Season 2, episode 13. Blair tells Chuck she loves him for the first time. The first line's from A Lack of Colour by Death Cab for Cutie. If you like it, review! I need to justify the fact I did this instead of studying to myself..
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And when I see you, I really see you upside down. But at least he could see her. The real her.
He always knew who she'd become. She'd be that girl. Blair Waldorf. Not a mere princess, but a Queen. Perfect.
One could dismiss his revelation as obvious, expected. Smart. Beautiful. Rich. Obvious. But his reasons, no, they weren't the same. He couldn't argue the superficialities; the brains; the beauty; the bank account. But he could see the culmination of these and so, so much more. The power. The drive. The survival. The mask and everything that lay beneath it. She was him. And he saw that. He saw her.
Chuck Bass was an honest man. Not in the most conventional sense, but honest all the same. He saw the truth. He called people out on it, forced it out of the shadows and into the spotlight. His methods might leave something to be desired - morally and ethically - but this was the Upper East Side. Sure, they could call him self absorbed and egotistical. They'd almost be right. But more than anything, more than self absorbed and egotistical, he was observant. He saw the reality in a world of polished, shiny exteriors. He saw the diversions, scandals, cover ups and poorly disguised truths.
That mask of hers, it didn't stand a chance.
She smiled. The world saw the perfect teeth, the innocent dimples and raised cheeks. The world saw what it was meant to see. The world saw the mask.
She smiled. He saw that it didn't reach her eyes, where the hurt glistened and then was blinked away. He saw her. A mask doesn't hide your eyes.
She laughed. The world heard joy, amusement, victory. The world heard what it was meant to hear. The world heard the projections of the mask.
She laughed. He heard the delay, the preparation, the valiant attempt at authenticity, but the failure. He heard what she felt, and how it fell short of what she was trying to feel. A mask doesn't make a sound.
She succeeded. The world felt the wrath, the revenge, the justice. The world felt what the world wanted to feel.
She succeeded. He felt the vulnerability, the mask slip. He felt for her.
To him she was fragile, glass.
Glass, sculpted to perfection.
Glass, transparent.
Glass, so breakable.
And you can't fix shattered glass. Glue all you want. The cracks remain. The fissures sealed, but weak. That he knew first hand.
That's why he couldn't say it. "Because I love you", she had said. And he stood there, wanting but denying. He could tell Serena. He could tell Nate. But to tell her would give her permission to keeping saying it. Saying it and meaning it. He couldn't do that to her. Yes, he loved her. Too much. And that was only just enough to do this, to protect her from himself and the fact he would never be enough.
"Well that's too bad".
"Just enough" was enough to protect her, and he was enough to do that.