Chapter 9

Blair's first date with Louis was on Valentine's Day, and it felt so cliché that it was almost tacky. Cora had turned a year old the previous month, and she had finally accepted Louis's relentless plea for a date. She'd rejected him time and time again, but eventually her resolve faltered. He was kind and handsome; she'd grown to care about him deeply. What was she waiting for? Chuck had been gone for a year and a half; he wasn't coming back, and she couldn't spend the rest of her life missing him. Accepting his proposition for a date was harder than she expected, but she faked a smile and agreed to dinner.

Their evening was perfect as far as traditional first dates go, and he even helped her get Cora to bed with the patience of a seasoned father. Her heart ached as she watched him, and she allowed herself a minute to mourn the loss of getting to watch Chuck care for their daughter in such a way. She'd never talked to Chuck about having children; she knew the topic was too heavy for him, especially given his strained relationship with his own parents, but deep inside, she always thought that would be a wonderful dad, careful to avoid all of the damage that his own father had caused. At night, she would look at her tiny daughter and imagine what life would be like if he was with them. One of her favorite fantasies was the three of them resting on her expansive king bed on a lazy Sunday afternoon, watching movies, listening to music, or reading together. It was a sort of self-inflicted pain that she knew would hurt like hell, but she couldn't resist the bittersweet tears that her overactive imagination inspired.

When she led Louis back into the living room, he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. She recoiled at first, inexplicable guilt overcoming her senses. But she reminded herself that she had to move forward with her life; she owed it to herself and her daughter to make an effort. In a desperate move to feel something besides despair, she wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss. The shame returned when she found that she was actually enjoying herself, getting lost in the feel of his mouth on hers. He was so warm, and she'd craved human contact for so long. She forced all thoughts from her mind and allowed herself to just feel.

Somehow they made it to her bedroom, and she was conflicted - part of her wanted to stop him, the other part wanted to experience intimacy again. She had been so empty for so long that her needier desires won, and she pushed him to the bed.

In many ways, she'd convinced herself that this was the final step to moving on and finding peace, but when he entered her, her body rejected him and her mind hated him. Her reaction was irrational, but her emotions were so overwhelming that tears streamed from her eyes. All she could see was Chuck; all she could feel was anger, regret, and sadness. She ached to tell him to stop, but it was too late. He didn't notice her distress, and she didn't want to explain her tears. She buried her face in his shoulder, silencing her sobs and praying for it to end soon.

She felt dirty and shameful, like she had betrayed someone on an unforgivable level, but who had she betrayed? Louis or Chuck? The next morning, she came to the realization that she'd betrayed herself.

Each time they had sex after that night, it got a little easier. She didn't dread it quite as much; she eventually allowed herself to enjoy it, but when it was over, the same feeling of emptiness filled her. The hardest part was accepting that she would never love Louis - at least not the way she loved Chuck, not the way she wanted to love someone.

XOXO

Louis Grimaldi had always considered himself to be a patient man, but he was getting close to giving Blair an ultimatum. He couldn't wait for her forever, and it had been five months since her answer to his proposal had been "I need time." They'd dated for over four years, so as far as he was concerned they were at a crossroads: it was time to either move forward or end it. When she ran back to New York without even telling him, it felt like ten steps backwards, and he made the decision that he would have to confront her soon.

He knew that she'd experienced a lot of heartache, and that a relationship with her came with some baggage and a lot of closely-guarded secrets. She'd shared with him enough about Cora's father that he knew that the relationship had been tumultuous and passionate. He'd experienced her anxiety and nightmares. He held her when she cried over the loss of another man, even when she would never admit that he was the reason for her tears. In his mind, he'd done everything he could to help her overcome the pain that Chuck Bass had inflicted on her.

As they ate dinner in companionable silence while Cora played in the next room, he took a moment to study the woman he devoted himself, and his title, to. She was unlike any woman he'd ever met. She was strong-willed and powerful; her very presence intimidated even the most confident people, but underneath the surface, there was a sadness - a brokenness - that he couldn't touch. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't get her to reveal that part of herself to him. She was nothing without her secrets, and there was a small inkling in the back of his mind that didn't completely trust her.

Blair's soft, feminine voice broke into his thoughts. "I've been thinking," she said quietly, "and my answer is yes."

He shook his head and furrowed his brow, "Answer to what question?"

