Continuing from the last chapter.. Thanks for the reviews!
"It was a really long pregnancy! I loved it though, but I couldn't stop eating strawberries with crackers."
"I know you drove me insane, you wouldn't touch anything else." Chuck said.
"Ergh, I can't even think about that now without feeling sick." Sarah admitted, listening to the gentle melody of 'Santa Clause is Coming to Town', playing through the house up to their secluded bedroom, where, admittedly, they had been for a while - taking several trips down memory lane.
"When we said it was going to be a Christmas baby, I never expected it to be literally Christmas day!" He commented, his mind drifting back five Christmases ago.
"Merry Christmas, babe." Chuck whispered, edging around Sarah's ever-growing stomach and kissing her longingly on the lips. He looked at her properly; the tendrils of her golden hair was spread out onto the pillow, and her mesmerizing, hypnotic sky blue eyes gazed into his. She would never take for granted waking up next to the love of her life.
"Merry Christmas, Chuck." She shifted so that she was lying in his arms, reveling in the emotions that overtook her body. "Ow!" She winced.
"What?" His eyes widened.
"Relax, it was only the baby kicking me." She said placing her hands on her stomach.
"Hey, baby." Chuck placed his hands on her stomach. "Merry Christmas."
"I feel kind of funny.. I keep getting stomach cramps." She noted.
"What if you're in labor?" He asked, suddenly panicking.
"I'm not." She sat up uncomfortably. "I'd know if I was, besides, he or she is not due until mid-January."
"If you're sure." He said softly, caressing her cheek gently with his thumb. His heart swelled, and continued to inflate. He looked into her eyes, exchanging silent words with her. Sarah felt goosebumps prickling along her skin - traces of Chuck's tender touch.
Chuck sat up with her and kissed her again, but more passionately this time, he felt a smile spread across his face as he kissed her. She was his everything, without her the world was a black hole. Was it possible that Chuck had everything? He had a wife who he was deeply, passionately and head over heels in love with, she was carrying his child and they now lived in a beautiful house in a quiet secluded part of Burbank (obviously it still wasn't too far away from Ellie's house.)
"Are you hungry?" He asked her.
"Yes, but wait, I want to give you your present first." Her grin blew him away; he beamed at her and nodded.
"Okay." He said, reaching for his own card and present.
He brought out two small presents, covered with silver wrapping paper. Sarah raised her eyebrow curiously when Chuck handed it to her. She smiled as she slowly unwrapped the present, not wanting to spoil the pretty wrapping paper.
"Sa-rah." He moaned softly. "Don't worry about the paper, just open them."
She gave a small shrug then ripped open the first one, the paper fell off to reveal a small blue box, she lifted the lid on the box and she gasped. Inside was a silver necklace, and hanging on the bottom of it was a little silver locket heart pendant, she opened the locket and saw a tiny picture of her and Chuck on their wedding day. The other side of the locket was empty.
"I figured we can put a picture of our baby in there." Chuck grinned.
"Thank you, Chuck, it's beautiful." She gazed into his eyes gratefully.
"Look on the back." He commented.
She turned it around and saw the words 'I will love you forever, and always', she smiled at him and kissed him lightly on the lips. He fastened the clasp around her neck, so that the necklace was close to her heart, always.
Sarah went on to open the next present. When she unwrapped it she saw another little blue box, she looked inside again and her breath caught in her throat. Chuck had bought her two little charms to go on the charm bracelet he had given her years ago, yet it was still hanging on her wrist.
The first charm was a tiny little silver, glistening baby. Chuck lifted it up and hooked it on to her bracelet. "This represents our baby." Then, he picked up the other pendant which was a tiny replica of the Eiffel tower, where they had first made love, and he linked it on to her charm bracelet, "This represents our.. Time in Paris." They shared a long, loving knowing look.
"Chuck, this is perfect." She kissed him again, but more passionately this time - suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and winced.
"What's wrong?" He wondered.
"The baby just kicked again, that's all." She beamed down at her stomach, picturing a little baby Chuck with wide chocolate eyes and tiny brown curls scattered across its tiny little head. She touched her bump and felt the love radiate through her body, she felt fiercely protected of her their little baby. She longed to meet the little person who had been living in her for the past nine months, she couldn't wait to hold her or him and hold them close with Chuck lying next to them. Their little family.
"Ah, Chuck junior or little Charlotte." Chuck smiled.
Sarah shook her head. "There's no way I'm naming our baby Chuck junior.. or Charlotte!"
