A Handmaiden's Tale

"So what exactly are you looking for?" he asked Nate. Egad, that's an ugly mask, Chuck thought as he tried on an elaborate white and red concoction. But will the ladies like it—that was the question.

"Evidence," Nate muttered as he continued to search through the endless books in his father's study.

"Of what," Chuck was bored. He wasn't really up for playing Nancy Drew today—although if he really wanted that CIA job he might be tempted to help Nate in his search. He didn't though; he was more interested in working undercover. Maybe the FBI would hire him instead, he smirked to himself.

"The captain's dislike of starchy shirts? I totally sympathize. The collars chafe," Chuck joked. He figured he needed to try to bring his attention back to Nate now. Nate was, after all, his best friend.

He tried on the next mask. Oh yes, he thought, how very perfect. He was likened to the devil himself at times. People knew him well.

"Did you, ah, ask him about your missing college money?" Chuck asked. That whole situation had weirded him out. For more reasons than Nate knew.

The lost weekend for juniors followed the end of Ivy week…the week that Chuck had touched Blair. Correction, the week Blair had let him touch her. It was still fresh in his mind and Chuck had to act normal around Nate. It had been easier than he thought it would be. He knew he was good at pretending he didn't have a conscience but he didn't know how good until he managed to get through the entire weekend without feeling very guilty. Of course, maybe it was Nate's blowing him off to hang with Carter that dampened any feelings of guilt.

"Yeah, he said he was moving accounts around. It was all back the next day," Nate explained, still rummaging around.

So maybe he did feel somewhat guilty. He always had Nate's back. He prided himself on his one relationship that he hadn't fucked up yet. He didn't mind helping Nate out at the Five Star—in fact he would have beaten Carter's face in if he could. Nate was so naïve sometimes. He really did need Chuck at his back. That was why Chuck felt guilty. He knew Nate trusted him explicitly. Everyone knew how Chuck could be around women and yet Nate still trusted him around Blair. He knew Chuck was friends with Blair and he didn't once worry that Chuck would take advantage of her.

That was what slowly ate at his gut, and prompted him to tell Nate not to pay him back for the watch and ball.

"So why worry? Mysterious financial transactions, boring parents: welcome to the Upper East Side," he said, walking towards Nate.

But the whole thing with Blair was in the past. She had gotten some closure from their little exchange. It helped her deal with the whole thing between Serena and Nate. But now she continued to act like nothing had happened with Chuck. Nate would never know what his best friend and girlfriend had done together, but they would. Chuck knew that Blair found some pleasure in that fact. And Chuck figured he'd already paid Nate back for his slip-up. Money was something Chuck had a lot of, and money had definitely assuaged his guilt.

Nate froze and reached down for something on the desk. He slowly turned toward Chuck and held up a small bag filled with white powder.

Chuck stared at the small bag, startled. "Chi-chi-Get-Thee-A-O."

"Nathaniel I'm shocked, I thought you were strictly an herbal man," Chuck grinned. He hadn't tried anything that hard in a long time. He didn't think Nate would ever try it.

"This isn't mine," Nate stared hard at him.

Chuck realized that something was a little off. If it wasn't Nate's, it had to be his father's. No way was it his mother's. That rich bitch was more uptight than all the Upper East Side society dames put together.

He guessed some UES parents weren't as boring as they let on.

He arrived at the masquerade ball feeling a little anxious. He hadn't seen Blair in weeks. First he'd had his lost weekend; then she'd had her annual sleepover. He'd have scoffed at such a little girl thing if he didn't know that the annual soiree consisted of more than makeovers and giggles.

Usually he knew all the details of the event within days. She knew how much he enjoyed truth or dare, dare more so. They had always been friends and he always made it a point to call for those details. He hadn't called this year. He was hoping to run into her to get the full scoop. He couldn't understand this need to be near her.

He found Nate standing near a table and greeted him before turning to scope out the room. He tried to convince himself that he was just looking for this evening's conquest…even as his eyes roamed the room for a glimpse of her.

Turning to Nate, he finally asked, "Where's Blair?"

Nate seemed lost in deep thought. He snapped his head around at Chuck's question. He thought for a minute, trying to remember what Chuck just said.

