Months ago

Her alarm began to go off, and it took everything in her not to reach under her pillow, grab a knife, and throw it at the clock. As she rose and stared at the offending piece of electronics, she realized there were no knives under her pillow. She sighed, pushed her hair back, and threw the covers off. Padding over to the alarm clock, she turned it off, and turned to look out the window of her room.

She should probably get an apartment, but she liked her room. She liked where she lived. She felt control here. She didn't need much, between her life of being on the run with her father, and her career in the CIA… well, sort of a career in the CIA. She groaned, and headed to the bathroom to take care of business and take a shower.

As the water ran over her, she thought back to six months ago, and the government audit that changed her life. She had been shocked when Langston Graham was fired over his practices, and even more shocked at the settlement she was given as a result of being illegally recruited into the CIA.

There she was, a Harvard grad, an ex-member of the CIA and the CAT Squad, and she found herself needing to find a real job. She answered an ad for the most boring, change-of-pace job she could think of… customer service with the Buy More Nerd Herd. While the "Herders" were excellent at what they did, their people skills were sorely lacking. She quickly became a star, and Buy More corporate offered her a raise and housing allowance to move to Burbank, and help out there. Apparently since a member of the Nerd Herd had gone to college a few years ago, the place had gone to hell in a handbasket.

Sarah scrubbed her scalp deeply. She was used to having to have hot showers to wash blood and the filth of missions off her. Now, she just wanted to make sure Jeff hadn't gotten something in her hair. She didn't think he was smelling it or touching it, but he kept eyeing it, and she wanted to be prepared.

She rolled her neck, feeling the tight muscles resist and her neck pop. Apparently, yesterday the greatest Nerd Herder ever had returned to the Buy More… and then he left. Rumor was he had driven back to Palo Alto to take care of some business. She was sure it wasn't that simple. While she was told some things by the 'Herders', she wasn't in the inner circle, and even Morgan wouldn't tell her everything.

She snorted. Morgan Grimes. Who knew he would become a friend to her. He was odd… had a beard that he was ridiculously proud of, but he was genuine in who he was… which, in and of itself, was odd. He promised her she would love Chuck. He kept wanting to say more, but grew frustrated, sighed, and wandered off, muttering something about Evil harpy demon-spawn. She had no idea what or who that was, but it sounded bad.

She turned off the shower, toweled off, and dressed in her Buy More uniform. It was considerably less tight than Anna's, she considered with a grin. She grabbed her things and headed out the door.

Chuck Bartowski.

She was sure he was a great guy, but the Nerd Herders were easily impressed. She, on the other hand… not nearly so.

}o{

She was standing at the Nerd Herd desk when she heard the front door open. Looking up, she saw a tall man, dressed in Nerd Herd attire, and her heart lurched. He appeared as if someone had shot his dog in front of him, and forced him to eat it. She wanted to go over and hug him, and Sarah Walker did not hug. She wanted to go over and wrap her arms around him and cheer him up.

What the hell was wrong with her?

"Damn, it went worse than I thought," she heard Morgan say. She turned to look at him.

"What did?" Sarah asked.

Morgan looked at Chuck, and then to Sarah, and then back to Chuck. "He went back to Stanford and found out his girlfriend had cheated on him with his roommate… the one that planted the tests under his bed."

"What?" Sarah snapped. She felt anger, she seethed. She turned toward Chuck and studied him. "What the hell is wrong with people?"

"Sarah… have you got a thing for my buddy?" Sarah whipped around, her jaw open. "It's okay, it's me… you know I can keep a secret."

"Morgan…" Sarah began. She glanced back at Chuck. "Morgan, I don't… besides, I told you, no decent guy would ever want to date me."

"Yeah, it's hell dating Vicky Vale," Morgan replied, rolling his eyes. "I mean you're just about the funniest, wittiest, kindest person I know."

"Grimes," Tang said.

"Back off, Tang, I need his help," Sarah growled at Harry. Harry gulped. "Why don't you go buy Big Mike some donuts?"

Harry stood there, frozen.

"Go on, shoo," she said, making a shooing motion with her hand. She shook her head and turned back to Morgan. "What was I saying?"

"You were saying how you and Chuck would be perfect for each other," Morgan told her. She gave him a flat look. "I'm gonna make myself scarce before I say something stupid, but please… be gentle with him."

"Morgan, there is no way anything is happening between us," Sarah told him. Morgan chuckled, turned, and walked off.

"Hey," she heard a voice behind her. She turned. He stood there, in front of her. And in that instant, something in her that she didn't even know existed, began to yearn for him. He had a sad smile on his face. "I hear you got stuck with the Nerds… I'm sorry."

"Eh," she said with a shrug and a smile. "I've had worse jobs." Chuck snorted, a look of skepticism on his face. "No, really."

"If you say so," he replied, not looking like he believed her at all. "I'm Chuck." He reached out his hand to her. "Chuck Bartowski."

"Sarah Walker," she said, reaching out and taking his hand in hers. Both of their eyes widened at the low hum of electricity that seemed to spark between them. They both looked at their hands, and then at each other. His face changed first, as though he saw something ugly. Did he see inside of her, see who she was, see the things she had done?

"Don't freak out," Chuck muttered. Sarah raised an eyebrow, not sure where this was going. "Tang's behind you." Sarah turned, letting go of Chuck's hand and glared at Harry. Harry scampered off. She turned back to Chuck.

"That was amazing," he blurted out, awe on his face. She found she liked that, making Chuck look that way.

"Thanks," she chirped, doing everything in her to push down feelings that were roaring through her. "I take it we'll be working together, a lot?"

