Summary: It's their first Christmas back in LA but it looks like it's gonna be a quiet one for Chuck and Sarah. A heavily pregnant Sarah is missing their friends and wondering what Christmas will be like without them.

I'm not really "back", but nevr has been on at me to write a Christmas fic (though I'm not sure this was quite what he had in mind!). So if you like this, thank nevr, and if it's not as good as the rest of the Green Feet stories, it's all my fault.

I don't own Chuck.

First Christmas

Sarah saved the file and switched the computer off. Bartowski Industries was in its infancy but seemed to be doing well. Chuck appeared to have discovered a niche in the market with his low cost medical equipment and there was considerable interest in their innovative medical packs, which hopefully would translate into demand once they had more prototypes to show to people.

She pushed away from the desk, grasping her back. She ached. No stranger to pain from her career as one of the CIA's foremost agents, this pain seemed different somehow. She supposed she was in a different place mentally to how she had been as an agent. As an agent the pain, when it came, was a means to an end, to getting the mission done. In that world, you finished a mission and got on with the next one.

In this brave new world, she didn't have that. While that had seemed exciting at one time, she struggled often with the fact that there was much less structure in her world now.

"How're you doing?" Her husband's voice came from the door of their joint study. "Are you nearly finished?" He sounded impatient and supportive all at once.

She couldn't suppress the smile that came to her lips. Chuck loved Christmas and he was ready for it to begin. And, she supposed, so was she. At 6pm on Christmas Eve it was finally time to admit that Christmas was here and get on with it.

She supposed she felt a little discombobulated this Christmas because it was the first one for her outside the CIA in twenty years. It was also their first one back in Los Angeles and lots of things would be different this year. Christmases since Chuck came back into her life had been very similar. Lots of drinking, having fun with friends and the two of them making love together in their cosy home. Because living with Chuck was always home, wherever in the world they were. And his love for her always made her cosy in a way that she'd never experienced before in her life.

But this year would be different. Because she was pregnant. There'd be no drinking and there'd be precious-few friends. Their friends from the East Coast were on the East Coast with their own families, and Ellie and Devon were spending time with Devon's parents so wouldn't be with them. In addition, Morgan and Alex were with Alex's mom so wouldn't be joining them either. Casey and Juliette were in France. Christmas Day was likely to be a small gathering with only them, her mom and Molly, so different from previous years when they'd hung out with lots of friends. Hanging out with friends was great because it kept the bad memories at bay.

And, added to which, she felt like a fat lump of lard. She'd had to dial back on her fitness regime and she was eating for America at the moment. She was surprised that Chuck could bear to look at her.

She flinched as his hands came into contact with her shoulders and then moaned as he started rubbing them. "Is my beautiful ninja goddess worrying about her weight again?" he asked, as his hands did amazing things to her.

"How do you know that Bartowski?" she asked, surprised as he once again seemed to read her mind.

She could hear the smirk in his voice as he answered. "Because you always set your jaw in a certain way when you're pissed Sarah." He paused. "I just took a guess about what you're pissed about this time!"

He'd kept his voice light and jokey and she appreciated it. She did find herself being irritable a lot more at the moment. Part of it was the exercise or lack of it. She enjoyed exercising and not being able to do what she wanted was annoying. She was a black belt in four martial arts but she wouldn't be able to practise them again for several months and that was the longest in her life she wouldn't be able to do them. She hated that. Sure, she was able to run, but not far. She did weights and they both enjoyed swimming, but she'd been advised not to push herself while she was pregnant and for her that was the fun part about exercising; pushing herself.

She also hated the heartburn, and she was starting to get the most weird cravings. Yesterday it had been black truffle and pineapple, which her loving husband had spent two hours trying to source, finally tracking down a French deli in West Hollywood. Add that to the almost constant back ache and the foot and leg pain and Sarah Bartowski was not a happy camper.

To be fair, she'd be a substantially less happy camper if it wasn't for her amazing husband. Chuck was being fabulous. No task or chore was too much for him and he had started giving her foot massages to die for. He made sure to regularly tell her and show her how much he adored her even though, in her view, she looked like a five foot ten blancmange!

"Why don't you come downstairs?" he asked, continuing to rub her shoulders. "I've got time for a quick foot rub before I have to get back to the kitchen?" he offered.

"You make a compelling argument, Bartowski," she allowed, pushing herself up from the chair.

