A/N: I asked Facebook what they wanted and they said they wanted something about them meeting and falling in love. Now that…that I can do. Ch 4, The Coffee Shop

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

"And the name for the order?" the barista asked him.

"Chuck," he replied. Her lips twitched, trying not to smile. "What can I say, my parents were sadists." She smiled, and he knew it was worth the self-deprecating shot at himself. His phone rang. "I gotta get this."

"I'll have your Earl Grey Tea in a second…Chuck."

"Thanks," Chuck replied and answered the phone. "Hey, Jill. You never called last night, is everything okay? I mean…yeah, I can tell Ellie not tonight. I get it. No. Uh, I mean, we're still getting married right? I'm not trying to be smothering, but we got engaged, you said yes, and I want to tell Ellie the good news. Okay, okay. I get it. Yeah. Love…Hello? Jill." He hung up and turned around. She tried not to let him see the sadness in her face, but it wasn't hidden as well as she thought apparently. "We just got engaged, and she's a little nervous, that's all. Everyone goes through it, right?"

"Yeah," she said, trying to lift his spirits. "You okay, Chuck?"

"Yeah," he said, making a face of 'pffbth'. "I'm great. See you tomorrow, or whenever you work again and I'm here, I guess," he said widening his eyes.

She gave a soft snort. "Yeah, tomorrow." She watched him leave. It was forty-five minutes later when a brunette woman and man came in, giggling. They looked to be in love. She took their order. "Jill," she said. "Bryce," he replied. They snuck a glance at each other and grinned. Something burned in the pit of Sarah's stomach and she didn't know why.

}o{

Three days later, Chuck came in, accompanied by the same guy she saw with the woman three days earlier. The man named Bryce ordered and then went to the restroom while Chuck paid for both orders.

"You two close?" she asked, giving him his change.

"Yeah, we've known each other since college, roommates," he replied.

"Did your fiance ever meet your sister, Jane was it?" she asked him.

He gave a small smile and shook his head. "No, it's Jill, and she thinks maybe we should take a break."

"A break? What does that mean?"

"She says it's a lot and she needs to be sure, which, I get." She nodded, and headed to get their orders. She was writing the names on the cups when she decided she had to do something. It wasn't much, but it needed to be done. She wrote, "it's all gonna work out, trust me." The cup holder slipped up to cover it. It was possible he'd never see it. They took their orders and went to a corner and worked. She noticed him slide the cup holder down at one point as his brow furrowed. He read it while the other one was talking, not paying attention to Chuck. She swore she saw him smile a little bit. When they left, Bryce left first and as Chuck reached the door, he looked back in her direction, and she saw him mouth, "I do."

}o{

She hadn't seen him in nearly a week when the two brunettes walked in together. She took their order and the woman went to the restroom while the man paid. "So, Sarah, you seeing anyone?"

"What about your girlfriend that was just here?" Sarah asked.

Bryce shrugged. "You seem like an upgrade," he replied.

"So you stab your college roommate and friend in the back and take his fiance and tell me I'm an upgrade? Some friend." His mouth dropped open.

"Wait, you don't understand," he began.

"I understand that you are the worst excuse for a friend," Sarah replied, turned, and began to make their order. She handed it to them, without another word. She watched them leave and thought about what she had said. She wasn't much of a friend either.

}o{

She knocked on the door and heard his voice say, "Come in!" She had asked around at the coffee shop and figured out where he worked. She had gotten a couple of the muffins he always ordered, a cup of tea and headed to his office. She couldn't say quiet, now that she knew for sure. She opened the door and he looked up, a pencil between his teeth that fell to his desk. She burst out laughing.

"I had no idea you delivered," he said, trying to figure out what was going on here.

"I'm here because I haven't been the best of friends," Sarah replied.

"We're friends?" Chuck asked, and shook his head. "I'm sorry, that came out all wrong."

"No, it's okay, it's just, I really need to tell you something, and I'm not sure how you'll take it." He stood up, and offered her a seat. She took it, and handed him the bag and the tea. He sat down, intrigued by what she had to say.

"Your…friend…has come in twice with a short brunette woman named Jill," she began. Chuck slumped forward putting his elbows on the desk, his head in his hands. "I'm sorry, Chuck."

"No, it's not your fault," Chuck muttered. He looked up at her. "You ever just see the signs of stuff and you ignore it?" She nodded. "That's what I did with them."

"Why would they do this to you?" Sarah asked.

"Because I own 51 percent of the company and they each own 24.5," Chuck replied.

