A/N: The last chapter was certainly emotional. At least it was emotional for me. Let's pick up where we left our friends, spending time with Sarah's mother. I had the cleaning crew in here, so it's not quite so dusty... I hope.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck

Chapter 12

Nearly four hours later, and the three of them had just finished eating a late lunch around Emma's kitchen table. Chuck left to get take-out from a nearby restaurant, allowing the women to talk in private for a while. When he returned, Sarah and her mother were laughing in the kitchen, the sound of which made his heart swell. While the beginning of their visit had been full of tearful confessions, including Sarah relating some of her childhood experiences as a conman's daughter on the run, they now appeared happy and laughing. It was better than he could have hoped for.

"All of that because he stopped to help a stranger on the side of the road?" Emma asked incredulously, blinking in shock. Over lunch, Emma had asked about how Chuck and Sarah had met. Since she was in the know about Sarah's past, they told her every detail, taking turns back and forth relating their own perspectives. Chuck and Sarah both had to admit how impossible it all sounded, so Emma's reaction wasn't a surprise.

"Yeah. One of the best things that's ever happened to me," Sarah admitted, giving Chuck a tender smile. Emma looked between the two, seeing the unmistakable expressions on both of their faces.

"So um… What are your plans? I mean, you don't have a job or a place to live. Have you put any thought into what you'll do next?" Emma asked her daughter. It didn't sound judgmental, but rather like she was just concerned for her daughter.

"I… I don't know. I've been wrapped up in this little vacation and, frankly, I've tried to put it out of my mind. I wanted to take this time to just enjoy myself for once before it all came crashing down around my ears," Sarah admitted, shrugging as the smile fell from her face.

"Hey. There's nothing wrong with that," Emma rushed out, reaching across the table, taking Sarah's hand. "If anyone deserves a little vacation, it's you. And it sounds like you've surrounded yourself with people that care about you." Emma spared a glance and a warm smile toward Chuck. "I have no doubt that you'll find your way. I just want what's best for you. I won't pretend to know what that is after so many years, but I hope you find a safe, happy life, filled with people that love you."

Sarah gave her mother a tight smile, tears pooling in her eyes. "I think I'm well on my way. I'd … I'd like to add you to that list of people, if…" she trailed off, not sure how to articulate what she was asking.

"Oh, baby!" Emma choked out, rounding the table to wrap her daughter in a hug. "You just try to stop me," she declared adamantly. Sarah chuckled wetly against her mother's shoulder, followed by a wet chuckle from Emma. When Emma returned to her seat, both women blotted at their eyes and cheeks with napkins.

"I've never cried as much in my whole life as I have in the past two days," Sarah confessed with a chuckle, sniffling and dabbing at her eyes.

"You were never a crier. Even when you were little. I suspect your father had something to do with that." There was no small amount of venom in her voice whenever she referred to Sarah's father.

"He always used to say that crying showed weakness," Sarah recalled, looking a little lost in thought. Chuck placed his hand on Sarah's knee underneath the table, giving a reassuring squeeze.

"Well, that's a bunch of bull. You cry if you need to cry. That man poisoned you enough with his lies and mind games. Don't believe anything he said," Sarah's mother stated, throwing her crumpled napkin at her plate in a huff. "I mean, look at Chuck. He's a man and he's not afraid to cry."

"Well, I'm not exactly what one would call 'representative of the species'," Chuck retorted with air quotes and a self-deprecating shrug. Sarah let out a huff and back handed Chuck in the arm.

"Stop that! Don't you ever compare yourself to other men. They could never measure up to you, and before you even think about arguing with me, just don't," she warned, pointing a rigid finger at him.

Emma chuckled from across the table, amused by their back and forth. "In the short time I've known you Chuck, I'd have to agree with her. I couldn't be happier that she found you, or you found her as the case may be. Either way, I think you're perfect for each other."

"I won't argue with that," he relented, holding his hands up in surrender, earning a chuckle from the women around the table. The room fell into silence for a moment as people took sips of their drinks, the weight of the day's revelations hung heavy in the air. Drumming his fingers on the table, Chuck had a thought and decided to pose a question.

