Blair awakens in phases, slowly arising from her sleep as awareness of her surroundings trickles in. The room is filled with the quiet snores of Chuck's deep slumber. She is tucked securely in her fiance's embrace, her face pressed into the soft skin of his neck as he sleeps on. The warmth of his presence is what lulls at her to stay unconscious just a bit longer, to resume her sweet dreams of their future – for she had been dreaming that it was their wedding day, and that all of the Upper East Side was present to celebrate their happy union.
A violent throb of the muscles around her bladder interrupts her recollections, reminding her why she is awake now, in the still early hours of the morning.
With a sigh, Blair resigns herself to consciousness. Carefully she tugs at her left foot, freeing it from underneath Chuck's calf, and then slowly does the same with the other. The feeling rushes back into her limbs all at once, leaving her tingling from head to toe. Ignoring it, she lifts her head from her fiance's shoulder and clambers awkwardly out of the bed, thankful for good mattresses as she peers at Chuck's immobile form behind her. He is still deeply asleep.
Making her way to the adjoining restroom, Blair relieves her full bladder with her head in her hands, still groggy with sleep. After washing her hands, she pads quickly across the fresh carpeting of the room to reoccupy her place at Chuck's side. Resuming her position in his arms with record speed, she closes her eyes with a happy sigh. Unfortunately, her son chooses that moment to give a rowdy kick to her upper stomach.
Opening her eyes unhappily, Blair turns her gaze downward just in time to see another kick protrude from her rounded tummy. Great, she thinks, he's awake and ready to play. There will be no more sleep for her now.
Lifting a hand to rub soothingly over her stomach, she absently hums a few strains of a song she recalls from the music of the previous evening's festivities. She replays the night's events in her head, smiling absently at the memory. The evening had gone exactly as planned. Even the memory of Louis' visit isn't enough to spoil the happy event, and Blair is thrilled that the night unfolded without incident. She and Chuck can be public with their relationship now.
She lies still for hours, content in her memories of her night with Chuck and her thoughts of their future together, until the sun has risen well into the sky, and Chuck's beginning stirs of consciousness interrupt her thoughts. When he moves closer to her, wrapping her tightly in his arms once again, Blair knows that he is awake despite the fact that his eyes remain firmly closed. She moves deeper into his embrace, pressing her nose into his chin and breathing deeply of the scent of his aftershave.
"Mm good morning," Chuck murmurs in a voice still thick with sleep. He opens his eyes to peer down into hers. "You're up early."
"I had to use the restroom," Blair explains, with a gesture to her protruding belly. With a sigh, she adds, "I look forward to the days when I get to sleep in again."
Stretching languorously, her legs and arms extended in a wide 'X', Blair sighs again and turns to rest her head on Chuck's chest. "How did you sleep?" she asks.
"Well, once someone's freezing toes warmed up to room temperature," Chuck jokes, reaching down to grasp her big toe in his fingers. "You must have the coldest feet of the Upper East Side, woman, I swear."
Laughing, Blair pulls her toes from his grasp. "I do not!" she argues, sitting up in defiance of his statement.
"It sure feels like it," Chuck reasons, tugging her calves until she tumbles into the pillows in a cascade of giggles to be dragged along the length of the bed. When she is level with him, Chuck leans down to pin her with a lusty kiss.
When they part, Blair is out of breath from her laughter and his antics. She smiles up at him serenely, her lashes glowing in the sunlight that trickles in through the window. Chuck swears she looks angelic, despite the lacy black lingerie she has chosen to sleep in. Leaning down again, he nibbles along the skin of her collarbone, tracing his fingers reverently over her hip and thigh.
A loud, trilling ringtone rips them from their arousal as swiftly as a bucket of ice water, and Chuck groans as he pulls away from his fiancée to silence the alarm on his cell phone. He looks back at Blair just in time to see her eyes flutter open with an expression of disappointment.
"I didn't give us much time to get ready, since we got to bed so late," Chuck laments.
With a nod of acknowledgement, Blair stretches again before sitting up. Standing, Chuck reaches out a hand to help her to her feet.
"Shall we resume this again once we've returned home?" Chuck offers.
