I don't own anything.
All Characters Gossip Girl.
Inspired by the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
When Serena arrived back at Blair's house early afternoon she found Blair in the study moving furniture. It was a large room, covered in mahogany panels, the only wall without windows was the one with the entry door other than that large panelled windows looked out to the gardens and beyond the trees the water below. There were units full of books - that belonged to her father, in one of the windows was a seat and binoculars for bird watching, in front of the far window and a fire place with chairs around it.
Blair didn't say a word to Serena about the previous night's events and Serena knew better than to ask her as Blair's tiny frame pushed the huge mahogany desk across the room, Serena asked curiously "What are you up to?"
Blair was out of breath, "I'm having a move around, everything has been the same for years!" She flew her hands into the air for dramatic cause.
"Where's Nate?" Serena somewhat regretted asking it so quickly, she prayed Blair wouldn't get suspicious.
"The City, he's been such a bad mood, I told him I didn't want his negative energy in the house, he'll be back tomorrow I would have thought," she replied absent-mindedly.
"What's he doing?" Serena probed gently, she knew she was on thin ice.
Blair's eyes darted accusingly at her blonde friend, "Doing? Work? His mother? I couldn't care less," she huffed, "I didn't want his negative energy here." Blair went about her business moving photo frames to different shelves, figurines on tables and turning chairs around.
Serena decided not to mention that maybe it was because what happened last night, she needed Blair to agree to come with her to Dan's house, "Well, Dan has invited us to tea. He has the most divine Lotus Tea! He's also been to the bakery a-"
"Okay," she replied.
"Okay?" Serena said slowly.. no way could she have gotten Blair to agree to it this quickly?!
"Oh-kay." Blair enunciated, "What time?"
"Let's get changed and go?" Serena suggested.
"Yes," Blair smiled, "lets." She took her friend's arm and lead her up stairs to the closets.
The girls wandered into Blair's dressing room, it was large room, closets either side with a chaise lounge in between, white walls, with white carpet and chandelier.
"What colour are you wearing?" Blair asked.
"I'm thinking.." Serena skimmed her fingers across the many fabrics of the many colours of dresses, "Blue!" she decided, pulling out a gown.
Blair on the other hand walks up and down both closets, "Peppermint," she decides tapping her finger on her chin.
The girls dress in silence, Dorota potters in and assists them into their dresses and as Blair pulls her hair up into a low bun, Serena places flowers into her long locks.
Blair is silent in the car journey, she has clasped her hands together, "B, are you sure?" Serena asks, she doesn't want o make this any more difficult for her best friend than it has already.
Blair smiles and doesn't reply.
Chuck is pacing Dan's living room as they await the girls, Dan types furiously as Chuck reels off more about his childhood and father.
"Do you want a drink, Chuck? I mean I haven't got anything heavy, just tea,"
Chuck ignores him, but his head swerves when the car arrives outside.
"Wait in the kitchen," Dan instructs, they agree that if Nate wanted to join them that Chuck would have an easy exit.
"Afternoon Ladies," Dan greets.
"Hello, Humphrey-Dumpty," Blair sighs, she waltzes into the house and her nose sneers, "how much are you paying for this? I wouldn't even let Dorota live here."
"I think it's cute," Serena says to her friend and smiles at Dan.
Dan pours both of the girls tea and coughs loudly. Serena looks up and him and smiles, "Way to choke, Humphrey," Blair scolds.
"Afternoon Waldorf, droll as ever," Chuck says.
Blair looks up.
December 1919
"So, Charles! When are you going to ask my daughter to marry you?" Harold asks.
Chuck chokes on his drink and Blair scolds her father, "Daddy!"
Blair grabbed Chuck's hand under the table-cloth and he entwined their fingers.
They smiled at each other as they finished their dinner. The Waldorf penthouse was luxurious, classic and grand. Eleanor spent her days decorating and buying things to fill up the large space her husband had bought years before. Harold Waldorf was a kind man, Blair had his dark eyes, kind smile (at times) and intelligence - the rest of her was all Eleanor.
