A/N: The Gala now over, our friends reflect on the events of the evening. In the morning, Sarah must make a decision on who is next to go home.

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck.

Chapter 17

Sarah laid in bed, staring at the shadows on the ceiling, brought to life by the moonglow through her curtains. As exhausted as she was, sleep just wouldn't come. There were too many thoughts racing through her head. She continued to play the events of the evening over in her mind, a contented smile on her face.

There were certainly some parts of the evening, some painful parts, she'd rather forget. Sarah had felt an ache in her chest at watching Megan sitting with Chuck, placing her hand on him. Her mind had immediately jumped to the worst-case scenario. When she noticed she'd been discovered, the look in his eyes, and the knowing smile on Megan's face, brought with it the realization that they had been talking about her. She felt like a teenager again, embarrassed to be caught looking at her high school crush.

Later, after seeing Chuck and Zondra dancing, Sarah had confronted her about it. She had been more than a little short with Zondra, her jealousy and frustration rearing its ugly head. Zondra was quick to point out that it was nothing compared to how she had "thrown it" in Chuck's face, dancing with Will, laughing and joking with him. She played over her actions of the night, trying to see things from his point of view, and what she saw nearly made her sick. The small, innocent interactions she witnessed between Chuck and Megan or Zondra, were nothing in comparison to how things must have looked from Chuck's perspective. She had been trying to put on her happy face, smiling for the cameras, but hadn't realized she was driving a dagger into the heart of the man that cared so much for her, and that she had grown to care so much for in return.

All night, whether she was with Will or Jason, she had wanted so much for it to be Chuck. Then, when it was to finally be their turn, the fates kept conspiring against them. First Bryce had decided to show back up in her life, here of all places. While Chuck had apologized profusely and remarked that she didn't need "rescuing", the truth of the matter was that she did. Not that she needed someone to fight her battles for her, but that he was there to take that burden from her, to have her back when she needed it, meant more than he knew. If only she could have told him that, make him understand how much it meant to her. And if she was honest with herself, the way he had touched her, kissed her cheek, it sent a thrill through her like she'd never known. Just thinking about it, hours later, still made her a little flushed.

As if Chuck's handling of the Bryce situation hadn't been enough to make her swoon, he had to pull out all the stops and offer that sweet, young girl a dance. Sarah had been a complete wreck, reduced to a blubbering mess. How could this man be for real? So generous and caring, giving of himself, not for what he received in return, but solely for the sake of giving. Which led to Jill's appearance. Sarah had wanted to throw a bucket of water on the woman and watch her wither into a smoldering puddle; her and the winged monkey suit she had with her. She had thrown Chuck's giving nature in Jill's face, hoping to strike a nerve. While she had made the insinuation, Sarah could only imagine how 'giving' Chuck would actually be, and she had a very good and vivid imagination. Squirming at the thought, she tried to push those ideas out of her mind. She still needed to at least appear somewhat objective, even if every fiber of her being was screaming at her that she already knew what, or more appropriately, who she wanted.

Her mind drifted to the dance, the slow dance where Chuck serenaded her with Tony Bennett. Singing the lyrics which professed a warmth and a love she only thought existed in song, seemed so close she could literally touch it, feel it. She knew that if Zondra could see her now, see what she was reduced to, she'd be gloating, relentlessly teasing her with, 'I told ya so. I told ya so'.

As intimate as their slow dance had seemed, the tango had been the polar opposite. Though that dance was anything but 'polar', the immense heat that grew between them throughout. Chuck had shown some restraint, keeping the maneuvers and hand placement fairly PG rated. The strength in his large hands, his hot breath on her neck when he pulled her close, his proximity, had practically set her on fire. Sarah had danced the tango before, mainly in dance studios or movie sets, but never, ever like that. She had objectively understood how the tango could be seen as a sensual, erotic dance, but it had always been choreographed, rehearsed. Tonight, with Chuck, it had been instinctual, spontaneous… primal.

Throwing the covers off of her, she blew out a huff. If she couldn't stop thinking about this, she was never going to sleep. As it was, she was going to have to get up in a few hours to get ready for shooting, where she would have to give her verdict on who was going home. That was the least of her worries though. She knew, without a doubt, that Jason was going home. There was no question. What would come next would be individual dates with each of the two remaining contestants. She was both nervous and excited about the prospect of going on an actual date with Chuck. She wondered what his idea of the perfect date would be. She quickly shook that thought from her head. She didn't want to go into it with some preconceived notion of what it would be like or where they would go. She wouldn't want to have Chuck see her looking disappointed.

