Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
I know it took longer to get this out than everyone wanted, certainly longer than I intended. The past few months have gotten away from me a bit. Either way, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I'd love to hear what you all think.
Charlotte awoke Christmas morning to a wet nose nuzzling against her cheek. It was such an odd feeling; she couldn't keep hold of her dream any longer. When her eyes fluttered open, there was nothing but golden fur. The previous evening came flooding back. "Emie."
The pup yipped in response as Charlotte untangled her limbs from the bedding to give the puppy some love.
"Good morning, Sleepyhead," Eddie spoke from the end of the bed. He was dressed and ready for the day.
"What time is it?" Charlotte looked towards the clock to get her bearings.
"After nine," Eddie replied, "You're the last one up. Brice said your parents were expecting you upstairs by ten."
"Oh my goodness, Christmas morning," she bolted upright. She blushed profusely when the bedcovers fell away to reveal her bare chest to him, and then reached to cover herself.
"Don't cover yourself on my account," Eddie leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips, "I fully enjoyed your luscious curves last evening…several times."
"Best Christmas Ever," Charlotte mumbled against his lips.
"Indeed," he agreed, "However, you'd better get yourself dressed. Family is due to arrive soon."
"Oh god, how am I going to act normal around you now when all I want to do is tear your clothes off and have my way with you again and again and again?" she asked.
"I think you'll find a way to restrain yourself," he chuckled against her lips.
Emie nudged herself into Charlotte's hip to get her attention.
"Okay, I'll get myself dressed, but only for you, Emie," Charlotte lifted the puppy into her arms and cuddled it against her chest, giving her a thorough rubbing.
"I already took her for a walk," Eddie held up a cup of coffee for her.
"Then you've earned yourself a bit of gratitude later, Mister Fraser," Charlotte teased as she took a sip from her mug.
"I think you gave me plenty of gratitude last night," he chuckled, "Get dressed."
Charlotte pouted as she left the bed, prancing towards the bathroom in what she hoped would be an invitation for Eddie to join her when she started the shower, making sure to toss a seductive look over her shoulder before she disappeared.
"Darn you, Woman," Eddie entered the shower only moments after Charlotte, his lips capturing hers in a heady kiss.
"You mentioned wanting to find creative places to have sex over the rest of our holiday break," she gave him her happiest of smiles as her arms wound around his back.
"She's even cuter in the light of day," Blair greeted her daughter and boyfriend when they arrived with Emie. The little pup pranced out of the elevator like she owned the place. Blair quickly gobbled her up, raining kissed along her furry head.
"She will certainly be the belle of the ball," Eddie laughed.
"I think my fiancée will have something to say about that," Brice made his way to the elevator, "Good morning, Sleepyhead. Have a little trouble getting out of bed this morning?"
"We were up late last night, remember," Charlotte shoved at her brother's shoulder, "Where is the blushing bride-to-be?"
"Helping Aiden set out the cookies he made," Brice replied.
"I'll help," Charlotte kissed Eddie's cheek and then disappeared.
"Is Emie going to be your accessory for the day?" Brice eyed his mother, still loving up the puppy.
"She might be," Blair smiled.
"Dad, I think it's time to get mom a puppy," Brice told his father, who entered to greet Eddie with a handshake.
"It appears so," Chuck eyed the puppy nestled comfortably in his wife's arms.
"She's just so cuddly," Blair smiled.
"I thought I heard Charlotte's voice," Chuck glanced through the entryway.
"She went to go gush over Collette's ring again by the sugar table," Brice replied.
"So," Collette took one look at Charlotte and immediately pulled her away from the family and into Blair's office to prod her for details of the previous evening.
"So?" Charlotte raised a curious brow as she went to her mother's drawing board to look over her latest designs.
"Don't even pretend like you and Eddie didn't enjoy your Christmas Eve evening," Collette rolled her eyes, "You have that ravished look."
"Oh my god, Lettie, it was amazing," Charlotte spun around with a gigantic smile on her face, "It was a totally different experience from Devon."
