A/N: Happy Sunday everyone, and welcome to Chapter 9 – Happy Landings.

In the last chapter, Sarah found the courage to go after what she wants, what she really want, and bamboozled Emma into a trip to London. Now she has to face Chuck and hope he gives her another chance. And while Sarah is jumping across the pond in a pursuit of the heart, dark forces are adjusting, reorganizing and looking to capitalize on having the Walker women far from home. The good news is that the teams are connecting some dots and finally starting to make some progress in their investigation…..will it be enough to stop Shaw? Read on and find out.

I would like to say thank you for the incredible support I have received, especially the private messages. I've really enjoyed getting your feedback and having the opportunity to connect with so many of you directly. Please keep it coming. I love it!

I hope you enjoy this chapter, and find a minute or two to let me know if you are enjoying the ride with a follow, a favorite, and/or a review.

Thanks to Nevr for pre/beta reading, but as with the last chapter, I've made several changes after his good work, so all the errors are mine and mine alone. And of course, I don't own Chuck or profit financially from writing this completely AU story.

Valkyrie's Invisible Shield

Chapter 9 – Happy Landings

Date: Saturday, 18 December 2021

Time: 18:00 GMT (12:25 EST)

Location: Dorchester Hotel - 53 Park Lane, London, U.K. – Suite of Emma and Sarah Walker

The flight had been easy and comfortable for Sarah and her mother. Ideally, they would have left Friday evening to land in London on Saturday morning, but the last-minute nature of the trip meant that organizing the logistics, especially security, made a Friday evening departure impossible. As a result, the C32A bearing the blue and white livery of the United States of America was wheels up at an uncomfortable six am. With an expedited flight routing, the crossing took a quick seven hours, but the five-hour time difference meant they landed at six pm Local time in London. Add to that the traffic from Heathrow to the Dorchester, so even with the police escort, the transit to the hotel was expected to take a full hour.

While in-flight, Sarah had been chatting with the First Lady's protocol officer to identify a suitable location to meet Chuck for dinner. After a few phone calls, a member of the London Embassy protocol office suggested the Rose & Crown in Mayfair, a short five-minute walk or a three-minute drive from The Dorchester. As soon as the plane touched down, Sarah used her phone to message Chuck.

-O-

Chuck and Lou were in a conference room of the SIS Building, pouring over files with MI-6 agents Barker and Roberts when Chuck's phone vibrated. A small smile crept upon his lips as he saw the sender's name, but before reading further, he sobered his expression and looked toward Lou.

"The First Lady and her daughter have landed at Heathrow," Chuck spoke unemotionally.

Lou looked up and nodded. "Thanks, Chuck. We are not on the schedule till tomorrow, so we are free this evening." Lou then leaned into Chuck while nodding towards Jill Roberts, who was searching for a folder in a filing cabinet across the room. "You having dinner with Roberts?" Lou whispered.

Chuck turned and whispered back. "Nope. Like I said, not my type." Chuck then leaned back and, in a normal voice, said, "I have something personal to attend to." Chuck then stood, walked toward the window, re-read Sarah's text before responding.

Sarah – Hi Chuck. I'm sure you already know, but I just landed at Heathrow.

Chuck – Welcome to London, Ms. Walker. Did you have a good flight?

Sarah – Ms. Walker, huh….? I did, thanks, but to be honest, I'm a little nervous. Are you still free to talk this evening at eight?

Chuck – Yes. Of course.

Sarah – Thank you, Chuck. Can you meet me at the Rose & Crown in Mayfair? It's a pub on Old Park Lane, just around the corner from the hotel. I have a table set aside upstairs.

Chuck – I'll be there.

Chuck smiled inwardly as he tucked his phone away. He felt a little flutter in his stomach at the prospect of seeing Sarah again. His momentary excitement was tempered by the realization that he still felt a profound responsibility for her safety, even though he was no longer part of her protective detail. He reminded himself that maybe consorting with the daughter of the most powerful man in the free world and his ultimate boss might not be conducive to a successful career in the Secret Service. He contemplated his path while staring out the window, then schooled his expression and returned to the file he was reading. Thankfully, neither Lou nor Jill paid much attention to him at the moment, so his temporary malaise went unnoticed.

