summary: When snow hits Boston two days before Christmas, Chuck Bartowski finds himself trapped in the Buy More with fifty strangers. With no choice but to stay, he finds connection in the strangest of circumstances, and in someone stuck, too. It's funny where a broken cell phone can lead you. One-shot!

note: Yes, the Christmas fic spirit has hit me too! But I'm too lazy compared to many others so this is a wee one-shot instead! Inspired by many recent 'people got snowed in and had to stay somewhere overnight' news stories, but with Chuck and Sarah, and many a trope! It's silly, because it's Chuck fic, so use your imaginations as to the reality of this lol! Anyway, happy holidays y'all! Hoping to get back to Pencil In The Rest asap, this one just took me OVER! Posting at 1am Christmas morning, so don't say I don't like you guys, lol. Hope you enjoy, please review, and all that jazz. Peace!

disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, popcorn, gum, or bravery.


When winter comes howling in...


He smirks as yet another person comes in from outside, shivering with inches of snow melting on their shoulders, dusting off on the soggy welcome mat, heading across to the TVs. It's a sight he's been seeing all day- although perhaps a little more frequently and with more of the white stuff in the past half hour. But it's Boston, and it's December 23rd, so it's hardly surprising.

When the Nerd Herd supervisor of the East Coast flagship had quit suddenly before Christmas, and none of the holiday-hire Nerds had been qualified enough to take their place, Buy More brass had scoured their stores for a replacement for the holidays, and that's how Chuck got called into Big Mike's office, told to pack a bag, and flown across the country four days ago. At first he'd thought it was because, for all of his Nerd Herd team's faults, they're mildly capable without him (Skip can lead, if quietly, and Anna can stop Jeff and Lester from being too lazy), but when he'd entered this store for the first time he'd felt otherwise. There's about one other person at this store who's been with Buy More long enough to know the holiday chaos. Everyone else is newer hires, students, recent grads who needed jobs, people with no other retail experience, no knowledge of how to deal with impatient customers, last-minute present hauls, old people not knowing how gift cards work. Nobody is incompetent, it's not a store full of Jeffsters, they're just... green.

So in four days Chuck has essentially become the assistant manager of the Boston Buy More.

Not in status, and more unfortunately not in pay, but when the manager is oddly Big Mike-like in her office all day, and the Green Shirt lead, Dave, is busy with his team, Chuck has taken charge of everything else. Including dealing with the increasingly-heavy snow. Which is ironic for a guy from California, he knows, but someone's gotta deal with it. The news today had been full of warnings about record snow and storms shutting off power, but since they work in retail and it's December, the Buy More had opened as usual today. And maybe it's not as bad as he's thinking; everyone's trudging around in snow boots like troopers.

An old woman, bundled up warm, breaks into his line of sight, approaching him with a slight scarf-laden waddle.

"Oh hi there- can you help me?" she asks, and he smiles.

"Of course, ma'am, what do you need?"

"My grandson has asked for a video game and a games system and I don't know what it is or where it is," she rolls her eyes, and he chuckles, looking around for a free Green Shirt and eventually waving over one of the Nerds. Computer repairs are less frequent at this time of year; they all become salespeople.

"Charlotte here can assist you," he says, as the young woman approaches.

"Oh, thank you, dear- it's X-something? It all goes over my head, I tell you..."

They walk away, and he laughs knowingly as he gets back to taking an inventory. Burbank, Boston- some things never change.

Another person walks in by the doors, mini mountains of snow falling from their coat, hood, and Chuck frowns at the puddle seeping into the mat- and off it, too. They've got a 'wet floor' sign out, but it's gonna turn into a pond soon enough. He looks around, seeing another Nerd stocking shelves.

"Hey, uh, Ramon-" he calls, waving the man over. "Can you get some towels from the supply closet? It's getting worse out there, and in here."

"Sure thing, boss!" He scurries away, eager to please, and Chuck shrugs. Today, he'll take 'boss'. When the kid returns, towels in hand, they set them down around the doors, catching the edges of the sopping wet welcome mat. He's surprised at how cold it is just standing here, the cold palpable even through the glass doors. And when a customer walks in, the biting wind hits, a slap across his face. He shudders, before nodding at the customer.

"Welcome to Buy More." They nod quietly, moving on, and he shrugs. Looking out the window, he frowns at the drifts starting to pile up against the other closed doors, creeping higher and higher. He's not an expert on snow, but he senses they might need to do something if that keeps climbing. "Ramon, can you do me a favor? Stay here- greet people, but keep an eye on the snow. If it starts to get higher than the 'Buy More' decal, right here?" He points. "Let me know. These customers gotta get home."

"You got it," he nods, standing firm, and Chuck laughs softly as he heads away. The guy is like a reverse-Morgan. Short, sure, and perpetually upbeat, yes, but with the strongest, most eager work ethic.

Giving up on the inventory, Chuck heads over to Dave, waiting for him to help a family with their new TV before waving at him.

"Hey, Chuck, what's up?"

"Have you seen the snow? I know I'm not as used to it but it feels like it's getting pretty bad out there, we're getting drifts piling up on the doors. I've got Ramon checking on it, but I think we might have to close if it's gonna get worse. People need to get home."

The older man frowns, looking over at the door, as another snowy customer walks in.

"You might be right. I'll go to Sandra, see what she thinks. Good looking out!"

Chuck doubts the manager is gonna be much help, judging from how she's always in her office from which she can't see the snow, but he nods at the praise, looking around the store once more.

"Um, hi?" calls a voice, and he turns around to see a woman standing at the Nerd Herd desk, craning her neck trying to catch someone's attention. But with Charlotte still busy, Ramon manning the snow watch, and the others all busy, the desk is empty. Brushing himself down, he scurries to the desk, turning around to face the woman.

"Hi there," he says, and then immediately stops when she looks up at him. Because uh, crap, she is incredibly beautiful. And snowy. With this blue scarf that makes her eyes seem like weirdly blue- maybe she's wearing contacts?- and, now he's getting incredibly weird and creepy and unprofessional. Snapping out of it, he clears his throat. "How can I help you?"

"Thanks, it's this-" she reaches out, a cell phone in hand, but as she does a melting puddle of snow falls off her sleeve and onto the desk. "Shit! Sorry."

He chuckles, shaking his head to reassure her.

"It's okay, it's actually been happening a lot."

With a wince, she scrapes the snow off and onto the floor.

"Still. Sorry, that, um- I'm now realizing it's just as bad being on the floor. I walked a lot of blocks to get here, it's really coming down out there."

"Yeah, you uh, you got a little bit on your shoulders, too- in your hair," he says, and she laughs, running her hands over her face briefly, a little embarrassed, he thinks.

"Well, I'm just heading back out there, I guess, it's fine."

He grins, and she does the same. And he realizes that while... strangely lovely this is, it's getting neither of them anywhere.

"Anyway!" he says, gulping a little. "Your, uh, your phone."

"Oh, yeah," she says, like she's forgotten. "I'm sorry I'm making you deal with a return so near to Christmas- I got this here last week, but I think it's defective, the screen keeps flickering with these thin lines?"

He frowns.

"Well, that shouldn't be happening. Mind if I take a look?"

"Be my guest."

She doesn't have a passcode; he just swipes to unlock. And because it's a hazard of the job, even if not something he minds, he sees her wallpaper. A rather detached, simple skyline shot. He thinks it's the default that came with the phone. Ellie always tells him he shouldn't be so nosy, but it's interesting to see what people choose to look at every time they open their phone. He's seen a lot of ugly dogs and babies in his time.

Scrolling through, he checks the display settings, and as he does so, the screen flickers.

"There!" the customer says, almost excited. "See?"

