Chuck vs. The Courtyard Bench

Well, in the previous chapter: Chuck and Morgan enjoy a low key leisurely weekend decompressing from Friday's Bash At The Bench. Morgan brings up Vivian and in doing so a sense of nostalgia hit both men involving the movies of Robin Williams. It leads them to order pizza and when it arrives Chuck is totally surprised when Alex and Sarah show up their front door unexpectedly with pizza in hand she paid for. Chuck and Sarah speak briefly while Morgan and Alex hang out in the Casa Bartowski gameroom. Sarah would excuse herself to use bathroom before partaking in the pizzas. Afterwards, she would find herself discreetly checking out Chuck's bedroom where should be re-introduced to the Tron poster. A few moments later rejoins Morgan, Alex and Chuck for a Robin Williams movie double feature of Mrs. Doubtfire and Hook. Once both movies are over, there is a discussion between the 4 of how great of an actor Robin to the point where Chuck suddenly reenacts a certain Good Will Hunting scene were Robin's character talks about his wife. It ends with Morgan giving his Chewbacca action figure as an "Oscar" award to his nerdy best friend. This would lead Chuck and Sarah to go for a walk to his beach that he refers to as Avalon after Morgan with Alex's urging suggest he go to walk off the pizza. When they do, Morgan immediately contacts the one person who orchestrated the arrival. Molly Walker. So what's in store for this chapter? Where did Sarah go to clear her head when livid in D.C. that was like Chuck's Avalon? What surprising information did Sarah reveal to Chuck? Who was the person that caused her to change her entire demeanor to where she needed a change? How did revealing her past information help Chuck? Why does Morgan reference the movie Wedding Crashers? Read and find out! Anyways, hope you enjoy the read and leave a comment to share your own thoughts on this particular chapters. As always, reviews are awesome.

Again, if you enjoyed reading my stories and left a comment I truly appreciate it. Please continue to do so as it gives me the incentive to write more chapters.

I don't own Chuck.

Avalon

XXX

"This place is beautiful Chuck." stated Sarah, breathing in the beach air. Her shoes that were previously on her feet, now dangling down from her two fingers of her right hand. Her blonde locks whipping all around in the wind. In her mind, if she had a scrunchie or a tie she would most definitely tie her hair back to save her the trouble of keep her hair from hitting her eyes, or face for that matter.

"It is. It's one of the main reasons I moved here after moving out from Ellie and Awesome's place." Chuck responded. His curly locks whipping all around as well. "It's a place that I ended up stopping at when I was driving around during..."

Chuck is suddenly silent and stops to look out into the vast California ocean. More importantly, the crashing waves that are breathtaking to the point where it's considerably calming. As for Sarah, she quite possibly knows why this particular beach means so much to him after he shared with her and Alex the reasoning why he calls it Avalon. True, she wants him to open up to her when it involves the most painful time in his life, but at the same time doesn't want to push him into it. In her mind, it shouldn't be forced to the point where it causes an unfortunate backlash towards her whereby a deep seeded resentment happens. She hopes that he'll have enough emotional trust in her to open up like he does with his sister Ellie. So, she lets him be until he feels it's the right time to open himself up completely.

"When I sit out here alone..." Chuck pauses continuing to gaze out into the gradual Santa Monica sunset. "...everything seems to make sense. You know." he added, shrugging his shoulders half-heartedly. "All my fears, anxiety, worries, stress, and everything in between, just gone. Even if it's just for a couple hours." he breathes out. He shakes his head and takes a deep breath and in doing so closes his eyes.

While standing there next to Chuck, the woman who suddenly became enamored with a self-professed nerd in just 3 short days can't help but be transfixed by his calmingly, tranquil demeanor. A demeanor that has her wanting to just grab his face and kiss him on the lips in that very moment. It would be quite a surprise for Chuck that's for sure, in a Laura Winslow and Steve Urkel kind of way with the roles of who is chasing who completely reversed. However, she pushes that urge down whereby restraining herself from having that feeling win out to where she makes the situation itself incredibly awkward. Yet, she knows they both share "heat" as there is a chemistry between the two of them that's unspoken, she thinks to herself.