Now, for Will, she could guess he would go for the fancy dinner. He seemed to enjoy the finer things in life. He'd indirectly alluded to his rather lavish lifestyle; his investments having paid off handsomely. As wealthy as he likely was, Sarah figured she had more, earning more than twenty million a picture. She too liked some of the finer things in life, but, having come from meager beginnings, appreciated the simple things in life as well. She could afford a lavish mansion with more bathrooms than bedrooms, but with nobody to share it with, what was the point. Those places seemed so cold and unfeeling; it would never feel like a home to her. As long as she could have her privacy, a comfy couch, a good book and a glass of wine, that was all she really wanted. Well, it had been all she thought she wanted. As they say, you don't know what you don't know. She hadn't known that someone like Chuck existed. Now that she did, she didn't want to imagine her life without him in it, somehow. Covering her face with her pillow, she let out a frustrated groan. She was never going to get to sleep.

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The rhythmic sounds of the crickets outside his bedroom window couldn't even put Chuck to sleep. He just laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling, coming up with words to go along with the cricket song. He was certain he was losing his mind. For hours he had been trying to fall asleep, his body near exhaustion but his mind running a mile a minute. The destination for all of its running had been, of course, Sarah. He tried to push thoughts of her out of his mind, but it was an exercise in futility. She was an ever-present fixture in his thoughts. Her laugh, her smile, that dress…. the dance.

Groaning in frustration, he threw the covers off, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, letting them dangle from his top bunk. Being the only one in the room full of bunk beds, he felt like he was in some weird introvert summer camp. He ran his hands through his hair, blowing out a long breath. In the morning, well, later in the morning, would be the elimination ceremony. Chuck was fairly certain that Jason would be selected to go home, but there was always that voice of doubt in the back of his mind, sowing its seeds. He wished he could be more confident in knowing where he stood with Sarah. There was no doubt that she cared for him, she had let it show in small ways over the past few days. But tonight? Tonight, had been something else entirely. If the way she rested her head against him, held him close while they danced, if that hadn't shown she had some feelings for him, then he had no idea about anything anymore. He still couldn't believe he had actually sung to her, and that song to boot. What's more, she asked him not to stop.

From the events he'd witnessed throughout the night, it was clear that Sarah had feelings for Will, and why shouldn't she? He was a nice guy, very handsome and accomplished. Who wouldn't think he was a catch? Even Megan seemed to find him particularly interesting. Truth be told, Chuck felt like if he were in a situation where he was forced to choose between two women he hardly knew, he likely wouldn't be handling it with nearly the amount of poise and grace that Sarah had. He had a hard time choosing which toothpaste to buy or what to make for dinner. This was a seemingly monumental decision. He didn't envy her.

He didn't know what lay in store for them over the next few days, but it seemed obvious that there would at least be individual dates with the two remaining contestants. He and Will would get an opportunity to take Sarah on a date and showcase why she should choose one over the other. That was, in large part, what caused the panic in him, keeping him awake. Chuck was not good at dating. In fact, he was terrible at it. Every date that Ellie had set up for him with women she knew had been disastrous. Every single one. Now he would have to pull out all the stops and try to come up with a date that Sarah would really enjoy. No pressure. It only felt like the most important moment of his life thus far. Like everything he had ever done or dreamed of doing had culminated in this moment. Chuck knew it seemed melodramatic, but he couldn't help but feel that his only hope for true happiness was with the woman he once idolized and admired, and now felt deeply and emotionally connected to.

But it wasn't just his happiness on the line. No, more importantly, it was Sarah's happiness that was at stake. Her happiness meant more to him than… than anything. Before all of this happened, he was ready to resign himself to the fact that he would just be that guy who committed himself to his work, his friends. He was not destined for some great romance, the kind you see on the Hallmark Channel or read about in books. He had tried it before and found that love had been a one-way street. He'd believed that the fates had given him their verdict and relationships, romantic ones, were just not in the cards for him. But then he dared to hope. Maybe that was his biggest mistake. He began to believe that it might be possible, and rather than starting out small, he was swinging for the fences, praying that he could be enough for the likes of Sarah Walker. It was a good dream, but perhaps that was all it would amount to.