At seven-thirty, Lou announced she was done for the day and was heading to meet Anna and Mike at a jazz bar near Brixton. Lou offered Chuck a ride back to their house, but he declined, knowing he needed to go in the opposite direction. As Lou packed up to go, Jill sensed an opportunity and walked over to Chuck as he put a file away.

"Where do you need to go, Chuck? Perhaps I can give you a lift," Jill Roberts offered with a purr.

"I'm meeting a friend at the Crown and Rose in Mayfair at eight," Chuck replied.

"Oh, that's perfect," Jill cooed. "I know the place, and it's right on my way."

"Are you sure, Jill? I can take a taxi or the Tube."

"Nonsense. I'm heading to SOHO, literally right next to Mayfair. It's a fifteen-minute ride at this hour. If you want to be there by eight, we should start packing up."

Ten minutes later, Chuck was sitting in the passenger seat of Jill's Jaguar F Type-R, on the wrong side of the car and on the wrong side of the road. Equally uncomfortable was that Jill occasionally gave him a very heated look while casually weaving through London traffic like a Formula One driver. At almost precisely eight pm, Jill slammed on the brakes directly in front of the Crown and Rose, the sudden stop shoving Chuck forward against his seatbelt. As Chuck unbuckled himself and made his way out of the low-slung two-door roadster, Jill exited and came around the car.

Chuck closed the door to find Jill Roberts moving into his personal space, and before he knew what was happening, Jill had a grip on the lapels of Chuck's blazer and leaned to whisper in his ear.

"I like you, Chuck. After you finish with your friend, why don't you call me, and I'll show you how much fun you can have in London." She backed away, giving Chuck a saucy grin, and waved her mobile phone in her hand as she walked back around and got into her car. A moment later, the engine roared, and the Jaguar sped off into traffic.

-O-

Sarah had arrived at the pub about five minutes ahead of schedule and made her way upstairs, which had been closed off to other guests. Morgan and another agent sat at a table by the top of the stairs of the closed-off floor to give Sarah some privacy while additional security team members were stationed at the foot of the stairs and by the exits.

Sarah took her seat by the window and ordered a pint of Fuller's Pride while she waited. 'When in Rome,' she thought to herself, nervously fidgeting with the coaster under the pint. She was broken out of her musings by the sound of screeching tires just outside the pub, where a gleaming white sports car had just skidded to a stop. The passenger door opened, and her heart fluttered as she saw Chuck's form unfold itself from the tiny sports car. He was no sooner out and closing the door when a stunning brunette raced around and grabbed onto him, appearing to kiss him on the cheek before putting some extra sway in her hips as she returned to the driver's side of the car and sped away. Her heart fell as she watched Chuck stare at the tail lights of the Jag as it sped off, then she shook off her misgivings and focused on what she wanted. What she really wanted.

Chuck was nervous about meeting Sarah and flustered by Jill's aggressive proposal for later that evening. He shook his head as Jill's car raced away, and he made his way into the pub.

Though Chuck was already known to the Secret Service members of the security detail, he was not known to the Brits that had been added, so he had to show his credentials to get through the two outer rings of protection and access the stairs. When he reached the top of the landing, Morgan was there to meet him and gave him a warm combination of handshake and side hug. After a brief greeting, Morgan nodded to the far end of the room where Sarah was seated by the windows.

As Chuck turned away from Morgan, he looked up and from across the room, his eyes locked with Sarah's. Chuck stopped walking for a moment and just took her in. She took his breath away. She wore jeans, black leather knee-high boots with medium heels, and a white tailored shirt that revealed a modest amount of her well-shaped cleavage. Her hair was down in long, soft curls, and her makeup was understated. She was stylish but comfortable without looking like she was trying too hard. Her eyes, however, were an indescribable blue that pierced him. She stood as Chuck regained his wits and put himself back in motion towards her.

