A/N: This story is part of the Christmas Cheer Fic Challenge of 2019. No big lead in or anything. Let's just get right to it. Here is:

All I Want for Christmas

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck.

Chapter 1

"I know, Sweetie. It's getting close to lunch time. I'll try to be quick. I just have to go to the customer service department and talk with them about my store charge card. Then we can go." The tall, statuesque blonde waded through the throngs of shoppers, holding tightly to her young daughter's hand. She would have preferred to do this alone, but with schools on winter break, she had no choice. She never appreciated an all-day kindergarten more than today. Having to drag her five and a half year old through this holiday mess was a challenge.

"Can we look at the Christmas display before we go? Pleeeeaaase?" Her mother looked down at the miniature reflection of herself and rolled her eyes with a smirk. The little girl's adorable pleas were hard to resist, especially with the pouty lips and batting eyelashes. She sighed in resignation, chuckling to herself.

"We'll see. It depends on how long this takes. Now, remember what we talked about? What are you going to do while we're here?" She looked sternly at the young girl.

"Stay with you at all times..." she droned, bouncing her head from side to side with each word. Clearly this conversation was well rehearsed.

"And?"

"If I get lost, I find someone that works here and tell them." The mother raised an eyebrow in anticipation. "And don't talk to strangers, except the people that work here or the police. I remember it all Mommy," the little girl rolled her eyes. Like mother, like daughter.

"Very good. Now, it's super busy, so it's really important that you stay close to me. OK. There's lots and lots of people, and it will be hard to find each other in this crowd. So, please, please don't wander off," she pleaded with her daughter.

"Ok, Mommy," the little girl's shoulders slumped in resignation.

The line for the customer service desk was quite long, understandable given it was less than two weeks until Christmas. As she stood holding her daughter's hand, she looked at all the shoppers carrying their bags full of treasures. She wished so much that she could do more for her little girl, give her all the things she wanted, but that was not in the cards right now. She could see the longing on her daughter's face when she looked at toys or pretty dresses on display, and it killed her. She wanted to give her all the things she never had as a child. She didn't want her to have to do without, but right now she was stretched so thin, there just didn't seem to be any light at the end of her tunnel.

As the line slowly marched on, she looked at the display cases along the isle. They were filled with beautiful pieces of jewelry, and she felt a pang of guilt at wishing for something like that for herself, something frivolous. The young girl pressed her forehead to the case, staring in awe at the gleaming and sparkling trinkets.

"Woooow. They're so preeeetty. Mommy! That one! That one there. That would look so pretty on you Mommy. You should get that one!" the little girl exclaimed, poking her finger at the glass case.

"Yes, that is very pretty, isn't it? I just can't afford extras like that right now, Sweetie. I need to save my money for important things like… food for growing little girls," she chided mockingly as she tickled the little girl's sides. The ensuing giggle brought a smile to the mother's face, lifting her spirits. The giggling subsided and the little girl gradually became rather solemn.

"Hey. What's the matter?" her mother asked, squeezing her hand to gain her attention.

"You deserve to have nice things Mommy. You work so hard to take care of us. I wish I could get you something nice…" The sadness on the little girl's face was heartbreaking. The mother bit her bottom lip, trying to fight back a tear as she bent down to hug her daughter.

"Oh, Sweetie. I have the greatest gift I could ever ask for." She pulled away, taking the little girl's damp cheeks in her hands. "I have you, and that makes me the luckiest Mommy in the whole world. You know that?" She bopped the little girl on the nose. "Now come on. 'There's no sad faces on Christmas," she proclaimed, doing a rather poor imitation of Jim Carey's Grinch. To her daughter, it didn't seem to matter as it elicited a giggle and brought a smile to her face.

To pass the time in the line they played a game of 'I Spy', which proved to be rather challenging with the vast array of colors around the department store. Finally, after nearly twenty minutes of waiting, she stepped up to the counter and began speaking with the clerk. She was forced to release her daughter's hand to fish papers out of her purse as she continued to talk with the clerk, pleading her case regarding her card payments. The little girl looked back at the jewelry case, which was not far away. She knew her mother could still see here from there. After looking between her mother and the case, she opted to wander over to the case to get another look at the beautiful treasures.

The Christmas decorations in the store reflected a kaleidoscope of colors in the silver and gold jewelry, as the young girl stared in wide-eyed fascination. She occasionally peered back at her mother, who was still in an animated conversation with the clerk. The little girl made her way from case to case, finding new wonders in each. She became so transfixed that she went around the corner, out of her mother's sight, as she continued her exploration. She continued on, finding one distraction after another, working her way ever further from her mother. When she finally looked up at her surroundings, she found that she didn't recognize any of it. She started to walk backwards away from the case.

"Mommy?..." she called out in a weak voice. She began to feel the panic setting in as she felt surrounded by strangers that towered over her. She quickly turned around to escape but instead ran into a pair of legs, causing her to bounce back and fall to the floor, landing on her butt.

"Whoa! You alright there?" The little girl looked up at the very tall man smiling down at her. He looked very friendly but she was still scared, her mother's words playing over in her mind. As the man crouched down to be closer to her level, she could see that there was a name tag on his shirt pocket. He must clearly work here. Finally, someone that could help. The tears began to fall as the little girl confided in the employee.

"I lost my Mommy," she confessed in a shaky voice, her lip quivering as more tears fell.

