This chapter is for Coreymon77 who, as punishment, made me write the fluffiest chapter I could come up with. This is that chapter. I hope it's fluffy enough. The punishment was because I'm a bad Chuck fan and forgot details about Chuck and Sarah's wedding. I can't believe I did that. Bad Sam.
And I'm really sorry about the delay on this chapter. My normal 13 week semester at uni was squished into 9 because of prac and so I got completely hammered by assignments. Not awesome.
Toes in the Sand – Chapter 11
She's the giver I wish I could be
Sarah sat at the kitchen table with Tyler on her left and Eloise on the right, helping both of them with their respective homework. Chuck stood in the doorway watching them silently. Eloise was working on her first grade spelling whereas Tyler was struggling with his junior high math and Sarah was switching effortlessly between her two children.
After watching the scene for a few minutes, Chuck came into the kitchen, kissing each of his family on the head before sitting down with them. He looked over Eloise's shoulder to see what she was doing.
"There's some big words in there Little One. 'Because' that's a tough one."
Two bright blue eyes looked back up at him. "You're silly, daddy. 'Because' is easy to spell. See. B.E.C.A.U.S.E."
"You're just too smart, Ella," he told his daughter.
"Mommy helped me. She's really smart, too."
Chuck glanced up at his wife, as she continued on explaining a complex problem to Tyler, and smiled. "Yeah, she is, isn't she?"
"She's the best Mommy ever," Eloise exclaimed.
And the stealer of the covers
It was an unusually cold winter's morning; the sun started filtering through the curtains. Chuck had curled up tightly into the fetal position sometime during the night, and was left with barely a sheet covering him. Feeling the light on his face, Chuck cracked open one eye to find out the time 6:02am… too early. He shivered in the frosty temperature of the room and rolled over to where his wife was snuggled securely under layers of blankets.
Shaking her lightly, Chuck tried to reclaim some of the warmth for himself. Sarah didn't budge from her spot, so Chuck turned to desperate measures. He found a small hole at the near Sarah's feet and worked his own, cold feet inside, hoping it would startle her awake. And awaken her he did.
Sarah sat up quickly, clutching the blankets to her chest, breathing heavily. "What the hell, Chuck?"
Chuck slowly moved to a seated position and looked sleepily at his irate wife and shrugged. "I was cold, and you were hogging the covers."
Sarah huffed in annoyance. "You could have woken me nicely."
"I tried. You weren't budging. I'm sorry."
Sarah slid back down and curled back into the warmth, before murmuring, "If you want to keep warm, you need to come closer."
Grinning, Chuck pulled the blanket over himself and wrapped himself around his wife, knowing this was the best way to keep warm. This was definitely Chuck's favourite time of day; it was full of promise.
She's a picture in my wallet
Chuck sat forlornly at the bar, nursing his almost untouched drink. It was Christmas Eve and he was snowed-in at an airport, hoping and praying that he will make it in time to see his kids open their presents the next morning.
"Is this seat taken?" a woman's voice next to him spoke.
Chuck looked up and motioned to the space next to him. "It's all yours."
"I'm Amy." The woman held out her hand in introduction. Chuck smiled softly and took the offered hand.
"Chuck." He took a sip of his drink before he turned his gaze to the muted television playing some sort of sport.
The blonde woman ordered a glass of wine before turning her attention back to Chuck. "So what brings you here on Christmas Eve?"
Chuck sighed, "Waiting and hoping to fly home. You?"
"The same. I've been on writing assignment for three months and I'm trying to surprise my parents for Christmas."
"Nice surprise for them." Chuck finished his beer and motioned to the bar tender for another.
"Yeah, if I can get there. The snow storm is sort of delaying my trip a bit." Amy took a sip of her wine, "So what about you, Chuck, who are you on your way home to?"
A smile spread across Chuck's face as he thought about his family that was at home waiting for him. He quickly pulled out his wallet and opened it for Amy to see the photo that was pride of place inside.
"My wife, Sarah and our two kids. Tyler is eight-and-a-half and the baby is Eloise. She'll be celebrating her first Christmas tomorrow."