-O-

Sarah watched Chuck reach the landing and give Morgan a man's version of a hug before turning toward her, allowing their eyes to connect. She saw him stop mid-step for an instant and wondered what he was thinking or feeling. As Chuck started to move again, Sarah realized she had been holding her breath since he appeared on her floor. He was wearing a dark grey suit, with a crisp white spread collar shirt, comfortably unbuttoned at the collar, and no tie. His dark hair was slightly messy but looking more casual than unkempt, and she so badly wanted to fingers her hands through it. But it was his eyes that paralyzed her. They warmed her to her core, and she could not look away. He continued to approach and stopped just a half step in front of her. Close enough to suggest their relationship was more than casual but without suggesting intimacy. They stood quietly for a moment, eyes locked, bodies still.

"Hi, Chuck," Sarah broke their silence, though she spoke quietly while ducking her chin and looking up at him through her eyelashes.

"Hi, Sarah," Chuck spoke her name with reverence as they once again settled into a moment of comfortable silence.

Again, Sarah broke the moment. "Thank you for coming, Chuck. There are a lot of things I need to tell you; I'm so grateful that you are here." Sarah motioned for him to sit as she took her seat and took a moment to make herself comfortable as the two locked eyes again from across their small table.

"I'm so sorry!" Chuck and Sarah spoke the words at the same time, causing both to stop and smile for an instant. Sarah then raised her hand, reached across the table, and placed a finger on Chuck's lips. Sarah had things she needed to say, and for that to happen, she desperately needed Chuck to listen.

"Chuck, I'm going to tell you something I've never told anyone. This is very new and difficult for me, but before I tell you, I want you to know how deeply sorry I am for how I behaved. You have been nothing but kind and protective of me, and I repaid you with completely indefensible behavior. It's twice that I took my frustrations out on you because you were a convenient scapegoat to vent on when, instead, I should have thanked you for your kindness and selflessness." Sarah paused, then with a shy smile continued. "The kerfuffle with my luggage doesn't count because that little bit of mischief was all your doing. Can you ever forgive me, Chuck?" Sarah's eyes were moist as she waited for Chuck's answer.

"Please, Chuck. I'm begging you." Sarah implored after Chuck's quiet grew a little uncomfortable.

Chuck was so lost in her eyes that her words barely registered until he realized he had zoned out for the moment. He reached out and gently folded her hands into his.

"Sorry, Sarah. I got completely lost in your eyes," Chuck's nose wrinkled as he broadened his smile. "Yes. Of course. You are forgiven, but only if you accept my apology for breaching your trust. I should have known better and done better, and for that, I'm truly sorry, Sarah."

Sarah's eyes sparkled and suddenly appeared to be an even deeper shade of blue than just a few minutes earlier as she smiled back at him. "Apology accepted, Chuck."

"So, Sarah, what did you want to tell me that was so urgent you needed to cross the Atlantic to do it?" Chuck looked at Sarah quizzically. "I mean, all you needed to do was pick up the ph….."

"I love you, Chuck." The words just burst out of Sarah's heart. "I'm sorry….I didn't mean to just blurt it out like that, Chuck, but the weekend we spent together….I've never felt so safe, so connected to anyone. And when you left, I never felt colder or more alone. It was like a part of me had left. I've never felt anything like this before. Anything this profoundly powerful. And honestly, because I didn't understand it, I fought it until my mother helped me figure it all out." Sarah looked down as she spoke, almost embarrassed by her admission, as Chuck's silent gaze never wavered. "I know it's a lot, Chuck, and you don't have to say anything, but I wanted you to know how I really feel and how much I want to be with you….need to be with you. I wanted you to know how important it is to me to fix things between us because…..because I love you and want to be with you….and I hope you want to be with me too. I needed you to know all of this, to know how deeply I feel about you, Chuck, and there was no way I could have done this over the phone."

Chuck smiled warmly at Sarah, causing her to blush momentarily. "What?" Sarah asked.

"I was just thinking about something you said to me in New York. Actually, it was just a single word. Do you remember what you said?"

"I do." Sarah smiled back at Chuck. "You told me that for whatever reason, love hadn't really found you, and I said, yet! That love hadn't found you yet."

"Sarah, you are smart, beautiful, and like you, I have never felt more connected to anyone in my life. I struggled to keep myself disciplined and professional, but you smashed every defense I had."

Sarah stood, walked around to Chuck's side of the table, and sat on his lap while wrapping her arms around his neck while Chuck wrapped his arms around her waist. They both leaned forward a little, allowing their foreheads to touch. She gently brushed a lock of his hair behind his ear.

