A/N - I know how late this is and I wish I could tell you that the next one will be up soon, but the internet is down in my house for a while (ANNOYING!) and I can't post or review or read anything. I'm using a friend's Laptop to do this. So if I'm reviewing your fic, sorry but I can't give you any feedback till they fix it. I can't even read it 'cause I can't get on my phone.
Anyways, thanks to everyone who R&R'd. I'll try and get back to you ASAP!
Disclaimer: Don't own. (whoops, i forgot this until now!)
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Chuck's hand clenched around his scotch glass. "He's flirting with her."
Nate peered over his shoulder and saw Blair with James Sorrentine, a member of the board of trustees for Bass Industries and Chuck's arch rival. "Yeah, he is." He agreed.
Chuck glared at his best friend. "Not helping Nathaniel."
"Does he know she's yours?" Nate asked.
Chuck shook his head. "He's new, he's only been on the board for a few weeks. Ever since his father retired."
"Well then go tell him. Mark your territory." Nate clapped Chuck on the back.
Chuck snorted, "Because Blair would really appreciate that. Look at her," He indicated her general direction, "She's completely oblivious to him." He frowned as Blair turned away and that jerk recaptured her attention.
"Did he just...?" Nate asked in shock, watching as Sorrentine dragged Blair onto the dance floor and started to grind on her. Blair carefully moved away from him and started to look around for people she knew.
"I'll kill him." Chuck ground out.
"I'll help." Nate agreed.
"Sorrentine!" Chuck barked, storming over to them and wrapping his arms protectively around Blair. "I see you've met my girlfriend."
"Girlfriend?" Sorrentine asked nervously.
"Yes, like I told you three times." Blair said irritably. "Put me down Tarzan, I'm fine." She told Chuck.
Nate stifled a snicker as Chuck grabbed Blair's hand before she could disappear again. "Stay." He warned.
"What are you like his pet?" Sorrentine asked Blair as she halted. "Do you always do what he tells you?"
"Do you still let Mummy dress you?" Blair retorted saccharine sweetly as she dragged Nate and Chuck back to the bar where Serena was giggling.
"Remind me to fire his ass." Chuck snapped.
"You can't. He's a trustee, and his father is a big investor." Blair told him as she ordered a soft drink and swapped it with Serena's glass of 'tonic water'. Serena at least had the sense to look guilty as Blair took a large gulp, wincing as the Vodka hit the back of her throat.
"Well then because he's such an asset to the team," Chuck said sarcastically, "I'll have him transferred. I hear Australia is a big country for convicts." He mused.
"Doesn't your Uncle Jack live there?" Nate asked.
"My point exactly." Chuck gave Blair a reproving look as another of the board members waved he and Nate over. "Try not to get molested by anymore of my team? I really can't afford to have anymore framed or shipped out." He said dryly.
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Blair smirked.
"At least guys are hitting on you," Serena complained morosely a few minutes later. "They've been giving me a wide berth all night. It's as if they can sense that I'm pregnant."
Blair laughed. "We're talking about the most moronic species on earth, Serena; males. I highly doubt that they have a sixth sense.
Serena frowned as she placed her hands on her still flat stomach. "I'm not starting to show am I? Because it's not even been three months yet and the doctor said at least five."
"No Serena, you are not starting to show." Blair said patiently. "And the doctor said that given Lily's size when she was pregnant with you, you probably won't show at all until month six. Which is why we scheduled the wedding for Spring."
"Well then what is it?" Serena demanded before pausing, "Wait... I don't have a sign on my back saying something like 'baby on board' do I? Because I totally wouldn't put it past Dan-"
"Serena!" Blair interrupted, raising her voice. "You are being ridiculous. Nobody, and I mean nobody, knows that you are PREGNANT!"
A hush fell over the room and Blair froze. "Crap."
"They. Do. Now. Blair." Serena said through gritted teeth, giving her the evilest glare that she could muster up.
Blair gave her an apologetic look as conversation started up again. Serena crossed her arms across her chest and gave Blair a pointed look.
