Disclaimer: I own nothing except a great love for CB/BRo and the many inhabitants of the UES.
A/N: Chuck/Blair are of course my OTP but I found myself falling and rooting for a new couple this year, as well. Somehow managed to just start watching How I Met Your Mother just before its Season Finale. Caught up on every last episode within a matter of days pulled in by the wonderful characters and relationship, but more so pulled in by Barney Stinson. Barney so very much like our beloved Chuck Bass, a lady's man. Stylish and charming. The bad boy with heart who fell in love with the one person he maybe shouldn't have. The parallels between the stories of Chuck and Barney struck a chord as they struggled all YEAR with the idea of being in love with someone and on the very same night and hour…they finally admitted their feelings to their respective beloveds.
*This story is basically what happens when the world of Gossip Girl and How I Met Your Mother collide and connect in the most unexpected of manners. Following CB/Bro as they figure out what happens after ILY. Trials and trauma there will be aplenty as well as romance and laughs in between. This is my venture into the unknown…hope you enjoy the ride. I know I am. So many CBers I know love Bro as well, but for any of you from either fandom whose not quite familiar with either show or couple. I've posted to vids recs that I found…not created but found on youtube on my homepage. Check them out and get to know Chuck/Blair…Barney/Robin or if you've seen the vids check'em out again, they're pure love. Also as you may know both casts boast characters with the name Lily. For this story…HIMYM's Lily…I'll just try spelling differently for distinction and will try to minimize interaction between these two ladies ;)
**Special thanks to my super awesome Wifey for being so encouraging and letting me know all the ways it didn't suck, as well as, being my second set of eyes. Big kiss, hon *kiss* Here goes nothing. Hope you like it *fingers crossed*
Prologue:
Midnight Flights and Morning Afters
Robin sighed, smiling despite herself.
Cut it out, would you? She reprimanded herself, time and again, but couldn't quite make it stick in her brain.
It was all unbelievable. Last night. Barney. He'd said the words. God. Barney Stinson was in love. With her.
How impossible it all seemed.
There were doubts, of course. She'd have to be insane not to have them. She wasn't any good when it came to the "L" word and relationships, and as for Barney, she'd just always figured it was a different kind of four letter word.
Then he'd completely thrown her the other day when she'd overheard him with Ted. The two going back and forth with talk of old suits. She'd been ready to shrug off the strange conversation until she heard Barney say that she was in fact the old suit and that he loved her.
Needless to say that she'd been scared shitless and after she had a chance to really think about it, she'd known exactly what she had to do. Barney had to be made to see the error in what he was thinking. He couldn't be in love with her.
They were friends and no good could come of them wanting to change that.
But at the hospital and later on the roof. Yes, letting herself give in to the more of what she was feeling for Barney could ruin them completely, but what about the other side of it.
Of course, they weren't the lovey-dovey, finish each other sentences type like, Lillie and Marshall.
They were Barney and Robin. Suits, cigars, and laser tag. She'd played his wingman and now he was in love with her.
She didn't want to screw things up. Ruining their friendship, the way they were with one another was the very last thing she could ever want. Still a traitorous voice at the back of her mind grew louder and louder with it's dissent. Wondering what would happen if maybe, just maybe he was her Barney.
There hadn't been much time for conversation last night. Not after they'd all lost their minds and jumped across to the neighboring rooftop. Only after, her arm thrown around Barney's waist and the gang all smiling at one another, had the implications started to sink in.
What now?
Okay, so maybe it had more about the fact that it was physically impossible to jump back the way they'd come. An uncomfortable parallel to exactly what was happening between her and Barney. He'd taken the leap and stood with her. There was no going back.
After that initial moment of triumph, it hadn't taken the gang very long to figure out that they were stuck. They couldn't exactly jump back and the locked terrace door kept them from getting inside.
Barney and Marshall's attempts to pick the lock had gone from laughable to downright frustrating. Leaving the five friends standing there, uncertain and ready to blame one another for their impetuous leap into the unknown.
All the while, Robin began wondering if the entire situation was a sign. A warning of what could happen if she let herself leap into anything with Barney.
