Chapter 6
Author's Note: This chapter took so long to write because I wanted to get Chuck and Blair's talk just perfect and include interactions with the other characters. I hope you approve and I look forward to your thoughts. Hope you enjoy =)
As always, thank you for all the reviews and alerts!
QueenBee10 – Thanks so much!
Krazy4Spike – Thank you! Let me know what you think of Blair's reaction to Chuck ;)
Bloodyhell95 – Thanks! I hope you will like where I'm taking this story.
Jwoo2525 – Thank you! I agree with everything in your rant, Chuck really does need professional help. So glad you like my story =)
TriGemini – Thank you! Things are starting to turn around, less angst from here on out. Let me know what you think.
Blairfab – You are too sweet, thank you!
Liz – Thanks so much!
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Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl, or Ed Westwick – sigh.
XOXO
Chuck was getting ready for his meeting with Raina when there was a knock on the door. Room service had already come and gone so he didn't know who this could be.
He opened the door to find a busboy holding a silver tray. "A letter for you, Mr. Bass," he said as he handed Chuck the letter before disappearing.
Blair's distinctive script was instantly recognized and he wasted no time in reading what she wrote to him. It had been a week since he left his note for her and he was sure that she was done with him for good. This gave him some hope that he wasn't a complete lost cause.
You never needed clues to find me. I'll be at my favorite spot this Saturday at noon.
B
He couldn't help but smile; she was giving him a chance. That and he knew where her favorite spot was.
XOXO
"You're awfully happy today," Raina said as Chuck walked into her office with a kick in his step and a small smile on his face.
"It's a good day," he told her.
"And why is that?" she asked as she walked around her desk and leaned back.
"Because," Chuck said, "I'm feeling optimistic about the future."
"Would that be your personal or professional future?" Raina asked.
"Both," he replied, "But I'd prefer to focus on my professional future for this meeting."
"Fair enough," she said as she sat next to him. "Let's get right to it, shall we? My father and I have discussed it and you can have control of Bass Industries for a reduced rate in exchange for giving Thorpe Enterprises 20% of controlling stock, permanently."
"Why would you want that?" Chuck asked, unable to believe what he was hearing.
"I believe this will be a good investment," she said plainly. "My father will not be overseeing this deal, I will. We'll even have that put in the contract, if you'd like."
When he remained silent she continued, "You're lucky I like you, Chuck. We may have gotten off on the wrong foot but I believe we will work very well together."
"I'll have to discuss this with my lawyers before I sign anything," he told her as he stood up, avoiding her last comment.
"That's fine, but there is no negotiating the terms. This deal is off the table as soon as you walk out that door," she told him evenly.
"How do I know I can trust you?" Chuck asked as he contemplated that deal she laid out in front of him. "This deal seems too good to be true."
"Because," she said, "I pride myself on my honesty. That, and I am an excellent businesswoman who knows a good deal when it's in front of me. But I see where your reservations about me are coming from. As much as I hate being rejected, I know true love when I see it. Call me sentimental but I think it's sweet how you won't give up on Blair."
"You are not who I thought you were," Chuck said with disbelief, "I didn't expect this."
"We do business differently in Chicago," she said with a laugh. "That and relationships are very important to my family. Along with trust we make them a priority."
"Alright, I'll get back to you by the end of the week," Chuck said as he reached out to shake her hand.
"You won't regret this deal, Chuck," Raina said as she took his hand. "Thorpe Enterprises having a presence at Bass Industries will only help. No harm will be done, I assure you."
"I'm holding you to that," Chuck told her with a slight smirk. "My lawyer will be in touch."
XOXO
"It's been a while since I've been here," Nate said as he sat on the couch with a plate of food. "I forgot that you could cook."
"That I can," Dan replied as he walked over to Nate with his own plate. "What's new with you? You finally decide on a major yet?"
"Not yet," Nate told him, "I have until the end of this term to decide. You still studying English?"
"Yep," Dan said as he took a bite of his food. "I'm thinking of adding journalism because of what I'm doing at the New Yorker. Maybe go to grad school for it."
"Blair's majoring in English," Nate said, seeing his segue to Blair.