He kept his hands to himself, which she appreciated, even though she could tell he was dying to help her. As she swung round to face him, she was surprised when he didn't step away to give her space, instead closing the space and pulling her in for a hug. He had to come from the side because her bump made it difficult to come from the front.

"I love you," he told her as he wrapped her up in a loving hug. She let herself relax against him. "I don't know what you're worried about. You look gorgeous."

She sighed. "Maybe you should go for an eye test. I look like a blancmange!"

"No you don't, you look absolutely radiant," he replied loyally, leaning in to give her a peck on the lips. "Now come on, the potatoes won't cook themselves so if you want a foot rub and dinner tonight, we'd better go downstairs."

Later as she relaxed on the sofa and he worked in the kitchen, they talked. These quiet evenings with Chuck were some of the highlights of her week and were so different from anything she'd ever experienced in the wilderness years before she'd met Chuck, and in that horrible period after Burbank when she'd thought she'd lost him.

She was just finishing telling him about the project she was working on when there was a knock at the front door. She looked up in surprise. She didn't think they were expecting anyone.

"Can you get that honey?" Chuck asked. He was facing away from her, working on the broccoli so she didn't begrudge his unavailability, but it did require her getting up from her comfortably relaxed position where she'd been chilling after her foot rub.

She pulled herself up from the sofa and waddled towards the front door. Chuck had told her off in the past for complaining about her movement, but when you were used to moving with feline grace, her current situation was damn depressing.

Arriving at the front door, she checked the peephole, barely believing her eyes. She hauled the door open. "Carina, what the hell are you doing here?" she exclaimed.

"Surprise!" the redhead exclaimed, looking at her. "My God, you look like a balloon!"

"Fuck you, Red!" she growled, immediately feeling better as the redhead started off with their usual banter.

"Wow, Sarah Walker, pregnant. I can't quite believe it." She hadn't seen her friend for many months as she'd been busy doing God knew what.

"You're so observant, you should be a spy!" Sarah retorted, standing aside. "I suppose you'd better come in."

"How do I hug you with that there?" Carina asked.

"By 'that' I assume you're referring to our daughter?" Sarah asked sarcastically.

"The blob," Carina said, quirking a smile.

"From the side," interrupted Chuck from over her shoulder, bustling over. "Hi Carina, glad you could make it," he said, hugging the DEA agent and then heading off.

"What?" interrupted Sarah, "You were expecting her?"

"Yeah Chucky was stalking me for the past three months, on at me to come over for Christmas. After all, it's not like I had other plans, right?" Sarah just looked between her friend and the rapidly-departing back of her husband.

"Chuck?" she asked, loudly.

He turned to face her. "I know you wanted our first Christmas here to be unforgettable," he explained, "So I asked Carina. I realize I'm playing with fire, but," he grinned, "I did my best!"

She returned his grin.

"What do you mean playing with fire Chucky?" the redhead asked. "I can do civilized!"

Sarah couldn't control the laugh that bubbled out of her and Carina looked at her in annoyance. "Though you'd prefer not to!" she laughed.

The redhead cracked a grin. "Though I'd prefer not to," she agreed.

"In you come then Red," she invited, "Let's get you a drink then I can get drunk vicariously through you."


"Wakey wakey, rise and shine!" Chuck's playful tone interrupted her sleep and she grunted.

"Oh my God, Casey's in my bed," he cried in fake surprise. "Casey, when did you get blonde hair and look pretty?"

She grunted again, hoping he'd go away.

"I was kinda hoping to greet my wife this lovely Christmas morning," Chuck wheedled, "Do you think she might be here somewhere?" His hands started searching around the duvet and she couldn't help but grin.

"You're trouble, Bartowski!" she moaned sleepily. "What time is it?"

"It's 8am honey," he sounded like he was grinning. "You know I had this terrible dream. I thought you turned into Casey!"

"Fuck you Bartowski!" she said, opening her eyes and blinking at him.

"You sure sound like Casey!" he grinned.

"I better not look like him!"

"Luckily no," he said. He leaned forward to kiss her. "I guess there's one way to find out," he said as his lips brushed hers.

They kissed for a while. "Hmmm, no," he hummed, "You certainly don't kiss like him. But I'm not sure you're Sarah quite yet, maybe I'd better check again." He leaned forward for another kiss and she smiled into it this time, reaching around and pulling him against her. This time they both moaned into each other's mouths as their tongues jousted.

Eventually they pulled apart. "Hopefully that convinced you?" she asked, a little breathless.