"Oh, hey. Hey, hey, hey. Shhh. Shh. Shh. D-don't cry. It'll be OK. I'll… I'll help you find your mommy, OK?" He held his hand out to the little girl, offering to help her up. She looked at his hand and then at his kind eyes and warm smile. Though hesitant, she took his hand and stood up with his help. He held onto her hand, still crouched down at her level.

"Alrighty. My name's Chuck. What's yours?" The little girl looked at his name badge then back at his face.

"Molly. Molly Walker," she offered hesitantly between sniffles.

"Great to meet you. OK, Miss Molly Walker, where's the last place you remember seeing your mommy? What was she doing?" He asked softly and calmly, waiting patiently for her response.

"We… we were waiting in line for a long time," she began, taking in a ragged breath as she was still recovering from her crying.

"OK. That's good. Do you remember what she was in line to do or to buy?" he continued, talking in a calm, easy manner.

"Something about a card. I don't know. I … I started to look at the pretty jewelry and then… then I didn't know where I was." She took in a big, shivering breath as she started to get upset again.

"OK. OK. It's alright. I promise, we'll find her OK? I'm sure she's not far." He stood up to his full height, towering over the little girl. He craned his neck, looking around the area. She had mentioned jewelry and while the jewelry section was large, the nicer fine jewelry was fairly close by. He looked down at the little girl, her beautiful blonde hair in a ponytail, shimmering blue eyes looking up at him through her lashes, a sad pouty look on her face. There was just something about this little girl that just tugged at his heart, an ache in his chest. He looked back up to the area surrounding them and an idea came to him.

"I don't know what your mommy looks like and you're too short to see over all of the people. What if you were taller than me? Do you think you could find her then?" He used exaggerated gestures as he spoke, making him seem a little more child-like than most grownups. Her eyes grew big at his question. A look of hope grew across her face as she adamantly nodded her head.

"Alrighty then. How about you sit on my shoulders and then we'll walk around the area and if you see her, you just… tap on my head," he demonstrated, tapping on his own head. She almost giggled, giving him a half smile as she nodded her agreement. "OK. Great. I'll lift you up if that's OK? Do you trust me?" The little girl eyed him for a moment, tilting her head to the side as she considered him. Finally, she nodded her agreement. He gave her a big, toothy smile and she couldn't help but return one of her own. He gently lifted the little girl onto his shoulders, holding her legs firmly to ensure she would not waver or fall. She held onto his head, her small fingers getting lost in his dark, curly hair.

He slowly made his way through the jewelry section, seeing that there was a customer service desk nearby. As they were approaching the fine jewelry area, Chuck saw a woman frantically looking around. She whirled around and he nearly staggered back. The blonde woman was breathtaking, even though she wore a look of panic across her face.

'Molly!?" the woman called out, desperation in her tone as she pushed through the crowd. "Molly!". Chuck shook himself out of his stupor and started toward the woman. It was at that moment the little girl started to emphatically smack Chuck on the head and face, making it difficult to see where he was going.

"Mommy! Mommy!" she shouted wildly waving with one hand while holding onto his hair with the other. Her mother heard her voice and turned to see her daughter. Chuck saw a look of fear mixed with relief wash over her, covering her mouth with her hands. He could see her let out a huge sigh of relief as her body slumped. She looked nearly in tears as she quickly ran to meet them. Chuck lifted the girl, wincing at the pulling of his hair when she failed to let go in time. Setting her gently on the ground, she ran into her mother's arms.

"Oh, God. You scared me to death. Please don't ever do that again." The mother was breathing heavily, the ordeal having clearly rattled her.

"I'm sorry Mommy. I'm sorry. I was just… I just… and… and…." The little girl was crying into her mother's neck as she held onto her for dear life. Many of her words were muffled, so it didn't make much sense. Chuck could only stand back and watch, his hands in his pockets, feeling a little awkward, as if intruding on their moment. The mother realized that Chuck was still there, giving him an apologetic look and a forced smile. She mouthed a 'Thank you' and Chuck just gave a sheepish grin in return and nodded. Not really knowing what else to do, he eventually turned to walk away, giving them whatever privacy he could in the middle of a department store.

"Wait!" cried a small voice. He turned around just as the little girl crashed into his legs again, as she continued to holler at him. This time she held on, giving him a big hug. She looked up at him, her cheeks wet from crying.

"Thank you for helping me, Chuck." He knelt down and gave her a hug in return.

"You are most welcome, Miss Molly Walker. Now, the next time I see you, you're gonna be holding on to your mom's hand, right? So you don't get lost again?" She nodded her head in agreement, looking properly chastised even though he had not been even the slightest bit firm with her. Then her eyes grew wide and she began to smile. "Did you hear that Mommy? We get to see him again." Chuck was taken aback, a confused look on his face. As he played back their conversation in his mind it dawned on him. The mother raised an eyebrow at him and Chuck nearly turned crimson.

"Oh No. I... I didn't… That's not what I… I would never presume..." he finally let out a sigh of exasperation, shaking his head at himself. He closed his eyes for a moment to gather his thoughts. When he opened them, prepared to humbly apologize, he was shocked to see the gorgeous blonde woman standing with her arms crossed, smirking at him. There was a little sparkle to her eyes, the corners of her mouth turned up. He quickly came to the conclusion that this was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He swallowed thickly and summoned the courage to continue.

