A/N: "We need to talk." The worse phrase in the English language. Maybe in any language. Let's see how Chuck handles the situation.

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck


Chapter 11

"What uh… what do we need to talk about?" Chuck's voice quivered slightly, showing further proof of his growing concern. Sarah felt a little guilty, putting him through this, but she hoped it would be worth it in the end.

"I have a confession to make," she admitted, dropping her gaze to his chest where her hands still gripped his shirt. "Carina had one of our friends do a background check on you."

"She… she what?!" Chuck snapped, his brow furrowing in anger. "What the hell, Sarah?"

She remembered how angry Chuck had been with Bryce, and this seemed like a close second. She was taken aback but Sarah supposed he had a right to be upset about people invading his privacy like that. She certainly would if he'd done that to her.

Placing her hands flat on his chest in a hope to placate him, Sarah rushed on to try to explain. "Chuck, I-I know, but please… Please, just listen. I know it was wrong, and I had no idea she'd done it until I got a call from our friend this morning. The thing is, you have to understand the world I come from," she pleaded, patting herself on the chest for emphasis.

"Day in and day out we're bathed in … lies and deceit. It's what we do — what I did," she corrected, looking him in the eyes in the hopes he would understand her meaning.

With his lips pursed, Chuck held her gaze for a moment, his eyes darting, searching hers. Finally he closed his eyes and let out a sigh. When he opened them again, he still didn't look happy, but at least he was calming. Since he seemed to be listening, Sarah continued.

Using some of her well-honed seduction techniques — for good this time— she looked up at Chuck through her lashes in an effort to mollify him. "Carina was just trying to look out for me. When she asked them to look into you, Carina didn't really know you yet, so she didn't trust you; she couldn't trust you. It's how we survive." Chuck blinked but nodded his understanding.

Sensing that his anger was subsiding, she wanted to get back to the topic at hand. She needed to hear the truth from him. "You know what she found, don't you Chuck?"

Chuck's eyes widened slightly and he swallowed thickly. After a moment of silence he closed his eyes and she could see his shoulders slump. Chuck nodded his head minutely, before he opened his eyes again to meet her gaze. Instead of the flecks of brown and gold, his eyes were a pale green, almost gray. The sight caused her heart to break a little. Perhaps she had pushed things too far. Pulling back slightly, she tried to soften her features.

"You know a lot more about the owner of Serenita than you let on, don't you?" she asked, trying to maintain a soothing tone. She wanted him to confess to her rather than her telling him what she already knew.

Chuck let out a deep sigh, dropping his gaze to the floor. He was silent for a long moment before he finally spoke. "He was going to sell it. Enzo Rossi. He was trying to get out from under this place to make some quick cash. He had some debts to pay off and some investments he wanted in on. When Giulia told me, I… I just… I couldn't let that happen. This isn't just a piece of land. It's people's homes, their livelihoods. It's… it's… so much more."

He lifted his gaze to meet hers, and she could see the tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. She pulled her lips between her teeth to try and halt her own tears, but they were beginning to blur her vision. Sarah knew he had a big heart, an empathic heart, and she could see that now more clearly than ever. She knew what he meant about this place being "more". It was more. It was serenity. It was home.

Sarah nodded her understanding, not taking her eyes off him. "I know," she whispered, her voice not allowing her to do much else.

Chuck sniffed, dropping his gaze for a moment. "I couldn't keep it though. It didn't belong to me. That's when I asked my lawyer to come up with a way that these people could keep their homes and avoid something like this in the future. So, he created a trust and I had him name Giulia as the trustee. Giulia was the only one I confided in about all of this. Since I came to Serenita, she's been like… like a mother to me. She's the glue that holds this community together, so it only seemed appropriate."

Lifting his head, he held her gaze as he continued. "We transferred all of the hamlet's assets into the trust. All the buildings, the lands, everything. My lawyer created a detailed plan of which families had rights to which home, what would happen if anyone died or wanted to sell. We tried to plan for every contingency so they would never have to worry again. And, selfishly, so I wouldn't have to worry either."

