A/N: We're getting there. Thanks for taking this ride with me. We're about to find out something big.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

Sarah woke up, and blew out a frustrated breath. How in the hell could she ever think she had any kind of relationship with Cole? In the past few hours, watching one man deal with what Chuck was dealing with, had impacted her more emotionally, than everything Cole had ever been through added all together. "Crikey," she muttered. "I think I'm in love."

She wanted to fix everything for Chuck. She wanted to drag him to her bed last night and hold him. She wanted to be for him what she had seen her parents be for each other, but instead, she had led him to her guest room, after some time of them talking late into the night. She blew out another frustrated breath. She needed to tell him. She had to tell him. She wanted to tell him, but right now…she couldn't do that to him.

Her ringing phone pulled her out of her thoughts. She reached over, grabbed it, and answered. "Are we in a shared dream?" she heard Mark ask on the other end of the phone. "Cause if I'm not mistaken the man of your dreams is walking down the beach."

Sarah sat up quickly. "Are you sure?" she asked Mark, rushing to the guest room. She found it empty, the bed made. She shook her head.

"Sarah, as many times as I've seen the picture of the love of your life, I know what he looks like," Mark continued.

"Is he okay?" Sarah asked, running back to her room and getting dressed.

"He's walking up and down the beach and kinda looks like his dog got shot," Mark told her.

"His dad died last night, Mark."

"Oh, shit. Well…that would explain his posture," Mark replied. "Is he okay…wait, you didn't pity bang him did you?"

"NO!" Sarah replied. "He didn't want to be by himself in his apartment, he wanted to sit out at his beach by himself. I brought him here, and he slept in the guest bed."

"And where did you sleep?" Mark asked.

"MARK!" Sarah replied with exasperation in her voice. "In my bed, by myself."

"Why? Sarah, seriously, why? Why weren't you holding him or…you know?"

"Because the hell if I'm going to take advantage of him in that situation," Sarah told him, finishing tying her shoe and heading for the door.

"So, to sum, I have called him the man of your dreams and love of your life, and you have not told me I was wrong," Mark began. Sarah rolled her eyes. "And, you care for him to the point you won't even do anything that might be construed as taking advantage of him." He paused. "Sarah, you're in love."

"I KNOW!" Sarah replied.

"Sarah," he said in a hushed tone.

"Listen, we will talk later-"

"Go get your man!" Mark said, and hung up. Sarah put her phone in her pocket as she hurried down to the beach. She had brought him to her home in Malibu, right off the beach. He had joked with her last night that they both had their own beach.

She thought about what Mark had said, and she knew he was right. Inside she was fighting with herself. She wanted to take away all of his pain, but right now he was emotionally vulnerable, and she wasn't about to take advantage of that. She saw him standing on the beach, looking out over the waves, and walked up beside him.

"Hey," he said softly. "Hope I didn't worry you, just needed to think, you know?" Sarah slipped her hand into his and squeezed it. "I thought for years he was gone. I thought that whenever he died, whenever it finally happened, it would be a relief. And-and, in some ways, it was. But last night…last night my father died, Sarah." She both tugged on his hand to make him turn to her, as she turned to him. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him tight, and she felt the tears against her cheek.

"Let it out, Chuck, don't hold any of it in," she said softly, rubbing his back with one hand.

"He destroyed my family," Chuck told her. "I had no mother, no real father, and this damn thing in my head that always bullies me…it's no wonder I don't have anyone."

"Hey," she said sharply. "You do too have people. You have Ellie and Morgan. You have Carina and Zondra." She paused, but she had to say it. "And damn it, you have me, and if you think you don't then I'm going to have to step up my game."

"You're right, I'm-"

"Don't apologize," she cut in softly. "I just needed you to know you're not alone, okay?" Chuck nodded, his head against hers. "Now, what do you need me to do?" It was at that moment her phone rang.

"Answer your phone," he told her. She gave him a look. "Sarah, you have a lot going on, and you can take five minutes to take a phone call."

She gave him a look, but relented. She pulled her phone out, saw it was her parents and answered. "Darlin, we're gonna be a little late for brunch."

"Brunch," Sarah replied.

"Yes, that thing between breakfast and lunch," Jack replied.

"Uh, I forgot, and I'm kinda with a friend right now," Sarah replied, glancing at Chuck.

"Is it that young man that wants us to come down to the studio?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Sarah replied, closing her eyes, praying what she feared was about to happen wasn't going to happen.

"Then bring him with you," Jack told her. "I'd love to meet him." And there it was, her parents, were going to meet the man she was in love with, who just lost his father, and didn't know she was in love with him. This was fine. This was absolutely fine.

"Dad, I don't know if he wants to have brunch with us," Sarah began.

"Me?" Chuck asked, pointing at himself. She nodded. "I'd love to."

She gave Chuck a weak smile. "He'd love to," Sarah told him. "Yeah, see you soon." She hung up. This was fine. This was the furtherest thing from fine.

}o{

The camera cuts to Ellie and an older woman sitting in the interview chairs. "How long did it take you, Emma, to know that your daughter was in love with Chuck?" Ellie asked. Emma burst out laughing.

}o{

As Chuck and Sarah approached the table, Jack and Emma both stood to greet their daughter. Hugs and kisses were shared with the three. "Mom, Dad, this is my friend, Chuck Bartowski."

"Pleasure to meet you," Chuck said, sticking his hand out toward Jack.

Jack took Chuck's hand in his, and as he was shaking it asked, "And what exactly are your intentions with my daughter, young man?"

