A/N: This was written Christmas 2008 so it's a bit older than some of my other stuff, but I felt that it was good enough to post. Please read & review.
"I need you."
Those three words continued to play through Blair's head as she sat at the table with her friends for their annual Christmas dinner. They'd been doing it for years, no matter what was going on with their lives.
"Blair, are you okay?" Serena asked the concern apparent on her face.
Blair smiled, shaking herself to try and clear her head. "Yeah, sorry. My thoughts were just wandering."
And as Serena's eyes slid to the empty chair at the table it didn't take much for all of them to figure out where her thoughts were. "I'm sure that Chuck's fine."
"I wasn't thinking about Chuck," Blair scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You know that's been over for years."
"Over for years?" Nate laughed as he took Jenny's hand in his. "That's funny. You and Chuck with never be over."
Blair glared at him. "Just because you and Jenny are all lovey dovey and Serena and Dan are all lovey dovey doesn't mean the rest of us are. I just haven't met the right guy yet."
"Or maybe you have and his name is Chuck Bass, but neither of you will admit it." Serena shrugged as she took a bite of her food.
"And maybe not all of us want to get married and have babies like you," Blair said pointedly.
Jenny let out a laugh. "Blair, why don't you just admit it? You're in love with Chuck and you're worried about him?"
"You know I still don't like you, why are you bothering me?" Blair rolled her eyes at Nate's look. "Yeah I know, I'm supposed to be being nicer. I got it. I apologize. Forgive me for being a bitch. We'll try again later." She turned to Dan. "Don't you have anything to add?"
Dan shook his head, hands held up in defeat. "I'm staying out of this. Your business, not mine. Things never go well when I try to interfere with you and Chuck so no, I have nothing to add."
Blair gave him a small smile as her thoughts once again went to the message that Chuck had left her. When she'd called him back there'd been no answer. She hadn't been able to reach him since then – that had been yesterday morning and she couldn't help but worry. But she wasn't about to let her friends know that she was worried. She glanced at her phone again, no missed calls. Damn it.
"So is there a particular reason that you keep checking your phone?" Serena asked, eyebrows raised.
"In case work calls." Blair calmly set her phone down, taking a drink of her wine. "Is that okay with you mother?"
"It's bullshit, but whatever makes you feel better," Serena said with a smile.
"Serena," Dan said quietly, a warning in his tone as he turned to her.
"Fine, we'll drop it." She turned to Nate. "So have you guys set a date yet?"
"God Serena, you are in a mood aren't you?" Jenny laughed. "Bulldozing today I see…But in fact we're thinking about Christmas Eve next year." She sent Nate a small smile as he linked his fingers with hers.
"That's awesome, Jenny." Serena sent them both a genuine smile as she leaned into Dan who had slipped an arm around her shoulders. "Took you guys long enough. You've only been engaged for what? A year?"
"Ugh can I puke now?" Blair rolled her eyes. "All this cute, couple romance is nauseating. Can you remember that I am here?"
The four turned to look at her and just as Serena was about to say something Blair's phone rang. Seeing the name on the screen she quickly answered it, "Hello?"
"I need your help."
"Where are you?" He spit out an address, one that she didn't recognize. "Fine, I'll be there in about thirty minutes." She disconnected the call, standing up quickly. "I have to go."
"What kind of trouble did he get himself into this time?" Dan's voice was dripping with venom.
Blair's head was held high, her eyes flashing with fire. "Shut up. I don't want to hear it, not from any of you. But especially not from you – you can kiss my ass." She spun on her heel, grabbing her bag and jacket before heading out into the cold night. She had no idea what would be waiting for her, but there was no doubt that it wouldn't be good.
When the car got to the address she stared up at the townhome, shaking her head. What would be awaiting her inside? And what the hell was Chuck doing here? With a sigh she stepped out of the car with the help of the driver, letting him know that she would call when she needed him. Going to door, she took a deep breath. Did she knock? Did she just go in? She tried the knob and found that it turned easily in her hand. That couldn't be good.
