A/N 1: For those who have enjoyed the story, the good news is that we are wrapping up with a very long goodbye. For those of you who haven't enjoyed the story…I don't really know why you would have kept reading to this point. Without further ado…

EPILOUGE The Second

"What is this? Some attempt to discredit me? Blackmail? Ruin my marriage, my family?" Russell raged when President Bartlett disclosed the purpose of the meeting as the four met in the conference room of the main residence at Camp David three weeks after the White House meeting between Chuck, Sarah and the President. "I've got a wife and kids. You ruin that, I ruin you." He was glaring daggers at Chuck and Sarah, although he should be grateful that the Secret Service did not allow any weapons to be present as his newly revealed daughter was far more skilled with daggers (and any other type of weapon) than he was.

Sarah was livid with the accusations. He knew nothing about her, yet he instantly went on the attack. So not getting my vote for father of the year. Her fists unconsciously balled up at her side as she menacingly stepped forward. Chuck instantly positioned himself between her and her father, although he did it to protect her, not to block her, furious over the attack on his fiancé.

"Bob," Bartlett calmly said. "I'm only going to say this to you once, so you might want to pay attention. First, Ms. Walker-soon to be Mrs. Bartowski -Ms. Walker used to be Agent Walker, the best CIA agent we had until Langston Graham lost control of his shop and Chuck here showed up on the scene. A lot of her work was in black ops. Much of her work is classified higher than your clearance level, Bob. Probably not a good idea to threaten her."

"When there was an assassin trying to get to Mr. Bartowski here during our debate, Agent Butterfield went to the CIA specifically to get her temporarily assigned to the Service in order to protect Chuck. By the way Ms. Walker, Ron requested that I give you his regards. He still holds you in very high esteem. If he thinks you are good, then I know without a doubt that you are the best. Thank you, by the way, for keeping Chuck safe. He's a good man. Once again, I'd like to extend my congratulations to you both on your engagement. I hope that you have a long and wonderful life together. I also hope that Abby and I might merit an invite to your nuptials, regardless of how this meeting turns out? However, I have high hopes for Bob and Sarah."

"You believe this crap, Jed?" Russell said, spinning to face the President. "Someone tries to spread lies on the Hill about me and now you find a convenient patsy to claim that she's my long lost daughter so that you can push me out? Is that what this is?"

"My name is Sarah Walker, and my mother is Emma Walker. Twenty eight years ago she was on spring break from college when she met another college student named Jack Burton." Sarah paused for a beat as silence filled the room. Russell stopped glaring at her and started to wonder if the young woman before him might actually be his daughter.

Bob Russell had deflated when he had heard the name Jack Burton. He collapsed back into the sofa when he saw the picture of Emma Walker. She had been rather unforgettable, but that was back before the days of cellphones, email, snapchat when there was the ability to instantly share contact information. Plus he had already been using the Jack Burton alias before he realized that there could be far more to their relationship than just a fling over spring break, so he had needed to give her his real name. He realized at that moment that Sarah Walker was indeed his daughter. There would be no need for any dna/paternity testing.

Another silence spread over the room, followed by a discrete knock at the door and Ron Butterfield came in to whisper in President Bartlett's ear. The President nodded his thanks to Ron, who just as discretely left the room as he had entered it.

"My apologies, but there is a crisis in the Far East that is threatening to become a flash point for a far larger problem. We'll need to take a ten minute break while I make a phone call or two." Jed Bartlett then made his way out of the door as the three others stood silent, with the width of the room separating one from the other two.

"Sarah, why don't we take a moment to go for a stroll outside," Chuck said, ignoring Bob Russell as his focus remained entirely on his fiancé and how she was handling the stress of the tense meeting. Sarah gave a quick nod, slanting her eyes briefly across the room to Bob Russell who sat staring out of the window, running one hand after another through his hair.

Chuck and Sarah strolled from the cabin down a mulch covered walking path that lead to a copse of birch trees. Sarah had her fingers woven through Chuck's (as was normally the case whenever they were together) as they walked aimlessly down the trail.

"This pretty much has to be a nightmare scenario for the Vice Pres- for my father," Sarah corrected herself, still struggling to believe that after all of these years she had finally found him.

"How so," Chuck asked, completely confused by the statement.

"He has one of the most high profile jobs in public office. He is married with children, but just discovered that he had a child out of wedlock while partying under an alias in a foreign country. Oh, and his adult daughter is a former spy who specialized in black ops- including assassination missions-and who now works for a major defense contractor," Sarah concluded with a huff. She rested the side of her head against his chest as Chuck pulled her into a Bartowski special hug.

