A/N: Sorry, this story got side tracked by Notifications. Also, I'll be honest, as the death toll increases, I'm having trouble writing more and more. I'm sorry. I'm just not in a good place right now. But enough about me, when we last left our heroes they were staring at each other inside of Chuck's apartment, Sarah having moved in. And now, ch 22.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

"I'm really sorry, I wanted to be here when you got here, but Mrs. Baker-" he began, with his left thumb pointed over his shoulder toward the door.

"Chuck," she said, cutting him off, and stopping him before the spiral could begin. He took a deep but nervous breath. "Hey, it's okay. I get it." She paused, and watched his face as she said her next words, knowing exactly what it was going to do to him. She wanted to burn this memory in her brain for the rest of her life. "Besides, you'll be here some days when I get home, and sometimes you won't." His face lit up with a smile at the word home. It was everything she could have hoped for, and any concerns she had that were left about moving in were squashed out of her mind.

"I know," he replied, struggling to remain cool. "It's just, your first time here…" he trailed off with a shrug.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I sort of walked around, and got a feel for everything," Sarah admitted. "It's a little weird, me not really knowing your place before I move in." She shrugged.

"Maybe we should get a place together," he began.

She crossed the distance between them, and took his hands. They were sweaty, because that's what they did… sweat, when he was nervous. And she really found that she did like making him sweat. It was probably a tad evil, but she was sure he didn't mind.

"Chuck, I'm good. I didn't bring all my stuff, because I wasn't sure how much room you had. I figured we could move it, as needed." His grin grew, and she began to feel a heat growing in her, knowing how hard he was working to make her feel at home… in her new home.

"Yeah," Chuck said, nodding. "God, I'm a mess. I'm worried I'm being too me, I'm worried this is too much for you, I'm worried that you'll hate it here and won't be able to recharge like you need to."

She took a step back, and locked eyes with him. She thought she might actually combust right there on the spot. "God, you trying to get me into bed right now?" she asked, making his eyes widen. "Do you know you're the first person to ever care about that, and me?"

"Is it okay that I hope I'm the last?" Chuck asked. "Wait, yes, that is wrong," he hurried out. "Because that implies that I don't want anyone else to care about your well-being. God, not only is that wrong, but it's awful. You must-"

He couldn't speak anymore, because as adorable as the spiral was, she had to stop it. She cupped his face with her hands, and kissed him. He kissed her back, a low hum escaping from his lips. She pulled away gently. "Okay?"

"Yeah," he replied. He started to speak, when a knock surprised them both. "Expecting someone?"

"Yeah," she answered, a grin on her face. "While I was here all alone, I called the Chippendales dance group to come over and entertain me."

"The whole group?" Her grin grew, and she nodded. He winked at her. "Well, I certainly hope you got the deluxe package," Chuck replied, making her laugh as he opened the door. "Mrs. Baker?" Chuck said in surprise.

"You forgot your phone," Mrs. Baker told Chuck, handing it back to him. "Do you know… it talks… a lot?"

"Thank you again, Madam," C3PO said. "I don't know what Master Chuck would have done without me."

"He's weird," Mrs. Baker told Chuck. Her eyes went wide, as she looked over his shoulder. "Is this your girlfriend?"

"Sarah Walker," Sarah said, walking over and extending her hand to Mrs. Baker. "I am Chuck's girlfriend."

"Well," Mrs. Baker said, a smile on her face looking from one to the other as she shook Sarah's hand. "I hope you don't mind if I borrow him from time to time, to help me with my Internet. He's so good with it."

"Of course, you can borrow him," Sarah told her. "He's amazing with that stuff, and he likes helping people."

"It's my grandkids, you see. I get to see them while I talk to them," Mrs. Baker explained. "They live in Florida, and I miss them."

Sarah turned to Chuck. "Isn't there something you can do to make it quit going out?"

Chuck smiled at Sarah, amused by her reaction to a woman she just met not getting to see her grandchildren. "I think I've fixed the problem." Sarah kept watching him. "I sort of rebuilt the router."

"So, you completely rebuilt the router… is that what you're saying?" Sarah asked. "One of…" she trailed off. Chuck nodded.

"Again, I don't understand any of it. All I know is he is a dear sweet man, and if he's with you, then you must be a dear sweet woman, as well," Mrs. Baker said. "Now, I'm going to leave you two alone. Enjoy your night, and thank you, again." With that, she turned and headed toward her apartment. Chuck and Sarah stood watch until she entered her door. Chuck turned to go back inside, but Sarah took his hand, stopping him.

