Disclaimer: I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES
A/N: Wow, can't believe how long it's been since the last update. I had this mostly written but then the show…basically became an exercise in insanity and time was needed to get back into the story. During the long summers and blocks of hiatus, the fics are our refuge. Our venue into what was unspoken or what should have happened. So I find that writing onward with this is a comfort and still makes me happy. I hope that you guys are still able to enjoy as much as before.
Just stay with it. The bull we've been seeing can't last. So until then. Here's more of CB's not quite fairytale. As always your words are love and big kiss to you all. Hug for my Fam and Wifey…love u bb. This one is for you and Isabelle.
Chapter 20ஐ
"I found it earlier and thought of you. I mean, Chuck has a copy but with everything—I wasn't sure if he thought about showing you."
Blair scoffed, not sure what to think. She glanced at the case skeptically, "What is it…one of your lame, intrusive documentaries?"
"I guess you could say that." Vanessa shrugged, "Only this one I think you'll actually like."
She looked up with questioning eyes, a lump in her throat.
Vanessa nodded in answer to the unspoken question. "I'm leaving now. I can only imagine what these past few days have been like for you. Then I ran across this and had to bring it over."
"I suppose I should say thank you, then." Blair said.
"Would you just…could you tell the girls that I said 'hi'? I haven't been able to see them as much as before?" She turned to go.
"They talk about you. A lot." Blair found herself saying. More than a lot. Blair was actually somewhat jealous of the other women in her daughters' lives. Lily and Serena. Dorota and her mother. And even this woman looking at her so gratefully.
"Would you tell Serena…tell her that I'm going to do it. I just haven't figured out how." Vanessa said before letting herself out, leaving Blair staring at the DVD case clutched in her hands.
"Okay, B. I think we're all set. I talked to Nate and he's in. Now we've got to get you ready…" Serena trailed off as came in a few minutes later to see Blair fixated and staring. "B? Earth to Blair. Hey, are you okay? What is that?"
"You just missed Vanessa." Blair held out the case to her best friend. "Would you put it in? Please?"
The blonde took it without a word. The worry was clear in her expression as she darted quick glances at her best friend, her feet carrying her steadily to the opposite of the room to do as Blair wanted.
Blair didn't know she was holding her breath until Nate's smiling face filled the small screen. Her breath came out in a whoosh. Okay. Not what she'd been expecting.
Serena's disembodied voice filled the room, "Mom talked to the nurse. She said that we can't all go in."
"Well, we can hang out here. Serena, you take the camera." Vanessa's disembodied voice came as the camera panned away from Nate and landed on Blair's best friend. NICU signs and dancing teddy bears painted on walls could be seen behind the blonde's smiling face.
There was jostling as the camera switched hands and Nate and Vanessa stood together on the television screen.
Vanessa said, "Today is August 3rd. Little Katherine Bass is almost 3 ½ weeks old and finally being taken off of her nasogastric tube. So another milestone."
Serena, Nate, and Eric could be heard giving a hushed cheer off-camera.
Blair gripped Serena's hand as the woman settled beside her on the bed. Still she couldn't drag her eyes away from the screen as camerawoman Serena left Nate, Vanessa, and Eric standing in the hallway. Soon enough she was seeing Lily's tentatively smiling face.
"What's this, Serena?" Lily asked.
"Vanessa thought it would be a good idea to 'document' the moment for prosperity and all." Serena's disembodied voice answered.
"Here's your Daddy, little one." A woman was saying as the camera focused in on her and the pink bundle in her arms.
And there was Chuck. Blair's hand went to her mouth. He was deathly pale and she could see his hands literally shaking as the nurse slipped the small bundle into his arms. Just as she was wishing Serena would zoom in closer, so that she could get a better look at the newborn hidden beneath that pink blanket, the camera moved in closer on father and daughter.
Her baby cried out. A soft mewling sound that truly did sound like a little cat. She'd been Daddy's little Kat from the beginning.
Blair couldn't help laughing as she watched panic skitter across Chuck's pale features.
He tried to hand her off. "I'm not doing it right. Lily. Serena. Take her."
The nurse came back and handed him a bottle. She reached out and adjusted his hold on the little girl and soon enough the child was happily slurping away. "See. Baby just hungry. Now, Daddy needs to relax. Baby's are very sensitive to those around them. Relax and enjoy your little girl."
As the nurse stepped away, Lily came to stand at his side, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. "See Charles? Just a hungry cry. You've got a lot of that coming your way. That and so much more."
Serena called out, "Chuck. Say something to Blair."
His head shot up, his eyes casting wildly about the room, searching for Blair and finding nothing beyond Serena holding a camera. His resulting disappointment was a tangible thing.
"She's so tiny, S. Vanessa said three and a half weeks. How big is she here?"
"Four pounds, eight ounces."
"Oh my god." Blair shook her head, "What about before? When she was born?"
"Well…Kat came out first but she was smaller than Evie."
Unsatisfied with that, Blair pressed on for more. "How much smaller, Serena?"
"Evie was almost six pounds and Kat was almost half that." Serena said softly, drawing a horrified sound from her best friend.
"Almost? So not even three." Blair shook her head. "I don't understand. I was careful. I tried to eat all of the right things and do everything those stupid books said that I was supposed to."
"B," Serena used the remote to pause the DVD. Chuck's heart in his eyes as he looked down into his daughter's face. Her brown eyes looked on his as she suckled. "Listen to me. You didn't do anything wrong. Like you just said. You read the books. The doctors even said that it's completely normal for one twin to be smaller than the other." The blonde smiled, "Evie was pushy even from the womb, I guess. But Kat's strong. She can hold her own. She was smaller yes…but she was taken off of the ventilator and didn't need the feeding tube as long as the doctors thought she would. They even let her come home earlier. You didn't do anything wrong."
"It was too early. The doctors put me on bedrest…"
"And we all made sure you stuck to your doctors' orders." Serena countered.
"I let myself get too stressed. The situation with my Mom and Chuck. I should've just pushed it out of my mind." Blair argued, staring at the moment frozen in time. Just the tip of all she'd missed. Kat's first bottle. First feeding without some damn tube. How could Blair not wonder what she'd done wrong?
"All right, superwoman. When you learn that little trick could you please teach me." Serena teased.
"I suppose." Blair finally cracked a smile. She could worry over all the things she'd done wrong during her pregnancy, but in the end, all Blair truly needed to do was to look at her girls now to reassure herself that everything had worked out. Her girls were strong and healthy. "Can we watch more?"
"Fine. But you have to promise not to cry anymore." Serena said, but quickly found herself amending. "Okay, that might not work. How about…no more freaking out."
"I guess that's not asking for too much. We'll see. Push play." Blair instructed.
"Guess it's good then that I haven't started your makeup yet."
"Play."
Without another word, the movie carried on. The only sound in the room coming solely from the television screen.
The best friends watched for the next ten minutes as Kat finished her first bottle and an uncertain Chuck learned how to burp the fragile bundle cradled in his arms. Both came out of the experience none the worse. Chuck's entire focus centered there, his movements delicate and slow. His nerves in his eyes and unsteady smile whenever he glanced up at Lily or Serena. His confidence and color was slow in coming back and Blair was beyond happy when he finally relaxed, flashing that familiar, cocky grin.