At the end of the day, or at least this competition, if he had to sacrifice his happiness for hers, he would do it, without question. If she was truly happy with Will, if that was who she wanted, he would step aside. This whole ordeal had to be difficult enough for her, he wouldn't make it worse by fighting it or dragging it out, only causing her pain. But for now, for now he at least seemed to be in the running, and while hope could be dangerous, right now it was all he had to hold onto. If, after their dates, she chose Will, Chuck would concede his loss and wish them all the happiness. What other choice would he really have? He flopped back down on his bed to continue staring at the ceiling. The faint chirp of birds beginning to awaken heralded in the approaching dawn. This was going to be a long day.

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Chuck was practically laying on the kitchen counter, his forehead resting on his folded arms. He was staring at the floor, waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. He had gotten a couple of hours of sleep at best, so the dark, bitter elixir of life was going to be a requirement to get this day started. He was jolted from his thoughts by the yodeling yawn of somebody shuffling into the kitchen. Apparently, he wasn't the only one in need of a pick me up.

"Hey, Chuck. You look as tired as I feel," Will mused, as he rubbed a hand over his face, blinking a few times. Chuck stood to his full height, arching his back in a stretch.

"Yeah, couldn't really sleep," Chuck admitted, rolling his head from side to side. Will gave a snort, pulling out one of the kitchen island stools and taking a seat.

"I bet… I mean, I can imagine. I didn't sleep all that well either. You know, all the stuff going on. Plus, you must've been exhausted, what with all that dancing. I'd have never pictured you as a dancer. No offense," he rushed out, holding up a hand in defense. Will's tone seemed sincere, with no hint of teasing or ill intent.

"None taken. Why couldn't you sleep? I mean, it's not like you have much to worry about. You seem to be a shoo-in for one of the final two spots. It's Jason and I that should be worried." Chuck pulled two mugs out of the cabinet, pouring coffee for each of them. Will began to laugh, but when Chuck turned to hand him the mug, a confused look on his face, Will sobered quickly.

"S-seriously?" Will asked incredulously. "You… you think … Wow. Dude...either you're not as smart as everyone thinks you are, or somebody seriously did a number on you," Will added before shaking his head and taking a sip of coffee. Chuck was quiet, staring into the inky blackness of his coffee. Will watched in curiosity before continuing.

"Was it that brunette?" Will asked, looking over his coffee mug before taking another sip. Chuck snapped his head to look at Will, his eyes wide with surprise. "I was talking with Megan and she pointed it out. It looked like you'd seen a ghost. I take it she was an ex of some sort? Maybe 'THE' ex?" Chuck shifted his gaze back to his coffee, nodding his acknowledgement. "It's none of my business, but I think most of us have had one of those. A relationship that left a bad scar."

Chuck took a drink of his coffee, savoring it for a moment before turning to Will. "You?" The other man chuckled, though there wasn't much humor in it.

"Not exactly. Oh, there've been plenty of exes; a whole black book full of 'em." Will was quiet for a moment, studying his coffee. "You ever search for something but can never seem to find it? Then, when you stop looking, it just … jumps out at ya, like it was there all along, but you've never noticed or maybe you were looking for the wrong thing the whole time?" Chuck slowly turned to look at him, his brow furrowed, a quizzical look on his face.

"Mornin' guys!" The entirely too energetic outburst interrupted their conversation, drawing their attention to Jason, who was entering the kitchen, freshly showered and far too cheerful. He reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of protein drink and began to shake it vigorously. "You guys look rough. I've already worked out, ran five miles and showered. You guys better get movin'. They're gonna start filming in like… an hour." Chuck looked at the clock on the microwave and quickly took a large swallow of coffee.

"Ah… hot coffee. Really hot. Thanks, Jason. Yeah, I should go get cleaned up. I'll uh," Chuck stammered, looking over his shoulder at Will, who was also trying to finish his coffee, "I'll catch you guys outside."

Chuck made his way to his room to take a shower, still thinking over what Will had said.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

"Did you sleep at all? You look like hell," Zondra confessed, looking her friend up and down. "You'd better get over to makeup. We're gonna start filming in like… thirty minutes."

"I was just at makeup!" Sarah snapped, looking herself over. Slumping in resignation, pouting in frustration, she plopped down on the couch of the guest house. Zondra gave her a sympathetic smile, sitting down beside her on the couch.

