Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
When Luca woke up from his nap, everyone bundled up to brave the falling snow to enjoy their outing at the museum. Luca was so excited to see the animals that he could barely stand still long enough to have his coat zipped and his mittens put on.
In the museum, Luca pulled Bart along from one exhibit to the next. Blair and Chuck strolled behind, appearing mostly to be an afterthought to their son as he barely acknowledged him. As they strolled along, there were gasps of surprise as Bart was recognized by several of the patrons, but they were mostly left alone.
Evie was oblivious to her surroundings as she drifted in and out all afternoon, but the outing appeared to be a success as Luca conked out on Bart's shoulder as they drove home. Chuck could hardly look at the pair together. He couldn't help being angry that his father felt more comfortable holding his son than he'd likely ever been holding him.
Blair stroked his hair to soothe him, appearing to be able to read her husband's thoughts.
Arriving back at the manor, Bart offered to take Luca up to his bedroom. Rosa came into the entryway to claim Evie, whispering a Chilean fairytale to their daughter as she went. Blair and Chuck headed towards his private study to talk.
"You don't have to say it," Chuck stated as Blair rubbed his shoulder. She could feel him gravitating towards the wet bar and needed to distract him.
"Say what?" Blair inquired as she steered him instead towards the leather sofa so she could massage his shoulders properly.
"He's trying," Chuck sighed, "He's making the effort to be a better grandfather to his grandson than he was a father to me."
"But," she prompted him.
"Couldn't he also try being a better father to his son?" Chuck added.
"It's easier with Luca," Blair found a particularly stubborn knot in his shoulder, "He hasn't been disappointed for more than twenty years. Bart's walking on egg shells around you. He doesn't know what to say. He's worried he's going to set you off and be kicked out of your home and life."
"He wants to go to one of my therapy sessions," Chuck replied.
"I know. I think that would be a good idea," Blair offered her opinion without being asked.
"I think it's quite possibly the worst idea in the history of mankind," Chuck snorted.
"I think you're being a little melodramatic," Blair replied, "The few times I've been in your sessions have been eye opening. It's helped me understand you and this illness better. It's no secret that a lot of your issues come from your father's neglect. It would be good for you to air some of your feelings in a safe and controlled environment."
"You may be right," he sighed.
"And I know how much that irritates you," she chuckled softly.
"In this instance, yes," he agreed.
"If you want an extra level of support, I could come too," she offered.
"Maybe," he nodded, "I have a week to think it over."
"I thought your therapist had cut back on your sessions because you were doing so well," she replied.
"Because of Bart's return, he wants to ramp it up for awhile to stay ahead of the game," he explained.
"Smart," she replied, "And Chuck, I have an idea that I want to run by you. I don't think you're going to be receptive right away, but I still want you to give it some thought."
"What's this idea?" he inquired. He had a pretty good idea where her thoughts were leading. He knew he wasn't going to be happy about it, but he knew her heart was in the right place.
"I think we should ask Bart to stay with us for awhile…at least until he gets his affairs in order," she stated, "I don't like that he goes to an empty hotel room night after night."
"It's been two nights," Chuck pointed out.
"Here in New York City," she agreed, "But he's been away from New York for several years, away from his family, away from his life. We know how hard life was without him here for six years. We have no idea what it was like for him. He didn't have anyone with him."
"I'll give it some thought," he assured her.
"Good," she replied as the doorbell interrupted their private chat.
"Who could that be?" Chuck inquired as he rose from his chair to go to the door knowing that Rosa was likely still tending to Evie as she was as enchanted by his daughter as everyone else.
Blair followed Chuck to the door, "Lily!"
"Is Bart here?" Lily hissed. There was venom in her voice that was so unlike the woman that Chuck and Blair had known most of their life. "Serena said she saw him here."
"He's here," Chuck confirmed.
"I want to see that bastard," she growled.
"He's putting Luca down for his nap," Blair replied, "I'll go get him."
"The nerve of that man coming back into our life and not having the decency to call his wife," Lily continued to display her anger as Blair went to retrieve her father-in-law.
"I know how angry you must be," Chuck replied.
"No, you really have no idea how angry I am," she growled, "I don't even know how angry I am."
"He does have a valid reason for why he's been gone," Chuck offered.
"Don't make excuses for that man," she scowled at him.
Chuck knew she was ready to blow. He certainly didn't want to be the target of her rage, so he kept any further comments to himself.