"I'm sorry. That all came out … terribly wrong. I'm uh… I'm Chuck, by the way." He cautiously extended his hand to her, a self-deprecating grin on his face. She studied his hand for a brief moment before taking it and shaking his hand.

"Sarah," she offered. His smile grew wider, reaching his eyes.

"That's a beautiful name, Sarah." He winced, cursing himself internally. "I'm sorry. That was probably wildly inappropriate. I should let you two get back to … uh… whatever it was you were doing. I'll just uh…" He motioned over his shoulder with his thumb.

"No. No, it's fine. Thank you," she replied, looking a bit bashful as she brushed some strands of her long blonde hair behind her ear. "We were just uh… getting ready to leave, actually."

"Oooo. Mommy! Can he come with us to look at the Christmas displays? Please?" The little girl was bouncing up and down, her hands clamped together, pleading with her mother.

"Miss Molly, I'm sure your mother would rather not have me tagging along. I mean … it would be a bit awkward with… you know… if your ...um... well to be in public and all." He winced again, realizing he was stumbling all over his words. The whole while he was trying to catch a glimpse of Sarah's left hand, trying to discern if there was a ring present. Unfortunately, the way her arms were folded, her left hand fingers were obscured, so he couldn't determine if there was any jewelry present.

Sarah stood watching him, an amused yet bewildered look on her face. She couldn't quite get what he was so apprehensive about until she followed his gaze. She quickly realized what he was trying to get at but didn't want to come out and say it. In this case, she was grateful but began to chuckle nonetheless. She pulled her left hand out from where it was tucked behind her other crossed arm to reveal that there was no ring. She held it up to clearly display her hand and shrugged with a wry smile. Chuck's eyes grew wide, then he gave an embarrassed smile, realizing that she had picked up on what he was so obviously dancing around.

"Oh. I… I see. Um… well uh... still. I wouldn't want to intrude on your day out together." The prospect of going anywhere with them both excited and scared the hell out of him. Molly was a sweet girl and being in her company had made him feel lighter, happier. Her mother, Sarah, was so unbelievably beautiful, it was amazing that she was even speaking to him. He felt like there was some disconnect between his brain and his mouth whenever he tried to talk to her. She wasn't just out of his league, she was playing in a whole different game altogether. Spending time with her would be incredible, but he was petrified that he would say or do something that would make her run for the hills.

She considered the man, 'Chuck', looking him up and down. He seemed to be a nice man, certainly was very sweet toward Molly. Molly was a pretty good judge of character and to see her astride his shoulders walking through the store was surprising to say the least. His smile and his warm, dark eyes were so disarming. She definitely didn't need a man in her life to complicate things further right now. However, he seemed kind, sincere and he did rescue her little girl. A walk around the mall to look at Christmas decorations was benign enough it wouldn't hurt anything. Right?

"If Chuck isn't busy with work, he's welcome to join us," she interjected, saving him from his own rambling. Chuck looked a bit perplexed at her comment, then she nodded toward him. He looked down and it finally dawned on him that he was still in his Nerd Herd uniform.

"Oh, this? No. No, I don't work here. I work at the Buy More, part of the Nerd Herd," he pointed at his name tag to further emphasize the point. "Anyway, I was just doing some Christmas shopping and ran into Miss Molly here. Well, I suppose she ran into me, technically." He closed his eyes for a brief moment, shaking his head at himself again. He took in a deep breath to calm himself before continuing. "I would be honored to see the Christmas displays with you, M'lady." He made a big show of bowing to Molly, as if addressing royalty. This drew a giggle from the little girl and a bright smile from her mother, affecting Chuck way more than he wanted to admit.

Molly held her mother's hand as they walked through the crowds. Chuck did his best to keep up, the little girl eagerly urging him on to follow. When they exited the confines of the department store and entered the wider expanse of the mall itself, Molly took Chuck's hand, holding it tight.

"You don't want to get lost too," she exclaimed as she started swinging his hand with hers. Chuck looked down in surprise at the little girl's openness, at being so quick to accept and trust him. He felt a little tightness in his chest, a warmth moving through him. Sarah was just as surprised to see her daughter being so trusting of someone. She knew it was likely a trait that Molly learned from her, keeping people at a distance. Molly had never warmed up to anyone like this, especially this quickly. Sarah didn't know what to make of it, and from the look on his face, neither did Chuck. He seemed to be about her age, she guessed, probably mid to late twenties. She didn't see fear or apprehension on his face, as she would expect from most men his age, when approached by children. No, it was something much warmer. It was almost like there was a look of adoration toward Molly. Perhaps Molly just had that way of wiggling her way into people's hearts. Sarah couldn't help but smile. The look of pure joy on her daughter's face as she pulled them through the mall really moved her.

The three of them made their way through the mall until they approached the central concourse where the annual Christmas display was set up. When they reached the entrance, the three stopped in their tracks, looking on in awe at the enormity of it all. It was a winter wonderland, filled with realistic looking evergreens, covered in snow, surrounding a replica of the North Pole. Each building was brightly decorated with lights, giant candies and ornaments. Placed throughout the village were animated polar bears playing with presents and elves having snowball fights. Everywhere you looked was a new detail, more fascinating and captivating than the last. Sarah felt Molly release her hand and when she looked to see why, she was struck by the most touching scene she could imagine. Chuck had lifted her up to give her a better view of all the wonders. The two looked on in wide-eyed innocence at the magical landscape before them. The image caused a knot to form in her chest, but in the best way possible. Her little girl looked so happy, so at peace.

