Charlie In Real Life

Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl in any way. If I did then Blair wouldn't be going crazy and Chuck would just tell her he loves her but *SIGHS* I can dream...

Chapter 4

There was an awkward silence at the breakfast table the next day. Blair was looking solemnly at her daughter and Charlie had her eyes fixated on her plate. Chuck had this dark look on his face as he looked back and forth between them.

Luke was looking warily around not knowing what was going on, but he was smart enough to know to keep quiet.

Matt, in his blissful innocence, was the first to speak up. "Daddy, where are we going this weekend?"

Chuck changed his expression as he turned toward his son. "I don't know, maybe to the park or the lake."

Matt grinned and said, "I want to go to the lake."

Chuck smiled at him and said, "Then we will all be going to the lake house."

Hearing this, Charlie dropped her fork. "Dad, I'm not going to the lake house. I have dance class."

Chuck looked at his daughter, clearly not up to any protestations. "I said the whole family is going to the lake and that means you too."

"I'm not missing my dance class just to go-"

"Charlotte" said Chuck in a warning tone. "You're going to the lake with us and what's more you will no longer be attending those dance lessons."

"What? No, you can't do that."

"Chuck-" said Blair tugging him on the arm.

"No" he said pulling his arm away from her. "If Charlotte can't pick up her grades in school, then she will no longer be allowed to attend dance classes."

"Dad, don't. I told you I would pick up my grades, you can't take dance away from me" said Charlie as tears filled her eyes.

"Chuck, no" said Blair.

"Look" he said glancing back and forth at them. "As soon as I see her grades go up, she will be allowed to go back to her classes."

"First, a bodyguard, now banning my dance classes" she said tersely. "What's next you're going to lock me in my room?"

"That doesn't seem like such a bad idea at the moment."

"Chuck!" said Blair.

Charlie rose from the table and ran out.

"I can't believe you just said that" said Blair looking disapprovingly at Chuck.

"She needs to be disciplined."

"I told you that is not what she needed."

"Blair" he said in a hard tone.

"No, I told you to back off but you don't seem to understand that and until you do, you will be sleeping in the guest room" said Blair as she rose from the table and went in search of their daughter.

Chuck watched Blair walk out as he let out a frustrated breath. He turned to his other two children. Matt was looking wide eyed but Luke was grinning.

"What are you smiling about Lucas?" asked Chuck.

"Trouble in paradise?" came Luke's answer.

Chuck's eyes narrowed towards his son. "Finish your breakfast" he said as he rose from the table and pulled out his cell phone.

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Blair walked to her daughter's room and tentatively knocked on the door.

"Go away!" came Charlie's shout.

"Charlie, it's Mom. I want to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk to anyone."

"Charlie, open the door, Now!" said Blair in a sharp tone, then softened it, "Please."

A few seconds later the door swung open.

Blair took in her daughter's tears. "Sweetheart" said Blair in a soft tone stepping forward to wrap her arms around her but Charlie stopped her.

"Don't, I'm fine" said Charlie wiping her tears.

Charlie's rejection hurt her more than she let show and she dropped her hands at her side.

"Your father means well bu-"

"He means well?" said Charlie incredulously. "I feel like I'm in a prison. He's having me watched, I can't go to my dance classes, I can't see Gabe, and all there's left for him to do is lock me inside these four walls."

"Your father didn't mean that" said Blair soothingly.

"Yes he did."

Blair changed the subject and grinned at Charlie. "So you want to see Gabriel or Gabe, Now is it?"

She watched Charlie blush. "Is it serious? Do you like him?" Blair took a breath before asking what she really needed to know. "Have you and he had-"

"No!" came Charlie's mortified shout. "He's just a really stubborn guy that suddenly decided I was the pick of the week."

"So you don't like him?" asked Blair.

"No, I don't."

"Because if you did, I could persuade your father to be more understanding."

Charlie looked up at her and said "Really?"

"Yes, really. You're my daughter. I don't want you to be unhappy" said Blair as she put her hand on Charlie's cheek.

She heard Charlie take a breath then look away. "I don't like Gabe but if I did, it's good to know that you would be okay with it."

Blair smiled and gripped her on the shoulders and shook her a little. "I want to know what's going on in that head of yours but you won't tell me."

Charlie felt her tears threaten and she pulled herself from her mother's hold and sat back down on her bed.

"Look, I want to apologize. I didn't mean all the things I said to you yesterday, I'm sorry."

