A/N: I'm still working on my last story, one chapter to go...but it's hard to let go. Anyway I wrote this becuase I got SUPER excited after watching the The Thin line, we had some powerful Chuck Blair moments, and yet lots of left over questions.

So this fic is supposed to be take place a month and half after epi 13. Bart and Lily are married and their whole family is living together, so Blair through her friendship to Serena ends up being thrust back into situations with Chuck, but as the last episode suggests, as much as Chuck cares for our girl he has no intention in being her second best. This is mostly Chuck and Blair, but there is a decent amount of intrusion by the two Van der Woodsons, good and bad...

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"I wouldn't pick that if I were you."

Serena turned around to see her step-brother Chuck watching her over the top of his book. Her eyes widened in shock, having always suspected that reading was a skill he had never bothered to master and believed his regards towards the family library equivalent to that of hell. He rolled his eyes at her expression and pointed to a discarded book at the edge of the fine wooden table on which he sat.

"You might wanna read something by Palahniuk instead. It'll impress Daniel just the same, and without exceeding your limited abilities."

"I think I'm good Chuck. Thanks for the uninvited input, but if you insist then you should know that you're the last person I would accept literary advice from."

"Whatever you want. I was just being helpful sis, didn't want your pretty little head all confused over Invitation to a Beheading, a book so clearly beyond your level of understanding. But do as you must and struggle through it. I'm sure Brooklyn will enjoy having to explain every plot twist to you…"

"Oh shut up."

Serena stomped out of their family study, but only to return a second later. Sending Chuck a sarcastic grin she reached to the book to which he had pointed only to have Chuck grab it first. He gave her his familiar smirk and kept the book out of her reach.

"Who said I was done with it."

"Since when have you become literate, Bass?"

Chuck rolled his eyes at her and smirked again.

"There is a lot you don't know about me sis, but fear not, we are to become intimate very soon and you will eventually know all."

"Fine. I'll get something by Palahniuk myself, pig."

"Thought you wouldn't take my advice…think fast!"

He threw her the book with a victorious smirk, but Serena took it just the same, descending the room with her nose scrunched.

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"Oh Blair, your ex-lover is horrid. This whole penthouse is HORRID! I have half mind of asking Dan if I can move into—okay, OKAY. Point taken. Ah. Where do I start? Every weekend morning Bart and mother insist we have a nice family brunch. Well Chuck wakes up and roams around with a different pair of scantily dressed whores, usually wearing his boxers and a thin undershirt, and we watch as he nauseatingly feeds them and gropes them at the breakfast table. Mother looks green, Bart indifferent, I look even greener, and Erik….well Erik used to get red and keep his gaze in the opposite direction. But no more. He practically drools watching the giggly bouncy girls and eventually takes a long bathroom break. It's a nightmare. That ass is corrupting my little brother!"

Blair listened patiently over the phone. She took her best attempts at snarky comments at the expense of Chuck, trying to appear indifferent in order to keep from Serena the effect her shared information had on her. It seemed almost silly, but hearing that Chuck spent the night with lots of different women sent a pang through her, making her want to join Serena for a puke.

"Well mom and Bart are spending the night in Boston, and I wanted to ask if you could—"

"Absolutely NOT. S Have you forgotten that Chuck's bedroom is right next to yours? You may have received the short end of the stick, but I refuse to sacrifice my beauty sleep to be kept up by the disgusting sounds of Chuck's gangbangs."

"Oh don't worry B. His women only come over on weekends. Week nights are creepier, I'll admit, but at least he is fairly quiet…"

"Nasty. S I really didn't need to hear—"

"I mean he spends it in our library Blair…you know reading…"

"Chuck Bass? Reading? Are you sure he doesn't have a Playboy hidden inside?"

"Wouldn't fit. He reads all these novels…I would've never though Chuck of all people would have so much in common with my Dan..."

"Whatever. It's hardly anything either boy should boast about. I mean who wants to bear resemblance to Chuck Bass and the same goes for Cabbage Patch."

"So will you come? Please?"

Blair rolled her eyes at Serena's incessant begging and finally gave in. She was actually more than glad to take her best friend on her offer. After all that happened last month, the things he said…and yet she was more than ready to show up at his doorstep and spend the night in the bedroom next to his.

Blair hung up the phone and shuddered violently. Chuck Bass, true to his word, had not spoken so much as a word to her. At school he would pretend she did not exist and at social affairs…well he didn't attend any until after he and Nate reconciled their friendship. After that the pair of them would be off together, drinking, smoking pot…flirting with other girls. They had reconciled together, yet were nowhere near forgiving her. Every time their eyes met, Nate would give her a cold hateful glare and Chuck would look back with a stone like face, watching her blankly, as though only air resided where she stood.

