Blair and Chuck.
4 and a half years later
He smiled once more, tilting his head a little lower. A strand of hair falling onto his forehead. A little hand from the small boy sitting at his feet began playing with the strand of hair. He turned his head around wondering where she would be standing. She needed some time alone. He found her, she wasn't too far away. Standing by the tree, of course, looking up at the sky. It brought a tear to his eye. He could never understand how she really felt. He never would. It had been like this last time this year, and every year since she'd left them. It was still fresh though and he could still tell that the wounds hadn't yet healed. So he would give her the space and time...he would never rush her, this was her time...he'd make sure she knew he was there for her, but he wouldn't interfere with her mourning...that was something too personal to her, something too painful.
It took her an hour or so to find the strength to walk back over to him...to the grave. She was ready for the bit they would always do together...laying the flowers, saying a small prayer and just talking to her. She would never cry at the foot of the grave, that's what the tree in the distance was for. She could never let Bella see her cry.
She knelt down next to Chuck who had been sitting with Dylan waiting patiently for Blair to be ready. Dylan was still only 3 so he didn't really understand the whole situation with Bella. He knew who she was and that he would never see her because she was in heaven, but he was still only a toddler, he probably didn't fully understand what had happened to his sister. He was a true blessing to both Chuck and Blair...he was one of the reasons that Blair had become the strong woman she was today. It gave her and Chuck that extra bit of solidarity...getting married soon after Bella's death was the first step towards that future they had always dreamt of, but the loss of Bella had stung them deeply. It was always looming over them everyday...especially for Chuck....the guilt and the regret from denying his child a father and being apart from Bella and Blair for so many years.....sometimes he blamed himself for her death and it could have destroyed their marriage. It almost destroyed him. But he had to get over his pain and torture just so that he could be there for Blair once and for all, after what they had been through there was no way he was going to let anything come in between them again. This time he was in it for the long haul, so was she...that's the promise they made to each other the night he proposed to her....that emotional night he could remember so clearly...
It was only 4 months since Bella's death, but they were 4 long months....time Chuck felt was too precious to waste like this. She had moved into his house, which was a good thing because she didnt think she could return to the apartment that she lived in with Bella...there were too many memories.
since that day in the hospital, Blair hadn't left Chuck's side...she was totally dependent on him, just as he was dependent on her. Their lives were incomplete without each other.
Serena had almost had a break down too, the pain from seeing her two best friends torn to pieces along with the stress of looking after Phoebe, it was too tiring. She was lucky to have Dan by her side. It was Serena's idea for Chuck to speed things up with Blair. Serena always wanted what was best for them. She had spoken to him only a few weeks ago, about his future with Blair...it was time to get things moving, she had said. Move on from all the bad things that had happened and bring something good into Blair's life. He knew exactly what she meant, he knew exactly what he had to do.
So it was a Friday night...he wanted to do something special for this moment...the moment they had both waited for. He told her they were going for a meal at a nice restaurant so she got dressed up. She looked amazing as usual. The limo had stopped and Chuck opened the limo door on Blair's side but told her not to get out. The view from her open door was the river...it was beautiful at twilight...just like her, when the moonlight shone on her blushed cheeks, leaving a subtle twinkle in her eyes.
She was confused, why did she have to stay in the limo, and why weren't they at a restaurant?
Thats when he got down on his knee and began telling her how amazing she was and how sorry he was for making their journey here such a painful one. She obviously began to cry and told him that he wasn't to blame...they poured their hearts out, his hand was shaking and he could barely remember where he'd put the ring...she knew what was coming. Thats when he proposed...both of them in tears. The way the words fluttered out of his mouth..."Three Words, Eight Letters, Be My Wife..." this was the moment that she'd waited so long for...and it had to be three words and eight letters.... It's not like she'd ever say no. It was Chuck Bass, the love of her life, he was always going to be the one she'd marry, and for him to propose in the back of the limo, where most of their memories were, was just perfect. So of course she said yes and they kissed, then they just held each other and looked across the river until it was pitch black outside...her eyes flickered briefly before he noticed she had fallen asleep. His sleeping beauty. So they made their way home.
He put his arm around her and she looked down at Dylan, holding his hands and smiling.
B: Baby, do you want to say anything to your sister?
D: Can i ask her if she's ok?
B: Of course you can.
D: (he became a little shy, before whispering) Are you ok down there?
Down there....only an innocent child could say something so innocent. It brought a tear to Blair's eye...thinking that her poor little baby Bella was all the way down there, under the ground, under all the soil, locked up in a little box with no air. In absolute darkness. But she couldn't cry, she had promised herself she'd never cry in front of Bella. She wiped away a stray tear before digging her face into Chucks shoulder. He rubbed his hand over her head.
C: Dylan, Bella is fine...she's in heaven..........and she misses all of us.
D: Did she say that to you or are you making it up?
C: No, she said it to me. Why dont we let mummy talk to Bella now? (he lifts Blair's head off his shoulder) Go on honey....talk to her.
