A/N: Tropical Storm Bryce has passed and now we're left surveying the damage in his wake. Let's join the clean up efforts already underway.

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck

Chapter 9

Sarah closed the large front door of her villa, leaning back against it and blew out a long breath. She let her head fall back and thud against the heavy wooden door, her eyes closed as she collected her thoughts.

"So… that was fun," Carina chirped. Sarah opened her eyes to see her friend leaning against the entryway to the foyer, a glass of wine in each hand. She extended a glass to Sarah, giving her a sympathetic smile. Despite her eccentricities, Carina really was a good friend.

Pushing off of the door, Sarah accepted the glass, taking a large gulp, then raising the glass and nodding in thanks. "I'm glad that's over. Now… where," she asked, looking around, her brow furrowed, "where's Chuck?"

"In the kitchen," Carina stated, gesturing with her head over her shoulder. "He said he was going to start dinner."

"What? I invited him to eat with us, not cook for us. Sometimes he's such a pain in the..." Not finishing her thought, she walked past Carina and toward the kitchen.

"Chuck! What are you doing?" Sarah scolded as she rounded the corner into the kitchen. Quickly, much like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Chuck hid a large cast iron skillet behind his back.

"Nothing!" he rushed out, his eyes wide, looking very child-like. There were a number of ingredients spread across the counter, offering ample evidence that he had been caught red-handed.

"I didn't ask you over for you to cook," Sarah challenged with pursed lips, putting her free hand on her hip.

Chuck raised a hand in surrender. "No, I know. You were busy though, talking with … whatshisface, so I thought I'd get things started. Besides, it's not often I get to cook for people. Everyone is always bringing me food or inviting me to their homes. It'll be kind of nice to pay that forward, you know?"

Chuck gave her a warm smile and a slight shrug as he placed the skillet on the stove. Sarah felt herself melt just a little more at both the look he was giving her and his desire to do things for others. She suspected he paid far more forward than he ever received. Maybe she had some catching up to do.

"Alright," she conceded, "but only because my feet hurt from shopping all day, and then chasing after you in heels.", She smirked and gave him a wink to let him know she was teasing.

Chuck's cheeks reddened, but he smiled in return. "Well then, you and Carina go kick off your heels, enjoy some wine, and I'll holler when dinner's ready."

Sarah just stared at him, contemplating for a moment as he began to work. Glancing at Carina, her friend returned her gaze and gave her a knowing smile before turning and leaving. Once Carina was out of sight, Sarah closed the distance to Chuck, placing a kiss along his jaw, right next to his ear.

"Thank you," she whispered, enjoying the way his body shivered from her breath against his ear. He stood still, holding his breath until she slowly pulled away, allowing her devilish grin to show. With his eyes closed, Chuck blew out a staccato breath, letting her know just how much she affected him. Sarah found she liked that, a lot, and looked forward to testing how far she could tease Chuck before he became… not so gentlemanly.

"That was really… really mean," Chuck croaked, his eyes fluttering open. Sarah giggled as she made a hasty exit, enjoying this playfulness she felt with him. It was a wholly new experience for her and she found she liked it more than a little.

Kicking off her heels near the back door, Sarah joined Carina on the back patio. The weather was mild and the air fresh, so she took a moment to enjoy a few deep breaths. Before coming to Serenity, she'd grown so used to the world racing around her at a mile a minute. It was nice to finally have a chance to slow down and enjoy something as simple as sitting with a friend on her patio, drinking a glass of wine.

"So," Carina began, breaking the silence. "I'm gathering you did more than just talk with the friendly maintenance man. You guys go over to the vineyard and smash some grapes?" she asked in a salacious tone.

"Oh, God. Seriously? No, we didn't 'smash grapes', or anything else for that matter," Sarah rushed out, forestalling Carina's inevitable quip. "We just… talked." Sarah could hear the tone in her own voice and even she wasn't buying it.

"You're such a liar!" Carina barked out in laughter. "Come on. Spill." She pulled her legs up under her to get more comfortable.

Sarah looked at the wine swirling in her glass, twisting her lips to the side in an attempt to hide her smile."We did talk for a little bit. Then… I kissed him," she whispered, glancing at the house to make sure Chuck wasn't in earshot.

