A/N: Just a short one…there are some many stories I could tell in this verse…and maybe I will…we'll see…still working on new BLDBAL, SWIMMER, RFW and CVABFTP…plus, I think I'll add some more to the 'Elle Intersected' story…for those of you who haven't, read Doc in Oz's homage to Young Frankenstein…I giggled…more than once…I must apologize for this less than spectacular ramble…and I also must apologize to CHAS58...I know I promised a really meaty villain role…and it's coming…just wanted to give a little shot…now, here's the part where I beg for your time in the form of reviews…I read them all and , time permitting, respond when I can…as I've said many times before, I don't own Chuck or anything in the Chuckverse…I don't make any money doing this and I continue to drop my little scribbles without the help of a beta…most importantly, I'm still having fun so thank you, Jim…it's all your fault. JT
Mr. Grumpy Pants Says I Do…Just In Time!
Colonel John Casey, USMC(ret.) stood at parade rest, watching as the woman he'd come to realize he didn't want to live without made her way towards him. He wanted to smile when he saw that Brooklynn Masters, USMC(ret.) had decided to forego her original choice of footwear, opting for flip flops with a bright floral print that seemed to match the sundress she picked out, almost perfectly. He felt the slight nudge at his elbow and looked to his side, finding a smiling Chuck Bartowski standing right where a best man was supposed to stand. Wanting to shake his head in disbelief when he realized that he really did consider his former asset his best friend, he simply grunted and then turned his attention back to the two people making their way towards him. He still couldn't believe that General Diane Beckman(ret.) had agreed to stand in for Brooklynn's ailing father and the smile that had threatened to appear moments earlier finally showed up.
"I can't believe the General even owns a sundress" Chuck whispered to the big man standing next to him. "I wonder where she's hiding her gun."
"Shut it, Bartowski." John Casey said out of the side of his mouth, unable to take his eyes off of his soon to be wife
"She told me she doesn't normally do 'shotgun' weddings."
"I'm warning you, Bartowski."
"And I can't wait to hear what she thinks of your outfit…shorts and sandals? Really?"
"It was Brooklynn's idea and if you say anything else I'm going to pummel you. Now, shut it" the big man grumbled before shifting his feet so he could join his fiance, taking her arm in his before stepping in front of Morgan Grimes. He still couldn't believe that he'd allowed himself to be talked into letting one half of the 'couch-wreckers' officiate at the wedding. The only way he'd caved was because Morgan had promised to leave out the 'nerd speak' and, truth be told, the little gnome had grown on him over the years.
"Friends, we are gathered here today…"
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John Casey felt his wife's hand grab his forearm, the intensity of the grip instantly getting his attention. Turning to look into her brilliantly green eyes, he noticed the look of worry and immediately started looking around, wondering what was happening that had Brooklynn looking so worried.
Finding nothing out of the ordinary he was about to ask his freshly minted wife what was wrong when Chuck and Sarah's twin girls appeared at his side, both of them placing a hand on his arm.
"It's time…"
"…Uncle Casey" the girls announced in their unique two-part delivery.
"What?" Casey asked just as his wife increased her hold on his other arm, pulling his attention back to her.
"John, my water just broke" Brooklynn Masters/Casey announced in a voice that caught the attention of everyone at the table.
"Well, damn" Carina blurted out, the first one at the table to speak. She saw right away the glare that came her way from the twins who were still standing at Casey's side.
"No swearing…"
"…Auntie Carina" the girls admonished while wagging their fingers at the woman.
"Sorry girls" Carina replied as she struggled to get to her feet, her swollen belly obviously making it difficult for her to stand. "Well, don't just sit there Morgan, go get the van so we can get Brooklynn to the hospital."
"Devon, I think that you and Chuck should bring the other vans around as well" Ellie Woodcombe said as she also struggled to get to her feet. Looking to her side, she offered a smile to the blonde seated there. "Well, looks like Brooklynn won the pool."
"Pool? What pool?" Casey asked.
"Well, the four of us had a pool going on which one of us would pop first" Sarah answered. "Now you guys don't have to worry about diapers for a year."
Feeling the twins tug on his arm again, Casey leaned over and allowed the girls to whisper into his ear.
"So, is it too late to get in on who's the second to pop?" Casey asked and almost recoiled when he received a double stink eye, both Carina and Sarah glaring at him. "What?" he asked, trying, and failing to look innocent.
"No you don't, John Casey. No taking hints from the twins." Sarah said, "and don't you dare repeat what they said!"
Before he could answer, he felt his wife's hand leave his arm and latch onto his ear lobe. "ouch…apples, apples, apples" he yelped.
"You and that old TV show" Brooklynn said as she pulled him towards her. "How about you focus. Would it be too much trouble to get your wife to the hospital before our children make their debut at our wedding reception?"
"Yes ma'am" Casey answered as he gently rubbed the ear that had just been released. Standing up, he took the offered hand and helped his wife to her feet.
"Baby maker caravan, out front and waiting" Morgan announced as he returned to Carina's side. Following closely behind, Chuck and Devon both joined their wives and slowly pulled them towards the front door.
"Alright Mr. Grumpy Pants, let's go meet our kids" Brooklynn said with a tight smile, looping her arm through her husband's and pulling him along.
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Casey grunted when he realized that the 'couch wreckers' were riding in the front of the van he'd just helped his wife into. Sliding into the seat he watched as the side door closed itself and then looked towards the front of the van only to find the bearded gnome staring back at him.
"Buckle up, Casey"
"Shut up and drive, Morgan" Casey growled while struggling to find the ends of the seat belt.
"Pay no attention to Marion" Carina said as she gently patted her husband's arm, turning to smirk at Casey as she enunciated his middle name.