"Yeah, I do." he nods, now clued into the fault. Navigating to the battery health, he sees the problem. "Okay, I got this. Do you have like ten minutes?"

"To- to fix it?"

She's surprised, he sees, and he shrugs.

"Yeah, it's an easy fix."

"Wow. Just- just like that?"

He laughs, nodding.

"Of course. Never underestimate your friendly neighborhood Buy More." He taps his nose jokingly, and she laughs, grinning at him.

"I guess I won't now."

He grins back at her, and for a moment they just stand there, smiling. He realizes this is about the nicest interaction with a customer that he's had since he got here. Just upbeat, laughing...

And, once more, this is getting them nowhere. He snaps out of it, clearing the desk workstation and pulling out his screwdriver. Once he's found the replacement battery for the model, he sets apart dismantling the phone and replacing the battery.

"Chuck!" Dave calls, almost as he's done, and he looks up in alarm to see the other man pulling on his coat. "I'm sorry, man, at this rate I don't know if I'm gonna get home- Marie's alone with the kids."

"Okay. Uh, go, yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Hopefully," the man calls, rushing out of the store, and it's only as he's gone Chuck realizes quite how urgent that seemed. And he never found out what the manager thought about shutting early. Finishing up with the phone, he reattaches the screen and secures it safely, standing and handing it back to the customer.

"Alright, should be all fixed," he says, nodding at her, though distracted. "If you have your receipt from your purchase I can add an extension to your coverage since the first week you had the phone it was defective."

"Wow, yeah, uh-" She starts rummaging in her bag, and when he looks up at the doors and sees the snow creeping up even more, he swallows.

"Actually- I'm sorry, would you mind waiting just five minutes while I talk to my manager? And then I can get this all sorted out."

"Oh, sure," she nods, playing around on her phone, and he smiles. The minute he leaves, the smile drops, urgency filling him instead. As if by magic, Ramon runs over to him as he's walking.

"Chuck, it's above the 'Buy More' on the doors."

"Shit." Heading into Sandra's office, he sees her at her desk, typing away. "Hey, Sandra. Did Dave talk to you about the snow?"

"Hey, Chuck," she says, non-committal. "Yeah, I let him go early."

"I think we all might have to, or we're gonna get snowed in."

"The snowdrifts are halfway up the doors," Ramon backs up, and she raises an eyebrow.

"I doubt that."

"No, they really, really are. We need to close."

She frowns, standing.

"Let me see it."

They lead her to the front door, and Chuck's alarmed at how high- and most importantly, how packed- the snow is even through the doors. Sandra frowns, contemplative, and as he waits for her lead he looks over at the TV wall across the way. Immediately, his heart falls.

"I think we've got a bigger problem than we thought," he muses aloud, and they all look over to see the headline:

MAJOR SNOWFALL HITS BOSTON. DO NOT TRAVEL, URGE AUTHORITIES.

He heads to the TVs, turning up the volume a little to hear the bulletin. The anchor is mid-speech.

"So with unprecedented levels of snowfall hitting the Greater Boston area, Boston PD are urging people to stay home, two days before Christmas. Icy road conditions are worsening and now pose a great danger to drivers. Police say they expect high snow-drifts, and there may be damage to heat and power. So that's the message, folks: stay where you are, stay safe, and don't go outside."

He gulps. And before he can say more, a major thud sounds outside, and he, and about half the store, look over in alarm. The snow that was evidently piling up on the awning above the entranceway, has now fallen outside. All multiple feet of it. It's added to the packed snow piling up- they're way past the 'Buy More' on the doors now.

Walking back to the manager, he politely ignores people's questions and queries to him, pushing on.

"I'm gonna check the loading dock," he says, but he feels even if it is clear, getting people out that way isn't gonna work. "But they're saying people shouldn't travel. We gotta have a plan."

Ramon nods, but Sandra just looks a little lost. Evidently, it's not just him a little stunned by all this.

He heads through the store, rushing out to the storage cage. Immediately, the room feels freezing cold, and he thinks knowingly that they're not gonna get out this way. But he heads to the metal shutter that forms the back wall of this room, hitting the button to raise it. It doesn't budge. He tries pulling it up manually, but he's met with the same resistance. When he looks down, he sees why; the metal is covered in a thick layer of ice, frozen solid. They haven't had a delivery in two days, and it's been cold for longer- this thing has been welded shut for days, he wagers. He tries the regular door to get out onto the dock, but finds the same thing has happened. They're not getting out this way.

He heads back to the store with his mind running wild with thoughts, desperate things they could do. But he keeps coming back to that one note from the news- people are to stay home, to not travel.

As he walks across the shop floor, the worried noise has risen to more than just a few murmurs. A customer approaches him.

"Hey, I've got a work dinner to get to, when're you gonna let people out?"

"Let me just talk to my manager," he apologizes, moving on quickly.

Another woman approaches.

"Hi- can we leave? My kids only have another half hour with the sitter."

He winces inwardly, outwardly just nodding.

"Two minutes, ma'am, just gotta talk to my boss."

The murmurs rise as he finally reaches Ramon and Sandra again.

"Loading dock's a no-go," he confirms, and they sigh.

"That snow's not gonna budge," Ramon says, nodding to the doors behind them. "I know snow like that- we can wait until morning, when there's some sunlight or rain to make it move- but right now in the dark, it's staying fast."

"So we're snowed in?" Sandra asks, and despite himself, Chuck finds his brain running wild.

"People couldn't drive home anyway," Ramon repeats, but Chuck barely hears.

They're stuck in a Buy More, with fifty customers, two days before Christmas. They need a plan now, or things are gonna get ugly. And he's seen just about enough movies he thinks he knows what they can do.

He swallows, turning to the manager.

"I have an idea. It's not gonna get us out, but I have an idea."

"Alright, you're taking the lead, Bartowski."

As so often happens. Like he thought, Burbank or Boston, some things never change.

He quickly runs through the aisles, grabbing as many Nerd Herders and Green Shirts as he can find, huddling them quickly while customers still try to talk around them.

"So, here's the deal," he begins. "We're snowed in."

They all speak at once.

"Wait, what-"

"Are we gonna-"

"I can't stay-"

"Hey!" he calls to them all, and everyone quiets. "I know it sucks, but it's gonna be okay. We've got- we've got power and heat and food in here, guys, right? But people are gonna need us. Ramon thinks the snow will budge by morning, but it's not safe outside for anyone to leave anyway. So we're in here at least overnight. I need you guys to help out. I'm gonna make an announcement, and we're gonna have a lot of confused, panicked customers, some people are probably gonna get mad- I need you to just keep people calm. When people ask you things, say we're working on it. Just stop them freaking out. We'll touch base at-" He checks his watch. "5:30, for more of a plan. But think of some ideas, anything that'll keep fifty people safe and occupied in a Buy More. Ways to keep them overnight, keep morale high, so we don't get people rioting and trying to leave, okay?" They nod, and he does the same. "You're a good team, alright? We can do this."

With that, they break, and he runs across to the registers, leaping over and grabbing the PA mic. With the cable long enough, he leaps up onto the returns desk.

"Attention, Buy More shoppers!" he calls, looking out as some customers who haven't yet realized they're all stuck look up disinterestedly, those more desperately trying to leave looking at him with a mix of eagerness and anger. "I'm over here, by the registers, please look this way!"

That gets more attention. Someone has the forethought to cut the music. And he nods.

"Hi, I'm- I'm Chuck. I'm gonna start by telling you the good news- the Buy More has extra backup generators, we have food, heat, bathrooms." He looks around, trying to find anymore positives. "We have TVs, we have video games, we have couches and- and we have candy." He swallows. "And the reason I'm saying all that is... There's no way to sugarcoat it, we're snowed in."

