I don't own Chuck

She couldn't stop staring at Chuck. "Walker!" Big Mike hissed. If it wasn't for her CIA training, she would have jumped to the roof of the store like that cat in the cartoon.

"Yep!" she said, turning to Big Mike, welcoming whatever insanity and mayhem was coming her way, because it had to be easier to deal with than what she was feeling from Chuck.

"You're a damn genius!" he said, leading her away from the stage. "When this gets viral-"

"Wait, what?" Sarah blinked, finally catching up to him talking, and pushing Chuck's eyes staring into her soul as he had sung to her, out of her head. "What the hell do you mean viral? Is it on Tic-Tac?"

"You mean Tik Tok?" Big Mike asked. "You're younger than I am… how do you not know these things?"

"I have a Friendster account," Sarah said. Big Mike stared at her. "What?"

"You mean, Facebook?"

Sarah shook her head.

"Have you heard of Instagram, or Twitter?" She shook her head again. "YouTube?" She looked at him like a second head was growing out of his neck. Big Mike sighed. "You're an old soul, Walker. An old soul."

He walked away, leaving her there, speechless.

"Guess I need to research Instatube," Sarah muttered.

"You mean Instagram?" Chuck asked, behind her. She spun, trying to put a smile on her face. Her mask at this point was smashed into smithereens, and the look on her face was near manic. "You okay?" He had an extremely worried look on his face.

"Didn't realize you apparently were going to get so popular," Sarah replied. "Do you understand that stuff?" She realized who she was talking to. "Of course you do. Think you could help educate me on it?"

"Well, I can, but I don't think we're gonna be overnight sensations and end up on any of those places, or Spotify, anytime soon."

She had no idea what that was, either.

"No clue what I'm talking about?" She shook her head. "You do realize that if I'm going to teach you this, that means Ellie and Awesome are going to see us together, and think something's up. Not that I mind them thinking that, but you don't want your reputation ruined. So-"

"Hold the damn phone, Chuck," she said, a fierce look on her face. "The only thing that would happen to my reputation if people thought that would be how lucky I was to be with you." Chuck scoffed. She stepped up to him, nose to nose, and his eyes widened. "I don't know what the hell she did to you, but she was wrong. Dead wrong. Hell, if I wasn't such a damn mess, I'd date you." Her eyes went wide at her admission.

"What?" Chuck sputtered.

She lifted her chin. "You heard me," she said, with a confidence she did not feel at all. "I would just be the world's worst girlfriend."

"How's that?" Chuck asked, genuinely curious.

"I was raised that love is for suckers. I have no idea how to be someone worth caring for, or to care for someone else. The best thing I could do for someone I actually care for is to stay away from them. But I'm selfish, so I can't," she told him.

"Is there anyone you care for that you think you should stay away from in particular?" Chuck asked. Sarah twisted her lips, and looked away. "Huh," Chuck said, nodding. "So you think you're selfish for giving someone support and caring for them?"

"You're twisting my words," Sarah replied, her lips pressed together.

"No, I'm just pointing out the other point of view," Chuck retorted. "So you're gonna do what? Stay a nun for the rest of your life?"

"Hadn't planned on it," Sarah told him. "What does not having sex have to do with relationships?"

"So you don't have sex with people you're in relationships with?" He had a grin on his face when he asked it, and she swatted him. "I guess what I'm asking is, what do you do if you have sex with someone, and you find yourself falling for them?"

"I guess I shouldn't put myself in that situation," Sarah replied with a shrug.

"Sarah, that sounds awful," Chuck told her.

"Well, it's what I deserve," she muttered.

"But what about the people you care about, and what they deserve," he countered.

"Chuck, that's why I pull myself away from people," she explained patiently.

Chuck was silent for a moment, then took her hand. "Here's what I know: in the few short weeks that I have known you, you have done more for me than my girlfriend ever did. You have given me back some confidence that I thought was long gone." She stared at him, not sure what to say. "You're good for people, Sarah, and I think there is someone out there – or maybe a lot closer than you realize – that needs you. That cares about you, and wants… and wishes… that you were a part of their life." He squeezed her hand. "If you need me to, I will be glad to help you with all those social media platforms and other programs." He gave her a sad smile, and squeezed her hand again. "Thank you for getting us this gig." With that, he walked away.

