A/N: It's finally June, and that means heritage month here in Barbados, the countdown to Crop Over and summer and cricket.
Oh, and I turn 18 tomorrow, graduate in a couple of weeks and get my Associate Degree. Yup, June is shaping up to be a great month.
This one-shot was written for my dear friend Seb, who graduated last week but was feeling a bit sad because of another matter. I hope this cheers you up a bit. :)
Words: 4,111
At two and a half years old, Lisa Bartowski was a well behaved child most of the time. And, she was patient. So patient. She had patiently waited for her baby brother to arrive since having been told about his pending arrival five months ago. Even though they knew she didn't fully grasp the concept of time, Chuck and Sarah had decided to tell her once Lisa began questioning why her mother's belly was getting so big. But now that her mother had gone to the hospital in the fore day morning, she was anxiously waiting for their Nana to take her to the hospital so she could see him.
"Mimi?" She called, her little feet making small noises as she ran into the kitchen. There she found her Grandma Mary and Molly making sandwiches.
"Yes sweetie?"
"Is it here yet?"
"Is he here yet?" Mary corrected. "No, we have to wait a bit longer."
Lisa scowled. She said the same thing last time she asked. And that had been eons ago. "Why's he taking so long Mimi? Doesn't he want to come out and meet me?"
Mary smiled lovingly. Lisa was very excited to meet her brother and that reminded her of when she had been pregnant with Chuck. Ellie had been counting off the days until his due date, and when she had gone passed her date, Ellie had been very annoyed, claiming that baby Charles was being mean by refusing to be born.
"Don't fret Lisa." Mary soothed,
"Yea Lisa," Molly added, "he'll be here soon enough. Come on, we made PB&J sandwiches and I know how much you like those."
"Otayyyy." She groaned, still not completely satisfied.
They sat down at the table to eat and Molly managed to raise Lisa's spirits by singing One Direction's "What Makes U Useful' song from Sesame Street. After eating, they settled in front of the TV so that Lisa could watch her educational program on shapes and colours. Halfway through, Mary told Molly that she was going to make a call, but that she would be back soon. Molly nodded, promising to keep an eye on Lisa. With that promise, Mary left them in the living room, smiling as she heard Molly point out the different shapes to Lisa and Lisa repeating after her.
/
"Come on girls," Mary announced, "I just got off the phone with your Uncle Devon and he says that baby Levi should be there in about half an hour."
"Are we leaving now Mimi?" Lisa asked, bobbing up and down.
"Yes sweetie. I want you and Molly to put on your shoes while I pack a bag for you." She needed to pack a set of extra clothes in case, her favourite number book, some snacks and juice.
"Me out on shoes myself Mimi." Lisa informed her grandmother. Molly got up from the couch and brought her sandals and Lisa's shoes over.
"Here you are Lisa." Molly said, sitting down to strap on her sandals. Lisa watched Molly intently, observing how the older girl was doing it and then followed suit. When Molly was finished, she turned to see how Lisa had fared.
"Lisa, you've got your shoes on wrong." She said after a moment. Lisa had her shoes on the wrong feet and had somehow managed to have three toes in the slot meant for her big toe.
Lisa looked down at her feet. Her shoes looked OK. "No, me put on shoes myself."
Molly shook her head. "I know you can, put you need some help." She knelt before the young child and tried to slip the left shoe from off her right foot. Lisa was not having that and pulled her feet away from Molly.
"No. No. No!" She repeated stubbornly.
Molly frowned and threw up her hands in exasperation. "Well I'll just tell your grandma and she will come take them off." She then left the room to go find Mary who had already gotten the clothes from Lisa's room and was now getting her juices and sippy cup from the kitchen.
Lisa pouted at her retreating form, but was glad that Molly had stopped trying to take off her shoes. Mary came into the room a few moments later with Molly in tow.
"Look Mimi, me put on shoes." Lisa said excitedly, her blue eyes sparkling with delight.
'I can see that."
"I a big girl." Lisa responded.
"Yes, you are getting to be a big girl." Mary replied with a smile. "But you've got your shoes on the wrong feet."
Mary received a frown from her granddaughter because of that statement. "No Mimi."