"Chuck," Sarah whispered. "Who was the tall, leggy, dark haired woman outside who had her hands all over you?"

"What woman?"

"Good answer, Chuck!" Sarah pressed her lips to his and kissed him deeply.

Across the room, Morgan had to pull his mobile phone away from his ear as Carina squealed loud enough to cause hearing damage.

-O-

Date: Saturday, 18 December 2021

Time: 20:30 GMT

Location: Savoy Hotel – The Strand, London UK – Suite of Daniel Shaw

Shaw's phone rang again. Larkin's surveillance team had been tracking the Walker women and providing regular updates. Emma Walker had apparently stayed in the hotel to have dinner with the US Ambassador to the UK and his wife, who were old friends, while the daughter went to a pub just a few blocks from their hotel with a large complement of security. She was on the establishment's second floor, sitting by a window and visible to the trained operative. She was observed with an unidentified male she was obviously romantically involved with, and they were currently having some pub fare for dinner.

Through Larkin, Shaw had been spreading a bit of money and learned from a few greedy hotel employees that the First Lady and her daughter were expected to leave London Tuesday morning, the 21st of December. Time was short, and Shaw continued to operate on the basis that the daughter would ultimately be a softer target than the mother, but he needed to hedge his bets and keep an eye on both. He also needed to identify the most advantageous moment to sell out Volkoff and create an opening to grab one or both women.

-O-

Sarah and Chuck ate in very comfortable silence, their eyes communicating their mutual affection and desire, and their hands separated only briefly to facilitate the consumption of the food or drink in front of them.

"Chuck," Sarah beamed at him. "My mother wants to meet you to thank you for saving me in New York. She wanted to thank you at the hospital, but Morgan told her you had been reassigned, so she made me promise. Can you join us for breakfast or, if not, perhaps for tea at the Dorchester tomorrow?"

"I'd be delighted. We are on duty at the hotel starting at seven am tomorrow morning, but I would be free at four pm." He paused for a moment, a slight frown appearing.

"What's the matter, Chuck?" Concern evident in her voice.

"You know what? It doesn't matter. I'll join you and your mother for tea."

"Oh no you don't, Chuck. My rather abysmal communication skills almost messed this up beyond repair" Sarah's finger darted back and forth pointing first at him then and herself. "I saw the look on your face. Please be honest with me. I don't think I could handle another communication breakdown."

"Okay, Sarah….fair point. I'll tell you. In my job, fraternizing with a protectee is very seriously frowned upon, and my boss, John Casey, will almost inevitably take disciplinary action against me. So this" Chuck replicated Sarah's movements shifting his index finger from himself to her and back. "This impacts everything I thought I had figured out….my career, my life plan."

"Oh." Sarah's eyes were downcast as she registered the meaning behind his words. His professional future, his career was on the table here and this was something she knew she could not possibly ask of him. "Chuck, I can't….."

"Sarah," this time Chuck reached across the table to lift her chin and force her to look into his eyes. "It doesn't matter. I don't care." He smiled tenderly at her. "So let's not worry about work for the moment and just….I don't know….just be you and me. Okay?"

"Okay." Sarah's smile returned as her eyes brightened again.

"So, what is the plan for tomorrow?" Chuck asked

"Mom and I are doing some Christmas shopping tomorrow during the day, but we planned to have high tea at five pm, so if you can join us, that would be perfect." Sarah then quieted down unexpectedly.

Chuck noticed. "Sarah, is something wrong?" She blushed demurely.

"Uhm, Chuck….where are you staying?" Sarah was slightly embarrassed at being forward, but she knew what she wanted.

"Staying?" Chuck asked obtusely, not immediately connecting the dots.

"Sleeping, Chuck. Where are you sleeping?" Sarah gave Chuck a flat look.

"Sleeping? Oh….Sleeping…..right! Sorry….I'm staying at a house the Secret Service provided for the Special Investigations team. It's maybe a 20-minute cab ride away, near the embassy." Chuck was shaking his head at his own stupidity.

Sarah found Chuck's confusion adorable and leaned forward to press her advantage. Her cleavage was accentuated by her forward lean, and she bit her lower lip as she batted her eyelashes. "Is your bed large enough for two, Chuck?" She watched him swallow hard and shift a little uncomfortably in his seat.