Predictably, chaos kicks in, people running panicked to the doors, and he's heartened to see some of the Nerd Herders and Green Shirts try to control them all.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay!" He says, talking despite the chaos. "I get that it's scary, but- I'm over here, guys! We have a plan!"

It's a lie, but it seems to get people to calm a little. In the crowd, he sees a head of blonde hair. The customer from earlier- he never got her name. But she's pointing an old couple toward him, making them listen. People are listening. Quiet begins to fall again, and he nods.

"Thanks. Look, it's not safe enough outside to drive, the police are asking people to stay inside and not go out in the storm. You are all safe in here. We have phone chargers for every make and model, you can call who you need to call. We'll contact the fire department and see if they can get us out- but if they can't, like I said, we have couches, gaming chairs-"

"We have sleeping bags in the camping section!" Ramon calls out.

"Yeah, Ramon, we do!" He actually gets a couple laughs at that. "Our staff will be on hand to help you get what you need, no hesitation. So please, stay calm. You're in the safest place you could be right now." He swallows, nods. "Come at me with your questions."

He jumps down, and people swarm him immediately.


So, she's stuck in a Buy More two days before Christmas. For most other people, she figures that'd be the weirdest thing to happen to them at this time. But not her.

Two years ago, she was dangling off a roof in Russia, throwing a knife in an arms dealer's eye, jumping off the roof and sticking the landing. Three years ago she was locked in armed combat in the Phillipines, defeating a rogue agent. Four years ago, Paris, gunfight. Five, Dublin, poisoning a group of murderous diplomats. And so on, and so on.

And last year, she handed in her notice to the CIA. The day later, she flew out to her mother, wrapped up in her arms, and cried.

She'd stuck with the agency far too long, and only when she felt she couldn't see an out did she leave. And mourn the lives she'd taken, the life she hadn't got to live.

It's been a year, now, of rebuilding, re-finding life, trying to understand the world she protected for so long. Becoming acquainted with new little things- social media when used for anything but checking people's for missions. Instagram. Uber- that one is a weirdly fascinating concept. Other things; finding an apartment, paying bills. Buying crappy takeout. Travelling a little through the US, since her work never fell there. She settled in Boston a couple months back, simply because it was a new place. She found it charming, the mix of old and new buildings, the vast green spaces but the bustling city, too. She has an apartment, small, a little stark. She has no old possessions to fill it, only new. And she has plenty of CIA savings to live off for a good few years, but spending money on art or sculptures or whatever else people decorate their homes with just didn't feel right. She's told herself she'll get a job in the new year, something just to make enough money to spend actual, hard-won, innocent savings on. The CIA can pay her bills, but personal things? She wants to earn those.

She did splash out on a new phone, though. And, after a week of seeing weird lines on it, she went to take it back.

And now here she finds herself. Stuck in the Buy More.

The snow was pretty bad when she ventured out, but she figured she'd at least make it home tonight.

Instead, while waiting for the cute Nerd Herd guy to come back with her invoice, the snow piled higher outside, and next thing she knew, he was up on the counter with the PA system in hand, announcing they were all stuck. People panicked- but kudos to Chuck, since that's his name, he got everyone under control. Reassured everyone. It's admirable, really, to see someone so dedicated to simply helping people not freak out. She's sure he didn't sign up for that when he joined the Nerd Herd.

Being trapped here doesn't particularly matter to her either way. She's not missing out on major family events, holiday things. She lives alone, spends her time alone, so being here, alone, is fine with her. Her plans until ten minutes ago were just a quiet evening at home and a similarly quiet next few nights, her little Christmas tree, some blankets, maybe a movie or two. But these people in here have real families to get to, real things to miss. Christmas play recitals, and big dinners, and work parties and booze, gifts to get elsewhere, people to see and love and embrace. Getting stuck here inevitably led to people panicking, being angry and worried, sad at what they're missing out on, and this Chuck guy has had to deal with all that.

But true to his word, he came up with a plan, which is why she's now waiting in line for her turn for the various Buy More staff to reach her, find out what she needs. A few people have been a little selfish and moody, but most everyone has let the anxious customers, the parents with weepy kids, the old people needing seats, that sort of thing, go first. The staff are taking names and making lists, finding out what people require to stay here, and setting up where everyone's gonna go. Most of the workers look pretty young, she's realized, probably all holiday hires and recent grads, but she's oddly impressed with how they're handling it.

And funnily enough, of all the staff for her to talk to, it's the one guy she's talked to before who becomes free next, and she steps up. He looks up from his clipboard in hand, eyes warming in recognition.

"Oh, hey!" he says happily, and she finds herself giggling weirdly at that. "Little unexpected turn of events."

"Oh really?" she finds herself joking, trying to ease the tension. "I hadn't heard, I'm just asking you for an extension on my phone coverage?"

He takes a beat, and she bounces her eyebrows so he knows she's totally joking. And with that, he laughs loudly, warmly, eyes scrunching, nose too.

"Well, you'd be surprised at what some people are asking for," he says quietly. "One of the kids wanted a gaming system. I think he got confused and thought I was Santa, or something. I just let his Mom take him to the display version." She laughs, shaking her head, and he smiles a moment, then a moment more. "Anyway- what do you need?"

"I'm really fine. Just... tell me where I should set up camp, I'll be fine."

"Okay, the kids are getting the gaming chairs or the tents, we've put the older people in the home theater room because the couches there fold out."

"I can take a sleeping bag and an aisle, really," she reassures, and he smiles.

"Okay, Ramon- romantic comedies still free?" he asks the man checking things next to him.

"Sure, just given away hostage thrillers, though."

"Okay, romantic comedies section it is." Chuck says, and while the idea of being assigned a DVD aisle for a place to stay might've seemed weird an hour ago, now she just nods with a grin.

"Alright." He hands her a sleeping bag, and she takes it with a smile.

"Just come up to me if you need anything, okay? Hot chocolate, pizza combos, music recommendations..."

She giggles, nodding again. Music recommendations? Oh, he is cute. Despite herself, the idea of talking to him again feels nice enough she can't resist.

"I might take you up on that hot chocolate later?"

With a soft little smile, he nods.

"Sure. Oh! And, uh, your name? Just so we know who's where?"

"Sarah Walker."

He nods, writing it down, then introducing himself.

"Alright. I'm- I'm Chuck."

"I know," she smiles, and he grins a little, blushing cutely yet again. But there are people behind her, people who need things too, and so she moves on, stepping away, before turning back briefly. "See you later, Chuck."

And when he grins, his nose crinkles so sweetly she thinks that was the right thing to say.


He drums his fingers on the break room counter as the fourth bag of popcorn keeps turning in the microwave, bubbling away. It had been his idea- the kids were getting restless. He'd told Ramon to hook the TV wall up to a DVD player and put Elf on for everyone. And he'd promised popcorn for the kids. Thankfully, since it's a Buy More, the break room cupboards are filled with the stuff, so he'd volunteered to get it ready, getting the kids and parents to settle in in front of the screens.

But it's also about the first time since everything began that he's been alone. By himself, left with his thoughts. In all this madness.

They're snowed in, in the Buy More. People are anxious and mad, kids are cranky, and he's basically handling it all. It's not that the manager hasn't been helping out, but he could tell, when people started to notice they were snowed in, that if they didn't have a plan right there and then, things would get far, far worse. So he'd taken charge, and he's been shouldering this whole thing, with the rockstars of the remaining Nerd Herders and Green Shirts under him. They've figured out who's staying where, they've given people what they need. They've hopefully reassured 50 people that they'll get home safe. And they will, he knows that.

