A/N: So, here we are on day three and fourteen contestants have made it through. Yesterday's obstacle course was grueling, bringing out people's true natures. Thankfully, Chuck's true nature had shown through. Let's see what adventures await Sarah and our contestants.

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck

Chapter 7

Groaning, Sarah blinked open one eye to read the clock on her nightstand. 7:33 AM. It was far too early, but she had already slapped the snooze button more times than she should have. It was late when she was dropped off at home last night. She had to stay after the backstage pass ceremony to shoot some follow-up segments and discuss the next day's events. When the limo dropped her off, Casey insisted that he make a sweep of her home and perimeter as a safety precaution before leaving. He even waited outside her door for her to activate the home's security system. After a much-needed shower, she fell into bed.

The day had been long and emotionally draining, but despite all of that, she still found it hard to get to sleep. Sarah couldn't get her mind to stop churning, thinking about the events of the week so far. The meet and greets were largely a jumble of words she couldn't recall. They played through her mind like she was talking to Charlie Brown's teacher, an unintelligible noise. That was until she met Chuck.

She could still see the look on his face when he rounded the corner to greet her for the first time. The unabashed surprise and excitement read like a billboard across his whole body. She was almost afraid he was going to faint. Then the way he rambled, spiraling out of control as he tried to introduce himself, she found it rather ...cute. When she shook his hand, it was … different. At least it was different than any of the dozens of hands she'd shaken already that day, and infinitely better. Far better than the hug attempts that some of the contestants tried to get away with. Chuck's touch was almost electric, like there was a mild, comforting current flowing between them. She was still trying to make sense of it. Maybe it was just the nervous energy they were both experiencing, or it could have just been her imagination. Though, when he shook her hand again, just before they parted ways, she remembered feeling it again. Perhaps she hadn't imagined it.

Then there was yesterday's obstacle course challenge. It had been fun to prove herself against all the contestants. Watching the camera footage of the race had been very enlightening. She had expected a certain amount of locker room talk. Hell, she and Zondra had made a number of lewd comments in regards to some of the contestants, though just between themselves. However, the things that some of the men were saying were offensive and chauvinistic. Especially the first five eliminated last night.

Then there was Chad. She had watched in outrage at the way he treated Chuck. Chad was being blatantly hateful toward Chuck, yet he turned the other cheek every time. She liked to think of herself as a good person, but she wasn't certain if she could have been as forgiving as Chuck. Maybe… maybe because it was against Chuck that made it seem all the more heinous? Preying on his good nature, his kindness. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she decided that these thoughts were too deep for this early in the morning.

Forcing herself out of bed, she ambled down to the kitchen for some much needed "Go Juice". She practically laid on the counter as the coffee brewed. Thankfully, the Keurig didn't take long, and she immediately began drinking the dark, bitter elixir of life. By the time the cup was empty, she had gotten dressed and was preparing to start her day. They had outings planned for today, so there would be no rest for the wicked.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The contestants were lined up in front of the house, cameras rolling, when Alex Forrest appeared, stepping up to address the gathered men.

"Good morning gentlemen. After the physical challenge yesterday, today will be the first in a series of group outings. To tell you more about what's in store for you today, let's welcome Sarah." Alex turned and gestured toward the archway that Sarah was now stepping through. Breathtaking as ever, she was wearing black jeans, a sleeveless, white, button down blouse and black, open-toed heels. They had indicated that the dress for the day was to be casual, but even her 'casual' looked amazing. She stepped up to stand near Alex and turned to face the group.

"Good morning, guys," she began, scanning the crowd. "many of you may not know this," her gaze met Chuck's, her smile brightening, "but I'm active in a number of charitable causes." She broke eye contact with him, moving on to address the group at large. "The Make-A-Wish Foundation is one of those. When my schedule allows, I like to visit hospitals wherever I am and meet with the children there who are battling illness. So, today we'll visit the pediatric ward of two area hospitals."

