A/N: So you want Chenny do you….sigh…oh, alright….I don't know who established in fanfiction that Sarah/Jenny has a problem with mojitos, but that person deserves a lifetime achievement award. Ch 6, Queen of Hearts

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, I don't own any Juice Newton recordings, but my parents listened to a LOT of country back then, so I know all the words to this song.

March 12, 2004

As she raked another pot, the internal war kept going on inside of her, should she stay here in California with Chuck, or hop on the WPT cruise ship that was going to head out to the Sea of Cortez (the Gulf of California) to get away from him for a few days. She didn't know how she wanted to be right beside someone and as far away as possible all at the same time.

Jenny was currently playing at a low limit cash game at The Commerce. She was currently doing something she swore she would never do, playing while drunk. She didn't know who made the mojitos here at The Commerce, but they deserved a medal, a star, a street named after them, or something like that. Who was she kidding, she was breaking two rules, she was falling…she was having some serious feelings…she took a self-check and decided that phrase would work, for that stupid curly haired nerd.

He had helped her, her mother, and what did he want for it…NOTHING. He didn't expect any kind of repayment. She finished her drink, signaled for another, raised on the turn, driving her opponent out of the pot, and raked in more money. She cursed herself, she had won that pot off of the math that idiot had taught her. Other guys, if they had done what Chuck had done, she knew what they would want…not that they deserved it, but she knew. What scared her even more than all of that, the nut wanted a relationship. She sighed, moved all-in, got called, showed her cards with the goods, and raked in a huge pot.

There were a lot of upsides to having a relationship with the adorable chocolate-eyed nerd. She could move out of that room down the hall, the one she was going to stay in until her ran her out of his house or he invited her to his room, not that he needed to know that, and not that she would ever admit out loud. She could wake up with him each morning and run her fingers through that curly mess that made those animal shapes. She could…..she needed another drink! She slammed that one down and signaled for another.

So if she loved all these ideas, why was she here, two sheets to the wind, playing low-level poker, using the math he had taught her, and KILLING IT, she might add. Because of the sweet, sexy, idiot she was having a lot of feelings for that went far beyond just liking someone. Damn, Casey was right. Even when she was quiet she was screaming out her lady feelings. She tossed back another shot and folded, knowing the math wasn't right, the player had the cards, and she was in no shape to even attempt to move him off of his hand. Hand…that thing he did with his thumb in San Jose. Now she had the song, Do you know the way to San Jose, in her head. She hated that nerd. Hated she hadn't drug him into her room, or his room, or the living room….this was getting out of control.

She put her head in her hands, and wanted to just scream away the frustration, but the employees and patrons wouldn't appreciate that here. It all started when they returned from the Shooting Star 101. Jenny had thought about her play in the tournament, and she wondered if she could have done anything differently. She asked Chuck, and he had that look on his face again that he was thinking of the best way to tell her. She grabbed his shirt, pulled him near, smirked, and reminded them of their no secrets, no lies pact. He nodded and told her he would have played a couple of hands differently because of the math.

They began to work during the evenings on how to approach things in poker using math, and she began to see that, oh, how she loathe to admit this, he was right. Instead of getting mad, she listened, learned, and applied what she learned to her game.

While that was great, life took a turn she never expected by getting to know her mother better at Chuck's house. After she explained everything to her mom, Emma went over to Chuck and hugged him so hard Jenny thought his ribs would pop. Jenny swore she even saw Casey smile…just for a second…it could have been gas… The two began to bond, and that's when the questions began, what was going on between her and Chuck. Jenny did something she had never done, she admitted to another woman how she felt about someone. Since she was seventeen she had been on her own, and now here was her mother, someone she had always been comfortable around, but had been driven apart by their father; Emma had known how Jack really was, and Jenny was a child taken in by the romanticism of the open road.

Jenny admitted she had more feelings for Chuck then she knew what to do with, but she had never been involved in an actual relationship before. There had been a few guys, here and there, but for the most part, it hadn't been worth the trouble, especially when she was used to staying up all hours of the night some days for a big score. Emma smiled and told her, just go with it. What did that mean? Just go with it? It couldn't be that simple….could it?

During the day Chuck had stayed around the house, or took Jenny, or Jenny and Emma, and drove them around. In the evening, Chuck and Jenny would work on poker. The next morning, Chuck always looked very tired for someone who had claimed to go straight to bed. This morning, Chuck told them he needed to go into the office, which was no surprise, he had a business to run. She had sat in the house for a while before Casey yelled at her to shut up. When she gave him a confused look he told her that she was screaming about her lady feelings whether she realized it or not. He offered to take her to Chuck's company and she quickly agreed.

When she got there, Casey took off, thinking today was a day for himself. She asked to see Chuck, told the receptionist who she was, and a minute later was lead to an office where she was surprised to see a short, bearded man. He was studying her, not in a checking her out kind of way, but in a what's the big deal, kind of way. He told her that Chuck was asleep, he wouldn't wake him because he had been working every night from home or by coming into the office. Jenny maintained her composure but on the inside she was freaking out, why had he done that?

