Matchmaker Chapter 8, a chuck fanfic

A/N: Welcome back! In our last installment, Sarah got a surprise meeting with Ellie Bartowski, giving Sarah the inside scoop on the enigma that is 'Chuck'. Let's meet back up with Sarah to see how the hospital visits are going.

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck

Chapter 8

Sarah, Zondra, Megan and Casey slid into the back of the limo. Everyone was silent, the only sound being the hum of the engine as they pulled away from Westside Medical Center. Nobody spoke for a few minutes, just sitting in the awkward silence.

"Well, that sucked," Casey stated, seeming at least slightly amused by the whole ordeal. The three women in the back with him snorted in unison.

"God, you can say that again," Sarah agreed. "Could they have made this outing any more about themselves if they tried? I mean, seriously. Casey, if you hadn't escorted that guy out, the one that told that little girl to stop interrupting him because he was trying to talk to me… all that camera footage would have been exhibit one at the murder trial." That garnered laughter from the other passengers.

"What about that other guy? What was his name? Michael? Anyway, he stood there preening, then asked that little kid if his hair looked OK. The little boy was recovering from chemo, all his hair is gone and this jackass comes up to ask a question like that? Who does that?" Megan was livid, which was very much out of character for her normally bubbly personality.

"This whole outing was a shit show. However, it will definitely give the audience plenty of reasons to applaud if those guys get sent home," Zondra added. Sarah gave her friend a flat look, her expression practically screamed 'seriously?'.

"OK. OK. 'When' they get sent home," she amended, smirks growing across both of their faces. "You have to admit, they weren't all bad. They weren't great, but they weren't bad." Sarah just shrugged, not really caring enough to respond. She just laid her head back and closed her eyes.

Sarah was tempted, for a moment, to just scrap the visit to the next hospital. If she did that, she'd miss her chance to see Chuck. Her visit with Ellie and having the chance to walk around with her, talking with all the children, had been the highlight of the day so far. She really liked Ellie a lot. She was smart, caring and funny. Before leaving, Sarah exchanged numbers with Ellie, promising to get together, regardless of the show's outcome.

Zondra looked up from her phone and addressed the car. "Sydney has everything set at the next hospital. She even spoke with hospital security, Casey. Your other man is there as well, so there shouldn't be any hassles this time." Casey's grunt seemed acknowledgement enough, and the car went silent again until they reached the next hospital.

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Chuck stared out through the tinted window of the Mercedes Sprinter, absentmindedly counting the telephone poles as they passed by. The din of the chatter in the van had become white noise that he tried to tune out. He had no interest in taking part in their boasting or one upmanship. Aside from the fact that it was juvenile - and that's saying something coming from a guy that wore graphic t-shirts and read comic books - he really didn't have anything to contribute. He had no 'conquests' to brag about, not that he would if he did. His only real relationship had been a disaster, ending in heartbreak, and nobody was interested in hearing about that.

His mind wandered to thoughts of their destination. He was quite familiar with hospitals, having visited Ellie on many occasions. He'd even played Santa Claus one Christmas for the pediatric wing at West Side Medical. Ellie had coerced him into it, but it had been a lot of fun and spiritually rewarding. The question was, how should he behave in this scenario? Since this was supposed to simulate the sorts of events that Sarah would go to with her significant other in tow, how should he react in that situation? She was the celebrity, so they wanted to see her, obviously. They likely didn't care about who was with her, especially if they weren't a celebrity as well. Should he fade into the background, letting her take the spotlight? That seemed like the natural thing to do. Not necessarily to abandon her, but step back into the wings, as it were, observing from afar. He shouldn't be the wallflower though. He would have to be involved, show interest in the things she was interested in. That was what couples were supposed to do, right? He could be supportive, have her back when she needed it. He was good at talking to people, just as long as it wasn't about himself. He'd just have to play it by ear, gauge the situation when he got there.

The van slowed to a stop at the main entrance of Children's Hospital Los Angeles. They were ushered out of the van by the show's staff, then greeted in the lobby by Sydney. She explained the ground rules, much like a middle school field trip. Basically, be considerate, don't touch things and keep quiet. Most school age kids could manage that, but he doubted this group could. Thankfully the elevators were rather large, allowing them to accommodate all the contestants in one car. When they reached the fifth floor, they filed out into the waiting area, where Sarah was waiting to greet them. Naturally, there were a number of cameras present, filming the encounter from multiple angles.

