The van der Bass Wedding

"Much 'I do' about Nothing" Gossip Girl, 1x18


Blair Waldorf stepped out of her limousine, smiling at the gentlemen who then closed her door. "Thank you." She strode away from the curb in pink bowed heels that worked well with her pink and white floral dress. She adjusted her matching headband before climbing the steps up to place Lily van der Woodsen had hired out for her fourth wedding to Bart Bass.

Chuck Bass recited his lines again, making notes in his head as he scanned the words he had scrawled on cue cards a few hours ago. His thoughts were interrupted by a petite brunette.

"Best man speech going that well?" She smiled at him.

"There won't be a dry eye in the house, trust me." Chuck said, eying the woman in front of him. "How did things go with Whoregina?" Blair smirked at him.

"Not a dry eye there either."

"Good to know I wasn't missed."

"Dan Humphrey actually lent a hand; it was nice to see him get his dirty for once." Blair continued to smile at Chuck, adjusting his coloured bowtie. "Not sure how much fun he had though," Chuck was watching her intently, staring into the puddles of her brown eyes. She softened out the wrinkles in Chuck's suit jacket before fingering his tie. "No one enjoys their first time." She murmured.

"Except you," Chuck whispered to her. For an inch of a second their eyes caught, smouldering. "Save me a dance?" A ticking time bomb seemed to go off in Blair's eyes, because she thrust Chuck towards her, her hands grasping onto his now-messed bowtie.

"Now that Georgina is done, so are you and I. She was the last thing we had in common." With some force, Blair kicked Chuck's shin, smirking whilst patting his shoulder as he groaned in pain.

"Break a leg."

"I think I just did." Chuck watched as Blair walked away towards the ceremony.

Chuck Bass clinked his silver dessert spoon to his wine glass, the bubbly shaking inside the flute as he clinked it a few more times. "I'd like to propose a toast." The chatter around the room dimmed and the photographer snapped some photos as Chuck proceeded with shaky hands.

He cleared his throat once, "My father is someone who goes after what he wants," he spoke animatedly, "and Lily van der Woodsen was no exception." He inhaled, his eyes moving across the room.

"In typical Bass man fashion his pursuit was direct, and at times, not exactly subtle." His eyes trailed over to Blair's eager face as he replaced one cue card with another. She gave him a doe eyed smile, and he returned it with a smirk. Blair looked... proud, of some sorts. Someone was proud of him, Chuck Bass. He sighed, contemplating his next move. Stick with his plans or go with his heart? By looking into Blair's brown eyes one last time, he put down the cue cards; he knew the answer.

"One thing I learned from my father's courtship of Lily is the importance of perseverance," Chuck's eyes moved around the room again and he stuffed a hand in his pocket, the other emphasizing his words as he spoke them. "That in the face of true love, you don't just give up." His eyes searched for Blair's again and he drowned in them. "Even if the object of your affection is begging you to." People all around them laughed at Chuck's sudden words but Blair kept her focus on Chuck.

"And one thing I learned from Lily is the importance of forgiveness." He motioned towards Lily, "She gave my father the gift of a second chance and in kind, I've watched him become someone actually worthy of that gift."

"And one day..." Chuck gazed at Blair with lovesick eyes, "...I hope I'll be lucky enough to find someone...who will do the same for me." Blair blinked at him, her face blank as Chuck concluded his speech.

Chuck was the first to lift his champagne class in cheers. "To the happy couple!" All around them people congratulated the newlywed Bartholomew and Lillian Bass. Chuck lifted his glass in the same direction as Blair was sitting and she raised her own glass, giving him a small surprised smile.

The guests applauded Chuck's best man speech and he skulled down the remains of his bubbly.

Bart Bass encircled Lily into his arms as they did their first dance as a married couple on the reception's dance floor. Chuck casually leaned up against a pillar as Blair Waldorf approached him. His heart thumped in his chest but he instinctively smiled at her.

"That was quite a speech," Blair commented and only a tiny space kept them apart. "All your heard work must have paid off."

Chuck placed an arm at her waist, motioning them to the dance floor. "That wasn't what I wrote. I was inspired in the moment." Blair wrapped an arm around his neck, the other one entwined with his. They swayed under the dim candle-lit space, every other couple or individual invisible to them.

"Look, I know I said some horrible things," Chuck's eyes were locked with hers in a romantic gaze, "even for me."

Blair raised her eyebrows, "you mean blogging to Gossip Girl about our sex life and comparing me to your dad's sweaty old horse?" She said with slight sarcasm.

"What's your point?" He retorted.

"What's yours?" Their faces were only inches apart now and Blair could feel Chuck's warm breath against her skin.

"You don't belong with Nate." He said; nearly closing the distance – but he hesitated. "Never have, never will." Chuck whisper. Their noses were inches apart now and Blair's breath caught.

"You don't belong with anyone..." Chuck brushed his lips against Blair's, his tongue fully exploring her mouth.

Blair pulled back momentarily from Chuck's hungry lips, her hand resting on the nape of his neck. "Let's take is slow this time. Do it right." Chuck murmured.

She eyed him up and down, scoffing the slightest. "Chuck Bass is a romantic. Who knew?"

"Now you do." He bobbed his head. "That's all that matters." Their eyes met once more before Blair and Chuck wandered off through the doors to the reception, back to her house.