Then as if things couldn't have been worse, the night sky split with a brilliant flash of light and an ominous rumble offered their only warning before the skies opened up, rain pelting down mercilessly.
An hour. They'd spent an hour on that roof, all huddled together, shivering and hissing at one another. By the time the lights had come one inside the apartment, they'd all become less than pleased with one another. Okay, so maybe downright grouchy was a better way of putting it.
At that point, they'd been too cold to really care about how strange or what kind of trouble they might get into for making the jump onto the neighboring rooftop. They'd knocked on the French doors and met the extremely confused older couple who couldn't fathom how the five friends had ended up on their terrace.
They'd actually been a lot more understanding than one would think.
Sure they'd looked at the group as if they'd all lost their minds, but the couple didn't call the cops.
Afterward the group had all gone their separate ways. Marshall and Lily headed back to their place and Barney disappeared without a word or even goodbye. While Robin had made her way back up to her own apartment, right then, wanting nothing more than to get out of the wet clothes sticking to her skin and needing to be alone with her thoughts.
Showered and warm again, she'd sat in her room. Barney loved her. That one thought had curled around her, sweeping aside her worries for the moment of all that could go wrong. Instead, she'd sat there enjoying the feelings he inspired. She'd remembered the thrill that shot threw her back on the roof, right before he'd leapt across to the neighboring rooftop. To her.
That night in bed, she'd lain awake, going back and forth. Vacilliating between all the what-ifs. She'd considered all the ways that they could ruin this wonderful friendship that they'd managed to build, but as dawn's light filtered in, scratching at her sleepless eyes, Robin couldn't help remembering that look. And that damn goofy smile kept stretching her mouth.
Which would explain the why and how she'd found herself standing outside of his apartment just after 7am.
She raised her fist to knock. Her head practicing words that didn't sound quite right.
Robin's hand fell away. Maybe she should wait. See how he reacted to her when they were all together. What if he'd changed his mind? Wouldn't that be something? There she was…all worked up and feeling things that she'd never left herself free to feel and he didn't love her after all.
Do it. Just knock, she ordered herself as she raised her fist again and knocked before she could lost her nerve again.
He cared. He'd told Lillie and Marshall months ago. Hell, he'd confided in Ted. Even after their night together had almost ruined the guys' friendship, he'd told Ted. She grimaced, remembering that he'd also compared her to an old suit. More than once, Robin had given Barney an out. Only he hadn't taken it. Didn't want it.
She smiled again, remembering their exchange in the hospital the butterflies that'd been born at his words.
"I love you."
Granted she'd been trying to throw him off by saying it first. Make him back down. But when she'd said them, they'd felt so right. And even more so when he'd said them to her. Three little words that could change everything. That had already done so.
Robin knocked again. Seconds. Minutes passed and still no one came to the door. She stepped back and reached for her cellphone. So intent on scrolling through her recent calls, she almost didn't hear the door opening at her back.
"Lady. What's up with the racket? I got to be up in another hour."
She turned with apologies on her tongue. "Oh, sorry. I didn't think I was that loud…" It was early. Did that seem desperate? And where in the world was Barney? Could he have gone into the office already?
"Whatever. Just cut it out." Barney's neighbor started to shut the door. Something stopped her, making her turn and look Robin over with squinting, bloodshot eyes. The dark circles under the woman's eyes were prominent.
Looked as though Robin wasn't the only one who'd had a sleepless night and she wondered at her own appearance.
She took another step away from Barney's door. Yes it was Barney, who'd seen her at her worse…but this was also Barney. She smoothed her hair.
"Stinson's not here."
Oh. Okay. That was good. Definitely good. He was probably at the office. She could hurry back to the apartment and maybe call him later. See if maybe he wanted to have lunch.
Or no. That was like a date. She couldn't date Barney. No. Not yet. First she needed to pick things up from their conversation at the hospital. They hadn't gotten a lot settled.
No. They needed to meet on neutral ground and make it decidedly a non-date. So she'd just arrange to meet him at the bar. Tell him that everyone was going to hangout just like always, but ask him to meet her earlier.
