Hi all! Not too much to say about this chapter but that this is the anniversary chapter, as that is one year that I've started writing this. Valentine's Day was last week but I couldn't make it to post it before last Saturday, I hope it's fine and that you'll like this. And as much as I'm disappointed with the show right now, I don't feel like it will influence my writing for this fanfic.
Hope you'll enjoy!
….
Blair felt really ecstatic about the surprise he had prepared for her. It would sure help her distract and let the time pass fast until the day after, the day of truth.
She felt it was really ironic that she would find out if she was pregnant or not, on Valentine's Day. She had already lived this, one year before. She had already been scared she could have been expecting and had been worried about the impact the news would have on Chuck.
It was now easier to wait for the answer now that she had finally confessed him why she had been living as if her body was there and her mind not.
She went to her closet to start packing her clothes. She wasn't sure of the place he would take her. She decided to take with her heavy clothes and summer outfits, swimsuits included. They might have left for some resort and she didn't want to be unprepared.
Chuck had already put all of his clothes in his suitcase that she noticed at the entrance of the large closet room.
She really wanted to know where they were headed and she couldn't wait.
It had been long since he had surprised her. Last time he did was on Lexie's first month. He had bought his daughter the restaurant on the top of the Plaza Hotel, such a fantastic gift she had enjoyed too.
Now she really didn't care if she would get something or not, she just wanted to feel calm.
"The baby just fell asleep" he informed her while she was choosing some lingerie from the low drawer. "I've already called Lily to tell her we're taking Lexie there in few hours."
Blair turned with a distracted expression. "She's not coming with us?"
He walked closer to her and put a hand on her hip. "Don't we need a vacation alone? She's going to be fine with Rufus and Lily. We're just going to stay away for less than a week."
"Less than a week without our baby?" she asked again.
He moved his hand on her back and tried to explain her. "She's going to be okay. Alexandra eats baby formula and some solid food now. Lily can provide that for her. It's not the end of the world, just a little price to pay to rest for a few days."
She sighed with indecision. "I don't know... won't she feel our absence? We've never left her for more than a few hours." She looked away, thinking about the whole thing. "Can't we take her with us? She can do no harm. Plus, she will fly for the first time."
He didn't look of the same advice. "I love our daughter. I really do. But I also love you and I know how much you need a break from all of this. You've been worrying too much. And now you're worried too, and I can't take it anymore. I want to see you happy and rested at least for a day." He caressed her cheek. "If you don't want to do it for me, do it for yourself. You owe you."
Blair wasn't too much convinced. Not that she didn't want to leave Lexie to her grandparents, she was just afraid that the baby could feel her absence during those days they would be away. She didn't want the baby to think she and Chuck had abandoned her.
"Chuck, I don't think we should leave her. It's not good for her growth."
"Few days won't damage anyone. I swear. Don't you believe me?" he smiled. "We can do video calls with Lily. I'll bring the laptop."
She still seemed undecided. "I won't have any chance to try giving her my milk."
He got even closer and took her face into his hands. "You are worried this may impact on our protection? I can use a condom next time we do it, if it's why you want to keep breastfeeding."
"It's not that I'm worried about" she started explaining. His eyes pleaded for an answer. "I don't really want to wean her."
"And have your breast sore?"
She shrugged. "I just don't wanna... break the connection we created. My chest hurts every time I nurse her, that's true. But I admit that sensation makes me feel better. I gave my daughter what she needed to survive. I would find it gross few years ago, but now I think it's the most beautiful thing of this world."
"You won't break the connection, like, ever. It's your daughter, Blair. You said it. She is growing and she needs food for her age now. As much as you want to give her your milk, you can't do it forever. The same way you won't have to hold her for the rest of her life, because she can't walk. Someday she will and you will have to help her standing up and try herself. Things don't stay forever. There are periods that start and then end. You have to accept that."
She sighed and touched her forehead. "It's so hard to do it sometimes. I don't want her to fall and hurt herself. I want to be with her and don't let that happen."
"But it needs to. And we'll be there for her when she falls."
He brushed the back of his hand on her cheek and she managed to smile.
