A/N: I tried to end it. I TRIED, but you all… you just wouldn't let me, and a good point was made. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

The group was eating, when Carina remembered something. She reached into her purse, and handed Sarah the check back. "Carina, we can't take this," Sarah began.

"He paid for it, and it's his loss. The big ape, all those grunts getting me all worked up and then saying he didn't know if it was the right thing to do," Carina muttered. "I hope he's drinking Johnny Walker every night, trying to forget about me."

Ellie had leaned over and, seeing the amount on the check, she boggled. "Holy shit," she breathed. "Sorry, couldn't help-"

"It's fine, Ellie," Chuck replied. "It's not what we would have done, but it was… nice."

"Nice?!" Carina said. "Nice?!"

"I mean, it almost didn't happen," Chuck said, and then winced.

"Damn it," Sarah muttered.

"Spill it," Ellie demanded.

}o{

Then, Thursday night, Las Vegas

"So, I'm Daphne," the wedding coordinator said, shaking Chuck's hand. "Come with me," she told him. Chuck followed her, texting Sarah where he was going. She had run off to comfort Carina. "I'm going to put you two in the Penthouse, since they had never checked in. It's on one of the high floors, with a fountain view… just romantic as it can be."

"Wait, we can't just take-" Chuck began.

"It's paid for," Daphne reminded him.

"But what if Carina stays," Chuck asked.

"She's not staying, she's on her way back," Sarah told him, walking up to Daphne and Chuck. "So, what are we doing?"

"So you're telling me there is a paid-for penthouse," Chuck began.

"For three nights, your choice of an evening meal at Picasso or PRIME-" Daphne corrected him.

"PRIME," Sarah said. Chuck turned to her, and she shrugged. "What can I say, I prefer a steak over French food."

"Beverage, beverage tax, and gratuity are not included," Daphne said in a low voice. "You've got a keeper there."

"I know," Chuck replied with a smile.

"Breakfast in bed for two on Sunday morning," Daphne continued.

"Any chance you have chocolate croissants?" Chuck inquired.

"We're in the Penthouse suite watching the waterfall, baby. I don't think you have to try this hard," Sarah said, shoulder bumping him.

"Sarah, I'm just doing what I'd always do," Chuck replied, shrugging.

"A reception for thirty," Daphne continued.

"Okay, wait," Chuck said, turning to Daphne. "Is there a homeless shelter, preferably one with kids or women or something, that we can donate that food to?"

He felt Sarah's hands curl around his bicep, but he never looked at Sarah. "I'll gladly pay whatever it takes for delivery, or whatever other charges to take care of that," he continued.

"I think we can take care of that," Daphne said. "The wedding cake and drinks?"

"Any alcohol?" Sarah asked.

"Six bottles of champagne," Daphne told her. "The rest is all water, juices and sodas."

"Send those, and we'll keep the champagne," Sarah replied. Chuck turned to her. "What? We aren't giving up that hotel room, it's use it or lose it."

Chuck turned back to Daphne, who had a conspiratorial grin on her face. "How about I take off the top tier of the wedding cake, since that might look a little weird, and you two can have it… Saturday night."

Chuck and Sarah shared a glance and chuckled. "Okay," Chuck relented. "But you can go ahead and book out the room where the wedding was."

Daphne made a "tssk" sound and grinned. "Sorry," he said in a singsong voice, not looking sorry at all. "That room is paid for sooooo…"

She went behind the desk, typed a few things and handed him two keys. "I'll have your luggage taken to your new room, and you still have a few days to think about the wedding."

"Daphne," Sarah began.

"I mean, if anyone should be getting married, it's you two. You didn't see the way she looked at you when you suggested donating the food." With that, Daphne walked off. Chuck looked down at his card, and the two new keys.

"That was a nice thing to do," Sarah told him.

Chuck shrugged. "It was the right thing to do," he said. "But, we're keeping quiet for six months."

"There are more reasons than that not to get married, Chuck," Sarah told him.

"Sarah, I really don't see a downside," he admitted. He reached over and took her hand, as she watched him, speechless. They walked to the elevator and waited for the car.

}o{

He stood there, watching the fountains, in only his boxers. The room was magnificent, and they had thoroughly enjoyed it. She was in bed, sleeping, he thought, until her arms wrapped around him from behind, as she kissed his shoulder.

"She would kill us," Sarah told him.

"Okay, two things: One, you really are thinking about this, aren't you?" She nodded her head against his back. "Two, if that's the best reason you have to say no, do you really have a reason?" He felt her smile against his skin.

He moved so that she was against him, both watching the fountains. "What if – and hear me out – what if we go do the paperwork tomorrow, knowing that either of us can back out any time for any reason. And when we go home, we are secure in the fact that we love each other, but this just wasn't the time or place?"

She was silent for a moment. "Okay," she said softly. He looked at her. She grinned and nodded. "I still think we're getting carried away in the moment."

"Maybe," he agreed. "Doesn't mean it's not the right thing to do. I love you. You know that, right?"

