A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews, they make me very happy! This chapter is kind of long, and it might seem to jump around a bit, but there were some things I wanted to get out of the way so that the story can move forward. FYI - in this story, everything at the Saints & Sinners party happened except for the ending with Serena being drugged and taken to a hotel.
Chapter 2, part 2
Chuck sipped his morning espresso as he watched the busy streets of Manhattan from his window at the Empire. It was merely 10am, but he still had a few things he wanted to do before Blair arrived back from Paris this afternoon. She had been gone for not even four days, yet he was anxious for her to return. He missed his wife and he wondered how he had made it through the past six months without her. Thinking about her, he glanced at a photo he had taken out of its hiding spot in his bedroom of them from their wedding and then to the ring on his finger which he had put on last night so he wouldn't forget how it felt, and he couldn't help but smile. It had only been one week earlier that he and Blair were on a plane returning to NYC to begin their non-traditional life together as husband and wife.
Seven days earlier
Chuck was surprised to be woken at 6am the morning after their wedding by Blair standing above him in nothing more than her tiny silk robe. She feathered him with kisses and gently coerced him into coming out onto the deck with her. Once outside, they nestled into the lounge and watched the sunrise in each other's arms. "I think this might be heaven," Chuck whispered into Blair's ear as he traced the column of her neck with kisses. "I think you might be right," Blair sighed as she tilted her head to side, granting Chuck greater access to her neck. When Chuck's touch became too much for Blair to bear, she slowly pried herself away from his grasp and softly let her robe fall from her body. Chuck couldn't remember ever seeing a more beautiful site than the one in front of him right now – Blair, nude, in the early morning sun with nothing but the vast, blue ocean surrounding her. He then picked her up bridal style, brought her back to the lounge, and proceeded to make love to her on the deck. They spent the rest of their time on the yacht like that, memorizing every aspect of each other, their features and their flaws, storing them away as precious memories, until they were forced to get ready for their journey back to New York.
They were resting in each other's arms again, this time on the five hour flight back to Manhattan. Both Chuck and Blair were cherishing this time together because they knew that it was going to be difficult to have uninterrupted moments like these once they got back home. Blair reluctantly broke the silence because she knew one of them had to bring up the subject they had both been avoiding. "Chuck," she dragged his name out slowly.
"Yes, Mrs. Bass?" Chuck replied with a smile, and then he gently kissed the top of her brunette curls.
"You know, I don't think that I am ever going to get sick of hearing that. Mrs. Bass, it certainly has a nice ring to it" Blair said enthusiastically, making both her and Chuck smile widely. Then she remembered what she had wanted to say, so she turned to her husband with a serious face and looked him in the eyes. "How are we going to do this Chuck? How are we going to keep our relationship a secret from everyone? People are bound to find out. Besides, everyone saw our not-so-subtle display of affection at your party. KC was practically drooling over the two of us as a couple and you know that Serena and Nate will ask questions."
"Well, Mrs. Bass, I've been thinking about it. Nobody can scheme and plot better than us, so together we should be able to devise a masterful plan. I know it won't be easy, but we've been pretty good at sneaking around in the past. I'm sure we can figure something out. As for our friends and family, maybe we can tell them the truth, or at least part of it?"
"How is telling our families the truth keeping our relationship a secret? I thought I married Chuck Bass, not Nate Archibald," Blair replied snappily.
"Not funny Bass," Chuck answered tersely. He had decided that he wasn't going to refer to her as Waldorf anymore. From now on he would call her Mrs. Bass, Bass, Blair, or simply B, depending on the company they were with. "No, I'm not saying we tell them we got married or even that we're a couple, but we can tell them about everything up until we decided to get married. If anyone asks, we can say that after we signed the peace treaty, we started spending time together. It didn't take long before we both realized how much we missed each other and that we still love each other. But at the same time you have a plan for yourself, your future, and you knew that you needed to work on yourself as an individual before we get back together, so we've decided to be apart for now. Think about it, its realistic. Also, this way we can still pretend to be friends which would allow us see each other in public. I mean, we've known each other since we were kids, we share the same circle of friends, attend many of the same events, and we both take classes at Columbia, so we are likely to bump," he emphasized this word, nudged Blair, and raised his eyebrows suggestively, "into each other from time to time, Mrs. Bass."
