Chapter 12
Three months later..
"My God, Ellie, she's beautiful!" Chuck beamed, staring down at the latest addition to his family.
"I'm so proud of you, El!" Sarah exclaimed. Gazing downwards, her breath caught in her throat as she looked at Ellie holding her baby, who was clearly already in love with her daughter. She clasped her arms tight around the baby as if her bare arms could protect her baby from the world.
She couldn't believe she had done it, after nine hours of the worst pain she had ever felt in her life, came the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She had felt a rush of love that was so intense, she could hardly believe it was possible.
Her six-hour-old daughter was still nameless though. Ellie couldn't even think of a name, how could she come up with a name for a little person that was so breathtaking, that she had made - and Devon of course.
"Smile babe!" Awesome said, pointing the camera towards his wife and daughter. "I'm a Dad! Me, Devon Woodcombe, a father I can't believe it!"
Ellie grinned back and Awesome and held her baby proudly up to the camera. "Chuck, do you want to hold her?" She asked, holding her upwards.
"I'd love to!" Chuck said. He carefully wrapped his arms around the baby, supporting her head. She felt so fragile, he was scared to touch her in case her hurt her. She smelt like newborn babies - because of course, she was one.
She had a tiny tuffet of blonde hair, bright rosy cheeks and stunning blue eyes. Chuck hoped that they would stay blue, he had heard that all babies had blue eyes when they were born.
"Hi!" He cooed, Sarah peeped over his shoulder and felt an intensifying rush of love for both Chuck and her sort-of niece. "I'm your uncle Chuck, and this beautiful lady here is your Auntie Sarah."
"Your going to make a great uncle." Ellie said, combing her hands through her knotted hair.
"Thanks."
"And, Chuck.. I've been thinking about this, I want you to name the baby!" Ellie said, as Awesome nodded in agreement.
"Wh-what?" Chuck studied Elle's face and he didn't see a trace of humour in it. "You want me, to name her?"
"Yes." Awesome said simply.
"But why me?" Chuck asked, bewildered.
"Because, you've always been so good to me Chuck, and all those months you were away, it showed me how much you meant to me and what better way to show my appreciation, than to let you name my child?"
"Wow, thanks El!" Chuck looked thoughtful for a moment. "I did already have a name in mind, actually."
"What is it?" Sarah asked curiously.
"I like the name Phoebe." He said, turning bright red.
"Oh Chuck, that's a gorgeous name!" Ellie smiled. She looked at the baby. "Phoebe." She said to her.
"Yes, she definitely looks like a Phoebe!" Awesome said.
"Sarah, I want you to pick the middle name." Ellie said, as Sarah's eyes glazed over.
"Really? She's your daughter shouldn't you choose?"
"No, no. I got to make her, I'd be honoured if you gave her a middle name."
"I think the name Rose goes really well with Phoebe." Sarah smiled. "But you don't have to use it!"
"I think it's a really pretty name." Ellie said, glancing lovingly at her baby. "Phoebe Rose Bartowski, welcome to the family."
Phoebe gurgled in appreciation, the corners of Chuck's mouth rose upwards as he handed his niece back to Ellie.
"We'll leave you a moment." Chuck said, pulling Sarah gently by the hand.
They stood out in the maternity ward hall as Chuck leant against the coffee machine. His eyes met with hers, it had been such an eventful day, they were both feeling very emotional. They didn't say anything, Sarah tried to keep her eyes in steady gaze to Chuck's but her bottom lip wobbled and fresh tears sprouted from her eyes.
"Sarah?" Chuck was a little worried.
"I'm crying because I'm happy!" She smiled weakly. "Just seeing Ellie, Awesome and their new baby and seeing how much she loves Phoebe, it just makes me really emotional, I'm sorry."
"You don't need to apologise! I understand completely. I can't wait for us to be like that some day. But we'd have to get married first.." He hinted heavily. He felt like he was getting nowhere, Sarah was still wearing her engagement ring but she barely grunted in reply when he raised the topic of marriage.
Sarah was dying to tell Chuck that moment all about the secret wedding she had planned. She had to hold on though, it was only two weeks away, she couldn't wait to see the look on his face.
Two weeks later..
"Sarah, I don't see why I have to wear a tuxedo to go to Ellie's friend's birthday party!" Chuck complained, tugging on his tie.
