A/N: I know. I know. It's been way too long since I updated this story. Sorry about that. I'll try to update more frequently as I have other stories that have or will soon be wrapping up.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck.

Chapter 14

Chuck had changed his shirt five times so far, finding each either too nerdy, too dressy or too boring. He couldn't help but play over in his mind the conversation they had at the beach yesterday. They had agreed to take things at their own pace, not wanting to rush into a more physical relationship. Still, the party today seemed to be one of those times that lent itself to that sort of … "activity". A pool party, bikinis, alcohol and no parental supervision was the perfect recipe, right? He flopped back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling as he blew out an exasperated sigh.

"Nothing is going to happen Chuck. Pull yourself together. Just some fun in the pool, some good food … Sarah in a swimsuit ...GAH! Not helping!" He began rubbing his hands over his face in frustration, groaning. He finally rose to his feet and dug through his dresser drawer again. He pulled out his black Evanescence t-shirt and put it on, throwing an extra t-shirt and shorts into his backpack. He was already wearing his swim trunks under his shorts, so he wouldn't have to change when he got there. He went to his night stand to grab his watch when he saw inside the drawer that was slightly ajar. The condoms that Ellie had given him on their prom night were staring at him. He could even hear Ellie's voice in his head, preaching the virtues of preparedness and using the umbrella analogy. "Better to have it and not need it." The thought of 'needing' them was causing his pulse to quicken and his hands started to sweat a little. Grabbing the small packets from the drawer, he placed them in one of the zipper pouches in his backpack and zipped it closed. With them out of sight, his nerves began to settle. He put on his black Chuck Taylors and looked himself over in the mirror. Running a hand through his curls he huffed in resignation. Grabbing his bag, he walked to the kitchen and jotted a note on a Post-it pad and then stuck it to the refrigerator for Ellie.

"Heading to party. I'll text if I'm gonna be late. - C"

He grabbed his car keys from the small bowl beside the door, locking the door on his way out. Making his way to the parking garage for their apartment building, he stopped in front of Mrs. Milano's Jaguar. A grin grew across his face as he recalled driving it to pick up Sarah for prom and all the fond memories of that night. He hummed to himself, tossed his keys in the air, caught them and continued walking. In the nose-bleed section of the parking garage he stopped in front of his car. It was a 1995 Geo Prism and it was all his. He had used some of the money he had saved and bought it from an older woman in the apartment building who couldn't drive anymore. Sure, it was a few years old, but had low miles and was in pristine condition. Despite Ellie's teasing that the car was 'purple', he argued it was periwinkle and refused to let her ruin it for him. He now had his own car, which frankly, was much better for going on dates with Sarah than the bus.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Chuck knocked on the door of Sarah's house. He felt it incredibly rude to sit in the driveway and honk, so he always came up to the house to meet her. He was quite accustomed to the routine around answering the door at the Walker house. There was always the sound of something tumbling down the stairs, followed by a loud thud before Molly threw open the door. Today was no exception.

"What up, Chuck? Ooo. Dude! Nice shirt. I was just listening to 'Imaginary' upstairs. Amy Lee is freaking amazing!" The younger Walker stepped back a few steps to let him inside.

"That she is. I think I could listen to 'My Immortal' on repeat all day long," Chuck replied as he stepped into the entryway, closing the door behind him.

"Sarah! Tall, dark and nerdy's here!" Molly shouted up the stairs, a hint of a chuckle tinting her words. You could tell she took pride in her nicknames for him. Even Chuck had to snort at that one. Instead of Sarah, it was her mother, Emma, that started down the stairs, a smirk on her face, shaking her head at her youngest daughter.

"Molly. That's not very nice," she chided, though there was humor in it.

"It's OK, Mrs. Walker. I embrace my nerdiness. Besides, I've been called far worse." For a brief moment the smile fell as some of those memories flashed through his mind. Quickly, he shook them away and came back to the present. Nobody seemed to notice, but if they had, they didn't call attention to it.

"Sarah will be down in just a second. She was just finishing packing her bag," Emma announced as she stepped off the last step. "How's Ellie doing? Is she taking classes this summer?"

"She's good. Busy. She's taking a couple of classes, but mostly just working. She's trying to save up enough for next autumn's term. That way, she might not have to work so much when her class schedule is full." Chuck stood with his hands in his pockets, rocking on his heels a bit. He was still a little nervous talking with Sarah's mother, even though she'd never really given him reason to be. He wanted to be in her good graces, to approve of him seeing Sarah. He was afraid his mouth would get ahead of his brain and he'd say something to ruin it all. As if she could sense his discomfort, Sarah walked down the stairs to join them. She looked like an angel descending the stairs, the backlight from the upstairs hall window giving her an amber halo. Chuck's smile stretched from ear to ear, causing his nose and the corners of his eyes to wrinkle slightly. When she met his gaze, she gave a bright smile in return, warming him all over.

