Chapter Text
Chapter 28
“I want to spend New Year’s Eve with you and daddy,” Cora pouted, crossing her arms over her chest and donning an angry pout.
“I know, baby, but Aunt Serena is throwing a grown up party tonight, and you’ll be asleep way before midnight anyway.” Blair lifted the comforter for her daughter to slide in between the sheets. “I promise that tomorrow, you, me, and daddy will spend the whole day together. New Year’s Day is more exciting than New Year’s Eve anyway because it’s the very first day of a whole new season of life. That means big changes and new beginnings.”
Cora didn’t seem too convinced, but she pressed her lips into a contemplative smirk and said, “Fine, but only if we can go to Sugar Rush, and I can get the Brownie Batter Bliss.”
Blair scrunched her nose in mock disgust at the potential confectionary coma the monster milkshake was sure to cause. “You drive a hard bargain, but I’ll even get you extra chocolate chips and whipped cream.”
Cora offered her mother a soft smile and a handshake. “Deal.”
After she closed the child’s door, she gasped when a strong hand grasped her wrist and yanked her into the upstairs guest room. She sighed, sinking against Chuck when his lips descended on hers. Her arms wound around his neck while his palms trailed a path up her thighs.
“Big changes and new beginnings, you say?” He murmured against her lips. “I like the sound of that.”
“Mhm.” She pushed him back gently, straightening her dress. “You better behave yourself.”
“Did you see the Christmas present I got last week?” He arched his eyebrows suggestively. “I’d say I’ve been really good this year to deserve that.”
She blushed recalling how he’d taken his sweet time untying each of the large red ribbons concealing her body from his view. “True,” she leaned back into him, threading her fingers through his hair as she kissed a path to his ear and whispered, “But when you’re bad, you’re even better.”
He groaned, pulling her body against his so that she could feel the effect she had on him. “If you aren’t careful,” he husked, “We aren’t going to make it to that damn party.”
She smiled knowingly and stepped out of his arms. “I still have to get dressed.” He eyed her sequin cocktail dress in confusion, and she laughed softly. “This is what I let my daughter think I’m wearing, but I have something else in mind.”
“Do you need help getting dressed?” His eyes skimmed her body, and she rolled her eyes.
“Unzip me and wait downstairs.”
“Tease,” He mumbled, tracing his fingers over the ridges of her spine as he lowered her dress to the floor.
Covering her breasts with her arm as she shimmied out of her slip, she blew Chuck a kiss over her shoulder, winked, and shooed him out the door.
Several moments later, she descended the stairs in a black dress with a plunging neckline and slit working its way up her right leg. With each step, the dress parted so that Chuck’s eye naturally followed the peekaboo of the smooth skin of her upper thigh. It took a minute before he pulled his gaze away from her legs, but when he found her face, his heart constricted at the sight. There resting in the hollow of her throat was the Erickson Beamon necklace he’d gifted her all those years ago.
When she reached the bottom, he glanced carefully to the top of the stairs, making sure that Cora’s little prying eyes weren’t spying on them, and pulled Blair into his arms. He reached up, reverently adjusting the charms at her neck in a way reminiscent of the night he gave the necklace to her.
She closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. “I love you, Chuck,” she whispered.
He cupped her face between his hands, lifting her chin so that her eyes met his. “I love you, too, Blair.”
She pressed her lips to his softly, pouring her overwhelming emotions into the kiss. “Come on.” She laced their fingers together. “We’re going to be late.”
XOXO
They kept a carefully-calculated respectable distance between their bodies as they walked into the van der Woodsen penthouse. Serena greeted them both with a flute of champagne and kisses on the cheeks. As she leaned in to Blair, she whispered, “Damn, B, you look hot.” She glanced toward Chuck and added knowingly, “You trying to drive him crazy? Nice necklace.”
Blair felt her cheeks heat up, but she managed a dismissive explanation. “Cora found it in my jewelry box and thought it would be perfect for tonight. I couldn’t turn her down. I doubt he even noticed I’m wearing it.”
“Mmhmm,” Serena didn’t look convinced, but she let it go, flitting off to mingle with the rest of her guests.
Chuck instinctively placed his hand on the small of Blair’s back to guide her through the crowded room, and she quickly swatted it away. “Hands off tonight, Mr. Bass,” she reminded him.
He groaned, increasing the space between them just a smidge. “Sneaking around is a lot more fun when I can actually touch you.”