"Yeah. I saw him when I came in last night. The guy looked seriously upset about something."
Robin blinked at the other woman, Upset? He'd been upset?
"I've seen you around here before. You're a friend of his." The woman said, her glare losing some of its intensity. "Yeah. He came flying out of here when me and my friends were coming back in last night. He didn't even stop to chat my friend up or anything."
"Did he say anything at all? What time was it?" Robin demanded, her fingers playing unconsciously at that buttons on her phone.
"I don't know. Three, maybe. It was late. And he didn't say much." The neighbor shrugged, yawning and blinking sleepily at Robin. She could almost see other woman trying to focus. Trying to remember.
This chick wasn't going to be ready to go anywhere in another hour.
"Wait. I remembered wrong." She perked up, "He mumbled something about the airport and he had a bag with him."
Robin thanked the woman even as the door was closing and she turned to stare at Barney's apartment door, her thumb poised over the send button. He hadn't mentioned anything about a trip. Not to her anyway.
Was he having regrets after all? Had Barney run away from home?
She shook her head, trying to smile. "Now that is beyond ridiculous."
Wasn't it?
~*~
Chuck Bass sighed, stretching out across the bed. His mind still hazed with sleep. Bits of the day before, played across the dark screen of his closed lids like a movie or a dream that'd felt all too real.
His eyes snapped open and cold, hard reality crashed down on him. Chuck knew immediately that he was alone in the big bed. He sat up, looking around the room slowly.
He wasn't back at the penthouse, but rather in his old suite at the Palace. Good ol' 1812. After the Humphreys began moving their belongings into the penthouse, the place had begun to feel less and less like home.
Of course, Lily had tried to reassure him that nothing had changed, but everything had changed. Jenny and Rufus moving in were only the beginning.
Chuck rubbed at his eyes, vague memories coming back to him. Finally giving Blair the words she needed to hear. Words he'd needed the say. The limo and then ending up back at the Palace to celebrate. It'd been real. How could it have been anything but?
He could still smell her on his skin and his mouth curved taking in the sheet covering him from the waist down. Frowning, he reached beneath the sheets to untangle himself from whatever had ensnared itself about his ankle.
"Waldorf." Chuck called out, grinning as he came up with his prize. One golden headband. Blair's headband. Relief spread through him at the tangible proof that he hadn't imagined it all. His fingers played with it absently. "Blai…"
The bedroom door swung open and there she was. Wearing his dress shirt and little else besides.
"I heard you the first time. I'm sure the people next door, heard you the first time, Bass." She rolled her eyes. The smile curving her mouth, robbed her words of their fire.
"Where'd you go?"
"Wait. Don't get up on my account."
He settled back, rearranging himself. "Anything for a lady." Anything for you, Chuck added silently.
"I'm sure that you'll forget that you said as much, soon enough, but I'm going to take great pleasure in reminding you of those words, Charles Bass."
"I'm sorry. What words were those again?" Chuck whispered, cursing softly. "Guess you'd better get started. Something about great pleasure. Yes. Wonderful starting point."
"Nice try. Now be good and I just might consider sharing my breakfast with you." She left him with that, returning a few minutes later.
"Room service. Guess refueling isn't a completely bad idea."
"Glad you think so. Don't move."
"Bossy. Beautiful and a bossy pain in the ass." Chuck said, but didn't move a single muscle. Not when she settled the tray over his lap or even when her fingertips skimmed, brushing naked flesh. "My kind of woman."
He'd have believed the contact to be inadvertent. Purely innocent, if not for the naughty tilt of her lips. Her brown eyes danced with laughter, "Better be."
Food first. Then Blair, he promised himself.
She lifted one silver dome with flourish. "Happy Birthday, Bass."
Damn. It was, wasn't it? He'd almost forgotten. Felt better forgetting. He was eighteen today. The anniversary of his mother's death. A year ago today his father had married Lily van der Woodsen. The dreaded divorce had never come. Only the completely unexpected loss of a father. Hitting them all out of nowhere. Knocking Chuck completely off-kilter. Almost destroying him.
