AN1 Hey :) I got a bit bogged down when I arrived at the restroom scene, and I almost had this chapter ready to be published, but then my mind closed off from fanfiction until last month.

AN2 Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon didn't release until 2008. But it will be performed in this chapter, despite the story presently being in 2007, because it's one of my favorite songs, and this will very likely be the only live microphone of the story (except maybe on the day of wedding bells, but that's a looooooong way off). So, like Lester last chapter, I'm going to go out in a blaze of glory, and I'm using everything up while I can! LOL

AN3 You should probably turn on the air conditioner because it's about to get HOT in here! Also, this story has very colorful language, because they are enlisted SAS soldiers.

Who Dares Wins

Chapter Sixteen: Rest & Rexlation: Part Three

Thursday, 1 November, 2007

Big Dan entered back inside the pub, and as he did so, he was met with a heroes' welcome, as the entire pub suddenly erupted with a thunderous round of applause, in addition to loud cheers and whistles of approval from every corner of the pub by every customer that was inside the premises.

However, the one person that was displaying the most gratitude towards Big Dan presently was by a country mile, Jim, the friendly landlord, who had his arms outstretched, and he had an enormous grin present on his face as he gazed right at Big Dan with a strong look of adoration as the cheers and the applause towards the soldier lasted for the next minute.

Jim then lowered his hands before he instead proceeded to point in endorsement towards Big Dan. And if at all possible, Jim's grin extended wider, and he began to nod his head up and down in immense approval towards the SAS soldier that had just done him a massive favour!

"For that, mate, the next round of drinks for the entire pub are on the house!" Jim shouted in elation as he outstretched his arms once more in a celebratory and welcoming manner, and his declaration led to a massive eruption of cheers inside the pub once more.

And now that the troublemakers had been kicked out, the warm and friendly spirits and the merriment between the pubgoers quickly returned, and conversations all around the pub soon resumed as the pub became very lively once more.

Big Dan began to walk back over towards his teammates, who were all stood and they were applauding him from numerous locations around the vicinity of their table. Chuck and Cole were closer to the bar because they were the two that had gone for Jeff. While Chris and Jamie were stood close to Red Team's table, and Bryce, Sarah and John Murray were positioned by one of the pub's windows.

"Nice one, mate," Chris said, accompanied with a nod of his head in approval of his team member's actions towards the two lunatics.

"Cheers," Big Dan replied, glancing around his team.

"Who in god's name were those two freaks?" Cole asked, shaking his head in disbelief from everything that had transpired just minutes ago.

"Who the fuck cares?" Big Dan asked back.

"Good point," Chuck said as every member of the team began to nod, and the comrades moved to sit back down at their table to resume the rest of the night in each others company. No two idiots were going to kill the great vibes present between the team tonight, as six of them intended to end the night rotten drunk, and they were well on the way to achieving that state already.

"Did you all see Big Dan launching them out onto the pavement?" Bryce asked, glancing around the team in amazement.

"Mate, the whole pub saw it! The entire pub was either at the windows, or we were at the entrance and looking on!" Jamie Hughes declared, which triggered laughter throughout the team.

Grinning at Big Dan, Bryce said, "You're a legend, mate!"

Big Dan shrugged off the praise of his teammate. "I only did what everyone else was about to do, fella."

The whole team of eight began to nod.

"That slap, though!" Sarah declared in amazement, gazing at Big Dan with a vibrant smile on her face.

Laughter erupted throughout the whole crack special forces unit.

"Fucking hell," Jamie Hughes said in approval with a grin as he began to shake his head. "He'll probably have a red patch for the next week after that one!"

"A week?" John Murray asked, shaking his head. "More like the next year, fella!"

Red Team nodded once more as chuckles continued to emerge throughout the team.

"Fair point, mate," Chuck said with a grin.

The team of eight then moved to pick up their drinks, and with huge smiles and the occasional chuckle still being emitted from the team members, they all moved to take a mouthful of their alcoholic beverages.

With the happy, feel-good mood inside the pub now restored, the team watched on as a customer handed Jim back the microphone that had fallen to the floor during the altercation with Jeffster.

"Right then, let's get on with the rest of the night!" Jim shouted into the mic, which led to an outpouring of cheers inside the pub.