Sarah cleared her throat and licked her lips as she thought about how to frame her next question. "And what about you? Are you a beneficiary of the trust too?"

She could see the embarrassment on Chuck's face as he swallowed hard. He nodded. "I am. I have rights to two homes in the hamlet. The little cottage I live in and… the villa you're staying in. They were both vacant and deteriorating at the time." He gave a shrug, looking rather sheepish. "I felt a little guilty about it, but I added some money into the trust as a… buy-in, I guess you could say. If anything happens to me, the two buildings stay within the trust to be used as they see fit."

"So you don't technically own these buildings anymore, you just have rights to these two through the trust?" Chuck nodded in the affirmative. Sarah chewed on the inside of her cheek as she considered him for a long moment. "And nobody but Giulia knows about any of this. Why?"

Chuck took in a long breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just… I didn't want these people to see me differently. I came here to get away from … from being judged by the car you drive, the clothes you wear, or … or how much money you make. I was happy with them thinking I'm just Chuck, because I am. I'm just Chuck. I'm a simple guy with simple needs, and if they knew about all of this, it could ruin it all."

Sarah nodded, biting her bottom lip as she dropped her gaze to his chest, where she realized she was, once again, gripping his shirt. Releasing her hold, she smoothed out the wrinkles, enjoying the firmness of his chest beneath her fingers. His response had caused a question to form in her mind, and while she knew it was a loaded question, she couldn't help herself.

"Simple needs, huh? So, Chuck, what is it that you need?" She met his gaze and raised an eyebrow in anticipation, twisting her lips to try and mask the grin that was threatening to break through.

Sarah had expected him to get flustered and stammer, as he often did, but she was shocked when he continued to hold her gaze with no sign of flinching. She stared into his eyes and could once again see the streaks of brown and gold, that sparkle returning. "Honestly, just you... Just you," he repeated, with a simple shrug, as if there was no other answer.

The breath caught in her chest as her heart began to race. That had not been the answer she was expecting, but deep down she could admit it was the one she was hoping for. Letting out her breath, she could feel herself melting. To be wanted or desired by someone else, on a carnal level, was not something new to her. She'd used that to her advantage to great effect throughout her career. But to be needed, that was something else entirely. For so many reasons, she wanted this man; carnal reasons included. But more than that, she knew she needed him just as much.

"God, that's a good answer," she breathed out, the huskiness in her voice even surprising her a little. Sarah had wanted to have a "talk" with Chuck, to hear his side of the story, to get more answers. For now, she had all the answers she needed. It was time to focus on some wants.

Sliding her hands up his chest, she wrapped them around the back of his neck and laced her fingers into his hair. Raising up on her tiptoes, she pulled him down to her, pressing her lips to his. He seemed a bit hesitant at first but quickly got past it, deepening the kiss as he placed his hands on her hips. She couldn't help her soft moan of contentment that escaped as they kissed, and when he responded in kind, it only added fuel to her desire.

Pulling his head closer to her with one hand, she slid her right hand down his chest, caressing him as she went. She could feel his large hands dig into her hips, pulling her closer to his body so that their hips were touching. The heat within her was rising quickly and her breathing through her nose was getting more labored.

Finding the hem of his t-shirt, she slid her right hand inside, pressing her palm to his flat stomach and dragging it up his body. The deep growl that emanated from his chest nearly set her on fire. In her past, the heated, adrenaline-filled affairs she'd had on occasion after a mission were lukewarm at best compared to how she felt now.

With a gasp, they pulled their lips apart, the need for air becoming too great. But rather than pressing his lips back on hers, Chuck began to place hot, wet kisses down her jaw, eventually finding the spot just below her left ear that sent a shiver up and down her spine.

