Four hours and 40 minutes until a brand new Gossip Girl. I'll be hiding my eyes. What about you guys? ;) Thanks for the replies and thank you to my Beta.
Blair put Sabrina in the carrier and let it sit on the floor in the yet to be furnished master bedroom while she inspects the balcony of their still in heavy renovations Brownstone. Chuck found her a moment later and joined her after putting Sebastian down next to his sister. Chuck came behind Blair and wraps her up in his arms.
"So," Chuck whispered, "What are you thinking about?"
"How much this place already feels like home," she sighed as she ran her fingers along his forearms, smiling that he'd rolled up his sleeves so she could feel bare skin, the skin she craved night and day. "I can already see our children running around giving us headaches, doing their homework at the dining room table, pushing and shoving each other, falling and scraping their knees, running to us in tears. I love that feeling."
"You love that our children will be in tears?" Chuck frowned in confusion.
"No," she shook her head quickly. "I love that they will be running to us to wipe those tears away, both of us."
"I saw your eyes lighting up in the kitchen. How big a stove are you planning on?" he grinned.
"As big as they come," she smiled. "I want the children to come home from school each evening to the smells wafting from it, and then we'll all sit down to extravagant meals together as real families should. We'll be like the stereotypical 50's family with better fashion sense"
"I like that image," Chuck laughed softly. "What do you think of the basement apartment?"
"I think if we play it right, we can get Cyrus to agree to live in it."
"We need to find a good time to broach the subject," he reminded her. She was so keen on the idea, but too nervous to actually mention it to Cyrus as of yet though she was slowly planting the seeds when she talked to him which was becoming a much more regular event.
"Yeah, I know," Blair nodded. "What did you think of the small room off the dining room? Big enough for a home office?"
"That should work. Plenty of space for a desk that I can make love to you on," he nodded. She rolled her eyes as she smacked him softly. "Have you given any thoughts to our bedroom decor?"
"Navy blue walls," Blair smiled with a nod. "And a king size bed right in the middle. That's as far as I've gotten."
"I'm with you so far," Chuck nodded. "We should replace the balcony door. I'm not crazy about the sliding glass. I've heard too many stories from my employees about their kids slamming their feet and hands in the door. I'd like to avoid those tears for a little while."
"Something with a good lock on it," Blair nodded.
"To keep the children safe or out?" he chuckled.
"Both," Blair nodded. "Until they get older and know better, I don't want to take any chances."
"I'm thinking an oversized bathtub in the bathroom," Chuck suggested.
"Room enough for two?" she inquired with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh yes," Chuck nodded.
"Well, we'll also need a nice sized shower."
"Why confine ourselves merely to the bath?" he chuckled, "I like how you think, Waldorf."
"Have I mentioned how wonderful it has been reconnecting with you in the bedroom?" she inquired as his arms wrapped around her a little tighter.
"Many times," Chuck nuzzled her neck before pressing a kiss to the curve of it. "Once everything's in place, we'll have to christen our home."
"Every last room," Blair smiled.
"As much as I love our sex life, I also love that our relationship isn't based strictly on sex," he told her sincerely. "We've been making up for lost time lately, but I love that we still get to have these moments where sex doesn't get in the way, and we get to enjoy being with each other."
"Do you know how sexy you are when you talk like that?" Blair smiled.
"You have a one track mind these days," he chuckled as she suddenly turned in his arms and was placing feather light kisses along his neck.
"I haven't heard any complaining," she smirked as she sucked lightly at his Adam's apple.
"There is no bed in this house and our children are less than five feet away," Chuck reminded her. "There are limits to a man's control, and you are severely testing them."
"Spoilsport," she pouted.
Chuck cupped her face in his hands and looked her deep in the eyes. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Blair told him. "Did I tell you I got an offer on the café?"
"A viable offer that we can accept and finally be rid of that place?" he inquired.
"I don't like it when you put it that way," she scolded him.