Blair looked at her daughter and she felt relief. Even though she knew Charlie hadn't meant the things she had said, it still felt good to hear her say it.

"You don't know what it means to me to hear you say that but I know deep inside you do believe some of those things. I'm not perfect Charlie and if I've hurt you inadvertently I apologize. I should have been there for you, for you and your brothers and I wasn't. I'm sorry. I want to start over. If you ever feel like I'm not paying enough attention to you I want you to tell me, do we have a deal?" asked Blair expectantly.

She watched her daughter smile, actually smile at her. It was the first time she had seen that smile in, she didn't know how long and it made her feel guilty.

"Okay, deal" said Charlie.

Blair smiled as she walked out of her daughter's room.

As she was departing she stopped, "Oh, and Charlie?"

"Yea?"

"You don't have to worry about bodyguards. I forbade your father from going through with that crazy threat."

Her daughter looked down and said "Thanks" in a small voice.

Blair said, "You're welcome. Hurry and finish getting ready for school, I'll see you later" as she closed the door and walked away.

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"I can't believe it E, she talked to me, really talked" said Charlie as they exited Constance at the end of the school day.

"You see, I told you. Your mother loves you."

"It was a good talk" admitted Charlie. "But that is not going to make up for the past three years and that's not going to suddenly fix our whole relationship."

"Charlie, really? Your mother is trying, she apologized. What more do you want? Do you want her apology written in blood?"

Charlie looked annoyingly at Eve, "Of course not, stop being overly dramatic. If my Mom is really sorry then I will forgive her, just in time and she would have to understand that Bass Industries and I, don't mix."

"Charlie" said Eve in an irritated tone. "Did you even tell her you didn't want any part of Bass Industries?"

"No" said Charlie grudgingly. "But I've told them both in the past and they have brushed me off saying 'in time you will change your mind. It is your responsibility as the eldest to join the company when you graduate college'."

"How much of that is your Mom and how much of that is your Dad?" asked Eve knowingly.

"Well most of it has been my Dad but my Mom went along with it and please, a change of topic now. I'm tired of arguing over my parents" said Charlie looking around.

"Who are you looking for?" asked Eve grinning.

Charlie looked quickly back towards Eve, "No one. I was just seeing if the limo was here for me yet."

"Hmm" said Eve. "So the fact that Gabe hasn't been around all day has nothing to do with your wandering eye?"

"No it doesn't" denied Charlie.

"And you won't see him at all today" came a snide voice from behind her.

Charlie turned around and faced the one girl who would love nothing more than to dethrone her.

"What do you want Sparks?"

"Oh, nothing, Bass" she said sweetly. "I just wanted to let you know that you wouldn't be seeing Gabe today."

"And how would you know that?" asked Charlie roughly.

"Well, because he was at my house last night, he spent the night. He was so tired over last night's, um, activities" she said through a grin, "that I just let him sleep in. I thought he could use a day off."

"How considerate of you" said Charlie sarcastically.

"Yes, that's me, the model of consideration. I just didn't want you to get your hopes up. Gabe is with me, he will never be yours."

Hearing her words made Charlie's blood boil. She narrowed her gaze on her as she said, "Listen Sparkie, First off, I don't want Gabriel. If I did, trust me I would have him. Secondly, you both deserve each other. He can't keep his dick in his pants and you, you're known as 'always open Allie'. Tell me, does it ever get tiring being Billard's number one slut?"

She heard Allie shriek and Charlie smirked.

"Why you litte-"

"Bitch? Yes, I am. I thought I already made that clear, I'm the crazy bitch around here and I don't play nice. Next time you so much as look at me the wrong way I'll send Mommy the pictures of you fucking her business partner. I think that would be an interesting topic for her to discuss in the boardroom, don't you agree?"

She heard her sputter then turn around and stalk off.

Charlie turned around and faced Eve again, she was laughing. "Charlie, you're so bad."

"Yes" said Charlie as she put her sunglasses on, "But it feels so good" said Charlie as she made her way to her limo. "I'll text you later!" she shouted as she entered the limo and the driver closed the door in after her.

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Charlie was sulking as she and her family made their way down to the lake. She couldn't believe she was actually here. She should be in a studio, stretching for her next routine she thought angrily.

Damn it, having all these kids around was going to drive her crazy. Not only did she have to deal with her younger brothers but she also had to deal with Serena's two kids, thank God Nate and Jenny's son was too little to come along or it would have been one more for the road.

