AN:/ First of all I want to thank you guys for liking this story so much. I couldn't help but think it was going to be a flopp but I'm starting to think differently! Next on this agenda, I apologize for bringing in my original characters as Carter's shady past buddies. I just really need one of them for the chapter after this (be the first to guess which one right in a review and I'll name you the surprise guest for a twist) so that Jenny can- nevermind you'll find out later. Plus these guys will just be mentioned throughout the story and not really be part of it except for a few instances where it is absolutely necessary to move Jenny and Carter's plot along. When I think of Briar Westchester I see Emily Wickersham, Nic Aundale potrayed by Toby Hemingway, Stella Warrenson as Mackenzie Rosman, The Hapburn twins to be Analeigh Tipton and Steven R. Mcqueen, and Vinly as Lindsay Pearce. Speaking of OCs guess what? I brought in THE O.C. (DON'T OWN EVEN IF I WANTED TO!) for those of you who don't know who or what that refers to it's not important per sey that you are familiarized with it (But honestly it was the baby before GG and the same people worked with it to make it just as awesome and you should honestly check it out!) just a little cameo here and there to build drama. And yes I am aware that the same actress who played Kaitlyn Cooper was also Agnes and that Rachel Bilson made a funny cameo homage at the season finale of Gossip Girl but if Rachel Bilson can be famous in the same universe as Agnes being frenemies with Jenny Humphrey and pretend that this isn't a strange universe then IDK what is! Tripp comes in...eh I'm not so sure why I did that but I'll find his purpose I want to make clear that no one is actually the bad guy in this story, it's all how you percieve the writing. So good luck!
In the beginning, it wasn't easy. They had their rough patches, like any normal couple would, but that's to say that they were a normal couple...which they weren't. Both had trust issues so big, that even a blimp would be overshadowed by it. Neither one of them had truly dealt with their pent up feelings from lives past very well and as a result, siphoning those emotions into something good and positive was something very new to them. Once she was innocent and full of hope and wonder, only to have it be squandered by deceit, ambition, and the cutting edge of a new life and he had everything anyone could ever wish for later to be pulled out from underneath his feet held up like a prize that could never be reached. They've crushed lives and scarred reputations but lost themselves along the way. It was this that made people believe that they were irredeemable, when in fact it was those very same people that transformed them into the worst of themselves. For them, it was easier to say that they had no part in creating the monster and killing the spirit, not taking responsibility for the actions that set the domino effect into place and just placing the blame on the two victims it befell upon. Not to say that said victims were at all sinless. She knew that the seed was planted and it was her choice to let it die out or blossom. This resulted in an unbalanced queen. He had matured with the rest of those around him with temptation at every corner. It was either using all the willpower in the world to remain in the shadows or throw everything he's got, even if it was the biggest bluff he had, into the game. To everyone else they deserved nothing, they had one no one; just things to be forgotten and rightfully so for the deeds they performed with such clarity and delicacies that it's a wonder if they always had it in them to begin with and perhaps just need the right push. Both were forgotten or replaced because really did anyone who mattered truly pay attention to them when it wasn't needed? The others didn't see it coming, she and him, and that's the beauty of it. They end up the only ones getting what they want while everyone else only gets what they deserve.
It's the only thing that matters...
XXX
It's the only thing that matters. At least that's what Carter fools himself into believing while he and Jenny sit on the plane ride over to the Upper East Side to announce to her family that she's carrying his child...and the fact that she's been with him for a three years and not once has mentioned that it's Carter Baizen that Jenny finds happiness in. He's sure that will go over well. In his opinion, the kid could grow up without knowing its grandparents. It's not unheard of when such a tangled mess has been woven for the likes of them but when Carter glances over at Jenny to voice such an opinion, he finds the blond haired beauty fast asleep and looking as peaceful as the day before in their bed, except now she's in a first class seat awaiting further alienation and banishment. Carter lets out a low growl in discontent. He loves her and she really screwed him over because of that. Never one to put anyone before himself, Carter finds that being with Jenny Humphrey may have put a kink into that outlook. So no, he won't tell her not to go ahead with this idea ('they're already on the plane for Christ's sake!') because she wouldn't be happy to not give her family, the child growing inside her or the ones who hardly speak to her now, a chance. At least they can agree upon one thing: No matter how much anyone tries to force them, they aren't getting married just because of the kid.
Admiring her from his seat next to hers, Carter ponders how much this child is going to break her heart as it grows, could she stand the inevitable worst parts it will get from both her and him? Carter finally sees why his parents find him a mistake but why Jenny insists that Eriol and Mimi love him unconditionally. He hates when she's right, it means that she can tease him about it later on.
Carter really does love Jenny Humphrey and for that she's screwed him over.
XXX
When they land, Jenny is all sorts of excitement and nervousness. This can be easily told in the way she's rambling and babbling on and on about how she wonders 'how big Henry Bass is now' and 'Dan had sent me an email two months back saying something about the new Gossip Girl as the subject but I didn't really read it and kind of forgot about it' and 'oh did I ever show you my place in Brooklyn?' and 'that's funny I don't remember that shop being there' and-. Carter finds it amusing that she's trying to fill their time before the big showdown that's coming with tedious chatter so he pulls close and laughs at her for being the one to be so shifty. Jenny pouts and tells him that it's no laughing matter and he gives her that condescending chuckle saying that she's right and that he'll bet that everyone will just warm back up to him with open arms. She pouts some more but doesn't say anything because if she does he'll find a way to win that argument too and Carter knows Jenny hates it when he wins. Carter idly thinks that her friends ('if you could call them that') and family might be in for a little surprise once they notice that Jenny's not someone who's so easily manipulated anymore. Another thought plagues the back of Carter's mind in terms of the past. That being Serena and Nate. While Carter is sure that Serena is just a small portion in his life now and doesn't mean a thing Carter can't be too certain of Jenny. She loves him he knows but Carter is a firm believer that current love doesn't just transcend all those previous. The worst part is that Carter knows that she knows this too. Jenny's either going to find closer or she's going to find herself with a choice and Carter's too selfish of a man to let her go so easily. He often puts himself first but he knows that if she falls for Nate again then she'll be miserable for the rest of her life and he won't allow that.
It's all that matters...
