A/N: Hellllllo! How are we all? Surely you're in better condition than Chuck who last we saw was, *ahem* in a slight state of embarrassment. Thank God I won't find some situation to where another dream could be embarrassing...*looks down at story* Whoops. My Bad. Welcome to Hotel California Ch 10, Meet the Larkins

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, and dreams are what we make them. HEHEHEHEHEHE!

He was quiet during the car ride. She hadn't told him where they were going, just that they needed to go. She had explained somethings about this morning to him. She had set his alarm. She would have woken him, but it was obvious he was having a dream, and she was worried he would have grabbed her, and they would have been late…..very late.

Chuck turned ever redder than earlier at that declaration. Devon had come into the room to make sure everything was okay. Actually he had stuck his head in the door, saw Sarah standing there, Chuck on the floor, said "Nice," and left. Sarah apologized for startling him, but Chuck noticed she hadn't apologized for entering his room.

Chuck had quickly showered, and noticed Sarah carrying his bag, the one he kept in case he had to stay a few nights at the hotel if he had to work late because of an emergency. He had a few changes of clothes in his office, and even though Casey had said to take the weekend off, he had a good idea what was going on.

"Bryce stepped in it?"

Sarah turned toward him, an amused smile on her face. It was the first words he had said since they left. He wasn't stewing, just trying to figure out what was going on in his life. Well, he had a good idea. It was the craziness that was Sarah Walker. It was disruptive, but he found he wasn't mad. He was confused often enough, but not mad at all. She forced him to be quick, light on his feet, ready.

"Are you writing a book?" she asked, winking at him. He looked at her, confused. She looked a little embarrassed. "I was trying to be ironic," she began.

"The phrase means you're talking too much, not bad, Walker," Chuck replied, grinning. Her mouth dropped, shocked that Chuck had pulled one over on her. He shrugged. "What can I say, after you hearing me dreaming, talking about your classy chassis…." Chuck trailed off, and shut his eyes hard. He had done it again. Sarah laughed.

"You're the bees' knees, Bartowski," and she took his hand. He sat there, an embarrassed smile on his face, shaking his head as they drove on.

"More of a 20s thing, or Barney Fife," he muttered.

She bounced a shoulder. "I don't want to tread on your turf." He grinned at her, satisfied to just hold her hand as they drove to their destination.

-ooooo-

They pulled into the parking lot, Sarah still grinning. She got out, went to the trunk and pulled out Chuck's bag. He reached for it, and she handed it to him. She went back into the trunk, pulled out another bag, and slung it over her shoulder.

"I'm just glad Ellie wasn't home, there's no telling what she'd think."

Sarah didn't say anything, her grin said enough. She shut the trunk, spun, grabbed Chuck by the shirt, and pulled him into her. There lips crashed into each other, and she caught his bottom lip with her teeth, playfully nipping. She pulled away, grinning, and headed inside. Chuck stood there, not sure what to do, but eventually he followed after her. They went to a part of the hotel Chuck had never been to, the residence of the Larkins. Bryce refused to live on the property and had his own apartment off-site. Chuck entered behind Sarah, and followed her to the office area in the suite.

"Chuck, Sarah, we owe you a huge thanks for last night," Mr. Larkin said. Chuck realized they had been joined by Casey. What was going on?

"Casey has been informing us of everything. We cannot thank you enough. Nice job on fixing the broken camera after everything happened last night." Chuck caught the nod from Casey.

"You're welcome," Chuck said cautiously.

"Also thank you for allowing this to happen. The General's delegation being here is huge for us, and to expose what has happened would be a huge embarrassment for us all."

Chuck looked at Mr. Larkin, confused. "What has happened, sir?"

Mr. Larkin took a drink and grinned at Chuck. "Our idiot son stealing your security measures."

Chuck's mouth dropped.

"Oh, come on now, Chuck, he's smart, but computer-smart like that? There is no way he could create that program, and it was just a matter of time before someone figured it out. He brought it home from Stanford, where you were his roommate? It doesn't take a rocket scientist, or you, Chuck, to figure it out. I assumed when Carina hired you it would be a matter of days before you took him down. My guess is he threatened you." Chuck nodded, looking ashamed. Sarah took his hand and squeezed it.

"I needed the job, Sir. You have benefits, better pay, better work conditions, yes even with Bryce lording over me, and you have the tuition reimbursement program."

"I wish you had come to me, Son," Mr. Larkin said. "You have a job here. He won't fire you. You, Sarah, Carina, and Casey, have enough to get rid of that jack-ass."