Alex stepped forward and took over., "You'll be divided into two groups and shuttled to the chosen hospital, where you'll meet up with Sarah. You will accompany her, much as a boyfriend might when she makes similar public appearances. Sarah, we'll let you get a head start and your first group of gentlemen will follow behind shortly." With that the cameras cut, and the production staff began to busy themselves.

Sarah looked for Zondra to figure out if she needed to leave now, or if she should wait. Eventually, she found her in a conversation with Megan, her assistant, and Roan, the director. Not wanting to interrupt what seemed like an animated discussion, she stood back and waited. They passed some papers between them until it finally seemed that Roan understood whatever Zondra and Megan were trying to convey to him. It must have been humorous to boot, but now that the conversation seemed to be at a close, she approached them.

"Ah. Sarah," called Zondra, waving her over. "I think we're ready to have you hop in the limo and head to the first hospital. I just need to make some logistical changes here with the shuttles for the guys and we'll follow behind. You'll have a cameraman in the limo with you on the ride over. He'll do a little interview, just talking about why these visits are important to you, what you hope to learn from the guys while you're there. That sort of thing. He'll give you some prompts if you need help. Sydney's already at the first location getting things prepared. She'll be waiting for you." Sarah nodded her understanding and headed toward the limo.

Before she could reach the door, Casey was there, like some sort of ninja appearing out of nowhere. He had done such a good job of watching from a distance that she hardly knew he was around.

"Walker." He nodded at her, opening the back door of the limo, allowing her to get in.

"Thanks Casey. You move pretty quickly for a big guy," Sarah interjected with a smirk as she slid into the back. The comment warranted a grunt from her bodyguard, who closed the door and got into the front passenger seat.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Chuck was lining up to get onto the shuttle when he heard his name called from behind.

"Chuck! Hold up," called Megan, rushing up to him. He stepped out of the line to approach her, curious to see what was wrong. "There's been a change. We need you on the second shuttle instead. We're gonna swap you and James. So, that will give you a couple of hours to hang out before you have to leave."

"Oh. Ok. Um… why the change? Is something the matter?" he asked, sounding a bit concerned.

"No. Nothing's wrong. Zondra and Roan just think that the mix is better. That's all. Nothing to worry about. We'll see ya Chuck." Megan waved as she rushed off to join Zondra, who had been escorting James, his replacement contestant for the first group. Chuck waved and Zondra waved in return, giving him a small smile. He couldn't get close enough to say anything to her before she and Megan were off.

Chuck felt a little bummed at having to wait even longer to see Sarah. He was curious what these hospital visits would be like. Would they be expected to interact with the kids as well? Would he have any chance to get close to her, talk with her maybe? He had seen videos of other celebrities visiting hospitals, talking to or even entertaining sick children. It was an admirable cause and probably meant a lot to the kids.

He knew that once the other contestants got around Sarah, the chest puffing would reach new and even more ridiculous heights. That wasn't his style and he wasn't going to stoop to their level. If that was what Sarah really wanted in a romantic partner, then he clearly wasn't a good fit. He just hoped that he didn't make a fool of himself.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The limo driver dropped Sarah and Casey off at the main entrance to the hospital, where Sydney, Zondra's other assistant, met them with a camerawoman. They filmed a small segment before heading inside. There was a brief moment where security had stopped Casey, but after some grunting and credentials were shown, the hospital security was quite apologetic and allowed them through.

"OK, Sarah. We're going to head up to the seventh floor. There's a private consultation room where we've arranged for you to talk with some of the doctors in the pediatric wing. Some of them expressed that they'd like to extend their thanks. I think this will be a great opportunity for you to ask the doctors how people can do more, spur some community involvement. Even let them tell some stories." Sydney looked at Sarah with a little apprehension, hoping that there wouldn't be a lot of pushback from the celebrity.