"Let me grab few things from this closet and finish my suitcase, and we'll leave."
….
Around midnight, they left the Van der Woodsens. Blair had managed to fall Lexie asleep and had put her under the covers of the crib they had brought at Lily's house. The woman seemed eager to spend few days with her granddaughter and promised them she would call to inform them about the baby and if she had eaten and so on.
It had been hard for Blair to say goodbye to her daughter, but she decided that it was true that she needed few days of vacation. Her baby would still love her after that small trip. She needed a distraction meanwhile she waited for the results of her test.
Their jet was waiting for them at the heliport when they arrived.
Arthur managed to bring all of their suitcases inside, while Blair already got in and decided to go and get ready for the night. She wasn't aware of their destination, she might as well be ready to wake up in the past or in the future, when they would arrive.
When all of their belongings were on the plane, Chuck reached her and said that they were about to take off. He found her in the bedroom my her pajamas on, switching channels on TV.
"You're ready for this?" he asked with a thrilled voice.
She looked up and smiled. "I'm curious to know where we'll go. We've never done a real voyage since the Christmas before this one."
He nodded and sat down on the edge of the bed to kick off his shoes. "It's true. But we couldn't before, could we?"
"We should had left for our honeymoon in August. Unfortunately..." she looked sad.
He turned to stare at her. "Fortunately we stayed within New York areas so that you wouldn't deliver our baby on a plane or on a beach and got mad at me for leaving."
"Yes, but I had my baby in a limo" she answered, all conceited.
Chuck giggled and looked for his robe somewhere in the room. "I thought you liked limos. Plus, our baby will have some nice story to tell her friends, when she'll grow up. Not many kids have the luck to be born in vehicles" he smirked.
"Or the disgrace" she rolled her eyes.
He shook his head and reached her on the bed. He was amused when she was being sarcastic like that, proof that she had never regretted her past actions. "The same disgrace you had years ago when you decided to take me there?"
He got closer to her and kissed her neck. Blair's skin burned under his touch and she shivered quickly. She knew he wasn't really going to stop there, she had no idea how far he would go for the night. She had had a long evening.
Chuck's hand wrapped her leg on his and his lips reached hers. She proudly and sleepily exchanged the kiss, she did want to taste his mouth as much as he wanted to taste hers. It was Valentine's Day, she was sure they wouldn't end that without loving each other.
Blair's lazy hand grabbed his hair and pushed her body eagerly against him, while they kissed.
She was surprised when he ended the kiss abruptly and whispered something. "Where do you think we are going, Blair? Got any ideas?"
She put a hand on his chest and shifted her attention there when she answered him. "As long as we are together... I really don't care" she panted before kissing him again.
They kept grasping for air while kissing each other for quite a while. She noticed his intentions, and felt as if he was either reading her mind or he was just good at comforting her the right way.
She thought he felt how turned off from sex she would be that night. After the news she had told him before leaving, she thought he wouldn't try to force her to have any type of intercourse she wouldn't feel like doing. He could understand her moods well. He knew that she was scared.
Her baby didn't use to drink her milk like before and it was inevitable that her guard could go down. It was human after all. It didn't work all the times and she was sure in the future it wouldn't work at all, at this rate.
After a long, breathless kiss, she fell on his chest. He fixed the covers of the bed on both and yawned.
"What time is it?" she wondered.
He lazily looked on the nightstand. "Almost 2. I guess we need to sleep, tomorrow is going to be a long day."
She tilted her head to look at him. "Tell me one thing, Chuck" she murmured "Are we going on the West or on the East?"
"If by West and East you mean the coast, then I should say West."
"Los Angeles?" she tried to sort the destination out.
He giggled and shrugged. "Would I ever take you to an usual location like that? You underestimate me."
"Once we went there! Or you forgot about the hot encounter we had on the beach one night?"
"I never forget things I do with you" he said. "And I hope you won't forget this place you're going to visit with me either."
She was interested and curious. "Have I ever been there?"
He shrugged. "Enough with the hints, love. You'll find out in a few hours" he winked at her as she made a disappointed face.
