A/N: Hey there. Pure, unadulterated fluff ahead, used as a bridge for their adventures in Europe and Asia, as well as Chuck and Sarah taking another step in their relationship (A major one this time).

Fluffington pointed out a couple of my Scrubs references in his or her review. One of them was White Shadow. I was wracking my brain, trying to see how it tied into Scrubs. Truthfully, I just wanted an ominous sounding nickname. Imagine my surprise when I remembered it was actually what Turk called J.D. in "My Own Personal Hell". Ugh, even subconsciously I'm making Scrubs references!

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck or Scrubs. I'm not making any money off of writing this, which is a damn shame, because I sure could use some money right about now.

Chapter 8

The squeal emanating from the throat of Ellie was deafening. Chuck was sure that if she had recorded the sound and played it through the P.A. system of the airport, every window in LAX would spontaneously break into a million small pieces. As it was, they only got a few pointed looks from other people who were waiting for their loved ones. Chuck couldn't quite figure out why Ellie made such a big fuss though. After all, he had only been gone for a couple of days. Surely, she couldn't be that clingy, right?

But he noticed something else. Her gaze wasn't at all on Chuck or Sarah's face. When he followed it, he found out exactly what had set Ellie off. Their hands were linked. Chuck couldn't figure out how it happened, but there it was. He was holding hands with Sarah Walker. And the weird part was that it wasn't at all awkward. It… fit. And Sarah didn't seem to mind either. When they released their grasp on each other to hug Ellie and Devon, both were met by an empty feeling. Which in itself was insanity as Chuck mused. After all, they had only been seeing each other for maybe one and a half weeks. They hadn't even bothered giving a name to their relationship yet. So how could it feel so… right?

Then again, Chuck was simply speaking from his own feelings. He had no idea whether or not Sarah felt the same way. But when they established eye contact, and he saw her gaze flicker to his hand, he started grinning. Apparently she did. And it gave him an odd sense of accomplishment.

"Hey Devon, how are you man?" Chuck greeted.

"Chuckster!" Devon boomed. Chuck looked around and saw the scared looks on the children passing by the blonde haired man. "Awesome to see you. How was Washington?"

"Ah, well… You know." Chuck started, as he glanced at Sarah and Ellie who seemed oddly comfortable around each other. It reminded him of watching sisters interact with each other.

Devon noticed that Chuck's attention had already started to stray. As he looked to where Chuck was looking, he couldn't help but grin. "I see it's going well with your new woman. It never gets old saying it, but that's awesome Chuck. I knew you had it in you. Up top!"

Chuck had to agree with Devon. It was in fact going well with Sarah. Very well, actually. So what the hell, he might as well entertain Devon.

"It has been going well. Actually, we might become sort of roomies in the near future." Chuck said, after having indulged Devon in the high-five. Devon's look changed in an instant.

"Whoa. Are you sure you're not getting a bit ahead of yourself there, Bro?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, moving in together is a pretty big step there amigo. Your sister and I had been seeing each other for at least half a year before I decided to move in with her. And you've only been seeing Sarah for like, two weeks max. Are you sure you want to commit so soon?" Devon asked, with the concern on his face clear as day.

Chuck had expected this question to come, and had been working on a suitable reply ever since he thought about it coming up. It was finally time to unleash it. "I think you're mistaken there, Devon. We've been seeing each other for the past half year. I just didn't always know it." He finished with a wink.

Devon's laugh was back full force. "Valid point, Chuckster. And if it's what you both want, then who am I to say no. For what it's worth, it's most definitely awesome. So uh, have you two… closed the deal yet?"

"What?"

Devon's face actually got a little red. "You know… uh… Geez, how do I say this… You know?"

Chuck thought about what Devon could've meant. Then it hit him. He looked down, suddenly finding his shoes to be the most fascinating thing in the world. "Actually, uh… I don't think I'm quite ready to uh… do that yet… So I asked Sarah if she was okay with waiting, and she seems cool with it."

Devon had a look of confusion etched on his face. "So wait, you're thinking of moving in together… But you haven't actually had sex yet? How does that work out?"

Chuck shrugged. "I don't know. I just know that I feel a lot more comfortable when she's there. And that includes going to sleep. And I guess she feels the same way. We decided that we would go our own way for tonight, and see how we feel about sleeping alone again. And she kind of already said that she knew which one she preferred. But since she didn't make any bones as to how we chose to spend the night in Washington, I'm guessing that she'll want to become roomies. And when she was asleep, she kind of mumbled that she loved me…"

At that point, Sarah and Ellie joined up with Chuck and Devon. "Who loves who?" Ellie inclined.

