A/N: Glad to have you back. Welcome to another day behind the scenes of "Off Screen Romance". When last we met, Sarah and the contestants had visited area hospitals to spend time with sick children. Chuck unwittingly showcased his musical talents, gaining even more of Sarah's attention. Chuck and Sarah seem to be struggling, in their own ways, with the way the show is progressing. Let's see what the new day has in store for them.

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck. ….. Wash your hands.

Chapter 9

Chuck was enjoying the morning sun as he sat at a patio table, eating a bowl of Fruity O's. He opted to skip his morning workout again, still sore from the obstacle course. He, instead, opted to sit in peace on the back patio, overlooking the gardens and wildlife. It was serene, unlike the swirling thoughts in his head. The past three days had been physically and emotionally exhausting, yet from it, he felt like he was growing closer to Sarah somehow. He knew he was likely insane, but there were small things. A smile here or a stolen glance there. Then the huge bombshell struck when she kissed him. Objectively, it was a rather platonic kiss. Still, his mind was reeling. Platonic or not, the lips of THE Sarah Walker had touched his cheek… on purpose. He knew he was reading too much into it, all of it. These things were all part of the show, at best, and at worst, completely in his imagination.

His calm was shattered when someone sat down across from him at the table, blocking his view. The man had a plate full of food, items that the catering crew had provided. Quiche, fruit, and some sausage links.

"Sup, man. I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Mark and you're Chuck. Right?" The man extended his hand across the table and Chuck felt obligated to shake it. Mark began to dig into his breakfast, which Chuck was grateful for, allowing him to get back to enjoying his own. Unfortunately, that silence was short lived.

"So, uh… what's your … what's your angle?" Mark asked, talking around the food in his mouth. Chuck tried to hide his disgust at having to look at the half-masticated food in his mouth.

"I'm sorry. My what?" Chuck questioned, not understanding what the man was trying to get at.

"Your angle. You know. Why you're really here? I mean, the nerdy get up, your… awkwardness.. It's a great cover. I mean, you clearly don't think you'll make it all the way to the end, so there has to be some sort of gimmick. Some angle you're playing to get something out of it. Like me. I'm in it to make a name for myself," he confessed, giving a small shrug.

Chuck set the spoon in his bowl, giving the man a hard look. "Now, don't get me wrong," the man held up his hands as if in surrender, "I'll take this thing as far as it goes. If she wants to date me, all the better. If not, I still get to put this on my resume. People will recognize me. It'll give me a leg up to start my acting career."

"Acting career? I thought the guys on the show were supposed to be … you know… average guys with average jobs?" Chuck commented, folding his arms across his chest.

'Well, sure. My 'real' job is a nightclub promoter, but that's just until I can get this acting gig off the ground. What about you? What's your gimmick?" Mark stuffed another fork full of food in his face, failing to keep his mouth closed as he chewed.

"I don't have a 'gimmick'. I own a software company and I'm here to give this thing a try, I guess," Chuck admitted, giving a shrug.

"I get it… being on the show will drum up more business. Beauty and the Geek! I like it. People'll eat that shit up. "

"I… I don't need to drum up any more business. Business is good. That's not why I'm here," Chuck defended, starting to get a little aggravated.

'So… let me get this straight. You're here because you think you have a shot with Sarah Walker?" The incredulous tone in his voice, and the skeptical expression, only added weight to the thoughts running around in Chuck's own head.

"Well, to be fair, I didn't know it was Sarah Walker when I started this whole thing." Chuck just shrugged, picking up the spoon in his bowl and leisurely pushed some of the Os through the milk.

"Still, a guy like you... dating a celebrity? Kinda swinging for the fences, aren't ya?" His derisive snort grated on Chuck's nerves. The man's confession of having ulterior motives for the show was bad enough and, while the guy may have a point, scoffing at Chuck for at least trying to 'swing for the fences' was kind of a dick move. Instead of saying something he'd likely regret, he just said nothing, shrugging the comment off.

