Title: Love Story

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I don't own Titanic, Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

A/N Ok, so here is my next update! I hope everyone likes this chapter, it's the longest one yet! I was up until 5am this morning finishing it, so you guys better!! Hahha! Thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews! You all are truly amazing!! And remember, feel free to share any suggestions for the story! Enjoy!

Chapter 6

Blair scurried into her small cabin and slumped onto the bunk bed with a sigh. The nerve that Chuck Bass had, accusing her of such horrendous things. He was vile and heinous and completely alluring. Blair buried her face into her hand trying to calm herself down. She detested the sight of him; the same sight that made her heart skip a beat in the strangest of ways.

"Tell me you're not thinking 'bout that wretched rich boy." Blair eyes shot up to see Vanessa leaning against the small corner table. The room was snug and the amenities were few but not too unpleasant. Third class cabins were provided with heat, electrical lighting, fresh water basins and two bunk beds structured into the white wall. There were pull-out drawers in the bed in which they kept all of their belongings. They were provided with blankets and pillows, but no sheets or pillow cases. The only other furniture consisted of the small corner table with a long wooden bench pressed against the wall opposite the beds.

"Of course not, Nessie! I was…he came here you know!" Blair nearly shouted in frustration of trying to make up an excuse.

"What?" Vanessa questioned in disbelief. "Here? As in the third class quarters? Scandalous!"

Blair could not help but smile at Vanessa's remark. Everything in her life was scandalous. Both girls sat on the bed, gossiping like schoolgirls, as Blair enlightened Vanessa about her encounters with the famous Chuck Bass the previous night and that very afternoon.

Blair felt at home here with her best friend. Life had always been difficult for the young brunette. Blair was four when her father, Harold Waldorf, began his voyages, exploring the great depths of the world, leaving Blair at home with her detached mother. Blair's mother, Eleanor Waldorf, was a socialite woman married to a blacksmith. They were polar opposites; her mother proper and formal and her father grubby and buoyant. Blair never understood why the two got married, but she did not care too much, she loved them both regardless. It was when her father decided to become a travelling fisherman, that the household became tense. Blair would not see Harold for months at a time, and her mother became more indignant and furious. Blair remembered nights when she would be scolded repeatedly for not being ladylike or proper from her mother. Her favourite memories were when her father would return for a couple of days, telling Blair of his stories and teaching her new things, for instance, playing poker.

Eventually Eleanor became sick, forcing Harold to return home to care for his sick wife and daughter. When Eleanor died, Harold changed and became distant. As soon as Blair was old enough, he returned to his voyages, which became longer and longer until Blair never saw him anymore. Blair only knew he died because of her neighbour, who had heard from a distant relative that her father's boat had been swept up in a terrible storm, and there were no survivors. Shortly after the death of her father, Blair abandoned her home and moved to Southampton, where she met Vanessa.

The sun was still high in the sky, and Blair soaked in the rays in content bliss. Vanessa was still bickering away at how rude and arrogant this Chuck Bass was, while Blair would simply throw in a few words and nod at appropriate times, covering her boredom. Chuck was definitely a piece of work; he had more problems than Vanessa had lovers.

While daydreaming about Chuck, Blair stumbled over the hem of her dress, falling against a man standing in front of her.

"I apologize," she began, straightening herself out as her cheeks burned in embarrassment. "I wasn't watching my step and – you!" Blair nearly screamed once she noticed she was talking to none other than Chuck Bass.

"Are you…following me?" He asked, pinching the bridge of his nose with an annoyed expression on his face.

"Me? Following you? Have I lost my mind?" Blair retorted with equal annoyance.

"Out of the hundreds of people on this ship, must I be the only one you can find to infuriate?" Chuck spoke conceitedly, admiring his cuff.

"Do not flatter yourself, your head may explode." Chuck looked up and glowered at Blair who returned his menacing gaze. Her cheeks were red from anger, and her hair fell on her face in beautiful disarray. The way her lips pursed together and her eyes widened and she scrunched up her nose. God, she was even prettier when she was angry. She was breathtaking without even trying, nothing like Serena's perfect presence. For a brief moment, his heart swelled.

"Look – "

"Waldorf!" Vanessa bellowed, cutting Chuck off. "What are you doing?" She whispered to Blair in a singsong voice.

"What kind of name is Waldorf?" Chuck sniggered.

"It's Blair Waldorf, not that it's any of your business."

Chuck fumed. Blair seethed. The two stared each other down as if their eyes could kill.

"You're repulsive," Blair whispered harshly, maintaining her death gaze.

"I feel the same way about you, darling," Chuck snapped.

"And we were just on our way," Vanessa chimed merrily. She briskly grabbed Blair by her forearm and pried her away from Chuck.

"What on God's earth was that?" Vanessa inquired with a small smile. "I don't know if I should hug you or slap you silly for being so foolish."

"I just don't understand him! Every time I see his face, something inside me just begins to boil!" Blair responded, unsure of why she burst in fury every time she spoke to him.

"Trust me darling, I know men and I know feelings. Either you really hate this man, or you are shamelessly smitten by him."

"Impossible. I am not smitten by him or anyone else for that matter." Blair could not help but laugh at Vanessa's impractical suggestion. Of course she felt no attraction to Chuck, well except for the fact that she could not stop daydreaming about him, and her heart raced every time he was near her. But that was beside the point.

