A/N: When last we left our friends, Sarah and Chuck's vacation had been cut short, Sarah on her way to meetings with studio executives and Chuck on his solo road trip back to LA, the logistics of their relationship uncertain.

If you need a refresher, just hit that "Prev" button and re-read Chapter 32. Or, you can go back to the beginning and start over too. I'll wait…

...

You ready? OK, let's get to it. Welcome to Chapter 33!

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck.

Chapter 33

It was early afternoon and Sarah was finally finished with her meetings. They had gone better than expected, and while she had expressed her interest in a couple of the scripts she'd read, Sarah didn't commit to anything yet. There were still more scripts to go over, and the studios promised more to come. Since she seemed to have the upper hand, she was going to hold out for the right project; something that really spoke to her.

She had texted Casey and he was waiting in the lobby for her when she got off the elevator. She also had a text from Zondra, asking Sarah to call her ASAP. Regrettably, there were no messages from Chuck, but she supposed that was to be expected since he would still be driving. As Casey escorted her out to the waiting SUV, Sarah dialed Zondra.

"Hey, Blondie. It's about time. You ghosting my calls now?" Zondra teased.

"Noooo. I was in meetings all day. I just saw your message. What's up?" Sarah asked, curious as to what was so urgent.

"I need you to come by the estate tonight. We need to reshoot some scenes and get some more personal moments. You know. Personal reflections on the contestants and stuff."

"Tonight? Ugh. Z, you're killin' me. I just got back in town this morning and I haven't even been home to unpack yet," Sarah whined, sounding exhausted.

"I'm sorry. I know it sucks and it's very last minute, but we need to get these done for some of the upcoming episodes. Tell ya what. Roan says most of these will need to be outdoor night shots, so we have time. Go by your place, grab a nap, get cleaned up and then come out here. I'll even have food brought in. My treat."

"Damn right it'll be your treat," Sarah replied, clearly giving her friend a hard time.

"And since wardrobe has already packed up, bring some changes of clothes so we can make it look like different days," Zondra added, clearly ignoring the jab.

"Anything else? Maybe my kitchen sink? You need one of those too?" Sarah retorted.

"Wow. For just coming off vacation, you're pretty bitchy. Things not go so well?" Zondra questioned, knowing full well she was poking the bear.

"Bitchy? Yes, I'm bitchy. I had to leave the most gorgeous mountain getaway, and the man I love, so I could come back and rub shoulders with some stuffy studio execs. Now, I won't be able to see him for God knows how long because paparazzi will be watching my house and likely his apartment. So, Yes. I'm sorry if I'm a little bitchy." The line was silent for a moment as Sarah blew out a long sigh.

"You feel better now?"

"No. Ok, maybe a little. It still sucks."

"Well, how about we talk about it tonight ... when you come by the estate." Sarah let out a groan in exasperation, which just made Zondra giggle.

"What time?" Sarah asked, sighing in resignation.

"How about eight? We can eat and then you can do the segments. Then we can open some wine and you tell me all about your trip. Who knows, maybe we can find some kind of solution to your little problem. Well, I don't know if it's little. I mean, I've seen the size of his shoes-"

"OK. OK. Just… just stop. I'll be there at eight, alright, and there'd better be wine," she added in warning.

"Yeah. Love you too," Zondra snarked, letting out a chuckle. "See ya at eight." With that the call ended.

Sarah sighed, dropping her head against the headrest, staring at the ceiling. She was really hoping to see Chuck tonight, but she knew that was selfish. It would be evening before Chuck even got into town and then he'd likely be exhausted. Maybe working with Zondra would be what she needed to help distract herself from missing Chuck. Sarah had to admit, she was a little excited to be able to talk to her friend about her time with Chuck and how great things were going. She'd never wanted to talk about her other relationships, likely because there wasn't anything to talk about.

As her mind started gravitating back to Chuck, her smile grew. Biting her lip, she unlocked her phone and typed out a text to Chuck. She knew he was driving, but he could read it later.