Sarah stood there, not sure what the hell to do.

}o{

Chuck was sitting on the fountain ledge, bouncing a rubber ball against his apartment, wondering what to do. His phone rang, pulling him out of his thoughts. He grabbed the ball, looked at the caller ID and sighed. It was Sarah.

"Hello," he answered.

"Is this Chuck Bartowski?" He could hear teasing in her voice.

"It is," he replied, not able to help himself from smiling. "Can I help you?"

"I'm not sure," she said, the teasing lilt still there. "I've never done this sort of thing before."

"Talk on the phone?" Chuck cut in. He swore he could hear her rolling her eyes.

"No, ask someone on a date before, and actually mean it," she said, a vulnerability in her voice. One that Chuck knew all too well from his own life. "And before you ask what that means, you have to agree to the date, and actually show up."

"Okay," Chuck began.

"Wait, there's more," Sarah cut in.

"This sounds like an infomercial," he muttered.

He heard her giggle at that. "If you go on the date, and you listen to me, there will be conditions to all future dates that will be laid out at said date."

"Am I gonna need a lawyer to understand all of this?" he teased.

"Chuck," she nearly whined. "This is not easy, and maybe you're right. I don't believe you are on this one, but I'm kind of willing to try."

"Wow, kind of willing… you drive a hard bargain Sarah Walker," Chuck replied. "I will go on this date, but know that I may have conditions on your conditions."

"What if I don't accept your conditions?" Sarah countered.

"You don't even know my conditions. Hell, neither do I, at this point," Chuck said, laughing. "So, when shall I pick you up?"

"How about tomorrow night, I pick you up at six-thirty?" Sarah replied.

"That sounds amazing." He paused, and then decided what the hell. "Thank you for putting yourself out there. I promise there's nothing that's gonna run me off."

"What if I'm a cannibal?"

"Would you eat me up?" Chuck replied, and winced at himself.

There was silence for a moment and then a deep sigh on her part. "Why do I think you would find it stupidly hot if I said yes?" Chuck laughed. "See you tomorrow at work, Chuck." With that, she hung up.

Chuck grinned. Everything that seemed to bother her about dating him was about her, and what she had experienced, not him. He softly began to sing.

Little patience, yeah

Need a little patience, yeah

Just a little patience, yeah

}o{

Chuck was sitting at the Nerd Herd desk when he saw Sarah walk up to him. "Mr. Bartowski," she said with a smile.

"Miss Walker," he replied. "What can I do for you this fine morning?"

"Is there some type of form we need to fill out if we were to date?" Chuck narrowed his eyes. "You know, in case it goes against Buy More policy?" Chuck grinned at her. "Never mind, it's the Buy More. What was I thinking?"

"You were thinking like a normal human," Chuck told her. "Common mistake, when it comes to this place. So, we need to talk." Concern covered her face. "If you would follow me." He stood up, came around the desk, and headed toward the back, as she followed him. "We may have a problem."

"The date's off?" she asked in a low tone, concern on her face.

"Hell no," Chuck said, shaking his head. "I was talking about the band."

"Oh, God, now what?" Sarah asked. Chuck took her to the cage. "You do know people can see us here, right?"

Chuck started typing on the keyboard, grinning. "I am aware, Sarah. I don't know about you, but when someone tells me there are conditions to our dating, I don't think the best thing for me to do is to take her to a cage you can see through and have a make-out session."

"What if that's one of the rules?" Sarah offered.

"Well," he said looking up at her, smiling. "That would mean my day is looking up." She bumped his shoulder with her hip. Her smile fell as she saw what was on the computer screen.

Chuck sat back, his arms crossed. "Tell me the truth; does the camera add ten pounds?"

On the screen in front of her was Chuck, singing, from yesterday. "What is this?"

"YouTube," Chuck explained. "We're gonna have to talk about all these social media platforms, aren't we?"

