A/N: It always irritated me that Chuck didn't flash on Sarah or Casey from the start. Here, he will. He's also sharper than we saw, as well as being one of the best hackers in the world.
As this has proved popular, and people want me to continue it, the one-shot has been converted into the first chapter. Only the author's notes have changed.
This chapter is mostly sections of alternating PoV with just one merged.
No betas on this, so PM me if you spot that any significant corrections need to be made.
The Nerd and the Assassin
Chuck Bartowski was thoroughly fed up with his life. He'd wasted so much time since college. Maybe he should've fought back and reclaimed his life while still at Stanford. Maybe he should've made Jill see he wasn't a loser. He shook his head at himself, and instantly regretted doing that as pain hit behind his eyes.
He knew that it was receiving that email from Bryce f'ing Larkin yesterday that had triggered all these thoughts. Maybe he shouldn't have read it. Just deleted it rather than playing the game and having all these memories of that time throbbing in his head like they were.
He looked up and saw an unbelievably beautiful woman walk into the store and start to look around for something or someone. She looked so confident, so sure of herself, in spite of the search.
Part of him wanted her to notice him, but he also felt frightened of her, for some reason. He slipped out of the Nerd Herd station to watch her from behind the stacks.
As she got closer to where he'd been standing only moments earlier, his head was suddenly filled with images. Horrible, bloody images. He dropped to his knees, gasping.
Agent Sarah Walker thought she'd seen her mark when she entered the store, but must've been mistaken. She approached where she'd expected him to be. A bearded man in a green t-shirt was looking around, confused, but then he saw her and froze.
"Hi, I hope someone here could help me," she started.
"My- my friend-" he said immediately.
She narrowed her eyes. "I haven't told you what I need yet."
She realized she needed to dial back the intensity of her stare, as he flinched. "He needs you," the guy said, as if that clarified everything.
This was the weirdest interaction she'd ever experienced. She started her story. "My phone is broken."
"He'd be able to fix it," the man almost breathlessly responded. She noticed his name badge. Morgan.
"Who would?" she asked.
"Chuck. He can fix anything."
This was getting somewhere now. "So where can I find this Chuck?"
Morgan shrugged helplessly. "He was here but now he's gone."
She stared at the little man for a few moments. This wasn't going where it needed to. She grabbed one of the business cards on the desk and scribbled her contact number on the back. "Give this to him, Morgan. Get him to call me. I need him."
Chuck was still struggling with what he'd seen. So much blood, so many throats slashed, so many foreheads centered by bullet holes. So many corpses. Agent Sarah Walker, the assassin who worked for the CIA , had dished out so much death. How he knew that was beyond him, but he knew it was true.
What the hell would an assassin want with him? Well, assassins kill, so she must want to kill him, but why, for god's sake?
Instinctively, he knew that the two weird happenings must be linked. Bryce sending him an email and her turning up. Shit, what was in that email?
He remembered images, lots of images flashing in front of his eyes before he lost consciousness.
He thought about what he just experienced, with images of this assassin flashing within his eyelids. That was it! Somehow, he knew about her because of what he'd seen last night. That meant, she was here to kill him for what he'd seen! He felt sick, just thinking about the monster she was, and now was terrified because she was after him.
He listened to the conversation between this woman and Morgan, and saw her hand his friend a card with her number. There was no way he was going to call her.
He needed to get to his computer and try to fix it, or at least salvage the hard drive, to see the email contents again, electronically this time.
He staggered to his feet and to where Morgan was standing. "I feel ill and I'm going home," he muttered to his friend. That was certainly not a lie. "Tell Big Mike for me."
Morgan tried to stop him. "Chuck, man. This gorgeous, but slightly scary, blonde came in and wants to see you. This could be it for you."
Chuck already knew that, but not in the romantic way Morgan was implying. However, he took the card Morgan thrust toward him.
"Just tell Big Mike I'm sick," he repeated as he headed out.
Sarah had called Director Graham telling him that the mark was missing. "Maybe I can get the email off of his computer," she suggested.
