Chuck VS The Unknown

Part 20 – The End

Notes: This is the end of this story, but not the end of the universe. See the end notes ;)

***555***

Two years almost to the day that Sarah left Chuck on the beach to recover her memories, the Bartowski family moved in to their new house. It was more of the Toes. In. The. Sand. style than the white house with the red door that Sarah had wanted as a child. That house was ruined by Nicholas Quinn, but also, Sarah was no longer that lost lonely child looking for the perfect family in a coat of red paint.

Grace was almost a year and half old in the blink of an eye, she was walking and talking and looked so much like her mother that Chuck had to remember to breathe sometimes it was so shocking. All the recessive traits people swore would darken, her hair and her eyes, stayed as did the tiny little nose that he would smoosh with his finger to make her laugh.

Genetics were funny though because sometimes Grace would look at him and she looked just like him, the same set of her lips, and shape around those blue eyes.

"She's amazing," Sarah said as they watched her sleep in her new room, a million boxes piled all around the crib.

The house was perfect, smaller than most of the sprawling estates on this stretch of beach but with the same amount of land so it felt a little secluded. It had a beautiful pool that Sarah and Grace both approved of and old landscaping that rambled down to the seagrass with eventually the ocean beyond. It was big enough for guests and family meals and barbecues and small enough to yell to whoever you needed to bring you a snack.

"Can we call it a night?" Chuck asked as they snuck out of Grace's room.

The child's schedule was totally off kilter with the move and she was just going down, after a bit of a battle, at nearly midnight.

"I think we've done enough for one day," Sarah agreed.

The rooms were made up with the minimum for good sleeping and the kitchen was unpacked & stocked enough for breakfast. The coffee maker was set up and that was to Sarah's mind clearly the most important thing.

Chuck didn't say anything just dropped his head to her shoulder as they walked down the hall.

"Too tired for a drink on our new patio?" she ran a hand through his hair, it had grown out, it was making animal shapes again and she was terrified he was going to cut it.

"No," he perked up a bit.

"Good, I have it all set up," she pulled ahead of him, grabbing his hand and encouraging him to follow.

The lights of the pool made the water shimmer and a string of hastily strung twinkle lights added some homemade ambiance. An ice bucket with a bottle of champagne in it and two glasses sat on the ground next to one chaise lounge that Sarah had dragged from the shed where the delivery guy had left the patio furniture.

"Fancy," Chuck nodded his approval.

"I tried. I have the baby monitor on my phone, so we can use yours for music."

"I have better music," he grinned.

"You do, now put some on," she reached for the champagne and popped the cork recklessly in to the pool, "Ooops!"

"I'll get it tomorrow," Chuck laughed as music poured forth from his phone.

Sarah knew it was the "Sarah Seduction" mix and it made her chuckle because he honestly did not need any help in that department, but she appreciated his efforts. She handed him some champagne and they clinked glass.

"To this next in many adventures," she offered.

"Forever," Chuck replied.

"Forever," Sarah whispered.

Sarah knew that life was complicated and the unforeseen could be lurking around any corner. She knew that better than anyone, but if the past 2 years had taught her anything she knew that as long as they drew breath, she and Chuck were together. Forever.

"I'm too tired to dance," Sarah sighed as she sidled up to him and wrapped an arm around his back, leaned against his chest.

"Me too," he declared and the pair shuffled, still in an embrace, to the lone chaise lounge.

Chuck sat and Sarah arranged herself on top of him, curled into his warmth as the ocean rolled beyond them.

"Were we crazy to offer this place up for Morgan and Alex's reception?" Chuck ran a hand over his face.

"Yes, but we can do it. Kathleen and Casey and Bolonia are all coming tomorrow to help and my mom and Molly are taking Grace for the afternoon so we can really pitch in too.

Morgan and Alex were getting married one week from the day of Chuck and Sarah's move in date and the couple had generously offered to host the reception way back when they bought the house. It wasn't a ton of people, 40 or so, but the patio furniture was still in the shed and the kitchen only had a frying pan and some eggs.

"Morgan's getting married," Chuck shook his head with awe.

"Things really have changed," Sarah giggled.

"Of all of us, Morgan's done the most growing up."

"He did have the furthest to go," Sarah pointed out and Chuck shrugged in agreement.

"Ellie and Devon are here on Thursday," Chuck reminded her.

"The guest room will be easy, the bed is coming Monday," Sarah rattled off other delivery dates and Chuck was lulled into a sense of ease by her precise organization.

