Okay so first, I have to apologize to Sala for my comment about Israel last chapter. The only things I know about Israel come from watching NCIS. If I offended anyone else I apologize to you as well. Now I have thank Sala as she was my 300th reply.
Enjoy everyone and keep the replies coming. 4 more weeks!
-x-x-x-x-x-
Blair was standing at the counter making notes for the contractors when the door opened. She looked up to see Dorota.
"Dorota? What are you doing here?"
"I come to see you, Miss Blair. I hear Mr. Nate tell Miss Serena that Mr. Cyrus moving home."
"Yes," Blair nodded happily. "He'll probably be calling you soon."
"I clean up his room when I get back. When Mr. Nate and Miss Serena move out?"
"They're not. Cyrus is moving into the basement apartment of the Brownstone."
"They not move out?"
"No," Blair shook her head.
"Well, then I come work for you and Mr. Chuck."
Blair studied the maid, "Dorota, what is going on?"
"It Mr. Nate and Miss Serena," she paused for a moment as if searching for the right words. "They make noise."
"They're fighting?"
"No. Fighting I could handle. You and Mr. Nate fight. You and Mr. Chuck fight. You and Miss Serena fight. Miss Eleanor and Mr. Harold fight. Fighting I used to. No, this is noises I never hear anyone make before. Well, I hear you make noises like it when you with Mr. Chuck, but you were in shower and I could turn on vacuum cleaner to block out. I cannot block this out, and I start to think that Vanya and I do something wrong."
"Oh, Dorota, I'm so sorry," Blair responded, biting her lip to keep from laughing.
"They everywhere," Dorota stated. "No place safe."
"I'll talk to Serena. In fact, Chuck and I are having dinner at Lily's tonight, so why don't you go home early and take Anna to the park or something?"
"Thank you, Miss Blair," Dorota said. "But what about Mr. Nate?"
"He can order pizza."
"No more moaning," Dorota stated as she covered her ears with her hands as she shook her head from side to side. "My ears still ring. Perhaps I work for you, Miss Blair, at Brownstone."
"I'll talk to Chuck, I promise," Blair put an arm around Dorota as she guided her to the door. "And if not the Brownstone, I can always put you in charge of housekeeping here at the hotel."
"My own staff to boss around," Dorota's eyes went wide with intrigue.
"The choice will be yours," Blair laughed.
"Thank you, Miss Blair."
"You're welcome," Blair smiled. "Kiss Anna for me and I'll tell Vanya he doesn't have to pick you up tonight."
"I get limo?" Dorota asked hopefully.
"All to yourself," Blair nodded and then motioned to Arthur as they stepped out onto the street. "Take Dorota home, okay, Arthur? Then swing by and pick Chuck and the children up. I'll meet them at Lily's."
"Of course, Miss Waldorf," Arthur nods as he opened the door for Dorota.
Blair barely made it back into the cafe before she started to giggle hysterically.
-x-x-x-
"Hey, you're late," Chuck hugged her. "Busy day of remodeling?"
"It was a busy day, but then I was sidetracked by Dorota," Blair explained. "She's having challenges with the residents at my mother's penthouse."
"Hey, Nate and I are those residents," Serena stated defensively.
"Yes, I know," Blair nodded as she started to giggle again. "And do you know what Dorota's complaint was?"
"Do we even want to know?" Chuck asked with a sense of dread.
"Do you remember when we'd take a 'shower' at my house and every time we'd get out, Dorota was running the vacuum cleaner?"
Chuck nodded as he eyed her curiously.
"Well, even that doesn't block out the noises Serena and Nate make."
"Serena is a screamer, huh," Chuck concluded.
"CHUCK!" Serena exclaimed in mortification.
"It can't be Nate," Chuck laughed, "I shared a hotel suite with him for a year."
"She said that the moaning was still ringing in her ears," Blair was still giggling.
"Oh god," Serena moaned as the mortification increased.
"Demonstrating for us?" Chuck laughed.
"What's so funny?" Eric walked in.
"Dorota wants a transfer," Blair smiled.
"Serena too vocal?" Eric concluded.
"Eric!"
"What? We lived in the same apartment for most of our lives. I heard you. I heard Mom. God knows I heard Chuck."
"Thank god, I was still on restrictions when you lived with us, Little E," Blair sighed in relief.
"You never slept with Chuck when he lived here?" Eric asked. "I could've sworn I heard him yell your name once or twice."
