A/N: A little bit of a wait, yes, but seriously the first time this week after my last update I actually had to sit down and write. *shakes head* Ridiculous. Anyways, I hope you've enjoyed this story. I definitely have. I am ever thankful for all you wonderful readers and reviewers. You always make my story-writing more interesting and exciting. I hope you love this little end. Make sure to vote on my poll for the next BoB fic I'll be writing. ;)
*I do not own "Gossip Girl" or its characters. No copyright infringement intended.
…
Epilogue—
She didn't say anything, but he wasn't stupid. The Van der Woodsens didn't really do Thanksgiving formally. They always went to the Waldorf's. That wouldn't be the case this year, and Chuck wished he could fix it. But he couldn't fix it anymore than Blair could fix Nate's still constant hatred towards his once best friend. If they hadn't been so in love with each other to the state where they could hardly think about anything else, they would have been drowning in the deepest depression. They would have been miserable.
"Can I help with something?" he asked lightly. Blair's curls bounced about her as she looked up at him from her stool in the kitchen.
"Hmm?" She nearly dropped the box of recipes she held in her hand at the sound of his voice. "Oh." Realization dawned. She shook her head with a small smile at her silliness. "No, that's what hired help is for, Chuck." Her eyes glittered as she brushed past him to place the box back into its place in the cupboard.
He smirked and grabbed her by the waist before she had time to come back to him. Her smile was wide and he murmured wicked things in her ear. Her face flushed a little red. The other maids pretended they didn't see where his hand appeared to be heading, but the fierce look of disapproval on Dorota's face was as clear as day as she walked and then paused in the doorway.
"Miss Blair," she said, coming towards her. Blair batted away Chuck's hand and he lessened his attack. She relaxed jovially in his arms.
"What is it, Dorota?" She was not fazed in the least by her maid's disapproval. Dorota's eyes darted to Chuck's briefly and then looked back at Blair's. She smiled in endearment and gestured to the doorway behind her.
"It time to get ready. Miss Eleanor say so," she said, nodding along and still smiling brightly. Blair cleared her throat.
"Ah," she said, following what looked like a relieved Dorota out of the room. Blair looked back to a mischievous looking Chuck once before turning back around. The heat between them was palpable and Blair knew it would lead to something dangerous if she let him follow her up to her room. She would never get suitably dressed then.
…
He didn't know what had happened up in her room, but it didn't take a brain surgeon to figure out that Blair was upset. The tension reverberating through her was much stronger than it had been earlier when Chuck had detected her sadness over Serena's absence. He felt very uneasy, but didn't have time to ask her about it. They were seated to dinner almost the second she and her forlorn face came down the stairs, Dorota in tow.
He sat beside her at the dinner table and it was like he wasn't even there. People he didn't know but probably should have, Blair too, sat around the table talking about superficial issues with each other and just barely taking notice of the food on their plates and the process of eating it. Chuck could feel the tension not only from Blair, but also, very abruptly, from her mother. Eleanor leaned in a little towards her daughter.
"Blair, you haven't touched your food."
Chuck glanced down at his girlfriend's plate and noticed that the food was in fact completely in the state it had been in when she'd first filled it – not that it had even been that filled at the time. Not a good sign. He should have encouraged her to eat something, he realized right then, but he had been so desperate to find a cause as to why she was so upset that he got lost in the possibilities and didn't so much as glance at the quantity of food on her plate and whether it was disappearing. He wanted to squeeze her hand in reassurance. Perhaps her tension was supposed to be a hint to him, a silent plea to get out of there. But he couldn't move. He just listened.
Blair didn't move.
"Blair, darling, what has gotten into you?" Eleanor leaned in a little closer, looking as if she was about to blame her seventeen-year-old daughter for anything and everything that had ever gone wrong in the world. Blair's eyes moved to the ceiling.
"Well…"
Chuck swallowed hard. He knew that tone of voice, and he didn't like it, not in that sense.
"I was going to wait until after dinner, but I suppose now's a good a time as any." Her tone was borderline rude, but she clearly did not care. She was obviously mad at mother dearest as well. Chuck tensed.
"Did you call Daddy and tell him I didn't want to see him this Thanksgiving?"
"Of course not," Eleanor said quickly – too quickly, Chuck knew. Blair's eyes were piercing into her mother's. He could feel it in the way she was turned towards her, and he was a little bit glad he hadn't chosen to hold Blair's hand now. It might have been on the borderline of disintegration. Blair clearly hadn't bought her mother's little white lie either. Eleanor was horrible at lying, especially face-to-face.
"What a ridiculous accusation," Eleanor continued, now turning away from her daughter. Blair egged her on, eager and angry enough to get the truth – especially about something like this, of this nature. She loved her father more than anything, even Chuck and Serena and Yale combined.