They were led down the hall and through a series of automatic doors until they found themselves outside two, large patient common areas. They allowed the children to congregate and spend time with others, to play and socialize. Some of the children were in beds that had been wheeled in, others in wheelchairs, walkers or crutches. As he looked around the rooms, he could see that some of the children appeared to be quite pale and sickly, while others seemed perfectly healthy, save for an IV or monitor leads connected to them. It pulled at his heartstrings to see them, knowing the hardships they were facing. He couldn't imagine being a parent and having to see your child in a place like this. Although, he supposed, it was good to know that a place like this exists, and that people like Sarah were doing their best to help them.

When Sarah walked into the first room, the cheers from the kids were uplifting, to say the least. The surprise and excitement seemed to allow them to forget their troubles, if only for the moment. He could see the smile on Sarah's face as well. She looked genuinely happy, from her brilliant smile to the gleam in her eyes. He stood back and watched her greet the children one at a time, hugging them when possible, shaking or holding their hands when not. This wasn't 'smile for the cameras' Sarah Walker, it was Sarah Walker unfiltered, and it was a sight to behold.

The other contestants began to mingle, though most just hovered around Sarah, barely giving her any room to breath. It was so bad that they were even getting in the way of her visiting with the kids. Not wanting to add to that mess, he stepped into the adjacent room, where Sarah and her 'entourage' had yet to visit. There were six children in the room, some playing on cell phones or tablets, another coloring at a craft table and the last girl was laying in a bed, picking at a ukulele. She seemed to be practicing cords and the one least engrossed in their task, so he made his way over toward her bed. The girl didn't seem to notice as she was focused on her finger placement on the neck of the instrument.

"I see you're a fan of music," Chuck began, pulling up a chair to sit down beside her bed. The girl looked up in surprise, searching the room, uncertain of what was going on. Sensing her apprehension, he smiled and extended his hand. "I'm Chuck. It was getting kinda crowded in the other room. Plus, I was interested to hear you play."

Timidly, she accepted his hand, shaking it gingerly, "I'm Kailey. Kailey Miller."

"It's great to meet you Kailey. I'm Chuck Bartowski, but you can just call me Chuck. So, Kailey, do you play or are you still learning?" he asked, gesturing to the small instrument. She followed his gaze with a sad look on her face.

"I used to play and sing, but I had a brain tumor," she confessed, turning her head to allow him to see the previously obscured side of her head, shaved with a long scar that looked to be still healing. Chuck hissed in sympathy. He could tell that Kailey, who appeared to be about twelve or thirteen, seemed embarrassed by it.

"Just think of the cool stories you'll be able to tell about how you got that scar. You know, battling a Thuggee cult in India, fighting a honey badger and winning, or… buttering some toast and the knife slipped." With that, she burst into laughter, shaking her head at the ridiculous ideas. Once she sobered, Chuck continued, "So, did the tumor cause you to lose the ability to play? Or is it the after effects of the surgery?"

"It's from the surgery. They said I'll have to relearn a lot of things like walking, singing… playing the ukulele," she added, raising the instrument for emphasis.

"Well, I can see you're doing a pretty good job with those cords. I'm sure it's frustrating, but you'll get it. I have faith." She gave him a small smile, ducking her head.

"Thanks. I just miss hearing it, you know. Playing, and being able to sing along with it…" she trailed off, looking forlorn.

"Well, if you'd like … I could play something for you," Chuck offered, giving a small shrug. Kailey's face lit up, a grin growing across her face.

"Really? You… you know how to play?" Her excitement was growing as she adjusted herself in the bed.

"I dabble a little. I'm a complete hack, but I can string a few cords together." He shrugged, giving her a self-deprecating smile. She thrust the ukulele at him, pulling her hands back into her lap, wringing them in excitement.

"So, what would you like to hear?" He began strumming and plucking, checking that it was in tune.

"I don't care. Anything," she quickly replied, watching him in fascination. He nodded, then looked at the ceiling, squinting an eye in contemplation.

"Ok. I think I've got one. Feel free to hum or sing along if you know it… and you're able," he amended, giving an apologetic wince. She only smiled, nodding emphatically. He began to strum on the ukulele, which looked almost comical in contrast to his tall frame and broad shoulders.

