Chapter 19

You're my star my light
My whole entire life
Without you it's blurry
And I can't see why
My friends say James
Are you feeling alright
And I just think that I'm dreaming all night
When I'm with you
I feel I've been saved
And I wanna thank your mum and dad
For what they made
So I just wanna say
I'm gonna keep you
For life 24/7 I hope to

Kei's cellphone beeped happily. Again.

Blair, as much as she loved to see Kei's face light up every time she heard from Carter, which she seemed to on an almost daily basis for the last few days since their Sunday drive, was kind of getting a bit sick of it.

It was Thursday lunch time. A pretty normal Thursday lunch time, at that. They were just sitting with Serena and Dan, an equally loved up couple - ugh - by their window, the group tucking into teppanyaki eel.

Since the very bizarre brunch on Sunday at the Van Der Woodsen-Bass residence, very little had happened. Gossip Girl was almost beside herself. She'd actually reduced herself to just bitching at people. Tuesday morning she'd made a dig at the length of Hazel's skirt as she arrived at school, who these days was as quiet as a dormant volcano, only seen with Penelope. Wednesday Gossip Girl was somehow both snobbish and complimentary of Little Jenny's intriguing haircut: bold, stark, and hip, and very 'out there'. When Blair examined the photos attached she, if she was really honest, couldn't see the problem with Hazel's skirt, though maybe it was a little short, and thought Jenny's haircut suited her. As it actually was, she didn't give a crap about either of the two girls. Kei had raised a wary eyebrow at each update as they came, and wondered aloud whether it was really doing them any favours. They both suspected that Hazel was waiting for the right moment to strike back again. All she needed was the right ammunition.

And as for Jenny... who knew what she was doing?

Blair smirked to herself. That reminded her. Something had happened that week. A brilliant, triumphant moment.

Isabel and Kati had come crawling back.

On Monday, at the end of the day, as Blair, Serena and Kei were leaving the building and about to go their separate ways, the two 'twin sisters' had appeared at Blair's side.

"Hi, Blair!" They both said in unison, making Blair almost jump out of her skin. She was long accustomed to their absence. She'd enjoyed it. It was unnerving to see them up so close again.

"Kati... Isabel..." She said slowly, her eyes flicking from one of the other. "What do you want?" She said bluntly.

The two girls shared an uneasy glance, and Blair's eyebrow arched in distaste. She knew precisely what they wanted. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Serena's surprise, yet she could see Serena had also figured it out; she was smiling. To her it was a good omen. Out of the corner of her other eye, Blair could see Kei's equal distaste. She'd been expecting this, Blair knew. Since Hazel's major stumble Blair had been expecting something like this too. It had taken longer than she'd expected though; apparently, the sheep had taken a while to figure out which shepard to follow.

"Well..." Isabel started.

"We were thinking..." Kati carried on. The two girls shared another uneasy look. This was more difficult that than they had expected.

A lot of expectations.

"Whether you wanted to have your birthday at my brother's place again!" Kati suddenly burst out.

Blair actually took a step back at Kati's outburst, her face tight with irritation. The two girls however both look relieved, having found an offering to get back into Blair's good books. Their mutual relief quickly vanished at the look on Blair's face.

"Why would I want to spend my eighteenth birthday at your brother's dump?"

Kati and Isabel both swallowed at Blair's icy tone. At Blair's furious face, they both looked immensely small. Blair's eyes narrowed. "You're both so transparent." Blair spat. "What makes you think I would want to have anything to do with either of you after last year?" You were meant to be my friends, you were meant to stand up for me, you were meant to support me when Gossip Girl turned on me! The bitterness that had long been simmering boiled up. Enough of this rubbish. "I'm done with you." She glared at them. "Both of you. Now get out of my sight."

Isabel and Kati stared at her in horror for a moment, at the fiery phoenix before them. For that moment they didn't believe her, didn't believe that she was really dismissing them, really dismissing them. But the fire behind Blair's eyes never diminished, and they had no choice but to obey.

And then they were gone, and Blair could finally breathe properly. When she turned she met Serena's shock and Kei's pride, and knew that she'd done the right thing.

No more sheep. No more time wasted with people she couldn't be bothered to care about, with people who didn't really interest her. She had her best friends with her, and needed no one else.

The moment that thought went through her head she spotted Chuck marching out of the St Judes entrance and towards the Bass limo. She heard in the background Dan greet Serena, and Kei's cell buzz again, but didn't really see them. All she saw was the determination on Chuck's face.

