Cotillion Day has arrived in the Tutorverse. Huzzah!

She took his breath away. It was the only way to describe it; the feeling of being dazed, dazzled, breathless at the very sight of her. He very much feared that his jaw might have gone slack.

He'd thought he was prepared for Cotillion. He'd certainly spent enough time this past week making plans for their perfect night and he'd never once considered he might not be up for the challenge.

But here was Fate, goading him again and whispering in his ear, "You know nothing, Chuck Bass."

Because he thought he'd already seen her at her most beautiful—in designer lingerie, in a vintage silk chemise, in nothing at all but a radiant smile and some Chanel No.5—but he'd never seen her like this.

True, he'd seen the gown before, in Blair's closet on a hanger, but on her it was so much more.

It looked like she was wrapped in moonlight, the silvery sheen of the silk brocade complementing her porcelain skin far better than standard debutante white would've done. The tailoring of the dress was exquisite, from the giant bow that draped her shoulder to the snug bodice and sheath that flared at her feet to whisper as she walked down the stairs, with Dorota beaming her approval from the landing.

Her dark curls were upswept into a regal chignon, showcasing that neck he loved and a face with minimal decoration other than ruby lips he wanted desperately to kiss.

He opened his mouth to spout some gentlemanly compliment on her appearance, but all that came out was a raspy, "Perfection!"

The smile on her face widened. Clearly, she didn't seem to mind his lack of eloquence.

They stood there for a moment at the foot of the stairs, just looking at each other and smiling.

"Is that for me?" Blair gestured to the clear cellophane box Chuck had forgotten he was still holding in his hand.

It was a wrist corsage with three peonies; one white, one lavender and the other a deep purple. A silvery ribbon wound through the arrangement and served as an accent. Blair gave a little laugh when Chuck secured it around her wrist.

He understood why when Dorota handed her charge a matching cellophane box with his boutonniere, a single white peony wrapped in silver ribbon. As in all things, they were perfectly matched.

Dorota fussed over the couple and fluttered about, snapping a few photos on her phone. Chuck's week of courting Blair had not only managed to impress the lady herself, but also her maid. Dorota knew who was responsible for the newfound smile on her charge's face and she was now firmly Team Chuck. Dorota was still smiling too, as Chuck helped Blair into her coat and they stepped into the elevator.

"Alone at last," Blair whispered against his ear.

"For the moment. Nate and Serena are already in the limo," he reminded her.

"Well, then we'd best take advantage of this stolen moment then."

And then her lips were on his, in a passionate, lingering kiss that deepened as the elevator car descended.

She sighed as their lips parted.

"Thank God you live in the penthouse and this building has an old, slow elevator."

"I've missed you," she confessed.

"Why, Miss Waldorf, wasn't it just forty-eight hours ago that you ambushed me in what was supposed to be my cold shower?"

She gave him a wicked smile.

"Forty…" Kiss…

"eight…" She drew his lower lip into her mouth….

"long…" Then she nipped it with her teeth…

"hours…" And sucked it back into her mouth again.

His tongue came out to dance with hers.

"Don't act like this has been easy for me. You have no idea how difficult it was to resist you." He kissed her nose.

"Ah, but you didn't entirely resist me, did you?" She tried but failed to quell her look of triumph.

"Close enough. I'm just a man, Blair."

She laughed then. "You're not 'just' anything; you're Chuck Bass. Have I mentioned you look especially handsome tonight?"

She ran her fingers over the black satin lapels of his tuxedo jacket, briefly touching the bloom on his boutonniere and pretending to inspect the smooth silk of his immaculate white shirt. She tweaked the edge of his white satin bow tie playfully and then smoothed a patch of hair at the back of his neck, careful not to disturb his carefully disheveled style.

"I'm delighted to have pleased you, my lady," he gave her a courtly bow.

The elevator stopped and Blair practically danced out into the foyer.

"Oh, you haven't even begun to please me yet, Bass…but the night is still young," she laughed over her shoulder, then gasped when his arm came around her and squeezed her waist.

Under other circumstances, it could have been awkward. After all, it wasn't often one went on a double date with one's secret boyfriend, his best friend/one's ex, and one's best friend/one's ex's date. But oddly enough it wasn't. If anything, it felt completely natural.

There was laughter and banter and toasting with a bottle of Dom. A good time was had by all.

And then Serena wanted to go for ice cream at Serendipity.

Which made them late.

But no one cared and they were all in high spirits when they arrived at the Palace to join the line of young ladies waiting to be presented. Since Blair and Serena's last names came at the end of the alphabet, they were at the very end of the line anyway.

No one paid too much attention to the four friends. That they were all together came as a shock to no one, since they had pretty much traveled in a pack since nursery school. Besides, everyone was far more interested in the media buzz surrounding Prince Theodore and his date, the queen of Chapin.

Chuck discreetly squeezed Blair's hand. "I can't believe they didn't select you for that."

"Who says they didn't?" Blair arched a brow. "I had better plans for this evening, so I suggested the Prince. I am dying to know if he's really of royal blood."

Chuck grinned. "Should I be worried?"

"Not in the slightest. Who needs a prince with a kingdom when you have someone who's going to build his own empire?"

He squeezed her hand again. "I won't be building it alone. Come here." He pulled around the corner to another dimly lit hallway.

"I have something for you," he pulled a sleek, black oblong box out of his inner jacket pocket and held it towards her and gently opened the case.

It was a statement necklace, and oh, what a statement it made. She gasped as eleven carats of white diamonds blinked up at her. The overall motif was a floral one with tiny blooms alternating with opened blossoms, each dripping one perfect diamond dewdrop. The center pendant was in the shape of a heart, with floral designs adorning it and a small perfect stone in the center that almost resembled a keyhole. It was Art Nouveau, Art Deco and modern classic all blended in one piece. It was exquisite.

