A/N: Some of your reviews are sooooo close, yet…they're not. We've got a way to go. I promise, I will do Chuck right. Pinky swear.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

It was Christmas Eve, three o'clock in the afternoon. Chuck was alone in his store, listening to Darlene Love's All Alone on Christmas. The door jingled as it opened, and Chuck looked up, surprised at who he found.

"I hope you're not," Sarah said, walking in with what appeared to be a painting.

"Not what?" Chuck asked, confused, as he normally was when she was around.

"All alone on Christmas," Sarah told him. She walked up to the counter. "You sent everyone home, didn't you?"

"I did," Chuck replied, shrugging. "Not a lot of sales today, and people deserve to be with their families."

"So do you," Sarah reminded him.

"I will, later, but it's what Dad would have done," Chuck told her. "It's what he and I always did. We had this time together in the shop, it was ours." He paused. "It's the first Christmas Eve without him. Even last year, as bad as he was, he worked with me."

Sarah nodded, silent. She had something she wanted to say, but she was afraid all it would do would be to upset him even more.

"You think I'm nuts."

"No, not at all," Sarah replied. "I think you're honoring the memory of your father." She made sure not to say anything else.

"I feel there's a lot more to this than just what you said," Chuck said. "And I think you're worried you're going to hurt my feelings."

"Chuck, it doesn't matter what I think. And believe it or not, I don't get out of bed in the morning to make your day worse," Sarah told him, giving him an amused smile to let him know she was kidding.

"Okay, that's fair," Chuck replied, chuckling. "Please say whatever you were thinking."

"Did your father ever think about selling?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah, but he loved it here," Chuck told her.

"Do you love it here, or do you love it because it was your fathers?" Sarah asked. "And I don't say that to be an ass, but to ask, is this really what you want?"

Chuck stood there a moment, silent. "You know, I don't know," he admitted.

"Well, while you think on that, I bring you a Christmas present," Sarah said, lifting the painting. He got a shocked look on his face. "Now, before you go all you,let me tell you, this was about to be thrown out. But I thought of you, because of our conversation last night." She was grinning, as she turned the painting where he could see it. He began to laugh.

"Oh my God, it's a dogs-playing-poker painting!" Chuck said, laughing.

"I don't know if you're a dog person," Sarah began.

"I am," Chuck said. "I had one as a kid, named Peaches."

"Really?" Sarah asked. Chuck nodded. "I have a dog named Peaches, a Collie." Chuck's mouth dropped. "See, I am human."

"I never said you weren't," Chuck replied. "I don't hate you, Sarah."

"You'd just never date me," Sarah told him, grinning. Chuck's eyes went wide. "My God, you are soo easy to kid."

"Okay, you got me," Chuck admitted. He let out a breath. "Can ask you something?" Sarah nodded. "Are there things people do, or own, that you would cause you to never date them?"

"Oh, absolutely," Sarah said. "And then I'm sure, weeks later I'd find out they have or do what I said I would never date them over, and keep on dating them."

"Why's that?" Chuck asked.

"Because I find this idea I had wasn't as important as a real person," Sarah told him. "Would you ever date anyone that owned a boat?"

"No," Chuck replied, shaking his head.

"See, now you're really off the hook, because not only do I own a boat, I'm currently living on it," Sarah told him. "Break-up," she said with a shrug. "I'm finding I'm liking the smaller space to learn who I am, with just me and Peaches."

"That's gotta be hard, and around the holidays as well," Chuck said.

"You know, I thought it would be, but it's not," Sarah told him. "Not to be rude, but I need to go to my Mom's for Christmas Eve. I do have two things to talk to you about, though."

"Okaaaaay," Chuck said.

"One… Morgan." She paused.

"He applied for a job at the Buy More?" Chuck asked. Sarah nodded slowly. "Oh, thank GOD!" Sarah was taken aback. "I'm losing, Sarah, and that's not a shot or anything-"

"Didn't think it was," Sarah reassured him. "I'm hiring him."

"Thank you," Chuck said gratefully.

"Number two, would you please come to the Buy More Plaza New Year's Eve party we're throwing?" Sarah asked. "I know you'll have people around you at Christmas, but I fear you might not on New Year's Eve."

"You don't have to worry about me, Sarah," Chuck told her.

"Well, I do, because believe it or not, I worry about people." Chuck started to protest, but she held up a finger, cutting him off. "I have offered, up to you." She turned, and then turned back. "Did you hear from your friend?" Chuck nodded. "Is she okay?" Chuck nodded again. "Good," she chirped, and headed toward the door. "Chuck, have a Merry Christmas."

"You too, Sarah," Chuck told her. "And for the record, I know you worry about people."

"Be kind to yourself, Chuck," she said, smiling at him. "You deserve it." With that, she left, leaving Chuck standing there, looking at the painting.

"I do," he said softly. He looked around the shop, seeing his dad everywhere. "What do I do, Dad? What do I do?"

A/N: Next, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and the big question, what does next year bring? See you in 24 hours or more.