The Fairy Tale of Sarah Walker 7/7

Author: dettiot

Rating: T

Summary: Sarah Walker might have grown up in a fairy-tale world, but she wasn't a princess-not until a fairy godfather and a new job transformed her. When she returns home, which boy will capture her heart-the one she's loved all her life or the one who's a prince in disguise?

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's Note: And so ends another fic. I hope you enjoy this concluding chapter-I certainly loved writing this wrap-up, even though I'm a bit sad to leave behind this version of Sarah and Chuck.

Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed, and an especial thanks to Steampunk . Chuckster / victorianoir, the best cheerleader a writer could have-and an even better friend.

XXX

His lips were soft and motionless. Sarah was ready to pull back, to grapple with the huge mistake she had made, when suddenly he started to kiss her back. His arms were around her, crushing her to him, and she went up on tiptoe in her bare feet to get closer to him.

Closing her eyes, she melted against him, savoring the feeling of Chuck kissing her. He knew what he was doing: he mixed gentleness with confidence, shyness with passion. His kiss made her toes curl, and when he paused, his forehead resting against hers and his panting breaths rushing over her lips, all she wanted was more.

Through her closed eyelids, she perceived flashes of light. Sarah opened her eyes and squinted before she realized that it was just the cameras.

Cameras!

Feeling her face go scarlet red, she pulled back from Chuck. He looked at her, an adorably dazed expression on his face, until the clicks of the shutters penetrated his mind. Then he flushed, too.

"Um," he said, bending a little to speak into the microphone. "Just-just one minute, please."

The crowd roared with laughter, and Sarah couldn't help giving Chuck a shy, giddy smile. He grabbed her hand and pulled her off the stage into the wings.

It felt so good to hold his hand, but it felt even better to stand close to him. He seemed to agree, because he rested his free hand on her back.

"I have a lot to tell you," she said softly, gazing up at him.

"You do," he said, his nose brushing against hers and making her weak in the knees. "But first . . . can I kiss you again before I go and do my press conference?"

Sarah giggled softly. "Yes, you may. And you know you don't have to back out of the deal with Shenzhen Electronics now, right?"

"Less talking, more kissing," he said, leaning in and kissing her slowly.

XXX

After the press conference, which was rated a huge success by the press and Wall Street, Chuck had done his best to wrap up his day quickly. Sarah had gone back to her desk, a smile on her lips, one that hadn't faded as practically everyone at Bartowski Electronics came by to tease her and congratulate her in equal measure.

Once Chuck was free, he called her and told her how to sneak up to his office through a combination of lesser-used corridors and a secret, private elevator. Alice got them delivery from Dragon Number One, and they had a picnic on the floor of Chuck's office as Sarah explained why she had come to work for Bartowski Electronics.

"You're a spy? Seriously?" he asked, his eyes wide.

She nodded. "Yes. Well, this is my first assignment."

"And you came here because the CIA was worried about my company?"

He sounded a bit uncertain when he asked his question. Like he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer. Sarah scooted over towards him and took his hand.

"That's why I came here, yes, but . . . but my feelings have nothing to do with my job," she said, looking into his eyes.

His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. It was all she could not to lean in and kiss his throat, but she held back, letting him think that over.

"You broke into my company's files to get information," he said slowly.

Sarah took a deep breath. "Yes, I did. But I only was trying to protect you and Bartowski Electronics, so I only looked at files that had something to do with my assignment. Nothing about personnel or other research projects or-"

Chuck squeezed her hand. "I know what you're saying, Sarah."

"It might be hard to believe, but I was going to tell you all of this," she said, determined that he know everything. "That's why I wanted to have dinner with you."

"All of this?" he asked quietly.

She nodded. "About my job and about how I feel."

Licking his lips, which of course drew her eyes to his mouth, he seemed to be organizing his thoughts. "And . . . and how do you feel?" he asked softly, very carefully not looking at her.

If it was possible, that warm, soft, gooey feeling inside her, the one she had been feeling since she realized she wanted him, became even warmer and softer. She wanted to kiss him and wrap her arms around him and ruffle his hair and tease him, all at once. He was such a contradiction to her, and all she wanted was to figure him out.

But first, she had a question to answer. It had taken a lot of searching for her to know how she felt, and it was so good to know what she wanted, to stop hiding, that the only reason she held back slightly was because this was still so new, so fragile, that she didn't want to overwhelm him. But in the same breath, she wanted him to know just how amazing she thought he was.

Sarah rubbed her fingers against his gently, playing with them as she spoke. "Growing up, I always thought Bryce looked like he was straight out of a Disney movie. He was this perfect Prince Charming and I built all these dreams around him. But once I actually got to know him . . . he might still be a Prince Charming to someone. But he's not mine." She lifted her head to look at Chuck. "Because I found someone so much better. Someone who's a prince in a million little ways and doesn't even realize it."

