Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
To those of you who have reviewed, thank you so, so much.
I'm going to admit, I was pretty bummed about the lack of reviews for the last chapter, but since there are a few of you that seemed to still be enjoying it I will press on.
Enjoy.
"Is Chuck being a model patient?" Serena inquired as she and Blair had their final dress fitting a few days before the wedding at Eleanor's design studio.
"God no," Blair groaned in annoyance from inside the dressing room where she was slipping into her dress.
Chuck had been discharged from the hospital the day after his accident. Blair had taken him back to The Plaza, despite Lily's offer to have him stay with her. He hadn't been at all cooperative with the orders the doctors have given him. Serena wisely had stayed with Eleanor.
The driver of Chuck's vehicle that evening was in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery, but the limo from that evening was a complete loss.
"He's supposed to be off his feet as much as possible to let his ankle heal, but he's up and around every time I turn my back. I had to handcuff him to the bed yesterday to keep him from getting up, yet he still found a way to get out of bed."
"If you were using his handcuffs, of course, he was able to get free," Serena chuckled.
"Thankfully the bruises on his face have gone down so he won't ruin the wedding pictures, but it won't be just the bride and maid of honor wearing makeup," Blair chuckled as she emerged from the dressing room with her back towards her best friend, "S, I need you to hook me in."
Serena dutifully hooked and buttoned her dress up and then Blair spun around so that everyone in the room could catch the full effect of Blair's dress. The loft went silent.
"What's wrong?" Blair panicked as she turned towards the mirror to try figuring out why no one was speaking, thinking perhaps the dress was revealing to all her slight baby bump.
"Blair, you look beautiful," her mother proclaimed as she dabbed at her eyes with the tissue her assistant was handing to her.
"We should try the veil," her assistant chimed in when everyone else's voice began to falter again.
"Charles sent over your tiara," Eleanor nodded, "So we'll get the full effect today."
Eleanor and her assistant put on a pair of cotton white gloves before they took the ornamental box out of the loft's safe. Serena gasped in delight as the tiara was lifted from the box. Blair felt the tears sting her eyes as the memory of the night Chuck had given her the tiara flooded back.
After a bit of fussing with the silk tulle, Eleanor was able to incorporate the veil into Blair's tiara before she crowned her daughter. When Blair turned towards the mirrors again, everyone was speechless, including Blair. Tears tumbled down her cheeks as the reality set in. She was really going to marry Chuck.
"Is using the word perfection too much of an understatement?" Eleanor inquired as she hugged her daughter.
"Thank you, Mother, for designing this perfect gown," Blair stated as she tried to reign in her emotions.
"It's not the design, Sweetheart," Eleanor snuffled as she dabbed at her eyes again, "It's the beautiful woman in the gown.
Blair's fragile hold on her emotions came to a shattering halt as the tears flooded down her cheeks.
"You'd better get all the tears out today," Serena chimed in, "Because on Wedding Day if those tears ruin your makeup, the people Chuck hired for you are going to be less than thrilled."
Blair chuckled lightly as she accepted the tissue Eleanor's assistant was handing her and began mopping up the tears that had been shed.
"Can I just wear this for the next seventy-two hours?" Blair inquired as she did a full three hundred and sixty degree turn to admire every angle of her dress.
"You could, but then you wouldn't be able to see your fiancé," Serena pointed out, "And we've already discovered that a few hours apart can have life and death consequences."
"Too soon," Blair scowled at her best friend's attempt to make a joke of the accident a few evenings ago.
"Agreed," Serena nodded as she pulled out her phone. Before Blair could protest, she snapped a picture.
"If that picture makes its way to Chuck, I'm getting married without a maid of honor," Blair warned her.
"Give me a little credit," Serena replied as she admired the picture and then tucked her phone away before Blair had any thought of confiscating her treasured communication device. "This is just for me to show Lily. She was so upset that she couldn't make it to this final fitting. I promised to get her a picture."
"Serena, Dear, please tell your mother that she was missed," Eleanor chimed in.
"I will," Serena nodded.
"And her mother of the groom dress has been pressed and is ready for her to pick up any time she is available to swing by," Eleanor added.
"You're designing Lily's dress for the wedding," Blair stated in surprise.
"Didn't you know, I've become the official designer for this wedding," Eleanor chuckled, "Not only am I designing for the bride, the maid of honor, the mother of the groom, and of course the mother of the bride, anyone that is attending this wedding is asking for one of my designs to wear on your big day. Sweetheart, this wedding has been very big for my business."
"Glad we could help," Blair laughed as she turned her back to her mother to be unhooked, "Could you undo me? I have to be back at The Plaza in thirty minutes to get Chuck. We have doctors' appointments that we can't miss, and then we're meeting with our interior designer. They are giving us a tour of the renovations that have already been completely."
