Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
"Blair, you should go home," Eleanor stepped in to check on her daughter. The children had gone home hours ago. Despite the fact Chuck was merely asleep and no longer unconscious, Blair refused to leave his side. She wouldn't say it, but she was afraid Chuck would slip back into unconsciousness without her at his side.
"I'm fine," Blair assured her mother as Eleanor massaged her sore shoulders.
"Sweetheart, there isn't anything you can do for Charles at the moment," Eleanor replied.
"I can be here for him," Blair gave her husband's hand a gentle squeeze, "I can do for him what he would do for me. We both know he would never leave me if I was the one in that bed, nor would I want him to."
"He's going to be okay, Blair," Eleanor reassured her daughter, "He has the Bass stubbornness working in his favor."
"Yet his father died in a similar fashion," Blair reminded her mother.
"Charles has a lot more to live for than Bart did," Eleanor replied, "He has three of the most beautiful children in the world, and a wife so exquisite…"
"Compliments are not going to get me to go home," Blair shrugging her mother's hands away from her shoulders and sat forward to give Chuck's hand a gentle kiss, "I'm not leaving Chuck's side, so you can save your breath and empty compliments."
"They're not empty, Blair," Eleanor ran her fingers through her daughter's rumpled curls, "It's my fault you can't accept my compliments because they were so few and far between in your formative years."
"We're really not going to have this conversation at my husband's bedside, are we?" Blair groaned, "It's kept for a few decades, it can keep longer."
"I really messed up with you, didn't I," Eleanor sighed.
"It's in the past, Mother," Blair's voice was devoid of what she was truly feeling. "Chuck and I put all that aside long ago so we could be better parents for our children."
"There is putting it aside and then there is sweeping it under the rug," Eleanor stated.
"I was just following the lead of my elders," Blair responded bitterly.
Eleanor sulked from the room with the realization she wasn't able to provide the kind of comfort her daughter needed. If anything, her presence was making things worse.
"You should take your mother's advice," Chuck's groggy voice disturbed whatever thoughts Blair was having, "You should go home and get a decent night's sleep."
"We both know I wouldn't sleep a wink, not with the knowledge you're here all by yourself," Blair rose from her chair to caress his chest through the cotton gown. The thinness of the material made his familiar heat come through easier. She longed to lie next to him, curl up against his warm body and sleep for a month.
"I'd like you to try," he stated, "You're making me feel guilty for keeping you here when you should be home comforting our children. They are still scared out of their minds."
"Yes, they are, and they have every right to be," she nodded, "You are everything to those children, Bass. They count on you to be there for them, just as I count on you."
"I'm going to be as good as new," Chuck reminded her.
"I want to be strong right now and agree with you, but I can't," she broke down while looking to the heavy bandage covering most of his left arm, "Because we don't know how or if your arm is going to heal. I'm breaking every rule regarding rehabilitation there is because I know I'm supposed to be the positive one, the strong one who assures you that you are going to be as good as new, but right now I can't. I can promise no matter what I'll be at your side."
"Come here," he pulled on her arm while maneuvering on the bed to give her some space to lay next to him, "You don't have to be strong for me right now."
"Yes, I do," she shook her head and kept herself feet firmly planted on the tiled floor even though he was patting the open space on the bed in invitation.
"No, you don't," he held firm, "Right now I need my wife to let me be her husband, the man she confides all her fears and worries to. Tomorrow I'll need you to be strong. Tonight I can be the strong one for us."
"This is just like you," she grumbled, "You were in a severe car accident a little over twenty-four hours ago. You were unconscious less than twelve hours ago, yet you're the one insisting on being strong when you have more than earned the right to be weak."
"It's my Bass stubbornness," he pulled on her arm again, "Your mother isn't all that fond of it, but I know you find it irresistible."
"If you hadn't just suffered a head injury, I'd slap you in the head for that comment," she glared at him.
"Lay with me," he gave her his most charming eyes, "You need a decent night of sleep so you can be strong for me tomorrow."
"If I was working on a full night of sleep, I'd have a response to combat that logic," she sighed and allowed herself to be sucked into his irresistible web.
"Rise and shine, Sunshine," Serena shook her best friend awake. Blair was laying next to her husband as she had through the night, despite the interruptions of the nurses coming in and out to check Chuck's vitals every couple of hours.
Blair's eyes popped open as she took in her surroundings. It took a minute to remember why she was lying in a hospital bed, but the bruises, which had begun to heal on Chuck's face, brought back the past day and a half.
"What time is it?" Blair mumbled and tried to untangle herself from Chuck, his limbs and the wires monitoring his recovery.
"Early," Serena replied, "Like eight, maybe."
"Six would be early, Serena. Eight is sleeping in," Blair slipped into the heels she'd kicked off when she joined Chuck in bed the previous night.
