A Common Spy Problem

A/N: I have a personal rule I live by: no long author's notes after 1 am. But I still have two minutes left, so here goes. The amount of reviews on this story has been absolutely overwhelming. Other writers on this site know how awesome it is to get them and I wish I could explain that feeling to the rest of the readers. Writing is a lonely job and your interaction makes all the difference, so from the bottom (and top) of my heart – Thank You. I haven't been around much to reply, apologies for that, but I'll pick up with those in the near future.

As per usual, Nervert has beta'd this, in record time like he normally does, so thanks buddy.

This chapter is an interlude, leading into the next 'episode', but this is also where I need to point out that the next update will probably take three weeks or so (it will be regular from then on), I just have some other stuff to take care off. Life, you know.

In case you were wondering, I still don't own Chuck.

It's now 1:10am, so I guess I've just violated my rule. Bad, Kate.

Chapter 14

Sarah wiped down the counter, quietly humming. When she caught herself, she stopped and frowned slightly. She tried to place the song, but failed. She puffed out a sigh. Chuck had promised that he would help her find a favorite song and band, and she had decided to get a head start on the project by turning on the radio whenever she was alone in the car. So far the mission had been a bust. Every time she heard lyrics that reminded her of Chuck or their relationship, or their struggle to have a relationship, which happened a lot more than she'd thought it would, her mind would start to wander and she'd miss the DJ announcing the song name and artist.

Shaking her head, she continued her cleaning regime. Involuntarily she started to hum again when random words started running through her mind. If this is what we've got, then what we've got is gold…

The bell over the Orange Orange door alerted Sarah to a customer. She looked up, surprised to see Ellie standing in front of her.

"Hi," Sarah greeted, warily gauging Ellie's reaction. She seemed to be in a better mood than last night, but then again, that could just be because Devon wasn't in the vicinity. Sarah sincerely hoped that wasn't the case, but she was too scared to ask.

"I want to apologize for last night," Ellie said without preamble. "Some of the things I've said…" she trailed off, her eyes fixed on the yogurt machine behind Sarah.

"It's okay, Ellie, no harm done," Sarah assured her. Ellie gave her an apologetic smile and small nod, and Sarah got the distinct feeling that she wanted to say more. That was a trademark of the Bartowskis, they talked things out. Sarah was just going to have to adjust to that.

"Can I get you anything?" Sarah eventually asked.

Ellie perked up. "What have you got?"

"Well," Sarah studied the menu board behind her, "the apple cinnamon with chocolate sprinkles is our new holiday special and it is absolutely gross." That elicited a chuckle from Ellie. "How about coffee?"

"Sounds good."

Ellie took a seat at a nearby table while Sarah made a call.

"What was that about?" Ellie asked after Sarah had hung up and joined her. "Why does Skip Johnson bring you coffee from Lou's?"

"Lou's coffee is the best, but if she knew it was for me, she would probably spit in it, so Chuck made an arrangement with Skip to ensure I still get my daily fix."

"What did you do to her?" Ellie laughed.

Sarah's eyes widened. She'd completely forgotten that Ellie had no idea about the whole Lou-episode, but everyone from the Buy More did, which made coming up with a cover story nearly impossible. If Ellie could get intel, albeit the wrong intel, from the Buymorians regarding Devon's bachelor's, there was a good chance that she would find out if Sarah had lied to her. She had no option but to be as honest as she could be.

"Uhm," Sarah stalled, mentally kicking herself for letting it slip in the first place, but pushed on, "just before Thanksgiving last year, Chuck and I…there was a misunderstanding and we broke up." Even after all this time she was reluctant to admit that Chuck had dumped her. "He dated Lou for a while." Sarah left it there. Surely Ellie could draw her own conclusions about how things turned out.

"You guys broke up? Why didn't anyone tell me?" Ellie rubbed her forehead, thinking. "I picked up some tension at Thanksgiving dinner, but I thought you just had a disagreement or something."

