Chapter 3 of In Love & War

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.

Author: Isabelle

Summary: Post 1.13. Chuck Bass left New York after he lost Blair and Nate in one day. Years later, a deep economic crisis has left the world broke, and the only family in the UES with money left is the Bass family and its sole heir: Chuck Bass. Eleanor convinces Blair to marry Chuck for his money, but all the feelings Blair left buried a long time ago start to surface when she realizes he's not the man she thought he was. CB. NV.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, not Gossip Girl, not any quotes/lyrics used.

Rating: PG-15

A/N – A special thanks to the ever lovely Tatiana for her BETA.

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Never give out while there is hope; but hope not beyond reason, for that shows more desire than judgment.

William Penn

He wasn't particularly sure if he was apprehensive about meeting Eleanor Waldorf. It wasn't like the woman made him nervous or anything. Maybe it was the fact that he had deflowered her daughter, or perhaps the fact that he'd always seen her as the icon for what a UES accomplished woman should be. And here they were, years later, her with nothing and him with everything.

The woman would never have grandchildren and most likely never recuperate from the economic downfall that had been bestowed on her, so that aspect, above all the others, scared him most. He wasn't sure if he could handle a bedraggled Eleanor Waldorf. He had handled a lot of things in his life. He'd gotten out of Japan with hardly the shirt on his back when the bombing began between China and Japan. He's seen people in the streets screaming with missing limbs and blood everywhere.

He'd seen starving children across the globe, and he did try to help because everything was so very bad, but he realized quickly that he, Chuck Bass, couldn't save the world. It was not his job, not his destiny. He just needed to save himself. And in the end, that was what he had done.

He tried to keep all news from the old life away from his ears, but coming back and finding Blair in this state made him itch to find out what had happened to Nathaniel, and even his stepsister and the family he had left destitute so long ago.

He paced quietly until the door to his suite was opened and his heart was at his throat.

In stepped Jacob, who nodded at him.

"Mr. Bass, Mrs. Waldorf to see you." Jacob stepped to the side, revealing Eleanor. Chuck almost let out a sigh of relief, but he kept himself composed.

Eleanor was as enchanting as ever, with her hair pulled back in an elegant bun, make-up done, dressed in a tasteful black dress that hit her under the knees and classic black pumps. She had on elbow-high purple gloves that she slowly removed as she stepped into the room. Chuck instantly noticed she had no jewelry except for her old wedding ring.

She gave not a sign of their current destitution, which he could appreciate; Blair was so very like her that he often didn't see it. As a child, Blair had always imitated her mother's manner of dressing, her hair, her make-up, and even her manner of speaking.

"Charles," Eleanor greeted with a classic smile on her face.

Chuck quickly went forward and took her hand, kissing the back of it with a small smirk on his lips.

No perfume. Eleanor had always smelled like a perfect woody-flower. Her perfume had reminded Chuck of what mothers should smell like.

"Eleanor," Chuck smiled at her and nodded at Jacob. "Thank you, Jacob."

"It's been too long, Charles," Eleanor said and wisely waited until Jacob had closed the door behind them.

"Indeed," he replied smoothly, leading her into the room, one hand behind his back and the other on hers. "You caught me by surprise. I was about to have lunch – would you care to join me?"

Smooth, ever so smooth.

Eleanor glanced at the table set and quickly looked at him. "Oh, well, if you don't mind."

"Of course, there's always time for old friends, and you're the first I've seen since coming back home." He offered her a seat and nodded to one of the menservants to begin pouring the white wine.

"And New York missed you so, Charles. It just wasn't the same not having a Bass around," Eleanor smiled and nodded at the young manservant to pour her wine.

Chuck took a seat across from her and studied her. He wondered if Blair knew she was here. He wondered if they had had a huge fight or if Blair had asked her to come.

Chuck smiled at her. "Tell me about the family – and first, let me give my condolences regarding Harold."

A shadow quickly crossed her face, and Chuck instantly noticed before she recovered. He smiled internally because Blair was just like her – always hiding her emotions.

"Yes, poor Harold," Eleanor replied. "He's been gone some time now, at least he didn't see his beloved New York crumble around us like we have."

Chuck nodded, sipping his wine. "At least he left with good memories."

"Yes, he did." Eleanor smiled tightly at him.

"So how is…."

"Blair?" Eleanor asked, smiling coyly at him.

Chuck nodded, controlling those chills that his stomach always felt for Blair.

