A/N: I really didn't realize I hadn't updated this one. Really, I didn't. (My bad Dillwg.) You know the teasing, sexy, over the top bantering, well, I'm gonna tone it down….No I'm not, in fact, if anything, we turn it up a notch. I've come to a decision. This fic is fun, and we could bust Bryce quickly, or we could have fun at his expense. I like fun, so let's keep this one going for a bit. I've written the last chapter of Pros and Cons, so all is well, right? Right. Welcome to Hotel California Ch 8, An Exclusive Partnership
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, but at this point he might wish I did to keep writing these situations for him…or maybe he wouldn't.
It wasn't his bed he found himself in, but he thought he might like it more than his own. He tried to open his eyes, but he was too tired. And there it was again, fingers that were lightly stroking his hair. He heard a phone ring, and he recognized the ring tone. The fingers left his hair, and he found he really didn't like that. He listened closely, he was hearing a pattern of noises…rain. He knew it was supposed to rain this weekend, but this sounded like one of those settle in and just come down steadily all day and all night showers. And it was so comfortable in this bed. He wouldn't mind sleeping there every night.
Whoa! Knock off those thoughts Bartowski!
He heard her voice. He didn't realize how much he liked the sound of that voice.
"Hey, Carina," he heard her say. She giggled; he smiled. "Actually he is in my bed." She giggled again. "No, he's exhausted from the past few nights. No, Carina, that's not why he's exhausted…I don't know if we're there yet." Chuck blushed but was intrigued by this development all at the same time. There was a found the mood in the room changed, darkened. "Carina, is Skip sure that's where the virus was uploaded from? No, let's don't tell him yet." Another pause and the mood in the room changed again, lightened. "No, I haven't changed my policy on dating my coworkers." Chuck's heart fell. He didn't know how much those words could hurt at this moment. "However, I haven't told you my policy on my partners. No, I'm not going to tell you either." A pause. "Well, to be honest, I'm not sure what all I would do, but I have a feeling the longer this partnership goes, the more I'll be open to." There was silence again and she laughed. "No, Carina, this partnership isn't over once the this project is over and the general leaves the hotel. I plan on keeping this partnership going," her voice dropped, like she was realizing something, "for a long, long time." Chuck had just gone from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. "Slow down, Carina. I like him, a lot, and, yes, you were right. He is a good guy, but we're not there yet. Although, if he doesn't wake up soon, I may be forced to crawl into bed with him." Chuck tried to will himself back to sleep. She disconnected the call, and he felt her eyes on him. Eventually her footsteps led out of the room and he fell asleep again.
Later, he woke, hearing laughter. "He's fine, Ellie, just exhausted. I hate to wake him." Chuck really hoped she didn't either, although her crawling in bed with him was not out of the question. "Don't worry, Ellie. No funny business." He heard her almost cackle with laughter. "ELLIE! That's your brother you're talking about. Okay, hope I see you tomorrow." He tried and tried to will himself back to sleep. "Well, do I slide in beside him, or sleep on the couch? Decisions, decisions." Chuck could hear the teasing tilt of the voice and tried not to make any movements to give away he was awake, which wasn't too difficult given how exhausted he was. Not so exhausted, evidently, that certain physical parts of him were immune to interest in her decision. "What to do with you, Chuck Bartowski." Chuck had so many ideas as he fell back asleep.
The next time he awoke he felt a warm weight on the right side of his chest. Not a heavy one, in fact, it was comforting. The right temperature, and the right feel. He opened his eyes and there laying on his right side was one Sarah Walker. She was a cuddler. He would have lost that bet. She had her legs wrapped around his right one, his left foot over hers, keeping their feet warm. She was in the crook of his arm, her head on his chest. She lifted her head and looked at him, soft and drowsy. The words escaped his mouth before he had any chance of jailing them. "I could wake up like this every morning." She got a shy smile on her face, dropped her eyes, and snuggled back against him, working to get as close as possible. It was dark outside, still raining, and he decided the best thing to do was go back to sleep…with her...and he did, just after he pulled her tighter against him.
The next time he awoke there was daylight peeping in the windows and he felt himself being watched. She grinned at him. "Good nap?" she asked, her voice crackling and smiling a sleepy smile. He ran his hand through his hair, and her fingers twitched wanting to do that to him.