"Do that before Beckman's man, Casey, gets there," he replied. "Don't disappoint me." He ended the call leaving her fuming. After Bryce had betrayed her, and then the debacle in Budapest, Graham no longer just trusted her to get an assignment completed. Hence her having to make the call to update him before proceeding.
Had she lost her edge? She certainly felt different about the job since finding that baby. Thinking about her was not good. Sarah needed to bury such memories as deeply as she did each and every termination. She certainly couldn't be thinking about holding the baby to her or about her mom who she'd only seen for such a short time. Such softness would be the end of her.
She buried those thoughts and shook her head to clear it of anything but the retrieval of the Intersect email.
She looked at the dossier on Charles Bartowski. She lingered on his photo attached to the front for a moment or two. Why did he seem so attractive to her? She liked more rugged men, didn't she? He looked young and sort of… goofy. Of course, it was a photo from several years ago when he was at Stanford, before he got thrown out for cheating. Still, he didn't look like a co-conspirator in the theft of government secrets.
She opened the dossier and found his home address, an apartment he shared with his sister and her boyfriend. Still living with relatives didn't fit the role Graham had outlined, either.
She programmed the address into her sat nav and started the engine.
As Chuck drove, he started to worry that the assassin may go to his apartment too. Maybe she'd even be lurking in wait for him. No. He knew the back routes to get there. Ones that even sat-navs didn't know about, so he'd definitely get there quicker. He'd go in, grab the computer and get out of there as fast as he could. He needed a plan on where to go, but for now that evasion was the important thing.
He couldn't help thinking about the woman, though.
The division between his body and brain had now moved to within his mind. His logical mind was terrified of the death she probably had in mind for him. However, his nature was to see the good in everyone and that fueled his romantic soul to want to hold her and kiss her. Maybe ease the pain her life caused her.
How could he yearn for her? Her obvious beauty, even at the distance he'd been from her, was probably the answer to that. He'd never seen such beauty before. Sure, Jill was beautiful, but this Sarah Walker was something else entirely. She seemed to have captured his heart immediately. Trouble was, she probably wanted to cut it out and leave his corpse in a pool of blood.
He pulled up at the back of the apartment complex. If she turned up, she'd park at the front, so he didn't want to exit that way. He instinctively hurried to his bedroom window, the Morgan door. He opened it and slipped in.
The computer was still sitting on his desk, as dead as it had been when Morgan had woken him. He quickly unplugged it. He couldn't go out the same way because he'd be visible to anyone arriving. The assassin could arrive soon. He'd go out via the rear, past the bins.
He was just passing through the living room when the apartment door opened and a figure all in black stood up, probably from picking the lock, and walked in. The balaclava was not standard. It had no holes, so hid her face and completed the head-to-toe black appearance. The wearer must be able to see through it.
His fear turned to anger as he guessed who the tall, slim figure was. "You looked better in the brown leather jacket, Agent Walker."
She froze and then pulled off the head covering. Her blonde hair cascaded out and over her shoulders. "How'd you know me?" she hissed.
Close up, her beauty was far more obvious. He just gazed at her for a moment or two, then he shook himself and said, "I seem to know you, and the death that trails behind the CIA's best assassin."
She visibly winced at his words. "Larkin told you," she growled.
That surprised him. "No," he replied. He focused on what he thought she was here for. "I take it you're going to kill me and take the computer." Somehow he felt emboldened enough to challenge her.
She winced again. "I just need the Intersect email. Just hand the computer over and you'll live."
He didn't believe her, of course. She wasn't merciful. However, he guessed that the computer might delay her. He walked closer. God, she was so beautiful, even when frowning at him. Different thoughts filled his head. He was stupid to think he'd survive. He handed the computer to her and she grasped it.
She now had her hands full, so he leaned over the device and kissed those gorgeous lips. He'd die with that memory.
Being recognized was a complete shock to Sarah, both because the disguise should've prevented it, but also because he knew her name. However, it was worse than that, he knew her role within the CIA and what she had become. Being known as the best assassin was grim. To be known as that by this man seemed worse, although she didn't know why.