"Blair is quite well, she's an executive editor at the Post; after Yale, she decided to go for journalism. I didn't auspicate, of course – but I'm rather glad she did." She smiled at him. "She loves it and enjoys it – good thing, if she had gone into fashion like she always wanted as a child, she would be like me."

Chuck leaned back as Eleanor began to eat the smoked salmon. "Like you?"

"Bored at home, just helping in as many charities as I can. Given the situation."

That's when Chuck Bass realized it. He didn't believe it had taken him this long. He had thought it was just a game, and he loved playing games. Playing with Eleanor would've been a bigger step than playing with Blair. Eleanor was a master crafter; she had taught Blair by example, and Blair was incredible in her element.

But this Eleanor was not the old Eleanor. This Eleanor believed her words, and this horrible feeling settled in his stomach. Not only was Blair dealing with all that she was dealing with, but her mother had completely and utterly lost it.

"She's not married, you know. No. I would've thought she would've married by now, but I suppose fate was – is waiting for the right chance. The right man."

Chuck felt chills go up and down his back when she looked at him as she said man.

Oh, hell no.

Shit.

He'd underestimated the deranged Eleanor. In her foggy-dreams, she was probably pressuring Blair to marry him. He knew Blair better; she would feel such a suggestion was beneath her dignity, regardless of how unfortunate her situation was.

"So tell me about you. Are you married? Have you been married? We've heard very little of your adventures." She smiled amicably.

Chuck controlled his inner tension and sipped his wine tightly.

"No, no marriage. I've traveled a great deal. Expanded the company and mostly lived to have a good time and see the world," he explained.

Her eyes lit up when he confessed there had been no marriage. His suspicions were confirmed.

"How is your salmon?" He asked, nodding at her half-eaten plate.

"Charles Bass, you know lunch." She smiled her best society smile, and he smirked.

He knew plenty, alright.

"You must allow me to invite Blair and yourself to a party I am hosting this Friday," he said. "A welcome home soiree, if you will."

Eleanor stopped eating, and her attention was solely focused on him.

"A party?" She asked, a sweet innocence to her voice that Chuck had never heard. He blinked and nodded.

"Blair will most certainly be there. I do have plans, unfortunately," she said quickly, and Chuck's stomach clenched at the thought of Blair living with this madness.

"Another time then," he said smoothly.

She smiled and cheered him with her goblet, happily drinking the rest of it down.

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When Blair left the Post building, she knew she couldn't go back home. Not with all her hard work being for naught. Plus, she needed to cry without having to open the faucet and waste water. So she made it through to the park until she found the spot she and Serena had loved as children; the place where everything suddenly felt alright.

If she closed her eyes tightly enough, all this mess would be just a nightmare, and she would have her old life back. Shiny hair, teasing boys, shopping until bored, laughing and drinking sake as their spicy tuna rolls were made fresh for them, and a possibility of a future.

She took a seat on a cement bench, still standing after all these years. She looked out into the abandoned park that looked much more like a jungle now than the recreation she had known it as. There were abandoned horse carts randomly strewn about and the homeless slept everywhere and freely.

She should've left New York. She should've left New York… Maybe have joined Serena and Dan, or left with Nate and Vanessa when they went to Canada. Anything was better than being here by herself and her ailing mother. She had no one. Not one person. Just her and her 298 dollars.

She couldn't stay here. They couldn't afford it. She had to make a decision. And quickly. She took a shaky breath and decided with finality that she would have to leave her beloved New York. Take her, her mother, her Dorota, and their 298 dollars and try to make a life for themselves in the somewhere out there. Wherever people went when they left New York.

She still had her grandmother's earrings, her mother's wedding ring, her own ruby ring… And something she had kept, hoping never to have to sell it. A certain necklace that at one point in her life had saved her.

Chuck Bass' necklace. Her heart clenched; she had sold all the jewelry Ulysses had given her a long time ago, had gotten rid of all the miscellaneous jewels and gold… But the necklace reminded her of a sort of lost innocence. It was the last string left of the life where gifts were bestowed upon her simply because she was a socialite. Chuck Bass didn't just give jewelry to random girls, he bed them and left them.

Not her. She had known even then what he had wanted from her, but she had been… There had been so much time. They were only seventeen. Life was all theirs and more. Nothing could go wrong until everything that could go wrong actually went wrong, and it all went to hell.

