She's burning up...
It's been a week since Blair and Chuck spoke at Serena's house. A week since Blair made such a huge revelation to Chuck. Why did she do it, she thought, as she laid in her bed, next to her sleeping princess....she was the one who was so adamant that Chuck should never find out the truth. But that moment, when Chuck asked her that dreaded question she felt it necessary to answer. It was her moment of weakness, like all the other times he would come to her and she'd fall for those eyes, she could never resist. She was glad that she'd closed the door when she did, only God knows what he would have asked next, God knows what she would have done if he had stayed a while longer...since that night, she couldn't seem to get him out of her head...he'd be on her mind day and night. That's what Chuck Bass did to her...drive her crazy. He made her feel like no one else ever could. In fact she hadn't felt like this in years...the feeling of lust and need, the feeling of temptation, the cold hands and shivering lips, the tingling in her stomach...it had been so long. After all these years, how did he have such a strong hold on her...how could she hate someone so much but love them even more....why did she have to know someone who she could forgive for any mistake he made....he had left her all those years ago...she knew it was her fault, she was the one that didnt trust him, she was the one that was always suspicious of him, she was the one who was insecure and thats what led her to sin...she was the one who cheated on him, it hurt her, but not as much as it hurt him, especially since he had changed for her, he had struggled in silence with the business and he had truly given everything for her, but she cheated on him and thats what ultimately drove him away. As much as it killed her that he'd left without looking back, he'd denied his daughter, as much as it killed her, she knew she was responsible...she had to start accepting that, she had to fully accept that she was responsible and that she had served the consequences....it was time to move on...with or without him....She got up from her bed. How could she even consider being with him again...it was out of the question....another moment of weakness, she had to be strong, she had to withstand the temptation...there was no way she was going to take that road again, there was no way she could let herself get trapped in such a relationship again....just because he was back in New York it didnt mean she had to have anything to do with him...it didnt mean they had to either be together or not...they could just be friends, or not even that, she had already told him never to bother her again and he had agreed, so if he kept his side of the deal then everything would be fine. She would never bother him again. They would never speak again. It is over. She sighed, how many times would 3 words and 8 letters haunt her...those words were the beginning and the end...but this time it was the latter, the end. It is over.
She hears a whisper. Bella. She'd woken up. Blair smiles and sits back down on her bed next to Bella.
B: Morning baby.
I: Mummy...(Blair smiles and kisses Bella's forehead, she notices that Bella doesn't look well)
B: Baby are you ok?
I: Mummy....it hurts.
B: Hey (she lifts her up on to her thighs and touches her face) Oh my God baby you're freezing. What hurts Bella?
I: Everything (she starts coughing)
B: Hey...it's ok..ill get your medicine...(she gets up to find her medicine and gives some to Bella)
After giving Bella her medicine she takes her to the bathroom to use the toilet but Bella can barely sit upright, she has to hold her the whole way. Blair becomes really worried and calls Bella's Doctor.
It takes the Doctor half an hour to arrive at Blair's house and Bella has become worse, she is vomiting and crying of pain. She keeps coughing and gasping for air as she is finding it difficult to breathe.
Once th Doctor does some checks he suggest that he should take them to the hospital straight away. Blair becomes really upset and scared but tries to stay strong in front of Bella. The Doctor carries Bella to his car and Blair follows as they head to the hospital.
Once at the hospital Bella has been taken to Accident and Emergency as she is having trouble breathing and also has a bad fever. Blair is told to wait out side whilst they take some tests. Blair is in tears she doesn't understand what is going on and one of the nurses is comforting her. She is crying really badly as she can see Bella through the window wearing a breathing mask with Doctors surrounding her trying to calm her down.
* * * * * * * * *
It was nearing the end of the day, Bella's Test results were impending. Blair was at Bella's bedside as she slept. Hopefully the worse was over and the test's would just show another infection which could be fixed with some new medication. Blair waited. quietly singing to her sleeping daughter, whilst rubbing her forehead. She was still cold, even in the heated room. Even with a fever, she was still cold.
