A/N: Please don't say anything about tonight's episode (5x17) in your review to this chapter! I haven't seen it yet. I'll probably watch it tomorrow, but I want to see how many chaps of this I can get in before watching the new ep. It's going to eat at me knowing I can watch it & am putting it off, which is why I may or may not have up through the 5x16 chap posted before I watch, but we'll see. Hope you enjoy. This starts at the beginning of the episode before our first real DB soon (or rather instead of ;)).
*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.
….
Five minutes passed and he began to get edgy.
"Where are we going?"
Her uneven breathing made him nervous.
"Blair?"
He glanced at her in the rearview mirror.
She hesitated a second before briefly returning his gaze.
"The Empire."
He took a breath and then pursed his lips, turning at the next corner to change his course.
"Are you going to tell me what happened?" he asked fifteen minutes later, giving her the space she clearly needed.
She looked out the window, her eyes glazed over.
"Louis doesn't love me anymore."
His eyes widened, alarmed.
"I'm sure that's not true."
"That video was the last straw," she said calmly, as if in a daze.
Dan shifted uncomfortably. He hoped his face hadn't paled, or worse, reddened.
"I've put him through too much in this relationship. Just goes to show I shouldn't get involved with someone when I'm clearly still in love with Chuck and just angry at him." She turned her head to look into the mirror at Dan's face.
"Being in a relationship with someone else while we're 'waiting' for either one or both of us to get our act together has never had long-term positive effects." She laughed at the irony. "We're just so lonely without each other, you know?"
He looked up, catching her gaze. His heart clenched.
"Yeah," he said, quietly nodding.
….
"Doesn't look like he's here," he said softly.
Blair didn't move. They'd been there for ten minutes. It'd taken that long for Blair to realize he really wasn't there and that maybe he wasn't coming back.
She took a deep breath and smiled in irony.
"Thank-you for your brilliant insight, Humphrey."
"Just trying to be helpful," he offered.
She huffed and walked to the other side of the room, seating herself at the bar.
"Well, you're not."
"I'm sure he's coming back. He probably went to go see you again—"
"Well, that doesn't help matters at all either if that's the case. Then we're both in the wrong place and it'll only be a matter of time before Louis realizes I'm gone and comes to find me."
He hesitated, but decided to put himself out there one last time.
"I can take you anywhere you want to go. And I'll stay with you. No matter what."
She looked up at him and smiled softly, showing gratitude for the first time since he'd driven up to St. Regis in the car that had been designed to take her away on a romantic honeymoon with her real-live Prince Charming.
"Thanks, Humphrey, but you're not the one I want." She turned to look out the window, as if she could see Chuck coming down the street should he arrive, as if his limo looked different from any of the others. "No offense."
He nodded, and muttered, "None taken."
The elevator ding! interrupted their depressing conversation. Blair stood suddenly and Dan turned to see who had arrived. Out came Chuck and Serena in a rush. Without so much as glancing at Dan or waiting for Serena to embrace her best friend, Chuck gave out a choked sigh of relief and made straight for Blair who was stock-still standing by the window.
"Blair." He embraced her, holding her close. Then he kissed her hard. "Please tell me you came here on purpose," he whispered as he held her face in his hands.
Exaltation flowed throughout her entire building. She nodded excitedly, biting her bottom lip.
"Yes. Yes. Yes. I made a horrible mistake, Chuck. I never should have married him."
"Oh, Blair." He groaned, kissing her again.
Standing by the elevator, Dan shifted awkwardly. Serena stood just a few feet away and looked at him with what he couldn't tell was gratitude, intrigue or disdain.
"You should have told me," she said.
He didn't say anything, just looked up briefly and nodded his apologies.
"What now?" Chuck asked when she'd finally pulled away from his many sensuous kisses. She was breathing heavily.
"What now?" she smiled.
He found himself smiling back at her. Finally, his life was perfect again. When she was in his arms, nothing could be wrong.
Her eyes widened suddenly though and he was troubled.
"What is it?"
Blair looked over his shoulder to Serena. She released Chuck and walked towards her.
"S, does anyone know you're here?"
"I told Eleanor we were going to look for you, but she didn't know where."
"Yes." Chuck interrupted and sighed. "She did. I told her."
Serena closed her eyes in anguish. Blair turned around in a blur of fury and panic.
"Why would you do that?"
His eyebrows narrowed. "She was worried about you. No one could find you…"
She shook her head. "This is bad…this is bad." She walked towards him, grasping his hands once she was within reach. "We have to get out of here."