Mary took her from sitting on the couch and let her sit in her lap. She then motioned to Molly to slip Lisa's shoes off. Realising this, Lisa began to wiggle. Mary's hold on her waist was too strong and she became frustrated. She tossed her head back, and flailed her limbs against Mary's body. The tears began to leak out her eyes, and as she screamed like a Banshee, her skin began to turn an alarming shade of purple. "Lisa," Mary said, her voice firm, "stop wiggling." Mary thought that Lisa had inherited both of her parents' stubbornness.
That was followed by more screeching but Molly was able to get her shoes off. Molly sent a satisfied smirk to Mary.
"Bad Mimi!" Lisa wailed, clearly unhappy with her shoes being gone. "Bad Molly! Not nice."
Mary shook her head at the child's antics. Once she released Lisa from her hold, Lisa hopped out of her lap and turned away from both of them.
"Aw, don't cry Lisa.' Molly told her niece in a soothing voice. "We had to take off your shoes or you could have fallen and gotten a booboo."
"Booboo?" Lisa turned her back to look at her cautiously.
Molly nodded, glad that Lisa was settling down. "Yea, and you don't like having a booboo do you?"
Lisa shook her head no.
"Mimi wasn't being mean." Mary cut in. "Do you understand why we had to take of your shoes?"
"Cause booboo hurt." replied Lisa.
"Exactly." With Lisa much calmer, they led her back to the couch. Lisa climbed into Mary's lap and allowed Molly to put on her sandals and buckle them. Once that was done, Mary went back into the kitchen and grabbed the bag she had packed from off the kitchen counter. After setting the alarm system, Mary led the girls out of the house. Closing the red door behind her, she then took them by the hand and led them down the short path to the car.
"Are you two excited?" Mary asked the occupants in the back seat while she reversed out of the driveway.
"Yea!" came Molly's exuberant reply, followed by an equally exuberant Lisa happily saying that she was a big sister now.
/\
Sarah lay back on the pillow, slipping her eyes shut. A small smile graced her lips. This labour had been arduous, but it was all so worth it. The nurses had taken the baby down to the nursery so that they could conduct the standard new born tests and then he would be brought back up to her.
"Hey baby," Chuck greeted her as he walked into the room. He then pulled up the chair next to her bedside. "Have I told you already how proud I am?"
Sarah smiled. "It wouldn't hurt for you to tell me again."
"Well, you Mrs. Bartowski, my kick ass ninja girl and wonderful mom, I am very proud of you." He leaned over and kissed her nose. He was completely truthful. With Lisa, the labour had been relatively quick; lasting about six hours, but this one had lasted well over twice that length of time. But throughout it, Sarah had been calm and to his surprise, didn't curse him in thirteen different languages. "I love you."
"I love you too." Sarah yawned.
"Ooh, babe, you're tired and here I am rambling off. I'm sorry, I but should-"
"Chuck," Sarah cut him off, placing a hand on his arm, "you're spiralling."
"Yea, yea." He smiled sheepishly. "You really should get some rest."
"I will." Sarah agreed. "But after they bring him back to me." She wanted to see her baby and hold him for a bit longer before she succumbed to sleep. "Besides, my mom said that Mary is bringing Molly and Lisa to see us." She really wanted to see her baby girl. When they had left for the hospital, Lisa had been asleep and Sarah missed her adorable face.
"Oh, yea." Chuck remembered. He looked at his watch and realised that they would probably be there soon. "Anyway, the nurses already weighed our little guy and he's eight pounds, seven ounces."
"Oh wow, he's even heavier than Lisa was." Sarah commented.
"Uh huh." Chuck agreed. "But I'm not complaining, he's healthy and the extra muscle will come in handy when we need to stop boys from hounding Lisa."
Sarah laughed at the last part of his statement. The melodious laughter warmed his heart and he looked at Sarah intently.
"What?" She questioned, her hands unconsciously fiddling with her charm bracelet. The fifth charm- one of a baby boy had been added minutes after Levi's birth.
"You're so beautiful."
Sarah snorted. "Are you trying to earn brownie points for when you do something to upset and or anger me in the future?" Chuck blinked rapidly a few times and his mouth opened slightly. "Careful honey, you'll catch flies." She smiled and pushed up his jaw.
