The Detective and the Tech Guy

Authors: Steampunk . Chuckster & dettiot

Rating: T

Summary: A case of mistaken identity and murder brings Sarah Walker, Pinkerton agent, to sunny California. Protecting the heir to the Bartowski Electronics Corporation should be just business - but Chuck Bartowski fills out a suit nicely and makes a mean martini. Chuck lobbied to hire the Pinkerton Agency, but had no idea the detective they'd send would be as alluring, intelligent and fascinating as Sarah Walker. Will the detective and the tech guy solve the mystery, distracted by the riddle in their own hearts? An homage to The Thin Man movies co-written by Steampunk . Chuckster and dettiot.

Disclaimer: We don't own Chuck or The Thin Man series. And we're making no monetary profit from this story.

Author's Note: Who wrote this one? d-moneeeeey! The one and only dettiot! Enjoy! - SC

XOXOXOXOXOXO

When Chuck Bartowski was nervous or upset, he cleaned. Something about scrubbing away at food-crusted plates by hand or washing the windows, taking something dirty and making it shine like new . . . it calmed him down, gave him time to think instead of freak out.

So it shouldn't be any surprise that he was currently picking up every twig and leaf on the roof deck, given what he wanted to talk about with Sarah.

It had been just over six months since that amazing day and night in Paris, when his life had changed irrevocably. Six months since he had run into Sarah Walker, the woman who had walked out of his life after the most soul-shattering kiss he had ever had. And while the last six months with Sarah in his life had been amazing . . . he wanted more.

Chuck could understand and appreciate Sarah's caution. If the Pinkerton Agency had any thought that Sarah had begun a relationship with a client while working on said client's case, it would be incredibly damaging to her career. Sarah didn't want to risk that, and Chuck didn't want that, either.

But it was now nearly a year since she had wrapped up her case for Bartowski Electronics, nearly a year since she had identified Martin Rosebreen as the architect of the attacks against the Bartowskis and the murder of Bob Gerheart. Wasn't that enough time? Not to mention that Sarah and Chuck hadn't even had contact for several months after she had left, and had been extremely circumspect since their reunion.

Except for Morgan and his sexts.

Grimacing a little, Chuck tried not to get embarrassed by what his best friend had done and focused instead on the matter at hand. The situation with Morgan-Ellie's worried attempts to set him up with girls-even his father's probing questions about what Chuck was up to: all of these people were important to him. And he was lying to them. They were some of the people he cared about most in the world and they didn't know about the woman he was madly in love with. And he didn't like it.

So that was why, when Sarah showed up in an hour to visit him, he was going to broach the subject of going public.

Not 'going public' going public, of course. He wasn't going to take out an ad in the LA Times announcing their relationship or ask her to start hitting the Sunset Strip nightclubs and baiting the paparazzi. No, he just wanted to tell his family and his friends that they were dating. Maybe throw a dinner party so everyone could get to know Sarah better.

He was tired of hiding how he felt. He was tired of lying. And most of all, he was tired of wondering. Wondering how much longer they'd stay in this limbo, wondering what would happen next for them. Wondering if Sarah only wanted him as long as no one else knew.

Just the thought made Chuck feel like a fool and a jerk. Because he knew Sarah. He was pretty sure he might know her better than anyone else in the world. So he knew that Sarah Walker wanted him. He knew she cared about him, looked forward to their time together, and was happy with him. It was only concerns about her job that kept their relationship a secret.

What had worked at first wasn't working any more, though. Not for him, at least. It was hard enough being in a long-distance relationship; not telling anyone about the relationship was making it even more difficult. So he wanted to ask Sarah if they couldn't start telling people about them.

Taking a deep breath, Chuck straightened up and looked around the roof deck. When he had made this decision, he had immediately known that he wanted to talk to Sarah about this up here, in the place in his home where Sarah always seemed the most relaxed. That had sent him into a whirl of planning. The cushions on the chaise lounges were replaced and he had a small refrigerator, sink and counter installed in a corner of the deck. He had cleaned out the fire pit and gotten it ready for tonight.

There was gin, vermouth and olives for martinis in the fridge, glasses and barware on the counter at the ready. Downstairs in the kitchen's fridge was an antipasto platter and a gourmet salad for their dinner, along with a bottle of wine. And there was a rich chocolate mousse cake for dessert.

