A/N: The tale continues.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

Sarah walked into the apartment at the NSA site, waiting on Graham, her conversation with Chuck fresh in her mind.

She woke up, his thumb stroking the back of her hand.

"You really need to stop that," Sarah told him. He did. "And just so you know, while I'm glad you did, there's a part of me that wishes you hadn't."

"We don't do this until we can do this," Chuck said, his lips close to her ear. She sunk further into him, their bodies close together. "Listen to what he says today. There may be a clue as to what we can do."

"I wish you were there with me," Sarah said.

"I'm not sure I can get out of work on December 23rd, Sarah," Chuck reminded her. "I mean, if you knew he'd say something, I would, but we don't, so…"

"I know, I know, but it would be great if you were there," Sarah said, sighing.

"I am there, in your heart," Chuck replied.

"Oh, God, I'm having second thoughts about this, with that line."

"No, you're not," Chuck replied. "And… never mind."

"What?" Sarah asked. Chuck shook his head. "Chuck, what is it?"

He squeezed her tight. "I can't say, because as you said, we're not doing this until we're doing this." Her eyes were wide open, thinking she knew what that meant, and realizing exactly what it meant to be with Chuck Bartowski.

}o{

The door opened, and Graham walked in. He looked around, his eyes lit up as he spotted something in the kitchen, and he walked over to it. A second later, a familiar Christmas song began to play. It was a piano, but she couldn't place it. Graham came out of the kitchen, his body moving to the music.

"Sir?" Sarah asked, shocked.

"Sarah, I'm on vacation. It's two days until Christmas, and if I can't jam to Linus and Lucy, then what is the point of being the Director of the CIA?" Graham asked. Sarah stared at him.

He sighed and shook his head, an amused smile on his face. "You still don't get it, do you?"

"I don't understand," Sarah said, tears of frustration in her eyes. "You tell me to be honest with him, but you tell me that the asset is the most important thing in the world. You tell me it's alright to have a life, with who I want to, but I can't be compromised." She slammed her fist down on the bar that overlooked the kitchen. "I don't understand!"

Graham was silent for a second. "I had an assignment years and years ago. I was supposed to guard a congressman's daughter. There had been threats of kidnapping her. For weeks, I was constantly with her, guarding her, her safety more important than anything else."

Sarah lifted her head, watching him. "I had so many confirmed kills and black ops kills that I thought my hands would forever be stained red."

"I know that feeling," Sarah said. Graham nodded. "It's why I chose what I did."

"You didn't have to become what you became," Graham began.

"I know I didn't, sir. I went into this life, my eyes wide open. You warned me of that when I entered the CIA, when I joined the CATS, when I offered to be your personal enforcer," Sarah admitted.

"You thought you owed the world for your father's sins, and that you were already damaged beyond repair," Graham said. Sarah looked away, but nodded. "You took these assignments, so no one else would have to." Sarah nodded again.

"Who would have a conman's daughter?" Sarah asked softly.

"Chuck Bartowski," Graham answered. Sarah turned toward him. "The same man who would have the woman who has saved countless lives with her service." Sarah nodded.

"You love that man. I know it, and you know it."

She didn't say a word, she just sat there, as the piano played on in the background.

"After four weeks, I was told the protection was going to end," Graham told her. "They were going to pull me off her detail. Hell, they were ending her detail. I had weeks of vacation time, something you might know about." Sarah snorted. "I took a leave, and stayed in town." Sarah perked up. "Three nights later, they attempted to kidnap her."

The two sat there, in silence, finally Sarah spoke. "What happened."

"I killed them… every one of them," Graham said softly. "And I knew I'd do it again in a heartbeat, because I loved her." Sarah looked away, as Graham stared off into space. "That night, when I finally was done with my statement and paperwork, she was waiting for me outside the CIA building."

He sniffed, as if trying to fight off a tear. "She said to me, 'You never said how you feel, but your actions showed it.'"

"God," Sarah muttered, making Graham laugh. "Am I that bad."

"Yes, you are," Graham told her, making Sarah shake her head. "Anna asked me if I was going to her place, or her to mine, because I made her feel safe. That was the last night we ever slept alone, unless one of us was not in the same city as the other."

"So, I need to resign from the CIA?" Sarah asked.

"That is an option," Graham admitted.

"But if I do, and they come after him-" Sarah began.