"I like that. That'll be good. Use the show to get some much-needed P.R. for the plight of these kids and the need for help. One thing I will NOT allow is for these kids to be exploited in any way. If I sense that the show is trying to make money off the suffering of these kids, I'll pull the plug on this thing so fast…" Sydney looked like a deer in headlights. She was just an underling, so had zero say in the production. Realizing that, Sarah took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. Once she had calmed herself, she gave the younger woman a tight smile.

"Sorry. I know you have no control over what they do, but you can pass that along for me." Sydney nodded her head emphatically. When the elevator dinged on the seventh floor, Sydney looked relieved, almost clambering to get out.

"Don't break her, Walker. You might need her to get coffee later," Casey interjected, nearly making Sarah jump out of her skin. The large man was always so quiet, she kept forgetting he was there. He tried to contain the amused look on his face but was failing. Sarah could only chuckle, shaking her head at herself and followed after Sydney.

In the private consultation room, Sarah met with several doctors: a pediatrician, pediatric surgeon and pediatric oncologist. Each, in turn, thanked her for the visit, citing that it would do wonders to lift the children's spirits. They were also grateful for a chance to tell stories about how people's contributions, even those that could only volunteer time, meant so much in the healing process. More than once there were tearful moments during a heartfelt story or words of gratitude from the doctors. It was all a little overwhelming.

By this time, Zondra and Roan were on site, helping to guide the stories and dialogue to get the most out of the limited time they had with the doctors. Just as Sarah thought they were done, Zondra interrupted.

"Sorry, Sarah. We've got one more doctor you need to meet with. This is the last one, I promise. Then you can meet up with the guys and visit with the kids." Zondra had an odd smile that Sarah couldn't quite place, but she decided to not push the matter. If there was another doctor that wanted to tell their story, she would happily allow them to use the show as their forum. Zondra stepped out of the room and ushered in the doctor, closing the door behind her.

Sarah stood and offered her hand to the doctor, "Hi. I'm Sarah Walker. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Wow. Of course you are. Oh my God. Just…. W-Wow! Really, the… the pleasure's all mine. I'm Dr. Ellie Bartowski. I'm-I'm the neurologist on staff for the pediatric wing. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to meet you. It's amazing that you take the time out of your schedule to visit these kids. Just your being here helps bring some much-needed attention to the struggles of these children and their families."

"It's my pleasure. Really." It was at that moment that something struck Sarah. Something in the woman's eyes. Then the name, embroidered on her coat and printed in bold on her hospital ID. 'BARTOWSKI'. "I'm… I'm sorry. Your last name is Bartowski? Are you… are you related to a 'Chuck Bartowski', by chance?"

The older doctor got a look of panic on her face. "Oh no. Do you… do you have a restraining order against him? Was he stalking you? I knew he's a huge fan, but I never thought…. Miss Walker, my little brother is a good man. A little nerdy – OK, a lot nerdy - and often misguided, but he's a really good man." Sarah couldn't help but burst into laughter. It seemed that spiraling was a family trait and the way she described Chuck seemed to fit him to a "T".

"No. No, Dr. Bartowski. Nothing like that at all. I um… I had a chance to meet him the other day. Let me say, he's made … quite the impression." Sarah smiled, shaking her head in amusement.

"Please. Call me Ellie. And… by 'impression', you don't literally mean 'impressions', do you? Because I warned him to never, ever do those impressions in public again. I swear, I raised him better than that, he just gets easily flustered and starts spiraling out of control. When he met you I'm sure it was off the charts." Sarah burst into another fit of laughter, unable to control herself. The thought of Chuck breaking out into impressions while spiraling just made the laughter bubble out of her.

"No. There were no impressions. And did you say 'raised'? Did I hear that correctly?" She sobered up, looking at Ellie questioningly.

"Oh. Right. I uh… I did say that, didn't I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up," she stammered, looking rather sheepish.

"No. It's alright. He didn't really mention it, but I'm interested to hear about it," Sarah jumped in, sounding quite intrigued.

