Disclaimer: I only own the story-specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
Charlotte and Eddie woke early the day after Christmas to get an early start on their trip north. Eddie had rented them a car to drive them. They'd packed the night before, so they only had to get dressed and head out. Emie seemed super excited for the journey as she bounced around the entryway when Eddie and Charlotte brought their luggage in, sniffing each bag.
When Eddie left to get the vehicle, Charlotte went to her parents' penthouse to check in and let them know she and Eddie were heading out of town for a few days. As she had been since she first joined the family, Emie was right at her side.
"You were a born Bass, weren't you, Sweetheart," Charlotte laughed as her puppy rubbed against her ankles lovingly as the elevator rose. Charlotte waited until the elevator came to a stop and then lifted Emie into her arms.
"Someone's up early," Blair greeted her daughter with a smile and a hug. The matriarch was still in her silk robe. She must have slipped out of the bedroom for a cup of coffee to get her a jolt before dressing for the day and heard the elevator on her way back to her husband.
"Is Dad up?" Charlotte asked.
"He's awake," Blair smiled and scratched at Emie's ears, "Not exactly coherent as of yet, certainly not as coherent as his fully dressed firstborn child. Is everything alright?"
"Yes," Charlotte bobbed her head, "I was just stopping up to let you know that Eddie and I are heading up to Vermont for a few days. Eddie's grandparents have a condo."
"Ah, yes, lovely place too," Blair smiled, "We stayed there once when we went to Vermont for Eric and Magnus's wedding."
"I had no idea that was the same condo," Charlotte's eyes went wide in surprise. "Isn't that where you decapitated my snowman?"
"And why was that again?" Blair raised a scolding brow.
It was a funny story now, but Charlotte had been in a world of trouble with the accessories she chose for her snowman, which included a certain scarf Chuck had given to Blair as a symbol of his commitment to their relationship. Charlotte had snuck it out of her mother's closet without permission. Blair was so upset when she saw it, she pulled as hard as she could at the treasured garment and inadvertently knocked off the snowman's head. Charlotte had pitched the mother of all fits. It took all of Chuck's powers to calm both Blair and Charlotte down enough to resolve the situation, but something good came from the incident. Charlotte never took any of her mother's possessions again without asking.
"Anyways," Charlotte sought to change the conversation, "I'm having a party on New Year's Eve. I'll be working on it remotely. Can I count on you to help if something has to be handled in person?"
"Depends," Blair responded cryptically, "Are your father and I invited to this little soiree?"
"Oh, yes, of course," Charlotte laughed, "All the family will be invited, along with our friends and colleagues. I'm hoping to introduce one of my coworkers to some of Eddie's bachelor friends."
"Careful playing matchmaker. It doesn't always end well," Blair cautioned her daughter.
"I'm not playing matchmaker," Charlotte replied, "Just making introductions. Whatever happens after that is totally on them."
"Then count me in for whatever help you need," Blair smiled, "I'll see if Dorota is up to helping Daniella prepare."
"I don't know if Dani will need it, but it can't hurt for Dorota to offer," Charlotte shrugged.
"I don't know if I can handle not seeing this adorable little face for a few days," Blair stepped closer to her daughter and placed several kisses to Emie's head.
"Maybe you should tell Dad you're ready for a new dog," Charlotte suggested, "You've certainly enjoyed having Barty back, and now Emie."
"I've thought about it," Blair smiled as Chuck came into the entryway, dressed in his satin robe. He'd emerged from the bedroom to search out his wife, who he'd thought was going to be right back. He followed the voices.
"Good morning, Daughter," Chuck kissed Charlotte's forehead, "You're up early."
"Yeah, Eddie and I are heading up to Vermont, and I just wanted to let you know I was going to be out of town," Charlotte replied.
"Are you asking us to dog sit?" Chuck gave Emie a couple of scratches, trying to mask the anxiety he felt by the fact his twenty-three-year-old daughter was heading out of town with her increasingly serious boyfriend.
"No, she's coming with us," Charlotte shook her head, "Mom's not happy about that. I think she might be wanting a canine accessory of her own."
"Does she now?" Chuck looked towards his wife curiously.
"I've thought about it," Blair admitted, "I'm still thinking about it."
"If you move beyond the thinking stage, let me know," Chuck stroked his wife's shoulder affectionately, "Valentine's Day is on the horizon."
"Tempting," Blair smiled adoringly at him.
