A/N: It's a little short and sad, but I'm in that kind of mood.
X's and O's to:
merriment (yay! i hope you like this one too!), Chairytale Ending (i always try to surprise y'all with my twists! and yes, i feel robbed of that wedding night!), pLei4fun (i loved reading your thoughts, and i completely agree about s and lily! the love letter thing was ridic for real), anabelle12 (aw thank you, you rock! and i like to pretend serenate ended up together ;), Kathrynm37 (i'm glad you didn't expect it! i love the element of surprise in fiction ;), Sparkleyangel (don't worry, i love chuck too much to do anything drastic :), Guest (thanks! glad you liked it! and i wish we got more funny scenes of cb as a couple, so that was fun to write), and xoxo S (i know, i'm terrible about the cliffhangers, but i'm happy you're enjoying the story! :)
Thanks again to all who reviewed!
Chapter 28: A Change is Gonna Come
It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die
'Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will
-"A Change is Gonna Come" Sam Cooke
"No."
"Excuse me?"
"No. It's not possible."
The doctor fluttered her eyelids and pinched her nose.
"Obviously it is, Blair."
"I don't understand," Blair muttered, more to herself than Dr. Ravindran. "I don't -"
"Three weeks," cut in Ravindran. "That's how far along you are."
"Three weeks," parroted Blair, her fingers running through her crushed curls. "That would mean… Oh God."
…
"Have you seen Chuck lately?" asked Serena, popping an olive off its toothpick.
"Seen? Yes," answered Blair, taking a dainty sip of her own martini. "Talked to? No," she finished wryly, setting the glass back down.
"But it's your - "
"Birthday? Yes, S, I'm aware, but considering my on and off stalker-like persona this week, I don't blame him for not initiating any plans." Her ruby lips pressed against the glass once more, and they twisted into a smirk after she'd drained it of all liquid.
"He'll call," said Serena, an air of confidence about her. "I know my brother, and he will. Two decades is a big deal."
"I'm not counting on it, hence the three martinis I've already downed tonight."
Serena opened her mouth to reply, but Blair wasn't finished.
"You know, S, I'm feeling strangely nostalgic," she said. "How about some tequila and table dancing?" She lifted a dark eyebrow, keeping the smirk intact.
"I - wait seriously?"
"Seriously, S. Come on!"
…
"Blair, you're flashing people!" Serena laughed, eyeing Blair's unusually short and flouncy dress.
"I'm trying to catch up with you in scandals!" Blair tossed back. "And that starts with giving the paparazzi what they want!" She threw her head back and laughed loudly, unapologetically, and twirled to allow the barely-pubescent boys at Butter the chance to snap a few pictures of Queen B's La Perlas. "Anyone want to dance?" she asked saucily, raising her eyebrows while knocking back another shot of tequila. A wave of high school boys threw their hands into the air.
"Dude, she's so hot!" said one.
"And drunk!" Fist bumps were exchanged.
"I'm tapping that ass!"
"Not if I do first!"
Blair continued to dance, shaking her hips from side to side, oblivious to the excited whispers below."So?" she inquired of the group. "Who's it going to be?"
"Well, personally I don't care, so long as you save the last for me."
"Chuck!" she squealed, considering a jump off of the table and into his arms. "You're here!"
"I'm here," he confirmed. "It is a very important day, Waldorf, is it not?"
"Very, very important," she agreed with a nod and the most serious face she could muster.
"Happy birthday, man," said Chuck slyly, turning from Blair and high-fiving a fellow with an "it's my birthday" button on his shirt.
"Not funny!" Her mouth settled into a familiar pout.
"I was kidding, Waldorf. Happy birthday." He stretched out a hand; she took it. "Woah there," he said with a chuckle as Blair stumbled down from the tabletop. "You need to take it easy."
"Did you just say I'm easy?" mumbled Blair. "Because that's not true. Well, except for you."
Chuck laughed again. "You may be easy," he whispered into her ear. "But you make me very hard."
Her eyes met his and she giggled sweetly, showing all her pearly teeth. "That I do, Casanova. Take me home?"
"Of course."
…
"My head," Blair groaned after arriving back at her penthouse. "It's going to explode, and I feel so dizzy."
"A gallon of tequila will do that to you." He flipped to the business section of The Times.
"Does this amuse you?"
He smirked but said nothing.
"You Basshole! You know," she pointed out, lifting a finger that didn't quite point in his direction, "you haven't even said happy birthday to me yet, and now you're making fun of me."
"You're absolutely right, Waldorf." The newspaper was left abandoned on the couch as Chuck moved to the piano.
"What are you doing?" she asked. His hands hit the keys, and she smiled in realization.
"Happy birthday to you," Chuck sang, his voice impressively in tune. It was deep, seductive, even though the song was a simple one. "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to Waldorf, happy birthday to you."
"Mm, that was lovely."
His hand brushed her cheek. "You're lovely."
