"When love is not madness, it is not love."
-Pedro Calderon de la Barco
Blair congratulated herself on a job well done. Even over 3,000 miles away in Paris, planning her engagement party had been problem-free from start to finish. The Terrace Room at The Plaza Hotel was flawless- long and tiered, ornately decorated and perfectly lit. The elegant French doors were guarded by security and opened up to a fully restored pre-war ballroom. Dazzling crystal chandeliers hung romantically and gold embellishments lined the walls and ceilings. Huge mirrors set in the ornate wall arches gave the illusion that the room was twice as large, though it was already quite impressive. Heavy curtains of Venetian red velvet hung from the archways of the hall across the room, adding a heightened sense of romance.
White tablecloths had been carefully spread over dozens of intimate round tables, the centerpieces on each table accented the room perfectly, and a tasteful string quartet played softly on a stage on the third tier. At first she had been worried about including peonies in the table arrangements, but the name Blair Waldorf was synonymous with high fashion on the Upper East Side, so she trusted her instincts.
It looked like a dream come true.
She had envisioned a simple elegance for the grand ballroom that would complement her guests' attire but ensure that she stood out among them, and it worked. Her crimson Versace gown that she had chosen for the evening made her feel like Scarlett O'Hara, only she wasn't an adulterous woman. Red meant royalty- not sin- tonight. It was strapless, flowing and beaded with thousands of tiny crystals that caught the lights of the room as she walked in on Nicolas' arm. He wore an elegant black Tom Ford tuxedo with a black bowtie, encouraging Blair's dress to stand out. Their guests gasped appreciatively at her bold choice in attire before bursting into warm applause to welcome the couple to their celebration.
Blair's smile was a sight to behold. Even Serena couldn't remember the last time her friend had been so happy, though she hadn't seen her as much in the last five years as she had in the past. But she was glowing and the joy on her face was infectious to all who saw her. The who's-who of the Upper East Side began gossiping immediately about the man Blair Waldorf found in France to make her so ecstatic.
Thankfully, those that greeted them on their way to the hors d'oeuvres released them quickly. The couple was famished after their lovemaking and rush to get ready for the night. Blair couldn't even remember eating anything since breakfast on the plane, and she'd had a long day. Nicolas loaded a plate for them and they retreated to a small table on the second tier to snack hungrily and greet their guests.
"Nicolas!" the familiar voice of his mother rang out after a few short minutes. She swept elegantly towards the couple with a warm smile. "Blair," she greeted her future daughter-in-law, kissing her cheeks. "Do you mind if I borrow him for a moment? I know you just arrived, but-"
"Mais non, Jocelyne," Blair interrupted amiably, picking up a small ripe strawberry dipped in gourmet white chocolate. "I see some of my friends now. He's all yours."
Nicolas beamed at his future bride and kissed her forehead tenderly, then offered his arm to his mother. "Thank you for coming, maman. You look beautiful this evening."
"This ballroom can make anyone look beautiful! Blair did a fantastic job. But there is someone you must meet, mon fils," Jocelyne cooed, leading him to the opposite end of the ballroom. "Your father is already speaking with him. Such an asset to your brand…"
Blair watched tenderly as the pair disappeared into the crowd. Jocelyne was a wonderful woman, strong and determined like herself. Her marriage to Nicolas' father had been arranged, but it grew to be a loving relationship very quickly. Blair couldn't help but admire the fairytale of her future parents-in-law's lives.
Ten minutes later, Blair's head was swimming with felicitations. It was fortunate that she thrived on parties such as these, especially when she was the center of attention. It got her blood going.
"Mother!" Blair exclaimed, having spotting Eleanor and Cyrus a few paces away.
Eleanor kissed her cheeks when she reached her daughter and nodded appreciatively. "Darling, that dress is simply enchanting, even if it is…red."
"Eleanor," Cyrus warned lightly.
"Well, she always said that as soon as she agreed to marry someone, she'd wear white as often as possible. I just expected a white gown, or even cream," her mother explained while Blair looked on with a smile. After a beat, she turned to Blair and said earnestly, "Honestly, I'm quite impressed you made such a bold choice."
Blair smiled brightly. "Well, Nicolas is different. He warrants a new outlook on marriage preparations, and the silly ideals I had as a child."
Cyrus and Eleanor exchanged a warm glance and reached for each others hands. "We're so happy for you," Cyrus said. "You've grown into such a wonderful woman since you moved to France. Your mother and I couldn't be more proud."
"Thank you," Blair hugged her stepfather tightly, then her mother. After sharing a few humorous anecdotes about Eleanor's recent debacle at her atelier and Blair's last days at Elle in Paris, she was swept away by more well-wishers.
