Taking Risks:

A/N: Thanks for taking the time to give this story a go, as it really does mean a lot. I know, I know, I have ten thousand stories going at once, but this one is a slightly pre-written one, and it's a joint project between another author and myself, who's chosen to remain anonymous for now. Anyway, it should be a mostly light hearted Charah story, and I can guarantee you no Shaw. That right there is a total reason alone to give it a chance :)

Chapter One:

Sarah Walker was just about done. Done with the agency, which was unfortunately her life, and every single hassle and struggle that seemed to come with it. She was tired of sucking Graham's praise up like a sponge, especially after murdering a room full of men. Drug cartel or not, it was murder. She was tired of returning to her hotel room, crying about how sickly twisted her life had become, over a carton of Ben and Jerry's Rocky Road. All the while normal girls her age cried over the exact same ice cream, but rather about guys, and how no one would ever love them. It made her feel strange to think that she should have been in that position. She should have finished High School. It was her god damn senior year. She could have gone to prom, wearing a dress and being treated like a princess. She might've even had a chance at popularity, if she'd been less stubborn and changed her looks a little to what she was now.

The cold truth was simply this: there was no going back in time. No changing what Graham had built her into. She was supposed to be the world's sexiest, deadliest, stealthiest, killing machine. And that she was. But she couldn't handle the stress, that no other girl her age probably went through. Stress that could break you down to the point of becoming psycho. Had she ever gone that far? Thankfully, no. But she was surely half way there. And at such a young age? No, Sarah refused. No more. She was running, going AWOL. And if they tried to hunt her down, she'd kill them. That was really her only choice. She was aware of just how hypocritic it sounded, but she needed time to devise a more well thought plan. She was only twenty one, after all.

Currently, she had her eyes on a plane, as she sat by the tall, clear glass of the Dulles International airport, right near DC it's self. She'd come far too close to returning to Graham and getting assigned once more. He was probably waiting for her right now.

FLASHBACK: Hotel room, Washington DC, 12:00 PM

Without word, she returned to her hotel room the CIA had booked for her short lived stays in DC. She had raced to the safe that was hidden up in the closet, which had a a lock and a code. Pulling out the key she always kept on her, she unlocked the lock that hung from the safe handle, then entered her four digit code. The tiny safe door swung open, revealing stacks upon stacks of dollars, each in a unique currency.

Then, at the far left corner of the safe, there were little blue, red, black booklets, each a passport under several unused aliases, each with an ID of their own. She'd had to work her ass off, trying to impress the right people in the agency to do this favor for her. But now, she was ready to flee anywhere her heart desired. And she was rich enough to never work again for the next months. It was her one and only back up plan.

Holding up the first ID with it's matching passport, she had slipped into the bathroom, checkingout her face. She was often told that she was gorgeous. To her, it meant nothing. Sheremembered her face in high school, and how she had braces. They were now replaced withbeautiful, straight, pearly whites. And her eyes had gotten to be a slightly darker blue, in her opinion. As for her hair, it was brown, and had been brown all up till now. It used to be ratty, but that was fixed to a straight, soft replacement.

And now, she whipped out the box of blonde dye she'd just bought, and changed her persona yet again, over the sink. After a complete rinse and dry session, which took about an hour and a half, she was brand new, yet again. Glancing in the mirror, she saw a fair, blonde and blue eyed stranger staring right back. Grabbing all her things and shoving them into her travel duffel bag, she left, leaving behind no trace, no item. But she did happen to randomly leave a map of New York under her bed, just in case Graham decided to chase her.

Shutting the door, she never looked back as she caught a cab to the airport.

End Flashback: 1:30, D.I. Airport.

"Next flight to Los Angeles, first class boarding now." Sarah rose. First class might not have been the wisest purchase, but hell, she needed to be pampered. Rising, she made her way to the short line, glancing nonchalantly at her passport and boarding ticket. Sarah Walker was written on it, and was far better than her most recent alias, Rebecca Franco. Approaching the workers, they scanned her ticket, checked her passport and bid her a good flight, as she passed through, carrying her duffel bag. First, they'd break at Denver, Colorado, then continue onward to LA, where maybe, she'd find what she was looking for. And she had no idea just what that was.

