A/N: Hey, I'm back at the office and have internet for a minute so I thought I'd give you an update.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck.

Monday found the four house flippers, finishing up on their current project, ready to move on to their next one. "It's his favorite time," Carina told Sarah in a low voice as she nodded toward Chuck and him presenting the keys and deed to the family. Chuck would spend the rest of the day taking care of the legal paperwork to transfer the home over to the family.

"Their dad," Carina continued nodding toward the kids. "He was a fireman." Carina paused, and Sarah looked back at Carina. Sarah could tell Carina was fighting emotion. "He lost his life saving a family." Sarah felt her heart break. "He and his wife were just getting ready to buy a house. When he passed, they thought there was no chance. The youngest boy told the guys at the firehouse how his dad always wanted to buy this house and fix it up."

"Oh," Sarah murmured. She looked at the house…now a home, that she had spent the past little bit helping restore.

"Yeah, anyway, they found out what we did, Chuck made some calls, the firemen raised some money, and now this family has a home, and an escrow account to pay taxes and insurance for the next five years," Carina told Sarah. "That's the bad thing about people getting homes sometimes, they're not prepared for what goes with it and lose the house over not paying the taxes."

"This is why Mary yelled at you about getting in the picture," Zondra said, walking up and joining the two. "When you help us do this kind of work…your family."

"For all his mess ups about how he handled losing Morgan, he did learn one important thing," Carina agreed. "He learned that taking care of family after someone is gone is important. The problem was he didn't know how to let go. It was a fight for him, one he was losing." Carina glanced at Sarah. "Until someone made him pull his head from his ass."

"Family is the most important thing to Chuck," Zondra said. "It's also his biggest Achilles heel. Ellie says you can't go to far for love, and that's true, but Chuck has a problem knowing when some things have moved on."

Sarah thought back to Thursday, as Mary started positioning people into place for the Christmas card picture. Sarah and Emma tried their best to get out of the way, but found themselves being shepherded by Ellie and Mary.

"Everyone shut up and pretend to be happy," Mary yelled, smiling at the group as she got into place for the picture. "I just need ONE good picture for the Christmas card."

"I'm not family," Sarah murmured to Chuck, but smiling happily.

"You wanna tell my mom that?" Chuck countered. Sarah chuckled at that and knew it would be a losing battle. "Pro tip, after the flash, don't move until mom makes sure she likes the picture."

"How many times do we do this?" Sarah asked.

"As many times as we need to until I'm happy with the picture," Mary said from the front. Chuck and Sarah both had to fight off a fit of the giggles. "If you two could stop flirting, we're trying to take a happy family picture, damn it." The smile on Mary's face and happiness in her voice let them both know she was saying all of this in fun.

"Flirting?" Chuck asked.

"He's not that good at it, Mary. He needs practice," Sarah chirped up. The flash went off, and Mary went to look at the digital image.

"Chuck," Mary said, her shoulders slumping. "Listen, dear, I know she's beautiful and you're a little in shock about the whole thing, but do you think you can look at the camera and not stare at her?" Chuck's mouth opened to protest. "And before you ask, Sarah, yes, I'll send you a copy of this one, as well as the one of you and Chuck in front of the Christmas tree."

"There's a picture of Sarah and I in front of the Christmas tree?" Chuck asked. His mother gave him a flat look. "Oh, I'm going to take one with Sarah, aren't I?"

"I mean if it's that much of a hassle we don't have to," Sarah said, dejectedly.

"Charles Irving Bartowski!" his mother said. Off to the other side, Carina and Zondra were holding on to each other laughing themselves silly. Devon and Ellie were nearly crying they were fighting so hard to hold in the laughter. Emma was practically beaming. "You will take a picture with that beautiful young lady, you will look like you are having the time of your life, because you are, and you. Will. Like it!"

"Yes, mom," he replied. Mary winked at Sarah, set the timer, and hurried back to her spot. The camera went off, and Mary went to check the picture.

"Perfect," she said. Everyone sighed in relief.

"I'm sorry about that," Sarah said, turning to Chuck. He was grinning at her. "Although you don't seem too upset by it all."

"I found it entertaining, and fun," Chuck told her. "Do I really need to work on my flirting?"

"If you've been flirting you absolutely need to," Sarah told him, grinning. "You're welcome to practice on me."

"But what if it's too much for you to handle?"

"Well, I guess you'll just have to risk it won't you?"

"I guess the question is what am I risking?" Chuck replied.

"I might be forced to kiss you if you get too good at it," Sarah told him. She reached up, patted his cheek and headed over to Zondra and Carina.

"But you've kissed me several times already," Chuck muttered. He heard a gasp, and turned to see Ellie standing there, her eyes wide. "Crap."

}o{

"Hey, can I see the picture of you and Chuck?" Zondra asked, pulling Sarah out of her thoughts of Thanksgiving. Sarah pulled out her phone and showed the picture of her and Chuck in front of the Christmas tree. She was smiling at the camera, his arms around her, him looking at her. Her head was titled toward him, the side of it nearly touching his eyes. They looked like a real honest to goodness couple.

"Has he figured out that you two are together?" Zondra asked her. Sarah snorted laughter. "Ellie nearly popped her cork when she heard you had kissed him."

