A/N: So, some of you may find this story familiar, and there's a reason for that. This is exactly the story you think it is, and I am the original author. I started 'The Bass Habit' over a year ago and never quite got to finish it. This was due to a plethora of reasons, and the story, sadly, suffered the brunt. After some slight account mishaps and a year of med school-induced writer's block, I have decided to finish this story.
I would like to apologize to the original readers who fell in love with this little piece and supported me all the way. It was never my intent to leave you high and dry. Hopefully you'll allow me to make it up to you.
To start with, I will be reposting the original story bit by bit, and I'll be simultaneously writing the end. I just wanted to repost the first chapter now to gauge if anyone is interested in this.
Happy reading!
SUMMARY: While searching for his mother, Chuck Bass comes across someone he never knew existed: his younger sister, Cheyanne Bass. Accepting his invitation to move to New York, she soon crosses paths with Carter Baizen, who is immediately intrigued by how different she is from Serena van der Woodsen, the girl who kept breaking his heart. Initially, his intentions towards her are purely selfish, but as he gets drawn deeper and deeper into her innocence, and begins to unravel her secrets, he finds himself trading his bad habit for a Bass one.
DISCLAIMER: I honestly don't remember the last time I saw anyone include one of these.
Chapter 1:
Carter gritted his teeth, declining yet another call from Serena. He thought he'd made himself clear last night, when she used him to ruin Chuck's business deal, and he told her that he was done. Done being her lap dog, done coming to her rescue, done giving her his heart when all she did was stomp on it time and time again. Apparently she did not get the message, since she had been calling and texting him nonstop. I'm sorry, Carter. I just want to talk, Carter. Please answer the phone, Carter. Every vibration, every ping of his phone made his jaw clench harder, and he finally shut the damn thing off, deciding it was the better alternative to breaking it in half.
He looked up, finally realizing that he had reached Grand Central, his destination. He intended to buy a ticket to somewhere, anywhere, and disappear for a while. The idea had entered his head when he'd left home in a huff early that morning, with nothing but a credit card and his phone in his pocket. He had no suitcase on him, but this wouldn't be the first time he disappeared on a whim, so he knew that his last name and face, plus his money, would get him wherever he needed to go.
Taking a seat on a bench, he looked over the train schedules, trying to find a desirable destination. After a while, he let out a small groan of frustration, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. All of the destinations were quite fine, if it weren't for the fact that he really did not want to go anywhere that Serena wasn't. He wanted to turn his phone back on and answer her calls, tell her he forgave her and throw his heart at her feet once again, but for what? To what end? What good would it do?
Carter Baizen was no saint, and he knew it. He'd done terrible things, like cheat Nate Archibald out of his money, take advantage of Blair Waldorf at a very low point in her life and make an enemy out of Chuck Bass. Neither of the three were any more innocent than he was, though, and he'd tried to make amends. He tried to change, for her, to show her he could be a good person, one worth her time, but she just left him in the dust. In all actuality, she was no better than him, as the Upper East Side tended to stain those who had the bittersweet privilege of being born there, but he wanted her, more than he had ever wanted anything in his life. So much for trying to redeem myself.
A tiny tap on his shoulder had his eyes opening, and he looked up, ready to snap at the person who had interrupted his pity session. He paused a bit as he took in the girl standing before him, the retort dying on his tongue, lips parting in surprise. Carter gave her a once over, taking in her simple red dress, the bodice of which was hidden under a white, long-sleeved crocheted sweater, paired with brown wedges. It wasn't her face that gave Carter pause, although she was definitely pretty, he noticed, nor was it the dark, wavy, waist-length hair, or the full pink lips that she was currently chewing on in a nervous manner. It was her eyes, bright and violet and framed by thick, dark lashes that were so long they curled back naturally.
He cleared his throat, getting to his feet and putting on a charming smile, resisting the urge to laugh as her eyes widened upon seeing it. "Can I help you?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets. She leaned against the handle of the larger of her suitcases, toeing the ground nervously with one foot, something a child would do.
"Yeah," she said, voice soft and shy and sweet and definitely not like any girl Carter had ever met. "I'm not from here." He'd guessed as much. Her clothes, while expensive and stylish, were not similar to how the girls from New York dressed, especially those from the Upper East. They were all about jewellery and high heels and large handbags, dressing as though they were all in competition with each other.
"I can tell," he said, extending a hand to her. "Carter Baizen." She took his hand, and Carter marvelled at the smooth feel of it, the bare nails, as opposed to the prim and polished ones of the typical UES girl.
"Cheyanne Bass," she replied, causing him to take a step back. He wasn't aware that Chuck had any other family members besides his father, who was dead, and his uncle, Jack, who barely had any interaction with him. Maybe this was Jack's kid?
"Bass?" he repeated, "as in Chuck Bass?" The girl bit her lip, gripping the handle of her suitcase tighter, knuckles going white.
"Why does everyone have that reaction?" she asked softly, but Carter heard the irritation in her voice. It was clear he was not the first person she had reached out to for help. "Did he do something wrong?"