XXX
The word tense doesn't even begin to describe the air in the living room. The Basses greeted them with annoying jabs at Carter, trying to expose him for whatever game he's supposedly playing but, ever the quick witted guy that he is, Carter bites back with just as many undermining smirks. Dan can't help but just raise an eyebrow at his sister, reminding her that before Dan revealed himself as the group's mystery sleuth he had dedicated a whole page to Carter Baizen and his trips and conquests around the world, so Dan in fact did know more about what Carter had done, more than Jenny wished for him to know. Serena seemed to hold a face with a mix of hurt and astonishment at both the reinvented people before her. Finally, Nate's face was stony, showing no emotion but showing everything by saying nothing. Yep, Jenny just bit her bottom lip and thought about possible escape plans. Carter sent her a glance that obviously said 'Right again! When do we leave?' but Jenny wasn't giving up so easily.
"Hey guys." Pushing in a little bit of fake enthusiasm, Jenny waited for someone to say something positive and, when that clearly wasn't happening, Erik appeared out of the blue stepping in to save the day.
"Jenny, Carter, you made it!" Going around to hug Jenny and shake Carter's hand, Erik asked if Jenny was ready for her welcome back feast that Rufus had prepared before shuffling them in the direction of some of the older adults in the other room.
Jenny almost laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. "Think I killed one of them?"
Carter went along with it. "Pretty sure you gave Archibald a heart attack."
"You two really love your entrances don't you?" Erik sighed, knowing that this wasn't going to be an easy get together. "Speaking of which, you're attending the party later tonight and I hope you have something better than bottled up laughs to keep the peace."
Carter rolled his eyes at the youngest van der Woodsen's worry. "What's a party without making a scene?" he told them then brought Jenny closer by the waist and thought of all the ways this visit couldn't be anymore of circus.
XXX
Religion was never a big deal with Jenny's family. Both her parents were free spirits and her grandmother had always given Dan and her the option of attending mass with her but it was never implied that they had too. Contradictorily, Jenny is a firm believer now that there is some higher power out there and that it just didn't want this visit to go well. That being said, the not even a month old baby that's growing inside her must get it's sick and twisted sense of cynical humor from Carter because there is no way that she would normally find an ironic situation like this funny. Such situation involved her and Carter dressing up to attend a party with people who are already out for blood but the fact that this party brought in everyone such as, Cece Rhodes, Jack and Georgina Bass, any numerous van der Bilts, Eriol and Mimi Baizen, not to metion a ton of people that Jenny has never met but everyone else seems to hold in high regards, even higher than some of her friends, and Jenny had yet to tell anyone that her and Carter were having a baby. Great just great.
She's not sure how, but in the midst of chatting up some other big wigs that wish to know how Carter is doing now a days, Jenny ended up in the middle of the open courtyard by herself. Of course she is never really by herself. It's no big secret that with her new look and being back to the sweet loving girl that she was before everything, Jenny has turned a lot of heads her way, unintentionally. Gone were the days when people would look to Serena and Blair for the source of everything, now people gave Jenny those hungry admiring forlorn looks. It's something she wasn't used to here. Sipping her glass of lemonade, Jenny felt a hand on her back to find the owner belonged to the Tripp van der Bilt, Nate's older cousin.
"My are you stunning." Tripp tells her charismatically smiling.
Jenny gives him her friendly winning smile and greets him with much graciousness. "Tripp!"
The blond man seems perplexed but timidly smiles. "Forgive me, but I can't for the life of me remember ever meeting you and that's a problem."
Jenny's not one to judge. She's heard all about the van der Bilt scandal through GG and what went down with Nate Serena and Tripp but Jenny has made more mistakes than she is willing to own up to and she is a firm believer in second chances because everyone knows she'd been given more than enough in her life. While everyone was split down the middle with the van der Bilts, Tripp and Nate were always the black sheep of the family. Tripp was just groomed better into becoming what everyone needed him to be. So why should she give him the cold shoulder? "It's okay." Jenny laughs at that. "I wasn't who everyone wanted me to be when I was here." Tripp just cocks his head to the side intrigued but doesn't interrupt as she goes on. "I'm Jenny Humphrey. I work with Blair Bass."
Tripp seems a little off put by that last line but tries to hide it. "So you are aware of my...situation." It's not a question, just common knowledge that Tripp is unlikeable by people whose names start with N, S, D, B, and C.
Jenny tried to show that she was still welcoming. "The information has been spread about." Tripp nodded, grimacing as if to feel bad about what he's in for. "Doesn't mean that I have to take that warning." Both of them grinned at one another sharing a bit of an inside joke among outcasts to society.
A familiar voice had cut through breaking their friendly conversation. "No but it certainly helps with your track record." Nate came to stand in between Jenny and Tripp.
"You'll have to excuse my cousin for his brashness," Tripp apologized unsympathetically while Nate glared him down. "He gets it from the Archibald side of things."
"I'm sorry, did I ask for your opinion on my character, Tripp?" Nate warned him.
Tripp rolled his eyes at his younger cousin (though Jenny thought they bantered like brothers with severed ties) and sighed with grievance. "No, but I thought it might be instructional to point out to this lovely lady which type of characters she should stay away from."
Nate snorted at that. "Believe me, she knows what type from the characters she keeps."
Jenny had had enough. "Excuse me?!"
Nate sighed turning his attention to the annoyed girl. "Look Jenny we need to talk."
Jenny nodded at him with disappointment in her eyes. "You're right Nate. You made it very clear that we do. But I'm not going to talk to someone who's already got their agenda set."
Tripp barged in again. "Jenny would you like me to have him escorted away?"
Jenny whined, massaging her temples. "No Tripp-"
Nate turned on his cousin again with a pointed finger. "You stay out of this!"
"Gentlemen, gentlemen." A new voice spoke calmingly, revealing a man Jenny had never met before but recognition seemed to pass through Nate's eyes as he straightened up (or tensed) a bit. The man had platinum blond hair and striking blue eyes with a soft tan and a well built stock; Jenny had surely never seen this guy. So why was he getting involved?
"Nic Aundale." Nate nodded with high esteem but this still didn't clear up who was to Jenny.
"Nate Archibald and Tripp van der Bilt." Nic mused aloud with a smile that held no warmth. "You two and your families have some business that need to be dealt with in good time."