After they were settled Chuck was looking around warily. "Do you really have to be wearing that?"

Charlie huffed, "Mom, I'm going back to the house. I'll be back later. I suddenly have a headache" she said as she turned around walked back up the trail.

"Chuck" said Blair.

"What? I'll make it up to her later. It was just, what she's wearing was-"

"What about it? She was not even wearing a bathing suit. She had on shorts and a tank top."

"Short shorts and a tank top that shows her, her, assets" said Chuck getting worked up.

"You're impossible and don't think that just because we're here, doesn't mean you're not going to be sleeping in the guest room, because you are."

"We don't have a guest room, remember? We have two extra children with us" said Chuck smugly.

"Then enjoy the couch" said Blair as she took the kids to play in the water.

Chuck looked heatedly at Blair as she walked away. It was her own fault he thought. Their daughter looked like a twenty-one year old model instead of a sixteen year old girl. He swore her genes were to blame as he walked down to join them.

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Charlie was on her way back to the lake house as her phone rang. She picked it up.

"Hey Evie, I'm so pissed you couldn't come with us. This weekend will be a drag. We've only been here a half hour and my father has already managed to get on my nerves."

"Why, what did he do?"

"Just complaining about what I'm wearing."

"Charlie, I hope you're not wearing that string bikini that I told you not to buy."

"No, I should have though. That would have really pissed him off. I'm perfectly decent. I'm wearing shorts and a tank, my father just loves to be difficult. But tell me, how's the city? Anything interesting happen while I've been gone?"

"No, I wish. It's been surprisingly dull. Hey, have you heard from Gabe?"

"No, I have not heard from Gabe, nor do I ever want to again" said Charlie crossly.

"You're not still upset over what Allie said, are you? She was probably lying."

"I don't care if Allie was lying or not. I don't care about Gabriel Knight. He can do whatever he wants with his life. He could drop off the map tomorrow and it wouldn't faze me one bit."

"And here I was hoping for a happy reunion."

Charlie turned and her eyes hardened.

"Speak of the devil" she said into her phone.

"Gabe is there?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Let me call you back. I need to tell him to get off private property, he's trespassing."

"Okay" said Eve laughing. "But don't forget to call me later. I want to know if you ended up in another lip-lock session with him."

Charlie rolled her eyes and ended the call.

"What are you doing here?"

"Would you believe I missed your lovely company and couldn't wait until Monday to see you gain?"

"No" said Charlie angrily. "As I said before, this is private property and I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"It's not private property."

"Yes it is. The only people allowed to be here are people that own-"

"A home here? Yes, I know, and lucky for me, my father does, so since we've established that I'm not trespassing, may I escort you home?"

"No, I want you far away from me" said Charlie as she resumed walking.

"Why?" asked Gabe.

"Because I wouldn't want to catch any diseases you may have picked up while staying over Allison Sparks' house."

"You heard about that?"

"Yes, I did. Now will you excuse me" said Charlie brushing pass him.

"Hold on, it's not what you think."

"It's not? Then did you sleep over, yes or no?"

She heard him groan then say "Yes, but it's no-"

"Not what I think? You know what I think? I think you are the lowest most vile human being I have ever met. Any girl who has the misfortune of falling in love with you is doomed."

Gabriel got close to her, "Jealous Charlie?" he asked in a low tone.

She looked at him intently and said, "No, you egotistical bastard. I don't feel anything for you."

"Then prove it."

"What?" asked Charlie not understanding.

"Prove you don't feel anything for me. Spend a couple of hours with me. If you're really not jealous of Allison you shouldn't mind my company one bit."

"I would mind your company, Allie or no Allie. You get on my nerves."

"That is not all I got on the other day, do you remember?"

The heat rushed up Charlie's cheeks, "No, I don't remember. It's already erased from my memory."

"Are you sure?" he asked teasingly.

"Yes I'm sure" she said confidently.

"What a pity. I know I will never forget it for the rest of my life."

Charlie scoffed, "You're a piece of work, you know that?"

"I've heard something to that effect before" he said but they were interrupted by a little girl.

"Gabe, you said you were going to take my picture."

"That's right I did" said Gabe smiling at the blonde haired, blue eyed girl. "But I need an assistant and she refuses to help me" said Gabe pointing at Charlie.