His expression made her feel a little breathless. Or maybe it was also her confession. But either way, when Sarah gazed at Chuck, who looked wide-eyed and thrilled and a little doubtful but so happy, she wasn't sure if she was breathing when he kissed her slowly.

They ignored the rest of their lunch and spent as much time together as possible over the next three days. But Sarah still had to wrap up her assignment, which led to a lot of soul-searching.

There were lots of reasons for her to continue as a CIA agent-and one very good one to quit. Now that they were officially dating, Chuck was everything she could have dreamed of for a boyfriend and more. He made time for her, yet didn't whine or act annoyed when she had her own work to do. His acceptance of her work at Bartowski Electronics had floored her-she had searched for any sign that he was resentful or suspicious of her, but she found nothing. In fact, he seemed grateful that she had worked so hard to protect him.

So her decision to not quit had nothing to do with Chuck. True, she had her own fears about what kind of girlfriend she was, but . . . but she knew she was committed to Chuck and it wouldn't matter who she met while she was gone, because no one could compare to Chuck. It wasn't a matter of thinking she would be seen as a failure or wasting all that training to leave now. But as much as she loved being with Chuck, as much as she didn't want to only see him in-between missions . . . she felt like she needed to know if she could be a spy.

Joining the CIA had been a split-second decision, but she still thought it was the right one for her. She wanted to be a spy. But that meant leaving Chuck. It was like her heart and her head were fighting her.

When she explained that to Chuck, during dinner in his condo three days after the press conference, he had immediately reached across the table to take her hand. "I want you to be happy," Chuck said, his voice soft as he looked at her. "This isn't the 1950s. You don't have to choose, me or a career."

"But what if my job gets in the way of us?" she asked, holding his hand tightly.

"We don't know that will happen," he said, sending a small thrill through her at his use of the word 'we'. "I think you need to find out if working for the CIA is good for you. And if isn't, you can come back here and do something else. After all, statistics show that every person has several different careers over their lives. Your first job won't be your last one."

When he got like this, demonstrating his intelligence, she always felt a small flutter in her belly. Sarah made herself focus on the conversation. "That's true," she said softly. "So-I give the CIA a shot. After a few missions, I think I'll know what I want. From my career, that is."

He nodded, a soft smile on his face. "I think that's a good idea. In fact, maybe you should make yourself a promise: six months as a spy before you decide if it's the right choice for you."

Six months was certainly reasonable, although perhaps more time than Sarah was thinking. But he was right: she needed to give this a real try. And the fact that he was willing to give her this time, even when it meant barely seeing her . . . she knew that it was a promise she would do everything to keep. Because she wanted him to know that she had no doubts, no second-guessing, if she chose to quit.

"And how would you handle those six months?" she asked him, leaning in towards him.

"I would miss you so much, but if you're out there, making the world a safer place . . . I think the world deserves that after all it's given me."

Sarah propped her chin in her hand, gazing at him in the candlelight. "So I'm a reward for your good karma?" she teased, rubbing her thumb against his palm.

Chuck laughed softly. "No . . . but I am the luckiest guy in the world."

The utter sincerity in his voice made Sarah smile at him brightly. "Also the sweetest and the most handsome and-wow, you are really blushing."

"From now on, I'm just going to kiss you when you get like this," he said, leaning across the table.

"No objections," Sarah said just before his lips covered hers.

XXX

"Miss? Miss, would you like something to drink?"

"Hmm?" Sarah said, turning her head to look at the flight attendant. Then, coming out her haze, Sarah shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

The flight attendant smiled and nodded, continuing on with her duties. Sarah turned back to the window of the plane, gazing down at the landscape and waiting for a glimpse of San Francisco. It was nearly an hour before the plane was due to land, so it was foolish of her to be watching like a hawk. But considering who was waiting for her, Sarah didn't think there was anything for her to feel embarrassed about.

It had been over five months since that day at Bartowski Electronics, and although she had only gotten to spend about ten days' worth of scattered hours with Chuck, they had been very good days. And when she was gone on spy missions, they practically wore out their cell phones with calls and texts and picture messages and even an occasional video.

Sarah sighed softly. Even with all that, she still missed Chuck. Still longed for him, still wished that things could be different. But she had made him a promise and she had kept it. Almost-there was still two weeks to go officially. But she was so close to the end that she thought it was okay to take advantage of this vacation to make her decision: stay with Chuck or keep working.

