A/N: Thanks to those of you that reviewed or PM'd me about the last chapter. I'm really grateful.
Beta thanks to my friend, MarkeyDeSad, once again.
Chuck helps Sarah find her mom….
Saved
Chapter 8: Hunting
Sarah sat at the table next to her boyfriend, watching his fingers flash across the keyboard and the windows pop up on the laptop screen. She was still amazed at the speed at which he typed, but also that he was able to read and take in what appeared in front of him and respond to it so quickly.
She, on the other hand, had no idea what was happening.
"Can you explain what you're doing and finding, Chuck. It's making me dizzy."
He paused and looked at her. "I'm searching for records of your mother's name when she was married to your dad, but also her maiden name in case she reverted to that."
She frowned. "Isn't that just a Google search?" She was pleased with herself for picking that term up from him.
He shook his head. "I'm digging into places you can't access with Google."
He was about to restart, but she grabbed his wrist. "You're not doing anything illegal, are you?"
He blushed. "It's a bit of a gray area, legally speaking."
"What sites?" she asked, folding her arms.
He gulped. He didn't want to lie to her. "DMV records for one. You can access it for yourself, but not for others."
She narrowed her eyes. "Where else?"
He sighed. "Her DMV record showed where she lives, but if she changes her name, by remarrying for instance, that would be lost. So, I have also searched marriage records, initially in California."
"Won't you get in trouble for this?" Sarah had a very concerned look on her face as she scrutinized him.
He shook his head. "Marriage records are not hidden from the public, but the rest obviously is. However, they'll never know I was there."
She looked at him incredulously. "How can you know that?"
He looked away. "I know how to hide my presence."
She grabbed his jaw and pulled him back to look at her again. "What does that mean?"
"I'm a hacker. Okay?" He replied and huffed.
She frowned. "What does that mean?"
He then had to explain the term and how hackers kept hidden.
"So, you're a criminal?" she gasped.
"I never damage anything or anyone," he was quick to say. "I just look."
"I don't like that you could get in trouble for helping me," she said quietly.
"I won't," he tried to reassure her. "I think I'm getting close, anyway."
She gasped. "Close to finding her?"
He nodded. She didn't try to stop him when he turned back to his laptop. She would feel guilty about that later, but all thoughts of stopping him disappeared.
Ten minutes later he declared that he'd found her.
"Ooh. Show me," she said.
"Just wait while I cleanly exit these systems," he said.
That guilt hit her then and she nervously watched him do that, hoping he would not get caught.
He finally sat back with only one window remaining. He sighed. "Done. I've never done this with someone watching me," he admitted.
She gave him a searing kiss before sitting back to hear what he'd found.
"She didn't do anything for five years, but then changed her name back to her maiden name. She also filed for divorce at that time. She must have gotten help, because that's hard to get pushed through without both parties agreeing. I guess she showed evidence of trying to track him down and maybe reported that he frequently changed his name, being a criminal. Anyway, the divorce went through a year later. About eight years ago, she remarried to James Wilshire, a lawyer in San Diego. I didn't check to see if he had helped her with the divorce. The married couple lived in a nice property on the outskirts of the city. However, he was killed in a car crash three years ago. The property is now in her married name and she doesn't seem to have moved."
Tears were rolling down Sarah's cheeks. "So, she's still there?"
He nodded. "Along with her five-year-old daughter, Molly."
She gasped. "I have a step-sister?"
"It seems so," he replied.
"I want to see them," she said with absolute conviction.
He grinned. "Good job I found her phone number, then."
The kiss this time almost knocked him off his chair. It grew in intensity until he pulled away and said, almost in a daze, "Do you want to call her?"
Of course, she did. They sat together, with Chuck holding her hand as he punched in the number.
After three rings, Emma Wilshire answered. "Hello?" She was obviously unsure who this was.
"Mom?" Sarah said nervously.
She didn't get the reaction she hoped for. The tone was sharp. "Who is this?"