"You wanna tell me what's keeping you up at night? I know you were home, alone, so that's not the reason." Sarah gave her a flat look, rolling her eyes slightly. "Or is that the reason? The being home alone part." Sarah huffed in exasperation.

"No! … Maybe… No. No, it's not that. I mean, not exactly. Gah! What am I saying? I don't even know anymore." Sarah put her hands on her forehead, closing her eyes.

"Is it the elimination today? I thought you were set on Jason going home. Are you having… second thoughts?" Zondra asked, sounding a little perplexed.

"No. No, it's not that. I've definitely made my mind up about him. It's… it's what comes after that," Sarah admitted, falling forward, her elbows resting on her knees.

"What? The dates? What's the problem? You go on a couple of dates, have a few laughs..." Zondra trailed off, shrugging her shoulders, failing to see where the issue lay.

"That's … that's just it. I don't really want to go on these dates. Not… not when I know that doing so is going to hurt somebody I … I care about." Zondra stared at Sarah, her eyes wide in surprise. Then the corner of her mouth started to curl up slightly.

"You mean that by going on a date with Will, you think that'll hurt… Chuck?" She asked very thoughtfully, trying not to aggravate Sarah any further. Sarah just nodded, not saying anything in response.

"Ok… let's say the tables were turned. Chuck was in your place, having to date you and another woman to determine which he wanted to be with. If he went on a date - just a date - with that other woman, would you be hurt by that?" Zondra turned on the couch to face Sarah, quietly waiting for her reply.

"Yes. I mean, I know I shouldn't be, but I would. It would be torture. What if… what if that other woman swept him off his feet? What if she had more to offer him that I do? What if he thought she could make him happier?" Sarah's voice broke, barely able to finish her thought.

"Is that what you think? Do you think that Will can make you happier? That he's going to 'sweep' you off your feet?" Zondra asked, trying to play Devil's advocate.

"No!" Sarah exclaimed, turning on Zondra. Sarah's features softened, seeing the smirk that was forming on Zondra's face.

"So, let me ask you this, if you traded places, and Chuck had to go on this date with another woman for the show, would you just give up? Up and quit, conceding defeat?" Sarah thought for only a moment before looking back at Zondra.

"No. I wouldn't quit. I guess I'd have to pour everything into my date with him in the hopes that it would be enough. That I would be enough." Sarah turned her attention to the floor, feeling rather vulnerable, not able to look her friend in the eye.

"And hasn't Chuck done that very thing throughout this whole competition? He's watched you with these other guys. I've seen the pained look on his face, I know it's killing him. But he cares about you far too much to give up. I'm sure of it. And just like you, I suspect that he'll put his everything into his date with you. So, I say, let him." Sarah returned her gaze to Zondra, a questioning look on her face. "Let him show you how much you mean to him… Let him prove to you that you're more than enough. And then, when the time comes, if you feel the same, then you know how to show him that he's more than enough too." Zondra gave her friend a warm smile. She patted her friend on the knee before pushing herself to her feet. She offered Sarah her hand, gesturing with her head.

"Come on. Let's get you back to makeup. You don't want them to think you got into a fight or something," she chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. Sarah finally cracked a smile, taking the offered hand, pulling herself to her feet.

"You know, Z, this may not end well for your show. I have a sinking suspicion that I'm not going to be able to hide my feelings very well," Sarah confessed, looking contrite. Zondra turned to her, patting Sarah on the cheek.

"Oh, Sweetie. I think it's cute that you think you've been able to hide your feelings up to this point." Sarah's mouth fell open in shock at her friend's admission. Zondra left the room, laughing hysterically at her own joke. Looking back over her shoulder, she could still see the shocked look on Sarah's face.

"Oh, come on. Don't give me that look. I wasn't the one that was trying to ravage him on the dance floor. I swear they were about to turn the hose on you two," she chided playfully, still chuckling at her friend.

"We were just dancing!" Sarah retorted. The flat look that Zondra gave her only made her want to protest even more. "We were!"

"Oh, and I suppose when you were all snuggled into him as he sang to you, you were just resting your head, right?" Zondra challenged, a devilish grin on her face. Sarah started to offer a rebuttal but stopped herself. She sighed in resignation, her shoulders slumping.

"Fine. You win," Sarah conceded. "I suppose all the cameras caught that too, huh? It's gonna be all over the tabloids. I'm sorry." Sarah looked sincerely apologetic, realizing what a mess this could make of things for the show.

