A/N: So we finally had some Chuck and Sarah time when last we met. An afternoon in the garden, talking and enjoying each other's company. So, let's see how that turned out, shall we?

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck

Chapter 12

Sarah sat in the guest house, the makeshift office space for the show's staff, recovering from her last one-on-one session. She had spent several hours with Chuck, talking about everything under the Sun. Music, books, movies, snacks to eat while watching movies, food and travel. As great as all of that was, the one thing that kept playing over in her mind was "the trip".

On one hand she was berating herself for not watching where she was going, nearly making a fool of herself in front of Chuck. On the other, if she hadn't tripped on that root, Chuck wouldn't have had to leap to her aid. The way his hands wrapped around her, holding her as she stared into his warm, dark eyes, it was like the cover of some romance novel.

She could still remember the smell of him as he loomed over her. A warm, earthy scent - maybe a hint of sandalwood- but it wasn't overpowering like many colognes that men wore. Oddly, it seemed to complement the warm, honey, brown color of his eyes. Those eyes that seemed to bore into her very soul as she lay cradled there in his arms. His hand on her arm had tingled, almost effervescent; like a million tiny bubbles caressing her skin. In hindsight, she should have felt vulnerable in that situation, leaning precariously, only held by the hands of a man she barely knew. But that wasn't really true. She knew Chuck, at least she knew the things that really mattered. He was an honest, kind and caring man, better than any man she'd ever known. Perhaps for that reason, she felt safe and secure in his hands. She trusted him, and that wasn't something she did easily. That moment had lasted both, a small eternity and not nearly long enough. After he had helped her to stand, he hadn't called attention to it or made a production of her rescue. Instead, he had quickly changed the subject to help hers, and likely himself, save face. It had worked, and the rest of their time together had been better than she could have hoped for.

Sarah was shocked when they were interrupted by Sydney, stating it was time for the next one-on-one meeting. How could it have felt like mere minutes when it had actually been hours? She fought the sadness and thanked Chuck for a great time. She knew it was a bad idea, but she gave him a hug anyway. Partly because she thought he could use it, but mostly because she wanted it. She left Chuck and Sydney in the garden as she rushed off to meet up with Stephen.

Sarah and Stephen had met on the patio, sitting at a round table with an umbrella to block the afternoon sun. He had tried to scoot his chair as close to hers as possible, but she kept moving to counter him. He acted very smooth and sweet, but the gestures were canned, imitation attempts at sincerity. She had expected as much from him. He had triggered her radar days ago, and now was proof positive she was right. He talked at length about himself, going on about his success in his pharmaceutical sales business, only asking about her as an afterthought. Eventually, he segued into talking about his investment portfolio and finally got to the topic of net worth. And there it was. She was waiting for him to show his true desire. Money. He tried to nonchalantly inquire about her net worth and if the figures on the Internet were true. They weren't, but she wasn't about to discuss it with him. Sarah curtly told him that she didn't discuss those sorts of things with anyone and moved to change the subject. The rest of the conversation was moot because she already knew he was the one to be cut. To be honest, she knew it yesterday, but this just sealed his fate.

Now she was having a glass of wine to take the edge off, hoping to improve her mood after her time with Stephen. As she sunk into the couch, her mind drifted back to her meeting with Chuck and she immediately felt better. She hadn't laughed like that in a long time. She hadn't shared things with anyone like that… well, ever. They weren't the intimate details of her deepest, darkest secrets. No, it was only what she assumed would be the normal things you would learn about someone you became friends with. He had sat quietly listening attentively, as if hanging on her every word. It might have made her a little self-conscious, but she knew he wouldn't judge her. America might, as the cameras were ever present, but in that moment, she didn't think about them. She only cared … about Chuck.

"God. How much wine did you have?" Zondra asked, pulling Sarah from her thoughts.

"What? Just this glass. Why?" Sarah shot back.

