A/N: This chapter is a little shorter than usual but I just had the urge…hope you like…remember, I don't own Chuck…I don't make money doing this…I do this without a Beta…and I'm still having fun for which I owe Jim a huge 'thank you'…I also owe a debt to everyone who reads, alerts, favorites and, most importantly, gives up some of their incredibly valuable time to drop a review…remember, good or bad, your reviews are what keep me scribbling…thanks to all of you! I'll be trying to catch up on answering to reviews just don't hate me if it seems like I'm being lazy...I am, just a little bit, but please don't hate me for it. JT

Sarah Vs. The Strong Swimmer - Chapter 28

Sarah opened her eyes and rolled slowly onto her side. When she didn't find her fiancé stretched out beside her she reached out her hand to touch the empty space next to her, the residual warmth letting her know that Chuck had been gone for at least an hour. Rolling back to her other side, she looked at the alarm clock next to her and was surprised to find that she'd slept in again. The last three weeks had found her sleeping more than she ever had in her life. Her doctor had told her that it was to be expected as the twins began to demand more from her body. Chuck had offered to adjust his training schedule so he'd be with her when she awoke but she'd insisted that he continue his morning runs, telling him that she loved the changes in his body almost as much as she loved the changes in her own.

Struggling to sit up, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and slowly got to her feet, smiling when she heard the front door open and close, letting her know that her shower companion had finished with his morning workout and would soon be naked and wet. Taking her time, she walked towards the bathroom, pausing at the full length mirror. Turning slowly to check herself, she gently used both of her hands to caress her belly and then to cup her breasts that were definitely swelling. Chuck happened to pick that moment to stick his head into the room, offering a throaty growl and a whistle before ducking back out, continuing his trip to the bathroom.

"Like what you see?" Sarah called after her nerd while she continued to rub her breasts.

"You know I do" his voice drifted back to her.

After a couple of minutes, Sarah dropped her hands, turned and resumed her trip to the bathroom, purposely slowing down so she'd be able to walk in after Chuck had slipped out of his sweaty work-out clothes and climbed into the shower. The sound of running water let her know that her plan had worked and she paused in the doorway and watched as Chuck allowed the water to cascade over him before beginning to wash himself. Feeling her heartbeat increase, she admired the way his body moved as he stretched and turned, amazed at the changes in his body that the training had brought about. She remembered the first time she'd seen him and when she compared it to what she was looking at now, she felt an immense sense of pride in the changes that his exercise regime had brought about, proud that he'd stuck to the workouts despite his claims that nerds aren't supposed to have muscles.

Taking a deep breath, she crossed the tiled floor and pulled open the now steamed up shower door, stepping in and taking the wash cloth from Chuck's hand. "Let me wash your back" she said, stepping close and reaching her hands around him.

"Sarah, that's not my back"

"Really? Wow, must be all this steam" Sarah replied. "Should I stop?" she added while her hands slowly drifted down his stomach.

"No, that won't be necessary" Chuck managed to say before Sarah's drifting hands stole his breath away when she started stroking him. "Not necessary at all."

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Chuck wandered into the kitchen with a towel wrapped around his waist, the smell of bacon cooking leading him to expect to find Sarah at the stove. He wasn't expecting to find his sister and Carina in the kitchen as well.

"Looking good, Chuckles" Carina said with a growl before moving just in time to avoid a swipe from the spatula in Sarah's hand, taking refuge behind Chuck's sister.

"Ellie, would you please smack that skank. She's objectifying your brother" Sarah said with a laugh.

"I hate to say it Sarah, because it sounds a little weird, but she's not wrong. Quite a few of the women I work with have noticed as well" the brunette responded, smiling at the frown her news caused.

"What the hell, Ellie?" Sarah asked.

"I can't help it if you're dating a 'hottie', Sarah. I might not like having to hear it but I can't make people I work with not say anything. Even a couple of the men have said as much. One new nurse even asked me for his number after she noticed he wasn't wearing a ring."

"That does it, Chuck. We're getting married next weekend" Sarah announced while handing him a plate full of food.

"We're getting married? Next weekend?" Chuck asked, the surprised look on his face causing the three women to laugh.

