Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl or its characters, nor do I own the Phantom of the Opera. This is too bad for me, because owning such awesomeness would be beyond awesome!
Setting/Spoilers: At the time in which this story takes place, pretty much everything that has happened so far on GG has happened, except they have not yet graduated and neither Chuck nor Blair has said ILY.
Summary: The games we've played 'til now are at an end: Blair agrees to marry Nate. There's just one problem—and his name is Chuck Bass. Chuck decides to take matters into his own hands in this story of hidden motives, secrecy, emotional roller coasters, and the inevitable triumph of true love. This is a Chair story, not NB!
A/N: This is my very first fan fic! Reviews would be really, extremely appreciated. Thanks to EVERYONE who takes the time to read this!
The Point of No Return
No backward glances,
The games we've played 'til now are at an end—
Past all thought of if or when,
No use resisting;
Abandon thought and let the dream descend
What raging fire shall flood the soul?
What rich desire unlocks its door?
What sweet seduction lies before us?
~ chapter 1 ~
"Chuck, we need to talk."
Blair looked earnestly at Chuck. She was standing in the doorway of his room, alone. Serena, Eric, and Lily had just left for a party, which, coincidentally, Chuck had been on his way to attend before a certain lovely brunette showed up at his door.
"Aren't you going to let me in?"
"But of course." He ushered her inside and she seated herself primly upon his bed. Chuck settled down next to her. Blair finished smoothing out the folds of her dress before she began to speak.
"Like I said, Chuck, we need to talk."
There was something in her eyes that he couldn't quite place… What was it? He didn't—no, wait a moment. He was Chuck Bass, and Chuck Bass did not waste his time puzzling over women's emotions. So, instead, he replied with his trademark smirk.
"Sure, Waldorf, you'd like to talk."
His smooth voice caressed the word until what had been an innocent statement had been transformed into a dirty proposition.
A blush crept across her face. Chuck took secret pleasure in knowing that he had put it there.
"You know that's not what I meant!" she protested, though she really had no idea what that twisted mind of his was thinking of. Nevertheless, she did not need to know what he was thinking about to know that she did not like it.
"Oh, really, I do, Waldorf?" There was that smirk again, and this time it sent Blair over the edge. Determined to command his full attention, she grabbed his face with both hands, directing his gaze right into her own.
There it was again, he thought. The something that wasn't quite right.
She took a deep breath.
"Chuck, I–"
It was that moment that he became acutely aware of something pressing into his face. Not Blair's tiny fingers, but something cool, hard, smooth.
Metallic.
Chuck snatched her hand from his face and held it out in front of him, her fingers splayed.
A ring.
What?!
Chuck stared at Blair, accusing, questioning, and confused beyond belief. Blair's eyes were glistening, and he saw her blink furiously to hold back tears.
"I didn't want to break it to you this way, but–"
"Spit it out, Waldorf." Chuck's voice was one step up from a growl, clipped and cold. He could barely recognize the sound coming out of his mouth.
She cast her eyes down before looking up at him, silently begging him for something. But, as always, he had no clue as to what.
"Chuck, Nate and I are getting married," she whispered.
"WHAT?"
The words slipped out in a roar before he could stop them, his composure instantly vanished. Thoughts were racing through his head so fast he couldn't see anything, focus on anything—except her face and the contour of her lips as they shaped those awful words:
"Chuck, Nate and I are getting married."
"Chuck, Nate and I are getting married."
He was drowning in the cacophony, in the sea of images and overwhelming emotions. Blair was supposed to be in love with HIM!
But in a split-second, the confusion and muddled-up imagery were gone, leaving only a collected, poised gentleman who showed no trace of emotion.
"Congratulations," he forced out finally. "What…wonderful news, Miss Waldorf." Of course, he didn't mean a word of it, but that didn't show through his steely tone.
Blair's face fell. This wasn't how she had expected him to react at all! She was banking on a snide comment at least, and maybe an attempt to win her over or change her mind. But Chuck was a mystery as always. Maybe it was all for the better that she had chosen Nate.
She crossed her arms and tried to pull herself back together.
Chuck couldn't help but notice the change that descended swiftly upon her face. All traces of vulnerability were gone, and Blair looked determined to block him out. This was not a good sign. He'd dealt with her enough before to know that much.
Attempting to salvage the situation, he racked his brain and offered up what he hoped was a polite and interested comment.
"When's the wedding?"
This time, his voice was softer and carried a note of sincerity. Blair was skeptical, since, after all, she was talking to Chuck Bass, but something in his expression won her over. Could it be that he was genuinely interested? Was he happy for her? Something about that idea angered her strangely, so she pushed it to the back of her mind.
"Three months."
"So soon?"