"'Cause you're grinning like a fool, that's why. If it's not the wine, it must be the nerd then," Zondra chuckled, looking rather proud of herself. Sarah responded by tossing one of the throw pillows from the couch at her.

"Hey! Careful! ... You could spill your wine." Both women chuckled at that, Zondra plopping down in a chair across from Sarah. "So, are you about ready to do this?"

Sarah heaved a heavy sigh, "I suppose."

"Well, don't sound so excited," Zondra replied sarcastically. "I thought you were eager to get rid of Stephen."

"Oh, I am. It's just been a long day. Some parts longer than others. This show has just worn me down. I dunno what it is. I mean, I'm used to working long hours on movie sets for months on end. For some reason, these past several days have really been draining." Sarah blew out a breath before taking another sip of wine.

"I suspect there's an emotional component that wasn't there before. You have amazing physical endurance, Sarah. You've trained for that for years. This? The emotional heavy lifting you've been doing is new territory. I think your endurance there will build up soon enough. Then you'll definitely need that physical endurance," Zondra added, bouncing her eyebrows. Sarah sat there with her mouth agape in shock. "What?"

"No. I can't think about…. No. I just…" Sarah said, shaking her head and waving her hands in protest.

"You're saying you haven't thought about it? Really?" The incredulous tone and look of disbelief proved Zondra didn't buy it for a second.

Sarah huffed in resignation, "Well, of course I've … thought about it..." Sarah confessed, her cheeks beginning to flush.

"Ummmhmmm," Zondra hummed, smirking at her friend. "Low and behold, ladies and gentlemen, she is human!" Zondra cackled as she dodged the pillow that Sarah hurled at her. "Alright. Alright. I give. Come on. Finish that glass. We've got a show to do."

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Chuck watched Sarah walk down the garden path and immediately felt a sense of loss. Their time together today had been better than he could have imagined. As nervous as he was going into this meeting, she had set him at ease, even going so far as to reassure him that he wasn't here as some scheme for ratings, but that she wanted him here. That confession floored him the most. It was one thing to still be on the show because he hadn't been sent home yet, and quite another to still be there because she actually wanted him to stay.

The discussion about their likes and dislikes, life in general, had been so normal, so natural. He was certain that he'd overshared a lot, as he was prone to do, but she never let on that she was uncomfortable or bored. He couldn't believe that she had opened up to him so much. Granted, there wasn't anything too personal, but still it all felt so… intimate. Like he was learning things that few others knew, and he was both honored and humbled that she would share them with him. He didn't know how the meetings with the other contestants had gone. Perhaps she was just as open with them as well. Jason and Will seemed to be decent guys. Why wouldn't she want to get to know them, open up to them.

"Chuck? Can… can I talk to you for just a minute?" Sydney's voice cut through the fog, bringing him back to the present. They were both still standing where he and Sarah had spent the past few hours talking. The camera crew was gone, leaving just Sydney and him.

"Uh… sure. Yeah. About yesterday, I wanted to-"

"Chuck. That's what I wanted to talk about," Sydney interrupted, holding up a hand to stop him. She took in a cleansing breath and blew it out. "I'm sorry for the way I acted. I was very short… no, I was kind of a bitch to you and I'm sorry."

"Hey, No. It's my fault," Chuck responded patting his chest. "I must have lost track of time and then you had to come and find me. I'm sure having to babysit all of us is trying on your patience." Chuck gave her a sheepish smile, shrugging his shoulders.

Sydney huffed out a sigh shaking her head, "No, Chuck. It wasn't your fault. There was something else bothering me and I took my frustration out on you, probably the kindest person I know. I didn't realize it until late yesterday when I saw the day's footage. I felt so awful, and this is the first opportunity I've had to talk with you. I hope you can forgive me?" She ducked her head, looking rather ashamed.