"Well, before this goes any further…" Charlotte inserted herself into the conversation again. She could see the heat was building in her parents' eyes. She certainly didn't want to hang around for the fuse to ignite, "I'll talk to you guys in a few days."
"Have fun, Sweetheart," Blair called out to her daughter as she grabbed the ties of her husband's robe and pulled him towards their bedroom.
"Those two are ridiculous," Charlotte told Emie as she pressed the call button on the elevator, "Make sure you knock before you enter their bedroom, or you'll likely see things you really don't want to."
Charlotte was returning just as Brice was taking Barty out for his morning walk.
"You heading out?" Brice noted the bags in the entryway.
"Yeah, place is all yours for a few days, but Dani has strict instructions to not let you take over my home," Charlotte replied.
"Wasn't even a thought in my mind. It's too girl for my tastes," Brice chuckled.
"Ha, ha," she sent him a dirty look, "Oh, we're having a New Year's Eve party here. Of course, I want you and Lettie to join us."
"That would be great," Brice bobbed his head, "Do you mind if I invite Billy Vanderbilt and his girlfriend?" Billy Vanderbilt had been Brice's best friend since the two were quite young. Even with Brice in France, they kept in close contact.
"Go ahead. Invite anyone you want, just let me know the final headcount so I can plan accordingly, and tell Aiden the same thing," Charlotte requested, "Just keep the numbers manageable. I'd like to keep it under a hundred."
"I don't think either of us will go too crazy," Brice assured her as Barty tugged on the leash, "I'd better get his walk started before there is a puddle in your entryway. Have fun in Vermont."
"Thanks," Charlotte gave Barty a quick kissed to the top of his head and then stepped off the elevator.
"I think I've only sat in the front seats of vehicles with you," Charlotte was fiddling with the radio stations once they were outside the city limits, "First the Hamptons, now here."
"I suppose this is your first SUV," Eddie glanced towards her briefly before refocusing on the road and the rapidly dwindling traffic.
Charlotte thought about it for a few moments, "Yeah, it probably is. Other than the step in and step out, I like it. It's super roomy. Emie is certainly taking advantage." Charlotte turned towards the backseat to see her puppy all comfy in the blanketed nest Charlotte had created for her. The golden puppy was sound asleep.
"I'm glad you're enjoying your Christmas gift," Eddie reached for her hand and brought it to his lips.
"How can I not?" Charlotte smiled, "She's about the most adorable thing I've ever owned…Don't tell Licorice I said that."
"My lips are sealed," he chuckled.
"Is this condo the place you and your brother used to ride up to on your cycles?" Charlotte inquired.
"There's no used to," he smirked, "We fully intend to go again, and yes, same place."
"How often do you go up?" Charlotte asked.
"Mom and Dad come up quite a bit," Eddie replied, "Justin and I hadn't been up in years until he got back to the states a few months ago. When we were younger, we used to spend our holiday break up there. You'll love it. It's a lot like the Hamptons, only snowier."
"I haven't been skiing in years," Charlotte replied, "I hope they have equipment outfitters in the area. I'm going to need it."
"We'll make that our first stop after settling in," he assured her.
Eddie showed Charlotte into the condo. It was nicer than she remembered. It had all the feelings of an upscale hotel suite, complete with the view of the snow-capped peaks. The views of the snowy peaks took her breath away.
"You should see it in the fall when the leaves are changing," Eddie stepped in behind her, wrapping his arms around her midsection.
"I'd really like that," she smiled as he pecked at her fragrant neck.
"I'll show you around," Eddie offered.
Even though the condo was vaguely familiar to her, Charlotte allowed Eddie to pull her from room to room.
"I think we'll put that soaker tub to good use," Eddie nipped at Charlotte's ear when he showed her the master bathroom. There was another spectacular view of the mountains.
"I like the way you think, Mister Fraser," Charlotte turned in his arms and wrapped them around his neck.
Eddie hummed against her lips only to be interrupted by a yip coming from their feet. He pulled away a fraction of an inch and groaned slightly.
"I think she wants attention," Charlotte gazed down to see Emie looking up at them with hopeful brown eyes.
"I didn't buy you to be a buzzkill, Emie," Eddie bent down to gather the pup into his arms.
"She's just figuring out her place," Charlotte kissed Emie's nose. "It's only been a couple of days."
"Well, your place isn't sticking your nose in when things get amorous between me and Charlotte," he chuckled.
Charlotte laughed in reply.