"God, Chuck, I love you, and again, you're it, it's just…" she trailed off and laughed. "I want to be with you, marry you, but… Vegas?"

"Listen, if it's some Elvis's you need, I'm sure we can get Daphne to hook us up." Sarah cracked up laughing. "But it's like you said; no muss, no fuss, it's just us."

She shook her head at him. "That was a lot of unnecessary rhyming." He laughed. "Ellie will murder us."

"Yeah, but isn't it worth it?" he asked. She didn't answer verbally… her smile gave away her thoughts.

}o{

Now

"I don't get it," Carina said. "It seems like by Thursday night you had decided."

Chuck and Sarah exchanged a look. Chuck shook his head. "Oh, I know you are just being overly dramatic," she said. Chuck paled a little, as Sarah picked up the story.

}o{

Then, Friday, Las Vegas

Sarah was confused. That morning, Chuck had been very quiet, and when it was time to talk to Daphne, Mr. Talk-to-Everyone had gone completely quiet. They got in the limo, rode to the Marriage License Bureau, completed the paperwork, and brought it back to Daphne.

"This is perfect, so you're a go?" she asked, excited.

"Well, we're a firm maybe," Chuck said. Daphne looked confused. "What if tonight we go ahead and do the rehearsal, and see how we feel about it Saturday morning?"

"I don't understand," Daphne said. "You two are just… listen, it's none of my business, I get paid either way. God, and I hate to say that, because there are fly-by-night people out there that will take advantage of you and take all your money, but I do what I do here, to see love."

Chuck looked over at Sarah. "I love you," he said simply.

"I know," Sarah replied. "And we did make an agreement." Sarah saw Daphne's questioning look. "We agreed to see if this felt right. We know we're it for each other, but we're not sure if we're ready, and whatever happens we leave here knowing we're committed to each other, forever."

"You two belong together," Daphne said shrugging. "But, it's your decision, your choice, and while I would love to see it happen, you have to do what's right." She put her hands on the outside of each of their shoulders and looked from one to the other. "So, we'll do it your way, which is how it should be done. Now, the food has been delivered to The Shade Tree of Las Vegas." Chuck and Sarah smiled. "They thank you for the amazing food. So, do you two want PRIME tonight?"

"Yes," Sarah said. "I need to borrow my… fiancé, for a moment." Chuck's eyebrows went up at that word, and Daphne's smile was instant.

"Of course," she said. Daphne left, and Sarah led him to the elevators.

"Oh, that kind of borrowing," Chuck said in a low voice with a chuckle.

"Not even close, Buster," she said, all traces of humor eradicated.

Chuck swallowed and didn't say a thing until they entered the room. "What the hell is going on, Chuck Bartowski? This isn't cold feet or nerves, it's something else. What. Is. It."

Chuck stuck his hands in his pockets, turned towards her, looking at the ground. He raised his head and blew out a breath. "After dad left, I had entered a science fair. Everything was just… dull, and gray. I won that science-"

}o{

Now

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Ellie yelled. Sarah sat back, her eyes wide. Chuck, on the other hand, had braced himself, knowing what was coming. He got up, walked into the bedroom, and came out a minute later with a shoe box, that he handed to Ellie. Glaring, she took off the lid, looked inside, and pulled out a trophy. "Charles Irving Bartowski!" she began.

"And you thought I was overreacting?" Chuck asked Sarah.

"You perhaps didn't emphasize enough how she would react," Sarah replied.

Ellie pulled the trophy out and held it in the air. "Our lives were shit, Chuck! SHIT! Dad had left, mom had left, and we got a win and you didn't let me celebrate with you?"

"It didn't change anything Ellie," Chuck said softly. "Don't you see, we were still without a dad. You still had to raise me, and I just didn't care."

Ellie sat there, watching him. She blew out a frustrated breath. "Okay," Ellie said, nodding. "You're right. I mean, I still wish I could have celebrated with you, but you're right, and in that moment… I get it.

"And," she said, taking a deep breath like she was about to say something she really didn't like. "I get why you two didn't tell me, or anyone. I'm just glad you're happy."

"We do have the DVD," Sarah offered.

"That's great!" Ellie said. Sarah went to the shelf, dug through and found what she was looking for. She gave it to Ellie.

"It's yours, we got two copies," Sarah told her.

Ellie grinned as she looked at the DVD, but the grin fell as she saw the date. She dug into her purse, pulled up her phone as Chuck shut his eyes.

"Damn it," he muttered. She looked up at Chuck.

"You. Called. Me." Ellie said. Sarah looked at him. "You called me the day before this," she said, holding up the DVD.

"You promised you wouldn't tell anyone before I said it was okay," Sarah said.

"He didn't tell me," Ellie said.

"Then what the hell was he doing?" Sarah asked.

"Dude," Devon said, utterly confused.

"I'm really thinking we should have kept quiet longer," Chuck muttered to himself.

A/N: Chuck… dang. Yes, there's another chapter coming.