The snick of a lighter and answering burst of flame pulled him. He looked up from the artfully arranged fruit and stack of pancakes. Blue and white candle wax melting into whip cream and Blair's innocent, hopeful smile.
How could she possibly know how much he loathed his own birthday? He'd never told her. Never really told anyone. Except Dan Humphrey. The same jackass who'd taken Chuck's moment of weakness and run with it. Penning his little story for all the world to see. For everyone to know his most guarded secret.
Thankfully, no one had connected the dots.
Lily knew. She'd been trying to talk him into having a party. She wanted to makeup for the year before. Too caught up in the wedding, she hadn't known until days after. It was just as well. He and Blair. For one brief week before everything fell apart again, had been together then. One of the best weeks of his life.
A secret birthday present to himself. No wonder everything was ruined after that. Tainted by the day he'd come into the world.
"Earth to Chuck." A pale hand waved, breaking into his sudden fascination with the singular dancing flame topping his stack of pancakes. "Hurry up and blow it out. Don't forget to make a wish."
No. He wanted to cover the plate and make her send it away. Forget that it was his birthday before everything got all messed up again. How could he possibly explain it to her, though.
Where she thrived and couldn't wait to celebrate her birthdays, he dreaded them. Hid out when he could.
"Chuck. Are you okay?"
"Fine, Waldorf. Perfectly fine." He dragged his eyes up to meet hers. "Why don't you blow it out for me?"
She nodded after a moment, not bothering to mask her confusion. Her gaze was heavy and questioning as she waited for him to speak. To explain his suddenly strange behavior. Instead he reached out for the fork and knife. Feeding her bits of fruit and pancake, playing at seduction until it was real. He caressed her plump mouth, his tongue laving at the pad of his thumb. Fruit juice and melted whipped cream.
"Anything special you want to do today? Anywhere you'd like to go?" Her eyes glazed over, drifting to his mouth and up again.
Chuck tipped his head to the side, seeming to consider her words. "Hmm. Anything special that I'd like to do. Well, if you're asking…"
"Don't be crude."
"Well, don't pretend you don't like it."
"Be serious."
"I am."
Blair sighed. "Lily called. She asked for my help."
"With?"
"You."
Chuck waggled his brows in question.
"Well, it seems that Gossip Girl has reared her nosey head again and the world at large…has an idea of what a romantic Chuck Bass can be. Anyway. Eric saw it and said something to Lily about us… 'kissing and making up'—Lily's words."
"Good. Because last night consisted of a helluva lot more than that if I recall. Need I refresh your memory?" He offered with his signature smirk, feeding her another bite.
"Thank you but completely unnecessary." She said, "Now. Would you like to know what Lily wanted, or not?"
"If it can't wait."
"It could but…"
"Spill it."
Blair stared at him for a moment, taking the fork so that she could feed him. Watch him as she spoke next. "She wants to throw a surprise party for you."
Food caught in his windpipe, choking him.
She pushed the tray away from them and patting him on the back. Shoving juice under his nose once he stopped gagging. His violent reaction to her words, a confirmation of sorts to something she'd already begun to figure out on her own. "Are you okay?"
"Give me a minute. Just went down the wrong way."
"That's not what I meant."
Chuck didn't answer her immediately and after a while she grew steadily sure that he wouldn't say anything at all. "Sorry, Waldorf. But I'm sure that I don't know what you mean."
"Don't be an ass. I'm here. If you want to talk." Blair reached out, her hand cupping his jaw. The soft, sensitive flesh of her palm rasping against dark stubble. "Okay?"
"Blair?"
"Yes?" She queried hopefully, leaning in closer.
Before she could say another word or quite figure out how he'd maneuvered it, Blair was flat on her back. Chuck's face inches from hers and his arms braced on either side of her head. His lower body pressed her into the mattress, "Feel that?"
How could she not? She nodded slowly, her hands reaching up. Fingers brushing his hair away from his face.
"Good." He brushed his mouth across hers in the softest of kisses, his teeth scrapping at her bottom lip. Nipping at her jaw. He kissed a slow path to ear. "Talking is at the very bottom of today's agenda. So I hope you got your fill of gossip and contact with the outside world because…you're mine now."
