Never Play Dice With the Devil (Chapter 6 of 'The Once & Future Bass') "When you know that language, it's easy to believe that someone in the world awaits you, whether it's in the middle of the desert or in some great city… without such love, one's dreams would have no meaning." – The Alchemist
Author: Isabelle
Rating: PG-13 (language, adult situations, violence)
Spoilers: All of Season 1 & some Season 2 promos
Summary: In Season 2 Blair & Chuck finally re-unite after their break-up and that same night Chuck witnesses something that pulls him away from Blair. Years later he's back to save her and those he left behind.
Disclaimer: I own nothing that has to do with Gossip Girl; CW owns them along with their creators.
--
"No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn't know it." – The Alchemist
When Blair blinked her eyes and woke up, she felt like she could barf for the rest of her life. It was something she was used to.
"It's normal," a voice told her, and she looked to her side to find Misty Bass sitting calmly, legs crossed, watching her. Blair was lying in a sterile bedroom that reminded her eerily of a hospital.
"Is it done?" She asked Misty.
Misty looked tired. More tired than the last time she had seen her. She nodded, not giving anything away.
"How is he?" Blair asked, wincing as she sat up.
"Suicide watch," Misty said. Eyes normal and voice passive.
Blair's eyes widened. "You said he wouldn't do that!"
Misty shrugged. "It's a precaution. He's 27's pet project now, and she will not lose him; not after all the energy she's invested in him."
"I want to see him," Blair insisted.
"Not possible."
"I…" Blair looked down and shut her eyes. "I can't forget his eyes. The last time I saw him."
Misty didn't say anything, just stared at her.
Blair finally opened her eyes and looked around. "Is this Level 4?"
Misty nodded.
"How long have I been asleep?" Blair asked.
"Three days."
Blair sighed. "He's been on suicide watch for three days?"
Misty blinked. "27 is going to see him this evening. She's hoping he asks for the cleansing right away, which he will."
Blair swallowed. "If he agrees, when will the cleansing happen?"
"In a few days," Misty said and stood up. "I will have someone bring you clothes. These are your quarters. I will see you then."
Blair took a deep breath and nodded. "And my family?"
"You're still considered missing."
"They don't think I'm dead?" Blair asked, surprised, relieved. She could've hugged Misty.
"I can't predict everything, Miss Waldorf," Misty said. "I can, however, manipulate it." And she walked away.
--
He stared straight ahead. What else could he do? He could look down, but he had a pounding headache. He could look up, but the lights were too bright. So he looked straight ahead.
His elbows rested on his knees as he sat on the floor. He was barefoot and cold, but he didn't care. The blanket they provided was in the exact same place they had left it, because he didn't care enough to crawl over and get it.
The food they had been providing for him was starting to accumulate. In the evening they would come and pick up all he hadn't eaten during the day.
He waited patiently because he knew that soon 27 would come and offer him what he had already decided to take.
He counted his fingers. He counted the tiles on the wall he faced. He counted the hairs on his arm. He counted the air. He just counted.
He needed to continue counting, because the impending darkness was taking over him. The moment he stopped counting, his mind went back to the night she finally forgave him. The night she forgave him all those years ago.
He was more excited than ever to go to a party, and he didn't even care that it was the Funchess extravaganza and that they would all meet at Diablo. He just cared that finally Blair was speaking to him. Not just 'Hello, Bass! I didn't know you could come out in the daytime!' But softer words; words that reminded him of a time before Victrola. When they would talk pleasantly without wanting to rip each other's clothes off or possibly smack each other. It felt normal, like he could breathe again.
They were all sharing a limo and he was going to pick her up first, of course. Even if it was a few minutes of peace before Nate, Serena, Vanessa and Dan all pilled in. He nervously adjusted his red tux and shifted. He wasn't particularly nervous. He was just… He was anxious. Anxious was fine. Knowing Blair, you could never tell what mood she would be in.