Since she had left for her second mission, it had been ten days with Chuck and a hundred and forty-four without him. And although there had been plenty of moments during those hundred and forty-four days when she had had felt a rush of confidence and enthusiasm, nothing compared to the feeling she got when she first saw Chuck after weeks apart. That rush might even be addictive, it was so good.

But it had also made her wonder. Did she need that rush? Was that helping or hurting her relationship with Chuck? She got her answer the last time she saw Chuck, which happened to be when he was in the same area she was and they could spend a day together before he flew back to San Francisco. Lying next to him in bed, she had gazed at him as he slept, feeling such a profound sadness at the thought of him leaving soon. That was what he felt every time she had to leave him-and he had let her go every time. Without whining or guilt-tripping her. He had simply let her go.

The rush didn't overcome the sadness. And that made her realize she had already made her decision.

The click of the public address system and the beginning of the initial descent announcement made Sarah spring into action. She dug out her bag and checked her makeup and hair, applying a light coat of lip gloss. Returning her purse to underneath the seat in front of her, she checked her seat belt and then reached up to play a little with her necklace. Chuck had given it to her, the first time they had seen each other after she returned to spy work. The gold chain was so fine to be nearly invisible, yet had the same tensile strength as a bungee cord, according to a very proud, very excited Chuck. The pendant was a round gold circle, about the size of a silver dollar. The front-facing side was smooth and flawless, but on the back was engraved several different foreign words.

"They all say 'heart'," Chuck had explained a bit shyly when he had given it to her. "Just . . . just so you know that I'm thinking of you when you're gone."

As she rubbed her fingers over the pendant, looking out the window of the plane, she wondered if he had realized how important his gift had become to her. No matter what, she always knew where that pendant was. It had become like a talisman for her: if she had it, she would come back to Chuck safely and return his heart to him.

Sarah blushed a little, feeling embarrassed by how sappy her thoughts were. But in a half hour, she'd be with Chuck again for a whole week, thanks to the Christmas holidays and the special event they would be attending together. She hadn't spent this much time with him since they had met, and she had a lot of plans for their time together.

It felt like the minutes crawled until the plane landed and pulled up to the gate. Even before the all-clear was given, Sarah had unbuckled her seatbelt, feeling too fidgety to stay strapped in. She breathed deeply, reminding herself that good things came to those who waited. But until she was off the plane and into the terminal, it was all she could not to use her training and fight her way through the crowd.

Once her boots hit the tiles of the terminal's floor, she took off like a shot, dodging around people and obstructions. As she approached the baggage claim area, she made herself slow down and catch her breath. She didn't want to have to stop kissing Chuck hello because of something like a lack of oxygen.

Thanks to the holiday season, the airport was bustling and crowded, with thousands of people milling around the terminal. But spotting Chuck was always easy. Not because he was taller than most people, but because her body could feel him when he was nearby.

She felt that little tingle and turned, immediately spotting him. He was holding a bouquet of gardenias, wearing jeans and a sweatshirt along with his Dodgers cap. And when her eyes locked on his, a huge happy smile appeared on his face.

Somehow, they got around the people in their way and then she was in his arms, holding him tightly. Being hugged by Chuck always felt amazing, but the first time after they reunited felt doubly so.

"Hi," he whispered in her ear.

With a small giggle, she pulled back enough to smile up at him. "Hi, yourself."

He grinned and kissed her softly, his fingers stroking along her jaw. Sarah kissed him back, sighing against his lips. "Mmm," she said, nuzzling him a little.

"I got here a half hour before the plane even landed, I was so ready to see you," Chuck admitted softly.

"I was ready to get out and start pushing the plane," she said.

Chuck snickered. "'Would it help if I got out and pushed'?" he quoted. They had done a Star Wars marathon a few months ago, and ever since Chuck had never failed, as far as Sarah could tell, to use a quote from the movies whenever it was remotely applicable.

Sarah grinned. "C'mon, Han, let's see if my bag is ready." She stepped back but immediately took his hand, lacing her fingers through his.

His ears turned a bit pink, clearly pleased by her comparing him to Han Solo, then he held the flowers out to her. "Welcome home," he said, his happy smile in place.

"Thank you," she said, taking the gardenias and enjoying their heavenly fragrance. She smiled up at him. "I'm glad to be home."

"Even if part of your trip is taken up with Bryce's wedding?" Chuck asked, walking with her towards the baggage claim belt for her flight.

"Yep," she said, swinging their hands. "After all, I have a wonderful date for the wedding. One that I think will look amazing in a tux."

Chuck's blush deepened, then he ducked his head and kissed her lightly. "And I have a beautiful date."

