Thanks so much for all the kind words and reviews. Here's the next chapter. Please let me know what you think. It fuels me.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my laptop. This is a mere homage to the characters created by their respective creators. All quotes, unless otherwise indicated, taken from the song that inspired the title.
Two
"There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved."-George Sand
Chuck Bass had never been a fairytale kind of guy. His father had never read them to him while he was little. Neither had the harem of au pairs and nannies that had assisted in his rearing. He had always thought their sole purpose was to make impressionable children believe in unrealistic ideals about love, family and happily ever afters.
Still, for the first time in his life, he might've been a believer. He didn't know that he could be so happy, didn't know that so much happiness could exist at one time, in one person, in himself.
But as he watched his girlfriend, pardon, his fiancée's smile light up her beautiful face, he figured that this is what the Brothers Grimm had in mind when they dreamed up happily ever after. She was staring up at him, eyes glassy with unshed tears of joy as they danced around the room.
"I love you," she told him. Her hand stroked his face. "I love you so much."
He took her hand in his and lovingly kissed her knuckles. "I know. I love you too, more than anything."
Blair almost wanted someone to pinch her. It was all so unreal. The dance ended and they left each other's company to mingle with their friends.
Serena wrapped Blair in a huge hug. "Congratulations, B! I'm so happy for you."
Blair smiled gleefully. "I know. Can you die of happiness?"
"If you can, I better get an ambulance on standby. B, seriously, this is so fantastic."
"I know. But did you know about this, S? I find it hard to believe that Chuck didn't tell anybody."
"He just told me and Nate yesterday, he was very sly about it, honestly. I think the only person that knew was Bart. I can't wait to start planning!"
"Hey, maybe you and Natie will be next. You guys have been dating forever."
Serena smiled wistfully and then shook her head. "I don't know, maybe. But tonight is all about you and Chuck."
Blair smiled. "I just can't believe it. I mean, I knew he was going to ask me one day. I just didn't think it would be so soon and it's just so perfect." Blair felt her eyes welling up again.
She knew she'd been born into a charmed life, but now here she was, engaged to the love of her life. At that moment it was decided: she had the best life ever.
Meanwhile, her beloved was being congratulated by his father and his uncle.
Jack with a good-natured grin on his face, clapped Chuck on the back. "Nice work, nephew of mine, but you sure you know what you're getting into?"
"Well, we can't all be whores like you," Chuck told him with a grin. "Besides, I love her."
Bart, the eternal stoic, actually seemed glad. "Lily is just thrilled. She can't wait to start planning. I think she already has it envisioned in her head."
"I'm sure Blair does too," Chuck said as he met her eyes across the room. She nodded to the dance floor. "Father, Jack, if you'll excuse me."
The pair watched him go, happy as could be and wholly unaware of the anxiety his father and uncle felt.
"When are you going to tell him?" Jack asked. "Kid needs to know. We all have to be prepared."
"I'll let him have his night," Bart said as took another sip of brandy. "Besides, I'm not sure if the situation warrants any special action."
Jack rolled his eyes. "It could destroy Bass Industries. Does he even know about the threa—?"
Bart shook his firmly. "No, I haven't wanted to worry him with that. He did just graduate from college. And I don't think it's going to destroy us."
Jack scoffed. "I've learned never to put much faith in your thoughts,big brother of mine."
"Your mistake, Jackson," Bart said decidedly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'd like to dance with my wife.
Jack watched his brother and nephew, dancing the night away, as if they didn't have a care in the world. Nothing and nobody knocked the Basses off their hand-polished, marble pedestals. At least, that's how it worked in the world of firstborn sons. The pedestals of the younger born were much more wobbly.
It was the eternal struggle, from Cain and Abel to Mufasa and Scar. Jack was only in town for a few more days, and then he had to get back to Bass Australia. God, he was sick of Australia. Every time he flew to New York, he missed it more and more.
He and his brother were just kids from Queens, who spent their nights dreaming about how the other half lived. But Bart, Bart had turned it all around. He'd taken a loan and built an empire. An empire his newly engaged son would soon be taking over. And Jack, well Jack was along for the ride like always.
He looked towards Chuck and Blair, who were still dancing. And for them, that dance would never end. And he would always be on the sidelines, watching, just out of the spotlight.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned dancing couple was tiring of dancing.
Blair gently leaned her head against Chuck's shoulder. "Do you think anyone would notice if the Guests of Honor slipped away," her voice, suddenly lower and mischievous.
Chuck knew exactly what Blair was thinking, he'd been thinking the same thing. "We could slip away from this intimate gathering that I took months to plans? And do what exactly, Blair?" he said even as a mischievous grin tugged at his lips.
"I'm sure we could think of something, Bass," she said with a smirk. "What you didn't get us a room?"
He smirked. "I got us the Honeymoon Suite, in case we wanted to celebrate."
"We do," Blair said with finality. "Let's get out of here."
Chuck gave her a knowing smirk. "After you, Waldorf." The way he said her name sent shivers down her spine, and subtly reminded her that it wouldn't be her name for long.
She gave him a bright grin as they smoothly maneuvered their way out the door and into the elevator.
"I wonder how long it will take them to notice that we're gone," Blair said as she Chuck's strong hands wrap around her waist and pull her flush against him.
Chuck shrugged as he kissed the shell of her ear. "I couldn't care less," he whispered huskily and Blair felt herself growing very, very warm. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him full throttle. Their lips melded into each other as Chuck's tongue slipped inside her mouth, pushing her against the elevator wall.
Her strapless dress left all of her neck and collarbone exposed and Chuck wasted no time kissing down her neck, nipping the side of her neck with his teeth, groping her breasts through the fabric of her dress.
"Chuck," she moaned as she felt his arousal pressing against her thigh. "We should slow down. I'm not ruining this dress."
He slowly pulled away from her, a mock-pout crossing his features. "Fine," he said before kissing her forehead.
But slowing down didn't mean not ceasing all contact. They were both way too worked up for that. Chuck's hand kept a firm grip on the small of her back, as he fought the urge to take her right then and there. It wouldn't have been their first time in an elevator.
