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Chapter 9: Drumming Song

There's a drumming noise inside my head
That starts when you're around
I swear that you could hear it
It makes such an all mighty sound

-Florence + The Machine

Tuesday morning was bright and sunny, with an unmistakable crispness to the air heralding the arrival of autumn. Students milled about the brick courtyard between Constance Billard and St. Jude's in a parade of plaid skirts and striped ties, waving to each other in greeting, gossiping about the long summer break, and surreptitiously assessing each other's appearance.

Blair was holding court on the front steps, sipping an iced latte and half-listening as her posse of minions chattered. She'd accessorized her uniform with a lacy white Chanel cape and rhinestone headband, and her dark curls were highlighted with a golden tint after months in the sun.

"I love your shoes, Blair," Hazel gushed, admiring her wingtip Mary Janes.

"Thanks." Blair smiled loftily. Hazel was relatively new to the group, but so far she seemed deferential and eager to please.

She crossed her legs at the ankles, sipping her coffee as she took another glance at her watch. Serena was running late, as usual.

"So what's going on with Serena and Dan?" Penelope asked in a conspiratorial tone, leaning in to the center of their little circle.

"We all saw that blast about them fighting at the White Party," Iz chimed in.

Blair sighed and shrugged her shoulders. Dan and Serena's melodrama had been a hot topic on Gossip Girl for the past few days, ever since a picture of them arguing had been sent out the morning after the party. Well, at least breaking up makes their relationship slightly more interesting, she thought.

"They met for dinner last night to talk about things," she replied noncommittally. "I assume it went well, since I didn't hear anything from her afterwards."

The girls let out near-simultaneous sighs of annoyance. Dan Humphrey was not considered suitable boyfriend material for a member of their clique, although none of them would dare say it to Serena's face.

"I was hoping she might have found a more… appropriate companion over the summer," Penelope commented haughtily.

"You and me both," Blair returned wryly. "Unfortunately, she wasn't interested in even looking. I had to practically twist her arm to get her to go on a rebound date with a hot lifeguard."

She glanced at her watch once again. Unless she arrived in the next five minutes, Serena wouldn't even have time for her latte.

At that moment, a sleek black limo pulled up, stopping just outside the wrought iron gates. The door opened and Serena climbed out, tossing an irritated glare backwards before hurrying towards the steps. Eric soon followed, accompanied by Chuck, who was sporting an insolent grin.

Of course, even running late, Serena looked effortlessly perfect. She had paired her plaid skirt with a simple white t-shirt, a loosely-knotted tie, and a scarf tied atop her blonde waves.

Blair raised an eyebrow at her.

"I thought we were meeting at 7:30?"

"Sorry, sorry." Serena joined Blair on the uppermost step, grabbing her coffee. "I would've been here sooner, except apparently my stepbrother thought it would be funny to use my shower and then get high in my bathroom."

Blair glanced over at Chuck, who'd joined a group of boys at the bottom of the stairs. Well, he does look pretty relaxed, she thought, watching him recline against the railing, hands in his pockets. Not to mention, awfully good in that uniform… His school-issued blazer was tailored to fit him perfectly, as was the… inseam of his trousers. A light breeze tousled his hair and she watched, oddly transfixed, as it moved across his forehead. Has he always looked like that?

As if he felt her gaze on him, he looked up and their eyes met. Reminding herself of their truce, she forced her lips into a friendly smile of greeting, and the corner of his mouth tilted upwards in response.

Glancing away, Blair took a sip of her latte to moisten her suddenly dry mouth.

"I burned some incense, but it still reeks in there," Serena groused. "Seriously, I can't believe I have to live with him for the rest of the year. He can be such an asshole."

"Come on, Serena, he's not that bad," Blair responded distractedly.

Serena's eyebrows furrowed as she regarded her friend with suspicion. "I'm sorry, what?"

Realizing that the other girls were now staring at her in confusion, Blair quickly regrouped. "Well, Chuck is the least of your worries at the moment. The entire school is gossiping about you throwing a drink at your boyfriend like you were auditioning for an episode of Real Housewives."

Nodding in agreement, the girls looked at Serena expectantly.

"So maybe that wasn't my… finest moment," she allowed, looking slightly embarrassed. "But we talked last night and I think we're going to work things out."

"After what he said about you?" Iz asked, scandalized.

"And after all those girls?" Penelope shook her head in disapproval.

Serena opened her mouth and then closed it again.

