The Leaving Song

Warning: Spoilers through 3X06, but goes AU after that.

Pairings: Blair/Chuck, slight Serena/Carter, Blair/Vanessa friendship (*mock gasp at B/V*)

Summary: "Burberry clashes with Salvation Army." She declares a temporary ceasefire with Vanessa Abrams and together they set-off to do Mission: Imposssible. Sometimes by helping others you help yourself. In this case she really doesn't care. She's doing it for Serena, and for a lack of things to do.

Author's Note: This fic was largely inspired by Lokiyan's "We're All Puppets." This is my second attempt at fanfic, and my first crack at a multi-chapter. I'm also currently without a beta, so be nice. :p

"Pick up the pace, Abrams," Blair spat, as she paused to look back at the flurry of dark curls bouncing haphazardly behind her. "Well...?" she asked incredulously as Vanessa set down her bags and stared pointedly back at her.

"I'm doing you a favor here, Blair. The least you can do is make nice," Vanessa sighed.

"Really. YOU'RE doing me a favor," Blair huffed, as she crossed her arms in front of her and smiled snidely. "Because if I remember correctly you were just as desperate to get out of NYU, and practically leaped out of your seat when I told you of my plan. Besides, was it just me, or did Humphrey and his C-list fling not even bother to throw you a going away party?"

"Well I didn't want to be a bother. I'm sure I'm not their favorite person at the moment, all thanks to you."

Blair set down her Burberry Haymarket suitcase and walked towards Vanessa, her eyes sparking with contained fury. "I didn't force you to do anything. You wanted the toast as much as I did and were all-too-willing to sell your friends out just to get it."

"You mean just like what you did with Chuck?" Vanessa shot back.

At the mention of his name, Blair's smile faltered. Contrary to what Lily had told her, Chuck apparently needed more than a day to lick his wounds.

"Yes," Blair quipped and paused for effect, as she waited for her indifferent expression to go back in place. "The difference between you and me, Vanessa, is I'm always willing to take responsibility for my actions, whereas you do discreetly sinister things and judge other people for doing the same. You've been playing the victim card since last year. It didn't work then and it won't work now."

Vanessa flinched at Blair's words and wanted to rebuff her, but at that moment she felt all out of fight. "Some truce this is."

"Look I owe you just as much as you owe me, which is nothing," Blair said, her tone softening. "We've both been placed in involuntary social exile; I for one just thought it'd be more productive if we put our time away to good use."

"You really think this will work?" Vanessa asked, biting her lip.

"Please. With my cunning wit and your...uh, amateur fancy for movies, we should be able to nail him in no time. Besides, I got last-minute intel from Carter before he set off for the Buckley oil rigs. This'll be easy." Blair said.

"Fine," Vanessa conceded. Can you at least help carry one of the camera bags? I can't run after you if I have all these things in tow."

"I'm sure NYU's prized documentarist can handle her own equipment," Blair said patronizingly, turning back to her luggage she left in the middle of the bustling airport. "Besides, Burberry clashes with Salvation Army," she added, looking back and wrinkling her nose at Vanessa's well-worn bags. "Now come on, we should be boarding soon."

"Yes, your majesty," Vanessa said under her breath as she balanced a backpack on her shoulders and followed Blair to their designated airport gate.

****************************************

Chuck fiddled with his phone and stared at Blair's number for the 20th time that day. She had called him, as she promised, after she assumed his made-up meeting had wrapped up, but he had let it go to voicemail, as with Blair's other calls for several succeeding days. It had been unbearable, spending almost a week in his suite without so much as the sight of her; but the memory of her treachery still ate at him. He's Chuck Bass, the youngest billionaire in the state, one of the most powerful men in Manhattan. Chuck-fucking-Bass, he schemes and manipulates as he pleases, and is never cast as the pawn. She had gone behind his back and played a game that undermined him; that undermined them. He was furious at her still, and yet didn't he once say he wasn't Chuck Bass without her?

A sudden knock on his door startled him out of his reverie, and he stood up, wiping his palms on his tweed pants. He couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of longing that it would be Blair on the other side of the door, coming up to him again and asking for forgiveness. But was he ready to talk? More importantly, was he ready to let the whole deal go?

He shook his thoughts out of his head and walked towards the door. On the way he spied Blair's sleeping mask which had lay unused on his nightstand for the last few days, and felt an all-too-familiar pang in his chest that had made it impossible for him to catch sleep at night. If it was in fact Blair who had knocked on his door, he would forgive her. He decided then that he would forgive her anything.

