Chuck Versus Thin Ice
By Steampunk . Chuckster
Summary: On the doorstep of the Olympics, top American curler Sarah Walker has lost her mixed doubles partner and her boyfriend in one fell swoop. Her coaches throw newbie Team U.S.A. curler Chuck Bartowski onto her team and thrust them into the Olympics, hanging America's curling hopes on two people who only have a short amount of time to learn to trust one another.
A/N: What's that? You're ready for the next chapter? ME, TOO. HERE IT IS. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own this show. I don't own the characters in this show.
It was the first day of the women's curling event and she was both excited and nervous. She'd worked the worst of the nerves out at the gym with Chuck that morning, but now that she was headed down to the lobby meet with her team, the nerves were coming back.
And even in spite of all of this, she hadn't been able to completely forget that night at the bar when they'd all gone out to celebrate the bronze medals she and Chuck won. The way Jane and Lou had been talking, leaning close together, and how they'd shut up real quick as they saw she was back from retrieving Anna the shark from upstairs.
What had they been talking about?
The past two days, she'd been trying to bring it up with Jane, trying to find a way to ask her without anyone else being around. But every time she tried, she ended up being interrupted before she could get the question out, or someone else was there, or worst of all, Lou was in the general area.
Sarah almost felt a bit childish for wanting to know as bad as she did. Jane was her best friend and Lou didn't seem like the catty type, so it wasn't like they were saying mean things about her. This wasn't middle school.
But it was still so obviously about her and she wanted to know.
So it was with a ridiculous amount of relief that she saw Jane leaning against the wall watching the TV someone had turned to the nordic combined event. And she was alone.
Sarah rushed over, wanting to ask her before Anna and Lou came down to join them. "Hey…"
Jane looked up. "Hi. Have you seen this? Can you believe that tall lanky nerd used to do this? It's insane. He just doesn't seem the type."
She followed her friend's gaze and watched as one of the competitors launched off of the end of the ramp, sailing through the air and finally landing safely. "It is nuts, isn't it? But I think Chuck was probably a little different back then, before his accident."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Mmmhm. I dunno. I just get the feeling he was. The Chuck we know? I don't think he'd ever do that again."
"Can't say I blame 'im."
"Hey, so…speaking of our teammates…" Jane made a strange face at that. "Uh, the other night when I came down after stopping Anna from potentially being arrested for being a pool shark—"
"What?"
"You and Lou were talking about something super intently," Sarah continued, ignoring Jane's question, "and then when I got closer, you nudged her and stopped talking. And the two of you were wearing such We-Were-Just-Talking-About-You-And-Don't-Want-You-To-Know smiles when I walked up."
Jane winced.
"What were you talking to her about? What did you say to her?"
"It wasn't anything important. We weren't shit talking you or anything like that."
"Jane. Do I look like a thirteen year old to you?"
Her friend rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Fine. I told her that you and Chuck have something going on."
Sarah felt herself pale. "You did what? Jane, oh my God!" She leaned in close. "Chuck and I are not together. We're partners, roommates, friends at the most."
"I didn't tell her you're together. I just told her that you're into each other, that's all."
"We're not," Sarah hissed. "You're wrong. Why did you tell her that?"
"Because Chuck was drunk and being a goof and Lou was trying to move in on him, that's why!" Jane whispered back. "Poor idiot wasn't even aware of what was happening. He just let her slide up against him and flirt."
Ohhh crap.
"Jane…"
"I'm not dumb. There's more than just friendship, whether y'all want to admit to it or not. Like, I'm fine if you want to keep lying to yourselves and tiptoeing around this crush you're both feeling. But ain't no way I'm letting Lou horn in on it. It's not fair to you two, and it's not fair to Lou, either. She's an adult woman and I thought she could handle it."
"Godddd. Jaaaane. We're not together and we aren't…There aren't feelings. There's no crush. We're a good team."
"Like I said, tell yourself whatever you want so you don't lose control and straight up climb him like a damn tree anytime you're in that apartment alone together. Ain't my business. But I'm not letting Lou get caught up in it. She deserves better." Jane shrugged, not seeming to have any regrets about it.
"This is insane. I can't believe you told her. What, exactly, did you say?"
"Exactly what I told you," her best friend said with an eyebrow raise. "I told her I know you enough to know you've got feelings for Chuck, and that the guy is just about as transparent as a damn magnifying glass. For some reason, you're both holding back, fighting it, but one or both of you are going to snap and she doesn't want to be caught in the middle of that. She agreed, thanked me for being honest with her, and it seemed like she was gonna back off. So you're welcome."
Sarah scoffed. "I'm not thanking you. What if she tells people this fabricated crap you gave her and it gets to the public? Start whatever dumb rumor you want after our tournament. But this could be such a huge distraction and it could throw us off our game." Jane gave her a flat look. "Fine. It could throw me off my game."