"I know," Dan smiled. "And I also know where you're going with this, you're pretty transparent. What do you want to know?"
"You and Blair?" Nate asked suggestively.
"No," Dan said quickly, "Nothing like that. We are just friends, nothing more, nothing less. Why do you all think there's something going on with us?"
"Maybe because Blair is willingly spending time with you," Nate told him, "In Brooklyn."
"You have something against Brooklyn," Dan asked with mock offense as Nate shook his head. "We're friends, and she was avoiding Serena so here was the logical place for her to go."
"And just the place for you two to make Serena and Chuck jealous," Nate said. "I'm not just a pretty face, you know, I pick up on things now and then."
"Yeah," Dan said as he rolled his eyes, "But we're done with that now."
"Blair always did have a way of making people go along with her schemes," Nate said. "You do know that Chuck and Serena are driving me crazy, right?"
"No, I didn't," Dan said. "Why?"
"They want you guys back," Nate said. "And since you two were avoiding them I was the one that had to hear all their complaining. Can you make it stop?"
"Are you asking me to take Serena back?" Dan asked, stunned that Nate was astute enough to even pick up on what was happening, let alone making an effort to mend his relationship.
"Of course not," Nate said, "I'm just asking that you listen to her. And if you can get Blair to listen to Chuck that would great too. He can be a whiny little bitch when it comes to Blair. I really miss the quiet."
"You mean just an ordinary day inside the mind of Nate Archibald," Dan said sarcastically only to have Nate throw his plate of food at him.
XOXO
"Charles," Lily exclaimed with happy surprise, "It's so nice to see you here."
She went to hug him but he angled himself away from her. "I'm here to see Eric," he told her coolly. "We have plans for lunch."
"Are you ever going to hear me out, Charles?" Lily asked pleadingly.
"Not likely," he said as he saw Eric and began walking back to the elevator.
Eric walked by Lily without a backward glance. He called goodbye to Rufus before getting into the elevator with Chuck.
"So what's going on with you and mom?" Eric asked as soon as they got into the limo.
"Nothing," Chuck told him, "Everything I wanted to tell her I said at the Thorpe party."
"I was there, remember," Eric said. "And after you walked away so did Serena and I. We haven't talked to mom since then. Let's just say it's very cold at home."
"Is there anything I can do?" Chuck asked. "Do you need a place to stay?"
"No, thank you though," Eric said. "As angry as I am with her I wouldn't do that. She's having a hard enough time with Serena gone. But enough talk about my shoddy home life at the moment. Tell me what's going on with you and Blair.
"What do you mean?" Chuck asked, as if he didn't know what Eric was referring to.
"Really," Eric said, "You're going to pretend like we all don't know the limbo you two are in?"
"What do you want to know?" Chuck asked Eric with a sigh. He was tired of the charade and really in need of someone to talk to other than Nate or Serena.
"Well," Eric said slowly, "Why do you always screw things up with Blair?"
"Don't look at me like that," he told him when Chuck looked torn between screaming and crying, "You know it's true. Are you anywhere near fixing whatever it is you did this time?"
"I think so," Chuck said. "I'm meeting up with her on Saturday."
"Did she arrange this or did you?" Eric asked.
"She did," Chuck said, "Does it matter?"
"Absolutely," Eric said seriously, "You know that she wants to meet with you on her own. If you arranged it, you'd have to wonder if she was doing it because she wanted to or just because she wanted you to leave her alone."
"You really are wise beyond your years," Chuck said. "How do you know so much about women?"
"I grew up with Serena and Blair as sisters and mom and her many husbands. You have to be dense not learn how to deal with these women," Eric said before adding, "Be careful with Blair. She's not as strong as she appears, especially when it comes to you."
"I know," Chuck said, "I'm finally realizing that. Now tell me about you. I want to hear how you've been."
"Eliot broke up with me," Eric said, "About a month ago."
"Why is this the first I'm hearing of it?" Chuck asked in a raised voice.
"Because," he said, "You've been busy with my mom and trying to keep Bass Industries. Not to mention everything going on between you and Blair."
