A/N: Yay I'm back! Belated Christmas wishes to everyone! This chapter became so long it's practically a new story. It's essentially snapsnots of the adult lives of our favourite upper east siders. Feeback would be awesome :)
Sebastian Bass or Bas Bass as his friends sometimes called him, was seven years old. He was as handsome as his father but with less assurance of himself having so recently entered the world. Lydia Humphrey had the flowing blonde locks of her mother and had captured Seb's heart since he was old enough to realise what beauty was. Lydia however was painfully shy and always wished to be invisible.
"Don't be invisible Lyd you're too pretty."
Lydia rolled her eyes.
"I don't wanna be Seb. Everyone is always looking and daddy is always so worried. I hate my hair!"
"Just ignore everyone but me and we'll be okay."
Lydia smiled, it had been her and Bass together against the world since she could remember. Sebastian was like a brother to her in some ways but when she watched disney movies she always pretended to be the princess and Sebastian had always been the prince. She somehow knew even at such a tender age that they'd get married one day even if she felt no desire for him at the present. Marriage to Lydia at seven seemed exactly what her friendship with Seb was now only they'd own cool furniture and go to dances.
"Auntie B said that one day we'd be married."
Sebastian grinned at such a happy prospect.
"Then I can touch your hair all the time and see you every day!"
"You already see me everyday."
"But it will just be us and we'll be old."
"You'll be able to kiss me that funny way uncle Chuck kisses your mom."
Sebastian screwed up his face in disgust.
"Ew no that doesn't look fun and mum is always moaning like she's in pain. I don't want to hurt you Lyd."
Lydia nodded gravely.
"So do you want to come to dinner tonight?"
"Can we watch ninja turtles?"
"Nah we watched it yesterday, let's read comics with dad if he's home, he always puts on voices.
"Okay!"
The bell rung for the end of the day and Seb rushed towards his father who was waiting at the gate on his cell phone.
"Dad!"
Chuck ruffled his son's hair.
"Hey how was school? Let me just get this stupid investor to shut the fuck up!"
Chuck was only twenty seven and still hadn't learnt to tone down the language, let alone in front of his own kid.
"Sorry son forget the swear word."
"What does fuck mean?"
"Don't say it!"
"You just did!"
"True, well let's go."
"What does it mean?"
"It means nothing."
"It does too!"
"I'm not telling you, how about I get you some ice cream and we forget about it?"
"I'll tell mom you said it in front of me if you don't tell me."
Chuck sighed.
"You're too much like your mother, the word which I never want to hear you say again means a very bad man but can be used to be mean to people too."
"Really?"
"Yeah like if I say 'you fuck!' it means 'you very bad man.' However it's a horrible word and if you use it too much you become a fuck too. You become the word, understand?"
"Uh huh."
Chuck had no idea what he was saying, he always felt slightly out of his element with his son but he tried not to show it. He loved Seb so much, he wanted to be his idol but couldn't shake off the ass exterior he still sometimes cultivated for business and often forgot to leave at the office. Old habits died hard. Either way he didn't want to tell his son what the word really meant as he was worried about exposing his boy to anything sex-related too young. He didn't want Seb growing up like he had with his own father throwing him in at the deep end with everything.
"Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think I'll be Lydia's husband one day?"
Chuck smiled.
"Maybe if you are a very good boy but not because both your mothers are ridiculous fantasists."
"Huh?"
"Don't worry about marriage you're a little young."
"You and mom got married young."
"Yeah but we knew what we wanted early on, not many people are that lucky."
"I know what I want now!"
Chuck didn't think arguing about something decades in the future was a good use of his time.
"Okay then maybe you will."
Sebastian looked pleased as Chuck took his hand to walk home.
"Can I go to Lydia's tonight for tea?"
"Only if you promise not to propose."
"Okay."
"Deal."
"Do you love mom more than me?"
Sebastian always asked the weirdest questions, Chuck knew an enquiring mind was a good thing and Sebastian was smart for his age but it always meant a tactful answer. Chuck wasn't good at tact.
"I love you both the same."
"You've known mom longer though."
"So? I've known my father longer than both of you put together and I don't really love him."
"I love grandpa."
"So you should, he loves you too."
Bart Bass doted on his grandson and loved him a way he could never do with his own son. They had both mended a lot of bridges but there was still some resentment.
"Mom!"
Blair greeted her favourite men at the door of their townhouse.
"Hey little man!"
Sebastian stuck out his tongue.
"I'm not little!"
Blair laughed, it was her ritual to tease him when he got home from school.
"You're not too big to give me a hug are you?"
Sebastian looked uncertain.
"Only a quick one."
He briefly hugged his mother.
"How was school?"
"I'm going to marry Lydia and I'm going around for dinner."
"Both in one night?"
Sebastian rolled his eyes as if it was the stupidest question he had ever heard.
"Mom you're silly."
"Maybe I am. Now go wash up and I'll walk you down."
"It's only two blocks!"
"You're not old enough for that yet."
Sebastian stomped inside sulkily even though this happened most days of the week. It was basically an excuse for his mother to catch up with her best friend not so much about safety.
Blair gave Chuck a kiss.
"How was work?"
"One step away from a heart attack as usual you?"
"I finished designing the new fashion line."
"Great, maybe I can retire."
"Please you love it."
"I love you more."
Blair adored that in between the witty, light-hearted banter Chuck would always come up with something sincere and sweet too.
"I love you too. Have I said so today?"
Chuck laughed.
"Probably but if not you've told me everyday for the seven years we've been married."
Blair had made Chuck promise that if they got married they'd tell each other they loved each other everyday even if they were pissed off with each other or on different sides of the country. Both scenarios happened a lot (although they never let it affect Seb) so the rule had become important. Blair's mother remarried a straight man when Blair was twenty-one but they divorced a year later because Larry found Eleanor too closed off. Blair never wanted to be emotionally stunted like that hence the daily love confession that had got them through some tough times. Love was easy and Mr and Mr Bass had that in spades but marriage was hard work which Blair understood but which her mother did not.
"What's for dinner?"
"Takeout I'm knackered."
"Do I get to choose?"
Blair began automatically loosening her husband's tie as they got inside.
"You are the man of the house."
"Chinese then?"
Blair screwed up her face in a similar way to her son.
"The smell gets into everything."
"Indian?"
"Same problem."
"Then what do you suggest?"
"I could go get some dishes from the health food place down the road."
Man of the house or not, Blair worked mainly from home so most domestic decisions fell to her. Chuck had had a tiring day at work and would kill for some sweet and sour pork but he made no argument, it wasn't worth the hassle.
"Knock yourself out."
The phone rung.
"Blair Bass speaking."
"Yo Bass what up?"
Blair chuckled down the telephone at Serena's attempt at ghetto speak.