"And…" Carina prompted with a look of anticipation.

"And… he kissed me back," Sarah confessed, allowing the broad grin to spread across her face. She could feel the heat in her cheeks and ears but was helpless to stop it.

"Annnnndd….?" Carina waved her hand impatiently, clearly wanting more dirt.

"That's it!" Sarah threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "What did you expect to happen? It's not like we were gone that long."

"Well, I imagine it's been a while for you. Plus, Chuckles admitted he hasn't had any lady friends in quite some time," Carina added, nodding in the direction of where she'd had her little "test" with Chuck earlier in the day. "Maybe he was finished before anything got started."

"Jesus, really?" Sarah groaned, rolling her eyes at her friend's crude comment. "Nothing happened. Well, I wouldn't say 'nothing', but not what you're insinuating. He was the one to break it off, actually."

"Performance anxiety?" Carina asked with a sympathetic expression, which quickly morphed into a devilish grin.

Sarah just continued without dignifying it with a response. "It wasn't the right place, nor the right time, seeing as I still needed to come back and deal with Bryce." Just speaking his name still left an acrid taste in her mouth..

Bryce had left on more or less good terms. She'd talked with him alone outside briefly, where he'd tried to play the part of concerned friend, questioning her relationship with Chuck. In reality, it was clear he was jealous. Bryce had wasted any opportunity she was ever going to give him. Sarah had made it abundantly clear that her personal life was none of his business. She had also reminded him that, as she'd proven earlier that day, she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. He had eventually resigned himself to his fate, wished her well and left, hopefully for good.

"As much as I hate to say it," Carina said, pausing to take a sip of wine. "I doubt this is the last we hear of Bryce Larkin. And when we do, it'll be too soon."

Sarah snorted, nodding her head in mind began to wonder, playing over the events of the day.

"Hey," Carina said, pulling Sarah from her thoughts."You OK?" Carina gave Sarah a serious look.

"Me? Yeah! I'm good. Really good, actually," Sarah added with a grin. "I got some closure that I didn't realize I needed, and now I think I've got the start of something so much better to look forward to. It may sound corny, but I think there's something about this place."

Carina shrugged, a warm smile on her face. "Maybe." She looked around the yard appraisingly, and spotted Chuck through the kitchen window, singing and bobbing his head as he worked. Carina's smile grew as she considered this unlikely match for her friend. "Or maybe it's the people."

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Chuck stepped out onto the patio, with a dish towel draped over his arm and bowed to them. "Signorinas, la cena è servita," he enunciated in a passable attempt at an Italian accent.

Sarah was amused, but also impressed, giving Chuck a small clap."Wow! Nice. And you said you didn't know any Italian."

"You're just full of surprises, Chuckie," Carina teased as the two women followed him inside. Chuck seemed to blush a bit at Carina's words, or perhaps the way in which she said them. Carina's salacious tone was almost like an accent, coloring every word out of her mouth.

When they entered the dining room, there were three places set, with candles, a bottle of wine, and a basket of bread in the center. He pulled out the chair at the head of the table and gestured for Sarah to sit, flashing her a warm smile. Graciously, she did, thanking him as he helped to scoot her chair in. Likewise, he pulled an adjacent chair out for Carina, helping her scoot in as well, but without the longing glance he'd shared with Sarah. The two women exchanged a knowing smile, causing Sarah to feel the blush creeping up her cheeks from the look Carina was giving her.

Chuck took the seat on the other side of Sarah and began to refill their wine glasses. Sarah looked down at the meal provided, expecting it to be rather simple; like a pasta Bolognese. Much to her surprise, it was a chicken breast in some sort of cream sauce on a bed of fettuccine. It smelled heavenly.

Sarah took a more deliberate sniff. "Wow. This looks and smells amazing. I didn't know you could cook like this. Did someone here teach you?" Sarah asked, feeling in awe of the man she was still getting to know.