She was speechless.

"Here, let's get this on you," Chuck nudged her further down the hall, until they were standing in front of a console table with a large mirror above it.

She held the box for him, as he removed the necklace and gently placed it around her neck.

He dropped a kiss on her shoulder. "Something this beautiful deserves to be seen on someone worthy of its beauty."

Her fingers came up and traced the outline of the heart pendant.

"I had to get you a heart," he confessed, "because you've already stolen mine."

As words still failed her, she pulled him close for a kiss.

And that was how Nate and Serena found them a minute later.

"Will you two stop with the smooching and get back in line? We're almost next!" Serena hissed.

They followed, hand in hand.

This was it. The Big Moment. Once their names were called and the two couples walked across the floor, the secret would be out. Not only would Blair would be out in society, but she and Chuck would also be out, and there would be no taking it back.

"…Miss Serena Celia van der Woodsen, escorted by Mr. Nathaniel Archibald…"

Nate and Serena stepped onto the floor. Heads turned and whispers began. They were, without a doubt, a striking couple, especially with Serena in her metallic gold gown and Nate in his more sedate silver gray tux. The real shocker, though, was that young Archibald was not escorting Blair Waldorf. Sure, everyone knew they had supposedly broken up, but not going to Cotillion together? That had been in the works for practically forever.

The crowd stared. Well, everyone but CeCe Rhodes, who gave a gracious smile and toasted the couple with the half-empty glass in her hand. Then she paused, raised the glass to herself and downed the rest of the liquid in one swallow.

"…Miss Blair Cornelia Waldorf, escorted by Mr. Charles Bass…"

Jaws dropped. The room became silent and still. Watching Chuck Bass and Blair Waldorf stroll across the floor like visiting royalty became the singular moment of this debutante season. It would be talked about for years to come, along with the radiant smile on the lady's face. Suddenly a lot of little things began to make sense, not the least of which were the dazzling necklace adorning her décolletage and the opal and diamond sparkler on Blair's gloved hand.

The couple ignored the crowd, focusing instead on their smiling friends who had made the walk before them.

"…Miss Waldorf plans to become a member of Yale's graduating class of 2013 and to explore career ventures in business and design."

Nate and Serena looked at each other. Business and design? Well, that was new. This night was just full of surprises.

Chuck and Blair were spared further scrutiny by the announcement that dinner was served.

"Saved by the dinner bell?" Chuck grinned.

No one in their party was especially hungry, not after Serena's ice cream appetizers, and afterwards no one could recall what was actually on the menu. Still, the company and the conversation sparkled and before long, the dancing began.

"We were victims of the night: the chemical, physical kryptonite…"

After weeks of dance practice, the practitioners were eager to show off their skills and soon the ballroom floor was filled.

Chuck and Blair could pretty much do the steps in their sleep at this point, but Blair cast a proprietary glance over at their blond counterparts to see how Serena was faring.

"They look good together," she nodded in their direction.

"Manhattan Barbie and Ken?" Chuck raised a brow. "They do, but they still can't outshine you, not that anyone could."

She blushed. "We're unsinkable, Bass," she whispered in his ear before the dance dictated they switch partners and she ended up with Nate and he with Serena.

They enjoyed twirling and making small talk with their friends, but neither could disguise their relief when they ended up in each other's arms once more.

"This woman is my destiny….We were bound to be together, bound to be together…"

More dances followed, slower and faster tempos, and curious eyes continued to follow the dark couple in a speculative way.

"Is all this making you uncomfortable?" Chuck was solicitous.

"Not in the slightest. I am with exactly who I wish to be. But if there's any doubt in their minds….well, let's give them something to talk about…" She placed her gloved hands on either side of his face and pulled him in for a passionate kiss.

Brittany, Queen of Chapin, much like her Constance Billard counterpart, was a vivacious brunette whose sweet, porcelain-doll face belied her shrewd mind. She'd been enjoying all the wonderful attention that came from having Prince Theodore as her escort and a PR team in tow…until Chuck and Blair arrived to steal her thunder. Now the Prince was being interviewed and Brittany was spending her break from dancing glaring at the other couple. She and her minions, like so many attendees at the ball, were sizing them up and trying to figure out exactly how the great switch had happened and Blair Waldorf had ended up with Chuck Bass.

Brittany rolled her eyes. "It was probably some game of 'Seven Minutes in Heaven' gone horribly wrong," she scoffed.

Then all heads turned to see the couple in question sharing a long, lingering kiss.

"Or wonderfully right," Brittany sighed. Even she had to admit they made a striking pair.

The song ended and the dancers began to disperse, but Blair stayed close in Chuck's arms.

"Can we please go now?" She looked up at him with love in her eyes. "What are we waiting for?"

"Are you sure?" It was her big Cotillion moment and he didn't want her to be sorry for missing any of it.

"With you I'm always sure," was whispered in his ear.

He was done resisting.

After a brief brush of their lips, he told her to meet him in the outer hall and he'd be there in five minutes. Then he set off to find Nathaniel, who was dancing with Serena in a quiet corner of the room.

"Why are you two all the way over here?" Chuck knew that under-the-radar wasn't exactly the Sunshine Twins' style.

"Because my grandmother keeps finding us and introducing more people. She's so proud of Nate that you'd think he's her date instead," Serena grumbled.

"What's the matter, S, afraid of a little competition from an older woman?" The patented Bass smirk made an appearance.

"Why exactly are you here, Chuck?" Serena asked pointedly. "Are you trying to cut in?"

