Takes place in May 2013. In this story, Blair did go to Rome with Dan, and ended up staying in France to work at taking over Waldorf designs. Bart never came back from the dead. Jack saved Chuck's life with the blood transfusion. We'll pretend he doesn't have Hep C. Chuck and Blair's last interaction was when Blair confronted Chuck about the dowry. Oh and Chuck bought the New Yorker. Is that even possible? It is for him. He's Chuck Bass.

And on with the show…

"I can't believe the opening is in two weeks. You've really outdone yourself, Chuck." A bright and shiny faced Serena van der Woodson popped another cherry in her mouth, rather enjoying her and Chuck's Saturday morning ritual. Ever since.. well, ever since they were thrown together after being mutually backstabbed and heartbroken a year prior, they would meet every Saturday morning for breakfast. Sometimes it really blew Serena's mind just how close she and her brother were. She actually considered him her brother instead of just accepting the reality of it. She ran to him with her boy problems, which let's face it, are never ending, and he would always be there with a listening ear and well-meaning advice. When she needed a shopping partner and couldn't handle the vanity of most upper eastside women she was friendly with, she would call Chuck and he would always happily oblige. When he had a bad day at the office and needed to let off some steam, Serena was always a willing partner in crime to hit up Manhattan nightlife. Whenever he needed a date to a function and didn't have one available, it was no surprise to see his blonde bubbly sister on his arm.

"Thank you, dear sister. I do admit even I am impressed with myself." He smirked that trademark smirk of him and sipped on his coffee.

"Wow. Shocker." Serena's laugh sounded like wind chimes. "So will Emma be attending the grand opening?"

Serena was hoping the answer would be yes. Emma was so great for Chuck. It had been a very long time that he had been so care-free, so full of life. After he started dating Emma, slowly but surely Chuck's nights started being less and less of him drinking alone in his penthouse and more of him going out and enjoying himself. Serena knew that Emma had a lot to do with it. She had saved his life in more ways than one and she could see him slowly falling in love with her. She knew he was scared, because he had only ever loved one other person, and that had ended tragically for him.

"She's trying to get her shift covered so with any lucky, yes she will be attending. How about you? Still sniffing around that guitar player?" He smarmed with his eyebrows raised.

"Now, see, why do you have to say it like that? You always make it sound so blasé."

Chuck chuckled just a bit. "I'm surprised you know the meaning."

Serena threw a piece of bread and him and they laughed together.

"You know that Alex and I are together, together. He's not just some random guy and I am not some groupie, thank you very much. And yes, he will be there, of course. We wouldn't miss it. I can't believe you really purchased the New Yorker and now this new club opening.. big things are happening for you. I'm really happy for you Chuck."

He smiled, in spite of himself. Big things were happening. The acquisition of the New Yorker was just the beginning. His new nightclub was being described as decadent and tasteful but completely wild and naughty. Everyone who was anyone was talking about it, and Chuck had poured many man hours into making it a huge success. Two weeks away would be the grand opening and he wanted to be sure that it would be a night no one would ever forget, himself included.

His mind wandered to Emma, his girlfriend. She was perfect for him in nearly every way. She was beautiful, with long curly light brown hair, and big beautiful blue eyes. Her body was a work of art, perfect pert little breasts, little waist, nice ass, and long slender legs. She was studious, but not a nerd, although it often times blew his mind how intelligent she was. She grew up in Buffalo with her mother, father, and two younger siblings. She was anything but rich, but her family led a comfortable lifestyle. The way they had met had been a bit unconventional and badly timed, but looking back Chuck couldn't help but think maybe it had been fate.

He didn't like to think of fate. Thinking of fate always led to thinking of her, and he had cut himself off long ago. She had ripped his heart out of his chest, multiple times, and then left and never looked back. With HIM of all people. Jesus Christ no matter how hard he tried to wrap his brain around that one, he just never could. It made absolutely no sense to him. A Prince? Yeah. An Archibald? Ok. Dan fucking Humphrey? You've got to be kidding.

Chuck shook his head, never allowing himself to venture into that territory for very long. It was almost as if he was a recovering alcoholic. The temptation to go to that place was always there, but the determination to avoid any more heart break on his end was far stronger, so he always managed to catch himself before digging too deep inside that particular wound.