"Yes, I want to marry you," she forced a smile onto her lips. "You can officially announce our engagement whenever you feel it's appropriate."

XOXO

Louis didn't waste any time, unwilling to give Blair a chance to back out of their commitment. The news of their engagement was front page news on the morning papers, and Eleanor had an engagement party planned for that evening. It should've been impossible, but a lot can be accomplished in a short amount of time when money isn't an issue. Blair felt like she was spinning in a whirlwind - like life was happening all around her, but she was just a passive observer to the events and not an active participant.

Shouldn't a bride-to-be - a future princess, at that - be ecstatic with her life's many blessings? Louis arranged for a slew of gowns and jewelry to be sent over for the party; she pretty much had every major designer's unreleased fall collection at her disposal, and yet she felt like she couldn't breathe in each of the garments Dorota helped her into. She felt dizzy and suffocated by all of the attention. She politely excused herself to the restroom and stripped off all of the expensive jewelry and lingerie until she stood naked in front of the bathroom mirror, scrutinizing the very image that stared back at her. She hated the reflection and everything it represented.

She turned the showerhead to the coldest setting and stepped into the tub, letting the icy water pelt down onto her head. Tears flowed from her eyes, matching the intensity of the spray of the faucet. The water stung her skin, leaving red blisters across the silky porcelain of her flesh, but it wasn't enough to take her mind off of the drastic choice she'd just made. She felt like she was making the biggest mistake of her life, but she told herself that it was just the nerves that every bride experiences to some degree. This was the best option for her and Cora. She loved Louis; she wanted to marry Louis. The hastiness of her decision had nothing to do with seeing Chuck. It had been a long time coming, an eventual inevitability, so putting it off any longer was silly. This - Louis, Monaco, a royal marriage - this was the path she'd always been meant to take. Everything happens for a reason, and her chance encounter with a handsome prince years ago was kismet.

All she ever did nowadays was lie to herself in hopes that she would one day believe the untruths that she tried to convince herself of. It never worked.

XOXO

He saw her across the room, and all the emotions that he had tried to bury hit him at once. Her red lips formed a smile full of warmth and affection, and he wondered how he ever thought that he could shut her out. She accepted him for who he was - irredeemable flaws and all. She was always there to offer him a word of advice or encouragement, but never in judgment or condescension. Essentially, she was the only parent who'd ever shown him the meaning of unconditional love. The possibility of losing her was one of the most terrifying things he'd ever faced. He didn't do well with feelings, but Blair forced him to face the reality of the situation: he needed Lily, and he needed to be there for her like she'd always been for him.

She embraced him in the type of hug that only a mother could give - the kind that is filled with warmth and comfort. As he pulled back, he felt the guilt for his selfish behavior consume him, "I, uh, want to apologize. My absence has been inexcusable."

She inhaled deeply, and spoke in a way meant to reassure him more so than herself, "Well, I know my situation brings up a lot of issues for you. You've had to deal with so much loss."

"But I'm not going to lose you," he answered immediately and confidently, as if just speaking the words into the universe would make them true. "I'm here for you - every step of the way." He meant it when he said it; it was a promise that he intended to keep. She offered him a smile of appreciation, and he noted, "You look good, Lily. In fact, you look better than good; you look great."

She laughed, tears forming in the corners of her eyes, and he couldn't help but smile with her. "Thank you, I feel great, so you'd better be prepared for a lifetime of family brunches because I'm not going anywhere."

The elevator ascended the floors to the van der Woodsen penthouse at an agonizing pace, but he didn't want to speed it up either. His mind recalled the conversation he'd had with Lily six years earlier when they'd all been fooled into believing she had cancer. He'd made several promises to her that he broke, and she'd fallen sick because of him.

He told her he would be there for her; he wouldn't lose her. She'd promised not to go anywhere, and, in the end, he'd been the one to abandon her - the one person who'd always been proud to call him 'son'. He didn't deserve her love then, and he doesn't deserve her forgiveness now.

The door pinged to indicate his arrival, and Chuck wiped his clammy hands on his trousers before exiting the elevator shaft with a ragged breath. Memories flooded his mind as he stepped into the familiar apartment, and he had to shake his head to maintain his focus. Not much had changed, and it felt like being transported back in time.