She gave one quick kiss on the lips before trying to sleep.
….
Blair woke up several hours later. She didn't find Chuck, but she surprisingly found a food trolley. On it, several things were waiting for her to be eaten up. Croissants, fruit, and other few dishes and bottles of orange juice, tea and such.
She was happy to see all of that stuff. She felt she was incredibly hungry because she didn't eat anything the evening before.
She moved in bed so that she could reach the trolley. Her eyes glanced at the nightstand when the clock ticked half past four. She snorted because she was annoyed she had overslept again. She hated when she was too tired and woke up late.
She thought more than a breakfast, she needed lunch. But she didn't mind any of the sweetness on the trolley that she didn't care it was that late. She also decided to check her phone while she was there. She wanted to check on Lexie and see if things were going alright at their penthouse.
She dialed her mother-in-law's number and waited for her to answer.
"Hi, Blair! I know you would call in the morning. Have you landed yet?"
"Thanks for picking up, Lily. I hope Alexandra wasn't sleeping... we're still on the jet."
The woman laughed from the other end, she could actually hear Lexie's voice too. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. What did you ask about Lexie?"
"Is she awake?" she asked with worry in her voice.
Lily giggled again "she's more than awake, she's in full force today. I bet you can hear them on the phone, do you want to talk with mommy, Lexie? Say hello to mommy" she said, and weird mumbles starting on the other end. "Guuuuu maaaaaa" the voice said. "Gu gu gu."
Blair smiled instinctively. "Lexie, can you recognize mommy's voice? Can you? Mommy is missing you already."
"I bet she misses you too, honey, she's doing pretty fine so far. She woke up once during the night but fell asleep when I gave her bib. She just ate breakfast, that is why she's so lively."
She looked confused. "Breakfast? Isn't 4pm?"
"Here in New York it's 10pm. Maybe you already are where you should be and you don't know it yet?" she explained.
"I'll see. Alright, I need to hang up. I'll call you later. Kiss Lexie for me."
As long as she hung up and put the phone back on the nightstand, Chuck entered the door. He was carrying the jacket of his suit in his hands. He put it on the armchair of the room not to crumple it, and stole a piece of croissant from the trolley and started eating under her eyes.
She looked for answers. "Where are we, Chuck?"
He smirked and sat down next to her, still chewing on his croissant. "You're going to find out very soon. Fast than you expect. Just not now."
"At least can you tell me if we landed already?"
He nodded. "We did. We're now at the airport and a limo is going to pick us soon to take us somewhere... special. We can remain here for a few hours. I suggest you to get ready and wear something for the evening, because you will want to shine. Not that you need to."
She looked away, embarrassed. "Are we going to dine somewhere?"
"Probably" he shrugged, and bit his croissant. "These croissants are really yummy. You should eat some to fill your stomach because it's going to be long before dinner."
Blair smiled and looked down at her crossed legs. She took few grapes on the trolley and started to eat. Her thoughts got the best of her and she suddenly found herself thinking about her problems again. She wasn't sure that had been Chuck's stomach comment that made her think about that again, but maybe.
She wondered if her doctor could reach her wherever she was. If she would be able to tell her the results of the test via phone, so that her anxiety would be eased a bit.
He got terribly close when she woke up from her concerns, that she jolted with surprise when she noticed his face almost facing hers. He had put his weight on his right elbow and the way he looked at her was deeply worried. She hated when she got lost in her thoughts.
He held her gaze long but she gave him no answer. His left hand, free of food, caressed her cheek gently. "I'm here with you" he said with a thin voice. "It's going to be okay."
She tried to smile for him, but a weak sigh came out. "Thank you" she murmured.
Chuck righted his body on the mattress and got even closer to pull her in a hug. She had to put the bowl with grapes on the bed to circle her arms around him. She loved when he made her feel protected and loved like that. She loved him so much.
…
"I'm sorry to do this, but... I can't risk you understanding where are we before we get to the place I'm taking you" he said and put a velvet scarf to blindfold her. "And I'm sorry I'll have to shut your ears too. I charged the ipod with really good music I'm sure you'll like."