"B!" she heard a familiar voice squeal from behind the throng of people she was greeting. Moments later, her best friend pushed through the crowd and placed kisses on Blair's cheeks. She grasped her hands and leaned back to get the full effect of Blair's dress. "You're absolutely gorgeous!"
"Thanks, S," Blair smiled at her friend. She felt a little guilty at the way she relished being the center of attention over her friend, but she dismissed it. Looking her up and down, she said, "And you look…strangely conservative. I'm sure Nate is sorely disappointed in your choice of attire for this evening."
"Oh, come on," Serena laughed. "I wouldn't upstage you on your big night! Plus, Nate's mom still hasn't spoken to me since he told her we're moving in together. It can't hurt to dress like I'm one of her Girls, Inc. members." Serena arched an eyebrow suggestively. "You're awfully late though. What were you two doing?"
Blair lifted her chin to keep the blush out of her cheeks. "Wardrobe crisis."
"I'm sure," Serena responded knowingly. She waived a cocktail waiter over and picked up two champagne flutes. She presented Blair with one and they giggled in excitement. "To the Queen of the Upper East Side and Paris, who finally met her prince!"
Blair grinned and lifted her glass to meet Serena's. The blonde closed her eyes as she tilted the glass back, delighting in the sweet taste and bubbly texture on her tongue. When she lowered her glass, she saw Blair's eyes burning holes past Serena's shoulder. As she turned to follow the steely gaze, she saw the reason for her sudden anger.
"Excuse me, everyone," a velvety voice soared confidently over the polite conversations of the room. "I know it's still early in the evening, but I'd like to make a toast to the happy couple." Every head turned towards the speaker and conversations quickly died, replaced by an apprehensive silence.
"For those of you who don't know me, I'm Chuck Bass."
An hour earlier, Chuck had been sitting on the edge of his bed, reflecting on years past. Five years that had passed far too quickly.
If he examined his feelings closely, he could acknowledge that he'd felt guilty the entire time. It seemed that in the end, he had done nothing but hurt Blair. All of the love she opened him up to had changed to something sinister. It was as if he was trying to push her away, to see just how much she cared for him. He had played on her great love for him, tricked her into spending the night with his uncle so that he could have the Empire Hotel back. Weeks later, he had counted on her emotions being strong enough to forgive him of all he had done wrong. When she didn't show at the Empire State Building, he drowned his sorrows by sleeping with Jenny, the social-climbing bimbo from Brooklyn who had a penchant for destruction. But Blair was just late, and when the truth was revealed about Jenny, she had ended things between them for good. He had groveled at her feet then and for days afterwards, begging her to let him spend the rest of his life making it up to her.
Chuck never expected Blair to give up on him. She may have screamed at him to never speak to her again, but he was sure she wouldn't be able to hold out forever. After all, she had always known who he was. She knew him better than anyone else, better than he knew himself. Surely she couldn't hold his actions against him.
Chuck Bass never begged and Blair Waldorf did not give up. Those were their inherent truths, the reasons behind their respective modus operandi. But not this time, it seemed.
She and Serena had left for a summer in Paris a week later, after she had rebuffed his desperate attempts at reconciliation over and over. When the fall term began for their sophomore year of college, only Serena returned home. She refused to speak to him about Blair for weeks and generally ignored his presence. Only through a private investigator did Chuck learn that Blair had enrolled at Sorbonne. When he realized that she intended to make Paris her new residence, he drank himself into a stupor in typical Chuck Bass fashion and remained that way for two weeks. He didn't care what it was doing to his body or how awful he looked, he just wanted to forget.
He never did.
After a week of silence from the Bass penthouse, Serena and Nate visited and tried to reason with him. He turned them out quickly, but not before they had glimpsed how low he had sunk. They had no choice but to plead with Lily to talk some sense into him. But despite how highly Chuck thought of his adoptive mother, it was days before he would listen to her and put away his scotch. He wouldn't let her see him in his state but assured her on the phone that he would clean himself up and be at a board meeting scheduled the next day. True to his word, he arrived dressed impeccably, giving no hint to the fact that he was nursing the worst hangover he'd ever had.
Of course Blair would be the cause of that.
From that day on, he resolved to give Blair the space she needed to lick her wounds. If he pursued her before she was ready, he knew she would die before she gave in to him. He focused on acquiring new properties and companies, gradually building his own brand and keeping a close eye on Bass Industries. His PI was still following her, but eventually he pulled him off her trail. His mind was a broken record: day after day, he reminded himself she would come back to him sooner rather than later.