"Welp," Mark said, finishing the last bite of breakfast as he stood up from the table, "we've got an outing today and I need to go make myself beautiful. Catch ya later, Chucky." Mark gave him the finger gun, mouth click and wink combo; The Douchebag Mirepoix.

Once Mark was a safe distance away, Chuck growled, "I hate that guy." Chuck was taken aback when he heard himself in stereo, though the echo was much more gruff. John Casey strolled past him, nearly making Chuck jump out of his skin. For a large man, he made virtually no sound. Casey stopped on the other side of the table with his back to Chuck, staring at the garden as he sipped his coffee.

"G-good morning, Mr. Casey," Chuck stammered out, still very much intimidated by the man. His only response was a grunt and a nod of his head before taking another sip of coffee. Chuck didn't know much about the older man, except that he was a retired Marine Colonel. The way Chuck figured it, in his limited experience, to retire from the Marines, you either had to be very good in battle, or very good at avoiding it and John Casey didn't seem like the type to avoid a battle. As if that wasn't enough, he'd also been chosen to protect the most badass woman on the planet. Anyway you cut it, Chuck respected the hell out of the man.

"He's never gonna make it," Casey spoke, taking Chuck by surprise.

"I'm.. I'm sorry? M-make what?" Chuck still couldn't help but stammer around the man.

"Captain Douchebag, with that finger gun bullshit. He's never gonna make it through the competition," he explained, still not turning to look at Chuck.

"How uh… how do you know that?"

"Walker's too smart for that. If she spends any time with him, she'll see through his bullshit in a second." Chuck knew she was smart. Far smarter than most gave her credit for. Still, she had made some huge mistakes when it came to men, not that he was in any position to judge, given his track record.

"Not to be disrespectful, but she hasn't exactly had a great track record when it comes to guys." He couldn't believe he actually said that out loud, even though he felt it was the truth. If John Casey was Sarah's protector, would he turn around and crush him into the ground?

"Hmmmm," he grunted, though it was different, more 'contemplative'. Still he didn't move, just staring at the garden, drinking his coffee. "And you'd be any better?"

"Yea- uh... Yes. No… M-maybe." He let out a huff of frustration. "What I mean is, she deserves much better than what she's gotten in the past. I don't know if I'm any better. I can come up with at least a dozen reasons why I'm not. What I do know is that I'd never take her for granted. I'm not sure that's enough though." Both men were silent for a long moment, Casey taking another sip of coffee.

Turning around, the large man walked up to the table, giving Chuck a long look. His shoulders bounced once, chuckling to himself. "See ya around, kid." He walked away with a shake of his head, still chuckling to himself. Chuck just sat, even more confused than he was before. After a few minutes, Chuck stood, taking his dishes inside to get started on his day.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Chuck was standing in front of the house for the third morning in a row, the remaining contestants gathered together waiting for filming to begin. Standing where he was, Chuck had the luxury of seeing behind the scenes, like watching Alex discuss something with Roan or Zondra and Megan pacing in the background, each talking on their cell phone. He could also make out Sarah. She seemed to be pacing in small circles, swinging her arms. He couldn't tell if she was bored or nervous, but he was leaning toward bored. What could she have to be nervous about? It's not like she had to prove anything to anyone.

When Alex stepped away from Roan, ending their conversation with a nod, Chuck could tell that things were about to start. He stood a little straighter, glancing over himself to ensure he didn't have anything on his shirt or didn't look like he'd slept in his clothes. As expected, Alex strode onto the set, causing the other men to stand at attention as well. Cameras following her, a sense of deja vu washed over Chuck.

"Good morning, gentlemen," she began, just as she had everyday. It was almost her trademark phrase at this point. "From a group of twenty-five contestants, we're now down to just you nine. That means that Sarah will be able to spend a little more time with you in smaller groups, getting to know you better. To talk about today's outing, I give you Sarah Walker herself." Stepping to the side and gesturing behind her, Sarah stepped into view. Whatever nervousness or boredom Chuck saw before was gone. In its place was the confidence that everyone expected of her.

