Blair Waldorf has never known a life without Chuck Bass. Not that she can remember.
So when he says that he wants some time away to gather his thoughts and focus on his career, she doesn't really know what to do with herself. She smiles and nods at him because he thinks he needs this, and she has promised to support him through anything.
She goes back to New York, and this time she feels truly alone. No Chuck, no Serena. Dan doesn't want anything to do with her. She throws herself into Waldorf Designs, determined to turn her mother's company into something that she can be proud of.
She even forces herself to contact little Jenny Humphrey, the girl who took everything away from her. Unsurprisingly, Jenny is reluctant to come back to work with Blair, but in the end relents. Blair has to resist the urge to immediately unleash the bitch inside of her at the sight of Jenny Humphrey walking the halls of Waldorf Designs. She does make many snide remarks, though.
Old habits die hard.
A glowing Serena van der Woodsen floats back into New York with a gorgeous man on her arm. He's a male model, and Blair can't stand the sight of him. He's rude, and he hates her, but she decides that she deserves it for the way she treated Serena.
Blair sees Serena at Marissa Sheppard's twenty-seventh birthday party, and she is blatantly ignored by the blonde, who makes it a point to not even look in her direction.
She wonders how she has managed to drive away everyone who was ever important to her.
A very mature Little J constantly reminds her that she needs to have an honest heart-to-heart with Serena before it is too late.
"She's not going to be in New York forever," she warns, turning on the sewing machine. "You have to seize this opportunity."
Blair thinks about how far she has fallen if Jenny Humphrey is her closest confidante.
Nate comes to see her sometimes, never failing to bring a joint with him. He finally convinces her to smoke one, and she coughs and coughs until she gets the hang of it. She spends many nights sitting on her bed with Nate, smoking and talking about anything and everything.
It takes two weeks for her to muster up an apology.
"Sorry for ignoring you this past year," says Blair, picking at her blue comforter. "You've been so good to me."
He is silent for a while, and then he places his hand over hers. "I get it, Blair. You were going through a tough time. I just wish you had talked to me, you know?"
She is so grateful that he isn't pulling away from her that she launches herself at him and hugs him tightly.
"Love you, Nate," she whispers, tears pricking at her eyes.
He seems alarmed at the fact that she is crying, but he hugs her back all the same.
"Love you too, Blair."
She runs into Dan at a film festival, and she tries to get his attention, but he walks by without acknowledging her. She continues to send him emails saying she's sorry because while she isn't in love with him, she does love him. He has been a good friend to her.
Chuck calls, about a month since she had last seen him in Monaco.
"Hi," she greets him, her voice breathless and her heart full. "How have you been?"
He answers in that deep, husky voice of his. "Fine, thank you. I'm in London working on a deal."
She feels the tears threatening to fall out, and she curses the day she became such a cry baby.
She takes a deep breath. "Do you...know when you'll be back?" She waits for his answer.
"Blair," he sighs, and she can practically see him pulling at his tie. "I need more time."
She wants to scream at him for not wanting to be with her, for making her go back to the city alone, for not being with her the way she wanted, but she doesn't. She can't. She has told him she is all in, and she is.
"I'll be waiting."
Jenny Humphrey barges into her penthouse on a Saturday night, bearing microwaveable popcorn and all eight Harry Potter films. She promptly tells Blair that she is tired of seeing her moping around, and nothing creates a sunny disposition better than a story about a boy wizard and his friends fighting evil at a magic school.
"We're not friends," Blair reminds Jenny. "We never were, Little J." She says the nickname with as much disgust as possible, but Jenny isn't fazed.
She starts to climb the stairs leading up to Blair's room. "Hey, until you work up the courage to talk to Serena, I'm the only girlfriend you've got."
"You've changed a lot," observes Blair, eyeing Jenny.
She shrugs and continues up the steps. "I'm not the same girl I used to be."
Lily invites Blair to brunch, and they sit across the table from each other, the two women who love Chuck Bass more than anyone. They make small talk until Blair can't handle it anymore and asks Lily about Chuck.
"He's fine, Blair," begins Lily, watching Blair's face fall, "but he could be better. Much better." She gives her a sly smile, silently letting Blair know that Chuck is always happiest with her.
Blair and Jenny go shopping and run into Serena.
"Jenny!" Serena exclaims, taking no notice of Blair. "How are you?"