"My wife is so on top of things," Chuck kissed the top of her head, snuggled her closer.

"Right now your wife is on top of you," she rolled to press her chest to his.

"A second ago you were too tired to dance," he smirked.

"The ocean air has rejuvenated me," she kissed him.

"I am so glad we moved to the beach," he waggled his eyebrows as his hands found her smooth bare skin of her lower back, pressing her closer still.

***555***

"There was a time in our lives when Morgan & I thought we were going to end up living together with a cat and a really big TV," Chuck began and the crowd laughed, except for Casey who nodded his head in agreement.

"Seriously though, Morgan is my dearest friend, a person who has always been there for me even when the circumstances seemed beyond hopeless. He has an infectious optimism and a loving heart and he will make a wonderful husband.

"Alex, you landed in the middle of our family under less than optimal circumstances, but your kindness and your light never diminished. You are a gorgeous bride and we all wish you both every happiness," Chuck raised his glass and everyone voiced their cheers.

Sarah milled around making sure the guests were happy and the caterers had everything they needed, a clipboard of sorts in her brain.

"Everything is amazing," Alex gushed as Sarah brought her another glass of champagne.

"I'm so glad," Sarah hugged the young woman who had asked Sarah to be her maid-of-honor.

Sarah glanced up and saw Chuck, Casey, Devon and Morgan standing together, Ellie holding Clara over by Mary, Kathleen and Emma who had Grace in her arms and Molly tugging on her sleeve, the ocean behind them.

"We're all still here," Sarah smiled softly and Alex hugged her again.

"Yep, all of us," Alex raised her glass towards Lester and Jeff who were trying, badly, to pick up one of Alex's friends from the pie shop.

"Those two," Sarah sighed, "Why didn't Germany keep them?"

The two women laughed before Alex was pulled away by her mom to say hi to a long lost cousin.

"She's asking for you," Emma appeared with a sleepy looking Grace.

"Ma ma ma," Grace babbled and then yawned.

"Someone ready for a nap?" Sarah smiled and took her daughter.

"I can put her down," Emma offered.

"Thanks, but I could use a little break myself," Sarah admitted.

"Take your time, everything out here is well under control," Emma patted her daughter's back.

Sarah snuck in to the house and climbed the stairs, Grace was asleep before she made it to her room. Sarah wasn't willing to give up her little girl just yet though so she sunk into the rocking chair that she had used daily to feed and rock her daughter.

Grace was warm and solid in her arms, her weight soothing as Sarah rocked. She looked around the room and smiled, it wasn't the exact nursery from the apartment, but it was still very sweet. Puffy clouds on sky blue walls and Grace's beautiful white crib in the middle of the room facing the window that looked out to the ocean.

"Everyone OK in here?" Chuck leaned on the door jamb in his tux and Sarah felt her stomach flutter at the sight of him and the food he seemed to be delivering.

"We are all good, just resting our tired feet," Sarah raised a high-heeled foot in his direction.

"I brought you some wine and food, I noticed you were too busy taking care of everything to eat," Chuck brought the offerings to her.

"Thank you," she sipped the wine, still cradling her daughter close.

"Want me to put her down?" Chuck reached for Grace.

"Not yet, she's very relaxing," Sarah smiled softly.

"When her heart beat matches yours and her breath is all even," Chuck reached down and tucked a curl behind Sarah's ear.

"Yeah," she whispered, of course Chuck knew the feeling, of course he understood even without them ever discussing it before.

"I'll leave you in peace," he kissed her forehead.

"I won't be long."

Sarah appeared a while later having eaten the food Chuck brought her and getting Grace down in the crib finally. Everyone took turns with the baby monitor and when Grace awoke it was Ellie who went for her as Chuck and Sarah danced.

Alex and Morgan left for their honeymoon and the party continued well in to the evening until it was just Chuck, Sarah, Ellie, Devon and Casey around the pool with snifters of Scotch. Emma had Molly, Clara and Grace under control inside so the 5 adults relaxed and caught up on life.

"I saw Beckman," Casey mentioned.

"Yeah?" Sarah asked.

"In Dubai, she sends her best."

Chuck threw a glance to Ellie, even Casey didn't know Ellie was working for Beckman, perfecting the Intersect. Ellie just sipped her Scotch and smiled.

"The house is awesome, you guys," Devon noted.

"We like it," Sarah melted into Chuck's arms.

"It makes me miss California," Ellie admitted as she listened to the ocean.

"California misses you," Chuck teased, he might be a little drunk.

