A Cinderella Christmas

We've Only Just Begun

Blair had being getting gradually more and more nervous the closer she got to Washington Square Park. Rufus had agreed to give her the day off and said she could have the afternoon off to go the New Years Eve party at Katie and Nate's. He had been in a good mood recently but Blair didn't care enough to find out why.

She had bigger problems, like what on Earth she was going to say to Chuck Bass. She didn't even know if he was going be in the apartment that Nate had given her the address for...but she had to take her chances.

Blair walked the side walks of Soho, snow was fluttering down in the wind, whipping Blair's hair back. She pulled her scarf up to cover more of her face and bent her head against the wind. Finally she passed the sign for the street Chuck's apartment was on, the street was mainly apartment blocks but a few shops dotted the street, she could barely see in the distance the trees of Washington Square Park. Blair glanced down at the address Nate had given her, this was it. She gulped, getting an eye full of snow as she looked up at the apartment block.

Just like outside Katie and Nate's apartment, a silver intercom box was fixed next to the door of the building. Blair looked for apartment 5A, and found it but no name was listed next to the apartment. She bit her lip and pressed the buzzer anyway, hoping against hope that it was the right apartment. It rang out for a moment, "Hi, it's Blair, I was just wondering if I could speak with you? Nate gave me your address..."

Silence.

Blair glanced around nervously, most people walking past were covered with umbrella's, trying to protect themselves from the wind and snow. She cleared her throat and tried again, "Hi Chuck, it's just me, Blair...". Yet again, no reply, he probably wasn't home...or maybe he had moved since Nate had lost touch with him. Blair felt the rising panic in her stomach and took a deep breath.

One more try then she would leave, "Chuck, it's Blair...I know about everything that happened with your Dad, how he disowned you and fired you. I guess I understand why you left in a hurry at the ball...you didn't want me to know about the scandal..." Blair trailed off, he defiantly wasn't home, all of this had been a bad idea. He didn't want to talk to her, why had she thought that she could find out more about him when he clearly didn't want to know her?!

Blair turned and walked back onto the sidewalk outside the building for a moment. Tears were threatening to spill as she bit her lip, feeling like an idiot, wondering where she should go. Katie's was a couple blocks from here, she should go there. Blair took a deep breath and began to walk towards Katie's, the snow was still falling against the wind, soaking her hair.

Blair had only taken 10 steps before she heard a shout from behind her, "Blair!".

She turned to see Chuck, standing outside his apartment building, his coat looked like it had just been thrown on and the laces on his boots hadn't been done up. His brown hair was messy and snow flakes had started to cling to it, reminding Blair of the first time she had ever seen him.

He ran towards her, people walking past stared at them in confusion but neither cared. As Chuck reached her he was breathing slightly heavier, "I'm sorry I left you at the ball." He said, his breath rising into the air, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth about my Father and I'm sorry I lied to you...but please believe me, everything else I said was true, I swear-"

"It's ok, I-" Blair began but Chuck interrupted.

"-No it's not ok, I was just scared, I didn't want you to think...to think lesser of me...I wanted to be the person you thought I was, going to balls every night and-"

"-I don't care about any of that!" Blair told him, putting a hand on his arm, "Sure I had the best time of my life but that wasn't because of the ball..." Blair hesitated for a second, wondering if she should said what she'd been dying to say for days now, "it was because of you!"