A/N: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!! MY 50TH STORY!!!!!! *whistles* Hehe. Okay, I have seriously wanted to write this up for like the longest time, but something else always got in the way. Heh. Luckily, I didn't tell too many people about it, so nobody got their hopes up! =D (hopefully) *gulpage* Anyways, here it is and I hope you love it. =) *beams* It's CB centered, as you'll soon see…
This is a two part fic, describing the "hidden scenes" between CN & CV during the end half of 2x11—The Season 2 Thanksgiving episode. ;p Nate is just finishing up with the detectives and police and Chuck and Vanessa are finding their way back to him. In some of the stills for the episode before it was actually aired, we saw pics of CV walking together, and I thought maybe there might be a scene there, so that's what this first part is on: CV's convo before they make it back to Nate. The second part, as you'll soon see (hopefully) is the convo between Chuck & Nate, after they've forgiven each other, and before they get overly drunk. XD Please R & R!!! I know it seems like forever ago. ;p
*I own nothing, btw.
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Ch.1—Brooklyn Advisement
She never imagined she'd be here.
Talking and walking with Chuck Bass, while awaiting Nate's final words with the police and detectives concerning the arrest of his father. It was pretty heavy, and she could hardly believe she was responsible for bringing it all together. She had called Chuck. She had discussed with him the need to bring Nate to them, and then to bring the detective there for the advantage of arresting Mr. Archibald. If she hadn't consented and taken responsibility, well…she didn't know where they'd be, and she wasn't sure they'd be at an amazingly awesome place, even with each other, if she hadn't taken it upon herself to follow the law and take at least some of the pressure Nate was carrying, off his shoulders.
Vanessa knew, after all was said and done, that she cared for the young, blonde Archibald more than she cared to admit. More than she had been caring to admit for some time.
"So, Vanessa…"
She turned her head in the smug rich boy's general direction, ready—maybe even eager—to hear what he had to say, regardless of her former assumptions. Ever since the party that almost guaranteed his ownership of the broken down Brooklyn bar that she was fundraising—to an extent—she had seen him differently, seen him more like a human being.
"I hear you've got some interest in Nathaniel…?"
Her cheeks flushed red, and she cleared her throat. Chuck smiled.
"I'll take that as a yes."
She avoided his gaze, and focused on the cracks in the sidewalk.
He smirked. "You know, you can respond occasionally." He gestured with his hands.
Her lips curved into a hint of a smile.
"Then I won't have to make assumptions and spread rumors."
He spoke so seriously and it honestly scared her to death. She stopped walking and turned to him. He was still faced forward for awhile, but then he turned to her, suddenly aware of her stillness and lack of humor in the current situation.
"I'm kidding," he said, lowering his head a bit to prove his point. She blinked a bit and turned her head, beginning to walk again. He also started the movement of his feet again in the general direction she was going. She sighed. He was still Chuck Bass. Just because she had discovered the human side of him, didn't mean the jackass side didn't still exist, the perverted one either.
"So…" he began again, and she just knew he was going to bring up Nate again. Well not if she could help it.
"What's going on with you and Blair?" she turned to him briefly and saw the shock and fear sink into his facial expression. He cleared his throat. "I mean, if you can ask me about Nate, I can certainly ask you about Blair." She smiled cheekily at him. Unfortunately for her, Chuck's focus was intent on what was directly in front of him, and Vanessa, being beside him, was nowhere in his view.
He chuckled softly then. "Alright, no more questions." Though he knew he would get a brief bit of Vanessa/Nate action when they came back to greet their troubled friends.
She nodded; glad he was so willing to drop the subject. She figured it was because of what she had done for him at the party some weeks ago. Regardless, her curiosity got the best of her. "But, getting back to my question…"
She heard him suck in his breath, and waited a few more moments for him to gain his bearings. When he still said nothing, she re-opened the conversation. "Maybe it would help…? To get it off your chest?" She looked hesitantly in his direction, not wanting him to lash out at her, but feeling he might really need this right now. Not that she knew him at all. But she liked to think that anyone with a pressing feeling would want to release that tension…at some point at least.
He still said nothing, and she sighed, giving up on any thought of him giving in to her eager questions. She almost muttered under her breath the now obvious realization of him not really needing to answer what she had asked of him.
He was Chuck Bass after all. She rolled her eyes at the thought.
"We're waiting," he said suddenly, and it took her by surprise.
"Oh," she said, after a quiet unusual silence. She turned from her gaze in his direction, and lowered her own general visual course.
"I couldn't—she couldn't—we, well we're just waiting."