"This may be overstepping my bounds," he started, looking between the two Walker women, "but, what are your plans for Christmas, Emma?"

"Umm… well. I don't really have any, I guess. In past years, I've been invited to my friend Debbie's house for Christmas dinner, but her and her husband are spending the holidays with her son and their grandkids in Portland. So, I don't have plans," the older woman confessed with a shrug.

"Would you consider spending Christmas with us? I'm sure my family would absolutely love to have you." Chuck gave her a hopeful, almost pleading smile. Emma looked hesitant, turning to look at her daughter to gauge Sarah's reaction.

"You'd like them, Mom. They're great people. Plus, I'd really like for you to be there. Please?" Sarah implored, her features almost child-like.

"I… I wouldn't want to impose on your family Christmas…" Chuck held up a finger as he pulled out his cellphone. With a few taps, he placed the phone to his ear.

"Hey, El. Question. Would it be alright with you if Sarah's mom came and spent Christmas day with us?" As he finished the question, he was already pulling the phone away from his ear in preparation. Emma's eyes grew wide when she heard the resounding, "Oh my God! YES!" blaring through the small earpiece speaker. Chuck returned the phone to his ear, wincing slightly as he listened.

"Right. Right. Yeah, I…. I'll tell her. Yes. No...Right...Yep. OK. Yeah. I love you too. Bye." He chuckled to himself, flaring his eyes open briefly as he put the phone back in his pocket. "So, in case you didn't catch that…" Chuck grinned at Emma, who was sheepishly smiling back, "you're more than welcome. She wanted me to be sure to invite you to come in the morning. We'll have homemade cinnamon rolls, we'll do presents and I'm sure Ellie will be making mimosas," Chuck said, bouncing his eyebrows.

"Oh, I…. I don't know. I don't really have any … gifts to give-"

"Emma," Chuck cut in, just as Sarah was about to protest, "I think I speak for Sarah too when I say, just you being there would be the best gift you could give. Truly," he reassured her. Sarah nodded emphatically in agreement, smiling warmly at her mother. Emma gave them both a tearful smile, nodding her acceptance.

Once she took a few seconds to compose herself, Emma asked, "Maybe I could bring some baked goods to share? Some cranberry apple bread or some pies or something? I'd like to contribute somehow."

"That sounds amazing," Chuck moaned, growing hungry again just thinking about it. "Whatever you want to bring will be perfect." Chuck jumped slightly, reaching back in his pocket to retrieve his phone. Looking at the message, he barked out a laugh, shaking his head. "Yep. I was right. Mimosas," he confirmed, holding the phone up, pointing to the screen as both women joined him in laughter

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The afternoon waned into evening as the three sat and talked, both mother and daughter were eager to catch up on the nearly twenty years they'd missed out on. The heartache from all the things that could have been laid just under the surface, but they tried their best to set that aside and just share things about their lives.

Emma invited them to stay for dinner, which Chuck and Sarah happily accepted. They helped Emma in the kitchen, all three sharing stories as they prepared dinner, enjoying the time spent together. When the meal was done, Chuck took care of the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen, insisting that Emma and Sarah spend some time by themselves. Much of that time Emma spent talking about Chuck, not so subtly inquiring as to what the future held for her and Chuck. Sarah tried to deflect, citing that their relationship was too new to tell, but the reality of the situation was that she had no idea. She was beginning to get an idea of where she wanted this relationship to go, but she was hesitant to even acknowledge those dreams just yet, not wanting to get her hopes up.

As the hour grew late, Chuck and Sarah said their goodbyes. Emma and Sarah hugged for quite some time, both plagued by the fear that they might not see each other again. They all exchanged phone numbers, Chuck giving Emma the address to Ellie's house with the promise of seeing one another again on Christmas day. Reluctantly, Sarah waved goodbye to her mother one last time as they walked down the sidewalk toward their car.

As they neared the car, Chuck pulled out the keys and jingled them in front of Sarah. "Why don't you drive?"

Sarah turned to look at Chuck with surprise. "What? I'm not going to drive Ellie's car. She'd probably kill me if anything happened to it."

"I'm sure it'll be alright. Besides… it's not Ellie's car."

