Hello, I know it's been a while, but I've been busy. So here is the next chapter, with less Blair and Chuck interaction than I announced. But be sure, that the next one will have plenty in it.
I want to thank everyone who reads this story and even more those who actually review. You guys are amazing. Special thanks goes to ohh its love – you're reviews are truly an inspiration for me.
Enjoy.
Although the phone call with her mother had taken more than an hour, Blair felt relieved.
Her mother didn't have a clue about her breakdown or about her little journey to Bangkok.
It had turned out, that Eleanor and Cyrus had spent quite a while on a yacht and in a moment of inattention, Eleanor's phone had vanished in the depth of the Pacific Ocean.
As a result, none of the messages, Serena for sure had left on Eleanor's mobile box would ever reach her mother's ears.
Blair's mother had even joked about what she called the "whole phone incident" and had only giggled like a school girl when Blair had asked about the circumstances under which the cell phone had disappeared into the ocean.
It was definitely Cyrus influence that Eleanor hadn't freaked out over the loss. Before her marriage with Cyrus Blair's mother had been a control freak, a perfectionist, who simply couldn't live without the knowledge of always being present within call reach and to whose high expectations Blair had never been able to live up to.
Eleanor just needed to know what was going on especially in her fashion company and in the past she had effortlessly managed to be in charge of everything. How her mother had managed marriage, work and a bunch of social events and despite these activities always looked perfect and put together, was beyond Blair.
Blair herself had tried to be as ideal and well organized as her mother but it never was enough. She would always find something that just wasn't as perfect as she needed it to be and therefore it was hard for Blair to live in the shadow of the omnipresent and great Eleanor Waldorf who wasn't only a fashion designer but an institution in the fashion world and on the UES in general.
But since Eleanor had met Cyrus, Blair's mother was more relaxed than Blair had ever seen her before. Eleanor Waldorf was a new person who maybe for the first time in her life had experienced a carefree holiday vacation.
Blair had never been more grateful than in that precise moment that fate had brought Cyrus into her mother's life and that these two had propelled towards each other in no time.
This sparred Blair the uncomfortable and rather unpleasant task to explain her relapse and her current hospital stay to her mother.
Now Blair was confronted with only one more problem: Serena. Her best friend wouldn't let this go and she eventually would tell Eleanor about. Oh yeah, Blair definitely needed to face that problem.
Blair knew, she had to give her best friend something, something that somehow would foul Serena into believing that she was perfectly alright.
Although Blair felt still weak and dizzy after her yesterday night's binge, she started slowly to get up, little black and white spots dancing in front of her eyes, momentarily clouding her vision. Inhaling deeply and trying to calm down her frantically beating heart, she carefully swung her feet out of her bed, her nears nearly buckling as she reached solid ground. But She was able to steady herself and after opening the window to erase the suspicious smell of her late night activities, she started to clean her room in order to make sure that no one would suspect a crack in the fake perfection that was Blair Waldorf and Blair Waldorf's life.
************
Blair has just finished her cleaning activities, when the sound of the opening elevator doors downstairs startled her. With one look at her now once again tidy and fresh smelling room, she closed her bedroom door and descended downstairs.
She had barely reached the bottom floor, when she was lifted of her feet, blond and golden hair now clouding her vision.
"Oh god, B, you're alright, I was so worried about you, never do something like that again or I might kill you with my bare hands, how do you feel…", the words were floating out of her mouth like a waterfall, but by the life of her, Serena couldn't help it. She was too relieved that Blair was back and although she was pale, she seemed more put together, than Serena had expected her to be.
Nate had called her earlier this morning, telling her that Blair had been to Bangkok, but that Chuck had screwed up, causing Blair to disappear and reappear back in New York and that he and Chuck now would return as well. Nate couldn't tell Serena what had exactly happened between his best friend and the petite brunette, but given the fact that Blair had returned alone to New York, was all Serena needed to know. It had had to be bad, because if it wasn't Blair would never have left Chuck all by himself in Bangkok.
Her best friend was nothing but stubborn and determined. If it had been – and Serena was sure that had been Blair's intention – her task to bring Chuck back to New York, then her stepbrother would be back with Blair by now.
The lack of Chuck's presence and the fact that he now returned with Nate and that he hadn't done so with Blair, had caused Serena's worries to increase even more. This wasn't good. Chuck had screwed up- which wasn't really unusual, but Blair was already so fragile, that Serena feared for her best friend.
Without a second thought or any hint of hesitation, Serena had made her way over to Blair's penthouse, once again afraid of what she might find there.
When Blair had descended the stairs, Serena just couldn't control herself any longer. Although she was more than angry that Blair had disappeared without a word, she was also thankful that her best friend seemed to be ok. She hugged Blair tightly, lifting the light weight off of her feet.
"S, stop, I can't breathe."
"Sorry, B", Serena took a step back looking at Blair.
Her best friend was wearing a black pencil skirt, with a white blouse. If Serena hadn't known better, she would have been reassured, that everything was normal and that Blair was perfectly fine.
However Serena knew better and because of that she didn't hesitate to approach the topic of the current situation.
"B, you're sick and you can't just flee the hospital and fly to Bangkok without telling a word to anyone. Your condition is too serious to just…".
"S, I've got this covered, ok. I already phoned the hospital and I already scheduled an appointment with my therapist on Monday. We both agreed that this…well, relapse was a one time thing and that one appointment should be enough. By the way, how did you know, I was in Bangkok?"