"Even my ears should be shut? I really wish I knew where are we already" she complained and laughed when he put her earphones in her ears.
"I'm going to guide you" he whispered before he took the ipod in his hands and secured it in his pocket. "I hope you'll like the first song on the playlist."
Blair sighed before he helped her out of the jet. He tried to let her out gently and guided her feet when the platform left them on the ground. He had recommended her to wear a wool coat since the temperature outside may have been cold. She had decided to wear one that was really long. He could only figure out the ending of her dress, she had decided to choose it in secret and had thought of putting her long coat over it before he could see it.
He helped her in the limo too. Blair felt comfortable in that car, she could smell a nice flavor she knew but couldn't recognize at the moment.
The ride to the place he was taking her took really long. She had the chance to listen to various tracks he had selected, and it cheered her that he had put some of the songs she loved the most, including new songs she was obsessed with. She couldn't help but singing one of them while they were in the car, making him smile with contentment.
Once the car stopped, he pressed pause on the ipod for a few seconds, making Blair protest.
"I was listening to that song, actually!"
He rolled his eyes "We're here. I'm going to stop the ipod once we get inside."
Blair didn't answer but she smiled and that was an answer for him. He pressed play again and helped his wife out of the limousine to guide her in the building they had just arrived to.
She could feel they entered the elevator at some point. The place was hot and she hoped he could remove the scarf from her eyes soon because she was getting anxious of finding out where were they.
Finally, the doors of the elevator opened and he took her hand, stopped the ipod, and freed her from the scarf on her eyes. She found him smiling in front of her and saw the elevator they had just got out, behind him. The room was small and intimate, and looked like a suite. It reminded her of the one he booked one year before at Plaza.
She smiled, excited as well. She turned on her heels and her lip feel open when she realized where he had taken her. "I can't believe my eyes" she gushed. "It's wonderful" she was in awe.
"I thought that, of every place on Earth, you would love to be here" he explained. "Besides New York, of course."
"Yeah" she said, still incredulous. "I've missed this place. I've really missed it" she turned, a smile still graced her features. She reached him and gave him an even lighter smile. "Thank you for taking me here, Chuck."
"I just wanted you to be happy."
"You made me really happy already" she said, looking around her and distracting herself with her coat. "Even if we should have a sad answer in the future... you've made me happy" she said again. She couldn't contain her joy.
He smiled and took her coat off and fixed it on the hat stand, then did the same with his. He could finally appreciate Blair's dress. She had turned towards the balcony to see the Tour Eiffel better. Half of her back was exposed and left so little to imagination. Her dress was red and a sparkly, it was surely new because he couldn't remember it.
He walked to Blair and kissed her neck from behind. She had the goosebumps instantly, and closed her eyes to appreciate the moment more. It felt so good to be in his arms and feel his heat. He put his hands on her stomach when she fixated to look at the landscape in front of them. She put one of her hands on his and sighed.
Whatever answer they would get during those hours, she would still have his support and her baby's support back home. Nothing would be lost and wasted.
They sat down at the table next to the balcony, and he called the waiter that he had paid to serve them. She was amused when she heard him speak French, they had been in Paris before but he had barely talked with people.
"You know you are even sexier when you speak French" she said.
He smirked, content. "Not as sexy as when you speak French in my ear."
They both laughed and kept eating until they ate everything but the dessert. Blair didn't seem to want it for the moment, so Chuck decided to send the waiter away and said that he will serve them if Blair changed her mind. He had done it so that they would remain alone.
The lights were soft in the room. He had lightened two candles on their table and turned off every other light source. He wanted to create the atmosphere for the next moment.
He took a remote control from a table nearby and a soft, background music started.
Blair knew he was going to take her hand and beg her to dance with him. She didn't hesitate to stand up and move to the slow rhythm with him. She put her head on his shoulder and her hands on his back, and they started moving around the room.
She didn't motion a word and decided to be carried by the music. She did want to say something, but she couldn't find the words... she was speechless. She had expected him to take her somewhere she would love, but not actually Paris. Paris on Valentine's Day.