"What d'you mean it's not Ellie's car? Then who's car is it?" she asked, thoroughly confused. Chuck stopped them, placed the keys in her hand and stepped behind her. He placed his hands on Sarah's shoulders as they both looked at the car gleaming in the glow of the streetlight.

"It's yours," he whispered into her ear. Ordinarily, the feel of his breath on her ear would have sent a shiver down her spine, but her mind was too hard at work trying to process what he'd said.

"What?" she questioned, her brow furrowed in disbelief.

"The car. It's yours," he repeated, this time a little louder. Sarah started shaking her head, spinning around to face him. She grabbed Chuck's hand, trying to put the keys back in it, still shaking her head.

"No. No. No, I can't. I can't take this. It's too much. Chuck, it's… it's too much," she argued, starting to tear up. She knew his heart was in the right place, but this was too much of a gift to accept. They just started dating and he was buying her a car? The idea was insane.

Chuck was gentle, quietly trying to calm her down, refusing to accept the keys from her. "Sarah. Sarah. Stop. Sarah, listen. I understand your apprehension. OK? I do, but this isn't me trying to lavish you with expensive gifts, trying to …. to buy your affection. Alright? You need a car and I'm in a position where I can get you one. While it is a gift, think of it more as an… an investment; an investment in you. I want to help you succeed in life. This is just one of the tools you need to do that." Sarah looked down at their joined hands, the keys sandwiched between them. She had stopped protesting but her body was still stiff, clearly not wholly convinced.

"I even picked something sensible. A Honda Accord. It's fuel efficient, safe… it has an actual trunk." His attempt at humor seemed to fall flat, so he sighed in resignation. "I'll tell you what. Think of it as a loaner, if that makes you feel better. When you're back on your feet, and you want a different car, you can give it back and get a car all on your own." He leaned down to meet her gaze, trying to gauge her response.

"You didn't have to do this, Chuck," she said, just above a whisper, lifting her gaze to meet his.

"I know I didn't, but I wanted to," he confessed, absentmindedly pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. That small act sent a shiver through her, causing her to close her eyes for a moment. "I know that you want to do things on your own, and I have no doubt that you can accomplish great things all by yourself. The thing is, you're not alone anymore. You have your mom, you have my family… you have me. While I know you can do it, alone, you don't have to. I… I don't want this relationship to be about you and me. I want it to be about us; together. We're in this together now. Aren't we?" he asked, with hope in his voice.

Certainly not for the first time that day, Sarah found herself with tears streaking down her face. She was, frankly, surprised she had any tears left after all the crying she'd done. Nevertheless, there they were, dripping off of her chin and onto their joined hands. Sarah turned her head to the side, wiping her chin on her shoulder, sniffling.

She met Chuck's gaze, staring into his honey brown eyes and nodded. "Yes. We are." She raised up and kissed him softly, before pulling away slightly. "Thank you," she breathed out, squeezing his hand in hers. After a moment, Chuck cleared his throat, breaking the silence that had befallen them in the glow of the street light.

"How about we get going? It's getting late," Chuck suggested, gesturing toward the car with his head. Wordlessly, Sarah nodded and the two made their way into the car. Chuck gave her directions to get back on the highway, from where Sarah knew how to find her way. As they started their way out of town, Sarah was deep in thought, her mind playing over the events of the day, and while it had been a whirlwind, she always came back to one thing. Chuck. Since the day her car broke down, every good thing that had happened to her - and there had been plenty since that day- were all because of Chuck. She had found family, hope and love, and it was all because of the kind, caring, amazing man beside her. For once, she had someone that wanted to make her happy. And as it turned out, she wanted nothing more than to make him happy too. With all that had happened, she felt wrung out and needed so much just to be with him, to be wrapped up in him and allow his warmth and comfort to wash over her. As they sped past a road sign of what was at the next exit, she made the decision.

As they pulled off the interstate at exit 233, Chuck peeked at the gas gauge, showing they had plenty of fuel. He looked around quizzically, then back at Sarah, but she looked deep in concentration. Although he was curious as to where she was going, he trusted her and would follow her lead. Driving past some restaurants and other shops, she parked the car in front of a Hampton Inn and turned off the car. Sarah just sat in silence, both hands on the steering wheel.