The look he gave her as she revealed herself suggested he found her attractive, even knowing about her, which was interesting. His assumption on why she was here was painful to hear. He wasn't completely wrong. Graham would probably want him dead, but she just wanted the computer.
When he placed it carefully in her hands, she was relieved, but his next action completely took her by surprise.
His lips were soft. She responded to them even as realization hit her brain and made her whole body react. She suddenly wanted to grab the back of his head, pull him closer and for the kiss to continue. She let go of the computer which crashed down onto her feet that were only lightly covered, so it hurt like hell. She gasped in pain, but he took her open mouth as an invitation, deepening the kiss.
She pushed him away and looked down. The computer was completely broken, and blood was covering her feet which she discovered could no longer support her. She collapsed to the floor, cursing her body. She needed to get out of here.
"God, no!" he cried. She assumed he was talking about the computer, but he picked her up and placed her gently on the couch. He then eased off her soft boots. She gritted her teeth as he did this, the pain still being intense.
He rushed out of the room, but not leaving the apartment. He was soon back with a bowl of warm water and a cloth.
She watched in amazement as her mark carefully cleaned the cuts on both her feet. He was so gentle. How he held each foot was almost sensual.
He then felt around the cuts which were no longer bleeding. When he pressed on them, it hurt but she could tell no bones were broken. She looked up at him. He was watching her. "No fractures, fortunately," he said.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked. "I was going to steal from you."
She saw the realization of their situation set in. He lowered the foot he'd been holding, stood and stepped back. "My computer and my life." His tone expressed his horror perfectly.
"I wasn't going to kill you," she softly said.
"But that's what you do," he replied, obviously not believing her.
Before he could move away further, she clasped his hands. "Not this time, Charles."
"Chuck," he said. "People call me Chuck."
She had to resist her lips curling. She held his gaze as she said, "Thank you, Chuck." He tried to pull his hands away, but she tightened her grip. "I mean it, Chuck. I never intended to kill you." She swallowed hard. "I hate being known as a killer."
She released his hands and looked down at her feet. She expected him to run now. She should've held on and questioned him, but she'd lost the will to continue.
He didn't run, though. He knelt beside her. "Do you think you can walk?" He sounded concerned about her. No one ever behaved that way. Hell, no one ever cared!
She didn't answer his question. "You're not what I expected," she quietly said.
He pondered that for a second before saying, "Which was?"
"Larkin's accomplice," she replied.
"Well, you don't completely match what flashed before my eyes, either," he said.
She frowned but had to know. "Tell me."
He tightened his lips, obviously struggling with what he had discovered about her. "Your profile suggests a killer with no doubts and no mercy. You seem different from that."
The Intersect description was unfortunately accurate. She hated that it was. Chuck implied otherwise. Had the baby really changed her so much that she was noticeably different? "Different how?"
He answered immediately. "Less cruel, maybe. You've already shown mercy, or at least implied it. I guess you may be fooling me, but I can't see why." He looked at her more closely. Normally, she would recoil from such closeness, unless trying to fool a mark into thinking she was interested. Here he seemed to be assessing her. That was uncomfortable, but she wanted to know his thoughts and endured it.
"Your face seems softer than in your photo even though you're older. Your eyes are unusual. They were ice blue when you exposed them, even icier than in your photo, but now they're a mid-blue. I don't know what that means."
Sarah just sat and listened to him. No one had ever talked about her in this way. They either feared her or lusted after her. She knew she was attractive, the CIA had ensured she was, but he'd not mentioned that. It was as if it was less relevant to him. She looked at him as he spoke. He was attractive himself, if a bit thin, but his charm was from his behavior rather than a winning smile, although he had one of those, too.
Then she remembered the kiss. "Why did you kiss me?"
He stopped and blushed. "I thought you were going to kill me. I wanted to die with your lips on mine."
"But why did you want that?"
He held her gaze, although he looked uncomfortable. "Sarah, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I'd die a happy man."