"It was a common occurrence with others," Chuck admitted.
"I don't know whether to be happy or appalled at that."
"It's the highest of compliments, my darling," Chuck assured her as he kissed her cheek softly. "So, are you going to bring Dorota over to the Brownstone?"
"It's either that or put her in charge of housekeeping at the hotel," Blair said.
"Whichever you prefer," Chuck told her, "It's your decision."
"Then I'll let Dorota decide," Blair smiled as she kissed his cheek.
"What are we supposed to do?"
"Find a maid who is slightly hard of hearing," Eric advised his sister.
"Perfect solution," Chuck laughed.
"Blair, dear, did you just get here?" Lily greeted Blair as she inserted herself into the conversation.
"Few minutes ago," Blair hugged Lily. "I had to stop and talk to Vanya. I gave Dorota an early out today so he doesn't have to go get her."
"Well, we've been holding dinner for you. Everyone please have a seat," Lily instructed everyone.
"I'll be right there," Blair stated, "I just want to look in on my babies first. I haven't seen them all day."
"I'll go up with you," Eric said. "I didn't get a chance to see them when they got here."
Chuck pulled Blair into him to give her a lingering kiss before she disappeared to look in on their children.
-x-x-x-x-
"So, what's up, Eric?" Blair asked as they walked down the hall to Chuck's old room. "As much as I know you love the children, there's more to your offer than being the doting uncle."
"I was wondering if you needed a waiter for the café."
"Eric, you're a van der Woodsen, you don't need a job at my cafe," Blair told him.
"I'd like a job at your cafe," Eric replied.
"You're going to have a lot on your plate at Columbia already," Blair told him, "And on top of your relationship with Elliot. When do you think you'll find the time to have a job?"
"Elliot and I are going through a rough patch," Eric admitted.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Blair put an arm around him and pulled him into her side. "You know you can always come to me."
"I know, B," Eric smiled. "I just wanted to deal with it myself first before I started getting advice."
"Okay," Blair accepted his answer. "So, what is it? Jealousy?"
"More like geographical undesirability," Eric said.
"Come again?"
"Elliot's going to Berkley," Eric said.
"Ah," Blair nodded. "Long distance relationships don't work, right?"
"Right," Eric nodded, "Elliot thinks we'll be able to handle the distance, but I have my doubts. I think maybe we're getting too serious for each other. I'm only eighteen. I should be playing the field, right?"
"You're asking the wrong person," Blair laughed.
"Right," Eric nodded. "You were going to marry Nate for most of your life when you fell for Chuck."
"And if he asked me to marry him tomorrow, I'd probably say yes but I'd want to wait a while."
"Why is he waiting?" Eric inquired.
"Because we're not ready," Blair replied, "We still are working through our issues."
"But you'd say yes?"
"Without a doubt."
"I really like Elliot," Eric stated, "But . . ."
"If you have your doubts, that's okay," Blair assured him, "You've dealt with a lot of adversity in your young life. It's okay to be gun shy. In fact, I'd be surprised if you weren't."
"I'm glad you're home, B," Eric said. "Just in case I haven't mentioned it lately."
"I'm glad, too. And if you want a job, you've got it."
"Thank you," Eric replied as he hugged her close. "I can't really go to Serena with these types of things. She'd just tell me to keep pushing on with Elliot, and I know that's not what I wanted. I guess I just wanted someone to make it okay for me to feel the way I am."
"Two conditions," Blair said. "If you and Elliot break up, you date and two, you keep your grades up."
"Deal," he nodded.
"They really are beautiful children, Blair." Eric stated as he watched Blair gingerly lift a sleeping Sebastian out of the crib to hold him for a few moments.
"You don't have to tell me that," Blair smiled as she held Sebastian close, inhaling his unique baby scent.
Eric lifted Sabrina into his arms and did the same.
"You know you'll make a great dad one day," Blair said. "I really hope you get the chance."
"It'd be nice," Eric said. "But it can wait until after school is over and I have a career."
"Any ideas?"
"Maybe a doctor or a lawyer," Eric mused. "God knows I've got the arguing experience."
"Have you thought about business?" Blair inquired, "You'd have a fantastic mentor."
"I don't think I have the instinct to do what Chuck does and after seeing Nate's dad get in over his head so badly, it makes me a little gun shy."
