AN: Happy holidays! The part after this one will be the last. I hope you had as much enjoyment out of this as I did. I am playing with an idea for a future fic sequel for this, but it's still a tiny idea that I am not certain yet will pan out.

Part 12

For the very first time in her entire life, she had something that even Serena would be jealous of, she thought, when she woke up and felt his arms tight around her waist, his warm breath teasing the nape of her neck in a steady pattern that told her he was asleep.

What other girl in the entire Upper East Side could say that she had fallen asleep with the boy she loved telling her over and over how wonderful she was?

Was there anyone else in Manhattan who crawled into bed like she was nothing, and woke up knowing, for sure, that she was going to be okay? To someone, misguided as he was, she was everything.

Blair looked down at Baby, who now blinked up at her with his gray-rimmed eyes. "You're a lucky little god, aren't you?" she whispered, her heart warming in her chest. "Chuck is going to take care of you."

She felt the breathing from behind her lighten, and the arms loosen around her body, and could tell that he was waking up. Blair glanced at the clock and noticed the time. They had slept for only a few hours, and she could not believe that they were like little children again retiring for an afternoon nap. "What time is it?" he yawned, and it tickled her ear.

"Six thirty," she answered. Blair turned around in his arms, and she looked up at his still sleepy eyes. And then suddenly, she was possessed by an uncontrollable urge to kiss him. She licked her lips, then stretched to press her lips on his. Before their lips touched, she stopped. "Morning breath," she realized out loud, then started to pull away. She had brushed her teeth after she threw up earlier, but that didn't mean she was fine with Chuck discovering what she tasted like after a nap.

"Don't care," he murmured. He pulled her body against his and Blair found herself pulled on top of him, balancing herself on her elbows as he pushed up to meet her lips. And he was so eager she could not help but part her lips and accept the wandering tongue that didn't seem to mind that they had just both woken up.

She must really love him too, she realized, because she didn't mind how he tasted fresh from his nap either. But then again, she never minded when he used to taste like scotch and cigarettes.

Kissing him was like waking up and finding out that she was amazing.

"I love you too," she breathed against his lips, because even if he did not say anything now, his repeated professions just a few hours ago still floated in her head.

Blair laid her cheek on his chest, and then grinned at Baby, who not sat on the space of the bed she vacated and stared at them panting.

"If you love me, you won't hurt yourself again."

And didn't it just remind her of the plea she had for him, when she asked him not to drink so much that she would find him half-dead? Blair recognized herself in those words, and found it silly that she would find herself in this situation, after she had found so long and so hard to bring him back? She was an intelligent young woman. Finding herself like this had no logic. And she knew she had to stop, because once upon a time he had to stop, and she had begged him to stop. Still, she heard the words spill from her lips, "It's not that easy."

"I did it," he told her.

"Maybe you're better than I am," she said softly.

And his voice was patient, but she could still hear the thin veil of exasperation, as if even he could not believe that she could not see it. "You know I'm not." And she recalled the awful words she used to throw at him when she wore her disgusted face, "I'm so far beneath you it's ridiculous you even bothered with me," he reminded her.

"I was wrong." Blair raised herself up off of him, and sat on the edge of the bed. She picked up Baby and placed her on the floor. She felt his eyes on her. "Is this an ultimatum?" She kept her voice light. If it was one, he would not see her cry. She walked towards the bathroom. It was easier to crumble when there was a door between them. "Will you leave if I hurt myself again?"

She pushed at the door gently, so it would be inconspicuous when it swung shut. But then he was inside the bathroom too, looking at her reflection in the mirror. "I'll stay because I don't want to lose you too," he admitted.

Maybe it was his eyes that convinced her, or the low timbre of his voice. Maybe it was because he held her gaze steady and there was nothing hidden, no effort spared to disguise the raw and open vulnerability he had when he looked at her. She frowned. "Does it hurt you when I do it?" she whispered. Because it killed her whenever she found him senseless and so drunk that he could barely move. She could see the debate in his head, of whether he wanted to shield her from the truth or just lay it out in the open and just hold her hair back if it was too much. Slowly, he nodded his head. She released her breath. "We're done hurting each other," she said decisively.

His eyes drifted shut, and she could see the small smile on his face as he breathed slowly in his relief.

They barely made it to dinner at the van der Woodsens' on time. And they didn't care. He dressed in another one of Harold's old sweaters and Blair determined that he should probably bring some clothes over to her place so she didn't smell her father's cologne on him when she decided to relax against him. Then again, he told her that he suspected it was all psychological because the clothes had been in storage for almost two years and he had sniffed it over and smelled nothing.