Now here she was, age twenty four, cursed for life, driven out of her home and her life, and mourning fifty dollars. She shook herself and angrily wiped her tears, making a determined track back home. Her stomach begged her for food. She hadn't eaten all day, and she knew Dorota was making some sort of concoction. Tomorrow morning, she would take the rest of her valuables to Mr. Kin by Chinatown and sell them to him. She would be lucky if she got thirty bucks for them, but she would have to do whatever was necessary.

She made it home, her feet hurting and her soul completely deflated. As she entered their home, she was quickly attacked by Dorota.

"Ms. Eleanor?" She cried, and when she saw it was Blair, she let out a muffled sound.

"It's just me, Dorota," she said tiredly. "Can you make me a tea, please?"

"Miss. Blair." Dorota shifted nervously, and that's when Blair instantly knew something was wrong.

"Where's Mom?"

"Oh, Miss Blair, I just went shower. I come, and she's gone," Dorota cried, eyes wide and frightened.

Blair's heart stopped, and she quickly turned. "Did she say anything before she left?"

"No!" Dorota followed her. "But her ring is gone, Miss Blair."

Blair stopped and looked at her. "Her ring?"

"The wedding ring," Dorota nodded.

"Oh, God!" Blair sped to the stairs, since they hardly used the elevator to conserve electricity, when the elevator dinged open. Blair stopped, paused, and took a sharp breath.

Out of the elevator stepped her mother in all of her former glory. Blair yelped as she took her in.

"Mom!" She cried, relieved, and then even more worried than before.

"Ms. Eleanor!" Dorota cried, staring at her.

"Both of you calm down," Eleanor said amicably, removing her gloves slowly as Blair watched her with wide eyes. She handed the gloves to an even more confused Dorota.

"Where were you?" Blair demanded. "And why are you dressed like that?"

"Dressed like what?" Eleanor asked innocently. "Dorota, there have been no flowers here lately – I'm appalled that you would let this go on for so long."

"Mother, where were you? Where did you go?" Blair grabbed her arm and forced her mother to look her in the eye.

"Blair Cornelia Waldorf!" Eleanor snapped, glaring at her. "Stop shouting!"

Blair blanched. "Put some conditioner on your ends. You have to get ready. Friday will be here in just a day."

Blair's brows furrowed as she stared at her mother. "Mom…"

"And since we've been invited to the party, I think it's only fitting that we go out and get you something lovely to wear. Sid you know that they closed Stefanie's boutique on 4th?" She continued walking into the nearly bare apartment as Blair and Dorota followed her, confused and concerned. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"Mom!" Blair grabbed Eleanor's arm again. "Is that what you did – you went to the shops?"

Eleanor blinked at her. "Of course, and on my way up, I intercepted this."

She pulled a beautiful ivory envelope from her large clutch.

Blair stared at it. Gold letters, definitely new – nothing old.

"Where did you get this, Mom?" Blair demanded.

"I told you, I intercepted it – it was being delivered."

Blair saw that her name had been scribbled on the envelope.

Miss Blair Cornelia Waldorf

She gulped and slowly took it as Eleanor looked wisely at her. Slowly Blair opened the envelope to reveal a gold lining inside, she softly touched it. It had been years since she'd received something so very pretty and classy.

She reached in and pulled out the letter.

It was an invitation. She looked at her mother, who nodded in encouragement.

Charles Bartholomew Bass requests the pleasure of your company at a formal gathering in honor of the Fall Festival.

At the New York Plaza Hotel, Ballroom One

Friday, the twenty-first of October, Two-thousand fifteen at seven o'clock in the evening.

Formal attire required

Her stomach felt like she'd swallowed lead. That's when she remembered she hadn't eaten. It was nearing 3pm; no food had her in shakes.

"Dorota…" She breathed. Dorota instantly saw her pale figure and led her to the kitchen.

"You've not eaten, Miss Blair," she pouted, and placed a slide of bread with some honey before her. Blair quickly ate it, her hand never letting go of the invitation.

Eleanor, for her part, sat happy and content before her, humming softly. Blair looked at her. Her mother had this far away look to her – she had no idea what was happening around her.

Blair finally set Chuck's invitation down as she finished her bread, already feeling better.

"Dorota, please sit. We need to talk," she said quietly. All three of them sat on their small kitchen table, staring at one another.

She took a deep shaky breath. "We're leaving… We're leaving New York."

Dorota's eyes went wide, and her mother looked plainly confused.

"Are we visiting London?" She asked. Blair simply stared at her and took her hand, smiling softly.

