A/N: The finale of our little tale

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

"I don't know what to do," Chuck admitted out loud.

He was lying in bed, assuming Sarah was asleep, and running through his mind the scenarios to get them to Manoosh. How to get the invite, and actually get inside, he knew. He had that part taken care of. The rest… that, he had no idea. He felt eyes on him, and realized Sarah wasn't asleep like he'd thought. "Sorry."

"Listen… when you figure out what to do, give a girl a heads up. 'Cause I might die, if that's you not knowing what to do," Sarah told him. It was dark in the room, but she could see his blush. "Remember, you wouldn't let me break up with you, so you're gonna get me how I am."

"Promise?" he asked softly. He heard her breath hitch, and then he felt her lips capture his.

And he did in fact, get her how she was.

}o{

"Figured it out yet?" she asked him later, as he lay there taking deep breaths

"No," Chuck replied. "And I'm not talking about…" he motioned his hand between them, "this!"

Sarah couldn't help but giggle.

"I'm talking about how to complete this mission," he continued. "All I wanted to do was help you, and I've done what I can. But I'm beginning to realize, I'm going to have to be there, because none of you can be Piranha."

"By the way, how are you here?" she asked. How is the Buy More surviving?"

"Well, I've been thinking since you left, about how you kept encouraging me when I talked about leaving the Buy More," Chuck began.

She sat up, making sure to hold the covers over her. This was an important conversation, and she didn't need Chuck getting distracted – then her getting distracted with his distractedness – then both getting… well… distracted. "Wait, you quit?"

"No, I'm taking the vacation time I have saved up," Chuck said. She said nothing, waiting on him to tell her how much. "It appears I have a few months' worth."

"Chuck, whatever you decide to do, I'm here for you," she told him. "Well, not physically, because of my job, but…you know what I mean."

"Man, I'd love to travel," Chuck told her. "And I know, you say you don't get to see the sights, but if somehow we could travel together, there might be times where we could."

"Oh, we would," Sarah told him. "We would." She was silent for a moment. "Okay, what's bothering you about this mission?"

"I think snatching him inside of that mansion of his is going to be just about impossible," Chuck admitted. "If there was a way to get him outside, it would be easy."

"No, that's a bad idea. If you get him out, and he gets taken in, people will know you were involved," Sarah explained.

"Not if I was arrested with him," Chuck said with a shrug. Sarah turned toward him, a strange look on her face. "What?"

"That's… that's not a bad idea," she admitted.

}o{

Sarah stood there, staring at him. He was wearing black dress pants, a black button up, and a white jacket. "You're drooling, Sarah," Zondra said as softly as possible.

"Walker, keep it in your pants," Casey growled. "So, you approve, I take it."

"I do not," Chuck said.

"No one asked you, string-bean," Casey told him. Turning back to Sarah, he continued. "Do you think you can manage not to drool on him during the night?"

"Not a chance," Carina muttered

"What's wrong with what you're wearing?" Sarah asked. "It's very stylish, and you look very nice. Very. Nice."

"If she says very nice one more time," Carina began, but stopped when Zondra cut her off with a dirty look.

"I admit, I am dressed very… nice," Chuck agreed. "But… that's not what Piranha, or others like him, would wear." Chuck looked around at the other four. "We… we have our own style."

"Nerd chic?" Carina asked with a smirk on her face. Sarah glared at her. "Jeez, can you calm down? We get it, you like…" she looked at Chuck and thrust her hand in his direction palm up, "that."

"So, what should you be wearing?" Zondra asked.

"Maybe it would be better to show you," Chuck said as he shrugged.

}o{

"So, you don't think Manoosh would be dressed like that?" Sarah asked through the door. Chuck was in the bathroom changing, as the other four waited for him.

"No, he would, because he's flashy, wants others to see him," Chuck explained.

"Wants to be more than he is?" Zondra asked.