Chuck waved off the compliment, as she would expect. "Nah. This is something I picked up living in California. I… Well, going out to eat alone is kind of embarrassing, and I was tired of ordering carry-out or prepared foods from the store, so I found some recipes online and started practicing. This is one of them. It's supposedly Creamy Tuscan Chicken. I don't know if it's something they'd actually make around here or not. The people who made up the recipe probably just called it that because it sounded fancy," he joked. "It's not really that hard. Pan-seared chicken breast, then you make a sauce with heavy cream, sun dried tomatoes and spinach. There's a few other things in there too, but that's about it. Then just put it over pasta and… voila!" He finished with a flourish, chuckling at himself.

The moans from both women as they took bites of the chicken dish caused Chuck to lose control of his fork momentarily. It clattered against his plate and then onto the table before he was able to grip it firmly in both hands. "Oops", he muttered, looking rather flushed. Carina shared an amused look with Sarah, both picking up on what had happened.

Carina took a sip of wine and as she swallowed, she gestured across the table at Chuck. "He can cook, fix things around the house... I wonder what else he's good at?"

"Computers!" Chuck rushed out, his voice cracking slightly. "I'm… I'm pretty good with computers; technology in general really. And if you're ever in need of useless trivia, I'm your guy. The oddest things get trapped up here," he said, tapping the side of his head.

Carina chuckled to herself, shaking her head as she continued to eat. Sarah tried harder to hide her own amusement, but she was sure the smile on her face gave her away. The three ate in silence for several minutes before Chuck cleared his throat as if in warning he was about to speak.

"So, Carina," he said. "How long are you staying? Not that I'm in a hurry for you to leave or anything," he rushed out, looking a bit panicked. "Sarah just said that you were in town on 'business'." He used air quotes as Sarah had when she'd mentioned it to him. Carina glanced at Sarah with a raised eyebrow, clearly questioning exactly what it was Sarah had divulged.

Catching this exchange, Chuck rushed on. "She-she didn't say what kind of business, just that it was business. Which is your business. I-I mean that it's none of my business. God, I'm just going to shut up now." He let out a low groan, looking supremely embarrassed. A moment later, both women burst into laughter, unable to hold back after that stellar bit of rambling.

"Boy, you'd make a helluva spy," Carina teased, still fighting her laughter.

"Hey. Don't tease." Sarah defended him through her own laughter. "He's trying."

"No. It's fine," he said, waving off the comment. "You can laugh. I deserve that much." He chuckled, shaking his head at himself. "I just don't know what's OK to talk about or not talk about. I'm sure there're things that are classified that I'm not allowed to hear, but then there's probably stuff you'd rather just not re-live by talking about it. So… maybe one of you two should kick off the conversations then. That's probably best."

Carina sighed as she got her laughter under control and stared across the table at him. "What do you want to know, Chuck? You want me to dish on what Sarah was like in the past? Share tales of our exploits?" Carina leaned her arms on the table. Her tone was sincere, which took Sarah by surprise, just as much as the topics she was offering to discuss. Sarah wasn't sure which one she should be more worried about. But before Sarah could voice her concerns, Chuck jumped in.

"While those things sound fascinating," he said, gesturing at Carina, "I'd rather Sarah tell me, when or if she chooses to." Sparing a glance toward Sarah, he gave her a tight smile. "I know what it's like when my sister over-shares all kinds of embarrassing stories of my past with her friends — or worse— my prospective dates. It's humiliating, and I wouldn't put Sarah through that."

He gave Carina an adamant look across the table. "What about you, Carina?" He smiled, friendly and curious now. "Is there anything you can tell me about yourself, like where you're originally from? Hobbies? Favorite movie?" he asked, taking a bite of bread. Sarah was speechless as she looked between her two friends. She could never remember having such a "normal" conversation with Carina. For that matter, she could never recall Carina having a conversation with a man that didn't involve seduction or interrogation. Perhaps Carina was right; maybe it was the people here—or, rather, the person.

"What?" Carina gave him an incredulous look, like she couldn't believe he'd had the nerve to ask her those questions. "You want to know my hobbies? Are you for real?" She turned to Sarah. "Is he for real?"

Sarah could only shrug in amusement, stuffing her mouth with food so she had an excuse for not answering.

