Summary: Just divorced Chuck thinks everything is said between him and Blair. But why does she show up at his doorstep at night? Future Fic.

AN: Okay, 5079 words. That's the second longest chapter so far. Thank you to all of you guys, who reviewed, put me on alert or favorite storys! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Big, fat, special thanks goes to my beta Eileen for being a nitpick whenever I'm to messy!

Another thousand thanks go to Sandra, who always gets to read my writing first and isn't afraid to tell me if it sucks.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl or its characters.

Way Back Into Love

Chapter 16: Rounds

R o u n d T w o

"I'm really glad to have you by my side," Blair told Chuck, still unable to hide her nervousness and hating herself for it.

"I'm glad you're letting me," he smiled at her.

As they linked their hands tightly, the nurse came to them.. "Your room is prepared Ms Waldorf," she said. "We are ready if you are."

"Only four rounds left after this," he whispered in her ear as they followed the woman. "Just keep that in mind."

She nodded silently, glad that she had his hand to hold onto this time. Four times. Once each twenty one days. That meant eighty four days. Almost three more months. A quarter of the year. Didn't seem like such a long time. Still the twenty one days since her last treatment felt like an eternity. So much had happened, so much drama.

"You know," Chuck started, a conspiratorial smirk on his face. "I figured your emotional state would be pretty tense today."

"Oh no!" Blair exclaimed. "What did you do?"

"I provided some distraction," Chuck explained acting innocently.

The smiling nurse stepped ahead of them to open the doors to the overly crowded hospital room..

"Surprise!" Blair's stepfather Cyrus called out. Along with him, Blair spotted her mother, Roman and her father.

The last one had her calling out in joy. "Daddy!" she burst out, falling into Harold's arms.

"Blair-Bear!" he whispered softly as he held her tightly in his embrace. Still cuddling into her father's chest she looked around in the room. "What are you guys all doing here?"

"We're having a chemo party," Roman announced, hugging his step daughter.

Blair laughed, though being near tears as Cyrus and her mother embraced her together.

The afternoon went on and in a quiet moment, Harold sat down by his daughter's bedside, thankful that the others had left to get something to eat.

"How are you feeling, Blair?" he asked.

"As good as I can under the circumstances I suppose," she answered, motioning to the side so her father could settle himself next to her on the bed. "Better now that you are here."

Harold took a seat next to her, "So you and Chuck are an item again?"

She sighed. "I already got the 'You're making a mistake' talk from mom, Daddy."

"Making mistakes are overrated," he smiled. "What other people told me were mistakes, sometimes turned out to be the best decisions of my life."

"Like Roman?" she figured.

"Among other things," he responded, taking his daughter's hand in his.

"So you think that it was a good idea to let Chuck back in?"

"I think life is to short, to worry constantly if you're making the right choice. If it feels right for you then getting back with Chuck is the right thing right now."

"What if it doesn't work out?" she asked, feeling terrified. "Again..."

"So what? We don't live in a perfect world," Harold smiled. "Your mother and I didn't work out, still I wouldn't change anything about that time in my life. Especially not since you were the result of our love."

"I'm so terribly afraid, Daddy," Blair admitted, not just talking about Chuck anymore, tears dropping from her eyes as she hid her face in her father's chest.

"It's okay to be afraid Blair-Bear," her father answered, his eyes full of tears as well.

"You know that you haven't used that name for me in years," she told him smiling through her tears.

"You haven't seemed so much like the little girl I watched growing up in years" he reasoned. "Do you mind?"

"No," she smiled holding onto him more tightly. "I'll always be your little girl."

"Our little girl," Eleanor corrected from the doorway.

Blair smiled at Eleanor and Harold as the were sitting on either side of her bed. With both of her parents at her side, she felt like she was five years again and there was nothing that could harm her.

"I can't believe you talked me into this, B!" Serena complained, carefully studying the contents of the shelves in front of her.

"Cut the Virgin Mary act, S!" Blair ordered mercilessly, dragging her into the next aisle. "You have the biggest collection of," she gestured at an item, "those things, on this side of the Atlantic. Don't act like you've never been to an establishment like this."

