A/N: So, when last we left Chuck, his hair, and perhaps his life, was in the hands of his stylist Lester. Let's catch up with them to see what shenanigans await.

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck. I also haven't watched the movie "Cool As Ice", featuring rapper Vanilla Ice. OK… one of those is a lie, but I won't say which one.

Chapter 14

"Journey," Chuck uttered through lips pursed to keep out falling hair. He was sitting ramrod straight, trying not to move his head as Lester snipped dangerously close to Chuck's ear.

"Yes, Chuck. This has been a journey, a quest of discovery. A voyage... into the unknown!" Lester halted his trimming, placing his hands on his hips as he stared off at some imaginary horizon.

"No. I-I mean the song. The one that just started playing? 'Faithfully' by Journey."

"Ah. Yes. Well… nevertheless," Lester cleared his throat, trying to hide his embarrassment, returned to his ministrations, "I believe our 'journey' has come to an end." He stood back, seemingly quite pleased with his work. He whipped off the salon cape with a flourish, flinging clipped hair everywhere. He spluttered a few times, trying to spit out a few hairs that managed to get in his mouth, all the while trying to maintain his flamboyant posture. He spun the chair around so that Chuck could face the mirror to admire his work.

For a moment, Chuck was speechless, gingerly touching the sides of his head with his mouth agape. "W-w-wow. Wow! I… I don't know what to say. It's..." Chuck paused, still dazed at what he was seeing.

"You hate it don't you? It's OK, just say it. You won't hurt my feelings," Lester eked out, failing to hold back the emotions in his voice.

"No! No, it's just… it's never been this short before and…" Chuck turned his head side to side, sliding his hand over the longer, combed back hair on top of his head. A grin grew across his face, "I kinda like it."

"You do? I mean, well, of course you do. After all, it is a Lester Patel original." Lester stood behind Chuck, addressing him through the reflection in the mirror. Chuck gave him a quizzical look, but didn't say anything. Lester pointed to himself.

"That's me. I'm… I'm Les… you know what? Never mind." Lester used a small hand broom to brush the bits of hair off Chuck's neck and shoulders as he spoke to him through his reflection. "Now that my masterpiece is complete, it's time for you to meet with your fashion stylist, Jeffery, to find the perfect outfit for tonight's festivities. Go, Chuck," the shorter man dramatically gestured toward the door. Chuck stood, brushing off his clothes and made his way toward the door.

"Thanks for all you've done, Lester. It was a ... pleasure meeting you." Chuck looked down at Lester, offering him his hand. Lester took his hand, performing an odd, ritual handshake of some sort. Chuck could feel a piece of paper in his hand as Lester folded Chuck's fingers into a fist.

"Give this to Jeffrey. He'll know what to do. You have your wings now, Chuck. It's time to fly. Be free, Chuck! Be free..." Lester shooed Chuck out of the room, the cameraman following behind.

Chuck walked into the hall, uncertain as to what just happened and, more importantly, where he was going. He paused for a moment to examine the paper in his hand. He was beyond bewildered to see a slightly crumpled Subway sandwiches coupon, "Get a Footlong for $5.99". Chuck blinked as he stared at the coupon, wondering if this was some sort of joke. Not wanting to go back and discuss the matter with Lester, Chuck pocketed the coupon and looked up and down the hallway. He saw Sydney appear from the end opposite the lobby walking toward him, her face buried in her tablet. As he closed the distance she looked up and stopped abruptly, nearly dropping her tablet. Chuck stopped as well, blushing a little at her reaction. She was standing with her mouth open and eyes wide. He wasn't sure how he should take it, but he just waited for her to say something.

"Chuck?!" she asked, blinking away her initial shock. She covered her mouth with her hand, quickly closing the distance between them. Chuck just shrugged with his self-deprecating smile. When she reached him, she circled around him, taking in his appearance.

"So? Is it… is it OK?" Chuck asked with a healthy dose of apprehension.

