A/N: Bad day? OTP fluff inbound.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck.

"Man, how long has it been?" Bryce asked, looking around Chuck's apartment. He noticed it was less nerd than when they were in college together.

"Two years," Chuck replied. "A lot's happened, since you went home. Hey, how is your mom and dad?"

"Oh, they're good, and they wanted to thank you for letting me out of the contract to help them out," Bryce said. The appreciation for his friend was clearly visible on his face. "Soooo, what's happened? You dating anyone, have you at least met someone? Tell me you're not still moping over Jill?"

"No, I'm not," Chuck replied.

"Come on, man, tell me… there has to be someone here you've met. This complex is full of singles, right?"

"Oh it is, but some of them…" Chuck trailed off.

"Hot?" Bryce asked, grinning. "I saw this blonde earlier in a Porsche… she is…" He trailed off.

"A hot mess," Chuck said, shaking his head.

"Really?" Bryce asked, a little surprised. "Dude… she's a smoke-show."

"Still a mess," Chuck replied, a grin on his face.

"How?"

}o{

18 months ago

Chuck had just gotten home when he heard a yell.

"CURLS!" He looked up to the heavens for strength: Carina. "You have got to come to the party."

"Carina, it's been a long day," he began.

"Nope," she said pushing him toward his apartment. He opened the door and she followed him inside, still holding her drink. "Go change, you have five minutes until I come in that bedroom and start ripping off clothes."

"I thought I was putting on clothes," he replied, confused.

"Curls if you're not ready in five, I'm taking them off, and then…" she waggled her eyebrows, and he fled.

He was dressed in three.

"See, if I gave you too much time, you'd have hemmed and hawed over what you should wear, and you look good. There's someone Z and I want you to meet."

Chuck shrugged, and followed Carina to the party they were throwing in the courtyard. She motioned Chuck to follow her, as they headed toward a blonde woman who had a cup in her hand and was telling a story. "And then, BOOM!" she said, throwing her arms wide. Her fist hit Chuck square in the nose."

}o{

Now

"Oh my god," Bryce said, trying not to laugh. "What happened?"

}o{

18 months ago

"Should we at least take him to the hospital?" the blonde was asking, holding a bag of frozen peas to his nose. The three women had gotten Chuck back to his apartment. He was sitting on the couch, his head tilted back, wondering who this crazy woman was that was now trying to take care of him.

"No," Carina replied. "I texted Ellie, and she's on her way."

"Who's Ellie?" the blonde asked.

"Well, Sarah," Carina emphasized. "Ellie is Chuck's sister, and a brain surgeon."

"Oh," she replied, turning a shade of red. Looking at Chuck, she said "I'm really, really sorry… I never caught your name."

"It's Chuck," Zondra informed her. "And just so you know, that woman practically raised him, so if she chews your ass, take it." Sarah nodded, and turned back to Chuck, wincing.

}o{

Now

"Ellie chew her out?" Bryce asked.

"Oh no," Chuck replied. "Ellie thought it was hilarious, and they became best friends."

"Okay, so Ellie and she are friends, but you said she's a mess?"

"She is, she's such a mess," Chuck replied, shaking his head. "Especially if mojitos are involved. Bryce raised an eyebrow.

}o{

16 months ago

Tonight's party had been calmer. Every time Sarah had started to tell a story, he would step back, making her laugh, and give him a small grin. He left early, exhausted from all the coding he had done that day. He wanted to stay, but he was in no shape to hang with the three amigas. After he promised them he'd hang out with them the next day, he went home, showered, and crashed into bed.

He quickly fell asleep, and was some time later awakened by a strange noise. "I don't know who the hell changed my locks, but I'm gonna talk to the super in the morning," he heard a slurred voice coming from the living room, and then the door slamming. Chuck was exhausted… he couldn't wake himself up enough to figure out what was going on.

He heard things hitting the floor and then the covers lift, and a body crawled into bed and snuggled up beside him. Suddenly the warmth beside him was gone. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED?!"

"First, it's my bed, and my apartment," Chuck replied. He sat up himself, shocked that Sarah was in bed with him wearing only what appeared to be a t-shirt and underwear. "Second, how the hell did you get into my apartment?"

She stared at him for a second, and then she blinked. "In the morning, we're gonna have to get you some better locks. I picked that one way too easy." Chuck blinked. "Do you snore?"

