Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW. I also do not own nor have any affiliation with Michael Kors, nor his brand.
The next few days went much better for Chuck. He regained a hold on his emotions and was able to charm the pants off of his Japanese counterparts. He even managed to earn a standing ovation for the Beatle's medley he performed at Karaoke night aided by few rounds of scotch that he ordered to relax himself. He knew that he had promised Blair that he'd behave himself, and he did for the most part. He didn't let his drinking get out of control. He merely did what was necessary to keep the business negotiations moving.
Each night he stayed up late to call Blair as she rode home from work. She was in a much better mood after her sorry excuse for a boss was fired. She now reported directly to Lucy, her mentor.
Naturally they missed each other like crazy and sleeping apart had proved to be an enormous problem. The sheets of the king size bed that Chuck slept in hardly needed to be remade as he barely moved. He was so used to Blair sleeping right at his side and waking at the slightest bit of movement that he didn't roll as he knew he used to.
It was Thursday evening that proved to be the hardest night for him. It was the night that they always had set aside to read to each other. It was his turn to do the narrations as he was reading Robert Frost to her.
Eugenia had scheduled an authentic Japanese dinner at their host's home, so Chuck had dressed appropriately in the kimono that Blair had purchased for him and went through the motions of the dinner, removing his shoes when he was told, kneeling on the floor where shown, raving about the food at appropriate intervals, speaking in the limited Japanese that he had tried to learn in the weeks leading up to the trip, but in his heart he was miserable.
Only Eugenia noticed as he glanced at his watch several times throughout dinner and then mentally try to calculate what time it was in New York City so he could determine what Blair was probably doing. He knew her routine so well that it didn't make more than a few moments before he returned to the conversation.
"What time is it back in New York?" Eugenia inquired curiously as their car drove them back to the hotel.
"Almost noon," Chuck sighed as he checked his watch and then ran his hand through his hair, "Blair's probably meeting Serena for lunch right about now."
"You really miss her," Eugenia stated, as if it wasn't already painfully obvious.
"Every minute," he nodded, "I don't even know how I got like this. I was the biggest playboy on the Upper East Side before Blair. A different woman each night. I didn't even bother with names. I merely referred to them all as Darling so it wouldn't be so confusing. Now I'm so lovesick that I can't even sleep at night. Surely you understand. You must miss Cedric and the boys. How do you do this?"
"I do miss them," Eugenia nodded, "But every now and then it's good to be away from them so that I can appreciate how much I miss them."
"You think I'm being ridiculous," Chuck gathered.
"No," Eugenia assured him as she shook her head vigorously, "After what happened a few months ago, I'm not at all surprised."
"That one hour was the worst of my life," Chuck sighed. She didn't even have to clarify which day she was talking about. He still had nightmares about it, about getting the phone call that there had really been an accident and Blair was gone. He woke up shouting each time. Fortunately, Blair was always at his side to assure him that it was only a bad dream.
He'd never tell Blair, but he still thought often about the events of that day, and his impromptu proposal. He even found himself inside a jewelry store on more than one occasion. The only thing stopping him from plunking down an insanely large hunk of money for an engagement ring was the memory of her asking him if she should give up on her dreams for him. It wasn't exactly how she said it, but that was how he heard it. He'd never ask her to do that, so he'd wait.
"Do you and Blair talk about it at all?" Eugenia asked.
"We've discussed it some," Chuck nodded, trying to evade the question and the discussion Eugenia appeared to want to have.
"Chuck, I was there. I saw in your eyes how panicked you were, how lost you were. We both know you would have destroyed yourself if the worst had happened," Eugenia stated as her eyes filled with tears.
"I won't live without her," Chuck sighed, "I wouldn't even know how. She's been the best part of my life. Before we were lovers, we were friends. She has always been my best friend, the one that understands me, more so than Nathaniel."
"Chuck," Eugenia responded tearfully. This side of Chuck was something she was not used to. He was every bit the professional at work. He'd drop his guard on occasion and show his wicked sense of humor, but this emotional side of him was something he never showed anyone except Blair.
"I proposed to her that afternoon," Chuck stated as he looked out the window to see the bright city lights of Tokyo pass them by, "I wanted us to fly to Atlantic City and get married that day."
Eugenia looked at him in stunned silence. "What stopped you?"