"Nathaniel is hardly my preferred partner. I just need his phone for a moment."

Serena excused herself to let the boys talk and Nate shrugged, retrieved the phone from his pocket and handed it to Chuck.

Chuck pressed a sequence of buttons and then handed the phone back to his friend.

"What's going on?" Nate was confused.

"This is where we part ways tonight, my friend. I just programmed Arthur's number into your phone. Stay as late as you like and when you're ready, the limo will be at your service."

"You're leaving now?"

Chuck nodded. "Trust me, it can't be soon enough."

When Chuck turned to go, Nate set himself to finding his now-missing date. He tried the other side of the ballroom and a couple of smaller hallways before working his way back to the main bank of elevators.

He arrived just in time to see Chuck and Blair getting into one of the elevator cars.

Before he could say anything, he saw Chuck squeeze Blair's hands and ask, "Are you happy tonight?"

She smiled and squeezed back, "So happy. You make me so happy."

The greeting he was about to give died on Nate's lips as he sensed Serena sidle up behind him.

"I love you…so much."

And she kissed him. They were completely oblivious to the fact that their friends were a rapt audience to the scene.

"I love you, Blair" was the last thing Nate and Serena heard before the doors silently closed and their friends disappeared.

Serena ventured a glance at her date. He looked stricken and she was shocked by the raw jolt of pain that went through her heart. It was one thing to find your ex entangled with your best friend on the living room sofa; it was quite another to hear them discuss how happy and in love they were. Of course it would be difficult for Nate. Of course he would pine a little for Blair, Serena surprised herself with the envious observation. Blair was always perfectly dressed, perfectly behaved, the perfect girlfriend. No one could ever find fault with her. Even Chuck Bass, the most committed playboy this city had ever seen, was prepared to forget his "no girlfriends" credo where she was concerned. And the worst part was Blair seemed to do it all effortlessly.

Serena sighed and placed a consoling hand on Nate's arm. "Are you okay?"

"Serena, do you think I made Blair unhappy when we were together?" Nate honestly wanted to know.

"Why do you ask?" Serena was unsure how to respond and looked to buy a little more time to form an answer.

"Because she seems so happy with Chuck and he is so happy with her….I'm glad for them, I am….but I can't help but wonder if I'm not the reason she wasn't happy before."

"I don't know. Maybe she would've never been truly happy without Chuck. Maybe you just needed to learn that you didn't make each other happy, and she and Chuck had to learn that they do. I'm sorry, I know it hurts." She rubbed his arm again.

"You know, it actually doesn't," Nate sounded like he was discovering this for the first time. "It's a beautiful night tonight, nothing hurts. Let's go back and dance some more. I don't believe we've had the pleasure of a tango yet."

They slipped back into the ballroom and into each other's arms. When the next song came on, Serena took the lead, tangoing across the floor and even trying to dip him. But Nate's tall, rangy frame proved to be too much for her, they lost their balance and both ended up on the floor, Serena sprawling on top of him. Despite having made a complete spectacle of themselves (Brittany from Chapin gave them her most disapproving look), the pair just lay there for a moment, laughing like idiots.

CeCe Rhodes had also witnessed the incident and tried to roll her eyes dismissively, which was difficult to pull off at the same time as trying to keep the smile off her face. She was secretly delighted by the way the evening was going.

And who would've thought that it was all due to Chuck Bass escorting Blair Waldorf to Cotillion?

"Bass, where are we going?" Blair demanded as Chuck led her through parts of the Palace that she had heretofore not known existed.

"Patience, my love. I promise it will be worth the wait."

Patience was not Blair's strong suit, but eventually they arrived in front of a discreet, white paneled door with a bronze plaque beside it that read "Versailles."

Blair looked at Chuck.

"Can you think of a more fitting place to take my queen than the most royal palace of them all?" He grinned as he got out an elaborate antique key and turned it in the lock. No common key cards for this suite.

"I had no idea this even existed," she said in wonder as they crossed the threshold. And then her breath was taken away….

They were in a circular antechamber with an intricate sunburst mosaic floor accented with gold leaf. Floor to ceiling mirrors lined the walls and Grecian columns flanked the doorways to other rooms in the suite. There were luminaries in front of each mirror and more luminaries led the way down one of the hallways radiating from their central position. Peony petals in lavender, white and royal purple were strewn in the path.

"Want to explore? I've marked the path for you." He took her hand and enjoyed the look of awe on her face as she spun around, trying to take it all in.

"This is amazing," she breathed.

"You are amazing. C'mon," he pulled her close and brushed her lips with a quick kiss before scooping her up in his arms and carrying her down the hall. "Your chariot awaits."

The scent of the petals combined with the muted light and warmth from the candles to lend a magical feel to their journey.

At the end of the hall, Chuck bent slightly to turn the knobs on a set of double doors and then they were there, in the heart of the suite.

The Queen's Bedroom.

The room was decorated in shades of silver and lavender. Grecian columns and damask silk draperies highlighted windows that looked out over St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Manhattan skyline. Though she'd grown up accustomed to seeing such sights, she never grew tired of looking at them. The city was an endlessly fascinating place. One felt one could live here for a hundred years or more and still never uncover all her secrets and hidden gems.

Soft music was being pumped in on unseen speakers. A king-size bed was already turned down, revealing dark purple sheets of the finest quality silk. Lamplight from either side of the bed was augmented by literally dozens of candles that surrounded the bed and the sitting room area. Bouquets of peonies were strategically placed around the room. An ice bucket with a very select vintage of Dom Perginon and two glasses sat on a bedside table.

