Chuck was working in Buy More, on an ordinary Wednesday afternoon. He was staring out the window, across the parking lot at Orange Orange, as he usually did on his lunch breaks. It was amazing that he actually managed to eat anything when he was as wrapped up in his daydreams as he was then. As he stood there, leaning against the windowsill, Sarah looked up from the counter she was cleaning and flashed him a smile. The smile that she only gave to him, that not even all of her training concerning controlling her feelings could hide. The smile that made him grin like an idiot back, his smile so wide that Morgan had once asked him if it hurt to keep his mouth like that.
"It's the pain of love, Morgan. Love hurts," Chuck had jokingly replied.
Morgan hadn't known what to say. He had walked away, shaking his head and mumbling something about "people with all the luck". And Chuck did consider himself lucky. Sure, he had some weird computer program in his head that made him a CIA asset, which really ruined his social life, but Chuck saw Sarah almost every day. And even if she would never admit that she had real feelings for Chuck, that extended beyond their cover relationship, and that were much stronger than friendship, Chuck knew. He also knew he would have to settle with just knowing, at least until Sarah was ready. If she ever would be. And Chuck had to believe that she would be someday, because he couldn't imagine living his whole life without her.
Chuck glanced at the clock and saw that he still had about ten minutes of his lunch-break left. He looked at Sarah again and decided to walk over and see her. Well, it wasn't really a decision so much as an automatic response to the new smile Sarah gave him, which was, if possible, even better than the first.
He walked out the door and across the parking lot, nearly running right into a pale man on the shorter side, with what appeared to be his teenage son.
"Really sorry about that. I didn't even see you," Chuck apologized, even as he continued walking towards the Orange Orange.
"That's alright, it was probably my fault," the man replied, with a weak attempt at a smile.
Chuck just nodded and continued walking.
"Hey Sarah," he greeted her as he shut the door behind him.
"Hey Chuck. Is anything wrong? Did you flash on anyone?" she asked, instantly worried.
"Nooo, I just came over here to see my beautiful girlfriend, like I normally do. Why would you think I was in trouble? I come over here almost every day," Chuck wondered, his forehead furrowed in worry and confusion.
"Oh, that's good. You just looked, oh I don't know, a little more forlorn than usual, and you had me worried. But who were you trying to pretend for, anyways? No one's in here, and you and I both know that I'm not, I can't be your real girlfriend. You do realize that, right Chuck?"
"Whoa! Guess you woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning! I just wanted to come see you. You know how I feel about you, even if you don't want to. A guy can't help but hope a little," Chuck said with a half smile on his face, happy that he had just straight out told her that he had feelings for her without blushing (too badly), but disappointed that she was in a bad mood. He hoped it wasn't because of him.
"I'm fine. It's you I'm worried about."
So it was sort of his fault. What had he done wrong? He hadn't badgered her for information about her real identity lately. He hadn't cornered her and tried to get her to confess her feelings for him. Heck, he couldn't think of anything that he had done lately that would make her worried about him. Maybe there was a Fulcrum agent nearby, or something.
"I know that being the Intersect has prevented you from seeing your friends as much as you used to, and I really think that you should have a guy's night or something," Sarah continued.
"Really," Chuck raised his eyebrows in surprise, "and when's the last time you took a girl's night, Sarah? Don't you think you focus on your work a tiny bit too much?"
"Maybe I do, Chuck, but we are two very different people. I'm used to this job. I don't even really know what it's like to have a girl's night," she sighed, "and I guess you can't miss what you don't know."
"I don't know, Sarah. I think you should take a break. But who am I supposed to have a 'guy's night' with? I mean, Morgan obviously, but who else? I don't exactly have many friends now, and I can't picture hanging out with Casey!"
"Well, I wouldn't recommend Casey," she laughed, "but come on, you must have friends Chuck. What's not to like? You're funny, nice, and smart. Hey, what about Lester and Jeff?"
"You're not serious are you? Jeff and Lester?!? They just aren't the kind of people you invite for a night out, Sarah."
"Okay, maybe not them. I don't know Chuck. There's always Devon."
"Devon's idea of a good time is an iron man or a triathlon. I doubt he'll enjoy my idea of a guy's night, which consists mainly of gaming and TV."
"Then why don't you try to make some friends? You work at a Buy More for Christ's sake! There's got to be at least one guy in there that is interested in gaming and computers that you might be able to hang out with."
Chuck sighed. "I'll think about it. But this really doesn't sound like you. Normally you're like a worried mother telling me to watch out for strangers and stick with people I can trust!"
"Call it a change of heart. I just want you to be happy Chuck," Sarah smiled.
"You know what would make me happy Sarah. But I have to go anyways, so we'll talk about this on our date tonight, okay?"
"Sure. I'm looking forward to it! And Chuck, I need you to know that I'm sorry that I can't be what you want me to be," Sarah said soberly,
"I know Sarah, I know," he said, as he retreated out of the shop and quickly walked across the parking lot, back to his job.
A guy's night? That did kind of sound like fun. A night without worries, just hanging out with normal, everyday people. Where no one would know or care that he was the Intersect. Where he didn't have to worry about bad guys and flashes. Yeah, that did sound nice.