"Come on, Emie, let's check out the view from the bedroom," Charlotte took possession of her puppy and carried her into the master bedroom. "I think it's going to be hard to decide which view is better. Don't you, Princess?"
"You are equal parts adorable and sexy right now," Eddie advanced on her.
"That's sweet of you to say to Emie, but I'm a bit nervous. I don't think humans should find dogs sexy," she teased.
"Add sassy to that list," he laughed.
After settling in, Charlotte leashed up Emie, and they set out for the village just a short walk down the road. As Eddie had described, the village looked like a real-life Christmas card. Every storefront was decorated for the season. As they passed a fudge store, smells of melted chocolate assaulted their senses. They decided to stop in for a taste. The sign in the window said dogs were welcome.
"What a cute puppy!" the store's proprietor, an older woman with grey hair pulled back in a loose bun, came around the counter quickly to get a closer look. "Is she friendly?"
"She seems to be so far," Charlotte lifted Emie into her arms, "She was a Christmas gift. We're still getting to know each other."
"What's your name, Princess?" the owner held out her hand to Emie to sniff. The golden dog didn't waste a moment, nudging the woman's hand to encourage more attention, most likely smelling the chocolate remnants from last treasure the woman had created.
"Emie, short for Emmaline," Charlotte responded, "I'm Charlotte, and this is my boyfriend, Eddie."
"You are just about the cutest thing I've seen in months," the owner scratched under Emie's chin. "What brings your cuteness into my store?"
"We were passing by and couldn't ignore the fantastic smells wafting out," Charlotte replied.
"So my trap snagged another," the owner let out a proud laugh, "I've got plenty of fudge to choose from. What's your flavor?"
Charlotte and Eddie scanned the display cases. It seemed nearly every kind of fudge flavor was on the menu. Everything sounded and looked amazing. It was nearly impossible to choose from.
The proprietor seemed to sense their hesitation. "If you can't choose between a few of them, I do have a sampler option. You can pick twelve different flavors. You'll get a couple bites of each. Then you don't have to tie yourself to once specific flavor of fudge."
"We still have to narrow it down to twelve," Charlotte laughed. "Maybe a couple of bites of everything?"
"Char, that's a lot of sugar," Eddie chuckled.
"We wouldn't have to eat it all at once," Charlotte smiled, "Fudge freezes, right?"
"Oh yes," the proprietor agreed, "If you plan on freezing any of it, I'll pack it up special."
"That settles it," Charlotte replied, "Wrap up a tasting of everything…What we don't finish, we can bring back as souvenirs for the family."
The proprietor's eyes went a bit wide. She'd never had anyone come into her store and ask for tastings from all her fudge flavors. "It might take a while to wrap it all up."
"We're in no hurry," Charlotte reassured her, "Why don't you ring me up? We have to make a stop at the equipment outfitter down the street anyways. I'm in desperate need of a mountainous wardrobe. I bet you'd have enough time to wrap it all up. We'll swing by on our way back to the condo."
"Sure, why not," the proprietor quickly rang up the purchase. When the lady ran Charlotte's card, she glanced at the name. "Are you any relation to that designer Blair Waldorf-Bass?"
"I certainly am," Charlotte laughed, "She's my mother."
"Oh my goodness," the lady flushed in surprise, "We had your mother in the shop ages ago. She was such a lovely woman. She autographed a few things for us." The woman pointed towards the wall behind her. Sure enough, Blair's autograph had a prominent place on the wall. "She brought an adorable little girl in with her…I suppose that must have been you or your sister."
"No sister," Charlotte smiled, "It would have been me. I was probably being a bit of a brat though."
"How could you possibly remember times when you were being a brat versus other times when you were not?" Eddie teased.
"It was the trip when my uncles Eric and Magnus got married," Charlotte replied, "It's sort of an infamous trip in my family. I took something really important from my mother without her permission. When she found out, she was absolutely furious. I received the mother of all scoldings. We all laugh about the details of it now, but back then…it was a rough trip."
"So my Charlotte wasn't always the perfect princess she appeared to be," Eddie teased.
"Nope," Charlotte replied, "I was a bit too spoiled for my own good. Fortunately, I outgrew it."
"I'll have everything wrapped up for you shortly," the proprietor remarked as Charlotte signed the credit card receipt.
"Take your time," Charlotte smiled, "I'm sure we'll be combing the racks for a while. It's been ages since I've been skiing. I have nothing suitable for the slopes."