"Ugh, Chuck, you have a one-track mind!" Blair slapped his arm as she said this, trying to hold back a grin. "But I guess it does sounds like your plan could work. It wouldn't be a complete lie, and that will make it easier for us to keep our stories straight. Still, I'm worried about Serena and Nate. I mean, I live with Serena and you live with Nate. They are sure to notice," Blair answered, her voice lined with concern.
"You can't really be worried about the two blondes," Chuck scoffed. "They may be our best friends, but I've never really considered them to be very observant. They tend to be too caught up in their own dramas to notice what is going on around them, so I don't think it will be too hard to hide from them for awhile." This comment earned him a giggle from Blair as she nodded her head up and down. "Honestly, if we need to worry about anyone figuring out our secret, its Dorota and Arthur. Those two are privy to every aspect of our lives. Still, they have both been fiercely loyal in the past, so I think if they were to find out it wouldn't be the end of the world. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't say a word. What do you think?"
"You're probably right Chuck. If anyone is going to notice us sneaking around, it will be Arthur and Dorota. I do trust Dorota with practically everything, so I'm pretty sure she'll keep our secret. Besides, even if she figures out that we're a couple, she won't realize that we're married. I am assuming we can trust Arthur too?"
"Yeah, Arthur can definitely be trusted. He's seen me do some pretty crazy shit over the years and has never said a word. Plus, I think he likes you, as well as me when I'm with you, so he wouldn't want to jeopardize angering me. And like you just said, when he finds out that we're together, not if because I can guarantee that he will, he would never jump to the conclusion that we eloped," Chuck said this confidently, which reassured Blair. However, when Chuck spoke again, his voice was laced with trepidation. "You know Blair, I am much more concerned about where we are going to live and making our marriage work. I mean, are we going to live together or keep our separate places? Living together doesn't seem like much of an option considering it would make it pretty obvious that we're together, but I am not excited at the prospect of living apart from my wife."
"I know what you mean," Blair sighed. "I originally thought that we would just continue living at our own places and it wouldn't be that big of a deal. We would still see and talk to each other all the time, but for some reason that doesn't seem right anymore – like it won't be enough. I didn't realize that I would feel so different after saying my vows, but I do, in a good way. It almost makes me wonder if we should just forget about all the secrecy and just tell everyone the news."
"Yeah, me too. I want to shout it from the rooftops that Blair Waldorf is now Mrs. Chuck Bass." His voice was full of emotion and he threw his arms into the air.
"What is it with you and rooftops?" Blair chuckled, and she further burrowed her body into his.
This made Chuck laugh and shake his head from side to side. "Someday, when I figure it out, I'll let you know." He then brought his arms back around Blair, engulfing her, and he kissed the top of her head. "But seriously Blair, I want you to make a name for yourself, become your own person, be proud of your accomplishments and know that you've really, truly earned them all by yourself. You were right the other night when you said that I should understand because I needed to do the same thing for myself, and I do understand. That is why I'm not going to give in and I'm not going to let you give in, even though there is nothing I want more. You are such an incredible person, but sometimes I don't think you see that. Maybe finding your place in this world on your own will help you to realize it. You can do it, and we can make this work. I believe in us." With that, he took her face in his hands and kissed her passionately.
"I love you Chuck Bass." Blair said into Chuck's lips as she returned his kiss.
"I love you more," he murmured, "Mrs. Bass." And that was the end of their conversation for the moment as they decided to take advantage of being alone a little while longer and partook in some other extracurricular activities.
When the plane touched down, it was approaching 10pm. Neither Chuck nor Blair wanted to leave the plane and face reality. They were perfectly content in their little cocoon, where they didn't have to worry about the outside world, where they could just be themselves and be in love. They had decided on the flight that they would remain living at their own places, letting the other know when they would be alone, and if it turned out to be necessary they could have a suite at the Empire or the Palace so that they could have some privacy and alone time. They made a pledge to see each other everyday somehow, even if for only five minutes on campus or in the limo, as well as to try to spend at least three nights of the week together, and on the nights when they weren't together they would be sure to talk right before going to sleep and as soon as they woke. They knew this wasn't the ideal situation for a newlywed couple, and they promised to re-evaluate things after the holidays.
