A/N: Love seems to be in the air in this fic, but someone is left out…or are they? Fluff continues.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

"No," Sarah told him, opening the door to the apartment, walking away from Casey, the larger man following behind her.

"But, Sarah, you don't understand," Casey began.

"No, John… hell no. There is no way I will allow you to do that to him, to us," Sarah told him. She turned to him, her hands planted on her hips. "There is no way in hell I would put him through that."

"I need his help," Casey pleaded.

"You know, I think they're talking about you," Zondra told Chuck. The two were playing a fighting game on one of him many systems. During their last sparring session, Chuck had slipped in a blow, and as a reward, he got one hour of play time against Zondra.

That hour had happened two days ago, and Chuck had totally throttled her during that hour, making him quite proud of himself. Zondra had disappeared for a few hours the next day, and when she came back, she told him she'd play him again. While she hadn't won any of the best of three series, she had taken a match here or there. They were currently tied one win a piece in their current series.

"I think you're right," Chuck replied, hitting Zondra with a combo.

She grimaced, turning the controller sideways as she seemed to will her character.

"FINISH HIM!" came the command from the screen, and she furiously hit buttons. The next thing Chuck knew, his character was a bloody mess, Zondra was dancing in front of the couch, and Casey was making his usual disgusted noises.

"Morgan?" Chuck asked. Zondra shrugged as she continued to do the cabbage patch dance move. "He also teach you that?"

"You're just jealous, and whipped," Zondra told him.

"You beat me once," Chuck said. "I have beaten you so many times I have lost count."

"Yes, but I won our last encounter," Zondra told him, skipping away.

"That's low!" Chuck called out after her. She opened the fridge and pulled out a beer. "Seriously? A celebratory drink at-" he looked at his watch "-10:30 in the morning?"

"Don't judge me," Zondra told him. "Besides, your girl and Casey are over there planning your life."

"But Sarah looks out for me," Chuck said with a shrug.

"We are right here," Casey growled.

"That was for what you two did to him," Zondra told Casey.

"Wait…" Casey began, a confused look on his face.

"I told you, that idiot is like a brother to me," Zondra said. "I can talk trash about him all I want. You don't get to."

"So he's your idiot brother?" Casey asked.

"Yeah," Zondra replied.

Chuck looked over at Sarah. "Why do I feel like I'm losing here, and I haven't even done anything?"

"No idea," Sarah replied. "Do you want to know what I'm keeping you from doing?"

"Sure," Chuck chirped.

"Casey wanted you and I to go on a double date with him and Gertrude, to walk him through what to do, or for you to be in his ear on the date," Sarah told him.

Chuck turned to Zondra. "Told you," and with that, he stuck out his tongue.

"Do it again, and I will rip it out and beat you with it," Zondra warned him.

"Chuck!" Sarah barked, making everyone jump. "Do. Not." She got a grin on her face. "I like that tongue, and all it does."

"Christ," Casey muttered.

"I may throw up," Zondra said.

Chuck just sat there, proudly preening.

}o{

"Okay, can he at least help me with the Collective?" Casey asked, bursting through the door a few hours later.

"He doesn't even ask you, he just goes straight to her," Zondra said, ribbing Chuck again.

"You know, you talk a lot of smack for someone who is needing my help with this upcoming test," Chuck replied. Zondra sighed and rolled her eyes. "You should apologize for making fun of me."

"I'm sorry you're so easy to make fun of," Zondra said, batting her eyes at Chuck. Chuck pulled the notebook away from Zondra, trying to act miffed, but laughing the whole time. "Did I get the answer right?"

Chuck was looking at the answer when something caught his eye. He looked at the name and phone number scrawled on the paper in someone else's hand writing. "Who's Dakota?" Zondra looked away and scratched the back of her neck. "I see," Chuck replied. "So, out of curiosity, am I teaching you how to do this, so you can go teach Dakota… this… and other things?"

Zondra grabbed her notebook, her books, and stormed out of the room.

"Yeah, he can help you," Sarah told Casey. "It seems safer than what he's doing here." Chuck looked at Sarah, who shrugged.