"Joanie loves Chachi!" Chuck blurted out. "Yeah, I was just telling Devon that I thought it was a shame that the show was cancelled."

Devon looked confused, but caught on to the lie. "Yeah, I was just about to tell him that Happy Days was much better and that they didn't need any spin-offs anyway."

Sarah looked even more confused than Devon had done. "Who are Joanie and Chachi? And why should we care if they love each other? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm all for love, it's just weird, because I've never heard of those two."

Chuck started laughing. "No, it's just an old TV show I used to watch. Which reminds me, I'm pretty sure that we're supposed to be watching all the episodes of the A-Team soon."

Ellie groaned. "He actually got you to watch that show? I can't believe it Chuck. I thought you wanted to build something with Sarah, not scare her away."

Devon was actually the one to throw up an objection. "Babe, the A-Team is awesome. Sarah should be happy that Chuck is willing to introduce her to such an awesome show."

Ellie looked at Sarah, and winked. "I'm sure that Sarah won't actually mind watching it with Chuck." The emphasis on Chuck's name caused him to look at Ellie, trying to discern her meaning. But, before he could, Ellie had made a decision. "Alright you guys, let's get you two back home."

Ellie drove straight to the apartment. As Devon and Ellie walked into the apartment, Chuck stuck around the fountain. Seeing as how Sarah had been perpetually joined at his hip since D.C., she stopped with him.

"What's up, Chuck?"

"I… uh… I don't really know how to start this conversation… But uh…"

Sarah started freaking out. Why was he so nervous? Oh crap, what did she do? Was it something she did or said in the car? Or was she pushing him too hard. Was he breaking up with her? Were they even an item?

"I would like to… uh… put a label… on our relationship… if you would be up for that of course…"

Sarah blew out a sigh of relief. And then she realized the importance of her actions. If Chuck had said to her that he wouldn't want to see her any more, it would've been something that she would be upset about. Which in itself told her what she wanted to know about their relationship. Chuck was right, it was time to label it.

"Sure, Chuck. Why don't you start. How would you label it?"

"Um… Okay… Well, I can safely say that the last couple of days, apart from the terrifying experience with airplanes aside, have been the happiest since the past 3 years. And uh, I've never eh… slept more soundly than when you were lying next to me… And I'm having a lot of fun just… hanging out with you. So I'd really like for us to continue doing that."

Sarah nodded. "Right. Well, as for me, I've been having an amazing time "hanging" with you as well. And even though you are the first person who I've done the whole serious going out with phase of a relationship, it feels… safe. Normal. Secure even. So yes, I would really like for us to continue what we're doing as well, and see where it all leads."

Chuck's smile was brilliant. He stepped up to Sarah, and held out his arms. The invitation was quickly accepted by her, as she launched herself at him. He couldn't help but laugh.

"So, I guess we're exclusive from now on."

He felt Sarah nodding. "Well, I guess that I don't have to ask your consent for this anymore, then." He leaned her back, and pressed his lips to her. Sarah froze for a millisecond, before responding with vigor. She felt Chuck's tongue sweep across her lips, and immediately opened up for him. They were so lost in the moment, that they didn't hear Devon coming out to find them.

He cleared his throat, and had to strain himself, not to laugh at the "Deer-caught-in-headlight" look that both were displaying. "Ellie's putting out drinks and snacks inside. You can come in if you want, but if you don't… Well, if you don't, I'll just tell Ellie that you've got more pressing matters to attend to." He walked back inside, and before the door had fully closed, they could hear Devon starting to laugh.

Chuck looked to Sarah. "Sorry about that uh…"

She swatted playfully at him. "Don't be. I quite enjoyed it."

Chuck nodded. "Trust me, so did I. Anyway, want to come inside?" He started waggling his eyebrows at her, which brought along another fit of giggling. She reached out for Chuck's hand.

"I'd love to."

Once they got inside, they could see that Ellie had already stalled out several snacks.

"Oh hey guys, what can I get you two."

"Glass of coke please, Sis."

"Sure. You, Sarah?"

"I'll have what he's having." She nodded towards Chuck.

"I'm sure you will." Ellie whispered. But Sarah overheard her, and the blush on her face told Ellie that she wasn't far off her mark.

When she came back, they had set up around the table. "Alright guys, tell me. How was Washington?"

So Chuck told her all about it. He of course left out the details about the Intersect, but he told her about Alex Coburn and Daniel Shaw. And of course about the third date. He wisely left out anything about Sarah's past, which elicited a curt nod from Sarah as gratitude.