"Just ask him how he feels already. I know how he's going to answer. Then you can agree on your feelings and you can finally get laid."
Sarah glared. "You do know I had a boyfriend, like, ten weeks ago, right?"
Jane's eyelids fluttered as she gave the younger woman the biggest eye roll she'd ever seen. "Don't even try to act like Bryce gave you a damn thing in the sack in the last few months of that broke-ass relationship you two were in."
Her jaw dropped. And then she huffed glumly. "I mean, no. Not for a while. But that isn't the point. The point is—"
"You want me to keep your secret that you wanna make out with your partner's face. Got it." Jane winked.
"I hate you. You're making my life so difficult right now, and I have to go curl with you in an hour, and I'm still going to be so angry with you for all of this." She frowned and crossed her arms. "Oh, God. And Lou is gonna be so awkward with me," she said as an afterthought. "She understands. She even mentioned how shitty the social media has been surrounding you two. And Bryce." Jane smiled. "I just blocked another woman from your man. I don't expect a thank you, but at least don't try to play like you're mad at me."
"Chuck isn't my man."
"Mhmmm, not yet. But you'll come to your senses."
All Sarah could do was frown deeper. This was going to suck. Jane sucked.
But then Sarah couldn't help thanking her. Really. At least, she thanked her silently. Because Lou was apparently backing off of trying to connect with Chuck romantically because Jane convinced her that her teammate was already interested in him, and that he returned the interest…but that they were dancing around each other, flirting but not pulling the trigger.
Let her think that.
Let Jane think it, too, as long as Sarah never gave her verbal acknowledgement that she and Chuck hadn't just admitted their feelings, but that they were in a legitimate relationship. And Sarah had gotten laid since the last time Bryce had touched her intimately. In the last twenty-four hours, in fact.
She'd keep that under her hat. Because she and her teammates had a tournament to win.
-oooo-
Chuck leaned forward against the railing, his elbows perched there, his fists clenched together in front of his mouth as he stared intently at Jane as she pushed off of the hack and let her rock go.
Lou and Anna jumped in to sweep as Sarah made the calls from the house.
Jane's red rock smacked into Canada's yellow in the eight foot ring at the front of the house, sending it into a second yellow rock, taking both out of contention and leaving U.S. rocks lying two counters.
She clenched her fist in a small celebration.
And while that opened the door for Canada to try to take out at least one of the red counters, they wouldn't have the opportunity to take both out. Anna had buried one of them behind Lou's perfectly placed guard and the angle for a takeout was wicked difficult.
"Man, this is beautiful."
Chuck turned to give Morgan a curious glance. "Hm?"
"All of these amazing women using their brain power to triumph in this game of ultimate strategy. It's seriously so hot. It's like…if Xena Warrior Princess played chess in the show instead of giving bad guys the beat down. Like, if she pulled a board out from her metal chonies, slapped it down on a tree trunk, and was like, 'Checkmate'."
Chuck blinked at his best friend. "Morgs, you say checkmate at the end of the game, when you win. You have to—"
"Oh, I'm sooo sorry that I didn't win two national championships in chess, my dude, but I still know the game."
The taller man held up both hands in surrender. "Okay."
"Your girl is throwing her stone." Morgan gestured towards the ice sheet and Chuck glanced over to see Sarah pulling a rock over to get into position.
"She isn't my girl. Please stop saying that because I'm really trying to keep false rumors from flying around. She's my partner. Friend, at the most."
This time it was Morgan's turn to hold up his hands in surrender. "Sorry, dude. Got it. But you should know I didn't mean it like that. I just…you know, I meant your partner."
Sure.
It didn't matter though because Sarah stared down the one hundred and fifty feet of ice, pushed off from the hack, and let go of the rock so carefully, so skillfully, that it nearly took his breath away.
This was it.
This was the sight he'd first had of her, over two years ago, in Chicago. The way she'd stopped and stared instead of following it the way she did in mixed doubles with him. She didn't move a muscle as she called out a, "Line's good!"
It was insane, sitting here, watching her curl from up here, knowing just how different things were now. If he were to go back in time and secretly hand himself a note that said that in a little over two years, the magnificent curling genius of a beauty out there on the ice would not only be his curling partner in the Olympics, but also his girlfriend, he knew he'd end up watching himself crack up and toss the note. It was just so unbelievable.
Chuck stood up and cheered as Sarah and her teammates executed a perfect draw, now lying three counters. Canada's last shot just barely crashed on one of Lou's guards, a very light graze, but it was enough to sent the shooter bouncing harmlessly into the back of the house instead of taking out one of the U.S. rocks.
"Come on, Sarah! You got this!" Morgan yelled.
Sarah glanced over her shoulder just enough, her lips tilting up a bit, and then she was back in the zone.
And as it turned out, Morgan was right. Sarah had it.