"Speaking of Nate's dad, I have to call Nate. Chuck and I wanted to talk to the Captain about being a concierge."
"A concierge, really?" Eric asked in surprise.
"He's got a lot of contacts in the city, and he's still pretty smooth. We'll see what happens."
"That actually might be a good job for the Captain," Eric realized as he thought about it more.
"And even if I'm not his daughter-in-law, I will always see him and Anne as family. I'd like to give him a second chance."
"How very liberal of you," Eric laughed softly.
"Thank you," Blair smiled as she put her son back down. Then she leaned down and kissed Sabrina's forehead before Eric put her down. "Let's go have dinner."
Blair and Eric made small talk as they made their way to the dinner table where everyone was waiting for them.
-x-x-x-x-
"So, you still okay with hiring the Captain," Blair asked as Arthur drove them all home a few hours later.
"Of course," Chuck nodded, "But we'll make financial advising a strict no-no."
"Good plan," Blair smiled. "So, how bad are you going to rag on Nate for why Dorota wants to work somewhere else?"
"It's good fodder for months," he chuckled.
"I had the hardest time keeping a straight face when Dorota was talking to me."
"I'm glad she went to you and not me," he laughed, "I never would have gotten through it."
"I'd really like her to come to the Brownstone," Blair admitted, "But if given the choice, I think she might choose the new hotel."
"Then we'll just have to find a replacement Dorota."
"A replacement Dorota? She cannot be replaced."
"A substitute Dorota?"
"Better. But still not an option that I'd look forward to," Blair admitted.
"You don't have to give her the option. You can just bring her into the Brownstone."
"But I want her to be happy," Blair stated. "And I already gave her the hotel option. I think she's looking forward to her own staff. I'm kind of worried about the power going to her head."
"I seem to remember another enjoying the power," he chuckled as he began to nuzzle her neck, "But she might surprise you."
"Chuck, the children are less than five feet away," Blair moaned softly as he continued to nuzzle at her neck.
"They're asleep and they're way too young to realize what we're doing."
"You know what one of Dorota's complaints was? That the noises Nate and Serena were making made her feel like Vanya and she were doing something wrong."
"Well, I can speak from experience that the two of us are doing it right," he whispered seductively.
"Chuck," she moaned softly as his breath ghosted across her cheek.
"Back to the scene of your first crime," he told her as he pulled her into his lap, "When you first stole my heart."
"I thought I stole your heart in the sandbox," Blair giggled.
"The sandbox, the stage, and this limo," Chuck murmured. "One piece of my heart at a time. The child, the woman, and the girl who trusted me enough to give me her first time."
"Chuck, please," she whispered as she kissed him desperately.
"No need to beg," Chuck smiled.
"There is something so thrilling about this vehicle," she told him as she began to unbutton his shirt.
Chuck reached out quickly to lower the glass partition. "Arthur, take the scenic route."
Just as quickly the glass partition went up as Blair peeled the shirt and suit coat from his body in one motion, his tie still in place, although loosened from earlier in the evening.
She tugged at his tie as she began laying back against the cool leather, bringing him with her.
"You've become insatiable lately," he informed her.
"I went a year without," she reminded him, "Through the pregnancy cravings and long sleepless nights I was up with the twins, it was all I could think about sometimes. I've had this ache inside of me that has yet to be soothed."
"Is that a shot at my ego?" he smirked as he began divesting her of her blouse.
"No," she shook her head quickly as she held his tie firmly in her hands, using it at a leash to keep him close if he dared back away.
"No?" he prompted her.
"It just speaks to my need for you," she managed to say with a straight face.
There was a sudden laugh that derailed all their plans. Sabrina's eyes were opened wide, and she was watching in fascination.
"You're supposed to be asleep, Little Girl," Chuck told her as he tinkled under her chin. "Mommy is trying to return Daddy to the scene of the crime, and you are killing the mood."
Sabrina merely laughed.
"Sleep," Chuck told her as he slid his fingers closer to her eyes, gently closing her tiny little lids in encouragement. When he pulled his fingers away, her eyes stayed closed. "Such a good little girl."
Chuck watched Sabrina for a few minutes to ensure she was back to sleep before he returned his attention to Blair.
"That was a close one," he smirked as he finished undressing her.
"It's always an adventure with you," she added.
-x-x-x-x-
Blair sat down at a cafe table with a sample menu. She started to make notes.
