A/N: I know it's been a while in coming, but it's finally here. Chapter 17. Christmas is approaching and there is much to do to prepare.
Warning: Keep some tissues handy. It could get a little ... dusty in there.
Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck.
Chapter 17
Sarah slowly stirred from sleep, a now familiar warmth beneath her. Without opening her eyes, she took in the sensations. Her head rose and fell with the bare chest she rested on, moving in rhythm with her own breathing. The entire length of her naked body was in direct contact with his, the warmth permeating through her. Their feet were intertwined, keeping hers warm and toasty. She had never been one for snuggling, that was until she'd met Chuck. It had always felt so confining, like an animal in a trap, prepared to gnaw off a limb. With Chuck, even from the very first time, it felt like slipping into a warm bath, being completely enveloped, cocooned, in warmth and love. She had never felt more at peace, never more certain that this is where she belonged.
If you had asked her six months ago, she would never have believed this feeling possible. She didn't know that feeling loved like this, being loved like this, really existed. A small voice in the back of her head had needled her, made her question her feelings, and Chuck's feelings for her. From her early childhood, she had been taught by her father that love was for suckers, and to always assume that people had an angle, that whatever they said was a lie designed to get what they want. Chuck had successfully silenced that voice, not with his words, but by his deeds. He had showed his love for her every day, even in the little things… especially the little things. She was very new to this whole 'expressing your love' thing, a babe in the woods, as it were. One of her nagging fears was that it wouldn't be enough, that she couldn't adequately show him how much he meant to her, to give him a reason to stay. But could he stay, even if he wanted to? After all, he had a wildly successful company to run. One that he had put on the back burner to stay here and help her. She knew that the stress of trying to do both, work at the diner and run his company, had been wearing on him. She was trying to wean him away from the diner, allowing him time to focus on his work. He would never admit that he was struggling, she knew he would never try to put that burden on her. Would there come a time when the fairytale would end and she would have to let him go? The thought of him leaving caused a knot in her stomach and her breathing to quicken.
"Shhh. You're thinking really loudly down there. Some of us are trying to sleep." Chuck smirked, sliding his hand up her back, finding the skin of her neck beneath her hair. He began to knead the muscles of her neck and up the back of her head. The sensation made her eyes involuntarily roll back into her head, unable to prevent the moan from escaping her lips. "I'm right here if you wanna talk about it." Aside from the occasional moan from his ministrations, she remained silent, trying to plan her words carefully.
"You have to go... don't you?" Her voice was just above a whisper, fearful of the words as she spoke them. Chuck pulled his cheek away from her head to look down at her.
"No. It's Wednesday remember? We have the day off. We get to sleep in and be lazy for a change." He began to comb his fingers through her hair, massaging her scalp with his fingertips. If it were possible, her body sunk further into him. She let out a sigh before continuing.
"No. I mean 'go' as in leave... here. Grady… us…" she trailed off.
"Hey! Hey. Hey. Hey. Where's this coming from?" Chuck turned his body to face her, trying to see her face. She just laid on her side, staring at his chest, running her fingers through his chest hair.
"I mean, that was always the plan, right? You were just going to stick around to help out with the diner. Then you'd eventually have to go back to your real life. I mean, you have so many responsibilities…" Sarah's voice began to choke on her final words, making it hard to finish.
"Whoa. Whoa. Hold on a minute. Is … is that the plan you want? For me to … to leave and go back to the corporate jungle back in LA?" He sounded crestfallen, his words breathy. Sarah lifted her head to capture his gaze.
"Wha- No! God, No! I … I just don't want to hold you back from your real life. From running your companies and making a difference in the world. You're an important man, Chuck."
"OK. Um… maybe I haven't expressed myself clearly enough. Sarah… this… this IS my real life. Right here. In Grady... in this house … in this bed, with you. This is where I want to be. No… this is where I need to be. You are 'home' to me. This place is home to me. I… I couldn't imagine my life without you in it. Not now… not after everything we've been through. I love you, Sarah Walker. I know it's been a relatively short time, but... you're it for me." Sarah sniffled a bit, tears threatening to break free. She raised her hand and caressed his cheek.
"I love you too. I don't want you to go. I can't even begin to tell you how much I want you to stay. But I feel selfish, like I'm keeping you here when you should be off doing important work." Sarah leaned her forehead against his, running her hand back down to his chest.
