I don't own Chuck

She received the text that her contact was near. Sarah took another look at Chuck, stood, and headed back to the house, to meet Susan. As she saw the SUV pull up, she couldn't help but smile. Susan had done it, she had left the CIA. She had a family. She found someone that chose her.

The vehicle pulled up beside her, and the window rolled down. "Hey, Sarah," Susan said, a tired look on her face.

"You okay?" Sarah asked, concerned. A babble came from the back seat, and Sarah quickly looked back there, seeing the little boy, chewing on some toy. It was covered in slobber.

"Someone is teething," Susan told Sarah.

"Oh, I shouldn't have asked-"

"Don't you dare," Susan said quickly. "You're the only adult I get to talk to besides my husband, and he's as exhausted as I am."

"Do you want to come in?" Sarah asked. Susan gave her a look. "Right, we said no contact between you and my client."

"Sarah…I know I don't know what happened, but it's on your face that something went wrong, and if I can see it, that means you're slipping," Susan said gently. "Does he even know what he's done wrong?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sarah replied.

Susan snorted, Sarah gave her a look, and Susan burst into laughter. "There was a day my friend, that your glare, would have scared the bejezzus out of me, but the thing is, today…it's not that day." Sarah looked confused. "I thought we couldn't get any more tired than some of the stuff we did for the company, some of the hours we kept. Then I had a kid. I've reached a whole new level of tired, exhaustion, and panic that I didn't even know existed. Here's the thing, if you didn't care about that guy, I wouldn't see how upset you were. You're mad because you care."

"Oh, I know I care," Sarah replied. She winced, but Susan was already chuckling.

"Again, maybe he doesn't understand," Susan told her. She started the car, went to put it in drive and paused. "Then again, maybe you don't understand why he did what he did. See ya, love. Text me if you need anything." With that, Susan took off, leaving Sarah there, holding the bag Susan had brought her.

}o{

Sarah plopped down beside Chuck. "Ironic, isn't it?" He turned to look at her. "This time, there literally isn't anywhere you can go, because they might find you." She handed him the bag. He took it and looked inside. "There are different creams and gels in there to use on your muscles. I don't know which one you wanted so I had her get one of everything."

"Thanks," Chuck replied. "I need to pay you back for this somehow."

"I expensed it," she replied quickly. She winced at herself. "But," she added softly, making him turn back to her. "I would gladly pay for it not to see you in pain."

"I wish you didn't hate me," he said softly.

"I don't hate you, Chuck," she replied. She shook her head and turned, looking him right in the eye. "God, I almost wish I did. That would be easier than this."

"Sarah, I know I messed up," he began.

"Yeah, you did," she replied. "I'm sorry, I'm just hurt."

"Okay, I messed up, but let's be honest, there were times you said we couldn't be. There were a lot of times that I-"

"Stop," she said in a voice that was cold as ice. "Chuck, what you don't seem to realize is, I chose you, every damn time. When I said we couldn't be together, do you know why? It's because they would have reassigned me. I chose you in that moment. If I had chosen for me, fuck yes, we would have been together."

"But," Chuck began. "But."

"Every. Damn. Time. I made a decision it was about you. It was about you. Every. Damn. Time." Tears were flowing out of her eyes. "The one time I wanted you to chose me, you chose what's best for you."

"No I didn't!" Chuck insisted.

"You chose to be the Intersect over me!" She replied, her voice rising.

"I chose to learn the Intersect so you wouldn't leave me!" Chuck replied.

"What the hell does that mean?" Sarah asked. "That makes no sense! Do you remember when Bryce came back at Thanksgiving? Do you know he asked me to leave?" Chuck nodded. "I chose you. When they tried to take you away on the helicopter, I was prepared to shoot someone for you." Chuck swallowed. "When it came time to bring you in to a bunker, I chose you!"

"I know, I know!" Chuck replied, trying to leap to his feet, but failed miserably because of how sore he was. He finally got up, and turned and there was Sarah, not backing down an inch. "I get it, you chose me, but did you?" She pulled back her chin. "Did you really decide to stay with me, or not go with Bryce? Or, what about the wedding? You never said-"

"I was going on vacation with you!" She snapped.

"And then what?" Chuck asked her. "Sarah, my whole damn life, I've never been enough. Not for my mother. Not for my father. Bryce thought I wasn't good enough for the CIA. When I wasn't in Stanford I wasn't enough for Jill."

"I'm not them," she said softly and dangerously. "I have guarded you Chuck Bartowski. YOU. Not the damn Intersect, but you!" She paused. Chuck swore steam was about to pour out of her ears. "You didn't trust me."

"I didn't," Chuck admitted. "But….Sarah…you never told me."

"I didn't," Sarah agreed. "I trusted that you would understand, and I guess…I guess I was wrong to trust you." She glanced down at the bag in his hand. "You might want to use the roll on one, it will be easier to reach the back of your leg." With that she turned and headed toward the house.

"Sarah!" he called out after her. She lifted a hand to stop him and kept walking. "Fuck!" he swore.