It's time for bonus five years in the future chair content because I was in a bit of a fluffy mood and did at one point plan to do a little sneak into their future.

I loved this fic, was such a lot of fun to write. Appreciated your support so much along the way too! Fluff isn't really my forte, but sometimes even I, a mistress of angst, can get into it.


It's ridiculous, Serena. He won't even take my calls or return my texts, let alone see me! He's banned me from The Empire- he hasn't done that in years, not since our last-'

'I don't know what to tell you.' Serena's shrill voice interrupted her hastily, she was desperate to avoid yet another explainer on the finer details of her best friend and brother's twisted sex fasts.

'Tell me you're on my side!' Blair cried, flustered. 'That's what you should tell me.'

'Well…' Serena eyed her cautiously, twirling a finger through a strand of her hair.

Blair stopped short in the middle of the polished walkway. 'No, you can't be serious.' She whispered. 'You don't actually agree with him, do you?'

Uncomforted it seemed by toying with her hair alone, Serena then tugged at the sleeve of her cardigan. 'I just don't want to get involved.'

'Well you are involved. And he's being petulant.' Blair huffed, before shoving the dress she'd plucked from the rails back onto the display. Leaning one hand against the wall while she caught her breath, Blair groaned. 'See! I can't even shop like a normal woman anymore- that's what he's done to me!'

The tall blonde rolled her eyes. 'Come on, let's get out of here, you look exhausted.'

'If I am, it's only because he's me that way.' Blair complained, allowing herself to be pulled out of the store.

'But seriously,' She grumbled, ambling along beside Serena. 'What the hell am I supposed to do if he won't even speak to me? I have needs, you know, very serious needs.'

'Ugh, always too much information with you.' Serena grimaced.

'I'm serious, S. It has been three days- I'm not myself right now.' Her voice was breathy and frantic.

'He hasn't spoken to you at all for three days?' Serena looked flummoxed, realising it was worse than she'd originally thought.

Serena bit her lip, struggling over whether or not to give Blair the information that she did next. 'I wasn't supposed to tell you this, but there's a family dinner tonight. He'll be there.

Blair yanked her arm free from Serena's, glowering. 'You were going to keep this from me?' She bit the words out coolly.

'Spare me the dramatics, B. I'm telling you now, aren't I? My head will be served on a platter for this if it doesn't go well.' Serena visibly shuddered, he'd clearly threatened her personally.

Blair scowled. 'Some best friend you are.' She muttered. 'And you're sure he's going to be there?'

Serena nodded. 'He promised my mom.'

'That doesn't mean anything. He's promised me things, too.' She grumbled.

'I don't think your kinky arrangements are quite in the same vein as family dinner. He'll be there.' Serena affirmed, taking Blair's shopping bags from her as she stepped off the kerb and into their waiting car.

It took a while, but Serena at last struck up the courage to ask the question she hadn't yet dared to. 'Have you actually tried apologising?'

Blair exhaled and turned to her best friend with a flat expression. 'Serena,' she said slowly. 'I've exhausted every avenue I am willing to explore.'

'So that's a no, then?' Serena picked at her manicure absentmindedly.

'I don't see why I should be in any way obliged to apologise for a simple deal.'

'A simple deal you made with his main competitor, Blair!' Serena protested. 'Even for you, that's pretty low.'

'Semantics!' Blair cried. 'We promised each other that nothing work-related would ever come between us again. It's not personal.'

'Whatever, it's between the two of you. I'll get you into dinner, but the rest is up to you.'

'He won't be happy with you, you know?' She warned. Chuck's ire was limited to her alone as things currently stood, but he didn't much care for double agents, well, when they weren't operating for his side that was.

'Oh I know. But neither one of you is particularly pleasant to be around right now, so I think I'll take my chances in the hope of a much-needed reconciliation.' She sighed.

To her credit, Blair had tried to approach the evening of the dinner with an open mind, some might have even said her tactics had been thoughtful. Before coming to Lily's apartment, she'd paid a visit to his preferred tobacconist to pick up a Cuban cigar – not that she approved – and even donned his favourite of her dresses. It was as close to the word sorry as Blair was willing to stray.

It was Chuck's sour-faced scowl, silently mouthing traitor to his sister as she brought Blair into the dining room, though, that broke her resolve to wait until after dinner to commence the battle.