It had all started a few hours ago when Blair had been at her weekly support group meeting. Her plan had been to sit there for the next forty minutes and be bored or shocked or terrified by other's stories but then Hannah had asked her directly if there was something she'd like to talk about.

"Well, there have been difficulties," Blair started, looking very self conscious into the circle of women in front of her.

"What kind of difficulties?" Hannah asked. "You're struggling with the side effects? Nausea or fatigue, maybe?"

"Not exactly," Blair sighed. "Though I am not missing out on those, I learned to handle it."

"What the matter then, dear?" Rose looked at her expectantly.

"The other night, Chuck and I tried to ... you know, but-," Blair sighed again, normally she wasn't struggling with her words like that.

"Welcome to the Sahara desert, huh?" Jane figured.

"Exactly!" Blair exclaimed relieved. Jane had found a way to express what she couldn't. She apparently was familiar with those problems, which in turn meant this wasn't only her suffering. "And you know, it's not like I wasn't ready in my mind. I was turned on and I wanted him, but apparently I am not as ready as I thought I was. Maybe I should just take the signs my body gave me."

"Fuck your, body," Rose burst out. "We're talking about the same damn body, that developed cancer and is pretty much down to its basics by now. If you wanna have fucking sex, you should just be allowed to!"

Hannah nodded in a agreeing manner. "Especially during treatment, sex is one of the most important antidepressants."

"What are you suggesting?" Blair asked, curious by how many curse words Rose had used. If she did that, there had to be something important to it. And if Hannah agreed with her, there had to be hope.

"Lube," Rose simply stated. "And lots of it."

Stepping out of the hospital thirty minutes later, Blair immediately pulled out her cellphone and pressed two on her speed dial.

"Yes?" Serena answered after only one ring.

"Get your big sunglasses out, S!" Blair ordered. "We're going shopping!"

And that's how they'd ended up here, studying different lubricants at a sex shop.

"What do you think of that one?" Blair held yet another bottle in front of her friends face. "It taste like strawberry."

"What's the taste for?" the blonde asked, visibly cursing herself for the question a second later.

"Well in case he wants to e-" Blair was interrupted by her best friends shriek of horror.

"Oh good god, please don't!" Serena said in horror. "Helping you out lube so that you and my stepbrother can have sex is disturbing enough as is. No need for visuals!"

Blair rolled her eyes. "And yet people tell me I'm the prude."

"Blair?" Chuck called into the living room. "Are you home?"

"I'm here!" Blair answered from the bedroom.

Exhausted from the last few hours at work, Chuck loosened his tie, dropping his briefcase in the hallway as he made his way to the bedroom.

"I'll be right out!" Blair said from the bathroom as he sat down on the bed, kicking his shoes off.

"Are you not feeling well?" he asked worried, his body tensing immediately. "Nausea again?"

"I'm fine," she responded and he could hear the smile in her voice. Relieved, he felt his body relax. The tension was back a second later though, when she opened the bathroom door.

"Close you mouth dear," she smiled, as she stepped towards him slowly, clearly happy with his reaction.

She wore a chocolate brown teddy with a high-cut cleavage and a hem that only barley reached her thighs. The wig she had on, came very close to her natural hair. What was really special about her appearance was the bright smile she wore. Her eyes were sparkling and she practically seemed to be glowing.

As she stepped closer and came to hold in front of his sitting figure he couldn't help but reach out to place his hands on her hips. His fingers slipping under the fabric of the slip as he caressed her skin.

"Are you sure?" He asked the question, which had started them so many years ago.

She nodded with closed eyes, enjoying his tender touch. He leaned forward a bit, literally sweeping her off her feet and rolling onto the bed with her. Their lips met only a second later. As they rolled around on the mattress, Blair's slip slowly slid up her hips, bunched around her waist, earning her an approving purring sound from Chuck.

"Going commando," he smirked at her. "Seriously?"

His hand slipped lower and brushed a finger along her folds, finding her sex only a second later, he felt her shiver beneath him.

"My nightstand!" She pressed out, as he began to circle her clit agonizingly slow. "Upper drawer!"