"So now we've decided to sleep apart for a night and come back tomorrow, to see how it went and what we want." Chuck was finishing up. "Oh, and we've decided to start dating exclusively."

Ellie was glowing. "Oh, that's such great news. Sarah, you definitely picked a good one."

Chuck blushed, gushing at the compliment. "Well, not to take anything away from myself, but it's I who picked the good one." He turned his head to look at Sarah, while giving her hand an affectionate squeeze.

Sarah didn't know why, but somehow, what he said touched her in her core. She could've sworn she melted. It reminded her a little of the time that he smiled at her for the first time in her life. She looked at Chuck with a longing that was scarily intent.

Ellie however, voiced her concern. "So wait, tomorrow you'll decide if you want to live together? How does that work? You've been a couple for a grand total of 20 minutes. You've been seeing each other for two weeks at most."

Sarah was the one to provide clarification, to the surprise of Chuck. "Ellie. What does it matter how long we've been seeing each other? As far as I'm concerned, it feels… right. And why would we put it off if it feels right?"

Ellie deflated. "You're right. And it's your choice, so I shouldn't interfere. I just want what's best for my little brother."

Sarah nodded. "I understand. And I agree. I definitely want what's best for Chuck. But he makes me happy, so why would I deny myself the chance to be happy?"

Chuck was beaming. Sarah had basically said yes to becoming permanent roomies. His life had switched from being decidedly mediocre to awesome within a week. God, he loved Bryce. He was going to send him a thank you card for getting Jill to cheat on him. "For what it's worth, I want to make you as happy as you can be. So whatever you decide, I'll support you one hundred percent." He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

Sarah turned around to him. "I know, and that's why we're still going to go our separate ways tonight. It's more or less a formality at this point, but I still want to be absolutely sure. Oh, and you'd better believe that that sorry excuse for a kiss will never be able to pass muster again. Not after what you just did to me at the fountain." With that, she grabbed his neck, and pulled him in for an incredibly deep kiss.

Chuck had to summon all his willpower, chi, chakra and life-force to break free from the amazing feeling of Sarah pressed up against him. Still, he persevered. "Sarah… we uh… I'd love to continue doing this… but could we do that when we've found a more… private area so to speak? I'm really not all that comfortable with the whole PDA thing."

Sarah looked affronted when Chuck backed out, but started smiling as he explained why. "Sure, I'll keep it in mind. I can't make any promises though."

Suddenly, they heard an incredibly loud sniffle, and both turned their heads, to see Ellie in tears. Devon sat next to her, with a massive smile.

"You guys… are so… amazingly…" she sobbed out. "cute… adorable… I love you so much Chuck." With that she stood up, and ran to her room.

"What was that all about?" Chuck asked.

Devon stood up. "Nothing amigo. She's just happy. Well, anyway, I'm pretty sure that she won't be coming out for a while, so you two enjoy the rest of the day." With that, Devon stood up, and scurried after his fiancé.

Sarah stood up. "Well, you owe me."

"Owe you? For what?"

"You told me that we'd pick it back up when it was more private. So, let's go."

Chuck laughed, and grabbed her hand. He dragged her to his room, and had only just closed the door, when Sarah pounced on him.

The rest of the day had gone amazing. After making out like a couple of teenagers, they had decided to go to a restaurant. Ellie was still emotional, even though Devon promised them that they were tears of the happy variety. Ellie and Sarah had really hit it off, and were gossiping and talking as if they'd been doing so all their life. Chuck's analogy of them as sisters had hit ridiculously close to home.

Ellie and Devon had hit the wine, but Sarah had abstained due to the fact that she still needed to drive home. Chuck had abstained to show solidarity. This had led to a thank you kiss that was seconds from spiraling out of control. They had went to a club later on, and the envious stares of the male guests served to further increase Chuck's mood. He was indeed one of the luckiest men alive. And it turned out that Sarah even without alcohol involved was a wild thing. Still, he loved trying to keep up with her.

Sarah's mood was actually quite identical. Oh, she'd seen the stares from those brunettes. But Chuck was hers. Forever, I hope her mind told her. For the first time in a long, long while, she whole-heartedly agreed with her mind. She actually thought a lot about Chuck's confession in his sleep. And the more she thought about it, the giddier she got. The fact of the matter was that she could count on her hands how many people have told her they loved her… and meant it. She counted her father… And that was it. And now, even though he didn't know he said it, she could add Chuck. And the simple fact was that it made her incredibly happy. And if she was honest with herself, she loved spending time with him, for the simple reason that whenever they were together, he tried to make sure that everything was about her.