"All the girls are asleep and John your car has arrived," Emma reported as she came to join the adults for a minute.

"Thanks, Emma. I'll see you all before I leave town. Sarah, walk me out," Casey nodded towards the door.

"Sure," Sarah stood and gave her drink to Emma who sipped it in her absence.

"I just wanted to say thank you," Casey said as they entered the house, "everything you did for Alex today, she was so happy."

"It was my pleasure, our pleasure. She's part of our family," Sarah rubbed Casey's arm tenderly.

"It means a lot to me," Casey shrugged.

"I know," Sarah wrapped her arms around Casey, the big guy more accustomed to affection these days hugged her back although Sarah noticed him rolling his eyes.

"Everything OK?" Chuck asked when Sarah returned.

"Everything is fine. I'm ready for bed though, you guys are welcome to anything you need or want and we will see you in the morning," Sarah reached down for Chuck's hand and hauled him off the chair.

"Thanks for helping out with Grace today, all of you, it was really a huge weight off my shoulders to see her with family," Sarah said and then waved good night.

Chuck was slightly drunk, Sarah could see it in his eyes, but just drunk enough to be super mushy and adorable.

"You are so pretty," he kissed her neck as he fumbled for the zipper on her dress.

"We have to be quiet, this house is full of family and children," Sarah admonished.

Chuck just nodded enthusiastically and she had to kiss him. They had a new bed, they were sad to say good-bye to their old bed, it was full of so many memories dating back to before they were even a couple when sharing it was a chore, a painful frustrating chore. The new bed was huge and high and simultaneously soft and firm in a way that made it seem impossible.

Chuck slipped the dress off of her and stood there for a second admiring the lingerie she had on underneath.

"Have you been wearing that all day?" he asked as he actually walked around her to get the full effect.

"Yes," Sarah laughed at the idea that she snuck in and changed her undergarments mid-wedding reception.

"I am really glad I did not know that," he said seriously.

"Why's that?" she leaned in and nipped at his jaw.

"Because I never would have made it this long without making love to you," he said honestly and scooped her into his arms as he headed for the impossibly comfortable bed.

***555***

It was a gorgeous day, Sarah had worked from home and told Chuck around 3:00 that she and Grace were heading down to the beach, he could expect to find them there when he got home.

Sure enough as he crested the path from their back yard he saw his wife sitting in the sand, her legs crossed in front of her as their now 2 year old daughter ran back and forth.

"Daddy!" the 2 year old called and shifted her trajectory to aim straight for him.

"Gracie!" Chuck called back and scooped her up as she approached.

Sarah turned and looked over her shoulder as Chuck lifted the little girl high in the air and blew raspberries on her belly.

"I found a shell," Grace informed.

"Really?"

"It's very pretty," she said although very sounded a bit like 'vewy' still, Chuck would miss her baby talk.

"Show me," he put her down and she ran to her bucket.

Chuck took the time to join Sarah in the sand, even in his dress pants, and leaned over to kiss his wife.

"Good day?' he asked between kisses.

"Really good day," Sarah smiled coyly.

Before Chuck could inquire further Grace reappeared with the shell.

"Here Daddy!" she handed it over.

"Oh Grace, this is a pretty shell. What color is this?" he turned the shell over and ran his finger over the burnished inside.

"Pink!" Grace exclaimed.

"You like pink," Chuck said to the little girl in the pink leggings with the pink hoodie on as he poked her belly.

"Yes!" everything Grace said was an exclamation.

Grace ran back to the bucket and proceeded to show Chuck every rock and shell she had collected, running between him and the bucket repeatedly instead of just bringing the bucket to him. Finally Grace had exhausted her beach finds and herself and she held out her arms for her father, who took her on his lap happily.

The little girl went from full speed to asleep in minutes.

"She's a wonder," Chuck said with a smile.

"Yeah?" Sarah looked at him.

"Yeah. Everything about her makes me happy."

"I'm glad you feel that way," Sarah said with an arched eyebrow.

Chuck looked confused.

"I'm pregnant," Sarah smiled.

The End

NOTES: So this is the end of the journey from beach to beach, from no memories to new memories…but I am not willing to say good-bye to Grace and whoever this new baby turns out to be… Soon you will see a new story, a collection of one shots that will exist in the VS The Love Scenes & VS The Unknown universe. I will gladly take prompts for anything cannon and into this universe. I may even visit some moments from early on in the series that were not covered in VS The Love Scenes.

As always I so appreciate the lovely feedback from this awesome fandom!