Once they arrived at her building, he was planning to go up and get her, but she exited the building before he even had a chance to leave the limo. Right, this wasn't a date or anything. Just a bunch of friends going to a party. He hid the flowers he had brought her as she got into the limo. No need to confuse them again.
"Bass," she greeted, face flushed and looking radiant in red. She always looked radiant, but the fact that they were dressed the same made the 'fluttering' roar to life and he looked away, clearing his throat.
"Waldorf," he returned.
Before he knew it, she had slid over next to him. Her face was entirely too close, and he was pretty sure he looked pale and confused. He could feel her breath on his neck. Shit.
"Limo not big enough for you?" He inquired, eyebrow raised.
"I figured, we're friends again, right? Plus, with the rest of brat-pack coming, we might as well make room," she reasoned and fixed her red gloves. The feather in her hair tickled his nose and he made a face.
"Sorry," she apologized and grinned. "Goes with the outfit."
"You look – erm. You look nice," Just friends. It was a friendly comment.
She smiled at him in a weird way that he didn't know how to catalogue. She had never smiled at him that way. What the hell was he supposed to do with that smile?
"So do you. It seems like we're matching buddies today. Peeking in my windows, Bass?" She smirked.
He blanched.
"You're so uptight today!" She was in an excellent mood. Was she drunk? "I'm not making you nervous, Bass, am I?"
And her lashes fluttered.
He bit his lip.
"Are those flowers?" She inquired, forcing him to stop having naked dream sequences in his lonely head.
Dammit, he should've thrown them out the window.
"Yeah. I left them there from last night," he explained quickly.
She studied him.
"Had a date. They got left there." He looked away.
"Oh."
They sat in silence.
Nate was next, trailing in with Vanessa. They all greeted each other almost uncomfortably. Nate and Vanessa had broken up a few weeks before but, for some reason, were still hanging out together. Chuck would never understand that. Because they were honestly just friends. Who does that?
"Nice dress," Blair finally said to Vanessa, who had made a surprising attempt in canary yellow.
"You two match," Vanessa commented, smirking. "Planned?"
When neither Blair nor Chuck answered, Nate decided to clear the air.
"That game was awesome last night, right, Chuck?"
Both Chuck and Blair turned sharply to Nate.
"What?" Nate asked confused.
Chuck attempted to send mental waves to his best friend to just shut the fuck up, but telepathy was one of the things he had yet to master.
Blair turned to Chuck and slowly smiled.
"Nate, you must've forgotten your flowers," she said sweetly. Chuck glowered at her.
As they picked up the rest of the party, he noticed Blair sitting up a little straighter and smiling a lot more.
When they arrived at Diablo, Serena and Blair went off to make a request to the DJ. Chuck was left to stand with Dan, who looked over at him with an amused expression.
"What is it, Humphrey?" He growled.
"Nothing," Dan replied, attempting to hide a smile. "Did you two plan to dress the same?" He finally asked after a while.
Chuck groaned and grabbed a drink from a passing waiter.
"No, and before you ask – we're just friends."
"Just asking."
When Chuck looked at him, it became clear he was withholding information. "What do you know, Humphrey?" He demanded.
"I know nothing, remember?" Dan smiled, looking as much like an innocent Brooklynite as he could.
"You know something, and that something has to do with me and Blair." Chuck gave him his most intimidating glare, but Dan was used to them and it didn't have the desired effect.
"I might've overheard someone telling someone else something about you," Dan said cryptically.
Chuck smirked. "Humphrey… Are you being a gossip?" He chuckled as Dan squirmed. "You've been officially converted. It must be all the saliva you've inhaled from my dear sister."
"Never mind," Dan huffed, but Chuck stopped him from walking away.
"Spit it out," Chuck demanded and raised his eyebrow, waiting patiently.
"Apparently, Nate told Serena that he told Blair that you had told him that you were in love with Blair," Dan finally said.
Chuck blinked. "Nate told-" he attempted to clarify the confusion swirling in his brain.
