The next morning was rough for Blair. Bart was furious, especially when he found out that they were drinking. He felt that it had something to do with what happened to Chuck. Nate, Serena, and Meredith were basically thrown out of the mansion the next morning completely embarrassing Blair. Blair prayed that Chuck pulled out of this, because she did not think Bart could be so angry. Blair understood it though, Chuck's mother died and Chuck was Bart's only son. Even though sometimes Bart acted like he didn't love Chuck, his actions today proved otherwise. Blair sat in front of them on the couch as each one took turns yelling at her. She ended up just blurring them out. She could see their mouths moving, but she couldn't hear anything coming out. She could just imagine what they were saying. You were irresponsible, you were reckless, and probably you are grounded for life. Then the phone rang, she actually heard it. Bart and Eleanor's mouths both stopped moving as Bart quickly picked up the phone.
"Hello?" Blair listened in on the conversation. "He's awake? We are going to be right over. Thank you so much for calling." Bart hung up the phone. "We will finish this conversation later young lady, we should go to the hospital now and see Chuck." Bart said while grabbing his coat and heading out the door.
"Blair, I can't believe that you guys would do this." Eleanor said with disappointment in her voice. "It's going to take you a while to regain my trust. I'm starting to think that your new boyfriend is having a very negative effect on you."
"This has absolutely nothing to do with Stefan mom!"
"I think it has everything to do with him. You never acted this way when you were with Nathanial."
"Lets just go see Chuck, I think he's a little more important then the way that I have been acting lately." She wished her mother could understand. Blair was under so much stress right now, and she knew that her attitude had nothing to do with Stefan…well maybe a little bit to do with Stefan, but also to do with the fact that Eleanor was moving on so quickly after her father's death. She really didn't think that her mother was ever going to remarry.
Blair got in the town car with Eleanor. The car ride there was in complete and total silence. Bart did not want to get started again on Blair, because his mind was on Chuck and he didn't want his mind to be off of him. He just held Eleanor's hand tightly for comfort. Blair looked at the two of them and realized that he made her happy and she obviously made him happy. She knew it was wrong of her to even think about breaking the two of them apart.
They arrived at the hospital and went immediately into Chuck's room. He was sitting up eating some breakfast. He smiled at them when they came into the room. His smile was tired and weak.
"Chuck, how are you feeling?" Bart said while pulling up a chair to his bed side.
"I'm still feeling kind of weak, but I'm getting better." Chuck didn't take his eyes off of Blair. She smiled nervously at him. She didn't know when to tell him that the kiss was nothing but a big mistake. They were going to be living together and she didn't want to start anything with him. She was just confused when she kissed him and now she came to the realization that the two of them have nothing between each other.
"What happened to you?" Bart asked.
"I really don't know what happened to me. I don't really remember much of anything. I think I remember some kind of animal…something black…but that's really it." Chuck said while rubbing his head trying to remember something.
"You were probably too drunk to remember a thing. Damn it Chuck, I expected a lot more from you. You know that I could have been arrested if something happened to one of the other kids there and fined. You are lucky that I have a lot of pull in this community. The liquor cabinets from now on though are going to be under lock and key until your twenty first birthday."
"Geez Bart, you don't have to be such a downer."
"This is no time to make jokes Chuck. Something else could have happened and I don't want to worry about you guys every time me and Eleanor decide to go on vacation. I will hire someone if I have too."
"I think that I am a little too old to have a baby sitter."
"Damn it Chuck, as long as you are under my roof then you are going to have to follow my rules."
"Hey…I don't think now is the time to argue." Eleanor chimed in finally. "How about we let Chuck have a full recovery before we discuss any of this and how about we get Chuck some real food? Those pancakes look like they were frozen in a box."
"Yes, they were…pretty gross actually. I wouldn't mind having a real breakfast inside of me."
"Come on Bart how about we go out and get him a real breakfast and Blair can talk to him for a bit." Eleanor said while standing up.
"Whatever you say dear." Bart said while standing up. "No trouble while we are away…and I'm serious." He said before walking out the door. The last thing Blair wanted was to be alone with Chuck so soon, yet there she was alone with him. She sat by his bed and gave him a small smile.
"Now tell me what you really remember."
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. I mean I didn't realize that I was so drunk…but I must have been completely wasted or maybe the alcohol was laced with some kind of LSD because I was definitely seeing things."
"Try me nothing is going to sound too crazy Chuck. If there's one person you can trust it's me and you know that."
"It was a bird, I know that sounds completely insane but I saw the damn thing. It lifted me up and took me out into the garden and then it turned into a person. I couldn't see the face though, everything was blurry at that point."