"Yeah, pretty convinced," he said quietly. "You're rather convincing Mrs Bartowski. Also rather beautiful. Extremely sexy. And lying right here." He started kissing down her neck, making her moan, and then he pulled her T-shirt up, giving access to her breasts.

Her breasts were the only thing she was happy about in this whole thing. They'd grown at least a cup size. He always maintained he loved her breasts and he certainly paid them enough attention, but she'd always thought they were a bit small. Now they were a nice size, she thought, as he kissed over them.

"Oh Chuck," she groaned. They were also very sensitive, and what he was doing to them was driving her mad. But it got more arousing as his lips closed around her left nipple and his tongue flicked it.

"Mmmmmm," she moaned, hands fisting into his hair. He moved onto her other breast and then she lost her grip as he continued kissing down her body.

"Hello blob," he whispered, as he gently kissed around her bump. "We're both looking forward to meeting you in a few months. I know mommy is cos she wants to get her body back. Although I think she's just as beautiful like this, she doesn't believe me."

He continued to kiss down her body, her legs, and then he was gently pulling her panties down and she moaned as he went down on her. He was great at this and, as always, he punched all her buttons. "The only problem with the blob being here," he observed quietly as she shook with an orgasm, "Is I don't get to see your lovely face while I'm pleasuring you. I love to watch you." She missed the eye contact as well. There was something erotic about watching him pleasure her, but there were ways around it.

"Maybe you'd better fuck me then, Chuck?" she invited.

"I can't believe you're using those rude words around our daughter!" She could tell he was grinning. "Wash your mouth out Mrs Bartowski! I'd better punish you." And, with that, he went down on her again.

After her "punishment" and their mutual second course was finished, they lay in bed side by side, holding one another.

"I love you," he murmured to her.

"Love you too," she managed. Her orgasms were somehow more intense and longer lasting at the moment, which meant it took longer for her to get back to herself. She hummed happily, pulling him closer to her. "I love you so much," she told him, grateful to this man who had so changed her life.

Sarah Walker, the CIA's premier assassin, with a husband and child on the way? Nobody would have believed it ten years ago. She wondered what Graham would have thought if he'd still been alive? He had not liked Chuck. Maybe he'd seen the danger that Chuck presented to Sarah? She thanked God every day that Chuck had come back into her life. If not, she'd probably be dead in some unmarked grave somewhere. Instead she was a wife and soon-to-be-mother, living with the love of her life, building a company and a family. Building a life together. And it was because of Chuck.

"I love you rather a lot too," he said. "My kick-ass, ninja goddess."

"Not such a goddess at the moment," she bemoaned. "Certainly not a ninja."

"You will be a ninja again," he replied, a common refrain, "And you're still a Goddess to me."

"You're very smooth Bartowski," she replied, starting to come back to herself.

He raised an eyebrow. "You know I'm not at all, Sarah," he replied. "I'm telling the truth. You may not see it, but you look radiant. And you're still as beautiful as the first day I met you." He placed his hand on her heart and she couldn't help but moan as he leaned over and kissed her.

They lay holding one another for many more minutes. Or rather he lay holding her. The mechanics of holding each other were more difficult with her in this condition.

"I guess I'd better go and start the cooking soon," he said regretfully. "We can have separate showers, or I've just got time to do your hair if you want?"

"Help me up!" she ordered. A Bartowski head massage didn't come every day and she was damn well gonna take advantage of one if it was offered.

"Aye aye, Ma'am," he said facetiously, clambering out of bed, and leaning down to help her shuffle across. "In a hurry much? Jeez!"


She heard voices as she waddled downstairs. She wasn't surprised to hear Carina's voice, although how the woman found the energy to be up after only returning from clubbing at some horrible hour of the morning, she didn't know. But Carina's night-time habits were irrelevant for them. After she'd suggested clubbing and Sarah had cited low energy levels, as well as having no maternity dresses that had sequins, they'd given her a key, a single use code for the alarm and told her to let herself back in when she got back, which she apparently had.

What surprised Sarah as she climbed downstairs at half past ten was that she could hear more than two voices downstairs. In fact, several more than two.

"Here she comes," her husband's voice sounded excited as she came down the last few stairs.

"Surprise!" a chorus of voices called as she rounded the corner. She stopped in shock at the sight in front of her. It wasn't just Carina. There were Zondra and Marion; Ellie, Devon, Clara and Tony; John and Juliette; and Cole and Joanna as well as her mom and Molly.

"Wha-?" she exclaimed.

