Thanks for the reviews. I am quite pleasantly surprised by the turnout the last two chapters have allotted. I know it was very mean of me to leave it with that cliffhanger, but I hope this chapter will suffice.

I do not own Chuck.

December 31, 2004

Chuck furrows his brow as he could've sworn he heard his name called out. He's all alone in this cabin and his father is the only one who knows where he is. He slowly crooks his neck, mocking an owl until he twists his back to look completely behind him. The sight before him causes fear, confusion, and excitement to course through him. An angelic goddess in white, Sarah, is standing in the doorway in a snow-covered white jacket and white jeans. Her hair is slightly matted down by the fluffy snow to give her a natural white glow.

"Sarah?" Chuck jumps to his feet in shock. "How… how did you find me?"

Sarah silently walks up to him and smiles pleasantly. Just when Chuck lowers his defenses, she slaps him across the face with her right hand. His eyes roll back into his head and his legs completely give out as he tumbles to the floor in shock and pain. He definitely didn't expect that at all. "How could you just leave me?" Sarah screams as she towers over him. Chuck rubs his swollen cheek with widened eyes from his prone position on the floor. A few flakes of snow drop from her hair and land onto Chuck's skin. The snow is so porous that they evaporate with instant contact. "Do you know how that felt? To be abandoned like a one night stand?" She continues to scream at the top of her lungs.

"I'm… I'm sorry?" Chuck weakly states in an unsure question as he grins weakly optimistically.

"You're more than sorry!" Sarah steps back as she takes a calming breath while she runs her hands down her face. "Do you know how much it hurt, Chuck?" Sarah softly asks as she feels tears threatening to emerge. "Do you know how much you hurt me?" She feels her knees weakening at all the painful heartbreak she is reliving. She turns her back to him in pain, anger, and betrayal.

Chuck recovers enough to stand back on his own two feet. "Sarah," he humbly whispers as he gently places his right hand on her right shoulder, "I was afraid."

"Of what?" Sarah huffs coldly as she doesn't turn to look at him.

"Of something happening to you," he softly snakes his left arm around her waist to hold her against him. "I couldn't let Beckman or Casey believe that you were involved in any way. I thought—"

"Foolishly thought," Sarah corrects as she lays her left arm over his as she intertwines her fingers with his; giving into his exuding kindness and warmth.

"I foolishly thought that if I ran, you'd be safe," Chuck explains genuinely. "I just couldn't bear the thought of you being harmed or imprisoned. Sarah," Chuck fights down the lump begging to stop his speech before he breaks down in tears, "I don't know what would happen if…" He trails off as he cannot even voice the worries of Sarah being harmed or killed.

"You know that I feel the same way about you," Sarah tries to stay cold with her icy tone, but he is quickly repairing her heart.

"I know," Chuck gently spins her so she is facing him. Their eyes connect with pure adoration and love as their lips are only mere centimeters apart. "But you don't deserve to live life on the run. It's so exasperating and tiresome. I've never felt so alone in my entire life."

Sarah gives him a very soft kiss as their lips just barely brush along each other's. "You're not alone," she whispers after pulling off the kiss just enough to speak; their hot breaths colliding at their lips.

"And I never want to be alone again," Chuck murmurs and then takes her lips passionately. Her hands instantly wrap around the back of his head as she kisses back. She can feel the stubble on his face scratching her chin and cheeks, but she ignores it. Chuck's hands pull her close by her waist as they roam up and down her back.

The kiss heats up as Sarah lifts herself and wraps her legs around his waist. Chuck leads her to the couch and gently lays her down. They break the kiss and he lovingly gazes into her deep blue eyes as he hovers over her. Sarah stares up at the man she loves as she regards his chocolate caring eyes with pure indoctrination. Chuck grins subtly and her eyes flicker to his lips and back to his eyes. He leans back in and recaptures her lips in a fiery passion.

"I missed you, Chuck," Sarah whispers after the need for oxygen won out.

"I missed you, too," Chuck responds in the same soft tone as he slowly unzips her jacket. She watches with a pleasant gaze as his hand slides down her body to split her jacket apart. He lifts her to a sitting position and he helps her take it off. After removing her jacket, he tosses it on the chair by the table and he smiles back at her. She is in a comfortable dark blue camisole top. She hungrily slides her hands under his plain grey shirt and slides it over his head to reveal his thinly toned torso. Her eyes predatorily look him over as a grin forms on her face.

