Chapter 6

The next morning, Blair woke up when the sun had begun to filter through the window in her bedroom. She groaned when she realized that she hadn't worn her sleep mask, but then again she hadn't worn that or usually much else since before she had gotten back with Chuck...although she typically didn't mind anymore.

That morning though, Blair realized that she and Chuck had slept with most of their clothes still on, but at least Chuck had gotten them both under the bed covers this time. Blair had realized that when she felt the material and buttons on Chuck's shirt pressing up against her cheek. Slowly she peeled herself away from him and yawned "Good morning, Chuck..."

Chuck, who was already starting to wake up himself also yawned "Awwrgh...morning, Blair..." looked at her briefly glanced at her with a smirk, and rolled on his side to go back to sleep.

"Ch-u-ck, don't fall back to sleep like that!" Blair moaned exasperatedly as she fell back onto her pillow.

Suddenly Blair heard Chuck whispering something, which she had him repeat so that she could hear what he said.

"Wake me up like you did that one time...Blair" Chuck sighed as he snuggled down and did almost fall back to sleep.

Blair thought a moment, then replied "All right, but you were laying on your back that time." as she rolled him onto his back, then scooted up on the bed and leaned on one elbow as she looked down at Chuck face, which looked fairly peaceful in his 'slumber.'

While looking down at his face, she then took the fingers of her right hand to stroke his hair and the side of his face, his jaw and lips, an action that suddenly felt very intimate. Blair then leaned down and happily but reverently, kissed his forehead, both eyelids, the tip of his nose, and finally his mouth as she whispered "Good morning...my darling...Charles...Bartholomew...Bass...I love you..." her voice almost breaking with emotion then.

To Chuck, those words meant more to him than anything else because they made him feel loved and cherished in a way little else did. He didn't know if Blair realized what impact her words and actions had on him, as he smiled up at her and looked into her eyes, practically into her soul. At a loss for words, he drew her face down so that he could bury his face against her neck, and have her do likewise to him, as he ran his fingers through her hair and rubbed circles on the back of her head.

After a moment, Chuck moved his lips up to her ear and whispered "Good morning...my Blair...Cornelia...Waldorf...Ba...baby, I love you...hmm..." with a slight laugh at his accidental slip, and began peppering her face with kisses and held her close.

Soon though, his body started to react in it's usual manner when held a woman close, especially Blair. He so wanted her right then in more than just his usual, sometimes smarmy sexual manner. Chuck suddenly wanted to be able to hold onto her and not let go, as his chest filled with pride and overwhelming passion, while a certain other parts swelled as well. He held her still, but whispered with a groan "I love you Blair, and I need you too..." as he attempted to feel for her need.

She accepted his attention as she breathlessly whispered "Okay..." and helped him with his pants. It was within moments that he was on her and with her, whispering "I love you..." over and over with every move he made.

After a few minutes of that, then just holding each other for a few more minutes, Blair pulled away and laughed "Ha ha, that was quite the way to wake up, Chuck! I liked it though..."

"I did too..especially the first part, when you said that to me...I liked it." Chuck admitted.

"What? Did you mean when I called you 'my darling, Charles'?" Blair asked a little surprised.

"Yes...because you said it like you meant it." Chuck said, softly.

"Because I do...Chuck. I do love you...my darling Charles...hmmm" Blair happily sighed as she gave him another kiss, but then pulled away and said "Oh...enough being lazy, come on Chuck, we need to get up for the day...and not just in that way...you need to probably check in at the office again and make sure Bass Industries didn't run away without you." as she tried to pull him out of her bed, then gave up with the excuse that her hair probably looked like crap because she hadn't had the opportunity to blow dry it out after their shower encounter at the penthouse the night before. Chuck though told her he thought she never looked more beautiful, which she at first took as sarcasm, as she went in the bathroom and shut the door.

Blair was still taking her shower, when she heard the door open and Chuck enter the bathroom. Assuming that he'd enter the shower right away, Blair peeked out the shower curtain briefly, only to see and hear him using her toilet. She didn't know what compelled her to watch him for a few moments standing there taking a pee, although his butt didn't look too bad, Blair thought, as she ducked back behind the curtain.

"Ha ha, when did you get butterfly shower curtains, Blair?" Chuck asked from the toilet.

"Oh I've had them up for awhile now. I found them in my mom's linen closet and although she had them for years, she'd never used them. They may even be from the 1970s, when she was a teenager...I don't know. They're probably corny I know, but I thought they were cool in a vintage way." Blair laughed as she admitted where they came from.

"Yeah they are kinda cool...I like vintage too style...hmm...maybe I need butterfly shower curtains too?" Chuck teased.

"Ha ha very funny, Chuck! Your one shower doesn't need shower curtains, with the way its made." Blair sarcastically sighed.

"No...but I'm considering it for the other bathroom...but first I have to see what they look like on the inside..." Chuck teased, as he stepped into the shower behind Blair.

"Hmm...beautiful...with the colors and everything...but of course they're not as beautiful as you..." Chuck seductively said as he pulled her close in the shower for a tender and passionate kiss as the water sprayed down on them and they enjoyed their time together.

