A/N: Honestly you guys are awesome and every one of your reviews puts a smile on my face. I love hearing what you think and I love how much you guys are all enjoying this story, it's really spurred me on with writing it. Also, I meant to put it at the end of the last chapter but for anyone who's interested I imagined Mark to look like Chad Michael Murray which is why I used the names Hilary and Sawyer. Also I hate Leyton so that kind of pushed me to that as well lol. Anyway, I know it's quick but onto the next chapter.

Chuck drove over to Vanessa's with Eve and Luke who were giving him the cold shoulder after last night. He went up to the apartment to see Vanessa. He needed to talk to her and see if she would help him with the kids. He doubted it but it was worth a try. They walked in and the first thing Chuck noticed was a man's coat on the chair by the door. Eve and Luke didn't seem affected so he thought nothing of it.

When they reached the kitchen however Chuck thought a lot of it. A man was standing behind his ex-wife kissing her neck. He wasn't jealous in the slightest he was however incensed that his children didn't even seem to blink. Eve even muttered "Hey Kevin."

Kevin. Chuck hadn't known that there was a Kevin. More importantly, if Vanessa had moved on why were Eve and Luke treating him like the bad guy. He cleared his throat to get their attention. Vanessa looked up in surprise and Kevin quickly made his way to the next room.

"Tell me, if you're seeing someone how is it that I'm practically forbidden from being friends with Blair." He drawled, unamused.

"Because it was your 'friendship' with Blair that ended our marriage." Vanessa bit back.

"Actually that was you." He sighed. "I thought we were going to present a united front and not pit against each other."

"You're only saying that because you're losing."

"Yes, I'm losing, but these are my kids Vanessa. It's not a game to me."

"And you think it is to me?" She asked incredulously.

"Well who else told them all those things about Blair and I?"

When Vanessa didn't reply and he saw no look of remorse he turned to leave. "I see I've wasted my time."

Chuck left angrily. Vanessa had no right to do this to him or treat him like this. It wasn't her place to turn his own children against him. He could easily have paid her off when he found out she was pregnant but he hadn't because he wanted to be a good father and a part of his child's life but it seemed that that wasn't enough for Vanessa. He had always thought that she wasn't the spiteful type but apparently he was wrong. He decided to head over to Blair's. She might be able to help him or at least comfort him a little. It would make him feel a lot better than Vanessa seemed to have moved on most successfully first. It was like when Dan appeared to have moved on first in their senior year and it had completely offended Blair's whole understanding of the universe.

When he arrived in her apartment he was hit by the sound of people arguing.

"Are you kidding me?" He heard Blair shout. "I spent three months trying everything I could to get you to see our children but you wanted nothing to do with them."

"Well, I've changed my mind."

Chuck moved slowly through the penthouse. The voices were coming from the dining room so he took his time, not wanting to intrude. Well, partly not wanting to intrude and partly wanting to hear more and see if he could figure out Blair's ex.

"Well so did I and so did my children."

"Stop calling them your children, Blair. They're both of ours and I can't believe you sent them out when I arrived."

"I didn't want them to hear us arguing." Blair explained angrily.

"Yes, you have got more feistier here in New York. I knew it was right to keep you in France."

"You weren't keeping me anywhere Mark."

"I think your forgetting a few things Blair. I still have enough information to destroy you."

When Blair stayed silent Chuck began to worry. What could Mark possibly have on her that could have practically imprisoned her in France. Chuck had assumed that she didn't want to come back, not that she was being stopped from returning.

"I have a lot that I could use against you if our custody case ever went to court and then everyone would know your deepest secret.

I have you worried now, don't I? Even if it doesn't come to that, I could still tell someone. Chuck Bass, maybe? I wonder how he would react." He spoke slowly and succinctly and it reminded Chuck of when he himself would speak to someone he disliked.

"You Bastard."

"Uh uh. Don't be crass Blair. I expect you to convince my children that they want spend the summer with me. By any means necessary. Blackmail, manipulation? I hear you're good at that."

"Like hell I will." Blair spat at him.

"You will, I know you will and you know you will. You wouldn't want anyone to find out that..."

Chuck didn't hear the rest as her husbands volume had decreased until he was whispering but Chuck decided that he didn't want to talk to Blair right now. He needed to find out as much as he could before he went into this. Chuck wasn't used to feeling confused and he definitely didn't like it. What's more, he couldn't face this blind. He needed to know what was going on but Mark Pelletier was someone who he had a problem with, but he would keep him around for now. After this was over though, he would do everything he could to destroy him.

Chuck was further surprised that her ex-husband knew of her involvement with him, he had thought that she had kept her life in New York completely separate from the life she had in France. As Chuck left her building he called Mike. He hadn't used a P.I. for something personal in a long time. He had plenty on stand by just in case but in the past few years he had only needed them for business purposes. Mike said he would find out all he could about Blair Waldorf and Mark Pelletier and report back to him as soon as possible. Chuck felt a wave of guilt crashing over him. He reconsidered doing this, letting Blair tell him or at least asking her first. He had seen the damage this sort of thing had done to his father's relationship with Lily. They were already on such thin ice and needed to trust each other if they were ever going to move forward but then again she was keeping something from him. The trust was already gone.

