A/N: The shit is about to hit the fan. Morgan has shown up unexpectedly and seemingly outed Sarah. When she gets back to the table, it would seem she'll have some explaining to do. Grab your popcorn. I'll wait.
…
Ready? Alright. Roll 'em!
Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck.
Chapter 9
Sarah washed her hands and checked herself in the mirror, taking a deep breath to buoy herself. While the beginning of her and Chuck's relationship had been contractual, it wasn't any longer. Sarah just had to focus on that fact and hoped that, if all went well, maybe someday she and Chuck could share the real story and they could laugh about it… That might be wishful thinking, but right now, she couldn't bear the thought of them knowing the truth and seeing the hurt and disappointment in their faces.
She made her way back to the table, trying to put on a happy face. As she drew near, she saw Ellie and Mary, their brows furrowed, talking to a young couple. She slowed her approach in hopes of hearing what was being said before she found herself in the middle of it. The short man with the manicured beard turned his attention toward her, his eyes going wide.
"It's Vicki Vale," he murmured, though not so quietly that she couldn't hear him. Sarah had heard the name somewhere before, but she couldn't place it. Nevertheless, his reverent expression seemed to imply it was a compliment, so she tried to maintain her smile. The other three turned to face her, causing her to stop short when she saw the look on Ellie and Mary's faces. Looking from one to the other with concern, Sarah tried to inquire what was going on, but Ellie cut her off.
"Sarah. I'm sure you know Morgan. Chuck's best friend?" Ellie asked with an accusatory tone. Sarah could feel all the blood drain from her face as her knees became weak, like the floor had opened up beneath her. Shit! Her heart was in her throat and the pit of her stomach all at once. She and Chuck had not planned for this. Sarah knew that Morgan was Chuck's best friend and that they worked together, but it never occurred to her that they might meet him during this trip. There was no way she could explain this away, especially without Chuck here to back her up. The jig was up.
"How is it that Chuck's best friend, the man he spends nearly every waking moment with, has never seen or heard of you?" Ellie asked pointedly, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. Seeing the hard look on Ellie's face, Sarah realized that her fear of Chuck's sister wasn't unfounded. Glancing at Mary, Sarah saw the look of disappointment that she had feared, and it broke her heart. Despite the fact that she cared for Chuck, deeply, his family would never trust or accept her now. Ellie's stare bored a hole through Sarah and she could only fall back on her lessons of her past to save her in this moment; lie or run. Lying is what had gotten her into this situation in the first place. She'd left her previous life to get away from all the lies. She couldn't do that anymore; not to herself and certainly not to these people. So that only left one option.
"I… I think I should go," Sarah choked out, the words catching in her throat as tears began to streak down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry," she eked out as she grabbed her coat and purse to make a hasty escape.
Her vision was blurred from the tears she was shedding for the hurt she had caused these wonderful people and for the sense of loss that she felt, knowing what she could have had. Her heart was pounding in her ears so loudly that she couldn't hear Ellie calling after her. Sarah burst out of the cafe and started down the sidewalk in a random direction, having no clear plan of where to go or what to do. If she ran fast enough and far enough, maybe she could escape the crippling despair she felt consuming her.
To her surprise, Sarah was grabbed by the arm, spun around, and pushed against the wall of the building. She knew what was coming and she deserved every bit of it, so she just closed her eyes and braced for the impact. When it didn't come, she opened her eyes to see Ellie, her expression almost frantic. It became apparent that she was speaking but Sarah had been too consumed in her own thoughts to hear it. Finally, the words became clear as Sarah tried to focus on the woman gripping her arms.
"Sarah! Talk to me! What's going on? Please! Just tell me," Ellie pleaded, tears welling in her eyes, clearly confused and frustrated. Sarah shook her head, closing her eyes tightly, trying to squeeze out the tears that were blurring her vision.
"I'm so sorry, Ellie. I'm so sorry. We never meant…" she trailed off, barking out a sob.
"You never meant what? Sarah, I don't understand. Just talk to me," she urged, squeezing Sarah's arms even tighter.
"We never wanted to hurt you. We… I… I lied to you," Sarah confessed between sobs.
"Lied about what?" Ellie asked, searching Sarah's face.
"Chuck and I… we weren't a couple. We… we lied."
"I don't understand. W-hy? Why would you lie about that?" Ellie questioned, shaking her head in disbelief.
