A/N: I finally felt brave enough to submit this to a closer inspection. This is my first try at writing. I'm inexperienced, but I'm willing to try. I know my dialogues may be a little off. I apologize for that. Since English is not my native language, you might find a lot of mistakes in terms of tense misuse, punctuation and few other things. I did my best to eliminate the spelling errors, but some may have found their way in, nevertheless.

I'll try to make a few more clarifications at the end of the chapter. For now, I don't want to smother you so you can proceed to reading the chapter without rolling your eyes. :)

Title: Sins of Our Fathers

Chapter: 1 of ?

Pairing: Chuck Bass, Blair Waldorf

Setting: New York City, late '50s ( with flashbacks going back 10 - 20 years before ).

Description: What if in telling the story of how he got rich, Bart Bass did what he did best his whole life...Lied. Now that he's gone, his son is left to wonder if he'd inherited his father's gift - destroying everything he touches. He is learning to live with that possibility until his decision turns to fear when he meets someone whose downfall he's not willing to watch.

CHAPTER 1

Charles Bass lived his life following no one's rules, but his own. He knew how to exit the shadow just in time to grab the prey, then disappear again, leaving those aggrieved to wonder, but never speak since it brought too much shame. He glided through life with an inexplicable ease or, at least, that's how he made it seem.

At the age of fifteen he had already converted himself in a threat for every respectable household that had a female child. Overprotection of said children caused his possible victim count to drop, but young Charles quickly learned that limits existed only to be pushed and that young wives were just as easy targets; lustful, often misunderstood and ripe.

He also learned that being alone meant never having to see disappointment in eyes of those whose love you're supposed to have unconditionally. Disappointment and hurt in other people's eyes could be overseen, ignored or even enjoyed; it was their fault – they should've known better than to expect more of him.

Today, he was turning eighteen. As he stood in the library facing the large window, he wondered if there was any reason to celebrate other than the vast fortune his father left behind was finally being handed over to him. Night was young, but it was winter and the dark had already engulfed the city and the gloomy face reflected, stared back at him spoiling his need to see the flickering lights. Bravely, he glared back at it, refusing to retreat.

Soft knock on the door made him lose advantage in this ongoing duel.

"Come in!" he called out.

Heavy, wooden door opened and tall, grey-haired man dressed in an impeccable black suit and white shirt slid into the room. Charles now shifted his attention to the man's reflection in the window.

"Sir, almost all of the guests have arrived" he informed.

"Thank you, William. I'll be coming down shortly" he replied turning around to face his valet. He had grown terribly accustomed to the man over the years, but he hated being close to anyone so he kept their relationship strictly professional forgiving occasional slip or a fatherly advice.

"Of course, Sir" the man responded taken aback a little by the look in his young master's eyes. He didn't sport it often, but when he did he usually requested to be left alone. Tonight, that was not an option since he had a ballroom full of people eager to celebrate his coming of age.

Both men were aware that invitees were as eager as ever when it came to sharing someone's success on Upper East Side or in simple words, not that much.

"Nathaniel?" Charles asked.

"He arrived over half an hour ago, sir. "With his parents".

Good, he thought to himself.

Nathaniel Archibald was his childhood friend and to this day, the only one. His family came from an old money, a dynasty of some sort. Charles, however, cared very little about family trees to bother with the details. That earned him the title of high society's golden boy which also seemed to be the perfect bait for young unsuspecting ladies. Nathaniel was never bothered by the fact his best friend always picked the girls right out of his arms, since he was interested in just one – Serena Van Der Woodsen, glowing image of perfection. Luckily, Charles has never shown the slightest interest in her.

"Announce me, William. I'll be exiting in a minute".

"Of course, Sir" William nodded shortly and left to do as told. Just before he left the room, he turned around once again. "And, sir…"

"Yes?" Charles arched his eyebrow at him.

"Try to have good time tonight".

He smirked at the comment knowing that, for him, there could be no other way.

