A/N: And now, the last chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck
The next week found the two of them working together more and more, getting closer and closer, and yet, boss Chuck and employee Sarah continued to have words over the counters.
"At this rate, I'm betting they just do it on the counters," Zondra muttered to Carina.
"No, we don't want that, they work so much better with all this sexual frustration between them," Carina argued. "They pour it all into their work and we are getting very close to being finished."
"Done a week early, that would be nice, especially right before Christmas," Zondra noted. "Nothing on the calendar until after the first of the year."
"Yep, money in the bank, we keep getting checks," Carina said, grinning. "You do know we should make them go together to look for fixer upper houses, right?"
"Is there a certain neighborhood you're thinking of?" Zondra asked, knowing her friend and what she was up to.
"I may know of a house for sale," Carina said, shrugging.
"With a red front door?" Zondra prodded. They had found out what Sarah considered to be her dream home, since she was looking for somewhere to live. Carina had done some searching and had something in mind.
"No, but we can paint it red," Carina told Zondra, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"You are literally about to recreate the end scene of Miracle on 34th Street, the OG version of course."
"Of course, because we're OGs," Carina said.
"That would make us old," Zondra pointed out.
"Oh, that won't work," Carina muttered.
"I'm so glad we stayed out of this," Zondra said, the two of them watching Chuck and Sarah argue, again, over the counters. "Seriously, are we sure they aren't going to just do it on the counters?"
"The parents are out of town this weekend," Carina reminded Zondra.
"Too much pressure," Zondra told her. "He'll crack, have performance issues, something."
"Slip him a little blue pill?" Carina offered.
"Jesus, you don't just do that to another woman," Zondra admonished Carina. Carina shrugged. They both turned back, watching Chuck and Sarah. "Totally gonna bone on the counter."
"Probably," Carina agreed.
}o{
"We need to talk," Sarah said, as they entered the Bartowski house. They had moved another day ahead of schedule, but they were both extremely frustrated with how the counter situation was going.
"We do?" Chuck asked. She gave him a look and he cleared his throat. "I mean, we do, I just don't know where."
"Your room," she told him. He followed her downstairs to his room, he started to open his mouth when she lunged at him, pressing him against the wall as she kissed him senseless. After a few minutes, they stopped, her head resting against his chest, both of them breathing heavily.
"We gotta figure this damn counter situation out," Chuck muttered. "I'm not saying I don't enjoy this, but…"
"Yeah, it's getting a little intense, plus I'm pretty sure Zondra and Carina are noticing," Sarah replied.
"A blind mouse would notice," Chuck told her. She gave him a look and then giggled. "I mean it's true. Hey, I need to tell you something."
"What do you need to tell me?" she asked, grinning at him.
"I love you, Sarah Walker." She looked as though she could melt at that. "I love you no matter what your name is. I love your kind heart, you're giving spirit, and your belied in something, regardless if it's in our budget or not."
She smirked at that. "Thank you, Chuck," she told him, running her hand across his chest. "Don't you think my mom deserves the best counter tops?"
"I absolutely do, but that Boss Bartowski guy, he's a real hardass," Chuck told her. She began to laugh, and placed her head under his chin, holding on to him tightly.
}o{
"What happens to any money left over?" Sarah asked Zondra and Carina standing in the home improvement store, staring at the counter tops she wanted, and not the ones that she was supposed to buy.
"Usually whatever money is left is given to us as a bonus," Carina explained.
"I want my mom to have the best," Sarah told Carina. "Can we buy these, put my part of the bonus to it, and then I pay out of pocket to cover the rest? It will be my Christmas gift to her."
"Have you told Chuck you're willing to do this?" Carina asked.
"No, because I understand what he's doing. I wouldn't do this for anyone else. The counter tops picked out are fine. They are a good counter top, but…it's my mom, you know? If we do this for my mom, then doesn't he have to do it for everyone else, and as much as I hate to say it, at the end of the day, this is our job."
Carina nodded and started to speak when her and Zondra got a text at the same time. They both pulled out their phone, looked at the text, and then at each other. The two chuckled simultaneously.
}o{
"What the hell do you mean you're gonna pay for the counters with your bonus?" Sarah asked, as she stormed into the house.
