Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
"Congratulations, Mister Bass, the owners have accepted your offer and conditions regarding the sale. You close in two weeks," Chuck's realtor called early the next morning with the news.
"Thank you," Chuck responded in a hushed tone as he turned towards his soundly sleeping fiancée. She was curled up with a pillow facing him with a serene smile on her face. His engagement ring glimmered in the early morning light that was filtering through the drapes.
"I have some paperwork that you'll need to come into my office sometime today to sign," the realtor added.
"I will stop by after my other appointment this morning," Chuck replied as he reached out to caress Blair's bare shoulder.
"I'll have the paperwork ready," the realtor assured him, "I have a few showings this morning, but if I am not in the office, I will make sure that my assistant has the paperwork."
"Thank you," Chuck replied.
"Chuck," Blair mumbled in her sleep as Chuck set his phone aside. His movements must have caused the bed to move just enough to pull her from her deep slumber.
"Go back to sleep," Chuck whispered into her ear as he wrapped her up tight in his arms as she tossed the pillow aside and shifted closer to him.
"Is everything alright?" she asked as the sleep started to pull at her again.
"Everything is wonderful," he assured her as he kissed her temple. She relaxed into his embrace as her breathing evened out and she was sound asleep once more.
They'd returned to the suite after their long day of touring Manhattan real estate opportunities, and Blair promptly feel asleep in the bathtub. He didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead he'd pulled the plug on the water and promptly dried her skin before a cold chill could awaken her. He then carried her to bed and tucked her in. She'd been asleep ever since. Breakfast was already ordered, but he'd wait for it to arrive before he pulled her from her slumber.
"Can we make sure this is how we wake up on the day after we're married?" Blair inquired when she awoke an hour later in Chuck's strong arms.
"I believe we can accommodate that request," he whispered into her ear.
"How long have you been awake?" she inquired as she turned in his arms to burrow her head into his chest.
"Awhile," he told her as his hands began to roam the bare skin of her back.
"The last thing I remember yesterday is napping in the tub," she confessed.
"That would make sense considering that is how I found you," he chuckled.
"It was a busy day," Blair stated defensively.
"And I have news regarding yesterday's find," he replied, "The owner has agreed to our offer and terms. We'll be the proud new owners of a five floor Manhattan Brownstone Mansion in just two weeks time."
He could feel Blair's radiant smile against his chest as she began pecking away at him.
"What time is it?" Blair inquired.
"Nearly nine," he told her as she rolled him onto his back and pinned him down, "I have an appointment in an hour."
"You can be a little late, can't you?" she pouted.
"I'm sorry, Beautiful, but no I can't," he shook his head, "But if you'll let me, I'll make it up to you with lunch."
"I'm meeting Serena today at my mother's loft," Blair replied, "And I need to arrived before Serena to reiterate to Mother that our pregnancy needs to be kept quiet."
"Have you told her yet that we're keeping the news private until after the wedding?" Chuck inquired.
"I did," Blair nodded, "But you know how she gets around Serena sometimes, like a little school girl gossiping with her besties."
"If she hasn't told Cyrus, she won't tell Serena," Chuck assured her.
"We don't know that she hasn't told Cyrus," Blair replied.
"If she'd told Cyrus, we would have heard from him by now," Chuck replied.
"Yeah, maybe so," she sighed.
"So lunch is out, how about dinner?" Chuck offered, "I'll let you choose anywhere in New York City."
"How thoughtful of you," Blair replied, "But we're having dinner at Lily's remember."
"I promise to make it up to you one way or another," Chuck frowned in frustration.
"I know," she sighed as she clawed lightly at his chest, "But we knew how chaotic these days leading up to our wedding would be."
"Had I known how chaotic, I would have pushed harder for us to elope," Chuck groaned in disappointment.
"It's only for a few weeks," she told him, "Then we have a lifetime of leisure to look forward to."
"A lifetime," he repeated with a gigantic grin so unlike his somber nature. He gave her one long, lingering kiss before he exited the bed and began preparing for the day.