"How many have seen this?" Sarah asked. Chuck pointed to the number of views, and her eyes widened. "That's over one hundred thousand, Chuck!"

"Oh, it gets worse," Chuck told her. "Some of them like JEFFSTER!" Sarah snorted. "There was a dude on a talent show years ago that was terrible, and people kind of fell in love with him. I think this is the same thing."

"So they get amused listening to Lester be the front man, and then fall in love with the band when you sing," Sarah said. Chuck turned to her slowly, his eyes wide. "I said what I said," she said with a shrug. "Let me go talk to Big Mike, and get permission to let you teach me all this stuff at work."

"You can do that?" Chuck asked.

Sarah paused at the door of the cage and tilted her head, a grin on her face. "Oh, Chuck… the only guy in this building I can't get to listen to me, is you."

"Does that bother you?" Chuck asked. Her smile grew.

"In ways you'd never understand," she admitted, and left the cage.

Chuck didn't know if the smile would ever leave his face.

}o{

Many hours later found them at a Mexican restaurant.

Chuck had taught her about all the social media platforms he knew of, set up accounts for her on her phone, and helped her understand YouTube. They couldn't monetize on YouTube, unfortunately, since they were covering other bands.

Sarah dipped a chip into salsa, took a bite, and decided it was time to start. "I would like to go on the record and tell you I think this is a very bad idea," she began.

"Are you having a bad time?" Sarah shook her head. "Do you find me repulsive?"

She grinned at him. "Not completely," she admitted.

"Thanks," he said, nodding and grinning. "So, you're having a nice time with someone that's not completely repulsive. What's the harm?"

"The harm is… Chuck, if we do this, we have to have rules," Sarah told him. "And frankly, there are two. The first; if I say we have to break up, then we have to break up."

"Break up? Are we even officially dating?" Chuck asked her.

"No," Sarah said, rolling her eyes. "Not yet. That said, I am terrible at being a girlfriend." She held her hand up before he could retort. "I know, I know, you're gonna tell me that I don't know, and all that stuff that you do so well. But I know me, so, if I say we have to break up, then we have to break up."

Chuck was silent for a moment, and then dipped his chip, a grin on his face. Sarah narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"

"Well, if I were to agree to that, and you woke up one morning and said, we have to break up because… well, whatever." Sarah nodded. "Then I think I should have the right to try and win you back."

Sarah sat back and crossed her arms. "And what does that mean?"

"Take you out to a fancy restaurant, and try to woo you."

"That sounds suspiciously like a date," Sarah pointed out.

"It does, but it couldn't be," Chuck reminded her. "Because we would have broken up, after we got together, if we are… I'm very confused."

"Okay, I agree, but I have a much more serious, nonnegotiable point." Chuck nodded. "You can't fall in love with me." Chuck looked confused. "You can't, Chuck. I'm a terrible person, and you deserve better. I shouldn't even be dating you."

"What happens if I do?"

"We're done," she said, finality in her voice.

"That is a very odd relationship," Chuck replied. "What happens if you fall in love with me?"

"I can't," Sarah told him.

"Because love is for suckers?" Sarah nodded. "But – and hear me out – what if you do? Am I then allowed to fall in love with you? And how will you know?"

Sarah looked away. "This is a bad idea," Sarah said shaking her head.

"I'm willing to give this a shot," Chuck told her. She looked at him, stunned. "I just need to know the answer to my question."

"If I fall in love with you, then you can fall in love with me," Sarah told him. "This is stupid."

Chuck started humming, grinning. "Little patience, yeah," he sung softly. She closed her eyes, shook her head, but couldn't stop the grin. "Need a little patience, yeah

Just a little patience, yeah."

"You think you're good enough to make me fall in love with you?" Sarah asked. Chuck just shrugged, as he dipped his chip and took a bite.

"What if I am?" he replied.

"It would be the worst thing you could ever do," Sarah told him seriously.

Chuck shrugged again. "Or, maybe, it would be the best thing." She looked away, her hand moving to her mouth to cover it so he couldn't see the grin.

It was a horrible idea, and he was going to regret it, she was sure. Right?

Right?