A/N: Oh…hi. You're here. Well, I got some bad news for you, I have another 6 chapters of this at beta currently, which means I'm writing on Ch 14 right now (My math could be off, but I am writing on 14) I hope you're enjoying it. What's that? Shut up and let you get to the fic…..finnnneeeee.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

"Chuck, sit down," Molly said, gesturing towards his couch.

"You do know it is my apartment, right?" Chuck asked, giving her a look. Her scowl deepened. "However, I would like to sit down, so I will."

Molly began to pace back and forth. "Okay, I know you've read her work, and studied up on her, but let me tell this to you like you know nothing, so I don't miss anything important… okay?" Chuck nodded. Molly took a deep breath. "In a lot of ways, you are a first."

"You're gonna have to break that down," Chuck told her.

"I was afraid of that," Molly said, blowing out a breath. "You're the first guy that I've ever seen her have legitimate interest in, as opposed to just some guy she was dating." She winced. "God, that sounded terrible."

"No, I think I get it," Chuck said. "There's people that we meet and think, 'Hmm, I wonder what it would be like to date that person.'"

"Yes," Molly said, clapping her hands together. "And then there's what you two are going through; the I have to date that person."

"Okay, I'm with you," Chuck said.

"Okay… so, my sister grew up in a happy home, a stable home. And while others have grown up in crap environments and survived – and Sarah would as well, make no mistake about that – it would change who she is, because of how much she analyzes and studies, and self-reflects. Everything she does is planned, even the stuff she hasn't planned, she has a plan for in her head."

"So not necessarily written notes," Chuck began.

"Exactly! She's thought it through at some point."

Molly paused, searching for words. "And if she doesn't have a plan for that exact moment, she finds something in her head that she's done before, and is similar enough that she can adapt it."

"Okay," Chuck said. "So why all this worry?"

"Right." Molly took a deep breath. "Let's say my dad did go down a road of crime back in the day, and did become the con man he had always feared. Sarah would have closed up, people probably would have found her off-putting. But all she would be doing is protecting herself, and thinking, analyzing, and preparing for what was next."

"So instead of happy Sarah, we'd have what… some version of my mom?" Molly gave him a look. "They call her The Frost Queen."

"That's actually a good analogy," Molly told him. "Sarah loves being alone, working on her own thing. That's why she's doing what she does so well."

"Okay," Chuck said, still confused. "I still don't get the problem. You're telling me how she might have been, if something went terribly wrong in her life."

"I'm telling you what could happen, if you do her dirty," Molly said, glaring at him. "Chuck, I'm not saying you can't date her unless you plan to spend the rest of your life with her. That's unrealistic. But you have to be honest with her, if it's over. And you have to tell her why, because she will obsess over it."

"I didn't realize you cared so much about her," Chuck said.

"Of course I care about her," Molly snapped. "God, do you know how amazing she is?"

"I do," Chuck replied. Molly gave him a grateful smile. "I feel there is more."

"She feels so much, but sometimes she has trouble expressing it verbally," Molly said. "You have to pay attention to physical signs." Chuck's eyes went wide. "Not those, although I do hope that does happen, for everyone's sake."

"If you care for her so much, perhaps you'll quit saying those things," Chuck replied, a little irritated. "Do you know how upset she was last night, about that prank?"

"Did it ruin your date?" she asked. "Did it mess with your plans?"

"My plans,Molly? You upset your sister," Chuck told her. Molly smiled at him. "What?"

"That was the right answer," she told him.

"I do not understand you," Chuck muttered.

"You don't need to. It's my sister I need you to worry about, and understand," Molly said. "Listen, and this part about her feeling and expressing, it is important. She writes amazing technical papers, but expressing her feelings… they get trapped, when it involves her and her emotions."

"I get it," Chuck said. "I do, and-and… thank you." Molly pulled her head back, surprised. "For you to think this much of me, to come tell me all of this. She's lucky to have you."

"You keep that to yourself," she muttered, crossing her arms.

"Molly Burton, you care about your sister," Chuck accused.

"Of course I do… what, are you a moron? Chuck, this is serious," Molly said.

Chuck stood. "I understand exactly how serious it is."

"I don't think you do," Molly said, frustrated. "I think she's falling in love with you."

"Huh," Chuck replied. "Well, that is unexpected."

"You gonna bolt?" she asked, but it sounded more like an accusation, than a question.

He looked Molly in the eye. "Why would I bolt, if the woman I'm falling in love with is falling in love with me?" Molly blinked.

She walked over to the couch and plopped down on the other side of it. "I think I need to sit down," she muttered.

}o{

Chuck sat there quietly, while Molly mulled things over in her head. He couldn't believe what he had told her. Not because it wasn't true – it was – but because he had just told Molly he was falling in love with Sarah. He wasn't sure if he could have done anything dumber.

