A/N: Morgan….I mean…it's fine, right? RIGHT?
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck
Chuck and Sarah made their way down to the cafeteria… well, that was a lie. Sarah was marching, and Chuck was behind her, pleading.
"Sweetie, he's just excited."
"He's texted you forty-seven times since five am!" she said, sotto voce, but the implied threat in the sound made everyone stay six feet away from her.
"Sarah, he's just excited," Chuck said again, worrying for his friend's life. They saw him, wearing his chef's hat and talking to some of the coeds, when his face lit up.
"Ladies, have you met my best-friend-in-law, Sarah Bartowski? She teaches an amazing class at the fitness center, and if you ever have any questions about self-defense, I'm sure she can help you." Morgan lowered his voice, and he looked around, surreptitiously. "You know how some of these dudes can be… you gotta protect yourself."
Sarah pulled up short, surprise on her face. The women talking to Morgan turned to Sarah, interested in if she would think about teaching a self-defense class.
"Nice, Buddy," Chuck said in a low voice. "But, please quit blowing up my phone. Sarah was a little… irritated."
"I know, I know," Morgan told him. "But I'm just so excited!" Chuck grinned at his friend's enthusiasm. "I finally got out of the Buy More, and I am going to be a chef."
Chuck held out his fist, and Morgan fist-bumped him. "Proud of you, buddy."
"Thanks, Chuck, and don't worry, I understand the power I hold right now." Chuck raised an eyebrow. "You know, the beard and the chef's hat." He had a far-away look on his face, as he solemnly spoke. "With great power there must also come great responsibility."
"True," Chuck told him. "Also, I do appreciate you got the quote right. So many botch it."
"They do," Morgan admitted. He smiled as his friend. "Dude, you look so happy. I am so proud of you."
"Thanks, Buddy," Chuck said. He glanced over at his wife. "It's easy… and, it's not. There are moments that are hard, but, when you're with someone you love, and someone who loves you, and you both trust each other… it's worth it."
Sarah looked over at him and gave him a smile. "You're my hero, Chuck," Morgan said. I hope to one day find someone who cares for me, for me." He paused. "Should I shave the beard?"
"No," Chuck replied quickly. "They need to love you for you, remember, and Morgan… the beard is you."
"It is," Morgan said, nodding sagely, stroking his beard. "It is."
}o{
"I think I shrunk this top," Carina said, walking into the main room carrying it. "It's a good top." She had a faraway look on her face, and a dreamy smile.
"I don't know what made it a good top, but I don't think I'm old enough to hear the story," Chuck said in a low voice to Sarah.
"Oh, you're old enough, and that's why I don't want you to hear it," Sarah quipped.
"There is another possibility," Zondra said, sipping her coffee, a shit-eating grin on her face. "You might have… outgrown it." Carina glared at her. "Come on, Carina, Morgan has been slipping you food, left and right."
Chuck shook his head, laughing. "Carina, you have not gained weight, but I will talk to Morgan." He paused as if not sure if he should say what he was thinking. "He thinks of food as love and comfort, and is trying to help you in your time of need."
"So, he's trying to get into my pants," Carina replied.
Sarah barked a laugh, making Carina eye her. "Morgan? I mean, maybe, but he considers you one of Chuck's friends, which I think – correct me if I'm wrong, Chuck – automatically makes you one of his friends."
"So far so good," Chuck said.
Sarah beamed. "Andthat also means when you hurt, he's there for you."
"How am I hurt?" Carina asked. Zondra and Chuck both turned away from Carina, and went back to their breakfast.
"Seriously, you two are gonna leave me alone on this one?" Sarah asked them. Neither said a word. "What about for better or worse, Chuck?"
"You have a point, but can you at least stand in front of me, to protect me?" Chuck asked.
"We can tell who wears the pants in your family, Chuckles," Carina replied.
"Joke's on you," Chuck retorted. "If she tells me not to wear pants, I don't… gladly." He glanced at Zondra, who was shaking her head at him. "Because if she doesn't-"
"Oh, I get it," Zondra told him. "I wish I didn't, but I do."
"The point is, you're not getting it," Sarah told Carina. "From Casey." Chuck and Zondra both winced and let out low whistles. Sarah turned to glare at them. "You two are nothelping."
"Were we supposed to be helping?" Chuck asked Zondra.