She sniffed as a tear ran down her cheek. "It's your daughter, Sarah. Sarah Walker now, but I used to be Sarah Novak."
Emma gasped. "My little Sarah?" Her voice sounded wobbly.
Sarah couldn't help but cry then. Between sobs she replied. "Yes, Momma. I want to see you so much!"
Emma was obviously crying too. "Oh God, yes!" After a while she got herself under control. "Where are you?"
"I'm in Los Angeles."
"Are you still with your father?" Emma asked, with some anger creeping into her tone.
"No, Mom. He was arrested in Chicago three years ago."
"So, how did you come to be in LA?"
Sarah was embarrassed to have to say this. "I drifted from city to city and only ended up here three months ago."
She could feel the judgment coming across in her mom's next words. "Doing what?"
Sarah started to get defensive. "What I learned from Dad! That's all I knew!" Then she felt upset at using that tone. "I'm sorry I snapped, Mom."
Emma could be heard sniffing. "I'm sorry he taught you that, Sarah." Then, she asked, "Did you steal this phone?"
Sarah could understand how her mom would come to that conclusion, but happily said, "No, Mom. It's my boyfriend's phone."
"Boyfriend?" Was the inevitable next question.
Before her mom could spiral off thinking anything bad about him, Sarah said, "Chuck saved me from that life." She wasn't going to mention the other life into which she was very nearly forced. "He saved me and we love each other so very much."
Emma chuckled. "I get the message, Sarah. Can you get to San Diego?"
"That's no problem, Mrs. Wilshire," Chuck replied. "I can drive us there."
"Oh, hello. You must be the savior," Emma said, teasingly.
Chuck smiled. "Chuck Bartowski. I'm also a chauffeur to the most beautiful woman in the world."
Sarah blushed and gave him a light slap on his arm. "Mom, he's wonderful. He really looks after me. He's even helping me sort out my education and finding a job," she gushed.
They heard a sob coming from her mom. "Thank you, Chuck," she finally said. "When can you come down here?" The desperation was very obvious in her mom's voice.
"We could drive down today," Chuck offered, seeing Sarah nodding rapidly. "Or tomorrow if you prefer."
"Today!" both women replied immediately.
Emma added, "And you can stay the night."
Sarah grinned at Chuck, who smiled and nodded. She said, "That would be lovely, Mom."
"We'll see you in about three hours," Chuck said. "We need to pack some things and have showers before we set off."
"See you then," Emma said. "I can't wait."
"Me neither, Mom!" Sarah replied.
After the call, Chuck found himself enveloped in Sarah's arms. "I love you so much!" she said and then crashed her lips to his.
They set off slightly later than Chuck had expected. Being dragged to bed by his overjoyed girlfriend hadn't figured in his plans. However, they were only about ten minutes late. It was amazing how quickly they could shower when needed.
Sarah was almost bouncing in her seat as Chuck drove them down to San Diego, she was so excited.
"I can't believe I'm going to see my mom after all this time!" she said after an hour. She looked at Chuck. "Fifteen years, Chuck!"
He grinned at her. "I'm so glad we're doing this."
She beamed at him and sat back contentedly. "I need to conserve my energy for playing with my little sister."
"God, yes!" he exclaimed. "I'd forgotten about her. She'll run rings around us!"
She giggled. "Be fun, though."
Ten minutes later, his phone rang. They both looked at the name that popped up on the car's display.
Chuck answered the call and said, "Hi, El, if you're wondering where we are, we're on I-5 heading to San Diego."
"What's in San Diego?" Ellie asked.
"My Mom," Sarah said excitedly.
"Oh my God! You found her!" Ellie sounded just as excited.
"Your wonderful brother did," Sarah replied, looking at Chuck with so much affection.
"Well done, little brother."
"Thanks, sis," he replied.
"Are you staying overnight?" Ellie asked.
Sarah smiled. "We are."
"Good for you. I was calling to see if you wanted to meet up, but this is much better. Enjoy yourselves." Ellie ended the call quickly.