"First," Chuck said after planting a kiss on the crown of her head. "He should be amazed at the fact that he is related to the most incredible woman in the world."

"You are incredibly sweet," Sarah replied with a wry grin. "Completely biased as you are engaged to me. But incredibly sweet."

"Oh, I am 100% biased," Chuck responded. "But that doesn't mean that I am not also 100% correct. Bias or no, you are one incredible lady. Intelligent, caring, fluent in more languages than I can count- and might I say it was amazing, and completely sexy, how fast you learned to speak Klingon. I'm guessing that was pretty much just for my benefit, huh?" Sarah just smirked and bounced one shoulder, pulling him closer as they continued down the path. It never ceased to amaze her at how good Chuck was at making her feel better.

"Ron Butterfield told me after the debate how good you had been on the Secret Service detail," Chuck continued on, pleased to see that Sarah's scowl was gone. "Your new boss at the Skunkworks is already amazed at the job you have done. But you are mistaken about your time with the CIA. I know that sometimes you had to use lethal force, and that some of those times it wasn't in self-defense. But, not only were those missions approved at the highest levels, the work was done in the shadows meaning that no one but your boss knew the hero that you truly were."

"I may not know the details of your missions, but your saving Molly and hiding her from everyone would have been proof on its own that you are not only a hero, but a fundamentally good person. If you need more proof than that, I can give you the names of three people who I respect you, but each of whom looks up to you: Ron Butterfield, John Casey and Zondra Rizzo. None of them would respect someone who was nothing more than a hired gun. Especially Ron in his line of work."

"Ron has an incredible amount of respect for you," Chuck proceeded without slowing down in the slightest. "He had incredible respect for you as an agent, and just as much respect for you as a person. He congratulated me on our engagement, and noted that I was a lucky man to win the heart of a person as special as you. Do you think that he would say that, or have that level of respect for you, if you were a killer? That he would say that for some hired gun? And this is a man that did read your files."

"Then there is Casey. The trip to Longwood was his idea, not something he would do for someone that he did not think highly of- not that I would have necessarily expected it to be something that he would do even for someone that he did respect. But he did it for you, even bringing Ellie along to make sure that it went smoothly. And the level of respect that he has for you is clear."

"Finally, there is Zondra. She worked hand in hand with you, so you can't claim she didn't know what you did at the Agency. And her respect for you is unmistakable- and a bit scary. First time we met, she told me, 'Hurt her and I end you. Clear?' And let me tell you, that message was received clearly. But then she smiled and kissed me on the cheek while slapping, er tapping, firmly tapping the other cheek with her hand. She knows firsthand some of the things that you were called on to do in order to protect our country, and she thinks that you are as incredible as I do."

"So, there is no question in anyone's mind that you are incredible. Now, this is DC- well, this isn't technically DC, it's Camp David, but we know that our Capitol is not reknown for keeping secrets. But right now the only people who know who you truly are you, me, your father and President Bartlett. Your mom, Ellie and Awesome all know but they all love you and would never do anything that would hurt you. So there isn't any need to worry about your relationship- if you decide to have one, with your father becoming public knowledge."

"What you need to decide is whether you want to have a relationship with Bob Russell as your father or not."

Sarah stared silently in the direction of a copse of beech trees. "What happened to 'We're all we've got, we're all we need'?"

"You have what you need," Chuck instantly responded. "Your mom and sister love you. Ellie is convinced that the sun rises and sets at your command. Devon is amazed to have found a fellow extreme sports enthusiast who is a more gifted athlete than he is. Seriously, I keep waiting for him to draw up a pre-nup that stipulates that in the event of a divorce he legally gets to remain part of your family."

"I know you are teasing," Sarah growled in a manner eerily familiar to Casey. "But that had best be the last time I ever hear the words pre-nup or divorce come out of your mouth."

Chuck simply smiled. "You have what you need, Sarah. A family that loves and adores you, without question. You have a fiancé who loves you without doubt- well, maybe there's a smidge of doubt as to your sanity for falling for a gigantic nerd like this guy," Chuck said as he popped two thumbs and pointed to his chest while grinning goofily.

But then his smile was replaced with a serious look as Chuck stepped up close to Sarah, taking her hands in his. "The question isn't what do you need. The question is what do you want? Do you, Sarah Walker, want a relationship with your father? Maybe one day to be able to call him dad?"

