341 days 21 hours and 34 minutes since he had seen her last. Not that he was counting. Not like he was hiding out in his bedroom because he had overheard a certain phone call with a leggy blond and a certain best friend of hers. It wasn't like he had calculated the exact amount of time since he had seen her last while waiting for the storm that would inevitably follow in her wake. Wasn't like he had flipped through the channels on the television trying to keep his mind off of bow-shaped lips and swaying hips. Not like he had shuffled through every single song on his iPod- choosing none because they all reminded him of her- before turning it off and re-calculating how long it had now been.

342 days 2 hours and 2 minutes. He closed his eyes and let the memories cloud his vision.

"Chuck! Stop it!" She giggled, running away from him.

"Oh no, you come back here!" He said, grabbing her waist from behind, feeling her laughter more than hearing it.

"Chuck honestly! I have to get back to work! I have a paper due next Monday and I need to revise it!" She tried to squirm from his iron grasp, but to no avail.

He only pressed his lips to her neck and began kissing a path from her neck to her jaw, and stopped at the shell of her ear.

"Please? You know you have an A Blair, it's as plain and simple as that"

She turned around to get a look at him before answering. "Well maybe I could put it off for a little while…"

"Why put off until tomorrow what can be ignored entirely?"

"I cannot IGNORE a paper, Chuck Bass. And you know it too. I have got to take this seriously!"

"Didn't anyone ever tell you? Never take life to seriously, Nobody gets out alive anyway."

She looked him straight in the eye, dead serious before answering; "No." He laughed and she looked bewildered for a moment before laughing too.

His trip down memory lane was ended abruptly when he heard a rapid succession of knocks upon his door. He sauntered purposely over to his door and was met with a familiar scene.

Serena Van der Woodsen was standing in front of his door looking guilty.

"What do you want?" he barked.

She looked at him, her blue eyes pleading. "Chuck I…you haven't picked up my calls so I…" she sighed. "I know you heard my conversation with—"

"Don't say her name."

"Chuck! You have got to get over it! The past is the past!"

"And it would have stayed in the past if you hadn't convinced her to come home!"

Serena reeled back from this blow, and put her hands on her hips, glaring at him. He didn't budge. "Chuck. You cannot blame me for any of this. This, New York, this is her home. You cannot deny her her home. As much as you don't want her to return…I know you do. I know you aren't over her, and the reason she left—"

"She left because she wanted to."

"She left because you told her to."

"Serena why couldn't you have told her to stay there? That is where she belongs. Locked up in France."

Serena lifted a consoling hand to his shoulder and he brushed it off, ignoring her attempts at reconciliation.

"I know you both hurt. But Chuck, don't blame her completely. And don't blame me at all. This, what's about to happen, it needs to. It's time that you two settled this. Nate and I cannot keep running back and forth between the two of you, trying to appease you. This mess is all about you two. This rift, this divide, I didn't make it. I'm trying to build bridges that you won't burn."

He sighed and began to shut the door before her hand stuck out to stop it. He looked to her, preparing for her next words of anger, but they never came.

"Chuck…could you just…could you just try?"

Miles away in her chateau in France, Blair sat on her bed looking at the suitcases lined up against her wall. All were neatly packed and organized. There were several full boxes stacked up in the corners of her room, and her rug was rolled into a cylinder. Downstairs, her books and furniture had been covered, as well as in the other rooms. She would send for her books later. The rest could stay here.

She sighed and picked up the last box from the confines of her closet, and when she did the bottom of the cardboard box gave out and the contents of the box spilled to the floor. She sighed and threw away the old box before kneeling on the ground and beginning to pick up the items. She came across a familiar picture… It was her. But more importantly it was her…and him.

They were sitting on a bench in central park, it was September, her hand on his cheek, his arm around her waist as she sat on his lap. Their faces were bright and happy and unknowing of the dark future. They smiled one of those secret smiles they had, the ones that were private, meant only for them.