"I should have called her to let her know," Chuck said.
That confused Sarah. "Why?"
"She worries," he replied.
"But you live separate lives."
"She's like a mom to me. Has been ever since mom and dad died. Maybe a bit overprotective, but we've been like it for so long…"
"Oh." She thought about that for a while. "I've never had anyone who cared that much about me."
"I think you might be wrong about that," Chuck said. "We're about to meet her."
"You might be right. And I just left her to go off with Dad!" She felt tearful. "Poor Mom."
"What's done is done," he said. "You can't change that, but you are going to see her now and there's no reason to not continue seeing her now."
"You're right," she looked adoringly at him. "All thanks to you."
The house was an attractive one, with white washed walls, a red door and a small garden around it. It was just the sort of house Sarah imagined her mom living in.
They were sitting in the car looking at it.
"I'm nervous, Chuck," she said.
He took her hand and pulled it to his lips. She watched him kiss the back of her hand, and it helped, surprisingly. "You're perfect for me, Chuck. You look after me, you help me, guide me, everything seems better with you in my life. Thank you."
He let go of her hand to reach over and brush away the tear that escaped with his thumb. "I love you more than you can imagine, Sarah. I'd do anything for you."
"Stop it, you'll make me cry more."
He chuckled. "Shall we take this last step?" he asked.
She nodded. "It'd be a shame to come all this way, only to drive back again without going in."
Sarah stepped out of the car and waited for Chuck. Once he was around the car, she clutched his hand and walked up the path to the door.
Sarah rang the bell and stepped back. She gripped Chuck's hand. Her nerves were greater than ever.
They heard the lock being undone and then the door opened.
A beautiful woman of mid-forties stood before them. She was a couple of inches shorter than her oldest, and her hair was slightly darker than Sarah's, but still framed her face nicely. Beside her, and clinging to her jeans-covered leg, was a lovely little blonde-haired girl of around five years old. She was looking up in awe at the two tall strangers.
The two women both started to cry and Sarah rushed forward to hug her mom from the side opposite to Molly.
Chuck bent down to face the little girl, who clung a bit tighter to her mom and looked warily at him. "Hello, you must be Molly. I'm Chuck, your big sister's boyfriend."
His tone seemed to ease her tension. "'ello," she replied.
He nodded up to the two women above, who were still clinging to each other and sobbing. "They're getting all soppy."
Molly nodded. "Wanna play?" she asked.
Chuck grinned. "You bet!"
Molly reached her hand up to him and he gently held it and let her pull him inside around the doorway tableau. As he passed them, he commented, "We're going in. You two don't have to stay in the doorway."
Sarah and her mom looked around, seeing Chuck walking uncomfortably bent down to be able to hold Molly's hand.
Molly was telling him what they could play with together.
Sarah noticed her mom had her hand over her mouth. Then, she took it off and said, "Molly takes a long time to accept people, but she seems to have taken to your boyfriend instantly."
Sarah was impressed too. "He is wonderful."
Emma got her wits about her and turned back to her oldest daughter. "Come on in, Sarah."
They walked, arms linked, into the house. When they reached the living room, they found Chuck on the floor with his legs either side of Molly who was facing him with her feet curled beneath her. She had a toy of some sort gabbling at him. They stood and watched the two on the floor for a minute or so. "He's good with kids," Emma commented.
Sarah's heart was nearly bursting seeing her boyfriend interacting with her little sister. "He's good with everyone, Mom."
"I need to get lunch ready," the older woman said.
"Let me help, Mom," Sarah replied.
The two women went into the kitchen and, after washing their hands, started to prepare salad.
Sarah was glad that she'd been preparing meals at their apartment.
Her mom stopped what she was doing when Sarah started chopping cucumber to go in the salad they were to have with the meal. Sarah looked up and saw her mom's face. The look of awe was a sight to behold. Sarah looked down and realized she'd been chopping faster than most probably did. She looked back up and smiled. "I don't use knives on people, Mom. It's all safe."
