Casey and Kim were running down the church steps to the limousine. They stopped and both waved at Thomas, who was in Morgan's arms. After Chuck closed the door, Casey laid his head back.
"I can't believe I finally got married." Casey smiled at her.
Kim chuckled.
"Any regrets?"
"A lot, but not this."
The next week was spent at the beach, about two hours away. Casey and Kim were laying in their room, watching the sun come up.
"John?"
"Yes?"
"Are you still going to work for Chuck and Sarah?"
"I want to, I just want to stay at the Buy More for my 'day job' why?" Casey said.
"Was just curious."
"Do you want me to quit Carmichael's Industries?"
'No, I was just curious. I always wonder what Alex would have done if he hadn't gotten recruited by James Keller. I know I'm not supposed to know."
"You're not the only one Chuck, General Beckman, Sarah and Morgan are not supposed to know."
"What were your plans before Keller?"
"Serve my country, come home, marry Kathleen, would have been there while she was pregnant with Alex, been able to raise her."
"Have you spoken to General Beckman?"
"Yeah, I told her I quit, that's why I'm thinking about helping out Chuck with Carmichael Industries. I can still do good and be home ninety percent of the time."
Kim looked at him, and kissed him on the chin since it was the closet she could reach on his face.
"How about we get up, go to the breakfast bar downstairs and then lay on the beach, then go explore before dinner…" Casey cut her off with a kiss.
"Sounds good to me."
A week Later
Casey and Kim walked into Chuck's and Sarah's house. Sarah was asleep on the couch, Chuck was holding Natalie asleep on the chair while Thomas was engrossed with Star Wars on TV.
"Hey buddy." Casey said.
Thomas smiled, running over to him Casey picked him up.
"How was your week with uncle Chuck and aunt Sarah?"
"Okay. uncle Chuck was fun… aunt Sarah not so much."
"Why not Sarah?"
"She doesn't feel good, plus she's sad a lot. I don't think Sarah likes Natalie."
Casey and Kim looked at each other.
"How about we go get your stuff together, so daddy can talk to uncle Chuck." Kim suggested.
Thomas and Kim went upstairs. Casey gently tried to take Natalie out of Chuck's arms.
"No." Chuck said in his sleep.
"Chuck, let me hold my daughter." Casey said.
Chuck woke up letting Casey take Natalie into his arms.
"Natalie and Thomas have been good?"
"Angels both of them." Chuck said, looking at Sarah.
"Outside?"
"Yeah."
They both went outside, sitting at the fountain.
"Thomas mentioned Sarah was sad a lot." Casey said.
"I think she has postpartum, I ask her to go see the doctor she won't."
"How about I'll take both kids, give you two a break…. Maybe when she wakes up, convince her to go to the doctor. Tell me if she doesn't I'll call General Beckman."
"Yeah okay…." Chuck was watching as Casey was looking at Natalie.
Casey looked up at him and saw something… jealousy? Casey handed Natalie to him, stepping a few steps back and lit a cigar.
"Thomas seems to think Sarah doesn't like Natalie… Is it because of the postpartum or is it something else?" Casey asked.
"Postpartum. She tries to take care of her, I think she's stressed right now after the mission having said kid." Chuck said, ticking Natalie.
"Postpartum? Kathleen told me she experienced that with Alex. Alex told her what happened to Sarah." Casey said when Chuck looked like he was crazy.
"I just don't understand how all three of them do it."
"Do what?" Casey asked.
"Life, babies. Kathleen had to go through the pregnancy, birth, and raising Alex without the one person that she was supposed to experience that with. Kim well she doesn't have any biological and you say she can't, but she's great with Thomas, Natalie, and John Oliver. Alex is totally chill with John jr when she brings him over."
"And Sarah?" Casey asked.
"She… struggles bonding with her, she tries to breastfeed her, change her, bathe her. I don't know what's wrong."
"Well I think it's how she was brought up, the way her father just left she came from a broken home. She joined the CIA and didn't have a normal life up until she met you and you two fell in love and got married. She's probably like I was when I first found out about Natalie thinking Kim would leave my ass. I still ask her if she's happy and we just got married and back from our honeymoon." Casey said, puffing on his cigar.
"That makes sense." Chuck just looked at Casey.
"What Bartowski?"
"What's it like?"
"What like?"
"To lose it all, and then get mostly all back then some?"
"You mean losing Kathleen, then all these years later finding out I have a daughter named after me and didn't know about her all those years?"
"Yeah."
"It was hard, it still is. I still love her, always will. But she moved on and so have I, we talk, Kim knows we all go. Plus Morgan and Alex goes to brunch every Saturday, then on Sunday Morgan and Alex go with Kim and I. Now stop smiling like that before I break your neck Bartowski." Casey growled, when he noticed Chuck smiling at him.
"Casey we all know you have a soft heart under that gruff, grunting, cynical, and sarcastic wall you put up. You also have a big heart."
Casey grunted, putting out his cigar coming back over to where Chuck was standing, taking Natalie from him. Thomas and Kim came out of the house with two bags, Thomas gave Chuck a hug.
"Bye uncle Chuck, can you, Morgan, me play more games?"
"Sure buddy anytime you want as long as mom and dad are okay with it."
Thomas smiled.
That night Casey got Nattie to go down without a fight. After watching her sleep for a few minutes, he headed for Thomas's room, he stopped listening to the conversation happening between Kim and the three year old.
"Ask you something?"
"Anything sweetie."
"I ask him too."
Casey stepped in.
"You ready for bed, buddy?" Casey asked.
"I ask you something?"
"Anything honey, what is it?" Kim said.
"Are you my mommy and daddy now?"
Casey had crouched down beside Kim as Thomas asked that. They both looked at each other smiling.
"Yes." Casey smiled, looking at him.
Thomas jumped up launching himself into Casey's arms, Casey hugged him close.
"Love you Daddy." Thomas said into his neck.
"Love you too, buddy."
Casey kissed his head and hugged him close. Thomas looked at Kim, moving to hug her as well.
"Love you mommy."
"Love you too, sweetheart." Kim whispered, voice thick with tears.
After goodnights, kisses, and more I love yous Thomas was asleep. Casey led Kim outside and down the hallway to their room and closed it and kissed her. Afterwards as they laid in bed facing each other,
"What?" Casey asked when he saw Kim had a small smirk on her face.
"Nothing, you're so good with them."
Casey shrugged.
"Making up time, I missed so much with Alex I don't want them to be the same way."
Kim kissed him, as she cuddled closer and soon both were asleep.