A/N: Hey, how are you? So this was going to be posted tomorrow but I've got a lot of stuff going on so...lucky you? Welcome back to the insanity that is Buy More High. I've been doing dad stuff, and, well, working on a single parent fic that some of you will love, and some of you will hate. I'm only working on it on the weekends and the rest of the week working on the fics I have published. Seriously, it's a fluff ball sandwich mostly for me that's a weird mash up of Sarah vs the Life, Reassigned, and Truffaut with little to no spying. Enough of that, you're here for the main event. Welcome to But More High Ch 9, The Show Must Go On

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, and now I really want pizza…..

Last Time on Buy More High

"Thank you, Mary," Sarah said. "That will help Chuck make his rent payment." Chuck lowered his glass, and looked at her, his eyes dancing. "You were going to help pay half the bills weren't you."

"I am," Chuck said. "I just assumed it would be something we speak of in private," Chuck replied.

"Nonsense, Chuck, we're family," Sarah said, batting her eyelashes. Chuck took a drink with a smirk on his face. Mary had stiffened at the family comment. Sarah turned to Mary. "I really owe you, if you hadn't of forced him to make a grown-up decision I don't know how long it would have taken us to get together, so it's really all because of you, so thank you." Mary looked strained.

"Well, you're erm, welcome," she said, unsure of how to respond. "I don't want to disturb you."

"Don't run off, you're here, you're family," Sarah said. "I mean that, the Bartowskis are my family." Mary gave a tight smile and nodded.

"Hey, Bartowski, don't screw this up," Casey muttered.

"Haven't done so yet," Chuck retorted, getting his rope ready. He gave it a tug, and the student flew perfectly through the air, and landed right on the spot. "That's ten performances for ten," he said, as Casey clapped him on the back. The drapes closed, the student ran over, Chuck unhooked her, secured the rope, spun grabbed the hook for Peter Pan, and hooked her up for the last time.

"Thank you Mr. Bartowski," she said.

"You ready to wow them for the last time?" Chuck asked, fistbumping her.

"I am, that crowd…it seems big," she said. Chuck smiled at her.

"It is the biggest one of them all," Chuck told her. "You guys did such a great job the crowds just got bigger and bigger with each performance. This one was standing room only." Her mouth dropped open. "Hey, use all that fairy dust, we don't have any more performances." She grinned. There were two Peters, and each had done five shows a piece.

"We go in 10," Casey said. Chuck stepped back, winked held up his fingers showing 5, and then he counted down, 4, 3, 2, 1, and Peter Pan was up in the air again, and flying at the finale. Glitter was raining down anywhere. "Christ I'll be getting glitter out of my clothes for months," Casey muttered, but there was a touch of a smile on his face. Chuck could see it. He looked into the crowd and saw the one person he wanted to see and the smile that was plastered on her face was all he needed to know. They had done a marvelous job again, but Chuck wasn't surprised. The kids were amazing. Peter landed, and she made the first mistake that she had in her five shows, she unhooked and no one was there to grab it. The rope flew up to the ceiling on the pulley. Chuck and Casey watched it go up all the way up and turned to look at each other.

"Had to go through anyway so she actually saved us some work," Chuck said. Casey nodded, a proud grin on his face. "Admit it, Casey, you had fun."

"Eh," he grunted. Chuck smiled and clapped him on the back. Casey turned and didn't growl. Chuck took that as progress. The lights came up and Chuck sighed. "Time to break it all down."

"Nope," Chuck replied. "We're gonna store it, and Sarah and I are going to take one of our classes in here and show them the proper way to break down a set."

"Teaching discipline, I like it," Casey said.

"We're having a cast party at Gino's, hope you'll come," Chuck said. Casey eyed Chuck for a minute.

"We'll see," he said. Chuck began to unhook all the cables and pull them through. "You doing that tonight?"

"Yeah, the kids don't need to mess with this," Chuck replied. Casey nodded and worked on another cable. The two were going about their business when they felt people behind them. They turned, and Casey paled. Sarah, the Superintendent of Schools, Nicholas Quinn, and Emmett were all there.

"I hear you're the man who made all of this run backstage," Superintendent Quinn said, shaking Chuck's hand.

"I couldn't have done it without all of these other teachers help," Chuck replied.

"Any ideas on next year?" Quinn asked.

