Chapter 5

Blair hadn't truly laughed that hard in months. It felt good to let it all out, and from the looks of it, she didn't think Chuck had ever laughed that hard in his whole life. He wasn't the easiest to crack, but she had once cracked his rugged exterior. She had softened him in a way that she knew he'd always be appreciative of no matter what. However, there, out on the dance floor, his laughing quickly diminished, and a look of worry filled his eyes. "Charles." A french woman's voice spoke out over Blair's shoulder. Blair turned to see Eva Balenger...up close and personal. Upon first glance, Blair wasn't overly impressed with what she saw. She was pretty in a natural, boring kind of way. "If you like that sort of thing," Blair thought to herself smirking, but she couldn't help but feel saddened in the fact that Chuck's new love interest was the complete opposite of herself. "What did that mean, anyway?" she questioned mentally. As she continued to take Eva in, she definitely found faults with this French foe. Of course, being Chuck's new girlfriend did force Blair to be overly critical of Eva...unintentionally of course. "Eva, Hey. I didn't expect you so soon. Can you believe Serena forced me out on the dance floor?" Chuck tried to sound at ease, but under the circumstances, it was definitely an awkward situation. Eva replied, "Hmm...All this time I've been trying to get my American man to loosen up. I guess it takes friends from home to bring out the real you. That seems fair. They do know you best." He hugged her with a little more enthusiasm than Blair would have liked. Blair Waldorf rarely felt out of place, but as she glanced timidly at Chuck's new love blossoming practically right under her nose, she felt like the odd man out. She didn't think she liked that feeling...not one little bit. "What is with all the 'Charles' comments anyway? And please, if anyone knows the real Chuck Bass it is us, but an easy-going Chuck Bass that was willing to act a fool on the dance floor? Never!" Blair silently questioned this new side of Chuck. She realized she'd never seen this side of him, and she didn't think Serena had either. "If Eva isn't bring this out in him, who or what is? Blair wondered, her eyebrows furrowing.

After the couple's embrace, Chuck and Eva both turned to face a distracted Blair. Blair looked to Chuck for some assurance, but he didn't even try to make eye contact with her. "So, you must be Serena. I owe you a lot for getting Charles to live a little out here on the dance floor. I swear I was beginning to think he was always so uptight," Eva smiled jokingly and extended her hand to Blair. Chuck stammered, "Actually. Uh. Eva. This isn't my stepsister, Serena. Um. This is Blair. She was my..." Blair couldn't help but feel sorry for him as he stumbled through the introduction of his ex girlfriend to his new girlfriend. It was obvious he hadn't told Eva about her...or their past. She didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. Even though he most definitely didn't deserve it, for whatever reason Blair felt called to save him from this torturous introduction. "Hi." Blair interrupted Chuck. "I'm one of Chuck's friends from back home. I'm actually Serena's best friend. The three of us practically grew up together though. It's great to meet you, Eva. Chuck has told us a lot about you." She sort of stretched the truth on that part, but hey, at least he had mentioned her to them. He obviously didn't feel the need to mention her to Eva. "Oh, Pardon me. Chuck told me how beautiful his stepsister was. He said she got her stunning looks honest from his stepmother, so when I saw what a beauty you were, I just automatically assumed." Eva explained, her face reddening with embarrassment. "Wow, I have to say with comments like those, I approve of you already," Blair assured her, smiling. For whatever reason, Blair couldn't help but shake the fact that those words were somewhat true...as true as they could be. "I mean no girl in their right mind likes seeing her ex with the new girl, but it was bound to happen. As replacements go, Eva isn't half bad." Blair silently configured. "Come, Eva. Let's go find a table and sit. You have to meet Serena and our local friends, Tristan and Adrian." She took hold of Eva's hand and led both she and Chuck to the bar where their friends were already quite intoxicated.

"Whooohoooo! Blair, you have to try one of these shots!" Serena called to her best friend as she approached the bar. Chuck scoffed. Since when did Serena act like this? Not since her "Whoregina" days, and to think that Blair would succumb to that type of social drunk fest. "Sure, S! Order us a round! You'll have one, won't you, Eva?" she questioned sincerely. "Uh, well. Actually, Charles and I..." Of course, we'll have one, Waldorf." Chuck interjected. Blair smiled knowingly but couldn't help but notice the look Eva shot Chuck immediately afterwards. Serena and Adrian divvied out the shots, and Serena's attempt at French was entertaining to say the least as she urged the group to take the shots all together, "Un, Deux, Trois!" she shouted out. The friends gulped the shots down, and Blair's almost came back up her nose as she seriously cracked up at her best friend's attempt at French. "Serena, if you could take time away from your French counting lessons, for a moment, please," Blair giggled. "You have to meet Eva. This is Chuck's...Well, it's Chuck's...uh girlfriend." Serena could tell Blair had a tough time getting that truth out, and as she glanced towards Chuck, she could see that he too was bothered. So, she did what she did best, overreacted so that Blair's moment of weakness was forgotten as soon as it occurred. "Wow! Oh my gosh! It's such an honor to meet you, Eva! Come to the bar with me. Let's get more drinks for everyone, and you have got to tell me exactly how you met Chuck. It's such a surprise to see him this happy so soon after..." Serena looked at Blair who was shaking her head furiously as if to say, "Don't mention me!" Eva looked at Serena, waiting for her to finish her previous statement. "Well, it's just great to see him so happy. That's all." Serena gulped, saving herself from a very sticky subject. She didn't want to be the one to let the "bass" out of the bag just yet.