Now that he had cooled off, and had begun to accept the fact that the young woman he had barely paid attention to during the debate was his daughter with his first true love, Bob Russell stood to take stock of his daughter as she re-entered the room on her own. Once the names Jack Burton and Emma Walker had been dropped, he had realized that that the young woman was his daughter and not some con-artist out to either blackmail him or destroy his career.

He was now surprised that he did not recognize her earlier. She was the spitting image of Emma Walker from 28 years earlier. Russell had few regrets in his life. His career had taken him to the second most powerful position in the land. He had a loving wife and two children who had been remarkably unaffected by their father's political ambitions and the privileged life they were raised in. But losing Emma Walker was a regret. A big one.

Turning away from Sarah to stare out of the window without really seeing anything on the other side of the glass, Russell slowly began to speak, "When I was growing up, my parents- your grandparents- were a successful, high profile couple. My father was worried that any stories about me 'sowing wild oats', as he used to say, might be damaging to their careers. But he still wanted me to have fun at college. His solution was for me to use an alias-Jack Burton- when off from school on vacation. So, my senior year of college, I headed off to Cancun with some buddies for Spring Break."

"My hotel room reservation was under the name Jack Burton, and a friend had even made me a Jack Burton fake id. I was off to have fun before finishing up college and starting an internship that my parents had already arranged for me," Russell said as he traveled back through the mists of time to one of his fondest, yet most painful, memories. "I had already been in Cancun for three days when I met your mom. We instantly connected. It seemed a bit surreal at the time. We were inseparable from minute one. But to the hotel, and my buddies who knew of the arrangement with my parents, I was Jack Burton. My friends had always called me Jack in front of Emma."

"So there I was- already with strong feelings for your mom, for Emma, but already living a lie. I was trying to figure out how to tell Emma the truth without destroying what we had already built up between us in the process. One of the problems was, when I was with Emma I liked being Jack Burton-just a regular kid among thousands there. But the longer I stalled in telling her the truth, the more I was convinced that she would be hurt, betrayed by the initial lies. I had finally decided to just come clean with her and beg for forgiveness. She and I were to meet up for brunch, and then I had a walk on the beach planned where I would come clean. Tell her the truth."

"The problem was, that night my folks called up and flew me home as my grandmother had fallen and was in the hospital. She wound up passing away while I was on the red-eye flight home. All I knew about getting in touch with Emma Walker was her name and her hotel. I had scribbled out a note to her, basically admitting to my true identity, giving her my phone number and begging her to call me if she could forgive the deception."

Sarah had been listening to the story of star-crossed lovers with rapt attention, soaking in the details while scrutinizing Bob Russell's every move, every inflection, searching for any sign of deception. But at the mention of the note, her eyes turned cold and hard as the Ice Queen surged to the fore. Here was the deception that she had been on guard for. With his back to the room, Bob Russell continued on with his tale, unaware of the change in his daughter.

"By the time I got back to school after the funeral, my friends all thought I was down because of my grandmother's passing. The truth was, as much as I loved my grandmother, I was hurting more from the fact that your mom hadn't called than I was from my grandmother's death. After a couple of weeks went by, I convinced myself that your mom must have been too hurt by the deception to forgive me and call me. It was a couple of weeks more before I discovered the truth-my idiot friend had dropped off the note at the wrong hotel. I spent years wondering 'what if', and comparing every woman I met to your mom. She never knew that what I felt was real. She never knew my real name or how to reach me. I never knew that we had created you."

The Ice Queen retreated as Sarah considered the explanation. Jack/Bob hadn't noticed her reaction before his explanation. And his excuse was credible- helped by facts that were easy to check out, especially for an ex-CIA agent who was engaged to one of the world's most elite hackers. It would be foolish of him to offer such details if they wouldn't check out. And Bob Russell was no one's fool.

Sarah then thought about Chuck, and what he would suggest. Despite being abandoned by his own parents, Chuck would encourage her to take the chance. That had been his theme on the flight from LA to DC. She could verify what Jack/Bob had claimed, but she could give him the benefit of the doubt until (or unless) he was disproven. Sarah realized how much she had changed after spending time with Chuck and his family. She liked this new Sarah far more than she did the Ice Queen.

The added benefit was that there was a whole new side of her family to discover, including a brother and sister. Eventually that would lead to the introduction of Molly, but thanks to Chuck that would be an easier, simpler event. All of her childhood answers and insecurities could finally be answered.