"Chuck prefers 'asshat'," Sarah informed them.

"Asshat is about right," Mrs. Larkin groused.

"If you were to get rid of that...asshat," Mr. Larkin continued, grinning, "then we'll probably lose this contract, and several others Miss Walker has worked so diligently on."

The door opened to the apartment and Carina walked in. "Thank you, Carina for joining us." Carina nodded, had a seat, and grinned at the Larkins. "Carina deserves to run everything, but if everyone is pissed at you four for getting rid of him…"

"Carina wouldn't last long as the GM," Chuck finished for him. Mr. Larkin nodded. "Bryce isn't really in charge." Mr. Larkin grinned and bounced his head.

"Let's just say he can't fire anyone like he thinks he can, Chuckles," Carina said with a wink.

"Look, bring him down, right now, I have no problem with it," Mrs. Larkin said, looking irritated. "I'm just pissed we let him talk us out of giving the job to Carina when we could have."

"However," Mr. Larkin began with a grin. "If you don't, there are many ways to mess with him. Do your job. You can't be fired. Say to him what you want, and for God's sake, you two date, the entire staff is rooting for you two." Chuck turned red, and Sarah winked at him. "Keep compiling information on him and, when the day comes, we'll lower the hammer."

"It's up to Chuck, he's the one that's been screwed the most," Carina said.

"I agree," Sarah added. "Especially in his dreams…" She added that too, but so softly only Chuck could hear.

"No," Chuck said, shaking his head to clear it. "If I get him out, you two get screwed...I mean..."

"I think one of us has already gotten screwed by you," Carina replied.

"Carina," Sarah warned, but the grin on her face showed her heart wasn't in it. "In my dreams…." Sarah whispered for Chuck's ears.

"We will not be saying anything, yet," Chuck replied, trying to get this conversation off of whoever was or was not getting screwed, in dreams or in reality.

"Then we need another favor from you two. The General would feel better if you were both here on site. You know we're close to capacity and we have a few rooms held back, but if we give both of you one, I'm scared we may have an issue."

Chuck heard Sarah's voice beside him. He was unable to respond. "We can share a bed, it's not a problem." Mr. Larkin grinned, Mrs. Larkin grinned, and Carina's grin was down right scandalous. "Chuck?" she asked, emphasizing the "k". All he could do was nod. She turned back to the Larkins, her cheek twitching trying not to smile. "Then, we're good. He likes it when I tuck him in."

Mr. Larkin let that pass. "The delegation leaves Thursday, and of course we have the Christmas party here Thursday night. If you two will do this, then once you leave here Thursday, we will be glad to give you off until the first of next year."

"Sir?" Chuck asked, stunned.

"Son, you two have done this hotel a huge favor, and please don't feel like you need to be available for the general at all times. Enjoy yourselves, use the pool, use the gym, do whatever you two choose to do, the general is just more comfortable if you're here."

"I would think he'd feel better if Casey were here," Chuck quipped.

"I have my own apartment here, numbnuts," Casey replied.

"Of course you do," Chuck replied.

-ooooo-

"This is nice," Sarah said, entering the room. Chuck's eyes were bugging out of his head.

"Uh, Sarah…I think they gave us the honeymoon suite."

"No, I have it on good authority that bed vibrates."

"There's only one bed," Chuck nearly choked out.

Sarah turned to him. "What's the big deal? We've shared a bed before." Chuck gave her a flat look, and Sarah giggled. She sauntered toward him. "What's wrong, don't you want your dreams to come true? Put all that dreamy...practice into action?"

"No," Chuck replied. Sarah was stunned. "Each time I have a dream about you I, uh, I wake up before it...gets good. So, I want more than the dream. Stuff I haven't...practiced." And with that he walked past her to the bathroom, leaving Sarah standing there with her mouth open. It slowly closed to a smirk. She went and stood beside the bathroom door, knowing he went there to hide. She was leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, tapping out a count with her foot on the floor. The door opened and he stuck his head out, looked one way, and then back towards her. He jumped back in surprise and tumbled to the floor.

"Bartowski, I'm gonna develop a complex," she said, following him and then leaning over him, smirking. "Each time I see you, you jump in surprise and end up on your back. On of these times, I'd like to end up on mine."