"I won't tell her," Molly said, making Chuck glance over at her. "That's between you two."

"Can I get you something to drink?" Chuck asked. "You look like you could use a drink."

"Yeah, I could, but I have to work, so water, please?" Molly requested. Chuck nodded, and walked over to the kitchen. Molly followed him, sitting at the table in front of the kitchen window. "You know, she jokes all the time about how she'd rather have a dog. I know it's a joke, but I take my role very seriously. I am a guard dog, when it comes to her."

Chuck handed her the water, and took a seat, still listening.

"She's my older sister, a brainy doctor, and so beautiful, but some days…"

"She can't get out of her own way?" Chuck asked, a soft smile on his face. Molly nodded. "My sister, Ellie, says the same thing about me."

"I mean, we have our parents but…" Molly trailed off.

"Sometimes, it takes a brother or sister to know how to look out for the other," Chuck said. Molly nodded.

"All I ask is that you be honest with her," Molly said, and then she snorted. "Like you can be anything else but." Chuck gave her a look of surprise. "Come one, Chuck… if she asked for the PIN to your bank card, you'd give it to her."

"I probably would," Chuck admitted. "Do you think I'm enough for her?" Molly looked at him as if he were nuts. "I mean, am I good enough for her? I can be nerdy."

"Have you met my sister, and the way she nerds out over things?" Molly asked. "Listen, we all have our things we enjoy, or fall for. But you should never question if something you enjoy would run her off… unless it's clubbing baby seals." Chuck had a look of horror on his face. "Right, my bad… no clubbing baby seal jokes… Geez."

"Ever," Chuck muttered giving her a look. She looked contrite. "I just… I've just never met anyone like her, and I don't want her settling for me."

"Settling?" Molly asked, amused. "Chuck… I love my sister to death, but you're a little unreal, to be honest. I really thought you were too good to be true." She stood up, placed her hands on the table and leaned forward. "Don't blow it," she said in a low voice. She walked out the door. When the door clicked shut Chuck let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

"She really needs to switch to decaf," he muttered.

"Master Chuck," C3PO called out. "Are your testicles still in place?"

"Yes, Threepio," Chuck replied.

}o{

A little while later, Chuck entered Burton Consultants. He paused at the door, earning a grin from Molly. "Can I help you, sir?" she asked in a saccharine-sweet voice.

"I thought we established that you could not?" Chuck asked, making her chuckle. She shook her head at him.

"Dad, there's a creep out here I need you to throw out," she said into the intercom. The door jerked open a few seconds later.

"Mollllly," he said in a low voice.

"He was mean to me," Molly retorted.

"You probably deserved it, and it's Charlie. I doubt he was mean. Tell you the truth and you didn't like it? Sure. But mean? Nah."

"Mr. Burton, would you be interested in hiring Bartowski Computing and More?" Chuck asked.

"What's the more?" Molly asked. Jack gave Molly a long look. "I love you daddy," she said in a sing song voice.

"I sometimes get the wanting of a dog," Jack told her. Molly blew him a kiss. "Come on into my office, Mr. Bartowski."

"Sir," Chuck said, making Jack pause. "Please, call me Charlie."

Jack grinned.

}o{

Sarah was making notes in her notebook about Orion Industries when a knock at her door pulled her from her thoughts. "Yes?" she called out.

"Hi, ma'am," said a voice on the other side of the door that made her heart soar. She jumped up from her office chair and opened the door, smiling at the man in front of her. "I've just been hired by Mr. Burton to fulfill all of your computing needs."

"What about my non-computing needs?" Sarah asked.

Chuck blinked. "I think HR would frown on that, during business hours."

"So, you're not saying no to non-business hours," Sarah replied, grinning at him.

"We're just gonna keep going from last night, huh? Full steam ahead?"

"You wanted to go slow? I can do slow," Sarah said.

"Woman," he said in a low voice, making her giggle. "I am here for work."

"Well, if you're going to be that way," she said, motioning him to come into her office. "I do need help with something."

"Great," he said, following her to her desk. "What can I help you with?"

"Orion Industries," she said, gesturing toward the papers that were spread out on her desk. "Some things make no sense."

Chuck laughed. "Yeah, tell me about it."

"If I didn't know better…" she trailed off, shaking her head.

"Who's to say you don't know better?" Chuck asked. Sarah gave him a look. "What do you think is going on?"

"Garbage-Can theory," Sarah said, looking at her desk, then back to Chuck. "Give me a second to put this in layman's terms." A look of horror crossed her face. "Wait, I didn't mean to imply-"

"You implied nothing; the dumber the better," Chuck said grinning.

"Okay… There was a paper I once read that began, 'Consider organized anarchies,'" Sarah said.

Chuck thought for a second. "So, basically there's no real laws, or rules… just the idea that everyone is working on something, together?"