"I would hope so," Collette laughed. From the few times they'd discussed Charlotte's sex life with Devon, Collette had gotten the impression there was a lot left to be desired when it came to her college boyfriend. Though Eddie was a bit reserved, she always thought he'd be the kind of man who knew what he was doing in the bedroom.
"It was just so…tender and patient and passionate and, Lettie, he is absolutely gorgeous. I had no idea underneath all those suits and casual wear was this muscled man," Charlotte was practically glowing with happiness.
"Really," Collette raised an interested brow.
"I woke up this morning, and the first thing I wanted to do was jump him. These feelings I have for him now…I get why my parents are always on each other," Charlotte replied, "I almost want to apologize to them for all the teasing and eye-rolling because I totally get it now."
Collette laughed in reply. "If you two disappear today, I'll cover for you."
"You're the best," Charlotte hugged her friend, "I can't wait for us to be sisters officially."
"I'm still floating on a cloud. It was so completely unexpected. I thought he'd wait until I graduated and moved back to New York," Collette was smiling from ear to ear.
"What did your parents say?" Charlotte asked.
"Mom is over the moon," Collette smiled, "Dad is…"
"Not as thrilled," Charlotte concluded. She knew what a complicated relationship Collette had with her father, made even more complicated when she was forced to move to France after her parents' divorce despite her pleas to stay in New York.
"He'll come around," Charlotte gave her a comforting hug.
"This morning, your parents offered to pay for the entire wedding if Dad refuses to chip in," Collette swallowed hard, "Either way I am done letting him dictate my life any longer. I'm going to be happy."
"Good, because you make my brother so happy," Charlotte hugged her again. Just as they pulled away, Charlotte felt a furry little thing rubbing against her ankle. Charlotte looked down to see Emie looking up with hopeful eyes.
"My heart belongs to Barty, but this puppy is a very close second," Collette smiled as Charlotte bent down to pick her puppy up.
"Second best Christmas present I received this year," Charlotte scratched behind Emie's ears.
"Are you two ladies about finished?" Brice entered the office, his arm going around Collette's waist instantly, "Guests are starting to arrive, and I'd like to show off my fiancée."
Collette pressed her lips to her fiancé's, enjoying the way the word fell effortlessly from his lips.
"Come on, Emie, let's see if we can upstage them," Charlotte pranced out of the office with her puppy. She had no real intention of taking her brother's thunder away from them that day, but it was always fun to tease.
"There's my girl," Abby greeted the puppy with a gigantic smile. "How's she do last night? Any trouble?"
"She was an angel," Charlotte transferred the puppy to Eddie's sister-in-law, "She hardly made a sound and curled up in her bed last night and immediately fell asleep."
"I missed you," Abby gave Emie a plethora of kisses, "Does she have a name yet?"
"She does, Emie, short for Emmaline," Charlotte replied, "And she loves attention, don't you Emie?"
"Yes, she does," Abby laughed, "She very nearly got Genie and Cedric to agree to a pet. Even my stone walled husband, who is allergic, melted when she pranced towards him with her large, brown eyes opened wide…Didn't you, Sweetheart?"
"She was mildly entertaining," Justin rolled his eyes.
Abby laughed in response. "Any time you need a pet sitter, make sure Justin and I are at the top of your list."
"At least until the baby arrives," Justin quipped.
"I think my mom might fight you for tops on the list," Charlotte replied, "But I'll keep you both in mind."
"This place is beautiful," Abby glanced around the Waldorf-Bass penthouse. She'd only seen the lobby and the entryway the previous evening, and it didn't do the home justice.
"I'll give you the tour," Charlotte linked arms with Abby and pulled her from room to room.
"They seem to be getting along," Justin nudged his brother, "And the puppy was well received."
"Oh yes," Eddie chuckled, "She was quite excited. In fact, that puppy has been carried around in other people's arms more than she's walked since she arrived last night."
