A/N: I want to thank all those that reviewed the last chapter! & all of those that read it! I hope you enjoy this one!
The smell of the nights feast drifted all through the hotel's dining hall. One whiff of the roasted turkey could make you hungry in an instant. Blair and Serena found their way to the table Lily had reserved for all of them. They scanned the table for their places. Blair found her name first and Serena's was placed right beside hers. On Blair's other side, Jenny's name was written on her name card. The best friends sat down and scanned the crowd.
"I've missed these gatherings," Blair said, not taking her eyes off of the people making their way to their own seats.
"I've missed going to them without my best friend," Serena replied, giving Blair's hand a small squeeze.
Blair looked over at her and smiled. Just when she thought she would be a stranger, she found the familiarity of her time before Yale. They heard Lily's voice getting louder as she made her way to the table. Jenny and Eric not far behind her. She smiled at the two girls before sitting a few seats away from them at the table. Jenny pulled out her chair and sat down, Eric beside her.
"Blair, you look amazing!" Jenny said as she saw the dazzling brunette.
"Told you," Eric piped in.
Blair let out a small laugh and took a sip of her water, which the waiter had been kind enough to pour. The food was starting to make it's way to the tables, but there were still some seats that were unoccupied.
She looked over at Serena, who was happily drinking her wine. She tapped her knee gently, just light enough to get her attention. Serena turned her head abruptly and set her attention on Blair.
"Yes?"
"Do you know if anyone's supposed to join us at the table?" Blair asked, motioning towards the two empty seats directly across from them.
"Probably Chuck and his plus one," Serena said, taking a sip.
"Jade," Blair murmured, anger seeping into her quiet words.
"Did you say something?" Serena asked, setting her glass down.
"Nothing. I was just thinking about the turkey. I'm sure it'll be delicious," Blair said quickly.
"It should be. Mom got the best five star chefs in New York."
The sound of knives hitting plates and rings being taken off napkins was heard throughout the hall. People laughing joyously and warmth grew, surrounding everyone. The turkey had arrived at their table. Everyone got their white meats and started to eat. Still no one came to the vacant seats.
Blair chewed on a piece of her turkey, still not being able to take her eyes off the seats. Why did they entrance her? She did not know and she didn't want to know. The chairs kept her attention.
"Blair?" she heard from her left.
She turned her head ever so slightly and was met with Jenny's blue eyes looking at her very concerned.
"I've been trying to talk to you for the past five minutes. Are you alright?" she asked.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just a little tired," Blair replied.
"Well that's a relief," Jenny said as she took a sip of the champagne before her. "Listen, I wanted to tell you that Dan would be here but his boss is such a jerk and it is his first week there. You know he loves you, right?"
"Yes," Blair said as she nodded, her earrings dangling as she did.
Jenny smiled, showing an inaudible sigh of relief. She went back to her meal as did Blair. Immediately her eyes went back to the seats. Where was Chuck? He had to be here. It was Lily's gala after all.
"May I be excused?" Blair asked.
Lily nodded with a small smile. Blair returned the smile with one of her own before taking the napkin off her lap and placing it beside her plate. She grabbed her clutch and made her way to the bathrooms, which were across the lobby. She reached the outside of the hall only to hear hushed, tension-filled voices. She hid by the wall so she wouldn't be seen.
"-Let's go. We can't keep them waiting for longer. It's been fifteen minutes since they started eating!" she heard a familiar shrieking voice.
"I told you I am not going. I don't want to deal with all of that with you!" Chuck's shouted.
Blair felt her body freeze. She knew she should leave. Who was she to listen in on Chuck and Jade's arguments. It certainly wasn't ladylike. But as much as she knew she should leave, her feet didn't bother moving. Neither could her heart.
"Deal with me? You should have just told me I was such a pain!" Jade yelled at him.
"Cut the crap. You and I both know that there is nothing between us. We use each other. That's just what we do and I don't want to do it anymore."
"What are you trying to say?" Jade's voice had a slight quiver in it.
"I'm saying I no longer want you interfering in my life. These are my friends and family. Not yours and I would appreciate it if you left," Chuck told her.
"You know you wouldn't be saying this if Blair hadn't come back to the city," Jade spat out.
Blair gulped. Could this be true? She felt herself backing away from the wall and back into the hall. Her heart pounding ferociously inside of her. Her breaths coming out more rapidly. She walked back to the table, her meal still waiting for her. She sat down and instantly started to eat her turkey. The rest of the table had already finished and was starting on desert.
"B," she heard Serena say to her softly.
But she didn't look up. Instead she took a sip of her water and resumed eating. Once the plate was empty she grabbed her water again and began gulping it.
"Blair," Serena said, grabbing the glass from her.
