Last chapter. Very sad :( It's been fun writing for you guys!

Enjoy!

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Chapter Twelve - I'm Chuck Bass

Chuck leaned back on his chair. He was very tired. He'd been dealing with paperwork all day that before he knew it the day was gone and it half ten in the night. then a thought struck him. Where in the world was his daughter?

He hadn't heard her come home but he could very well remember Serena telling him she left on the phone. He got up from his seat and walked out of his office into the rest of the house. It was strange how the office was a room in the Bass penthouse yet it felt like a completely different place.

"Taylor?" Chuck called out to make sure he didn't miss his daughter. When no answer cam Chuck took out his cellphone and texted his once step-sister. A few minutes later he got a reply telling him just what he had thought...Taylor had gone home. At this point Chuck had started getting worried. Maybe he should have sent her the limo anyway. Chuck was beginning to panic. He didn't know what to do. His daughter supposedly left the Humphreys two hours ago and hadn't come home since. So then Chuck called the only person he could think might know where she is. He called Blair.

"Yes Chuck?" Blair said as soon as she answered the phone.

"Is Taylor with you?" He asked.

"No, why?" Blair asked.

"Crap" Chuck muttered to himself.

"Chuck, what's going on?" Blair asked.

"Nothing, forget I called" Chuck said. He knew that if Blair found out what had happened then he'd be a dead man walking.

"Chuck, tell me what's wrong" Blair demanded in a warning tone.

"Taylor hasn't been home in two hours and I kind of have no idea where she is" Chuck mumbled quietly hoping that Blair wouldn't understand him.

"You're kidding me!" Blair said desperately hoping that he was. Chuck didn't answer.

"You lost our daughter?!" Blair shouted angrily. Chuck couldn't see her but he could feel her anger. Even when she was on the other side of the phone line Chuck feared for his health.

"Don't move. I'm coming down there now!" Blair said and before Chuck could convince her otherwise she hung up the phone.

---

Taylor and Daphne sat silently in the waiting room of the hospital. The doctors had taken Joyce in about an hour ago and the two girls hadn't spoken a word since he'd left. Taylor was drumming her nails nervously on the arm of the chair. It irritated Daphne but after what she had done to her she didn't think asking her to stop would be in any way fair. Daphne hated hospitals. She hated the way they smelled clean all the time, and the way everywhere you went you could always hear beeping noises and doctors mumbling things to each other. It drove her insane.

Taylor on the other hand was used to it all. Back in California she was a bit of a wild child. She'd drink way to much and then do something really stupid that would put her in hospital. Once when she was fifteen she got drunk at a house party and jumped off the roof of her friend's house onto a trampoline. Yes she broke her leg but it was fun so it made it worth it. Taylor was just surprised that Chuck let her go to other house parties after that. The trampoline incident was just one of many trips she'd made to the hospital while drunk.

"I'm sorry" Daphne muttered to Taylor. Taylor wasn't sure what to say. She was angry but she pitied Daphne for wanting some one so much that it practically drove her insane.

"I'm sorry I stole your life" Taylor said. It sounded like something stupid to say but both girls understood.

"I'm sure you didn't mean to" Daphne said. She never understood that but now she was grateful that she did. Now she and Taylor had a proper chance of being friends, minus the crazy jealousy.

Then the silence took over the two teenage girls again. They just sat there watching doctors running back and forth with their many emergencies. All of a sudden two doctors trudged into the room pushing a young girl on a gurney making both Daphne and Taylor jump in surprise. They at the girl lying unconscious on the gurney and thought they recognized her.

"Does she go to our school?" Daphne asked. Taylor didn't answer she studied the image of the girl being pushed away by distressed doctors and realized it was that evil little freshmen Phoebe Sparks. Minutes after the gurney had gone out of sight the two girls saw Louise Van Der Woodsen run in through the same doors. They assumed she must know what happened to Phoebe so the two girls gave her a questioning look.

