So here's the epilogue. I really worked on it, and sorry about the delay! Hopefully this works as an end for you, but if you hate it, you can pretend it never happened, lol. The beauty of epilogues :-)

Thanks go to Jimmy for helping a lot during the fic, his input was invaluble!

Thanks to Wepdiggy for constantly keeping me in line and giving his excellent beta skills!

Thanks to Yokaputo for saving my butt a few times and coming to the rescue on this last chapter, lol. I can't thank any of them enough :-)

Hope you like this!

Emily

So that's our story; and as I sit here by the TV, on New Years Eve, three years (four at midnight) after that adventure, I realize how happy I am now. I have a mother, a father, a brother (another Bartowski accident. Apparently we all come by our accident prone natures honestly), an Aunt, Uncle, and two great cousins. What more could I want? Oh, to finish college at UCLA, that would be nice.

We stayed at Aunt Ellie's house overnight per her request. It had been a lot of fun, getting to see my cousins again. Since moving on campus I rarely saw them anymore. It was also wonderful to hang out with Chase, who (and we all agreed) was Chuck junior.

Since coming home from our imprisonment by CHAOS, things have been good, difficult at times but good. We all did our best to assimilate to this new life of ours. For one, I had been used to being the woman of the house, and naturally, Mom and I found ourselves butting heads regularly. But I'd never once come close to regretting her being home, I was always so grateful to simply have a mother.

I'd never seen Dad happier. It was easy to see the love between him and Mom. In their looks, in the way they always held hands, and even in the way they argued. If we'd learned one lesson from all that had transpired three years ago, it was to cherish every moment with those you love, even when you dislike them.

Now, it was hard to imagine Mom was ever gone, or that she left such a pain in the wake of her absence. The family was complete. Pure happiness, an emotion that had been rare if even existent for ten years, had flooded back and filled our days ceaselessly. Chase added an extra element of happiness that I'd never experienced before as well. I guess me and Chase are living proof that not all accidents are bad ones.

The thought gives me a smile, and I look at my mother, who talking easily with Aunt Ellie. I don't know exactly what my mom told my aunt, but whatever it was had brought forgiveness from the woman who'd been my mother for years. I still saw her as a mother figure too, that was something that would never change.

My eyes go to Ellie, that same smile still gracing my lips. As Chase squeals and tugs at my arm, I turn my head and grin as he points at the TV, he can feel the excitement in the air near the dawn of the new year.

Ellie

It's been three years since Sarah's return. I still can hardly believe she's back sometimes. I've forgiven her now, once she told me the true story of her and Chuck's relationship and why she left. I don't know all the details, simply because some are classified, but I know enough to understand why Sarah left.

If I had been in Sarah's shoes, I would have left too. Not in the way she did (but I can see she's earned her forgiveness with Chuck and Emily), but I would have left too. As a mother and wife, I can grasp exactly what went through her head and why she acted as she did. It doesn't make her faultless, but I understand it. How could I judge her intentions?

Sarah had gained my forgiveness. I could tell when she returned she was intent on earning it, by the way she remained as open and honest as she could. We made our peace as well as we could. Now, sitting beside her, it's almost like she's always been a part of the family, and I know we all enjoy having her back. Even my boys have commented on how nice it is to have Aunt Sarah back.

I wouldn't change it for anything, and as we all sit around the TV, I find myself smiling as I watch each individual interact with one another. We're all excited to see what this new year brings.

I had watched Chuck come back to life. Before Sarah's return he was only half a person, simply going forward for Emily. But with Sarah back, I saw the light in his eyes return and he rarely stopped smiling now. I loved seeing him happy, and his joy had increased when Chase had been born. He said he and Devon were the luckiest men in the world. Sarah and I weren't inclined to disagree.

Sarah had brought happiness back to the family. I look at the blonde sitting beside me, she's laughing at Chase's reaction to something on the TV. I smile, realizing how much I had missed my sister in law while she was gone.

Sarah

I've loved every moment I've spent with my family since returning. We had problems at the beginning, but we worked through them all. When you are getting a second chance with a person you've barely had a first chance with, little things don't bother you for very long. I take Chuck's hand and look at him with a smile, before returning my gaze to the small brown haired, brown eyed, miniature of Chuck that was our son. He grew everyday, and I felt a small satisfaction, knowing I would get to see this one grow up. I look at Emily, and hoped that there isn't any resentment there because of that.

But seeing her watch Chase, I can't detect a hint of resentment. She loves him. As much as I love them both.