She turned and looked her best friend in the eye. Most of the others sitting at the table were quiet, pretending they hadn't noticed a thing. But Blair knew. She was one of them after all. They looked up briefly from the chocolate mousse. Her heart hadn't stopped racing and she was sure that they could all hear it. She pushed her chair out and mumbled a quick "Excuse me" before gallivanting towards the bathrooms.
Serena watched, eyes wide open. Blair was never the one to run off during dinner. She had always enforced that on Serena. She turned to her mother and met the same expression she was wearing.
"Excuse me," Serena said as she got up from her own chair and went off to find Blair.
It wasn't hard to find her. There were only limited places that Blair could go where she couldn't cause a scene. The bathroom.
Serena pushed open the door and walked into the spacious facility. There stood Blair. Tears running down from her eyes and standing in front of the mirror. Her clutch located beside her on the counter. Serena ran up to her and engulfed her in a hug. Blair hugged back, sobbing onto Serena's dress.
"I ruined everything," Blair said, her voice being muffled.
Serena held her closer.
"You didn't do anything wrong," she told her.
Blair pulled back from her and stared at Serena. Her make up was ruined, but that didn't seem to be the problem. Her eyes were sad. A sight Serena rarely saw.
"What is it, Blair?" Serena asked her calmly.
"I-I overheard Chuck and Jade talking earlier…." Blair started.
She felt her knees begin to buckle and quickly ran over to the giant ottoman that sat in the middle of the washroom. Serena ran and sat beside her.
"What did you hear?"
Blair looked up at Serena. Her eyes had become more bloodshot.
"Jade said that Chuck was only breaking up with her because I was back and I think she may have been right. I've been taking him away from her and I have no right to. Can't you see what a horrible person I am?" Blair said.
"Jade's just a bitch. Chuck has a million reasons to break up with her and none of them have to do with you," Serena reassured her.
"But what if it is true? Seriously Serena, what if I hadn't come back to the city? They wouldn't be having all of these problems," Blair said.
"Blair-"
"Well? Would they have broken up if I wasn't here?" Blair asked, cutting Serena off.
Serena sighed. As much as she wanted to say yes, she knew it wasn't true. Chuck had claimed he had fallen in love with Jade the moment he had brought her over for a family dinner a month ago. That was the only time he had claimed love for another human being after Blair had left.
"Why are you taking a long time to answer?" Blair asked softly.
"Oh, Blair," Serena said with tears coming out of her own eyes.
Blair felt her own tears well up once more. She got up from her seat and walked over to a stall. After grabbing a handful of toilet paper, she walked back out and wiped the tears off of her porcelain complexion. She didn't care much about how she looked now, she just wanted to go home. She turned and threw away the paper and headed for the door. Serena got up and followed her.
"Blair, wait!" she said.
Blair turned around as Serena caught up to her.
"You can't just leave. The party hasn't even started," Serena said.
"I don't need to be here. I just want to go home and go to bed, it's been a long day. With all that crap that went on this morning, I don't know how I even got the energy to stay up all this time," Blair said with a smile.
"Why don't you stay for at least another half hour?" Serena said in hopes of persuading Blair.
"I'm just so tired, Serena. I hope you can understand," Blair replied.
Serena sighed. There was no way of getting Blair to stay. She gave a sympathetic look to her friend before telling her she would go and get her coat. Serena walked over to the giant closet located right outside the hall and asked for the trench Blair had been wearing earlier. After she got it, she walked back to Blair and handed her the coat.
"Thank you," Blair said with a smile as she put it on.
"I guess you'll be going home then," Serena said with a small smile.
"Yes. But please tell your mother that I already mailed my cheque yesterday and that the charity should receive it within a day or two," Blair said.
"I'll tell her that," Serena assured her.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
They hugged quickly before Blair headed outside to her waiting limo. Serena watched as she sat in the long, dark vehicle and drove off. Serena sighed and walked back into the hall. She had only one thing on her mind: finding Chuck.
By this time the food had been cleared off the tables and people were grabbing their after dinner drinks and mingling around. She saw Lily talking with a few of the party guests. Lily saw her daughter walking away and quickly excused herself from the company of her guests to go follow her.
"Serena," she called ever so lightly.
Serena stopped walking and turned around. Her mother held a champagne flute and walked over to her side.
"Where is Blair?" she asked worriedly.
"She had to go home."
"Why? Is something the matter?" Lily asked, her tone growing more anxious.
"No, she was just tired. You know how those Yale grads can be. Always doing something," Serena said with a small laugh, trying to go and find Chuck.
"Very well, but if there is something seriously wrong with Blair you have to tell me right now," she told her eldest offspring.
Serena nodded and stalked off. She walked past the already-too-drunk guests and past the we'd-rather-not-get-a-reputation guests. She spotted Eric and Jenny over by the corner and made her way there. Walking was entirely uncomfortable with her heels but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make.