She'd never received this much attention, and it frightened and excited her at the same time. So she was finally honest with herself, and succumbed to the building desires that raged within her. She couldn't say for certain, but she was pretty sure she was in love with him. The one thing she did know for certain, was that she'd never felt those feelings that she was feeling, for anyone. But the inevitable question was: Do I tell him, and when do I? The first question was answered pretty easy. Of course she should tell him. As it was, the realization that she probably (definitely) loved him was like a lead vest, smothering her. It was also one of the best feelings she had ever had. Yeah, emotions were confusing.

The next question was a tad harder to answer. When would possibly be a good time to tell him? She didn't want to scare him off, even though he had technically already told her. Still, she mused, that was when he was asleep and it was his subconscious talking. So his subconscious had already caved. Now she just needed his conscious being to recognize it, and do something about it. Oh well, she could start working on it, when the status-quo was back to having them as roomies. Her mind did a double take at that last thought. And that's when it became real to her. She'd already begun thinking of them as together.

If anything, the logical side of Sarah had no idea what was happening. She went from party-girl to monk and that transformation worked for her. She had been done with her past, and wanted an escape. And the first guy that she had taken a keen interest in, turned out to be one of the most amazing people she had ever had the good fortune of meeting. How did she ever get so lucky?

But then the girl-side of Sarah's mind took over (which sounded surprisingly like Ellie) and willed her to stop rationalizing it all. All she had to do was enjoy her life and the facts were simple. Ever since she started talking to Chuck, she had never been depressed. Even that simple act, talking, lifted her spirits up. So it was decided. She was going to sit back, strap in and enjoy the ride that was a real relationship with Chuck Bartowski. She couldn't wait for it to start.

Chuck felt miserable. Sure, the night was amazing and the goodbye kiss was just about the hottest thing that had ever happened to him. Still, he felt empty. He sighed, and clutched the second pillow, hoping to replicate the soft features of Sarah in his arms. He willed his mind to make the connection but failed miserably.

He resigned to counting sheep trying to get to sleep, when he heard a knock. He stood up, and walked to the door, opening it up. He didn't expect to see what he saw. He saw nothing. He suddenly realized that the knocking wasn't coming from his door. It was coming from the Morgan door. He ran over to the window, and peered out into the courtyard. He couldn't see anything, but when he opened up the window, he was surprised by a black figure darting out from the bushes who planted her amazingly soft, luscious lips against his.

"Couldn't sleep." Sarah whispered breathlessly as they came up for air. She stepped into his room, and closed the window. She shrugged off her trench coat, and Chuck's mouth dropped. Every time they had spent the night in the same bed, Sarah's sleeping attire was conservative. Of course, it didn't matter what she wore, because she was still stunning, but the t-shirt and pajama bottoms combination covered at least most of her body. The negligee that she was currently wearing was instantly awarded the Chuck Bartowski Seal of Approval in the category of Best Sleepwear Ever.

Sarah saw the glazed look on Chuck's face and couldn't help but giggle. "I can't help it. It's what I sleep in." Chuck could only nod. Sarah walked up to him and kissed him again. "Let's go to bed. I'm exhausted."

Again, Chuck nodded, and walked back to his bed in a daze. He put himself under the covers, and Sarah lay next to him. She scooted over into the spooning position, and both were asleep within five minutes.

When Ellie opened Chuck's door that morning, the first thing she saw was blonde hair splayed everywhere. The grin that overtook her face was enormous. "Well, I guess their decision has been made." she said, mainly to herself.

As Ellie walked off, Sarah opened her eyes. When she took in her surroundings, she couldn't help but smile as memories of the past night flooded her mind's eye. Okay, so maybe the negligee was a bit much. But she had wanted to wear something to commemorate their first evening together. She was a bit peeved over the fact that nothing had happened last night, but she was pretty tired.

Chuck started stirring, so she turned to face him as he regained consciousness.

He blinked a couple of times, and then the most amazing smile, that still held that damn ability to make her insides like jelly, adorned his face. "This is seriously becoming my most favorite way of waking up."

"Well, I'm just glad I can accommodate you on that one."

"Hmm, well you're doing a fine job, Miss Walker. Good morning." He gave her a peck on the lips, and then turned to get out of bed. But something stopped him, and when he turned back, there was a murderous glare on Sarah's face.

"I believe that we had an agreement."

"About what?" Chuck questioned.

"About your kisses? Hello? The fountain, goodbye kisses? Ringing any bells?"

Chuck winced. "Sorry about that, let me make it up to you."

"Fine, but I'm giving you one shot, so make it count Bartowski."