"Yeah, he's not ashamed of what he is, I don't think," Chuck said. "But he wants to be recognized as more, and… well… he's not. Yeah, he's rich and whatnot, but this ain't a Michael Ruben 'white party'. First of all, we're not that famous, or as pretty, as those attendees are."

"Beyonce killed at that party," Carina said nodding, lost in thought about the singer in that dress.

The door to the bathroom opened, and Chuck stepped out. Gone were the dress pants, dress shoes, and dress shirt. In their place were a pair of black jeans, white Chuck Taylor's, a black tee shirt with a union jack flag with a motorcycle on it, and the white jacket.

"I don't know," Casey began.

"It works," Sarah said, her eyes locked on him.

"Christ, this might be worse than him dressed up," Casey grumbled.

"Why?" Zondra asked, legitimately confused.

"That's basically his normal clothes, and she's over here entranced by it," Casey said, gesturing at Chuck. Sarah walked over to Chuck and slowly walked around him. As she did, she brushed something off his shoulder.

"Was that invisible dandruff?" Carina asked Zondra.

"Nah, lint. Her boytoy don't have dandruff," Zondra replied. "Have you realized the bigger problem yet?"

"When this mission is over, and those two have to split up again?" Carina asked.

"Mmmhmm," Zondra hummed.

"That might solve itself," Carina told Zondra.

"Okay," Sarah said, having completed her circumnavigation of Chuck. "Now, do you think you can pull it off?"

Chuck scoffed. "Please, it's me," he told her. "I'll have him so mad he'll lose his mind, in addition to his cool."

"So, we are not going to pick him up at the party, right?" Casey asked. Sarah nodded. "Okay, then I'm not going, I'll stay in the van."

"Good, now you don't have to convince him to stay in the van," Zondra said to Carina.

"His loss," Carina said with a shrug.

}o{

"So, my name's… Quorra?" Sarah asked. "And you're Sam Flynn?"

"Yep," Chuck said, proud of the names.

"What about Carina and Zondra?" Sarah asked. Chuck's grin fell.

"Call 'em Fire and Ice," Casey said. "I know, I know, Sarah was the Ice Queen, but Zondra's stare can freeze molten lava."

"He's not wrong," Carina agreed. "What's the significance of the names for you and blondie?"

"They're from Tron: Legacy," Chuck told her. "I couldn't be Kevin Flynn, cause that's the OhGee, and if anyone that would be my dad. So, it makes sense I'm Sam. Quorra helps Sam in the world of Tron."

"The geeks will probably love that," Casey said, rolling his eyes.

"Nerds," Sarah corrected, without looking at him.

The women were dressed in killer dresses. A question arose if Piranha would ever bring three women to an event, but Carina reminded him that Piranha's girlfriend would have hot friends. And what nerd would really turn them down?

"Hell, some of them will get off on Zondra glaring at them," Carina had told them. Chuck had started to argue, but Zondra had shaken her head at him.

"No, seriously, she's right," Zondra said with a look of disgust on her face.

}o{

"Okay, here I go," Carina said to Zondra. Carina walked up to a group of partygoers, who were sipping their drinks. "Have you heard?" Carina asked. Everyone turned to look at her, no idea what she was talking about. "He's here."

"Who's here?" one of the guys asked, his voice wavering, staring at Carina.

Carina looked around, and then leaned in. "They are saying Piranha is here."

"No."

"Not possible."

"He doesn't come to things like this."

"Wait, The Piranha?"

Carina smiled, slipping away as the group started talking amongst themselves. She walked back over to her group as Chuck looked around, waiting to see how long it took.

"There goes someone now," Sarah said softly, watching one of the people in the original group separate to talk to someone in another group. "Should take about fifteen minutes." She moved to cover Chuck's hands, as he began to work on his phone. "You sure you can do this?"

"Please," Chuck said.

"But can you do it and not get caught?" Carina asked. Chuck shot her a look. "Why do I think I just sort of insulted you, by asking you that?"