"Yeah, thanks for that," he said in a raspy voice. With no warning, she grinned wolfishly at him and dove in for a kiss. He pulled back gently. "Uh, I seriously need to brush my teeth before you do that." She cocked an eyebrow. "Sarah, seriously." She grabbed the covers, threw them back and walked into the bathroom. She turned to look at him from the doorway. He got the hint, and went and joined her, muttering under his breath that she was a cover-stealer. She opened a drawer and put her hand out as if to say, "Be my guest." Chuck looked and there were many toothbrushes in the drawer. He looked up at her and then back to the drawer. "Huh."
She knew it had come out of his mouth without him thinking. But that's what he was doing now, thinking, thinking about what he had been thinking. She liked that he thought about things so much, and she also liked to tease him. She couldn't resist. "Huh, what?" Her face was all innocence.
He froze as he reached for one. He didn't know why there were so many toothbrushes in that drawer, and frankly, it was none of his business. Right? Right. For all he knew she had family visitors and she had a toothbrush for each of them, or for anytime a friend stayed the night…any of her many, many friends. He looked up, and saw her. She had her arms crossed and slight smirk on her face.
"I double dog dare you to ask what you were thinking. You're particularly cute when you spiral in silence."
Chuck didn't say a word. He just reached down, grabbed a toothbrush, ripped it open, put toothpaste on it, and began to brush his teeth in a world-record time. Sarah burst out laughing, stepped behind him, and grabbed her own electric toothbrush. "Each time you go to the dentist, they give you a new one." Chuck looked back into the drawer and then back to her. "There's only five or six in there." Chuck pulled out a pack. "That was before I switched to the electric one! " It was then she noticed Chuck's eyes dancing and she swatted him on the shoulder.
"You don't have to explain, and it's none of my business. But I like that you did." He kissed her on the side of the head. "Thank you." He started to walk away, when she grabbed him, spun him, and gave him a kiss that almost made his knees go out. When she let him go, he didn't know if he could spell cat if someone spotted him the 'c'. He was having problems with the 'a' and the 't'.
"There, that's a proper good morning kiss." She took his toothbrush and put it in the dispenser, watching his eyes getting wide. She bounced a shoulder. "That's for whoever is here next and needs one." With that she turned and walked off without further comment
"I see I rank highly by getting a new one!" he yelled after her. She never quit walking.
A few minutes later, after he had dressed, he found her in the kitchen. He walked up to her, and pulled her in for a hug. "Thanks." She held onto him, and he was okay with that. "I needed that night of sleep, and I don't know if it was you, or the comfy bed, or the rain, or all of it, but it was the best one I've had in a long time. I needed that."
"Told you I had you, partner." He kissed the top of her forehead, let her go, and pulled out his phone. She fought not to roll her eyes. "What are you doing?"
Chuck looked up at her, and saw the look on her face. It had been 24 hours of him being with her, wasn't she sick of him? "I figured I get out of your hair. I'll get a Lyft and head home."
She took the phone away from him. From the look on her face and her actions she apparently wasn't sick of him. "Uh, you have presents to wrap if you don't want Ellie and Awesome to see them. Do it here, heck, hide them here."
"Are you trying to get me to come back?" He was smirking. He wasn't even going to try and fight her crazy any more. He was falling hard and he didn't even care. He would just try to ride the wave to the shore.
She smiled at him and shook her head, faking exasperation. "Chuck, like it would take much to get you to come back. Did you forget helping me decorate for Christmas?" He had. She patted his cheek after she said it, turned, went to the fridge, opened the door, and stuck her head in. "Want eggs?"
"Sure."
She pulled her head out and turned around, frowning. "Looks like we're going out, because I have nothing breakfasty."
He grinned at her. "Is that semi-Australian?"
She crossed her arms and tilted her head. "You've really got a thing for that actress, don't you? It would be 'breaky'."
"Hence, 'semi'." He walked over toward her. "I do have a thing for someone." They knew they were both being corny and cheesy. Neither cared.
She had a mysterious smile on her face. "Who is it?"
He looked around to see with exaggerated caution, checking to see if anyone was listening. She looked around with him, mimicking him. "If you let me buy you breakfast I'll tell you."
She gave him the squint-eye. "Tell me first and I'll let you buy me breakfast."
"Okay, but you can't tell anyone." She nodded. "It's my partner."
