Chuck straightened his bow tie as he performed one of his many daily mirror checks. His father's signature straight red tie lie discarded on the floor. Who was Chuck kidding? He wasn't Bart Bass; he couldn't pull off the straight laced image of the respectable and reliable business tycoon. He was something more than that. He was Chuck Bass. No morals, no ethics, no decency. This was something Uncle Jack was going to learn the hard way. He couldn't screw Chuck and get away with it. No one could. As Chuck glanced in the mirror his eye was caught by the brilliant fuchsia roses which still lie untouched on his bed side cabinet, his mind raced back to the night before;

"...I'm sorry" he whispered as he stretched the small bouquet out to her, "...I screwed up."

Blair took the flowers in a robotic manner, barley looking at him as she did so. Chuck could feel her struggle.

Finally she spoke; "It's too late, Chuck. I've stood by you through all of this, but I can't watch you self-destruct anymore." Chuck what was left of his heart sink, she was finished. Blair reached and pressed the elevator button, signalling to Chuck they were done.

Chuck thought quickly, he had to fight for her. She was all he had left. "Jack set me up!" he pleaded as he pushed the elevator door back as it began to close in on him.

"You have no one to blame but yourself." Blair said truthfully. Chuck said nothing, he couldn't argue against her. He had screwed up royally and thrown it all back in her face. "I believed in you," she continued. "Your father believed in you...You were the only one that didn't."

Chuck still said nothing. But Blair couldn't stop; this was her chance to say it all, to finally stop playing these stupid games...to tell him what he had lost.

"All I wanted to do…was just….be there..." she said softly as Chuck watched her. "But today when you called me your wife...you made it sound like the ugliest word in the world."

Chuck looked away, he couldn't take anymore. He had broken her completely and all he wanted to do was make it right but he didn't know how. He never had. He wanted to tell her how truly sorry and stupid he was, how much he needed her, wanted her...loved her. But he didn't. He merely pleaded for one more chance;

"Blair…please..."

But Blair could take no more "I'm sorry," she said weakly. "…but I'm done."

Slowly he turned and walked to his rejected flowers, he fingered the pink petals gently. He knew they were worthless now, Blair had literally thrown them back in his face but he could not bring himself to throw them away. The petals had already began to grow stiff as the flowers died slowly beside him, quite a fitting image to his and Blair's train wreck of a relationship. He would keep them as a reminder, a reminder of what he had lost...and what he intended to get back. First he would settle the score with Jack, show Blair she was right to believe in him and then he would make it right. No flowers or weak apologies, he would make it right the only way Blair Waldorf would listen to...he would prove her the hell wrong.

The events of the previous night were also running through Blair's mind at the Waldorf penthouse. 'Selfish bastard' Blair thought to herself, 'like flowers would be enough...nothing he could do would ever be enough'. Last night had finally made her see; Chuck was Chuck and would always be so. Part of that was what attracted her to him, but as time went on and she watched him fall deeper and deeper she knew it was pointless. He didn't love her, he never had because he had never known how to and she had been kidding herself thinking that one day eventually the games would stop and he would see her there where she'd always been, waiting for him. Part of her wasn't even angry, part of her even found it comical that she had really believed he would change, that he would be with her, that she would one day be his wife...his wife. God he had made the very possibility sound so disgusting. But she had to thank him really (not that she ever would of course) but Chuck's most recent and final meltdown had given Blair Waldorf the wakeup call she had needed, she would no longer waste her time chasing Bass around town like some love sick teenager. She needed to focus on her future and that meant Yale.

Tomorrow Blair had a lunch with some of the Upper East Side's Yale alumni hoping it would help her get her foot in the door to the most exclusive of all the Ivy Sororities. For such an event she needed to look even more fabulous than usual, she opened her closet and perused her wide array of designer outfits but nothing seemed right. She shoved a few dresses down the rack and stopped at one dress. The crimson dress she had worn to the Bass-Van der Woodsen's housewarming months ago, the dress Chuck had brought her. Blair took a deep breath and practically ripped the dress off its hanger tossing it to the floor. She loved it and it looked amazing on her, that's why he'd brought it but it had to go. It all had to go, everything that he'd given her or made her think of him. Blair quickly dashed around grabbing photographs, CDs, anything that had the possible Chuck Bass connection. Thankfully Blair wasn't too much of a sentimental girl, she didn't have an old shoebox with 'Chuck' written on it in glitter but she had kept some things...important things.