Carter did laugh then. "Just one thing?" She raised an eyebrow at him, obviously not having the slightest idea of Chuck's reputation. Deciding to humour the girl, he tried again. "He's well known, and has a bit of a reputation, which you'll find out about soon enough. How do you know him?"
"He's my older brother," she answered, fixing her sweater as it slid of one shoulder.
"I didn't know Bass had a sister," Carter said, eyebrows rising into hs hairline. The girl shrugged, tapping her nails against the handle.
"Until recently, I didn't know he existed," she explained, "and he didn't know about me. I was looking for my mom, and it seems like he was too because we found each other. We stayed in touch through letters and emails when we did, but when our dad died he wanted me to come stay with him, where he could look after me. I told him I'd be fine with my maid in Canada- she practically raised me herself- but he insisted." She spread her arms a bit, before dropping them back to her sides. "And here I am."
"Huh," Carter said, momentarily at a loss for words. Chuck Bass had a little sister, and a very innocent one at that. Who would've thought?
"Yeah," she nodded, "and my train got here early but I can't find my way out of this station. I keep stopping people to ask for help but they either laugh or look at me weird when they hear my last name." A small frown pulled down the corners of her lips, and Carter noticed the crease that appeared between her eyebrows. "The people here aren't friendly at all." Carter reached out to cover her hand with his own, and she jumped at the contact.
"I'm afraid they aren't," he said, "but luckily for you, I quite enjoy helping pretty girls." Her cheeks darkened to a dull scarlet, and Carter bit back a smile. This girl was not aware of how cute she was. "I'll walk you out," he said, taking a hold of one of her suitcases and motioning for her to follow him. She did so, mumbling a quiet thank you.
"So you're Canadian?" he asked, leading her to the elevator and pressing a button.
"Well, technically I'm American," she informed him, wincing as her suitcase almost got caught in the door, "because I was born here, in New York. My mom moved me to Canada when I was a year, and left me with Jessie- that's my maid- who took care of me. I have dual citizenship." Carter felt a bit bad for the girl. He wasn't that close to his parents by any means, but at least they'd never taken him to a completely different country and dumped him off on a complete stranger.
"What about your dad?" he asked, opening the doors and leading her onto the busy sidewalk. He wasn't sure why he was so interested in her backstory, but it kept his mind off of his own problems, and he was grateful.
"Oh, him," she said, making a face as the sun hit her straight in the eyes. "He visited me some times, mostly around my birthday. We weren't really that close, he just sent me money and took care of me financially. Apparently he's some rich guy." Oh, if only you knew.
"So, how long are you going to be staying?" Carter asked her, knowing that a new school year was starting soon. She looked to be about high-school aged, or a very young college student.
"The rest of the year," she said, tip-toeing in an effort to see over the crowd. "Chuck told me I could finish my senior year at Constance, I think it was. After the reactions I've been getting by mentioning my last name, I'm probably going to be a pariah when everyone at school finds out who I am."
"They probably already know," Carter said, deciding not to sugar coat it. "Gossip Girl probably already put it up." The girl turned to face him, confusion evident on her face.
"What's Gossip Girl?" she asked. This poor girl.
"It's more like a who-," he began, before he was cut off by a very angry, manly yell.
"Baizen!" Carter gritted his teeth again, the semi-pleasant mood he'd slipped into rolling right off of him. Soon enough, Chuck Bass was standing between him and his little sister, and he did not look happy.
"Chuck," he said, nodding his head. Chuck grabbed the suitcase from him in disgust, and Carter rolled his eyes.
"I thought you'd be gone after what you did last night," Chuck said, "but instead, I find you here with my little sister." Carter could see Cheyanne's eyes darting between the two, trying to figure out the reason for the obvious enmity they shared.
"That was Serena's idea," Carter snapped, mood souring as he said her name. "I had nothing to do with that. She used me."
"Don't act like you're totally innocent," Chuck warned, "you know what you did." Cheyanne looked like she wanted to interject, but stayed quiet. "And don't get any ideas about my sister. She's off limits. Don't let me catch you near her." Carter wanted to say something, ask him how many boys' sisters he'd gone after, but he stayed quiet. Cheyanne would find out sooner or later.
"Okay," he said, holding his hands up in surrender. Chuck took his sister's suitcase, leading her to the waiting limo. Right before she got in, she turned to look at Carter, who still hadn't taken his eyes off of her. He winked at her, and her cheeks got red again, and she all but fell into the car, narrowly avoiding hitting her head as she did so. Carter let out a breathless laugh as the car drove away. That girl was something else.
His hand slipped into his pocket, reaching for his phone. He waited for it to turn on, before dialling a number he hadn't called since he was looking for Serena's father.
"What, Baizen?" came the gruff voice on the other end after a few rings. "I'm busy. Make this quick."
"Hello to you too," he replied, "I need you to do something for me."
Okay, so I've always loved Carter. I know he did a lot of shady things, but honestly, no one in the UES was exactly innocent, except maybe Eric.