Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.

I probably should have mentioned this in Chapter One for those new to my stories, but this story takes place after the events of my story 'Seven Year Itch'. The sequence list for my stories has been updated to include this most recent stories, so those that are interested can read in sequence. Also the rating right now is 'T', but I foresee that this rating will probably be changed to 'M'. I hope nobody will mind. I'll let you know when I change it.

"Go grab your backpack, Charlotte. It's time for school," Blair told their daughter as she sat at the breakfast table that morning and happily ate her muffin and fresh fruit. At her mother's prompting, Charlotte hopped off her chair and skipped towards her bedroom to retrieve her bag.

"Alright, Little Man, it's just you, me and Mommy today. What do you want to do today?" Chuck inquired as Brice tried to sneak a piece of his muffin to his dog. Blair's disapproving look stopped him from following through with his plan.

"Whatever I want?" he asked hopefully.

"Whatever you want," Chuck nodded, "Yankees game, Museum of Natural History, Air and Space Museum, Coney Island, or any other destination your heart desires."

"Central Park," Brice responded without hesitation.

"I knew you'd say that," Chuck grinned as he gave his wife a knowing smile. Blair leaned over and kissed her husband. Brice used their momentary distraction to finally sneak Barty the food he'd been trying to give him.

"Brice Nathaniel Waldorf-Bass, I saw that," Chuck scolded his son, "We've told you how many times that feeding Barty people food is not good for him. Don't you want him to live a long and healthy life?'

"Yes," Brice pouted as tears welled in his eyes.

"Then stop feeding him," Chuck told him gently as he reached out to ruffle his son's hair before proclaiming, "We need a hair cut, don't we?"

"Yes," Blair chimed in, "Perhaps Daddy should call his stylist and schedule an appointment this week."

"Perhaps I should," Chuck nodded.

Charlotte came bouncing into the room with her bubble gum backpack on her shoulder. Barty scrambled over and began chewing at the loose end of her bag.

"Stop it, Barty," Charlotte squealed as she yanked the end away. Barty, thinking it was a game, jumped around and tried to catch the end again, nearly knocking Charlotte off her feet as she tried to move around to avoid the dog. Chuck quickly rose to his daughter's rescue and grabbed Barty's collar as Blair retrieved the labrador's leash.

"Sit," Chuck commanded the dog as he held the leash firm. Barty put his head down immediately as if realizing that he was in trouble. Brice was quickly off his chair and running to his puppy to hug him tight.

"Are you ready for school?" Blair asked her daughter.

Charlotte nodded her head vigorously. Her eyes lit up in excitement. Chuck was reminded of Blair every first day of school they experienced together. She had the same eagerness, the same excitement.

"Brice, go get your shoes on," Blair instructed her son.

"Do I have to go?" Brice whined as he continued to rub down his beloved dog.

"Don't you want to see your sister safely to school?" Blair inquired.

Brice appeared to give it a great deal of thought for a few moments. "Can Barty go?" Brice inquired. He rarely went anywhere without his dog. This request didn't surprise either parent.

"If he doesn't chew on Charlotte's bag, yes," Chuck agreed, "Now go get your shoes on."

"Alright, Charlotte, be good today." Blair told their daughter as the limo pulled up in front of her private school. "Listen to Ms. Kendrick, and play nice with all of the children."

"And if anyone gives you any grief, get their parents names, and we'll take care of it," Chuck told his daughter as she threw her arms around his shoulders.

"Okay, Daddy," Charlotte giggled. She released her father and then hugged her mother as Arthur opened the limo door and helped Charlotte out.

"We love you, Sweetheart," Blair called from the limo as Charlotte bounced towards the door where the headmistress was warmly greeting all of the young children. Charlotte stopped and turned to wave at her parents before she made her way inside.

Chuck turned to his wife and began chuckling. "Are those tears, Beautiful?"

"Yes," Blair choked out as she wiped a few tears off her cheeks.

Chuck shifted in the limo so that he was sitting next to her as he put his arms around her waist to pull her into his lap to comfort her.

"These children are growing too fast," Blair announced as she looked to Brice who was happily playing with Barty, almost completely oblivious to his mother's emotional meltdown. "It feels like it was just yesterday that we held Charlotte in our arms for the first time. Now she's in kindergarten."

"It's okay, Sweetheart," Chuck assured his wife as he kissed her softly, "She's always going to be our little girl."

"Can we go to the park yet?" Brice inquired as Barty began licking his face.

Chuck lowered the glass partition. "Two rules for today Arthur. Number one, we need to be back in time to pick up Charlotte as school ends. Number two, we do whatever Brice wants."

"Central Park, Arthur," Brice told Arthur as he jumped up and down on the leather seat with excitement. He'd never had a day all to himself before. Even when Charlotte was in pre-school, it was only for half a day. He could barely contain his enthusiasm.

"As you wish, Young Mister Bass," Arthur chuckled.

As soon as they got to the park, Chuck had to hold Barty back as Blair fought to hang onto Brice. Barty was reacting more to Brice's excitement than misbehaving. Arthur followed them with the picnic basket and other supplies that they had stopped for along the way. When they had settled on a suitable spot, Arthur disappeared as Blair set up the picnic while Brice began playing Frisbee with Barty.

