A/N: I had a plan to push this plot right along, however the characters all laughed at me. It's Hawaii, chill bro, they said. So, we're moving this a little slower than I thought we would.
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck
"Okay, so what do we need to do?" Zondra asked. Chuck gave her a look and grinned, amusement on his features. "Fine," she admitted, grinning herself. "What do you need to do? I'm gonna be here with you, because I dragged you into this."
"I'm going to need my big bag," Chuck admitted. "It's in my room, so either I can walk back, or you can join me… you know, in case someone jumps me."
Zondra rolled her eyes, and shoulder bumped Chuck. The two walked back to his room and opened the door, to find Sarah, Carina, and Molly.
"Zondra!" Carina said, getting up to hug Zondra.
"Nice of you to finally get here," Zondra said, returning the hug. Molly stood and came over to Zondra as well, hugging her.
"Tired of the cabana boy already?" Chuck asked, coming out of the bedroom holding his bag.
Zondra pulled away from Molly, smiling. "Cabana boy?"
"How many have you had before we got here? Two… three?" Molly asked, grinning. She stuck her tongue out at Chuck, walking over to plop down on the couch.
"Make yourself at home," Chuck groused. She smiled at him. "So, I have to go to work because the IT person is sick."
"We're going shopping," Molly said, beaming. "Sarah, Carina, and I."
"Well, hate I'm missing that," Chuck replied.
"You may have to go," Sarah told him. "I don't know if you packed anything formal for the soiree." Chuck gave her a look. "It will be fun."
"Uh-huh," Chuck told her.
"So, did you leave me any place to put my clothes?" Molly asked.
"Yes," Zondra replied to Molly. "I don't take all the drawers, like some people."
"I am so glad I'm rooming by myself now," Carina said, leaning back and grinning. "Before you came along, Curls, I used to room with Sar."
"Really, I thought you and Molly would be roomies," Chuck replied. Sarah and Zondra shared a grin. "I mean, your and her personalities, and Sarah and Zondra's… they're the ones that are the closest."
"What can I say? I'm not the Walker that Zondra prefers to room with," Sarah said, with a shrug. "You okay with us going without you?"
"Hey, I can do this by myself," Chuck began.
"Naeiou," Molly pipped up. "Zondra got you into this mess, she goes with you." Zondra narrowed her eyes at Molly. "Besides, you two can go clothes shopping later."
"Or," Chuck offered, "I could not."
"Nope," Sarah said, standing and smiling. "You're going."
"You can't make me," Chuck countered.
"You're right," Sarah replied, grinning. With that, she, Carina, and Molly walked out of the room.
Chuck turned to Zondra. "She's gonna get one of those dresses that makes me pick my jaw up off the floor, isn't she?" Zondra nodded. "The things I do for this job."
Zondra laughed.
}o{
Chuck was lying under a table, making wiring connections. "BioScience conference, huh?" Chuck asked. "How'd you find this one?"
"We actually got the invite, which means our network is growing," Zondra replied. Chuck kept working while listening. "Molly has been putting stuff about us out there as well."
"Really?" Chuck replied. "I bet these things get pretty wild, huh?"
"They do," Zondra said. Chuck stuck his head back out from under the table, a skeptical look on his face. He saw the seriousness on hers. "Chuck, these are people that know chemistry; formulas and things. Who do you think makes the best drinks?" She grinned at him, and he chuckled.
He extricated himself from under the table. "All right, the networks should now be all set up with 1000base-T Ethernet connecting all the servers for the conference, with a firewall in place." Zondra just stared at him. "It works."
"Good," Zondra replied. "Where's your bag?" Chuck looked around, rolled his eyes, and crawled back under the table. Zondra chuckled, then noticed Dr LaFleur walking in with a shorter brunette woman. Zondra heard her say something, and there was suddenly a loud thump under the table, like Chuck had hit his head on the underside.
She bent down, lifted the table cover, and saw Chuck rubbing his head, looking… concerned. "Is there a problem?"
He blew out a breath. "Uh… can you tell me if that voice came from what some might consider an attractive, brown-eyed, slightly egg-headed brunette?" Zondra blinked. "Oh, I forgot… she has an extremely cold heart." Zondra looked up, and saw Guy coming toward them.