"Do you think you can get someone in here to spend $1,000 on you tonight?" Carina scoffed at that. "Then we understand each other."

"You're that good?"

"He's better," Sarah said, making the other three's eyebrows simultaneously rise. "What? He is."

"Dare I say you're good for my ego?" Chuck muttered. "We ready?"

"Yeah, do it," Zondra said. Chuck pushed a button, then subtlety put the phone back into his pocket. All at once, everyone's phone went off, and the Super Mario Bros theme music began to play. On the phone screen, Piranha Plants from the game appeared. After a few seconds the music ended, and a picture of a Piranha was shown. Then everyone's phone went back to normal.

The room was abuzz.

"Manoosh has lost control of his party," Sarah said, a grin on her face. She turned to Chuck. "You did it."

"He let us all onto his Wi-Fi, thinking it was strong enough not to be hacked," Chuck said with a shrug.

"Look," Zondra said, tapping Sarah on the shoulder and subtlety motioning across the room. They saw Manoosh, obviously upset. "Someone stole his thunder."

"It's like he's been… Thunderstruck," Chuck said, grinning. He reached into his pocket, pushed a button on his phone, and the generic background music on the overhead speakers stopped playing. A guitar rift began.

"What are you doing?" Sarah asked, her eyes going wide as she watched Manoosh start to lose it.

"Just enjoy it," Chuck said. He grinned, as the vocals began to play through the speakers: Ah ahah ahah ah ah Thunder. Manoosh appeared furious over what was happening. Everyone else was laughing, enjoying it.

"You may have pushed him too far," Zondra said.

"Nah, not far enough," Chuck said. "That little shady fucker tried to pull a job earlier this year – badly – and when it went south, tried pin it on me." Everyone in the group looked at him. "What? I have standards, and pride in my work."

"This is you being petty?" Carina asked.

"No," Chuck said. "Well, it didn't start out that way, but… well… when I realized I could embarrass him after what he'd done to me…"

"I thought you were out of that life?" Sarah asked.

"I am," Chuck insisted. "But… he stole shit, nearly got caught, and tried to make it look like I did it. Luckily, he did such a piss-poor job no one thought I did it."

"Wait a minute," Sarah said. "Should you be here?"

Chuck didn't answer, gulping as six eyes bore into him. "I mean, if I was by myself, I don't think I would be, but seeing how I have three of the best ever with me… and frankly, he'll never know who I am unless I want him too…" Chuck trailed off.

"We're going to talk when we get back to the hotel," Sarah said.

"Are you into getting spanked?" Carina asked. Chuck closed his eyes. "Because she is gonna wear your ass out."

"Okay, in for a penny, in for a pound," Sarah said. "What's next?"

"You sure?" Chuck asked. Sarah nodded, and Chuck grinned. He pushed a button, and the music faded away.

"Everyone!" came Manoosh's voice. He was wearing a bendable boom microphone.

"I hate those things," Chuck said. "I get it, they're all the rage with presenters, but nothing says I'm a jerk more than one of those."

Sarah tried not to snort, failing miserably.

"So, I've heard the rumor, and we've all witnessed what you just did," Manoosh said with a fake smile. "However, you need to know that I have upped my security."

"He's got some pyro up there, just so you know," Chuck whispered as he watched Manoosh. His fingers flew, typing on his phone, never looking down at it. "The skills I picked up at the Buy More," he muttered.

"I get it, some of you know about what went wrong last year. And while I did trip, and maybe framed Piranha… what does it matter? He's gone. Dead, in jail… something. No one has heard from him in years," Manoosh continued. "Someone here is trying to pretend they're him. We all know you're not."

"Oh, the rumors of my demise are incorrect, good sir," Chuck said softly.

"Whoever you are, you've had your fun," Manoosh said. "And I give you credit; you hacked my oh gee security system, but this one… this one you cannot."