"I know, and I'm sorry," he told her, "But I can't help how I feel about that place anymore than you can control how you feel about the Empire."
"It's a respectable offer," Blair replied.
"And?"
"I called the lawyers yesterday. They're drawing up the papers," Blair admitted.
"You okay?"
"I need to go back and pack up the apartment. There are still a few things there that I want."
"We can go this weekend," he suggested, "And it will allow you to have a proper goodbye."
Blair wrapped her arms around his neck, "Thank you for saying 'we'."
He pressed a soft kiss to her lips before the sounds of their children interrupted them.
"I think Sabrina and Sebastian are bored," Blair frowned.
"We should get going anyway," Chuck checked his watch. "We're having lunch with Eric and Elliot."
"This really is going to be the most magnificent view," Blair responded as she nodded in response to his suggestion, "I cannot imagine a better view than to be able to see the children playing below and still have the New York skyline at sunrise."
"I think a sandbox should be our first backyard addition," Chuck suggested.
"I like that idea. It reminds me of how you and I met."
"Do you know it took my nanny three hours to get all the sand off of me that night?" Chuck asked her.
"I said I was sorry."
"She was not happy," Chuck added.
"Again, I said I was sorry," she laughed.
"Well, I did sort of deserve it," Chuck admitted. "It wasn't nice of me to throw a frog at you."
"You aren't kidding," Blair laughed, "The frog was all slimy. You're just lucky it was sand down your pants and not another foul gesture."
"Boys always throw frogs at girls they like," Chuck smirked.
"You need to teach Sebastian a different trick," Blair advised him, "Girls aren't into slimy frogs like little boys are."
"I won't be teaching him any tricks," Chuck shook his head. "Little boys shouldn't know such things."
Blair giggled, "He's not allowed in the back of a limo with girls either."
"That goes without saying," Chuck laughed, "And Sabrina will be nowhere near them either unless she is accompanied by a pre-approved adult chaperone."
"Daddy's little girl," Blair smiled with a shake of her head. "Do I have to remind you that I was also a daddy's girl? I succumbed to you."
"Not to defame the great Harold Waldorf, but I don't think he was up to matching wits with the hormonal Chuck Bass. I assure you, I will be up to the challenge."
"What can I say?" Blair smirked. "I was just too overwhelmed by you to refuse."
"Really?" he chuckled, "Perhaps I can overwhelm you a little later,"
"Maybe," Blair teased.
"We really shouldn't keep Eric and Elliot waiting," Chuck stated as he turned towards the children and pulled Blair with him.
"Wait. All kidding aside, that night in the limo was probably the best decision of my life."
"I can say without a doubt it was mine," Chuck agreed.
"Good," Blair smiled. "You know, if Cyrus says no, we can always offer the apartment to Eric. He told me the other night he's decided on Columbia."
"Let's talk to Cyrus first," Chuck responded even though he was thrilled at the prospect of Eric staying around. "Eric deserves to have the whole college experience, and that includes dorm living."
"Ugh," Blair groaned.
"Not everyone has an experience as horrible as yours," he reminded her.
"You know, it was the oddest thing, but I think I saw Georgina the other day," Blair said as the two of them walked down the stairs.
"Where?"
"Dan asked me to get something out of the loft and while I was there, I saw someone who looked like Georgina across the street."
Chuck immediately pulled out his phone to give his PI a call.
"What are you doing?" Blair inquired.
"Finding out if Georgina has returned and if she has, what she's up to."
"Chuck, her parents live here," Blair reminded him.
"Yes, they live here," Chuck said motioning around them. "They do not live in Brooklyn. And family has never been a reason for her before, it certainly won't be now."
"You're being paranoid," she informed him.
"It's Sparks," Chuck reminded her.
"Point taken," Blair nodded as they loaded the twins into the car. Blair slid in and Chuck followed. "You know, I still want to scratch her eyes and Vanessa's eyes out of their skulls."
"For?"
