Chapter 11

Author's Note: And the story progresses. I'm using some elements from the show but with my own, Chair friendly twist of course. Thank you all for such detailed reviews, I love those! It's so helpful to a writer when they receive thorough feedback.

Bren – Thanks! As I was writing his speech I knew that it would bring up old feelings about Eva. Let me know what you think of this chapter.

TriGemini – Thank you! I like that Chuck always seems to know when something is bothering Blair, even when she tries to hide it from him. And the softer side of him is something I love. Serena and Dan are progressing, slowly. Looking forward to your thoughts on this chapter.

Bloodyhell95 – Thanks for the feedback. Hope you like this chapter more and look forward to your comments.

Krazy4Spike – Thanks! Dan so has to be careful with Serena, and we see more of his feelings in this chapter. And Blair talks more with Chuck. Looking forward to your comments on this chapter.

D4s – Thank you! Let me know your thoughts on this chapter.

LeftWriter224 – Thanks! That line is from Time Traveler's Wife but it must have been in my subconscious and I didn't intentionally use it from there. And Dan will be making Serena work for them (love the Doormat Dan comment, btw). I really think the show's writers are missing out by not having funny/awkward scenes between Dan and Chuck. Hope you enjoy, let me know your thoughts.

Jwoo2525 – Thanks so much! As much as I love fluff, Chuck and Blair still have some issues to work through. We see Blair talk with Chuck about her feelings in this chapter. Let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl, or Ed Westwick – sigh.

XOXO

"You're sure this doesn't interfere with your classes today?" Chuck asked her.

"Positive," she told him, "I don't have be at Columbia until one this afternoon. It's not even nine o'clock yet."

"Now remember," she said as straightened his bow tie, "Remain confident and in control. You know what you're doing. And above all, make no mention of me. I'll be in the back of the room, I'm not going anywhere until this meeting is over."

"I really am sorry about that," he said in reference to his speech at the party. "I should have known better."

"You didn't do it on purpose," she smiled. "We can talk about it when we're not so busy. Now let's go, I can't wait to see you in your element."

She pulled him to her for a deep kiss before taking his hand and leading him out the door.

"Knock them dead," she whispered as she kissed his cheek before sitting in a chair against the wall. He kissed her hand before moving to the head of the table where he could see her.

Chuck made all his points and had the backing of the Board as well as Lily, who was his biggest advocate.

Blair remained in her seat until everyone filed out leaving her and Chuck alone. Most of them stopped to say hello to her and tell her what a wonderful influence she was on Chuck.

"As much as I'd love to stay, I have class in an hour," she said as he pulled her close, not wanting her to leave but knowing she had to.

"Have Arthur take you to Columbia," Chuck said as her hands rested on his chest. "He knows all the shortcuts."

"Okay," she said as she reached up to kiss his nose. "You were wonderful today. So professional and in control, very sexy."

"Knowing you were there helped," he said as he let one hand run up and down her back.

"There's nowhere else I would have been today," she told him as she looked at her watch. "But I do need to leave now. You did great, Bass."

His arm snaked around her waist as hers wrapped around his back as he walked her out to the limo. "Love you too," she said as Arthur pulled away and Chuck made his way back up to his office.

XOXO

"Is it weird that we're like this?" Blair asked as she looked up at Dan as they were cuddled up together to watch a movie.

"Nah," Dan said as he gave her a gentle squeeze, "We're friends, and I've been told that I make an awesome pillow."

"What did you think of Chuck's speech last week?" she asked.

"It was nice, and I told you there would be a shout-out to you," he teased. "You kind of freaked out though, did everything work out with you two?"

"He's more perceptive that I remember," she told him. "But I didn't want to talk about it with him. He did the same thing for his French hooker last year so the gesture felt cheap. I know he didn't mean it that way but it did."

"Why won't you tell him this?" Dan asked. "Hiding your feelings won't help matters, it will just make them worse."

"I told him that it didn't feel how it should have but I brushed it off as being silly," she let him know. "But we will have to discuss it at some point. I'm just enjoying being back with him. It's insane how empty I felt without him in my life."

"You mean I didn't fill the void?" he asked with mock hurt. "I thought we were more than that."

She turned around to face him and said, "I don't know if I could have gotten through all of this without you. So thank you. I'm glad you're my friend."

"Right back at you, Waldorf," he said with a grin. "You are nothing like what I used to think. We make an odd pair, don't we?"

"I could never be odd," she told him with an air of superiority. "And because you're referring to us, neither are you."

"Wow," he said, "More compliments, you must really like me."

She rolled her eyes as she rested her head on his shoulder once more, turning her attention back to the movie. There was a knock on the door and Dan yelled for whomever it was to come in.