"Your children are adorable. I can see why you're anxious to get home."
Chuck ran his finger over the photo. "Yeah. I really don't want to miss it."
The airport PA went off over the comfortable silence between the two as it called flights that were ready to board. Amy finished off her drink and slid off her chair, "They just called my flight. Good luck in getting home, Chuck."
"Thanks, Amy. It was nice to meet you; good luck with your work."
Amy gave a little smile and wave as she left the bar, leaving Chuck to wait for his flight to be called… if it was going to be called.
And my unborn children's mother
From the moment Chuck laid eyes on Sarah, he knew she was the one. The one whom he would spend his life with, and the one whom he would have children with. Sarah was the very personification of Vicki Vale… the one based off Marilyn Monroe in the 1949 comic, not Kim Bassinger… not that he would ever tell her that.
"I'm not sure if I'm able to receive calls," she told him as she brushed her long, blonde hair behind her ear. "Because I never got one from you."
It was such a cheesy pick-up line, and Sarah looked completely sweet and innocent and Chuck was a goner. He never thought a girl like her ever be interested in a nerd like him.
Chuck thought back as he perused engagement rings at a local jeweller. Their meeting was orchestrated by the government, their 'first date' was a rouse, as was their on-and-off 'relationship' for a couple of years, until he laid it all out and asked her point blank if she loved him. Luckily, it all worked out, and he was about to propose. She was it for him. She was his everything.
She's the hand that I'm holding
"That's it, Sarah. You're doing really well. Just remember your breathing exercises." Chuck soothed his wife, wishing that they could swap positions.
Sarah let out a strangled cry as she continued to push through her contractions. She turned to Chuck. "You're never touching me again, you hear me."
The nurses and midwife sniggered quietly to themselves as Chuck nodded. "Sure, honey. Whatever you say," he replied while brushing her hair off her dampened forehead.
The midwife looked up at the couple, "Just two more pushes, Sarah, and you can meet your son."
Sarah blindly grabbed for Chuck's hand as another contraction ripped through her and squeezed it tightly. Yelping in a mixture of pain and surprise, Chuck glared at his wife. "If I'm in pain, you have to be as well," she sobbed.
Half an hour later later, Sarah sat up in the uncomfortable hospital bed cuddling a little blue bundle, with Chuck sitting at her bedside; both were enraptured by their new baby boy.
"Welcome to the world, Tyler Charles Bartowski," Sarah whispered as she bent her head to softly kiss her son on the cheek. "Your daddy and I love you so much."
Chuck reached up to entwine their hands. "Thank you, Sarah."
Sarah smiled, "No, Chuck, I should be thanking you. You saved me and gave me a life."
"He's thanks enough. I couldn't think of anything else that could be any better."
When I'm on my knees and praying
She's the answer to my prayer
It was touch and go; they didn't know if Sarah was going to survive. When Vivian Volkoff attacked Sarah during their engagement party, Chuck didn't know what to do. He had just gotten her back, and it looked like he was going to lose her again – permanently.
Sarah was in intensive care, under the watchful eye of his sister, Ellie and Chuck was at a loss. He meandered his way around the hospital, trying to come up with a plan to save his fiancé and to keep the negative thoughts from entering his mind. Neither of which were working.
Chuck stumbled into the hospital chapel and sat down in the front pew. Taking a deep breath, Chuck started to speak. "Um, I'm not sure what to really do here, but if you're out there somewhere, can you do me a favour and save Sarah's life? I'm a firm believer in finding your own way, but in this one, I need a little help." He paused and wiped the tears the fell from his eyes.
"She means everything to me; I can't live without her. I know we both have a long way to go if we want some sort of salvation, but I just need to know that someone is looking out for us. So please, help me save her life; we all need a bit of happiness in our lives, and she is it for me."
Chuck stood silently and walked slowly back towards intensive care, hoping and praying that Sarah would come out of this unscathed. After all, they had a wedding to attend.
