Hello my dear readers. I know I've been very erratic with this story and I apologize for it. Since I get reviews that are so beautiful to read, i promise to update it on a more regular basis and to write it until the very end. Please, keep telling me how you feel about this story and this chapter.

"Never tell the truth to people who are not worthy of it."

Mark Twain

At Lily's house:

As the Bass Industries ball approached, Serena felt more and more nervous each minute. Everybody would be there, the Upper East Side was coming for a show and Chuck and her would become the starts of it. Gossip girl, by some miracle, didn't know. The truth was Serena and Chuck had been extra careful about the whole thing, their love –or whatever it was for that matter- was only shared into the safe space of what had became their home, sweet home. Not even Lily knew and Serena could already imagine the shock, anger and deception she would feel. Despite her own curriculum, Serena's mom accorded nowadays a great importance to New York's elite's opinion. Should she tell it to her mom first? And what would she say: "Hey mom, I have something going on with Chuck but I don't know what it exactly is." Then Dan and Blair would probably be there too, she could imagine their reaction. Dan would be as condescending as he could get telling her how disappointing it was to see her with someone like Chuck Bass, but Blair's reaction would be terribly worst. In her mind Chuck was the only thing Serena had never had over her, his love made her unique. She would feel jealous, betrayed and so vulgar; she would finally realize what Serena has known all along: she had let go the best thing that had ever happened to her. Yes, Chuck had made some horrible things to Blair but so was true the other way around. He loved her as she was the only woman who had ever walked on earth and Serena found herself thinking if it would be possible for him to love her that way someday. The depth of her feelings, growing everyday, were beginning to deeply scare her but she had made the decision to not run away this time.

The truth was Serena wasn't so sure it was a great idea to go public at the ball. They didn't even know what they were, how can you go public without knowing that? GG would be constantly on them, they would be the exposed to all the evil of the Upper East Side. It scared Serena to think how much harm they could do them. The problem was Serena has never been a logical person; she didn't give explanations for her actions. She had never justified herself; she had been whatever she wanted to be or could be in that moment. Serena VanDerWoodsen wasn't Blair Waldorf, she didn't need a perfect image; she didn't care. Moreover, Serena was very curious about what it would feel like to be able to grab Chuck's hand in public kiss him, claim him as his when some expansive skank tried to steal it from her. She wanted to know how it felt to be such a powerful couple, she wanted to feel everyone's eyes on them and be able to send them all to hell. She wanted to go public with Chuck within their terms and rules, and the Upper East Side would have live with it.

The door opening brought her back to reality; sad and boring reality. At the moment she was at her mother's house talking about dresses and fabrics.

"Excuse me Serena, I had to take that call. It was Rufus babbling about I don't know what."

Lily extended her arm through the table to grab, tenderly, her daughter's hand.

"I know the whole Dan and Blair thing has been hard on you Serena but, believe me, they did you a great favor."

Serena smiled sweetly at her mother, maybe she was right.

"Dan Humphrey is not the man you need, I don't want you to repeat my mistakes. You need a tough man Serena, a powerful one, someone who's on the same level as you."

Serena had to smile at the irony of the conversation; her mother was describing Chuck Bass. It was such a shame that the next day she would think so differently.

"Sure mom, I think you're right."

"Maybe you have already found it. I haven't seen you in two weeks and you have a certain glow darling."

Was it that obvious? She should see her with Chuck around, she would know the second she saw them.

"Not yet but I've been feeling better about the whole Dan and Blair thing. Maybe it was life's way to tell me she had something way better for me than Dan."

The truth would be avalaible tomorrow; there was no need to advance her death sentence one day.

"I'm proud of you Serena, you've come a long way these last years. You're much stronger."

Serena smiled knowing that she was right. She thought back about the messed up girl she had been. She was just a teenager with many problems and no idea of how to deal with them so she drank them away, she sexed them away; she wasn't that different from Chuck even then. She had learned to confront her problems, now she didn't take trains to get away from something but to get at something.

At Chuck's office:

A knock on the door preceded Blair's entering in Chuck's office.

"How the hell did you come up here?"

"They know me."

Chuck sighed; his team was too much permissive for his taste.

"And to what do I owe this pain in the ass Blair?"

Blair approached his desk before sitting on the couch next to it.

"Still sour Chuck?"

He had to laugh at that one.

"That would make you so happy, wouldn't it?"

"You have such a poor idea of me."

"Just the one you've given me Miss Waldorf soon to be Miss Humphrey. He may be a writer now but his name still rings so Brooklyneesh."

"Stop being so jealous Bass."

"Darling, if there is someone on earth I can be jealous of I can assure you it is not lonely boy. What do you want Blair, I don't have all day."

"I wanted to see how you're doing. That I'm not in love with you anymore doesn't mean I don't love you."

Oh god, why she had to come? He wasn't cut off for this kind of dialogue.

"I'm fine Blair, I don't intend on going on a self-destruction trip because of your love story with Dan."

He probably would have though, if Serena didn't exist he would have.

"That's good to hear."

Chuck could feel Blair's frustration in her voice; she wanted to see him totally broken over her even if she wouldn't admit it. She had broken him but he had to go on, she didn't give him any other choice, did she?

"So it's okay with you if I go to the Bass industry's ball with Dan? It's the biggest event of the year up now and a great place to make our first real appearance as a couple in the Upper East Side scene."

She had some balls; he had to admit that. This kind of things made him question deep inside himself if Blair was with Humphrey just to see him fight for her. Well, they wouldn't be the only ones to present themselves as a coupe but, by now, she didn't need to know that.

