Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
A great, big, gigantic thank you to my beta, Lori2279, for her diligence and patience as I write this. Her encouragement has meant so much to me, as has the reviews I've been getting (though they were pretty light for the last chapter) :(
I hope you all are enjoying this alternative to the current storyline on GG.
"Blair, Charles, Serena told me the wonderful news about the two of you buying a new home," Lily greeted them that evening with the warmest of hugs, "Congratulations."
"Thank you," Blair replied, "You'll have to come see it once we've moved in and had a chance to hire a decorator."
"If you need a referral, I happen to know of many qualified decorators," Lily responded.
"I just might take you up on that," Blair stated as Lily's housekeeper appeared to take their coats as Lily offered drinks.
"Club soda," Chuck requested.
"And Blair," Lily prompted her.
"I'll have the same," Blair replied.
Lily looked at the pair curiously. "Is there something you haven't told me?"
"I've been advised to stay away from alcohol for the foreseeable future," Chuck offered up his quick explanation, "Blair is being supportive."
"Charles, now that things have settled down a bit after your return, I'm hoping that you and I can sit down and talk," Lily replied, "I believe it is long overdue."
"It certainly is," Blair urged Chuck to follow Lily up the staircase to her office, "I'll go find Serena and see if we can go over wedding details."
"We'll be down in time for dinner," Lily assured her as Chuck paused for a moment to give Blair a quick kiss.
"Hi, Rufus," Blair greeted him in the living area, "Do you know where Serena is by any chance?"
"I believe she's in her bedroom," Rufus responded.
"Thank you," Blair replied as she moved towards the bedroom before she heard Dan's voice calling out to her. She hadn't seen him sitting with his father. "Hi, Dan."
"Can we talk for a moment in private?" Dan requested.
"I actually really need to see Serena," Blair replied. After their last encounter, she didn't want to be in the same room as him, not to mention alone in the room with him.
"Just for a moment," Dan requested once again.
"Okay," she nodded reluctantly as she followed him back out to the balcony. The humidity of the August day began to suffocate her as soon as she stepped out. As Dan stepped out behind her, she realized he was between her and the door. She knew she was overreacting, but she felt herself starting to hyperventilate as if the air was being sucked out of her and felt trapped.
"Blair, I'm sorry about how I reacted the other evening," Dan began with an apology, "I crossed a line, and I frightened you. It won't happen again."
"Dan, I'm sure this must be difficult for you watching me agree to marry two different men, when neither of them are you especially when I know you have certain feelings for me," Blair replied, "I'm sorry for that, but I need you to know that it would never be you. You became a good friend to me this past winter when I felt my life falling apart, but that's all you'll ever be – a friend. I love Chuck. I love him in a way I could never love another man, certainly not you."
"Could you at least pretend to spare my feelings for a moment?" Dan requested.
"No," Blair shook her head quickly, "Because if I do, you may misconstrue my compassion for something that its not, and I need to make myself perfectly clear. In two weeks, I am marrying Chuck. There will be a wedding and it will not be interrupted. If you can't accept my choice, then I'd rather you not come."
"Blair, I . . ." he began.
"No, listen to me," Blair interrupted him, "I have never stopped loving Chuck for even a moment. Even after everything that we've gone through, every way he's hurt me, I have always been in love with him. We're starting a life together. We're buying a home."
"You are so focused on the fairytale that you are shoving aside all of the pain he has caused you," Dan cut off any additional comment she was going to make.
"You have no idea what you're talking about," Blair hissed.
"He's going to hurt you again," Dan insisted, "Chuck Bass is not a man that his capable of providing you with the happy ending that you are looking for."
"That just shows how little that you know about him," Blair responded calmly, "Of course we're going to have bumps along the way. I'm not naïve enough to believe that every day from here on out is going to be perfect. We are still going to struggle, but at the end of the day we'll be struggling as man and wife."
"I won't be there to pick up the pieces when your world crumbles again," Dan drew his line in the sand.
"And I wouldn't want you there," Blair snapped, "It's like you're cheering for me to fail. What type of friendship is that? A true friend would want me to be happy. I guess I was wrong about you after all. Consider yourself officially uninvited to my wedding."
"Blair, come on," Dan reached out for her arm.
Blair recoiled instantly, "Don't touch me. Don't talk to me. From this moment on you are that same pathetic lovesick boy you were in high school that I could not tolerate being in the same room with."
"Blair," Dan tried to reach for her again.
"B, you okay?" Serena inquired as she found the pair out on the balcony for the second time in less than a week.
"No," Blair shook her head as she pushed past Dan quickly, "Do me a favor, S, keep this insect away from me."