Because there was that word again: inevitable. Anyone he dated was a placeholder for the woman he would make Mrs. Charles Bass one day. He could be patient.
Chuck pulled himself from his musings and realized the late hour. He quickly put on his tuxedo jacket and glanced in the mirror before striding to his elevator. Blair wouldn't be happy when he showed up tonight, but it was imperative that he keep himself in the forefront of her mind.
Pretend you don't know she's already married, play along with her charade, thought Chuck. Be a gentleman, and she'll have no reason to refuse you.
"Shit," Serena cursed under her breath. Blair's eyes were ferocious as she watched her ex address the crowd. Eleanor and Cyrus stood nearby flanked by Lily and her husband Rufus, all eyes darting in concern between the future bride and her former lover.
"Nicolas," Chuck addressed him seriously. "Although I have only just met you this evening, I must warn you that you're in for quite a ride." His words caused a ripple of laughter and light clapping, and even made Nicolas smile at the memories of Blair's temper and control issues. "I've known Blair Waldorf for nearly her entire life. When I became more…intimately acquainted with her in high school, I realized that she is a woman who won't stop until she achieves her desires."
He gestured to her then and fixed his dark eyes on hers. She forced herself to smile when all she really wanted to do was push him down a flight of stairs. All eyes in the room were now looking at Blair to gauge her reaction. Most of them knew she had dated the billionaire playboy years ago and that she'd left the country immediately after their breakup. Now he was giving the opening toast at her engagement party to another man. She couldn't give them any more of a show than it already was.
Chuck scanned the audience as he spoke, taking note of a few pairs that were whispering to each other from the corners of their mouths. "From her pursuit of her dream college to her fierce loyalty towards those whom she loves, she has proven that she is both willful and passionate. But there is a side to Blair that some of you may be familiar with: her uncanny ability to recognize the strengths and weaknesses in other. If I found myself floundering, she always knew exactly what to say to ensure I found my way back to reality."
I believe in you. And if this is what it takes for you to believe in you, then it's worth it.
He took a deep breath before he continued. "I stood in front of many of you at my late father's wedding, speaking about the importance of perseverance..."
I will stand by you through anything.
"And forgiveness."
I can't deny our path has been complicated…but in the end, love makes everything simple.
"But while both are essential to a successful relationship, I've found that there is an equally important factor involved. Because before you get to chase the girl, before you need to apologize for poor behavior, you need mutual attraction. You need…sparks."
Nate and I have…had…plenty of spark. Better than that. Fireworks.
That was us.
Blair's mind reeled. Sparks. Was this a game to him? Wasn't he aware that many of her guests knew their past and would speculate endlessly about this toast he was making? Of course he knew. Chuck Bass didn't do anything without extensive calculations. She had been away from his scheming for far too long, and underestimated the lengths he would go to in order to win what he thought was his. She could only hope that the fact that he was uninvited remained secret, that an old paramour was giving her a friendly send-off to be another man's wife.
For the love of all that's holy, she thought. That sounds absurd even to me.
"Well, from what I've heard of the couple we're honoring tonight, there are plenty of sparks to sustain them indefinitely," he lied easily, sparing a bold glance at Blair. After taking quick note of her barely controlled anger, he decided it was time to wrap his speech up. Too much of a scene and she wouldn't spare a moment even to scream at him. "Ladies and gentlemen, there's just no other way to say it: Blair is perfection. Any gentleman in this room would be a better one with her by his side…but there is only one man in this room who deserves her. To Blair, and to Nicolas."
He found Nicolas standing where he had left him and raised his glass. The crowd followed suit and applauded loudly. Serena looked worriedly at Chuck and wondered how long it would be before Blair had him executed.
"That Basstard," Blair hissed. Her slim fingers gripped the delicate champagne flute so tightly that she was sure it would shatter, but she didn't care. She'd been right that morning: she hadn't thrown him off track. She'd only given him more incentive to pursue her.
Serena whirled back to her friend. "Blair, I'm so sorry. He said he wouldn't come tonight!"
"I knew he…the nerve…worthless security…assassins at the wedding...bowtie asphyxiation…"
"Blair!" Serena grabbed her by the shoulders. "Assassination plots? Don't you think you should do something about Chuck instead of standing here fuming?"
The brunette's eyes cleared. "You know, I believe that's the best idea you've ever had."
She tore out of Serena's grip and was strides away before the blonde could blink. "Wait, B! You're not going to kill him, are you?"
Blair tossed a wry glance over her shoulder. "I hope you don't mind being short a brother, S!"
Serena stared after her with her mouth agape. Her mother excused herself from Rufus and walked over quickly, having had overheard some of the exchange between the two friends.