As wonderful as all of this felt, the reality of it all came crashing over her. This man was a complete stranger. While seemingly a very nice and kind man, she still knew nothing about him. On top of that, in a short while he would be gone from their lives, off to live his own life. No doubt, Molly would be hurt, at least a little, feeling abandoned yet again by a male figure in her life. Sarah would be back to worrying about bills and how she was going to try to make a happy Christmas for her little girl when they couldn't even afford decorations or a tree, let alone a lot of presents to put beneath one. She could feel the stress and anxiety creeping back in, threatening to strangle out this warmth she was feeling right now. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, slowly blowing it out. She focused on the music and the happy excitement all around, pushing those toxic thoughts away and decided to focus on these happy moments, the ones she could look back on and smile. She opened her eyes and saw her daughter, brimming with excitement, which warmed her heart. Beside her she noticed Chuck, looking directly at her. He looked a little crestfallen and apologetic as he slowly lowered Molly back to the ground. He mouthed a 'Sorry' to her before straightening. She now realized he must have seen her earlier expression and taken it to mean she didn't approve of him picking up Molly to see the decorations. Now she felt terrible that he was just trying to be a kind person, and it seemed like she was unappreciative. While, yes, he was a relative stranger, he was invited to come along to look at the decorations with them. He was not doing anything inappropriate, simply aiding the little girl that he was with in seeing the decorations better. She couldn't hold that against him.

Sarah reached out and grasped his arm gently, to get his attention. He almost jumped, surprised by the contact and perhaps more so because of the person who initiated it. She gave him a small smile and mouthed to him 'It's OK', nodding down toward Molly, who was now standing on her tiptoes trying to see everything. He gave a sheepish smile and went to pick the little girl up again, but shooting her mother a questioning look at the last second. She nodded her approval with a wry smile and he gently lifted Molly up again to see the sights. They stood for some time pointing out different decorations to Molly, her pointing out others in return.

The three continued on through the display, Molly now walking between Chuck and Sarah again, holding each of their hands. When they approached the epicenter of this wonderland, they were greeted by none other than the Big Man himself. A jolly, portly old man with a long, white beard and rosy cheeks. His infectious laugh made his whole body jiggle, bringing a smile to everyone's face, young and old alike. Much to her surprise, it was not her daughter but Chuck who was first to speak up.

"It's Santa!" he exclaimed, a little more excited than one would expect from a grown man. Sarah tried to hold back a giggle at his child-like enthusiasm. She watched Chuck turn to Molly, expecting to see her join in his excitement and was quickly brought back down to Earth when he saw her sad, shy expression.

"What's the matter Miss Molly? It's Santa! Don't you want to go see him? Tell him what you want for Christmas?" Chuck asked a bit incredulously. She just shook her head, turning her gaze to the floor. Chuck stole a questioning glance at Sarah, who was equally as surprised as Chuck.

"Sweetie, what's the matter? You've always loved to sit on Santa's lap," Sarah crouched down so that she could crane her neck to look into Molly's face. The little girl looked up between the adults on either side, looking a bit unsure of herself. "It's OK. Whatever it is, you can say it," she encouraged her daughter with a loving tone. Still looking apprehensive, the little girl nodded.

"I don't … I don't think he's real," she confessed in a small voice. The admission shocked Sarah, not realizing that her daughter was having any doubts.

"What d'you mean he's not real? What makes you think that, Sweetie?" Sarah inquired, trying to keep a calm, soothing tone.

"Well, I keep asking for something and he never brings me what I ask for." Molly's eyes began to tear up as a pout began to form on her face.

"Oh, Sweetie. I don't understand. All your letters to Santa, he's always brought you most everything you've asked for. What hasn't he brought you?" Sarah was trying to hide her emotions at seeing her daughter so distraught.

"I never asked for it in my letters. I only asked him in person where… where you couldn't hear. I… I wanted it to be a surprise for you." The little girl looked sheepishly at her mother, afraid she might be angry at her confession.

"Oh, baby girl. What could you possibly ask for that you wouldn't want me to know about?" Sarah asked, pushing some stray hairs behind the little girl's ear. Chuck looked on intently, not wanting to interject where it wasn't his place. They could see the little girl swallow hard, building the courage to answer her mother.

"The last two times I asked Santa to … to bring me a daddy, so you wouldn't be so lonely anymore and we could be a family." Large tears streaked down the little girl's face as she revealed her secret to her mother. Sarah gasped, covering her mouth with both hands, tears welling in her eyes. Sarah had to turn away, unable to hold back the tears any longer. Chuck, still kneeling beside the little girl, fought to hold back tears of his own. The sincerity of the little girl's wish for a family struck him hard as well, having spent a large portion of his life without parents. He was all too familiar with that desire, that longing for family. While he still had his sister, there was still an emptiness that went unfilled. He could see Sarah was overcome with emotions and thought he should say something to give her some time to recover. He gently took the little girl's hands and turned her to face him.

"Miss Molly. That is a pretty big wish to ask of Santa. Have...have you ever watched the movie Aladdin? The one with the blue genie?" he asked, looking into the little girl's eyes. She returned his gaze and slowly nodded her answer.