"Not much you? I finished my summer line!"
"Nice! Do I get to sample?"
"Of course! Could I borrow Evelyn for my shoot?"
Blair had good contacts, her best friend ran a modelling agency having done well in the profession herself.
"She's pretty tied up with her Louis Vuitton contract but I'll make it work."
"Thanks sweetie, hows Dan?"
"He's fine, totally boring at the moment though. His law firm have this big case to get done and since he's in charge of it he hasn't seen daylight for weeks or been home before eleven once this month."
"That sucks but think how pleased you'll be to have him back when it's over."
"Good point, so I just wanted to check and see if it's cool Seb is coming for dinner? Lyd said he had asked his dad but I'm never sure, they'd invent wings and fly to each other if they had to."
"That's true so I think it's best to let them hang out, I don't want my son becoming the modern day Icarus."
"Is it weird to be jealous that our kids like hanging out with each other more than us?"
"Yeah I hope so because I feel the same but I guess you can't hog them and hold them forever. So are we still on for shopping Saturday?"
"Is that a rhetorical question? I need to take out all my pent up sexual frustration on something, may as well be retail therapy!"
Blair laughed.
"Maybe we should purchase you a vibrator and kill two birds with one stone."
Serena snickered.
"I'm not there yet and did I mention your husband has permanently depraved you?"
"I'd like to think so, anyway you can lecture me more in person I'll bring Romeo around in ten?"
"Sure see you then."
Blair put down the phone and felt oddly nauseas. She guessed skipping lunch to pour over fabric samples was coming back to haunt her.
"Seb you ready?"
Seb bounded down the stairs and was about to enthusiastically confirm he was when Chuck caught their attention.
"What's wrong?"
Chuck was holding his cell phone looking paler than usual if that was even possible for the living.
"It's Nate."
"How is he? Still living it up in London?"
She couldn't hide the bitterness in her voice. Hearing from Nate was about as expected as pigs flying or world peace.
"He had an accident."
Blair held her son closer to her instinctively.
"What's wrong with uncle Nate?"
Seb looked so worried that Blair made him wash up again for good measure to give the adults time to talk.
"What is wrong with him Chuck? How bad is it?"
"Bad. That was his mother, she's catching the first flight to Heathrow. He was hit by a car near Hammersmith."
"How bad is he Chuck? Don't sugar coat it."
"Critical. Apparently he's got broken ribs, a broken arm, fractured his skull and has bleeding on the brain. He's in an induced coma at the moment to try and relieve pressure around the brain, apparently if they can stop the bleeding in surgery he should be out of the woods."
"When is the surgery?"
"They are going to wait until tomorrow so some of the swelling around his brain goes down and they can properly get to the bleed."
"Oh my god."
Chuck groaned.
"Why did the idiot have to haul ass overseas! If he was still in NY we could be with him."
"Should we?"
"Should we what?"
"Be with him?"
To any other normal couple it would have been a nice idea but a ridiculous feat with a child, two jobs and the expense but Chuck and Blair were blessed with trust funds and determination of those used to getting their own way.
"I don't know, the perks of being the boss of your own company means I can delegate and take some time off, you've just finished your fashion line though can you make time?"
"Yeah I'll get mother to oversee the final bits and the launch isn't for another month so I have time. What about Seb?"
"My father will look after him, he's practically paying me to take him for the weekend these days so a week in England will be music to his ears."
"Okay we'll do it, I'll go drop Seb off at Serena's and let her know what's going on so you can plan in peace. We'll fly out tomorrow?"
"Yep I'll get the company jet fuelled up for the morning and I think my father still has the Mayfair apartment we can use. If not we'll just book a hotel."
"Okay I'll see you later."
Blair and Chuck shakily hugged each other goodbye. One of their best friends could die and they hadn't talked to him in more than a year, it was a terrible thought to dwell on so they kept busy.
"Seb we're going now!"
Blair tightly grabbed her son's hand and practically power walked to Serena's loft dragging Seb behind her.
"Is uncle Nate okay?"
"He should be, he just bumped his head but mommy and daddy are going to go over and see him anyway."
"When? Can I come?"
"We'll go tomorrow morning and shouldn't be more than a week, less if the prognosis is good. You have school but you get to stay with grandpa in the penthouse and eat all the junk food you want."
"Okay."
"How about you write Nate a letter or draw him something to cheer him up? He hasn't seen you in a while and I'm sure it would make him happy. Maybe you could work on it with Lydia?"
"Yeah! She has three kinds of glitter!"
Blair laughed, Seb could always brighten a bad situation. In a short time they were outside Serena's door.
"Hey buddy how are you?"
Seb gave Serena a hug and ran inside. Blair could tell from Serena's fake smile and ashen complexion that she had also heard the news.
"You know about Nate?"
Serena nodded as her smile faded.
"I don't know what to do. I can't just sit here while he fights for his life. We parted on the worst terms, I'd never forgive myself if he died."
Nate had drifted from his friends and moved away after Serena got married and had Lydia. He finally had to accept himself and Serena weren't meant to be and ever since he'd entertained one socialite after another on both sides of the globe. He became the Chuck of high school and even the Chuck of now didn't know how to deal with him he was so far from what he had been. Nate had even tried to win Serena back, begged her in her bridal gown and had drunken himself into oblivion at the reception.
"He's too stubborn to die, either way we are flying over on the company jet tomorrow to be with him. Whatever has happened he's been our friend all our lives. It means something."
Serena began to cry.
"I can't help feeling this is my fault."
Blair put her arm around her.
"What were you the idiot driver who knocked him down?"
"Of course not, but if I had just tried to make up with him or something he might not have moved away."
"Don't be stupid, he may have been obsessed with you but he could have got away from you in LA or Chicago just as well as in England. It was his choice."
"You're right. I'm coming with you."
"What?"
"I'm not going to stay here and not know what's happening, not being able to hold his hand or apologize. I'd rather inconvenience myself and him be okay than the alternative."
"What about Dan?"
"I'll go get some microwave meals for him and otherwise it will be as if I never left, he's barely home anyway and I know he'd understand."
Blair wasn't so sure he would but he wasn't her husband so she'd trust Serena's word.
"Okay sure there's room for one more. What about Lydia?"
"I'll get Erik to look after her, he's the coolest person in the world to her and she loves Jenny too."
Blair found it slightly disturbing that both brother and sister of Dan and Serena had been dating for years. They were undeniably cute and in love though so no one really thought about it.
"Cool well I have to get home and pack so I'll leave you to do the same."
"Call me if you hear anything?"
"Of course."
Blair walked down the corridor just as Serena was about to call out to her but Blair anticipated the question.
"He's going to pull through S, Nate has had a blessed life like the rest of us, no reason why it should stop now."