With the hammer, she managed to score four points for the eighth End, putting Team U.S.A. ahead with a score of seven to six.
The audience exploded around them as the foursome slid together in a quick huddle slash hug, Anna giving Sarah a friendly thump on her shoulder.
Sarah wouldn't dare acknowledge him in the audience, he knew, but he wondered if she wanted to. And he was only human, so he also wondered if she was sort of missing having him as a partner.
It was silly.
He was sappy.
But there it was.
Pushing that thought out of his mind because he was a fully grown adult and not a lovesick teenager with overactive hormones, Chuck watched as the stones were all taken back to the hack to start the ninth End.
"Hey, man. Can I ask you a serious question?"
"Sure, bud," he said, nudging Morgan with his elbow.
"Do you think she's single?"
He felt a chill go through him. Oh, boy. This wasn't good. "Uhhh, I mean…I'm assuming she is. The whole thing with Bryce probably made her—"
"Dude, not Sarah! What kind of a best friend do you think I am?"
Chuck spun on him and blinked. "Oh. Oh, not Sarah." Thank God thank God thank God. "Who do you mean?" Then he figured it out. "Oh, Lou! I haven't talked to her much, but she seems pretty nice. Pretty cool, too. Single? I've got no idea, buddy."
"Oh, cool cool. I, uh, mostly meant Anna, though." He threw a dreamy look at the woman waiting at the side of the ice sheet to help sweep as Lou delivered U.S.A.'s first rock of the end.
Chuck just laughed. "Good luck, buddy."
"What do you mean?"
"Your bearded brother Tyler has been angling for her for, like, years. And she put him in a dumpster once." Morgan's eyes popped. "Yeah, a literal dumpster. Jane told me they came out from training one night, before I was on the team even, and heard a voice coming from the dumpster. So they flipped it open and Tyler was just…in there. And they asked what happened and he said someone threw him away. And we asked who and he said Anna."
Morgan let out a long whistle. "That's really hot."
"I mean, it's hilarious. I don't know how she managed to get him in there, but she seems like she'd have superhuman strength, so…"
"She can put me in a dumpster any day."
"Try not to make her want to put you in a dumpster, man. Can you do that for me? I really don't wanna have to go into a dumpster to save you."
"Fair enough, dude. Fair enough. I'll be a perfect gentleman."
Chuck sent him a severe look.
"I'm serious, man! The utmost respect. I swear on the beard."
"Oh, in that case…" Chuck said sarcastically, chuckling.
By the time Anna finished with her throws and Jane was up next, the team had one rock lying in first position and two of Canada's rocks in positions two and three. None of the red rocks were buried, however, which left them open again for Canada's attack.
And attack they did.
By the time they rolled into the tenth End, the game was tied at seven.
It was then that the two seats next to Chuck were filled and he felt his sister's grip around his shoulders in a side-hug. He was too stressed to do anything besides pat her knee, squirming in his chair as he watched Canada's lead throw the first rock of what could be the last End.
If things were tied up again, they'd play an extra End of overtime. "Oh God, I hate this. They're tied? Oh, I hate this. I'm so nervous and I just got here," Ellie murmured.
Lou set things up with her first two stones, then Anna played one draw and bumped one of Canada's stones out of the house with her second shooter. Now it was up to Jane and Sarah.
Sarah took her place in the house and set up Jane's first shot after Canada promoted one of their own guards into the house. "Like this angle?" Sarah asked and Jane yelled back a, "Yeah, perfect," before she slid in front of the hack and got into position.
With her first shot, Jane took Canada's lying stone out of contention and the U.S. team had two counters. Ellie belted out a, "Yeah, Jane! Yeah!"
But Chuck was too nervous to do more than clap. Canada's best skip was awaiting her turn still. And the woman was absolutely ruthless with her shots. He remembered seeing Taneesha Philips almost score an eight-ender once, and instead, her shooter slipped out for only seven points. But God, she was absolutely bonkers.
How all four U.S. women on the team weren't absolutely shaking in their boots, he had no idea. They were Amazonian, perhaps.
Lou seemed to be nibbling on her lip nervously, though. She didn't have as good of a mask as Sarah, Jane, and Anna. Maybe she was more of a newbie to the sport like he was.
By the time Sarah stood with the hammer at her feet, having already discussed her shot with her teammates, she was in a bit of trouble. This was potentially the last shot of the game. Canada had a yellow rock on the button. U.S.A. had a red rock in second position on the four foot ring, Canada had a rock in third just behind that, and U.S.A. had a rock in fourth. Sarah had to bump Canada's rock on the button either out of first position so that she could win the game with a point, or somehow slot her own shooter into first position. It depended on the bounce, and on the roll—both of her shooter and of Canada's lying rock.
"If anyone can make this shot, it's Sarah," Chuck said confidently. "There are two ways this can go well and only one way this can go badly. So we're good."Morgan turned to him. "Dude, are you talkin' to us or to yoursel—?"