"You look really happy, Little Brother," Justin nudged him again.
"I am really happy," Eddie confirmed.
"Who would have thought all those years ago when Charlotte was tagging along on vacations and such that you'd be dating her now," Justin chuckled.
"More than dating," Eddie rubbed his hands together nervously.
"Dude, are you popping the question?" Justin asked.
"What? No?" Eddie scoffed, "It's still too soon for that. I'm just saying we're more than dating."
"What is there between dating and getting engaged? If there's something, I sure as heck missed it with Abby," Justin chuckled.
"I don't know, but it definitely feels like more," Eddie shrugged.
"Let's get a drink," Justin shoved Eddie towards the minibar, "Maybe a few drinks will help you identify it."
"This is such a beautiful home," Abby gushed as Charlotte returned her to where everyone had gathered, "I would have thought that Blair Waldorf Bass was living in some Manhattan mansion."
"Oh, this is better," Blair approached, "New York's skyline is hard to beat."
"Mom, this is Justin's wife, Abby. Abby, this is my mom," Charlotte introduced them.
"Oh my goodness, I'm so thrilled to meet you, Mrs. Bass…Mrs. Waldorf-Bass…er," Abby extended her hand as she rambled on.
"Blair is perfectly fine," Blair laughed as she shook hands with the frazzled, pregnant woman still holding Emie, "Oh my goodness, look at you with the belly. Charlotte told me you were expecting a girl. Congratulations."
"Thank you," Abby felt her nerves lessen a bit, "Justin and I are thrilled."
"So is Eugenia," Blair replied, "She talks nonstop about how excited she is to meet her first grandchild. When's the baby due?"
"We've got another couple of months," Abby rubbed at her belly, "After the holidays, Justin and I are going to have to start looking for an apartment of our own. We certainly can't be staying with Genie and Cedric after the baby is born."
"You should talk to my husband," Blair suggested, "He could put you in touch with the best real estate agent in the city. They'd probably have you moved in and settled well before the baby arrives."
"Wow, that would be great," Abby smiled, "I have to tell you, Mrs. Bass, I love your clothes. They're a bit above my pay grade, but they're beautiful."
"I'm glad you like them," Blair smiled.
"I told Abby to check out the vintage shops in Soho," Charlotte chimed in.
"You really should," Blair agreed, "I don't know what it is about that location, but they just gobble up my second-hand goods like they're going out of fashion."
"Once I'm back to myself, I just might," Abby rubbed at her belly again.
"I really should branch out into maternity," Blair laughed, "Thank you for the sudden burst of inspiration."
"You're very welcome," Abby laughed with her as Charlotte reclaimed her puppy.
"Hey, Char, three questions, who is this adorable little ball of fluff? Who is that yummy man standing next to your handsome man?..." Serena came over with an eager expression, scratching the ears of the growingly popular pooch.
"S," Blair tried to stop Serena from making a fool of herself.
"And is he single?" Serena plowed along without a second thought.
"S," Blair hissed.
"What?" Serena asked, "It's rare when I have a chance to pick up a hottie at a family event. Let me have this, B."
"Um, Serena, that's Eddie's older brother, Justin, and this is Abby Fraser, his pregnant wife," Charlotte introduced Abby.
"Oh, um, don't mind me," Serena's face flushed as Blair yanked her away to chastise her.
"Sorry about my aunt," Charlotte felt mortification on her aunt's behalf, "She always speaks before she thinks."
"Don't worry about it," Abby assured her, "I know my hubby turns heads. I'm so very fortunate his only turns in my direction."
Charlotte turned to see both Justin and Eddie's eyes on them. She felt herself blush at the intense way Eddie was staring at her.
"Looks like you're fortunate, too," Abby nudged her towards Eddie.
Eddie advanced on the pair, his arm wrapping around Charlotte's waist.
"Justin has an admirer," Charlotte caressed his chin.
"Beyond his wife?" Eddie leaned in for a kiss.
"Serena," Charlotte laughed, "She was hoping to pick him up today."