"Oh, I don't know," Nate replied.

"You don't know?" Chuck laughed, what was this?

"Yeah, she's got some big plan for tonight," Nate said disinterested. "I get clues that lead me to the next clue which eventually leads to her."

Chuck smirked, "That's Blair for you, big plans. All this trouble just to find her?"

Nate shrugged and looked slightly chagrined, "Apparently tonight's the night."

Chuck fought to swallow and not spit out the sip of scotch he'd just taken.

He had conflicting emotions. On the one hand he wanted this. He wanted Nate and Blair to finally do the deed. Maybe then he could get inside Waldorf and not have to worry that Nate would miss that little slight resistance. On the other hand, he had this odd thought that he wanted to be the first inside that particular Waldorf.

"What is Nate doing? He's supposed to go find Kati and Is. It's getting late and I'm losing heat," Blair snapped at him.

Chuck had finally figured out which mask hid this particular lady. He had strolled over only to be accosted with her frustration over Nate. He didn't even want to think about her heat, the very heat he'd felt weeks ago…or the fact that she was standing next to him hot for someone else.

"Well you look ravishing. If I was your man I wouldn't need clues to find you," Chuck uttered seductively. He had certainly found her without any silly clues. If he was her man he'd have been by her side right now, dancing the night away and looking forward to getting her alone. What am I thinking? He berated himself. He wasn't her man. He belonged to no woman. Ever.

"Or to ravish me I'm sure," she said, rolling her eyes through her mask. Her disdain was evident. He looked away. He couldn't think about ravishing her right now. It'd get him too riled up. He was done toying with her and trying to get some sort of acknowledgment…or promise of a later encounter. He needed to find another form of entertainment.

"Who is that?" he asked. He just spied a thin blonde across the room with subtle curves and he found himself somewhat interested. He needed something to put Blair out of his mind.

"Probably some bitch from Chapin," she said. She was annoyed with Nate and taking it out on him now. He just grinned under his mask.

"A hot bitch from Chapin," he countered.

"Forget her. Go get Nate. Point him in the right direction," she commanded.

That was it. He wasn't sticking around for another second. Did she really think that he was going to push Nate into her arms? He wished that she was telling him to forget the girl because she was jealous…but he knew she wasn't. She just wanted to use him again but this time as a messenger boy. He wasn't having it.

He put his empty champagne glass on the tray of a passing server.

"First things first," he said before walking towards the new girl.

"Well hello angel," he said as he reached a hand out toward her. She was standing a couple steps above him. The angel reached down and put her hand in his.

"It must be my lucky night," he leaned down to kiss her hand. He did so and noticed the bracelet she was wearing, "and with taste to boot."

"Apparently not, I'm talking to you," she came back with. He liked a girl quick on the return. Intelligence intrigued him…and wit such as that reminded him of Blair, unfortunately…or fortunately, depending on how he looked at it.

"Beautiful and mean, I've got chills," he said charmingly.

"Care to dance with a poor devil?" he continued. He knew that this was just what the doctor ordered to cure him of Blair's rejection—if he could even call it that.

"Why don't we skip all that and go somewhere quiet to talk?" the girl asked.

He paused and slowly came on level with her. This was going much easier than he thought it would. He could feel himself getting excited already. Tonight was going to be great for more than just his best friend.

"I'll get the champagne," he breathed into her ear.

"Find me in five," she said, not even looking at him.

He grinned and walked away.

He had two glasses and the champagne in his hands and looked around for the little angel. Spotting her standing with her back toward him, he glided over to her.

"Boo," he said. He loved embodying the devil. It felt like coming home. She turned toward him, opening her fan. He held up a glass of champagne to her.

"Let's play a game," she offered, she didn't take the glass. He paused…he wasn't sure what her game was now.

"I'd say strip poker but I don't have my cards," he quipped.

"How about hide and seek? You hide, I'll seek," she said seductively.

"And how will you find me? I don't have any breadcrumbs," he was wondering what she was playing at.

"Well, you can leave me a trail…," she whispered, walking up close to him and taking hold of the lapel of his tux jacket., "of your clothes." He breathed in, this was amazing. And she was doing a hell of a job making him forget about Blair.

