A/N: Whatever happened to me and my frequent updates, huh? Sorry guys, I got really busy really fast. Anyway, I decided to randomly update this one, as I really have no game plan when I write or update, and If I'm right, it usually works out for the best. If you'd like to beta this one, PM me ANYTIME. As for the previous chapter, thanks so much for all the kind words, feedback, and support! I do appreciate each and every helpful word, so I really mean it. Hopefully I won't let you guys down this time around, as it appears I'm treading on thin ice with this other love interest thing. ANGST WARNING. Ah well, here you are:
All Over Again: Chapter Two
"Oh my god, Sarah….." Chuck repeated, rubbing his eyes. This HAD to be another one of his crazy, realistic, very vivid dreams. There she was in all her glory, much like high school, only…if it were possible…..better.
She had the same, beautiful spark in her eyes that flipped his world. She was blonde now, and oh, how her hair smelled of vanilla. She had certainly taken care of herself, and she'd gotten to look like a supermodel. Heather Chandler could kiss her ass.
Sarah glanced at Chuck, the same awed expression that he had on his face, mirroring his. She glanced him over, and immediately couldn't tear her eyes away. Glancing at his now far more toned body, she felt the once very familiar flush he always caused rise to her cheeks. He was definitely taking good care of himself.
Sarah immediately got off him, as he rose as well, both with an amazed, excited look. "Chuck…..oh god…..I'm so sorry!" Sarah spoke, with that new, smooth, angelic voice he had missed and dreamt about.
"No, I'm the same klutz I was back then…." He replied with a grin, finding it oh so easy to speak with her.
"Remember the time Where Ms. K-" Sarah stopped in mid speech, not realizing what she just blurted out. 'Oh god…..Nine years and I pull up a freshman reference? C'mon Walker!' She thought, mentally scolding herself.
Chuck nodded with his beautiful, easy going smile. "Yeah, no need to remind me. I still have that mentally scarring my brain." He added with a laugh.
Sarah laughed instantly, a soft, gentle laugh that left Chuck wondering how he'd lived without it for so long.
"I just…I can't believe it's you….." he murmured.
Sarah suddenly felt a lump forming in her throat. She felt the back of her eyes begin to prick, when suddenly; she felt a hand on her shoulder. Jumping, she turned to see a tall man. He was built, with raven black hair and darker eyes. Chuck could see his muscular outline through his shirt.
Clearing her throat, Sarah glanced at him, then Chuck, then him again awkwardly.
"Want to introduce us, baby?" The man smirked, hand at the small of Sarah's back.
Chuck watched, eyes frozen. Sarah bit her lip. "Oh, ah…..of course. This….is Chuck…..Bartowski…remember, I told you about him?"
The man smiled and nodded. "How could I forget?" he replied smoothly. "You're all she ever talks about."
Chuck glanced at Sarah in amazement. She actually remembered him? That was amazing!
"And Chuck…..this is my fiancée…Daniel Shaw." She replied, pausing. Glancing into Chuck's eyes for the briefest moment, she saw all the happiness fall from his chocolate orbs. She felt as if her heart had been hammered into splints and pieces.
"Fi…..fiancée, huh? That's…..that's…..that's fantastic, Sarah…guys…." He managed to get out, dejection tearing him apart.
"Um, yeah, Chuck." Sarah replied, watching him almost apologetically. "Are you here with-"
"Hey sweetie." Jill smiled, kissing him on the cheek as she approached. "I was looking for you…." Jill turned to see the very beautiful couple he was facing. "Do you…..know these people, honey?"
"Oh! Ah…yeah, um, Jill…this is the famous Sarah Walker." He replied, watching the blonde goddess before him.
"Oh my god…." Jill grinned. "Chuck never stops talking about you!"
"Me? Really….?" Sarah asked, a ghost of a smile creeping on her face. He remembered her?
"-And this is her fiancée…..Daniel." he finished, although Jill was busy staring at him to hear the dejection in his voice.
"Look, Daniel…Sarah, do you want to get a drink at the restaurant with us?" Jill smiled, asking politely.
"Sounds great." Daniel nodded, glancing at Sarah, who was facing Chuck. "Mhmm….sounds fun…." She replied, eyes locked with Chuck's.
"Awesome." Jill smiled, grabbing Chuck's arm. "Let's go!"
-0-
Chuck sat beside Jill, across from Sarah. He shook his head, as he watched her. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could hear Jill and Daniel's extremely animated conversation about business. All he could truly focus on was Sarah. Apparently, she felt the same way.
"What?" Sarah asked with a faint smile as she watched him shake his head at her.
"Nothing….it's just…you…..you look really great, Sarah…..but you always looked great, it's just that now-" he babbled just like he did nine years ago.
Sarah grinned. "Chuck…..you're babbling again….." it felt so right to say those words once again. It felt like she was where she finally needed to be after almost a decade of searching.
"Sorry….." he replied with a sheepish smile.
"Don't be…." Sarah replied amusedly.
"So….what's new…Harvard girl?" Chuck guessed.
"Yeah…..went to business school, and I met Daniel….." she shrugged, seeming unhappy to delve in to it anymore. "Now, I took my father's fortune he left for me, before he just…..disappeared." she finished, trying to bottle all the unhappiness.
Chuck nodded, feeling every bit of his heart break for her loss.
"And you?" She asked, hoping to change the somber tone the conversation was taking.
