The Gift

A/N: Hey everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I planned to have this up earlier in the day, but then I started writing a chapter to Getting Away From It All and got very distracted! Everyone who is reading both stories the new chapter to Getting Away From It All will be posted tomorrow! I just have to re-read it once more! I would like to give special thanks to Lynne and Bloomer for being awesome beta's!! You guys rock! And all the lovely girls at FanForum I am so happy to be apart of the great community known as the Ed Board! Ed wayyy too sexy for words! Anyways I hope everyone enjoys and please review!

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I don't want a lot for Christmas

There's just one thing I need

I don't care about the presents

Underneath the Christmas tree

I just want you for my own

More than you could ever know

Make my wish come true

All I want for Christmas is...

You.

-Mariah Carey

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11:58.

To most people it was just a time, but to him it meant so much more. To him, it was the marked moment, the exact moment that the love of his life had been hit. She'd been hit by a car, and it was the moment he knew his life would mean nothing if she weren't here with him

It had been an hour since he'd last seen her. Since then the image had replayed in his head so many times he didn't think he could see it again, but then it would come again making him feel even more guilty. He wasn't just guilty because he hadn't gotten to her quicker; he was guilty for more things than even he could count.

He placed his head against the wall. For the last hour all he had been doing was spinning his wedding ring around and around. The medics had given him her ring. He had placed her ring in his pocket not knowing where else to put it. He took it out every five minutes though wishing that he could see it placed back on her finger.

He took her ring out one more time just wanting to see it again. Before he had put it on her finger as a symbol of their marriage she had been a Waldorf. She was now a Bass and had been for ten years. He hadn't been treating her like a Bass though lately. All he had been doing was treating her like something that meant nothing to him. He promised himself he would never do that again if he was given a second chance.

A second chance was all he needed. One more chance to prove how much he loved her. He never doubted his love and he hoped that she knew that. He hoped that she knew how much he truly loved her. He never once thought about cheating on her. He might of asked Vanessa to come into his room, but in his mind he had never truly thought about doing anything.

He watched as he saw a young couple come into the hospital. They looked to be in their late teens maybe early twenties. From what he could tell it looked like the girl had a towel wrapped around her hand. The man what he presumed to be her boyfriend was comforting her as best as he could. He looked at them and could tell they were in love. He wondered if people could tell him and Blair were in love?

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice saying his name. He looked up to see a woman in scrubs coming towards him. He had seen the woman before when she had him sign a release form concerning Blair's condition.

"Mr. Bass?" The woman asked, approaching him.

He nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak hardly, but the questioned he wanted answered most, somehow came out.

"How is she?"

The woman looked sympathetic. Something he usually didn't like to see in people. He didn't mind today though because all he needed to know is if his wife was okay.

"Let's go in here." She pointed to a room.

The room looked dark. Probably the room where they gave you bad news, Chuck concluded. He forced himself to walk behind her though. He didn't know how he was making it, but he coped. His hand went into his left pocket where he had placed her ring. He held onto it for dear life.

They entered the room and he finally looked up to meet her face.

"Mr. Bass, your wife had complications during the surgery. She suffered head trauma and she had a major loss in blood." The woman looked up before finishing. "I'm so sorry," was all she could form.

He took his hand out of his pocket. He placed his hand over his head wanting to be left alone. He felt a fresh batch of warm tears form. He turned around, not wanting the doctor to see his state. He took a breath in trying to recover from having the wind knocked out of him.

"You can see her now." The doctor said before he heard the automatic door close behind her.

He was left alone. Alone is what he would be like from now on. He couldn't think of a day that had been worst. This day definitely took the winning spot.

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He walked into the room that the doctor had pointed him towards. It was cold and gloomy. He saw her laying on the bed and he guessed they were ready to take her. Taking her away from him. They had promised each other to love each other till the end and here she was leaving.

Thinking back to the past months he knew he should have been better to her. He had done so much shit to her that he knew he wouldn't of forgiven him either. He had put her through stuff that not even he would want to go through.

She looked pale. He knew it was from death, but in his eyes she was still beautiful. No other woman could ever compare to her in his eyes. He knew woman would try to and go after him once they found out the news, but he would never touch them or look at them. He promised himself, when he had walked into the room, that he would never marry again. He'd promised himself he would never love another woman besides his Blair. No one would ever compare.

He took her hand in his and kissed it. It was cold, but the cold couldn't keep him away. He took in everything because he knew he would never be in her presence again. Her eyes were shut, but he still remembered the brown color that he would always get lost in. She looked peacefully and he was glad. When he saw her hit he saw her look at him and somehow he felt like she was apologizing to him. Maybe he was over thinking the look, but he knew she had somehow forgiven him. She might have forgiven him, but he would never forgive himself.