It was almost another half hour before the Doctor finally came in to the room, holding some files. He looked concerned.
B: (she stands up) What is it? Are those her results? What's wrong with my baby?
Doc: Isabella's preliminary test results have shown some concern. We will have to keep her in the hospital for a while, we're moving her to the children's ward, she'll be in the ICU (intensive Care Unit)...
B: Wait...(begins to cry) does this mean she's serious?
Doc: We do still need to carry out more tests but, things are looking critical...with Isabella's history...this could be quite serious so we would like to be prepared for the worst.
B: Wait...what's wrong with her! You must know! Is it a transplant....does she need the Bone Marrow....i'll give it to her....i've told you we can use a transplant to fix this but you never listen!
Doc: Blair....we've spoken about this...it's too late for a transplant....the leukaemia is here to stay.
B: But she's never had anything like this before....what's wrong with her....please tell me (she is still in tears, begging for the Doctor to tell her)
Doc: Ok...i wasnt going to say anything until we were sure, but seeing as i've known you and Bella for so long, i want you to be prepared for the worst....Bella...is....showing typical symptoms of pneumonia....
B: (is shocked) what does that mean?
Doc: It means....the Leukaemia, all the infections she's had...they've started to get the better of her....if my judgement is right...then this is a serious case of pneumonia....she's going to be moved to ICU immediately to get the specialist care she needs.
B: (she runs back to Bella and holds her hands whilst sobbing) you cant leave me baby....you dont understand....i need you....(she kisses her and continues to cry) please...come back to me....
Doc: the nurses will be here soon, we'll be moving her within the hour....(he walks over to Blair and touches her shoulder) Blair...it'll be fine...you just need to be strong....for Bella...we knew this could happen one day....come on....you should take a break...get something to eat or get some rest.
B: No, i want to stay with my baby. i cant leave her.
The Doctor excuses himself and leaves the room. Blair begins to cry, she couldn't believe it had come to this...she thought Bella would get through it. she Knew how strong she was....she just had to keep hoping....Bella would get the best medical care in this hospital...she knew she couldn't afford it...but she didnt care, she'd get the money, no matter what...she knew from that moment that she would have to do anything and everything to get the money she needed to pay for the best medical care needed to get Bella through her latest illness.
* * * * * * * * *
The next afternoon.
It has been a little over a day since Bella's arrival at hospital. Blair has stayed with her the whole time.
The Doctors have officially diagnosed Bella with Pneumonia and Bella is in a critical condition. She is on heavy medication and pain relief. Blair hasn't spoken a word since the Doctors announced the diagnosis. One of the family support officers (FSO) has tried to convince Blair to go home to rest, she doesn't want to go home but asks the FSO to call Serena to the hospital.
almost half an hour later Blair sees Serena running up to her, Blair runs and falls into Serena's arm, bursting into tears. Serena tries to calm her down and comfort her but eventually cant help but cry with her. The both of them cry together for a while holding each other. The FSO is still there and asks them both to come to the waiting room so they can have some privacy. They follow the FSO into the waiting room, Blair is still crying but Serena has calmed down, she holds onto Blair's hand not wanting to let go.
Once in the room Serena sits onto the sofa and Blair falls down next to her, still in tears.
S: Hey.....(kisses Blair's forehead) be strong.....i know it's hard.....but we have to try....for Bella.
B: I (between crying) cant be strong.....not when she's so weak....i can feel her pain S.....i dont know what to do...
S: When did this start?
B: She'd been feeling sick for a few days, i thought it was just a fever....then yesterday morning she could barely move....she was coughing out blood....i was so scared S...(she continues to cry and Serena cuddles her)
S: We knew this would happen one day...we knew it would be this bad....we just have to hang in there....have hope....she's been through so much....she'll get through this...
B: I cant afford it S...they'll want money and i cant prove that i have it...what if they stop the treatment...what will ido.