"S, I understand you just want things to go back to the way they were," Blair took the opportunity to jump in. "But if you take him back without even making him work for it, he's going to think you're a total doormat."

"Dan would never think that," Serena protested.

"Well, you probably figured he'd never think you were a slut either, and look how that turned out." Blair arched her eyebrows, taking another sip of her coffee.

"He doesn't think that, it just… he didn't mean it," Serena floundered. Sensing that the seeds of doubt had been planted, Blair went in for the kill.

"Look S, I'm not saying that you shouldn't take him back. If that's what you want, I totally support your decision. But he lied to you about all those girls and then he tried to justify it by insulting you. If you let him get off with a slap on the wrist, he's going to think he can treat you however he wants and get away with it. You need to show him who's in charge here."

A flurry of nods accompanied Blair's monologue. Serena paused for a moment, not looking quite convinced.

"And how do I do that… exactly?" she asked uncertainly.

"By playing hard to get," Blair replied with authority. "Don't immediately return his calls or texts, be busy sometimes when he wants to hang out. I have a copy of "The Rules" you can borrow if you want."

"Blair." Serena rolled her eyes. "That's about how to get a boyfriend. Dan's already my boyfriend."

"If you'd ever read past chapter 1, you'd know it's as much about keeping a boyfriend as getting one, S." Blair countered. "And what's the point of having a boyfriend if he doesn't respect you? You need to remind Dan how lucky he is. And maybe make him squirm a little too, so he doesn't try to pull this crap ever again."

Serena looked around the circle of girls, seeing that they were all obviously in favor of this plan.

"Okay, well… I guess maybe he does deserve to squirm a little," she conceded, eliciting a satisfied smile from Blair.

"Exactly. You're Serena van der Woodsen- you don't chase after guys, they chase after you." Blair declared, and Serena grinned in response. "Alright, you're meeting him for lunch, right? I'll send you a couple of texts, and when he asks you who they're from, say 'oh, just a friend' in a kind of mysterious way."

"I don't know, Blair, that sounds sort of-" Serena hedged.

"Look, we just want to make sure he understands that you're a hot commodity," Blair cut in. "And that if he doesn't shape up and treat you better, there are plenty of guys who'd love the opportunity."

"Okay, well… I guess," Serena reluctantly agreed.

"Trust me. It'll just motivate him to work for your affection. You'll have him eating out of your hand in no time."

After a chorus of giggles, the conversation turned towards some unfortunate sophomore who'd apparently gained ten pounds over the summer.

Blair only half-listened as she sipped her coffee, her mind drifting back to the previous fall.

"Who keeps texting you so much?" Nate asked, suddenly sounding more interested in her life than he had in months.

"Oh, just… Serena," she replied, snatching the phone out of his hand before he could see Chuck's last message- which said something about holding her La Perlas hostage until she returned to "finish what she'd started".

Nate furrowed his brow, clearly unconvinced.

"We're having a tea for Serena's grandmother, and my mom had to jet off to Paris at the last minute, so now it's all on me," she added in an exasperated tone, shoving her phone into her purse.

"Do you want me to come by and help?" he offered.

"No thanks, I've got it," she smiled dismissively, gathering the rest of her things.

"Who are you and what have you done with Blair Waldorf?" he asked, looking surprised and somewhat fascinated by the change in her attitude.

She paused for just a moment, assessing the fit of his gray tuxedo.

"Looking good, Archibald. I almost forgot how handsome you are." Bestowing a brief smile on him, she turned to leave, feeling his eyes following her out the door. But she didn't have time to deal with Nate's cluelessness at the moment. She had a tea to plan… not to mention, an illicit rendezvous to resume. And given the way she'd left him hanging earlier, she had no doubt Chuck would be waiting, impatient and likely half-undressed, for her return.

Given the outcome of that situation, Blair wondered why she was so bad at taking her own advice. Five minutes after she'd blown him off, Nate had been positively enthralled by her again… so perhaps it was time to revisit that strategy. If she could make him chase after her, like he had when they'd first gotten back together, she knew everything between them would finally be perfect. And as an added bonus, it would rid her of this pesky fascination she seemed to have with Chuck.

"Hi girls!" Jenny's cheerful voice rang out. Blair's entire body stiffened as the leggy blonde took a seat next to Penelope, shoulder-length curls bouncing against her white blouse.

"Hey Jenny." Blair smiled aloofly. "What adorable shoes! Are they vintage?" Because I can tell you bought them used, she added with her eyes.