Bart slowly approached the entryway.
Lily gasped as her eyes locked with his. Until that moment, she wasn't sure she believed he was alive. So many emotions flowed through her. So much anger, so much rage, but then that was replaced by relief and longing. She surprised everyone when she rushed into his arms, tears flowing as she was engulfed in his embrace.
Blair pulled Chuck out of the room to allow Lily and Bart some privacy.
"I'm sorry, Lil," Bart whispered as he held her close, "I'm so sorry."
"How is this possible?" she asked as her head came to rest against his chest, allowing her to hear the steady beating of his heart, "What about the accident?"
"It was real," Bart told her, "And I was severely wounded as a result."
"Why did you have to fake your own death? Why did you have to keep it from your son and wife?"
"I wanted to tell you, Lily," he held her, "I've wanted to tell you everyday since I left, but I wanted…needed to protect you. The accident wasn't just an accident. I was targeted because of something I knew and was trying to expose."
"You're talking riddles," Lily pulled away abruptly, "Give me a straight answer."
"You know that Jack was caught up in an embezzlement scam," Bart began, "I learned about it far sooner than anyone else when Jack targeted the wrong people, people that didn't take kindly to being swindled out of large sums of money. They erroneously thought that I was involved in the scheme, and that I was as responsible as Jack for paying them back. I went to the authorities to put an end to things, but that made me a target and, by extension, made you and Chuck targets.
"It was always the plan for me to go into protective custody, but you and Chuck were supposed to be told. When the accident happened, it became clear that just being alive was hazardous to the health of my family. I couldn't bear the thought of them targeting you or Charles or Serena or Eric. With me out of the way, I was convinced that they would move back to targeting Jack, which was true."
"You should have told me," Lily's eyes once again filled with tears.
"I figured it was easier for you not to know," Bart replied, "It was easier for you to be a widow free to marry again than in the middle of another scandalous divorce to a man that just up and disappeared."
"How dare you!" she spewed her venom.
"You had every intention of divorcing me before the accident," Bart held firm as the ice entered his veins, "There wasn't a thing I could have done or said to convince you otherwise. I was honestly surprised that you even married me, especially after spending the night before our wedding in bed with your former lover."
Lily reflexively slapped him across the face.
"You sleep with another man the night before our wedding, and I'm the one that gets slapped," Bart ran his hand along his jaw, "What was it that made you go through with the wedding in the first place? Was it my bank account or the prestige of being Mrs. Bart Bass?"
"How dare you!" she hissed.
"How dare I?" he scoffed, "How dare you."
"If you knew about my affair with Rufus, why go through with the wedding to me in the first place?" she challenged him.
"I didn't know about the affair until many months after my accident and supposed death," Bart replied, the bitterness entering his voice, "Until then I was delusional enough to believe that you actually loved me."
"You can't honestly tell me that you loved me," she snapped, "I had no hope of penetrating that frozen heart of yours. There was simply no room for me. You've only ever had room for Evelyn."
"You were as close to penetrating as any woman ever has or possibly ever will," Bart responded evenly, "I'm not looking to complicate your life. Our union was dissolved. We are no longer man and wife. You are legally married to Rufus. We'll come to some sort of agreement regarding the money, but you are no longer bound to me in any other way."
"We're still bound together through Charles," Lily insisted, "Unless those adoption papers were invalid as well."
"You legally adopted him," Bart assured her, "So I suppose for better or worse, we are bound to each other through him, but it doesn't appear that he truly needs either of us anymore. He's certainly done better than I ever could have hoped. He has a family of his own now, and little need for either of us."
"Parenthood doesn't end when your child turns eighteen. Parenthood never ends, and I assure you that he still needs us very much," Lily replied, "And now not only are we parents, we're grandparents. Luca and Evie are such charmers."
"As I'm learning first hand," Bart smiled for the first time in her presence since his return, "We took Evie and Luca to the museum today. Luca is so full of energy and life. He looks so much like Charles at that age."
"Just remember that as adorable as that little boy is, establishing a relationship with your son should be your priority," Lily advised him.
"It's hard with Charles," Bart admitted, "With Luca its so easy. He doesn't expect anything. He's just happy to see me. He calls me Papa and lets me read him stories. He likes hugs and falls asleep on my shoulder."