When the doors finally opened to reveal the Honeymoon Suite, Chuck pulled Blair is his arms again as they stepped out. Chuck didn't waste any time, he swiftly led Blair into the bedroom.
Standing in the middle of the room, he leaned in to kiss her, but she pulled away. She nodded to the bathroom in the corner. "I'll be right back," she said before briefly kissing his lips and scurrying away.
He sighed slightly, but went about removing his tuxedo jacket and bowtie. He removed and placed his monogrammed cufflinks on the bedside table.
He was about to unbutton his dress shirt when Blair stepped out of the bathroom, in nothing but a white strapless corset, matching silk thong and white thigh stockings. And she still had her heels on. She'd let her hair down out of the intricate bun and it was hanging loosely around her face.
Chuck leaned back on the bed, drinking in the sight of her with gleaming eyes.
"What do you think," she asked him as she approached him slowly, sultrily.
Chuck smirked a very Chuck-like smirk. "Get over here and I'll show you better than I can tell you."
She approached he bed, hovering over him as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer towards him. Her hands reached up to cup his face. "I love you," she whispered gently.
The stared into each other eyes, the weight of the night finally encompassing them. Chuck could feel the coolness of the ring against his face, a reminder that she'd said yes, that this was forever.
He reached for one of her hands and planted a gentle kiss on the inside of her palm. "I love you, too."
She smiles down at him, but not broaching the small distance between them, letting him know that the next move is his, like she was.
He kissed her gently, hands running along her thighs. He nibbled slightly on her lower lip and their kiss grew more and more heated. Chuck pulled himself up from the bed, planting soft, feathery kisses on her exposed neck and bare shoulder blades.
His deft fingers expertly untied the silk stays of her corset in seconds, exposing her bare front to him and then he pulled the garment away from her, baring her back to the air of the room.
He ran his hands along her arms. From the tight control of his breathing, Blair could tell he was fighting for control of himself. And he was. He wanted to take his time, he didn't want this to be over too soon. He wanted to savor her for every second he could.
He nipped lightly at her shoulder, while of his hands reached up to cup her breast, squeezing and twisting the nipple, rolling it between his forefinger and thumb, making her moan and sending jolts directly to her moistening center.
Her hands explored his toned shoulders, as he reached his head down to capture one of her breasts in his mouth, her grip tightening on his shoulders as he sucked on the tender flesh. Blair's head fell back as Chuck's all too talented mouth worked her up to a fever pitch. She felt her sex clench and jerk in response to his ministrations.
"Chuck," his name a breathy moan on her lips, "God, yes, don't stop."
He smiled around her breast at her moans of appreciation. His hand left her nipple which caused her to whine, but that quickly died when his had reached to cup her lace-covered sex. He could feel how wet she was and it only made him even harder.
He thumbed the pearl of her clit, sending sparks of pleasure up her spine, making her breath hitch. She fisted his hair, managing to drive her breast further into his mouth.
His hand delved deeper into her soaking folds, her hips jerking toward his hand, her mouth falling open. And in a flash he pulled away. Blair moaned in protest at the shocking loss of contact. But in the next moment, he was picking her up, cradling her like a precious gemstone, and placing her gently on the bed.
She sank into the many, many pillows as Chuck rid himself of the rest of his clothing.
He settled onto the bed, near the edge, his hands lightly brushing up her legs. In short, he was much too far away for Blair's very particular taste. His hands worked their way up her legs to her thighs. Their eyes locked as he slowly, almost delicately pulled off her soaked thong.
He threw it to parts unknown as his fingers lightly, teasingly played over her folds, a slight flick to her clit, the softest delve into her entrance, making her ache for more, deeper friction. Her hips bucked, and she groaned, her arousal getting the better of her.
He removed his fingers and proceeded to lick each one slowly, like it was his favorite lollipop. Blair whimpered slightly, her body was begging for him. And the smirk on his face told her that he knew it. She wanted to roll her eyes.
But before she had the chance, Chuck's head was between her legs and his tongue was parting through her velvet folds, making her thighs clench around his neck.
She was pretty sure that only dogs could hear the high-pitch moan that fell off her lips. His teeth scraped her clit and his tongue delved deeper and deeper sending waves and waves of pleasure all through her, up her spine. The pressure was building, she could feel it. Her head thrashed around and her hands grasped the sheets. The sensory overload was starting and all she could do was pant as his tongue rolled the sensitive bundle of nerves back and forth.
But then he pulled away, lifted his head up and she moaned in absolute agony. But then he was crouching over her. His lips, glistening with her juices, pressing down on hers in a deep, greedy kiss. Her hands gripped his shoulders as she felt the tip of his cock, pressing at her entrance, ready to claim its prize.
She gasped the way she always did when he entered her, his thick, long shaft pushing into her slick, resistant channel with unrelenting pressure. He let out a throaty groan as she clenched and pulsed around him.
He pulled back almost entirely just to delve back in slowly, deeply, savoring each electric sensation of the friction between their bodies. He wanted to worship her, he didn't want to leave a spot untouched, unclaimed.
Her moans and wails became louder and longer with every hard thrust, each one deeper than the last. He felt like he was on fire, unable to get enough of her. He drove into her, harder and faster, pushing them both closer and closer over the edge.
Her senses were reeling. Her world was simply him, his pounding shaft and the ball of energy growing inside of her in response.
He drew back and slammed into her again, a moment of perfect calm settling over her for a split second before the ball exploded and she screamed his name. The euphoric release of energy shrouded her into but an intense, heady haze of pleasure.
She clenched tighter around him, pulsing and contracting around his unrelenting cock which was still slamming into her again, reviving her orgasm, this one slow and long and drenching every inch of her body in nothing but bliss. She heard him grunt and with the slightest kiss to her lips, she felt him expand inside of her, hot spurts of his essence filling her, like water to calm the flame inside of her.
She let out a long exhale as they collapsed on the bed, Chuck pulling out of her, rolling over to his side of the bed, pulling her close. He kissed the nape of her neck through her hair.
"I think we're going to hell for that," she said in a breathy whisper. "That had to be a sin."
She could feel the smirk on his face as he kissed her neck. "We could do worse, Blair."
And they most certainly did.
~XOXO~
"Never trust anyone who wants what you've got."-Eubie Blake.
