A/N: This is a short chapter and it seemed to take forever…I don't know why but it just didn't seem to drop like most …not sure how it turned out…hopefully the next chapter, of whatever I tackle next, will be easier…not exactly blocked just slowed way down…thanks for all of you who have taken the time to alert, favorite and review…it really is appreciated. In case you've forgotten, I don't own Chuck or anything in the 'Chuckverse'…I don't make any money with my scribbles…I'm still having fun so I still owe my thanks to Jim. JT
Sarah Vs. The Strong Swimmer - Chapter 29
Sarah awoke to the now familiar sound of her soon to be husband singing to the twins, his warm breath and the vibrations from his voice sending a thrill through her. Listening closely, she recognized the melody but, like every morning, the words were new. Paying attention, she couldn't help smiling as Chuck improvised, listing reasons why he was so happy that he'd be marrying her before the day ended.
"Chuck!" she blurted out, struggling to sit up as the realization that their wedding was less than nine hours away. "How could you let me sleep in?" she asked, after glancing at the bedside clock and finding it was almost eight o'clock.
"Sarah, calm down. Everything is already taken care of. Ellie has been up since five, making sure that everyone is taking care of their assignments."
"But, what about…"
"Sarah, calm down. I checked in with your maid of honor after my run and everything is going according to plan. Carina says that Morgan was up half the night, memorizing his lines and Casey said he polished his shotgun and…"
"Why would Casey be polishing his shotgun? Did the bosses call with a mission? I thought we had the weekend off. Maybe I should call Graham and find out what's going on" Sarah said while reaching for her phone, the smile on her face suddenly replaced with a look of concern.
"Sarah, calm down. It's just a joke…you're pregnant…we're getting married…shotgun wedding?" Chuck responded while moving closer to her and gently taking the phone from her hand. "Breath, Sarah. Everything's ok" he said, pulling her into a hug and kissing her forehead.
"Chuck? We're hungry" Sarah said after returning her fiancé's hug. "What's for breakfast?"
"Well, after I take my shower…"
"After we take our shower" Sarah corrected him with a smile.
"Yes dear, after we take our shower, my sister expects us to join her and Devon for a wedding day brunch" Chuck replied, getting to his feet and offering Sarah his hand.
"Dear?" Sarah asked while sliding from the bed, tightening her grip on Chuck's hand while raising an eyebrow.
"Honey? Sweetheart? Ow!"
"I love you, Chuck Bartowski, but…"
"Ok, pet names out for now, got it" Chuck said with a smirk. "Come along, future Mrs. Bartowski" he added, pulling gently on the hand that still gripped his, "Ellie is expecting us and I know how you like your morning shower time…"
"So do you, future Mr. Walker, so do you" Sarah answered with a smile as she slid off the bed and followed Chuck towards the bathroom.
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Chuck had his hand raised to knock at his sister's door when a voice called out an order to 'just come on in, guys, the door's unlocked'. After opening the door, he stepped aside to allow Sarah to enter first, Just as he was about to follow her in, Carina swept past him while smacking him on the ass.
"Tag, you're it, Chuckles" his partner said over her shoulder, giving him a wink. "You weren't paying attention, were you?" she added, disappearing into the apartment.
"Make way for a real spy" Casey's voice announced as he walked past him, his hands filled with a steaming casserole dish.
"Anyone else?" Chuck asked as he turned to check the courtyard for any other guests, not surprised to find Morgan making his way towards him, his hands filled with a large, covered pan. "Morning buddy, what you got there?"
"Eggs Benedict, turkey bacon and French toast" the bearded man replied as he walked past Chuck. "Morning, future Mr. Walker" he added as he headed towards the kitchen, the comment getting a round of laughter from inside the apartment.
"Hey!" Chuck called, trying to sound wounded. After checking the courtyard for any other stragglers and, finding no other guests, stepped into the apartment and closed the front door behind him. Deciding to avoid the crush of people in the kitchen, he was about to sit down and turn the TV on when his sister's voice called out, warning him not to sit down unless he'd already set the table. "Yes ma'am" he'd answered and set about making sure there were enough place settings for everyone around the table that didn't look large enough for seven people, six of whom were currently crammed into the kitchen.
Just as he finished placing the last setting, Chuck felt two hands grab his butt and he spoke without looking, warning Carina that twice in one day was really pushing it.
"Carina grabbed your ass, Chuck?" Sarah hissed.
"I wouldn't say grabbed so much as slapped…uh" Chuck replied after turning to find his fiance standing close, the hands that had just been groping him now balled into fists. "Sarah, no nose breaking this close to our wedding…please" he said softly while moving to wrap his arms around a simmering Sarah Walker. "Please? Remember we need Morgan and if he has to go to the hospital with Carina we can't get married."
"Hey guys, what's up?" Carina asked, choosing a really bad time to make her entrance.
"You're lucky we need Morgan today, otherwise I might have to take offense to you touching my husband's…"
"Future husband" Carina responded and then took a quick step backwards as Sarah stepped towards her, dragging Chuck with her.
"…my man's ass" Sarah hissed and then realized that the rest of the kitchen's occupants were now standing behind Carina, all of them smiling.
"Let's all take a seat" Ellie Bartowski said in a voice that left no doubt that her idea was the one that everyone should be moving to carry out. "Carina, I think you should sit on that side of the table while Sarah will be sitting with me on this side of the table" the older brunette declared as she stepped in between the two old friends, her presence managing to diffuse the situation. Taking her future sister-in-law's hand, she led her around the table to a seat and then laughed out loud when the two spies stuck their tongues out at each other before they both joined in the laughter.
