Summary: "I know for a fact that this is Blair Waldorf's phone," he said. "Don't let your temporary status as her innocent boyfriend delude you into thinking you're a permanent fixture in her life. Or you have any idea what you're getting into."

Disclaimer: Sorry I didn't mention this before but the title and chapters come from the song "Miles Away" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I should have given them credit before. And nothing else is mine either.

Cameron saw the way Blair would gaze at the ring he gave her when she didn't think that he was watching. He knew she didn't love him. Not in the way that she thought she should love him. He knew how guilty she felt and he knew it definitely had to do with those secretive phone calls she would take but never talk into the receiver.

Instead of that one time he heard her shouting at someone that he was sure had no chance of fighting back. It was the only time she would have spark in her eyes instead of the softness he was accustomed to. And he knew there was a woman in there that he didn't know. And he knew there was a man out there who knew that woman.

Contemplating this, he almost didn't hear Blair's phone rattling on the table with an unfamiliar number flashing across the screen.

"Hello?" Cameron picked up without even thinking. He waited but didn't hear anything. "Hello?"

"Who is this?"

And Cameron knew who it was. Blair didn't know anyone in California. He supposed it could have been someone from home but she refused to talk about her past and he knew all the calls she made, she didn't really talk to anyone.

And when she did, she yelled about papers not going through.

So he did know who it was. And he supposed this was the one person from home who called her.

"This is Cameron," he replied with intimidation. He could feel the rage radiating through the phone. And he didn't have to wonder why Blair was afraid. "Who is this?"

"Cameron," the stranger uttered with quiet anger. "Well isn't that... precious."

"I'm sorry, who is this?" Cameron asked.

"Put Blair on the phone," he all but glowered. Cameron wanted to protect her.

"Who?"

He tried.

"I know for a fact that this is Blair Waldorf's phone," he said. "Don't let your temporary status as her innocent boyfriend delude you into thinking you're a permanent fixture in her life. Or you have any idea what you're getting into."

"I'm actually Blair's fiancée."

There was silence on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Fiancée," he finally said.

"Who's on the phone?" Blair's voice cut through the voice on the other end.

"It's for you," Cameron said quietly and offered her the phone. "He sounds... upset."

"Who is it?" Blair asked. Cameron just handed her the phone and turned away. Blair took the phone and turned around the corner towards the kitchen.

"Hello?"

"Fiancée," Chuck repeated and Blair flinched. She knew getting a phone was a mistake. "I'm sure you could tell me how that works. How would you explain our little predicament?"

"Chuck," Blair whispered.

"It's good to hear you say my name again."

She could feel his sudden smirk on the other end. She hated how her heart fluttered with familiarity. He was making her whole again and she hated him for it.

"But don't you think getting a marriage license would alert me more to your whereabouts?"

"I would be changing me name," Blair said quietly.

"So that's why you accepted," Chuck said thoughtfully. "Tell me, is the diamond as magnificent as the one in my safe?"

"I don't know what you think you're doing," Blair finally said.

"I told you," Chuck said. "It's only a matter of time before I find you."

"Fine," Blair snapped. "You tell me. Was it Mike or Tyler you put on me?"

"Try six additional ones," Chuck said. "Even your number was hard to find. But then again, it was a mistake calling your lawyer on anything but a pay phone."

"I knew that lawyer couldn't be trusted," Blair muttered. "And neither can you."

"That isn't anything new," Chuck commented.

"And what about you?" Blair asked.

"I'll never do it," Chuck said. "It's pointless that you even ask."

"That's what I thought."

"And what are you going to tell him?"

"He already thinks that I have a stalker," Blair boasted.

"He sounds very..." Chuck laughed, not even bothered by something so very far from the truth, "vanilla."

"At least he isn't pimping me out to his uncle."

She knew that would hurt him.

She could tell by his silence.

"I'm coming for you, Waldorf," Chuck promised lowly.

"I don't care how many PI's you put on me," Blair snapped. "You will never find me."

She groaned with frustration as she hung up angrily.

"Who was that?"

Blair looked at Cameron's soft eyes as he stood in the doorway.

"Wrong number," Blair said dully.

"He asked for you by name," Cameron said. He watched Blair's hesitance.

"You can tell me."

"I can't," Blair said softly.

"It was him."

"Who?" Blair asked.

"The person you're running from."

Blair looked at the ground.

"You don't have to be afraid."

"I'm not afraid of him," Blair said. "I'm just afraid of what's going to happen when he finds me."

"You could file a restraining order," Cameron offered.

"Trust me," Blair said. "My traitorous lawyer is failing at working on it."

Cameron looked after as her as she walked away. He was used to her saying things like that. Things that he could never understand. And he was right. He never expected to. But he wanted to keep her safe. And he did love her. Even if her heart was taken by something he didn't know.

"I still want to marry you," Cameron said as he watched at her blank face.