The next morning, across the bridge, Dan Humphrey, sat in the dim cubicle of the small Brooklyn paper that he worked in, DUMBO Dish. He'd been working there since he dropping out of Dartmouth University his sophomore year. There had simply been too many preppies, getting away with too much shit for his taste.
He'd gotten more than his fair share of that in high school. A graduate of St. Jude's, he knew all too well just how much the guiltless rich partied hard and didn't care. He actually thought it would be different at Dartmouth, but that he blamed on temporary insanity. After all, the colleges in the Ivies had all been built by the ancestors of his former classmates.
So he'd dropped out, headed home to Brooklyn and got a job. Dish had been impressed with his private school pedigree, and acceptance into an Ivy League school. They'd hired him on the spot.
Two years later, he'd worked his way up slightly, getting heavier assignments, well as heavy as the assignments got around there. His heaviest had been a not too riveting piece on late garbage pickup. Dish was the main commentator on the Brooklyn social scene, covered shows at the Bowery, and wrote exposés on the WASPs uptown, which could never be credited and never phased the over-privileged, spoiled rotten gentry one bit.
Dan preferred not to think about it, but some days, the old aristocratic ways of Upper East Side society crept into his world. He'd picked up a copy of the Times on his way end. Flipping through the pages, he'd stopped on faces he knew all too well:
American Royalty Engaged! Bass to Wed Waldorf!
Uptown is buzzing at the announcement that two of Manhattan's royal families are about to unite. Charles Bass, the only son of billionaire real estate mogul Bart Bass, has popped the question to longtime girlfriend, socialite Blair Waldorf, daughter of fashion designer extraordinaire Eleanor Waldorf and society staple Harold Astor Waldorf . He asked her in an intimate party at the Plaza's stunning Terrace Room, surrounded by their families and closest friends. She, of course, said yes.
It's bound to be the wedding of the century. Eleanor Waldorf, and Chuck's step mother Lily van der Woodsen-Bass will make sure of it. The ring is said to be a Harry Winston stunner….
Dan dropped the paper on his desk and rolled his eyes. Bass and Waldorf? It totally figured. He'd often wondered how they fit so much ego into one relationship. But maybe that was why it worked. He hadn't seen either of them since the day after high school graduation.
He'd spent his entire St. Jude existence watching them and watching Nate Archibald and Serena van der Woodsen. After all, the four of them had stuck together through everything, covered for each other, schemed for each other, lied for each other, and played many, many games. Cross them at your own peril.
Blair had ruled over the social scene of Constance-St. Jude with an iron first. He couldn't count the times she'd threatened to destroy him if he ever crossed her.
They did whatever they wanted. Stepped on whoever they wanted. Got away with whatever they wanted. Because of course, they could. Their families could take care of them, as Chuck Bass had so condescendingly explained on one of the few times their paths crossed.
And seeing their faces, glossy and brilliant splashed across the Times only brought back all the memories. He watched as they planned their gaudy parties, he watched as they rode around in their gaudy limos, as if they didn't have a care in the world. As if they had nothing to worry about.
He watched them with equal parts jealousy and judgment and they never spared hima second glance. Except for that one time.
He recalled, with more disdain than was healthy, once he ended up caught in the middle of the Core Four of Constance-St. Jude.
It had been his junior year, and he was looking for something inspirational to nail his essay for Dartmouth. But he didn't think the life and times of a Brooklyn loner were exactly going to wow the Dartmouth writing team.
And the buzz around the courtyard had been that the Golden Couple, Nate & Serena had taken a sharp turn towards Splitsville. The whole school had been shocked and appalled. Nate and Serena were like their school's version of Brangelina.
Blair Waldorf had shrugged it off, calling the whole thing "a brief phase". It wasn't the first time and N&S had called it quits, only to reunite two hours later. But, for reasons Dan didn't understand, they didn't automatically get back together.
But the separation had dragged on for nearly two weeks, and then annual Fire and Ice Ball was coming up. So in an attempt to make Nate jealous, Serena had asked Dan to be her date.
He wished he'd said no. But no guy in their right mind turns down a date with Serena van der Woodsen. So he'd gone. And to say it ended badly was a gross understatement. Nate had punched him, Blair had hurled more insults at him in thirty seconds than anyone had done in his entire life, and Chuck had paid security to have him removed. And Serena and Nate got back together.
And now, five and a half years later, the four of them were apparently still going strong. He could only imagine what the wedding would look like. It would probably be in some grandiose French palace or on a private island. He was pretty sure the Basses owned a private island, if not a private country.
But he could no longer ponder on the past happenings of his aristocratic high school. He was just happy to be out of there. And his boss wanted him.
Nick Blaine, editor-in-chief, of DUMBO Dish, too had seen the Times and it had given him an idea. He too harbored resentment to the monarchy of the Upper East Side. Apparently, he'd once dated an It Girl. It hadn't ended well. Somehow, he wanted everyone to see the world for what it really was. And he thought he found his chance.
Dan knocked on his office door, expecting to get another piece about trash disposal. "Sit down, Humphrey," Nick said as he straightened his Clark Kent glasses. Dan did as he was told. "You seen the Society page today?"
Dan replied in the affirmative.
"Well, I want you to work an angle on this."
"What the hell does the Dish care about some uptown wedding?"
"Oh, it's not the wedding I want to cover. I'll leave that to Manhattan Monarchy. But with this wedding coming up, the Basses are bound to be in the news for weeks. People will eat up anything on them. I want the truth to come out."
Dan's eyebrows rose. "Truth? What truth?"
"No one, and I mean absolutely no one, gets to where Bart Bass is and keeps themselves squeaky clean. Something I learned in my time across the bridge: they don't know where their money comes from and they don't want to. It most likely comes from the most unsavory of places. And considering Bart Bass was just valued at 11.5 billion dollars, I'd wager there were a lot of unsavory places."
Dan ceded the point. "Okay, but I still don't get where I come in."
"You went to school with them, right? Bass, his stepsister, his hot little fiancée and his best friend?"
"Yeah, I did. But we weren't exactly in the same circle. I wasn't in any circle. I was Invisible Boy. I don't think any of them knew my first name. They probably just knew me as Lonely Boy."