"Sarah? Are you alright?" Chuck asked quietly, trying not to startle her from her thoughts. Sarah slowly turned to regard him, giving Chuck a warm smile.

"Yeah. I'm just… I didn't realize how spent I was. Today kind of took a lot out of me. Would it be alright if…. If we stayed here for tonight? I'm tired and … I could use the quiet. Not that Ellie's house isn't-"

"Hey. Hey, no. I get it. You've been through a ton of stuff, emotional stuff, today. I'm sure you're exhausted. I'm sorry I didn't suggest that sooner. Of course we can stay. Whatever you need," Chuck reassured her, placing a comforting hand on her thigh. Sarah looked down at his hand, and a mischievous grin grew on her face.

"You need to control yourself, Mister. I said I was tired." Chuck must have missed the teasing lilt in her voice, because the look on his face was pure mortification. Before he could jerk his hand away, Sarah clamped down, holding his hand in place with hers. "Chuck. I was kidding. Relax," she said reassuringly, her smile turning warmer. She rubbed his hand where it rested and leaned her head to lay on his shoulder. Sitting like that for a long moment, in the quiet of the car, Chuck finally placed a few soft kisses to the top of her head.

"How about we head inside? I did pack a bag, you know… just in case. If you pop the trunk, I'll go grab it," Chuck offered, speaking into her hair. Sarah nodded, slowly sitting upright and letting go of Chuck's hand. They both got out of the car and Chuck quickly grabbed the bag from the trunk, jogging to catch up with Sarah. She wrapped her arm around his, leaning against him as they walked into the lobby.

It only took a few minutes to get checked in, and before long they were in their room, on the third floor, away from the ice and vending machines, as Chuck had requested. The rooms around them were vacant as well, which wasn't surprising given how few cars there were in the parking lot. Sarah had said she wanted quiet, so Chuck was going to try to give her as much quiet as he could.

"I have an idea. I'm gonna grab a super-fast shower, then, you can have a long soak in the tub and decompress for a little bit. Then, when you're done, I'll give you a foot rub or a back massage; whichever will help you relax and put you to sleep. How's that sound?" he asked, dropping their bag on the bed.

Sarah could only stare at him, still surprised at how wonderful this man was. Slowly she stepped up to him, taking his hands in hers. She just looked up into his eyes, as he stared back, looking a bit uncertain. The timing wasn't perfect, but she couldn't wait any longer.

"I love you," she breathed out, not taking her eyes off him. Chuck's eyes grew wide and his mouth hung slightly agape. "I'm sorry it's taken me so long to say it. It's not that I haven't felt it, it's just… I'm not really good with…" she trailed off, closing her eyes in frustration. When she was trying to con someone, she never had a problem with words. But now, when she was telling the truth, confessing her feelings, she got tongue tied.

"It's… it's OK," Chuck assured her breathlessly, trying to let her off the hook. Sarah shook her head, opening her eyes again to hold his gaze.

"No, it's not OK. I've fallen in love with you and it shouldn't be hard for me to say that, but it is. Since I was kid, my father told me that love was for suckers and that emotions were a weakness to exploit. I know he was wrong, at least now I do; now that I've met you. You've shown me what love is and what it should feel like. I shouldn't be afraid of it, but … but I am. I've never felt like this before, about anyone. I'm in so far over my head, I'm afraid that I don't know how to do this or that… that I'll screw it up." Sarah just stared at Chuck waiting for a response, but none came. He just stared into her eyes, searching.

"Chuck? Please say something," she pleaded, growing nervous.

"You love me?" he asked, just above a whisper. She nodded, giving him a tight smile, trying to hold her emotions in check.

He seemed to let out a breath that he'd been holding, his features softening. "That's all I need to know, Sarah. That's it. Everything else, it'll work itself out."

"Just… just like that? How? How can you know that?" she asked, looking up at him for some sort of reassurance. He released her hands and lifted his to place them on her cheeks, gently caressing them. Sarah placed her hands on his hips to satisfy her need to keep touching him.