Chuck recaptures her lips as she undoes his belt and the button of his jeans. She undoes his zipper and pleasantly enjoys what she feels waiting for her in attack position. Chuck feels her hand massaging him and he quickly pulls up on her camisole. She reluctantly releases him so he can slide the top over her head. He gazes down and is pleasantly surprised to see her plump nude breasts as she isn't wearing a bra. She reattaches her lips to his with so much force; they both fall off the couch in a tangle of limbs.

They both laugh wholeheartedly along the rug directly in front of the warming fireplace. Chuck starts kissing her cleavage as she sobers up; his stubble grazing her breasts enjoyably. She knots her fingers deeply in his hair as she greatly revels in his tantalizing kisses. Her swollen lips beg for him so she gently pulls his head up by his hair. He complies with a trail of kisses back up the valley between her aroused breasts and up her neck. He finally arrives at her lips and they both gaze lovingly into each other's eyes; the feeling of love and arousal present in both of their eyes. Their lips crash down into each other to reignite the match inside each of their hearts.

December 31, 2004

Sarah is pressed up against Chuck's left side as she cuddles as close to him as possible; both of them completely nude on the rug and spent from the draining lovemaking. There are matching delightful grins on both of their faces. The fire from the fireplace illuminates them in a soft glowing yellowish orange. She gently rubs circles on his chest with her left hand. "You need to shave," she muses, breaking the enjoyable silence. "I miss my baby-face Chuck," she says in a childish pout as she pets his cheeks and chin.

"I've never really felt like beards were my thing," Chuck agrees as he rubs her shoulder with his left hand as she nestles her head on his left shoulder.

"Can I shave it?" Sarah excitedly asks as she hops on top of him and straddles his waist. "I've only ever really shaved…" she trails off as she glances down.

"After seeing such perfection, I completely trust you," Chuck smiles mirthfully. She gives him a quick exuberant peck on the lips. "What time is it?" He asks curiously.

She looks over the bed to see the nightstand with a large analog clock resting on it. She reads it for a few seconds, doing the math of what the '11' means in minutes. "11:58," she responds. "Why?"

"I've just…" Chuck shyly glances away. "I've always wanted to share a… well, a meaningful kiss on New Year's. I've never done it before. I know," he chuckles at his own depravity, "it's stupid and sappy, but…"

"Okay," Sarah happily obliges with him. She thinks he is the sweetest man and loves his little quirks and beliefs.

"Really?" He smiles brightly with signs of being shocked.

"Yep," she nods her head, "but what're we supposed to do for the next…" she looks up at the clock to read it, "thirty seconds?" She smiles seductively as she draws her hands along his chest in a slow teasing motion.

"I think we can hold out," he grins brightly as he mimics her motion by feeling up her breasts.

"Okay, okay," Sarah giggles like a love-struck schoolgirl, "we don't want to miss the New Year by getting too far carried away."

"Good idea," Chuck leans forward; letting her slide down so that she is sitting on his laps with her legs around his waist. They both stare at the clock as the time counts down.

"Chuck? What's with the non-digital clock?" Sarah asks curiously.

"My dad was kind of paranoid and he was always afraid of technology dying out," Chuck explains with an incredulous chuckle. "Analog clocks run on gears and friction instead of electricity."

"Okay," Sarah shrugs as she absorbs the new knowledge. She sees the second hand tick past the ten. "Get ready," Sarah excitedly states as she taps Chuck on the chest. "Six, five," they both stare at each other tenderly, "four," Sarah continues the countdown.

"Three," they both state in unison, "two, one…"

They press their lips together and let the passion take over as their lips spread for their tongues to fence the duel of love. After the long tasteful kiss, they reluctantly release it. "Happy new year," Chuck whispers to her as they rest their foreheads against each other. Sarah sighs contently as she has never felt so tranquil and loved in her entire life. Just spending this comfortable silence with Chuck beside the fireplace is absolutely perfect.

January 1, 2005

Sarah wakes up surrounded by warmth and gregariousness. The last time she felt this comfortable was when she slept with Chuck back at the motel before he ran off. She instantly feels the body she is pressed against and the feet that are on top of hers to keep hers warm. She tenses when she looks at the face of the body and instantly relaxes. She is with Chuck and that is all that matters.

"Morning," Chuck groggily mumbles with closed eyes.

"Did I wake you?" Sarah asks solemnly. "I'm sorry."

"No," Chuck slowly opens his eyes, "it's no problem." He looks down at her through his hazy eyes and smiles softly. "Good morning, beautiful."

"Good morning, handsome," she responds with her own pleasant grin as she slides her hand down the length of his abdomen. "What do we have here?" She nearly smirks teasingly as she captures his hard aroused member. Chuck's eyes widen in shock as he feels her warm hand wrap around his precious skin; his cheeks stinging deep red. "Is this a new year's present? That's so sweet of you, Chuck," she jovially descends under the covers. Chuck's eyes widen even further and he lets out a strangled moan at the amazing pleasure.