"Georgina for lying and Vanessa for leaving," Blair shook her head. "Humphrey didn't deserve that."
"No, he didn't," Chuck conceded. While he didn't have Blair's same level of fondness for the boy from Brooklyn, he didn't feel his lack of real estate fortune should make him everyone's punching bag.
"And Jonathan? How's he going to feel when he grows up and realizes that his mother voluntarily left him?" Blair was starting to look pissed.
"Maybe Vanessa will realize her mistake and come back," Chuck offered as he tried to calm her down. She always went into children protective mode when this topic came up.
"Lily didn't tell you," Blair asked. "Vanessa signed away her parental rights."
"So even if she wanted to come back," Chuck started.
"She has no legal right to ask Humphrey for a place in Jonathan's life."
"But he'd still give her a chance, wouldn't he?" Chuck inquired. He couldn't image anyone being so cruel as to deny a parent their right to see their child.
"I don't know," she shrugged.
"Allison left him," Chuck reminded her.
"And maybe that will be the reason why he will always let Vanessa come around," Blair concluded.
"If we were in a similar situation, would you allow me the right to see these two?" he hypothesized.
"I think I would because I know what it's like not to have a dad around and so do you," Blair smiled. "Bart might have been there, but he was never really there. I know that you would be the best possible father you could be for that reason alone. "But I don't foresee a scenario in which you would have signed away your parental rights."
"I don't get Vanessa," Chuck shook his head. "She grew up a lot more grounded than you and I, but we're the ones being day-to-day parents. She's the one running out on her child."
"It does seem strange," Blair nodded. "But I'm not going to try to get into her state of mind. I'm focus more on mine and being a good parent to our two angels."
"Sounds good to me," Chuck smiled. "You know, I wonder if Sparks' kid will end up in the same class as our two."
"Probably. They're only about five months apart - Oh my God. What if she lied?"
"Lied about what?"
"Georgina took Milo away from Dan, telling him that the real father was some Russian. What if she lied? What if Dan really is the father, and she was just sick of living in Brooklyn?"
"That would make Jonathan and Milo brothers," Chuck responded, "And open up an entirely new can of worms. This would be hard for Dan."
"I agree," Blair nodded, "Losing Milo hurt him a lot in the beginning. Then he lost Jenny and then Vanessa. Jonathan is the reason he's kept it all together."
"But he wouldn't be losing Jonathan, just getting Milo back," Chuck pointed out.
"Milo and Georgina," Blair reminded him.
Chuck winced at the addition she made.
"Georgina coming back into the fold is never a good thing."
"Being a parent changes you," Blair said. "And Dan said that it seemed to change her."
"Humphrey's not exactly the brightest guy when it comes to women. For example: Serena, Vanessa, and Ms. Carr," Chuck said. "And I'm not so sure anything could change the spawn of Satan."
"Well, we'll see," Blair said.
-x-x-x-
Blair sat down on the couch and opened the book she'd been reading.
"Hey," Chuck said as he walked off the elevator. "Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?'
"What?"
"My boxers, Nate's old Johnny Cash T-shirt, warm socks, and your hair back in a ponytail. Also you're not wearing any make-up."
"This is what relaxing looks like," Blair said.
"I'm just used to you dressed to the nines," he told her as he leaned in to greet her with a kiss. "What are you reading?"
"Columbia course catalog," she replied. "I'm helping Eric decide which courses he should enroll in."
"No plans to go back yourself," Chuck asked as he sat down next to her.
"Not at the moment. Right now I want to be there for the children as they grow up, and you as we embark on our new business venture. I hired Dan for the café today."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" he inquired, "He nearly bankrupted you with his mathematic ineptitude."
"He goes nowhere near the books. How was your day?" Blair inquired as she set her book aside.
"Nothing too earth shattering. I'm still rich," Chuck replied as he began pecking at her neck. "Did you and the children have a good day?"