"There is nothing more important to me than family. You're my family, Sarah. You, Molly, Ellie and Gerty. Hell, even Casey. You've all become a part of the Bartowski family, such as it is. Yes, I do still need to devote some of my time to my work, but you will always come first. I'll figure something out. I may have to take trips now and then, but I'll never be gone a minute more than I have to. I promise." He kissed her on the nose, running his hand up and down her arm.
"OK. But promise me if this gets to be too much, you'll tell me. We'll work something out together." Chuck nodded, his forehead still pressed to hers.
"If I can't come up with a good solution, we'll figure something out together. But … for right now, I don't want to talk about work anymore. I have much more … enjoyable things planned for this mouth of mine." A devilish grin spread across his face as he began to pepper kisses across her cheek and over to her ear. When he reached her earlobe, drawing it between his lips, she took in a quick breath, her eyes closing as the goosebumps spread across her body. Her shoulders lifted involuntarily, like a turtle trying to pull back into its shell. As he kissed down her neck, she relaxed, allowing him better access. When he reached the dip at the juncture of her neck and collarbone, she let out a gasp, the reaction he had hoped to elicit.
"Mr. Bartowski, are you trying to seduce me?" She playfully tried to sound affronted. After another well placed kiss or two he replied.
"Why, yes Mrs. Bar-" Chuck stopped himself before he could finish, nearly choking. They both lay deathly still, his lips still grazing her neck. Fortunately, neither could see the look of surprise on the other's face as they lay in silence.
"Sarah, I'm… I'm sorry. I just kinda got carried..." Chuck was interrupted as Sarah turned her head quickly, attaching her lips to his. His brief muffled attempts to speak were quickly forgotten as he returned the kiss. After a moment, she pulled away to catch her breath, her fingers now tangled in his curls. She smiled warmly as she gazed into his eyes.
"It's OK. Someday, Sweetie… but right now… I believe your mouth still has other plans." She bounced her eyebrows with a glint in her eye. The slow smile that accompanied the light in his eyes spoke volumes. Without warning, Chuck attacked her neck with renewed fervor, causing Sarah to squeal.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo'
An hour or so later found them eating cereal at the kitchen table with Molly. The little girl's tousled hair made her look even more adorable as she sat shoveling colorful fruity O's into her mouth.
"So… I know I'm the new guy here, but when do you guys put up your Christmas tree? I mean, there's only like… two weeks until Christmas," he asked between bites. He looked at Sarah, who was playing with her cereal. Chuck put his spoon down in his bowl and sat back in his chair and waited. Eventually she glanced up at him with a sad look in her eyes.
"It doesn't feel right, putting up the tree without Mommy and Daddy. We used to do it together." Molly confessed, with the same sad look on her face. Chuck looked at Sarah, who only shrugged. Chuck pondered for a moment before continuing.
"It may not be my place to say, but… it seems to me that carrying on with your parents' traditions is a good way to honor their memory. If Christmas was important to them, I have to believe that they would want you to keep celebrating just as you always have, right? You might find that it helps you to remember. Ellie and I… we used to decorate the tree together, after my parents were gone. We would recall the stories behind certain ornaments or remember fun times from past Christmases." Chuck was quiet for a moment as he looked between the two ladies at the table, both staring into their cereal bowls. "Maybe just something to think about." Chuck went back to eating his cereal in silence, not wanting to push the issue any further. After a few moments the silence was interrupted by a timid voice.
"Sarah? Do you… do you think we could put the Christmas tree up today?" Molly asked, a glimmer of hope now in her voice. Chuck looked up from his cereal to see a tentative smile on Molly's face. When he turned to look at Sarah, she was staring at him with a tight smile, her eyes glistening.
"Yeah, Peanut. You bet we can," Sarah replied with a hoarseness to her voice. "You finish your breakfast and we'll go get the stuff out of the attic." Sarah stood and walked quickly to the kitchen sink, rinsing the remains of her cereal down the disposal and putting the bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. Chuck, sensing something was amiss, followed suit, putting his dishes in the dishwasher as well. Fearful that she may be angry that he overstepped his bounds again, he followed after her, hoping to smooth things over.
As Chuck rounded the corner out of the kitchen, he nearly ran right into Sarah. She had apparently been waiting for him since she grabbed either side of his face and kissed him passionately. He recovered quickly, returning the kiss. He was beginning to suspect that she wasn't angry, but he wasn't ready to rule that out as a possibility just yet. When she pulled away, her broad smile and wet cheeks still gave mixed signals.
"Have I ever told you how much I love you?"
"You may have eluded to it once or twice," he said with a smirk, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Is there something in particular that's warranted you mentioning it again?"