"Good morning. Thank you, Alex. She's correct. Now that there are only nine of you, I'll be able to spend more time getting to know each of you a little better. In turn, I hope that you'll get to know me a little better as well. It's obviously no secret that I spend a lot of my time on movie sets. Whether on some remote location in the deserts of Africa, the jungles of South America or the sound stage here in LA, much of my life revolves around a movie set. Anyone that enters into a relationship with me will need to understand that. Not just the time commitment that is required, but to have an understanding of what it is that I do.

"To that end, our outing for today will be to visit the set of a movie that is currently being filmed. You'll break into small groups and I'll tour each of those groups through the set. We'll see what goes on behind the scenes, who does what jobs on a movie set and, generally, what life is like while shooting a film." There was some murmuring between the men as a few leaned to comment to their neighbors. Sarah let it go without comment, choosing to go on.

"While I'm giving a tour to one group, the rest of you can watch the making of the movie. You can talk with the staff, ask questions if you like, provided they are not actively working. Again, this is an actual movie set, so people will be busy. Be respectful of their time. Once all of the tours have been completed, we've been invited to join the crew for their dinner break."

Sarah walked to her left, toward the black limousine parked in the driveway in front of the house. From day one, it had been used as part of the backdrop for this scene, taking advantage of already having paid for the use of the vehicle. "As a bonus, I'll choose one of you to ride with me to the movie set, in my limo, giving us time to talk, one on one. For this trip, I've chosen… Mark." The lump in Chuck's throat threatened to choke him, but he maintained his composure. He could have tolerated any of the other guys, really, but Mark the Douchebag of all people. Stealing a glance at the man, Chuck could see the slimy smirk on his face, feeling very proud of himself. Chuck hoped that John Casey was right and that she would be able to see through his bullshit once she got to spend time with him. Still, he was looking forward to spending some time with Sarah, even if it was with a couple of other guys. No small part of him was pumped about getting to go to an actual movie set, seeing behind the scenes.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The large van that Chuck and the rest of the men had ridden in followed Sarah's limo to the set location, a studio backlot in LA. When they parked, Chuck could see Mark and Sarah exiting the limo, Sarah wearing a smile, although it did look a little forced. Exiting behind them was John Casey, followed by a cameraman. The look on the large bodyguard's face could only be described as a devilish grin, or at least what passed as such for John Casey. He didn't know quite what to make of that. At least they were not alone in the limo. Even though Chuck knew what went on between Sarah and anyone else was none of his business, it still rankled him. Sarah didn't look upset and Mark still had that smarmy smile plastered across his face. A part of Chuck wished he could have been a fly in that limo, but then the thought of having to witness Mark pull one over on Sarah sickened Chuck more than a little. It was not his place to intercede, but he so desperately wanted to warn Sarah about this guy. But what could he say that wouldn't wind up making him seem jealous. And frankly, there was truth in that, but not the entire truth. He legitimately didn't want to see her get hurt again. He would just have to trust her to make whatever decision was right for her. He just hoped it didn't end up being the wrong one.

When they were all assembled, Sarah introduced the group to one of the personal assistants on the set as well as an assistant director. Basically, their role was to help babysit while Sarah took each group on a tour. It was probably best to not leave this group unsupervised.

Sarah selected three men for the first tour group, one of whom was Mark. Chuck tried not to let it get him down, she was going to have to spend time with all of the guys at some point. At least the ones that made it through. After today, if things followed the same pattern, they would be down to four contestants. He wasn't really sure where he stood, since he hadn't talked with her much. The little bit of time he had spent with her at the hospital was great. After singing with Kailey, Chuck walked with Sarah, talking with more children. They both carried on conversations with the kids, joking and laughing, but they never really talked to each other at any length. The prospect of getting to talk with her, getting to know her better, was bolstering his spirits. He just hoped that he would be around long enough to make that a reality.

