CHARMING'S AUTHORS NOTE #1: I cannot believe this is the end, but here we are. After two months of nearly constant work, this story is actually finished. The reaction to this story has been very interesting. I got bombarded with comments early, both good and bad, but we've settled into a groove as things have gone on. Many didn't like my decisions, but a good core of you wonderful readers has stuck by me. I hope I don't let you down, with this epilogue, I absolutely adore it. I wrote the final installment of this story only five days ago, while battling COVID-19 of all things. Thankfully I am through the worst of it and will be back to normal before too long. Whatever this new strain of COVID is, it blew through my area like a brush fire. Either way, this last installment of this story was something to keep my busy, and for that I'm rather proud of it.
CHARMING'S AUTHORS NOTE #2: This chapter was inspired by a number of songs. I wrote the first draft of this epilogue to the songs "Meeting Kitty" & "Kitty Comes to Testify" by Ludwig Göransson from the score for the film "Oppenheimer." Revisions to this epilogue were done to the song "Hysteria" by Def Leppard. The song doesn't really have much to do with the story, but the vibe of it was something that really drove my creative juices during revisions and editing. Over the years, I have noticed that my writing is very streaky. I take multiple passes and lots of revisions to nail something, or I nail it in one, magnificent moment. I guess you could call it genuine inspiration. I wrote "Feleena" that way, one pass. All of the emotional beats of this epilogue were captured in the first go, then molded into what you see here. In that regard, this was a mixture of both of my writing processes.
CHARMING'S AUTHORS NOTE #3: No beta readers were harmed in the making of this fanfic. Enjoy!
Numb
A Story by
CharmingCharles2896
Epilogue:
Hysteria
14 Years Later...
Life is filled with challenges, hardships that test a person's willingness to go on. There are times when every person is faced with a challenge that they do not feel they are capable of overcoming. In those moments, a person can either give in and surrender to that challenge, or fight back and overcome it. Chuck Bartowski had fought, and scratched, and clawed his entire life. His mother leaving when he was just a boy had instilled issues with abandonment within him. Chuck's father bolting when Chuck was seventeen had further damaged Chuck's fragile self-image. Stanford had created and then destroyed Chuck, built him up and then tore him down in the blink of an eye. What had become a shining city on the hill, was reduced to the smoldering, bombed out wreckage of a war-torn hellscape.
Chuck was a fighter, not in the physical sense per se, but more in the emotional, metaphysical sense. Over time, Chuck Bartowski finally overcame the challenges that so horribly dogged him his entire childhood. That was a long time ago at this point; a thousand lifetimes ago. As Chuck wiped the engine oil off of his hands, he couldn't help but remember her. She'd been gone a long time, years in fact, but her presence in his heart still remained. Stormy blue eyes, shimmering blonde hair, and a firecracker personality; the perfect recipe for the destruction of his heart. These days he tried not to dwell on her memory, it was still so painful. What that monster did to her haunted him still, so many years later. Seven years was a long time, yet the pain was as present as that first day without her.
What felt like a lifetime had passed since those heady days in Burbank. Back then Chuck had been so filled with optimism, so filled with hope for the future. That was a long time ago, much to Chuck Bartowski's regret. Now, so many years later, Chuck found himself living a good life, not the one he'd envisioned so long ago, but a good life nonetheless. The setting sun cast a warm, summery glow over the vast expanses of forests and hills surrounding Lake Tahoe. Things were peaceful now, in stark contrast to the manic days of Task Force Crossroads and the Intersect.
