Chuck sat alone at the bar of his suite, clutching the glass of scotch that had become as much a part of him as his legs, or his hands. The only sound was the ringing noise in his ears that had been present from the moment he let Blair go.

He still felt numb. While the dog that Humphrey gave to him, Monkey, had brought some vague comfort, Chuck still couldn't feel any of the more critical emotions, like pain or love. To the people around him, Chuck Bass gave the impression of an active participant in conversation and perhaps a slightly quaint version of himself. Inside Chuck however, everyone seemed like blurred flashes of themselves, their voices muffled by the ever-present ringing sound in his head. Chuck had never felt so detached in all his years of lurking in the shadows and observing everyone around him for his own amusement.

Downstairs, Blair Waldorf had just entered the Empire's lobby after opening the test that revealed who the father of her baby was. Before opening it, Blair had taken a deep breath and had a long moment of thought.

Both men were almost equally ready to be fathers. Louis had proved he would protect her from anything, why not their child? He was emotionally mature and had been perfect in every way so far in their relationship. This couldn't be any different. And yet the interviewer today had said that Louis felt that starting a family was "a long way off" and he was "nowhere near ready to be a father at this point in my life." This left Blair with some doubts.

Chuck as an even bigger puzzle. He was Chuck Bass. Most people would acknowledge that he was not the fatherly type. His lifestyle consisted of copious amounts of women, scotch and drugs. Chuck Bass is recognised to the world as a villain, almost heartless. In fact on Gossip Girl just today, Blair saw that he had gotten rid of the sweet dog at the pound. Could he learn to love and support a child? He didn't exactly have a great role model of a father.

But Blair wasn't just anyone. She had experienced sides to Chuck Bass that nobody else had. In their months of dating he had no issues with being committed to her, unlike Nate and Marcus who you would expect otherwise from. Commitment had to count for something. Also, Chuck had expressed some concern when he realised Blair might be pregnant in her junior year. Blair still remembered his words about second-hand smoke and its risks on a baby. She could acknowledge that he didn't exactly want her to get rid of it. In fact he had been trying to protect in a way, but she had been too busy trying to get back perfection in her life and did not appreciate it at the time. Chuck had tried to propose to her more than once, despite something getting in the way each time. He had to know that if he was intending to marry her, children could be expected in their future.

Yet there were still those complex and darker aspects of Chuck that only Blair had seen as well. Often in the past, he would run away from love and good things because he was afraid of destroying them. Chuck had broken glass in a fit of anger and distress when Blair revealed she was engaged to Louis. He wasn't emotionally stable and she couldn't risk that with her child. Chuck was clearly the more confusing person, so Blair decided that no matter what the test said she would find Chuck first.

The test showed that Chuck was the father.

And now she was in the elevator on her way to Chuck's suite. A large part of her was utterly terrified. Terrified of losing everything, just as she had told Dan. Terrified that on top of losing everything she would be once and for all destroyed by everyone's reaction. Terrified of being on her way to see Chuck for the first time in a while. She immediately went into her controlling mode. What were her last thoughts before she read the envelope? She had been debating who was more ready to be a father. Finding out the truth had slightly altered her thoughts. She was sure she wouldn't be thinking twice if Louis was the father. She had an indiscretion to cover up and she didn't want to lose everything.

Blair had kept secrets before. She was aware of how bad this was. She was still considering the option of passing it off as Louis' and just living a depressing life of guilt as her own form of punishment. Suddenly Blair realised that this meant a life of happiness with Louis was lost to her no matter what she did at this point. She had a lot of faith in Louis' love for her and his ability to protect her from anything if she was pregnant with his child. But what if she remained honest with him like always and told him the whole truth. Blair was sure that his only option would be to withdraw his right to the throne to slightly reduce the effect the world's reaction would have to Blair's infidelity. This of course depended on the strength of his love for her and if he was even remotely close to considering forgiving her for this.

But then she couldn't ignore that nagging feeling of... of... relief!

Chuck wasn't lost to her forever. Like she said on that night at Constance, she didn't want to let him go just yet. She was still very much in love with him, as she said she would always be.

Blair began to calculate her next move quickly, as the elevator would arrive at his suite in a matter of seconds. She decided that she had to tread carefully and not reveal anything too quickly. She would observe Chucks position in life at the moment and work from there.

The doors opened. She stepped out of the elevator, breathing carefully and constructing her mask as best she could. However the moment she saw Chuck, all her efforts were shot to hell.

