Synopsis: It's the day of Ellie's wedding, and emotions are running high. But not just for the bride & groom….
Characters: Chuck B (or Charles Carmichael), Sarah W, Ellie B/W (!), Devin W (Or awesome, or Captain), Steven B (Chuck & Ellie's Dad), Woody & Honey (Devin's Parent's)
References from episodes: 2.01, 2.03, 2.16 (with vague references to 1.01 & 1.06[?])
Chapters: NOT one-shot…. 7-12 Chapters (planned) [ONE written], approx. 2,000 words-per-chapter (WPC)
Setting: Directly after 2.21 (Vs. the Colonel) Sarah has been promoted and will be heading to Washington on Monday. The wedding is scheduled for Sunday. Our story begins on Sunday morning….
Thanks To: DragonfaeBlue for all the help making the story actually flow! The great writers here on that inspired me to try my hand at writing, The awesome members of & JS,CF,ZL,YS,RM,SL,SK,VS (Executive Producers and Lead actors on Chuck)
OTHER NOTES: My First Fanfic…. This story was written BEFORE 2.22 aired.
UPDATED with proper grammar/spelling & a better flowing storyline, no major changes.
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Chapter One: Infinite Possibilities
Sunlight streamed into the room, a growing wedge of light splintering the darkness. Quiet hung in the air like a thin fog, only disturbed by the chirping of birds outside. The calm surroundings were shattered by the shrieking of an alarm clock. The bed's lone occupant was awakened suddenly. Begrudgingly, Chuck slowly rolled over and hit the snooze button.
"It's Sunday", he thought, "why did I set my alarm?" Just as he was about to roll over, the phone rang.
"CHUCK!! Where are you?" Ellie sounded even more stressed than usual. "It's only six hours away, and I need someone to check in on Awesome!"
Chuck sat up in bed and noticed the tux hanging on the back of his door. The wedding! "I'll be right there."
-----
Across town, resounding thuds filled a room in quick succession. Sarah always had trouble controlling her emotions. She took another swing at the punching bag. She had never really been happy. Her growing up years had been muddled by her father's chosen profession. Friends were few and far between; it seemed like she could never settle down. Until now, that is. For the last three years, she had gone to the same job, met the same people and seen the same things. It was almost like Sarah had finally fit in. But of course, whenever she got settled, it was time to go. Only a few days prior, Operation Bartowski had come to an unexpectedly abrupt end. The Intersect was no more, and her future was hanging in the balance. She was being recalled back to Washington, to evaluate her options. "Evaluate", that made it sound like she had a choice in the matter. If she did, she wouldn't leave in the first place; at least not without someone else… With one final swing, Sarah finished her mental tirade.
"Why did I have to get so attached to him?" she wondered aloud, brushing the glistening strands of hair out of her face. As she toweled off, her eyes drifted to a picture of the two of them. Chucks radiant brown eyes glowed back at her, filled with an expression of sheer pleasure.
"If only," she sighed. Sarah glanced at her watch. "Crap! Gotta get ready for the wedding! And I haven't even done my hair yet!"
-----
A few minutes later, Chuck was motoring through downtown Burbank. Puffy clouds dotted the deep blue California sky. As he drove, Chuck was lost in thought. Not over Morgan's newest Call of Duty strategy or the latest crop of iPhone apps, but over his future. Everything was different now, with Ellie getting married, and the little bearded buffoon moving to Hawaii. His life was about to change radically, and yet, he didn't have a care in the world; the Intersect was removed. No flashes. No missions. No Casey. He and Sarah could drop their cover and be a real couple, with real emotions and real potential. As he idled at a stoplight, his eyes drifted skyward.
"Whatdaya know, I actually have a future!" he exclaimed to himself.
"Ahh possibilities!"
Upon arrival at the church, he was pounced by Jeff and Lester, decked out in their spiffiest attire. "Can you believe it Charles?! Jeffser is in the big-time!" Lester exclaimed, high fiving Chuck!
"Great guys, just great, have you seen Awso…. wait, what?" Lester's statement finally set in on him.