Carina sat, blinking, staring at the candles in the middle of the table for a long moment, running her tongue along the inside of her bottom lip. Finally, she let out a one-note chuckle, closing her eyes and giving her head a slight shake. "Photography," she confessed, at just above a whisper.

"Really? I didn't know that," Sarah exclaimed, surprised at the revelation from the friend she'd known for years. In Carina's defense, they never really talked about personal things much, so it really shouldn't have been that surprising. It also shouldn't be surprising that she was sharing this with Chuck, or at least because of Chuck. It was a little reassuring that Sarah wasn't the only one he seemed to affect like this. "Chuck Bartowski is ruining perfectly good spies," she mused to herself.

Carina gave a shrug, looking more reserved, more vulnerable, than Sarah had ever seen her. "All the surveillance we do, then being undercover on several photoshoots, I got pretty good with a camera. Years ago, just before CATS," she said, gesturing toward Sarah,"I was in Costa Rica, doing surveillance on a suspected drug and human trafficking ring. You didn't hear that," she stated, pointing at Chuck with a mock glare. Seeming to recognize the half-hearted warning, Chuck covered his ears and started humming loudly, causing Carina to throw a piece of bread at him. They all had a good chuckle before Carina got back to the story.

"Wiseass," she chided playfully. "Anyway, so I was sitting there in hiding for hours, taking pictures of the same crap. People coming, people going, yada, yada. So, I pan around, looking through the viewfinder of the camera and I see this group of Capuchin monkeys. I didn't know that at the time, it was just some monkey to me. So, I'm watching these monkeys, and I come across what I assume is a mother, with her baby lying on her back, just sleeping. It was adorable." Chuck and Sarah both let out "awws" at the thought of the cute scene she was describing.

Carina took a sip of wine before continuing."I take a few photos and then, as if he can sense me looking at him, the baby opens his eyes and stares directly at me. It just looked so… so innocent, so lost in the world, just holding on as best it knew how. For some reason I can't really explain, I felt this connection to that little guy.

"I took his picture, and dozens more of the jungle canopy, the macaws, the toucans, and all the beautiful flowers. Unfortunately, some shit started going down, so I had to get back to my actual work, but when I was back in my hotel, looking over all of the photos I'd taken, I realized how much enjoyment I got out of taking those, admiring them, even if just for a brief moment. Ever since then, everywhere I go, I take pictures. Not always the touristy stuff, the monuments and shit. I look for the scenes, the moments that tell a story. Sure, I just keep the photos for myself, but it makes me feel like… like I'm creating or saving something, you know? Most of my life, my job, is about taking and destroying. Maybe this is my small way of balancing it out."

"Jesus," Chuck breathed out, looking at Carina in awe. "That's… that's... Wow. That's incredible, Carina. I'm getting a little misty over here." He blew out a breath, fanning his face with his hands. Carina's expression turned to a death glare, causing Chuck to rush out an explanation. "I'm serious! I'd never joke about something like that."

The sincerity in his words seemed to convince Carina that he was, indeed, being truthful. Her glare turned to a sheepish grin, an expression that Sarah had never seen on Carina in all the years she'd known her.

"Hey," Chuck continued. "If you've found something you're passionate about, something that uplifts you, don't let anyone take that from you. I don't want to speak for Sarah," he said, gesturing with this thumb toward Sarah,"but I, for one, would be honored to see your work, if you ever decide to share it."

"God, Red," Sarah said. "How did I never know this? I feel like this is something I should've noticed about you. I feel like a really shitty friend if—"

"Hey, now. None of that," Carina interrupted. " You know this has never really been our thing," she said, gesturing between her and Sarah. "We've always kept things compartmentalized, only talking about stuff on the surface. I don't know about your… hobbies, or whatever. But, if you want to share, I'll listen."

Sarah was moved to tears at the fact that after all these years, they were finally at the beginnings of a real, open, and honest friendship. Getting out of her seat, Sarah wrapped Carina in a hug, sniffling all the while.

"OK, now you're just being ridiculous," Carina teased, even though she returned the hug, her eyes glassy. Parting, Sarah returned to her chair, and the two friends chuckled at each other as they wiped tears away. It was then that they heard the sniffling from the other side of the table. Chuck was wiping at his cheek with the back of his hand, trying to blink away his tears.