Emma shook her head and continued what she was doing.
"I've seen the way you look at him, Sarah."
Sarah stopped and looked at her mom again. "I love him with all my heart, Mom."
Emma smiled at her daughter. "Obviously."
"You might think I'm too old to go all googly-eyed, Mom, but he literally swept me off my feet," Sarah said.
"I want to hear all about it, but not until after lunch."
Sarah nodded and carried on with the salad preparation.
Her mom opened the oven and brought out a quiche and slid it onto a plate. "Can you put everything on the dining table? I'll get little miss cleaned up." She walked back into the living room. "Come on, Missy. Time to wash your hands."
Molly instantly stopped playing and got up and walked with her mom to the bathroom, waving shyly at Chuck over her shoulder.
Chuck stood up, gave Molly a wink and wave, then and joined Sarah in the kitchen. He walked to the sink and washed his hands. Then he helped Sarah carry things through to the table.
They both noticed one of the chairs had a booster seat.
"Molly's adorable," Chuck said.
Sarah turned to him. "Is it awful that I want a baby, Chuck?"
He frowned. "Why would it be awful?"
To Chuck, she looked ashamed. "I haven't even finished schooling, let alone started working. It feels like I'm giving up on all that you've done for me when I think that."
He pulled her to him and kissed her tenderly. "You're still young, Sarah. Plenty of time to have kids."
She looked him in the eyes, remembering their previous conversation about kids. "You really would have kids with me?"
He could tell she was nervous asking that. "Sarah, it fills my heart with joy that you want to have kids with me."
She leaned up and kissed him hard.
"Enough of that," Emma said as she and Molly walked back in. She helped Molly into her chair, although the little girl didn't really need much assistance.
Emma then sliced up the quiche and put some on a plate for Molly along with some salad. "Help yourselves," she said to the couple now sitting at the table.
As she sat, she said to Chuck, "We don't talk when eating. Sorry."
Sarah had a flashback to when she was little. Her mom's silent table. "Helps avoid accidents and improves digestion," she said, repeating what her mom used to say.
Emma gasped and then nodded.
After all the food had been eaten, Chuck and Sarah helped clear the table and load the dishwasher.
"Coffee?" Emma asked.
Both Chuck and Sarah said, "Please."
"Sarah, can you help me get the coffee ready?" Emma said.
Chuck headed into the living room to play with Molly again.
Walking back into the living room with three coffee mugs, the two women settled down on the couch, putting the mugs down on drink coasters on the coffee table in front of them. Sarah put the one she had made for Chuck next to hers.
"There's a coffee here for you Chuck," Sarah called to him.
"Thanks," he replied, but they could see he was engrossed.
"Tell me about our time apart," Emma requested. "Then how you met Chuck,"
Sarah braced herself. This was going to be difficult for them both. She kept her voice low, so that Molly didn't hear. She talked about why she left with her dad, her time with him, constantly on the move. She described the last year and a half with Jack Burton, the name he had then, when she was Jenny Burton, and how she was at school then, learning as much as she could before they had to run again. She talked about her dad's arrest and how she escaped and then ran, how she continued doing the only things she really knew to survive, conning and stealing. That, and running when she had to, from city to city. She talked about how it was getting harder and harder and when she got to Los Angeles, she was ready to give up on that life.
She had told herself to be completely open with her mom, so she took a long drink of coffee and started the worst tale. "I didn't have enough money to get away. I slept in alleyways. I was so, so miserable. I saw smartly dressed women on a street corner. I watched them for a while, Mom. They'd get into cars and reappear later with money. They gave some to a man there, but kept a lot. I realized they were prostitutes, earning more in an hour than I have ever seen."
"Oh god! You didn't…?" Emma couldn't finish the sentence.
Sarah shook her head, but said, "I thought it was the only way out for me, Mom, but, no, I didn't. Chuck saved me."
Emma frowned. "How?"
