A/N: Okay, first off let me just say for those who are wondering the next chapter of my other story is coming soon and I'm sorry for the delay. Work, family, friends, my new addiction to Mad Men (you can blame Wepdiggy for that one) among other things have taken up my time but it is coming.
This story was inspired by the fact that my Dodgers won sweeping the Cards to advance to NLCS. I'm beyond thrilled by this fact and was motivated to write this little one-shot starring two of my loves, Chuck and the Dodgers. I'd also like to mention my baseball buddy Liam2 who is probably just as happy as I am about the sweep :D. Hope you enjoy the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own Chuck or the Dodgers. Sadly. All mistakes (and I'm sure there are plenty) are my own.
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Sarah knocked on the door of Chuck's apartment and then proceeded to wait. The door swung open and Sarah saw that it was Ellie who answered.
"Hey Sarah," Ellie said giving Sarah her usual warm smile.
"Hey Ellie," Sarah said smiling back.
"I'd love to stay and chat but I got to run for a shift at the hospital," Ellie said. "Chuck's inside waiting for you and I hope you two have fun going out tonight."
"Thanks, we will," Sarah replied.
Sarah walked inside the apartment and found Chuck sprawled out on the couch. Instead of the usual scene of Chuck playing Call of Duty that Sarah finds when she comes over, Chuck was watching what appeared to be the Dodger game.
"I didn't know you were a Dodger fan," Sarah said interrupting him.
"Oh hey Sarah," Chuck said quickly scrambling to his feet. "Umm, I'm not really a fan, just like to catch the game even now and then."
Sarah slowly nodded though she didn't really believe him. She had never before seen him watch a game or even show the slightest interest in the team before. "I didn't even know you knew what sports were," Sarah joked remembering Chuck's discomfort at the football game they went to.
"Hey, I'm a red-blooded male you know," Chuck countered.
Sarah couldn't help but grin. She could only imagine what responses Casey had to that statement. "You're right," she said sobering up. "I'm sorry that I misjudged you as you are an obvious a sports enthusiast. What's the score?"
Chuck opened his mouth to reply but then quickly shut it as he realized he didn't even know it. At this point Sarah could no longer contain her laughter causing Chuck to mutter something in response as he turned off the game though she failed to catch what it was.
"Alright you caught me, I don't really watch sports." Chuck hesitated for a moment before continuing. "When we moved out here my dad took Ellie and I to a few Dodger games as sort of a fun thing for the whole family," he confided.
"Chuck I'm–" Sarah started but Chuck quickly shook his head and cut her off. "No Sarah it's fine," he reassured as he gave her a small smile. "Those games were some of the best times I've had and I'm only sorry that I haven't been to a game since then."
Sarah gave him a sympathetic smile in understanding though she still felt guilty for brining it up. As they walked out of the apartment Sarah couldn't shake the nagging compulsion she had to help Chuck and by the end of the night Sarah was resolved to take it upon herself to correct that fact.
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"Hey Chuck," Sarah said as she walked into the Buy More.
Chuck smiled as he saw her walking toward him. "Hey."
"I actually came over here for a reason. I was wondering, are you working Friday night?" Sarah asked.
"Um, let me check." Chuck punched in some keys on the computer and then shook his head. "Nope, I'm free. Why, do we have a mission?"
"No, nothing like that. I was just wondering if you wanted to go with me to the Dodger game on Friday," Sarah asked hesitantly.
"This Friday?" Chuck repeated.
"Yeah," Sarah drawled and she was now thinking that perhaps this wasn't the best idea. "It's fine if you don't want to Chuck, I understand."
"No, no," Chuck said quickly. "You just took me off guard. "
"So is that a yes?" Sarah prompted.
"Only if you promise to protect me from any balls that come our way," Chuck teased.
Sarah smiled and promised him.
"It's a date then," Chuck said smiling.
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"Wow, these are really good seats," Chuck exclaimed as he walked towards the seats that were a few rows behind home plate. "I've never been this close before."