Everything was designed to make Sarah feel safe and comfortable. To make this conversation easier for her. Because he wasn't sure how this was going to go. Not because of any misgivings about their relationship, but simply because Sarah Walker was a woman who played her cards close to the vest. Only a privileged few really got to know her.

Chuck knew he was one of those few. He hoped that tonight wouldn't change that. Because if it did and this was the end-

No. No, he wouldn't let that happen. He had let Sarah walk out of his life once before. And while yes, that had happened without him realizing what was going on, he knew more now. He knew Sarah better. And she knew him. This time would be different.

Sarah would be here soon. That was enough time for him to shower and get ready for her. They'd come up here, have a martini and start eating dinner, and then he would ask if they could stop being a secret.

It would be okay. They would talk and listen and figure out their next step. There wouldn't be any walking away.

Because he loved Sarah Walker so much more than he had a year ago. Too much to let her go without a fight.

XOXOXOXOXO

There were so many things that Sarah looked forward to when she was reunited with Chuck. The first time their eyes met, their first kiss, the first hug. But one of her very favorite moments was when they could settle in with each other, being close and talking quietly. Soaking up the physical closeness to go with the emotional intimacy.

Sarah took a sip of her martini and smiled to herself. Chuck was certainly pulling out all the stops this time, though. After a few minutes of kissing by his front door, he had pulled back and lead her up to the roof deck. The balmy late-afternoon breezes and Chuck's presence immediately made her loosen up, made her body feel almost boneless. Add in one of Chuck's excellent martinis and it was little wonder she felt like she could purr.

Especially with Chuck stretched out beside her on the chaise lounge, one arm wrapped around her as he drank his own martini.

"This is nice," she said, turning to rest her head on his shoulder. "I missed this."

"The deck or the martinis?" Chuck asked, his voice low and rich and amused.

Laughing softly, Sarah leaned in to press a soft kiss against his neck. "They're both very nice, and I did miss them. But I meant being like this with you."

Chuck leaned back a bit so he could look her in the eye. "Yeah?"

"Of course," Sarah said, looking up at him. She paused for a moment, waging a half-hearted struggle with holding back the words but almost immediately giving up. "Being here with you, being close to you . . . it's all I look forward to when I'm away."

The sheer pleasure that her words gave him, the way his face lit up and his eyes warmed . . . did he have any idea how powerful a hold he had on her? How much he had changed her? He was rapidly becoming the center of her world, and even though that was scary, it was terrifying to consider what would happen if he wasn't in her life.

She pressed her face against his neck and breathed him in, not able to look him in the eye right now. Not when she felt so many churning, whirling emotions inside herself, not when each time she was with him, those three little words were trying to get out.

There was no doubt in her mind that she loved him. But even with everything they had experienced together, even with how safe she felt with him . . . telling him exactly how she felt scared her too much. It would be committing herself more to Chuck than she had ever done so to another person.

It was the height of irony, really. Sarah Walker, one of Pinkerton's best, martial artist and lethal with a Smith and Wesson: she was scared of telling her boyfriend how she felt about him. Because she knew Chuck. She knew that when he heard those words, this arrangement would stop working for them.

Their long-distance relationship wouldn't be enough anymore if he knew she loved him. He would want more, would want her to be even more in his life. And Sarah wanted that, too. So much. But she didn't know how they could manage it.

Perhaps . . . perhaps she could talk to Chuck about all this. Maybe it was time to reevaluate. After all, it wasn't like Pinkerton didn't have other branches in the United States. None in Southern California, but there was an office in San Francisco. And that was only a short plane ride away . . .

Sarah sighed. The problem was, the San Francisco office was full of geeks, working on cybercrime cases. That wasn't a strength for her. She wasn't sure if she requested a transfer to that office that it would be approved.

"Is anything wrong?"

"What?" Sarah said, starting slightly at Chuck's question.

He gave her a hesitant, crooked smile. There was a wrinkle between his eyes that spoke to his worry. "You sighed. Like you were unhappy about something. Maybe not unhappy," Chuck corrected himself. "More like you were thinking something over."

"Just . . . basking," Sarah said, leaning up to peck his lips.

That answer didn't seem to satisfy him; the forehead wrinkle even deepened. He drained the last of his martini and set aside his glass before removing his arm from around her shoulders.

"Chuck?" she asked, feeling a tendril of ice trickle down her spine in spite of the warm, balmy air.