"Because, Sarah Walker, I love you too. And no matter what life throws at us, we'll figure it out. Together." Chuck brushed his lips against hers, before pressing his forehead to hers, their noses touching. They stood there for a long moment, relishing in their closeness. Finally Chuck spoke up, whispering, "So, how does my plan sound?"

"You… you mean the 'figure it out together" thing?" she asked, a smile growing across her face.

Chuck snorted at that, shrugging. "Well, that too, but I was referring more immediately to the whole bath and massage thing."

"Oh," she chuckled. "That sounds amazing. Well, they both do, actually. I really like the sound of both of those things, but I think a soak and a foot rub might win out right now." Chuck giggled in response, placing a kiss on her nose. He pushed away slowly, moving to grab the bag from the bed.

"Alright. Let me take a shower; five minutes tops. Then it'll be all yours for as long as you need." Sarah nodded her acknowledgement and she watched him disappear into the bathroom. There was a part of her that desperately wanted to follow him, to join him in that shower, but she knew that, with all that had happened, it could be misconstrued as just seeking out comfort, rather than truly wanting to be with him. Besides, she was physically and emotionally drained, and she didn't want to give anything but one-hundred percent to that man when it did happen. She'd waited this long, and she wasn't about to phone it in when she made love to Chuck Bartowski for the first time; when she made love for the first time.

True to his word, Chuck was in and out of the shower in no time, coming out of the bathroom drying his hair with a towel. He was dressed in gray sweatpants and a brown t-shirt that read "Middle Earth's Annual Mordor Fun Run - One Does Not Simply Walk". She had a passing familiarity with Lord of the Rings, enough to understand that the shirt was in reference to the books or movies, but she was sure there was a deeper meaning she was missing. Nevertheless, he looked comfortable, both for himself and for her to snuggle into later.

Sarah could hear the water running in the bathroom and she peered past Chuck quizzically. "Oh. Sorry. I hope it's alright. I started your bath water and put some shampoo in it that I found on the counter. You know, to make some bubbles. It smells like lavender and vanilla. I thought that would be soothing," he admitted sheepishly, wincing a little, fearful that he'd overstepped.

Sarah couldn't help the soft moan that escaped, so touched that he'd thought of all that for her. She hadn't had anyone take care of her like Chuck did; not since she was a child. She thought her heart might just burst, especially with all she'd been through that day. She gently grabbed his shirt between her thumb and forefinger, pulling him to her for a kiss. It lasted longer than she'd originally intended, the feeling of it causing her to relax considerably. When she broke the kiss, she wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his cheek.

"God, I love you," she breathed out, surprised at how liberating it felt to say it. He was so warm, heat radiating from his body after his hot shower, and she chuckled to herself at the double meaning. He was so incredibly warm and kind. Now she could add loving to that list as well. She realized now that he'd probably always had that quality, she just never had a frame of reference to recognize it before.

Chuck turned his head to place a kiss to her temple, then gently stepped back. "You should get in there before the water overflows. I'll be here when you get out," he assured her. Smiling up at him, she nodded, backing away and into the bathroom. "Oh, and there's a washcloth and towel lying beside the tub too."

"Thanks. You're the best," she cooed, waving playfully as she closed the door. Shedding her clothes, she dipped her toe in the water, grinning at the fact that it was at the perfect temperature. Sliding down into the tub, warm water and the bubbles enveloping her with the calming scent of lavender filling her nose. She let out a long sigh as she sank deeper into the tub. Using her toes, she turned off the faucet, plunging the bathroom into silence. She could feel the weight of the day lifting as she slowly drifted off.

She felt a gentle nudge on her shoulder, causing her eyes to shoot open, blinking as she tried to take stock of where she was. She realized she was still in the tub, the water now lukewarm. Sarah began to sit up, but a strong hand held her shoulder.

"Hey. Ssshhh. Don't-don't get up," Chuck rushed out, holding her in place, but turning his head to the side as he kneeled beside the tub. Sarah looked at him, and then at herself, thankful that she was still partially covered by bubbles; at least where it mattered. While she didn't really mind that much if he saw her naked at this point, she would rather it be under different circumstances. "I um… I'm sorry to come in here uninvited, but I…" he trailed off, looking rather embarrassed.

"What's the matter?" she asked, her voice muddled from sleep.

