A/N 1: We've made it to the last chapter of Thanksgiving. They always seem to go on and on.
Just one more thing Chuck needs to do, before we close out the Holiday. Hmmm. I wonder what that could be?
A/N 2: Don't own any of this. Just making crap up as I go along.
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Ellie and Emma take the toddlers back to Ellie's old bedroom, which Emma will be using during her stay, to put them to bed. Everyone else helps with the meal cleanup.
Once everything is cleaned up, everyone retires to the living room. Ellie, Devon and Emma sit on the couch. Mary sits in one of the armed chairs and Stephen posts up behind her, fidgeting like he does. Chuck and Sarah serve wine to everyone, then Chuck guides her to the open armchair.
Chuck moves to address the group. "I would like to propose a toast." Everyone holds up their glasses. "To Family, both blood and chosen."
"To Family," the group repeats in unison.
"I want to send best wishes for my chosen brother, Morgan. His girlfriend's father, " Chuck tilts his head in thought, "or maybe step-father, anyway, the father passed from cancer. His girlfriend and her mother are having a rough time, so Morgan is with them for the holiday."
Everyone tips their glass and extends best wishes for Morgan and his new family.
Chuck looks around the room, a smile growing on his face. He extends his glass towards the gathering, and with an emotion filled voice, he shares, "I can't express how overjoyed I am that we are all together. Emma I am so happy that you could be here today. You may not know, but our family had some difficulties, and this is the first time we have been together in a decade."
Emma raises her glass and beams at him. "Thank you for inviting me, and being such a wonderful host. Thanks to all of you."
"Hear, Hear" and "Of course" ring out around the room.
"I feel so lucky that all of you are here to share this moment with me. It's possibly the most important moment of my life." He looks around the room, as he makes his announcement.
Sarah's eyes go wide. Oh my God! Oh my God! This is it! He's going to do it. Right here. Right now. Come on Sarah, hold yourself together.
Stephen and Mary nod their heads, knowing what is coming up, since Chuck had discussed it with them the night before. Ellie, Devon and Emma, nod and smile, unaware of what is unfolding before them.
Chuck steps to Sarah and holds out his hand. She takes it with her own trembling hand, and rises to her feet.
"Sarah, you captured my heart, from the moment I first looked into your eyes. I saw something that I connected with, a strong soul who had been through some bad times. I just wanted to know you, understand you, and explore this intense connection that I was feeling." Chuck takes her other hand in his free hand then joins their hands together between them.
Oh Chuck, I felt the same way. Hold it together Sarah, you can't start bawling. Yet.
"In the past, we had our downs, but lately it has been all ups, and through all the ups and downs my love for you has held steady." he declares with a smile, his eyes glistening.
Sarah whispers, "Mine too."
"I want to be with you for all of the ups and downs that the future will bring." He raises their hands to his lips and kisses her knuckles. Then, he frees one of his hands to retrieve a little box from his pocket.
Emma gasps, with the sudden recognition of what is happening. Ellie covers her open mouth, as tears start dripping from her eyes, while Deven holds her close.
He holds up an engagement ring. It is a wide platinum band, with an Emerald cut Diamond. There is a smaller Amber stone on one side, and a matching Sapphire on the other. "This is my one ring. This ring represents my new quest, my new mission. I will care for you, support you, and love you, above all others, for now and forever."
Sarah is shaking now, tears freely falling, overwhelmed by her emotions.
Chuck slips the ring on her finger, and holds it for her to see. "The platinum band signifies the strength of our love. The sapphire represents you, the amber represents me, and the diamond in the center is the beauty that our love will create in the world."
Looking Sarah directly in the eyes, Chuck asks the big question. "Sarah Samira Lisa Walker, et. al." Chuck says with a grin and a sparkle in his eyes.
Sarah can't help but giggle at the remark.
He continues, "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife and sharing my life?"
Sarah falls into his arms and embraces him tightly. She clears her throat and answers, "Always and forever."
Ellie can't restrain herself, so squealing, she jumps to her feet and moves to embrace them both. Devon follows her, and proclaims the moment is "Awesome."
The parents join in the congratulations, with Emma making sure that she hugs Mary and Stephen, in turn.
What a day this is turning out to be. First I get my daughter back in my life, and now it looks like a whole family comes with the deal. Emma wipes her tears and makes sure she has a big smile on her face as she takes her turn to embrace her daughter and the man who holds Sam's heart.
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After the congratulations have died down, Mary clears her throat to speak, and turns to Sarah, with a broad smile on her face. "Sarah I want to welcome you to the family, with open arms and without reservation. There were times, at first, when I was suspicious of you. I should say we were suspicious of you." She poked Stephens arm, teasingly as she made the comment. "But then I realized, who the hell was I to judge or second guess anyone." She raised her glass, to toast Sarah. "I believe you love my son, and I trust you to protect his heart. I wish you all the happiness in the world."
