A/N: The insanity continues. This can't get worse…right? BTW, I accidently gave you the preview for the NEXT chapter last time so…muh bad.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

"Christ," Anna growled, watching Chuck at the Nerd Herd Desk. Casey walked up to her. "I take it they didn't fix their issue last night?"

"Wu, you know it's not just about having sex," Casey reminded her.

"I know," Anna sighed. "That idiot loves her, and she loves him. Hell, if they did just have sex, it would probably make things worse."

"I don't know if that's possible," Casey told her. "Listen, I did my part last night." Anna took a deep breath, praying he wasn't about to say what she feared. "I speak Bartowski. You… you go talk to Walker."

"But you speak spy," Anna insisted.

"Wu… she needs a friend."

Anna glared at Casey. "Christ," she muttered, turned and walked out the door.

"Do not recruit her," Morgan said, walking by.

"These morons steal all my fun," Casey muttered.

}o{

Sarah stood there, wiping the counter, her mind elsewhere.

She woke, feeling rested, feeling a comfortable weight on her shoulder. She leaned her head over toward it, and felt a softness on her face. She inhaled, and smelled his shampoo. The smile grew on her face, and she realized she was holding something. She pulled her arms tighter, and her smile grew as the comfortable weight pressed harder against her. She pushed her lips down into the softness, and planted a kiss on the head it belonged to. Her eyes flew open, as the weight under her had quit breathing.

She pulled back to find Chuck's eyes, wide. Her mind screamed no, but her heart… her heart said otherwise. She pulled him down to her, and her lips touched his. His low moan made her entire being tingle, and she rolled him over, straddling him. She kissed him like her life depended on it. Pulling away, their eyes met, and reality sank in. Chuck pulled away slowly, giving her a sad smile.

"Sorry," he said softly.

She shook her head at him. "I started it," she insisted.

"Fine, you started it, but I didn't stop you," Chuck replied. "Still worth it."

"Is it?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said. "At least I know I'm not crazy, and you like me."

"I mean… I did tell you that on our first date."

"I didn't know…"

"It was real, Chuck." He smiled at her. "We should probably get out of bed before…"

"Sarah?" he began. "Thank you."

"For what?" she asked, surprised.

"For being honest."

The door opened, pulling her out of her thoughts, and she saw Anna.

"How do we do this?" Anna asked. Sarah pulled back her chin. "I don't do the whole buddy-buddy thing, so do I tell you the truth, or do we… what the hell do we do?"

"I'm confused," Sarah began.

"Fine… Chuck spilled everything to me and Morgan about you, the bomb, and the kiss," Anna began. Sarah's eyes fluttered like she was having a migraine. "We told Beckman we knew, and there's a lot more, but you know the important stuff. Casey is waiting on your phone call for you to confirm."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sarah said. "I don't really know John Casey that well."

Anna rolled her eyes, grabbed her phone and dialed. "Casey, Wu. You were right, she's denying everything." She held the phone out. "He wants to talk to you."

Sarah took the phone. "Christ, Walker, I get protocols, but what spy would go to that length to make up that story?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but if you were a spy, why would I believe you? You could be making this call under duress," Sarah pointed out, enjoying herself.

"Christ, Walker, this whole damn mission has me under duress!" She heard a commotion through the phone. "I'm heading outside… will you seeing me be enough?"

"John," Sarah began.

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!" he screamed, and she heard him, and not just in the phone. She looked out the door, and there was Casey, walking toward the Weinerlicious. "Wu knows! I hate this damn assignment."

"John," Sarah began again.

"Walker! I have had it with these damn ladyfeelings! Talk to Wu, or don't. But for the love of everything that's holy, if you don't figure this shit out between you and Bartowski, I'm going to use Maggie!"

Sarah drew up. "Listen to me, John Casey… if you hurt one hair on Chuck Bartowski's head-"

"I was talking about using it on me!" Casey said in a low voice. With that, he hung up. Sarah took a few breaths to calm down over what she had perceived to be a threat toward Chuck.

"Now, what happened this morning?" Anna asked. Sarah shot Anna a look. "Come on, you were staring off into space thinking about something, and he is, too. Something happened… or didn't, and it should have."

"If it was anyone else, something happening would have fixed the problem," Sarah muttered. Anna nodded. "Not with him."

"No, not with Chuck," Anna replied, sitting in a chair. "Not that he couldn't do the wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am." Sarah gave her a look. "I mean, he could, right?"

Sarah twisted her lips and gave a slight head shake.

"Yeah, I figured as much." Anna sighed. "Want to talk about it?"

"No," Sarah said. Anna nodded. "See, it's his fault," she began. Anna gave her a look. "He's just… cuddly."

"Morgan's like a damn koala," Anna muttered.

"So, you get it," Sarah said, coming from around the counter, and sitting down beside Anna. "I mean, I didn't want to," she continued, then trailed off.

"They shouldn't be so damn cute first thing in the morning," Anna said. Sarah began to chuckle. "How dare they look that adorable?"

"Why is it so hard?" Sarah asked.