He set her down and she wandered about the room, absorbing every detail, from the priceless Persian carpets under her feet to the precious works of art to the spread of treats he'd laid out on the marble table in the sitting area. Macarons from Laduree, chocolate-covered strawberries, chilled grapes and crème fraiche. He knew her so well.

She returned to his side and took his hands.

"This is all for me?" It sounded like she almost couldn't believe it.

"All for you." He kissed each hand in turn.

"Chuck, no one has ever done anything like this for me before." She placed her hands on either side of his face and looked deeply into his eyes as her own filled with tears. "It's beautiful….magical. But my night was already perfect. It was perfect the moment I opened my door and saw you at the foot of the stairs. I have you; that's all I need. So it doesn't matter if we're in the back of the limo or in Queller's office or in this palatial suite…nothing is better for me than you."

She kissed him with everything that was in her, then drew back and gazed up at him with all the love and desire he inspired in her.

"Still," she looked around the suite, "all this perfection shouldn't go to waste, should it? Make love to me, Chuck Bass. I've been waiting all week."

"It seems to me that the waiting has not been without its consolations," he reminded her.

"Ah, but a girl still needs her wild nights." She melted into his arms.

"You're the light, you're the night, you're the color of my blood."

He ran his hands down her bare upper arms and worked his fingers under one pristine opera-length glove, sliding it down slowly, trailing kisses down her lower arm and glorying in the gooseflesh that rose under his lips.

"You're the cure, you're the pain, you're the only thing I want to touch. Never knew that it could mean so much."

Then he moved on to the other hand, carefully sliding her opal ring off before repeating his ministrations and placing the ring back on her bare hand, kissing her ring finger before doing so.

"Fading in, fading out, on the edge of paradise. Every inch of your skin is a holy grail I've got to find…"

He whirled her around and reached for the zipper on her gown, planting slow kisses on her neck as he worked it down.

He slowly peeled the silver brocade from her body, revealing a greater expanse of her even more exquisite skin beneath, and softly kissed both shoulders and down her spine.

"Only you can set my heart on fire…"

She shivered and a little moan slipped out of her mouth.

He stopped when he got the top of her foundation garment. She was wearing a corset…it was vintage, burlesque-style…and it was a dusky plum color.

His mouth went dry as his cock went hard.

She'd planned this for him.

"Do you like it?" she asked, already confident of the answer.

"I adore it. Purple?" He raised an eyebrow.

"It's your favorite," she shrugged as she untied the bow on his tie and slid it off his neck.

"And the corset?" He ran a hand slowly over her corseted curves.

"Victrola style. Kind of back to the beginning. It was a very memorable beginning." Already she was removing his tuxedo jacket and had gone to work on the buttons of his shirt.

She was the perfect woman, this just confirmed it, and he was crazy with wanting her.

"So love me like you do…."

He scooped her into his arms again and carried her to the bed. He'd planned on lying her down on the silky sheets gently and admiring her like the goddess she was, but she moved even closer, gripped him even tighter and pulled him right on top of her.

It knocked the breath out of them for a second and then she laughed and went right back to kissing him.

And he was lost in the wonder of her.

"Touch me like you do…."

Belatedly he realized she was still wearing the little silver bowed pumps on her feet. He reached down, slid them off and tossed them aside, kicking his own shoes off at the same time.

Then she was reaching down, shedding the dusky plum satin panties that matched the corset she was still wearing, then unzipping his fly and removing any impediment to their bodies joining as one.

He wanted to go slower, to savor every second, to revel in the perfection of it all.

Reluctantly, he tore his lips away from hers and trailed kisses across her cheek, over her jaw, down the graceful length of her neck. He lingered at her collarbone, kissing it with reverence, before draping her décolletage with little kisses that were half caresses, half nibbles. He cupped each beautiful breast in his hands, gently lifting them up and out of the corset, tracing each sensitive tip with his thumbs, worshipping it with his tongue.

She smiled and sighed and moaned her bliss.

And then he stopped.

He paused to look down at her, her regal chignon somewhat mussed from the pillows, the flush blooming on her cheeks, the lips reddened from his kisses, her eyes dazed and dreamy. She was wearing his necklace, his ring, his color.

She was his.

And he was hers. Mind, body, soul, and perhaps most importantly, heart. The heart no one, even he himself, had ever known he possessed, belonged solely to her.

"I love you, Blair, so much." The words slipped out of his mouth, without effort or hesitation.

"I'll let you set the pace, 'cause I'm not thinking straight…"

She pulled him close again…

Until their foreheads were touching…

Her lips were on his…

She could feel the sound of his beating heart echoing in her own chest…

Things were going so fast…he needed to stop…

He pulled away and went to reach for his jacket, for the protection he carried there.

"You don't need a condom tonight, or any night after this one," she whispered.

"Why?" His mind still cloudy with desire, he couldn't seem to understand.

"Because every part of me wants to experience every part of you. Skin on skin. We're together now…." She looked up at him with those deep, dark, beautiful eyes.

"I went to the doctor...," she started to explain. This was proving more difficult than she had thought it would be.

"Do you want me to go too?" God, he hated having to say this, having to refer to his womanizing past. Because that's exactly where it was: in the past. Blair was his present and his future, and he hated to mar their perfect night with this kind of talk, but it was important and needed to be said. He took a deep breath. "I've always been careful and I've been tested regularly."

"I know. I want this for us. I trust you. I trust us."

So she'd thought this through then.

"Are you sure?" he couldn't help asking, searching her face for any doubts or fears.

"With you?" she smiled. "Always!" She reached up and pulled his face to hers again.

Just when he thought he couldn't love her any more than he already did, she kept proving him wrong.

So he relaxed and let himself fall, into her arms and even more deeply in love.