"We still can't decide on names, Sarah, we don't have much time!" Chuck noted.
"I know, but I gathered that when we see the baby we'll know what name suits him or her." Sarah clasped Chuck's hand, both of them feeling the excitement of their child about to be born. "Now, it's time for your present."
She handed him a medium sided package covered with blue Christmas paper, he took it from her and unwrapped it. The outside packaging looked like a shoe box, he opened it and found a brand new pair of converses. His eyebrows furrowed, he looked at the badge on the side of the shoe, rather than saying 'Chuck' and 'Taylor' either side of the star, it said 'Chuck' and 'Sarah', and where it usually said 'ALL STAR' it said 'FOREVER.'
He kissed her yet again. "Wow, these are amazing!" He said. "Thank you."
"It's okay." She shrugged.
A short while later, Sarah was decorated with her new jewelry and Chuck was proudly wearing his new converses. Sarah drifted over to the baby's nursery whilst he made what he called, 'Christmas breakfast', she held the baby's blanket close to her face and smiled, looking up at the crème walls decorated with teddy bears and smiling children. Sarah had images in her head of her and Chuck with their baby, in this very bedroom - all smiling and laughing.
She went back into the kitchen as Chuck cutely danced to 'walking in a winter wonderland' and she sat down as he served her breakfast which consisted of tree shaped bacon, snowman eggs and a huge mountain of toast and beans. Even pregnant, Sarah somehow managed to be an excellent chef.
In the afternoon, they were in Ellie's house, about to tuck in to Christmas dinner. Sarah smiled at her family around the table, genuinely loving the feeling of being surrounded by the people she loved, especially Chuck and the little tiny person kicking about inside of her. She felt her stomach twinge and gave a tiny gasp, which, oddly, went unnoticed by Chuck.
There was chatter around the table, about previous Christmases and future Christmases to come. Morgan sat smiling next to Alex, next to her was two year old Clara, pushing the disgusting green brussell sprouts around her plate with a small frown plastered on her face. Ellie looked down at her disapprovingly, her eyebrows knitted together in a disdainful fashion. Chuck and Awesome were talking baby names.
"If it's a boy you should totally name it Ashton, bro, or Theodor.. I love Theodor." Awesome pleaded. If he was never going to have another child then he prayed that Chuck would take some of his names on board.
"Awesome, Sarah's not giving birth to a baby prince." Chuck laughed. "Any good girl name suggestions?"
"I like Francis or Rosemary." He smiled wistfully.
"You really like little old lady names don't you?" He shook his head.
Chuck stole a glance at his wife, her face was contorted with pain. Her eyes were closed tightly and her face was as red as a beetroot.
"Sarah." He said into her ear. "Are you okay?" He breathed.
"I think it's the baby Chuck." She groaned, catching everyone's attention around the table, the room suddenly feel uncharacteristically silent.
"Really? Oh God.. Oh god.. Let's get you to the hospital. CALL AN AMBULANCE." Chuck babbled quickly, going automatically into panic mode.
The pain subsided a little. "Chuck, the contractions aren't even five minutes apart yet." Sarah looked at him in the eyes and willed for him to calm down.
"Sorry.. sorry." His mind went into overdrive. He had vivid images playing in his head of his baby being born before they even got to the hospital. He winced as he imagined Sarah screaming in pain, how could he help her?
Ellie went in to doctor mode. She made her way to Sarah, and for the next few hours, everyone except Ellie, Chuck and Sarah placed board games whilst Ellie timed her contractions. Each one was more painful than the last and Sarah found it hard to focus on anything else but the pain, it felt like someone was ripping her open. She squeezed Chuck's hand harder and harder each time, though all this though, she barely uttered a sound, Ellie was impressed, when she had been in labor she groaned like a woman possessed.
When her contractions were close enough together, they slowly took Sarah to the car and drove speedily to the hospital. Ellie got behind the wheel and Chuck sat in the back with Sarah.
"You're doing amazing, Sarah." He said as she bit her lip and breathed long, unsteady breaths through her nose.
"Thank you." She managed to grunt. "I.. don't think I can do.. this, Chuck." Her face reddened as they turned the corner, the pain was increasing by the second, she couldn't take it. She tried to picture meeting her little baby, she focused on that image on every agonizing twinge she received.
"Of course you can, babe. It won't be long before we meet her or him." He said, feeling every inch of the pain with her.