"Come again?"
"My Gossip Girl moniker," he explained, somewhat begrudgingly. "But she stopped blasting about me the day after graduation."
"Either way, some connection is better than none. And right now, I need you to reconnect with them. Get close, get in, do whatever you have to. But I want an exposé on Bart Bass. In fact, I want an exposé on all of them! I want that whole side town knocked off their goddamn high horse. And if I could start with Big Bad Bart, the rest of them would fall like dominoes."
Dan was a little taken aback, but that didn't mean he wasn't game. Still, it was a bit of a risk. "Nick, getting in with these people is harder than getting an audience with the Queen of England. I'm not their type. And besides, it's drama I could live without. Nick, these aren't the kind of people we need as enemies. I go in, start snooping around and then you print an exposé…it'll be off with my head. I know these people. They love to destroy people."
"Look I'm not gonna print something without proof. If Bart's clean, he's got nothing to worry about. If he's not, well that's on him, isn't it?"
Dan couldn't or wouldn't argue with that logic. And in the back of his mind, the chance to actually take down the people who had always been on top thrilled him. Why should they be immune from justice just because they were born into privilege?
"I'm in."
~XOXO~
Sunlight streamed into the Honeymoon Suite of the Plaza, announcing the start of another busy morning in Manhattan. However the two occupants of the aforementioned suite were far from ready to leave. Night had flown too quickly for their tastes.
Blair opened her eyes into Chuck's smiling ones. For a second, she couldn't remember why she was so happy, and then the memory of the night before came flooding back. Her smile got wider as she did.
She was engaged. They were engaged. It was all too perfect to even believe. "Hi," she whispered as they laid there, face to face not wanting to move, not wanting to breathe for fear of ruining the perfect state of bliss.
"Hi," he said back with a smile. Their faces were so close that Chuck could feel the warmth of her breath when she exhaled contentedly. He pulled her to him, head just below his chin, skin brushing against skin, his hand lovingly stroking her ear.
"I could stay like this forever," she said, delighted at the friction caused between her bare nipples brushing against his coarse chest chair. "Do we have to leave?"
His eyes smiled down at her. "Well, we have the room for three nights, in case we want it."
"Wow, you really thought you were getting me out of my clothes, didn't you?" she teased him.
He broke into a wicked, rakish grin. "Was I wrong? I mean, are we not in bed, sans clothing, and was it not a mere three hours ago you were purring in my ear, begging me not to stop? Screaming my name, and spewing expletives in three languages?"
A slight blushed colored her cheeks. "Don't flatter yourself, Bass. It was only two," she said before gently kissing his lips. She sighed delightedly as she rested her chin on his chest.
"I can't believe I didn't figure it out," she said, bemused with herself. "All those phone calls, you coming back to the City early…you've been planning this, the whole time?"
"Well, not the whole time. But yeah, I started right after graduation. I wanted everything to be perfect."
"It was. It is." She stroked his cheek with her thumb. They kissed again, longer and deeper as he rolls them over, lips never breaking.
He broke the kiss and his lips worked their way down her body as he settled between her legs, his erection pressing lightly against her rapidly dampening folds. Blair had a fleeting wonder of where he got all the energy, but that quickly disappeared when he took one of her breasts in his mouth, teeth grazing her nipple and sending electric shocks through her turgid peaks straight to her core.
Her head fell back against the pillow, and her back arched, bringing him in deeper and she moaned in agony when he pulled back slightly, just keeping the tip of his cock inside of her.
"Chuck," she wailed. "Please." Her voice was desperate, filled with the want and the desire that only he could spark in her. And he knew it.
"Please what?" he asked and their eyes met. Hers filled with desire, his filled with a smirk. God, if she was capable of hating him, she would've at that moment. He loved doing this, making her beg, reminding her that he was well aware of what he did to her. But her mind was too filled with lust and deprived of pleasure to care.
"Fuck me," she whispered. "Please."
He leaned down to kiss her lips. "As my lady wishes," he said before swiftly burying himself to the hilt.
Her mouth fell open in a loud gasp at the addictive feel of him entering her, possessing her. Her legs locked around his waist, bringing him in deeper as he relentlessly drove into her again and again.
She clutched to him, fingernails dragging down his back, and he fought to maintain control over himself, she was so deliciously tight, so dizzyingly wet and the way she moaned his name was enough to make him lose it.
In one moment, the energy was building inside her, the next it was bursting through her, making her cry out and grip him tighter as she rode out the gigantic wave of pleasure.
She tightened around him even more, as he started to swell and spasm inside her, until he released, causing another less intense orgasm until, they both collapsed, barely conscious, but beyond thrilled.
When they arose from la petit mort, they found themselves deliciously tangled with one another, side by side, Chuck gently rubbing circles on Blair's back.
"Don't you ever get enough of me?" she asked, almost serious.
"Enough of you? Never."
He was about to kiss her again, when their cell phones rang. Both of them.
They groaned simultaneously, realizing that reality was calling them. And that they couldn't stay in their sex-crazed love bubble forever.
Blair reached for hers first, her face frowning for the first time. "It's my mother."
"It's always your mother," Chuck lamented. "Eleanor Waldorf, the Eternal Cockblock."
"Hush! That's my mother you're talking about. She'll be yours too." Blair hopped out of bed, flashing Chuck a very nice view of her bare backside before wrapping herself up in a sheet. "Hello? Hi, Mother." Blair sauntered off into the bathroom to give her mother her complete attention.
Chuck's phone rang again and he sighed as he reached for it. It was Bart. "Hello?"
"Son, I hope I didn't wake you."
"No, Father, you didn't. How can I help?"
"Nothing too serious, I was just hoping you could join Jack and I for a late lunch at the club today?"
Chuck knew his father well enough to know that this wasn't a mere request.
"Of course, Dad. What time?"
"Say around 4:00. See you then."
Chuck grabbed his platinum, custom-made Piaget watch from the bedside table. It was 11:16. He sighed. He had wanted to spend all day with Blair, possibly never getting dressed. But alas, it seemed it was not to be.
Blair came out of the bathroom, a small frown tugging at her ruby red lips. "What is it?" he asked.