He pulled her in, and started kissing her with a vigor that even he hadn't felt in a long time. As a matter of fact, it far surpassed any effort he had ever given with Jill. It was actually Sarah's tongue who was the first to start probing. He gladly accepted the incoming transmission.

Sarah was having a lot of trouble recalling things. She couldn't for the life of her remember who the President was. She didn't even know what the acronym C.I.A. stood for. The only thing she knew at that point was how amazing she felt. How it seemed that in the bed that was such a stranger to her, in the arms of a man that she had never been physical with she had felt so much safer than when she was in her own home. And she wanted more. So she angled her head a bit, allowing Chuck to deepen the kiss, and softly moaned.

When Chuck heard Sarah moan, he had just about lost the last vestiges of his self control. He couldn't get over the amazing feeling of Sarah. Every point of contact between them felt like a thousand volts coursing through her skin, transferring to his. He felt a strange tugging, and realized it was Sarah, trying to rid him of his pajama. He reluctantly broke the kiss. "I'm sorry, Sarah. Not yet…"

"Chu-uck." Sarah whined, with a pout made him feel his resolve weaken even more.

Chuck knew that if they went down this road, it wouldn't end well. He couldn't even explain himself why he wouldn't commit to her like that. So he decided that it was in his best interest to switch subjects.

"So, did I make it up to you?"

The dreamy smile on Sarah's face answered that question for him. "Most definitely." Chuck breathed a sigh of relief. He dodged that bullet.

A knock on the door prevented Chuck from going for a second try. Sure, he didn't want to have sex yet, but he didn't particularly mind skirting the edges. "Hey Chuck, breakfast is almost… Oh, hey Sarah." Devon chimed, as he walked into the room. "I thought you guys wanted to decide what you wanted today?"

"We did." Sarah said. "It was past 12, so technically it was today. That's when I decided, and I think that Chuck agrees with me."

She found him nodding his head furiously. That's when Devon noticed what exactly Sarah was wearing. He averted his gaze. "Sorry about intruding guys. Anyway, as I said, breakfast is almost ready. Oh, and Ellie invited the new neighbor over. I think his name was something like John Casey or something. So he'll be here any minute now. That'll be all." He left the room, and she stood up, deciding to get dressed. She had packed a small amount of clothes when she came over. As she bent over to grab her bag, she saw Chuck's reflection in the mirror and his expression. She also saw what he was staring at.

"Really, Chuck? I'm pretty sure I was wearing this last night as well."

Chuck shook himself out of his stupor. "Huh? What? Yeah, you're right but… damn…"

"While I'm incredibly happy that my boyfriend approves, I really do need to change. We can't let Casey see us like this. It might be awkward. After all, he's known me since I was small, and he's kind of protective."

Chuck's face almost cracked, with the smile that he was sporting. Sarah noticed and arched an eyebrow. "I know… It's just… You calling me your boyfriend… It's pretty awesome."

"Well, get used to it. I'm pretty sure I'll be using that term quite often."

Chuck stood up, and circled his arms around her waist, softly nuzzling her neck. "I think I already am." Suddenly, Chuck groaned. "Oh man, no one's going to believe you're my girlfriend. All they're going to think is that you lost a bet or something."

Sarah turned around, and faced him. "Best bet I've ever lost." She kissed him again, making sure not to keep going too long. Chuck let out a small whine.

"I thought we had a deal. Something about a fountain? Not five minutes ago? Ringing any bells."

Sarah's eyes sparkled. "I do remember that conversation, now that you mention it. But I can't really do that right now, because then we'd go at it like a couple of teenagers in the backseat of a car, and as much as I want that… God, I really want that, but as much as I do, we can't. What if Devon walks in on us again? Or Ellie?"

Chuck shivered. "Fantastic point. Alright then, let's get dressed and let's get this over with. Which reminds me, we do still need to call Bryce after all this is over. Speaking of which, what did you do with the bugs?"

Sarah shrugged. "Apparently they got seriously damaged during the flight. I'm afraid they're all broken." She grabbed the clothes that had dropped when Chuck had hugged her, and padded to the bathroom. When she got back in his room, Chuck was already dressed. He decided to go for casual again. She really, really loved casual. "Alright, let's get this over and done with." They walked towards the table, where Ellie, Devon and Casey were already seated.

"Glad you could join us." Ellie quipped. Truth be told, she was brimming with excitement at what her brother was accomplishing in just a couple of days. Ellie had to be frank; Sarah was one of the most gorgeous women she had ever met. And here they were, already becoming roommates.

As they ate breakfast, the topics discussed remained superficial. Casey did a complete 180 from when they had met him in D.C. He was friendly and polite. Maybe not very talkative, but when he did, it was a major difference with well… the Major. When breakfast ended, Chuck and Sarah offered to walk him back to his apartment.

