AN: Thank you for reviewing, it's always nice to have the encouragement to write. Hope you're enjoying the story.

"Serena!" Blair didn't care that she was in the middle of a photo shoot; she ran towards the door and engulfed her friend in a hug that she deemed far overdue. It's been forever, and felt even longer as she got a good hold of the taller girl. She also needed to get away from her fellow model/ex-lover/Bass, and her friend couldn't have timed her arrival any better.

"Blair!" Serena reciprocated the hug "What's all this?" and made a quick glance around the Waldorf's summerhouse, taking in the work filled atmosphere. The foyer alone had been filled with everything you could imagine at a photo shoot; lights, cameras, staff, and clothes... lots and lots of clothes.

"Didn't I tell you?" Blair honestly didn't recall. "I'm modelling for my mother's latest lines," She motioned towards the clothes.

Everyone else realized the reunion would take a moment longer than expected and decided on a break. Even Chuck snuck away before any comments could be made. Mostly to use the toilet, and get himself some water. He and Blair have been arguing about everything. Despite what they chose to show the camera, they just could not stop bickering, and everyone seemed to recognise it as never ending.

"Wow, that's amazing Blair!" it was, Serena was happy for her friend. This is one thing she knew that Blair's, less than confident self-esteem, could use. "I'm so happy for you."

"Don't be, it's all rather dull. We've been at it for hours, and I'm bored!" That was a lie. She was just tense from having to deal with Chuck. The close proximity was wearing her out, and she kept losing herself; forgetting her stance that Chuck is just not good. Despite how much she did squabble with him, she still found it all amusing, and she shouldn't. He is to be avoided at all costs, but similarly she has to pretend she's into him for a stupid photo shoot where over 90% of the photos will end up in the shredder. A waste in her mind since she swore there was a photo or two that Chuck looked evidently scared of her threats... she figured she might just snatch those away.

"Aw, I'm sure we can make it fun, have you asked Eleanor if you could have a hunky co-model?" Serena nudged her suggestively, and as it so happens, Chuck returns to bestow the response Blair has been denying.

"I'm sure she has, but unfortunately for Blair, she's stuck with me." Chuck didn't even bother sugar coating it. He was suffering having Blair in his arms, against his entire body, without much leeway to do anything about it. The rush of regret over what happened hit him again just at the memory, and the blonde's appearance.

"Chuck" Serena glanced between the two brunettes, "what are you doing here?" She took a cautious step back, recalling the last time she was with him she gave in to a rather dark temptation to self-destruct in a certain Bass's arms. Not a good idea, ever.

"Working" he grabbed an apple off the craft service table. Serena rolled her eyes at his response, having figured that much out by herself.

"Does Nate know?" She returned to Blair who gave Serena a stern look for mentioning the boy.

"No, it's not like I need to tell him anything..." Serena didn't seem anymore clued in than when she asked so Blair continued easily. "We broke up." It was an easy enough statement to say, and she shrugged to emphasize how little it really mattered. They never felt together to start with. Well, she didn't anyways. In addition to the fact, he didn't seem to mind ending it either. It was mutual, and understanding, and Blair was a little disappointed he didn't fight for her, but seamlessly knew that it wouldn't change a thing.

Chuck nearly choked on the apple bite he took. To say it was a surprise would be quite the understatement, to hear that the two broke up was beyond outrageous. After everything they've been through, and demanded, especially since Nate was rather serious this time around. Neither of them even bothered to mention it earlier, and now Blair was fair game again. Well, as fair as she'll let it be before he gives in to drastic measures. However, he had to remain timed.

Blair smiled at Chuck's reaction. He didn't know. That was amazing, but neither did Serena by the look she gave her it seemed as if that's the last thing she'd ever expect to hear. That pleased the brunette, to realize that this time around Nate and her have tried, they both gave it what they could, but it just couldn't be.

"What? Blair are you ok? When did this happen?" the blonde was in shock, but Blair remained indifferent.

"I rather we spoke in private about this S" she gave Chuck a knowing look of disgust, and Serena caught it without hesitation. She made sure to stay away from the boy as well, recalling the memory from earlier that summer; she didn't care to ignite any possible fuses that would set off Blair.