B: (sniffs) You go first...
C: (he gives her a reassuring smile before picking up the flowers and placing them at the foot of the gravestone) Hey Bella...daddy's here....and look what i have for you...(he takes out a small toy butterfly from his pocket) mummy told me you loved butterflies...Me and mummy took Dylan to the fairground and i saw this stand with lots of toys and we brought something for Dylan, then i saw this collection of toy insects and when i saw this butterfly i thought you might like it.
D: Can she play with toys in heaven.
C: Yeah, of course she can, she can have anything she likes in Heaven....(there is a short silence) You know what else...Aunty Serena and Dan are coming to see you tomorrow....Zach and Phoebe will be coming too. They all miss you so much. Zach's gone so big now....................(short silence) You'd be just as big if you were still here....(he tries to stop himself feeling so emotional but he cant help it, his eyes well up and a tear rolls down his cheek, Blair quickly wipes it away as if to say he wasn't allowed to cry in front of her) I miss you baby....i just wish i could have had more time with you.....i know i say this every time, but, im sorry for not being there for you and im sorry for not being a good daddy.
B: Chuck....please.....she knows you're a good father....she got to spend those last moments with you.....thats all she wanted...just a few seconds was enough for her. (She puts her hands onto his face before they embrace)
Dylan, sat for a moment, still sitting in front of Chuck, just watching as his parents held each other. He managed to crawl his way back into his fathers lap, Blair moved slightly loose of Chucks hold to make way for her son. It was probably her cue to have her turn to speak to Bella. Chuck smiled at her, again, his way of telling her to carry on ahead. She smiled back and then leaned towards Bella's grave. She read the inscription on the grave stone. She knew what it said off by heart because she was the one who had thought it up, but she would still read it out loud every time she visited.
B: "A little life for a little girl, but the imprint you have left in all our hearts will last forever. We'll come to get you soon baby" (she pauses for a while) Daddy and me were talking about babies last week...we want to have another one (she looks over at Chuck and they smile at each other). I know how much you wanted lots of brother and sisters but i always told you i couldn't have them on my own...(she giggles) but now that daddy's here we can have lots and lots...you'd like that wouldn't you....another brother or sister? Then there'd be the four of us.
C: Unless we have twins or triplets (they both giggle)
D: What are those?
B: (giggles again) its when you have more than one baby at the same time...Like Ana and Alex (neighbours).
C: You'd like another brother or sister wouldn't you Dylan?
D: Yeah...then i can play with someone that isn't Phoebe or Zach!
B: (looks back towards Bella's grave) I miss you baby....you have no idea how much...i think about you everyday...every time i see myself in the mirror...i see you...every time i see your things...your clothes...your favourite dolls...i still cant throw them away because i know you loved them so much..........but about a month ago....i kind of let daddy put them away....safe...in the loft....because sometimes i'd go into the room where all your things were and i'd get really sad...so daddy got upset and said he didnt like seeing me sad all the time...so i let him move your things...but he was right....there's no point in being sad all the time is there Bella?...not when im going to see you again one day. And not when i spent 5 amazing years with you. I'll always love you more and more each day....i dont have to look at your shoes or talk to your dolls just to remember you...your always on my mind...always in my heart, (she holds Chuck's hand) in both our hearts. I know what you're thinking....that i say this to you every time we visit....but i know you'll never get sick of it....you love hearing us tell you how much we miss you...how much we love you....(she smiles) so we'll do it all the time....especially on this special day.
She smiles once more, before falling into Chucks arms. The three of them stay there for at least another hour or so before Dylan gets restless and Chuck decides they should probably go home. They both say their final goodbyes to her, before telling Dylan to do the same.
B: Say Happy Birthday to Bella.
D: Happy Birthday my favourite sister in the whole world!
C: Good boy....come on (he picks Dylan up on to his shoulders) lets go home.
Chuck begins to walk off. Blair would always stand for a moment longer before following after her husband. She always liked to be the last to leave, just so that Bella knew she'd looked back before leaving. After all the two of them had a special bond, a bond that she couldn't quite put into words. Much like the bond she shared with her husband...so i guess you could say she was pretty lucky. She'd had a roller-coaster of a life...but she had finally got the happy ending she'd wished for. Mrs Bass. That's what she was now. Being his wife made up for everything that had gone wrong. She knew things would only get better for them. So did he, this time around he'd make sure things were always perfect...she was his Queen B. He was going to take good care of her. Together they were unbreakable...and having Serena and Dan around made things easier too. The four of them had began this journey as teenagers and they had come a long way since high school. But they had come through it together. They were a family now, nothing was going to come close to breaking them. They were finally happy and Blair and Chuck could get on with their lives and be themselves, the fun, adventurous couple that they always were but without the arguments and without the fights, just like they had always wanted.
THE END
Chuck and Blair.
Back in Manhattan....Five Years On.