"Well, sir, we don't know if we can next year, the budget and all of that," Chuck replied.

"Oh, did Sarah forget to tell you that you have back full funding next year for theater classes?" Quinn asked. Chuck looked at Sarah.

"I guess I forgot," Sarah said, shrugging.

"That's news to me," Emmett said, looking shocked. Quinn looked at everyone.

"Everyone's always forgetting stuff when I'm around," he muttered.

"Does that include forensics?" Chuck asked. Quinn shook his head.

"Sadly, not yet, but be patient," Quinn replied. "If you do half the job with them you do with the theater, I'm sure the funding will be there." Chuck frowned. "Go ahead and say your piece Mr. Bartowski."

"I'm not crazy about a results based or outcome based teaching," Chuck replied. Quinn nodded.

"I'm not saying it is results or outcome based, Chuck," Quinn explained. "I just need to see the students are learning something from this. With this play, you can easily tell what they learned. Not just with the performance, but waiting on others to complete lines, making sure their cables were attached. With forensics it will be other subtle things. Use of diction, volume in different spots in their performance, students playing off of each other in duo acting."

Chuck nodded, impressed with what he was hearing from Quinn. "You know your stuff." Quinn nodded, a small smile on his face. "If all it takes is making sure the students learn something, I'm sure through Mr. Montgomery and Miss Walker they'll be fine." Sarah colored a little at the compliment.

"Mr. Bartowski, I don't think you give yourself enough credit." Quinn turned toward Emmitt. "I blame it on administrators not being concerned with teaching and more concerned with the bottom line." Emmitt's eyes bugged out. "Thank you for the wonderful performance Mr. Bartowski." Quinn held out his hand and Chuck shook it.

"Thank you, Mr. Quinn." Quinn left with Emmitt following behind, trying to explain himself, as Quinn ignored him.

Sarah was nearly bouncing she was so excited. "Chuck, did you hear that?"

"We all heard it, Walker," Casey grumbled. "Now go take your boyfriend and defile each other away from the students, no one wants to see all of that."

"If you insist, Casey." Casey blanched and left. She put to Chuck. "So…"

"We have a cast party to go to." The smile on his face let her know he wished they could skip it. "You have to be recognized for the amazing job you did."

"Pbbth. The amazing job was these kids, and you and the rest of the guys for not hurting anyone."

"While I hate this is over, my shoulder muscles don't."

"Come on, my nerd, let's go party."

-ooooo-

"Mr. Bartowski." Chuck looked around and saw one of the students had called for him. Gino's was a pizza place that had a buffet. He had made sure they had one pizza that was vegetarian no olives. They also had moved some tables out of the way on one side of the seating area to make a makeshift dancefloor. As per the norm, the girls were dancing and the boys were sitting off to the side looking terrified. Chuck went over to the group of boys.

"What's up guys, why aren't you out there having a good time?"

"We don't know how to dance."

"I bet one of those young ladies would teach you." He looked out at the girls dancing, grinned and turned and looked at the boys who looked terrified. "Okay, what is the problem? You guys are good looking, funny, nice guys. What is the problem?"

"Mr. Bartowski, we're not jocks."

Chuck laughed. Sarah came over hearing him laugh. "Chuck, what are you laughing at?"

"These guys are scared to get out there because they're not jocks."

She gave him a smile. "Well, you're not a jock, wanna dance?"

"Love to, Sarah. Guys, trust me, go ask one of them." They watched as Chuck and Sarah went out on the dance floor and began to dance. Chuck didn't have the most spectacular moves, but he made jokes, made Sarah laugh and both appeared to be having a good time. None of the boys made one move.

"You realize they look up to you," Sarah said to Chuck. He raised an eyebrow. "Maybe what you need to do is show them how nerdy you really are."

"Like they can't tell with everything I do?"

"Go on, try and help them," she said, giving him a push. She laughed at him as he pouted. The wink she gave him made him grin and he headed back toward the group of boys.

"You guys are killing my game right now. I can't go spend time with her until you guys have fun." No one smiled. "Seriously, what is the problem?"

"You don't understand, Mr. Bartowski," Fred, one of the boys said. "You're nothing like us."

"Oh, you're right about that, I am much nerdier than you."

"Then how did…" he trailed off, and just looked at Sarah. Chuck shook his head.