"Chuck," she sighed, lowering her eyes while leaning into his touch. "About this week, I know I've been acting like a crazy person and I - "
"Blair, just shut up." His mouth met hers, and it was electric, like it always was. He leaned back into the piano, and her legs wrapped around his waist automatically. He ripped her stockings down and put his mouth on her thighs, kissing her soft white skin as she gripped the hair on the back of his neck.
"Chuck," she moaned as he inched his way closer to the La Perlas that were now captured on teenage boys' cell phones.
"Happy birthday, Blair," he said, just as he tore them off.
…
"Oh God," Blair repeated, pressing a hand to her mouth. "I completely forgot about that night. I - oh, my God."
"Blair, I understand that you're surprised. Just take a deep breath, and -"
"Chuck! Oh no, I - I -" Blair broke off in a sob.
"I assumed he was the father," said Dr. Ravindran quietly, rubbing her eyes.
"He has to get better!" Blair yelled, suddenly rocketing off of her bed. "If he doesn't, then I will ruin every single incompetent fool that works here! I'll revoke medical licenses! I'll sue the hospital! I'll -" And another sob erupted, spilling out of her mouth, her heart, her soul, its lava in the form of devastation. "He has to," she whispered at last, closing her eyes and letting her hand drift to her stomach.
…
"It's been almost two hours!" shouted Eleanor, pacing one of the many bland halls of the hospital in exasperation. "What in the world is going on?"
"We'll see her when she's ready for us," Cyrus said softly. "You're forgetting that it's Chuck, and the news wasn't good."
"Yes, but -" Eleanor began to form an argument but sputtered out rather quickly. Cyrus was right. It was Chuck.
"How is he?" asked Lily, turning to Bart. "Has there been any more news? I was told that if I bothered another doctor I would be sent home," she added with a sigh and a tiny turn of the lips.
"Nothing," responded Bart with an even deeper sigh. "Believe me, I've tried every incentive, then every threat, and still nothing."
"Is he in surgery?" Rufus was clearly out of the loop. He'd been busy consuming vast numbers of muffins offered by the hospital's cafe.
"Blood transfusion."
"Oh." He picked off another piece of lemon poppyseed. "Does anyone want a muffin?" he asked, gesturing to the paper bag on his lap.
"Eat at a time like this?" Eleanor scoffed. "No."
"No thank you, Rufus," Bart said politely.
"Mrs. Rose?" Dr. Ravindran asked, breaking into the parents' discussion. "Your daughter will see you now."
…
"He's going to be fine, Serena," said Nate to a teary Serena, whose golden head rested on his shoulder. "Chuck would never go down without a fight."
"I know that." He had to strain just to hear her.
"Serena -"
"Nate, it's okay. You don't have to say anything else. Just hold me, please." She edged closer to him; he wrapped an arm around her.
"Okay," he said quietly.
…
"Mom?"
"Blair!" Eleanor threw her arms around her only child. "Thank goodness you're okay!"
"Mom, there's something you need to -"
"I mean, when I got that phone call, I was so panicked!"
"Mom, please, I-"
"And then Bart! He was scaring all of us. I thought he was going to have some sort of heart attack or something, and -"
"Mom, I'm pregnant!"
Eleanor finally shut her mouth, but as her mouth shrunk, her eyes widened.
"You're - you're what?"
"I didn't know," Blair said quietly, settling into an Indian-style seat on the hospital bed. "I was shocked when Dr. Ravindran told me, but I am. Three weeks."
"I don't know what to say," said Eleanor, shaking her head. "I mean, considering the circumstances, I don't think it would be appropriate to act excited."
"Well for the love of God, don't act sad," snapped Blair. "I think I've had enough of sadness for one day."
"You're right," agreed Eleanor. She moved to sit behind Blair and began rubbing circles on her back. "Everything is going to be fine, darling. Chuck is going to recover, you are going to have a beautiful child, and the two of you are going to be together forever."
The circles continued on her back, and Blair's hand returned to her stomach. Only she didn't trace circles. She much preferred infinity signs. Forever, she promised to Chuck from across the hospital. Don't give up, and I'll give you forever.
…
"What do you mean? How did the transfusion not work?"
"We - we don't know."
"You don't know?" growled Bart, ice glinting in his eyes. "Not an acceptable answer! I don't pay you to not know!"
"Mr. Bass," said Dr. Ravindran, saving the peevish young doctor from Big Bad Bart. "What Dr. Gamper means is, we don't know for sure. My opinion is that Chuck's blood cells reacted negatively to the blood we gave him, because although it was the same type, occasionally a family member's blood is necessary. His immune system is less likely to fight against blood cells that similar to his own."
"Well then why the hell are we having this conversation in your office? Hurry up, stick a needle in me, and let's draw some blood!"
"Right away, Mr. Bass."
…
"What's happening now?" asked the woman to her superior.
"Bart has stepped in. We won't be able to switch in the wrong type of blood in this time. He'll be watching like a hawk."
"Oh, well that's...disappointing," she said, not at all meaning what she was saying.
"Disappointing is an understatement. You want this to be over, don't you?"
"Yes," she sighed, placing her head in her hands. "I just wish I could write a different ending," she whispered to herself. "The happy one they deserve."
…
Oh there been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
Until next time - xoxo