Tripp tired to defend whatever accusation Nate and himself seemed so defensive over. "We weren't involve in such-"
Nic held an even voice but his spoke greater volumes. "I am aware of what your kind is capable of and as I said before, in due time." Turning to Jenny he held out his hand for her to take. "Miss Humphrey, I believe Carter is in need of someone to show off to...unless you'd wish to stay here?" Nic alluded with his eyes going back and forth between Nate and Tripp.
"That won't be necessary." Jenny answered taking his arm and walking over to wherever her boyfriend was, throwing a glance over her shoulder at the two cousins.
Gazing only ahead, Jenny wondered aloud. "How do you know Carter?"
They stopped short and Nic was about to answer when said subject stepped in and answered for him. "We went to school together." Carter told her, possessively pulling Jenny into him, smirking at his long time best friend and rival.
"You should be more careful with this one, Carter." Nic pointed at Jenny dauntingly. "A lot of trouble she is and everyone here seems to think it's worth it." He told Carter before stuffing his hands in his pocket and returning the smirk.
Carter pressed a kiss to Jenny's temple and held her tighter. "I certainly will."
Jenny was right. This baby was doomed.
XXX
With things more settled, the party goes on. Jenny is asking for explanations about Nic and the van der Bilt – Archibald situation but the only answer Carter come up with is that long ago Nic and Stella were supposed to end up together but something happened and it's not really his place to tell. Jenny hurrumphs but doesn't press the matter. If they wanted drama then she'll surely become more stressed than needed. Carter's surprised as any to see the rest of the past here tonight and it makes Carter question who's in charge of this party. Him and Jenny had there run in with Nic and earlier he was sure he caught a glimpse of that Vinly girl asking questions like the nosey little reporter she was always meant to be. Darien and Jocelyn were by the orderves, having those private hushed conversations that only they can have ('really it's an amazement that they haven't been discovered sooner! Can't wait until that scandal is blown'). Briar was here with some up and coming architect from the east coast ('so that's where she disappeared off to.'), something Atwood. The guy was pretty laid back and he makes Briar happy, so Carter skips the interrogation he had set up and goes to talk to Briar privately while he leaves Jenny to mingle with the Atwood date.
Briar's still Briar, in all her golden glory, even if she was passed up by Serena, who ironically was passed up by Jenny. Carter asks how she's doing and her answer is better, which is considerable progress from the last time any of them saw her, most likely Stella's funeral. Then again, the girl was always a flighty thing. She's smiling and not for the cameras but for herself and Carter thinks that it's because of her new boy toy that might not actually be a toy but he'll ask her about that later. It's when they both glance over at the people they came to this party with that Briar says something mythical and otherworldly that causes people to stop and stare at her and ponder their meaning in life.
"She's perfect you know." Briar told him, smiling at the pair that were having a conversation of their own. "Perfect everything."
Carter knew when Briar was getting existential. "Yeah she is."
"Not just the good parts." Briar told him as she watched Jenny laugh at something her plus one had told her. "The bad ones too. She's perfectly broken as well."
Carter hummed at this observation that he'd made years ago about Jenny. "We're working on it."
Briar turns back to him and smiles. "You've made a lot of growth then." And somehow Carter knows that the girl before him wasn't just talking about his girlfriend.
Carter glances at Briar's architect, who's now speaking freely with Jenny, as if they were old friends getting reaquainted. Turning his notice back to the girl who once held everyone's attention all at the same time, Carter realizes how far they've all come.
Nic is the head lawyer at his firm and will be representing some of the innocent but mostly the criminals of America. Still single because Stella's death doesn't hit more close to home than with him. Darien and Jocelyn will be doing what they do best and offering the finest of diplomacy as translating linguistics for the nations representing ambassador. Vinly was off being Vinly, probably sticking her nose where it doesn't belong, except now she's getting paid to do it as the top news station's most high ranked reporter. Briar was going in between living from once coast to the other, finding herself happy with other wanderers of California but not quite as at home as she is in New York...and apparently not being so fickle in how and who she's with. Stella would have been right there with all of them, ever the girl to push the envelope, trying to shed her young thing cocoon and wanting to be taken seriously for once, she'd probably would have been married to Nic by now and they'd have popped out a kid or two or five. Finally, Carter is one of the highest ranking men in his business with The Girl by his side and a kid on the way. So they aren't all here but they did turn out more okay than the ones after them.
"Come on." Carter motions for them to head back to their dates. All the while he thinks that maybe his family did right by him after all.
XXX
Jenny watches as Carter leads the beautiful looking girl away to have a private chat and wow Jenny thinks that this is Her. She'd only ever heard tales from Erik and whispers from girls when she was in high school but she, that girl, she was the one who Serena had upstaged. In Jenny's mind she can't fathom why because this girl holds herself with more deliacy than Serena guises herself with but then again maybe it's not the why but the how that causes one to go up in high society, perhaps it was only a matter of time.
Jenny sees, from the corner of her eye, Briar's date hiding his antsyness well. "Carter's not trying to get with her you know." Jenny reassures the guy with a warm look.
They gives off the laid back vibe and crosses his arms in front of him while he watches the two with a smile as well. "Sorry, it's not that I'm new to this, it's just that it's different."
Jenny sing-songed. "You can take the boy out of California..."
He chuckled. "How'd you know?"
Jenny shrugged innocently. "I've always been a bit of an outsider here too. Also Lily van der Woodsen has been throwing you worried peeks over her shoulder, like she might have dated your dad or something." Jenny joked and he joined in and something told Jenny that had he not done a bit of growing up in his years he wouldn't have been so inclined to take such a string of words so lightly. "Ryan right? Where are you from?"
"Originally? Chino." He admitted staring at his shoes like telling her this would put a dent in their conversation. He must have been met with this reaction a lot Jenny figured.
"Never heard of it." Jenny smirked.
Ryan just gave her a small somber smile. "Probably best that you didn't."
"That's funny," Jenny grinned. "you do know you're talking to a Brooklyn girl right?"
Ryan's eyebrows shot up with surprise. "Brooklyn? But you look so-"
"Fashion conscious?" Jenny suggested playfully.
Ryan shook his head chuckling. "I was going to say high maintenance."
"We dress the part we have too play." Jenny grinned lightheartedly.