They had finally made it here and luckily had left early enough to beat the worst of the traffic that was a result from there being a game. After many protests Sarah finally convinced Chuck to wear his Dodger baseball hat after Sarah reassured him that he didn't look bad in hats. To be honest she actually thought he looked adorable. Sarah herself donned on a blue Dodger t-shirt for the occasion to which Chuck told her that if baseball teams had cheerleaders they'd all wish they looked like her. Sarah shook herself from her thoughts and turned her attention back to Chuck. She merely smiled and shrugged. "What can I say, I have connections."
Chuck grinned back at her and took his seat as he waited for the game to start.
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Bottom of the 1st Inning
"So when I used to come here, my dad and I would always play a game as the real game could sometimes move a little slow," Chuck shared.
"Really, what game?" Sarah asked.
"The scoreboard game," Chuck answered.
"The scoreboard game?" Sarah repeated dubiously.
"It is more fun than it sounds, I promise," Chuck reaffirmed.
"How do you play?" Sarah inquired.
"It is like poker," Chuck explained. "You use the number of balls, strikes and outs as well as the jersey number of the player up to bat to try to make four of a kind, five of a kind, a straight or a full house."
"Ok…" Sarah said not sure if she quite understood the game.
"Here take that guy for example," Chuck said as he pointed to the on-deck circle. "He is number 13 so if he came up with 1 out and then got a strike, or fouled the ball, as well as a ball so the count was 1-1, there'd be four of a kind. The 1 from his jersey, the 1 from the out, and the 1's from the ball and strike."
"So if there was 1 out for the guy up to bat there'd be four of a kind as there is a 1-1 count and he's number 15," Sarah clarified.
"Right, but remember you have to use all the numbers and you can't just ignore one. Take Matt Kemp who is number 27," Chuck said as he motioned to the scoreboard. "You can't drop the seven in his number to use the 2 to make something like a straight. With Kemp the only possible play you have is a four of a kind with his two so you better hope he comes up with two gone."
"No three of a kind?" Sarah mused.
Chuck laughed. "No, that'd be too easy."
"Alright so what do I do if I can make a play?" she asked.
"You say whatever the play is out loud before I do and then you win," Chuck answered.
"What's the prize?" she inquired.
"You get to hit the other person," Chuck replied. "Obviously not hard but you know, a little smack to the arm." Chuck demonstrated by giving a light tap to Sarah's arm.
Sarah look at her arm and decided that was the only time Chuck would do that as she was determined to win. "Anything else I should know before we start playing?"
"Umm, just know that if both say it at the same time then it's a tie and therefore no hit, and if you call something that is wrong then you get a penalty meaning the other person gets to hit you. And also you can only call something once so you can't just keep calling a play if the batter keeps fouling off balls. Other than that everything is game," Chuck announced with a smile.
"Alright. Prepare to be bruised Chuck," Sarah teased.
"Please," Chuck scoffed. "I own at this game. Bring it Walker."
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Top of the 3rd Inning
"Two?" Sarah asked with a concerned look. "Are you trying to get me fat?"
"Yeah," Chuck replied sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. "You figured out my master plan. Honestly Sarah, you could eat like five hundred of them and still be fit."
Sarah smiled, "I don't think I plan on eating that many," she responded.
"You might. These are Dodger dogs," Chuck stated.
Sarah gave him a quizzical look.
"Dodger dogs are famous and renowned for being the best hotdogs in L.A.," Chuck explained.
"I thought you told me that the best was Pink's," Sarah responded.
"No," he corrected. "I said a lot of people think they are the best, big difference."
"Well what makes these hot dogs so special?" Sarah asked.
Chuck laughed. "Honestly it is probably best we don't know the answer to that. Look if you don't want the second one then I'll eat it."
"You'll eat three?" Sarah asked incredulously.
"I'm sure it's a burden I could suffer through," Chuck replied. He handed her the two Dodger dogs along with some napkins. As Sarah opened the first wrapper she saw that Chuck had once again managed to know exactly what she liked on her food.
"You got my hot dog right," she whispered quietly.
Chuck just smiled. "Well I am known to pay attention now and then."
They just looked at each other for a moment. "Chuck I have something to tell you," Sarah confessed.
"What?" he asked now looking concerned.
"Full house," Sarah responded with a grin.
"Are you serious!?," Chuck exclaimed as he looked at the scoreboard. Indeed, Shumaker (number 55) was up with two out and the count now two balls and two strikes.