"I take it Blair isn't happy with her surprise guest," Lily noted. She took a sip of her champagne as she watched Blair stomp over to Chuck, who had completely captured the attention of the small group gathered around him. Serena glanced over just in time to see Blair dig her nails into his arm and pull him away. They walked up the stairs to the private corridor that lined the room and disappeared.
Serena turned to face her mother. "Mom, I'm worried."
"Serena, I'm sure Blair isn't really going to murder him-"
"No, not about that," her daughter cut in. "He's probably done something in his life to deserve a painful death anyway. I'm worried about what he's going to do to Blair and Nicolas."
Lily regarded her daughter with a kind smile. Though she admired the love her daughter and her best friend shared, the two of them overreacted frequently with regards to each other's love lives. Lily had seen more scandals in her life than anyone should. She knew when one was about to erupt, and now was not one of those times. "I know Charles and Blair have a rather…tumultuous history, but I don't think he came here tonight for any reason other than to congratulate an old friend."
"I'm not so sure about that," Serena mumbled. Her mother certainly knew what her son was capable of, but she didn't know that Chuck had retained his love for Blair through the years. And if he was still in love with her best friend, then it would be safe to assume that he viewed her return to New York City as an invitation to resume pursuing her. Five years of torturous build up, an exclusive party that Blair was the guest of honor at, a huge diamond ring and Blair's total unwillingness to cause a scene? It was like a fine aged scotch for Chuck Bass: unadulterated temptation that needed to be consummated.
Serena put her hand on her mother's arm. "I'm sorry; I have to go make sure everything is okay. Excuse me, Mom." Lily nodded and turned to find her husband in the crowd, while Serena quickly contemplated her next move. She saw Nicolas speaking with a couple out of the corner of her eye and walked as quickly as she could to him.
"Excuse me," she said to the couple with a smile. "Nicolas, can I speak with you for a moment?"
The dark haired man smiled at her. "Of course. Please excuse us, and enjoy the party. Serena, is everything alright?"
She shifted nervously on her feet. She wasn't sure she was making the right choice, but she had to protect Blair from Chuck's scheming. She knew her brother's feelings had remained unchanged over the years and any love Blair felt for Chuck had disappeared long ago, but she couldn't take the chance that they were sneaking off for a quick rendezvous. Nicolas was a good man and deserved to know with whom he was dealing. It was time to protect her best friend's interests, especially if Blair was too blinded by Chuck's ruse to do so herself.
"No, everything is not alright," Serena whispered. "It's about Blair."
"Blair? Is she okay? Where is she?"
You're doing the right thing. Blair will forgive you. Serena heaved a sigh. "She stepped out just now. But there's something you need to know."
Blair didn't release her grip on Chuck's arm until they were safely ensconced in the privacy of the ballroom's second floor hallway. To her surprise, she realized she didn't care if anyone had seen them retreat there. He'd crossed another line today and she needed to put him in his place…as if he didn't already know it.
"I see you've been sharpening your claws," Chuck growled, fighting the urge to rub his arm.
"Charles," Blair said as she faced him. "What exactly are you doing here tonight? And if your response is anything other than 'trying to completely destroy you and ruin your impending nuptials', I'll know you're lying."
"Is there something you want to tell me, Blair?"
"Something I want to tell you?" She huffed. "As someone who crashed my party, you are in no position to ask me anything. Unless it's a request to escort yourself out rather than have security do it."
Chuck rolled his eyes. "Please. If you wanted to have me kicked out you would have hired better security. If I didn't know better, I'd think you wanted me here."
"It's a good thing you know better," Blair regarded him with contempt and ignored the familiar stirring low in her belly. You're just hungry, she chided herself. Focus! He was suggesting that she had allowed him to come tonight, the pretentious ass!
"By the way, congratulations on your latest successful plot. Fooling everyone into thinking you're not already married to that Frenchman out there must have been difficult," he smirked. "Even Serena doesn't know. I'm impressed."
It was all he could do to pretend that he wasn't affected by his words, that he wasn't slowly crippling himself with the thought that she was already spoken for. And adding to his torture, she was pulling him in without any encouragement at all. Her perfume permeated his skin more fiercely than it had that morning. He noticed that he was breathing more deeply in order to absorb as much as he could. The fire in her eyes made him shiver with lust. It was lucky that they could be easily discovered, or he would have pushed her against the wall and pinned her arms above her head as soon as she said his name.
Blair nearly put her hands on her hips in frustration. She was unaware of Chuck's growing lust and frustration, feeling instead like she was talking to a spoiled, jealous five year old. "What are you talking about, Bass?"
"I read the article, Blair. I know that the two of you were married six months ago in France. Why this whole charade tonight? Isn't it taking things a little far?"
