A/N:
Don´t own Chuck
Apartment Rented by Chuck (4 PM)
Chuck was sitting on the couch with his laptop. He was trying to make sure that all his security protocols were operational. He didn´t want to do anything that could cause harm to Sarah or her family. But Morgan who was sitting next to him had had enough.
"Why are you still in Casey mode?" He demanded while he was putting down the latest issue of Detective comic.
"Buddy, I need to protect Sarah." Chuck replied.
"So are you planning to be a full-time Batman or Bruce Wayne?" A wide grin was all over his best friends face.
"Morgan, you don´t understand. How can I face Sarah, look her in the eye and lie to her like that? She´ll notice that something is wrong." Chuck was ready to give up. "I´m just the guy, who put his own wife in harm's way. I knew very well what the Intersect could do and I chose the concert hall over her!
His bearded friend barely saved the laptop from total destruction as Chuck tried to close it much more forcefully than the manufacturer recommended
Chuck, I liked you much more when you were an insecure nerd, now you are insecure spy-nerd and what do I have to do? Yeah, keep you in check and not allow you to tie me up. …Piece of cake.
"Chuck, you don´t have to lie to her. Speaking from experience: You proved it when you pantsed me at Verbanski Corp. Just be honest. It´s the only thing she needs right now. You never crossed that line and you never will. When you love someone it isn´t about how much you're willing to spend on things like flowers, sweets, gifts. It´s all about what are you giving from your heart.
Chuck just shook his head amazed by the speech. "Morgan, you grew up."
"Tell me about it, I'm about to outgrow my best pants."
His best friend completely burst out in laughter. "Just keep them you may have to use them someday when Casey is around.
Finally a smile. It was nice not to be called a "moron" for once, knowing full well that that was Casey´s go to expression, (aside from grunts number 1 to 27) when came to the two of them. "So how long are you planning to sit on your ass?"
"I'm done,but you´ll have to cover me. I can´t allow a single slip up and I need to be ready for anything." said Chuck as he finished his rounds of his equipment.
"You know I have no problem with the plan, but are you ready for it?
"Ready for what?"
"Seduction…" Morgan almost whispered.
Chuck jaw felt down: "I wouldn´t do that to Sarah."
"I wasn´t talking about you Chuck…" Morgan´s eyes just screamed out of happiness when his best friend´s just remained solid as a stone with shocking realization.
I knew it! IT´S ALIVE! Morgan hardly kept the neutral face. His friend been through a lot. And seeing him like this was just priceless.
"So master Bruce, ready for anything?"
Chuck gave his friend a killer look.
"What? I didn´t grow that much" the little guy added.
At the same time…
Burton´s house (4 PM)
Sarah was a total wreck. Her fifth attempt to make an edible dish had just hit the trash. Ordinarily she had amazing cooking skills (not that she recalled where they came from), but today wasn´t her lucky day. Not from a cook´s standpoint at least.
"You should give up this cooking marathon." Emma watched her daughter for quite some time before she made a decision to intervene.
"How long have you been here?" Sarah realized she had been unaware of her presence. It was surprising and disturbing. Her spy senses should have kicked in much earlier. Perhaps it was another sign of just how much she had changed over the past 5 years.
"Honey, you don´t have to put yourself in housewife mode on your first date. Emma managed a smile. She knew full well that her child wanted to make everything perfect, but that behind the desire was an element of guilt. It was like a giant hunger eating her from the inside out. She had seen it when she made a promise to take care of Molly 5 years ago, and she was seeing it again as her daughter prepared to meet her husband again.
"Mom, I need to do this, I need to do something, everything that I know is one big mess and I was hoping that I could make this evening perfect. Is that silly? "Sarah nearly started sobbing.
"No, not at all. You´re trying to impress a guy which is really sweet of you but you do not want lose your self in the process. If you can´t do it this way, do it the easy way. Buy pizza or whatever, it can still be perfect. You know, your dad did that to me years ago. It was kind of charming."
Sarah was shaking her head in disbelief. "You really like him don´t you?"