But it's a lot on his shoulders. Especially since he called the fire department, and he now knows they definitely won't get out until tomorrow. He hasn't wanted to break that certainty to anyone yet, figuring most people know it anyway, but it's always easier to cling to the remnants of hope than have it all crushed right away. But the fact is a lot of people are snowed in, right now, stuck in cars, trapped in other places, a few hit without power when snow has brought down cables, people needing rescued. Once he'd reassured the fire department that everyone is safe and warm inside, they'd told them to hang tight. So he'd pulled down the security shutter across the snow-blocked door, dimmed the lights a little, and let everyone cling to that hope anyway.

He's texted Ellie about the situation, but he's too busy to even consider a proper conversation with her. So regrettably, all he's managed to send his sister is a picture of the snow outside and a message reassuring her he's fine and everyone's safe. It'll make quite the tale to tell when he gets back home.

The microwave pings, and he opens the door, pulling the bag out and wincing as the steam burns him briefly.

"Ouch!"

"Hey, you okay?" He hears, and he turns to see a smiling face in the doorway.

Oh. Sarah Walker. Phone battery. Romantic comedies aisle, sleeping bag. Nothing else to ask for.

"Hi." he blurts, mind blanking briefly, forgetting what she asked. And then he realizes that for about the fourth time since he first met her, he's just standing and smiling. While popcorn cools next to him. He clears his throat, nods. "Uh- yeah, yeah, I'm fine, it's just hot."

She smiles, nodding.

"Sorry, I was just trying to walk a little, stretch out, then I heard you. Can I help? Maybe save your fingers?"

Kind though it is, he's honestly fine.

"Nah, thanks, I've got these," he grabs two bags in each hand. "But I'm gonna have to do a lot of trips with the kids' hot chocolates? Could you maybe grab a couple?" He nods to the hot chocolate cups, sitting filled from the vending machine, next to him, and Sarah grins.

"Sure." She manages four, and he widens his eyes.

"Wow, impressive," he says. "You like a- a bartender, a barista or something?"

"Not quite," she chuckles, as they walk out of the break room and out onto the shop floor again. "I did government work a while. You'd be surprised by how many coffees I've had to carry for people."

"Well, thank you. I'm grateful for the help."

She looks at him, curious, and he thinks she's about to say something. But they reach the kids, and he hands out the popcorn as Sarah hands out the drinks to the kids and parents alike. He's amused at how many others, older, have settled on the floor for the movie, too. The two of them make another hot chocolate run, by which time many of the kids have already dropped several bits of popcorn, and he watches as one of the little girls thanks Sarah excitedly for her cocoa, and Sarah grins softly.

He tears his eyes away. And once everyone's ready he claps his hands together.

"Alright, citizens of the Buy More," he says to the kids, who giggle, cuddling into their parents. "Who's ready for a Christmas movie?"

"Me!" one kid calls loudly, and he laughs.

"Love that enthusiasm, Kiala." She beams, and he nods to Ramon, standing by at the side.

"Alright, without further ado, I give you our movie of the evening, Elf!"

They cheer, and as the joyful credits music begins he steps out of the way, finding himself next to Sarah.

"Thanks for helping," he murmurs to her, and she looks at him with surprise.

"Of course. You're making their day so much better, I'm happy to help." He smiles a little bashfully, and she nudges his shoulder. "Really, you're doing so much good here- and you're doing it pretty much alone."

He nods his head behind them, walking, and she follows him as they move away from the film.

"I'm not doing that much, really. And I've got the staff, the, uh, the manager-"

"Isn't the one who hopped up onto that desk earlier and let everyone know what was up," she counters, and he gapes a little, not sure what to say to that. "I'm just saying, I get the sense this is your plan. Your lead. And trust me when I say that we all appreciate it."

"I couldn't let people just stay here and worry," he finds himself murmuring, and she smiles.

"But some people would've. Not you. We appreciate it, I appreciate it," she says softly, and he smiles at her, oddly very, very warmed by that. By her noticing. He nods, swallowing against something in his throat, and then makes himself lighten up. He grins, tilting his head.

"Sarah Walker, can I get you a hot chocolate?" he asks, and she giggles, nods.

They make light conversation as they walk to the vending machine and back, and when they reach the romantic comedies aisle, her home for the evening, she laughs.

"Want to come in?" she quips, and even while his stomach flips a little at her offer, he giggles as they sit down. He sees she's already settled in a little, rolling out her sleeping bag, her coat folded up as a pillow. She has a book sat by it, one from her purse, he presumes, the thing a little dog-eared with read after read. He stretches out his legs across the aisle, taking a sip of his hot chocolate, breathing out.

"Oh, that feels good. I don't know when I last sat down."

She raises an eyebrow.

"Please don't say it was before we got snowed in." she says, low, and he blinks.

"Okay, I won't say it." She widens her eyes, and he shrugs. "Like you said, it's basically just me doing this. Half the Green Shirts are watching Will Ferrell in tights right now, someone's gotta stay on top of it all. Even now I can only take like five minutes, I gotta go check on the people in the Home Theater room. You know there's a woman in home appliances who's a single mom, she's stuck away from her kids? And of the families- the one with the little girl you gave hot chocolate to, actually- they missed a flight to go see their family in Arkansas."

She blinks, eyes widening.

"So many people missing out on things. And I felt bad about asking for a refund before Christmas," she says with a wince.

He laughs softly, shaking his head.

"Well, hopefully we get out of here before then."

"Eh, it makes no difference to me, really," she says casually, and he pauses.

"You don't celebrate?" he wonders aloud, and she shrugs, avoiding his gaze briefly.

"I do, I suppose. Kind of. It's not a, a religious thing, or even a personal thing. My family, we grew apart. I was always working. It just never seems to happen, now. This is probably the most actually festive I've been in ages." He nods, processing that. While he doesn't relate, necessarily, he does understand. She tilts her head, eyeing him with kind curiosity. "What about you? You seem pretty comfortable with this, do you do Christmas?"

"Oh- Oh normally I definitely do. My sister, her boyfriend, my best friend, we go hard. But I'm here this year, I won't get home until the 27th. We're doing Christmas then instead."

She nods, taking a sip, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

"Where's home?" she asks kindly, and he grins.

"LA."

She beams a moment, nodding.

"I'm from San Diego. Technically. I've traveled a lot, I haven't been out there in years." she shrugs, and he wonders if he's reading too much into the way she changes the subject. "If you're from LA, I guess you're really not used to this snow, then?"

"Definitely the first time I've been snowed in at work, yeah," he laughs, and she does the same. "I wasn't even supposed to be here, really, the original Nerd Herd supervisor quit last week, Buy More flew me out last minute. I'm only here until the 26th."

"Wait, you've only been here a week?"

"Less than, yeah."

"Wow. I don't know if it's strange or impressive that in your one week here you've gotten snowed in in a Buy More." He giggles. "It is impressive that you've been this good with everyone, and taken responsbility in a store you don't even really know. Not everyone would do that."

"Well, it was-"

"The right thing to do," she says, like she knew he was about to say that. "But that's my point, Chuck. Not everyone does the right thing. And it seems to me like you keep doing it."

He grins, warmed, incredibly grateful for her words. She can't possibly know it, but somehow they're the boost he needs.

"Thank you," he murmurs, and she bumps her shoulder against his.

"Any time."

But, speaking of, he knows the movie is ticking on, and with it, the day. He's got more work to do.

"I, uh, I better check on some other people," he says, standing and dusting himself down. "But you know where to find me if you want another hot chocolate."

She giggles, nodding, and with a grin, he heads away.


At some point, someone dimmed the lights. There are still warm displays on the monitors, the tree lights still glowing, but the harsher, clinical strip lighting from above is muted now. Quiet has fallen, the children asleep. Some of the families took tents from the camping section, and Sarah can still see the glowing camping lanterns illuminated inside. Older kids are curled up in gaming chairs, coats draped over them as comforters. The home theater room is quiet, a fake fire still crackling away on the big display there.