"And do you remember what he said about the rules for wishes?" he continued, trying to hold her attention. She nodded again, but looking a little uncertain.

"Well, in short, he couldn't bring people back who had already died, he couldn't grant you more wishes and he couldn't make someone fall in love. You remember?" She nodded her head again, this time a little more certain.

"Well, the same rules apply with Santa as well. Free will, everyone's right to make their own choices in life, is a very special thing. Nobody should be able to take that away from you. If a genie, or Santa, were to force someone to be your daddy, that person wouldn't have a choice in the matter, right?" The little girl looked at him thoughtfully.

"Yeah. I guess so," she answered softly.

"Would you want to have a daddy because someone forced them to be your daddy? Or would you want a person who … who really cared for you? Someone who loved you,... and your mom, and wanted to be part of your family?" Chuck looked deep into the girl's eyes and something in him made his voice hitch as he finished his question. The little girl's eyes grew wide, as if she finally understood what Chuck was really saying.

"I'd want them to love us 'cause they wanted to, not 'cause they had too." The little girl looked down at her feet but still held onto Chuck's hands. "I was being selfish."

"What? No. No, you weren't being selfish. You love your mommy and wanted to give her something very special. That's not being selfish at all. Just because you might have gotten something out of it too, doesn't make it selfish. Wanting a family isn't selfish. We all want family, need family in our lives. I think it's one of the least selfish gifts I've ever heard of." He squeezed her hands, eliciting a small smile from the little girl.

"Boy, I was gonna ask him for a new pair of tennis shoes and a video game. How selfish is that?" He asked in a mocking, self-deprecating tone which caused her to giggle. Chuck grinned at the little girl, feeling pleased with himself that he seemed to resolve the situation. It then struck him that he had completely ignored Sarah during the exchange and quickly shifted his gaze to her. She was on her knees, behind Molly, sitting back on her heels. She was returning Chuck's gaze with a look that he couldn't decipher, and he feared that he may have way overstepped his bounds.

When she'd turned her head to hide her tears from her daughter, she'd heard Chuck begin to console Molly. As he began to talk about genies and wishes, Sarah was pulled into the conversation, drawn in by his soothing and kind voice. She listened silently as he continued to explain to Molly the virtues of love and free will. As she watched him with her daughter, and the ease at which she seemed to trust him, something awoke deep within her, a feeling she had not felt before. She was feeling an attraction to him that she couldn't describe, and, if she was honest, it scared the hell out of her. As scary as it was, she couldn't help but feel enthralled as well.

From streaming tears to bouts of giggles, he knew how to make Molly smile, how to ease the pain. She knew that it was beyond ridiculous to have any sort of feelings for this man, her head and heart were in an epic struggle. She could do nothing but gaze in awe of him. Chuck. His warm eyes melting her icy walls, tipping the scales of the battle in her heart's favor. Without looking away, he continued.

"But just as it wouldn't be fair to the man, it wouldn't be fair to your mommy, either." He might not have been able to read her expression, but her eyes, those azure pools, were as deep as the ocean. He was lost, sinking, but allowed himself to drown in them. "Your mom deserves to find someone that makes her happy and … loves her beyond measure." He truly felt like he was sinking. Deeper and deeper, his stomach all a flutter, as if on a roller coaster. He swallowed thickly and forced himself to look back at the little girl, fearing he had squeezed her hands too hard while lost in his thoughts. He patted her hands before letting them go with a sheepish smile.

"I think Santa deserves another chance, don't you? I mean, what have ya got to lose?" Chuck asked her matter-of-factly with a shrug. A wry smile grew across the little girl's face as she spun to confront her mother.

"Mommy! Can I? Can I go see Santa? Pleeeaase?" The excitement had returned to her little girl, which helped shake Sarah from her swirling thoughts. Seeing that light in her daughter's eyes again, Sarah's grin grew from ear to ear, feeling happier than she could remember.

"Well… of course. What are we waiting for?" She stood and took the little girl by the hand, leading her to the line to greet Santa, a little skip in their step. Chuck followed behind but kept his distance. He felt like he may have overstepped his bounds with Sarah, a stranger inserting himself in their lives. There was a yearning within him to be close with them, but he needed to know his place. He watched Molly and Sarah talking and laughing, and it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Molly stood up straight with a start and frantically started looking around. When she turned around and locked eyes with Chuck, she relaxed and the smile returned to her face.

"There you are. Come on, Chuck. Come on," the little girl waved him over. Chuck just smiled sheepishly but waved back, indicating that they should go ahead without him. Sarah looked over her shoulder at him and then down at her daughter, who was insistently motioning him on.

"Yeah, Chuck….. Come on," she said teasingly, motioning with her head for him to come join them. His sheepish smile turned a little more serious and he met her gaze, her soft smile was a siren song he just couldn't resist. He walked up to join them, Molly taking his hand forcibly, her excitement bubbling over. Chuck seemed taken aback by her forwardness, but didn't pull away. He shared a look with Sarah, who then looked down at his hand, which was joined with her daughter's. She lifted her gaze to his with a smile before turning her attention back to Molly, who was full of questions about Santa, the North Pole and Christmas in general. They all talked and laughed as they proceeded through the line.

When they finally reached the moment of truth, a young woman dressed as one of Santa's elves motioned Molly to come along. She was so excited, but before leaving, she took the hands she had been holding and joined them together.