"Oh my God," she said softly. The door burst open and there stood Jill looking mad.

"What is she doing here?!" she demanded. "Bryce has already told me how she hit on him earlier!"

Chuck gave Sarah a look. "You might need a tetanus shot," he muttered. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

"Tell her to leave!"

"Fine," Chuck said never taking his eyes off of Sarah. "Jill, leave."

"I mean her," Jill said, Bryce now coming in to join them.

"You now, I have to cover a late shift tonight, so maybe I should go," Sarah said.

"Thank you," Chuck said softly. She stood up and so did he, watching her leave.

}o{

Sarah was getting ready to lock the door for the night, when she saw someone standing just on the other side of the door. She opened it, and stood there, grinning at him. "I'm closing up, but you can come in if you like."

"Will the boss be okay with that?" Chuck asked.

"Let me ask her," Sarah replied. "Hey, Sarah, you okay with Chuck being in here while you close?" She waited a beat. "I'm good with it," she said. She looked Chuck in the eye, her face as sober as she could make it. "She's okay with it."

Chuck came in. "Pretty cool boss you have," he said. He looked over at the sign in the window that said Help Wanted. "Think you could put in a good word with her about me working here?"

"Don't you have a job?" she asked.

Chuck shook his head and began to sit, and then stopped, not sure if it was okay. She gestured for him to sit and she joined him. "I got bought out today, made a pretty hefty sum. The good news is, I never wrote down a lot of my ideas so I get to keep them. I have a no compete clause for six months, so I thought I'd find something to do during that time so I don't make all these things in my head at my house and not be able to put them on the market for awhile."

"So this is temporary?" she was grinning at him.

"Isn't it for you?" he replied with his own grin.

"Until the boss pisses me off," she replied.

Chuck gave her a sad smile. "You know what sucks the most?" She shuck her head. "I knew we didn't love each other anymore or maybe we never really did, I don't know…but it still hurts." Sarah nodded. "I don't know a lot about coffee, but I'm a good guy who treats others right. If you're looking for that and someone who will do the job, I'm your guy."

"You're too good of a guy," she said, squeezing his forearm. "Okay, when can you start."

Chuck blew out his cheeks. "I appear to have a wide open schedule."

"Tomorrow, be here at seven," Sarah said, shaking a finger.

"My goodness, you are a tough one," he said, standing. He paused. "You were right you know. Everything is gonna be okay." She grinned at him. "Also, thank you for the one today that said 'I'm here for you.' I know you barely know me, but I believe you."

}o{

It was a few weeks later that she handed him a cup and he pulled down the cup holder, looking for a message. "I'm proud of you," it said. He looked over at her. "Why?"

"You took the high road in that whole mess, Chuck. I would have torched that place to the ground when I left, or refused to leave and make them leave." She gave him a shoulder bump. "You're a good guy Chuck Bartowski."

}o{

A few months later, she handed him a cup with a sad smile on her face. He slid the cup holder down and the writing said, "I'm sorry." "I really am," she said softly.

"What do you have to be sorry about?" he asked.

"I ran them off," she began. "Those two women?" He looked confused. "Oh my God, Bartowski, they were flirting with you HARD."

"Really," Chuck replied and shrugged. He took a sip and watched her the entire time. When he lowered the cup he just grinned. "Good thing I got a friend like you to make sure I'm not getting taken advantage of because I'm on the rebound."

"Yeah," she said softly. "That's me, a good friend." He took another sip, and she fled.

}o{

It was a few months later Chuck came in with a spring in his step. "I've been thinking," he began when the crowd had died down. "I think it's time I start dating again. What do you think?"

He watched her stiffen as he said it and then she turned to him slowly. "I think it's time for your tea." He watched her write on his cup, and he could see her grin. She filled it and slowly pushed it toward him, a smirk on her face. He dropped the cup holder and it said, "Would you go out with me?"

"Oh, Sarah, I can't," he said looking up, concern on his face. He reached under the counter and pulled out their manual. "See, right here, it says the owner cannot date the employees, that could be considered you having power over me." She was swallowing, trying to keep back the emotion. "So, I guess there's only one thing for me to do."

"What's that?" she asked softly.

"Quit," he replied, a smirk on his face. "So will you be picking me up?" She wadded up a napkin and threw it in his face. "So you want me to drive?" She threw another napkin at him. "Uber?" She stepped across the distance, grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him in for a kiss. She eventually let him go. "Obviously your driving," he croaked out.

A/N: Fluff levels satisfied? Reviews, like readers, are a treasure. Leave one if you would.

David