"Everything okay?" Guy asked.
"Yes," Zondra replied. She started to say more, but it was clear Chuck was freaked out. In the time she had known him, she had never seen him actively hide from anyone. Well, except her and Carina, but that was when they were harassing him. It appeared that was what he was now doing. "He's just finishing up. He had to step out to get some more supplies, but should be back any minute. I'm just here waiting until he gets back."
"Oh?" Guy said.
"I was just trying to figure out the wiring, and it doesn't make any sense to me," Zondra told him.
"Me either," the brunette girl said, and then she laughed. "I used to… date is a strong word, but I'll use it." Zondra started to feel her hackles rise. She didn't know who this was, but she already wasn't liking her. "This geek who was all about that life. Wiring things, programming things. He ended up being a loser, and went to work for his dad. Never made any real money." She smiled at Guy. "Unlike Guy here, who has created so many things."
"I work for your dad," Guy muttered.
"It's not the same," the woman said.
"Well, nice to see you again Zondra. I'll see you later," Guy said, leading Jill away. He wore a look on his face that the woman with him didn't see. Zondra looked down as a finger was tapping on her shoe. She made sure they were gone, bent down and lifted the sheet.
"Is she still here?" Chuck asked.
"She's gone," Zondra told him. "Who is she?" Chuck came out from under the table with his bag, grabbed his cellphone, and turned it toward her. Zondra nodded. "That's her."
"That Jill Roberts, my ex-girlfriend," Chuck replied. "She broke my heart."
"Do you need me to create a diversion?" Zondra asked. Chuck gave her a look, and couldn't help but grin.
"Would it be a terrible imposition for you to pull the fire alarm?" Zondra laughed, and Chuck sobered. "No, I'm fine," he said. "You're all set up here. Want me to run a check on it?"
"Chuck, I know you, it's good," Zondra told him. "What do you want to do?"
"I'm gonna go sit in one of those beach chairs, if no one cares," Chuck told her. Zondra nodded. "Feel free to go join the others, I don't need anyone to watch me or anything. It was a long time ago, and I have Sarah."
"Okay, don't burn yourself." Chuck saluted, turned, and headed toward his room. As he left earshot, she muttered "You may have Sarah, and it was a long time ago, but heartbreak is heartbreak." She pulled out her phone.
"I'm calling in reinforcements."
}o{
An hour or so later found Chuck lying in a chair, enjoying the sun, but his thoughts floating back to days gone by, with the evil harpy devil-spawn from hell. That was Ellie's nickname for her. Sighing, he took a sip of his fruity, non-alcoholic drink; he would get wasted if he tried to forget Jill by drinking. He heard someone walk up beside him.
"Hey, cutie-pie!" He heard a voice say, in a heavy Texas accent. He didn't react, just continued to stare at the beach. "Is that chair saved for someone?"
"My girlfriend," Chuck replied.
"Well, I don't see her, or a ring, so I'll just have me a little sit-down…" the woman continued. Chuck turned to her and started to protest. He paused. All he could do was lift his shades to get a better look at the grinning goddess in front of him. "Not a fan of the Texas accent?" Sarah asked.
"Please, sit," Chuck said, starting to rise. Sarah put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. She bent down, kissing him, then sat in the chair beside him. "I didn't know you were back."
"Zondra tagged me in," Sarah said, and then she got a strange look on her face. "Or did I tag out?" She shook her head. "I'm not sure. I'm not much into wrestling."
"Well, you're lucky I love you so much that I'll forgive that," Chuck quipped. Sarah snorted. "Who am I trying to kid?" He said in a low voice. He had a smile on his face, but his voice didn't match the look. "So, again, why are you back?"
"Jill," Sarah said.
Chuck swallowed. "Listen, Sarah, I don't care one damn bit for her-" Chuck began.
"But she hurt you… deeply," Sarah said, looking him straight in the eye. "Chuck, what we have," she gestured between them. "We're good. I get it, she hurt you, she used you."
"She did," Chuck admitted, looking away. He was silent a minute, and then looked up at her. "Please don't ever use me."
"Ever?" Sarah asked. Chuck blinked confused. She looked around and leaned in. "Even if I want… naked cuddle time?"
Chuck cleared his throat. "Oh… I mean… well… that's different."