He found her sitting on the sofa, and she rose on unsure legs to greet him. He could see the tremors in her movements, and he cursed himself for whatever hell he'd unknowingly brought on her. "Oh, my God," she murmured quietly, tears spilling over her eyes as she reached for him with trembling hands. "Charles. It's really you."

He embraced her tightly just like he had years ago when he was afraid of losing her forever. She felt frail in his arms, and he did his best to support her weight before she collapsed. "I'm sorry," he whispered into her thinning blonde hair, "I'm so sorry."

"Shh," she gave him a weary smile as she pulled back, "You're here now."

His mouth formed into a thin line, and he shook his head, gripping her hands tightly in his own, "I didn't know. I -"

"You're my son, and you're home. Please. I don't want to waste another minute," she said with such authority that she shut down his incessant need to apologize. "Now, we've got six years of catching up to do."

After several hours, Chuck had successfully convinced Lily - if not himself - that he was happy in his life with Eva, the woman who had saved him. Lily insisted that she meet Eva as soon as possible, but Chuck adamantly resisted her request. She didn't give up hope, but she let the subject go for the time being after seeing Chuck's hesitancy to discuss his mysterious girlfriend further. She dared not mention Blair for fear of losing him all over again, but she desperately wanted to hear of their encounter. She'd never seen a young boy like Chuck - one so notorious for his more lascivious tendencies - fall so hard for a girl. She watched from afar as he fell in love, and she was certain that he would never feel for another woman the way he felt for Blair. What they'd had was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love, and a person doesn't just get over that, no matter how much time passes. It made her heart ache to see the pain reflected behind his tired eyes. He thought he fooled her, she knew, and she didn't have it in her to tell him otherwise.

Reluctantly, she turned the discussion to Bass Industries. She wasn't in the shape to lead anymore, and Jack was on a mission to run the company as he saw fit. With an uncharacteristic uncertainty, Chuck explained, "Lily, I am not here to take over Bass Industries again. I have to be honest with you: I don't plan to stay in New York very long."

She maintained her jovial expression, but he could see her eyes flicker anxiously. He couldn't lie to her, but leaving her again would be even harder than he'd anticipated. "Charles, this is your home. Jack doesn't have the right -"

"He doesn't, but I also can't give up everything I've worked for the last six years to stop him, either." He ignored the voice in his head yelling that his rightful place was in New York, leading his father's company, not behind a rusted oven in a tiny kitchen.

Lily saw that she was losing him. Bass Industries wasn't going to make him stay; she couldn't make him stay. Only one thing could keep him in Manhattan, and she wasn't going to give up the chance to keep him in her life, even if it meant betraying the promises she'd made before his arrival. "Charles, you and I both know that's your way of trying to convince yourself. Everything - and everyone - you really care about is here."

He sighed, "We can stay in touch, of course. My life is with Eva, but I will make my family a priority. New York will always have a place-"

"So you'll at least return for Blair's wedding, then?" It was such a risky move, and she had to swallow to keep from revealing her nerves. She needed to get a reaction from him, something besides shallow pleasantries, but the kind of reaction Blair's name would elicit from Chuck was always unpredictable at best.

His entire body went rigid, and he remained still for several moments. His eyes were unblinking, his lips pursed tightly together. The only movement at all was from the throbbing pulse in his neck, and his fists clenching and unclenching repeatedly against his thighs. His nostrils flared, and when he spoke, his voice was low and cold, "It was good to see you, Lily. I'm sorry for everything."

He kissed her gently on the cheek and left without another word. Lily pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled slowly, praying with all of her being that she hadn't just made an irreparable mistake.

XOXO

When Chuck returned to Nate and Serena's apartment, he slammed the door and marched past his friend into the spare bedroom, ignoring Nate's greeting. He sat on the bed, and opened his phone to see a text from Eva: I miss you, Henry. Hope you are enjoying your time with your friend.

He grimaced at the name 'Henry,' having quickly grown accustomed to once again being called by his given name. He'd told her about his unexpected meeting with Nate; he just left out the part about Blair and his secret identity. She'd been so happy for him that she actually encouraged him to go away with his childhood friend. It was just one of the many ways that she was too good for him. He quickly tapped out a reply, his mind wrought with guilt over his irrational reaction to Lily's revelation: Miss you, too. Be home soon, and I intend to show you just how much I appreciate you.