"Already?" Serena responded in surprise. "You just closed on the place a few days ago. How are renovations already completed?"
"Chuck has hired a crew to work around the clock so that we can begin living there on our wedding night," Blair explained, "Certain parts of the manor will be under construction for awhile, but our bedroom and bathroom will be fully operational that very night."
"That's probably all that you're going to need for the first month or so anyway," Serena conceded, "Will you let me know when one of the guest rooms is available so that I can move in? Chuck's promised that I can stay at The Plaza on his dime for as long as I want, but only in a standard room."
"The nerve," Blair chuckled as she disappeared into the dressing room to change.
"So, how was it?" Blair inquired as Chuck joined Blair in the waiting room after his most recent therapy session. His eyes were dark, and he had his displeased scowl on his face. She didn't need to wait for his response. "That bad, huh."
"Maybe therapy isn't for everyone," he growled as he offered her his arm as they left the waiting area. "Maybe the medication can just be enough for me."
"That's not an option, and you know it," she scolded him as they stepped into the elevator.
"I never leave my therapist's office with any sense of accomplishment. Instead I feel as though I've been put through the wringer. Every choice that I've ever made in my life is being scrutinized and judge and deemed to be the wrong one," he ranted. "Bart was more supportive than this miscreant."
"I think you need to find a different therapist," Blair stated as they walked through the lobby, or rather Chuck limped, "Sounds like this therapist is doing more harm than good. A good therapist should support you and help you make good decisions. If this therapist isn't doing anything aside from cutting you down, then it's a good idea to find a therapist that works for you. Just because the Ostroff Center matched you with this therapist after your initial diagnosis was made does not mean that you have to stick with him now."
"You make an excellent point," he replied as he held the door open for her as they stepped out into the street. There was mild annoyance that the limo was not waiting for them.
"Take a deep breath," Blair replied to calm him down when she witnessed his nostrils flair in annoyance, "Arthur already feels guilty enough about the role he played in your accident. If you chastise him any further, he's going to wet himself. We should look at this from a positive perspective. Because he had personal business to attend to, he took the sacred limo with him, so it wasn't our limo that played chicken with the light pole. I, for one, would be saddened to lose that piece of our history."
"I would be too," he nodded as he kissed her lips softly just as the limo pulled up to the curb. Arthur was apologizing profusely for his delay as he stepped out of the limo and held the door open for them.
"Take me to lunch, Bass," Blair requested as she yanked him into the limo before he could scold his driver.
"Any requests?" he inquired.
"I'm thinking Mediterranean," she replied, "Amaranth, perhaps."
As Chuck gave Arthur their destination, his driver was still apologizing.
"Are you planning on letting him off the hook anytime soon?" Blair inquired as the car gently lurched forward.
"Perhaps after I stop limping or the ribs stop aching," he sighed as his fingers entwined with hers. "We haven't been able to make love since the afternoon before the accident. Of course I'm going to be a little . . ."
"Grumpy," she finished for him.
"Irritated," he corrected her, "I can't turn either direction without an enormous amount of pain. I certainly can't do the things that I want to you."
"It's only temporary," she told him, "And we found a way around that last night."
"Which isn't nearly as satisfying as the conventional way," he replied.
"Bite your tongue," she gasped, "Our love making is anything but conventional."
"What is wrong with conventional?" he chuckled.
"Conventional translates to boring," she explained as her head came to rest against his shoulder, "And making love with you is anything but boring."
"I'll agree that our love making is anything but boring, but conventional does not translate to boring," he told her, "And as much as I enjoyed the stimulation last night, that was a far cry from our usual workout."
"I know, but until we get clearance from your doctor that's going to have to hold you," she replied.
"Clearance or not, we are making love on our wedding night," he told her. There was no room for argument in his statement. She heard his stubbornness shine through and knew this wasn't the moment to argue with him.
"Are you excited for your bachelor party tonight?" she inquired.
"Let's see. No alcohol. No strippers or exotic dancers. No fiancée for an entire evening. What exactly is there that I'm supposed to look forward to?" he inquired.
"How about the part where I kidnap you, take you home, and play nursemaid for the night?" she cooed, "I've already purchased the outfit. I believe you will be very appreciative."
"Is Serena really planning on jumping out of the cake?" he chuckled.
"I've tried talking her out of it, but her mind is made up," she sighed, "She thinks that jumping out of a cake in a sparkly, little costume is going to facilitate her finding Mister Right."
"What's the harm in letting her have her fun?" he replied, "It's her humiliation, not yours."
"True, but Serena's methods of finding a suitable mate are questionable at best."
"Not everyone is lucky enough to find one's soul mate in the back of a limousine," he stated as his hand ran along her thigh, slowly inching the fabric up. The limo came to a sudden stop and earned a groan of disappointment from Blair as Arthur was more than efficient in opening the door for them. "We'll continue later if you'd like."