"And the next act had better be better than that load of crap that we just had from those two lunatics!" a customer suddenly shouted as laughter erupted.

"And if they're not, then they'll end up thrown out just like the last lot!" another customer shouted back, which furthered and led to a prolonged outpouring of laughter from most of the happy customers.

Jim then began to walk over towards the microphone stand, and he promptly placed the mic back in its place.

"Right, so as I was about to say before I was rudely interrupted. Niall, if you'd like to take over, if you're still up for it, mate?" Jim asked, glancing over towards his customer.

Niall nodded affirmatively.

Jim grinned, and he began to nod in approval. "Great, then next up, we have Niall, who will be performing Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond!"

The busy pub suddenly erupted with loud cheers and applause because Sweet Caroline was a fan favourite in the United Kingdom.

"I'm looking forward to this!" Cole said in excitement, shifting his gaze between his seven teammates.

"Mate, even if it's a hundredth better than that last shower of shite that we just had, then I will be over the moon!" Jamie Hughes declared as he began to shake his head, and he winced.

Red Team broke out with laughter once more.

"I'll be having nightmares of Mr Roboto tonight!" Chuck joked as he began to shake his head.

"Don't you mean Kilroy, fella?" John Murray chimed in, which caused all of Red Team to snort, and their stomachs started to hurt from how much laughter the team had shared throughout the evening so far.

"Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto!" Big Dan suddenly started to sing as he bopped his head up and down.

"And don't you fucking start!" Red Team shouted at their comrade in unison, and the laughter of Red Team broke out once more, in addition to numerous tables close to the team, and it continued for a short while until Niall took to the microphone, and the laughter finally stopped.

"Sing along if you know the words! And if you don't know the words, then you'll be thrown out just like the last lot of lunatics!" Niall joked into the mic.

The entire pub erupted with thunderous laughter once more, and the introduction to the song then began to play, and Niall quickly began to sing the song that ninety-nine percent of the people inside the pub knew the words to.

Where it began

I can't begin to knowin'

But then I know it's growin' strong

"This is already a billion times better than Jeffster!" Chris declared to his teammates.

"Amen!" Red Team said in unison before they began to pay attention towards Niall once more.

Was in the spring

And spring became the summer

Who'd have believed you'd come along

"Let me hear you!" Niall shouted as he glanced around the lively pub.

Hands, touchin' hands

Reachin' out, touchin' me, touchin' you!

Sweet Caroline

"OH! OH! OH!" the entire pub belted out in unison, and Niall continued on with the song.

Good times never seemed so good

"SO GOOD! SO GOOD! SO GOOD!" the pub belted out once more.

I've been inclined

"OH! OH! OH!" the entire pub shouted together.

To believe they never would

But now I…

Red Team paused from giving Niall their attention as most of the team moved to take a drink of their poisons, and they shared a warm gaze with each other before they gave their full attention back to the live performance once more.

...look at the night

And it don't seem so lonely

We fill it up with only two

And when I hurt

Hurtin' runs off my shoulders

How can I hurt when holdin' you?

"I can't hear you!" Niall shouted, and his intervention had the desired effect as the decibels inside the pub suddenly increased ten-fold.

Warm, touchin' warm

Reachin' out, touchin' me, touchin' you!

Sweet Caroline

"OH! OH! OH!" the pub shouted.

Good times never seemed so good

"SO GOOD! SO GOOD! SO GOOD!" the pub belted in unison.

I've been inclined

"OH, OH, OH!" the pub bellowed.

To believe they never would

Oh, no, no

"Last parts now! Let me hear you!" Niall demanded.

Sweet Caroline

"OH, OH, OH!" the pub shouted.

Good times never seemed so good

"SO GOOD! SO GOOD! SO GOOD!" the pub sang.

Sweet Caroline

"OH! OH! OH!" the pub finished.

I believed they never could

Sweet Caroline

Good times never seemed so good...

The crowd favourite song came to an end. And the pub was about to erupt with applause when Niall appeared back on the microphone, "And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto!" he shouted.

Niall was met with an immense outpouring of laughter for a long moment before the entire pub began to applaud Niall as he departed away from the microphone stand to return to his table.