"Oh, the cameras caught it alright. Every delicious morsel of it." Zondra just grinned from ear to ear, clearly not worried. Sensing Sarah's confusion, Zondra continued. "Don't worry about it. The paparazzi weren't allowed in the venue. They could only film the red carpet. Your boy, John Casey, made sure there were no uninvited cameras in the party. The cameras inside were mine or part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation's personal PR people. We came to an understanding that none of the pictures of you, or the contestants, would be displayed on their website or social media until after the finale of the show has aired. So the only things that will get leaked to the press is what I choose to leak to them," she added with a salacious smile. Sarah chuckled, shaking her head.

"I should have known. But people will still talk. There were a ton of people at the gala. I'm sure some of them will spill what they saw to the press." Zondra just blew out a raspberry, waving her off.

"Let 'em! Diane was planning on it. It'll get people talking about you, asking questions, but there'll be no pictures to prove anything. Then, before they know it, the show will air and all of that publicity will just spur people into watching the show. So we all win!" Zondra bounced her eyebrows at Sarah, seeming rather pleased with herself.

"Now, get your ass in that makeup chair. We've got a show to make!" Sarah just chuckled at her friend, falling into the chair, again, to get ready for filming.

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"Will … Jason … Chuck. Last night, you three had an opportunity to spend an evening with Sarah, to get a small glimpse of what it's like to be part of a red-carpet event, with all of the glitz and glamour. You also saw, firsthand, the amount of work that goes into preparing for such an event and all the media attention it can bring. Jason, what were your thoughts?" Alex asked, gesturing to Jason.

"Well, Alex, I think I fit into that environment quite well. I had some great conversations with the people there. I've treated a few celebrities at my chiropractic clinic, so I didn't find it difficult to talk with them," he boasted, looking rather pleased with himself.

"Celebrities you say?" Alex questioned looking both intrigued and skeptical.

"Well, m-minor celebrities, really," Jason confessed, his neck starting to turn red.

'I see, and what about the children? How did you get along with them?"

"Oh, uh… I don't ... I don't really do… kids. They're … sticky … and most of them were sick, so I didn't… you know… want to catch anything from them. Just in case, you know. You can't be too careful." Alex opened her mouth to respond, then quickly closed it, repeating the process a few more times before she turned to Will.

"Uh, Will. So… how do you feel things went last night?" Will had been staring at Jason, nearly as dumbfounded as Alex. Shaking himself, he turned his attention back to Alex.

"Right. Well, I think it went very well. Everyone was very inviting, and the media weren't as invasive as I had expected. Still, it looked like the event drew a fair amount of press. It was for a good cause, so it's nice that they had the exposure," Will stated, sounding sincere.

"And did you find the children to be… 'sticky'?" Alex asked with a raised eyebrow. Will snorted but quickly composed himself.

"Uh, no. Granted, I only shook hands with a few of them, but they were not … sticky," he admitted, chancing a glance at Jason out of the corner of his eye. "I don't have a lot of experience with children, but those I met probably weren't a representative sample." Alex gave a small chuckle and a snort could be heard from Chuck's direction. Will cracked a small smile but tried to maintain his composure.

"Very well. And lastly, Chuck. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you didn't seem to have any issues with the children at the Gala. Is that fair to say?" Before Chuck could answer, Alex gestured to the large television, which showed a still picture of the kids surrounding and hugging Chuck. It then flipped to one of him hugging Kaliey in her wheelchair and then finally to one of Chuck and Kaliey dancing, a huge smile on the girl's face. Chuck blushed, ducking his head for a moment, but smiled.

"It was so wonderful to see all of them there. I know that it meant a lot to them to be able to see Sarah again and present her with the Wish Hero Award. It was a really great time and I hope they raised a lot of money and awareness for the Make-A-Wish foundation. Those kids are so worth it."

"Indeed, they are. Thank all of you for your participation. At this time, I'd like to bring out Sarah. Sarah, come on out." Alex stepped aside, making way for Sarah, as she walked into the room, waving at everyone, a broad smile on her face. While the smile was somewhat forced, it was not entirely fake.