Chuck watched them leave. He felt nauseated. What sickening charisma this girl had. Blair. Her name did not suit her personality on the slightest. Blair meant plain, and she was not plain or dull in any way. She had a spark, a fire, which excited and infuriated him at the same time, and he loved to hate her. However, now that she was gone, he felt somewhat guilty for the way he acted every time he was near her. She had saved his life the night before, no matter how much Chuck denied it, he was sure she was telling the truth and he had drunk a bit too much scotch.

It was nearing sunset, and the sky was turning purple, with a shot of orange in the west. Blair wandered the deck, once again consumed by the thoughts of Chuck. She seriously needed to find something to do with her time other than her reveries about her handsome stranger.

In the distance she could make out a figure sitting alone on the upper deck, and she had a good idea of who it may be. Before she could stop herself, Blair made a beeline for him. He sat there in all his glory, looking stunningly sad.

"Couldn't decide between sparkling and still water?" Blair chuckled as Chuck noticed her presence.

"How did you guess?" Chuck smirked. "Although, I do prefer scotch." Blair laughed and looked out towards the horizon. "It's a beautiful night."

"It is."

"You know, you don't have to stand down there. You can join me up here," Chuck suggested, looking down at Blair.

"Um…no thank you," Blair smiled politely. "I better be on my way."

"Join me."

"No, I – "

"Here." Chuck offered his hand to help her onto the upper deck. Blair flushed slightly and took his hand, helping her climb up next to him. She felt a little awkward and out of place. He was dressed impeccably, as usual, in his crisp suit, while her dress was old and wrinkled. She was sure she looked like a mess; even her curls had fallen out of her bun and tickled her cheeks. With a sigh, she pulled the barrette out of her hair, allowing it to fall down her shoulders.

"Hm? Now she lets her hair down. What next? You hike up your dress? Miss Waldorf, if I didn't know any better, I would say you were trying to seduce me," Chuck drawled, winking at Blair. She felt her cheeks grow hot, and gave Chuck a menacing look.

"You're disgusting! And I hate you," Blair stated.

"Then why are you still holding my hand?" Chuck whispered with his trademark smirk which Blair was becoming accustomed to.

"My mistake," Blair quickly pulled her hand away with a discrete smile threatening to break upon her lips. The two sat together, in a comfortable silence, watching the sun disappear behind the clouds.

"About today, my behaviour was…inappropriate," Chuck whispered, visibly having troubles coming up with the right words.

"Is that an apology?" Blair smirked in victory. Chuck looked as if he were in pain. Seriously, had this man never apologized before?

"No."

"Very well then, I accept your heartfelt regret for the way you acted," Blair grinned with a glint of humour in her eyes.

"Charming," Chuck whispered. He pretended to be interested in looking at the setting sun, yet stole glances at the beauty next to him from the corner of his eye.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be getting ready for some party with a girlfriend or something?" Blair was genuinely curious as of why he was out on the deck instead of with the rest of the first class royalty on the ship.

"It's fiancée actually."

"Pardon?" Blair asked. She was sure she had heard wrong.

"She's my fiancée. Serena," Chuck repeated emotionlessly.

"Oh." Blair felt as though her heart had shattered into a million pieces. Of course he had a fiancée, a lovely girl with perfect beauty and endless fortune. Why did Blair feel as though she wanted to die, she had no idea. The two sat in silence, no words or gazes exchanged. "Why did you try to kill yourself?"

Chuck looked at Blair, taken aback by her sudden forwardness.

"That is quite inappropriate and none of your business."

"Ok." Ok? Chuck did not understand Blair the slightest bit. How could she just agree with him without pressing for more answers or putting up a fight? The moment he thought he had figured her out, she surprised him.

"My father," Chuck whispered. "My father hates me. I'm being forced to go to New York and marry Serena."

"Forced to go to New York, or forced to marry Serena," Blair asked.

"Both." There was an awkward pause. Blair, unsure of what to say and Chuck, unsure of why he was revealing his secrets to a girl he barely knew. "Look, I know what you must be thinking! Poor little rich boy. What does he know about misery?"

"That's not what I was thinking. What I was thinking was…what could have happened to hurt this man so much he thought he had no other way out?" Blair's response surprised Chuck.

"I don't...I just – it's this whole world, their world. And I'm trapped in it, like an insect in amber." Chuck exhaled. "I just needed to get away, and even the Titanic wasn't big enough. Not enough to get away from them. I'm stuck in this marriage."

A passing steward scowled at Blair, who was clearly not a first class passenger, but Chuck just glared at him until he left.

"So don't marry her."

"What?" Chuck cried in disbelief. Had she not been listening to him?

"It's simple, don't marry the girl. You don't love her," Blair stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Chuck stared at her long and hard. Her eyes were wide and innocent; she truly thought he could just leave Serena. Could he?

"If only it were that simple."

"It is that simple." Chuck smiled genuinely for the first time in a long time. Blair couldn't help but smile back. His brooding eyes lit up and he was amused by her straightforward solution.

"You have a gift, you know that?" Chuck smiled. "You see people."

"I see you." And there it was. That piercing gaze again. She was so damn beautiful.

"And?"

"You wouldn't have jumped."

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