"How the hell did you know about that?" Chuck asked. He looked behind her at the other two women behind Sarah, who were grinning. "Oh, I should have known, girl power and all of that."
"All of that?" she asked, stepping right up to him.
"Totally gonna bone," Carina muttered to Zondra.
"Yup," Zondra replied.
"You know what I mean, I was trying to do something nice for your mom for Christmas," Chuck told her.
"I was going to do something nice for my mom for Christmas," Sarah told him.
"Oh," he said. He began to understand. "Okay, then that's what we'll-"
"We could do it as a couple," Sarah said softly.
"We should leave," Zondra said softly to Carina. "We don't want to see them do what they're about to do."
"Yeah, I don't think boning's gonna happen, more…" she made a sound similar to a cat hacking up a hair ball.
"I would like that," Chuck told her. "I would like our first time as a couple to be for your mom."
"Do they even know how that sounds?" Carina asked.
"I pray not," Zondra said, shuddering. "You know, we haven't left."
"It's like watching a car wreck, I can't look away," Carina admitted. Suddenly the two noticed Chuck and Sarah watching them. "I think we're finishing this project even sooner than I thought."
"We get paid either way, so who cares," Zondra said to her. "Come on, let's get the counters." Carina turned and followed Zondra.
"I love you, Chuck," she said, knowing Carina and Zondra could hear them. The two stopped walking for a split second, both shook their head and kept going.
"Most guys might be upset you said that just to mess with them, but I know you meant it," Chuck said, slipping his arms around her waist, putting his chin on her shoulder.
She turned and kissed him on the cheek. "You're a good man, Chuck, but they're right, there's something we need to do."
"Finish this house for your mom?" Sarah sighed and nodded. "And then?" She grinned wickedly.
}o{
He was tossing and turning in bed, not able to sleep for some reason. Suddenly he felt the covers lift and someone slid into bed beside him. "Sarah?"
"Yeah?" she replied, snuggling against him.
"Uh, why are you down here?" She raised up and even in the darkness he could feel the look she was giving him. "Not that I'm complaining."
"I miss you," she said with a shy shrug.
"I miss you," he said, pulling her close. Sleep claimed them both quickly.
}o{
"Okay, that's it," Sarah said, wiping down the counter and looking around the kitchen. "Unless I forgot something."
"Nope, looks amazing, Blondie," Carina told her. "You are a natural at this."
"Thanks," Sarah said. "It's nice too have a real job that you can really be proud of. Before, I was never allowed to do to well, to advance too far, to be me."
"Girl, you be yourself, and fly high," Carina said, shoulder-bumping her. "Just don't burn Chuckles."
"Carina, I love him, and I'm going to do everything in my power to protect him," Sarah told her.
They were silent for a few seconds. "You do know I meant don't make the sex so hot you burn him, right?" Carina asked.
"That's on me," Sarah said, chuckling. "That one is on me."
}o{
Chuck and Sarah found themselves that Friday night, at the Bartowski home, alone, by themselves. The tension was so thick it would take a vibranium claw to cut it.
They were sitting beside each other, watching a movie. Not cuddling, sitting side by side, both of them with their hands on their knees. Sarah looked over at Chuck and couldn't help herself, and started laughing.
"This is absolutely ridiculous," she told him. He looked over at her, and began to grin. "What is wrong?"
"I think we've had quite a bit of tension between us," Chuck began.
"Sexual, Chuck…sexual." Chuck swallowed. "Most of the tension over the counters was fueled by that sexual tension."
"It's not necessary to keep saying that," Chuck told her.
"What…sexual?" Sarah asked, the grin growing. Chuck shook his head. "Am I reminding you of Carina?"
"You most definitely are not reminding me of Carina," Chuck replied.
She turned toward him, and pulled a leg under herself. She put her left elbow on the couch, and leaned her head against her hand. "Then what seems to be the problem?"
Chuck turned, and mimicked her pose, making her giggle, her tongue sticking out between her teeth. "Well, you are absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous."
"Go on, I'm not hearing a problem so far," Sarah told him.
"You are so kind, so caring, and I love you so much it's a little intense sometimes, you know?"
"Yeah, I'm quite aware," she replied, breathlessly.