"Harold, what time is the boat in the morning?" Eleanor asked.
"Seven am! I'll be leaving at five," Harold was off to France for some business meetings, "I'll be gone about two to three weeks, possibly a month," he replied evasively.
In the weeks that Harold is gone, Chuck doesn't go to the Waldorf penthouse often, Eleanor is not his biggest fan and why would she be? Up until last fall Chuck Bass was a scoundrel, wasting away his father's money and a seemingly revolving door to his bedroom for any girl to use. But over the past few months her daughter and the Bass boy had grown close, increasingly close - much to her husbands glee. He never did like that Archibald boy, the van der Bilts weren't trustworthy.
The fifth of January would be Blair's worst day of her life so far - she's received a letter from her father detailing that he had no intention of coming back to New York - he's made a life for himself in the South of France with - a man name Romane. Eleanor had never been so livid and Blair was devastated. Eleanor made the executive decision to tell Blair but kept some information to herself, details such as her father's two page apology to his daughter and an open-ended invitation.
Chuck tried to console Blair - as best he could. Taking her to the duck pond, dinners and even the pictures.
"Maybe we should just run away together," Blair suggests one evening at the Palace.
"We will," Chuck affirms.
"I can't go back to my Mother's she's worse than usual. She told me I've gained 'grieving hips' and I must lose immediately," Blair pulled at her hip bones and Chuck pulled his arms around her tighter.
"Chuck," she barely says above a whisper.
Dan pulls Serena out of the front door, "I think we should give them some space," he suggests,"let's go for a walk to the beach."
Once they are out the door Chuck strides over to her, Blair still sitting and kneels down to her level. Blair strokes her hand down the side of his face, "Hi," she whispers.
Chuck laughs quietly, leaning into her touch, "Hi yourself," Blair leans forward and pecks his cheek.
Chuck grabs her other hand and feels the large, heavy and glittering diamond resting on her finger.
"He did it then?" Chuck states.
Blair's lip trembles and nods, "Valentines, last year. So tacky."
"That's an awful long engagement. I bet your mother is furious."
"I'm not that into wedding planning."
Chuck pulls her left hand to his lips and kisses it, "I've missed you."
Blair relishes the feel of his lips on her skin, "I've missed you."
"You promised me you'd marry me," Chuck says, his eyes slanting up her own, his face coming closer.
"You promised me you'd never leave me," she argues and doesn't stop his lips from falling in top of her own, "You shouldn't kiss betrothed women," Blair tells him in between his lips attacking her own.
"You were mine before you were his," he growls.
"Chuck, stop. This isn't right," Blair puts her hand on his chest and pushes him away, "You can't just waltz back into my life, with your mansions, parties and good kissing and demand me leave Nate. I made a promise."
Chuck stares at her, "What has he got on you? What has the bastard done?"
"He's your best friend Chuck, don't say such things."
"Then leave him, we'll go anywhere you want," he promises and takes her hands in his own, "I've made my mistake and paid for it, I can't let you go."
August 1920
"Charles Bartholomew Bass is left with 80% of his Father's estate, with 10% going to the previous Mrs Bass - Lily van der Woodsen, and 10% to his brother Jack," the Judge announces.
Blair is holding Chuck's hand, as they both, Lily, Serena, Erik, Nate and Jack. The room is silent, Chuck receives a pat on the back from Nate and Jack, Blair and Chuck stare at the judge, "Congratulations, young man," the Judge says to Chucks.
"Congratulations that my Father is dead?" Chuck snaps.
"Charles," Lily scolds.
"Let's get out of here," Chuck says to Blair and pulls her out of the door.
Jack runs after them, "Chuck, you have a Bass Industries meeting at four - we have to go,"
Blair looks at him incredulously, "Jack, he cannot possibly go into a meeting now!"
"He hasn't got time to play the doting boy toy to you Blair anymore. Chuck is running the company - he needs to win over the other members."
Blair tugs on his arm, "He's right, I'll see you later," Chuck leaves her standing out on the sidewalk.