"Hi," Sarah said, stepping up to him where he stood in the foyer. He swallowed thickly before responding.

"H-Hi." He stood there awkwardly staring at her for a moment before he shook himself from his reverie. "Oh. Let me take that for you." He took her bag and shouldered it, looking a little sheepish. It was then that he recalled they were not alone and slowly turned to look at Sarah's mother and sister. Molly just rolled her eyes with amusement, shaking her head before she wandered off into the other room. Emma, however, stood with her arms folded across her chest, lips pursed but with mirth in her eyes. Sarah stepped up and gave her mother a hug, which the woman returned, kissing her daughter on the head.

"Love you. Be safe," Emma stated, brushing a strand of hair behind Sarah's ear. Sarah smiled and nodded before heading toward the door. Emma stepped up to Chuck, causing his smile to falter slightly. He wasn't in a full on panic, but he sensed he was about to get a stern talking to. Bracing for the worst, he stood up straight and met the woman's gaze. Chuck towered over her by nearly a foot, yet he felt so small in her presence. She stared up at him as a smile began to spread across her face. She reached up and gently patted him on the cheek.

"Take care of my baby, OK?" Chuck's eyes grew wide, surprised by the woman's soft and sincere plea. He began to nod his head before he could form a response.

"Yes. Yes, Ma'am. I promise. Though, full disclosure, she's far better equipped to take care of herself than I am," he stated with a self-deprecating shrug. Emma snorted and shook her head. She took his arm, turning him toward the door. Sarah was already out the door and heading toward the car, a sufficient distance between them that she couldn't hear their conversation.

"That I have no doubt. It's her heart I'm most worried about." He turned to look at her, shocked by the candidness from Sarah's mother. He was also a bit affronted that she would think he could ever do anything to hurt her. Before he could respond, she patted him on the back and chuckled softly, sensing his objection. "But I know she's in good hands." She gave him a knowing smile and pushed him out the door before he could reply. "Go on before she leaves without you." He peered over his shoulder as he headed toward the car. They shared a wave goodbye and he seemed to feel more at ease. It was as if she had given her unspoken approval and it felt really good, like a weight had been lifted.

With a little more spring in his step he caught up to Sarah and opened the passenger door for her. Putting her bag in the back seat, he hopped in the driver's seat and started the car. He moved to put on his seat belt but paused. Instead, he turned and leaned over into the passenger seat and kissed Sarah soundly. She hummed in both surprise and then contentment, lifting a hand to hold his cheek. When he pulled away she was blinking, trying to figure out where that had come from. Chuck was not usually the one to initiate a kiss, but she found she really liked when he did.

"Wow. What was that for? Not that I'm complaining, mind you," she rushed out, waving her hands at him. He fastened his seat belt and gave a small shrug.

"I'm in a pretty good mood and I missed you. I didn't want to wait anymore to kiss you. That OK?" He turned to look at her before he put the car in gear.

"Oh, it's very much 'OK'." She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. "Alright. We better go before I have to hear a lecture from my mom about making out in the driveway." She gave him a wry smile and placed her hand on his knee, absentmindedly tracing small patterns with her fingers. Leaning her head back against the seat, she closed her eyes humming in contentment. Chuck turned the station on the radio and when the unmistakable song intro began he felt duty bound to crank it up.

"Drums Please!"

When the turntable scratching bled into the deep base line, they both started to nod their heads in time to the music. The warm California breeze flowing through the car windows as they made their way to Jennifer's house reinforced the theme of the song. Chuck jokingly sunk further down in his seat, placing one hand on top of the steering wheel and pretending to wave at people out the window.

"Leanin' to the side but you can't speed through

Two miles an hour so everybody sees you"

Sarah burst out laughing at his antics, smacking him playfully on the arm. When a pedestrian returned one of his waves in confusion, they both started laughing so hard they were in tears. They sobered as the song came to a close and eventually made it to Jennifer's house. Chuck parked behind Jennifer's car as she was the least likely to leave anytime soon. Chuck grabbed his bag from the back and Sarah took hers, despite his protest. She instead took his free hand in hers and walked to the gate to the back yard. The six-foot privacy fence around the pool and deck area offered some protection from the prying eyes of the neighbors. Although the neighbors were a fair distance away, there was little in the way of trees or bushes to offer any other type of cover. Once they were through the gate and latched it behind them, a number of shouts rang out as they rounded the corner.