By the time she had gotten to their spot, she had all of her energy drained from her. She took a glass of champagne from the closest waiter and took a sip before walking up to them.
"Hey you two," she said sweetly.
They smiled in return.
"How's Blair?" Eric asked, taking a sip of his own champagne.
"She was feeling a bit tired so she went home. And don't worry, it's nothing serious. I just need to know where Chuck is," Serena said hurriedly.
"Chuck?" Jenny asked.
"Yes. I just need to ask him something. Have you two seen him?" Serena asked.
"I saw him and Jade going towards the balcony a few minutes ago," Eric told his sister.
"Jade," Serena said angrily.
Eric and Jenny looked towards each other, like the other one that answer to Serena's odd behaviour. But neither did. They looked back at her as she set her now empty glass down and made her way to the balcony.
Serena lifted the bottom of her dress up a bit so she could walk a little bit faster. She had no idea what she was going to say to him but she knew it would probably start along the lines of "You motherfucker!" The doors of the balcony drew closer and closer and in no time her hand was on the knob. She took a deep breath before opening the door.
She walked out onto the balcony. True to what Eric had said, Jade and Chuck stood on the balcony facing each other. Neither of their expressions showed a happy environment. Serena crossed her arms and stormed over to where Chuck stood.
"You motherfucker!" she shouted.
He gave her an odd look. What possible reason would she have to call him that? He stood, almost towering her. His hands in his pockets and his face grim.
"Can I help you?" he said sarcastically.
"How about you tell me why Blair left?" Serena said as she cocked an eyebrow.
"What? I haven't spoken to her all night," Chuck told her.
"But she heard you speak. The both of you. Now she thinks that she is responsible for you two breaking up," Serena said in disgusted tone.
"Well she is," Jade said from behind Serena.
Serena turned around and glared at her. Her arms were still crossed but her tone became different.
"You've done enough talking for today," she said icily.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Jade asked, as she stepped closer.
"Blair heard your stupid accusation."
"And that's my fault because?"
"Bitch," Serena said coldly.
"Ooh, stunning starlet goes psycho," Jade said in her best reporter voice.
"Shut up!" Chuck and Serena said in unison.
Serena turned her attention back to Chuck. He was looking at Jade, with anger in his eyes. She dropped her arms and cleared her throat. His eyes went back to Serena.
"Where is she?" he asked.
"At home and I think it's best that you don't talk to her," Serena said in non-expressive tone.
"Well I didn't ask for your opinion," Chuck replied.
"It wasn't an opinion. The more time she spends with you, the more complicated her life will be. I know you two shared a past but that's all it is. The past. You need to get over it," Serena told him.
Chuck looked at her. There was no joking matter in her tone. He looked over at Jade. She seemed to be trying to hide a smirk. He exhaled before marching back inside. The party reached him as soon as he waked through the door. Smiles planted on each of the party guests faces.
He walked over to the bar and asked for a scotch on the rocks. He received it in a matter of seconds. Being a Bass has it's advantages. He sat there, quietly. One memory kept wandering back into his mind: The moment he saw Blair back in the city.
He walked through Central Park during his usual afternoon stroll. The sun shone down and the leaves that had changed colour lay on the ground. He watched as children walked by with their parents, grandmothers but more often than not, their beloved nannies.
He kept his hands in his pockets and his scarf on tight. He heard the birds sing. A noise he used to hate but one that he was now accustomed to. He looked at his watch. A few more minutes before he would have to climb into his limo and drive back to work. He looked back up and stopped in his tracks.
The curly chocolate brown curls. The same petite figure and the exactly same great sense of fashion. It could be anyone, but if it was anyone he would have walked away. He found himself walking towards this person. He took a deep breath before opening his mouth.
"Blair?" he asked.
The figure turned around and revealing none other than the queen herself. An instant smile grew on his face.
"Chuck, it's great to see you," she said.
He was so overcome with happiness that he enveloped her in a hug. She hugged him back. He breathed in the scent of her hair. She was still the same. She had come back. He knew the smile on his face couldn't be erased. It just couldn't. He felt a small bit of pain when they separated, but the smile was still firmly in it's spot. She smiled at him. Oh, how he had missed that smile.
"I heard you went to Yale.. That must have been great, going to your dream school and all," he said, trying to strike up a conversation.
"Yale was absolutely perfect. It really was a dream come true," she replied.
Her smile grew even bigger, making him more happy. Growing up with her all these years, Yale had been of the most important things to her. He was so glad that she had chosen to go. He couldn't be selfish. It was her dream after all.
"So I'm guessing you graduated then," he said, mentally kicking himself in the head for saying such an obvious and stupid thing.