"We met on … on Chuck's way to your house. My car broke down… Chuck stopped to help me. We… we talked and… he-he told me about how you-you pressure him to date."
'Wait. He said that? That we pressure him? That's what this is all about? To-to get back at us?"
"No! Nothing like that. He knew… he knew it came from a place of love. Chuck was just dreading having to hear about it constantly over Christmas. He also told me all about your family Christmases. I've… I've never had a Christmas. N-not like that. So we… we made a deal."
"Deal? Wh-what kind of deal?" Ellie asked, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. They were beginning to receive strange looks from people walking by, so Ellie led Sarah down the sidewalk and around the corner, into the alley that ran behind the shops. "OK. Now, what deal?"
"He wanted to show me how amazing Christmas- a Christmas with all of you- could be. He was just going to take me to your house, a complete stranger. So, in-instead I … I said I would pretend to be his girlfriend so you would stop hounding him. It… it was supposed to be a win-win. We… we didn't want to hurt you. I swear," Sarah declared, pleading with Ellie to understand.
"So everything? Everything was a lie? You kissed! You-you-you slept together! And it was all a lie?" Ellie ran her hands through her hair and blew out a long breath, dropping her hands to her sides. "I… I don't believe that. I've seen you together. The way you look at each other. It looks pretty damn real to me."
"Yeah-No. No, it … it started out as pretend. But … but it all went wrong. I… Ellie, I fell for your brother. I didn't mean for it to happen, it just did. And we haven't slept together. Well, I mean, we have, just not… you know..." she trailed off, not wanting to sound indelicate. Sniffling, she continued. "It's not pretend anymore, Ellie. We're dating. Really dating. That kiss, the one you saw by the fire, that was real. Very, very real. I know you have no reason to believe me, but you have to know that I have never felt for anyone what I feel for Chuck. Please believe that," Sarah pleaded, reaching out for Ellie, but catching herself and pulling back.
Ellie stared at Sarah for a long moment, then the corners of her mouth started to curl upwards. "I know," she confessed, nodding her head. "I...we... suspected something from the beginning. Not this, mind you," Ellie stated, gesturing at their current situation, "but we could tell something was off." Sarah just stood there gaping, her mouth moving but not knowing what to say.
"Chuck and Morgan have been virtually inseparable since elementary school. They tell each other everything. If Chuck had a girlfriend, if he had even smiled at a woman, Morgan would have been the first to know and he would have immediately called me to spread the gossip. So the fact that Morgan didn't tell me anything sent up red flags."
"Oh. Right…" Sarah replied, nodding her understanding, looking contrite.
"You two were also very awkward together at first, but I just chalked it up to my brother being a little awkward some of the time. Ok, most of the time," she conceded, rolling her eyes at herself. "Then to look at you… I have no doubt that my brother could attract someone as beautiful as you. I was just skeptical that he would ever have the nerve to ask you out on a date. His self-esteem has always been crap and only got worse after college."
"So I've been told." Sarah gave a small chuckle before sobering again, wiping at the tears on her cheeks.
"Then there was the bit about the credit card when we were shopping. You were entirely too concerned about using his credit card," Ellie admitted. "When Devon and I were dating, if he wanted to buy me something, I sure as hell wasn't going to complain. And unlike Devon at the time, Chuck can definitely afford it."
"It was never about money," Sarah protested, giving Ellie a serious look.. "I never wanted it to be about money or… or things. I… I just wanted to … be part of something," she confessed, her shoulders slumping as she averted her gaze to the ground.
Ellie was silent for a moment before nodding. "Tell me something, though. You say it was pretend in the beginning, but was it? Was it really? The first night, I could see the way you looked at each other, even when you didn't think the other was looking. That wasn't pretend," Ellie challenged, folding her arms across her chest.
"I… I don't know. I mean… if I look back on it… I can't point to when it started. The first time I saw him, when I got out of my car, standing in front of him alongside the highway…" Sarah trailed off, playing that moment over in her mind.
"Uh huh," Ellie said, her grin growing. "He has that effect on people. More often than he realizes.
"OK, so when did you start 'actually' dating?" Ellie questioned, her arms unfolding and her fists coming to rest on her hips.
"Things just kept building. That night by the fire, that kiss, that changed everything. I told him the deal was off, that I couldn't pretend anymore. Of course, he misunderstood at first."