"She took a bunch of pills. I found her in the bathroom" Louise explained to them. Taylor realized how much she pitied the little Sparks girl. Her mother may have been evil but now she realized that Phoebe wasn't necessarily the same. The poor girl must feel so alone.

Taylor offered Louise a seat beside her so that Louise could wait for poor little Phoebe. If the girl was alone it would be nice to wake up to at least one friend.

---

Blair practically punched the button for the elevator. From the time it took for her to leave her house and get down here her anger had turned to rage. She was going to murder Chuck. How could he lose his daughter. What stupid father let his seventeen year old girl walk home at night in New York City?

The elevator seemed to be going slower than usual just for Blair so she decided to just screw that idea and take the stairs. She ran up skipping every second step despite the fact that she was wearing six-inch heels and if she fell she would most likely break her neck. She eventually got to the last floor. She hammered the door of the Bass penthouse with all her strength. Chuck opened the door and Blair swung a fist at him. Fortunately for him he knew Blair better than anyone and took a step back on instinct so she ended up punching the air. Of course this only frustrated her even more causing her to start whacking Chuck with her handbag.

"You idiot!" She shouted as she hit his head with the designer leather bag. Chuck somehow managed to grab the bag and take it off of her but this only made her. She stopped hitting him but she did give him one final full-force slap on the back of his head.

"What in the world is wrong with you?!" Blair shouted at her former love.

"A lot of things now can you please calm down. We're not gonna find Taylor this way" He said to the furious woman before him. Blair crossed her arm in frustration causing Chuck to flinch because he thought she was gonna hit him again.

"Alright" Blair said a little more calm, "now what exactly happened?"

Chuck told her everything from the moment he called Serena to the moment Blair hung up the phone.

"Did you try calling Joyce?" Blair asked. Chuck nodded. Blair buried her face in her hands. She had no idea what to do now. Neither of them had any idea where she might be. So Blair said the only thing that was going through her head.

"You're an idiot."

"I know" Chuck said.

"I'm scared Chuck" Blair mumbled.

"Me too" Chuck said. Blair didn't know why but the mere fact that Chuck was as scared as her, maybe even more, it calmed her a bit. It reassured her that she wasn't alone. So she put her hand over the Bass man's one and shared a loving and frustrated look with him.

"We're gonna find her" he said.

"How?" Blair asked. She had a feeling that Chuck didn't know how to answer that but she asked him anyway. She needed the reassurance.

"I'm Chuck Bass. I'll find a way" Chuck said with a small smirk. Blair smiled, even in the worst possible situations that man could always make her smile.

---

The doctor walked over to the three girls. She had a clipboard in her hands. Her nails were short and simple and her hair was up in a slightly messy bun. Daphne knew at the sight of her that she never wanted to be a doctor. It was obviously not the job for any self-respecting Upper East Sider.

"Which one of you is here with Phoebe Sparks?" The doctor asked.

"I am" Louise answered.

"Do you know Phoebe's parents' phone number or maybe a guardian or something?" The doctor asked. Louise shook her head. All she knew about Phoebe was her name and that she used to date her cousin, and Taylor was the one who told her that they broke up.

"Alright" the doctor said unsatisfied. "You may see her then."

Louise got up and followed the doctor to the room where Phoebe was staying. She looked pale and tired and according to the doctor she had just gotten her stomach pumped. She was awake but on the verge of sleep.

"Hey" Louise said and she pulled a chair over to the side of the bed. She didn't know what she was going to say to Phoebe since she didn't really know her but she figured she'd think of something.

"Why did you save me?" Phoebe asked. It was a strange question, and she didn't sound very thankful so Louise said the only thing she could think of.

"It's just what you do."

"Thanks but I didn't want saving, it's not like I have anything left to live for. I have no friends, no boyfriend and my mom is a murderer" Phoebe said more to herself than to Louise.

"It gets better you know, life does" Louise said to Phoebe.