"Was it a big huge black bird?"
"Yes, actually it was. How did you know that? Did you see it?"
"I didn't see it that night but I definitely have seen the bird before. It has been kind of following me. I know that I must sound crazy, but it has been. Sometimes it sits out of my window and just stares at me and when I close my curtains it just caws. I haven't told anyone about it."
"That does sound pretty crazy; I just don't know what to believe right now. It just doesn't make any sense. I am not the kind of person that believes in the supernatural. This world is full of mysteries though and now I am questioning everything. What did this thing want with me? What does this thing want with you?"
"I really don't know Chuck, but it's something that I am going to have to find out. I feel like what ever it is…is very possessive of me. He took you away when you were…well you know, I don't think I have to repeat what happened."
"Do you think it was a mistake?"
"Yes, I do. I am really sorry Chuck, I was just so confused when that happened. I was confused about what was happening between me and Stefan and me and Damon. I just had a moment of weakness. Our parents are getting married though, and I really don't want things to be more weird then they already are." Chuck wasn't planning on ever kissing Blair again. If that thing was jealous and possessive of Blair, then Chuck wasn't about to risk his life just to hook up with her. He was planning on staying as far as possible away from her romantically. Blair's phone suddenly began to ring.
"Didn't they tell you no cells in the hospital rooms? Messes with the machines or something." Chuck teased. Blair looked down at her phone and saw Damon's name flash across the screen.
"I really should take this Chuck. Do you mind?"
"No of course not…go ahead." Blair walked out of the hallway and walked outside before she picked up her phone.
"Hey Damon."
"Blair, how are things going with you?"
"Chuck is in the hospital right now."
"Oh my God, what happened to him? Is everything okay?"
"He was attacked by an animal, but he's okay now. It looks like he is going to be making a full recovery."
"That is really good to hear. Did he say what kind of animal attacked him? That just sounds dreadful."
"He really isn't sure what attacked him." She lied. For some reason she didn't feel like she could tell the truth to Damon. "He said everything is just a blur to him, he just remembers seeing something black, but besides that absolutely nothing." There was a beep on the other line and Blair saw that it was Stefan. "Hey Damon, I really have to go…Serena's on the other line. She probably wants an update." Blair had to talk to Stefan and she didn't want Damon to get too jealous.
"Yeah sure, do you think it's possible for me to take you out tonight?"
"Damon, I told you I wasn't sure about everything. I am still not sure about anything."
"How can you be sure about us if you aren't even willing to give us a chance? Unless you want to fess up about what's really going on between you and Stefan."
"Okay, I will talk to you tonight; but only if my mom says it's okay. I am pretty sure that I might be grounded for life."
"Don't worry Blair, I will take care of everything." The dial tone went after that and Blair quickly went to the other line. She knew Damon had a way with people, and she was always worried when he made comments like that. Damon always found a way to 'take care of things.'
"Hey Stefan."
"Hey Blair, I was just seeing how everything was going? I think the whole town has heard about what happened to Chuck. I wanted to know if you were okay? I heard that you were the one that found him."
"Yeah, I was. It is all kind of scary actually. I wish that you were here."
"I can be there in five minutes if you need me to be Blair."
"I'm at the hospital right now with Chuck. I would really hate to leave him right now Stefan, he really needs me. I'm just trying to figure out some stuff with him, how about you swing by in twenty. I am sure Bart and my mom will be back with food for him and I can manage to sneak out then. I need to talk to you anyway."
"Okay, I will pick you up outside the hospital in twenty minutes." Blair hung up the phone and went back into Chuck's room.
"Was that one of your many boyfriends?" Chuck teased.
"Actually it was Damon and Stefan; I think you were right about everything Chuck. How could I come between two brothers?"
"Don't listen to me Blair. I really don't know anything about love. I like to pretend that I do, but I really don't know the first thing about anything. I know that you'll make the right decision though Blair, you always seem too."
"No, I always make the wrong decision and I manage to make a mess out of everything. It's sweet of you to say that though; it makes me feel a little bit better. I just wish I could turn back time and start things over again. I just seem to make one mistake after another and I leave nothing but carnage behind."
"We both know that time travel isn't possible so there is no reason to think about all that could have been and all the what ifs. All that does is make your life more miserable. You need to focus on the here and now Blair, I guess near death experience has opened my eyes a little." Blair reached out and held Chuck's hand and gave it a little squeeze. She never thought in a million years that she would take Chuck's advice, but right now he was really the only one that made sense.
"So what should I do Chuck Bass?"