When they approached his door, Casey turned around. "Ugh… Don't tell me you two are a thing now."

Sarah nodded. "We are. Will that be a concern?"

Casey shook his head. "As long as I never, ever have to see anything happen between you two, I'm not interfering with your business Sarah."

Sarah gave a curt nod. "Good. So, have you heard anything back from those contacts that we gave you?"

"No. I gave them to the General, and she's running leads on them. As soon as I hear something back, I'll let you two know. Have you called Larkin yet?"

"We were going to do it today." Chuck said.

"Fine, keep me updated. Oh, before I forget. I wouldn't put it past Larkin to have bugged your house somehow. Perform daily scans, and if you find a positive hit, let me know. If you mention me, do it under my cover-name. Do not mention any sort of affiliation to the government. As far as you're concerned, John Casey is an ex-military officer who works in retail-management after being honorably discharged." He gave them the scanner that he himself had used to clear out the hotel room in D.C.

"Alright, guess we better call Bryce." Chuck said.

"Hey Bryce… Yeah, Washington was pretty good… No, I've never been there… Alex didn't know much. If he's a part of the Ring as you say, he has about the same knowledge as we do, which is good news… No, we also spoke to a guy named Daniel Shaw… He wouldn't tell us at first, but we lied to him to make him think we wanted to destroy the Intersect and he gave us the names of people who could help us… Yeah, she's here… Okay…" Chuck handed the phone to Sarah.

"He says he wants to talk to you."

Sarah took the phone. "This is Sarah… uhu… Yeah… No, he told the truth… Well, there are four people of interest, one in the Netherlands, one in France, one in Italy and the final one in China… Not yet, we're going to write down all the information we have, and then we'll plan on how to best go about doing it… Right… Yeah, I'll keep you updated, Bryce… Bye."

Sarah handed the phone back to Chuck. "Why'd he want to talk to me?"

Chuck shook his head. "I don't know. But, I've got an idea."

"Sure, let's hear it."

"How about we pick up where we left off this morning?"

Sarah laughed. "As much as I want to, we've got to head back to the office. As long as we're not out of L.A., we're supposed to be there you know?"

Chuck grumbled. "Ugh, you're right. Although, now I get to show off my amazing new girlfriend. I'm guessing this day might not suck after all."

Sarah nodded. "Don't think you'll be the only one showing off there, mister. I'm actually feeling pretty good myself about this whole development. I might have to boast to a few people."

Chuck laughed, and reached for her hand. "Alright then, let's go to work."

"Chuck, seriously. We've been back in L.A. for a week. Don't take this the wrong way, but what's wrong with you?" Sarah whined.

Chuck shook his head. The past week had been amazing. At first, no one could believe that Sarah Walker and Chuck Bartowski were an item. So they figured that they might as well inform everyone of the new relationship by being caught necking in Sarah's cubicle. After that, the rumors started spreading like wildfire. Chuck's stock sky-rocketed within the L.A. Daily that day. Sarah couldn't see what the big fuss was all about. How could they not see what for amazing man he was? But, Sarah mused, it would be their loss. She wasn't planning on letting him go any time soon.

But that brought them to their current argument. They still hadn't consummated their relationship. And it was starting to take its toll on Sarah.

"Sarah, trust me. It's not you. It's not you at all. I can look at you and get the most ridiculous fantasies I've ever had. It's just that whenever we get close, it seems like my brain locks down and starts screaming at me to get out of there, because it can only end in heartbreak. And I don't know why I keep doing it… I'm so, so sorry." Chuck looked incredibly depressed, and a few tears actually made their way out of his eyes.

Sarah genuinely felt bad for him. But there was something he had said, that caused a spark in Sarah's brain. She knew how to fix him. "Chuck, look at me. I've got an idea to help you with this. Go to work, and try to relax. Talk to Morgan, and have fun. Do me one favor though, and tell Graham that I won't be coming in today. I've got to make some preparations."

The mischievous look in Sarah's eye had Chuck intrigued. He nodded his assent, and after a kiss that was moments from turning into a heated make out session, he left for work. Throughout the entire day, he couldn't help but fuss over what Sarah was going to do. When he finally clocked out, he went home. When he finally got home, Devon and Ellie were gone. But it was obvious that Ellie had been cooking.

Sarah bounced out of their bedroom, dressed in one of his t-shirts and a pair of formfitting jeans. She looked amazing. Still, it was a given that she did.

