Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
"Wake up, Bass," Blair cooed as her lips nuzzled his neck. She had woken up to the sun shining in her eyes. She looked to her husband to see him still sound asleep with his arms wrapped possessively around her with a serene expression on his face. They had worn each other out the previous evening as they took full advantage of the fact that their precious daughter was being looked after by Serena. She had lost count as to how many times they had made love that night.
"What time is it?" he mumbled softly as he pulled her tighter against him.
"Eight," she replied as she glanced over his shoulder to the clock on the nightstand. A grin appeared on her face as she felt his readiness against her. He was still the Energizer Bunny after all these years. "Still plenty of time to enjoy the benefits of Charlee being a building away."
"Did you notice that I made your half of the bet come true?" he smirked as his eyes sprung open for the first time, "A night of ecstasy with Charlotte staying with Serena."
"Is this part of my Christmas present?" she grinned.
"This is part of my Christmas present," he amended as he rolled her underneath him and slid home. He watched his wife's eyes roll back into her head. He marveled at how incredible she felt against him. Every now and then he'd reflect on how she had been able to keep him satisfied after all their years together. Chuck Bass and monogamy did not go together, but with Blair it felt like the most natural thing in the world. She had spoiled sex for him with all others so many years ago. He'd spent a year trying to force the issue, but in the end he knew she was it for him. Whatever it took, he had to be with her. If he had to swallow his pride, it would be worth it, and it had been.
"You okay?" Blair inquired as they held each other as they tried to catch their breath after they both received their mutual satisfaction, "You seemed to drift off on me."
"I'm sorry," he mumbled as he tickled her neck with his soft lips.
"Don't get me wrong, you were still incredible, but it was like you put it on automatic pilot," Blair replied with a slight giggle caused by his lips.
"I was just relishing the feel of you against me," he began to explain, "It's no secret how much I feared monogamy . . . feared that I wouldn't be able to do it even with you, but you have made it effortless. I've never even been tempted. Nobody could compare to you. Nobody could satisfy me like you. Nobody else could be you."
"Chuck," Blair responded tearfully as she pressed her lips against his softly.
"I don't ever want you to forget how much you mean to me . . . how much I love you and our life together . . . how much I love our daughter," he continued on.
"I know," she assured him as she put her fingers to his slips to silence him, "And Charlotte knows."
"Let's go get Charlotte and go home," he suggested, "I want to continue on with our first family Christmas."
"Okay," she nodded.
"How was your night?" Serena inquired with a knowing glimmer in her eyes as the best friends settled in the jet. Charlotte was sound asleep already on her father's shoulder, and Chuck was beginning to drift off as well. "Chuck looks a little worn out."
"We haven't had a night like last night in awhile," Blair grinned, "He's a little out of shape."
"I heard that," Chuck glared at her as he tried to stifle a yawn.
Blair giggled at the annoyed look on his face as his head fell back against the seat again. She knew he was utterly exhausted. It was a miracle that he had made it onto the plane without stumbling. If he hadn't had Charlotte in his arms, he probably would have. She'd given him a pretty good workout the previous evening.
"Did Charlee behave herself last night?" Blair inquired as her eyes stayed glued on her husband and daughter as they took a nap together.
"She was a perfect angel," Serena assured her, "She was out by eight, and slept straight through the night. She woke me a little earlier than I would have liked, but I can't complain about waking up a six when I was prepared to stay up all evening if necessary."
"Didn't Chuck tell you that she's been sleeping through the night for a couple of weeks already?" Blair inquired as she eyed her husband. Had he been awake she knew he would have given her his Cheshire grin, but he was now sleeping as peacefully as Charlotte.
"He failed to mention that," Serena stated as she glared over at Chuck. Her face instantly softened at the sweet picture he made.
Blair stood up and went to the flight attendant to procure a blanket, which she draped over her Chuck and Charlotte. Chuck's eyes opened for a moment as he felt the soft fabric warm his body. Blair bent down and kissed his lips softly before she kissed her daughter's head and then returned to her seat next to Serena who was flipping through a magazine.