Once they got into the car, Blair turned on her iPhone and glanced through all her missed messages, while Chuck did the same. She and Chuck had made the conscious decision to focus on themselves and cut off the rest of the world while they were on their trip, so their phones had been off the whole time they were away. "Nothing too important. A message from Dorota letting me know that she won't be over tomorrow because Ana is sick and that Serena told her she was staying at Lily's," she said as she rolled her eyes. "Ugh, I don't even want to deal with Serena right now. I still can't believe what she did. First she applied for the foundation position with Anne and then lied to me about it. And, if that wasn't bad enough, she exposed our relationship to everyone at the party, knowing that it would hurt both you and I."
"Yeah, Serena's not my favorite person at the moment either. But if you think about it, without her little stunts we might not be here as Mr. and Mrs. Bass," Chuck replied, trying to put a positive spin on a bad situation. He knew if Blair dwelled on it too much, it would just make her frustrated and miserable, and it's just not worth it. Its in the past now.
"I guess that's one way to look at it," the tone in Blair's voice already softening, as she glanced at Chuck seductively. She slowly began to run her fingers up and down the front of his shirt and whispered in his ear, "You know, with Serena staying at Lily's and Dorota taking tomorrow off, I am going to be all alone in my penthouse, with no one to keep me warm. Do you have any ideas what I can do to fix that?" She finished her question by gently biting his ear, before purring into it.
"Oh, I have quite a few ideas. Don't you worry about a thing, baby," smirked Chuck as he grabbed her by the back of her head and kissed her eagerly.
Chuck woke up the following morning in Blair's bed with her naked body curled around his. He wrapped his arms around her a bit more tightly, and pulled her closer to his chest, kissing the top of her head and inhaling her scent. "I wish it could be like this every morning. But don't worry lover, because hopefully someday soon it will be," he whispered quietly, being careful not to wake her. After a few more minutes like that, Chuck slowly got up and went into the bathroom to shower and start getting ready. He knew Blair had a mid-morning class on Mondays, so she would be up soon too and would want the bathroom for herself to prepare for the day. As he stepped into the shower, Chuck made a mental note to himself that when he and Blair bought their own place, to make sure the master bedroom had a large enough ensuite so that they would be able to get ready at the same time.
About an hour and a half later, after being joined in the shower by Blair and subsequently getting dressed, Chuck was having a difficult time leaving the Waldorf penthouse. Once he finally managed to pry himself away from Blair's embrace, he headed back to the Empire to check in on business, but only after promising to meet Blair on campus this afternoon and choruses of 'I love you's'.
Chuck was distracted perusing the mail as he stepped off the elevator and into the penthouse of the Empire, so he didn't notice Nate standing there until he spoke.
"Hey man, is everything okay?" Nate asked, his voice was threaded with concern.
"Hello to you to Nathaniel. And yes, everything is fine. Why wouldn't it be?" Chuck set the mail on the table next to the pot of coffee that Nate must have ordered. He quickly poured himself a cup and sat down on the sofa, while Nate took a seat on the chair adjacent to him.
"Well, I haven't seen you in a few days. Actually, I haven't see you since I saw you making out with Blair at your party, so I wasn't exactly sure if you were okay. And your phone was turned off, which I didn't take as a great sign." This time there was no mistaking the questioning and worrisome look that Nate was giving Chuck.
"Sorry, I just needed to get away for a few days," Chuck replied with a placating tone as he took a sip of coffee, trying to avoid making eye contact with Nate. He knew the question that was coming, and he already had his answer prepared.
"No big deal. Its just that last time something went down between you and Blair, you disappeared for a few months only to show back up after being shot with an ex-prostitute as a new girlfriend," this comment warranted a scoff from Chuck. "Look man, I don't mean to be nosy, but do you want to talk about what's going on with Blair? Last time I checked you two had barely agreed to the truce, but then that video was shown at Blair's party and you guys had another argument. The next time I see you and Blair together, you are kissing in front of everyone at your Saints and Sinners party. I'm just trying to understand – are you two back together?"
"No, Blair and I are not back together, and I am pretty sure that I can thank your mother for that," Chuck said angrily. "God, we were so close too," he sighed, propped his elbows on his knees, and stared at the mug in his hands. "She had just told me that she still loved me and we were about to work it out, when Serena dropped that curtain and put Blair and I on display for the whole fucking party. Then your mother basically told Blair that she couldn't be the face of her foundation because of her association with me. This made Blair decide that we couldn't be together right now because she wanted to make something of herself. She said and I quote, 'I need to be Blair Waldorf before I can be Chuck Bass's girlfriend'."