But she didn't even waver her smile, which made him smile a bit more. He felt those butterflies he had hidden for the past four years come back. He saw her mentally go through something in her head before talking.
"Yes. Me and Dan are back in the city. We're both English majors," she said.
Chuck felt his whole world come crashing down. She had moved on. With Dan none the less. He had barely moved on. The only "relationship" he had was with some social climbing TV reporter, Jade. And like that was going anywhere. He was supposed to dump her today, but maybe keeping her around wouldn't be too bad.
"Dan Humphrey?" he asked for a calcification.
"Yes. We've actually been dating since freshmen year. I'm in a really happy place right now," she said.
Chuck managed to gather some energy to send back a smile. Great, now she was in a happy place. With Humphrey. Didn't they used to have happy places when they were still together. Sure they had been teenagers, but he had known it was true love. He had thought she had thought so as well. Maybe it wasn't meant to be. Maybe it never was.
"Well congratulations, Blair. Happiness is something hard to come by."
He knew those words were truer than ever. He hoped he would find happiness again one day. But that couldn't happen. Not without his Waldorf.
"Thank you, Chuck," she answered sweetly.
He knew he had to get out of there. The more time he spent with her, the more it was going to pain him. He was sure of it. He looked at his watch. He still had seven minutes before he had to get back to the office. He looked back at her.
"Look, I have to go. A business meeting," he lied.
He hated doing it to her, but he knew it was for the best. Besides, she has Dan now.
"Wow, Chuck Bass the business man," she teased him.
How he had missed her teasing. How he had missed her.
"I know, hard to believe," he replied with a laugh.
Laughing. Something he did rarely, and usually only in the company of those he truly cared about. Laughter, just for her.
"Well, I guess you better be on your way," she said.
He felt the pain of leaving her all over again, but he had to. He just had to.
"Yes. It was nice seeing you again. It was really was," he said.
More than she'll ever know.
"Yeah, it was," she said with a smile.
That smile made him smile as she walked away from her. With each step, more regret filled his mind. He had to do something. He needed to be around her. Screw the pain. She was his drug of choice and he was relapsing. Without another thought crossing his mind, he turned around.
"Wait, Blair!" he called to her.
She turned around. A breeze fell through, sweeping her locks. Perfection. He ran towards her.
"How about we do dinner, tomorrow night?" he asked hopefully.
She stood there speechless. He watched as she blinked. She opened her mouth and her words fell out.
"Um, sure. As friends."
She emphasized the word friends. He got the hint. He smiled and replied.
"Yeah, as friends."
"So, yes. Tomorrow night. Dinner," she said as she went through their plans.
He simply nodded before walking away. He shoved his hands back into his pockets. He had to restrain himself from doing a happy dance right then and there. He was going to have dinner with Blair Waldorf, his friend.
He took another sip of his scotch. It just wasn't strong enough for him tonight. He checked the time on his watch. It was quarter after eleven. Blair would still be up. He got up from the bar stool and grabbed the nearest waiter.
"Grab my coat. It'll say Bass on it," he said as he walked out of the hall.
He was going to talk to Blair. And no one was going to stop him.
Dan put the last of his files away and grabbed his briefcase. He shut down his computer and walked over to grab his coat. He hadn't been in a good mood that night. He felt awful about making Blair go by herself but he knew that she understood what he had to do. He just couldn't get past the guilt. He hasn't even spoken to her since the events that morning. He could get over the Chuck thing. He just needed to talk to her. Tonight.
He heard footsteps approaching. He quickly pulled his coat on only to see his boss, Mr. Carrington, in front of him.
"Still here I see, Daniel," he said.
"I was just getting ready to leave, sir," he said as he buttoned his buttons.
"I know it isn't really any of my business, but is something bothering you lately?" his boss asked.
"Not really."
"Ah, but do admit something is bothering you. Let me guess, that Blair girl your head over heels for," Mr. Carrington said.
"Yes," Dan replied.
"What has happened now?"
"Nothing much. I guess we're at a complicated stage. I couldn't deal with it this morning so I just left," he said.
"You just left the poor girl?" his boss asked, quite intrigued.
"Things just happen that make you seem like your going to lose it," Dan said as he ran his hand through his hair. "I just don't know what to do."
"You're a writer, aren't you?"
Dan looked at him, a bit caught off guard.
"Y-yes," he stammered, not sure where this was going to go.
"Well what would the logical person in one of your stories do?" Mr. Carrington asked.
"Kick himself in the head and then go apologize," Dan said with a small smile.
"There! Now you know what to do," his boss said as he turned to leave.
Dan stood there, trying not to laugh. He grabbed his briefcase, which had been placed on the table during their conversation. He knew what he had to do. He had to talk to Blair. Tonight.