"I know
You belong to somebody new
But Tonight, you belong to me
Although
We're apart, your part of my heart
And tonight, you belong to me

Way down by the stream
How sweet it will seem
Once more just to dream
In the moonlight

My honey I know
With the dawn
That you will be gone
But tonight, you belong to me
Way down, way down along the stream
How very, very sweet it will seem
Once more just to dream in the silvery moonlight

My honey I know
With the dawn, that you will be gone
But tonight you belong to me
Just to little old me"

When he finished with a gooey flourish, the room erupted in applause. To his surprise, all of the children had stopped what they were doing to listen. In addition, there was a cameraman, a doctor and a few nurses that had wandered in to listen as well. He sheepishly waved, blushing from the attention. Turning back to Kailey, the smile on her face was completely worth any amount of embarrassment. He knew exactly why Sarah did this. It wasn't just about the joy you might give to them, it was also about the joy they gave in return.

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Sarah's curiosity was piqued at the sound of an instrument playing. She was trying to push away the sounds of the other contestants, James in particular, who felt the need to constantly interrupt her while she was talking to the children. She put on a smile and addressed the young boy she was crouched down talking to.

"Logan, it was really good to meet you. I'm so happy that you get to go home soon. Take care, OK?" She leaned in, giving him a hug which he returned, grunting, as he squeezed her with what strength he had. She pulled away chuckling, brushing his hair back as she stood to her full height. Before she could even turn, James was right at her shoulder, trying to relate some story of a football injury he had in college. Holding back the exasperated sigh she wanted to let out, she just raised her hand, signaling him to stop.

"Will you excuse me for a minute?" Not waiting for his answer, Sarah turned and started to follow the sound of the music. A small group was starting to gather, and as she pushed her way through, she could now make out singing.

"Way down by the stream
How sweet it will seem
Once more just to dream
In the moonlight"

Peeking between nurses and orderlies, and over the heads of a few children, she could see into the adjacent room. Sitting up in bed was a young girl, likely in her early teens, staring in wide-eyed amazement at none other than Chuck. He was seated in a chair that had been pulled up beside the bed. He was singing and strumming away on a small ukulele, that looked comically small in his large frame. His voice was beautiful, so smooth and clear, making his singing seem so effortless. Something inside fluttered as she watched him, being careful to hide herself behind people. She didn't want him to catch sight of her. Like watching a majestic animal in its natural habitat, she wanted to see Chuck, witness him interact with people without the added stress of being watched by her.

"My honey I know
With the dawn
That you will be gone
But tonight, you belong to me

Way down, way down along the stream
How very, very sweet it will seem
Once more just to dream in the silvery moonlight

My honey I know
With the dawn, that you will be gone
But tonight you belong to me
Just to little old me"

When he finished, Sarah recognized the look on the girl's face. She'd seen that same look many times on the faces of children she'd visited; the look of joy. She imagined that's what her face looked like too. She just couldn't help but smile at him. Sarah joined in as everyone around her clapped, being careful to remain hidden. His look of embarrassment was so adorable and genuine. He looked legitimately surprised, not the false modesty that people show when they do things simply for the adoration. No, Chuck did this to turn a tear into a smile, brightening an otherwise gloomy and frightening experience for this girl and those around her. Hell, even Sarah felt lighter, happier.

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"Play another one," came the urgings of the other children, parroted by the adults in the room as well. Chuck looked at Kailey, raising an eyebrow to get her input. With bright eyes and a beaming smile, she put her hands together, as if praying, practically begging him to continue. He gave her a wink and nodded.

"Ok. One more. Hmmm, what to play?" Chuck looked up at the ceiling, tapping his forefinger on his chin. "Oh! I've got one. This is one of my favorites." Chuck cleared his throat and the room went silent, only a few whispers could be heard from the hallway outside.

"You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged, oh I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
The darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small

Show me a smile then
Don't be unhappy
Can't remember when
I last saw you laughing
This world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
Just call me up
'Cause I will always be there

And I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you"

As Chuck began this round of the chorus, much to his surprise, Kailey began to sing. It was a bit raspy at first, but gained strength as she continued. Chuck nodded his encouragement, singing along with her, but let her carry the song.