"I miss you and love you. Bunches xoxoxo"

Sarah couldn't help but giggle, recalling the playful conversation they'd had that morning on the phone. She missed him so much it ached, even though it had been less than twelve hours. It was a little ridiculous how far gone she was, but she wasn't the least bit ashamed to admit it. Humming in contentment, she leaned her head back on the headrest and watched the scenery go by as they drove to her house.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sarah woke from her nap feeling a little refreshed, but the coolness of the sheet beside her was a painful reminder of who was missing. She immediately went to her phone to check for any messages and was pleasantly surprised to find, among others, a message from Chuck, sent almost two hours ago.

Love you too. Miss you like crazy. Just stopped for gas. Getting back on the road. Any news from Casey on a plan?

Her smile faded as she realized that there was no plan yet, and tonight was going to be a bust anyway. Reluctantly she slid out of bed and headed for the bathroom to grab a quick shower. Afterward, she got dressed and packed several outfits, along with her makeup and toiletry bag, into a duffle.

When Sarah got downstairs she was startled to see Casey sitting at her kitchen island, sipping a cup of coffee, reading the paper. "Jesus!" Sarah exclaimed, jumping slightly.

"What? I told you I was waiting here," Casey grumbled, with a raised eyebrow and a hint of amusement on his face.

"No. Yeah, you did. I just… I forgot, that's all. Are you uh… you ready to go?" she asked, trying to get her heart to slow down. Casey gave a grunt in the affirmative, folding the paper and setting it on the counter. Tossing back the last of his coffee, he placed the mug in the sink and gestured toward the front door.

"You need me to take that for ya?" he asked as he followed, pointing at the duffle bag on her shoulder.

"Oh, yes. Please. I'm just a woman, after all. How could I possibly carry such a heavy bag all by my little lonesome?" Casey gave her the flattest look she'd ever seen and she couldn't help but burst out in laughter. "No. Thanks, though. It's just clothes." He gave another grunt followed by a brief chuckle. Sarah had to admit, she really enjoyed their banter. He gave as good as he got and there was never any worry of offending the other.

On their way to the estate, Sarah called to the front of the SUV, trying to get Casey's attention. "Hey. Have you come up with any ideas on what we talked about? About Chuck and me?"

"Hmmm. Yeah. I got something in the works. I'll let you know when everything is set," he replied over his shoulder. Since it was obvious he wasn't going to elaborate more than that, she sat back and read through her emails and social media accounts. She'd largely neglected them while on hiatus, only checking them periodically. The show was getting a massive response, far greater than any previous season. While it was largely positive, there were still those haters out there, looking to drum up attention. Sarah chose to focus on the positive, ignoring the petty, spiteful minority.

There were tons of photos and clips from the latest episode of the show, highlighting her interactions with the children, and not surprisingly, Chuck's time with Kailey. Some cell phone footage of the event had been leaked, illustrating that the footage from the show wasn't doctored in anyway. Chuck was the real deal. Sarah's heart was swelling with pride at the outpouring of people rooting for Chuck. As she scrolled through the endless list of mentions, she came across a meme that stopped her dead.

While she'd been watching Chuck and Kailey, she'd made a point to stay out of his line of sight. What she hadn't considered were all of the other people in the room. Someone had taken a picture of her while she was watching Chuck and Kailey. She was staring ahead intently, tears streaking down her cheeks, with a look that she could now admit was love and adoration. She couldn't help but tear up recalling the moment, how moved she'd been, and still was. She let out a wet chuckle at the caption on the photo.

That moment when you realize you're hopelessly in love with Chuck Bartowski #Charah

God, if they only knew. Well, it seemed maybe they did, or at least they were speculating. Sarah knew that those feelings had started before that day, but in that moment, she knew she was sunk. She was hopelessly in love with her magnificent, kind and caring nerd. It was just that simple. It seemed that much of the Internet approved, given the overwhelming following of #Charah. That would make it all the more difficult for them to see each other. She hoped that Casey's plan, whatever it was, came together soon. Sarah had spent so much time with Chuck since filming ended, their road trip, visiting her mother and then the extended stay at the cabin, that she'd grown accustomed to having him near her all the time.