The Bass wedding had only been two weeks ago, and Blair resentfully recalled watching Chuck and Nate dancing with their dates; a pair of stunning models they had met in their last bff vacation, the one they took to work things out. Blair felt like she should have been furious at Nate, Nate who she had forgiven for a worst degree of adultery, who should be taking vacations with her to work things out with her…yet somehow it was Chuck that stood landlord over the part of her heart dedicated to spite. Chuck and his cruel, cruel words. Blair could never forget the day he told her that he no longer desired her, that she was not welcome to his bed. She had gone to him in the hopes that he would hold her and take them both away to that special place they had whenever they were together. He was disgusted by her…Chuck Bass was disgusted by her. She felt like she should feel ridiculed and laugh, but she only shared in his disgust for her. She had fucked Chuck's best friend while wearing his necklace…she had ping ponged herself between a pair of best friends. Blair believed she was the whore he implied and could not help but wish that she could once again have a chance with him. At this point even friendship would suffice, because she had had hope until the moment at the bar. Her world only crashed when he jerked himself right out of it, leaving Serena to rescue the pieces.

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"You must be a master disappointer."

Chuck looked up from his book the second time that day; this time seeing the other Van der Woodson. He smirked.

"Carter Jr., good of you to come by. You can leave now."

"This is beyond creepy Chuck. You should be out doing the devil's chores, but day after day you occupy the library. I didn't say anything thinking it was a phase, but dude, you've taken over my niche. Either numerous book reports are the new style of high school punishment or…or you're…what are reading? Is that…Mansfield Park?"

Erik stared back and forth between the Jane Austen classic and Chuck, his mouth opening and closing silently, looking as though he was imitating a goldfish.

"Yes, I am reading an Austen…get along now, and get me a scotch while you're at it."

Erik did not seem to hear him, and suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter. Still shaking and with tears running down the corner of his eyes, he attempted at speech.

"Ch-Chuck, what are you doing—"

"I said you can LEAVE."

"Well I'm not. Not until you tell me what exactly a Chuck Bass is doing reading Jane Austen on a Thursday evening. I must have my worldly faith restored before stepping back out into it."

"You heard me Jr., get the hell out or I will—"

"Common Chuck, you've taken my niche, you can at least tell me why."

Chuck glared at the blond boy, but he only smiled back. Chuck attempted to fiercen his expression, but found that in the company of one so utterly sweet and unconniving, he just couldn't hate. Erik had always had this effect on people, though he was not so fully aware of it. Chuck only grimaced and threw aside his book, leaning back on the hind legs of his chair.

"Look I'm just enjoying dialect with intellectual equals. It's a nice change from half brained whores whose usual conversation includes an invitation to shag on my part and "harder" and "I'm coming" on theirs."

Erik stared at him inquiringly before his face settling into a cute boyish grin.

"So what? You're having a heart to heart with Fanny Price?"

Chuck reddened at this, but pretended not to notice. He snorted and tilted his chair farther back.

"No. But if you insist on being a nosey little brat then fine, I will confess that I am finding Crawford easy to identify with. That poor man is everything that is admirable in a gentleman, but it is Edmund who the women want. Edmund, the poor clergyman Edmund. He is a younger brother, he will inherit nothing, but oh no. Crawford's dream girl is all gaga for him. He is her true love; she's wanted him since she was 10, her knight in shining armor…her prince charming. He isn't even rich. Why are women so blind? Crawford too though. I mean can't he see that Fanny, whatever lame name that is, is nothing compared to the magnificence of the one woman so very close to him? If Austen is okay with crossing incest barriers with first cousins then she should have gone ahead and crossed them with siblings. Crawford should have realized his sister, with her wit and sharp mind, in all her glorious dark beauties, was his one and only equal. He should have let go of the dumb hoes like Maria and Julia and just seen her, the only woman that could possibly make him happy, not the virginal little Miss. Price. But oh no, his sister wants Edmund as well…everyone wants Edmund…"

Chuck let out a low growl at this and brought his chair down on all four legs with a loud thud. He cautiously looked up at Erik, who once again looked injurious.

"This doesn't by any chance have to do with a certain dark beauty we know, does it?"

Chuck now was finally able to glare at Erik with real hatred.

"I don't know what you're talking about. The library is mine for the rest of the evening, so I suggest you find something else to do Backstreet Toddler."

Erik took no offense. He merely replied with another boyish grin and pledged Chuck a sincere goodnight. However, as he turned away and began towards the grand doors, he was very distinctly singing a self made tune that made Chuck's ears burn red.

"Chuck and Blair sitting in a tree. Far away so Nate can't see. First they make love, then they break up, and then he stalks her for eternity."

Chuck had to grit his teeth to stop himself from yelling out a number of nasty things after his step-brother, which would of course assure the rat that his suspicions were correct. Still a little red, Chuck left his chair and within ten minutes of pacing about in their library, decided that perhaps he should get out and about for the night. Taking one last look at his discarded book, he marched out and straight into his room. A long shower was however first in order.