"Oh, God." Her shaky moan did nothing but spur him on, continuing to trail kisses and lightly sucking along her neck until he reached the depression at her collarbone. Her knees began to buckle slightly, causing her to dig the nails of her left hand into his back as she tried to keep herself upright. Sarah knew if he kept this up, she'd be a puddle on the floor. Bringing her hands to his face, she pulled him to her, resuming their kissing from before, heated and passionate. In all of her experiences, it had never been like this, including the ringing in her ears. As they continued, so did the ringing sound. It then dawned on her that it was not just the ringing from the blood rushing through her ears, but the actual ringing of a phone, a cell phone.

"Phone," she tried to get out between kisses, not pulling away from him completely.

"No thanks," Chuck replied, barely breaking the kiss. Sarah had to chuckle, finding it reassuring that he was just as lost in the moment as she was.

Patting his chest, she tried to pull away. "No… your phone… ringing." Without breaking the kiss, he shook his head, showing no interest in stopping.

Sarah pulled away, only to have Chuck continue his ministrations along her jaw. She took a few deep breaths, trying to get her wits about her. "If you don't answer, they might come looking for you." Chuck paused, keeping his lips pressed to the side of her neck as he let out a groan. She could empathize. It felt like a splash of cold water to her too.

With a huff, he fished the phone from his back pocket and pulled away from Sarah, taking a step back to give them some space. When he looked at the phone, his eyes grew wide as saucers. Quickly, he swiped it up to answer, bringing the phone to his ear.

"El! Hi. Hey… uh.. How-how's it goin'?" Sarah watched as Chuck began to pace the kitchen. When he moved, she noticed the pan still on the stove, so she at least had the good sense to turn off the burner.

"You're here? Wh-wh-what do you mean here…. In Italy?" His voice jumped nearly an octave as he turned to look at Sarah, his eyes wide. "You're coming to Serenita. Wow! Wow, that's... No, no. No, it-it is a surprise!" Sarah could see the panic beginning to spread across his face, so she closed the distance between them and placed a hand on his free arm.

"When are you….. Oh, you're on your way now… an hour? Wow, that-that soon….. No, of course it's alright. I'd love to see you guys. There-there is uh… one small problem. No, no, it's just… the villa I renovated —the one I told you about— it's kinda … sorta… occupied right now. Yeah, someone is renting it." Chuck gave Sarah a tight, apologetic smile though it didn't do anything to hide the panic on his face.

"No, hey. No. El, you're not getting a hotel somewhere. That's ridiculous. You can stay at my place and I'll… I'm sure I can find somewhere else to crash. We'll…. we'll just figure it out when you get here… No, really. It'll be fine. Yep…. uh huh. Alright. I'll meet you at the store at the bottom of the hill; it'll be easier that way. Yeah… See-see ya in a bit. Love you too." After ending the call, Chuck deflated, closing his eyes and pressing the phone to his forehead. Sarah couldn't help but feel amused at his reaction. She wasn't sure why he was looking so panicked. From what he'd shared about his sister, they seemed to have a great sibling relationship.

"What's wrong? I thought you'd be more excited to see your sister," she said, rubbing his arm in an attempt to comfort him.

Chuck stood up straight, shaking himself from his thoughts as he returned his phone to his pocket. "Oh, yeah. No. I love her to pieces. She's the best, it's just…" He puffed up his cheeks and blew out a long breath. Running a hand through his hair, he gave her a sheepish smile.

"Ellie can be… a lot, sometimes. I mean… a LOT. She's been on this kick for so long about me 'getting back out there'," he said, using air quotes, "and finding someone."

Sarah chuckled lightly. "Well, mission accomplished," she said with a shrug and a wry smile. That brought a rather dreamy smile to his face that began to rekindle some of the feelings she'd had just a few moments ago.