January 2, 2005

Chuck is sitting on the patio as he watches the bright, beautiful Great Salt Lake as the sun shines down on it. Sarah is cuddled on his lap with her knees to her chest and her feet on his left thigh while her ass is on his right thigh. She is curled up against him and a blanket is over them. She is softly stroking his smooth shaved cheeks. "Mmm… so soft," she muses childishly; breaking the amiable silence.

"You did a great job," Chuck smiles brightly at her.

"Yea," she joyously gives him a peck on the cheek, "I did." She goes back to cuddling against his shoulder.

"Sarah?" Chuck asks softly.

"Yea?" She glances up at him with curiosity.

"How did you find me?" Chuck asks gently. "Just wondering," he shrugs.

"I… well, I may've blackmailed Director Anderson," Sarah responds with a tiny grin as she hopes that he doesn't get angry with her.

"About the illegitimate child?" Chuck had to laugh loudly at that. He honestly forgot he told Sarah that information, but that is quite hilarious. "You never cease to amaze me, Sarah." He smiles down at her.

"Well, I did used to be a con artist with my father," she informs him jovially. When she sees the surprise dawn on his face in the shape of heightened eyebrows, she covers her lips in a gasp. "I…" she becomes speechless as she is afraid Chuck would reject her for her dark past.

"Sarah," he looks down at her seriously with a genuinely loving expression, "I don't care about your past… because I know who you are now." Sarah's heart hiccups with love and admiration for Chuck's ability to love her for everything, not despite it. "Honestly," he grins at her, "now I'm more curious than anything else. You must've had a fun childhood."

"It had its pluses," Sarah responds airily as she is so relieved that Chuck loves her just as much. "There was this one con I ran with my dad where I would run up to people and start crying in front of them asking them if they knew where my daddy was," Sarah chuckles as she hits the punch line. "He was behind them relieving them of their wallets."

"That definitely sounds like fun," Chuck snickers with a bright grin. "So that's where you learned how to steal a watch off of someone's wrist without them knowing?"

"All you need to do is keep the mark distracted while you slip the watch off their hand," she nonchalantly responds. "With Andrea Black, I bumped into her and she was completely focused on being angry with me to notice me slip her watch off her wrist. Plus," Sarah grins devilishly, "She was completely captivated with you."

"What can I say?" Chuck quips jokingly. He takes on a Czechoslovakian accent, "I'm vone vild and crassy guy!"

Sarah bursts into laughter at his ridiculous attempt at the accent. "What the heck was that?" She queries as she lets out a singsong sobering breath.

"Saturday Night Live? Steve Martin and Dan Akroyd?" Chuck responds, but only gets a confused face back. "Two wild and Crazy Guys?" Sarah's expression becomes even more perplexed. "Ouch, I'm going to have to introduce you to the world of comedy. You at least like music, right?"

"Sure," Sarah undecidedly shrugs.

"Oh my god," Chuck deadpans appallingly. "You don't like Saturday Night Live and you don't like music. I guess you can no longer be my third wife."

"Third?" Sarah demands with an offended huff.

"Yea, I've decide to become a Mormon in my short stint in Utah," Chuck grins teasingly.

"Shut up," she smacks him playfully. "Polygamy is only a myth in Mormonism."

"Seriously, though, you have to like some kind of music," Chuck presses sincerely.

"I don't know," Sarah shrugs unsurely. "It honestly isn't the most important thing on my mind."

"Well, what is?"

"Right now?" Sarah perks up seductively. "A tall handsome nerd who is wearing way too much clothing for my liking."

"I'm in a shirt and boxers," Chuck protests jokingly. "There's not much more I could even take off."

"But there are still clothes you can take off," Sarah responds smartly.

"Well…" Chuck scrambles for a response. "You're wearing too much clothes for my liking too," he retorts snootily.

Sarah removes the baggy grey shirt that Chuck was wearing last night from her torso. "Is that better?" She asks haughtily as she feels a slight breeze run along her bare breasts before hugging Chuck for warmth as he pulls the blanket snug against them.

"Much," Chuck replies as he fervently kisses her on the lips.

January 3, 2005

Sarah is sitting on the bed with her legs crossed as Chuck places a record on the record player and regards her sincerely. "I think I found the one," Chuck informs her sweetly. She watches him with adoration and curiosity. "This is going to be your favorite song." He places the needle onto the spinning record.

The song starts almost immediately with the line, "Birds flying high, you know how I feel." A smile grows on Sarah's face instantly as the music soothes her soul.