He took in her face. He remembered the first time he saw her and how she had always had the biggest smile on her face. He had been walking with Dan and Serena had come up to them and introduced them to Blair. He had wanted to date her the first time he saw her and so he did. He asked her out the day he met her and she had said yes. The date hadn't gone well because his limo had broken down, leaving them stranded on the side of the road. He had told her sorry a hundred times and she said it was fine. They walked to the nearest McDonald's were they sat the rest of the night eating.

Every time one of them wasn't able sleep they would always turn to the other and retell that story. He loved to hear it from Blair's view because he knew she had always found that night to be one of her favorites. He guessed now he wouldn't get to hear her tell the story. It would just be a distant memory.

He finally found his voice to speak. He couldn't stand this. Saying goodbye to her was killing him slowly inside. He didn't know how long he would last.

"What were you doing? Going out into the street for a stupid dog." He whispered.

He wanted to yell at her really. Yell that she should of just stayed in their apartment so they could talk. Yell at her for going out and going into the street. Yell at her because he wouldn't be able to wake up to her.

He put his head down still grasping her cold hand. He only had a short amount of time left with her. He didn't know what he was going to do. He had to plan a funeral for his wife. His wife. He had to call Dan and Serena, he had to call all of her work places, and he had….

That's when it happened. That's when he felt the tears streaming down his face. He took her hand in and pulled it too his face. He needed her. He couldn't live this life alone. He couldn't be with out her. He just couldn't.

"Mr. Bass?" He was startled by the voice. "I'm sorry, but we are going to have to ask you to leave."

He straightened his back. "Give me one more minute."

He couldn't see her, but she nodded.

He looked back at his wife. She would always be his wife. He would always wear his wedding ring because no other woman would ever quite touch him the way Blair Waldorf had.

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He decided to walk home knowing there wasn't any real reason to go there. He walked as slow as he could. He figured this is what he would be doing the rest of his days. Walking home as slow as possible. Some nights he figured he would go to a bar and drink away his problems, but he knew that's not what Blair would want him to do.

He was tempted to call Dan and Serena immediately when he got home, but he had decided against it because he needed time to wrap his head around the events of last night, and the events of the last months.

He remembered their first fight. It had been over something stupid, their dinner. He had worked a long night and all he had wanted was to go home and rest. She had wanted to go out and so they started to fight over something that seemed so insignificant now. She had ended up eating out, and him in, because they couldn't agree. At the end of the night though he had made his way to the restaurant knowing that she had probably had a rough day too. He remembered her smile when she saw him, something that he now knew he had taken for granted.

He walked by the newspaper stand, which told him he was steps from being home. He sigh knowing he didn't want to enter. All he truly wanted to do was be with Blair. He knew once he entered he would have another breakdown. He didn't even know if she knew that he loved her. This thought broke his heart in more ways than one.

He walked to the door that opened into the lobby of their apartment. The door was locked for safety reasons and he had always been glad. He'd liked the fact that not just anyone could walk in and when he was on business trips it always made him feel more comfortable in leaving Blair alone.

He got out his key and put the key in the door. Nothing.

The door wouldn't budge. He tried again.

Nothing.

He was pissed.

He looked around getting colder by the minute. This long black coat was not helping with the cold. He turned to the left where he knew you could go to an automatic machine that would sometimes work. He pressed the code that he knew would unlock the door.

107-208.

Nothing.

He seethed with anger. Wanting to pound his head into the door. He was about to when something in the background caught his attention. A locksmith.

He didn't want to talk to anyone really, but he knew this was the only way to get back to his apartment and sleep and hope this was all a dream. So he walked and crossed the street carefully.

He opened the door to find an empty room with keys galore. There were so many keys he couldn't even count them all. He looked around trying to be as civil as he could and not get aggravated by the lack of service.

"Hello is anyone here?" He asked to the empty room.

No one answered. He was tempted to leave until he heard a man's voice come from behind him.

"Sorry had to get this key," the unfamiliar voice said.

Chuck whipped his head around to find a man standing in an apron cleaning a key. The man looked to be about his age. He had light brown hair, blue eyes, a strong build, and a smirk planted on his face. He didn't like this guy.

"What's the rush?" The man asked.

Chuck looked at him. He didn't want to talk to this guy or have a friendly chat, but somehow his mind wanted him to know more about this guy.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Chuck asked with an edge.

"Your wife isn't there anymore so why go home?" The man held the key up making sure it was clean.

Chuck looked at him with an eyebrow raised. How did he know his wife wasn't there? He needed to get out of here.

"Uh, I think I must have just been using the wrong key. Thanks." He said while walking away from the counter.

He almost was to the door before some kind of force, he would never be able to explain, pulled him back and he was once more looking at the strange man.

The man smiled. "I'm Nate."

Chuck nodded not sure how he was able to do that.

"Chuck-"

"Bass. I know." Nate answered knowing full well who the great Chuck Bass was. "How does it fell knowing she will never be there again?"

Chuck blinked a couple of times wondering how this Nate character knew about his wife. He walked over to the counter and tried to form a sentence, but couldn't. He tried his best.