"Of course he did," Ellie snorted, shaking her head.
"But-but I explained to him I didn't need to pretend anymore. That next morning we talked and we decided that since everyone already thought we were boyfriend and girlfriend, we didn't need to change anything. We would just assume the roles we'd been playing but… for real now."
"Ok. So let's say I believe all of this, as crazy as it is. Why run? Where were you going?" Ellie asked as she threw her hands in the air. Sarah considered Ellie's question carefully. She could lie and make something up, holding off the inevitable, or she could come clean about her past and run the risk of ruining everything. Although, she feared that by telling Ellie the truth about her and Chuck it would also ruin everything, but here she stood. Ellie wasn't exactly pleased, but she was listening, trying to understand. Chuck's sister was a caring and understanding person; their whole family was. At some point, the truth would come out and Sarah just had to trust that Ellie would be as caring and understanding then too. If she could trust Ellie with this, then maybe Ellie could offer some guidance when it came to telling Chuck.
"In my past, when things went sideways, I was taught it's best to get out of town; to run. I guess I panicked and reverted to that old way of thinking. Once you figured out I'd been lying to you, I assumed you would never approve of me being with Chuck. And I wouldn't blame you. I've been trying to start my life over, to put my past behind me. But, much like this, my past would eventually come to light too. I really don't deserve someone like Chuck, but I got greedy. Ellie… I've done-"
"Stop. Stop right there," Ellie demanded, holding her hands up. "Does Chuck know about this? Does he know about your past, whatever that might be?"
"I told him that I had a bad past, but he didn't push the issue. Before things between us went… further, I was going to tell him. I needed to tell him, but I was scared. I was afraid that it would all be too much, too unforgivable, and that I'd lose everything. Him. All of you. I wanted to have this life for just a little bit longer." Sarah's gaze dropped to the ground, ashamed of who and what she was, and what she'd done to these good people.
"You think that we, that Chuck, would judge you for your past and what… cast you out? Throw you in the gutter?" Ellie asked pointedly. Sarah gave a barely perceptible shrug, not lifting her gaze. Ellie blew out a long sigh. "Then you don't know us Bartowskis very well," she declared quite adamantly. Sarah's head snapped up and, with tears still pooled in her eyes, she looked at Ellie with confusion.
"Sarah, I don't know what happened in your past, and I don't need to know. Maybe someday you'll be comfortable enough to share that, and I'll be happy to listen, but it doesn't matter to me. Right now, that's between you and Chuck. But, if you want this relationship to work, like I believe you do, then you need to be honest with him. My brother will tell you he doesn't need to know, but you have to tell him. Not necessarily for him, but for you. You can't know if someone loves you for you, unless you show them who you really are, warts and all."
"I-I don't understand. Ellie, I lied to you. You took me into your home, you accepted me into your family and this is how I repay you?" Sarah asked, the tears starting to flow again. "How can you ever trust me? How can you suggest that I be with Chuck after all I've done?"
"Look, Sarah. Am I happy about what you did? No. Not at all. But it wasn't just you, either. My idiot brother was just as complicit in all of this, so don't take more than your share of the blame. I also can't help but feel that ... I had some small part in all of this. I know I push him, but it's just that I worry about him being alone. What that bitch Jill did to him… I didn't want that to ruin him for relationships forever. I obviously pushed him too hard and drove him to this." Ellie paused, considering Sarah for a long moment. Sarah tried to hold her gaze, but her shame made it difficult.
"From what I've seen, and what you've told me, you really do care for Chuck. And I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he cares for you. He wears it like a neon sign on his forehead," she joked, causing Sarah to let out a one note chuckle, looking up at Ellie shyly. "He's found someone that makes him happy and that's all I've ever wanted for him. Even if it was by accident. So… thank you." Sarah's gaze met Ellie's, giving her a thankful smile.
"He makes me happy too. You know… on that day, everything had gone wrong. I lost my job, my car broke down and I had next to no money to my name. I was faced with the prospect of hitchhiking or walking to who knows where. Then, out of nowhere, some guy knocked on my car window. I've never considered myself a damsel in distress, but he rescued me that day. You all did, and I can't thank you enough for that," Sarah choked out, her emotions starting to get the better of her again. It was clear that Ellie was fighting back her own emotions with her lips pulled in between her teeth. Without a word, Ellie moved in and wrapped Sarah in a powerful hug, the two women holding each other for a long moment.
