Hey Upper East Siders. Did you miss me? The original may be gone, but now that the next generation of our favorite upper easters have come of age, it's time for me to carry on the torch. Let's see if they live up to their parents. I'll be watching...

xoxo

gossip girl

Henry was sitting in his room adjusting his St. Jude's uniform when his little sister Audrey walked in. She was only a few months younger than he was, but people always thought she was older.

"Have you checked your phone?" she demanded holding hers up.

"Do you ever knock?" he asked opting to ignore the question.

"This is serious, H! Gossip Girl is back. Do you think we should tell Mom and Dad?" Audrey asked sitting on his bed like it was her room.

"No way. You know how they get," Henry reminded her.

"You're right. There's nothing those two love more than a good scheme," she agreed shuddering. Mr. and Mrs. Bass believed in being open with their children, and they'd been forced to endure explicit anecdotes about their youth more times than they cared to admit.

As if on cue, their parents ran past the room, their mother in a fit of giggles.

"Every morning," Henry sighed shaking his head.

"Don't they ever get tired?" Audrey mused.

"Who knows? Let's just escape before they get carried away," he answered picking up his bag.

"Not so fast you two. Your mother wants to wish you good luck," Chuck interrupted walking in behind a grinning Blair.

"You guys are so grown up," she cried wrapping her arms around her children.

"Mom, please. You do this every year," Audrey grumbled.

"This year is different. I have a gift for you," she announced.

"Come on, Henry. This is a girls only talk." Henry didn't have to be told twice-he jumped up and followed his father out of the room.

"A gift?" Audrey asked confused. "Open it," Blair encouraged holding it out to her.

Audrey opened the box to find a silk red headband. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She'd been dreading this talk since the first time her mother told her about her days as queen, a faraway look in her eyes.

"It's beautiful, Mom," she assured her smiling.

But Blair Waldorf-Bass could not be fooled. She knew the look of a daughter whose mother didn't understand all too well.

"What is it, A? You can tell me- I'll love you no matter what."

Audrey looked up at her mother, feeling a sharp pang of guilt. Her grandmother hadn't always been the most supportive parent, and Audrey could see her mother attempting to quiet her demons.

"I know Mom. I just... Being Queen doesn't mean as much to me as it did to you. I love hanging out with Franky on the Met steps, but I don't care if someone sits higher than us," she explained uneasily.

"Then you'll be a different kind of queen. Much kinder and understanding than I was, and I'll be all the more proud of you," Blair said after a minute.

"Thanks Mom. And I really do love the headband," Audrey assured her sliding it on.

"It looks even better on you," Blair sighed beaming.

"Trust me, Mom- no one could ever live up to your days as queen. You're a legend," Audrey pointed out.

"It's official. I have the best daughter in the world," her very emotional mother pointed out hugging her.

"Audrey! We're gonna be late," Henry called walking in.

"I'm coming. Mom just wanted to give me a new headband," she told her brother gathering up her book bag and her favorite Burberry fall coat.

"Take care of your sister okay? I love you," Blair said wrapping her arms around her son, who was almost taller than she was.

"Mom, we're not going off to war. We'll see you later," he assured his mother laughing.

"The town car's downstairs. Time to go."

Henry and Audrey turned to where their father was leaning in the doorway.

"Okay. Bye. Love you," Audrey said hugging him.

"I love you too. Have a good day," Chuck answered reluctantly releasing his daughter. He loved both his kids equally, but there was something about the bond between father and daughter that was different than the one between father and son.

"Don't get into too much trouble," he warned his son jokingly.

"I won't do anything you wouldn't do," Henry answered smirking.

"That's what worries me."

As soon as the kids were out of earshot, the couple turned to each other.

"Arthur's downstairs. Need a ride to work?" Chuck asked, knowing his wife's fondness of the back of his limo.

"I thought you'd never ask. I'll have Dorota call in late and meet you out front," she told him.

"Okay," he agreed, but when he leaned in to kiss her, she shook her head.

"Uh uh. Patience," she said teasingly.

"Fine," he conceded smirking knowingly, "But I expect to be rewarded later. "

She gave a smug smile in return. "And you will be."

The courtyard between Constance and St. Jude's was abuzz with activity- couples reuniting and girls squealing about tans and summer vacations. But everything stopped when The Bass Twins stepped out of their town car. They weren't actually twins, of course, but with their dark hair, mischievous brown eyes, and secretive smiles, they might as well have been. The whispers started automatically-there they were, heirs to the Upper East Side thrones. The prince and princess of Manhattan.

"Every year," Audrey grumbled as they walked to their favorite table at the center of the courtyard by the fountain.

"That's what happens when your parents are legends. We might as well enjoy it," Henry answered.

"You're right. As usual," Audrey replied, flipping her hair over heir shoulder. They were Henry and Audrey Bass. They were who everyone wanted and everyone wanted to be.

Spotted: H and A entering their kingdom. Careful Baby Bass- something tells me this year won't be all glitz and glamour. That's right, kiddies. It's time for a scandal.

xoxo

gossip girl