Chuck had never imagined he'd find so much peace fixing cars, but he did. Today's project was supposed to be a simple oil change, but shimmery flakes in the old oil told Chuck it would not be an easy day after all. After diagnosing the bent pushrod, Chuck had spent the better part of his afternoon disassembling the engine, replacing parts, and then reassembling the old pushrod engine out of Mr. Galvin's rusty pickup. Fixing cars wasn't Chuck Bartowski's main source of income, but it was something he found exceedingly peaceful. The discovery of Chuck's affinity for cars and repairing cars had grown out of a need to cope with the loss of her. Everyone had seen how hard he was taking the loss and John Casey of all people had offered Chuck the answer. An afternoon with Brigadier General John Casey, the two of them repairing Chuck's Ford F-150, had given Chuck a glimpse into a hobby he'd never imagined enjoying as much as he did.
The decision to leave Burbank for the serene vistas of Lake Tahoe predated the last great loss of Chuck's life. He'd felt the need to escape the chaotic, noisy city of Burbank California almost eleven years ago. Chuck's wife had agreed and they'd quickly built a life near Lake Tahoe. Years had passed and many of the people he considered family had come and gone, moved away or started lives of their own. Ellie, Devon, and their three children lived in Chicago, where the Awesome's worked as department heads at a local hospital. Following his retirement as a Brigadier General, John had reconnected with a retired mercenary named Gertrude Verbanski, the two of them living on her ranch near San Antonio, Texas. Morgan had met a wonderful woman named Nora. A former CIA agent in her own right, Nora Grimes nee Rogers had retired from the Agency after a mission gone wrong had seen her imprisoned for two weeks by Fulcrum in the last days of the war against Fulcrum.
Ms. Rogers had been sent to Burbank by Graham's replacement, Constance Brown, following her rescue from Fulcrum. Ms. Rogers was introduced to the former members of Task Force Crossroads in hopes that they could help her with her mental and emotional recovery. Nora had become fast friends with everyone in Chuck's orbit back in those days and had taken a particular liking to Morgan. Fast forward to the present and Nora was expecting her second child with Morgan, while working full time as the manager of a gym in Burbank.
For Chuck Bartowski he was happy for all of them, happy that they'd all found wonderful people to spend their lives with and build happy families together. Closing the hood of Mr. Galvin's truck, Chuck quickly made for the sink in his garage and washed the grime and grease off of his hands. Once his hands were clean, Chuck sent a text to Mr. Galvin that his truck was fixed. Closing his garage, Chuck walked back into his house, into his laundry room. Removing his shoes and dirty clothes, Chuck went to the master bathroom and took a long shower. The shower seemed to revitalize Chuck, giving him renewed energy. Walking down the stairs, Chuck entered his office and booted up his computer. Chuck knew he'd made promises to stop this kind of work, but something within him just wouldn't let him give it up completely.
After signing in to the NSA's system, Chuck opened the latest file sent his way and began reading. The money Chuck made as an analyst for the NSA was more than enough to support his wife and their way of life, so Chuck didn't mind the mundane aspects of it. Wanting the background noise, Chuck turned on the TV in his office and flipped it to the news.
In other news today, President Beckman has announced her intention to attend the state funeral for the recently deceased Tsar Alexei I of Rusovia. It has been just two days since Tsar Alexei I, the longtime monarch of the Kingdom of Rusovia, died of a cerebral hemorrhage in his sleep. It is expected that Crown Prince Yevgeni Volkoff will be coronated Tsar in the coming weeks. Crown Prince Yevgeni is seen as an ally to the west after his kidnapping and near assassination at the hands of Russian terrorist back in 2009. Sources claim that the Crown Prince has designs for reigniting the long-running war with the Russian Federation, a war that has been at a ceasefire for almost ten years. With the Russian Federation at war with Ukraine, western national security experts believe the Crown Prince views this as the ideal opportunity to finally defeat President Putin's Russia once and for all.
Chuck sat back in shock; it had been a very long time since he'd thought about Yevgeni Volkoff. Instantly, recollections of that horrible night filled his head. Much to the disappointment of Chuck, Sarah, and Casey, President Randolph had killed any inquiries into Yevgeni Volkoff's involvement with Fulcrum. Instead, President Randolph had used the entire thing to strengthen relations between the United States and the Kingdom of Rusovia. Then General Beckman and Sarah both had been outraged by that turn of events. Sarah had protested, even going so far as to contact members of the senate intelligence committee. In the end, Yevgeni Volkoff got off scott-free. Sarah was depressed for months after that, feeling like there was no justice left in the world if someone so clearly guilty, was allowed to escape valid investigations due to political convenience.
