AN: I'd like a Beta to help with this story, just to correct the English. If anyone is interested: get in touch.

This is just another random idea, that may end up being really bad. But why not give it a shot? :)

Chuck and Blair fic, but I don't know what else I'd dab into just yet.

Hope you enjoy, and as always reviews are much appreciated :D

"Blair," Eleanor called for her daughter excitedly. "Will you come downstairs?"

Blair left her room in a huff. She was in the middle of finishing her homework, and making sure she was ready for school tomorrow and for her guest later this evening. But, since thanksgiving, she and her mother have been trying to salvage their relationship. One step at a time, be it as small a step as necessary each time.

"Mother?" Blair peaked around when she finished descending the stairs

"Blair," her mother appeared from the kitchen, "I have great news!"

Blair didn't interrupt as Eleanor walked past her and to the luggage, Blair just noticed, set by the elevator.

"Do you remember your cousin Kate?" She asked, but hadn't allowed her daughter the time to answer, "It seems that her school in Chicago had a rather tragic incident with its students and the police". Her mother kept explaining the school's current condition, but Blair only really wanted her to get to the point. "I explained to Edwin that it'd be best to have her sent to a school here, and I suggested Constance of course"

"Of course," Blair reiterated mechanically, but thought of the last time she'd seen her uncle Edwin.

"He can't move due to his work, but I told him to send her to live with us."

Don't you mean me?

"Edwin already managed to get her a spot in your freshman class," Eleanor continued endlessly.

"Kaitlin is going to live here?" Blair finally asked; just to make sure before her mother explained something else entirely.

"Yes, she'll move into the guest room, and you can go to school together-"

"Okay and what are the bags for?" Blair interrupted. She hadn't meant to be rude, but her mother seemed to go on dreamily and needed someone to make her focus.

"Oh," she finally snapped out of her thoughts, "I'm going to Paris for business sweety. Kate should arrive by Sunday," she ended just as the staff came up to take her bags downstairs "make sure you greet her, and take care of her while I'm gone" always?

"Will you be here for cotillion?"

"I'll try, but just in case, the dress is done, and will be sent over soon," she leaned down and kissed Blair's cheeks, "take care".

"You too. Have a safe flight"

A couple of hours later, all her work done and set aside, she began setting up for the evening. She moved all the books off her bed, lit a few scented candles, and sat there waiting in a rather enticing ensemble.

"Don't you look ravishing," Chuck entered the room and left the door open. Dorota was off for the evening, and the house was left all to themselves.

"I've missed you Bass," she admitted since he'd only just returned from the business trip he took with his dad over thanksgiving weekend. He was gone most of the week, and it was already Thursday.

Chuck smirked as he approached her. He shrugged off his jacket and leaned over the bed to where she sat. "I've miss you too princess," he breathed against her before assaulting her lips with his.

"How was your trip?" Blair finally asked, playing with the faint chest hairs he had.

"Interesting, it seems like my father's looking into possible business opportunities with South Africa next." He admitted, having spent a few days in Europe, travelling every few days, and on two occasions, every few hours. "How about you, how was this week?" He asked before kissing the top of her head.

"I got an A on that geometry paper you helped me study for," she smiled up at him and that second long connection had them feverishly wrapped up in one another again.

"As much as I enjoy sneaking around with you Waldorf," Chuck began as he pulled out a carton of milk from the fridge, "I do enjoy being able to walk around your house without much worry"

"Enjoy it while we still can," she offered him the cereal box, and pulled out two bowls from one of the cabinets, "my cousin is moving in".

"Your cousin?" he looked her over quizzically as he poured the cereal and milk in each bowl before fetching a couple of spoons.

"My mom's brother's kid. She's going to start attending Constance since her school in the mid west got busted for harbouring criminals or something" she didn't really care. She hadn't even thought the idea through. She hadn't seen her cousin in almost ten years, and since then she must have changed. She does only recall good memories when it came to the little girl. But unlike most of her family members from her mom's side, she was kind. She resembled Harold more than her own parents, in a way that she'd always had a smile on her face, and was happy with whatever she got.

"Is she hot?" Chuck joked as he offered her one of the bowls of cereal he prepared.

"Bass," she clipped at his name, setting aside thoughts of her cousin.