She did a slow nod, and she began to look around again still making sure no one was listening. He joined in. She leaned in close, close, closer. "She knows," she whispered, pulling back and heading toward her bedroom to change.
He watched her strut away, obviously proud of herself, and he couldn't stop the words that came out of his mouth. "Really, that's all your gonna give me."
She stopped in her tracks and spun. The look on her face was absolute amusement. "I think I've given you quite a bit. However, play your cards right and I'll give you everything you want. Everything you've dreamed of, lacy-gauzy boy." With that she spun and headed back toward her bedroom. "Close your mouth, you'll catch flies."
He stood there, dumbfounded. "Death by Crazy Blonde. What a way to go!"
-ooooo-
Less than an hour later found them at a hole-in-the-wall that served what may have been the best breakfast Chuck had ever had. He made Sarah promise not to tell Ellie he had said that. Sarah's wheels started turning. He hadn't called or text Ellie that she knew of. While Sarah didn't know the siblings well, she didn't think Chuck was the kind of person that didn't tell his sister when he wasn't going to be home. So why hadn't he contacted her?
"Chuck?"
He was in a middle of a bite of sausage gravy and biscuits. The cholesterol might kill him, but it had to be less dangerous than what Sarah was putting him through. "Hmm?"
"Have you talked to Ellie?"
Chuck grinned, and put down his fork. He grabbed a napkin and wiped his face clean. "So we're gonna play that game, huh?"
She looked at him, trying to fake surprise but failed miserably. She chuckled and put down her utensil. "So you heard?" Chuck nodded. "I wasn't trying to do like Friday, I promise." Chuck reacher over and put his hand over hers, making her catch her breath.
"I know, and I appreciate it. You do look out for me." He took a deep breath. "Which is why I think we both need to start telling the truth."
"I always tell my partner the truth." Chuck raised an eyebrow. "Starting now, I will always tell my partner the truth." Chuck sat there quietly. She turned her hand over and took his. "I don't know what is going on or exactly what to say about it. All I know is I went from thinking you were judging me, to thinking you were a jerk, to realizing Bryce was taking advantage of you..." Chuck gave a surprise look with that one. She hurried on. "...To finding out I like spending time with you, to really enjoying just being with you, to finally...I like you, Chuck, a lot. So much, I'm wondering what it is I am feeling, words keep crossing my mind that I've never used."
"Wow, I just wanted you to tell me if we were actually dating." Sarah rolled up a napkin and hit him in the head with it. He laughed, his eyes alight. "Sarah, what are we doing?"
She leaned in. "I am your partner and you are mine, and no one is taking you away from me, Chuck Bartowski. I know that's a bit much after a week or so, but that's how I feel and there is nothing you can do to change those feelings."
He nodded. "So we are partners, exclusively." She nodded with a smirk on her face. "Okay, final truth that you need to know." He took a deep breath. "Bryce stole my security system."
The anger on her face scared him for a second. He was glad it wasn't him she was looking that way about. "That son of a bitch," she spat. "I tell you, Chuck he messes with you again, he'll be crusin' for a bruisin'."
Chuck grinned at her. "Hey, that's my schtick!"
She leaned forward, looking into his eyes. "Deal with it, Bartowski." He leaned forward and pecked her on the lips, surprising her. She smiled.
He took her hand in his and squeezed it. "If you insist."
She didn't have to speak, the look in her eyes told him exactly what she thought. She did speak, though, and looked him right in the eye as she intoned the words. "I do."
He nodded and took a deep breath. "Now, what about the phone call you got earlier from Carina?"
"Did you sleep at all?"
"What can I say? I like the sound of your voice." He paused. "That sounded more than a little creepy."
She laughed and sat back. "Chuck, I think Bryce set that virus. I don't know why he did it, and that's what worries me. Bryce Larkin is about being in control, and right now, there is one person that can mess up his control. That's you, Chuck."
He sat there quietly a moment. "Do you remember at the restaurant and you and Carina went into the restroom?" She nodded. "Bryce tried his bullying tactics."
She pressed her lips together. "I may have to have a talk with him."
"I thought Jiu-Jitsu was supposed to be non-aggressive." She chuckled and he shook his head. Chuck's eyes got big. "Or, is this how mad you are after the aggression has been turned down."
"Keep making jokes, Curls. I don't like people bullying my partner."