"Shh shhshh!" Chuck pushed his hand at Morgan's face and fidgeted, bouncing his knee, his hands clasped in prayer. C'mon, Sarah. C'mon…
The rock was out of her hand and she just stayed there, watching, her face set in determination. "Yes! Hard!"
Anna and Lou went after it.
"Haaaaaaarrrddddd!"
They scrubbed at the ice and when Jane sounded the "whoa!" they pulled their brooms up and watched the shooter smack into that yellow rock.
It was a total mess.
Rocks bumped into one another, slid all through the house, careened every which way. But the important thing was that the shooter stayed on the button. Right. On. The. Button.
-oooo-
The crowd exploded.
Lou let out a quick fist pump, but for the most part, the looks Sarah exchanged with her teammates were just about what she expected. They knew they'd win this match. They executed the game plan perfectly. And they just won their first match of the event against the Canadian team that was expected to win the gold.
What a start this was.
As the skip, Sarah accepted Taneesha Philips' handshake first, giving her friendly nemesis a hug afterwards, with the promise they'd see each other again. And as the conceding team filed out first, Sarah signed for the win, thanked the officials, and followed Jane.
It wasn't until they were in the tunnel that Lou threw her arms around Sarah in a tight hug, making the latter laugh and hug back with one arm.
"You are a crazy-talented bitch, oh my God!" And then she rocked back on her heels really fast and held her hands up. "I mean that in a really good way. Like, bitch with a capital B. Head bitch in charge. That shot was over the top, girl."
Sarah just laughed. "Thanks, Lou."
The way Lou quickly walked back the bitch comment amused her and made her feel a little bad, all at once. As though Lou didn't want to get on Sarah's bad side, now that she knew she'd blatantly been gunning for the guy she thought Sarah was interested in and…Ugh. Thanks, Jane.
Part of her almost wanted to take Lou aside and explain that Jane was crazy, that there wasn't anything between her and Chuck. Just to ease her mind and make her feel more comfortable around the team. She hoped Lou didn't feel like she had to tiptoe or something now.
But then if she did that, Chuck was back on the table for the other woman, and…Well, no.
The interviews were immediate, and they all took turns tackling the questions, but Sarah was fine stepping back this time and letting Jane handle most of it. The woman had a way with words and, frankly, Sarah was beat. She'd been tense the entire match, she'd wanted to win it so bad. And now her muscles felt tight, her eyes aching, her neck stiff.
By the time she got back to the apartment after a quick post-match meeting with Becks and the girls, she was clinging to that winning feeling to keep from falling into a pit of grumpiness. There was no reason for the grumpiness at all, she knew. She was just tired.
So it was with a bit of relief that she found the lights off in the place. She was alone. She could just take a shower, get in bed, and pass out.
Though she did wonder where Chuck was. She pulled her phone out of her coat pocket and saw that he hadn't texted her.
Deciding not to worry about it, she stripped down and hopped in the shower. She took a bit longer of a shower than she usually would have, letting the heat envelope her, breathing in the steam. She felt way more relaxed and comfortable after, but that tightness in her shoulders and neck was still there.
She'd just walked out into the main room to grab a water out of the fridge when Chuck walked in.
He immediately swiped his beanie off of his head, his curls sticking up everywhere. "Heeeyyy!"
"Hi, there."
"Okay, first of all, it's very cold outside. Second of all, holy shit that last hammer you threw…I almost fainted. Morgan and Ellie had to grab my arms to keep me from turning to liquid and just slipping onto the ground in a pile of long, skinny limbs."
He swung the door shut behind him and started pulling his layers off, stepping out of his boots.
Sarah laughed. "Thank you. It felt pretty good."
"I bet! Congratulations on that first win against Canada." He fist pumped. "Suck it, Canada!"
She laughed again. "They're all my friends, Chuck."
He winced. "Right, right. Of course. Sure. But, also…the enemy."
Shaking her head, she cracked the water bottle open and took a long swig, walking out of the main room and into the bedroom. He followed after her, and she could feel his quietude, which meant there was a reason for it. Maybe he sensed her mood or how tired she was.
"Hey, you okay? You just won your first match in the women's event at the Olympics. Are you just too used to winning now because we were such bad asses in our event?"
She glanced over her shoulder and smirked at him. Then she leapt onto her bed with a grunt, gathering up her pillow and pulling it under her head, lying on her stomach. "No, I'm not sure I'll ever be immune to that feeling of an Olympic win," she said, her voice cracking with amusement.
Chuck took the jacket he'd been wearing under the coats off, leaving him in his long-sleeve thermal and dark jeans. She inherently knew he wasn't going to ask her what was wrong, because…Well, she wasn't exactly sure why, was she? He was respectful, polite…
Maybe he just figured she'd tell him if something was wrong.
If so, he was right.
