A/N: I usually won't do stories this long but The Wild Brunch was hard to do a flashback for because there weren't a lot of quotes for it. I chose this one and what turned out as a simple scene just blossomed into a whole story. In the future, I'll try not to have the scenes this long. I'm showing a little of what Chuck and Blair were like before Serena left so they might be a little cruel. But keep in mind that this is the womanizing Chuck and the monarchy of Blair, so they are a little harsh. But it's also showing how similar they are. I also added a character that this wouldn't be possible without. She is completely fictional, but I can totally picture this happening and it fits with the beginning quote. Please be nice. I'll try not to do this format again, but I might not have a choice sometimes because not every episode has a good segue to a flashback. If there was any confusion on the last chapter, the two different quotes were different times, so one was when Serena was still around and the other was after she left. Each quote is for a different time. I hope that ends any confusion. Next is Poison Ivy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl or any of the characters all though I did invent Nicole Lambert.

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Conquests

Chuck likes to brag about his conquests, not his victims.

Blair snapped her phone shut in anger. Who did he think he was? She looked around at her kingdom, seeing that it was seriously lacking. It was his entire fault. She looked right across the courtyard to where the Basstard in question was standing with his "friends." Or should she say dealers. Chuck's only true friend was Nate. These guys were just here to listen to Chuck's vulgar story.

Sure enough, from the hand gestures he was making, Blair could tell that Chuck was reliving last night. The same story that had been posted on Gossip Girl that very moment.

"Can you stop sighing? It's very distracting." Blair cast a look at her best friend. Serena laid her head against the cold stone wall, soothing her hangover. Blair realized she was holding in a breath that needed to be released. She eased it out in quiet frustration.

"What's with you, anyway?" Serena asked, finally opening her eyes. Blair trained her eyes to the small blonde with wide green eyes across the courtyard. Serena followed her eyes. Nicole Lambert stood among the other Girls of the Met Steps, flipping her hair flirtatiously at anyone who would notice.

"What do have against Nicole?" Blair tried to tune Serena out. She was plotting. She needed complete quiet.

"Blair." Blair exhaled and cast her penetrating, dark gaze back on the golden princess.

"She didn't even do anything to you."

"So?" Blair failed to see the complication.

"Then why do you want to hurt her?" Serena asked, trying to keep up over her pounding head ache.

"Who said anything about hurt?" Blair grinned wickedly as she rose to her feet and strode across the lawn paying no attention to the attentive smoldering eyes that followed her every move.

"What are you doing?" Chuck whirled around to meet the steely blue gaze of one Serena Van der Woodsen. She had followed his gaze to the form of a certain petite brunette.

"She certainly does put on a good show," he commented, unrepentant.

"Is it hard being such a pig?" Serena asked as though she were really interested.

"It's a gift," Chuck shrugged and walked off. He didn't like Blair's little blonde twin analyzing his every move.

It was bad enough that he had extremely lustful dreams about his best friend's girl. Her best friend didn't need to know either. And that's all they were. They were just dreams.

During his waking hours, he fully supported the fact that she was Nathaniel's girl friend and therefore, untouchable. And she damn well knew it. But only in the privacy of his own suite accompanied by his scotch would he think about her in ways that he wanted to make her his, if only for one night.

As he passed Nicole Lambert, he looked right through her. That should send a message. Usually he wouldn't have to. Usually he never saw them again. But on the occasion that he did, he had to make it perfectly clear that they were just toys to him. They were just toys to fill the void.

He didn't like how her empty green eyes bore into the side of his face. It didn't really matter, though. He only had eyes for one petite brunette. And he knew she was livid. She would get over it. He hoped.

***

"What did you think you were doing?" she demanded. They were standing in the middle of the deserted hallway, now. It was their lunch and everyone else was in their classes. Not that was any different for Chuck. It wasn't like he went to class, anyway.

"An opportunity presented itself," he smirked, unrepentant.

"We had a deal, Bass," she snapped.

"And I haven't violated out terms, Waldorf," he said. Blair made a sound of aggravation in the back of her throat and stormed down the hallway. She couldn't deal with this right now. She had a little blonde to destroy.

"As much as I love those sounds your making," Chuck said in pursuit, "tell me exactly what I did wrong." Chuck got in front of her stopping her by thrusting his arm in front of her, palm against the row of lockers. She stopped abruptly, glaring into his exotic eyes.