When he rang the bell, Blair saw the way his back straightened, noticed the tightness of his jaw. She wanted to reach up and stroke the line, so that maybe he would lose the tension. But he kept his eyes forward, and she was afraid that at some point, if she did not pull him back, she would lose him. Almost in a panic, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

She would never get over how much of him she could call with one touch. Blair felt herself fill with triumph when he turned his head to look at her. Her lips curved into a smile, and she said, "I'm right here."

The words were so simple. Anyone could have said it. But she said it, and that was why they worked, she thought. They were little discoveries to her, surprising and pleasant. He raised their clasped hands and brushed a kiss on the back of her hand.

And then the door opened, and she found herself engulfed by Serena. She watched as Chuck stood uncomfortably at the side, watching them. Blair pulled away from her friend, and stepped back towards him. And then, Eric called Chuck's name and hurried over. Chuck turned and smirked at the blonde boy, then allowed himself to be led to the living room to wait to be called to dinner.

Blair watched him closely, and if Nate could only see her, he would bring up that word again, 'maternal,' that only started to sit better with her after they adopted Baby. But this was the van der Woodsens' and the last time Chuck had been exposed to them, he had drunk hard, shot up and fled the country. And really, Blair was not in the mood to run after him again in a foreign country and go through the hell of pulling him back all over again.

Of course, she would do it.

She just wasn't in the mood to.

But he did not seem tortured, or miserable. In fact, there was a look of awe in his eyes that she could not help but look at the direction he was looking at. That was when she saw them. It was February, and the van der Woodsens have not taken down their Christmas stockings from over the fireplace. Blair squinted, and then recognized what Chuck had. Four stockings. Two reds ones, two green ones. Lilly, Serena, Eric. And Chuck.

"We didn't want to pack them up until you took your gifts from yours."

Blair turned and saw the lovely widow standing at the doorway, looking fondly at her stepson. Even without the slightest hint of malice in Lilly's eyes, Blair still found herself walking towards Chuck and standing beside him. No touching, no holding his hand, just standing.

"Lilly," Chuck said. His voice was not light or welcoming, but there was no bitterness in it either. Blair wondered how it was that he could do that when there was still so much left unsettled.

Eric walked over to the fireplace and took the large stocking and handed it, and its contents, to Chuck. "Merry Christmas," Eric greeted.

Chuck's movements were uncertain. It occurred to Blair that it was the first time he would be receiving a Christmas stocking. But Chuck's grin told her at once that it was a tradition that she would keep for him, whether or not the van der Woodsens celebrated next year with him. She said teasingly, "If that's all coal, you'll know why."

Chuck drew out a slim gift-wrapped box and checked the small card. "Serena and Eric. Nice. Couldn't buy two gifts for me?"

Serena rolled her eyes. "We're on allowance, Chuck," she pointed out.

Blair watched as Chuck tore the paper off the box and revealed a leather case. The lid popped open. It was a silver watch. He took off the watch he was wearing, which Blair suspected was probably eight times more expensive than what Serena and Eric bought. Chuck slipped his watch in his pocket and put on the gift. "Thanks," he grunted.

She felt herself fade into the background, watching him with the van der Woodsens. Among them all, it was so easy to vanish. She hoped Chuck could see how right it was to not let his father's death take him out of these people's lives. This was family.

"Blair," he said abruptly, jarring her out of her thoughts. "I hope we're not boring you," he said softly. The words would have irritated her before, because they were mildly patronizing. But she knew what he was doing, and apparently, so did he.

She arched her eyebrows. He grinned. He handed her the other slim box that came from Lilly. "Open it for me," he said.

Blair took the gift from him. It was his small effort to involve her, to make sure she was with him. For her part, she would help him deal if he did not want to open a gift from the stepmother he still despised just a little. Blair tore the wrapper, and then handed him the wooden case.

"CEOs use fountain pens to sign important documents," Lilly said. "You'll be a good CEO, Chuck."

Chuck rolled the pen in its case, then spotted the short, distinct inscription. He showed her the pen, and the three words that spoke loud and clear that it was the beginning of something new and challenging. If he wasn't a man now, the next phase of his life would force him into becoming one. She read, "Mr Charles Bass."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Her laughter pealed through the air between them as Baby jogged on the cemented sidewalk, pulling her along on her black school pumps. He was right when he said to bring Baby along. The walk to school would have been torturous if they were just waiting doing nothing at the back of the limo.

Of course he offered to do something.

But that was for another time. They had not been together like that since Bangkok, and after the disaster of that last time, they both agreed to wait for the perfect time.

Her nerves had been frayed waiting for Monday to roll around. Her mother had taken care of Constance, and it had been no effort at all given Blair's school record and Cyrus Rose's name. But she would like to think that it was mostly her grades that convinced the headmistress to accept her back.