"Stanford…..engineering." he replied. "I tried to follow after my dad, but I just got a great offer by a tech company in Burbank…..how could I refuse….? "
"And Jill?" Sarah asked gently.
"I met her through an old friend of mine…..Bryce Larkin…..I wish I kept in contact with him too…" he sighed.
"Story of our lives, apparently." Sarah smiled, glancing at their two partners, who seemed to be fully engaged in their own conversation. "How long are you staying?"
"Two weeks, at the very least." Chuck replied. "I need this so badly."
"Agreed. We need to spend any free time here catching up…." Sarah smiled, revealing her pearly whites.
Chuck nodded whole heartedly, as he stifled a yawn. "Oh my god, it's getting a little late, huh?"
Jill heard, turning to the two old friends. "You guys go on ahead, I think we'll just finish up and meet you guys there." She replied, fully interested in Daniel's apparently successful business techniques.
"Huh? Oh…okay?" Chuck shrugged, rising. "Where's your room, Sarah? I'll walk you there…." He smiled, remembering how many times he'd escorted her home from James Buchanan High.
"That sounds so….familiar….." Sarah grinned as the two began up to Sarah's floor, turning the corner in the hall way.
"Listen, Sarah…" Chuck began. "I'm not really sure why our parents did what they did, and why we weren't able to keep touch…."
Sarah nodded, lightly leaning against the wall for much needed support. This was a lot to handle for one night.
"-but I really enjoyed talking to you again….and I'd hate to lose you again….." he finished solemnly. "So here's my number…..maybe we can catch breakfast tomorrow?"
"I'd love to, Chuck." Sarah took the spare business card he kept in his back pocket. Smiling the two glanced at each other, then at the floor, then ceiling.
"See you Sarah…" he spoke gently, as she closed the door, sliding back against it.
She'd found Chuck Bartowski. She was home.
-0-
Chuck stared at his cell phone, glancing at the clock at the very top. It was nine in the morning. He'd been up since seven, too excited to sleep any more at the prospect of seeing Sarah. He glanced over to his right, where Jill slept peacefully. He watched her carefully. He hadn't remembered her coming in, only feeling her slide into the sheets late at night; much later than he and Sarah retired to their rooms.
Just then, his Iphone vibrated, and the name: Unknown popped onto his screen in the familiar grey text bubble, followed by a number.
Opening up the text, he read it twice over. It read: Morning Chuck. Dan's asleep. Coffee in 15 mins?
Grinning, Chuck hurried to reply. Confirming, he leapt out of bed to change into some nice jeans and a shirt. He heard Jill mumble faintly.
"Chu….?" She asked incoherently.
"I'm gonna go get a quick breakfast with Sarah, babe. You can sleep in." he told her gently, planting a quick kiss on her forehead.
"Mmmmkay…." Came her gentle response. In seconds, she was off to sleep again.
"Be back soon…." He informed his sleeping girlfriend, and dashed out the door.
-0-
"Morning Sarah." Chuck grinned, taking a seat beside her at the small table outside by the ocean. "Wow…Its weird saying that….."
"It sounds weird…." She replied with a similar grin. "But good…."
"Do you know what time Daniel and Jill got in last night? I don't remember at all…." He asked, smiling as the waiter brought them some coffee.
"Oh god….." Sarah shook her head. "My guess would be…..I don't know….late…..I was dead when Daniel got in bed…."
Chuck nodded. "Same." He glanced at the ring on her finger. "So what does Daniel do for a living?" he asked kindly.
"He has a business degree like me, but….I don't know…..He wants to invest dad's fortune, and I'm not sure how I feel about that….." Sarah admitted uneasily. "But I'm here to clear my mind…..figure out what I'm going to do."
"And I ruined those plans?" Chuck guessed with a smile.
"You made this a real vacation, Chuck." She smiled at him, as the two glanced into each other's eyes.
Chuck glanced out ahead onto the shore. He immediately remembered all the times he'd gone with Sarah to the beach, ditching the evil Ms. K's class.
"Do you remember the time-"
"We went to the beach and I got a burn the size of a beach ball on my back?" Sarah finished with a grin. They were on the exact same wave length apparently.
"Remember, we told all the teachers you had a skin problem so they wouldn't mark us off for ditching?" Chuck grinned.
Sarah rolled her eyes. "No wonder I was such a dork there."
"You were absolutely NOT a dork." Chuck protested kindly. "I was dating the hottest girl in senior class."
"Heather Chandler?" Sarah teased.
"Oh, yeah right. If only she knew how much you looked like a supermodel now." He smirked.
Sarah blushed, and Chuck immediately realized his words, slightly embarrassed.
"So you like the blonde?" She asked gently, a smile on her flawless face.
"Sarah, you're gorgeous." He smiled kindly.
Sarah blushed, shaking her head modestly. Inside, her heart was fluttering. He STILL did that to her. It was unbelievable.
Chuck grinned. "Heather Chandler can kiss your Zork playing ass." He quipped. Sarah immediately remembered ditching on that exact day with Chuck.
"Oh m god, you really remember everything…" she grinned.
"How could I Sarah…? You're kind of unforgettable."
A/N: So, now you see the kind of tone this story will take. I will try my best to make any angst minimal, and keep the Charah awesomeness alive, I promise. So, if you're interested in Beta-ing, feel free to PM me. If you enjoyed, why not take a second or two out of your day to leave a review and let me know what you guys thought? Thanks a million for reading/reviewing. You guys are awesome. Have a good one, as always.
-LLC