Later that evening at the Palace.
"You're going to need to come to Boston with me, then San Fran.. then probably down to Florida. You've got a lot to learn, kid," Jack says that evening.
"I can't just leave Blair," Chuck replies tiredly. He never did get round to seeing Blair that night.
"Well, you're not just the bosses rotten son anymore," Jack tells him, "your Father built this company from the ground up," he grabs his arm, "without a wife."
"Blair isn't my wife,"
"No, but if you stay here she will be, you can't afford to."
Chuck pauses, "I never said we were together. I've never courted her."
"Well try convincing the New York Times that. They seem to think you're getting married at Christmas. Christ Chuck. Look, your reputation - playboy, millionaire, Chuck Bass. Blair is not going to make you money. You're eighteen."
"My father had me at eighteen."
"Yeah and we kept you hidden until you could walk," Jack sighed, "You won't make her happy. Long meetings, business trips, Blair likes attention. She isn't going to get any."
"Ja-"
Jack put his hand up, "and with the guys who shot your dad still out, I don't think it's safe for either of you in the City. I'm not planning another funeral. We're leaving tomorrow. Don't say goodbye."
Dan and Serena were sitting on a blanket on the sandy beach near Dan's house. Serena had lifted her dress up so the sun could stroke her legs, Dan was a little mortified but at the same time thanked whatever God was up there giving him this.
The sun beat down on the pair and the waves crashed softly against the soft sand, a few children ran in and out of the ocean.
"Serena, what happened between Chuck and Blair?"
Serena sighed, "you are awfully interested in them."
"I've never met two more people so deserving and meant for each other and yet for some reason.. and I can't find one, they're not."
"As kids, they hated each other, but as we all grew up they started to fall for each other. Blair really bought out the best in Chuck," Serena told, "and he bought out the worst in her," she said with a giggle, "Blair was uptight, obnoxious, rude a-"
Dan cut her off, "used to be?"
She shot him a look, "but Chuck bought out this fun, happy, vulnerable side. She was B when she was with him," she said sadly, "and Chuck, he used to be such a scoundrel! My mother would have fits worrying about what he was getting up to, but Blair - she was suddenly it for him. He strived to make himself a better man, his father saw it too."
"That's why his father gave him the opportunity to work with him,"
Serena nodded, "I used to think Bart hated Chuck but he just needed to see that potential and Blair pulled it out of him."
"So, they were together?"
"We all thought so, but then about a week after Bart's death - Chuck really was devastated, he really pulled away from Blair. He went back to illegal Clubs, hanging with Carter and then one day my mother got a telegram from Grand Central Station saying that Blair was having some sort of breakdown or tantrum on a platform."
"What happened?"
"She just told me that he was gone. It was over."
Serena was drawing patterns in the sand, "next thing I knew, she and Nate had been seen around the City a few times. Blair didn't go to Cotillion and by February Nate had proposed."
"Has she ever told about her and Nate?"
Serena shook her head, "I used to ask, but it would get me nowhere. She just tells me that she love him - always has, always will."
"And what about Nate?"
"He's never been much of a talker. His family was in some trouble a while back, but he seems pretty stable"
When Dan and Serena made their way back an hour or so later, Chuck and Blair were sitting on the terrace laughing, "Hey guys," Serena said.
Blair whipped her head around, her cheeks were rosy from her laughing and Chuck was watching her as if at any moment she would disappear.
"Afternoon! How was the beach?" Blair asked.
"Fun," Serena smiled and Dan blushed.
"Well, thank you for the invitation today Humphrey." Blair said getting up, "Serena we should get back," she kept eye contact with Chuck, "I'll see you soon," she said it to Chuck as if Dan and Serena weren't in the room, Chuck kissed her cheek. It was too intimate. Serena felt like she and Dan were intruding.
The girls left in a flurry off giggles, hair and chatter. Chuck and Dan stood at his porch.
"Wanna go to the City?" Chuck suggested.
Two in one go! Enjoy. Bx