"I'll admit that there is a part of me that is glad things worked out as they did. I love my wife and have two great kids- three great kids apparently, although you are hardly a kid anymore. And as much as I regret missing out on what could have been between me and Emma, that's nothing compared to the regret of not having been there when you were born, when you were growing up. So much time lost," Bob choked out as the emotions that had been swirling inside of him beat against his barriers of self-control.

Sarah thought about her parents, whom fate had kept apart. Then she thought about how fate had thrust her and Chuck together, when there had been so many opportunities for their story to have taken a different path: if the debacle with Ryker hadn't caused Graham to pull her from the field just in time for Ron Butterfield to come along with his request for her services; if Ron hadn't known of her experience with Cruz, coupled with his personal history with Graham to enable her temporary assignment to the Secret Service; if Ron hadn't suggested the cover relationship and then turned a blind eye to the undercover relationship; if Chuck had reacted the way anyone other than a Bartowski would react to the truth about parts of her CIA career; if Ellie hadn't been so encouraging of their relationship or encouraging her own friendship with Sarah; if Zondra had found her a job after the election somewhere other than Southern California. So many opportunities for their relationship to fail, separate and apart from her own lack of dating experience.

Sarah thought about what her life would be like if she had returned to the CIA, never to see Chuck again after Cruz had been captured. If her father (dad?) felt for Emma a tenth of what she felt for Chuck, he deserved not only her forgiveness, but her sympathy. With that, her decision was made.

"We should get back to the room," Sarah finally spoke. Jack/Bob turned to look at her, clearly curious to see where her head was after his confession. "Chuck is much better than me at dealing with emotional issues. Plus," she paused, building up the courage to commit to the path forward that she knew she had to, and wanted to, take going forward, "I think it is time that you were properly introduced to your future son-in-law."

"I have the greatest job in the world," Jed Bartlett said to the reporters thronging along the rope. "Unfortunately, that often requires that I put the affairs of state ahead of personal commitments. As all of you know, after our debate, Charles Bartowski and I became good friends. And as much as I would enjoy watching him get married to an incredible young lady, I won't be able to attend. I've asked Bob Russell and his family to attend in place of me and Abby. Bob has graciously agreed to do so. Abby wasn't so gracious when I told her of the change of plans." Bartlett's eyebrows raised up at the end of his statement, contrasting with his deadpan delivery.

There was a smattering of laughter from the press pool as the President turned to walk up the stairs onto Air Force One. As soon as the door closed, Ron Butterfield moved into step beside the President as he made his way to the personal quarters on board the plane.

"That was rather clever, Mr. President," Butterfield quietly said as they moved down the aisle. "Now there won't be any suspicion about Russell's attendance."

"It should be clever," Bartlett acknowledged, "it was Chuck's idea and a damn good one at that. Wish I'd thought of it first. Oh, and be sure to take lots of pictures while you are there. You are going too, as a guest of the bride. Her idea, also a damned good one. Since Abby is rather disappointed about missing the wedding, the pictures had better be good."

"As you wish, Mr. President. I'll see what I can do to keep you in your wife's good graces," Ron said with a slight grin that earned him a glare followed by a nod from the President.

The President was just closing the door to the sleeping compartment, when he stopped and looked back at the head of the White House Secret Service detail, "Don't think that I never figured out your role in getting those kids together. Always pretending to be so formal, ya big softie." Bartlett was chuckling as he closed the door and went to explain (again) to Abby why it wasn't possible for her to attend the wedding even with him pretending to be occupied. It was a futile endeavor, he knew, but one he still had to make.

A flock of seagulls floated in the breeze above the gently rolling waves a little ways north of the Santa Monica pier. Aside from a few puffy white clouds dotting the distant horizon, the sky was a crystal blue. Given the brilliant sunlight, it wasn't surprising that the two men positioned near a lone palm tree were wearing dark sunglasses. What was surprising was the fact that both men were wearing identical dark grey suits, both with an American flag pin in the lapel, and that both men had an ear piece in their right ear with a coiled white wire snaking down the starched collars of their shirts to tactical radios clipped to their belts.

There were identically dressed men and women positioned around the small gathering of guests seated in orderly rows facing the surf. As always, the agents were on alert, listening for updates through their ear pieces, eyes constantly scanning the small assembly and the occasional beachgoer. Although each agent prided himself or herself on professionalism, there was an added reason for the agents to be extra diligent. In addition to their charges, the Vice President and his family, seated amongst the guests was the lead agent for the White House security detail- Ron Butterfield. Although their boss, Ron, was wearing a civilian suit with no sunglasses or ear piece, was there on a strictly personal capacity, he was still a stickler for procedure being followed. Off duty or not, his subordinates knew that he was keeping a careful watch on their actions and performance.

