A/N: I know huge delay. I apologize, and thank everyone who has stuck with me. Just a but more…. Your reviews mean so much, thanks again. Sorry if there are mistakes in this one, didn't get fully betaed.
For Mary: who always encourages me to write.
Chapter 25
Sunday -
Chuck pushed Blair up against the wall hiding them both behind the column at the end of the hall. Her hand on the back of his head bringing him to her as her back hit the wall. She couldn't seem to get enough of him. After last night she was amazed she could even move this morning, but standing here right now she wanted nothing more than to wrap her legs around his waist and try out a new position. Suddenly Chuck pulled away keeping her pinned against the wall when she tried to follow him. He smirked at the look on her face, the lust rolling out of every pore. Normally there would have been a self-satisfied feeling overwhelming him right now, but all he could feel was grateful.
"Hey, easy there. We still have to go back in there with the family. And as much as I would love to continue here, I would like to be able to walk without having to carry my jacket to hide my erection."
Blair giggled, "Well just think of Bart, I'm sure that will cure you."
Hearing his name he came up short in the hallway from his office. He had stepped in there to make a few business calls before dinner started. Stepping back so they wouldn't see him, he continued to listen. Bart knew that information was the key to any situation and there was something different about his son the last few days and he was going to figure out what it was.
"Yeah, that should do it. Thanks." His voice trailing down at the thought of a parent and sex in the same conversation. Smiling back at her. "So Eleanor and Bart are our new safe words?"
She visibly shuttered, "Um yeah no worries about continuing anything fun after that." Resting her head against his shoulder her voice sounded more weary. "What are we going to do about her? You know she is going to drag me home as soon as she comes back. I just don't know if I'm strong enough to deal with her yet."
Chuck wrapped his arms around her and spoke into her hair, "Hey we'll work it out ok. We'll call your dad if we have to." Pulling her head up so she was looking at him, "Everything is going to be just fine, I promise."
She nodded, then put her head back on his shoulder, holding him close.
Bart had never seen Chuck act that way. Chuck didn't hug and he certainly wasn't overtly caring and gentle. Maybe this was what was different. Could Chuck actually be in love? And with Blair Waldorf no less. Wasn't she dating his friend the Archibald kid?
"How much longer do you think we'll be here?" She sounded so tired all of a sudden.
"I'm not sure, Lily plans some extravagant dinners. We can go if you want, I'll make an excuse." She could tell by the tone of his voice he didn't want to leave. He liked being part of the family, even if he didn't feel completely included.
"No, no. I was just thinking I have some more homework to do. I don't want to go back to school and be behind along with everything else." Suddenly her head came up and she smacked him on the shoulder. "Speaking of, Dan just told me that someone," her eyes telling him exactly who that was, "has a history paper due tomorrow on the impact of the French and Indian War on the Revolutionary War."
"What? I was going to do it." His hands were up as if trying to defend himself. His voice smooth and joking
"You mean you were going to pay someone to do it for you. I don't think so, not anymore Bass."
Suddenly he was serious. "Blair the paper is due tomorrow."
"Well then I guess we have a long night ahead." Her eyes glued to his, she wasn't budging.
"Look, I know you want me to take school more seriously and I will. But let's be realistic."
"No Chuck. It has to start somewhere, and if I can go back to school after everything and as your girlfriend," her tone telling him that it wasn't as easy as he seemed to think. "Then you can do this." Placing her hand on his chest her face softening a bit, "I know it is hard, but you are one of the smartest guys I know, you just have to put in the effort and I promise I'll be right there the whole time." Her smile turned into a bit of a smirk, "Maybe there will even be a reward for good behavior."
His face mirrored hers, "Well maybe that would be something." Pulling her close he was about to kiss her when she spoke.
"Besides if you don't have the grades for Yale, I guess I'll just have to find a smart law man to replace you."
He pushed her back into the wall, "Oh that is never going to happen my dear. Yale is going to love us." With that he kissed her, much in the same way that this had all started.
A few seconds later she pushed him off, "remember uncomfortable walking." She turned and reached for his hand. "And I need your head clear, we have to figure out something to keep my mother from tearing us apart."
Taking her hand and kissing it he followed her out of the hall, "We will, we are an unstoppable team you and I." Her smile lit up the room as their hands slipped apart and they made their way back to the rest of the guests.
Bart stood for a minute trying to digest it all. His son was in love and with a reputable woman. And from the looks of things a smart one who could put him in his place. Chuck actually wanted to go to college instead of looking at it as the next thing he would be forced to do. Bart smiled his son was becoming everything he hoped he would be, and it appeared much of the credit was due to the girl in the chocolate curls. Well, he might not have done all the right things, but he could help now. Eleanor Waldorf he could handle, it appeared the rest they could do on their own. Getting out his phone he had one more call to make.
Later….
Blair got up to refill Chuck's drink. She wasn't sure when she became so domestic, but she liked taking care of him. She made it halfway to the bar when a new presence in the room brought her to a grinding halt.
Everyone stared but no one moved. Chuck was sitting in an oversized chair that he had been sharing with Blair less than 10 seconds ago. Dan and Serena were standing near the bar on the other side of the room sipping ginger ale. But now all their attention was focused on the doorway and the man standing in it.