"Yes we are" Sarah replied, "Now eat your breakfast and then get to work." Turning back to the stove, Sarah took a quick side step and smacked Carina on the arm. "Stop staring at my fiancé or something might happen to your nose…again. Tell me why you aren't eating breakfast with Morgan" Sarah asked as she offered her oldest friend a plate of food after passing one to Ellie.

"Well, his mom doesn't seem to like me and Casey won't let him sleep over with me so…"

"So get your own place. You already have your own couch" Sarah replied and smiled when she heard Ellie giggle.

"Oh, very funny, Walker. Casey still gives me a ration of shit whenever he gets the chance…'couch-wreckers' my ass. Just wait until Casey finds some troll to date, then I'll get even. I'll dig out some old photos and start calling him 'cuff-boy' whenever he has company" Carina mumbled as she took a seat at the counter and dug into her breakfast.

The four friends ate silently until Carina decided to liven things up.

"So, Walker, how does Chuck like having bigger tits to play with?"

"Carina!" Sarah, Ellie and Chuck yelled at once.

"What? Everyone knows that your boobs are getting…"

"Carina!" everyone yelled again.

"What? I'm just saying."

"Well, don't say anything else or I'm not going to invite you to the wedding" Sarah said with a glare. "And I won't let you be a bridesmaid."

"Sarah, are you being serious about us getting married…next weekend?" Chuck asked after seeing the serious look his fiancé was giving Carina.

"Oh yeah. I'm gonna put a ring on that finger so that everyone knows that you're taken. Have you got a problem with that?" Sarah asked while getting up from her seat and planting herself in Chuck's lap.

"Uh, no…of course not. I'm just wondering if we can pull it together in such a sort time, that's all."

"Listen Chuck, I'm pretty sure that if I ask her really nice, your sister would be happy to help…"

"Oh yeah. Devon and I are off that weekend and I can pull a few sick days between now and then to help get everything together" the elder Bartowski announced with a huge smile.

"…and I know that Carina would love to help with…"

"The bachelorette party? Not a problem. I'll get some strippers and some tequila and…"

"…decorating and arranging for the food and…"

"…a couple of back-up strippers in case the first ones aren't that good and some extra tequila and…"

"Shut up, Carina" Sarah hissed, the glare on her face was far scarier than the one earlier and Carina did as she was told. "There will be no bachelorette party because A., I don't need to see any other man naked when I have my fiancé and B, in case you've forgotten, I'm pregnant, so no tequila!"

"What? The strippers and tequila weren't for you…you're just the excuse for…"

"And what should I tell Morgan?" Sarah asked, interrupting Carina's rambling.

"Uh, well, I'm thinking…nothing?" Carina answered while looking to the two women seated near her. "Just one stripper?" she tried. "fine, no strippers. How about if you let Chuck…OW!" Carina yelled after both Sarah and Ellie smacked her. "Fine" she pouted, "I'll help. Maybe I can get Morgan to…"

"Shut up, Carina" the other three said at once.

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The days leading up to the wedding seemed to fly by for Chuck. He got every morning for his usual workout…and then he would exercise with Casey and Carina. His business was expanding at a frightening rate, thanks to word of mouth and he would often be busy until after sundown. He'd get home and Sarah would have either cooked, often using a new recipe that Ellie had given her or, she would've used her prodigious dialing skills to order take-out. After they'd shared a meal, Sarah would catch him up on the preparations for the weekend and he couldn't help smiling at the fun Sarah seemed to be having with his sister and Carina as the three let their inner 'girls' out.

Sarah had panicked the day after her declaration, asking Chuck several times if he really wanted to get married. The panic grew when she realized that she'd have no one to walk her down the aisle which led to more panic when she realized they didn't have an aisle to walk down. Chuck spent hours with her pulled tight against her chest while he explained that he didn't care where they got married or who was there; as long as she wanted to be his wife, that was all that mattered to him. When Sarah finally smiled, agreeing that he was right, Chuck felt like he might just be the luckiest man in the world.

Chuck was singing to the twins when Sarah suggested that they get married in the courtyard which would also be the perfect place for the reception since the guest list wasn't very big. After finishing his song, Chuck moved back up the bed and pulled his blonde angel into his arms, telling her that it was the perfect idea. Moments later she was on the phone to Ellie whose squeal of approval could be heard across the location for the Bartowski/Walker wedding.