It is completely and utterly, bizarrely cosy.

It's not that they've all become some found chosen family in here. They're not gonna meet up outside of here as 'Buy More Snow-In' friends, she knows. But for a bunch of customers stuck in a store, it's become oddly amicable. People just doing their own thing, staying in their space, or the parents all banding together to occupy the kids. A game of hide and seek had played out on the shop floor after Elf had finished. Sarah had watched from her aisle, amused, putting down her book a moment when a little girl decided to hide in the romantic comedies aisle. Even those who were grumpier about wanting to leave at the start seem to have calmed, resigned to their fate for the night. And Sarah has to admit, tonight has certainly been better than walking home in the snow would've been.

Yet she finds herself restless, surrounded by all this joy. She keeps thinking about her conversation with Chuck, how he's going back to LA in a couple days, doing Christmas then with his family. That committment to the holiday. That investment in family, warmth, joy and celebration. She's never had that. All she has is her little tree, her blankets, her movies. And she wishes she did have more. That she could do more. She quit the CIA and has tried so hard to become normal, so normal things. But holidays- she hasn't managed to be normal with those yet. And so amongst the sleeping people, the restful peace, she stands from her little aisle and finds herself wandering the Buy More halls.

When she heads down the way of the break room she found Chuck in earlier today, by himself, she sees it instead filled with all the staff who've helped out today. They're all holding vending machine cups, Chuck in the center, toasting. Silently, she lingers at the corner, listening in.

"I know today was complete insanity, but you all did such a good job. This is a friggin' Buy More, we're not prepared for this kind of stuff, I know. So many of you took this job just for Christmas. And I know I don't know you all that well, but I'm super proud of you. Also, we're definitely all gonna get the day off tomorrow and everyone else can work instead, so cheers to that."

"Cheers!" one of the Nerd Herders says, reaching up with their cup, and everyone else joins in, toasting and tapping cups together. She smiles, warmed a little by them, Chuck's leadership to people who, from his own admission, he doesn't even know that well. Such kindness in strangers.

But as if he can feel her eyes on him, he looks up, sees her, and in the stupidest thing to do, she jumps back, eyes wide, and hides behind the wall. Like that doesn't make her staring even weirder.

Of course, she hears footsteps approaching her, and she looks up to the ceiling with a silent plea that it'll be someone random- maybe that Ramon guy.

But no, a now-familiar head of curls rounds the corner, eyes of soft brown.

"Hey," he murmurs, and she laughs a little self-consciously.

"Uh, hi. Sorry for just, staring, there," she winces. "I was just walking around, trying to clear my head."

"It's okay," he says softly. "We were just, uh, toasting. Most people are sleeping in the break room, so."

She nods, rolls her lips a minute, but he tilts his head curiously.

"Are you okay? If- if you don't mind me asking? Clearing your head... everything okay?"

Damn, he's good. Or maybe she's just slipping, in life, being more open than she expects. She shrugs a shoulder.

"Oh, yeah."

"Y'sure? I know this is a lot."

"Oh, yeah, it's not about this. Although if it were, I wouldn't wanna burden you with the role of therapist as well as..." She pauses, wondering quite what his title is, here. "Like, Captain of... being snowed in?" She blinks, aware of how completely awkward that is. "Sorry, that's weird."

He giggles.

"Captain? I like that," he grins, and she slaps his arm lightly.

"Shut up."

"No, it was super cute!"

She rolls her eyes, feeling her cheeks burning. While she is still adjusting to a real life, yes, she's never felt quite so awkward before. Something about this guy... She sobers a little, shaking her head.

"I don't know, though, I'm just thinking."

He nods kindly.

"If... if you still wanna walk, or think, I know someplace else in here. Nobody's sleeping there, it's quiet."

She widens her eyes, oddly drawn to this place she doesn't yet know.

"Okay."

"C'mon," he nods his head back out to the store. They walk in quiet, companionable silence, down past the sleeping and few not-yet-asleep patrons, eventually into another hall. "It's the storage cage," he says, voice still low. He pushes open the door, and she looks into the room, seeing the stacked boxes, wide metal cage inside. "Sorry it's a little chilly- the shutters to the loading dock are outside, they're frozen shut."

"No, it's fine," she murmurs, looking up at him. "Thank you."

"No problem. I'll leave you to it."

But as he goes to leave, something in her makes her call out, "Stay?"

At first, she doesn't know why she said that. But then she realizes she absolutely does. Because while she's been a true civilian for a year, now, while she's gotten used to normal, silly things, for the first time just about ever, she's found someone to talk to. A complete stranger, but because of that, he's someone who will listen without judgment. Without expectations or thoughts about her, without any particular bias or interest in her choices. Someone who's also already shared with her, today. And something about this whole situation has had her thinking about things, and it's happened right at the time she's found someone to talk about those things with, if she wants.

Expectedly, though, Chuck turns around, confused.

"What?"

She swallows, wondering, briefly, if she just pretends she never said that, and she lets him go. But something in her, probably the side of her that makes awkward jokes and hasn't smiled this much in a year, makes her hold firm.

"Could you stay?" she asks quietly, and something dawns on his features.

"Oh." He nods, steps inside. "Sure."

There's a little wheely chair here by a counter, like a workbench of sorts. She walks up to it, spins it a little, the cool air somehow strengthening. She takes a deep breath, breathing in the cold.

"I don't know why I'm so in my head," she laughs. "Never thought a Buy More would get me so thoughtful."

"Yeah. It's kinda had me the same, honestly."

She nods, twists her lip a little.

"I don't want to just like... unload everything I'm thinking on you, that's weird, but-"

"I don't mind," he says honestly. "This whole thing is weird."

And she believes his honesty. But she also doesn't know quite what to do about it- where to even start. She truly can't just pour her heart out to a stranger, but she can say something.

"I think it's just... Christmas," she finds herself admitting quietly. "I know I said I don't do it, but I think... I think maybe it wasn't until now that I realized I don't actually get it. I mean, besides the movies and carols and nativities and all that."

He leans back against a shelf, nodding.

"It's uh, it's kind of a spirit thing- I think, anyway. Not spiritual, though it can be. But more like... heart? The people in there, making the most of a shitty situation. The kids, their families rallying like they have."

"Yeah, exactly. Being in there, feeling it all, I've never had that." She laughs a little. "God, that sounds so dark. I just think, even when we did Christmas in my family when I was a kid, it didn't have... that." She shrugs. "You said you do Christmas with your sister?"

"Yeah, and her fiancé, Devon. But it's not a normal Christmas, either." She raises her eyebrows, and he shrugs. "Our parents split when we were young, they both left us. We got by. And Christmas became totally not the typical traditions, for us. We have cookies and cocoa and stuff, but we stay in our PJs all day, we watch what we wanna watch. There's no like, burnt turkey and forced carols and arguing families."

"It's the spirit thing," she murmurs. And then she sniffs, rare embarrassment washing over her. "Sorry, for- God, I barely know you."

"Hey," he grins. "I'm Chuck Bartowski, from LA, Nerd Herd Snowed-In Captain. You're Sarah Walker, romantic comedies, broken phone." He tilts his head, and something so warm pools in her chest. Something like she's never felt before, really. Only felt with Chuck, here, right now. So she swallows, shares more.

"It's just, I left a... a shitty situation, this time last year. And I thought I'd gotten past it enough that in the New Year I'd get a job and I'd be fine and that would be enough. But with this- now I'm wondering what else I thought I understood but... don't?"

Chuck nods, so kind, listening.