"Yeah," he cooed, trailing off. Quickly he shook himself. "I mean, yes. I have, but… you see, this is so new. You and me, I mean," he said, gesturing between them. "And when Ellie meets you and sees how absolutely amazing you are and then… and then finds out that we're… together…" He gestured with his hand, giving her a raised eyebrow as if expecting her to get what he was alluding to.

Sarah was confused and getting a little worried by Chuck's behavior. Did he not want his sister to know about them? "So, you don't want her to find out that we're together?" She folded her arms across her chest, hugging herself as she leaned back against the counter.

Chuck's eyes grew comically large as he began to wave his arms. "No! I-I mean, yes! I-I do want her to know. God, I want the world to know. Are you kidding me? It's just that… Ellie is going to flip her damn lid. She'll interrogate you about anything and everything. That's so much pressure to put on you, especially with this being so new. I just…" Chuck blew out a huff as his shoulders slumped. "I just don't want her to scare you off. I'll probably do a good enough job of that by myself. I don't need any help."

Just when she thought she couldn't fall any harder for this guy, he proved her wrong, yet again. She gave him a sympathetic pout as she pushed off the counter and closed the distance between them. "Hey," she said, taking his hands in hers. "You have nothing to worry about. I'm not going anywhere. You forget, I'm a trained CIA agent. We're taught to resist interrogation."

He let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "No offense, but you haven't met Ellie Bartowski—err Woodcomb. They could put her to work at Gitmo and waterboarding would fall back into favor as being more humane." Sarah couldn't help but crack up at Chuck's rant, resting her forehead on his chest as her shoulders bounced.

Chuck seemed to calm down, laughing lightly along with her. Once Sarah's laughter subsided, she slid her arms over his shoulders and smiled up at him through her lashes. "I'll gladly endure whatever tortures she has in store for me," she stated, reaching up and giving him a soft kiss on the lips. "I think you and I should just go and meet them when they get here. Rip off the Band-Aid as it were."

Chuck sighed but nodded his agreement, though he still looked apprehensive. "Um… about before…"

"You mean when we were about to christen this kitchen?" Sarah bounced her eyebrows, not even trying to hide her mischievous grin. Chuck began to splutter, choking on his own tongue perhaps.

"God," he coughed, chuckling all the while. His ears and cheeks were practically glowing red, and she found she really loved that she could have that effect on him. "I-I meant before that," he managed to get out, clearing his throat. "I didn't want to keep those secrets from you. It's just that… I didn't know how to…. What you would think of me if—"

Sarah pressed her finger to his lips, halting his downward spiral. "I understand," she said, trying to convey her sincerity with her eyes. "And I… I admit," she paused, dropping her gaze to his chest as she berated herself internally, "when I heard what they found in your file, I reverted to my old ways." She could see his chest swell as he drew in a large breath. Placing her hands on his chest again, whether to comfort herself or him seemed immaterial at the moment. Lifting her gaze to meet his, she was biting her bottom lip to keep her tears at bay.

"I didn't want to believe you were involved in anything bad. It just didn't seem like something you would do." Closing her eyes tight, she shook her head. "But then, my training kicked in. It made me question everything I thought I knew. It made me question you."

Opening her eyes again, they were blurred from unshed tears, but she continued. "I'm so, so sorry that I doubted you, even if just for a moment. It won't happen again. I promise."

Chuck gave her a tight smile, nodding. "I understand. Thanks for giving me the benefit of the doubt, even when you had reasons not to."

Sarah returned his smile, feeling some of the burden of her mistake being lifted. Glancing down at her hands as she began to play with the hem of his shirt, she lifted them again to look into his eyes. "I realized that if I judged you for all the things you haven't told me, that would be pretty hypocritical of me. You know that there are things about my past that I haven't told you, and yet you've accepted me despite that. How can I do any less?"

Chuck scrunched up his face, shrugging his shoulders as if he was going to argue her point. Forestalling him, she continued. "Plus, we've only met recently and just started a relationship literally yesterday. I think we're entitled to some 'getting to know each other' time. Don't you think?" She raised her eyebrow in challenge and she saw his argument crumble.