"Here. I'll be right back," before bounding off to see Santa. Chuck and Sarah stood in shock, looking at their joined hands, neither making a move to separate themselves. The sensation that had passed between them was electric. It felt so warm and comfortable, but with an odd tingling that neither could explain. Finally, Chuck was able to compose himself enough to make words.

"We should uh… probably..." Chuck trailed off, not looking away from their joined hands.

"Oh, yeah. Uh… definitely. We … we should probably just…" Sarah replied quickly but trailing off as well, unable to look away.

"Yeah. Definitely..." he said in a dreamy tone, finally pulling his hand away slowly, redirecting his gaze toward Molly, who was climbing onto Santa's lap. Molly greeted him and told him her name. She leaned in and made a point of whispering to him, covering her mouth to prevent others from seeing. She looked over toward her mother, as did Santa, before turning back to him to continue their discussion. The jolly man chuckled, looking back over at Chuck and Sarah a few times, nodding, as the little girl continued. Eventually, he had asked her what she wanted for Christmas. She whispered some things again and he nodded his understanding. Some pictures were taken and he bid her a 'Merry Christmas' with a hug, waving goodbye.

Seeing her fast approaching, Sarah and Chuck quickly rejoined hands, just as Molly had left them, almost as if by instinct. Molly ran back to Sarah, slamming into her mother's right side, taking her free hand in hers. Sarah looked back and forth between her two hands, a little uncertain about what to do. She stole a glance at Chuck, who seemed equally unsure. The temporary joining had been under the pretense that Molly would want to come back and be between them again. The rules now seemed to have changed and neither were quite sure what to do. They looked at one another and there was something unspoken that passed between them. A slight squeeze of their joined hands was accompanied by a small smile. They released each other's hands and began walking through the mall again. They remained close enough that their fingers brushed together occasionally. Sharing a glance and a smile now and then, it all felt so comfortable, as if they'd been doing this for years. After a few minutes. Molly let out an exasperated groan.

"Ugh. Mommy, I'm hungry. Can we get something to eeeeeaat?" Molly asked in a whiny voice, her feet starting to drag.

"Uh… Yeah, Baby. We'll get something to eat." Things were tight, but she could at least afford a meal out once in a great while. She had originally planned on saving the money and eating at home, but she didn't want to make that known in front of Chuck. As she glanced at Chuck, who was now walking with his hands in his pockets, Sarah bit her lower lip, contemplating another small leap forward. Hell, they had already held hands and that was pretty damn crazy, right? What was a little more crazy thrown into the mix gonna hurt? "Where uh… where would you like to go for lunch, Chuck?" she asked meekly.

"Wha… who me? Wh.. um… you want me to go with you?" He stammered out, taken aback at the offer. He was amazed and humbled at how they had so easily welcomed him into their lives. Perhaps he was taking advantage of their kindness and missing subtle cues that he should excuse himself and let them have their family time.

"Yes, you. You do eat, right?" Sarah asked, bumping shoulders with him.

"Of… of course I eat. It's just… I … you've been so great, including me in your day. I just… I sometimes have a tendency to overstay my welcome, so if you two… if you need-" Sarah gently took hold of his forearm, giving him pause from his rambling. He glanced down at her hand, swallowing thickly before lifting his gaze to meet hers. She gave him a soft smile before diverting her attention to Molly.

"I think Molly would be OK with you joining us. What d'you say Sweetie?" Sarah asked, wiggling her other hand that was still holding onto her daughter, eliciting a giggle from the little girl.

"Yes! You have to come! Please, please, please." Molly bounced up and down with excitement as she pleaded with him. Chuck couldn't help but blush a little, touched that the girl was so insistent that he join them.

"I think that settles it. You have to come now," Sarah teased, chuckling at her daughter's antics.

"How could I possibly say 'No' to two such lovely ladies?" he grinned sheepishly, shrugging in faux resignation.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Molly sat happily, swinging her legs, using her French fries as vessels for scooping ketchup into her mouth. Sarah sat next to her, sighing in exasperation, while Chuck sat across from them, beaming at the two ladies in amusement. They had stopped at an In-N-Out Burger that was attached to the mall. Upon ordering, a disagreement about who would pay ensued.

"Chuck, I invited you to lunch. Ergo, I should pay," she argued.

"No, I got it. Really." Chuck had his wallet out and was trying to move in to pay.

"Chuck…"

"Please. Please let me do this. You guys… you let me spend the afternoon with you and frankly, I can't remember ever having a better time. Let me say 'Thank you' by doing this. It would mean a lot to me," he pleaded. Sarah could hear the sincerity in his voice. She initially thought it might be a case of him trying to be 'the man' and pay for the meal based on some antiquated social norm. His explanation was heartfelt and she just couldn't say 'No' to him, so she relented. Secretly, she was relieved and ashamed at the same time. Her budget really couldn't handle paying for all three of them. Some part of her had banked on him offering to pay, and it made her feel horrible inside to wish for that. His pleading to allow him to pay, despite her weak attempt to argue, made her feel a little better, like she was not completely taking advantage of him. The smile on his face when she relented eased much of that guilt, but she would insist that she help in some way.

"Ok. It's unnecessary, but very nice of you. Thank you, Chuck." She gave him a wry smile and continued, "But I get to carry the tray." That made him laugh and he happily relented.