Chuck strode beside them, and Blair glared at him because he was not even trying to catch up. His legs ate up more distance than hers did jogging after Baby. She narrowed her eyes. "You're not even catching your breath," she complained. "I hate you!"

The exclamation only made his chuckle. He dropped a kiss on her nose, then righted her sparkly headband. "Your tiara is falling, Waldorf."

She thrust Baby's leash in his hand. "He's your dog! You walk him."

He arched an eyebrow. "Then you'll have to catch up with both of us."

Blair folded her arms across her chest. "I don't care. I'm not arriving in school gasping for breath with my hair messy."

Chuck shrugged, and did not change his pace. Blair glowered at how fast the two went. She stomped after them, and noticed Chuck stop a few yards away, then pick the puppy up in his arms. Chuck gave her a lopsided smile and waited for her to catch up with them at her own leisurely pace. "Now I think we should have brought the limo," he drawled.

"No," Blair insisted. "The weather's nice and we get to walk the cutest puppy in the whole world," she declared.

"Now he's cute?" Chuck laughed. "Earlier you were pissed off that he won't slow down."

Blair leaned over the puppy and kissed the top of his head. "I changed my mind. I'm going to miss you when I'm gone all day."

They started walking towards the school. Blair waved at the girl waiting by the gate. Chuck handed the dog over to the dogwalker and gave the address of Blair's apartment again, to make sure she would not forget. When the dogwalker left with Baby, Blair fished inside her bag for her lint remover.

"You bought one," Chuck said in surprise.

Blair removed the cover and rolled the sticky surface over Chuck's school jacket. "I knew you couldn't resist." She picked up the cream-colored fur from the cloth and showed it to him. "There. Good as a freshly delivered uniform, courtesy of hotel laundry services."

She heard a subtle clicking and knew that a few pictures had already been taken.

"Finally."

Blair turned and saw Nate lounging by a tree, smoking. "Put it out, Nate," she requested softly. Chuck glanced at her, but didn't speak. "Please." Nate dropped the joint onto the ground and stepped on it.

She waited to the side, searching for the slip of paper that she needed to show the headmistress before she could get her new class schedule. When she couldn't find it in her bag, she walked over to one of the tables and placed her back there, then started rifling inside her notebooks.

Then her notebook was gone. The captain of the swim team, Scott Jameson, held it up, then raked his eyes over her body. "My grandma was so wrong when she said having a kid ruins a woman's figure." Blair gritted her teeth. "Wait a minute. You didn't have a kid, did you? Hey I remember now. Waldorf, you're the one who got it hooked."

Her hands fisted to the side, and she ached to scratch his eyes out. "Scott, right?" she said, forcing her voice to be calm. "Just get away from me."

"You do know that everyone's got an open invitation to you now. We'd never get in trouble because you know exactly what to do." He grinned, then leaned close. "Too bad Bass is in Bangkok. He'd appreciate how much you know by now."

Blair's eyes went over Scott's shoulder, to look at Chuck. Chuck grasped the back of Scott's jacket and pulled him away. "Bass isn't in Bangkok anymore, stupid. Subscribe to Gossip Girl, will you?" he growled. Chuck turned to Blair. "Wait for me in the library," he suggested.

Blair's lips curved.

She had almost run to the library, if only running was not something grown ups did. But she walked fast and made her way to the window, because Chuck had promised her a show. Eagerly, so eagerly that she almost pressed her nose against the glass window, she watched. It was like a silent movie really. Chuck walked over to Nate, and from her vantage point on the second floor of the building, she saw the small packet that Nate passed to Chuck. Chuck had spoken quietly to Scott, and it even appeared like the other boy apologized.

Her eyes followed the movement of Chuck's hand as he slipped it inside Scott's jacket pocket. And then, like he knew exactly where she would be. Chuck looked up and met her eyes.

Blair was reapplying her lip gloss when he arrived. She capped her lip glass and looked up at him. "It was pretty anticlimactic," she informed him.

Chuck smirked. "Wait and see." He nodded towards the courtyard. He allowed Blair to slip in front of him, and he watched from over her shoulder.

Blair saw the headmaster of St Jude's step out of the building, and walk towards Scott. The boy looked terrified of the man. Blair's eyes widened in excitement. The headmaster waved his hand, and Scott shook his head vehemently. And then, the older man folded his arms across his chest. Reluctantly, Scott took off his school jacket and handed it over.

The headmaster slipped his hand into the pockets, and then drew out a packet of what appeared to be marijuana.

Blair whirled around with a large smile. Chuck returned with a smile of his own. "I hope you're not too disappointed."

She shook her head and grinned. "Who's next?"

tbc