" Blair we'll be fine. And I promise; if something goes wrong I will call you right away," he couldn't fathom why people thought he couldn't take care of his own son without help.
"Okay fine you know I just get worried with him being only two months old. I left some bottles in the refrigerator for when he gets hungry and then there's also formula for when you run out of the milk. I also set out the diaper rash cream and-" he cut her off with a kiss. "I can take care of my son."
"Alright well I'll see you in a week when I get back from Paris. Love you both so much!" She gave them both kisses before she followed Arthur out the door to the limo with her luggage.
~~~
"Well looks like it's just you and me bud." Henry started to coo and squirm a bit in his father's arms. "I know I miss mommy already too but she'll be home soon."
Chuck glanced at the clock and noticed it was already 7:30. He figured he should give Henry a bath, feed him, and then see how long he'll sleep. He brought Henry into his and Blair's bathroom and stripped him down so he was only in his diaper. "Okay my little man, time for a bath." Henry just stared up at him and smiled. After he had bathed Henry he went down to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle out of the fridge. At first he wouldn't take to a bottle but with the little coaxing from Chuck, he sucked happily. Finally Chuck got him to fall asleep in the bassinet next to his and Blair's bed.
Chuck awoke with a start at 3:00 to the sound of Henry's cries. He swiftly picked him up and started rocking him. "Are you hungry again? Or did you just want Daddy's attention?" He asked as if Henry would respond. He finally got Henry to calm down after another bottle and some walking around on the rooftop garden. He brought him back into the bedroom and set him back into the bassinet. "Sleep tight my little man."
He now woke up to the sound of his alarm at 8:00 signaling it was time for work. He decided he wouldn't call off the whole week and would just take Henry to work with him. I mean how hard could it be? Henry heard the alarm too which woke him up and caused him to start wailing. Oh jeez, Chuck thought, it was going to be a very long day.
~~~
He walked into Bass Industries with a Louis Vuitton diaper bag slung over his shoulder and Henry in his carrier on his arm. As he strolled through the entrance and toward the elevator he got many surprised looks from employees. Many people were aware that Chuck Bass did indeed have a young son who he loved very much but they had never seen him interact with his son until today. As soon as Chuck stepped in the elevator he was greeted by Mr. Brandise, the CFO of his company.
"Hello Mr. Bass. How are you doing on this fine morning? I see you brought your son to work with you today," he stated in a sympathetic way.
"I'm doing fine thank you. And yes my wife is away in Paris for Fashion Week and I've given our nanny the week off to spend with her children. Henry and I will be bonding these next few days," he chuckled.
"Oh that's great. Well this is my floor. It was nice chatting with you," he said brightly.
Chuck pressed the close button and groaned because he realized that would be the first of many conversations today. He rode until he reached the top floor and then stepped out. He was immediately greeted by his assistant who looked startled, "Mr. Bass I wasn't aware you were bringing Henry with you today! It's so nice to finally have him in the office! Would you like me to watch him while you are in your meetings?"
"Thank you. But no thank you. I'll just keep him with me in the meetings and then we'll leave right after I'm finished here," he stated blatantly.
"Well alright. You have a meeting with the mayor at 10:00 and then with some people from Sotheby's for lunch. I believe that's all," She said.
~~~
Chuck sat around waiting in his office for a while and finally at quarter-to-ten his assistant peeked her head in the door and announced that the mayor was here. He told her to send him in while Chuck situated Henry next to him with a pacifier and a bottle handy, just in case. The mayor walked in and immediately noticed the bottle sitting on the side of Chuck's desk and the tiny set of hands reaching up from behind the desk. It was rare that you ever saw Mr. Bass with his baby without his wife by his side but the Mayor decided to try to think nothing of it. He too had had young children at one point and knew how hard it could be to let them go without one parental unit with them at all times. Why it wasn't Mrs. Bass, he didn't know.