He kissed her and went on kissing her until he felt her draw back and look up at him, an invitation eloquently in her eyes.

He hesitated. This moment, perhaps even more so than their first time together, was a first for him. He'd never before been inside a woman without the barrier of protection, and that it would be this woman, whom he loved more than life and needed more than air, that she loved and trusted him enough for that, moved him. He frantically tried to breathe through the lump that had collected in his throat.

But then a welcoming smile lit up her whole face and suddenly he couldn't wait any longer.

"What are you waiting for? Love me like you do…"

He stopped thinking then, and existed only to kiss her, to touch her, to love her. Wrapped in her arms, he pulled her even closer, and then he was inside her. As close as two people could possibly be, physically and mentally.

He was unprepared for the rush of emotion and adrenaline as their bodies met. The warmth of her bare flesh surrounded his cock and he could feel that warmth spread through his whole body. So warm, so tight, so soft, so wet. It was a magical combination of textures and feelings. It was overwhelming.

A low cry escaped his lips and it was answered by a similar one from hers. Those beautiful dark eyes flew open and her arms reached up to tug on his shoulders, pull him closer, touch his face. It was obvious that she felt the same awed bliss that he did. It was so much more than the physical. That she wanted and loved him, body and soul, the way he did her, was nothing short of the greatest miracle he had ever witnessed.

Every thrust, every caress seemed to magnify those feelings, until suddenly she came apart in his arms. He could feel every flutter, every squeeze, every heartbeat, every gasp and every ripple of ecstasy that went through her.

It was all he could do not to come right along with her.

But the intensity of her orgasm was addictive and he just had to experience it again.

So he didn't pause or slow; instead he focused on loving her with single-minded passion, with deeper strokes, with little nips to her neck and whispered endearments in her ear.

He was rewarded with an even powerful reaction this time, as she arched under him and screamed her bliss.

His resolve crumbled as white-hot pleasure went through his entire body. His vision blurred, his senses screamed, his essence poured into her as she continued to hold him with now shaking hands. He may have even screamed himself.

Thank God they were in an ultra-private, 3600 square-foot suite in a hotel owned by his father.

He collapsed against her, reluctant to allow their bodies to part. Slowly, eventually—it might have taken seconds or hours—he eased out of her body and wrapped his arms around her from behind, planting soft, still breathless kisses on each shoulder.

And they lay there, in silent synergy and shared afterglow.

Until their phones rang.

The text alerts sounded shrill and discordant in their peaceful little world. Still, it had to be important for both of them to be contacted at the same time, right?

She reached for her bag on the nightstand and he fumbled for his phone in the pocket of his discarded jacket.

They read the message blast at the same time.

"Hello, Upper East Siders. It's been quite the night for debuts at the Dispensary Cotillion tonight at the Palace Hotel. Rumor had it that S was going to sit this tradition out, that she was turning over a new leaf. Alas, the new leaf was old gold, or should I say silver, to match the spoon in the mouth of her blue-blooded escort, Nate Archibald. That's right, boys and girls, the Vanderbilt heir came with the vixen and not his usual ice princess. Queen B was escorted by N's bad boy best friend in one of the most exciting games of musical Chairs (Chuck + Blair?) this little island has ever seen. But excitement can be short-lived. Careful, B, we know the door on C's bedroom is a revolving one and that tonight's charms can be next week's memories. Or will it even last that long? Any wagers? You know you love me. XOXO, Gossip Girl."

"That bitch!" Chuck ground out, furious. He had spent so long planning the perfect night for them and it had certainly been that, until that blast came out. How had he forgotten that Gossip Girl was still out there and that she would be most displeased that she wasn't on the ground floor of the scandal that was his being with Blair?

He ventured a look at Blair's face, trepidation in his eyes, but her expression was inscrutable and she seemed very quiet.

"Blair?" He swept a stray tendril away from her face. "Please don't be upset. Don't let this ruin our night. She has no idea what she is talking about. You know I love you, right?" His voice rose on the last words, seeking her reassurance.

"What happens when the newness wears off?" she asked quietly. "Will I still be enough for you then?"

Years of being second best with her own boyfriend and an object of criticism and neglect from her parents had taken their toll on Blair's self-esteem.

Before tonight, Chuck had never felt ashamed or sorry about his past. Who cares about what had happened before? What mattered now was that they were together, however that had been achieved.

He paused a moment to figure out how to best explain this to Blair.

"Blair, you're the first thing I think about when I open my eyes in the morning and the last thing I think about before I go to sleep. And you're all I think about every second in between. I could never be bored with you. You taught me what love is, what making love is. Those are things you can't learn in books. And they're things I never even believed in before. I don't have a time machine; I can't go back and change things. You just have to ask yourself," he paused to move closer to her and his finger traced the outline of the heart on her necklace, "if you trust in us. Do you?"

Meanwhile, in a Palace hotel ballroom, Cotillion was winding down. Many guests had already left and only a committed few remained on the dance floor. Even Prince Theodore and Brittany had already made their exit, reporters and photographers still in tow.

Nate and Serena had danced nearly every dance and were still enjoying the evening and each other. Nate whirled her around one more time and they spotted Serena's grandmother on a corner of the dance floor, still chatting with friends, sipping a cocktail and dancing her own little dance.

"She's still here?" Nate marveled.

Serena snorted. "You clearly don't know my grandmother very well. If carousing were a recognized sport, she would've gone to the Olympics." Her tone was meant to be sarcastic, but a glimmer of pride crept through anyway.

They smiled at each other.

And then the blast came through and a symphony of cell phones sounded throughout the room.

The blond pair was silent as they read and then they looked at each other…and laughed uproariously.

"She called you a 'vixen,'" Nate couldn't hide his grin.

