A/N: I did say more or less….
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck
It was at a Halloween party a few nights later, that Chuck and Sarah found themselves in a corner, talking. They were thinking about leaving early to pursue a vigorous game of Yahtzee, or whatever it is newly wedded couples do, when they saw him approach. He had a toothpick in one hand, a grape Nehi in the other, and a beard that just wouldn't quit.
"Well, well, well," Morgan said, approaching them. "I have had the most interesting conversation with Ellie and Devon, and they have told me the story of your weekend in Vegas."
"Pretty amazing, huh, buddy?" Chuck asked, his eyes pleading with Morgan.
"I told you, I don't take no for an answer," Morgan said, staring at Sarah. Chuck's eyes widened. Morgan raised a hand to Chuck. "Stay out of this Chuck, this is business."
"I didn't know you were this ruthless," Chuck said.
Sarah reached over and grabbed Morgan by the beard, surprising both men. "No one," she said in a low voice, "threatens me."
"Wasn'tathreat," Morgan said quickly. "More of a joke, hahaha?" Sarah let go of Morgan's beard and he scooted back, eyeing Sarah. "Guess I'll go talk to Ellie and Devon."
"Wait," Sarah said, looking at Chuck. "I'm not sure this is the best idea."
"I think it's an amazing idea," Morgan countered.
"Work, yes. Chuck and I…" Sarah looked at him.
"Is something wrong?" Ellie asked. All three froze. Ellie looked from one to the other, and crossed her arms. "I asked you a few days ago if there was anything else."
"I did say that was it," Sarah repeated. "More or less," she said softly. Ellie's stare intensified. "It wasn't part of the main story."
"I felt it did become part of the main story though," Chuck countered.
"I didn't even know I was in the damn story," Morgan muttered. He felt everyone look at him. "That… that was what I was not supposed to say." With that, Morgan wandered off.
"He has a habit of doing that," Chuck muttered. Ellie was still staring at the two.
"I'll take the bullet on this one, it's sort of my fault," Sarah said. Chuck kissed her cheek. "So…"
}o{
Saturday morning, Vegas, then
"Hey, I got to take this," Chuck told Sarah.
"No problem," Sarah told him. "I've got a person texting me about a work thing."
"Hey buddy, what's up," Chuck asked, stepping out of the room.
"I've found her," Morgan said. "I got a call last night she was in Vegas, and I got down here ASAP."
"You found who?" Chuck asked.
"The marketing person I told you about, The Ice Queen," Morgan reminded him. "You still okay with this?"
"Yeah," Chuck told him. "You're in Vegas?" he looked around.
"Turns out she is too," Morgan said. "Hey, she's texting me, gotta go."
Morgan hung up and Chuck looked at his phone. He looked back at the room.
Nah… couldn't be.
}o{
Now
Ellie looked at Morgan, then at Chuck, and finally at Sarah. "Oh, God. No."
"Yep," Sarah replied.
}o{
Then
"I just had the strangest phone call," Chuck told Sarah, walking back into the room. "Seems my buddy, who is in charge of distribution and logistics, just found his white whale."
Sarah chuckled at that. "Well, I can one up you. I just got called by a VP, wanting me to come work for him, doubling my current salary. Think that's too much change, giving what we're about to be doing?"
"No, no, not at all," Chuck said, Sarah not watching him. "Say, not that it matters one iota to me, but… what is it you actually do?"
"Marketing," Sarah said. "And, I'm good at it."
"Yeah?" Chuck replied. "How good."
"They call me The Ice Queen, because I will freeze hell over to push a product," Sarah said with a smile. There was a strange look on Chuck's face. "Don't like the nickname?"
"By chance, was the person who contacted you… was he a part of… The Piranha Corporation?" Chuck asked.
"Yeah," Sarah replied, pulling her chin back in shock. "How'd you know?"
"You ever look up their President and CEOs picture?" Chuck asked.
"No," Sarah replied. She turned and then spun back around. She stared at Chuck. He nodded to her phone. She typed in her query, hit search, clicked the link, and looked up at him. "I mean, you do look good in a suit."
}o{
Now
"How the hell did Morgan find her?" Ellie asked.
"My dad, the night before," Sarah said. "He'd been calling himself a head hunter when he learned who I was, and what I was in the marketing field. Apparently, Morgan paid dad a finder's fee."