"I'm sure he didn't. He doesn't like to talk about it. When… when he was about nine, our mother left. It was tough for all of us, but him especially. He had broken something of our mother's just before and he blamed himself for her leaving. It obviously had nothing to do with him, but he didn't understand that at the time. After that, our father more or less checked out. Even when he was around, he really wasn't, if you know what I mean. A few years later, he left too, leaving Chuck and me alone. We stayed with our grandmother, but she was in no shape, physically or mentally, to take care of us, so we were pretty much on our own. When she passed, I was old enough that I moved out and took Chuck with me."

"Oh my God. That's … that's terrible," Sarah gasped, covering her mouth.

"It wasn't all bad. Sure, there were challenges, but we had each other. He was a brilliant and resourceful kid. He had school and computers to keep him out of trouble. He helped bring in extra money by fixing computers around the apartment complex, though a lot of the work he did for free, especially for those he knew couldn't afford it. He just liked to help people. He still does." Ellie smiled with a look of pride. She let out a sigh before continuing. "I mean, I think we turned out OK. I went to UCLA and became a neurologist. Chuck got a full scholarship to Stanford, graduating with honors. He'd have done it almost a year earlier if it weren't for that bitch, Jill," Ellie grumbled, almost as if she were merely talking to herself.

Sarah was quite taken aback by all this new information about the man she barely knew. What he had gone through to get where he was now was remarkable. Perhaps getting all this background information was cheating, considering that he was a contestant on the show, but she just couldn't help it. She wanted to know as much as she could about this man, even more so now that she had learned so much from his sister. Then the name caught her attention.

"Jill?" Sarah asked, furrowing her brow in confusion. Ellie's eyes grew as wide as saucers, her face appearing to pale a little.

"Did... did I say Jill?" Her voice was much higher pitched, sounding a bit strangled. She cleared her throat, fidgeting with her coat as if to find a distraction. "I'm so sorry. Here I am going on about this stuff. I'm sure you have no interest in listening to me go on about all of this. I mean you're… you're Sarah Walker. You couldn't possibly be…"Ellie trailed off. Sarah just sat quietly, staring at the woman, waiting for her to continue, her expression never changing. Apparently, the staring became too much and Ellie began to speak again.

"He can't know I told you this. He would kill me." Sarah just gave Ellie the universal sign for zipping her lips, a mischievous smile growing on both of their faces. "OK. Well, Chuck has always had … self-confidence issues. I'd hoped that once he went off to college, he'd meet more people with common interests. Bring him out of his shell, you know. Well, his junior year, he did meet someone. A woman named Jill. She was the first girl he ever ... dated. He fell hard and fast for her. Too fast, if you ask me. They dated for about a year and he even talked about proposing after graduation. Well, he got out of class early one day and thought to surprise her at her apartment off campus. That's when he found her with someone else in a very… compromising position. Needless to say, he was devastated. He went through a rough few years. We call it the 'Blue period' because the 'moping around and shutting yourself away from the world period' doesn't roll off the tongue quite as well." Both women burst into laughter for a long moment before they sobered.

"I tried to get him to start seeing people again. I'd throw parties and invite my single friends or I'd set him up on dates with women I knew from work. They were all disasters. I even set him up with some online dating sites. That's when he made me butt out. He just buried himself in work, so he'd forget about it. It wasn't until his friend Morgan…" It was at that moment all the color drained from Ellie's face. Sarah peered at her with concern, noticing the abrupt stop to her story and then her expression changing as if she might be sick.

"Ellie?" The doctor buried her face in her hands and began to chant.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God, ohmygodohmygodohmygod… I can't believe this is happening. I…. you…" Ellie lifted her head to look at Sarah. "You just met him the other day and you're… you're you and… Oh God."

"I don't understand. What's wrong?" Sarah was beginning to think the older Bartowski had lost her mind.

"It's you. You're her. The… the… the celebrity." She looked around conspiratorially before leaning in close to Sarah. "Off Screen Romance. You met him because of the show. And now I've just said...Oh my God. He's gonna kill me. Why can't I just keep my mouth shut?" Ellie buried her face in her hands again, groaning with embarrassment and regret.