All to soon, that nurse was carrying off the baby and the screen went dark.
Blair turned to Serena and started to ask if there were other DVDs, some small window into the life that she'd missed. She never got the chance. A new scene popped onto the television screen. Not the NICU this time, but a room far more familiar to Blair, stirring her memory.
It was Chuck, Eric, and Nate. The boys were sitting on the floor, surrounded by veritable mountain of parts. Nate was studying the empty box, sitting behind them, an image of the cribs that Blair vaguely remember picking out were emblazoned on the side. Eric appeared to be reading through the instructions and getting nothing out of it. Chuck seemed to be teetering between disgust and frustration. His hair was rumpled as if he'd run his fingers through it too many times and his jaw was unshaven.
"Tell me again, why I didn't just hire someone to do this." He got to his feet and stretched out.
"Consider it a rite of passage, Charles." Lily suggested, a small smile playing at her lips..
The camera zoomed out until Blair could see the rest of the room. She suddenly knew exactly where they were. It was the guestroom directly across from Chuck's bedroom. They'd taken the queen-sized bed out of course and the décor was now in cream as well as the palest of pinks and purples. Lily was settled comfortably on the light carpet with piles of bags and baby clothes on either side of her. The same clothes that Blair and Serena had spent hours picking out. The older woman sat their, her hands careful and fingers deft as she folded one tiny piece of clothing after another, handing them off to Serena.
Her friend played with the delicate fabric, caressing each piece, testing the feel before stowing them in the armoire where Blair could see a few of the frilly baby dresses and less formal outfits that she'd chosen.
"I can assure you that this is one rite of passage that does not need my attention." Air expelled, loud and harsh, as Chuck wandered over to sunbathed windows. He made a grab for one of the twin mobiles sitting side-by-side, his fingers flicked at the colorful fabric of handcrafted butterflies and bumblebees.
There was something so incredibly sad in the way he held the mobile, cradling one soft butterfly in his hand. Blair broke Serena's useless "no more tears rule" and wished that she could reach back across time and just hug him close. Blair found her own thoughts flitting back to the night of her seventeenth birthday party. That night when he hadn't let fear rule him. When he told her about the butterflies.
She remembered being horrified and utterly in awe of the fact that she could inspire…"fluttering," in Chuck Bass, but that had been just the tip of what they'd come to feel for one another. She'd been devastated when he'd just suddenly disappeared, leaving nothing behind for her to hold on except that damn note. Still, she'd be shaken but unmoved in her belief that he'd come home to her. Blair had been certain that he'd only be able to stay away for so long before he started to pick up the pieces of his shattered self, but he never came. Not until it was too late. Suddenly she was the one who'd gone away.
More than once, Blair found herself wondering if this was how Chuck had felt. Granted she'd been in the same room, but just as untouchable…just as out of reach, if not more so.
"I think I've got it." Eric said tossing the instructions aside until they landed in Nate's lap. "Come on, Chuck. You'll feel better once it's done."
"Fine." He glared at them camera. "Vanessa, would you turn that stupid thing off. I doubt Blair would be amused with our bumbling attempts here."
"Oh, I disagree." Vanessa called out from behind the camera.
Blair couldn't agree more and for once was grateful for Punky's insane voyeuristic tendencies.
Sitting at her side, Serena alternated between watching the old footage and the span of Blair's emotions, right there for the world to see. In that face, Serena watched everything from heartbreaking sadness to out-and-out hilarity as the three boys on screen worked laboriously to put together not one but two cribs. Watching this, the blonde woman was taken back, flooded by her own memories of that time without her best friend.
--
The Van der Bass Apartment, August 2009
Serena stood in the doorway of what had been Bart's office before he'd died. Now her mother and Chuck shared the space. Her mother sat behind Bart's desk, her glasses perched on her nose as she scanned the paperwork laid out before her. Serena faltered, not sure of…No, very certain what her mother would say.
Her mother had been amazing over the past few weeks. Months. Taking in Blair when Eleanor threw her out for changing her mind about the adoption. Then Lily had gone toe-to-toe with the other woman after the girls' birth. The week from hell. Things had been touch and go with Kat who'd been so unbelievable small and hooked up to so many wires and tubes, her too sensitive eyes hidden from the world. The nurses had let them in to see the baby girl since her own grandmother refused to see her and B…B was still out of it. In a coma. It was all so unbelievable.
They'd failed in their efforts to bring Chuck home in time and Evie was given to strangers. Despite the fact that they were as much family as Eleanor. Maybe not in blood but Bart and her mother had signed the papers. Shouldn't that have been enough for that stupid judge to give her mother custody of the girls. Reason enough to buy them more time until they managed to get a location on Chuck? The judge hadn't thought it to be enough. He'd had the papers that Blair had signed. Copies of the ones that her friend had believe destroyed.
So, yes. Serena had brought Chuck home but it'd been too late. Evie was gone and they didn't know where to begin looking for her. Eleanor was being damned evasive. Now weeks later after the twins' birth, they were still no closer to finding Chuck and Blair's other little girl. Little Kat was getting stronger. They'd taken out the feeding tube weeks ago and they'd watched Chuck feed his daughter for the first time. And now the doctors were saying that she'd be able to come home soon, hence the hilarious hours they all spent trying to put the nursery together yesterday. She'd tried to remember all the things that her best friend had wanted but was sure that she'd missed more than one detail.
Lily glanced up and saw her just standing there, looking so lost. That seemed to be what they were all feeling these days. "Serena, sweetheart. What is it?"
"It can wait. You're busy."
Her mother protested, taking off her glasses. "I can take a break. Just a few briefs and proposals that Charles wanted me to look over. With Kat and just taking over everything at the company, he wanted my feedback. What's wrong, Serena?"
"Nothing's really wrong." Serena came inside and settled on the edge of the desk. "I was just thinking. Classes are in another few weeks and…"
"And you can't wait to get started." Lily finished.
"No, actually. I think it would be a good idea if…well if I took the semester off." Serena added quickly.
Her mother blinked owlishly as if she hadn't heard quite right. "I'm sorry, but have you lost your mind?"
"Mom, just hear me out…"
"You haven't even started the semester, for godsakes. Now you want time off," Lily remarked, incredulously. "No. It's not happening."
"I should be here. Chuck is going to need as much help as he can get. The doctors will be releasing Kat any day now and Eleanor and her lawyers can only stall for so long on handing over all the documents on Evie's adoption."
"Yes. And when she…when they get home, they'll have me and Eric and Dorota to play backup for your brother. You are going to school. End of discussion."
"No, I'm not."
"Excuse me, young lady?"
"I'm sorry, Mom. But I'm not going." Serena's mouth flattened, her arms crossing.
"Serena, New Haven is not on the other side of the world."
"It's far enough away. Suppose something happens with Blair?" Serena demanded. Eleanor was already barring them all from seeing her best friend, how could Serena even consider the possibility of leaving the city all together?
"Then we'll call you and you'll be on the first train out." The house phone trilled, punctuating the finality in Lily's words.