Flipping back to her text messages, she re-read Chuck message, again, then typed out a reply.

"He said he's 'got something in the works'. Whatever that means. Something also came up, so I have to do some work tonight. Looks like it's gonna be even longer until I can see you again."

She added a string of pouty-face emojis at the end before continuing her message.

"I hate not being with you. It really sucks. Plus, who's gonna keep my feet warm at night?"

Adding a winking kiss emoji, followed by "I love you" and a string of kisses and hearts, she sent it, chuckling at herself. She was acting like a lovesick teenager, but she didn't care.

The jostling of the SUV as it turned into the driveway of the show's estate broke her from her focus on her phone. Sliding her phone in her pocket, she straightened herself, dabbing at her eyes to clear away the unshed tears that had gathered as she'd felt the disappointment of not getting to see Chuck.

When she and Casey walked into the guest house, Zondra and Sydney were there, standing around the kitchen island looking at a laptop. Sarah could hear them giggling as she stepped through the doorway but it ended quickly as they closed the laptop.

"Blondie!" Zondra called out, moving to meet Sarah in the living room. The two hugged as Sydney stood behind them, looking a bit apprehensive. When Zondra and Sarah pulled apart, Sarah wasted no time pulling Sydney into a hug as well, surprising the younger woman.

"It's good to see you guys," Sarah offered, smiling at the two women. Looking around, there didn't seem to be anyone else around; no camera people, nobody from makeup. It seemed a little odd. "Where is everyone?"

"Oh, they'll be here in a little while. I thought we could catch up a little bit. Tell us what you've been up to," Zondra stated with a shrug. "Want some wine?" Zondra asked over her shoulder as she headed into the kitchen.

"Uh, duh," Sarah replied, rolling her eyes. All three of them chuckled as Zondra grabbed a bottle and some glasses. Behind Sarah, she heard the deep clearing of a throat, reminding her that her stoic "bodyguard" was still present. When she turned around, Casey was approaching, looking at Sydney.

"Miss, I understand that you're roommates with Alex. Alex McHugh?" Casey asked, causing the younger woman's eyes to widen in both surprise and concern. Casey was never much for words, but adding how intimidating he looked, it was no wonder she looked a little uneasy.

"Uh…. umm… yeah? S-she's my roommate," she replied, hesitantly, glancing toward Sarah, almost as if asking for help. The large man extended his hand, offering it to Sydney.

"It was mighty nice of you to help her out like that. Helping her get that job with Bartowski's company." Sydney nodded, looking even more confused as she shook his hand. Sarah felt the need to intercede, helping shed some light on the situation.

"Sydney, this is John Casey. He's Alex's father." The younger woman's mouth dropped open, her eyebrows nearly jumping into her hairline.

"Oh my gosh. I-I had no idea. So you're 'THE' colonel? I would have never put that together. Of course she's talked about you, but she never mentioned your name. She always just called you 'Dad' or 'The Colonel'." Everyone chuckled at that, including Zondra, who was at the coffee table, beginning to pour the wine. "But wait," Sydney continued, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Your last name is Casey?"

"Yeah. McHugh is her mother's name. It's a long story." The way Casey said it insinuated that not only was it long, but not something he was really interested in discussing. While Sarah knew the truth from talking with Kathleen, it wasn't her story to tell, so she kept quiet. Everyone seemed content with that answer, not pushing the subject any further.

"John, can I get you a drink?" Zondra asked, waving the half empty wine bottle in the air.

Holding a hand up, he shook his head. "No thanks, Rizzo. I don't drink when I'm on the job," he replied in his usual gruff, no nonsense manner. Zondra just shrugged it off and grabbed her glass. The three women sat down on the couches as Casey moved to the kitchen to sit at one of the stools at the island, watching over the house.

"So, Sarah, how was it?" Zondra began. "Did you do any mountain climbing or was it just… your mountain 'man' you were climbing?" she asked, twisting her lips to the side to try and keep a straight face. Sydney let out a giggle while Sarah gasped in shock at her friend's bold question. They even heard an amused snort coming from the kitchen as Casey thumbed through a magazine.