The music playing swelled to a crescendo, and Ron turned to look at his one time team member walking slowly in his general direction. Sarah Walker was a vision in white, her hair swaying in the soft breeze. Her attention was on one man located a little beyond Ron, and her focus was unwavering in its intensity.

Butterfield had quickly realized that Sarah Walker and Chuck Bartowski were perfectly suited for each other. He hadn't thought twice about any romantic entanglement when he had suggested the cover relationship, given her reputation. But within moments of seeing the two together, he knew that they were two pieces of one set. He also realized that there would be no way that Javier Cruz would get anywhere near Chuck with Sarah dedicated to him. He didn't believe that as the Secret Service agent in charge of Chuck Bartowski's protective detail that his job description included being a matchmaker (no matter how much the President now gave him grief), but he also didn't believe in the CIA policy against fraternization. If anything, he quickly realized that Sarah Walker would march to hell and back if that was what it would take to protect Chuck Bartowski. If they found happiness together, that was just an added bonus.

Additionally, Ron had overheard Sarah on a personal phone call mention that Langston Graham had recruited her when she was still a teenager. He hadn't been snooping, but once that was heard, there was no way to un-hear it. He and Langston went back decades. He knew that as a CIA agent and then Director, Langston would have had to make many unseemly, difficult choices in order to protect the country. But even those choices wouldn't justify such an unorthodox recruitment of a girl so young that she was more child than woman at the time.

After Jed Bartlett's election, Ron had a quiet conversation with the then-President elect. Shortly after Bartlett took up residence in the White House, Langston Graham had announced his "retirement". Ron was impressed that in a town that more often resembled a sieve more than a vault, Bartlett had managed to keep any inkling out of the press that he had forced Langston to step down. That had been the first time that Ron had a gut feeling that he would like working for President Bartlett, although privately he wished that the President had selected Chuck Bartowski as his running mate. Ron didn't have any objection to the performance of Vice President Russell, but Chuck was a special person. And there were far too few special people in life in general, much less in politics.

Sarah felt butterflies in her stomach, a new and rather unwelcome sensation. She had trouble keeping eye contact with Chuck, even though looking in his eyes always made her feel safe, feel loved, feel grounded. Looking at him now definitely made her feel loved, but that was part of the problem. He had such a look of awe and amazement as they stood holding hands before the celebrant and gathered guests. He still doesn't get it, does he? I'm the one who should be amazed that a man like Chuck wanted to commit himself for the rest of his life to me. That he was able to look past all of the skeletons (both literal and figurative) in my closet. I definitely need his strength for this next part, and I need to look him in the eyes as I say this. Maybe this time it will actually get through to him.

"For most of my life, people who met me never looked past the surface- a carefully assembled construct meant to convey one type of message or another. But for many years, those people only saw the veneer. They didn't want to, weren't able to, or couldn't be bothered to notice that underneath the veneer there were gaps, pieces missing from the woman under the shell. I took great pains to hide those flaws from my own family," Sarah told Chuck, conviction ringing through. The celebrant beside them faded from sight, and the small audience disappeared from her notice. Her focus on Chuck was complete.

"But when you came along, nothing stayed hidden from you. You were more interested in the person under the veneer than in the outer packaging. When you look at me, you see me and not the shell. In your eyes, I am complete. I want to feel that complete. I want to touch the light I see in your eyes. I want to be that complete. But the reason why I am now complete is you, Chuck. When you came into my life, you filled all of those missing pieces, you opened the doorway to a thousand futures. But the only way I can imagine stepping through those doorways is with you by my side."

"I am here to commit myself to you, to commit living my life in the light. To commit myself to stepping through the doorway to discover our future-together."

Sarah had always found expressing her feelings to be difficult. It had been easier the longer time she spent with Chuck. But when she had thought of what she wanted to say in her vows, the words came easily, naturally.

Chuck stood silent for a moment, trying to blink back the tears in his eyes after hearing Sarah opening up, not only in front of him, but also the family and friends assembled. She had proven herself, yet again, to be the most incredible person he had ever met.

"In romance movies, the couples invariably say 'I can't picture my life without you.' That isn't the case with me. It is not that I can't picture my future without you, Sarah. It's that I can. And a future without you looks like a half life. Existing rather than living. And I want to live this life with you."