He watched Sarah walk off, with her small caravan of contestants and camera crew in tow. Once she rounded a corner, out of sight, Chuck blew out a sigh and began to wander the set. He could see a couple of the other contestants sitting off to the side, flipping through magazines, appearing uninterested in participating in their little field trip. As Chuck continued to meander, he caught sight of another contestant, Chaz, trailing behind an older man. Chaz was a crossfit instructor and had more energy than should be allowed without prescription. He couldn't sit still and loved to hear the sound of his own voice. It reminded him of Spike and Chester from his childhood cartoons. Chaz was acting much like Chester, practically bouncing around the older man, who seemed quite annoyed. Chuck shook his head in amusement, chuckling to himself as he continued on his way.

Chuck came upon a man who seemed to be struggling with some equipment, trying to carry too much at once. Rushing to his aid, Chuck took two of the stands from the man and followed him to his destination. Setting the stands down where instructed, he wiped his hands on his pants.

"Hey, thanks buddy. I appreciate the help. I'm Eric. You new on the set?"

"Hey, Eric. Chuck. I'm actually just visiting. Wandering around, trying to get an idea of what people do. That sort of thing. Speaking of which, what is it you do?" Chuck inquired, gesturing around the set.

"I'm the best boy grip. I work for the key grip. In a nutshell, we hang things and move things. If lights need hanging or a camera needs to be mounted to a crane, that's us. We're the 'problem solvers' of the set. Those stands you helped move, those are called C-stands or century stands. We joke that they're called century stands because it takes a century to learn to use them properly," Eric joked, patting Chuck on the shoulder.

"Wow. I can imagine that keeps you guys pretty busy. So you have to work with the lighting people and the camera people?" Chuck asked, walking with Eric as he headed to his next task.

"Yep. See, since the jobs on set are unionized, we all have our own domains and we aren't allowed to cross them. I can hang a camera or a light, but they do all the adjustments and operation. On the flip side, one of the lighting crew can't just come grab a c-stand when they feel like it or operate a crane. It gets a little ridiculous sometimes, but it's also for everyone's safety. A movie set is a dangerous place. We don't need untrained people trying to operate equipment to add to it."

"I see. So, am I gonna get in trouble for helping you, since I'm not in the union?" Eric chuckled, patting Chuck on the back.

"Nah. You're good. I'll cover for you. Hey, Jimmy!" Eric called out to a large man with a massive bundle of cable slung over his shoulder. "This here's Chuck. He's part of that tour group they talked about at the morning meeting. Chuck, this is Jimmy. He's an 'electric' or electrician, hence all the cabling. He works for the gaffer. That's the head electrician for the set." Jimmy extended his free hand, Chuck accepting it and shaking it firmly.

"Good to meet ya, Chuck."

"Likewise. So, gaffer? Is that where the term 'gaffer's tape' comes from?" Chuck asked, looking between the two men.

"Yep," Jimmy answered, lifting up a roll of wide, black tape that was hanging off his tool belt. "Greatest invention ever. It's like duct tape on steroids," the large man chuckled, Eric joining in. "Hey, if you're showing him around, I just saw Rachel back around the corner."

"Ooo. Cool. I was heading that way. Come on, Chuck," Eric gestured for him to follow. Chuck waved his goodbyes to Jimmy and scrambled after Eric. Just as they were rounding the corner from one set to the next, Chuck crashed into someone, a woman. The woman was so short, her nose pressed into the soft spot just below Chuck's sternum, making a 'ooph' sound into his stomach. Instinctively, he grabbed the woman's shoulders to steady her, bending down to look her in the face.

"Oh my God. I'm so, so, sorry. Are.. are you OK?" Chuck felt horrible, especially since their size difference was so great. To his relief, the woman chuckled, wiggling her nose.