Before her were several test dishes she'd had the potential baker make her. While she'd enjoyed cooking for her cafe in New Jersey, she knew she wasn't going to be afforded the same luxury as the volume at the café was going to be much greater. She still wanted to ensure that her influence was felt in the pastries.
She'd gone through three bakers already and had yet to be satisfied.
"Hey Blair," Dan entered with Jonathan.
"What are you doing here?"
"Just seeing how the taste testing is going," Dan responded, "And if you're going to ax this baker like the rest. If so, I want to watch. It's rather entertaining."
"Well, I'm glad you're here. We got the book and music catalog. You seemed to have a good instinct for it when I left you in charge at Thayer's. You wanna help me?"
"I would love to," Dan nodded as Jonathan reached for Blair.
"Hey Buddy," Blair took Jonathan and hugged him. "I also got some Columbia book lists from Nate. I figure it wouldn't hurt to carry some of the classics."
"How every practical of you," Dan stated as he watched Jonathan interact with Blair. It was becoming painfully obvious that he need a maternal influence in his life.
"Have you heard from Vanessa?" Blair inquired as she caught Dan's frown.
"I haven't but she called Dad. Apparently her mom told her what happened," Dan frowned deeper. "She had news."
"She's getting married," Blair guessed.
"She's pregnant."
"She's what?" Blair shouted.
"Pregnant," Dan repeated with a shake of his head. "I suppose I should be honored that I was the first to impregnate her."
"Take your son," Blair handed Jonathan back to his father and picked up her cell phone. "I think Dorota knows a hit man or something."
"The offer is tempting, but no thanks," Dan responded.
"I can hire some tasty college girls," Blair offered, "You should be able to work what little of that Humphrey charm you have to wear them down."
"Again thank you, but no," Dan shook his head. "That looks good." He picked up a fork and just before he dug in he looked at it more closely. "New silverware?"
"One of few things Chuck and I have been able to agree on," Blair sighed.
"I thought he was letting you take complete control of the café," Dan frowned in confusion.
"Yes, but I'm looking for silverware for the restaurant and that's a sample. Also, that's the type of napkin we're considering," Blair pointed.
Dan forked a piece of the cake and tasted it. "It's like sawdust," he cringed as he spit whatever it was that he'd eaten into said napkin.
"Jean-Michele," Blair called into the kitchen.
"Oui?"
"You are fired. Go back to the C.I.A. and tell them you need your pastry accreditation yanked."
"Miss Blair, not understanding," the young chef frowned.
"Did you taste this?" Blair inquired, "Not one of these is edible. I thought C.I.A. had the best of the best. I have yet to be impressed. Go back and relearn everything."
"But-
"Out! Now! Before I sic the Polish mafia on you," Blair pointed.
"Like I said, entertaining," Dan chuckled as the chef scrambled to gather her belongings.
"And the worst part? Not one of them can make a decent bull's-eye. I'm going to have to rework the breakfast menu."
"Perhaps you're shooting too high. Your food might be too simple for these fancy chefs. You need someone that knows something about home baking. You aren't going to find that at C.I.A."
Blair rested her forehead against her hand, "I truly hate it when you're right, Humphrey."
"I know," he nodded triumphantly.
"Oh, by the way, I found a great cookie recipe. You like peanut butter, right?"
"I'm allergic to peanut butter," he told her.
"Oh right. I had to take you to the emergency room when you accidentally ate it right after I hired you for Thayer's."
"Thanks for staying with me by the way. Three infants and a swelled employee couldn't have been fun."
"No, it wasn't fun, but necessary," Blair replied.
"You were a good sport."
"You more than returned the favor."
-c-c-c-c-c-
"You fired another pastry chef today, didn't you," Chuck stated as he came home to a wonderfully prepared meal of all his favorites. She was trying to butter him up in the most obvious of ways.
"Why would you say that?" Blair asked innocently. "I made red velvet cake tonight for dessert. Did you know it wasn't a traditional southern dessert? It was originally a signature dessert for the Waldorf-Astoria."
"Waldorf, you're tempting me with desserts," he told her, "Tell me you didn't fire the pastry chef."
"I had to. His cake tasted like sawdust."
"Blair, everyone's cake tastes like sawdust according to you," he groaned, "We're due to open in less than a month. We need to have a pastry chef in place now to be ready."
"I set up some interviews with some recent grads from NYU and Columbia."