"There is a saying," Chuck continued. "A kind and steady heart can make a grey sky blue. A kind and steady heart is sure to see you through. That a kind and steady heart can conquer doubt and fear, get you a little farther down the road each day. From the moment we met, you have been that kind and steady heart. With you by my side, I was able to overcome doubt and fear, and get just a little farther down the road each day. I soon discovered that a task that seems impossible it quite possible for you. The road ahead is long, and there is no map to guide me or any set destination. But with your kind and steady heart to guide me, we will walk the road together."

"People keep asking me if I am disappointed that I lost the race, or if I regret running in the first place. And I always say to them that I don't regret running because I won. I won the love of an unimaginably incredible woman. One with a kind and steady heart. One who routinely makes what should be impossible seem not just possible, but ordinary for you."

"Hand in hand we will get a little farther down the road each day. We will go through your doorways and discover each of those thousand futures. And thousands more. Together."

The reception was in full swing, with everyone having fun- most of them on the dance floor where the groom was putting on a display of dance moves, much to enjoyment and amusement of his bride. Colonel Casey stood off to the side, sipping on a glass of Johnny Walker Blue. The nerd had bought a bottle specifically for Casey when he agreed to be in the wedding party. Hmm, would have thought twice about accepting if they had told me that I was going to have to proceed down the aisle with Carina Miller.

Casey allowed one soft smile to briefly appear as he watched the unabashed joy on Walker's face as she and Ellie shared a private joke. She looked like a young woman in love, rather than Langston Graham's wildcard enforcer. Casey allowed a moment's reflection on his own engagement to Kathleen, before Alexander had ever heard of the name John Casey. Damn Bartowskis are starting to make me feel all soft and fuzzy, Casey grumbled to himself. He took a long sip of his whiskey, only putting the glass down when his encrypted satellite phone chirped in his dress uniform pocket. He unconsciously stood a little straighter when he saw the caller id show up on the screen.

"Yes, Mr. President," Casey called out as he moved to a distant corner of the room.

"Colonel," Bartlett started in, "I can tell from the video feed that you are standing at attention. At ease soldier. You are at a wedding for god's sake. You do realize that Chuck could have saved a fortune on the wedding photographer given the amount of surveillance at this event. Abby is still teary eyed from listening to the vows."

"Unfortunately," President Bartlett continued, "I need to interrupt your personal time with some pressing business. As you no doubt noticed, Agent Butterfield slipped out of the reception a moment ago. His team has developed new intel that whoever is behind the whisper campaign against Vice President Russell has decided to up their game. A credible threat to his children-not Agent Walk…Mrs. Bartowski that is. No one outside of Team Bartowski seems to have learned of her relationship to Bob. His younger children are being targeted, presumably as part of a plan to force him from office."

Casey looked around the party to the two teenagers, who were trying to learn a new dance move with the bride. Anyone who threatened a kid was the enemy in Casey's book. He would have no issues with crushing the people behind this threat. "The problem is," President Bartlett continued, "the new development has rattled Bob. An attack on his character is part of the risk of a high profile political career unfortunately. But this is a covert plan to hurt or kill his children in order to render him emotionally compromised and get him to step down."

"What are your orders, Mr. President," Casey snarled out, already shifting to combat mode mentality.

"You'll do what you do best, Colonel," the President calmly responded. "You will protect the people of this great nation. Ron Butterfield is going to head up the collection and analysis of intelligence on this threat-what is being planned, who is behind it, and just as importantly, what is their endgame? I would like for you to head up a small, elite unit to get out in the field, track down leads, and then to eliminate threats before they become actions, as well as get information to Ron so that he can assess it."

"When you say 'eliminate threats', just what does that entail, sir?"

"Well, Colonel," President Bartlett responded in a grumble that rivaled Casey's own. "If possible, you will bring those responsible to justice in a court of law. The public needs to understand this threat. They need to know that we are protecting our citizens, and our children. The rule of law is essential to a free society, Colonel."

"Yes, sir. I understand. But you did say 'if possible'. What if I do not believe that it will be possible to arrest some of these people?" Casey was curious to see how the President would respond.

"Well, Colonel," Bartlett countered, without pause, "you will conference with myself, Ron, and the Attorney General. If we are not able to bring these people in, and they are threatening the lives and safety of citizens-especially of children-then you and your team will receive an executive order authorizing lethal force. But I want it to be clear. Unless the lives of your or your team are in direct, immediate risk, I want there to be an executive finding and a formal order issued before anyone is killed. This is not carte blanche, Colonel. But if you or your team are in danger, you can do what you must. If and when any such executive order is issued, it will be because it is necessary. Never just for expedience sake. Am I clear Colonel?"

