This is my contribution to Chairversary! Cannot believe it's been a year since the series finale of the "greatest show of our time"! I still miss it and our amazing endgame couple Chuck and Blair Bass. I'm leaving this fic open because I think I will continue to add other anniversary years to it. Of course being a traditionalist I will start with the first one. Thanks as always for supporting my work. I hope you've enjoyed my endeavors of keeping this world alive in some way. Enjoy!
Year One: Paper
Blair Waldorf Bass had so much to be thankful for as she reflected on the past year. She had married the most incredible, loyal, loving man in the world. She knew that not everyone was as lucky as her. She knew that some people searched their whole lives and never found a sliver of what she and Chuck had together. She knew from personal experience that love could go very wrong but in her heart she knew that, at last, she had gotten it very right. She also knew that she had married her soul mate; the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with. How lucky was she?
This past year had also been one of highs in both their careers. Chuck was back as head of Bass Industries, where he belonged, making incredible progress and she was finally hitting her stride at Waldorf Designs. For the first time since she took over for her mother she felt like she was getting it right. Her latest hire of Jenny Humphrey as head designer was a major boom for the line. They had garnered a ton of press and she was looking forward to Jenny's debut with the Fall/Winter 2014 line.
Those things alone would be more blessings than most people deserved but they had gotten an extra and most incredible gift back in early November when she had discovered that she was pregnant. A child of his own was all Chuck had ever wanted and she was only too happy to give it to him. She was eleven weeks into her pregnancy and feeling wonderful. She hardly had any morning sickness and everything was progressing as it should be.
The only complaint she had at all was the fact that they were still in her childhood home. While she loved and adored her mother's Fifth Avenue penthouse she really wanted something that was completely hers and Chuck's.
If she were being honest with herself she knew the real reason they still hadn't moved was in a large part due to her long list of demands for a home of their own. Chuck had shown her no less than fifteen available properties and she had found fault with every one of them; well all but one.
There had been a gorgeous prewar townhouse on Seventy-Third between Park and Lexington and it was perfect. It was everything Blair wanted and more. From the moment she had seen it she knew it was their home. She could see building their lives there. She could envision a brown haired, brown eyed little boy (yes she was hoping she was having a boy) running through the halls laughing. She could see her and Chuck curled up in front of the fire discussing their days. She knew in her heart it was the right place for them.
They had made a cash offer above asking price with a thirty day close; basically every sellers dream. Blair had all but started to pack when Chuck delivered the bad news that the sellers had backed out. They had decided not to sell and stay in the house instead. They were clearly more attached to it than Chuck and Blair had known. Blair had been devastated, so much so that she had actually cried. Chuck had flown them to Fiji for a long weekend to help her recover and went back to doubling his efforts in finding another place just as wonderful as that one had been.
Now, three weeks into December, Blair was losing hope. More than anything she wanted to bring their baby home to their new house and not her mother's place. She knew she had to let go of the idea of that gorgeous townhouse and be prepared to make concessions. Unfortunately settling was not in Blair's blood.
She glanced around her bedroom realizing just how much they had outgrown this space. Chuck had to use Serena's old room as his closet since there was absolutely no space in hers. The bathroom counter was spilling over with their combined toiletries. Leave it to her to marry a man who was into clothes and proper grooming as much as she was. She smiled because she knew she wouldn't want any other type of man.
"What are you smiling at?" Her husband of one year strutted into the room the way only he could.
Her smile grew as he wrapped his arms around her waist kissing her softly. "I was just thinking how much more space I would have if I had married a man with less interest in fashion."
He kissed her one more time. "Please, if I walked out of here tonight not matching you perfectly you'd have a fit."
She shrugged. "Maybe."
"You know it's true." He rested a hand on her barely there stomach. She had just started to show the tiniest of bumps that no one but them had noticed. Chuck realized it two nights ago while placing kisses along her body. She had tried to push him away, old habits died hard, but he'd have none of it. He kissed a trail over the bulge and down to even better places. Ever since then he was in the habit of touching her stomach constantly.
"How are you feeling? You're not too tired for dinner are you?" They were having a celebratory dinner with the family at The Four Seasons before a night alone at the Palace. He stared at her with eyes full of concern. He was an incredibly attentive husband and father-to-be.
She shook her head. "I feel great. This pregnancy is so different from my first. I've hardly been sick and I'm not completely exhausted all the time."