The silence finally broke with a cry from behind the desk which seemed to startle both the men at first. However, Chuck leaped in to action and unclicked the little boy from his carrier. He then proceeded to lift him out and cradle him while feeding him a bottle. Chuck and the mayor talked while all of this was going on and got permission from him to start building a new hotel.
"It was a pleasure meeting with you and it was nice to see your son. Where is your lovely wife though? Isn't she the one who stays home with him?"
"She's currently in Paris for Fashion Week so I'm spending the week with my little buddy. It was nice seeing you again. Maybe when Blair gets back we could all go out to dinner. Your wife as well, of course."
"Oh that would be nice. Thank you Mr. Bass!" he said greatfully. And with that, he walked out marveling at the new side of Chuck Bass he had seen today. Most people see Mr. Bass as a cold-hearted business man when he isn't around his wife. But with his son, he's even more gentle and caring; something his father never was.
"Well you made it through your first business meeting. One day this will all be yours Henry, if you want it. This whole city will be yours. But don't worry baby boy, nothing will ever come between our family. I'd give up my whole empire for you and your mother at the drop of a dime, because nothing will ever make me as rich as my family. I would die for you my love. " Chuck spoke with a passion rarely seen "What do you say we go home and give mommy a call? We still have about an hour and a half until our lunch meeting and her flight probably just landed."
~~~
"Hello, beautiful. How was your flight?"
"It went as well as it could go I suppose. But oh my gosh Chuck, behind me on the plane there was this three year old little boy with blonde hair and brown eyes named Aiden that kept talking about his trucks and all these cars and oh he was so cute. It makes me hopeful for when Henry's older. Except he'll be talking about bow ties and touch football. The little boy's mother and I talked for a while and she said how she was a teacher at a prep school in Boston and how his father was a contractor for some big name company. They're both originally from France and so they're going back to visit some family. The little boy spoke French really well and that made me think that we should start teaching Henry once he starts talking. How was your day?" she rambled on.
"That's great, my love but that's still about a year off. Our day was great. I got the deal with the mayor to go through, I have another meeting over lunch in about an hour which Henry will gladly accompany me to. I'll let you get some sleep. I love you."
"I love you too. Hope you have a good rest of your day."
He glanced at the clock and decided he would take Henry for a stroll through Central Park before walking to the café.
As they walked through the park, Henry started to get fussy because he needed to be fed. Chuck stopped at a bench and pulled out a bottle so he could feed his son. All of a sudden he heard a voice in front of him. He recognized the voice from high school but hadn't heard it since. So he looked up and was met with Josh Price; a boy who followed him around at St. Jude's.
"Is that Chuck Bass? With a baby? What prostitute did you knock up on accident?" he laughed.
"My wife; Blair Bass. You may have remembered her as Blair Waldorf at the time."
"Woah man. So sorry I just never thought you'd be one to get married. That's awesome though. He's cute. How old is he?" Josh rambled on trying to cover his mistake up.
"It's alright. And this is Henry. He's 2 months as of yesterday."
Chuck quick glanced at his watch and noticed it was 11:45. If he didn't leave now, he would be late to lunch. "Well it was great seeing you again Joshua but I really must get going to a meeting. Maybe you'd like to meet for drinks sometime?" He handed him his business card and with that he was off with Henry.
~~~
By the time he arrived, the men were already sitting at the table reserved for them and Chuck just groaned. Was he really that late?
"My sincerest apologies for my tardiness, gentlemen. Henry got hungry and so I had to stop and feed him. You see, I'm watching him while my wife is in Paris for Fashion Week."
The men all said it was completely fine and that they were glad at least one set of Upper East Side parents were attentive to their children. Chuck just smiled at this because that's what he and Blair always wanted to be.
Henry slept through the entire lunch meeting and on the way home.
"Okay well bud, you lasted your first day at my company. What should we do next? Oh and Henry, I'm taking the rest of the week off so it's just you and me. My father always said business before family but I think it should be the other way around because I love you and mommy so much. I'd rather spend time with you," he said to Henry as he layed him in the bassinet. Chuck layed next to him in the bed and they both fell asleep.
~~~