She then focuses her thoughts elsewhere. A place that had the same feel and meaning to her that his beach has for Chuck. "I know it's not the same, but I sort had a similar place I went to, back in D.C." Sarah revealed. Her attention turning from Chuck to the waters of Santa Monica, California.

In that instance, Chuck opens his eyes in order to face her. "Really? Where?" he wondered, with genuine curiosity.

"Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens." she answered. "The place has thousands of water plants, waterlilies, lotuses and bamboo growing in ponds along the Anacostia River. I can still smell the fragrance of the lotuses whenever I did my an early morning jog, or just walk around to get my head right after a tough day at work. The Lotuses..." In that instance, she closes her eyes and this time it's chuck transfixed on her as she continues on with memories of her life in D.C. "...pleasant, heady, fruity or sometimes sweet." A soft smile is expressed as she breathes in as if she's actually smelling those intoxicating fragrances that are thousands of miles away. "Now, when it comes to waterlilies, their smell is fresh and lightly sweet. A little lemony as well." she added, expressing faint amusement on her part. "Yet, my favorite smell is Gardenias even though it's not considered a water plant. I always pass this particular flower shop on my way to my hangout spot and the smell of them just makes me smile. They smell like Jasmine." she added, in a very comforting tone of voice. "It's when I smell them that I instantly go back to that place."

In that moment, Chuck puts that piece of information stored away somewhere in his Sarah Walker file along with her not liking olives on her pizza. To him, it's something real about her. Granted, he already knows that she is a Potterhead and the fact she's fan of the fan Good Charlotte. While her eyes are still closed, he tries to think of something to say, but is coming up blank. He shakes his head, but then something suddenly pops into his head relating to Ellie and Awesome.

"Did you know that Ellie and Awesome almost didn't happen?" Sarah's eyes immediately pop open then turns her head to face Chuck. Afterwards, he nods to where he sees both of her eyebrows rise up with great interest on her part. "They think I don't know, but I do. Granted, I was young at the time and I was around 10 or 11..."

"Chuck."

"Hmmm."

"You're babbling."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Well..." questioned Sarah, staring at Chuck. "...Ellie and Awesome almost not happening?"

"Oh right." nodded the nerd. "One day, I noticed that Awesome wasn't around and Ellie said that he was training for a marathon. What she didn't know that I knew they took a break, but not in Ross and Rachel from the show Friends way. An actual break."

"How did you know?"

"Devon called me one day to ask me to make him a Tracey Chapman mix tape. He took credit for it though, but it was fine. I actually liked him. He made Ellie happy. Although, he did keep trying to get me to work out with him. According to him, I needed more muscle." he shared, expressing a bit of laughter. "He still asks me to this day."

Sarah can't help but be amused knowing how much of a nerd rather a gym rat, he is. A guy who would much rather work out his thumbs while gaming to gain a life pack than work out his stomach to gain a 6 pack, she thinks to herself. She shakes her head knowing she's been there, done that, with those muscularly fit type of guys in the past. "What did he do?"

"This was when they first started dating. He was an Abercrombie and Fitch model..."

"Of course he was." she chimed in, slightly rolling her eyes.

"Anyways..." Chuck responded. "...he let it go to his head. He was an ass and from what I could gather he gave Ellie on their 1st anniversary a signed autograph of himself carrying a canoe in nothing but suit pants. That's when Ellie broke up with him."

"How did you know about the signed autograph pic?"

"I have it." he shared raising both eyebrows.

"How?"

"Plausible deniability." He answered briefly turning to Sarah who just stared at him. "I'm saving it for a rainy day."

"What are you saving it for?"