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The brunch had been a group of good friends enjoying lots of good food and before anyone realized it, two hours had slipped by. When Ellie finally happened to notice the time, she was immediately on her feet, ordering the men at the table to get everything cleared off and cleaned up while she grabbed both Sarah and Carina and pulled them behind her as she headed towards her bedroom.
Stopping at her door, Ellie turned and issued more orders, reminding Morgan that he and Casey better be cooking and Devon and Chuck better have the courtyard decorated when the three women returned from their spa appointments later that afternoon, waiting long enough to get three 'yes ma'ams' and one grunt before disappearing in to her bedroom.
Five minutes later, Ellie paused at the front door to repeat her orders and wait for the same responses before leading her two charges out of the apartment and towards the limo that was waiting to whisk the bride-to-be and her court away to their date with Chas and the rest of the eunuchs who staffed one of Burbank's most exclusive spas, ready to be pampered before the afternoon's festivities.
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Sarah couldn't help the smile that she felt growing as she walked towards the small group of friends that stood near the courtyard's fountain. Looking to her side, she was surprised to find a small smile on John Casey's face as he guided her towards her fiance who stood with Devon, Ellie, Carina and Morgan, all of them returning her smile as she closed the distance between them.
The afternoon sun cast delicate shadows over parts of the courtyard but the fountain and her friends gathered there were bathed in it's golden glow and Sarah Walker felt her heart rate jump when her eyes locked onto Chuck's. Taking a final step, she felt John Casey step to the side when her nerd stepped forward and took her hand in his and gently turned so they were both facing the man who would be officiating over their union. She still couldn't believe that she'd been talked into letting Morgan serve as the minister but when Ellie had said it made strange sense, she'd smiled and said yes.
She remembered the smirk on Carina's face when Morgan had announced that he was ordained by the Federation of Planets and then the laughter when Casey had pointed out that the ministry's headquarters were in El Segundo and not in outer space. Soon everyone had been laughing as Morgan explained that every ministry had to start some where and added that he was also a notary which would make any wedding he conducted legal and binding.
Looking around, Sarah realized that the small group of people were all she needed to witness the first steps of her new life. Raising her eyes back up, she looked into the deep brown eyes of the man she loved and wondered what had happened to the cold, calculating spy she'd been less than a year ago. She didn't miss that woman, she was just amazed that she'd changed as much as she had. Without conscious thought, her free hand drifted to her belly and wasn't surprised when Chuck's free hand found hers, coming to rest atop her rounded belly.
"Dear friends…" Morgan began.
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The ceremony had been relatively short and there hadn't been a dry eye, although John Casey would deny any 'lady feelings', claiming that his eyes were watering because of sunlight glinting off some surface no one else could see. After Morgan had announced them man and wife, she lost herself in their first kiss until Carina had cleared her throat and suggested that they get a room which got a laugh from the people standing around them.
"Ok" Sarah responded after breaking the kiss, taking her husband's hand and started to pull him towards their apartment.
"Oh no you don't, Sarah Bartowski" Ellie said with a laugh. "There are a bunch of people who want to offer their congratulations…and remember all of the food that's waiting."
"Well, I guess we can wait a few minutes" Sarah answered, grabbing Chuck's arm and wrapping it around her waist before leading him towards the tables that had been set up in the far corner of the courtyard. Time to feed us, husband of mine" she added while letting her hand drop a little and grabbing Chuck's ass.
"Hey, I'm not a piece of meat" Chuck yelped.
"Yes you are, Chuck Bartowski…you're my piece of meat" she answered and then pulled him down to her for another kiss. "And I have the papers to prove it" she added with a laugh after releasing his lips and resuming their journey towards the table. "Now, feed us!"
"Yes ma'am" Chuck answered with a smile.
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The rest of the evening seemed to fly by with everyone taking the time to offer their best wishes while enjoying all of the delicious food that seemed to keep appearing. About an hour after the sun had set, Casey had appeared at Chuck and Sarah's side, whispering that they had a video call that they needed to take at his apartment. Getting to their feet, they followed the big man after promising Ellie that they'd be right back.
Following the big man into the apartment, the couple were surprised to find General Diane Beckman and Director Langstom Graham looking at them thanks to a split screen video feed.
"Mr. and Mrs. Bartowski, congratulations" Director Graham spoke first.
"It seemed like a nice little ceremony" General Diane Beckman added while pointed towards the lower half of her feed that now displayed a birds-eye view of the courtyard in what seemed to be real time.
"You were watching?" Chuck asked, finding it hard to believe that the powers that be had been using a satellite to 'watch' their wedding.
"I must admit that your 'minister' wasn't what I'd been expecting" General Beckman said, using her fingers to add the quotation marks around Morgan's title. "Perhaps we should have Agent Miller report for an updated psych evaluation if she continues to spend so much time with Mr. Grimes."
"I don't think that is necessary" Chuck replied, ignoring the snort from Casey.
"Fine. For now. The team has the next two weeks off…unless something urgent happens. Enjoy your honeymoon" the Director said and before Chuck or Sarah could say a word, both of the video feeds disconnected leaving Chuck and Sarah staring at a blank screen.
"Well, that was …uh, nice?" Chuck asked, turning to look at his wife.
"Let's go, Chuck" Sarah answered, grabbing her husband's hand and dragging him towards Casey's front door. "I think it's time for my first dance with my sexy husband…and then we'll have to cut the cake."
"Yes ma'am" Chuck answered with a smile.
A/N: Hope it wasn't to sluggish. JT