"Exactly," Sarah said. "Basically, organizations that use garbage-can theory have one or more of three basic flaws; an ambiguity of goals, unclear technology, and fluid participation. There was a study in that article that shows that organizations that use this theory typically make small choices and try not to deal with the bigger issues, hoping they will resolve themselves, or that the issues will just go away." Chuck burst out laughing, making Sarah's eyes go wide.

"You just described my father. Except when I was involved, and maybe the unclear technology… but maybe not," Chuck said. "The man is great at what he does; coding, inventing… but running a business…" he trailed off, and shook his head. "What led you to these ideas, or was it me telling you what all went on?"

"Honestly?" Sarah asked. Chuck nodded. "The vision statement. 'An American company with an International reach.'" Chuck looked at her. "What the hell did that mean?"

"We were an American company that sold things internationally," Chuck replied, shrugging.

"So, a couple of things," she began.

"Is this where you're going to teach me? Because I might have a crush on the teacher," Chuck told her.

"What do you mean might?" she asked. Chuck began to laugh. She snorted, enjoying herself. "Vision statements should be shared and understood by all stakeholders, or in this case, employees." Chuck nodded that he understood, and she continued. "Emphasize unique characteristics, and help the public understand the culture of the organization. Does that sound like your vision statement?"

"Honestly, I think Dad picked it because it sounded cool." Sarah twisted her lips, and looked away. "What?"

She turned back to him. "One of the articles I read on vision statements said something to the effect of they shouldn't be cool sentences to adorn the web sites and brochures of companies; they should be put into action." Sarah looked at him. "I mean, how do you put that into action?" Chuck was grinning at her. "What?"

"My God, it's just cool watching you get so fired up about this," he said, unapologetically. "I just love it."

"Well," she said, smiling. "Find something to hang on to, curls, because I think I know why it was done that way."

"Oh, really?" Chuck asked, leaning in to listen.

"I think it was made very ambiguous on purpose, because that way your father wasn't committed to anything," Sarah said. Chuck grimaced. "Oh, shit, that was mean. I'm sorry, I could have phrased that better."

"No, I think you nailed it," Chuck admitted. "Again, my dad is not a businessman."

"So, by it being ambiguous…" Sarah trailed off, starting to understand. She turned to Chuck. "He left the vision statement ambiguous, so it can be used however it is needed, whenever it is needed." Chuck nodded. "That can be a real mistake."

"Why's that?" Chuck asked. "Not that I don't agree with you. I'm just curious about your… professional, opinion."

She grinned at him. "Let's say you ask someone about the vision statement in the company." Chuck snorted. "I guess you've done that, or seen it done?"

"It's possible," Chuck admitted, grinning.

"So, let's say someone, a potential customer, sees this and asks an employee what it means," Sarah began again. Chuck was making a valiant attempt at holding back laughter. "Okay, what happened when it was done?"

"Usually, an employee is left with one of two choices; admit they don't know, making them look like they are ignorant, or don't care about the company," Chuck began.

"Jesus, now you just hurt morale for no good reason," Sarah said, picking up her pen and paper and making some notes.

"Or," Chuck continued, Sarah shaking her head, "mumble something about international reach until it just sounds like unassociated words coming out of the employee's mouth. This results in the person asking the question looking more confused than when the conversation started."

"So, you would say there is little buy-in from the employees of Orion Industries where the vision statement is involved?" Sarah asked.

"No," Chuck replied. "I would say there is no buy-in, whatsoever." Sarah gave an emphatic nod as she made more notes. "This is bad isn't it?" Sarah didn't answer verbally, but she did pull in her lips and widen her eyes. "Damn it, Dad," he muttered.

"It's okay to be angry at him," Sarah told Chuck.

"No, I'm not angry… I'm…" he trailed off, looking for the words. "I'm frustrated with him, super frustrated."

"He doesn't like upsetting people, does he?" Chuck shook his head. "Chuck… the problem with Orion Industries may be your father." Chuck just gave her a grin. "But you suspected that."

"Again, he's good at what he does. That doesn't make you the person in charge of everything," Chuck said, with a shrug.

"What would you do if you were in charge?" Sarah asked. Chuck pulled his head back in surprise. "What? Who else knows Orion Industries better than you?"

"Mom," Chuck muttered.

"Is that the answer to who knows Orion Industries better, or who you'd put in charge?"

Chuck turned to Sarah, thinking. "You know, I think it might be both," he admitted. Sarah nodded. "She understands how things work, and she doesn't mind upsetting someone."

"Whereas your father only seems to not mind upsetting you," Sarah blurted out.

"You know he apologized to me before the date," Chuck admitted, making Sarah turn to Chuck. "Told me that I should never change who I am, regardless of who asks me to."

"Chuck, that's great," Sarah said, reaching over and taking his hand.

"Is it?"