Jenny smiles wryly. "I'm not the one you should be asking that to."
Serena turns and really looks at Blair for the first time in months. The two girls face each other down, neither willing to look away first. Blair sees so many emotions in Serena's eyes - sadness, anger...guilt? - and before she can make an excuse and walk away, Blair finds herself asking if Serena wants to have lunch with her.
"Sure," she replies, her voice quiet. "Tomorrow?"
Blair and Serena have lunch and talk about their summers and skillfully avoid any heavy topics until the dessert is served and the light conversation comes to a stop.
"Sorry about Dan," Blair says, picking up her spoon and twirling it around in her ice cream sundae. "I never meant to hurt you. I just..." She trails off, not knowing how to continue.
"I don't understand, Blair." Serena hasn't even touched her cake. "Why him? I always knew you weren't in love with him, not really."
"Because he was in love with me."
And it's true; Blair had been looking for someone who would show her love but wasn't capable of hurting her, and Dan was the number one choice. She can see the hurt in Serena's eyes when she says those words.
"Right," mutters Serena bitterly. "He's in love with you."
Blair sighs and shakes her head. "I don't think he likes me at all right now. I left him for Chuck."
Serena ducks her head and tucks a long strand of hair behind her ear.
"Right," she says again.
Serena comes over to Blair's penthouse the next day, and they lie in bed and eat macaroons like old times. After some time, Serena looks over and sees that Blair is asleep. She frowns as she notices that instead of sleeping on her side like usual, she's on her back with her hands clutching her stomach. Suddenly, Serena finds that her eyes are very wet.
When Blair wakes up, she sees that Serena is staring at her with tears in her eyes.
"S?" She sits up and takes Serena's hand. "What's wrong?"
Serena takes Blair in her arms and cries for a few minutes, and Blair lets her.
"I should be the one comforting you," murmurs Serena. "Y-you lost your baby."
Blair freezes and starts to pull away, but Serena doesn't let her.
"You lost your baby, and I know it's still tearing you apart, and I should have helped you through it. You're my sister, Blair. I love you so much." Serena holds Blair even closer. "I am so sorry about your baby."
Blair sobs in Serena's arms for what seems like hours, and they mourn the loss of her baby together, like sisters.
"I should have talked to you about this," says Blair. "I was just so scared, and - "
"It doesn't matter anymore. Okay?"
Blair nods, and suddenly they are them again. S and B. Best friends. Sisters. Forever and ever.
"Also, I slept with Dan."
Blair shoots up and glares at Serena.
"What?"
Serena runs her hands through her hair. "I'm sorry! I was angry, and I felt so alone, and - "
"It doesn't matter." Blair smiles a little. "I guess that explains why Dan is avoiding me so much."
"You're not mad?" asks Serena tentatively.
"We've both made mistakes. Plus, he was more like a brother to me than anything else." She wrinkles her nose and laughs.
Waldorf Designs is doing great, and Blair has never felt so close to her mother. Eleanor and Cyrus are in Paris, but they talk on the phone a few times a week. Blair has long conversations with her mother about her life and her career, and for the first time, she feels truly loved and accepted by her. Cyrus also never fails to ask about a certain boy who has a fondness for bow ties, but Blair makes it a point to avoid his questions.
She hires Serena to be the face of her new line, and the girls force Nate to come along to one of the photo shoots. The three of them spend a wonderful day talking and laughing, and they go to dinner that night to celebrate all of Blair's recent success.
"To Blair," Nate says, raising his glass to her. "She's worked so hard for this, and she deserves all of the acclaim."
"Hear, hear," agrees Serena, also raising a glass. "To the best friend a girl - and a boy - could have."
Blair smiles wider than she has in a long time and counts her blessings.
Serena breaks up with Male Model Guy, and she and Blair go out for drinks, only to run into Dan at the bar. His eyes grow wide when he sees them, and he looks like he is going to act like they don't know each other. Blair isn't having it.
"Dan!" she calls, striding up to him. "I think it's time we talked, don't you?"
He runs a hand through his hair in frustration. "What do we have to talk about, Blair? You left me for your ex. I think we're done."
"And you cheated on me with my best friend, so I'd say we're even," says Blair, raising an eyebrow at him. He pales and looks accusingly at Serena, but Blair is not going to let him escape the blame. "Look, we've all made mistakes, even you, and we should just put it behind us."