Sarah suppressed a groan. That was a night she didn't remember fondly. Bryce had caught her by surprise and she was horrified that Chuck had seen them. The timing couldn't have been worse. Bryce's kiss had paled in comparison to the one she'd shared with Chuck at the docks, their first real kiss that never should have happened, but that she didn't want to take back for anything in the world. The last thing she wanted was to taint it. Of course she couldn't tell Ellie that.

"So Lou is upset that Chuck dumped her for you?" Ellie asked when the silence stretched too long.

"That, and the fact that I kinda stalked them on their date. Not my proudest moment," Sarah confessed. She couldn't let Chuck take all the blame.

Ellie placed a comforting hand on Sarah's arm. "I'm sure you did what you had to. When it comes to someone you love, you can't go too far."

The statement took Sarah by surprise. She was burning to ask Ellie how she knew, but given the circumstances, she kept quiet. Instead her mind casted back to Chuck's confession of the day before, but he hadn't made good on his promise yet. And she was still trying to figure out if she was even capable of such a declaration.

Ellie sat back in her chair, folded her arms and cocked her head to the side. "Sarah, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah," she answered warily. That question was rarely followed up by an easy one. Heck, she didn't even know why people asked that. It wasn't as if you could say no.

"Are you over your ex?"

"What?" Sarah asked in disbelief.

"I know he was in town a while back and I saw the two of you together." It was Ellie's turn to look uncomfortable. "Devon and I…we probably shouldn't have interfered, but we were looking out for Chuck and…"

"What did you do?" Sarah interrupted. Her heart was beating loudly in her ears. If Ellie had recognized Bryce, her cover was blown to shreds.

"When you were hospitalized, he came by and Devon had a heart to heart with him. He told him to back off, and he intercepted some of your flowers." Ellie looked down guiltily.

"Did you speak to him?" Sarah had to be sure.

"No. To be honest, I didn't even get a good look at him."

Sarah's heart rate slowed down. She wasn't sure how she felt about their interference, but that was beside the point. She and Bryce had been over since she thought he'd betrayed his country. By the time she had found out he hadn't, she was already head over heels for Chuck.

"I didn't mean to pry," Ellie continued, "I was just thinking, you and Chuck seem happier than ever, and if you could get past the exes, then maybe Devon and I…maybe we can work through this rough patch."

It took Sarah by surprise that Ellie would actually look to her and Chuck as role models. She had no idea how to respond to that. Lucky for her, she didn't have to as she was quite literally saved by the bell.

"Ellie, hi," Chuck spoke behind Sarah, causing her to whip around. He smiled, holding up two paper cups. "I come bearing coffee." He placed them on the table before giving Sarah a kiss on the cheek. His hand remained on her shoulder when he straightened, with his thumb rubbing small circles against the back of her neck. Instinctively Sarah's hand covered his. "Sorry it took so long. Lou made Skip wait. I think she might be onto us."

"Is this safe to drink then?" Ellie asked, pointing to her cup.

"Yip," Chuck responded, "Skip is under strict instructions to observe the entire coffee making process. He had no suspicious activity to report." He pulled a chair around and sat down next to Sarah, his arm resting casually on the back of hers. "So what brings you by?" he asked Ellie.

Sarah hid a shy smile behind her cup. This was what she'd always had in mind with their cover PDA, and not necessarily to sell their cover, but maybe Chuck was right, it wouldn't have been the same if they hadn't admitted their feelings. It might have just complicated their situation further.

"I owed you guys an apology," Ellie explained.

Chuck waved it off. "Really not necessary, sis. We just want you and Devon to be okay." Sarah nodded in agreement.

Ellie looked from Chuck to Sarah. "We will be."

"Isn't your break over?" Sarah asked after Ellie had left.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Chuck teased and hopped over the counter. Sarah laughed as she ducked to her left, just out of his grasp.

"I don't want you to get into trouble with Emmett. Again," she added when he pulled a face.

"Is it a crime to want to spend some alone time with my girlfriend?"

Chuck reached for her again, but Sarah was faster. She sidestepped his attempt, circling around him in the same move and slipped her arms around his waist from behind. She went onto her toes to rest her chin on his shoulder.