Chuck had been studying his glass for a while now when he heard the soft sound of the elevator open and heels taking steps into his penthouse. He turned to find Blair Waldorf; the love of his life standing at the entrance in all her glory. Her face revealed that she was observing him with a hint of trepid worry; leaving a great sense that she was withholding thoughts in her mind. Blair would leave anyone else confused with the mixtures of emotions flashing across her face. But Chuck Bass recognised that she had a secret the moment he looked at her. He had the ability to read her long before they ever got together, recognising her lie to Kati and Is about knowing Serena was returning to the Upper East Side and smirking to himself. But this time she had the power to hurt him again and it was no laughing matter.

For an extremely tense moment they stared at each other. This was their first meeting since they decided to end their great love for good. Chuck's stunned face remained serious with caution and fear hiding behind his eyes. The ringing noise was still present and Blair seemed a blurry version of herself to him, but the feeling of detachment from life had disappeared. It was Blair after all.

Blair realised she was the one who came here with a purpose.

"I need to talk to you" she spoke softly.

"I thought we said everything we needed to say last time we saw each other" Chuck immediately responded, his wall going up. This woman had already traumatized him to the point of numbness. He had to be careful. If anything he wanted her to leave before anything more happened to him.

Blair glanced down weakly, unable to look straight at him. Blair was slightly hurt and taken off guard by his cold demeanour, considering he had done the sacrificing for her. She almost felt the need to remind him that it was his choice. But she knew better at this point. Their relationship had become so intense that she knew that she couldn't berate him without feeling guilty.

"Chuck" she sighed almost defensively.

Chuck realised he had already left himself vulnerable to her hurt by making such a cynical statement. His only option was an attempt at friendliness now, the exact opposite. It would put her off finding his still fresh wounds.

Suddenly, Monkey trotted out to stop at Blair's feet. Blair leaned down to touch the dog's head.

"Blair, meet my dog Monkey" Chuck drawled.

"Oh!" Blair gasped softly as she tickled Monkey under his chin.

"Wha-? I saw Gossip Girl; I thought you got rid of him" Blair asked in confusion.

"I just sent him to get fixed. I thought it was the responsible thing to do" Chuck explained.

A flash of surprise crossed Blair's face. There was an opening. Was he maturing? She tried to ignore the feeling of her heart lifting. Her brain pushed it back down a peg or two, reminding her to stick to observing Chuck cautiously to detect any signs that she should risk everything and tell him.

"You never seemed the type to own pets?" Blair prompted.

"It's a long story, but I think it's a good idea to keep him" Chuck said carefully, not betraying too much. He didn't want to tell her about his numbness, which still hadn't gone away at her arrival. It was slightly embarrassing for one thing. Also, she was marrying Louis; he couldn't put this issue on her in any way at all.

Blair tried to keep the conversation going, somewhat inspired by Chuck's words.

"Well, I hope Nate has been warned. You know what they say about a dog being man's best friend" Blair chirped.

Chuck smirked, saying "he encouraged it actually. He won't be around due to his new so-called 'job.'"

"Care to expand on that?" Blair questioned, realising the icy tension had began to thaw and paced forward until she reached the bar where he was seated. She stood across from him inside the bar area crossing her arms across her chest.

"Typical Nate earning money off pleasuring older woman, just a slightly more legal way of doing it this time" Chuck said casually.

"This was the boy I had been planning on marrying for most of my life" Blair dramatically stated to the room in disbelief.

Chuck shrugged his shoulders, breathing out through his nose as he smirked. He looked anywhere but at Blair, as the reminders of why he loved her invaded him. Luckily, Monkey trotted towards them at the bar distracting Chuck for a moment. Chuck patted the seat next to him for the dog to hop up onto. Chuck had a small smile as he scratched behind his ears.

Blair watched Chuck and could not ignore the butterflies that had exploded within her. She didn't even realise her most used mask, the one that hid her love for Chuck best, had fallen off her face as she watched him with affection. He really cared about this dog, and it was doing wonders on her perception of him. Maybe, just maybe I can tell him, she thought.

"He's bringing you joy" Blair noted.

Chuck had to look up now. Her face was glowing and seemed excited by his behaviour, he recognised that look in her eyes. He felt the slightest flutter in his stomach that threatened to remove the numbness. Chuck nodded slowly, knitting his eyebrows as he watched her curiously.

"It's kind of the point" Chuck said carefully.