"He saw me drinking in a bar, getting myself ready. I nearly went with a man, but Chuck stepped in." She cast her mind back and a happy smile appeared on her face. "He stepped up beside me, put his arm around me and said, 'My wife is not interested. Now piss off.' It worked and the man left. Then, Chuck took his arm away and turned to me, saying, 'I am sorry for my words and actions, but believe me, you really did not want to go with him.' He was my good samaritan, Mom. As I got to know him, that became obvious. He wanted nothing from me, but to keep me safe."
"How did you know he would do that?" Emma asked.
Sarah smiled broader. "The one good thing I learned from my time with Dad was how to read people. Chuck is actually pretty easy for anyone to read. He hides nothing. I trusted him before we even left that bar, Mom."
Her face took on a dreamy look. "He took me back to his place because I had nowhere to go. I knew he wouldn't try anything. He was just frightened I might give in to the lure of the money. He and his sister bought me clothes and I slept in his spare room, filling the closet with my new clothes."
She looked lovingly at the man on the floor. "He's looked after me ever since and has done everything he can to help me. We found where I could continue, actually finish, my education. He is getting me a temporary job at his office."
She turned to the older woman. "Chuck tracked you down for me and then drove us here."
She put down her coffee and took her mom's free hand in both of hers. "I am so in love with him, Mom."
Emma had been doubtful when she started talking about Chuck, but the more she heard, she relaxed. She could see the affection in her daughter's eyes for the man.
They then overheard Chuck saying to Molly. "I've got coffee over there. Can I go and get it? You could come and see your sister."
Then watched Chuck stand and take Molly's hand after she nodded. He walked over to them and, before picking up his coffee, walked Molly to Sarah. "Molly, you really should get to know your lovely sister, Sarah."
Molly looked shyly at Sarah. "Hi, Sarah."
Sarah held her arms open and Molly walked into them. Sarah picked her up and put her on her lap. She'd never held a child before, and was a bit nervous, but was determined to do this. "I've not seen our mom in fifteen years and I'm so glad to have found her. And what a lovely surprise to find I have a lovely little sister."
"Mommy has told me about you," the little girl said. "I love having a big sister." She put her head against Sarah's neck and wrapped her little arms around it too.
Emma choked back a sob seeing that. She had to get a tissue, having already used all she had in her pocket.
"You have two beautiful daughters, Mrs. Wilshire."
Emma turned to Chuck. "Please call me Emma." He stood. "Let's give these two a little time to get to know each other."
Chuck looked down at his girlfriend. She could tell he didn't want to abandon her if she was nervous. She smiled up at him and nodded.
He turned and followed her mom to the dining table and sat with her. "She looks so happy with you, Chuck," Emma said to start the conversation.
He smiled. "I hope she is." He looked sincerely at the older woman. "I love her, Emma."
"I can see she feels the same."
"I never thought I'd be this happy. Your daughter breathed fresh life into me, Emma."
She smiled. "Tell me about yourself."
He told her about his parents. "My mom died when I was nine. My dad when I was fourteen. My older sister looked after me after that, encouraging me."
He never liked to talk about that period of his life and stopped to take a drink of his nearly cold coffee. "I went to Stanford on a scholarship."
"That's impressive," she said.
He smiled. "I have an eidetic memory. I see things and easily recall them. I always did well at school and college because of that." He nodded over to Sarah. "Sarah's memory is good too. She's going to restart her education and I think she'll do really well."
Emma smiled. "And what have you done since Stanford?"
"I set up a small software company. We are doing quite well." He stopped and looked at Sarah's mom. "I earn enough to look after your daughter. You don't have to worry about her."
She chuckled. "You say that as if you're going to be together for a long time."
He nodded. "I know we haven't been together long, but our love for each other…."
She covered her mouth.
He focused on her again. "When I have the courage to do it, I'll propose to her. I hope by then you'll agree to us marrying."
She tried to hold in the gasp. "I've only just seen her again after fifteen years and then I'm going to lose her again."