Maybe she needed to amend that last thought.

Kei's cell buzzed again, dragging Blair back to the present. She shook her head slightly, and then smiled as Kei started giggling at whatever she was reading. Frowning quizzically at Kei, Kei showed Blair what Carter had just sent.

SOS! Bored outta my ass, this guy's about as interesting as watching paint dry. Dude, no one gives a shit!

Hold you closer and don't let go,
I need to know how you feel too
So hold me closer and don't let go
I'm falling so please girl don't let go.

Hold me closer tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today.

"You did what?"

Chuck fixed his eyes on his bowl of miso soup and nodded in silence.

Standing next to him in her Silver Sakura uniform, Kei whistled. "Wow." She said. Then, she nodded too. "Okay."

Chuck frowned, and looked up at her questioningly. "'Okay'?"

Kei nodded again. "Yeah, 'okay'. You know what you're doing?" Chuck's wide eyes told her all she needed to know. "Oh. Maybe not 'okay' then." Chuck groaned, lowered his head to the table top, and she chuckled briefly. "Don't worry, mate. You'll be alright."

"I've gone mad." He mumbled into the table.

"Yes, you have, but this is a mental disease that affects us all. Well..." She cocked her head to the side in thought. "Maybe not all of us, but the vast majority of us. Like the flu."

Chuck peered up at her from the table, looking annoyed. Alright, alright, he seemed to be saying, I get it; I'm human.

Her cellphone chirped from her pocket, and her face lit up instantly with glee, and her hands fidgeted towards her pocket, but stopped, and her face tightened with reluctance.

"How many times a day do you hear from him?" Chuck asked, sitting up, his eyebrow slanted. He wasn't the only fool in the room, it seemed.

Kei blushed. "It's not that bad." Chuck just stared at her pointedly. "Really." He didn't let up. She sighed, took her cellphone out, quickly read Carter's message with a smile, and then left the inbox open. "Scroll down."

It was Chuck's turn to whistle - even holding down on the scroll button, it took an age to get to anyone else's name - but whilst Kei had whistled because she was impressed, his was so sardonic she blushed even darker red. "He's eager." He commented.

Kei's back straightened. "What's wrong with that?" She replied, her tone quickly stern. Chuck frowned, and didn't answer. Her eyes narrowed for a moment, and she pursed her lips tighter. He could practically hear the kept comment: at least I have someone. Chuck just shrugged innocently at her. For a moment, Chuck was tempted to ask if Kei knew about Carter's seedier past, but he swallowed it down. Leave her be.

"So when are you seeing him next?" He asked, more out of courtesy than curiosity. To his surprise she blushed even further red.

"Tonight." He smirked. "It's my last night, he wanted to see me before I go." Chuck frowned. What? Go? Where? Kei frowned at his expression, puzzled. Then she realised. "Oh, of course, I haven't told you, have I? You're not the only one visiting universities this weekend." Chuck's frown disappeared. Kei was coming to Yale too? That would be good actually, a means of easing the tension. "I'm flying to Heathrow tomorrow evening after school, get into London on Saturday morning, Drake's going to meet me at Gatwick and we're flying up to Edinburgh for the weekend, then we're going down to Durham for a tour on Monday, Oxford Tuesday, Cambridge Wednesday, Royal Holloway in London on Thursday for me and King's College for Drake, Friday we're back in Brighton for Sussex, then I fly back on Sunday just in time for school on Monday."

Chuck stared at her, his face expressionless, aghast behind it. "You'll be gone the whole of next week?"

Kei nodded. "Was surprisingly easy to negociate with Queller, I think it was mentioning Oxford and Cambridge that did it."

"That doesn't surprise." Chuck commented. The heads of the twin schools were even more ambitious about their student's futures than the students themselves. "So you're thinking of going to college back in England?"

"Or Scotland," Kei corrected with a teasing grin. "And it's university over there, not college. But yeah. Britain's my home really. The States are alright, but it's not really the place for me. You guys don't have state health care, for a start, someone should really work on that."

Chcuk smirked. Ah, Kei the Leftie. What will you major in?"

"Not entirely sure yet. Psychology, Philosophy, Math, Literature, Film Studies... waiting for the right inspiration to hit." Kei shrugged. She'd figure it out, she knew. "Still set on Harvard?"

Chuck shrugged. "'Course."

"Then why are you visiting Yale?" Kei asked shrewdly.