Blair didn't know how to take that statement, but she was getting more hopeful by the minute that Chuck could actually be ready for this. No man could ever really feel ready for this, but deep down they all have it in them to love the child. Isn't that what Humphrey insisted to her?

"I need to use the bathroom" she blurted out suddenly.

Chuck raised his eyebrows and then nodded.

"Go right ahead, I take it you still remember where it is?" Chuck said.

Blair nodded quickly, getting up and leaving the bar area.

She had no intention of using the bathroom, but felt the need to find out all she could about Chuck before telling him anything. The bathroom was next to his home office. She entered quietly. Blair walked to his desk immediately. She ruffled through the papers, which mostly had to do with Bass Industries. "Okay, so he'd be a hardworking father. I know this child will be supported financially. But he isn't going to be Bart. He isn't cold enough to even get rid of a dog." Blair thought to herself.

Blairopened his laptop. She decided to check his history on the computer to see what he had been pursuing lately, sifting through to find mostly stuff to do with work. Then something strange caught her eye. A mental health site. She clicked it and it opened up to an article with the title "Aversion disorder."

"Blind...paralysed... unable to feel...psychological trauma...treatment involves trying to make the patient feel again" Blair murmured aloud as she read. She was filled with worry. Was something really wrong with Chuck?

"What are you doing?" Chuck said. Blair gasped, shutting the laptop and looking up to see Chuck standing at the door, an angry and suspicious look on his face. Chuck still couldn't feel anger, but he knew he had to appear angry at her in this moment.

She jumped from her seat, embarrassed to be caught stalking him. Blair took a deep breath and strengthened her resolve. She looked Chuck square in the face.

"Chuck. Why are you researching about aversion disorder?" Blair asked.

"Stalk me much?" Chuck said drily, repeating her words from her 17th birthday.

"Are- are you doing okay?" Blair pressed slowly, ignoring what he said.

"Look you weren't supposed to read that. Let's just forget about it." Chuck said, wincing inwardly at how weakly he lied.

Blair on the other hand felt more intrigued. He wasn't shutting her off with insults. What was happening to Chuck Bass?

"Does this have something to do with Dan telling me you were in some sort of Freudian trouble?" Blair continued to ask him.

"It's just something Humphrey looked up the other day. It's nothing to do with me." Chuck said a little too easily. He forgot who he was dealing with. Blair sighed, pulling the pieces together.

"You aren't deaf or blind clearly. So you have the numbing symptoms?" Blair asked softly.

Chuck didn't speak for a few minutes. He couldn't look at her, debating his next move. Chuck decided to give in and tell her as briefly as possible. It was obvious that Humphrey didn't know how to keep his mouth shut anyway.

"I haven't been able to feel anything. I tried dangerous and painful things and felt nothing. Humphrey has been slowly guiding me through things that bring people joy to see if it works" Chuck muttered, not looking at her.

Blair swallowed watching him, growing wary.

"It's set off from great loss. Which I have had plenty of, as you are aware." Chuck finished casually.

Blair took a deep breath and didn't speak for a few minutes. He has had to deal with so much loss. Something like this was bound to happen, she realised.

"So that's why you have Monkey?" Blair asked.

"Dan brought him to me to make me happy." Chuck stated.

"And did he?" Blair asked quietly.

"He's comforting in a small way but comfort isn't great enough to make me feel something. He's turning out to be not too shabby company anyway, and I surprisingly didn't have it in me to dispose of him." Chuck said with a soft chuckle in an attempt to ease the tension, looking back up at Blair. She was staring at him with the same look she had when she first arrived.

Blair heard his words and she just knew. She had to tell him the truth. Blair Waldorf wasn't that cruel. Dan had said that he thought she had changed from last year and she had. At the very least the shock would be enough to cure Chuck, she was sure of it.

"I need a drink and to sit down" Blair said softly. She wasn't sure how much this would ease her into the fact she was about to single-handedly destroy herself.

Chuck nodded and walked back to the bar area with her trailing behind. She sat on a stool as Chuck mixed a drink. She stopped him before he put anything alcoholic in it and he looked at her questioningly. Blair ignored him; it wasn't how she should reveal it. Then she began procrastinating by pondering on how she should say it.

She had been silent for a while. Chuck knew there was something on her mind that was on the brink of being revealed. He decided to get her to talk.

"Why did you come here anyway actually? Is this another misguided attempt by Dan to get me to feel something?" Chuck asked, smiling slightly as he looked at his glass.

"I'm pregnant." She gushed out.