And she's the song that I'm playing
It was date night and it was Chuck's turn to decide where they were going. Ellie and Devon were in town for a few days and he figured a double date was in order. The two couples rarely got to catch up without the children in tow.
Deciding to employ the babysitting services of Morgan and Alex for the night, Bartowskis and Woodcombes set out for the evening. The two women were stunning, both in cocktail dresses that they apparently pulled out from the back of Sarah's closet.
Dinner was a quiet affair, so they all decided to head out and do something a little more fun. The two couples made their way to a karaoke bar; Sarah and Ellie went to grab a booth, while the boys ordered their drinks.
"So how 'bout it, Captain, you gonna sing tonight?" Chuck asked his brother –in-law.
"Oh, I don't know, Chuck. I am a man of many talents, but singing is not one of them."
Chuck patted Devon on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll show you how it's done."
Devon laughed heartily. "Awesome."
When the drinks arrived, the boys headed over to where their better halves were seated and handed them their beverages. Chuck sidled up to his wife and laced their fingers together before kissing her softly on the cheek.
"You want to sing a duet with me?" he asked her sweetly.
Sarah looked at her husband incredulously. "Are you serious? Chuck, you know I'd rather face a gang of terrorists than sing in public."
He shrugged his shoulders, "Ok, guess it's all on me then." Chuck got up and headed over to where the emcee was organising the songs for the participants. After speaking to him for a few minutes, Chuck headed back to the table.
"I'll be up in three songs time."
The four of them bopped along to the songs being played and laughed mockingly at the people trying to sing them, waiting for Chuck to be called up. When it was his turn, he kissed Sarah softly before whispering, "This is for you."
The country tune kicked in and Chuck began to sing.
Girl, I been thinkin' 'bout us
And you know I ain't good at this stuff
These feelings pilin' up won't give me no rest
This might come out a little crazy
A little sideways, yeah maybe
I don't know how long it'll take me but I'll do my best
You'll be my soft and sweet
I'll be your strong and steady
You'll be my glass of wine
I'll be your shot of whiskey
You'll be my sunny day
I'll be your shade tree
You'll be my honeysuckle
I'll be your honey bee
Yeah, that came out a little country
But every word was right on the money
And I got you smilin' honey right back at me
Now hold on 'cause I ain't done
There's more where that came from
Well you know I'm just havin' fun, but seriously
If you'll be my Louisiana
I'll be your Mississippi
You'll be my Little Loretta
I'll be your Conway Twitty
You'll be my sugar, baby
I'll be your sweet iced tea
You'll be my honeysuckle
I'll be your honey bee
Your kiss just said it all
I'm glad we had this talk
Nothing left to do but fall in each other's arms
I coulda said, "I love you"
Coulda wrote you a line or two
Baby, all I know to do is speak right from the heart
If you'll be my soft and sweet
I'll be your strong and steady
You'll be my glass of wine
I'll be your shot of whiskey
You'll be my sunny day
I'll be your shade tree
You'll be my honeysuckle
I'll be your honey bee
You'll be my Louisiana
I'll be your Mississippi
You'll be my Little Loretta
I'll be your Conway Twitty
You'll be my sugar, baby
I'll be your sweet iced tea
You'll be my honeysuckle
And I'll be your honey bee
I'll be your honey bee
Sarah sat through the entire song entranced by the sweetness in her husband's voice and the sincerity he sung it with. When he finished, she slid out of the booth and made her way over to where he was standing on the stage, lapping up the applause from the crowd that had gathered. Catching sight of her, Chuck jumped down and pulled Sarah into his arms.
"I love you," she told him before capturing his lips with her own, kissing him passionately and ignoring the hoots and catcalls coming from the crowd.
TaDa! I hope you all enjoyed it. Feel free to let me know what you thought. Hopefully it was fluffy enough.
I'm thinking when I've finished writing bits for this song I will continue on with the 'she's a picture in my wallet', I think it needs closure. What do you all think?
Fringe fans…did you pick up my little homage to the awesome show? I just had to. It makes me feel many feels.
Oh and the last song was 'Honey Bee' by Blake Shelton. I love that song. And it's such a cool film clip too.