The next day, they were off to Yale as they were given the opportunity to get a taste of college life. The couple arrived at their room and as they were dropping their bags, Chuck thought he'd try to confront Blair. Lately, it seemed that they have distracted each other with sex just to avoid having a serious conversation. Neither of them were complaining because the sex was good, as always but this only allowed their issues to build up.
"B, maybe now's the time for us to talk"
"About…?" Blair asked casually whilst digging in her bag searching for something.
"Let's just start with that whole Serena thing, I know it's been bugging you even though you tried to act normal the whole journey over here". Chuck really wanted to ask about her eating habits as well. Has she been eating normally? Is she still going through this problem? He wouldn't know because she's been putting this discussion off.
"Uh we don't have to do this now, it can wait" She continued rummaging through her things. Chuck went over to her and pulled her arm gently to him to make her stop.
"Blair, c'mon" he urged her. He caressed the back of her hand with his thumb.
She grabbed his cheek and laid a soft peck on his mouth. "Later, I promise. I have to prepare to meet the dean and I have forty minutes until I go up to his office". She grabbed a different purse that was better suited for her outfit and was making her way out. "Call me later for dinner. I'm just going to be with Serena after I'm done with the meeting".
He sighed and said out loud to an empty room, "Later it is, then".
Blair invited Serena to join her and Chuck for dinner. They sat waiting for him in the restaurant for the past half hour which was strange since Chuck was always punctual on dates.
"Ugh I'm starving. What is taking him so long? Let's just start without him." Blair grabbed the menu.
Serena fiddled with her cutlery and hadn't heard a thing her friend just said. After a few minutes, she said, "I'm kinda bored of this college trip. Like I don't really see myself living like this next year".
Blair looked like she had just been insulted and before she could protest, Dan rushed in.
"I've been trying to get a hold of you!" He bent over, hands on knees, trying to catch his breath. "I came as soon as you told me you're here."
"Too bad you're not invited Humphrey", Blair joked.
"Dan, what's going on?" Serena asked, beginning to get worried.
"It's Nate and Chuck, they got caught up with the Skull and Bones tribe. They got them…"
Blair's head snapped up as soon as she heard Chuck's name. "What happened? Are they okay?"
Dan was hesitant to carry on but he had to let them know. "Those guys wanted Nate at first but Chuck came up with a plan. It didn't turn out well…"
"And…" Blair interrupted. With her heart beating a mile a minute, she wished he would talk faster and get to the point.
"Well Nate has been ringing me and wants me to come for back up. They let him go but…they're not done with Chuck. Turns out, they don't take jokes very well."
Blair's mind was racing. What are they going to do to him? She tried to remain calm and wanted nothing more than to go out and find him.
The girls were getting their stuff together to leave the restaurant. "Well what are we waiting for? Lets go get them" said Serena as she put her arm around a scared looking Blair.
"No, its best if you two stay. It'll be quicker if I go and get them." Dan reassured them.
Blair scoffed, "You? What are you going to do, slit them up with your metro card? We need to get help"
"The cops won't deal with it. This just looks like freshmen going through initiation into the fraternity"
Both Serena and Blair carried surprised looks. How would Dan know this?
Reading their faces he rolled his eyes and said "I'd seen it on tv, okay. It could get pretty rough. Look, Nate said he's waiting for me near the house so I'll call you as soon as I'm with him".
Serena rushed over to him and gave him a tight hug. Blair felt an ache as she watched them, wishing that she was holding her other half. She had no idea what was happening to Chuck especially since he was still with them and Nate was set free.
Dan was ready and was making his way to the exit.
"Dan.." He heard Blair and turned around. He detected the seriousness in her voice since she didn't call him Humphrey or Cabbage Patch like she usually did.
"Bring him back to me." Blair said softly with glazed eyes.
He nodded and was out the door. Truth be told, he wasn't sure how much help he was going to be but that didn't stop him from trying.
Blair paced back and forth. They decided to wait in their room. "Where are they? Maybe they got Dan too!"
"I don't know. None of them are answering their phones so I could only leave texts to let Dan know we're waiting here. I'm sure they're fine."
"Serena, the Skull and Bones won't stop until they see fit. Who knows they could have drove them out and left them in a ditch somewhere or…"
Just then the door kept knocking until Serena got up and answered. "Thank God!"
But when Blair got to the door she saw Dan and Nate struggling to hold up Chuck, who's been beaten to a pulp. She ran up to them and gently placed both her hands on Chuck's sore face. He winced a bit and was brought over to the bed.
"Chuck! Are you ok? We need to bring him to a hospital"
"No hospital. I'll manage". He slowly sat down. Blair took some time to look at the damage been done. It looked like a bruise was forming on his right eye and a sharp cut on his left eyebrow. He hissed and reached for his ribs which were probably in deep pain. Blair wanted to check where else he was hurt but it's not like she could take off his clothes in front of the others.
"So what the hell happened to you guys?" Serena looked to Nate who didn't look too bad apart from some rips in his clothes.
"It's a long story but when Dan came we went back to their house and found him pass out on the front lawn. Those jerks just threw him out there for us to pick him up".
Dan explained, "Yeah Nate here wanted to start another brawl."
"We can't let them get away with it. Don't worry they'll get what's coming to them. Me and Chuck will…"
"You and Chuck won't do anything if you know what's good for you. Thank you so much for bringing him but I think he just needs to rest right now. We'll see you tomorrow."
"You're right. See you at breakfast." Serena said as she pushed the other two towards the door.
Nate called out from outside, "Chuck, hang in there buddy!"
All Chuck could manage to get out was a "humph".
"I'm going to have them reported and they're whole Skull and Bones society will be dead and buried with no chance of resurrection" said Blair as she sat down next to Chuck. When she looked at him, she had a sudden urge to wrap her arms around him as though that'll heal him but it will only do the opposite.
"You can't do anything. Besides I was the one who played the trick on them, I was asking for it." Though he was hurting badly, he still managed to smirk. "It's so worth it".
"Are you crazy! Look at you! You could barely walk." Anger rose in Blair as she refrained from knocking his head up against the wall. "All of this trouble just to get back at those college guys is NOT 'so worth it', can't you see it could have been a lot worse."
"Can we not argue tonight? I'm getting a major headache. I just want to lie down." Chuck stood up to take off his torn blazer but groaned when he felt the unbearable aches. "I think I'll sleep in these clothes tonight".
That is when Blair walked up to him and carefully and slowly slid his blazer off. She untucked his shirt and worked on the buttons.
"Still can't wait to take my clothes off, Waldorf" he mused as he was enjoying this too much. "But not tonight sweetheart, I need to let my body recuperate."
"Ugh, your heinous!"
Chuck let out a small laugh. The room got silent as Blair peeled his shirt off and saw some bruises on the left side of his ribs. She let her fingers graze across them and feared that he was more hurt than he had led on.
"God, what did they do to you?" Blair brushed his face with the back of her hand. He was pretty banged up and covered in bluish/purplish marks, yet he was still handsome as ever.
"Nothing that wasn't caused by my own doing." He looked down and smiled sheepishly.
She pulled his waist towards her. "Well you had me scared half to death. You know you'll always get your ass kicked in fights so why bother? Now I've got myself a bruised peach." She giggled before touching her lips to his ever so softly.
"Mmmm" escaped from Chuck, as he delved his tongue into her mouth which she freely accepted.
"Will you take care of this peach? Stay with me when we get back to Manhattan and tend to my every need" He bent down to peck at her favourite spot on her neck and spoke against her skin. "Please."
Blair sighed. "You already know the answer, Bass".