"Mom. Listen…"
Lily held up her hand and brought the phone to her ear, "Bass residence…Charles? What's wrong?"
Serena went still, her eyes glued to her mother's face. The immediate worry etched in her features gave way to a wide smile.
"Really? That's wonderful."
"What's wonderful?" Serena demanded softly. Every scenario under the sun running through her brain. Kat. Or…no Evie. They'd found Evie. Blair. She was afraid to ask. Was it Blair?
"No. Eric is at Jonathan's but I'll call him. Serena and I should be there shortly. This is truly wonderful news. Don't sound so worried. It'll be okay." She hung up the phone and stood to her feet.
"What is it?"
"Kat's coming home." Lily answered, hurrying from the office and leaving Serena to follow.
"Really? That's great. When? Tomorrow?" Serena asked.
"No. Today. Within the next few hours. Charles said the doctors told him that she's ready. They were going to release her tomorrow but your brother talked them into letting her go today." Lily informed her daughter as they made their way to the mostly finished nursery. "He needs Kat's carseat and something for her to wear home. Do you know if Blair had anything picked out?"
Serena shook her head. There hadn't been any time. The girls had come far too early. She followed her mother inside the newly painted nursery. They cribs sat side-by-side, each with identical mobiles of butterflies and bumblebees in-flight. Her mother headed straight for the armoire filled with all of the baby clothes and blankets that Blair had gone crazy buying. Serena smiled, remembering the hours spent in Bergdorf's and Barney's, marveling and giggling with Blair over all of the tiny, little outfits. And okay so maybe she'd gone a bit crazy herself, tossing in just as many of the tiny garments as Blair.
Little booties, socks, baby caps, blankets, and bodysuits. The soft, little bibs with cute messages, one with little ballet slippers and another with the simple declaration "Daddy's Little Princess." Neither she nor B mentioned Chuck's continued absence. Just as they'd been about to leave, Blair had spotted it, grabbing up two of each. Her best friend had fallen silent, as if daring Serena or anyone else to voice their contradiction. Despite everything, a small part of B never stopped believing that he'd come back and that he'd love their babies as much as she had.
"That one." Serena said now, as her mother packed one of the diaper bags. She grabbed one of the "Daddy's Little Princess" bibs and a pale purple bodysuit. Her fingers stroked stitches depicting of Barney's Lions.
This was a step in the right direction. Kat was coming home. So everything else would be as it should. Evie would be home and Blair was going to wake up. She had a good feeling. Everything was going to be okay.
--
Present Day
Serena sighed. She hadn't exactly been wrong. Things just hadn't all happened, as quickly as, any of them would've liked.
"You said she came home right after this?" Blair looked around Serena's head to catch sight of the television.
The blonde nodded, "Yes, she did. Now would you stop moving around so much. You're one who wanted your make-up and hair ready for tonight. Chuck's going to be here any minute with the girls. Did you change your mind about tonight?"
Blair sighed and reached for the remote. "No. I guess we've watched enough for now. The rest can wait until later. Maybe Chuck could watch with me."
"Maybe 'Chuck' could watch what with you?" The man himself asked, pushing the door open.
Blair couldn't help the bright smile that stretched her mouth. Of course she was sad that she couldn't have been there, but seeing Chuck with their daughter was a joy beyond mere words. One that only he could share with her. She motioned to freeze-framed moment of Chuck and Eric lifted one assembled crib. "Vanessa brought me a present."
Chuck didn't return her smile as he stared at the television screen. "So I see."
The girls rushed in, distracting Blair from their father's strange behavior. He seemed almost transfixed as he wandered closer to the frozen image. Serena frowned at her brother as the girls swarmed the bed, hugging their mother.
"Oh my God. Look at you guys." Blair held them away, trying to get a look at them in their outfits. Both girls wore their dark hair pulled away from their faces in high ponytails. They were in dark jeans and Knicks' t-shirts, Kat's blue and Evie's in white.
"Mommy, are you coming, too?" Evie looked down at Blair's jeans and blouse.
Jeans which their father still hadn't commented on. She resisted the urge to pout. "No. Wish I could." And she really meant it. Anything would be better than being in that hospital room. Even watching a bunch of men running up and down the court dribbling a ball. She'd watched the game a few times with her father, but he'd been more into college football. Her girls apparently loved their trips to the Garden whether for the Knicks and Rangers. She glanced over at their father. What was he doing? "Chuck?"
--
August 2009
Lily and Serena arrived shortly after he'd called with the news about Kat. Excitement had them practically bouncing off the walls, while Chuck was feeling beyond terrified. Insisting that Kat be allowed to come home today had been a good idea in theory. It certainly had felt good and sounded that way when he'd been speaking with the doctors earlier.
Now the reality was upon them and Chuck wondered if everyone had lost their fucking minds.
They were sending him home with this tiny, helpless little girl. They were actually trusting him to get it right and not totally screw up within the first hour.
I can't do this, he thought. The same panicked revelation echoing louder and louder at the back of his brain, demanding release. He opened his mouth. Tried to tell them, but then Lily was coming at him.
"Here she is, Charles."
And yes there she was. She was still so small even with the weight she'd put on. Lily and Serena had worked their magic, dressing Kat in some purple sleeper thing and matching baby socks. There was even a little cap covering her dark, silken curls.
"One last bottle for the road and then this little one is ready for home." The nurse said. "Isn't that right, my pretty one."
Chuck had no choice but to take the small bundle in his arms. The baby blinked up at him. He waited for her face to screw up and for her to sound the alarm, telling the world that Chuck Bass didn't know what the hell he was doing and for some sane person to get him the hell away before he dropped her or forgot to feed her or a million and one other things he'd get wrong. She didn't make a sound. No, that was wrong. She gave a little baby sigh and God he'd swear that she smiled at him.
And here was Serena with that damn camera pointed at him. Liable to capture every one of his missteps. "S, would you turn that off."
"Nope." Serena grinned. "Mom, the bib."
"Oh, right. Don't feed her yet. Wouldn't want to make a mess all over those pretty new clothes." Lily said and fussed over the baby, her fingers nudging until Kat's curled around, latching on. Her eyes, wide with fascination as she looked from him to Lily and then back again. Her bow mouth quirked as if she understood the gibberish spewing from his father's widow as she latched around Kat's neck. "There we are. Not our girl is perfect. Are you ready, huh? Ready to go home, sweet Katherine? No?" She tipped her head, listening as if silently communicating with the baby. "Oh, I see. Food first. How could I have forgotten? I won't let Daddy forget."
Chuck rolled his eyes at Lily's "babytalk," but somehow found that he was smiling as he glanced down to survey her handiwork. glanced down and saw the words. The simple message on the tiny bib, stealing his breath.
"Blair picked it out." Serena told him.
He nodded as if he'd known. But he hadn't. The significance wasn't lost on him either. She'd been waiting. Somehow Blair had known that he'd come and that he'd fall head over heels for his daughters…same as he'd fallen for her. Blair trusted him. Absently, he accepted the bottle from the nurse.
Almost immediately, Kat latched on and began suckling, stronger and steadier than that first time. All the while, her eyes never once left his. Her baby face so serious, those alert eyes studied him.