"Yes," Blair nodded. "We went for a walk and we stopped for coffee. I wouldn't let them have any because it'll stunt their growth. They complained about that."
"Did they?"
"Yes, Sebastian especially," Blair rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "But I held firm."
"You caved, didn't you," Chuck replied.
"No," Blair shook her head vigorously. "Then we headed down to that bakery Lily likes so much and got scones before I picked up the makings for macaroni and cheese so I could make it for Eric since he agreed to baby-sit on Saturday when we go to clean out the apartment."
"I swung by the brownstone on the way home," Chuck told her. "The renovations are going better than expected. We may be able to move in by the end of the month. That is if you think you can work your designing magic in just a few weeks."
"With you bankrolling everything, I can probably have it done in only one. It will be my very own design challenge."
"Sounds fun," Chuck said.
Blair turned and then climbed into his lap, "I found a bed. It is perfect. I ordered it. It'll be delivered to that warehouse you own for storage next week."
"We could sneak away one evening after it's delivered and put it through a good workout," he told her.
Blair smiled, "My thoughts exactly. But I have some more news."
"Okay."
"Wanna go to Paris?"
"Does that mean you've been cleared for lift off?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," Blair nodded.
"And Cyrus?"
"Is expecting us for dinner on Monday," Blair admitted. "I figured it was better to make our proposition in person instead of over the phone. I'm much harder to reject in person."
"I'm familiar," he smirked.
"Plus then he can see how much I want him to return to New York. I miss him so much."
"I know you do," Chuck nodded.
"So, is this okay? If you need to work, the kids and I can go by ourselves."
"No," Chuck shook his head. "I want to make a better Paris memory for us. Plus I'm not going to miss a change to reinitiate you to the mile high club."
"You have had a one track mind lately," she shook her head. They were spending most of their alone time together in bed. Either were complaining, merely teasing.
"You're not any better," he chuckled as he began to peck away again. "It's the sexy boxers that have done me in. I cannot resist."
"Here on the couch," Blair feigned shock. "Why Mr. Bass, I'm surprised at your lack of propriety."
"That's a pretty big word," he laughed as he tugged lightly at the bottom on the t-shirt. "Are you aware that Archibald is looking for this? He accused me of stealing it."
"You did steal it. I found it in one of your drawers," she told him.
"Merely to halt him from ever wearing it again. This shirt is awful."
"Even on me?" she pouted.
"Except on you," he amended. "On you, it's incredibly sexy."
"It's comfortable. So are the socks," Blair wiggled her feet. "They were Serena's. I swiped them from her room before I left New York."
"You're quite the thief."
"So are you," Blair smiled. "You stole my heart a long time ago."
"That's a good line," he groaned as his hands slid under the worn cotton fabric, "One of mine?"
"Did I steal your heart?"
"The moment you looked over your shoulder on stage," Chuck nodded his hands moving further up. "Or perhaps in that sandbox. I'll never be too sure."
"Whenever it was, it doesn't matter," Blair shook her head. "What matters is the here and now and the fact that your hands feel really good on my back."
"Would you like a massage?" he offered as his fingertips trailed her spin gently. She shivered at his touch.
"I was kind of hoping for the full body type," Blair smiled.
"I can put that on the menu as well," he grinned.
"Here? Or in bed?"
"Let's move to the bed," he suggested as he easily picked her up in his arms. "It will give us more room, and you deserve a full body massage before I massage your body."
"That doesn't make any sense," she shook her head in confusion. "Are we having sex or not?"
"Eventually," he nodded as he crossed the threshold to their bedroom and lowered her to the bed. "Get yourself comfortable. I'm going to go check in on the children and then come back to ravish that sexy body of yours."
"Okay, but should I be naked when you get back," Blair teased.
"I like undressing you," Chuck smirked. "So, no, be dressed."
Blair rose up on her knees as he attempted to pull away. "I can put a few more layers on if you wish to raise the challenge level."