"She's barking up the wrong tree," Eddie chuckled, "Justin is a one-woman man. It's a trait we share."
Charlotte rose up and pressed her lips against his. She was moments away from suggesting they slip away for a bit when her mother announced it was time to eat.
"Let's go away for a few days," Eddie suggested as they made their way to the table, "My grandparents have a condo in the mountains of Vermont. We could do a bit of skiing, have roaring fires, plenty of alone time…"
"What about Emie?" Charlotte situated Emie in her lap as she took her seat at the table.
"She can join us," Eddie reached over to give Emie a good scratch, "The resort is pet-friendly, much to Justin's displeasure."
"Are you guys planning a trip to Great Winds?" Abby picked up on their conversation, "I love that place. Justin and I honeymooned there, although it was a couple of years after we actually got married, thanks to our Army assignments. We've been talking about taking another trip before the baby is born."
"What do you think?" Eddie asked.
"I love the idea," Charlotte replied, "We have to be back by New Years' Eve though. We're hosting a party, remember?"
"Plenty of time," Eddie assured her, "I'll make all the arrangements for our trip. We can leave first thing tomorrow."
"Sounds great," Charlotte smiled, "I can totally party plan remotely."
Dinner was thankfully more comfortable than Thanksgiving. Charlotte couldn't believe how adding Eddie's family to the table was the most natural addition. They'd been coming to meals for so many years that it felt as if they belonged. As she ate her meal, she could hear the bantering between Justin and Nate with Eddie chiming in at regular intervals. Abby and Collette conversed like they were long lost friends. Aiden and Brice went through their usual banter. It all felt familiar like it was always supposed to be this way.
"You okay, Babe?" Eddie's hand fell to her thigh, "You're quiet."
"Just taking it all in," Charlotte gave him a reassuring smile.
Eddie gave her a slight head bob and then returned to the conversation he was having with Nate and his brother, something sports-related. Charlotte heard Nate inviting the brothers to a basketball game sometime into the new year.
Everything felt too good to be true. For the first time in her life, Charlotte felt like maybe she'd found her forever love, but she couldn't let herself wholeheartedly believe it was a man she'd known her entire life.
"Charlotte, Sweetheart, can I talk to you for a minute?" Blair approached her daughter after the meal; her fingers shifted through the curls like she'd done nearly all her daughter's life. Charlotte bobbed her head and followed her into her office after Emie was handed off to Abby.
With the door closed, Blair started the conversation, "You were awfully quiet at dinner. Is everything alright?"
"Everything's fine," Charlotte plopped herself down into one of the leather armchairs, "I think I'm just a bit tired. We were up late last night."
Blair studied her daughter for a minute. She could see something had changed. She hoped her relationship with her daughter was strong enough for Charlotte to confide in her.
Charlotte could feel her mother's eyes bearing down on her, making her squirm a bit.
"Charlotte, something is going on with you," Blair took a seat next to her, "Is everything okay with you and Eddie? You two were looking quite comfortable last night."
Charlotte took a deep breath. "Eddie and I had sex last night for the first time."
"Oh," Blair's eyes went wide in surprise, "Okay. Not what I was expecting you to say, but okay. You appear a bit tense, is that because it wasn't…"
"It was amazing, Mom," Charlotte bit her lip nervously, "So much better than anything I've ever experienced before. It's all so incredibly overwhelming. It's not like I was a virgin, but in some ways, it felt like I was. He made me feel things I've never felt before."
"That's wonderful, Sweetheart," her mother grabbed her hand and squeezed it, "It still doesn't explain your silence today."
"You're going to think this is a bit silly," Charlotte bit her lip.
"Trust me, Sweetheart," Blair gave her a reassuring smile, "Nothing you can say will surprise me."
"It's just that I enjoyed it so much I want to do it again and again, and I don't trust myself to say much for fear I'll let everyone else know what happened," Charlotte admitted.
