Some things never change she thought to herself as she took inventory of the lavish ballroom holding New York's upper crust's latest gala. It had been a few years since she'd been at an event in this particular venue, but they were all the same. The charities changed and the themes were always different, but the people never changed. Members of the world's most elite gathering to congratulate each other on successes, personal and professional, while trying to one up each other with their charitable donations, and if they were lucky maybe leave with a new lover. Whether back in New York or in Paris where she had been living since working on her post-grad, all the black-tie events Blair Waldorf had been to in her life all blended together. The dresses, the dancing, the drinks, the dates. At 28 years old there were countless functions like this she had been to; being a New York socialite, this was what she was raised to do. So she stood with her champagne in hand in a long fitted black Dior gown and took in the room reveling in the comfort of being back in New York society.
This event in particular was being held in the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza, the charity du jour was raising funds to send aid to Africa. She had been back in New York for work for three days before her best friend Serena insisted she make her reemergence to New York society by attending as her date. It hadn't taken much convincing to get her here. Blair had always loved playing the part of society princess, and at 28 she had never felt more confident in her own skin. She was glowing after making a round around the room being fawned over by men and women she had not seen since moving to France. Everyone was vying for their chance to speak to her. After an hour she excused herself to the bar for champagne and a moment to soak the night in.
She was brought out of her deep thoughts when the dance floor parted and she was able to see across the ballroom. There he was. Serena had told her he was going to be there, a fact she kept in mind while choosing her dress and getting ready for the evening. Standing talking to two older gentlemen and their much younger wives, Chuck Bass seemed to be in the middle of telling an amusing story that had his audience chuckling along with him. Blair's heart fluttered in recognition of it's old love. He looked the same but different...he had become a man while she was gone. He had filled out more, and seemed to carry himself with more ease. She knew she was staring, but couldn't force herself to look away. And then as if by fate, as the fates have a way of doing, Chuck's eyes rose from the people he was conversing with and met hers. He froze mid-gaze as if he was seeing things, and then a smile slowly crept across his face. He rose his glass of champagne to Blair as if toasting her. Blair felt a smile grow on her own face while she raised her glass in return.
She watched him excuse himself and slowly walk across the room towards her. Blair felt as if her heart would beat out of her chest. Her hands became clammy as she took a sip of champagne trying anything to calm her nerves. He strode up to her; she held her breath. Her thoughts running a mile a minute, "God he looks good! I hope my lips are still glossed! I'm going to need more champagne! What am I going to say? God he looks really good!" She took a long drawl of breath as he finally approached her.
"I heard a rumor that Blair Waldorf was going to be here tonight," his dark eyes staring into hers as if reading her soul. His face was kind, his voice was soft and sincere, "but I didn't want to believe it until I saw you with my own eyes. Blair, you look even more beautiful than I remember, if that is possible." he said with the smallest laugh.
"Chuck." She didn't trust herself to say anything else at the moment. There he was. The man she had loved since she was 17 years old. She had fantasized about this moment for years. Since the day she left him begging her not to go in his suite at the Empire all that time ago. She didn't know what to expect from their reunion. Would he still be bitter, upset? Would he be happy to see her again? She had grown so much since leaving New York seven years before, had he changed as well?
They stood there looking into each others eyes for what seemed like an eternity before Chuck shook his head slightly almost as if snapping himself out of a daydream. With his signature Bass smirk he took the champagne glass out of her hand placing it and his own glass down on a table and began escorting her to the dance floor. He pulled her close to him, whispering in her ear, "Dance with me Waldorf." His breath on her neck made chills crawl up her spine. "Okay." She replied softly letting him lead her to the dance floor and take her in his arms. She closed her eyes and breathed him in. Blair Waldorf had never felt more at home anywhere than right here in the Plaza in Chuck Bass's arms.
When he had looked up to see Blair Waldorf staring at him from across the room he felt all the air in lungs rush out. Serena had warned him that Blair was back in town and would be attending the gala that evening, however he had not been able to properly process what that meant until he saw her standing there. In a long black curve hugging low cut gown that showed off all his favorite parts of her, her dark curls pulled up showing off the neck he had worshiped so many times, she was almost an apparition. When he lifted he glass to her she responded in same while arching her eyebrow, he felt his feet moving almost as if against his own will across the room towards her. He didn't know what he would say or do once he got to her, but he was still like a moth to the flame even after all these years.
Once he was standing in front of her he wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arm and shower her with kisses and terms of endearment. He wanted to touch her to make sure she was real, really standing there in front of him. He wanted to pick her up and spin her around and announce to the whole ballroom and the world that his Blair had come back to him. But he froze. She hadn't been his Blair Waldorf since she claimed she couldn't be with him until she had become the woman he deserved and left him for Paris seven years earlier. He didn't know what to say to her, but he knew he had to feel her, hold her. He lead her to the dance floor, and even though his nerves were going crazy nothing had ever felt more natural than holding her close in his arms guiding her around the dance floor.