"You slept with her, Chuck," she scowled.

"Explain to me again how that's different than everything else I do?" he asked pleasantly.

"You broke the rules," she said sullenly.

"But I didn't," he shook his head. "The rules clearly state that you are allowed to enlist me to dispatch any of your minions who displease you…"

"But she didn't," Blair protested.

"There isn't anything that says sleeping with one of your minions when not dictated is against the rules," he said.

"It's an unwritten law, Bass," she said darkly. "It's under the Constance emblem in Latin: Under any costs, do not sleep with Chuck Bass."

"How do you say that in Latin?" Chuck asked joked. Blair rolled her eyes and pushed passed him. She had some scheming to do.

"I didn't do anything wrong, Blair," he said after her. Chuck didn't like how he actually cared about what Blair thought about him. But he couldn't understand why she was so interested, either. It was a mystery.

"Oh, don't despair," Blair spun to face him again. "Everything will be straightened out." She was smiling in that fake sweet way that she did. He knew something was coming.

"Should I be worried?" he asked slyly.

"You tell me," she said, mischievous smile in place. With that, she turned the corner and he was left alone. He hoped Nicole would take the same hint.

***

"Are you seriously still looking at that?" Serena was staring at her with a strange expression in her face. Blair ignored it as she tossed her phone haphazardly on her bed they were lounging on. She just shrugged.

"Can you really be surprised?" Serena asked. "I mean, he is Chuck Bass." Blairr rolled her eyes at his familiar catch phrase. It was embarassing.

"I'm not surprised," Blair protested. "I'm...offended."

"Offended?" Serena echoed.

"Yes," Blair countered. "The act of being insulted by a significant other party."

"I know what being offended is," Serena said. Whenever Blair wanted to avoid something, she turned the conversation on how Serena wasn't the brightest of people.

"Chuck's significant?" Serena suddenly asked.

"He has influence," Blair shrugged. "That's what I use him for."

"Is he aware of this?" Serena inquired. "I don't really see how using someone can be taken as a complement. And everyone knows Chuck prides himself in everything."

"He's aware," Blair laughed. Serena just Blair was gazing wistfully at her phone.

"It's just insulting!" Blair erupted. "You'd think he has no concern for me at all. It's inconsiderate." Serena rolled her eyes.

"You sound like a jealous girlfriend," she laughed. No response. She looked over to see Blair shooting her death glares.

"I'm sure he would be thrilled to hear that," Blair muttered.

"You know him better than I do," Serena stated plainly. This was true.

"It's not a problem," Blair mused casually. "Things will be fixed soon enough." She knew she was reeling Serena in. She couldn't resist.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that there will be one less slutty minion of the Upper East Side walking around," Blair smirked.

"Oh, Blair," Serena said reproachfully. "You can't persecute girls for who they sleep with." Blair knew that Serena's concern was misplaced. She was afraid because she had expoits that rivaled Nicole's. She needn't have worried. Blair would never go against Serena. The only thing that would drive her to that was if she had gone as far as sleeping with her boyfriend or something. But she was her best friend. She wouldn't do that.

"It's an unwritten law, Serena," Blair repeated sternly. "Everyone knows sleeping with Chuck Bass is social suicide. She has it coming." Serena swallowed her response. Blair was right. You just didn't involve yourself with the smarmy Chuck Bass. Even she wouldn't sleep with him. She just wondered how far Blair was going to take this.

***

Nicole Lambert slumped into the seat next to Blair. Blair suppressed her reflex to just take her down right now. She knew if she was going to do this right and thoroughly,she had to bide her time. But it looked like timing was everything. Because right at that moment, a golden opportunity presented itself.

Blair let her eyeline fall to the top of the stairs where Constance and St. Jude's hallways started. This was where gender didn't matter and everyone could socialize. That was what Chuck Bass was doing. She knew why those vultures were standing around him. They liked the story of how he degraded one of the Girls of the Met Steps for his own. Disgusting.

Blair snapped back to reality when she realized Nicole was staring at the same thing. But for different reasons, of course. Blair knew for a fact that Chuck didn't touch girls twice. That was why this would be fun.