"Hey, no harm done. Forgive me for asking, but what was troubling you?" Chuck looked around very deliberately. "There aren't any cameras around, if you want to talk about it. It might make you feel better. You never know, maybe I can help." Sydney looked up at Chuck, giving him a smile and a one syllable chuckle. She considered him for a moment, worrying her lower lip between her teeth before averting her gaze to her feet.

"My roommate, Alex, she just lost her job. The company she worked for closed up and relocated overseas. It was only part time office work, but it paid well enough. She was able to help with the rent and put herself through school. Now, without a job, her college career could be in jeopardy, she won't be able to help pay the bills and I can't afford the lease on the apartment by myself. She's been looking, but people either want you to have work experience or they aren't willing to work around her school schedule. It's a lose/lose situation. So, I'm worried for my friend, frustrated at the prospect of having to try to find a new place to live, likely in a crappier neighborhood, and I took it out on you. I'm sorry." Sydney looked up and flashed him a half-smile, though it seemed forced. Chuck let out a hum in contemplation, rubbing his chin.

"Walk with me?" Chuck asked, motioning with his head down the pathway. Sydney nodded and the two started walking. "So, you say your friend, Alex, used to do office work. What sort of skills does she have?"

"Um, well, she mostly did email correspondence, managed their online presence like Twitter and stuff like that, but she is way more qualified than that. She's working toward her BS in Business Administration at USC. She just needs someplace that will help her get some experience with those skills, ya know?" Sydney huffed in frustration, "That's the thing though. Businesses want you to already have the experience when you get there. How can a person get experience if they're not given a chance?!" Sydney's frustration was beginning to show as she threw her hands in the air in exasperation.

"In addition to the other stuff you mentioned, do you think she would be above, say, answering phones, maybe taking turns at making coffee now and then?" Chuck inquired. Sydney turned her head to look up at Chuck, a puzzled look on her face.

"I… I suppose so…" she trailed off, turning back to look at the path as they walked.

"Could I borrow your tablet for a second?" Chuck asked, coming to a stop. Sydney stopped as well, turning around to consider him for a moment. A bit curious, and apprehensive, she unlocked her tablet and handed it to him. Taking it, he scrolled through her installed apps and, finding what he was looking for, launched Notability. He scrawled a note on the tablet screen before handing it back to her.

Orion Software

Morgan Grimes

818-555-2368

"Orion Software? Who is Morgan Grimes?" Sydney asked, looking perplexed.

"Just have Alex call that number. Have her tell Morgan that she is looking for work and that 'Chuck' sent her," Chuck reassured her, pointing at the number on the screen.

"You're… you're giving her a job?" Sydney's head snapped up, looking at Chuck in utter disbelief.

"Well, like you said, companies require experience before they'll hire people. We're just starting out, so we can't afford to hire someone with 'experience' yet. So, I think we can help each other out. We could use someone with her skills. Morgan can be a bit… much, sometimes, but he means well. She'll be in good hands." Chuck gave her a smile and a 'what can you do' shrug. She stood dumbfounded, not able to say a word. Her eyes became glassy, tears forming at the corners as she dove at Chuck, wrapping him in a hug. Chuck held his arms out in surprise, looking down at the petite woman that was squeezing the life out of him.

"Thank you. Thank you," she exclaimed, though it was slightly muffled by his shirt. As if scorched by a flame, Sydney jumped back and gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. She looked positively mortified. "I'm… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Hey. Hey, it's fine. It's fine," Chuck said, attempting to put her at ease. "It's still early enough, if Alex calls now, he's probably still at the office."

"Right. Ok. Right. I'll… how… how can I thank you? This is… it's just…" Sydney trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Trust me. She'd be doing me the favor. Why don't you go give her a call?" Chuck nodded down the garden path. She took off down the path, turning and waving, offering her thanks again as she pulled out her phone and disappeared around the bend.

Chuck chuckled to himself, shaking his head, "Morgan, don't screw this up, little buddy."