The sound of the garage opening grabbed Chuck's attention. Rising from his chair, Chuck made his way to the laundry room, ready to greet his wonderful wife. The sound of a car door closing made his heart skip a beat briefly. He knew he should have gone with her today, but it was just too hard to go back to that place. Admittedly, today wasn't the actual day, but it was the first chance his wife had to actually go. He'd hoped to celebrate her birthday, but she'd never made a big deal about it and had brushed that idea aside. The laundry room opened and Chuck's hazel eyes met piercing sapphire orbs. Sarah Bartowski. When Sarah's eyes met Chuck's, the tears appeared in both of their eyes. Sarah walked to her husband and practically leapt into his comforting embrace. Chuck held Sarah close for a long moment, needing the contact in that moment.
"I'm sorry," Chuck said, both of them knowing what he meant.
"She knows, Chuck, she knows why you can't be there," Sarah said soothingly, just as she had every year, this time of year, for the last seven years.
"Is the spot okay? Are they maintaining it?" Chuck asked in a sad voice. Sarah smiled a sad smile at her husband and nodded tearfully.
"Yeah, great view of the lake," Sarah said as she thought back to their daughter, June's burial plot. With the defeat of Fulcrum, Chuck and Sarah began the rest of their lives. After a year together, they tied the knot in a small service for friends and family. With everyone starting to live their lives again, Chuck and Sarah decided they needed a change of pace. Memories of Lake Tahoe wouldn't leave either of them and they'd moved there in February of two-thousand and eleven.
Life was great for Chuck and Sarah. The two of them had nine to five jobs as analysts for the NSA on a remote basis, one that only occasionally required them to travel for special cases. Sarah did more traveling than Chuck, because of her insistence that she stay up to date on her certifications for field work. The two of them had a beautiful house that they had decorated together. Lastly and most importantly, they had a daughter. June Eleanor Bartowski was born on May fourth, two-thousand and thirteen, much to Chuck's nerdy joy. Little June was the light of both of their lives, her dazzling eyes transfixing any person she came in contact with. That day in July of two-thousand and sixteen when she was struck by that drunk driver was the worst day of their lives. Sarah had been out of town, tending to some business back in DC when it had happened. The phone call from Chuck was still the worst moment of her life. Hearing Chuck wail into the phone, telling her between uncontrollable sobs that their little June was gone… it still hurt. Chuck blamed himself, always had, likely always would on some level. He'd been playing with her in their front yard when he looked away for a split second. Chuck's momentary glance away was just in time for that mother fucker, Nicholas Quinn to veer off the road and hit June. Thankfully death was instantaneous, Sarah didn't know if she could have handled her baby girl suffering in some hospital bed before the end finally came.
When she'd gotten home from her trip, Chuck had fallen at her feet and begged her for forgiveness. The sight of her husband so broken was seared into her brain like a brand on her soul. It had taken years of couples therapy before they were able to put their lives back together. The lake helped Chuck; the lake was something beautiful and pure, a grounding presence for him. Sarah knew that Chuck would always blame himself, but she was happy that it no longer dominated his mind like it had for the first year after June's death. Quinn was sent to prison for fifteen years for drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter. Sarah had wanted to break into the prison and kill him, but Casey and Ellie had convinced her that revenge wasn't the way to honor June. Neither Chuck nor Sarah had broached the subject of children again, the thought so horribly painful for the both of them. Sarah left her NSA job not long after June's death, getting a private sector job instead. Sarah needed a job that allowed her to be more available for her husband as he battled depression and suicidal ideation. It was a long road, but the two of them were finally making their way through it.