When he reached for the lube bottle she reached for his member, giving him a few firm strokes. He moaned, momentarily not able to continue his mission.

"You're killing me, woman!" he sighed, lying back next to her, lube bottle in hand. She grabbed the bottle from him and squirted some into her hands, which reached back for his manhood, lubing him up. She slowly sucked his lower lip between hers, biting softly. "I want you inside me, Chuck."

He took the lube from where she'd left it on the pillow, spreading it over her slit, entering her with two fingers. She arched her back of the bed, desperately reaching for him. "Please, Chuck!"

Covering her body with his own, he positioned herself at her entrance, bending down for one more kiss. Then he slowly entered her, carefully so he wouldn't cause her any pain. She cried out when he had filled her completely and they starred into each others eyes. Both finally coming to peace that moment.

"I love you," Blair told him, happy that she was finally able to say it back.

R o u n d T h r e e

"It's really nice of you to keep me company, Lily," Blair smiled. "Though it really isn't necessary."

"It was the least I could do, after having pulled Charles from your side," Lily smiled, crossing her legs as she got comfortable on the couch next to Blair's bed. Her best friend's mother had showed up about thirty minutes ago, needing Chuck for an important deal closing at Bass Industries. He had only agreed after a lot of convincing from Blair.

"Well still, thank you," Blair said.

"To be completely honest I'm happy that we have the opportunity to talk," the blonde admitted.

"We had dinner last Thursday, Lily."

"I didn't mean just small talk," the older woman replied. "We've barley mentioned it over the years, but you know that I was once in your position."

Blair's expression became serious. "Yes you were and you didn't want anyone to know either."

"Yes," Lily nodded. "And I was a fool for it."

"I see. So you would have preferred the media exposure," sarcasm audible in every syllable.

"I would have preferred to have my family around me," Lily explained.

"Whatever happened to 'the minute people start treating you like your sick, you are sick'?"

Lily laughed. "In retrospect I think that's the biggest bunch of bullshit I've ever heard."

"I don't know—," Blair started to disagree but Lily wouldn't let her finish.

"You think it would be healthier for you to go through all of this alone?" Chuck's stepmother started her rant. "To not have anyone with you while you're waiting for your blood results? To get you your anti emetics when you feel to bad to leave your spot in front of the toilet? Or do you think it would be healthy to lie here in this bed all by yourself, getting chemo and doing nothing but thinking about your illness?"

"Probably not," Blair smiled at her. "Thank you."

"You are very welcome," Lily responded.

"Hey!"

Blair and Lily looked up from their conversation, to see a red headscarf appear in the door frame.

"Hannah!" Blair greeted truly delighted. "Good to see you! … This is Lily Humphrey- Chuck's stepmother -, Lilly this is Hannah Goodwin."

"Nice to meet you," Hannah shook hands with Lily, before turning to Blair.

"I wanted to show you something," she announced.

Blair looked at her curiously. "Something that couldn't wait till group next week?"

"I figured it would be the right thing to cheer you up during chemo," Hannah smiled before pulling off her head scarf.

For a moment both Lily and Blair looked at her bewildered, before Blair recognized what Hannah meant. Over her head was unmistakeable dark fuzz.

"Your hair," Blair said amazed.

Hannah nodded with a smile, running a hand over the fluffy hair as she sat down on the bed. "I received my last round of chemo two weeks ago," she bowed down a bit, so Blair could touch her head. "Wanna touch?"

Only six months ago, Blair would've probably declined, being perplexed by the woman she barley knew, but now she reached out without hesitation, feeling the strong structure of hair.

"It comes back," she exclaimed laughing. "It really grows back!"

Blair left her physiotherapy office and slipped into the waiting limo leaning in to greet Chuck with a kiss, when she realized just in time that it wasn't Charles Bass sitting on the back seat next to her.

"Nate? What are you doing here?" she asked confused. "Chuck was supposed to pick me up."

"I insisted to take over," he told her.

"And why is that?" Blair didn't even bother to hide her disappointment to have found Nate in the vehicle instead of her husband.

"I have a surprise for you," Nate smiled, looking like an excited little boy.