“In due time, my love,” she winked and arched her eyebrows seductively.
As the clock ticked closer and closer to midnight, Blair found herself irritated by the amount of times she had to explain why she had called off her engagement. She’d forgotten just how intrusive her high school friend group could be. Serena eventually came to her rescue, pulling her to the bar to refill their drinks. She welcomed the distraction, but her eyes searched discreetly for Chuck.
She found him seated beside Nate, his body language fraught with tension. Serena’s eyes followed Blair’s, and she frowned. “He looks like he’d rather have a root canal than be here.”
Blair bit her lip. “If these vultures are prying into my personal business, I can only imagine the questions he’s had to fend off since his return.”
Serena whipped her hair over her shoulder with a shrug. “He’s Chuck; he can take care of himself. I’m sure he’s already told most of them to eff off.”
“I hate how uncomfortable he looks,” she shook her head. “I’m going to get him out of here.”
“No, don't leave,” Serena whined. “I don’t want to ring in the New Year without you.”
“Fine,” Blair agreed. “But I’m going to see if he wants to get some fresh air; he looks miserable.”
“It’s really so good to see you two as friends again,” Serena smiled, placing a little too much emphasis on the word ‘friends.’
Blair forced a smile, ignoring the hidden accusations in Serena’s statement. She made her way toward Nate and Chuck and motioned for the former to follow her upstairs to the patio.
“It’s getting stuffy in here,” Nate commented. “I’ll join you two.”
“Um, actually,” Blair spoke quickly. “Serena was looking for you; you should probably go find her.”
“She was?” he asked dumbly. “She knew I was sitting over here.”
“You know Serena,” was all Blair said before pushing Chuck toward the stairs.
As soon as they were outside, Chuck placed his jacket over Blair’s bare shoulders, and pulled her into his lap on one of the lounge chairs. He ran his hand over her bare thigh, partially for warmth, mostly because he needed to be touching her. She sighed and nuzzled her nose into her neck. “Looks like I’m not the only one who wasn’t a fan of the hands-off rule.”
“It’s not just that,” she answered quietly. “People here are so nosy; it’s suffocating.”
“You don’t owe anyone an explanation.” He used his unoccupied hand to run soothing circles over her back.
“I can handle it, but I hated the way they crowded you,” she admitted. “You’re right; we should’ve just stayed home.”
“It’s fine, Blair. I expected that people would be curious after a six-year disappearance.”
“But I want you to be comfortable; it’s none of their damned business.”
“Blair, I don’t care what those prattling hens have to say. They’re so bored with their own lives that they’re desperate for something to gossip about.” He pulled her closer, and she rested her head against his chest, loving the feeling of comfort and security that only he could provide her. “What’s this really about?”
“I just don’t want it to cause any more problems than we’re already facing.”
“You mean, you’re afraid that the rumors and the side glances could get between us?”
“Not just that.” She pulled back to look at him. “I know that their opinions don’t matter, but we’re going to be under so much scrutiny. Everyone will be talking, and things are so good between us right now.”
“So you’re afraid that when this is no longer a secret that the weight of all of the external factors might be too much for us to overcome?”
“It sounds kind of silly when you put it like that,” she said sheepishly.
“It’s not silly.” He cupped her chin and pressed a kiss to her lips. “This feels like our last shot, and everything is stacked against us. You want to make sure that it lasts, and anything that could disrupt that freaks you out.”
She nodded, a pout forming on her lips. “It’s not that I doubt you or us, it’s just -”
“You don’t have to explain anymore.” He stopped her. “I get it, but, Blair -”
She looked up at him, eyes shining brightly with unshed tears.
“I’m not going anywhere; I’m fighting for you and for us. To hell with what anyone else thinks.”
“You promise?”
He swept her hair over her shoulder, kissing her again, this time more fervently. “There’s one thing that’s ever remained constant in my life – that’s my love for you. No matter what we’ve gone through, it’s never changed, even after six years of separation. That tells me everything I need to know: We’re forever.”
She turned in his lap, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and pulling him to her, connecting her mouth with his in a passionate kiss. He let out a low groan when her tongue slid across his lip, and he could no longer contain the fire stirring inside of him. His hands found purchase on her thighs, and he coaxed her into a straddle, both of them forgetting the party raging downstairs.
They were so lost in each other that they barely registered someone clearing their throat at the balcony door, and it wasn’t until a stiletto tapped impatiently against the concrete floor that they pulled apart and found Serena and Nate staring directly at them. Blair gingerly stood from Chuck’s lap and sank onto the chair next to him, a sheepish look spreading over her reddened face.