When they pulled apart, they both chuckled, wiping at their cheeks and noses as they sniffled. "Aren't we the pair," Ellie mused, chuckling with a long sniff. "We should head back in there. We owe Mom an explanation. You can get to know Morgan and Alex too. I suspect you'll be seeing more of them in the future." Sarah looked hesitant, glancing back the way they'd come. Ellie took her hand and squeezed it. "It'll be OK. Come on." Sarah followed and they made their way back to the cafe. Thankfully, Sarah had some tissues in her purse, allowing the two to clean themselves up a bit.
When they reached the table, Sarah's nerves were frayed, worried about what Chuck's mother would think. Mary was sitting across from Morgan and Alex, having a quiet conversation when Mary caught sight of them. Sarah held her breath, waiting to see what the older woman's reaction would be.
"Oh, thank God," Mary breathed out. Opening her arms and beckoning Sarah toward her. "Dear, come. Sit." Sarah let out the breath she'd been holding and gave Mary an appreciative smile as she slid into the booth. Mary wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close and rubbing Sarah's arm reassuringly. Ellie sat on Sarah's other side and gave her hand a squeeze under the table.
"I'm sorry about -" Sarah began, looking around the table before Mary cut her off.
"Oh, we'll worry about that later. The important thing is that you're here. Now, let me re-introduce you all. This is Morgan Grimes, Chuck's closest friend. He spent so much time at our house growing up, I could have claimed him on our taxes!" The joke garnered a laugh from everyone at the table, helping to set Sarah further at ease. "And this is his girlfriend Alex. They live in LA but are visiting family here for the holidays." Mary then turned to look at Sarah. "And this is Sarah Walker, Charlie's girlfriend. She's staying with us for Christmas." Sarah sent a tentative glance Ellie's way after Mary's comment, wondering if she really was still welcome to stay with them. Ellie seemed to notice and bumped Sarah with her shoulder, giving her a wink.
Sarah looked across the table and realized that if she was going to be dating Chuck, she would be friends with them too. The thought of having friends, rather than passing acquaintances, made her a little nervous but also excited. She'd already gotten off on the wrong foot, so she had some ground to make up. The situation seemed slightly strained and awkward, especially with her abrupt exit earlier. As she looked at Morgan, she was reminded of her conversation with Chuck on their long ride to Ellie's house. He'd talked at some length about Morgan, so she at least had some knowledge of Chuck's friend.
"Chuck's told me so much about you, Morgan. It's really great to finally meet you. Although, he undersold the beard. It really is rather impressive." Morgan's face lit up like a Christmas tree. He turned to face Alex, pointing toward Sarah as if to say, "See!". Alex rolled her eyes and shook her head good naturedly before patting him on the cheek.
"Yes. Your beard is lovely, dear. All I said was that it wouldn't kill you to trim some of those wild hairs every so often," Alex contested, her amusement evident.
"I like you Sarah," Morgan declared with a nod of his head to underscore his point. "You clearly know a good thing when you see it. Well, obviously. I mean you've managed to snag the most eligible bachelor in Burbank, dare I say the greater Los Angeles area. And to think he wouldn't even tell his best friend, his heterosexual life partner-"
"Morgan, please stop using that term. It's more than a little unsettling," Alex chimed in, cutting him off.
"Fine. Fine. Not everyone can appreciate our relationship. But still, I can't believe he wouldn't tell me," Morgan shrugged, looking a little saddened. Sarah felt horrible for putting his family and friends through this. She'd come clean to Ellie, at least mostly, so it was time to make amends to everyone.
"Actually, Morgan, the reason he didn't tell you was that …"
"He didn't want to jinx it," Ellie cut in, sparing a glance at Sarah. Everyone at the table gave her a quizzical look, including Sarah. "Yeah. Sarah just told me everything outside. I mean, with all the pressure we've been putting on Chuck, he wanted to make sure that there was something there, between them, before he told anyone. He didn't want to get our hopes up." Morgan bobbed his head from side to side but didn't look entirely convinced.
"And I'm sorry about the way I ran out like that. It's just that this is all so new. Our-our relationship, that is. And to have to win all of your approvals, that was a lot of pressure for me too. And with the holidays on top of that, I just got overwhelmed. We didn't want to keep it from you but we just needed to have some time to… to see where it was going so we didn't disappoint anyone," Sarah added, playing off Ellie's embellishment. Mary gave them a wry smile but didn't say anything.