In the months they had been dating, Chuck had slowly gotten used to getting compliments from her. But he still blushed and he still kissed her when he thought she went too far. So of course, she made sure to tell him everything she was thinking in order to get a kiss. And when Chuck gave her a compliment back, it made the kiss even sweeter.

Leaning against his side, Sarah rested her head on his shoulder.

"Tired?" he asked, letting go of her hand and wrapping his arm around her.

"A little," Sarah said. "Do you have to go back to work?"

He laughed. "No, I cleared my calendar for today."

"Really?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Yes, really," Chuck said. "I had some things to get ready for your visit. And there was no way I was going back to the office after picking you up." He moved his eyebrows up and down, in a move that she had termed 'the Bartowski Eyebrow Dance.' It was cute and adorable more than sexy and seductive, but it still made her feel warm and very ready to find some private, horizontal place.

Sarah leaned up and pecked his lips. "That was very wise of you."

The clanging alarm that indicated bags arriving made Chuck jump. Sarah laughed softly and gently nudged his hip with her own. "Easy, there."

"I'm fine!" he said quickly. "Just ready to get out of here."

Spotting her bag, she gave him a quick raised eyebrow. "Oh, yeah?" She started to step forward to get in position for retrieving her bag, but Chuck's voice in her ear stopped her.

"I am so ready to have you all to myself. To kiss you like I want to kiss you. I am so ready to make love to you."

Her knees actually wobbled. Sarah looked up at him, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed. There was a hint of red on his cheeks, but he looked back at her with confidence in his eyes. It seemed like he had decided turnabout was fair play and had gone overboard in order to get a kiss.

So she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with everything she had. Who cared if her bag went around the baggage claim a few times?

XXX

Sarah found herself humming as she got ready in her old room inside her father's apartment. Since Bryce and Elizabeth were getting married at Skylark Wines-with their reception to follow at Sweetie's Winery, due to the insistence of Elizabeth's mother-it had been easier for her and Chuck to get ready here. But since Mrs. Larkin was not exactly Sarah's biggest fan, she was staying with her father while Chuck was at the mansion.

Since Elizabeth had specified all guests should wear black formal attire, Sarah had picked a gown with a wide set halter, one that gave her good cleavage while leaving half her back bare. She was looking forward to Chuck's reaction to it, especially since he always liked stroking along her spine. A small shiver went over her as she imagined him doing that to her soon, and Sarah smiled goofily at herself in the mirror.

After curling her hair and pulling it back in a knot, letting tendrils caress her face and neck, she did her makeup before slipping on her dress. Sarah turned back and forth in front of her mirror, smiling at the way the fabric flowed around her legs and shimmered in the light. She adjusted her pendant, then added long golden earrings.

Her father looked up when she stepped out into the living room, letting out a soft whistle. "That's some dress."

She smiled at him. "Thanks, Dad."

"You're gonna give the kid a heart attack," Jack said with a small smirk.

"Oh, Chuck's heart is very healthy," she said before giggling quietly.

He shook his head with a grin. "Uh-huh."

"Thanks for letting me get ready here, Dad," she said, perching on the edge of the sofa next to him.

"You're always welcome, darlin'." He glanced over at her. "The kid's treating you okay?"

Sarah nodded as she absentmindedly touched her pendant. "Like a princess."

"Just how he should," he said, a touch of approval in his voice.

Although her father's opinion wouldn't have changed how she felt about Chuck, the fact that her dad liked Chuck made her happy. Chuck had been nervous when they had run into Jack upon their arrival at the apartment, stumbling over his words a little. But Jack had put him at ease and Chuck had soon settled into a friendly conversation with her dad.

Watching the two of them together, Sarah had felt a glimmer of nostalgia. She had looked over at the picture of herself with her parents, wondering if her mother would have liked Chuck. Somehow, Sarah felt that her mother would think Chuck was adorable.

"So you gonna stop workin' whatever job's got you traveling all over and settle down?"

Since she hadn't wanted to reveal her true profession to her father, she had told him that she had started working at Bartowski Electronics while waiting to find out about the job she really wanted-a job she had been offered after three weeks in Napa. She looked over at her father and smiled a little. "Eager for someone to take me off your hands?"

"Not exactly, darlin'," he said, grinning for a moment before his smile faded. "Just think you'd rather stay close to the kid."

"I would . . ." Sarah said slowly. "But with my job, it means traveling." She paused and looked at her dad. "Chuck and I talked before I left, and I promised that I would give this new job six months before I decided what I wanted to do."

"Been about that long since you left," Jack pointed out.

"I know," Sarah said. She tucked a curl behind her ear. "I'm going to tell Chuck my decision tonight."

Her father nodded. "Good luck."

Sarah gave him a smile and kissed his cheek lightly. "Thanks, Dad."