Slowly she walked over to her dresser and opened the bottom drawer and grabbed the contents. It only contained three items. The slip she had worn that night at Victrola, their first night. Second was a square black box with the necklace he had given her for her seventeenth birthday. And the third was just a piece of material, just a red white and blue chequered scarf. Blair could throw away the slip, she never wore it had merely kept it as a memento, she could give the necklace back even though she loved it but the scarf...gently she raised it to her face and breathed in the scent of him. A mixture of scotch, cigarettes and aftershave, it was intoxicating. Blair quickly shot up and threw all three things into the box with everything else. It all had to go...even the scarf.

"Would you like to leave a message for Mr. Bass?" The Palace concierge asked snidely.

"No. Look I don't want to leave a message or wait till he gets back all I want is to leave this," Blair said rattling the box on the reception desk. "For him okay? God why is that so hard to understand."

The concierge smiled politely, "Yes but who shall I say left it here?"

"No one." Blair insisted. "He'll know."

The concierge rifled through the box and lifted out the slip, "Hmm well I'm sure your very memorable miss."

"Excuse me?" Blair said outraged, "How dare you..."

"Is there a problem here?" a familiar voice called behind her.

'Great, that's all I need' Blair thought as she turned around. "Well there wasn't until you arrived." She said nastily. "Go away Jack."

"That's not very friendly now is it Blair?" Jack said teasingly. "So what do we owe the pleasure of your sparkling presence in my hotel?"

"Your hotel?" Blair scoffed.

"Yes." Jack said simply. "After Chuck's little performance yesterday the board thought it was better for Bass Industries for me to take over. Chuck not being the most reliable and faithful of individuals." Jack said as he eyed the contents of the box smirking. "I'm sure you understand that better than anyone."

"Nice Jack." Blair said turning to leave but Jack grabbed her by the arm.

"Have a drink with me?" he asked.

Blair scoffed, "You can't be serious?"

"Why not?"

"A hundred million reasons." She said cruelly.

"I don't think that's true, I think there's only one reason..." Jack said quietly moving closer to her. "Chuck."

"Think what you want, if you can't deal with the damage me rejecting you does to your ego." Blair snapped before turning away.

Jack merely laughed, "I can't work out if I think it's sweet or pathetic."

Blair turned back, "And what's that?"

"That no matter what he does to you you'll always be there...like you said up on the roof. Actually it's pathetically sweet." Jack said mockingly.

Blair wanted to slap him across his smug face but he was right. It was pathetic.

"One drink." She said.

Jack grinned at her, "After you." He said pointing the way to the Palace bar.

Many many drinks later and Blair was still in the Palace bar. One martini didn't really seem to numb her enough from all that had happened lately and Jack was quite happy to keep them coming.

"Such a fool." Jack muttered as the waiter brought over yet another tray of drinks to their table.

"What are you mumbling about?" Blair asked draining her glass before moving onto the fresh one.

"My nephew." Jack said leaning closer to Blair. "He's a fool. I wouldn't walk away from you so easily."

Blair sniggered, "You wouldn't have the chance. Besides he didn't walk away I told him to leave."

Jack nodded, "same difference. Either way he wasn't going to stick around for long, monogamy isn't part of the Bass DNA."

"I wasn't asking him to be Mr. Perfect..." Blair slurred. "Just not Mr. Basstard."

Jack laughed, "Very clever. It's probably better this way anyways." He said sipping his scotch.

"And how do you figure that one out?" Blair asked.

"He would only have ruined you, brought you down to his level. I mean look at his behaviour yesterday at the brunch we threw..." Jack said.

"I threw!" Blair snapped.

"Correction, the brunch you threw. He was out of control."

"He said you set him up." Blair said. "Did you?"

Jack grinned, "Does it matter?"

"I suppose not." Blair slurred again. "Like you said he was on self-destruct, whatever you did you only just helped him along."

"You deserve better Blair." Jack said earnestly.

"So I've been told." She said hiccoughing slightly.

"What?" Jack asked as he waved the waiter over for more drinks.

"Oh nothing it's just when Chuck went M.I.A after the funeral in the note he left he wrote that he was sorry and I deserved better." She stammered before emptying another glass.

"You do."

Blair shook her head, "I'm so tired of talking about Chuck. All I've done for the past few weeks is talk, think and worry about Chuck Bass! And what have I got in return? A bunch of pink roses and an attempted suicide...not the stuff of great romance really."