"And maybe it's been a bit, and maybe….maybe I'm nervous, and I'm in my parents house-"
"Okay, seriously, do we need to go rent a hotel room." Chuck's eyes widened. "Listen, I'm not expecting anything. Whatever does or does not happen between us, it's between us, okay?" Chuck nodded. "Do I want to make love to you, yes."
"Jesus," he choked out. She bounced a shoulder. "I mean, I am not opposed to the idea at all, but what if-"
"Chuck, whatever happens, know this. It's the first time…of many." She swore she might have seen smoke roll out of his ears. "Dang, I wasn't even messing with you that time but it seems to have short-circuited your brain. I worry about you when I actually try to short-circuit your brain."
Chuck leaned over and kissed her. Her left hand went to cup his face, and a moment later, found her falling backwards, her right arm circling his shoulders, pulling him tight. "Hey," she said softly, stroking the side of his face. "Can we watch this movie in your bedroom?" Chuck nodded, leaned back, and offered her his hand, to pull her up.
They got up, and she took his hand, and led him downstairs.
}o{
Monday found the four home renovators at a hole in the wall diner having breakfast.
"What's wrong with them?" Zondra asked softly.
"We boned," Sarah replied, and then took a bite of her eggs. Carina nearly spit out her drink and Zondra nearly choked on her eggs.
"Serves them right," Chuck said, not batting an eye as he took a drink of his beverage. "I need to ask a serious question to you two though?"
Carina and Zondra composed themselves. "I plan on sleeping with her regularly."
"We help them get here, and they do this to us," Zondra said to Carina.
"Very regularly," Sarah added.
"We've created a monster," Carina added.
"Is it going to be a problem, given the power dynamic?" Chuck asked, completely serious.
"Yes," Zondra replied, nodding. She took a bite of her toast.
"Wait, really?" Sarah asked.
"I was afraid of that," Chuck said solemnly.
"What is going on?" Sarah asked, getting worried.
"I'm afraid we have no choice, given what has happened," Carina agreed. "Blondie, you're fired."
Sarah sat there, stunned.
Zondra reached down and pulled out a packet of papers. "We're going to need you to sign here, here, and here."
Chuck reached over, and flipped the papers until he came to another page. "And initial there," he said, pointing to a spot on the page.
Sarah gave Zondra and Carina a look, and then slowly turned to her boyfriend. "What the hell is this? What are you three doing?"
"Listen, Blondie, regardless if you ever bone Curls again-" Carina began.
"Oh, I am," Sarah cut in.
Carina shuddered. "The three of us came to an agreement, you're part of this. You're not an employee, you're part of this."
"Wait, I can't-"
"You can and you will," Zondra told her. "This isn't pity Walker, this is you taking us to the next level. None of us are out here just throwing you a bone-"
Chuck raised his hand as if to say, "me," as Carina said, "Chuckles is."
"Jesus, I walked right into that," Zondra muttered.
"You did," Carina agreed, nodding. "You totally did."
"So, there's no plans of it…ever, but what if Chuck and I break up?" Sarah asked. She couldn't look at him because she knew he was about to lose it, and she needed to have a serious conversation at the moment.
"This is about the work you do," Carina told Sarah. "I meant it when I said you fly high. Think about it Blondie, this was your first house, what's gonna happen the more you do, the more you let yourself be free."
"I think it would absolutely suck if we broke up, but unless it was something like you cheating on me…I would think I'd be an adult enough to handle it," Chuck said.
Sarah turned to him and took his hand. "I have no plans on doing any of that, but I also didn't plan on being on the run my entire life over my dad being a hero."
"Just be honest with me is all I ask," Chuck said to her.
"I honestly love you," Sarah told him. "And your Curls and the way you do that thing with yo-"
"GOT IT!" Chuck cut her off. He turned to Carina and Zondra, widening his eyes, his lips pressed together, missing her giggling, her tongue between her teeth.
"Get it, Curls," Carina said approvingly. "Sign the papers Blondie. You're part of us, for better or worse, which means I need you two to go house hunting this week." She pushed a piece of paper with an address toward them. "Start there, I hear there are some good houses in the area."
"Do we have a name?" Sarah asked.