As Serena and Eva headed towards the bar, Adrian and Tristan walked over to a group of their friends who had just gotten in. That left Blair and Chuck, Chuck and Blair standing silently. Neither not knowing quite what to say. "Well, Bass. Not bad. I mean, she's no Blair Waldorf or anything." she joked, trying to break the awkwardness. She had never felt so much awkwardness in one day in her life. She actually never felt awkward around Chuck at all, but my, how things had changed. His lips slightly curved upward in a grin, but Blair could tell he was having to try to hard even at that. "Look, Blair. Will you take a walk with me? There are some things I wanted to explain, but I didn't want to do it with the whole group around." he asked casually, but his eyes were pleading with Blair to take that walk. "Yeah, okay." she agreed as he led her out the bar's front door. Outside the bar, the streets were vacant except for a few stragglers here and there. Blair couldn't remember feeling this nervous in a long time, but no matter what, her goal was to remain cool and collected. She was Blair Waldorf after all. The two strolled to the corner of the street, and Chuck sat down on a bench. He put his face in his hands and sat there for what seemed like hours. "Chuck, it doesn't have to be like this, you know?" Blair assured him kindly. Even now, Blair couldn't help but try to comfort him. Maybe Nate was right when he said she was downright maternal so many, many months ago. She almost smiled at this realization. "It doesn't have to be like what, Blair?" Chuck snapped, finally lifting his face to make eye contact with her. He looked fierce but vulnerable all at the same time. Whoa, this was not the relaxed, easy-going Chuck Bass she had witnessed so far in Paris. This was her Chuck, a piece of the old chuck shining through. She couldn't help but feel intrigued. She had to keep in mind, "Cool and collected, B...cool and collected. I can do this. " She spoke out to him, "I don't understand, Chuck. We're broken up, and you and I both know it's for good this time. I already told you earlier today that there aren't hard feelings on my end. We will both date other people, we will both experience the good, the bad, and the ugly in new relationships, Chuck. We will both get married some day. We will both have families of our own. It's life." she paused waiting for him to remark, but there was nothing. The look in his eyes drew tears to her own. "I want you to be happy, Chuck. I want me to be happy." Chuck grimaced, "Really Blair? Because it's hard to tell." The tears steadily streamed down her face, and she shook her head in disgust at him. "Chuck, what do you want from me? Do you want me to get mad? Plot an evil plan against Eva? Rub random guys in your face? I'm not that person anymore, Chuck. I'm trying to be better than that. I've changed. So, tell me what you want from me?" As she plead with him, she sat down beside him on the bench. The two sat there...silent. Their eyes never left the other's. "I feel like I'm really losing you...not just in that way, Blair. I know I don't stand a chance in hell of you ever considering me in that way again. I can't blame you. I just feel like you've changed so much, and I've changed so much. Don't get me wrong. It seems like all of our life changes have been for the best. Although, I can't say you downing shots with Serena sits well with me..." he forced a smirk at this comment. Blair rolled her eyes, but she wanted him to continue. She nodded with anticipation. "I just can't consider my life without you in it, ya know?" he asked, hoping for her to feel the same. Blair swallowed the huge lump in her throat and dabbed at her eyes, "I meant what I said that night after Elizabeth first betrayed you. Do you remember what I said?" she asked, knowing he wouldn't. Guys don't remember conversations that happened last week. Chuck Bass especially. "You said you'd always be my family." Chuck smiled, small tears forming in his own eyes. "Yes, and I meant it, Chuck. You and I were best friends long before our demise. You'll always be a part of me, and I of you. You'll have me in your life for as long as you want me there."

She couldn't help but let out a quiet gasp as Chuck took her hand in his, stroking her hand with his thumb gently. The spark between them was as strong as ever, and she knew he could feel it too. Damn that mother effing spark! He brought their hands up to his face and using Blair's forehand he wiped a tear from his own eye. He then brought their hands down level with his lips, kissed her hand lightly, and then returned both to his lap...his hand never leaving hers. "You'll never know what those words mean to me. You'll never know what you mean to me, Blair. In all your life, you'll never know. Thank you." Blair didn't say anything. She didn't have to. She smiled up at him, and a huge smile broke out across his own face.

Suddenly, a blonde bombshell ignited outside of the bar, speeding towards them, fury in her eyes. "I can't effing believe you, Chuck! How could you not tell us? How could you not tell anyone! We deserved to know!" Serena yelled, shoving her stepbrother hard in the chest, knocking his back hard against the bench. "Serena, what the hell are you doing?" Blair tried to ignore the feeling of deja vu. This wasn't the first time that she had yelled at someone for attacking Chuck. Chuck remained silent. His bottom lip trembled, and he shook his head in defeat. He knew. She knew. Before long, everyone would know. Eva told Serena...about Prague.

My, my, my. I spy a bittersweet reunion between two old lovers. Looks like C will never learn. And we all just thought he was a changed man. Looks like you can't change a Bassterd after all. Not even a gunshot wound can change his ways. Wonder if B will mend his wounds after hearing the truth about Prague? We think not.

XoXo,

Gossip Girl