"I'm liable to tear anything you put on off," Chuck said. "And I like those boxers, so just stay dressed the way you are."
"I'll take your suggestion under advisement," she grinned as she trailed her fingers along his chest. "You'd better go before I entice you into this bed, and I know the children missed you today."
Once Chuck was out of the room, Blair scrambled towards her closet to find her sexiest piece of lingerie and put it on. She was going to give Bass a thrill.
"Somebody is fussy today," Chuck was cooing to Sabrina as he strolled back into their bedroom with Sabrina in his arms. When he tried to leave the room, she began to cry until he caved and picked he up. Now she wouldn't let him put her down and he didn't want to wake his soundly sleeping son.
His mouth fell open as he found Blair is a seductive pose.
She sat up when she saw Sabrina in her father's arms. "Oops. She won't remember this, right?"
"What? Her mom ready and waiting to be ravished by her dad? I doubt it."
"This must be what people meant when they said children can put a damper on a couple's sex life," Blair blushed as she slipped into her closet to find the matching satin robe.
"I guess so," Chuck sighed. "You knew this was going to happen, didn't you, Sabrina? Are you trying to torture Daddy before you become a teenager?"
"Just giving you a taste of what it'll be like when she finds a boy she likes."
"We are locking her in her room until she's thirty," Chuck informed her as he sat down at the end of the bed and began rocking Sabrina in hopes she'd fall asleep.
"Yeah, I think that's what my dad said about me and that worked so well."
"I swear, Blair, if she ever brings home a guy like me, I'll send her to a convent."
"I thought that Bass' weren't allowed in churches. Didn't you say that lightening would strike and set the place aflame?"
"Then I'll buy a castle in Europe and lock her in the tower."
"Chuck, you cannot keep her from growing up."
"I can certainly try," Chuck responded as he hugged his little girl close. "She will always be my little angel."
"Serena, Nate, you, and I grew up way too fast. We can give her what we didn't have. We can give her a childhood but we can't keep her a child forever. I can tell you that she will not be having sex at thirteen the way you were or on top of bars like Serena and Nate."
"Or in the back of limos the way you were," Chuck smirked.
"But she's still going to find a way to grove up, perhaps before you're ready."
"Are you this worried about Sebastian?"
"Yes, but for different reasons," Blair admitted. "I worry about him because when I look in his eyes, I see you staring back at me and that worries me because I was there for most of the bad things in your life."
"We can give him a different life," Chuck told him.
"We will give him a different life," Blair agreed and then looked over Chuck's shoulder, "She's asleep."
Chuck looked down at her, "She is. I'll put her back in her bed."
"You don't have to right away," Blair replied as she rubbed his shoulders. "I understand if you want to have a little daddy-daughter bonding time with her. I can wait to have my urges satisfied."
"Good to know," Chuck smiled. "I think I'll walk her a little in the living room to make sure she's asleep."
Blair nodded.
"Don't fall asleep," he told her as he left.
"I'll try," Blair smiled. She let herself fall back on the bed, her head landing on the pillows. He really was a good father.
She felt herself begin to drift off as the bed shifted underneath her. As she opened her eyes a sliver, she could see that Chuck was trying to get into bed quietly so as not to disturb her.
"I'm awake," she mumbled.
"Liar," he smiled.
"Everyone asleep?"
"I'm the only one awake."
"I'm awake," Blair tried to wake herself up.
"Blair, go back to sleep."
"I want to be with you," she said trying to open her eyes.
"You are with me," Chuck reminded her.
"You know what I mean."
"We can do this tomorrow night," he assured her.
"But I'm all dressed for it," she whined.
"I liked what you were wearing before just fine."
"But this is much sexier," she pouted.
"To which I am in full agreement," he assured her, "But I don't need sexy lingerie to get into the mood. I just need you."
"I love you so much," Blair smiled. "You always know just what to say."
"Are you waking up?" he inquired as he nipped at her shoulder softly.
