Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
"I've come to kidnap you," Serena announced as she bounced into the nursery where Blair and Luca were playing on the floor.
"I've told you a million times, Serena. You can't have my baby. You'll just have to get Nate drunk enough to knock you up so you can have your own," Blair replied as she skillfully scooped Luca up and brought him against her chest, seemingly in the same motion. There was an overprotectiveness in her actions that was not lost on Serena.
"I'm not kidnapping Luca, Silly, though the thought is tempting. I'm kidnapping you," the bubbly blonde explained, "It's been all about Luca since the moment he came home. You deserve a little time for yourself. I'm here to see to that."
"I'm not letting you babysit," Blair replied, "You put his diaper on backwards the last time we let you take control of diaper duty and then made Chuck deal with the mess that was made in Luca's crib."
"How was I supposed to know which way the diaper went? It looks the same both ways," Serena defended herself.
"I can't leave Luca," Blair insisted as her grip on Luca tightened ever so slightly, "I'm breastfeeding every couple of hours."
"I'm not talking about one of our all day marathon shopping excursions," Serena replied, "I'm talking mani-pedis at Bergdorfs. We'll be gone two hours at most. I think Chuck can handle things for a couple of hours, and if he can't, I've brought backup. Cyrus, Roman, Harold, and Nate are all here for their first guys' afternoon. Eric wanted to be here, but he's tied up with school this weekend. I cannot tell you how upset he is to miss his nephew's first guys' day."
"Well, he's not going to miss anything because there is no way I'm going to allow this guys' day to happen," Blair replied, "Nate nearly dropped Luca the first and only time he held him, and as much as I love all my fathers, they haven't been around babies for years."
"I'm not taking no for an answer," Serena insisted. "You can either come along voluntarily or kicking and screaming. It's your choice."
Blair stormed out of the nursery with the intention of finding Chuck, who she was absolutely certain would back her up. As she'd pointed out to him on numerous occasions, he was legally obligated to be on her side since they'd tied the knot. She nearly ran into him at the nursery door as he was standing right outside, clearly waiting for her. "Chuck, set Serena straight. You need me here, don't you?"
"Of course I need you here," Chuck replied as he lifted her free hand to observe the sorry condition her fingernails were in because her sole focus had been on Luca, "But for two hours, I can handle things. You deserve a bit of pampering. Those fingers and toes are screaming for some attention."
"This was your idea," she realized, "How could you?"
"Blair, it's been three days since you took a shower. You're sleeping in the nursery. I have to force you to eat," Chuck stated calmly as he lightly kissed the pad of each finger, "To take care of Luca, long term, you need to take care of yourself."
"Luca needs me," Blair insisted as she felt tears starting to well in her eyes.
"Yes, he does," Chuck nodded as his voice became gentle as he recognized the shift in her emotions. She wasn't angry; she was panicked. Her place in her son's life was being questioned, and she couldn't bear it. "He needs you more than he needs anyone else. A few hours of pampering is not going to change that. No one is even attempting to take your place."
"I need to be here," Blair whispered as a few tears tumbled down her cheeks.
Chuck gently pried Luca from Blair's arms and handed him to Serena. "Would you take him down to the study? Harold is most anxious to spend some quality time with his grandson."
"Okay," Serena nodded as she scurried away before Blair could follow.
"Blair, look at me," Chuck stated as her eyes followed Serena with a pained expression.
Blair refused to give in to his request. She was furious that he'd taken her son away.
"Look at me," he requested again as he touched her chin gently, gently coaxing her gaze toward him.
When her eyes locked with his, her anger came out. She tried to slap him, but he had anticipated her motion and caught her hand before she made contact. She tried to struggle free, but he held his grip tight.
"You cannot sustain the pace that you've set for yourself," Chuck stated calmly.
"I'm his mother," Blair hissed.
"And I'm his father," Chuck replied, "I am capable of taking care of him for a few hours. Getting out of the manor will be good for you."
"Chuck, please," her eyes were pleading with him.
"Two hours," he held firm, "It's just two hours, but how about a shower first?"
"I need to feed him before I leave," she insisted as she allowed him to turn her towards their bedroom.
"Of course," Chuck conceded, "I want his tummy full because we know that a full tummy makes for a very happy Luca."
In their bathroom, Blair stood still as Chuck undressed her. "Are you planning on joining me?" she inquired as he opened the shower door and nudged her inside.