"Well maybe it's time you forgot about Chuck for good..." Jack said moving even closer to Blair who responded with a look of disgust.

"Maybe it is but I'm not going to swap the whore loving drug filled teenager for the creepy uncle who hangs out at school parties." She said sarcastically. "There's no point in trading down."

But Jack only laughed at her comment, "I love that mouth of yours. And as I seem to recall you were so choosy on New Year's."

"That never happened." Blair protested.

"You can pretend all you want sweetheart but it did..." he whispered sliding his hand up her thigh. "...and you loved it."

"Eurgh!" she said pushing him away. "You're revolting. I was drunk out of my mind and devastated about Chuck; I had no idea where he was or if he was ok. I poured my heart out to you and you took advantage."

"Don't tell me your one of those tease girls who plays it up at the time but later just blames the guy?" Jack said.

Blair shook her head, "No I didn't mean you...all I'm saying that is you knew I wasn't in a good place and it would never have happened otherwise." She said firmly. "And it will never happen again."

She said before getting up and walking away. She wished she hadn't had so much to drink otherwise she would do a much more indignant strut out of the Palace rather than what looked like a bad impression of Bambi learning to walk as Blair struggle to stay upright. As she made her way into the lobby she heard Jack calling her name behind her.

"Blair wait..." he yelled grabbing her by the arm again. "You can't deny there's something between us."

"There will be soon, a restraining order if you don't let go of me." She yelled wriggling her arm free.

"You might not feel anything for me but imagine what it would do to Chuck if he knew about you and me..." Jack whispered.

"I don't want to hurt Chuck." She said honestly.

"Even after everything he's done to you?" jack asked.

Blair thought about it, she thought about everything Chuck had been through lately, she knew he'd lost everything. But he still had her, he just couldn't see it or didn't want to, either way it was Chuck who pushed Blair away. Then she thought about before Bart died, when Chuck wouldn't say he loved her at the White Party or up on the roof because he didn't want to go first, about how he'd tried to ruin her relationship with Marcus and destroy her friendship with Serena. And last year when he ruined Cotillion, told gossipgirl about them and abandoned her in Tuscany. She had stood by him through all of that, forgiven him for every time he had let her down and hurt her. Blair was suddenly filled with all the anger she'd been pushing aside because she'd been feeling too upset. Now she was filled with that old familiar desire for revenge, to hurt Chuck like he had hurt her.

It was as if Jack could read her thoughts about what she wanted slowly he lent down and kissed her. Blair responded instantly and returned the kiss, Jack only broke away to drag Blair over to the elevator. Once inside they returned to their embrace, Jack wasn't a good a kisser as Chuck, no one had been but he wasn't bad. Blair didn't really care, this wasn't about Jack and they both knew it. He wanted her, but she just wanted to feel...anything. They arrived onto Jack's floor; his suite was a few floors up from Chuck's. They stumbled into the suite still connected by increasingly passionate series of kisses.

"Well Uncle Jack I've been waiting for..." a voice from across the suite began but stopped dead mid sentence.

Blair immediately jumped away from Jack as she heard Chuck's voice fill the room around them. She desperately wanted to do anything but look at him but she couldn't help herself. Slowly she raised her head and their eyes met. Chuck's brown eyes although filled with tears they were not tears of sadness but rage. Suddenly Chuck flew across the room launching himself at Jack attacking him with a series of wild punches.

"You SON OF A BICTH!!!!" he roared.

"Chuck!" Blair screeched.

"Get the hell off of me!" Jack murmured as Chuck wrestled him to the ground.

"You've already taken everything else from me!" Chuck yelled. "You can't take Blair as well!"

"Chuck stop!" Blair pleaded as she tried in vain to pull Chuck off Jack. "Please...nothing happened..." She whispered, tears streaming down her face.

Chuck got off Jack turning his back on him.

"Not tonight anyways..." Jack murmured rising to his feet.

"What did you say?" Chuck yelled pinning Jack to the wall.

Jack sniggered, "Why don't you ask your girl about New Years Eve...when you were away..."

"You're lying." Chuck said.

"Ask her." Jack protested, pushing Chuck backwards.

Chuck turned to Blair, who was looking away from him.

"Blair..." he stammered walking towards her. "Blair look at me..."

But she continued to stare the other direction.

"LOOK AT ME!" He yelled grabbing her cheek forcing her to meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry..." she said in the softest whisper before turning away from him again. A second later Chuck was gone, he ran out the door without a word or look to either of you.