"Call me before you have lunch," Blair requested as she ambled into the bathroom as he was working his tie into a perfect Windsor knot, "Maybe Serena and I can meet you somewhere for lunch. It's not exactly the lunch that I'm sure you're hoping for, but it's better than eating alone, isn't it?"
"It is," he nodded as he kissed her lips lightly.
"I love you, Chuck," Blair called out to him as he turned to leave.
Chuck turned around abruptly and encased her waist with his arms. "I love you too," Chuck whispered before he devoured her lips.
"Mister Bass, you've missed our last four sessions," his therapist scolded him upon his returned to the Ostroff Center for his therapy session.
"Yes, I did," Chuck acknowledged.
"You were doing well in treatment, Chuck, but as I told you when you checked out, you still have to do the work. The medication is only part of the treatment," the therapist replied.
"I shouldn't have missed my appointments, and I shouldn't have checked out against your advice," Chuck owned up to his mistakes, "But I could not let Blair marry the wrong man. I had to take extreme measures to ensure that we would still have a chance."
"I read the society pages," the doctor stated, "I see that there is a wedding in your very near future. I'm questioning the reason why?"
"I love her," Chuck responded instantly.
"As you have made very clear," the doctor nodded, "But these impulsive decisions are part of what has been your problem. Are you still taking your medication?"
"Yes," he nodded quickly, "I'm taking my pills every day. I'm not mixing them with any alcohol or other recreational substances. I'm doing exactly what was asked of me."
"Except skipping your therapy sessions," the doctor stated.
"That was a mistake," Chuck admitted, "But Blair and I needed to get away to reconnect, to lay all of our cards on the table, and determine our path for our future."
"Have you considered that Blair could be a destructive force in your life?" the doctor inquired.
"No," Chuck growled, "She is my light at the end of the tunnel. She is the air I breathe. She is my reason for existing."
"She's also the reason you punched your hand through a glass window, spiraled down so far down that there nearly wasn't that light at the end of the tunnel," the doctor replied.
"Don't ever say that," Chuck snapped, "She is not the reason I did any of that. I made those mistakes. She had nothing to do with any of that. She is the love of my life, the mother of my child. I will not have anyone insulting her, especially the therapist that is supposed to be helping me get my life back on track so that I can be worthy of her."
"Mother of your child or future children," the doctor's eyes went wide in surprise.
"Mother of the child she is currently carrying," Chuck replied as his voice softened, "Blair is pregnant with my child."
"How did you take the news when she gave it to you?" the doctor inquired.
"It felt that world had suddenly stopped. All my focus went to that one moment. I knew that I had one chance to react, to be the man that Blair needed me to be, that my child needed me to be," Chuck replied.
"But did the news make you happy?" the doctor pressed.
"I never saw myself as the guy that would want children," he confessed, "I never saw myself as the type of man that would want to settle down and marry one woman and buy a home and have a child, but as soon as the news sunk in it felt as if I'd been living my life to get to that one moment in time. I'd never been as excited and anxious for my future as I am at the moment."
"Are you saying what you truly feel or what you feel everyone expects you to say?" the doctor inquired.
"I have never been as happy in all my life," Chuck replied, "That isn't something I could fake. Blair would see right through it."
"Is your impending fatherhood the reason for your accelerated trip down the aisle?"
"Yes," Chuck nodded. His doctor looked surprised by such a candid response. "Blair and I were engaged before we found out she was pregnant, so eventually we would have been married anyways. When we found out, we both agreed that we wanted to be married before the baby is born."
"Unless the medical text books have changed since I went to medical school, you usually have nine months to prepare. Even if she's two months along, that still leaves you with seven months. Take those seven months to make sure that you're ready for marriage," the doctor suggested.
"I don't need seven months to know that I want to marry Blair. I don't even need seven months to know that I want to be a father. I want all of it now, right this minute if it was possible," Chuck replied as his face lit up in a way that his doctor could not ignore. Though the doctor still had serious reservations, he said nothing. There would be another day to voice his concerns.