"You're right," he said with a grin, nodding his head. "But I don't want you to think it's because I don't trust you—because I do. I was just a little concerned that if you found out that I had money you might think of me as some… entitled douchebag or something."

Sarah couldn't help but giggle at his comment. Chuck Bartowski was the polar opposite of "entitled douchebag". She'd known that from the first moment she met him, and was even more convinced of it now. "Chuck, in my line of work I've met all manner of entitled douchebags. Criminals, warlords, despots… Bryce Larkin," she added with a giggle. That brought a small smile to his face as well, but she could see some cloudiness in his eyes as the smile began to fade. Perhaps it was a little too soon to be joking about her ex. Not wanting to dwell on the topic of Bryce, she pushed on. "I know douchebags, and you, sir, are the furthest thing from it."

His blush from earlier returned, and with it came a shy grin. Sarah placed her hand on his jaw, stroking her thumb across his cheek. "Zondra —the friend I was talking about before— told me how successful you've been. While I was definitely shocked, it didn't change how I feel about you one bit. Seeing what you've done with that money… now that might have made me fall for you a little bit more," she teased, raising up on her tiptoes to kiss him.

Settling back down, she held his gaze, returning her hands to rest behind his neck. "So, are we good?" Sarah tilted her head to look at him through her lashes, waiting for his response.

His beaming smile was all the answer she needed. "So good," he hummed, nodding his head as he bent down to press his lips to hers.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sarah watched from inside Giulia's store as Chuck paced back and forth along the road. She could see how nervous he was, and honestly, it made her a little nervous as well. She'd never been introduced to a boyfriend's family before. Hell, she'd never had a boyfriend. Not really. Bryce had been… a mistake. Even so, they never assigned that label to whatever it was they had together. Maybe she had naively thought they might be something akin to boyfriend/girlfriend, but in hindsight they were nothing more than a convenience. That fact made this meeting seem even more important.

Chuck stopped in mid stride and lifted his head from staring at the ground. It was only a moment later that Sarah could hear the faint popping of tires on gravel. Chuck stuffed his hands in his pockets, stepping off the road as he waited. Pulling one hand out he gave a wave as the car came to a stop in front of the store. Sarah could see the smile bloom on his face when the door flew open and a striking brunette rushed toward him.

The woman, she assumed to be Ellie, practically leapt at Chuck, wrapping him in a bone crushing hug. He managed to stay upright, though he staggered a bit as he returned the hug. A tall, blond man slid out of the driver's seat and began to make his way to the siblings. The man fit Chuck's description of Devon, with his handsome features and athletic physique. He also wore a beaming smile that stretched from ear to ear.

Sarah chuckled as she watched the larger man wrap the other two in a huge hug, practically lifting the siblings off the ground. She could just make out the word "Awesome!" and Sarah couldn't help but giggle as she recalled the nickname Chuck had given him.

When the three separated, Chuck glanced toward Sarah through the store window and then back at his sister. He held up a finger, asking his sister to wait and then closed the distance to the store entrance. Whipping the door open, Chuck was brandishing his infectious smile, the one that gave her butterflies in her stomach and caused her to smile in reaction. He held out his hand and gestured for her to follow.

Hesitantly, she took his hand. She wasn't sure if the warm moisture she felt was from him or her own nervousness, but she didn't find it as off putting as she might have otherwise. At least she knew she wasn't alone in her apprehension. She let him pull her outside and down the few steps toward his sister. She had spent a lifetime learning to read people, but it seemed with Chuck and his sister, they were billboards, their emotions clearly visible; larger than life.

Ellie's mouth hung open as her eyes grew impossibly wide. Chuck must have noticed —or perhaps anticipated— his sister's reaction and he cleared his throat, getting Ellie's attention.