"So don't be afraid, to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful

I see your true colors
Shining through (true colors)
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid, to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful (are beautiful)
Like a rainbow
Oh oh oh oh oh like a rainbow"

As the song trailed off, the room fell into silence. Chuck and Kailey just smiled knowingly at one another. Chuck stood and gave the girl a hug, which she returned, crying into his shoulder. All at once, the silence was shattered by the applause and whistles of a much larger audience, which had apparently amassed during his encore. Chuck didn't pull away from the girl, letting Kailey release him when she was ready, using his body to shield her from the onlookers as she composed herself.

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Standing in rapt silence, Sarah and the growing group of onlookers watched as Chuck pondered his next song choice. She cracked a smile when he jumped, getting a revelation as to what song to sing. He was just so goofy and carefree, not seeming to be concerned if he looked a little silly or foolish. It was so refreshing.

He adjusted himself and brought the ukulele up to his chest to begin playing. Within the first few cords, Sarah knew exactly what song it was, a gasp escaping before she could cover her mouth. Tears burned at the back of her eyes as she tried desperately to hold them in. Her mind flashed to the night of their first meeting. His simple, yet intimate, question about her favorite movie, her guilty pleasure. She couldn't believe he asked that, and even more unbelievable was that she had told him. The song 'True Colors' was her favorite song of that movie, and here he was, playing it for this young girl. For all of these people. For her.

His voice was so pure, and the emotion he conveyed so strong, the tears that had threatened now filled her eyes, beginning to blur her vision. Lost in the song, she began mouthing the words along with him, whisper singing to herself; an involuntary response.

"Show me a smile then
Don't be unhappy
Can't remember when
I last saw you laughing
This world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
Just call me up
'Cause I will always be there

And I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you"

When the chorus began and the young girl joined in, trying to find her voice, Sarah couldn't hold back the sob that escaped, quickly covering her mouth. It was so beautiful, inspiring and overwhelming. The two harmonized together and it was just too much. Tears were rolling down Sarah's cheeks as she listened in awe at the scene and the man before her.

"So don't be afraid, to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful (are beautiful)
Like a rainbow
Oh oh oh oh oh like a rainbow"

As the song came to a close, she could see the look of pure joy on the girl's face. It was so overwhelming that the girl began to cry. It was at that moment that Chuck wrapped her in a hug and let her cry, shielded from the gathered crowd. Ellie Bartowski's words from earlier in the day came flooding back to her. "He's a good man." "He wants to love and be loved." If what he was doing for this girl wasn't love, even at its simplest form, then she didn't know what was. She was certain there was something special about Chuck Bartowski. Part of her was excited to see what it was, yet it also scared her more than a little. She wasn't sure how to handle someone like him, how to 'be' around him.

The eruption of applause broke her out of her thoughts. She began to wipe the tears from her cheeks when someone tap on her arm. She turned to see John Casey standing over her shoulder, several tissues in his outstretched hand. She had to chuckle, both at herself and at him. Sarah was sure she looked a mess, the way in which her emotions had gotten the better of her. She was not normally a crier, but this moment just struck her at her core. And there was gruff, stone-faced John Casey, always showing up just when he was needed. The fact that he offered her a tissue with only a slight nod, was perhaps equally as surprising. There was clearly more to him that met the eye.

Sarah blotted her tears away, hoping to minimize the damage to her makeup. She heard a low growl behind her and without fully turning around, she caught James and a couple of the other contestants backing up with hands raised in surrender. Sarah snorted as she held back a laugh. She really was not in a mood to talk to them right now and Casey must have sensed that. Throwing away the tissue, she began to make her way through the dwindling crowd, pressing under her eyes, hoping they weren't too puffy from crying. It was at that moment that she caught his gaze and he looked like a deer in headlights. She knew she couldn't talk with him just yet. She needed a minute to re-center herself. She needed to visit with the girl first. That would hopefully give her enough time.

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Chuck finally stood, returning Kailey's ukulele. He turned to face the crowd, shocked to see how many adults and children had found their way into the room and adjoining hallway. He gestured toward Kailey, and began clapping along, encouraging their applause for her. As the attention died down and people began to disperse, Chuck caught Sarah's gaze, as she wiped under her eye with the back of her finger. Her deep, blue eyes were a bit glassy from a few remaining unshed tears. Realizing that Sarah had witnessed their impromptu concert, he couldn't fight the blush that rose up his neck and to his ears. She made her way across the room, closing the distance between them. Chuck swallowed thickly, those pesky butterflies coming to life in his stomach. As she drew closer, he realized that she was heading toward Kailey and not him. That gave him both a sense of relief and a pang of sadness. He had no idea what he would say to her after knowing that she had watched him sing. Still, he longed to talk with her again, just the two of them.