"I-" He opened and closed his mouth, then took a deep breath. "I have something I wanted to talk about with you. About us."

Oh, shit.

Licking her lips, Sarah hoped she didn't look as nervous as she felt. Because . . . because nothing good ever came of starting a conversation with any variation of the phrase "we need to talk."

"Okay . . ." she said slowly, trying not to panic. "What's up?"

"Well-I didn't mean to spring this on you. I meant to work my way around to it. After dinner, so you'd feel relaxed-not that you aren't relaxed now! Not that you need to be relaxed for this-"

Chuck broke off and lowered his head. Sarah knew her eyes were the size of silver dollars, but she had never heard Chuck babble like this. Never seen him quite so insecure. Even with her stomach churning with nerves, his lack of confidence made her reach out and rub his arm. "Hey, it's okay. It's just me and you."

She could see the effect her words had on him: how his shoulders straightened out of their slump, how that downtrodden look went out of his eyes. He took a breath and nodded, giving her a slightly-tight smile. "Yeah. Exactly. It's you and me."

"Yeah," she repeated, looking at him. Wanting to not see that worried, nervous, slightly unhappy expression on his face anymore. "So talk to me."

"Okay," he said slowly, seeming to gather his thoughts. "It's been six months since we got together, and-and they've been the best six months of my life, Sarah. Better than I could have ever imagined."

There was no possibility of doubting him. She had always thought the phrase "the sincerity rang in his voice" was a cliche. But now she knew it wasn't, because that was what she thought as she listened to Chuck.

"When we started, when we were in Paris and figuring out how we were going to go forward-I didn't know it could be this good. I hoped, but . . . but we're good together." Chuck swallowed and his eyes locked on hers. "Would-would you agree?"

Did he think she didn't . . . ? "Yes," she blurted out quickly, wanting to reassure him. "Yes, Chuck. I'm not good with words, but . . . but you make me happy."

He lightly ran a hand over her hair, tucking some strands behind her ear. "You're good with words. I love talking to you. I always have, from the first day we met."

Sarah didn't know what to think right now. First Chuck looked nervous and worried, then he asked about their relationship, as if that was what was worrying him, but now he seemed okay . . . Maybe it was time to just stop beating around the bush?

"Chuck? Could you-could you just tell me what's wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong," Chuck said, shifting on the chaise lounge. "I just wanted to talk to you about . . . about our relationship. About how things are, about whether we want to-to change things."

"Change what?" she asked, her detective's brain taking over and asking the questions, so that she could push aside the messy emotions for the time being, until she knew just what Chuck was driving at. Because her initial guess-that he wanted her to move closer-didn't feel like the right one. So what did he want to change about them?

She could see his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed again. "Keeping us secret."

And now the emotions were back. Sarah pushed herself up from the chaise lounge, her flight instinct kicking in and making her need a bit of space. Because . . . because she hadn't been prepared for him to ask that of her and she wasn't sure what she thought about it.

It made sense, though. Chuck wasn't like her. He had people in his life that he cared about, with whom he shared good times and bad. People that he would want to tell about her. And the fact that he couldn't tell them, couldn't explain himself . . . it was affecting them. They were questioning Chuck, asking him what was going on. Putting him in an awful position: torn between her and everyone else he loved.

That wasn't fair to him. Sarah knew that. And more than that, it put their relationship, already challenged by distance, under even greater stress. Look at the sexting situation with Morgan, or the fight he had with his sister-the fight that had taken two phone calls and a Skype session to worm the details out of him. It was just a matter of time before Chuck wouldn't be able to hold back any longer.

But . . . but what about her? What about her job? The way Shaw had been sniffing around, questioning her abilities and trying to sabotage her, it made her extra-cautious lately. Doing her best to hide even the existence of a relationship, let alone who said relationship was with. Because she didn't want her job to get in the way of being with Chuck. It had already interfered enough, like the Oslo job preventing her from seeing Chuck for the first time since they had gotten together.

Her fingers went up to her neck, playing with the necklace Chuck had given her. The necklace that had given her the first sign of just how important this relationship was to Chuck. A gift that told her she was more committed to him than she had even realized.