He looked up at her rapidly. She had said those two words so softly, but they had boomed loudly above the ringing noise in his ear. She was pregnant. She was pregnant? Did she really just say that?

"What?" Chuck asked, dazed by the current emotions he was feeling that he hadn't felt in a while. Excitement, love and fear that it wasn't his. And then suddenly Blair came into a better focus, she was no longer blurred and distant to him. Her beautiful face staring at him, though paled white with fear.

"You're pregnant?" Chuck asked.

Blair nodded breathing in and out. Chuck looked down and saw her hand shaking in her hold against the glass. He took it into his and looked back up at her.

"Is it mine Blair?" He asked, not even trying to mask the hope in his voice.

Blair felt his hand in hers and looked deeply into his eyes that were filled with hope. She saw everything right and her heart fluttered in response. He wanted this baby. He needed this baby. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Ye-yes" she gasped out in a sob.

Chuck's grip on her hand tightened as happiness began to spread through him. He hadn't realised how much he wanted this until he was unsure whether or not the baby was his. He was going to be a father? The thought both terrified and overjoyed him at the same time. Pictures of brunette boys and girls appeared in his mind. They were perfect and they were his. Tears began streaming down his face and he used his other hand to clutch his chest which had tightened.

Blair watched Chucks face. He looked completely stunned yet with happy tears falling. It helped, but she was still scared of everything. She was sure she made the right decision. But this certainly wasn't going to be easy.

Chuck hugged her tightly across the bar bench and kissed her cheek. Heat spread through Blair and she froze at the intimate contact. Chuck seemed to realise his mistake too late. He pulled back.

"I'm sorry about that." He said awkwardly.

"It's okay." She said quickly.

"If I know anything about Chuck Bass it's that fatherhood isn't part of the lifestyle, so no matter all the challenges we're about to face, do you want to be part of this child's life?" Blair had to ask.

"Of course I do, this is a good thing Blair!" Chuck immediately said, "But I can understand I guess if you aren't completely relieved that you're carrying my offspring. It's certainly going to derail you fairytale." He was bitter at that. While overjoyed at the prospect of having real family, the type you couldn't get rid of no matter what, it didn't insure a rekindling of his relationship with Blair.

"This fairytale is complicated. But there was a part of me that really wanted it to be yours." Blair admitted slowly. Chuck nodded but didn't completely understand her statement.

"So...what's the plan?" Chuck asked.

Blair had to smile at that. It was as though they were scheming partners again. Maybe if they worked together this could turn out better. But then reality kicked in.

"I haven't told Louis. I don't know what's going to happen." Blair said in a lost voice. Chuck knew he had to try for her.

"I meant what I said about deserving your fairytale. I hope you're still going to fight for it" Chuck said to her, looking her in the eye even though it destroyed him inside.

Blair stared back at him tensely for a long moment. She knew she still wanted to be with Louis. But Chuck was the father of her child aswell as her great love. The situation was crazy but if she gave up on Louis she knew it wouldn't sit right with her.

"I will"

"I'll protect you Blair if it comes down to it. You're carrying my child after all."

Is that really the only reason why you would? Blair thought to herself.

"That is more comforting than you know. But you can't protect me from the whole world" Blair sighed.

"You're forgetting one thing. I'm Chuck Bass" he drawled.

Blair had to giggle then.

"I should go" Blair said with a realisation that it was very late and if Louis found out she was at Chuck's there would be consequences.

"Yes," Chuck whispered, even though he wanted her to stay forever.

"Louis' waiting for me" Blair explained with a look that told him her worries if Louis knew she was here.

"Of-course" Chuck replied, nodding in understanding.

"I will call you so we can discuss the plan, but you can't say anything to anyone else. In my experience, anyone can walk in at any moment and hear your secret revealed out loud" Blair said as she made her way to the elevator. Chuck nodded.

Blair looked at Chuck before she pressed the button for the elevator. His face looked bewildered yet excited, giving her the security to remove her mask and beam at him. She stepped forward and hugged him this time, tightly. Chuck's body stiffened in surprise but then he immediately hugged her back, swallowing the sadness that she was leaving. He reached his hand in between them to touch her stomach and whispered "I'm going to protect us" in her ear. Blair pulled back nodding, her eyes filled with tears. Chuck had seen the same look after he said that he would always love her at Constance. She pressed the button for the elevator and it opened immediately, she stepped in. Blair stared at Chuck as the doors closed. The last thing she saw was that tender smile on his face that was reserved for her. Now to face the world.