"But no one wants anything to do with me" Phoebe said.

"No one wants anything to do with me either, they all think my dad's gay" Louise said.

"That was you?" Phoebe asked. Louise nodded.

"At least you have good parents" Phoebe said. Her mother could never make up for what she had done so Phoebe didn't know what she'd do for the parental part of her life.

"It will get better" Louise insisted, "plus you have a friend now."

"Who?" Phoebe asked almost laughing at the stupidity of the idea. Louise smiled at the hopeless girl.

"Me."

Phoebe smiled at her.

"Well I suppose that's an improvement to whatever I have now" Phoebe said. Louise smiled to the young girl. This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

---

Blair watched Chuck at work. He'd been making hone calls one after the other. Too be honest Blair didn't know why she was even there. It's not like she was doing any work and she knew Chuck would be just fine without the moral support. But she didn't want to leave. She'd freak out if she went back home, somehow Chuck was keeping her calm.

Chuck hung up the phone.

"Well?" Blair asked.

"Let's call Serena again" he said dialing Serena's number quickly in frustration.

"It's gonna be alright Chuck. We're gonna find her. Taylor's a smart girl, she's got your wit. She can get herself out of anything" Blair said. This seemed to calm him a little. He pressed the call number and waited for Serena to pick up.

"Yes?" Serena said answering the phone.

"Are you sure she went home?" Chuck asked.

"Yes I'm positive. I watched her make out with my son then walk out" Serena said. Chuck sighed.

"What's wrong Chuck?" asked noticing the panic in his voice.

"Taylor's..." He began but he couldn't finish. Instead he put a hand to his heart. His face changed from a worried expression to a pained one. He looked like somebody had just stabbed him.

"Chuck?" Blair and Serena said simultaneously. Serena from the other end of the phone while Blair from right beside Chuck. Chuck didn't answer either of them. He just fell to the floor in pain.

"Hello?" Serena said while Blair knelt down beside Chuck. She picked up his phone.

"S we don't know where Taylor is. Something's wrong with Chuck, I'm taking him to the hospital."

Before Serena could say anything the Blair had hung up the phone and dialed 911.

---

Taylor and Daphne walked to Joyce's room. Taylor went right to his bedside while Daphne just stood in the doorway. Taylor put her hand over his and kissed it sweetly. Daphne just stood back and watched. She couldn't help but get the feeling that she shouldn't be there. Or at least that she didn't deserve to be there. Joyce smiled down at his girlfriend.

"I'm not dead you know, I just have one or two broken ribs" he said.

"I can't believe you went after him, you idiot" Taylor said. Joyce chuckled at her but stopped abruptly 'cause of the pain. Taylor looked at him worriedly but he gave her a reassuring smile.

"I love you" she said, before he could say anything back she kissed him. It was long and passionate but full of love. After about a minute of that Taylor finally pulled away and smiled at him.

"You too" he said and Taylor leaned in and kissed him again. This time Joyce sat up and brought both his hand to her messy chestnut curls. He didn't care if his sides were burning with pain. For all he cared he could be wearing a full body cast, it wouldn't stop him. Taylor made the pain go away. As Daphne watched the couple she felt like more of a third wheel then she ever had. She knew those two were perfect for each other so she knew that she shouldn't bother meddling him them but even still she was still slightly jealous. She wanted love like that. She'd been throwing herself at Joyce for years, giving him everything and yet here he was, hopelessly in love with the new girl.

---

Blair sat herself beside Chuck's hospital bed. She was extremely worried, about Chuck and Taylor. The only problem was Chuck wasn't calming her down this time.

"He's dying" the doctor told Blair, although Blair already knew that. "From what our tests say he's been in pain for the last few days, but I'm guessing he didn't say anything." Blair nodded at the doctor's assumption.

"He has about an hour left. I think it's time you said your goodbyes Mrs Bass" The doctor told her. Blair didn't bother correcting his mistake. She just turned to look at Chuck. He looked weak and pale but he still looked like a man of power. He was still as handsome as before. Blair sighed.