"I've been called worse," Serena admitted, "especially by her! But Blair is going to be upset, that's for sure."

"She shouldn't be," Nate chimed in with rare insight. "Chuck worships the ground she walks on…when he's not actually worshipping her…on every flat surface in this town." He rolled his eyes. "If she's in a mood, I have no doubt he'll charm her out of it, presuming they're even bothering to check their phones tonight. C'mon, let's have one last dance before we head home."

She moved back into his arms and took another look around the room. "Doesn't it seem kind of late for a blast now? Most people have already left. Did Gossip Girl need to wait until she'd gone back home to do the post? Or was she even here at all tonight?"

"Maybe it's not even a 'she'," Nate theorized.

"True. Could be just some lonely boy with delusions of grandeur," Serena agreed. "I'm liking the idea of having a limo on call. I could get used to this lifestyle."

"Well, you know what they say, it's good to be Chuck Bass."

Serena wrinkled her nose. "Who says that?"

"Chuck Bass does!"

And they were laughing again.

"I do, Chuck. I do trust in us, you know that. It's just that tonight was going so perfectly…. I just wish I could show Gossip Girl and all those other people how lions are unconcerned with the opinions of sheep. Did you hear that catty Brittany from Chapin?" Blair demanded, "She claimed that we were the result of 'some game of Seven Minutes In Heaven gone wrong'."

Chuck smirked. "I would say that anything that resulted in this," he gestured between them, "was certainly very, very right. So…why don't you put your dress back on and we'll go down and dance some more."

"I can't do that!" Blair's hand immediately went to her hair, which was looking noticeably more tousled than earlier in the evening.

"Why not? I'll help you, be your lady's maid. We both know I'm always looking for an excuse to get into your skirts, even if it's just to fluff them out and zip you up."

He could see she was considering the idea.

"I wouldn't mind a couple more dances with you. Besides, a girl only gets one Cotillion in her lifetime, you know."

"You're my once in a lifetime, Blair," he kissed her hand. "Now let's get ready."

Twenty minutes later, the pair had freshened up and Blair was putting the finishing touches on her toilette. She reached into her bag for her lipstick and seemed surprised when she got a velvet box instead.

"What's that?" Chuck was curious.

"A present for you." She smiled and offered him the case. "I wanted to give it to you earlier, but you totally swept me off my feet and I forgot." It wasn't often that Blair Waldorf looked sheepish.

He took the case and opened it slowly. A flash of silver-colored metal hit his eyes. Inside were monogrammed cufflinks in brushed platinum with beveled edges in a gloss finish. The symbol was a heavily engraved, stylized C and B intertwined, reminiscent of historical monograms of royal couples.

"Because you're Chuck Bass….," she began to explain.

"And we're Chuck and Blair," he finished for her, with a smile.

Accompanying the cufflinks was a card case that matched the style of the cufflinks.

"Open it," she urged.

The case contained business cards custom-made for Charles Bass of Bass Industries. They were embossed with the Bass Industries logo and address and Chuck's contact numbers.

"Every successful businessman needs a card, especially when he'll be meeting with other professionals in the business community and at board meetings," she nodded.

"But how…?"

"How did I know how to design your business card? Easy. I went down to your father's offices and snagged a card from his secretary's desk." She sounded quite proud of herself, but it was nothing compared to the surge of joy that went through him. Her gift was tantamount to a declaration that she believed in him and his future, in their future, and he was moved beyond words.

He whispered his thanks and planted a reverent kiss on her forehead before taking off his jacket and swapping out his old cufflinks for the new.

"Perfect!" he pronounced upon inspecting his newly adorned cuffs. "Now, Miss Waldorf, if I have your approval, may I have the great honor of escorting you to Cotillion a second time this evening?"

She placed a gloved hand on his proffered arm. "I do love encores, Bass. Perhaps you should remember that later tonight when we come back upstairs."

When Chuck and Blair strolled back into the ballroom, a much different scene met their eyes.

Most everyone had left. The band was packing up their instruments and the only sounds to be heard were the clinking of silver and glassware as an army of kitchen staff were scurrying to clear tables and return the ballroom to its former pristine state.

"Oh, we're too late!" Blair's face fell a little.

"I'll take of care this," Chuck promised, disengaging from her arm and going to speak with the musicians. A moment passed and he returned to her side, just as the band began to play again.

"But Chuck, we're the only ones here!" Though that had never stopped them before, Blair put up a token protest.

"Blair…" The sound of her name was never as beautiful as when he said it.

"Hmm?" She could get so easily lost in that voice too.

"Shut up and dance with me."

"Chuck Bass is a romantic. Who knew?" she teased.

"You know," he reminded her.

"I do. When we made that pact, I learned so much more than how to seduce someone…."

"You really didn't instruction on that," he smiled. "Blair Waldorf is irresistible."

"I learned about the man behind that bad boy exterior…I know him, and that's why I love him so very much." She stood on tiptoe to kiss his lips before melting back into his arms.

The band played for another half hour and the couple whirled on the floor, to slow songs and fast, blissfully oblivious to anything but the music and each other.

They were certainly unaware of the shadowy figure that lurked outside the ballroom doors, snapping photographs and documenting the happy couple.

"Good Evening, Mister Nathaniel, Miss van der Woodsen," Arthur greeted as he swept the limo door open for them. "Did you enjoy the Cotillion this evening?" he asked after taking his place in the driver's seat.

"Oh, Arthur, it was so much fun," Serena bubbled over, then began telling little stories of various things that had happened during the event.