Morgan explained to her that Chuck didn't want to leave her alone, and that Chuck was leaving the company. He would own it, do a little work, here or there, but 95% of the company was to be run by Morgan. He said that while he was ready for the job, and happy to do it, without his Han it just felt empty, and she better be the Princess Leia he deserved. She wasn't totally sure what he meant by all of that, but she understood that Chuck was leaving his company because of her, and that wasn't okay. That wasn't right. What did he expect from her? He said they were going to take it slow! They had barely had any physical contact since the Bay 101. Sure they had snuggled while watching movies, she sat in his lap often, and she would find her hand in his all the time, but that was nothing compared to those magical mornings they had woken up together.

He couldn't rush her like that. There were so many other things they could do, but he was giving up things for her…he didn't know her…okay, he did, she had told him pretty much everything about her past, and when she had cried, he had just held her tight. She should have kissed him then, but she didn't, and she wasn't even sure if he'd of let her, probably saying something about taking advantage of her. He was lucky he wasn't here right now, because she'd take advantage of him…even thought she was the drunk one….she knew what she meant.

She folded her cards and she felt her body react. Damn it, it wasn't fair, he shouldn't be able to just come near her and she react like that. She didn't even turn toward him, she just finished her drink, figuring he'd cut her off…from the alcohol…they hadn't done anything else to be cut off from…she really wish he'd go away so she could think straight…not that she was thinking straight before he showed up.

"Trying out the math while drinking, that's an interesting way to test something," he said.

"Maybe, I just want to play drunk poker," she retorted. She turned to look at him. Damn him. His eyes showed exactly how tired he was. She knew he was scouring the internet with his employees looking for any sign of her dad, now she knew he was staying up all night doing work at his company, all so he could spend his free time with her. Damn him for begin so considerate, and how dare he be all adorable, the sleepy look, the brown animal shapes, and those eyes that were trying to look like he was laughing, but deep down he was concerned…about her…damn him and his consideration. She bet when he got excited they had another look in them…damn him and his sexy eyes.

"You are wasted," he said. She turned toward him, nodded, and belched.

"Maybe I just like Mo, ji, toes," she said. Chuck just looked at her.

"I've never seen you drunk in the middle of the day, hell, I've never seen you drunk," Chuck said. He was looking at her with concern in his eyes. He should have concern in his eyes, she was about to toss him on the table. How dare he look at her like that. She realized it was her turn in the conversation.

"Your point?" she asked.

"Well, in the time I've known you I've never seen you do this, so is this just because, or are you this upset?"

"What if I was upset?" Jenny asked.

"Well, I'm your friend and I'd hope you'd talk to me about it."

"What if youuuuuuuu are the reason I'm upset?" she asked, as sassily as she could manage. Chuck reached over, and gently moved a lock of her hair behind her ear that was dangling in front of her eye. Damn him and his good looks, and his gentle hands…and that thumb that made circles on her hand….

"Then I would really hope you'd talk to me," he said.

"Well of course you would, I'd hate for someone to think Chenny is having a rough patch!" she spat. Chuck slightly tilted his head and looked at her. She immediately regretted what she was saying. "You don't deserve that."

"Miss Burton, are you in?" the dealer asked.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out!" she yelled. "I mean he's frickin perfect, so why shouldn't I be in, but I've never had a relationship and I don't know how to do this, and I don't want to screw it up! He's leaving his job for me, HIS JOB! How do I deal with that? And he has hair makes the most adorable animal shapes, have you ever seen more adorable hair?" she asked as she ran her hand though Chuck's hair while he sat there stunned. "I want to be in, I want him to be my Chuck, but I don't know how!" she said, nearly sobbing.

"I mean the hand, Miss Burton," the dealer said softly. Jenny looked up and saw all the faces at the table looking at her.

"I think she's out, in fact, she should probably take her chips and go, don't you think, Jenny?" Chuck asked, his hand on her arm. She turned, looked at him, and nodded, the words escaping her at the moment. They packed up her chips and walked over to the vault where he had her chips put into her box.

"We should get you home," Chuck said.

"So you're throwing me out for making a scene?" she asked. "I see, Bartowski. I should have known you were like all the rest." He just looked at her. It then dawned on her what she had said and she when she spoke, it was sheepish. "You meant your home, didn't you?" He nodded. She had to save this somehow. "I think I'll stay here tonight." Chuck shrugged and he took her over to the hotel part. Jenny started to ask for a room when one of the employees saw Chuck.

"Your regular, sir?" the hotel employee asked. Jenny turned to him, giving him a look.

"Yes," he said to the employee. He turned to her. "Casey doesn't bother me here, and no, I'm not planning on staying with you."