Jim returned to the microphone with a massive smile on his face. "That was just what we needed after Jeffster! We are now out of volunteers. So is there anyone else who would like to volunteer themselves to take to the stand?" he asked, glancing around his customers in search of a willing volunteer.

"How about you, Sarah?!" Big Dan suddenly suggested in a tone loud enough for most of the pub to hear his suggestion, and the entire pub quickly glanced over at Red Team's table and subsequently at Sarah, as the pub began to wait to receive an answer from her.

Sarah, meanwhile, shot Big Dan a glare in horror, and she turned nervous as she began to shake her head, and she strongly protested, "No, not me."

"Go on, lass, you've already consumed enough alcohol to give you the courage to do it," Cole encouraged.

Sarah furthered her head shaking in her continued attempt to get out of the terrible suggestion.

"Sarah, consider it your initiation to the team. We've all had to do it at some point," John Murray further encouraged.

Sarah continued to shake her head, and she quickly became uncomfortable and didn't know where to look because the entire pub was now glancing at her. "I don't want to do it," she said as the team began to laugh, to her misfortune.

"I don't know what you're laughing at, Bryce! You'll be needing an initiation yourself, mate," Chuck said, and Bryce soon stopped laughing, which only furthered Red Team's laughter.

"Nice one, mate," Big Dan said, glancing at Chuck with approval, and most of Red Team began to nod.

Sensing that Sarah was feeling significantly distressed and embarrassed from the pressure to volunteer herself to sing, Chuck decided to speak up, "I tell you what, to save her poor blushes, I'll volunteer to do it for her instead!"

Sarah raised her gaze up from its lowered state to glance at Chuck, and he smiled at her, and she involuntarily moved to raise her shoulder stemmed from his act of kindness and friendship towards her, and she matched his grin, but she also raised it, as she gave him an adoring smile of gratitude.

Chuck's acceptance to sing quickly led to another outpouring of cheers inside the lively pub, as most of them had already heard him before, and even if they hadn't, they still would have cheered him anyway because everyone was having a great time.

Chuck moved to collect his drink before he rose to stand, and he gazed at Sarah a final time with a grin, and she held her smile towards him before he turned his back on his team, and he headed over to the bar of the pub with his drink. On arrival at the bar, he took a gulp from his glass, and he placed it down on the bar near to where Emily, the talented singer, was stood. He then began to walk over to where the microphone stand was placed, and as he did so, a customer shouted, "It's the alien!", which caused an immediate outburst of laughter once more, including from Chuck, who had now arrived at his final destination.

Taking the microphone stand into his hand, Chuck shouted, "You're wondering who I am!" into the mic.

The pub erupted with immense laughter while numerous customers also began to shout, "Secret, secret, I got a secret!", in addition to, "Not again!", from some customers, which only furthered the laughter and the welcoming spirit inside the pub.

Continuing the joke, Chuck then shouted, "Machine or mannequin!", as the laughter inside the pub transcended into howling laughter for a long moment as the pub continued to share the merriment with each other.

Chuck began to shake his head as his mind ran off with thoughts concerning the two lunatics that had just been thrown out of the pub by one of his best friends. "What a bunch of weirdos they were," he declared into the microphone.

His declaration was met with further laughter and a strong voicing of agreement.

He shook his head a final time and then said, "Moving on, 'cause I'll now be having nightmares for the rest of my life from what we witnessed in this very spot just earlier, it's time for some real music!"

"It had better not be Bob the Builder!" Chris shouted, and the pub erupted with laughter.

"Thanks for the idea, mate!" Chuck joked into the mic, which furthered the laughter.

Chuck then took a moment to decide what he would sing before he declared, "I'll be singing Sex on Fire, by Kings of Leon."

"You dirty bastard!" Big Dan shouted at him, and Chuck glanced over at one of his best friends, and they shared a warm gaze as the entire pub erupted with laughter once more.

After a brief moment, Chuck shook his head in an attempt to help him subside his laughter from his friend's joke towards him, and he turned to look at Jim. "Jim, set it up, mate," he said.

Jim nodded, and he proceeded to set things up, while Chuck waited until Jim gave him the thumbs up, and he then began to compose himself for his act to begin.

Glancing around the pub, Chuck said into the mic, "Sing along if you know the words! I think we're all past the point of being embarrassed due to how much alcohol we've had, so don't be shy!"