She decided to tease him next, when she finally decided what to say. "Whether I would find it predictable that you would have taken me here for lover's day, I decided not to complain about it and just enjoy the day."
Chuck seemed to stop for a second and looked down at her. She raised her head to see his reaction, even if she expected one of his nonchalant answers. He rarely failed to show his true emotions, on certain occasions. "It makes me smile that you, of all people, are kinda disappointed that I chose Paris. I am offended, Blair" he smirked and looked away.
She knew that he wasn't saying it for real. "I'm sorry, Chuck. But year after year I see you are truly becoming very poor of ideas, that is" she shrugged while they kept moving to the sound of the music. "And here I thought you wouldn't get so mellow... maybe I was wrong."
He started moving even more slow. "Mellow? That is more of a compliment rather than an offense, Blair. I like being soften... the same way you love playing with my feelings."
She raised an eyebrow and stopped dancing. "I was just being hon-" she started to say, but he cut her off with a deep kiss.
He put his hands on her bare back and she answered his kiss eagerly. He really loved trailing her off sometimes.
He pulled back unexpectedly few seconds later. She was out of breath, completely unable to regain the air he had sucked from her with that kiss. He was unable to breathe as well.
"Honest, you meant?" he asked quickly and exhaled really harshly.
Blair rolled her eyes and put her hands off him to turn back to the balcony. It was nice night, not too much cold but neither humid. Thankfully, it wasn't raining either.
She touched the window with her warm hands and sighed.
"This city is beautiful. Sometimes I wished I lived here" she murmured almost inaudibly.
He walked to her and stopped few paces behind her body. "It's not impossible if you want to."
She sighed again. "But there is too much in New York I can't leave" she answered with sadness. "My house, my job... my best friends" she whispered.
"But your family is here." He knew how much she cared for her other family, her parents. One month before, she was desperate because Eleanor and Harold were about to leave that he decided he would do anything to make her happy. Maybe he had found the solution, but now it looked as if she wasn't interested.
She turned and grinned. She seemed sincere. "I don't want to move to Paris" she declared. "Even if my mother and father are here, it doesn't mean I have to be here too. I love Paris. I really do. But I wouldn't be able to substitute it with New York. My life is there, and yours too."
"I wouldn't be opposed to it if you want to."
She smiled even more widely. She loved this city. She liked France. But her life was in another country, in another continent. "I'm fine. I know that I've told you I wanted my parents closer, but truth is, I don't need them literally close. I've got you, and the baby. I've got Serena and sometimes I have Nate. I am a mother now. I would be happy to have my mother living down the street, but is not essential."
He smiled as well and looked content. "Speaking of parents, what do you say we check on Alexandra? It should be afternoon in New York."
"Good idea" she said as she walked to the table to take her phone. "I've got a text" she noticed. "The baby ate everything and played with Rufus. You should have seen her! Greetings from New York xoxo" she read. "Look, she also posted a picture on her twitter!"
He looked quite surprised "Does Lily have a twitter? This sounds really new to me" he went to check the picture on Blair's phone.
She shrugged "Maybe it's just her last hobby, I really have no idea. She takes good pics, though. Don't you think? I already miss my baby" she mumbled with a tone of melancholy.
"That's true, or maybe our baby is just so beautiful that she can't get out flawed in any pic."
"I wonder if she's missing us too" she wondered with a louder voice.
He nodded and put a hand on her hips. "We can get back home later, if you want. I can give a call to the pilot driver-"
She stopped him. "Chuck, you are being so comprehensive and lovely. But I'm really feeling better here. I'm getting distracted. I'm in Paris. And I'm loving what you have been doing for me. I wouldn't ask for nicer things. You have surprised me greatly."
He wasn't sure whether or not she was being honest. He cared for her and wanted her to be at ease and focus on something else other than her worries. She needed rest, she needed to get her mind off things, however they would turn out.
"I would do anything for you" he caressed her cheek. "I love you."
Blair leaned closer to him and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Love you too" she exchanged sweetly.
….
Few hours later, they ended up on the bed.