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Later that evening, the contestants were lined up in the great room, waiting to face the firing squad. Since there were only four of them remaining, the director decided to move them into the great room, standing in front of the large stone fireplace, indicating it would be a more 'intimate' setting. Alex Forrest was standing before them, cameras rolling as she was giving her spiel.

"Each of you had an opportunity to spend some time with Sarah today. Afterwards, you were each interviewed to tell us your impressions. Let's take a look." Alex gestured toward the large TV in the room as it came to life.

Sarah was just out of sight, watching from the adjacent room. She hadn't seen these interviews yet and was a little nervous to say the least. She fidgeted with her fingers, biting her lower lip as she watched. She hoped that they had enjoyed their time, as she had. Well, she had at least enjoyed her time with three of them at any rate.

Secretly, she only really cared about one interview. She thought that her time with Chuck had been incredible, and if he didn't feel the same, she knew she would feel crushed. Sarah also knew by now that Chuck didn't really like to talk about himself. His passions? Sure. He talked at great length about movies, music and even a little about literature. But to talk about himself, made him quite uncomfortable. He was as different from most men she knew as night was from day.

"I think we really hit it off today. Sarah and I shared a lot of common interests. Living a clean, healthy lifestyle and being physically fit. Those things are really important to me," Jason shared, looking very confident. "And she has a thing for shoes too. So, yeah. I think there might be something there." Sarah rolled her eyes, groaning to herself.

"Mmhmmm," came a hum behind her. She almost jumped, but she was beginning to get used to John Casey appearing when she least expected it. She was still a little aggravated with him for suggesting Mark ride with her in the limo the other day. That guy had been insufferable, and she couldn't get away from him. The ordeal still fresh in her mind, she didn't bother to acknowledge him.

Next, they began to play the interview with Stephen, and Sarah let out another groan. She heard Casey chuckling under his breath, but she tried to ignore him. She knew Casey had his opinions about the contestants, and while he never really shared them openly, she could tell by his grunts and groans which ones he didn't approve of. Come to think of it, that was the same sort of chuckle he gave with Mark. It then dawned on her why Casey wanted Mark on that limo ride. He knew that Mark was a loser, despite his outward appearance around her. It wasn't until that limo ride that she had really seen it. Casey had wanted her to see Mark for what he really was. She shook her head and chuckled to herself. Casey was always watching out for her, and not just her physical well-being. Sarah's attention was pulled to the screen as Stephen's interview began.

"Oh, yeah. Sarah and I hit it off, right from the start. I'm not really surprised. We're both real 'go-getters', you know? We set our sights on what we want, and we go for it. Nothing against the other contestants, but I don't really see it as much of a contest. It's just inevitable." Stephen leaned back in his chair with a smirk, looking supremely confident. Sarah was fuming. She hated smirkers. On top of what she already knew about Stephen, she loathed him even more now.

"Easy Walker. You'll get your chance," Casey stated quietly over her shoulder with amusement in his voice. She realized that her fists were clenched so tight her knuckles were turning white. She shrugged it off, shaking out her hands to relieve some of the tension. Thankfully, Alex had moved on to introduce Will's interview, and she tried to push her anger out of her mind for now.

The interview with Will began to play, and Sarah perked up a little. If nothing else, she found she was a little fearful of how Chuck would react. She had hoped that she had set the record straight with him, given him enough assurance that she wanted him to be here. Still, she feared that his wavering self-esteem may not take her comments to heart.

"Sarah's an amazing person. I had a great time talking with her, getting to know her better. It turns out, we have so much in common. She seems so adventurous and outgoing, much like me. I think things went really well between us. Who… whoever she chooses, he's one lucky guy." Will gave the camera his winning smile, much like a model gracing the cover of GQ. Normally, she would have been moved by a smile like that, but now…

Sarah quickly shifted her gaze from the TV over to Chuck. He was nodding at Will, exchanging what seemed to be a few words of encouragement. When Will turned back to the TV, she could see Chuck's demeanor harden slightly. He was trying to put on a happy face, but seeing Will's interview must have unsettled him. Sarah fought the urge to walk out to Chuck and touch him, to give him some sort of reassurance. Thankfully, Alex Forrest announced Chuck's interview, bringing Sarah's attention back to the TV. When Chuck's smiling face appeared on the screen, she couldn't help but smile in response. It was so infectious; her own smile was almost involuntary.