Once the location had been chosen, everything else seemed to fall into place. By a huge stroke of luck, everyone who'd been invited happened to have the weekend off, the weather forecast was calling for clear skies and best of all, Chuck found out that Jeffster were out of town so he wouldn't have to worry about Sarah killing one or both of the idiots if they tried to crash the party.

Sarah solved the one problem that seemed to be bothering her the most when she asked John Casey if he'd mind giving her away. She'd been prepared for some snide comment or joke about her fiancé but was shocked when the NSA agent simply said that he'd 'be honored to do it' but that he wouldn't be getting all 'gussied up' to watch her and the moron get hitched. He offered a terse 'congratulation's before slamming the door in her face. Sarah laughed out loud, realizing that Casey couldn't allow her to witness any 'lady feelings' and the door slam was the perfect counterpoint to his brief moments of weakness.

Morgan and Devon teamed up with a grumbling Casey to take Chuck out for a night on the town but the group was gathered around the courtyard fountain before 10 o'clock, the 'wild' bachelor party finished. Casey grunted goodnight and what may have been a 'thanks' before disappearing into his apartment. Chuck, Morgan and Devon walked through Chuck's front door to find Sarah, Carina and Ellie on the sofa watching some rom/com on the big screen with popcorn and other snacks spread out all around them.

After a quick re-cap of the evening's festivities, Ellie and Devon excused themselves and left, explaining that they both had an early shift the next day. Morgan and Carina were soon cuddled together while Chuck and Sarah both said goodnight and wandered off towards their room.

"Lock up when you guys leave" Chuck called out before closing the bedroom door behind himself. Before either of them had started getting ready for bed, they exchanged glances.

"You better handle it, Chuck" Sarah told him.

"Uh, why can't you?"

"Duh…pregnant woman here" she answered, pulling her t-shirt up and pointing to her belly.

"Is that really your default argument ender now?"

"Oh yeah. It sure is."

"What about after the twins are born? What's going to be the argument ender then?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'll go back to the old argument ender" she replied while she pulled her t-shirt the rest of the way off and then untied the drawstring of her sweatpants.

"Oh, the old 'look, I'm naked…why are we fighting' argument ender?"

"Did it ever not work?"

"No"

"Good, now that we have that straight, go take care of or guests. When you get back here we'll see about getting something else straight" Sarah replied while giving her ever improving imitation of the Bartowski eyebrow dance.

"Yes ma'am" Chuck answered, already out the door and half way to the living room. Once he turned the corner he skidded to a halt, the sight of Morgan and Carina necking only serving to firm his resolve. "Alright guys, if you want to stay and WATCH the movie, fine. However, and I can't stress this enough, if the two of you decide to try and add to your furniture collection with, oh, I don't know…another couch?…I'll be forced to revoke your un-supervised visitation privileges for Casa Bartowski…do I make myself clear?"

Carina smiled when Morgan shook his head. "I'm not sure what you mean" Morgan answered. Before Chuck had the chance to answer, Carina leaned in and whispered into the bearded man's ear. "Oh!…say no more, say no more" Morgan said with a horrible British accent.

"I'm not kidding guys. Behave yourselves or else!" Chuck said before turning and leaving. Once back in the bedroom, he flicked the light switch before starting to get undressed so he could climb into bed.

"Chuck?"

"Yes"

"Tonight was my bachelorette party."

"Ok"

"And since I was behaving myself…"

"Yes?"

"And since I didn't let Carina hire any strippers…"

"Yes?" Chuck asked for a second time, suddenly feeling just a little uneasy.

"I was thinking that maybe you could…" Sarah smiled and reached over to hit the play button on the CD player next to the bed, the sound of Joe Cocker's 'Leave Your Hat On' suddenly spilling from the speakers, "…show me what a really sexy stripper looks like?"

"Sarah, as much as I'd love to, you know I can't dance, let alone dance sexy."

"We'll see…now start taking those clothes off…"

A/N: Chapters for two stories in one day? Yeah, begging for reviews. JT