A/N: Well, thanks so much for the awesome amount of reviews on this one, which seems to beat Hardly Working to a pulp. Hope you guys enjoy the next little installment, and there's a new "Hardly Working" up if you're interested. Enjoy.
Chapter Four:
Dinner was awkward. It mainly consisted of small talk, while Chuck and Sarah ended up staring at each other, getting caught more often than not.
Shaw, however, was content with his plan to make himself shine beside the lame Chuck, who'd so far captured Sarah's attention.
Shaw leaned over, putting an arm around the back of Sarah's chair. Jill seemed to look away for a moment, while Chuck kept his food down somehow.
"So, Chuck." Shaw smiled lazily. "How long have you two lovebirds been together?"
"Hmm? Oh, High school, uh, ah college, I mean." He suddenly remembered he wasn't dating Sarah anymore.
"Right…." Shaw nodded, Sarah a little unhappy with the conversation.
"And you two?" Jill supplied, doubting Chuck's ability to speak.
"Us? College too." Shaw took his chance to gloat cockily. "I remember the first time I saw her at Harvard…..I rescued her from a bad date with the jocks."
Before Sarah could voice her opinion, Chuck jumped in. "Really? I could peg you as a jock." He couldn't believe what he'd just said.
Shaw laughed, playing it cool. "Well, it's a good thing I didn't. Maybe I wouldn't be engaged to Sarah here…." He smirked, placing a kiss on her cheek. Sarah immediately jumped to change the subject.
"How about you guys?" She queried.
Jill smiled and Chuck mirrored her action. "I met her at my friend's kegger." He laughed. "She and I were the only ones worried about tomorrow's test, so we ended up chilling in the corner and studying." He laughed. "It was lame, but good luck I guess."
Jill smiled fondly at the memory, though not for long. Something about it felt very wrong now.
"Of course, I still remember High School with Sarah like it was yesterday." Chuck grinned, meeting Sarah's beautiful blue eyes.
Sarah smiled, grateful he'd brought the subject back to something they were both comfortable with; an unspoken bond.
"Hey, why don't we all hit the beach tomorrow?" Shaw suggested with a smirk, thinking only of his rich fiancé in a bikini. "It'll be fun."
"We'd go." Jill agreed.
"Alright then." Shaw got his credit card back from the waiter with a smile. "It's settled. See you tomorrow then."
The couples said their good byes and headed out, each tired from the day's challenges.
-0-
The late morning sun was warm, and it baked the sand to a comfortably warm temperature, as Chuck soon discovered. He'd been told by Shaw that Sarah was already down and out, and Jill advised him to go get some chairs while she got ready.
Whistling some old tune, Chuck stepped out to the sand, setting his things down on two available chairs. Glancing around, his eyes scanned the vast beach for a certain gorgeous blonde, but he came up empty.
Frowning, he lifted off his shirt, hoping to dive in. Just as his eyes reconnected with the ocean, he saw a beautiful sight. Sarah had risen, walking out of the water in her blue bikini, her wet blonde hair down her back in a smooth motion. She blinked drops away from her eyelashes, smiling at the sight of Chuck. Approaching him, Chuck felt as if it were all in slow motion like the movies.
"S….Sara…..Sarah, wow, I mean….Hi! Good morning, it's kind of warm, huh?" He rambled unsurely, unaware that Sarah had the same reaction towards his toned chest. With out Zork, he'd made time to work out a little bit more. Now, it sure as hell paid off.
Laughing, Sarah took a seat beside him, wringing her wet hair onto the sand. "Wow yourself, nerd."
Chuck smiled, grateful that she'd reacted coolly to his failed to catch the blush on her cheeks upon seeing him though.
"Looks like life with out me and Zork treated you well…." She teased.
"With out Zork….yes. But you? It was probably the worst thing that's ever happened to me, Sarah." He replied seriously.
Sarah suddenly felt short of breath. "I know, I-"
"Hey guys." Jill smiled, taking a seat on the chair across from them. "Daniel needs a hand grabbing our beers from the little bar over there, I'm gonna be right back." She informed them.
Chuck nodded while Sarah smiled and thanked her, leaning back.
"Chuck?" Sarah finally asked.
"Uh, yeah?" he replied.