"Of course," Jenny's friendly response was equally insincere. "You know how much I love classic Dior pumps."

Everyone else continued chattering, oblivious to the tension between them.

"So Blair, I was thinking we could make the announcement about the Snowflake Ball? Since we'll have to start planning committee meetings right away," Jenny suggested, challenge in her eyes.

Blair gritted her teeth. Seriously, the morning of the first day of school? Why did Jenny have to ruin everything?

"Sure," she replied, plastering on her very best fake smile and clearing her throat. "Attention, everyone!"

The girls paused their conversation, looking up at her expectantly.

"I just wanted to let you all know that Jenny will be joining me as co-Chair of the Snowflake Ball committee," Blair announced, her calm, authoritative tone betraying nothing of the anger simmering inside of her.

"Jenny?" Penelope echoed in disbelief. Hazel and Iz looked similarly displeased at having been passed over in favor of a sophomore. Serena, on the other hand, just looked puzzled.

"I know she's only a sophomore, but I think it's important to pass our expertise on to the underclassmen," Blair's tone brokered no disagreement. "Plus, Jenny's very eager to contribute. We'll be starting committee meetings next week, so of course I expect you all to help out."

Heads bobbed in acknowledgment, no one daring to disagree with her. Several moments of awkward silence followed.

"So I hear we're going to Butter Thursday night?" Serena offered.

"Definitely." Penelope smiled in anticipation. "Kelsey said her brother's lacrosse friends from Dalton would all be there."

"Oh, I don't think I can make it, my dad doesn't like me going out on school nights…" Jenny's voice trailed off in embarrassment as the other girls threw disdainful glances her way.

"Well, that's a shame," Blair said dismissively. "I'm sure we can fill you in at lunch on Friday."

Jenny's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing in response, apparently recognizing that she'd pushed her luck enough for one day.

Out of the corner of her eye, Blair saw Nate and Dan walk through the front gate and stop to awkwardly acknowledge each other.

"Hey S, how about we head to homeroom?" she suggested innocently, grabbing her purse and coffee.

Having also spotted Dan and Nate, Serena looked confused- and then recognized Blair's raised eyebrows.

"Oh… um, sure." She grinned and stood up, linking her arm with Blair's as the two girls strolled towards the girls' hall.

Operation Play Hard to Get had officially begun.

Dan checked his watch one more time, wondering if he'd gotten the time or location wrong. He'd just missed Serena in the courtyard that morning, so he hadn't had a chance to confirm their lunch plans. It wasn't like her to be this late to meet him - maybe she'd gotten held up in class?

He was just taking out his phone to send her a text when he spotted them- she was leaving the girls' hall accompanied by a tall, sandy-haired guy who looked familiar- Quinn, maybe? He was a friend of Nate's and, unsurprisingly, had managed to go an entire semester of English Lit without contributing a single insightful comment.

He watched as they parted, Serena giving her companion a friendly hug goodbye. She saw Dan and waved cheerfully, hurrying in his direction.

"Sorry I'm late!" she greeted him with a kiss on the cheek. "Quinn and I were just catching up and I totally lost track of time."

"No problem," Dan replied casually. He wondered how anyone could lose track of time talking to that simpleton, unless he'd bored her to sleep.

"So, what do you say to some sushi?" Serena grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the front gates.

Fifteen minutes later, they were enjoying spicy tuna rolls and miso soup at the counter of a nearby Japanese restaurant, while Serena chattered happily about her morning classes. He couldn't help smiling- partly at her infectious enthusiasm, but mostly because he was just so relieved things were okay again.

When he'd finally mustered up the courage to call her on Sunday, she'd been cool and reserved, suggesting that maybe they should both think things over and meet for dinner the next night.

In typical Dan Humphrey fashion, he'd spent the following twenty four hours tortured with self-doubt, thinking and planning and over-analyzing every aspect of the situation. He'd approached their dinner that evening with a sense of impending doom, convinced she was going to end their relationship. Of course, given how much time he'd had to prepare, the resulting apology should've been polished and thoughtful, full of convincing reasons why she should take him back. But predictably, it had come out as an awkward, rambling mess that eventually just petered out into uncomfortable silence.

Fortunately for him, Serena still seemed to find his awkwardness endearing, so she'd accepted his apology, saying she just wanted to start over and leave the past in the past. He'd even gotten an affectionate kiss at the end of the date- no tongue, but still, it was a step in the right direction.

