Thanks again for the reviews. I know I'm updating a lot but I have exams all this week so won't be able to write, so am making up for it in advance.

Chapter 7

Blair left the house early on the day of the ball to get ready with Serena. This gave Chuck the chance to brood over his current situation. As much as he hated the fact that Blair was with someone else, he knew he couldn't do anything. He didn't want to push Blair any further away. So he decided that he would have to grin and bear it. Chuck, Dan and Nate walked into The Palace ballroom and immediately scanned the crowd for the girls. They were all smartly and expensively dressed, with Nate and Chuck in traditional black suits and Dan in a striking silver grey suit. However, Chuck had accessorised his with a scarlet red bowtie. Nate caught sight of Serena, who looked stunning in a tight fitting, black gown which touched the floor.

"Serena, you look amazing, as always" Nate said, kissing his girlfriend on the cheek.

"Where's Blair?" Chuck asked, eager to see her.

"She's just coming now." Chuck turned around and spotted her at the same time as the rest of the crowd did. A hushed silence fell upon the room as they watched the anonymous newcomer. She looked stunning, poised and almost regal. Her hair was pinned back from her face and fell down her back in luscious locks - her bright eyes were framed by black kohl liner. Her red dress clung to all the right places, and Chuck blushed slightly when he realised that they matched. Yet when she turned around and he saw her bare back, Chuck almost fainted. She was, without doubt, the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, and at that moment he wanted her more than ever. And then he saw a hand touch her skin, and that desire quickly morphed into red hot anger. For that hand belonged to none other than Carter Baizen. Chuck quickly turned to his companions, all of whom were just as shocked as him.

"Are you fucking kidding me! Carter? Carter FUCKING Baizen? How the hell is she going out with that prick?" Nate and Dan were glaring at Carter - they too were

not big fans.

"I have no idea man. I haven't seen him since his parents sent him away two years ago." If there was anyone that Chuck, Nate and Dan hated it was the man standing not too far from them. Carter had scammed all three of them out of extortionate amounts of money, and had also pretended to track down Serena's father in an attempt to get closer to her. Nate drew an arm around his girlfriend protectively at the memory, and she smiled up at him appreciatively. She was just as baffled as to how someone as sweet and kind as Blair could be with Carter.

"Hey everyone. This is my date, Carter" Blair stated. Carter smirked at the angry quartet.

"Oh don't worry sweetie, I already know these four. We go way back."

"Oh great!" Blair said optimistically. Yet as she picked up on the tension, she realised that something was very wrong. "What's going on?"

"Your date here happens to be a scumbag." Chuck stated, as the others nodded in agreement.

"Wow Chuck, is that jealousy I detect? Haha sorry, I didn't realise Blair was your girl." Carter said smugly. "Oh wait, she's not, she's my girl." Chuck's nostrils flared as he glared menacingly at Carter, who only incensed him further by leaning down to kiss Blair on the cheek. "I'll go and get us some drinks, babe." And with that, Blair was left to face her friends.

"B, what the hell are you doing with a guy like Carter?" Serena questioned.

"He happens to be really nice. Smart too. It's not like we're serious" Blair defended, confused as to why they were so against Carter.

"Oh please, guys like Carter are only after one thing Blair" Chuck growled. Dan jumped in quickly to diffuse the situation,

"Look Blair, we're just worried. Carter is not a good guy. You have no idea what he's capable of."

"I appreciate how protective you all are, really I do. But I think I can decide for myself what kind of guy he is."

"Blair, don't be stupid. You're eighteen years old, and he's what, twenty-four? You cannot be serious about seeing him. I won't let you." Blair looked at Chuck, shocked, hurt but mostly angry at what he said.

"Way to be patronising, Chuck. I don't care how old he is. Like I said, I appreciate your concern, but you have absolutely no right to tell me what to do. I can take care of myself." Blair spun round and headed to the bar where Carter was waiting for her, having watched the whole thing. Wishing to anger Chuck further, Carter leaned in to kiss Blair, spreading his hands across her bare back, much too low for Chuck's liking. Chuck stormed out of the room, closely followed by Dan. Blair watched over Carter's shoulder, upset at how Chuck had reacted. She couldn't help but feel guilty. She realised it was wrong to use Carter to make Chuck jealous, considering their history. However, Chuck made her so angry sometimes. She knew she couldn't betray her new family like this though, so at the end of the night Blair decided to break things off with Carter.

"Carter, I really appreciate you hanging out with me these past few days. But I think it would be best for us to just end things. It's obvious that my friends have an issue with you, and I don't want to put them in this position."

"Excuse me? You think you can use me and get away with it? Do you have any fucking idea who I am?" Blair was surprised at the anger in his tone. The Carter she had seen over the past few days was mellow and understanding. She had a sinking feeling that it was all a façade.

"I didn't mean to do that. That's why I think we should stop." Blair started to back away slowly. She had to leave Carter's apartment. There was a look in his eyes that was all too familiar to her, one that she never thought she'd have to see again.

"So I'm just going to leave now" she stammered as Carter stalked towards her. She knew it was now or never, so she turned and ran to the door, her ridiculous heels long forgotten. But he was quick and threw her up against the door. Her head banged against the hard wood and for a moment she was dizzy and disorientated.

"You think you can fuck with me and get away with it? You fucking tease!" he screamed, slamming her against the wall again. Her back scraped against the cold brick.