"Blondie! Wohoo! Grab a drink and get your ass in the pool!" Carina was floating on a blowup raft, complete with cup holder, raising her drink to the sky in salute. Jennifer and Kaitlyn aslo in the water, their arms resting on the edges of the pool with drinks in front of them. They too beckoned their friends to join them in the pool. Chuck and Sarah set their bags down beside a nearby lounge chair and Sarah began to shed her clothing. Chuck stood in wide-eyed surprise as Sarah dropped her shorts, finding she was wearing a white bikini underneath. When she removed her t-shirt and tossed her hair from side to side, Chuck thought his head was going to explode. This was the most of … 'Sarah' that he'd ever seen. At the public beach she had worn a one piece suit, and while that was still breathtaking, this was other worldly. He hoped there was an AED nearby because he was certain his heart had completely stopped. He was unable to control the escape of a whispered 'Oh dear God'. Walking away, Sarah looked back at him over her shoulder with the most devilish grin he'd ever seen.

"Come on. Catch up and join me," she instructed, nodding toward the pool. She sauntered over to the pool and he was certain now that she was intentionally trying to kill him. The movement of her hips was far more exaggerated than her normal walk, causing her very shapely rear to taunt him. When she reached the edge of the pool, she gracefully dove in. Resurfacing a moment later, she flung her hair back in an arc to get it out of her face. The movie 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' ran through his mind which he quickly shook away, feeling it very inappropriate.

"I think you broke your nerd," Carina shouted, gesturing toward him with her drink in hand. It was then he realized he had not moved or blinked or breathed in quite some time. Carina's jab made all the girls burst into laughter, including Sarah. She did give him an amused pout though, realizing from the coloring of his ears and cheeks he was definitely embarrassed. He quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat as he tried to recover. "Come on Chuckles. Get in here," Carina continued. The others joined in, encouraging him to join them. He couldn't come right out and say it, but at the moment, there were more reasons than just general bashfulness preventing him from taking off his shorts. He waved them off, gesturing to the lounge chair.

"Ya know, I think I'm just gonna hang over here for a little bit. You've got the whole g-girl thing going on over there," he stammered out, waving in the general direction of the pool. "You guys go ahead." They all pouted, expressing their disappointment with 'awwws'.

"Where are the guys? I thought they were supposed to be here too," Sarah interrupted, looking around.

"Oh, they're inside watching baseball or something. Some sort of sports ball. I dunno," Jennifer offered, waving her hand through the air. "Sarah, you need a drink. C'mere. I got you a cup already to go." Jennifer held up an insulated cup, complete with lid and a straw. The others had similar cups in a variety of shapes and colors. Sarah swam over to meet her friends, taking the offered cup.

"What is it?" Sarah smelled the cup, trying to discern the contents.

"I found the recipe online. They called it 'Asscracker Punch'. I know. I know, but it's soooo good. You gotta try it," Jennifer urged, gesturing for Sarah to try it. Reluctantly, Sarah took a drink, not fully trusting her friends.

"Wow!" Sarah exclaimed, her eyes wide in surprise. "That is really good. What's in it?" she asked, taking another sip.

"It's super simple to make. It's got lemonade, limeade, Sprite and a little bit… OK, a lotta bit of vodka," she snickered, taking another sip herself. The others chuckled in kind and then broke into conversation, gossiping about people from school.

Chuck just sat back, watching and listening. Mainly he watched Sarah, the way she interacted with her friends and the way they interacted with her. He'd never really had many friends, so he was rather new, still, to the notion and found it fascinating. The ease at which they all seemed accepting of one another, including and engaged with each other. He supposed they were including him into their circle too in much the same way, but he still felt like an outsider much of the time and. A few months ago, none of these people would have said a word to him in school. He was pretty certain, that back then, most of them didn't know his name, even though they had been going to school together for years. The more he thought about it, the more his mood seemed to spiral. This was supposed to be a fun night with friends and he didn't want to bring the mood down, so he tried to shake those feelings of uncertainty from his thoughts.