"Don't know yet." quickly responded Chuck shaking his head. "When I do, I'll let you know." he expressed with a sly grin.

After hearing that, Sarah expresses an amused chuckle knowing Chuck has the capability to use it in his own devious and mischievous way. Unfortunately, she will never know how he was able to get his hands on a picture that for some people could be used as blackmail. However, when it comes to someone like Devon Woodcomb, not so much. Yet, it represented something that he may very well be embarrassed about instead of proud of because of how it almost ruined his relationship with his future wife.

"How did Devon win Ellie back?"

"Along with the mixed tape that I helped him with, he bought tickets to the Broadway music Les Miz and made those little cupcakes for her. The kind with the peanut butter on the side."

Sarah's eyes grow wide. "I love those."

Duly noted. Chuck then continues on after mentally noting another like in his Sarah Walker file. "Unfortunately, those didn't work."

"What worked then?"

"Calla lilies. At least that's what Devon told me. He says they work every time and it's what sealed the deal on their awesome marriage relationship." he wholeheartedly shared with Sarah.

There is a brief moment of silence shared between Chuck and Sarah. The both of the them looking out into the ocean as the sun continues to set out on the horizon. The lull is somewhat awkward, but it would quickly end when Sarah reveals something of herself that she never shared with anyone not even her mother or sister Molly for that matter. "I almost got married." she shared. Upon hearing that, Chuck's neck immediately snaps to the left. His eyebrows rising so high that they nearly fly off his face.

XXX

"It was 2 years ago. I was engaged to a doctor. Cole Barker." she shared sitting down on the beach facing. Chuck sits on her right side as they both face the water. Sarah is briefly silent and peers down at the sand. Her shoes neatly placed by her left side. Afterwards, she lifts her eyes to gaze out into the water once again. "He specialized in Orthopedic surgery in the area of Sports Medicine."

"How did you two meet? If you don't mind me asking?" he cautiously asked.

Sarah takes a moment to reach up with both hands to brush back her hair behind her ears then continues on. "5 years ago. He moved over from England and started working at Langley Memorial Medical. My first impression of him..." she pauses and then keeps going. "...he's a charmingly, arrogant bastard, but he had a very impressive surgeon stats record. The reason that my former boss Langston Graham hired him from across the pond." she further explained.

"That's sort of the prerequisite to be a surgeon, right? If James Bond was a doctor? Look at Awesome?"

In that instance, Sarah shakes her head. "Devon is different because he cares. Cole was more brash with a tremendously big ego. Didn't really care what other people thought about him. A career driven type of guy, but knew when it was time to relax and have fun." A soft, seemingly regret smile is expressed. "He knew how to sweet talk you though."

Chuck is silent for moment then speaks up. "Did he you tell what you wanted to hear or what you needed to hear?" he inquired.

For Sarah, it's a question that's truly impactful as she reflects back on the conversation with her mother Emma and Molly last Friday. A conversation where Molly basically said Chuck wasn't the type of guy she's usually into, which is the absolute truth. Chuck is the complete opposite of Cole in every way, shape, and form, she thinks to herself. Of course, all the ladies swooned over him mainly because of the British accent and many of the guys envied because he carried himself with a seemingly unwavering confidence. A confidence along with his ruggedly handsome features made for a deadly combo that any woman in Langley Memorial Medical would fall for. Unfortunately, she would be the woman who ended up falling under his spell.

"Both. A smooth talker that one. There's was something about him that I just hated and irritated about him, but at the same time found quite mysteriously intriguing."

"In other words..." chimed in Chuck. "...the quintessential "bad boy"." he added, using air quotes. "I get it." shrugged the nerd in a seemingly understanding way.

In response, Sarah nodding confirming Chuck's assessment. "I had a type that I was attracted to. Story of my life." she breathed out shaking her head. A mixture of regret, frustration, and most definitely disappointment all rolled into one in the sound of her voice. "There would be weeks of flirtation between us and then one day he said something that got me thinking."