-ooooo-

They had spent the day together. Chuck called Ellie and Awesome and told them what had happened. Ellie showed up with his stack of Christmas movies. Sarah just raised an eyebrow, Chuck raised his own in retaliation, and Ellie vibrated, never having seen her brother with someone who got him, his wit, and had plenty of her own to throw right back at him. They walked around the hotel, the Christmas decorations were everywhere, and Chuck loved them. Sarah grinned. She was dating an extremely tall 8 year old.

"Chuck, Sarah," a voice called out to them. They turned to see the General. "I need to thank you again for saving our lives, and for agreeing to stay nearby. I hope we don't need you over the next few days, but we'd much rather be safe than sorry. Mr. Larkin assured me your accommodations were perfect for you two. Have you set a date?"

"A date for what, Sir?" Chuck asked. Sarah tried to control the smile that threatened to cover her face and found herself twisting her lips.

"Oh, forgive me, obviously, you two are already married," the General replied. Chuck's eyes about bulged out of his head.

"Sir, we have only been dating a short time," Sarah said, swooping in to make the save. Chuck turned toward her. She said 'dating'…it was time to fight fire with fire.

"I mean it's obvious she's taken with me, besotted even, and would say yes in a heartbeat if I asked," Chuck said to the General straight-faced as he could. He felt Sarah's eyes on the side of his face. He glance over and saw a wicked grin on her face. She mouthed 'besotted'. He may have gone too far. Not that she was upset, but the retaliation….well, he knew it was coming.

"I mean he dreams about us being together coooonstantly," Sarah chirped. Chuck choked out his agreement.

"Well, I hope I haven't overstepped," the General said.

"No," they both said at the same time and then turned to look at each other, grinning, their eyes wide in surprise and pleasure at their shared answer.

"Anyway, Chuck, I'll have you know I almost didn't select this hotel because of the potential security threat you represented." Chuck looked surprised. "Chuck, you were kicked out of Stanford for cheating," he explained. Chuck nodded. "However, John Casey told us that there was no way you had done what you were charged with doing. Apparently, John has kept his eye on you since the first day you started working here." Sarah laughed, but this didn't surprise either of them. "We would like to thank you, so all of your, and your sister's student loans have been paid off." Chuck's eyes about bugged out of his head. "Also, we are working on Stanford. You are now a graduate, you're diploma should be here, we hope by Christmas." Chuck was shell-shocked.

"Sir, you don't know what this means to him," Sarah said, shaking the general's hand, covering for a dumbfounded Chuck.

Stanfield clapped Chuck on the shoulder laughing heartily. "Oh, I think I do. I think I do." Chuck finally mumbled a word of thanks and Sarah steered him toward the cafeteria so he could recover. She went and got food, and when she came back, tears were running down his cheeks. She sat down next to him, wrapped her arm around him, and pulled him in.

"I guess you'll be looking for another job soon," she said, stroking his hair.

He turned toward her. "And miss this opportunity to work with my girlfriend?" She grinned at him. "Why would I leave, I make good money, I like the people I work with, and I got to help some friends. I'm not saying I'll stay forever, but for right now, life is good."

"Keep making fun of your girlfriend and see what happens," she muttered. He kissed her on the side of the head.

"Thank you," he said softly. "You've been my rock, and let me be me the past few weeks, even when I thought you were crazy."

"So, you don't think I'm crazy."

"Oh, no." Chuck sat there quietly a second. "I know you're crazy, and I am too." She giggled, and he got up to get some food. She took a bite of a fry and grinned at the thought of her and Chuck Bartowski being together. Finally.

-ooooo-

Chuck was laying in bed, thinking about the day. It had started out with a dream, and here he was about to sleep with Sarah. Well, not sleep-with, you know, but sleep, right? Wait, what was going to happen? He gulped, and then shook his head, driving the images away. Lace. Gauze. Bare Sarah. He scooted down in the bed, rolled over onto his side (just in case, you know), closed his eyes, and tried to go to sleep. He made himself think about batting averages. But that made him think about strike zones and high heat...and he had to stop.

He heard the bathroom door open and then a click. He opened his eyes and saw the lights were off….kinda. There was a low blue light suffusing the room, Chuck's eyes grew. It was, evidently, a body-wide phenomenon. He turned his head toward the bathroom, and Sarah was standing there in a thingy….no….not a thingy….THE THINGY! The lacy, gauzy stuff that dreams (his, anyway) were always made of.

"HA!" he forced out a laugh. "I know what this is! I's a dream. You can't get me again. You hear me, cruel dream gods! I've been down this road twice. You wear the thingy. I wake up with no thingy."

"No thingy?" she asked, walking toward the bed and sitting on it, softly, like she almost wasn't there.