He reached out squeezing her hand before smiling. "Bass babies obviously agree with you." He stepped away from her loosening his tie.
Blair stared at his back. She knew it bothered him somewhat that this pregnancy wasn't her first and that she had experienced this with someone else before him. She felt tears well up in her eyes as she stepped over to him wrapping her arms around his waist from behind and resting her head against his back.
She inhaled his familiar scent as she squeezed him a bit tighter. "I'm sorry. I wanted that baby to be yours so badly."
He caressed her fingers laced against his stomach. "I did too," he whispered.
She closed her eyes rubbing her cheek against the starched cotton of his custom made dress shirt. She sniffled fighting back tears and then lifted her head placing a kiss against his back.
He pulled out of her grasp turning back around to face her. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. "We can't change the past. The main thing is we're together now and happy. All the other stuff doesn't matter. I love you, Blair."
She pulled back slightly to look up at him. "I love you, too. So much."
"No more tears." He wiped away the single tear that had fallen down her cheek. "Tonight is about being happy." He leaned down and captured her mouth in a passionate kiss that left her breathless when he ended it.
"I couldn't be any happier if I tried." Her hands had reached between them as she started to unbutton his shirt.
He smirked down at her removing her hands from his body. "As much as I would love to throw you back on that bed and fuck you senseless we need to get ready or we'll be late. He kissed her one last time and headed towards the bathroom. "Besides waiting will make it all that much better tonight."
Blair pouted, "Since when do you deny me anything, Chuck Bass?"
"Round about the time I gained Eleanor Waldorf as a mother-in-law. She'll have my head if we're even a minute late." He disappeared into the bathroom.
Blair sighed and headed towards her closet. She knew there was no persuading him. He always followed her mother's instructions to the letter. He was the perfect son-in-law in Eleanor's eyes and he was going to do everything possible to make sure it stayed that way and she was okay with that.
Dinner had been wonderful. The meal was perfection and the champagne and toasts were heartwarming. But as fantastic as it all was they were beyond relieved when they had at last shut and locked the door of their suite at the Palace.
Chuck started kissing her immediately. He had watched her all night; smiling, laughing and glowing with joy. Nothing was sexier to him than a happy Blair. He had to literally refrain himself from excusing them from the table so he could take her into the bathroom and make love to her. So needless to say at this point he had no patience left.
He was unzipping her dress when she pulled her lips from his. "Wait, I want to give you my present first."
Chuck shook his head. "The only present I need is you naked and my dick buried deep inside your wet cunt."
She gasped. "Chuck, that's disgusting."
He finished unzipping her dress pushing it from her shoulders. "Yes it is and you love it."
She had to admit he was right. Dirty talk was something she enjoyed probably a bit too much.
He bent forward and scooped her up into his arms taking her to the bed. He laid her back onto the turned down mattress and kissed her once before standing up and removing his jacket and tie.
She watched as he tossed the articles of clothing aside moving onto his dress shirt. She kicked off her heels and sat up reaching around to unhook her lace bra.
He didn't take his eyes from her as she tossed it aside. Her breasts were much fuller these days and he loved it. When she reached around to remove her necklace he stopped her.
"Leave it on. All of it." He had gifted her with a suite of diamond jewelry right before they had left for dinner.
She smiled as she did as he asked and reached down removing her thong tossing it aside. She lay back onto the bed and watched him as he hurriedly undressed.
When he was naked he stared down at her taking in the pink flush of her skin, the chocolate curls fanned out beneath her and the glittering diamonds at her throat, ears and wrist. She literally made his heart skip a beat. What did he do to ever deserve such an amazing woman?
She reached up with her diamond encrusted arm spreading her legs wide. "Chuck," she whispered.
It was all she had to say and he was burying himself between her thighs as she wrapped her arms around him kissing him passionately.
An hour and half and multiple orgasms later and they were completely spent. Blair was resting her head on Chuck's chest listening to his beating heart. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was labored.
Chuck watched her feeling more love than he ever imagined he could feel in his whole life. He felt complete awe when he thought about his child growing inside her. Never in a million years did he ever think he would have a family of his own. It was something he always wanted but he had reconciled himself to believing that he'd probably never have it. Now it was all within his grasp and it was all because of her; his beautiful, intelligent, amazing wife.