"So you didn't tell him that I was so angry at him for leaving that I didn't even want to talk to him today?" she snapped. Eleanor sighed, clearly realizing she'd lost. Chuck's eyes closed in anguish for Blair. A fury was also quickly rising in him in regards to the elder Waldorf woman. It was bad enough that Eleanor chose to pick on her daughter and damage every ounce of self-esteem she every had, but taking away her father on their holiday was crossing the line.
Blair shook her head, even more furious now, but clearly on the verge of tears.
"When are you going to get it through your head? He left us."
Chuck felt a storm spinning in his stomach.
"He didn't leave us. He left you," Blair returned.
"That's enough," she cut her off.
Chuck knew it was an awful blow, but he didn't blame Blair at this point. He just wished he had the guts to own up to his father in that sort of way…sometimes. Mostly, he just held his tongue to get some sort of sign of love and respect.
"That's enough," Eleanor repeated softly. Blair was still angry but her eyes had softened at her mother's clear vulnerability peaking through. "If you want to take this up with me, we can discuss it later, after our guests have left. Right now you either eat or you leave the table."
"I told you I'm not hungry," Blair threw her napkin on the table and stood to her feet. Chuck looked up at her and turned a bit in his seat. It was as if she wasn't even aware of his presence anymore. His expression shouted worry more than anything else ever had.
"Or maybe dessert'll change your mind," Eleanor offered teasingly – hopefully probably, but Chuck turned and glared at the older woman who probably wasn't even aware of the opportunity she was offering up on a silver platter to her daughter. She seemed unaware of his presence as well though. Blair turned ever so slightly towards her mother.
"Where's Daddy's pie?" she asked.
"Hmm?"
"I don't see his pumpkin pie." She sounded frantic, now looking around everywhere. Chuck shifted his gaze from Eleanor and also looked around the table. He was just about ready to spring out of his chair and pull Blair away from her mother and the horrid tense involvement they'd fallen into, but he was too scared to. It was like trying to interrupt his father while he was lecturing him. There was so much at risk for everyone involved – too much possible emotional trauma.
"Well," Eleanor said quite casually, "there were so many delicious choices coming from the caterer, we just sent that one down to the doorman." She ignored the angry stare on her daughter's face. "But it's Thanksgiving after all, huh?" Chuck hated the luring tone of her voice. His hands clenched fiercely on the arms of his chair.
Blair nodded slowly, not even attempting to be rude anymore. Eleanor dared to open her mouth again. Chuck wanted to slam it shut and erase the whole conversation entirely.
"Now choose one of those amazing desserts." Blair plastered a weak, barely-there smile onto her face, grabbed a huge pie – Chuck's eyes widened at the sight of it – and stomped out of the room after her mother's approving nod.
Chuck did not wait another second. The threat of Blair relapsing again flashed through his mind the second Eleanor's voice had turned alluring and suggestive towards one of the desserts. With Blair alone and with a large dessert where he was sure no one could see her, only the worst could be assumed. He quickly stood from his seat and made to follow her out of the dining room.
"Sit down, Charles," Eleanor said without looking at him, as if it was just expected that he'd obey. He wanted to form a brilliant retort, defending Blair and insulting everything she'd just said and what he'd done. "Blair needs some time alone."
He held his tongue. Despite his normal nature, he had been exerting an extremely large amount of self-control throughout the meal, and even when he hadn't followed Blair up into her bedroom earlier. It seemed too much to simply switch off. He didn't respond, only paused to hear the rest of what she had to say and then also fled the room.
When he made it to the kitchen, all the hired help had vacated the premises – including Dorota. Blair was all alone with that large pie in front of her and a forkful of it halfway to her mouth. She was still chewing on the first bite. He noticed by the imprints in the pie that she had not gotten very far.
"Stop."
She looked up at him, appearing shocked as if she had not expected him to be there, at her house even. Her fork froze in its spot and she even stopped chewing for a time before she just swallowed and looked at him, her lips parted with a few crumbs decorating the glossy coating. He walked over to her in her stilled state and took the fork and pie away, dumping both items into the trash. Then he grasped her wrists firmly in his hands and looked deep into her eyes.
"Don't do it," he shook his head slowly, never taking his eyes away from hers. She looked desperate, like she was about to cry and he felt the urge to do so as well. Suddenly, she crumbled against him and he wrapped his arms around her. He felt her nails digging into his back out of desperation.
"My mom just decides everything," she sniffled. "You know?"
He sighed warily.
"Everything in the world is just totally up to her."
He nodded softly and brought her somehow closer. He pressed a kiss into her hair.
"You promised me you wouldn't do it," he said very quietly, not wanting to sound accusing. He heard her sigh and hoped that it wouldn't erupt into some other sadness that would cause her inhaling another pie later on when he wasn't around to stop her.