"That's rough man. I'm sorry," Nate said with genuine sincerity.
Chuck took another sip of his coffee, before setting down the mug and leaning back. "I'm sorry to say this, because I know she's your mother, but what a bitch! Where does Anne Archibald get off essentially telling Blair that I'm bad for her reputation. She's the one who is married to a convicted felon, whereas I'm a 20 year old billionaire who runs a few successful businesses," Chuck replied heatedly. He knew he shouldn't have said that, especially to Nate, but he just needed to get if off his chest.
When he finally turned to look at Nate, he noticed there wasn't hint of anger in Nate's eyes, just concern, so he decided to continue with something that's been on his mind for a while. "I'm sorry," Chuck said with genuine regret in his voice. "It's just that, after everything that happened last year with the hotel and Jack, and then Jenny, I never thought I would ever hear Blair tell me that she loved me again. God, you know, she's Blair Waldorf and she could have anybody, so why would she love me after what I had done? But then, at her party, when she said that she was worried about me this past summer, enough to hire a P.I. to look for me, I started to have a little hope. That means something, right?" Chuck was looking at Nate for reassurance.
He simply replied, "Yeah it does mean something."
"Well, I've lost her again. Blair and I have decided to be 'friends' for now. She said she doesn't expect me to wait for her, but I honestly have no desire to be with anyone else. None, can you believe that?" He scoffed and then continued, "So I'm going to try to be mature for once in my life and give her the space she needs, hoping that she'll come back to me. She told me, 'if two people are meant to be together eventually they'll find their way back', so I hope that means she thinks we're meant to be. Shit," Chuck moaned, shaking his head from side to side, "I really sound like a pussy, don't I?"
Nate laughed, slapped Chuck on the back, and said, "Yeah you do. Blair certainly has you whipped man."
Now it was Chuck's turn to laugh, "Actually, I do like it when she whips me. And you're one to talk Nathaniel, you've been chasing after my sister like a lost puppy. What happened between you two?"
"I honestly wish I could tell you. After Blair's party, and then the ballet, I realized that I wasn't as over her as I thought. I asked her to give me another chance, but it turns out that Dan also want her. So we told her she had to choose between us. When she kissed me at your party, I thought she had picked me, but then Gossip Girl sent out the blast with the pictures of her kissing both of us. It pissed me off and I haven't spoken to her since," Nate replied.
"What the fuck has gotten into Serena? First she carries on with a professor even though she has a giant scarlet 'S' tattooed on her forehead, then goes behind Blair's back and asks your mother to consider her to be the face of the foundation, next she outs Blair and I in front of everyone, and finally she kisses both you and Dan instead of having to choose. It seems a bit strange, even for the 'Old Serena'."
"I know what you mean. Although I don't know why you think Serena is the one who outted you and Blair. I saw her standing near my mother and KC when it happened, she looked truly surprised – there is no way it was her," Nate said with absolute certainty.
"Blair and I saw her in the rafters after she dropped the curtain, she pointed the spotlight right at us. Tall, long blond hair, light blue dress with a mask on, it had to be Serena," Chuck replied, looking into Nate's eyes for confirmation.
"I'm telling you, Serena was standing on the floor not far from me, with no mask on so I know for sure it was her." Nate was nodding his head up and down, and Chuck knew it was the truth.
"Then who was the person screwing with Blair and I? Hey, maybe it's the same person who kissed both you and Dan and she's trying to mess with Serena?" Chuck tried to divert the conversation from him and Blair because he was worried. For some reason, this bothered him even more than it being Serena. Why would someone else want to reveal Chuck and Blair's secret relationship? Who else even knew and what would they gain? All of a sudden Chuck had an overwhelmingly strong need to fiercely guard his current relationship with Blair. He needed to talk to her and tell her what Nate had just told him, so they could figure this out together.
The next couple of days passed without much drama for the newlyweds. Serena was still staying at her mother's place, because even though Blair had finally admitted that it probably wasn't Serena who dropped the curtain, she wasn't about to forgive her for going behind her back to Anne Archibald. This allowed Chuck and Blair to spend the next two nights together before she left for Paris. Chuck had been right, it was easy to pass one over on Nate. He simply told him he was out late checking in on one of his clubs. To avoid being caught in the morning, one time Chuck snuck in early before Nate got up and the other morning Chuck came home after Nate left, letting him assume that Chuck was sleeping in. Nevertheless, Chuck took every precaution to not be seen entering or leaving the Waldorf penthouse, often using the servants' entrance, so that no one would suspect their continued liaison.