The words comforted them both somewhat but the sickly sensation in the pit of Blair's stomach hadn't subsided and she found herself vomiting in the bushes outside the building.
"Uncle Nate is in trouble."
Lydia patted Seb on the back as his lip began to quiver. She was glad they were the same age, it was like having a twin sibling that she could support.
"Don't cry Seb."
"As if!"
Seb would rather cut off his own arm than cry in front of a girl, especially one he was constantly trying to impress. Lydia felt bad for Seb and her mom but she didn't feel that upset, she had never really known Nate for reasons she wasn't quite sure of. She knew he had liked her mother but he always got this pained expression on his face when he saw Lydia, as if he was seeing someone or some time else. Lydia didn't really mind, she liked being invisible as herself but the awkwardness of it meant she rarely encountered him.
"Okay yeah of course you should go."
Dan was trying to juggle paperwork, well needed coffee and the phone all at the same time in his office. He would have offered to go with Serena to England if he actually liked Nate or at least look after Lydia in her absence but he rarely had time to sleep lately let alone function as a single parent machine.
"Thanks, I'll be gone as short a time as possible. I know it can't be good for Lydia to be away from home and Erik hasn't exactly taken Lydia for so long before so it's only until he gets better."
No one dared think 'if'.
"Lydia will be fine she loves being self-sufficient and I'll visit her in the evenings when I can."
Dan would have been less reconciled with his wife flying away without him if he hadn't felt guilty about neglecting her lately but he resented her decided tone when she asked him, as if it wasn't really a question because he'd look like a selfish ass if he declined. Then he just felt guilty all over again for being so petty.
"Well I guess I wont see you for awhile but you know where everything is and how to order takeaway and I'll call as soon as I land."
Dan didn't want to admit he could cook just as well as any woman, after all he didn't grow up with hired help but Serena loved cooking for him so much that he never mentioned it so she naturally assumed he was useless like Chuck.
"Okay I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too."
Serena didn't want to add that she'd missed him for the last month, there were bigger things on her mind.
"Seb I want you to be good for your grandpa okay?"
Bart leered slightly at his daughter-in-law while he patted Seb affectionately on the head. Very disconcerting but she was used to it.
Seb knew what his mother was really asking was 'you know the rules at home and they still apply here even if your playboy grandad who is still trying to be twenty doesn't. He may let you get away with murder but everything has a price on your conscience.'
"Of course he'll be a good boy."
Bart gave his grandson a conspiring wink. Blair hugged her son as if it was the last time she'd see him. He was everything to her and she'd never been so far or so long away from her universe before. Chuck had said goodbye that morning by grabbing his son's legs and swinging him around upside down until Seb called for mercy and almost fainted from giggling.
"Love you little man."
Seb cringed at the nickname and Bart rolled his eyes at her coddling, he'd never raised his son with such affection so watching it seemed so alien.
"Go mom you're already running late."
Blair imagined he had replied 'I love you too' to keep herself sane.
"Stop twitching."
Chuck put his hand on his wife's thigh as they sat in their plane, Serena was listening to her ipod further down, trying to drown out all the anxiety she was feeling. In less dire circumstances Chuck's hand would have drifted up a lot higher than her thigh or mentioned the mile high club they could revisit but he knew when was the time for heated cabin sex and when was the time he'd get a slap.
"I'm not."
Blair had been jiggling her leg and wringing her hands for the last half an hour until finally Chuck had got fed up of seeing her squirming. The truth was Blair felt so sick she was trying to judge whether to just go inhabit the bathroom for the rest of the trip or whether she could sit it out where she was. She had had no appetite since the Nate news and the slight turbulence must have combined to increase her suffering. She did not need the flu on top of jet lag, her friend's hospitalisation and forgetting to bring her curlers.
"If you moved anymore I'd worry you were having a fit, he's going to be okay."
Sit still, don't think about being sick, think of Seb.
"Sure."
"You're so distracted what is it?"
"Just missing Seb I guess."
She didn't want to admit she felt dodgy when they had enough on their plates.
"It's been like five hours what will you do when he goes to college?"
"I'll make him work for me as a designer so he'll never leave home."
Chuck laughed.
"There is no way he is not leaving home, I love him more than my own life but the sooner I can start ravishing you in the daytime or down on the fur rug again the better."
"Your single-mindedness disgusts me."
He could tell though that she was contemplating past fur-rug-encounters and silently agreeing with him. She'd miss her boy when he left but she would be consoled with certain sexual liberties that had become almost alien to her since motherhood.
The plane flight was uncomfortable despite it being the lap of luxury as far as planes go. Serena seemed lost in her own world, Blair was concentrating hard on keeping her stomach contents down and Chuck was feeling guilty about Nate. Finally after an interminable amount of time they landed at Heathrow and moved swiftly through customs.
"Okay shall we get a cab to the hospital? The bags are taken care of with Chuck's pilot but I'm too wired to sleep now."
Serena nodded.
"I want to see him now too."
So the three of them drove through London to the hospital, the city was sparkling and there was a hum around the place that reminded them of New York. Maybe if Nate improved speedily they could take in some of the sights together like the old days.
"How is he?"
Nate's parents were sitting outside his ICU ward, his father was sleeping awkwardly in the chair and his mother was sitting with a cold cup of coffee in a daze. Blair wanted to cry just looking at her, since becoming a mother she could fully understand the horror of his mother's situation and the frustrating helplessness.
Mrs. Archibald smiled thinly at their arrival.
"He is so lucky to have you all. There is no change but the doctors say it's a waiting game at the moment and they wont know more until the morning. They'd postponed his surgery slightly to improve his chances."
Chuck moved forward to kiss her on the cheek.
"Can I get you another drink Mrs Archibald?"
"No thank you Chuck, I find it hard consuming anything, I mainly just have it for something to hold on to."
They all nodded again, the last time Blair had been in the hospital was when she was going through the heaven and hell of childbirth. She was crying tears of joy in similar corridors to the one she was in now but although equally exhausted there would be no fond memories of this particular excursion.
"Can we see him?"
Mrs. Archibald tried to smile again. Her politeness was so inate that even when she wanted to cry or moan she couldn't help trying to play some sort of hostess.
"Of course, I was in there for hours but there's only so much time you can spend sitting with your son when he's full of tubes before -"
Tears slipped down her cheeks and she couldn't continue, she instead absentmindedly drunk her stale beverage and motioned for them to enter.
Nate looked a state, they had all seen him hungover and looking like hell but his form in the bed was a sobering sight. It was real, Nate was up shit creek and if it wasn't obvious before it certainly was now.
Serena began to cry just looking at his battered body, his bandaged head and the tubes keeping him alive.
"I need to go to the bathroom."