He hastened to correct her. "No, you won't. I will happily bring her to see you regularly." He then smirked. "Besides, I have to build up the courage to ask her anyway."
She gazed at this handsome man. "How come you're not already married?"
He blushed. "I haven't really been out with anyone since college."
She looked closely at him. "You must be nearly thirty. Why not?"
He decided to be open with her mom. "I had a bad experience at college." He saw her eyes widening. "My girlfriend there cheated on me. Since then, I'd pretty much given up on dating. Sarah made me change my mind, but I didn't force myself on her."
Emma chuckled at that. "No. You charmed her instead."
He shook his head. "No. I just wanted to keep her safe."
She smiled warmly at him. "I think, unintentionally, you swept her off her feet."
He shook his head. "That's what she did to me."
Emma almost laughed at that. "A pair of hopeless romantics! You're perfect for each other."
He grinned. "That's what my sister says."
She placed a hand on his arm. "Thank you for all you've done for her. And for reconnecting us."
He grinned. "Well, I had to. How else would I ask you for permission to ask for her hand?"
She grinned back and stood. "Come on. We need to rescue Sarah from Molly."
They walked back to the girls, who looked as thick as thieves to Chuck. Then, he silently admonished himself for that word.
"Go for it, Mol." Sarah said as Chuck sat down on the other side of the little girl.
Molly grinned and dived for him and started to tickle him.
Both sisters burst out laughing at him squirming.
Emma rolled her eyes. "Are you teaching her bad ways?" Sarah's smile disappeared. Her mom realized how she'd taken that and dropped to the couch beside her and pulled her into her embrace. "I'm so sorry, my darling girl."
Sarah snaked her arms around her mom's waist and clung to her. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm being too sensitive."
"Are one of you going to save me?" Chuck gasped out.
The older woman chuckled then said, "That's enough now, Molly."
Molly stopped the tickling and looked up at her mom.
Emma smiled at her. "Can you go and play in your room while we talk?"
Molly nodded and ran off to her bedroom.
"She's adorable, Mom."
"That she is," Emma said. "She's adopted. James and I were unable to have children, but we were lucky to find a baby girl that had been abandoned." She stopped and looked at Sarah. "She looked just like you when we first saw her and still does at this age." She gazed at Sarah quietly for a few moments.
Sarah could see what her mom was thinking. "I know you're looking forward to having her with you through the years you missed with me. I'm so sorry, Mom." Emma nodded, sadly. "I'm back in your life now, Mom. I want to see you as much as I can."
Emma's eyes started to water. "I know." Then she looked at them both. "I'm so glad."
"If you and Molly wanted to come to Los Angeles at all, we have a spare room in our apartment," Chuck said.
Sarah's eyes lit up at the thought. "It's very comfortable, Mom. I used it when I first moved in."
Emma chuckled. "Before you moved into the other room?"
Sarah blushed but nodded.
"It's ok. I'm not judging," her mom said. "I'm glad your love for each other is complete." She then noticed Chuck's blush. She smiled. "Neither of you are used to talking about this, huh?"
"I've never had a conversation like this with a parent," Chuck confessed.
Now Emma looked embarrassed. "Sorry, Chuck."
He smiled sadly. "I wish I had a mom to talk to."
Emma placed a hand on his arm. "You can talk to me any time you want, dear."
He started to tear up. "Can I hug you?"
Emma put down her mug and leaned in and the two embraced.
Sarah felt trickles of tears on her cheeks seeing this. "I love you both so much," she whispered.
Each of the other opened an arm and Sarah kneeled to get into the embrace which lasted for some time.
When they all sat again, Emma told them about her time after Sarah and her dad left her. "I was devastated when you left, Sarah. I was sure you'd stay with me."
Sarah grasped her mom's hand. "I'm sorry, Mom."
Emma nodded. "I realized I'd probably been too strict with you. I'm trying to be less so with Molly."
"Dad certainly wasn't strict. I foolishly just went with the parent that was just fun. It was the wrong thing to do."