"He nearly popped his cork when I did kiss him," Sarah told Zondra. Zondra started laughing as Chuck began to walk over to the two of them. The closer he got, the harder Zondra laughed.

"Is there something hanging from my nose, something in my teeth?" Chuck asked.

"Nope," Sarah replied. "You know, what you three do is really commendable."

"It was all Curls's idea," Zondra said with a shrug. "We walked into the Buy More one day, and he didn't drool or leer at us. We started telling him what we needed and he helped us find the stuff, even though he wasn't a green shirt."

"He is a helpful guy," Sarah said, smiling at Chuck.

"He started asking us questions and during it just kinda asked had we thought about getting businesses to donate so we could provide houses to the less fortunate. We blew it off, we were jerks." Chuck started to disagree. "We were, Chuck."

"So what happened?"

"We left, and for the next few days, I started thinking about what he said, and the more I thought the more I saw the good in what he was proposing. I told Carina that I needed to run and errand and headed over to the Buy More to see him, but I was too late."

"Huh?" Sarah said, confused.

"Carina was already there talking to me about it," Chuck told Sarah. "She's a big softy."

"Especially if you grunt," Zondra added. Chuck full-body shuddered. "It's true," she said with a shrug. "Pretty soon we were up to our necks in business. Chuck has a way of getting to people to donate to renovate these houses."

"I don't remember the last time we did a regular flip," Chuck admitted. "I mean, we make good money, we help people out, what more can we ask for."

"You really came along at the perfect time," Zondra told Sarah. "Chuck's having to do so much of the business and donation side, we've actually slowed down. Now with you here, maybe we can do a few more houses a year."

"I don't know if I'm that good," Sarah disagreed.

"No, you cover the one thing we're not the best at and take the longest at, figuring out how to redo a house," Zondra told her.

"She's awesome at it," Chuck agreed.

"You just think she's awesome," Zondra told him. Chuck went red. "Now, are you going to ask her?"

"Ask me what?" Sarah said, turning to Chuck. Zondra slipped away and went over to Carina so they could watch the show.

"Well, I was wondering if you weren't busy Friday night, and you probably are, I'm sure, but if you're not, would you like to go somewhere with me?"

Sarah stood there a second. "Okay, we have much to break down in that whole thing," she said, making a circle gesture with her open hand. "First, what do you think I'm doing Friday?"

"I have no idea, but you're now free, and you can go out-"

"And who pray tell, am I going out with?" Sarah asked, cutting off his spiral.

"I have no idea," Chuck admitted.

"Okay, so have you seen me hanging out with any guys?" Chuck shook his head. She tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes. "You've not seen me hanging out with any guys?"

"Well, me, but I don't count," Chuck told her.

"And why don't you count?" Chuck could only blink. "So, Sherlock, if I were going out with anyone Friday night, given who all you've seen me with, and remember, we are currently living in the same house, who might it be?" He pointed to himself, hesitantly. "That's right."

"So, you're saying you would go out with me?"

"Did I say that?" she asked him. She smiled as she watched him discombobulate in front of her. "Chuck, maybe if you want me to go out with you, you should ask me to go out with you."

"Friday night, would you like to go out with me?" Chuck asked.

"Just so we're clear, you're asking me out on a date, right?" Sarah asked. Chuck pressed his lips together.

"I'm sorry," Carina said, pushing Chuck aside. "The role of Chuck Bartowski is currently being played by Carina Miller as he tries to fix his brain since you toyed with it so much it melted." Sarah couldn't help but laugh. Off to the side, Zondra was telling Chuck to just ask her. "Would you go out with me on Friday night?"

"Would I be going out with you, playing the role of Chuck Bartowski or Chuck Bartowski?" Sarah asked.

Carina started to answer, when she was tapped on the shoulder. She looked over at Chuck who made a "shooing" motion with his hand. Carina moved and Chuck stood in front of Sarah.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," she replied, smiling at him.

"I like you," Chuck said, and he shook his head.

"I like you," she told him.

"Friday night, I would like to take you somewhere, it's a surprise. Would you please go out with me?"

"Sure," she chirped. "Is this fancy, casual-"

"Dress warmly," he said, noting the surprise on her face. "Trust me?" She nodded. "I have to go talk to the family." With that, he strode off, to begin paperwork for closing the house.

"I thought we weren't getting involved?" Zondra asked Carina.

"We had to," Carina said, shaking her head. "If we didn't we would have gotten old and died waiting on him to find the words."

"Do you think he realizes yet this is Monday and we have to work together the rest of the week?" Sarah asked Zondra and Carina. From their laughter, she was pretty sure they thought he didn't.

A/N: I know, only one chapter today. There are on only four more postings of this story left. What? Finnnneeee

"You once said you wished you could go to the park to hear Christmas music," Chuck began. Her mouth dropped. He had remembered that conversation. No one had ever really paid attention to things like that before. "So, this is the Christmas village. Stores from all around town have these little booths set up. It's open all weekend, but at night, you have these lights, and a live band."

"Chuck," she began. She stopped because she had no idea what to say to him.

"I mean, I hesitated to call it a date, because I basically took you to an outdoor shopping mall but-" That was as far as he got, because she turned to him, grabbed his cheeks and kissed him.

You KNEW this was coming. Yup fluffity-fluffity the rest of the way.