Blair couldn't keep her stomach down any longer. Only Chuck kept it together to sit next to his friend.
"Hey man. If you wanted to hang out with me all you had to do was call, no need to jump in front of car to get my attention. Here I am."
Serena smiled through her tears.
"You are such an ass. Thank you."
Chuck moved her to sit next to him and gave her Nate's hand.
"He'll be happy you're here S."
Serena nodded.
"Hey Nate, long time no see huh? I wish it was under better circumstances and you weren't unconscious but I've always liked the sound of my own voice so I wont complain too much."
She laughed to herself and almost expected Nate to wake up and laugh too.
Blair returned looking pale and stood behind her husband.
"Are you okay?"
Blair waved him off.
"I'm not the one with the broken body."
Chuck held her hand.
"Everything can be fixed, nothing is irreparable."
He looked pointedly at Serena and she smiled slightly.
The next six hours were spent by Nate's bed in shifts. Chuck went to the cafeteria and brought enough food and drink to feed an army even though no one touched anything. Blair and Serena talked to each other and to Nate about their darling children, Chuck talked to Nate's parents about Nate as a boy. Despite the fact that Nate couldn't talk or maybe because of it, they all sort of made peace with him as if no estrangement or bitterness had ever passed.
"He's still handsome."
Blair nodded as Serena stroked some hair out of his face.
"Nate could get ninety percent burns on most of his body and still be a model, like I said blessed life."
Finally a few hours later the doctor appeared to check up on the patient.
"We are going to take him in to surgery in an hour so you'll need to leave while we prep."
Blair smiled hopefully.
"So the swelling went down? That's good news."
"Yes some of the swelling has gone down but the surgery is taking place now because we waited as long as we could but there is a window and we need to take it."
"Window?"
"The time between waiting for the swelling to go down and permanent brain damage. The bleed needs to be removed swelling or not, it's not as good as we could have hoped but we have great surgeons."
Nate's mother barely blinked, it was as if she was listening to music no one else could hear and was only nodding politely so as not to be rude.
The minutes went by too quickly, after what felt like a week of waiting suddenly within an hour Nate was being wheeled away from them for others to decide his fate.
Serena kissed him on the cheek, Blair squeezed his hand and Chuck patted him on the good shoulder. His parents barely touched him, if they didn't say a goodbye or hold his hand they could pretend it wasn't crunch time and they may lose their only child.
"Granddad who is that?"
Bart swore quietly under his breath as he exited his bedroom for breakfast to find his latest girlfriend still in the penthouse.
The pretty young model clad only in her underwear smiled at the boy.
"Hey there, I'm Nina, I stayed over last night but I didn't know his son was home."
"He's not my son but my real son will kill me if he finds out about this. You were supposed to slip out hours ago!"
Nina was torn between biting his head off for rudeness or actually doing as she was asked.
"Fine I'll go, sue me for wanting some sustenance after the workout you gave me last night."
She smiled flirtatiously while picking up her dress and clothing herself. Bart couldn't help but smile back, granddad still had it.
"What workout?"
Seb looked suspiciously between the pair, he hated being left out of stuff.
"Nothing Seb, go get one of those croissants and I'll take you to the zoo later!"
Seb did as he was told but wasn't happy, he hated being bribed to be quiet with the temptation of cool toys and outings. It was always grown ups not answering questions but instead stuffing something appealing down his throat to distract him, as if it was that easy. Still the zoo was the zoo after all and Seb didn't want to fight with his grandpa.
"Can Lydia come?"
Nina narrowed her eyes.
"Who is Lydia Bart?"
"A friend of his."
Nina laughed lightly, she didn't get to where she was without being paranoid.
"Not just a friend granddad, my best friend!"
"Right whatever, but the answer is no, I can only pull you out of school, not her."
"Oh yeah school. I should go."
"Don't worry I wont tell your mom, it can just be you and me today."
Seb shook his head.
"Can we do it in the weekend? I have a big project today."
Bart laughed, what sort of big project could a seven year old have? Seb didn't tell his granddad it was because he didn't want to not see Lydia, he knew his grandfather's attitudes to women weren't right even at seven. Bart's relationships with women weren't like his parents' and since he saw no better connection than his mom and dad's he thought his grandad was making some sort of mistake.
"Sure bud anything for you. I'll have my driver drop you off once your dressed."
Bart walked Nina out of the door.
"Granddad can it just be us from now on?"
"What do you mean?"
"No Ninas, just us guys."
Bart hated that his grandson already grasped so much about the world and relationships, it meant he couldn't remain the squeaky clean granddad Seb looked up to for much longer.
"Of course."
Lydia sat on the steps of Erik and Jenny's house.
"Lydia you okay? We still have time to walk you to school don't worry you wont be late. If only Jenny wasn't such a scatterbrain we might already be on our way."
"Hey no whining about me to our niece!"
Jenny was shouting out the open door whilst running around the house looking for her keys. Erik laughed.
"I wouldn't if this happened less than once a week. Why don't you tie them around your neck from now on?"
Jenny jumped triumphantly into the doorway holding her keys above her head.
"Found them!"
Erik couldn't help but lean in to kiss her she looked so needlessly joyful and child-like. She reminded him so much of his sister sometimes and she was just as beautiful, he wondered if that was weird but decided it wasn't. He fell in love with Jenny the artist who had Serena's free spirit but her brother's brains and compassion. She was her own person, she was Erik's person.
"Okay Lyd now we can leave."
"I'm waiting."
"For what?"
"Seb."
"Seb's with his granddad he'll get a town car to school."
"We always walk together with our parents so he'll come get me."
"He knows you're here?"
"Duh! He knows everything about me and he'll come."
Jenny couldn't helping making an 'aww' noise to which Lydia stuck out her tongue.
"We can't wait much longer or you'll miss the bell."
"You two should go to work and I'll wait."
Erik sat down next to her.
"You know we can't do that, I'd like my limbs to remain attached to my body so unless I see you walk through the school gate I'm not leaving your side."
"Are you always so dramatic?"
Jenny laughed as she absentmindedly stroked Lydia's hair.
"Erik is a Van der Woodsen, enough said."
Erik looked up at her. It was then he decided, she was going to be his wife. She wasn't looking any different than usual and was typically teasing him but something snapped as if it was so obvious all along. He guessed it was their temporary family unit and the way she was with Lydia but he didn't want anyone else to have his children or grow old with. They had been dating four years so it wasn't irrational either.
"What?"
Erik snapped out of his daze.
"Huh?"
"You're looking at me funny, do I have something on my face?"
Erik smiled.
"Nope you're perfect."
Before Jenny could reply a limousine pulled up in their modest street.
"Seb! What took you so long?"
Seb stepped out.
"Traffic was a nightmare."