Chuck's eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. "Dad," Sarah said in a pained toned. "His father literally died yesterday so if you don't mind…"

Jack looked at Sarah, saw she was serious and then turned back to Chuck. "Well…damn…put my foot in my mouth on that one."

"It's fine, Sir," Chuck began.

"It is not," Emma said, shoving Jack away and giving Chuck a hug. "I'm so sorry."

"He can't really talk about it, there's an NDA," Sarah explained. Her mother and father gave her a look. "I'm serious."

"I can tell them," Chuck told Sarah. "I mean, they know about not telling things, right? Or do you not tell them about some things because of NDAs?"

"No, I tell them," Sarah said weakly, sitting down in the chair. Emma gave her daughter a knowing smile.

"If you feel like telling us, Chuck," Emma said.

"Yeah, maybe it will help to talk about it," Chuck said. Sarah sat there, hearing the story again. Being shared by Chuck. With her parents. How was she in so deep with this man…and yet, not at all?

}o{

A few hours later found Chuck and Sarah on their way back to LA to take Chuck home. As they drove through traffic, Chuck gushed about Sarah's parents, and then he went suddenly quiet.

"You okay over there?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah, just had a thought, and it really isn't any of my business," Chuck told her. Sarah wanted to laugh at that. In the past twenty-four hours she had been deep into Chuck Bartowski's business and she found it wasn't a burden or a hindrance, but instead, she appreciated the trust he had extended her.

"Feel free and ask whatever," she told him.

"Well, it's just…." He trailed off.

"It's fine, just ask, Chuck," she reassured him.

He turned in the seat to face her. "Well, you see, you've got this studio, and your parents, they're…they're amazing. They're the kind of people that need to be celebrated. The sacrifice that they made, to a daughter they hadn't even met yet. The unconditional love that some kids can only dream of. I mean…don't get me wrong, both stories are important, but why are you not making your parents story your first project?"

Sarah was stunned. In the little time she had known him, he had basically figured out what her goal was…without figuring out what her goal was. "Because we don't have enough to fund the project," she blurted out. Annndddd she had done it. She had told him her biggest secret. "Netflix will help finance it if Life after Thirty-Five is a success." Chuck was silent for a few moments. "You're being quiet."

"Yeah, sorry, it's just…" Chuck looked up at her. His eyes shinny like he was about to cry. "And you trust me with this?"

"Yes, Chuck, I trust you to keep this to yourself," Sarah answered.

"No, Sarah, you misunderstand. You trust me to be the male lead in your TV show, the show required to tell your parents' story, your biggest dream?"

In that moment, every doubt, every concern, every worry she had was pushed away. Chuck had cracked the mysterious code that was Sarah Walker. She did trust him. She trusted him completely with this huge responsibility. The man with no acting experience, she trusted to help make her first produced television show a success so she could achieve her dream. She had shown him that trust without even realizing it, her heart had known all along.

}o{

The camera cut to Sarah sitting in the interview chair. "My first reaction was, 'Well, shit.'" Sarah shook her head. "I trusted this man with my dreams. I barely knew him and placed my trust in him. I didn't even think about it, I just did it, because I knew. I knew that I could trust Chuck Bartowski and he would do EVERYTHING in his power to make my dreams come true." She paused for a second. "And that's when it dawned on me that I may have just placed a terrible burden on him." She snorted. "And that's when he knocked me on my ass…again."

}o{

"Thank you, Sarah," Chuck said sincerely. Sarah was having a hard time keeping her eyes on the road. "I don't know why you trust me so much, but I promise you I gladly accept this challenge and will do everything in me to make you're dream happen. I don't think anyone has ever complemented me more with what you just did. So many people just assume my anxiety would mess me up, but you believed in me and are giving me a chance. Thank you."

She wanted to argue with him, and tell him he was wrong, but he was right. Maybe she kept saying it would be too much, but her actions…her actions showed she didn't believe that. Her actions showed she did, in fact, believe in him.

"Chuck, I need you to be honest with me, and tell me when it's too much. I need you to be okay if I check in on you and make sure you're okay, but…yes, Chuck, I do trust you. I didn't even realize how much I did if I'm honest."

"But you did," Chuck said with a shrug. "And you don't know what that means to me." He beamed at her. "Thank you, Sarah."

"For what, doing what heart knew you could do, but my brain wouldn't listen to?" Sarah said, shaking her head.

"Yeah, it took Zondra and Ellie years to get it, and you already have," Chuck told her. "It's okay to be scared or worried about me."

"But it's not okay to take away your agency," Sarah finished. Chuck nodded. "Okay, so this week, what about the funeral?"

"Funeral is next Saturday," Chuck replied. "I'll get through this week, I promise."

"Chuck, you promise me if you need a break you take one, okay?"

"Promise, Sarah," he told her. She nodded, and took his hand in hers as she continued the drive.

}o{

The camera cuts to Ellie and Emma in the interview chairs. Emma looks over at Ellie and then back to the camera. She says nothing. She simply put her hands in front of her and brought them down as if making a rainbow. "Magical," Emma said as Ellie clapped her hands together, and laughed.

A/N: Next time:

"He is a guy," Chuck said. "There had been a lot of mint chocolate chip ice cream eaten, there was some Johnny Walker, neither of us had drank, although he had drank a lot of grape soda."

"Are you talking code for wine?" Jake asked.

"No, Morgan drinks grape soda, and after too much…it does funny things to him," Chuck explained. "He's my heterosexual life partner." Sarah blinked a third time, and Zondra nearly lost it seeing that.