"No, I get it. I get it. Jill-demort did a number on him and he was afraid to put his heart out there again. I can't fault the Chuckster for that. I knew it would take somebody special to pull him out of his shell. I told you guys. Didn't I?" Morgan chided playfully, pointing at Mary and Ellie. Both women, as well as Alex, snorted at that, all of them knowing full well that Morgan was just as bad at pushing Chuck to get back out there as anyone. "So how did you kids meet, anyway?" Morgan asked, taking a drink of his soda.
"Well," Sarah began, mulling it over in her head, "you see, one day, my car broke down. Then, out of nowhere, Chuck rescued me and gave me a ride… home," she said, glancing at Ellie with an appreciative smile. Chuck's sister beamed as she leaned into Sarah, bumping her shoulder.
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Chuck was pacing Ellie's house, anxiously waiting for Sarah, Ellie and his mother to get back from shopping. While he'd waited for his dad to finish up at work, Chuck had been busy putting his plan in motion. The next day, Christmas Eve Eve, would either be a glowing success or go down in flames. He didn't think there would be a middle ground. That uncertainty was what had him so on edge as he wore a path on the family room floor.
While he was out, Chuck had managed to get some extra gifts for his family and find a few small presents for Sarah as well. One of his gifts wouldn't exactly fit under the tree, so he wanted to make sure Sarah had plenty of things to open on Christmas. He'd painstakingly wrapped them all, and while they were far from perfect, they were passable he thought. His dad had hidden them in the room he and Chuck's mom were staying in, for safekeeping.
As the minutes ticked by, his thoughts were consumed with Sarah. He'd wondered if she was having fun and worried if his mother and sister were giving her the third degree about their relationship. Chuck began to realize that much of his anxiety stemmed from the simple fact that he missed her. He missed being with her, seeing her and hearing her voice, her laughter. It was intoxicating and he knew he was hooked. He chuckled at himself, knowing it was ridiculous, but he couldn't help the way he felt. He'd stressed over what to buy her all day, wanting to find the perfect gifts to show her how much he cared, but also to bring a smile to her face. He knew that she wasn't a shallow person, and lavishing her with expensive gifts wasn't what she wanted. So, he'd racked his brain and come up with meaningful gifts, at least he hoped he had.
When Chuck heard his parent's car pull into the driveway, he hurriedly tried to make himself look comfortable on the couch, pulling a magazine from the coffee table and flipping it open to a random page. Steadying his breath, he quickly flipped the magazine right side up just before the door opened to reveal three giggling women walking in with their arms loaded down with bags.
Chuck stood, pretending to be surprised that they were home and dropped the magazine back down on the table. "Oh. I didn't hear you guys pull up. Do you, uh… do you need any help bringing things in?" he asked, walking toward the trio.
"No!" they replied in unison, laughing as they did. Chuck wasn't sure what had happened during their shopping trip, but Sarah seemed to be fitting in quite well with the Bartowski women. Sarah put her bags down and stepped toward Chuck, meeting him halfway. Much to his surprise, and delight, Sarah stood on her tiptoes and pulled him down by his shirt into a steamy kiss. After a long moment, they separated and Sarah gazed up at him with a smile that made her eyes sparkle.
"Hey you," Chuck managed to get out, returning her smile with one of his own.
"Hey you," she replied, pulling at the hem of his t-shirt with a shy smile growing across her face.
"God, will you two get a room?" Ellie hollered from the foyer. "Whoa, you know what? Scratch that. We've got too much stuff planned for this evening. You'll have to save all that doe-eyed, mushy shit for later," Ellie corrected, as she giggled with her tongue between her teeth.
"Alright smartass, what can I do to help if I can't carry stuff in the house?" Chuck asked, sticking his tongue out at his sister.
"Take those 'big muscles' of yours to the garage and bring in the totes of Christmas ornaments," she teased, making a show of flexing her arms with a pouty face. Chuck let out an overtly fake laugh before sobering quickly and making his way to the garage. It took three trips to bring all the totes of ornaments into the living room, placing them in a circle around the large tree.
