The crowd of people surrounding me made me feel as if I were suffocating. I had a moment of panic, wondering if I'd ever really get back to being myself again. This was a party in my honor, mine and Chuck's. A party welcoming us home and celebrating our survival. I should be happy. This was my scene. Every eye was on me. All attention turned in my direction. All good wishes and concerns focused on me.

How could a girl not want that ?

I heaved a deep breath and felt the boning in my bodice digging into my ribs sharply. The champagne colored material stretched over my breasts and pushed them up and forward to the point that it looked as if they might pop out at any moment. The beading of the bodice was rough against the inside of my arm when I raised my glass to take a sip from my drink.

I had never felt uncomfortable dressing up before. But now I was feeling decidedly stifled by my finery in a way that was a disconcerting surprise.

" You look like you want out of that dress as badly as I want you out of it." Chuck breathed into my carefully coiffed up-do. I was amazed at his seeming ability to read my mind.

He stood right at my elbow, having not left my side for even an instant all night, in his vintage Valentino with its black velvet lapel and cuffs and red bow tie and vest. He was absolutely comfortable, perfectly at ease and looking more handsome than I had seen him in a really long time.

" We're the honorees of the party. Don't you think someone will miss us if we try to sneak off ?" I asked, as adapt at reading his mind as he was mine.

His fingers brushed a few tendrils over my shoulder, twining in the strands and playing with them offhandedly. " I think we could manage a few minutes alone without Elenore and Lily calling out the hounds to find us."

I heard a noise on the other side of me and I drew my eyes away from his smoldering ones to cast a glance in that direction.

" Nate, Vanessa," I nodded at the new arrivals.

Vanessa leaned in for an awkward hug and I let her grudgingly. Vanessa was not one of my favorite people. In my opinion, she was not much more than a sewer rat from Brooklyn working her way into our society on the arm of an Archibald. But apparently no one was listening to my opinion as far as our friends were concerned so I tolerated her with clenched teeth and tried not to let her rub off on me.

Her opinion of me wasn't much higher. I could read it in her superior gaze every time we met.

" I'm glad to see you both home safe." She muttered as she moved on to give Chuck the same sort of hug. I watched with an interest inspired by an unreasonable jealousy. But she remained friendly in her body movement and kept her breasts, which were practically jumping out of her dress, to herself.

In the next instant I was surrounded by the familiar comfort of Nate. My first love was embracing me so tightly I had to resist the urge to squirm. But it ended as quickly as it started and he stepped back and clasped Chuck on the shoulder.

They stood looking at each other for a few minutes and I wondered what was passing between them. Best friends since grade school, I could tell there were some serious emotions laying under all the male bravado. Then without warning, Nate grabbed Chuck and hugged him as well.
So much had come between the two over the years, including me at one point, but as Chuck hugged him back just as enthusiastically I knew that everything else was old news. They were simply glad to be each others friends. It was a touching moment and I felt my eyes sting at the corners briefly.

When Nate let Chuck go, he shook his head as he took us both in. " I don't know what I would have done without you both." He told us.

Chuck found my hand and squeezed it. I smiled at Nate, unsure of what to say to his emotional outburst. Nate had been at the hospital when Chuck and I were released, but we had had precious little time since then to really talk to each other.

" Tomorrow night we are all getting together and doing something. The three of us." He informed us.

Chuck and I both answered in agreement as Vanessa began to pull him away.

" What's gotten into him ?" Chuck whispered beside me as we scanned the crowd together.

" He misses you." I cooed in his ear. " I think it's sweet and whether you admit it or not, Bass, you miss him, too."

He shifted uncomfortably and squeezed my hand again. " Okay, maybe it'll be nice to spend some time with him."

" You need guy time." I told him. " And it was never more apparent than this afternoon when I found you playing video games with Eric."

His hand left mine and wormed its way around my waist. " I like Eric. In fact, I find that I like the whole lot of them. It's nice having a little brother."

" Again with the whole family man thing going on. You're going to make me think you were serious about us getting married, too." I teased.

His eyes darkened and he turned me towards him abruptly, pulling my body into his chest. " I have never been more serious about anything. One day, you will be Mrs. Chuck Bass. Count on it."

" Oh my God ! " My best friend's voice exclaimed behind me. " Did he just propose in his own weird 'Chuck' way ?"

We pulled apart, and Dan was beside Serena extending his hand. " Congratulations on your threat of marriage, Man. I hope that works out for you." In another lifetime, Chuck would have decked him. They had come to blows before. But Dan was smiling his strained, pained smile and Chuck smiled back and took his hand.

" Humphrey, I hear you and Jenny are moving on up soon. Please tell me we won't have to share a room." Chuck teased back.

" Oh, no, I'd rather sleep in the subway station than share a room with you, Chuck. I think Lily and Rufus are planning on waiting until we all leave for college before combining the households."

Again in another lifetime, Chuck would have made a comment about being disappointed to miss out on living with Dan's little sister, Jenny. He would have turned the tentative seize fire between them into an all out war, just to get a reaction.

But new Chuck, just smiled casually and turned his attention to Serena, who was still going on about the proposal.

" We aren't getting married tomorrow, for God's sake, Serena." I was telling her.

Chuck pulled my back into his chest and wrapped his arms around my waist in a possessive gestured that turned my insides to goo. " But we will, someday." He added.

" That's great, really. I'm happy for you both." Serena smiled with wide-eyed enthusiasm.

" I wonder if we might enlist the two of you to help us. " Chuck said over my shoulder as his arms tightened their hold.

" What do you need ?" Dan asked, stepping a touch closer.

" Blair is having a little trouble with her dress." He paused and quirked his eyebrow. " A wardrobe malfunction, if you will." Dan chuckled and Serena began scanning my outfit to find the flaw. " We need a few moments to run upstairs and see to it. Do you think that maybe you could hold everyone off."

" I don't see anything wrong with the dress." Serena announced.

Dan cleared his throat and took her hand, giving her his best patronizing look. " The only thing wrong with her dress is that she's wearing it." He informed her. Then he nodded to Chuck. " Go, do what you need to do. We'll take care of everyone down here."

Chuck had me at the elevator before Dan could change his mind.

" We shouldn't be doing this." I breathed as the doors closed and he attacked my neck with his lips.

I clutched at his shoulders, holding him tightly as he played with the zipped at the back of my dress.

" That just makes it so much better." He panted quietly in my ear in response.

" We're going to get caught." I warned as he gathered my skirt up and lifted it upwards. He stopped breathing for a moment when he felt the top of my garters. White garters edged with lace that I'd worn just for him.

" We need to get upstairs." He said before kissing me so deeply I lost my own breath.

His hands were by no means idle on the long ride to the penthouse. By the time the doors opened I felt as if he had already touched every inch of my skin. And everywhere his hands brushed burned as if he were imprinting his brand on me.

I choked back a sob as he found my ear and began to suck on it feverishly.

Then another when he grabbed me into his arms and lifted me, carrying me to his bedroom and opening the door with the toe of his shoe.

He deposited me into the middle of the bed and leaned over me with a hand on either side of my head.

" How is it that we've made love every night for the past month, at least once and I still feel like I can't get enough of you ?" He asked, dipping his head to slide his tongue along the edge of my bodice.

" Me either." I moaned, sliding his jacket off.

" Isn't this just touching ?" A brand new voice said from behind the door and we both froze instantly.

Chuck made a move to turned around but before he could complete the action there was a loud whack and he slumped forward over me.