He stood at the top of a grand staircase looking over at the crowed applauding and raising glasses in his honor. Big entrances weren't unknown to him, but this was too theatrical even for him. After officially welcoming his guests and wishing them pleasant evening, he quickly exchanged niceties with those he couldn't avoid. His eyes, however, scanned the room for the one person that could make this formality more bearable.

As he spotted Nathaniel, Charles only confirmed his thoughts. He was accompanied by a young, fresh face worthy of being called his birthday present. Even before reaching the two he made a mental note to thank Nathaniel properly with an expensive gift.

Charles walked across the room with elegance that no boy of eighteen should poses. With his eyes set on the goal and ignoring offended looks from those he passed pretending not to hear, he quickly placed a champagne flute on the passing waiter's server.

"Nathaniel!" he when he was a few steps away.

"Chuck!" tall, blue-eyed boy responded with a smile and a nickname that he allowed just him to use. "Congratulations, my friend! Happy Birthday!"

Chuck nodded and smiled.

"I assumed you'd be busy receiving best wishes from your guests. I'd come to find you if I knew they were that impolite" Nate, another rarely used nickname by family and friends, grinned knowing full well Chuck did his best to skip on those.

"Well, apparently, Nathaniel, I'm not being neglected only by my guests, but by servants as well. As you can see, I'm empty handed. May I ask you to find me a drink?"

He pretended not to notice the girl standing next to Nate when, he was already aware of her bare shoulders, the way diamond necklace encircled her lean neck and red dress tight around her waist.

"It looks like they heard you. Here." Nate motioned towards the waiter who was approaching them. He also used the opportunity to shake his head shortly and give his friend a significant look while the girl explored the room with her big, brown eyes.

Chuck raised his eyebrow, intrigued.

"I believe I haven't had the pleasure of being formally introduced to the lady" he finally turned to her and bowed slightly.

"I'm sorry, I'm so rude" Nate continued to fake. "Charles, Miss Blair Waldorf. Blair, Charles Bass. The birthday boy".

"Happy Birthday" she said flatly as he took her hand and kissed her gloved fingers just below the arch of her knuckles.

"Pleasure, Miss Waldorf. And thank you".

He managed to keep her attention for exactly three seconds, before they were interrupted by an older, elegant woman who looked like she was in a hurry.

"Excuse me" she looked at Nate first. "Blair, darling, come. I want to meet you with some of my old friends" she spoke as was half dragging her away when Chuck spoke.

"Mrs. Waldorf, I presume?" he glared at her for a second and then put on one of his best socially acceptable smiles.

"Oh, Charles!" she sounded surprised. "I haven't seen you. Happy Birthday, dear! It's a lovely party!"

Nate and Chuck were left alone and shared a knowing look, followed by a chuckle.

"What was that about?" Chuck asked finally.

"What?"

"Shaking of the head, the look" Nate still looked at him puzzled. "You were negating me approach, Nathaniel. And on my birthday, no less! Does that mean Miss Perfect got some competition?"

"Oh, that! No, it's just… She's a friend and I don't want to see her get hurt. They just moved back from Paris and she's been through a lot lately-"

"Prince Charming broke the engagement?!" Chuck asked sarcastically.

Nate gave him disapproving look. "No, her father left her mother."

"Remind me to visit France soon."

"He left her for another man!"

His eyes widened in amusement and he hid a laugh inside the glass. "All the more reason, Nathaniel! If men are leaving women for other men that means more ladies are in need of consolation. It's a simple math."

Nathaniel decided against commenting on his friend's calculus.

"So, we have a case of a vacant father, then?" Chuck continued to explore his interest in a way that was making Nate uncomfortable.

"Actually, Blair wanted to stay with him in Paris, but her mother dragged her here."

"Demanding mother?"

Nate was starting to get really agitated.

"There must be something! I have to make a strategy."

"So, you want to tell me you really don't remember her?" Nate asked nervously.

"Who said anything about that?" Chuck replied with an answer sipping the last drops from his glass.