"What is that, seven to zero now?" Sarah asked innocently.
"I think my right arm is going to be permanently sore," Chuck grumbled.
Sarah laughed, "Wuss," she retorted as they both settled back to enjoy their food.
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Middle of the 5th Inning
"Look," Chuck said pointing to the big screen. "They are doing the kiss cam."
Sarah looked up and saw that the screen now showing various shots of people together kissing as the crowd cheered.
"I used to be disgusted by this part," Chuck revealed. "Yeah I was one of those kids."
Sarah smiled and watched the screen. All of sudden she saw herself on the screen and heard Chuck beside her mutter "Oh god," as he looked wildly around as if to explain the situation to someone. Sarah, however, decided to give the crowd what they wanted and grabbed Chuck's head to bring his mouth down on hers.
Chuck seemed startled at first but gave in as soon as their lips touched and soon neither of them was aware of the cheers surrounding them as they lost themselves in each other. When they pulled apart Chuck was pink in the face and Sarah offered him an apologetic smile. The guy behind them gave Chuck a smack of congratulations causing him to wince and blush even more.
"I'm going to go grab another beer," Chuck quickly said as he got up to leave. Sarah had forgotten his thing about PDAs and he looked so embarrassed she felt bad for him. Well almost, she thought, as she replayed the kiss in her mind.
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Seventh-inning Stretch
"Time to hear you sing," Chuck voiced as he stood up from his seat.
"Excuse me," Sarah said.
"It's the seventh-inning stretch Sarah, we get to sing 'Take me out to the Ball Game' now,"
"How about I just watch you sing?" she suggested.
"Sarah, I was forced to not only commit a very public PDA, which you know make me nervous, but that resulted in me getting smacked, in my bruised arm," Chuck exclaimed as he tried to persuade her.
"Alright," Sarah sighed as the song started. She sang along with Chuck who eventually put his arm around her and swayed them back and forth to the music.
"See that wasn't so bad," Chuck said after it was over.
"No," Sarah admitted as she looked at his arm still around her. "It wasn't."
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End of the game
"Thanks Sarah, for everything tonight," Chuck said sincerely. He got up now that the game was over and the Dodger victory was in place.
"Anytime Chuck," Sarah replied softly and she meant it.
"Come on," he said as he grabbed her hand. "I'll use my height and we'll navigate through the crowds together."
Sarah linked her hand with Chuck's and they started their way toward the exit. She then felt her pocket vibrate and she looked to see who was calling.
"Hold on," Sarah said. "I need to go to the bathroom really quickly."
"Sure," Chuck said. "I'll wait here."
Sarah walked into the bathroom and answered her buzzing phone.
"What Casey?" Sarah
"Enjoying yourself Walker?" Casey asked with a hint of amusement.
"What do you want?" Sarah demanded.
"You know I stumbled across a funny thing today," Casey started in his usual mocking tone. "I was on the computer in the Castle when I saw that the recent activity showed a speeding ticket was removed. I thought perhaps some cop pulled you over and were taking care it but then I saw that it was for some random civilian."
Sarah sucked in her breath and waited for Casey to continue.
"I dug deeper and found out that this guy, happens to work as a cameraman at Dodger Stadium. Now tell me Walker, why would a guy, who happens to work at the same place you were going to tonight, suddenly get a ticket of his magically erased?"
"He helped me out with something the other day," Sarah said nonchalantly. "The rest is just coincidence."
"I bet," Casey muttered sarcastically under his breath.
"I'm hanging up," Sarah replied and she quickly ended the call. She'd deal with Casey later if she had to but as she recalled the kiss she knew she didn't regret her decision. With a smile on her lips she walked out of the bathroom and saw Chuck standing there, waiting for her. As they then proceeded to weave in and out of the crowds together Sarah could hear Randy Newman's "I Love L.A." being played over the speakers in celebration of the win. Sarah looked over at Chuck who gave her one of those smiles that she adored and It was at that point that Sarah decided she couldn't agree with the song more.
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A/N: Yes the scoreboard game is real… well at least for me as I play it with my dad. Also shout out to the Angels who swept the Bo Sox in a fantastic game.