Sarah had to admit, Zondra's line was pretty good, so once the initial shock wore off, she was trying to keep her own smile hidden. Taking a sip of wine, using her glass to help obscure her face, she shrugged. "We did some hiking too." With the two women's outburst of laughter, Sarah couldn't hold her laughter in either, though she was blushing a bit.

"OK. Now you HAVE to tell us the details," Zondra demanded, turning in her seat to face Sarah more directly.

"Oh no I do not," Sarah rebuked, shaking her head adamantly. "What happens in secluded mountain retreat, stays in secluded mountain retreat." Despite their pleas, Sarah still refused. After a few moments more of whining and teasing, Zondra finally gave up.

"Ok. Fiiine. You don't have to tell us details, but… how was it? Was he-"

"Alright," Casey interrupted, tossing the magazine on the counter in disgust. "There is not enough brain bleach to unhear this conversation, so I'm going outside." With a pained look on his face, he made a beeline for the front door, slamming it closed behind him as the three women laughed.

"Ok, now that he's gone, how was it?" Zondra asked, not missing a beat.

"I can't tell you that! You guys would tease him mercilessly. I'm not going to let you do that to him."

"So… not so good huh?" Sydney asked, trying not to laugh.

"God, you guys are terrible," Sarah chuckled, shaking her head. "You're just not going to leave it alone, are you?" When both women shook their heads vehemently, Sarah let out a snort, shaking her head again. Letting out a long sigh, she looked between her two friends. "If I tell you something, can we move on and talk about something else?" Zondra groaned as she seemed to be thinking it over, wincing as she bobbed her head from side to side. Sarah made a move to get up but both women jumped to push her back down.

"Ok. Ok. Ok. You win," Zondra relented. "So….?" Sarah thought for a moment, working her jaw back and forth.

"Do you remember when we ran into Chuck's ex at the gala?" Sarah asked, both women nodding in confirmation as they sat, literally, on the edge of their seats. "Well, to get back at her I said that Chuck was very …'giving'. Let's just say I couldn't fathom at the time exactly how true that statement was." Zondra gave her a surprised look, raising an eyebrow in question. Sarah just smirked, unable to keep the hint of red from her cheeks as she thought about it. "Very…"

"Damn," Zondra breathed out, both in awe and a little envious. "I knew there was something about that guy when he auditioned. I mean, not THAT, but… I guess I shouldn't be surprised," she chuckled, shaking her head. "Sounds like you got the perfect guy in the perfect package. Speaking of package -"

"No! I am not telling you anything else," Sarah rushed out, cutting Zondra off before she could ask the question. "Especially not that. That's for me to know and you to only fantasize about," Sarah teased back, with a wry smile.

"That's cruel. Not even a ballpark?" Zondra turned to Sydney, whispering loudly, "You see what I did there? Ballpark?" The younger woman snorted, starting to giggle, enjoying the back and forth between the two women who'd somehow brought her into their friend group.

"You're hilarious," Sarah deadpanned, though the corner of her mouth started to curl up ever so slightly. "Can we talk about something else, now? Please?"

Sydney jumped in, raising her hand as she swallowed her sip of wine, setting the glass down on the table. "Speaking of climbing, did you need to use a lifeline with him since he's so tall or was it more like free climbing?" The serious delivery of the question, and the fact that it had come from Sydney, caused Sarah and Zondra to burst into laughter, doubling over in their seats.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

After nearly an hour of Sarah telling the story of her and Chuck's road trip, and showing pictures of the cabin and wilderness surrounding it, there was a knock at the door to the guest house.

"That's probably the food. I figured we could eat before we got started. Sarah, you wanna get that for me? I'm gonna go get some cash for a tip." Zondra asked as she started toward the kitchen. Sarah made her way to the front door, pulling it open as she peeked from behind the door. Standing in front of her, holding up two large bags of carryout Chinese, wearing a smile from ear to ear was Chuck.