"Let me go!" she cried as she squirmed in his firm grasp. She could feel new bruises forming under his hands, covering old bruises which had barely healed. He struck her across the face, causing Blair to fall to the floor in a crumpled heap. She cast around for anything she could use in self defence, and her eyes fell upon a vase of flowers. She leapt up and threw it at him, the crash of glass enough of a distraction for Blair to escape. With no money on her, Blair began to run in what she hoped was the right direction, desperately hoping that Carter was not following her. When she felt that she couldn't run anymore, she looked around for anything familiar. By then it was two o'clock in the morning, yet the streets were still swarming with people. Blair realised that she was only two blocks from the penthouse, so she slowly made her way back. As she rode up in the elevator, she prayed that all the boys had gone to bed. She did not want them to see her like this. She cursed the ding of the elevator as she crept out. With no heels, she was able to pad across the floor silently. However, she noticed a light from the living room. Chuck was sitting, still in his suit, with a glass of scotch in hand. Blair's quiet curse caused him to raise his head. Blair made sure to angle her body so that only her side was showing, and the side of her face which Carter had hit was hidden. The throbbing pain so familiar to her was enough to tell her that a visible bruise would have already formed. She was careful to remain still, too, lest she turned and Chuck saw the scratches on her back.

"What are you still doing up? The gala ended ages ago." Blair said tentatively, knowing he would not let her go until they had resolved their issues.

"I - I wanted to know whether or not you came home. Which you did, so…" Chuck responded, wanting to ask her whether or not she had slept with Carter. Blair didn't need to look at him to know what he was thinking.

"I didn't sleep with Carter" she stated bluntly.

"Oh, well, that's good." Blair felt her stomach flutter as she heard the obvious relief in his voice. "I'm so sorry. I know I acted like a total ass today, and earlier this week as well. I just feel strangely protective of you. I just want you to be safe and to feel comfortable here." Blair felt tears welling up at his quiet speech.

"Oh Chuck, I am comfortable here, more than you'll ever know. And I appreciate it, it was silly of me to walk out. And I'm not seeing Carter anymore. I should have trusted you guys."

"Oh, that was quick. If you like him," Chuck said with a pained expression, which he was thankful that Blair couldn't see "then it's not my business to stop you from seeing him."

"No, he showed his true colours to me tonight. I don't want to be around people like that. If I'm honest, I never really liked him" Blair admitted. It was Chuck's turn to have his stomach flutter, as he felt hope in her words. Chuck stepped forward, accidentally knocking over his now empty glass on the table. The sharp noise caused Blair to turn around, yet she didn't turn away again quickly enough for Chuck to miss her face.

"Well, night then" she muttered before running off. But Chuck wouldn't be put off that easily. He followed her into her bedroom where she stood with her back to him. He gazed wordlessly at her back, appalled at the fresh marks he saw there.

"Blair. Look at me" he tried calmly. When Blair showed no signs of turning, Chuck demanded "Turn around. Now." Still no response. Chuck walked up behind Blair and softly turned her to him. She kept her eyes on the ground. Chuck trailed his fingers lightly across the fastly forming bruise across her cheek. He gulped. "Blair. Did he do this to you?" His voice was steady, yet his shaking fists showed just how angry he was that anyone would dare touch his Blair. Her silence confirmed his suspicions, and he whispered "I'll fucking kill him." Suddenly, Blair grabbed his hands and looked directly into his eyes.

"No, please just leave it. Just stay here, please." Chuck, seeing her tear-brimmed eyes, knew that he couldn't leave Blair like this. "It's not worth it."

"Not worth it? Blair, how can you say that? Look at what he's done!" Chuck was astonished by Blair's view of herself. "How can you possibly act like you deserve this?"

"Chuck. It's over, ok? Nothing can be gained from you finding him and putting yourself in danger. I don't want that" Blair implored.

"Fine. I don't like it, but I won't do anything. Right now I'm going to take care of you though, no arguing" he finished as Blair opened her mouth to try to dissuade him.

Chuck made Blair sit on the bed while he went to grab a first aid kit from the kitchen. He kneeled on the bed behind her and tended to her cuts, and massaged cream onto her bruises. Although they chatted about nonsensical issues, neither could ignore the intimacy of the situation. Or how good it felt to be close to one another. Chuck allowed Blair out of his sight only to change into pyjamas, while he waited on her bed. She sat cross legged by the pillows as he applied cream to the bruise on her cheek. She winced slightly at his touch, but otherwise made no complaint. They held each other's gaze as Chuck stroked her cheek, continuing long after the cream was rubbed in. Chuck marvelled at the softness of Blair's skin, whilst Chuck's touch sent shivers through her whole body. Soon though, Blair's adrenaline wore thin and exhaustion took over.

"Blair, I know you need to sleep, but I need to know that you're safe. So I'm just gonna sleep on the floor." Chuck made to get up off the bed when Blair reached out and grasped his hand.

"I need you here too. And there's no way you're slumming it on the floor. Your rich ass wouldn't last five minutes. You can sleep here, it's fine." After that she drifted off as Chuck settled into the bed, keeping a careful distance from Blair, despite his urge to hold her in his arms. His protective instinct had increased tenfold. However his prayers were answered when Blair shuffled closer to him in her sleep, resting her head on his chest as if it were a pillow. At first Chuck froze before he instinctively wrapped his arms around her, glad that she was safe. He drifted off with the heavenly scent of vanilla and lavender calming him.