His typical penchant for self-destruction had started the minute that he set foot on the aircraft headed for New York. He wouldn't admit it - not even to himself - but he was chasing her. Of course he wanted to see Lily, Nate, and Serena, but she was always the motivating force behind his more irrational decisions. As if he needed even more self-inflicted punishment, he opened his phone, and Googled Blair Waldorf Engagement. The first article was titled The Princess Bride, and the accompanying photo showed Blair at some royal event with a man identified as Prince Louis of Monaco. Chuck felt rage surge through his veins at how closely the prince held onto Blair's waist, and then insatiable jealousy flooded his entire being when the next picture showed Blair being lifted off the ground with Louis pressing a kiss to her lips. His hands shook, and he threw his phone at the wall with a loud curse, effectively shattering the device.

In both pictures, her face lit up brilliantly, speaking volumes of the happiness that she felt in her relationship. She didn't belong to him anymore, he reminded himself; she hadn't for a long time, and his presence in New York was entirely unfair to her.

With a sigh of defeat, he rummaged through the bedside table until he found an old notebook and pen. He started the note multiple times, never quite satisfied with the message. A traitorous tear tumbled down his cheek as he finally finished the letter as best as he could. The salutation puzzled him - 'Sincerely' was too formal, 'Yours' was too personal, 'Always' was too painful. In the end, he left off the salutation because nothing was appropriate. There wasn't a single phrase in the English language worthy of expressing the emotions that he felt when he realized that these would be the final words he ever said to her.

He tucked it into a carefully-sealed envelope, packed his bags, and tossed the letter on the table in front of his former friend. Nate tried desperately to speak when he saw the luggage Chuck was toting, but he was cut off with a terse, "See that Blair gets this."

The door slammed shut once again, announcing Chuck's exit from his life before Nate even realized what had happened.

XOXO

Blair emerged from the bathroom a half hour later, drenched but otherwise composed. Dorota knew better than to question her employer, so she simply busied herself with blowdrying Blair's wet hair. She cautiously asked, "Have you decided on a dress?"

Blair nodded, holding her chin high, and she spoke with a tone that contained more confidence than she felt, "The red Oscar de la Renta."

The loyal maid smiled sadly, sensing Blair's conflicting emotions, "It's beautiful, Miss Blair."

Serena arrived as Dorota quietly, if anxiously, helped Blair into the dress as stylists adjusted her curls over her shoulders. To anyone who didn't know Blair on a deeply intimate level, she appeared to be a sophisticated woman ready to step into her role in the royal court. Only her maid and her best friend could see the darkness clouding her brown eyes and the sadness etched into her tight smile.

After she was dressed, Serena turned to Dorota and the rest of the staff to announce, "I would like to speak with Blair alone please."

Dorota offered Serena a knowing look and ushered the others from the room, leaving the two friends alone for the first time since their return from France. "Blair -"

"This is what I want, Serena," Blair snapped, anticipating Serena's attempt to talk her out of a hasty engagement.

"Blair, Chuck -"

Blair turned to Serena with fire dancing in her eyes, her anger flared so intensely that her chest and cheeks were inflamed, "I told you I don't want to talk about -"

"He wanted me to give you this," she held up the letter and watched Blair's eyes fall to the envelope anxiously.

"Leave it on the table," Blair ordered flippantly, expertly disguising her curiosity. "I'll read it if I get a chance, but I have a party to get ready for."

"Blair," Serena raised her voice in frustration, "he's leaving tonight!"

"Good! I didn't want him to come back in the first place," Blair nearly yelled.

Serena drew a deep breath, willing herself to calm down, "If he leaves tonight, we will never find him again. Cora will never know her father; you'll never see him again. Can you really live with that, Blair?"

Blair lowered her voice, her tone ingrained with a rage so aggressive that it shocked Serena, "I don't care. Do you understand me? He made a choice six years ago, and now I've made mine." She stood and walked calmly toward the door and, opening it wide, gestured toward Serena, "I want you to leave. Now."

"Fine," Serena huffed in defeat, "At least read his letter before you make a knee-jerk decision that might haunt you every day for the rest of your life."

After Serena left, Blair collapsed onto her bed and swiped at the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She didn't have time to redo her makeup, so she drew on her breathing exercises and repeated to herself "don't cry, don't cry" as if the mantra itself could keep the tears at bay.