She pushed the door open, going inside cautiously. "Chuck?" The house was warm and all of the rooms lit. The front room had a Christmas tree and the entire place was decorated for Christmas, but something just felt off. She stepped further into house, shutting the door behind her. "Chuck, where the hell are you?"
A noise from upstairs caught her attention and she took off up the stairs. She found him in the room at the top of the stairs, on the floor. "Oh my God, Chuck!" She fell to her knees beside him, her hands shaking as she rolled him onto his back. Tears came to her eyes as she saw the bruises on his face, the tears in his clothes. "Chuck?" She shook him, trying to wake him and breathed a sigh of relief when his eyes slid open.
"Blair?" He tried to raise a hand to her face, but let out a moan of pain and it fell to the floor again.
"What happened to you?" She closed her eyes, trying to fight the tears but they spilled down her cheeks. She opened them again to find his eyes on her face. "We need to get you on the bed, try and help me." She got her arms under him and though she knew it hurt him they managed to get him on the bed. She began taking off his clothes, needing to see how badly he was beaten underneath.
"Trying to get me naked?" His words were slower than usual, the pain evident in his voice. "Won't do you much good."
Blair laughed. "You're such an ass. Are you going to tell me what happened?"
"Pissed off some guys. The wrong ones." He flinched as she got his shirt off and she flinched with him when she saw the bruises that were forming underneath. "Some bar. Four of them. Bad idea."
"No shit." She shook her head. "Why didn't you go to the hospital?"
He shook his head. "I woke up here. Had to see you. Had to give you your present."
"Chuck, I'm going to kill you." Blair shook her head, picking up her phone. She quickly dialed the number of a doctor that she knew would make the house call before calling Serena to let her know what had happened. Then she turned back to Chuck. "You'd better be lucky you're already beaten bloody, otherwise I'd beat you. You should've gone to the hospital. There's no present that I need badly enough that it couldn't wait until after you'd been to the hospital."
Chuck gave her a small smile before grimacing in pain. "I couldn't wait. Can you help me sit up and hand me my jacket?"
Blair shook her head. "Why should I?"
"I just told you that I can't wait. Do you really want me to try it by myself?"
Blair threw her hands up in the air. "Fine." She grabbed his jacket, throwing it into his lap before carefully helping him into a sitting position.
When she would've gone back to pacing the room, he stopped her by placing a hand on hers. "Sit with me?"
She thought about refusing, but instead sat next to him with her legs curled under her as she watched him. What the hell was so important that he couldn't wait to give her until he went to hospital? He was getting crazier the older that they got.
"This year was the year that I was going to ask for more. I was going to ask for another chance, but then I realized that's not what I wanted." Chuck held up his hand when she would've spoken. He reached into his jacket, pulling out a ring box. He flipped it open after a few tries, showing it to her. "I realized that I didn't just want another chance, but a life with you. I want forever. I want you to marry me. Will you marry me? Be my wife? I even bought this townhouse for us."
Blair looked down at the ring, her mind running in a million different directions. Marry him? Townhouse? Forever? Forever with Chuck? Her eyes slid up to his as tears began to fall down her cheeks again. But still she was silent.
"Are you just going to sit there in silence forever? If you're going to say no can you just say it so that I can get back to my misery please?" Chuck's jaw clenched as his head came up, the arrogance covering the fear that she might actually say no.
A smile suddenly slid across her lips. "Yes…" It was barely a whisper, but it brought his eyes back to hers and a smile to his lips. She slid to her knees, moving across the bed to him until she was kneeling beside him. She held her hand out to him and both of their hands were shaking as he slid the ring onto her finger. But they were both smiling when she gently took his face into her hands and kissed him lightly. "I love you Chuck Bass."
"And I love you Blair Waldorf." And even though it hurt him to do it he lifted a hand to her face, cupping her face gently before kissing her gently. "I'll love you forever."