Ch.13 - Preview
She’d avoided his gaze all last night, except when he’d first come in. She’d looked away as quickly as possible though. And when she’d found
it impossible to stay in the same room she’d glanced at his profile, just to make sure he wasn’t drinking too much scotch – or any other alcohol for that matter. The last thing this party needed was an angry, drunk Chuck. When, as far as she could tell, his only beverage had been an endless batch of ice-cold water, she knew there was trouble. Sometimes tonight she knew he would burst.
Then again maybe tonight wouldn’t be the night. Maybe he could hold out longer. After all, Blair hadn’t cracked two days earlier or any time since then when she confronted her about the diaries and her feelings for Chuck and Dan.
Regardless, she knew Chuck wasn’t pleased with her. He was probably livid. Especially since she’d made his ‘invite’ unable to be refused because it had been delivered by Lily. If Serena could count on anything it was not only Chuck’s fondness for his step-mother, but the fact that if anyone could come between Lily and her children, it was whoever she decided she wanted to be with romantically. That, and making sure her image shined in the society pages. Both of which would be in full play tonight.
She’d even had invites sent out to reporters and some photo journalists. For a party she’d been hesitant about, Lily jumped right on board as soon as Bart gave the okay. She even made sure to divorce Rufus without a second thought before the big event.
As if on cue, Chuck caught her stare when she walked back through the main room. She stopped and froze, stock-still, unable to look away as his
grim anger burned in his eyes. It was subtle though, as Chuck often was in the public eye – when he could help it, which mostly he had been able to in the last year.
Aside from when Diana had claimed to be his mother at Dan and Blair’s first big party, and there was also the big incident of him trying to stop Blair’s wedding; also when he revealed his first therapist’s acts of crime prodded by Louis Grimaldi.
So…he was working on his temper, and she was risking a lot even bringing him here after what Bart had done to him by taking back the company.
But maybe he would see this as an opportunity to prove his father wrong.
Or maybe she wanted him to lose his temper the way he had with Bart on the rooftop of The Empire. Only this time there would be people around
that would support him.
Blair would have to be in the room of course.
She really hoped Blair would show up soon. She had been extremely hesitant and only come around in the last eight hours. Dan being the excuse of course. Serena had eventually conceded to allowing Dan to show up as Blair’s plus one, despite the awkwardness of him being the son of Lily’s most recent ex and no doubt something that would irritate Chuck to the extreme.
Nate had come fashionably late with Lola in tow, which both relieved and bothered Serena. The whole point in having Nate there was to give Chuck a sort of safety net, maybe a bodyguard or a coach in case he felt he was losing control.
But Nate spent most of his time chatting with Lola amongst the hors d'oeuvres, reminiscing about – from what she could catch – how he’d lured her
into dating him by making hiring her catering service at the big bash Valentine’s Day Party. That was a day she wished she could forget about, but at least it had been pleasant for somebody.
After he looked away and she looked away she decided she couldn’t avoid him forever. As annoyed as he might be by her insisting he be there, because he knew it was her behind the whole operation, thanks to her lovely mother, she might very well be the only continuous company he had that whole night. Even Bart had managed to keep his distance, indulging in the pressing interviewers that had arrived, taking fifteen breaks between each one to briefly chat with various Upper East Siders who had attended and clearly needed to see the Great Bart Bass “Risen From The Dead” – as the newspapers had put it on their first front page some days earlier – in person. Bravely, she took a step in his direction and almost took another when following the sound of the elevator doors opening once again, she heard Serena!
She closed her eyes at the poor timing and just before Blair spun her around she caught Chuck’s eyes, his stare, his expression, his shock, the heart-stopping emotion spread plain as day across his face.
“Blair,” she forced herself to smile as she greeted her best friend.
The brunette looked stunning as always and quickly reclapsed Dan’s hand after she’d pulled away from the tight, lingering hug. Serena’s eyes dropped as she saw the heart pin pinned to the cuff of Dan’s sleeve. Her eyes lifted to her best friend’s who was looking at her innocently but with the clear ‘told you I would’ sign flashing in her eyes.
Serena shifted her gaze briefly to Dan and nodded at him. “Dan.”
He returned the nod and suddenly pulled at the collar of his button-up shirt that she was sure Blair had no doubt picked out for him, and insisted
on.
