Disclaimer: I do not own Gossipgirl or anything related to it.

AN: This is my first GG fanfic. It's slightly AU, but I kept some things unchanged from the series. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter One – The Return of the Queen

Blair Waldorf was back in the Upper East Side. She was standing in front of her building, watching the doorman take her bags inside. It had not changed at all. It was just like Blair had never left in the first place. She sighed. It really was like she had never left. Here she was, alone, like always. Her mother was supposed to pick her up from the airport, but instead she found the chauffeur waiting for her. Blair wrapped her coat more tightly around her. It was colder in New York this time a year. Paris had been so warm. This was her home; she knew it, even though she did not feel like this was home. Blair took her first steps toward the building, her heels clicking on the sidewalk, when her phone beeped.

Looks like Queen B is back in town, tanned and all grown up. Watch out Upper East Side, the bitch is back.

You know you love me,

xoxo, Gossip Girl

"Blair!" Serena yelled when Blair reached the Met steps. Blair sighed. Her best friend was blonder and taller than she remembered. Serena was the first person she had seen since she got back to UES. Her mother had some fashion emergency, and when she came home Blair had pretended to be asleep. Serena… How Blair loved and hated that girl.

"S, it's been a long time," Blair said and managed to smile radiantly.

"I had no idea you were back in town until I got the Gossip Girl post. Why didn't you call me?"

"I have been busy, moving my things from France was quite the hassle. I haven't even seen my mother yet. But here I am, back in Manhattan," Blair explained, partly lying. She had been busy, but she just hadn't been ready to face Serena. She made her remember all her insecurities from sophomore year.
"Oh B, it's so nice to have you back! You look so mature. Ready for our senior year in high school?" Blair just nodded and followed her, taking her rightful place, sitting on the highest step.

"We have been invited to Nate's birthday party at the Plaza," Serena said, putting down her phone and jumping up from Blair's bed, heading for her best friend's closet. "I know you dated a year ago, but I think it's time to put that behind, don't you think," Serena babbled, going through Blair's clothes.
Yes, Blair indeed had dated Nate for her entire sophomore year. Then she had left to France and never talked to him again. She didn't want to face him, but she knew she had to. She knew the importance of keeping up a good appearance. And knowing Nate, he wouldn't even remember the entire year, being high all the time and all that.

"You are right."

"What is up with your closet, B? Did you attend a nunnery instead of high school in France or what? These dresses are all below the knee! And now we don't have time to go shopping, we should be there in an hour," Sere mumbled, her head in the closet.

"In an hour?" Blair shrieked, almost running to her vanity table, checking her face, and immediately starting to apply makeup.

"Well, I kind of forgot until Nate reminded me that it was okay to bring you too…" Blair couldn't believe her friend. Her appearance might have changed, but she was still the same.

"Wear the blue one, it looks good, not really something you'd wear to birthday party, too conservative, but it's okay… We so need to go shopping, you dress like you're thirty!" Serena complained.

"I didn't do parties in France, only dinner parties. Sophisticated," Blair said. She knew she had a good taste.

"You should show some leg, they're magnificent."

"Fine, shopping, tomorrow."

When they arrived at Plaza, Blair noticed that she indeed stood out from the crowd. No one, except Blair, was wearing a knee length dress. She immediately cursed Serena for not telling her about the party earlier. She looked like a freak. Serena was wearing a stunning white dress, but it barely covered her behind. Now, Blair would never go that far, but she would go mid thigh. She had great legs; she could admit it now, unlike when she had arrived to France…

"Serena!" Blair heard Nate before she saw him.

"Nate! Look who I have with me!" Nate wrapped his arms around Blair before she even could say anything. His arms were so familiar, but they somehow reminded her of everything that went wrong before she left Upper East Side.

"Blair, you really are all grown up," the boy, no, the man, smiled. Nate was more handsome, and it seemed to Blair, that he was not high. Blair smiled, even though she still felt a little on edge with Nate.

"It's good to see you Nate. You seem to be doing well," Blair said, taking a step back from Nate. "Yeah, I stopped smoking pot after you left. I was kind of a mess, you were gone to France and no one seemed to know why you had left… But yeah, I'm doing okay now," Nate said, making Blair feel uncomfortable.