"Why?" Blair asked quietly. "I want to marry you for all the wrong reasons. I'm homeless. Without funds. If I marry you I get a different name and security. It has nothing to do with love. Just like it is on the Upper East Side."

"Upper East Side," Cameron repeated. "As in New York. That's where the Waldorf-Astoria is."

Blair nodded.

"And that's where he is."

"For now," Blair said.

"Does he know where you are?"

"It's only a matter of time," Blair said.

"Why?"

Blair smiled.

He's Chuck Bass.

But she didn't say that.

"Because he knows me," Blair said.

Wasn't that the truth.

Blair tried to catch her breath in the bathroom at the train station. She sat in the locked stall, staring at the home pregnancy test that she didn't have a home to take it in.

Because she was prone to overreaction. She was really kicking herself for her rash runaway it was starting to seem really unnecessary. But that's what the bastard did to her. Everything seemed life of death.

She stared at the negative sign that made her feel like this was all for nothing.

She threw in the trash. But she knew she couldn't stop now. So she wasn't pregnant. But she had come so far now anyway. Already she had to sell her Marc Jacobs. And that was hard to part with. But if there was one thing she wouldn't go as low to hock were the diamonds that lay under her clothing. And that told her something.

She knew it did. It didn't bode well that the man she ran away from in her overreaction of pure unadulterated fear of something that wasn't even going to happen was still literally next to her heart in a heart diamond pendant that was worth 35,000 dollars.

She didn't know what it was, but she was more paranoid than usual. She stepped out of the bathroom and she knew exactly why. She thought she was being careful. She thought everything was okay. Chuck was obviously always onto her.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer."

The man started and looked at her. His face dropped.

"Mike, you are really losing your touch. Usually I don't even see you."

"I'm not the only one here, Miss Waldorf."

"Then why don't you send him a message?" Blair asked. "He will never catch me."

She had too much pride. She couldn't stop now. She couldn't just go back to him. She couldn't tell him the only reason she ran was because she was weak. Things had been too perfect and she freaked.

She had pride like him. She ran out of speculation and now it was all for nothing. But she was already running. And seeing Mike gave her a very real jolt of reality. Chuck was coming. What could she do but run?

She didn't give Chuck's beloved PI the chance to catch her as she fled through the crowd. She ran up the stairs towards the track. She was sure that Chuck wouldn't have come himself. Mike spotted her by chance.

As the train arrived, she was sure of it. That didn't stop her skittishly jumping right on board when she thought she spotted pastels and paisley.

"Ticket, miss?"

Blair jumped and handed it over as he punched it.

She hadn't just imagined it. The train began to jolt forward and dark eyes met dark slanting ones sparking with recognition.

And very real heartbreak.

Serena walked into the penthouse that she hadn't been in since she was dating Nate. She stared at how much it had changed. And how much it hadn't.

It was in disarray and she knew if she looked in the drawers and closets, there would be left over clothing that belonged to a certain society princess with expensive taste.

She spotted the suitcase on the bed. Chuck rushing into his room, piling bow ties and expensive shirts into it.

"What are you doing?" Serena asked.

"I didn't have time to call someone to pack for me," Chuck said. "The limo's waiting."

"Where are you going?" Serena asked. She looked as Chuck looked at her with his dark intensity and she knew. "You found her?"

"I have to go."

"Where is she?"

"I called her," Chuck said. "She sounded..."

Chuck laughed harshly and started zipping up his belongings.

"I thought you couldn't trace cell phone calls," Serena said.

"Tyler got her area code and said it was in California."

"California?" Serena asked. "She went that far?"

"And even across the country, she couldn't deny me," he said smugly.

"She invited you, did she?" Serena asked doubtfully. Chuck just picked up his suitcase. "How do you know where she is?"

"Tyler researched the most recent purchases of engagement rings," Chuck said. He looked up at her. "I know exactly where she is."

"She's engaged?" Serena asked.

"Not for long," Chuck sneered.

"Wait," Serena said, following him through the rooms. "I'm coming with you."

"No you're not," Chuck said, pressing the button for the elevator.

"What do you expect to find there, Chuck?" Serena asked. "She won't come back with you. She has another life now. She has a fiancée. And what about what she had before she even got there?"

"I'm getting my family back," Chuck said.

"What if she doesn't want you to?" Serena asked.

"She doesn't have a say in that," Chuck replied. "She's not the only one who's a parent."

"You've never even met your child," Serena said. "Maybe there's a reason why she's keeping you away."

"She won't keep me away from my own child, Serena," Chuck said.

"Chuck," Serena said as he waited for the elevator. "I want my best friend back."

"And your niece or nephew?" Chuck smirked.

"Did you talk about it?"

"I was more reeling from the fact that she was engaged."

"And what are you going to do about it?" Serena asked. "What could you possibly say to make her come home?"

"The truth," Chuck said and he walked into the elevator.

A/N: So I hoped that satisfied your taste for the truth. That's the story and yes, Blair did run because she is completely dramatic and paranoid. And no, Chuck is not a maniac.