Emma nodded. "No balance after that." She looked at Chuck. "Remember this. Both parents need to give the child fun, but also boundaries."
He nodded furiously. "I got that from my sister. We had great times, but she could always put her foot down."
"She sounds amazing, especially for a teenager," Emma said.
"She is still amazing, Mom," Sarah added.
Chuck just nodded again, while looking gratefully at his girlfriend for complimenting his sister, especially after how Ellie had treated her initially.
Emma got back to her story. "I spent a long time trying to track you both down, even contacting the police, but all in vain." She shook her head at the memory. "Your father was good at disappearing."
"We kept on the move, Mom. It'd be impossible to track us until the end when we stayed in one place for a long time."
Yes, well, I eventually had to give up trying to find you. I decided to stay put in Los Angeles and just hoped you'd come back. He used to do that before. After five years, and a lot of counseling, I gave up completely. I reverted to my maiden name. I also filed for divorce." She stopped and had to wipe a tear away. "I'm not sad at giving up on your father, I'd lost all affection for him by then. However, it felt like I was giving up on you."
Sarah gave her mom a hugely affectionate hug.
When she released her, Emma continued, "I was lucky. I got help after providing evidence of my attempt to find him and also told them how he frequently changed his name, always on the run. The divorce went through eventually without his consent. After that, I moved to San Diego. New city with no memories of, well, either of you." She looked at her daughter. "Didn't stop me thinking of you, though."
Both women had to wipe away tears then.
"After being here for about a year, I met a man who I fell in love with. He treated me better than your father ever did. He was three years older than me. He was a lawyer working in the city. We married and moved here." She looked down at her hands. "I still missed my lovely daughter and couldn't stop thinking about you. We tried to have kids but found out that he couldn't. So, we adopted that beautiful little girl, as I've already mentioned." She focused on Sarah and said, "She couldn't ever replace you, Sarah. Don't ever think that I thought she could, but she has helped ease the pain and I love her so very much."
Sarah smiled. "I know, Mom. I think we both love her already and we've only known her a few hours."
"James was hit by a truck, driven by a drunk," Emma said. "The car was almost flattened and they took two hours after arriving to cut his crushed body out." She said this in a completely monotone voice. Sarah never knew the man, but still found herself crying.
"Molly and I carried on here. And then, earlier today a wonderful thing happened." Emma gripped Sarah's hands. "You came back into my life, Sarah."
Both of them were crying now and hugged each other, clinging as tightly as they could.
Chuck decided to give them time together and got up. He walked through to the bedrooms and found Molly playing with a Barbie doll in a swimsuit.
He got down beside her. "My sister played with Barbie. She had a Ken doll too, which she made me hold when they went out together."
Molly grinned and crawled over to a toy box. She reached in and pulled out a Ken doll in trunks. She crawled back to Chuck. "Here you are, Ken."
He grinned back and took the doll from her. He held it in front of Barbie. "Hello, Barbie. Want to get ice cream?"
Molly laughed and said, "Yes, please, Ken."
Ten minutes later, they were still playing when Sarah and her mom appeared at the doorway, peering in at them.
Emma whispered to her oldest daughter, "His sister trained him well."
Sarah couldn't speak. She felt so much in love with her boyfriend at that moment. It also brought back her earlier thoughts. She really wanted to have a baby with him. She turned to her mom. "Is it bad that I'm thinking of abandoning the thoughts of completing my education and getting a job and just get pregnant right now."
Emma pulled her back away from Molly's room and hugged her daughter. "I made that mistake. I'm not saying Chuck is anything like your father, but I do think you should wait. There's no real time pressure, apart from in your head. You can come and see Molly whenever you want. In fact, I selfishly hope you do. Besides, having a baby should be a joint decision."
Sarah sighed. "You're saying the same as Chuck. Don't be impatient."
"He's smart, that one," Emma said.
Sarah nodded. "He is."
A/N: Stopping there because I don't want this chapter to get too large. More with Emma and Molly next chapter. I found writing this one quite an emotional experience.