Serena crossed her arms smugly and said, “It’s almost midnight; we didn’t want you two to miss the countdown.”
Nate held up a bottle of champagne and four glasses he gripped by the stems. “We thought we could have a private celebration up here, but, uh, we didn’t mean to interrupt.”
The two blondes sat down on the couch across from them, waiting patiently to see what the brunettes would say.
“We were just -” Blair tried desperately to scrounge up an excuse while Chuck stifled a smirk.
“Save it,” Serena held up her hand. “We know what we saw.”
“You don’t seem surprised,” Blair observed.
“We’ve had a bet going for a few weeks.” She turned to Nate with a smile. “Which I won, by the way.”
“You had a bet?” Blair felt herself growing inexplicably angry at that revelation.
“Please,” Serena said. “You two aren’t nearly as subtle as you think – the lingering glances at dinner, sneaking off at the same time, the excuses for why you can’t hang out. The tension around you two is so thick you could cut it with a knife.”
“So what exactly was the bet?” Chuck asked in amusement, not nearly as bothered by this discovery as Blair seemed to be.
“Serena thought you two were, um, you know,” Nate explained. “I didn’t think it had gotten physical yet.”
“The most telling part was how much more relaxed Blair has been lately,” Serena added with a laugh. “You were so tightly wound before that it was pretty obvious that you were getting -”
“Okay, we get it,” Blair cut her off, crimson burning in her cheeks.
“Honestly, though,” Serena spoke softly, her eyes darting back and forth between Blair and Chuck. “What does this mean?”
“It’s complicated,” Blair answered defensively, missing Chuck’s muscles flinch because, to him, it was anything but complicated.
Nate eyed his girlfriend, imploring her to choose her words carefully. “You two have always had this physical connection, but there’s so much at stake this time. We don’t want to see this blow up like -”
Chuck let out a frustrated huff. “You don’t think we know exactly what is at stake? You don’t think we considered every possible thing that could go wrong already?”
Serena’s eyes widened, having grown unaccustomed to Chuck’s outbursts; since his return he’d mostly remained cool and collected. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean -”
“I know you didn’t,” his voice softened. “We know what we’re up against; we know that Cora could end up hurt if we -”
Blair reached over and took his hand in hers before turning back to their friends. “We’ve talked through everything; it’s why we’ve kept it a secret for so long. We wanted to make sure that we did this right before anyone found out.”
“Wait,” Nate’s huge grin betrayed his hopefulness. “This is more than just physical? You two still…” He trailed off, leaving the question hanging in the air.
Chuck cut his eyes to Blair, wanting her to be the one to speak the words aloud. He needed to hear the confirmation from her now that it wasn’t just for his ears. Something about a public confession would make it feel more real.
She offered him a small smile, squeezing his hand as if she could read his thoughts. “It’s real,” she affirmed. “We love each other, and we want to make it work, but we want to do what’s right for Cora. We don’t want to risk breaking her heart.”
“Oh, my God,” Serena cooed, clasping her hand over her mouth as tears sprang to her eyes.
“Wow,” Nate mouthed, his own excitement just as obvious as his girlfriend’s. “That’s amazing, you guys. We’re so happy for you.”
“When do you plan to tell, Cora?” Serena asked, standing to hug both her brother and best friend.
“We haven’t thought that far ahead yet,” Chuck admitted. “We’ve tried to be cautious, but it’s getting harder to keep her in the dark.”
“I think,” Blair bit her lip, turning to Chuck. She looked up at him, her large doe eyes filled with so much love and wonder. “I think we’re ready to tell her.”
“Really?” Chuck’s voice was gruff, emotion lodging in his throat.
She nodded, tears pooling in her eyes. He pulled her into a hug and buried his head in her shoulder; she could feel a lone tear drop from his eye onto her clavicle, but she didn’t draw attention to it, knowing that he wouldn’t want to show that side of himself to Serena and Nate. That side - his vulnerable side - was just for her. “I love you so much,” he whispered into the crook of her neck so that only she could hear.
“Tomorrow,” she decided when he finally pulled back.
“Tomorrow,” he agreed softly. “Like you told Cora this morning, New Year’s Day means big changes and new beginnings.”
