Here we go! Second to last chapter! It's been a long time coming with this story and I have to say... the support you guys have given me throughout this entire journey has been helpful in more ways than one. So, thank you. BUT! The story's not over yet! There's still one more chapter and an epilogue. Have you guys been watching the NerdHQ livestreams? Or are some of you guys there? Didn't you just love Yvonne in her panel and then again in the Badass Women Panel with Mercedes Mason (Zondra).

Mufc87: We'll find out about Graham in this chapter. And I hope you find what happens acceptable.

thekiller00: Yeah... And, there's a slight jump from the last episode to this one. Sorry... Just... yeah.

Maverick41: Yupp! You read my mind. This story has reached its time. There's not much more I can do to extend it at this point...

tmroc725: WELCOME! You caught up in one day? DAMN! You deserve a chocolate soufflé, courtesy of Ms. Walker herself (Don't worry, it's not poisoned). There's no rule against writing about real life people as far as I'm aware. I just felt as though it would make more sense to put those people into those parts. You know? Plus, this is a sort of AU universe so...

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Chuck as Chris Fedak and Josh Schwartz are the gods of their creation and Warner Brothers hasn't put up the brand for sale.

"We're here at the premiere of Phase Three and the stars are making their way down the carpet."

"Everyone is excited for Sarah Walker's newest film. Critics say that it's her best film yet."

"All the stars here tonight are stunning. We're excited to see what they're wearing and what they're most excited about in the movie."

"And, here we go! The star of the night, Sarah Walker, is here! And look at her date! It's none other than the dashing Charles Carmichael. It seems as though the couple is here with a number of people."

•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•

Sarah stepped out of the car and waited for Chuck, Ellie, Devon, Morgan, Alex, Casey, and Verbanski to follow. She'd invited all of them to come and because there were so many of them, she hired Verbanski to accompany them. Once they were all gathered together, Sarah looped arms with Chuck and together, they all made their way down the carpet, occasionally stopping to take pictures or speak to various interviewers. Since she and Chuck were the only ones of interest to the press, everyone else continued on their way, stopping to mingle with the other big name stars that came to the premiere. Sarah smiled as Ellie did her best to avoid visibly swooning as she and Devon spoke to Orlando Bloom.

"Sarah! Over here!" She followed the voice, pulling Chuck along, and was met by another interviewer.

"Hi," she greeted.

"Are you excited for this premiere?"

"Absolutely," she answered.

"What are you most excited for your fans to see?"

"I'm really excited for them to see the fight scenes. We pulled in a lot of different stunt directors and fight choreographers to make them very intense. Everyone will be on the edge of their seats when the action picks up."

"Who are you here with tonight?"

"Of course I'm with Charles, but I've also brought along his sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law as well his best friend Morgan and Casey's daughter, Alex."

"Sounds like a full house."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She smiled and then went on to the next interviewer.

"Sarah! Chuck!" The couple went over and gave a smile.

"Hey," Chuck greeted.

"You two are looking as lovely as ever."

"Thank you!" Sarah replied with a brighter smile.

"So, I'm guessing that things on the relationship front are better now that you're in the same city."

"Very much. It was tough starting a new relationship right before we left for work. But, we made it work and we know now that we can handle it."

"Well, everyone is rooting for you."

"Thank you!"

They were coming close to the end of the line and toward the entrance of the theatre. Chuck had gotten called to an interview while Sarah was called her last one for the night.

"Hi there," she smiled.

"Hi. How are things for you?"

"Everything's great. Thanks for asking."

"Do you have any upcoming projects?"

"Not right away. I'm planning on taking some time off before getting back in the game. I've been working nonstop for the past two years."

"Are their any project that you have your eye on?"

"There are a couple that I've gotten offers for so when I decide to go back, I'll look into them in more detail."

"One more question, well, it's more of a clarification than a question," the interviewer amended.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Is it true that your relationship with Charles Carmichael is nothing but a publicity stunt?" Sarah blinked and she could feel her heart beginning to pound.

"I'm sorry?"

"I've caught wind that yours and Charles' relationship is fake."