"I have truly died and gone to heaven," he growled out. He sat down the glass of champagne and removed his tux jacket. He dropped it at her feet, staring triumphantly at her. He walked over to the first door he found, it read Stairway G. He opened it and looked back at her, making sure she knew which stairwell he had chosen.

He walked through the door and let it close behind him. He took off his neck tie first and laid it in the corner of one of the steps in the middle of the flight going up. He grinned to himself and walked up that flight and the next, leaving his red vest on those stairs for her to find. He continued up the stairs, leaving his black dress shirt with the sleeves pointing towards the roof door.

Walking through the door, he shucked his pants off and laid them so that she'd find them as soon as she walked through the door. Laughing to himself, he went over to one of the cement barriers on the roof and hid behind it wearing only his boxers, t-shirt, and suede shoes. He couldn't wait to taint the little angel up against the stone.

He didn't have to wait long before he heard the door screech open.

"Feel free to find me," he taunted.

"I found your pants," she taunted right back.

"Well, you're getting warmer, which is an achievement considering you're already hot," he said loudly, looking forward to her finding him.

"Well you better hope it doesn't get cold," she said haughtily, just like all the rich hoity-toity society bitches who didn't think he was good enough for them.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, a question forming in his head. He heard the door slam and looked toward it. He quickly put all the pieces together and went running for the damn door.

"Hey, what the hell!" he tried the door knob. Pulling harder, he realized that she had locked the door…and she had all his clothes!

"Hey! My phone is in my pants," he shouted out. He slammed his hands against the door.

"Hey I'm stuck up here bitch!" he banged on the door, still unable to believe what just happened. It wasn't often he was made a fool of, but this really took the cake.

He was sitting with his back to the door. It had long since gotten cold out. He had to have been up here for at least an hour now. He kept knocking his knuckles against the door really hard a few times before dropping his hand back down to his side, repeating every minute or so.

This was so messed up. He leaned back and banged his head against the door. This was hopeless. Who in their right mind would be coming up here? No one was going to hear the knocking.

He knew this would amuse him later but right now he just wanted to get back to the party, find his phone, find out who the girl was, and try to line up someone for the evening ahead.

Just then he heard what sounded like a lock turning on the door. He scrambled to his feet as the door opened. He wondered for a minute if his little evil angel had returned or sent someone to rescue him—but no, Beauty and the Beast were in the middle of some hot kisses. They paused in making out to look at him in his under garments and red suede shoes. He just shrugged and smirked. He pointed to the mask that the guy had slid up to the top of his head.

"May I?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

The guy grabbed the thing and handed it over. The couple came out onto the roof and Chuck went into the building at last. As the door closed behind him he put the mask on.

Great, he thought. Now all he needed was a bloody tux.

Apparently he should have led his little angel on a hunt toward one of these rooms instead of the roof. The second level of the building housing the ball had actual rooms with furniture, albeit covered in dusty white cloths.

He walked down the hall and finally found what he was looking for. The room just ahead had sounds emitting from it, like the kind he was very used to. He opened the door a crack and peered inside. They'd managed to find the one room he'd seen thus far with a bed. The couple was going at it hot and heavy.

Aw, gross he winced and looked away. Well at least he knew he'd be able to get the pants. He just wished he didn't have to see the guy's hairy ass in order to get them. He shuttered before creeping down on all fours. The couple was completely oblivious but he closed the door anyway and crawled forward toward the bed. He found the pants on one side but had to crawl around to the other for the jacket.

He froze when their movements stopped. They were finished. He had to get out of there before they got up, but he doubted they'd be as oblivious this time. He looked around and his eyes fell on the girls' dress.

Without a second thought he reached over and grabbed that too. He stood up and amidst gasps and shouts he ran out of the room and down the hall to the stairs. He escaped to a different floor before they even had a chance to get their undergarments back on.

He laughed to himself as he put on the tux. He removed the beast mask and left it with the girl's dress in the hall on the third floor. He couldn't help laughing some more as he thought about what they were going to have to do to find a tux and dress. At least they had a cell phone. He'd seen that on the floor by the bed before scampering away.