"My meeting with Sarah? Wow… let's see. It was freaking amazing - can I say that? Freaking? - Anyway. Yeah. I had an awesome time. I'll admit, I was super nervous, and when I'm nervous I tend to ramble... sort of like I am right now," he confessed, giving the interviewer that self-deprecating smile and shrug that tended to make Sarah's knees weaken. "Sarah, she… she was so kind. She set me at ease right away, never making me feel embarrassed or self-conscious. After that, we just … talked. We talked about everything. She's so smart and funny, it's kind of intimidating. I mean, what can't this woman do?" He joked, throwing his hands in the air in mock exasperation. "Seriously though, she is so incredible. Sure, we had some things in common, but we also had stuff we disagreed on. Regardless, it was fun being able to share all of that with someone, you know? That she was willing to share that part of herself with someone… with me. It really meant a lot, and no matter what happens, I'll always be grateful for that."

Sarah quickly wiped away the lone tear that spilled down her cheek. She was so moved by his interview, his candid sense of awe for something so seemingly simple as a conversation between two people. But it was more than that. Bryce's words in his TMZ interview came to mind. He had accused her of being cold and distant, not wanting to let him in. Maybe he was right, but it wasn't from some ingrained lack of feeling on her part. She had so easily opened up to Chuck, far more than anyone she'd ever talked with; even more than Carina or Zondra. Part of her tears were of joy. Joy in knowing that she wasn't irreparably broken, she was just missing the right person to share her thoughts … herself with. She took in a deep, shaky breath, blowing it out.

"You alright, Walker?" came a low whisper from over her shoulder, causing her to stiffen for just a second. She had to chuckle at herself, and a little at Casey's uncharacteristic concern for her and what he begrudgingly called her 'lady feelings'.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm… I'm good. Thanks, Casey." She turned and gave him a smile. A real smile. One that was bubbling out of her and she just couldn't hide. Casey's furrowed brow slowly morphed into a wry smile as he nodded with some sort of understanding and stepped back a few paces. It was then that Sarah was given the cue to head out on "stage".

Taking a cleansing breath to center herself, she tried to control her, undoubtedly goofy, smile and walked out to greet the contestants. "Hi guys. I just want to say how great it was getting to spend time talking with each of you. I enjoyed myself and I think I gained some valuable insights into each of your personalities. Now, unfortunately, we've come to the point in the show where I have to choose which of you must go home. It wasn't an easy choice to make, but, after taking everything into consideration, I came to a decision." She paused, both for effect and because she was watching as Stephen got that same smug, smirk on his face, leaning forward slightly and looking down the line at Chuck.

"Stephen!" Sarah exclaimed, a little louder than she had intended. Stephen gasped in astonishment, while the rest of the contestants seemed to deflate slightly; undoubtedly letting out the breaths they were holding in. Stephen shook his head in complete disbelief, looking around as if questioning if any of this was real.

"Stephen, from your actions, and our conversations, I feel that a truly meaningful relationship is not what you're really interested in. You seem to be interested more in money, mostly MY money, than anything else. So, Stephen, I'm sending you home. Please relinquish your backstage pass and leave the house." Sarah's jaw was clenched, trying her best to keep her anger at bay. Stephen ambled across the great room, stopping in front of Sarah. He made several attempts to speak, but seemed to have nothing to say to refute Sarah's statements. He ripped the lanyard from his neck and thrust it at Sarah. Luckily for him, there was enough distance between him and Sarah that it was not viewed as a threatening move. Sarah stared him down, never flinching, and snatched the pass from his hand. The action took him by surprise, causing him to take a step back, his eyes going wide in shock. He looked around at the crew and contestants, and swallowed thickly. His smug smirk nowhere to be seen, he nodded before sulking out of the room, his proverbial tail between his legs.