"Oh, really?"
"Damn right." His mouth took hers again. Distracting them both. Wrapping them up in one another until nothing else existed or mattered. Chuck reached beneath the shirt she'd pilfered, assuaging something that'd been tugging at his curiosity since she'd first come into the room. He mouth curved at what he found. Or rather what he didn't find.
"You're trying to distract me." She accused, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip and words breathless.
He wasn't doing anything really. His hands gentle and fingers tracing tantalizing circles over her skin. Across her belly. Her hip and her thigh. Drawing oh so close but never quite jumping ahead in the slow sensual detour that he appeared intent upon.
Well, two could play at that little game. Blair reached up, her fingers sliding home and curling in his dark hair. She pulled his head down, needing to feel his lips against her, hungry to taste him. One night to make up for all they'd been missing, was still not quite enough. The sheet still wrapped around his waist, tangled up in his legs, it served as the only barrier between them as her legs widened to cradle him closer. Her legs came up and curved around him.
"You're right. Later. We can talk much…much later." She relented haltingly.
"Nothing to talk about." He retorted between kissing her breathless.
"I meant what I said." Blair pulled back, looking into his eyes, "Whenever you're ready. Whatever. I'm here. There's nothing you can't say to me."
His lip curled. Frustration and the ill humor that usually reared it's head on his birthday had him striking out. His tone dry, "You want to talk so badly. Fine…et's talk about Harold. Why wasn't he at your graduation, again?"
She froze. Her emotions right there in the open, flashing across her face. Sadness and anger. Anger with him. Or with Harold. Fuck who knew.
Dammit. "Blair."
Those brown eyes pinned him. "Word of advice, Bass." She hissed. "Never thought I'd have to tell you the best way to get into a girl's pants, but mentioning her father is never the way to go."
"Uh, I already knew that one." He smiled, but sobered just as quickly, "I shouldn't have brought it up. I know you're still upset…"
She shoved him off and stood with all the dignity of a queen. "Don't worry about it, Chuck. You're off the hook. Keep your secrets. The last thing I want to be doing this very second is talking to you."
"B…" Chuck tried again, reaching out to pull her back to bed, but she was already marching away. The bathroom door slamming shut and lock clicking audibly. He flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.
That was definitely not the way that little scenario was supposed to go down. "Happy fucking birthday, Bass." He threw his arm across his eyes, wishing it were any other day.
~*~
Two days later
Robin smiled, listening with half an ear to some joke Marshall had heard at work. She pretended disgust when she saw Lillie making a face and slapping at her husband.
"What? It was funny. Ted, man." Marshall turned, looking to his friend for some support.
"Uh? Sorry, Marshall. Can't help you this time."
"Whatever, Barney would appreci…" The other man started to say but fell into an awkward silence. Everyone looking everywhere except at Robin.
Man, this was getting old fast. It was one thing to think that she'd run off the reformed womanizer but having these three acting as if they believed it too and felt bad for her was another thing entirely.
Two days and they hadn't heard a thing. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Marshall had said he'd called in at work to say that he wouldn't be in for a few days. No details.
Every time they tried calling, his voicemail would kick in almost immediately. She was growing increasingly embarrassed at the number of messages that must be piling up and the tone in a few of them. At first she'd let him know how worried everyone was and demanded that he call immediately. She'd been playful. She'd been pissed with a few choice words for his sudden sabbatical from life.
He was the one who'd changed everything and now Robin felt like she was chasing him down. Bogging him down with unwanted attention.
Where in the hell are you, Stinson? she sighed.
"Hey guys."
Robin frowned, thinking at first that her brain has somehow conjured or manufactured his voice. But, no. Lilli and Marshall were on their feet with Ted not far behind as they crowded around their good friend.
He looked none the worse. Exhausted, but alive and well.
The self-centered pig. There they'd been worried out of their minds. Well for the most part and he didn't even have the decency to return looking even the least bit scuffed up. But no. There he was. Looking exhausted but not a hair out of place or a sign of stubble, his tailored suit sporting not a wrinkle or tear.