"Look, I have to go. I am meeting mom for some girl time. Will you be joining us in the Hamptons next weekend?"

"Do I ever miss the opportunity to ogle you in a bikini?"

"Ew, Chuck. Seriously, that's gross, we're siblings for crying out loud."

He winked at her and dropped some cash on the table. He leaned over and kissed Serena's cheek to bid her farewell. "Tell our lovely mother I said hello."

"I will, it was good to see you. Take care!" And like that, Serena was gliding out of the restaurant exit.

"I really think it's time you go back to New York. John Pierre is having a difficult time keeping everything in line. That is where our corporate headquarters are, dear."

Blair shook her head, disagreeing with her mother. "Mother, I still have so much to learn from you. How on earth will I accomplish that from halfway across the world?"

Eleanor looked at her one and only child knowingly. "Are you sure there's not another reason you're avoiding going home?"

Blair scoffed as if the idea was completely insane. Of course there wasn't an ulterior motive to her decision to stay in Paris a while longer. Absolutely not. It had nothing to do with the fact that she was too much of a coward to face the people she had left behind. Serena was sure to hate her, and Chuck..

She let out a breath of air she did not know she was holding.

"Of course not, mother. I just don't feel comfortable winging on my own quite yet, not without your wisdom to help me along." She smiled brightly.

"Cut the crap, Blair."

"Mother!"

Eleanor grabbed Blair's hand and they sat down on the sofa against the wall of Eleanor's office. "Darling, you are more than ready to wing it on your own. You've practically been running the place since December. And since when is my daughter ever apprehensive about tackling a project on her own? You don't fool me one bit, Blair Cornelia Waldorf."

Blair didn't answer. The silence pretty much said it all.

"Is it about Chuck?" Eleanor's question was very quiet, as the name had been avoided entirely since Blair arrived in Paris the previous June. Again, Blair did not answer her, she only looked down at her lap. "Are you worried he will be upset with you? Are you worried he will try to get you back?" Eleanor would be the first to admit she had absolutely no idea the inner workings of her daughter's relationship with one Chuck Bass. If a relationship were to ever be defined as complicated, it would certainly be theirs.

Blair took a moment to finally answer. "No, I'm scared that he won't."

"Be upset with you.. or..?"

"Either. Both. I'm worried he will not be upset with me, nor will be try to win me back. I'm scared he won't care at all. And then there's Serena.."

"Oh, Blair, you know you and Serena. Every time there's a falling out, you two always make up. I'm sure if you just talked to her, she'd be more than happy to revive your friendship. The two of you have been inseparable since Kindergarten. And as far as Charles.." she hesitated, not quite sure what to say. She couldn't very well say that he would welcome her back with open arms, she wasn't stupid. Her daughter had done quite a number on the youngest Bass, regardless of her intentions or motivations, and she wasn't so sure Chuck would be willing to go another round. "The two of you have also been friends since grade school. Long before the long and winding romance the two of you share. You've been friends before, you can be friends again."

"No, we can't. Don't you see? Ever since the night in the back of his limo all those years ago, we could never be friends. We either hated eachother so much we could kill the other, or we loved eachother so much it hurt. I can't be friends with Ch.." she shook her head.

"Well it has been a year since your last falling out. Perhaps things have changed now?" She sounded encouraging, and Blair desperately wanted to believe her. She wasn't even sure what she wanted from Chuck. She couldn't even think about him without her whole body aching. She dreamt of him nearly every night and woke up near tears every morning. It was completely exhausting. But she knew deep down that Chuck would probably never forgive her for how she had treated him last year. And, not only was she the most horrible person ever to both he and Serena, she left town with Humphrey without so much a goodbye or fuck you and hadn't contacted either of them in 12 long months.

"I don't know, mom."

"You can't hide out here forever. You are going to go upstairs, pack up your things, and stroll back into that city like you own it. Because you're Blair Waldorf, and you can do anything you set your mind to. I promise you that." She squeezed her daugher's hand and pulled her into a hug.

"Ok." Blair finally conceded. "You're right. It's time for me to go home."

The mother and daughter shared a soft smile and hugged once more.