"I believe we shall," Blair agrees with an impish grin, as without breaking eye contact with him she reaches behind her to unlatch her bra. Her pregnant bosom tumbles out from its lacy confines in a glorious movement, and Chuck feels his cock spring to life at the sight of his fiancée standing before him in nothing but lacy black panties.
"I'll take the shower first," Blair chirps cheerfully, seemingly completely unaware of her fiance's reaction to her nudity even though Chuck knows better than to believe it. She turns away from him towards the bathroom, giving him a fleeting view of a slim, shapely ass framed in high-waisted underwear before she is gone, the door closing behind her with a soft 'click'.
Chuck frowns as he moves to the closet to begin dressing, considering ways to repay his fiancée for her little show. He knows that she is well aware of the effect she has on him, and it's definitely imperative that he teach her a lesson for 'teasing'. There will be no living with her if she thinks she can get away with suggestive displays like that.
With a smile, Chuck pauses in his dressing. Perhaps she'd like a taste of her own medicine, he thinks with a grin.
Fifteen minutes later, Blair finishes toweling off after her brief shower and wraps the towel firmly around herself before opening the door to the bedroom. Her eyes widen as she freezes, taking in the image of her fiancé leaning against the wall opposite her. He is void of a single stitch of clothing, and as Blair takes in his nude form she notices that his erection is prominent and firmly grasped in his hand. A primal sexual urge seizes her, and she steps determinedly in his direction before she is aware of what she is doing, her body throbbing with the desire to take him inside of her.
When she is halfway across the room, Chuck holds up a hand, effectively impeding her approach.
"We don't have time," he states simply, his expression unchanged.
When she doesn't reply, seemingly lost for words, his face slowly curls into a devious grin. Reaching to the bed, he unfolds a pair of boxers and steps into them, taking his time pulling them into place. He adjusts his package for effect before glancing tentatively in his fiancee's direction from the corner of his eye.
Unbeknownst to her, Blair's face has contorted into a distinct frown, and Chuck laughs at the sight of her. Her answering glare doesn't affect him in the slightest.
"You should get dressed or we'll be late, darling," Chuck admonishes from over his shoulder when he is nearly dressed.
With a huff, Blair turns away from him to enter the closet, ripping out clothes in a fury with muttered curses that Chuck can only assume are meant for him. After a moment, she returns to the bathroom, slamming the door in a clear display of her unhappiness. Chuckling to himself, Chuck straightens the collar of his dress shirt without guilt, sure that his fiancée will recover from her anger, and also sure that she has learned her lesson.
Sure enough, when Blair emerges from the bathroom ten minutes later, her face holds no traces of irritation. She has neatly shoved the incident into the back of her mind, from which it will emerge, Chuck is sure, when she has adequate time to punish him for it. For now she is all business, and all smiles, Chuck thinks. Then he takes in her appearance.
She is wearing a long-sleeved, aubergine maternity dress that hugs her breasts tantalizingly despite covering her chest and collarbone under a high-collared neckline, swooping down to cascade loosely from her stomach to just above the knee. She has paired it with sheer black nylons and her favorite black suede Loubotin pumps. In short, she is a force to be reckoned with, and Chuck raises his eyebrow at her choice of attire for brunch with her parents before their return flight to Paris this afternoon, but chooses not to comment. Hopefully she will be merciful this afternoon, because her attire certainly isn't.
"Are you ready?" She inquires lightly.
Chuck nods, extending an arm with a palm upraised for her to place her hand in. Lifting her knuckles for a lingering kiss, Chuck mumbles against her fingertips.
"You look beautiful."
His eyes pierce her profoundly, and Blair warms at the touch of his lips.
"Thank you," she mumbles in a voice close to a whisper. Pulling her hand away she, she tugs at her dress, causing her chest to strain tantalizingly at Chuck under the fabric before she opens the bedroom door.
Chuck gestures for her to go first, and he follows her down the stairs imagining the ways he will devour her mercilessly once they are alone again. In the hallway, on the rug next to the bed, in the shower…
In the kitchen, Serena is already awake. Dressed in a silk robe with her hair tumbling loose over her shoulders, she lifts her head to greet the couple as they reach the landing.