He flew past the second floor on his way down the stairs. He didn't want to run into them again. He was finally in the ballroom again. He looked around. It was obviously after midnight. He glanced around trying to find the evil angel, hoping for some clue as to his missing suit. He really needed his cell phone.

He spotted Blair across the room. She was looking really annoyed. Well, well, well, maybe tonight was looking up, he thought. Nate must have ticked her off. Nate was definitely not getting any tonight. He all of a sudden didn't feel too bad about the events of the evening.

Then he caught a glimpse of something dangling from her hand. He smirked and walked over.

"Where'd you get the bracelet?" he asked Blair.

She looked up at him with a glare. Then she saw what he was wearing.

"So you went from the devil to what? Bond on a bad hair day?" she snarked.

"Ha ha, very funny. Seriously, bracelet? That little bitch from Chapin locked me on the roof and took my suit," he explained, looking around for the girl again.

Blair looked at him startled before letting out a laugh. Well he was glad he could amuse her.

"I've got to hand it to her; Jenny sure knows how to keep things interesting. You should have seen her at the sleep over," Blair was clearly amused.

He sighed and shook his head in exasperation. "You're kidding."

"Alright, look, I need my suit and my phone. Where is she?" he growled out.

"She left in a rush before midnight," Blair explained.

"Did she have my suit with her?" Chuck needed answers and he needed them now.

"No, just some of Serena's accessories," she said. "Apparently they switched costumes or something."

"Serena, hmm? S hates me. Ask her if she knows anything, she'll tell you," he pleaded with her.

Blair looked at him in astonishment. She couldn't believe he was asking her for help. She rolled her eyes, "Fine." She walked away to find Serena.

She appeared in front of him ten minutes later with phone in hand.

He grabbed it, relieved, "Suit?"

She crinkled her nose. "Jenny disposed of it in the ladies restroom. It was…not something I was going to touch. You're lucky Hannah was in there. She was so eager to please me that she actually dug into the trash for your phone." She laughed.

Well at least he had the phone.

She held up the bracelet again and dangled it in front of him. "This is definitely one for the books."

He snatched the bracelet away. "Leaving. Now."

He walked towards the exit, she grinned and followed him. Nate caught up with both of them on the way out.

"Little Jenny Humphrey manages to get my pants off and have me not enjoy it. Quite the accomplishment," he said, finally returning the bracelet to Blair.

"Good thing somebody else at the party wasn't as lecherous as you or you'd still be up on that roof," she grinned at him. "And no, I don't want to know what you had to do to get that tux." He wouldn't tell her even if she asked. He had a flash back to naked hairy ass guy. He was really glad he hadn't gotten a chance to see the guy's face. He shuttered.

"This is me," Blair said, turning to the limo parked at the curb.

"Alright Chuck, I'll see you in the AM," Nate said before walking to join Blair.

Chuck almost cursed. Nate was still going to get some from Blair. This night was really shaping up to be one of the worst nights of his life.

"Nu uh, no. You didn't find me by midnight. No happily ever after for you," she denied Nate.

Chuck looked up and felt relief.

"Blair, I'm sorry," Nate apologized.

"All I wanted was for us to start over. And you didn't even try," she said.

Chuck tried hard not to grin. He knew Nate was out of it because of the whole thing with his father. He should be showing his friend support, not getting happy that his girlfriend had just rejected him—at least that's what he told himself.

Blair got into the limo and it drove off. Nate joined Chuck on the sidewalk. Chuck spied Kati and Is with Serena's white night piling into a limo.

"Well, at least somebody's having a good night," Chuck muttered to Nate.

He felt the phone in his pocket vibrate. He looked down and reached for it.

Ravish me. 1 clue: around the block

He grinned. Maybe this night was salvageable.

He looked at Nate who wasn't paying any attention to him or his text.

"See your later, bro," Chuck said before walking off.

"Wait, can I get a ride?" Nate said. Chuck almost cursed; then he thought…

"Take my limo back. I just received a summons. The night is looking up," he winked at Nate and wondered down the street. He didn't look back.

He spotted her limo almost immediately and strolled over. He couldn't believe that she had rejected Nate for him. He couldn't believe that she was going to give it up to him. But her words had been exact, ravish me, who was he not to oblige?