"Fuck you," Chuck said as he pushed a button. The lights went out. A guitar riff began, and Carina chuckled.

"Ah, the Crue," she said, a grin on her face. The sounds of Kickstart my Heart began. The lights came up as the lyrics began, and Manoosh was furious. "Damn, Chuck, you have a flair for the dramatics."

"You ain't seen nothing yet," Chuck said.

"I'm going to kill you!" Manoosh screamed into his mike, making everyone laugh at him. The lights began to flash in time with the music. "HOW THE HELL DID YOU CRACK MY SYSTEM!"

"Uh, while I'm fine taking him in dead, if you make him have an aneurysm there's more paperwork," Zondra said.

"Wait, really?" Chuck asked.

Sarah nodded. "Yeah, government paperwork is so strange."

"The big finish is coming," Chuck said.

"That's what she said," Carina muttered.

Near the three-minute mark of the song, the instruments played softer, and the vocals slowed down.

I say, ooh ah, kick start my heart

I hope it never stops

And to think, we did all of this to rock

The instruments and speed picked back up, and suddenly the pyro that Manoosh had brought in went off, as the giant screen behind him said in huge letters Piranha says hi!

"GET OUT!" Manoosh screamed, and people began to file out of the mansion. Chuck pushed one last button on his phone, and Manoosh's phone went off. He pulled it down and looked at it.

Tomorrow night

8 PM

We settle this

An address accompanied the text. Manoosh seethed as he vowed to get his revenge.

}o{

The next evening found Chuck sitting in an interrogation room.

The big meet had been very anti-climatic. Manoosh had shown up with two bodyguards. Chuck had been there, alone – well, he had eyes on him that could get to him in seconds – but as far as the three approaching him could discern, Chuck was alone. As they approached, sirens, and lights went off. Chuck screamed, "YOU SONOFABITCH YOU SOLD ME OUT!"

Manoosh screamed he hadn't, and both were arrested. While he was being arrested, he was shoved against a wall, his legs kicked apart, and felt someone starting to reach and check him in a very private spot. However, it never happened. Probably because a very recognizable voice said, "He doesn't have any weapons there."

He heard another familiar voice reply, "I'm so sorry for you then." He could almost feel Sarah roll her eyes at that one.

Fifteen or so minutes had passed, and he wasn't sure what was going on. He had a sneaking suspicion it might have something to do with him being a little extra with Manoosh the night before.

The door opened, and he grinned as his blonde interrogator walked in. She had a serious expression on her face, and that made him grin even harder.

She dropped a file on the table between them, along with a manila envelope. He sat forward, put his hands together, and spoke softly. "Did you forget your telephone book to use in beating me?" He saw the corners of her mouth twitch as she tried to stop the grin.

"Due to technology, there are fewer good, solid, thick phone books," she said, in the most serious voice she could muster.

"Whacking someone with a keyboard would probably leave more marks. Plus, the keys would break off. Such a mess," Chuck replied. The corners of her mouth twitched again. "So, how much trouble am I in?"

"Why do you think you'd be in trouble… Chuck?"

"Ooooo… that tone might be more serious than when Ellie gives me a Charles Irving Bartowski," Chuck told her. She stared at him. "I want you to know that I admit I went a little far with Manoosh, and subject myself to any punishment you deem appropriate."

"You better be glad they aren't recording us," she said softly. She smiled. "We have Manoosh, thank you."

"My pleasure," Chuck replied.

"Mmm," she hummed. She reached into the manila folder and pulled out some papers. "Because of your exemplary work, the NSA would like to make you a job offer."

"I'm not really a team player," Chuck said, shaking his head.

"You would be assigned as my tech guy," Sarah said.

"Where do I sign?" he asked, sitting up quickly.

"You don't want to know your pay, specifics of your contract, any of that?" Sarah asked.