"Yes, well I had to sort out some things by myself," Blair tried to explain, but Nate just nodded, clearly over their sudden break up.

"Who has the access to the penthouse in Plaza, by the way?" Blair asked. Nate and Serena turned to look at Blair.

"Chuck Bass, of course," they said as unison.

"Who?" Blair asked. She knew the name sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"The only son of Bart Bass. Chuck transferred to St. Jude's just before you left after he got kicked out of boarding school," Serena informed Blair, and clearly wanted to change the subject. This of course made Blair want to know more about him. She of course knew who Bart Bass was, one of the richest men in Manhattan. Serena's words still irritated Blair tremendously. It was petty of her, but she wanted to see Serena getting uncomfortable. It had been more than a year, and Blair swore she had put it past her, but she still wanted to see Serena suffer, even a little. Blair loved Serena with all her heart, but sometimes she hated her just as much. 'Waldorf's never cause a scene,' she repeated her mother's words in her head. She wanted to scream and rip of those golden locks out of Serena's pretty little head. Instead she smiled and said: "Why haven't we been introduced yet?" Serena cringed and Nate smiled apologetically.

"Chuck is bad news, Blair. Not really your type of a person," Serena said, like she really knew anything about Blair.

"Chuck's my best friend, Serena. But yeah, he's into parties and girls, lots of girls. I don't think you would like him," Nate agreed with Serena. Now Blair's rage was focused on her ex-boyfriend. No one knew her. No one. Not a single soul in this world. For a brief moment Blair felt sad, but that moment was soon over and she was back to hating her friends. Blair never answered anything and forgot all about Chuck Bass when Serena found some guy to dance with and Nate disappeared to get drinks for them. Everyone seemed to be having fun, but Blair was bored. She had no interest in dancing with strangers or drinking so much that she would puke. She sat on one of the luxurious champagne colored sofas and just watched the partying people. Blair had always loved movies, and often when she had nothing to do, she created story lines for people she saw. Everyone in the penthouse was beautiful. The girls were practically wearing nothing, and the guys had lost their suit jackets. If she would be there dancing, she would stand out. But like she preferred, she took the role of the director, sitting in the sidelines, but still in full control of the situation.

Blair had been sitting alone, unnoticed, for almost an hour. This was very out of character for the Blair Waldorf Serena and the others had known. She still was the Queen in high school, but somehow she didn't feel like she belonged when she watched her peers drinking, kissing, touching. Blair found Serena from the crowd, dancing with a boy with a curly hair. He was cute, nothing special, but Blair could see that Serena had fallen in love, again. Blair scoffed, thinking how she really did not belong anymore. She started to feel longing for France and her father. Her father loved her, cared. Eleanor Waldorf was too busy, too professional. Her father was the only person in this world she felt somewhat connected to. She knew it was not very Waldorf-like to pity oneself, but Blair couldn't help but to notice how very alone she was, and not just in this very moment.

A man sat down on the sofa across from Blair with a blonde slim girl who was drinking champagne like a dying man. Blair's eyes were still focused on Serena, so she didn't really acknowledge the people sitting across of her.

"I need to go to the ladies' room," the girl mumbled and left running. Blair's gaze automatically shifted from the dance floor to face the man's eyes, his deep, brown eyes. He held her gaze until Blair looked away, flushed. The man was gorgeous. That was the only word for him. It took a minute to realize how he stood out from the other people. He was wearing a beige pinstripe suit and a bowtie. For a long time they watched each other. Blair felt her heart suddenly beating fast. At the same time she wanted to flee and never leave. The man smiled, just a little, knowingly. Her heart beat a little faster and for some reason she felt like she was going to throw up. His brown hair made Blair want to reach over brush her fingers through it. Somehow the man succeeded in being incredibly sexy by just sitting in there. Blair tried to shake that thought, but then he opened his mouth.

"How do you know the birthday boy?" he asked his voice low and smooth. Blair suddenly felt dizzy. She had a sudden urge to kiss him. Kiss him, what on earth are you thinking? Keep it together, Blair, she told to herself and smiled at the man as dazzlingly as she could.

