"So," Serena sidled up to Blair at 1OAK later that night, "you and Carter, that's... interesting."
"Yeah, I suppose it is." Blair agreed.
Serena opened her mouth to say something but then thought better of it and closed it again. She did this three times before Blair finally took pity on her;
"Spit it out S."
"Are you using Carter to get back at Chuck?" Serena blurted.
Blair sighed and looked her best friend in the eye, "No. When Carter and I hooked up Chuck's and his little rivalry never even crossed my mind."
Serena still looked slightly doubtful but tactfully changed the subject, not wanting to spark another fight. "So did you see what Heather Mullins is wearing? Don't get me wrong, it's a nice dress, but it kind of screams-"
"Slut?" Blair giggled.
"I was going to say desperate, but now that you mention it..."
"Blair, Serena."
Both girls turned to see Nate making his way towards them. Still laughing they both greeted the blond.
"Hey Natie," Serena smiled, giving him a hug.
"Archibald," Blair smirked, "where's your shadow?"
Nate rolled his eyes at her, "Vanessa couldn't come tonight."
"What? She and Humphrey are having a hot date watching the Brady Bunch on television?" She teased.
"The Great Gatsby actually, which is why I'm here," Nate corrected, "apparently Robert Redford is only to be enjoyed by those whose IQ's exceed 130."
"Figures," Blair snorted before looking at her watch. "Well, far be it from me to break up this scintillating conversation, but I should probably rescue Carter from Hazel's clutches and get going."
"So soon?" Nate frowned, "I was hoping that we could catch up."
"I promised Dorota I'd be home by twelve, sorry Archibald. Maybe another time?" She disappeared into the throng of people before he could reply.
Both Serena and Nate watched in silence as Blair reappeared next to Carter at their table and they walked out together.
"So, her and Carter Baizen?" Nate said finally, "What's the story?"
Serena gave him a fleeting look before turning back towards the bar and her awaiting mimosa. "Honestly, I have no idea."
Nate sighed, before joining her and together they drank and watched the crowd disperse until there was only a few people left in the club.
*******
"Boys, dinner." Lily called. She then walked back into the kitchen and helped Jenny and Dan finish setting the table.
"Isn't Serena home yet?" Rufus questioned, bring the salad-bowl and the bread basket to the table.
"No, she and Blair ran into some trouble while shopping." Lily explained as Eric dragged a very reluctant Chuck into the room.
"What? Blair couldn't decide whether or not someone had the same coat as her?" Jenny laughed.
"Actually no," Serena stood in the doorway. "One of the shop-assistants fell and hit her head. We wanted to wait until the ambulance came."
"Is she alright?" Lily asked concernedly as Serena took her place next to Chuck at the table.
Serena nodded, "The paramedic said that she most likely just has concussion, they took her in anyway for observation."
The conversation halted.
"So... I didn't see you at lunch today." Eric said to Chuck awkwardly.
"I had business to take care of." Chuck replied shortly.
"Business being code for avoiding Blair." Dan muttered.
Chuck glared at him, "Actually it's code for Nate going to visit his father in prison and me being there to support him." He shot.
Dan squirmed as everyone looked at him pointedly. "Well how was I supposed to know that?" He asked defensively. "I didn't get the memo where the rich kids decided to get morals."
"No you were just being judgmental as always," Serena took a large sip of her water.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Dan retorted.
"It means you screwed a teacher behind her back." Chuck told him, "Congratulations, you've officially sunk lower then me." He raised his glass in mock toast.
"No, Chuck. It's not possible to sink lower then you." Dan narrowed his eyes. "So when was the last time you spoke to Blair."
"Watch it Humphrey," Chuck's eyes glinted dangerously, "I'm not in the mood to play today."
"I bet Carter Baizen is." Dan cocked his head to the side, "Oh sorry, are we not allowed to mention that either?
"You don't know what you're talking about Dan, so just shut up okay." Serena cut in.
Chuck gave her a semi-grateful glower.
Silence.
"I got an A on my history assignment!" Jenny tried. "It was about the Egyptians. Did you know that they used to worship cats? Isn't that so cool?"
"Aren't you allergic to cats?" Serena frowned.
Jenny shrugged. "It's still cool."
"I used to have a cat when I was a girl," Lily remembered fondly. "I named him Coco."
"After Chanel?" Eric asked.
Lily nodded, "Funnily enough his namesake was the final straw before Cece pawned him off on the maid."
Everyone looked at her expectantly.
"He peed on her brand new Chanel cocktail dress," she clarified. "A fact that I neglected to mention until we were at the party and people started to wonder about the stain."
"And Cece calls me the Devil's Advocate." Chuck said dryly.
Rufus looked around at the table, "Isn't this nice? Everyone talking, getting along..."