“Drinks are that way.” Serena tilted her head towards the next room.
Dan smiled briefly. “Thanks-”
“I’ll come with you!” Blair quickly said, bringing her other hand around to hold him back at his sleeve when her clasped hand with his clearly didn’t prove to be enough.
“No, you won’t,” Serena interrupted, forcing another pretty smile on both her and Dan. “I need to speak with you.”
After an intense eye war between the two girls, Dan announced that he would be right back and Blair surrendered. Proud of herself for getting Blair alone, she turned around in hopes that Chuck was still there and they could confront him together, hopefully with little to no resistance on Blair’s end.
Well, Chuck was there, but he wasn’t staying put. He was leaving the room to put it plainly, and he was taking a full glass of scotch with him. Serena sighed and then her lips pursed and her jaw clenched when she heard Blair speak up again.
“You wanted to speak to me, S?” she asked innocently.
Slowly the blonde turned back around to see the wolf in sheep’s clothing smiling up at her inquiringly. She was going to demand some serious rewards for having gotten them back together when this was all over.
it impossible to stay in the same room she’d glanced at his profile, just to make sure he wasn’t drinking too much scotch – or any other alcohol for that matter. The last thing this party needed was an angry, drunk Chuck. When, as far as she could tell, his only beverage had been an endless batch of ice-cold water, she knew there was trouble. Sometimes tonight she knew he would burst.
Then again maybe tonight wouldn’t be the night. Maybe he could hold out longer. After all, Blair hadn’t cracked two days earlier or any time since then when she confronted her about the diaries and her feelings for Chuck and Dan.
Regardless, she knew Chuck wasn’t pleased with her. He was probably livid. Especially since she’d made his ‘invite’ unable to be refused because it had been delivered by Lily. If Serena could count on anything it was not only Chuck’s fondness for his step-mother, but the fact that if anyone could come between Lily and her children, it was whoever she decided she wanted to be with romantically. That, and making sure her image shined in the society pages. Both of which would be in full play tonight.
She’d even had invites sent out to reporters and some photo journalists. For a party she’d been hesitant about, Lily jumped right on board as soon as Bart gave the okay. She even made sure to divorce Rufus without a second thought before the big event.
As if on cue, Chuck caught her stare when she walked back through the main room. She stopped and froze, stock-still, unable to look away as his
grim anger burned in his eyes. It was subtle though, as Chuck often was in the public eye – when he could help it, which mostly he had been able to in the last year.
Aside from when Diana had claimed to be his mother at Dan and Blair’s first big party, and there was also the big incident of him trying to stop Blair’s wedding; also when he revealed his first therapist’s acts of crime prodded by Louis Grimaldi.
So…he was working on his temper, and she was risking a lot even bringing him here after what Bart had done to him by taking back the company.
But maybe he would see this as an opportunity to prove his father wrong.
Or maybe she wanted him to lose his temper the way he had with Bart on the rooftop of The Empire. Only this time there would be people around
that would support him.
Blair would have to be in the room of course.
She really hoped Blair would show up soon. She had been extremely hesitant and only come around in the last eight hours. Dan being the excuse of course. Serena had eventually conceded to allowing Dan to show up as Blair’s plus one, despite the awkwardness of him being the son of Lily’s most recent ex and no doubt something that would irritate Chuck to the extreme.
Nate had come fashionably late with Lola in tow, which both relieved and bothered Serena. The whole point in having Nate there was to give Chuck a sort of safety net, maybe a bodyguard or a coach in case he felt he was losing control.
But Nate spent most of his time chatting with Lola amongst the hors d'oeuvres, reminiscing about – from what she could catch – how he’d lured her
into dating him by making hiring her catering service at the big bash Valentine’s Day Party. That was a day she wished she could forget about, but at least it had been pleasant for somebody.
After he looked away and she looked away she decided she couldn’t avoid him forever. As annoyed as he might be by her insisting he be there, because he knew it was her behind the whole operation, thanks to her lovely mother, she might very well be the only continuous company he had that whole night. Even Bart had managed to keep his distance, indulging in the pressing interviewers that had arrived, taking fifteen breaks between each one to briefly chat with various Upper East Siders who had attended and clearly needed to see the Great Bart Bass “Risen From The Dead” – as the newspapers had put it on their first front page some days earlier – in person. Bravely, she took a step in his direction and almost took another when following the sound of the elevator doors opening once again, she heard Serena!