"As much as you probably don't want to hear this, you already know more about your grandson that you do about your son," Lily replied, "Yes, it's more complicated with Charles because he is more complex. Luca's entire world is full of love and hugs and fairytales. That's not the world Charles was raised in. It's going to take time, but I promise he's worth it."
"Of course," Bart nodded.
"He's worth putting aside all the anger I have for you," Lily added, "We will figure out a way to co-exist in his world, and perhaps find a way to help him heal."
"Maybe I can even heal myself," Bart thought out loud without meaning to.
"Maybe," Lily nodded.
A silence engulfed the room.
"I should be going," Lily stated, "I just had to see for myself that you were really here."
"I'm sure your husband is waiting for you," Bart nodded with only a hint of betrayal in his voice.
"No matter what the complication could have been, I am grateful that you are alive and back in our lives," Lily hugged him once more. Bart held on a little longer than he knew he should. "Tell Blair and Charles I'll return soon to see the children."
"I will," Bart nodded as he guided her to the door.
Lily kissed his cheek before leaving.
"Lily left so soon?" Chuck returned to the entryway just as Bart was closing the door, "I thought the Bass charm worked better than that."
"She's not my wife anymore, Chuck," Bart replied, "She said she'd be back soon to see the children, and I should be leaving as well."
"You're staying for dinner, aren't you?" Chuck asked, "Luca would be so upset to wake up and find his papa gone."
"We certainly don't want that, do we?" Bart smirked.
"Do you play chess?" Chuck inquired.
Bart was taken aback by the question. "I do actually," he nodded.
"How about a game?" Chuck offered, "Blair's never really had the patience for it. The pieces usually end up on the floor after an hour or so."
"Absolutely," Bart nodded as he followed Chuck into his study where the board was already set up.
Blair strolled into Chuck's study a little later to find father and son playing chess. "Finally found a worthy opponent, I see. Thank goodness. Bart, I'm hopeless at chess. Chuck always made it appear that I was better than I actually was, letting me win most games, but I know how much Chuck enjoys a real challenge."
"Are the children still asleep?" Chuck inquired as he turned to kiss her before refocusing on the game.
"Luca's awake and working on that wooden train puzzle that S gave him for Christmas," Blair replied, "Evie's starting to wake, which means she's hungry. Rosa is getting dinner ready, so find a good place to stop and join us in the dining room. I'm going to bring the children down."
"We'll be right there," Chuck assured her.
"If you're not there in ten minutes, I'm sending Luca in after you," she cautioned him.
"That's supposed to be a threat?" he chuckled as she took a few moments to massage his shoulders.
She gave him a quick hug and a kiss to his cheek before she set off to retrieve the children as Chuck and Bart continued with their game.
"Daddy!" Luca darted into his father's office a few minutes later and leapt into Chuck's lap and tossed his arms around Chuck, squeezing tight. Chuck couldn't put into words how much it meant to him that his son had run to him and not his father. "Tummy hungry," Luca informed him as he patted his belly, "Goes grrrr."
"We'd better feed you then," Chuck laughed as he pecked at his son's cheek before lowered him to his feet.
"Come, Daddy," Luca pulled on his hand to get him to follow.
Bart and Chuck followed Luca into the dining room where Blair was wrestling to get Evie buckled securely into her high chair. Luca tried his best to climb into his own booster seat without much success. Chuck lifted him effortlessly as Luca squealed with delight at the ride his father was taking him on.
Once the children were secure, Rosa began bringing out their meal, the children being served first, peas for Evie, and spaghetti for Luca.
"Don't want," Luca shoved his meal away with a pout.
"You like spaghetti," Chuck reminded his son as he pushed it in front of him again.
"No pasghetti," Luca pushed it again, nearly pushing it to the floor to make his point.
"Eat," Chuck held firm as he gave his son his stern yet gentle look. Luca's eyes filled with tears at the thought that he'd displeased his father. Chuck picked up a noodle from Luca's plate and popped it in his own mouth. "It's yummy, Luca. Try it."
Luca mimicked his father and popped in a noodle of his own, continuing on with his meal without protest as he clearly remembered that he did indeed like spaghetti.
"You always get the easy job," Blair observed as she tried and failed to get the spoon into Evie's mouth as the infant's lips were pressed tight together.
"She looks tired," Chuck observed as Evie rubbed at her eyes as her lips stayed tightly clinched.