The night before Thanksgiving was the first night they spent apart since becoming husband and wife. Blair took the last Air France flight out of JFK that night, savoring the final few hours she got to spend with Chuck. He rode in the car with her to the airport, holding her close until it was time for her to go. She promised to call when she arrived in Paris, even though it would be the middle of the night in NYC, and they agreed to talk on the phone twice a day, when Chuck woke up and before Blair went to bed. As they kissed goodbye, they whispered 'I love you's' to each other and both of them already anxious for Sunday to arrive.
Chuck was tired when he returned to the Empire. This was going to be the first night he spent there since he and Blair eloped. Granted it hadn't been that long, but as he walked into his room, he felt like something was missing. "Blair," he sighed. He looked around the room and saw there were little touches of Blair around the room from when he first moved in, which to most people would go unnoticed but not by him, however they just weren't enough. As he changed into his silk pajamas and slid into his bed, staying on his side and leaving Blair's side empty, he realized that he and Blair haven't shared this bed since they reconciled – even during their period of 'hate-sex' they never came back here. Was it just a coincidence or was it a conscience effort on Blair's part he began to wonder. Sitting up in his bed, he had the sudden realization of how many women had shared this bed with him since he and Blair split so many months ago (ugh Jenny, even Eva), and he felt slightly sick. He didn't want his wife to have to sleep in this tainted bed. He swore to himself that he would replace this bed and get entirely new bedding before Blair came back from Paris. Maybe make a few other subtle changes to the room to make it more welcoming for Blair. He would do whatever was necessary to make this work with Blair, to make her happy. He lay back down in the bed and tried unsuccessfully to go to sleep, both good and bad memories swirling around in his head as well as thoughts of his future with Blair keeping him awake, so eventually he got back up and decided a glass of scotch would help.
It was 3pm in Paris when Blair's phone started to ring. She smiled, assuming it was Chuck calling because he just woke up, it was after all 9am in NY, but she was surprised when she saw Nate's name on the screen. Panic overwhelmed her, 'was something wrong with Chuck' she began to wonder, and she immediately answered the phone, "Hi Nate."
"Hi Blair, happy Thanksgiving," Nate answered cheerily.
The tone in his voice calmed Blair and she quickly collected herself. "Happy Thanksgiving to you too. So to what do I owe the honor of your call, especially this early in the morning? You love sleeping in on the holidays, so why are you up at 9am?" Blair joked as she began to relax and started to get comfortable again while talking to Nate.
"Oh, I'm at the Vanderbilt compound for Thanksgiving and they love to get us up early," Nate responded.
"Yeah, make sure you're up and ready for that touch football game! Now make sure you don't damage that pretty little face of yours," she said sarcastically.
"Ha, ha Blair. Very funny," Nate smiled and laughed into the phone. "Actually, I called to tell you something, but before I do, you have to promise not to get mad at Chuck. Okay?" questioned Nate.
"What is it Archibald?" she snapped back.
"Not until to swear not to kill Chuck," demanded Nate.
"Fine. I will not kill Chuck," she relented. "So, what did that Basshole say?"
"A few days ago Chuck mentioned that you and Serena had a fight, because she applied for the same position as you at my mother's foundation and also for revealing your and Chuck's affair to the world."
"Ugh, I can't believe that he told you all of that," she sighed. She knew Chuck and Nate had discussed some of those things, but she didn't realize he had mentioned the part about Anne's foundation.
"Remember, you can't get mad at him. He was just venting steam, and honestly, he was pretty broken up about things not working out between the two of you." At this comment she couldn't help smile, trying to imagine Chuck talking to Nate about his feelings for her. "Well, I already told him this part, but I wanted to make sure I told you too. Serena is not the person who dropped the curtain because I was watching her when it happened. She was nowhere near the spotlight either."
"Why should I believe you? You're in love with Serena so of course you would defend her," lied Blair. She already knew from Chuck that Nate had seen Serena, she just hoped that Nate didn't see through her cover.
