A/N: Hurricane Carina has made landfall. What could possibly go wrong?

Thank you for the all for the reviews, follows, and favorites, I hugely appreciate your encouragement and support.

This story has a mild T-rating for occasional coarse language, some adult themes, and some violence, but nothing too graphic.

I hope you enjoy it, and favor me with following or reviewing. It's the only way I can know if the effort I've put into writing this is giving anyone any sort of joy.

As usual, my thanks continue to go to Nevr for pre and beta reading. Always a gentleman and a scholar, his help has been truly invaluable. Thanks Nev!

Also as usual, I don't own Chuck or profit from writing this story.

Chapter 3 – The Intercepted Pass:

The walk to the entrance of the night club was short, but as they approached Carina could see Sarah tense up.

"Carina, I thought I was clear about this. Whatever you have planned or are setting up, I will not be a part of it." Sarah stopped walking and turned to glare at her friend.

"Sarah, stop it! You are behaving like a child. Where is the trust? I promise you, I have arranged nothing. In fact I even reserved a private table in the VIP area so that no one can just come up and hit on us. So lighten up, put your big girl panties on, and move your ass. I'm not leaving you alone in that miserable hotel room so you can wallow in despair and doubt when we are twenty yards from private table, some nice drinks, and some fun music to lighten our moods." Carina then grabbed Sarah's hand and pulled her along. A moment later they arrived at the entrance, the doorman checked their names off the list, and the two beauties were escorted to their table. As they sat down, Carina turned to the hostess and ordered a bottle of champagne.

It was a Wednesday night and it was early for the clubbing crowd, so the Avalon was still rather quiet, allowing Sarah to relax a little and apologize to her friend for her recalcitrant behavior.

"Carina...Thank you for all this. You are being a good friend, and I'm sorry for being such a stick in the mud." Sarah gave Carina a meek smile as she reached out and put her hand on her forearm.

"Come here, Blondie." Carina pulled Sarah into a hug. "You know, in our world, we are practically sisters, and every once in a while we need to look out for each other. I mean even the fucking "Ice Queen" needs a break once in a while." Carina laughed and released Sarah from her hug as Sarah bristled at the "Ice Queen" comment before a slowly widening smile appeared on her lips.

"You are right, Carina. Here's to being sisters…or step sisters…or whatever the fuck is an appropriate proxy for whatever the hell it is we are!" Sarah lifted her glass as both women laughed before they downed their classes.

As the evening wore on, Carina could see that Sarah was relaxing a little, but not drinking much. In fact she calculated that for every three drinks she had, Sarah seemed to only consume one. Sarah was also absolutely uninterested in dancing, which she normally loved to do.

"Ok, Blondie, I've had enough of you and your downer vibe. I'm going out there and I'm going to dance my ass off, maybe with a few guys. I would like it if you joined, but if not, suit yourself. There are limits to what Carina Miller is willing to subject herself to, even if it is for her half-sister, or adopted…whatever." With that, Carina downed her champagne, slipped past the velvet ropes of the VIP area, and shimmied onto the dance floor where the moves she made alerted every heterosexual male within sight to turn and take notice. It wasn't long before she had a crowd of men around her as she moved from one to the other dancing suggestively. At the same time, she kept looking to Sarah and waving for her to join, but no sale. One of the men noticed Carina waving at the beautiful blonde woman sitting at a table, all alone, and decided to have a go at pulling her in. He steeled himself and started moving towards the velvet ropes. He had taken no more than five steps when Sarah spotted him approaching. She immediately shot him an icy glare that froze him in his tracks. He maintained eye contact for a moment, then quickly reconsidered, turning back to the safety of the crowd surrounding Carina with a dejected look on his face.

"Damn, Frank….you let that blonde hottie shoot you down from like ten yards away. Let me show you how it's done," remarked one of the men in the group who had caught the wordless exchange that paralyzed his friend.

"Go get her Dave!" Frank yelled with an embarrassed smile as Dave walked confidently over to the bouncer holding station over the entrance to the VIP area.