"But, you…"

"Nathaniel, if you were a woman" and he made a short, but significant pause," wouldn't you be offended if someone recognized you when they've last seen you when you were six?"

"But, you could've recognized the name!"

"We were children, Nathaniel. Who remembers names at that age?!"

Charles' eyes were glistening in a way Nate didn't like. He had it, usually, when faced with a challenge.

"While we're at names, who's that nameless creature Serena has brought?" Chuck's question and the mention of Serena's name quickly weakened Nate's resolve to fend his friend.

Like a real princess of the Upper East Side, Serena was making an even bigger entrance than Chuck himself. And the accessory she had attached to her arm tonight, was an extra guarantee that she won't be unnoticed.

"Sensitive boy, but from Brooklyn!" Nate said with mockery in his voice that resembled female's a little more than necessary. The look on Chuck's face demanded explanation. "My mother spoke to Lily Van Der Woodsen and, apparently, that's how she described him. He's an aspiring writer or a journalist… I don't know!"

"You sadden me, my friend! Look around! Take a pick!" Chuck motioned to a room full of girls ready to take a spoonful of whatever Nathaniel Archibald was offering.

Nate lowered his eyes to the ground and shook his head. "I don't work that way, Chuck".

"You're too fond of the memories, you mean?" Charles responded nonchalantly even though he knew he had hit the target.

"W-what?" Nate's voice was confused and almost alarmed.

"Nothing", he replied. "Let me take care of this little problem for you. If I'm correct this person should not be on my guest list and Serena's invitation did not say plus one".

Chuck was about to stride off, when Nate grabbed his forearm and stopped him.

"No, don't!" he begged. "You know her. She's not an elitist and she'll just stand up to his defense. We've seen enough theatrics for one night".

"Not even close, Nathaniel, but maybe you're right. I just became the richest man in New York City, I can spend few drinks on those less fortunate", he paused and pressed a finger to his lip, furrowing his eyebrows slightly. "What did you say his name was, again?"

"Daniel Humphrey."

"They never learn."

Nate stared at his friend's face. The best and the worst thing about him was the fact there wasn't anything he wouldn't do. "You scare me sometimes" Nate said to him sincerely.

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me. Now, if you'll excuse, I was asked by a very dear person to try and have some fun tonight. I plan on following the advice" he raised a glass and took a few steps backwards before turning around and disappearing between the chattering crowd.

None criteria lowering would lead to the rest of the evening being described as amusing. Endless line of business people had said their names, but they haven't achieved anything in becoming more than just that – a face and a name he, most likely, wouldn't be able to connect later. He abhorred and belittled these people in his mind too many times to allow himself to take them seriously.

Then, moving heads of the notably lower guest count shifted just in the right moment to open the view. From the furthest corner of the room, two big, brown eyes were looking at him, but differently than he was used to being looked at. There was no invitation, no seduction, no faked indifference. Just a question – one he did not know answer to.

So, he smirked, raised his glass and blinked… Just for a moment. When he opened his eyes, she had already looked away.

Later that night, as he gripped on a dress too golden to be classy, devoured his victim and watched her disappear and disintegrate under him, he wondered if the little boy who knew and despised the true would ever grow up and stop being afraid of what was behind the gloomy face in the window. Then he decided to put him to sleep with some brown and some red.

A/N 2: So, here it is... A little introductory chapter where I've tried to set who's who and to explain some of the background. I haven't finished the story yet, but I've sketched next few chapters.

I promised to clarify some things:

1. The setting might be a bit confusing since, but it was important to fit Bart's story and make it have sense.

2. I'm very concerned about how my dialogues came out, so all comments on that part are welcome... just don't smack me on the head with a hammer. Everything else will be fine!

3. I did change the background, but I've also kept a lot of the original. As for the development, the beginning of the story might trace back some steps into season 1, but it will not be based solely on that. Don't expect to read - fight, make up, Masquerade, Victrola, break up etc kind of story. I've used some elements, but it will take its own road.

If you have the time, tell me what do you think, but mostly - if I should continue with this story at all.

Thank you,

Lora :)