They all laughed as Lydia looked expectantly at her guardians.
"Can I?"
Erik rolled his eyes.
"Sure who wouldn't want to get to school in that? If I hear you two have ditched though I will make your week with us feel like a life sentence understand?"
He couldn't help grinning when he issued his useless threat but he knew they'd obey, they had yet to encounter the temptation of rebellion thank god.
"Thanks uncle Erik!"
She hugged them both goodbye and skipped to Seb and his superior transportation.
She was bleeding, blood was streaming out from between her legs, out of her eyes and she was choking on it. She was trying to run but there were weights on her legs and the shadow behind her was approaching.
"You alright?"
Blair jolted out of her nightmare just in time to feel the ache of a bent neck. She had fallen asleep for a few hours on Chuck's shoulder.
"Yeah I'm fine, did I miss anything?"
"His surgery went well, he should be out in a few minutes."
"So he's going to be okay?"
"They've removed a clot they found and stopped the bleeding but they aren't sure of the consequences yet."
"Like what?"
Chuck looked grave, it wasn't hard remembering the potentially chilling affects the doctor had recited.
"Memory less, brain damage, impairment of motor functions who knows?"
"Well as long as he's alive right?"
Chuck didn't think being alive and not being able to talk or remember his family was much of an improvement on death but he wasn't going to be a pessimist and voice such opinions.
"Sure."
Half an hour later Nate was wheeled back into his ward where his parents followed and spoke with the surgeon. They came out looking exhausted but more at ease.
"Prognosis is good, he should be awake soon although in what state we don't know. Still we have our boy!"
Nate's mother impulsively hugged Blair. Serena hugged Chuck. Nate's father took a seat and looked much the same.
"Hey."
Late that evening not only was Nate awake and coherent but other than not remembering the last few days and still having broken bones, he was fine. He had spent the last hour with his mother and father but now wanted to talk to his friends.
"Hey Archibald, you gave us a scare."
Nate smiled at Chuck.
"Thank you for coming, all of you. I don't deserve it but I appreciate it all the same."
"How are you feeling?"
Blair held Nate's hand.
"Like I've been hit by a car but the medication is working wonders. How do I look?"
Serena came closer.
"Like you've been hit by a car and as handsome as usual of course."
Nate stared at Serena so intensely that Chuck and Blair felt like they were intruding.
"S it's been a long time."
"Yes it has."
"Hows things?"
"Good yeah."
"Good. You look good."
"Oh thanks, good."
Then they surprised Chuck and Blair by laughing at the insanity of everything. Almost dying put a lot of stuff into perspective.
"Can I speak to Nate alone for a minute?"
Chuck and Blair were only to happy to oblige and escape the potential discomfort.
"I'm going to talk Nate and I just want you to listen. Firstly I want to apologise for not being a better friend but you made that hard and I admit I was relieved when you left. But then I missed you, I missed my friend and I should have tried to fix things. Secondly or maybe thirdly is that no matter how you felt about me, you should have been a better friend to the others. You are godfather to a great little boy you never see, you don't even send Christmas and birthday cards to your best friends and that sucks. You hurt them when you refused to call or generally acted like they meant nothing. They wont admit that but I wanted you to know. So damn right you don't deserve them here but we love you and you are our family so we're just going to forget it all okay?"
Nate looked close to tears as he nodded.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Giving me my wake up call."
"You're welcome."
Serena was pretty sure the car accident was the wake up call but she appreciated the compliment.
"For what it's worth I'm sorry I made you choose, I'm sorry I ruined part of your wedding. I'm sorry I was in love with you."
"It's all forgiven."
Nate didn't want to admit he was still desperately in love with her but he made his point nonetheless.
"I'm letting you go despite how I feel about you S and I'm not going to hide out in another country and ignore my old life to try and solve it. You're right, you're my family and that's worth more."
Serena hugged him tightly.
"Ouch S remember the broken bones?"
"Opps sorry. Want me to invite in the rest of your audience?"
"Yeah definitely."
Blair entered with a big smile on her face.
"Were you serenading your true love again?"
Nate laughed.
"Nah and besides I've already decided that Chuck is my soul mate."
"He's a popular young man that Bass."
They both laughed slightly but a heavy silence descended upon them.
"I'm sorry for everything."
"Forget it I have, as long as you make up for it in the future."
"Definitely, whopper presents for Seb and endless babysitting offers."
"So does that mean your moving home?"
"Probably but it may take a while with the whole recovery."
"Great! Seb will be pleased."
"I miss the little guy, I miss you all. So what's the latest gossip? I've practically been living under a rock the rate scandals appear and dissipate back home! Hows married life?"
"Married life is the same as it was last time you asked which was just after my wedding so it's great. Gossip? Now that I'm a model parent and wife I don't participate in such shallow past times."
"Tell the cripple the truth!"
Blair smiled devilishly.
"Fine I have eyes and ears everywhere. My little boy is infatuated with Lydia which is no surprise considering her genes but I wonder how long that will last."
"What do you mean?"
"Well it's innocent and consuming now but then you get to the age where girls have cooties and he starts playing sport and making guy friends. Then of course you have the torture of puberty where darling Lydia will become even more self conscious and beautiful which will be hell for her and Seb will realise he's charming and take full advantage of it. I want them to be the fairytale couple more than anyone but I want Seb to be happy and that might not revolve around a Van Der Woodsen, heaven forbid."
Nate laughed.
"Well I can always give Seb some sage advice about the pains of loving a Van Der Woodsen."
Blair giggled.
"Humour is the last step to acceptance."
"Where did you learn that, psychology 101?"
"Cosmopolitan."
"Of course you did."
Blair gave him a playful hit on his good arm to wipe away his smug smile.
"You're not so sick you can get fresh with me and not pay for it with more physical pain."
"Fair enough, I know my place."
"So you're really okay? You know physically, emotionally, spiritually -"
"Sexually?"
"Please as if I need an answer to that one."
Nate kissed her hand affectionately.
"Yeah I'm healing in all areas, that's enough for now."
"Stop hogging my wife or I may have to commit a crime of passion."
Chuck swaggered in and handed Nate a whisky flask.
"Some extra medicine for the brave solider."
Nate grinned.
"Not that I don't appreciate the thought but I'm pretty sure that on top of my drug cocktail it will not be recommended."
"So live dangerously."
Nate took a gulp and lay his head back.
"That is the shit."
"No I am the shit and that belly warmer is the best in my collection."
"When I get home can I count on you to throw me a kickass 'welcome home' party with a bevy of beautiful no-name girls or have you lost the touch?"
Chuck smirked.
"Bass has still got it, you wont be able to walk when I've finished with you."
Blair sniggered.
"Not only did that sound incredibly gay but Mrs. Bass is not letting her husband attend such a function without her so bare that in mind when planning."