"My mother wants me to meet her at the atelier, something about the fall line having a catastrophe. Doesn't she understand I just got engaged? That there are things I would rather be doing than watching her yell at incompetent interns and scheming assistants with agendas?"
"I'm sure Eleanor understands all of that. But you're her heir apparent which means you must be present for all catastrophes, part of your training."
Blair rolled her eyes. "Well, the good news is she doesn't want me there until three. She has a meeting with Saks."
"Yeah, well I've got lunch with Bart at four. Something's going on with Bass Industries."
"Something's always going on at Bass Industries," Blair reminded as she climbed back into bed, kissing his cheek and sliding under him, the sheet a buffer between them. "But let's not talk about that now. Let's just order breakfast."
Chuck thought for a moment. "Does that mean we have to get dressed?" he asked in a overly alarmed tone. "'Cause I'm not sure how I feel about that idea. You, fully clothed? I get shudders just thinking about it."
She laughed and rolled her eyes. This is what true happiness was. She didn't want to ever leave. "Bass," she said. "I have to eat if I'm going to keep my strength up. And something tells me I'm going to need it. And the sooner we get dressed, the sooner we can get undressed." She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him for a long moment. "You order breakfast. I'll grab a shower."
Chuck smirked. "Can I join you?"
"We'll never get dressed if you do."
He pouted but he nodded as he rolled off of her. Then a thought struck her. "I totally forgot. I didn't bring a change of clothes with me. I can't wear my dress out of here."
He smiled. "Don't worry. I had Dorota send over some of your things yesterday. They're in the closet."
"You just think of everything, don't you?"
"I do when it comes to you."
Blair reluctantly pulled herself out bed. She then realized that she had a wedding to plan, that she and Chuck were actually getting married. That all those dreams that she'd had were about to become reality; that soon, she would be Blair Bass. Somehow, she just couldn't stop smiling.
There weren't words for this kind of happiness, for this feeling of utter joy and completion. She wanted to dance around, sing songs and turn cartwheels all at the same time. And those were things that Blair Waldorf did not do. But Blair Waldorf was on such a high, she was certain it would take a wrecking ball to knock her down.
She tied a robe around herself and looked back at Chuck, who had just gotten off the phone with room service. She sauntered over to his side of the bed and kissed him, full throttle, intense and passionate.
When they pulled apart, he blinked. "What was that for?"
"Because I love you. And I couldn't be happier right now."
~XOXO~
Serena van der Woodsen stepped out of Dean & Deluca clutching a nonfat Americano. Today was not one of her better days. She'd drank too much at the party, went one too many rounds with Nate the night before, and had spilled a bottle of Chanel No. 19 over her True Religion jeans that morning.
Needless to say, she still looked damn good. That was the thing about Serena. To not look good, she had to really, really be messed up. There was just something about that golden hair that sparkled even if she hadn't washed it in two weeks. There was something about those blue eyes that gleamed like the sky at noon, even if she'd just downed four gin and tonics.
And there was just something about her that made everything she wore look effortless even if she had just picked it up off the floor and thrown it on.
At least, that was what Dan Humphrey was thinking when he spotted her. It wasn't that hard to do, not with Gossip Girl pinging their locations every twenty seconds. Serena was still Serena—beautiful, untamed and effervescent. He just hoped she hadn't grown out of her naïve, trusting, bordering on foolish outlook. He was going to need that.
Serena had loved going to Brown. It was fun being there, and being with Nate. She'd majored in English, while Nate had majored in Political Science. It had been fun. They'd partied and she'd managed not to get out of control, even without Blair there to keep her on track. After all, she had Natie. The bad girl had finally been somewhat tamed.
Still, when she got home, she wasn't entirely sure what she was supposed to do. The women in her family didn't work—they ruled.
They ruled over their families with iron fists, keeping everything together. Keeping scandals hushed-up, keeping anyone with any amount of damaging knowledge paid off, keeping up their quintessential appearances so to the world, everything would appear practically perfect in almost every way.
But Serena didn't have a family to take care of—not yet. Nate hadn't proposed. Everyone was sure that he would, though, eventually. Still, Nate had a full load. His parents had arranged an internship at the Mayor's office for him. Serena sighed, someday, he'd probably be Mayor.
Politics suited Nate. He was, after all, a Vanderbilt. But her? Serena wasn't exactly sure what she was suited for. But Bart had told her he had a proposition for her. He wanted to talk to her about it over drinks.
That's where she was headed, coffee in hand, down to The Carlyle to talk to her stepfather.
Her cell phone started ringing and she couldn't remember if it was in the back pocket of her perfume-scented jeans or somewhere down in the bottomless pit that was her green Alice + Olivia tote.
She fumbled around in her purse as she walked through Central Park, not realizing, she was making a beeline for an all too unsuspecting Dan Humphrey.
And slosh went the Americano all over the tie Dan had bought from Burlington.
"Oh, my God! I am so sorry. I am so sorry," Serena said frantically as she tried and failed to wipe the coffee off, she only succeeded in wiping it in.
"No, it's okay," Dan said with a smile. "I didn't really like that tie, anyway."
Serena finally looked up at him to laugh and that's when the flash of recognition crossed her face. "Dan?"
Dan thought for a split second to feign not recognizing her, but that was too far fetched. No one forgot Serena van der Woodsen.
"Serena, Serena van der Woodsen?" He asked.
"Yeah," Serena said with her still dazzling smile. She pulled him into a quick, friendly hug. "Oh wow, it's so good to see you. How have you been?"
He smiled, mainly to himself, Serena was still Serena. And that was a good thing.
"I've been good. How have you been? Oh, who am I kidding? You're Serena van der Woodsen, you've been amazing."
Serena smiled. She was genuinely happy to see him. Then again, Serena was genuinely happy to see almost everyone. It helped when almost everyone was in love with you. "Well, I don't know about amazing. But I've been doing all right. What about you? You just get back from Dartmouth?"
Dan was surprised that she remembered. "Yeah, I did, about two years ago. I dropped out, sophomore year. Been working at a paper ever since."
Serena shrugged. "Well, hey at least your writing," she said in her bubbly, perky way.