"I wanted to do a cute anagram and come up with CATS, but the best I could do is Chuck and the Single Family Residence and that just sounds stupid," Carina began.
"I'm dumber just hearing it," Zondra muttered.
"We just went with Intersect Buying and Renovation," Chuck finished before the other two got into a fight.
Sarah signed the final paper and pushed it toward Carina. "I'll get this notarized and to our lawyers." She grinned at Sarah. "You're part of us, Blondie. May God have mercy on your soul."
"Thank you for having me," Sarah said. "Okay, on to finding a new house to flip." She looked over at Chuck, excited about the future, not seeing Carina and Zondra sharing a grin.
}o{
"Did you put a camera in the house?" Zondra asked.
"No, I didn't want to see them bone on the floor," Carina replied. The two were sitting in the car, watching the house they had given the address of to Chuck and Sarah. "Here they come," Carina said excitedly, hitting Zondra's arm.
"I'm so glad you're not getting involved or anything," Zondra said dryly.
In the car Chuck was driving, Sarah's jaw was slowly dropping as she saw the house in question. "CHUCK!" She yelled. Chuck slammed on the brakes thinking there was a kid in front of them or something. Sarah undid her seat belt, opened her door, and took off toward the house.
"Sarah!" Chuck yelled after her, but she didn't slow down. He parked the car and hurried after her.
She was standing in front of the house, running her hand over the picket fence. "It will need to be painted," she said softly. "And the door will as well."
"What's wrong?" Chuck asked, hurrying up to her.
"The door is the wrong color, we'll have to paint it red," Sarah told him.
"Okaaay," Chuck said.
"Do you think the door is unlocked?" She asked, spinning toward him, excitement covering her face. She looked around and then leaned in. "Don't tell anyone, but I can pick a lock," she said softly.
"You just keep being more incredible," he breathed. She grinned at him, and headed for the front door.
She tried it and it swung open. "It's unlocked!" And then she slipped inside.
"You know it could be a hideout of a serial killer," he called after her. There was no response. "Damn it," he muttered, and followed after her.
"Do you see this molding!" She yelled from upstairs.
"I mean, it's nice," Chuck muttered, shrugging. "I wonder if this is how I look when I see a new computer or maybe an old one that's really rare?"
"Your girlfriend is running around looking at her dream house and you're down here talking to yourself?" Casey asked, from behind, making Chuck jump. "You really are a moron."
"What the hell are you doing here?" Chuck asked, holding his chest. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."
Casey thrust an envelope to Chuck's chest. Chuck took it, wincing. "That's the money for Emma's house, and for Sarah's house. I've already talked to Peter for you. He said just use his to pay for Emma's, Emma said, use her's to pay for Sarah's. So, that's really hers, but I think she'll want to hug or something, so I'm hoping I can trust you to give her the money and not keep it for yourself." Chuck gave him a look. Casey sighed. "If there's someone I can trust, it is you Bartowski."
"Out of curiosity, how much is in here?" He asked.
Casey grinned, turned and headed to the door. "More than the asking price of the house. Hell, there's probably enough in there to handle most renovations."
"Casey," Chuck began.
"Save it, Bartowski," Casey muttered, and stopped at the door. "Merry Christmas, Kid." And with that, he left…at least he tried. He opened the door, and was assaulted by Carina's lips.
"Jesus," Chuck muttered, watching in disgust, but unable to turn away.
Sarah was bounding down the steps. "Chuck you have to see the backyard, it's perfect for someone who wants a family some day." She stopped as she witnessed the mess of arms, and smashing faces that was Casey and Carina. "Jesus."
"Let's go talk in the kitchen," Zondra said, pulling the two away from the pair making out like teenagers.
Sarah looked over the kitchen, and then ran her hand over the counter. "We would totally fight about these counters," Sarah muttered.
"Depends, if it was for you, I wouldn't," Chuck told her. She spun, shock on her face. "You said you need somewhere to live."
"I do," she admitted.
"What do you think, Zondra?" Chuck asked. "Should we buy it, and sell it to someone who's had a life where she's never been able to experience a home."
"I can't afford-" Sarah began.