"I'm taking her to see Blair." Chuck declared, surprising himself and the two women who'd been alternately cooing over the baby and chattering about the dozens of things that needed to be done.
His adoptive mother cleared her throat, "Do you think that's such a good idea? Eleanor has made it clear…"
"I don't give a damn…."
"Language, Charles."
Fuck. There went that first hour. Cut me some slack, kid. He looked down at Kat. I'm bound to mess up. At least a few hundred times a day. Just bear with me, baby, he implored silently.
She farted and then burped, milk trickling from the side of her mouth. "Done?" He pulled the bottle away from her mouth slowly. Chuck waited for the briefest of seconds to see if her little face screwed up but it didn't and this time he damn well saw her smile. "I'm taking her to see her mother. It's not right they've both been here all this time and haven't been in the same effing room since day one. It's not right."
"I agree with you whole-heartedly. But Harold told us that he would try to make her see reason."
"It's been weeks, Lily. I have to bribe the friggin' staff to tell me anything." Well not all of them. More than one of the nurses had been willing to help without him actually handing over money but he still shouldn't have to ask someone else. He should be able to see her with his own eyes. Not have Harold running interference for him. No one could make that evil bitch see reason, though. Not Cyrus. Not Lily. And certainly not her ex-husband.
"Okay." Lily said, "We'll try to see Blair."
Less than fifteen minutes later, they were downstairs outside of Blair's private room. The nurses glanced up. Some smiled when they caught sight of the baby in his arms, while others exchanged worried glances.
The last time anyone had seen him down there, he'd gotten into it with one of the guards at B's door. Not the first or last time since the whole damn thing started. Of course, they didn't know about the few times that he'd been able to sneak in. Able to steal just a few minutes that only left him hungry for more time with her. It'd been late and he'd found an ally in one of the guards.
"Mr. Bass. I'm going to have to ask you to turn around." The big guy stood to his feet, standing almost a half a foot taller than Chuck himself. Definitely not the same guy who'd taken pity on him.
"Not happening. I'm going in there. Please…try and stop me."
"Yes and give us a nice, wide smile for your close-up." Serena stepped closer camera in hand and getting a good view of the man looming over Chuck with the pink bundle in his arms.
"He just wants a few minutes. You can let him in." Lily came to stand beside Chuck. "We just want to take the baby inside. Let her spend a few minutes with her mother before we take her home. Please."
The man glanced away from the camera in Serena's hand, back down to the baby and Lily's imploring expression. His own softened and he held up his hands in a helpless gesture. "I would if I could, but Mrs. Rose is inside and I need this gig."
"I'll give you a job." Chuck said, "You do know who I am, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do, but…"
"On the spot. No questions asked. I'll double your fuckin…effing salary." He held the baby closer to him, on the verge of begging or cursing and not wanting his daughter to hear him do either.
"She'll just hire someone else and you can't really buy them all off. Give them all jobs."
"Try me." Chuck challenged, "I've got more than enough capital, if necessary. Come on."
Nodding wordlessly, the man stepped back, opening the door for them.
"And the beautiful princess…" Eleanor looked up from her place at Blair's beside, the book of fairytales in her hands a parody of what should've been. She froze at the sight of Chuck and his family framed in the doorway.
Kat's baby yawn, a small sound that broke into the stillness and drew her maternal grandmother's attention.
Eleanor blinked at the bundle in his arms, as quickly as her gaze landed she was wrenching her eyes away. She didn't look at Chuck or any of the others. She glared instead at the guard whose hand still rested on the knob. "What do you think you're doing?"
"The right thing. You should try it, Eleanor." Lily said, ushering her family inside.
"Morality lessons from you?" Eleanor scoffed at the very idea. "Please. Get them out now. Or you're fired."
"I afraid that he no longer works for you." Chuck told her, his eyes trained on the sleeping woman. Unable to resist, he leaned forward and greeted her with a soft kiss. Eleanor and anyone else who didn't like it could go straight to hell.
Blair's mother came around the bed. To do what he wasn't sure and she didn't seem to know either as she stopped a few feet away from him, her hands fisted at her side, the book she'd been reading to Blair still clutched in one hand.
"Why can't you just leave her in peace? Haven't you done enough? Don't think I wasn't aware of your father's opinion of you and I couldn't agree more. You bring havoc and confusion to everything. My daughter would be perfectly fine…getting ready to go away to college…to start her life if not for you and those children."
"Those…being our grandchildren. No more of that venom you've been spewing, Eleanor. You'll regret it one day."
"Are you threatening me, Lily?"
"No, I'm just telling the truth. Find it threatening, do you?"
Eleanor finally caught sight of Serena who'd been unusually silent. "What do you think you're doing with that?"
The blonde shrugged. "We figured that when B does wake up, she'd want to see all that she'd missed. Like you…keeping Chuck away from her. Keeping her away from her babies. She's going to wake up. Any day now. And she's going to hate you."
"Get out." Eleanor said softly, then she practically yelled it, her entire body taunt and furious, edging between him and the hospital bed. "Get out!!"
Kat took exception to her grandmother's yelling and let out her own cry, screeching out her own displeasure. For the first time, Eleanor looked down into her granddaughter's face. The older woman stumbled back, her eyes flying away from the baby's face, landing on any and everywhere else.
"You can't even look at her, can you?" Chuck said, his tone soothing as he instinctively rocked the baby in his arms. "Feeling guilty?"
She met his eyes in a defiant glare that was so very reminiscent of the brunette who slept only a touch away from him. "I have nothing whatsoever to feel guilty about."
"The hell you don't." Chuck said quietly, a dark smile caressing the beautiful angles of his face. A fallen angel out for blood. "But you're going to feel it and soon. On that you have my word. Now get the hell out of my way…you evil old bitch. It's long past time that I introduced Blair to one of her daughters."
Eleanor stood stock-still as he edge around her and settled on the edge of Blair's hospital bed.
"B, I'd like you to meet Katherine Lillian Bass," he cleared his throat, trying to get past the basketball suddenly lodged there, "I know you named Evie for my mother and I'm truly honored, but there's no fucking way that either of our daughters will bear your mother's name. No effing way." He felt Eleanor at his back but didn't turn around. "I'll bring Evie to you, as soon as I get her back. I'll bring her to you. Promise."
"You should just let them go. All of them. That child is with a family who can take care of her and that baby in your arms deserves no less."
Lily shook her head, "Their family is right here in this room. You included, for whatever that's worth."
"It's worth nothing." Chuck hissed softly. "Don't even bother, Lily."
Eleanor shook her head. "Look, I'll be back in this room in 10 minutes with hospital security. Do us all a favor and be gone? And before you get any other ideas I'm taking her out of this place…no more late night visits or bribing my guards, so make it count."
She left them alone, almost running down the security guard as she hurried from the room.
"Chuck…"
--
Present Day
He'd done the right thing. The DVD reminded him of that fact. It wasn't all about revenge, Chuck told himself.
Those first few years he'd wanted her as far away from New York as possible. The last thing that he wanted his daughters growing up with was Eleanor spreading her poison. Making them believe that they were responsible for their mother's condition.