"What?"

"He said..." Sarah turns her head slightly facing Chuck tilting her head a bit. "...he meant what he said about being around people who truly care about you. And who you really care about. It doesn't happen often for people like us." he added shaking his head. "People who are basically married to the job. No time for a real relationship."

"How did you respond?" wondered Chuck.

"No, it doesn't." she said replied back. After taking a moment to clear her throat, she keeps going. "He then proceeded to say to me that if we're luckily enough to find that person we're just supposed to walk away? Just doesn't seem fair does it?" she added, reflecting back on that very moment. Sarah briefly glances at Chuck who has been listening the whole time to her share her past, which is truly appreciated.

It's at the point, Chuck clears his throat this time then speaks up. "I take it that was the so called turning point in your relationship?"

Sarah nodded once again. "We started dating. Fancy dinners. Lavish trips. Taking me to sporting events and meeting players that were at one time his patients. Then one day, he got down on one knee and proposed. A very expensive ring from what I remember. I said yes and we planned for a wedding." Sarah suddenly stops in order to shake her head. "Scratch that. Technically, I planned for the wedding while he was off being the doctor for famous athletes." she stated with a hint of anger in her voice.

"I take it that was the reason it didn't work out."

"Partly..." nodded Sarah. "...and the fact that he was sleeping with one of my bridesmaids. Amy." she shared, much to Chuck's surprise. "It turns out they have been having a torrid affair with each other for months. I felt betrayed."

"Yeah..." nodded Chuck. "...this Amy person was your friend. A close confident. How did you find out?"

"Text messages. It didn't really hit me until one day I stopped by his place on his day off and I walked in on them. I was livid. I threw my engagement ring at him and left. That's when my whole attitude shifted to where The Wildcard Enforcer persona took over."

As much as Chuck wants to leave it at that, his curiosity gets the better of him and asks a question. "Did he try to apologize? Give his side of the story?"

"He said it was a mistake and that Amy seduced him. During a span of 6 months? I didn't buy it. 2 weeks later Cole ended up moving back to England and the following year at Langley Memorial I got word from Graham that Chief Beckman wanted to hire me. It was a no brainer for me to accept the position she offered me."

"That's heavy." Chuck retorted, breathing out and shaking his head.

"Do you know what's really heavy Chuck?" In that moment, Chuck can see the anger from within Sarah's eyes knowing how much that situation involving her ex Cole has immensely affected her. For her it's a relationship that she was all in for, and not to mention having a solid friendship, completely severed because he couldn't keep it in his pants, she thinks to herself. "Amy wasn't just a close friend. She was my sorority sister. A part of the cat squad."

Chuck's right brow suddenly arches up. "Cat squad? You all like cats? The feline kind or the musical?"

In response, Sarah can't help but chuckle after hearing that. While sitting there, she's incredibly grateful that while she's going through an emotional rollercoaster in sharing part of her past, he can bring some unintentional levity to the situation. "No. Back in Georgetown University in D.C. there were 4 of us in sorority of Phi Beta Gamma who were dubbed the C.A.T. Squad. Crazy, Adventurous and Tenacious. I was considered the uptight but adventurous one in the group. Zondra, bitchy but incredibly tenacious. Then there was Carina and Amy. Two party girls who were boy crazy." she shared with a smirk. "I always thought Carina would be doing the ultimate betrayal because she's done it in the past with past relationships I've had. Yet, I'm somehow still friends with her." she added half-heartedly shrugging her shoulders. "Never in a million years thought it would be Amy."

"So, you two have never spoken to each other since then?"

"Nope." she replied shaking her head.

In that moment, Chuck nods as he turns his head looking out in the Santa Monica ocean. "Same with me, Bryce and Jill."