Not even an hour later, she was taken into a different room in the hospital when it was decided that she was ready to push. Ellie anxiously waved off her brother and his wife as they raced through the double doors.
Sarah gritted her teeth as she subconsciously registered passing a Christmas tree as they wheeled her in. Her little Christmas child, maybe she would call it Jesus. A part of her laughed through the pain.. Even at times like this her mind still tried to be funny. It was a lot better that Chuck was by her side, it made everything seem real. She could do this, she could bring their child into this world.
"Come on, Sarah, honey." He said as they gave her the gas and air. "You're doing great."
He winced as she clenched his hand and she closed her eyes when the nurses told her to push. If it was possible, her face turned an even darker shade of crimson. She let out a wail as she grew more and more distressed.
"Another push." The nurse commanded, almost robotically, well, this was an everyday occurrence for the woman.
Sarah pushed with every fiber of her being, all the love she already felt for this child contributing to her efforts. She screamed in complete agony, when would this end?
"I can see the head!" One of the midwifes said.
"Let me see!" Chuck beamed excitedly. He moved to look, he peered under the blankets and took a step back. "Oh, God, ew."
"Chuck!" Sarah grunted. "Stay near my head.. please!" She was surprised she still had it within herself to utter a word, she focused all her energy on this painful childbirth.
"One last push." Someone said, Sarah's world turned hazy. She was tired, so tired. She wanted to succumb to the exhaustion and vanish into another world, but she didn't.. she was Sarah Walker. She could do this.
With one last high pitched moan, the sound of high pitched wailing filled the atmosphere around them. The most beautiful sound Sarah had ever heard. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw them holding a tiny little child.
"It's a girl." Chuck said, tears streaming down his face. They exchanged a loving glance. He was proud of her, so, so proud of her.
They handed the baby to Sarah. An indescribable feeling overtook her body, she felt the most intensifying rush of love as the little girl with Chuck's huge brown eyes gazed up at her. It was like the world had shifted on its axis, she forgot the pain she just went through. It was just like it was her, Chuck and their little baby girl alone in the room together. Her heart swelled a million times its size, this was a new kind of love she felt, a powerful, instinctual feeling that overtook her body. She let out a shaky breath as she stared in awe at the vision before her.
Chuck looked down at his baby, with blonde curls, a tiny nose and Sarah's rosebud lips. He felt a nauseating rush of love for his child. His baby. He was a father. He felt fiercely protective of her, he would trade in the world in an instant for her. She looked like a tiny little Sarah, they had created this complete and utter miracle out of pure love.
They managed to tear their eyes away from their daughter, for long enough to gaze at one another again. Their eyes exchanged silent words, both of their eyes reflected the happiness that both of them felt. He bent down and kissed her softly of the lips, a kiss full of promises and also a kiss full of tenderness.
"I love you." They said in unison, then smiling and looking back down at their little daughter.
"Do you want to hold her?" Sarah asked, already reluctant to let her go, but she did. Chuck held her like she was the world's most fragile china. She looked at his face, his expression pulled on the strings of her heart. His eyes were shining with tears that shone in his eyes, a permanent grin stretched across his face. Chuck silently promised to do anything for his daughter and to love and protect her every single day of his life.
"She's so beautiful." He choked.
"She looks just like you, Chuck." Sarah beamed, her eyes switching from her husband to her daughter.
"I disagree." He shook his head.
"No, she does. She has your eyes, it's like looking at you, and she has your gorgeous curls." She argued.
"She has your mouth, your nose and the exact shade same of your hair." Chuck looked lovingly at her.
"I guess she's a combination of us both, then." She agreed.
After a short while they were allowed visitors in. Suddenly Sarah's miracle was being passed between Ellie, Awesome, Morgan and Casey.
"She looks just like you both." Casey sniffed and then grunted slightly as he held the child.
"She's beautiful, buddy." Morgan said to Chuck.
"What are you going to call her?" Ellie added.
"We've come to a decision on a name that we think suits her." Sarah said.
They all waited patiently, their eyes fixed on her.
Chuck said, "We've decide to call her Eva." Everyone murmured appreciatively.
"Eva Grace Bartowski." Sarah breathed her name like it was the most beautiful sound.
Gradually, as the people dispersed from the room and it was just Sarah, Chuck and Eva. The perfect family, Chuck sat with his arms around Sarah while she cradled her baby in her own arms.
"This is the best Christmas present I've ever had." Chuck smiled with one arm around his destiny and the other arm cradling his future.
Happy Holidays! Please review!