"Might as well. Chuck said, non-commitally, and avoided looking her in the eye. He didn't like the look on her face.

"You don't know where you want to go, do you?" Out of the corner of his eye he saw the sympathetic look on Kei's face. She understood. "Harvard's your father's idea, isn't it?"

He finally met her eyes, and then turned away again. "Just drop it, Kei." He said quietly.

She silently regarded him for a moment. "Alright, mate."

You're my perfect dream
We're the perfect team
I'm the king you're the queen,
You're the book that I read
Without you it feels like there's no me
And that's why it's you that I just wanna keep
How many times have I told you
That I love you so many times
You know I wanna hug you
So come and show me what love means
Cause I don't really know
I've just seen it in my dreams.

Hold you closer and don't let go,
I need to know how you feel too
So hold me closer and don't let go
I'm falling so please girl don't let go.

"You want to do what?"

Carter reddened. "Only if you want to..."

Kei blinked at him, and then started giggling. "Okay. Let me get ready."

Half an hour later, they were leaving the Argen residence above The Silver Sakura and were in a taxi, both in jeans and comfy shoes, heading for Columbia University's Bard Hall.

Carter had been invited to a mid-week party being held by the medical students there. If there's one rule to socialising, the best place to meet people at parties. Somehow they'd managed to persuade everyone in Bard Hall to open their doors, lock away their valuables, put their loudest speakers out in the corridors, stock up on drink and get the word out. For the most part they'd had a very easy job persuading everyone to agree to the party; most had whooped at the idea, grinned, or at least rolled their eyes and nodded. The rest were just going to have to put up with it. If they had assignments due for Friday they should have done them already. Med students are renown for having their arses worked to the bone for their courses. So naturally, they party hardest.

By the time Carter and Kei got to the party they found it at its peak: it had already been shut down twice by security, and naturally music was pumping from every corner of the building again. By the dance corner a group of girls grinded to the rhythm, interested partners grinding right back. Fingers pointed with emphasis for the drum 'n' bass in down the corridor, bodies jerking to the beat, yelling 'tune!' every time a good song came on. Heavy rock was playing in one person's room in the middle, hair flying as the room's occupants bounced and threw their heads about. Someone was even mixing tunes in the corridor, records spinning, headphones nodding to the mashed-up beat. In another corner a guy was pumping out street moves to R'n'B as his friends and a bunch of girls cheered him on. There were empty beer bottles lining the walls, paper cups scattered about, and a few casualties from the cheap vodka and lager stumbling around. The sweet scent of a joint being passed around filtered through the corridor from a quiet room where some very mellow students were lounging around discussing the ethical merits of animal testing whilst a couple made out oblivious.

Carter dutifully got Kei a drink, and she disappeared to mingle as he caught up with his friends. Minutes later he went looking for her. To his surprise she was having a dance off with the R'n'B guy, grinning and laughing, cheered on by the small crowd that had appeared on the edges of the corridor, her whole body grooving to the beat. Carter pushed his way through the small audience and grinned as she requested a new tune - Tiny Dancer - and let the piano and strings flow through her body, her feet moving and shifting lightly over the floor, daring her opponent to join her with the new tune. He in turn whooped her on and started matching her moves, moving closer, grinning predatorily, hands reaching forward...

Carter seized Kei's outstretched hand, pulled her towards him, and started dancing with her, feet moving with hers, keeping her tight in his arms. She grinned up at him, her eyebrow raised knowingly, and didn't bother looking over her shoulder at the guy's disappointed face. Carter however just grinned at the arsehole.

"I was having fun there, you know." Carter frowned and peered down at her. Huh? "You interrupted. I thought you Baizens have better manners than that."

He smirked. "Well, you thought wrong, didn't you?" He slowly started maneuvering her away from the crowd that was now all dancing together. "You see, we Baizens are a selfish bunch. We like to take whatever we want."

She banged her head lightly on the wall behind her as he pushed her against it, and she burst out laughing, only to have her laugh smothered by his grinning kiss. She kissed him back, reaching her hand to his neck. When they stopped to breathe she started laughing again. "Gonna have to mend your ways then, huh?"

He burst out laughing too. "Why would I do that? Being selfish is fun." She giggled and kissed him again. "Wanna dance again?"

She laughed and nodded, and let him take her hand and pull her away from the wall and joined the people dancing around them, staying close to each other, moving together even though they were doing their own thing.