"No," Chuck said as his body stiffened at the sight of them together on the couch, "Absolutely not."

"Sorry, Chuck," Dan said with a grin, "Blair will move. I'm all yours then."

Serena howled with laughter while Blair laughed silently against Dan as Chuck just stood there, speechless with a murderous look creeping onto his face.

"Don't worry, Chuck," Serena told him, still laughing. "I'll cuddle with you."

Now he was glaring at her. "No thanks, sis," he said with a scowl as he sat in the armchair, "I'll just sit here by myself while my girlfriend gets cozy with your, what is he these days?"

"We're good friends," Dan said before adding, "On our way to something more."

"No one cares, Humphrey," Chuck spat, clearly peeved at what he walked in on.

"Honey," Blair said as she sat in his lap, "Laugh. It's okay. Dan was only trying to be funny. There's nothing sordid going on with us."

"I know, but I still don't like him," Chuck said as he glared at Dan, who was smiling like the cat that ate the canary. "Serena said you were probably here so I came with her to get you. Let's leave."

"No," Serena exclaimed, "It would be so much fun if we all hung out. You two can't leave now."

"We're not going to," Blair said. "Will you behave?"

"Maybe," he said as his arms wrapped around her waist and drew her closer to him.

"No funny business you two," Dan said as Blair nuzzled Chuck's neck and began whispering to him to calm him down.

"Do you really want him plotting your death?" Blair asked Dan who shook his head. "Then leave us alone and restart the movie."

He and Serena rolled their eyes as they sat next to each other on the couch, close enough that they could feel each other's body heat but not quite touching.

XOXO

Chuck was waiting for Blair in the lobby of Conde Nast when he saw Dan walk towards him.

"Hey," Dan said, "Blair asked me to tell you she'll be a few minutes late. We're all going to lunch together."

"No," Chuck said, "I agreed to watch a movie with you and Serena for her but I'm not sharing a meal with you again."

"Yes, you are," Blair told him as she wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed his back. "You're doing it because you love me."

"Waldorf," he groaned as he pulled her to face him and held her close, "Don't ask me to do this. You know I can't deny you."

Dan found the Chuck in front of him entertaining. Even though he disliked Dan, he had no qualms about being affectionate towards Blair regardless of who saw him.

"I want you two to get along," Blair said. "You're both important to me. You don't need to become his friend, Chuck. You just need to tolerate him, for me. Please."

"Fine," he said as his lips captured hers while Dan coughed trying to get their attention.

"I know you're there, Humphrey, and I don't care," Chuck told him when Blair pulled away but not out of his embrace. "Even your unfortunate presence won't keep me from kissing my girlfriend."

"No need to get jealous, Bass," she smiled, "Dan's no competition for you."

Chuck smirked as he looked at Dan who just shrugged it off and said, "Can we go? I'm starving."

Chuck and Blair were quiet on the walk to Dean and Deluca as they held hands while Dan talked non-stop until they were seated at a table in the back.

"Will you stop talking already?" Chuck snapped. "No one cares how the editor invited you to a party as his lackey."

"Really?" Blair said excitedly, "That's wonderful. I expect you'll be kept on in the summer."

"Here's hoping," Dan said as he crossed his fingers. "How about you, any future plans with Vogue?"

"They did ask me back for the summer," she said as she looked at Chuck. "I'll be working full-time for credit so I won't be going anywhere fun this summer."

"It will be a change," Chuck told her. "I can't remember the last time I spent the summer in Manhattan."

"There is a first time for everything," Dan said, "Even for Chuck Bass."

He smirked at him while Chuck merely narrowed his eyes as Blair laughed.

XOXO

"Chuck," Eric said as he clapped him on the back once Lily and Rufus left, "This is amazing. Thank you so much."

The eighteenth birthday party Chuck planned for Eric was memorable. As promised, he shut down Victrola for the night and keeping his word to Lily, had all the women sent home. In their place were the most attractive, well-muscled men you'd ever seen.

And to make Lily happy, they were dressed in tuxedos and were the servers. However, once the parents were gone and the front door was locked, the men ripped off their tuxes to reveal booty shorts as they made their way to the stage to perform a show for the birthday boy.

This was received with catcalls while Serena and Nate pushed Eric to the front of the stage with Chuck smirking at his stepbrother's reaction to his surprise.

"You signed off on this?" Dan asked Blair with disbelief as they stood by the bar, both wanting to be as far away from the performance as possible.

"Why not?" she smiled. "It's not like Chuck is going to sleep with any of them and they won't want to sleep with Serena. Besides, look at the smile on Eric's face. When was the last time you saw him this happy?"

"Fine, I hate when you're right," he said with his crooked grin.

"There you are," Serena slurred as she pulled Dan to her, "I want to dance." He gave Blair a wary look as he let the blonde drag him into the mix of people.