He opened the limo door and got inside quickly, settling into the back seat. He looked ahead and saw her sitting on the long seat that spanned the side of the stretch limo. She was holding two flutes of champagne, her legs crossed in front of her, lounging back. Her mask was long gone and she had let her hair down.

She pressed a button and the dividing window revealed the driver. She spoke quickly and told him to drive around until she gave a destination.

She held one of the flutes out, offering it to him silently. He slid onto her seat and down toward her. He took the glass from her and stared into her eyes. He saw lust for him in the depths. He took a deep breath and moved his glass toward hers for a silent toast. It looked like neither of them had much to say.

He quickly drank the champagne. He needed a drink really badly right now. He was really going to heaven tonight. He put all the reasons that he shouldn't be doing this out of his head and tossed the empty glass over his shoulder. She finished hers and sat it down near the bucket behind her.

He leaned into her and kissed her feverishly, his temperature already rising. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, running his hands up and down her dress covered back.

She pulled away. He wondered why she'd moved when she turned her back towards him and looked back over her shoulder.

"Unzip me," she commanded. He grinned and reached out for the top of the zipper. As he trailed it down he paused to place light kisses along her spine. He kissed his way back up to her neck and finished dragging the zipper down. He pushed the material apart and forward. She pulled her arms out of the sleeves. The dress pooled into her lap.

She was wearing a black corset with lace. He undid the stays and swiftly removed it. He tossed it to the side. He tilted his head to the right and kissed and suckled at the skin of her neck. He put his arms around her from behind and rested his hands on her smooth warm stomach. He trailed his fingers up to her breasts and palmed them.

She moaned and leaned back against him, tilting her head onto his shoulder, arching her chest against his hands as he slowly taunted her in a circular motion. He nibbled on her ear as he switched maneuvers and rubbed both thumbs simultaneously across her nipples. He played with her a while before he stopped and scooted backwards, taking his hands away.

He scooted off of the seat and laid her down across the long seat. He slid around to her feet before she could say anything and pulled her dress the rest of the way down along with her panties and hose.

He spread her legs and crawled up on the seat on his knees between them. He slid his hands up her legs to the inside of her thighs. She whimpered as he teased her, sliding his fingers toward her center but never touching it.

"Chuck, please." He grinned that she was begging him this time. But he still didn't touch her where she wanted him most, just continued to explore her warm silky skin. He decided it was time to kick things up a notch.

He knelt down and replaced his hands with his lips, kissing the inside of her thighs. She gasped at the new sensation. He moved his head from one thigh to the other and the top of his head was tickling her so deliciously—she started shifting and moaning.

He paused and looked up at her. She glanced down to see why he'd stopped. He gave her a devilish grin—her only warning—before he finally touched her where she was begging to be touched…he just did it with his mouth instead of his fingers.

He used his fingers to spread her open as he tasted her. She moaned again and again, unable to believe what he was doing to her. The things he did with his tongue! And then his lips closed around and suckled her…oh my.

He didn't usually bother with this kind of foreplay, but something about her made him want to claim every inch of her, to put his mark, his brand, on every thing that was Blair.

She was going wild against him. He reached up and replaced his mouth with his hand, sliding two fingers inside and pumping against her. She came fast and hard shouting his name. She was completely spent and unable to move, resting on the seat with her eyes closed.

He grinned and removed his hand. He stood up and quickly stripped. He lay down between her legs and slowly shifted forward, burying his face into her neck. He found her entrance and slid against her, teasing him self by brushing against her. He was so ready for this.

She froze when she felt something much bigger than a finger at her opening. She tried pressing back into the seat away from him. "No! Chuck! Rules! Rules!" She cried out, begging him to stop.

He froze and looked up at her in astonishment. "You're kidding…you said…" She said he could ravish her! Her text, oh my God.

She shook her head, "No Chuck. I can't. I told you. Please, stop," she had tears in her eyes. She had only meant that they could do what they had done before.

He growled and dropped his forehead down to her shoulder. She was still whimpering slightly, still scared that he wouldn't stop.

He was so close. All he had to do was shift, just a little, and he would be in heaven. Within moments she'd be enjoying it as much as him, he just knew it…

But she didn't want this. Anyone else he'd have been inside ten minutes ago and probably done and ready to go.