"Put it behind us?" Dan shakes his head incredulously. "You ditched me for a guy who has done nothing but hurt you! He doesn't make you happy Blair, he - "
"That," she cuts him off, "is the problem. You think you know what's best for me. I don't need a protector, Dan. You aren't my knight in shining armor."
He opens his mouth to argue, but she doesn't let him. "Chuck loves me for exactly who I am. He doesn't need me to change, or become a different person for him. He loves scheming, manipulative Blair just as much as he loves kind, caring Blair."
"Blair - "
"He also," says Blair, her voice louder, "loves Serena like a sister. He is so good to her, and that is extremely important to me."
Blair purses her lips and beckons for Serena to join her.
"This beautiful girl standing next to me? She was in love with you. And you treated her like trash." Serena and Dan lock eyes. "Now you've lost your chance."
Blair and Serena walk out of the bar, arms linked and heads held high.
Seven months after Blair went to fight for him at the casino, Chuck is coming home. The Bass jet was experiencing some problems, so he is flying commercial. Blair, Serena, and Nate wait for him at the airport. Serena and Nate are having a casual conversation, but Blair is nervous beyond belief. Would he finally be ready to be with her? Or would she be forced to wait for some more time?
She stands on her tip toes when his flight arrives, impatient to catch a glimpse of him. She hasn't seen him in so long.
"There he is," Nate says, and Serena squeals in delight. Blair, who isn't as tall as them, is practically jumping up and down in a very un-Blair Waldorf way in order to see him.
Serena envelops him in a hug first, and her mane of blonde hair and long limbs cover him completely. Nate is next, and he gives him a man hug and welcomes him home.
"Good to see you, man."
Then he is standing in front of her in all his glory, this man she has loved for as long as she can remember. He looks the same as ever, with his tousled dark locks and brown eyes. He is wearing a green bow tie that just happens to match her dress perfectly.
"Chuck."
"Blair."
Nate and Serena awkwardly excuse themselves to go get coffee so that the two can be alone.
She wraps her arms around his neck and breathes him in, the familiar smell of scotch and cigarettes putting her at ease. "I missed you."
Chuck kisses her hair. "Missed you too, Waldorf."
She pulls away and looks up at him, a small smile on her face.
"These past few months you were gone...they were hard," she begins, "but I realized that I had to learn to be me before I could be us."
She takes his hands in hers.
"Waldorf Designs is doing so well, Chuck. And Serena and I are better than ever. We go out with Nate almost every night." He is about to interject, but she keeps going. "I'm sort of friends with Jenny Humphrey! Can you believe that?" He shakes his head, a smile on his lips.
"Chuck." She takes a deep breath. "I don't need you in my life."
He frowns and pulls his hands away, hurt flashing in his eyes.
"...but I want you in it," she finishes, her eyes on his. "I want you in my life more than I've ever wanted anything."
Chuck relaxes and takes her into his arms again. "That's all I want too, Blair. It's all I've wanted for the past seven months."
"Seven months, sixteen days - "
" - eight hours and forty-six minutes." He laughs and checks his watch. "Forty-seven now."
Blair suddenly feels like everything is falling into place. All those years of hurt and lies and betrayal had led them to this moment at JFK Airport. They are finally going to be together.
"How's Bass Industries?" she asks hopefully, touching his cheek.
"Jack and I convinced Bart to sign it over to me. He realized that you are the most important thing in my life, and nothing that happened to Bass is your fault."
Blair smiles and places her head on his chest. "So he doesn't hate me? That's a relief. I really didn't want to have to sit through family dinners in the future with him glaring at me."
"We're a family now?" He quirks an eyebrow.
"We're a family forever," she amends, grabbing him by the hair and bringing him down for a kiss.
"I love you, Blair Waldorf," he breathes in between kisses. "I will love you for the rest of my life."
"Ditto, Bass."
They're married a week later in a courthouse with Serena as the maid of honor and Nate as the best man. Eleanor, Cyrus, Harold, Lily, and even Bart are present.
"What now, Bass?" she asks him as they exit, hands intertwined.
He stops and kisses her full on the lips, making Nate and Serena behind them groan.
"Babies. I want babies."
She giggles and grabs his hand, guiding him toward Arthur and the waiting limo.
"Let's go get started on that, then."
I...have no idea where that came from. I'm just going crazy waiting for season six, I guess.
Reviews would be appreciated! :)