Quite naturally that didn't last long. They shouldn't have been dancing so close the animal testing discussion room. That couple that weren't talking in there was just too obvious an example. But neither Kei nor Carter were drunk or high, so getting some privacy was a bit more of an issue for them. A quick search easily found an empty room with a bed that wasn't piled with rubbish. Carter's friends who saw him go in and close the door behind him and his little girl all winked and toasted to his success with such a hottie, but half an hour when the occupant of the room unlocked the door, they found Carter and Kei fully clothed, just making out leisurely. They didn't take it badly being kicked out by the room's tenant and her boyfriend. Instead they returned to the party, danced for a while later, moving from one genre of music to another at their seemingly synchronised whim. And when they eventually left at one am - Kei did have a long-haul flight early in the morning - and kissed in the taxi home. But when they pulled up outside of The Silver Sakura, Carter stayed in the cab with the promise that he'd text her in the morning before her flight while she was waiting in the departures lounge. He then told the driver to wait until she was gone from view, and then gave the address of the Baizen residence.

It only occurred to him when he set his alarm for the morning that he'd turned into, what he always used to call, a smuck.

Didn't stop him from waking up with a start in the morning by his alarm to find himself hugging his pillow. Or from texting the following: Please get me: 1 bottle of scotch from Edinburgh, 1 recording of Northerner saying 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe', 1 Oxford University mug, 1 Cambridge University pen/pencil, 1 Big Ben souvenir, 1 pebble from Brighton beach. Any objections? x

He got back the following within a minute: You actually watched the Michael McIntyre sketch? :-P

He never thought he'd enjoy being a smuck.

Hold me closer tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today.

It's crazy. I don't think you recognize how strong your feelings are. So I dedicated this song to you. Listen.

Look I hope you recognize now what you really mean
Without you I couldn't do the song I sing
And I hope you like it too cause
It's nothing but the truth your not
Number one but you will be soon
Believe!

"This place is so... cool!"

Blair rolled her eyes in amusement. Serena had been saying that exact phrase almost non-stop since her arrival in New Haven, home to Yale University, one of the most prestigious colleges in the world. Despite Serena being vaguely set on Brown, which she had yet to visit herself, she'd been blown over by how 'cool' Yale's campus was. Blair herself was silently in awe: Yale was everything that she vaguely remembered from her father taking her to visit his alma mater when she was little, and more. The certainty that she'd always felt about how Yale was her destiny only strengthened. She couldn't imagine herself being anywhere else. She could see herself wandering around the campus as a student, wrapped in a Yale scarf in winter, having her own Yale sweatshirt, marching from lecture to lecture, from the library to her own private dorm late in the evening after studying hard. She could picture herself reading over her lecture notes over coffee at one of the cafes, of one day being one of Yale's distinguished alumni. Her future lay here. She couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

She could see similar thoughts going through the minds of her company. Dan was admiring the buildings, quizzing their guide about the creative writing courses at Yale, voicing his admiration for various Yale alumni who then published some of his favourite books, his favourite poetry. Serena was just gushing about everything, her own spirited enthusiasm both infectious and off-putting. Chuck also looked at ease, his eyes taking in everything around him, clearly listening to everything that the admissions director was saying.

Actually, when she thought about it, Chuck had been quiet ever since they'd left New York. To be fair to him, Serena was talking so much he didn't need to fill the silence. Blair knew that it didn't really matter whether or not Chuck came to visit Yale, or whether he liked it or not. Bart was quite adamant that Chuck was going to Harvard, the best college in the world, let alone the States, to major in business so that he would one day step into Bart's shoes. Chcuk wouldn't even need to be coerced into fulfilling his role; Bart's expectations were coercion enough, and Chuck's deep-seated desire to make his father proud would drive him the rest of the way. Much like Nate, Chuck had little choice over his future. Unlike Nate however, who seemed so ill-suited to the future prescribed to him by his father, Chuck fit his part perfectly already. His mind was perfectly molded for a life in business; managing Bass Industries was his destiny written by the world too. At seventeen he'd already made plenty of successes, some that even earned Bart's approval: Victrola, Monaco, and their continued profits. Chuck would do just fine.

Whether he'd be happy with it however was a different matter.

"What do you think, Bass?" Blair whispered to him, smirking, as they were shown round the library. "Think it'll do for me?"

He smirked back. Game on. "It's not bad, for a second rate college." He whispered back, careful to make sure their guide didn't hear him. Even in prospective students the long established rivalry between Harvard and Yale could hold sway. "I'm sure you'll manage." He teased back. She whacked him playfully on his arm and he chuckled to himself.