"B, that's a bit harsh," Serena pointed out.
"I don't care," Blair replied as she left the balcony abruptly and dashed towards the nearest bathroom.
"What do you say to her?" Serena growled.
"She is so wrapped up in the idea of a perfect, fairytale life. She's not even allowing for the possibility that this road could lead to more heartache and pain," Dan replied.
"What do you expect, Dan!" Serena exclaimed, "She's getting married in a couple of weeks. Every bride goes into her wedding day with that blissful sense of hope."
"I just want her to know what she's getting herself in to," Dan insisted.
"No, what you want is for her to change her mind and choose you," Serena corrected him, "She doesn't have those feelings for you, Dan. You need to let this go."
"How can I let this go when I know she is making such a monumental mistake?" Dan replied.
"This time you need to let her make it," Serena replied, "As hopeful as she is about the future, she also knows what she is getting in to. She's seen Chuck at his absolute worst, and she knows what he's capable of. She's willing to take a risk. We have to support her in that. It's what a friend does."
"She's making the biggest mistake of her life," Dan insisted.
"Says you," Serena replied, "I might agree with you that she's moving a little fast, but I believe that Chuck is her soul mate. As her friend, I will be there to support her, wish her well, and if things don't work out exactly as she has planned, I will help her move on with her life. My advice to you is to stay away. You clearly cannot be objective about this."
"Charles, I want to start this conversation by saying how incredibly happy I am for you," Lily began.
"But," Chuck prompted her.
"No but," Lily shook her head, "You have gone through quite an ordeal these past few years. If anyone deserves to have some happiness in their life it is you."
"You didn't bring me up here to tell me this," Chuck replied, "So what are you wanting to talk about?"
"You checked into the Ostroff Center and were given a pretty difficult diagnosis," Lily replied, "I was hoping we could discuss it."
"Bipolar," Chuck stated with a nod.
"I'm assuming you told Blair," Lily stated.
"Yes," Chuck nodded, "I told her on the flight to our island."
"That's good," Lily stated as she patted his knee affectionately, "She's going to be a good support structure for you in dealing with this."
"It's just medication every day," Chuck tried to shrug her off.
"Hence the no alcohol," Lily realized, "I should have known better."
"It's okay, Lily," Chuck assured her.
"Have you and Blair come up with a plan of action to tackle this?" Lily inquired.
"Honestly aside from making sure that I take my medication every day, we haven't really talked about it yet," he admitted, "I don't even know that much about it. The doctors gave me some literature to go through at the hospital, but I haven't read it. Perhaps after the wedding, we'll sit down and come up with that plan."
"You are so much like your father," Lily shook her head, "I often wondered if he suffered from some mental illness. He had his extreme up and downs, like you."
"You're saying that you think Bart was the one that was bipolar, that I got this from him," Chuck assumed.
"It is possible," Lily replied, "I've read that it can be genetic."
"That's what the doctor told me," Chuck nodded. It was the only thing he'd actually heard the doctor say when he was given the diagnosis.
"I assume that you and Blair have discussed starting a family. Have you given this complication any thought?" Lily inquired.
"It's been brought up, briefly, during our plane ride, but we haven't talked about it since," he admitted, "We probably should talk about it again, especially now."
"Especially now," Lily repeated as she eyed him curiously for a moment as his words sunk in fully, "Charles, is there a grandchild in my near future?"
"I…ah…" Chuck fumbled for a response. He didn't want to reveal Blair's secret without her approval, but he also didn't want to lie to the woman that he considered his mother in the most important of ways.
"Is this baby the reason for the mad dash down the aisle?" Lily inquired as she took his non-response as the affirmation that Blair was indeed pregnant.
"It's part of it," Chuck admitted, "When she told me, we both agreed that we wanted to be married before the baby came."
"As noble as that is, are you sure the baby is yours?" Lily asked delicately, "She was recently engaged to another man."
"I'm one hundred percent positive that it's mine," Chuck nodded.
"How could you be one hundred percent positive?" Lily inquired, "Especially without a paternity test, which I'm assuming is much too soon to take. How pregnant is she?"
"Two and a half months," Chuck replied, "And we can be one hundred percent certain without a paternity test because Blair has never been with Louis."
Lily sat in stunned silence for a few moments as she processed his news. "When did the two of you . . .? You two haven't dated in months."
"The night Russell Thorpe came after her," Chuck responded, "After I rescued her, we snuck into a bar mitzvah, got a little carried away, and had one incredible night that resulted in this surprise that has given me a second reason to be the happiest I've ever been in my life."
"Charles, I don't know what to say," Lily responded.