Dragging his wandering thoughts back to the present, he heard Serena talking about her English syllabus.

"… and I'm really looking to reading Tender is the Night, I love Fitzgerald," she finished, nibbling on a piece of pickled ginger.

Dan raised his eyebrows in surprise at the un-Serena-like comment. "What else have you read by Fitzgerald?"

"Oh, we read The Great Gatsby my sophomore year. It was my favorite class at Nightly." she replied, distracted by the vibration of her cell phone.

"Well, I'm actually quite familiar with his work, so I'd be, uh, interested to hear your thoughts," he commented, watching as she typed out a text message.

"Mmm-hmm," Serena responded distractedly, chuckling under her breath at whatever she was reading. She closed the phone, glancing back up at him. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Oh, just that I've read a lot a Fitzgerald myself, so if you need any help with the interpretation-" he was interrupted by another buzz. "Who keeps texting you?" he asked, trying not to sound annoyed. He'd just gotten back into her good graces, so he had to be on his best behavior.

"Oh, just… a friend," Serena replied, looking slightly uncomfortable- which was noteworthy, because Serena never looked uncomfortable.

He furrowed his brow, but just nodded in response.

They were both tucking into the last pieces of sushi when her phone buzzed again, and he gritted his teeth as she paused to check it. Dealing with frequent phone calls and texts was a necessary evil when dating Serena van der Woodsen, but usually she gave him her mostly-undivided attention. He couldn't imagine what could be so interesting about these particular messages.

"Hey Dan, I've actually got to run- I'm supposed to meet up with a friend before class," Serena grabbed her purse, tucking her phone inside. "You don't mind, right?"

It was obviously a rhetorical question, and even though he most certainly did mind, he knew better than to say it. So he just smiled tightly as she brushed her lips across his and watched her stride out of the restaurant, her tousled blonde locks and shapely figure catching the eye of several male patrons along the way.

The texts had probably just been from Blair or one of her other friends, about something urgent like… shoes, or handbags, or curling irons, he thought to himself. It was silly to think it could've been Quinn, sending her flirty texts with his big beefy thumbs.

Dan shook his head hard, as if to rid it of the very thought. He knew Serena wasn't interested in anyone else- after all, she'd been practically celibate all summer. And since assuming otherwise had ended rather… badly for him, he certainly couldn't afford to be making any insinuations about her and other guys at the moment. It was probably just his imagination working overtime, he concluded.

"How was dinner?"

"Oh… it was good, I guess. I had the duck." Nate replied distractedly, fingers scrolling across the screen of his phone.

Chuck nodded, studying his friend out of the corner of his eye. "Celebrating anything in particular?"

Nate's fingers stilled, a disconcerted expression crossing his face. He initially looked like he was going to brush it off, but then appeared to reconsider. And that, Nathaniel, is why you're a miserable poker player, Chuck thought to himself.

"Well… sort of, yeah," he admitted. "My family's been having some… financial problems, because of this whole situation with my dad. But it looks like everything's gonna be alright now."

"You never mentioned anything before," Chuck commented, feigning a look of surprise.

"Yeah, well… I guess I was just hoping it would all go away so I wouldn't have to tell anyone," Nate said with a wry smile. "And I definitely owed Blair a nice date, she's been so patient and understanding about everything."

Patient? Blair? That seemed… doubtful, Chuck thought. More like… a patient and understanding façade, concealing a maelstrom of annoyance, insecurity, and frustration.

"Well, I'm glad things worked out. Sounds like everything's coming up Nate," he responded drolly.

Nate chuckled. "Yeah, I guess so."

The two were sitting in companionable silence when Blair breezed past them, greeting a group of acquaintances on the other side of the courtyard. Seemingly oblivious to the two boys, she chatted with several students, laughing gaily in response to one of them. Only the stiffness of her back and the tilt of her head made it obvious, to Chuck at least, that she was aware of their presence.

"Guess she didn't see us," Nate said, waving a little to catch his girlfriend's attention. He finally caught her eye and she smiled, excusing herself from the group.

"Hey!" she slid onto the stone bench next to Chuck. "What are you two up to?"

"Nothing, just finishing lunch," Nate replied, grinning affectionately. "I've barely seen you all day though."

"I know, I've just been super busy," Blair responded with an affected sigh. "You know how it is, first day back and everything."

As if on cue, her phone buzzed, and she picked it up to scroll through her text messages.

"Yeah, definitely," Nate agreed. "Hey, Chuck and I were thinking about grabbing drinks at the Palace tonight, if you want to come."