"El. This is Sarah. Sarah Walker," Chuck said, gesturing toward Sarah with his free hand. Sarah's left hand was still held tightly in his right and she wasn't sure if he even realized it. "She's the one staying in the villa; the one I mentioned on the phone."

Sarah took the initiative to extend her right hand in greeting. "Ellie, it's so great to finally meet you. Chuck's told me so much about you."

Ellie took Sarah's hand, shaking it, but still looking dazed. Still shaking hands, Ellie's gaze dropped to Chuck and Sarah's joined hands and then back up to Sarah's face. If it were possible, the older woman's eyes grew even wider. Looking between Chuck and Sarah, Ellie finally seemed to catch herself and let go of Sarah's hand, giving her an apologetic smile.

"It-it's great to meet you too. I'm sorry but I was just a bit taken aback. While you seem to know about me, I'm afraid my dear brother hasn't mentioned you before. And you're," Ellie trailed off, looking down at Chuck and Sarah's joined hands and back up to meet their eyes. The question lay heavy in the air, the uncertainty, and perhaps anticipation, palpable.

Chuck followed her gaze and jolted slightly at the realization that their hands were still joined. Sarah was thankful that he didn't pull away. Chuck met his sister's gaze, giving her his sheepish, lopsided grin.

"Oh, right. Umm. You see, the thing is," he paused, turning to gaze at Sarah. She met his gaze and could see the question in his eyes, hear the hesitancy in his voice. Sarah knew that he was concerned about pushing her too quickly, that this was all new to her and she was still trying to find her bearings. She adored him for it, but she was ready to take this step. She was a little fearful of his sister's reaction, her acceptance, but she wasn't about to hide her feelings for Chuck.

Sarah turned her gaze to Ellie, and with growing conviction, she confessed, "We're dating. Exclusively."

In the following moment, it felt like the world ground to a halt. There were no birds chirping, no wind through the trees; nothing. Ellie's face was frozen in shock. But then, Ellie gasped and the world went back into motion. Chuck's sister covered her mouth with her hands and Sarah could see the older woman's eyes beginning to mist.

"Really?" Ellie breathed out, her mouth still covered with her hands. Chuck nodded in the affirmative and Ellie exploded. With a squeal, Ellie pulled her brother into a hug, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Oh my God! Oh my God, I can't believe it," Ellie exclaimed, pulling back and taking hold of Chuck's shoulders as she looked him over. Then, in a flash, Sarah was enveloped in a crushing hug, the likes of which she'd never experienced. Breaking her hold on Chuck, she tentatively returned the hug, unsure of what to do or say.

"Thank you," Ellie whispered. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." It was Sarah's turn to become misty-eyed, hearing the utter relief in Ellie's voice. Sarah could practically feel it, the warmth of it on her skin, like the Sun peeking from behind the clouds after a heavy storm. When Ellie finally pulled away, taking Sarah by her elbows, the two shared a gaze. Tears had streaked down Ellie's cheeks and the sight nearly broke Sarah. This woman had not only been Chuck's sister, but, for all intents and purposes, his mother. From Chuck's stories, Ellie had been so worried for him, fearful he'd hide himself away and never find anyone to share his life with. Perhaps Ellie had begun to lose hope.

"I think it's I that should be thanking you," Sarah said, giving Ellie a smile. "You've done an amazing job with him. He's a remarkable man."

Ellie's face turned crimson, likely from both pride and embarrassment. She waved off Sarah's compliment, shaking her head. "He is a remarkable man, but that's not my doing. Well, not all of it, anyway."

"Gee, thanks," Chuck interjected with faux indignation. "I'm standing right here, you know." Both Sarah and Ellie smacked him lightly, chuckling at his antics.

"Dude! That's awesome, bro," came a booming voice, grabbing everyone's attention. Devon, who'd been standing back, watching the scene unfold, finally stepped in to offer his congratulations, which came in the form of a crushing slap on the back and a firm side hug.

