Days with Daddy: Through the Years

I Love Her

Henry is around 19 now going to Columbia

~~~

Chuck walked in to the sitting room of his brownstone and found his son sitting on the sofa with a glass of scotch in his hand and his head between his knees. It was around 1:00 which meant Henry should be at class and he knew his wife had taken Rose and some of her friends out shopping. He was curious as to why his son wasn't where he was supposed to be but he didn't ask right away. He could tell something was bothering Henry but decided it better to wait a while to speak since he hadn't noticed that Chuck had come in to the room. Chuck noticed the bottle of scotch still open on the counter so he walked over and closed it up. Henry must have planned to drink more than the one glass he had now, which was almost empty. Now he decided was the right time to talk.

"A little early for scotch, don't you think?" Henry jumped a bit but didn't look up so Chuck tried again. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

This time Henry responded. "Leave me alone." He still didn't look up. Almost as if he looked at his father, it would show all he was trying to hide.

"I will not leave you alone. You will not shut me out. I did that as a boy and it got me no where. And look at me when I speak to you." He tried to say as gently as he could in this situation.

This time Henry looked up for a second and said, "I'm not shutting you out. I'd just really like to be alone if you don't mind." He put his head back down.

"Well I do mind. I want to know why you are drinking this early in the day and why you are not at a class at a school your mother and I pay good money for." Chuck stated starting to raise his voice a bit. He was curious why his son was being like this but he wanted to know so he didn't push any buttons too far.

"I don't want to go. I'll see her there." He crackled out as he looked up at his father. Chuck now saw his eyes and how empty they looked. He had obviously been crying because they were also severely bloodshot. But now he knew. Henry and Charlotte Baizen had been going out for 7 months now and Chuck thought this would be it. He thought that he and Carter Baizen would officially be relatives.

"Did you two have a fight? What happened?" he asked as he sat down next to his son and put a hand on his back in consolation.

"I don't know. She got this crazy idea that I was cheating and she wouldn't even listen to me when I tried to tell her I wasn't. She said she had been expecting this and how could she expect me to be in a monogamous relationship. I don't even know what to do." he managed to get out before he broke down in sobs. "God, I love her so much dad. I can't lose her." he said between breaths. Chuck hugged his son tightly and finally figured out something to say.

"Then fight for her. If she really is the one, fight for her. She'll come back. If two people are meant to be together, they'll eventually find their way back." he echoed his words that he had said years earlier to Blair.

"How, Dad? I've tried calling her a dozen times now and I sent flowers."

"Just give her a day or two to cool off but for the meantime, I suggest no scotch and no crying because it's not officially over." and as he walked out he added, "and don't give up. I got your mother back after a fight more times than I can count on one hand."

"Thanks dad." Henry said with a genuine smile.

"Anytime, Hen."

~~~

Blair walked in to see Chuck already sitting on their bed in his silk pajamas. He was looking at the wall and appeared deep in thought. She wasn't sure whether to break the thoughts or let him keep thinking. She decided his thoughts were usually dangerous so she climbed onto the bed and put a hand to his arm. He felt the dip of the bed and looked over at her.

"What's bothering you, my love?" she inquired gently. She knew if it was something really bad he could potentially shut her out.

"Jesus, it's like staring in to a mirror when I see him upset." She knew he was talking about Henry. She had seen her son's bloodshot eyes earlier and the fact that the scotch bottle was only half full. "I used to cope the same way and it got me no where. It just made everything worse. I don't want him to have to go through the pain of losing her forever."

"He won't. Bass men fight for what they want. I'm living proof of that." Blair countered with a slight chuckle. "You're an amazing father, Chuck."

Chuck just nodded and kissed her head. With his lips still in her chestnut curls he whispered, "Je t'aime plus que la vie elle-même."

She answered with, "Je t'aime encore plus." And she fell asleep in his arms.

They were still deeply in love after all this time and they wished the same for their children.

~~~

Three years later, Charlotte Baizen became Charlotte Bass and Carter and Chuck shook hands without wanting to strangle each other.