"No, no," Sarah replied. "I wouldn't want to use you."
"Woman," he said, making her giggle. "You can use me like that anytime you want."
"Okay," Sarah replied, leaning back in her chair, sliding her shades over her eyes. "That's a two-way street, you know." Chuck's eyes flew open, and his mouth dropped. She lowered her shades and gave him a long look. "I don't think you know exactly how hot you are." He had lost the ability to form words. "Now, make sure you have plenty of sunscreen on."
He recovered. "I do. Ellie is very serious about that… you know, doctor and all." Sarah had a look of confusion on her face. "She is a doctor, even if it is a brain doctor."
"Got it. In a little while, you're going shopping with Zondra, and possibly Molly. I'm not sure yet," Sarah told him. He sat up to argue. "No arguments," she told him, never looking at him. He sat back.
"I was just fine sitting here, shooing off men with intentions," Chuck told her.
"First, we both know you have the same intentions, the difference being you actually care about me," Sarah began. Chuck started to speak. "At least you better."
"On the intentions, or the caring?"
"Both," Sarah replied, grinning. Chuck nodded. "Second, Carina is taking your place to either hit on men, or scare them."
"Why not both?" Chuck asked.
"It probably will be," Sarah admitted. "So, go. Find something pretty, and make me drool."
"That doesn't take much," Chuck retorted. She looked over at him.
"No, it doesn't," Sarah said softly. He turned to her. "Chuck, what she did was shit, because she didn't love the man that you are. She didn't like the man that you are, and I do. I love how giving you are." Chuck started to speak. "Hush," she said, and he mimed zipping his lips. "She only saw one part of you, and it was something you never would be. That's just who she is, who she chooses to be. And it's her loss."
"God, I wish you had been around when I broke up with her."
"No, you don't," Sarah told him shaking her head. "Because maybe I wasn't ready for you, and all that you bring with you. Maybe I wouldn't have appreciated you for who you are. I don't know. But what I do know is we met at the perfect time, and the perfect place in our lives, for each other."
Chuck pulled her hand to him, raised it to his lips, and kissed it gently. "Sarah Walker, you are the best thing that ever happened to me."
"I know," she said, settling into her chair, and grinning. "Just like I know you are the best thing that ever happened to me."
"Well, I'm glad you know."
"And I know that you know."
"That's a lot of knowing," Chuck pointed out.
"I know how much I know about you," she said as she looked at him salaciously, lowering her sunglasses. She giggled as he swallowed.
"You are taking a chance though," Chuck told her.
"What's that?" she asked.
"Sending me off with Zondra to try on clothes. She might lose her mind when she sees me," Chuck bantered.
Sarah twisted her lips. "Chuck, she's in a relationship… it's a little complicated."
"Oh," Chuck said, sitting up, growing serious. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes, it's fine, and she's very serious about it. It's just with her job, traveling all the time…" Sarah trailed off.
"We travel together," Chuck began.
"They are together when they can be, but again, it's not that easy," Sarah told him. "Listen, if Molly's there… she's gonna say something about your ass, and how it looks in your pants. That's just who she is."
"Maybe I'll say something about my chicken legs," Chuck replied. He was looking out at the ocean again, when he felt her eyes on him. He slowly turned to her. "So, that's a no on mocking my legs?"
"That's a no on you mocking you, period," Sarah told him. "I love you, and you don't get to speak like that about you."
"Okay," Chuck told her.
"Now, go back to the room, shower, and get that lotion off of you," Sarah told him.
"Do I really have to go-"
"I promise you'll love the dress," Sarah said softly.
"I always wanted to go to a fancy shindig," Chuck said, standing. He leaned down and kissed her. Moving away just a bit, he paused and turned back. "Thank you," he said softly. "I forget to believe in me, sometimes."
"Hey, it's my absolute pleasure," Sarah told him. He squeezed her hand, and headed back to the room. She watched him walk off. "I hate to see him go, but I sure enjoy watching him leave." She grinned, and turned back to the ocean view.
A/N: Nothing else is written. My beta went warp speed on this one, so I figured get it out and I'd work on the next soon. But my plan is next time for Chuck to go shopping with Zondra and Molly, because that will be fine, right….right? *sips tea*