"Chuck!" Sarah screeched as she flung the door open and rushed him. Nearly knocking him over, she jumped on her boyfriend, wrapping her arms and legs around him, clinging to him for dear life like some crazed koala. Chuck let out a chuckle, doing his best to hug her back, though having his hands full made it awkward. Pulling her head back she planted a searing kiss on him, causing him to let out a hum of surprise.

"Jesus, Blondie. Pull yourself together. Can you let the poor man in the door? My food's getting cold," Zondra teased, chuckling as she stood with her arms folded across her chest.

Sydney leaned toward Zondra, whispering loudly, "I guess that answers whether she used a lifeline or not." Both women doubled over in laughter, pulling Sarah's focus from her Chuck. Shaking her head, Sarah had to chuckle as well, climbing down from Chuck. Grabbing him by his shirt, Sarah pulled him in the house and closed the door behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Sarah finally asked, smoothing down his shirt.

"I got a call from Sydney," Chuck confessed, nodding his head toward the woman behind her. "She said that there were some more shots that needed done tonight and asked me to pick up enough food for five or six people on my way."

Sarah spun to look at her two friends behind her, her fists resting on her hips. "I think we're busted," Zondra whispered to Sydney, who in turn nodded in agreement.

"You guys planned all this?" Sarah asked, her expression softening.

Zondra raised a hand, offering to take the blame. "Casey called me and explained about how you two needed some place to lay low. We still have this place rented for the remainder of the month. Nobody's going to be here, unless we're doing stuff for the show, which offers a cover for both of you to be here. Soooo…"

"So we can… stay here? Both of us?" Chuck asked, looking at Sarah and then back to Zondra.

"Well that's the idea. Yeah. Unless you're into that whole sexting thing. Hey, I don't judge...OK, that's wrong. I do judge. I do that, but not in this instance," Zondra snickered at the eye rolls she was getting.

Opening the front door, Casey stepped inside and pushed the door closed behind him. Looking over Chuck and then Sarah, he called out, "Hey Walker. Your boy toy's here. Oh… we figured out a plan. Just thought you should know." The smirk on his face made Sarah want to punch him in the arm but a better plan came to mind.

"Oh good, Casey. You're just in time. Chuck and I were about to feed each other dinner and make googly eyes across the table. You should stick around," Sarah teased, looking rather proud of herself. Casey's face scrunched up, as if he'd bitten into a lemon. Chuck picked up on Sarah's cue and decided to turn it up a notch.

"And later, I think we'll christen the kitchen island. I got extra sweet and sour sauce just for the occasion," Chuck interjected, lifting the bag up as evidence.

Looking like he might be ill, Casey snatched one of the bags out of Chuck's hand as he grumbled unintelligibly. The laughter from the others in the room only served to deepen his frown as he began to unload the bag of Chinese take out to find something he liked.

The teasing over, the group sat at the dining room table and passed around take out containers, sharing the mountains of food Chuck had brought. They talked a little about the show and the media attention it had been getting. Sarah shared how her meetings with several studio execs had gone, pleased that she seemed to have the upper hand in negotiations. As the evening wore on, Chuck began to clean up, as was his nature.

"So, uh… when do we start the re-shoots or whatever?" he asked, looking at his watch. Zondra snorted, nearly choking on the piece of fortune cookie she'd been crunching.

Sarah let out a sigh, shaking her head at her friend. "Chuck, I don't think there ever was any re-shoot planned. That was just their sneaky way of getting us here." Sydney confirmed it since Zondra was too busy coughing from both laughter and inhaling a piece of fortune cookie.

"You're quick Walker. Never figured you for a bottle blonde," Casey jabbed, snorting at his own joke.

"Yeah, you just keep it up… 'Sugar Bear'." The smirk on Casey's face died immediately, replaced with a pale look of shock. It was Sarah's turn to smirk, quite pleased with the way she'd put Casey in his place. She'd have to thank Kathleen for letting that little bit of information slip when they'd talked the other night.

Chuck looked almost as surprised, staring at Sarah with wide eyes, mouthing the words "Sugar Bear?" Zondra cleared her throat as she recovered from coughing and seeing that things were quickly devolving decided to jump in.