"The good ones, the ones you want to date, or go out with, or whatever you call it, they look past your looks, what you think are your bad traits, and they see you. Not only that, they care for you because of who you are. They like the fact you're passionate about things. They may not understand but they appreciate it. They appreciate when you're happy. You know what else they like, someone who can make them laugh. Someone who appreciates them and notices the little things. What kind of coffee she likes, her favorite flower, her favorite pizza." He stopped and looked over at Sarah who was watching the girls dance. He smiled just seeing her happy that this play had gone so well. He turned back to the guys. "Now there are some people who don't, and that's fine, because that person for isn't for you. Who do you like and why do you like them?"

"He likes Becky," Jordan said about Fred. Sarah noticed the lack of moment on the boys towards the girls. She looked over, thought he could use some backup, and joined them.

"Miss Walker, Mr. Bartowski is saying that he's a nerd."

Sarah grinned at them, made a motion to scoot over and she sat in a booth with them. "That one," she said pointing at Chuck. "Makes you guys look like amateur nerds." Their mouths dropped. "Star Wars, Gate, Trek, Who."

"There's no Star Who!"

"See, you're making my point for me," she said with a grin. "This guy. I like him because he's a good guy. He's caring, considerate, compassionate, and frankly is just a great guy. And do you know what's really cool? When he nerds out over something, it's just a joy to see him so happy." Fred stood up, swallowed, and walked over to a group of girls.

"Wow," Chuck said a little breathless. "That's impressive, to approach an entire group!"

"You never approached an entire group of girls, Bartowski?" Sarah asked, a knowing grin on her face.

"You've met me, you know I haven't."

"Becky, I just wanted to say it was really cool the way you helped out Jordan the other day and didn't make fun of him. He's my friend and that meant a lot to him." Chuck could see Fred trembling.

Becky gave him a shy smile. Fred panicked and started to bolt. Chuck winced, he knew this move to well. "Wait," she said. "Would you like to dance?" The damn broke and Chuck watched all his theater nerd kids get the courage to dance with each other.

"What have you done, Bartowski?" He turned and saw Quinn behind him, smiling. "Kids that are socially awkward getting along? Make sure you get me the receipt for this so I can pay for it."

"Did I invite you?" Chuck blurted out. Quinn nodded and walked off about nobody ever remembering anything when he was around.

"Wanna dance?" the soft voice came behind him. He spun and saw Sarah grinning at him.

"You know I always do."

-ooooo-

"First nine weeks in, the play was successful, and we survived," Sarah said, picking up her glass of wine to toast with Chuck.

"But more importantly we found each other and because of you I have a place to live."

"I told you Chuck, mates. We got this."

"Yeah we had this, but what about forensics, I mean how are we gonna pull this off?"

"We're going to take it one step at a time, just like us."

"Okay." They sat there quietly, enjoying the quiet and calmness. "Do we have anything to do tomorrow?"

"You mean other than each other?" The smirk on her face made something in him catch fire.

"Careful, Sarah, careful."

"Why what are you going to do to me?" He sat down his glass and began to crawl across the couch to her. She sat her glass down and as he reached her, she hauled him up the rest of the way, kissing him.

"Hey, I need to tell you something very important, and after I do, we gotta keep doing this, okay? Promise?"

"I promise, as they say, 'Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night,'" he began, but she stopped him with a kiss.

She pulled apart and grinned at him. "Chuck, that's the post office."

"Oh, well then. The show must go on!" She took a deep breath, and bit her bottom lip. "Hey, whatever it is, you can tell me."

"I love you," she said softly. A soft grin began on his face and it grew until his nose crinkled. She reached up and kissed it. "I love you," she said again, a little louder. She took his face in her hands, and kissed him until she thought she heard his toes pop. "Chuck Bartowski, I love you."

"Not only is the show going on," he said with a grin. "But, there will be a standing ovation and an encore!" Sarah burst out into laughter as he attacked her neck.

A/N: Sorry it's so short, but that kinda finished this part and to start the next just didn't feel right. Come on back next time for forensics, Halloween, and maybe just maybe, Ellie's Thanksgiving….til next time…hope you enjoyed it! Reviews and PMs are always welcomed!

A/N 2: If you're interested in the other, Wanting It All, tell me in the review or send me a PM. If there's enough interest I'll post it. I already have 4 chapters done.

DC