"Hey. Hey. It's OK," Sarah reassured her, placing a hand on her arm. "For one, I don't think he knows I'm here. At least at this hospital. Plus, I can have them delete the footage... wait." Sarah had been so engrossed in her conversation with Ellie that it never dawned on her. There was no camera in the room. "Why would there not be a camera in the- OK. I get it."

Sarah let out an exasperated sigh, rolling her eyes. She stood up and flung the door open. It was almost comical how Zondra tried to play off almost falling to the floor. "You set this whole thing up, didn't you?" Sarah looked around and, seeing as how there were several people milling about, she pulled Zondra into the room and closed the door. "How long have you been planning this little meeting?"

"Look, Sarah. It's not what you think…"

"It looks to me like you purposefully staged this meeting so I would get privileged information about one of the contestants," Sarah exclaimed, folding her arms across her chest.

"O-ok. So, it is what it looks like. But we weren't filming it. This all just ...fell into our laps. I didn't realize until this morning when Megan was showing me the names of the doctors we were going to interview. Then I pulled up Chuck's paperwork and he listed his sister, one 'Ellie Bartowski' as his emergency contact. So, you see, it was kismet. How could I pass this up?"

"Z, you can't use any of this for the show. Anything you may have heard, you can't use it. Promise me. Promise me!" Sarah demanded, looking irate.

"Whoa. Whoa. Don't get your panties all in a bunch. That's not what this was about. If he talks about it on camera, then I'll use it, and ONLY then. That's why I purposefully removed the camera. Look… I can't share his audition tapes with you until after the show is over. But he did touch on some things, things I don't think he'd have the courage to tell you. So, I thought that maybe if I got you in the room with his sister…."

"But why? Doesn't this give him an unfair advantage, with me learning more about him than any of the others?"

"Oh, come on. You know those other assclowns will talk about themselves until they're blue in the face. You'd learn more about them than you'd ever care to know. Chuck on the other hand, he seems to hate talking about himself. You'd likely never find out all these things about him. And these are really good things. You're only fooling yourself if you think I haven't seen the way you two are together. Or the way you look at him, or talk about him or…"

"OK. OK. I get your point. Still, I need to try to be objective. There are thirteen other guys that deserve a fair chance as well," Sarah explained, sitting in her chair with a huff.

"I agree," Ellie interjected, causing Sarah and Zondra to snap their heads to look at her. "What? I do." The flat looks that both women gave her showed they weren't convinced. "OK, I'm biased, I'll admit that. But I know what an amazing man he is. Truth be told, I don't think you can really appreciate that fact until you see what all these other guys have to offer. Only then will you see just how special Chuck is in comparison. Is he the right man for you? I honestly don't know. Only you can answer that. Would he move the moon and the stars to make you happy? Of that, I have no doubt. He's a pretty simple guy when it comes down to it. He wants to love and be loved. That's it. If you want someone who will stand beside you through thick and thin, Chuck's your guy. I only ask that if you can't be that for him, just let him go." Her words and the pleading look on Ellie's face, coupled with the stories that Ellie had shared, nearly brought Sarah to tears. Instead, she bit her bottom lip and nodded her agreement. Sarah and Ellie stood, and after an awkward moment, the two hugged.

"So, Zondra. Can she walk with us on our visit?" Sarah asked, gesturing toward Ellie. Zondra gave her a smirk, nodding her approval. "Alright then, let's go."

A/N2: Thanks to everyone for reading and taking the time to review or comment in the Chuck Fanfiction Facebook group. If you aren't a member of the Facebook group, I highly recommend it. There are tons of discussions, polls, more polls, sharing story ideas and more. It really is a great group of people.

I apologize if I haven't gotten time to send you a personal reply to your review, but I promise I do read them all. The response to this story has been very surprising but I am enjoying hearing from so many of you. Please keep sending me your comments. It is very inspiring.

Until next time.

Joe