"Trust me Blair. I am not making this up," Nate forcefully stated. "Besides that's not the most important reason that I called you." This caused Blair to perk up and pay attention. "My mom was talking about her foundation last night and how she still hasn't found the right person to represent it publically. I mentioned that I heard both you and Serena had been turned down for the spot and that I was surprised Serena even applied for it because of you. She said that she was too, but when Vanessa," with a strong emphasis put on her name "gave my mom her application package she assured my mother that this is what Serena wanted."
"Vanessa," interrupted Blair, which hatred dripping from her tongue.
"Yes, exactly what I said. Vanessa – a bit strange don't you think?" and Nate knew Blair was livid, but also that she believed him.
"Um, yeah, considering she's tried to get Serena kicked out of Columbia at least two times this semester. No way was she doing this as a favor for Serena. Now I just have two questions for you Archibald: why did she do this and what are we going to do about it?" Nate could practically hear the wheels turning inside Blair's head as she started planning Vanessa's destruction.
"I'm not sure Blair. Hey, can you hang on a second? My mom's calling me."
"I'll just talk to you when I get back Nate. Thanks for telling me all of this and have a happy Thanksgiving," Blair replied quickly.
"You too Blair. Oh, don't forget you promised to not be mad at Chuck. He really loves you Blair, remember that," and with that Nate hung up.
Blair had a million thoughts running through her brain at the moment: revenge, Vanessa, Serena, Chuck. She knew she needed to call Chuck and tell him everything that Nate just told her. She was confident that together they could figure this out and plan a strategy for revenge. She also knew that she would need to phone Serena and apologize. Truthfully, she missed her best friend and knew that they would work things out. It was Thanksgiving afterall.
Chuck nervously walked into the van der Woodsen/Humphrey home and was immediately greeted by Lily and the sound of Serena's laughter. Lily embraced him and he cautiously glanced around the room over Lily's shoulder. Eric was reading a book and Serena was chatting away on her phone.
"Its just the five of us today," said Lily as if reading his mind. "Daniel and Jenny are having Thanksgiving in Hudson with their mother and Rufus is in the kitchen cooking."
"Thank you for having me over today Lily," his voice was grateful. "I know I'm not Rufus's favorite person."
"Nonsense," interrupted Lily. "You are my son and you are always welcome here. Especially on Thanksgiving."
Just then they were both distracted by the high-pitched squeal coming from Serena and she giggled into the phone "You're the one who pushed me into the fountain!" Serena looked up and saw Chuck and her mother standing there and went back to her phone call. "Listen B, Chuck just got here so I should get going because we'll be eating soon. Happy Thanksgiving and I love you." There was silence for a minute while Serena listened to Blair on the other end. Chuck had figured that Blair would phone Serena today after what she told him earlier, and he was relieved that it looks like they had worked everything out. "Okay, bye," Serena said before she hung up her phone. She turned to her mother and Chuck and said "That was Blair. She's in Paris with her family and she wanted me to tell you both, and you too Eric, a happy Thanksgiving."
Dinner was pleasant. Because it was just the five of them, Lily had decided against setting up the more formal dining table and opted to have them eat at the round table off the kitchen. After the meal, they moved into the other room, relaxed on the sofas, and talked. Eric talked about school and looking at colleges, and then the conversation had shifted to Serena and Chuck and their classes at Columbia. That is when Lily asked, "And how is Blair doing at Columbia? Is she enjoying it more than NYU?"
Serena shot a pointed glare at her mother for bringing up Blair's name and then looked slowly at Chuck, not knowing what to expect from him. Blair had told her about their conversation after the Saints and Sinners party, how she and Chuck admitted their feelings to each other but that they had decided to be apart for now.
"What?" Chuck scoffed. "You can say her name. I won't break."
"Did I say something wrong? I thought the two of you had worked things out. That's what Serena and Eric told me " probed Lily.
"You didn't say anything wrong. Blair likes Columbia much more than she did NYU. However, she and I have decided to just be friends for now," answered Chuck in a matter-of-factly manner.
"Wait, you two aren't back together? But I saw you, I mean everybody saw you, at your party," Eric was clearly surprised by Chuck's revelation.
"Well, we're not together, and not by my choice might I add. Blair needs to do some things on her own right now, for herself. So I'm trying to be patient and praying that she gets them taken care soon."
"I'm sorry Charles," Lily said gently, as she took his hand with a reassuring grasp.
