A/N: The hits keep coming...my wife is in the hospital and probably will be the rest of the week. This will probably be the only thing I update this week. As long as she doesn't have to have surgery, I should be able to post at least three next week to try and make up. Sorry. If I have a chance in a few days, I'll get the next chapter of this one up. It's been a heck of a few months around my house.

A/N 2: Hey, welcome back. I fear our stay at the hotel is coming to a close. I'm not for sure if the next chapter is the last or the one after that will be. This one is a little shorter, I'm dealing with some issues from the wreck I wasn't expecting but I wanted to get some things on paper heading into the home stretch.

We have a few things to clean up, take care of, *ahem*, tuck in. I'd like to warn you I use some language in this one I never have, but frankly, when I got there, I knew of nothing else to say but what was said.

Welcome to Hotel California Ch 12, You Can Check Out Anytime You Want

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, and admit it, you kinda like the 50s slang thing that made it's way into this fic(it was not pre-planned, I swear)

He was snapping the cufflinks on his coat. He hated wearing this tux, but it was for the hotel, it was for work, and it did make Sarah very happy, and that's all he was really worried about. She walked out of the bathroom and he turned toward her, fighting to keep his mouth off of the ground. She was wearing a black strapless dress. She was stunning, absolutely stunning.

"Wow," she said softly. "Aren't you the cat's pajamas?"

"Going for your own thing there, Missy?" she grinned at him and began to straighten his already straight suit. "You do know that I know everything on me is wrinkle-free?"

"Mmmhmm, I do my best," she hummed.

Chuck blushed. "So you're just touching me because you want to?" She gave him a look of pure innocence. "I just want everything to be straight, Chuck."

"Woman," he said low, his eyes darkening. She smirked.

"Bartowski, you used to be this easy-going guy but you've become a little more," she cut off with a gasp as he grabbed her gently and pulled her toward him, "handsy," she said breathlessly.

"Well," he said his breath hot on her lips millimeters from his. "I apologize."

"Oh, don't." Her grin was huge. "So, I can't believe I'm about to do this, but we need to talk."

"Oh, you're being the cube."

"I need you to not do that right now."

"You do know I don't deliberately do that, it's just being around you makes my brain go mushy."

"Same, except it's other parts of my body," She replied. Chuck reddened more. "You're too easy." Chuck shrugged. Sarah threw back her head and laughed. She let go of him and tried to fan her face and not laugh too hard; she'd start crying and ruin her makeup. When she got control of herself, Chuck stepped in front of her, looking nervous, a box in his hand. She gave him a questioning look.

"So, this has been the weirdest month, and frankly the last two weeks have been crazy and amazing. I am in love with you. I didn't think that was possible, but it is, even if it shouldn't be." He took a deep breath and grinned at her amused smile. "I got you something for Christmas but I was too scared to give it to you because I thought it was too much, but then….whew!….then you gave me the key, and I got overwhelmed."

A worried look crossed her face. "Are we going too fast?" Chuck's head was shaking no almost as soon as she started talking.

"No, Sarah, no. My emotions...feelings so deep, so fast...I just wasn't prepared for everything, and then Bryce showed up-"

"You knew?!"

Chuck grinned at her. "The ole go to their window, be drunk, and tell them how great we could be together, typical Stanford move." Sarah rolled her eyes, HARD. "But I was scared. I want you to have something. It's my family's." He held the box out to her. She opened it and saw it was a bracelet.

"Chuck," her eyes shone up at him. "Is this your mom's?"

He swallowed and nodded. He looked into her eyes, the pooling tears. "Yeah, it's my Mom's charm bracelet."

Sarah held her wrist out. Ever-so-softly, she pleaded, "Please, put it on me."

"Sarah, it doesn't go with that dress, it's not fancy enough."

"Well, it's the fanciest dress I have." Chuck started to speak and she shook her head. "Chuck Bartowski I will wear this charm bracelet where I damn well please and I damn well please to wear it right now." Her voice softened again. "It goes perfectly with my heart."

Chuck blinked and swallowed hard, trying to find his voice."Yes, ma'am." Chuck put the bracelet on her wrist. He stepped back as she turned it from one side to the other in wonder. "I hope you like it."

"I do!" She stepped forward and kissed him on the lips. The kiss told him she really did.

"Now, don't flip your wig." He stopped and rolled his eyes at himself. HARD.

She breathed out a sigh."Trying to seduce me, Bartowski? That's some fancy lingo. Some...cunning lingo. Almost a tongue-twister. You're working awfully hard."

"Well, I would, but we're late. And I can't help it, I'm just a silver-tongued devil." She grabbed his hand and was dragging him down the stairs. "Hey, I thought we needed to talk."

"Later!"

-ooooo-

It had been a long evening of mingling and doing the social thing. Sarah wasn't a social butterfly, but each time she had to talk to someone, there was Chuck to help her, be her backup, and sometimes, in relief, she just turned things over to him. He was amazing. He took care of her, protected her, and as she looked down at the bracelet she knew that talk she mentioned earlier had to happen. There was no getting away from it.