"OK?! Chuck… you look really… really good. Very -what's the word- … suave. Sophisticated even." Chuck was taken aback by Sydney's admission, giving her a questioning look, trying to judge if she was pulling his leg or not. "Trust me, Chuck. Haircut or no, you're still gonna turn heads. Now, come on. We need to get you to your fitting." Sydney gave him a wink and motioned with her head for him to follow her as she started back the way she came.

The wink was a bit surprising, but didn't seem flirtatious in nature. At least he didn't think so. Admittedly, he knew very little about women and likely wouldn't recognize a real 'flirt' if it smacked him in the face. Still, Sydney was always kind toward him, extenuating circumstances surrounding her roommate excluded. He'd even go so far as to say she was a friend. So he opted to leave it at that and followed after her down the hallway. It was becoming so commonplace now that he hardly noticed the cameraman, who had been filming the entire time, was following after him.

Turning a few corners, Chuck found himself in another room, this one with rolling clothing racks, a curtained off area, likely for changing, and several full length mirrors along the far wall. Sydney beckoned him in further. Perhaps sensing his apprehension, she took him by the arm to pull him along.

Stepping out from behind a rack of clothing was a balding, middle-aged man wearing a nicely tailored dark suit. Though his hairline had receded like the tide, what hair he did have was well groomed though a bit long. He wore thin, wire-framed glasses, with a cord attached at the temples, presumably to allow the glasses to hang around his neck when not needed.

"Sydney, my dear. You look lovely as ever," the man exclaimed in a soft, pleasant tone. Giving her a kiss on each cheek, he stood back and adjusted his glasses to look over her shoulder at Chuck. "And this must be the man of the hour. Charles, is it?" He approached Chuck, looking him up and down, beginning to circle around him.

"Uh… It-it's Chuck, actually. Just Chuck is fine." Chuck turned his head in an attempt to follow the older man as he made his circle around Chuck. Flipping his head in the opposite direction to catch the man on his return trip, Chuck continued apprehensively.

"You uh… you must be Jeffrey then, I take it. Pleased to meet you." Chuck extended his hand, which only gained him a perplexed look from Jeffrey.

"I don't shake hands." The declaration came off as disgust at first. To Chuck's surprise, the man approached him, grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him on each cheek, much like he'd done with Sydney but with more gusto. "I find shaking hands so... impersonal." He stepped back and looked Chuck over one last time.

"I am Jeffrey Barnes, stylist, life coach and amateur lepidopterist. How is it that you know my name? Does my reputation precede me?" Chuck was momentarily stunned by Jeffrey's introduction, never actually having met anyone that had used the word 'lepidopterist' in a sentence, let alone actually claimed to be one. Shaking himself from his thoughts, he refocused his gaze on Jeffrey.

"Oh, uh… um Lester, the hair stylist. He mentioned your name. Oh…" Chuck jolted as he recalled he had something to deliver. Digging out the coupon from his pocket, he offered it to Jeffrey. "Lester asked me to give you this. He said you'd 'know what to do', whatever that means." Jeffrey gasped as he accepted the coupon from Chuck, admiring it as if it were an ancient relic.

"The $5.99 Footlong special!" Jeffrey whispered reverently, seeming entranced by the wrinkled piece of paper. Chuck raised an eyebrow and glanced at Sydney. She met his gaze with a shrug that showed she was just as bewildered as he was. The older man looked up at Chuck and then at Sydney and back again. "Don't you see? This is a sign! Subway lunch specials are our sacred bond. By bequeathing this coupon to you, he's given you his blessing. He has placed his faith in you, Chuck. You're the one whose coming was foretold!"

"For-foretold? Like...like in some sort of … prophecy or something?" Chuck asked, his eyes growing wide in surprise.

"Prophecy? No… in the email we got on Tuesday. They said you would be coming. That's why we have all of this set up," he stated, gesturing to the racks of clothing behind him, as if it were completely obvious. "Prophecy… you watch too much television." Jeffrey turned and headed toward the clothing racks, leaving Chuck staring at the ceiling wondering what the hell was going on.

'Chuck! Come on. There's much to do," Jeffrey called, waving him over. Sydney approached Chuck with a smirk on her face. As she passed by Chuck, she patted him on the arm.