Then, to his barely concealed surprise, she took his arm and rubbed gently where she had hit him soothingly, even though she literally hit like a girl. He crooked his arm up as she continued to hold on at his elbow, and they walked on arm-in-arm. "Alright, seriously, what do you think?" She asked honestly.

This was new. He looked at her oddly. She wanted to know what he really thought? Since when was she really interested in what he thought? Blair Waldorf never needed to know what he thought. Then he just smiled sincerely at her, took his arm out of her light grip and put it round her shoulders. "It's perfect for you, Waldorf. Gonna be happy here?"

She scoffed at him. "Of course. This is my destiny."

Only right there and then, from the mouth of Blair Waldorf, was that not sanctimonious crap. So he smiled understandingly, and, removing his arm from her shoulders, offering it to her instead, he lead her out of the library to join the rest of their 'tour'.

Within an hour, Chuck had disappeared.

Hold you closer and don't let go,
I need to know how you feel too
So hold me closer and don't let go
I'm falling so please girl don't let go

Hold me closer tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today.

"Gone? What do you mean, gone?" Kei yawned into her cell phone. It was midnight, she'd been wandering around another campus all day, her feet hurt as a consequence, and the bed she was lying in was so cosy she could barely stay awake. Even as she spoke her eyes fluttered closed, her brain reminding itself to remain conscious.

"He's vanished, completely disappeared!" Blair almost shouted down the phone, causing Kei to jump hundreds of miles away, eyes definitely open now. "Have you heard from him?"

Kei yawned again. She couldn't help it, her extended weekend with jet lag was paying its toll. "No, B, I haven't talked to Bass since I left New York." Kei said, settling back into her pillow again. She was too tired to be worried. "I'm sure he's fine, Waldorf, this is Chuck Bass we're talking about, the boy can hold his own."

"Kei, he's been gone for hours." Blair said pointedly, her frustration fast approaching peak-point as she paced around the lounge of the penthouse suite they were booked into. "Where the hell could he be? New Haven's not that big a place."

Kei kept quiet pointedly. This was Chuck they were talking about, as she'd said. He could have been up to all sorts. Then she sighed. Maybe that wasn't the most comforting thing to make clear. "Rung his cell?"

Blair groaned. "Yes, it's switched off, it keeps going to voicemail."

"Okay." Kei said calmly, stiffling another yawn. "Well, just wait a little longer. Who knows, he might walk through the door right this -"

"Anyone home?" A familiar voice called out as the door slammed shut.

"- second." Kei finished, smirking to herself. "Talk to you later, B." And she hung up, grinning as she went back to sleep.

Blair glared at the carpet for a moment, attempting to rein in her temper. And then, the moment she turned and saw Chuck walk in, she exploded.

"Where the hell have you been?"

Chuck froze in the doorwar like a deer in the headlights.

"Why the hell is your phone switched off? Where the hell did you disappear off to?" Blair ranted. Finally, questions done and fuming, she pulled herself together a little. "You made me look like a fool in front of the dean with your vanishing act." Not true of course; the dean had waved Chuck's absence away, saying 'he must have found something interesting', not particularly surprised or disapproving of the group's numbers declining.

Chuck just stared at her for a moment, trying to gauge whether the worst was over and if it was safe to talk. He gave her a few minutes to breathe heavily, and then took his cell phone out of his pocket. "Had to switch it off, sorry." He switched it back on again. "Have you eaten yet?" He asked calmly, too calmly. Blair blinked, taken aback. "I'm starving, want to see what New Haven student cuisine is like?" Blair didn't answer, just carried on glaring at him, the lingering anger still simmering gently in her eyes. "I'll tell you where I was once I've got food in my stomach, Waldorf, I haven't eaten since breakfast." Chuck said placatingly. And then he started heading out, knowing she'd follow.

"So where were you?"

They were in a chic restaurant on the edge of campus, only a couple of blocks from the hotel. It was a nice place, full but calm and quiet. Dotted around were professors pouring over papers, nibbling their food slowly. Chuck managed to get them a table in the corner, close enough to the guy on stage playing guitar, with enough space around them that no one could eavesdrop. Before Blair was a perfectly seasoned Caesar salad with garlic bread balls, and Chuck was devouring his steak with sweet potatoe mash with gusto.

He peered at her over his plate, put another bite of steak in his mouth and put his knife and fork down as he chewed. When he was done he took a sip of the home made lemonade, watching out of the corner of his eye as Blair's eyes narrowed. Finally he put his glass done, trying not to smirk.