She was stunned and couldn't respond to that. Instead, she thought about how the kiss had felt. His lips were soft and sensual. She'd never enjoyed a kiss as much before. She wondered how much of that was because it wasn't expected. No. She didn't like surprises. However, that kiss was so good! Of course, any pleasure stopped as soon as the computer landed on her feet.
She knew this was so wrong as far as the mission went, but at that moment, she didn't give a damn about the mission. "Kiss me again, Chuck."
He only hesitated for a second before he pressed his lips against hers again.
Everything he'd discovered today had him reeling. Bryce had sent him this Intersect thing and he'd downloaded it into his head. As if that wasn't shocking enough, the CIA had sent an operative to retrieve it, and selected an assassin to do that.
They must have expected her to eliminate him once in possession of what had been sent. Finding out who and what she was had been both surprising and extremely unpleasant, but she wasn't what the information in his head showed him. She was very desirable, but Chuck expected that was a requirement of female operatives. However, she wasn't as hard or as unpleasant as he expected. What's more, she had just asked him to kiss her, something he happily did.
Her lips were the most wonderful he'd ever kissed and she went further, deepening the kiss. He didn't want the kiss to end. She obviously was enjoying it too, if the moan she let out was any indication. Unfortunately, the need for oxygen forced them apart.
He found himself staring into those amazing eyes which were now dark and very inviting.
She gasped. "You're a great kisser, Chuck."
Jill had never said anything like that to him. He crashed his lips to hers again and she responded almost ravenously. Her tongue almost wrapped itself around his. He moaned this time.
She finally pulled away and breathlessly said, "We shouldn't be doing this."
The reality of their situation forced its way into his head. "What are you going to do now?"
She looked at the broken computer on the floor. "I guess there's no hope of finding anything on there."
Chuck looked down. He may be able to get something off the hard drive but probably not. "No. I think it's no good now. Even for someone like me." She raised an eyebrow. "Fixing broken computers is part of my job, but this one's a wreck."
"The Intersect is now in your head. I'll be told to bring you in."
He shuddered. "Becoming a lab rat?"
She nodded. "Probably in a bunker somewhere."
"Maybe you should kill me. Better something fast rather than a drawn-out solitary existence. A slow death." He noticed her deep frown. "Sarah, you've lived a solitary life, but not completely in the absence of others."
Her frown changed. "You're right. Are you a social animal, Chuck?"
He nodded. "I am. I couldn't cope without interaction. I certainly couldn't leave my sister and she would be equally devastated."
Sarah was silent after that, obviously trying to decide what to do.
Sarah always had a plan, and a backup plan, and a backup plan for that one, and another and another. She was a planner, not wanting to be caught out. However, that skill seemed to have vanished. It had in Hungary, and it had again now.
Part of her wanted to get Chuck away from the agency, but that would take him away from his friends and family, which he would obviously hate. It would also leave him with just her. She wasn't a sociable person and knowing what he did about her, he'd probably hate being with a killer.
She knew she should hand him over, but could see that would kill him. Physically, he'd be alive, but not mentally when buried in a bunker somewhere. So, what could she do?
"I must be able to help from here," Chuck stated. "Using this thing in my head from home."
She just said, "They won't agree to that."
"Not even if I prove how valuable I can be?"
She looked at him, thinking he was mad.
Then, he added, "And they shouldn't be allowed to treat a law-abiding American citizen as you are describing." He suddenly gripped her arms. "Do you have a laptop?"
She should've shrugged him off or even twisted and apprehended him, but she just nodded.
"Can we look at CIA protocols and rules?" he asked.
She stared at him, unbelieving. "You want me to let you see CIA internal documentation?"
He shrugged. "Some of this should be public, but, yes, if needed."
She didn't respond for a minute. She absolutely shouldn't do what he'd asked, but then what she expected to happen was so wrong.
She made a decision. "Let me go get the laptop. It's in the car."
Sarah had spent the last thirty minutes mesmerized, watching Chuck's fingers flying over the keyboard of her laptop.