"You're home! Great, now we can start. I've planned this in less than 24 hours, so there may be a few kinks, but I'm sure that I'll be able to work through them. First up, dinner!"

She dimmed the lights, and lit a few candles. She walked to the kitchen, and came back with lasagna. "Per my request, we will be dining on lasagna tonight. Devon and Ellie are out for the night, so I figured we could do something romantic."

Chuck nodded. "I'd love that."

Dinner was amazing. Ellie, as always, knocked it out of the ballpark. After dinner, Sarah took the plates back to the kitchen, telling Chuck to relax on the sofa for a bit, while she took care of some other things. She ran back to their bedroom, and five minutes later, she peaked her head out. "Chuck, can you come here for a second?"

Chuck got up, and walked to the bedroom. When he opened the door, he gasped. Sarah was sitting on her knees, on the bed, surrounded by candles. She was wearing the negligee that she wore the day they decided to become roomies.

"Sarah, what's all this?"

Sarah stood up, and led him to the bed. She started massaging his shoulders. "Chuck, you told me about why you couldn't commit to me like this yet. You said that you were afraid of your heart being broken once again. And it made me sad. It made me sad that you have to feel that way. So, I figured that I would make some concessions to help you believe that I have absolutely no intention of breaking your heart."

She stopped massaging his shoulders, and walked to his computer. She grabbed a bunch of papers, and gave them to Chuck.

"This is my notice to my landlord to let the lease expire on the apartment. In a month, I will not be living there anymore."

Chuck stared at the papers, mesmerized by the gesture. She wanted to move in with him. "Sarah… Do you want to… You really want to move in with me?"

Sarah nodded. "I do. But there's one more thing I want to give you. It's hard for me to say this, because truthfully I've never said it to anyone, except my dad. And even that backfired. So I want you to know how big of a deal this is to me." She swallowed. "I… I… I love you… Chuck. I couldn't quite believe it myself, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I do. And I want to make you happy. And I want you to… no, I need you to believe that I won't hurt you, Chuck. Trust me, Chuck. Because I love you."

Chuck had to do some fast blinking to keep his tears in check. Those three little words that forever changed everything. He had never seen Sarah so vulnerable. There was always something about her, a safeguard if you will. Even when she had told him about her past, she did it with the biggest amount of trepidation. But she was ready to lay it all on the line for him.

"Sarah…" he whispered hoarsely. "…I… I love you too. You're the first person I've said that to since Jill, but when I said it to Jill, I was obviously wrong. I've never been with someone like you, Sarah. You have saved me from becoming stuck to a life where I despised everything and everyone for what happened to me. Every day you push me to be someone who deserves you, and you've given me an actual purpose again. Thank you for saving me from myself."

Sarah beamed at his words. She wanted to argue with him over the fact that he more than measured up to her, but she couldn't make herself do it, as she stared at the vulnerability that Chuck was displaying. It was the same vulnerability that she felt. So she did the one thing she was truly good at. She lunged at Chuck, and smashed her mouth to his.

As the kissing intensified, and the lust and desire threatened to overtake Chuck, he was terrified that his mind would throw up another stupid roadblock. But nothing happened. As a matter of fact, it seemed like his mind was actually spurring him on. But before he was fully enveloped by the emotions that he was feeling, a thought ran through his mind. He told her that he would show her the beautiful difference between having sex and making love. And by God he was going to.

Sarah still had trouble catching her breath. She turned to Chuck, and saw the same content and blissful emotions cross his face that she was feeling. "God, when you're right, you're right Chuck. That was amazing."

Chuck couldn't quite speak yet. So he nodded. He tried his best to formulate words but none would come. Finally, the haze in his mind cleared, and he knew he had to say one thing to her. "Sarah… The words seem so goddamn hollow, and I'm trying my best on how to say it better. But for lack of a better term, I love you."

Sarah nodded. "I love you too, Chuck. It feels so fantastic to say it and actually mean it. Who knew emotions could be this amazing."

Chuck laughed. "You're right, it does feel fantastic to say."

Sarah looked at Chuck. "Chuck…"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we could maybe… go again?"

Chuck laughed. "Of course."

It was Chuck who pounced on Sarah this time, who let out a shriek of joy, before losing herself in his arms again.

Sarah woke up, snuggled into Chuck. She let out a blissful sigh, and started playing with the hair she had grown to adore. Any reservations she might have had for a true relationship with Chuck were answered last night. It was… magical. She looked at herself, and noticed she was still naked. And it felt right. She didn't have to do the walk of shame. She didn't have to dress herself as fast as possible and hope she could sneak out of a guy's room before he was awakened. She didn't have to rant at herself for being nothing but a slut. No, she could simply lie there, and bask in the glow. Chuck really was the best decision she had ever made in her life.