Months after their confrontation in Blair's hospital room, Chuck found himself watching the DVD, wanting nothing more than to burn the damn thing. But he'd kept it. Sure that he might be able to use it against Eleanor in some way down the road.
Her words intended to be swipes at him, falling onto his girls. That had burned and infuriated him. It reminded him of years spent living with the specter of his mother's death and Bart's resentment. The very idea of Evie or Kat feeling even a fraction of what he'd felt growing up, had driven Chuck initially in his vengeance. Sure he'd wanted her career destroyed, that which she held most dear, but more than anything he'd wanted Blair's mother as far away from his children as possible.
Now she was back.
Listening to her girls with one ear, Blair's attention flickered to Chuck's still form as he stood in front of the television screen. He stood unmoving, as if confronting the frozen image of his eighteen year old self.
She tried to glimpse what he could be feeling. What he'd felt back then. When he'd come home and found himself suddenly responsible for two infants. Granted she'd done everything she could to tell him. Her letter undelivered. Lily's people searching for him to no avail.
Ultimately, it had been Serena who'd finally tracked him down, thanks to their old friend, Kati. Her best friend had found him and he'd been thrown headfirst into parenthood.
Blair could only imagine what that had felt like. She'd had five minutes to agonize before the stick turned blue. Weeks pretending that her entire world remained unchanged and months of Gossip Girl blasts where the nosy bitch kept all interested parties in the know on her pregnancy and Chuck's continued M.I.A status. Unlike Chuck, she'd had time to feel go through it all. She'd had not quite nine months to get used to the idea, to trust herself with the two little lives that she'd carried inside.
She remembered how alone she'd felt, even with Serena always there. Standing by her side during her minions failed "coup" or draggingher to senior prom. Little J, Eric, Lily, Cyrus and even her mother to an extent had been there for her but watching the DVD, seeing Chuck, reminded her just how very much alone she'd felt, despite being surrounding…simply because he hadn't been there with her.
Blair dragged her eyes away from that solitary form and looked to her best friend. "S, could you…" She motioned to the twins.
Nodding, Serena drew the girls' attention in her direction. "Hey, guys. I was talking to your Grandma earlier. What this I hear about a new Robbie Raccoon story?"
The girls pounced instantly, excitedly talking over one another as they filled in their aunt on the details of Robbie Raccoon's love affair with the frog princess who'd given up on toads.
Blair heard them, but their words didn't sink in. No more than anything they'd said in the past few minutes had reached Chuck. He was right there in the room, yet miles or rather years away from them. She didn't bother with the walker, but used the bed and furniture to steady herself as she moved up behind him.
"Chuck?" She whispered, close enough to reach out and touch him, but he didn't seem to hear her. Blair came around to face him, leaning one hand against the wall for support and the other she waved before his sightless eyes. "Hey. Are you okay?"
He blinked rapidly, eyes focusing on her finally. "What?"
"Are you okay?"
"What? Of course."
"You're lying." Blair read the wash of anger, sadness, and absolute vulnerability in his entire bearing before he shut down on her. "Talk to me? Did something go wrong at your meeting?"
"My meeting went off exactly as I wanted." Chuck pulled her away from the wall, so that she was leaning into him. "C'mere, Waldorf. You should be in bed."
"I am beyond sick of that bed."
"I know. You'll be out of this place soon enough," he told her, the smile he'd been forcing becoming something real and true as he looked at her. That familiar, cocky grin lit up his entire face. "Look at you."
She flushed as he finally took note of her new pajama-free existence.
"Jeans?" Chuck teased, one hand playing absently with the ends of shining brown curls. "Hot date, Waldorf?"
"As a matter of fact." Her hands came up automatically, holding on to him as she shifted her weight. She watched him, searching for the tumult of emotions that she'd briefly glimpsed moments before, but it was gone as if it had never been. There was nothing vulnerable in the look of pure male appreciation on his face as his eyes skimmed the length of her jean-clad legs and slowly drifted back up. It was exactly the reaction that she'd wanted when she'd been trying them on earlier with Serena and Dorota.
"Anyone I know?"
Okay so he didn't want to talk about whatever had been bothering him earlier. Fine. She could pout about it or play along until he let his guard down. Blair opted for the latter, one hand unconsciously reaching out to stroke his dark hair. She retorted softly, "Probably not. I'll have to introduce you once he gets here."
"Yes, I think I'd like to meet this man before he officially ceases to exist."
"Daddy, we left Mommy's stuff in the car. You have to go get it before it gets all melted and yucky." Evie said.
"Damn."
"Daddy." Kat censored.
"Sorry, baby. Won't happen again."
"Yes it will."
"Probably, just don't rat me out to Dorota, okay?" He turned back to Blair. "Come on, why don't you sit here."
"Why don't you take me with you? Dr. Will said that a little exercise wouldn't hurt. The fresh air would do me good. Really, Bass."
"You want me to break you out? What've you been conspiring with those two?" He motioned to the twins, looking between his three girls. Lingering once more one Blair's jeans. Or rather the curves beneath them. "All you're missing is a Knicks t-shirt."
He waited for her to turn up that pretty little nose at that and let him know in no uncertain terms that Blair Waldorf, did not do "t-shirts." Only she looked to be considering his words. "Don't even think about it, Blair."
"Well, how about we just sneak outside for a few minutes. I miss the sun on my face. Really on my face, not through the window." She told him. "I'm sure Dr. Will…"
Chuck rolled his eyes. He was getting really tired of hearing about "Dr. Will." Still the hunger in Blair's voice when she spoke of missing something as simple as the feeling of the sun caressing her face, made him tamp down on his annoyance with the ubiquitous Doc and resolve to talk to the man about getting the okay to at least let B out for fresh air. Maybe even push the Doc again about releasing her entirely. Hell, if not for his worries over McCarty he'd have gotten Harold to sign her out of St. Vincent's days ago. "One thing at a time, Blair. Let me talk to Chambers."
Once he hurried from the room to rescue her melted ice cream from the limo, Blair took the opportunity to rope Kat and Evie in on the surprise for their Daddy. She called Dorota to be sure that her old maid had everything standing by once Serena signaled the "go-ahead." The twins had fun playing lookout as she and S made quick work of her make-up and hair.
The girls were likely far too interested in the goings-on in that hospital room to wonder where he'd gone. Kat and Evie seemed to grow more enthralled with each visit, each day that passed, as they finally got to know their mother for themselves.
Chuck didn't return to the room immediately. Instead, he detoured by Chambers' office. The package with Blair's ice cream turned milkshake in one hand.
"Bass. Come in." The bastard was in his office, shuffling paperwork. Chambers stood briefly as Chuck stepped inside and motioned for him to have a seat.
"Please. Sit." He glanced at the package in Chuck's hand and smiled. "For Blair I take it."
"It was." Chuck cleared his throat, setting the soggy white bag on the edge of the man's desk. "Listen, I wanted to know if you'd thought about what we discussed the other day."
"Well, I was hoping that you or Blair's parents would reconsider your decision. If you're not going to use St. Vincent's facilities for Blair's recovery, then take her back to the private hospital…this pseudo-facility that you're having built."