"Nate told Serena that he had blurted out to Blair, your Blair, that-"
"That I was in love with her?" Chuck asked, panicked. Dan must've noticed Chuck's panicked expression, because he looked around and led him to a corner.
"You ok, man?" Dan asked, concerned. "You look like you're going to be sick."
Chuck glowered at him.
"I'm fine," he hissed.
"Look, I'm sure he was just trying to help you, ok?" Dan assured him. "Or help all of us out. I mean it's been pretty miserable with you two waging this war against each other."
Chuck's thoughts were racing, Blair knew he loved her. He felt sick. No wonder she was nearly on top of him. He felt sick. So basically everyone knew that he loved her, and he hadn't even had the chance to tell her himself. Not that he would know where to begin.
He should be grateful to Nate. He should. He was going to strangle him. He dimly heard Humphrey continue with his monologue.
He felt sick.
"Ok, they're coming back," Dan told him, shaking him. "Act normal, like I told you."
"Told me when?" He asked, eyes wide as he watched Blair and Serena walk towards them, laughing.
"Just now!" Dan hissed. "Man, you've got it bad!"
Chuck glared at him and forced a grimace/smirk on his face.
"You look sick," Blair told him as she took him in.
"Bad calamari."
Her brows furrowed.
"Let's dance," she said giddily. He was sure she was drunk. She reached out and grabbed his hand and dragged him to the dance floor. He dimly heard Serena behind them "You told him what?!"
Yeah, let Humphrey get yelled at.
It was very difficult to continue the 'friends' routine with Blair, especially when she was slipping down his body like that. Rubbing her well-shaped ass against his-
Oh, God.
"Is that a hard-on, or are you just happy to see me?" She said, smirking as she came closer, their faces inches away from each other, her breath lingering on his neck.
And then he kissed her.
He kissed her and pulled her against him, and then pulled her off the dance floor, taking her instead towards a dark corner. They ended up on a couch, hands everywhere, making everyone around them uncomfortable.
"I may just be happy to see you," he told her when she pulled back and attempted to straighten out her dress. She spared him a glace from between her lashes and he smirked.
He ordered them some drinks and draped his arm around her. She leaned her back into him, and he sighed contently. She looked up at him and smiled.
"I'm happy to see you, too." And she kissed him lightly.
"I don't know what is worse: you two fighting or you two making out," Nate commented as he and Vanessa joined them on the couch in front of them.
"Both are fun," Blair admitted, and he held her closer.
Serena and Dan walked over to them, holding hands and looking as happy as ever.
"There you two went," she commented, giving Blair a sly look. Blair ignored it and took a sip from her Bellini. He always did know what to order her. He looked at no one in particular as he swirled his scotch in his hand.
"Picture time." Serena pulled a camera from her purse and aimed it at Nate and Vanessa, who groaned but posed anyway. When the camera was then turned to Chuck and Blair, both of them gave an uncharacteristically happy smile. A happy smile that spoke volumes about how they both felt at that precise moment.
"Oh my God, you both look so cute!" Serena squealed, and Chuck quickly wiped the silly grin off his face. Blair, however, burrowed further into him.
It wasn't until a week later that they finally had sex. He had wanted to treat her right. Take her out to eat, hold hands at school, make-out sessions in the limo. They even went to a concert. What was it about them and one-week relationships? When they first were together, they lasted no more than a week before she went off to Nate. When he finally had her again, they lasted a week before he abandoned her, and the last time they lasted one week before she lost him. And now? Now he had lost her and they didn't even get a week. And now there were no fifth and sixth chances. It was done. Fate had given him her last card. No Queen of Hearts for him.
They just kept losing each other.
Losing each other.
That was the last thought that went through his head before 27 walked into his room and looked down at him, almost with disgust.
"Bass," she greeted, taking a seat in front of him.
He stared at her without blinking.
"While I realize this is a difficult time for you, -"
"Give it to me," he whispered.
She stopped and arched a brow. "So eager, my dear."