"I was so stressed and nervous and excited and I wanted to win that game so badly that I think I—God, I didn't realize I'd been so clenched through that whole three hour match." She huffed, turning her head to look at him better. "Like every last muscle and tendon and nerve and bone in me was tight that whole match. I didn't let myself relax for even a moment. And now I'm all stiff and exhausted."
He gave her a long look and then sat on the edge of his bed, changing his socks to clean, warm ones. "Why were you so tense? You know what you're capable of, what the team is capable of."
Sarah propped herself up on her elbows and played with the corner of the pillow case. "No, I know. I know what I'm capable of. I still…I still have a lot to prove, maybe. In my head."
He was silent, rubbing his hands up and down his legs. "Listen, let me just get in my PJs and we'll talk about it."
She smiled and turned to flop onto her back. "That's sweet, Chuck. But it's okay. I just want to do well, that's all. I don't really need to talk it out."
"Yes, you do."
Sarah gave him an arched eyebrow as he stood up and pulled the thermal off over his head, followed by the white undershirt. "Oh? Pray, tell."
He chuckled and grabbed another long sleeve cotton shirt out of his suitcase, tugging it on over his head. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be pushy. But you say you have something to prove, in spite of the Olympic medal you already have, hanging right there in fact…" He gestured to their medals hanging side by side over their suitcases, from the drawer handles of the dresser they weren't using.
Chuck stepped out of his pants and tossed them over the back of a nearby chair, making her roll her eyes inwardly, then he quickly pulled on a clean pair of pajama pants.
"No, I know. But that was with…" She didn't know how to finish the sentence.
"With me?" he asked. When she didn't answer, he grinned understandingly and padded over to the nightstand. He pulled it open and started rummaging through. She just watched curiously as he pulled lotion out. "And now you're with a team."
"Yeah, I mean…I am with a team. But I'm technically the skip, you know? I'm kind of the leader of the team. At least that's how everyone out there sees me. And if I can't lead this team to a win, the narrative is going to be…I dunno…" Chuck sat next to her on her bed. "I don't know, Chuck. I'm just internalizing it and it's making me so tensed, both mentally and physically."
"Well, that's what I'm here for, then." She furrowed her brow at him, sitting up a bit. "Take your shirt off." This time she gave him a blatant look and he laughed. "I'm planning on giving you a massage, actually, but sure, that too if you want it."
Sarah boggled a little. "A massage?"
"Yep. Unless you don't want me to. But you said your muscles are tight and your neck is stiff. I can see it in the way you're sitting. Your shoulders look all tensed and bunched up, too. Trust these hands, curling warrior. They will take you to sublime heights."
"Oh, I know," she chirped in a voice dripping with insinuation. He blushed and she giggled at him. Then she took her shirt off, tossing it to the side and rolling her eyes as she watched Chuck divert his gaze. She laid back down on her stomach and folded her arms under the pillow. "Just get rid of the stiffness, please, and you'll continue to be my favorite person."
"Yes, ma'am." She heard the squirt of the lotion and then his cool hands were on her bare lower back. She hissed and he breathed out a quick, "Sorry. They'll warm up." There was a pause as he began to knead her muscles there. God, it already felt good. "But wait, what if I don't get rid of the stiffness? Do I get to be your favorite person still?"
"Yes," she giggled. "That already feels amazing, though."
"Good. But also, try not to internalize all of this so much that you affect your physical health."
Sarah sighed and her eyes slipped shut. She focused on the places where she felt his fingers digging into her muscles, gliding over her skin, and she just enjoyed as he reached around with his hands and rubbed her sides. "I can try, but I don't know how successful I'll be. Mmmm, right there." His knuckles were pressing in a supremely delicious point in her mid-back. "You might just have to give me a massage every night. Sorry. Part of the gig now."
He chuckled. "I'm okay with that. I mean, God, how horrific, such an inconvenience, sitting here talking to my girlfriend while getting to put my hands all over her body. Blegh."
Sarah giggled, her body bouncing against the mattress. "I knew there was an ulterior motive. All you have to do is ask, Chuck."
"Sometimes not even that, I've found."
"What?" She laughed and gave him an affronted look.
"I was checking Twitter on my phone the other night and you literally jumped onto my bed and snatched my phone. You basically attacked me."
"Um, your response didn't feel to me like you felt attacked. But go off about me attacking you, I guess. And anyway, you were on Twitter again…so technically I saved you."
Chuck laughed and his fingers dragged higher up her back, tucking under her to graze the sides of her breasts. That felt purposeful but she could only smirk in response.
When there'd been another minute or two of silence, besides her soft moans of satisfaction, she heard him speak up again.
