A/N: I'm not so sure about this chapter but we'll give it a go. I don't know how OOC Chuck is, but I'm just going to proclaim that he is a fan of the grand romantic gestures (ahem, 1x18, 2x25) so that's what it is.

Summary: I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest"

Disclaimer: Rights go to Shakespeare and the glorious GG

Beatrice: God forgive me!
Benedick: What offense, sweet Beatrice?
Beatrice: You have stayed me in a happy hour: I was about to protest I loved you.
Benedick: And do it with all thy heart.
Beatrice: I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest.

It was one of the downsides of residing at the Hampton estate. No limos. So behold his surprise at the torrential downpour in the middle of the summer. It was the only time in his life where he remembered actually exerting himself when there wasn't a bed in the foreground.

Or a limo.

Running across Cece's Hampton estate, having lost his shoes along the way in the chaos of people running for shelter from the beach party, he felt the grass press beneath his toes as he started thinking about limos again.

Speak of the Devil and She doth appear.

Wearing a really hot bathing suit.

It was black. And it suited her. He put his own hand to the hair that was already slicked back from the precipitation as he watched her run across the lawn. He stumbled slightly as he watched her dark hair slick down her back and her own lack of shoes. Her lack of clothing clung to her body from the moisture that ran down her chest.

He stumbled again.

He watched her run up the porch to the steps that showed her wet footprints. She tried to door in frustration to no avail.

Locked, and Chuck realized his own esteemed luck, feeling the only key on his pocket. The rest must have already been alerted about the storm and couldn't hear Blair over the ran. She cupped her hands over her eyes to see through the window.

"Hey."

He had finally reached her, smoothing his hair down once again. He had never felt this nervous since he couldn't decide on an outfit to meet her on the Empire State Building. But that was more than three years ago and here she was standing before him more beautiful than ever.

And practically ignoring him.

He hated how desperate he was for her.

He put his hand to her wet shoulder and she spun around, her eyes narrowing angrily as she crossed her arms over her bare stomach. At least he made her uncomfortable still. He watched her darkly painted toenails curl with discomfort. His eyes raised and narrowed.

His eyes dipped to the sagging front of her bathing suit, smirking to himself. But she made a sound of disgust in the back of her throat.

He was a little transparent sometimes.

She shirked away from his touch, casting him a glare. "I thought I made it explicitly clear for you to stay away from me."

"And yet I reply again," he grinned, reveling in her discomfort. "That doesn't really matter to me unless 'stay away' is code for 'I'm still madly hot for you and I have conveniently found a place for us to be alone.'"

"Sorry."

She didn't sound sorry at all.

She reached forward suddenly and with a wave of disappointment, realized it was only the key she was searching for.

"A little lower, if you please," he smirked as she reached into the now damp pockets of his pants. She didn't bother with a retort, only deigning to send him a look of disdain and disgust. She only found herself triumphant when she found it in the front pocket of his shirt.

Fitting it into the lock more roughly than was deemed necessary, she thrust the door open. He attempted to follow her in but as she entered the foyer, she pushed him back onto the porch.

"If you wanted to play rough, all you had to do was ask," he quipped smarmily. Her eyes narrowed and her bare wet fit slid slightly on the checkered floor.

"I don't think so," she responded coolly. He didn't even have the chance to ask for his key back as she slammed the door in his face.

It was starting to get really cold.

Chuck stepped back out into the pouring rain, a plan immediately in mind as he rounded the house. Really, it was better this way. Then he could find a way into her room.

He reached the back of the house in time to see the lights of the room she was staying on flicker on. Her visage was clear through the window and Chuck wondered vaguely if he should wait outside until she was done dressing.

She hadn't closed the blinds.

Against his better judgment, he reached the convenient trellis of the house and started to climb it. The rain made it difficult as did his lack of athletic ability.

The things he did for her.

Balancing himself on the edge of the trellis, he was relieved that Blair hadn't spotted him as he thrust the window open to slide through the opening.

Blair spun around, her fingers to the tie at the back of her neck. Chuck smirked unconsciously. He almost made it.

"I wasn't finished," he said, out of breath and vaguely aware that he was dripping all over the carpet.

"You're insane," Blair said spitefully.

"Quite possible," he grinned. "If you would rather continue what you were doing before..."

"Before you broke into by room?" Blair snapped. She crossed her arms uncomfortably over herself. "No thanks."

"Come on, Waldorf," Chuck rolled his eyes. "It's not like it's anything I haven't seen before."

Blair scowled. "I suppose that's exactly what you told the guy at the party that was trying to buy me drink."

"You didn't even know his name," Chuck said disdainfully. "And I wasn't very fond of the way he was looking at you."

"It was a beach party, Chuck." Blair said. "Everyone was dressed like that."

"I wasn't."