Blair paused her texting and smiled apologetically at him. "Oh, that's sweet of you, but I already have plans tonight."

"Plans? With who?" Nate asked, looking puzzled.

"Oh, just… some friends." Blair waved her hand dismissively.

He frowned in confusion, waiting for her to elaborate, but she returned her attention to her phone.

Chuck rolled his eyes at the obvious ploy- was Nate seriously going to fall for this? Well… probably. This was Nate, after all. He'd been so confused by the plot of Memento, Chuck had had to diagram it for him on the back of a cocktail napkin.

"A bunch of us are going to Butter tomorrow night though," Blair commented distractedly. "You guys should come."

"Yeah, sure… sounds fun," Nate agreed, a note of interest perking up his usual halfhearted agreement.

It was like watching someone train a puppy, Chuck thought to himself. Except the puppy had absolutely no idea what was going on.

"What about you, Chuck?" Blair's lilting voice roused him from his internal snark. Glancing over at her, he was met with a pair of big brown eyes gazing back at him, eyelashes fluttering innocently. "It wouldn't be a party without you there."

Chuck found himself at a sudden loss for words. She couldn't possibly be audacious enough to involve him in her beyond-obvious attempt to make Nate jealous… could she?

She smiled teasingly at him, moistening her upper lip with just the tip of her tongue, and he felt the unmistakable stirring of his body in response.

Apparently, she could.

"Wouldn't miss it," he replied laconically, struggling to maintain an air of bored disinterest.

"Wonderful." She rose from the table, smoothing her plaid skirt over her hips. Despite his best efforts, Chuck found himself following the movement with his eyes. "I have to get to class, I'll see you both later!"

And with that, she strode off towards the girls' hall, a confident sway to her walk.

Nate stared after her in confusion, most likely wondering about the absence of his usual goodbye kiss.

"Does Blair seem kind of… different to you?" he pondered aloud.

Chuck bit his lip in frustration. There was definitely not enough alcohol in his flask to get him through this conversation.

There's a drumming noise inside my head
That throws me to the ground
I swear that you should hear it
It makes such an all mighty sound

It was past fashionably late when Blair and Serena finally arrived at the club, their posse of minions in tow. The underground alcove was dimly lit in red and yellow hues, casting an otherworldly glow over the wood-paneled walls. The room was packed with the usual selection of beautiful people, but even among the A-list Thursday night crowd, the girls still drew attention as they descended the staircase. Serena's simple black cocktail dress was the perfect foil for her loose blonde waves, and the deep V in front showcased an almost scandalous amount of cleavage. Blair had chosen a strapless burgundy mini-dress, knowing that the sweetheart neckline showed off her delicate shoulders, the fitted bodice and flared skirt emphasizing her tiny waist.

Spotting Nate and Chuck lounging by the bar, Blair decided they should take their time making their way over. So far, pretending to barely notice Nate had paid enormous dividends in only a matter of days- he'd seemed inordinately interested in her "plans" the night before, and being otherwise occupied at lunchtime and after school had led him request a slot in her busy social calendar. And apparently, being the one to end phone calls was some sort of secret code that programmed boys to call back.

It was a shame she hadn't figured this out years ago, but all she had to do now was keep it up… indefinitely. Well, no one ever said relationships were easy, right? Blair thought.

She suddenly realized that Serena had stopped in her tracks, looking visibly distressed.

"What's wrong, S?"

"I don't think the plan is working," she replied in a worried tone. "Dan's talking to another girl."

"What?" Where did Dan find another girl willing to talk to him? Blair followed the direction of Serena's gaze to find Dan chatting with a mousy brunette on the other side of the room. It certainly wasn't anything inappropriate- at least, not yet- but he did seem rather engrossed in the conversation.

"Isn't that the new girl in our class?" Blair asked, realizing she looked familiar.

"Yeah." Serena sighed. "Amanda something. Apparently she's a writer too, she's in my English lit class."

The idea that Serena should feel threatened by this… nobody, with her limp hair and ill-fitting clothes, seemed ludicrous. But when it came to intellectual matters, Serena's self-esteem was on the low side- and probably with good reason, she thought. Dan chatting up this girl right in front of her was completely unacceptable, and he needed to be taught a lesson.

"Maybe this whole thing was a bad idea. I'll just go over there and join them," Serena declared, turning to leave.