Ryan breathed at this while gazing at her contently. "I guess so." Rubbing the back of his neck and sighing the blond expressed his thoughts. "At least you're down to earth. Most of these women here would probably bite my head off, if they knew where I was from."
Jenny shrugged. "Or bite you." Ryan's face held a mix of horror and amusement. "What? Upper East Siders are very aggressive in what they want, especially the women. And with the way you look, I think even Nate Archibald would feel threatened by you." Jenny jested bumping her shoulder to his arm in suggestion.
Ryan arched his brow. "Nate Archibald?"
"The guy everyone woman wants." Jenny waves off nonchalantly.
"Hmm," Ryan nodds understanding. "And did you...ya know?"
Jenny almost chokes on her lemonade. "Want Nate Archibald?" She never had to admit it to anyone Nate before but she just figured that that's what it was in the UES: common knowledge. "I did for sometime but I don't know. You know when you want something but can't have it and after years of wanting, you come to terms with not being allowed to get it so you find something better and it's so much better...have you ever felt that?"
The Californian was silent for a beat but then smiled sadly at the young girl full of more good and bad choices. "I think we've all had that person that we can't catch up to."
Trying to lighten the mood Jenny noticed a certain Maureen Stewart, once van der Bilt eying Ryan as he spoke to Jenny. "Well, I hope the person chasing after you isn't bitchy, redheaded, and older than you." Jenny motions with her glass towards Maureen and Ryan sees what she means.
The blond man laughs a little for awhile, before staring after Briar as she chatted with Carter. Something about this look made Jenny feel uneasy and it was in that moment she realized why. It was not at all the same distant look that Chuck gives Blair, Dan gives Serena, and lastly the one Carter gives her when she thinks she can't see. It's a face that says they're the next world wonder but they don't want to share such a place with anyone else. But Ryan's face? It doesn't show that. No Ryan's face only holds a feeling of OK. The one that says he's fine with this arrangement but he knows that Briar is just trying to fool herself into falling for Ryan. It says that he knows it but not her, not yet and Ryan's just waiting around forpoor Briar to figure it out maybe even find what he's searching for himself. All of it is scarily too similar. Speaking up, Ryan questions what plagues his mind. "Are all of them? The women, do they all become aggressive in their wants?"
"No." Jenny answered truthfully. "Sometimes we don't know what we want." She told him as their eyes shared an understanding. "That doesn't mean we don't try and find it."
Ryan was grateful. "Thank you, Miss Humphrey."
Jenny was glad. "Anytime, Mister Atwood." And like any great timing in the universe, Carter and Briar returned to their dates.
Ryan watched Jenny and Carter stand together then. Jenny smiled at the two who were so confused and so scared even if they were a couple of old souls. "It was nice to meet both of you." She told them while Briar and Ryan started to stroll off in the opposite direction and Carter led Jenny onward with his arm draped over her shoulders.
Jenny could hear Ryan trying to fit his life together. "Hey, so we should talk, about Marissa and Taylor..."
When Jenny heard Briar answer graciously an okay and a have I told you about Stella, Jenny knew that she had gained a couple of new allies in this mighty board game.
"What are you doing?" Carter whispers into her ear with a smugness that says he knows exactly what she's doing.
Jenny smiles but she doesn't bother to turn to him "Playing cupid."
"Hmm, shceming." Carter corrected her.
"Mio?" Jenny pretends not to have a clue as to what he's talking about as she saunters backwards, watching him watching her. Giggling, she gives up the jig. "Want to join?"
Carter raises an eyebrow at this suggestion because really it's not even her choice to allow him to be part of her little games. "You'll only ever be my only partner in crime Doll." and with that Jenny sprints off waiting for Carter to chase after her.
There may be hope for the Upper East Side yet.
XXX
The next few days blend together. It's really all just give and take at this point. Everyone is on this kick that Carter's out to ruin their lives and Jenny is making another mistake and it all leaves a bad taste in Carter's mouth. Nonetheless, he tries to not stoop to acting like they all never graduated high school. It's hard to do when literally there's a Bass scheming around every corner or a growling Archibald down his back. It doesn't help that now that Jenny's back every single man and, interestingly enough, some women in New York stare at Jenny with a lustful gaze and hang on her every word as if she's otherworldly. Carter doesn't know whether to blame it on the pregnancy glow or the truth that his girl is just that gorgeous but the fact is Jenny Humphrey is his.
They don't bring the pregnancy up yet. It's not like they don't want to but finding the right time, when everyone will react positively, doesn't seem possible. He thinks that this is a waste of time but to Jenny this really means a lot, so he'll suffer through a few more extra days until Jenny realizes that the opinions of people who hardly give a damn are useless. In a messed up sort of way he can kind of seeing wanting Blair's reaction to be positive. The woman practically tore Jenny down, only to build her back up and tear her down again. Blair is the closest thing to a role model his girlfriend ever had and it sickens him. He knows she's not wanting Chuck's approval for anything but the guy is strangely protective of the younger Humphrey now that he's got Blair constantly trying to show her affection in the tough love sort of way to Jenny. It's understandable that Jenny wants Dan to be happy for her. Even if the older brother hardly paid attention to what was going on in her life, she was always there for him and because of that she believes he thought her opinion meant something. Stupid Dan for fooling his sister all this time, Carter knows that the older Humphrey didn't really take anything Jenny said to heart once he realized he could have a life of his own. Then there's the matter of Dan's wife and Carter's old on – again, off – again flame. Jenny had voiced before that out of all of them she was sure that once she said a thing about the pregnancy their would be a long time before that kid would know he had an Aunt and Uncle. Carter hardly thought that Serena was the begrudging type but how much did he really know the girl beyond her partying ways and daddy issues? Every other summer's fascination? A bi-monthly enticement? Compared to how much Carter had shared with Jenny and the reciprocation that was given back, Carter knew a lot more about his current blond bombshell then he ever did his previous. For that, Carter had to grin but that too soon faded with the thought of Nate Archibald's reaction to such a find. Carter knows that Jenny loves him but she had loved Nate too and if this pregnancy put a strain on their relationship (anymore than what it already was) then it could break her. Archibald was an idiot for so many reasons but breaking Carter's things goes beyond what Carter allows to let slide.