"Well uh, Ellie is really excited about this party, it's a very classy occasion, and I think she would appreciate it if you looked the part." Sarah said, she was lucky that being a spy trained her in the art of improvisation.
"And I don't see why you can't take me there, I mean what's the point in her taking me?" Chuck said, Sarah groaned inwardly, why did he have to make everything so awkward? Today she was going to get married and she wanted the day to be perfect. She definitely didn't want Chuck to find out.
"I have to finish off something's at castle, I promise I'll be there as soon as I can." I have to put on my wedding dress, actually. Sarah thought in excitement. She prayed that nothing would go wrong, she and Ellie had planned everything down to the exact detail.
Of course, they had to tell everyone else but they had done such a good job of keeping quiet.
"I'll see you in about an hour." Sarah said, kissing his cheek lightly.
When Sarah had left, Chuck sat on the sofa waiting to hear the beep of Ellie's car from outside. His car was currently in the garage, so he had to rely on lifts off of people. Chuck's sister had told him that she was going shopping whilst actually helping to turn the Buy More from a store into a chapel.
His eyes were just beginning to droop he heard Ellie arrive outside. He went outside and got into the car and he noticed Ellie was smiling a lot more than usual and she was wearing a long black coat in the middle of summer.
"Ellie, why are you wearing a coat in the middle of summer?" Was the first thing he said.
"I'm a bit chilly to be honest." She grinned, as Chuck watched her suspiciously he saw that her cheeks didn't deflate, she was still smiling. He was just about to comment when he heard a gurgle coming from the back to the car.
"Phoebe?" He turned around and saw Phoebe in her little baby car seat, her eyes were wide but faraway, she looked as if she were smiling too, but it could have just been wind.
"It's kind of a family party, Lisa said I could bring along Phoebe." Ellie lied.
"Okay." Chuck reclined his head and closed his eyes as Ellie pulled out into the road. The rhythmic breathing of Phoebe combined with the soft humming of the car engine made him feel totally at peace.
Ellie glanced over at Chuck and clenched the wheel excitedly, he did seem sort of suspicious but she didn't think that he knew anything about this.
Fifteen minutes later, she pulled inside the Buy More, she looked towards the back of the car and saw Phoebe snoring softly, she was in a tiny little lilac bridesmaid dress, embroidered with little crème silk butterflies. Ellie saw Chuck and Phoebe snoring in unison, it would be a shame to wake him, he looked so peaceful, but after all, he was just about to get married.
"Chuck." Ellie breathed softly into the side of his ear. Chuck gave a loud grunt and stretched about in the car seat, he raised his hands above him and opened his eyes slightly. He was greeted by Ellie's ecstatic face barely an inch away from his own.
"Ellie!" He jumped, pulling away from her insistent gaze. As he came round a bit, he glared out of the window and saw the harsh green light of his workplace. "Why are we at the Buy More?" He asked worriedly.
Ellie took a deep breath, she hadn't thought that far yet. "Can you just pick me up something?"
"..What?" Chuck raised a brow, waiting for her to continue.
"Uh, I forgot to get Lisa something, she's very into technology, you know. Come in with me?" Ellie babbled.
"Yeah, come on then." Chuck smiled, pulling off his seat belt.
Ellie needed to get in there before he did. "Chuck, will you get Phoebe out of her car seat and into her stroller please?" She spontaneously. "I'll meet you at the entrance!" She almost shouted before diving out of the car and sprinting towards the Buy More in Jimmy Choo heels.
Chuck raised his eyebrows to himself. Did women turn strange after childbirth?
Apparently so.
He carefully put a sleeping Phoebe into the little stroller, he grabbed her baby bag and swung it over his shoulder. How strange would you look going into the Buy More with a tuxedo on, a two week old baby and a crazy psychopath sister?
He noticed there were a lot of cars in the Buy More parking lot, but no one was going in or out. How peculiar. He went in the main entranced and gasped. What the hell?
Gone were the aisles of video games and computer monitors, in their places were crème and gold chairs with a little bouquet of roses wrapped around each chair leg. There instead of the advertising posters on the walls were modern photo frames with golden patterns in the pictures.