"Where did you disappear to last night?" Blair pauses to inquire as Chuck continues through the room to attain their coats from the front closet.
Serena blushes before answering.
"I went to have a drink with Dan."
She straight-facedly takes a sip of her coffee, hoping that it isn't apparent that she got in as late as she did.
"You didn't have sex with him, did you?" Blair wrinkles her nose. "You shouldn't make it so easy."
Hastily, Serena shakes her head. "No, we just talked," she clarifies. Leaning on the counter with chin in hand, she adds, "Not that I would have minded."
Blair makes a noise of disapproval, but smiles at her friend. "I'm happy that you finally chose, S," she says warmly. "It was always Humphrey, though, wasn't it?"
Serena nods introspectively. "Yeah, I think it was," she affirms with a happy smile.
With an answering smile and a wave, Blair exits the kitchen and joins Chuck in the elevator. He slips her coat over her shoulders as Vanya presses the button for the ground floor, waiting for her to button it before handing her her scarf.
"Thank you," she punctuates the statement with a small kiss.
"You're welcome," Chuck replies warmly.
"Your car is outside," Vanya tells them as they exit the elevator, bidding them a good day as the doors close on him, whisking him back up to the Van der Woodsen loft.
Bracing herself for the brisk cold of the winter air, Blair pushes open the doors of the lobby and squints at the bright sunlight reflected in last night's freshly fallen snow. The world is ablaze on this beautiful winter's day, and Blair smiles at the chill that pinches her cheeks.
"What?" Chuck asks her as he sees her glorious expression.
Blair shakes her head.
"Nothing," she answers truthfully. "I'm just..happy."
"I can't believe you run a newspaper now!" Vanessa proclaims to Nate.
They are sitting in the sunny window at the breakfast table of the Empire penthouse, amiably picking at two large cinnamon rolls which Nate ordered up a few hours earlier when they'd awoken in the late hours of the morning. It is now well past noon, but Vanessa is still dressed in the oversized sweatpants that Nate lent her the night before, after insisting that she crash on his couch rather than cabbing it home at four in the morning.
It has been a leisurely afternoon, full of catching up and laughter, and Nate smiles easily at her astonishment.
"I couldn't believe it at first either," he replies affably. "I felt like I wasn't deserving of it, you know? It was just another thing that my privilege got me."
"Yeah, but you made it your own," Vanessa protests. "Your grandfather may have given you the position, but you've stepped outside of his rules. It's your own thing now."
She leans back in her chair, smiling at Nate. "You should be proud."
Nate can't control his answering grin.
"I am," he assures her. "Well, most days anyway," he laughs. "I still don't know what focus I'm going to take tomorrow for our Christmas Eve special edition."
"You'll figure it out," Vanessa states confidently. Standing to stretch her arms, she adds, "I should probably head home and actually do something with my day." She looks down at her state of dress before facing Nate again. "What time is it?"
"1 o'clock," Nate answers after glancing at his watch.
"How did it get so late?" Vanessa exclaims. "It's a good thing I don't have anything planned for the day."
"You don't?" Nate replies, and then, "You should come back over."
Vanessa is in the midst of cleaning up the remains of her breakfast, but she pauses to look at Nate. "Really?" is all she can think to ask.
"Yeah," Nate affirms with a friendly smile. "I just need to put a few hours into the paper and then I'm free for the day. My mother has some 'Christmas Eve's Eve' thing she does with her charity group tonight, so no obligations there. And I had a great time last night," he adds. "It would be fun to hang out again."
Vanessa observes Nate silently without comment for a moment, but nods absently before she has thought the offer completely through. "Yeah, okay," she agrees. "My sister has plans with my brother-in-law's family today, so they won't be home. I'll just shower and change. What time should I come back here?"
"How does 5:30 sound?" Nate offers.
"Perfect." Vanessa smiles. "Who knew we'd rekindle our friendship so quickly?" she notes. "Who needs Dan when I've got Nate Archibald?" she jokes, but even as she says it, her heart gives a pang at the mention of Dan's name.
Nate laughs, but his eyes are serious when he says, "You two will work it out. Especially with you moving back to the city, which I for one am so happy about. It will be nice to have you around." He throws an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in for a sideways hug.
