Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
You'll have to ignore pretty much all of Season Three while reading this story. None of the events of this current season have happened in my stories (I'm keeping the faith in my Chair). It does make references to four of my other works, so in another shameless plug, I recommend reading "This Time", "Healing His Heart", "His Turn", and "Don't Let It Be True" before you begin this story.
"Mister Bass, your reservations for next evening have been confirmed," Eugenia told her boss, effectively pulling him from his trance. She gave him an apologetic look for disturbing his thoughts as he jumped slightly in surprise. "Everything has been set up as you have requested."
"Thank you, Eugenia," Chuck responded with an assuring smile. "Have you been able to take care the other arrangements that I have requested?"
"Of course," Eugenia grinned slyly. "Was there really any doubt?"
"Never with you," he chuckled while looking at his watch. He knew he never had to worry about Eugenia coming through with one of his requests. She was becoming some sort of miracle working. Nothing he asked for was impossible for Eugenia to pull off, even the bizarre romantic gestures he came up with for Blair. His most recent request had been fairly tame in comparison to others he had made through the year. "It's getting late. You should be getting home. I'm sure those boys of yours are missing you. I can lock up."
"That's very generous of you, but I'll stay for a little while longer. I have some fundraising details that I need to get through," she told him.
He could tell his assistance was lying to him, or at least not being completely truthful. While he didn't doubt that there was some charitable fundraising event in the near future, as there always was since he took over. His assistant was however lying about the need to run through the details that evening. She was staying because he was.
"I do not need a babysitter," Chuck told her.
"Just the same, I'll be at my desk if you need anything else," Eugenia told him as she swiftly turned around and left the office before he had a chance to protest.
Chuck sighed as she disappeared from his view. She'd been keeping a close eye on him in the past few weeks, ever since the day of the accident in which he thought he'd lost Blair. He didn't blame his assistant for the additional attention. It had been a difficult day for him. A lot had happen during those forty-five minutes of excruciating torture, and his loyal assistant had a front row seat.
As a result of the incident, Chuck had demanded some changes in his relationship with Blair. No longer was Blair allowed to be unreachable. He excused the times she was in class, but never again was she allowed to turn her cell phone off at any other time.
He was being irrational, and he knew this current arrangement wouldn't last forever. She would rebel at some point, but for right now he was insistent. He wanted to reach for his phone and text her, mostly to check that she was following through on his demands, but she was studying. Tomorrow was the last final of her first year at NYU. Ironically, it was also the one-year anniversary of their relationship.
He had the day planned out right down to her wardrobe. She was a bit annoyed that she couldn't pick out her ensemble for the final day of her freshman year, but he had been extra persuasive as he stated his case the previous evening.
He glanced at his watch again, mentally running through Blair's day as she laid out for him the previous evening as they laid in bed on the verge of sleep. She was at the library studying. She would be leaving soon for a study session at a friend's dorm room. He already knew she was going to be home late, as she told him to not wait up. He had no intention of listening to her. He wasn't working the next day, having taken it off to focus solely on her, so he had no incentive to go to sleep until she was safely tucked in next to him.
He didn't want to go home to an empty penthouse, but he didn't think it was fair to keep Eugenia any longer. So he rose from his desk, gathered a few files to slide into his briefcase to keep him busy at the penthouse, and left his office, closing the door behind him while handing the briefs to Eugenia to load into his briefcase for him.
"If you're free for dinner, we'd be happy to have you," Eugenia told him.
Chuck began laughing at her obvious request. She knew Blair's schedule as well as he did. She knew he was going home to an empty penthouse. "That's very generous, Eugenia, but I'll be fine by myself at the penthouse until Blair returns for the evening."
Eugenia raised a curious eyebrow in his direction as if to tell him she didn't fully believe him before nodding as she closed up the briefcase and handed it to him.
"You know that any problems for the next two weeks need to be directed towards Davidson (Bass CFO and number two in command)," Chuck told her. "I get a vacation."
"We get a vacation," Eugenia amended. She was taking the same time off as him as her sons had just finished their school year, and she and her husband had planned a road trip to the Grand Canyon.
"We get a vacation," he chuckled.
"Yes, Mister Bass," she nodded with a twinkle in her eyes, "Our numbers have been temporary deleted from all contact lists."
"Fantastic," he grinned.
"Oh, and I have something for you and Blair," she stated as she handed him a beautifully wrapped gift.
"What is this?" he inquired as he shook the package slightly.
"It's from Cedric and myself," she told him, "For your anniversary."
"You didn't have to do this," he told her as he waved the package around.
"It's not much," she assured him, "But considering how monumental this day is, we felt best to commemorate it. After all legendary playboy Chuck Bass celebrating the one year anniversary of dating the same woman deserves special recognition."
He began laughing as he waited for her to gather her belongings. As was their routine, they always left the office together.
"You're still awake," Blair realized as she slid into bed. He instantly pulled her toward him. His hands sought out the delicate skin at her shoulder, craving her as he always did. He longed to remove the nightgown she had slipped into and have his way with her.
"Of course," he told her as he rolled her under him so he could properly greet her with a kiss. He could tell by her timid response that her nerves were frazzled from her hell week of finals, so he knew he couldn't push for more. He took solace in the fact that the next evening all his frustration from the past week would be gone.
"Mmmm," she hummed against his lips just before he pulled away.
"How did the studying go?" he inquired as he rolled onto his back and allowed her to curl against him so she could fall asleep.
"Very well," she replied as she caressed his bare chest gently, her perfectly painted nails scratching lightly as she went. He felt himself react to the attention, but fought it. "I expected to ace this course as I have all the other courses this semester."
"I expect nothing less," he grinned as he caught her hand and pinned it against his chest. He couldn't take her particular brand of attention at the moment. She was too tempting for her own good. "Your clothes for tomorrow are hanging in the bathroom near your vanity."
"What are we doing tomorrow?" she asked, her voice was filled with eager anticipation, as she snuggled closer to him. Her leg wrapped around his hip. She was making resisting her nearly impossible.
"I just want you to focus on your exam for tomorrow," he told her as her eyes began to droop as the exhaustion began to win out, "Everything else will fall into place. Arthur has his instructions as to where to take you."
"Did you ever imagine that this day would come?" she continued speaking, as she fought off the exhaustion she was feeling.
"I knew this day would come the moment that I told you I loved you," he told her as he brushed her hair behind her ear. "There wasn't any way that I would let you go." He watched as she tried to hide a yawn. "Go to sleep, Beautiful. I'm not going anywhere."
Her brilliant smile lit up her face as her eyes drifted closed. She was asleep sooner than was usual for her. He took in her features, taking the time to memorized them for the hundred time. Each time he did this he found something he hadn't seen before.
"I love you," he whispered as he kissed her temple. He smiled at the effortless way his words rolled off his tongue before he allowed his exhaustion to claim him. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.
What do you think? A good start?