"You always seem to know just what to say, especially to that little girl in there. She loves you and looks up to you, you know that?" She wrapped her arms around his neck, clasping them together as she stared up into his eyes.
"Well, I love her too. She's an amazing little girl," he replied, looking a bit embarrassed. It quickly faded as his smile turned a little more mischievous. "It must be something with Emma's girls that has that effect on me." Sarah gave him a 'tsk' and a light smack on the shoulder.
'You keep that up mister and I'll be forced to drag you back up to our room and make an example of you." She danced her eyebrows at him, with a smirk on her face. Chuck's smile became much softer as he considered her for a moment. Sarah cocked her head to the side, a little confused. "What?"
"You said… 'our room'," Chuck said warmly, a soft look in his eyes. Sarah thought over the words for a moment then gave a sheepish shrug in reply.
"Well, you do spend almost every night up there and … some very nice mornings," she added with a salacious grin. "I mean, for all intents and purposes, you pretty much live here."
"And... is that a… good thing?" His tone sounded hopeful but there seemed to be a tinge of doubt.
"That's a very good thing," she hummed, reaching up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss.
"Are you sure? I mean… I just kind of started staying here. I never really asked… I mean, we never really talked about…"
"Chuck. Will you move in with me? Officially?" She asked, interrupting his spiraling. She twisted her lips to the side to prevent from laughing at how cute he was being. She had assumed that he was moving in, with all the time he spent there. In fact, the one night he had slept at his apartment, having to work late on a project, had been torture for her. She had gotten so used to him being there, to snuggle with and keep her feet warm, among other things. For her, it was a foregone conclusion. The broad smile that grew across his face, crinkling his nose, warmed her inside. He had done so much for her, worked so hard to make her happy, it was rewarding that she was sometimes able to return the gesture. In this case, officially asking him to move in was a bit selfish on her part. She wanted this as much, if not more, than he did.
"Really? You mean it? If it's too much, too soon I understa-" Sarah placed a finger on his lips, heading off his spiraling. She just looked into his eyes and smiled, nodding her head. The goofiest grin spread across his face, despite her finger still placed across his lips. When she let go, she was rewarded with a kiss that threatened to curl her toes. She couldn't help but giggle into the kiss.
"Ewww. I just ate breakfast!" Molly declared as she came around the corner to witness their kissing. The smile on her face and the tone in her voice belied her teasing, but it still made the two jump apart. Molly just giggled as she ran upstairs to her room. After a moment to catch their breaths and regroup, they looked at one another and broke into laughter.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Molly's excitement was infectious and everyone in the house had taken part in decorating the tree, including Gerty and Casey. Chuck had put some Christmas music on to get them in the spirit, encouraging people to sing along with him. It was shaping up to be the best Christmas that Molly and Sarah had had in years. When Molly pulled the star tree topper out of its tissue paper wrapping, she stared at it for a long moment. Everyone became quiet, realizing the significance that this must have for the little girl and the remembrance of Christmases past. Chuck and Sarah shared a glance, her eyes shimmering with emotion.
"Chuck." Molly called, turning to face him. "Would you… would you hold me up, so I can put it on the tree?" There was clearly a tinge of sadness in her expression as she looked up at him through her lashes. It nearly brought Chuck, and everyone else in the room, to tears. He fought to hold back his emotions, swallowed thickly, giving her a soft smile instead.
"I would be honored." The little girl smiled up at him and then turned to face the tree, lifting her arms up in preparation. Sarah, watching the scene unfold, was finding it very difficult to keep it together. Understanding the importance of today, she had been recording the events of the day as a memento. She continued recording, capturing the little girl's request and the gentle way Chuck lifted her into the air. The tree's lights sparkled in her eyes when she reached out to place the star on top, giving the image of her a magical quality.
"Almost there… almost… just a liiiiiiittle bit more… Perfect! You got it! Great job Molly!" Chuck exclaimed as he gently lowered her back down. She spun in his arms and wrapped him in a hug as she said her 'thank you' into his shirt. After returning her hug for a few moments, he set her down. The grin on the little girl's face was priceless. Sarah had stood back, recording the moment on her phone, and couldn't help the few tears that escaped at the heart-warming scene. Her heart swelled with love and appreciation for this man and the effect he had on their little family. He had become like a surrogate father to Molly, whether he, or she, realized it or not. If Sarah were honest with herself, every day she felt less and less like a big sister and more like a mother to the little girl. In that role, if she were to choose a father for Molly, she could find no better man than Chuck.
