A/N: There was more Buy More in this than I realized. So…I may have cheated a little. I give you The Kiss, Ch 7, The Past

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, and I didn't get kicked out of college….though it took me 10 ¾ years to get my undergrad…


Sarah huffed out a breath and ran her hand through her hair. These past few days had been…well…rough. It had all started with Professor Flemming at Stanford. Chuck was asked to assist on a mission to find him, and he passed on it due to the personal nature of it, with General Stanfield's blessing. Chuck and Sarah were doing what they could to get his mind off of it, but the more he tried not to think about it, the more he did. He had told her he was going to go clean his room, and she offered to help. They began getting rid of the old Stanford stuff when Sarah saw it, his old ID. She told him how cute he looked, and he glanced at it. She was stunned as he flashed on the ID.

After discussing this development with Casey and Stansfield, they tried to pick up Flemming, but he took an arrow to the back. She hadn't realized that type of weapons were popular with hitmen. Stanford had nearly been a disaster, but they got the information the CIA wanted and got out of there with their lives. Chuck and Sarah skipped the football game, and with the cleanup over, she sat on the quad with Chuck, looking over the beauty of it.

"I know I'm supposed to be your emotional baggage handler," he began. She reached over and squeezed his hand. She patted her lap, and he lay across the fountain ledge they were sitting on and put his head in her lap. She brushed at his curls with her fingers and wondered what it would have been like to meet Chuck Bartowski on a college campus; a nerd in all of his glory. "I thought I had moved on."

"Chuck," she said softly. "Just because you move on doesn't mean things don't still hurt. You can lose someone but still remember things and miss them." She looked around the campus. "This it the first time you've been back, and I think you're handling it quite well. I probably would try to find something to punch."

"You do have a bit of a violent streak," he replied. She pulled on a strand of hair. "OW!"

"Sorry, it's my violent streak," she said, as she bent down and kissed his head. "You know what Awesome thinks we're doing right now, right?"

"You still think Ellie is trying to convince him we're taking things slow?" Chuck asked. Sarah giggled. "Wait, did you giggle." She slapped him on the shoulder. "Oh. My. God. I just made Sarah Walker CIA super spy, giggle." Her cellphone rang and she looked at it.

"I need to take this," Sarah said. Chuck nodded and she walked away for a little privacy. He turned to look at the fountain behind him, and noticed something written on the plaque. He leaned over to get a closer look.

"You nearly screwed that one up," Casey said, behind him, or right in front of him. Whichever way he was, he frightened Chuck, making him fall in the fountain. That's how Sarah found him, being pulled out by Casey. Now they were in the car, on their way back to Echo Park. She huffed, looked over at him, and frowned at how he looked absolutely miserable. He had a towel wrapped around him, and because everyone else in the vehicle was hot from the game, the air conditioner was on full blast. He was nearly shivering. She leaned over.

"I want you to stay with me tonight," she whispered. He looked over at her. "You've had a rough day, and I just want to make sure your all right." He swallowed thickly. "Don't worry, Chuck. I'm not going to take advantage of you," she said with a grin. He smiled and faced forward. "Unless you want me to that is," she added as an afterthought. He whipped his head towards her, and she had an innocent look on her face. The grin that covered his face made him look a bit ridiculous, but he didn't care. He turned to his right, where Casey sat. Casey growled, and Chuck looked forward, hoping this ride would end soon.

}o{

He stepped out of the shower, and felt like a new man. Where had she gotten clothes that had fit him, he wasn't sure he wanted to know. They weren't his, and that meant either she had gotten things for him or there was another guy in her life that wore this stuff, but she had told him everything, right? He shook his head. No, no rabbit hole. Bad Chuck! Don't go down the rabbit hole. This was a CIA agent, she probably had a stash of clothes for Casey as well. He pushed the troubling thoughts away and entered the kitchen. Wow, did that smell good. This is the woman who routinely burned corndogs but apparently, she could cook something right!

"Hey," she said softly, with a big smile as she saw him. She looked him up and down, not even hiding the fact she was checking him out. "Good, I thought those would look good on you." Chuck just looked at her. "Since you are supposed to be here sometimes for protection I thought it best you have some clothes and I got an expense account from our boss to purchase you some items." Chuck nodded. Well, that made complete sense. "Chili and grilled cheese sandwiches okay?"

"That sounds amazing," Chuck replied.

"I know it's getting a little cool out there, so I thought since we didn't have any real stadium food, this wasn't too far off," she said, stirring the chili. She pulled up the spoon with some chili on it, and nodded for him to come over. She gave him a taste, and it warmed him, but it wasn't too warm.