"Your life is important to me," Chuck said concerned. "I want to know what's going on with you, how you are."
"I know where you're going with this and you don't have to worry," Eric said, "I have no intention of trying to off myself again." He laughed at Chuck's expression, "I'm allowed to joke about it, you're not."
"Can I do anything for you?" Chuck asked.
"Yeah," Eric said with a laugh as the limo stopped in front of the restaurant, "You can buy me lunch."
XOXO
"This was a mistake," Blair said as paced back and forth in her room Saturday morning. "I can't do this. He might not even be there. It's not like I asked him to meet me."
"Of course he'll be there," Dan said, "You told him where you would be and there is no chance in hell that he will miss this."
"Maybe I shouldn't go," she told him as she stopped pacing. "Maybe I should just text him and say this was a mistake."
"Hey," Dan said as he put his arm around her and pulled her to him, "Tell me what's really bothering you. This isn't like you to doubt yourself."
"I can't open myself up again," she said as the tears welled up in her eyes. "If he hurts me yet again I don't think I'll be able to recover."
"Listen to me," he told her, "I don't think he will. The guy's not my favorite but I can see that he is trying to be a better person for you. And if he hurts you I will personally kick his ass."
"Hey," Serena said as she poked her head in the room to hear Blair laugh, "You ready, B?"
She sat on the other side of Blair and put her arm around her, "It will be okay, he's nervous too."
"He's coming?" Blair asked Serena.
"Of course," Serena giggled, "It's all he could talk about this week. He's so happy about it. He's actually driving me crazy though."
"You're not the only one," Dan said with a small smile to her. "You going to be alright, Blair?"
"No," she answered with a laugh, "But I'm not backing down now. I'm going to head out so I don't lose my nerve. I want to feed the ducks before I see him. That always makes me feel better. Will I see you two when I get back?"
"I'll be here," Serena told her as she gave her a hug.
Dan waved to her from the bed, "We'll be here."
'Here goes nothing,' Blair thought to herself as she made her way to the duck pond, ready to hear Chuck out.
XOXO
Chuck arrived thirty minutes early so that he had time to go over everything he wanted to say to Blair but she beat him to it. She was feeding the ducks as he approached her spot by the pond.
A smile spread across his face as he walked over to her with the peonies. She turned around to when she heard him walking towards her.
"For you," he said as he kissed her cheek and handed her the bouquet of peonies.
"Thank you," she said as she sat down. "I didn't know if you would show."
"Of course I would," he smiled, "All I needed was a sign. I never did need clues to find you."
"That you didn't," she told him with a small smile.
"I read your letter," Blair told him quietly. "But it's going to take more than you telling me you'll change. I have to see you change, for the better."
"Nothing happened with the woman you saw at the restaurant," he told her vehemently. "And nothing happened with Raina Thorpe."
"I know," she told him. "Serena told me."
"I want you back, Blair. I need you in my life," he said.
"I know you mean it when you say that, but how long until you don't?" she asked sadly.
"Blair," Chuck started, "I mean it with all my heart. I love you, only you."
The look on his face broke her heart but it wasn't enough. "I love you, I always will. Don't ever doubt that," she told him. "But I won't jump into a relationship with you now, I'm just finding my footing and I can't afford any distractions."
He remained quiet as she spoke, knowing that she needed to say what she had to before hearing him out.
"You have no idea how much I want to throw caution to the wind and take you back," she said as she touched his face. "We have too many issues to work through before I can even fathom being in a relationship with you again, as much I want to. Can you understand that?" she asked.
"Do you want to talk about what's happened?" he asked with shaky breaths.
"No," she said bluntly, "It is what it is, we can't change that. You tried to trade me for your hotel and when I wouldn't forgive you, you wasted no time in sleeping with Gothic Barbie. Then you disappeared and fell for that Parisian hooker who you brought back here to flaunt in my face. When she left you, you went out of your way to destroy anything and everything I wanted, purely out of spite. We may have found some common ground with the hate sex but I need more than being your friend with benefits."
"So do I, Blair," he exclaimed. "All I want is to be with you again."