-o-

"Wait!" A tall, brown haired, brown eyed man raced through the terminal, trying to catch his flight, which was just about to begin takeoff.

"I have everything, here!" He dropped his ticket and passport on the desk, as the workers checked him.

"Okay sir, you're good to go. And just in time..." the man smiled, as Chuck thanked him with a huff, and set off to find his seat. Glancing to his right, he counted down the large, spacious aisles, until he found his number. Seat 12. He walked over, setting his things in the overhead compartment easily with his height.

"Hi..." he offered an adorable, awkward smile to the blonde who sat behind him, who smiled in kind. Chuck glanced down. She was gorgeous. He never did too well with girls, let alone angelic looking ones...

"Chuck..." he nodded.

"Sarah..." she replied in kind.

"So this is first class..." Chuck mumbled to himself as he let out a quiet whistle of awe. He grinned and took a champagne as a stewardess walked by, holding a tray full of flutes of it. Henoticed the blonde grinning as she took a flute of her own, holding it delicately. She looked just about his age, a college student visiting her family, he guessed.

"New to the lap of luxury...?" she asked gently, causing him to shake his head.

"This is a first."

"Hopefully the first of many?" Sarah smiled, deciding that if she wanted to be a normal girl, she needed to make conversation. And he seemed suitable. After all, he was kind of cute, with his curly brown hair and chocolate looking eyes.

"Well, at this given point of time, doesn't look like it." Chuck replied, sipping his champagne.

"May I ask why?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, uh, it's just..." Chuck began sheepishly, but she nodded supportively. "I uh, I my job hunt is not going as hoped, to say the least."

Sarah's eyebrows rose. "Job hunt? What are you, twenty?"

"Considering the champagne, twenty two." he quipped, making her smile.

"Oh, that's true...so am I." Sarah replied. "So, what job is it that you're hunting for...?"

"Honestly, anything with modern tech. Engineering, repair, I'm your guy."

Sarah nodded, impressed. "Finished college early?"

"Finished with itearly." he replied, taking a more melancholy tone.

"I can relate..." Sarah replied sympathetically, having a sip.

"I'm sure, whatever your situation is, it's got a happy ending." he replied. "Mine sucked from the start."

"What makes you say that about my situation?" She asked amusedly.

"Look at you, you've got so much potential." Chuck babbled, no filter coming on to save him, before he realized what he was saying. "You could be a model, an actress, because you're beautiful, and-" he stopped in dead silence, realizing just how stupid he sounded. She had known him for about ten minutes, and here he was, telling her how beautiful she was and how much potential he had. Slapping his forehead, he tried to salvage the situation, all the while, he missed her blush and amused grin. She could read people. That's what she did for a living. And he was definitely pure.

"I uh, i mean, you know, if you wanted too...I uh, you're just beautiful, and oh god, I sound like such a creep, don't I...?" he babbled, making her laugh. Chuck froze. It was such a heart warming noise.

"Chuck..." she laughed, holding up her hand to get him to stop. "It's alright, I'm flattered..."

"Oh, good..." Chuck sighed in relief. "I really did mean it, though."

"I know, and...thank you." she smiled.

Chuck leaned back, slightly more relaxed now. This Sarah girl, she was so easy to talk to! And she understood his nonsense!

Sarah glanced out her window as she saw all of DC below her. This Chuck kid was nice enough. But why did her insides melt when he complimented her? It was all so strange. Whatever the reason, if this was normal life, she was ready to embrace it with open arms.

A/N: There is the first chapter. Hopefully, if you guys enjoy it, future chapters will be longer. Reviews are highly appreciated, because it let's us know what you think and where to take it next! Thanks for reading, and reviewing! I will try to update very often, sometimes every other day if I can. Thanks a million everyone, and as always, have a good one.

-LLC