Chuck groaned yet again as he hit the snooze on his alarm, noting that it was eight am.

"Why the hell did I set the alarm so early?" he couldn't help wondering as he rolled back over and attempted to go back to sleep. He let out an annoyed sigh as he as he realized that the pair of escorts he had for company last night were nowhere to be found and once again he didn't feel nearly as hungover as he knew he should be.

He had just dozed off again when he heard Jenny's voice from out in the foyer.

"Thanks for letting me crash last night," she spoke again.

"Hey, no problem, anytime okay?" he heard Nate tell her once more.

"This seriously can't be happening," Chuck groaned to himself as he buried his head under his pillow and tried to go back to sleep, hoping and praying to whoever that he would wake up and it would all have just been a bad dream.

"Hey man, get up – don't you have some 'Big Romantic Gesture' to make to Blair today?" Nate urged him as he entered Chuck's room a little while later.

"I don't know, do I?" Chuck grumbled as he tried to ignore his roommate. "Was that Little Jenny Humphrey I heard out there earlier?" he had to ask.

"Yeah, sorry – she crashed here last night, what with everything that had happened..." Nate began.

"Everything that happened? What do you mean?" Chuck eagerly questioned as he sat up, giving Nate his full attention. Hopeful that something had changed.

"You know, with her tipping off William so he could evade the police..." Nate reminded him, much to his dismay. "Yeah I know, I'm not thrilled with what she did either," Nate continued. "But she needed somewhere to stay as I guess things got a little tense at Lily's after we all left... I swear though, nothing happened! I passed out while she was jabbering on about something," he quickly tried to explain.

"Fine, whatever," Chuck muttered, clearly annoyed.

"But hey, I brought you coffee and today's paper," Nate announced as he produced both. "It's almost ten o'clock – you should probably get up if you're going to get everything ready for your plans with Blair," he reminded him once more.

"This isn't today's paper..." Chuck mumbled under his breath as he looked it over once Nate had already retreated. Once again, the headlines stated that The Knicks had beat The Heat 89-86 and contained coverage of the charity event, saying it was from the night before.

And then right on schedule, his phone chimed, alerting him to a new notification.

"Goddamnit!" he heard Nate exclaim from elsewhere in the penthouse, obviously having just read the blast. Before even opening it Chuck knew it was about Serena and Dan.

"Same shit, different day," Chuck grumbled to himself as he resigned himself to let nature run its course yet again.

Chuck waited at the top of The Empire State Building, seven o'clock coming and going. He knew she most likely wouldn't show – however he was letting nature run its course today and she was most likely at the hospital with Dorota who no doubt went into labor (not even Chuck Bass could change that from happening). Why he had allowed himself to be tortured today with the slightest hope that maybe things would be different was beyond him.

As he turned to leave, an idea occurred to him.

And instead of returning to The Empire, where he knew he would most likely encounter Jenny Humphrey, he had his driver make a detour instead.

Blair was in tears as she road the elevator to her penthouse a little while later, having waited until she was behind the closed doors to let them flow freely. She knew she was taking a risk, going to The Empire State Building as late she did, however she couldn't just leave Dorota in her time of need. She knew Chuck would understand – he had to – however she realized it was foolish of her to think he'd wait for her. Chuck Bass waited for no one and neither did Blair Waldorf. People waited for them, not the other way around. She knew she should have texted him, letting him know she was coming and was just running late, however she also knew it would ruin the surprise and suspense of the moment. Yet she had hoped she would be the exception for Chuck.

The penthouse was dark and quiet when she stepped out of the elevator except for the sound of her heels clicking on the floor as she made her way across the foyer. As she approached the stairs, deciding to resign herself to her room for the night and perhaps do some packing for Paris as she knew her mother would want to leave early tomorrow, she paused as she noticed a figure sitting there on the stairs, waiting.

"Chuck?" she questioned hopefully as she quickly attempted to wipe her tear-stained cheeks. She couldn't think of anyone else it would have been.

"Hi Blair," he quietly spoke as he stood to meet her.