"You mind if we go sit on the fountain, and talk?" Sarah asked.

"No, I don't mind," Chuck replied, worry in his voice. She led him over, after he shut the door. She sat down beside him, and took his hand, a smile on her face.

"What did I do?"

"Nothing," Sarah replied. "It's just I know you, and if we're inside, you'll spiral more. Plus, you keep saying things, and we need to talk. And if you keep saying those things, we won't talk, but will find other methods of communication."

He started to object but thought about it. "That's fair," he admitted.

"And we will communicate, later," she added in a low voice.

He cleared his throat. "To be clear and not to be crude, we are talking sex, right?" She gave him a look.

"Window-rattling," she said. Chuck's eyes widened. "Still want me here?"

"Yes!" he squeaked.

She giggled, took his hand to calm him, and gazed into his eyes. She felt the soft smile on her face, and the happiness that she had always longed for, envelop her. Chuck Bartowski was doing things to her she didn't know could be done, much less long for.

She cleared her head and, deciding to do what she did best, dove right in with her questions. "So, there are some questions I need to ask, and you need to answer. And you need to know there are no wrong answers," Sarah began.

"Are you sure? Because I feel like if I answer ketchup, that would be wrong," Chuck replied. She took a deep breath, and looked up at the night sky. "Regretting it already?"

She turned to him, grinning. "Nope," she replied. "Now, how long am I here?"

"As long as you want to be. Which, if you're asking for my opinion, I hope that's forever," Chuck answered.

Sarah nodded, feeling the heat building in her again. "All my stuff moved over now, or little by little?"

"Whatever makes you comfortable," Chuck replied. "And we can make room, together."

"Okay," Sarah said, starting to think she would be the cause of them not continuing this conversation.

"Want me to turn the spare room into an office for you?" he asked. "I'm serious, like your get-away place? Or… or, a sitting room, where you could read?"

Sarah stared at him for a moment. She was fighting two fronts inside herself: There was a burning need and want inside of her right now that she didn't know how many hours with Chuck Bartowski it would take to satiate. And then… then there was the part of her brain that was screaming WHAT?

She saw him staring at her. "Wait. I need a second."

She did… she really did. No one… no one in her life had done as much, worked as hard, at accepting her for who she was, as quickly and completely as Chuck Bartowski had. Her parents, extroverts to the nth degree, had trouble understanding her sometimes. And they tried so hard. Molly… she deliberately used to mess with her. Barry… HA! There was no one on this earth that was trying to understand her like Chuck Bartowski, and he had no idea what he was doing to her at the given moment.

"I did something wrong," Chuck began, worry on his face.

"Baby, no," she told him, and she thought her heart would explode with the look on his face. It was like her calling him baby had been the best thing he had ever heard. She truly thought she was going to have to lie in the fountain and cool off, with what he was doing to her. And the best part was, he wasn't even aware or trying. He was just being himself.

"You would give up the spare room… a possible guest room, home office, or whatever… for me to have some place to go and recharge? That's what I heard you say, right?"

"Yeah," Chuck replied. She nodded, and looked down at the ground, trying to keep the grin off her face… and the hunger. She didn't want to scare him. But he was on the verge of being dragged inside, and her showing him what forever meant, as far as she was concerned.

"Is that okay?"

"Oh, it's very okay," she answered, still looking at the ground. She had to do something; she had been rocked, in the best way. But she needed to rock him, just a bit. "How soundproof is the apartment?"

"I'm not sure," Chuck began. His brow was furrowed from trying to figure out how to answer the question, and why it was asked. She looked up at him, not hiding anything on her face or in her gaze, and his eyes widened. "Oh." Sarah nodded, and wondered if both now needed to lie in the fountain and cool off. "So that's a yes on the room for you?"

"That's a maybe," she told him, trying to keep her voice measured. "Let me see, but thank you for thinking of me."

"I'm always thinking about you," he blurted out. Jesus Christ, what was she supposed to do with that… with him? Well, she had ideas… lots of ideas. "Well, there it is, again, just right out there in the open."

"I like it that way," she told him, taking his hand, and she quickly realized that move did nothing to calm the inferno in her. "Do you think we could talk for a minute without you trying to seduce me?"

"No idea, because things I think aren't seduction-worthy apparently have you thinking all sorts of inappropriate thoughts about me," Chuck said with a shrug.