Once the women had brought in all their shopping bags, they hauled them to Ellie's bedroom and sequestered themselves there to start wrapping. Chuck wasn't sure how much actual wrapping was taking place, given all the laughter that was drifting down the hall.
Chuck plopped down on the couch in the family room, where his father was sitting in a chair "reading a journal", apparently through osmosis, as he snored rather loudly. Chuck chuckled to himself and shook his head as he pulled his phone out to check his email. He looked over the confirmation messages he'd gotten earlier, double-checking that things were scheduled as he planned. Pleased, yet nervous, he smiled, starting to absentmindedly scan through his social media accounts. Not but a few moments later, his phone buzzed in his hand; a message from his sister.
Ellie: "We're busy and Devon won't be home for a while yet. Can you make supper? Please?"
Chuck chuckled to himself, envisioning his sister giving him her sad, puppy dog expression, batting her eyelashes. Chuck typed out a response and hit send.
Chuck: "What am I making?"
Ellie: "Don't care. Whatever. Just look through the fridge and pantry. Thanks!"
The string of hearts and smiley faces had been a nice, but unnecessary, touch. Seeing it was close to dinner time, he pushed himself off the couch and made his way into the kitchen. Pulling the doors of the refrigerator open, he stood there, bathed in its light, as he surveyed the inventory he had to work with. Making a mental note, he moved to the walk-in pantry and searched its shelves. A plan was coming together, so he grabbed the items he needed from the pantry and placed them on the kitchen island.
It took Chuck a couple minutes of searching through drawers and cabinets to find all the ingredients, pans and utensils he needed. He set a large pot of water on the stove to boil and began heating a skillet. From the refrigerator, he pulled out zipper baggies filled with sliced green and red bell peppers. Ellie had likely prepared them for a relish tray, most assuredly opting for the red and green to match the season. Figuring it was easier to ask for forgiveness in this case, he took the peppers, along a package of Italian sausages and closed the door with his elbow.
After thirty minutes of slicing, chopping, sautéing and stirring, dinner was nearly ready. Bowls of tossed salads were lined up on the kitchen island, along with a large bowl, covered with a dishtowel. Chuck was stirring a pot on the stove, with a dishtowel thrown over his shoulder, humming a Christmas tune as he worked. He jumped slightly, nearly dropping the large, slotted spoon he was using, when he felt two arms thread themselves around his stomach. It was quickly followed by a warm, soft body pressed against his back.
"Smells amazing," Sarah hummed, pressing her cheek to his shoulder as she peered around him. She could see his smile grow and felt him relax back into her hug. It all felt so natural and intimate, yet so completely foreign to Sarah. She could really get used to this. Sarah's smile grew mischievous as she raised up and placed a kiss to his cheek. "The food smells pretty good too." Giggling, she pulled away from him and rounded the kitchen island, stealing a crouton from one of the salads and popping it in her mouth.
"You seem in good spirits," Chuck mused, wiping his hands on his towel and leaning on the island across from her. "I take it your shopping trip went well?" Sarah's smile faded and Chuck's followed soon after. "I'm sorry. Did I say-"
"No. No, it's not you. Let's just say the shopping trip was… enlightening," Sarah stated, her eyes flashing widely. Chuck's expression turned to one of concern, his brow furrowing. Sarah quickly waved him off. "It turned out OK, though. Better than OK, really. I love your sister, and your mom. They're both really great," Sarah confessed, smiling warmly at him.
Seeing that Sarah was happy, or at least not unhappy, set him more at ease. He nodded in acknowledgement, shrugging at her. "They have their moments," he teased, his grin growing. The two stared at one another for a moment before Sarah shook herself from her thoughts, looking at the counter.
"I felt kinda guilty about being back there with them while you were out here slaving away with supper. I was gonna come out and lend a hand, but it looks like you have it all under control. Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked, pushing some stray hairs behind her ear.
"Um… well, I suppose you could take the salads to the dining room table. And the bread. I'm about to plate the rest here in a second," Chuck replied, pointing his thumb over his shoulder to the stove behind him.
"OK. What are we having?" Sarah asked as she picked up several of the salad bowls.
"Sausage and peppers with pasta. I hope that's alright," he winced, waiting for her response.