When Sarah reached the bed, Kailey was covering her mouth, surprise and awe adding to the pink glow of embarrassment. The starstruck girl, removed her hands just enough to speak.

"You're… you're Sarah Walker!" She sounded like she was about to come unglued at the edges, practically vibrating with excitement.

"That I am. That was amazing. You have such a wonderful voice," she praised the young girl, bending down to wrap her in a hug. Chuck imagined that if he were in this girl's 'shoes', his eyes would likely look just as wide. Seeing the effect that Sarah had on people, especially young girls like Kailey, was incredible. It warmed his heart that Sarah was such a kindhearted person, to share herself with the world, instead of hoarding herself away in some ivory tower.

"What's your name?" Sarah asked as she sat on the side of the bed, taking the girl's hand in hers. Chuck sensed that this was that moment, when he should be 'in the wings', letting Sarah have the spotlight. Giving them some space, he backed away, making sure he was out of the camera view.

"Kailey," she confessed, barely holding back her giggle of excitement.

"Kailey. That's a pretty name and you sing beautifully. You play too?" Sarah patted the instrument.

"I used to play. I'm having to learn it all over again. But, I'm gonna do it. It'll just take time." Kailey sat up a little straighter, more determined.

"I know you will. You look like a fighter. It was so great meeting you and hearing you sing." Sarah stood and gave the girl another hug, lasting a little longer this time.

"Could… could I have your autograph?" the young girl asked sheepishly.

"Absolutely!" As if on cue, Megan was there to offer one of Sarah's headshot photos and a Sharpie marker. Sarah signed the photo with a personalized message. She posed with Kailey, allowing some of the nurses to take pictures of the two of them. Sarah stood and started to say her goodbyes when Kailey interrupted with another request.

Holding her instrument in her hands, she looked down at it in thought. "Before you all go, could you sign my ukulele?"

"Of course. If that's what you want," Sarah answered, feeling very honored that she would ask her to sign something that seemed so personal to her. Kailey gave her a sheepish smile, ducking her head. Sarah tilted her head as she eyed the young girl, who seemed to have some uncertainty. "I won't sign it if you don't want me to. It's alright." The young girl's head shot up, eyes wide.

"No. No, I'd.. I'd like you to sign it. It's… it's just… I was kinda hoping that Chuck might sign it also." Kailey turned her gaze towards Chuck, who was standing off to the side, mouth agape.

"Wha-... m-me? But… but I'm nobody. You… you wouldn't want my autograph. It's not worth anything," Chuck stammered out, looking very apprehensive.

"It's worth something to me," the young girl responded, with a small smile. Chuck was speechless. To be honest, he was so touched that he was afraid to speak, for fear he might lose his composure.

"You heard the lady, Chuck. She wants your autograph." Sarah motioned with her head to come closer, offering him her marker. Her expression was difficult to read, but it didn't seem angry or offended. Still he was a little apprehensive. Not wanting to argue with either of them, he stepped forward and took the marker. Kaliey turned the ukulele, pointing to the top of the body, below and to the right of the saddle. He scrawled his signature for her and then handed the marker back to Sarah. In turn, Sarah signed right below his, keeping it roughly the same size. When she pulled away, Chuck could see their names side by side, permanently joined together. It was a bit ridiculous, he knew, but he couldn't help but feel that they were somehow connected by it now. They said their goodbyes to Kailey and began to visit others in the room. As Sarah made her way to the next child, Chuck called out to her.

"Sarah. If you have a quick second?" Sarah turned to him, a quizzical look on her face.

"Sure. What's up?"

"Um… about… about the thing with Kailey. I'm… I'm sorry if I detracted from your visit. The kids in the room just seemed left out and she looked like she could use a friend. I didn't mean to make a scene or anything," he rushed out, holding up his hands as if in surrender. She looked bewildered, staring at him like he'd grown a second head. She shook her head, chuckling to herself.