She did not realize the two males in the car were both grinning at her enthusiasm—Nate, because he loved seeing Serena happy, and Arthur, who already had some idea about the evening because he followed Gossip Girl. Arthur frowned a moment when he thought about the blogger's cruel words about his charge and Miss Waldorf. If she only knew how happy they made each other, how hard Mr. Chuck had worked this week to make Miss Waldorf's evening perfect…but the anonymous young lady was clearly reckless with her tongue and keyboard, and one day that would surely come back to haunt her.

"So you're glad you came then?" Though he tried to sound nonchalant, Nate couldn't quite keep the expectation out of his voice.

"So glad! I wouldn't have missed it for anything."

"You almost did," her escort reminded her, and she had the grace to look embarrassed.

"That's true. You see, I was seeing someone before and he really wasn't interested in going, said it was an 'outdated archaic tradition.' And then I was sort of trying to declare my independence from my grandmother. Much as it kills to me to admit it, she was right about my going."

They shared a smile.

"You were so sweet to dance with her tonight. It made her happy, I could tell."

"Well, she was happy until she almost spilled her drink on the dance floor. That put a stop to our waltz pretty quickly," Nate admitted ruefully.

"Grandma is very serious about her liquor." Serena had just made the understatement of the decade.

"Remind me to bring her a bottle of the Vanderbilt vintage the next time I come over."

"You two will be drinking buddies yet."

Arthur didn't want to interrupt the chatting couple, so he remained silent and kept driving around the city, taking a more scenic route that took them near the water, which reflected the moon and the classic Manhattan skyline.

He could tell neither really wanted the evening to be over, but they seemed unsure how to prolong it.

So he suggested stopping for a soda or snack.

Serena pounced on the idea. "I am hungry," she admitted.

"Me too," Nate was quick to agree. "That before-dinner ice cream ruined my appetite earlier."

"What would you like?" Arthur aimed to please.

"A bacon cheeseburger and a milkshake!" Serena didn't have to think twice.

"More ice cream?" Nate groaned.

"Let's go to the Shake Shack. You know you love their root beer floats, Nate."

Nate would've liked to argue, but just then his stomach growled, indicating that it would not turn away from a second dairy dessert that evening.

Arthur turned the car toward the Theater District, since that location stayed open a full hour later than the other franchise locations.

Because they were arriving so near to closing time, the couple decided to get their order to go and picnic in the limo. Only in New York could two young people make a midnight run to a fast food joint dressed in formal finery and not raise an eyebrow. Serena chose the cheeseburger with Applewood smoked bacon and a black & white milkshake. Nate got a hot dog with Shack cheese sauce and his usual root beer float. The pair decided to share an order of crinkle cut fries.

When they returned to the car with an order especially for him, Arthur was touched by their thoughtfulness. The kids had such good hearts.

"Mm, this is incredible!" Serena sighed blissfully as she caught a piece of bacon and gooey cheese that was oozing out from the edge of the bun.

"Whatever you do, don't get anything on the seats!" Nate cautioned. "Chuck will kill us."

"I wonder if Chuck and Blair have ever eaten in the limo," Serena mused innocently.

Arthur suddenly choked on his sandwich. Ah, if she only knew all the things Mister Chuck and Miss Waldorf had gotten up to in this car!

He didn't have to worry about having a reluctant front row seat to the usual PDA, because there wasn't any. Mister Nathaniel wasn't even holding her hand.

He would see what he could about that.

So they drove some more, this time around and through Central Park—the long way.

Still nothing.

Was he never going to kiss the girl?!

Finally, Arthur gave up and headed for the Archibald townhouse on Fifth Avenue. Maybe the pressure of the impending end of the evening would give the boy some much needed prompting.

He pulled up to the curb and got out of the car, giving the couple a moment of private time.

"Nate, I had a wonderful time tonight, every minute of it," Serena confessed. "Thank you."

"No, thank you. It wouldn't have been Cotillion without you there."

"You're sweet to say that." She leaned in close and brushed her lips against his.

But her thought to give him an innocent kiss goodnight went out the window. When the brief kiss ended, Nate took her face in his hands and pulled her in again, his lips lingering on hers.

It was like touching fire. She'd forgotten how very sweet and addictive kissing Nate Archibald could be, and she didn't want to stop.

But they were pulled up in front of his house….and Arthur was waiting outside the limo door….and so eventually they pulled apart and looked at each other a moment.

"You shine brighter than the sun, Serena." He was talking about more than just the sheen of her gold gown. "We are all lucky to be in your orbit. Goodnight."

"It was," she agreed, unable to stop the smile from breaking out on her face, increasing her glow.

She was still smiling several minutes later when Arthur pulled up in front of the Palace and opened the door for her.

After getting lost in each other again and then enjoying a leisurely soak in the suite's huge garden tub, Chuck and Blair were happily wrapped in plush white robes and each other arms as they snuggled and snacked on macarons and fruit.

"I am so glad we have the rest of the night here. I don't want this evening to ever end," Blair sighed.

"Correction, we have the suite for the rest of the weekend. I hope you've done your yoga." He suggestively raised an eyebrow and gave her a look that made her glad to be naked under her robe and free to sleep in all morning.

"Hmm, there are some new positions I've been wanting to try," she confessed. "I've read about them, but as we both know, there's no substitute for learning by doing."

Who knew better than they did, that there are some things you just can't learn in books?

THE END(?)

EPILOGUE

Black coffee. Manila envelope.

Bart Bass skipped the morning coffee and went straight for the envelope.

The first piece he encountered was a printed copy of an update from some website called Gossip Girl.

He frowned. The criticism of his son and Miss Waldorf was scathing. And while Chuck might benefit from learning that one's misdeeds always caught up with one and that a bad reputation could be hard to shake, Miss Waldorf did not deserve to be discussed so in an online forum.

