A/N: *Reads comments* BWAHAHAHAH Well, I was worried I'd left too many clues. Apparently I hadn't left any. So you think Sarah is going to be upset? Just you guys wait. Just you wait. *shares a look with beta and both laugh in unison*

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck


It was a few days later that Chuck found himself standing outside of Langston Graham's office, Bryce beside him. He could end this right now by telling the two men who he was, but that wouldn't be fair to Sarah. He now found himself in a prison of his own making. If he told them he was Piranha, Sarah would never find out if she made it back on her own, and she had worked too damn hard for it. And he cared too damn much about her to let her doubt her achievement.

He tried to push the thoughts of her out of his head. How he had woken up in her arms again in that bed in Atlanta, how their eyes had met. And how if he hadn't scrambled out of bed, yelling about having to use the little boys room, what might have happened. He couldn't decide if she was really attracted to him, it was their forced closeness, or she had an itch she really needed scratched, but there did seem to be something there between them. He couldn't act on that until this was all over.

"Come in," Graham said, opening his office door. Chuck sat on the left, Bryce on the right, facing the team owner. Graham pushed a stack of photos across the desk towards Chuck.

Chuck picked up the top photo. He turned to Bryce. "Look at the smile on her face."

"I see it, buddy," Bryce said, realizing Chuck had no idea what was about to happen to him.

"Mr. Bartowski, are you fraternizing with Miss Walker?" Graham asked.

"Yeah," Chuck answered. Graham drew up. "Actually no," Chuck said, changing his answer.

"Well, which is it, Mr. Bartowski?"

"None of your damn business," Chuck replied, making Graham's eyes widen. He felt Bryce put his head in his hands, and softly groan. "First, there is nothing that says we can't be friends."

"There are ethics," Graham replied.

"Technically, he's not exactly her physical therapist," Bryce cut in. "He's more of a physical trainer… or a life coach."

"Life coach?" Graham asked, an eyebrow raising.

"Still none of your damn business," Chuck added. "Yeah, we are friends, we hang. We watch basketball, talk, and enjoy each other's company. That and anything else I might do with her, or her with I, or… or… all three of us together," Chuck said, indicating Bryce, Sarah in the photo, and himself with a circling finger. Graham's eyes went huge. "Not THAT!" Chuck stressed. "As friends. It is none of your business."

"It is if you're a distraction," Graham replied.

"You're telling me that if I'm a friend to Sarah, you're gonna cut her," Chuck said, not asked.

"No, I'm telling you that if you two get involved, and you cause her, or the team, to lose focus…" Graham trailed off, letting the threat hang there. "That being said, she does seem happy."

"I haven't told her yet because I needed to get your okay, but she's been offered to be a commentator for the Women's NCAA tournament," Bryce began.

"Wait, he doesn't get to tell her what she can or cannot do during her off season," Chuck said, a little incensed.

Graham chuckled. "I think he was talking about you, Mr. Bartowski. That will take a lot of prep."

"It's her decision. I'll make it work on my end," Chuck countered. "It's interesting they're asking her now, when I'm sure there are others out there that have been doing it longer, and better, since she's just begun."

"They want to try her in a four-person format," Bryce admitted.

"Ratings?" Chuck asked. Bryce nodded. Chuck nodded as well. "I'll make it work."

"Enjoy Chicago," Bryce told him.

}o{

"How's the knee feeling?" Chuck asked.

"Fine," Sarah replied, lying on her back, studying the book ESPN had provided for the game she would be covering.

He glanced at the book, and stood up straight. She never even noticed he wasn't working on her leg and knee. After a minute, though, she did. "Is this bothering you?"

"Not in the way you think," he answered, wondering if he should answer this question honestly. He decided it was her life, turned, got the gel, and turned back around, to see her sitting up, staring at him.

"No secrets, no lies," she said, looking him in the eye.

"We aren't there yet, because some of us don't want to admit the truth to ourselves," he said softly. Her eyes widened. "Sarah, you do understand that, while this is a big deal, that the broadcasting work will still be there for you in fifteen years, when your playing career is over."

She couldn't say a word, and he again began to put gel on her knee, when the tone in her voice shook him to his core. "I wish everyone believed in me the way you do. I wish I did." He dropped the gel, stood, and pulled her into a hug. She was a little surprised he did it, and he was a little surprised she hugged him back. "God, Chuck, what if I can't?"

He pulled away, his arms on her shoulders, looking her in the eye. "Sarah Walker, what if you can?" Her eyes were shining with tears. "What if you come back and were as good, or dare I say better, than when you got hurt?"

"That's not the way life works, Chuck," she replied. He stared at her, and booped her on the nose. She blinked in surprise. "What the hell?"

"Has anyone ever done that to you before?" he asked. She stared at him like he was mad. Like he was the looniest person she had ever seen.

"That's not how life works," she insisted.

"Then I guess I was wrong about you," he replied. "But until this is over, I'm going to keep thinking I'm right." He stepped away, and bent down to retrieve his bottle of gel. "Now," he said wiggling it in front of him. "It's time to put this cold gel on your knee." She nodded and sat down, a strange look on her face.