He nodded, not even bothering to question the announcement.
"Anywhere," he said. "I can have the limo drive around in front in five minutes. We can take it to the helipad and go anywhere you want."
"No," Serena interrupted. "Running away won't fix anything, B."
Blair was racked with nerves. "But…the dowry…" Hopelessness colored her features.
"I'll pay it," Chuck said.
She turned back around as quickly as before. "No. Chuck, you can't do that for me. I won't let you."
"I'm the only one who can afford to pay that much money, Blair. And I won't lose you." He pulled her close. "Not when we're so close."
Her bottom lip quivered and her eyes watered but she shook her head. "No. I won't let you buy me from Louis."
He choked out a strangled breath. "Well then what?"
"I…"
The elevator doors opening again stopped her. She was frozen in fear until she saw who it was.
"Mom." She stiffened. "I can explain."
"There's no need." She walked towards her. "I'm the one who brought Chuck to stop your wedding. I'm certainly not going to complain about you running away from your reception to be with him."
Blair relaxed a little, actually smiling. Then she remembered.
"The dowry," she said, joining her mother where she stood.
Eleanor waved the issue off as if it wasn't the slightest problem whatsoever.
"Never mind it."
Blair gawked. "You can't afford it, mom. I won't let you lose your business over this."
She smiled, joy welling up in her heart at the spirit of her daughter.
"I signed the contract, darling."
Blair's brows furrowed. "What? I specifically remember signing it."
"Yes, and then I asked for another copy to look over and I signed it, ripping yours to shreds. They never noticed. Those terms were ridiculous."
Her jaw dropped.
"Since I wasn't the one who married Louis, the contract doesn't apply. No dowry needs to be paid."
Blair embraced her mother, tightly pulling her close.
"Oh, mom. Thank-you so much." The tears finally trickled down her face. Serena bit her bottom lip from where she stood, caught up in the moment. Even Dan managed to look somewhat happy for Blair's happy ending.
Chuck walked forward, a breathtaking awe on his face as he took in Eleanor.
"I can't tell you how much this means to me, Mrs. Waldorf."
The older woman smiled at him, her heart warming as she watched him wrap his arm around her daughter's waist protectively.
"I only want my daughter to be happy, Charles."
His smile shared the same sentiment.
"With how much you've changed…I knew she could only be happy with you." She looked back and forth between the happy couple and then nodded. "I'll go explain the situation to the Grimaldis. Why don't you two get out of here?"
Blair nodded excitedly and threw her arms around her mother once again, murmuring her love and thanks against her neck.
"My beautiful Blair," She stroked her hair as she looked on at her daughter. "I love you so much. Be happy."
Blair nodded, all smiles as her mother finally turned to leave.
"Take care of my baby," she demanded of Chuck. He nodded seriously.
"I promise."
Serena came to hug her best friend before she left. Blair felt the chills crawling all over and through her.
"Thank-you," she whispered.
Serena just smiled sweetly. "You're my sister," she said simply.
The brunette even let Dan hug her before they left.
When they were alone, Blair turned back to Chuck and held him close. She kissed him again, moaning into his mouth. She felt alive once more in his arms, like all had been put to right.
"You're still alive." She sighed happily.
He smirked. "Thank god for that. I hear ghosts can't feel and touch. I would go mad seeing you all tempting and desirable and be unable to touch you."
Her eyes darkened.
"It's been a long time," she said seductively, her voice low and full of dangerous promises.
He was suddenly hard.
"Too long."
She pulled his face towards her and kissed him like her life depended on it. He was her oxygen. The way he pushed her across the room till she was up against the wall made her realize she was the same to him.
"Where are we going?" she asked breathlessly as his lips traveled down her neck and nipped at her shoulder.
"To oblivion," he muttered against her skin.
"And then in the morning?" She moaned as he found the zipper on her dress and pressed himself harder against her so she was pinned completely to the wall with no space between them.
"Anywhere."
She tugged at his hair so he'd move his mouth to her now bare breasts. He pulled on one of her nipples with his teeth. She gasped and squirmed beneath him as he grasped her ass and kissed his way down the side of her other breast.
"Oblivion sounds good for tonight."
She cried out.
…
A/N: I think it's rather beautiful, don't you? Maybe I'm just proud of that little bit of smut at the end. XD Please review! =D And remember, no mentioning to anything regarding the 5x17 episode that aired tonight. Hopefully more chapters soon. All depends on how well I'm able to recuperate tomorrow (or as soon as I watch the episode). ;)