Chuck looked her over. Her stoic pose, her unblinking eyes, her thin cheeks, her poised hands.
"Who was he? Or she?" He asked quietly, dark intense stare.
Her jaw clicked, and he noticed, brow rising.
"It was a he." She smiled an empty smile. "His name was Jonathan."
"Do you even feel anything?" He asked cautiously.
"I remember him. You don't forget; you simply remember. Memories are always there, you can just… remember them." She was stoic. "You just don't feel."
"Did he die?" He asked, voice hoarse.
"Yes. I attempted to escape. They slit his throat and left his body in my arms as it twitched."
Chuck swallowed, feeling sick once more.
Was this how he would think of Blair? 'Yes, she died while I tried to save her. She went into cardiac arrest, and I attempted to revive her. She died in my arms, thinking I had given up on her.'
"It's the only way to survive, Bass." She crossed her legs and leaned back calmly. "Or you could simply end it."
He tilted his head and studied her.
She reached up her skirt and pulled a vial from her garter. She tossed it to him, and he caught it, easily.
She waited for his move. He held the vial in his hand. He could end it. Join Blair. Never have to worry about Sector, 27, or anything else life had to bring him.
How very Romeo and Juliet.
His jaw twitched. He was angry. So angry.
He crushed the vial in his hand and let it cut into him.
"You stay here until it's time," she told him and nodded.
He nodded back, and she stood to go.
"27," he said quietly, and she turned to face him. "Once I'm cleansed… I will kill you."
A ghost of a smile appeared on her face. "You will try."
--
"Are you sure this is safe?" Jenny whispered to him as they entered the building.
"Serena said it would be," he told her, squeezing her hand as he led her to the elevator. When they saw Bart standing inside the elevator, they dropped hands quicker than a hot potato.
"Mr. Bass," Nate greeted as Bart looked them over.
"There's no need to pretend with me," he told them and looked back towards the elevator door.
Nate swallowed and nodded, not knowing what to say as Jenny shifted nervously next to him.
"Who else is here?" He asked Bart.
"Lily is already here."
"So is Dan," Jenny said quietly. Bart spared her a glance.
The elevator door opened just in time to break the tension, and they all stepped in attempting to ignore the awkwardness.
--
Blair shifted nervously in her room. She moved back and forth, back and forth. She had to be strong, she had to remain focused. This was the biggest plot of her life – it was not a time to lose heart. She had to be strong, if only for Chuck. To save him. To save him from robotic hell.
She went over the plan once more in her head as she attempted to ignore the security devices that apparently resided in her room. Thank goodness for Misty, who knew all the tricks in the book. She would've messed up this entire plan by now. She would've probably been dead along with Chuck if Misty wasn't playing the puppet master.
Her door opened and in walked 27.
She straightened and glare at the woman. "We're doing a cleansing on dear Charles. I thought you might like to watch."
Showtime.
"What is a cleansing?" She demanded, hands on her hips.
"A sort of emotional eraser." 27 walked around her room, inspecting it with an upturned nose.
"Why?" Blair demanded. "Haven't you done enough?"
"He asked for it, trust me."
Blair's eyes narrowed. "Trust you? I'd rather wear JC Penney's."
27 chuckled. "Is that a yes?"
Blair's nostrils flared.
"Will he be able to see me?" She asked.
"Of course not. You're dead, remember?" 27 walked out of the room and fully expected her to follow. Blair grabbed her jacket and followed her out.
She stood next to 27 in the elevator and resisted the urge to stab her now. She had to be calm. She had to bide her time. She had to be calculating.
"He's being transported as we speak to the memory hold," she explained to Blair as they stepped out of the elevator. Blair took a deep breath and followed her.
She was led to a small room that looked down a full story below them. Chuck was being led by two guards to a white bed with straps on it. Blair pressed her hands and face against the glass.
Chuck looked horrible. She had never seen him look this bad. He had a full week's worth of facial hair, oily hair, sunken eyes and cracked lips. Her heart went out to him because she knew exactly what he was going through. Exactly. This would all be over soon—that was the only thought that kept her going. Hopefully, this would all be over soon.