She closed her eyes at the poor timing and just before Blair spun her around she caught Chuck’s eyes, his stare, his expression, his shock, the heart-stopping emotion spread plain as day across his face.
“Blair,” she forced herself to smile as she greeted her best friend.
The brunette looked stunning as always and quickly reclapsed Dan’s hand after she’d pulled away from the tight, lingering hug. Serena’s eyes dropped as she saw the heart pin pinned to the cuff of Dan’s sleeve. Her eyes lifted to her best friend’s who was looking at her innocently but with the clear ‘told you I would’ sign flashing in her eyes.
Serena shifted her gaze briefly to Dan and nodded at him. “Dan.”
He returned the nod and suddenly pulled at the collar of his button-up shirt that she was sure Blair had no doubt picked out for him, and insisted
on.
“Drinks are that way.” Serena tilted her head towards the next room.
Dan smiled briefly. “Thanks-”
“I’ll come with you!” Blair quickly said, bringing her other hand around to hold him back at his sleeve when her clasped hand with his clearly didn’t prove to be enough.
“No, you won’t,” Serena interrupted, forcing another pretty smile on both her and Dan. “I need to speak with you.”
After an intense eye war between the two girls, Dan announced that he would be right back and Blair surrendered. Proud of herself for getting Blair alone, she turned around in hopes that Chuck was still there and they could confront him together, hopefully with little to no resistance on Blair’s end.
Well, Chuck was there, but he wasn’t staying put. He was leaving the room to put it plainly, and he was taking a full glass of scotch with him. Serena sighed and then her lips pursed and her jaw clenched when she heard Blair speak up again.
“You wanted to speak to me, S?” she asked innocently.
Slowly the blonde turned back around to see the wolf in sheep’s clothing smiling up at her inquiringly. She was going to demand some serious rewards for having gotten them back together when this was all over.
Ch.4 - Preview
She didn’t realize how big of an impact that first bedroom would have on her until it slammed into her head-on. Being in the same room with Chuck
heightened her awareness of him. Putting a bed in the mix sent her to straight to flashpoint.
Going into denial seemed like the safest option, but she wouldn’t confront Chuck to his face like she’d done the last time. They were on a blank
slate now, and she had to accept that he had changed for the better. Her physical attraction to him be damned.
“This is the royalty suite,” the hostess-trash said, interrupting Blair’s thoughts. “Also known as The Palace or The Empire.”
Blair’s eyes widened and she looked at the woman if she’d lost her mind.
“Excuse me? What did you say?” she gawked.
The woman blinked and then looked at Blair curiously.
Chuck quickly grabbed Blair’s hand and intertwined their fingers to snap her out of shock and outrage. It shifted her focus, but in the way land
‘shifts’ when struck by lightning. Blair felt as if a strong zap of electricity had just shot through her.
“The royalty suite, Blair,” Chuck emphasized, trying to draw her back into their role play. “I think we’ll keep looking,” he told the hostess.
Blair forced a smile. “Yes, I think so.”
heightened her awareness of him. Putting a bed in the mix sent her to straight to flashpoint.
Going into denial seemed like the safest option, but she wouldn’t confront Chuck to his face like she’d done the last time. They were on a blank
slate now, and she had to accept that he had changed for the better. Her physical attraction to him be damned.
“This is the royalty suite,” the hostess-trash said, interrupting Blair’s thoughts. “Also known as The Palace or The Empire.”
Blair’s eyes widened and she looked at the woman if she’d lost her mind.
“Excuse me? What did you say?” she gawked.
The woman blinked and then looked at Blair curiously.
Chuck quickly grabbed Blair’s hand and intertwined their fingers to snap her out of shock and outrage. It shifted her focus, but in the way land
‘shifts’ when struck by lightning. Blair felt as if a strong zap of electricity had just shot through her.
“The royalty suite, Blair,” Chuck emphasized, trying to draw her back into their role play. “I think we’ll keep looking,” he told the hostess.
Blair forced a smile. “Yes, I think so.”