Nate elbowed Chuck in the side.
"You've been told my friend."
Chuck pretended to look annoyed.
"So it would seem."
The next few days were spent in and out of the hospital as Nate recovered. After Nate fell asleep they all went back to the hotel to sleep for half a day then went shopping (it's London what else would they do?) for souvenirs and stuff to brighten Nate's ward room. Serena brought flowers, Blair brought some fancy pillows and blankets, Chuck brought him a playboy calendar and porn. The latter gift was speedily removed by a disapproving mother and resulted in a disappointed son.
Chuck was sitting with Nate one night when he noticed the absence of his father.
"Whats up with your dad?"
"Nothing."
The resentful way Nate replied meant that nothing wasn't exactly so.
"Come on he's been weird for days. Is it us here? Does he feel we've taken over or something?"
"Nah he just doesn't want to have to look at his cripple disappointment of a son."
"Really? He looked desolate when he thought you might die, maybe he's still in shock."
"Yeah desolate that I might be disabled and he'd have to let everyone in society know or desolate I'd be a retard he'd have to spoon feed and hide away until his old age."
"That's harsh man are you sure? Did he say that?"
"As if he would but the way he can't even look at me or the fact that I disappeared to the UK, never learnt the family business or married an heiress on top of this pretty much assures it."
"For fuck sake just talk to the guy, stop assuming or trying to analyse shit. Maybe it's that you're disappointed in yourself so you're projecting on to your dad. I know I haven't had the best track record with father son relations but I know yours loves you even if he is emotionally stunted which let's be honest, you kind of are too."
Nate smiled.
"I've missed you man, everyone else kisses my ass or tells me what I want to hear except you."
"That's because I'm not trying to marry you or somehow acquire your trust fund."
"Keep it coming Bass I can take it all, I have two years of indiscretions you can pick apart."
"Please I'm not that petty and even if I was I'd be too lazy so let's just admit to each other you're an idiot not beyond redemption and work from there."
"Sounds good. So when do you guys fly home?"
"Tomorrow, we said we'd stay until you were out of the woods which you are and since you are coming back soon we don't feel pressure to stay. You need peace and quiet and I think your mother wants you to herself."
"I understand you have lives that can't exactly stand still, I get it. I'll call you when I'm out of hospital and let you know the details of my return."
So five days after their hurried rush to England they all flew back in much better spirits and being more relaxed. Well everyone except Blair, she wasn't splitting open with worry for Nate anymore it was mainly worry for herself.
She was pregnant. Again.
How could this be happening? The sickness made so much sense to her now, because it wasn't in the morning it confused her but her body was as unpredictable as her life and she hated it now. She had all the symptoms she had last time although now knowing the responsibility and hard work of one child she wasn't sure she wanted another.
"What do I do S?"
Serena was sitting with Blair in her living room when they returned home. Chuck had gone back to work to make sure it hadn't died without him and the children were oblivious at school to their parents' arrival.
"Holy crap B what do you want me to say?"
"Something comforting of course!"
"I get that you have a lot going on in your life but having a baby in a loving marriage isn't the end of the world is it?"
"No but last time was horrible until Seb was born. I know mothers talk about the joy of life growing inside you and being the size of a whale but it was a nightmare. I don't regret anything but I already have the light of my life I don't need anything more."
"Don't you want Seb to have a little brother or sister?"
"Yes of course but not if he pays for it with an exhausted mother who can't give him enough attention."
Blair thought of her own mother and the strained relationship they had had because of that exact worry.
"What do you think Chuck will say?"
"Seb wasn't exactly planned either so I don't know. He'll be supportive of course but what if it all falls apart?"
"Talk to him okay? Make him a nice dinner tonight and discuss it, Seb will still be at Bart's."
"Yes but that involves being near a stove and other dangerous kitchen objects while both pregnant and insanely jetlagged. It's practically walking into the jaws of death."
They both giggled at her over exaggeration but there was still the panic at the back of Blair's mind.
"Wow."
"Yes that was my reaction."
Chuck had just finished his home cooked meal when he was told the news.
"Well when I saw you had cooked I thought you were going to either admit to an affair or reveal you'd bankrupted us. This is better."
Chuck's grim demeanour however betrayed the sincerity of his words.
"So we're expanded the Bass clan, cool."
He didn't look cool, in fact he was perspiring at the thought of nine months with his cranky pregnant wife and then the sleepless nights and nappies involved with having an infant.
"I'm glad you're as happy about this as I am."
"Sorry, it's just I know how much hassle it was for you last time and I have anxiety just trying to be a good parent to Seb, I'll go prematurely grey worrying with another one. It doesn't matter though, I'll deal."
No more ravishing Blair on fur rugs whenever they liked for a lot longer than they hoped, babies and sex drives just didn't exist together.
"There are other options."
Chuck shook his head.
"No there aren't. We're not adopting out our child and abortion is out of the question."
"Since when is abortion out of the question? I bet some of the women you've slept with in your time have resorted to it at one point or another."
Blair felt bad but she resented being told what she could or could not do because she was terrified and Chuck had effectively told her she was trapped. Dread had clouded her senses, she didn't want an abortion either but lashing out felt so natural. Chuck looked hurt but said nothing.
"Sorry I didn't mean that."
"I know but we can't get rid of our baby just because we have the jitters. It might be easier second time around."
Blair smiled thinly.
"Exactly so now we have had time to digest it all I'm sure it'll be great."
"Besides we have more money than we know what to do with so nannies are not out of the question. This can definitely work somehow."
They both smiled falsely at each other before finishing their meals in silence.
"Mom's having another baby!"
Seb was practically jumping from excitement, everyone but the parents-to-be were over the moon. Lydia was happy for him too, hoping maybe it would influence her own parents to give her a sibling.
"That's cool Seb."
"They said I could name him too."
"It's a boy?"
"I don't know but I hope so, we can play soldiers together and stuff!"
"What are you going to call him?"
"Optimus Prime!"
Lydia laughed.
"No really what?"
"David."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
Seb had always liked the story of David and Goliath, the name had stuck in his head and in all the cool action movies the underdog always triumphed so he thought it was a good name.
"Okay so when is David coming?"
"Whenever he's ready to come out I guess."
"Oi pretty boy!"
Leonard the resident bully had somehow snuck up on them during their conversation, which was surprising considering his weight, the earth practically shook when he moved.
Seb sighed, he hated Leo not because of the ass kicking but because Lydia always witnessed him being harassed. He got punched in private like it was a some guy code not to let females see but he was still verbally assaulted with her there nonetheless.
Lydia ignored Leo and kept talking but Leo wasn't dismissed so easy.
"It don't think Van Duh Woodsen heard me. Maybe she's deaf!"
