Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
A question was asked as to whether I intend to finish this story. Never fear, I've never abandoned a story yet, and I surely won't abandon this one. All I ask is for a bit of patience.
Not only am I planning to finish this story, I've got an outline going for a few new stories - one is sort of a grown up piece in which Charlotte takes centerstage, and her parents are mostly supporting players, the other is still a more of a work in progress, but features Blair, Chuck and their family working through an incident which threatens to alter everyone's lives.
Those are down the road storylines though. I promise this one has more of my attention.
Blair took Charlotte shopping the next morning while Chuck took Aiden and Brice to baseball practice. The trio of children was appropriately excited to be meeting their new cousin in the afternoon. Proving yet again how much she took after her mother, Charlotte instantly proclaimed she needed her mother to take her shopping to get the new baby presents.
"How about a card, Bass?" Blair motioned for her husband to cough up his credit card while she waited for her daughter in the entryway.
"If you think I'm just going to hand it over because you asked, you don't know me at all," he teased her.
"Do I need to frisk you for it?" she snickered, "I already know you hide it on you because it wasn't in your money clip when I went looking for it earlier."
"Snooping through my belongings," he chuckled, "You truly have no shame."
"I thought you said what's yours is mine," her eyes twinkled in amusement as she advanced towards him.
"You're getting a bit handsy, Mrs. Bass," he responded when she began frisking him for his card, "I might take that as an invitation."
"You'd take breathing as an invitation," she rolled her eyes, her hands continued to move about his body in search of her prize. "You didn't put it down your pants, did you?"
"Maybe you should check to be sure," he baited her.
"You're incorrigible sometimes," she felt along his buttocks and felt a familiar hardness. Her hand dove under the waistband and pulled out the prize she sought. "You're going to need a new hiding spot, Bass."
"You've given me a few ideas," he sent her a wink just as their daughter came bouncing in.
"Bye, Daddy," Charlotte gave him a hug and kiss to his cheek.
"Have fun," he told her, "Make sure Mommy doesn't buy up the entire store."
"I will," she laughed and took her mother's hand.
"Behave, Bass," Blair waved towards her husband before stepping into the elevator.
Chuck rounded up his sons for Brice's baseball practice. Both boys were dressed in matching uniforms, eager to get to practice. Chuck grabbed his glove and ushered his boys into the elevator. They both talked animatedly about their morning practice.
"Mommy, I hit baseball," Aiden told his mother when he stepped off the elevator to be greeted by Blair.
"Please tell me he hit it with a bat and not another part of his body," Blair began inspecting her son for new bruises.
"He took batting practice…off a tee," Chuck reassured his wife, "He's actually better than a few of Brice's teammates."
"Of course he is," Blair kissed his cheek, "He's my boy. Go get cleaned up, Sweetheart. We need to leave for Uncle Eric's soon."
"I get a new cousin," Aiden proclaimed with glee.
"You sure do," Blair patted his bottom to encourage him to carry off his task.
"How'd shopping go with your little clone?" Chuck gathered Blair into his arms.
"She is like a little Tasmanian devil when you get her into a toy store," Blair laughed, "It was nearly impossible to pick out a gift for little Penny. Charlotte kept digging up these cute little items just when I'm about ready to pull out the credit card to pay."
"How many gifts are we giving our newest family member?" Chuck raised a curious brow.
"I was able to restrain myself so only a dozen," she replied.
"For you, that certain shows some restraint," he laughed, "Are we all ready to go?"
"Charlotte and I are, but you need to get yourself cleaned up," Blair shoved him towards their bedroom, "You have an odor about you which isn't exactly pleasant to anyone but myself."
"It's called sweat, Beautiful," he chuckled, "I worked up a pretty good one trying to keep up with your Energizer Bunny son."
"Go shower," Blair shoved him a second time.
Greeting a baby was familiar to both Charlotte and Brice, having experienced it with their siblings, but for Aiden it was a new trick. He didn't know quite what to make of the tiny infant in his uncle's arms when they arrived at the party.
"Look at this precious little thing," Blair immediately gobbled up her niece, "Aren't you adorable?"