Going about life right now is different but at least Carter knows that this is easier for him. For Jenny it's all a mounting pressure from different sides, telling her that this is a bad idea. To Carter this visit is just another one of his do what he wants moments. They'll wake up and hop in the shower to have sex, mosey on out to get dressed, and find their way into a kitchen full of strangers or, to Jenny, people she cares about. Jenny will get him his coffee because she knows how he likes it and she'll ask where the decaf is, making up some excuse that it's better for her skin and not how the caffeine could screw up the little thing growing inside of her and they only really talk to each other and sometimes Erik, when he's in, except more people are inclined to speak to Jenny openly and the Basstard family throw cruel remarks his way but Carter only gives back the worst. This is how their mornings go so far, until Jenny suggests she shows him a little piece of the past and they disappear for the day just rummaging along the city.
It's one day he says to himself. One day where they completely without the other to save one another and the conniving Bass' know this. The word is always final when Blair announces that they need to have a girls night out because it's just been too long. Carter sees what they're doing. Seperating him and Jenny so that hopefully they can break down the walls and wreak havoc, well Carter's not worried about himself he is slightly inclined to sending Jenny questioning gazes when she nervously says sure and all but drag her out the door, The Queen B on one side and a former It Girl on the other. Chuck suggested that they play some cards tonight with the women out and about and just like that Carter is transported back to his conning days swindling a weasel and Archibald for all that they have, except this time Jenny's older brother is in the mix and no way would she let him live it down (or touch her again really) if he took everything the older Humphrey had. So instead Carter resists the urge to win but instead compromises with taking only a portion more than an average winning in this little game. After all he always comes out with the best prize.
Dan, ever the fool, tries to make small talk with Carter to alleviate the tension. It's no surprise that the former GG is the first one to break this code of silence and hate towards Carter, from what he can understand from watching Jenny is that Humphrey's don't hold grudges and if they do you have to do something really horrible in order to keep one going. Carter doesn't want Lonely Boy's approval because he doesn't need it to keep Jenny happy. Instead of opting to play this little passive – aggressive fest, Carter decides to go a much more blunt route. It starts off with Dan asking how Jenny and him met. Normally the Cotillion fiasco would be his first answer but he wants to get under the skin of everyone in this room and a passing moment of kindness hardly solidifies loathing.
"She was dancing at this club with her friends. You know, I think it's the hourglass that draws others in." Carter barters back and Dan is dumbfounded ('is that all that surprising?') so Carter goes on, noticing the stoic nature of Nate to his left. "After that it was come and go. She'll probably deny it but I know she was putting on a show for me." Chuck smirked along but he didn't say a word. "Later she and I went out for froyo and - oh Archibald, since you're not part of her family and the only one who hasn't slept with her, froyo is an invitation for-"
And then the fists went flying.
XXX
Trying to calm yourself when you're alone with two of the most powerful women in New York is synonymous with feeding two starving tigers with a block of cheese. Eventually, someone is going to eat you alive. It begins calmly. The ride over to the boutique is placid and no scathing words are exchanged. When they arrive, glancing up and down at the dresses around them, Jenny figures that most of these she could make with her own flare and style to be more elegant. Serena is civil enough and they all went about their merry way. It was when they were waiting for a couple of drinks (Jenny elects just for some mineral water because she's not "feeling too hot" at the moment, and they eat that right up) at the little cocktail bar when a man approaches as the wait. Normally Jenny would have nothing to say. This handsome eligible man is obviously familiar with the diplomacy of UES and, just like the old days, Jenny would sit there with a smile on her face and watch herself being overlooked in the lime light of The Serena van der Woodsen, now Humphrey and Blair Waldorf, now Bass. It was the way things are or the way things always had been. The man asks what such a beautiful lady is doing just having drinks with friends when she could be having the time of her life enjoying the company with the likes of a gentleman and Blair, the attention grabbing bitch that she is, tells him in her sweetest voice, but so loving the circumstance, that she is happily married. The man shifts his eyes to Blair for a moment but moves them back over and says he was talking to her blond friend. Blair rolls her eyes good naturedly and begins to sip her drink that had just come out while Jenny just smiles at the constant second choice of Blair but is greatful that now she can live with that in regards to Serena.
Throwing a flirty smile over her shoulder and looking at the man through batted eyelids because really, how can she deny any form of attention from anyone, Serena begins to speak to him. "Actually I'm tak-"
The guy holds up his hand, cutting her off. "Not you, her." He says motioning to Jenny's spot in between Blair and Serena. For a moment she thinks this is some sick cruel joke years of never having a single glance from anyone when in the presence of these two and now is the time to over shine them?! Jenny's screwed, even more so when the man goes on. "The Beautiful one." He throws out his most appealing smile and Jenny has to control everything she has to not burst out into ironic laughter. Wow, does life hate her or something?
"Sorry," She answers back politely but firmly. "I have a boyfriend."
The guy who's looking more and more like a Cheshire cat grins "No one has to know about you and I." And that's when it hits Jenny. This man doesn't even register Blair and Serena as an object of desire, he only sees Jenny. He just referred to them as no ones! What crazy unbalance in the world was caused when Carter and her were making this kid?!
Jenny watches Blair briefly from the corner of her eye ('God she is pissed!') and moves to the other side to see how Serena is taking it and Jenny very rarely saw a face of discontent on that perfect face but right now the younger girl could tell that Serena was none too happy either. Gathering all of her UES Queen Bee training (ironically that she learned from Blair) and channeling it through her new found power as the girl everyone wants and wants to be (from years of watching Serena do the same), Jenny dismissed him. "I'm sure the offer is substantially satisfying but my boyfriend Carter Baizen," She let his name slip and recognition washed over this guy instantly. "I'm not sure if you've heard of him but it's pretty serious and well he can be quite possessive." She feigned innocence using her sweetheart expression and allure to get him to do what she wanted. "I'd hate to see a promising socialite and, from your appearance," She gestured to all of him before them. "an enamoring businessman to be at the end of some legal terms and agreements that would no doubt put a strain on such a bright career." Giving him a shrug and a small smile, Jenny watched him enjoy every word coming out of her mouth. "Mr. Baizen has a tendency to dredge up old pasts that wish to be forgot, to anyone he might feel threatened by." Throwing in a flirty look of her own Jenny played the game. "And certainly by your obvious advances and charismatic way about you, it would be hard not to see you as an adversary."