"Hi Alex. Guys, it's good to see you again. I had a really great time with each of you last night at the Gala. As nice as that was, sadly, one of you will be going home today. It was a difficult choice to make, and it kept me awake most of the night. Each of you are wonderful men and will undoubtedly make some woman very happy someday. But there was one of you that I didn't feel a truly strong connection with. While I enjoyed your company and getting to know you, I'm sad to say that the man that will be going home today is…. Jason." Sarah slumped her shoulders and gave him a sad smile. Inwardly, she wasn't all that broken up about it, but she wanted to at least play it up for the cameras. Given his last remarks about the children, she was ready to kick his ass to the curb herself. For now, she'd tuck that away and take out those frustrations at the gym later.

Jason nodded his understanding, giving her a tight smile as he stepped forward. He took off his lanyard and handed it to her. Once she accepted it, he extended his hand to shake, trying not to let there be any hard feelings. While it would probably have been good enough to just shake his hand, Sarah thought it would go further to give him a quick, platonic hug instead. She figured she owed it to Zondra and Roan for all the trouble she was likely going to be causing for them.

The two hugged briefly, and he waved his goodbye to Sarah. Jason then turned and shook hands with Will and Chuck, who eagerly accepted, wishing him good luck. Once Jason had exited the room, Alex stepped up to stand beside Sarah.

"Will and Chuck, congratulations. You're the final two contestants. With that, we come to our final event of the competition. Sarah will go on a date with each of you. You'll be tasked with planning a date with Sarah, consisting of whatever it is that you'd like. The only stipulations will be that it must be within the area, so there will be no extensive travel. We'll provide you with transportation to and from your date. Additionally, you'll be given an allowance to use on your date as you see fit. To ensure that all is fair, you may not exceed your allowance for the date. Any questions?" Alex allowed a moment to see if either of them had a question before moving on.

"If there are no questions, you'll have the remainder of today and most of tomorrow to plan your dates. Tomorrow night will be the first of the two dates. To determine who'll be the first to go, Sarah here will flip a coin. Will, you'll be heads and Chuck will be tails." Alex handed Sarah a fifty-cent coin from a felt covered tray. One of the camera men moved in to film the event close-up. Sarah flipped the coin into the air, catching it then flipping it over onto the back of her left hand. Sarah waited a beat before removing her right hand to reveal the coin.

"Heads," Sarah declared, looking at Alex and then to Will.

"Heads it is. Will, you'll be the first to take Sarah on a date tomorrow evening. Chuck, your date with Sarah will be on the following night. Once both dates have concluded, on the third day, we'll meet back here, and Sarah will make her final decision." The four people exchanged smiles and nods of understanding.

"Alright guys. I wish you luck on your dates," Alex said, stepping aside.

"I'm really looking forward to spending more time with each of you. Goodbye for now." Sarah waved at both Will and Chuck, but she couldn't help but linger on Chuck for just a bit longer, her smile broadening just a bit more. The cameras stopped filming and Alex and Sarah exited the room.

"Sooo," began Will, looking very uncomfortable.

"Yeah," Chuck replied, sounding just as uncomfortable. "I guess we should get to work on our dream dates." Will nodded, blowing out a breath. The two walked toward the main staircase which led to their bedrooms. When they reached the top, before they separated to walk toward their respective rooms, Chuck stopped, turning to face Will.

"For the record, I'm glad it's you." Will turned to Chuck, tilting his head to the side, furrowing his brow in confusion. "If she chooses you, at least I know it's someone that's kind and will treat her well. She's had so many manipulative, self-centered assholes in her life, she needs someone that will put her first." Chuck opened his mouth, preparing to say something else, but instead closed his mouth and let out a huff through his nose. "Just … promise me you won't take her for granted." Chuck swallowed thickly, averting his gaze for a moment before bringing it back to look the other man in the eye.

Will was staring in disbelief at Chuck. It seemed painfully evident to everyone that Sarah had already made up her mind, but Chuck just couldn't see it apparently. He thought briefly about telling Chuck, but he figured that was a conversation best left between Chuck and Sarah.

"Right. Um… yeah. Of course," Will agreed, nodding his head.

"Well, anyway. Good luck." Chuck extended his hand to Will. The men shook hands and then headed toward their respective rooms. Will paused at his door, watching Chuck disappear into his room, closing the door behind him. Shaking his head in bewilderment, Will walked into this room and closed the door.

A/N2: So, not a lot of action in this chapter, but we get to see where Chuck and Sarah's minds are at, given everything that's happened. So we're down to the final two and it's likely no surprise who those two are. Tune in next time to see how their dates go.

Thanks for reading and taking the time to leave a review. I appreciate all the kind words and support.

Until next chapter,

Joe