"Can I have a moment alone with him?" She asked quietly. She felt so small. The doctor simply nodded and walked out of the room.

Blair ran her hand down his face soothingly.

"I love you" she whispered.

"Save it, I'm not dead yet" Chuck mumbled. He opened one eye to see her reaction. She just smiled sweetly.

"I don't care. I want you to know it when you're alive" She said.

"I do" he said to her, "And I hope you know I love you too."

Blair leaned over and brushed her lips over his lightly. It wasn't one of those usual passionate kisses that they usually had. It was simple, and it said everything they needed to say.

"We need to find Taylor" Chuck said. This wiped the smile off of Blair's face.

"And we will" She said. She held his hand tightly and looked into his dark eyes.

"Nate's gonna be pissed" Chuck said trying to get rid of the awkward silence. Blair laughed lightly. She didn't care about Nate anymore. She could last with or without him. Chuck smirked up at her with his signature smirk. Before Blair knew it tears were pouring down her eyes. This made Chuck slightly uncomfortable, he was never good with tears. Blair knew this so she tried to stop but she just couldn't. The love of her life was dying and all she could think about was the fact that they'd never gotten a proper chance to be a family.

"Blair, it's gonna be okay" he said to her but the fact that he said her name just made her cry even more.

"I can't believe it's over, for real this time" she cried to him.

"It's not over. You can't give up. In the face of true love you don't just give up" he said repeating the very words he used many years before to win her back. This did indeed help. Blair stopped crying as much. She just looked at him and smiled.

"Even if the object of your affection is begging you to" she finished for him. He smiled back at her.

"Besides I'm the one that's dying not you" he said to her. She gave out a small laugh.

"Don't ruin the moment" she said.

"I can't help it" he said. "I'm Chuck Bass."

Then he gave her his smirk once again and Blair kissed him on instinct.

---

"I suppose some one should call my parents" Joyce said to the two girls.

"I'll do it" Taylor said. She got up and walked to the doorway where Daphne had been standing.

"Can I use your phone?" she asked. Daphne handed the pink cellphone to her.

"Why don't I call? It'll be awkward if you leave us alone" Daphne said.

"Take it as your chance to apologize" Taylor said and walked out. She dialed the Humphrey house number. When Serena picked up she told her everything that had happened.

"Oh my God, is he okay?" Serena asked with a panicked tone.

"He's fine, he just has some broken ribs" Taylor said.

"Thanks for calling Taylor. Have you run into your parents yet?" Serena asked.

"What do you mean?" Taylor asked.

"Something's wrong with your dad so Blair brought him to the hospital. Neither of them have nay idea where you are. They're worried sick" Serena told Taylor. Taylor didn't care about the second part. All that was going through her mind was that her father was in hospital. She hung up on Serena and dialed Blair's number as quickly as she could.

"Hello?" Blair answered.

"What room are you two in?" Taylor asked straight away.

"Taylor?" Blair asked. Taylor could hear the relief in her voice.

"What room?" Taylor asked again but more forcefully.

"429" Blair answered. Taylor hung up the phone immediately and went off to find the right room.

She found it easily seeing as it was on the same floor as Joyce's.

"Taylor!" Blair exclaimed when she saw her daughter. She stood up and hugged Taylor tightly. "We were so worried!"

Taylor ignored her mother's words. Instead when her mother was done hugging her she pushed past to her father.

"What's wrong?" She asked. The panic painted perfectly on her face.

"I'm just gonna leave" Blair said and she walked out of the room leaving the two Basses with some privacy.

"I'm dying Tay" Chuck said to his daughter.

"Why? What happened?" Taylor said. She was too confused to let the words register properly.

"Nothing happened. There's just something wrong with my heart. I've been dying for months, this is more of the climax" Chuck told his daughter the truth.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Taylor asked.

