For notes and disclaimer, please see part one. I hated saying #goodbyechuck last night. So, hello Downy this morning!

Here's a few things you might need to know or maybe you just forgot: Sarah's missing and Team Bartowski isn't handling that reality well.

Decisions

She looked at the letter, sighing. She hadn't applied for the job, hadn't been actively seeking other employment. Besides, everyone she loved was right there in Echo Park, right there in the same building... well, except her mother, who was often jet-setting around the globe, and Alex, who was frequently at Casey's apartment or hers.

Chicago seemed so far away.

She'd had the opportunity to visit the Windy City a time or two but had never made it. Scheduling conflicts, money being tight... the reasons were endless. While she wouldn't mind seeing it someday, the thought of picking up and leaving L.A., where she had made a home for herself, was strange.

Leaning back in her chair, she knew she wanted to ask Casey for his thoughts. With Sarah still gone, though, it just wasn't the right time to be adding more turmoil to the mix.

A sudden weight landed in her lap. She chuckled softly. "Downy..."

The calico made herself at home, pawing at Ellie's legs before settling in and purring loudly.

"What do you think, huh? Think John might move away? Might go to Chicago with me?"

There was no change in the pitch or volume of Downy's comforting sounds.

"I'm trying to imagine you on the plane, sweet girl. How do you feel about flying, huh?"

Of course, even if Casey and Downy went with her, could she stand to be away from Chuck? If Sarah was never found, Chuck would need her. And Casey might not want to leave Alex. After all, he'd only recently discovered he was a father. Having been without a father herself, she knew just how important fathers were, no matter when they were found.

Her moment of peaceful consideration was broken, however, when the door to her apartment burst open and Casey stood there.

"Walker's back, she's banged up..."

"My kit's in the closet," she said, scooping Downy up as she stood. The letter, already forgotten, fluttered to the floor.

Casey lingered in the courtyard, rolling his lit cigar between his fingers. Could this be it? Could the so-called fat lady have sung? Could his last mission be behind him, and a civilian future lay before him? The feelings those questions churned within him were hard for him to define. Was it excitement? Fear? Confusion? Maybe some combination of all of the above?

He wished Chuck and Sarah well on their non-spying lives, he did. Part of him wanted to have a life like that, one where he didn't have to have his guard up all the time. One where he wouldn't have to worry about people following him, wanting to kill him, wanting to capitalize on his weaknesses - on his family.

He wanted Ellie to be part of his family in an official capacity. Asking Ellie to marry him would expand his tiny family exponentially, adding Chuck and Sarah. Given how close Alex was getting to Morgan, he had a feeling his family may grow yet again and sooner rather than later.

But, could he give up the spy life forever? He'd given up everything for his country. Being a soldier, a spy, a killer, it was all he had ever known. His cover jobs had given him ample opportunity to portray a bartender, chauffeur, and appliance salesman, but those were hardly career material. He hoped, if it was goodbye to the spy life, that it was also goodbye to the menial tasks of carting stock around the electronics superstore.

If he wasn't a spy, if he was starting over, completely, what could he do? What could he be?

Training wasn't exactly his strong suit. Teaching more knuckleheads like Morgan to be spies wasn't exactly his idea of a good time. He had knowledge of game theory and international relations but policy decisions were best left to politicians. While he had definite ideas on what should go on within Washington's halls of power, he wasn't inclined to have his picture splayed across newspapers to help make a difference there. He'd flown under the radar for so long that the thought of being publicized, recognized was beyond terrifying.

No matter what he did, he wanted to spend time with Ellie. The ring still sat in the safe in his living room, waiting for the right moment. They'd both been so busy and stressed since Sarah's disappearance that he hadn't even bothered to touch it, not since showing it to Alex.

Maybe he needed to take a different step, though. He still lived in one apartment, with Morgan as a roommate, and Ellie still lived across the courtyard, in the place she used to share with Devon. Perhaps the most prudent course of action was to ask her to move in with him, to find their own place, one that didn't have the memories of others lingering within the rooms, hiding in the shadows.

There was no need to uproot Morgan. And he didn't much care one way or the other about the vestiges of the "awesome" doctor, but if it was a clean break from the Buy More, from Carmichael Industries, from the NSA, it might be a good idea to continue the trend and find some house out in the suburbs somewhere.

If, of course, Ellie would consider leaving Echo Park.

Drawing one last deep breath through his cigar, he put the Costa Gravan corona out on the ashtray before wandering to her door. Unsure if she was awake, he knocked gently. He waited, hearing nothing from inside. Knowing her safety was of the utmost importance after Sarah's disappearing act, he checked the lock.

His stomach dropped to his knees when the knob turned and the door swung open easily. "Ellie?" he ventured cautiously. Drawing his gun, he was about to begin his thorough search of the house when he spotted her asleep on the couch. She was still fully dressed, with glasses somewhat askew on her nose.

Downy lifted her head from Ellie's arm, as if to admonish him for disturbing her sleep.

Easing the gun into the back of his pants, he silently padded to the couch, adjusting the covers around Ellie's legs and even petting Downy's head. With the cat somewhat satisfied, he continued his quiet trek around the apartment, making sure that the windows were securely closed, that everything was fine. He turned off the light in the hall and started to turn off the one in the dining room when he saw a piece of paper on the floor.

It was unlike Ellie to be messy, to have something out of place. Picking it up, his blue eyes skimmed the contents of the letter, and he eased down into one of the waiting chairs.

Stay tuned...