Chuck nodded. "Yes, that black thingy, no, THE black thingy…all lacy and gauzy and I'm sorry I'm really trying to be respectful, but my subconsciousness is obviously an immature teen."

"What if I don't mind? What if I am really here? Chuck?"

"Well, that would be a different kettle of fish, but you're dream-Sarah. Real Sarah doesn't wear...that."

"What if real Sarah does, but she was just waiting for the right lacy, gauzy moment."

"Nope," Chuck replied. Shaking his head. "Nope. I don't get that lucky. I am the dream gods' plaything"

She crawled over to him and straddled him. She looked down at him, ran a hand through his hair, and grinned. "What if tonight you are my plaything?" she asked softly. He leaned up and kissed her. He thought the Hallelujah Chorus began to play. He heard the heavenly host. He heard...He heard a delicious moan and realized it was coming from Sarah, he couldn't help but grin. That noise,that moan, to make any Sarah make that noise, dream-Sarah or real-Sarah was a dream come true. She pulled away. "Damn, I'm a little jealous of dream me."

"You're not gonna fool me."

"How can I convince you?"

"Well, there are two ways this always happens, you go to take off that top," she pointed at the one she had on, and grinned, "and then my alarm clock goes off, before I see anything I shouldn't."

"Says who?" she grumbled. He grinned at her. She reached down, grabbed his curls, and hauled him up to her. She kissed him again, and ground her pelvis against his. Hard. He gasped into the kiss and she grinned wickedly. "Did dream-Sarah do that?"

"You know you did," he managed to get out.

"Wow, your subconscious really knows me. This should be fun."

"It's not the real you, it's a dream." She leaned across him to the night stand, reaching for his phone, her body pressing against his. He had to fight to keep his eyes from rolling into the back of his head. "Sarah," he croaked.

She stopped and pointed a finger in his face, serious. "Uh-uh, you don't get to say I'm not real and then say my name like that, and drive me crazy."

"You're a dream," he groaned.

"Set you phone alarm for three minutes from now." He did, and put it back on the nightstand. "Now you say, when I grab this," and she crossed her arms in front of her, and played with the bottom of her top, "and pull it up…"

"When you pull it up, you disappear."

"And you don't like that? You'd like to see what's under the top?" The teasing smirk she had was driving him crazy, but real or not, there was something she needed to know. He grabbed her wrist, gently before she could move.

"You have to know something. I love being with you. You disappearing…that scares me. People disappear in my life. They leave me, and I don't want to lose you." The look on her face was one Chuck had never seen before. "Plus you need to know how beautiful you are. The wit you have, the way you smile at my lame jokes, and when my brain goes dead, the kindness in your heart….well, as long as you don't think someone is judging you about furry porn that is." She gave a wet laugh, and swiped at her eye with the back of her hand. "Sarah Walker, you are amazing, and I don't know why you decided to be in my dreams, or in my life, but I am so glad you did."

"Screw it," she grumbled, and pounced him. She kissed him like her life depended on it. Suddenly the alarm went off and Chuck's eyes got wide. "Still here, Chuck." She was nose to nose with him. "I am not going to leave you. Do you understand?" He nodded. "Good." She sat up, grabbed the bottom of her top, and pulled it off. Chuck's eyes saucered. "Now, I believe I have some tucking in to do. All work and no tuck makes Chuck a dull boy."

"Wait," Chuck groaned, "isn't 'Chuck' our safe word?'

-ooooo-

His eye slowly opened, and he saw sunlight peeking through the side of the curtain. He smelled something lovely, and inhaled deeply. It was the soap or shampoo or whatever it was she used, and he slowly turned his head and saw her lying there, looking at him.

"So, have any good dreams last night?" She was grinning like the Cheshire Cat , the Cheshire Cat who swallowed the Bird of Paradise.

"I don't remember them, but last night was better than any dream I ever had, any dream I ever dreamed of having."

She reached over and bopped softly him on the nose. "Good answer, Bartowski. Good. Answer….buuuut, I expect better from my wordsmith." She watched him, an amused, expectant smile on her face.

He sighed. "Baby...you left me on Cloud Nine."

She giggled, and laid her head against him. "Chuck, never change." She snuggled against him. He lay there grinning. Sarah Walker had asked him to never change, and he would do whatever made her happy.

A/N: Don't worry, this isn't a dream. That really happened...next time Christmas, Bartowski style, but what happens when Chuck gets in his own head? Rut Rho…take care…see you soon…til next time.

DC