"Next year I'll go; no matter how hard it is, I have to," Chuck said as he looked away. Chuck hated that he was too much of a fucking coward to face his daughter's grave. Sarah refocused on her husband and pulled him down for a kiss.
When their lips parted, Sarah spoke softly, "I've got news I've been meaning to tell you. I've been trying to find the right moment to tell you for the last two weeks, but it never seemed right." Chuck looked at Sarah confused, unsure if this was good news or bad.
"What is it? You know you can tell me anything," Chuck said with unsure eyes. The small smile on Sarah's face as well as the teary eyes made Chuck's heart race.
"Chuck?" Sarah said softly. Seeing him nod slowly, told her it was time. "I'm pregnant." Chuck paled, his eyes huge as he looked down at her stomach and then slowly back into her eyes.
"But how, I, we…" Chuck false-started several times, trying to make coherent thoughts and failing. Sarah saw the choked off sob from Chuck and tearfully nodded to him.
"Doctor Fisher says it's a miracle at my age, but it's true, Chuck. We're going to have a baby!" Chuck broke and pulled her in for a bone crushing hug. Both of them felt the rush of emotions. June's death had lingered over them like a black cloud for so long. Chuck hadn't trusted himself around children for years, convinced he'd failed June in the 0.001 seconds he would have had to save her.
"Are you sure I'm… I don't know…" Chuck couldn't make words and Sarah knew that what he needed, was the love of his wife. Sarah kissed Chuck, knowing exactly how to slow down his racing thoughts.
"You are worthy of this, you are ready for this, you deserve this, Chuck," Sarah said to her husband, the love showing clearly in her eyes. "We deserve another chance, Chuck, we've been ignoring this for too long." Chuck didn't speak in the face of Sarah's words, he just nodded tearfully. Sarah grabbed Chuck's hand and walked further into their home. Chuck knew where she was leading him, but his head and his heart were at war. The lingering survivor's guilt had lorded over him for years. A part of Chuck had wanted more children, but another part of him, a sinister and evil part of him constantly reminded him that he was the reason June was killed. Years of therapy had gotten him to admit that Quinn was responsible, not Chuck. Still, that lingering doubt and fear had followed him like a whisper in the back of his mind. The ghost of June's memory wouldn't let him believe that he was worthy of another chance at fatherhood.
Leading Chuck upstairs into their bedroom, Sarah pushed Chuck down on their bed and climbed on top of him. It had been a long time since Sarah had to comfort Chuck so overtly and, in this instance, she knew it was time to give Chuck a push. Sarah pulled her shirt over her head to reveal her brand new, lacy, black bra. The look in Sarah's eyes told Chuck exactly what she planned to do. Chuck looked unsure of everything, completely overwhelmed by the news of her pregnancy. Sarah had known he would clam up like this, she'd been thinking about it for two weeks, since she'd missed her period and gone to Doctor Fisher.
"I know that evil voice in your head is telling you that you don't deserve this, Chuck, but I want you to ignore that voice and listen to me, okay?" Chuck just nodded. "You, Chuck Bartowski, were a great father. I know it in my heart, Chuck; you will be a great father once again when this little one is born next February." Sarah's motions against him were distracting him, both from his guilt and her words. Sarah smiled down at Chuck, knowing full well what she was doing to him. She may have been in her forties, but Sarah Walker was still the hottest thing on two feet, at least in her husband's eye.
"Here's what is going to happen next, Chuck," Sarah began as she stood up off of Chuck. He watched Sarah's jeans glide down her long legs until they pooled on the floor. As Sarah stepped out of her jeans, Chuck could only swallow. "You are going to lay there looking all sexy like you do," Sarah said lustily, pulling out all the stops to distract her man. Sarah spoke in a voice she hadn't had to use since she was an agent so many years ago.