"Dammit, Chuckles. Don't you start, too," Carina said with a wet chuckle. That seemed to lighten the mood as all three began to laugh. Their tears dried, and their wine glasses refilled, Carina turned the focus of the conversation onto Chuck.

"So, Chuckie, what about your hobbies?" she challenged, taking a large sip of wine.

Chuck blew out a breath, his eyes widening briefly. "Oh gosh. Where do I start? Well, let's see. I'm sure you'll get a good laugh at most of these, but there's… my vintage vinyl collection, comics, action figures…"

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Chuck stepped out of Sarah's villa and into the cool night air. He moved off the front step and turned around to face Sarah, who was following him, as she pulled the door closed behind her.

"I had a great time tonight. Thanks for inviting me," Chuck said, pushing his hands into his pockets and rocking on his heels.

"I had a great time, too," she said, nodding as she stepped closer to him. Wrapping her arms around herself to stave off the chill, she looked at the ground for a moment to try to find the words she wanted to say. For his part, Chuck seemed to sense it and waited patiently.

Sarah took a deep breath to collect herself. "Chuck, today I felt my world drop out from under me in ways I've never experienced before. When I first saw Bryce, and figured out what had happened… I was crushed. Then later, when Bryce said all those things about me—" She paused, steadying herself as all the anxiety of that moment came flooding back to her. Seeing Chuck poised to interject, she held up her hand to forestall him. "Some of what he said was true and, in time, I'll tell you about it, but I can't relive that right now."

Chuck nodded his understanding, giving her a sympathetic smile.

Sarah sighed. "I know that I've tried to distance myself from you, ignore my feelings, all in the guise of trying to 'figure things out' in my life. And then, to further confuse the issue, I let myself get closer to you anyway. I must seem like such a train wreck of a person to you. Regardless, today showed me how stupid I've been."

Lifting her gaze to meet his, she continued, "When I thought I'd lost you—well, when I thought I'd lost my chance with you—I realized that with all the uncertainty in my life right now, you have been the one thing I'm sure about." Sarah gave him a timid smile, hoping that she wasn't wrong about their unspoken agreement before. Chuck stared back with wide eyes, his mouth slightly agape.

She swallowed. "That kiss—that amazing kiss—wasn't just a rash decision in the heat of the moment. I've wanted to do that for a while now, to be honest. What I'm saying is..." She trailed off, feeling more nervous than she ever had before. Sarah opened her mouth to speak, but found she lacked the words.

What did she say? What was she really asking him? To be her friend? They were way beyond that point now, especially after the kissing under their tree. To be her boyfriend, then? That seemed so… juvenile, like asking to go steady in junior high. Did she ask him to be her lover? Although she did want that, badly, saying it like that felt awkward; like something out of a cheesy romance novel.

As she stood there, the gears spinning in her mind, she was surprised when Chuck closed the distance, cupped her cheeks, and covered her mouth with his. She may not have gotten her question out, but this was the answer she needed. Whimpering into the kiss, she slid her hands up his stomach and across his chest, pleasantly surprised by how toned he was beneath his shirt. As the kiss deepened, she slid her arms over his shoulders, meeting behind his neck where she began threading her fingers through his curls. Riccioli. She smiled as she swept her tongue across his lips.

It was Chuck's turn to whimper at the sensation, releasing her cheeks to wrap his arms around her, deliciously caressing and kneading up and down her back. The kissing grew in intensity, the breathing through their noses becoming labored as their hearts raced. Finally, Chuck pulled away, gasping for breath, leaning his forehead against hers.

"I'm… I'm sorry," he breathed out between gasps. "You… you were going… to say something."

Sarah couldn't help but chuckle as she tried to catch her breath as well. "I want to be with you, Chuck. For you to be with me, us, together. I don't… I don't know how else to say that or… or how to ask it." She huffed in frustration, shaking her head slightly.

They were both silent for a long moment, their labored breathing the only sound.

"I could be mistaken," he said, sounding bewildered, "but… I think you just did."