"I don't think so," he replied. A hand was on his chest pushing him back down. He began to panic.

"You're not getting lucky, but I'm drunk, and don't really want to figure out where my apartment is," she began.

"It's next door," he began.

"SHHH, Chuck! Sleepy time." And with that she was snuggled against him, asleep.

}o{

Now

"HOLY SHIT DUDE!" Bryce exclaimed, and then his eyes narrowed. "How did she get into your apartment?"

"That's her story to tell, Bryce, not mine," Chuck replied.

"But she told it?" Chuck grinned and thought back.

}o{

16 months ago.

He awoke to the smell of eggs and bacon. He blinked a few times, and wondered what was going on. He got up, making his way to the kitchen. There, a freshly showered Sarah Walker was wearing his dress shirt, and good Lord did she look better in it than he ever did.

"Good morning," he said.

She spun, spatula in hand, caught eating a piece of bacon, a smile on her face. "Good morning," she replied. She glanced down at her shirt. "Sorry, I wanted something clean and-"

"No, no, go right ahead. I mean, it isn't like I could stop you if you wanted to get in and take it," he said, levity in his voice, a grin on his face.

"Okay, you get that one," she began, pointing the spatula at him. "But any jokes about sleeping with you and making you breakfast, and I'll break your nose again." Chuck threw up his hands, laughing. "I'm sorry about last night."

"You know what, it's fine. I'd like to think we're friends, and the upside is, if I ever lock myself out of my apartment I don't have to pay a locksmith." She shook her head at him, and motioned for him to sit. She brought him a plate. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I never saw you as a breakfast-making kind of person."

She gave him an amused look, and walked back to the stove. Chuck tried, and failed, to not watch her long bare legs. "What can I say, I'm complicated… a mess, but complicated."

"A hot mess," Chuck muttered. She spun slowly, an eyebrow raised, and it dawned on him what that sounded like. "I-I mean, the phrase, hot mess, not saying you're hot." The eyebrow went up further. "Not that you're not hot… dear God, how much farther can I stick my leg in my mouth?" Sarah burst out laughing. Chuck dropped his head, chuckling. "Wow, that was special, even for me."

"You say sweet things like that to every woman who breaks into your apartment and sleeps with you?"

"So far, 100% of the time, yep," Chuck replied. "So tell me," he began after they had sobered. "Did you take a class?"

The smile fell from her face and she gave a tight, quick head shake. Chuck quickly picked up this was a sore subject. "You know what," he said quickly. "It's none of my business." She gave him a soft smile. "It's not."

"It's not," she agreed. "That's why I'm gonna tell you."

}o{

Now

"Dude, you okay?" Bryce asked. Chuck blinked and looked at him. "You were thinking about her," he accused.

"Yeah, I was, she's a hot mess," Chuck replied. "Do you know she thinks J.K Rowling messed up with Harry's love life? She thinks he should be with Hermione."

"You two talk Harry Potter?" Bryce stared at his friend. "You like her." Chuck shrugged. "Dude, you need to ask her out!"

"Bryce, it's not that simple," Chuck began, but the door opened, making both turn. There stood the blond woman Bryce had seen earlier. "Hey, Sarah, Bryce thinks I should ask you out."

She grinned, shut the door, walked over, and gave him a kiss. "You should," she said, pulling back a little. "We haven't gone out in a few days."

"What's going on?" Bryce asked.

"Bryce, this is my fiancé, Sarah Walker. She's a hot mess," Chuck explained. Bryce looked from one to the other.

"Nice to meet you, Bryce," Sarah said, offering him her hand. He shook it, and looked at Chuck.

"I was getting around to telling you," Chuck said, scratching his neck. "The reason I wanted you here was I want to ask you to be a groomsman."

"Dude! Absolutely!" Bryce replied. "This is… this is awesome!"

"It is," Sarah agreed, her hand on Chuck's chest. "Did he tell you how we met?"

"You mean when you broke his nose?"

Sarah turned to Chuck. "Really?" she asked. "I mean, it wasn't that broken."

"Hot mess," Chuck said to Bryce, as Sarah gave him a push and headed toward the kitchen. Chuck watched her leave and turned back to Bryce. "I've never been as glad someone punched me, as I've been since she did."

A/N: I missed these.