A/N: I Don't Own Gossip Girl.... Yet?
Getting close to the end now, thank you so much for the feedback, reviews are always appreciated!
Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it!

Chapter 7: Countdown


"I'm going out"

"Where are you going, love"

"Just... out"

"Misty!"

She stopped dead in her tracks, hoping to god he wouldn't catch on.

Bart rose from the expensive suede sofa and glared at his wife.

"You'd better not be going where I think you're going"

"God Damn you Bart!" she threw down her handbag and stormed into the kitchen, beginning to ransack the cupboard for something, ANYTHING to dull her cravings.

"I don't understand why you need it so much." He looked around the corner, eyeing her with humour as she scoured the shelves hoping the cook had left something behind.

"Bart, I can honestly tell you I have never wanted sushi more in my entire life. Why? Why!"

It was one of the few things she couldn't touch, but in her second trimester of pregnancy, Misty Bass was ready to trade her unborn child for a tasty tuna roll. Luckily she spied a container full of leftover cous cous, so she sat herself down at the bench and dug in.

"It's so stupid" she said, in-between mouthfuls. "The only time I want raw fish is when it's forbidden"

Bart laughed and walked over to the other side of the counter, picking up a spoon and preparing to take a bite.

With a swift and accurate whip of her hand, the spoon was taken from him.

"On your way Bass, I'm sure you have better things to do than steal food from your fat wife"

She was far from fat.

It had to be something in the genes, but pregnancy was looking terrific on the model body of Misty Bass. Nothing was out of shape, so sagging no stretching. The only difference was the ever growing bump on her uterus which she held lovingly at every idle moment.

Bart had come around to the pregnancy as well, not just because of her increased libido but the fact that Misty was so sure about it.

He would argue with her about planning and time. How would they ever look after a child when he was often called to overlook projects overseas at merely a moment's notice? Misty would assure him, tell him not to be so stuffy. She often dreamed of the future with their child. Bart would attend his meetings overseas, while she and their daughter would max out his credit cards, or she would take their son to all the museums and galleries that whatever country they happened to be in had to offer.

He began to relax knowing that Misty would take charge. Of course he would be there for his son or daughter, but when business called...

The third trimester was rapidly approaching and baby Bass was kicking its mother like a little champion.

"Oh. Ouch. OH goddamn!" she fidgeted uncomfortably at the table where they were having coffee (in her case chai tea).

"Darling, turn around"

Misty moved 180 degrees in her seat while Bart pressed his palm into her back and kneaded.

"This little devil is going to be the death of me! I don't think I can handle the kicking for much longer" She moaned in pleasure and pain as Bart massaged her back.

"Well, we'll see what the doctor says when we get to the appointment" he checked his watch "which, unless we get in the limo now, we're going to be late for." He motioned for the waitress to bring the check as he helped Misty up out of her seat.

The appointment was routine, baby was fit as a horse and mother was putting every pregnant woman in the waiting room to shame with her incredible figure.

"Would you like to know the sex?" the technician asked as she glided the scan over Misty's uterus.

She looked up at Bart from the table

"What do you think?"

"Well, it couldn't hurt"

Misty looked up at the technician. "We're having trouble thinking of names you see..."

"Oh really? What were you thinking" the women chatted away happily while Bart glanced at his watch and looked desperately at the door.

"Well I was thinking Elspeth or Charlotte for a girl, and maybe Donald or Charles for a boy? Those were the ones you thought of weren't they darling?" she looked over at Bart.

"Yes, Donald was my father's name. Strong name"

"I hate it. With a passion" she smiled at him and winked. "Ok! I'm ready!"

This was the first time Bart had paid attention the whole appointment.

"Congratulations Mr and Mrs. Bass, you're having a strong baby boy!"

Misty's squeals could be heard from the waiting room.

On their way out to the limo Misty was still gushing.

"A boy! We're having a boy!" she suddenly whacked Bart soundly across the shoulder. "Why aren't you excited you bastard" another glorious mood swing.

"Misty come on now, it was either going to be one of two, unless we were very... very unlucky." He joked with the last part.

"Ugh you can be so heinous sometimes, I swear" she climbed into the limo with surprising grace.