"Awesome picked you guys to be the wedding band?!"
"Yes yes yes!!" Jeffster was currently jumping up and down in suitable schoolgirl-like fashion.
"We just hit the jackpot!" pronounced Jeff "I can kiss the Buymore goodbye!"
"Don't get too carried away there buddy" Chuck cautioned, quickly adding, "Hey, where's the groom?"
"He's got the wedding jitters, man, he needs to meet my good friend Beer!"
"Thanks for the help Jeff..." Chuck said as he started for the church.
-----
"Turn left in zero point three miles."
After all this time, Sarah couldn't believe that SHE of all people needed assistance getting to a wedding. But then again, who would have that one of the CIA's most ruthless agents would be going to a wedding in the first place? It wasn't even hers. So much had changed since she met Chuck. The fact of the matter was, he brought out a person in her that she'd never known was there. But nothing ever goes according to plan. How would she tell him; how could she for that matter?
"Take next exit."
How would Chuck take the news? If there was one thing Bartowski couldn't stand, it would have to be Bryce Larkin. And Bryce just had to be the only person available to take her away. Sarah couldn't think of a worse way to end their relationship, just as it was finally getting started. But orders are orders, and there's no way out.
"Turn right in one point three miles."
But she couldn't leave without an explanation, that would be too cruel. She was suddenly taken aback by her own train of thought. Sarah never thought about how her actions would affect someone emotionally, ever. But Chuck wasn't just someone… Her nervousness became apparent as she approached the church. She tried to remember the last time she was in a church. When was it? Her mind kept trailing off back to Chuck… God, this was going to be a cruddy day.
-----
"Hey Ellie, you ready for this?" Chuck asked in a joking tone.
"Chuck, don't toy with me right now, if I could be anymore stressed, I would explode!"
"Sorry sis, you know I'm just so happy for you. You look wonderful by the way."
"I just can't believe that I'm getting married today. I've dreamt of this for so long, and now it's finally here, oh, I'm just so excited!" Ellie exclaimed, engulfing Chuck in a giant hug.
"I know you are, sis, and I know Devin's the right guy for you."
"That's why I'm marrying him! But the question is, do you know who the right girl is for you?"
Chucks eyes glazed over a little."Yes…yes I do." Chuck finally whispered.
Just as he said that, as if on cue, Sarah hurriedly strolled into the dressing room.
"Sarah!"
"Hey Ellie!" Sarah cast a quick glance at Chuck as she hugged the bride-to-be. "A little excited are we now?" she responded to Ellie's vise like hug.
"Maybe just a little…"
"Well, you ladies enjoy yourselves, I gotta go make sure Awesome's ok."
As Chuck neared Awesome, he drifted off… Something inside him wished this was his wedding. He rummaged though is jacket pocket, searching for nothing in particular. Ok, that wasn't exactly true; he had had something in that pocket for the past week. If only he had the guts to-
"Chuckles, ya gotta help me here bro!"
"Hmm, in about 20 minutes your gonna mean that literally!" Chuck joked. "What's up?"
"I cannot for the life of me figure out how to make this bow-tie look right!"
"Well, lucky for you, I have lots of practice with these things! Lemme see that."
"What, Buymore made you guys dress up?"
Chuck realized that he had slipped up. Why on earth would he have experience with bowties? Besides, of course the countless missions he had to go on… Chuck taught himself how to tie a bow tie after the incident with Bryce. Four hours later, he was a pro, no more clip-ons. But clip-ons had the advantage that they were perpetually cock-eyed, and since Sarah felt it her duty to make sure his tie was straight… "FOCUS Bartowski!" he could imagine Casey berating him at this very moment.
"You're all set, Captain! Now, let's go get my sister hitched!"
-----
The church was packed to the gills, and then some. Honey had managed to invite so many people that there wasn't a seat to be found. Fortunately for Chuck, he was the best man, so he didn't need a seat. "Thank goodness for the little things," he mumbled to himself. As he took his spot behind the groom, he noticed, to his chagrin, that the entire buy-more had been invited. Big Mike and Bologna were there, and Chuck noted the new ring on her finger! The Nerd Herd was grouped together, talking about the R-7 Gaming laptop that had arrived a few weeks ago. Green-shirts dotted the otherwise formally attired audience, providing a humorous backdrop for this momentous occasion. Woody was deliberately trying to avoid his wife, who was giving the bridesmaid one final briefing, in a style that would make general Beckman proud.