Blair blinked in surprise. How had he seen an article? His PI had dug it up somehow of course, but the press had assured her that the story would never be printed. One paper had apparently been missed in the haste to cover it up and now Chuck was unaware that the ceremony had been cancelled. She considered allowing him to believe what he had read, but she couldn't resist being right.
"We're not married," she responded tightly. "The article you read was wrong."
"What?" Chuck's stomach turned over. She wasn't married yet? This was a twist in his favor. He hadn't felt guilty about his plans, but it would be far easier to win her back if she wasn't already legally bound to someone else.
"Not that it's any of your business, but it was called off," she retorted. "We decided it was a poor decision the next day, and here we are."
"Second time's a charm."
"Enough," she commanded. "You got what you came here for: your public humiliation of me was successful. I can only hope Nicolas didn't catch any of the innuendo in your speech."
Ignoring her last statement, Chuck took a step closer to her and lifted the corner of his mouth in a satisfied smirk. He couldn't hold out any longer. Technically, he wasn't crossing any lines if she wasn't married, he thought to himself. "You look ravishing in red, especially when the flush of your anger complements it so well. Excellent choice of venue as well. You do know that Harry Winston's brother-"
"Designed the chandeliers, yes," Blair interjected.
"You have the most exquisite taste, Waldorf," Chuck murmured. He reached for her hand and drew it to his lips, kissing it firmly. She snatched it away when she felt the tip of his tongue on her skin.
"I'm well aware of my own proclivities, Bass," she lifted her chin at him. "Which returns us to the issue I took you aside to discuss: you were denied an invited this evening for a reason. I can't have a pimp mingling with my distinguished guests, no matter how much of the Manhattan skyline he owns."
His eyes blackened with anger. "You went to my uncle on your own. And I told you I was sorry."
"Whether or not I went to him on my own is not the point," she spat. "It's prostitution, which you're intimately familiar with. You sold me for a piece of property. Tell me, how is the Empire? Is it everything you could have wanted?"
"Is Nicolas?"
"He's more, actually," Blair responded curtly. If she thrust her nose any higher into the air, she'd be in danger of toppling backwards. Her patience had run its course; soon she would have to land a hard kick to his shin again to catch her breath. Maybe she could aim a litter higher...just to ensure he wouldn't be feeling any pleasure for a long time. "Nicolas is certainly a better man than you. He would never have made such an inappropriate toast like you did."
"Stop," he said forcefully. Would all of their conversations be like this from now on? She was quickly becoming as venomous as she had been that morning. And though he was expecting her responses to his actions, he wasn't expecting how angry it made him to hear her verbally denounce him. "Why are you so bitter?"
Blair stared him down, once again willing spontaneous combustion. "I am not bitter," she enunciated condescendingly. "You traded me- your girlfriend!- for a hotel. I forgave you and you thanked me by sleeping with-" she struggled to say her name, "Jenny. What did you expect to happen? A tearful absolution followed by an elopement?"
"I didn't expect you to leave," he said softly.
She didn't miss a beat. "Well, I learned from the best: you run when everything crashes down around you. At least I didn't come back so high on opium and God knows what else that I wouldn't be able to pass a drug test for a year."
He gave her a small smile. "No, you came back as a fearsome foreign queen."
"I know what you're doing here tonight, Bass," she continued, her voice escalating quickly. "But I don't want you anywhere near myself or Nicolas. I thought I made it explicit to Serena that under no circumstances would you-"
"Ah, Dorota!" Chuck interrupted suddenly, spreading a genuine, albeit impatient, smile across his face. Blair hadn't seen her approaching. The maid's eyes grew wide in fear as Blair turned and shot her a warning look. "It's wonderful to see you again."
"Good evening, Mr. Chuck," Dorota replied, smiling nervously. It was never a good thing to be caught in the middle of a war between the dark haired pair before her, but she was trapped. "I was just looking for bathroom, but it must be somewhere else."
Chuck smiled at her unease. Catching a familiar sparkle, he gestured to the adornments on her ears. "Your earrings are absolutely radiant. Tiffany?"
Blair smiled triumphantly and interjected. "Actually, they're Cartier. I gave them to her before we left; she needed some small jewels to help draw all the attention to her gown."
"Cartier?"
"Yes, I believe they were a gift from someone. I can't seem to remember who…"
Chuck's nostrils flared. "Blair."
"That will be all Dorota," Blair lifted her hand in dismissal. "Please go try some of the pear canapés that were brought out a few minutes ago, they're delightful." When she had excused herself and shuffled out of sight down the stairs, Blair turned back to Chuck to see him barely containing his rage.