Chuck had been silent ever since she had stood up, but she could hear him fidgeting behind her. Turning to look at him, she took him in: his rumpled curls and tan skin, his warm brown eyes and his long limbs. All the physical elements that combined to say Chuck to her, creating the feeling she got whenever she looked at him. The feeling of happiness and safety.

"You want to tell everyone about us?" she asked, gazing at him.

"Yes," he said, sliding to the end of the chaise lounge and resting his arms on his knees, his eyes looking up at her. "I'm tired of hiding this."

"And you think I'm not tired, too?" Sarah asked, folding her arms over her chest. Feeling that itch she would sometimes get on the back of her neck when she felt exposed and vulnerable. It was something she felt when she was working, but she had never anticipated feeling like this with Chuck. Not now, at least.

His eyes widened. "I didn't mean it like that! I just meant, of course you're tired, too."

Sarah barely held back her sigh. She knew he didn't mean it like that. She knew that. But something about this whole discussion was pushing some button, hitting a sore spot she didn't even fully realize she had. "I am, but then I remember how much I like my job and I deal with it."

"But don't you think we've waited long enough?" Chuck asked, rising to his feet and walking over towards her. "It's been nearly a year since you solved our case. Your bosses can't be that suspicious, that paranoid, that they would think we've been together for so long without them knowing. Can they?"

"Oh, they are that suspicious," Sarah said, rubbing her hand against her arm. "You'd think they were spies."

He reached out, his hand hanging in the air for a moment before lightly stroking her upper arm. "Sarah . . ."

God, that yearning note in his voice, the one that she knew he was trying to hide to make her feel better-she could still hear it. But as much as Chuck wanted to tell his family and friends, because he thought it would make things easier, she didn't want to do it.

Because telling people about them would just make things harder.

After all, his mother already hated her. She thought Sarah had taken advantage of Bartowski Electronics and dragged her feet solving the case. Mary Bartowski was a strong, smart woman, Sarah acknowledged. But she was also cold and remote-and the bits and pieces that Chuck had let slip about his childhood hadn't done anything to change Sarah's opinion on Mrs. Bartowski.

Based on Chuck's description of his argument with Ellie, Sarah didn't think Chuck's sister would be happy to find out her beloved baby brother had been carrying on a secret relationship for months without telling her. Even though Ellie had seemed to like her, she bet that Ellie would take her anger out on Sarah. It was only natural for Ellie to do that. Add in Morgan being upset, too, and Sarah couldn't see how telling everyone would make things better.

"I know holding back has been hard for you," Sarah said softly, gazing up at Chuck. "And I'm sorry it's my fault we can't tell anyone-"

"It's not your fault," Chuck interrupted. "I don't want you to lose your job over me. Because you're really, really amazing, Sarah Walker, and I don't want to be the reason you can't be out there, being amazing like you are."

Sometimes, dating someone so good was a real problem, Sarah thought. Because Chuck was sweet and caring and thoughtful, and he put her first and made her feel like a princess, and she . . . she didn't know how to handle that. Because it made her feel so good, so . . . protected. Yet at the same time, she doubted she made Chuck feel as good as he made her feel.

"But Sarah?"

"Yeah, Chuck?" she said, looking up at him.

His jaw was set and there was a determined glint in his eyes. "We're going to have to tell people someday. You know that, right?"

Something about him, about his confidence and no-nonsense tone, made Sarah feel a bit taken-aback. And turned on. So she just nodded slowly. Because he was right-someday, they would need to spill the beans. They couldn't go on like this forever. And she didn't want to.

"So why not just do it soon? Start planning how we tell the world that we're together?" Chuck spoke quickly. "I'm not saying hire skywriters or anything, just . . . just that we should figure out an exit strategy."

Taking a step back, Sarah put her hands on her hips. "An exit strategy?"

He frowned and made a face. "I can't believe I just said that. But the point still stands! Because you just agreed we can't go on like this forever."

"But that doesn't mean we have to change things right now," Sarah said, hearing her words come faster. "Can't we just be? Why do we have to have an exit strategy when things are good as they are?"

Chuck's eyebrows drew together, and not in a cute kind-of-sexy way. "Sarah . . . I thought you'd want to plan this out. Make sure we covered everything so you wouldn't risk your job-"

"Well, I don't," Sarah said, turning to rest her hands on the deck railing, looking out at the view. "Not now."

She could feel Chuck moving to stand behind her. His hands hovered in the air before lightly settling on her shoulders. "Baby, talk to me."