"I would be lying if I said I didn´t, everyone needs someone to come home to. Now, your white knight will be right on your doorstep in an hour, so hurry up!" her mother´s wink was a huge boost for her fragile confidence.
And a daughter´s hug was more than a sufficient response. Sarah Walker was never a crybaby. Burying feelings inside could benefit an agent for a while but even agents are, in the end, human beings. Maybe it was time for her to start acting like one.
Molly showed up on the stairs with a smile on her face. Kids can sense certain things and she was really happy for Sarah right now.
"Mommy, are you ready to go?" She asked.
1 hour later
"Morgan , stop playing with the comms. I swear to god, if you make one more unnecessary beep, you´re going to end up in a can." Chuck was about to go and knock at the door but he want it to contact his friend over his earpiece.
"Don´t worry bro I got this. Protocol A, B, C even X…Just how big this can will be?" Morgan was curious.
"Really, really, small." Chuck assured him.
"Ok buddy have fun!"
…
Chuck Bartowski was nervous, really nervous, his black coat, white shirt, and black trousers with his signature Chuck Taylor's. It seemed odd to be taking Montgomery's advice, but he felt really good and there was no pressure anywhere aside from his heart. He was holding one gardenia stem in his hand. Somehow it felt better than a rose. His heart started beating insanely fast as he knocked on the door. And time stopped after that.
.…
As Sarah opened the door Chuck was totally speechless. She was so gorgeous in her blue dress.
"Hi, are you coming in?" She asked after several seconds had passed
Chuck collected himself and managed to stammer out his reply,"You look great, like really, really great. I´m sorry I´m rambling again, so I just wanted to give you this. He smiled and gave her the gardenia.
"Chuck, it´s so sweet, and don´t be sorry you look great too." She was blushing as she closed the door.
"You live in a nice place." Chuck admired the house and took off his coat while Sarah was putting gardenia into a vase.
"My mother is very kind I didn´t expect to end up living here."
"She is very nice and direct person, almost like you."
She was blushing again. Not many people could make her blush especially on such short notice. "I have a small confession to make."
"Yeah, what is it?"
"I tried to make a dinner but I screwed things big time and so I ordered pizza instead so we can sit on the couch for a minute."
Chuck ended up smiling on the couch. It was reassuring that things seemed so normal
"Sarah, you don´t have to apologize for not making a perfect dinner. I´m just glad, that I can be with you right now."
"Do you want glass of wine or something else?"
"Wine would be great but let me help you a bit."
Sarah was amazed; this man was just so kind and thoughtful. She couldn´t believe that couple days ago she had been tasked to kill this man and even considered poisoning him. But he wasn´t a selfish diplomat, he was a caring and a loving husband who loved his wife, who loved her.
Chuck brought out the glasses and a bottle while Sarah brought in the Pizza box.
"We are a great team." Chuck chuckled.
"Yes we are. So, how big slice do you want? "
"I'll have what your having." Chuck smiled.
"That should be fine, but I´m little rusty with my knife techniques…" Sarah gave him a wink.
"So we split then."
While eating they had really good time. It was like a sign from the heaven; Chuck was telling joke and even some stories from his childhood while Sarah, most of the time, just ended up laughing so hard and wondering how much of what Chuck was telling her really did happen and what he had embellished. The food, Chuck, everything as a whole, was so magical and so real, that she never wanted it to end.
"And you know what the best part is?" Chuck admitted, " I was afraid to come here. Now I just want to stay."
"So stay…" She was leaning in on his chest smiling softly. His eyes just were so kind, so sweet. Before she knew it she started kissing him so wildly and with such passion it was just amazing. But as Chuck responded in kind, he heard a crackling on the comms…
"Chuck, we have a problem. Two SUV's are heading your way and they´re black which is always bad news. I have started a protocol E, you have 3 minutes max." Morgan was deeply sorry, but now safety of his friends was a priority.
This is so not a time for protocol Z…
…
Special thanks to Tempe4Booth for the beta reading. And thank you all of you for your support.
