Chapter 13

A/N: I know there has been another fic where Sarah and Chuck shop for furniture, this ain’t that. Also, if you’ve NOT read Sarah vs the Super, I give it four gajillion fluffies out of five. Yes. It is beyond DC approved.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Chuck

“You’re enjoying this,” Chuck said, looking over at Sarah as they pulled up to the furniture store.

“Yeah, I am,” Sarah admitted, chuckling. She parked the car and turned to him. “Chuck, you’re a good guy. You’re so good, that Bryce…you affected him.”“You affected him,” Chuck countered.“Okay, we can talk about that later, but you just avoided what I was saying,” Sarah pointed out.“You are your mother’s daughter,” Chuck groused, but had a warm smile on his face the whole time.

“I appreciate you…well, whatever it is you’re doing,” she began.“I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or…” he trailed off. “Sarah…”

“I get it,” Sarah said gently. “But, you have two choices. You can either sleep in the house with Dad-”

“What if he slept in the foreman house?” Chuck offered.

“I have already suggested that and he said, and I quote, ‘Nope, this is my house now, and I’m going to live in it. You’re welcome to live here with me, or in the other house, but this is mine,’ end quote.”

“Okay,” Chuck said, slowly accepting what was about to happen. “So sleep in the house with your Dad, or with you,” Chuck said.

“I mean am I that hideous? I do shower,” Sarah said, amused.

“You know why,” Chuck said softly. He looked up at her. “At least, I gotta think you do.”

“You think I’m pretty?” She teased.

“No,” Chuck said shaking his head. “Over the past few days I have felt a connection with you that…I’ve never felt, and I’ve been…” he paused, searching for the words as the smile left Sarah’s face and she felt something bloom inside of her that she had been trying to ignore. “And I’ve been more afraid of losing it than I ever dared mention.” He shook his head, trying to clear it so he could focus on finding the correct words, never noticing the look on her face. “You are so funny, and smart, and kind, and just….you’re amazing,” he said looking at her. “And, you are so beautiful. Inside, you are…you are just beautiful. And you have to know that your outer beauty…it’s breathtaking.”

“Thank you,” she managed to get out.“So, please don’t take me being awkward about this or…or seeming to…I don’t know…mentally break because I don’t want to scare you off,” Chuck told her.

She leaned forward. “You know, I kinda like it when you mentally break,” she admitted. He made a bit of a choking sound. “See, that…I like that you’re not some pompous mark that thinks the world shines around you.”

“No, I don’t,” he got out.

“I like that sometimes you’re so unsure what to say, but your eyes…you entire body, says so much that you really don’t have to say anything, but when you do, it’s so genuine and you,” she continued.

“Don’t know how to be anyone else,” Chuck admitted.

“That’s why I want you as a partner in this,” Sarah continued.

“Sounds like I’m a hooker,” Chuck said, grinning. The grin fell off his face as he saw the look on her face. “I…I’m sorry. I only meant that I’m your partner, but you’re paying me.”

“Chuck, I’m only paying you because you need money to live AND you are doing work we need,” Sarah pointed out.

“I know, I know.”

“You’re my partner,” Sarah told him. She saw the look of uncertainty on his face, but right now she only had time to deal with one thing at a time, and for now, the sleeping arrangements came first. She would deal with the other later. “Chuck-”

“So, to sum, you seem to like me.”

“Mmmhmm,” she hummed, nodding.“And, you enjoy breaking me,” Chuck continued. She nodded quickly. “So…you’re totally gonna torture me in there aren’t you?”

“Me?” Sarah said, as innocently as possible with a hand to her chest. Chuck didn’t see a halo over her head but he felt it was implied.

“Is it bad that I am enjoying this?” Chuck asked her.

“It would be bad if you didn’t, because then it would be bullying,” Sarah told him.

“And then you’d stop, right?” Chuck asked. Sarah shrugged and got out of the car. “Right?” She shut the door. “Jesus, she’s gonna be the death of me,” he muttered as he got out of the car.

}o{

“What do you think of this one?” she asked, lying on the bed looking at Chuck. Chuck looked over to the salesman and then back to Sarah. “I find if comfy, but since you’ll be sleeping here…too,” she added, a grin on her face. Chuck looked over at the salesman to say something, but at that time the salesman looked at Sarah and then over at Chuck and shook his head.

“It’s not like that,” Chuck began.

“Yeah, I wish I had someone it wasn’t like that with,” the salesman grumbled. Chuck sighed and looked over at Sarah, who was grinning maniacally. She patted the empty area beside him. “You really should test it out.” Chuck gave the salesman a look. “Just keep your clothes on.”

“I wasn’t,” Chuck began, but gave up as the salesman walked away.

“Chuck,” Sarah said in a sing song voice, making him turn to his grinning new housemate. “Come try out the bed with me.”

He walked over to the empty side of the bed, and spoke in a low tone. “You are saying it like that on purpose,” he accused.

“Saying what?” she asked, trying to sound innocent, and laughing the whole time.