"Unless the surprise is a place were I can sleep, with a bucket in front of me, I pass," she declared, sinking back against the leather seats.

"You're not even curious?" he asked, looking a little offended that she wasn't even the slightest bit psyched.

"No."

"You know what? I don't care. We're doing this now." He leaned forward to the driver. "Arthur, get us to the park. Ms. Waldorf's favorite spot."

"You just don't give up, do you?" she sighed, closing her eyes as the car started moving.

"Trust me," he assured her. "It's only in your best interest."

"Fine. But better keep it PG, Archibald!"

A smile spread across his face. "That's the one thing I can't promise you."

She rolled her head to look at him, narrowing her eyes in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Still smiling he reached into his pocket, pulling out a silver casket. When he gave it to her, she opened it with halfhearted interest. But the contents had her looking up at him with curious eyes. Two perfectly rolled joints laid in there. "Are you serious?"

"I did some research and talked to your doctor about it. The THC is supposed to help with the nausea."

She laughed lightly, surprising herself that she was actually considering this. "Does Jenny know about this?"

"Well, let's just say she'd disapprove less if I told her I'm doing this with and for my sick friend, instead of secretly in our bathroom when she's visiting her mother."

"I thought parenthood was supposed to make you more mature," Blair smiled, taking one of the joints into her hands and studying it.

"They also say that about marriage and that didn't really work out for you and Chuck," Nate retorted.

"Shut up and give me a light," Blair snapped placing the filter ending between her lips.

"Not in the car," Nate insisted. "I had to promise Chuck."

"And you say Chuck isn't mature?" she smiled. "Remember the time you only had to poke your head in here to be faded?"

"Only vaguely to be completely honest."

They shared a laugh with a familiarity that only people had who had been friends for decades.

"Would you look at that," Serena said – purposely of course – loud enough for them to hear. "Having all that fun without inviting us."

Nate and Blair were seated on a park bench and the drug induced haze, had slowed down their reaction time, so it was almost a full minute before they could turn to greet Serena and Chuck.

"What are you guys doing here," Nate wanted to know. "I thought this was my alone time with Blair."

"Dorota packed us dinner," Chuck said, demonstratively holding up a picnic basket. "We thought you might be hungry."

The dark haired man hadn't even much of a chance to put the basket down when Blair had already opened it and started to devour the contents. Chuck smiled as she heartily bit into a sandwich. He hadn't seen her with such an appetite in quite some time. Especially not since the chemo.

"Grapes," she called out after finishing with her sandwich, quickly pecking Chucks lips. "I knew there was a reason I loved you!"

"Whoa!" Nate protested raising his hands as if in defense. "Don't I get any credit for making your nausea go away and bringing back your appetite?"

"The credit goes to the dope, actually," Blair seemed to seriously consider the facts for a moment. "But fine... Of course, I love you, as well!" With those words Nate got a more chaste kiss on his cheek.

"You're pretty lucky that was just the cheek Nathaniel," Chuck told him glowering, unable to explain why he felt so protective and jealous over Blair's affection for Nate all the sudden. Maybe it was childish thinking, that he was the only one who could make her happy.

"Well I guess there's really not much I could get credit for," Serena fake-pouted a little. "Do you love me anyway, B?"

Blair crawled across both Chuck and Nate so she could peck her best friends lips as well. "Always, darling!"

"Now, see," Chuck cut in once again. "A proper tongue kiss there I wouldn't have minded!"

"Right there with you buddy," Nate laughed, taking a look into the food basket, before shrieking.

"What was that?" Serena looked at her ex as though she doubted his sanity.

Nate had pulled out a cube of cheese and waved it in front of Blair's face. "It's goat cheese!" he called out before falling into a fit of giggles.

While Serena and Chuck looked at their friends irritated, Blair joined Nate in his laughter.

"Goat cheese!" she laughed, not able to calm herself anymore. "Goat milk cheese!"

"Oh boy," Serena moaned. "I forgot how annoying stoned people can be..."

"I don't care." Chuck couldn't keep his eyes of dearly laughing Blair, looking beautiful. "Just look how happy she is."