"Don't worry, I've been loyal to our arrangement," Chuck added. They don't talk about what it is their doing, what any of it means. He comes over, they have great sex, and then it's like they're friends. However, unlike friends, he was only wearing his boxers, due to uncomforting drafts; and she was wearing his shirt, because the idea of walking around her house naked seemed vulgar, and she liked the appeal of sporting his clothes instead of her own.

"Cotillion is coming up," she reminded him casually.

"Do you have a date?"

"Prince Theodore asked my father if he could have the pleasure of being my escort," Blair explained as she ate her cereal. "He seemed excited-"

"I could escort you," Chuck piped in before she finished her sentence. Blair just looked him over sceptically. "I mean, why go with someone you don't know?"

"Don't you think that by going together we could rouse suspicion?"

"Right," Chuck's words fell at the idea of being known as someone's... whatever he was. He wasn't even going to attend, but when Lilly had asked Bart to have him help out, he couldn't say no. And soon enough, he'd be chosen as an escort for another incipient Manhattan soon to be debutant who couldn't find a date.

"I was thinking about leaving early though," she shot him a mischievous gleam, "maybe you could keep that suite of yours unoccupied for the evening then?" she smirked.

"I'll have it no other way Waldorf" he smirked before glancing at the clock by the fridge. "I should be going, it's almost midnight"

"You can stay the night," she offered hopefully. He only nodded acceptingly and followed her back up to her room. It hadn't been the first night he'd stayed over since her birthday.

"I need to get home Chuck," she giggled as he kissed her again, and again. She finally managed to reach the limo's intercom and held it down. "Arthur, could you take me home please"

"Don't" Chuck interrupted, "circle the block a couple more times," he swatted her hand away and pinned them to the seat. "You wanted us to have lunch, but I'm still hungry for dessert" he explained mischievously.

"My cousin is going to be home any minute!" She tried to shove him off, but he wouldn't budge. Probably because she wasn't trying hard enough, but when Chuck went to work on her neck, she'd given up her resolve, and only fought for the sake of it.

"She can wait. I," he shifted against her to emphasize his point, "can't".

Blair stepped out of the lift and searched the foyer. She thought better than randomly calling out her cousin's name and went straight to the guest bedroom.

"Kaitlin?" Blair called uncertainly as she saw the girl unpacking her belongings.

"Blair?" Blair barely recognised the girl that stood in front of her. The last time she saw her was as a six year old, feeding the ducks at the park. But it was definitely Kaitlin, her smile, her nose, her eyes.

"Hey," she hugged her cousin, just as she approached her. "Sorry I wasn't here when you arrived," Blair apologized, hoping she could avoid giving a reason for it.

"It's no problem. Dorota helped me unpack," she explained. "I guess we're going to be living together, huh?"

"Appears so," Blair replied awkwardly, taking a seat on the bed.

"So," Kaitlin plopped down next to her, "catch me up, how's life in Manhattan? How are the boys, are you still with Nate?"

"You remember Nate?" she asked her quizzically.

"Yeah, you guys have been together since forever. I don't remember a dinner party when you two weren't sitting next to each other."

"We broke up," she let out bluntly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry-"

"It's ok," Blair smiled, not really in the mood to discuss her ex-boyfriend. "How about you, how's life been?"

"Middle school over, high school began with a drug scandal... about it really" she summed it up. Her life was far less outrageous, and she hated not being able to visit as often since her mother died. Her dad's always working, and hardly ever had time to travel, but now she'll get to live in New York with her biggest idol, Blair.

"Well, a few things about high school, at least in Manhattan. Gossip is big," she emphasized the last word with a hand motion.

"Yeah, tell me about it, aren't girls just bitchy," she laughed, and it was weird for Blair to hear her baby cousin curse but she only had to remind herself the fourteen year old sitting across from her is not the kid that she took to the park and held her hand when she got scared.

"Trust me when I say," the smirk was plastered on her face "I'm the bitchiest"

"No way, you're like the nicest girl I know," Kaitlin laughed.

"Only to you baby girl" she smiled at the nickname she gave her. She detested calling her Kate; it made her sound too ordinary. It's like if someone decided to call her mother Ellie, or her uncle Ed. It was too common, and not worthy of her family stature. "Beside the point," Blair stood up. "When I say gossip is big, I mean really big." She left the room, and crossed the joint bathroom to her room only to return with her laptop. "Let me introduce you to Gossip Girl"