"I know," she responded, just as quietly. Her head moved to rest fully on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
…
It was hours later when the quiet ring of his phone vibrated against his pants' pocket. He'd been lying with Blair on his bed at The Palace. She'd needed to get away, and he'd done just that, without question. But he'd also made a call during one of the few moments his attention wasn't completely on her, and he needed desperately to answer that quiet ring. Luckily for him, Blair had fallen asleep. The soft rise and fall of her chest told him she had finally recovered and relaxed from the intense confrontation she'd had with her mother earlier in the day.
He slowly unwound himself from Blair's body and climbed off the bed, spreading the blankets closer around her to take his place. He moved across the room and took the call.
"Mr. Waldorf?"
"Charles," the older man said, sounding completely surprised. "Well, I…I wasn't expecting—"
"I think there's been a mistake," he said, abandoning his matters so he could get to the point. The older man's eyebrows narrowed.
"What is it? Is there something wrong with Blair? I know, Eleanor said she didn't want me—"
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," he cut him off again, his thoughts entirely on Blair. "There's been a huge misunderstanding. Is there any chance you're near the States?"
Harold blinked. "Why…"
"Please," Chuck begged, hardly realizing in the moment that he was doing so.
"I'm a bit confused here, Charles." He almost chuckled to make the mood lighter. "Are you saying Blair did want me to be there? She's not mad?"
Chuck looked over at Blair's form dozing sweetly on his bed.
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
Chuck returned to the bed about twenty minutes later. Blair turned in his arms, blinked softly and looked up at him. She smiled a little and leaned forward just enough to press her lips to his. He had cradled her so close that it wasn't much of a reach. She liked that.
"Where've you been?" she asked. One of his eyebrows cocked in amusement.
"I thought you were asleep."
She shrugged one shoulder. "It got a little chilly on my backside, despite your attempts at replacing yourself with blankets." Her eyes twinkled and he found himself smiling. He closed the short distance again and pressed a kiss first to her nose and then to her lips. She nuzzled her nose against his and felt a chill shoot up her spine from the warming sensation. It was as if fireworks went off all through her.
Before he could kiss her again though, her phone went off. He groaned a little, and she smirked as she sat up to get to her phone. Her eyes widened when she saw the name of the caller blaring across her phone.
"Who is it?" Chuck asked, curious. Blair blinked a few times and her eyes widened. Finally, she turned her phone so he could look at it.
"Serena."
…
The blondes sat at a nearby table, completely oblivious to the presence of the brunettes in the corner. Finally, Chuck and Blair took one final, courageous look at each other and moved forward.
"Serena," Blair said, taking the first plunge. Immediately, the two blondes turned towards them. Serena shot to her feet and Nate turned in his seat, looking instantly tense.
"B." The few moments of silence was unbearable for her and Serena enveloped her into a tight hug. Chuck looked at the two and over at Nate very unsuredly. Nate had a piercing gaze at first, but then avoided eye contact from Chuck at all costs.
"S," Blair finally sighed into Serena's long flowing blonde locks. Her arms wrapped around her as well. "What's going on?" she tried very hard not to cry in her confusion. She erupted into a little laughter instead and Chuck could not fight the small smile that slid onto his face.
"I'm so sorry," she said, leading Blair over to the table. Chuck slowly followed, very wary as he slid into the seat across from Nate.
"What are you talking about?" Blair asked, also wary. She was glad Serena didn't want to fight anymore and that she was sorry, but she had to know why. Serena fiddled with her fingers for a little while, sighed, and then finally looked up at her.
"I didn't want to believe you'd found a heart in this…" she gestured vaguely at Chuck, "monster." Chuck raised his eyebrows in amusement.
"Thanks," he said dryly. Blair looked at her in a bit of skepticism, though the amusement was hard to hide from her own face too.
"But if anyone could find one, it'd be you. You two really are good together. I've seen you," she said. Blair pursed her lips disbelievingly.
"We've only been together a few weeks, S. How can you be so sure?"
Serena took a deep breath and stretched her hands across the table, taking hold of Blair's. "I don't know," she said honestly. "I just know that I've known Chuck my entire life, our entire lives," she smiled a little, "and I've never seen him like this for anyone or anything." Both Blair and Chuck looked content by that knowledge. Nate now avoided eye contact from any of them. Luckily for him, they were all centered on Serena and she on them.
"Plus," the blonde continued. "I miss my best friend. Who am I to condone your relationship, even if you do it to mine all the time?" she said playfully. A knowing smirk slid across Blair's features.