"Hey, my man," Dave whispered to the bouncer. "I got a twenty for you if you just let me in so I can take that lovely lady over there to the dance floor.

The bouncer looked at Dave. "Fifty."

"Fifty? I want to dance with her, not fucking marry her. Come on man…I'll give you thirty," Dave tried to negotiate.

"It's fifty, now get lost before I throw you out," the bouncer replied with no humor.

"Ok, ok." Dave looked back at his friends who were all watching him. He reached into his wallet, added thirty more to the twenty he was palming and shook hands with the bouncer passing him the money. Once past the velvet ropes, he walked up to Sarah's table, helped himself to a glass of her champagne, and put his hand out for Sarah to take. "Come on, Gorgeous. I'm taking you dancing."

Sarah looked him up and down, then leaned back into her chair and looked him in the eye. "I'm going to be polite for a moment. So, can you explain what you are doing at my table, helping yourself to my champagne?" Sarah asked with the kind of smile a tiger might give its prey before it attacks.

"I'm here to rescue you from a lonely and boring existence by having a drink with you, taking you out on the dance floor, and maybe later I can show you a good time." Dave gave Sarah his best smile.

"Ok, since I'm being polite and all, put the glass down, turn around, and walk away. And again, because I am really going out of my way to be nice to you, I am also telling you that is the last warning you will get from me." She then flashed a million dollar smile that to anyone else in the room would appear as though Dave had successfully engaged his quarry. They could not have been more wrong, and unfortunately for Dave, his ego would get the best of him.

He smoothly slid into Carina's chair, moving himself right next to Sarah and wrapped his arm around her as he started to whisper in her ear, "Listen, princess, I don't know what your problem is, but I just dropped fifty bucks to be able to get to you, so I figure that entitles to at least a dance, or perhaps we could just stay here and get our engines warmed up for later. I really want…"

Sarah's movements were so fast and controlled, they were virtually undetected by anyone not looking carefully. Her right hand, which was between her and Dave, shot up with her thumb locked, and she drove it hard into his armpit, brutally hitting his lymph node. As he recoiled, he lifted his left shoulder away from her pressure and rotated the injured arm away from her leaving his torso fully exposed. With a short but powerful strike, Sarah drove her sharp elbow hard into the solar plexus taking the wind out of him, while her left hand shot out between his legs and grabbed his testicles, squeezing hard. Dave groaned, his face was contorted in pain. Immobilized, he was completely at her mercy.

Sarah smiled as she leaned in to whisper in Dave's ear, "Your friends probably think you are getting a hand-job under the table while I blow into your ear, and because I'm being so nice, I might even let you get away with trying to sell that bullshit. But let me tell you something, Mr. Peanut. When I let go of you, you will get up and very quietly leave the club. And if I ever see you in the same fucking zip code, I will rip off your balls and shove them down your throat. Nod if you understand." Sarah released her grip, leaned back, and with a big smile shouted over the music. "Good boy. You can go now, tiny."

Sarah released her death-grip on his testicles, and as soon as he was able to catch his breath, Dave stood and quietly hobbled away. As he was leaving, Carina came back to the table quirking her eyebrow at Sarah.

"What was all that about, Sarah? Did you need to turn that idiot into a eunuch?" Carina inquired with a laugh as Sarah responded with a flat look.

"Look, Sarah, I promised that I would not harass you or push you tonight, and I've done my best to keep my end of the bargain. Now I have a definite itch that I need scratched, and I found just the guy to scratch it for me, so if you don't mind too much, I'm going to take him back to the hotel and have my way with him. And after I rock his world, I'll show him the door. In the morning, I'll get some breakfast then meet my adopted sister, or whatever, at the spa at ten. Ok?" Carina gave Sarah a tender smile.

"Thank you, Carina. I really do appreciate everything you've done for me this evening. And just for giggles, who is this evening's main course?" Sarah inquired.

Carina turned and pointed at a man sitting at the far end of the VIP area. He was sitting with a shorter bearded man, and the two appeared to be having a great time together. He seemed relaxed and had an easy smile, though he was a little too far away to discern much more detail in the dimly lit club.