"Nate what are you doing here?" Serena's voice broke the silence; posing the question the other three weren't sure they wanted to ask.
"I just don't get it, after everything he did?"
Blair took a breath, "Nate we talked about this. I thought you understood."
"Well I don't Blair I don't understand how I became the bad guy in this story."
Shaking her head Blair tried again, "Nate you aren't the bad guy, there is no bad guy. This isn't some silly movie it's life and no one is the villain." She turned away from Nate and began walking back to Chuck.
"No? Are you so naïve that you really believe that." Chuck had gotten up halfway through Blair's last speech but Nate's next words stopped him in his tracks.
"He did it you know, outted you to Gossip Girl. He's responsible for all of this. Jenny only told me about him, she didn't start the rumors, only confirmed them." Nate's voice was hollow and cold. She never remembered him sounding that way.
Her gaze was stuck on the floor, just at the spot where Chuck's shoes had stopped moving. Her insides were doing somersaults, her mind whirling as if she were coming unglued. Focusing with everything she had she moved until her feet stopped in front of his. Her hands made tiny fists as if she were willing herself to not unravel.
Taking a short breath she lifted her eyes to his. She didn't need to ask, knew the answer immediately. But she asked anyway.
"Did you do it?"
She wasn't sure but she thought he flinched, an almost untraceable flicker. He hesitated only a breath.
"Yes."
The crack was deafening in the silent room. His face whipped to the left, the red print of her hand against his pale skin. She didn't remember doing it, didn't think, simply reacted. Her hand wavered between them, not quite knowing where it should be. He turned slowly back to her, watched as the first tears trickled out of her eyes.
He had done this, the one thing he never meant to do again, he had failed her. Chuck was usually great with a comeback, an excuse, but he had none. He had no idea how to defend himself, how to make this right.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice was haunting and somber as if she had been broken all over again.
It took him two tries to force anything out. He told her the truth.
"I thought you knew." His voice begging her to believe him, "Then we agreed after the talk with Jenny to put all this behind us. No more talk of what had happened just the future. I always assumed you knew it was me, who else could it have been. I thought that's why you hated me so much."
Blair let out a breath she had been holding since Nate walked in the room. She believed him, saw it in his eyes, knew it in her soul. Chuck was right they were past it all. She wasn't that person anymore. None of it mattered. She had Chuck and that was all she needed. Her hand found a home on his chest, her head soon followed.
"I'm sorry," his voice so soft for only her ears to hear.
"I know."
Pulling her into his arms then, he felt the world right itself again.
"That's it. He gets off scott-free. What the hell Blair?" Nate's voice had a nasty pitch now, but he had no more ammunition.
Blair turned in Chuck's arms, pressing herself back against him. She felt sorry for Nate, everything had changed and he was just catching up. At some point though he had to stop all this and come to terms. They had all done it and now it was his turn.
"Nate I'm sorry that you're not happy with how all this happened. But there isn't anything I can do about that. I love Chuck and that's just the way it is. If you can't except that maybe it is time for you to leave."
The soft gasp from the left side of the room had escaped Serena's lips. She didn't expect Blair to say she loved Chuck, but when she thought about it she wasn't really surprised.
Nate just stared at them. Blair leaned against Chuck his arm around her waist. She had her hand over his; they were the perfect picture of a happy couple. How was it possible that Chuck had the fairy tale ending, his fairy tale ending.
"Chuck is who you want, he cares so much about you? What about when he was telling me to 'seal the deal, tap that ass'" he snapped.
Blair felt Chuck move as if he were going to take a step toward Nate, but she held him back with her body, her hand squeezing his. A smirk eerily reminiscent of the man who stood behind her crept across Blair's face.
Haughtily she replied, "Well it's a nice piece of ass, maybe you should have paid more attention."
A matching smirk appeared on Chuck's face as he pulled her tighter against him.
"As I said Nate, it's time for you to go." Her glare never wavered, her voice never faltered. She was back.
Serena flinched; Blair Waldorf had materialized in front of her eyes in all her glory. Dan saw the couple transform into the one that would rule the city. Few ever had the nerve to try to come between Blair and Chuck again, none came away unscathed.
Hearing the door close behind Nate, Blair let out a breath and turned toward Chuck, basking in the warmth of his embrace. She was glowing with the moment of being in full bitch mode, but it wasn't a place she planned to live anymore. Sighing she pulled back from Chuck to study his face.
She touched his cheek again, locking eyes with him. "I'm sorry I slapped you."
He brought his hand up and captured hers; bringing it to his lips he kissed her fingertips. "I deserved it." His tone telling her again how sorry he was.
"Yes you did," a giggle flowing from her lips, her eyes dancing with his.
Dan hugged Serena from behind watching the cooing couple in front of them. "Do you think the Upper East Side is prepared for them?"
"Not even in the least." Serena replied, but she was getting her friend back. Even her new stepbrother could be tolerable now that Blair was there to keep him in line, well sort-of. She laughed to herself announcing, "all right let's all go out for desert before we have to go to school tomorrow."
Chuck smiled and kissed Blair on the forehead, "Whatever you say sister-dear," with all the smarmy overtones he could manage. Blair giggled.
Serena sighed, 'so much for Blair's support. At least he won't actually, try, to take a bath with me.' Maybe she could get a separate suite like Chuck's, only far, far away.