Summary: What if the ghost of Bart Bass saves Chuck from committing suicide instead of Blair and Jack? Chuck sees how those he cared about would be affected if he had succeeded in his suicide attempt. Starts during 2.14. Loosely based off of the film "It's A Wonderful Life"
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, etc.
Grudges
Bart sighed. This was definitely not a vacation.
Chuck threw his hands up in frustration before taking a seat on the curb. "Honestly, though, father - why did you have to go and ruin my plans? The world would be better off."
Sitting next to his son, Bart responded calmly, "We both know you didn't mean to jump, Charles."
"Don't tell me what I did and didn't mean to do. You have no right to interfere in my life as it is. You never helped me when you are alive, so why would you want to help me now?" Chuck replied spitefully, his eyes focused on the black pavement below.
Bart crossed his arms and rested them on his knees. "I never said I was father of the year and I don't expect you to think of me as such," Bart answered honestly, "but you have to understand, as CEO of Bass Industries, I didn't have time to be a father and a president at the same time. I shouldn't have taken my frustrations at work out on you; I know that was wrong. However, what's done is done. I apologize, but that is all I can do now."
"You didn't have time to be a father? That's your excuse for being a flat-out dick to me?" Chuck laughed bitterly. "You know what I think? I think you've hated me since my mother died. You never stopped blaming me for her death, have you?"
Bart stood up angrily. "Shut up, Charles; just shut up. You know nothing about your mother; she was the only thing I cared about and the only thing in my life that made it worth living. Don't you dare bring her into this conversation," he whispered dangerously.
"I knew it!" Chuck jumped to his feet and pointed accusingly at Bart. "You could give a fuck if I died!" He stepped closer to his father, jabbing Bart in the chest with his pointed finger. "You never cared about me and the only reason you're pretending to now is because you'll be gaining something from all of this." Fuming, Chuck shoved his father backwards with both hands. Bart remained silent as Chuck continued his assault. "The truth is, I hate you and I'll never forgive you!" Chuck launched a fist into Bart's jaw. "I." Punch. "Hate." Punch. "You." He hit Bart again and again before finally breaking down against his father's chest. "I hate you," he choked out.
Bart stood stunned momentarily before wrapping an arm around his son. He waited in this position until Chuck was able to compose himself. "Look at me, son," Bart commanded sternly. Chuck obliged, staring at his father through bloodshot eyes. "You are not at fault. You never were. I do not blame you for your mother's death. Life works in mysterious ways, Charles. Yes, she is gone. Have I gotten over that? Absolutely not. However, while I lost a wife, I also gained a son, a strong one at that. I'm proud of how far you've gotten and how mature you've become, although that fit you just threw would suggest you're still a child." Bart raised an eyebrow. "I love you, son, contrary to what you believe. I'm sorry that I didn't show you that while I was still alive."
Chuck used the back of his hand to wipe the remaining tears off of his cheek. He stuttered, "I – I… well, I'm sorry. I was out of line." He lowered his dark eyes, embarrassed for his childish outburst. "I have no idea what came over me, father. Did I hurt you? I didn't expect to actually be able to hit you, you know."
"It's quite alright, Charles," Bart smiled with a shrug, "I'm dead, and as you can see, my face is perfectly unscathed. Just to clarify, you can't touch living people. However, you and I are in similar states right now and so, being in the same realm, physical contact is possible. Understand?"
Chuck nodded and shoved his hand in his coat pockets. "So, where do we go from here?"
"Let's go see what Jack is up to, shall we?" Bart suggested, ushering Chuck next to him. And so began the familiar crushing pressure again. This was one aspect of ghost life to which Chuck was never going to adapt.
*****
Chuck opened his eyes to find himself outside of suite 1812, his suite. Walking through the entrance door, Bart and Chuck immediately laid eyes on Jack Bass, surrounded by tens of cardboard boxes. Jack was in the middle of transferring clothes from Chuck's bureau into one of the boxes. "What is he doing with my belongings?" Chuck asked Bart.
"Well you aren't using them, now are you?" Bart answered casually.
Jack closed the bureau drawer and moved to sit in Chuck's plush red lounge chair. Producing a cigar from his coat pocket and lighting it, Jack looked relaxed; nothing gave evidence to the fact that his nephew had committed suicide just hours ago. His steely eyes scanned the room for nothing in particular before stopping suddenly on Chuck's nightstand. There, next to Chuck's king-sized bed, was a light blue bag, begging to be opened. Intrigued, Jack extinguished his cigar and strode briskly over to the nightstand. He took the bag in his hand and, reaching under the lampshade to turn on the light, saw the words "Tiffany & Co." adorning one side of the bag.
Chuck rolled his eyes nonchalantly. "Great," he mumbled. Bart eyed Chuck knowingly but said nothing.
"What do we have here?" Jack said to himself, amused. He opened the bag and removed a small box that had the bag's décor. Taking the lid of the box, Jack smirked. A small piece of paper lay atop a silver snowflake necklace. Each of the points of the snowflake was adorned with a sparkling white diamond, the middle of the charm being a large blue diamond. It was quite impressive, really. After admiring the piece of jewelry, Jack turned his attention to the piece of paper. It was clearly a handwritten note, the words written in fine cursive he could only assume belonged to Chuck.
Because like a snowflake, no one can ever match your beauty.
-C
"Isn't that touching?" Jack chuckled.
Chuck groaned and Bart looked at him with an amused expression on his face. "I thought you didn't love her, son. Isn't that what you said earlier?" Chuck had conveniently started to find his shoelaces very interesting at this point. Bart continued, "At any rate, I've always thought Ms. Waldorf to be a fine match for you."
Snapping his head in Bart's direction, Chuck barked, "I don't love Blair, father. That was supposed to be a Christmas present, and nothing more. It's good to know you spy on me twenty-four-hours a day."
"Oh for God's sake, be quiet, Charles. Don't pretend like you don't utilize my private investigator for every insignificant matter," Bart shot back.
Chuck shrugged weakly. "I suppose you have a point."
Turning their attention back to Jack, father and son watched as Jack put the box back in the bag. He then took the bag off of the nightstand and walked over to a table where his briefcase lay. Jack opened the briefcase and gently laid the bag inside before closing it quickly.
"What the hell is he doing? That necklace was thousands of dollars! He better put it back," Chuck said furiously. "You hear me, Jack? Put it back or I'll -"
"You'll what, Charles? Assault him like you did me?" Bart interjected. "You cannot do anything to prevent Jack from taking the necklace. Leave it be."
"Leave it be? Fine, say I do. What's next? You told me the whole point of this was to find out people cared about me. I know that Jack cares about my possession, that's for sure. " Chuck asked, his eyes still trained on his uncle. "But I still don't see any real reverberations from my death. Maybe you just can't accept that there are none, father. It seems to me you just don't want to admit your son was a failure."
"You'll know the consequences of your suicide when you see them, Charles. Your death is certain to affect people long after the fact," Bart remarked. "If you don't believe me now, you will soon. How about we travel to the day of your funeral?"
A/N: Yay, I think the story is coming along quite nicely! What do you all think? Thanks once again for reading and hopefully you guys continue to do so!