"Is that an invitation?" he smirked.
"I might be persuaded," she baited him with her most tempting smile.
Chuck couldn't get undressed fast enough. He'd been starved for her affections. They hadn't even kissed in days. She was so focused on Luca that nothing and nobody else mattered. As Chuck stepped in, he found himself pressed up against the shower wall, her body pressed against his, rubbing against him. As starved as he was, he recognized that she had ulterior motives as she sucked on his Adam's apple.
"Chuck, if you let me stay home, I'll do that thing that you like," she whispered into his ear.
Chuck purposely banged his head against the stonewall in a successful attempt to keep his head clear.
"If you get a mani-pedi, I'll do that thing that you like," he countered.
"I could care less about that," she snarled as she shoved him roughly against the shower wall as she pushed off him, "I'm a mother for crying out loud. We don't allow men to do things like that to us."
"You're also a wife," Chuck reminded her, "My wife."
"No, we can't do any of that yet," she hissed, "I haven't been cleared by the doctors for any of those activities."
"I'm not suggesting those activities," Chuck stated calmly, "But we should take a little time each day to reconnect. It is so easy to just get ourselves lost in being Luca's parents, but as important as the parent-child relationship is, we should not be neglecting the husband-wife relationship."
"I hate you," she hissed.
"I'm sure you do," he nodded as he felt the stabbing pain in his heart as her words sunk in, "But I'm trying to do what is best for you, and even though you don't see it, I'm also trying to do what is best for Luca."
"Get out," she demanded.
"I love you, Blair," Chuck replied as he chanced a quick nip at the nape of her neck before he exited the shower and dried himself off. He tried not to let her expression of hatred seep in. She was just angry and exhausted. He knew she couldn't mean the words she spoke.
"We should do this more often," Eleanor stated as she looked down the line of chairs in the salon to see Serena, Lily, and Blair sitting next to her as they had their pedicures. They were being given the VIP treatment due to Chuck calling ahead to make the arrangements. Tea had been served with scrumptious cookies, and everyone was bending over backwards to accommodate the quartet. Blair seemed unappreciative of any of it. She was still stewing.
"Yes, we should," Lily agreed as she reached for Blair's hand to get her attention. She'd said very little since she'd been forced from her home in tears, "Shouldn't we, Blair?" She received only a shrug in response.
"Sweetheart, we know leaving your little boy was difficult for you, but you should at least try to enjoy the pampering," Eleanor insisted.
"Little boy," Blair's manicurist chimed up, "How little?"
"He's five and a half weeks," Blair snapped.
"I have a little boy myself, he's fifteen weeks. It kills me to put him in daycare everyday, but I have to pay for his diapers somehow," the manicurist stated as she showed Blair a picture.
"He's very handsome," Blair stated as she took a quick peek and then returned the picture. "But I shouldn't have left my little boy at home all alone."
"He's not alone," Serena sighed dramatically, "He has his father, his three grandfathers, and Nate. Not to mention that your housekeeper will be hovering the entire time we're gone."
"Is this your first time away from him?" the manicurist asked Blair, who nodded in confirmation, "It was hard for me too the first time. My mama said that I should take a walk to recharge my batteries, and she was right. I was so exhausted from taking care of his every need that I'd forgotten that I had my own. I was even peeing according to his schedule, which is just crazy."
"That doesn't sound crazy," Blair replied, "That sounds to me like you're putting your son's needs ahead of your own. That is what a good parent does."
"I realized I couldn't be a good parent to my little boy if I was dead," the manicurist stated, "You're lucky that your baby's daddy is still in the picture. Mine bolted the moment I told him I was pregnant. I wish I had the family and friends that you have to help out. All I have is my mama, but we're doing just fine."
"Don't you miss your little boy terribly?" Blair asked.
"Of course," the manicurist nodded, "But I'm realizing that the time away from him makes the moments that I'm with him much more precious."
Blair sat in her chair as the conversation with the manicurist took a few minutes to sink in. Eleanor, Lily and Serena trading knowing looks.
"You're all finished," the manicurists told the quartet several moments later.
Eleanor slipped Blair's manicurist a large tip and a curious wink that Blair missed as she gathered up her belongings and slipped her feet carefully into the sandals she'd worn for the occasion.