"What... what are you doing here?" she had to ask, her voice nervously wavering as she approached him, bouquet of peonies in hand. She desperately hoped that he was there for them and not simply to berate her for not showing up earlier.

"I see you got my flowers," he merely answered, noting the bouquet she was clinging to in one of her delicate hands.

"Dorota went into labor..." Blair sheepishly told him as she recalled the event of the evening. "She had the baby – a little girl, Ana," she continued with a smile as he simply nodded along, having already known the news. "Chuck, she's beautiful," she added, having stopped by the hospital again after her failure to meet him at The Empire State Building and then being unable to find him at The Empire.

"I can imagine," he remarked as he took a step closer to her, now standing right in front of her.

"But Chuck... what are you doing here?" she asked again, realizing he never answered her question.

"I knew something was holding you up and I didn't want to intrude on Dorota and Vanya's moment," he confessed.

"You should have just come – Serena was there, as were Nate and Dan... my mother and Cyrus... Lily and Rufus... Eric..." her voice trailed.

"Would you have wanted me to come though?" he had to ask. He knew he was taking a chance by coming to her house, however he had to believe she still wanted him. Wanted them.

"Yes, Chuck. I would have," she replied, firm in her answer. "I wouldn't have gone to The Empire State Building at all if I had any doubts," she assured him.

"What changed your mind?" he curiously wondered. While he knew from having followed her the previous day that she had been spending her time trying to avoid The Empire State Building to no avail, obviously something had convinced her to give in.

"I wasn't going to show up – I was resolved not to... every bone in my body tried to slow me. Every voice in my head screamed 'don't'," she admitted as she took a step closer, loosely wrapping her arms around his neck.

"But...?" he pressed her to go on as he placed his hands around her waist, her signature scent invading his nostrils. It was almost intoxicating to him.

"I decided to follow my heart... because I love you," she smiled as he sighed in relief at hearing her confession, pulling her close to him in his arms. "I can't deny that our path hasn't been without it's complications but you said it last night – in the end... love makes everything simple."

"I'm sorry for ever doubting," he apologized as he squeezed her tightly. "I love you too and all that matters is that we're here now," Chuck told her as he began planting kisses along the exposed flesh along her neck.

"Chuck," she giggled gleefully as she felt his lips work their way up to her ear, across her cheek and finally to her lips where she pulled him in close and kissed him as well, their mouths and tongues working a familiar dance. One they both had missed.

"Are you sure?" he questioned breathlessly as he pulled himself away from her for just a moment. "Is this – us – really what you want?"

"Yes," she quickly nodded, all doubt in her mind having ceased. "I'm positive," she confirmed as she hungrily pulled him back to her, her mouth against his once more.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, as they had already lost enough the past few months, Chuck scooped her up in his arms and began to carry her upstairs to her room, bridal style.

It had been a memorable reunion – one he would not soon forget.

In their post-coital bliss they had discussed their plans for the future. Plans to build their lives together. Build their empires together. Build a family together.

As they drifted off to sleep, wrapped in each others arms, Chuck couldn't imagine the day ending any other way. He couldn't imagine how things could have gone differently – he let things play out as they originally were supposed to, he didn't succumb to temptation or get involved with Jenny and him and Blair were still set to get their happy ending together. While he didn't officially propose like he had originally intended when he gave her the ultimatum, they were back together. He had agreed to go to Paris with her tomorrow – agreeing that a break from the city and Gossip Girl would be good for them and provide them both with an opportunity to reconnect away from prying eyes.

He also decided that he would take the ring with him. A private dinner at the top of The Eiffel Tower would a perfect proposal for her.

The last thing Chuck Bass remembered as his body and mind shut down was the smell of her and her familiar form curled up against him.

He was happy.

They were happy.

Everything was right with the world and how it should be.

Or so he thought.

AN: Don't hate me! Any thoughts on what will happen when Chuck wakes up?

And Happy Monday everyone! And happy post Day Light Savings Time... for those of us that suffer through it...? Fortunately for Chuck, that's not a problem he's currently having to deal with ;-)

As always - thanks so much for you feedback and for favoriting/following this story! Leave me your thoughts and we'll continue next week - same time, same place :-D