"An excellent choice, madam." Sarah laughed with her friend. "Have fun, and you can give me all the lurid details tomorrow at the spa."

Carina leaned in and gave Sarah a hug, then turned, fixed her posture, and started to stalk towards her pray. As Carina started to move, Sarah decided to watch her friend in action, and perhaps enjoy some harmless fun vicariously.

= ! =

"Chuck, check it out. Stunning red head at nine o'clock, and she is tracking you….man oh man, Chuck, she's coming for you. This is awesome!" Morgan was beside himself. His best friend, the guy who came up with the ideas and actually built the games that were going to change their lives, was about to get hit on by a stunning apparition. This evening was exceeding all of Morgan's wildest expectations.

Chuck looked around and he felt more than actually saw Carina's eyes locked onto him. He was suddenly very uncomfortable with the prospect of having to talk to a woman who looked like a lioness staring down at almost two-hundred pounds of prime rib. He felt a blush creeping up his neck and turned away to avoid further eye contact as Carina closed in and Morgan grinned.

From across the room, Sarah watched in rapped fascination as the dance between the predator and her prey unfolded. Oddly though, she thought the object of Carina's interest seemed uncomfortable. Carina was about as sexy as women go, so perhaps the tall man in the dark suit was gay and enjoying an evening out with his boyfriend. She quickly reconsidered that idea as it was simply not the kind of mistake Carina would make.

"Hello, you gorgeous piece of man candy," Carina purred as she approached Chuck, put her hand on his shoulder and then proceeded to make herself comfortable on his lap. "I've been watching you from across the room, and I just couldn't stand it anymore, so I had to come over here and tell you how much I want you. I'm going to take you back to my place, and tonight, I'm going to make your wildest fantasies come true…How about we get out of here now?" Carina leaned in and crashed her lips to his, driving her tongue deep into his mouth.

Sarah smiled as she watched Carina's confident attack completely overwhelm the defenseless man trapped in her clutches. Then the unexpected…the unprecedented happened.

Chuck was momentarily frozen in place as Carina sat on his lap and grabbed a fist full of his hair. She locked onto his eyes as she licked her lips, before pulling his head back to give her better access to his mouth. Morgan sat wide-eyed with an ear-to-ear grin as his pal was about to get mauled by the hottest redhead he'd ever seen. Then, just as Carina dove in and launched her tongue into Chuck's mouth, Chuck abruptly stood up and stepped back stumbling over the chair he was sitting on, but somehow managing to not fall. The same was not true for Carina, who suddenly found herself with her ass on the floor as a terrified Chuck Bartowski stumbled away from her. "No!" Chuck uttered as he regained his balance.

From across the room, Sarah's mouth dropped wide open in shock. Morgan's expression instantly went from excitement and anticipation to utter confusion, and on the floor on her ass, Carina morphed from sexy lioness to very pissed-off lioness. A few feet away, Chuck stood looking confused, angry, and terrified all at the same time.

"What the fuck?" Carina shouted at Chuck. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Chuck stood there, immobilized, unable to speak.

Carina then looked at Morgan. "You! You're coming with me!" She gave Chuck a death glare, and pulled Morgan out of his chair as Chuck looked on wide-eyed with disbelief. As Morgan was being dragged away, he gave Chuck a shoulder shrug while lifting his free hand in "what can I do?" motion.

The tornado lasted less than two minutes from initial contact to sudden departure, but its impact was profound. As Chuck slowly started to regain his faculties, he put his chair back to where it belonged, and slowly sat himself down. He waved down a waiter and asked for a glass of bourbon, neat, thinking the golden liquid might help him steady his nerves. As the waiter returned with his drink, he noticed a blonde woman looking at him from across the VIP area. He turned away, looked down at his drink, and took a sip. He closed his eyes as he felt the liquid burning its way down his throat, removing the flavor of Carina's kiss. It soothed him. He put both the glass back down on the table, holding in both hands and took a long cleansing breath, the scent of the bourbon flavoring the air he deeply inhaled. He closed his eyes concentrating on the burn and felt his heart rate slowing and calmness returning.