"Alright? Of course it's alright," she replied incredulously. She considered him for a moment before rounding the island and stopping just in front of him. "You don't have to worry about impressing me. Mission accomplished," she stated before rising on her tiptoes and giving him a soft kiss on the lips. "I'm not some… high maintenance, gold digger, you know. You could've made mac and cheese for all I care. I'd still love it." She backed away, giving him a wink. Grinning at his slightly stunned appearance, she turned and headed toward the dining room with her bowls in hand.
"But, I am particular about my mac and cheese," she called back over her shoulder. "It's gotta be the blue box. None of that generic shit." She couldn't help but giggle as she spotted Chuck's mouth agape as she stepped into the dining room and out of sight.
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"Chuck, dinner was fabulous," Ellie declared, dropping her napkin on her plate. "And the best part, I didn't have to cook." Everyone chuckled, including Chuck, before they slipped into a comfortable, contented silence. It was short lived, however, the silence being broken by a notification on somebody's phone.
"That's me," Ellie stated, raising a hand as she pulled the phone out her pocket with the other. Swiping it open, she saw the notification and gasped. "Oh my gosh! I completely forgot!" she exclaimed, slapping her husband on the arm repeatedly. Everyone around the table inquired as to what it was, concerned there might be something wrong. Ellie turned her phone around to show them, tapping the screen emphatically.
"Big Mike's! It's a bar over on Euclid. They do karaoke there on the weekends, but tonight they're having a special Christmas themed karaoke night, with special drinks and prizes. They posted an event about it on their page and I marked that I was interested, which is why I got the notification." Ellie's smile dimmed as she deflated slightly. "I didn't think about all of you guys being here," she confessed, shrugging as she dismissed the idea, turning back to her phone, scrolling through the page.
Chuck and Sarah shared a glance, then looked around the table at Chuck's parents and brother-in-law. It seemed that everyone was in silent agreement, so Chuck spoke up. "Why don't we all go?" Ellie's head shot up from her phone with surprise, looking at her brother, then the others around the table. They all nodded, agreeing that they should go, citing that it sounded like fun. Ellie's excitement was practically bubbling over as she jumped up from her seat.
"You guys…." she trailed off, giving them all a loving, appreciative smile. "Come on Sarah," she beckoned, "we need to find something to wear." Sarah hesitantly looked at Chuck and then at all the dirty dishes around the table. All it took was a soft smile and a faint nod from Chuck and she was off, following Ellie down the hall.
Mary wiped her mouth with her napkin, placing it on her plate as she stood. "I think I'll go supervise," she joked, following after the two younger women. The three men sat, looking over the work ahead of them.
"Well," Chuck groaned as he stood up from the table, "I guess I'll clean up while they get ready."
"Come on Devon," Stephen chimed in. "I'll wash, you dry."
"You got it, Mr. B," Devon replied, giving Chuck's dad two finger guns before helping to clear the table.
With the three of them working together, it didn't take long at all to put the leftovers away and wash up the dishes. It didn't hurt that Chuck had been washing the pans and utensils as he'd finished with them, leaving very little that actually needed hand washing. Once they were finished, the three men went their separate ways to freshen up, and in Devon's case, changed out of his scrubs.
Chuck had put on a nicer button down shirt, figuring it was the least he could do given that Sarah and Ellie were likely going all out. He didn't have much with him, not having packed with any of this in mind, so he'd have to make do. He tried his best to tame his curls, but it was a lost cause. Blowing a stray curl away from his forehead, he gave up and went back to the family room to wait. His father was already there, heckling a show on the History channel.
"When did the History Channel stop being about 'actual history'. It's nothing but this ancient alien nonsense. I mean seriously!" Chuck could only snort, agreeing wholeheartedly.
Chuck could hear the sound of heels clacking on the hardwood floors in the foyer. Eagerly he spun on his heels to head in that direction, eager to see the woman who'd occupied his thoughts so completely since they'd met. When Sarah stepped into view, Chuck stumbled, forgetting the rhythm of putting one foot in front of the other. Frozen in place, he tried to hold his balance as his eyes traced her from head to toe.
Sarah was wearing a short burgundy dress with half sleeves and a plunging neckline that stopped near the center of her cleavage; not overly revealing but still highly suggestive. The skirt of her dress barely reached her mid-thigh, showcasing how impossibly long and toned her legs were. Her four-inch black heels only added to her already tall frame, making her look even more striking. Her hair was pulled up into a messy French twist and Chuck noticed she was wearing more makeup than he was accustomed to seeing her in. It wasn't overdone by any means, only accentuating the elegant contours of her face and lips. She looked as if she'd stepped off a red carpet or the cover of Vogue. As he studied every inch of perfection, the sparkle from her earrings caught his eye. She was wearing the snowflake earring he'd given her. He almost felt embarrassed that she was wearing such inexpensive earrings, given how glamorous the rest of her looked.