"Good luck. You're gonna need it." Chuck could hear her snicker as she made her way out of the room, leaving him alone with Jeffrey and the cameraman. Chuck gave a pained chuckle, glancing at the cameraman, who looked up at Chuck and gave him a sympathetic shrug. Chuck turned and started to walk toward Jeffrey, feeling more than a little apprehensive.

"C-coming…"

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It was now late afternoon and Sarah stared into the mirror, turning her head to either side, evaluating her hair style. Her hair was pulled up in a French roll, with curled, blonde tendrils framing her face. Pleased with the way it looked, she gave a broad smile and an approving nod to the stylist through the reflection of the mirror.

"It's perfect," Zondra interjected, coming to stand behind her friend. Zondra and Sarah exchanged smiles through the mirror.

"Yours too," Sarah offered, admiring the long, flowing, dark waves of hair cascading over Zondra's shoulders. Sarah stood from the salon chair. She and Zondra walked to the nearby salon chair where Megan was receiving the finishing touches on her hair. The double braided updo was very flattering, and they could tell by the look on Megan's face that she approved.

"I wonder how the guys are faring?" Megan asked, looking between the other two women through the mirror.

"I… I dunno," Sarah confessed, giving a shrug. "To be honest, Jason and Will were already pretty well groomed, so I don't know that there's much the stylists will have to do there."

"So you're saying they'll have their work cut out for them with Chuck?" Zondra asked in a teasing tone.

"No! That's not what I'm saying! He just has more… potential," she stated with a small smile creeping across her face. "I mean, I like his curly hair. It makes these little shapes… kind of like little animals. Especially when he runs his hands through his hair. He seems to do that a lot when he gets flustered or embarrassed…" she trailed off as she stared off into space. Shaking herself from her thoughts, she could see that Megan and Zondra were staring at her with shit-eating grins on their faces.

"Shut up," Sarah said with a mock pout, even though they didn't actually have to say a word. Thankfully, she was saved by the makeup stylists walking in and getting prepared for the next phase of the ladies' preparation for the Gala.

The three friends chatted, often through pursed lips, while they had their makeup applied. The show's hair and makeup staff had been leveraged for Sarah, Zondra and Megan, who were all attending the Gala event in a few hours. Roan would be in attendance as well, but according to him, he had his own people to help him 'prepare'.

The conversation had been light, and thankfully, didn't include the topic of the show or its contestants. It was bad enough that the three men kept running through her mind. She hated to admit it, but based on what she knew of the men already, Jason was likely the one to be eliminated. She wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, and would let the evening play out, but she was fairly certain that he would be leaving tomorrow. Even though they did have some common interests, there wasn't enough there to base a relationship on.

Objectively, Will was a good choice. He was nice, smart and successful, not to mention he was easy on the eyes. As ideal as he seemed on paper, there just wasn't that… spark. She liked him and had enjoyed his company and, before this show began, she would have easily considered dating Will. The problem was that she'd been ruined. Ruined against other men because of one goofy, unassuming, kind, adorable nerd. By the simple act of just being himself, Chuck had shown her what she never realized she wanted, but clearly needed. It was Chuck. The more she tried to deny it or question it, the clearer it became.

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" came Zondra's voice from the salon chair to her left. Sarah looked out of the corner of her eye, trying not to move her head too much. "You're thinking about 'him' again. Don't bother trying to deny it. You might as well have it written on your forehead with a Sharpie." Zondra's tone was clearly teasing, but Sarah found she was getting a little aggravated, though it was primarily at herself. She needed to get her feelings under control, for the show if nothing else. She was an actress, and a damn good one. She'd have to try to play the role of a woman who wasn't completely smitten by a certain tall, brown-eyed nerd.

Sarah was prepared to offer a weak rebuttal when her makeup stylist indicated she was done. Shortly after, Zondra and Megan were finished as well. With that, they were whisked away to wardrobe where they were to get into their evening gowns. The show's costume mistress, along with Zondra, had chosen the gowns for the event but they had gotten Sarah's approval on the final selection. After being zipped into her dress, Sarah stared into the floor length mirror. In the past, she'd always dressed to please herself, what made her feel good. Now, she was wondering what a certain someone would think. She secretly imagined the look on his face when she got to see him and the thought caused the butterflies in her stomach to take flight. Zondra and Megan joined her, flanking her on either side. The three women were definitely dressed to kill.