"Yes, Mom," Blair lied to her softly. Eleanor looked pleased.

"I do love London this time of year," she sighed.

Blair swallowed and looked at Dorota, whose eyes were filled with sadness for her.

"We leave soon… We'll leave when they cut off the light, which should be in a few days, I think," Blair finished quietly. "Until then, we pack what we have, and I'll see how much I can get for our remaining jewelry."

Dorota nodded. "Are we taking boat?"

Blair nodded softly. "I hate to intrude on Serena and Dan, but we'll most likely have nowhere else to go."

"And then?" Dorota inquired.

"We'll see what work we can get… Once we're there," she whispered, her eyes still wide and frightened.

"But what about the party?" Eleanor asked, pulling her hand out of Blair's grasp. Blair stared at her, unbelieving.

"I'm not going to this party, Mom," Blair declared.

"You most certainly are!" Eleanor demanded, standing up. "I told the delivery boy you were!"

Blair sighed. "Mom, I'm not going to a party thrown by Chuck Bass and all of his adoring female fans, I'm just not! I don't even have anything to wear!"

"We will find you something – make you something –" Eleanor babbled.

"I don't have time for it! I have to make provisions, I have to get us ready – We're leaving –"

"Serena will understand, she can wait some days before we join her in her country estate –"

"Mom!" And Blair broke the pressure making her choke; she yelled and tears came unbidden to her eyes. Her body began to shake. "Stop it! Stop it now!"

Eleanor stared at her, befuddled.

Blair looked from Dorota to her mother and quickly turned, nearly running up the stairs to their bed. She threw herself on it, and it wasn't until her face was buried in the pillows that she realized Chuck's invitation was firmly clutched in her hand. She folded the letter, and that's when she noticed there was writing on the back. She sat up, confused, and stared at it.

I hope to see you Friday, B.

CB

She gasped and dropped the letter, staring at it on the quilt. Her heart was hammering so fast that she thought she would faint. She needed more than just bread in her stomach.

It was definitely his handwriting. She still remembered.

"Blair…" Her mother was at her door and she quickly took the letter, holding it to her. "You don't have to go, darling… If you don't want to."

Blair blinked at her mother. "We won't leave for a few days… If you can make me something to wear… I can go."

Eleanor smiled with finality, sitting on the bed with her and pulling her into an embrace.

"I do want to see you smiling at times, Blair – It's been so long…" Eleanor whispered into her hair. "Life can't always be this sad, my darling."

Blair listened to her mother; never believing her, but listening nonetheless.

The next day passed in a blur. As Dorota and Blair tried to pack all their belongings, they left Eleanor to her own devices. When Blair went to check on her, she was startled to find her mother digging up cloth from her old things. When Eleanor Waldorf designs had gone under, Jenny had helped her mother bring left over cloth to the apartment – They had never finished as her father died soon after, but the cloth had been enough for Eleanor to make clothing for the rich still left, and that's how they had survived these years. But the rich were becoming scarcer and scarcer.

With the threat of war in nearly every corner and the bombing of Japan and Australia, even the rich left didn't have time to think about clothing.

Blair had though her mother had used all of her fabric, but apparently tearing apart old dresses and making a new one was her mother's specialty. She left her, shaking her head as Eleanor took out her old sewing machine and went to work on a spectacular gown for the party. Or at least that's what she told Blair it was.

Blair didn't have time to worry about the party. While her mother was busy, she grabbed her grandmother's earrings, her mother's ring, and her own ruby ring, and headed to Chinatown to attempt to acquire more money.

After some arguing with the man, she got twenty dollars out of it. Twenty. She nearly sobbed as the last bit of her parent's marriage was replaced by a twenty dollar bill. She didn't ask herself why she didn't sell the necklace.

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Chuck stared at the jewelry before him, touching them softly. He sighed.

"She sold them this morning," Jacob explained.

Chuck touched the diamond earrings he'd seen Blair wear or twice and her small delicate ruby ring. "How much for?"

"Twenty for all four pieces," Jacob said, no longer sure how his employer would react to news. Usually he was impassive and indifferent… But New York had changed him, and in such few hours.

Chuck closed the cloth around the jewelry and handed it to Jacob. "Place it in a box. Keep it for later."

Jacob diligently nodded and walked away. Chuck swirled his scotch in his cup as he stared out into the city once more.

What was he doing? What the hell was he doing? He couldn't save the whole world – he had realized that long ago.