A knock on the door made Sarah jump to her feet, checking her appearance in the mirror. "We might come back here after the reception, but we'll keep it quiet."

Jack let out a snort as he stood up, following her to the door. "Yeah, sure."

As she opened the door, she threw a look at her father over her shoulder before she turned to face Chuck. She gripped the door when she got a look at him in his tux.

Now she wished her father wasn't standing just behind her. Because all she could think was broad shoulders and narrow waist and long legs and soft-looking curls and big eyes the color of very good whisky and she wanted to kiss him so much.

There was a clunk and a ping, and Sarah couldn't help smiling widely at him. "You dropped your keys again."

"Yeah, I did," Chuck said, his eyes not leaving her face. He cleared his throat. "You pulled out all the stops. Not that you need to, 'cause you're always beautiful, but . . . wow."

Whenever she got a compliment from Chuck, she knew he meant it. The sincerity always shone in his words. It made her blush and lower her gaze to the knot of his tie. "Thank you," she said softly. "You look so handsome."

Chuck smiled brightly at her. He bent down to pick up his keys, then looked over her shoulder. "Good evening, Mr. Walker."

"Hiya, kid. No driving drunk tonight," her father said.

"No chance of that, sir. Especially not with Sarah in the car," Chuck said, his hand cupping Sarah's elbow.

Sarah grabbed her clutch. "Good night, Dad!" she said, hurrying Chuck down the stairs. Once they were outside, she looked at him and laughed. "You are so cute."

"He makes me nervous," Chuck said, his hands reaching out to rest on her hips. "I mean, he's your dad."

Sliding her hands over his arms, she smiled at him. "He likes you, though. Mostly because I like you."

His smile was bright and happy as he leaned in to kiss her. She smiled against his lips as she kissed him back.

"You really look beautiful," he said softly, gazing down at her.

She felt her cheeks flush. "You wanted a beautiful date. Since I knew you'd come through-and then some-on your end, I had to do the same."

Chuck pulled her closer. "You'd look beautiful in jeans and an old t-shirt," he said, looking at her like she was a dream come true.

That deserved a kiss and then some. But standing in the parking lot of the winery, all she could was kiss him, which she did.

It was a shame that they had the wedding to attend. She would have been happy to spend the evening right here, just her and Chuck. But she had to admit, she was curious about this wedding and wanted to finally meet Elizabeth. So Sarah pulled back a little from Chuck and smiled up at him. "Ready to go?"

"Definitely," he said, offering her his arm.

As they began walking up the path towards the mansion, Sarah leaned against him. She wanted to have a good time tonight, especially with her decision to share with Chuck. It seemed like tonight, with Christmas right around the corner, was the right time to give Chuck an early holiday present.

XXX

The wedding ceremony was as ornate and over-the-top as Sarah had suspected it would be. Although Bryce had mentioned that Elizabeth had wanted to get married in a bikini, for her wedding dress she had chosen a ballgown so bedecked in crystals and lace and tulle that Sarah didn't know how she could fit through doorways. But Elizabeth Harvey could pull it off, Sarah admitted: she had a regal, graceful bearing that didn't fully hide a businesslike, no-nonsense attitude. Now she could understand why Mrs. Larkin had encouraged Bryce to marry Elizabeth.

When she got married, though, Sarah had no intention of such a cumbersome dress. She'd want something simpler, something she could move around in, something that would let her dance with Chuck and-

Sarah swallowed, feeling her face flush. That was getting much too carried away. A lot needed to happen before they could talk about something so permanent as marriage. Just because she was at a wedding was no reason to let herself fall into some silly, romantic daydream. Her love of fairy tales was bad enough.

A breath stirred her hair and washed over her cheek. "Everything okay?" Chuck whispered in her ear.

She didn't know whether he had sensed some tension in her, or if her expression had given away her thoughts. Either way, she didn't want him to worry about her, so she nodded and gave him a small smile.

Chuck smiled back and took her hand, holding it loosely through the rest of the ceremony. She laced her fingers through his, enjoying being able to hold his hand, to spend time with him. Before this week, the most time they had gotten to spend together was two days, so a whole seven days was a luxury. And as nice as it was to spend the first day in bed, and the second day not leaving his condo . . . she liked being with Chuck in public. Walking through the streets of Palo Alto, running errands or eating out, being able to tell him a joke and not only hear his laughter, but see how his eyes crinkled up and his mouth smiled at her.

Soon, she could have this all the time. And that thought sent a flutter of doubt through her. Was this normal? To feel so happy with another person? Maybe they hadn't spent enough time together-maybe they were still in that honeymoon phase that the magazines talked about. Could she be making a mistake by deciding to stay with him? They'd never even had a real fight. She didn't know if Chuck was the type to sulk or break things or go icily quiet when he was angry.