'Bass.' She offered sweetly; she couldn't deny she felt calmed by his presence, even in the midst of their feud.

'Blair.' He returned, his eyes narrow and dark.

Moving closer towards him, she proffered her gift with an outstretched arm. 'I picked this up for you.'

He ignored the bag in her hand and turned his cheek away from her, gripping a glass of scotch.

'You don't want it?' She pressed, watching the subtle flex of his jaw.

Chuck remained stoic.

Blair sighed. 'Alright.' She hummed, tossing the bag by his feet without lowering her gaze.

Time for a change of tactics, Blair thought. She picked absentmindedly at some non-existent fluff on his lapel, watching him stiffen at her touch. It took all her might not to giggle at his reaction and, stretching up on her toes, she pressed a soft kiss against his tense cheek. Feeling him exhale into her neck, Blair relished a stolen moment in the warmth of his body and his scent.

Chuck cleared his throat as she drew away from him. 'If you'll excuse me, I'd prefer to give my time to someone less deceitful.' He muttered, edging away from her and stalking off to sulk by Eric's side at the liquor cabinet.

Blair watched him leave through hooded eyes and circled back round towards Serena, whose expression fell as she watched her best friend approach.

'Whatever it is, it's not my problem anymore. I don't even want to know.' Serena protested before Blair had even the chance to open her mouth.

'I was actually just going to say thank you.' She sang in return.

'You? Say thank you? Did you take a swig from one of my mom's liquor bottles while I wasn't watching?'

Blair generously overlooked her friend's surprise and waved her off. 'This is turning out better than I could have hoped. I've got him right where I want him.'

'He just walked away from you, Blair.' Serena pointed out, glancing at her two brothers side by side.

'That's how I know he's about to snap. He can't stand to be physically near me when we haven't-'

'God.' Serena groaned, cutting her off. 'Whatever it is you think you have to do, just remember that my bedroom is off limits. It's strictly off limits, do you hear me?'

She snorted, picking up a glass from the counter. 'Why? It's not like it sees any action these days, is it?'

'Dan has just been really busy with his writing lately.' She explained, dipping her finger into a pot of chocolate ganache.

Blair wrinkled her nose. 'Save it for your diary, S. We both know you should be with Nate.' She raised one eyebrow before leaving her glowering friend by the kitchen island.

Heading towards the dinner table, she circled it once to find her name card placed right beside Chuck's. The gods were smiling down on Blair that day, and she'd find some way to pay tribute to them later.

'Chuck.' She smiled up at him through her thick lashes, her tongue curling around the single syllable. He was making his own way around the table, no doubt praying that Lily had seated him at a distance from his beloved nemesis. 'No dice- you're next to me I'm afraid, my love.'

'My lucky day.' He muttered flatly, pulling the chair beside her out and settling down. 'How did you even worm your way into this dinner anyway? Serena and Eric were told family only- no plus ones. I was assured it would be safe.'

'Ah, but you forget- I'm not really comparable to a mere plus one.' She reminded him, slipping her hand below the surface of the table to rest on his thigh. 'I'm family, you made sure of that.'

Chuck nodded begrudgingly but lifted her hand from his leg and placed it atop the table. 'Just eat your food, we'll talk after.' He yielded with a sigh, realising he could no longer evade her. She gleefully watched him scowl as he lifted his fork to pierce a slice of steak.

Once the table had finished eating and chatter had run dry, Chuck rose wordlessly and motioned for Blair to follow him. In the hallway lined with bedroom doors, he dithered slightly.

'Serena said we could talk in her room.' She offered, smirking mischievously in the darkness.

He pushed the door open and stood in the corner of the room, peering out of the wide windows while she made herself comfortable on the bed.

'I have to admit, the manner in which you manipulated your way out of my stalemate tonight was quite masterful. So, with that in mind I'll agree to a momentary ceasefire. You have five minutes.' He told her, his voice gruff. 'Talk.'

Blair tittered; his frustration amused her to no end. 'I prefer to see your face when I'm talking to you.' She returned, waiting for him to turn and look at her.

When he did his face was stony, and she couldn't help but smile.

'Stop grinning like that, this isn't funny!' He couldn't quite keep a straight face as he crossed to the other side of the room.