Nate poured champagne into each of the flutes, toasting his friends and their daughter. After the countdown to midnight, each of the couples exchanged sweet kisses, and Nate and Serena returned to the party. Before Blair could follow, Chuck stopped her by reaching for her hand and pulling her back to him. “Wait just a minute,” he spoke quietly.
“What is it?”
He exhaled slowly. “I always thought that I would do this with some big romantic gesture, but I realize now that none of that is necessary. There’s no rush, and we don’t have to do anything right away, but I want to prove to our daughter tomorrow just how serious our commitment to each other is.”
Her eyes widened in understanding as he lowered himself to one knee in front of her, reaching into his pocket for the small box that he’d carried with him every day since she returned it to him at the airport six months earlier. “Blair Cornelia Waldorf,” he started, his hands trembling as he opened the box. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she smiled, the tears finally pooling over the brim of her eyes. “I will.”
XOXO
“Mommy, mommy!” Cora called the next morning as she bounded into her room, bouncing on the bed excitedly. “It’s New Year’s Day! When’s Daddy coming?”
Blair woke up groggily, looking over at the clock on the nightstand that read 7:24 am. Exhaustion racked her limbs as she stretched her hands above her head and let out an unladylike yawn. She and Chuck had returned to his place and made love for hours as an engaged couple before he brought her home some time after three in the morning. Then when she’d finally gotten into her own bed, her mind wouldn’t settle down about their impending discussion with Cora.
“Daddy should be here by nine,” Blair said with another yawn. “Let’s get dressed and get some breakfast.”
When she heard the elevator chime a little over an hour later, Cora ran to greet her father with a hug. He lifted her up, spinning her around after complimenting her new dress. “My beautiful girl,” he whispered in her ear, placing her back on her feet.
He found Blair’s eyes, and she nodded slightly, indicating that it was time. They had agreed the night before that they would tell Cora first thing in the morning, neither one wanting to spend the entire day in anticipation.
“Before we go,” Blair told her daughter. “Daddy and I have something we want to talk to you about.”
“Uh-oh,” Cora’s face fell, concern dotting her small features.
“No, darling, not uh-oh,” Blair pulled her into her lap. “This is good news.”
Chuck lowered himself to one knee on the ground in front of his daughter in the same manner he had with Blair the night before. He reached forward, drawing her small hand into his own. “Cora.” He swallowed as emotions weighed heavy in his chest. The little girl’s large eyes looked up at him inquisitively, and his heart clenched with the amount of love he saw reflecting back at him. “Knowing you, getting to have you as my daughter has been the greatest blessing I’ve ever received.” His voice broke, and he realized that Blair wasn’t the only one he was willing to reveal his softer side to; Cora was the one who taught him to love again when he thought he was unloveable, so he let the tears fall unashamedly. “I’m so lucky to be your daddy; I love you more than words.”
“I love you, too, Daddy,” she squeezed his hand and smiled in encouragement.
“I have something I’d like to ask you,” he exhaled slowly, sneaking a peek at Blair before returning his eyes to Cora’s. “I’ve loved your mother every day since I met her. Last night, I gave her this ring.” He pulled out the box and showed it to the young girl, causing her eyes to widen in awe. “Do you know what this is?”
“It’s an engagement ring?” She asked quietly, her little eyes round and bright.
“It is,” he nodded. “I want to marry your Mommy and spend the rest of my life with the two of you, but that’s only possible if we have your blessing.”
Cora’s lower lip trembled, and she turned to Blair, who was fully sobbing now. “Mommy,” she sniffled, “Do you love Daddy? Do you want to marry Daddy?”
“I do, sweetheart,” Blair smiled through her tears. “With all of my heart.”
“We’re going to be a real family now? Just like I’ve always wanted?” Her body shook as the realization hit her, and she wrapped her arms around Blair first, before jumping into Chuck’s arms and burying her face in his chest. “Yes, Daddy, yes! I want you to marry Mommy.”
Chuck slid the ring onto Blair’s ring finger as Cora clasped her hands to her chest, as if all of her dreams had just come true. He kissed his fiancé for the first time in front of the child they had created, and suddenly all of the pain they had experienced and all of the years of suffering were worth it.
“This is all because of you Cora,” Chuck lifted his daughter into his arms, “You saved me, and if it weren’t for you, we would’ve never found our way back to each other.”
Later that night, after putting their daughter to bed, Chuck and Blair retired to their bedroom, where they fell asleep in each other’s arms, knowing that they had the rest of their lives ahead of them.