"Come on, S, that's what a jealous, insecure girlfriend would do," Blair protested, grabbing her arm."And you're not that girl… right?"

She could see Serena turning this question over in her head, and pressed her advantage. "If you react like that, you're giving him the upper hand."

"So… what do I do?" Serena asked uncertainly.

"You find a hot guy- which won't be a problem here." Blair gestured to the crowd around them. "And you do the exact same thing he's doing, only better."

Serena pursed her lips, considering her options. "Well… that blonde guy near the door is pretty cute…"

"So go get him." Blair laughed teasingly, and pushed Serena towards her victim.

Deciding she'd played it cool long enough, Blair sashayed over towards the bar. Greeting her with palpable enthusiasm, Nate immediately scampered off to order her a drink, not even waiting for her to pointedly nudge him.

Chuck, in contrast, avoided making eye contact with her- he just leaned against the bar, surveying the room over the rim of his martini glass.

He'd been doing a lot of that lately, she realized. They would pass each other in the courtyard or in front of school- and even though she was certain she could feel his eyes on her, whenever she looked over at him, his gaze was steadfastly aimed in another direction.

It was almost as if he was fighting his attraction to her, and occasionally he'd let his control slip when he thought she wasn't looking. The idea secretly thrilled her, although she would never admit it aloud. That Chuck would struggle to not want her, especially when he could have almost any other female in the vicinity- and probably already had- well, it was a little exhilarating.

"Hey Chuck," she greeted him in a throaty voice.

He turned towards her, his eyes reflexively raking over her figure and causing a shiver to run down her spine- it felt like he was undressing her with just a look. Well, this is Chuck Bass, she thought, looking at women is foreplay for him.

"Hey," he responded impassively, his voice betraying none of what she'd seen in his eyes.

"Here you go, Blair." Nate returned to her side, presenting her with a gin martini. She felt an irresistible urge to reward him with a pat on the head, or a… biscuit.

"Thanks," she replied instead, smirking at the mental image.

"Is that a new dress?" he asked admiringly.

"Just a little something I picked up at Bergdorf's yesterday," she demurred, taking a tiny sip of her drink. She needed to take it slow, since she'd already had several glasses of champagne while getting ready with the girls. And there was certainly nothing "hard to get" about a sloppy drunk.

"Well, it's beautiful," Nate complimented her.

She smiled in acknowledgment, but noticed that Chuck had returned to studying the crowd, his trademark disaffected expression firmly in place. Overtaken by the urge to feel his eyes on her again, she cleared her throat.

"What do you think, Chuck?" she asked coyly.

There was nothing subtle about his once-over this time; his gaze travelled from the column of her neck down to her stiletto-clad feet and back again, visually caressing her curves. She swallowed, feeling her body respond to his open appreciation.

"Not bad, Waldorf," he finally replied, his voice as cool as ever. "Although you could afford to show a little more leg,"

"Well, I think this is as much of my girlfriend's legs as I want other guys to see," Nate joked, sliding an arm around her waist.

Chuck smiled humorlessly and looked away, his profile showing the tense line of his jaw. And all she could think at that moment was that he'd seen every inch of her legs… touched them, kissed them, wrapped them around his waist. Distracted by her wandering thoughts, Blair forgot about trying to pace herself and downed the rest of her drink in one gulp.

As I move my feet towards your body
I can hear this beat it fills my head up
And gets louder and louder
It fills my head up and gets louder and louder

Several martinis later, she found herself briefly alone. Nate had stepped outside to take a phone call, and Chuck had excused himself- presumably to sleaze all over some trampy bar hag, she thought scornfully.

Looking back towards the bar, her eyes fell on Serena, who was still deep in conversation with the tall, brawny, lacrosse-player type she'd approached earlier. But conversation wasn't exactly the right word for it, Blair decided, as she watched Serena giggle and stroke the front of his shirt with one hand, and her companion gaze appreciatively at her… or more accurately, the neckline of her dress. What had begun as a conversation seemed to be veering rapidly into desperate hussy territory.

Glancing around the crowd, she saw that Dan was mercifully nowhere in sight, so she strode over towards the pair. Along the way, she reminded herself to have a talk with Serena later about the difference between subtle flirting and throwing yourself at someone.

"Hey S," she greeted Serena, acknowledging her companion with only a judgmental sniff. "How about we go grab a drink?"

She didn't wait for a reply, latching on to her friend's forearm and pulling her towards the bar.

"B, what are you doing?" Serena complained, stumbling slightly in her stilettos.