"I… I heard you sleeping and I thought it might be safer if you did that in the bed. You know, rather than in here, where you could drown, or… or get like, super pruney or something." Sarah couldn't help but snort, particularly amused by his last reasoning. Then she replayed his words.

"Wait a minute. You 'heard' me sleeping? Are you trying to tell me that I was snoring?" she asked with mock offense. True to form, Chuck started sputtering in embarrassment.

"Well, no. I-I-I wouldn't say that. It was- It was more like… You know what? Come to think of it, it was probably coming from the heater or-or downstairs maybe. That's probably it-" Sarah pressed a wet, soapy finger to his lips, her chest bouncing from her silent giggling.

"Thank you, for saving me from drowning, or worse yet… super pruney fingers," she added, unable to hold back her giggling. "I'll be out in a minute." With that, Chuck just nodded, his cheeks and ears nearly crimson as he made a hasty exit.

Ten minutes later, Sarah stepped out of the bathroom, wearing one of Chuck's t-shirts and a pair of boxers; her new favorite sleepwear. Part of her hair had gotten wet in the tub, so she was drying it with her towel as she padded over to the bed, where Chuck was lying. He lifted the covers up for her and she tossed the towel on the floor before sliding into bed. Without a second thought she scooted across the bed, draping herself across his body, using his chest as her pillow.

"Hey. What about your massage or foot rub?" he inquired, tilting his head down to look at her face. Her eyes already closed, she shook her head against his chest, not making any attempt to move otherwise.

"I just want this," she confessed, sighing into his shirt. Wordlessly, Chuck flicked the bedside light off. Placing a kiss on the top of her head, he then ran his fingers through her hair, caressing her head until she fell into a deep sleep.

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Sarah woke in the pre-dawn hours, the call of nature beckoning. Begrudgingly, she extricated herself from Chuck's warm side, careful not to wake him. When she returned a few minutes later, she regarded him in the dim light that showed through the room's window. The darkness had a way of playing with your mind, serving as a backdrop to project your thoughts and memories onto. She could almost make out the ethereal images of Chuck when they'd first met. All the times since then that his smile made her heart skip a beat, his amber gaze boring into her very soul, she could see glimpses of it all. The way he held her hand or made her laugh, the way he kissed her, it caused a warmth to grow within her.

There had been no other man in her life that had not only professed their love for her, but showed it continually. What's more, she had confessed the same to him, only a few short hours ago. Her only regret was that she hadn't said it sooner. Every night sleeping in his arms, every morning waking to see those eyes staring lovingly back at her, she had wanted him so badly it hurt; but she waited. When they finally took that step, she wanted there to be nothing to hide, no secrets between them to taint that moment. She desperately wanted to feel him, to show him what he meant to her in a way that her words simply couldn't. And now, there was nothing holding her back from realizing that desire. Sarah's pulse began to quicken as her eyes traced the length of his body. The way he was lying in bed, splayed out, it was almost as if he were offering himself up. It reminded her of a poster she'd seen of a man in a similar pose:"Breakfast in Bed".

Sarah crawled across the bed, like a cat stalking her prey. The covers were slightly askew, thanks to her hasty exit previously, so she pushed them the rest of the way off Chuck's torso. She looked him over again, biting her bottom lip as she contemplated whether she should wake him or not. Her growing desire convinced her that he'd forgive her for a little lost sleep. At least she hoped he'd find it worth his while.

She began placing soft, tentative kisses on his stomach, slowly trailing them upward. A low hum imitated from deep in his chest, the vibrations of which she could feel buzzing in her lips. Her grin grew more devilish as she continued slowly working her way up to his collarbone, dotting soft kisses along the way. Carefully, Sarah threw her leg over Chuck so that she was straddling his hips. The maneuver, coupled with her lips on his neck, caused a strangled groan to escape his throat. With her next kiss, his quivering breath, and obvious growing desire, let her know that he was awake, in every sense of the word.