Molly ran to Sarah's side, bouncing with excitement, "Mommy, look! It's just like I remember when I was little!" Sarah was unable to control her gasp at Molly's words. She was sure that it had been a slip of the tongue, but it still caught her off guard. Perhaps it was just a knee-jerk reaction to want to share this with her mother, being lost in the excitement of the moment. She found it odd that over these past few years she had never slipped like this before. Maybe it was the memories and emotions around Christmas that brought it about. She didn't want to mention it to Molly, fearing that it would only serve to make her self-conscious about it, not to mention ruining the mood. Almost as if on cue, Molly stopped, her expression becoming more sober, apprehensive, as she looked up at Sarah.
"I'm sorry. I… I didn't ask you if it was OK first?" The little girl fidgeted with the bottom hem of her shirt, ducking her head to look at the floor. Sarah was taken aback by her sister's emotional one-eighty. She wasn't quite sure why she was apologizing. Was it for calling her 'Mommy' or was there something else that she was missing.
"Sorry? Sorry for what?" she asked sweetly, trying not to allow her inner surprise to sneak through.
"For… for calling you 'Mommy'. It's… it's just, you… you are my mommy now. You're the one who tucks me in at night and reads me stories. You make sure I have food to eat and clothes to wear. You take care of me when I'm sick. You love me like Mommy did, like a mommy would. I like having a big sister but…" She paused for a moment, her fidgeting stopped as she looked up at Sarah. "... I like you as a mommy more. If you don't like it, I won't say it anymore." The little girl hung her head again, looking dejected. Sarah let out a gasping sob, covering her mouth, as tears streamed down her cheeks. She was so overwhelmed by the little girl's confession. She kneeled down and placed a hand on either side of Molly's face, gently pulling the girl's face toward her. Sarah sniffled, the tears still falling, her bottom lip quivering.
"Baby girl, you can call me whatever makes you happy. OK?" Sarah nodded her head at Molly, reassuring her that it was alright. "You're right. I ... I do love you like … like a mommy would." While this revelation was rather sudden, her words were no less true. Over the years, since her mother's battle with cancer and then after her passing, her relationship with Molly had grown closer than just sisters. All the examples she gave were true. Sarah did mother her, an obligation she never resented or regretted. In mothering her over these years, it would only seem natural that she would take on the actual role to match the name. She was so overwhelmed that her sister, her 'daughter' in practice, would want to bestow the honor of accepting her as her mother. Her heart was bursting from the warm, loving the feeling that it gave her.
"Really? It's… It's OK?" Molly asked, tears of her own beginning to fall. Sarah nodded her head again, even more emphatically.
"Yes Sweetie," she replied, pulling her into a powerful embrace, rocking from side to side.
Chuck could only stand back and watch in awe as the events unfolded. He had initially thought it a mere slip of the tongue until Molly's confession. He was overcome with emotion, but when he saw Sarah break down, he couldn't hold back either. With one arm hugging his middle and the other hand covering his mouth, the tears silently fell as he took ragged breaths through his nose. While he had been taken from Ellie as a boy and placed into foster care, his foster 'mother' was neither a mother or mothering. She had never really assumed that role, and he never felt she was deserving. Throughout his time in foster care, he'd still been in contact with Ellie and saw her as often as he could. If there was anyone in this world that he felt was a mother figure to him, it would be his sister. The parallels here were not lost on him, and it was, at least in part, responsible for his current emotional state. As Sarah and Molly hugged, Chuck was forced to look away before he began to bawl outright. He caught a brief glimpse of Gerty, who had her face buried in Casey's shoulder, overcome with emotion as well. Casey was not one for tears, but his tightly clenched jaw and his wandering gaze showed that he too was finding it difficult to maintain his composure.
Chuck chanced a glance at Sarah and Molly, the two still wrapped in each other's arms. Sarah opened her eyes, her teary gaze meeting his. She gave him a wide smile, almost a chuckle as the emotions bubbled out of her. He gave her a reassuring nod and returned the smile, truly overjoyed at the loving bond between two people he loved so much. Eventually, the sisters, now mother and daughter, separated and shared a bright smile. Hoping to lighten the weight of the emotions in the room, Chuck offered up a distraction.