As he watched and listened, he could tell that the effects of the alcohol were slowly starting to affect the girls. Chuck was not much for drinking but he wasn't going to rain on anyone's parade if they wanted to drink responsibly. He knew, firsthand, the devastation that alcohol could have on a person, their friends and family. He didn't really trust himself to start drinking, a small part of him wondered if he could go down the same route his father had. A loud 'pssst' pulled him from his thoughts, turning to see Sarah leaning on the edge of the pool facing him. She had a concerned look on her face, mouthing the words 'You OK?' It was then he took stock of himself and realized his brow was furrowed in concentration. He immediately relaxed and gave her a small smile, nodding. She also relaxed, but her expression turned a little mischievous. She crooked a finger and beckoned him toward her, a raised eyebrow indicating that she was not to be ignored. He pulled himself out of his lounge chair, making his way to meet her. He bent down on his hands and knees to get as close as possible. There was still a fair distance between them, so she continued to urge him closer. He smirked and closed the distance as instructed. She pulled herself up on the edge of the pool to meet him halfway, pressing her lips into his. They stayed like that for a long moment before she sank back down into the water. She pushed off the side and as she drifted away she, again, crooked her finger, motioning for him to come to her. The look on her face both enthralled and frightened him more than a little.

"Come swim with me Chuck," she cooed, making an innocent, pouty face. He knew he was putty in her hands and he didn't even care a little bit. He kicked off his shoes and socks, then after a moment's pause, he took off his shirt. That garnered him some catcalls from the other girls, making Chuck's face and ears turn three shades of red. He quickly dove in the pool to hopefully find a moment's sanctuary under the water. He swam under water until he found Sarah.

Cocooned in his underwater world, he felt a little more adventurous. He took the opportunity to take hold of one of her feet and began to tickle it. He could hear the muffled scream and laughter above him as she desperately tried to pull her foot away from him. His firm grip on her ankle made it difficult to break free. That was until her other foot flailed in unison, her heel catching him in the right eye. Immediately he released her foot, his eye closed tight instinctively. Her flailing ceased and he could hear an 'Oh shit' from above. Slowly he surfaced, bringing his hand to cover his eye.

"Oww…" he stated flatly, standing in front of her. He could see the mortified look on her face, one hand holding her drink, the other covering her mouth.

"Oh, God. I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" She reached her free hand out to gingerly touch his right cheek. He removed his hand to reveal his right eye, which was red with the beginnings of a darker red/purple mark along his cheekbone. Sarah hissed through her teeth, which brought the attention of Carina who was floating nearby. "Jesus Chuck. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to kick-"

"Sarah, hey. Hey, I know. It was an accident. If anything it was my fault. I should have known better," Chuck reassured her, waving off her concern. Carina slid off her pool floaty and had waded up to them to take a look. She winced, giving a hiss of her own.

"That's gonna be a good shiner. Nice work, Blondie," Carina joked, nudging her friend. Sarah didn't seem to be amused but didn't say anything.

"Look, I'll be fine. I've had far worse than this. Really, it's not a big deal." He cupped Sarah's cheeks and gave her a soft kiss. "I'm sorry for tickling you. Clearly that's something you don't like. I'll make a mental note. She took hold of one of his hands, shaking her head.

"No. No, it's not that I don't like it. I'm just very ticklish. Maybe don't do it with your head near my feet," she suggested, looking a little sheepish. He chuckled, nodding his head in understanding. She moved in close giving him a soft kiss on the cheek.

"I'd better give him one too. You know. Just to make sure," Carina interjected, a wry smile spread across her face.

"You try it and you'll get a bruise worse than that," Sarah warned, raising an eyebrow at her friend. Carina just cackled, clearly getting the desired reaction from Sarah.

"Simmer down. Simmer down. I was just joking. Geez. Lighten up. Your girlfriend's an angry drunk," she commented to Chuck, gesturing with her head toward Sarah.

"I am not drunk!" Sarah exclaimed indignantly, splashing Carina with water. Carina gasped, then retaliated with splashing of her own. Soon, there was a full on splashing war in the pool from which nobody was safe, especially Chuck. Seeing as he was the only guy in the pool at the moment, he was frequently ganged up on .

The girl's boyfriends joined them after the game was over, making Chuck feel less outnumbered in the pool. The friends splashed, talked and laughed for hours, taking small breaks to eat and refill drinks. It was getting late in the evening, nearing eleven o'clock and Kaitlyn's boyfriend had to leave. He had a job on the grounds crew at a golf course, so he would have to get up really early. It was probably best because Kaitlyn had succumbed to the alcohol the girls had been drinking and fell asleep on one of the lounge chairs.

By now, the six remaining friends were sitting in Jennifer's hot tub. The three girls were clearly intoxicated, slurring their words and laughing at everything and nothing. Cole and Jennifer's boyfriend Brian had been drinking, but not to excess. The three guys found it quite entertaining to spectate at the ladies and their drunken antics.

"Ladies, I think it's time to get out of the hot tub. You've had a lot to drink and with the added heat, it could be seriously dangerous," Chuck declared, trying not to sound like a stick on the mud. The girls all protested, whining like petulant children. Chuck just looked at the other boy friends and they agreed, with Chuck, helping to form a united front to get the girls out of the hot tub.