When she had calmed enough to breathe normally, she reached for the envelope with a shaky hand, gasping quietly when she saw his handwriting - the same handwriting that graced the pages of all the old love letters she kept hidden in a chest in the back of her closet. She swore she could smell his signature scent on the folded page in front of her. She slowly opened the letter and focused her eyes on the blurry words dancing before her.

Blair,

I've started this letter 100 times, and each time, my words are simply inadequate. The truth is I don't know what to say to you. I don't even know where to begin. There are so many things that I wish I had done differently, but I can't change the past.

I shouldn't have returned. It was selfish, and for that I am sorry. All I've ever wanted was for you to be happy. I stood in your way for long enough, but I refuse to cause you any more pain. I'll be gone soon, I promise.

You deserve your fairytale, and now that you've found your prince, nothing can stand in your way. I know you'll conquer the world, Waldorf. It's just who you are.

-C

The tears flowed freely now, makeup be damned. Life was so incredibly cruel, and she found herself paralyzed with fear.

XOXO

Chuck stood at the check-in counter, offering the airline agent three different credit cards to cover the cost of the last-minute flight back to France. He had taken them all out under the name Henry Prince to establish credit under his pseudonym. Each of the cards had a fairly low limit, and he maxed out each one for the ticket. Of course, he could've used the money that he'd left in his off-shore accounts years ago, but that would take way too long. He needed to get out of New York tonight. The entire city held too many memories, too many painful reminders that he'd fucked up his life in a way that couldn't be fixed.

He grabbed his lone suitcase and headed toward security, tucking his despair into the deepest, darkest parts of his mind. He nearly convinced himself that returning to Eva would give him the chance to build a happy life of simplicity and honest work. He scoffed at the thought of honesty; when had he been honest with anyone? His entire life was based on a lie; his own misery was because of his lies.

Part of him started to wonder if he should let Eva go, too, but he was too selfish to be completely alone. While it was hardly fair to Eva, he didn't feel as much guilt for his treatment of her for some reason. Maybe it was because she was a simple woman, and he could make her happy so easily. She didn't have Blair's complexity or stubbornness; he didn't have to guess with Eva. He knew how to keep her content, and he didn't even really have to try with her. With Blair, he felt like everything could shatter in the blink of an eye. He was always walking along a narrow ledge with her: it was exhilarating, but it was also terrifying. He'd never felt more alive or more vulnerable than when he was with Blair. Their passion had been so intense that it nearly consumed both of them. He now realized that that kind of love would've never been sustainable. He was foolish in his younger years to ever think that he could've made that kind of volatile love last.

He glanced at his tickets one last time to memorize the gate number, but when he looked back up, he was struck by a bright red figure staring directly at him. It took him a moment to recognize the image in front of him as Blair. He stopped in his tracks, his mind racing, his knees shaking. He couldn't fathom why she was there or how he should react.

She started moving before he did, and his legs advanced toward her of their own accord. His mind was still fuzzy, but he couldn't take his eyes off of her. His heart was pounding so fiercely against his chest that he was certain she could see it beating through his gray button-down. She wasn't the same girl he'd seen a week earlier in Paris - that girl had been nervous, anxious, and distressed. This girl in front of him, however, was captivating, nearly ethereal in her presence, commanding the attention of everyone around her - him most of all. In all of his life, he'd never seen anyone more perfect; her beauty was indefinable, and he felt a lump forming in his throat as they drifted closer together. She walked confidently, gliding effortlessly in her regal gown. He was enthralled by the challenging look in her eyes; she lured him to her with an invisible force that he couldn't resist. Their magnetism was undeniable, and every other person in the airport disappeared as their feet slowly carried them within inches of one another.

She spoke first, her tone much more self-assured than he felt, "Just because you're dressed poorly doesn't mean you're not Chuck Bass." Her small, confident smirk at the end of her statement shot an arrow directly into his heart.

"Why would I want to be him?" That lone question contained the only explanation she needed about his guilt over all of the sins he had committed under his given name.

Her face fell, betraying the pain that she felt on his behalf, even after all this time. The realization that he hated himself, that he blamed himself for it all hurt in her bones, and she had to fight to maintain her composure. "You should've told me you got shot."