Chuck paused, grinning. "I'm assuming here, and I do know that you usually shouldn't, but in this case… I'm assuming that you are behind said job offer?" Sarah nodded. "And I'm also assuming you negotiated it all?" She nodded again. "I'm not seeing a downside, or how I would get screwed over by you."

She leaned forward, her elbows on the table, her forearms crossed, an amused smile on her face. "Interesting choice of words."

"What can I say? You're a very giving lover," Chuck replied with a shrug, watching her look at him a bit in shock by what he could say. "But, I do have my own list of demands."

"You do?" Sarah asked, giving him an amused look.

"I do," Chuck replied, confidently. "May I have a piece of paper and a pen, so I can write it out?" Sarah looked a bit confused, but provided what he'd asked. He scribbled for a few minutes, then handed it to her. "Read it out loud, please. Also, that blank is where your name goes, but don't fill it in yet."

"Okay," Sarah said. "I," and she looked at him, "blank?" Chuck nodded. "…Promise that if while working with Chuck Bartowski, I find that my personal relationship with him has devolved and I need to break up with him, I will not stay in a working relationship with him just to protect him." She looked up at him. "You want me to sign this?"

"Basically, it's me protecting you from you, should we break up," Chuck told her. "Not that I'm planning on breaking up with you, but you might get a better offer."

"And the only way you'll sign your paperwork is if I sign this?" Sarah asked.

"Yes," Chuck said.

She looked at him for a moment. "Okay," she said, laying the paper down and getting a pen.

"Now print your name on the blank," Chuck told her. She did so. "Now initial above it, signifying that you recognize you printed your name, instead of signing it." She gave him a look. "Listen, I watched a lot of MASH,and Radar always had people initialing after they signed."

"This might be a bad idea," she teased as she initialed.

"Okay, now at the bottom sign it, and then initial above it to indicate you signed it instead of printing it," Chuck continued. Sarah shook her head, but did so. "Okay, now date it, and then-"

"Initial it, because I used numbers instead of writing it out?" Sarah cut in.

"Naeiou," Chuck replied. "You initial it, because you used the format of Month/Date/Year instead of Date/Month/Year," Chuck explained, shaking his head.

"Does it need to be notarized?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, and you do so by kissing me right here," Chuck said, pointing toward his lips. She did. After a minute she pulled away and sat back down in her chair, just starting at him silently. After a moment he felt himself swallow. "What?"

"You just try and devolve our relationship, making me break up with you," she told him. He started to open his mouth. "I dare you."

"Sarah," he said warningly.

"I double-dog dare you," she continued.

"Sarah," he said more warning in his voice. She leaned forward, and he did as well, their noses almost touching.

"I TRIPLE. Dog. Dare you."

"Have you seen A Christmas Story?" Chuck asked. She nodded. "Then you know what this means."

}o{

Six months later

"Team," Beckman said, looking at the five members. "I'm going to need you in Paris for a few days." She was silent for a second, trying to ignore the member with his hand up. "Yes, Agent Bartowski?"

"When we're done, can we go to the Eiffel tower?" Chuck asked. "Like, not as a field trip, or anything."

"He just wants to stick his tongue to Sarah at the Eiffel tower," Carina explained. Sarah groaned, putting her head in her hand. "You triple-dog dared him… it's your fault." She turned back to Beckman. "And you're welcome, for me not telling you all the places he has stuck his tongue-"

"AGENT MILLER!" Beckman yelled. Carina snapped her mouth shut. Beckman cut the feed.

"Oooooo," Chuck said. "You're in trouble." Carina walked away, sticking her tongue out at him. Zondra and Casey left, muttering about hating this assignment. Sarah turned to him. "I know, I know."

"Come on," she said.

"Come on where?" Chuck asked.

"Triple-dog dare you," she told him, turned, and ran off.

Chuck chased after her.

A/N: And that's a wrap. Hope you enjoyed it. If you have time for a review, that would be amazing. I'll see you soon in some of the other fics. Take care fam.