"Wait Blair, hold on" Chuck followed her through the train station and down the steps, she made no attempt to stop and he wasn't even sure she had heard him but he wasn't healed yet and he there was no way he was going to catch Blair unless she wanted him to.

"Please Blair just stop for one second!" She kept moving through the crowds, her beauty and glamorous attire attracting plenty of attention from locals and she was even photographed by a few tourists, she'd love that chuck thought affectionately, but he just wished she'd stop. Or slow down, give a cripple a chance at least. There was so much more to be said. That wasn't enough up there on the bridge, she had said she wasn't broken but of course he knew that, Blair was the strongest person he had ever met. That was part of the reason he loved her, one of the reasons he could never stop loving her, never stop needing her or relying on her to be there for him. She was his rock. And as much as he dropped her off cliffs or smashed her with a hammer, there she was; tough as ever, whole. There was so much he wanted to say to her though, he needed her to understand. To hear how her saying she didn't love him anymore had broken something inside him he hadn't even known he had anymore, hope of a future. He needed her to know that he simply can't go on with no hope of getting her back, it's not his world without them together, seeing her at the occasional social event just isn't enough. It will never be enough.

As he exited through the stone arches of Paris' main station he caught a glimpse of her red gown being swept up into the back of a taxi with Serena following and he knew he was too late, he would have to wait until they saw each other on the Upper East Side. He knew it would be harder there though, the freedom and relax of a holiday in this most romantic of cities gone, home reality sinking in. Walls will go back up. He grabbed his phone from his pocket and began dialling the oh-to-familiar number of his lawyer back in America when he was interrupted by a voice behind him.

"Henry"

He spun round, realising quickly that he had forgotten about poor Eva, probably pushed straight past her trying to follow Blair.

"Henry I've been calling your name, what's wrong you're white! Do you feel ok would you like to sit, I'll go fetch some water"

Chuck grasped at her elbow as she turned, spinning her back round to face him.

"I'm fine. Don't worry so much. You're beautiful you shouldn't frown so" He stroked a line across her cheek and then moved a strand of hair falling down as she blushed and bowed her head.

"Don't" was all she said as she pushed his hand away and took a step back. As she slowly lifted her eyes to his, he knew that she had seen them. Had seen the connection between them. "I saw the girl you were talking to before, she is very beautiful, who is she?" A tiny smile passed over Chuck Bass' lips at this, Blair would be horrified to find that someone did not know who she is, especially someone close to him. He opened his mouth slightly to explain before realising that describing Blair Waldorf is no easy feat. And explaining his relationship with her, that would be even harder. So instead he simply put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close and placing a gentle kiss on her hair "Let's just go home tonight, we'll work everything out tomorrow" and with that he put his arm out hailing a passing taxi.

As he followed her into the cab he was surprised to find himself pleased at the thought of going back to New York, he hadn't realised till now quite how much he missed his old life, wrapped up in the arms of darling Eva and dreams of escaping his demons, he had deluded himself into forgetting the important things. The Empire was waiting for him, and he doesn't just mean the hotel.

People. Chuck Bass is back.