Chuck was the first to break the silence as they danced. "So, what gives this city the great pleasure of a royal visit from it's former Queen B?" he teased.
Blair lifted her eyes to meet his. They were both smiling, brown eyes on brown filled with genuine happiness. "I heard I had some old minions that were getting out of hand and needed a good take down."
He threw his head back with a loud laugh at her response, and with that the ice was broken and they were old friends catching up. "Please say it wasn't another tights as pants fiasco!"
She faux huffed, "Any self respecting New Yorker knows that tights are not pants!" They were both laughing in earnest now as they continued their dance.
They continued laughing and dancing until the song was over. Without having the excuse of dancing to be in each others arms, they pulled away from each other awkwardly. Neither one knowing what move to make next.
Chuck broke the silence, "Well, um, thank you for the dance Blair." He turned to walk away when she called for him. He held his breath while he turned back towards not really knowing what he was holding it for, but knowing he wasn't ready to be away from her.
Blair fidgeted as she tried to find the courage to speak her mind to him. Normally more self possessed she began to ramble, "Chuck, um, maybe, is there, well would you like to maybe go somewhere and maybe catch up? Its just that its been so long and I want to hear about everything you've been up to and..."
Chuck sensing her nervousness and knowing he felt just as nervous cut her off, "Blair, would you like to go somewhere quieter and talk? I would love to catch up with everything you've been up to."
Blair exhaled loudly and smiled. "I would really like that."
Taking her hand in his he began leading her away from the crowded room, grabbing an unopened bottle of Dom and two glasses with him as he guided her to his limo. They passed by Serena and Nate who had been standing near the door in a heated conversation.
"Blair" Serena called out to her passing friend, "And Chuck. Look Nate, Blair AND Chuck." The blonde had missed the brunette couple's dance due to her fight with her on again boyfriend and was caught completely off guard at the two making their quick escape from the Plaza.
Without missing a stride, Blair turned her head back to her best friend as she was on her way out the door. "I'll see you tomorrow for brunch S." Leaving the two blondes staring at the door their friends had just left out of in disbelief. Whatever they were arguing over long forgotten.
"Well, looks like you owe me $200. They couldn't even make it through the evening without jumping right back into it...or jumping each other." Nate laughed to Serena.
S shook she head and laughed, "Oh man, I have a feeling this is going to be trouble."
The Bass limo cut across the park from the east side at the Plaza to the west and the Empire Hotel's roof top. Chuck popped the Dom and poured two glasses for them. He handed Blair her glass and smiled at her so happy to be there with her. He clinked their glasses, "to catching up."
"To catching up." She responded. She turned and walked over to look out of the New York skyline. "I forgot how beautiful it was from up here."
She heard Chuck come up behind her whisper so softly she almost didn't hear him reply, "Me too." She quickly turned her head to see him staring at her as if she was his savior. Blair felt a chill run over her whole body. Noticing her quiver, Chuck placed his coat over her shoulders. Then they both stood there silently looking over the city, drinking their champagne, listening to the sounds of the city at night, soaking it all and each other in.
They slowly finished their champagne. Neither one wanting to break the comfortable silence. Blair placed her glass down, taking Chucks out of his grip as well. She gently, slowly pushed his coat off her slender shoulders that were glowing in the moonlight. Blair gazed up to Chuck who was too frightened of ruining the moment he couldn't move. Blair reached her hand to Chuck's face softly tracing his left eye brow, then running the tips of her fingers ever so lightly over his lashes, across his cheekbone then down to his chin. Then her fingers lined his full soft lips. Blair raised herself to press her lips ever so softly to his. Neither person moved. They stood there lips barely touching for a moment. Feeling a little braver at the fact that he did not immediately push her away, Blair placed her hands on his broad shoulders and deepened the kiss. After a few seconds later, Chuck began kissing her back with all the pent up passion that had been building all night.
He took her in his arms and kissed her like he had dreamed of for the last seven years. Her arms now wrapped around his neck, Chucks hands began exploring her body with urgency, it had definitely become more womanly over the years. He wanted to feel every inch of her all at once. His desire for her had not waned at all over the years, and hearing her soft moans as her tongue entered his mouth made his whole body throb with need. Once his hand reached the underside of her breast he forced himself to pull back. He knew if he did not stop himself then that there would be no stopping.
They stared into each others eyes, both trying to catch their breath. Blair leaned up to continue kissing, but Chuck stopped her. Blair thought his eyes looked like they were full of love, desire, and hurt too. "Blair" his voice cracked with emotion as he tried to reason with her, "are you sure?" And with the same response she gave him all those years ago when asked the same question, she simply leaned up to his and kissed him with everything she was worth.