But there was something about Blair selling her most precious things that hurt him so much… He wondered how long ago she had sold his necklace… And for how much? Ten bucks? A meal? He sighed dejectedly.

He should've come sooner; he should've never left. He'd just learned that morning that Nathaniel and Vanessa had gotten married two years ago and lived in a small studio apartment in Toronto, where he had a job in the docks and Vanessa was a maid for the home of Julliard Van Stock, a business partner of his. He was still waiting for word on Serena, Lily, and Eric, but none had come yet.

He didn't know if he should consider himself a great fool for searching out his friend's fate, or a great romantic. Either way, it was bad for business. He'd made it this long by being completely closed off to the world and being apart from it. After he almost lost his life in Japan, he had moved to Scotland, the most rural of the countries nowadays, and had just lived his life amidst beautiful women and his money.

It had been good, but he got an itch. He got bored. He felt the need to see sky-scrapers once more, ride in limos, wear purple tuxes, go to bars… Things that could only be properly enjoyed in New York. And with his old friends. Now he had come back looking for who knows what and found this mess.

Trying to save Blair Waldorf? What the hell was he doing? The thought of being in the same room with her once more sent cold shivers up and down his spine.

He had no illusions – or ever had – of being a Prince Charming. He really didn't. He was a capitalist, a war profiteer. He had sold his ethanol fuel at the highest price to whatever country, regardless of their alliance. The American army had paid a small fortune for him to provide for their tanks, and he'd gladly done it, watching his account go up and up… And here he was trying to save Blair Waldorf. Trying to help Nate and seek out Serena. A fool.

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To be honest, Blair had forgotten about the party until Friday afternoon as she and Dorota packed the last of their non-perishable food into one of their travel bags. She figured if each of them could handle two bags, they would be able to make it.

That morning she had gotten them all tickets on the boat; it took supposedly a few weeks for the boat to reach New Orleans. It was a start. From there, she would find arrangements to go out West. The last letter she had received from Serena had been over four months ago, and they were living in a small town in Kansas. That was her destination.

She was so very tired, so exhausted that all she wanted was to bathe and sleep. When she made it upstairs around 4pm, she noticed her mother was in her sewing room, which worried her because there was no heat at all there and the temperature was dropping enough that Dorota had taken out what was left of their winter clothes.

"Mom?" She asked, entering the room. "You haven't eaten, Mom."

Eleanor was hunched over, stitching by hand, as Blair came near her.

"Mom?" She asked again quietly, and Eleanor finally turned, her slightly broken glasses perched at the end of her nose as she looked up at her.

"You haven't even showered!" She cried.

Blair looked taken aback, studying the blue dress in her mother's hand. Eleanor noticed and showed her the gown she had been working on. Blair gasped, looking at it. It was a short dress, strapless, with just the right amount of ruffles, and cinched perfectly at the waist.

She hadn't had anything so pretty to wear since the time of Ulysses.

"I didn't have an empire for nothing," Eleanor smiled knowingly. Blair reached out and took the dress from her mother and held it to her frame.

"I wasn't going to go…" She said softly.

"Tonight… You will truly be Cinderella…" Her mother said softly as they stared at her reflection in the mirror.

Under normal circumstances, she would've demanded that they try to sell the dress for money, because they could make some money out of it. Somewhere… But the color looked perfect against her complexion, and the thought of going to a party once more warmed her heart, and her mother had done it for her. Just for her.

She was leaving New York, that was the reality of it all, and she was going to see this party as a last one she would ever have. The last New York soiree before she embarked on her new life.

"Dorota," she heard her mother say. "Let us begin."

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When Blair stood before the mirror a few hours later, she sighed at her reflection. She could almost see her old self. The young girl with too much time and money, who would doll up and impress each and every person she ran into.

Dorota has washed and combed her hair, and they had brought out the natural shine to it, despite the fact that they had neither shampoo nor conditioner. Eleanor had pulled an old make up case out of her closet, and they had found eye shadow, mascara, and some foundation to compliment her look.

The dress fit her like a glove; like her mother had measured her in her sleep. Thinking about how off Eleanor was these days, though, Blair wouldn't be surprised if she had done just that.

Dorota found some of her old leather pumps and attempted to polish them with vinegar as much as she could. They were still slightly scuffed, but they were better than all the rest she owned.

"The pearls would've been lovely," Dorota sighed sadly.

"Yes… Pearls would've matched it perfect… But…" Eleanor pulled out the one piece of jewelry Blair had been hiding amongst her things.