Barty and Brice ran around the park nearly all morning and afternoon while Blair and Chuck looked on.

"He is an endless well of energy just like his daddy," Blair observed as she fed her husband a grape.

"A chip off the old block," Chuck agreed proudly.

Brice came over suddenly, desperately needing a drink of water for both himself and his puppy. Sweat was dripping down his forehead, and the mess of hair on top of his head was nearly soaked all the way through.

"Slow down, Little Man," Chuck told his son as he watched him chug the bottle of water as Barty lapped at the dish of water Blair set out for him.

"Why don't you and Barty have a little bit of a rest and something to eat," Blair suggested as she handed him a sandwich. Brice snatched it out of her hand and began munching eagerly as sweat began dripping into his eyes causing them to tear.

"Come here, Sweetheart," Blair told him as she reached into the basket and pulled out a cloth napkin as he scrambled towards her on his knees. She proceeded to wipe him down thoroughly. "Chuck, will you call your stylist and schedule an appointment for both you and your son."

"Yes, Dear," he responded sarcastically as he pulled out his phone and began scrolling through his contacts and did as she requested.

After a bit of rest, Brice and Barty were ready to go once more, and Brice was insistent upon his dad join him this time. Never one to turn down either of his children, Chuck eagerly joined in on the game of fetch that Barty and Brice were now playing with the baseball.

"Brice, sweetheart, don't you want to go see the animals?" Blair inquired as they kept up the games with Barty for the rest of the afternoon. She was not used to going to Central Park without seeing the animals.

"Nope," Brice responded. She shook her head in amusement. Their child had everything his heart desired. Money was no object for him. He could do whatever he wanted today without limits and all he wanted to do was spend the day at the park with his dog. She had a sneaking suspicion that his parents joining him had been optional.

"Okay, boys, it's nearly time to pick up Charlotte," Blair announced as she began packing up the picnic. "Brice, get Barty back on his leash."

"Do I have to?" Brice whined as Blair handed it to him.

"Yes," she nodded as she gave him a stern look.

"Dad, do I have to?" Brice inquired as he looked to his father in the hopes that he would overrule his mother.

"You heard your mother," Chuck backed up his wife as he always did. There was no playing one parent off the other in their home. Chuck and Blair simply did not allow themselves to be manipulated by their children. Having been the masters of manipulation themselves as children, they knew the warning signs. Punishments had always been severe whenever either child tried. "Put Barty on his leash right now."

"Sorry, Barty," Brice mumbled as he roped his dog as he was told and then handed the leash to Chuck. Barty promptly licked Brice's face in response as if to tell him it was okay to be on his leash. Brice was knocked off his feet as Barty jumped over him, barking in excitement. Brice was laughing as his father pulled Barty away.

"Come on, Little Man, it's time to get your sister from school," Chuck told his son.

"Can't we leave her there?" he whined as he followed along a few steps behind his parents who were loaded down with their picnic supplies while trying to hold each other's hands and rein in a six month old puppy with very little obedience training.

"No, we can not leave Charlotte at school," his father laughed. "You'd miss her too much."

No, I wouldn't," Brice insisted as he moped along, dragging his feet so that he slowed them all down.

"Don't you want to see your big sister?" Blair inquired as she fell back a couple of steps so she was walking with her son while speeding him up.

"No," Brice shook his head. Chuck couldn't help but snicker. It was an expected response for a sibling, and one that both he and Blair had missed out on.

"I'm sure she wants to see you," Blair told him as she took his hand as they approached their limo. Arthur was out of the car quickly to unload Blair of her belongings before he helped Chuck.

"No, she doesn't," Brice pouted.

"Well, Daddy and I want to see Charlotte," Blair insisted as she ushered her son into the vehicle. Brice pouted all the way to Charlotte's school as Barty was curled up next to him and promptly fell asleep. It was obvious that their toddler son had worn out his puppy that afternoon.

Chuck was the first person Charlotte saw when she stepped out of her school that afternoon. She immediately sprinted towards him and jumped into his arms.

"Hello, Sweetheart, how was your first day of kindergarten?" Chuck inquired as her arms came around his neck as she held him close.

Charlotte began to ramble on about all the fun things she did that day while Brice pouted. He was so jealous that his sister had learned something new during her day that he didn't know. What was worse was that after an entire day of having his parents' undivided attention that now went to his sister.

"Are you feeling okay, Brice?" Blair inquired as she turned to see Brice's shoulders slumped over as his bottom lip was protruding out. Brice nodded as he continued looking towards the limo floor. She reached out and pulled him into her lap as she kissed his salty forehead. The sweat from earlier still covered his skin. He was going to need a bath when they arrived home.

Showing that Brice truly took after his father, when they returned to the penthouse, Brice and his puppy disappeared into his bedroom, barely saying more than a few words for the rest of the afternoon.

Chuck thought about following his son to find out what was wrong, but Charlotte called out to him, eager to show him a picture she drew during arts and crafts.

TBC. . .