In the hour and a half before that, he'd spent twenty minutes reading the public CIA website on rules for interacting with American citizens who had skills they needed, along with the equivalent for foreign nationals. Then, he'd spent the first hour within the CIA files reading protocols and rules of engagement, including with assets, which they thought would be Graham's expectations for him. She shouldn't have shown that to Chuck, but she just got caught up in what he was doing.
Since then, he'd found details of a visit to Los Angeles for a NATO officer, General Stanfield, who shouldn't be arriving for another day. Chuck commented, "He's coming early and if I found out about it, others will too."
"Why does that matter?" she asked.
He stopped typing and turned to her. "To quote Indy, 'I've a bad feeling about this.'"
She had no idea who Indy was, but asked, "Is that an Intersect feeling?"
He shrugged. "Sort of."
He was going to turn back to the laptop, but she stopped him. "Explain."
"There are people that don't agree with what he has planned. This is the first time he's been anywhere unsecured."
"You think he's going to be targeted?"
He showed her the windows along the top of the laptop screen. A man was walking through passport control in LAX. Chuck then pointed to the next window, one of many. "His passport shows him as Mateo Lovren, a Croatian National, but he's actually Vic Andric, a Serbian demolitions expert. I think he's here to blow up the general."
"The Intersect?" she asked.
He nodded. "Yeah. I flashed on Andric."
"We need to find him," she stated.
He grinned. "On it."
She looked at the laptop. He had several windows open showing Andric at various other locations. One showed him climbing into a taxi at the airport, with a window next to it showing a red line on a map, which she guessed was the route taken by the taxi, then another photo of the man alighting. "He's staying at a small hotel not far from the one where the general is checked in."
She just stared at him for a couple of seconds. "You hacked into airport security and cameras, then the taxi company's and one by that small hotel, as well as finding out where the general's staying, a fact that must be hidden somewhere highly secure."
He winced at the word 'hacked.'
"If I report this, they'll want you brought in for being a hacker, too." He winced again.
She made another snap decision. "We have to stop Andric." She stood. "Come with me," she commanded.
He automatically followed her instructions. They reached the apartment door before he got his wits about him and was going to challenge her command, but she suddenly turned to face him, making him quickly halt rather than walk into her.
Sarah knew she shouldn't do this, but she wanted to show her appreciation for what he'd found out. She cupped his chin and planted a kiss on his lips. It was intended to be a thank you kiss, but it lasted longer because she liked his lips on hers so much.
As she reluctantly pulled away, she softly said, "Thank you, Chuck."
She opened the door and stepped out, but realized Chuck wasn't with her. Turning, she found him standing in a daze. She grinned knowing it was her fault. She reached in and grabbed his hand in order to pull him to her car.
Chuck came out of his blissful state and yanked his hand back. "I won't be safe with you."
She was surprised at how easily he reclaimed his hand, but looked at him. "Chuck, You're not completely safe anywhere with all that in your head, but you're safer with me than anywhere else."
"Not if you're going after Andric," he said.
She felt frustrated. "I can't let you out of my sight, but if I don't get him, the general may get killed… along with many others."
She saw recognition of the importance of her words in his face. His resolve to save himself faltered. A different look appeared on his face, she took it to be one of determination to save someone else. The general. He squared his shoulders and said, "Lead on, Macduff."
She guessed that was a quote, but like before, didn't recognize it. She grabbed his more willing hand and took him to the car.
As they arrived at the rather seedy looking hotel, Sarah wanted to tell Chuck to stay in the car, but thought he might be spotted. Graham had told her about the NSA bloodhound being sent for him. She did not want John Casey to find him. The major was as likely to shoot him as capture him. "Come with me, Chuck, but stay behind me."
Following an unbelievably beautiful woman into a seedy hotel would have looked suspicious normally, but her being dressed in a tight fitting black skinsuit seemed worse, somehow. Chuck didn't question her, though.
She walked to the reception and said, "Mateo Lovren?"
Her voice was so commanding that the man on the other side of the counter immediately looked at his records. "Room 217."
Sarah took Chuck's hand and pulled him to the elevator. She repeated her previous command, "Stay behind me."