"I'm good. I'm good. It was totally my fault. I was rushing and not looking where I was go-" The woman slowly panned her head up to look at Chuck's face, her eyes growing wider as she went up. "Wow. You're really tall and….. r-really tall," she stammered out, blushing a bit.

"Sorry, Rach. You alright? I was gonna introduce you to Chuck, but it seems you've already bumped into each other. Get it… bumped… cause you just-"

"I get it! I get it. It just wasn't funny," she smirked teasingly at him. "So, Chuck? Why am I meeting Chuck? Who's Chuck?"

"D-do you mean like… existentially? Or … no. Right. I-I'm Chuck. Right here," he rushed out, raising his hand. Eric was unable to hold back the laughter at Chuck's stammering.

"Chuck's part of the tour. I was just showing him a few things. Hey, do you have a second, Rachel? I have to get the camera crane setup. Maybe tell Chuck what you do and then push him off on somebody else. Sorry, no offense," Eric apologized, giving a small wince.

'No. None taken. I'm totally getting in the way of you guys doing your work. I can just go sit somewhere out of the way…" he trailed off, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb.

"Pfft. You're fine. I was just on the way over to crafty. You can walk with me," Rachel offered.

"Sweet. Thanks Rach. Chuck, good meeting you. Maybe I'll see ya around." Eric waved and was off like a shot. Chuck waved in return but was too late. Quickly putting his hand down to avoid looking any more foolish, he cleared his throat and followed after the short woman. She was lucky if she was five feet tall, with short black hair, shaved short on the sides. Gauges in her ears and a number of visible tattoos, Chuck thought her to be as polar opposite of him as she could get.

"So, um.. Rachel. What is it that you do on set?" Chuck asked, a little apprehensive about being a nuisance.

"Oh, right. Show and tell. Sorry, was off in thought. I'm the second AC." From the perplexed expression on Chuck's face, she could tell he was clueless. "Right. Sorry. I'm the second assistant camera. You know, when you see the person with the slate - the board with the scene and take numbers on it- that's me." Realization flooded his face and Rachel had to chuckle.

"Ah! I get it. I just never knew what the job was called. I have to imagine that you do more than hold that… slate?"

"Oh God. Where do I start? Well, you see this collection of colored tapes?" She lifted a rainbow assortment of tape, much like masking tape, that was looped through a strap that was slung over her shoulder. "Each color is for a different actor or the fluorescent ones are for the cameras. I use them to mark placement within the scene, so everyone is standing exactly where they need to. I also change the camera lense when the first AC tells me. So, a lotta stuff going on, especially when they're actively filming."

"Wow. That's a lot. There must be a lot of pressure. Do people scream at you to hurry up, that sort of thing?" Chuck asked, sounding genuinely fascinated.

"Well, that depends on who you're working for. For this movie, the first AC and DP - the director of photography- are both pretty cool. There are heated moments when we're on a tight schedule, but, for the most part, I don't feel a need to drink my lunch or anything." They both snickered at that as they approached a large table covered with food and drinks.

"Holy snack table, Batman," Chuck exclaimed, trying to take it all in. Several tables were lined up end to end with a ridiculous amount of food. They had a similar table at the house, for the cast, crew and contestants, but it was nothing like this. There were four different types of sliced bread for toasting, with an assortment of jams and jellies, half a dozen different types of bagels and cream cheese for schmearing, loads of fresh fruit, cereals, pop tarts, the list went on and on. A separate table held a large electric urn of hot water for the vast assortment of tea bags, three large electric coffee urns and a generous assortment of juices and other bottled beverages. If there was a Nirvana…

"Yeah. They do it up right here," Rachel remarked, finding amusement in Chuck's state of awe. "Rosario! You got me my apple butter! I could kiss you," Rachel exclaimed as she snatched a glass jar from the table, cradling it like a baby. An older woman behind the table grinned and rolled her eyes. "Chuck, this is Rosario. She's the head of craft services for this project. She and her team make sure this table is stocked all day long with the most amazing assortment of snacks." Chuck came around the table to shake Rosario's hand. The older woman was taken aback but graciously accepted his offered hand.