His gaze traveled back to her face, where he saw the amused grin she was wearing. It was then that he realized he'd been staring and hadn't said a word in … he had no idea how long. "You-" he choked out, forcing himself to swallow before trying again. "You look… breathtaking," he managed to say, the sheer awe evident in his voice. Sarah's smile widened as she licked her lips, closing the distance between them.
"Thank you. This looks good on you. I like this," she purred, adjusting the collar and smoothing out some imaginary wrinkles on his shirt.
'What, this? I… I can't go out with you looking like this. I… I'm not fit to take your drink order!" Chuck exclaimed, his voice raising an octave. Sarah chuckled at his spiraling, leaning up to brush her lips against his. With her heels on, she was much closer in height to Chuck, making it easier to kiss him without having to stand on her tiptoes. The high pitched whimper that escaped Chuck as they kissed nearly broke her. Pulling back slightly, she looked down between them, checking him out further before lifting her gaze to meet his,
While Chuck wasn't dressed to impress, he still looked very handsome. His dark jeans fit well in all the right places and the olive green button down really brought out the green in his hazel eyes. "You look very nice. I love that color on you," she admitted, as she fidgeted with his shirt some more. There was not a thing wrong with it, which was why she felt the pressing need to touch it, and him.
"So we're just going to be chopped liver tonight, I see," Ellie teased from behind Sarah, pulling the two of them from their moment. Chuck stepped back and turned his attention to Ellie and his mother who were standing in the foyer, looking quite amused. Ellie and Mary were both dressed for a night out; Ellie in a little black dress and Mary in a silvery-gray pants suit with a black, silk camisole underneath.
"S-sorry. You-you both look very beautiful too. It's just… well …" Ellie raised her hand to stop him, shaking her head as she chuckled at him.
"Whoa. Mrs. Bartowski!" Stephen exclaimed as he walked past Chuck and Sarah to greet his wife. "That's the sort of outfit you leave your wedding ring at home for," he growled, bouncing his eyebrows as he stepped in to give her a kiss. She chuckled against his lips, swatting him lightly on his chest.
Devon joined the group moments later, letting out a low whistle. "Muy caliente, Mrs. B! Sarah, you're on fire." Stepping up to his wife, he looked her up and down appreciatively. "Babe, you look…"
"Awesome!" everyone replied in unison.
Devon looked at everyone in surprise, but let out a chuckle. "Actually, I was gonna say 'gorgeous', but 'awesome' works too." The group cracked up, talking among themselves for a moment before Chuck got their attention.
"You ladies look so amazing. I feel like a complete schlub next to you three," Chuck confessed, looking a bit put out. "I have a hard enough time convincing people in public I'm not stalking you." All three women chided him for talking like that, putting himself down.
"We don't care what the people at the bar think," Sarah interjected. "We didn't dress like this for them." Ellie and Mary grinned, humming their agreement.
"Well, that-that's good. You should dress for yourselves. You don't need anyone's approval," Chuck declared with conviction. Ellie couldn't hold back her snort, and Sarah just gave Chuck a pitying smile. While they had dressed up for themselves, it was mostly to appreciate the way their respective men would look at them. For Sarah, it was even more empowering. This was the first time she'd ever dressed up because she wanted a man to see "her". Any other time it had been to distract, to put them off balance. While the same side effect held true with Chuck, her intentions were quite different. She wanted to see his expression when he saw her, and she wasn't disappointed. Sarah also had an ulterior motive for the extra efforts on her appearance. She was planning on telling Chuck the truth about her past after their evening was over. While she didn't think Chuck was so easily swayed by just showing a little leg, perhaps her outfit might put him in a more forgiving mood.
Patting Chuck on his cheek, Sarah gave him a sympathetic pout. "It's a good thing you're pretty."
A/N2: OK. So, one crisis averted. At least for now. Sarah still has to come clean to Chuck. But, what Christmas story would complete without some Christmas music? Tune in next time for some karaoke fun with the Bartowski clan.
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Joe