.

Touch:

Coarse

Chuck stirred in his bed, the warm buttery sun waking him. He felt for Blair and was grumpy when he discovered her absence. She was probably in the bathroom, or maybe she snuck off to get breakfast for them? He never did get to bring her croissants and honey yesterday. So he rolled over and dozed off to dream of white skin and golden honey. When he awoke again, she was still gone. Now he was not happy, and he pull himself from bed. Hastily slipping on his silk pajama bottoms, he went to see if she had snuck back to her own room.

Pushing the door open he instantly felt something was wrong. Her bed was made- but of course it was, she had not slept in it. No, her things were missing. The vanity was empty, he went to her closet, it too, was empty. He tried to keep his blood from boiling, to calm the roaring beat of his heart. There was a note on her nightstand: Chuck

He wanted to tear it to shreds- nothing she could have to say in a note would be anything good, be anything he could want to hear. But then, he realized, she had at least felt a need to say something to him. Quelling his outrage, he opened the note:

Chuck,

My mother is in town and requests

an appearance. If you remember my mother

at all, I know you understand.

x,

B

Eleanor? Yes, he could understand that- having a critical, controlling parent. But later, as he showered, it dawned on him that she did not have to leave so incredibly quickly. She could have stayed at least for the morning, said goodbye to him. Dressed, he looked at the note again, and reading it, his fury leaked out. He crumbled the note into a little ball and hurled it across his room. She did not say when she was returning, either… if she was returning.

That is when it all clicked into place. She knew before she came to him last night she was leaving. Show me the torment you feel at my absence. A game- it had all just been another game for her; had she ever stopped playing? And he had been such an eager, blind participant. What must I do to earn your kisses? The little 'x' she had written in her note only mocked him.

Thanks to Eleanor's presence, Blair had little time to think about what she had done. It seemed Eleanor called her daughter into town to play the mother card to help sell her label. Isn't my Blair just beautiful? She's going to Columbia, though really it should have been Oxford. Her best friend is Serena van der Woodsen. No, she doesn't have a boyfriend- at least, not yet. I doubt it will take too long, though. Her mother would finish with a knowing smile. She was used to being put on display like this; it is why she could play the game so well at the garden party. She was born playing this game. The boyfriend line stung more than usual, causing Chuck's face to flash in her mind. These appearances were not a time for thinking, however, and she pushed the image of him aside to focus on appeasing her current audience.

But at night, in her bed, when it was quiet and dark, he was waiting for her, in her mind. Beautiful in the moonlight, his body moving over hers, the feel of him inside her. That she thought of him like that, she could live with. But it was waking up in the morning that drove Blair insane. Every morning now, she woke up snuggling one of her pillows, her body wanting it to be Chuck's warmth and softness. Said pillow always ended up thrown across the room in annoyance, a casualty of Blair's emotional warfare.

Back in the Hamptons, Chuck brooded for several days. Refusing to go out, he was either on the patio smoking or burying his head in his work on The Charles. Even when Saturday night rolled around, Chuck was in no mood for playing.

Bart stepped into the library to check on some of his own work before he and Lily went to a dinner party. He was mildly startled, and pleased, to find Chuck pouring over drafts and timelines, "Shouldn't you be out on a Saturday night?"

"No- I… I want to be prepared for meeting with the vice chair on Thursday. If I can convince him to support putting more money behind it, The Charles could be open for the holidays." Chuck did not have full faith in his poker face in front of his father, so he continued to look at his papers.

"That's quite an ambitious timeline."

"The building is in good condition, renovations are proceeding better than expected. With some extra investment, there should be no difficulties in pushing up the timeline." Chuck continued to look at his work.

"You know, the board was quite taken with what a stunning couple you and Blair mad-"

Chuck cut off his father, his face finally lifting to gaze at his father, "I know. I know."

"She really believes in you, Chuck," Bart thought back on what she had said to him when they arrived.

"Does she now?" Chuck laughed cruelly.

"She does have her own family to deal with… I wouldn't lose heart so quickly. Women can be wonderfully complicated," Bart mused.

"What was that about women being complicated?" Lily breezed into the library, fixing a large diamond in her ear as she smiled at her husband.

"Just trying to share some wizened old man advice with my son," Bart stood and kissed his wife, then added, "Blair."

"Blair is… a stunning creation. And you two are such a beautiful pair, Charles, you will never be bored with her. I think you could do incredible things together," Lily flashed her step-son a smile before the couple left for dinner.

Chuck sat back in his chair. Incredible things… together? His eyes glanced down at the papers strewn across his desk, and he remembered Blair admiring his work, asking him questions- caring about what he was doing. Together? He then thought back on Bart and Lily, how they performed together in public. It had never occurred to him before, but… they were a team. Yes his father was brilliant, and Lily was amazing, each in their own right. But together, supporting each other, they accomplished even more.

Blair had… he swallowed uncomfortably, remembering the garden party. She had already done this for him. He remembered how easy it was at her side to smile and curry favor, and how she supported his project with perfect excitement. This meeting he was so wrapped up in was because of her. She played the vice chair perfectly into her hand, leaving him to be used however Chuck needed.

Eleanor consumed an entire week of Blair's holiday, leaving her exhausted. She could return to the Hamptons now, but something inside prevented her. In her fear, she ran hard and fast back to the city, but running had only left her more afraid. She imagined Chuck had to be angry with her pathetic goodbye. And she was still scared to think on him in general. If she did, she knew she would have to admit to herself why she ran in the first place.