Oh she remembered that day well… Serena and Nate had decided they needed a Nom-Judging Breakfast Club day. The four of them. The way it was before life got fucked up, and then haphazardly pieced back together.

Serena stood on the edge of the fountain singing some song that Blair recognized but for the life of her couldn't remember the name of. Nate stood next to Chuck, telling him some tale about a girl named Bree whom he had met on a flight.

Chuck looked over to her and winked, signaling that he would tell her about it later if she asked, and also that he really couldn't care less. He then put on an interested face and turned back to Nathanial.

Serena turned to Blair, "Blair!" Blair cringed at the pitch of her voice. "Yesss?" She said, drawing out the s. "Oh Blair I brought a camera! It's in my bag! 'I'll go get it!"

"Okay then S."She said, chuckling softly.

She turned to find Chuck smiling at her fondly. "What?" She asked, if not a little breathlessly. It seemed the chilly air had gotten to her.

"Nothing," He said, smiling that smile of his. "you just look…"

"Look?" she inquired

"Beautiful. And happy, and it's been awhile since I've seen that."

She returned his bashful smile and took his hand. With their cold fingers interlaced they walked over to the nearest bench. He sat down and she followed suit, settling on his lap. He put his hand to her cold cheek and she turned her lips to it and kissed it. He trailed his fingers down her arms and then settled his hand on her waist. She put her hand to his cheek and leaned in muttering softly, "I love you, Chuck Bass"

He smiled at her words, still unused to hearing them and looked to her, "I love you too, Blair Waldorf."

They were a hairsbreadth away from kissing when suddenly there was a snap, and a flash of light. And giggling. They turned to see Serena laughing and looking at the camera screen when Nate came up behind her and she showed the picture to him.

Blair and Chuck glared at them both, when Blair hopped up from Chuck's lap.

"Serena..." She said warningly.

"Yes Blair?" Serena returned sweetly.

"Serena that was a private moment and—"

Nate chuckled and said to her, "Oh but Blair! It was such a sweet moment! Can you blame her for wanting a picture?"

Chuck came up behind Blair, "Serena get rid of that picture right now." His tone was demanding.

"Oh I don't know…It think I might…send it to Gossip Girl perhaps?" Chuck and Blair's eyes widened in horror, she continued, "oh, I can see it now. Upper East Side power couple Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass spotted getting lovey dovey on a bench in central park! Ah she would have a field day with that!"

"Serena don't you dare!" Blair warned her once more.

"Oh but I think I will!"

Chuck and Blair looked to each other before nodding in confirmation. They both started off after Serena, who after realizing their game began to run off in the opposite direction. Chuck came around the front of Serena who turned around and ran right into Blair, who grabbed the camera and shouted with joy, "Aha! Success!"

Serena huffed at the brunettes trickery and skipped over to Nate who looked extremely amused by the whole thing.

"Nice job Waldorf." She smiled, and then something dawned on her.

Chuck saw it happen, right before his eyes. The way her eyes widened, narrowed and her smile turned into a vicious smirk.

She turned to Serena, a few feet in front of her and spoke, "Serena, thank you very much! It seems you have just handed over to me, blackmail of the worst kind. The relationship kind."

"Blair don't even think about it!"

She turned to him and smirked, "Oh, but I already have!" and began to walk over to the blondes. Chuck grabbed her arm and turned her around before pulling her to his chest. He then lifted her up and spun her around and set her down after he settled a kiss on her bright lips. She smiled, and he could tell she had given in. Besides, he knew she didn't want the proof that they were soft out there anyway. He smiled and kissed her again before picking her up as she laughed and smiled…

She drifted out of her daydream with her own laughter echoing in her head. She got up from her place on the floor and placed the photograph in the box with the others before looking out her window. It had begun to rain while she was off in memories and the sky looked bleak and grey and nasty. She shuddered. Blair walked over to her bead, and prayed for sleep she knew wouldn't come. She would be clouded by memories of him.