"Blair," he repeated. "I'll look past that slight because you gave them to Dorota and not some urchin on the street, but-"
"Oh, what a marvelous idea!" Blair exclaimed, turning to seek out her maid. "Dorota!"
Chuck grabbed her shoulders and spun her back to face him. "In the future," he said through clenched teeth. "I expect my gifts to be worn and enjoyed only by you."
His face was inches from hers. His sudden proximity worried her, since they were not in a particularly private location of the ballroom. "You just don't get it, do you?"
"Get what?"
"I chose Nicolas, not you," she said in a deadly even tone, voice full of mocked pity. "You may be a billionaire playboy who is used to getting everything he wants, but you won't this time. I don't want you anymore. And after your performance tonight, I can't see why anyone else would."
Chuck's jaw tensed. She had managed to throw his words back at him from years ago, when he had deliberately wounded her at her lowest point. He wanted to spew a hurtful retort, wanted to remind her that he had branded her as his forever when he took her virginity in his limo. But the words wouldn't come, and he hated himself for being weak. Blair's eyes were brimming with an emotion he couldn't place. She waited a beat, urging him to fight back.
He reached up to touch her cheek lightly. "Blair, I came here tonight because I thought you were married, and I couldn't stand it. Now that I know you're not…well, I'm still going to say the same thing. I can't let you leave here tonight without knowing the truth."
Blair's eyes softened. He was doing it again, weaving a spell with words and fixating those deep brown eyes on hers so intently that she couldn't move. She wanted to do something to make him stop, to get him to shut up before he said something that made her feel traitorous. She wanted to, but she didn't. She realized that even though she had moved on, a quiet thought had been festering in her mind for the last five years: if Chuck did come to fight for her, would she let him?
He was too close and she couldn't think clearly. She should turn and run, pretend she heard her mother calling for her, something. The moment was too sudden for her to answer her own question. Would she let him? When had her thoughts become so dangerous?
"The truth?" She whispered, desperately grasping at the passing moments to gather her thoughts.
Chuck's mouth opened as if to speak, but all that came were ragged breaths. She was so beautiful when she was frightened and unable to lash out at him. He knew he had to stop, knew that if he let himself go another second, he would take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. Chuck tilted his head down to parallel Blair's upturned face, and she swore she heard the music from the ballroom swell in time with her heartbeat.
You said you'd be a gentleman, he reminded himself. Gentleman, gentleman. But he could feel her heat attacking him and his lust responding loudly. They were in a secluded area of the venue. It was unlikely that anyone would stumble upon them in a compromising position there- save Dorota, who had always had a nasty habit of interrupting Chuck's lewd designs.
The hell with it, he decided. He stepped even closer to Blair, who had already retreated so far that her back was crushing against the wall. His fingers were still stroking her cheek, so he put his free hand against the wall above her head. He thought heard her whimper in anticipation, or maybe it was a half-hearted plea to make him stop that died on her lips. If he could only take his eyes off of her mouth, he could cover it with his.
Suddenly there was a flurry of motion, a rustling of clothing, and the sound of a body being slammed against the wall next to Blair. Chuck grunted in surprise but didn't struggle, despite the strong hands tightening against his throat.
"Bass," Nicolas' snarled.
"Well, it's a pleasure seeing you again so soon," Chuck smirked.
"Nicolas!" Blair cried.
"Let me deal with him, Blair," her fiancé responded through gritted teeth. "Old schoolmate? I should have listened to my instincts. After all, Chuck Bass has as much of a reputation in France as he does here." He stared intently at Chuck, who observed with a chuckle that he'd adopted Blair's famous murderous glare. Of course, no one could ever deliver them with quite as much ferocity as her.
Serena appeared behind Nicolas and walked straight to her friend, who had stumbled aside in the tussle. "Blair, are you okay?"
"S, how did you-?" her friend responded in surprise. She heard Chuck starting to struggle against his captor's grip. "Never mind. We'll talk later."
"I'm not going to make any assumptions about what I just saw," Nicolas hissed. "But I'm sure I can assume that you won't find yourself alone in the presence of my fiancée again." He let his unspoken threat hang in the air; he was fuming and Blair couldn't blame him. She was quickly becoming just as upset with Chuck for remembering what buttons to push to elicit her passions. She wanted to feel ashamed for her body's reflexive response to him, but the only thing she felt guilty for was not telling Nicolas certain tidbits about her past, particularly the identity of the man who broke her heart.
Blair closed the distance between them and put a hand on his arm. "Nicolas, let him go," she pleaded. He tore his eyes away from Chuck's to see her nodding reassuringly. "I know what this looks like. Let go, and I'll tell you everything. Please."