Charlie's eyes widened. She hadn't even noticed the camera around his neck or the tripod at his side. "I'm not his assistant. I was just leaving."

"Please, I promise it will only take a few minutes" came the pleading voice of the girl who looked about eight.

Charlie looked at the girl's hopeful face. She was debating whether or not to dissapoint her but in the end she gave in. Charlie let out a sigh and said, "Fine, tell me what to do."

They set the girl in front of a rose bush and she watched in awe as Gabriel concentrated and adjusted the lens and started snapping pictures.

"Make her laugh" said Gabe from behind the camera.

"What? I don't know how to make her laugh."

"She's a kid, just make funny faces at her."

Charlie rolled her eyes and took a breath. This was so humiliating she thought as she started doing funny faces and the little girl started giggling. Before long, she was laughing too.

She didn't notice that Gabe had turned the camera on her until she turned towards him smiling and the flash caught her directly.

"Beautiful" he commented smiling.

She let her smile die down and said, "That was underhanded."

"Hey, it was the only way to get you laughing and now I will always have a picture of you smiling."

She looked away from him as something shifted inside her. She took a breath this could not be happening to her she thought. To distract herself she turned to the little girl named Abby. "You agreed to help this sneak?" asked Charlie.

"Yea, but I also really wanted Gabe to take my picture. His pictures are always really pretty, have you seen them?"

"No, I haven't" confessed Charlie.

"Abby!" came a voice from behind them.

"That is your Mom. Once I develop the pictures, I will send them to you. Deal?" he asked taking the little girl's hand.

"Deal" she said shaking it. She giggled as she ran back to her mother.

"And there goes Abby" said Gabe. "Her parents own the lake house next to ours."

Charlie nodded then said, "I didn't know you were a photographer."

"Amateur Photographer" he added.

"Well, I didn't know you were any kind of Photographer."

"You don't know a lot of things about me."

"And I don't want to. Now that my 'contract' is up. I'm going home."

"Come on, we were getting along so well."

"Yes, and now I've come to my senses" she said turning around and taking a few steps but was stopped by Gabe's arms that had snaked around her waist.

"What is it with you and grabbing me?"

"I can't help myself. You don't know how much I enjoy having you this close."

"You're a pig and I want you to let me go."

"Fine, I will" he said against her ear. "I will let you go and I won't bother you for the rest of the weekend if you do one thing for me."

"What is it?" asked Charlie.

"Take a picture with me."

"What? No, so that it can end up on Gossip Girl in a few days, no thanks."

"It won't end up on Gossip Girl. I promise. I will be very careful. This picture will be for my own personal use."

"You're disgusting."

"My, my, my, Charlie what a dirty mind you have. I was just thinking of putting it in a frame on my desk."

Charlie blushed once again. "You promise to leave me alone for the rest of the weekend?"

"Scout's honor" he said lifting his hand in a salute.

Charlie rolled her eyes and said, "Hurry up, where do you want to do this?"

"I always did want to hear that phrase come out of your mouth, though our surroundings I imagined, would be much different."

"Gabe!" said Charlie in a warning tone.

"Fine, over here on these rocks" he said.

After he set up the camera on the tripod and put the timer, he came joined her reclining himself next to her on the rocks.

She bent one of her legs on the rock and looked straight ahead with a look of annoyance on her face.

"Smile, Charlie" said Gabe.

"I don't want to."

"Did I forget to tell you, you look very sexy in those short shorts?"

She couldn't help it; her smile appeared just as the camera flashed.

"Gabe!" exclaimed Charlie.

"What? You do look sexy" he whispered. "And you smell even better" he said as he bent his head and placed a kiss on her neck.

Before she had time to react she heard a voice, shout out "Charlotte!"

A/N: Greetings and Salutations everyone. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it lol. I was happy to bring back the more softer side of Charlie but let me say not all is patched up between Charlie and her parents. So, I've introduced a new Character, Allison Sparks, and I think we all know who spawned that devil lol. What do you think Gabe was doing that he spent the night in her house? I would love to hear your theories lol. I already know Gabe's story but if you readers still want to come up with Eve's story you still have the chance. Who do you think has caught Charlie and Gabe together? If you want to see the pic of Charlie and Gabe together follow the link on my page. When it opens up look to the left and under albums you will see "Charlie in Real Life" click on that and you're there. If you check it out, don't forget to come back and REVIEW!!! The more you review, the faster I type lol.

XoXo Chrys