A/N: I really hope you all enjoy this, maybe it will help with who Chuck loves.
Disclaimer: I own Layla and that's all.
Season 5 Episode 13
Dan walked into Lily and Rufus's. Rufus had Panic fliers everywhere.
"You'd think I wouldn't still have to do this sort of thing, but labels don't even have interns anymore. I'm heading down to the East Village before the wedding to put some of these up." Rufus said to Dan as he picked up a little box that was sitting there on the counter. "Oh those are uh good look, by the way, I wore them in my wedding"
"I'm not sure what I need luck for, as I'm not the one getting married, but thank you"
"Well you're in the wedding party that's close enough. What…Why are you in the wedding party again?"
"I did a favor for Louis last week and he asked me. I figured its better than sitting alone in a pew right? And Layla and Serena are in it so I mean it's not like I'm alone."
"So no date tonight? Or does the charade continue?"
"Once Blair and Louis say I do then Serena and I can say we don't anymore and go back to being friends"
"No, but at the very least this whole thing is probably a distraction from any 'Graduate' thoughts you might have"
"With Blair. No any thoughts of her running off with me are long gone. If anyone's in danger of pulling a 'Braddock' it's not me"
"I'm sure Layla wouldn't allow that to happen"
"Layla is with Carter dad. Did you forget that your sort of adopted daughter is dating her ex-husband?"
"Are we discussing the same Layla?"
"My once upon a time Juliet. Yeah. Dad, her and Chuck are over. No more."
Rufus laughed knowing Layla pretty well.
"Obviously you've forgot the Layla Archibald I know very well. She may be with Carter now but her and Chuck are never over.
"Speaking of her I should probably get to Brunch"
Nate stood outside of Blair's waiting for Dan, when he saw a pretty blonde loading a catering van.
"Isn't the uh reception at the St. Regis?" he asked her. Lame Archibald he could hear Chuck saying in his head.
"Yeah, I'm clearing up the rehearsal breakfast" she replied "Isn't the wedding hours away?"
"Yeah, I'm waiting on a friend. He's inside. Groomsmen. I'm uh…"
"Nate Archibald." she replied.
"Yeah" he said. How did she know that?
"I worked your Christmas party remember?"
"Ow, wow we must have missed each other, the place was so crowded in there you know?"
"You signed my invoice at the end of the night"
"Well I was really drunk by the end of the night. A lot had been going on"
"And the day before, when we met to create the inventory list"
"Oh. I'm sorry I meet a lot of people" he replied. How did he not remember her?
"It's okay. You know I can't really expect someone like you to remember someone like me. I'm actually lucky my college best friend does. If you'll excuse me" she said and climbed into her van and drove off.
Collage Best friend? Nate asked himself. Hmm I wonder who this girl is.
"Who was that?" Dan asked approaching him.
"Someone I should have remembered. Maybe that's my issue. Paying too much attention to the wrong girls and not enough to the right ones."
"Well if were listing your issues I wouldn't start with that one."
"I mean here I am going to a wedding solo. A wedding where the bride was a girl I spent half my life assuming I was going to marry. Why? Because yet another one of my relationships ended in a lie"
"Well they haven't all been like that?"
"Maybe I should just admit that there's no such thing as an honest relationship and stop looking"
"Now that's crazy, of course there is"
"Hey you know the world is really a mess when the most honest man we know is Chuck Bass. How'd that happen?"
"Well however it happened that what I wanted to talk to you about. We have to make sure that today is the one day he's not planning honesty"
"Well maybe it should be"
"Nate"
"He does love Blair, he's told me that but it's my sister he wants"
"Layla would kill us if we intervened with her relationship with Carter"
"Fake-relationship. Come on you've dated my sister and fake dated you should have seen all the signs"
"Still Nate, Chuck saying he loves Layla in front of Blair and Carter would not be good"
"Yeah you may be right. Chuck does have the right to know though"
"Yeah and you'll tell him but not today." Dan said and Nate pulled out his phone "What are you doing"
"Making sure that Chuck stays away from the wedding" Nate said.
He dialed Chuck's number and waited for a response.
"Nathaniel"
"Didn't see you this morning"
"I slept in, I didn't want to see Layla"
"Right. Well um you have any plans today."
"Monkey and I have a lovely day planned out far from the Upper East Side."
"Away from Layla, or away from Blair"
"Nathaniel, we've discussed this as much as I love the fact that she's using him to make me jealous I can't stand to see the two together. As for Blair. The only person you have to worry about stopping her wedding is most likely standing next to you. Hello Humphrey.
"Chuck" Dan said and Nate took it off speaker.
"Hey man, I'm sorry I just thought"
"Another day Nathaniel. Today is Blair's day and she loves Louis. She'll make a beautiful bride. I'll go after what I want another day."
"Alright. But you do know that…"
"They're faking. I know you Archibald's well…I gotta go"
Chuck hung up with Nate and looked at Eleanor who had just entered the room.
"Mrs. Waldorf. What are you…?"
"…am I doing here? I've been asking myself the same question the whole ride over. Can I have a drink?"