Blair turned to the bemused bartender. "Two G&Ts please." Serena cleared her throat and Blair winced. "Better make them doubles. I'm gonna need the extra alcohol for when Humphrey finds out."
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"Blair certainly knows how to make an impression on people," One of Bart's oldest friends remarked to Chuck with a fond smile on his face.
Chuck laughed, "You say impression, I say scene." Chuck watched as Blair groveled. "She'll say 'tete-a-tete', and lecture me about eavesdropping."
"She reminds me a lot of Misty," He remarked. "Of course Blair is a little more assertive then your mother ever was."
"Oh?" Chuck asked.
"When Miss Waldorf here wants something, she'll do anything in her power to get it. I've grown to know her in these past five years, and not once has she shirked away from making her opinions known. Even if nobody else agrees with her, she'll always get her way and it will always come out in her favor." The old man praised.
"Misty, well, she was a little more subtle. If she ever had an opinion about something, she'd plant a seed in Bart's mind. Then, little by little, she'd feed and nurture that seed until Bart had one of his famous 'brainstorms', and took her idea for his own. He thought he was coming up with all the ingenious ideas that took the company global, when really it was Misty all along."
Chuck smiled. "It sounds like Blair alright, except she would never let me off with taking the glory."
"The anniversary is coming up."
"I know." Chuck said quietly.
"I have a need for someone to go across to London for a few months. Four, at the most. You should consider it." He patted Chuck on the back before walking away; seed firmly planted.
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"Well that was a fun party," Blair said brightly, changing out of her gown and into a more comfortable slip. Chuck slowly undid his tie and started to unbutton his shirt.
"Are you okay?" Blair frowned as Chuck meticulously slid the buttons out of each hole. "You were pretty quiet in the limo. Usually you're trying to convince me to have sex with you." No reaction. "Chuck?"
"What... what would you say to getting away for a while?" He asked. slowly, "Leaving the city for a few months. Going someplace where nobody knows us and we don't have to pretend."
"I'd say book me a plane." Blair laughed, "Seriously though, what's up?"
"I am being serious." Chuck gave up on the shirt and sat down next to Blair on the edge of the bed. "At the party Walter Downing suggested that I head up the London branches of Bass Industries. It would take a while, but I would only have to work a few hours a day. The rest could be spent with you, exploring the city or wherever. We wouldn't just be confined to England either, we could go anywhere in Europe."
"It sounds great," Blair said carefully, "but how long are we talking here?"
"He said four months. Six, if we want to travel." Chuck seemed happier about the idea now that she wasn't totally against the idea. "You said that Eleanor wanted to look into European branches of 'Eleanor Waldorf Designs' anyway. It's the perfect opportunity."
"What about the wedding? Serena would never forgive us if we weren't there. And the baby."
"The wedding isn't until February, and the due date isn't until June. We'd be back in time for the baby, and we can fly in for the wedding."
"Chuck-" Blair took his hand. "If we leave New York now, that's not all we'd be missing."
Chuck nodded his head. "We had the ceremony for my father's fifth anniversary last year, and my mother's twenty-fifth anniversary isn't for another two. Visiting their graves in New York, or thinking about them in London, it won't really make a difference."
"You sure?" Blair asked.
He smiled at her, "Does this mean we're going."
Blair smiled back and inclined her head. "Maybe if we leave next week we can go and get settled in London, and then fly to Daddy's for Christmas like we'd planned?"
"Sounds like a plan. I'll call Walter." Chuck reached for his cell as Blair picked up her discarded dress and threw it on over her head. "What are you doing?"
Blair gave him a look. "We have a family dinner in two days, and I don't feel like announcing our leaving for six months to Eleanor, Lily, and my very hormonal, pregnant best friend without reinforcements."
"Reinforcements?" Chuck looked dubious as Blair reached for her purse containing all of her credit cards.
"Reinforcements." Blair repeated. "Nobody can dismember their beloved friends and children while clutching one of a kind Dolcés'. Can they?"
Chuck thought it over. "Better throw in Valentinos' too."