"How'd the first night go?" Chuck watched his brother release a healthy yawn.
"She was quite vocal," Eric chuckled, "I suddenly remembered being able to hand off my niece and nephews when they were carrying on."
"Get used to the lack of sleep," Chuck snorted.
"Oh, she's worth it," Eric beamed with pride while watching Blair chat animatedly with the bundle in her arms.
The children were busy stacking the mound of presents they'd brought along while Blair made herself comfortable on the sofa.
"You'd better be sure to check Blair's purse when we leave. I wouldn't put it past her to try sneaking Penny out," Chuck teased.
"I would not," Blair scowled at him.
Aiden climbed up on the sofa next to Blair and peered in on the baby.
"Say hi to your cousin, Penny," Blair instructed her son, one of her fingers wrapped in the little girl's hand.
"Hi," Aiden waved. "She widdle."
"Yes, she is," Blair laughed, "You were once this little."
"Nuh-uh," Aiden protested.
"Yes, you were," Blair tapped his nose, "You fit in my arms just like Penny. I would hold you for hours and hours because you were just the cutest little thing."
Aiden huffed and hopped off the sofa, "I go play."
"Go play," Chuck patted his son's head with a laugh. When Aiden scrambled off, Chuck took a seat next to his wife. "She's looking a bit too comfortable, Beautiful. Any urges?"
"No," Blair shook her head immediately, "She's certainly a charmer, but my urges for another are gone."
"Not to mention the possibility is nil," Eric chimed in, "That's snip, snip took care of that."
"Yes, there's that," Blair laughed, "E, she's beautiful. How did you and Magnus keep such a secret?"
"With everything we've all been through with Serena, we didn't want to get our hopes up until things were as official as can be," Eric explained.
"You two breezed through the entire process," Blair pointed out, "Doesn't the entire thing take months if not years? You two just got approved a month or so ago."
"We…uh…knew someone who was looking for a good home for their child," Magnus chimed in, "Eric and I had talked for years about going through the adoption process. When our friend came to us, we decided the time was right."
"Will this mother be involved in Penny's life?" Blair asked.
"No," Eric shook his head, "She's planning on moving to Los Angeles as soon as the paperwork is finished. She's in the entertainment business, and a child doesn't fit in her plans."
"And the father?" Chuck asked.
"Married," Magnus stated, "To someone else. Stands to lose quite a bit of money if the truth came out."
"Some men just can't keep it in their pants when their wives aren't around," Blair sent a cautionary look towards her husband.
"I am not one of those men," he reminded her.
"No, you're not," Blair caressed his cheek, "Do you want to hold her?"
"I probably should before you get any ideas about me reversing my procedure," Chuck took Penny from his wife.
While Blair looked on, Chuck adjusted his hold on his niece. A shiver of lust coursed through her body. There was nothing sexier to Blair than her husband's comfort level with infants. Chuck glanced up and instantly translated her gaze. He gave her a Cheshire grin and returned his focus to the little girl.
"Blair, Chuck, Magnus and I wanted to ask you to be godparents," Eric stated.
"Really, us?" Blair looked to be nearly in tears by the sentiment, "Not Serena?"
"I love my sister, but right now she's not the positive influence our daughter needs if anything were ever to happen to me or Mags. We took inventory of everyone in our lives, you and Chuck are everything we could hope our daughter could have," Eric stated.
"So, how about it?" Magnus asked before reclaiming his daughter from Chuck.
"We'd be honored," Blair spoke, knowing she was also speaking for her husband.
"We're going to wait until Serena is out of rehab to have the ceremony," Eric replied.
"Speaking of Serena, has she been told your good news?" Blair asked.
"No," Eric shook his head, "I've spoken with her therapists. They don't believe this sort of news would be good for her just yet."
"She'll be happy for you," Blair assured him.
"As happy as she can be," Eric agreed.
"Can we have a sleep over, Uncle Eric?" Charlotte came running into the living room and leapt into his arms.
"Not tonight, Princess," Blair chimed in, "Uncle Eric and Uncle Magnus have their hands full right now with the new baby."