"You're right," the blonde agreed, smiling warmly as she took in her friend's image. "Still, I can't help but wish we would've bought the pot that guy offered us."

"I told you that stuff was oregano!" Chuck said, clearly annoyed.

"We have one left if you'd like," Nate offered, as he ate the ate the hilarious goat cheese.

"You have one left? Oh Nate, what has become of you?" Serena sighed, as she reached for the offered joint.

"She's right, Nathaniel," Chuck agreed while taking the cannabis cigarette and lighter from his stepsister. "You're high as a kite after only half a joint."

"Well I have been out of practice," Nate complained, as he watched Chuck lighting the joint and taking the first hit like a pro. "Unlike some of us, apparently."

"Oh Chuck has always been training," Blair elaborated and snatched the joint from Serena who'd just finished. "Me, on the other hand … well there's nothing I'm not good at."

"I have to say," Chuck began to feeling his eyelids growing heavy. "It really hurts my pride that after all those years of trying to talk you into smoking up with me, Nate is the one who got you to try it."

"Maybe if I'd gotten cancer a few years earlier and needed chemo then you would have been the lucky one," she responded dryly, while popping some grapes in her mouth.

"Yeah well it looks like your sense of humor went with your hair," Chuck complained holding out the joint to Serena.

"If I could get up from the bench, I'd hit you!" Blair snarled.

"Chuck! Are you in there?"

"..."

"Chuck? – What are you-? What's that smell? Oh no you didn't!"

"I very much did. In fact, I still do."

"I can't believe you! I told you how important tonight is to me!"

"You sure did."

"Everything just to hurt me, isn't it? Are you done yet?"

"Not even close, chérie."

"You're heinous."

"And you're uptight. Come over here, have a drag, maybe that will relax you a bit."

"Put out that joint right now and get dressed!"

"And what if I won't?"

"..."

"What was that? For family album?"

"For evidence. I'm curious to see how the world will react to the news of Chuck Bass being nothing but a dope head."

"You wouldn't."

"You hurt me, I hurt you. Isn't that how we work?"

"This would hurt your reputation as well."

"Not as much as yours. I think those conservative British investor guys we had over for dinner last week would agree with me."

"Delete that photo, Blair."

"And what if I won't?"

The next morning, every newspaper in New York City had a picture of real estate mogul, Charles Bass with a large joint in his hand - shirt hung open, hair disheveled. The article that accompanied it, had an interview with his wife, Blair Waldorf-Bass, detailing his frequent drug use and her numerous attempts to curb his habits. While the Upper East Side reveled in this juicy tidbit, they soon lost interest. It was the lost of over a hundred million dollars from investment withdrawal that had hurt Chuck the most.

"That wasn't all that nice of you," Chuck remarked.

"Man, nothing in your marriage was nice," Nate cut in, chuckling at his own joke.

That earned him immediate hits on both of his upper arms. "Ow!" he cried out, before he started to pout. "You made each others lives a living hell, you humiliated the other in every way you could possibly think off. And you cheated. How come I am the one that's getting hit in the end?"

"Because you never turn against a married couple, even if divorced," Serena told him, pulling him away before the said couple could do permanent damage do him. "Come on, Nate, I want a hot dog! You should buy me one."

Complaining Nate scampered after Serena, annoyed that even she seemed to take the pot better than him.

"You know..."Chuck trailed as he looked at Blair adoringly. when the other two were out of earshot. "You may be the second most manipulative person I know-"

"What? I only make second place?" she complained. "Who's first, Jack?"

Ignoring the feeling within his stomach when she spoke out his uncle's name, he smiled. "First would be me, of course."

She gaped. "You think you're more manipulative then I am?"

"Indeed," Chuck stated. "You may be a bit more creative when it comes to schemes, but mine are always more effective. The second you think you've won, seventy percent of the time it hits you right back in your face. Remember what came after you exposed me to the media like that?"

Sighing she rolled her eyes. "How could I forget."

"Point being," he made a second attempt. "You may be one of the most manipulative people ever, but looking back I wouldn't do it any other way."

"Of course you wouldn't, you just told me that you won about seventy percent of the time!"