Chuck laughed softly to himself when he realised that she was joking. "I'm serious." He told her, "you are the most beautiful person I've ever seen." She was probably more beautiful now than when they had first met. And that was saying a lot considering how in awe of her he had been at first. But now, her body was softer and rounder now that pregnancy and childbirth had tamed the angles of her hips, her breasts were heavy and her thighs were thicker- and he loved all of her.
"Well thank you." Sarah smile brightly. It was one of the smiles that Chuck loved the most, the one that she reserved for him. His other favourite 'Sarah smile' would be the one she had when interacting with their family. "You're not so bad yourself."
Chuck shrugged, and smiled as they continued this familiar banter. "Please, I'm fantastic!"
"Yea, you are."
/\
There was a knock on the door and Chuck the person to enter. Lisa barrelled into the room and ran right at them while Mary and Molly followed behind her at a normal stride. They had run into Casey and Morgan in the car park. Casey was going home while Morgan was on his way to collect Alex who was six months pregnant from her mother's house.
"Mummy! Daddy!" Lisa greeted them, throwing herself at Chuck and then Sarah. The parents exchanged greetings and kisses with their daughter and then with Molly and Mary.
"Mummy!" She squealed, tugging on the bed sheets. "Up! Up!"
"Be careful sweetie," Chuck cautioned Lisa as she cuddled into Sarah's side.
"Mummy pumpkin belly gone?" Lisa asked as she poked Sarah's stomach. She giggled with delight when she found that it jiggled. "Mummy belly jiggly!" She announced to the occupants of the room, causing them to laugh. Sarah smiled as she looked down at her daughter. She had gained twenty-nine pounds in this pregnancy. She certainly wasn't going to stress about the baby weight. When they had settled into a routine and gotten accustomed to having two young children, then would she begin her exercise routines. In the meantime though, she would try to eat as healthy as possible while still providing sustenance for Levi through her breast milk.
'Yea, Mummy's belly is jiggly." Sarah replied. "That's because your baby brother is finally out."
Lisa looked around the room and noticed that a baby wasn't there. "Where brother Mummy?"
"He's in the nursery. He should be brought up soon." said Chuck. Emma had gone down there after making sure Sarah was OK.
/\
The nurse brought Levi back to the room about five minutes later and reminded Sarah that the lactation consultant would be visiting her shortly.
"Lisa, say hello to Levi." Sarah said.
Looking down at the baby swaddled in blankets, Lisa crinkled her nose in disgust. He was pink and squiggly looking. And he surely didn't look anything like the babies she saw on the diapers which her parents had bought when they were preparing the nursery.
Chuck noticed her expression. "What's wrong Lisa?" He hoped she wasn't feeling any sibling resentment already. When he and Sarah had found out about her second pregnancy, they had agreed that it would be a bit challenging to have two children at such a young age, but they were Chuck and Sarah, and together they could do anything. They'd also been concerned about Lisa feeling resentment, and most of the books they'd read had cautioned them about it. And while it would be tough, they already had it in their minds to ensure that Lisa spent some quality time with them.
"That not a baby Daddy."
"What do you mean Sweetie?" Sarah questioned, glancing down at Levi.
Lisa cocked her head to the side. "Babies not supposed to be pink."
Sarah chuckled, "that's because he was not too long born. He'll grow into his skin."
"Lisa, you were once like that too." Chuck said.
Lisa shook her head defiantly. "Nuh uh, me a big girl." She said proudly. "I'm two." She added, holding up her two fingers in the peace sign.
Grinning, Chuck took his phone from his pocket and scrolled through his camera roll. "Lisa, come here." He invited, tapping his knee. Lisa acquiesced and climbed into his lap. Chuck then showed her some of the pictures he had taken when she had been born.
Lisa looked at the tiny baby in the pictures. "That a baby Daddy."
"That's you when you were a baby." Chuck replied.
"See, Levi looks just like you did when you were born." Sarah added.
Lisa looked at the pictures of her and then back to her little brother. "Look like me?" She questioned, unsure.
"Yep." Chuck nodded. "You have the same hair."
"Same hair as Mummy." Lisa smiled up at her mother. She loved her mother's long blonde locks.
"And you both have your father's cute nose." Sarah smiled. She looked down happily at Levi who was glancing all around the room, drinking his new world in. His hair was so thin and fair, but she hoped that he would eventually have Chuck's curls.