"Congratulations works," he suggested.
"Congratulations, of course, congratulations," Lily exclaimed as she reached over and hugged her son.
"Blair doesn't want anyone to know just yet," Chuck explained, "We've only told Dorota and Eleanor."
"Not Serena?" Lily's eyes went wide in surprise.
"She's not exactly the most dependable when it comes to life altering secrets," Chuck replied, "We want the focus on the wedding to be on the fact that we are finally getting things right. We'll announce her pregnancy sometime after."
"Your secret is safe with me," Lily assured him as she hugged him again. Her jubilant smile was infectious. She was clearly thrilled to learn that she was to become a grandmother soon.
"Before you say anything to Blair, please let me break the news that I spilled her secret," he requested.
"Of course," Lily replied, "I'd hate for my future daughter-in-law to be upset with me more than she is with her groom to be."
"I appreciate that," he chuckled.
"It appears that we've gotten a bit off track," Lily replied, "We do need to talk about your diagnosis."
"I know," Chuck nodded, "And I know it's going to sound as though I'm avoiding the issue, but can this wait for a little later? I'm sure that my sister is wearing slightly on my fiancée's nerves by now, or perhaps the other way around. Either way she is in need of rescuing."
"I suppose this discussion can wait for another day," she concluded, "But we will be having this conversation."
"Of course," Chuck replied.
Chuck reached the main floor just as Blair reemerged from the bathroom.
"Is everything all right, Beautiful?" Chuck inquired.
"I'm actually not feeling well," Blair stated as she shook her head, "Do you think your mother would mind postponing until another day?"
"I'm sure she'll understand," he assured her, "Let's get you back to the Plaza."
"The Plaza," Serena exclaimed, "You two just got here. We were going to celebrate your big purchase."
"It will have to wait for another day," Chuck replied as Lily came down the stairs, "Lily, Blair's not feeling well. Would you mind if we did the celebrating another day?"
"Of course not," Lily replied, "Take her home, Charles, and make sure she is well taken care of."
"I will," Chuck nodded as he guided Blair to the elevator.
"I hope you feel better, Blair," Lily waved them off.
Serena turned on her heel and went to yell at Dan some more. She knew that her ex-boyfriend was the reason for Blair's sudden illness. Lily came along to referee.
"Are you happy now?" Serena confronted Dan when he returned to the living area where Rufus had been sitting peacefully with a good book, "Blair left and it is all your fault. We were going to celebrate their good fortune as the family we are."
"Hold on a minute, Serena," Rufus rose to his feet to referee, "It's not fair to accuse my son of something that is untrue."
"Rufus, wake up!" Serena moaned, "Your son is as manipulative as your daughter. He is on a mission to make sure that Blair is miserable simply because she rejected him twice."
"That's not what happened," Dan defended himself.
"Dan, what did happen?" Rufus pressed his son for an explanation.
"I may have mentioned that Blair and Chuck are rushing into marriage and that it wouldn't last," Dan replied.
"Why would you say such a thing?" Rufus inquired, his voice full of disappointment.
"She was engaged to another man only a few weeks ago," Dan stated defensively, "She's just so terrified of ending up alone that she's going to accept the proposal of any man that asks."
"Except one," Serena proclaimed gleefully.
"Dan, you're going to have to come to terms with the fact that Blair is engaged to the correct man," Rufus stated.
"How can you defend the man that defiled your daughter?" Dan exclaimed in outrage.
"Jenny made her own choices that evening. There were many mistakes made leading up to that night by so many people, including myself. I was wearing blinders when it came to seeing the person that my daughter was becoming, and apparently I'm wearing those same blinders when it comes to my son," Rufus explained, "I have worked through my anger regarding that evening, and have given Lily's son another chance."
"Blair deserves better," Dan insisted.
"It's not up to you to decide what Blair deserves," Rufus replied, "She has chosen Chuck. As you claim to be her friend, you have to respect her decision, even if you feel it is the wrong one."
"He's going to hurt her," Dan replied.
"He might," Rufus nodded, "Or she could hurt him or they could hurt each other. It is still Blair's choice to make."
Knowing that he didn't have anyone on his side in the room, Dan promptly stormed out.
"Next time you invite Blair and Chuck to dinner, Mother, make sure that Humphrey isn't invited," Serena snarled, "Rufus, I'm sorry. I know he's your son, but I cannot stand the sight of him at the moment. If Blair and Chuck will have me, I'm going to stay with them at the Plaza for the time being, or I'll be staying at the Waldorf penthouse."
"Serena, wait," Lily halted her daughter, "This is your home."