"Thanks, Nate," Vanessa murmurs, resting her head on the side of his chest. "I'm excited to be back in the city, too."
"Have a safe flight, mother," Blair offers warmly as she kisses her mother on both cheeks.
They are standing on the sidewalk outside of Le Pain with Chuck and Cyrus after brunching on a mouth-watering selection of breakfast items. There is joviality to the atmosphere, and Blair is smiling widely as she begins to pull away, only to be held close enough for her mother to whisper in her ear.
"I'm glad that you are happy."
Eleanor pulls back to give her daughter the type of shrewd look that only she can, but she is also smiling. Who could do otherwise in the presence of such a love as that between her daughter and her fiancé? Chuck has been a perfect gentleman all morning, catering to Blair's every desire, and Eleanor can foresee a very happy marriage for the two of them.
Blair's answering smile is even wider, if such a thing is possible.
"Thank you," she says warmly. "I really am."
Closing her eyes with a brisk nod, Eleanor places a kiss on her daughter's forehead before stepping back. When she opens her eyes again, they are misty with tears.
"Good."
Cyrus joins them then, pulling Blair in for the tightest hug imaginable with a baby bump between them before taking her mother's arm.
"You two have a Merry Christmas," he crows enthusiastically as Chuck wraps his arm around his fiancée. "We'll see you in the New Year."
Blair leans her head on Chuck's chest as her mother and Cyrus climb into their awaiting cab, which will take them straight to the airport for their flight to Paris. They will be staying with Harold and Roman at the chateau until early January. After they have gone, Chuck lifts a hand to caress Blair's cheek.
"Come on, it's getting cold." Together, they make their way down the sidewalk to their own car.
Once they are settled warmly within the town car, Blair leans into Chuck again. She closes her eyes, basking in the warm afterglow of a pleasant morning with her parents, and the delicious breakfast they have dined on. At this moment, she is absolutely content with her life.
"I love you," she murmurs, breaking the silence of the car.
"I love you, too," Chuck answers, in a heartwarmingly ardent voice.
Blair smiles at the warmth of it.
After a moment, she opens her eyes again to watch the scenery from the car window. The sidewalks are filled with people out accomplishing last minute shopping errands for their holiday celebrations. She recognizes one of her favorite boutiques, and with a frown she turns to look at Chuck.
"Aren't we going back to Lily's?" she asks.
He simply smiles at her without answering, and Blair turns to look excitedly out of the window again.
"Where are we going?" she inquires. It is as if Chuck hasn't heard her, and Blair resigns herself to their unknown destination until they pull over a few minutes later. They are across the street from Central Park, and Blair can see families strolling the sidewalks from her window, their children laughing as they stomp through mounds of snow covering the grass.
When she turns to gaze at Chuck once again, he kisses her on the hand softly before exiting the car. She watches him through the rear windshield as he makes his way around the car to her door, raising a hand to stop the driver so that he can open it himself. She alights from the car to the sounds of laughter and chatter surrounding them on the sidewalk.
"Darling, you must know that there are no ducks to feed this time of year," Blair jests, smiling at her fiancée as he brushes a kiss against her cheek.
"No," Chuck acknowledges, leading her into the park. "But there are horses," he adds as he leads to her a pair of horses roped to a majestic carriage. At their approach, the driver hops down from his position atop the carriage front, his coat tails flapping merrily in the breeze.
"Monsieur, madamoiselle," he enthuses in a wonderfully French accent, bowing towards them.
"Care for a carriage ride through Central Park?" Chuck offers.
At Blair's answering grin, he takes her hand and helps her to climb up into the seat. She peers inquisitively at a bag on the seat before sitting next to it. When Chuck is seated next to her on the comfortable leather bench, he empties the bag to reveal a thermos, two styrofoam cups, and a thick red plaid blanket.
"I planned ahead," Chuck explains at her questioning gaze. "Hot cider, my dear?"
Blair happily accepts the cider, closing her eyes and inhaling the sweet, fruity aroma. She takes a tentative sip to find her mouth filled with a sweet, tangy taste of fresh apples and cinnamon. It s a heady, intoxicating flavor.