He didn’t say a word to her, knowing there was nothing he could say that she would use against him. He couldn’t help but smile as he laid down beside her. “Okay, it is comfy.”

She laid there, looking up at the ceiling, happier than she had ever been. She thought about everything her mom had said in those videos, took a deep breath, and rolled over to her side, to look at him. “Hey, can I tell you something?”

“You can tell me anything, Sarah,” Chuck told her. There was honesty in his voice that settled in her core that she knew he meant what he said. “It may make me turn forty-seven shades of red, but you can tell me anything.”

She filed that away. “I’m only telling you this, because…you are the one person who’d understand.” He rolled on his side to face her, and she saw him listening. Actively listening. “He could never do anything like this. The teasing. Everything had to be serious. He couldn’t look like…” she trailed off, searching for the right words.

“Like you had the lead?” Chuck offered. Sarah nodded. “I’ve been thinking over the past few…years.” Sarah couldn’t help but snort, knowing he had said it that way on purpose. He had a grin on his face, happy he had made her laugh. “People always talk about relationships being 50/50, but that’s ridiculous.”

“How so?” she asked.

“If you’re really with someone, you’re going to be with them, when they are thriving, but also, when they are the opposite of that,” Chuck began. “So, if someone is putting their all into a relationship, but they’re twenty percent of themselves, because life is lifeing all over them, then the other partner should pick up the slack.”

“So sometimes it 80/20 one way, and then 80/20 the other?” Sarah asked.

“Right,” Chuck said. “And, some people are just naturally better at some parts of the relationship than the other. Like…say you go out to a restaurant with your significant other, and they don’t want to cause a scene but they got the wrong food.”

“That person isn’t going to say anything,” Sarah said, seeing where this was going, and nodding. “But I’m going to make sure you get what you ordered.”“Yeah,” he said softly. “You would.” He couldn’t help but notice a strand of hair had fallen on her head over her eyes.

“What?” she asked.

“There’s a piece of…a lock of your hair?” he asked, not sure of the word, and also getting sidetracked with the look she was giving him. “Uh…it’s fallen and I almost moved it back behind your ear, and I’m sorry. That’s a very familiar…intimate…I’m not sure the word but I’m sure I shouldn’t just reach up and move it for-”

“Move it,” she said softly, but intensely. There was a small mysterious smile on her face that Chuck had the inklings of what the mystery actually was, but he was not going to put words to that, because that path…that path led to even more of him being broken. He lifted his hand, and gently redirected the strand of hair to her ear, and gently tucked it behind her ear.

He saw her swallow, and he felt himself do the same thing.

“I really like this bed,” Sarah said softly.

“Yup,” Chuck agreed, a few octaves higher than he meant to. “Do you want it?”

“Only if you want it,” Sarah told him. His eyes widened. He knew she didn’t mean it like that…right? “Want me to get the guy?”

“Up to you,” she said.

“‘Kay!” he said, and bounded off the bed. That had been…he let out a breath he had been holding and went to find the salesman. He never looked back, but he swore he felt her eyes following him across the store. Which was crazy. Right?

She lay there, feeling things she wasn’t sure of. She had felt attraction before, but this…this was…she sat up, her legs tucked under her, and found herself reaching over to the spot he had laid. She felt the warmth of where he had been with her hand, her eyes never leaving Chuck, who was looking for the salesman. They were probably going to have to share a bed that evening. She trusted him in that bed. She wasn’t sure she trusted herself.

}o{

He was standing at the Farmer’s Market, grinning. “I hear the avocados are in season at the Just Out of Reach Farm,” came the voice behind him. He turned, and a smile threatened to split his face.

“Hello, beautiful,” he said softly. “And your momma is a looker as well.”

“Jack,” Emma said, grinning at him as he squatted down to get eye level with the little girl grinning in the stroller. He unbuckled her gently, pulled her out of the stroller, and stood. Molly had her arms around his neck as he looked at Emma. “Look at you,” she said softly.

“Look at you,” he said, grinning. She blushed. “Thought you’d like to know, that kid that’s got a thing for our daughter, he’s fearful avoidant.”

“What?” Emma asked, chuckling.

“Yep, seems he uses your videos,” Jack told her.

“Bryce?” Emma asked.

“Probably,” Jack said, nodding. “You know, considering how easily I’ve figured some of this out, part of me wonders if I shouldn’t have gone into the spy game.” Emma gave him a flat look. “Although I am quite happy with my current role.”

“And what role is that?” Emma asked.

Jack gave her a smile. Not the grin, but a smile. “Getting to see you again. Getting to see my daughter…daughters,” he corrected himself, making Emma’s smile grow. “And having a front row seat to two idiots falling in love so fast and trying to fight it all at the same time.” He shook his head. “It’s a thing of beauty.”

“Wish I could see her,” Emma said.

“So, how about Saturday I meet you here?” Jack asked, the grin back.

“Jack,” Emma said in a low tone.

“Look, it’s me inviting you and shortstuff,” Jack said. He then turned, pulled his lips over his teeth, and gently gum the side of Molly’s face, making her shriek in delight. He turned back to Emma. “Just a guy and his girls.”