"First, how did you know my name and second I don't wish to talk about my wife." He definitely needed sleep. He was pretty sure he was delusional.

"I was sent to you. Why not? She was your wife after all. Ten years of marriage. That's a long time to be committed to someone."

Sent to you. That somehow was going over and over in his head.

"Sent to me? Like an angel?" He said while avoiding the other question.

Nate looked at the broken man in front of him. "Like an angel."

He laughed. He couldn't be here. This had to be a dream. The whole night needed to be a dream.

"Your lost I can tell. So what were you thinking? Letting that Vanessa in your room?" Nate dug a deeper whole.

"I didn't do anything with her. I love Blair. Always have." Chuck said letting his conscious take over and answer the question that he hadn't wanted to get out.

Nate nodded his head, finally breaking through the barrier.

"You know Blair died with a broken heart. Thinking you cheated on her. Always wanting kids and never getting them, I think you hurt her more than even you think." Nate walked to the backroom.

This guy knew nothing. Chuck was sick and disgusted with him. If he knew him as he said he did he would know that he would never cheat on his wife. It was fair to say that he had been completely dumb when he had invited Vanessa into his room, but he would of never have gone through with anything. He was meant for Blair and Blair only.

"Look," he started not remembering this guy's name.

"Nate."

"Nate. You know nothing about me or my wife for that matter." He said looking at the man.

Nate stared at Chuck in a daze at the man that wouldn't talk about his broken heart. "I know you better than even you do. You have a broken heart now and on you it looks like it hurts."

He couldn't believe this. Some 'angel' was telling him that he had a broken heart, which was true, but he didn't think people could actually see it. He looked back at this Nate guy feeling the need to punch him, but he couldn't something was holding him back.

"You could say that," Chuck finally responded.

Nate nodded finally seeing he was going to open up.

"Why did you do it?" Nate asked leaning on the counter.

Chuck walked closer to the counter, but not too close. "I did it because we were fighting and I clouded my judgment, but I never wanted to cheat on my wife. I would never do that."

Nate looked at him knowing he was serious. He leaned back up and stood staring at him knowing this assignment might be worth it.

"Why no kids?"

Chuck put his hands in his pockets; his left hand claimed her ring. He thought about the question not sure why he was answering all these questions that he would of liked to keep private. He had wanted kids with Blair. He wanted to be a better father than his and he wanted it all with Blair. Somehow though it was never the right time and even in the good times it was never the right time.

"Never the right time." He answered softly.

Nate nodded knowing he would answer that way. "What if I said I could bring her back?"

Chuck blinked wanting to not believe him, but also wanting to believe his every word.

"What do you mean bring her back?"

Nate smiled knowing he had his full attention.

"I can give you three more days with your wife. She will come back not remembering anything. You will remember everything," he said making sure Chuck understood this part.

Chuck couldn't wrap his head around this. "What do you mean?"

"Blair will get her life back, but the same accident will happen at the exact same time. 11:58 exactly." Nate said.

Chuck shook his head. "No! I won't let that happen!"

"You can't change this. If you do it will reverse everything."

"Reverse everything?"

"Listen, Chuck. Blair gets a second chance. You get a second chance to prove how much you love her. Isn't this what you wanted?" Nate asked trying to get this through Chuck's head. "If you try and keep her from her fate, then those days never happen."

Chuck listened carefully. Understanding everything this Nate guy was saying. He had a second chance with Blair, which was what he had asked for. If he stopped her from her fate then everything would be as it was now. She would die with a broken heart. Somehow he had been lucky and gotten a second chance. How he didn't know.

"How-" He needed to ask more questions, but Nate stopped him.

"Oh I almost forgot." Nate said feeling around for the key. He found it and tossed it too Chuck.

He threw the key to Chuck and he grabbed it effortlessly.

Chuck looked up from grabbing the key. He looked around at his surroundings and he was back at his apartment. He took the key and opened the door. The door opened without getting stuck. He walked up the three flights of stairs which he walked up every night and entered his apartment. He looked around the apartment and it was how they left it.

He walked down the long hallway to where their bedroom was. Every night after their dinner they would always go to bed together without fail. She would wrap her arms around him and ask him about his day. He told her about it usually getting grumpy and then when they entered their bedroom she would always lay him down and give him a message. That's what he needed right now. He needed Blair's arms to come around him and tell him everything was all right.

He took his coat off and threw it on the floor not caring if it looked messy in the room. He needed sleep. He knew it wouldn't come though because his life had changed in a blink of an eye. He put his flannel pants on and a plain white t-shirt because that was the only laundry that seemed to be clean.

He got on his side of the bed not wanting to touch her side because he knew she hated people on her side of the bed. He laid his head back onto his pillow and turned to her side. He stared at the empty side of the bed and prayed he would wake up to her. He wanted to believe it, but somehow he knew that this could be the rest oh his life. Alone and always thinking about her.