The introduction to the song then began to play, and after a short pause, Chuck began to sing.

Lay where you're laying

But don't make a sound

I know they're watching

They're watching

While back at Red Team's table, there was presently a very surprised teammate of Chuck's seated around the table watching the performance as Sarah blinked in surprise, and she gave her head a mini shake to restart her brain from the discovery that the teammate that had just saved her blushes could actually sing. She suddenly became very alert as she focused on her teammate's performance of his chosen song.

All the commotion

The kiddie like play

It has people talking

Talking

Chuck glanced around the pub before beginning the chorus.

YEEEEOU!

Your sex is on fire

Sarah's mouth was now held agape over how good of a singer her teammate actually was. Sarah wasn't a lover of music, per se, but you didn't need to be a musical expert to understand that Chuck knew how to sing, and that was an understatement of the highest order. He really knew how to sing.

"I bet you didn't expect that, did you?"

Sarah broke her gaze from Chuck for a brief moment to glance at Cole, the interrupter of Chuck's performance, and he was smirking at her.

Shaking her head, she laughed as she said, "No," before she locked her gaze back in place on Chuck once more, who was one hundred percent focused on performing the song to his audience.

The dark of the alley

The breaking of day

Head while I'm driving

I'm driving

Sarah had now developed goosebumps, and she felt a chill travelling down her spine as she wholly continued to absorb her teammate singing to the large gathering inside the pub.

Soft lips are open

Them knuckles are pale

Feels like you're dying

You're dyin'

Glancing around the pub, Chuck shouted into the mic, "I can't hear you!"before he continued on with the song, and he was now joined in song by Cole, John Murray, Jamie, Big Dan, Chris, and a significant portion of the pub.

YEEEEOU!

Your sex is on fire

CONSUMED!

With what's to transpire

"That's better, I suppose... Though the quiet ones had better make some noise during the next chorus!" Chuck demanded as he continued on with the song.

Hot as a fever

Rattle of bones

I could just taste

Taste it

If it's not forever

If it's just tonight

Oh, we're still the greatest

The greatest, greatest

"Here it comes!" Chuck stated.

YEEEEOU!

Your sex is on fire

"Come on!" Chuck encouraged the lively gathering of pubgoers.

YEEEEOU!

Your sex on fire, ahh

"I still can't hear you!" Chuck shouted as he moved to detach the mic from the stand.

CONSUMED!

With what's to transpire

"Last part now. And I'm not gonna be happy if I don't see everyone singing!" Chuck declared.

And YEEEEOU!

Your sex is on fire

CONSUMED!

With what's to transpire

The song came to an end, and Sarah, along with the rest of the pub, all moved to stand, as the pub suddenly erupted with a combination of applause, cheers, and whistles from many of the women present in the pub, in addition to from most of Chuck's teammates.

"Thank you!" Chuck shouted into the mic before he extended out his hand that was holding the mic, and he proceeded to drop it onto the floor of the pub, causing laughter from the entire gathering. The applause continued for some time as Chuck walked over to the bar to collect his drink.

"Wow, he's great," Sarah declared in awe as she held her gaze towards her teammate, who was now stood at the bar.

"The bastard is a man of many talents! I'm jealous," John Murray declared while shaking his head with a grin.

"Does he always do this?" Sarah asked, finally breaking her gaze from looking at Chuck, and she glanced at the rest of her teammates.

"He's not afraid of taking the microphone. He has the talent to be a musician if he wanted it," Cole stated, and Red Team all began to nod.

"I'm sure," she replied in agreement, as her glance shifted back onto Chuck once more.

O-x-O-x-O-x-O

"You have a great voice."

Chuck moved to put his pint of beer back down on the bar counter, and he glanced to the right of him to query the sudden declaration made towards him, and his gaze connected onto Emily, the talented singer, and she was smiling at him.

Grinning, he said, "Thanks. And the same applies to you. Great song choice also, by the way. I love The Killers."

She held her smile. "Thank you. So have you seen Kings of Leon live?"

He shook his head, and his lips creased in sadness. "No, but I want to. It's on my bucket list for sure. They've my favourite band. How about you?"