****************************************

Once the flight attendant checked Blair's ticket, she and Vanessa were waved to the first class cabin. "Wait, I didn't pay for this. I'm supposed to--"

"Can't you just let a good thing slide when you see it? Let's go." Blair said, pulling Vanessa towards the left side of the plane.

"No, my ticket blatantly says 27-F which is..."

"Coach. I know. And I don't fly coach. Luckily the airline was kind enough to upgrade us." Blair said, dramatically breathing a sigh of relief. "What?"

Vanessa stared back at her.

"Don't worry, It's free. Obviously I would've paid for first class myself if I could use my card. But if we plan to go incognito I can't let anyone trace me with my purchases." Blair explained.

"Okay Veronica, I think you're taking this whole mission thing a little too seriously," Vanessa said, trying to suppress a laugh.

Blair rolled her eyes. "I'm not following. Look. It's a rich people thing. Thankfully, unlike our flea market of a university, British Airlines knows to treat Waldorfs as they deserve. Now come on."

Vanessa shook her head incredulously as she followed Blair to the first-class cabin. She wondered briefly what her mom would think if she saw her walking into the first-class section with the Upper East Side's fallen queen. Somewhere behind them she thinks she hears the faint click of a camera phone but brushes the thought away.

****************************************

"It's you." Chuck said, feigning annoyance as he feels something in his chest deflate at the sight of his stepsister.

"I need a place to hide out. Everyone at the penthouse heard about Carter leaving and are trying too hard to be 'supportive'. Rufus tried to get me to talk out my feelings with him. It's ridiculous," Serena said, not waiting for an invitation to enter her stepbrother's suite.

"Someone should tell Rufus his new-age parenting only works in Brooklyn," Chuck remarked. "I take it the plan to save Carter didn't work out?"

"It did, actually. But he had the gall to refuse. Can you believe it? Carter told me he'd rather I hate him than pity him. God. Guys can be so...ugh!!! Why can't you just let us help?"

"I don't know. Ask Blair." Chuck found himself saying back, unable to censor his thoughts.

Serena looked up at him from his couch, her eyes turning sad. "Still have her on time-out?"

"You're insinuating that I'm giving my girlfriend some kind of...unjust punishment, when you know perfectly well what happened, and know just as well that she's in the wrong this time. I just took... a strategic retreat, as she once put it."

"Well it's at least good to know you still think of her as your girlfriend. Sometime during the week she seems to have started believing otherwise," Serena said, trying to get Chuck to ease up on her best friend.

"Look I don't need you to play middle man. Blair and I will be fine. I just need some space," Chuck said, only to find Serena raising her eyebrows in disbelief. "What? I'm not allowed to feel bad? She used me like she would her minions. I thought she regarded me better than that."

"Maybe you should stop thinking Blair's issues concern you." Serena said flatly.

"Maybe you should stop playing relationship expert." Chuck snapped back. "And while you're at it, stop giving me that look. I may not agree with Baizen on a lot of things, but he hit the nail on the head with your pity."

"What do I know, right? I'm just Blair's best friend." Serena huffed. "Look I came here to mope in peace, but you're bumming me out more than I'd like. I think I'll go find Dan instead."

"Well I do apologize for not being the bright ray of sunshine you needed," Chuck bit out, as he watched Serena gather her things and march towards his door.

"For the record, Blair's forgiven you so many worse things in the past. Consider yourself lucky that she doesn't keep tabs on such things like I do," Serena said, as she slammed the door behind her, leaving Chuck to go back to his post and resume his previous activity of staring at his phone. Remembering Serena's words, he let out a sigh and pressed '1' on his speed dial.

****************************************

Vanessa leaned back in her seat as she listened to an automated voice run through flight safety procedures. Blair had already tilted her seat, put on her shades, cocooned herself in a vintage Hermes wrap and looked poised to sleep throughout the flight. Vanessa, meanwhile, brought out her iPod and scanned for a mood-appropriate playlist to listen to. She was about to push her chair down to a more comfortable position when she felt buzzing on the floor.

"Blair," Vanessa said, lightly shaking the girl beside her. "Blair, I think you have a call."

Blair slowly sat up and suppressed a yawn as she reached languidly for the phone in her purse. Checking the display, her eyes widened and she let out a soft gasp. A split second later, she ended the call and proceeded to switch her phone off.

"Wrong number," Blair said in a small voice, avoiding Vanessa's gaze as she slid back in her seat. Vanessa nodded curtly, not bothering to tell Blair that she saw Chuck's name flashing on her phone shortly before Blair pressed "end."

Author's Note: Thoughts?