"Will provide Blair with far superior equipment and one-on-one treatment from the private staff that I've hired." Chuck finished dryly. "Look, I don't understand the hold up. All of her tests have come back clear. You've unhooked her from most of the monitors. She's talked to the psychologist. More than once…"
"You haven't…" Chambers planted his chin on steepled hands.
Glaring at the man, Chuck reminded, "I'm not your patient, Doctor."
"No, but you'll be acting as the main support system for Blair. What's happened is a great trauma for all of those close to her? It's highly advisable that you speak with Trisha, as well."
"Noted." He said, his jaw clenching and locking of it's own volition. "Look. Blair's sick of being stuck inside and wants the freedom to get around more. You gave her that damn walker, so you must think she's getting stronger. She's had the preliminary visits from St. Vincent's physical therapist."
"I'm fully aware that you'd like to take her home, as soon as possible."
"Damn right I would."
"But some things shouldn't be rushed simply because you'd like to have things your way. Blair's health must the paramount concern here."
Mouth twisted and as sardonic as his words, Chuck said. "Of course."
"Glad that we can agree on that." Chambers retorted, "Now, I've already informed the nurses that Blair could have the freedom to go about the floor. I just can't sign off on her leaving the hospital entirely at this stage."
"Fine. But, my people are working day and night to have everything ready in time. My daughters would love to have their mother home with them." With us, hung in the air, unspoken and yet understood by the two men.
"Noted." Chambers nodded.
"I'd better get back." Chuck stood to his feet, swiping the package of melted ice cream as he turned to go.
Chambers cleared his thread, "Bass. One other thing. This is a hospital. It might be best, if when visiting hours are at their end, that you left just like everyone else. I can understand why you wouldn't want to be separated from her for even a night, but this hospital has policies and you can…"
"Maybe they need to be changed."
"Pardon me."
"I said. Maybe someone needs to go back and rewrite them. These policies. My mother is good friends with the Chief of Staff. I'm sure that if I had a chat with him then we could clear things up."
The doctor offered a mirthless smile. "I'm sure that wouldn't be necessary."
"Of course." Chuck started for the door, "Please do consider that timetable that I was speaking to you about. It'd be a shame if we couldn't figure this thing out between ourselves…involving third parties can become, well messy. I'll tell B that you said hello."
Not! He strode from Chambers' office, feeling the weight of the doctor's eyes on his back. Perhaps it wasn't the best of ideas to goad the man, but it felt damn good. The bastard was attracted to Blair and flirted openly with her. And Blair, damn her, seemed to find it funny. Teasing and lightly accusing him of being jealous of the guy's beside manner.
One thing he was certain of was that if the bastard didn't stop dragging his feet, Chuck would follow through on his threat to go over Chamber's fucking head.
Just a few more days. Once he was truly certain that Blair was on the road to recovery, he'd make the call. His thought again of the DVD. Some much time had been wasted already. No more.
Chuck returned to Blair's room, melted ice cream in hand. An air of conspiracy hung as thick as a storm cloud, and their hushed whispers fell silent the moment he stepped inside. Their eyes darted in his direction.
He looked from one face to another, until his eyes landed on Blair's. She was sitting in a wheelchair and the expression on her face a dead giveaway that she was up to something. "Did I miss something?"
"Actually, you did, Bass. What took you so long…whatever, doesn't matter," she said, "Come on. You can push while Serena distracts the floor nurse."
"We're going to help Auntie S." Evie told him.
"Yeah, so you have to take Mommy," her sister added.
"How about someone let me in on the plan." His daughters gave him a look that clearly demanded that he keep up.
"We're sneaking Mommy downstairs."
"Downstairs?" And right out the door? Were they still plotting to get their mother courtside for the Knicks?
"We're going to see Jenny." His sister at least decided to show some mercy.
Jenny. That was the big mystery. Chuck started to tell them that there was no reason for the high drama and subterfuge since Chambers had pretty much given Blair leave to move freely. Well, freely about the hospital, for now at least. In the end, Chuck decided not to say anything. The scheming foursome all looked so pleased with themselves and their plan that he couldn't bear being the one to burst their collective bubble.
"What do you say, Bass? Are you in or not?"
"Oh, I'm in." Chuck hissed, his mouth twisted into a satisfied smirk. Granted it wasn't anywhere near the masterpieces that he and Waldorf had come up with in the past but damn if it didn't feel like a good start.
Excitement rushed through her as she watched him. She waited for him to turn on her with those knowing eyes and call her out for her little ruse. Of course, she wanted to see Jenny. The blonde had briefly visited Blair two days after she woke up. She'd been quiet and there had been a strange tension between the younger woman and her mother. Despite her promises otherwise, Jenny hadn't come back to visit.
Serena had told her about the fire that had injured the blonde and destroyed her business. She told Blair how the blonde might not regain full use of her right hand and according to S's late night conversations with Brooklyn, little J wasn't handling that possibility very well.
Jenny had stuck by her during one of the hardest periods in her life and Blair figured that it was only right to return the favor. Two birds with one stone, really. On the one hand, they'd be able to visit poor Jenny. If Serena and Blair couldn't cheer the girl up then there was no way that she'd be able to resist the awesome powers of charm and wit that Kat and Evie already wielded with such ease. Then on the other hand, they'd be able to keep Chuck distracted for a while so that Dorota could work her magic.
The twins disappeared down the hall with their Aunt. Chuck and Blair shared a long grin, bodies stiff and waiting for the signal. It wasn't long in coming. Blair cringed inwardly, rolling her eyes once the unnatural, high pitch of Serena's laugh or cackle rather, scrapped at her ears.
Chuck groaned but didn't move behind Blair until the sound came again, traveling further away from Blair's hospital room. All at once, the duo was on the move. By the time, they made it pass the nurse's station, the area was deserted.
"Good work, S." Blair whispered and gave a silent thanks to the nurses for agreeing to help them.
"Hold the elevator." Chuck called out but the doors were sliding shut and no one moved to wait for them.
"Well, that was rude."
Chuck stabbed at the call button. "Welcome back to the world, B."
"Maybe we should take the stairs."
Her head craned around to meet his doubtful glance, as he stared pointedly at the wheelchair that the nurses had insisted on as a condition of their cooperation with her plan. She didn't really need it. Not really. She felt much more secure on her own two feet these days. Chuck suddenly didn't look very impressed with all of her hard-won progress.
She glared at him defensively. "I could walk. Besides it would be good for me."
"Not happening. It's the chair or no visit."
"You could always carry me."
"Down four flights and the maze of hallways in this place?" He chortled, stabbing at the button again, "Yeah, that wouldn't be at all conspicuous."
"Hush." She laughed, swatting at him playfully. The elevator dinged and opened up on an empty car. They hurried on, Chuck grunting and feigning exhaustion. Blair rolled her eyes at his antics. "You're horrible. Now stops messing around before you get us caught."
"As you wish." He sketched a quick bow and turned to press the button for Jenny's floor. His fingers stopped, hovering over the one button that would take them to the first floor. The one that would eventually lead them home.
Blair held her breath, waiting. Do it, she wanted to tell him and he actually turned to her. That smile that made her week and the question right there in her eyes.