"Yeah, my boss was very impressed with my narratives on disastrous non-dates, and getting kicked out of dances."
The smile on Serena's face faded a little bit. "Did I never apologize for that? Because if I didn't, I'm sorry. Dan, I really didn't mean to drag you in the middle of that." One of Dan's eyebrows rose at that. "Okay, maybe I did," Serena admitted. "Nate and I were in a bad place and we'd been fighting and…still, it was wrong. And you had nothing to do with it. So here's my very belated apology."
Dan smiled. "It's okay. That's what I get for…how did Blair say it, 'making a futile, doomed attempt at climbing up from my less than noteworthy station'."
Serena rolled her eyes. "That's Blair for you."
"How's she doing? I think I read something about her and Chuck getting hitched?"
"Yeah," Serena beamed. "He popped the question just last night. They're both so happy. In their own way, they're absolutely perfect for each other."
"It's not surprising; I mean who could else put up with either one of them?"
"Excellent point," Serena said with a laugh. "Hey, I gotta be somewhere. But hey, I wanna make up for the Fire & Ice Ball. My parents are hosting an End of Summer Party at the Hudson Hotel Saturday after next. You should come."
Dan shook his head. "Thanks, but I don't know. I kind of got my fill of parties back at St. Jude."
"I know, I know, and that's totally my fault. Which is why I'm insisting on you coming. I'm not taking no for an answer, Humphrey. So please, please? You'll break my heart if you don't."
Dan relented. "All right. When you put it like that, how can I say no?" Not that he was really going to say no anyway.
"Great! I'll have you put on the guest list. It was so great seeing you. And definitely come."
"You sure Nate won't mind?" Dan asked.
Serena shrugged. "He'll be stoned anyway. And I'll save you a dance. Hey, bring a date if you want. Everyone would love to see you."
Dan wanted to scoff, but he refrained. Everyone wouldn't love to see him. They probably hadn't thought about him since the night of the Fire & Ice Ball. Blair and Chuck would reprimand Serena for fraternizing across the bridge. Nate would probably roll his eyes and as Serena predicted, get stoned.
But, this was his way in. So he smiled, assured her that he would clear her schedule and let her go on her merry way.
Phase one complete, he thought as he dialed the Dish to give his boss a status report.
Spotted: S having a tête-à-tête with—could it be, the long lost Lonely Boy? I guess he simply couldn't get enough of the Park Avenue royals royally screwing him over. Gossip Girl can't wait to see where this is going. Something tells me it's going to be a bumpy ride.
Dan sighed as he looked down at the Gossip Girl Blast. When he graduated from St. Jude's, he thought he was done with the Upper East Side Aristocracy. And here he was again, trying to find a way to worm his way into their Tiffany Diamond studded world. Or was it Cartier?
Something told Dan that he shouldn't do this. The little voice inside of head said that there was no way this could end well. Dealing with the uptown had never ended well, not for him. He knew he should've walked away, told Blaine that the story wasn't worth it.
But he didn't walk away. And that would change everything.
~XOXO~
The Carlyle Hotel was beautiful. Serena knew that. Still, it never had been her scene. It wasn't STK, or 1Oak. Blair revered it a lot more than she did. But it was the perfect place to have a drink with her stepfather. She didn't know why they simply didn't have a drink at Gilt. But she wasn't going to argue.
Bart was sitting at the table that was always reserved for him. Basses never waited for tables, they didn't have to. Serena went there without wondering or even speaking to the host.
"Serena, dear," Bart said rising to briefly kiss her cheek. "What will you have, a Cosmo?"
"Yes, thank you." Serena sat down and Bart ordered her a drink. She felt a wave of nervousness surge through her. What was this about? Bart wasn't relaxed, then again, Bart was never relaxed. That stoic air cracked for no one, except maybe Lily.
She could tell that this was business. It was in the way he sipped his brandy, the way he eyed her with a searching curiosity. "Happy to be home?" he asked her.
"Yeah," she said. "It feels good to be back in New York. I mean, I love Rhode Island, but it has nothing on the Upper East Side."
Bart nodded. "When I'm here, I never wish to leave. Then again, I feel the same about the French Riviera. Now, you're probably wondering why I asked you here."
Serena nodded in the affirmative.
"Well," Bart said slowly, "I've been wondering what exactly you plan to do now that Brown is over. Do you have anything in mind?"
Serena sighed. "Not really, Bart. I've been thinking about it for a while now. And I just don't know what I'm qualified for. I know I can teach Literature. But I think my mother would have a fit. No, my grandmother would have a fit."
"I can't imagine Celia being the slightest bit happy about that either. If she'd had things her way, you would've been Mrs. Nathaniel Archibald before you went to Brown."
Serena laughed. "Yeah, probably." She eyed Bart curiously. Her stepfather never called business meetings for just anything, certainly not with her.
"Serena, I have a proposal for you. Most people think that the world gets older. And it does. But in a real sense, the world gets younger. Well, the people in control of it do. Every twenty years or so power shifts. Children get older and they take over. Some are totally incompetent, but others are not. My point is some of these children find themselves in very important positions. Thing is, I haven't got the time, the patience or the inclination to deal with them. But they wish to have dealings with me."
Serena raised one eyebrow. "I'm not sure I'm following."
"It's really quite simple. I need you to deal with those children for me. How would you like to work for Bass Industries?"
Serena was genuinely surprised. "Me, at Bass? Doing what?"
"I need someone current and up to date, someone with the charm and grace to wine and dine and wrangle new clients. For instance, Clark Kelly, he's the new club wunderkind on the Lower East Side. He's opened three new clubs in the last four moths. He's only twenty-eight." Bart said the man's age with a hint of wonder. Then again, Bart had turned his first profit by the time he was twenty-two. "He needs to be convinced to put one of them in my hotel. And I'm afraid, I don't quite relate to him. All I can show is dollars and cents, which honestly, should be enough. But today, it's all about the vision. And companies that keep up with the times soon get muscled out. Well I didn't build this company us to watch some young hotshot tear it down. And I thought it would be perfect for you."
"Really?" Serena actually sounded skeptical. Yes, she'd gone to an Ivy League, but she was a legacy there. Her great-great-grandmother had been one of the first women ever admitted into Brown. She didn't have a head for business. The only thing she really knew she did well was party.