"Of course it is," Sarah said. "He recognizes you for who you are, and I bet he's a little jealous of you."

"He said he doesn't do emotions well," Chuck told her.

"Who does," Sarah replied, shrugging. "Dad said something to me, and I don't remember the exact words, but it was basically that parents are human. They may love their kids, but some don't know how to express it in healthy ways."

"So, him telling me I can do what he does better than he does, is his way of saying he's proud of me?"

"And probably jealous," Sarah reminded him. "Think about it: Wouldn't you be scared to death if you are the person behind your company, and you realize that you aren't the best, that your child is? And he really doesn't want to do what you love, and he's better than you are at it?"

"So I was right… it is the dad wanting his kid to play football!"

"It may be worse," Sarah said gently. "He may not even recognize it. In fact, I don't think he did."

"You said did, and one thing I'm learning about you quite quickly is that you use the word you mean to use. And did is past tense," Chuck pointed out.

"That is correct," Sarah told him, grinning at him. "I think he's now realized what he has done, and is trying to recognize that."

"And that's important, right?"

"Oh, absolutely," Sarah agreed. "You cannot fix a problem until you recognize that it does, in fact, exist."

"That makes a lot of sense," Chuck admitted, nodding.

"It should, I said it," she told him, batting her eyes and grinning at him. "Now, this has been extremely helpful, and illuminating, but I need to make some notes. And while I would love to spend time with you, I need to get this down while it's in my head."

"So what you're saying is, I should go," he said pointing at the door.

"Yes," she said, regret on her face. "I don't want you to, but I do have to do my job."

"No, this is your… what am I, consultant?"

"Surrreee," Sarah replied shrugging.

"Fine, this is your consultant making completely sure you are done with him before he leaves, which will then mean I am off-work," Chuck said, walking slowly toward the door.

An amused smile covered her face. "Thank you, Chuck," she said. She paused, and Chuck felt something hanging there between them. He stopped and turned to her. "Tomorrow, do you think we could go to Orion Industries… together?"

"Are you asking me out?" Chuck asked, a faux shocked look on his face.

"No, I'm in a relationship with someone. It's just work," she replied.

"Lucky guy," he told her, reaching for the door. "Should I meet you here, or there?"

"Meet me there," she said. "Now shoo… I have things to do for work, and you're just over there distracting me."

"You like it."

"I doooo," she said, grinning at him. "Bye, Chuck."

"Bye, Sarah," he said. He left her office.

A few seconds later, her phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Chuck?"

"Hey, I promised I'd call you when I got done with work today," Chuck voice came over the line. "How was your day?"

"Oh, you know, some nerd we hired wanted to hit on me all day," she replied, grinning.

"That jerk," Chuck muttered.

"He didn't… I mean I wanted him to, but he didn't. You busy tonight?" Sarah heard him take in air. "Hey, it's okay if you are."

"It's Morgan," Chuck said. "He thinks I've been through a lot and needs a night with me to make sure I'm okay."

"Chuck if you want to play video games with your friend, it's fine," Sarah told him.

"Sarah, I want to spend time with you," Chuck told her. "That's no line, just the truth."

"I like you," she said softly.

"I know," Chuck replied. "Don't work too late tonight."

"Why, I've got no one waiting for me," she sassed.

"Maybe I wanted to call you later when you got home and make sure you were okay," Chuck said.

"Chuck."

"Yeah?"

"I really like you."

"And I really like you," he replied, grinning. "Bye."

"Bye, Chuck," she said, hanging up.

}o{

"I swear to God if they'd started in on you hang up, no, YOU hang up,I was gonna hurl right here, Dad. RIGHT. HERE." Molly stared earnestly at her dad. Chuck turned to her. "You did that right in front of me. I'm just supposed to let it go?"

"She's got a point, Charlie," Jack said, grinning.

"Good night, you two," Chuck told them, heading out the door.

"Think he sneaks over later?" Molly asked.

"He's dating your sister, not you," Jack replied, walking back to his office.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she yelled after him. He shut the door. "DAD?!"

A/N: Next time, on Just Two People. Sarah gets an offer and she meets Morgan. Wanna peak?

"He's right there," Morgan said. "I apologize for my behavior a second ago. I wasn't expecting someone as beautiful, but I should have know my life-partner would have stolen the heart of a super model."

"Life…partner?" Sarah asked.

"Either member of a couple in a sexual or romantic relationship that is regarded as permanent, Miss Sarah," C3PO chirped. Chuck slammed his hand to his forehead.

"Heterosexual," Morgan clarified.

"Ohhhh," Sarah said, doing a slow nod. "I see."

"Oh, well that does make a difference," C3PO replied. "I will say Miss Sarah that Master Chuck's heart-rate is much faster when talking or thinking about you."

I really LOVE writing C3PO….til next time! PMs, reviews, yada yada.