Before either could speak, the twins and Serena were hurrying onto the elevator. They were still riding high on their parts in the scheme.
"We did it." Kat high-fived her sister as the other little girl whooped, jumping up and down. The girls were certainly having fun in getting one over their Daddy. The years to come would be interesting, indeed.
"Jenny it is, then." Chuck whispered before his fingers danced upward and pressed at the fourth floor. He gave blame a quick smile, his regret in those soft, brown eyes.
His sister missed nothing of the unspoken exchange and raised questioning brows.
"Later." Was all he said, he eyes falling back to Blair's as he repeated the single word. Spoken like another promise of things to come. "Later."
One that Blair couldn't wait to have fulfilled.
The five descended on the youngest Humphrey. She shared a worried glance with Serena as they both caught sight of the crumpled balls of paper littering the floor.
Jenny caught them in the act and couldn't hide her bitterness as she glanced down at her injured hand. She waved at them with her left, holding a pencil with an awkward grip. Only once she caught sight of the girls did the young blonde, tossing the pencil away in disgust. She forced a smile for Evie and Kat.
"Hey, you guys."
As Blair predicted it wasn't long before the twins worked their magic. While Lil J was distracted and actually laughing with the girls, Blair caught Chuck in the corner of her eye. For the most part, he'd been quiet, sitting off to the side with his cell phone in hand. He didn't say much as Jenny steered the conversation everywhere but her injuries and prognosis for full recovery. She quizzed the girls about school, checked in with Serena about her job at the magazine, and questioned Blair about her visits from their old "friends."
Blair kept her attention trained openly on Jenny as she interacted with the twins, but she didn't miss Chuck's movement out of the corner of her eye. He'd leaned down and scooped up one of the balled up papers.
He unraveled it slowly, not wanting to draw the designer's attention as he smoothed the wrinkled page. He frowned, his expression dark and thoughtful before he folded the page, as careful as he'd been before to unravel it and slipped it into his pocket. He shot of a quick succession of texts that piqued Blair's curiosity.
She wanted to ask what he was doing? Blair wondered why he seemed so disturbed by Little Jenny Humphrey's personal tragedy.
The brunette wasn't left long with her questions for once as Jenny looked up, searching out Chuck's seat by the window. For the first time since they'd entered the room, she addressed Chuck and the subject of the fire that had left her injured.
The twins were distracted and using Jenny's discarded drawing pad and pencils, scratching furiously across the page.
Blair could almost swear that she sense envy in Lil J. Her attention going back now and again to her right hand. The younger woman's expression hardened, she asked, "Chuck, have you heard from a Detective Miller? He's investigating the fire. He said he was going to contact you."
"Why would he want to talk to Chuck?"
Blair's attention was on Jenny so she missed the quick glance exchanged between her best friend and her children's father.
The blonde shrugged, "I don't know. I told the guy that you were out of the country last Saturday. I guess he's looking into everyone. He asked about your investment in the company."
Chuck had invested in Jenny's company? Hmm, Blair mulled that one over. Her mind spun back to her last visit with the other woman. Neither Jenny, nor her mother had uttered a single word to one another, Blair now realized.
Did her mother resent the blonde's success when her own career had been in decline or was there something more to it?
"Yes, I spoke with Miller…briefly." Chuck answered. These days Nathaniel played the go-between with the Detective. Not that they were telling the man what little they'd learned about the Franklin family. "He didn't have any leads as far as I could tell. Sorry, Jenny."
He hated the necessity of the lie, but Brooklyn could play the big hero for his little sister once they tracked down the arsonist. Besides, at this point, Dan was in full agreement to keep as few people as possible in the know. Who knew if the arsonist might have singled the reporter out now on the chance that he'd seen the firebug's face.
Damned if Chuck didn't wish that was the case.
His phone vibrated, stealing his attention. Thank God. "Nate's on his way up." He informed the room. "I'll just take the girls to meet him."
"No!" Serena and Blair said at once.
"Um, actually." His sister said.
Blair cleared her throat, "Chuck, we're all having a nice visit. There's more than enough time for Nate and the girls to make it to the game before kick-off."
"Tip-off." He corrected, smiling despite himself.
She gave him a look that told him just how much she gave a damn about the distinction. Kick-off. Tip-off. Whatever.
"Um, Chuck. Blair's right. We're all having so much fun together."
"Well, you ladies can stay. The girls are going to be late." Not really, but he wanted to get the hell out of that room before Jenny started asking questions that he didn't have answers for.
Jenny looked at them all as if they'd lost their collective minds. "It's okay. I was feeling tired, anyway. Think I'll try to take a nap."
"You're not tired." Blair almost glared at the woman in the hospital bed. She forced herself to relax. Come on, guys. Dorota needs more time. Work with me, Lil J. She tried to find a way to signal the other girl without Chuck seeing, but he was so there, damn him. "Come on. You've been in this place longer than I have. Tell me you're not bored out of your mind."
"I actually go home day after tomorrow." She told them brightly, but then seemed to remember the fire. Her business and apartment were both gone in one fell swoop, "Or whatever my Dad's been able to drum up."
"It's been taken care of." Chuck said. He'd given Humphrey the details for a property with ties to Bass industries in the vaguest sense. It hadn't been one of his personal projects as Jennifer's had been. There were a half dozen shell corporations that his firebug would have to get through to connect the property to BI and Chuck. He already felt guilty enough as it as, the crumpled page burning a hole in his pocket as it heralded the premature ending of a young career. Damn he needed to get out of here.
"I guess I should say thanks, then." Jenny said.
Not really. Chuck stood to his feet, motioning to Kat and Evie. "Ladies. Time to go. Serena. Blair. Why don't you just hang out down here for a bit. I'll head upstairs and take care of a few things. Paperwork that I need to look through from today's meeting."
She shared a panicked glance with Serena as Chuck gathered up the girls. Before Blair could find her footing and think of some excuse to keep him in that room a moment longer, the twins were kissing her goodbye and hurrying from the room with there father. The door barely shut behind them when Blair's belated tongue finally came back to her. "S!" Blair gripped her friend's arm.
"Ow, B. My arm."
"He's going to ruin everything. Quick. Text, Nate. Text him now and tell him to stall."
"Okay. Would someone like to tell me what's going on here? Please."
Blair looked up from watching Serena frantic attempts at contacting Nate before he met up with Chuck and the girls. Jenny. Jenny. Blair smiled. Another set of hands or uh…hand wouldn't go amiss at this point, and the young blonde could use the further distraction from her current troubles. "Lil J. How'd you like to help us with a little project that we're working on?"
~ஐ~
As promised Nathaniel met up with Chuck near the elevators, but instead of his best friend taking off with the twins the other man seemed to be in no hurry leave.
Feeling stirrings of pride, Chuck tried not to shake his head in wonder. He stood outside the limo looking at his best friend. Nathaniel had talked him all the way downstairs with and a good fifteen minutes passed before Chuck figured out that he was being stalled. They talked about everything from their current standstill since tracking down the Franklin house to the Knicks chances for a win that night. He'd been mulling over saying anything about the Olivia George development or waiting for confirmation from Mike's guy in Prague when the pieces fell into place.