"I get that, I do. But... nobody knows everything. We're all just flying blind, all the time. I mean, look at today- we got snowed in in a Buy More, today. Nobody here was ready for that, we just all had to fly. But tonight you handed out cocoa to a bunch of strangers you'd never met. You helped Kiala hide during hide and seek. You apologized for returning a phone. Not many people are like you," he smirks. "So I think you're doing just fine, Sarah Walker."

And, a little stunned, she wonders just who this man before her is. To say these things to a stranger, like her. She smiles across the room at him, and he does the same, and she wonders just how differently this experience would've been if he wasn't here. If that original Nerd Herd supervisor was still here, and Chuck hadn't been flown across to Boston to be here in their place.

She thinks she wouldn't have liked this nearly as much. Wouldn't be feeling the way she is, right now, something warm wrapping round her heart as it races so rapidly.

And then she blinks, jolts out of her stupor, the cold hitting her suddenly as she realizes they're just smiling at each other in a random room.

"Wow. This storage cage really worked, damn."

He giggles, nods.

"You good to go back inside?"

"Absolutely."

He grins, trailing after her as they leave the space.

Night- or its equivalent- has fallen in the rest of the store, they soon realize. It is pretty late. An occasional quiet snore sounds out around the place, but mostly it's just peaceful. People have put away their phones, curled up to sleep, no more quiet conversation murmured around. Once more, it's so bizarrely comfortable, for a place they're all stuck in.

They head to her aisle, romantic comedies, and she turns to Chuck in the din, smiling.

"Well, goodnight," she murmurs, and he nods.

"G'night." he says warmly, and for a second she thinks she ought to thank him, for just listening to her back there. But she's not sure how she could, how to properly share quite how much just talking to someone has meant. And, when he steps away, she decides against it. He's just a stranger in a Buy More that she'll never see again- something she's only just realizing.

She moves to curl up, rest her head against the pillow she made from her coat and settle in for a weird night's sleep. But when she looks up, she sees two feet not far away, in the same spot they just were.

She sits up again, frowning as she sees Chuck standing right where she left him, looking confused at the aisle across the way.

"What's up?" she asks quietly.

He jolts a little, looking back down at her with a wince.

"Oh, no, I... This is really stupid." She raises her eyebrows, and he laughs silently. "I figured out where everyone was gonna sleep, their aisles, their tents... and I forgot to find somewhere for me."

Her jaw drops.

"Oh my god."

"Right?" She giggles a little while feeling sympathetic too- he's just been so busy-, and he runs his hands over his face. "That is just, beyond stupid."

She laughs, shaking her head.

"I think the aisle next to me is free," she says quietly, and he looks over, nodding in relief. But she realizes he still doesn't have anything to lay on. She shrugs, shifting out the sleeping bag from under her. "Here."

"Oh, I couldn't-"

"It's plenty cosy in here," she assures him. "And I got my pillow, that's all I need. As long as my neck isn't screwed up in the morning I'm fine, so I'll be fine."

He doesn't know she's slept on desert ground, slept curled up in a stone cave, dozed upright in a C-130. This is positively luxurious compared to how she's slept before.

"You're sure?" he asks, and she widens her eyes in mock-annoyance.

"Take it before this conversation wakes everyone up!" she says, and he grins, tugging the bag from her and moving toward the aisle. She settles again, comfortable as she'd promised, shifting a little, and after a moment she hears the same from him. When she rolls over, though, she grins.

Through the gaps from sold DVDs, not yet replenished on this lower shelf, she can see him.

"Goodnight, Chuck," she says again, and she sees him look over at her, surprise blooming between the DVDs.

"Goodnight," he says once more, eyes locked on hers, and she grins. She's still smiling when she drifts off to sleep.


He's awake before everyone else. By design, of course. With customers bound to wake early and immediately see if they can get out of here yet, he sets his alarm for earlier than that, waking up with a practised technique, stopping the alarm after just one blare. The sleeping bag beneath him is comfortable, the air still cozy. He sits up, rubs his face, looks around. The door, still with shutters over it. People, still asleep. Sarah, the aisle across, still out. Snow is probably piled high outside, but thankfully it's too early for him to be concerned with that right now.

And right now, he really needs coffee.

But the break room is still filled with sleeping staff, so that's not possible yet. And so he sighs, heads into the hallway and checks his phone.

He has seven missed calls and texts from Ellie. Bypassing them all, he brings up a call to her- at the hour, she's still asleep.

"Hey, El," he murmurs to her voicemail. "It's me. Obviously. I'm sorry I didn't call back yesterday, things were just so crazy. Hopefully we're getting out of here today. It's still dark out, but I'm just about to call the fire department, see where things stand. I'm fine. Really, I am, people have been great. The staff are rockstars, really. The customers have been understanding, so much." One in particular. He swallows, going for it. "There's, um, this one woman, Sarah... She's been so easy to talk to. It's been nice. While, y'know, being trapped inside." He winces to himself. "Anyway, I'll call you when we get out, and try and text again today. Love, you sis."

With that done, he dials the number he'd called yesterday, the local fire department number. Despite the hour, it connects right away, and once he's been greeted with the usual message he blinks.

"Uh, hi," he says. "I'm Chuck Bartowski, the Nerd Herd supervisor at the Buy More that's currently snowed in?"

"Oh, yes!" the guy down the line says, jolly. Maybe Chuck's going insane, but he sounds strangely like Santa should sound.

"Uh, yeah, just calling to see when we might get outta here today."

"Oh, right, yes. Well, it's already warmer today, once the sun's up that snow'll really start to melt. We can swing by around 10:30 and start digging you guys out."

"Really? Wow, oh my god, that's great!"

The man laughs jovially.

"No problem, son. Hang tight."

"Will do."

Quickly checking his watch, he sees it's nearing 7, and, since they'll all be going home soon, he heads into the break room. Although he tiptoes in, a head shoots up, and he winces at Ramon.

"Sorry, buddy, I just need some coffee."

"What time is it?"

"Almost 7. And the fire department are set to get here at 10:30, so I need a lotta coffee to wake everyone up in that time."

The man nods.

"Yes, sir." Without warning, he leans over, shaking away the Green Shirt sleeping next to him. "Wake up! Matt, wake up-"

"Hey, hey, no, I didn't-"

It's too late, though; everyone starts stirring, and he sighs, runs a hand through his hair.

"Good morning, guys," he says tiredly. "I'm just getting coffee. If anyone in the store wakes up right now I'll deal with them, you guys can stay and rest a little more if you want. Maybe like, two of you come through at 7:30? I'll see what people need, food, that kinda thing. Bottom line, fire department's getting here at 10:30. So hang tight, okay?"

They nod, and he does the same. Once his coffee is made and steaming hot in his hands, he heads back out to the store, seeing it still and silent.

Except a familiar aisle, where he now sees a blonde head of hair, sitting up, resting back against You've Got Mail.

Maybe she feels his eyes on her, but she looks up from her book, grinning right at him.

"Good morning," she says quietly, and he grins at her warmly.

Of everyone to be awake, he's so happy it's her.

"Good morning. You're awake pretty early."

"Eh, I always am." she shrugs. "Old habit."

He nods, looks down at his coffee.

"You want a coffee? We're making a lot of pots from the coffee machine for everyone waking up, but between you and me, the vending machine does pretty good espresso."

She grins.

"I'll remember that. But maybe later," she shrugs, waving the water bottle in her hand with a smile, and he nods.

And he knows he should probably leave it there. Move on, check elsewhere in the store, that sort of thing. But he finds himself staying, and she grins a little.

"You can sit down, you know." she invites, and he grins, crouching to do just that, stretching his legs out across the aisle.

"Thanks. I woke up so early just to check on everything, in case people woke up, but I think most people are still out."