And there was Sarah.
It was strange really, a hardened agent, nervous as could be. Even Casey couldn't frighten her that much. And yet, there was something about her, this aura that attracted his eyes. She did look elegant in that pink dress, with her hair up, a few lone strands reaching down to her shoulders. Chuck sighed. "The only way she could be more beautiful," he decided, "was if she was in a wedding gown." Their eyes met for a moment, then she looked away. But it was too late; he knew something was wrong. Her eyes gave it away. Sarah Walker could fake out every other person in the world, even Bryce if she wanted to. But no matter how hard she tried, Chuck would always read right through her.
"Aww nuts! Now he knows something's up. Why him, why oh why oh why" Sarah muttered as she glanced upward.
"Blondie! Wake up!" Honey snapped. Sarah suppressed the urge to beat the pulp out of her. "Now as I was saying, this has to go perfectly. We only have one shot at this, and we're going to do it right! Now get up there, stand up straight and smile. Go, GO!"
Some people could get so stressed…
-----
The moment had finally come. As the organ played, Ellie and Steven proceeded down the aisle. Just before he let her go, Ellie whispered "I love you daddy." Now that was enough to make any father smile! While the preacher made his opening remarks about the happy couple, Chuck and Sarah exchanged awkward glances. Both of them seemed detached from their surroundings, almost in a trance like state.
"I pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride."
At that very moment, Chuck's heart was filled with mixed emotions. As happy as he was for Ellie, he couldn't help but wish things were different. Of all the things that could have popped into his head, the thing he kept repeating over and over was the advice Cole gave him in Castle: "You want something bad enough, never take no for an answer." Chuck admitted to himself that he was scared. But he couldn't figure out what exactly he was afraid of. Rejection? Maybe, but he had had so many dreams crushed before… He had always felt like there was that ever-so-slim possibility, ever since he had first looked into her eyes. He was afraid to take a chance. If she said no, then what? What would he have left in life? As much as he hated to admit it, she was the one thing that got him out of bed in the morning. Without Sarah, he would have cracked from the stress long ago. But what if she said yes? Somehow, it seemed to him like his chances were slim. And being shot down would kill him.
"Chuck! C'mon" It was Sarah. The room had drained quickly, with everyone heading to the reception. Meanwhile Chuck had stood there dumbfounded, lost in his own thoughts. "Let's go! I don't want us to be the last ones on the dance floor!" Sarah teased a smile flitting across her face. Chuck mumbled something like "someday" and then promptly snapped out of his trance, "Wait a minute... You want to dance... With me?"
"Mmmhmm..."
"Well way to make me an offer I can't refuse… Oh fine"
As they walked down the aisle, hand in hand Sarah bragged:
"I so have you wrapped around my pinky finger!"
"Oh, really? Is that so?" Chuck protested.
"Yes, it is so. I can make you do anything Mr. Bartowski."
"That's not true; you can't make me stay in the car!"
"Touché. But I can get you to do anything else."
"Like what? Eat off the floor?"
"Hardly. But I bet I can make you kiss me." A sly grin spread across her face.
"Me? Kiss you? You're quite confident of that Miss Walker."
Sarah paused as they reached the back of the sanctuary. "Absolutely," She whispered. Chuck whirled her around, planting his left hand firmly in the small of her back. As he drew her to him, Sarah gave a little squeak of joy that was cut off by the meeting of their lips. Chuck drew off one long kiss, and then relinquished his prize.
"Oh my, I do think your right my dear."
"Of course I am! I'm always right!"
As they emerged from the church onto the back patio where the reception was being held, Chuck mused:
"For the record, I'd rather be wrapped around your ring finger."
Looking at their clasped hands, Sarah whispered in his ear, "Me too."