The pounding chords of the wedding march interrupted her thoughts, making her realize the wedding was over. Taking a deep breath, she watched Bryce and Elizabeth walk down the aisle, then turned to Chuck.

"What did you think?" Chuck asked as they waited to join the crowd heading towards the parking lots.

"Oh . . . it was nice," Sarah said, trying to sound normal.

"Yeah, it was," he said, rubbing his thumb against her hand. "I'm glad that Bryce and Elizabeth seem to like each other, even though getting married when they don't love each other is kinda sad."

Sarah nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

"Now I'm looking forward to dinner," Chuck said as they walked to his car, parked in the family garage.

"Of course you are," Sarah said, feeling a wave of affection for him. "It's been, what, six hours since you ate?"

"More like eight," he said, grinning back at her. "I had brunch with the rest of the family before Bryce and his groomsmen drew me into a game of poker. It's a good thing Bryce won, or else we'd still be playing."

She laughed a little. "Did you get cleaned out?"

"I won a little," he said, nudging her shoulder with his. "What, you think I can't play poker?"

"With your face?" she asked, barely holding back laughter. "You can't bluff about anything."

"It's easier with someone who doesn't know you," he conceded. "You know all my secrets, though. No wonder you know when I'm holding back."

Maybe she did, but Sarah doubted it. But now she wanted to find them out. Being a bit scared of taking this next step, of staying with Chuck, was natural. Because there was a lot riding on this. But she knew that she could trust him. She did trust him. So she was ready to step off the ledge.

"All of them?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"Yep," he said, leaning down to kiss her before opening the car door for her. "And if there's anything you don't know, you're welcome to ask whenever you want."

Once they were both in the car, Sarah turned to face him. "You do know how dangerous it is to tell a spy that, right?"

Chuck's response was only a wide grin, then he started the car. Sarah leaned back against the seat, watching him and holding up her end of the conversation as they drove to the reception at Sweetie's Winery.

Something that she had discovered since she told Chuck the truth about her job was how much he admired her skills. When she had demonstrated her martial arts abilities for him, he had been very impressed. And a little turned-on, she thought with a small smile. Not only was it sweet, it showed the quiet confidence that Chuck had. He didn't mind that she could be more physically intimidating than he could.

As Chuck parked the car, he glanced over at her. "Ready for a night of drunken debauchery?"

"It's a wedding reception-just how debauched could it get?" Sarah asked, flipping down the visor so she could check her makeup.

"Clearly you've never been to a wedding in Napa," Chuck said with a grin. "And you look perfect."

He hopped out of the car as she blushed from his compliment. When he helped her out of the car, she made sure to pull him in for a quick, soft kiss. "Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?" Chuck asked, his eyebrows knit together.

There were so many ways she could answer him, ranging from sincere truths to silly observations. But instead of answering him, she kissed him again and said, "No reason."

With a chuckle, he held his arm out to her. "Let's get our reception on, then."

"Yes, let's," she said, sliding her hand into the crook of his arm and grinning up at him.

The contrast between the relatively quiet parking lot and the reception itself was extreme, Sarah thought. The reception was in a large field that had a dance floor overlaid on the grass. Big band standards competed with dance music, thanks to an orchestra and a DJ both playing at the same time. A bevy of waiters moved around the area, offering crab puffs, fig and goat cheese tarts, and crostini with prosciutto and pear. Several bartenders were at the ready with bottles of red and white wine, all locally produced of course. Huge arrangements of gardenias and lilies perfumed the air, and paper lanterns and the moon lit up the space.

It was all so overwhelming. Sarah looked up at Chuck. "It's like this reception is a tug-of-war between Elizabeth and her mother."

"What?" Chuck yelled, leaning down towards her. "I didn't hear you."

Sarah couldn't help laughing. She mimed drinking from a glass, and Chuck nodded back with a grin before following her towards the nearest bar. Once they had gotten glasses of wine, Sarah looked around and pulled Chuck away from the dance floor, towards a large oak tree.

"To being able to think," Chuck said, holding his glass up in a toast.

"To thinking," Sarah said, clinking her glass against his and then taking a sip. She hoped it would quiet down some, or else telling Chuck about her decision would be more difficult than she thought.