"Blair..." Jack began.

"Don't!" She yelled. "Just don't!" before running out after Chuck.

He was almost at the elevator but she caught him.

"Chuck wait!" she yelled grabbing his arm as he smashed his hand against the button. "Please..." she begged through the tears which glazed her face.

"Get away from me Blair." He said coldly not looking at her.

"No." She said firmly. "You have to let me explain."

"Don't worry I understand fully."

"Chuck please..."

Chuck laughed, "You know you said that when I called you my wife yesterday I made it sound like the ugliest word in the world? Well you were right Waldorf; it would be the ugliest thing in the world to have a whore for a wife."

"It was a mistake. A horrible drunken mistake which I wish to god I could take back but I can't!" she yelled. "You weren't here and..."

"What so this is my fault? I was struggling to deal with the death of my father and you thought the best way to help me was to spread your legs for my uncle?" Chuck shouted back.

"You weren't here and I had no idea where you were or if you were ever coming back! I was in a bad place and Jack..."

"Don't say his name to me!" Chuck spat.

"...was just there. I just needed to feel something...anything. But it meant nothing Chuck." She stammered.

"Well too bad you threw this away for nothing." Chuck said pushing the button one more time. The doors opened and he stepped inside.

Blair pushed the doors apart, "Throw what away Chuck? What you and I have? Because as far as I remember before you left you told me I wasn't your girlfriend and that you didn't love me. Then you disappear for weeks leaving a note behind and when you do eventually come back I catch you with a couple of sluts in your office. So yes it's a real big loss for me."

Chuck stepped out of the elevator, "You knew how I felt about you..."

"How did I know? All I knew was that one day maybe in the future you might figure out a way to be with me and for some unknown reason to me I thought that was enough. I was willing to wait for you, for that day when you could finally say it..." Blair said unable to hold back the tears any longer. "...I thought that after that day up on the roof, I thought you could finally see..."

"See what?" he asked.

"Me." She whispered.

"You were the one who said you were done." Chuck said softly. "I came to you, and you said it was over."

"I couldn't wait anymore...if you had come to me last night and just..." she cried. "...just showed me, just me not the world. I don't need to be my boyfriend or hold my hand in the street but when it's just you and me...Chuck and Blair even then you can't say it." The tears were falling hard across her face. "I don't expect you to forgive me for what I did, I made a terrible mistake that I can't take back and I know I hurt you...but you hurt me so many times Chuck..."

"Blair..." Chuck stammered.

"So yeah you're right...I'm done." Blair said before pushing past Chuck into the elevator.

Blair went outside and felt the cold night air against her wet face, there were plenty of cabs around but she wanted to walk home, to take her time because she knew once she got home it would be over for good. There was no going back now. She walked for ages, taking needless detours just to postpone the heartache. All she could think of was Chuck's face, she thought she wanted to hurt him but she was wrong all she wanted to do was be with him, keep him from hurt. Finally the weather had turned so bitter Blair couldn't put it off any longer. She arrived back at the penthouse and threw her purse on the table in the hall, the apartment felt drafty. Blair looked up and saw the balcony door open, blowing cold air into the living room.

"Dorota..." she cursed as she went over to shut them.

But outside on the balcony was the shadow of a man, he was holding something. Blair stepped out onto the terrace.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered.

"I needed to see you." Chuck said looking out onto the New York night sky.

Blair moved closer, unsure of what was going on.

"Over the past year we've both done some awful things, mostly to each other..." Chuck said. "But no matter how horrible or hurtful we always find a way back to each other. But this...you and Jack, it changes things..."

"Chuck I..."

"I have lost everything in the world that ever meant anything to me." He said turning to her. "I can't lose you Blair."

"What?" she said dumbstruck. "But you said this changed things..."

"It has. No more games Waldorf..." He said pulling her close to him. He took a deep breath. "This is it, the worst thing you've ever done, the darkest thought you've ever had. I will stand by you through anything." He said taking her words from the day of the funeral.

Blair smiled at him, and said his line from that day, "And why would you do that?"

Chuck pulled Blair even closer, so their faces were inches from each other, "Because...I love you."

Slowly he pulled her face to his and their lips met, Blair felt her entire body relax in his arms. she felt home. But as relaxed and happy as she felt she was shaking in the freezing night air.

"Blair your shivering." Chuck said pulling her close. "Here take this." He said handed her the scarf she had given back to him that very afternoon. "Its always been yours anyways."