She smiled softly at his stuttering over his thoughts on Blair Waldorf. He must really care about her, she thought. And from what she was gathering by the context…they were finding it pretty difficult to say those three magic words. She sighed, wishing that was the only issue between her and Nate Archibald. Quite honestly, she didn't know if those three words would ever cross between her and Nate, regardless if she felt them, because she did. She didn't know how he felt on the situation, but last she checked he was with Jenny, and she wasn't going to intrude on a happy relationship.
But she focused back on Chuck. Blair had been hurt countless times, she was sure, and Chuck had never been in love before. She could understand why those three words might come difficult to this stubborn duo. They certainly were no ordinary couple, and she could hardly believe she was sympathizing with the most selfish smug rich kids on the Upper East Side, especially Blair. She couldn't understand how the girl even had a soul, though she had once thought the same about Chuck. Perhaps she had a softer side too.
"What do you mean, waiting?" she persisted. She had been lost in her thoughts for too long. If she was going to stay away from thinking about Nate, she had to focus on some other demented relationship.
Chuck sighed. "We wouldn't work—"
Vanessa turned her head to face him. Where was he going with this? If they didn't work, then what did he mean… 'waiting' ???
"—right now. We're too…"
"…selfish?" she offered neutrally. He cracked a smile.
"Something like that."
She pulled at her scarf a bit, trying to distract herself. "Well it's cool that you're really trying to make it work. And if you think now is not the right time, then it's good to wait." He turned to her, smiling softly in appreciation. "Just don't wait too long," she added in.
His eyebrows furrowed, half in confusion, half in worry.
She cleared her face to explain herself. "You don't want her to move on before you make your move."
He didn't say anything, but they turned around at the end of the block, making to return to where Nate was finishing his answers to the police and detectives. They talked on the way back, but it was nothing too significant. It wasn't till later on in the year, when the two realized just how grave their situations had become.
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The final detectives and police were heading down the Archibald front steps when the two supportive friends of Nate Archibald rejoined him at his humble home.
"Hey, we were hoping you'd be here." She spoke for both of them, welcoming the silence that came from the boy beside her. She hadn't assumed anything that was untrue, and Nate smiled at them in response, in relief it seemed.
"My mom's inside signing papers in the dark," he walked down to them, giving each his full attention. "We got our house back, now all we need is our electricity. Look, I um…can't thank you guys enough."
Both Chuck and Vanessa smiled at the victory they had won over in rescuing their blonde buddy in his tragedy. She was looking hesitantly at him in that certain way, and Chuck took the hint, whether she was trying to offer it up or not.
"I think I'll give you guys a moment…" he moved back beyond the two of them.
And then he was gone. She was grateful. She needed this with Nate. Her heart was beating so rapidly and she felt as if maybe she would never get over Nate Archibald. She glanced up and down several times in that slightly nervous way. He just smiled at her, finding her hesitance adorable.
"I didn't…want you to go," she spoke, opening up that part of herself that she thought had become closed off to him. He nodded, watching her carefully. "And," she continued, "I don't like to admit it, but…I still…" her voice left her.
"…still?" he prodded, smiling at her. She tried to tell him, tried to force those words out, but it was so hard. She avoided his gaze, and then shook her head, suddenly remembering who he was currently involved with. "It's not important. There's the whole thing with Jenny, and I don't wanna get in the way of that—"
"Vanessa I haven't heard from Jenny in weeks. So…"
Shock overtook her, and she blinked despite herself because of what he had revealed to her.
"…if you'd like, could we get together sometime?"
The excitement was accelerating through her, but she forced herself to remain neutral to the course of his conversation. "I guess that'd be okay." And she couldn't help herself. She burst into a tiny smile, trying her very best to restrain anything too wide, too excitable. Though it seemed her enthusiasm spread forth across his lips as well. They smiled contently at each other, and Vanessa could feel the heat of Chuck's stare behind her—behind them. He was smiling too, she was sure.
"Cool," he accepted her response; her actual desire to be with him, as if it hadn't been obvious before. She reached her hand towards his arm and squeezed gently.
"Call me," she said, unable to keep the smile from spreading across her lips.
"I will," he said softly, and the both of them took notice of Chuck's smile as they either headed or looked in that direction. Vanessa turned successfully towards the general area Chuck stood, and squeezed the bad Bass boy's arm on her way down the block.
Mission accomplished. And she was sure the two boys were going to work things out as well. There's nothing like a 'save your life' event to draw a friendship back together.
Plus, she had a feeling she wouldn't be the only one addressing Chuck in the matters of the heart.
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A/N: Well, that's it for the first part. I hope you enjoyed it. =) Please review!!