"But we'll do it very soon," Eric vowed when Charlotte's face fell in disappointment.
"Can we open Penny's presents yet?" Charlotte asked.
"Are you going to help me open them?" Eric asked her.
"Yes," Charlotte's head bobbed.
"Can you wait a few more minutes? We're waiting on William," Eric replied.
"Papa William?" Blair raised a brow.
"That would be the one," Eric nodded, "Mags suggested I call him."
"Thank goodness Serena isn't here," Blair replied. Serena's relationship with her father bordered on nonexistent, at Serena's insistence. Being face to face with him in her current state would have been very bad indeed.
"I almost fell to the floor when he said he'd come to the party," Eric replied.
"We'll see if he actually shows up," Blair stated.
"Blair," Chuck scolded her.
"No, Blair's right," Eric replied, "He might be all talk."
"Can I hold the baby, Uncle Eric?" Charlotte batted her lashes at her uncle.
"Of course you can," Eric returned her to her feet. "Can you hop up onto the sofa and still real nice?"
Charlotte rolled her eyes at the instructions. Holding a baby was almost routine for her.
Magnus lowered his daughter into Charlotte's awaiting arms and the scooted back so the family could take in the adorable scene.
"Hi, Penny," Charlotte cooed, "I'm Charlotte, your big cousin. You are so lucky to be in our family. We get all sorts of gifts whenever we want them, and your daddies will be the bestest daddies in the world…after mine."
Chuck snorted at the statement.
"We can have sleepovers together, and I can do your hair and paint your fingernails. My mom will take us to get facials and pretty outfits. We can put on little shows together. Aiden and Brice never want to do those fun things with me," Charlotte added.
"Sounds like Penny has found a big sister to look up to after all," Eric leaned against his husband's shoulder.
"Charlotte's right," Blair noted the adoring way Eric and Magnus were eyeing their daughter, "Penny is a very lucky little girl."
"Mom, Penny needs a wardrobe change," Charlotte announced abruptly.
"Wardrobe change?" Magnus looked perplexed by his niece's statement. He thought his daughter looked mighty adorable in her little onesie.
"It means she's got a stinky diaper," Blair translated for him, "Charlotte used to proclaim Brice needed a changing in the most inappropriate places using sometimes inappropriate terms, so we came up with a suitable expression we could say in the most public of places. The phrase stuck."
"Well, I got the last wardrobe change, so it's Uncle E's turn," Magnus looked towards his husband.
"Do you think I can have her back, Charlotte?" Eric advanced towards his daughter and niece.
"Yes, please," Charlotte lifted Penny up slightly to make the handoff easier for the new father.
With Penny safely transferred over, Charlotte hopped off the sofa while waving her hand in front of her nose. "Stinky."
"Yes, Sweetheart, wardrobe changes usually are," Chuck picked her up for a hug.
"Can we open presents yet?" the impatient little girl batted her lashes towards her Uncle Magnus.
"How about when Uncle Eric returns with Penny you can help him?" Magnus instantly caved to her charms.
"Okay," Charlotte squirmed out of her father's arms to sort out the presents on the table. She was trying to figure out which one she wanted to open first when a new visitor arrived for the party.
"Hello, William," Lily greeted her ex-husband with a slightly tense smile when he arrived with an arm full of presents. "How nice of you to join us."
"Wouldn't have missed it for the world," William looked around the room at the somewhat unfamiliar faces, looking for a few familiar ones aside from his ex-wife. "Where are Eric and Serena?"
"Eric is changing his daughter," Lily replied, "Serena is…it's a long story. I'll tell you later."
"Hello, Mister van der Woodsen," Blair greeted him hesitantly.
"William, please," he requested, "It's good to see you again, Blair. It's been…"
"A long time," Blair added for him. Blair's memories of Serena's father had been good up until the day William left on a business trip and never really returned. He'd been in and out of Eric's life ever since, but never had he been to a full family function like today's happy occasion. "This is my husband, Chuck. Chuck, you remember Serena and Eric's father, right?"
"Sure," Chuck extended his hand to the older man.
"The legendary Chuck Bass," William smiled as he shook Chuck's hand, "I've heard so many stories about you."