"And where did you hear that?"

"The source chooses to remain anonymous. Is it true or not?"

Sarah didn't know what to say. She had something to say for every possible question that could be asked but not this. "I have no comment," she decided. She didn't want to lie because if the truth did come out, then her lying on record would only make things worse.

"So you're not denying it."

"I'm neither confirming nor denying what your source has told you. The intimate details of my relationship with Chuck are private." She managed to keep the edge out of her voice, thankfully, and remained elegant and poised. When she saw Chuck end his own interview, she nodded and smiled and made her way toward him, intertwining their arms, making their way toward the entrance and the rest of their friends.

When it was quieter, she leant up and whispered in his ear. "We need to talk."

"I was thinking the same thing."

They shared a look. "You too?" they both asked at the same time.

Sarah bit her lip in thought. "Who could have possibly told the press?" Chuck asked.

"I don't know."

"Well, the time on this bomb is officially up so we need to come up with something fast."

"I know."

"Well, let's just enjoy the movie and then we can deal with this tomorrow."

"Alright."

"We will have to have a game plan by next Friday though. I'll be flying around the country for more promotions after it hits theatres."

"I know." He held her by the arms and looked into her eyes. It always comforted her whenever he did that. She didn't know how or why. She just knew that Chuck gave off a safe vibe; he made everyone around him feel comfortable. "Don't worry," he assured. "We'll get through this."

•-•

The premiere and after-party were fun. Well, fun was a relative term. All of the guests had fun. Sarah, on the other hand, was too busy worrying about the leak and how to deal with it. They'd have to talk to Graham and Beckman about it. She knew that although Graham had threatened to tell the public the truth, he would never do it. He loved his reputation too much to jeopardize it. They needed to find out who the leak was and then take care of it.

Finally, they were in the Echo Park apartments' courtyard, each person going their own separate ways. Casey had moved in to the empty apartment across the courtyard so they thankfully only had the one stop. Alex had the weekend with her father so she decided to sleep over in his guest room. Sarah, on the other hand, had been staying over at Chuck's practically every night and she knew that he was planning on asking her to move in – she'd heard him and Morgan talking about it when they thought she was in the bathroom.

Morgan bid them a goodnight and went into his room. Chuck and Sarah got ready for bed and climbed in, cuddling close. Chuck pulled her closer and she felt as though the warmness of his hold melted away all of her worries. "We'll get through this," he repeated his words from earlier.

"I know we will."

•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•

"You know, Morgan," Chuck began as he sipped his coffee. He'd decided to let Sarah sleep in. She looked so worried last night it was hard to ignore. "We need to take care of this. I know that as much she says it won't bother her, it would kill her if she lost her reputation and career. I mean, she's been doing this her whole life. You can't just throw something like that away."

"I know, man. I'm gonna talk to Graham and Beckman to see how we're gonna go ahead with this." His bearded best friend and manager stood from the table and gathered his things as he made his way toward the front door.

"Thanks, Buddy."

"Anything for my best man and his lady." Chuck smiled and took another sip from his coffee.

"Hey," a familiar voice greeted from the hallway. He turned around to see Sarah there, dressed for the day.

"Good morning," he smiled. She gave him a half-smile.

"Is it really that good of a morning?" she asked.

He sighed. "Look. I know you're worried. But I am, too. Morgan just left for a meeting with Graham and Beckman so they'll have something to tell us in a bit." Sarah nodded and sat in his lap.

"Alright." Just as Chuck tucked a strand of Sarah's hair behind her ear, his sister burst into their apartment.

"What the hell is going on?" she exclaimed.

"What? Sis?" Chuck asked, standing up along with Sarah.

"This!" she turned on the television and changed the channel to E! News.

"Hello everyone, Giuliana Rancic here, reporting on all of the hottest stars in Hollywood," the reporter stated. "There's scandal here in Hollywood as their current 'it' couple doesn't seem to be much of a couple." Pictures of Chuck and Sarah appeared on the big screens behind her. "An inside source has leaked that Charah's relationship is not an actual relationship, but a scam. It seems that the two have signed a contract that assured both parties would benefit from the publicity. So far, that's all we know but I'm sure we'll find out more."