"I think we're done with the flirting portion of the plan," Blair replied, rolling her eyes at her tipsy friend. "And perhaps we need to review the concept of boundaries."

"But I was having fun," Serena complained.

Yeah, that's what happens when you talk to guys who aren't Dan, Blair thought to herself. "Well, we'll just do… something else fun then."

"Like dance?" Serena's face lit up, as she looked eagerly towards the packed dance floor.

"Uh…" Blair tried to think of a good excuse, but her slightly inebriated brain wasn't working fast enough.

"Come on, B, loosen up! We can give the guys a little show," Serena teased, waggling her eyebrows. Glancing around and not seeing anyone she knew in the vicinity, Blair conceded with a reluctant smile.

Serena grabbed her by the hand and pulled her onto the dance floor, finding an open space near the edge that was just big enough for the two of them. Generally, dancing with Serena involved plenty of ass shaking and hair flipping, while Blair preferred to be not quite so… showy. But she found herself feeling less inhibited than usual that evening, so she mimicked her friend's movements, tossing her hair back over her shoulder and swinging her hips. She laughed when Serena twirled her, the two dancing intimately together as they moved their bodies to the music.

Serena leaned in against her, placing her lips suggestively close to Blair's ear. "I think we have a fan club," she whispered with a giggle.

Glancing around nonchalantly, Blair could see that their performance had attracted a fair number of male admirers. She'd just allowed herself a triumphant little smile when her eyes suddenly met Chuck's intense, unwavering gaze. His posture was relaxed as he leaned against the bar, indifferently swirling the drink in his hand, but his deep brown eyes were fixed intently on her- and there was no mistaking the blatant desire she saw reflected back.

He glimpsed a little smile play across her features before she turned back towards Serena, continuing to move her body to the music. He watched her hips sway languorously, making the silky red dress slide across her backside, and his body hardened in response. He could almost feel the fabric against his fingertips, her hips moving against his own, the taste of her skin when he kissed that spot right below her ear.

She gathered her glossy brown curls up with one hand, stroking down the side of her neck with the other- and he watched, mesmerized, as her fingers paused, tapping seductively against her bare shoulder. But it was her coy glance back over that shoulder, and the sensuality evident in those deep brown eyes, that finally set him off. He watched in helpless fascination as her teeth sank teasingly into her lower lip, feeling frustration and longing swell up inside of him. Throwing back the last of his scotch, he didn't even feel the liquor burn its way down his throat.

"Hey B, I'm gonna go get another drink!" Serena's voice snapped Blair out of her reverie, and she turned back to see the blonde waving an empty martini glass before disappearing into the crowd. She took a deep breath, running her hands across her flushed cheeks, and realized that perhaps she'd had more to drink than she'd thought.

Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her- someone inappropriately close. Before she could spin around and banish the stranger with a withering glare, she felt a familiar pair of hands encircle her waist.

"Never took you for a cocktease, Waldorf," Chuck whispered huskily against her ear, his warm breath causing a flush of arousal to spread across her skin. She tried to pull away, but his hands held her firmly in place, fingers stroking gently across her hipbones.

"What do you think you're doing?" Blair attempted to sound indignant, but the words came out in a breathy whisper that was barely audible over the thumping bass.

"Dancing, of course," he murmured, his mouth almost touching her skin. "You make it look so… appealing."

Chuck Bass doesn't dance, she thought faintly- but then again, this could hardly be considered "dancing." She felt his body press into her back, his hand intertwine with hers and slide it against her silk-covered thigh.

As they moved their hips to the music, he maneuvered her into the throng of dancing couples, towards the center of the dimly lit dance floor. Realizing that no one could see them unless they were standing two feet away, she allowed herself a brief moment of weakness and relaxed in his arms, enjoying the feel of his body against hers.

She felt his fingers trace delicately across her collarbone, leaving a seductive tingle in their wake, while his other hand pulled her hips firmly against him. The unmistakable evidence of his arousal pressed into her backside, evoking a warm throbbing sensation deep within her.

As her body rubbed sensuously against him and her silky curls brushed his cheek, the intoxicating scent filling his nostrils, Chuck struggled to stay in control of himself. He watched, captivated, as a bead of perspiration slid slowly down the side of her neck- and finally, able to resist no longer, he captured it with his tongue.