Their conversation shift to fashion and their complaints about the anorexic models that were wearing the designs in the spreads. One thing that Blair had been very aware of since she began her fashion line was message that designers sent to young girls. She was insistent that her designs be modeled by real women. She didn't want to send the negative message that she had which fueled her bulimia.
When they returned to their penthouse later that afternoon, the evergreen tree they had picked out the day before was already set up in their bedroom and piles of ornaments were stacked next to it. Blair set Charlotte in her crib as Chuck started sifting through the ornaments to decide which ones he liked. When he turned around to hold up a few of the ornaments for her review, his wife was suspiciously absent.
"Charlotte, where did Mommy go?" Chuck inquired as he approached Charlotte's crib. She held out her arms to be picked up, which Chuck was quick to do. "Where's Mommy?"
Charlotte pointed towards their bedroom door, so Chuck decided to oblige and began his search for Blair.
"What is she up to?" Chuck inquired as he heard Christmas music begin to fill the penthouse. He went into the main room to see that the simulated snowstorm was reflecting off the walls and the sound system had been turned on. A further look out the windows proved that it had begun lightly snowing outside as well. He turned when he heard sounds coming from the kitchen. He gulped nervously as he followed the sounds. He crossed his fingers in the hopes that she hadn't decided on cooking something.
Charlotte squealed in delight upon seeing her mother standing over the stove.
"Charlotte, this isn't a good thing," Chuck informed his daughter as he stepped closer to the stove to see Blair hovering over a small saucepan with a spoon in her hand. "What are you making, Sweetheart?" His voice sounded shaky and nervous as he peered into the pot.
"Relax, Bass," Blair laughed upon seeing his expression. She knew she made him nervous when she entered the kitchen. The few times she had tried to cook had ended in total disasters that she insisted he try to fork down. "I'm simply warming up some apple cider for the two of us. Dorota used to make it for Mother, Daddy, and I all the time around the holidays. I always looked forward to it, so I've decided to bring back that tradition."
"It smells wonderful," Chuck grinned as he inhaled the scent.
"Don't sound so surprised," she scowled him as she tapped him lightly on the shoulder with the wooden spoon she was holding.
"Save the rough stuff for the bedroom, Waldorf," he grinned as he pulled her tight against his free side as he devoured her lips. He could taste a hint of apples and cinnamon on her lips that told him she had already tasted the liquid on the stove. Charlotte reached out to touch first her father's cheek and then her mother's to get their attention. Blair reluctantly loosened his grip around her waist as she kissed her daughter's cheek before she returned to stirring the cider.
"Take Charlotte back to the bedroom and start decorating the tree," Blair instructed him when he pressed himself against her backside. She tried to nudge him away, but he continued to hold her tight, "I'll bring the cider when it's ready."
With his free hand he swept her hair to the side so that the nape of her neck was exposed. His lips quickly found the sensitive skin.
"Chuck, either go put Charlee down so we can continue this properly, or go start decorating the tree," Blair stated as she spun quickly to face him. She could feel his readiness pressing against her as her arms came around his neck. Charlotte could feel that she was being ignored so she began squirming against Chuck.
"I can take the hint," Chuck assured his daughter as he shifted her in his arms so that he had a better hold on her as he kissed her forehead. Blair bent down to do the same before Chuck turned Charlotte towards the kitchen entryway, "Let's go decorate. Mommy will join us in a few minutes."
"I'll be there in a few minutes," Blair called out to the pair as they disappeared from view.
A few minutes later, Blair returned to the bedroom with two cups of cider. She paused for a few moments at the doorway to observe her family. Chuck was helping Charlotte hang up an ornament on the tree. Once she released one of the ornaments and it began dangling safely on the limb of the tree, Charlotte let out a giggle of delight, which would then combine with her father's laughter. Blair closed her eyes to savor the sound. His laugh was different with Charlotte than it was with her as it was more childlike. It took her back to when she was a child. She remembered him chasing her around the playground. In the distance, she could hear her nanny scolding her for running around and getting her dress dirty, but she didn't care because Chuck was laughing as he gave chase, the same laugh she was hearing now.