"Its fine," Chuck said shaking his head and returning Lily's grasp. He really wished he could tell her the truth, she would be so happy to know that he and Blair were in fact together and married, but he knew that he couldn't so he decided to change the subject. "So, Eric, what schools are you thinking about on the West Coast."
About 20 minutes later when they were just about to have dessert, Chuck's phone chirped with a text from Blair. 'Ate too much. I love you. Goodnight. XOXO BCW-B.' After reading the message, Chuck's face lit up and he cracked a small smile. This went unnoticed by everyone else in the room, but Serena saw her brother's reaction and figured the message was probably from Blair. Chuck never truly smiled unless it had to do with her, and this broke Serena's heart a bit. Just then, Chuck got up and excused himself, "I need make a call. Go ahead and start dessert without me." He quickly moved into another room for some privacy and phoned Blair.
When Chuck had been gone for a good 10 minutes, Serena got up and went to check on him. She could hear Chuck was talking on the phone animatedly, and while she couldn't make out the words she thought Chuck sounded happy. A minute or two later, Chuck emerged from the room and saw that Elliot had joined them for dessert. He started to make his way over to the table when Serena came up behind him and said, "Just give her some time Chuck. I know she still loves you, and I'm sure she won't be able to stay away from you for too long. Believe me, I spent the whole summer with her in Paris and she was miserable without you."
"Thanks sis," returned Chuck and he meant it. He was happy to hear Serena talk about him and Blair in a positive light, because he was never sure how she would feel about their reconciliation. And even though he hated the thought of Blair hurting, a tiny part of him was glad that she was miserable without him, knowing that he wasn't the only one. He then looked at Serena and thought about Nate. "You know, Nate loves you too," he said confidently and he saw sadness overcome her normally jubilant face.
"I know, so does Dan. I just don't know what to do," she spoke softly and looked at Chuck hoping he might have the answer.
"Well, we're just a mess aren't we sis. I finally realize what I want and I can't have it, and you have too many choices and can't decide," he laughed.
"That's why I am going to let Eric and Elliot choose what movie we watch. Are you in?" And Serena put her arm around Chuck's shoulder and starting dragging him into the other room where their brother was waiting.
Chuck was waiting in the foyer of the Waldorf penthouse when Blair got back from Paris. She practically jumped into his arms and kissed him as if her life depended on it. Without wasting any time, he picked her up and carried her up to her bedroom. He had been dreaming about being with her since she left and was so happy that she was back. Her bedroom was lit by the soft glow of candles which were all around the room, and Chuck carried her over to the bed so they could become reacquainted with one another. A few hours later after having worked up quite an appetite, Blair and Chuck were in the dining room enjoying take-out Thai food for dinner. This is when Blair realized that Serena would probably be home soon.
"Chuck, as much as I hate it, you're probably going to have to go your place tonight. I'm pretty sure Serena will be back soon and I haven't quite figured out how to sneak around her," Blair said miserably as her lips formed a pathetic little pout.
"Well I have," Chuck smiled and then he kissed her. "Right now Serena, Eric, and Elliot are in California, flying around on the Bass jet touring colleges. They'll be back Tuesday night, so that means we've got two more nights alone together here. That is if you don't mind having me as a roommate?" he drawled seductively in her ear.
"I'll have to think about it," she gasped as he began to nibble on her ear, and the rest of their dinner was forgotten.
Two days later on the Bass jet, Eric and Elliot were lounging on the couch watching a movie when Elliot felt something scrape his arm. "Ouch," he seethed and he looked down to see a diamond tennis bracelet between the cushions. He picked up and admired it, then asked, "Hey Serena, is this yours? It bit me," and he showed her the bracelet.
"No its not, but I wish it was. We should tell the attendant," Serena said as she continued to marvel at the bracelet. "Do you know whose this is? We found it wedged in the couch," she asked the flight attendant.
"Its probably Mrs. Bass's. I think she was the last woman on the plane," she promptly replied.
"I don't remember my mother having a bracelet like this, but I'll take it to her and check. If its not, I'll give it to Chuck and he can find out who it belongs to," Serena decided.
"That's fine with me," answered the attendant. She realized she was lucky that no one noticed her slip of the tongue when she said Mrs. Bass. Of course they would assume it was their mother, because they didn't know that another Mrs. Bass existed.
A/N: Next chapter will move a bit into the future. There will be a one month anniversary, a Christmas party, and a blast from the past.