"No, Mom!" Blair cried, trying to prevent her from opening the black box. But it was too late. Eleanor had opened it and now stood staring at her old necklace. The Chuck Bass necklace.

She cursed. She should've sold it. Should've – should've, should've.

"… This is perfect…" Eleanor sighed, and Dorota quickly looked at Blair.

"Miss Blair…" Dorota had been informed that it had been sold, and she looked away, embarrassed.

"I'm not wearing it," Blair said resolutely, crossing her arms.

Her mother took the necklace out of the box and looked at it.

"Who gave you this?" She asked Blair.

"Mister Chuck –"

"No one!"

Eleanor looked at Dorota, and then at Blair. "You're wearing it."

"I am not!" Blair protested.

"You can't possibly show up without jewelry, and this is exquisite!" Eleanor walked to her.

"I'd rather go naked," she snapped.

"That can be arranged. Now, stop being such a child and wear it!" Eleanor chided her.

"He will notice!" Blair cried, holding her neck to prevent it from being decorated by the impending necklace.

"Men never notice these things," Eleanor said airily.

"You don't know Chuck. He'd notice if you changed perfumes," she hissed.

"Even more reason for you to wear it!" Eleanor countered.

"No! Mom, if this is part of your plan to marry me off to this man, you can forget it! I wont marry him," Blair reminded her.

"But you will go to his party, and you will wear the necklace." Eleanor pulled her hands down from her neck. Blair figured she might as well let her before she had a breakdown, and simply remove the necklace before she reached the party. Easy enough.

She waved goodbye to her mother and Dorota as she took the elevator downstairs. She didn't care anymore about saving electricity. They were going to lose it anyways, might as well just live it up until then.

As she made it downstairs, she wished she had brought a coat. It was getting slightly chilly, and she had on a short, strapless dress. Great. She'd probably get sick. Ugh.

And that's when she stopped and stared at the scene before her.

There was a long black limo and a driver waiting outside, his hand on the door.

She was taken aback, because the last time she had seen a limo waiting for her had been… Oh, yeah… She had passed out, and when she woke, she had found out what she had done to her body.

"Miss Waldorf," the driver greeted her and opened the door for her, waiting for her to get in.

She blinked and walked slowly to him.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

"Mr. Bass sent a car." He nodded and waited for her to enter.

Mr. Bass sent a car. Mr. Bass… She fumed and got in angrily.

The moment she sat down, she couldn't control the haunting words of her mother from invading her thoughts.

You were raised to be a princess… And he's the only prince left.

Oh, no. This was a bad, bad idea.

She shouldn't be surprised; Chuck always sent a car for her if he was inviting her to his party. It was his way of being gentlemanly, but he did it for all of them. She was sure now that it was a way for him to show off his money. She fumed the short blocks it took for them to get to the Plaza.

At least now she wouldn't get a cold. She was so distracted by the surreal fact that she was riding in a limo once more that she completely forgot about her necklace.

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Chuck Bass wasn't nervous. He wasn't. He was just anxious – a little because people were already here, and she wasn't there.

He was a fool to think she would come. She probably didn't have anything to wear, and he knew Blair – she considered 200 items in her closet nothing to wear. He couldn't imagine the state of her closet. He should've slipped a dress into her apartment without her noticing… No, she would have known it was from him.

Damn. Damn it all – why did she have to be so stubborn? Why did he care? He didn't care. He was a man now, and Blair and her chocolate hair didn't affect him.

Where the hell was she? He was pacing now, nearly growling at the people that greeted him. The room was filled with old UESers that still resided in New York, holding on to their pennies. Only a few in the room still had money at all. Every mother in the room was drooling over him, and he slinked uncomfortably away when any one of them came near. Jacob was a good fence; he screened them first.

Where the hell was Jacob?

"Jacob?" He growled behind him.

He felt the man instantly come up behind him.

He was about to open his mouth when something strange happened to the air.

"She's here, sir," Jacob whispered, and this sick and large stone fell from his throat and into his stomach. He slowly raised his head, and there she was.

He felt his heart stop beating. His bow-tie was on too tight. He'd told Jacob he had increased in neck size, but the man hadn't wanted to believe him.

He quickly gulped down his scotch as she looked innocently around the room, her chin high and her shoulders straight. She looked like the queen she was born to be, and Chuck Bass was once more suffering from acute 'indigestion'.

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To be continued

A/N - I know, I know - you want them to finally talk... next chapter