"I was kidnapped."

Blair's eyes widened with shock and she sat up in her seat, confused worry written into the palour of her face.

"By the Skull and Bones club."

She blinked, and Chuck tried not to laugh at the new expression on her face. Disbelief, relief, and annoyance. Mostly annoyance. She looked like she really wanted to hit just to vent.

"Really?" She said sceptically. He just grinned at her, daring her to not believe him. But she knew that grin, and narrowed her eyes. "Really?" She said again, uncertain. He nodded. "Oh." He carried on grinning in amusement. Yeah, 'oh'. "Why?"

He smirked and sat back in his chair, his answer written all over her face: 'I'm Chuck Bass'.

She scoffed in annoyance and took a bite of her salad, trying to ignore his smirk. She wanted to ask so many questions. Did he recognise any of the members? What did they do when they took him in? Was he a member of their group already, before he'd even started at a college he probably wouldn't even attend?

"Aren't you going to ask about it?" Chuck teased.

She glared at him. "No, I'm not."

He laughed outright. "Okay, have it your way." And he returned to his steak, still smirking. She rolled her eyes as she carried on eating her salad. God, he was so conceited.

They carried on eating in silence for a while, he calmly chewing his steak, trying not to smirk with every bite, she no longer able to taste the freshness of the leaves she was putting into her mouth. Finally she gave in and put her fork down, peered at Chuck as he ate. "What were they like?"

He smirked triamphantly for a moment and then he put his knife and fork down again to look up at her properly. There was nothing but curiosity left now.

"They're a bunch of freaks."

Blair burst out laughing. "What?"

"They are, every last one of them, the saddesr, lamest, most ridiculous individuals I've ever seen crowded into one room. They're more ridiculous than our parents, all high on the notion that it's okay for them to have a stick up their ass as long as that stick is antique gold and has been up the asses of America's richest and most influential. It's pathetic."

Blair smiled with surprise. "I would have thought you'd be more than happy to join their ranks, ascend to the top at full speed." She teased. She would have done it, if she'd been in Chuck's shoes.

He shrugged. "Probably. But I don't need them to be successful myself, Blair, whereas they do."

The surprise dropped out of her smile. Chuck returned to his steak, and after a moment of thinking about what he'd said she returned to her food too. They finished at almost the same time, both reaching for their glasses in unison. After their empty plates were taken away and Chuck asked for the dessert menu, Blair asked another question.

"What were you doing this summer?" Chuck looked up from the table cloth. Once again there was nothing curiosity in Blair's expression. This was new, Blair being curious about him.

It wasn't bad, actually.

"Serena told me you were in Monaco the entire time on business, but she never said what exactly you were doing." Blair said. This really was new, openly admitting that she'd kept track of his whereabouts. Then she seemed to realise what she said. "Every time she called she always celebrated your absence." She said, clumsily covering up her slip-up. Chuck smirked for a moment. That was a bit more normal.

So he told her everything about business in Monaco. About how he'd persuaded his father at let him go and replace the manager of Bass Industries' properties in Monaco who was embezzling funds. How he'd gone over the accounts and rebudgetted the resort, and analysed further investments on the business. How he'd made the beach his desk and worked in the sun. And matter-of-factly told her how much better things were by the time he'd left.

She listened carefully, attentively, genuinely curious about the business, asking questions to prompt him to continue. Dessert came - apple pie for him, passionfruit cheesecake for her. They ordered coffee for the digestion, even though it was getting late. And finally had to be asked to leave because the restaurant was closing up for the night. They carried on talking as they walked home, the conversation now miles from Monaco.

It felt weird when they parted ways for their beds, tiptoeing through to not disturb Serena and Dan as they cuddled up in front of some romantic comedy on the plasma screen, neither wanting to be questioned. Chuck paying the bill at the restaurant was the last thing to make it very clear to both of the them that they'd had dinner together.

They hadn't even had dinner together when they were seeing each other.

The last thing Blair did that night was reply to Kei's text: Everything alright now? x K x

Yes, everything's fine. Night x

Hold me closer tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today

Finally finished, took for-bleeding-ever, sorry about that. Real Life continues. As always, Gossip Girl doesn't belong to me, and the lyrics are from Tiny Dancer by Elton John and DJ Ironik. Please read and review, and I hope that all reading this are well.

Take care all,

Guard of the Heradi