Chuck laid the envelope in front of her. She gave him a look, picked it up, opened it, and saw the two checks. She looked up at Chuck. "That's what Casey is being thanked for," he said, a sour look on his face.
"Would this cover everything?" Sarah asked timidly. Zondra reached into her bag, and pulled out her metal clipboard. She opened the cover, and Sarah saw the statement already there. "I feel like I've been set up."
"Listen, I knew nothing," Chuck told her.
"You know things, just not about this," she told him, grinning at him.
"Keep that up and I'll add ten percent to the cost," Zondra told her. Sarah looked properly chastised. "So, here's the cost of the house, the materials based on what I think you would say, the good counters, and our profit. Here's the amount of those two checks, and if you'll notice, there is quite a bit left over."
"Or maybe enough to buy more materials and labor," Sarah suggested. Zondra gave her a look. "I might have a few ideas."
"Well, it is your house, but you'll have to fight hardass over some of the costs," Zondra told her.
"No she won't, not on this one," Chuck said shrugging. "I'll give up my part of the labor."
"You will not," Sarah said, turning to him. "This is my house, and you will treat me like any other customer."
"Then we can't sleep together anymore, because I don't sleep with any other customers," Chuck countered.
"I'm gonna leave and let you two…you know what, you don't even hear me you're so caught up in your arguing," Zondra said. With that she turned and left.
"That's not fair, and you know it," Sarah told him.
"You are getting the best counters," Chuck told her.
"We can bone on any counters," Sarah told him.
"Only the ones that are finished, I don't want a splinter in my ass…or yours," he countered.
"Fine, I'll give you that point, but you are not doing this for free," Sarah insisted.
"I'm doing this to make my girlfriend, who I love, happy, which is payment enough," Chuck replied.
"While that is very sweet and has definitely earned you boning rights on said finished counters, you have to find your own place to live," Sarah told him.
"Why, I have somewhere to live, I'm happy, you have found your place, and once we have you set, we can worry about me."
"You don't like to have sex at your parents house," Sarah reminded him.
"You have your own house now," Chuck reminded her.
She pursed her lips, a thought occurring to her. "Okay, I'll consider it, but this is only tabled, I'm a partner now, you can't just order me around like before."
"We both know you like to do the ordering," Chuck told her in a low voice, his brown eyes flashing something that made her shudder.
"We both know you like it," she countered.
"DON'T BONE ON THE COUNTER UNTIL WE BUY THE HOUSE!" Carina yelled at them. Chuck and Sarah both grinned at each other and shrugged.
}o{
Christmas Eve at the Bartowski house was something like Emma or Sarah had never experienced. It was like Thanksgiving, just more Christmasy. Everyone got to open one present with everything else saved until tomorrow. Everyone had on a Christmas sweater, sweatshirt, or tee shirt. If one did not have on the required attire they were told they would take up their infraction with Mary.
Even Casey had on a Christmas sweater.
As people argued about who's present each person got to open, Chuck noticed Sarah looking very nervous. Emma was moving out on the 26th, so he naturally wondered if that was what was bothering her.
In the past two months, Sarah would have gone from living with her parents her entire life, to being by herself. She told the group that she was going to enroll in community college and work on a design degree. She was told she didn't need to, but she wanted to.
Chuck told her he would tutor her if she needed anything, and she told him she didn't have money to pay for tutoring but she thought they could work something out. She found herself giggling as usual, her tongue sticking out between her teeth, at the look on his face.
Chuck made his way across the room over to her. "You okay?" He asked softly, taking a sip of his hot chocolate.
"Yeah," Sarah said. "No," she admitted. "I wanted to give you your Christmas present early, but I didn't want to do it around everyone."
"Is it a lingerie set and you're not sure if it will fit me?" He asked. She snorted and swatted him.
"It really means a lot to me," Sarah told him. "It's something I want to give to you, but I'm scared you won't like it, and I'm really scared to give it to you in front of people."
"Where is it?" Chuck asked.
"It's a small box under the tree," Sarah told him. "It's labeled from me to you."
"Meet me at the door in a few minutes," Chuck told her.
Before she could stop him he was at the tree, looking for the present. "What are you doing little brother?" Ellie asked.
"Sarah has a present to give me, that she doesn't want to do it in front of everyone, so I'm trying to find it, and go outside and open it," Chuck told her.