"You, ma'am, are an artist. This… this is a work of art. Can I come and live here with you?" The older woman burst into laughter, smacking him lightly on the chest. Rosario was likely in her mid-fifties and not much taller than Rachel. She seemed to have a motherly quality to her.

"Rosario, Chuck is part of a group that is touring the set today. I need to eat and run, but could you maybe tell him about what you do here? Make sure he eats something," Rachel added, with a wink as she took off with her toast with apple butter and a bottle of orange juice.

"So, you're not an actor, Chuck?" Rosario asked as she busied herself refilling items, straightening, cleaning and greeting people.

"Oh, No. I'm just visiting with a group. I'm a software developer. I make computer games mostly." She gave a hum of praise, nodding her head.

'Well, on a movie set, there are two different food services. The catering crew provides large meals at lunch and dinner. The working days are long, sometimes sixteen hours. Craft Services, which is us, we provide food and drinks for all the cast and crew for the rest of the day. From about seven o'clock in the morning until the set closes for the day, which could be ten or eleven at night. Some of the crew can't get away for the large meals, so we have to make sure that there's plenty of food for everyone, whenever it is they need it."

"Wow. You don't have to work the whole time do you? That would be crazy?" Chuck asked, his eyebrows nearly in his hair.

"Oh, No. No. I work for the first eight hours, then another shift works the evening hours." Chuck gave a comical show of relief, wiping away 'sweat' from his brow. "Wait right here. I need to go brew some more coffee. I'll be right back. " Chuck nodded in agreement and dutifully stood in place. People came and went, grabbing a quick bite before heading off to get back to their jobs. A few people milled around, drinking coffee, engaging in the equivalent of 'water cooler talk'. Chuck greeted people as they approached, offering them a kind smile and basic pleasantries. His years at the Buy More had ingrained a certain customer service manner that seemed to kick in automatically.

An older gentleman with a furrowed brow approached the table, focused on his iPad. Chuck offered a 'Good morning' which seemed to fall on deaf ears. It wasn't his job to help these people, but for some reason he had a compulsion to lend a hand. Whether it was to aid Rosario or just because he liked to feel useful, he didn't know.

"Is there something I can get for you? A muffin? A bagel perhaps?" Chuck gestured to the various items around the table. The man slowly looked up from his tablet, with a puzzled expression. He eyed Chuck for a long moment, then glanced at the food items in front of him.

"Um… everything bagel." Chuck nodded, humming his approval.

'Excellent choice. Would you like that toasted? Butter or Cream cheese?" The man stared on, even more bewildered before shaking himself out of his daze.

"Uh.. toasted. Please…. and butter." Chuck took out a pair of the food service gloves that were in a box behind the table and put them on before beginning his preparations. "Sir, would you like some coffee or juice?"

"Coffee." It almost sounded like a question, but Chuck just carried on.

"It looks like there's a dark roast, a medium roast and a decaf. Which would you prefer? And do you need cream or sugar?" Chuck asked over his shoulder as he walked toward the coffee urns

"Uh.. medium. B-black. Please." Chuck poured a cup and placed a plastic lid on top and a sleeve on the bottom for comfort. He handed the man his coffee and then collected the now toasted bagel.

"You've got your hands full with that coffee and tablet. I'll just put the butter on there for ya." Chuck put the bagel on a paper plate and unwrapped the individually packaged pats of butter, smearing them on the warm bagel. "There we are. All set. Is there anything else I can get you?" The man took the offered plate, shaking his head 'No'. Before the man could say anything else, Chuck greeted another customer, asking if he could get them anything.