"It's perfect for you. I need to charm these people, make them see that Bass Industries isn't as stuffy and dry as everyone thinks. Now Chuck has done a great deal to loosen the top button with his burlesque clubs and speakeasies and such. But with new vipers popping up every moment, I need someone to keep track of it all. What's in and what's out, if you will. I need to keep an eye on the burgeoning talent. I'd like you to do that for me."
"So my job would be to drum up new clients?"
"Exactly. You could travel, and I'm sure your mother wouldn't mind. And you'd really be helping out the company. Now, I'm sure it's not every young socialite's dream—,"
"I'd love to," Serena cut in, a smile crossing her features. "It could be fun."
Bart smiled. "Great, I'll have some paperwork drawn up. Now, I'm sure you're late for something, and I've got to meet Chuck and Jack. So we'll finish this up over dessert tonight?"
Serena nodded. "Thank you, Bart. I won't let you down." Serena was eager, and bubbly and smiling. She was really looking forward to it, Bart could tell. And he was glad.
This really was a win-win situation. If he was going to be perfectly honest, he'd been a little worried with Serena returning to the city. The girl simply had a propensity for reckless behavior. Whether it was drugs or booze or tons and tons of wild parties. And all that was fine and good when she was a teenager, easy to look over and write off to the flight and fancy of youth.
But she wasn't a teenager anymore. And her messy scandals always had a way of getting out. And that wasn't good for business or for his family. Lily would always be in conniptions and conspiring with Celia on how to take care of the problem.
But if Bart could manage to keep Serena occupied and if that damn Archibald child ever found the time to marry her, things could be kept running smoothly.
Truthfully, Bart did need someone young and vibrant to search out clients of the young and vibrant set. But he could've just had Chuck handle that. His son was already established in the club world. But Chuck had the Empire and Blair, and soon he'd have all of Bass Industries, but not that soon.
And Serena was perfect for it. Full of life, charm and energy, the girl never had a problem attracting people to her. Everyone loved Serena. People had a hard time saying no to Serena. Which was a good thing for Bart. The girl could charm her way out of everything, and come out completely unscathed.
Bart almost wanted to toast himself. He'd managed to keep Serena in good spirits and happy (honestly, the girl simply couldn't live without a party to go to), a way to boost business and to keep his stepdaughter's name out of the tabloids. Life was good.
He figured the tabloids would have plenty to say about Chuck's engagement. As if he didn't have enough to deal with. A bug he thought he'd squashed long ago was returning to pester him.
Some people simply couldn't learn their lesson. No matter how many times you ran them over, they just got back up for more. One did have to admire their persistence, even it was foolish persistence. Still, Bart was going to let anyone threaten him or his company or his family. He'd worked too long and too hard to let anyone bring any kind of harm to the things he valued most.
Well, he would deal with this, decisively and definitively. No one put Bart Bass in a corner.
~XOXO~
Chuck arrived at the club, but Jack had beaten him there. They were in their private room, the one that had their name inscribed on the door and where the decanters were filled with 65 year old scotch.
"Is my father here yet?" Chuck asked his uncle.
Jack shook his head. "You know Bart, he loves an entrance."
Chuck nodded in agreement. "Do you know what's going on?"
"I do," Jack said shortly.
Chuck fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Are you going to tell me?"
Jack pretended to think for a long minute. "No, I don't think so," he said before sipping a glass of bourbon.
Chuck never wondered why Bart kept Jack on the other side of the world. He was much easier to deal with in Australia than he was in person. Jack Bass had never been the most endearing of people. Endearing wasn't a quality Basses cultivated.
"You're a real boon," Chuck said dryly as he went to pour himself a glass of scotch.
"I would think you'd be more chipper, after all, you just got betrothed," Jack made the word sound like a deadly illness.
"Well I was chipper…until I saw you."
Jack smiled, but there was very little warmth in the gesture. "I've missed your witty banter. There's just not enough sarcasm down under."
"I'm sure Australia is much dimmer without your presence," Chuck said, oozing sarcasm. He checked his watch. It was 4:15. That was odd. Bart wasn't late for business meetings.
Birthdays, recitals, and anniversaries? Yes. Business meetings? Never. Something was definitely up.
Chuck was just about to call his father, when Bart sauntered in. "Excuse my tardiness, Charles, Jack," he said with all the formality and stateliness of a Bass business meeting.
Chuck sighed to himself. Whatever it was, it probably meant a headache for him. He sipped his scotch. He had a feeling it wouldn't be his last of the evening.
Bart sat down at the corner table, the signal for Jack and Chuck to do the same.
"A report of an alarming nature has reached us," Bart said, nodding to Jack. "It could be particularly damaging to us, if…well…I suppose I best start form the beginning."
Chuck raised an eyebrow. What the hell was going on? Bart looked unsure of how to continue. So Jack intercepted.
"Nephew of mine, I'm sure you've heard that Thorpe Enterprises is opening a new office here in Manhattan."
Chuck's eyes widened. Actually, he hadn't heard. But he knew this wasn't good news. Thorpe Enterprises, the Capulet to Bass Industries' Montague, but without the star crossed love story.
Chuck hated Raina Thorpe, even if there had been a crazy, barely remembered weekend in Dubai when he was fifteen. He couldn't deny sleeping with the enemy was hot.
He looked at his father. "What do they want?"
Bart shrugged. "Simply put, they want to destroy us. Russell hates me. He's always hated me. I simply couldn't care less and that simply irks him beyond belief. Whatever the case, they're after us. And Russell…he knows…things."
That got Chuck's attention. "What kind of…things?"
Bart struggled for the words. "Things that could be damaging to Bass Industries," he said finally. "And to our family. But the cherry on top is who Russell has hired to run his New York office: Carter Baizen."
Chuck's jaw dropped. "You've got to be kidding me."
"Believe me, son, I wish I was."
Carter Baizen, Chuck's former partner in crime and now archenemy. Chuck hated Carter. No, Chuck loathed Carter. And the feeling was mutual. Carter was a spoiled, lying manipulative insect that had once tried to steal Serena and Blair in one crazy weekend on Sea Island.