The guy took her hand and brought it to his lips as a goodbye. "You would have been worth every plight miss..."
Pleased with herself grinned openly. "Jenny Humphrey."
The man excused himself graciously. "Well, Jenny Humphrey, I won't forget this moment. You are a pleasure that I never knew I needed." And he slipped off. Jenny felt a card in the hand he had been holding previously but chose not to reveal it with two obviously annoyed friends by her side.
Amusingly enough it was Blair who recovered quickly and had an impressed voice about her. "Well done, Little J."
Happy to finally impress Blair with more than just her fashion prowlness Jenny joked along with her. "I'm sorry that's Queen J." And for a second Jenny thought she had overstepped her boundaries. After all, you should never correct Blair. Ever. Unless you're in the rankings to do so.
But motherhood and the married life must have given her a sense of humor since Blair just let out a laugh. "Right Queen J, I'm sure one Queen can acknowledge this to another. I must say I'm impressed and glad to have chosen you as my successor."
Serena let out a force chuckle. "Yeah, we should...we should probably head back." And with that they gathered their things and left. Jenny was unaware that it was she who was walking in the middle slightly ahead of the group and it was she that everyone they walked past was staring at. Some times do change.
XXX
The girls arrive just as Dan manages to shuffle Nate into the kitchen to calm him down while Chuck is beside them fueling his rage and Carter is off to the other side of the room grabbing some ice from the freezer. Every thing's relative. Chuck's the Devil on Nate's shoulder while Dan's the Angel and Carter is just the opposing force that Nate has to defeat, one way or the other. Thank God she's worth it, other wise Carter wouldn't have bothered.
Jenny nearly drops her things and all but runs over to Carter to attend to his cut lip and already bruising cheek. Applying the ice harder than necessary, Carter hisses from the sting and when Jenny asks what happened Carter's jaw clenches and throws a pointed look towards Nate who is also nursing his head (Carter can't remember but he think he hit it hard enough on the floor that Archibald might have more brain damage) with an ice pack. Jenny's eyes widen and she moves to grab Nate by the shirt and pull him to another room. At first, Carter tries to protest but when Jenny slams the door and muffled yelling can be heard through it he's satisfied with not being met with the same reaction. Dan has the audacity to ask a miffed appearing Serena how the outing was (for someone who kept a secret for so long he's not a very bright person) and she just huffs and walks into another room giving Carter a strange look when she passes him. The Lonely Boy is alone again not having a clue as to what just happened or how to fix it and ends up skimping along after the former beauty. Carter watches them leave and then turns back around to find a Bass hurling scene of utter love in his wake as she tells Chuck how much fun she had and giggles like so when he retorts with a smarmy 'Really?'. Feeling the eyes watching, Blair snarls that they have to get home to Henry and to tell everyone their farewell. Rolling his eyes, Carter walks into the guest room and closes the door waiting for hurricane Humphrey.
When she does storm in, Carter's smug leer can't stay off his face while he's sprawled out on the bed. The girl tells him to shut up to which Carter banters back that he didn't say a word but apparently his retaliation wasn't up to par with what his girl wants to hear, for the next thing he knows she's holding the cold searing ice to his bruised cheek with discontent and a glare. His face contorts in discomfort but he doesn't let out the whine that's aching to be let out as Jenny performs her own little act of punishment.
"Tripp tried to send me flowers." She tells him which only makes Cater glower at her. Carter knows that Jenny's hard to resist but she should really learn that some wild cards, such as Tripp van der Bilt, aren't meant to be played. "Nate saw them this morning before we woke up and disposed of them." Carter rolls his eyes at this because they are 29 and 27 year olds fighting over a 25 year old but acting like they're all still in preschool.
"He only did it because that kind of stunt would cause publicity and you know Archibald can't have a scandal like that tied to his name when he's gearing up for re-election." Carter droned but secretly he knew that this was more than just a political game for Nate. The guy finally figured out that he could have had something great and for once he doesn't end up getting it, instead it's Carter, who never got any of the things Nate could. Still, having Jenny on his arm as the Mayor doesn't hurt. She's the girl from Brooklyn and more of a people person than any other fling than Nate could find. She'd be perfect for his image. Carter was on the edge of considering that Nate's interest in Jenny might be more than finding his conscious...but no, that scheme was more Bass than Archibald despite this Carter wasn't going to put it past him that that's why Blair and Chuck haven't tried to break them up yet.
She tells him, whatever the reason, Carter shouldn't have egged Nate on like that. Carter just scoffs but enjoys the comfortable silence. Then she has to go and break it. "I don't love him anymore."
Carter doesn't say a thing. He wants to, oh he wants to. He wants to call her a liar and tell her that no matter how much she may profess that she loves Carter, which he has no doubt that she does, she will always love Nate. She's in love with Archibald, he wants to yell out at her and not only is the guy a love but her first love. Carter wants to call her out on it, tell her she's not even fooling herself because you don't replace the ones you love, you find a new but they're always going to sit there stewing in your heart. He wants to shake her and tell her that she doesn't have to convince anyone, especially not him because he won't believe her, all of New York wouldn't believe her. Carter wants to expose her for the deceiver she is because that's what he was taught to do growing up, seek out what others wish to hide and make a show of it in his favor. It's what he wants to do because Carter Baizen has to find the loophole in everything that's thrown his way, has to make sure that he can get out of something if his smirks and personality can't for him. Except, this isn't that and she is so much more than this.
