For notes and disclaimer, please see part one.

Here's a few things you might need to know or maybe you just forgot: Casey proposes.

Spreading the News

Under normal circumstances, the family meal of the week was dinner at Ellie's. It was open to any and all who wished a seat, always had been. So, when Chuck was asked to come alone, without Sarah or Morgan, he was, naturally, a little suspicious. Even more so when he spotted Alex at the stoop, pondering a knock. "You got summonsed, too, huh?"

She smiled. "With the very foreboding 'come alone' warning from Dad?"

"El. But, yes."

"Did we miss someone's birthday?"

Chuck checked his internal calendar. "Don't think so."

"Some important anniversary?"

Chuck shook his head. "Those events would be public celebrations, filled with whoever wandered by. This is different."

"Bad different?" she asked cautiously.

He could only shrug. "Let's find out."

Mere seconds after he knocked, Casey opened the door, looking relaxed. "Welcome."

Alex entered first, accepting a brief hug from her father. Chuck was met by Casey's outstretched hand. While the Intersect felt it odd, he shook the Marine's hand nonetheless.

As they entered further into Ellie's apartment, they were nearly bowled over with the scents of lunch: freshly grilled mahi, garlicy mashed potatoes, and the sweet citrus vinaigrette over a spring salad.

Ellie was fidgeting with one of the chairs as they made their way toward the table. "We're so glad you could come."

"We certainly made it. And this seems sort of fancy for Sunday lunch…" Chuck chuckled nervously. He felt like he was about to sit down to his last meal before facing a firing squad.

Alex wasn't sure what was up, but there was definitely an unnatural, unwelcome tension in the room that was out of place. She looked hopefully at Chuck, but seeing his concerned expression did little to settle her nerves.

Downy read the anxiety easily, nearly tripping Alex in an attempt to rub against the young woman's shins.

"Cat," Casey chided lightly.

"It's fine, Dad. Really."

Plates were filled in that awkward silence. Had it been a typical dinner, Ellie would've regaled them with some wild hospital tale—in as much as she could without breaking any of the confidentiality rules of course. One amusing story always led to another from someone else in the group. Since Ellie was quiet, so was the table.

Chuck couldn't take it. "So…"

"So," Ellie echoed.

Alex bit her lower lip, her mind racing. Had Casey asked Ellie to marry him finally? Had it gone poorly? Was this some sort of disastrous goodbye?

Casey began to slice into his fish but harrumphed instead, lowering his knife and fork. "So, we have news to share."

Alex held her breath.

"News. News is good, right? Because no news is… No, wait," Chuck said, stopping himself from babbling on.

"Well, it's kind of a mixed bag, I guess," Ellie added, glancing at Casey.

"Mixed bag how?" asked Alex, following Ellie's gaze to her father.

Ellie shrugged a shoulder. "While it might be considered bad, if you look at it a little differently, it could be good."

"What news is it?" Chuck braced for impact. He'd had enough bad news to last a lifetime, after Sarah's disastrous turn with the government's super-computer.

"I've been offered a job," Ellie began slowly. "It's at a leading medical research facility, something that I've been looking for, dreaming of, really, for a long time."

"That's great, sis!" Chuck said immediately.

Alex could tell there was another shoe, however. "But…?"

"But, it's in Chicago," Ellie said softly.

Chuck wasn't sure how to respond to that, particularly when Ellie didn't continue.

Casey finished for her: "And, she's accepted it."

"That's… Sis, that's what you should do. Follow your dream. You always harped on me to do that, that's… that's aces, sis, really, that you can make that dream come true, doesn't matter where it is."

"Congratulations," Alex agreed.

"There is more…" Ellie's smile grew. "John asked me to marry him."

Chuck's eyes grew wide as saucers and Alex drew in a breath of air.

"And she's accepted that, too," Casey said as Ellie presented her left hand with the engagement ring.

In the excited five minutes that followed, with squeals of delight, hugs, kisses and movement, Downy found herself left out. When the humans settled back down to enjoy their meal, they were greeted by the sight of the calico, perched on the table, grazing lazily at Casey's plate.

Stay tuned…