"Yeah, I noticed. I suppose unexpected situations tire people out," she murmurs. "Unless it's you, that is."

"And you," he retorts, and she blinks before snorting a laugh. "Well, we'll be out of here soon, anyway. Fire department should be coming round at 10:30, helping get us out."

She nods, but he sees as she does a double-take of sorts, raising an eyebrow.

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah. I figure maybe 8 we can turn the lights up, raise the shutters and see what the damage is." he suggests, and she nods, a little wide-eyed.

"Yeah, I uh, I checked the news, on my phone. There's a lot of people without power, people really trapped in places. We all got lucky to be here, where it's warm, the generators..."

He laughs at that, almost.

"The cozy Buy More... But yeah. I'm glad we're here, too." It sounds too personal, he realizes with a jolt, and he clears his throat. "Everyone, I mean."

She smiles a little.

"Yeah. Honestly though, I was thinking, it's just lucky you got sent over here for Christmas." He shrugs, almost embarrassed at her praise, and maybe sensing that, she tilts her head. "What's your usual Buy More like? Anything like this?"

"Oh, hell no." She giggles, and he wonders how to even explain Burbank Buy More. "It's a hot mess, for real. I like it there, I love some of the people, but... thank God we never get snow. My Nerd Herd team would be totally out of their depth here. And my manager would actually be the opposite- he'd be trying to get all these people to buy stuff while we're stuck here."

She gapes a little.

"No."

"Seriously! The store could be, like, under a hostage situation, and he'd be thinking about sales." She chuckles, shaking her head, and he sighs. "It's not that bad, though. Each year we do this holiday party, close early, have a huge dance party... My best friend Morgan, he's a Green Shirt, he does the stupidest dancing, it's so fun. I missed it this year, it would've been two nights back."

She sighs a little.

"I'm sorry you missed it."

"Eh," he shrugs. "Missing the whole of Christmas, or delaying it, I guess."

"I never asked, are you gonna do anything here? Tomorrow?"

"Nah. Probably just... order some Chinese, or something. Christmas alone is totally fine when it's a choice, but I don't know, it's kinda sad doing Christmas when you literally don't know anyone. We were supposed to be opening early on the 26th, so I would've at least had that, but I'm pretty sure that's not happening now."

"Nothing like a snowstorm to wreck your plans," she murmurs. "Not that I had any, either. But hey, like you said, we'll be out of here soon, we can sleep on surfaces that don't have tread-in chewing gum in them..."

"You noticed that too, huh?"

"Couldn't miss it," she giggles. "And then you'll be home with your family. And I'm sure that'll be an awesome Christmas."

He snorts.

"More than you know."

She arches a brow, curious, and he knows she's picked up on that.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asks, and he realizes a gaping omission in what he's told her about himself so far. She opened up to him last night- he doesn't know why, but she did. She trusted him with her worries, confusion, realizations about this holiday, even. And he appreciates the trust she put in him to do that, whatever her private reasons may have been, and he figures he can only repay that by opening up in his own way, too.

"Oh, my god, I haven't told you about Captain Awesome, have I?"

She chokes a little.

"Captain Who?!"

He grins, settling in, explaining that the title belongs to Devon, then quite how, losing himself in happy conversation, for quite a while until he hears a quiet throat clearing from beside them. Still smiling, Sarah looks past him, and he follows her gaze to see Ramon standing, awkward.

"Uh, sorry, Chuck, it's just- it's 7:30."

He jolts a little, eyeing his watch at the same time he realizes the remaining coffee in his hand is now totally cooled to cold. They talked for so long he didn't even notice.

"Oh. Right! Um." He scrambles up, brushing himself down a little, looking back at Sarah.

"It's okay, go," she says kindly, but he grins.

"I could get you that coffee now," he says, and he sees her roll her lips a little, flirty, joking, before laughing.

"Sure."

He reaches out a hand to help her up, and she slips her palm into his. She stands gracefully, not needing his help at all, frankly, but she squeezes his fingers once she's upright, and he grins, doing the same. Before realizing what he's doing, and dropping it immediately. It's hard for him to ignore quite how much his heart is racing just from that touch, dammit.

"Right. This way."

She nods, and he leads her through to the break room. There's a few sleepy people still around, but it's mostly empty- Chuck supposes most of them have headed to the bathrooms to freshen up for the day.

"Espresso? Cappuccino?"

"Just drip is fine," Sarah nods. "Cream if you have it, though?"

He nods.

"Gotcha." He grabs her a cup, but spies Ramon lingering in the background and realizes the man is still awaiting instructions. "Ramon, do you wanna turn the lights up in the store, try and wake people up a little?"

"You got it, Chuck!"

Sarah grins.

"I don't think that guy's gonna take you leaving too well," she murmurs.

"Oh, you noticed that, huh? Yeah, he's a nice kid. They all are, though, really." She smiles softly as he pours in the cream, then hands it over to her. "Breakfast, Buy More style. I don't have a fancy pastry to offer you, but if you fancy pizza combos for breakfast..."

She snorts, swatting his arm and taking the cup.

"I'll hold out a little longer. I'll let you get back to it."

"Alright," he nods. "I'll see you later."

She nods, surely.

"You will."

And with that promise settling comfortably, knowingly, in his chest, she goes.

Things go by fast, then. People start to wake up, coffee is handed out, food for the cranky kids, and then he stands on the customer service counter in a weird deja vu situation, letting everyone know when the fire department is due. They raise the shutters, taking in the snowy view outside- still piled high, but less fluffy, more thin. Still too much to fight through from their end, but trained people could manage it now. The sun is indeed beating down, making the sight a little blinding, but oddly welcome. And it re-energizes the place; the kids start playing, parents start cleaning up. And he's struck, suddenly, by just what they've done here. There's a lot still to do, they'll have to work with the fire department, corporate will require insurance details to check up, more admin sort of things, but they made it through the night stuck in the Buy More, pretty comfortably. Strangely comfortably, even.

He looks across the room, takes it all in. And, still reading her book in her aisle, he sees the person he's pretty sure got him through this, even though she'll never know it.

It's amazing what having someone to talk to can do. Without Sarah, without someone to just be with, take a tiny break with, talk things through with- without just that quiet level of company, he's pretty sure he would've gone crazy. And while everyone here is nice enough (now, anyway; some were grumpy as hell yesterday evening), he knows nobody else would've cleared his head quite like Sarah has. Something about her has just been everything he's needed, here, to stop him getting too anxious he's doing a good job, too worried they might not get out, too panicked over whether they've done the right thing. And he finds himself incredibly grateful that he didn't fix her phone quicker, that she didn't give up getting that extended coverage- that she stayed. That he got to know her more than a nice, fun customer interaction. He truly got to know her, strangely enough. Without her this would've been a very different experience.

And now it's about to end. They'll get out, go home, he'll fly back to Burbank and he'll probably never see Sarah Walker again.

It's not like there's another option, right? They're strangers in a store, he can't just ask for her number, make plans to keep in touch, surely not. That's just not what people do, not what he does. He wouldn't wanna make things weird, if she wouldn't wanna keep in touch, and besides, they're gonna be on opposite sides of the country soon, what would they be, weird pen-pals? No, it'll have to end today. They'll part. Even if he wishes there was any other option, with the kind of person he knows she is, the person he's come to know and appreciate and laugh with and get that weird feeling in his chest just every time she smiles...

But he'll always be grateful for knowing her, in this strange, bizarre situation, stuck inside in the snow in Boston. That's just how it's going to be.


She doesn't have to see the fire department arrive to know they have. The store, bustling since the morning, suddenly erupts, everyone rushing forward, desperate to see, to get out. And she smirks, packing away her things slowly as horns sound out, the greeting from the guys outside. Children cheer and wave, people start applauding.