"Can you get my back?" she handed him the bottle of lotion, as nervous as he was.
"Huh? Oh, sure, of course." He replied a little too fast. Sarah laughed.
"Chuck…"
'Yes?"
"Relax…." She tried to as well, but his hands….they were just as gentle as she remembered.
He zoned out a little, massaging her back probably more than he should have. Sarah let out an appreciative groan, but the two were startled by Shaw's voice.
"Alright guys." He smiled, as of he were totally oblivious. "Here you go." He handed them each a bottle, taking a seat.
Jill took off her over clothes, revealing her bikini clad, tan body. The only two who noticed were Sarah and Shaw, one out of lust and the other with mild jealousy and guardedness.
Shaw managed to regain his consciousness and focused back on his even hotter fiancée, who was once again entranced with the nerd. Shaking his head, he spoke to shake them back to reality. Clearly, the dork didn't get it. It was time he rubbed it in a little.
Rising, he wrapped his arms around Sarah, who watched him in surprise. "Can you get my back, babe?" She actually rolled her eyes. Chuck smiled. His Sarah was still there; she was nobody's "babe".
"Oh, sure." Sarah sighed, figuring she'd get some time alone with Chuck in a little while.
-0-
It wasn't till late afternoon that Sarah had found Chuck alone, sitting, hugging his knees, and staring out into the ocean, the sun tauntingly hanging above it.
"Hey." She said with a soft smile, taking a seat beside him. "You okay? You left everyone in a hurry."
"Hmm?" he gave her an absent smile, the ones she cherished so dearly. "Yeah, I just like to think to myself sometimes."
Sarah made a motion to leave. "Oh, sorry-"
"-you know you're always an exception, Sarah." He told her warmly, gently bumping her shoulder. She felt some odd feeling then. The best way to describe it was a warm chill, as crazy as it sounded. It gave her Goosebumps, and yet it spread through her like a wildfire.
"So." Sarah sighed, hoping her voice didn't sound as unsteady as it felt. "What are you thinking about?"
"Everything." He replied calmly, eyes finding the sun slowly beginning to set. "Us."
Sarah felt her heart rate speed up. "What about us?"
"What happens next, Sarah?" he asked quietly. The beach was deserted, but quiet felt right. "When this little joy ride is over?"
"Chuck, I-"
"-think about it. We lost each other for nine years." Sarah remembered vividly. She didn't lose her childhood friend….she lost her high school sweet heart, her family, her better half…..It was hard.
"Well, that won't happen again." She stated with some confidence. "You're in Burbank now, right?"
"Well, yeah, but-"
"I'll go there, if that's what it takes."
"You mean live there?" he asked, shocked.
"Sure…." She shrugged. "If Daniel cares, he'll follow me….."
Chuck didn't want to tread on that particularly thin sheet of ice with her at that very moment. "Sarah, I don't want you to wreck everything you've set yourself up for in the past nine years." He shook his head, unwilling to let her ruin her plans.
"Chuck, what life?" she sighed. "My parents hauled me away, I got lucky enough to go to Harvard, and that was it. I've got my degree in business, and that's everywhere, Chuck. My family…..well, it's complicated."
"I hear you." Chuck replied, glancing into her eyes. "What happened?"
"I haven't seen my father in nearly seven years, Chuck." She admitted, his face displaying utter sorrow and shock.
"Oh god, Sarah, what happened?" He cried.
"He's been AWOL for a long time….he left me his fortune….our dads' fortune." She corrected. "Then he left, and I haven't heard from him since."
Chuck put his arms around her comfortingly, hugging her closely just like he always used to. Sarah found solace yet again in his arms.
"Chuck…" she began, as the two slowly pulled apart. "The money, I can get it to you-"
"-Sarah." Chuck cut her off. "Consider it all yours. You deserve it, and I want you to have it all. Do whatever you want with it, okay?" he wouldn't let her argue.
Sarah sighed. He was selfless, caring, kind…..just like he always had been.
"We'll figure this out." She promised, leaning against him as she watched the sun set, setting the ocean on fire with an orangey glow. "One bridge at a time."
A/N: Slightly heavier chapter, hope it wasn't too bad. Anyway, thanks a million for reading and reviewing, I look forward to hearing your opinions. As always, have a great one, guys.
-LLC