Chuck and Sarah shared a fearful look at what was happening. "You two. Explain. Now."

"El…" Chuck began, stepping forward and holding his hands out as though his sister were a wild animal that could attack at any moment. "It's not what it looks like."

"Really? Because it looks like you two aren't really dating!"

"Ellie, listen," Sarah stepped in. "This whole thing… It's just one big mess."

"I just want to know. Is it true?"

Chuck looked as Sarah who was frozen. He knew she couldn't say anything. Ellie was like a sister to her. They told each other everything. Except this. "Yes," he said. At his sister's murderous look, he backtracked. "But, wait! That's not the whole story!"

"Then what is?" Ellie asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Sarah stepped forward so she was standing next to him. "Ellie, the truth is… The truth is that our relationship started as a business agreement. It was a way for the both of us to gain some publicity. But… somewhere along the way… we fell in love."

"So the contract is void."

"Not… exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, in the contract, it states that we cannot have any emotional entanglements. Everything we do together has to be for the benefit of our careers."

"So, technically, we're not really allowed to have a relationship," Chuck added.

"That's… stupid," Ellie said.

"Yeah."

"But now that everyone knows, you can just tell them the truth, that it was a business agreement but you two fell in love."

Sarah shook her head. "As easy as it sounds, Ellie, it's not. The media always finds ways to twist a story. I used to be in what we call 'the red zone.' They twisted three minor incidents that I was a part of and people started calling me a loose cannon. All I have to do is get a speeding ticket and all of a sudden I'm a reckless driver. Even if we tell the truth and have matching stories, the public will never believe us. They'll just say that we're trying to save face."

"I think that you guys have been under the spotlight for so long and have seen so many people throw each other under the bus that you've lost faith in humanity."

"It's not humanity, sis," Chuck said. "It's the media."

"Well, the story's out there now. Your options are limited."

"We know."

Ellie bit her lip. "Well, I'm late for my shift. I'll see you later."

"Ellie," Sarah called as the elder Bartowski left. "If anyone asks about us…"

"Whatever is going on between my brother and Sarah is their business. I just hope that they can find the light in this dark tunnel."

Chuck smiled. "Thanks, sis."

"Good luck you two."

•-•

Morgan called Chuck in the middle of breakfast and told him that he and Sarah needed to get down to Castle Records as soon as possible. They cleaned up and got dressed the moment he hung up and made the drive all the way down to Sunset Blvd.

Getting into the building was difficult. Every entrance was crowded by swarms of paparazzi. "Great," Chuck muttered. "They're even blocking the valet."

"If you drive through, they'll move."

"I know that," Chuck replied. He shook his head. There was no other way in. "Alright, I'm going in. When we get out, no words, head down."

"I know how to deal with paparazzi, Chuck," she replied, putting her sunglasses on. He could hear the edge in her voice but ignored it, knowing that everything that's been going on has been getting to her. He pulled into the driveway and automatically, the camera flashes started, blinding him. The musician parked the car and put on his sunglasses. A valet worker rushed to get the car from him and the moment he was at the door, Chuck stepped out and made his way around the car toward Sarah's door. He kept his head down, using a hand to cover his face as best as he could. He opened her door and ushered her toward the main door. The doorman let them both in and shut the door quickly, keeping the paparazzi outside.

"They're going crazy out there," he said as they waited for the elevator. He looked over at Sarah and saw that she was frozen, hugging herself. "Hey… It's almost over. Okay?" He hugged her tightly. When he pulled away, the elevator dinged, signaling its arrival. He ushered her in.

"I'm sorry, Chuck," he barely heard her say.

"For what?"

"I'm not acting like myself." She took off her sunglasses and looked into his eyes. "I usually don't care what the media or the public thinks of me. But this… This is getting to me and I don't know why."