There is a moral compass to Carter's ways but he chooses to turn it off when he sees fit. It's why he can get away conning two kids out of their parents earnings and not blink that this may be bad (he's got too much of an adrenaline rush to care). How he can go on with making Serena feel like she's something special but also pulling her down from her high pedestal and making her feel like crap at the same time, at Cotillion. It's how he can go about sleeping with Blair even though she's using him to hurt Chuck and he's all well and fine with that because the bitch is like a used tissue, once he's done he'll throw it away and it'll mean nothing to him ever again. How he'll never feel guilt about Santorini except when she asks about it. Why he can falsify information regarding an estranged father and daughter, just so he can get a few quickies in, because he's always had a thing for long legs. Carter's a bad guy...sometimes, but he has his silver lining to him as well. He'll turn that moral compass on when he notices that his current infatuation just needs to talk about her destructive decisions and apparently he's the only one that's a really good listener. Maybe he'll use it when he's down in some third world country helping with a documentary and on the side building up a place for some less than fortunate kid to live in. Perhaps Carer will talk to that girl in the little pink dress at Cotillion, whose holding the cold glass to his battle wound and she'll just repeat over that she really needs to get to her mother's thing and he'll tell her that if she does that then she'll miss all the fun and excitement. It could be that's the reason he doesn't expose the things that Serena did in Santorini, and, when it boils down to it, her deeds are much more illegal, and why he chooses to take the airplane ticket so that he can be banished again from the city that was once his own but is now ruled by some overthrowing ambitious children. The compass might point to why he had helped the girl, who liked to make it be known that they weren't an item, get the attention she needed from the person who held her same DNA. And maybe it's in him to not be a jerk 24/7 when it comes to the beautiful blond he has now. Carter wants to say all these things but he doesn't.
Instead, he just lies there with the same girl except a different pink dress as she takes care of another wound, made by the same person, and waits for the confirmation that Carter Baizen does in fact understand that Jenny Humphrey is no longer in love with Nate Archibald. He can't say it though so alternately he moves his eyes to watch her, now with a soft touch to his bruise, and tells her that she's going to be a great mother.
XXX
It's rare that Jenny gets alone time with her father, Rufus. What with so many lines crossed and hopes and dreams broken from one another, Jenny is taken aback when she finds that everyone, even Carter ("Erik dragged him out of here real fast." Her dad will say. "Said that it was something important to discuss."), have left Jenny and Rufus to mend torn ties and make a start over. Easier said than done. It's not like she hasn't talked to her Dad since Dan and Serena's wedding and he did cook that welcome back feast for her and Carter the night after the party, that still doesn't explain why she's so unnerved. Jenny gets the picture, nothings been the same since she left most notably her relationship with her dad. It's just Erik and Dan think that they can push and force this kind of problem away but right now Jenny doesn't think that they're quite ready for the one on one, all alone confrontation. A lot of things have been changing for the better in her life she just doesn't think that this one is one of those things that can happen in a single instance. So Jenny does the most logical thing that she can think of, she calls for help. Only neither Carter or Erik are answering their texts and calls ('Idiots!') so Jenny sends the SOS to the only friends she has in this place that have yet to stab her in the back. Jenny waits a beat in the guest room and then suddenly:
Ping!
Help is on the way! – Briar Westchester
Ping!
I'll see what's going on with C sending a savior your way! - Briar Westchester
Jenny had to mentally remind herself that Briar had known Carter long before she or anyone of her family and friends knew him and that back in their reign C was not associated with a Chuck Bass but with Carter Baizen. Trying to recondition herself into that mindset sometimes gave Jenny a headache but still she was thankful and sent Briar a text saying so. It was only after the fact that she had gone into the living room, where her dad was reading the paper, that Jenny wondered when Carter was going to reappear. When the doorbell rang and Jenny went over to open it, who see expected to see and who was standing before her weren't the same person at all.
Ryan Atwood stood in the doorway, shifting from one foot to the other, skimming his gaze over the top of Jenny's head to get a good look at Rufus before admitting something to Jenny. "I don't know what I do these things for." The blond girl just sighed and widened the door for Ryan to walk in. "So Jenny, Briar said you could use some help with extending your building into another branch?" He said louder than earlier as he strolled in, stopping before Rufus who got up to greet him.
"I don't believe we've met, Rufus Humphrey." Her Dad held out his hand that Ryan took to shake.
"Ryan Atwood." Ryan said back, turning his waist around to motion to Jenny then refocusing on Rufus. "I'm a good friend of Jenny's."
Rufus gave him the once over having dealt with Erik her dad realized that Ryan didn't bat for his own team. Raising his eyebrow, Rufus went on. "A guy friend?"
Jenny sent Ryan a pleading face to fix this hole he's dug them into, otherwise this could appear really bad real quickly. "Yeah...we met at the party earlier, uh Jenny and both know Briar and she suggested that I help with the renovations she's making to her building in London."
Recalling something Lily had spoke to him about, Rufus seemed to have an understanding. "You're the architect from California."
Ryan breathed in some relief, just not nearly as much as what Jenny was. "Yep." Wow and Jenny thought only Humphrey's could covey the face of confusion, alleviation, worry, and the regret to ever agree to such a favor. "That's me...California guy."
"Well that's great!" Her dad said putting a hand to Ryan's shoulder and steering him to the kitchen counter. "Hey do you think you could help me with something? I kind of have some plans for this new place and could really use..."
Ryan sent Jenny a distressed but also a you owe me one look as her dad motioned him to sit down. Jenny followed suit and sat right next to Ryan. At least she wasn't alone with her Dad.
XXX
Carter holds nothing against Erik. In the beginning, he had his suspicions but now the guy may be the only one who isn't on the opposing side of Jenny and him from her group. Needless to say, he was still taken back when Erik ushered him out the door because as the younger man put it "They needed to have a serious talk." Never a good sign when dealing with a van der Woodsen but Carter doesn't personally know Erik. He could just be a worrying friend.
It's when they're several blocks away that it dons on Carter that everyone else had left to do their things for the day. Leaving Jenny alone...with her dad. Carter doesn't know when van der Woodsens became such crafty schemers but he hopes that Serena stays as obvious to see through with her plans forever because if she ever became as good as Erik and Lily, well a revenge plan for several instances entailing him would be waiting around every corner. Carter voices his observation involving Rufus and his girlfriend and Erik just brushes it off saying that it's time for them to clear the air and the only time they're ever going to do it is when no one else is around. Carter's got to hand it to Erik, it's a nice set up but that begs the question...what was so important that Erik needed to talk to him about. It's then that Erik tells Carter how he's figured it out. He knows about the pregnancy and if he knows then they better be more careful if they want to keep it concealed, Erik warns him that they might be the best at hiding things from others but in their little inner circle, word always gets out. Carter just can't comprehend why secrets don't stay buried anymore but Erik goes on in telling him that if Carter's not careful Chuck and Blair could finally find a way to help their wounded best friend in need; Give Nate a return into Jenny's full fledged love through means of hers and Carter's baby, Carter would never see it coming and would never come in between Nate and Jenny again...or his unborn child.