"To start us off, you get a choice, Chuck. Heads," Sarah said as she motioned towards her bra. "Or tails?" Sarah said as her thumb crept into the elastic band of her matching, lacy panties.
Chuck took in her exquisite beauty for a moment before swallowing nervously and speaking in a strained voice, "Yes." Sarah just grinned at her husband and got to work. Sarah Bartowski was going to seduce the guilt right out of her husband, even if it took all night.
~X~
Hours later…
Sarah hadn't had to truly seduce a man in a very long time. She'd done sexy things for her husband, but she'd never actually turned it all the way on to get him to do things, or think certain things for her. Tonight, Sarah Bartowski had seduced her husband in an attempt to help him cope with the massive bombshell she knew he wasn't emotionally prepared to handle after all that had happened. Judging from the results of her little seduction, mission well and truly accomplished. Chuck was on his back, under the covers, stark naked, with his equally naked, equally satisfied wife snuggled in tight against him.
The entire idea of post orgasm clarity was absolutely a myth, but in this instance, Chuck had experienced just that. The burst of clarity Chuck had experienced as he uh… anyway, Chuck had come to some realizations. Chuck owed his wife an apology, for so many things. The problem was, how did he even verbalize what he knew was in his heart.
"What are you thinking, Chuck? You haven't said a word in a long time," Sarah said as she traced soft shapes in his chest hair.
"I owe you an apology," Chuck said softly. Sarah's motions stopped as she considered his words.
"For what?"
"For too long I've fixated on things I know aren't true. June's death isn't my fault, it's Quinn's fault. I've said those words a dozen times over the years, but I've never actually let myself believe them," Chuck said softly, looking up at the ceiling.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Sweetie; survivor's guilt is a hell of a thing to beat, especially when the one who passed away was our child."
"Still, you came to me with this amazing news and I just fell apart. You planned this entire seduction just to try to get your basket case of a husband to not freak the hell out and break down again. Excellent plan by the way," Chuck added sotto voce, making Sarah laugh hard against him.
Sarah sat up next to Chuck, holding the sheets over her chest as she spoke. "I know you, Chuck. I've been married to you for long enough that I'm more than aware of how your mind works." Sarah's other hand reached down and caressed Chuck's cheek, scraggly with a hint of five o'clock shadow. "I knew that no matter how long it's been since June died, you'd still fall apart a little bit. I took a vow to be by your side through it all and tonight was just another fulfilment of that vow." Sarah's fingers caressed his jaw, the love in her eyes clear for Chuck to see.
"Everyone needs a little help, Chuck. What happened seven years ago is the worst thing that has ever happened to either of us, but I didn't see it with my own eyes. I was spared the worst of it, because I wasn't there when it counted. I promised myself I'd never make that mistake again, Chuck. This is a fight that you've won and lost a thousand times over, swinging between total numbness and barely scraping by for seven long years." Sarah looked away for a brief moment before continuing. "You've fought this demon for too damn long, Chuck. I miss those incredible days where we were planning our future, where everything was hopeful and full of promise." Sarah's tears fell as she as understood what came next. What she had to say next was something she was dreading, but it had to be said. "This is all to explain why I stopped taking my birth control six months ago and began fertility treatments behind your back."
Sarah couldn't meet Chuck's eye, she knew what she'd done was a bit underhanded and she was ready for whatever reaction he had. Sarah felt Chuck sit up next to her as he spoke.
"You went to all of that trouble? Why didn't you just tell me you wanted more kids?" Chuck asked in shock, suddenly rethinking so many things from the last several months.
"Come on, Chuck," Sarah began, looking at Chuck with exasperation. "I love you, but no matter how badly you've wanted more kids, that part of you that was still afraid, kept stopping you. If I'd asked for more kids, you'd have clammed up and said absolutely not. You'd have gone on and on about how you weren't worthy, how you failed once and couldn't bear to fail again." Sarah's words were blunt and stung, but she was totally right.