"I do," he smiled. "You're worried about all of the fans you'd be letting down. They would all be so disappointed if they found out we were a fake. And your reputation would be tarnished and you career along with it. And before you argue and say that you don't care, I know you do." Somewhere in his speech, she looked down; Chuck lifted her chin so that they were looking into one another's eyes again. "You've been doing this your whole life. It's all you know. You don't know what you'd do without it. Sarah… I promise you that I will do whatever it takes to keep your reputation as clean as possible."

"But Chuck–"

"Don't worry about my music career or reputation. As much as I love my fans and my music, computers and programming have always been the end goal." He gave her his famous Bartowski smile. "You and I, we're gonna get out of this. And, we're gonna be just fine."

The elevator dinged once more, announcing that they were on the correct floor. The couple stepped off and, hand-in-hand, made their way to the conference room where their managers – and Beckman – were waiting.

The three were sitting at the head of the long conference room table with Beckman seated in the center and Morgan and Graham on either side. Chuck and Sarah stood in front of them, unsure if they were supposed to sit down or remain standing.

"It seems we have some matters to discuss," Beckman began.

"Yes," Graham continued. "Someone has leaked the true nature of your relationship."

"We need to talk about what to do next," Morgan added, his manager face on.

Chuck stepped forward. "So do you guys have any suggestions?" he asked. Graham had been the bad guy from the beginning but it seemed as though he was on their side with this issue. It was, after all, his ass on the line as well.

"I suggest that both you and Sarah will go on record and deny the claim. It's your word against the leak's. He has chosen to stay anonymous so we can use that to our favor."

"But then we're back to square one: lying to the public," Sarah challenged.

"Sarah's right," Morgan agreed. "This is what got us into trouble in the first place."

Graham looked at each member in the room. "This is the best course of action. We can use this as a kickstarter to end the agreement and have Chuck and Sarah separate."

"Graham," Beckman said. "We need to err on the side of caution. Should Chuck and Sarah separate, that would only bring more attention on them. They need to lay low."

Soon, Beckman, Graham, and Morgan were arguing over what they needed to do: Lie, tell the truth, or let it die down. Chuck and Sarah simply watched on the sidelines. Chuck couldn't believe it. These three people were arguing over how he and Sarah should handle their lives. "Stop!" he yelled, successfully getting everyone to freeze and turn their attention to him. "Look, guys. Morgan's right. We need to come clean. If we tell the public the truth, the whole truth, they'll understand. And! And, they'll be more willing to forgive us. We'll just need to spend a few months laying low, let it die down. It works out, anyway. Sarah and I are planning on taking a break after the promotion for her movie is over."

"And what guarantee do you have that either of your careers will still be where they are now?" Graham challenged.

"We don't," Chuck admitted. Graham was about to say something but Chuck cut him off. "But scandals happen all the time in Hollywood and people don't really care."

"And what about our contract? The two of you must have a public breakup in order for it to be fully completed."

"Actually," Chuck stepped up. "I looked at said contract one more time and found a loophole."

"And what is that?"

"Should all members of either party agree that the agreement in place is no longer befitting, then the contract shall be considered null and void," he said. "And, since we can all agree that this contract is biting us all in the butt, it's void." Out of the corner of his eye, Chuck could see Sarah staring at him with an incredulous look. He knew it was a long shot, but he hoped Graham was looking to save face and agree.

"If I may," Beckman added, seeing where Chuck was going with this. "If we do this, we can argue that once we found that Chuck and Sarah harbored real feelings for each other, we decided it would be in our best interest to simply cancel the contract."

"But Chuck and Sarah don't 'harbor' real feelings for one another," Graham argued.

"Uh… Actually," Chuck said, taking Sarah's hand in his. Graham's eyes narrowed.

"Are you telling me…?" the manager practically growled. "You are in direct violation of this contract."

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Not if we all agree that the contract is void."

Graham looked around the whole room and Chuck could see the gears turning in his head as he realized it was him against everyone in the room. "Unbelievable," Graham muttered. Everyone took that as his acquiescence and Beckman had all of the proper documents drawn up and sent Morgan to schedule the proper television appearances.