As Chuck helped a few other crew members, he noticed that the older man he had first helped was standing back, just watching. He tried to pay him no mind, the act of helping people, receiving a kind smile in return, it felt good. It was the one thing -the only thing- he missed about working at the Buy More. A few minutes later, Rosario had returned with more coffee and the older man approached her. As he continued to greet and help more of the set crew, he glimpsed them in a heated discussion.

The next time Chuck turned around, Rosario was standing directly behind him with her hands on her hips, "I thought I told you to wait right here. But what did you do?" She raised an eyebrow at Chuck, waiting for him to answer.

Wincing with one eye closed, he sheepishly shrugged, confessing, "I… didn't wait here."

"No, Sir. You did not. Do you know who that man was? The one that you made the bagel for?"

"The everything bage-"

"The Everything bagel!" she interrupted, not giving him an inch. Chuck shook his head, looking sufficiently chastised, realizing that no good deed goes unpunished. "Well, that man was the show's producer. And now, thanks to you…. he's budgeting me more money and more staff." The petite woman couldn't keep the smile in any longer. Chuck just stared, mouth agape, not certain what was going on. Reaching up on her tiptoes she pinched Chuck's cheek, giving it a little shake.

"Look at you. If I could reach you, I'd kiss you." Chuck blushed a bit at that, ducking his head.

"I… I don't understand.." Chuck interjected.

"When people are on set, they're here to stay. They can't go out for lunch or dinner, so they miss out on that experience of being served or having that customer service interaction. He was impressed with you and how everyone reacted to you. Everyone leaving with a smile. So he wants to get more staff so we can offer that kind of service. That means a few more people get jobs, my department gets more money." Rosario gave him a strong hug, then pulled away patting his arm. "You'd better get going before you make more work for me," she teased, giving him a shove.

"Well, I'm not sure what I did, but if it helped you out, I'm glad I did it." She turned him around and started to push him around to the other side of the table.

"Chuck!" came a sudden shout from behind them. He spun to see Sydney standing there with a very agitated look on her face. "I've been looking everywhere for you. They're about to start the last tour group and they're waiting on you. Get over there, now!" Chuck raised his hands in surrender, his previously jovial expression now forlorn.

"I'm … I'm so sorry. I guess I didn't realize it was that late," Chuck apologized, looking properly chastised. Rosario gave him a consoling pat on the arm.

"Take some snacks and go meet up with your group, mijo. Maybe we'll see you later, huh?" Chuck grabbed a couple of granola bars and gave her a broad smile, offering his hand.

"It was really great to meet you, Rosario. I promise, next time I'll stay put." They both chuckled, shaking hands before she playfully shooed him away.

Chuck followed Sydney, who was talking on her phone to somebody, relaying that he had been found and they were on their way. Chuck wanted to apologize to Sydney, again, but he never got the opportunity before they reached their destination.

"Wait here and don't wander off this time," she barked before storming off, fliers on the nearby bulletin board fluttering in her wake. Sydney was usually one of the more cheerful of the show's staff, always with a smile and a warm "Hello". For her to be so upset, he must be in real trouble.

"Great. Just what I need is another reason for them to send me home," he muttered to himself. When Bartowskis got anxious, they had a compulsion to clean or straighten things. He blew out a long breath and absentmindedly began arranging the tacks on the bulletin board as he awaited another reprimand.

A/N2: So, an interesting day on a movie set. Chuck being Chuck, making friends as usual. Though, he still seems to have stepped in something. Let's see how the final tour group goes next time.

A/N3: I appreciate all the comments that people have given. It means a lot that you take the time to leave me a note. All too often with reviews it is the two extremes: those that love it and those that hate it. I'm happy to hear from those that think, 'Meh. It's better than a kick in the shin.' All constructive comments are welcome. That doesn't mean they all have to be positive, but I'd hope that even the negative ones would be constructive.

See you next time. Wishing you all good health and happiness.

Joe "Where you goin' with that gun in your hand" Watkins :)