"Guys, um… I don't know how to say this delicately…" Chuck trailed off, confronting the other two guys, as the girls were drying off. He cleared his throat and got closer to them, so as not to allow the girls to hear. "As you can see, they are very intoxicated. And as such, they aren't able to make … clear choices. Do you get what I mean?" Cole and Brian looked at one another then back to Chuck, seeming a bit confused. Chuck huffed, feeling a little uncomfortable addressing the subject, but as these girls were his friends, he felt obligated to look out for them. "Look, they are in no shape to consent to anything. I don't think you will, but … just don't take advantage of the situation. Alright?" Chuck looked at the two young men, conviction on his face.

"Chuck," Cole chuckled. "Relax. I appreciate that you worry about them, but they're in good hands. We don't want to see anything happen to them either. Now, once they sober up?" Cole smirked, nudging Chuck and Brian. "Oop. Looks like my cue," Cole interrupted, pushing passed Chuck to help Carina, who had stumbled and fallen into a bush and was laughing too hard to right herself. Chuck and Brian rolled their eyes, chuckling to themselves at the comical display. Each went to retrieve their respective girlfriends and help them finish drying off. Chuck grabbed his and Sarah's things, then helped lead her into the house. She could still walk but she and straight lines did not get along, so he guided her through the house. Jennifer had mentioned earlier in the evening, when she had most of her faculties, which rooms they could use. The insinuation was for there to be … 'private' time for the couples, but given the state of the girls, that was definitely off the table.

The bedroom that Sarah chose had a Jack and Jill bathroom, but as Kaitlyn would likely have chosen the opposite room, it was currently unoccupied. Chuck took Sarah's bag into the bathroom and started the shower. He placed a clean towel on the toilet seat and left Sarah to take a shower and change, closing the door behind him. Chuck didn't want to leave Sarah like this, so he texted Ellie, informing her that he would be here all night and that he'd be home sometime tomorrow. That taken care of, he went back downstairs and found Kaitlyn still asleep on the lounge chair. Sure it would be warm enough overnight, but he could imagine she would feel even worse if she had to sleep in that chair all night. He gently scooped her up and carried her inside. Still covered in her towel, but fully dry now, he took her to the room opposite Sarah's and laid her on the bed. Looking around the room, he placed the towel that had covered her on the floor beside the bed and set the small waste basket from the corner of the room beside the bed. He pulled the blanket over her, making she she was tucked in and then backed out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Peeking into Sarah's room, he saw she was still in the bathroom, so he came inside and closed the door. After a few minutes, and a number of loud clatters later, Sarah emerged wearing a long t-shirt, drying her hair with the towel. She still looked unsteady, but she managed to make it to the bed.

"Hey. How you feelin'?" Chuck asked, coming to stand beside her. She let out a 'pffft' and waved him off.

"I'm fiiiinnne. You… you take a shower, then…" she slapped the bed beside her, "then you come sit with me." He tried to hold in his amusement, but she was so adorable that he could hardly stand it. Wanting to get the smell and feel of the chlorine off of him, he took his bag into the bathroom and took a quick shower. He changed into his change of clean clothes and tossed his and Sarah's towels into the hamper. He turned off the bathroom light and walked into the bedroom.

There was only the bedside lamp to light the room, casting an amber glow throughout. He dropped his bag on the floor beside Sarah's and turned to head toward the bed. Sarah was kneeling on the bed, looking like a cat preparing to pounce. He slowly approached, and as he did, she began to crawl toward him. Her mischievous grin gave him pause, feeling a knot in his stomach and a lump in his throat. Before he could voice any objection, she lunged forward, grabbing hold of his shirt and pulling him on the bed. A soft yelp escaped him, startled by the attack. Frankly, he was surprised that in her fog she could pull off such a maneuver. Crawling on top of him, she pinned his arms to the bed as she straddled him, gazing down as him. Chuck laid frozen in panic like a deer in headlights. THis was bad. Very bad.

"Sarah. We… we can't. Th-this isn't a good-" she stifled his protests by crashing her lips into his with so much force he thought he might have split his lip. She kissed him with reckless abandon and he was nearly helpless to prevent it. But he knew he had to prevent it, even though a very primal part of him was screaming at him to go with it. Sarah pulled back, panting to catch her breath as she stared down at him. Her gaze was wild, hungry, and he felt like he was the wounded gazelle.

"Sarah, please. As much as I really … really want to be with you, it can't be like this. Not with you -" before he could continue she clumsily smacked her fingers against his mouth, shushing him.