"That's because you don't need to dress provocatively for all of the brain dead girls in the Hamptons to take off what little clothing they have already for you."

"Is that what's bothering you?" he asked, treading carefully towards her. The floor was already wet from Blair's own presence.

"You wish," she said rather too easily.

"Been thinking awhile on that comeback, have we?" he asked condescendingly.

"It worked for you," she retorted and he smirked at her recollection of him when he realized he actually liked her at her seventeenth birthday party.

"Get out of my room, you perv," she said at his facial expression.

Yeah, like he hadn't heard that one before.

"Come up with some new material, Waldorf."

"Try not to be so predictable, Bass," she retorted.

"Predictable?" he sputtered.

"That new enough for you?" she asked.

"I am not predictable," he said with disbelief.

"Really?" she asked. "Then why isn't this the first time that you've demeaned any man that has even looked my way?"

"They have no business doing what they were doing."

"They weren't doing anything," she replied. "You saw to that. Friends don't ruin friends' game."

"Friends," he repeated. "Is that what we are?"

"What else would we be?" Blair asked uncomfortable. He took another step towards her.

"You shouldn't be having any game anyway."

"Says who?" she asked.

"Your friend," he sneered.

"Fine, Bass. Have it your way," she said. "But if we're not friends, then what are we?"

"What do you want us to be?" he asked smoothly.

"Nothing," Blair said sharply. "My life would be a whole lot easier if you just stayed out of it."

"But you wouldn't be happy."

"God," Blair said in frustration, "could you be any more conceited?"

"Probably," Chuck shrugged. "Let's give it a shot, shall we?"

"I'd rather not," Blair said, turning away from him.

"How about what else I told that frat guy to get him to stay away from what's mine?"

"I am not yours, Chuck," she said snidely. "Let it go."

"How about whatever he did with you wouldn't matter because you would always compare every encounter with the first man to touch you."

She glowered at him hatefully.

"Do you need a reminder?" he asked. "It constituted a burlesque strip tease and a romp in the back of a certain limo. With me."

"What is wrong with you?" she asked. "You act as cordial as possible so I actually think you have some semblance of propriety in you and then you go around with your stupid swagger and delusions of grandeur. You make it so easy to hate you sometimes and to think, tonight I was actually considering telling you that I loved you-"

Her face betrayed nothing but shock as she let slip the one thing she had been trying to hide while he was being sweet with her.

"What was that last part?" he asked, not being hesitant in his approach of her anymore.

"You are a disgusting display of an attempt at class," she said coldly.

"No, after that," he grinned.

"I don't want you in here anymore, Chuck," she said quietly.

"Well you didn't to begin with, so I'm going to ignore that," he replied. "What was it that you were saying before?"

"Nothing."

"Don't do that," he commanded. "Don't just-"

"Why does it matter?" she asked. "We're over. It's not like you love me either-"

"What do you think I'm doing crawling up the side of Cece's estate?" he asked. "For the athletic thrill? I thought you knew me better."

"For once you were actually acting..." Blair breathed, "...not like you were strolling the Red Light District for prostitutes."

"What else could I do to get your attention?" he asked gently, finally finding himself comfortably before her.

"And I was just thinking that I could trust you again."

"Why were you looking for an opening for trust if what we had wasn't real?" he asked.

"And then you come bursting into that party smelling like you bathed in a brothel and start announcing to the room how I lost my virtue."

"You're bored with the rest of them, Blair," he smiled. "Finally an ounce of scandal so you didn't have to listen to Rugby's play by play."

"You make it so hard to-"

"To love me?" he asked. "I highly doubt it since you were considering-"

"Nothing," Blair said, pushing past him. "I wasn't considering anything because it would be foolish of me to let you trap me like this again."

"Like it's some sort of sacrifice," Chuck replied. "You take every moment you can to proclaim what a lascivious lecher I am."

"Because you are," Blair arched a perfect eyebrow.

"How is that any different from what I'm doing?" he asked.

"Because you expect something to come out of it."

"Then why do you do it?" he asked. "Why do you do it if you don't expect anything to happen with us again?"

Her eyes wavered.

"Because you love me?"

"Because I can't help myself," she said softly.

"Yes," he smiled. "You are a wondrously destructive and manipulative bitch. And it's the same reason you love me. So just say it."

"Not after tonight," she remarked.

"Did you really think you were going to get anywhere with a Hampton townie?" he sneered. "There was nothing there for you. You love the way we are together. And nothing can even come close to comparing."

"You were with me," she said, "when I needed you most. So much that I had forgotten everything that we had done to each other. So much that you made me happy. And I would have told you that I loved you tonight."

"Then do it with all your heart," he said if a voice that were spoke any other than Chuck Bass, it would be pleasing.

"I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest," she said honestly.

That was more like it.