"Nate called me, he is currently in Bangkok with Chuck and Chuck mentioned…"
"Whatever he said, I'm over it and him", Blair interrupted her best friend quickly. She didn't want to repeat or relive the events in Bangkok. Not even to her best friend. If she had to, she was sure, she would have to make another order at Butter, "sure I was a little bit taken aback due to the fact that he screwed whores there and I admit it was slightly humiliating, but then I was thinking and I came to the conclusion, that he is Chuck Bass, greatest womanizer of the UES, and that he won't change and then I told myself to get over it and now I'm done with him."
Even in her own ears those words sounded like a lie, but Serena had to be convinced that she was fine- at all costs. There was no way, her friend could find out, that she hadn't scheduled an appointment. That was why she really had made one with her therapist, telling him that this was about her relationship with her father. She would need to make up some non existing problems with Harold, but this was far better than telling him about her resurfaced bul…, she didn't finish that thought.
"B, are you sure, that…"
"Yes, S, I'm fine and all good now. Let's go shopping. I need new shoes for my Valentino dress, which
by the way I totally intend to wear to Penelope's New Years party tonight. A party at the Hamptons is a great occasion to wear it. Have you heard, Penelope's brother is back from Yale for the holidays and he will celebrate with us, well him and some of his college friends. Great isn't it, I mean who needs the entire Humphreys' and Basses' of the world, if there are some well educated boys from college. I'll just go upstairs and grab my pursue and then we'll go, ok?"
"Yes, ok, B, let's go shopping", Serena wasn't convinced at all that Blair was fine, but at least she seemed a little bit better. She would have an eye on her best friend all the time and she would also make sure that Blair would have a great time at the party.
After Blair had disappeared upstairs to get her pursue, Serena made a quick phone call and was relieved as Blair's therapist confirmed her appointment on Monday. She then hit the speed dial button and tried to call Nate. When he wasn't answering and his cell phone went back to voice mail, she told him in a few words that Blair seemed halfway to be ok and that they would attend Penelope's New Years party that night.
***********
It had been raining, when they had arrived at the airport. The sky had been dark, a pitch black. But compared to Chuck's mood, the weather had really been delightful.
The whole ride to the airport, Chuck hadn't uttered a single word. Nate could tell that his best friend was brooding.
One time during their taxi drive he had tried to talk to the dark haired boy. "Look, Chuck, this is Blair we're talking about. Whatever she is going through right now, I'm sure, she'll come around and…" Nate hadn't been able to finish his sentence. The look Chuck had given him, had simply silenced him and it had been this moment that Nate had been thankful he was Chuck Bass' friend. Chuck's eyes had bored into his, sending shivers down his spine and he hadn't been able to hold his best friend's gaze any longer. He had looked out of the window then and after quite a while had dared to cast a glance in Chuck's direction again.
His best friend had stirred out of the window as well, but Nate had been fairly sure that Chuck didn't notice a single thing out there. His whole body had been tense, but yet his shoulders had been hanging down in defeat.
Nate had ached for his best friend. Although he had family problems himself, he at least had two parents who loved him. Chuck had no one left – well that wasn't true, but Nate was certain, that this was, what his best friend was feeling. And now he had screwed things with Blair as well.
Blair. She was the first girl, Chuck had ever admitted to love. And Nate didn't doubt one moment that this was the truth. Although he often hadn't a single clue what was going on, Nate had sensed the connection between his best friend and his ex-girlfriend. In some weird way, he by far didn't understand, they depended on each other.
He had seen Chuck looking at Blair and there had been a longing in his eyes, Nate had never observed in his best friend's eyes before. The looks Chuck was giving Blair, when he thought nobody was noticing were full of wonder and amazement.
All the planes to New York had been over boarded, but Chuck had found an elderly couple and had offered them ten thousand dollar for their tickets – an offer they hadn't been able to refuse.
When the flight attendant had asked them, what they wanted to drink, Chuck had curtly ordered "Scotch".
"Sir, given the fact that you are probably under twenty-one, I'm not allowed to give you any sort of alcohol."
"I'm Chuck Bass and if you knew what's good for you, you would better give me a scotch", Chuck's voice had barely been louder than a whisper, but the evident threat in his voice and the look he had given her, had been enough. He had gulped the golden liquid in a second and had ordered a second and a third one.
Nate had only glanced apologetically at the flight attendant and had ordered a coke and a tomato juice himself.
When they had landed, Nate had received Serena's text message.
"Hey Chuck, man, Serena had texted me. Blair seems to be ok for now and they are going to attend Penelope's New Years party".
"I need to see her right now, I need to explain, Penelope's New Years party is too late, I need to…"
"Chuck, give her some time. You're tired and exhausted right now. Come home with me and we both sleep a while and tonight we'll go to Penelope's party and I'm sure you can fix this."
"Maybe you're right, ok let's go." Nate was right, Chuck was more than tired and exhausted.
**********
Chuck hadn't been able to sleep, his thoughts had been with Blair – like the whole way home from Bangkok to New York. He was so scared that she could die, it nearly took his breath away. He couldn't loose her, he just couldn't bear it. He would do whatever was necessary to save her, even if she would hate him – which she probably already did.
**********
The party was fully going on, when Chuck and Nate finally arrived.
Chuck's gaze immediately wandered around in search of Blair. He almost spotted her the next second. She was standing next to the dance floor with Serena looking absolutely stunning in a dark blue or maybe dark black cocktail dress. Her hair was tied in an elegant knot, two curls framing her face.
The moment he had spotted her, she turned around and their eyes connected.
tbc…