"Yeah," Chuck groused. "Don't worry, I can be professional, unlike the rest of these…" he trailed off, looking around. His surveillance stopped at Lester and Jeff. "Well, whatever those two are," he said, gesturing towards them.

"I'm sure we'll get along fine," Sarah said. Chuck smiled at her, and started to speak as a customer rushed up with a phone issue. He gave her a what can you do look, and went to help the customer.

"Just fine," she said, smiling to herself.

}o{

"He's amazing, isn't he?" Morgan asked sometime later, walking by Sarah. Sarah shook her head, rolled her eyes, and fell in step with Morgan.

"He seems to be a very nice guy," Sarah admitted. "One that should have nothing to do with me."

"Well, we have bigger problems," Morgan told her.

"Tang?" Sarah asked. She didn't know what kind of blackmail material Tang had on Big Mike, but she was sure it was something. Big Mike always seemed to have a headache every time he dealt with Harry Tang.

"No, much worse," Morgan said. "He needs something to do." Sarah started to speak. "No, not Tang." Sarah clamped her lips shut. "Chuck. He isn't in school anymore, and he can't just die a slow death here."

"Can't he play video games with you?" Sarah offered.

"While that is a generous offer…" Morgan began, confusing Sarah. Chuck wasn't hers. She was going to have to straighten Morgan out about that. Before she could, he rushed on. "…He needs something to occupy his time. Now, my first thought was you two dating, but you seem to be very against that, so we'll shelve that thought."

"We will do more than shelve it," Sarah told Morgan.

"Was that innuendo?" Morgan asked. Sarah blinked and stammered, taken aback by what he'd said. "Until you come to your senses, there is another idea. It's not entirely mine, but I have been told it's a very good idea, even though I don't one-hundred percent support it-"

"Anna told you, didn't she?"

"Of course she did," Morgan replied. "Jeff and Lester have started a band called… JEFFSTER!" Sarah leaned back from the emphasis Morgan put on the name. "Sorry, they are quite emphatic about it being pronounced that way."

"Why am I not surprised," she muttered. "What does that have to do with Chuck?"

"Well, at first I thought they wanted him to sing, because, spoiler alert, your future boyfriend has the voice of an angel," Morgan began.

"Morgan." Her tone was low and threatening.

"Got it, there's the line."

"About three miles back," Sarah continued. Morgan nodded. "Continue with this amazing story, though. I am curious."

"So, they want him to play guitar," Morgan explained. "Anna is on piano, Jeff the Keytar-"

"Wait, they have a piano, a guitar, and a Keytar?"

"It's an 80s cover band," Morgan said, as if that explained everything.

"They're only playing 80s songs?"

"Well… no." Sarah blinked. She was praying she didn't stroke out from this tomfoolery.

"Shall I continue?"

"Is there any way I could stop you?" she asked. He blinked, thought for a moment and shook his head. "Then by all means." She gestured for him to go on.

"Skip is on bass and Fernando is on the drums." Sarah nodded, it all starting to make sense… or, as much sense as any of this could make. "The only thing they're missing is a lead guitarist."

"Just to make sure, because this is the Nerd Herd and a group called JEFFSTER!," Sarah began. "Chuck can play the guitar, right?"

"Oh, he can," Morgan assured her. "But, he feels like he's lost his edge, and doesn't want to put himself out there."

"So, you're his best friend… reassure him."

"I've tried, but it's not enough. That's why we need you," Morgan told her.

"Hey, Sarah, Morgan said you wanted to see me?" Chuck said from across the aisle.

Sarah gave Morgan a glare, as he waved at her and scurried away. She turned back just as Chuck walked up to her. "Morgan lied, didn't he?"

"Does he do that often?" Sarah asked, trying her best to change the subject. She didn't know why, but she wanted to talk to Chuck, and talking wasn't big on her list of things to do. Ever. "And maybe lie is harsh. He may have given verbal expression to a deep-seated desire for what he wanted to happen."

"Pretty sure that's a lie, though," Chuck pointed out. Sarah shrugged. "I'm sorry about him-"

"Why won't you play in the band?" she blurted out. "I mean, seriously… Why not?"

"It's Jeffster," Chuck replied.

"You didn't say it right." She was smiling at him as she said it, and she noticed the way his nose crunched up from his own smile. "Chuck I don't know you very well, but I've heard people talk about you, and you seem to be someone who is fun to be around. Now, I know, JEFFSTER!," and Chuck leaned back as she said it, making her chuckle, "is going to be a train wreck, and you know it's going to be a train wreck. But right now, what's the harm?"

"Never thought of it like that," Chuck admitted.

"Listen, do you enjoy playing guitar?"

"Yeah," he said, nodding. "Yeah, I really do, and I'm sure I can get them to play a lot of songs."

"Then why not?" Sarah asked.

"Because while I know they are going to be a train wreck, Idon't want to be," he told her. "I want to play well, and I know no matter how I play, they'll tell me it's great."

"What if I listen to you and promise to always tell you the truth?"

"So, you're saying no matter how well I think I did, if I screwed up, you'll tell me?" Chuck reiterated. Sarah nodded. "No secrets, no lies?" He held his hand out in front of her.

"No secrets, no lies," she parroted, taking his hand and shaking on it. They both felt it, that undercurrent between them, again. "Chuck, I know what Morgan wants to happen-"

"Hey, I just came out of an awful relationship, so I'm in no place to try to be rebounding," Chuck cut in. She gave him a grateful smile. "What I could really use is a friend."

"Friends," she said, pumping their hands.

"Goooood, gooooooood," Morgan said, watching from afar, channeling Emperor Palpatine.

"You got our guitar player?" Lester asked him.

"Yeah," Morgan said watching Chuck and Sarah. "I got him."