Emily nodded affirmatively. "Yeah, I went to watch them in Birmingham with a few of my friends. It was one of the best nights of my life," she stated with a loving smile.

Chuck returned her warm smile. "Oh, I can imagine! I'm so jealous right now," he said in envy.

"Jealousy is a sin," she teased.

Chuck nodded as he began to chuckle, and unable to resist his curiosity, he asked, "You're also from Cheshire, aren't you?"

Holding her smile, Emily nodded. "Yeah. I'm from Ellesmere Port. And how about you?" she asked.

"I'm from Warrington," he said, holding his grin. "Whatcha doin' down here?"

"Work, like yourself," she stated.

Smirking, he asked, "Who says I'm here for work?"

Emily started to roll her eyes, and she shook her head. "It's not hard to detect the soldiers around here."

Keeping a straight face, he asked, "And why is that?"

"Because, along with your friends over there," she paused, to nod towards Red Team. "you're probably the most confident guys in the pub."

"Actually, I'm quite a nervous person on the inside," he protested, holding his grin.

"I strongly doubt that," she declared, holding her smile.

He laughed. "It's actually true. I'm rather sensitive. Also, I could be a rugby player. They're confident guys," he suggested with a wry smirk.

"And are you a rugby player?" she asked.

He shook his head as he held his grin towards the friendly and attractive singer.

"I didn't think so," she said.

"Guilty as charged," he declared as he then proceeded to finish his beer.

"So, what's it like being in that Regiment of yours?" Emily asked, holding her gaze towards.

"Who says I am in this Regiment that you speak of?" Chuck replied.

Emily rolled her eyes once more. "Well, I don't know your name, but,"

Chuck interrupted, "It's Chuck."

She nodded. "Ok, Chuck, well, as I have already said, there's a confident aura about you that just screams 'I'm a SAS soldier', and I don't particularly care what you are, because I'm not a journalist, nor am I interested in a story. I'm just making some friendly conversation. But if you don't want to do that, then that's also fine."

He nodded. "Fair enough. Then in answer to your question, it's demanding. Very demanding," he admitted.

Emily nodded. "I can imagine."

The two talented singers were then alerted to Jim returning to the microphone, and he moved to pick it up from where Chuck had dropped it at the end of his performance a minute or two ago.

"Well, that's the end of karaoke night. I'll be returning behind the bar promptly, and you have half an hour to collect your free drink on the house before normal service is resumed," Jim said into the mic.

Glancing around the pub briefly, Chuck then turned his attention back to Emily once more, and he said, "It looks like the bar is about to get very busy."

Emily nodded, and her face lit up with a smile. "Yeah. And as we were here first, we'll be served first. So here comes the part where I'll offer to share the free drink with you, and then I'll invite you to buy me a drink after it. Though I'll be honest, the confident and relaxed vibe that you have going on is highly appealing to me, and I will even offer to buy you the drink instead if that's what it takes to remain in your company."

Holding his gaze towards the talented singer, he began to shake his head as he began to smile remorsefully at the attractive female. "I'm sorry," he said, but he paused as his glance shifted over towards Sarah. "I already have my eye on someone."

And after a short moment, Chuck broke his glance away from Sarah, and he began to look at Emily once more, and she smiled in acceptance.

"The best guys always are taken, but at least I tried. God loves a trier," she declared.

"Heh," Chuck said in a lighthearted chuckle. "Though I don't really believe in him, so I'll have to take your word for it."

Emily suppressed a laugh as the talented singers continued to share a warm gaze. "So, which one of your teammates is the next best, then?"

Grinning, Chuck said, "Jamie. He's a great guy to be around. You can be yourself around him, and he knows how to give everyone a good time. I can introduce you to him if you'd like?"

Emily took a brief moment before she nodded, and Chuck held his grin towards her as they waited to be served their free drinks.

O-x-O-x-O-x-O

Jim was now back behind the bar, and he had served most of his customers their free drinks. Sensing it was the opportune moment to have a word with him in private, Big Dan began to approach the bar. Arriving a short moment later, he called out, "Jimbo, can I have a word, mate?"

Jim met Big Dan's glance. "Sure, mate, what can I do for you?" he asked.