Ellie was quiet for a second, nodded, and then spoke. "Okay, let's find it, and I'll help you get outside." Chuck gave her a confused look. "It's obviously very important to her, so it's the least I can do."
"Thank you, Ellie," he told her. The two began the search and a few seconds later, Ellie held it up. She handed it to Chuck, squeezed his shoulder, and glided over to her mom, to run interference as Chuck headed to the door. Sarah was standing nearby and the two slipped out, into the night sky.
They walked a bit away from the house, closer to a street light. "So, do I just open it? Do I give it to you and then you give it to me? Is there something you want to say?"
"I love you," she told him. "And….well, just open it."
Okay," Chuck told her. He began to unwrap the gift, when her hand covered his, stopping him. "Uh, it's hard to unwrap when you are literally stopping me."
"I'm afraid me giving you this is selfish," Sarah began.
"This is making no sense, Sarah," Chuck admitted.
"This…gift, and it is a gift, but it is more of what I want, so that makes it selfish, and this is supposed to be the time of being unselfish and-"
He stopped her spiraling by leaning in and kissing her. After a second he pulled back. "How about I open it before you freak out? Okay?" She nodded and began to unwrap the gift again.
"Okay, it's a box," Chuck said, grinning at her. She shook her head at him. "Can I shake it, or will it break it?"
"Shake away," she said. "You goof."
He shook the box and heard the rattling. "Ooo." He opened the box and looked inside. He looked at her, then back into the box and pulled out a key. "So, is this the key to your heart?"
"No, my house…our house…our home," Sarah told him. "And that's why I'm being selfish. I don't want to not be around you at night. I don't not want to ride home with you and not ride to work with you. I want that home to be my forever home and that doesn't give you a chance to live by yourself, or in a home you want to live in."
"What if all I want in my home is you?" Chuck asked. She just stared at him. "Sarah, if you want me to move in with you, I can. I can be a roommate."
"A roommate?" Sarah asked.
"Sure," Chuck said with a shrug.
"Would we have sleepovers? Sarah asked, grinning.
"As often as you'd like to," he replied. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him. "I think this is a very giving thoughtful gift."
"You do?"
"Sure, you're sharing everything, with me," Chuck told her.
"Maybe our house should be in our name," she said shyly.
"Sarah, if something should happen…"
"Chuck, I trust you," she told him. Chuck gave her a questioning look. "Nerd, you're it for me."
"Okay," he said softly, grinning at her. "How often do you think I'll get to sleep over?"
"Every. Damn. Night." She told him, grinning. She took his hand and led him back inside. As they came inside, they saw Ellie watching them. Chuck grinned at her, and she smiled.
"Everything okay, son?" Mary asked.
"Yeah, Sarah asked me to move in," Chuck said with a shrug. "I'm gonna be her roommate."
"Roommate?" Emma asked.
"He's having sleepovers," Sarah told her mom. Everyone in the room laughed, and Chuck pulled her in tight.
"Love you Sarah, Merry Christmas," he said softly into her hair.
"Love you Chuck," she said, squeezing him tight. "Merry Christmas."
"We did good," Zondra told Carina.
"Pfft, we're always good," Carina replied. The two pounded fists. "Work's gonna be weird."
"Work is always weird," Zondra retorted. "Merry Christmas, Carina."
"Merry Christmas, Zondra," Carina told her. "Think they'll bone on the counters?"
"Absolutely."
A/N: Ahhh…what? Oh, you want to know about the epilogue…I swear I spoil you…
"You know, it's not fair is it?" Chuck was confused by the shift. "Society says that the guy has to be the one to lead in these things, but you know what I think?" Chuck shook his head. "I think these things should be done together, as a couple."
"But someone has to broach the subject," Chuck added.
"Someone does," Sarah agreed, nodding. "How about this, on three, we both say what we think my perfect name, first and last, would be, and then we discuss the findings, no judgment from either side."
"One question," Chuck cut in, before she could start counting. "How do you feel about Hilda?" She tilted her head at him slightly, giving him a look that questioned if he liked the sex they were currently having on a regular basis. "Got it."
Well…well…well….come back next time for the conclusion.