"You realize you're gonna make that poor man's head explode, right?" Zondra joked, giving her friend a smirk through the mirror. Sarah snorted at the comment, with a hint of a blush showing through.

"Well, I say between the three of us, there's gonna be a lot of heads exploding tonight. You ladies are on fire," Sarah exclaimed, making a show of blowing on her fingers.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Megan asked with a wry smile. "It's not every day I get to dress up like this. I need to work this outfit as much as I can before it's pumpkin time." Sarah and Zondra burst into laughter. Sarah shoulder bumped Megan, giving her a wry smile.

"Alright, Z. Let's get Cinderella over to the ball." Megan and Zondra chuckled, but Zondra interrupted with a raised finger.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Not so fast. We need to get to the makeover studio so you can see your three princes for the evening." Sarah rolled her eyes as Zondra led them to the limo that was waiting outside.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Jeffrey, I don't know if I can do this," Chuck declared, pacing back and forth in the fitting area of the large dressing room. "I really need to make a good impression. Those other guys, they're way more cut out for this sort of thing than I am. Hell, they look like the guys they get to model stuff that I'm gonna wear," he exclaimed, gesturing to himself, though he was still in his street clothes.

"Chuck, relax. This is Hollywood. There are droves of men that look like that," Jeffrey replied, waving Chuck's concerns away. Chuck stopped his pacing to give the older man a flat look. "What I'm trying to say, is that pretty faces are a dime a dozen. You however, are uniquely handsome. If she wanted a mannequin, she could buy one, but there is only one Chuck Braunschweiger."

"Bartowski," Chuck corrected, for the fifth time today.

"Right. That's what I said. There's only one of you, and that makes you special. You act as though all of the things that make you different are bad. Did you ever stop to think that perhaps it's because of those differences that you're standing here right now?" When Jeffrey introduced himself, he'd indicated that he was a 'life coach', among other things. Chuck had thought it ridiculous, but maybe the odd man had a point. Chuck closed his eyes and took in a deep, cleansing breath through his nose, blowing it out through his mouth.

"Excuse me, Mr. Barnes," interrupted a man through the curtain. Chuck opened his eyes to see an awkward looking man with wire-framed glasses carrying a garment bag. He wasn't one for placing labels on people, especially given his history of being on the receiving end, but if this man could be summed up in a word it would be 'dork'. "The alterations are finished. They had me bring it straight over."

"Ah, excellent. Bring it in, Emmett. Make it snappy, we haven't much time." Emmett quickly entered, as instructed, hanging the bag on a clothing rack and began to unzip the bag. Jeffrey shooed him away, swatting at his hands. The whole ordeal was rather comical. "Don't touch the suit. Never the suit! I don't know where those hands of yours have been." Emmett recoiled, practically sniveling, like some Peter Lorre character. Emmett backed out of the changing room, bowing his apologies toward Jeffrey.

"You'd think it would be easier to find good help in this town. He's definitely not good, and rarely a help. He's my sister's brother-in-law, so I gave him a job as a favor to her. Never mix business with family, Chuck." Jeffrey heaved a sigh, shaking his head. Straightening himself, he finished opening the garment bag to reveal the tuxedo. He turned his head slowly toward Chuck with a knowing smile as he peered over the top of his glasses. Chuck gave a hesitant smile and a shrug before starting to disrobe.

Jeffrey helped with the finishing touches, making sure that everything was tucked and straightened and Chuck's necktie properly knotted. Stepping back, Jeffrey took Chuck in, looking at him from head to toe. Nodding with a wry smile, he brought his attention back to Chuck's face.