"Chuck, what you did back there was incredible. Sure, part of the reason I want to do these visits is to help the hospitals gain some visibility in the media, to help them attract more donors and more community support. But the main reason I do it is for that right there." She pointed at Kailey, who was admiring the signatures on her ukulele, a dreamy expression on her face. "While she did seem genuinely excited to see me, the way her face lit up when you two were singing… that was priceless. No PR campaign, no drug or doctor did that. You did. Just being the kind and caring person you are, you made that girl's day. Even more, you helped to give her hope. So, please, don't apologize for that. In fact, thank you." She paused for a moment, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, seemingly lost in her thoughts. Finally, she moved forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Sarah pulled away, giving him a shy smile before turning and walking to the next child in the room. Chuck just stood rooted in place, his world was going blurry around him. His brain was having a difficult time coming to terms with the fact that Sarah Walker had just kissed him. It was like trying to divide by zero, his mind falling down a swirling vortex. Then, as if yanked to safety, a very firm hand clamped down on his shoulder, pulling him back to reality. Over his left shoulder he could hear a deep, growling voice speak to him.

"Close your mouth, kid. Drooling on your shirt ain't gonna win you no brownie points." The hand patted him on the shoulder a little harder than was really necessary. He knew the voice and remembered that same crushing pat on the shoulder from the day before. When he dared to venture a glance, he saw the large man in a dark suit stepping away, surveying the area. John Casey was, frankly, terrifying. Yet, this was the second time that the man had thought to intervene, giving Chuck some sort of affirmation or guidance. Maybe he wasn't as gruff as he looked.

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Chuck found himself, once again, standing on the risers, awaiting Sarah's introduction. With him, were the thirteen other remaining candidates. Tonight, five more were going home, thinning the field down to just nine. While nothing was certain, he felt pretty good about his chances. After all, Sarah had kissed him on the cheek earlier that afternoon. That had to count for something, right? Still, he wasn't going to get his hopes up just yet. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself for what laid ahead.

Stepping into the room, Alex Forrest addressed the assembled contestants, "Good evening, gentlemen. It's been a long day for all of you, no doubt. Your visits to area hospitals today have given you just a small taste of the types of charitable work Sarah does and the role a significant other might play. Here's Sarah to talk a little bit about her observations." With that, Sarah appeared in a stunning burgundy dress, her hair falling in ringlets over her shoulders. Chuck couldn't help but let out a small gasp, which seemed to be a frequent occurrence with him.

"Thank you Alex. As I hope was evident today, I take my charitable work seriously. Giving back to the community is very important to me, and I'm looking for someone who understands and appreciates that. I also need someone that can share in that and support me in those pursuits. Today, a number of you demonstrated that attempting to win my favor was more important than the purpose for our visit; the children. Your behavior today directly affected the choices I've made for this evening. As I call your name, please step forward." Sarah paused, likely for dramatic effect. Chuck could just imagine the music they would add during editing to increase the suspense.

"James." The brawny, fitness instructor from Long Beach stepped down from the risers and approached Sarah. "James, your actions at the hospital today were abhorrent. Rather than joining in and visiting with the children, you instead chose to reprimand them when they were trying to talk to me. That's unacceptable. Please return your backstage pass and leave the house." He rolled his eyes dismissively, pulling off the lanyard and dropping it on the floor instead of handing it to her. He then gave a flick of his hand and stormed off set.

Sarah strengthened her resolve, standing a bit straighter and continued to call the names of the men that would be leaving. Thankfully, the others were more gracious and left peacefully, some even wishing her good luck on their way out. When the fifth and final name was called, Chuck could breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that he had lived to fight another day. On the downside, that meant that the more favorable contestants were becoming concentrated. As the numbers dwindled, the competition would become more fierce. Not knowing what sorts of events lay in wait for them, it left him feeling a little uneasy. As he had done throughout the competition so far, he just needed to be himself. That would have to be enough.

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A knock sounded on Sarah's door, making her elicit a pouty groan. She wanted to stomp her foot in protest, like a petulant child, but instead she huffed, making her way to the door. It had been a long, physically, and emotionally, draining day and she just wanted to relax. Checking the peep hole, she stepped back in surprise, unlocking the door and pulling it open.

"Z? What are you doing here? Is everything OK?" Sarah stepped back, gesturing for Zondra to come inside. Closing the door, Sarah hugged herself, feeling a slight chill from the cool night air that snuck in.