"Blair," he stated, "She needs to exist on her own. She needs to be her own person. If we get married right now, she'll only be seen as Chuck Bass's blushing bride. I would never do that to her. She's Blair Waldorf. I'd rather be Blair Waldorf's husband than Chuck Bass, CEO of Bass Industries. However long I need to wait, I will. She's worth it."
"B, you look awful," Serena stated as she sat down next to Blair during their usual Thursday lunch. Blair had heavy bags under her eyes due to her lack of sleep. She also had tears in her eyes courtesy of the thoughtful text she had just received from Chuck.
- You and I have a date with Mr. Frost this evening. I love you – C
"I feel awful," Blair sniffled as she dabbed her eyes with the cloth napkin in her lap. "I'm missing Chuck so much that it hurts, literally. I was so excited about a message from Chuck this morning as I arrived at work that I missed the curb and rolled my ankle right in front of Michael. I had to go visit the company nurse before I could begin my day."
Serena tried not to laugh, but a slight snicker managed to escape.
"This man has me all torn up, but in the best way possible. If Chuck would just get this deal finished and come home, my life would be perfect," Blair stated. She knew that Chuck would frown at her use of their forbidden word, but Serena didn't notice.
"You were never this weepy when Nate would leave for an extended period of time," Serena pointed out.
"I was never a lot of things with Nate," Blair snapped, "Blissfully happy being one of them."
"And you look so blissful right now," Serena quipped.
"Each day gets harder than the last," Blair sighed, "I've almost quit my internship every day since he's been gone just so I can fly to Tokyo to be with him."
"Blair," Serena scolded her best friend.
"This isn't healthy, I know," Blair responded. "I'm sure even my therapist would say this isn't healthy. I'm not even being myself anymore. I'm some weepy, lovesick little puppy dog that is willing to follow their man around wherever they go, and those type of girls make me sick."
"How's Chuck doing with the separation?" Serena inquired curiously.
"About the same as I am," Blair replied, "He says he's struggling to get through the business as best he can. He seems optimist that he'll be able to get the deal done, but it sounds like it will take the full ten days."
"Blair, I love you, you know that, but you have me very worried right now," Serena stated, "Your relationship with Chuck has always been a little . . . what's the word I'm looking for . . . consuming and at times dangerous more so before you became a committed couple, but you're taking this to a whole new level. Something has changed in the few months since finals ended at NYU. So what was it?"
"Chuck proposed," Blair sniffled.
"What do you mean he proposed!" Serena exclaimed, "That's fantastic. Where's the ring? I want to see it."
"We're not engaged, Serena," Blair rolled her eyes as Serena grabbed her hand expecting to find a gigantic diamond rock.
"Don't tell me you said no!" Serena gasped.
"It wasn't a real proposal," Blair explained, "He was reacting to the fact that he thought I died."
"What am I missing?" Serena asked. She realized that her friend had been leaving out a large chunk of the story.
"A couple of weeks before our anniversary, one of the fleet vehicles for Bass Industries was reported to be in a car accident. It turned out to be a fender bender, no big deal, but there was a series of circumstances that had Chuck believing that I died in a car accident. They couldn't get a hold of my chauffeur for the week. There was a serious car accident on my usual route home from school that involved a town car in which there was a fatality, and worse yet was the fact that Chuck couldn't get a hold of me because I had turned my phone off. For about an hour he thought that I had died. He came home absolutely destroyed only to find me sound asleep in our bed as I was trying to get rid of a migraine. He absolutely lost it. As we made love he proposed, telling me that he couldn't wait any longer to be married," Blair explained.
"So what happened?" Serena inquired. She had been sure that Blair would jump at any chance to marry Chuck. It was obvious to everyone how happy they were together. Marriage was the logical next step.
"We're not ready to be married," Blair sighed, "Rather I'm not ready to be married. I want to be more than Chuck's wife. I want to be able to stand on my own two feet and know that I can have my own career before I become the wife of a CEO."
"But you do want to be married to Chuck," Serena needed her to clarify.
"Absolutely," Blair nodded vigorously as she spun her promise ring around her finger, "More than anything, and he knows that. We will get married. That much I see, but it doesn't have to be right now."
"Are you trying to convince me or Chuck?" Serena replied.