S: Hey...you'll have the money....i'll pay for everything....
B: No....but you have your own kids to look after....you need your money...i know that you're saving for Zach and Pheobe's future...i cant take your money...
S: B....sshhh...dont worry about the money ok....i'll take care of it...i promise....even if it doesnt come from my account. i'll get it from somewhere...promise me you wont think about the money...it's not your problem....you just need to be strong for Bella....she'll get through this..
FSO: Blair...(she kneels down and puts her hand on Blair's knee) Bella is in critical condition....i know the best thing is to have hope....but we all know that we have to be prepared for all possibilities. This could be a long haul....anything can happen...and about the costs of medical care....the treatment is expensive but you shouldn't be worrying about that...you obviously have friends around you who are willing to take care of that....you just need to focus on coping strategies....
S: B....look at me....(she lifts Blair's head up) im not going to let anything happen to you.....no matter how this ends im going to be there for you....to pick up the pieces...i promise....i love you so much B. (she cuddles her tighter and Blair continues to cry)
FSO: I know one of the nurses is arranging a bed for you Blair...you'll be able to stay with Bella for a few nights at a time...you may need to return home to get some things, like clothes and stuff.
S: I'll go...Blair you can stay here...with Bella. I'll go get some things for you.
Serena hugs Blair goodbye before leaving for Blair's apartment.
* * * * * * * *
Half an hour later Serena arrives at Blair's apartment. It was a bit messy, there were dishes still on the table, some of Bella's clothes lying around. the TV was still on standby. Serena picked up the remote and put the TV on, there was a DVD inside, the finishing credits were playing. Blair and Bella were probably watching the movie during dinner and then must have gone straight to bed afterwards. She takes the DVD out of the TV, reading the cover. Beauty and the Beast....She smiles...it was Bella's favourite animated film....only because the name of the princess was Bella! she put the DVD back in its case and turned off the TV. She picked up some of Bella's clothes from the floor and folded them neatly, placing them on the sofa. She cleaned up the table and loaded the dishwasher. There were a few other things that Serena decided to clean up too. When Blair came home, cleaning would be the last thing she'd want to do so Serena made sure the house was clean.
When she was done cleaning, she went to Blair's bedroom. The bed was a mess...there were blood stains on the sheets....she remembered Blair saying that Bella had coughed out blood. She must have slept with Blair that night.
She finds a luggage bag and opens it, it was empty so she goes over to Blair's closet and begins looking for some clothes. She looks away for a moment...the emotion of what was going on with Blair overtook her. Tears began to fall from her eyes. She tried not to cry. She looked once more at the blood on the bed. She had to get rid of it. She went over and took off the sheets from the bed and threw them to the ground...she'd take them to the utility room and wash them later. She returned to the bedside, she noticed some letters on the bedside table....she opened them. Bills bills and more bills...all unpaid and overdue...then there was the payment reminder for Bella's medical treatment. She closed her eyes in shock when she saw how much money Blair owed. There was no way Blair could cough up this sort of money. It was too much, even for Serena. The emotion she felt was hard to control...she put the bills back on the table, she was going to find that money no matter what. There was no way she could let her best friend suffer like this.
She got straight back up and went to the closet once more, the sooner she got her things packed and sent over to the hospital the sooner she could find a way of getting the money. Lily would be the first point of call, she knew her mother would always be happy to help.
She reached up to get a towel and accidentally dropped a few things from the top shelf...she kneeled on the floor to pick the things she had dropped. one of the things was a good luck charm Blair had stolen from Constance...Serena laughed, it was more of a keepsake...there was a wind chime that hung above the gate at the school steps....Blair said it was where Chuck finally admitted his feeling for her, outside school by the gate. Every time she'd walk past it would remind her of that day, so on one day she decided to take it. Serena was surprised that Blair had held onto it for so long. She looked at the floor of the closet, noticing a box. She pulled it out. it had a padlock but it wasn't locked. She opened it. She couldn't believe what was inside...more than just keepsakes.