"Maybe you should tell him how you really feel?" Anna suggested.

Sarah shook her head. "If I do that, he'll…"

"He'll stay with you forever," Anna finished. "And there's that whole asset-handler rule."

"Exactly," Sarah said.

"But what about the Chuck-Sarah rule?" Anna asked. Sarah gave her a look. "You know, the one where they love each other?" Sarah looked away. "Don't worry, I won't tell him… but I'm pretty sure he already knows."

Sarah wasn't sure if that was better, or worse.

}o{

"Bartowski," Casey began, as Chuck looked up at him. Casey sighed. "Christ, Bartowski, what happened?"

"Nothing," Chuck told Casey. "Nothing at all. Casey, we have a professional relationship, we are friends. And even if there were more, we could never pursue it, because of the asset-handler rule. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an install to complete." Chuck turned and walked away.

Casey turned back, resting his elbow on the Nerd Herd desk, as he saw the front door open and Anna walk in. She walked up to him.

"Shit," they both said at the same time.

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink, or whatever the sexual equivalent of that is," Morgan said, walking by.

"What do you see in him?" Casey asked.

"It's the beard," Anna replied with a shrug. "It does things to me." Casey got a disgusted look on his face. "Not all beards… just his."

"You ever think it could just be him?"

"I try not to," Anna admitted. Casey nodded. "Guess we need to tell the General and Director Graham that they are going to be needed."

"We have a few days," Casey replied. Anna gave him a flat look. "You don't think they'll figure this out on their own?"

"Do you?" Anna asked. Casey sighed, and the two headed toward the theater room.

"There's still Ellie," Morgan said to himself, as he walked up to the abandoned Nerd Herd desk.

}o{

"You didn't have to make this," Sarah told Chuck as he put the chicken on the table.

"Uh, yes I did," Chuck replied. "First, you don't just crash at someone else's place-"

"It's our place," Sarah reminded him. Chuck's face tightened, and he nodded. "Hey, it's not some imposition."

"Sarah, the only reason I'm living here is because they're making me," Chuck told her. "And I'm not mad about it, but it's you and I, so let's quit pretending anything otherwise."

He sat down, and was beginning to spoon some food onto his plate as she spoke. "You're right," she said softly. "I am glad you're living here, Chuck." He stopped, looking at her, stunned. "I am. Being a spy is… a lonely life, and… I know this isn't ideal, but having you here, someone to talk to…"

"I'm here," Chuck said. "I am here, and I wish this wasn't so hard on you, but I'm glad there are parts of it you like."

"I like all of it, but one part," Sarah said softly, looking down at her plate.

"I apologize for having gas," Chuck quipped, making Sarah snort with laughter. She looked away, trying to keep the laughter under control.

"I mean, that first date, if it had been a really great date and we had… you know…" Sarah turned to him, curious. He was blushing a bit, but continued, grinning. "I had Mexican, Sarah." She tried to hold it in. "It wouldn't have been pretty." Sarah burst out in laughter.

"Oh, God, I needed that," she said, wiping tears from her eyes a few minutes later. "Can I ask you a really personal question? You don't have to answer."

"Okay," Chuck said, and took a bite.

"Would you have, if I'd asked?" Chuck stopped chewing and shock covered his face. She cleared her throat. "If there had been no Casey, no gunfight, and it had been just you and me… and I had asked you, honest to God, no spying, to come home with me… would you?"

Chuck was silent a moment. "Yeah, I think I would have," Chuck admitted. "I mean… I don't know for sure, because…" Sarah nodded, understanding. "Can I ask why you asked?"

"Someone once said that you weren't a hit-it-and-quit-it type." Chuck started to laugh. "Actually, they used the phrase wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am." He quit laughing, his eyes going wide, and worry on his face. Sarah began to smirk. "Oh, you figured out it was Anna."

"Uh, Sarah," Chuck began.

"It's okay," Sarah said gently. "But it got me wondering, because I was having a good time, and we had a connection. So, if I had asked-"

"Yeah," Chuck replied. "But then you'd have had to leave, and that would have killed me."

"I thought so," Sarah said softly. "It would have made things worse, wouldn't it?" Chuck nodded. "That's why we can't, right?" Chuck nodded. "Okay."

"Do you want to?" Chuck asked. She gave him a look. "Gotcha, answer received, question withdrawn."

"Look at us, having a conversation."

"Are we?" Chuck asked, grinning.

"We are. Others might not see it that way, but we are." Chuck nodded. "You know, the smart thing would be to find a way to move on."

"I'll make you a deal: You figure out a way for you to move on, and I'll do the same," Chuck told her.

"How the hell am I supposed to do that, us living together for however long?" Sarah asked. Chuck gave her a look. "Fine, point."

"I'm sorry-"

"Stop… please, never apologize for feeling however you feel about me, Chuck," Sarah told him. "I'm honored, and know that it's reciprocated."

"We'll figure this out, Sarah," Chuck told her. "Trust me."

"Okay," Sarah replied. "Okay."

A/N: Next time, drunk Chuck and Sarah