When he felt her shudder against him, he began kissing his way down her neck, savoring every inch of her skin. At any moment, he was expecting her to regain control of herself and push him away- but instead, she arched her neck to give him better access and gripped his fingers harder, tightly pressing his hand to her leg. He continued to kiss down her neck and across to her shoulder, nibbling on the spot where her fingers had danced so teasingly.

Feeling her velvety skin on his tongue, her taut thighs under his hands, and her hips bucking back against him, he quickly grew so aroused that he no longer cared about anyone or anything except pleasuring her.

He reached down and stroked the inside of her thigh with his free hand, caressing the satiny skin just under the hemline of her billowy skirt. Feeling her tense up, he moved his mouth up her neck, lightly sucking on her earlobe before sinking his teeth into it. Her body once again quivered beneath his ministrations, and he used the opportunity to slide his hand further underneath her dress, stroking the tips of his fingers against the lacy edge of her thong.

Wait, this is wrong, her alarmed brain tried to interrupt.

"Chuck, stop," she whispered.

But there was no way he could hear her over the pounding beat of the music- and she wasn't sure she wanted him to. Rotating club lights distorted into a blur of color, and the cover of darkness tempted her to sink further into the depths of illicit desire. Just one more minute, she thought hazily, as his fingers slipped beneath the edge of her thong and began exploring her slick folds.

Caught between his hardness pressing into her backside and his skillful fingers stroking her clit, she closed her eyes and let her head fall back against Chuck's shoulder, surrendering to the exquisite pleasure he was giving her.

"You like that?" he murmured into her ear, and she could only whimper in response, her lower body moving rhythmically against his hand. He slipped two fingers into her, thrusting in and out, while his thumb gently circled her swollen nub. Overwhelmed with lust, she was aware of nothing but him- his mouth on her skin, his hips rocking intimately into her, his fingers bringing her closer and closer to the release she so desperately craved.

"Blair?"

Serena's stunned voice hit her like a splash of cold water. She opened her eyes to see her friend standing just a few feet away, a fresh drink in her hand and a horrified expression on her face.

She wrenched herself away from Chuck, running her fingers through her hair and trying to look composed- or as composed as possible, given the circumstances. But she could see the shock and dismay written all over Serena's face, and, unable to face the accusation in her friend's eyes, she turned and fled.

Louder than sirens
Louder than bells
Sweeter than heaven
And hotter than hell

Blair was already halfway down the block, four-inch heels not slowing her down in the slightest, before Serena finally caught up with her.

"Blair!" Panting with exertion, Serena grabbed her arm and brought her to a stop.

"What?" she responded defensively, pulling away and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"What the hell was that?" Serena exclaimed.

"It was nothing. We were dancing, that's all," Blair said firmly, looking anywhere but her friend's eyes.

"That was not dancing! That was having sex with clothes on!" Serena countered.

"Well, you would know, wouldn't you?" Blair shot back, not about to take an extra-large serving of judgment from Serena, of all people.

Serena's jaw tightened, but she refused to take the bait.

"What were you thinking, B?" She shook her head. "Did you really think the best way to make Nate jealous was to get it on with his best friend?"

"Why not? It certainly worked when he did it," Blair responded sharply, noting Serena's look of shame with satisfaction.

"This isn't about that, Blair." Serena paused, a distressed expression on her face. "Is this… why you haven't told Nate yet? Is there something going on between you and Chuck?"

"What? No!" Blair was appalled at the very suggestion. "I told you, it's nothing. I was just… trying to make Nate jealous and it got… a little out of hand."

"Letting Chuck Bass fondle you in the middle of a public place is more than a little out of hand!" Serena retorted, starting to sound exasperated.

Blair felt a wave of humiliation at her own behavior, which was quickly replaced by indignation. Who the hell does she think she is?

"Well, I'm sorry I distracted you from throwing yourself at random guys," she snapped. "Or were you planning to get back at Dan for calling you a slut by acting like one?"

Serena's face hardened.

"You know what? Fine. You obviously don't need my help. Good luck figuring this out on your own," she declared, before turning and striding back towards the club.

"Fine," Blair echoed.

Watching Serena leave, she hugged herself tightly and swallowed back the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.

A/N: Many apologies for the long hiatus! I blame vacation, laziness, and the intimidation of writing such an overwhelmingly awesome couple. Hopefully I made up for it?

As always, thanks to Terrabeth for her beta work, particularly her assistance in liberating my inner smut enthusiast. Also, big thanks to Spiros for making a lovely banner for this story, which you can find in my profile.

So, it appears that the shit's starting to hit the fan here. Thoughts?