"So, Blair and I are going furnishing shopping after lunch," Serena announced as Chuck joined the duo for lunch, "Can we have your credit card?"
"Hello to you too, Serena," Chuck laughed as he bent down to kiss Blair in greeting before he took a seat next to her.
"Oh, sorry, hi," Serena stated as she extended her hand, "Credit card, please."
"Do I look stupid?" Chuck replied as his arm came around the back of Blair's chair.
"Are you going to make Blair and her trust fund pay to furnish your new abode?" Serena frowned.
"No," Chuck responded simply, "I intend to take care of my blushing bride's every wish and desire, which includes picking up the tab as she decorates."
"Then hand over that plastic," Serena demanded.
"I don't believe you get to make that demand," Chuck told her with an amused smile spread across his face as he turned his attention to Blair, "Blair, are you in need of my credit card for the afternoon?"
"No," Blair shook her head, "I think I'll just browse today."
"How could you turn down the offer to use his credit card?" Serena exclaimed in outrage, "Think of how much damage we could do to his credit score."
"We're buying a home together," Blair reminded her best friend, "I think damaging Chuck's credit score right now could be counterproductive."
"I think I can afford to take the hit," Chuck smirked.
"I'll just browse today," Blair repeated as she caressed his chin softly, "How did your appointment go this morning?"
"Productive," Chuck replied, "I also made it to the realtor's office to formalize our offer. I must say everyone in the office is bending over backwards to accommodate."
"They're probably just nervous that you'll withdraw the offer and wipe away that fat payday they are in for," Serena chimed in.
"Is my bride still as sold on the home today as she was yesterday?" Chuck inquired as he caressed her bare shoulder softly. He felt her shiver at his touch as she nodded. "A little chilled, Blair?"
"No," she shook her head slightly as she caught his eye. Her eyes were sparkling with happiness and the slightest touch of lust.
"How is it that Blair invites you to our lunch, and suddenly I'm the third wheel?" Serena inquired as she felt the sexual tension between the pair begin to build.
"Get used to it, S," Chuck replied, "When we become man and wife, you'll be the permanent third wheel."
"It's not too late to call the whole thing off, B," Serena stated.
"Not a chance," Blair replied as she leaned in and kissed Chuck deeply.
"How did the fittings go?" Chuck inquired as he pulled away as Blair wiped at his lips to erase her lip gloss, "Did Eleanor behave herself?"
"She did," Serena confirmed, "And her designs for the wedding are breathtaking. I think I'm going to see a few tears coming from your eyes when you first lay eyes on your bride."
"I'm sure you're right," Chuck nodded.
"So aside from the realtor's, what other appointment did you have this morning that had you running out of the bedroom so fast this morning that you couldn't even spare a few minutes to leave me, your fiancée, satisfied?" Blair inquired.
"It's not important," Chuck spoke softly.
"Yes, it is," Blair replied, "We're going to be married in just a few weeks. We shouldn't have any secrets."
"It's not a secret," Chuck assured her as he began nuzzling at her neck in effort to distract her from pursuing the conversation any further.
"Then tell me," Blair requested as he didn't explained as she held him at arm's length.
"I will," Chuck replied, "Later."
"Since when are their secrets between us?" Serena chimed in as he continued to dodge Blair's request for information.
"It's nothing that you have to know about right this very minute," Chuck hissed, "Let it go."
"You will tell me later," Blair hissed back as she shrugged his hand away from her shoulder to show her displeasure.
TBC. . .
So I know this chapter doesn't really have Chuck and Blair dealing with his illness together, but don't think that I have forgotten. Door has been opened a crack. Expect Blair to want to kick it in.
I have to thank Lori2279 for allowing me to pester her with trivial decisions that I'm trying to make as I write this. I'm probably annoying her to no end, but its such a help have someone to bounce ideas off of. Thanks, Lori!