In different circumstances, Chuck would have been screaming for the check while throwing money indiscriminately at the waitress before grabbing the woman and racing out the door. Unfortunately, he was with Sarah Walker, the daughter of the President of the United States, and one didn't just sneak such a woman into one's place for a night of passion.

"Well, yes and no," Chuck explained. "I have my own room, but I'm sharing the house with 3 other people. So my place is not ideal."

"Chuck, would the tall brunette be one of the people you live with?" Sarah asked mischievously.

"What? No. That woman is one of our MI-6 liaisons who offered to give me a ride here. My housemates are all US Secret Service." Chuck was happy that circumstances eliminated his place from consideration, as it would have been very uncomfortable having the team know that the President's daughter was sharing Chuck's bed. Having said that, the sleeping arrangement problem remained presently unsolved.

"Give you a ride, huh? I bet she would have." Sarah grinned mischievously. "Uhm….well….I'm sharing a suite with my Mom, so while it might be ok with her, I get the distinct feeling you would not be ok with that." Sarah let out a deep and happy laugh. The first really good and happy laugh she experienced for a while.

Chuck winced at the idea of making love with Sarah while her mother slumbered in a room just across the salon. "Well. Yes….I mean, no. Not ok with that….at all….thank you!" He joined her with a warm laugh before continuing in a more serious tone. "Sarah, I'm yours. And we have all the time in the world, so if you are ok with it, I'd like to take the time so that when we can be together, it's special. I want it to be something memorable for both of us." He smiled warmly, the voice in the back of his mind reminding him about career and professional responsibility was tied to a chair with duct tape over its mouth.

With the conversation over and the meal finished, Sarah and Chuck nursed their beers while listening to the music being piped through the speakers from the pub downstairs. As the clock rounded eleven pm, Sarah's jet lag started to bite, and she needed to get some sleep.

"Chuck, will you take me back to the hotel?" Sarah stood and took Chuck's hand, and the two walked toward Morgan.

"Morgan, I'm ready to go back to the hotel, and Chuck will come with us; then it would be great if you could arrange a lift for him to get to his place.

"Yes, Ma'am." Morgan's formal response was professionally appropriate, given he was on duty. He then spoke into his microphone. "Valkyrie is on the move. Prepare for transit to Castle." With that order, the consular vehicles and the police escorts moved from their nearby staging area and stopped in front of the pub. Three minutes later, Sarah was in the back seat of a Range Rover, cuddled into Chuck's side.

"I missed you so much, Chuck." She laid her head against his shoulder.

Less than four minutes later, the convoy pulled up to the hotel, and Sarah, Chuck, and the security detail moved into the safety of the Dorchester hotel. Once inside, Sarah led Chuck into a quiet corner away from prying eyes so she could give him a proper good night kiss, and once they parted, she rode the elevator up to the penthouse floor with Morgan. Fifteen minutes after that, Chuck and Morgan were in one of the consular cars, heading to Chuck's place.

"So I guess things are good?" Morgan asked quietly.

"They are, partner. Thanks." Chuck had a happy grin as he looked out the window. Less than twenty minutes later, they pulled in front of Chuck's place.

"Hey Chuck, do you have a spare key? This way, we can hang out when I'm not on duty," Morgan asked.

Two minutes later, Chuck returned with an extra key, sending Morgan on his way, and ten minutes later, Chuck was in his bed drifting off to sleep with a contented smile on his face.

Across the circle in front of his house, Bryce Larkin picked up his phone and called Shaw. Emma Walker stayed in the hotel and, after dinner, turned in early. Sarah Walker's movements, along with the details of her security detail, were relayed meticulously until a little after eleven pm when Sarah Walker returned to the Dorchester and called it a night. Larkin saw the man Sarah Walker seemed to be romantically involved with leave the hotel in the company of one of Walker's protective detail and decided to follow them, leaving one of his trusted people to watch the hotel. He expected the Walker women to move again the following day, and his informants suggested the Walkers were headed to Harrods in Knightsbridge after breakfast.