Fortunately, her wish came true once the wedding party-and the mother of the bride-arrived at the reception. The orchestra and DJ alternated sets, keeping the volume low enough for conversation during the dinner of filet mignon and lobster. While Chuck spent most of dinner chatting with some old family friends also seated at their table, Sarah had mostly watched the reception begin to spiral out of control. The wine flowed, and by the end of the five-course meal, Sarah could see what Chuck meant about drunken debauchery. The tiny portions of food weren't enough to counteract all the wine that was being drunk. She guessed it wouldn't be long before it got really crazy, and she couldn't help smiling. It seemed like the kind of party that Bryce would want for his wedding, so she wondered if on this, he had managed to hold his own with Elizabeth and her mother.

As if conjured by her thoughts, Bryce and Elizabeth passed by their table, heading towards the dance floor. Bryce grinned widely at Sarah. "Hey!" he said, leaning down and brushing a light kiss over her cheek. "You look great."

"Thanks," Sarah said, giving both Bryce and Elizabeth a smile. "Congratulations."

"Thank you!" Elizabeth said. "It's wonderful to have you and Chuck here." Having changed into a slinky silk gown between the wedding and the reception, Elizabeth looked much more comfortable now.

"This reception is something else," Sarah said, gesturing for Elizabeth to sit in Chuck's chair, since he had stood up to talk with Bryce.

Elizabeth snickered. "You should have seen Bryce and my mother fighting about this. But yeah, everyone's having a good time, and that's what you want at a wedding reception."

"Hey, Liz!" Bryce said, leaning down and kissing her neck. "Let's dance with Chuck and Sarah."

"Don't call me that," Elizabeth said, even as she shivered from Bryce's kiss. "And what?"

"I dance with Sarah, you dance with Chuck," Bryce said. "C'mon, it'll be fun."

If she hadn't drunk two large glasses of wine, Sarah might be suspicious of all this. She was a little worried about just what Bryce wanted, but when Elizabeth rolled her eyes and shrugged, Sarah decided to go along and see what happened.

Chuck bowed with a flourish to Elizabeth and then began dancing with her, as the orchestra broke into Isn't It Romantic? Sarah looked at Bryce and quirked her eyebrow. "Seriously?"

Bryce grinned at her. "We never got to dance to this. I thought I'd give you a thrill." He waggled his eyebrows, in a pale, lesser imitation of Chuck's version, and held his hand out to her.

Sarah nearly laughed in his face, but just took his hand and let him pull her into his arms. "So how's married life, for the third time?" she asked.

"So far, so good," he said. "Better than the first two times. Which just proves that I do learn, eventually."

His eyes were bright, but she didn't think it was just liquor. Bryce seemed genuinely happy. And even though it was a bit odd, she couldn't help wishing him happiness. So she smiled and danced with him.

"So you and Chuck, huh?" Bryce asked, speaking quietly.

Looking over his shoulder, she caught sight of Chuck, smiling at Elizabeth and making her laugh. And she couldn't help smiling, knowing that he was all hers.

"Yeah," she said, looking at Bryce. "Me and Chuck."

Bryce nodded. "You two are good together. I knew this would happen, though, as soon as I found out he took you to Dragon Number One."

"What?" Sarah asked, feeling confused.

"Chuck never took dates there. It was the one place he didn't want to risk having unhappy memories attached to," Bryce said. He rolled his eyes a little. "He went on this whole rant once, about how he took this girl there when he was in college and it didn't work out and it took him months to not think about her when he walked inside, which ruined the food for him. He said he wouldn't take another girl there until he was sure about her."

"Oh," Sarah said, feeling her mind stop for a moment. That was certainly something to ask Chuck about: if he had been sure about her so early on. Because if he knew that quickly that he liked her . . .

She felt her face flush. And suddenly, Bryce was the last man she wanted to dance with.

"I think it's time to switch partners?" she said, hearing her voice shake a little. Maybe it was the wine, but she had to get to Chuck.

Bryce lightly patted her shoulder. "Yeah, of course." He lightly kissed her cheek again. "Enjoy the rest of the party."

"Thanks," she said quietly, struggling to get her emotions under control.

With all his innate grace, Bryce maneuvered them towards Elizabeth and Chuck. He said something softly to Chuck and it only took a moment for Chuck to step back and let Bryce dance with his wife.

As soon as Chuck was free, Sarah moved up and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on for all she had.

"Hey . . ." Chuck said softly, his hand rubbing her bare shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Sarah rested her face against his chest, taking a few deep breaths. Almost immediately she felt calmer and a little embarrassed. She looked up at him. "Sorry . . . I just-it's hard to explain."

His forehead wrinkled, making him look worried. "Do you need to get away from the noise?"

"I'm okay now, really," she said, trying to sound strong. But Chuck's expression didn't change. He turned them both carefully, moving off the dance floor and away from the music. And it felt so good to be alone with Chuck that Sarah didn't argue any more that she was fine.

Once they were a few hundred yards away, Chuck looked at her. "Better?" he asked, tenderly stroking her cheek.