"You couldn't wait a few hours?" Sarah grazed his earlobe with her teeth and Chuck made a small noise in the back of his throat.

"No." He turned his head. "You know, this will be a lot easier if you're not all the way back there."

"What will?" she smirked, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"Showing you how much I missed you." His arms covered hers and he tried to loosen her grip. Sarah didn't budge.

"You can show me tonight," she suggested.

"Oh, I'm planning to." Chuck gave her the eyebrow dance over his shoulder, earning himself a pinch in the ribs. "Ow! What was that for?"

"I was talking about going on a date. Doing things properly for a change."

"Are you hinting that I should take you out?"

"No." Sarah slipped around him and fiddled with his tie. "I am asking you out on a date, not for you to ask me," she clarified.

Chuck caught her hands in one of his, stilling them against his chest. His free arm locked around her back, pulling her closer. "I'd like that, but shouldn't I be the one to ask? You know, seeing as we're aiming for proper."

"Chuck, you're a little slow sometimes." She gave him a sly smile. "If I had to wait for you to call me after I left you my card, I'd still be watching the phone."

"You were watching your phone?" Chuck asked, clearly amused.

Sarah shook her head. "Of course not." Then she bit her bottom lip. "Okay, yeah," she shrugged, "I may have checked it once or twice." That was only a half truth, so she changed the subject. "I'll pick you up at seven. Dress casual and warm."

"Yes, ma'am." Chuck gave her a mock salute followed by a brief kiss.

"Atta soldier." She wormed out of his embrace and shoved him in the direction of the door. "Now get your cute butt back to the Buy More before Emmett puts you on call for the night."

"Feel free to watch me leave," Chuck quipped and laughed as he quickly closed the door to avoid the empty yogurt cup hurled in his direction.

Sarah finished applying her makeup and stood back to inspect her outfit. It was not what she would normally wear on a date, but tonight was not going to be the usual dinner and dancing type of evening. The faded blue jeans hugged her hips perfectly, her black biker boots were comfortable and the blue sweater she'd chosen brought out her eyes. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail. She slipped a beige scarf around her neck and went over to the closet for a jacket. She opted for the black leather, but when she unhooked it from the hanger, her eyes fell on the yellow lettering of the garment behind it.

Perfect, she thought as she slid the Buy More jacket over her shoulders. It was a tad too big, but it was cozy. Though it wasn't really that cold outside, it was rather windy where they were going. Sarah checked her small backpack to ensure her gun was safely tucked inside and grabbed her car keys.

Down in the lobby, the concierge was already waiting, picnic basket in hand. He was going through the order with her when the delivery guy from the Bamboo Dragon showed up. Satisfied that she had everything she needed, Sarah tipped both men generously and headed to her car.

At five minutes to seven, Sarah pulled up to the curb across from the apartment complex. Chuck was standing outside, hands deep in his pockets, kicking at rocks with the tip of one of his converses. His face lit up when he spotted her car.

"You're early," Chuck noted after he got into the passenger side of the Porsche.

"I would have been on time if you allowed me to go up to your door and ring the bell. Are you ashamed of me all of a sudden?" Sarah kept a straight face when Chuck's eyes widened.

"Of course not, but if Ellie finds out I'm allowing a woman to take me on a date…she'll feed me stale bread and water for a week."

Sarah broke down and smiled. "It will be our little secret." She leaned over the console to greet him properly.

Chuck kept the conversation going while Sarah drove, telling her about his day and the latest craziness his coworkers got up to. She didn't have much to add, selling three froyo's wasn't all that exciting, but she listened intently, wondering how Jeff and Lester hadn't gotten themselves fired yet. By the sound of it, they managed to make Emmett's life a living hell on a daily basis, which scored them points in her book.

Traffic was flowing smoothly for a change and soon she spotted their exit. She eased into the far right lane.

"We're going to Bob Hope Airport?" Chuck asked and ducked lower to read the sign through the windshield.