"Chuck, sshhhh… shush… You talk too much. Now is not the talk to time… No… scratch that… fl-flip it. Anyway…" She swayed slightly but brought her focus back to him, her blue eyes a little glassy. "You know what I'm gonna do to you? I'm gonna..." Her devilish grin foreshadowed her pending answer. He began to shake his head in protest but he could see a shift in her features. Her smile faded and eyes widened.

"I'm gonna…. Oh God, I'm gonna be sick." She quickly released her hold of Chuck, clamping her hand over her mouth as she dashed for the bathroom. A dazed and confused Chuck, lay there for a moment before his brain kicked in and he chased after her. By the time he reached her she was already in position to pay homage to the porcelain god. He quickly kneeled behind her, gathering her long hair, pulling it behind her head. It was just in the nick of time as the exorcism began seconds later. Holding her hair with one hand and pressing his other to the center of her back, trying to offer some comfort or support. Having had some experience with this, caring for Ellie during her high school 'adventures' , he was able to keep any sympathetic retching at bay.

After the initial purging was over and Sarah slumped against the toilet, Chuck got her a wet washcloth and a glass of water. He helped her to rinse her mouth and then wiped her forehead and neck with the washcloth. He stayed close to her, smoothing down her hair, placing soft kisses to the top of her head and whispering soothing words of support. She drifted in and out of consciousness, eventually waking for round two. After riding out the fruitless heaving, she slipped into sleep. Chuck lifted her up and carried her to the bed. SImilar to his preparation for Kaitlyn, he set the plastic waste basket from the bathroom beside the bed, a towel underneath as a precaution. On the nightstand he left a glass of water, a fresh washcloth and a couple of aspirin he'd found in the bathroom cabinet. Her quiet snoring was so cute he could hardly stand it. Sure she was a little pale and looked wrung out, but she looked so young and innocent snuggled into the pillow. He climbed onto the other side of the bed and leaned back against the headboard to stand, or rather sit, vigil.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

As she slowly came into consciousness, Sarah groaned in misery. Her head throbbed, her abs were sore and she felt like she'd been beaten. If that were bad enough, she was nauseous and her mouth felt like the Sahara. Despite those things, she was at least snuggled into something warm. She recalled Jennifer's pool and then some flashes of sitting in a hot tub and then everything else was fuzzy. Fear began to course through her as she tried to piece together what had happened after the hot tub. She remembered … a bed… and… a guy… Chuck? Oh God…. It was then she felt a soft caress on the side of her head.

"Sshhhh. It's OK." Chuck! Thank God it was Chuck, but that still presented its own problems. What had happened last night? She could tell from the glow through her eyelids it was daylight out but she was still afraid to open her eyes for fear of what she might see. Her thoughts swirled, her headache making it hard to focus. Had she and Chuck…? She tried to still her mind, willing herself to try to remember. The repeated caresses of her head hair aided in calming her as she tried to take in her surroundings. She could feel the rise and fall of her pillow. Her talking pillow. Chuck. She was snuggled into Chuck, he head on his chest, her arm and leg draped over him. She could tell that both he and she were clothed, which was some relief. Then it struck her and she wanted to kick herself. This was Chuck. He would never let anything happen to her. She knew he would never take advantage of her that way. Still, not recalling the events of the night before were weighing on her. She hoped she hadn't done anything that she'd regret. Although, the way she felt right now, she had plenty to regret already.

"Hey. How about you sit up and take some aspirin and some water. That'll help with the headache and body aches. The water will help with dehydration." He placed his hand on her back and gently rubbed it, trying to encourage her to sit up. Begrudgingly she pushed herself up. Chuck slid out of bed and came around to her side, helping with the aspirin and water. He pulled the curtains closed more tightly to keep the morning sun at bay.

"There. Why don't you lay back down and I'll go make everyone some breakfast. OK?" Groaning at the thought of food, she grimaced, making him chuckle softly. He smoothed her hair back, then placed a kiss on her forehead. "Trust me. It'll help. Drink that water and I'll be back up in a little bit." Reluctantly she drank some more water and laid back down, throwing the covers over her head.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sarah was rocked from her sleep with some rather violent shaking of the bed. She groaned and pulled the pillow over her head, pulling herself into a ball.

"Come oooon Blondie. Up and at 'emmmmm," Carina sung, sounding far too chipper for Sarah's liking. Sarah just grumbled in response. Carina shifted on the bed, scooting up next to Sarah, leaning back against the headboard. A moment later another weight could be felt climbing on the bed, then collapsed, causing the bed to bounce.

