Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, deal with it ;)
A/N: Yet the complications arise, but with Casey a little injured, Zoe's there to help him out
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Zoe Taylor
I snuggled up on the sofa, thinking I was the one looking after Casey, but he snuck out whilst I was sleeping. Only to be sent back by General Beckman! Not to mention Morgan was dying to help. I came downstairs when Alex was in the room.
"Alex? It's lovely to see you again." I smiled. She gently hugged me.
"I'm just stopping by. I gotta go to work." Alex kissed Casey goodbye. Morgan was about to follow like a little puppy but Casey grabbed his shirt.
"Why don't you stay here?" I whispered, prising Casey's hand from Morgan's shirt. "Wait five minutes Morgan, you don't want to seem too eager, do you?" When Morgan left after Alex, Casey answered his phone and seemed entirely enthusiastic, more so than I had seen him be in a long time. He started reminiscing his 'angel of death' years on the phone. When I heard a knock on the door, I didn't expect to be letting in the premier of Costa Gravas.
"Bellisima. Beautiful, utter beauty, and baby on the way too." He put his hands on either side of my stomach. I turned to Casey, smiling a little awkwardly at him. "A beauteous angel for the angel of death, or life."
"I better leave you to get reacquainted." I smiled, leaving the room a little and stepping up the stairs at a slow pace. "Goodnight everyone." I called out.
When I woke up, I could hear voices outside, I heard Generalissimo bragging out being under the protection of the angel of death. I looked to the window noticing Casey sitting in his wheelchair. I went to walk downstairs when I heard an almighty crash. "Casey? Casey!" I flung the door open and ran to Casey's side. "Oh my gosh John, wake up, please." I tried to lift him but I could only hold him. Eventually, he came around, and struggled to sit up.
"No tears, no emotional stuff." He whispered. "Remember?"
"I blame Baby Girl Casey." I kissed his cheek, leading him inside.
"Let's get some sleep." I pulled out the sofa's bed and I threw a blanket on top of Casey.
"There." I muttered, slipping under the blanket next to him, my head resting on his chest. I felt safe, safer than I had felt in a long time, I couldn't remember the last time I felt this safe. The next morning, breakfast was waiting on a tray for me. "Oh Casey." I smiled. "I can't wait to marry you." I mumbled, twiddling my engagement ring around my finger.
I took a risk and just about managed to drive to the Buy More. I went into the office to see Morgan sitting at the desk.
"Mr Grimes." I said. "I think there's something you have forgotten to do." I taunted. He looked up. "How are things with the girlfriend?"
"I don't know how I'm going to tell him about Alex. Hang on a minute, how did you know about that?"
"It's my pregnancy senses. They're like spiderman's spidey senses." I joked with him momentarily. "I would say I'll tell Casey about you and Alex but that would only make things worse, he would only want to kill you more. You know what, I better be going, I wanted to see some of the others." As soon as I walked out, Casey grabbed my arm. "Gently please."
"Sorry." He mumbled, releasing me a little. "We've got a plan which will bring you out of maternity leave. I'm going to need you to be strong. This time, it's my funeral."
"Geez, crikey." I squeaked. He drove back to the apartment and I watched as Casey brought his uniform downstairs. I helped him into it and straightened everything out for him. "There."
"Thank you." He kissed my lips. "Everything will be fine." I didn't say anything, I just rested my forehead on his chest. When I managed to pull myself away from him, Chuck drove me and Morgan to the church. I grabbed Chuck's arm as Morgan walked inside.
"Why the hell is he giving a eulogy? I could give just as a convincing speech, maybe even more so."
"It was better that someone else did it, just because it wouldn't put you in any danger. The last thing that we need is those guys hunting you down, because you are engaged to him, and you're having his baby. I think you should stay in the car Zoe. Just in case. For your sake, and the baby's."
I sat in the car and then, about fifteen minutes later, I heard a minor explosion. I burst in the door. Chuck pushed me back outside but I fought against him.
"No, where is John? He can't do anything now Chuck. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh. Ow!" I doubled over, gripping Chuck's arm.
"Is it the baby?"
"Nope. Just a stomach spasm. This one kicks when I get stressed, it's like a reflex." I calmed down a little putting on a solemn face. "What if they cut his hand off? What if they kill him? I don't want my baby growing up without his father. Oh my g-." I started panicking, breathing heavily.
"Calm down, I'll drive you home."