She was chuckling when she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist and Chuck rested his chin in the crook of her neck. "Why are you hiding back here?" he asked as he nibbled at her ear.

"I'm not hiding," she said as she turned around, "I'm observing. This party is just what Eric needed. I wouldn't be surprised if he took one of the dancers home as his birthday present."

"Not likely," he told her, "Look."

It was only after Chuck pointed him out did she notice Jonathan approaching Eric. Both boys looked over at Chuck and smiled at him before finding a quiet corner to talk.

"Nice matchmaking skills, Bass," Blair said. "But how did you get Jonathan here?"

"I told him that Eric missed him and he should come to his old friend's birthday party," he said. "I also told him that forgiveness is the best gift you can give someone."

"Is that so?" she asked.

"It is," he said quietly, "Thank you for loving me."

"I never had a choice," she told him with a twinkle in her eyes. "From that first night here I was yours."

"This place hasn't seen a decent performance since you graced us with a dance all those years ago," he told her as he raised his eyebrows while his hands rested on her lower back to pull her closer to him.

"That was a really good night," she said as a slight blush crept on her face. She hoped the dark lighting would prevent him from seeing it but as always, he noticed everything about her.

"Hey," Chuck said with his hand bringing her chin up so their eyes could meet, "That was the best night ever. You think I could get an encore of that performance."

"Not tonight," she told him, "But I would like to dance, let's join Dan and Serena."

Blair got hold of his tie and led him to the dance floor, all the while smiling as he pulled her in close once they got there.

XOXO

"How are things going with you and Serena?" Blair asked Dan over the phone. It had been a few days since they had seen each other and they wanted to check in.

"They're good," he said, "But it's harder than I expected to take it slow with her. She has one speed and it's set too high for me at the moment."

"Just tell her you aren't a sex toy and to keep her hormones in check," Blair said bluntly. "Trust me, waiting will make it even better."

"You want to tell me something," he alluded as she rolled her eyes, not that he could see that.

"Chuck and I haven't gotten there yet," she said. "I was referring to our hate sex last year. After going without him for so long, it was so much more electrifying when we were finally with each other again. But we're not getting into that. I want to hear more about you and Serena, have you talked?"

"We have," Dan told her, "And she's been at the loft almost everyday this week. I'm still holding back though."

"Do you still want to be with her?" she asked. "It isn't like you to hold back from her like this."

"I do," he said, "I just don't want her to steamroll me again when she gets distracted with something else."

"Take your own advice then, talk to her," Blair said. "She's not as dumb as she looks, most of the time."

"That's probably best," he conceded. "My story's finally finished when you want to read it."

Blair held up a finger when she saw Chuck enter her room. He nodded and took a seat at the end of the bed as he waited for her to finish.

She patted the spot next to her and he kicked off his shoes before sitting next to her, leaning back into the pillows when she rested her head on his chest.

"Meet for lunch tomorrow and bring it with you," she said with a smile. "I want a hard copy so that I can properly critique it."

"Alright," he said, "I hope you don't tear it to pieces, though. I think it's my best work yet."

"No promises," she said, "But I'm sure I'll love it. I have to go but I'll see you tomorrow. Good night."

"Hi," she smiled up at Chuck as she put the phone on her nightstand and curled into him. "This is a nice surprise."

"I haven't seen you in a week, I missed you," he said as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"I missed you too," she told him. "This week has been crazy. I had two exams to study for in addition to preparing for the Costume Institute Gala at the Met next week. I barely have time to eat and sleep. I'm glad you stopped by. I don't know how much longer I'll be awake though."

"I'll leave," he said as he kissed her forehead, "We can talk some other time."

"You don't have to go," she said as she wrapped her arm around him. "You can sleep here tonight if you want. Just to sleep, I'm not ready for more yet."

"Sleeping sounds good," he said with a chuckle. "There's no rush for anything more, I'm just glad were together again. I actually wanted to talk about the party, I never thought my comments would remind you of last year."

"I know," she told him. "It just makes things different between us now. Last year I loved when you did things like that, not caring who knew how much you love me. But now I think it would mean more if your gestures were more private, just between us."

"Okay," he said, "I'll keep that in mind. I really am sorry."

"Stop apologizing, you've been forgiven," she said as she yawned. "That didn't last long. We can talk more at breakfast. You can get under the covers, you know."

"I love you," he whispered into her ear once he was spooned behind her under the covers. "Sweet dreams."

"I love you too," Blair said as she grabbed his hand and laced her fingers through his before drifting to sleep.

Please review to let me know if you want me to continue and what you want to see next.

Remember, more reviews = more love = faster update.

And if I haven't heard from you yet, please leave a review, it will make me smile to see your comments =)