Nicole felt Blair's penetrating gaze on the side of her face and looked down and blushed. Easy. Blair knew how much she would enjoy this, as much as it was just to secure her status. She wouldn't let some blonde ditz ruin her like this.

"What are you looking at?" Blair asked innocently.

"Nothing," Nicole said quickly.

"Because I happen to know what Chuck Bass is talking about up there, you know," she nodded towards the top of thesteps. "He just can't keep from talking about how much he enjoyed his time with you."

"Really?" Nicole asked hopefully. She was right. Easy. Blair shrugged.

"You should talk to him," Blair suggested.

"I don't think so," Nicole said uncertainly. Huh. She was smarter than she thought. That would make this victory all the more worth it.

"If you're sure," Blair said nonchalantly. "But I just couldn't help but notice how different he is, now. You could be the one to..." Blair gaged her rivals reaction. "Nevermind."

"What?" Nicole asked immediately. Blair help back a triumphant smirk.

"I was just thinking,you could be the one to tame the wild beast. You know Chuck's never really gone steady with anyone before. But I really think he likes you."

"You think so?" Nicole's eyes were full of hope. She would be crushed. Perfect.

"Go talk to him," Blair encouraged. Nicole cast a shy look at Chuck's indifferent and completely unaware expression. He was about to get the shock of his life.

"I think I will," Nicole said confidently. All the more better. She gathered her things and stood up.

"Thanks, B," she said gratefully. She turned to the steps. Blair's friendly smile vanished as soon as Nicole's back was turned. But she had to get a closer look. She silently rose and followed Nicole until she started up the stairs. Chuck had to know where this message was from. She made sure she stayed in his eyeline. He would see her soon enough.

Chuck was starting to get bored of his bragging. Usually he just bathed in his gloriousness for a day. But he had conquered a project of the Met steps. And for some reason, Blair's reactions fascinated him. He wondered why she acted that way which made him call more attention to himself than he usually did.

That's when the rug was pulled from underneath him. Nicole Lambert was striding purposefully towards him. Pathetic. He broke off from his vulgar comments and his companians looked down awkwardly. Everyone knew what was about to happen. Everyone but Nicole. It was obvious what she was here for. What was more obvious was Chuck's motto on women. Screw 'em and lose 'em. What made her think she was any different, Chuck couldn't fathom. He should have, but he didn't. He was too caught unawares.

"Hey, Chuck," she said. Chuck couldn't decipher her expression or tone. He just looked at her curiously. He was actually wondering where this was going to go. He didn't answer. This wasn't a surprise. Chuck always made others speak first.

"Um... okay," Nicole said, caught off gaurd by his indifference. Huh. She must have thought that she actually had a shot. Peculiar. "I was just wondering... maybe we could... you know..." She was losing steam quickly. Chuck could tell. It was quite amusing, actually. "Hang out some time."

"And why would we do that?" Chuck asked blatantly.

"Well... because..." she faltered. "We... what happened between us."

"What happened?" he asked to the snickers behind him. Her eyes didn't look so much hurt as confused. She cast a look behind her, down the stairs. Realization hit Chuck like a bolt of lightning.

There at the bottom of the stairs was one petite brunette that he still couldn't figure out. Now her past words made complete sense. That little vixen. He made up his mind. He should have been worried. He wasn't, though. He was pleased. He had caused as much of a problem to make Blair Waldorf pull something over on him. Perfect.

Nicole turned her big, dumb, green eyes on him. He drowned out her incesant talking and focused his eyes back on Blair. She raised a perfectly manicured hand and gave him a slight wave with a truimphant smirk across her ruby lips. Message received, Blair. This only seemed to provoke him. Really, she should have known.

Instead, Blair turned on her heel and disappeared around the stone corner. Chuck couldn't let this go. Ignoring the blonde who's name Chuck couldn't remember because he was trying to figure out where Blair had disappeared to, he pushed past her and descended down the stairs in pursuit. That was the last time he came in contact with What's-her-name and he couldn't care less. Something else had captivated him entirely.

She felt his warm and firm grasp close around her elbow as he spun her around to face him. His slanting eyes sparkled at her. Blair froze her face over in an emotionless mask. He couldn't know how much she was enjoying this.