Blair held her hands up. 'I'm sorry, I can't help it. You're just so cute when you're mad at me.'

Chuck frowned, he always hated when she said that. 'You know, since I've told you countless times, I'm never mad at you, I'm mad at your actions.'

'I appreciate the clarification. Again.' She granted. 'But will you just give it up?'

'Maybe, maybe not. Don't you have something you want to say to me?' He asked, examining his fingernails while he awaited the apology she was determined she wouldn't give.

'I love you?' She chanced, watching his features soften, then almost immediately return to their frown.

'Not quite.'

Blair's lips thinned into a line.

'Five letters, two syllables.' He goaded her.

'Cra-zy?'

'Blair.'

'Okay, fine!' She huffed. 'I promised myself I wouldn't say it, but I'm sorry, is that what you want to hear? I shouldn't have accepted Perry as a client without speaking to you first.'

'Perry?' Chuck scoffed. 'That's what you think I'm upset about? Perry? Please, you could give that buffoon access to my most secret files, totally bankrupt me and I'd still manage to reap higher profits than him by Christmas.'

Blair laughed at his total confidence. 'That doesn't bode well for our partnership.' She smirked. 'But then what else is there?' She demanded, knowing precisely what it was he'd say.

He shook his head and paced over to her to sit down on the edge of the bed. Taking her hands in between his own, he caught her gaze with an impenetrable intensity. 'You promised me you were going to reduce your working hours to three days a week. What part of that do you think goes hand in hand with taking on a host of new, and might I say very needy, clients?'

Blair sighed, knowing he had her backed into a corner. 'Chuck, I tried to, I really did. I just got so bored waiting at home all day for you.'

'Well then take up crochet, or life drawing for all I care.' He argued. 'Spend a million dollars a day at Harry Winston!'

She weighed up his final option. 'You might be onto something there.' Blair teased.

'Blair, you are the thing that's most precious to me on this earth, and right now you're also directly responsible for protecting my other most precious thing.' Chuck lifted his palm to rest against the swell of her rounded stomach.

'I know.' She murmured softly, her own hand closing over his. 'I know.'

'The doctor said in no uncertain terms that the stress of your position could be harmful to you both.' He reminded her gently.

'Oh, what does he know? He's never been pregnant.' She grumbled.

'Be serious.' He said, soft but serious.

'It's so dull, Chuck. It makes me feel pathetic. You don't understand.' Blair whined, feeling tiny feet move around in her stomach. 'See!' She cried. 'He agrees with me.'

'That was quite clearly a kick of protest against you, not one of agreement with you.' Chuck stroked the baby through her dress.

'He wouldn't defy his mother.' Blair insisted.

'If he's anything like his father he would.'

'Chuck,' She began. 'I love being pregnant, you know I do. I just hate feeling useless.'

'You've been non-stop for five years. You've climbed to the top of your company and created a name for yourself that people will talk about in boardrooms for decades to come. It's okay to slow down, just for a little while.' Chuck cooed, stroking her hair. 'I don't want you burning yourself out.'

'It's all your sulking and evasion that's actually harmful to me.' She griped. 'How am I supposed to keep my serotonin stores maintained if you deny me the thing that makes me happiest of all?' She looked pointedly between his legs.

'Believe me when I say I'm not complaining in the slightest, but don't you ever get enough?' Chuck laughed.

'I'm hormonal.' Blair explained, shrugging.

'I know. It's the only way I can get you to listen to me anymore.' He smirked, and she knew they were done arguing, for now.

'Well consider your point well and truly taken.' She breathed, running her hand purposefully along his chest.

He caught it and held her back. 'Ah, ah. Point taken, or point agreed? There's a distinct difference.'

'Come on.' Blair pouted.

'I'm going to need a bit more from you on this one, Blair.' Chuck ran his thumb over her full bottom lip.

'Fine. Point agreed, point confirmed, point accepted. I'll do whatever you want, just quit holding out on me.' She whimpered.

'That's more like it.' Chuck whispered, capturing her lips in a sweet kiss. 'Let's go home.'

'Why don't we stay?'


How quickly did you figure Blair was expecting? I feel like I did try to keep it as a little bit of a surprise, but the signs are defo there all the way through hehe.

Goodbye to you, Where Sharks Swim x