}o{

Chuck hadn't seen Zondra in three days. He had been helping Casey and, between that, his workouts with Gertrude and Sarah, and his school work, he hadn't had a chance to seek her out. He was sitting on a bench outside the building where she was currently in a class. He spotted Zondra coming out, talking to an attractive woman. Zondra pushed her hair behind her ear, said something to the woman, and the two went in opposite directions. He watched Zondra look over her shoulder at the woman, and then keep walking.

Chuck felt like an absolute ass.

}o{

Chuck sat down beside Zondra, a plate in hand, in the cafeteria. "You know, just because I'm your brother doesn't mean I have to be an ass, and that's what I was… an ass. And I'm sorry."

Zondra gave him a look, sighed, and shook her head. "No, I overreacted."

"Listen, Zondra, I think the world of you. Hell, I love you like a sister. But I am a human, and I'm gonna do some dumb things. So, when I do, you have every right to be upset, and tell me to mind my own damn business," Chuck told her. "I'd offer to give you a hug, but I know you'd hurt me."

"Can I ask you a serious question?" Zondra asked, almost shyly. It was Zondra, so almost shyly was relative.

"Always," Chuck told her sincerely.

"Why do you suck so much at playing video games?" She smirked at him, and Chuck began to laugh.

"I don't, I just don't try against those that have no skill. I let them believe they are so much better than me," he retorted. Zondra shoulder-bumped him, took a fry off his plate, and began to chew. "We good?"

"Nope," Zondra said. She leaned over, paused, and kissed him on the cheek. She pulled away and ruffled his hair. "Thanks," she said softly.

"Damn, that was almost gushy, for you."

"I hate you," Zondra told him. Chuck saw the woman from earlier walk into the cafeteria, and see him and Zondra setting together. He saw the look on the woman's face.

"So, you think later you can show me how to do those problems?" Chuck asked in a loud voice. "I mean you really saved my life that last test."

"Fine, but only if you promise to quit begging me to play video games with you," Zondra told him.

"That's fine, my wife hates it afterwards, because I'm all mopey after you kick my ass, and she has to console me the rest of the night," Chuck said, standing and grabbing his tray. He looked around. "Thanks for letting me sit with you for a few minutes, it makes others think I'm cool," he said in a loud whisper. The woman continued to approach Zondra, and heard what Chuck said.

I hate you, Zondra mouthed.

I know, Chuck mouthed back. "See ya!" he said loudly, as he walked off to find another table.

}o{

That evening, Chuck was cooking dinner for him and Sarah, when the door slammed, and Zondra walked in, looking pissed. "Blondie, stay out of this. This is between me and him."

"I love you, and I'll miss you," Chuck said to Sarah.

"She's not going to kill you," Sarah told him. "Maim? Maybe. Kill? Nah."

"The love," Chuck muttered. "Can I take off my apron, first?"

"No," Zondra said. "Come here." She pointed at a spot right in front of her. Chuck came over, stood in front of her, and swallowed. Zondra pulled him in for a hug.

"I'm hallucinating," Sarah muttered.

"Thank you," Zondra said softly. "Dakota asked me out."

"Of course Dakota did," Chuck said, shrugging as she let go.

"Because I'm sexy, bad ass, and everyone wants me?" Zondra asked.

"No," Chuck replied. "Because you threatened to break Dakota's face if Dakota did not."

Zondra pushed Chuck by his face, sending him over the back of the couch. Chuck flipped over, laughing. "Thanks, Chuck," she said softly, smiling at him. She turned and went to her room.

"Do I even want to know?" Sarah asked.

"I have no idea, but it's not my story to tell," Chuck told her. "Now, have I told you what Casey and I discovered about the Collective?"

"Nope," Sarah said. "Tell me over dinner." She walked over and pulled him up. "Thank you for being her friend."

"She's the reason you and I are together," Chuck told her. "It's the least I can do."

A/N: If you didn't know Mercedes Mason is bi, and in the back of my head seeing badass Zondra try and figure out how to have a relationship with someone with all of…*gestures toward the apartment in the fic* THAT going on…well, that would get pretty crazy. Come on back next time as we find out more about the collective, Casey and Gertrude's date, and what have Morgan and Carina been up to? Reviews and PMs, ALWAYS welcomed. DC