"Hi, my name is Sarah…"

Chuck's calm shattered as he looked at the beautiful woman standing in front of him.

"Jesus, do I have a bullseye on my head or something?" Chuck snapped at the Sarah.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. I just wanted to apologize for my friend's inappropriate behavior, I'm sorry to have disturbed you." Sarah smiled softly and started to walk away.

"No, no, no….I'm really sorry for snapping." Chuck stood to stop her departure. "It's me who has to apologize for being so rude. Sarah, was it? I'm sorry, Sarah. I'm Chuck Bartowski, and you shouldn't have to apologize for your friend's behavior." Chuck was upset with what happened, and upset with himself for being so rude.

"Are you ok, Chuck? I mean, you seem a little out of sorts, and to be honest, I've known Carina for a long time, and I've never seen anyone react to her like you did. Can I ask you what you said to her?" Sarah looked at Chuck somewhat expectantly, interested in his answer.

"No," Chuck responded flatly.

"Oh. I'm sorry Chuck, It's really none of my business." Sarah smiled meekly.

"No….I'm sorry, Sarah. No is what I said to her. I should have been clearer."

"Huh…..you said no to Carina Miller. Interesting. I don't think that's ever happened before, and now I have a fun fact I can needle her with from time to time." Sarah smiled. "Can I ask you what she said that you said no to?" Sarah pushed a little further.

"Well, the short version is that she wanted to take me to her place and, well, uhm….you know, use me for certain specific purposes." Chuck was stammering in his discomfort, which Sarah found oddly cute. "But then she jammed her tongue down my throat and, I mean, we don't know each other. I mean sure she is beautiful, but there was no connection, no intimacy in what she did, and I can't….I guess it's just not something I can do." He looked down, embarrassed with his rambling. "Sorry, Sarah. That was too much information. I kinda ramble when I get nervous, and I've never really been very good around girls….I mean women." The red climbed to the top of his ears as he broke eye contact to look away from her.

"It's ok, Chuck, but just so I understand, a beautiful woman walks up to you, offers herself to you, and you say no, because you won't have meaningless, recreational sex? That you require some degree of spiritual connection, or intimacy to sleep with a woman? Do I have that right?" Sarah was amazed with what this Chuck Bartowski was saying, and she was still unsure if she heard right.

Chuck exhaled and looked at her. "I'm sorry, Sarah. Would you like to sit down? I don't know where my manners have gone this evening." Chuck held her chair out as Sarah lowered herself into it with the elegance of a prima ballerina.

"Thank you, Chuck." She smiled demurely.

"You are welcome. May I offer you a drink?" he asked politely.

"Are you going to answer my question?" Sarah responded. "If so, I'll have one of whatever you are drinking."

Chuck waved the waiter over and ordered two more bourbons, waiting for the drinks to arrive before speaking again.

"Are you sure you want to hear this?" he asked. "Cause it might be a lot."

"I really do," Sarah answered.

"Ok, but remember, you asked for this…." Chuck looked down at his hands for a moment, took another deep breath and launched into his story. When he finished, he looked up and thought he saw a tear forming in Sarah's eye. "Oh god, Sarah, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bum you out like that. That's just life, you know? Shit happens, and I'm ok with it now. I mean, I've come to understand that our parents leaving us wasn't my fault, and there was nothing I could have done differently to change what happened. And the whole Jill debacle in college was probably a blessing. I mean Ellie and I have an incredible bond, and together we've managed to not only survive, but to thrive. So please don't be sad." Chuck was surprised that he felt so upset that his story seemed to have disappointed Sarah, a woman he didn't even know.

Sarah sat quietly shaking her head. "And I thought my life was a mess….Jesus, Chuck, how do you manage to keep yourself from shutting down and hating everything and everyone?"