He'd seen the gun that had appeared in her hand, god knew where from in what she was wearing. She screwed on what he assumed was a silencer. He didn't want to get between that and her target, so he nodded. Besides, her backside looked fantastic in what she had on and if he was behind her, he'd be able to look at that without judgment.
However, as they approached room 217, watching her ass lost some of its appeal because this was not going to be a safe place soon.
He stopped at the door before the one that was her destination. Sarah noticed and nodded her approval. She heard someone humming inside room 217 and she kicked in the door. Gun out.
The humming stopped and Andric turned from what he'd been doing, and reached for the gun on the table.
Sarah shot the gun out of his hand and then his knee. He dropped to the floor crying out in pain. She walked to him and, with her gun in hand, struck his face. He slumped down completely.
Chuck had seen the mask that seemed to collect on her face, she shot twice before entering the room. He walked to the door in time to see her knock the man out. Blood was pouring from Andric's hand and his knee.
In spite of feeling so attracted to her, and starting to think the Intersect was wrong, he suddenly believed it completely. She was cold, hard and ruthless. She hadn't killed the man because she hadn't been sent to assassinate him, and she probably wanted to interrogate him, but what she'd done still sent a chill up and down Chuck's spine.
Sarah tied Andric's hands behind his back and tied his ankles too. Then, she stood and looked at what he'd been working on. There was a Roark laptop attached to several blocks of C4. On the desk to the side of this was a floor plan of the hotel the general was staying at with a conference room circled in red ink. She guessed that was where Andric planned to take the bomb he was creating.
Sarah had a sudden thought about how to help Chuck. She turned to him and said, "We have to let Stanfield's people know about this."
Sarah's mask had dropped as she turned to him. Chuck saw the concerned woman he'd seen before. She pushed him away from the door. The lock was broken, but she pulled the door to and unless you looked closely you wouldn't know.
She hastened them back down to the reception and flashed a badge at the man there. "No one is to go to room 217." The man nodded, seeing her steely look.
They quickly drove to the other hotel and she flashed her badge again, demanding to see Stanfield's security team. After a phone call, two men in military uniforms appeared. Chuck watched as she quietly spoke to them. One returned from whence he'd come, but the other walked with them to a black SUV which he drove back to Andric's hotel.
Thirty minutes later, Sarah and Chuck were introduced to the general. Chuck had felt intimidated for the last hour, first with how Sarah easily took down Andric, then the military presence and now with a real general. He watched as the situation was explained to General Stanfield who then approached the two of them.
"It seems that you two have saved both me and all the people who'd be attending my presentation tomorrow." He asked for their names and details which they gave.
Sarah spoke up, "I shouldn't operate in the US, sir, but I had to here."
The general nodded. "Thank you." He looked at Chuck as well. "Quite an adventure for you."
Chuck nodded. "Yes, sir."
Stanfield stood back. "I will make sure my gratitude is expressed to your president." He looked at Sarah. "I hope that will be passed down to you." She nodded her thanks. He added, "If there's anything I can do in return, don't hesitate to contact my team." He handed a card to each of them.
Chuck realized what Sarah had done for him. He would show her his gratitude as soon as he could.
They were led back out by the man who'd gone with them.
Once back in her Porsche, Chuck leaned across, laced his fingers into the blonde locks at the back of her head and pulled her into a kiss. Sarah closed her eyes and kissed him back. As he pulled away, he said, "It was my turn to show my gratitude. I know what you've done."
She felt breathless from the kiss, but replied, "The president will hear what you've done, Chuck. It's got to help."
As she drove them away, Sarah thought about the conversation she was going to have with Director Graham. He wasn't going to be happy, but she was sure she'd be able to get him to see that bunkering Chuck wasn't the way forward.
She'd state she should stay here in LA to protect the most valuable intelligence resource. She would suggest being his cover girlfriend, but hoped for more.
She looked over at Chuck who was already looking at her. He smiled. She smiled back. Yes, she wanted more of those kisses.