This time, it's Sarah's neck who snaps as she turns her head to Chuck. For her, she knows that by actually saying Jill's out loud for the 2nd time that he may be opening up to her freely. While sitting there, he watches him take a deep breath then is fully aware that it seems like there's a struggle within himself to openly share what's been weighing on his mind concerning what happened with Bryce and Jill. Instead of saying anything, she simply sits there waiting to let him do it on his own and while doing so, she turns her attention back out towards the vastness of the California Ocean of the Santa Monica beach. Then it happens.

"Do you know how Jill, Bryce and I met?"

XXX

"How?" faintly breathes out Sarah.

A tight lipped smile is expressed as Chuck starts recalling his first ever meeting with his former best friend Bryce Larkin. "It was back in 1999. I was sitting on a bench in the Stanford courtyard engrossed on a paper for class with the top of a yellow highlighter in my mouth." he faintly chuckled.

In response, Sarah smiles as she sits there intently listening on Chuck's every word. "I then hear this guy asking me if I was in Double E131. I turn and it's this GQ model looking dude in a red Stanford sweatshirt throwing a football around with someone. He then says it's a brutal class."

"Was it."

"Well, at the time I signed up for the class only because I was planning to build my own computer version of Zork."

"Did you, since you have your own company and all."

"I did actually with Morgan. First computer game we made and sold a lot of. It helped jump start Kessel Run Technologies."

"Wow. That's awesome."

Chuck nods once again then continues on. "Anyways, we hit it off instantly after he mentioned a game line in Zork that he actually remembered. He then said something that would forge an instant friendship between the two of us."

"What did he say?"

There is a brief silence as Chuck sits there by Sarah. He reflects back on that particular moment in the Stanford quad and then speaks up. "The new millennium belongs to the geek. The next thing I know I'm grabbing my books making sure to not drop them at the same time. I'm so focused on not dropping my books that I'm not paying attention to where I'm going."

"Oh no."

"Oh yes. I run into Jill knocking all my books to the ground. As I'm frantically gathering all my stuff off the ground accidently bump heads with Jill. Now, I'm rubbing my head in embarrassment but when I focus on her I don't remember how to speak for a brief moment. I think I remember giving my name and introducing myself as an all around clumsy, albeit sorry, guy for bumping into her."

"Pretty smooth Romeo." chuckled Sarah. "What did she say?"

"She's clumsy as well and thinks fate brought the two of us together." faintly grinned Chuck. "I still remember her laugh though." As much as it's uncomfortable for Sarah to hear Chuck talking about Jill in such a good light, it's helping him have some type of closure, she thinks to herself. "I then vaguely remember babbling on about how only guys are into Everquest and the thought of any guy spending their time playing computer games would make any girl run away."

"How did she respond?"

"Maybe I've been dating the wrong kind of girls." Chuck then momentarily stops as he takes a deep breath. He stops to briefly gaze out into the Santa Monica ocean once again. His curl locks whipping all around from the wind. From Sarah's point of view, being able to share his lady feelings, as Casey eloquently puts it, has given him the ample opportunity to just let it all go, which seems to be working. "The next thing I know it's my sophomore year. Jill and I are at a carnival. I paid the guy to have him stop the Ferris Wheel we're on at the top. I babble on like usual to where I eventually work up to the nerve to ask her to be my girlfriend. Then..." He clears his throat once again and noticeably hesitant in wanting to move forward. Yet, he does anyway. "...then my world comes crashing down around me."

Sarah knows why his world comes crashing down after Ellie informed her of the situation involving cameras being installed in his frat house after items were being stolen. This time, she makes the decision to speak up instead of holding back. "Listen, you don't have to..."

"No..." Chuck chimed in, shaking his head. "...I want to. I need to actually."

"Okay." nodded Sarah in an understanding way.

After taking a moment to gather his thoughts he begins. "It started with feeling that one of my frat brothers was stealing stuff. So, me being the tech guy that I am set up hidden cameras around frat house to catch him in the act. Thankfully, it wasn't just me who suspected it but a few of my frat brother too. A few of their possession went missing too. I found myself playing a real life movie version of Clue with me as The Butler Wadsworth. Only that our frat house didn't necessarily have a candlestick or a revolver/colt M1911 pistol for that matter, but the rest I would rather not say." he shared raising both eyebrows.