"Sooner if we can get the band, the caterer, and the venue lined up."
"But why the rush?"
His eyes were pointedly directed towards her abdomen. She blushed furiously.
"If that's your way of asking, Bass, I'm not pregnant!"
"Good."
This angered her.
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
Oops. He had been trying to stay on her good side.
"I just, um–"
Chuck was at a loss for words. How was he supposed to tell his former best friend's fiancée that he was in love with her, right after she had announced her engagement?
Now, the words spilled out in a rush.
"–never pictured you as the type that would, uh, enjoy pregnancy or motherhood."
That was a lie. He had pictured her enjoying motherhood, but not to a Baby Archibald. It was a Bass, always a Bass, growing inside of her as she smiled at him with a look of pure adoration. But he couldn't admit that, either.
"How dare you say that to me?! I love kids! Kids love me! I'd be a great mother! Suck on THAT, Bass! You make me SO angry sometimes…and I'm NOT EVEN PREGNANT!"
Blair was yelling now, beating her fists against his chest. He cringed. He had screwed everything up again.
They sat there for a moment, Chuck staunch and resolute, Blair with tears dripping from her eyes, heaving after all of the shouting and fist-pounding that she had just done.
Finally, Blair reached up, wiped the tears from her eyes, and spoke so quietly that he could barely hear her.
"Chuck? I didn't come here just to tell you about the engagement. There's something I have to ask of you. I know you, and that devilish mind of yours is probably coming up with a scheme, even as I speak, to get the wedding canceled."
All he could do was look at her in shock. Blair could always read him like a book. He had been in the midst of brainstorming an idea. This one, so far, involved ninjas, a wrecking ball, and, of course, a limo, but he was still working on it.
Blair glanced at him with the barest hint of a smile. That was her Chuck, alright, always scheming, and acting just like a little boy when he was caught–wait! He wasn't her Chuck anymore. She was Nate's, and Chuck could belong to anyone he wanted to. Probably five or six of them at the same time, too! Blair unconsciously started to clench her fists at the thought of Chuck with another woman before realizing her mistake. She had to pull herself together!
"Chuck, I need you to stay out of things. Please understand how much this means to me, and to Nate! He used to be your best friend! Doesn't that matter for anything?" She had moved closer to him, dangerously close.
"Chuck? For me?"
She raised one hand and ran her fingers through his hair. It was so intimate, so compelling, that Chuck couldn't possibly refuse her. Sometimes it just wasn't fair how she could manipulate him.
He gulped.
"Of course, Blair. I wouldn't dream of ruining your special day."
"Good," she breathed, before slowly pulling away. Chuck was left feeling intoxicated, as though they had just kissed. But they hadn't, and they couldn't, because Blair was no longer his.
She started to stand, as if to make her way out, her glossy curls swishing around her shoulders. Suddenly, the thought of her leaving was unbearable to Chuck. He quickly tossed out a question, anything to make her stay.
"So, how did you two get together? I mean, how did he, uh, propose?"
It was a pathetic question and he knew it. Chuck Bass, of all people, was not at all interested in any of that romantic, mushy-gushy stuff, and he most definitely did not want to hear about how "magical" and "wonderful" Nate was, and how she "couldn't help" but agree to marry him. Nate had always been Prince Charming in Blair's eyes, and Chuck knew it. He was setting himself up for inevitable pain. But, then again, there was a part of him that was almost morbidly curious, and a part of him that wanted to check out the competition.
He mentally kicked himself. Nate was not "competition," he was the victor: Blair's almost-husband. Her one-and-only.
But there, again, was Blair's ghost of a smile, and she settled back down on his bed and started to speak.
"It was all very…sudden," she began, twisting the giant diamond around her finger. "We were both minding our own business, were purely platonic, until, one day, out of the blue, he pulled out a ring. I was so surprised! And while I was thinking over my answer, he launched into this huge speech about how he's been in love with me ever since we were little, and even as we dated other people, I was the only one that he could think about."
Chuck winced. It was painful to listen to Blair go on and on about Nate. And it was so convenient how there was no mention of his little escapade with Serena.
"And, to be honest," Blair continued, "I was going to tell him no."
What? Did she really just say—no, he was hallucinating. But wait, she was continuing, unaware of his silent interruption.
"After all he…did to me, and because of the fact that we're both still in high school, for crying out loud, I had to turn him down. But he looked so pitiful, so utterly open and vulnerable, as he was kneeling at my feet, that I couldn't do it. I couldn't tell him no.
"So I took the ring, I painted a pretty smile on my face, and I pretended that being Mrs. Archibald made me the happiest girl in the world. And when I was little, being the future Mrs. Archibald was all I wanted in life. 'Be careful what you wish for,' they always say. Well, I wasn't careful. I was young, I was naïve, I was stupid, and I made a decision that I'll probably regret for the rest of my life."