"How about some hot chocolate and marshmallows to celebrate?" Chuck clapped his hands and rubbed them together. Molly cheered and the others expressed their agreement, though not quite as loudly. "You guys hang out. I'll go make some and be back in a jiffy." Chuck made his way to the kitchen and put a pot on the stove, beginning to warm up some milk. While that was heating, he snuck a peek back into the living room. He watched them all laughing and joking and it warmed him inside. His family, something he had desperately wanted to have for so long, were all sitting in that room. Well, most of them at any rate. Ellie would be back for Christmas, likely bringing Devon with her. Then it would be complete. He saw how barren the bottom of the tree looked from his vantage point, devoid of any presents. He knew that buying them things was not contingent upon being accepted into this family, and that made him want to do it all the more. He wanted to make this a Christmas that none of them would forget. Sneaking back into the kitchen, he pulled out his phone and dialed a contact, one he had gotten to know quite well.
"Megan! … I'm great. I'm great. Thanks for asking. Um… Yes. I'm … I'm still with Sarah. You have a good memory… Right. I suppose that is part of your job. Speaking of, I need your help. I need to make some Christmas magic happen. Well, right, but not just her. I just need some small things, stuff to add under the tree to make the day extra special. Oh! And I need a …" Chuck covered the microphone on his phone as he craned his neck out of the kitchen to make sure the coast was still clear. Satisfied, he crept back into the kitchen and continued in a low voice.
"I need to have a house decorated for Christmas, inside and out... Right. Something classic. White lights, evergreen garland, the works…. Yeah. I'll send you the details on the house and get your people access…. Oh, the presents? Oh, right. Right. I'll send you their names and some details about them and any ideas I have for their gifts. I don't have a lot of time to get away to do the shopping myself and keep it a secret from them... Thanks. You're a lifesaver, Megan. You'll find a little something extra in your stocking this year... No, thank you! I'll be in touch. Bye." He ended the call with a pleased look on his face. "This will definitely be a Christmas to remember."
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The much anticipated day had finally arrived. It was Christmas Eve and the diner would only be opened through lunch, then closed for the next three days to give the family time to celebrate the holiday. Emma's was surprisingly busy. Many people having the day off, they were out and about shopping for last minute gifts or groceries for their holiday dinners. People were taking time out to meet friends or family for coffee or, not wanting to be in the kitchen more than they had to, decided to eat out for breakfast or lunch. Sarah was in her element, bantering with all the customers, many old familiar faces or friends returning home for the holidays, it seemed like a town reunion.
As Chuck worked in the kitchen, he had a clear view through the window out into the dining area. He marveled at Sarah's ability to work the floor. Not only was she amazing at being a friendly, attentive host, making people feel like they were more than just some nameless face, but she also had the grace of a cat. She weaved through the dining area, around and between people or tables with the agility of a dancer. Top that off with being one of the most breathtaking women he had even known, he could watch her all day.
"Bartowski! Get your head in the game. We're getting our asses handed to us in here and all you can think about is playin'... grab ass with the boss lady." Casey grumbled and turned back to the flat top griddle. Chuck blushed slightly for being caught but had to chuckle.
"That was a bit of a stretch, Casey, but I'll give it to you for creativity." The older man snorted, shaking his head. "Oh, before I forget, between you and me, the decorators finished at 'the house'. It should be all Christmas-ified for tomorrow. So make sure not to drive by with her in the car."
"Yeah. Yeah. I got it. I got it. I've been involved in life or death missions in hostile territories around the world. I think I can manage a little Christmas surprise," the older man barked over his shoulder. Chuck knew better than to attempt any response. He just shut his mouth, letting the subject die. A moment later he could hear a groan, almost a sigh, coming from Casey's direction.
"Sorry... I really appreciate what you're doin' for her. What you've all done for her. Kinda makes a guy wish he had a family like that in his life." Casey never turned around as he spoke, only stopping his work for a moment while he spoke. Chuck faced him, a quizzical expression on his face.
"But… Yo- he does. He only needs to look around to see that." There was silence before Casey let out a grumble or cleared his throat, it was difficult to tell the difference over the noise of the kitchen.
"You'd better get those plates finished and put in the window. Got plenty more on deck." Chuck knew that was Casey's way of not so subtly changing the subject, signaling he was done talking about it. The fact that Casey didn't give him shit about the comment was as close to a 'thank you' as Chuck was going to get on the subject. Expressing feelings of any sort, aside from anger, was just not something Casey was comfortable with. He seemed to be slowly thawing a bit since he'd started working at the diner, but that was generally only around Gerty. He tried to put on his stoic, hyper-masculine persona when others were around, but when he thought it was just him and Gerty, the mask slipped away, showing a softer side Chuck was sure few people ever saw.