"And my eyes?" Lisa asked. Sarah shrugged. Levi's eyes were a stinking blue, but so had Lisa's when she was born and they had changed colour as she grew older.
"We're not sure yet sweetie. We will have to wait a bit to see if he'll have yours and your Daddy's hazel eyes or blue ones like mine."
"Oh." Lisa looked down at him again. Levi clutched her thumb in his tiny fist and she used her other hand to trail down his blanket-covered body. She liked the fact that he was so soft and smooth. And he smelt nice.
Sarah then asked her if she wanted to hold him and Lisa agreed. Chuck propped up the pillows behind her and showed her what to do with her arms. Gently, Sarah placed Levi into the little girl's arms.
Lisa looked down at him and smiled tentatively. "Me your big sister." She introduced herself. Levi looked up at her and seemed to smile which made Lisa smile brighter. "You can play wif my toys." She smiled again, already liking the fact that she was a big sister. Lisa bent her neck slightly and touched Levi's nose with hers. When she pulled away, she then gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Emma had already held Levi, so Mary and Molly were next in line. They had all gotten a chance to hold him when there was a knock on the door and the lactation consultant entered the room. Mary and Emma ushered Molly and Lisa out of the room in order to give Sarah some privacy. Lisa was hesitant to leave her parents, but when Mary mentioned that they could take a walk and see her Aunt Ellie's and Uncle Devon's offices, she brightened up. Both Ellie and Devon were still at work so Clara would be spending the evening with a sitter. Her introduction to her youngest cousin would occur the following day when Sarah and Lei were released from the hospital.
/\
The visit from the lactation consultant had been brief as Sarah was already comfortable with breast feeding, having done it with Lisa. Levi had been fed and fallen asleep when their visitors returned. They spent a little more time with each other before Emma suggested that they leave and let Sarah get some rest.
"Mummy? You not coming home?" Lisa asked as she hopped out of her father's lap.
Sarah shook her head. "Sorry sweetie, we have to stay for observation."
"Daddy, you coming home?" She looked up at Chuck, her hazel eyes pleading for him to say yes.
Chuck tugged at his shirt collar. "Well you see Sweetie, I'm gonna stay with your Mummy and your brother to make sure that they are OK."
Lisa pouted. She didn't want them to stay at the hospital. "I want you come home wif me." Lisa begged.
Mary and Emma exchanged glances with each other. "Come on darling, Grandma Emma and I will take you and Molly for dinner." Mary said, extending her hand for Lisa to take.
Lisa scowled at the proffered hand. "I don't wanna eat!" She wailed. "I wanna stay with Mummy and Daddy."
"Lisa," Emma began, "we will have fun."
Lisa stomped her foot. "I don't wanna go! I wanna stay!" She cried, her voice escalating.
Out of her peripheral vision, Sarah saw Levi moving in his crib. She knew that if they didn't get Lisa settled the noise would wake him.
"Lisa, Sweetie, you can't be so loud."
She hugged her father's leg. "Dadddyyyy," she whined, "let me stay with you and Mummy."
Chuck extracted himself from her grasp and knelt in front of her. "Lisa, you can't stay here in the hospital with us."
She lowered her head at that, tears pooling in her eyes. "But why?"
"Well, there isn't really any place for you to sleep."
"Where you gonna sleep Daddy?"
"I'll sleep on the couch." Chuck replied, jerking his thumb to the couch in the corner of the room.
"Me can sleep on the couch too."
"Ah, no, it wouldn't be too comfortable for sweet little girls like you."
"I'm sure you'll be fine." Sarah added.
"I wanna stay. Pweaseeee." She pleaded. Chuck and Sarah exchanged sad glances with each other. Sometimes Lisa was very attached to them.
Molly, who had been silent for most of Lisa's outbursts, spoke up. "Lisa, I promise you and I will have fun. I'll even let you sleep with me if you want."
Lisa's eyes brightened at that. Molly was staying in one of the guest bedrooms and that meant she was sleeping in what she considered to be a 'big girl bed'. "Otayyy." She smiled.
The adults breathed a sigh of relief, glad that they had been able to settle her. "We can watch a movie too before bedtime." Emma added.
Satisfied, Lisa wrapped her arms around her Daddy. "Bye Daddy." she then placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek.