It would be so much easier if she could just stay mad at him. If she didn't have to calm herself down and think about what she was feeling. If she had given in to that flight instinct and left when they had started this whole conversation.

But that was what had made her kiss him and then leave, nearly a year ago. And she didn't want to go back to feeling like she had felt during the months after that moment.

Taking a deep breath, Sarah leaned back against Chuck a little. "I'm sorry."

"Shhh," he said softly, dropping a light kiss on the top of her head. "I sprang this on you, without having everything planned out in my head first. Thus the foot in my mouth. I'm lucky you didn't show off how much I still have to learn about aikido."

She huffed out a small laugh. "I wouldn't do that to you."

"I know," he said, the smile almost audible in his voice. He gently rubbed her shoulders. "I know it's scary, the thought of losing your job . . . I got fired once, and it's still one of my worst memories ever."

"I can't imagine anyone firing you," Sarah said, turning her head to look up at Chuck.

His smile was sheepish. "It happens when you start shooting a web series called 'Can You Fry That?' at the Jack-in-the-Box where you work."

There was no way to hold back a snort of laughter at the thought of a probably-teenage Chuck deep-frying whatever he could get his hands on. She could feel his laughter rumbling through his chest and against her back. It helped her relax a little bit more.

"I've worked at Pinkerton since I graduated from college," Sarah said softly. "It's the only job I've had as an adult. The only job I've ever wanted."

Chuck's hands were warm and soothing as he massaged her shoulders and upper back. His voice was just as gentle when he spoke. "That's a long time. You're not interested in seeing what else is out there?"

Instinctively, Sarah shook her head. Then she paused, tilting her head. "I . . . I don't know. But-but I'm happy at my job. I like what I do."

"And you're good at what you do," Chuck said, placing a feather-light kiss on her cheek. "I get that you don't want to do anything else. But I know that I don't want to keep doing what we've been doing. Hiding our relationship, being long-distance . . ."

Sarah nodded a little as she reached up and covered his hands on her shoulders with her own. "I don't want to go on like this forever, Chuck. You know that, right?"

"I know, Sarah," he said quietly. "I just wanted you to know that I'm ready. Whenever you are."

His body was so warm and solid. So strong-stronger than he realized. Stronger than she was. And his physical prowess was nothing compared to his inner strength. Because Chuck was willing to stand up and tell the whole world how he felt about her. That they were together. And here she was, hesitating.

She wasn't ready yet. She wasn't prepared to deal with the consequences of her job finding out that she was dating a former client. But . . . but she was going to get ready. Somehow, she was going to be as strong as Chuck was. Because she couldn't lose him over this. Being scared was one thing-but so scared she wrecked the best thing she had ever had?

That wasn't Sarah Walker. Not anymore.

Turning slowly, she looked up at Chuck. His eyes were warm and soft, and she felt better already. "I'm getting there," she said.

There was a flicker of disappointment in his eyes, but it vanished quickly. "Okay," he said, gently stroking her arms. "I guess for now, we just . . . table the discussion?"

Sarah nodded. "I need time to think. But-but I am thinking about it, Chuck, I promise."

"I know, baby," he said, kissing her forehead. "How about we have dinner? There's a bottle of wine chilling to go along with it."

"Sounds perfect," Sarah said, lifting up to give him a soft, quick kiss. "How can I help?"

"No, no, I've got it. You just relax."

It was tempting to argue and insist on going with him, but Sarah held back, letting Chuck pull away and head for the stairs. Being left alone with her thoughts at the moment was the last thing she wanted, but perhaps Chuck needed a moment. Because she could tell he wished her answer had been different. And that crushed her a little bit.

Gazing out at the view in the slowly-falling twilight, Sarah took a deep breath and touched her necklace again, a tick she had developed to such an extent that she was always surprised to reach up and touch bare skin and not the smooth chain when she wasn't wearing the necklace.

To say she was committed to Chuck Bartowski was putting it mildly. She was crazy about him and she couldn't see herself with anyone else. Chuck was right: they couldn't stay a secret forever. Not when she could tell it was hurting him.

Hurting Chuck was the last thing she wanted. She knew what would make him happy. Now it was just a matter of finding a way to balance his happiness with her own fears.

But she could do it. Because it would be for Chuck.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Author's Note: D'aw. Thanks for reading! Leave a review! - SC