"The kids wouldn't stay away any longer," Serena explained, "They're with Mom. I drew the short straw and was sent in to make sure you're decent. Thankfully you were."
"Grow up, Serena," Blair snapped at her, "Not everything is about sex."
"Since when," Serena challenged her, "You're married to Chuck Bass, remember. Sex should have been his middle…first name."
"Not so loud," Blair hissed, "I don't want you waking…"
"As long as my middle name is machine, I'll agree with the blonde," Chuck chimed in.
"Go back to sleep, Chuck," Blair urged Chuck to lay back.
"The blonde is being loud," Chuck replied as his head fell back to the pillow.
"The blonde is leaving," she assured him.
"The blonde can hear," Serena chimed in with her mild annoyance, "And the trio of children Sex Machine helped you create want to see their dad."
"Well Sex Machine needs sleep," Blair replied, "So those children will have to understand."
"Sex Machine wants to see his children," Chuck chimed in.
"Oh, this is the weirdest conversation we've had in quite awhile," Blair groaned and shook her head, "Blonde and Sex Machine need to grow up. Chuck, go to sleep. Serena, you need to leave so Chuck can sleep. I'll come with you. Those children need a healthy breakfast, and I know you, Serena. Cupcakes for breakfast are not suitable."
"But they taste so good," Serena smirked.
"I could go for a cupcake," Chuck added.
"You'll go for no such thing," Blair glared at him, "You'll eat what the doctors think you can tolerate."
Chuck stuck out his lip in an irresistible pout Blair couldn't stop herself from bending over to kiss.
"I'll bring you back something edible," she vowed and kissed his lips a second time, "I love you."
"I love you too," he replied and lifted his good hand up to caress her cheek.
"Sleep," she commanded him, "I'll bring the children to see their father only if their daddy plays nice and does as he's told."
Chuck growled at her as she followed Serena out of the room.
"Looks like his spirits are improving," Serena observed as they slowly made their way to the waiting room where the family was waiting for them.
"The Basstard is being stronger about this than I am," Blair grumbled, "I was a pile of goo last night, and he comforted me. He's the one injured and might never have full use of his hand, and I was the weepy, helpless, little lamb he had to console. He's always the strong one in our relationship. In every crisis we've gone through, he has always been the shoulder for me to lean on."
"That's not true," Serena replied, "You've been strong when you need to be, and you'll be strong now."
"I don't know about that," Blair stated as they entered the waiting room where she was immediately engulfed in a hug from her three children.
"How's Dad?" Aiden asked.
"How about you three take your mother down to breakfast at the cafeteria? Then we can come back, and you ask him yourself," Blair suggested, "I know he's anxious to see you, but he's resting right now."
"Can I give him a hug first?" Aiden gave her an irresistible pout.
"Okay, one hug from each of you, but then we have to let Dad rest. That is the best thing for him right now," Blair caved immediately.
The boys took off for their father's room at top speed as Blair linked arms with her daughter and followed along.
"Did you sleep last night, Mom?" Charlotte inquired.
"Some," Blair nodded, "Daddy made some room for me on the bed next to him. I woke up each time the nurses came in to check on him, but I got more sleep than I did the previous night. Did you get any sleep?"
"A little," her daughter replied, "I talked to Evan for a while last night. Since he was through this so recently with his mother, it was good to have someone to talk to who understands my fears."
"How is Evan's mother doing?" Blair inquired. She knew her husband kept tabs on Georgina's recovery, but she'd never asked for an update.
"He says she gets a little better each time he sees her. She can say his name finally. He made it sound like real progress," Charlotte explained, "Daddy's not going to end up at the same facility, is he?"
"No," Blair shook her head quickly, "No, when Daddy gets released from the hospital, he will definitely be coming home to the penthouse, even if we have to hire a nurse to help with his care."
"There's my princess," Chuck smiled as his daughter entered the room and immediately gave him a hug and a kiss on his cheek.
"I missed you, Daddy," she replied.
"As much as I missed the three of you," Chuck responded.
"Can you come home yet?" Brice asked.
"Not yet," Chuck shook his head.
"Why not?" Brice frowned.
"The doctors want to make sure my arm doesn't get infected," Chuck explained.
"Because then it would get chopped off," Brice added.
"Brice Nathaniel, where did you hear something so absurd?" Blair gasped.
"Uncle Nate," Brice shrugged innocently.
"Then Uncle Nate has just earned himself the most severe tongue lashing he has ever had," Blair growled, "Dad is not losing his arm. He has a lot of therapy to go through is all. We are going to be there every step of the way. Aren't we?"
The trio of children nodded their heads vigorously.
"Now you've given Dad his hugs, it's time to go get some breakfast," Blair began ushered them out of the room. "He needs his rest."
Blair and Chuck's eyes locked as she made her way out the door. There was a hint of fear in their eyes.
TBC…
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