"For pastry, what do NYU and Columbia grads know about that?" he exclaimed in outrage.
"Save the fancy pastries for the restaurant," Blair told him as she sat him in a chair and started to massage his shoulders. "I do things a lot simpler in the café. I want people who aren't going to get offended if I ask them to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies or a bull's eye."
"Blair, we're going for sophistication and refinement for our hotel."
"And the café is about relaxation and stirring memories of a simpler time. Chocolate chip cookies and bull's eyes do just that."
"What the hell is a bull's eye anyway," Chuck frowned.
"It's a piece of toast with the center cut out and an over easy egg in its place. It goes great with a cup of tea. Chuck, people don't always want linen napkins and thousand dollar silverware. Sometimes they just want a cup of coffee and a cookie. A book to read, music to listen to," Blair said.
"Some want elegance and a good scotch," he told her.
"That's what the restaurant is for," Blair reminded him. She walked around and straddled his lap. "This is going to work. We just have to trust that the other one knows what they're doing."
"The café just seems a little too simple," he told her gently.
"Do you trust me?" she asked.
"Always," he responded automatically.
"Then let me do this my way," she requested.
"Alright," Chuck nodded. "So, sawdust?"
"Dan took one mouthful and spit it out immediately."
"Then it must have been pretty bad," Chuck sighed in resignation. "Humphrey's palate isn't nearly as refined as ours."
"Oh and speaking of Humphrey, guess what?"
"Georgina showed up?"
"No," Blair shook her head. "Vanessa is pregnant."
"I'm sorry, what did you just say?"
"Yeah. I didn't get the whole story but she's pregnant."
"Wow, two kids in two years," Chuck stated in surprise. "Is she going to abandon this one as well?"
"I have no idea. I'm still stuck on the absolute hypocriticalness."
"And lack of virtue, apparently," Chuck added.
"I always said she was a slut."
"Enough about her, how was the rest of your day?" Chuck inquired, "You got to fire someone, which must have made the day pretty good."
"I gave Dorota her options today," Blair frowned, "She said she needs a couple of days to think it over."
"What do you think she'll choose?" he ran his hands up and down her back.
"As much as I think she'd enjoy being the head of housekeeping at the hotel, I think she'll go for the Brownstone. It's less time consuming and it has steadier hours and, as an added bonus, she has built in playmates for Anna," Blair smiled. "She saw what being a working mom did to my relationship with Mom. She would never want that to happen with Anna."
"Is that what you think or what you're hoping for?" he inquired.
"Both," she replied. "She's been such a part of my life for so long."
"I know," Chuck nodded. "I still remember her yelling at me in Polish the night Serena and I went to find you after you slept with Carter Baizen."
"What an awful time that was," she groaned. "And it was Baizen that I had to run into. God, the thought makes me cringe. I let him touch me."
"You did delouse after that right," Chuck teased.
"Yes, I'm very clean. I had Dorota burn the outfit I was wearing," Blair smiled. "But Carter can't be all bad. Serena seems to like him."
"Nate, Humphrey, and I think she got very close to a professor last year."
"Serena nailed her professor," Blair nearly shrieked.
"This seems a surprise for some reason," Chuck shook his head.
"How long do you think she and Nate will last?" Blair inquired.
"I hope they last for a while. I am so sick of watching what their break ups do to Nate. The one last year was the worst one."
"I hate to say it, but I don't think it will," she sighed, "Serena doesn't know what it takes to keep a stable relationship. Look at her role model."
"I should say something in her defense considering she's my mother too, technically, but I can't find the words."
"I hope I'm wrong," Blair added.
"Me too," Chuck nodded. "So, what's for dinner?"
"I grilled steaks and little red potatoes."
"And you for dessert?" he smirked.
"Well, I made a cake, but I'm flexible," she smiled.
"I know," he laughed. "You're so good at demonstrating."
"I walked right into that one."
"I don't mind."
"Dinner first," Blair told him. "I'm hungry."
"So am I," he told her lustfully.
"For food," she scolded him with a slap to the shoulder as she removed herself from his lap.
"Well, it smells great," Chuck smiled as she put their plates down. "The twins?"
"They're asleep, thankfully. Serena watched them today."
"And wore them out," Chuck smiled, "So we'll get time to ourselves."
"All that we need," she nodded.
"Any plans?"
"Quite a few, actually," Blair smirked.