"Well, Sarah, I know that those things don't work for me. That's why I would rather open myself up to heartbreak to find a connection and intimacy in a relationship. Because as much as it will hurt if things go bad, living without love and intimacy is an empty existence without true meaning. I simply refuse to live without committing everything I am into everything I do. Sure, it's scary, and more often than not, it bites me in the ass, but when things are good, there is nothing close to the feeling I get when love, passion and intimacy intersect. And that goes beyond just sex. I mean Morgan and I are friends and partners in a business. We are so close to each other, and it's that closeness that makes success more profoundly meaningful and failure infinitely more manageable. At least that's the way it is for me, so I don't judge how other people see things, but it can be hard for me when someone like your friend, Carina Miller, sexually assaults me without even asking my name." Chuck gave Sarah a soft smile. "My sister raised me, so I am probably a little old-fashioned compared to most, and I am probably the less than one percent that would say no to a night of meaningless sex with such a beautiful and exotic woman. Though to be honest, I was a little afraid she was going to kill me." Chuck laughed, and suddenly felt light and relaxed, like sharing these feelings gave him an emotional release he was needing for some time. He looked off in the distance, and slowly a smile overtook him as his eyes brightened.

"What just happened, Chuck. All of a sudden you're smiling like you know something no one else does….care to share?" Sarah nudged his shoulder.

"Gosh, I'm not sure what happened there, but all of a sudden I feel lighter. Like maybe talking about all this stuff lifted a weight I didn't know I was carrying. I suddenly feel good and can't help smiling. In spite of Carina's assault! And I suspect that I have you to thank for that….not the assault, I mean, but you know, the talking things out. So thank you, Sarah." Chuck gave Sarah a huge smile that reached his eyes, and for the first time she thought she felt somewhat unsettled in her stomach.

They finished a final drink in companionable silence, as Chuck shared that he needed to get home. Tomorrow was going to be an exceptionally busy day, and he was pretty certain that Morgan might not survive the evening with Carina. He expected to have no help at work and he had a lot to do. The comment drew a hearty laugh from Sarah, who agreed that it was time to call it a night. Chuck settled the bill for his table as Sarah settled the bill for hers, and suddenly there was an awkward moment when it came time to leave.

"Sarah, are you ok?" Chuck asked.

"Uhm, yeah, Chuck. I'm ok. I just have a lot on my mind. I've had a difficult couple of days and I really need to take some time to think it all through." She spoke with a sadness that conflicted with the smile she was trying to give him.

"May I make a suggestion?" Chuck leaned in toward her a little. "When I need to think, there is a spot I go to on the beach right near the Santa Monica Pier. I was there this afternoon thinking about a big deal that we were trying to get closed and what it would mean for Morgan and me. That place has magical powers that really help me relax and center my thoughts to find the clarity I need to make the more complicated decisions," Chuck continued.

"Wait a minute," Sarah interrupted. "Were you there this morning around eleven am?"

"I was. How did you….Wait! You were there! I mean that was you wasn't it? I was kinda in my zone, then I saw a beautiful woman walk onto the beach and sit down about a hundred yards away. She sat down took a call, and then left. Tell me that was you!" Chuck was once again wide-eyed as he spoke.

"So you think I'm beautiful, huh, Chuck?" Sarah smiled through her eyelashes coquettishly.

"Yeah. I do, Sarah. You are stunning. But you are also kind and empathetic as well, and I can't tell you how thankful I am that you listened to me babble on about my crazy life, giving me an unexpected emotional release. Thank you."

As they spoke, they found themselves walking towards the door, then suddenly they were outside standing in front of a line of Taxis. Chuck waved the first car over and opened the door for Sarah.

"Sarah, thank you for everything. I really enjoyed meeting you, and I can't thank you enough for being a sympathetic ear after the trauma I suffered at Carina's hands." Chuck gave her a warm smile and stepped back as Sarah moved to climb into the cab. Then she stopped, stepped back away from the cab, got up on her toes, and gave Chuck a gentle kiss on the lips while caressing the back of his head. "No. Thank you, Chuck. You are one in a million." Sarah pulled back, slipped into the taxi, and headed back to the Fairmont. She smiled as she could still feel and taste his lips on hers and for the second time this evening, her stomach felt oddly unsettled.

= ! =

= ! =

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think.