"Blair! Chuck! We're waiting!" Chuck smirked at how the photographer seemed to get more irritated with them as they progressed. The two weren't exactly the easiest pair to work with.

"I should go," Blair rolled her eyes at how she was being bossed around by someone so far beneath her. He was a professional though, and her mother would definitely be disappointed by any lack of enthusiasm from her part. At least she got to stand in the spotlight, literally.

"Sure B" Serena smiled as Blair gave her a quick hug, knowing she should probably head to her grandmother's and see her own family. "I'll come by at dinner"

"I missed you S" Blair whispered to the blonde before letting her go to run back to the shoot. Just then Serena felt the guilt from leaving without a word, having escaped for reasons of her own, but completely keeping Blair in the dark on so much. She had to tell her, she just had to time it right.

"I need to go to a luncheon, are you alright here?" Eleanor was hardly there, she would pass by, as she did now, but she was constantly on the move.

"Just great Eleanor" the photographer insisted. "You two should change, and I will see you," he gave Eleanor a kiss on each cheek, "Later"

Blair could have sworn the man was a teenage girl in disguise. He was getting on her bad side due to the fact he kept referring to her state as rigid. She'd be calmer if she didn't have to work with Chuck, let alone deal with a pmsing photographer. Wasn't her mother the one who insisted Chuck was bad news, and now seems to have thrown that idea out the window to have him model for her.

"Blair" Chuck appeared on the other side of the curtain. She was almost done changing, but didn't care to hurry up for anyone. "Can we talk?"

"We're working Bass, not that you know the meaning of work" she retorted before pulling back the curtain to step out fully clothed in another dress.

"This has a lot to do with our work. The photographer keeps bitching about us, and I was just wondering if you needed any help loosening up" he smirked suggestively. He would do anything to get in her pants right now.

"I can help myself" she smirked back and grabbed a glass of champagne. He cringed and walked back to the set with Blair right behind him. she gulped the drink down and smiled up at the boy.

The photographer seemed to have noticed something between the two. He was quick to recognise what just might help him get a better photo, and acted on it. "Can everyone leave the room please" Chuck shrugged, hoping to escape. "Not you two," he pointed at Chuck and Blair, "you stay. Everyone," he looked around and everyone dispersed. He wasn't just the photographer, Blair knew he had total control of the shoot, especially since her mother left, but he did take the photographs. She should probably find out his name if he'll continue working with her mother.

"I need you two to work with me here, relax but be happy... Think of the best sex you've ever had or something" He wasn't serious about the last comment, saying it off handily as the first thing that came to mind. Blair almost gasped at the recommendation, but Chuck smiled without a care. Before either answered though he went on.

"Do you know what it's like to give in to lust? I want you two to show me lust, passion, desire. Teenagers don't care for normal poses, they want scandalous. Wouldn't you rather that yourselves?" The two remained silent, taken aback by all he just said.

"I don't think this is at all appropriate" Blair was the first to finally break the silence. This was her mother's colleague and he was asking her to act like a hormonal teenager for a camera.

"Are you scared Waldorf, think you may not be able to act this out?" Chuck smirked "I could always help" the last few words were a challenge she couldn't refuse.

"Hardly bass, in fact I was hoping to spare you the discomfort of temptations" The game changed all together, now knowing exactly how to put him through hell.

"Perfect, now we'll keep this talk between us, and see how things go alright?" The photographer was actually being human, and not an overdramatic man child.

"Don't worry Waldorf, I'll be taking the lead" Chuck whispered to her as the photographer left to get the rest of the crew back.

"As long as I get to hurt you" Blair said with a smirk, making sure to keep to their usual tone to remain on the private side.

"A masochist at heart, truly I have missed you dominating side" Before Blair could remark the photographer returned, excited to get back to business. Not recognising that a new challenge was set. Chuck and Blair would perform as required, while attempting to make the other as uncomfortable as possible.

"Alright, give me temptation, lust, scandalous" Blair ignored every word the photographer said and quickly turned to Chuck by her side. She took her chance for a pre-emptive strike, grabbing him by the trousers he wore and reached for the button to swiftly undo before anyone even managed a blink.