Casey growled but the weight of his wife's hand on his arm seemed to have a calming effect and he turned to look into her eyes, letting the brilliant green color soothe him. Not even noticing when Morgan pulled into the street, it took a large pothole to jar him back to reality.
"C'mon Grimes, who taught you to drive…Bartowski?"
"Sorry guys"
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Casey was steaming, ready to find a gun and shoot the moron who was operating the ancient land yacht that Morgan couldn't get around. Casey grumbled, vowing to find whoever owned the vanity plate that read CHAS58 and stomp the weasel into a nasty spot. Leaning forward, he pressed the horn button repeatedly, hoping that the person ahead of them wasn't deaf …as well as dumb. He glanced down at the speedometer and found himself missing his missile equipped Crown Vic and was about to reach for the horn again when his wife leaned forward and pinched the soft skin on the underside of his arm.
"Sit down, John. Morgan's doing the best he can. He can't help it if our liberal government allows any moron with half-way decent eyesight to get a drivers license."
Allowing himself to be pulled back towards his seat, Casey growled. "I'm gonna have the General find out who CHAS58 is and then I'm going to find out where he lives and then I'm…"
"Calm down, Casey" Carina said over her shoulder, "you're going to be so busy with the twins that you won't have the time for your obviously well thought out revenge plan."
"I'll figure something out" Casey grumbled under his breath as he forced himself to stop fantasizing about the slow and terribly painful death of the rolling lump in front of them, sliding back into his seat. He almost cheered when the vehicle in front of them took the next right and he only spent a few moments imagining the fireball he could arrange for the motoring moron…and taking a potato peeler to the idiot's groin…and having Bartowski infect his computer with some really nasty virus…and…
"Snap out of it, John" his wife told him, demonstrating once again just how well she knew him.
"Yes ma'am."
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Once the van had come to a complete stop at the emergency room loading zone, Morgan was out of the van and had disappeared into the hospital before the side doors had finished opening. Casey struggled to find the release for the seat belt that was preventing him from exiting the van. By the time he'd freed himself and climbed out, Morgan had returned with a nurse and a wheel chair. Stepping out of the van, he had taken two steps when Carina's hand shot out of the window and grabbed his arm.
"John, would you please go find another nurse and another wheel chair?" Carina asked through clenched teeth.
"Pothole?"
"Yeah"
"The twins were right. You know the gnome's gonna freak, right?"
"He'll be ok, Casey. Just go find me some transportation, please."
"You got it. Brooklynn?"
"I heard. I'm fine, just go…but don't get lost" his wife responded.
"I'll be back as soon as I can" Casey said before turning and heading towards the emergency entrance. As he rounded the front of the van, he glanced back and took in the two vans parked behind the one he'd just exited, taking note of the all the people who poured out of the vehicles and were moving towards the entrance. 'baby makers caravan' told himself and smiled as he turned his attention back to finding a nurse and wheelchair.
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John Casey sat at his wife's bedside, dozing fitfully while he waited for news on Carina. Brooklynn's labor had gone smoothly and Casey had already had the chance to hold his new son and daughter in his arms but Carina had been in labor for almost ten hours and the waiting room was packed with people waiting for news. The sound of the door opening roused him from his stupor and he looked up as Chuck Bartowski quietly eased into the room.
"How's Carina?" Brooklynn asked, obviously as light a sleeper as her husband.
"Two beautiful little girls, one very tired mother and one extremely proud dad. I thought he was going to faint when the doctor asked him if he wanted to cut the cord. He decided to let the professionals handle that. It was touch and go for a little bit there…"
"Carina had problems?"
"No, not at all. Carina was a trooper…what was touch and go was whether or not Carina was going to give Morgan a vasectomy right after the second baby made her appearance" Chuck said with a laugh. Having delivered the news, Chuck was about to leave when two nurses entered the room, both with a small bundle held in their arms. Stepping aside, he smiled as he watched Casey's eyes widen when the first nurse offered him the small bundle she was holding, a tiny pink cap the only indication that he was about to hold his daughter. As soon as he appeared to be comfortable with one child, the second nurse stepped forward and placed the second baby into Casey's other arm, taking the big man by surprise. He'd expected the nurse to place his son in Brooklynn's arms and he looked over to find his wife smiling at him.
"You better get used to it, Casey" Chuck offered while he pulled his phone out of his pocket. After taking a couple of photos, he was about to offer his congratulations when a young woman stepped into the room and whispered into his ear. "Well guys, I've got to go. Ellie just went into labor."
"You don't look surprised, Bartowski" Casey said as he gently rocked the twins that seemed so tiny compared to the arms that were holding them. "The twins?"
"Yeah, and that means Sarah won't be going home tonight…the girls think that their little brother will be showing up right around midnight and they've been really accurate so far."
"Well, Team Bartowski sure added to Burbank's population today" Brooklynn pointed out, "three sets of twins and a boy for you and Sarah."
"Yeah, sure will make for an interesting birthday party next year…and every year after that" Chuck replied before turning to leave. Pausing at the door, he turned back at looked again at the tiny bundles held in his old partner's arms
"What?" Casey grunted at him, not giving it his normal volume, afraid of waking his precious cargo.
"I just can't wait to show everyone the pictures of Mr. Grumpy Pants and his two new bosses" Chuck said before turning and disappearing into the hallway.
"Two new bosses…yeah right…" Casey grumbled to himself before catching sight of his wife who was staring at him. "Three bosses?" Casey asked, already knowing the answer as he looked back down at the two sleeping faces. He'd never advertise the fact but he knew that the weight in his arms would never be a burden.
A/N: 2.38587649605 - If you liked it, hit the button…if you hated it, hit the button…if you want to be considered for a guest spot as a villain or sexy super agent, hit the button…hell, use any old reason to hit the button…it'll make you feel better! JT