Chuck glanced at his watch and cursed under his breath as he slid Eve from her car seat and into his arms. The hospital had taken longer than he expected and then the flight from Texas had taken longer because of storms. Now it was nearly two in the morning and he doubted that Blair had bothered to stay up to wait for him. He would be amazed if she had.
He tried to ignore the doorman's stare as he entered the building and made his way quickly to the elevator, all the while trying to keep Eve covered and away from roving eyes. The last thing he needed was one of his family members to hear the news from a Gossip Girl blast instead of from him.
He struggled to readjust the sleeping baby in his arms as he hefted the car seat/ carrier in his free hand and waited for the doors to open. Then he placed Eve carefully back in the carrier and covered her with a soft, pink blanket.
As soon as the doors opened, he set her down right outside them and stepped out himself, glancing around for any signs of life.
He spotted movement in the sitting room and went there to find Dorota bustling around, straighten pillows and dusting off tables.
" Is she still up ?" He asked, startling the older woman and causing her to spin towards him abruptly.
" She say to tell you to go to hell." Dorota answered a bit sheepishly.
" How long ago did she retire for the night ?" He asked with a sigh.
" About an hour. She say you were playing with her and she wasn't going to let you."
" She said that, really ?" He smirked. " That almost sounds like the old Blair."
Dorota paused before stepping closer to him and whispering conspiratorially. " For a minute, just for a minute, I thought so, too. Then she went right back to acting how she always acts now, so sad and...lost."
Chuck let the smile slip from his face as he realized that all his troubles weren't over after all. Blair may have hurt him, but she was still Blair and she still needed him whether he wanted to be needed or not.
" Come to the hall. I have someone with me you should see." He told her quietly.
Dorota nodded and dutifully followed him into the hall without asking any more questions.
When she got there, she glanced around for a moment trying to spot the newcomer before her eyes finally landed on the carrier sitting beside the elevator.
Her hand instantly went to her mouth as she tried to diminish the sound of a sheik she was helpless to stop. " Is that-"
" Yes, it is." Chuck answered no longer able to keep himself from going to the carrier and lifting the baby out. She fussed quietly in her sleep but never opened her eyes as her father brought her into his chest and adjusted her against him.
" Where ? How?" Dorota sputtered as she eyed the baby in wonder, coming close enough to reach a hand out to touch her.
" In Texas." Chuck explained. " Georgina had her."
Dorota looked up from the baby, searching Chuck's face for a moment. " Your Uncle Jack ?"
" No sign of him, but we're looking. We won't give up until we find him."
" You must take her to Ms. Blair. She'll be so excited."
Chuck tried to hide his smile. " Maybe I should just take her and go to hell like Ms. Blair suggested."
Dorota visibly bristled. " She not know what she was saying Mr. Chuck. Please take her upstairs. Ms. Blair need to know she's home and safe."
Chuck held his hand out to stop her. " I have a better idea. How about you take her and I'll get Blair to come down here. " He handed off the baby and Dorota beamed and she brought her into the crook of her arm. He made for the stairs before stopping halfway there and turning back to her. " I know it's really late, but did she eat tonight ?"
Dorota shook her head silently.
" See if cook will make us something. I'm starving and I'm going to insist that Blair eats something before I leave."
" She will fight you." She warned him.
" It isn't the first time I've fought with Blair. I'm betting it won't be the last." He answered before taking off up the stairs.
He slowed as he approached the closed bedroom door and took a deep breath.
He knocked quietly as first, not wanting to startle her. Then he tried again, louder this time when he still got no answer. The third time was louder still and when he still received no response, he opened the door and stepped inside.
It was dark, darker than he expected it to be. The journey across the expanse of the bedroom would have been treacherous if he didn't know the layout of the room as well as he did.
He made it to the side of the bed and softly called her name, trying not to startle her.
When it had no effect, he tried again, louder this time.
After the third time, he reached out a hand and shook her shoulder. Blair had never been this hard to wake before. Usually just the sound of the door opening was enough to bring her out of her slumber. And she hadn't been asleep for very long. Dorota said she'd just come to bed an hour ago.
He shook her harder and breathed a sigh of relief when she finally stirred.
" Blair," He whispered again now that she was coming around.
" Chuck ?" She groaned at him and despite all his anger towards her, he still felt a thrill at hearing his name fall from her lips like that.
" Wake up." He told her. " We need to talk."
She stirred again, sitting up slowly and reaching for the light in the dark. She found it and flipped it on, illuminating the room in a soft, yellowish glow. " Can this wait ? It's two o'clock in the morning."
" No, it can't wait. Which is why when I called I said, wait for me. It's important." He tried to keep the ire from his voice, but failed miserably.