"Well, why not?" she asked. Chuck just looked at her. "You don't trust yourself around me?" Chuck took the key, and led her to the elevator. When they got to her floor, he opened the door and led her into a penthouse. She spun in shock looking around the room. "No, I really don't," Chuck said softly. She turned to look at him. "I'm sorry."

"THANK GOD!" Jenny said. Chuck looked up at her in shock. "I thought you didn't find me attractive, or didn't like me, or I don't know was a freakin' monk, but to know you're human, that helps." Chuck walked right up to her, and stopped.

"Oh, I am very human, Jenny," Chuck said softly. "I think you're one of the most amazing women I have ever met. I work a lot of nights because I know you're down the hall, and I have trouble sleeping. I haven't slept right since San Jose. I am crazy about you, but wonder how someone as amazing as you, as someone who has single handedly kept the mob at bay, someone with the heart that you have…I wonder what in the world you could see in a nerd like me?"

"Chuck, why are you selling your company for me?" she asked softly.

"It's not just for you, I mean, yes, with you being here, it helped me decide it was time, but this is for me. I want to do more. I can do more. I'll still be a part, but not a large part. I have the money, why should I kill myself just to make more. This was coming long before I met you," Chuck said, taking her hand.

"Oh," she said.

"I know about Morgan, and I know how he made it sound, because he's upset I'm leaving, but he's wrong, I'm not leaving just because of you."

"But, I am a factor?" she asked. Chuck looked at her. "We said no secrets, no lies."

"Well, you realize now what that entails?" Chuck asked as she looked at him, confused. "No secrets, no lies, means just that, and the person hearing those things has to accept them." Jenny nodded realizing what he meant. Not only did you have to be brave enough to share things, you had to be brave enough to hear the other's secrets.

"I should have talked to you directly instead of running," Jenny said. "In my defense, I didn't really run away, more of a slow jog."

"I'm halfway surprised you didn't jump on the WPT cruise," Chuck said, grinning. Jenny ran her hand through her hair, looking away. "Oh." She looked at him with a tight smile. "No secrets no, no lies?" She nodded. "Okay, I'll be glad to be your Chuck," he said, nervously, she looked at him with huge eyes. "As for the question about the company, yes, you're a factor, I don't want you to move back to Las Vegas when this is over, I don't want you to ever leave my house, and yes, someday, I'd like you to change rooms." She stared at him. "But, I don't want to rush anything, especially in the shape you're in right now." She grinned.

"I would have won a bet with myself," she beamed. "Chuck, listen, I don't want to be alone, you're tired, I'm tired, and we both need some rest. Stay with me here tonight. I know it's only the afternoon, but I'm about out of it from the drinking and the emotional outbursts, and you look like you could fall asleep standing up. We need sleep, and you said you slept best with me."

"No funny business?" Chuck asked, grinning.

"I promise, no funny business from now, until we wake up," she said. Chuck nodded. Jenny crawled into bed, gave him a look and her pants came flying out. "I can't sleep with those on," she said. Chuck nodded. He took off his, and slid in. She rolled over to look at him, shrugged, and scooted across the bed. He gave her a look. "Like we're going to try to pretend we won't end up this way? Chuck smiled, and she snuggled into him. Two minutes later they were asleep. It was around three when she woke. She looked at him, but she knew something wasn't right. She studied him and felt his body shift.

"You okay?" he asked. She nodded and moved in to kiss him….that's when she realized what was wrong and she bolted from the bed. Chuck took a minute to process what was happening, and quickly followed. The noises she made were interesting.

"Don't!" she yelled, but she had business to take care of and as her stomach emptied its contents into the toilet, she felt him take her hair into a ponytail and hold it. She heard water running and a minute later a cool cloth was on her neck. "No one has ever treated me as well as you have."

"Jenny, all I'm doing is being a decent friend to you," Chuck replied. "Is that a pickle?" She laughed in spite of the awkwardness of the situation.

"I still appreciate it," she said, and leaned against him.

"You done?" he asked. She nodded. He stood, bent, scooped her up, and carried her back to bed. He dabbed her face, making sure she was clean, and then he reached over and picked up the phone. He made a call and a few minutes later there was a knock on the door. He came back a minute later. "I have a few toothbrushes and toothpaste," he said.

"Seriously, that may be the greatest pickup line ever for someone in my condition," she said. Chuck couldn't help it and burst out laughing. They held each other, and fell back asleep.

A/N: I didn't say it would be this chapter! Okay, full disclosure, today was crazy, but some of the things you guys said, it was exactly what I have told some of my favorite authors in the past, and I had to get something up. I then kept working. Grace had a play and another practice tonight, so I don't know when the next chapter will get done, especially since I have a crazy week. Sorry for the ending, probably too many talks with Steampunk . Chuckster and her "evilness" coming over me. Take care. See you soon.

EDC (Evil David Carner