Chuck winced at the gesture, rolling his eyes slightly. "Sarah, this is my brother-in-law, Devon. Devon, this is Sarah. My girlfriend." The last statement caused Chuck's smile to brighten, giving Sarah a rather dreamy expression. Sarah had to admit, despite her earlier reservations regarding the term, she really liked the way he said that. Girlfriend.

Sarah extended her hand to Devon, giving him a wry smile. "Nice to meet you, Captain." Sarah had enjoyed Chuck's tales of Devon and his exploits, especially the nickname Chuck had given him. She took a chance on using that title and she was rewarded with joyous laughter.

"Awesome! I like her already," Devon cheered, holding his hand up to Sarah for a high five. High fives weren't exactly common in her dealings with others, but Sarah was caught up in the moment and slapped his offered hand. Afterward, Devon raised his fists in triumph, much to Ellie's chagrin.

"Oh, God. Not you too?" Ellie groaned, shaking her head. "As if Chuck doing it wasn't bad enough. Devon's going to be insufferable now." The slight smirk on Ellie's face let them know she was taking it all in good fun.

After a moment, the chuckling died down and a somewhat awkward silence settled over them. Wanting to fill that void, Sarah rushed on without much thought. "You guys must be tired from the trip. Why don't you come up to the villa and have a bite to eat, maybe some wine?"

Chuck began to protest but Ellie was quick to jump in. "I'd love that!" Devon nodded his agreement too as they started to pile into the Woodcombs' rental. In the backseat, Chuck leaned close, whispering into Sarah's ear.

"Are you sure you're okay with this? You don't mind?" Sarah thought for the briefest of moments. She should be more apprehensive about this, especially given Chuck's warnings. The truth was, she was a little excited. Sarah had never entertained before, having people over to her apartment. True, the villa wasn't exactly 'hers', but it felt like it was. This felt good, and big. It was definitely a big step to invite Chuck's family over and spend time with them.

Sarah turned to look at her boyfriend and gave him a smile that she hoped answered his question. But just so there was no misunderstanding, she leaned into him and kissed him softly on the lips. The goofy grin on his face when she pulled away made her snicker, especially at the fact she'd left a smudge of lip gloss behind. Reaching up with a thumb, she brushed it away , which somehow felt more intimate than the kiss they'd just shared. With the way he closed his eyes as she did it, feelings were beginning to smolder within her, similar to those she'd experienced in the kitchen earlier in the day.

"Which one of these am I going to here guys?" Devon looked over his shoulder into the backseat but didn't seem to notice anything as he returned his gaze to the road ahead.

Chuck shook himself out of his daze and leaned forward to extend his arm between the front seats and gesture at the buildings ahead. "The second one on the right."

They pulled into the driveway and stopped before the archway that led to the garage behind the house. Even though Chuck was on the side of the car closest to the villa, he waited for Sarah to get out and lead the way. Technically, this was his house, and she was only a tenant, but he was letting her take the lead. It felt really good to think of this as her place, even if it was pretend.

"Oh my God, you guys," Ellie exclaimed, sounding breathless as she looked the place over. "I remember the pictures you sent when you first started working on this place. It's… it's gorgeous. Wow!"

Sarah paused and looked over her shoulder at Chuck, never having thought about what this place might have looked like before he renovated it. Chuck just gave her a tight smile, looking a little embarrassed.

Continuing the walk to the front door, Sarah called over her shoulder, "You should see the inside." Opening the large front door, Sarah gestured for Ellie and Devon to enter first, watching their gaping expressions as they tried to take it all in. Ellie's gasp of awe was much like her own when she'd seen the place for the first time.

"Oh, Wow! It's absolutely beautiful," Ellie said breathlessly as she turned in a circle in the foyer, trying to take it all in. Sarah followed the two into the living room with Chuck close behind. Sarah tried to pull Chuck along, but he just gave her a warm smile and waved her off, gesturing toward his sister.