"I'd like," she whispered just before he untangled himself and stepped out of the limo. After buttoning his suit jacket, he offered her his hand and guided her into the restaurant.
"So how do I look?" Serena inquired as she fastened her garter belt to her stocking and then straightened up to give Blair the full effect of her costume.
"As usual, sex on a stick," Blair smiled as she looked to the hollowed out, cardboard cake a few steps away that Serena was about to climb into. "Are you sure this is a good idea? You have been known the get claustrophobic in small, enclosed spaces. They don't come smaller than that frilly little cake."
"I'll be fine," Serena assured her as she stepped towards the cake in her six-inch heels, "Hold the cake steady so that it doesn't roll away as I climb in."
"I hope one of the partygoers is feeling chivalrous when you pop out or you're going to fall on your face climbing out," Blair replied as Serena wobbled unsteadily as she climbed in, "I don't believe that's the impression you're looking for."
"Quit being such an old maid," Serena replied, "You were the one that stripped on stage for Chuck. This isn't much different."
"I beg to differ," Blair scoffed, "I started out fully clothed. When I was done, I was still in my slip."
"Until Chuck got a hold of you in his limo," Serena snickered.
"You're already showing all your splendor," Blair motioned towards the few scraps of fabric that Serena had squeezed herself into, "There is no mystery left to these boys' imaginations."
"You have your ways, and I have mine," Serena replied.
"And I'm the one getting married in two days," Blair pointed out.
"Fine, if this doesn't work, I'll start taking lessons at the Blair Waldorf Charm School," Serena stated, "I'll let you mold me into your very own dress up doll."
"Promise," Blair stated sweetly as she put the top on the cake and went to get the waitresses to wheel Serena out.
Blair waited patiently as Serena's selected performance music started. She knew instantly when Serena popped out of the cake by the sound of the male cheers. "So predictable," she shook her head in amusement as she waited a few minutes more to be sure that everyone's attentions were elsewhere.
As she stuck her head out, she could see Nate lashing out at Chuck because of his ex-girlfriend's inappropriate intrusion, and Chuck laughing at the obvious jealousy Nate was feeling towards the men drooling all over Serena.
Nate had organized a tasteful bachelor party. He was trying to be sensitive to Chuck's new lifestyle. There was no alcohol being served, no strippers to entertain the masses. Just multiple tables set up for various card games. Chuck had already won more than his fair share. In the interest of fairness, he held himself out of the most recent round. There was a haze of cigar smoke that filled the room. The excitement had been fairly mild until Serena blew her cake top.
"As her brother, you should put a stop to this," Nate grumbled, "Look at those guys with their hands all over her."
"There's one guy touching her, and he's helping her out of the cake," Chuck laughed, "They aren't tearing her clothes off."
"There isn't much to take off," Nate spit out, "Could she have worn any less?"
"We both know the answer to that question is a yes," Chuck continued to chortle, "Go stake your claim again if it bothers you so much"
"It doesn't bother me in that romantic type of way," Nate insisted, "It bothers me in that friend sort of way. We are still friends, remember?"
"Right," Chuck rolled his eyes. He knew it was only a matter of time before Nate and Serena circled around each other again. It was pride on both their parts that kept them apart, and of course Nate was still laying prey for the cougar. He suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder, and he felt like rejoicing as he knew without having to look that Blair was coming to his rescue.
"Ready to go?" Blair whispered in his ear as her arms came around his chest.
"You have no idea," Chuck replied as he caressed her forearms gently.
"Say your goodbyes. I'll be waiting in the limo," she nibbled at his ear.
"Forget the goodbyes, let's just disappear," he groaned as her hot breath tickled his ear.
"That's not very sporting of you," she whispered.
"I'll show you how sporting I can be after you've put on that little costume you promised," he chuckled.
"Chuck, it's time for you to make your speech," Nate turned towards his friend, only to find the spot next to him was suddenly vacant. "Chuck?" Chuck wasn't even a shadow in the room. He had just vanished, from his own bachelor party.
Blair and Chuck were laughing as they darted out of the club towards the limousine that was waiting.
"Nathaniel is going to be very upset with me," he chuckled as he pinned her against the limo as he waved Arthur back to the driver's seat.
"I could care less," she smirked as she bit at his Adam's apple, "You didn't want to be there anyways."
"Beside the point," he replied as he pressed against her a little firmer.
"If you take me home, I give you full permission to punish me as you see fit," she baited him.
"Let's go," he gave her a Cheshire grin, "I'm in the mood to dish out a little justice."
"As long as you follow the doctor's orders," she cautioned him. She earned a groan of disappointment. She patted his chest to provide comfort, "Soon, Lover, soon."
TBC. . .