"Tired and hungry is a disastrous combination," Blair replied as she attempted again to feed their stubborn daughter to no avail.
"Stubborn like her mother," Chuck observed with a smirk.
"Nope, this is the Bass in her coming out," Blair shook her head as she tried again to push the spoon past the girl's lips, "Come on, Evie. The sooner you eat your peas the sooner you can go to sleep."
Bart was left to marvel at what looked to be a typical evening in the Bass household. It was like taking a step back in time to a typical 50's sitcom. There was a normalcy about the scene that surprised him. He'd never seen his son as one to enjoy such domestic bliss, but the serene smile on Chuck's face told him otherwise.
"Bart, did you want to try feeding her?" Blair offered Bart the spoon, "Sometimes she responds better to men feeding her. Isn't that right, Peanut, even Uncle Nate is successful sometimes."
Evie giggled as Blair tickled under her chin. Whether it was her mother's sweet assault or her grandfather's urging, Evie's mouth opened and the spoon slipped in. Bart gave his granddaughter a triumphant smile as he slipped in another spoonful.
With dinner accomplished, Bart, Chuck and Luca returned to Chuck's study to finish up the chess game. With Luca's input, it took only a few more moves on the part of his daddy to emerge victorious.
"Teaching him early, I see," Bart smirked as Luca cheered his father's victory.
"I need someone to play against," Chuck tickled Luca's stomach.
"You've built a good life for yourself," Bart told him.
"It took more than me," Chuck replied as Luca snuggled in against his father. It was nearly bedtime, and he was starting to get sleepy as his thumb went into his mouth and his head rested against Chuck's chest, "But I'm finally where I want to be in life. Everything else will be sorted out in time. We're wrapped up in our family right now, but I'm sure when these little ones get a little older we'll want to figure out careers."
"Read Daddy," Luca muttered with his thumb still in his mouth.
"You want me to read to you tonight and not Papa?" Chuck inquired.
Luca nodded slightly as he continued to suck on his thumb.
"I'll be back down in a little while," Chuck told his father, "Will you still be here?"
Bart nodded as he scanned the many shelves lined with books, "Perhaps I'll search through your rather extensive collection."
"I'll be back," Chuck replied as he carried Luca upstairs and put him through his usual bedtime routine.
"Daddy, I like Papa Bart," Luca told his father as he made himself comfortable in Chuck's lap as they sat together on the lounge.
"He likes you too," Chuck stroked his hair.
"Can he stay forever and ever?" Luca asked.
"We'll have to wait and see," Chuck told him.
"He leave like Papa Harold and Papa Roman?" Luca pressed.
"It's hard to explain, Luca," Chuck replied, "He's here now. Let's enjoy that. Okay?"
"Okay," Luca nodded, "If I good boy, he stay?"
"You're always a good boy," Chuck assured him, "Papa Bart is going to stay as long as he can."
Luca nodded again as his attention drifted to the book in his father's hand. He lost himself in the adventure of the book, but Chuck's attention was focused more on the words Luca spoke that rang in his head. The words struck a cord with him as those were the same feelings Chuck had dealt with most of his life. He'd always felt that if he could have been a better son that Bart would have been around him more growing up, but now he wondered if that would have been true.
"She's asleep," Chuck marveled as he found Blair and Evie curled up together in the rocking chair in Evie's bedroom.
"Out like a light," Blair nodded slightly, "Luca?"
"Also asleep," Chuck confirmed.
"Did your father leave for the evening?"
"He's still in the study," Chuck replied, "I told him I'd be down after Luca was asleep."
"Who won the chess match?" Blair inquired.
"Luca," he chuckled, "I think Bart took it easy on us when Luca joined in. We only needed a few more moves to check his queen."
"Have you thought any more about what we discussed earlier?" Blair asked as she rose from the chair and laid Evie down in her crib.
"I'm going to make the offer," Chuck nodded, "It might do us all a world of good. Luca and Evie will get to know and be comfortable with their grandfather. Bart and I can get to know each other as adults, and he can see the gift that you've given me these past few years."
"Which gift?" Blair inquired.
"The gift of a family," he elaborated.
"I'm proud of you," she turned and hugged him tight.
"For inviting my father to stay with us?" he inquired.
"For opening yourself up to him," Blair replied, "For making yourself vulnerable."
"He may turn the offer down," Chuck pointed out.