"Sarah, why are you up in your brain about this event? I know you want to win, but you wanted to win mixed doubles too and you weren't this tense during that. I would've felt this when we were…you know…"
She sighed again and opened her eyes, staring at the side of the nightstand. "Ugh, I don't know, Chuck." Then she rolled her eyes at herself. "That's a lie. Yes, I do. It's one thing to know I can do well with a partner. It's another to know I can succeed without—Nope, this is gonna sound so stupid." She buried her face in her pillow and groaned.
"Hey, no…Tell me! Listen, nothing's gonna sound more stupid than the sign Morgan made for your game tonight." She couldn't help but laugh as she turned her face to the side again. "GO JALS GALS! He was so proud he managed to anagram your names but it's not even a word! What's JALS?"
She cracked up, her whole body shaking, his hands still draped over her back. "God, he's such a sweetheart but what a freaking dork."
"The dorkiest. Gotta love 'im." When they sobered up a bit, she felt Chuck give her a reassuring squeeze, both of his hands on her shoulders. "Tell me, Sarah. I bet it's not stupid."
Sarah huffed and twisted to her side a bit to look at him. "I promise it is. …I need to know I can succeed…without a man."
She felt how stupid it was even before it came out of her mouth, but it felt even more stupid now that she'd said it.
"Oh," he said after a few moments of silence. "No, I actually get that completely. The whole, um, sexist narrative around you being here, and without Bryce…with me as a partner instead. You want to shove it down their throats and kick ass leading your team of curling woman warriors."
Sarah pushed herself up and turned to look at him over her shoulder, eyes wide. He pulled his hands back and blinked. "Am I right? Or did I totally miss the target?"
"Right on the button," she said quietly, a slow smile on her face. He laughed at her dorky curling pun. "No, that's it, Chuck. If I'm not curling with my male partner carrying my weight, making decisions for me, do I deserve to be here?"
"Of course you do!" he snapped, and then he blushed a bit.
"I know I do. And I know you know I do," she said, and she turned around to sit up and face him, holding the pillow to her chest for some modesty. "But I need everyone else to know. Because I just do."
"Then show 'em. Do what you did in the event with me. Do what you did today. Kick ass. Take the gold medal. Shove their bullshit down their throats. Throw your middle fingers up and wear your two medals around your neck wherever you go." Then he spread his hands out with a shrug. "Fuck 'em."
Sarah dropped the pillow. And she found she didn't care about his lotion covered hands after she sprang at him and pinned him to the bed. How easily Chuck Bartowski made it so that she didn't care about anything but the way those hands of his felt on her.
-oooo-
He'd nearly dropped into a bit of a post-sex doze when he felt the very tips of her fingers graze along his lower abdomen, oh so lightly, making him shiver.
His chuckle was deep and satisfied, and he smirked hard even as he kept his eyes closed. "I should remind you that you have a game early tomorrow morning against Japan. And they're supposed to be good."
"This is the Olympics," she hummed. "Every team is good."
Chuck laughed loudly. "Touché."
He heard her giggle and then she was draping her body over his.
"Do you think your teammates would want you all tired out and sluggish during your game tomorrow, though?" he teased, turning his face so that he could press his lips to her hair.
"Pfft. Loose and satisfied, you mean." Then she hummed again and nuzzled her face under his chin. "Although, yeah, maybe loose and satisfied isn't the look I wanna be going for. Jane is already keeping her wily eye on us."
Chuck froze, then turned his body a bit against hers. "M'what?"
Sarah propped herself over him and winced. "Yeah, about that…" He raised his eyebrow. "Jane is pretty sure you and I have feelings for each other but that we're in denial about it."
He groaned and rolled his eyes. "Why does she hafta be so observant and smart?"
"I know. But it…well, it gets worse. I've been meaning to tell you to, I dunno…I guess to warn you. But Lou pretty clearly insinuated the other morning that she's into you and I get the feeling she wants to knock snow boots."
Chuck's jaw fell open. "First of all, knock snow boots? That's cute as hell." She snorted. "But more importantly…She's into me? Seriously?"
She made a face. "Yeah. Now I have to contend with her and that snowboarding chick, and I'm not happy about it."
"Sorry."
"'Sorry I'm so damn charming'," she mocked, shaking her head at him with a laugh.
"I didn't mean it like that! I can't help—Nope, that was gonna sound like an ego trip, too."
She shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know. I feel like it's perfectly acceptable for you to be flattered and recognize that you have women thirsting after you for a reason."
Chuck covered his face and groaned. "Do you have to say it like that?" he asked, his voice muffled by his hands. Sarah grabbed one hand and moved it away from his face. "It's embarrassing. I don't want it."
"Well, I believe you. But it still feels like something you should maybe be warned about. Because Jane's got this whole you and me thing going on in her head and she saw Lou thirsting so she put a stop to it…" Sarah winced.
"Oh, no." Chuck pushed himself up onto his elbows. "You're kidding. Did Jane tell Lou we're dating?"