"That was quite a performance," Chuck whispered. Blair always wondered why he did this. They were outside, not in a library. Maybe it was something about his tone that made her think he was speaking just for her. But she couldn't be sure. She would have to hear it again. Not that she ever would, or ever want to.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Blair responded. She had to remind herself that Chuck had betrayed her and she couldn't let that pass. She turned away from him to keep walking. She wasn't really sure where she was going but she knew he would follow her. He always did. She didn't really know what to think about that.

"Wait." He trapped her again, the same way he did before, against he lockers. Blair sighed indifferently and gazed at his face.

"What?" she asked. Chuck just shook his head, an admiring smile across his face. She had never seen that before. It was strange.

"Are we even now?" he asked.

"No," she said simply.

"Why not?" he demanded. It was amazing how he could go from seductive to commanding in no time.

"Because you're unrepentant. I don't know if I'll recover from this," she sighed melodramtically.

"I know you, Blair," he said with a knowing smile. "You've still have a few more moves. You'll recover. You always do."

"There you go with that unrepentance," she said, trying to escape Chuck's hold of her against the wall. He wouldn't let her.

"I'm not sorry because I know you need me," he said confidently.

"You take youself too seriously," she spat.

"No," he shook his head. "I just know my place. Like you know yours."

"Like she should have known hers," Blair said angrily.

"Who?" he asked. Blair rolled her eyes at his humor. Chuck smiled. "Am I forgiven?"

"No." She whirled around and went in the opposite direction. Chuck smirked.

"I'll see you out tonight," he called back to her. She irnored him. She hated how she couldn't be mad at Chuck for long. It was in her DNA or something. No matter how livid she was, or how mad she wanted to be at him, he always had some way of weasling his way out of it.

And seeing him out tonight was unavoidable. All four of them were always out together, no matter what. She didn't know what it was, but it was almost like they were family, no matter how bad things got.

One thing was for certain. She wasn't done with Nicole Lambert yet.

***

"Blair, don't do this."

"Don't do what?" she asked Serena.

"You know what." Sure enough, that destructive little bitch was heading straight towards her now. Or self destructive, depending how you looked at it. Because right now, she had just signed her death warrant.

"Don't do it," Serena warned again.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Blair said, looking straight ahead, not reaching her gaze.

"I can't watch this," Serena sighed. She picked up her belongings and left Blair alone with her minions on the steps. That was fine. Blair didn't need any distractions anyway. Or collateral damage.

"Hey, guys," Nicole said almost a little mournfully, about to take her seat on the steps. Blair cast a look backwards at the other girls. On cue, all of them rose at the same time, Blair in the front. Nicole stopped in her tracks.

"I don't think so," Blair said dangerously.

"What?" Nicole asked, obviously a little frightened.

"We don't accept sluts among our ranks of the elite," Blair informed blantantly. Nicole blanched.

"But..." Blair lead the girls past her before turning around, almost an after thought.

"Maybe you can still hang out with Chuck," Blair said mockingly. "He doesn't seem to mind the company of skanks."

Without even a backward glance, Blair lead the Girls of the Met Steps away. This time, she didn't stop the evil smirk that crossed her face.

She was about past the gate when a hand shot out and grabbed her elbow. The other girls hesitated for only about 1.5 seconds when they realized this conversation wasn't meant for them. And they didn't question their queen.

"I do love watching you work," Chuck drawled. Blair crossed her arms over her chest. She hadn't wanted to concede to Chuck yet. Maybe if he groveled a little more she would. But this was Chuck. She doubted it. "You sure know how to take care of her."

"No thanks to you," Blair snapped.

"Me?" Chuck smirked. "If it wasn't for me, she would still have a place here. You're lucky that I rejected her."

"Lucky?" Blair repeated angrily. "I will never be indebted to you."

"I'm not saying that you have to be," Chuck said. "But you can't deny that we don't work well together." Blair sighed and started walking, Chuck by her side. He was right, though. No one really knew each other as well as they did. Chuck took her silence as an affirmative.

"You won't do that ever again. Are we clear?"

"As clear as the image of you in that little skirt," Chuck countered. Blair looked down at her uniform.

"Ugh."

"I'm only here to serve you, my queen." Chuck did a mock bow. He took her hand in his and kissed it before starting towards the St. Jude's entrance.

"I hate you," Blair warned after him. He turned and just flashed a sly smile.

"But you can't live without me," he reminded her before he went back inside. She hated admitting it to herself, but she desperately wished that weren't true.