"I know that I don't know Damon or Stefan as well as you do. I can only go off of first impressions and honestly I think that Damon is a better fit for you. He's a really nice guy, and he has that whole mysterious bad boy thing to him. Stefan is too tamed for you Blair, you need a little spice in your life."
"Damon seems to be trouble though, I didn't want to tell you this but when I went outside of your house he was in the garden waiting for me. It was kind of stalkerish, and honestly kind of creepy."
"Don't hold it against him. I don't think you realize how crazy you drive men; and I am sure that he knows that he has competition." Blair sighed deeply. She never thought that Chuck would take Damon's side.
"I am going to take that under consideration. It's a really hard decision for me though and tonight I am just going to work on being honest to the two of them. Stefan is actually going to pick me up in a few minutes and then Damon is going to see me later tonight."
"Are you grounded?"
"What is the worst they are going to do to me? Ground me for another week?" Blair asked with a laugh. She knew that they weren't going to send her off to boarding school or anything, so Blair felt pretty safe.
"I'll cover for you. I will tell them that you weren't feeling well and went home and I will try to keep them at my hospital bed as long as I can."
"Thanks Chuck." Blair stood up and kissed him on the cheek. "I never thought I would be happy to be joining your family; but I really am happy Chuck."
"Me too sis."
"Oh God, too soon for that." Blair and Chuck both laughed. "Later Chuck." She said while walking out of the door. She went downstairs and she found that Stefan was already waiting out there in the parking lot. She ran over to his car and knocked on the window. He unlocked the door for her and she went inside. "You are here early."
"I was a little anxious to see you. When you said that you needed to talk to me, I became a little bit worried."
"I don't mean to worry you Stefan. I just haven't been completely honest with you about everything and I thought that you deserved to know the truth."
"You can tell me anything."
"I have kind of been seeing Damon." Stefan's hands clenched the steering wheel. He knew that it was true, but it was different actually hearing it come from Blair's mouth.
"So you have been kind of seeing both of us at the same time? Damn it I thought this time was going to be different."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Damon always does this…every time. He always wants what I have, and he won't be happy till he is me or something."
"Come on Stefan, I don't think that is it at all. Damon didn't even know that there was something going on between you and me. He still isn't completely sure, so please do not blame him. This is all my fault, put the blame on me." Stefan felt himself driving faster. He wanted to kill Damon, he knew that he should kill him. Damon was going to end up being the death of Blair and he won't let what happened to Katherine happen to Blair.
"He knew, I promise you that he knew. He came to me, I guess after he saw you and he told me. I just really didn't want to believe him. I was hoping that you wouldn't fall for his tricks. He's a liar Blair, and he will stop at nothing to get to me." Blair didn't know if she believed that. She knew that Damon was dark, but she didn't want to believe that all of this was just to get back at Stefan. She wanted to believe that Damon was actually falling in love with her.
"I just don't understand all of this. There is something going on between you and your brother that I just don't understand. You are both only seventeen…really how much drama could their possibly be? Isn't there some way that you guys can just leave it in the past?"
"Blair, there are some things that I haven't told you about the two of us. There are things that I could not possibly explain to you."
"I thought you trusted me Stefan?"
"I do trust you."
"Then why can't you just tell me? It can't be something too horrible. It's not like you are a murderer or something." Stefan went silent for a moment. Stefan knew that he has killed before, even though it was before Blair was even born. He also knew that Damon was currently killing people, making his brother a murder. Except in Damon's mind it was the exact same thing as a human killing a cow or a deer. "Stefan, please you are kind of scaring me right now." She said while looking him deep into his eyes. "Please Stefan you know that you can trust me, I won't judge you. I just can't stand here pretending that there is nothing going on. You need to tell me the truth." She pleaded with him and Stefan knew that he couldn't lie to her anymore. He knew that he was going to have to tell her the truth, with Damon around the truth was going to come out eventually and he would rather the truth come from him instead of Damon.
Maybe now was the time to turn Blair away from Damon. He knew that Blair had feelings for his brother, and he could end it all. Once Blair found out about what a monster Damon was then she would stay away from him. Yes, this plan was going to work. Stefan took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. The last thing he wanted was for Blair to go off screaming in the other direction telling the whole town what he was. He knew people wouldn't believe her, they would all just think she was insane…still people would look and wonder.
"Okay Blair, I am going to tell you everything. I think I should start at the beginning though. I want to tell you the whole story before getting to what you actually want to know." Blair shook her head yes. Stefan knew she couldn't run, she was in his car after all. Now was a good as a time as any. Now Blair was finally going to know the truth and Stefan could only hope that Blair would still love him.