"I needed a push, but was too damn scared to say it," Chuck admitted softly, getting a nod from Sarah.
"I knew you did, Chuck. After talking with Nora and Ellie at Ellie's Christmas party, they both told me to take matters into my own hands. Ellie said it best when she told me that sometimes, the ones we love need to be saved from themselves." Chuck looked away, nodding in agreement. Even after living apart for so long, Ellie still knew him better than he knew himself.
"Thank you, Sarah, I'm truly ecstatic about the baby. Much like after Stanford, my mind has a tendency to run from the perceived source of my pain. I shut it all out, turn everything off and numb myself until it all just becomes the norm. Both times I spent years avoiding the truth. Thankfully I've had you by my side when it counted both times to help me get back on the right path." Chuck's small, loving smile warmed her tremendously. Sarah leaned in and kissed the man she loved. Sarah needed the kiss; she needed the life-giving love that he provided when she was around him. When their lips parted, Chuck huffed a laugh, shaking his head.
"What?" Sarah asked, slightly confused.
"I'm just reminded of the last time you gave me a push like this; fourteen years ago, in a cabin a few miles from here." Sarah smiled a teary smile and nodded, remembering that tough moment in their lives. Since they'd known each other, they'd been helping the other recover from moments of incredible strife. Chuck had helped her in his own way in the wake of Budapest, though he hadn't known it at the time. After that, she'd helped Chuck move on from Stanford, giving him the self-confidence that he needed to be all he could be. Chuck had then helped her reconcile her troubled past with her hopeful present when he'd helped her through the Heather Chandler saga. After that she'd rescued him from the heartbreak that she'd caused him when she'd followed orders and seduced two men for the greater good. Her indulging in a Chuck-fueled sexual fantasy while in bed with another man had broken Chuck. Thankfully she'd been there to pick him up and put him back together just in time for him to do the same for her in the wake of the Volkoff incident. In the years that had followed, they'd both been there for the other when each of them was at their lowest. Sarah had picked Chuck up off the mat seven years ago and together they'd both moved past the initial tragedy. The thing was, Sarah had known it then as she did now, that there was still a part of Chuck that needed to be healed and put back together for the two of them to be truly happy. Hopefully this baby that Sarah was growing inside of her, their baby, would help Chuck's shattered heart finally heal as hers had over the years.
Thinking of what Chuck said, Sarah knew exactly what to say, "No matter how broken your heart becomes, I will always be there to put you back together, one day at a time if that is what it takes." Chuck smiled at her and pulled her in for a hug. Chuck knew that the baby he'd inadvertently helped create wouldn't solve all of their problems, or all of his problems to be more specific. The thing was, Chuck understood that this was a start, a chance for Chuck to reclaim something stolen from him by Nicholas Quinn in a horrible tragedy. This baby wouldn't replace June, Chuck would continue to love and miss June every day. Maybe, just maybe if Chuck loved this little one hard enough, he could find it in himself to let go of all the horrible times and simply cherish the good times he'd shared with little June Bartowski.
"I finally understand, June; you're up in heaven, watching over us. Your mother and I will be fine. We'll all be together again one day, just hold down the fort until it's time," Chuck mused to himself as he finally let go of June. She was out there, among the infinite spiritual cosmos, living and loving with all of the others whose time had come. Someday they would see each other again, but Chuck knew it wasn't yet his time.
"Goodbye, June," Chuck said barely above a breath. Sarah heard it and it both broke her heart and warmed it all at once. June Bartowski was gone and she'd taken a piece of both of them with her, but that was life. Sarah knew that they would be okay, life hadn't beaten them yet and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that it never would… their love was invincible.