Chuck took the now finished plates of food to the serving window just in time to meet Sarah as she approached. "Hey there handsome!" Sarah beamed as she stood on her tiptoes, leaning through the window to plant a quick kiss on his lips.
"Mmmm. Do I get one of those every time you come to the window for food?" Chuck's eyebrows danced, giving her a hint of a smirk.
"You just mind your Ps and Qs and we'll see, Mr. Bartowski." The look she returned him was a little more salacious, making his eyes widen and the smirk vanish from his face, his mouth now agape. Sarah took the two plates and gave him a wink as she turned and left. It took him a good ten seconds to snap out of it, watching her walk away. Once he had returned to reality, he rushed to the walk-in cooler, closing the door behind him. Pulling out his cellphone, he quickly dialed a contact and lifted the phone to his ear.
"Come ooooooooon. Come on. Come on. Answer… El! Hey. So um... when's your flight?... Yeah. Yeah, I guess you did. Devon's still picking you up at the airport?... Alright. Just let me know if plans change and I can come get ya… I know… So uh… you… you packed it?... Yes, I know… No, it's only been four times today! … Oh. Alright, fine. Six times. But… you have it, right? OK! OK! Sorry. I'm just…. Yeah. Yeah. I know…I'm trying. I love you too. Have a safe flight. See ya tomorrow. Merry Christmas." Chuck blew out a long breath, rolling his head from shoulder to shoulder, cracking his neck to release some tension. He paced in the cooler for a few minutes trying to steady his nerves. He wanted this Christmas to be perfect and it was crunch time. Chuck checked his watch and realization struck him. He pulled out his phone again and dialed a contact.
'Hey, Megan! It's Chuck. No. No. This… this isn't a concierge call. It's Christmas Eve. I wanted to call and wish you and your family a Merry Christmas. I also wanted to see if you got the Christmas card I sent you… Oh, not yet." Chuck looked at his watch, a smile creeping across it. "You might want to answer your door… Yeah. About riiiiiiiight, now." Just as he spoke, he could hear the sound of a doorbell in the background, quickly followed by a dog barking. The grin grew even wider as he waited on the phone. He listened to the call as he could overhear her conversation with the person at the door. He put the call on speaker phone, tired of pressing it to his face.
"Packages? What… what packages?" she questioned, sounding perplexed.
"Just sign here ma'am and we'll bring them in," came the voice of the delivery man followed by the scribbling of a pen on paper. "Thank you, ma'am. This card is for you. Where can we put the packages?"
"Um… Ov-over here, beside the tree I suppose. I don't… I don't understand." She began to speak more directly into the phone again, addressing Chuck directly. "Mr. Carmichael, I don't understand. Um, first… how did you know where I live? And second, what… what is all this?" She sounded more bewildered than angry, which Chuck was pleased to hear.
"Well, I'm sorry to say that public records have a wealth of information. Please, don't be alarmed. I'm not going to show up on your doorstep. Do you remember the list of people and gift ideas I sent you?" Chuck asked, his grin building.
"Of… of course. I… I had all the gifts purchased, wrapped and delivered to the house, along with the Christmas decorating." She still seemed bewildered and a little distracted as he could hear the people shuffling in the background.
"Well, I have a confession to make. Sarah doesn't have an older sister named Racheal, or a brother-in-law named Jeff. Naturally, she doesn't have two nieces and a nephew either. Megan, from all the conversations and small talk we've done over the years, and a little help from social media, all the suggestions I gave you were for you and your family, if you haven't figured that out yet. Those portions of the gifts are for you and your family. Merry Christmas."
"Mister… Mr. Carmichael. I… I don't know what to say. This is all so… unexpected. I… I couldn't accept…" Her voice was beginning to break, the sounds of excitement from her children over the large number of gifts was getting to her.
"Please, Megan, call me Chuck, for the thousandth time. And you can accept them. It's just a small token of my appreciation for what you've done for me over the years. So, thank you, Megan. Now… I believe you are still holding a card as well. That card is for you… in appreciation of all you've done for my family. Please. Open it." Chuck was beginning to feel the emotions of the moment build within him. He knew, from all of the conversations he'd had with her, that her husband was on disability and things were tight. Not that she had stated that outright, but he picked up on it in the subtle things she said. He hoped that he could give back to her and her family a little of the kindness she had shown him over the years. He could hear her tear open the envelope, extracting the card.