Big Dan nodded over to the part of the counter where you could enter and exit the bar, and the two men walked over towards it. Arriving at the location, they leaned in close to each other, and Big Dan said, "Now that I've dealt with your pest problem, how about a favour, fella?"

Jim narrowed his eyebrows as he queried the question. "What's in it for me?" he asked.

Big Dan shook his head at the Barman's attempt at looking out for himself. "Well, I did just throw out the Indian lesbian and Sam Kinison for you. Plus we are your best customers. You wouldn't want us going elsewhere now, fella, would you?" Big Dan threatened.

Jim took a moment to register the soldier's words. "You drive a hard bargain, but I'm in. What do you need?"

Big Dan leaned in close as he began to whisper to Jim what he needed. After a few seconds, Jim started to nod in acceptance, and the two men backed away slightly. Jim was about to turn away, but he stopped once Big Dan began speaking again, "Oh, another thing, Jimbo. Don't tell anyone about this one, ok, fella?"

Jim nodded before turning away and moving to another part of the bar, and Big Dan returned to the table allocated to Red Team, where Cole, Jamie and Emily were seated. Cole and Jamie then moved to stand, and they walked up to Dan, who was slightly out of earshot of Emily.

"Did he go for it?" Jamie asked as the three teammates bunched in close together.

"Yeah, fella. We're on," Big Dan said.

Cole and Jamie began to grin and chuckle approvingly.

"Remember, no one says anything or gives the game up to Chuck or Sarah at any point," Big Dan said.

Cole and Jamie nodded. "Best not to let Bryce in on it either. The pillock will only go and ruin everything out of jealousy," Cole added in.

Big Dan and Jamie both nodded. "You're right, mate," Jamie said.

"If you can catch Chris and John on their own, then let them in on it. But keep it away from the other three at all costs," Big Dan stressed.

Jamie and Cole nodded as the three teammates then moved to sit back down at their table.

O-x-O-x-O-x-O

Chuck exited from out of the gent's restroom, and as he did so, his gaze came into contact with the back of Sarah. She must have departed from the ladies restroom herself just moments ago.

Smiling as he gazed at the back of his teammate, he said, "Hey."

Sarah paused from walking, and she turned to face him. "Hi," she said.

Chuck closed the short distance between them both.

"Thanks for saving me earlier," she said as she began to gaze at anything except his eyes as if something was troubling her.

Noting her distance stare towards him but continuing on without confronting it, for the time being, he grinned at her as he said, "You're welcome. So, what did you think of my performance? Give it to me straight."

Sarah paused for a moment, and she continued to find it impossible to look into his eyes. "It was, um, it was good," she said.

Holding his grin, he said, "Thank you."

Sarah finally raised her gaze, and looking into his eyes, she said, "Emily seems nice."

Chuck nodded, and continuing his warm gaze towards her, he admitted, "Yeah, she's lovely. She's a lovely girl."

Sarah blinked briefly, and she gave him a forced smile before she immediately broke her gaze from him, and Sarah started to turn away from him, and she started to walk towards the exit to return to the main area of the pub.

Now realizing what Sarah's distant stare was all about—she was jealous—Chuck took a gulp of air and a leap of faith, and gazing at the back of Sarah, he said, "But she's not the girl I want."

Sarah immediately paused from walking, and she slowly began to turn around to face him once more.

Grinning at her, as she now began to stare into his eyes, Chuck said, "I set her up with Jamie. She's a really nice girl, but I'm actually looking right now at the only girl that I want, Sarah."

Sarah paused in silence as she processed his words, and the teammates continued to stare at each other for a long moment until Sarah began to move towards him and he stood his ground as they held their stare, and she quickly entered into his proximity. Sarah paused briefly, with their faces now inches apart as her glance shifted between his eyes, and down to his lips, and back up to his eyes, and without blinking or processing any kind of second thought, he stood, waiting, to allow her to decide if she wanted it or not. And after the briefest of pauses, Sarah closed her eyes, and she closed the remaining distance between them, and she connected her lips together with his own. Chuck quickly closed his own eyes, and he moved to take hold of either side of Sarah's waist.

After a few seconds of their first real kiss, Sarah opened her eyes for a brief moment to gaze longingly at him. Before she quickly closed them once more, and the two teammates got lost in the touch of each other as they kissed each other willingly and without any purpose—other than a desire to express feelings of intimacy towards each other—for the first time.