Eventually they both left the shower, Blair first because she had to dry her hair, as she wrapped herself in a robe. As she was leaving, she teasingly chided Chuck for leaving the toilet seat up, to which he groaned a reply. Blair just laughed as she left the room.

Chuck eventually exited her bathroom, putting the clothes back on that on that he'd had on before, until Blair handed him a few pairs of striped, satin boxers that she told him she'd found packed along with some of her things, which she was just putting away right then. She told him he at least deserved to be wearing clean underwear, if nothing else, as she handed it to him. Chuck thanked her and proceeded to change his underwear right in front of her, throwing the dirty ones right back at her.

"Here you go wife, you can keep them as a souvenir...thanks for the new pair." Chuck said as he threw them at her.

"Ew Chuck! I don't need your dirty underwear as a souvenir! I'm not quite that much like you..." Blair sighed as she turned around, took a sniff, and quickly stuffed them in her laundry hamper.

"In some circles of women, Chuck Bass' underwear is a prized possession...and don't act like you didn't just smell them, because I saw you, Blair!" Chuck teased.

"Prized possession...ha ha...I just think they're dirty...like you. That's why I smelled them...to tell if they were dirty, that's all!" Blair pertly admonished him.

"No...you were just smelling them for my essence...because you know you love it...admit it Blair, you're more like me than you even realize!" Chuck slyly teased her.

"Shut up, Chuck! And even if I was, I'd never admit it to you!" Blair haughtily gasped.

"Ah...but I can tell...and I love you all the more for it." Chuck slyly said as he kissed her, then broke away leaving her wanting more as he said "See you later, Blair. Have fun sorting through our clothes. If you find any more of my undergarments, be sure to let me know before you keep them yourself." and walked out the door.

"Argh!" Blair growled as she threw a pillow at her door as he was leaving. Smelling his underpants for his 'essence' yeah right...although she begrudgingly admitted that was exactly what she had subconsciously done...smelled it for the bay rum cologne and the particular salty tang that was to her only Chuck...oh how did he know her that well? Blair collapsed back on her pillow with a sigh, only to discover some of her pillows still held Chuck's sent of cologne and his sweat, as she lay her head on the pillows and sighed.

Eventually Blair went downstairs, where she was greeted by Eleanor and Cyrus who were still reading the paper and eating breakfast.

"Good morning dear, we saw Chuck leave a few minutes ago. Did he spend the night?" her mother asked.

"Yes mother, he did. I hope you didn't have a problem with it, because that's all we did last night, sleep." Blair said as a matter of fact.

"Yeah last night...not going so say what I heard about an hour ago..." Eleanor said as she tried to hold back her tongue.

"Mother!" Blair gasped.

"Well congratulations dear. Chuck is a fine lad...I hope what he gave you put a smile on your face." Cyrus chortled.

"Well actually..." Blair pondered.

"Cyrus!" Eleanor scolded him.

"What? I was only talking about what he showed us the other day." Cyrus admitted.

"Oh yes. I wanted to see it again too...Blair where's that thing Chuck gave you the other day..." Eleanor commanded her with her usual busy manner.

"Thing? Oh you mean the ring? I'll go get it." Blair said a bit surprised as she ran upstairs and came down with the box containing the ring Chuck had given her the evening before.

"Oh yes there it is. Wow what a sparkler! Well put it on dear, why weren't you wearing it before?" Eleanor asked as she examined the ring.

"You knew knew about the ring? Do you know why he gave it to me, mom?" Blair asked.

"Of course! The day you came home, Chuck asked us for our permission to let you two get engaged. He seemed very adamant about it too. Put the ring on Blair, you did tell him yes, didn't you?" Eleanor exclaimed.

"Well actually mom, I haven't yet..." Blair admitted.

"What?! I thought you loved him! Plus he's a billionaire to boot!" Eleanor gasped.

"Mother! Is that all you can think about is money?" Blair gasped.

"No...but...you shouldn't let a boy like that get away! I can't believe he still spent the night despite telling him no! Although apparently you didn't totally tell him no...I hope you're ready for the consequences, dear." Eleanor sighed.

"Mother! Anyway I spent the whole summer with Chuck so any consequences like you're thinking of would've occurred earlier." Blair sighed.

"But at least that wasn't in my house! I only let Chuck spend the night here and didn't interrupt you this morning because I thought you two were at least engaged to be married! Oh this next generation...though why do I suddenly sound like my own mother?" Eleanor sighed.

"Mother! Really! Well I have to go finish packing or unpacking or whatever I'm doing. I was going to tell you that NYU was trying to force me to live on campus...until Chuck and I came up with a brilliant plan, for me to move in with him...but you probably don't want to hear about it." Blair yelled.

"Chuck wanted you to move in with him? That's fine...but I wish you'd at least get engaged first, then have a very long engagement until you graduate with your degree! Then you can get married! By the way, why aren't you going to Yale again?" Eleanor asked as Blair exasperatedly growled at her and stomped off to her bedroom and Cyrus reminded Eleanor why Blair had to register at NYU.