Both Serena and Chuck snorted in unison.
"It's good practice for the Charity Gala we'll be attending next week. As a family." Lily slipped in, she gulped down the remainder of her wine before chancing a glance at everyone's reactions.
"Isn't that the one Blair's organizing?" Serena asked.
"I'm busy." Rufus and Chuck said together.
"Doing what?" Lily asked with a hint of steel in her voice.
"I have a business meeting with one of the investors," Chuck reminded her.
"I had that rescheduled for next Wednesday." Lily told him.
"Well I have to work, it's Vanessa's day off that night." Rufus said.
"What night?" Lily asked, folding her arms across her chest.
"The night that the Gala's on." Rufus said smoothly.
"Which is...?" Lily persisted.
"Saturday?" Rufus tried.
"Wrong, it's Sunday." Lily told him.
"Of course, that's what I meant." Rufus corrected hastily. "Vanessa's day off is on Sunday."
"Good, so that means she'll be able to cover for you when we attend the Gala on Friday." Lily allowed herself a smug smile before starting on her dessert, rendering Rufus speechless.
"What just happened there?" Rufus asked, when he found his voice some time later.
"Sorry Dad, you just got played." Jenny smirked, giving Lily an approving look. Dan and Eric both laughed and commiserated with Rufus while slapping Lily high fives.
Chuck and Serena exchanged sickened glances.
"Well, I don't know about you Sis, but I'm counting down the days till I turn eighteen." Chuck murmured as they both placed their dishes on the sideboard a few minutes later.
Serena took one last look at the still-laughing group before nodding. "Ditto."
*******
Eric walked into Chuck's room in search of his sister. "Hey Chuck, have you seen - Serena." He finished in surprise. "Serena, you're here, in Chuck's room. On Chuck's bed." He narrowed his eyes at his older sister. "You two aren't...?"
Chuck rolled his eyes and returned to his laptop while Serena shrieked in disgust and hopped off of the bed, letting the magazine she was flicking through fall to the ground.
"God no! Just no. Eric how could you even think that!?" Serena shuddered.
Eric shrugged his shoulders defensively, "Well you're mourning Dan, he's mourning Blair -"
Chuck cleared his throat loudly.
"- whether he admits it or not." Eric continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "And it wouldn't be the first time you guys have looked to other people for solace; Aaron," He looked pointedly at Serena, before giving Chuck a wry smile, "half of Beijing? Seriously guys, you're not the most stable when it comes to dealing with heartache."
"Point duly noted," Chuck said with annoyance, "door's that way." He continued typing on the laptop as Eric took the hint and left.
"He does make a valid case," Serena said thoughtfully a few minutes later, "Both of us are single, and both of us hate the new family order, we should think about it."
"I'm not sleeping with you," Chuck told her without turning around.
Serena flung a pillow at him and scowled. "I just meant that we should consider sticking together. I mean Nate has Vanessa, and now Blair has Carter..."
This time it was Chuck who scowled. "Blair doesn't have anything. She's just using him to get back at me. They're just doing it to piss me off,"
"I don't think that's what she's doing this time Chuck. I think she genuinely likes him," Serena bit her bottom lip worriedly, "and I really think that he likes her too. He was being a total ass to everyone last night but he was really sweet to her."
Chuck flinched and he turned away quickly before Serena could see his face fall. "Blair is just using him to get at me." He repeated firmly.
"And if she isn't?"
Chuck didn't reply, Serena made her way to the door but turned at the sound of his voice.
"Then I'll just have to try harder to win her back, and..." Chuck swallowed deeply and took a deep breath. Serena waited patiently for him to continue. "Tell her... tell her that I'm not giving up, and that I'm going to fight this time." He turned back to the screen without another word.
Serena nodded even though he couldn't see her and quietly exited the room, closing the door behind her.
*******
"He misses you, you know." Serena said out of the blue as they lay on her bed in their pajamas later that night. Blair froze for a few seconds before forcing herself to continue flicking the pages.
"Oh?" She said nonchalantly, though her heart was thudding rapidly in her chest.
"He loves you." Serena continued, watching her best friend closely for signs that she wasn't completely okay.
"Well he could have fooled me." Blair said finally, sitting up straight and placing the magazine on her bedside cabinet. "Do you mind if we turn the light off? I'm tired and we have to get up early for school tomorrow."
Serena nodded mutely and joined her best friend under the comforter. "He told me to tell you that he's going to fight this time, and that he's not giving up."
Blair closed her eyes and took a deep breath while willing back tears. She didn't reply until a long while later, when Serena was already sound asleep with her golden locks flayed out over her pillow. "About time, Bass." She breathed, not allowing herself to think, much less to hope.