Sarah cleared her throat, straightening herself as she turned to the remaining contestants, "Jason, Will… Chuck. Congratulations. I don't know about you, but for me, it's been an exhausting day. So, get some rest. Tomorrow will be rather eventful, so be prepared. Have a good night." With a wave, Sarah made her way to the adjacent room, out of view of the cameras.

Once she was clear of the camera's prying eye, she slumped, blowing out a long breath. She stood with her hand on the wall, leaning against it for some support. She really disliked these elimination 'ceremonies'. Not because of the people going home. No, they all deserved what they got, in her opinion. It was trying to keep her mask up that was becoming draining. She was finding it harder and harder to keep herself from focusing solely on Chuck, especially after today. For the sake of the show, her career and, in some small part, for the contestants, she wanted to give them all a fair chance. The guys that remained seemed to deserve that much at least. They were all sincere in their own ways, making a genuine attempt at being her 'match'. Even in knowing that, she couldn't help what she felt. Something about Chuck pulled her toward him, like a siren song. She felt things for him that she'd never felt about anyone before, so she was admittedly ill-equipped to deal with these new emotions. Keeping them at bay, trying to at least appear objective, was becoming exhausting.

She closed her eyes, taking in steady breaths to calm herself. It was at the sound of her name being called that her eyes flew open in surprise.

"S-Sarah?" The voice was quiet, hesitant, but she knew, without a doubt, who it was. She stood upright, adjusting herself before she turned around to see him standing in the doorway. Chuck looked concerned, his brow furrowed slightly. "Are… are you OK? Of-of course you're OK. What am I saying? You're … well, you're you. One of the strongest people I've ever known. It's just with all … that back there," he gestured over his shoulder, "I just thought…. You know what? Nevermind. I should … I should let you go. There are probably rules about me having 'unsanctioned' conversations with you and I'm sure you're super busy…" he trailed off, looking sheepish, not knowing where to look. He gave her his patented self-deprecating smile/wince combo and she fought to keep her knees from buckling. Chuck started to turn as he backed away.

Sarah was in complete awe of this man. He was simply concerned about her well-being with no ulterior motives. On top of that, his claim of seeing some sort of inner strength that she possessed, floored Sarah. She had been labeled many things throughout her life. Beautiful, tough, cold, determined… but nobody had ever claimed to see this kind of strength within her. She certainly didn't see it or feel it. Chuck seemed to see so much within her that no one else had. This … strength, the emotions in her eyes, had all of these things always been there, or was it only now, with Chuck, that these things were surfacing? She didn't know, and the prospect of finding out that answer the hard way caused a knot in her stomach.

Watching him start to go, she fought the urge to chase after him, but she couldn't let him just walk away. "Chuck!" she called out, hoping to stall his retreat. Thankfully, he whipped back around to face her, his face full of that same concern, and perhaps some apprehension. Sarah smiled, a genuine smile, one that came so easily when she saw him. "Thank you. Have a good night." His concern and apprehension disappeared, giving way to that smile, the one that crinkled his nose and the corners of his eyes. The one that made his eyes dance and sparkle, warming her from her ears to her toes.

"Yeah. Sure. G-good night." He gave her a brief, awkward wave, which she returned, probably just as awkwardly. He backed away slowly, still smiling, until he finally broke eye contact, leaving her standing there alone. She stared at the doorway for a moment longer, trying to memorize that smile.

"You keep smilin'' like that, people'll think you're up to somethin'," came the gruff, but amused, voice of John Casey from beside her. She cursed herself internally for being caught, but a large part of her didn't really care.