"I'm wide awake," Blair nodded.
"Good," Chuck smiled. "Now, where were we?"
-c-c-c-c-c-c-
"It's remarkable what you did to this place with the limited funds you had available," Chuck marveled at the surroundings. "If it wasn't for the location and what happened downstairs, I think I could be comfortable living here. It makes me excited to see what you'll do with the brownstone given the unlimited funds you have available to you."
Blair laughed a little as she opened up the living room closet and pulled out the coats she had hanging in there before she was able to step further into the closet. "Hey Chuck, can you give me a hand? I can't get this box down."
Chuck did his manly duty and lowered the box on the top shelf down for her.
"Be careful," she exclaimed as he was a little rougher with the box than she would have liked. "That's fragile."
"What's in it?" Chuck asked as he set the box down on the couch.
"Our family ornaments," Blair said as she opened it up. "See? They have our names on it and that one has your name on it."
"You still included me," he responded in surprise, "With as angry as you were, I was still family to you?"
"You're always family to me," she told him as she turned to caress his chest softly.
"Thank you," he looked at the deep red colored ball.
"I had one for Bart and one for Evelyn made," Blair admitted quietly.
Chuck's eyes teared at the revelation.
"But this year will be the first time they'll be hung because I didn't have a chance to hang them up last year."
"What stopped you?" he inquired as he tried to reign in his emotions.
"My water broke," Blair told him.
It took Chuck a moment to realize what that actually meant. "You mean you went into labor as you were decorating the tree?"
"Christmas Eve I'm over by the window," Blair pointed to the window that faced the street. "I had just hung up my mom's and I'd reached back to grab yours when I felt a labor pain. Then my water broke."
"Does it always happen like that?" he inquired.
"I don't think so," she shook her head. "The doctor said that Sebastian and Sabrina were in a hurry to ensure they'd be born in time for Santa to visit. Serena barely made it in time."
"Was it painful?" he asked.
"Good lordy, yes," Blair nodded. "But it was worth it the moment I held them in my arms."
"I should have been there," he looked away, his disappointment evident.
"I'm sorry," she told him quickly, thinking that his disappointment was directed towards her. "I should have called you."
"That's not what I meant," he told her, "I shouldn't have let you get away. I should have followed you when you first walked away. I should have demanded forgiveness. I should have kept talking, kept apologizing until you took me back. Even when I saw you in Paris, if I'd called out to you, you would have stopped. I could have begged for your forgiveness so many times when I had the opportunity, but I didn't. I wasn't there for the most important day of my life. I missed our children coming into this world. I'm used to regret, but nothing will ever come close to this."
"It's not just your regret," Blair said. "I could've looked beyond what happened with Jenny and chalked it up to the grief-stricken, drunken mistake that it was. In Paris, I could've gone with Serena when she went to find you instead of getting on a plane. I didn't have to leave New York. I could've stayed and been pregnant here. I kept running in the opposite direction instead of standing still and just listening to you. My regret is that the day I found out I was having twins I didn't follow my first instinct and call you."
Chuck closed his eyes as the pain overwhelmed him. He hadn't wanted her to feel the regret he did. In his eyes, she'd done nothing wrong. He'd already forgiven her for everything in their absence, but he'd doubt he'd ever be able to forgive himself.
"Chuck, look at me," Blair demanded gently. "Let it go. It happened. I've moved on. You have to do the same. Punishing yourself is not going to change what has happened."
"Have you forgiven me?" he asked softly.
"Yes," Blair said. "And do you know why? Because at the end of the day, I want you there. Because at the end of the day, I can't imagine my life without you. But most of all, because at the end of the day, I've been in love with you since I was seventeen years old and I'm never going to stop."
"I love you too," he told her as he swept her into his arms and kissed her.
"I was never able to christen this apartment properly," she replied as she pulled away breathlessly. "How about we give this place a proper goodbye?"
Chuck lifted her into his arms and brought her back to the bedroom.