Blair felt really reassured for the trip to Paris that instinctively dragged Chuck to the bedroom so that they could have sexy times. She thought about that for long throughout the day, and she had come up with the decision of not having any sort of intercourse with him. Still, she changed her mind when she felt the atmosphere calming her off.
She wasn't sure if it was Paris or the luxurious room they were at that made her change mind, but she did. She felt as if she needed it to relax this time, to cool off her mind more. The flight and the dinner had helped a lot, she thought that may be of help too and it did.
She was still waiting for an answer, though. That was her priority for the day and she felt as if she wouldn't be able to feel okay, before she would know the results.
Around four in the morning, she put her head back on the pillow and crossed her arms on her chest, trying to think about things. Chuck was in the bathroom doing his needs and she was unable to fall asleep.
She thought about her day. It really couldn't go better. He had taken her from the cold New York to the cold Paris. They had the same weather except that Paris seemed to be warmer.
Maybe it was her heart being lighter, she wasn't sure. But the city gave her a familiar sensation that she couldn't miss. After all, it wouldn't be wrong to spend few months in here, would it? But she had many things back home anyway. She wasn't prone to change city just for a few weeks, even if that meant getting her mother's help with the baby.
She decided that she would visit her parents before leaving. They didn't know she was there with Chuck, she could do them a surprise. She smiled at the thought.
"You are happy, I see" he said when he got back from the bathroom. "It makes me happy."
She giggled "And you are still naked, I see" she spat back as she tried to focus on his face instead of somewhere else.
He rolled his eyes with amusement and jumped on the bed. He then adjusted his legs under the covers and cuddled next to her. "I thought it made you happy."
She bit her lip and looked away. "You have no idea" she laughed.
"Why were you happy? Did Lily call again and sent you new pictures of Lexie?"
She shook her head. "Sadly, nope. I was thinking about visiting mom and dad. Since we are here... it wouldn't be hard, don't you think? I could surprise them."
"Very true, we could go to their house all of a sudden and say surprise! They would be astonished. I like it. We can go tomorrow after we take a little walk."
"Take a walk that is. I want to go to Laduree first. And maybe Chanel. It's been a while I haven't visited here..." she said all dreamy and hungry.
He smiled and then nodded. He removed the covers from his legs soon and went out of the bed to go in the other room. "I knew the first thing you've wanted from Paris were macaroons" his voice echoed from the corridor and then he shut up until she felt his feet near to the bedroom again "so I well thought of fixing that already."
Blair saw the box in his hands and couldn't contain her excitement. "How do you know?"
"Did you forget that I have mind powers, huh?" he giggled and handed her the box of macaroons. "You underestimate my devotion, Blair."
She took the box from him and opened soon. It was the luxury one and had twelve macaroons in it. "You know that these won't suffice until tomorrow, right?"
He shrugged, all diverted. Blair let him eat even one of those sweets.
After three or four macaroons, he fell asleep. She thought he had the right timing for that. She wanted to do something before the sun would rise and she wanted to do it now. She got a hang of her cellphone and headed to the bathroom in the silk robe Chuck had thought well of taking in a small bag with some changes for both.
She knew she just wanted to do one thing. She just needed to call someone.
She dialed the number fast and closed the door behind her hoping that Chuck wouldn't wake up and look for her. After a couple of rings, someone answered on the other end. "Mrs... Bass? It's weird to hear from you at this hour, are you all right?"
She sighed "I'm really sorry I called now, but I am in Paris and I wasn't able to call earlier."
"I guess I know why you called. I would call you tomorrow morning to let you know the results... is that why you've called me?"
"Y-yes" her voice trembled when she answered.
The doctor cleared her voice and said she was looking for them. It looked like centuries for Blair. She had thought her anxiety had diminished, but maybe it was only disguised. She almost chocked with her own breath when she woman gave her the results. Reluctantly, she thanked and listened to her explanations and then hung up.
She sat down next to the bathtub and put her phone on the floor. She didn't know if she was happy of what her doctor just said.
She felt so puzzled that she lost heart and fell asleep right there.
….
Comments are loved :3