"I didn't come here to fight with you, Chuck," she told him in response to him raising his voice. "I know that I told you I needed my space after Saints and Sinners. I just never thought you'd give up on us so easily. And when you told me it was too hard to be my friend on Thanksgiving, I sent you that pie hoping you would at least call me or come over. What if we aren't meant to be? What if we do need to go our separate ways?"
"Blair, I was respecting your wishes," Chuck told her as he touched her arm. "I didn't want to push you, but I'm fighting for you now. Doesn't that mean something?" The pain he felt was written all over his face as he continued.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked genuinely. "How can I prove to you that this time is really different?"
"You need to figure that out on your own," she said gently as she caressed his face. "I need to know you're willing to do everything you can to fix us. If you want me back you have to show me. Be the man I always knew you were, the man you're father knew you could be. That is the man I love and want to be with. Not the sadistic boy that you become when you don't get your way.
"Blair," he said as he took her hands in his, "I'm not asking for forgiveness now because I know I need to earn that."
"You do," she said. "I have forgiven you for a lot but there are some things that no matter how hard I try I will never forget them. I don't know if I will ever be able to trust you unconditionally again. And that's what I need for a relationship to work."
He spoke again, "The only thing I'm asking for is a place in this life you're creating for yourself, however small, just to know that there is something to hope for in the future."
He held his breath as he waited for her answer, if she rejected him now he would be completely broken. "I won't go out of my way to avoid you anymore," she told him softly, "I can't promise you anything more. It's going to take a long time for us to get back to where we were. But I'm willing to start that journey if you are."
"Thank you," he said happily as he kissed her hands. "You won't regret this."
"I'm holding you to that, Chuck," she told him with a smile as she stood up. "I have to go. It was good seeing you."
"Are you going back to Humphrey?" he asked as she started to walk away.
She sighed heavily as she turned around, "Dan and I are just friends. I'm sorry that I led you to believe he was anything more. He was there for me when no one else was. You're the only one I want to be with," she smirked, "So don't go getting jealous anymore."
He smiled before telling her, "I'm selling the Empire." Blair needed to know that he was moving on from the building that held such unpleasant memories for them.
"Why?" she was at a loss for words, "You love that hotel."
"I love you more," he told her with a smile. "It's time I move on and focus on Bass Industries. Finally make Bart proud, and you."
"We were always proud," she said. "I'll see you around, Bass."
"You can count on it, Waldorf," he said as his signature smirk turned into a genuine smile.
For the first time in ages, they both felt hopeful for the future.
XOXO
"I can't believe I'm about to do this," Blair said with reluctance. "Remind me again why I agreed to this."
"Because I tried those gross frog legs when we went out last night," Dan said with a smile. "We had a deal, Waldorf."
"You can't equate fois gras to a greasy cheeseburger with fries, Humphrey," she said as she eyed the burger in her hands suspiciously.
"Hey," he growled, "I made these and I'll have you know that the grease is what gives them their amazing flavor. Just take a bite and stop your complaining."
She did and couldn't help but smile, "Mmm, this is delicious," she said as she took a bigger bite.
"See," Dan said with a grin, "I told you it was good to let loose now and then."
When they finished their cheeseburgers and fries, Dan made milkshakes. They settled in the living room to discuss their relationships.
"Do you think I'm being unreasonable?" she asked Dan as she stretched out on the couch, "Asking Chuck to wait for me."
"I don't think so," he told her as he motioned for her to sit up and then lay her head in his lap. "Chuck really wants you back, he's realizing that you're the only one he wants. But if you're not ready and you told him that, you do have to trust him to listen to what you said and fight for you this time."
"What happened with you and Serena when I left?" she asked. "Did she extend the olive branch or did you?"
"She did," he said, "And I told her that it wasn't as simple as she wanted it to be. We're friends for now, we'll see where it goes. Just like you and Chuck."
"Maybe we can go on a double date with them when we're ready," Blair suggested. "That way there won't be so much pressure on being alone with them. What do you think?"
"I think that is one of your better ideas," he said with a laugh as he turned on a movie.
Please review to let me know if you want me to continue and what you want to see next.