"Sort of." Sarah drove past the terminal, taking a right just after the end of the building. When they reached the security gate, she flashed a badge, signed the register and gave the security a small wave as he let them through.

"Is this a CIA perk?" Chuck asked in awe as he took in his surroundings. He'd probably never seen planes this close up before. Set against the sunset, they looked quite majestic.

"That's classified." Sarah winked at Chuck, making sure he knew she was teasing. She continued her drive down the dirt road running parallel with the runway. At the edge of the tarmac she took a wide turn. She found the spot she was looking for and parked her car.

Chuck laid down the blanket while Sarah retrieved the basket containing dinner. She handed it to him, and it was barely on the ground before he dug in, checking what she'd brought. Laughing at his eagerness, she sat down beside him.

"What? Has no one ever told you the road to a man's heart goes through his stomach?"

"I always thought that was a metaphor for..." Her eyes darted south, her eyebrows in the opposite direction. "…you know."

"Only if the food is inedible," Chuck retorted. "We're easy that way." He pulled out a container of sizzling shrimp. "Seems like that's not the case though."

"Are you saying I'm not getting lucky tonight?"

"How did you miss the part about being easy?" Chuck poured a glass of champagne and handed it to her. "But seriously, Sarah, all of this…" He gestured around him. "It's…well, it's awesome."

She shared his smile, feeling the heat rising up from her neck. "I'm glad you like it."

Chuck gave her a knowing look to which she responded with a small nod. Holding his glass out to her, she clinked hers against it. "To a great evening, good food and excellent company."

The sunset picnic turned out as romantic as Sarah had hoped it would be, despite the occasional deafening noise when a plane flew overhead. Once all the empty food containers were disposed of, Chuck leaned with his back against the side of the car, pulled up his knees and patted the spot between his feet. Sarah settled against his chest and his arms wrapped around her. She rested her hands on top of his. The watched in silence as another plane taxied down the runway, lifted off from the tar and eventually roared overhead, sending a gust of wind past them.

"Are you cold?" Chuck asked close to her ear to make sure she could hear him. She'd left her jacket in the car, but the shiver that ran through her had nothing to do with the elements, so she shook her head.

"I'm quite comfortable," she replied when she laid her head back against his shoulder. She could feel him smile against her cheek and she knew she made the right decision bringing him here. It wasn't easy for her to let her guard down, no matter how much she wanted to. People didn't just change overnight, but Chuck made her feels things she never thought she would. He left her vulnerable, but never unprotected.

"This is one of my favorite spots in L.A.," she eventually said. "I come here when I don't want to think."

"Too loud?"

"Yeah."

There was another moment of silence.

"When I was a kid, I used to lie on my grandmother's lawn, watching the planes fly over. I always wished I was up there, in one of them. I imagined how small the world would look through those windows."

"And you thought maybe all your problems would seem that small too?" Chuck asked quietly.

"Something like that." Sarah didn't elaborate. She wasn't ready to travel down that path just yet. She steered the conversation back in the direction she was aiming for. "As I got older I started thinking it would be cool to be a pilot. You know, see the world and have someone else pay for it. Plus I really love planes."

"At least being an agent allows you to see the world."

"Not really. I may have a lot of stamps in my passport, but there's rarely time to go out and explore. But I am a trained to fly, so that's something."

Chuck pulled back, prompting Sarah to turn her head and meet his gaze. "Big commercial airliners or smaller aircraft?" he asked, the awe in his voice evident.

"Both, actually." She could see the excitement sparkle in his eyes. "What?"

"Sarah, would you still like to be a pilot? If you weren't an agent I mean?"

"I haven't really considered it." Then she realized what he was driving at. The future. It wasn't something she thought about, there wasn't much point in her line of work, but given how her life had changed over the past few months, she probably couldn't put it off for much longer.

"Maybe you should," Chuck suggested, "you know, as something to fall back on. Look, I don't want to tell you how to live your life, and as I've said before, I'll support any decisions you make, but if your adamant about staying, and I really hope you are, I don't want you to give up anything, though I realize life doesn't work that way, so just think about it. You never know what might happen." He stopped for a much needed breath.