"No, no. Not that exactly, but she did tell Lou we're into each other and denying it. She expects me to thank her for getting Lou off the scent of my man." She rolled her eyes. "She literally called you my man. Which is accurate. You are my man." Yep, that did it. His heart was doing backflips, his chest constricting, his fingers tingling. "But she doesn't know that and she told Lou, so…I don't know what to do. I just kept denying."
"Jesus Christ, Jane. Whyyy?" he whined, plopping back down against the pillow with a soft thump. He groaned in frustration.
"She is acting like freaking Emma Woodhouse or something, smashing people together just because she thinks they'd fit well and it's really freaking annoying."
Chuck blinked in confusion for a second, and then realization came over him. "Emma Woodhouse. Pffft. Uhhh…I think you mean Cher Horowitz."
Sarah cracked up, falling to the bed next to him, her face pressed against his shoulder. "God, you're such a classless rube. You go for Clueless instead of Austen. For shame," she teased, leaning in to nip at his jaw with her teeth.
"Clueless is an American classic, you snob."
She laughed again. "It is. I'm just playing with you. That was pretty funny. You're pretty funny."
Chuck could feel his body waking up again as she slipped her hand under the sheet over his waist and slung a long, naked leg over him. "Well, you know…I…try." She teased his ear with her teeth and he let out a harsh breath. "You really don't care if you look too satisfied tomorrow, do you?"
"So cocky," she giggled.
-oooo-
"At least it isn't as cold as it was during Morgan's event," Chuck said, and she felt his arm just barely brush against hers as they stood at the bottom of the slalom course.
Ellie Bartowski's name was up on the board in third place so far, after one run. And she still had three other competitors going before it was her turn, and two after her. It was nerve-wracking, to say the least.
Especially because she could feel the nerves emanating off of her boyfriend as he stood next to her. If only nerves generated heat, she found she selfishly wouldn't mind his nervousness all that much.
Because in spite of what Chuck said, it was still cold.
"And the event is finally happening, instead of being pushed off yet again for wind," Devon piped up. He seemed a lot calmer than his brother-in-law. Maybe he was just used to this atmosphere and events like this. He was probably used to seeing Ellie compete, not to mention his own event he'd already finished earlier on in the week. Both of them were racers, though her races ended a lot quicker than his did.
Devon was pulled away by someone who wanted a few words from him about his cross-country race, his finish in sixth place and how it was the highest placement for an American in a solo cross country even in decades…
And that left her alone with Chuck for a few minutes, at the bottom of the hill, with a perfect view of the finish line and the scoreboard.
"I'm just glad the timing worked out this well. Ellie's final slalom race landing on my bye-day when I don't have any games," she said, leaning her elbows on the railing. "I mean, it's perfect. I was afraid I'd have to miss all of her races."
"Well, you earned this." He held up three fingers, grinning widely. "Three and oh, girl. Three and oh."
She laughed and hip checked him teasingly. "Yeah, well…Here's hoping our win streak continues."
The U.S. women's curling team had now won all three of their first matches. They'd brought down Japan yesterday morning with a score of eight to four, and last night, they barely edged out Great Britain's team from Stirling with a score of nine to eight.
"I'm gonna start calling you Undefeated CC. Feel free to use it for your team from now on. No royalties for the name necessary. You can have it for free." Then he lowered his voice. "Or for a kiss. Either way."
"Uh, not here." He pouted then winked and turned back to watch the Austrian skier edge Ellie out of third place and into fourth. "Crap," Sarah breathed, watching Ellie's name and picture drop down.
"It's okay. Ellie's gonna smoke 'em all. Just watch. I could tell her first run wasn't her best. She's got more in her."
"How can you tell that?"
"I just know her body language. That first run we saw from her was good, but she wasn't gunning for it at all. She usually gets a lot lower to the ground." Sarah furrowed her brow. "No, really. She's wily like that, easing her competition into thinking they don't have to push themselves as hard, then she just blows it up on her last run."
"That's…kind of awesome."
"So awesome!" Devon exclaimed from behind her, making her jump a little. "Also awesome? Sarah being here! It's really nice of you. I mean, coming out here to watch Ellie's race. Totally unnecessary. On your day off, too. Almost too nice."
Sarah shrugged. "I really wanted to see her win gold in person. I watched her get fourth in Sochi, but on a grainy NBC stream because I didn't have a television four years ago."
"She's not getting fourth tonight, though. Trust. I've never seen my wife so freaking focused. She's not settling for anything less. Just watch." His faith in Ellie was pretty inspiring. And she thought he sincerely had no doubt at all his wife was winning gold.
They waited and waited for the last competitor to finish, and when she did, Ellie was bumped to fifth.
But her name rang out through the crowd on the loudspeaker as the next skier, and way, way up at the top, Sarah could see Chuck's sister at the starting gate, poles in hand. The air around them was electric, everyone was quiet, waiting for the gold medal favorite to do her last run in the slalom event.