XXX
Jenny has a problem. She's willing to admit that. It's one of her biggest flaws. Falling in love with white knights that have come to rescue her from peril like in those old stories she used to hear about when she was little. The thing is, Carter was never a white knight, a rogue or a vagabond but never the hero. And true to the stories, Jenny was never the princess, a maid possibly in the background that no one ever talks about after. Jenny likes to think that's why they work so well together.
So watching Ryan interact with her father, making one another laugh as Ryan just nodded along and listened while Rufus spoke animatedly, made Jenny come to terms with her own previous knight in dashing half – grins. Nate only became the hero in her story because she had seen him as some otherworldly being. Just as everyone else that she had tried to fit in with, Nate was the unattainable and being such built up image to her. Now that she thinks upon it not all white knights do attributional deeds because they want to gain something out of it. Just like the bad guy in the story isn't always the villian... and in many ways they are far better than the hero.
In between one conversation Rufus was telling to another, Ryan fastens his gaze at Jenny and they share a common smile. This has Jenny wondering, whereever Ryan came from, how many people viewed him as their bad guy? How many knew he was the hero? Who still couldn't tell the difference. Announcing that she's going to make some lunch sandwich subs, Ryan pipes up exclaiming that he'll help, with Jenny retorting a laugh that he doesn't even know his way around this kitchen but Ryan shuffles them on through. As soon as they're out of earshot from her Dad, Ryan catches her in between the counter to ask how he became Seth in this situation by not knowing what the hell is going on but just going along for the ride anyway. Jenny has not an inkling of who this Seth person is and is about to ask if Ryan's high, when the Californian continues.
"Listen I get that you need your father distracted. I get it, more than most. My Mom and I were the same way," Jenny resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She hardly believed that statement was true because where her and her Dad get into little hissy fits about every little critical thing, Ryan, she learned from Briar, had real battles like fighting his dark past, a dead girlfriend, and a deadbeat brother. In a way, Ryan's not much different from the other men in Jenny's life. Just a little more hardened by his once standing walls. "But I am not rich daddy material."
Jenny groaned, this time not holding back on the eyeroll. Sighing and bringing one hand to rest on her hip Jenny watched as Rufus was speaking on the phone cheerfully to whoever had called from where they stood. Ryan slowly followed her line of sight. "He wasn't always like this..." Jenny thought back to a simpler time when she didn't have to hide her true feelings like a guarded whisper. "He liked rock and roll, played guitar, sucked at Monopoly, and poked fun at the stock brokers." Moving to face Ryan, Jenny gave him her most pleading look. Ryan sighed and Jenny knew that he was crumbling under her puppy dog eyes. "You remind him of everything that once was...familiar in our lives. You're not money hungry or a social climber, Ryan paved your own way and still managed to keep your true self. In some sort of ironic mindset, that makes you one hundred thousand times better than the people who say that could own you in a second. And that's why you are so much more than rich daddy material."
Ryan was silent while searching deeply into Jenny's hopeful eyes, head cocked, arms crossed. The older male gave in with a tiny sad chuckle, rubbing his eyebrows and appearing exhausted, then let out a careful beam. "You get that you just described yourself right?"
Jenny chose to ignore such a statement and just kept on with her omniscient browse. "I don't know why you do the things you do Ryan and I won't ever try to understand why but you're the only one in this whole situation that I've come to call honest. You understand that it's not the Princess who gets the happily ever after with her Prince, it's all just a fairy tale and in real life, there is no Cinderella slipper for the handmaiden, just another pile of shoes for her to dust because she doesn't deserve that happy ending."
Getting a grip and steading his hand on her cheek, Ryan steeled his eyes to bore into hers. "I hope Carter knows that you deserve it all. Everything." Ryan didn't know what the hell he was saying and just like Briar had warned him beforehand, Jenny was a rare specimen to come by. Down to earth like those who hadn't fully caught on but hadn't made way into their truest of cruel forms, Jenny reminded Briar much of hers and Carter's friend, Stella. The way Ryan had a dead Marissa and place in his heart for Taylor, Briar had a deceased Stella and whole in hers for the severed best friend. The difference? 'Jenny was always meant for greater. The reality in her is that she sees the beauty of all things, even the most scarred. It's almost impossible not to fall in love with someone so full of life, now that she's beginning to unlock her potential.' It was a warning and Ryan can see why. And just like Life is playing a board game Ryan finds himself falling for the unattainable girl because Life just rolled the same move that it did some years ago. Well Ryan can't have this one. He knows it. Conceives it too because she loves Carter and in no way is she allowed anymore heartbreak than what she's acquired over the years that he is convinced this Atwood would bring her. So he takes a step back, acknowledges his predicament, removes his hand from her face and pulls a Ryan by stuffing his hands in his pockets and tries to rustle someone's feathers. "And if we're going to take away from any of this, it's that you will always be a Princess." He gives his lopsided grin forcing her to not notice her power over him.
She doesn't. "Now I know you're making fun of me." Jenny smirks crossing her arms and jutting her hip.
"Am I?" Ryan played dumb conveying a fondness for the appreciation of getting to have her in his life even if it was only a little while.
Jenny let out a mix between a laugh and a whine. An expression shared among friends. "Ryan."
He chuckled. "But it's so fun."
Grabbing the tray of subs Jenny felt the blond man follow her out to face her dad again. "You're too good to me." She laughed.
XXX
Later that night when all is returned to it's rightful place, Carter and Jenny are put on edge...with each other. For the life of her, Jenny can't understand what it is and the smallest of comments has Carter snapping at her. They've been through worse. Carter knows he shouldn't be this vicious but if he wants to push his play on so that the others in Jenny's inner circle are none the wiser of their impending parenthood then Carter will play up the trust fund kid attitude. When things do settle down and they're in bed naked Jenny muses on how she figured it out when he snapped that not every little niche has to be pointed out. Carter enjoys that she points out his flaws, so long that it's only to him so that he doesn't appear weak to others. Carter whispers what Erik had spoke of earlier that evening before Briar came to take them back. Jenny just lets out a breath. "Guess it's time to play the game." Carter's fox like smirk has Jenny giggling. She's his partner. It's the only thing that matters...
