Never Let Me Go: 11

Sometime around noon, Chuck Bass was easing out of his sleep state. He allowed his eyes to flutter shut just after five in the morning. He had spent all night wallowing in his guilt and staring at his sleeping Blair. She had been flawless in his eyes, even with an IV hookup. He tried so very hard to keep his eyes open and glued to her because he wanted to be wide awake when she would open her eyes, but as the night grew into early morning, Chuck knew he wasn't going to be able to fight sleep for much longer.

It was voices that had woken him. Several familiar voices speaking around him in hushed voices. It was one voice that had cause his eyelids to immediately flutter open. A soft voice, a bit disgruntled with the voices around it. It came in a whisper, but it might as well have been shouting. Be quiet, he's sleeping. The voice was cooing yet reprimanding at the same time. He looks very tired, leave him alone.

"Blair," Chuck murmured as he tried to quickly pull himself from sleep.

"Chuck," Blair sighed.

There was something in Blair's voice that soothed Chuck. He smiled to himself, and then let out a sigh of relief. Nate chuckled next to him, causing him to notice everyone else that was compacted into the small hospital room. A wave of embarrassment washed over Chuck. Lilly and Rufus were cramped in a corner of the room, Cyrus and Eleanor were hovering over Blair's bed, and Nate was seated next to Chuck with Serena on his lap. Chuck had been happily snoozing away while everyone he knew watched.

"Well good morning glory," Nate laughed.

"Morning," Serena chuckled, "more like good afternoon Mister Bass."

Everyone laughed, including Blair and the relief that flooded Chuck's system at the sound of her laughter was astonishing. He could only just smile at her, and everyone in the room noticed. Chuck's eyes stayed glued to Blair's face.

"What did I miss?" Chuck asked.

"Well," Eleanor started, "Blair had a successful surgery and-,"

"Wait?" Chuck asked, startled, "You went into surgery?"

Blair nodded, a frown appearing on her preciously pleased face. Chuck remembered the doctor mentioning the removal of her spleen but Chuck didn't think he could sleep through them moving her out of and back into the room. Why would they let him stay inside the room?

"This happened and no one woke me?"

"I wouldn't let them," Blair said pointedly.

Chuck shrugged his shoulders. The maternal instinct in Blair that was usually irritating but he didn't care. He listened to Eleanor rehash the earlier events. Blair had eaten twice already, nothing that truly satisfied her though because she was only allowed certain types of food and lobster pot pie was not on the list of approved foods. She had also been allowed to bathe, but it had been difficult because she couldn't get the stitches wet. Dorota had brought her robe and nightgown and all of her necessities. The doctor had told Blair she had one week maximum of hospital life, and although she was soon to be moved to a hospital suite, she still was unhappy.

He knew her all too well, Chuck knew Blair wouldn't want to stay here long because she would feel weak. Feeling helpless in a place where they did everything that uninjured people could do on their own. Blair would be irritable after a whole day of being tended it to. She would understand why Chuck didn't like being taken care of.

With his eyes still on Blair, Chuck listened to the discussions around him. Blair spoke to her mother about the flight and how Cyrus had gotten the couple there in record breaking time. Lily and Rufus were in their own little world as usual, they resembled their children when they were once in love. But Serena had obviously moved on because besides the affair drama, her and Nate were playing love birds in the chair next to Chuck. He didn't care though. He just stared at Blair.

It was Lilly that noticed that maybe they should give the two sometime alone. Breaking away from Rufus's eyes, Lily saw Chuck's eyes boring into Blair. And looking at Blair, she got her in the midst of winking at Charles. Once the smile broke on Charles's face, Lilly knew she needed to say something.

"I am starving," Lilly blurted out.

The intimate crowd laughed and nodded in agreement. Restaurants were being decided on and Lilly sent a wink Chuck's way. He mouthed a thank you to her. Everyone said their goodbyes. Eleanor lingered kisses on Blair's forehead, Serena squeezed too tight. Nate gave Blair and awkward hug because he wasn't good at expressing himself. Rufus and Lilly extended hands from afar. Once everyone was gone, Chuck could honestly breathe.

He stood from his chair and walked towards her bed. He had yet to touch her and he was yearning for it. Looking down at her, he could see that tears were stinging in her eyes. He brushed his fingers against her face and she smiled. Kicking his shoes off, and removing the blankets, Chuck climbed into the small bed with her. He was careful not to brush over her stomach, and he eased himself underneath her.

Blair's arms embraced Chuck and he tangled his fingers in her hair. They stayed silent for a moment, or two moments, and then Blair stretched her neck towards him. Gently, Chuck bent down and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Oh thank God," Blair murmured against his lips, "it's been like twelve hours."

At the sound of Blair's playful tone, Chuck delve himself back into her mouth.