"Perfect!" Chuck slowly turned around to face the floor length mirror to see the finished product for himself. What he saw nearly startled him. The new haircut, the tailored tuxedo, he barely recognized the man staring back at him. He'd never been one to praise himself, especially for his outward appearance, but he thought he looked … good. He felt good, confident even, like he had stepped out of some Ian Fleming novel. Chuck was definitely shaken. He even tried out a raised eyebrow, smoldering look into the mirror. He conceded it needed work, so he made a mental note to not try that again tonight, else he make a bigger fool of himself.

"Jeffrey, it looks great. I don't know how to thank you. Certainly, if I fall on my face tonight, I'll at least look good doing it." Chuck gave a self-deprecating smile and shrugged into the mirror, looking at Jeffrey in the reflection. The older man rolled his eyes and waved at Chuck, dismissing his comment.

"Nonsense. You'll be just fine. Just don't overthink it. You seem like a smart, polite, upstanding young man. Trust in that. Oh, and by the way, I placed a handkerchief in each of your front pants pockets. If you get nervous, and your palms start to sweat, they'll come in handy." Jeffrey looked at his watch and jumped as he realized the time. "Alright Chuck. This is it. Ms. Walker will be here any moment. Whatever you do, don't freak out."

"Freak out? We passed 'freak out' about five miles back. I'm approaching 'full on panic'," Chuck joked, mostly. He took some much needed cleansing breaths, rolling his head side-to-side to loosen the tension in his neck. He began to repeat words of encouragement to himself.

"You can do this. You can do this. Just remember the garden. We had fun in the garden. She had fun in the garden. Batting a thousand, Chuck. Batting a thousand. Just be yourself. Just be yourself." Chuck was beginning to feel much calmer when he was pulled from his pseudo- meditation by a hand on his shoulder. He saw a smiling Jeffrey give him a nod.

"It's time." He gestured toward the curtain, giving Chuck a gentle shove in the back with his other hand. Chuck nodded, swallowing thickly before he pushed through the opening in the curtain.

It took him a try or two to find his way, but finally he was able to push through the curtain into the large dressing room. Momentarily distracted by the lights and cameras, he looked around the room until his eyes landed on her. Sarah. He was rooted in place, completely overwhelmed by her beauty. Although her hands were covering her mouth, he could clearly see the long, flowing red gown she was wearing. The sweetheart neckline left her neck, shoulders and upper chest completely bare, causing his heart rate and his eyebrows to rise. To add fuel to the fire, there was a long slit up to the middle of her left thigh, showcasing her incredibly long, shapely leg. As lovely as the dress was, perfectly accentuating her body, he was most drawn to her gorgeous face. Her hair was pulled up in the back, leaving a few soft curls that framed her face. Her eyes were nearly cobalt, shimmering in the lights of the cameras. When she lowered her hands, he could see that smile. The smile that made his heart leap and his stomach flutter. She was, without a doubt, the most exquisite woman to ever walk the Earth.

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Sarah stood outside the final dressing room at the show's makeover studio. She had met with Jason and Will individually and it had gone well, for the most part. Jason was wearing a traditional black tuxedo with a bow tie and he had looked good. He was usually very well groomed, so his appearance was largely the same, with maybe a little extra styling to his hair. He had commented on how great she looked, but she noticed his eyes wondering quite a bit. She was used to men looking at her, and he wasn't the worst she'd encountered, but it was still a little unsettling. At least he made an effort to maintain eye contact when she was talking.

Sarah had to admit, when she first saw Will, he looked good… really good. His appearance was not altered much from how he normally looked, maybe a bit of extra product, but otherwise he was his normal handsome self. He was sporting a well-tailored navy tuxedo with black lapels and bow tie. He definitely looked like someone that would be seen on the red carpet. He had a confident aire about himself, not even trying to feign modesty when she complimented him. He had been genuine when he remarked on how beautiful she looked. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate his compliment, but it just wasn't the reaction she'd been waiting to see.

As she stood in front of Chuck's dressing room door, she was taking deep cleansing breaths in the hopes of metering her reaction. Once she felt she was as 'in control' as she was going to get, she walked into the room. She was greeted by Sydney, for the third time, who was wearing a lovely grey pants suit. She would be going to the gala as well, though she would be working mostly behind the scenes with the camera crews. Two cameramen were set up in the room, waiting for their cues, as they had in the previous two meetings. Sydney placed her in the best spot where they could get shots of her reaction, as well as Chuck's. Sarah was a bundle of nerves, her hands clasped together in front of her so as to mask their shaking. She couldn't wait to see what Chuck looked like, nor could she wait to see how he reacted to her.