I sat in the car and I go out when we were outside the Burbank apartments. I went upstairs and paced about my room, back and forth. Back and forth. I should be doing something to help, but I'm in no state to help.
"I'll read a book, yeah, I'll read a book." I got out one of the maternity books and ploughed through it. I heard someone at the door and I paused at the bedroom door. I watched as a bulky man threw Morgan against the door. I was about to pull out my gun but when I next looked there was no one there. I ran towards Morgan's, slowly opening the door.
"I've been dating your daughter, yeah, technically on the rocks, but I have always been a perfect gentleman." I watched John's hand shoot out and gripped Morgan's neck.
"John! Put him down! Don't be stupid!" I shrieked. He was so angry that I just had to step back. Feeling queasy, I returned home, leaning against the front door. At least I knew Casey was safe.
Once again, I was alone.
So I did more investigating into my biological brother Ethan's location. It was a long process. I still came up with nothing. Only that soon after I became a spy, he disappeared. Never to be seen again, he hadn't been seen since. "I will find you Ethan. I promise." I fell asleep, waking up to silence. A knock at the door startled me. It was pretty early in the morning.
I pulled the latch across the door, opening it about an inch.
"Hello?" I whispered around the door in a husky tone.
"Lauren? Is that you?"
"It's Zoe Taylor, who are you?" I asked around the door.
"My name is Ethan and I'm looking for my real sister. Lauren Bailey, do you recognise that name?" I pulled the latch off the door, opening the door a little to pull him inside.
"Ethan? How did you find me?"
"Lauren, it is you." Ethan embraced me, gripping tightly to me, retracting a little when he realised. "Holy cow, you're pregnant." He gawped at my tummy.
"Erm yeah, and engaged too." I smiled holding up my hand. "How did you find me Ethan?" I asked again, walking into the living room. Suddenly, he pulled out a gun. Pointing it at me. "Ethan what are you doing?" I asked, utterly bewildered.
"They want someone. They want you."
"You don't have to do this Ethan, I can get you witness protection. You could go anywhere."
"What the hell are you pissing everywhere for?" I felt down at my crotch, damp. Shit. "Oh that is just wrong."
"I need you to take me to the hospital Ethan."
"What?"
"Please Ethan." I let out a scream as it felt like my insides were tossing. I was so tempted to push him and run out the door.
"I'm not taking you anywhere."
He turned away, holding his hand to his lips, about to walk into the kitchen. I picked up a small pot and cracked it on his head, he dropped to the floor. "I'm sorry Ethan." I walked slowly beside the fountain, I felt so tired and weak. I slammed into the wall beside Devon and Ellie's apartment where I had to steady myself against the wall before knocking on the door.
Ellie peered out the window and rushed to the door.
"Zoe, what's wrong?" She looked down and saw my soaked trousers. "Devon, we need towels. We need towels and we need to drive Zoe to the hospital."
"But it's four weeks early, she's not due yet," I mustered.
"That doesn't matter now, we still have to get you to the hospital. You can't have the baby here." Ellie sat me down on the towels along the back seat of the car and that's when the first contraction kicked in. "Breathe with me, we can do this together, ee, ee, ee. Oo. Oo. Oo."
I meekly repeated the crazy breathing and it momentarily helped. I was rushed into a hospital bed. A midwife almost started laughing.
"You've nothing to worry about, this is normal. Won't be long now."
I gasped at the pain.
"Ellie, you have to, you have to tell Sarah, and Chuck. They'll know where Casey is." I squeaked, she nodded and dived out of the hospital room. The door opened and in slipped Ethan. "Ethan? Please, not now." I breathed heavily through the pain. Ethan shut the blinds along the window. "What do you want from me Ethan?" I asked.
"All I want to know is exactly why you did it?"
"Why I did what?" I sat myself up, Ethan had his hand stuffed in his pocket which I assumed was holding tightly to his gun. "Put the gun down. Ethan. Let go of the gun." He removed his hand from his pocket and I felt slightly more at ease. "What did I do?"
"Why did you run away from me? You left me and they took me into care. I searched for you and I couldn't find you anywhere."
"You don't know about the truth, you don't know about what our family have done."
I gasped, feeling another contraction.
"The contractions, they're getting, closer," I squeaked.
"Tell me what you mean about our family?"