"That's probably best. I have two left feet, so I'd likely end up spilling it all." They both chuckled at that, any awkwardness surrounding the payment for lunch melting away.

Chuck and Sarah ate in comfortable silence, while Molly chattered on about any number of unrelated topics. She would ask questions but answer them for herself and kept right on going.

"So, you said you were out Christmas shopping. Who were you shopping for? Parents? Friends? … significant other?" Sarah asked trailing off, trying not to make it sound like she was fishing for information.

"Uh yeah. I mean no! I mean…" he sighed in exasperation at himself for what felt like the hundredth time today. "I meant that, 'Yes' I was shopping, but not for parents or significant others. I don't have either of those. And I only have one friend, Morgan, and he's off in Hawaii trying to learn to be a hibachi chef," he shrugged giving a half smile.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry," she apologized, wincing at the sore spot she seemed to have stumbled into.

"No, no. It's alright. Those are legitimate questions. My parents left when I was young, that just left my older sister, Ellie, and I. I've only really had one 'significant other' and that … well, that didn't go so well." Chuck mindlessly played with his fries as he spoke, not really able to look at her.

"That's terrible! I'm so sorry about your parents. That had to have been tough. And your girlfriend..err… 'significant other'... pretty bad, was it?" She wasn't sure why she was asking, but some part of her was extremely curious.

"Let's just say that I thought we would eventually get married and have kids, while she thought she'd have," Chuck looked at Molly and cleared his throat before continuing, "…'relations' with my roommate… on my bed…" Sarah gasped and instinctively reached out across the table and took his hand.

"No! Are you kidding me? That's awful!" she exclaimed, shaking her head in disbelief. Chuck just shrugged but looking at her hand on his brought a smile.

"I'll admit, I was pretty messed up for a while, but I eventually got my act together. Sure what they did hurt me, but the way I chose to deal with it, that was all on me. So I stopped feeling sorry for myself and got on with my life. I know, I know. The Buy More isn't exactly 'getting on with my life'. That's what Ellie keeps telling me. It's just a means to an end though. Soon, I'll publish my own software and I can get outta that place and start my own company. I just need to … you know… buy food in the meantime," he smirked, chuckling at himself.

"That's great that you're going to be able to do something you enjoy." Sarah was legitimately happy for him. It sounded like he had gotten some bad breaks in life. For a man as good and kind as he was, he deserved something to go right. She had to admit, she was a little envious, but hoped it didn't show.

"What about you? What is it you do?" Chuck asked, resting his chin on his free hand, giving her his full attention.

"Me? Well, I work as an events coordinator for Safe Harbor, a non-profit organization that raises money for shelters and programs for battered women." Sarah paused for a moment, as if collecting her thoughts. "Don't get me wrong, it's rewarding work and a very worthy cause. It just … doesn't pay a lot." Sarah sighed, stirring her drink with her straw.

"That's very noble work. I envy you." Sarah was taken aback by his admission, especially given she had the same thought about him.

"Envy me?" she asked incredulously.

"Well, yeah. You're in a position to help a lot of people. People who may not have anywhere else to turn. Your organization is saving the lives of women and likely the children they escape with. You get to be a part of that. It must be a good feeling. Right now I just fix computers. I don't really have an impact on anyone's life," he shrugged. Sarah furrowed her brow and gently patted his hand.

"That's not true at all. You had an impact on our lives today and I, for one, am very thankful. She's my whole world." Chuck began to blush, ducking his head with a sheepish smile. They sat there, silence between them, but thankfully filled with Molly and her endless supply of questions. She had been coloring on her placemat, respectfully not interrupting the adults while they were talking. Once there was a lull in the conversation, that was her cue to jump back in with the questions.

"Why can't I see my eyes? … I wonder what my elbow tastes like… How did they make the first tools if there were no tools to make the tools?"

"OK. On that note, I think it's time to go," Sarah interrupted, as she started to gather all their trash.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Chuck walked with them back through the mall to Sarah's car. Something in him really wanted to hold Sarah's hand again but he knew that was pushing things a bit too much. Instead he settled for the next best thing and held Molly's hand as Sarah took the other. Sarah let Molly into the back seat of her car and helped her with her booster seat. After closing the back door, Sarah turned to Chuck, fidgeting with her keys. Chuck stood with his hands in his pockets, rocking anxiously on his heels.

"So… um… I'm really, really not good at this sort of thing but, I had an amazing time today Sarah. This may sound crazy, but I… I was wondering if… if you would like to have dinner on Sunday, at my place? With… with me." Chuck looked worried and hopeful as he gazed at Sarah. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it again, a forlorn look on her face.

"Chuck… I… I don't think I could manage to get a sitter. I don't really know anyone…."

"Oh, no. No, no, no. I meant, 'you'," he made a point of emphasizing 'you' as he drew a circle in the air, gesturing toward Sarah and Molly. "I assumed that you two were a package deal." Sarah took in a quick breath and let out a small huff. She swallowed thickly, fighting against every ounce of her being to keep from kissing this man, right here and now. Get ahold of yourself, Sarah! This was all happening too quickly. Dinner at his place? He had included Molly, so one would hope that he didn't have … 'other things' on his mind. From the time they'd spent together, he didn't seem that shallow. He had been a perfect gentleman, always keeping eye contact, never 'wandering'. He never attempted to hit on her or flirt overtly. If she were being honest with herself, she couldn't think of the last time that she had dinner with other adults. It was just dinner after all, right?