This was Blair though.

He couldn't do it. He just had to get a hold of himself. He took several deep, calming breaths before he managed to slide back and sit up. He turned away and flopped against the limo seat.

One of her legs was trapped between his back and the seat but he didn't even feel it. All he could feel was the pressure in his groin that he knew wasn't going to go away for a while. He concentrated on getting himself under control. He was so hard and it was becoming almost painful.

"Chuck?" she asked, her tears gone now that she knew he wasn't going to hurt her.

He couldn't respond.

She sat up and pulled her leg from behind him. She crawled on her knees next to him. She hesitated before putting her arms around him from the side and resting her head on his shoulder.

He still couldn't touch her, and she was just making things more difficult. He kept his eyes closed tightly shut.

She reached down to take a hold of him, wanting to help. He flinched at her touch and opened his eyes to slap her hand away.

"I can—," she started to tell him she could jerk him off.

"No Blair," he growled out. He was actually a little mad at her right now. As much as he wanted relief from this pressure, he didn't want her to touch him.

"What you did to me, I could…" she said.

"Hell NO Blair!" he almost shouted. He didn't want her to do that…maybe if they were having sex. But he wasn't going to let her do that out of some misguided urge to pay him back for what he'd done for her.

He sucked in a deep breath. "Tell the driver to go to The Palace. I need to get out of here." He closed his eyes tight again.

"Chuck…" she tried to argue with him. If he had enough presence of mind to think about it he'd have noted that she felt bad for making him hurt like this.

"Just do it Blair," he hollered at her. She did as he asked, crouching over and walking to knock on the window and cracking it slightly giving instructions.

She came back to sit next to him.

"Get dressed Blair," he growled out.

She pulled away and quickly got dressed, sitting on the back seat. When he heard the rustling stop he knew she was finished.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked for his own clothes. He put the t-shirt and tux jacket on first before trying to struggle into his boxers.

He started thinking about his father—that should help curb his enthusiasm. He managed to get into the boxers and pants.

He laid back against the seat again just as the limo finally came to a stop.

Neither of them said anything at first…finally he looked at her. She was staring out the window, her face blank.

"Blair," he said quietly.

She glanced at him, a question in her eyes.

"No more. I can't do this…this…game," he said with frustration. "If you come to me again, I won't stop."

She nodded and looked away, still not showing any emotion. She was shutting him out again, acting like she was indifferent to the entire situation. She was already putting it out of her mind. He could tell. She was putting her mask back on, the one she'd been wearing for weeks.

He took a deep breath. "So we'll do what we did before. We don't even acknowledge this…just go on how we always have."

She gave a slight nod, indicating she'd heard him at least.

He finally moved to get out of the limo. He paused at the door and slipped back into his own mask. "I have an investment idea I'm pitching to my father later this week. I have to get the numbers together," he took a deep breath and went on the way he would if none of this stuff had ever happened. "I really want your opinion of the place."

She slowly turned to look at him and gave a small smile. He breathed a sigh of relief. They just might be able to do this. They just might be able to put this behind them. He was done helping her get her payback anyway. After this evening he felt as though he'd gotten paid back for every horrible thing he'd ever done. That was not the way this game was supposed to be played. He was putting a stop to it now.

He got out of the limo and closed the door. He walked as briskly as he could with a slight limp. He needed to get to his room and into a cold shower as quickly as possible. Or maybe he'd grab a maid on the way up. He didn't even need to take her away from her job for more than five minutes. He just needed a warm place to thrust into and pretend that it was a petite brunette with brown eyes and ruby red lips.

E . P . I . L . O . G . U . E .

And of course, the rest is history. Nate and Blair had broken up by the end of the week and in the same night Blair had come to him again. He'd asked her that one simple question "Are you sure?" because he had told her he wasn't going to stop if she came to him again. Her answer was a kiss that shook his very soul.

And with that, their game was over and real life began. They were together, in secret, but together for no other reason than that they wanted to be. No more payback, just mutual pleasure. He couldn't be happier.

And the rest? The debutant ball and what came after? Well that's a story for another time. That's what happened when reality came crashing in. But this story is entitled Payback, and Chuck and Blair definitely got theirs.