She was still struggling to see how Chuck could want to kiss a cold-blooded killer like her, but wasn't going to question it. The nerd liked this assassin, and that was all that mattered… for now.
The call with Director Graham was as difficult as she'd imagined, but it was necessary. She and Chuck were in her hotel room and she had her phone on speaker so he could hear everything. She didn't want any secrets between them.
"So, you worked with this Intersected-individual to save the NATO general?" Graham asked for confirmation, after she had outlined what had happened..
"Yes, sir. It was the quickest and most expedient way, while still keeping him in my sights."
He sighed. "Your name is already known to the Secret Service from your time with them." She glanced at Chuck to see if he already knew that. He nodded, apparently sensing what she wanted to know. Graham continued, "Thankfully, they know about keeping identities secret." It wasn't like him to be humorous so that surprised Sarah. Then, he mentioned something she was dreading. "The CIA is not supposed to operate here, but only follow leads."
"I want to stay with him on protective duty," she repeated.
Graham was silent for a while.
"Have you slept with him?"
She was able to honestly reply to that one. "No, sir. You know I don't do that."
"A long-term protective assignment, as you suggest, would probably require you to sleep with him. It would be expected if you were his girlfriend. Are you willing to do that, Sarah?" She saw Chuck's eyes widen.
Graham using her first name was surprising. "Leading to what you were referring to? Is that what you're saying, Director?"
"Ready to settle down?" he asked unexpectedly. She could almost hear humor in his tone.
She ignored that and talked about the alternative path. "He wouldn't cope in a bunker. He'd not last long there. He needs his sister, at least."
"Have you met her?" he asked.
"Not yet," she admitted. Chuck gave her the thumbs up and she smiled, hoping he was right..
Graham then said, "While waiting for an update from you, I realized why his name was familiar. His mother was CIA. She did what you're suggesting and ended up married to her asset." Sarah was shocked and so didn't react to the final word. She locked eyes with Chuck who's hand was over his mouth, but she knew the news had shaken him.
Graham sighed. "We need you to remain in active service and you would need to follow up on any intelligence he provides. That means you couldn't be there on your own."
She had an idea which would solve this, and the problem of working in the US. However, she was unsure of it because of the individual involved. "What about Major Casey?" she asked.
"I was wondering the same. I'll discuss this with General Beckman." The director ended the call with no further words.
Chuck looked at Sarah as she placed her phone down on the bed. "Are you willing to sleep with me Agent Walker?" he challenged. He obviously couldn't face the news about his mother yet.
Looking at him, sitting up and leaning on a pillow against the headboard, he was so very attractive. "I'd obviously like that, Chuck. A bigger question is about the future for us. Can you face living with me with all the blood you know is on my hands?"
He winced. "I hate all that. You know I do, but I don't feel that does you justice. You were under orders. Not only that, I've realized that I love you, Sarah. You captured my heart right from the start."
She gasped. His words surprised her, but also made her feel warm throughout. The latter made her smile. "Good to hear, but a life with me?" She hadn't realized how much she wanted a positive answer to that.
He opened his arms and she quickly filled them. "We should make love… to seal the deal," he whispered.
"The deal?"
"On a long-term contract," he said as he kissed her head. He was using humor, but she was starting to know him now. It was more than just a joke.
She immediately imagined a wedding ring, a marriage license and all that entailed. It strangely didn't frighten her. She held him tightly, really not thinking about how they were both getting so far ahead of themselves.
The rest of his comment filtered through to her brain and her body made its needs very clear to her. she was tingling all over, and particularly between her legs. "Let's seal that deal now," she breathed out.
His reaction confirmed he was serious about this, too.
Their clothes were soon being flung in all directions and the proposed cover became real. Very real. The nerd and the assassin became more than just a team, they became one. Several times, as the night progressed.
A/N: I originally marked this one as a completed one-shot, because I have several other stories still in progress. However, Casey hasn't even shown up at this point and he always makes the stories more interesting. Ellie's the same. So, with the response it received, I'm continuing it and the second chapter will be up soon.
If this is new for you, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.