"What's it say Mommy? Who's it from?" She tried to quiet her inquisitive children so she could read the card. Chuck remembered the card well. A cute illustration of a snowman, bundled up with a scarf around its mouth adorned on the cover. He could hear Megan and her kids 'awww' at the sight of it before opening the card.
"Murry Miff Miff." The illustrated snowman trying to wish them a muffled 'Merry Christmas' through his scarf made her and the children giggled. It warmed Chuck's heart to hear it, being able to share in the joke. One of the eager children pointed out a small envelope inside the card. "Yes. I see it, Brant. Hold on." The sound of the envelope being torn open could be heard and, after a moment, a loud gasp. Chuck just waited, hearing the faint 'Whoa' from one of the children. A sniffle was audible before Megan spoke again.
"Mr. Car-... Chuck. This… this is too much. I can't … we couldn't possibly…" He could hear the tightness in her voice. He feared he might sound the same if he spoke. He swallowed thickly and took a breath to compose himself.
"Megan, Please. You deserve every bit of that and more. I know things haven't been easy for you and your family. Even so, you've always gone above and beyond to help me. What you did for my family this year is no exception. I'm eternally grateful. If you look closely, you'll notice that there are five checks in that envelope, one addressed to each member of your family. The government is kind enough to allow me to gift up to $15,000 to as many individuals as I wish, without you having to claim it as income. So that is all free and clear. I hope that you at least take a bit of it to do something fun with your family." Chuck was right when he said she had earned it. He had snuck over to Gerty's new house yesterday to find it completely decorated for Christmas, inside and out. All of the gifts for his new family were there as well. He would sneak over tonight and bring them to Sarah's to surprise everyone on Christmas morning.
"Chuck… I wish… I wish I had some way to thank you for this." She nearly choked on her words, the generosity overwhelming her.
"You already have. Merry Christmas! Oh, and Happy New Year! I promise I won't bother you again until after the New Year. You guys enjoy yourselves." Megan and Chuck finished their goodbyes, the kids yelling their heartfelt 'goodbyes' and 'thank yous' through the phone as well.
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"You can open one present. One! And I get to pick it out," Sarah lightly scolded her 'daughter'. Molly mock pouted for just a moment, the excitement of getting to open at least one present tonight was enough to satisfy her for now. "But first, we need to finish decorating these cookies for Santa." Sarah and Chuck were at the kitchen island frosting sugar cookies that Molly had helped them cut out and bake.
"Whoa. Whoa. Easy on the sprinkles there, kiddo. You don't want Santa to chip a tooth," Chuck warned as he chuckled at her decorated cookie. Molly giggled as she admired her handiwork. The iced cookie was covered from edge to edge in no fewer than five different types of sprinkles, including Red Hots.
"Ok, Molly. Pick out your four favorite cookies and put them on the plate and we'll set it out for Santa." Sarah held the decorative Christmas plate as the little girl worried her bottom lip back and forth, trying to make up her mind on which cookies to include. When she made her final selection, Chuck stepped up with a small bag in hand.
"Don't forget the carrots for the reindeer. Carrots are their favorite, next to Peanut M&Ms. Since they're going to be doing all that running and flying tonight, I think the carrots are a better choice." Molly laughed at Chuck's silly antics, grabbing a handful of carrots from the offered bag and placing them on the plate beside the cookies.
"OK. Can I open my present now, Mommy?" Sarah and Chuck couldn't help but giggle as Molly eagerly bounced in place, practically vibrating. Inwardly, every time Molly called her 'Mommy', it warmed her heart, making her smile all that much more.
"Ok. Ok. Fine." Sarah went to the tree and pulled out a present about the size of a large shirt box. "You can open this one, and that's it." The little girl nodded vigorously, trying not to snatch the present away from her. Molly tore through the wrapping paper and threw open the lid. She tossed the tissue paper aside revealing a pair of fuzzy pajamas and matching fuzzy slippers. She ripped them from the box and hugged them to her face as she squealed.
"Ahhhhh! They're so fluffy! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." The little girl jumped up and lunged at Sarah, wrapping her arms around her in a bear hug. 'Thank you Mommy. I love them. Can I go put them on now?"
"You're welcome Sweetie. Yes, you can take them upstairs and put them on. Brush your teeth. I'll be up in a second to check." Molly gave Sarah a quick kiss and then raced up the stairs, clutching her pajamas and slippers. Sarah grinned from her seat on the couch and shook her head, watching the little girl running up the stairs as fast as she could.