"Be that at it may, I really don't want to risk running into Dan when he stops by for a visit," Serena replied.
"What's wrong, Blair?" Chuck inquired as Blair burrowed into his arms as they rode back to the Plaza. She wasn't in tears. She didn't appear ill, so it left Chuck baffled as to why she had wanted to make such an abrupt exit. "Did you and Serena have a skirmish?"
"Take out Serena and insert Dan," Blair replied as she began toying with one of the buttons on his perfectly fitted dress shirts, "I uninvited him to the wedding."
"He still thinks you're making a mistake," Chuck concluded.
"Any decision that I make that doesn't include him as my leading man is a mistake," Blair replied, "You'd think he'd be used to hearing no from women."
"Not one as wonderful as you," Chuck responded.
"Flattery will get you everywhere with me," she replied with a slight smile.
"Lily knows about the baby," Chuck confessed.
"What!" she exclaimed, "Chuck, how could you?"
"I didn't," he spoke quickly, "She guessed, and I couldn't refute her. I can't lie to her, Blair."
"Couldn't you have tried?" Blair sighed.
"She promised she wouldn't say anything," Chuck replied, "And I trust her the way that you trust Dorota and Eleanor."
"I suppose it is only fair," she sighed, "Perhaps we should tell Arthur so that we can make it even."
"Just Lily," Chuck assured her.
"What were you talking about anyways that caused her to guess I was pregnant?" Blair inquired.
"My diagnosis," Chuck replied, "We haven't really talked about it even though she was with me when the doctors gave me the news. We were talking about the genetic component of it. I made mention that you and I talked about it briefly and that it needed to be revisited soon. She guessed it from there. She seems to think I might have inherited it from Bart."
"Do you think it's possible?" Blair inquired.
"I guess it's possible. I don't really remember any manic episodes like I've gone through, but there was definitely the depression," Chuck explained.
"We should talk more about what you're going through," Blair replied, "We've read nearly everything we can get our hands regarding my pregnancy, but we haven't done the same with your disease. You'll need to educate me on this so that I know how to help you."
"I don't know much more than you do," he admitted, "The doctors gave me a quick run through and gave me some literature to read, but I haven't looked at it."
"We need to get educated together then," she concluded, "All I really know is your medication schedule."
"Keeping me on my schedule is probably the most important part right now," Chuck replied, "The doctors have warned me that even if I think the medication is unnecessary that I need to keep taking it. So I guess the best way to help me right now is to make sure that I keep taking the medication. If necessary nag me to do it."
"You're giving me permission to nag?" Blair inquired, "Can I have that in writing please?"
"I'll have my lawyers draft something first thing in the morning," he chuckled.
"Are you going to tell me yet why you were in such a hurry to leave me this morning?"
"I had a therapy session this morning," he confessed.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she inquired, "I would have wanted to go with you."
"That is precisely why I didn't tell you," he replied.
"Don't you want me there?" she pouted slightly.
"I'm not at that point in my therapy yet where I feel comfortable bringing others into my session," he admitted.
"Even me?"
"Even you," he replied as he kissed her forehead softly, "This is new to me. I'm not one that is good with verbalizing my feelings. Each session has been a struggle."
"I still wish you would have told me," she replied.
"I should have," he nodded, "I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to keep you in the dark."
"What was your intention then?" she inquired.
"I guess I thought I would be protecting you," he replied, "We've read that it's best to keep your stress to a minimum for the sake of you and the baby, and I don't know on any given day where these therapy sessions could lead."
"Okay," she accepted his explanation, "But from now on, I want to know about each session before it happens. If for no other reason than that I know what is going on with you."
"Deal," he nodded as he tilted her head at a better angle so he could give her a tender kiss.
"I love you, Chuck," she replied as she began pecking at his lips.
"I love you," he added as he felt the limo pull to a stop in front of the Plaza.
Just as they walked into the hotel, Blair's phone rang. "Hey, S."
"B, I know why you said you aren't feeling well, and I gave Dan a severe tongue lashing for it," Serena informed her.
"That is very thoughtful of you," Blair replied.
"You can say no if you want to, but I was hoping that I could stay with you and Chuck for a little while," Serena requested, "I can't take accidentally running into Dan at the breakfast table."
"Do you mind if Serena camps out in one of the available bedrooms in our suite?" Blair asked Chuck, "She's avoiding Dan."
"She's always welcome," Chuck replied.
"We're both fine with it," Blair replied, "Tell the front desk to let you up. I think Chuck and I will be turning in early."
"Okay," Serena replied, "I'll see you at breakfast then. Thanks."
"Anytime," Blair replied.
TBC. . .