"Is there anything you can't do?" she inquires with a smile as Chuck reclines into the back of the seat and unfolds the blanket over them. She snuggles happily into his side as the driver resumes his seat and their carriage alights from its stationary place at the park's entrance.
"Not really," Chuck smirks, placing a kiss on her temple before tucking his chin over her head. "Being Chuck Bass really has its advantages. Romantic carriage rides through Central Park with my fiancée is just one of the many perks."
"This day is perfect," Blair announces happily into the folds of Chuck's coat. "I love you," she murmurs, staring out at the beauty of winter's presence in the park.
"I love you, too," Chuck replies, relaxing into the warmth of her embrace and the lull of the carriage wheels. "More than you know.
It is just after 3 o'clock in the afternoon when they alight from their hour-long carriage ride through the park, laughing merrily on their way back to their waiting car. They have spent the hour trading tales of happy days past, along with talking of their future and what it will bring.
"We will most definitely have to come back next year and relive this with champagne," Chuck assures Blair once they are safely settled into their town car. "It will be something to look forward to."
"Today was perfect," Blair replies, pulling Chuck to her for a meaningful kiss. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Chuck's answering grin is so openly exuberant that Blair can't help but to smile at the sight of it. She loves this man interminably.
"Are there any more romantic surprises I should know about?" Blair inquires.
"Not unless you count heading home so that I can make love to you," Chuck responds with a long look at her.
Blair feels an answering pull in her navel as his eyes search her form, scanning her breasts and the curve of her waist, thinly shielded by the fabric of her dress.
"That sounds great," she manages with a hard swallow.
Chuck merely blinks slowly at her, intent on undressing her with his eyes.
"Come here," he murmurs in a gentle voice, sliding her towards him along the length of the seat until she is pressed against him with his hands resting on the small of her back. He gives her spine one long, lazy stroke, gazing down at her through his lashes.
"I love you so much, Blair," he marvels, molding her small form under his hands. "I'm overwhelmed with it."
"I feel it, too," Blair assures him. "It's intense, I know, but we'll always have each other." She reaches up to caress his cheek in her gloved hand. "I will always be yours, Chuck Bass."
With a smile, Chuck kisses Blair softly. "And I will always be yours."
When they arrive back at the Van der Woodsen loft, they exit the elevator to find Lily and Rufus sitting on the sofa reading quietly in front of the Christmas tree. The scene is quite picturesque, and the couple looks up in unison as Blair and Chuck approach.
"There you are," Lily smiles in greeting at the pair of them. "How was your afternoon? Have your mother and Cyrus left for Paris?" she asks Blair.
"They have," Blair answers.
"We've just been for a carriage ride through Central Park," Chuck adds. "We thought we'd nap for a while before dinner."
"Well we're the only ones here," Lily says, "so you're guaranteed a quiet house. I'll see you at dinner."
Bidding the couple farewell, Blair and Chuck make their way quietly up the stairs. Chuck reaches the door first, opening it and gesturing for Blair to proceed before him. Upon closing the door, he takes her hand gently, tugging her into his embrace so that he can run his hands along her arms, nibbling at her lips.
"I can't wait to be inside you, Blair," he as her eyes stare into his, raking his hands through her hair and pulling her firmly into him, deepening their kiss. Blair responds with fervor, placing her hands on his chest to feel the muscle beneath. Moaning, she lifts his shirt over his head, placing her hands on the bare skin of his chest.
In quick succession, Chuck rids her of her dress, her bra, and then her panties, pushing her back onto the bed to rake his eyes reverently over her ivory skin. She glows in the sunlight.
Joining her on the bed, Chuck slowly crawls up until he is level with her, his chest against hers, her nipples protruding happily into his chin. She sighs at the feel of his skin against hers, meeting his kisses languidly as she traces her fingers over his back and shoulders. Breaking their kiss, he nibbles at her ear, whispering sentiments to her.
"You're beautiful, Blair," he whispers, snaking his hands between them to tug at her nipples, resulting in a few aroused mews from Blair. She arches into his touch, thrusting her cleavage into his hands, and Chuck drops down to suck one nipple into his mouth, flicking his tongue repeatedly over the bud. Blair is in raptures, tangling her fingers in Chuck's hair to hold him to her chest. As if he has any intentions of leaving.