And Russell Thorpe had hired him. "Fuck," Chuck muttered softly, before downing the rest of his scotch.
"Our sentiments exactly," Jack said. "That little shit has more dirt on you than anyone. He knows about the—,"
"I know, Jack. You don't have to remind me. I'm well aware of everything Carter Baizen knows." And he was. Carter knew things about Chuck that Chuck wished he didn't know about himself. Cater knew things that Chuck was ashamed of.
"You see the danger this poses to business?" Bart asked his son.
"I do. And I'll handle it," Chuck said firmly.
"How?" Bart and Jack asked at the same time.
"I'll speak to Carter. He knows he doesn't want to go to war with me. He knows he'll lose."
"You're sure about that?" Jack asked. "Because he could do some serious damage."
"I know what he could do. I know him very well. And he's as hateful as he is unreliable. If Thorpe thinks he can control Carter, he's wrong. Carter is far too easily distracted."
"Be that as it may, Thorpe might be able to control Carter long enough to unleash whatever fresh hell he's planning," Jack said with a sigh.
"I'm not going to let Carter Baizen play me," Chuck said firmly. "Anything he can do, I can see it coming."
"Let's hope so," Bart said. "Because the last thing I need is bad PR. Charles, we're expanding. I've got lots of deals going through and some are shaky. You need to find out what Carter is planning."
"Considering what he has on Chuck, that's really not hard to figure out," Jack commented dryly.
"Thanks Jack," Chuck said with a sigh. "But Carter…if I go down, he does too. He can't make a move without implicating himself. And when most of it went down, we were minors."
"I don't think he's trying to get you locked up," Jack said slowly. "More like just trying to destroy your reputation, tarnish our family name, and send our stock plummeting."
Chuck rolled his eyes. "I feel so much better now. Look, Father, Jack, I'll take care of it. I know how to deal with Carter Baizen."
Bart looked his son square in the face. "I certainly hope so."
Spotted: Chuck Bass having a meeting with his father and uncle. Sounds like all might not be well in the house of van der Bass. I'm sure it'll come out soon. And if it doesn't, I'll have to dig it up myself.
~XOXO~
Nate got to STK early. But Chuck was already there, at the bar. And Nate could immediately tell something was up. He sat down at the stool next to him.
"Nathaniel," Chuck said in acknowledgement of his friend's presence.
"Chuck," Nate said right before he ordered a glass of whiskey. "You wanna tell me about it?" he asked after a long moment.
Chuck shook his head. "No, not really. But it wouldn't change anything. Carter's in town."
"He is?"
Chuck shrugged. "Either he is, or he will be. He's working for Thorpe."
Nate's blue eyes clouded. "That's…not good."
"Excellent deductive reasoning, Nathaniel," Chuck downed a shot of scotch and picked up another. "The girls here yet?"
"No, but they will be soon. Serena just texted me. And you might wanna pull yourself together. If Blair sees you like this…." Nate's voice trailed off. But he didn't have to finish that sentence. Chuck knew what he meant.
Chuck sat up straighter, perfected the unruffled Bass persona and sighed. "It doesn't matter anyway. I'm not scared of Carter Baizen."
"Yeah, but, man, all that stuff that went down….does Blair even know?"
Chuck shook his head. "It never came up."
"It never came up?" Nate repeated, incredulous. "You know that Blair can display irrational homicidal tendencies at times, right?"
Chuck downed another shot. "Yes, Nathaniel, I'm well aware. She is my girlfriend."
"She's your fiancée, and there's a huge difference. Especially to Blair."
Chuck didn't answer, a sign that he knew Nate was right. Still, the situation could be detained. Carter was an insect—annoying, but not hard to squash, especially with Chuck's custom made Valentino loafers.
Nate shook his head slightly at his friend. Chuck and Blair, Blair and Chuck, there was something about their relationship he never would fully understand. Like how Blair would never get upset if she found out Chuck was investigating her. She'd find it endearing and a testament to how well he knew her if he thought she was up to something.
And Chuck, he'd never get mad at Blair for being her scheming, manipulative, power-obsessed, social ruining self. It was wrong to want her to be anything less than she was.
With all that drama between them, sometimes Nate didn't know how they managed to be so in love. But they did.
He was about to ask Chuck more about the Baizen situation, but the arrival of Blair and Serena put that to an end.
They all sat down at their usual table, and the bartender brought them their usual drinks: Scotch for Chuck, gin martini for Blair, straight vodka for Nate and Belvedere martini for Serena.
"So," Chuck said turning to Blair. "How was the atelier?"
Blair rolled her eyes. "It's a catastrophe. Half of the models are fainting, the rest are feuding. Laurel just found out that her boyfriend is cheating, so she's even more insufferable than usual. And to top it all off, Mother and Daddy are fighting. I swear they fought less when they weren't divorced."
"Fighting about what?" Serena asked. The Waldorf's divorce had been amicable, but Blair still held her breath every time her parents were in the same room.
"Me," Blair huffed. "They're fighting over who gets to pay for the wedding. Daddy says since he's my father, that it's his right and Mother says that's ridiculous. And I just…" Blair's voice trailed off with a sigh. She took a sip of her drink. "They drive me crazy."
Chuck wrapped his arm around Blair's shoulder. "It's okay. Your parents just want the best for you."
"I know. But it's not my family has ever been the poster family for domestic bliss and tranquility."
Chuck planted a kiss on the side of her forehead. "Tranquility and bliss are not currencies traded on the Upper East Side."
She smiled, despite her frustration. Somehow, nothing seemed quite so bad if he was with her. The moment passed and the mood probably would've gotten lighter and the stresses of the day probably would've worn off. If their phones hadn't buzzed, pinged and whistled simultaneously.
They sighed, knowing it was most likely a Gossip Girl Blast. And it was:
Spotted: At Grand Central, bags in hands, Georgina Sparks back from the dead, or at from Pennsylvania. But wait a second? Didn't our very own Queen B banish the evil G? Sounds like a catfight in the making. And you know who'll be watching. XOXO.-Gossip Girl.
Let me know what you think. Please. I'm absolutely addicted to reviews. And to anyone who shows any interest in this story, I love you for it. XOXO.