Blair wasn't even attempting to hold back her tears. They were falling thick and fast, dripping off of her cheeks and chin.
"Oh, Chuck, what have I done?"
She threw herself into his arms, still sobbing uncontrollably.
Chuck tentatively patted her on the shoulders. He opened his mouth to tell Blair that it was going to be alright, to be reassuring, but he was choked up and unable to speak. All he could do was continue to hold her and rock back and forth until her sobbing quieted.
Blair looked up at him through eyelashes matted with tears. She hiccupped, and in between sobs managed to force out:
"The truth is– th– the truth is that I don't even lo–LOVE him!"
Chuck froze. Blair was looking up at him like she expected him to do something! But despite all of his bravado and cockiness, he was really just as lost and helpless as her.
He swallowed.
"Blair?" His voice was gentle for once, and he could feel her heaving body start to relax.
"I think that the only thing that you can do is call off the wedding."
His voice was still soft, apologetic even, but he felt Blair stiffen. She pulled back and glared at him.
"Of course that's what you would say! You've had your own sick motives at heart all along. Here I thought that you were listening because you actually cared, but I see now that it was all just about you—you exploiting my weaknesses so you could get some!"
These unwarranted words hit Chuck like a slap across the face.
"That's not true at all! Blair, would you listen to me?"
"What was I thinking, pouring my heart out to you like that? I should've known that you would just use it as ammunition against me! You'll try and break me and Nate apart, I know you will! Well, guess what, Chuck. It's not going to work, because I take back everything I said earlier. I LOVE Nate, and the only stupid decision I made was not breaking off things with you sooner!"
She paused to catch her breath, and accidentally caught a glimpse of Chuck. Her vitriolic words had burned through his iron mask, leaving hurt painfully exposed upon his face. Blair clapped her hands over her mouth, aghast at what she had just let loose. What was wrong with her? Besides Serena, who never really understood Blair's problems anyway, Chuck was one of the only friends she had left. She needed to fix things. Fast.
Blair took another deep breath to steady herself.
"Chuck?" she ventured, her voice quavering. Okay, so obviously her attempts at self composure had failed. "Do you hate me now? I would totally understand if you hate me. I mean, I would hate me if I were you and I kept saying such horrible things that I didn't mean. I'm so sorry, Chuck! I'm such an awful person!" Great, now she was babbling, and on top of that, she was being pathetically melodramatic. Well, it was better than screaming, she supposed. What was it about Chuck Bass that prevented her from ever being even halfway coherent around him? Wait, was Chuck laughing at her? He was, wasn't he? He was smiling at her, no, smirking was a better word, and…
But then she was at a loss for words, mesmerized by Chuck's eyes. Chuck's eyes, which were staring directly into her own. Oh, how she had missed those eyes, those mischievous, confident, smoldering eyes. Nate had beautiful eyes, it was true, but they lacked dimension. They were dull, flat, and like his looks, generic. But these eyes, the eyes staring into her own, reflected a person very much alive, very much like herself—and the expression that they held was unmistakable.
Chuck moved closer, daring her to challenge him, to stop him in his tracks. Blair's eyes widened almost imperceptibly and her pulse quickened. What was he trying to do?
Taking her silence as a sign, Chuck continued forward. Now their foreheads were almost touching, but he didn't stop there. His mouth was coming closer and closer to hers and she closed her eyes in anticipation.
But nothing followed. No fireworks, no passionate embrace, because Chuck had pulled back and was grinning at her rakishly.
"Hey!" she protested stupidly. "That's not fair!"
He chuckled.
"Really, Waldorf, do try and contain yourself! For an almost-married woman, you sure play it fast and loose!"
Blair blushed, mortified. It was just another one of his games, but she had taken the bait. Again.
"Oh, but that's right. You're not in love with your fiancé! But cheating's still cheating, no matter what you call it—or how devastatingly handsome the object of your affections is! And I, for one, will not be helping you in your attempt to give Mr. Archibald a taste of his own medicine."
"Chuck," she suddenly interrupted. "I can't do it. I can't marry Nate."
He looked at her, incredulous. To say that Blair Waldorf certainly never ceased to surprise would be an understatement.
"I can't marry Nate," she continued, "but I can't NOT marry him, not after he proposed and I said yes! It would cause a scandal, and the last thing that the Waldorfs need is to be involved in another scandal. I can't break it off, Chuck.
"I don't have it in me."
A/N: Thank you so much for taking the time to read my first fan fic! I hope you enjoyed it. Any sort of feedback is tremendously appreciated. On to the next chapter!