The Nerd Herd desk had been replaced with what looked like an altar, it was covered with a white cloth and on it was a modern Bible testament and a silver candle. Up above his head read a banner saying, 'Chuck and Sarah's wedding 15th July 2010'. Chuck gasped again and gazed around the room for a sighting of someone.
He felt so confused. Then he spotted Jeff, Lester and Morgan, but not in their usual Buy More uniform. They were wearing expensive suits and had big smiles etched on their faces.
Suddenly a heap of people he recognised popped out from nowhere. "Surprise!" They screamed, in amongst the crowd Chuck spotted old friends and his father.
Chuck finally caught on. They had planned a secret wedding for him! He couldn't stop smiling as they all came over to greet him. What if Sarah didn't know about this, she didn't want to get married!
"Morgan!" Chuck hissed.
"Yeah Buddy?" Morgan smiled, wearing the same suit her had worn to Ellie's wedding over a year ago.
"Does Sarah know anything about this? She's terrified of getting married, she won't do it! She'll probably leave me at the altar like Julia Roberts did in Runaway Bride!" He said, his heart thumping nervously in his chest.
"Chuck." Morgan breathed. "Sarah planned this."
"What?" He couldn't believe it, all this time he thought Sarah was scared of getting married but no, she had been planning a secret wedding all along. He certainly was surprised.
Just then he noticed a minister approach the 'altar' and start thumbing through her pile of papers. He was going to get married! Ten minutes ago he was just about to go to a party with his family and friends, and now he was about to have a wife!
"Chuck, it's time." His father said in his black suit and sunglasses, he never knew when he could get noticed so it was best to keep on the safe side.
Butterflies formed in his stomach, just like the ones on little Phoebe's dress. He took a breath as everyone went to their seats and he approached the altar.
It was a modern wedding, the traditional wedding march didn't play but instead an instrumental played in the back round, it was a mix of a soft flute and a gentle violin. This created the perfect atmosphere in the wedding, Chuck gazed up at the entrance and in walked Ellie, in a long peach bridesmaid dress and she was holding Phoebe, who was looking as gorgeous as ever.
Ellie smiled knowingly at him and took her seat with her daughter in the first row. Then as the music reached its climax, Sarah entered with Awesome on her arm.
Chuck felt a lump rise in his throat, she looked breathtaking, so beautiful it was almost indescribable. Her golden hair was twisted into a neat bun with wisps of curls escaping and reaching her shoulders. Her stunning dress flowed behind her. It was a strapless dress with rhinestones and it created curves in all the right places, this was the dress she had tried of with Ellie in the dress store a few months previously.
Awesome proudly gave her away as she moved towards Chuck, her smile never faulting.
Chuck gazed into Sarah's eyes and she looked lovingly back into his. This is what she wanted, this is where she wanted to be. She couldn't believe how much she loved this man, this one person that took up so much of her life and so much of her heart.
She felt her chest rise with love and she hoped that the feeling was mutual (which, of course, it was).
As the minister opened her book and started to read from the Bible, Morgan sniffed and got to his feet and gave the rings to Chuck and Sarah.
"-I Sarah, take this man to be my lawfully wedded husband-"
And as their vows continued they each uttered one last final word, "I do."
Sarah put the gold band on Chuck's finger and he did the same.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride!" The minister declared as everyone cheered.
And then he kissed her. It was magic, the way his lips connected with hers. It was right, and somehow, among all of the dizziness and the clinging to her like a life line, something inside him changed, never to be reversed. This new feeling could be dwelled upon later, because, for now, he was content to feel his breath come and go with hers.
They broke apart and Chuck now felt that he wasn't a whole person anymore, he was half of one with Sarah. He'd never felt so happy in all of his life. Everyone cheered again as they flowed down the aisle and out the front entrance.
The after party.
"I can't believe you did this, Sarah! Chuck breathed as he danced with her to their favourite song, Nina Simone - "Feeling Good".
"It was originally planned for when you returned from Spy School, but of course that all changed."
Chuck nodded and continued to dance with her.
Meanwhile, Casey was in the toilet when he heard a loud thump coming from the window. He looked up to find a large face popping through the window. It was Joe.
Casey laughed. "I don't think so!" He sighed contentedly as he yanked Joe through the window and twisted his head until it clicked. "Ah happy days!" He grinned.
The end.
By Emma, 14 from the UK :D
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