Sarah couldn't help but Chuck at the expression Chuck is giving off after mentioning the clue weapons even though he's been out of college for 6 years now. "So, did you catch Professor Plum in the conservatory with a wrench?"

"Not exactly. I did set up video cameras though. I also programmed an algorithm and utilized facial recognition to input every one of my frat brother's faces to accurately confirm who was taking the stuff."

In Sarah's mind, Chuck explaining how he went about his process using nerd jargon is considerably far more intriguing that how Ellie explained it. Granted, she's not really a Stanford grad who majored in engineering, she thinks to herself. She sets that particular thought aside and speaks up. "And you caught him?"

"Yes. My frat brother Jake got kicked out. Big gambling debts" responded Chuck. He quickly focuses on the more important topic at hand. "I felt like I got punched and then kicked in the stomach. Now..." Chuck focuses on the more important topic at hand. "...during my own surveillance investigation, I saw Bryce and some female stumbling into our room and onto his bed. It turned out to be Jill."

"That bitch." she responded just for the hell of it. A tilt of his head and slight raise of Chuck's eyebrows leads Sarah to assume he agrees with her.

"Anyways, I noticed the time stamp and the date of when it happened. It was the same day Bryce and I were having nerf gun shoot out in the Stanford library."

"You guys weren't kicked out?"

In that instance, Chuck shrugs his shoulders. "Eh. Bryce ended always winning. Before we went our separate ways, he got a call. It was a usually a girl calling because he's the type of guy who always got the great girls. If you met him you'd know it would be true. In any case, I started putting 2 and 2 together, but what clinched it for me was a call that she made. You see, I memorized Jill's schedule to the letter and she was supposed to be at her computer programming class as our nerf gun war ended. I got hungry so I headed off for a late lunch at the cafeteria. Bryce head off to track practice. He didn't"

"So, did you confront them?"

"Not right away. I had to match up the times the calls and texts were sent, as well as received first. Plus, it's proven that Jill was the only girl in that house that entered during that specified time and made the call that Bryce received. Plus the fact, I saw them on video doing it."

"Did you get them to fess up once you did show them proof."

"I got slapped in the face for it. That's when I knew my mojo was taken. Never been the same since then."

"What about Bryce?"

"Like Cole, he said Jill seduced him." shrugged Chuck.

While sitting there, Sarah turns to face the water again then looks around for a bit. She recalls earlier at his place that he and Ellie have spent a lot of time walking, sitting, as well as talking on this beach. It leads her to bring up a question. "I take it you have trust issues as well."

Chuck nods in response. "Yeah...but I have a feeling I'm gaining it back." A crooked smile expressed as he looks out towards the water.

"Me too." she softly smiled back. Sarah peers down then turns her attention out to water as well.

XXX

"What is going on!? Talk to me Fuzzball!"

Morgan and Alex are concealed against the wall by the bathroom facility near the walking/bike path area. He is looking through his Nero-Saav Electrobinoculars from Empire Strikes Back while Alex is huddled close to him holding his phone on speaker. For the past 15 minutes, they've been watching them from a distance while in contact with the person who stepped up and took charge of the whole operation. Molly Walker.

"They're sitting down." he stated while wearing dark sunglasses.

"They're sitting down Molly." repeated Alex into the phone. She is also wearing dark sunglasses as well.

"I heard him." Molly answered. "And don't call me Molly. Use my codename!"

"Sorry..." Alex retorted ducking her head a bit. "...Rebel 1"

"Ok Rebel 1" responded Morgan. Rolling eyes behind his dark sunglasses.

"What are they saying?"