She stands, stretching a little and gradually walking across the store to see out. But she hangs back, simply watching as the fire guys jump out, dressed in warm coats, shovels in hand to help dig them out.

As she does so, though, she's surprised to find a head of curls hanging back, too, just watching, lingering by the returns desk rather than surging forward with everyone else. And, as she has so often, she finds herself drawn to him.

"Pretty weird, huh?" she murmurs, and he jolts, spinning around to her whilst clutching his chest. With a laugh, she apologizes. "Sorry."

"It's okay," he reassures, before sobering. "But, uh, yeah, kinda weird."

"We'll be out of here soon."

He nods, swallowing, looking more contemplative than she's seen him before.

"It'll take them a bit to get all the snow out safely so it won't collapse into the store. But... yeah. Out of here, back into the world... Super weird."

"What'll we do without a vending machine in the next room?" she asks with a smirk, and he giggles. Feeling so oddly warm, she bumps his shoulder. "I've said it before, but you've done a great job, Chuck."

He nods, sincere, she sees, but something then comes over his face, deeper, as he looks to the ground and then back up.

"I... Can I be honest?" he asks, earnest, and curious and almost a little concerned, something strange bubbling with anticipation in her chest, she nods. "I was thinking, earlier... Sarah, I would've gone a little crazy without you here."

Oh. Even with all her training, expertise, she jolts in surprise at just how genuine, earnest even, his words are. What has she done? But be here, stuck with the rest of them all?

"Me?" she finds herself breathing, and he nods, leaning in.

"Yeah. Just having someone to talk to. You to talk to. I could've freaked out just being with my thoughts this whole time- I would have, honestly." He smiles a little, and for some inexplicable reason she finds her heart pounding. "I'm glad you were here, Sarah."

She grins, overwhelmed, yet feeling so the same.

"I-"

"Bartowski!" the manager calls, jolting them out of the stupor, and he winces apologetically.

"I'm so sorry, I- I gotta go, we need to make sure we're checking everyone's details as they leave for insurance and stuff-"

"It's okay," she says, laughing softly, and as he smiles at her, she nods. "I'll be here."

And a smile blooms on his face, knowing, she thinks. Or, maybe, she hopes.

"Okay. O-okay, yeah." And, with an earnest smile again, he leaves.

She watches, waiting back, as the work outside gradually takes shape, the doors freeing up, as Chuck starts talking to people, the staff, writing things down. And, eventually, he nods to one of the Green Shirts, who hits a button behind the returns desk. And the door slides open- sticking a little, but opening. People cheer. The fire chief walks in; their first new addition to this place in almost a day. And again, she just watches from afar as it happens. Gradually, people start to leave, giving Chuck their information, others arranging transport, Ubers and people coming for them. The kids leave with happy laughs and waves.

It feels strange, like she said. For this little peaceful bubble to be broken, after such a time. That they really can leave.

And, she realizes, that all these people that they've come to know, even the tiniest bit, will never know each other again. Little Kiala. The family that missed their flight. The older couple who she pointed toward Chuck's speech when they were confused what was happening. The staff, kind.

Chuck.

And, when it's a little quieter, most people having gone, she heads up to the front.

Her time to go.

"Hey," she murmurs, and Chuck turns with a grin.

"Hey. You heading out?"

"What a concept," she laughs, and he smiles softly. She finds herself smiling in return, wistful, something strange knotting in her chest.

Chuck laughs suddenly, strangely, and she tilts her head.

"What?" she asks, overdoing the suspicion in her voice, and he grins.

"I never got you that invoice, did I?"

She bursts out laughing- of all the things. She can hardly believe that was just a day ago, less than, even.

"Oh my god, you didn't," she laughs, and he hams it up.

"Your coverage!"

"My coverage!" She laughs, shaking her head, and he grins. "I really don't care about that anymore, you know that?"

He snorts, nodding.

"I get it."

"It is weird, though," she muses. "I was just thinking how we'll never see each other again. All of us. Even if I did come back, you wouldn't even be here."

"Oh." He says, something shuttering on his face again. "Yeah, I- I thought that, too. That is weird."

She nods, rolls her lips a little.

"So I guess you're free until you fly home, now, huh?" she asks, and something in the back of her mind tells her, she's just stalling. Chuck nods.

"Yeah, we're closing," he confirms, and she does as he did, nodding soundly.

"Well. I, uh, I hope you get home safe," she finds herself saying. "And I hope you have a nice Christmas, even if it is..."

"Alone with some Chinese?" he jokes, and she laughs a little, reaching out a hand. Even though she doesn't really want to. It's funny; all this time stuck in here, and now she can leave, she finds she doesn't want to.

She breathes in deeply, making herself end it.

"Yeah. It was nice meeting you, Chuck."

He gulps, nodding, reaching out too.

"Yeah. Yeah, you too, Sarah."

He smiles, a little tight, as his hand slides into hers, so soft, as they shake, and she feels the warmth of his fingers curled gently around hers. And she looks into his eyes, the slight curl of his smile around them, the warmth just palpable in his gaze.

And. God, she can't let this be it, she realizes.

She doesn't know what it is about this man. But being stuck here, with him... She can't remember the last time she connected with anyone like this. Just talked, for the sake of talking. And while these circumstances have been strange and out of the ordinary, to say the least, she suddenly realizes she has nothing to lose. He's going home in two days. They've just been trapped by a snowstorm.

Nothing bad can come from simply asking.

So for the first time in a long time, maybe in her life, she does something she's totally unsure about. A weird, unpredictable, gut-feeling thing.

"Actually... I- it's not extended coverage, but I do have something, to ask."

Something blooms on his face, open. Warm.

"Oh?"

Despite herself, she finds herself smiling a little shyly.

"Spend Christmas with me?" He gapes a little, and before he can say no, or ask why, or anything else, the ramble commences. Once more, she's never felt so awkward and silly and normal than she does with this man. "I just- you get Christmas, what it means, and I- I don't. We know that. But you're staying in a hotel, by yourself instead of with your family- and you know so much about it, you have all these traditions and I know you'll do them when you get home, but... you of all people, after this, rallying us all, it's like you shouldn't spend Christmas by yourself. And- and I'm just gonna be alone, too, with lousy plans. So..."

"So you want me to spend Christmas with you?"

"Yeah. I-I mean, if you want. We can... I don't know, whatever it is you usually do, with your family. Or just watch movies, eat cookies... Just... together. Not, not alone, like we'd both be." He still looks stunned, and she sighs. "Like I said, in a couple days you're going home, and we'll never see each other again. And you kept me sane, here. I don't- I don't think... That we should both walk away."

His jaw drops, slow, stunned.

"Sarah Walker, you are so much braver than I am." he says, and she blinks. He laughs a little, soft. "You have no idea how much I wanted to ask you the same, but I was scared it would be weird or, or too much-"

"So it's not?"

"No." he says, so quickly she feels it hit her in the chest. "Not at all. I'd love to, yeah."

She grins, a little breathless suddenly.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Yeah, let's do it."

And her heart pounds in her chest, something she thinks is joy filling her.

"Okay."

"Okay."

And, when details are settled and exchanged, and it really is time for her to leave and try and get her apartment at least a little festive for Christmas, she smiles up at this man who meant so much more than just companionship in the strangest of situations, who made her laugh and feel things and finally understand this silly holiday, and she rises on her toes, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Chuck."

"Merry Christmas, Sarah."

With that, she leaves. Finally, after a year of confusion and turmoil and pain after leaving the CIA, she realizes something. She feels nothing but hope for the days to come.


note: Fin! Merry Christmas if you celebrate, y'all. Here's to a peaceful, blessed time. Stay safe.