Sydney cued the cameramen and, a moment later, Sarah saw the curtain for the dressing area flutter and then finally separate to reveal… him. Sarah gasped, her jaw nearly hitting the floor. She covered her mouth with both hands as she looked on in shock. She could hardly believe that this was Chuck. His goofy, awkwardness had vanished, and in its place, was a suave sophistication that nearly made her swoon. His hair had been cut much shorter and she mourned the loss of his curls for only a brief instant. The short sides gave way to longer hair on top that had been combed back and tamed with product. She thought he had looked handsome before, but this change in him left her speechless.

He was dressed in a black tuxedo with a matching vest and a long black tie tucked within. She was accustomed to seeing him in relatively baggy clothing, so Sarah never got a good impression of his true physique. This tuxedo was perfectly tailored to his tall, broad form, showing just how surprisingly fit he looked. Sarah drank him in, dragging her eyes from his patent leather shoes, up and across his broad chest until she reached his face. At that moment, their eyes met, him seeing her for the first time. Sarah held her breath as their gaze was locked for a long moment. A look of awe overtook him. The way his eyes sparkled and his smile lit up his face, that was the look she was longing for. That look made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. She dropped her hands from her mouth, revealing the huge smile she'd been hiding. She probably should have tried to school her reaction, but at that moment, she couldn't care less.

As if they were drawn by some magnetic force, they began to slowly close the distance between them. Stopping barely a foot apart, they still had not dropped the other's gaze. Chuck swallowed thickly and Sarah watched his Adam's apple bob up and down.

"S-Sarah. You… you look absolutely breathtaking. My god," he breathed, the awe and adoration in his voice was palpable. The fact that he said it without breaking eye contact spoke volumes about who he was. She had noticed him take in her appearance when he first saw her, but it was never lingering. He was too respectful to ever ogle a woman, though she supposed she wouldn't have minded as much if he had, just a little. The sincerity in his compliment made Sarah blush, ducking her head, but only for a moment.

"Thank you, Chuck. You look very...dapper." Dapper? Seriously? Sarah silently berated herself, her words not nearly conveying what she was feeling. "Handsome," she corrected, adjusting the lapels on his jacket. "Very handsome." She smoothed down his tie and found that she reveled in the sensation of touching him. His tuxedo was impeccable and didn't need any adjusting, but she found she couldn't help herself but use the opportunity to touch his broad chest, feeling the silky, smooth fabric under her fingers. As she ran her fingers down his jacket she noticed that the shakiness in her hands was gone, that nervousness seeming to dissipate. Perhaps touching him 'grounded' her, in a sense. While the nervousness was gone, the excitement and anticipation had not.

When Sarah looked back up at Chuck, she could see that he had been following the path of her hands, seemingly mesmerized. When he captured her gaze again, he smiled nervously, and she saw the goofy, awkward Chuck that she had come to know and… like, very much. She returned the smile, stepping back to create some distance between them.

"Turn around. Let me see you," Sarah requested, giving a circular gesture with her hand. Though slightly embarrassed, Chuck obliged, holding his arms out as he made a slow turn. Sarah couldn't help but notice exactly how well tailored his tux was, hugging him in all the right places. As he turned around to face her again, she brought her eyes back up to meet his, an approving smile on her face. "Very nice."

"Thanks." She could see his cheeks and ears darken, clearly blushing. It was adorable. "Now… now you," he began, making a similar circular gesture. "Turn around. Let's check out the twirl factor on that lovely dress of yours." Sarah was a little taken aback. She hadn't expected Chuck to turn things around on her and she felt a little of the embarrassment that he must have felt. Shyly, she turned, pivoting on the ball of her foot, making the dress float around her as she spun. The dress wasn't well suited for it, but it was loose enough below her thighs to get a little 'lift'. When she came to a stop, after a few revolutions, Chuck looked as though his mind had been broken. She had to bite her bottom lip to try and mask the amusement and joy on her face, which came from knowing the effect she had on him. Thankfully, he wasn't aware that he had the same effect on her, and she wasn't about to let him in on that little tidbit just yet.