"Of course. Sparkling or Still?"
"Scotch" the women said and grabbed the glass he had sitting there. "It's my daughter's wedding day. Everything should be perfect"
"I'm sure it is. Blair wouldn't want anything less"
"It is perfect but that doesn't mean its right"
"I'm not understanding. If it's perfect…"
"When I married Harold I was so nervous but when I married Cyrus I was calm. I don't want my daughter to have to wait for a second chance to be happy"
"What is it exactly that you need me for?"
"I keep asking myself what I am forgetting. It's you."
"Mrs. Waldorf. With all due respect. I do care about Blair. I always will, she's a big part of my life but she and I. Were…"
"Of course you are. You're her world"
"She came here on New Year's. I thought I would be thrilled to see her walk through those doors but I wasn't."
"Layla"
"I'm sorry"
"I just wish I could calm Blair down"
"Maybe I could talk to her. See if I can help that way."
"Thank you"
Chuck walked into the room Blair was in at the church after seeing Layla in the hallway. She did look amazing but of course she looked amazing in everything she wore. Sophie looked just like her and he was thankful every day that was the case.
"Angry with you?" he heard Blair say to her mother.
"I'll leave the two of you alone" Eleanor said and left the room.
"What are you doing here?"
"Trust me the last place I wanted to be today was here but your mother insisted"
"Chuck"
"Look everyone thinks that you're not happy with this wedding"
"Of course I am"
"Then why does everyone think I should be crashing this because they think you and I are this destined match"
"We were"
"Were we?"
"I love you Chuck. I've always loved you. I love you more everyday if it's even possible to love someone that much."
"Blair"
"I can't be with you Chuck"
"I don't expect you too"
"Just know that not being with you is the hardest thing I've ever done but at least I have someone who loves me by my side. You should find someone who loves you too"
"I have."
"Chuck stop"
"I have Blair, she's one your best friends and I've been in love with her since I was 14 and it took me all this time and you marrying Louis to figure that out"
"Layla." Blair said "She's loved you…"
"I know" Chuck said as Serena walked in.
"Chuck was just coming to give me his blessing"
"It's true" Chuck said then left.
Serena watched him leave confused then turned to Blair.
"B. Are you sure you feel right about all this? Because I am totally prepared to make a run for it with you if that's what you want."
"I've made peace with my decision and so should everyone else."
"Okay if that's how you really feel"
"It is"
"I know you think you can't be with Chuck because of the pact you made with God but…"
"I can't be with Chuck for other reasons. Louis is great and he won't hurt me"
"You're hurting yourself B. No matter what has happened between you and Chuck you have always been connected"
"Not the way he and Layla are. He loves her S. This isn't just about me anymore"
"Layla understands"
"I'm so sorry, I thought maybe" Blair heard her mother say.
"It's okay I know what you were thinking. I'm going through with this though. Serena will you please tell everyone I'm ready"
After Gossip Girls outburst Chuck followed Blair into one of the rooms of the church.
"I can't believe you did this"
"Good because I didn't do it Blair, Why would I"
"You really expect me to believe that"
"I didn't do it. I have nothing to gain from it. It's not like I said it back to you"
"Maybe you lied to me to make me feel better about choosing Louis"
"No you're choosing Louis because you thought that if we did work, which we won't, that something bad would happen to me. Serena told me everything Blair. You can't honestly believe that…"
"What? Can't honestly believe that you were dead? Because you were and you weren't coming back. I did the only thing I could do in that moment to save your life. Whatever it took."
"Blair"
"I knew I had too Chuck. I saw Sophie looking so confused. She had no clue what was happening just that you were hurt and that her mom was sad. I mostly did it for her."
"Blair, I'm sor…"
"I need to find Louis. Please go" Blair said then left the room.
Nate leaned on the bar watching Blair and Louis with the Cake. He spotted Dan walking his way.
"Where you been all night" Nate asked him.
"Oh Royal Groomsmen duties are vast. Who knew? Did you talk to Chuck?" Dan asked him.
"No I haven't even called. I wonder if Layla has."
"After doing that. I don't think she would. I still can't believe he did it"
"He's Chuck, she always forgives him" Nate said ignoring Dan.
"I mean after everything that happened last year. You would think he changed. I guess he hasn't"
"But he has" Nate said thinking about the conversation he had with him about his sister.
"Hey, what are you two talking about?" Serena asked joining them.
"Oh you know, just how love makes you do crazy things. However poorly timed and inappropriate what Chuck did, if he did in fact do it, was a grand gesture. Maybe if I'd done one of those for the people I've cared about in my life I wouldn't be at this wedding alone." Nate said then noticed the girl from this morning talking to his sister. "Excuse me for a second. I see a girl that Layla needs to introduce me too"
"Go Nate" Dan said.
Chuck walked into the living room after coming home from the Church and taking a walk through the Park. He needed to clear his head. The women in his life were definitely messing with him. He spotted the picture that he had been looking at the last few weeks. He started to think about the conversation he had with Blair. He really wished he could have apologized. He needed to. He went to take a drink when set it back down quickly and got on his phone.