"How long have you been spying on us?" Chuck inquired as he turned towards Blair at Charlotte's urging.
"Not long," Blair replied as she stepped towards them and handed Chuck one of the mugs as she kissed her daughter's head, "I was just admiring the decorated tree. Charlotte is doing such a great job."
"With our genes, she was bound to have good taste," he smirked as he bounced Charlotte up and down in his arms as he took a tentative sip of the apple cider. It was warmed to perfection and tasted amazing. He took a longer drink before he passed the mug back to Blair so he could continue adoring the tree with ornaments.
After eight boxes of glass balls, Blair took a step back to admire their work. She burst out laughing at the realization that the top portion of the tree was completely bare, while the bottom was covered. "I'm going to go get a step stool," she announced as she turn and left Chuck and Charlotte to discover for themselves what was so funny.
"I think we forgot something, Charlotte," Chuck told his daughter as he chuckled merrily as he pointed towards the top of the tree. Charlotte reached out towards the tree and giggled.
After finishing the decoration of the entire tree, Chuck, Blair and Charlotte sat by the fire and admired their hard work as the glass balls twinkled from the crackling fire behind them.
"She's not going to remember this Christmas," Chuck announced as he looked down at Charlotte who was laying down on the carpeted floor looking up at her parents as she grabbed her feet, "But I know I'll never forget it."
"Neither will I," Blair replied as she leaned over and kissed him softly.
"What did we do in this life to have this most perfect moment?" he inquired as he tickled Charlotte's stomach, which brought out a giggle.
"Loved each other," she replied as she kissed him again.
"It's really that simple, isn't it," he concluded. She nodded as she rested her head against his shoulder. Charlotte's eyes began to flutter open and then closed. She was struggling to stay awake. "Go to sleep, Charlotte," Chuck reassured her as he bent over and kissed her forehead gently, "Mommy and I will be right here . . . always."
He looked over at Blair who had a warm smile on her face. Charlotte quickly fell asleep. Chuck and Blair snuggled in close to each other as they watch their angel sleep. Charlotte had a finger from each parent secure in her hands. Chuck knew at that moment that he didn't want any gifts that year . . . all he wanted was to be with his family.
"Blair," he spoke softly as he ran his fingers through her hair, separating the curls as he went.
"Um," she replied as she turned her head towards him slowly, her eyes reluctant to leave her daughter as she loved watching her sleep so peacefully. She looked like her father when she slept.
"How would you feel this year about the two of us not exchanging gifts?" he spoke tentatively. He wasn't sure how she would receive this idea. Getting gifts had always been one of her favorite parts of the holiday. He knew he could be walking into a potential mind field.
"I'm so glad you were the one to suggest it," she sighed in great relief, "I was having such a hard time trying to come up with a gift to give you. We already have everything we could possibly want right here."
"So, you would be okay if we just focused on gifts for Charlotte," he concluded. Surprise filled his voice as he gave her a hesitant smile. He was trying to determine if she was merely obliging him or if she truly was okay with his suggestion.
"Yes," she nodded as she tried to reassure him that she really wanted to follow through with his suggestion.
"Good," he sighed, "Because I was having an equally hard time trying to find a gift for you. I could shower you in jewelry, but those trinkets feel hollow and cheap now compared to all that we have."
"I could not agree with you more," she responded as she caressed his chiseled chin gently.
"I love you," he replied as he kissed the inside of her palm before he took a hold of her wrist so he could hold her hand in place as he continued to kiss the inside of her hand before he kissed the tips of each one of her fingers. He turned her hand over and worked his way down each finger, saving her ringed finger for last so that his lips could linger longer on her wedding and engagement bands.
Once he was finished, Blair reached out and took his hand as she returned the attention.
Chuck rose up onto his knees suddenly and then lifted Charlotte into his arms careful not to wake her. Blair gave him a curious look as she watched him cross their room to lower Charlotte into her crib in the corner. He returned to her and offered her his hand as he helped her to her feet. His lips came crashing against hers forcefully. She sighed happily as he lifted her into his arms and carried her to bed.
TBC. . .
Don't forget to let me know what you think. Are you enjoying this? Should I continue?