"Shouldn't you be off protecting me from evil-doers or something?" Sarah retorted, giving him a wry smile. He let out a grunt, or maybe a chuckle.

"Evil-doers? I think the nerd is rubbin' off on you," Casey joked, giving her a wry smile in return.

"And what's so wrong with that," Sarah challenged, crossing her arms as she raised an eyebrow at her bodyguard. Casey's wry smile never faltering, gave her a shrug.

"I never said there was anything wrong with it. Just an observation." Sarah was taken aback, her jaw nearly dropping. Instead, she nodded, uncrossing her arms.

"I um… I didn't get a chance to thank you. You know, about Mark. Making me see what kind of jerk he really was." Casey just gave a small grunt, nodding his head in acknowledgement. "I wasn't completely blind to his ways, but I appreciate that you were looking out for me. Can I ask a favor though?" Casey gave her a quizzical look, but didn't protest. "Please don't try to intimidate Chuck. He's a good guy and nervous enough as it is. I don't need you to put the 'fear of Casey' into him too." Casey chuckled at that, finding her phrasing amusing.

"I can't help it if people find me intimidating. Besides, I think you intimidate him enough as it is," he snorted. Sarah twisted her lips to the side, trying not to smile, and averted her gaze. "I'll meet you at the limo." Casey turned to head off. Sarah was reminded of when he took off after Guy the night he was eliminated. She'd wondered what had happened with that, but hadn't wanted to talk to Casey at the time to find out. She followed him to the limo and just as he was opening the door she called out.

"Hey Casey?" The large man stopped, peering over his shoulder at her, but not fully turning around. "Guy. I saw you take off after him. What did you do to him?"

"Do? I didn't 'do' anything. Now, I may have hinted that I knew where he lived and worked, what car he drove and where he shopped for groceries. It may have also come up in conversation that I knew things about his past that I'm sure he would prefer to not be made… public." Casey just shrugged, as if he had merely been talking about the weather. Sarah's mouth was agape in shock.

"Casey! You didn't?" Sarah asked, a wicked smile now growing across her face. He just shrugged again, a wry smile creeping through. He gestured for her to get in, which she did, followed by Casey. Once they were seated Casey continued.

"He was very apologetic after our little talk. I don't think he'll be a problem." Sarah burst out in laughter, falling against the opposite door.

"Oh, I'd have paid good money to see the look on his face," Sarah confessed, wiping the tears of laughter from under her eyes.

"Well, Bruce, the camera guy, assured me that it will make its way into a special outtakes reel, just for you." Sarah burst into laughter again, Casey even chuckled as well, as the limo drove toward Sarah's home.

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Chuck turned off the light in his room and climbed into his bunk. It felt like the world was spinning. If only he could put his foot on the floor to ground himself, like he did after frat parties in college. Perhaps he was a little drunk, the euphoria he felt from his time with Sarah today was coursing through him like a drug.

In less than a week, he had met his favorite actress, and the woman of his dreams, jumped through hoops (or at least over obstacles) for her, and had spent an afternoon talking with her as if they were just two normal people. That, in and of itself, was crazy. He wanted to pinch himself. Only in his wildest dreams, or fantasies, would he ever believe this possible. Probably the most unbelievable part was that she actually confessed that she wanted him here. That she had 'chosen' him to stay. His heart was soaring, he was so ecstatic.

He was less nervous tonight at the elimination ceremony than any night prior. He felt a confidence that he hadn't had before. It wasn't said in so many words, but it appeared as though Sarah Walker actually liked him. Did she like him in that way? That he wasn't certain of, but at least he thought she might see him as a friend. Wasn't that how all relationships were supposed to begin? Forged on the foundation of friendship? Even if friendship was all he would ever have with her, it was more than he thought he would ever have or deserve.