He reached out and tucked a damp curl behind her ear. "Hey, do you want your present?"
She opened her eyes and raised her head smiling up at him. "There's more?" She touched the necklace resting against her throat.
He leaned down and kissed her. "Yes. Diamonds, while beautiful, are not very traditional. Paper is the proper gift I believe."
She pushed herself up into a sitting position resting her back against the headboard and pulling up the sheet to cover her naked body. She tucked it under her arms and ran a hand through her tangled hair trying to tame it.
Chuck got up pulling his pants back on and crossed to his overnight bag pulling out a long rectangular box beautifully wrapped.
"Can you grab mine from my bag?" she asked.
He went to her bag pulling out a heavy box. "Dear Lord, what is in here?"
She beamed at him. "The most perfect present for my most perfect husband."
He crossed back to the bed sitting down on the edge. He handed her his package. "Open it."
She shook her head. "You've already given me one so you should go first."
He decided not to argue and ripped the ribbon and paper from the box. He carefully lifted the lid and set it aside. Slowly he pushed back delicate tissue paper to find a copy of James Joyce's Ulysses. This novel by far was his absolute favorite. He could tell immediately that this was an old copy. He carefully opened the cover and soon learned that not only was it old but it was a first edition signed by the author himself.
He looked up at Blair knowing what she had probably paid for it let alone how hard it had to have been to find. "This is an unbelievable present Blair; truly one of a kind."
She shrugged. "Not quite. More like one of four."
He leaned forward kissing her. "Thank you. I'll treasure it forever." He put the lid back onto the box placing it carefully on the bedside table. "Now you."
Blair, unlike Chuck, carefully removed the ribbon and paper from her box. It literally came off as one complete piece. She handed it to him and he tossed it to the floor. She took the lid off the box looking inside at what looked like a contract of some kind. She lifted it out of the box and unfolded it.
Chuck watched as her face went from confusion to understanding. When she gasped and clutched her necklace he knew she had realized what she was holding.
Her eyes met Chuck's. "Is this real?" She was having a hard time breathing.
He laughed softly. "The notary's seal at the bottom says it is."
She was holding in her hands the deed to the townhouse on Seventy-Third; their house. "How did this happen? I thought they had decided to stay?" She was starting to shake a little still in shock.
"I negotiated terms they couldn't resist."
She glanced back down at the deed but couldn't even make sense of what she was reading. "What were the terms?" She looked back up at him.
"I offered them double the asking price, all cash, fourteen day close. I also threw in a moving company and storage facilities as well as six months' rent while they find a place." He reached out taking the deed from her.
She burst into tears covering her face with her hands. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed. Chuck was shocked. He wasn't expecting this kind of reaction. He figured disbelief followed by complete bliss but not tears.
"Hey," he crawled over her settling next to her and pulling her into his arms. She buried her face against his neck. He could feel the dampness of her tears. He rubbed her bare back. "Blair, what's wrong?" He was starting to worry.
She lifted her head wiping at her cheeks. "I'm so happy it hurts. I don't deserve you. I don't deserve so much happiness."
He wiped his thumb across her cheek pushing aside a stray tear. "Are you kidding me? You deserve so much more than some townhouse. I would give you the world if I could and it still wouldn't be enough. You're giving me a child and a home." She started to protest and he stopped her. "I'm not talking about a physical building. I'm talking about a place that is safe, loving and full of light; a place where I will always belong. I can never repay you that."
She pressed her lips against him wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you," she whispered.
"I love you so much more." He placed a kiss to her shoulder.
She hugged him tightly before pulling back. Now that the magnitude of the present was settling in there were a million things running through her head. "When is it officially ours?"
"Two days ago."
The smile that spread across her face was huge. "Can we go there and see it?"
He looked at her questioningly. "Like now?"
She nodded as she started to leave the nice warm bed. "Yes, I want to see it again." She walked over to her bag and started pulling out clothes.
Chuck watched her speechless as she headed into the bathroom with her clothes and toiletry bag. He shook his head as he got out of the bed and went to get dressed himself. He realized this was how it was going to be married to Blair Waldorf Bass. When she wanted something, she wanted it yesterday. He was only too happy to go with it.
He realized those words he had said to her a year ago about life with her never being boring were just as true today as they were then. Their life was anything but boring and he loved it and wouldn't want it any other way.