After a long pause, Nicolas sighed. He loosened his grip on Chuck and took a step back, placed a protective arm around Blair's shoulders and drew her to him.
"Thank you," she whispered into his chest. "Let's go back to the party. Come on, Serena."
He looked to Blair to read her expression- was she surprised at her fiancé's arrival? Disappointed? Happy?- but she wasn't looking at him anymore. She hadn't even spared a fleeting glance his way since Nicolas had grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall. It seemed instantaneous, how quickly the heat he'd felt radiating from her had cooled. With a thud he was certain was audible, his heart fell: her body may never stop responding to him, but her heart truly belonged to someone else for the first time since him.
Before turning, his sister shook her head at him. Her loose golden hair swayed with the motion. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. Chuck knew by her apology that she'd seen Blair drag him upstairs and had assumed the worst. He was Chuck Bass, after all- who wouldn't? He didn't blame her for it, but he wished she had been a little slower. Or that she had thought to confront him after the party.
The trio turned from him and walked away, towards the stairs and back to the ballroom. Neither of the girls spared a glance back, but Nicolas turned before he took a step down and shot a final warning look at his new adversary. Chuck responded with a cold smile.
Blair didn't stop walking until she reached a waiter carrying glasses of champagne. She snatched one from his tray and took a large swallow. By the time the bubbles had dissolved in her throat, she had convinced herself that the stinging in her eyes was from anger.
So much for being on good behavior, Chuck thought as he rubbed his throat. But he'd never stood a chance- as soon as the couple entered the ballroom and he saw the familiar post-coital flush upon Blair's cheeks, all reason fled. He immediately made his way to the woman he had overheard introduced as Nicolas' mother Jocelyne and her husband. Once he turned the Bass charm up, she would be putty in his hands and he could garner an invitation to speak to Nicolas.
She introduced him within minutes as a potential colleague for Nicolas' future endeavors in the States. Though Chuck was mildly surprised to hear that the couple would now be living full-time in New York City and not Paris, he didn't show it. The two spoke briefly about business and then the upcoming wedding, at which point Chuck had informed the dark haired man that he was an old schoolmate of Blair's. Chuck politely declined when Nicolas offered to find his fiancée so that they could catch up, suggesting instead that he'd rather surprise her by giving the first toast of the night. His companion agreed, and Chuck made his way to the highest tier to deliver his surprise.
Chuck had gathered from his PI's information and his brief observation of the couple that Blair was in love with her fiancé, but it was more than that. She seemed enraptured by him. But no matter what she shared with the man she'd met in Paris, she and Chuck transcended logic and reality. If time hadn't made her realize it, then he had to do something else that would.
After his efforts to speak earnestly to Blair were thwarted by Nicolas and Serena, he walked deliberately towards the entrance at the foyer. He was unwilling to wait for the inevitable, since Blair or Nicolas had most likely already called security to escort him out. The guard stationed at the elevator looked at him in surprise and hastily checked his clipboard of guest names. "Mis- Mr. Bass," he stammered. "You're not on the list, sir. I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Instead of flinging a snide remark at the man, Chuck nodded tightly at the man and strode into the open elevator.
"Have a pleasant evening, sir," he heard as the doors closed quietly. There would be hell to pay tomorrow. But as for tonight, a small victory had been won. She was probably wishing he'd meet with a painful accident on his way home, but he didn't care: he would be on Blair's mind for days. His behavior practically guaranteed she would join him at lunch the next day as his note requested. She would come only to berate him properly, but he would take the opportunity to explain why he had stayed away from her for so long. With a little bit of luck, there wouldn't be any interruptions this time.
The rest of the party went smoothly, other than the occasional nosy socialite who inquired about the nature of Chuck Bass' speech. The consensus was that although the toast was a bit too personal for the occasion, it was far more exciting than the rest of the speeches given. Rather mundane and rehearsed, they where.
At least the gossipers are happy, Blair thought. She, on the other hand, had a long night of explaining to look forward to.
When the hour was late and their guests had gushed over the wonderful party and bade them good night, the couple climbed into their limo and rode in exhausted silence back to the Waldorf penthouse. There was unease between them and though both knew the cause, neither wished to broach the subject just yet. Once they had arrived safely home, both showered and prepared for bed. Nicolas leaned against the door frame of her closet as Blair slipped on her negligee and studied her. It was a habit of his to watch her fuss over her appearance even if she was going straight to bed. With a smile, he realized he'd be doing it every night for the rest of his life.
"Blair," he finally said. "Tell me about Bass. What's the history there?"