What was that woman up to now? He wondered, thinking back to her strange behavior earlier in Jenny's room.
He narrowed his eyes at Nate. Obviously, she'd had help. And Nathaniel was going to tell him everything he knew. Everything. The poor guy just didn't know it yet. Chuck sighed regretfully and made a show of looking at his watch. "Well, Nathaniel. You better get a move on or you'll miss the kick-off as Blair likes to put it."
Nate frowned his confusion. "What?"
"Nevermind."
"Right. One other thing though, man." Nate stepped out of the way as Chuck opened the limo door to wave goodbye to his daughters waiting inside for their suddenly talkative godfather.
"I'm sure it can wait, Nathaniel. You have two very impatient young ladies waiting and I've got a stack of paperwork calling my name." He confided. "Blair could be with Jenny and Serena chatting it up for a few more hours at least."
"But, wait."
"Get in the car, Nathaniel." Chuck took a step back, prepared to head back inside.
"Seriously, man. There's something I need to talk to you about."
Turning on his heel, Chuck called over his shoulder. "It can wait. Kick back and relax for a few hours. You look like you need it. Really, Nathaniel."
"Thanks a lot."
He could almost see the blonde roll his eyes. Chuck smiled, watching the reflection in the glass as he started to walk away. He saw the moment, Nate shut the limo door without slipping inside.
"Chuck, man. Wait up."
Hiding his satisfaction. He did just that, turning to face the other man when he was but a few feet away. Chuck kept his expression clear of everything except mild curiosity.
Nate shuffled his feet, as Chuck had seen him do numerous times in the past twenty years.
Oh, Blair was definitely up to something and good Old Nathaniel was about to give him all of the details.
"I slept with her."
The words came to him. He rolled them around his head. Around his tongue, but for a moment Chuck couldn't make sense of them. Definitely not the revelation he'd been expecting. "Okay," Chuck blinked, once and then twice before insight came to him. Her. "The ex-masseuse. That's great man."
"What? No, Vanessa. I'm sleeping with my wife."
Chuck frowned. Hmm. Now that one he hadn't seen coming. At least not yet anyway. He'd expected Natie to avoid and wallow for a bit longer before he permanently cut Punky loose…or before he forgave her and patched things up with her. "So you and Vanessa are a thing again…er back together, again."
"Um, actually we're not." Nate shook his head. "Definitely not."
Smirking, Chuck felt that earlier rush of pride come flooding back as he went on to tell his best friend, sans too many details, about his late night "booty calls" to his former address. "Didn't think you had it in you. Trying to get her out of your system, huh? Good plan."
"That's not what this is."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"So you're taking her back."
"No." Nate insisted again. "It's not like that either. We're not getting back together. And I still don't know what this thing is that's happening now but it's not just trying to get her out of my system. Hell, you know that never works. You remember how well that worked for you tried it with B…sexual drano?"
"Serena's words not mine." Chuck reminded.
"Whatever. It didn't work, did it?"
He cleared his throat, "I didn't actually get to test that theory for a few months if you recall." Not until the night of the Snowflake Ball, anyway. Just that one last time in the back of the limo. And damn right it hadn't been enough. Not even close. If Bart hadn't died,…
"That's what I thought." Nate took his friend's thoughtful silence for the answer that it was. "You should head upstairs. She's waiting for you."
Mouth quirked in knowing smile, Chuck wondered, "Oh, yeah?"
His best friend nodded, "I've got the girls. You guys enjoy your night and before you ask me anything…I know nothing."
They probably had figured he'd break.
"Serena thought I'd talk if I knew too many details."
Chuck nodded. He watched the other man start towards the limo. "Nathaniel."
The blonde man turned, hand gripping the door hand. He tipped his head and raised his brows in askance.
"Whatever you're doing. Be careful." Chuck stood there, even after his best friend was in the car. Even after the limo had pulled off, night fallen and Manhattan alive with activity and voice. He still had no clue what Blair Waldorf was up to. Not a single one.
He thought about that moment in the elevator and wished like hell that he'd pressed the button and that it was them and the girls heading off into the night. Chuck had said, "later." It would be them soon. For now, he was working on his surprise for Blair and apparently, his girl had a few tricks up her own sleeve.
Damn, he'd missed her. Which begged the question as to just what in the hell he was still doing down there when…she was up there "waiting" for him. He was sure that they'd both had more than their fill of that sentiment. Then and now. His stride sure and purposeful, Chuck walked back into the hospital.
The nurses were all back, when he arrived on Blair's floor. Most were business as usual, while one or two were definitely smiling more than usual. They were either, tapping into the hospital's supply of meds or they knew exactly what was going on. While Chuck didn't completely rule out the former, he felt the anticipation pulling at the pit of his stomach and dancing upward.
Not a break in his stride, Chuck walked until he found himself outside of Blair's hospital room. Normally, he'd be able to peek through the skinny glass panel to get a look at his girl and reassure himself that she was still awake and that all was well.
The fact that he couldn't see her now, ratcheted his curiosity to the nth degree. Nothing covered the glass but something with Japanese characters stood just inside. A screen of some sort. His hand was already on the knob when a sudden attack of nerves made their presence known. What the hell was going on with him? After all they'd been through; she could still do it to him. Make his heart race and sent that flutter and twist in his belly.
"Get on with it, Bass." He muttered. Twisting the knob, Chuck knocked lightly. He didn't push the door open. Not until her voice beckoned him inside. His open personal siren, always driving him to the brink of certain pleasure or certain disaster.
She'd done this. It was still there after all these years. He sighed, slowly pushing the door open. Chuck didn't swing it wide, for fear of knocking into the screen. His nose twitched, picking up the heady scent of roses and a hint of garlic in the air. Interesting combination to say the least. Shutting the door behind himself, he edged around the screen.
On the tip of his tongue, teasing words danced and beckoned for release but he swallowed them whole. Yes, words and his fucking tongue at least, when he caught sight of the woman waiting on the other side.
She smiled, slow and easy, a Siren indeed. Certain of her power over mortal men. Or rather the one man before her. "What took you so long, Bass?"
ஐTBCஐ
A/N: It was another long one but couldn't stop myself as usual. Sorry have no self-restraint when it comes to CB. I was inspired with the baby stuff...my cousin had just had a new baby and we went shopping and all the while I had visions of CB & and the twins dancing in my head, my fingers itching for my laptop so that I could get it written. I'd already been thinking about B seeing their baby books and getting flashbacks that way but why not take advantage of a certain character's ever present need for documentaries. Hope you enjoyed C's first time holding and feeing his little girl and B getting to witness it in some form or another. Eleanor. So much to answer for. Chambers' attraction to his patient and poor Jenny at a crossroads. Alot more of other stuff here when I was intent on writing CB alone and then VdB. Couldn't help myself again. But the next chapter is just about ready to go and I think that my fellow Chair lovers are likely to enjoy as Chuck gets the full benefit of his "surprise" thanks to Blair and Co. Should have it posted in the next day or so. As always let me know what you're thinking. Keep your heads bbs *hug* CB FTW
Courtneyஐ