"Way to go Mommy. Nice job on the jammies." Chuck leaned down and kissed Sarah on the lips. He started to pull away but Sarah held onto his shirt, preventing him from moving too far.
"You know, you… you do a pretty good job at the whole 'daddy' thing. I know that's probably a lot to think about, and she hasn't really said anything, but…" She looked at where she was gripping his shirt, unable to hold his gaze. Her cheeks were a little flushed as she started to ramble. Chuck thought it quite cute that it was her doing the rambling for a change. He pressed a finger to her lips, causing her to look up at him, catching the wide smile that lit up his face.
"Sarah, I love you both, more than anything. No matter what you call me, that won't ever change. If that's how you see me, I'm more than honored to take up that mantle, but I don't want to push that on her. She can come to her own decisions in time. I'll be whatever you two need me to be." He leaned in and kissed her soundly, the unmistakable feeling of wetness on his cheek as they kissed. After a moment he pulled away, not calling attention to the tears that were shed. "I'm gonna clean up this wrapping paper, make us some hot chocolate and then I'll put on the fireplace video and we can snuggle on the couch. How does that sound?"
"That sounds amazing. I'll go put Molly to bed and meet you back here." She bounced an eyebrow at him as she hopped off the couch and they parted ways, Chuck sneaking a quick pat on her backside as she went.
"Why Mr. Bartowski. What sort of woman do you think I am?" she asked, pretending to be offended, using her best southern belle impersonation.
"Ms. Walker, I intend to find out when you return. Perhaps in something a little more… comfortable," he retorted in what passed for a southern gentleman's voice. She gave him a raised eyebrow and mouthed 'Ooo' as she quickened her pace up the stairs.
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After a couple of hours of snuggling on the couch, watching the recording of a fireplace, they retired upstairs to bed. Chuck made a point to rub Sarah's back and shoulders, working his way down to her feet. Within fifteen minutes, she was out like a light, snoring faintly. Chuck quickly put some clothes back on and snuck downstairs, putting on his shoes and coat. He took Sarah's car keys from the bowl beside the front door and quietly exited the house, taking care to not let the storm door slam.
Driving Sarah's car to get the presents from Gerty's house made the most sense. His car had next to no truck space and was not ideal for being stealthy, the supercharged engine drawing attention everywhere it went. When he reached the house, parking along the street out front, he marveled at the sight of all the decorations. It had looked great during the day, but at night, the thousands of lights strung through the evergreen garland that hung around the wraparound porch and along the eaves of the house were breathtaking. The Christmas tree shone just as brightly through the front picture window, which made Chuck feel even better about the gifts he'd given Megan. She'd truly outdone herself.
Chuck confidently, but quietly, entered the house, not wanting to give any nosy neighbors a reason to be suspicious. He collected the wrapped presents and gift bags, making several trips to get them all loaded in Sarah's car. He made sure the wirelessly controlled power outlets he had installed were all online, testing them via his cell phone. He wanted to be able to turn on the lights tomorrow, prior to bringing Gerty over for the surprise. He wanted all of them to see the house all lit up like this, but didn't want to risk having all these lights on all night when nobody was here. He double checked that everything in the house was perfect before locking up and heading for the car. Once inside, he took one last look before turning off the lights with his phone.
It took several trips to get all of the presents into Sarah's house and neatly placed under the tree, while trying to remain as quiet as possible. He supposed it was his house too, now that she had asked him to move in. It wasn't 'his house' in a sense of ownership, but in a sense of belonging. She was sharing this house, her family, herself, with him and he couldn't be happier. He stood for a moment admiring the scene, the glowing tree nestled within a sea of presents. He may have gone a little overboard with the gifts, but he didn't care one bit. Christmas was the season of giving and, now that he was finally in a position to be able to 'give', he was overjoyed that he now had people, a family, to share in the giving.
He gingerly slid back into bed, spooning up behind the peaceful beauty still asleep there. When his body touched hers, he could feel how cold her feet were. She stirred slightly, still mostly asleep. She muttered 'cold' as she attempted to snuggle further into him, their feet intertwining. She let out a satisfied hum, pulling his arm further around her and drifting back to sleep. Chuck felt a warmth radiate through him, far deeper than the mere physical contact. Seeing the time displayed on her clock radio, he smiled, nuzzling his face into her hair. "I love you Sarah. Merry Christmas." It took mere minutes for sleep to take him, his hopes for the day and their lives going forward colored his dreams.
A/N2: Visions of Charah danced in their heads….
PMs and Reviews are always welcome. Christmas morning will be coming soon. Stay tuned.