“I should ask what girls you mean,” Emma told him.

“No, no you shouldn’t,” Jack replied. Emma couldn’t stop the laugh.

}o{

Chuck sat in the car, silent as they drove back. Sarah was fighting laughing with everything she had. “All I asked was if there was any chance it could be there today,” he muttered.

“That is all you did,” Sarah agreed, her shoulders shaking.

“And then he said it would take two to three weeks,” Chuck continued.

“In his defense, the disappointment on your face was palpable,” Sarah pointed out.

“Sarah, I just didn’t want to have you in the position of having to sleep with me for that long,” Chuck said. He blew out a breath. “Dude, thought I was upset because you wouldn’t be sleeping with me.”

Sarah snorted at that.

“Great, not only do I have to sleep with you for two weeks, but you snort,” Chuck continued. She pulled off the road. “You okay?” She couldn’t answer. She was too busy laughing. “I have never seen someone look so sorry for something in his life,” Chuck muttered, thinking about the look on the salesman’s face when he thought Chuck was upset about not getting to sleep with Sarah. He looked over at her and smiled. Tears were streaming down her face, and the joy that radiated from her.

He couldn’t help but think, Bryce may have ruined part of his life, but this…that he had set up….it might have made up for it.

}o{

He was sitting in bed, looking at the tablet in front of him. For the most part, the foreman’s house was in good shape. Besides the bed and dresser for his bedroom, they had bought a couch and chair. That had gone…okay.

Chuck had no idea what she would do to him when trying to find the right couch. She had gone around looking at different ones, until she found one she liked. She sat on it, asked Chuck to do so, and he told her he liked how it felt. He grinned as he thought about what had happened next.

“Sit over there,” she said, pointing to the far side of the couch. He did so, and she sat down on the other end. She then, grinning the entire time, put one foot, and then the other, in his lap.

“Wha-what are you doing?” Chuck asked.

“Sorry,” she said, starting to move her foot off of his lap. “You just looked like you’re the kind who would give a foot massage.” His hand gripped her ankle before she could clear his legs. He slowly brought it back to his lap, his eyes locked on hers. He reached for, and gripped the boat, as if to take it off. “What are you doing?” she asked, a little rocked and suddenly out of her depth.

“Can’t give a foot massage if you’ve got your boots on,” Chuck told her.

“To be fair,” he muttered. “That could be why the salesman thought I was disappointed in the bed not being here.”

“You proud of yourself?” She asked, walking out of the bathroom. Chuck let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. She was wearing a tee shirt and shorts. Not that she wasn’t beautiful in it, he was just wondering how far she might go with the teasing. He had no idea why purple negligee had come to mind and thought to himself that was quite specific.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean,” Chuck said, trying his best to look innocent. She came around the bed, and got in on her side. They both sat there, their eyes locked, both of them grinning at the other.

“You think you got one up on me with the boot thing earlier?” Sarah asked.“Ma’am, you asked me to rub your feet and that can’t happen with boots on,” Chuck told her.

“So you were just gonna what…take my boots off right there in the store?” Sarah asked.“And your socks,” Chuck added. Her eyes widened. “You can’t give a good massage to a person’s foot if they have on socks. I mean, it would be adequate but not what someone is looking for.”

She was silent a second as she studied him. “That’s what you do, for everyone isn’t it?” He gave her a confused look. “You just can’t be adequate, can you? You have to give it your all.”

“If you’re going to do it, why wouldn’t you give it your all?” Chuck asked.

“That’s what hurts the most about Bryce, isn’t it?” Sarah asked. Chuck didn’t know how to respond. “He did what he thought was best for you and I. Whereas you would stop and think about how things would affect someone else.”

“So would you,” Chuck said. Sarah shook her head and looked down. She was gobsmacked when his first finger gently cupped her chin and turned her head toward him. “Sarah. So would you.” She swallowed, her eyes locked on his. “I’ve seen reports of stuff you have done.” He paused for a second. “Bryce really shouldn’t have had some of that stuff in that file.”

“No, he shouldn’t,” Sarah agreed.“But I’ve also seen you,” Chuck added. “Mrs. Lewis. Me, with Anna.”

“That’s not who I normally am,” Sarah said. Chuck moved his finger away from her chin, but Sarah caught his hand. She slid her fingers between hers.

“Or, is it,” Chuck pointed out. “And you always ignored it in the past because of the job and who you had to be around. He was silent for a moment. “If I said too much, I’m sorry.”

“Chuck, I don’t think you’ll ever say too much,” she told him. “We do have a big day tomorrow.” He nodded, knowing they were both avoiding this moment. He was because…he was sleeping in a bed with her, her bed. He nodded, squeezed her hand, let go of it, and laid down. She did the same. They pulled the covers up together. They glanced at each other, and then both stared at the ceiling. They shut their eyes, sure neither of them would sleep all night. They feel asleep in seconds.

A/N: David…what are you doing? Listen…I’m just doing what they tell me to do.