She nodded, feeling less panicked now that they were away from the noise and heat of the crowd. "Yes. I'm sorry, it was all too much-the wine and the music and the people . . ."

Chuck wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I know, baby."

Cuddling against him, Sarah sighed softly, closing her eyes. They weren't really a pet-name couple, but sometimes he called her 'baby' and it was . . . it was nice. Even though intellectually she knew all the reasons she shouldn't like it, hearing Chuck's voice soften when he said that nickname was too wonderful not to like.

He stroked her shoulders lightly, his other hand pressed flat against her lower back, his fingers spread wide. She felt protected and safe and warm, like nothing bad could ever happen to her. And even better was knowing that he felt the same way with her. That she would take care of anything that tried to hurt him. Chuck wasn't some macho hero, a prince who rescued the damsel in distress. He let her do the rescuing, too.

Sarah tilted her head back to look up at him. "How about you?"

"I'm good," he said, giving her a lopsided grin. "Glad that it's just you and me now."

"Me, too," she said, sliding her hand up to play with the curls on the back of his neck. She took a deep breath. This was it. It was time to tell him her decision, because she was tired of waiting. She wanted to get the rest of her life started. "Chuck?"

"Yeah, Sarah?"

"I-I know this might not seem like the ideal place or time," she said, stumbling a little over her words, "but it's been nearly six months since I left . . ."

Under her hands, she could feel him stiffen a little. "Um, yes," he said, his voice hesitant. "Technically, it's been five months, two weeks, and six days, but . . . but who's counting?" he said, grinning nervously.

"You have," she said softly. "And so have I."

Chuck loosened his hold on her, taking a step back but keeping his hands resting lightly at her waist. "What are you saying, Sarah?"

"I'm saying . . . I'm saying I know what I want," Sarah said, gazing up at him. "I know I'm a week early, but-but I don't want to keep leaving you. I don't want to see you for a week and a half over a six-month period. I want to wake up with you every day and go to sleep with you every night, and laugh and cry and eat together. I want all the things that a normal couple have." She took a deep breath, since he wasn't saying anything, just staring at her with eyes that were getting bigger and bigger. "Chuck? You-you want to be a normal couple with me?"

The moment she spent waiting, looking up at him and wondering about his own doubts, about her own fears, felt endless. But then, a huge, happy, beaming smile lit up his face and he pulled her into the tightest hug she had ever received.

"Oh, Sarah," he said softly. "Are you sure? You don't have to do this for me-I'll take whatever I can have with you."

She could feel tears threaten a little, but she pushed them back as she rubbed his back. "I'm sure. I'm doing this for me. I-I'm so greedy when it comes to you. What I've gotten hasn't been more than a taste. I need more."

A rumble of laughter rolled through Chuck's body. "And here I thought I was being unrealistic, wanting so much more." He brushed a soft kiss over her temple. "'Greedy' about sums it up. I've felt like a Ferengi."

"What?" she asked, tipping her head back to look at him.

"Star Trek reference, baby. Never mind." He brushed her hair off her face, his expression so tender and soft and full of love that Sarah shivered. And when he brought his lips to hers, Sarah found herself clinging to him.

She couldn't stop kissing him. Couldn't stop touching him. All she wanted was him-and now she had him.

"How much have you had to drink?" Sarah muttered against his lips. "God, I need you."

"Not too much," he said in-between kisses. "But if you keep doing that thing with your hands, we'll be lucky if we make it to the car before I have to tear all your clothes off."

With a giggle, Sarah pulled back, holding her hands out to her sides. "Like I couldn't get you naked first."

Chuck laughed, his delight evident in his face. "Oh, you could. Y'know, since you'll be out of work soon, now seems like a good time to tell you I've always wanted a beautiful, hot bodyguard. I think I know just the woman." He swooped in and kissed her cheek. "Race you to the car."

As sweet as it was that he was worrying about finding a job for her, Sarah wasn't about to get distracted. Not when she had this handsome, hot man grinning at her and making her want to find the nearest flat surface. "I'll win," Sarah said, reaching down to pull off her heels.

"I'm counting on it," Chuck said, grinning at her before he took off.

As Sarah Walker ran through a Napa Valley vineyard, holding her heels in one hand and her skirt in another, feeling her pendant slap against her skin as she moved, she thought that in a fairy tale, this was when there would be a prediction about their lives together. Telling how they would get married and have children and live happily ever after. A fairy tale always ended like this, with the prince and princess together without any evil fairies or stepmothers to get in their way. After all, the traditional ending was 'And they all lived happily ever after'.

But this wasn't an ending. It was just the beginning for them.

End.