Casey had to resist the ingrained response and not snap off a salute while still at a wedding reception, especially when the man giving the order was on the phone. "Crystal, sir. And what is this team that you have mentioned, Mr. President?"

"Well, Colonel Casey. I was hoping that you would have some suggestions on that. We need for this to be kept ultra quiet. It appears that at least some of the people involved are in high level positions within the Washington bureaucracy. We don't know exactly the extent of the penetration of this group. I don't just want 'need to know', John, I want people who need to know and who you would trust with your own life. It has to be a small team, and elite. The best of the best."

Despite the fact that the man was a liberal Democrat, Casey already had a high level of respect for the new President. As the Commander in Chief, the man would have had Casey's loyalty regardless. But Bartlett was a good man, and was putting a tremendous amount of faith in Casey.

As they were speaking, Casey's eyes had roamed over the crowd, picking out a few faces as a plan started to come together in his head. "I've got an idea. Bartowski won't like it. We'll need the help of DCI Hewitt at the CIA and Director Rosenberg over at the DEA."

"If you don't think Bartowski is going to like it, I can't imagine it will go over well with her husband either," the President responded, adding a little moment of levity.

"Well, it's not like he wears the pants in that relationship anyway," Casey came back.

"You know, Colonel, despite all of your protests, I suspect that you actually respect our mutual friend. It is hard not to like Chuck. He's a good man."

"He may not like me after this, sir. His new bride was one of the best in the business. And she, along with two of her bridesmaid, made up a highly effective intelligence team a couple years ago. The CAT Squad. All three are here now."

"You mean to tell me that Sarah Walker was not only the Ice Queen, but part of the CATs?" The President said in amazement. "Ron gave be a briefing background on that team, but I don't think even he knew that she wore both of those hats. What a remarkable young woman."

"Too young for what she was called on to do," Casey mumbled.

"You and I agree on that, Colonel. Which is why former Director Graham quickly formed a 'long-standing' plan to retire once I was in office. Apparently in Langley, the time it takes to travel from an urgent White House meeting back to CIA headquarters qualifies as 'long-standing'."

"I'll get started right away, sir," Casey replied, ending the phone call.

Casey headed across the room to where Carina and Zondra were eyeing some of Awesome's fraternity brothers like they were prey. "The two of you will have to ruin those guys some other day. We've got a mission."

"Really, Casey?" Carina asked with an arched eyebrow. "Last time you couldn't handle me one on one. You want to invite Zondra to the party? You wouldn't survive the night." Zondra looked queasy at the idea.

"Not that type of mission, Miller," Casey growled. "Keep you skirt on. CAT squad mission, plus me."

"Aww," Carina complained, "I'm all dressed up and at a party-with an open bar!"

"Uh, Casey," Zondra joined in, "in case you've forgotten, I'm retired. No more missions."

"Rizzo, you know perfectly well that your discharge from the CIA contained a provision for recalling you to active duty. By order of the President less than a minute ago, you've been reinstated."

"Really, Casey? You expect us to believe that the President of the United States happened to speak to you during Chuck and Sarah's reception, and said that he's got a mission for you and Carina, and that I'm to be reinstated?" Zondra scoffed.

Casey just glared at her, his contempt for the waste of time clear. Rather than speak, he pulled out his Sat phone and activated the video conference feed. Almost immediately , the screen showed the familiar image of the Oval Office with President Bartlett seated behind the Resolute desk. "Ah, ladies. Colonel Casey had told me that he had a plan for this new threat. I would like to thank the two of you for assisting us. I know the two of you have done more service for this country than I know of –yet- but this could be one of the most important missions that you have undertaken. Thank you in advance for your duty."

Casey just smirked, turned on his heel and walked off.

Chuck practically collapsed into a chair at a table beside the ballroom dance floor, laughing as Sarah promptly sat down in his lap with a satisfied sigh. They had been dancing and mingling non-stop ever since the dinner followed by a pair of speeches. Awesome's mildly inappropriate best man speech was touching, but it was easily overshadowed by Ellie's maid of honor speech. She had started her speech with a couple of embarrassing anecdotes about her brother, but soon started talking about her "sister". Emma later recounted the absolute honesty and certainty in Ellie's words, as well as the words that were never spoken. While Ellie had piled on the compliments about Sarah's bravery, intelligence, compassion, caring, and (despite all of Sarah's frequent denials) humor, Ellie never referred to Sarah as her "sister-in-law". Sarah was her sister, her family.