It was a loaded sentence - a partial indication that she still cared, a blatant accusation of the pain that his deceit caused, and a forlorn confession of her greatest fear realized. Each of their statements contained a deeper message than the words themselves actually carried. It was the way the two of them had always communicated - in nuanced gestures and phrases that only one another could interpret. Chuck smirked sadly, "I'm surprised you didn't shoot me yourself."

She disguised her emotions once again with a carefully-crafted confidence and joked, "I have...many times, in my dreams," a flash of the nightmares that had haunted her ever since his disappearance flashed before her mind, and she quickly added, "the good ones." His face held so much regret and pain that she couldn't keep from adding, "But if you were really hurt, I would want to know."

He shook his head, "When I woke up, my ID was gone. Nobody knew who I was; nobody was coming to look for me." His admission caused the air in her lungs to burn with each ragged breath she took. If only he'd known how desperately she'd searched for him, for any sign or any word that he was okay. "I realized that I might be alive, but Chuck Bass doesn't have to be."

She scrunched her face in frustration, wishing that he could hear himself from her perspective, "Changing your name doesn't change who you are."

"It's a good start," he countered, "A chance to live simply, earn people's respect, maybe become a person someone could love." Had he become someone worthy of love? No, he couldn't say that he had, but he had a better chance as Henry Prince than as Chuck Bass.

"Someone did love you," Blair said in a way that forced him to believe her, to remember how fiercely she had loved him and how undeserving he felt of the love that she so freely gave. She had loved him for who he was, for everything that made him Chuck Bass - his darkness, his passion, his cynicism. She had loved him in spite of the pain that he caused. Acting as if he didn't exist was an insult to her, and he couldn't see that. "And you owe it to her - and everyone else you're leaving behind - not to run away, which is what you're doing," She felt vulnerable and exposed in revealing such a deep truth to him, but Serena had been right. She couldn't let him leave like this; she couldn't just let him disappear, no matter how hard it would be to have him back in New York. "And I don't think that great man you're talking about wanting to be is a coward. I think he would face up to what he did."

Her words struck hard, his biggest insecurity aside from his unworthiness was his cowardice. How many times in his life had he run away when things got tough? He ran when Blair chose Nate, he ran when his father died, he ran after he lost Blair, he even considered running when he first saw Blair in France. It was his first instinct and his biggest weakness. He'd never faced the consequences for his actions, and he felt the shame wearing down on him. But, still, it would be selfish; he was convinced that leaving was the most merciful thing he could do for everyone, and he emphasized that point to Blair in perhaps the only way that she would let him go for good, "I destroyed the only thing I ever loved."

Oh, God. The pain was nearly unbearable, and she had to look down to keep from falling apart. She felt the cracks in her countenance start to give way to the emotions that threatened her from the inside. She couldn't mask the pain, but maybe she didn't need to. She handed him the ring that Detective Chevalier had given to Serena, and his own expression matched the sorrow that was etched into her face. With a deep, dramatic sigh and tears dancing in her eyes, she rebuffed, "I don't love you anymore." She paused briefly, allowing him time to accept her words as fact despite the sadness clouding her features, "but it takes more than even you to destroy Blair Waldorf." She forced her signature smirk, effectively removing any power that he still held over her.

He felt his throat close up, and the intensity of the moment was nearly too much for him to bear. He blinked back his emotions, hoping to enforce the idea that freedom from him was the only way she would ever find peace,"Your world would be easier if I didn't come back."

"That's true," she sniffled, letting her guard down so that he could see the vulnerability in her eyes, the desperation behind her final words, "But it wouldn't be my world without you in it."

A/N: The Paris train station scene was so much harder to write than I anticipated. Ed and Leighton blew it out of the park, and their many emotions are so perfectly portrayed in the scene that it was hard to capture those in writing. Hope I didn't butcher it too badly.

I debated on changing the original dialogue a bit to make it fit more logically with the timeframe of this story, but I think the poetry of the original is just too beautiful to change. It fits fairly well and still makes sense to the story, so ultimately I decided to keep it as it is.

Some of you wondered why I Chuck hasn't found out about Cora yet. I considered it, but ultimately felt that it would overshadow the Paris train station scene because Chuck would have too many questions, he would be even more eager to run, and Blair would be more guarded. This scene needed to be just about the two of them. There will be more Cora soon.