"The sun in the sky, you know how I feel."

"I like this," she contently informs with a relaxed smile towards Chuck who is overjoyed to see Sarah's elation.

"Breeze driftin' on by, you know how I feel."

"Well that's a good start," Chuck replies contently as he leans on the bed to give her a kiss on the lips.

"It's a new dawn…"

"It's a new day…"

"It's a new life for me, yea…" They both fall back onto the bed as they stare at the ceiling in contented bliss as the song serenades them perfectly.

"It's a new dawn, it's a new day."

"It's a new life for me…"

"And I'm feeling good…" The song picks up with a trumpet course and a piano baseline.

Chuck and Sarah smile at each other and Chuck lifts his left arm so Sarah can slide under it and cuddle close to him. He hugs her tight to his body as he plants a soft kiss on her forehead. She glances up at him and he gently tucks her hair behind her ear. They both lean in to share a soft tender kiss as they intertwine their legs.

January 6, 2005

"How's Ellie doing?" Sarah asks as she saunters back to the bed in one of Chuck's shirts and some panties.

"She's good," Chuck hangs up the landline telephone. "She still misses me and I miss her, but she's just glad that I'm safe… and that you're here with me."

"Chuck," Sarah snuggles up against him as they sit against the headboard of the bed, "we can't stay on the run forever. Ellie and Devon expect us back. I haven't even talked with Bryce, Jesse, or Casey since."

"Why not?" Chuck questions. "Ellie and Devon are getting married. Bryce is helping Jesse recover and he's still a spy. Casey couldn't probably care less about us. And Sarah," Chuck becomes solemn; "you know that I can never go back as long as I'm wrongfully accused of murder."

"I know," Sarah sadly looks up at him. It breaks her heart that Fulcrum has ruined his life.

"Sarah," Chuck asks gently, "do you think that if I turned myself in, I would have a chance of being found not guilty?"

"I don't know, Chuck," Sarah cuddles close to him. "But what if you're found guilty? I can't lose you again. I just… I can't," Sarah sobs as she grabs onto Chuck possessively.

"You won't," Chuck humbly whispers as he tenderly kisses the top of her head. "I'm never going to hurt you again, Sarah. I made the biggest mistake of my life leaving you the first time. I'll never leave you again."

"Then I don't want to risk it," Sarah looks up at him with remnants of tears staining her porcelain cheeks. "No one knows where we are so we'll be safe here for as long as we need to be." She's never even questioned giving up the spy life for anything in her life. But Chuck, he's special and has shown her how great her life can be as long as he is in it. She'd rather be happy than stable.

"Sarah… I…" Chuck struggles with the words as he doesn't want to make her choose, "I can't let you give up your life for me. Everything you've done to this moment is not worth giving up for life on the run."

"Chuck," Sarah responds heatedly as she burrows into his soul with a bold stare, "I don't care about the spy life. Before you, that's all I knew existed. I didn't know anything else. But you've shown me so much more. You've shown me a happiness, love, and family. I've never thought I could have that but you made it possible, Chuck. And I will do whatever it takes to make sure I get to keep all of it, including giving up the spy life."

Chuck is moved by her speech. He never knew he meant that much to Sarah and he cannot argue with how great it feels to know that he has helped show her a new better life. "I love you, Sarah," Chuck gives her a gentle kiss on the lips.

"I love you, too," she responds in kind as she snuggles her face in his chest.

January 9, 2004

"How was the mission?" Jesse asks excitedly as she wraps Bryce in a hug as he walks into the door of their apartment after being gone all day. Once she fully recovers, she will be teamed with Bryce and Casey. She knows it was unfortunate what happened to Chuck and she would sacrifice her life for him, much like he did for her, but she cannot be more excited to get back into the spy business. But every time she thinks about Chuck's situation, she automatically frowns.

"Sam old, same old," Bryce replies nonchalantly. "You know," he shrugs noncommittally, "shoot the bad guy. Save the good guy." He can't tell her the real mission, at least not until she is read in and part of the team.

"Cool," Jesse perks up joyously. "My scars are healing much faster now. In just a couple weeks, I'll be joining you guys."

"Supposedly we're getting another new partner," Bryce responds with slight annoyance. He's not looking forward to working with someone new who he cannot fully trust yet. "Some kind of expert."

Jesse frowns at his tone of voice. "Who is the new partner?"

"I don't know yet. Some straight-arrow CIA agent," Bryce replies distastefully. "For a team run by an NSA general, she sure loves to surround us with CIA agents."

"Maybe that way she can blame the CIA if something goes wrong," Jesse quips with a humorous grin.