Bart had a soft spot for the girl, truth be told. She made his son happy, and that was something no one had ever managed to do before. So he had no complaints that his son was spending large sums on jewelry and commandeering his hotel's most expensive suite for a weekend.

He looked at the pictures. The first set was from earlier in the evening: Chuck escorting her during her presentation, the couple and their friends at dinner, the couple dancing on a crowded ballroom floor. The second set contained photos of the couple dancing again, this time alone in the room, immersed in the music and each other.

The corners of his mouth turned up and he reached for the phone to dial his PI.

"Yes, I need everything you can get me on Blair Waldorf, please."

She was already important to his son; he had a feeling that she would prove vital to his company and his family as well. He had a feeling that, young though she may be now, the girl was going to be his daughter-in-law one day.

He would have to tell Chuck to bring her along to the next Bass Industries board meeting.

In the meantime, he wanted to learn as much about her as possible.

Author's Note:

The song lyrics used in this chapter were "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon, and "Love Me Like You Do" by Ellie Goulding. I know they're from 2015 and not 2007, but time traveling pop culture is just one of the many perks of creating your own alternate universe.

Another perk is researching settings and backdrops. The Versailles Suite does not exist, per se. It was based on the Royal Suite (google NYC Palace Hotel Royal Suite and you'll see where I got my inspiration). I simply adapted it to better suit Chuck and Blair's preferences and as a callback to B's Marie Antoinette bedroom at her penthouse.

A little on how this story came to be: Last October, while brainstorming ideas for Limoversary 2014 with some friends who run Paris in the 1920s, I was asked by the lovely Angela if I were going to write something for the event. I prevaricated. I wanted to, but I only had one idea, and frankly, it didn't seem very limo-ish to me. She encouraged me to write it anyway. I had been bouncing the plot idea around in my head for months, so excessive arm-twisting was not required.

Back then, I only knew how the story would begin (the pact between Chuck and Blair) and end (Chuck and Blair go to Cotillion together). I'd never written a long, multi-chapter story before (just The Sun and the Moon, which is a 3-parter), so I had no idea what would happen in the chapters in between. It was like a darkened staircase. Still, I took the first step…and then kept on going. And now we're here!

So a big "thank you" to Angela and Cosmokaramel of Pit20s, and to my beta buddies, SnowedUnderNJ, Chrys1130 and svenjen. Much love and appreciation to my faithful readers and reviewers. I still have every review notification in my email, because I can't bear to delete them, even if I know they are stored on the fanfiction site. They mean that much to me. YOU mean that much to me. Thank you again for your friendship and support.

And I couldn't forget to wish a very happy birthday to the lovely and talented nlizzette7. She thinks in poetry and paints pictures with words. It's a beautiful thing.

And now a very special segment of "Conversations with Chuck Bass," featuring special guests Blair Waldorf and yours truly! Questions provided by guest reader, S.

S: Why are so attracted to CB? Why do you love CB so much? Why are they important to you?

Me: Well, I've always loved couples with great chemistry who were clearly destined to be together. And for me, I could see CB was destined at the end of the pilot, when she looked back over her shoulder at him. They were clearly on their own level, and they understood each other. How amazing that they actually ended up together on the show! On TV shows, as in real life, this doesn't always happen. So it should be celebrated and appreciated when it does.

S: Chuck, what makes Blair so beautiful to you? Why is she so gorgeous and incomparable to any other girl?

Chuck (to me): Am I really being asked this? *scoffs* Blair is not just a pretty face, though she is undeniably beautiful. *shares a smile with B*

Me: Yes, I think our reader wants to know what sets Blair apart from all the other girls in the world to you. And I think you said it well-even if it was only in your head-back at Victrola, when you'd thought you'd lost her:

"And they were good together. More than in just the obvious, physical way. They were each other's staunch defenders, confidantes, and support system. He'd somehow found in her a bright spot in his life, something that made him happy, something that was just for them."

Chuck: *nods*

S: Chuck, are you no longer attracted to other girls?

Chuck: Please, I'm Chuck Bass. I will always appreciate excellence in the female face and form. Likewise, I will always remember that I'm a one-woman man now. Fidelity poses no challenge for me.

Blair: *smiles at Chuck*

S: Blair, I will ask you the same question.

Blair: If I'm attracted to other women?!

Me: She means why you love Chuck, B.

Blair: Don't you have a historical to write? Or a sequel? I mean, if you're not busy, I'd enjoy a yogurt right now.

Me: *sighs* I'm not one of your minions, Blair. I'm not your Dorota either.

Blair: *rolls eyes* Of course not. Dorota is irreplaceable.

Me: Back to the matter at hand….

Blair: Fine! Well, you know how I adored Nate forever? That was never going to work. We weren't equals. And I don't think he ever saw the real me. Chuck sees me. Every part of me. The way I see the man underneath the mask he wears for the world. The only thing that's ever been real in our lives is each other. Sure, he looks great in a suit….and out of one, too…but he is mine. And I am his. We are Chuck and Blair, Blair and Chuck. Does that answer your question?

Me: I'm sure our readers will let us know if they have any more queries. In the meantime, let's pour a glass of Dom and celebrate a happy ending to this story. *starts pouring champagne*

Chuck and Blair: *both scoff*

Chuck: The "ending"? Oh, please, no one really believes that's the end of our story. It's just the beginning. We aren't going to just go quietly. We're—

Me: Yeah, yeah, you're Chuck and Blair.

New York friends—and you are all my New York friends, regardless of what corner of the world you call home-I do hope you'll leave me a review and share your thoughts on this finale chapter.

It has been my very great honor and privilege to share this story with you.

XOXO, scarlett2u