A/N What are you looking at? The story's down there.

"You're still upset you missed the wedding, aren't you?"

"I'm on escort duty today."

"Someone somewhere could flip a switch and it'd be gone."

"I want to get married."

Ellie gave Sarah a funny look. "Sarah…sweetie, you are married."

Sarah slumped into a chair, looking a little lost. "It doesn't feel like it, some days."

Ellie reached over and took Sarah's hands. "This isn't about that video–"

That video. That wonderful, horrible video that Carina dumped on her head just a few weeks ago. It was a promise, that video, like the ring on her finger was a promise, and Chuck Bartowski always kept his promises. Sarah Walker/Bartowski/Carmichael, not so much. It was practically her job to betray people's trusts. At least she'd never actually gone so far as to marry a mark, but it didn't feel like she'd gone so far as to marry her husband either.

Chuck given her something real, that video, this ring, his word. What had she given him? A ring, yes, but what else? A ring without words behind it was just a ring. What words did she say? The man said some words and she had repeated them. Did she say "I do" or was it "I will"? She could remember the drive, raiding the nearest ATM for the money, even overtipping the witnesses. Why couldn't she remember the words?

Sarah shook her head, took back her hands, sat up straight. "It's about…words," she said at last. "I said them in front of a bunch of people I didn't know, who didn't know me. I've done too many missions like that, saying things I didn't mean to people I didn't know."

"You meant what you said to my brother, didn't you?"

I can't even remember what I said to your brother! "Yes, of course I did."

"But–?"

"But…I want to say them to you, too. Those people in Nevada, they went back to bed when we were done. If I fail to keep my word, or Chuck, what do they care? I want to say those words in front of somebody who'll hunt me down and kick my ass if I fail to live up to them."

Ellie nodded. "That would be me."

"And Orion behind you and Casey behind him."

"My brother has that effect on people."

"Don't I know it. Here I am, sitting here like a real girl, asking you to help me plan my wedding–"

"Oh is that what this is about?" said Ellie, deadpan, then she gave a brilliant Bartowski smile. "Of course I'll help. It'll be a change of pace, that's for sure, the wedding after the marriage."

"Please," said Sarah dismissively, "We had three first dates, two first kisses, and fell in love at first sight. For us this is normal."

Chuck backed into his driveway in spy-approved fashion, ready for a quick getaway, getting out hastily when he saw that he had a guest. "Morgan? What are you doing here? I thought you'd be halfway back to Hawaii with Anna by now."

Morgan mumbled something about Anna into his hand.

"In English, please?"

"I broke up with Anna!"

"After all she did for you? Why?"

"She made me look like a fool, dude, and I know you're thinking that's not hard, and I know it isn't, but it's different when it's something I do myself and when others do it to me. And can you hurry up with the door, 'cause I gotta pee real bad."

"Oh, yeah." Chuck pulled his keys out of his pocket and speared the keyhole. "So why are you here?"

"I wasn't gonna go back to Hawaii with her, are you nuts?" The door opened and he pushed it open desperately. "Where?"

Chuck pointed out the right door, and brought his friend's bags inside in order to avoid hearing the sigh of relief. "I can see where the flight would be a little uncomfortable," he called out over the sound of the sink.

"Yeah, if I break up with her before, she's sitting there mad at me, and did you know she's a government agent, now, man. Probably kill me and make it look like I died in my sleep. Or I could sit there all flight long wondering how to do it after we touch down, that's if we touch down, 'cause I may lose my concentration and the plane falls…"

"Morgan, rooting for the plane will not keep it in the air."

"You know that and I know that but does the plane know that?"

Chuck rolled his eyes. "Fine. So now here you are hoping you can crash with us for a while until you find your own place?"

"See? That's why we're best buds and hetero life partners. We're simpatico, we know exactly what the other guy's thinking, except for the 'getting my own place' part."

"You'll have to argue with Sarah yourself."

Morgan collapsed in a chair. "Fine, I'll get my own place." He looked around. "Is Sarah here?"

"No, she called, spending a little girl time with Ellie tonight." Chuck strolled over to the window, made sure his detail was in place.