"He might," she nodded slightly as she caressed his face, "But either way you're letting him in. That's a big step…a good step."
"For my children," Chuck replied, "It's true what they say about wanting to be a better person when you become a parent. I don't know that I'd have reacted the same way had Bart come back two years ago."
"Maybe two and a half," Blair amended, "Before we found out we were having Luca."
"Two and a half," he agreed.
"Go," Blair nudged him, "I want to make sure that Evie and Luca are down for the night. I'll be down soon."
Chuck nodded as he kissed her lips before exiting his daughter's bedroom.
"Asleep so soon?" Bart inquired as Chuck reentered his study. Bart was only a few chapters into the book he'd selected.
"Both are out," Chuck confirmed, "You've made quite the impression on Luca."
"He's made a bigger impression on me," Bart replied, "He's a charming little boy."
"I don't know how to say this delicately, so I'm just going to say it," Chuck blurted out, "If you're going to disappear again, please don't spend so much time with him. I don't want him becoming too attached. It's already hard to explain to him why Papa Harold and Papa Roman leave him so often."
"I'm not leaving," Bart insisted, "Not any time soon, not if I can help it."
"Then I have an offer to make to you, from both Blair and myself," Chuck replied after taking a deep breath, "Blair and I would like you to stay with us until you have your affairs in order and find a more permanent residence."
"You want me to live with you," Bart's voice spoke to his surprise.
"Temporarily," Chuck nodded, "A lot has changed in both of our lives. It might be good for us to spend time together, for Luca and Evie to get to know their grandfather, for you to see what it's like to be a part of a family."
"I wouldn't want to impose," Bart shook his head.
"How could you impose?" Chuck inquired, "Look around. Blair and I have a rather large home. You could have your own wing if you desired."
"Was this your idea or Blair's?" Bart asked.
"Blair's," Chuck admitted.
"And I'm sure you're delivering the message reluctantly," Bart grumbled.
"I'm offering," Chuck replied as his anger started to get the better of him, "Blair gave me the option not to. If you don't want to stay with us, that is fine, but don't use any imagined reluctance as an excuse. Just say you don't want to and leave it at that."
"That's not it," Bart stammered out, "I just don't want to be an obligation. You certainly don't owe me anything."
"This can't be easy, can it?" Chuck sighed.
"No, I guess it can't," Bart agreed, "I'll give the offer some thought and have an answer for you tomorrow."
"Should we expect you for breakfast?" Chuck inquired as he walked Bart to the entryway.
"Are all of Rosa's breakfasts that tasty?"
"Blair and I haven't found a dish yet that we didn't like," Chuck smirked.
"I'll be back first thing," Bart confirmed as he wrapped himself up to brave the elements.
"And tell those poor agents that they don't have to stand out in the cold all day," Chuck added, "They can keep guard inside the house, can't they?"
"I'll mention it to them," Bart nodded.
There was another awkward hug and then Bart was gone. Blair made her way down the stairs just in time to see Chuck closing the door.
"Did Bart leave already?" Blair inquired as she stepped into his awaiting arms.
Chuck nodded in confirmation as he wrapped her up tight in his arms.
"Are you okay?" she asked as she relaxed into his embrace.
"Better now," he replied as he held her a little tighter.
"Did you ask him?" Blair inquired.
"I did, and he's going to think it over," Chuck nodded.
"I'll have Rosa make up one of the guest rooms tomorrow in anticipation," Blair smiled, "There is no way Bart is going to turn us down."
"As much as you think the ice around his heart has melted, I'm not so sure," Chuck shook his head slightly, "It's going to take more than a couple of days with his gorgeous grandchildren to defrost it."
"Maybe he needs his son to provide a space heater to thaw it out faster," she suggested.
"Maybe his son's wife needs to provide a bit of warming of her husband first," he smirked.
"There's the man I married," she laughed.
"Both children are asleep. The house is empty. Any ideas?"
"So many," she replied, "They all involve you and me, our bed, and zero clothes. We should take advantage of the quiet. It doesn't happen often."
"Race you upstairs?"
"Try and catch me," she dropped her arms and darted up the stairs.
Rather than following her up the stairs, he went around and made sure the house was secure as was his normal routine before he made his way up to the bedroom to be seduced by his wife.
TBC…
I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as it continues on. I know I've enjoyed writing it.
Big thanks to my beta, Lori, for all she does.