" We never heard from you again. I thought you were playing with me." She blinked her eyes groggily and her speech was a touch slurred. " It wouldn't be the first time you've done something like that."
He huffed and let out a tired sigh. " Will you just come downstairs ? Like I said, it's important."
" I'm not getting up. Whatever you have to say to me, you can say right here." She told him, a little more awake now as she crossed her arms over her chest defiantly.
" Okay." He conceded. " I need to know how you are. Have you been eating ? Have you been taking care of yourself ?" He needed to know if she was taking care of herself. How could she possibly take care of a baby if she couldn't manage to take care of herself.
" What ? Why ?"
There was a noise at the door and both of them turned towards it. Chuck moved towards it the minute he recognized it as the sound of crying. Blair sat up straighter in the bed and swung her legs over the side, getting to her feet as well.
" What is that ?" She demanded.
Chuck opened the door to find Dorota on the other side with a crying Eve wiggling in her arms.
" She started the minute you came upstairs." Dorota explained as she handed the baby back to her father. " I think she not like being away from you."
Chuck took her and turned back to Blair.
" This is what's so important." He answered her finally.
" Is that -" She paused as she took another step forward. Her footfalls were unsteady and unsure as she came to within arms reach of them.
" Yes, it is." He beamed as he looked down at this daughter. " I told you I'd find her."
" What ? Where ? How did you do it ?" She asked as if the words were falling off her tongue without permission. Her face was awestruck as she stared at the pink bundle in his arms.
" She was in Texas with Georgina." He explained.
" Texas ?" Blair asked, taking another step closer.
" Yes, Texas." He shifted the baby and looked up at Blair. Then he held Eve out to her.
Blair hesitated for a breath before she took her daughter into her arms and held her close.
" Is she okay ?" She asked finally. " Did they take good care of her ?"
" She's perfect."
" Where's Georgina now and Jack ?"
" Georgina is in jail. There was no sign of Jack, but I will find him, too. I won't stop until I do." He promised her.
Blair moved back to the bed and settled into it with Eve in her arms. " She looks so different." She murmured just loud enough for Chuck to hear.
" She's grown." He agreed as he joined her and perched on he side of the bed.
Then suddenly Blair shook her head as if clearing the last of a fog from it. " We need things. Dorota !"
The shout was unnecessary as the maid had never left the doorway, but at hearing her name she came into the room.
" We need things, baby things. Get people on the phone." Blair demanded.
Chuck started at seeing the sudden change come over her. It was unreal, the transformation that took place right in front of him.
His Blair was rearing her beautiful head and his own head swam with confusion as he watched her sitting there with his daughter in her arms. His family, whole and complete once again. But it wasn't his family anymore. Too much had happened for that.
Eve was all that mattered now. It was all about Eve. Blair was no longer his to claim.
He shifted and cleared his throat preparing himself mentally for the fight that was about to ensue.
" It's okay, Blair. I have everything she needs and she's coming with me tonight." He told her firmly.
" What ?" Blair shrieked as her eyes found his. " She's not going anywhere."
He took a deep breath. " Blair, you don't have so much as a diaper here. I have everything at my place. It just makes sense that she should come home with me. Besides I'm not letting her out of my sight again."
" Then you better be prepared to move back in, because I'm not letting her go again."
Chuck crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes, letting her know that he had no intentions of backing down.
" Wait," They both turned their heads towards Dorota who had spoken up. " Please don't fight."
Blair opened her mouth to say something but Eve wiggled around and let out a wail that silenced them all.
Chuck got to his feet. Then he moved to take Eve back. Blair resisted him at first but the baby's continuing cries finally changed her mind and she relented at last.
Chuck took a few minutes to quiet the infant before looking back at Blair. " I'm not leaving her." He repeated.
" She's not leaving here." Blair answered crossing her arms again.
It was a stalemate. They stared at each other in silence as the minutes ticked on between them.
" I have idea." Dorota interjected.
" Stay out of this." Blair snapped at her.
Chuck bristled and readjusted the baby in his arms. " Do not talk to her like that. She deserves more from you after all the shit you put her through."
Blair shrank back slightly, knowing he was right and her face took on an apologetic look as she glanced back at the maid.
" What's your idea ?" Chuck asked her when it became apparent Blair wasn't going to do it.
" Why not take both of them to your home tonight and tomorrow we can get all the things we need for her here ?" Dorota asked quietly.
Chuck turned back to Blair not at all sure he liked the idea of bringing her home with him. He wasn't sure he was ready. He wasn't prepared to bring Blair back to Eden. But the long flight and the emotional tirade of the day were wearing on him and he had no other solution.
" Fine, back a bag, Sweetheart. I guess you're coming with me." He announced at last.