Sarah pulled back, looking into his eyes, her brow furrowed in confusion."No. I was just saying that was what I wanted. I didn't ask you—"

"That's it, Sarah." He let out a small chuckle, his eyes shining. "Just tell me what you want. Tell me what'll make you happy. That's all I want for you, is to be happy. And I want—more than anything in this world—to be the one to make you happy."

"You do!" Sarah exclaimed, pulling her hands down to grip his shirt. "You do," she repeated, just above a whisper as she looked into his eyes. The crooked smile that broke out across Chuck's face grew so broad that his nose, and the corners of his eyes, crinkled adorably.

"I do?" The words barely audible, his emotions overwhelming him.

The sound of it immediately caused Sarah's eyes to well up, forcing her to bite her bottom lip before she nodded her reply. "And I want to be the one to make you happy, too."

"So… together?" he asked, looking at her hopefully.

"Together," she replied, lifting up on her tiptoes to place a soft kiss on his lips. They held that kiss for a very long moment, not escalating, just enjoying the soft simplicity of it. Placing her hands on Chuck's chest, she gently pushed away until they separated. Each licked their slightly swollen lips, tasting the other on them, as they straightened, trying to shake off the longing that had built up between them. Sarah smoothed out the wrinkles in Chuck's shirt, caused by her gripping it so tightly, but she took longer to finish than was strictly necessary.

"It's late. You should get some sleep," Sarah said, giving him a warm smile.

Chuck nodded, though he seemed reluctant. "See you tomorrow?"

"Try and stop me," she joked, her smile growing mischievous. They both chuckled softly then sighed in unison. Smiling, Chuck took her hands in his, giving them a gentle squeeze.

"G'night."

"Night."

Sarah opened her front door and stood in the doorway as she watched Chuck walk away into the night. He turned around, walking backwards, and waved goodbye before turning again and disappearing into the darkness. Sarah blew out a long breath as she closed the door, then rested her head on the cool, hard wood. Closing her eyes, she began to replay the events over in her mind, unti a grin spread across her face.

Giggling softly to herself, she turned around to see Carina sitting at the top of the stairs.

"You guys are gross," Carina teased, smirking at her.

"Shut up," Sarah growled, although there was amusement in it.

"I mean, I guess it's a good kind of gross," Carina amended with a shrug, "if you're into that sort of thing."

Sarah climbed the stairs, meeting her friend at the top.

"He's a good one," Carina offered, her tone sincere.

Sarah nodded with a tight smile. "He is."

"Don't break him, huh?" the redhead teased with a devilish grin. "I don't know where you'd find the parts to fix him."

They both burst into laughter, and Sarah gave Carina a shove in the shoulder as she pushed past to head toward her bedroom.

"Go climb in your coffin before the sun comes up," Sarah teased over her shoulder.

"See, you think that's an insult." Carina smirked as she walked down the hall toward her room. "I'll look this young and beautiful forever. Plus, I do my best work in the dark."

The two burst into laughter as they exchanged a "Good night" before going into their respective rooms.

A/N2: So… together. It's a start. What that means in practice we'll have to wait and see.

Carina is a character that I have always enjoyed, both as a vessel for humor and her untapped potential. We saw some glimpses of it in canon, and it's been brought up throughout the fandom, and I believe that there is far more to Carina that she lets on. She presents a persona, her "spy mask" to the world, putting up her walls in much the same way Sarah does. In this story, even though she's a secondary character, I wanted to show the other side of Carina. Who better to drag that out of her than Chuck, right?

A/N3: I want to thank my beta, michaelfmx, who always does an amazing job of making my drivel look presentable. I don't sing his praise enough. Additionally, I'd like to offer a special thanks to Rachel Smith Cobleigh who has shared her invaluable insights and expertise in helping me to improve my writing. This fandom has a wealth of support and I feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of it.

Lastly, I'd like to thank you, the readers, for your outpouring of support and encouragement. While I write for my own enjoyment, it means all that much more when I know that you share in that enjoyment with me. Thank you for all your kind reviews and PMs. I hope to continue to hear from you.

Be well and stay safe,

JW