Down stairs in Chuck's office, the little television that Chuck had left on continued to display the news. On screen, a brunette woman cut into the normal late-night broadcast with a breaking news alert…
This just in, we are getting reports that an anonymous government whistleblower has revealed a treasure trove of top-secret documents implicating Rusovian Crown Prince Yevgeni Volkoff in an elaborate plot to smuggle Rusovian chemical and nuclear weapons onto American soil for a terrorist organization called Fulcrum. This terror organization, codenamed Fulcrum, was a group of rogue American spies, trying to subvert the government from within. According to the leak, Fulcrum was defeated many years ago and the culpability of Crown Prince Yevgeni in the plot was intentionally suppressed by President Hershel T. Randolph's administration in an effort to garner favor with Rusovia. Early reports are that Rusovia's BBVR has arrested the Crown Prince for weapons trafficking and theft of Rusovian military property. It is speculated that Princess Vivian Volkoff will be coronated Tsarina instead of her now disgraced brother. Princess Vivian is somewhat of a mystery to western analysts. For the longest time, it was believed that Tsar Alexei I only had male heirs, but the sudden sighting of the stunning Princess Vivian ten years ago made waves among the International community. Princess Vivian's views on the west remain unknown, but rumors among ultra nationalist groups within Rusovia claim she is dovish and focused on moving Rusovia away from absolute monarchy. A statement from the Beckman administration read "We are deeply troubled by these revelations and look forward to further revelations in the coming days as U.S. Intelligence looks into these claims."
Elsewhere in the house, tucked inside Sarah's purse, her phone received a text message…
Happy birthday, Sarah, hope you enjoy your present… Beckman
The End
CHARMING'S AUTHORS NOTE #4: When the idea for an epilogue set in modern times came to me back on the 4th of July, I just knew it had to be on Sarah's birthday. When that came to me, I decided to schedule all future updates to end today, July 30th, 2023. I hope I don't have to explain what that date means, but to those that don't know, that's Yvonne Strahovski's birthday, she's forty-one years old today.
CHARMING'S AUTHORS NOTE #5: I know I was kind of down on this story a few weeks ago, but this epilogue has tied this all together in such a way, that I am actually rather proud of how this entire thing turned out. I needed to prove to myself that I can write darker, more serious, more adult fiction in the M category, without the crutch of smut. To me, this story accomplished that in a big way and I am so proud of that. Every journey of creativity teaches me something and this was no different. I learned a valuable lesson in just writing a first draft, even if it is missing scenes and connective tissue. Just getting an entire story on the page was so important to finishing this thing. As Neil Gaiman once said, the first draft is where you get it all down on paper, the second draft is where you make it look like you knew what the fuck you were doing in the first draft. Another difference for this story was that I wrote the whole thing as one word document and just split them off into chapters to post here. That allowed me to follow the flow of this as it developed, though it made my laptop toasty! This thing was 80 pages long in Microsoft Word, which blows my mind.
CHARMING'S AUTHORS NOTE #6: My plans going forward are kind of very, a grey area if you will. How grey you ask? Charcoal? If you know that reference then you're awesome. Anyway, the next thing on my to do list is chapter 25 of Desire. That is happening, I promise, it's the next thing coming out, I just don't know when that will be. After that, i've got a dozen different stories I could tackle next. I've got a sequel to "The Inferno" that i've written about half of. Other than that, one of the other big contenders for my next story is "Sarah Versus the Broken Memories," which is about Quinn and all of that, of course. I've also got a multi-chapter story in the works for Christmas of this year that i'd like to get finished before things kick off, so maybe that will be the next one I work on. I haven't made that choice yet, so we'll see.
CHARMING'S AUTHORS NOTE #7: I hope all of you enjoyed reading this story as much as I loved writing it. I love this show and this community. All of you have made my enjoyment of these characters so much greater than it was when I was just a boy in high school who thought Sarah was hot. Nowadays i'm a grown man, who writes stories about how hot Sarah is XD. I joke, but my journey from simply enjoying this show, to making it a key part of my creative identity, could not have happened without all of you. Your reviews, messages, and interactions make this the fun, rewarding hobby that it is for me. Thank you all for coming along with me on this journey.
Until Next Time :D