"Bye Sweetie. I love you." Chuck returned the hug and kissed her on her forehead. He then picked her up and took Lisa over to Sarah's bed.
"Bye bye Mummy." said Lisa, snuggling close to Sarah. Sarah smiled as she inhaled her scent.
"Bye baby. I'll see you tomorrow."
Molly, Mary and Emma bade goodbye to the couple and after exchanging hugs and kisses, the four were ready to leave the hospital. Chuck volunteered to walk them out.
"Daddy," Lisa tugged at his jeans, "up, up."
Chuck bent over and picked her up. "You're getting heavy." Chuck said and pretended that she was too heavy for him to hold.
Lisa giggled and burrowed herself into his neck. Mary led them out the door and they were halfway down the hall when Lisa stopped them. "Wait Daddy, I didn't give the baby a kiss."
Chuck chuckled and Emma told him they would wait for them by the elevator. Under the instructions of his daughter, Chuck made his way back to Sarah's room.
/\
"Gosh I'm tired." Sarah yawned. Levi had awoken while Chuck had walked the others to their cars. She had nursed him and he was now dropping off to sleep.
"Here, let me take him." Chuck offered. Making sure Levi was properly supported in his arms, Chuck then walked around the room, humming softly. He looked down at his son, his eyes heavy with sleep as he yawned. For him, life was great. Eventually, Levi fell into a peaceful sleep and Chuck laid him down in his crib before returning to Sarah's bedside.
"What?" He questioned when he saw the expression on her face.
Sarah smiled brightly at him. "I'm just thinking about how lucky I am to have you."
"And I'm lucky to have you." replied Chuck. He bent his neck slightly and captured her lips in a slow, sweet kiss. When Chuck pulled away, they were both smiling widely.
"I love you." Sarah said. Those three words slipped so easily from her tongue when it came to Chuck.
Chuck smiled, and his mind flashed to the first time she had said those words. The feeling was always the same when she said it. Even now, after six years of marriage. He always felt a swell in his chest and his heart felt like it would burst with the love he felt for her. He would never get tired of hearing her say that or of saying it to her.
"I love you, so, so much Sarah." Irrevocably, completely and passionately.
"Join me?" Sarah offered, scooting around so that Chuck could climb in bed with her. He cocked his head to the side, unsure. Sarah growled softly and he put up his hands to placate her.
"Alright, alright. I'll join you." He kicked off his shoes and got under the covers. "Who would've thought that Sarah Walker would've been such a cuddler?" Chuck mused.
Sarah wrapped her arms around his torso and rested her head on his chest. "I guess this amazing guy turned me into a real girl."
"Ah, no. I think the real girl was always there. You just never really let her out." All those walls she had built had come tumbling down. Sure she'd put up a fight, tried to keep him from getting too close, tried to keep her mask on, but in the end, Chuck had managed to break every defence she had ever had.
They were silent for a moment, both remembering the guarded Sarah of old. Chuck idly ran his hand along her arm.
"I think Lisa likes having Levi around."
"Agreed."
"Although on second thought that might change when we take him home and she realizes that she will have to share our attention." Whatever happened they weren't going to let her feel neglected.
"So, we've got two children." Chuck said, "Four or more to go."
Sarah removed her head from his chest. Propping up on one hand, she looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "Six kids? Chuck, what would we do with six kids?"
"Hey, you're the one who said we could raise a spy army." Sarah laughed. When they had discussed children she had jokingly said that to Chuck, while he had talked about their kids being little super heroes in their marriage vows.
"Seriously though, you have given me two of the most precious gifts, and I'm very thankful that we have them." His life was pretty much complete.
Sarah beamed. She had loved being pregnant and knowing that she was giving Chuck a gift; a child who was the product of their love had caused her to feel like she was on top of the world. Maybe in another two or three years they could broach the topic again, but for now, she was content with her family just as it was.
"Love you Chuck." Sarah said, as she drifted off to sleep.
He gently pecked her lips. "I love you too Sarah." Always have, always will.
A/N: Hope those that read it enjoyed it. Feel free to review, even if it's as a guest.
I'll update Charah vs The Teens next week as my exams will FINALLY be over by then.
Until next time,
xoxox
~Barbadiangirl. 01/06/2015