"We finished sooner than expected," Eleanor realized as she looked at her watch. "How about something sinfully chocolaty before we return to the manor?"
"That sounds like a good idea," Blair agreed as she linked arms with her mother as the first smile of the day that was non-Luca related appeared, "I have been having this craving. I thought those went away after giving birth."
"Chocolate cravings never go away, Sweetheart," her mother stated.
Lily and Serena linked their arms together as they followed Blair and Eleanor, trading triumphant smiles as they went.
"That was quick," Nate stated as he greeted Serena in the foyer when the quartet returning.
"We've been gone exactly two hours," Serena pointed to her watch as she kissed his cheek.
"I recognize three of the smiles from those that left with them, but I don't think we've met. Nate Archibald," he stated as he jovially introduced himself to Blair, "And you're Blair Bass, right?"
"Ha ha," Blair rolled her eyes, "How come it's so quiet?"
"Luca's taking a nap in his Grandpa Cyrus's lap. I was sent away because apparently I can't watch the basketball game without loudly cheering the Knicks on, and some people thought that I might wake Luca up," he explained, "They're all in the media room if you want to check on them."
"Yes, I want to check on them," Blair replied as she darted out of the room.
The scene she was greeted with warmed her heart. Cyrus, Chuck, and Luca were all napping. Harold and Roman had switched the channel to a French film and were snuggled up together on the sofa. Harold was about to reach out to wake Chuck, when Blair motioned him to stop. Instead she crept towards him quietly and kissed his lips.
Chuck awoke with a start. Above him was his radiant wife, giving him an equally radiant smile.
"Thank you, Chuck," she whispered before she kissed his lips again, "You were right. I did need a little time away."
"Let's see those toes," he smiled as he reached for her calf, pulling her leg up so that he could inspect the salon's handwork.
"Come," Blair stated as she grabbed his collar, "Let's let Daddy and Roman enjoy this movie in peace. It's one of their favorites."
"What happened to the basketball game?" Chuck looked towards his in-laws in confusion. They both shrugged as Blair pulled him out of the room and towards his study. Inside with the door closed, Chuck found himself pressed against it with Blair pressed against him.
"This feels familiar," Chuck eyed her curiously, "I think I was in this position early in far fewer clothes. I was rudely kicked out."
"Yes, you were," Blair nodded, "And I'm sorry. I'm obsessing about this motherhood thing in a way that I've just realized is unhealthy."
"Your apology isn't necessary," he assured her, "I just want to make sure that you take care of yourself. Yes, you are of great importance when it comes to caring for Luca, but don't forget about me. I am just as willing to help you. I may not be able to feed him, but I can burp him and change him and rock him to sleep and bathe him. I think you forgot that there are other people that love that little boy as much as you do."
"Yes, I did," she nodded, "It's just so important to me to be a good mother. I guess I forget that it's equally important to you to be a good father."
"Let me help you, Blair," he stated, "Let me take part in my son's life."
"Yes," she nodded quickly, "Of course I want you to be a part of his life."
"So from here on out, we do this as a team," he replied, "I get the diapers and baths, and you get the feeding and burping. We'll take turns with rocking him to sleep."
"Fair enough," she smiled.
"But this arrangement is flexible," he added, "Because his needs will change as he grows."
"Okay," she nodded as they heard Luca cry out. It was his hungry cry. It was feeding time, and he knew it.
"I'll bring him up to the nursery. Go get yourself comfortable," he encouraged her. Blair nodded as she kissed his lips one more time, lingering against him as she inhaled his unique scent.
"After we finish, maybe we can let our family fight over who gets to watch him for a little while so you and I can properly reconnect," she suggested, "I was rather rude with you earlier. I'd like to make it up to you."
"There is nothing for you to make up to me, but I'm not going to turn down a chance to spend a few minutes alone with you," he replied.
TBC. . .
I want to give a gigantic shout out to Lori2279 for her beta work.
I want to give a second shout out to those that are reviewing, though I've noticed something that has me a little puzzled. Usually with each chapter, I get a few anonymous reviews, which is totally cool. Not everyone wants their name out there, but in the past few chapters I haven't had any. Is everyone just signing in to review or is there some sort of issue? If someone could give me a heads up, I'd appreciate it, especially if it's something on my end that I need to fix. I want to give everyone who wants to give me their opinion a chance to be heard.