Morgan smiled slyly. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Chuck held up a disk. "Only if you're thinking Call of Duty marathon!"

"Yes! High five! Other hand." The one without the game in it. "That's what I'm talking about!"

Ellie barely sat down at the table in the bar before the badgering began. "So, tell me about the two kisses," she demanded as soon as the waitress left to get their drinks.

Sarah frowned. "Damn, lost a nickel." She pulled a coin from one pocket and moved it to the other pocket.

"Huh?"

"I had a bet going with myself, would you ask about the dates or the kisses first? I was sure you were going to ask about the dates–"

"Oh, I will, believe me, but I was there for some of them and I can use my imagination for the rest. But knowing how much Chuck loves the PDA–"

Sarah grinned, remembering all the times she'd had to talk him into kissing her. "Which is to say, not at all."

"Exactly. So you see, you're my only witness."

"I was an active and very willing participant."

"That's what I said, so spill. Who started it, how long, did your toes curl…?"

"Uh, yeah." Sarah shook her head. "That first one, definitely a toe-curler. Uh, that one was mine, I thought we were about to die, and it just…happened. There we were with seven seconds on the clock, and then we were at minus three seconds and very…uncomfortable."

"Uh-huh, and what about Chuck?"

Sarah blushed. "Oh, he was very comfortable."

Ellie laughed. "I gathered that. I meant, what about his kiss? I'm guessing you each had one."

Suddenly Sarah had a bit of a frog in her throat. Fortunately the waitress chose that moment to arrive. Half the drink vanished in a gulp. "Yeah, well, about that. That was, erm, for a mission, and Chuck had to be trained in Seduction Techniques…"

Ellie raised her glass to her lips. "Oh my god…"

"However bad you think it was, it was worse. They sent out the head trainer of the Seduction School, Roan Montgomery himself."

Ladies do not spit. They swallow hurriedly. "They sent the head trainer–?"

"Well, we had to track him down, really. We found him under a bed, unconscious."

"Terrorists?"

"Alcohol." She looked into her glass. "Or the stewardess. We never asked."

"So he didn't…?"

"Oh, he did. That guy holds his liquor better than any man I've ever seen. He was up and badgering Chuck in a matter of minutes, wanted to see his technique."

"Chuck has a technique?"

Sarah took a deep breath, trembling slightly. "Oh, yeah."

Suddenly Ellie had a frog in her throat, and washed it away with a hasty swallow from her own glass. "Ah, erm, and, uh, were the toes curling there too?" The floor looked fascinating suddenly.

Sarah smiled. "I have absolutely no idea."

They toasted her lack of an idea. "That's a yes."

They signaled for refills.

Chuck's phone rang. Oh thank God! He dropped his controller and left the game to Morgan for a while. "Sarah? You're where? No, don't worry, I'll find it. You didn't take your pill, did you? Of course you're not, you just sound that way. Fine, yes, I'll get Devon and we'll be right up." He ended the call. "Morgan, game over."

Morgan put down the controller, stood and saluted. "Are we at action stations, Captain?"

"If you mean, do we have to go out into the night, get Devon, find our wives, pick them up and pour them into bed, then yes."

"I'll get a bucket."

"Good man." He called Devon.

"—and that's when I realized I would have to lie to say no. It was the most incredible thing." Sarah's phone rang. "Chuck?"

"No, this isn't Chuck, didn't you even look at your screen before picking up?"

"Oh, Carina, hi! It's Carina," she said to Ellie, sitting all of two feet away, then put the phone back to her ear. "Ellie says she's gonna kick your ass for being mean to me." Ellie started choking.

"Hey Blondie, do me a favor," said Carina. "Take a picture of the bottom of the table while you're down there, I'll add it to my collection. Did you take your pill?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Yes, I took my pill. God, you sound just like Chuck."

"Oh, you mean your husband, the man you're supposed to be protecting while Casey and I are three thousand miles away?"

"Listen to you, being all responsible, who knew? Is this why you called, mother?"

"No, I called to tell you all about Casey's evening, since he's never going to mention this to anyone ever."