Lydia stood up.
"Yes I heard you but since it wasn't a question I didn't know you wanted a reply."
Leo looked confused, Lydia was incredibly articulate and precocious for her age so this happened a lot.
"Bass get up so I can hit you some more."
No teachers around at present. Damn.
"No! Go away tubby."
Sure it wasn't as articulate as Lydia and he would get punished by Leo later but he wasn't going down in front of his best friend.
Leo picked up Bass by his shirt and began shaking him.
"Leave him alone."
Leo instead punched Bass in the face. Never had it been the face before, it left marks but he guessed Leo was bored with the stomach and wanted some variety.
Lydia was a talker, she fought with words not with fists but apparently her complex brain functions had temporarily shut down as the rage that bubbled up inside her was released with physical violence. She punched Leo in the jaw as hard as she could. She didn't even know where she was aiming she just closed her eyes and struck out.
Leo apparently adept at dishing out the beatings didn't take them so well and began to cry, he had also just been hit by a girl so it was doubly embarrassing. Seb looked at Lydia like a stranger or rather a guardian angel, Lydia instantly regretted it with the attention she was drawing and the sore knuckles. She ran inside to hide in the bathroom for the rest of lunch while Seb still tried to understand what he had witnessed.
Even when Seb grew older he would never forget the swelling admiration and affection for Lydia he felt when she was defending his honour.
"She's sensational."
Blair sighed happily as she lay further back into her bed, Chuck was holding his newly arrived baby girl with a look of adoration so extreme Blair could feel tears forming in her eyes at her luck. Seb was sitting by his mother looking at her with concern.
"Mom you look terrible."
Blair tried to laugh but everything came out as a sigh she was so exhausted.
Chuck frowned.
"Seb if you're not going to be helpful just sit quietly and look cute until your turn arrives."
"Sorry I just want to make sure mom's okay, I hope I wasn't this much trouble when I came out."
Blair didn't want to admit that compared to Seb the arrival of her little girl was practically a stroll through central park. Labour this time around was just as strenuous but far less panicked or painful. Chuck even managed to watch the birth and not throw up although he was still pale and shaking.
"Are you happy little man?"
Seb patted his mother's hand.
"I'd be happier if it was a boy but I still get to be oldest."
"Of course you do. Besides a girl wont steal your clothes or toys."
Seb smiled, his mother made a good point.
"Can I still name her?"
"Sure as long as it's not something she'll get bullied for, you know what that was like so pick cautiously."
To help his son decide Chuck carefully let Seb hold the baby in question although he was right beside him with hands underneath as a safety net. He might not have always wanted the addition to his family but he was damned if he'd lose her now.
Seb stared at the squirming bundle in his arms, it looked like a weird alien with a tuft of black hair but he loved her all the same.
"I know what I want to call her."
"What?"
"Adele."
"Why?"
"I did my research it's an important task after all. It means noble and kind and what's better than that?"
Chuck grinned.
"Good pick buddy."
"Really?"
As if in response little Adele gurgled.
"Sound's like she agrees. Adele it is."
Blair closed her eyes as she felt sleep drifting over her. Chuck put Adele in her crib. He kissed his wife's forehead.
"Sleep well B you did great, this is one of the best days of my life and like all best days of my life I have you to thank."
Blair smiled sleepily.
"I don't know what we were so worried about."
"Me neither, I love you and I'll be outside with the rest of your fan club."
"Say hi to them for me and let them see Adele while I sleep. I want her to meet the rest of her family. Being surrounded by so much love like that is amazing, she should feel it as soon as possible."
"Sure I'll get her in a couple of hours but for now I want my girls to rest."
Blair nodded.
"Oh and Bass?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you too."
"How can you drink that?"
Jenny laughed.
"It's champagne not cough medicine."
Lydia didn't see any difference whatever the bitter, fizzy concoction was called. She had sipped some out of Jenny's glass thinking it looked interesting and grown up but now she was wondering what all the fuss was about.
"So how do I look?"
Jenny twirled self-consciously in her white, strapless wedding gown. She looked every bit the fairy princess Lydia had imagined she'd be and she was glowing with a happiness that left Lydia feeling slightly empty inside. She was only an observer in the joy her aunt was experiencing, but she was still happy nonetheless.
"You look wonderful."
"Thankyou sweetie and if I say so myself you look like the prettiest bridesmaid in the world."
Lydia blushed. She was wearing a strappy dark purple dress that came down to just above her knees and swirled around when she walked. Lydia was at the serious age of ten when all the confusing aspects of the world were questioned that even adults still found hard to define let alone answer.
"Are you nervous?"
Jenny looked confused.
"About what?"
"Getting married!"
Lydia was nervous just getting up in front of people let alone committing to one man for the rest of her life.
"No way. I always knew I'd marry Erik so there's no cold feet or jitters for me."
"How'd you know you'd marry him?"
"Well I hoped one day he'd propose but it's more the feeling of knowing there's no one out there that could possibly make you as happy or as safe as the one you love."
"I guess."
"Stick Brad Pitt in front of me naked and begging me to be his forever and I wouldn't bat an eyelid or for a second consider it as an option."
"Obviously, Brad Pitt is with Angelina Jolie."
Lydia however smiled to show she understood the sentiment even if the feeling eluded her.
The wedding wasn't just the usual family affair, it was the second marital merging of the Van der Woodsen and Humphrey clan with the bride's brother being best man to the groom (who also happened to be his brother-in-law) among other confusing close relationship ties. Luckily it was a small congregation with only good friends and family attending so there were no raised eyebrows.
Rufus proudly walked his daughter down the aisle who practically lit up the room with her irrepressible grin and energy. Lydia had never seen Erik so handsome before. The way he looked at Jenny as she joined him at the altar she would never forget. She wanted to be stared at as if she was the only person in the world, she desired to be so completely loved. Her longings surprised her not because she was so young but because she had always shunned traditional ambitions like romance, it all seemed too terrifying to her. It still was scary to be so vulnerable like that but participating in that wedding convinced her the risk was worth it.
"I love you so much it's almost impossible to feel so intensely and still function normally."
Jenny kissed the words right out of Erik's mouth as both Seb and Lydia cringed at the cheesiness. The bride and groom then left them to continue whispering sweet nothings on the dance floor. Chuck was bent over ambitiously trying to dance with Adele who was only a toddler but he gave up and picked her up to swing her around to the music instead. Her delighted squealing almost drowned out the band.
"Lydia."
"Yeah?"
Seb looked at her earnestly.
"You are the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Even if you weren't my best friend I'd still think so. You look like something out of a fairytale."
Lydia blushed.
"You look great too."
"You think so?"
"Of course!"
"Want to dance?"
"No way everyone will look!"