"Not so much inappropriate, but very adult," Sarah countered, leaving no room on her features or in her eyes exactly how adult she meant. She was beginning to think about forgetting the bedroom, and just doing it right there on the fountain, but she didn't think the neighbors would appreciate that. And the stone might be quite uncomfortable.

"Yeah, no," Chuck said, shaking his head, making her laugh. "Okay, I'll do my best."

"The router of your neighbor's…" Sarah trailed off.

"It was one of Dad's," Chuck said, finishing what she was trying to delicately ask. "This is bad, Sarah. Bad."

"It is," Sarah agreed.

That had done it. The inferno had been quieted for a moment, and in that moment of clarity, she had to do for him what he had done for her… what he had been for her. "What can I do?"

"See, you can't ask questions like that, and expect me not to say something," Chuck protested.

"Would that help the situation with your father?" Sarah asked, chuckling.

"It might help me," Chuck replied, grinning and shrugging. "There's nothing right now that anyone can do, if I understand what you've told Ellie and I." Sarah nodded, frowning. "You didn't do this."

"I know, but it bothers you, and that bothers me," Sarah said with a shrug. She put her hand on his. "I'm here, and I don't just mean physically at this apartment, because I am. But I'm here, if you just want to talk."

"Can I be super honest?" Chuck asked. Sarah nodded. "I'm tired of talking about my father. And-and, please, don't think it has anything to do with you, or what you've done to help us. It's just… for the past few months, he has been a constant pain in my ass, with his crazy-ass loyalty, and his thoughts on what family should mean." He was silent for a moment. "I just want to enjoy you being here, us, quietly comfortable."

She pulled him into a hug, and sighed at just how damn good it felt. "Chuck, while I know this isn't the answer to all the world's problems, I think I know something that could take your mind off of everything for a while."

Chuck was silent, and she nearly laughed at the way he had tensed up as she had spoken. "I'm scared to ask, but are you talking sex?"

"No," Sarah replied. She felt him slump a bit in her arms. "I'm talking earth-shattering, window-rattling, time-stopping love-making until you forget your name."

Chuck was absolutely silent.

"I mean if it's a bad idea, I understand," she said softly.

"It's not that. It's just I think I have not truly considered what all it meant for you to be here." She pulled away, not sure how to take what he said, until she saw his face. "I love you, Sarah Walker, and you don't have to do anything like that for me."

She took her hands in his face and smiled. "Chuck, I know I don't have to." The pause was so pregnant that when she spoke, a two-year old was delivered. "I want to. I want to be with you in every way, and that's who I am. So, if it's too much for you-"

"God, I'm so glad I asked you to move in," he sputtered. "Not for the sex… I mean, I'm not complaining, but…"

"You have someone now, Chuck," she told him, finishing what he was trying to get out. "Come on, let's go inside, curl up in bed, and I'll play with your curls until you fall asleep."

"Oh," he said, sounding slightly disappointed as he stood. She got up, slapped his back side, making him jump a little, and jogged to the door.

"I mean that's gonna be hours from now so…" She shrieked happily, as Chuck chased after her.

}o{

"Stephen, I promise you… it's fixed, it's taken care of," Teddy assured Stephen, squeezing his oldest friend's bicep. "And I know what you've done for me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."

"It's over?" Stephen asked. Teddy nodded, and Stephen blew out a breath. "Well, then we just fix these last few problems, and it will be fine, right?"

"That's right my friend," Teddy replied. "And I can't apologize enough. You know how hard it's been since Lucy passed."

"I do," Stephen told him. "Well, I need to go, and don't worry; I'll keep Chuck off of your back." Stephen snorted. "I don't think he'll be much of a problem anymore, anyway."

"Oh?" Teddy hummed. "What's going on with him?"

"He's in 'love'," Stephen told Teddy. "How can he understand love, when he can't even understand loyalty?"

"No idea," Teddy replied. "With that Walker girl, I take it?" Stephen nodded. "Well, head on home, and make up with your wife, because Mary is one of a kind. You never know how long you have with them." Stephen nodded, and headed toward the door. "Good night, Stephen."

"Good night, Ted," Stephen said, leaving. Teddy pulled out his phone, searched for a second, found the number he was looking for, and hit dial.

"Daniel, Ted Roark," Teddy said. "I need a job done, and I need it done quickly." He listened for a moment. "Yes, tomorrow night at eight in my office, will work just fine." Teddy hung up. "You should have listened to your father, Chuckie, and kept out of my business," he said quietly to himself.

A/N: Welp.