He voluntarily lowered himself onto the bed and calmly closed his eyes as the guards strapped him down.
"How long does it last?" Blair asked 27, who watched Chuck with a vacant expression.
"A few minutes. Then it's over." The way 27 said those words chilled Blair to the bone, and she had to look away because she had to remember the plan. The guards below made sure Chuck was completely secured, and that's when Blair noticed that across from them was the control center.
Two men in white sat with computers before them, administering the cleansing.
The guards below signaled to 27 that Chuck was ready, and 27 nodded at them, watching them leave the room.
"It really is for the best, you know. In the end, it's for the best," 27 told Blair.
27 looked at a small panel filled with buttons and screens, chose a particular green button and pressed it.
Blair looked down at Chuck and let out a sob as two medical staff entered and quickly injected a red liquid into the inside of his elbow.
"Chuck," she begged. 27 watched her.
The two medics left, and the control team on the other side began to work on their computers. Soon, what looked like small lightening flecks began appearing.
"Will it hurt him?" She asked, panicked.
"Trust me. Physical pain means nothing now."
And right on cue, Chuck's eyes opened and he let out a howl, his body nearly lifting off the bed.
Blair took a deep breath and counted in her head and closed her hand around the item in her jacket pocket.
As if by magic, the lights of the control room went out and the lightening that was flashing suddenly stopped, leaving Chuck quiet. This snapped 27's head up.
"What the-"
Blair pulled the needle from her pocket and roughly jabbed it in 27's arm.
27 reacted and pushed Blair off, sending her across the room and into a wall. Blair lay dazed on the floor for a minute as she looked at 27, who managed to pull the now-empty needle from her arm.
She looked wild-eyed at Blair.
Blair staggered to her feet and watched her carefully.
"Who's helping you?" 27 demanded as she held onto the wall.
Blair said nothing and walked out. She knew the plan in her head as she walked calmly to the next room and began to descend the stairs. Before her was the number pad, and she said the numbers out loud as she entered them.
"87, 41, 4, 66, 147, 8."
The pad beeped and the door slid open.
"Access granted," an electronic voice informed her.
She stepped in. In front of her lay Chuck, still bound, eyes closed. She walked quickly towards him and began to undo the straps. Once his legs were done, she went for his arms. The moment his arms were free, he reached out, grabbed her neck and backed her into the wall. His eyes slowly opened to look at her. They were glazed.
"Chuck," She choked out, grasping at his strong hands.
He looked at her and then blinked. He let got of her, as if burned, and backed up.
"Blair?" He whispered.
The looked at each other for a moment. She held her neck as he searched her eyes.
She finally snapped out of her shock and stepped forward.
"Chuck, c'mon. We need to leave," she urged him, reaching out for him.
"Is this a trick?" He demanded, his eyes narrowed, standing before her strong and proud.
She shook her head quickly.
"We have a thirteen-minute window." She looked around the room.
"Who's helping you?" He asked, coming closer, taking her in. "You died."
"I didn't, please come on, we're wasting time." She went to touch him.
"You've wasted too much time."
They both turned and found 27 before them, eyes narrowed, clutching her arm.
It was bleeding from the slice. Blair scrunched her face when she realized 27 had cut it and there was blood in her lips because the sick bitch had attempted to suck the liquid out.
"What did you give me?" She demanded.
Chuck stood instinctively in front of Blair, defending her. Blair clutched at his arm.
"What did you give me?"
27 pulled out a gun and aimed it Chuck. Blair knew she wouldn't hesitate.
"Two seconds." 27's voice shook slightly, pain in her eyes.
"The cleansing serum," Blair admitted.
Chuck turned to her with questioning eyes, and then looked back at 27, who looked pale and horrified.
"You bitch," 27 whispered and gave into the pain going through her body, falling to the floor.
"C'mon, Blair," Chuck reached for Blair's hand as 27 began to twitch.
