Chuck versus the Struggles of Life

A/N: Hey people I'm back! This story is the sequel to Chuck versus the Dreaded Conversation. I hope you all enjoyed the story and will continue to read my stuff. Just a small note, even though Romance isn't one of the two main listed genres, there will certainly be present throughout the story. I got this chapter out so quickly because I really wasn't pleased with how I ended my last story, in fact I'm even considering writing an alternate chapter 4 for versus the Dreaded Conversation. I gave this a proof read, but there may still be some errors so please bare with me.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, only my imaginative mind and my original charcters, although if I owned NBC I'd be running promos for Chuck Season 4.

Note: LESS THAN 20 DAYS TILL CHUCK COMES BACK! YAY!

Acknowledgements: Big thanks for the continued support I've gotten from the posters on the Chuck boards, especially while I'm banned. You're all awesome in my books!

Chapter 1 - Its hard to say goodbye

Chuck's eyes slowly opened opened, and he took stock of his surroundings, attempting to remember where he was and why. As the events of last night slowly came back to him, he remembered that he'd stayed over at Sarah's place. Panic set in momentarily when he looked over to the other side of the bed and found it empty, the sheets in a tangle.

His fears were quickly alleviated at the sound of a soft, angelic voice,

"You're awake. How'd you sleep?"

"Good. You?"

"Great! Chuck-" Sarah replied waiting for Chuck to allow her to continue.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for staying with me last night. I know you probably hate me right now-"

Chuck attempted to cut in at this point, but Sarah continued talking, signalling for him to let her finish.

"But I just want you to know, that it meant a lot to me that you stayed. I know I've probably caused you pain beyond belief, but I want to make sure you know that I DO care for you, and that your safety has and always will be my top priority. But last night it was who protected me, and I really appreciated that." Sarah's voice faultered slightly at the end of that last sentence, so she stopped talking and took a few deep breaths to compose herself.

"Sarah-"

At the sound of her name, Sarah looked up and her eyes met Chuck's. Those beautiful brown eyes were burning a whole right through to her soul. She couldn't bare the fact that she was leaving him like this. She couldn't bare that she'll never get the chance to tell him just how he means to her, how for the first time since she became a spy, thoughts crossed her mind of leaving this business, getting married, starting a family - with Chuck.

"Do you have to leave? Is there any way you could stay? I know you told me last night that you have no feelings for me, but you can't you stay - as a friend."

Hearing this statement brought all the hurt from last night rushing back to Sarah. She hated herself for lying to him like this. She imagined how happy it would make him, and her, if she told him that she does have feelings for him, that she does love him.

"Did I just admit that I love him, where did that come from" Sarah thought.

She was snapped back to reality as Chuck continued to talk.

"The new handler. They won't be the same. No one will ever make me feel like you do. No one can protect me like you do. Make me feel safe and secure in this dangerous world. I need you Sarah"

At this point Sarah felt her emotional walls crumbling around her, but she had vowed to maintain professionalism, she had vowed to go to any lengths to protect him. She was too emotionally attached, she could no longer protect him. She doesn't know what she'd do if he got hurt because she wasn't able to protect him.

"If you love him, you have to leave him" The agent in her assured the woman in her.

In a relatively unconvincing voice, Sarah spoke, "I'm sorry Chuck. I'm so sorry. But I need to leave. I can't protect you anymore. I'm getting to attached. I know I said last night that I had no feelings for you, that it was all a cover, but the truth is, is that the more time I spend here, with you, the more attached I get and the less capable I am to protect you. And if you being safe means that I'm unhappy, than so be it. Because I don't know how I'd live with myself if you got hurt. So that's why I have to leave."

Relief washed over Chuck at the realisation that maybe what Sarah said the night before wasn't entirely true. Maybe she did care. Maybe she did have feelings for him.

"I'll never get to know if she leaves though" he thinks to himself.

"I'm leaving for Washington today Chuck, I don't know if we'll ever get to see each other again. I hope so. But I can't be sure in this line of work. I'm going to miss you more than you can imagine. It's- It's- It's so damn hard to say goodbye."

Sarah's eyes started to water as she finished that sentence. Tear drops were already slowly coming down Chuck's face. Chuck realised that this might be the last time he would ever see Sarah. That thought dictated his actions. He quickly closed the gap between the two of them, gently placed his hands on Sarah's cheeks and gave her a deep, passionate kiss, trying to funnel all his love for her into that one, breath taking kiss. It wasn't like their kiss on the docks, fast and wild, rather this deep and tender, something you'd expect from a husband and wife.

As Chuck broke the embrace and let his hands fall by his side, tears slowly fell down Sarah's cheek. He didn't know if it was the lighting, or the situation, but Chuck thought to himself that Sarah had never looked so beautiful.

Sarah, struggling to maintain any sense of composure, spoke first,

"You're gonna be late for work" she said softly.

And with that she placed her forehead against Chuck's, needing to feel him one last time, and said her last goodbye.

"I'll never forget you. You made me remember what its like to be a real person. And for that you have my unending gratitude. I know you may hate me right now for leaving, but you'll see one day that its for the best. You deserve someone better than me, someone who appreciates how great you are"

"I could never hate you Sarah. And just for the record, no one will EVER make me feel like you do. I love you Sarah Walker, I don't think tou can begin to comprehend how much I'll miss you"

"I know better than you think"

"Goodbye Sarah"

"Goodbye Chuck"

Chuck pressed him lips against Sarah's momentarily, attempting to memorise that feeling. As he broke the kiss and slowly walked out the door, he took some comfort in the fact that he'd forever remember what it was like to kiss the blond angel.

Chuck had barely closed the door before Sarah had slumped to the floor, crying uncontrollably, all the while inaudibly repeating,

"I love you Chuck"

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Hopefully I can have the next chapter out as soon as possible. Please leave a review, it really motivates me to write and also helps with the direction of the story. Sorry for the short chapter but I wanted to get something out quickly after my disappointing end to my last story.