"You look as bad as Sarah sounds," Carina said, chuckling. A groan could be heard from the newcomer, not unlike Sarah's.

"What did you guys do to me?" Kaitlyn's voice droned out, sounding particularly gruff.

"What d'you mean? We didn't do anything to you," Carina retorted, her voice annoyingly upbeat.

"Last I remember was Jason leaving and I was sitting in the lounge chair. Then I woke up, in a bed with a waste basket beside me. How did I get there? And what did you do to me in between?" Carina just laughed and even Sarah chuckled from under her pillow. Realizing she was not going to get any more sleep, Sarah threw the covers off of her, tossing the pillow at Carina beside her.

"I have no idea. Last I remember you were sleeping outside," Sarah confessed, trying to comb her hair with her fingers. Carina tossed the pillow at Kaitlyn, landing on her head. She just laid there, unmoving.

"I dunno either, K. You were sacked out on the lounge chair when we came inside." Kaitlyn slowly lifted herself to sitting, looking between her two friends. They all looked at one another and almost in unison they all stated "Chuck". They sat quietly for a moment then Sarah turned to Carina.

"OK. What gives? You drank as much or more than we did and you look … chipper. I really hate you right now. How are you not hung over?"

"Well…." Carina began, twisting her lips to the side. "I had some ibuprofen, a lot of water and some … vigorous activity this morning," she confessed, looking and sounding quite pleased. Both of her friends let out exasperated groans, rolling their eyes.

"TMI!" Sarah groused, shaking her head. Carina just laughed, delighting in making her friends uncomfortable. They were all quiet for a long moment. Sarah tried not to think about Carina's confession and instead tried to piece together the events of last night. Then it hit her like a flash.

"Oh God!" Sarah exclaimed, putting her head in her hands.

"Uh Oh. What happened?" Carina asked, nudging Sarah's shoulder.

"I just remembered what happened last night. Well, some of it… enough of it." She let out a miserable groan.

"OK. Spill," Kaitlyn demanded, scooting closer to her friends on the bed. Sarah shook her head, looking miserable. "Oh, come on. It can't be that bad."

"Oh really? Well, I'm pretty sure I tried to have sex with Chuck…" both girls gave an "Oooo" to that, raising their eyebrows suggestively. "And then I threw up."

"Ewww," they groaned, scrunching their faces.

"Way to kill the mood, Walker. Geez. You need to work on your foreplay," Carina chided playfully.

"Shut. Up," Sarah pouted, shouldering her friend. "This is bad. God, I can't believe I did that. The coming onto him part, not the throwing up part. The throwing up part I can definitely believe I did. God. Way to make it special for your first time, Sarah." Huffing at herself, she slumped

"Whoa. Did you say first? As in first with him or … 'first' first?" Carina asked, with no hint of teasing. Sarah winced, realizing she let that tidbit slip. Her cheeks and ears turning red she swallowed thickly. She knew she was less experienced than most of her friends but she didn't really want to advertise that fact.

"Both," she answered softly, just above a whisper.

"Hey. Don't. Don't feel bad about that. That's nothin' to be ashamed of. To be honest, if I could take back my first time, I would. At least for you, when it does happen, it'll be with somebody you really care about and cares about you." She gave Sarah a warm smile and a shoulder bump.

"Thanks. I still feel awful. I can't imagine what he thinks of me after all that."

"Well, tell me this. Since I don't see any mess in here, you must have made it to the bathroom. When you were throwing up, did he leave you to deal with it by yourself while he watched TV or something?" Carina questioned, raising her eyebrow as if she already knew the answer.

"No. He held my hair the whole time. Well, what I remember of it." She smirked as she lifted the washcloth from the nightstand. "He wiped my face and neck with a washcloth," she added, holding up the cloth as evidence. "Then he must have sat with me all night, cause he was sitting here when I woke up." Sarah looked between her friends who were giving her knowing smiles.

"Do you really think Chuck won't understand?" Kaitlyn asked incredulously. 'That doesn't sound to me like somebody who's upset about it."

"Upset about what?" croaked Jennifer, as she walked into the room. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt with her hair up in a messy bun, that was more mess than bun. She took a sip from the steaming cup of coffee she was holding in both hands, gripping it like it was a lifeline.

"Walker was just talking about how she thinks she ruined things with Chuckles last night. She tried to have her way with him, but ended up puking her guts out instead," Carina mused. Everyone chuckled except Sarah, who gave Carina a flat look.