"Hey, buddy. What happened to you? We've been trying to call you." Ted told him.
"Sorry guys. I left my place in such a hurry that I forgot my cell phone."
Robin's eyes widened at that. Oh. Oops.
She stood slowly. Well, he still should've called them to let them know that he wasn't in some ditch somewhere.
"Didn't you guys get any of my messages? I didn't have my phonebook but I left messages on Marshall's cell and your phone here at the apartment." Barney said, "And downstairs at the bar with Carl."
"Barney, we've been too busy worried about you to worry about the bar." Lillie said, "And you know better than to leave a message on Marshall's line. He only checks them like once every three months and that's if I remind him."
"Hey! I talk to you guys every single day and no one else I want to talk know better than to try leaving a message." Marshall retorted, "Well. Except that one time and I guess these counts, too. Maybe I'd better move it up to every two months."
"Good idea, honey." Lillie patted his arm.
Robin walked over to the answering machine that still boasted "0" new messages. "Barney, we didn't get any messages here either. Hmm. Well, darn it. That might be why. No tape."
"Mystery solved, yay. Now, would you tell us what happened? Where'd you go?" Lillie beat Robin to the punch.
"Yea. Start talking, Stinson."
"A lot's happened over the past few days. You guys just wouldn't believe it."
"Well, don't keep us in suspense." Marshall prodded. "What is it, buddy?"
"My mom's gone."
The group gasped out as one. Immediately hugging their friend.
"What? How'd it happen?" Ted demanded, patting Barney's shoulder in consolation.
"U-haul." Barney said, sitting heavily. He sighed, looking up to see everyone staring at him as if he'd grown another head. "Guys?"
Robin shared a look with the others and felt herself being nudged forward. "Um. Barney. U-haul? You mean she got hit by one?"
"What? No." Now it was his turn to look at them as if they'd lost their collective minds. "She's gone. My brother, James and I helped pack up her stuff. He and his partner drove the truck. Could you imagine me…cooped up in that small space for two days straight. Thank you but no…"
"Wait. You left it the middle of the night…without a word to any of us to help your mother move? We thought someone had died or something."
Barney nodded, sadly, "Actually someone did die. You guys remember my dad, right?"
Marshall gasped, "Bob Barker died?"
"Good God no." Barney said, "Never. Ever. Even think anything like that. My god!!"
"Barney!" Robin sank down beside him, as the others crowded close.
"Oh, right. Sorry. Here's what happened. My mom called an emergency family meeting. In Vegas. Seems she was eloping and wanted me and James with her for the occasion. Then we ended up back here to help move all of her things to San Francisco."
"So wait." Ted interrupted, "Who died? Her new husband?"
"Perish the thought, Mosby." Barney met Robin's eyes, something there making her reach out and link her fingers through his. "No. Not Bob Barker or my new stepfather. Turns out my real father died."
"Oh, wow. Barney. I'm sorry. You didn't even get a chance to meet him." Lillie said, mournfully.
"Actually, I did. It was brief and neither of us had an idea who the other was, but I met my dad." He told them, "He died a few months ago. Only with the wedding, my mother figured it was time to clear out skeletons out of the closet I guess. Start with a fresh slate."
"Wow, Barn." Marshall murmured.
"I've been out in San Francisco with her. Trying to process all of this new information."
"Well, that's good. Not that he died, but that she finally told you the truth. That you got the chance to talk to him. See him before it happened." Ted offered.
"There's something else." Barney frowned and smiled, all at once, still uncertain how he felt about this next tidbit. "I've got a little brother. Another brother. His name's Chuck."
A/N: And so there you have it. See that one coming? For the purposes of this story and the age issue, Barney and the gang are in their mid-twenties rather than thirty. So what do you think…like it? Love it? There's definitely a lot more to come as Barney and Chuck work through their issues with the women they love, finding out their unexpected connection and I wouldn't be me if I didn't infuse a bit of mystery and suspense in this baby for you…so expect a lot of romance, as well as, drama. Will try to update asap :)
ஐCourtneyஐ