"S, I have reason to. Your boyfriend comes from Brooklyn." Both the girls laughed and Chuck found himself overjoyed. He could have left right then with the knowledge that Blair and Serena had worked things out. His girlfriend had lit up by the experience. He was more than content that all was forgiven between them.
Nate cleared his throat a bit loudly. Chuck had missed it, but Serena had looked very meaningfully at her blonde counterpart in an effort to get him to fix things with his best friend.
"Chuck, look, I…" he was stuttering and he knew it. Chuck knew it too. The blonde paused and finally looked up at the boy brunette across from him. "Do you really love her?" he asked honestly.
Chuck regarded him for one long serious moment before looking over at Blair, her eyes glittering as she looked lovingly back at him. He reached for her hand and their fingers intertwined. A smile, small at first, stretched wide across his face. He turned his head back towards Nate, trying and failing to suppress the effect Blair Waldorf had on him.
"Yeah. I really do."
Nate nodded, smiling a little too then. "Well then, all's forgiven." He held his hand out for him to shake it. Chuck released Blair's hand momentarily and shook his best friend's hand.
"I've never heard you say that before," Nate said, "about anyone."
Chuck just smiled again and looked over at Blair whose eyes were still twinkling up at him. Then he looked back at Nate. The silent understanding between them was more than enough to make up for those long, lonely Nate-less weeks, despite Blair's overwhelmingly beautiful constant presence.
…
Somehow, the four of them managed to get back to the Waldorf penthouse after an afternoon of laughing and talking of old times and when to get together in the future. Everything was caught up on so excitably that Blair hardly caught a hold of the fact that they were heading back to her house, the place she'd tried so desperately to escape only hours earlier.
"Chuck," she said, suddenly stopping before they got into the elevator. It was clear she was set on retreat. He gripped both her elbows from behind. Serena looked on, concerned and walking towards her.
"It'll be okay," he whispered softly into her ear. "I have a surprise for you." He smirked a little. Blair's head whipped in his direction.
"What?" she asked, excited, wary and confused all at once. Chuck's smirk turned into a smile.
"You'll see," he said. They all scrambled into the elevator.
Blair was still quite suspicious when they stepped out of the elevator and into her penthouse which appeared to be deserted. Despite the close space, she and Nate had shared brief words of understanding and apologies inside the elevator. Things had eased between all of them, even if it would take some time to adjust to all that had happened.
Chuck nodded ahead in one direction. Blair was extremely suspicious now but she walked experimentally down the hall and into one of the main rooms.
"Hello?" she called out into the empty room, feeling a little ridiculous. "Hello?" she asked again. Still nothing. Now she felt stupid and was about to scold Chuck for his demands and false claim to surprises when a figure poked out from behind the far corner. He held a pumpkin pie in his hands and a thick grin on her face. A solemn, but softly smiling Eleanor Waldorf followed behind him.
"Daddy?" Blair gasped. She ran towards him and he placed the pie quickly on the table before gathering her into his arms. Blair's eyes flicked to her mother's. There was still some sort of bitter tension between them, but it was dissolving quickly. Somehow Blair was starting to understand.
She pulled away from her still smiling father and wordlessly asked what had caused his decision to come anyway. Harold Waldorf inclined his head towards Chuck behind her. She spun around and looked at her boyfriend, jaw dropping clear to the floor it seemed.
"I may have pulled a few strings," he shrugged.
She was speechless. She turned back to her father and flung her arms tightly around his neck.
"Oh, Daddy." Some muffled cries got caught up in his shirt as he stroked her hair.
"It's all right, darling. I'm here." He smiled against her. Finally, she released him, her eyes sparkling with happy tears. She looked to her mother again, who also appeared to have had cried a little. She couldn't be mad at her now. So, it hadn't been her who had brought her daddy back. But the reasons emanating from her own vulnerable heart ebbed out quite clearly to her. Blair moved around her father and hugged her mother fiercely.
"I love you, mom," she said quietly against her. Eleanor nodded a little and then released her daughter. Serena and Nate looked on at the scene with heartwarming smiles. Serena definitely had cried more happy tears than all of them put together. Chuck, completely dry-eyed, looked at his girlfriend curiously. She stalked straight over to him and kissed him hard on the lips. The open-mouthed kissing initially made everyone uncomfortable, but when Mr. Waldorf started cheering and clapping a little bit, they all joined in. When Chuck and Blair parted, they were glowing.
"Thank-you," she whispered. Chuck leaned his forehead against hers, as oblivious to the people around him as she was.
"For you, Waldorf? Anything."
…..
A/N: Well, that is all. Hope you enjoyed. I definitely didn't expect it to be this long, since my epilogues usually aren't but I hope that wasn't too disappointing for you. XD Ha. Again, thanks for all the readers & reviewers out there. Please review & vote on my poll! =D
Next update:
Flashback – Chapter 11