His fiancée sighed as she tugged her silk shoulder strap into place, then turned to look at him. "I'm so sorry about tonight," she said softly. "I honestly didn't think he would show. I assumed enough time had passed, and that he would have forgotten about me." She left out the part about their encounter on the street that morning, knowing it would just hurt Nicolas further. Nothing had happened, so she didn't feel the need to reveal it.
Nicolas nodded. "I'm sure that's what you hoped, chère. But he doesn't seem like a man who does something without meticulous planning. Mon Dieu, he owns Bass Industries! Tell me, Blair. Tell me what happened between you so that I know what I'm facing here."
"Tea first," she said quietly. Blair couldn't stand to see the sadness in his eyes. He was clutching the damp towel in his hands as if reality would slip away should he drop it. She walked to him and peeled his fingers away, letting it fall to the floor. When she nodded encouragingly, he let her guide him downstairs to the kitchen.
"Chuck wasn't lying, we've known each other since we were children," she explained, pouring the warm liquid into a small cup in Nicolas' hands once they had been seated. "I was dating his best friend, Nate-"
"Nate. I met him this evening," he interjected.
Blair smiled. "Yes," she said before sipping her drink. "Nate and I were together from the time we were small children until we were 16. After we broke up, Chuck and I got involved. We played games with each other for a long time. When Chuck's father died and left him Bass Industries, a lot of pressure was put on him; his family, his own blood, hated him and wanted him gone. We dated for about a year, but after some…incidents, we broke up. That was when I moved to France. The rest you know."
"When you told me you left France to escape your lover, and I quote: 'a wealthy playboy from Manhattan', I never guessed it was Chuck Bass."
"And why would you?" She responded dryly, recalling the past. "Like you said earlier tonight, his name doesn't exactly call to mind the words 'relationship' or 'monogamy'."
Nicolas chuckled softly, then lowered his gaze to the porcelain cup in his hands. He didn't want to hear her response to the question he needed to ask, even if he knew the answer. Taking a deep breath, he said, "And you were in love?"
"Yes," Blair whispered, suddenly aware of a feeling akin to anxiety. She feared it would never go away: the dull ache in her stomach that clutched at her when she heard his name, remembered their time together, or felt his eyes on her. Why did he have to be travelling on the same street as her that morning? She and Nicolas would likely be lost in each other's arms right now had Chuck Bass never crossed her path.
"We were in love," she continued, choosing her words carefully. "But in the end he did things that were unforgiveable. Things no man in love would do. So I left him."
"What was tonight about?"
"Tonight," she exhaled, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Was typical Bass behavior. He's very protective, and since he hadn't met you before, he was making sure you were up to par. Chuck just…goes about it in a very backwards way. Though I must say, he probably deserved the chokehold."
Nicolas grinned at her, but the smile died quickly. "And…and you're over him?" He asked cautiously.
Blair's eyes softened and she felt the all-too familiar sting of tears. She took his face in her hands and pressed a tender kiss on his lips, pulling away slightly to look into his beautiful green eyes. "You are the only man I love."
A smile tugged at his mouth. He closed the distance between them and pulled her in for a passionate kiss, one that told her all suspicions had been thrown away for the time being. She responded eagerly, relishing in the utter perfection of the man she had discovered when she hadn't even been looking.
But Blair suddenly recalled a memory from when she was nine years old. Her mother had said something so horrible to her that she'd locked herself in the bathroom for hours, alternating between screaming and sobbing in anger. She spied a bottle of Dior's new perfume J'adore that her mother had brought from Paris, and had thrown it against the wall with a strangled cry. Feeling both triumphant and a little scared at her violence, she silently watched the sticky liquid drip onto the floor and around the pieces of broken glass.
Even though Dorota had thoroughly cleaned up the mess she'd made, to this day she could press herself against the wall and smell faint notes of orchid. The results of her emotional outburst as a child would almost certainly never go away.
With a start, she realized a debilitating fact: Chuck Bass was her adulthood's J'adore…a choice that she would never completely forget, one that would always be a sweet-smelling stain in the back of her mind.
I'm very open to comments, suggestions and constructive criticisms. If you think something is missing or could be improved upon, please don't hesitate to let me know! Also, I think it's time for a beta. I'm invested in this story now, and it deserves more than just my attentions.
Another huge thank you to my faithful reviewers, who have put up with my exploration of Blair's relationship with an entirely new character: QueenBee10, batgirl2992, LeftWriter224, Maribells, Michelle (since I couldn't respond to your review, thank you doubly! I won't let you down.), flipped, TriGemini, finnlover, and Maryam25. You keep me writing when inspiration refuses to strike.
To my readers, I hope you're still with me.