"Make sure you visit Conte's shop then. Tell them Miss Mable sent you. They'll take excellent care of you," the proprietor replied.
"We'll do that," Charlotte waved as they left the store.
"Your family leaves impressions everywhere they go," Eddie chuckled as they walked on. "My family has been coming to this area for a couple of decades, and I don't know if we've ever even stopped in the fudge shop. Of course, you step in and are suddenly on a first-name basis with the owner, and your mother's autograph is on the wall. You'll probably have a flavor of fudge named after you by the time we get back to the shop."
"It's called being friendly," Charlotte rolled her eyes.
"It's called something, but I'm not sure what," Eddie snorted.
Entering Conte's, Charlotte and Eddie were immediately greeted by the lead saleswoman, Johanna Conte. "Mable called ahead," Johanna extended her hand, "She said to treat you well."
Charlotte smirked at the eye roll Eddie tossed out in her direction.
"I'll entertain Emie," Eddie took the puppy from Charlotte as she was pulled towards the equipment. Eddie found a comfy spot to sit. Emie sat quietly in his lap, napping away as he stroked her fur rhythmically. The young pup was settling in quite well with her new owner.
"Would you like some coffee, water, or something while you wait?" another salesperson approached a short while later with a few skiing magazines extended out to Eddie as something to entertain him while he waited.
"No, I'm good," Eddie accepted the magazines. He was fairly certain Charlotte was behind the offer. She was probably elbows deep in ski clothes. As he flipped through the magazine, he wondered if this was how Chuck Bass dealt with one of Blair Waldorf-Bass's notorious shopping sprees.
After a refreshing nap, Emie was off Eddie's lap, tugging at the leash like she wanted to walk. Eddie found the salesperson who earlier gave him the magazines and asked that she deliver a message to Charlotte that he had taken Emie for a walk.
"Come on, Princess," Eddie let Emie take him wherever she desired. Emie pranced along, evoking several cuteness comments as she went from several people who passed her by. When she took a bit of a break, Eddie couldn't help noticing she'd stopped just outside a jewelry store with several gorgeous looking engagement rings prominently displayed in the window. Eddie found himself stepping in to take a closer look. It was too soon, but he couldn't resist looking. Though the rings in the window were beautiful, none of them looked worthy of Charlotte. She deserved something epic, like the ring her mother had proudly been wearing for a couple of decades.
Pulled from his thoughts, he felt Emie tugging at the leash again. "You're right. It's too soon," Eddie chuckled as they circled back to the ski outfitter. Charlotte was at the register waiting for her purchases to be rung up. It appeared she'd purchased half the store by the number of bags being loaded.
"There you are," Charlotte smiled when Eddie and Emie approached, "Did Emie enjoy her walk?"
"She pranced around the village like she owns the place," Eddie chuckled, "Did you leave anything on the racks for other patrons?"
"I told you I needed practically everything," Charlotte laughed along while holding up a crystal-encrusted snowflake collar, "I even found this cute little dog collar for Emie."
"Did you find matching doggie outfits too?" he snickered.
"I did buy her a coat, but in my defense, it is winter. It's cold outside, and she's such a small dog," Charlotte bent down to pick up her dog, "I don't want her to get chilled."
Emie soaked up the love Charlotte bestowed upon her.
When everything was finally rung up, Eddie intentionally didn't look at the final bill. He was pretty sure it was several thousand dollars. Charlotte simply handed over her card without batting an eyelash, and why would she?
"Let's stop by the fudge shop and get our dessert, and then figure out what we're going to do for dinner," Charlotte suggested.
"Already figured that out," he grabbed several of the bags the salespeople were handing over.
"We'll make sure your gear is delivered to the slopes first thing in the morning, Ms. Bass," Johanna told Charlotte as she returned the credit card.
"Thank you," Charlotte quickly signed the receipt and then accepted the rest of the bags.
"This is a new experience for me," Eddie lead Charlotte from the skiing outfitter. "Carrying bags, waiting patiently while my girlfriend shopped…"
"I'm so sorry. Was it incredibly boring for you?" Charlotte cut him off, "I did suggest someone get you some literature to read, but the only thing they had in the store was about skiing."
"There were moments of boredom," he confessed, "However the end result is quite amusing. You do realize we're only going to be here for a few days, right?"
"This time," she added, "I figured this wouldn't be our only trip, and I wanted to be prepared. You said you and your family used to come up here all the time. We can easily sneak away for weekends throughout the winter."