After several days of recovering from Eleanor's social marathon, Blair was walking to a very much needed haircut. The heat was uncomfortable, but Blair relished the discomfort as it mirrored her own internal upset. Approaching Bendel's, she nearly collided with the cool figure of Bart Bass as he exited.

"Mr. Bass!" She peeped, startled to see he was in the city.

"Hello, Blair," He appraised the source of his son's recent brooding behavior.

"Why are you not in the Hamptons with your family?" She politely inquired.

"An unavoidable business meeting. Serena and Lily pleaded I pick up some required essentials for them before I return," he paused a moment, "The dance at the country club is this weekend."

Blair felt it had suddenly grown at least twenty degrees warmer out, "I wasn't sure Chuck would still want to see me… I haven't heard a word from him."

"I think…" Bart hesitated at how to phrase it, "If you returned, you would not be distressed by what you find? Do considering coming back, Blair."

With a nod, the mighty Bart Bass slipped into his waiting town car. Blair was pensive as she climbed to the fourth floor of Bendel's, every step solid, her eyes not tempted by the pretty things all around her. She had not dared to think Chuck might be… happy to see her again. Could he be? Was he missing her? Too scared or hurt to say so? Her heart skipped a beat before thumping happily in her chest. Her return would have to be perfect, and… she needed to find a dress!

Chuck awoke the day of the country club event thoroughly grumpy. He had already had to explain to the vice chair how Blair had to go home, but he was not at all pleased to explain- when everyone expected to see him with Blair, why she was not on his arm. He laid in bed, thinking how his heart ached and how much he hated it. What had he done to himself? When at last he showered, dressed, and went to search for sustenance, he paused midway down the staircase. There was luggage in the foyer. But… not Eric's, or Serena's, not Bart's, or Lily's. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest, it could not be…?

Walking into the living space on his way to the kitchen, it was. There, smiling on the sofa with his sister, was Blair. Serena was chattering, "No, I'm serious, the first time I saw French Kiss, I thought Kevin Kline was Calvin Kline's brother or something!"

The two girls laughed and Chuck could not fight the smile on his face at seeing her- seeing her laughing and happy. She had not noticed his presence yet, "Shush, this movie is perfect, even if he isn't actually French! The whole concept behind it, sex and," Blair faltered, finally turning her head enough to see Chuck watching her.

Serena turned to look, "Oh, good morning, Chuck. Or should I say good afternoon? Did you get all of your beauty rest in for this evening?"

"I don't think if I did or not matters now," Just like that, his heart was on his sleeve again.

Serena looked at him with wide eyes, then at her friend. She had never seen her brother quite so intense, or open, before, "Care to join us for a bit? You've been working hard these past few weeks- it's a funny movie?"

Anything to be close to Blair again. She had not said a word yet, but he could see she was worried at his reaction. So he sat and joined them, happy to relax and watch his sister and Blair talk and laugh at the film. There was a scene, the man was stealing the little vodka bottles from the service cart on the airplane. He saw Blair fidget and mumble about using the restroom.

At first he thought nothing of it, but then the scene in the film unfolded and suddenly, everything made a great deal more sense. The man and the woman began talking about losing 'it'. The man talked about how his first time was with a prostitute- a not beautiful one, but she had an incredible mouth. Only, he had money for the sex, not for kissing. The woman he was talking to found this interesting, and said how much sense that makes, how intimate kissing is, where the romance is- a little bit of your soul. Chuck wanted to groan. That had Blair written all over it. There was no way she was still in the bathroom. He went to look for her, Serena giving him a pleading look that he not do anything stupid as he left. Both the bathroom and kitchen were empty, the patio, too. He discovered her in the library, looking at his blueprints again. She heard him enter the room, "You've been hard at work," she smiled.

"There was… nothing else to hold my attention."

Blair felt her heart speed up, "The penthouse is even more beautiful now. I think… some ornate tables would be good- reproductions from the Regency period maybe? And, did you know Swarovski is involved with lighting now? I imagine you could get them to make some stunning pieces for you."

"Blair," he smiled softly as he pulled the blueprints from her hands.

"I'm sorry, Chuck," she could not look up into his eyes yet, "how I left, it wasn't about you- and truly, I left because of my mother…"

"Why did you leave like that, if it wasn't about me?" He would let her hide if it would give him an answer.

"I… didn't want to have to say goodbye to you like that." It… was half true?

"Was it meant to be goodbye?" he asked, not certain he wanted the answer.

Blair looked up at him with this question, finally meeting his eyes. They were wide, pleading with him to not make her give an answer. So he pushed for a different answer, "I heard what they said in the movie, about sex… about kissing."

She was falling apart; she knew he could see everything now, "Chuck…"

"I could look at it several different ways, Blair. That you intended to use me for sex, which, initially could have been quite true. But later on… I'm tempted to think you still would not let me kiss you for a different reason?"

"I…" Blair bit her lower lip a moment, "Please? Give me tonight- I have to go, Serena and I, we have appointments…"

She pulled away from him, her eyes apologetic. He was only being gentle because he was genuinely surprised by her return. They would leave the Hamptons tomorrow, so she came back expressly for tonight. Tonight, he would have his answers.

AN: Last one for tonight (US Eastern Daylight Time), 11 is getting a small tweak, and will go back up tomorrow. Hopefully the rewrite for 12 will be finished this weekend if all goes well. xoxo -K