"What's happening?" Blair asked as he picked up the discarded gun next to 27.
"It's undoing her cleansing. And once you're un-cleansed, you can't be cleansed again," Chuck said quietly.
27 stopped twitching and moaning and slowly looked up at them. "Jonathan," She whispered.
Chuck tugged at Blair to walk out.
27 stood, and Chuck pointed the gun at her. The woman held her trembling hands up and calmly walked to computer portal on the side of the room.
"You won't get far, unless…" Her voice was soft and Blair felt she was looking at a whole new person. They watched her as she went through a few screens and finally placed her right thumb over the screen.
"Deleting agent file," Blair heard the computerized voice say and she sighed, pressing her forehead to Chuck's shoulder. This was the last bit of the plan.
Chuck studied 27 as she turned to face them.
"Kill me," 27 pleaded, and Blair had to look away from the woman's haunted eyes. "I did this for you. I'm asking you to kill me. They won't track you, not when you don't exist. You know that. They'll kill me eventually, but that'll be in a few days, and I can't…"
Chuck swallowed, his jaw twitching.
"Let's go," Blair pleaded, pulling his arm.
"Please, Bass, kill me – don't leave me like this!" 27 cried, reaching out for him.
Chuck backed away from her.
"They killed him because of me, please kill me, please," and she began to sob.
Blair felt Chuck tense in her arms, and she pulled him towards her again.
"Chuck." She touched his face. He turned slowly to look at her, touching her face, taking her in.
"We need to go," she whispered.
Chuck looked down at the gun in his hand and tossed it to 27. 27 smiled, holding the gun to her chest as if it were her lost puppy. Without hesitation, the woman pressed the barrel to her temple and pulled the trigger.
Blair jumped and cried out, holding onto him and looking away from the mess before them. He was breathing deeply, but that didn't deter him. He grasped onto Blair's hand for dear life, and they walked out of the room.
"Who's helping us?" He asked her once they had exited the underground facility and had been driving for a few miles.
"Someone who wanted 27 out of the way," she responded.
He looked at her.
"You were in on it?" He demanded.
She gulped and looked down. "I had to think fast, I didn't know what else to do. They would've made me forget about you, and I just-" she stopped herself. She was babbling.
He nodded and reached out for her. She willingly went to his arms, letting him kiss her head as he kept his eyes on the road.
"You really want to do this?" He asked quietly.
She nodded.
--
"In all my years with Sector, I have never witnessed such a complete and utter loss of control from my management team. An escaped agent with no encrypted file in the system along with loss of vital information about the captured girl." The man before her paced back and forth. "My Sector team leader blowing her own brains out with her own gun, a compromised control room… Complete and utter chaos!"
Misty sat calmly, legs crossed, hands on her lap.
"I find it even more interesting that this supposed escaped agent is rumored to be your son. Do you care to elaborate on this bit of news?"
Misty looked him straight in the eye. "I'm sure studying my behavioral file will determine if there are emotional ties linked to this supposed agent, with whom I've never had contact."
"Of course there are no links. His file is gone along with any ties!" The man barked.
"How very unfortunate," she stated calmly.
The man studied her, looking her over with a snarl. "I suppose it's very convenient that with 27 out of the way, you are in complete and total control of Sector 14."
"Yes, one could see it that way."
"How very fortunate," he spit out.
"Is that all?" She asked, uncrossing her well-shaped legs.
"If I find that you had anything to do with this entire mess, I will have you and your former family cancelled," he threatened.
She stood and looked at him eye-level.
"Proof, Liam," she whispered. "Was it not you who taught me on my first day that without proof everything is vapor?"
She looked him up and down.
"You can't catch vapor, Liam, dear. It'll go right through your fingers. I suppose I'll expect you tonight? Nine-nish?"
She gave him a cold smile and walked out of the room.
--
"I'm leaving," Dan finally said, standing up.
The rest of the people in the room looked at him, shocked.
