Title: Sacrifice
Author: Cindy Ryan
Pairings: C/S
Category: angst, AU
Timeline: Alternate ending for Chuck vs the best friend
Notes: This hasn't been beta'd but I've done my best to catch any errors

Once at the hospital Sarah found a bathroom in the lobby. She didn't want to look like she'd been in a fight….well as much as she could.
She switched clothes with the emergency stash she always had in her bag. Brushed through her hair.

Sarah used a paper towel to wash the blood away from the cuts on her face and neck. She applied makeup to the areas she knew would bruise in a few hours.

It was only when she put the old clothes, makeup and brush back in her bag that her hand fell on her cell phone. Pulling it out Sarah realized it'd been accidentally set to vibrate. She turned the volume on low and scrolled through all the missed calls, texts and voice mails. Sarah sent two texts one to Morgan and one to Ellie saying she was on her way.

With a last check of her appearance in the mirror Sarah gathered her bag and left the bathroom.

*********

Hearing a soft gasp from the doorway behind Ellie turned and felt relief wash over her as she saw Sarah.

"Oh my God."Sarah whispered as she took a hesitant step into the room.

Vaguely she was aware of Ellie's presence but all of Sarah's focus was on the man in the bed before her.
Chuck looked battered and bruised, right arm in a sling, tubes running everywhere but he was still beautiful.

In her life Sarah hadn't had much to rely on.
During the past year….nearly two Chuck had been a constant….steadfast.
Always there and not just because of the Intersect.

They'd both made mistakes….but in the end he was always there for her.

Tears fell freely as Sarah placed a hand over her mouth.
In her mind's eye she could still see the explosion….still feel the helplessness.

Ellie crossed the room and drew the younger woman into a hug. "It looks worse than it is. All the tests have come back good."

Sarah nodded as she pulled back wiping tears away. "I-I just couldn't believe when…I finally got the messages….I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner….my phone got turned to vibrate accidentally…."

Ellie squeezed her left arm supportively. "I'm just glad you're here. I need to check in with Devon…why don't you sit with him awhile?"

Wordlessly Sarah moved to the empty chair and sat down. After a moment she took Chuck's hand in hers.

For the first time in weeks a genuine smile crossed Ellie's face as she took in the scene before her. Silently she stepped out of the room and pulled the door closed behind her.

*********

Exhausted John Casey sat at one of the desks in the castle. On one side sat a sub sandwich bag of chips and a soda. On the other sat a stack of paperwork and above that a laptop.

He ran a hand over his face and glanced at the now dark communications screen on the bank of monitors on the wall a few feet away.

Some how he and Walker still had their jobs. Beckman's expression hadn't changed as Casey had told her of the fight with the Triads. He would bet his next month's salary that she hadn't bought their cover story that Sarah had stumbled across the operation through a contact and that things had went down too fast to get approval.

For the moment Casey wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Everything was and would be back to status quo once Bartowski was on his feet.

Movement caught John's attention and he looked at the laptop screen. They'd set up a surveillance camera in Chuck's room and one at both ends of the hall. He looked in time to see Sarah sit next to Chuck's bedside.

John shook his head with a sigh. All he could do now was hope that Sarah and Chuck had sense enough to juggle their cover and the personal relationship.
If not things could get ugly really fast and he was not in the mood for babysitting or refereeing.

Casey reached for his sandwich and pulled it in front of him. Bartowski and Walker were adults. They knew what was at stake…..what the consequences were.
John knew from experience that the heart and the mind didn't always work together.
Time would only tell if this was an exception to that rule.

************

The nurses had brought a cot in for Sarah after two days it became apparent that she wasn't leaving.

Sarah stood and tried to work the kinks out of her back and neck. The sun was just coming up on the third day spilling light into the room. While Chuck hadn't shown any signs of waking the doctors had assured them that all signs were good and rest was what he needed most.

She'd bought a couple books from the gift shop and started reading them to him. One a mystery the other a sci-fi.
It was small but it gave Sarah something to do. To make her feel less helpless.

Sarah moved to the small window that over looked the parking lot. Devon had gone back to work the day before and Ellie was supposed to by the end of the week. Lives were slowly returning to normal.

A rueful smile crossed Sarah's face as she shook her head…normal? What was that for her?

Over the last two days she'd had a lot of time to think. There was one thing Sarah was certain of…. if Chuck thought they could make this work….this crazy life of cover stories and missions…..romance and relationships maybe just maybe it could work.
They'd been given another chance and no matter what happened Sarah wasn't going to waste it.

Stifling a yawn Sarah stepped around the cot and moved towards the door. There was a coffee area a few feet from the nurse's station. Caffeine was definitely needed.

As her hand rested on the door handle Sarah heard something she thought she'd never hear again.

Startled Sarah turned. Chuck's eyes were still closed. Had she imagined it? No it'd been his voice….dry, scratchy and weak but it'd been his voice saying her name.

"Chuck?"Sarah called anxiously as she returned to the bed. She ran a hand along his forehead brushing brown bangs out of his face. "Can you hear me?"

Slowly, very slowly Chuck's brown eyes opened.

Sarah found herself laughing and crying at the same time.

"S-sarah."