Shaw picked up immediately. "Shaw, the Walker women are both in for the night, and their accommodations are impossible for a grab unless you want to kill a lot of people along the way. I have people watching the hotel, and tomorrow, they will be going to Harrods after breakfast. I expect them to be together but very heavily protected." Shaw listened carefully, then after agreeing that there was no immediate action possible, they decided to see what else tomorrow would bring before Shaw hung up.

Perhaps the only real shot Shaw at taking one or both women would be on the morning of the 21st, while they were in transit to Heathrow. The engagement was inevitably going to be violent, and expensive, as taking out the entire protective force in the motorcade was likely required, but going after both women gave him more margin should one accidentally die in the ambush. He started to think through the logistics and the mercenaries he would need to pull this off. He realized he only had three days to pull this together, so he started looking through his contact list to see who our be available. Perhaps the Corsican is available, he thought as his lips stretched into an evil grin.

-O-

Date: Saturday, 18 December 2021

Time: 23:20 GMT (18:20 EST)

Location: Dorchester Hotel - 53 Park Lane, London, U.K. – Suite of Emma and Sarah Walker

After giving Chuck a good night kiss, she entered the elevator with Morgan, and the moment the doors closed, Sarah spoke with Morgan about what she had planned. When the elevator doors opened, she gave Morgan a quick peck on the cheek as she exited. "Thank you, Morgan!"

"Of course, Ma'am," Morgan replied professionally.

A moment later, they passed by additional members of the Secret Service detail assigned for the London trip before she reached the door to the suite. Morgan reached over with his card key and opened the door for Sarah, "Good evening, Ma'am."

"Good evening, Morgan."

Morgan then turned toward the elevator, speaking into his microphone. "Valkyrie is in the castle. Special Agent Jones has the con." Morgan laughed as Jones responded to the Star Trek quip with a crisp "Aye-aye, Captain."

As Morgan was heading downstairs to meet Chuck, Sarah entered the salon to the suite to find Emma sitting on the plush sofa wearing a robe and swirling a glass of bourbon in her hand. Emma's eyes quickly scanned Sarah, and she instantly knew how the meeting with Special Agent Chuck Bartowski had gone. She smiled warmly.

"So, sweetheart. I take it from your smile that things went well this evening?"

Sarah sat next to her mother and smiled happily. "They did, Mom." Sarah poured herself a half glass of bourbon from the bottle on the coffee table in front of them. "I was terrified about telling him how I screwed things up, apologizing, and telling him I loved him, but while I was shaking in my boots, he could not have been more kind or gentle…..but"

"But what?"

Oh, Mom. He's prepared to throw his career away to be with me. I don't think I could love him more for that, but I don't want to be the cause of any future resentment."

"Sweetie, you just let your father and I take care of things with his work, ok? I promise. It will be fine….besides, your father already wants to reward him for what he did to save you."

Emma put her arm around Sarah's shoulders and pulled her in for a hug, kissing her forehead, then pulled back, lifting Sarah's chin to look into her eyes. "So, when do I get to meet the tall, dark, and handsome guardian angel?"

"I've invited him to join us for high tea at five. Tomorrow." Sarah smiled. "Haven't you met him before, Mom? I mean, he works at the White House."

"Wonderful. I'll be on my best behavior. I promise…..and yes, I've met him before, but only passively. We were never formally introduced. He was just another member of the Secret Service. But now, he's important to my daughter, and I want to meet him properly." Emma patted Sarah on her knee before standing and moving toward her bedroom, but before closing the door, she turned back to Sarah. "I'm happy for you, baby girl. I really am. Love you."

"Good night, Mom. Love you, too." When Emma closed the door, Sarah took a final sip of her bourbon and moved to her bedroom. She undressed and slipped into bed, but she picked up her phone before turning out the light.

Sarah – I'm in this giant bed all alone, and I really miss you. Can't wait to see you tomorrow.

Sarah smiled as she sent the message. Then, re-reading it, she decided to send a second message.

Sarah – Please don't respond to this message until tomorrow, or I won't get any sleep at all. I love you, Chuck.

Sarah silenced her phone, connected the charging cable, and turned off the lights. Tomorrow would be here soon enough, but this tomorrow was filled with joy and excitement instead of fear. Sarah drifted off as she recalled how warm and safe she felt that night on her couch in New York, wrapped around Chuck, her Chuck.