The speeches had led to dancing, laughter and more dancing. Sarah could never remember being this happy, feeling this light and this loved. A glance at Chuck, with his beaming smile and eyes alight with joy showed that he was having just as great a time as she. But as Sarah's eyes began to track around the ballroom, her smile dimmed. Chuck, observant as ever when it came to Sarah, spoke up, "What is it? What's wrong?"

Sarah just shook her head, not speaking as her eyes tracked back around the ballroom, looking for something that she already knew wasn't there. Her spy sense told her that something was off. "I don't see Carina or Zondra. Casey too, for that matter. Something is up. Zondra wouldn't just leave without checking in, and Carina would never leave a party still filled with Devon's fraternity brothers."

Just as Sarah said this, a side door to the ballroom opened and Carina strutted in, wearing a skintight cocktail dress. Zondra was a few steps behind her, wearing a similar outfit, which made their bridesmaid dresses look practically like a nun's habit. Carina's smirk set off Sarah's spy sense again, and when Casey walked through the same door in a dark suit with a black tie, her suspicion was all but confirmed.

"I know that look," Sarah said with narrowed eyes. "You've got a mission. All of you."

"Yep," Carina replied with a smug grin. "It's a mini-CAT reunion, plus Casey."

"Hey," Chuck exclaimed. "CATs and Casey. Like C&C Music Factory, only with you three it would be more like C&C Mayhem Factory." His joke was met with four flat looks. "Man, tough crowd."

"What's the mission? Do you need me on the team?" Sarah asked, with a fluttering of anticipation and a huge dose of apprehension. Chuck's arm around her waist tightened slightly at her words, showing Chuck's apprehension over the answer as well.

"We've got this Walk—" Zondra's response was cut short by a growl from the bride that was so impressive that Casey's eyebrows rose in appreciation.

"That's Bartwoski. 'We've got this Bartowski.'" Sarah grumbled.

Zondra let out a wide smile at how far gone her friend truly was.

"You kids head off to your honeymoon. Just do whatever it is married couples do: crochet, cribbage, croquet," Carina responded with a derisive smirk.

"All C words, Carina," Chuck asked while grinning broadly. "You couldn't think of any starting with any other letter?"

"Hey, I'll have you know C is the best letter. Besides, there are other c words that married couples could also do. There is…"

"Thank you, Carina," Sarah cut in. "I don't think my new brother and sister need a vocabulary lesson from you."

"Don't worry, Walker," Zondra jumped in. "We'll leave some of the world for you to save when you get back. Plenty of fun for all to go around. You and Chuck take some time for the two of you. You both deserve it. We'll let you know where to find us when the honeymoon is over."

"Unless of course the two of you are in the family way," Casey sneered.

"Uh, Casey, I don't think a man can be 'in the family way,'" Chuck replied.

"Too bad there's no man in this relationship," Casey grinned.

"Oh, he's all man, John. Don't you worry about that," Sarah replied with a lascivious grin.

"Ugh," Casey groaned. "Come on CATs- not you Wa…Sarah- let's go before my trigger finger gets too itchy."

"She's gonna be pissed when she finds out about the mission," Zondra muttered as they headed out of the lobby of the Grand Ambassador and into a waiting black SUV with heavily tinted windows. "This is her family that is being threatened, after all."

"That's ok," Casey responded. "I've got a plan in place. I'm going to tell her that it was all Carina's idea."

"Wait," Carina said, snapping her head around towards the departing form of John Casey. "Casey! Don't even think it. I'll send everyone that photo!" She could see Casey's shoulder's bouncing with laughter as he walked out the ballroom door. She turned to Zondra, "Damn that man. Well, c'mon. Now that you are back in the spy game, it's time to go save the world."

"Again," Zondra grinned as she linked her arm with Carina's to head out after Casey.

A/N 2: Although we've come to the end of the road, still I can't let this story go…My apologies to both Boyz II Men and Peter Gabriel for the "sampling" of their lyrics. Three very good songs. Although, I had just finished the draft of Sarah's vows when I read Zettel's chapter in Chutes and Ladders with a brilliant quote from a 16th century Italian poet that put my misappropriation of Peter Gabriel's In Your Eyes lyrics to shame. A good chunk of Chuck's vows are additional Peter Gabriel lyrics, but sleep deprivation has made me totally blank on that name of the track.

Thank you to all who have read, but more importantly to all who have reviewed and sent PMs. I have read them all-and modified the story here and there to incorporate some great ideas that hadn't occurred to me in the original version. I haven't started work on the sequel (I know where I want to go, just haven't started work on getting there), so any suggestions are more than welcome.