Chuck gave a long, slow blink, seeming to shake himself out of the daze he had been in. Sarah looked up at him through her lashes, still biting her bottom lip. "W-Wow. I… I'm sure you get this a lot, but… you look positively radiant. I mean, you always do. Even in jeans and a t-shirt or something. But tonight, I… I just don't have the words." Sarah broke eye contact, ducking her head, again, overwhelmed by his sincere and unfiltered compliment. She was so touched that tears were threatening in the corners of her eyes. Shyly, she lifted her gaze to meet his once more.

"I'll admit...people have been known to pay me a compliment from time to time. Though, that's probably the most sincere and heartfelt one I've ever gotten. Thank you, Chuck. It really means a lot, especially coming from you." Sarah swallowed the lump in her throat, realizing that she may have revealed too much. She quickly changed the subject, trying to get the focus off herself. "What about you? Look at you!" Sarah reached up and touched the side of his head, running her fingers over his, now, much shorter hair. "Your hair is so short. I like it, but I kinda miss those curls. The little animal shapes they used to make."

"Ha. That's what my sister says all the time. Especially when my hair gets long. She teases me about the animal shapes," he confessed, chuckling.

"I can see Ellie doing that," Sarah laughed in response. Chuck laughed in turn but then got a perplexed look on his face. "What? What's the matter?"

"You said you could see Ellie doing that. Did… did I tell you her name was Ellie? I… I don't remember." Sarah's breath hitched, momentarily freaking out. Quickly, she tried to cover her mistake.

"Yeah. When we talked in the garden. You told me all about Ellie and Devon, even Morgan. Remember? I feel like I know them already." If only he knew how true that was. Chuck seemed to recall the stories, nodding his agreement.

"I did, didn't I. I probably rambled on and on about them, huh? I'm sorry about that." Chuck rolled his eyes, seeming to berate himself. It made her feel terrible, especially with not telling him the entire truth, but she didn't want to risk telling him, or the cameras, just yet.

"No. No, not at all. It was nice to hear about your family. They seem great. Maybe I-" Sarah stopped herself, realizing what she was about to say. It just came so naturally, the wish to meet them all, the people that were Chuck's family. To make that kind of suggestion, especially in front of all the cameras could be bad. Thinking quickly, she covered her miss-step. "Maybe we should be on our way. You know. Meet up with the others at the limo?" Thankfully, Chuck hadn't picked up on her slip up. He gave her a tight smile, nodding his understanding. He seemed to deflate a little and she could feel it in herself as well. She really wished it was just the two of them, dressed to the nines, out for an evening of glitz and glamour. Truth be told, she'd be just as happy with a pizza and beer, lounging in comfy clothes. The end of the show was approaching and she would have to make her official decision soon. At the moment, that didn't seem all that difficult of a choice, but she wanted to try to be as fair as possible. She'd just try to enjoy tonight and look forward to the days to come.

Chuck's smile warmed, crinkling around his eyes, and he offered his arm to Sarah, "Shall we?" Sarah's smile brightened, looping her arm through his. "We shall." Leading her out of the dressing room, Sarah couldn't help but lean against him as they walked. This is going to be an interesting evening.

A/N2: I know…. "Dammit Joe! I thought we were going to get to go to the gala event." Patience. We'll get there. I mean, you're not in a hurry for this to be over, are you? I'm not deliberately trying to drag it out, but I want to explore some things along the way. Hopefully you enjoy it. If so, please feel free to leave a review. So far, you have all been amazingly supportive. I'm truly humbled by the response this story has gotten.

If you haven't done so yet, I encourage you all to join the Chuck Fanfiction Facebook group. We talk about all things Chuck fanfiction, as the name suggests. People sharing story ideas, polls, challenges, more polls. It's a lot of fun with an amazing group of people.

JW