"Go. Show her around," he insisted, pushing gently at the small of her back. Sarah tried to protest but he just kissed her on the cheek and whispered in her ear. "This will give you two a chance to get to know each other. I'd rather that happen while talking about the villa than talking about me… or us."

Sarah fought to focus on his words, rather than the warmth of his breath on her ear and neck, which was sending shivers down her spine. After a moment, Sarah was able to collect herself and followed after Ellie, answering questions about the villa. Sarah was thankful for the distraction, though when they walked through the kitchen, she had to move the tour along, the heat beginning to rise up her neck as she played over the events from earlier.

After showing Ellie and Devon the main floor, the bedrooms and the grounds outside, Sarah brought them back inside. "I saved the best for last," she said, beckoning Chuck's family to follow. Leading them down the stairs to the basement, she stopped in the small hallway at the bottom.

"Devon, I suspect you'll appreciate this room." Sarah turned on the light for the workout room and gestured for him to go inside. He let out a low whistle as he marveled at the space.

"Dude… this is," Devon trailed off, running his hands over the equipment.

"Awesome?" Chuck suggested, watching on in amusement. Devon shook himself from his daze and chuckled.

"I was gonna say amazing, but awesome works too." Everyone broke into laughter at Devon's comment. While Devon continued examining everything, even going so far as to test things out, Sarah led Ellie across the hall.

"I saw you eyeing the small wine rack in the kitchen," Sarah said, smirking at Ellie, causing the older woman to chuckle.

"Yeah. I confess, I'm a fan," Ellie replied with a sheepish shrug. In that moment, it struck Sarah how much Ellie reminded her of Chuck. In her mind she knew they were siblings, but seeing that same shy, self-deprecating expression seemed to cement it for her. While they certainly had their differences, they shared so much.

"Well then, I think you'll appreciate this." Twisting her lips to the side to mask her amusement, Sarah turned on the light to the wine cellar and stood back to allow Ellie to explore. Sarah nearly jumped out of her skin when the older woman shrieked.

"Holy shit!" Ellie held her hands over her mouth as she stared in wonder at the room before her. Behind the wrought-iron gate were hundreds of bottles of wine. It was the Promised Land.

Running her fingers over the bars of the gate, Ellie looked over the wine cellar reverently. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"Right?" Sarah interjected, chuckling at Ellie's reaction. "Would you like to try one?" Ellie whipped her head around to look at Sarah, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Uh, YEAH! Hello! Are you freaking kidding me? I would absolutely love that." Giggling at Ellie's antics, Sarah helped Ellie open the gate into the cellar and began pointing out some suggestions. Finally settling on a Serenità Vineyards Sangiovese, the group made their way upstairs.

Chuck took some wine glasses from the kitchen and led everyone to the patio. Sarah had to grin as Chuck pulled out a chair for her, ever the gentleman. Ellie sat to one side of her and Chuck on the other, after he poured glasses for everyone. They engaged in idle chit chat, talking about the villa, the weather and the beauty of the Italian countryside. The longer they talked, the more comfortable Sarah felt, any earlier apprehension evaporating. She could tell that Chuck was beginning to relax as well. Perhaps she'd passed whatever test Ellie might have had in mind for her. Sarah certainly hoped so because she found she really liked these people.

"I can see why you decided to move here, little brother. This place is pretty magical," Ellie said as she looked over the villa and gardens wistfully. Sarah could see the longing look in Ellie's eyes and could definitely empathize. At that moment, a thought struck Sarah that could serve to give everyone what they wanted.

"Hey, Ellie," Sarah began hesitantly. "I was thinking… why don't you and Devon take the villa while you're here."

"What?!" Chuck and Ellie exclaimed in unison.


A/N2: What? What's Sarah thinking? I wish I knew. They never share these things with me until the last minute. It's infuriating.

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Be safe and stay well.

JW