He pecked her lips briefly. "Would you let me finish woman! No matter what you ever did to me. I wouldn't exchange you for anyone in the world. If I wouldn't have married you, I think the last ten years of my life would've been a waste and incredibly boring."

R o u n d F o u r

"Alright," Dr. Parker entered the room, causing Blair to look up at her from her position on the bed. "I have your blood results, and I'm afraid we will have to reschedule."

"What?" Blair asked flabbergasted. "Why?"

"Your white blood count is marginal," the doctor explained. "That takes effect on your immune system and your blood coagulation. Another round of chemo right now would drop it even more. We should wait for about ten days. Give your body a chance to recover."

Blair couldn't believe that she actually felt disappointed. She'd learned by now to accept every round of chemo as something that would bring her closer to being healthy again. If she had to skip a round now, it would mean her recovery was also delayed.

"But you said that the blood level is only marginal. Not too low, right?" she tried to argue. "So I theoretically chemo wouldn't be impossible."

"Theoretically, yes," the doctor sighed. "Still, there is a risk."

"I'll take it!" Blair stated. "I'm here now and I want the treatment."

Just like that she'd made her decision. There was no way she would wait another two weeks. Dr. Parker didn't know her body like she did. She could take this.

The physician sighed again, clearly realizing that arguing would be pretty much pointless in this case. "You will have to sign a consent form, acknowledging that you were informed of the risks."

Blair nodded eagerly. "Sure. Anything you say."

Dr. Parker nodded. "I'll get the paperwork and treatment ready."

"What paperwork?" Chuck asked as he stepped back into the room from a business call.

"Just insurance stuff," Blair surprised herself by how easily and quickly the lie slipped off her tongue.

Ignoring the disapproving glance her doctor gave her, she turned to Chuck with a smile, relieved that he apparently bought her performance.

"How in the world is it possible to get drenched that quickly?" Blair complained. As she shook off her wet coat, she discovered that the rest of her clothes were also dripping wet. Looking at Chuck she realized that he wasn't any luckier. "It couldn't have been more than twenty feet from the limo to the door.

"You should get into dry clothes as quickly as possible!" he ordered.

"I think I'll take a hot bath while I'm at it," she said, stepping toward their bathroom.

Chuck nodded, watching her disappear behind the door. The water started running just a moment later. He'd just flung his shirt into the laundry bin, when he heard her calling his name.

He softly knocked at the door. "Is everything, okay? Are you not feeling good?"

"I'm having trouble with- I can't seem to get my-," she sighed. "Would you please come in?"

Hesitantly he opened the door, her back faced him. "It's this damn new bra. I can't seem to handle the claps with one hand and the other one isn't that flexible yet... " she whined. "Would you..."

He nodded, immediately coming towards her and undoing the bra. She had her arms crossed over her chest looking incredibly uncomfortable as the straps fell to the side.

Chuck placed a tender kiss on her shoulder, before turning to leave. "I'll be just outside if you need me."

"Wait!" she called, causing him to stop in his tracks and let go of the door knob.

Both of them turned around slowly, facing each other. Even more slowly, she dropped her arms from over her chest, revealing the scar on the right side.

When he stared at her, without moving or saying a word she tried to cover herself back up and turn away from him. Chuck's motion was quicker as he held her wrists.

Their tear-filled eyes locked and an unintentional sob escaped her lips.

"You're beautiful," he told her, before he dropped lower, kissing her tenderly along the scar while outlining the underside of her left breast.

Tears were running down her cheeks as she buried her hands in his hair, pulling his face up to hers. His arms went around her, embracing her tightly. "You're beautiful," he kept on telling her, repeating it over and over again, as she cried on his shoulder.

To be continued

AN: "Pff... This chick already has over three hundred reviews, it doesn't matter if I leave one..."

Is that what you think right now? Well, newsflash: Yes it does!

I don't want to sound desperate or whiny, but with the last few chapters the review count has dropped constantly. Still, about 180 people have subscribed to this story.

I can't help but wonder, has the quality of my writing really faded? Is the story getting unrealistic? Does my characterization suck? I really appreciate any kind of feedback. Even if you want to tell me, my fic sucks, go ahead.