"You make a good point," she smiled. "So what are your plans for the future, Chuck Bartowski?" They'd had that conversation before, but circumstances were different.

"I have no idea," he answered sheepishly. "Maybe I could become a steward and fly with you all over the globe."

Sarah giggled. "I think you might be a little tall for that."

"Okay, then how about your personal…"

"…baggage handler," they said at the same time and laughed.

Sarah leaned slightly away from Chuck and her hand reached up to cup his cheek, her eyes searching his face. "I guess we'll just have to figure it out together."

"Do you want to come up for coffee?" Chuck joked as they stopped in front of the apartment building.

"It's too late for caffeine," Sarah retorted.

"I have decaf. And I really want to show you my etchings." He gave her the eyebrow dance, earning himself a playful slap on the chest.

"I have a rather important phone call to make." Chuck's face fell and Sarah leaned over the console to give him a quick kiss. "I'll make it up to you, I promise." At that his face lit up again and he moved in for another kiss.

Sarah watched him disappear through the gates before she got out to gather her overnight bag and jacket from the trunk. She quietly made her way to the Morgan door, peeking inside to make sure Chuck wasn't in his bedroom. Once inside, she locked the window. She perked her ears and heard water running in the bathroom. Taking the opportunity, she stripped down to her underwear and slipped the Buy More jacket on. She froze when she heard the echo of a grunt. Grabbing her phone, she dialed Casey.

"A warning would be nice," he answered gruffly. "That is not what I want to see when I walk out of the kitchen. I have tuna salad all over my floor now, thank you very much."

"How much did you see?" Sarah hissed, more angry at herself for forgetting about the cameras.

"Two minutes earlier and I would have been blind."

"The same goes for five from now," Sarah responded, relieved that she was saved from inadvertently giving her partner a free strip show. She wasn't worried about the footage. Parts of it had a habit of disappearing.

"Roger that," Casey grunted and the line went dead.

As a precaution, Sarah made sure to unplug Chuck's computer and flat screen. She had just finished lighting the candles positioned around the room when she heard the bathroom door open. She flipped the light switch and hopped onto the mattress, stretched out on her side with her head propped up on one arm.

The bedroom door opened slowly, but Chuck's attention was fixed on his phone. He blindly reached for the charger and plugged it in without his eyes leaving the screen. When he looked up, she saw him frown.

"Why is it so dark in here?" He turned and his eyes nearly popped out. "Oh, hi-ho!"

"The date's not over, Chuck."

He nodded slowly in response, standing frozen by the side of the bed. Sarah rolled onto her knees and walked across the mattress. When she reached him, she caught his face and gently brushed her lips over his. The contact snapped Chuck out of his stupor. His hands tangled in her hair as his tongue encouraged her to part her lips. She complied, letting out a soft moan when the kiss deepened. She ran her hands over his shoulder blades and down his back until she encountered the towel tied around his waist. With a small tug it pooled around his feet.

Chuck broke off the kiss in stages, placing gentle, fluttering kisses on the corners of her mouth, making her weak in the knees and wanting more. She chased him with her lips, and he caught the bottom one in his teeth before letting go. Sarah's eyes fluttered open, meeting his heated gaze.

"I'll never look at the Buy More uniform the same again," he whispered hoarsely when his fingers reached for the zipper tab, pulling it down slowly. Sarah's breath hitched at the bold move. He stopped short of the bottom, slipped his hand inside the jacket and curled his fingers around her hip. With the other he slid the material from her shoulder, following its path with his lips and tongue.

"I'm trying to seduce you," she breathed. "You're making it rather difficult."

"Mission accomplished," he spoke between kisses, "showing up dressed like this…" He trailed off when his mouth found the spot where her neck and shoulder met.

Her own fingers fumbled with the zipper, unhooking it. Chuck helped her to shrug out of the garment before dropping it on the discarded towel.

A/N: No spoilers today, but I'll see you back here around the second week of September. Take care and stay safe.