"Yeah. Everything's fine. At least I hope so. I… I wanted to apologize. You know, about earlier today. The whole thing with Ellie. I shouldn't have just sprung it on you like that. It was kind of a crappy thing to do, to both of you really. I already apologized to Ellie at the hospital. But for you, I wanted to come by personally. I think I owed you that much." Zondra looked a little uneasy, shifting her weight from leg to leg as she faced Sarah in the foyer. Sarah was more than a little surprised. Zondra was not one to admit she was wrong and rarely would she ever apologize.

"What brought this on? Since when do you apologize for anything? Normally you'd just tell people to get over it or not to get my 'panties in a bunch'. Did something happen?" Sarah motioned with her head toward the living room, leading Zondra that way. Sarah took a seat on one end of her sofa, Zondra on the other.

"Well… Megan may have brought to my attention that… it might have been a little underhanded to trick you into that meeting. I suppose in hindsight… if it were me…" Zondra trailed off, shrugging a shoulder.

"It was a bit of dirty pool," Sarah agreed, pausing for a moment to collect her thoughts. "But… I have to admit I'm really glad I got to meet Ellie. She's a pretty amazing woman. Although I can't…. I can't 'unknown' all of that stuff about Chuck. It makes me see him in a different light."

"And that's… bad?" Zondra asked, raising an eyebrow in question. Sarah's shoulders slumped as she let out a sigh.

"I don't know. Seeing him with those kids today, if that wasn't bad enough, I have all of this extra background knowledge that makes me see things in a different context. I don't know how much you heard of Ellie and I's conversation?" Sarah gave Zondra a pointed look. Her friend's sheepish grin told her she'd heard enough. "Well, with everything Chuck's been through, I'd expect him to be so much more … jaded. Walking around with a chip on his shoulder, going on about how unfair life is. But he doesn't. He's kind, caring and self-deprecating. What… what am I supposed to do with that? I know this show is supposed to be about finding a 'regular guy', but…"

"But what? Are you having second thoughts?" Zondra sat up a little straighter, leaning toward Sarah.

"No! ... Maybe… Z, I don't know. I thought I wanted a regular guy. Somebody who wasn't part of the 'lime light'. The problem is, what if I get a 'regular guy'? Then what? I don't… I don't know how to be a regular woman. The lights, the cameras, that's my life right now. Why would a regular guy want to be any part of that, to have their entire life examined under a microscope. They've either got ulterior motives - which we've already seen-, they're crazy or…"

"Or they really want to be with you. Did you ever think of that? Did you ever think that somebody might like you, as a person, and want to get to know you, spend time with you?" Zondra let the questions set in, waiting for Sarah to think about it.

"No… not.. not really. I came into this thinking that it was all for show. That I'd play this part, fulfill my obligations to the studio, and go back to my life… alone. But… some of these guys actually seem kind of nice. There's Will and… Jason and…"

"And Chuck?" Zondra added with a smirk. Sarah rolled her eyes, unable to keep the smile off her face.

"Yes. And Chuck... I guess… I guess I'm just a little scared, as hard as that is to admit. If there is something … something real with any of these guys, I don't want to mess it up. Clearly my string of terrible relationship choices is proof enough that I have no idea what I'm doing," Sarah admitted, chuckling to herself, running her hand through her hair.

"Hey. Nobody's perfect at this. If any of these guys had all the answers, they wouldn't be here. Right? That's why I think this show is perfect for you. Each of these events have shown you who the bad eggs are. Plus, you've got me and …. and Megan and… even Roan. We're on your side too. Yes, ratings are great and all, but the way we see it, people want to see a happily ever after story. They need it. So, it's a win-win for everybody. Look, we've still got more events to go and you'll whittle down the list of candidates even further. We'll be there with you. I got your back," Zondra added, swatting a Sarah with a throw pillow. Sarah blew out a long breath, giving her friend a small smile.

"Thanks. While you're here, you want a glass of wine?" Sarah asked, pushing herself off the couch.

"God! Do I ever." The two chuckled, bumping shoulders as they headed toward the kitchen.

A/N2: And then there were nine. Stay tuned to see what lies in store for our contestants. PMs, reviews, comments of any sort and welcome and encouraged. Thanks for following along.

Joe