She was now well into her third trimester, still devastatingly luscious but incredibly uncomfortable and very ready to be with her baby boy.

Baby boy Bass, which was still nameless.

"I will not"

"Misty..."

"It's revolting. Donald. I would hate myself forever if I ever named a child Donald. You don't want to be called Donald do you my darling" she crooned and caressed her stomach under half buttoned business shirt she was lounging in.

"If you're going to be stubborn then we won't have this conversation"

"Oh I'm going to be stubborn Bart, I can be whatever the hell I like and do you want to know why?"

He rolled his eyes and turned another page of the paper he was half reading, knowing well the rant that would follow a statement like that.

"Baby is eating all my food, he is kicking the crap out of my ribs and he's making damn well sure that I can't appreciate my $900 Manolos both with the swelling and the fact that I haven't seen my feet in months, so yes Bart. I will be as stubborn as hell until you accept that my baby will NOT be called Donald."

He folded the paper down and smirked.

"Are you quite done?"

"No" she huffed, still caressing her tummy. "Don't worry baby, you're all mine. We won't let him call you something ridiculous, that fuddy duddy daddy of yours" she started cooing in a baby voice without realising.

Bart scooted over and placed a hand on her stomach.

"We've still got a month or so yet, why don't we just wait until he's born to pick?"

"That sounds better" she smiled "don't you agree Charles. Charlie, Chas? Ick, no. Chucky, Chuck! Baby Chuck" she had started talking to her stomach again.

Bart looked at his wife with amusement as she argued with their baby.

I hope to god epidurals work in my favourhe smirked to himself as he leant in to kiss her.

They still had a month or so... didn't they?

One week later, Misty's water broke while she was doing Pre-Natal Pilates and Bart was across town on business.


"I hate him"

"B..."

"If he loved me he wouldn't keep doing this!"

"You're being just the teensiest bit dramatic"

"You don't understand S. It's killing me"

"Sweetie, Dan used to do it too. And trust me, they minute they don't its worse"

Serena looked at Blair with a bemused expression as she bounced her son Xavier in his bassinet.

They were seated on the floor of the Bass penthouse living room. Blair was in another fit of emotional tears and anger as she downed another bowl of peaches with choc mint ice cream.

"If he loved me he wouldn't keep bringing this food home" she said in-between mouthfuls.

"I hate his God damn guts"

"B, the second Dan stopped bringing home bananas and maple syrup for me, I hit him with my Louboutin wedges so hard he's still got a mark on his arm. And knowing you, I genuinely fear for Chuck's safety if he listens to you."

Blair knew she was right. As much as she detested the fruit and ice-cream she was compulsively eating, baby bass loved it. And whatever baby bass wanted, baby bass got. Chuck was bringing home bags of peaches and ice-cream for Blair, even when she screeched at him not too. He was smarter though, for he knew the moment he didn't would be the moment the world could say goodbye to one Charles Bartholomew Bass.

"Why can't I be one of those bitches who crave things like celery? Or stuff I'm not allowed to have!" she rolled onto her back and began massaging her swollen belly.

Blair was finding pregnancy rather difficult and awkward. She was halfway through her second trimester and was still craving food like there was no tomorrow. She was occasionally suffering morning sickness still (which concerned her mother and Chuck greatly) and she had gained a mass of weight.

Now he did not mind this at all. Blair was curvier in all the right places, and that teamed with her ridiculous increase in libido led to a highly satisfied and often spent Chuck. Blair was not happy with this, however. She was resigned to wearing flowing dresses while Serena had been able to wear anything she wanted. The Queen B was also experiencing rapid mood swings much fiercer than ever before.

One moment Blair would be normal, then she would screech and scream throwing whatever she would reach at whoever was close by (Chuck has a few suspect bruises on his chest...). She would then melt down into a sobbing pile of tears, before snapping back up in an ecstatically happy way.

It was all very over the top. All very Blair Waldorf-Bass.

Xavier began to fidget and fuss as Blair idly played with his little toes.

"So are you going to find out the sex?" Serena asked, mopping up the spit from his chin.

"I think so, we can't decide on any names yet so I suppose we're going to have to just for that. I swear to god he'd better be reasonable about it though. I can't handle any more games in my state"

"Oh you mean the games that leave you all sweaty on the floor of my apartment while you two are supposedly babysitting" Serena said sarcastically. "I don't think you're ever going to get enough of those games B" she winked. "So what did you end up narrowing it down to?"