"Oh yeah. He's all broken up about it, " Jennifer deadpanned. Sarah's mouth fell open, looking mortified. "I'm kidding. Geez. He's downstairs making everyone breakfast, humming show tunes or somethin'. He's disgustingly happy for as crappy as I feel. Oh… and there's coffee," she added raising her cup as proof. Everyone had a good chuckle at Sarah's expense before they slid off the bed and headed downstairs. Sarah made a stop in the bathroom to brush her teeth and run a brush through her hair before following.

When she stepped into the kitchen she was amazed. The smell alone was heavenly, despite the slight nausea that was still plaguing her. There was a buffet of food spread along the kitchen island where people were forming a line. Bowls of fresh fruit, plates of bacon and sausage links plus several types of what looked like crustless quiche. She found Chuck standing off to the side, wiping down counters while others filled their plates. Sarah was a bit apprehensive about confronting him, fearful of what he might think of her after all that had happened the night before. Slowly she approached him, fidgeting with her hem of her shirt. When she was within a few feet of him, he stopped his ministrations, seeming to catch sight of her feet. Turning, his face broke into a brilliant smile, one that warmed her from within, instantly setting many of her fears to rest. Still, she gave him a shy smile, even wincing a bit as she tried to muster the courage to speak to him.

"You're up. How are you feellin'? How about some coffee?" he asked, grabbing a coffee mug that was was hanging from under the cabinets. "We've got fruit and breakfast meats. I made some frittatas too. I didn't know what people liked so I just made several to choose from. There's ham and cheddar cheese, spinach and parmesan-"

"Chuck," she quietly interrupted, placing a gentle hand on his wrist. He stopped, looking at her in concern, taking a step closer. She stared at the lettering on his 'Dr. Pepper' t-shirt, apprehensive about meeting his gaze. When she didn't speak he craned his neck, bending down to look into her eyes.

"Hey. What's the matter?" Forced to look into his eyes now, she was relieved to see that there was no anger or judgement, only concern.

"I'm… I'm sorry, a-about last night. I… I behaved pretty badly and then… well…" she trailed off, not wanting to go into it when people were eating. To her surprise, he let out a sigh of relief, then immediately pulled her into a hug.

"Heeeeey. Don't give it another thought, alright? You weren't yourself. No harm done. Well… maybe a tiny bit, but it was worth it." He pulled back a bit to look at her, a wry smile on his face. It was then she noticed the dark purple and red bruise under his eye and a small split in his bottom lip. She hissed, wincing as her hand shot up to caress his cheek.

"Oh God. I'm sorry. Does it hurt?" He shook his head slightly, leaning into her touch. Sliding her fingers down his cheek she stopped at his lip. "What happened? Did I punch you?" He chuckled at that, shaking his head.

"Not exactly. Let's just say that when you're drunk, you're an… aggressive kisser." He twisted his lips trying not to smile. She gasped, covering her mouth, then shifted her hand to cover her eyes, groaning in exasperation. He chuckled at her reaction but pulled her into a hug again, kissing her on the top of her head.

"Please don't feel bad," he whispered into her ear, "aside from the fact you were drunk, it was … very enjoyable. Until the whole getting sick part. That wasn't so enjoyable. At least I can blame that on the alcohol… I hope." She could hear the teasing tone in his voice and it all helped to put her at ease. She still felt horrible, though it was more emotional than physical, but at least she knew Chuck wasn't upset.

"Let's get you something to eat. Once you've had some food and some caffeine, things will seem better," he assured her as he started toward the island. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him back to her. Reaching up on her tiptoes, she kissed him, holding his face in her hands. After a brief moment she stepped back and smiled up at him.

"Thank you for taking such good care of me. I'm sorry if I ruined things last night, but I'm glad nothing happened. I know you'd never take advantage of me like that, despite my best efforts, but I'm just glad that when it does happen, I'll be able to remember every second of it." She blushed, ducking her head for a moment before looking back up at him.

"I'll always be here to take care of you when you need it. I'm not gonna lie, it was really….really difficult saying no to you, but you didn't ruin anything. Our time will come, just not right now. I'm not in any rush. Relationships are a marathon, right? Not a sprint." Just when I think he can't be any more perfect… Sarah gave him her brightest smile, or at least the brightest she could muster and kissed him on the cheek. Gesturing with her head toward the food, she started walking.

"Where's that coffee you were promising me?"

A/N: So ….. Yeah. Interesting night… Let's see how this sets the tone for their relationship going forward. I hope you all stick around to find out.

As always, I really love to hear from you. Send me a review, a PM or catch me on the "Chuck FanFiction" Facebook group. If you aren't a member, you really should be. Lots of fun stuff and great discussions going on around Chuck fanfiction. Not to mention, an amazing group of people. I hope to hear from you.

Joe