Kissing his jaw, then his chin and finally the corner of his mouth, his breathing was growing faster, more labored. Ghosting her tongue along his lower lip, she tried not to giggle at his whimpering. When she finally pressed her lips to his, Sarah felt Chuck's hands grip her thighs as he kissed her back. The pressure and intensity of the kiss grew and grew, much as the desire between them did. Her excitement building, she ground her hips into his, eliciting another whimper from Chuck. His large hands began dragging up her thighs and across her hips, where his fingers began digging into her sides. His touch was hot, forcing Sarah to let out a whimper of her own.

As their kissing became more passionate, Chuck wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him with a strength she'd not felt from him before. Gasping against his lips, he took the opportunity to explore her jawline and down her neck, dragging his lower lip against her skin as he made his way back up. Sarah took in a ragged breath as she ground into him again, causing her own breath to catch. The act made Chuck tense, his teeth nipping the sensitive skin along her jaw. The added sensation nearly drove her mad. Sarah desperately sought out his lips, kissing him ferociously. The heat between them was growing so intense, Sarah thought she might actually combust at any moment. When she sucked his lower lip into her mouth, it was Chuck who pressed up into her, taking her by surprise, causing her to lightly bite his lip. Chuck pulled away slightly, staring up at her like a deer in headlights.

"Sar-Sarah. Wait. Wait. I," he panted, trying to catch his breath. "I-I know that you've been through a lot and-and we've only really known each other for a short time," he rushed out. "I don't … I don't want you to think I … what I mean is, I don't want you to think that you have to-"

"Charles Irving Bartowski!" she growled through clenched teeth, her voice low and threatening. Looming over him menacingly, he could see the fire in her eyes as she drew even closer. "So help me God, if you don't make love to me right now..." she warned, placing her hands on either side of his head. Quickly her growl was replaced with a muffled moan as Chuck's lips crashed into hers, his large hands kneading and clawing at her back.

As Chuck moved to kiss along her jawline again, Sarah gasped when he reached her neck, just below her ear; a particularly sensitive spot for her. Placing hot kisses along her neck and ear he tried to whisper to her. "I… I have to… to warn you… it's … it's been a … really… really long time-" Sarah interrupted his ministrations, his kisses nearly sending her into a frenzy. Pulling away, she grabbed the hem of her shirt and ripped it off over her head, throwing it across the room. Chuck stared up at her in awe, watching as her chest heaved with each breath.

"What… what were you saying?" she asked, trying to catch her breath.

Shaking his head, he swallowed thickly, "I have absolutely no idea." With only a moment's hesitation, Chuck lunged forward, and with one swift motion, Sarah found herself on her back with Chuck's lips attacking her neck. She let out a yelp in surprise, followed by a giggle as her excitement grew. Chuck's lips began to trace down from her neck to her chest and Sarah's giggles quickly turned to moans and whimpers.

Burying her fingers in his curls, she breathed his name, "Oh, Chuck…."

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Sarah laid completely limp, deliciously exhausted, with her body wholly draped over the incredible man beneath her. Chuck drew patterns on her back with a feather-like touch. She let out a sigh of absolute contentment, causing her body to slump even further. If she were any more content, she felt like she would actually melt into him; the thought of which brought on a silent giggle. Her body shook on top of him, and Chuck let out a groan.

"Ugh. I said I was sorry," he admitted, sounding dejected. That caused Sarah to burst into laughter.

"Will you stop it? I'd smack you if I could move my arms," she chastised playfully. Sobering slightly, her laughter turning into a muted hum. The two fell silent again for a long moment, both basking in the connection they felt between them.

"So um…." Chuck began, clearing his throat. "I want to ask something, but I'm not exactly sure how to… to phrase it, exactly." She could hear the nervousness in his voice and she was beginning to fear that maybe he was having some regrets already.

"Well… just-just say it. You can be honest with me," she said, nuzzling her face further into his chest.

"I… I don't know what um… what… experiences you've had in the past, and-and I don't need to know, or want to know. God, I definitely don't want to know," he grimaced, shaking the thought from his head. "What I'm trying to say is… what am I trying to say? God, I'm just making a mess of this," he groaned, blowing out a breath as he ran his other hand through his hair.