"I mean, c'mon! It's been 6 hours!" He pleaded. "Someone is playing you, Serena!"
"What exactly did they tell you?" Bart spoke up from his spot next to Lily. He stared his stepdaughter down.
Serena looked around, eyes wide and hopeful. "The caller said that if I wanted to know Blair's whereabouts that we should all be at this place at this time and have patience."
"Someone could be playing you, Serena," Nate offered quietly. I mean, he was the first to want information on Blair. He desperately wanted information on Blair. He'd hardly slept thinking that she had been taken and they would find her body soon.
"They said not to contact the police, because it could jeopardize everything," Serena pleaded. "Just… let's just wait for a few more hours. I'm afraid if one of us leaves we'll never heard from her-"
And then the door opened.
They all froze. They weren't expecting anyone else.
Huddled together in the room were: Nate, Jenny, Serena, Dan, Bart, Lily, Eric, Vanessa and, of course, Eleanor, who was pale and quiet next to Lily. No one was missing. No one but Blair.
And of course, it was a wet-haired Blair that walked in. She was dressed in low-end white sweat pants and a tight white shirt. On her feet were flip flops, and she looked like she had just exited the shower.
They had never seen her like this.
Eleanor and Serena gasped; her mother grabbed Blair, enveloping her in her arms.
"Blair!"
The room was abuzz with talk as they all gathered around her.
"Did they hurt you?"
"How did you get away?"
"Are you alright?"
"Why haven't you called?"
Blair extracted herself from her mother's sobbing form and turned to an equally emotional Serena.
"B!" Serena cried, touching her face.
"I'm fine, everyone. I'm fine," she assured them.
Nate's eyes were wide as he looked at her, and she looked away. He instantly noticed.
"Listen, just please let me talk!" She begged, but they continued their questions and their hugging.
"Let her breathe!" Bart finally shouted. He grabbed Blair's hand and pulled her out of the crowd around. Blair held on to him, almost afraid of the frenzy her friends and family had caused.
"Are you alright?" Bart asked, looking down at her as the rest of them looked on.
"Yes, thank you." She let go of him and turned to face them all. "I'm so sorry I put you all through that. I didn't mean to. It was not in our plans."
"Our plans?" Nate asked, confused.
She glanced at him before she looked at the rest of them.
"I was not taken. I left of my own free-will," she said carefully. All their eyes were wide and confused. "I couldn't call anyone because… I would've jeopardized the life of the person I was with, along with my own."
"You ran away?" Eleanor said, as if this was worse than her being tragically killed.
"Yes and no. We didn't mean to. We had no choice." She attempted to explain.
"Did you…" Nate studied her. "Did you run away with a guy?"
At her silence, he didn't know if he should be relieved or insulted. The rest of them looked on uncomfortably.
"Yes," she whispered and looked down.
Eleanor's mouth formed a perfect O. Lily looked uncomfortable, Jenny looked elated, and Eric was smiling.
"It's not what you all think," she said quickly. "I need…" she looked at them. "I need you all to sit down, and I will show you," she turned to Bart and urged him to do the same.
Bart nodded and sat down; the rest of them followed his lead.
"Blair, honey," Eleanor began.
"Mom, please," Blair quieted her. "Just… what I'm going to show you is going to shock you. It's going to shock you all. But let me assure you it's real, ok?"
The entire UES crowd (and a few Brooklynites) sat watching her apprehensively. They had all been worried at one point or another about her mental health.
Blair made sure they were all sitting down and giving her their full attention. She swallowed and nodded.
"Just be calm," she accentuated.
Some of them nodded.
She walked to the door and slowly opened it, pulling from behind the door an equally wet Charles Bartholomew Bass.
The room fell silent as they stared at Chuck. Chuck slowly looked up and took them in.
"Family," he stated in such a Chuck-like manner that Eleanor and Jenny screamed, Eric blanched, and Blair was pretty sure everyone else was wondering if they were having an out-of-body experience.