"Chuck seemed okay with it," Blair stated tentatively. She'd replayed the memory of that moment in her mind several times, but it was only this time that she saw the look of disappointment in his eyes when she told him she wasn't ready yet.
"Are you okay?" Serena inquired as she reached out to take Blair's hand.
"I just really miss him," Blair stated as she wiped a tear that had fallen down her cheek.
"You only have six more days," Serena tried to assure her, "If you'd like, I can sleep over so that you don't have to stay at the penthouse all alone."
"I might take you up on that," Blair smiled as she leaned in to hug her best friend. "What would I do without you?"
"Probably quit your job and catch the first flight to Japan," Serena responded without a moment's hesitation.
"Blair, Michael would like to speak with you for a moment," Lucy told her upon Blair returning to work after her lunch with Serena.
Blair's first instinct was to panic as she made her way towards the designer's office. Michael never called the interns into his office.
Her effort this past week hadn't been her best. First she had to deal with her boss's humiliating rant and subsequent termination, but she was also letting her personal life interfere with her job. From her limited experience in the business world, she knew she was breaking the cardinal rule.
"Blair, please have a seat," Michael encouraged her as he greeted her warmly. So she wasn't in trouble, she concluded. Now she was curious as she took a seat on the sofa next to Lucy as she looked at them both expectantly.
"Lucy and I have an interesting proposition for you," Michael began once she was seated. "I must say that despite what your previous boss wrote in your weekly performance evaluations, you are doing an exceptional job. You'd done everything that we've asked of you without the slightest fear or hesitation. So we have one final request to make. Lucy has heard that you requested time off, which originally sparked the tirade a few days ago. Blair, I cannot tell you how badly I feel about that. Honestly, I was surprised you didn't walk away as soon as that happened. It would have been completely justified."
Blair began fidgeting as she waited for Michael to make his request.
"If you accept the assignment, we will happily end your internship early and ensure that you be given full credit along with a glowing letter of recommendation and a standing offer for next year's internship program," Michael continued.
"That's a more than generous offer," Blair spoke up as she inadvertently interrupted Michael.
Michael smiled as she bit her lip upon realizing her mistake.
"Your last assignment should you agree to it, would be to hand deliver a gown we have designed fit for royalty," Michael stated.
"I'd be happy to," Blair grinned widely. It was such an easy task. How could she say no?
"It's for a member of the Japanese royal family," Michael stated as his grin widened, "In Japan."
Blair jumped up from her seat and threw her arms around Michael.
"Your flight leaves in three hours. I hope that gives you enough time to get yourself packed and to the airport," Lucy stated as Blair continued to hug Michael.
"I'm leaving right now," Blair stated as she finally released Michael, stepping away as she blushed at the realization that she had hugged one of the most important designers in New York City. Her mother was going to lose her mind when she told her.
"I'll be meeting you at the airport with the garment," Lucy explained as she began ushering Blair to the door.
Blair stopped momentarily so that she could address Michael once more.
"Mister Kors, thank you so much for the opportunity that you have given me this summer," Blair stated sincerely, "These past few months has given me the confidence to pursue this career path. I'll always be grateful to you for that."
"You are more than welcome," Michael smiled warmly. As she walked out of his office, his smile widened. He'd seen a lot of interns come and go, but he knew he saw the determination and drive in her that would allow her to succeed where others would fail. It wasn't just talent and a vision that got a person ahead in the fashion industry, and he recognized that she had the whole package.
"Eugenia, don't let Chuck freak out, but I'm turning my cell phone off for a few hours. I have a huge surprise for him," Blair stated cheerfully on her ride to the airport. She had managed to throw a few things that she knew she would need into a small carryon bag as she flew through the penthouse. She'd buy anything else she needed once she arrived in Tokyo.
"Anything I can help you with?" Eugenia inquired.
"No, it's all taken care of for now," Blair assured his wonderfully efficient assistant.
"Do I get to know what this surprise is?" Eugenia pressed. Blair let her in on almost all secrets that she had planned for Chuck and was surprised when Blair didn't freely offer up any details of her latest plan.
"Not just yet," Blair stated cryptically as Arthur arrived at the airport, "I'll call as soon as I can." She quickly ended the call before Eugenia could hear the airport chaos in the background. This was going to be the best surprise she'd ever given Chuck, she was sure of it.
TBC. . .
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