I tried to calm him down. "Our stepmother and father run an underground weapons exchange. I needed to get away so I left you, I knew you would be safe. I promise you, I wouldn't have left you if I thought you weren't safe." I begged him not to do anything irrational. I wanted him to stay, I hadn't seen him in years. Instead, he burst out of the door, straight into Devon. Ethan pushed him aside and tore away down the corridor.
"Okay then, I won't ask. Now Zoe, how are you doing?" Devon asked, ignoring the frantic guy that had run out the room.
"I'm fine, has Ellie gotten into contact with John, or Chuck, how about Sarah?" I asked in desperation, sliding further up the bed a little, growling slightly.
Ellie came in shutting the door behind her. "Okay Zoe, the others are on their way, they say they've got a few loose ends to tie up on the mission but will do their best to make it here." She came to my side. "Can I get you anything? Water, something to do? Anything?"
"No, I just want. Ow, o wow." I squeaked, shooing Devon away. "You're in for a real treat."
For the next few hours I endeavoured a fair bit of pain.
"Where are they?" I yelped. "Where is he?"
"Don't worry Zoe, they'll be here soon, I'm sure. For now, just stay calm," Ellie replied, stroking my cheek. "The midwife says she'll be along soon to check how you're doing."
"Right…" I sighed, falling back down on the bed. The midwife came in and smiled at me.
"Looks like you're ready."
"No, no, no," I murmured, hitting the bed with my fist. "Not yet."
"It doesn't look like we can wait any longer. Your baby wants to move out and meet you," The midwife protested. The midwife ushered Devon and Ellie out of the room and willed me on.
And then I heard it, a tiny baby crying.
"Oh, oh." I squeaked.
"Congratulations, it's a-" The midwife started but she interrupted when Casey burst in the room with his army trousers and black top on.
"Casey! Where the hell have you been?!" I shouted weakly, nearly crying.
"It's a little baby boy, congratulations to you both." The midwife smiled, holding a tiny baby now neatly wrapped in a towel. "Do you want to hold him?" she asked me.
Casey was so unbelievably shocked.
"No, let him." I squeaked. Overrun by emotions. The midwife put Baby boy Casey in my fiancé's arms and left the room.
"A little baby boy." Casey smiled. "I thought you said it was a girl?"
"The nurses must have been wrong then. It happens all the time," I sighed. "Where the hell were you Casey?"
"Hey, it's not my fault. He wasn't due for four weeks. There was no pressure." He sat down on the side of the bed. I wrapped my arms around him as he held our tiny, little baby boy.
"He's so tiny. I love him already, and he's what are we going to call him Casey? I would have said Alex but I couldn't possibly use that, you've already got one child with that name," I ranted.
"I've got an idea."
"Then I trust you that much to know that you can choose the right name."
"Okay." He kissed my cheek. I looked up to see Chuck and the others outside the window, I waved them inside. Chuck, Sarah, Ellie, Devon and Morgan entered the room.
"Hi." They all said quietly.
"Does the little guy have a name?" Sarah asked, standing beside Casey and cooing over my little baby.
"John?" I looked at him, "I trust you. I think you should get the chance to."
"Liam." He paused. "Liam Bailey Casey." I smiled widely, Liam, it was one of my favourite names when I was Lauren, when it was Alex and Lauren.
"Aww, that's cute." Sarah smiled. "He's beautiful. And tiny."
"He's Zoe's baby, of course he is." Casey kissed my forehead. I started to get a little teary eyed. "What's wrong with you now?"
"Oh, it's nothing, I'm just. I'm just so happy you're all here." I wiped my eyes.
"Oh, Zoe." Chuck squeezed my hand. I saw him smile at Sarah like he knew that this is what he wanted one day.
"That reminds me." I squeaked, looking at Casey. "Do you want to tell them, or shall I?"
"No, you tell them. I chose the name."
"Right, well. Seeing as you guys are here, it gives me great pleasure it present Liam with his godparents. Don't look at me like that, who says how many godparents you have to have? You are all the closest thing I have to family. You are my family. And Morgan just completes the set." I sniffed.
"Wow, I feel honoured that you would trust me with a baby, your baby." Morgan put a hand on his chest.
"Morgan, you just complete the set, it wouldn't be the same without you." I smiled. Liam started to squirm and settled in Casey's arms.
"He's so tiny." Ellie smiled, holding Devon close. "I can't wait until we have our little baby girl."
Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = So a nice little twist there, I do like the thought of Casey having a little baby girl but, at the same time, a boy would be something that he doesn't have, what with Alex and all.