Chuck licked his lips and proceeded with caution. "In full disclosure honesty stuff." She gave him a look. "Right, spiraling. I know about Amy and him cheating on you with her." Sarah rolled her eyes. "Listen, I get it, you're not with him, but I get why he makes you so pissed."
"No, Chuck." She needed to make sure he understood.. "Bryce didn't go after Amy because he had feelings for her, he was after one thing, and he succeeded." Chuck's face tightened with anger. "His excuse to me was he didn't know we were exclusive. He knew I wasn't seeing anyone else, I thought he wasn't seeing anyone else, but Bryce, being Bryce, did what was best for Bryce. He's screwed over Carina with your project from Stanford. How much lower can he get?"
"He slept with my girlfriend in college," Chuck said softly. Sarah leaned back.
"Are you kidding me?" It was more of a rhetorical question. "Can he get any slimier?" Chuck looked away.
"We may have gotten into a couple of spars over you on Wednesday." Sarah was confused. "He came down and bragged about you and how he was taking you to dinner."
"It was business and business only."
"Hey, it doesn't matter, you just need to know this."
She grabbed his hand. "Chuck, yes it does matter."
A slow smile grew over his face. "Thought you were mad at me then, Walker?" She leaned forward a very serious look on her face.
"I was pissed as hell at you," she said softly but intensely. "Here you were, not judging me, it turns out, but blowing me off. Wouldn't tell me why we couldn't have coffee, because you don't like coffee, but more importantly you had a final."
"I didn't really know you were asking me out, to be fair." She stared at him. "Right, zipping it."
"But you, Chuck Bartowski, you got under my skin, and I'm not sure I can get you out."
"I'm sure there's a topical cream for that." With that, she put her hand on his face, and gently, but firmly, pushed him away, laughing the whole time. He was laughing as he straightened back up. "Anyway, he said he was taking you out, which in college meant he was having the sex."
Sarah was laughing. "Wait, the sex?"
Chuck tried to look hurt. "Of all the goofy things I say, that's the one. 'The sex' is where you draw the line?"
She shook her head and leaned forward again. "If you ever wish to have the sex, with the me, I wouldn't say 'the sex' ever again." Chuck's brain rattled and smoked. He hadn't really thought about where this relationship was going. Dreamed, sure, and sure, she and Carina had joked earlier, but it had been a dream and she might have been just joking.
He found she was snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Did I break you?"
"Not yet," he mumbled.
The grin on her face was suggestive. "Good."
"Sarah," he croaked. "If you do, will you promise to fix me?"
"If you earn it," she replied as innocently as possible. Chuck really wanted to take the glass of water and throw it in his own face. "Tell me the rest of the Bryce story, and then we have presents to wrap and Christmas to spring on poor little ole me."
He gave her a flat look and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Anyway, I told him to make sure and use a condom so as…well, back in college there were rumors, and I decided to get back at him a little. Petty, I know."
She bounced a shoulder. "Sounds like you were looking out for me." He looked uncomfortable. "Get it all out."
"So, back to you and Carina in the bathroom." Sarah nodded. "I told him you weren't one of his conquests, and for him to finish his dinner, and leave without you." He looked down and then back up at her. "I know it wasn't my place but I couldn't let him do that to you. You didn't deserve that."
"I didn't exactly deserve your kindness either."
"Sarah I never hated you, or disliked you, well, not much." She grinned. "But you were crazy, and I'd had so many bad things happen…"
"You didn't want to date crazy."
"Who as it turns out refuses to date me," he said, leaning back and drinking his water.
She waggled her eyebrows. "Just wait until I decide to partner with you." The way she said 'partner' stressing it as a verb, made Chuck nearly spit out his water. "Ready to go back and Christmas up my place."
"So 'partner' and 'Christmas' are now verbs, Walker?"
"They are if I say so, Bartowski!"
"What do you know, it's been 24 hours without me breaking out the lingo." As soon as he said it, the smile fell from his face. Sarah shook her head, reached across and took his hand. "Dammit, 'the lingo' is the lingo!"
"Never change, Bartowski," she said, nodding and winking, and getting up to leave.
"Can't, you'll kick my ass if I did," he said, slipping an arm around her. He looked at her, and she raised an eyebrow, but never said a word as they walked out together.
A/N: All is well...except next time, Bryce Strike Back...and I steal moments from multiple episodes along with my own twisted take on some stuff...really, who's shocked?…take care…see you soon…til next time.
DC