"He's my ex-boyfriend," Blair stated like she would be discussing about the weather. She crossed her legs, suddenly feeling far from bored. The man stayed where he was, but Blair could see he almost leaned over, closer to her, but restrained himself.

"The famous Blair Waldorf," he stated, smiling wickedly.

"How do you —?" Blair didn't even finish her question when she suddenly realized who he was.

"Chuck Bass," they both stated at the same time, Chuck leaning closer to Blair to shake her hand. Blair let out a short laughter and took his hand. Chuck shook her hand with a smile on his face. They were still holding hands when the blonde girl got back. Their gaze broke and Blair let go of his hand. He was so beautiful that she really couldn't take her eyes away from him. She knew he was a womanizer and probably a cocky one too, but something in him drew her closer to him.

"I wouldn't bother with her, she's a prude, and probably still a virgin," the girl mumbled. Blair took a good look at her and recognized her as Samantha, one of her jealous classmates.

"Why, thank you Samantha, I never thought that having standards meant that you're a prude. But then again, with your standards, half of the City of New York has gotten a taste of that tackiness," Blair said and smiled. Samantha looked Blair angrily.

"Whatever, virgin. Let's go, Chuck," she said, standing up, but Chuck stayed where he was.

"I'll wait for Nathaniel, you go ahead," he said, clearly excusing her. Samantha looked at Blair with plain disbelief, but left nevertheless.

"I never thought Nathaniel had an eye for girls like you," Chuck said, making Blair want to scream. He didn't know her!

"And what kind of a girl am I, Bass?" Blair asked, trying to sound normal, but came across defensive. Chuck chuckled and shook his head.

"Girl who thinks for herself. You don't seem like the girls Nate has introduced me during the past year." Blair said nothing, and Chuck continued:

"You seem like a keeper. Someone his mother would approve of. Why did you leave?" Blair did not want to discuss about Nate, but somehow she felt the urge to spill all her secrets to this man she had met two minutes ago.

"That has nothing to do with you, Bass. And why would I reveal that to you, Nate's best friend, when even Nate doesn't know the real reason?" Blair asked, and Chuck was about to respond when Serena and Nate found them.

"Oh, you met Chuck," Serena said, sounding disappointed and sat next to Blair.

"Don't sound so gloomy, Serena. Blair and I are getting along great," he said, not once taking his eyes away from Blair's. Blair's heart skipped a beat. She felt sick and excited at the same time.

"Don't play with her, Chuck," Serena warned.

"I'm not a child, Serena. Don't patronize me," Blair hissed at Serena, who looked a little shocked. Blair could hear Chuck laugh, but he disguised it as a cough. Blair smiled involuntarily.

"I know, B, Chuck's just—", Serena started, but Blair didn't want to hear it.

"I can choose who I become friends with, thank you very much Serena."

"Please Serena, finish your thought, what am I like?" Chuck asked, still eyeing Blair.

"You know what you are like. You use people," Serena said, clearly not accepting Chuck's lifestyle.

"I never promise them anything. Except great sex," he smirked. It made Blair want to smirk too, but it also made her feel disgusted.

"Whatever, Chuck. Nate, what do you want to do next?" Serena asked. But Blair stood up before he had the change to answer.

"Thank you so much for inviting me, Nate. I really got to get going. It was really fun. Happy birthday!" she said and tried to smile, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the presence of Nate and Serena.

"B! The party is far from over! Stay, I can't let you leave on your own!" Serena whined. Blair tried not to cringe, but failed.

"I can handle myself. I'll get a taxi. It's not a big deal, S." Serena was just about to start to argue otherwise, but Chuck fast faster.

"I can take you, Blair. Well, my driver can take us. I need to run an errand anyway." Serena didn't look so approving, so of course Blair knew exactly what to say.

"Thank you, Chuck. I would absolutely love that." Great, some alone time with Chuck Bass in a car with tinted windows…

I hope you liked it. Please R&R! This is going to be a multi-chapter fic, so I would love to hear what you thought of it.

- B