And then she was off.
And immediately Sarah could see what Chuck was talking about. There was something different in the way Ellie was tackling the course this time. She was low to the ground, knees bent, upper body barely moving as she swung her skies around the slalom posts.
This was especially stressful because if she somehow missed a post, she'd be in trouble…Any chance at a medal would be gone.
Sarah wasn't sure she breathed at all as Ellie hit the last grouping of posts, and then she cleared them and got down especially low, even dropping her head as she burst past the finish line.
Sarah's eyes sailed up to the scoreboard. Immediately a large Number 1 popped up next to Ellie's picture and name, along with an "OR" next to it.
"AN OLYMPIC RECORD!" the announcer yelled.
She was immediately bear hugged from the side by Chuck's brother-in-law and lifted up into the air as he repeated "Oh my God! Oh my God!" over and over.
Chuck was just yelling something unintelligible with his fists up above his head.
When Devon half-dropped her back to the snow, she was barely able to keep her footing, but she swiveled to grab onto the railing and stayed upright, laughing and cheering herself. Ellie had her poles over her head, looking up as the snow started to fall again, and Sarah thought maybe there might be tears on her face if the goggles she was wearing would allow it.
She hobbled over to awkwardly sidle up against the wall, and the four of them were crowded into a big hug as Ellie half-laughed and half-cried. Sarah didn't even know if she was squeezing Ellie or someone else, she didn't know whose hand grabbed at her jacket and pulled her in, but she laughed and tried not to cry herself.
When they relinquished Ellie, she made her way over to the other skiers who were now two and three below her.
All they had to do was wait for the last two competitors.
The first slotted herself into third place and as Sarah cast her eyes over at Ellie, she saw that she was almost full on crying now. She had silver at the least. And Renate Grubenheimer from Germany had missed a post in her first run. Not only would she have to not miss this time, she had a new Olympic record to beat.
Chuck dropped any pretenses as Renate finally slid across the finish line in fifth place. His sister had just won a gold medal in alpine slalom and Sarah found herself immediately in his arms. He clung so hard, and she could hear the tears in his voice as she felt Devon blanket her body from behind. Sarah clung back, laughing and burying her face in Chuck's scarf as both Ellie's brother and her husband began to jump up and down with Sarah smashed in between them.
She jumped with them, laughing raucously and looking up at the snow now spilling down onto their heads and faces.
What a day.
What a damn day this was.
In no time at all, Ellie had her skis goggles and helmet off, and she was in her husband's arms, Sarah stayed back as she watched the two kiss, exchanging tears, words of love and pride. But mostly she stayed back because the cameras were absolutely swarming the married couple in their time of joy.
Not that it seemed like either of them cared.
And when Captain Awesome finally relinquished his gold medalist wife, she ran over to Chuck and leapt at him. He caught her with a laugh and held on tight. It was hard for Sarah to keep from crying herself when she saw the tears in his eyes.
"I'm so proud o' you, El! So proud!"
Ellie pulled back and cupped her brother's face in her hands. They laughed together and dove in for another hug, and then Ellie moved back again, and immediately sprung towards Sarah for another hug.
"Really good work at the end there, Ellie," she breathed, her voice a little strangled the other woman was hugging her so tightly.
"Thank you!" When she pulled back, she giggled. "I smoked 'em."
"You did," Sarah giggled back.
"I'm really glad you're here," Ellie said, a glimmer in her eye and Sarah couldn't help but beam. To say she was pleased by those words was an understatement. She was ecstatic. Not just because she liked the idea of having a genuine friendship with this bad ass gold medalist and sincerely kind woman she liked quite a bit. But because it'd be great to know her boyfriend's sister liked her. At least…once they were in a place where they could tell her they weren't just partners, roommates, and friends, but that they were dating as well.
"So am I," she said sincerely.
Photographers swarmed them, reporters from various networks wanting to talk to Ellie, mostly, but also wanting footage of the four of them together. Sarah was careful to sandwich herself between the two Woodcombs, not wanting to be too chummy with Chuck for fear this would be seen as more than just her supporting her partner's sister since her next game wasn't until tomorrow.
Sarah paid no mind to the way Devon had moved at one point to Ellie's side, pulling Chuck up against her with a hard enough yank that Chuck had to wrap himself around her to keep from crashing into her too roughly.
She was too caught up in the moment, in the happiness of her friend as she was carted off for more solo interviews.
And as they finally moved away from the crowd finally, she didn't pay any mind to who'd quietly fallen into step behind her and Chuck. She'd dropped her arm to her side and let her fingers play with his a bit, smiling to herself for being so sneaky…without realizing she wasn't sneaky at all.
A/N: How could Ellie's biggest fan ever write her in an Olympics AU as getting anything less than a gold medal? Come onnnnnnnnnn. (wink!) Leave a review! Let me know what you think!
-SC