"I have no idea. They're facing the other way. What do you want me to do? Go down there and ask them to turn around so we can see their faces and try to lip read? Better yet, find a person here at the beach who can lip read?" quickly whispered Morgan in a loud tone.

"Calm down and lock it up! Don't make me come down there!"

"You better lock it up!"

"No, you lock it up!"

Morgan lowers the binoculars then grabs his phone from Alex and continues the "lock it up" argument as people are coming in and out of the bathroom. Alex is somewhat embarrassed. So, she grabs the binoculars from his hand and looks through it as the man standing close to her suddenly stops. The bearded best friend of Chuck Bartowski has an immediate realization on the movie line reference exchange that just happened between the both of them. "Hold on." He pauses for a moment gathering his thoughts. "First off, awesome Wedding Crashers reference starring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn."

"Who?"

Morgan shakes his head then continues on. "Secondly, you can't drive."

"And?"

Once again, Chuck's bearded best friend is about to say something when Alex stops him. He turns his head to the right to look at her and sees Alex shaking her head. In her mind, it's not a good idea to go toe to toe with a 13 year old, especially one that is so feisty, determined and headstrong as Molly Walker. Their attention on each other would abruptly end when they hear the voice of the teenager again on the phone.

"What going on!?"

This time Alex is looking through Morgan's Empire Strikes Back Nero-Saav Electrobinoculars while the bearded man in question has possession of his own. "They're still sitting down on the beach."

Speaking of Chuck and Sarah still sitting on the beach, they are sharing a laugh when Chuck speaks up. "Appreciate the company. Normally, I'm out here alone or with Ellie."

"No problem. So, nobody else has been out here other than Ellie?"

"Clara..." answered Chuck. "...but that was last weekend and she just wanted to hang with her fun uncle while Ellie and I have our usual talks."

"You and Ellie have a special bond."

"So do you and Molly."

"Ours is different. Way different." laughed the older Walker sibling. "Yet, she'll always be my brat."

Chuck responds with a smile and a simple nod. "I don't know where I would be if it weren't for her. I owe her a lot. She pushes me and believed in me when I sometimes didn't believe in myself." he shared freely.

"You have so many people that believe in you Chuck. Devon, Morgan, Casey, Alex, Kathleen, my Mom, Molly, Chief Beckman, Roan, the entire hospital staff at Westside Medical Center, and not to mention the kids." In that instance, Chuck faintly laughs. It leads Sarah to shake her head. "The kids, especially. You may see them as Rockstar Rebels, but each one of them see you as their Rockstar Rebel. They'll always believe in you..." She pauses briefly momentarily turning her head towards the water. This leads Chuck to do the same as she continues on. "And so do I." In that moment, Chuck turns his head to look at her. In doing so, Sarah turns to face him. "I want you to know, you can trust me to be there for you if you ever need to talk or anything."

"Same." Chuck breathed out. A tight-lipped, appreciative smile expressed towards her. He turns his head looking out towards the water once again as his hair whips around from the wind. "You know, I never did answer what my happy thought was."

"Yeah..." smiled Sarah. "...you didn't." she added, turning her head to face him.

Chuck turns to face her and they both lock eyes. However, he doesn't say anything, but for the both of them it's a shared connection. A connection where he shared his hangout spot at the Beach with Sarah and then trusted her enough to freely opening up to her. A few moments later, it's Sarah who leans over to her right and bumps his left shoulder with hers. The two of them just sitting in silence as they look out in the Santa Monica beach waters enjoying each other's company. Unbeknownst to them, Alex and Morgan are watching from a distance relaying everything they think is going on between the two of them to Molly.

XXX

NOTE: I actually contemplated Shaw as her ex but then I actually had a plan for him in future chapters as it involves the hospital itself or close to it. Yes, Shaw will be appearing in my story somewhere down the road. Apologies ahead of time. So, what do you Chuck reader peeps think? Leave a comment and share you thoughts concerning this latest chapter! Hope you enjoyed it!