"Hey," she heard behind her. She spun and Chuck was there holding two champagne flutes. "Wanna sneak outside away from all of this for the countdown?"

"Chuck, no one is allowed out there." She was trying to sound like she was admonishing him, but the grin on her face told him otherwise.

He was grinning at her and she knew she was missing something. He handed her a flute that then he reached into his pocket to pull out his cellphone. "It's locked by a computer program." He was waggling his cellphone and she couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Come on, please."

"Bartowski," she replied a little breathlessly. "Don't you know by now I'd go anywhere with you?" The smile on his face could have lit up all of Los Angeles. She followed him to a door marked "Employees Only" and they entered it. They were giggling like teenagers. As he used his phone to unlock the door, Sarah realized how perfect this was. This night, this past week, this minute, and they all had one thing in common, Chuck Bartowski. He perfected them all.

They stepped out into the clear night sky, alone. Sarah knew it was time. She looked out over the city and then turned to him. "I need to stay some stuff and I need you not to freak out."

He gave her a smile that started small but grew until it made his nose crinkle. "That's kinda my thing."

She tried to give him flat look but it was pointless. "Move in with me."

Chuck looked confused. "Uh, you gave me a key less than a week ago, did you forget?"

She gave him and amused smile and tilted her head. "No, I didn't. I didn't forget at all." She saw Chuck's lip twitch. "You…" she slapped him on the shoulder. "You knew exactly what I meant!"

"Mayyyybbbee." She narrowed her eyes and he held his hands up. "I was trying to think of something to say so I didn't blow my cool by being all, OH, HELL, YEAH!" She began to smile. "Huh, may have blown it anyway."

She grinned salaciously. "Chuck, let's be real, if you were gonna run me off it would have been weeks ago."

"I thought I did."

Well, that sobered things up. She looked out over the city and then back at him. "Chuck, you made me feel things, you scared me. So I acted…"

"Crazy? Insane. Goofy as a pet coon."

She blinked a few times. "Do you know anyone with a pet coon?"

"No, but I'm sure it wouldn't take a lot of looking. This is LA." She threw her head back and laughed. "You want me to live with you, as a couple, together, all the time?"

"Yeah. That is exactly what I want."

"You know Ellie's going to explode, right?"

"I have super-duty ear plugs for both of us." They heard the New Year countdown begin.

"I love you, Sarah Walker. Yes, always yes."

"I love you, Chuck Bartowski." As the countdown reached zero the two kissed and realized that this year was going to be them, together. Theirs. The Year of Chuck and Sarah.

-ooooo-

It was four weeks later when the fairytale crashed….literally.

Everything had been great between Chuck and Sarah. Ellie and Devon had come over a few times for dinner. Ellie and Sarah were becoming extremely close, and Ellie was on the verge of exploding every time she saw the two of them together. On that last morning of January, Sarah had a doctor's appointment, so they took separate vehicles to work rather than riding together as usual.

It was getting later in the day, and Chuck had been busy helping Skip corral a new virus. They were in out in front of it, it was just going to take time. Skip had it under control and Chuck was scouring the system for anything they might have missed. It was over an hour later than when Sarah thought she'd return, but that was not that unusual, doctor's appointments, traffic, it could be another hour. That was when Chuck's phone rang.

"Hey Ellie," he answered seeing the ID.

"Chuck." Her tone…Chuck sat up straight in his chair. "Chuck, Sarah's has been in a car accident."

"WHAT?!"

"She's okay, but she's got some busted up ribs, and she might have issues with her hip."

"Okay, I'm on my way." He hung up, told Skip where he was going, when he crashed into Bryce coming downstairs.

"Hey, Chuckster, where's the fire?"

"Bryce, Sarah's been in a car wreck."

Bryce nodded like he had told him the weather. "That's terrible. When you see her tonight, you tell her that I said I hope she's better."

"Dude, I'm going now. That is my girlfriend, the woman I love, live with, in the hospital. I have to go see her, now." He began to walk past, when Bryce grabbed his arm. Chuck paused and looked down at Bryce's hand. "Bryce, I don't have time for your games."

"You're not going anywhere, you have a virus to take care of and you're the head of IT."

"Bryce, I'm going to the hospital now."

He started toward the steps when Bryce's voice shot out. "You leave, you're fired."

Chuck stopped and Bryce smiled. Checkmate, Bryce thought. What Bryce didn't realize was Chuck had reached the limit. Stealing the project at Stanford, getting him kicked out of Stanford, sleeping with Jill, the no-dating rule, and just Bryce being Bryce Larkin. Chuck turned toward him and looked him square in the eye.

"Fuck off, Bryce." Bryce's eyes went wide as Chuck rushed out of the room. Bryce never noticed Skip recording the entire encounter.

-ooooo-

Ellie was doing her best to keep her brother calm but Chuck Bartowski worried about Sarah Walker sent Chuck into a place she had never seen. "She's asleep, will you calm down? She's going to be fine, she's just banged up."