"Cheers" rang out from everyone in the room. Emma's tears match Sarah's, as they were both overwhelmed by the love offered by the Bartowski family.
Emma gazes around the room. I am so happy that Sarah has found such loving people. Oh, what I would have given, to have people like these, in my life. Well, I am here now. I might as well enjoy it, too.
Mary reached out for Sarah, who rose to take her hand. "I have a gift for you." Mary softly states, taking a small bag from Stephen. She holds out her arm, displaying a bracelet.
Sarah's breath catches. It's "The Bracelet". The one that Chuck gave her that Christmas, and she returned when he started seeing Hannah. Mary is wearing it now. Sarah feels a bit stunned, not sure where this conversation is going, and is not sure that it is going to be good.
"I understand that Chuck gave this to you, at one time, but I hope you won't mind if I don't return it." Sarah would have been worried at the words, if Mary's tone wasn't so loving. "It is something that helps me remember being a mother to two wonderful children." Mary looks over to Chuck and Ellie, her face aglow with her rekindled love for her children. Chuck and Ellie smile back, soaking in a feeling that they had been deprived of for too long.
Returning her gaze to Sarah, she reaches out for her arm, which Sarah willingly yields, still confused about the situation, but trusting in Mary's intentions.
Mary releases Sarah's extended arm, so she can extract from the small bag a similar charm bracelet. "So, I got you one of your own." She clasped it around Sarah's wrist, then held her hand under it, to highlight the lone charm on it. "I added your first charm, a heart, which symbolizes your love for each other. You can add the rest, as your life unfolds before you."
Mary pulls Sarah into her arms. "Welcome to the Family, Sarah." Sarah's waterworks continue. I haven't cried this many happy tears in my whole life. What are they doing to me?
When Mary releases Sarah from the hug, she turns and points to Ellie, who is raptly watching the family event unfold. "I bought her one, too."
Ellie, hearing that, jumps up and joins the two women, proudly showing off her own Charm Bracelet, which has a heart, a palm tree, and a little girl on it. "We're sisters now! This is going to be so much fun!", she squeals, hitting notes that only Ellie can hit, and that only dogs can hear.
Sarah's head is spinning from all of these surprises. Is this our new normal? I hope I can survive it. She looks around the room and spots Chuck, who is watching her with a huge smile on his face, and that look, in his soft amber eyes, that she knows is only for her. She smiles back at him. Yeah I think I can survive this.
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Sarah pulls on one of Chuck's t-shirts, which are her favorite sleeping apparel, and then sits on the end of the bed, pulling one leg under her, while the other dangles off the bed. She pays no mind to her legs as her eyes are completely focused on her hands. On her left hand and right wrist to be precise.
This is real. All of this is real. I now have real, tangible proof that I am loved by a family, and that I am loved by an incredible man. I never cared that much about jewelry. They were just baubles that were useful for an evening. But these, these two things, mean something. These are my treasures. I am never giving them up. She frowns, suddenly chilled by a bad memory. Not like I gave up Mary's bracelet. I was so mad and so hurt to see him with Hannah. To watch what I was trying to tell myself I didn't want. So, I was a bit of a coward, sneaking in his room when he wasn't there, and leaving it on his bed with that snarky note about it obviously belonging to someone else. It wasn't my finest hour, but damn it, I wanted to lash out somehow.
Sarah runs her hands through her hair, unconsciously trying to soothe herself, as she is lost in her distressing memories. Damn Brunettes. Damn C.I.A They were the ones screwing up our lives. I am so glad I am done with them. No more driving me crazy. No more making me push him away, for the "Greater Fucking Good". She snorts a harsh laugh at the thought.
She stands and starts pacing. Pushing him towards Lou, then Jill, then Hannah. All the time, my heart was screaming out for , I turned to Daniel trying for a little something of my own. For Chuck it was the final nail, seeing me with Daniel while thinking he had lost me for good, to a perfect, C.I. -agent. Fucking C.I.A. keeping him away from me.
Chuck steps into the bedroom, dressed in his sleeping pants and a t-shirt, smacking his lips after brushing his teeth, then stops in his tracks, so quickly it's surprising his feet didn't screech on the carpet.
Sarah had stopped her pacing to stare at him with a look that was some combination of angry, frustrated and aroused. She reaches out and roughly pulls him over to the bed, then shoves him down on it. As Sarah falls upon him, she forcefully exclaims, "Damn it Chuck. I love you. You are mine."
I have no idea what is going on, but what a way to go. These are Chuck's last thoughts before he loses himself in the torrent of kisses that Sarah is smothering him with.
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Carina pulls her shawl more tightly around herself, as she steps out on the porch. Casey is leaning against the railing, coffee and cigar in hand, as he watches the dawn break over Chesapeake Bay. Carina slightly shakes her head, as she squints her eyes at the morning's light. Waking to a rising sun, instead of going to bed now, is definitely a change of pace for me.