"I didn't realize you were such a snow bunny," Eddie laughed, "I pegged you as more of a beach bunny."
"I'm an equal opportunity weekender," she gave him a teasing smile.
"Good to know," he chuckled.
After a quick stop at the chocolate shop to pick up Charlotte's purchase where Miss Mable had tossed in a few puppy treats for Emie on the house, they made the short trek back to the condo and the magnificent views awaiting for them, now cast in the setting golden sun's glow.
"We're going to need to rent a trailer to get all your clothing back to the city after our trip," Eddie watched Charlotte take out all her purchases and organize them in the closet.
"Hey, this isn't all for me," Charlotte pulled out a cozy-looking sweater, "I did get this for you, but now I'm thinking I'll see if it fits Brice."
"He has his own girlfriend to buy him sweaters," Eddie flopped down on the bed.
"You mean fiancée," she amended, "It still bobbles my mind. My brother is engaged."
"Do you think they'll have a long engagement?" Eddie asked.
"I think as soon as Collette graduates from college, they're going to run down the aisle," Charlotte laughed, "Lettie is already looking through bridal websites. I guess I don't really blame them. They've been together forever, longer than my mom and dad were when they got married even. They were practically living together in France, even though officially Lettie lives in a flat near school."
"Her father's doing?" Eddie raised a brow.
"The man is simply unreasonable," Charlotte huffed, "Every time I think my dad is overbearing and unreasonable about something, all I have to do is look at Collette and remember what she's gone through with her father. I end up hugging mine super tight."
Eddie knew from the stories his mother told him about Collette's struggles with her father. It certainly made him appreciate the unconditional love and support he'd received from his parents.
"What's the plan for dinner?" Charlotte closed the closet door once she'd finished putting away her purchases. She wasn't about to let Emie have access to her footwear. She'd learned long ago with Barty to always keep the closet closed or risk losing valuable footwear. She didn't want her puppy developing a taste for expensive shoes.
"In the fridge," Eddie allowed Charlotte to pull him to his feet, "Just let me know when you're hungry, and I'll get cooking."
"I'm hungry," Charlotte rose up on her toes and pressed her lips to his.
"For food or me?" he smiled against her lips.
"Both," she whispered before she attacked his lips again.
Again the pair were interrupted by a yip coming from their feet.
"Okay, Emie, you and me need to have a talk. When you see me and Charlotte kissing, you should find yourself something else to do," Eddie picked her up. The puppy responded by licking his face.
"She just wants to be involved in the kissing," Charlotte kissed the top of Emie's head.
"There is a time for doggy kissing and people kissing," Eddie wagged a finger sternly at the puppy, trying to show the young pup who the master was in the relationship. Emie took the finger waving as an invitation to lick the finger.
Charlotte bit her lip to keep from laughing, "I'll talk to her after dinner."
Eddie handed off Emie with a laugh and went into the kitchen to get dinner started.
After a wonderful dinner, Charlotte and Eddie curled up in front of the fire with the book of poetry and Emie sound asleep in Charlotte's lap. All the fresh air appeared to put the young pup right to sleep. Charlotte was also feeling the effects of the fresh air as she yawned her way through Eddie's narrations.
"Am I boring you?" Eddie caught her yawning. He kissed her temple softly as he spoke.
"No," she shook her head slightly, "We've had a busy day. I guess I'm a bit tired from all the activity."
"And we should make sure we get a good night's sleep in order to hit the slopes tomorrow," he set the book aside, "Let's go to bed."
Charlotte carried Emie to the bedroom, laying her out on the puppy bed they'd brought along.
"She is going to be quite the spoiled pup," Eddie observed Charlotte hovering over the soundly sleep dog.
"Yes, she is," Charlotte didn't even try to deny it.
"Are you going to be okay leaving her here for a few hours tomorrow while we hit the slopes?" he wrapped her in his arms.
"I think so," Charlotte bobbed her head, spinning in his arms. "I guess we'll find out. Hopefully, Emie's okay with it too."
Eddie's hands ran lightly along her back as he gazed into her eyes.
"I love you," Charlotte trailed a finger down his chin as her other arm wrapped tight around his neck. Eddie could see the intention in her eyes. She was trying to seduce him in her innocent, relatively inexperienced way.
"I thought you were tired," he swayed slightly with her in his arms.
"I am," she gave him a mischievous smile, "I think we should go to bed."
Eddie released a rumbling moan as he lifted her into his arms and carried her to bed.
TBC…