Nate who was sitting near and had overheard the conversation nudged Lydia.
"It's tradition for the bridesmaids to dance at the reception which is usually with the best man so unless you want your dad to whisk you around in front of everyone I'd take your chances with Seb."
Lydia thought seriously on it before agreeing. Seb gave Nate a thumbs up as he grabbed Lydia to waltz.
Nate smiled contentedly to himself, his performance at this Van Der Woodsen wedding was a lot more positive than the last one. He was actually enjoying himself, he was still single but the gazebo was teeming with Jenny's friends who were all giving him the eye whether they were available or not.
"Did you brush your teeth?"
Chuck had said goodnight to his children and sat crashed on the couch half watching a crappy sitcom half falling asleep. Seb groaned at his mother's question, he was ten but she still treated him as if he was Adele's age.
"Mom like all nights the answer is yes."
Adele was seated in between his legs in his bed so that her little head rested on his chest as she played with one of his teddy bears happily and made sounds almost like words but not quite.
"Okay then it's time for me to read to you both."
Blair insisted on reading something to her children every night, tonight she read to them together as Adele hadn't been well and was awake at the right time. She should be crying in her bed but nestled against Seb was better than any medicine Blair could administer. He had a calming influence on her that was miraculous.
"What do you feel like Seb?"
"Whatever."
Seb pretended not to care but the truth was he enjoyed this time with his mom. When she read to him it was like he was her equal and she was simply communicating a favourite passage of hers not a mother to son. He felt she respected him among those lines of poetry and didn't coddle him like she usually did.
"I have a poem about friendship and love, thought you might appreciate the relevance."
Seb smiled.
"Okay mom."
"Love is like the wild rose-briar,
Friendship like the holly-tree
The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms
But which will bloom most constantly?
The wild-rose briar is sweet in the spring,
Its summer blossoms scent the air;
Yet wait till winter comes again
And who will call the wild-briar fair?
Then scorn the silly rose-wreath now
And deck thee with the holly's sheen,
That when December blights thy brow
He may still leave thy garland green."
"Like it?"
"Yeah."
"Emily Bronte imparting the benefit of her wisdom on to you."
Adele reached for her mother restlessly to let her know she was ready to either go to bed and sleep or vocalise more of her suffering. Seb kissed his sister goodnight as Blair picked her up.
"Seb?"
"Yeah mom?"
"You're growing up, I know I pretend like your Peter pan sometimes but I do know that. You wont want me to read to you or call you little man much longer but don't be in a hurry to grow up. Childhood is like a fairytale, savour it while you can because one day you'll look back or see your own children and that taste will be so much sweeter."
Seb nodded as Blair kissed her son goodnight and turned off the light.
"Mom?"
"Yes love?"
"You can call me little man and read to me for a few years more if you want, but we can keep it between us."
Blair smiled.
"Are you doing that for me or for you?"
Seb shrugged.
"Both I suppose."
Blair held one child and gazed upon the other. Never had a feeling of such pride encompassed her.
"You're going to be fine little man."
Everything was going to be just fine.
"Husband it's time to go to bed."
Chuck looked up at her from the sofa.
"Are the kids asleep?"
"Seb will be soon, Adele is a little unpredictable."
"Is there any point going to bed to be woken again in an hour?"
Blair pouted.
"Yes, to be next to your lovely wife who will be the one dutifully going to pacify your daughter when she does wake?"
Chuck smiled sleepily.
"What?"
"You."
"What about me?"
Chuck laughed secretly to himself.
"What is so funny?"
"Nothing!"
Chuck turned back to the television for a moment which gave Blair time to clean her face quickly of any baby vomit that she assumed to be the cause of such amusement.
No such luck. When Chuck stared at her again he was smiling smugly. Blair hated that smile if she didn't know what it was for, she pounced on him and pinned him to the couch.
"Is sex going to be involved somehow here?"
Blair was straddling him and felt satisfied in her power.
"Depends."
"On what?"
She tickled him until he grabbed her arms and tucked them under him.
"Whether you tell me what you were laughing at."
"It's not anything scintillating like I know you enjoy."
Blair didn't care, she wanted to know everything Chuck was thinking all the time especially when his mind was so quick and naturally devious. Except adulthood meant there were few moments like this in which she could investigate it.
"I want to know!"
"I was just thinking of us a decade ago. I never thought this would be my life or that I'd actually want this. Me in front of the TV so tired I can't think straight and you all motherly with lists for everything and permanently and sexily bossy."
Blair didn't find any of that amusing. She didn't know whether to feel insulted or not.
"Motherly? As in another word for old and unfashionable?"
Chuck removed her hand from under him to kiss it.
"Of course not, I mean motherly as in bearer of my children surprisingly enough."
Blair rolled her eyes.
"So this musing means what?"
"It just means I was thinking how crazy life can be and how different a person can become. I know it doesn't sound it but this is my dream. I always wanted a real family, I always wanted to live on the edge and actually feel alive. Believe it or not having two children is more dangerous and nerve wracking than any skydiving or bunjee jumping could ever be. Plus I have you forever and that I like."
Blair smiled.
"Even if compared to the old days our sex life is non-existent?"
"There are some things even better than sex, that's what growing up taught me."
"I never thought I'd hear that come out of the mouth of the great Chuck Bass, ravisher of young women."
Chuck ran his hands up under Blair's skirt.
"That doesn't mean to say I don't still want to fuck you whenever the opportunity may arise or even when it doesn't."
Blair felt herself beginning to melt under his touch, some things never changed.
Ten minutes later and Chuck had reduced Blair to a quivering wreck underneath him. He hadn't removed any of her clothing (being naked in a public room was definitely a bad idea after an incident that would scare Seb for life) but she was panting and begging for him nonetheless. He actually had to put a hand over her mouth at times to muffle her moaning that he prayed didn't wake Adele. It took all of his will power not to verbalise his own arousal so instead he used his mouth in other delicious ways.
Chuck leaned down and whispered in her ear.
"However I have learnt some self-restraint."
He got up off her, straightened his shirt and began to walk to the door.
"What are you doing?"
Blair's voice was raspy and she wanted to hit him hard with one of Adele's books strewn on the floor.
"Going to bed as you requested, what are you doing?"
He smiled devilishly as he waited. Blair stood up and fixed her own clothing, if she hadn't been so turned on she would have denied him anything after such an act of cruelty.
"You should be locked up for crimes against humanity."
Chuck laughed.
"Well we do still have those handcuffs and I do deserved to be punished."
Blair tried to act nonchalant but she was humming with excitement.
"I think that would only be fair."
Revenge truly was sweet.
The End.
A/N: My next idea will be about Lydia and Seb mainly so if you guys enjoyed this chapter let me know if I should start a new story with them.