"I'm gonna try," she said softly. "For you."

He looked up at her, his eyes soft, but his smile sad. He shook his head. "Sarah, do it for the person that most needs it to be done." She held his gaze, her eyes tearing up again.

"Do it for you."

He bent his head down and put the gel on her knee, watching her tense up at the coldness.

"And Bryce, because he needs his ten percent." Sarah couldn't help but laugh.

}o{

March 29th, Windtrust Arena

"I hope I did okay," Sarah said, sitting down beside Chuck during her between-games break. The first game was over, and the second one was scheduled to tip-off in twenty minutes. Chuck was sitting right behind the table of announcers.

"You sounded fine to me," he said with a grin, holding up earbuds.

She gave him a soft smile. "You didn't have to listen," Sarah told him.

"Are you kidding? I love listening to you talk basketball," Chuck replied with a shrug. "You're nerding out on what you love, and it's just so pure. And people can hear it in your comments."

"Thank you," she said, laying a hand on his leg. "Hey, since we're here, where do you want to eat tonight?"

"Gino's East, baby," he said, and then turned to her slowly his eyes wide. She was grinning ear to ear.

"So, you think just because you rub me all the right ways, and stick things in me, you can call me baby?"

Chuck swallowed. "Fine," Chuck conceded. Sarah turned around and watched the players warming up, grinning. "Gino's East, beautiful." Her eyes went wide, and she turned back to him. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Is that how you want to play it, Bartowski?"

"I've been playing your game since I met you," he replied.

She leaned in close. "Chuck, you may have been a pawn in my game, but you have yet to play." She winked at him, stood up, and went over to the announcer's table.

"Don't freak out," he muttered, sotto voce.

}o{

"So, let me change into something more comfortable, and we'll go eat," Sarah began.

"Hot date?" came the familiar voice behind them. They both turned and saw Bryce, carrying a bag. "I need a favor." The two of them shared a look.

}o{

Chuck had gone to his room to give the two of them space. ESPN had called Bryce about Sarah getting an on-air color commentator job during the women's basketball season. He had met them in Chicago, and assumed he had a room in which to stay. Chuck told them he would give them time to work things out contract-wise, and to let him know when they were ready, or if they needed to cancel. He had found a bar near the hotel from which he could go get a sandwich, hamburger, or something else.

A knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts. He went to the door, and opened it, finding no one there. There was another knock, and he realized it was a connecting door.

As soon as he opened that door, Bryce flashed him a smile, walked through with his suitcase, and put it down on the floor. "You have a choice: Sleep with me, or Sarah, tonight."

Sarah stuck her head in through the door. "I know which one I'd choose, if I were you," she said, winking and then disappearing back into her room… or their room.

}o{

"Thanks for letting me tag along as the third wheel on your date," Bryce said, as the server brought them out a plate of bread sticks.

"Bryce, it's no big deal," Sarah replied, picking one up and dipping it in marinara sauce. "Besides, you're getting the check, and I get my alone time with him later," she said, smirking. She bit into the breadstick, and moaned.

"Looks like you got some competition, Chuck," Bryce said, with his own smirk. Chuck wanted to dig a hole and disappear.

"Hey, you will not get my person," Sarah said, shoulder bumping Chuck and smiling at him.

Bryce looked across the booth at the two of them. "Guys, I know you've both been working hard," he began, seriousness on his face. "But next month…"

"I know," Sarah said. "But I have two of the best trying to help me. Still, at the end of the day, it's me, you know?"

"Hey, do you have to work tomorrow?" Chuck asked.

Sarah shook her head. "Tomorrow we're off. We meet Monday morning to prep for the game that night," Sarah replied. "I was gonna ask if you want to go sightseeing with me, but I'm not putting you in charge." Chuck had a slightly hurt look on his face. "Oh, give me a break, I know you. You'd want to redo the Ferris Bueller movie."

"Normally, you'd be right," Bryce began. "But, I know Chuck." Chuck grinned at him. "He's a computer hacker at heart, so it would be all the Watch Dog sights." Sarah gave him a confused look. "It's a video game."

"Hacker?" Sarah asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah, he used to have some crazy name," Bryce replied. "But, he's on the straight and narrow now."

"What was the name, Chuck?" she asked, her blue eyes sparkling.

His mouth was suddenly dry. Reaching for his drink, he took a deep sip. He cleared his throat. He knew he should lie. He knew he shouldn't tell her. He knew this was a mistake, and yet his mouth opened, and the words tumbled out before he could stop them.

"Piranha," he said. "They used to call me, Piranha."


A/N: True story, I have been to Windtrust Arena….it was where I was sitting at Star Wars Celebration where I saw the cast of Ep IX, Stephen Colbert, and watched the trailer to Rise of the Skywalker. It's also where I saw Emperor Palpatine walk out, say, "ROLL IT AGAIN!" in his Emperor voice, and called Steampunk Chuckster 5 minutes later, and freaked out on the phone with her for 10 minutes. Really nice arena…oh, you want to talk more about that reveal at the end. Hehehehehehe.