A knock on the window startled her from her day-dreaming. When she looked who it was, she saw Alex standing at the window. She cursed, and started looking for something to wear. She found Chuck's t-shirt haphazardly hanging around a lamp. She wiggled herself in the garment, and found his boxers lying next to the negligee that hadn't really stayed on all that long. She did notice Alex averting his eyes when she was getting dressed, so there was always that.

As she opened up the window, Alex allowed his eyes to meet Sarah's. "Good morning, John." Sarah chimed.

"You're in an awfully good mood today, Walker."

Sarah shrugged. "Hadn't noticed."

"Ugh… Well, at least I didn't have to see it. But really…" he waved in Chuck's direction. "Surely you can do better than that?"

The fire in Sarah's eyes was unmistakable. "If anything, he could do a lot better than Me." she hissed.

Casey grunted. "Whatever. Anyway, I need you two lover-birds to come to my apartment in 30 minutes. Video-conference with the General. She's found some things out. I guess it'll be bye, bye Burbank for a while."

Sarah nodded. "Fine, we'll see you there."

After closing the window, Sarah padded back to Chuck. "Baby, wake up. We've got to go to a meeting."

"Don't wanna… Sarah loves me… good dream… go away…"

Sarah laughed. She bent down, and kissed him awake. "This isn't a dream, Chuck."

Chuck's eyes flew open. Immediately, he frowned. "It's not fair."

"What's not fair?"

"My clothes look ten times better on you than on me."

Sarah laughed. "Thanks for the compliment, I guess. But really, we've got to get dressed, so hurry up."

She lifted his T-shirt over her head, and stepped out of his boxers. She started looking for her own clothes. When she turned around, Chuck's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"What's the matter, Chuck?" she teased. She knew damn well what was going on.

Chuck shook his head. "Wow… Are you real? I mean, of course you're real… But… Wow, if this is a dream, I never ever want to wake up."

Sarah sauntered over to Chuck and sat on his lap, still covered by the comforter. "Trust me, Chuck. This isn't a dream. And besides, I think it's only fair if I get to gawk as well."

She pulled the comforter from the bed, and instinctively let her gaze wander down. Again, she licked her lips as by instinct. "We're going to have to take care of that later. But first, we've got a meeting."

Chuck had always been self-conscious about his body, but the open appraisal from Sarah certainly went a long way in changing his opinion. Hell, if Sarah told him that the Empire Strikes Back was worse than Attack of the Clones, he would've probably agreed with her. As he quickly got dressed, and went to the kitchen, he couldn't help but overhear Sarah mutter to herself.

"Jill really is the dumbest woman ever."

"Good morning, Mr. Bartowski. Miss Walker. Major Coburn."

"Good morning, ma'am." Casey replied.

"Mr. Bartowski, Miss Walker. After extensive searches, we've found three out of the four contacts that Daniel Shaw gave you. We've successfully contacted the Dutch, Italian and French contact. The only contact we've not been able to find is the one in China. Regardless, you are to pursue all four contacts for potential information on the Intersect's whereabouts. That will be your primary target. As for Bryce Larkin. There is some speculation that he is a rogue agent. However, we cannot cast suspicion on him, until we are absolutely sure. Therefore, you will continue to keep up the façade that you have with him, but you will be reporting directly to me."

Chuck and Sarah nodded. The General focused on Casey.

"Major Coburn, you will be Mr. Bartowski and Miss Walker's shadow. You are to ensure that they remain safe at all costs."

Casey nodded. "Yes ma'am."

The General looked back to Chuck and Sarah. "Pack your bags. You're going to Europe."

A/N 2: Ahh, so much milestones for my first fic. A 100+ reviews, a 100+ pages and still people are reading. I truly can't stop thanking my faithful readers enough. Just know that I won't stop writing this story until it's done, and that this definitely won't be my only Chuck fic.

Now for some of my choices. At first, I wanted to wait to get them together until Amsterdam, where they would both get stoned, and one thing would lead to another. But the more I thought about it, the more I started disliking the idea. Chuck and Sarah's chemistry is great enough to stand on it's own merits, and not on drugs. Now, that doesn't mean I'm not getting them stoned. I still am. After all, it could provide some hilarious moments. And it will probably still lead to sex. But at least now, it won't be their first time. Which works much better in my opinion. And the jump in time was only about a week, as opposed to the month that I had originally figured I would use. I think Sarah might've gone on a 3 state killing spree if she had to wait for a month.

So, untill next time. Thank you for reading.