Coming home had been trying in certain areas. The "Ellie" area, especially. The next day after coming home, Chuck and I went over to the house. Chuck explained to Ellie that I had come back, and I needed to tell her something. The hostility from his sister had been so intense I hadn't been able to look her in the eye. Chuck had then left because I asked him to. I had wanted to talk to Ellie on my own.

As I told my sister-in-law the details, slowly the anger began to fade away from the corners of her eyes and the fire inside them dim. She knew I was telling the truth. Everything fit. The way Chuck and I danced around each other for two years, the way I left, why I came back and Chuck and Emily disappeared. Ellie knew...but most of all, after our talk, Ellie not only knew, Ellie understood.

Getting acceptance from Devon and my nephews hadn't been extremely hard. Chuck told Devon the story, and how I was home for good now and Devon welcomed me back. He was just happy Chuck finally had someone again.

I look at the clock. 11:53. Only eight more minutes before we all enter my fourth year of being back. I grin as I once again think about how I'll never miss another day of their lives. I'll always be with them now.

I haven't seen Bryce since the day before we left the CIA compound. I'd been in my room, and he'd come by to say one last goodbye. Then he'd disappeared, and I have never seen him again, and most likely never will.

I had gone to see Carina once more, not able to contain myself. I had to see the person who'd betrayed me one last time. She showed me something, too. Being separated from the ones you love, whether by death, choice, or design, only made one bitter and angry. I had increased my resolve to never become a Carina.

Chuck can tell I am thinking of the past and gently bumps me with his shoulder. The smile I receive when I look at him is infectious, as I have to return one of my own.

I'd never been happier. I finally had everything I thought I'd lost back with me and this time, it was here to stay.

The clock reads 11:58 and I smile. Entering our forth year back together, I still can't get enough of Sarah, or my children. Everything I'd been through in my life had taught me to cherish what's special. I wouldn't trade my family for anything in the world. Ever.

11:59. The excitement builds and Chase is grinning from ear to ear while Emily tickles him. She is a great sister.

I look back at Sarah and slowly wait for the the countdown to start. The TV shows Time Square, and I look at it briefly before my eyes meet my wife's again. We renewed our vows, shortly after she returned. We had already recommitted to one another before that, but we wanted to remind ourselves of the promises we had made on our wedding day.

I squeeze her hand and lean over to whisper in her ear that I love her. I tell her at least once a day. I never want her to forget. I do the same with Emily and Chase. Life is too short for them to doubt for even a moment the fact I love them and will protect them. They are what matters to me.

"I love you, Chuck." Sarah whispers back and I hear the countdown start. 10, 9, 8, 7...Sarah and I smile at each other, preparing for our "New Years kiss". Emily holds Chase close and they both count down on their fingers. "6, 5, 4," Emily counted aloud. "3, 2, 1!"

I lean down and press my lips against Sarah's, the softness of her lips and the warmth of her tongue as it gently presses against mine fill my senses. Right then, all my attention was on Sarah. We seem to both remember the other occupants of the room at the same time, as we slowly pull away. That kiss was too intense to be kept PG very long.

I smile shyly and feel a light blush grace my cheeks. I stand and go over to my children, grabbing Chase up and pretending I am going to drop him into Emily's arms. He laughs the whole time, and the trust I see in his eyes is all the reward I need for the night. Grinning, I look at Emily and give her a kiss on the forehead. "Happy New Year, sweetie."

I look at Sarah one last time, and I see the promise of more of that kiss in her eyes. Yes, I truly believe my life can't get better. This is as good as it gets.

As the family begins to give hugs, I realize I have not only my family, but I have my sister and hers as well. I also have great friends. Morgan and Anna suddenly enter the house. They were supposed to sit through the countdown with us, but are offering apologies because Morgan just had to stop by some brand new comic store on their way and unfortunately had lost track of time. Their own children follow in, and I wonder just how in danger Morgan's life was right now. From the looks he was getting from Anna, I would suggest greatly so.

As I realize Morgan has a very rare but a favorite comic book of mine, I have to talk with him about it and we as soon communicating in fluent nerd-speak and enjoying ourselves. The others just shake their heads at us and laugh.

Yes, it took a lot of pain to get here. But even Sarah's departure had turned out for the best, through that, we had all learned how to love, really love. This was what family was about. I wouldn't change anything about what I had now.

The road to healing is a bumpy and painful one, but at the end, when you look back at your footprints, where you'd been, every misstep, every stumble, every fall...you realize that every agonizing step was worth it.

And on this journey, I had never truly been alone, for by my footprints, was a whole other set.

So it was short, but like I said, I hope you enjoyed it. Review, let me know what you thought. Thanks for reading this guys!