"I'm not. You, on the other hand, are married to her. So it might be in your best interests if you did," Zondra explained to Chuck.
"But I believe in my wife, and think she doesn't need any man's help," Chuck countered.
"She doesn't, but if you like your personal life behind that bedroom door… and wherever the hell else you two kids do what you do… you might want to jump in," Zondra pointed out.
Chuck turned in his seat to face Carina. "I don't think you understand," he began, Carina smirking at him, while Sarah shook her head. "He's trying to help you. He's trying to be supportive in your time of need, because he's been there." Carina gave him a look. "Listen, no one's been dumped more than Morgan Grimes. In fact, in high school, girls that he didn't even show any interest in used to go up to him and tell him they would never be together. It was just the thing to do, to say you've dumped or turned down Morgan Grimes."
"FIRST OF ALL!" Carina began.
"Last time I listen to you," Chuck muttered to Zondra.
"You're getting laid later, so take this like a man," Zondra muttered back.
"I did not get dumped." Carina crossed her arms.
"Mutual separation?" Chuck offered.
"She moved on?" Zondra suggested.
"Different places in life?" Sarah said.
Carina glared at them. "Fine, the jackass dumped me, because I couldn't do the whole committed thing."
"And now?" Chuck asked. Carina glared at him. "I get it, you couldn't commit to him, but you don't want to see him commit to anyone else?" Carina looked away. "Maybe it's because he isn't the right guy," Chuck said gently.
Carina looked back at him. "Do you really think that?"
"I don't know Carina. But maybe the problem with you and Casey is, while Casey may have…" Chuck trailed off not knowing quite what to say.
"The grunt made you feel things," Zondra said.
"That," Chuck said, pointing toward Zondra. He turned back to Carina. "It doesn't mean he was the one for you. It doesn't mean that you were the one for him, and maybe there is someone else out there."
"Like the troll?" Carina said, a smirk on her face.
"Hey!" Sarah snapped, making everyone else jump back in surprise. "Morgan is a good guy. Maybe he's a little strange, but you're a special kind of crazy yourself."
Carina blinked. "Okayyyy," Carina replied.
"What I'm saying is, he is being nice, a friend, and trying to make you feel better. So how about you can the attitude toward him." With that, Sarah turned and walked into her bedroom.
"She likes Morgan," Chuck said with a shrug.
"Think it's the beard?" Zondra asked.
Chuck grinned and turned back to his breakfast. "Nope, it's his heart."
}o{
"So, he doesn't wear the chef's hat while serving, on purpose?" Zondra asked a few days later at breakfast.
Chuck shrugged. "He says it's not fair to hit them with the beard and the hat," Chuck replied. "Listen, just because I speak Morgan doesn't mean I understand all of it… or any of it."
There was a knock on the door, as Carina came out of her room, having just awakened. Chuck turned to answer it, but Carina waved him off. She was wearing a robe, a short one at that, and she straightened it, haphazardly, as she answered the door. She opened it, and they heard a gasp.
"I'm sorry," Morgan said, covering his face with his chef's hat.
"For what?" Carina asked.
"Two things," Morgan replied. "Seeing you in that state of undress, and forcing you to see me with both the beard and the chef's hat. Perhaps I should shave it…"
"Nope, buddy," Chuck said, hurrying over, and leading Morgan away. "That's how she dresses, and it's okay about the beard."
Carina watched them walk down the hall. "Morgan," she called out, making both he and Chuck turn back, slowly. "Don't shave the beard. I like it."
A grin crossed the shorter man's face. "As you wish," he said, and the two continued on. Carina grinned, shut the door, and turned, to find Zondra and Sarah staring at her. Sarah had come out of her bedroom in time to see the whole thing.
"What?" Carina asked.
"Nothing, Sarah said. "Nothing at all."
"No, something," Zondra said, standing. "Why are you smiling like that?"
"I don't know, it's nice being… appreciated, but not ogled," Carina replied, shrugging.
"But you try for ogled," Zondra replied.
"I know," Carina said, sounding confused, heading back toward her bedroom.
The door shut, and Zondra turned to Sarah. "Was that The Princess Bride Morgan quoted?" Sarah nodded. "That girl is so screwed."
Sarah nodded again.
A/N: I wouldn't….I haven't….*sips tea*