Blair fought with everything she had to keep a straight face as her daughter's words settled in. "Sweetheart, I know exactly how you feel."
"You do?" Charlotte asked.
"Yes, I do," Blair bobbed her head, "You know most of the sorted details of the relationship I have with your father, but I've never really told you a lot about our intimate relationship, mostly because it's private…"
"I know, Mom," Charlotte rolled her eyes, "You and Dad have sex a lot."
"Yes, we do," Blair released a short giggle, "Those feelings you have for Eddie right now, those are the same feelings I had for your father when he returned to the city after we graduated high school and finally admitted how he felt about it."
"What did you do about them?" Charlotte asked.
"I gave in to them," Blair replied, "I put aside what everyone expected of me and just allowed myself to be happy."
"Weren't you scared it wasn't going to work out?" Charlotte asked.
"Terrified," Blair stated, "Your father and I had so many ups and downs leading up to our relationship; it was only natural."
"What did you do about it?"
"Jumped in with both feet," Blair smiled, "I had to trust that all that bad stuff was behind us and that together we could be strong enough to take on anything that happened…Relationships, even the best of them, go through natural ups and downs. Right now, you and Eddie are on the greatest of highs, but you're going to go through your bumps. It's how you find out if you want to go through those ups and downs together."
"I was sitting at the dinner table with his family and my family all mingled together, and it all just felt so natural. Is it supposed to be this easy?" Charlotte asked.
"It's not easy, Charlotte," Blair replied, "It's natural. Eddie's family has been a part of our family for a long time."
"Remember when I started dating, and we talked about soul mates?" Charlotte asked, "You asked if Evan was my soul mate, and I said no."
"I do," Blair bobbed her head, "I also asked if you saw a soul mate in your life, and you said no, but that didn't mean he wasn't there."
"Turns out maybe he was," Charlotte bit her lip.
"It's what I've always wanted for you," Blair smiled, "I want you to have a relationship as wonderful as what I have with your father, and I'm not talking about just the sex."
"I almost want to apologize for how mercilessly I've teased you over the years," Charlotte laughed out, "I totally get it now."
Blair laughed with her, "I have to be your mom for a minute here. Are you being safe?"
"Yes," Charlotte bobbed her head, "Every time, I promise."
"So it's been more than once," Blair raised her brow with a curious smirk.
"Mom," Charlotte moaned.
"Sorry, I'm just curious," Blair laughed, "I'm glad you enjoyed it."
"Is it always going to be like this?" Charlotte asked, "Am I always going to see stars?"
"If you're lucky," Blair smirked, "Some men enjoy pleasuring their partner, others enjoy the pleasure for themselves. Your father certainly enjoys the former."
"Too much information," Charlotte brought her hands to her ears.
"Enjoy yourselves," Blair brought her daughter's hands away from her face, "But for the sanity of your father, keep it behind closed doors."
"Oh god, don't even go there," Charlotte gasped, "I don't want my sex life to give him a heart attack."
"Thank you, Sweetheart," Blair rose up and kissed the top of her head.
Charlotte emerged from her mother's office with an entirely new attitude. She went immediately for Eddie, laying a tantalizing kiss on his lips.
"I'm not complaining, but what was that for?" he chuckled when she pulled away slightly.
"Because I love you," Charlotte caressed his cheek softly.
"I love you too," he pecked at her lips a second time.
"Where has Emie ended up?" Charlotte asked.
"Last I checked, Nate had her," Eddie glanced around the gathering, "Barty was keeping an eye on her for you."
When the party began to dwindle, Eddie disappeared to get the plans for their short trip solidified while Charlotte and Emie said goodbye to all the guests.
"When you get back from Vermont, let's have lunch," Abby suggested.
"I would love that," Charlotte bobbed her head.
"Fantastic," Abby hugged her, "Call me when you get back…Bye, Emie, have fun in the snow."
Emie yipped in reply as she received a kiss from Abby.
TBC…
To my Thanksgiving celebrating readers, Happy early Thanksgiving.