~o~o~o~

Blair sorted through more of her clothes again and found a few more of Chuck's things mixed in with her own, so she sorted them into a pile, folded them, and placed them in a shopping bag she had so that she could give them back to Chuck. Knowing that Chuck was still living at the Vander Woodsens' penthouse though, Blair decided to take them right then and visit her friend Serena in the process before she left for Brown.

Blair took her shopping bag, a purse, and rode the elevator out of her building from where she caught a cab to Serena and Chuck's building. When she arrived, Blair stepped out into the apartment and was soon greeted by her friend.

"Hi, I didn't know you were coming over. Did you go shopping, B?" Serena asked as she spotted her friend and gave her a hug.

"Well I just decided I'd pop over for a visit, though I didn't go shopping S, these are just a few of Chuck's things I found mixed with mine that he can have back. Is he here?" Blair admitted.

"A few of Chuck's things, hmm? Well he isn't here right now, but I'll let him know. Or you can put his things in his bedroom yourself. He may even have a few of your things in there too...or at least I hope they're your's." Serena laughed as Blair made a bee line for Chuck's bedroom where she automatically began putting away the things she'd brought over, plus more of his clothes he'd neglected to unpack earlier.

As Serena stood off to the side, watching Blair unpack and put away Chuck's clothes, she laughed and commented "So how's your relationship going with Chuck, Blair? You certainly seem at home putting away his clothes. How do you know where everything goes?"

"If you travel with someone for ten weeks S, you soon learn to know them pretty well. Anyway Chuck is particular about the way his underwear is folded, his socks are rolled up, his pants are pressed, his shirts are starched, his ties are folded, and so forth...but that's just the way Chuck is. And where he puts them away is so logical, socks in this drawer, boxers in this drawer, briefs over here, undershirts here, t shirts there, sweaters there, handkerchiefs, scarves, ties, and other accessories over here. Dress slacks, shirts, and suits in the closet, sorted by color...its all pretty easy in fact." Blair went on as she continued to put away his clothes.

"Maybe its easy for you, but Chuck's system seems a little complicated. Glad you can figure it out, B. You already know how to take care of him...I think I can tell where this relationship's going." Serena laughed.

"Really S, Chuck's system isn't that complicated. Anyway, our relationship is going fine for the most part, although I probably did something really dumb." Blair admitted.

"Oh what now, B? I'm sure its not that bad..." Serena sighed.

"Well yesterday Chuck tried to propose to me..." Blair started.

"Congratulations B!" Serena gasped in surprise.

"...And I told him no...well actually I told him I'd think about it...so he gave me the ring and told me to keep it until I make up my mind..." Blair sighed.

"Oh well...maybe that wouldn't be so bad if you thought about it, B. But anyway when was it that he tried to propose because Chuck didn't come home last night..." Serena replied.

"Oh he spent the night with me. You see he proposed to me the morning after we got back, when we were back in my room, but I told him that I 'd think about it and he seemed okay with it. Then the next day he accompanied me to NYU to resolve an issue I had there, and afterwards we toured the campus. Then after that, he took me to this penthouse on 5th that he received as part of his inheritance...and oh S you should see the place! It's gorgeous and has so much potential, my mind was just spinning with decorating ideas...and this time I'm not going to let some little blonde decorator tramp get in my way...and I loved the master suite with the skylight...Oh and the bathroom to the master suite is fabulous with its custom rain shower and message jets! Ha ha Chuck and I christened the shower last night and it was so hilarious because we had the water going everywhere..." Blair laughed.

"Well even though you said you'd give it some thought, which I think is fine, it's apparent you've already made your decision about Chuck's proposal to you." Serena laughed.

"Whatever do you mean, S?" Blair asked.

"By the way you were going on about Chuck's new penthouse, and almost described to me your hook up with him in the shower...its pretty apparent to me what your answer is going to be, Blair." Serena told knowingly to her friend.

"So you think I should tell him yes, Serena?" Blair asked.

"Only you know your own heart, Blair, but in my opinion I think that might be a good answer." Serena replied.

"Well I still have to think about it, but thanks for your input S. Anyway when do you leave for Brown?" Blair asked her friend.

"In only a few days, B. I'll miss you." Serena sighed.

"And I'll miss yu too, S! I feel like we've just reconnected and you're going off again! Life isn't fair sometimes." Blair sighed.

"Yeah I know, but that's all part of growing up, B." Serena sighed.

"Don't I know that S...Don't I know that..." Blair laughed to herself as she finished putting away Chuck's clothes, suddenly finding a cache of women's underwear Chuck had taken as souvenirs from his many hook ups over the years.

"Hmm...he should have an interesting tale to tell me about all of these..." Blair mumbled, although Serena heard her.

"Ah looks like you found Chuck's secrets. Well you should've expected you'd find something like that, for having Chuck Bass for boyfriend...or fiancée." Serena teased.

"Yeah I know...uh Ser-ena!" Blair gasped incredulously at he word fiancée, until she saw some of the undergarments and said "Yeah your brother and I are going to have a little talk all right. Oh that's what happened to my favorite bikinis from La Perla!"