"I had no idea," Morgan protested.
"So how did he not know?" Ellie asked.
Sarah pulled her top lip between her teeth.
}o{
Then
"Okay, I'm torn… I thought the job was a good one, the benefit package was amazing," Sarah began.
"We take pride in our benefits to our employees," Chuck said with a shrug.
She smiled at him. "Please don't take this the wrong way," she began.
"You are beyond hesitant to work with me," Chuck said. "Plus, sort of puts a whole new twist on keeping this thing secret, huh?" Sarah nodded. "So, you need time?"
"Yeah. I mean, I don't want to say never," Sarah admitted.
"Well, you actually do know some people," Chuck reminded her. She swatted at him. "But all kidding aside, Morgan is like a dog after a bone about these kinds of things." Chuck tapped his lip.
"I have an idea, and it's a little crazy, but it might just work."
}o{
Sarah was sitting in the sauna. Green goo covered her face, her hair was wrapped up in a towel, and cucumbers covered her eyes. A towel securely wrapped around her.
"Lisa?" Morgan called out. Sarah had given Morgan her middle name.
"I'm here," she replied. "You've sent me your offer, I've got a wedding to go to, and not to be rude, but I'm a little crunched for time."
"Hey, I get it, and I want you to know I appreciate you hearing me out," Morgan told her. "I just need you to know, we could really use someone like you."
"I appreciate it, Mr. Grimes," Sarah told him. "But really, I need to go soon."
"No problem," Morgan said, backing out of the sauna. "No problem at all."
}o{
Now
"I don't get it," Ellie admitted. "How did he catch you?"
"I don't give up," Morgan replied shrugging as he walked back up, popping a chip into his mouth.
}o{
Then
"In a few weeks, I'll tell him we don't have that type of budget," Chuck told her. "So, we're doing this?"
"We're doing this," Sarah replied. There was a knock on the door. "You expecting someone?"
"Could be Daphne," Chuck reminded her. "I'm gonna grab my stuff and I'll be ready."
"Okay," she said, and walked over to the door. She opened it, and there stood Morgan.
"Mr. Grimes!" she said loudly, hoping Chuck would hear him.
"Ah-ha," Morgan said with a grin. He handed her his card. "I didn't get to give this to you earlier… no pockets. I'll give you four months, but you should know this: I don't give up."
"Mr. Grimes," Sarah began.
"As I said, four months," Morgan told her, starting to turn. He pulled out his phone and hit a number, then stopped, as he heard The Mexican Hat Dance coming from behind Sarah's door.
}o{
Now
"ARE YOU TELLING ME MORGAN GRIMES WAS AT YOUR WEDDING AND I WASN'T?!" Ellie bellowed. Everyone stopped what they were doing, and turned toward Ellie.
"No," Morgan said softly. "I wasn't there, because I knew you'd be mad at me, if I was."
"Oh," Ellie replied. "Oh," she said again, nodding. "Good call."
}o{
Then
"Chuck?" Morgan said.
"Hey, buddy," Chuck replied, looking nervously to Sarah. "Listen, I need you to ease up on… The Ice Queen."
"Sarah," Sarah said. "I'm Sarah Walker." She held out her hand to Morgan. "And he and I are getting married." Morgan's eyes widened. "And the only way I'll consider coming to work with you, is if you keep this quiet. And that means from Ellie."
"I can't keep secrets from Ellie," Morgan said. He turned to Chuck. "Chuck, buddy, explain to her how I can't keep anything from Ellie. I tell her stuff she doesn't even want to hear."
"It's true," Chuck admitted.
"Then I guess he does give up," Sarah said with a shrug.
"Excuse me, what?" Morgan asked.
"I told you my terms, but you refused them so…. ergo, you gave up," Sarah explained.
"Morgan Grimes never gives up… unless there's a restraining order involved," Morgan clarified.
"Sometimes not even then," Chuck muttered.
"Do we have a deal?" Sarah asked, extending her hand.
"Deal," Morgan said, shaking her hand.
}o{
Now
"You know, for once, I'd like to be involved with a secret," Ellie groused.
"Come on, buddy," Chuck said, pulling him to safety.
Sarah watched the two walk away, and turned to Ellie. "Do you mean that?" Sarah asked. Ellie raised an eyebrow.
A/N: So now this is complete…. more or less. See you soon.