep doing things like this if he doesn't want you? She might not be sure what Chuck wanted; maybe he wasn't sure either. But she did know what she wanted, and she wanted it more every day. For the moment Sarah still had enough strength to keep from throwing herself at him, but it was getting to be a mighty close thing.

Fortunately, she had a box of fresh Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts to distract her from her thoughts of tackling Chuck. Sarah fell upon them like a starving woman, knowing full well that this was a case of sublimation at its most obvious but not caring a bit. She grabbed one for each hand, the still warm icing sticking to her fingers, and ate with abandon. Her robe, casually held closed earlier, had drifted open to reveal her skimpy black pajamas, and she stood in the middle of the room, eyes closed in sugar-induced bliss, making little yummy noises while she slowly and lovingly licked every bit of the icing off of her fingers. She snapped out of her reverie, however, when her spy senses told her that she was being watched. She opened her eyes...

...to see Chuck leaning against the door frame, staring at her in slack-jawed wonder. "You know what I said earlier about having seen you look better? Well, just forget that, because God help me, that might be the sexiest thing I have ever seen in my life."

Sarah couldn't help biting her bottom lip before giving Chuck an evil little grin. "If you think this is hot, just wait 'til I lick the icing off of YOUR fingers."

Chuck shuddered visibly. "Aaaand on that note, I think I need to sit down. Quickly."

Sarah laughed and grabbed the box of doughnuts. "Here, try a couple of these. I have it on good authority that they'll fix any problem."

"I don't think that even Krispy Kremes can save me now, but I'll take one anyway. You go get the coffee, but for God's sake have some pity on me and close your robe first!"

"Well, if you say so..." Sarah took her time tying the sash of her robe, pretending to struggle with the simplest half-knot and trying not to laugh at Chuck's groans of mock suffering. She finally fetched them each a cup of coffee and came back over to the bed, where Chuck had kicked off his shoes and made himself at home. He was halfway through what appeared to be his third doughnut when he noticed the DVD case on the nightstand and picked it up for a look.

"Love Actually, huh? This is one of Ellie's favorites. I can't count the number of times she forced Devon to watch this last Christmas. Total chick flick, although I admit that the old burned out rock star guy was pretty hilarious. I've gotta say, though - I wouldn't have pegged you for this one."

Sarah considered her reply for a second before deciding yet again that Chuck couldn't know the truth. "Well, I like Hugh Grant and I thought I'd give it a shot. You're right, it's a total chick flick." And although I can wipe out a roomful of armed bad guys with a toothpick, I am still a chick, and a very lonely one at that. I watched that chick flick for nine straight hours and spent the whole time wishing you were here with me. But I'm not ready to admit that to you. Not yet.

She shifted gears. "Scoot over and give a girl some room. It is my bed, after all. And don't go hogging all the doughnuts!"

Chuck looked indignant. "I would never dream of coming between a girl and her sweets, even if I did buy them. Now give me my coffee and sit down already."

They spent the next little while making small talk, drinking coffee, and munching the rest of the doughnuts, with Sarah even going so far as deliberately scooping up the pooled icing in the bottom of the box with her fingers. Chuck made an exaggerated show of looking the other way while she licked her fingers clean again, claiming that one 'very soft core porn show' was quite enough for him this morning, thank you very much. Sarah punched him on the shoulder, getting what remained of the icing on his shirt in the process.

"So, you must have kicked Morgan out early last night in order to get over here this early. Was he peeved at me for ruining his evening with you?"

"Actually...." Chuck let the word hang, a sheepish look on his face. Sarah got the point at once.

"Chuck! You came over here after an all-night game fest with Morgan? You have to be absolutely exhausted."

"Well, no more than you are, from the look of things." She saw him steal a quick glance down at the huge pile of wadded up tissues next to the bed, but he said nothing about them. "I just guessed that you could use some company, that's all."

Sarah tossed the now empty Krispy Kreme box onto the floor and scooted closer to Chuck. Full and happy, she rested her head on his chest. Exhaustion was starting to overcome her, causing her to be a little more truthful than she otherwise would have been. She let slip the very thing she'd been trying to keep in all morning.

"I don't need company, Chuck. I need you."

Chuck's breath caught in his throat. He'd wanted to hear her say that for so long now, but even so he wasn't ready for it. It cut through all his defenses, and he knew that he was still hopelessly in love with her, despite his little speech by the fountain not so long ago. She still wasn't normal; she never would be. But he knew now that that made no difference to him. And truth be told, after this last year he wasn't so normal anymore, either. If he found out that she was in Paraguay quelling a revolution with a fork, he'd probably fly down to see if she needed a spoon.

As long as it meant being with her.

He was trying to figure out how to put all this into words when he heard the soft snoring coming from the general vicinity of his shirt. Super secret agent Sarah Walker was out cold.

Probably for the best, Chuck thought. Later, when they were no longer sleep deprived, he might decide not to retract his breakup speech. She might not remember, let alone admit to, her declaration of need.

But for now, as he felt himself drifting off to join her in sleep, none of that mattered.

For now, he knew how she felt. And it was enough.