Within the next half hour, Chuck's bearded best friend reappeared from the adjacent room with the announcement that a tandem interview with Ellen DeGeneres would take place in the next few days before Sarah had to leave for New York. He hoped that by doing the interview with Ellen, they would be taken seriously while also putting a positive spin on the situation. Too serious or too playful and there would be more scandal. Ellen, while mostly a comedian, could also handle doing more serious pieces. Plus, she loved both Chuck and Sarah so she'd be there to help. Also within the half hour, they had signed all the necessary documents and the contract was officially deemed void.

"Now that that's all taken care of, Sarah and I are going to go grab some food and then drop off the radar for a bit," Chuck said.

"Good idea, Buddy," Morgan agreed. "If the press sees that you two are still connected at the hip even after all of this, then the leak's information becomes less credible."

"In the meantime, I'll be leading a team to find out who this leak is," Beckman informed.

Everyone looked at Graham and the older man simply sat in his seat, a frown on his features. "Well, it seems that you four have a fine operation running without me," he said, standing up.

"Am I to take this as your resignation?" Sarah asked from beside Chuck. He could tell that this wasn't easy for Sarah. Even though Graham got on their last nerve, he was still like a father figure to Sarah for most of her life.

"Yes, Sarah. You'll receive my formal documents in the mail."

"I can't believe I'm saying this," she said. "But thank you for everything Graham. Even though we ultimately have different goals, you were there from the beginning. I have you to thank for my career. However, going our separate ways was inevitable."

"I suppose so," Langston Graham said. "Good luck with your life, Sarah."

"And you with yours," she replied.

The former manager nodded to his former client and left the room. Chuck took a deep breath. "Well, that was… fun? That doesn't seem like the right word. Hmm… I'll think of a word later. Maybe." Chuck shrugged. "Come on, Sarah, I'm hungry."

"I'll call valet to get your car out front," Morgan called out.

"Thanks, Buddy!" Chuck replied as he ushered her out of the room and into the elevator. On the way down, Chuck turned to Sarah.

"Sarah, are you okay?" he asked. "You've been awfully quiet." Sarah sighed.

"I know," she admitted. "I'm sorry. This whole thing has just been really crazy."

"Talk to me."

"Months ago I was ready to drop Graham's ass on the street. Now that he's gone, I don't know. A part of me feels like I'm gonna miss him."

"Hey," Chuck comforted. "That can be expected. The guy was the one that discovered you. He gave you your career. He–"

"Thanks, Chuck," Sarah interrupted.

"Sorry." The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival to the ground floor. Chuck held the door and stopped Sarah before she stepped out came into view of the paparazzi. "Sarah. If you ever want to talk, I'm here. You know that, right?" Sarah gave him a small smile, which made him feel better.

"I know. Thank you, Chuck."

"I love you."

"I love you, too." He leant down and kissed her.

"Sunglasses on." They both put on their glasses and stepped out of the elevator. Chuck kept one hand on the small of Sarah's back as he guided her out to his car, which was waiting for them out on the driveway. The paparazzi scrambled to take pictures of the couple and prodded them to answer their various questions. Thankfully, the two were in the car quickly and Chuck was able to drive away.

They stopped by the Bamboo Dragon for a couple of orders of sizzling shrimp before heading back to Chuck's apartment. After dinner, Chuck put on Spies Like Us and then positioned himself across the couch, his head resting on Sarah's lap. They watched the movie in silence, Sarah playing with the curls on his head. Since returning from his tour, he'd allowed for his hair to grow back out. As the credits rolled across the screen, Chuck looked up to find his girlfriend fast asleep. He stood up and carefully scooped her up, carrying her into his bedroom. There, he fished in her designated drawer and pulled out a pair of shorts and… his T-shirt? Shaking his head, he changed Sarah's clothes, careful not to wake her, and then changed into his own pajamas. Once he was settled in beside her, he tucked a strand of hair.

"I will make this right," he promised. "I will do whatever it takes to make sure that you're okay." With that, he laid his head back and fell asleep.

And there you have it! Only one more chapter and an epilogue to go! Remember, any loose ends that I've left, please let me know!

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