"I didn't want to do that to you" Chuck answered.

"So why bother telling me now?" Taylor said. Chuck laughed lightly at his daughter's distress. She was so much like Blair it was unbelievable.

"It's not funny!" Taylor exclaimed but she was laughing a little too. She didn't know why, but she couldn't help it.

"I love you sweetheart" Chuck said.

"Ditto" Taylor said to her father making him laugh lightly again. But somewhere in between his laugh turned to a cough and made Taylor's smile fade.

"Dad?" Taylor asked, her heart started racing with fear now. Chuck wanted to answer her. To reassure her that he was fine but he couldn't. The pain in his heart was too immense and he couldn't get a word out between the coughs. He didn't want to do this to Taylor, he didn't want her to be afraid but he couldn't stop. He could feel his throat closing up until eventually he couldn't breathe. So instead of battling for a lost cause he just lay back and let his disease get the best of him. He closed his eyes and let himself stop breathing. And so it was that Chuck Bass was dead.

"Dad?" Taylor repeated. She wasn't going to give up. Life wasn't done with her father even if he was done with life.

"Dad!" She shouted. The tears started pouring down her eyes. Blair heard her shouts from outside 'cause she ran right in and once she caught sight of what had happened she started crying too.

"DAD!" Taylor kept repeating. She just didn't want to accept it was true. Blair walked up to her and put her arm around her. And so the two women with the chestnut curls cried for the one person they would both always love.

---

It had been a week since the death of Chuck Bass and Taylor didn't know how she ended up coming from the perfect life to attending the funeral of her beloved father. Everyone she knew and even a few people who she didn't were there. The Humphreys were all there. Serena was bawling her eyes out for her step-brother while Dan comforted her and Valerie and Jake wondered what they were doing there.

The Van Der Woodsens were there. And Louise had been polite enough to invite Phoebe. In fact Taylor had caught a glimpse of Georgina standing outside the graveyard. She was decent enough to pay her respects from afar.

Daphne was there with the two Archibald daughters. Nate hadn't joined them. After Blair had come home the that night at the hospital she had announced that she wanted a divorce and the two hadn't really spoken since.

Margaret and Freddie were there as Taylor's friends. They never really knew Chuck but they were all for supporting their friend.

Vanessa was there. Her husband didn't really like Chuck Bass from the stories he'd heard about him and her son was just too stubborn.

Some of Chuck and Taylor's friends from back in California were there too. They had all traveled across the country to pay their respects.

Even Gossip Girl had payed her respects posting a blast about all the accomplishments of the great Chuck Bass.

And of course Taylor was there. Blair was standing to her left while Joyce was on her right.

Taylor couldn't help but think that it was a beautiful day. Much too nice for a funeral but Blair chose the date so Taylor didn't pay much attention. The priest was saying something but Blair wasn't paying any attention to him either. She knew her father wouldn't have given a crap about what the priest had to say anyway.

Joyce held her hand from beside her. He was discharged from the hospital a few days ago but he was still recovering. He could do most everyday things but he had to keep bandages on his sides causing him to keep perfect posture wherever he went.

Blair stood on the other side of Taylor. She was crying a little. She knew Chuck wouldn't have wanted her to but she just couldn't help herself.

The priest finished saying whatever silly un-Chucklike speech he had prepared and so the crowds started dispersing until eventually it was just Taylor and Blair left standing.

Taylor smirked. Blair knew why, and she knew that Chuck would be proud. Taylor was smirking at the three words carved into the gravestone of her father's grave. They were probably his three most favorite words to say. It didn't matter what situation he was in they always seemed to help him. And so Taylor used his signature smirk as she read the words one more time. Then she and Blair walked away.

And in case you're wondering, the three words are:

I'm Chuck Bass.

---

I can't believe it's over! I've spent so long writing this story and now it's finally finished.

Poor Chuck! But I think his gravestone was just perfect though!

I hope you enjoyed readin this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

-Marina