She emptied the box out...there were a number of things that stood out. All of them things that Blair had collected and kept for so long. She looked through the things, she came across something so ancient...the invitation to the Kiss on the Lips party! She couldn't believe Blair had kept that...then there were some photos...she flicked through them, most of them of her and Blair...she begins to cry, thinking of how everything had started...they used to think it was so difficult back then...but those times were nothing like the hard times they were going through today....she carried on looking at the photos, she saw a jewellery box amongst the contents. She opened it. She recognised it immediately and it made her cry....it was the Erik Beaumont necklace Chuck had brought for her...she still had it...after all these years....she was crying now...she couldn't control the tears....she saw an envelope and opened it...it was a letter from Chuck....the letter he'd left her the day he left, she read it...she couldn't believe what was written in there...Chuck was so angry...it was such a heartbreaking letter...Serena had never cried so much in her life...she was distraught...how could things have got so bad...how were they lives in such a bad state....why was she having the perfect life whilst Blair was suffering so much...it had always been like this, she'd have all the fruits of life whilst Blair would always fail at everything, Blair would never get what she wanted, she was losing everything....and all this time she thought Blair had moved on....But no, Blair had held on to everything....all these things, these memories they must have haunted her for so long.
It took her a while to get herself together....looking at the photos made her smile again, but still cry at the same time. She then noticed a letter from the hospital. She opened it. Inside were the results from Zane's paternity test. She read through the document....It was proof that Bella wasn't Zane's child.
She wiped her tears away with her sleeve putting all the things back into the box. She had to get the things Blair would need for the hospital...she packed a few things in the bag and returned downstairs loading the washing. Then she left the apartment.
* * * * * * * *
Serena arrived to her first destination. She called his name from the door....within a minute he arrived. She was still a mess, her eyes watery, she couldn't stop the emotions from getting the best of her. She had just made a difficult decision, it was make or break...she knew how much Blair would hate her for doing this without her permission, but maybe one day she would thank her.
S: Chuck...(he approached her)
C: Woah...what the hell happened to you? Is everything ok?
S: No not really..(she sniffs, wiping her eyes)
C: You've been crying, come inside tell me what's happened.
S: No Chuck i cant stay...i have to be somewhere. I just came to give you something (she held something out for him, he takes it)
C: What is this?
S: Open it. I have to go.
C: Wait...(she leaves his house before he can question her further)
He looks at what he is holding in his hand. He returns to his lounge, knowing that whatever it was, it would be something serious.
He took out the papers from the envelope and read it. He was in utter shock. It was like a blow to the face....the one thing in his life that he was so sure about on the outside but doubted on the inside...the answer was in his hand....the proof of Bella's paternity was in his hand. Zane's negative paternity test. Zane wasn't the father. Chuck was. All this time he had doubted her...this was the proof that would tear him apart...prove him wrong...it didnt change the fact that she'd cheated on him but it changed the fact that maybe if he'd stayed they could have sorted things out. Bella was his daughter...Blair had known all along....she had been suffering in silence for so long...all this time....this was the truth that he had dreaded the moment he had found out about Zane. Somehow he wasn't that surprised....it made him feel guilty that it actually took some piece of paper to convince him that Bella was his blood. why couldn't he just admit that she had his eyes....why couldn't he just admit that he could see himself in her....he had known straight after leaving the park that day that she was his...he could just never admit it until he had this piece of paper....is that how inhuman he was...it made him feel sick that he had denied such a beautiful girl a father....he felt sick that he needed scientific proof to acknowledge her as his daughter...he didnt need this test result....he couldn't look at it any longer....he threw it into the fire....no one would need that now...no one would need that proof...Blair's testimony would be enough....Bella's physical resemblance to him would be enough...she was his daughter....and no piece of paper needed to prove that. He had no idea what he needed to do next.
END SCENE
Thanks for reading! Next Episode will be up on the weekend, probably Sunday!
He's burning up...