He ran his hand through his hair and stared at her, asleep. He hoped that's all it was. What if she had lost her memory and didn't know who he was? "Sis, are you sure, is there something you're not telling me?"

Sarah had heard their conversation for a few minutes. She loved her Chuck, she really did, and she knew when they started this his concern for her was going to be a bit much, but this was ridiculous….and a lot adorable. She felt her fingers laced through his. His palms sweaty from nerves. He was worried about her, she knew, and she had to do something or he was going to freak out all over the place.

"What she isn't telling you," she croaked. She had been dozing the last little bit from the pain medicine. "Is I can't wear the lacy gauzy things for a while because my leg and hip hurts. But don't you worry, cowboy, I'll be able to soon."

He kissed her hand, wrapped around his. "I don't care if you ever wear them again. Do you understand?"

Uh oh. She opened her eyes and looked into those brown pools of life. They were full of fear, worry, and intense love. It was almost too much, being loved like that. Almost, but not. She loved him the same way, she knew..

"Hey, I'm fine. I don't think the car is gonna make it."

Chuck gave her a flat look. "I could care less."

She smirked at him. "Of course, because it's my car."

"You can have mine." There was no hesitation in his voice. She gave him an amused smile.

"Like he needs it now," she heard Ellie mumble. Chuck gave her a look. Ellie rolled her eyes and started out of the room. "If he gets to be too much tell me, and I'll have him sedated."

"Ellie, if you don't mind, I'm keeping him." Ellie started to say something and Sarah grinned. "I've made up my mind." Ellie laughed and left. Sarah turned to Chuck.

"Mind carpooling with me for a while?" Chuck squeezed her hand. "In fact I'll even let you drive."

"But once your medically cleared, no more, right?" he asked with a grin. Sarah shrugged. "Whatever you need." Sarah nodded. She saw something past him, out in the hall. She watched but never betrayed herself with facial expressions.

"What I need is for you to go get something to eat, because I know you, Chuck." He nodded.

"Can I bring you anything?"

"No, unless you can get Morgan to smuggle me a pizza in here. Hey, lighten up. I'm okay. Hip is just sore, nothing broken." She winked at him. "It will be good as new quick."

"Sarah, you take as long as-"

"Bartowski, I said it will be good as new quick and I meant it will be good as new quick. Now go get something to eat. I can't have you passing out from lack of nutrients when I get up and limber." Chuck fled.

-ooooo-

Chuck reentered Sarah's room a little while later, something tickled his nose….a perfume he knew. It wasn't Sarah's it wasn't Ellie's but it was someone he knew. He just couldn't place it. He quickly pushed those thoughts out of his mind when he saw her. She was sitting up, watching TV, when he came in. She gave him a welcome-smirk.

"So, Chuck? What the hell did that exchange with Ellie mean? Anything happen at work today I should know about?" Chuck shifted in his seat, her eyes boring into him. "Chuck, for our relationship to work, we have to be honest, we have to tell the truth, otherwise…"

That pause sounded ominous. "Otherwise, what?"

"You know all those lacy, gauzy, thingys?" Chuck nodded, his mind drifting in the land of Sarah and lace and gauze and...

"Sarah, I'm not sure we should be having this conversation, you know, in your condition, and also my sister is nearby and could drop in at anytime."

"Chuck." She said softly, but intensely. He nodded. "I'll keep wearing them, but never take them off or let them be taken off, except to shower, and only by myself, with no one else around." Chuck gulped. "Do you understand how serious I am? How miserable you will be?" She paused. "How miserable I will be?" He nodded. "Chuck, no secrets, no lies."

"I told Bryce off." Sarah raised an eyebrow. She picked up her cellphone and played the video for him. "I like how his mouth drops at the end." She laughed carefully, trying not to hurt her ribs.

"Zondra and Carina both have talked to me, in fact you just missed Carina."

"Ah-ha! You had help." Sarah gave him a flat look. "And you never should have heard it from them, you should have heard it from me." She grinned and nodded.

"You're not fired, and you have a ton of sick days you're taking to help me around the house until I become more mobile." Chuck nodded. "Zondra has talked to the Larkins." Chuck sat forward in his chair. "They saw the video and were horrified. It's time to begin the Get Rid of Bryce plan, and Carina has an idea."

"One question, does it involve furry porn?"

Sarah threw back her head and laughed. Chuck was smiling at her, and in her heart, she knew. She knew what she had to do, and she would. Just as soon as she took care of Bryce Larkin and taught him not to mess with her man. No one was going to mess with her Chuck ever again.

A/N: Next, the take down you've been waiting for. And what other plans does Miss Sarah Walker have up her sleeve? Come on back, next time to the Finale, Ch 13, But You Can Never Leave.

"You make me crazy, you make me do these crazy things, say these crazy things. Do you think I've ever discussed dreams with anyone else?" Chuck got a goofy grin on his face. "I love that your brain reboots over me, I love that you made a joke about you making the safe word 'Chuck' to protect me, but I use it against you."

Hope you enjoyed it….Take Care…Reviews and PM are welcomed and always appreciated.

DC