"It's-it's like a new apartment or a house. You've lived places before, gotten used to the layout, the feel of the place, and then you move someplace new. You may be in a nicer 'apartment', but … maybe the bathroom isn't as … big or there's this annoying creak in the floor in one spot or the neighbors make too much noise when they've been drinking. At first glance it seems like a step up in some ways, but in others… you feel like you had to … to sacrifice some things you liked about the old place to get a -I dunno- better location."

"Okaaay. I don't hear a question yet," Sarah pointed out. She wasn't entirely certain what he was trying to get at, but some of his metaphors alluded to some fears of inadequacy. She smiled to herself, knowing just how unfounded those fears were. Chuck blew out an exasperated sigh before continuing.

"I'm not a very… ex-experienced person, and I… I don't want you to… to feel like you're having to make sacrifices in order to be with-with me," he admitted shyly.

Sarah pushed herself up onto her elbows so she could turn her head to look up at him. Chuck's gaze was focused on the ceiling and she could see his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed thickly. She'd nearly forgotten about his self-confidence issues, especially given what she'd just experienced with him. She hoped it wasn't something more than that.

"Are you trying to insinuate that in my past 'experiences', as you called them, that although I'm here in bed, with the man I love, that I'm somehow thinking 'Yeah that Chuck guy is nice and all, but he's no Bruce or Roger or whatever'. Is that what you're worried about?" she asked with a slight smirk.

"Wow. Bruce? I thought Chuck was bad enough, but you dated a Bruce?"

"Noooo. It was just an example. I didn't date a Roger either. I didn't really 'date' period. Look, the point is, regardless of what's in my past, that's where it'll stay; in the past. And I know that you'll accept that as an answer, but it won't satisfy that anxiety you've got going on in that head of yours. Chuck, look at me," she implored, waiting until his gaze met hers. "Let me be crystal clear. There has not been, nor will there ever be, anyone that can compare to you, in any way, shape or form. And if that isn't enough, I've never made love to anyone before now. Not once, let alone multiple times," she stated with a wry smile.

Chuck began to blush, rolling his eyes as he shook his head to dismiss her teasing. Sarah pushed herself up even more, allowing her to slide up his body to hover over him and look down into his face. He tried to hold her gaze, but he was faltering slightly, distracted by her naked form. "If there was a customer satisfaction survey, they'd have to add more stars," she purred as her hair cascaded down around his face.

Chuck snorted, lifting his eyes to meet hers. "Riiight, and be sure to mention on that survey how I hurt you in the process."

"Oh, for cryin' out loud. Chuck, you were leaning on my hair. It happens, and while, yes, I did let out a yelp because it hurt, there were other things going on that made me forget about it pretty damn quickly. You may recall I let out much louder sounds than that quite a few times. One's that Ellie probably heard from here." Sarah glared at him, waiting for him to argue with her. Unfortunately, the glare didn't last long as the corners of her mouth started to turn upward. They both began to chuckle, letting out long sighs as they stared into each other's eyes.

"I love you, so much," he confessed, his eyes teeming with love and adoration. He reached up and brushed a stray hair away from the corner of her mouth and she could feel that bubble building in her stomach again. The things this man did to her. If someone would have told her a week ago that this feeling in her chest was possible, she'd have laughed in their face. On top of the things he did to her heart, what he'd done to her body that morning was … transcendental.

"Mmmmm. I love you too," she cooed, grinning from ear to ear. Sarah dropped her head, pressing her lips to his, the kiss slow, languid. As things began to escalate, Sarah hummed against his lips, but it quickly turned to a muffled squeal, her eyes going wide.

Pulling away slowly, she held Chuck's gaze with surprise on her face. "Again?! Jesus! You're gonna kill me," she declared, giggling gleefully. He looked slightly embarrassed, but recovered quickly, giving her a salacious grin in return.

"La petit mort," Chuck retorted, bouncing his eyebrows. Sarah barked out a laugh before crashing her lips into his, giggling into the kiss as they fell into one another again.

A/N 2: Alrighty then! For those of you keeping track, it is now the morning of Christmas Eve. While they seem to have opened their presents early, there is much more to com- rather, there's more in store for them. Eventually, they'll have to make their way to Ellie's, else there will be a lot to answer for.

Thanks so much for all your responses. It's definitely food for the soul. You're all too kind (but don't stop) :)

Please be safe and stay well.

JW