She squeezed his hand as she reached for the call button. "I'm right here, Chuck. You're going to be okay….you're safe. I'm going to get the doctor."

Chuck blinked as she moved from his field of vision. He tried to grab Sarah's hand to make her stay. But everything was so disoriented.

The light was too loud and every sound made his head pound.
He could tell he was in a hospital….but that's where coherent thoughts stopped.
Thinking was too hard. The pain wasn't too bad but Chuck suspected their were good drugs behind it since his body felt like lead.

His mind began to swim and his eyes started to drift closed. Chuck fought to keep them open.
All he wanted to do was see Sarah….so many things he wanted to say.

The blackness closed in once more and Chuck found the pull of oblivion too strong.
No matter how hard he tried sleep won and Chuck drifted off.

*********

A week later was the first time Chuck found himself coherent enough to hold a conversation.
One that would last longer than five minutes anyway.

It was a Tuesday and he was propped up in bed picking at what passed for a hospital dinner.
He was getting better eating with one hand but it was still tricky.
Especially with things like jello.

Sarah sat on the bed facing so she was looking at him. She grinned and reached for the plastic cup of green jello.

"Don't laugh."Chuck ordered as he waved the spoon.

Sarah shook her head as she suppressed a giggle. She took the spoon from him. "I'm not. Here…let's try it this way."

"Mmm….better."Chuck commented through a mouthful after Sarah had fed him two spoonfuls.

"How about we try something more solid than jello?"

"Cheeseburger?"Chuck prompted hopefully.

Sarah laughed as she leaned in to kiss him quickly. "As soon as you're out of here I'll buy you cheeseburgers for the rest of the year."

Chuck was trying not to think too hard about what the kiss was. There was nobody here but the two of them. Ellie had gone on shift about two hours before and the stream of visitors had died to just Morgan and Anna over the past few days.
He knew she was just holding up their cover like always. But something had felt different the last week.

Chuck was really hoping it wasn't the drugs making him feel it.
That something had really changed between them.
Something they could build on.

"I'll hold you to that."Chuck replied as he dutifully cut a piece of what was supposed to be turkey and dunked it in the mashed potatoes.

"See?"Sarah stated with a smile. "Not that bad."

Chuck glared at her. "I don't see you eating it."

Sarah placed a comforting hand on his arm as she moved to sit back in the chair. "I've had plenty of cafeteria food this past week, thank you."

Bartowski took another bite before setting the fork down. "So what is Casey up to?"

Sarah smiled as she picked up a Hollywood gossip magazine from the nightstand. "Holding down the fort."

"Bored out of his mind in other words."

"Pretty much."

"And let me clarify since things last week are still a bit hazy….everything's the same with the CIA?"

Walker nodded. "Nothing's changed…cover's the same."

Chuck met her gaze and saw something flicker. Too fast for him to read.

"So everything goes back to the way it was?"

The magazine forgotten Sarah licked her suddenly dry lips. "It doesn't have to."

There, she'd said it.
The pink elephant was about to be visible in the room.

Sarah didn't care….if he didn't want to take the risk she'd deal with it some how.
It'd hurt like hell but she'd deal with it….but some how she knew she wasn't too late.

Chuck wasn't sure he had heard right. "Sarah….are you…."

Sarah scooted forward and took his hand in hers. She took a deep breathe. "When I thought I'd lost you….it hit me hard….made me realize things I hadn't been willing to face before. Made me realize I was wrong."

She rubbed a thumb along Chuck's knuckles. "I-I love you, Chuck….even if you don't feel the….I just wanted you to know."

Chuck could only stare and hope his mouth was closed. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard even though his heart swelling with happiness told him it was real.
He couldn't believe that she thought he didn't….after everything….how could she not realize?

Bartowski silently cursed his injured arm. More than anything right now he just wanted to pull Sarah into an embrace and never let her go. That the embrace would convey to her what words were failing him.

Instead Chuck pushed the meal tray aside. He pulled Sarah up next to him squeezing her hand as he did. He ignored the protest of pain from his back and bruised ribs.
All the while his mind scrambling for the words he needed.
The right words.

Wordlessly Sarah nestled against Chuck. Her heart was beating double time and she was sure he could feel it.

Finally Chuck pulled away slightly so he could see Sarah's face. Tenderly he tucked a stray blonde hair behind her right ear.

"Don't you know, Sarah, that I've been in love with you since day one?"

Sarah blinked away the tears but it was a futile attempt. Could this really be happening?
She'd never believed much in fate but now….

Chuck gently brushed her tears away with his thumb. "You're a beautiful amazing woman….never in my wildest dreams did I think I had a chance….I'm nothing like the other guys in your life….I'm just a geek."

"You're a hero, Chuck."Sarah replied quietly the happy tears finally stopped. "Don't ever forget that. You saved Morgan and the Chinese ambassador and countless others."

Chuck lowered his head so his lips were inches from Sarah's. "I guess I am, aren't I?"

Sarah smiled and just before their lips met she whispered. "You're my hero."

After the kiss broke Sarah rested her head on Chuck's chest. As best she could being mindful of the bandages. A happiness settled over her that she hadn't felt in a long time. She knew that the road ahead wouldn't be easy. As the saying went nothing worthwhile ever was....they'd endure the problems together whatever they were.

Epilog to follow