"Your husband thought you needed your surrogate family around you at Christmas, so here we are," explained Zondra, crossing the distance and pulling her into a careful hug.

Sarah looked at her best friend tearfully, "But I thought you were going out of state for Christmas?"

The woman looked at her patronisingly. "You know I used to be a spy?" she said quietly. "Quite good at lying!"

Zondra gave up her place to Marion, who hugged her tightly. "You look amazing!" she exclaimed. And then there was a stream of huggers and compliments, ending up with Juliette and John.

"I thought you were going to France?" she asked, punch drunk that everyone had lied to her.

"We did consider it," Juliette said, "But Chuck asked us early on to come round and Christmas is a time for family after all. And I couldn't think of a better family to spend it with."

"But what about your own family?" Sarah asked.

"You know how it is," Juliette replied. "We're not really close any more. My parents are dead, my sisters blame me for not being around. We have nothing in common. Nicer to be with people who I like and who like me." She hugged Sarah again.

Chuck was last up. "Surprise," he said to her quietly.

"Why?" Sarah asked, feeling tearful. The outpourings of love and friendship had made her emotional. Her emotions were always close to the surface these days. Damn hormones!

"Because you were upset about spending Christmas alone," he replied. "Because you enjoy having company. It takes away the bad memories. Because it's our first Christmas in LA and I wanted you to have good memories. And because I love you!"

She could feel herself sniffling and she pulled her husband into a tight hug. "I love you too. Even if you do keep surprises from me."

"I know honey," she could hear him grinning. "You hate surprises. That was fine for Agent Walker, but for Sarah Bartowski? You better get used to it, because I plan on lots more surprises."

He smiled into her neck and kissed her. "Now, I'd better get back to the kitchen and you can mingle with your guests. I've made a little pineapple and truffle tartlet to keep you going til lunch." She pulled him back and gave him a deep kiss.

"Eugh!" she heard Tony observing. "I hate it when girls do that!"

"I know mate," Cole said to the little boy. "It looks gross, but you'll learn to enjoy it."

Sarah smiled as she went to sit down with her friends and family.


Maybe surprises weren't so bad after all, Sarah reflected later that evening as she lay on the sofa as Chuck finished the washing up. It had been a fantastic day. Chuck, Ellie and her mom had labored in the kitchen and produced a fantastic meal of roast turkey, rack of lamb and Christmas ham with all the trimmings and they'd eaten in the formal dining room for the first time. Then they'd come back to chill out and, in Casey's case, sleep it off.

Everyone had got on well, family and friends alike. They all knew each other as regular visitors at the Bartowski houses in London, DC or LA, and it genuinely did feel like a family party. She always enjoyed their Bartowski Christmases, but she'd been worried about this one. She needn't have been. Her loving husband had made sure she'd had a fantastic day and had invited lots of friends to make sure that was the case. And, as a result, memories of some of her past horrible Christmases had stayed at bay.

Now, all their guests had gone. Carina had gone clubbing again, desperate to find herself a partner for the evening and after telling them not to expect her back til tomorrow evening. Cole and Joanne had gone back to their hotel but would return tomorrow, Ellie and the family had returned to spend time with Honey and Woody (Chuck had chartered a plane to bring them over from the cabin in the mountains where they were staying), and their other friends had gone home so it was just the two of them in their home.

"Did you have a good day?" Chuck asked, interrupting her musings as he came out drying his hands.

"Yes, I did," she said, looking at him lovingly. "Thank you for organizing it."

"Are you tired?" he asked.

"A little," she admitted. In truth she was exhausted. She'd managed a quick nap in the afternoon and Chuck had teased her that both her and Casey had needed a nap. But it hadn't been for long, just enough to keep her functioning.

"Let's get you up to bed then," Chuck said, bending down and scooping her up in his arms.

She couldn't help the hum of contentment that came as he held her cradled next to him. They weren't agents any more but he kept up his physical fitness, as did she (when she wasn't pregnant). Consequently she didn't need to know if he could carry her and the blob; he could with ease.

"Do I get a massage?" she asked, playfully.

"Actually I had something else planned," he grinned, as he kissed her neck. "Given that we've got the house to ourselves again." He gave her an eyebrow dance.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I like the way you think Mr Bartowski."

"What can I say? You're a beautiful woman and I love you to bits Mrs Bartowski," he replied. "And now I'm gonna show you how much I love you."

Best Christmas ever!


Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. Happy Holidays to everyone else. Please review if you get a chance.