He played his day with Sarah over in his mind, reveling in the moments when she laughed or smiled at him. It gave him an ache in his chest. He didn't want to put too much stock in it, to fool himself into believing that there was more there than there was. But moments when she would duck her head and blush or playfully bump his shoulder, how else should he take those things.

Then there was the tripping incident. When she was walking backwards down the path, he was so focused on her face, he almost missed the tree root that was protruding from the ground. He saw that she was about to trip over it and he was powerless to get the words out to warn her in time. Instead, he just reacted, reaching out to catch her. Chuck remembered the touch of her skin, the comfortable weight of her body in his hands and that intoxicating scent of lavender and vanilla, presumably from her hair. When her eyes met his, he knew, beyond all doubt, that he was a goner. He could drown in those azure pools that stared back at him, he was so lost in their depths. Their faces were so close, he could feel the warmth of her breath on his cheek. He nearly lost all sense of time and space as he held her there. As he thought back, he realized that she never pulled away or protested. In fact, she seemed to be staring back at him just as intently. Admittedly, it was a little awkward when they both took stock of the position they were in, so he helped her to stand. Thankfully, it didn't spoil the day, as they continued to talk for hours.

The evening's elimination ceremony had been a bit rough. He had to admit that he did get rather jealous watching the interviews from the other contestants. He had secretly hoped that they had all gone terribly, but that didn't seem to be the case. He knew Stephen was an ass and wasn't surprised to see him go. However, Jason, and especially Will, seemed like really good guys. Will was, objectively, very handsome, had his own money and lived an adventurous lifestyle. On paper, he seemed like the perfect choice for Sarah. Even Jason, who reminded him a lot of Devon in his pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, seemed better matched to Sarah than himself. How many gorgeous female celebrities had a tall, lanky nerd on their arm on the Red Carpet? Exactly … none. Still, life wasn't always red carpets and fancy parties. What Chuck lacked in his physical appeal, he liked to think he more than made up for where it really counted. He was honest and loyal, probably to a fault. He would always put her first. Always. He would move the Heavens and Earth for her and never take her for granted. If only he could get a chance to prove that to her. It was like high school all over again. Like begets like. The beautiful girls in school were always attracted to the handsome, athletic jocks, even though they usually treated girls like crap. He had longed for just one chance to be able to show them that he was so much more than just a lanky nerd. Unfortunately, as is often the case, people are only concerned with the superficial. He hoped that Sarah could see past the surface and give him a chance, just one chance to make her happy.

As he stared at the ceiling, drifting off to sleep, he recalled his last talk with Sarah after the ceremony. She had seemed so tense, especially after the episode with Stephen, Chuck had worried about her. He figured it was against the rules to talk with Sarah off camera, but he didn't care. He followed after her and found her bracing herself against the wall. Perhaps the toll of this show was weighing on her more heavily than he realized. He called to her, but when she turned around, he saw the strong, confident woman that he had come to know. Perhaps he had misjudged things. Maybe she had just been tired and needed some rest after the long day. As usual, he stumbled over himself, attempting, and failing, to express his concern. He wondered if there would ever be a time when she wouldn't have that effect on him. Just when he was about to make his hasty retreat, she stopped him and thanked him. It may have been an innocent gesture on her part, but the smile she gave him, that magnificent smile, melted his insides. He backed away slowly, not wanting to break eye contact, savoring that moment and the look on her face.

Maybe there was hope for him yet. Maybe there was a chance that he could show her how much she meant to him. Chuck didn't know what events lay in store for them tomorrow, but he would have to go 'all in' if he had any hope of winning the heart of Sarah Walker.

A/N2: I know this chapter was a long time coming. Sorry about that. Work and home life have been rather hectic as of late. I don't know if that will slow down anytime soon, but I hope to have the next chapter out a little sooner.

I really appreciate hearing from all of you, even though I don't have a lot of extra time to reply to you all. Know that I read them all and it means a lot that you take the time to reach out.

Everyone please be safe.

Joe