"Only the good ones are true," Chuck laughed.
"Eric and Serena speak very highly of their brother," William replied.
"Mags, have you met Eric's father?" Blair stepped in when she realized how standoffish her brother-in-law was of the man who had arrived. Magnus was usually much more social in his interaction with new people. It was a skill which came in handy during his shifts at the hospital.
"Can't say as I have," Magnus stepped in to allow for introductions.
"William, this is Magnus, Eric's husband," Blair linked her arm with him. "Mags, this is William van der Woodsen."
Magnus nodded and extended his hand in greeting but didn't say anything. He knew how conflicted his husband had been just making the call earlier that morning. Not in a million years had he expected his father-in-law to show up at the gathering.
"Mags is a nurse at Mount Sinai Hospital," Blair explained, "He and Eric met the day Charlotte was born."
"Charlotte?" William asked.
"Sorry, my daughter," Blair explained, "My husband was a bit emotional and accidentally took a swing at his little brother."
"Was the best punch I ever took," Eric stepped into the room. After handing his daughter to his mother, he went to greet his father. "Hi, Dad."
"It's good to see you," William embraced his son.
Eric was visibly surprised to be on the receiving end of a physical display of affection.
Blair turned to see Lily discreetly wiping tears from her eyes.
"Did you want me to take Penny, Lil?" Chuck offered up his services so his mother could have both hands free.
"Would you mind," Lily handed her off and then fled the room.
Blair went after Lily while Eric and William went about catching up since the last time they had been together.
"You okay, Lily," Blair handed Lily a tissue when she found her looking out the brownstone window to the street.
"It's weird seeing William interact with my son," Lily accepted the tissue and dried her eyes.
"Yes, it is," Blair agreed, "It's probably a good thing Serena isn't here right now. I could envision William being doubled over in pain right about now and a testicular retrieval procedure in his future."
Lily had a good chuckle at the mental image Blair's statement brought. "I didn't think he'd have the guts to show his face today."
"I don't think Eric did either," Blair replied, "Good or bad, he's here. Eric didn't throw him out…at least not yet."
"I'd like to give that deadbeat a few pieces of my mind," Lily wiped at her eyes again.
"No one would stop you," Blair snickered, "Nor would I stop you from kicking him in the family jewels. Heck, a testicular retrieval procedure could still be in his future if you're so inclined."
Lily laughed a second time.
"I think he'll be civil," Blair offered.
"Yes, he will," Lily nodded, "He was very good with keeping up appearances right up until he disappeared from all our lives."
"Mom, Uncle Eric says we're going to open presents now if you and Grandma Lily will join us," Charlotte came darting into the room and tugged on the hands of each woman. "Come on, Grandma. It's presents time."
"We certainly don't want to put it off, do we," Lily allowed herself to be pulled towards the gathered.
Charlotte immediately inserted herself in the center of the room to help her cousin open presents.
Aiden scampered over and extended his arms to his grandmother. He didn't know yet what to make of the newest family member, but it did appear to take some of the attention off him. He wasn't sure he liked it, and his possessive hug of his grandmother reminded Blair she needed to make sure to give her youngest some attention despite it being a day to welcome their newest family member.
Charlotte gleefully announced each present as it came out of the box.
"It's just like Christmas," Chuck snagged his wife around the waist, whispering into her ear.
"She certainly loves presents," Blair smiled.
"I wonder where she gets it from," he kissed her temple. "Is Lil okay?"
"Yeah, I think so," Blair responded softly, looking towards her mother-in-law to watch her interact with her grandson. The pair was so adorable together. "William's arrival was a bit unexpected."
"For all of us," Chuck agreed.
"Thank goodness Serena isn't here right now," Blair added. "In her fragile state, who knows what she would do."
"We'll have to keep an eye on things," Chuck nodded.
"You'd better give your P.I. a call. We don't want any surprises out of William right now," Blair nodded.
"Already made the call," Chuck replied.
"Always a step ahead of me," Blair caressed his cheek, "One of the reasons I love you."
TBC…
Big props to my beta, Lori2279, for her support.