Their kiss lasted until they began to run out of air, and they parted back from each other slightly, and they began to stare at each other. And the kiss that they had shared was as sensual as it was soft. It was an exchange shared between two people that were intensely attracted to each other, which brought extreme complications with it, as they were teammates in the most dangerous job imaginable, not that either of the two was able to process or register those complications at that exact moment.

"You know, if you do something more than once, it's no longer a mistake," Chuck said, staring into her eyes.

"Well, I never considered the first one to be a mistake," Sarah declared, holding his stare without blinking.

"Nor did I," Chuck said before he moved back into Sarah, and he took hold of her once more. Their breathing quickly deepened, and they moved to kiss again as Sarah ran a hand up his shirt, and she began to moan into his mouth. This kiss soon deepened as the two teammates began to acquaint themselves to each other with their tongues, and it continued until they parted for air.

Taking a moment to regain his breath first, Chuck teased, "You know, with us bumping into each other out here, I'm beginning to think you're stalking me."

With her own breath caught and with lumps formed in her throat from their intimate activity, Sarah smiled as she said, "It's you that's stalking me, buster," and she moved a finger to poke at his chest.

"Wanna bet?" he said cheekily, as a wide grin took shape.

She nodded. "Uh-huh, yes I do."

Holding his affectionate glance, he teased, "You want to be careful, Sarah. You're turning into a gambler as well as an alcoholic."

"I wonder whose fault that is?" she mused.

"Yeah, good question. I'd like to know who the culprit is, so I can thank him."

Sarah laughed. "I find you totally unbearable, you know that, right?" she said with a massive smile of happiness.

He nodded. "How peculiar because I feel the same way about you."

Sarah giggled sweetly. "So… Do you plan to stay single for long?"

Staring into her eyes, he shook his head. "No, not long."

She smirked.

"What about you?" he asked.

Not breaking her intimate stare into his eyes for a single moment, she began to bite her lower lip before she declared, "I was waiting for him to become single."

Chuck swallowed air as lumps began to form in his throat. "You shouldn't have waited for him to become single. You could have had anyone you wanted instead of him," he declared with a loving smile.

Still gazing intimately into his eyes, she declared, "I didn't want anyone else. I want him."

His loving smile developed into a titanic one and he said, "Then he's the luckiest guy on the planet."

She matched his smile with one of her own. "Yeah, he is."

They paused in silence for a short moment as they continued their unyielding stare, and their breathing patterns began to deepen as Sarah's breath caught, and she struggled for air due to the intense moment she had just shared with him.

"We should probably get back before they think we're up to something," he said to her eventually.

Sarah laughed and nodded. "Yeah, they probably already think it."

Chuck nodded as they gazed at each other a final time before they reluctantly headed out into the main area of the busy pub to return to the company of the rest of the happy pubgoers.

End of Chapter

AN4 I hope you enjoyed the chapter :) All expressed feedback, whether positive or constructive is welcome and appreciated!

AN5 This wasn't the original ending place for this chapter, but I've decided to give this story a chance as a T rated fiction once more because of my break. This chapter, along with the next chapter (which will pick up exactly where this one left off, and if you thought the ending of this chapter was steamy, then you've seen nothing yet because the temperature is about to rise by a million degrees. The night is far from over yet!), will allow me to publish two additional chapters of Who Dares Wins as a teen rated story. This will allow me to see how much interest is expressed in this chapter and the next. Depending on the level of engagement after Chapter 17, then I will either change the rating to mature, and Chapter 18 will be the first mature-rated chapter of this fiction, or I will keep the story as a teen rated fiction, and I will find a way to pick up the events of the story the night after a mature standalone that will be typed to compliment the story.

In conclusion: I will be monitoring how much expressed feedback that this chapter and the next chapter receives before making my final decision as to whether to keep the story teen rated (with the occasional standalone mature-rated accompanying piece), or to change the rating of the story to M rated and include everything in one place.

AN6 I drew inspiration to have Chuck as a talented singer from Zachary Levi himself, who is very talented! I loved Terrified.

AN7 Next Chapter: Charah's night together continues on, and we find out just what Red Team were scheming concerning Chuck and Sarah.