Blair sat up against the sofa, running her hands through the expensive shaggy rug she was seated on.

"Well I thought Audrey, of course. Or Tobias, I've always liked that name" Blair smiled to herself.

"Chuck wants Evelyn and Edward. Gross I know." Blair rushed through Chuck's suggestions with distaste and rolled her eyes.

"B those are cute names, don't dismiss them so eagerly!"

Blair was distracted again, massaging her stomach gently. The elevator sounded and they turned their heads to see Chuck exiting the lift.

"Ladies, how are we this evening" he said as he placed his briefcase on a crystal table and made his way over to his wife, taking her by the hand and helping her up, then kissing her deeply.

Serena picked Xavier up and walked over.

"Well we're off"
"you can't stay for dinner?" Chuck asked, his arm wrapped tight around Blair, stroking her stomach.

"No, no. Jenny and her new boyfriend are coming over tonight. I'll call you tomorrow though B, we'll go to Bendels"

"Bye sis, bye Humphrey junior" Chuck said, ruffling Xavier's barely there hair as they walked over to the lift.

Chuck lay back on the couch, pulling Blair onto his lap.

He kissed her hair as they both lay there, caressing her stomach.

"I got you a present" he said, with a slight smirk.

"Oh really?"

He leaned over to grab something then placed it in front of her.

"Apparently they DO make a size bigger than extra large family size"

It was a pink suede stiletto sandal with a giant silver side buckle that hit Chuck in the shoulder that night.

She ate it anyway, cursing him with every minty peach bite.

Months later and Blair was on the home stretch, she was due in around 2 months and she couldn't be happier.

She was still cursing the weight gain, but the nausea had stopped and she found great enjoyment in feeling their son or daughter roll around inside her in a calming way. Serena had complained of bruised ribs and kicks to the bladder, but baby Bass seemed to be doing tai chi rather than practising soccer, and Blair only ever felt calm ripples from her stomach.

On their way to a gynaecologist appointment, the basses were revising a dearly beloved practice in the back of their limo.

"So are we... finding out... the sex?" Chuck said between pants, moving Blair's rounded hips around.

"Uhm... yeah, yeah. Yes" she moaned.

Blair climbed off her husband with great difficulty and repositioned her maxi dress.

"I'd rather know before the shower, you know, just so people know what to buy" she frantically smoothed her hair down, knowing they weren't far from the clinic.

Twenty minutes later Blair was on her back, freezing cold gel smeared all over her giant abdomen and glaring at Chuck who was trying not to laugh at the expressions on her face from the odd position she was in.

"Ok mommy, are you ready?" the technician asked

"Yes" she said confidently, Chuck grabbed her hand and looked hard at the monitor.

The image scanned across.

"Ok, we have one leg, two legs, one arm, two arms..."

"Third leg? Is there a third leg?" Chuck said eagerly

Blair's head shot up

"Are you effing insane? I WILL kill you Basshole"

The technician laughed.

"Well Mr. Bass, I hope not. Because you're having a girl!"

"A girl..." he whispered, looking down lovingly at Blair who was tearing up.

It was so out of character for these two to be speechless, but they were.

"So little Audrey, mommy had better stock up on headbands for you, shouldn't she!"

"Don't let me interrupt, but does Evelyn want anymore ice cream before we get home?" Chuck asked with a seductive sneer.

Blair glared at him.

"Audrey's name is Audrey. I'm naming her Audrey. You don't get a say because I'm fat"

"That doesn't make sense, and you're not."

"It doesn't have too. I am. Stop talking and get over here"

The car limo ride home was eventful as always.

They figured there was at least another month before Blair was due. Another month for fights over Audrey or Evelyn and another month of makeup sex, another month before Blair would start freaking out about her poor, poor lady bits and another month before Chuck would start getting anxious and stressed about Blair's safety during the birth.

They were wrong.

Two weeks later Blair's water broke in the middle of Bendels while demanding Chuck evaluate the attractiveness of a Jennifer Ouellette Ostrich feather headband.


About two more chapters to go, please review and enjoy! xoxo