Dipping his fingers into her, Chuck finds that she is wet, and his fingers glide easily along her folds. She gasps, groaning his name in in encouragement. He pulls his fingers away despite her disappointed response, releasing her breast from his ministrations to divest himself of his pants and boxers. He covers her again in a moment, lifting her leg to push himself deeply within her.
"Oh my God, Chuck," Blair exhales, digging her fingers into his shoulders. "Oh, yes."
"That's it, baby," Chuck encourages, pulling out to thrust into her once again. She arches up to meet him this time, and soon they reach a rhythm, him withdrawing and thrusting and her rising up to meet each thrust with a noise of ecstasy.
Blair's inner muscles grip him deliciously, and Chuck opens his mouth to drag his teeth along her neck and collarbone, his hand buried in her hair as she arches her head back at his pounding. They writhe together in blissful movements, coming together again and again in fierce slaps of their hips, seeking carnal respite in one another.
Blair comes in a shattering tidal wave of sensations, gasping out her release as Chuck continues to thrust deeply within her. He finds his own release shortly, and she feels hot spurts of his semen erupt inside of her, reveling in the pulsing of him as she comes down from her orgasm. They gasp for air, clinging to one another as their heartbeats slow and their bodies cool.
After a moment, Chuck lifts his head to meet Blair's gaze, trailing a hand up to tug at her nipple. Her chest rises into his touch as Blair arches her back, and Chuck quickly pumps himself out and then back into Blair's still form.
"Oh," Blair gasps at the sensations he stirs inside of her, her toes curling into the blankets.
"I'm not finished with you yet," Chuck assures her as he initiates a slower pace, pulling himself slowly out of her and thrusting just as slowly back in. Blair shivers at the feelings he awakens in her, her body humming under his attentions. Kissing her deeply, Chuck sits up to place his hands under her knees and pull her leg up over his shoulders. This brings him almost painfully deep for his next thrust, and Blair gasps at the sensation.
"Cum again for me," Chuck rasps with another thrust. Blair is helpless to do anything but oblige him, lost in the sensations he is drawing from within her. They come together languidly now. Their eagerness for one another is lessened after their release, but this only leaves room for their passion to envelop them. Soon they are nearing the brink of ecstasy once again, and Blair pants encouragingly as Chuck speeds up his thrusting. He can feel her pulsing around him, and he knows she is close.
"I love you, Blair," Chuck groans, bringing his hands up to cup her face. "I can't wait to marry you. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."
Blair tears up at his words, but manages "I love you, too, Chuck. I always will."
When they come together, it is overwhelming. Blair feels it from the tips of her toes to the roots of her hair. Afterwords, they lay side by side, each basking in the presence and warmth of the other.
"I want you to move in with me at the Empire," Chuck finally breaks the silence. "I'll ask Nate to move out, hell I'll give him a suite at the hotel if he wants," he adds, sitting up to look down at her relaxed form. "I want our baby to be raised where I know you'll be close, and where I have my staff to keep an eye on him when he gets old enough." Chuck feels that this statement is particularly effective because he has chosen to refer to the baby as a 'he', which will definitely please Blair despite his knowledge to the contrary.
She gazes at him without speaking for a moment, before lifting her face to his for a kiss. "Okay," she acquiesces. "But Nate has to move out, because I can't handle him as a roommate. It's too weird."
Chuck is thrilled. "Okay," he reiterates. Then, "I'm excited."
"Me, too," Blair agrees. "Real estate is hard to come by on the Upper East Side. It's a relief not to have to house hunt before the baby is born."
Chuck rolls to spoon against Blair's side, nestling his chin into her shoulder. "Woman, we aren't house hunting after the baby is born either."
"We'll see," Blair responds indifferently. Chuck merely smiles at her stubbornness, grateful for the challenges their relationship brings. He has long forsaken the idea of simplicity for the passions and trials of having her in his life.
With Blair, it couldn't be any other way. And he is grateful for it. Simplicity is boring in the face of the true, passionate, head-over-Oxfords love he experiences with Blair.
So he doesn't respond, content instead to snuggle closer to her and close his eyes.