"And on that note, I think it's time to go." Casey seemed especially grateful for the interruption, and the rest of the group finished cleaning up. Zondra and Sydney said their goodbyes, giving both Chuck and Sarah hugs as they left. Casey was the last one to leave, waiting by the door to talk to them before heading out.

"I've got a couple of guys patrolling the perimeter of the property and another watching the external surveillance. You won't even know they're here, but do them a favor, try not to let them know you're here either? Nobody needs to listen to that," he confessed, giving a shiver.

"Thanks Casey," Sarah chuckled, giving him a side hug. The large man looked slightly uncomfortable, but returned it in kind.

"Yeah. Yeah. I'll catch up with you tomorrow." He regarded the young couple, trying to hide his grin. "Or maybe not. Maybe I've got stuff to do tomorrow."

"You do that. Tell Kathleen we said 'Hi'. I'll call you when I need you," Sarah said, waving as she closed the door behind him. Resting her back against the door, she blew out a long breath. Chuck stepped up to stand in front of her, placing his hands on her hips.

"Hi beautiful. I missed you," he said, looking into her eyes. Sarah hummed in response, looking up at him through her lashes.

"God, I missed you too. You have no idea how glad I am you're here. I was afraid we might not see each other for… I dunno. Too long." Chuck nodded, looking a bit saddened by that prospect. "But we're here and we've got this whole place to ourselves." A mischievous grin began to grow across her face as she reached above her shoulder and locked the deadbolt, without breaking eye contact.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Chuck asked, stepping in even closer.

"I think so, Brain, but where are we going to get an inflatable raft and thirty gallons of chocolate pudding at this time of night?" she responded matter-of-factly. Chuck was stunned silent for a moment, his mouth slightly agape at her use of the cartoon reference. Sarah was fighting the wry smile at seeing the effect she had over him, especially when she could reference things that fit into his nerd culture.

"God, I could marry you right now," he breathed out, staring at her in wonderment. Sarah couldn't help but gasp slightly as her breath caught at hearing those words. She swallowed thickly as she held his gaze, her smile having been wiped from her face. It seemed that Chuck came to the sudden realization of what he'd said when his eyes grew huge. He opened his mouth, trying to say something, but he appeared at a loss for words.

Seeing him struggling, she took pity on him and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. Patting him on the chest, she tried to give him a reassuring smile, even though her insides were swirling. She assumed it was said tongue-in-cheek, although it gave her pause to really think about it. What would she say if he were seriously proposing to her? It was entirely too soon, at least that's what her head was telling her. His head was probably telling him the same thing, which was why he was trying to come up with a diplomatic way of backpedalling.

Chuck recognized the forced smile on Sarah's face as she patted his chest. He could see that his silence was probably far worse than anything he could have actually said in response to that. While it was said in haste, and partly in jest, he had to admit that the idea wasn't at all frightening. It was too soon to be considering that kind of step, with having only been together for a short time and Sarah's career taking off to new heights. That was too much stress to put on either of them. As he stared down at her, he wondered, when he did find the courage and the right moment to ask her, what would she say? As she tried to move away, he held her in place, causing her to meet his gaze again.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. That's not something to make light of. When I do ask you, I want it to be special, and there'll be no doubts about my intentions," he stated sincerely as he peered down at her. Her smile slowly returned, followed by a raised eyebrow.

"When?" she challenged, her smile growing into a smirk. Undeterred, Chuck nodded.

"When," he declared. Sliding her arms over his shoulders, she raised up on her tiptoes and brought her lips so close to his, they just barely brushed together.

"I'm good with 'when'," she uttered before the two locked in a passionate kiss.

A/N2: And fade to black. Cut! That's a wrap. Let's get set up for the flamingo scene!

It's good to be back working on Matchmaker. Sorry for the long hiatus. I appreciate everyone reaching out and asking about the story, showing your interest. It means a lot that you are so invested in the story. As always, I love to hear your thoughts on how the story is going, so please consider leaving a review or sending me a PM.

Stay safe and be well.

JW