A/N: This isn't going to be a long fic, but it has at least one more chapter after this. At least….Part of me says keep this but the other part of me says I've told/have almost told the tale I want to, but I keep thinking about this. It is helping me deal with stuff, so who knows.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck.

It had been six months since she had met Chuck, and he still made her smile each time she saw him. Much like she was right now, seeing him standing in the doorway of her classroom.

Since he had brought her the pot that looked like a bullet, the two of them had met at least three times a week to talk about the 'crap' of her life… Except lately, they had been meeting more and more, and not talking about her crap. The night before, she had shown up at his apartment because she wanted to talk to Ellie about a new recipe she had gotten from one of the ladies at the community center.

She looked over at one of her students, who was in turn giving her a look. Maria looked at Chuck, and then back to Sarah. "Is that your boyfriend?" she asked, in Spanish.

"No," Sarah replied in the same language. "He's just a very good friend."

"Ahhhh," she said, giving Sarah a knowing look. "Maybe you should ask him out." Sarah shook her head, amused. She had been working here about a month now, teaching an ESL (English as a Second Language) class. And the class was growing at a ridiculous rate.

Six weeks earlier, she'd told him she was bored, and needed to find something to do with her life.

"I get it," Chuck said with a shrug. "We all have to work jobs we don't like, to pay the bills."

She grinned, and turned away from him. "Uh, I don't need to work," she said softly. He turned towards her, a confused look on his face. "Chuck…" she looked up to the sky, trying not to laugh. This guy… "Chuck, I went to Harvard business school. I invested my paychecks."

"So, you're okay then, about money?" he asked. She gave him a look. "Listen, I only ask, because you told me before you were good with languages, and I had an idea. But it's a volunteer job."

"Chuck… I have plenty of money to live on. Trust me," she replied.

"Good," he said, standing up, and wiping the sand from his backside, offered her his hand. "Then there is a place I want to show you."

"Are you thinking about him?" Maria asked her in Spanish, as the other students, young and old, filed out.

"Thinking about how he told me about this job," Sarah replied.

Maria looked at Chuck, and then back to Sarah. "He's good for you, and I think you're good for him."

"I'm not good for anyone," Sarah replied. "But next time, we don't talk about him, because you need to practice English. Okay?"

Maria nodded, grinning, and headed toward the door. She stopped right in front of Chuck, and glanced back at Sarah. "I think he thinks you are good enough for him." Maria laughed and left, watching her teacher shake her head.

"Do you know any Spanish?" Sarah asked.

"No," Chuck admitted. "And I feel terrible about it. I do know a few phrases in Polish that I learned years ago, for some reason."

"I can't speak Polish, but I've never really had a reason to try," Sarah said with a shrug. "Hey, sorry about just inviting myself over last night."

Chuck cocked his head slightly to the side, and gave her a curious look. "I hope you know you're welcomed anywhere I am, ever, for any reason." She smiled at him. "Besides, it wasn't me you were coming to see," he reminded her, grinning.

"Oh, gonna be like that, huh?"

"You're the one who said, and I quote, 'I need to talk to Ellie because, and I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I need her help with this recipe, and you can't boil water.'"

"You can't," Sarah insisted.

"HA! I made hard boiled eggs this morning, so there!" Chuck said, coming into the room brandishing two bags.

"How many times did it take you?" Sarah asked, as always amused by his antics.

"Two," Chuck replied proudly. Sarah laughed, picked up the pot he had asked her to bring, and joined him at the window ledge in the classroom. "Uh," he began, and then cleared his throat. "I need to really apologize to you."

"For what?"

"I was a little insensitive last night," he said, rubbing the back of his head with his hand, wincing. "I didn't think anything about playing Assassin's Creed in front of you."

"So, you're sorry you bored me?" she asked, a teasing lilt in her voice.

"You said you thought the game was cool," he accused her.

"I did, and it's pretty, but… it's a video game, and it's just not my thing."

"Yeah, but…." He gave her a look. "You're gonna make me say it, aren't you?" She was, because she had no idea what he was talking about. "Assassins," he said, emphasizing the word.

Her eyes got wide, and that's when it hit her. She hadn't even thought about it. She hadn't even thought about that part of her life. "Chuck…"

"See, I totally messed-"

She put her hand over his mouth, smiling as his eyes went wide. "Hush, nerd," she said, grinning. She moved her hand away, chiseling the look on his face into her memory. "I hadn't even thought about the name. I hadn't thought about being an assassin in… well… a while."

A slow smile grew on his face. "Sarah, that's awesome!" And then he pulled her into a hug that she just felt herself melt into. He quickly pulled away. "I'm so sorry, I got-"

"Chuck, it's fine," she said. "Listen, I'm good with hugs, from you."

"Okay," he replied, nodding. He cleared his throat. "So, this is perfect, because you are ready for the next step."

"Okay, sensei, what is my next step?"

"Well, young grasshopper," he replied, and she shoved him playfully. "You are already working on it. You are growing. You are taking the skills you learned, and using them for good." He reached into the bags, and pulled out potting soil and seeds.

"Will you help me?" she asked. "I mean, you've been there every step of the way."

"It would be my honor," he said. The two set to work, and in no time the seeds were planted in the pot. "So, there gardenias will grow, but they must be watered, and continue to be loved, and nurtured."

"So, you have to stick around, right?" Sarah asked. He turned to her, confused.

"To be nurtured, and… you know," she said with a shy smile.

He looked at her, a stunned expression on his face. He saw a stray hair had popped loose from her ponytail. "May I?" he asked softly. She nodded. "You can't speak Polish?" She shook her head. He reached over, and gently moved the stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Kocham Cię," he said softly.

She smiled at him. "That sounds lovely. What does it mean?"

He grinned at her. "It's been awhile," he admitted.

"So, did you ask me if I was a goat?"

"Quite possibly," he admitted, but they both knew he hadn't. "So, big plans tonight?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I thought I might ask my friend what he was doing, but I hate to invade on his personal time."

"Really, because I'm pretty sure anyone who is your friend would love to hang with you," Chuck replied.

She studied him for a minute. "You just want me to buy you dinner."

"I mean, I wouldn't hate it," he said smiling. She grinned at him. "Or…" he paused and took a deep breath. "I could buy you dinner."

"Nah," she said, turning away to retrieve her coat. She felt his shoulders slump. "You don't make diddly at the Buy More, and you've done so much for me, I wouldn't feel right if I didn't pay."

"Wait, we're going to go eat, and you want to pay?" Sarah nodded at him, grinning. "I need to run home and shower-"

"Chuck… pizza, beer, maybe dancing. I don't need you in your best heels."

"Shucks, and I was gonna shave my legs," he joked, grinning at her. "But, we both drove, so…"

"Run your car home, and I'll come get you, okay?"

He nodded, and headed toward the door. He paused at the doorframe and smacked his hand against it, turning to her. "Listen, this money thing," he began.

She crossed her arms. "If you say I can't pay for things," she began.

"No, no, I am a very modern man, and have no problem with you spending money on me. But please never think I expect it."

She smiled at him. "Chuck, please never change. Of course I don't."

"Me, change? Pffffth. I am who I am. See you in ten?" Sarah nodded and watched him leave.

"I know you are, Chuck, that's why I love you, too," she said to the empty room. "I probably should have told you I understand Polish."

A/N: One more, I think…I think….at LEAST one more.