"That… that actually sounds nice, Chuck," she replied at just above a whisper, the hitch in her throat causing her voice to fail her. Chuck didn't seem to mind as the brightest smile spread across his face, reaching his eyes.

"That's … that's wonderful! Ooooh. Um… I uh… I kinda left out one small, little detail…" Sarah raised an eyebrow, folding her arms across her body. And here it comes. I knew it was too good to be true. Chuck's ears were turning red as he stumbled to get the words out.

"See… um... I live with my sister and her fiancé. We have family dinner on the Sundays they don't have to work. Ellie loves to cook and there's always left overs for days. I'd… I'd really like for you two to come. We're gonna be decorating the tree afterwards and I thought that maybe… maybe Molly and … and you might like to join in." Chuck had a hopeful look on his face as he waited for her response. Sarah was dumbfounded.

"Chuck, that's your family time. We couldn't possibly…"

"Sarah, please. Ellie and I were the only family we had for a long time. During that time, we grew to realize that family isn't just about heredity or blood. It's about… surrounding yourself with friends, the people you… you care about … and those that care about you. That's what family means to us, so I didn't take it lightly when I asked you two to come."

"Chuck, I… I don't know what to say?" Sarah was bewildered, overwhelmed by the gravity of his gesture. She couldn't believe the day she'd had. What started out as very trying had turned into one of the best days she could remember.

"I hope you'll say that you'll at least think about it," he replied with a sheepish grin. Molly was trying to do her best to not interrupt the adult's conversation, but she could be clearly heard pleading from the backseat, bouncing in her booster seat.

''Ooo! Ooo, ooo. Please. Please. Please. Mommy. Pleeeeeeaaaase…" Sarah rolled her eyes at her daughter's antics, Chuck twisting his lips to avoid lauging outright. Giving in, Sarah reached out and squeezed his wrist.

"Ok… I'll think about it," giving him a small smile.

"Oh, that… that's great." He started feeling around in his pockets, desperately trying to find a piece of paper on his person. "If I could just find … a piece of… paper, I could give you …" Sarah chuckled to herself and just held out her hand to him.

"Your phone," she declared, waiting for him to fish it out of his pocket. She took it from him and began typing something. With a smirk she handed his phone back to him. A second later, Sarah's phone beeped and she showed the screen to Chuck. "I'll call or text you to let you know." She got into the driver's seat and buckled up, waiting until the last minute to close the door.

"Um… just so you know, I had a good time today too," she confessed with a wide smile. Chuck returned the smile, blushing a bit. Sarah closed the door, waving goodbye, as did Molly. Chuck waved in return and watched them drive away. When they pulled out of sight, he could no longer hold in the fist pump as he shouted, 'YES!', then immediately straightened, realizing how loud that was. He quickly walked away, heading to his car.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Chuck was fumbling with the keys to his car when his phone started to vibrate. He pulled the phone out, swiping to answer without looking as he juggled his keys.

"Yello…" he answered, his phone wedged between his ear and shoulder as he worked to unlock his care.

"Yellow?" Sarah's voice snorted on the other end. Chuck's head shot up and he only just caught his phone before it plummeted to the ground.

"S-Sarah? Wh-um… Hi," he stammered out as he got the phone back under control against his ear. He could hear the chuckle in her voice, and he was sure she was laughing at his bumbling.

"Hi, Chuck." He could hear the mirth in her voice. "Is uh… is that how you normally answer the phone?" He could hear the teasing tone in her voice and, before he could filter his words, his mouth spoke.

"Only when beautiful women call me…" There was silence on both ends but Chuck stumbled forward. "Which uh… which has only happened just the one time. Soooo… before I embarrass myself any further, what uh… what can I do for you?" He winced, cursing himself internally. Sarah cleared her throat, a little hum as if trying to stave off a chuckle.

"Well, Molly and I were talking it over and she decided that she'd like to accept your invitation. If the offer still stands?"

"Um, yeah. It's only been… six minutes. I think it's safe to say the offer still stands," he replied with a chuckle. "And since she has so graciously accepted my offer, will Miss Molly be bringing a plus one?" Chuck asked, trying his best to sound like a British aristocrat. He was hoping that his attempts at humor would mask his nerves. Sarah snorted at his remarks.

"Yes. I'll be her chaperone for the evening. Miss Molly would like to inquire if there's anything that she might bring. A dessert? Some wine perhaps?" Sarah seemed to play along with his joke, mimicking his accent. He chuckled warmly, pausing a moment to revel in their banter.

"Please tell her Ladyship that we merely require her presence and that of her … chaperone. Shall we say seven o'clock?" He twisted his lips trying to hold back a giggle. Sarah either failed or didn't attempt to hold back her giggle, the sound warming him inside.

"Seven o'clock then." She replied. Chuck could hear Molly giggling in the background too. "We'll see you then." Her voice returned to normal, sounding warm and cheerful.

"Bye Chuck!" Molly yelled, eliciting a laugh from Chuck.

"Bye Molly!... Bye Sarah." The call ended and after pausing a moment to soak it all in, he texted her his address, including the emoji with the monocle. He followed it up with the toothy smiley face emoji. He got in his car, taking a deep breath before leaving. He couldn't help but smile the entire way home.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. If so, send me some reviews to let me know. If you didn't like it for some reason, that's OK too.