"That wouldn't surprise me in the least," Bryce responds with a tiny chuckle.

"Yea…" Jesse sighs as they walk through the hallway towards Bryce's room. She notices the closed door of Chuck's room. Neither she nor Bryce have been in it since he was supposedly killed. "Do you miss him?" Jesse asks softly. "Chuck, I mean."

"Uh… sure," Bryce shrugs defensively. "He was my best friend, but there's not much we can do for him now. I just hope he's alright."

"Whatever happened to Sarah?" Jesse asks as they start getting ready for bed.

"I don't know," Bryce hangs his head sorrowfully. "She was sent back to work with the CIA and I haven't heard from her since."

"Oh…" Jesse falls solemnly silent.

"But I'm sure she's okay," Bryce tries to lift the veil of sadness that has blanketed the room. "She's a great agent."

"Yea," Jesse unconvincingly agrees as she climbs into the bed. She does hope that Chuck and Sarah are both safe, but she finds it hard to believe when Chuck is on the run and Sarah is forced on missions with her broken heart.

"Wherever Chuck and Sarah are, I'm sure they're happy," Bryce enthuses as he climbs into bed next to Jesse.

January 9, 2004

"Isn't it beautiful?" Sarah asks in wonderment as she stands in Chuck's white dress shirt at the doorframe of the backdoor looking out over the ballet performance upon the dusky water of the snowy lake.

"Honestly," Chuck quips from the couch, "everything besides you is just a blur because you're so gorgeous."

"Shut up," Sarah mirthfully spins around with a goofy grin, "but thank you."

"Come get your cute little butt back here," Chuck flippantly demands. Sarah amusingly giggles all the way to him in a quick sprint. Chuck lets out an "Oomph," as she pounces onto his lap with a giant toothy grin on her face. "Ouch," Chuck deadpans as she cuddles into his bare chest.

"Sorry," she states humorously without meaning it at all. They share a quick passionate kiss as Chuck's hand cups the cute little butt resting on his lap.

"So what song is it tonight?" Chuck asks as he lifts Sarah up in his arms as he stands up. "We got Nat 'King' Cole, The Ink Spots, Billie Holiday, or we can always go with your favorite," he bounces his eyebrows adorably, eliciting a giggle from Sarah cuddled in his arms, "Nina Simone? Yea," he grins at her, "my dad loved the classics."

"Hmm…" Sarah ponders cutely as she strokes her chin thoughtfully. "I'm thinking some Nat Cole tonight. I like how all his songs are love songs."

"Ah, the baritone man himself," Chuck happily muses. He lightly tosses Sarah onto the bed as he sets up the record player. Sarah joyously bounces on the bed before finding a comfortable position with her head propped up by her forearm. Chuck places the record onto the player and fits the needle perfectly on it. As the music starts, he climbs onto the bed and pulls Sarah into his arms. She contently obliges as she wraps her arms and legs around him.

"A blossom fell from off a tree…"

"It settled softly on the lips you turned to me…"

Sarah nuzzles her face into Chuck's warm neck. "I love you," she whispers softly.

"I love you too," Chuck whispers back as he massages her back with his left hand.

January 12, 2004

"I still don't like this," Beckman states her attitude towards the situation.

"General," Director Anderson assures from his office through the video feed, "he is the best agent to stop this new threat. He even has an agent who's been in deep cover for a few years now. This is our best opportunity."

"Agent Willows will be joining the team in less than two weeks and the previous Intersect team worked well with only three agents," Beckman argues honestly. "Speaking of the old team, how is Agent Walker faring?"

"She's been off the grid for the last twelve days," Anderson responds slightly saddened. "I've never worked with Agent Walker before so I'm unsure if this is how she works her missions or not."

"What was her last mission?" Beckman asks, slightly intrigued. Agent Walker was always known as the consummate professional and for her to drop off the grid is uncharacteristic of her.

"To find and capture Agent Carmichael," Anderson replies. "I talked with a couple of my analysts who were working closely with Walker and said that she was last headed for Utah where they tracked Carmichael to a small town."

Beckman's brow furrows deviously as she ponders an idea that may help skyrocket the new Intersect team. No one knows the Intersect as well as the only human Intersect known to mankind. "I'll send a team to investigate Walker's sudden disappearance," Beckman assures seriously.

"Be my guest," Anderson shrugs as he has so many other things to attend to now that he is the Director. "I'll send over the analysts' mission reports, but you will accept my offer."

"Fine," Beckman grumbles in a sigh. "Thank you, Director Anderson," Beckman nods before ending the feed. Maybe there is hope yet. Two is almost always better than one.

Please review.