"That's delicious," Chuck replied. Sarah grinned.

"Corndogs, eh," she said. "Real food, I can do."

"I hope you didn't go to any trouble for me," he said sincerely. She looked at him and shook her head.

"Chuck, if I did it's because I wanted to," she said. She sighed, took the chili off the heat, took his hand, and led him to the couch. "Okay, let's do this."

"Do what?" Chuck asked. She handed him a disk and nodded to her laptop. He looked at it, and realized it was the file from earlier. "Sarah!"

"Chuck, you need to know," she said. "I've told Stansfield. If you don't know it could affect you."

"If I do it might as well," Chuck replied. Sarah nodded.

"My guess is, knowing you, whatever is on here, you'll make it something bigger in your head if you don't know," she said. "I'm here, and you need to see this." Chuck nodded. She squeezed his hand. "Right here beside you, okay?" Chuck nodded, inserted the disk, and hit play. He watched Bryce and Fleming talk about Chuck, and Bryce come up with the plan to get Chuck expelled. When it was over, she held him.

"He was trying to help," Chuck said softly. "He was trying to protect me. I mean I would have liked to have known and maybe we could have had another plan, but he was trying to protect me."

"Chuck," she said softly, holding him. "It's all right to be mad at him." He looked at her, and shook his head.

"I'm kinda having trouble doing that right now, because I have you in my life," he said. Sarah smiled. She kissed him softly. It started out as something sweet, and caring, but it took on a life of its own, quickly. She pulled away, grinning.

"I don't want to take advantage of you," she said, winking. She stood up, leaving him slack jawed on the couch as she went back to the stove.

"I don't mind," he said, once he got his brain working again.

"Nope," she said, popping the "p". "I wouldn't want to do something you'd regret tomorrow." Chuck stared at her, as he walked over to the kitchen.

"You are seriously getting me back from a few weeks ago, aren't you?" he asked. She grinned.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," she said, as innocently as she could. "You have been through an emotional experience and the last thing I need is for you and I to do something that could hurt you emotionally. Plus, I'd be in big trouble with my boss if I broke the Intersect." Chuck grinned at her. She began to ladle out the chili and put a sandwich on a plate for him.

"You are devious," Chuck said. Sarah had an amused smile on her face.

"Let's say I know what you are talking about," she said, smirking. "Why would I do such a thing?"

"Because the real Sarah Walker isn't a cold, robotic, emotionless spy," Chuck replied. "Because she's funny, wicked smart, sassy, and likes to have fun."

"Wouldn't doing what your suggesting be more fun?" she asked. Chuck put down his bowl, walked over to her, and held her face in his hands.

"She also protects me, from physical, or emotional harm," he said softly. He leaned his forehead down to hers. "She makes me her number one priority when she should be making herself the number one priority."

"You make me the number one priority," she replied, just as soft. "I'm just making it even. Tonight is about making sure you're okay. If that means tears, then so be it. If that means bad movies, then so be it. I really hope it means snuggling in bed."

"You are not ready for the Chuck Bartowski sleep snuggle," Chuck said.

"Chuck, I've started revolutions in Jakarta with a fork," Sarah replied. "I faced Ellie one on one. Your sleep snuggle doesn't scare me." Chuck gave her the eyebrow dance and she grinned.

"Woman, when I later tell this story to the future generations, I will tell them how your arrogance led to your downfall," Chuck said, loftily. Sarah raised an eyebrow.

"Did you say when you tell our kids about this?" she asked. Chuck sputtered. She laughed deeply. He knew she had gotten him, and she had barely even tried. They ate dinner, watched movies, and she eventually dragged him to bed. The snuggling was next level, and in the morning when they opened their eyes, trying to figure out where one began and the next ended was nearly impossible.

"Sleep okay, Sarah," he asked. She nodded sleepily.

"Maybe the best sleep I've ever had," she said.

"What do we tell Ellie?" Chuck asked.

"I think we only have one choice left, Chuck," Sarah said.

"What's that, Sarah?" Chuck asked, snuggling against her, as she played with his curls.

"We have to make love," she said nonchalantly.

"That would probably be best for the cover and explain why I'm over here," he said. Sarah shook her head where he couldn't see it and continued to play with his hair. The smirk that covered her face would have been a dead giveaway if he had seen it, but he hadn't.

"Sure, Chuck, for the cover," she said, and continued to play with his hair. Chuck opened his eyes and thought about what she said. His mouth nearly dropped, and his eyes grew wide as he realized what she had said. He had only one thought as he lay there.

Don't. Freak. Out.


A/N: Hoped you liked it, reviews are always welcomed…til next time.

DC