"There is no problem Blair, you can choose your ball partner as much as you can choose your boyfriend."

"Thank you, I appreciate your maturity about this. I'm glad you don't hold it against me."

"I've never said that, of course I hold it against you. We've done some horrible things to each other in the past but I thought we were loyal with each other."

"Loyal? Like you never cheated on me Chuck or, worst, sold me to your evil brother."

Chuck stopped writing on his keypad and looked deeply into Blair's eyes with his fiercest look.

"Loyal Blair. We can be horrible at each other, we can cheat, we can lie, we can fuck it up as bas as we want but we never fall out of love with each other. We can marry other people but fall in love with them. That was the deal, you broke it, I survived. End of the story but don't think for a single moment I don't despise your betrayal every breath I take."

The passion into Chuck's eyes made Blair realize, for the first time, that what she had done could be irreversible; but she was in love with Humphrey so she didn't care, right?

"I hope you enjoy the ball tomorrow Blair, we'll see you and lonely boy there. Now would be the appropriate time for leaving, this is my work place and it's a serious one. "

Blair wanted badly to ask what he meant by "we" but she knew better than to push it when Chuck was in that kind of mood.

At Chuck's home:

Chuck smiled surprised seeing Serena at home, his workday had been so long.

"I thought you'd be at you Lily's tonight?"

"Yes but we had lunch instead, I wanted to have dinner with you."

Chuck pecked her on the lips and smiled at her.

"Where's Monkey?"

"At my mom's. Don't worry; I've threatened her life. I wanted some time just for us before everything goes crazy tomorrow."

He took her by the waist before talking; the proximity was now the only natural state between them.

"Are you having second thoughts?"

It was in that kind of moments when Serena could see the vulnerable little boy that still lived within Chuck. He had not felt loved and he was still scaring about not being loved. He had such a hard time opening himself to others, he was really afraid of rejection and Serena knew Blair's betrayal with Dan hadn't helped lately. She felt in her belly the need to reassure him, to tell him everything would be all right because she wouldn't leave his side.

"I would lie to you if I said I wasn't scared but I really want to do it. Plus, I don't really have a choice."

"Why is that?"

"Because I can't really keep my hands off from you anymore."

Chuck smiled before capturing her plump lips with his. She tasted like strawberries and vanilla, she tasted like sun and long summer days, she tasted like barbeques with friends, sunbathing and white dresses running on green grass. He didn't really like those things but he loved to taste them on her.

Her hands soon lost in his dark and smooth hair while his arms divided between her neck dressed with long blond hair and her perfect waist. Their tongues didn't battle anymore; they just danced at the same tempo without effort. Serena's hands descended and she soon found herself taking off his expensive shirt. He let her do as she pleased while he kept losing himself in her mouth and touch. The pressure of directing Bass industries, Blair's visit, the world's problems... all long forgotten in her arms. Serena's hands now roamed freely Chuck's torso, her lips became more and more demanding. Feeling the blood cursing though its veins Chuck separated their lips enough to speak for a few seconds. Looking into her eyes, full of light eyes, he whispered:

"Do you really want this? Because I won't be able to stop Serena, we'll never be able to go backwards after this."

Serena knew everything he was implying; they could still bury what they have had those last weeks, they could put it behind them and never talk about it anymore. It would be hard but it was still possible. This, however, was the ultimate border. There would be not returning from this. Did she want to take the step? It was an important decision, she didn't need to rush it and she hadn't. It had been weeks, entire nights dreaming about his hands on her as he was sleeping right next to her. She knew what she wanted and she was ready to face the consequences that would come.

She looked deeply into his dark eyes, eyes so full of danger and promises of forbidden territories mortals would kill to explore. She knew he needed that last word for reassurance before she could get lost forever into his dark pools of night.

"I've never wanted someone as much as I want you right now. I know it sounds cliché but I have a physical ache to have you. I don't care if there's no turning back Chuck because I don't want it. What about you, are you sure?"

For only answer she got a deep and passionate kiss. She recognized that kiss, it was the kiss of a fourteen years old boy who didn't know how to talk, the kiss of someone who felt but didn't know yet what to do with it or how to express it. She valued that kiss for what it was, a true treasure that, despite the number of women Chuck had kissed over the years, the had only given to her and another girl. She promised herself then and there that she would never do anything to break the vulnerability he had offered her. She answered back the only way he could truly comprehend, with the same passion and depth in the touch.

Soon enough they were in Chuck's room, sharing one of the most beautiful experiences they would ever share. It wasn't rushed or harsh, it was almost sacred. He slowly took off her dress without taking his eyes off of her for a single second. At first Serena thought she could never hold the intensity of his eyes on her but it wasn't uncomfortable. She felt sexy, empowered by his eyes, a goddess cherished by a god. Once they were both naked they simply made love. They worshipped each other's through their bodies in a slow and sensual dance. He spent extra time kissing the big freckle she had on the lower part of the belly, the freckle he knew she was so ashamed of as a teenager. They had looked into each other's eyes all the way until they had both collapsed at the same time embracing each other.

They both felt asleep, spent and peaceful, at that exact time when the day and the night collides for a single moment while the moon and the sun exchange the lines of an impossible love story that can be even if it's only for a few precious seconds.

"Making love, she'd always believed, was more than simply a pleasurable act between two people. It encompassed all that a couple was supposed to share: trust & commitement, hopes & dreams, a promise to make it through whatever the future might bring."

Nicholas Sparks.

Are Chuck and Serena right to go public at the ball? Is Chuck really over Blair? What did you think about the love scene?

The big ball is next chapter and, let me tell you, it's going to be epic.