She steps close to Casey's side, her cotton nightgown and shawl insufficient to keep her warm in the morning's chill. Casey is her own personal stove. He sits his coffee down, so he can pull her close to his side, into his circle of warmth. But, I think I could get used to this.
Once she is safely tucked under his wing, Casey leans down and kisses the top of her head. "Morning, Babe."
"Morning, Johnny.", Carina replies, her voice first of morning raspy, as she leans in to kiss the side of his chest.
"This is nice." John comments, as he looks out over the Bay, as it slowly comes to life, their one-room rental cottage, semi-isolated and surrounded by nature, not concrete. "To be honest, I was figuring you would have a room at the W, and be partying in the bar, when I got here." he lightly teases her.
Carina snorts, "I hope you aren't too disappointed. Should I have brought a mirrored Disco ball?", she asks, poking him in the side.
Casey grunts out a laugh. "Please, no Disco balls. And I said it was nice." he adds, defensively.
"Ok, but don't think you have totally domesticated me, John Casey. There are still quite a few nights out dancing in my future." she replies defiantly, but with a grin on her lips and a sparkle in her eyes. She pecks him on the lips, before continuing. "But, you know I'm going to be with Sarah. All you and Chuckles have to do is semi-sway in place, while we dance around you."
"Semi-Sway in place?" Casey questions, with a grunt, an arched eyebrow, and a smirk of his own. "Damn, woman. The things you have me doing. It's downright embarrassing."
Carina grabs his mug of coffee, off of the railing, and takes a big swig, which elicits a full body shiver. Grabbing his hand, she heads back into the cottage. "I think we need to more completely explore these things I have you doing."
I love my life. Casey grins and shakes his head, as he is willingly dragged to his fate.
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The remnants of the small Thanksgiving meal, which Carina had purchased the day before, were being ignored for the moment, while they relaxed on the couch, watching the football game. Casey really didn't care much about the teams. He somewhat followed Notre Dame. Carina was willing to watch because the guys wore really tight pants. But it was something mindless for them to veg out with, drinking their beers, letting their food settle.
Carina finally broke the silence. "I am getting a housing allowance, on top of my salary increase, so I will just be able to afford to live in the center of D.C. Chuck gave me the name of the building where his mother rents her apartment. They only have a two bedroom, but I think I'll be able to get it. I know it's a chunk of money but I'll figure something out."
Casey snorted, but not too loudly, "Well, I will go with your track record of figuring something out. It usually works." He couldn't resist lightly teasing her, emphasizing 'usually'.
Carina grabbed a throw pillow and smacked him with it. "Hey!" She leaned back against the couch, arms folded. She volleyed back, "So where are you staying? Maybe you should move in."
Casey guffaws. "Now who is trying to domesticate who?" he asks, tossing the pillow back at her. "Besides, you know that my primary assignment is the personal protection of the Intersect. So, I am stuck by Bartowski's side, wherever he and Walker end up living. And, you know she doesn't want to live in the middle of everything. So, I am sure me and the kid will be commuting into the city, and I will also need to come into the city.. Since I'm getting my 1st Star, I'm also getting my own office in the Pentagon, assigned to the Commandant of the Marine Corp. So I will regularly be around," he says with a wink.
"Well there you go. Chuck will need someplace to stay when he is busy in town. He can rent out the second bedroom." She smirked at him with a raised eyebrow. "There you go. I told you I would figure something out."
Casey reaches over to her and takes her now extended hand, using it to pull her back into his embrace. "How could I have ever doubted you?"
Carina drapes her body over his and lays a light kiss on his lips. "How indeed?" She wiggles her eyebrows, before smothering his face with hers.
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Saturday morning comes and it is time for Emma to head home. Sarah joins her for the drive to San Diego, and spends the afternoon at Emma's house. Chuck drives down, for the evening, and takes them all out to dinner in La Jolla. Heartfelt goodbyes are shared, then Chuck and Sarah drive back to L.A..
Sunday Chuck and Sarah say farewell to his, now their, family and fly back to D.C. Monday is going to be busy with Sarah beginning her separation from the CIA, and Chuck getting updates.
Tuesday, General Beckman calls them into a meeting and explains that the NSA would prefer to acquire some land and build a secure site from the ground up. Sarah will be in charge of designing the buildings and the physical security of the estate. A site was found east of the Anacostia River, in a neighborhood called Hillcrest.
Wednesday finds them and Casey, returning to Rome, to close out their old life, while a new life is being created for them near Washington D.C.
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A/N 3: I am running out of steam on this story. The last section was just narrative, because I just didn't have it in me to come up with extensive conversations. Just a few more chapters left I guess. Thanks to those who have taken the time to read and review. It does keep me going.