Chuck wasn't ready for that, especially since his trousers were beginning to feel tighter than usual. "Uncomfortable Bass?" The wickedness in her voice snapped him out of his recoil, and his hands went to work. Finding the small of her back to pull her closer, emphasizing exactly what she'd just unleashed.

"I wouldn't refer to this as discomfort" he spoke huskily and she blushed, but managed another move that the photographer was either cheering or instructing them on a different type of behaviour. Never the less they continued their game without a care of anyone else in the room.

Blair pulled at his tucked shirt, as his hands fisted the material of her dress. She reached his collar and pulled him down so that their faces were an inch apart.

"You can't win this Bass" It was a threat, but he went with it.

"I think I can" He stared her in the eye before glancing down at her desirable lips, and finally giving in to something he'd been dying to do all day. Hi lips found hers with a gentle kiss, he stilled against her momentarily before kissing her again, finding it impossible to stop, and before Blair had a chance to react the photographer called out even louder. She pulled back and looked over at the older man with the camera, taking a precautionary step away from Chuck.

"I said stop!" he emphasized again. "We ran out of film, but that was good. Although I won't need you two to actually kiss, your heads won't be in the photographs"

"What?" both Blair and Chuck were surprised at this. Why the hell were they kept being told to look at each other and tilt their heads in one way or another or whatever it was. All that wasted time.

"Well, since neither of you could stop talking long enough to smile, let alone give me any expressions I can work with, we've decided to focus on the clothes. However the body motion just now was exactly what I was looking for to bring out the potential in the wearer" The photographer didn't plan to say more than this and turned to talk with the rest of the crew.

Blair looked over to Chuck who seemed disappointed, but once he caught her staring she turned and left. She quickly changed out of her mother's dress, and put on a robe. She rushed up the stairs, reached her room, and found the bathroom to clean herself of whatever just transpired with Chuck.

"Blair?" Chuck had been knocking on her door for ten minutes with no reply. He was considering the possibility that she's decided on climbing out her window, something a heroine would do in a movie. But this wasn't a movie, and Blair did not posses enough upper body strength, or a crew to help her achieve this. The motivation was still there, which made Chuck knock even louder.

The camera and crew ended for the day, and were collecting everything when they told Chuck to inform Blair that they planned to start again tomorrow morning. He doubted she didn't know this already though, it was her mother's shoot, but he wanted to talk to her, or not talk, whichever happens first.

"Chuck?" Serena's voice made Chuck turn away from the door and stare at the blonde. She was there again and he hated it, he hated the memory she brought back to him. Just at that he wished for an escape in a form he knew too well, but refused it.

"What are YOU doing here?" he was rude, and didn't care. In his mind there were a few women who deserved his care, and even fewer deserved his kindness, and Serena was not deserving of anything from him.

"I told her to come" Blair opened her door long enough to let Serena in. She didn't close it instantly as she allowed an exchange of glance between herself and Chuck.

"I wanted to talk" He held the door open.

"There's nothing to talk about, we were working" He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the hall regardless. Allowing the door to shut after her, leaving Serena in the room alone, and themselves in the hall.

"I want you" he admitted

"That's too bad, because you'll NEVER have me Chuck"

"How could you forgive her then?" he seethed as he spoke of Serena.

"The same reason Nate forgave you" she insisted. "She's my best friend, and despite whatever blame you decide to plant on her, it doesn't change what you've done." She took a moment before continuing. "you knew, but you went ahead and did the one thing I feared the most" she slowly regretted continuing this conversation.

"I'm sorry Blair, I never meant to hurt you... but you hurt me too" he calmed as he spoke realizing the impact he made. "I wasn't thinking clearly, and I promise I've changed"

"I find that hard to believe"

"30 days"

"Excuse me?"

"I'll let you get back to Serena, but I can't not have you in my life Blair. I'll do anything," he swore before leaving realizing how pathetic he probably sounded saying all that, but he knew that he needed to tell her, if not show her how serious he was.

"I'll see you tomorrow Chuck" she called before re-entering her room, leaving him with some hope that they could reunite, if only as friends for now.

AN: So what do you all think of what's happening. Good, bad? Worth heading in the same direction?