"It's Chuck. He's alive and… and he's back," Blair said carefully.
Bart was the first to stand up, eyes wide as he took in his son. Chuck didn't know if he could look at his father in the eye, but he did. He now stood almost as tall as his father, same stance and pose and same hard eyes.
"Charles?" His father whispered, searching his face.
"Father," Chuck finally acknowledged. His jaw twitched.
Bart was looking at him, open-mouthed. He let out a breath and pulled his son against him, holding on this head as he let out a sob.
"Charles," Bart whispered hoarsely.
Lily let out her own sob along with Serena, and Blair got teary-eyed as she lost Chuck's hand because he had to hold his father close.
Nate was standing mouth-opened, looking pale. Blair walked to him and took his hand. He slowly looked down at her, eyes wide.
"He's alive," Nate said, phrasing it as more of a question.
"Yeah." She smiled at him.
Nate searched her face and nodded, a smile forming on his lips. He pulled her against him and hugged her fiercely. Blair let him and ignored how wet his tears were making her shoulder. Her hair was already wet, after all.
After Bart finally pulled away, Chuck was attacked by a violently teary Serena, who hugged him until he looked desperately at Blair. Blair asked them to give Chuck some air.
Nate was next and the two best friends faced each other. Nate no longer cared that his face was wet. Chuck slowly extended his hand to Nate, who looked down at it and took it, pulling his once-dead best friend in for a manly hug. By the time it ended, nearly all the women in the room were sobbing harder than before.
When they all were emotionally exhausted, they finally sat down, most of them still looking at Chuck like he was a ghost. Eric sat next to his stepbrother, never taking his eyes off him and Blair sat on his other side, clutching his hand.
Bart sat across from Chuck, utterly embarrassed at having broken down so pathetically.
"I can't say much," Chuck began while they all quietly listened. "It'll be best that way. Just know that I didn't leave of my own will."
"I demand that we report them, Charles," his father interjected.
Chuck looked at his father and shook his head. "No, father."
Bart was taken back by the man before him and slowly nodded. Chuck had left no room for questioning.
"I've done things that… I'm not particularly proud of." Chuck continued. "And I'm certainly not the guy you all knew."
Dan gave him a reassuring smile, and Chuck nodded at his direction. He noticed Serena and Dan were wearing matching ring-bands. His family just continued to expand.
"It's going to take…" Chuck took a deep breath, and Blair squeezed his hand. "… some time." He looked at her, and Nate smiled a full smile as the couple stared at each other.
"We're thinking if we leave the country and perhaps join Daddy in France for a while, that would be best. Too many people would recognize Chuck here and too many questions will be asked."
Eleanor nodded.
"Yes," Bart agreed. "It's too dangerous."
"Maybe in a few years… when the name Chuck Bass doesn't really mean much maybe we can release something along the lines of my running away and not dying," Chuck said quietly, glancing at his father.
His father looked at him and nodded.
"So…" Lily began, glancing between Blair and Chuck's intertwined fingers, and Nate.
Nate noticed and cleared his throat.
"Oh, Lily – no." He looked at Blair. "Blair and I actually broke up a few days before she disappeared."
Blair and Chuck stared at Nate.
"I'm actually seeing…" He turned to Jenny, who was nearly hidden behind her brother. "Jenny. Jenny Humphrey."
Eleanor and Lily both turned to study Jenny and nodded, eyebrows raised.
"Oh."
Serena looked between the three of them and studied Blair, skeptically.
Chuck looked on at Nate and the two nodded. An unspoken conversation flowing between them.
"I'll arrange a plane for you both tonight, I think," Bart finally said.
"I'll call Harold. He's been so worried – he'll be elated to have you both there." Eleanor said, standing up. "Perhaps I should join you?"
Blair looked at her mom and quickly shook her head.
"Mom, give us a week, at least," Blair begged with her eyes.
"Actually, give us two," Chuck finally said, and the tension dissipated as they laughed at his typical statement and Blair swatted him.
--
Please read epilogue