"Well, you would only be able to protect him when he wasn't on missions," Graham answered.

"And if he died on a mission…" Sarah trailed off.

"Casey will be there," Graham reminded her. Sarah's eyes locked with his, and he chuckled. "And that's how I know you love him." Again, there was silence for a moment. "Have you told him you love him?"

Sarah took a deep breath. "If I do, what good does that do?"

"Sarah, he'd want to know," Graham said gently.

"He already knows, and if I say it…" Sarah shrugged.

"He'd go to the ends of the earth for you," Graham told her. She looked at him, and locked eyes. "Ah," he said, nodding. "And, there it is. There is what this whole thing is about. You still don't think you're good enough for him."

"What kind of life can we have, Director?" Sarah asked. Graham lifted an eyebrow, and she shook her head. "Fine… Langston. What kind of life can we have?"

"A happy one?" Graham asked. Sarah scoffed. "Ihave one."

"How can he, wondering what's going to happen to him next, me next?" Sarah asked.

"You know, someone once told me life is lived in between the margins," Graham said. "That things happen, but life, the real life, the joy… they are between the things that happen."

"While I appreciate all of this, Chuck Bartowski is still the Intersect," Sarah replied. "And the Intersect is the most important asset in the United States."

"It is correct that the Intersect is the most important asset in the United States," Graham said. There was silence. "Maybe it's time you looked in the margins, looked into the grey area. Sometimes things aren't as black and white as they appear."

"What does that mean?" Sarah asked. Graham grinned at her.

"So, does this place meet your approval should you and Chuck need it, Sarah?"

"It does," Sarah replied. "If that's all?"

"It is. Merry Christmas, Sarah," Graham told her.

"Merry Christmas," she said, heading toward the door, and exiting. A few minutes later the door opened, and Casey, Anna, Morgan, Beckman, and Roan Montgomery filed in.

"That could have gone better," Beckman began.

"Ahh, Diane," Roan interjected. "She is on a path, but she's not there yet. You've given her much to think about, the past few days."

"So, this is the guy?" Morgan said, making Anna wince. "Nice," he said to Beckman. "Very… smoooooth."

"You have no idea," Beckman replied with a smirk.

"On that note," Graham said, heading toward the door. He stopped in front of Casey. "Is he coming?"

"He said he would," Casey replied.

"If he doesn't, what will we do?" Morgan asked.

"You're gonna play Tiny Tim," Anna asked.

"But my legs are fine," Morgan replied.

Casey leaned down to look Morgan in the face. "I can take care of that."

"ANNAAAAAA!" Morgan yelled.

}o{

"Did you use your superspy powers to get me out of work tomorrow?" Chuck asked. Sarah snorted at that. "I mean, how else did I get the day off?"

"Ellie?" Sarah offered.

Chuck blew out a breath. "Yeah, it probably was Ellie," Chuck replied. Sarah took off, not realizing she was being watched.

Four men stood in the doorway of the Buy More, watching the Porsche drive away.

"He's off tomorrow, right?" Morgan asked.

"He is," Big Mike confirmed.

"We close at three?" Morgan asked.

"We do," Big Mike confirmed again.

"Is the van ready?" Morgan asked Lester. Lester looked over at Jeff.

"It is, and the equipment for the kidnapping," Jeff replied.

"Does it bother you that he already had that stuff?" Morgan asked Big Mike, softly.

"This whole damn thing bothers me," Big Mike replied. "Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure I don't want my legs broken," Morgan replied. "It's time for us to do what we do best."

"Get wasted?" Jeff asked. Big Mike shook his head, rolled his eyes and walked away.

"Are you sure he has to drive?" Morgan asked Lester.

"It's the only way he'll do it," Lester told Morgan. Jeffster walked off, leaving Morgan standing there.

"This is going to work. It has to."

A/N: What in God's name are those four up to?

Next time:

"Yeah," Sarah said with a sigh. "I just hate having to go in there and lie to your sister today of all days."

Chuck was silent a moment. "How are you lying?"

Sarah gave him a look. "Chuck, she thinks we're together." Chuck sat there, a confused look on his face. "You know…together."

"I know what it means, but aren't we?" Chuck asked her. She gave him a look. "Listen, I know physically we aren't, but…aren't we?" Chuck shifted in his seat to look at her. "That's what I've been saying, we're here for each other emotionally, we support each other, we're in this…..together.