"Why, what's he doing, getting a lapdance?"

"He's cozying up to our mark, stupid. This Manoosh geek–"

"Nerd."

"On Chuck 'nerd' looks good, on this guy it's just another word for geek. Anyway, Casey's getting all buddy-buddy with him. Guess what they're talking about?"

Sarah shook her head, then stopped hurriedly when it did weird things to the room. "Uh-uh, not playing."

"Casey's raving about his good friend Chuck, got kicked out of Stanford and went to triumph and glory. Sound like anyone you know?"

"Please tell me you're recording this."

"Of course I–"

"Carina?" Suddenly Sarah sounded a lot more sober.

"Dammit! The Ring's coming, gotta go."

Sarah looked at her screen. Call Ended. "Poop."

Devon looked out the window. "Is this the place?"

"According to the GPS."

"How'd they end up here?" asked the doctor as he unbuckled himself.

"Knowing Sarah, it has no, um, fellow employees in it."

"It's about all I could afford on a Buy More salary," said Morgan from the back seat. "I doubt the Orange Orange pays better."

"I think you'd be surprised, Morgan. Wait here, we'll just be a moment." Chuck led the way into the bar.

"You couldn't leave him home?" muttered Devon.

"He may have to follow us back. Plus the TV hooks up to NORAD." He looked around and spotted his two ladies instantly. He stood over them, looking down with a smile. "If you'd warned me I could have brought my funnel and poured you into my car."

"I am not drunk," yelled Sarah, trying to put her glass down. For some reason the table kept moving. She held up three fingers. "I only ordered two. I had to keep my edge." She belched lightly, like a lady.

"And the rest?" Chuck gestured at the scattering of glasses and beer bottles on their table.

Sarah cradled her head in her hands. "I have absolutely no idea."

Chuck glanced around the bar. "I do." He gripped her under the arm and hoisted her up, as Devon steadied Ellie. "Time to go."

"But we're talking!"

"I think you've said enough."

"Hey, mac, how about you let the ladies drink if they want to drink," said a well-lubricated jerk standing between them and the door. Chuck wondered how many of the drinks he'd paid for. "What are you, her brother?"

Chuck shifted his wife to his off-hand side. "No. I'm her brother," he said, pointing at Ellie, currently draped over Devon. He pulled Sarah closer in a mild hug. "I'm her husband."

"Yeah, like a hot babe like her would even look at a guy like you. Get lost, Romeo, and you too, Juliet. We're gonna be their dates for the remainder of the evening."

"You might want to rethink that idea," said Chuck, "Or my wife here'll kick your ass."

"You tell 'em, honey." Sarah aimed a kick at the lout and overbalanced, pulling Chuck off-balance with her.

The lout, being a lout, took advantage of the distraction and threw a punch at his unwary opponent. Devon could only watch as–

Chuck caught the lout's fist in his very large hand, not even looking. With a quick twist he spun his wife up and the man down hard onto a table, scattering drinks and patrons. One of the lout's fellow louts came to his defense, but Sarah stepped away from Chuck's side and took him down in three moves before drifting back into her husband's embrace.

Chuck closed his hand a bit, and his attacker groaned. "I know a very good hospital," said Chuck, "But it's not near here." He tugged to one side and the guy fell the floor and stayed there. Chuck pulled out his wallet, threw a twenty on the table. "Sorry about the mess."

Outside, Devon just stared. "Dude, that was just…awesome."

Ellie was staring too. "How did you do that?"

Chuck clicked the fob on her keys, located her car by the flashing lights. His wife's Porsche was harder to miss. He handed the keys to his brother-in-law and gave his sister a peck on the cheek. "How'd I do what?"

A/N2 Yes, it was a Han Solo line. Comments welcome as always.

Slight edit, quick poll question here, please leave an answer in the comments, or send a PM. Did you think the line Chuck gave about hospitals at the end was at all threatening? I felt it was but I may be alone there. I'm trying to develop a tone for Charles that's like Chuck but a little harder.

Thanks for your help. I'll put this question in the next chapter too, for those who've already read this one.