It was a couple of hours before Mike got back to him but even then he told Chuck nothing that he didn't already know. It seemed that this really was Blair's deepest secret and it appeared that no one would be able to dig deep enough to find it but he told Mike to keep looking. Chuck wondered if it was something that Blair had already told him and she was just playing her ex-husband but that didn't make sense. She hadn't told him anything that Mark would be able to use against her in court. Chuck found himself getting a head ache as he tried to piece together as much as he could with as little as he had.

XOXO

After Mark left, Blair went into the library and poured herself a stiff drink. She sank down onto the seat and leant her head back. She stared at the ceiling begging it to give her some kind of help. She hated to sound like a cliche but she wanted a sign, something that would tell her what was the right thing to do.

Blair wondered what attracted her to guys with a fondness for P.I.'s. Mark had clearly been keeping tabs on her or he wouldn't know that she and Chuck had repaired their friendship and were close again. What he was doing to her was completely unfair. He was making her choose between forcing her children to spend time with him or hurting Chuck. There was no preferable option and both would cause her pain. It was not the first time that Blair had cursed her own misjudgment for ever getting involved with him.

Blair considered her options and knew that she had chosen as soon as Mark had given her her options. She hated that he had this control over her but now she would just have to face the consequences.

XOXO

Aubrey had told her mom that she was staying at a friends house and that was technically true. However the majority of the night was going to be spent at a party being thrown by some girl from Spence. Bree didn't even know her but she had been invited because the girl had heard of her. It seemed that fame or infamy spread like wildfire throughout the Upper East Side teen scene.

Bree had also found that whenever Eve was invited to someone's party she would be too because that person wanted to get their party mentioned on Gossip Girl. Even if it was only as the newest battleground for the war that was still going strong.

She had to admit she was looking good. She stood in Taylor's walk in wardrobe and admired her reflection in the full length mirror. She was wearing a deep red mini dress which she managed to carry off without looking skanky and had matched it with a pair of black heels.

Taylor was the one person who Aubrey felt would become a real friend, not just a hapless minion. Taylor didn't follow her, she genuinely liked her and wanted to be her friend. They were similar yet it was their differences that balanced out their friendship and Taylor had even been willing to take a few hits from Eve's army in her defense.

Aubrey knew that this was something that Eve didn't really have. She didn't have a close best friend who would stand by side throughout anything. Sure she had her minions and was pretty close with her brother but she didn't have a best friend. Aubrey never had either and she had always been jealous of her mother's friendship with Serena. She knew they fought and were often frenemies but they were both there for each other when it mattered. So Bree was trying it out.

They arrived at the party and both girls noticed that they had captured everyone's attention. Soon the effect wore off and everyone went back to whatever they were doing and Bree and Taylor made a bee line for the dance floor. After quite a while dancing and dancing with quite a few different guys Bree headed off to get a drink. The party was in a penthouse not far from her own home and despite parents not being around there were still caterers and a bar with staff. Bree ordered her drink just as Luke sidled up to her.

"Decided to follow your mother down the whore route then?" He drawled while eying her dress.

"Change the record, Luke. It's getting boring."

"Well I think the jewelry your mother accepted from my Dad the other night proves my point."

"It was her birthday, in case you didn't notice." Bree explained slowly. She was seriously starting to wonder why she had ever been friends with Luke in the first place.

"Whatever."

"Luke, please just stop this." Bree pleaded.

"Not until your mother stops fucking my father."

"They're not fucking." Bree sighed in defeat. "You know, one day your going to regret wasting this time with your Dad. He misses you guys but you won't make the effort."

"I can't believe this. You seriously have the nerve to lecture me on my relationship with my father!"

"Yes I am, because if you're not careful you won't have one."

Their argument was getting louder and people were turning to look at them now. Eve was smirking as she made her way up to stand next to her brother, quickly followed by her three minions. Bree's five minions quickly followed suit and Taylor took her place by her side.

"What's going on?" Eve asked lazily as she lorded over the whole situation.

"Your brother's just being a brat, that's all." Bree told her.

"Doesn't like your dress?" She guessed. "I'm not surprised. Waldorf is so twenty years ago." Bree instantly recognised the double edge of that insult and was seriously getting fed up of the Bass children insulting her mother. Especially considering who theirs is.

"It doesn't matter what I wear Eve, I'll still be worth more than a second generation gold digger."

"Did you just call my mom a whore? That's rich."

"Actually it's not, that's kind of the point." Bree smirked and walked away quickly followed by her minions while Taylor gave the Bass' one last dirty look.

It was brief and pretty much painless which was a nice change but Bree was really getting tired of this. She had only retaliated the first time so as to defend herself and not look weak and pathetic against Eve Bass. It was beyond ridiculous now though. There was no reason for them to fight. They didn't have to suddenly become best friends but they didn't have to engage in some dramatic confrontation every time they were in each other's presence.

It wasn't long before everyone got back to what they had been doing. Of course, not before informing Gossip Girl of what just happened.

Bree found herself back at the bar and it wasn't long before she felt someone join her. She looked up expecting to see Taylor but instead saw a boy. A very good looking boy who was watching her with interest.

"I haven't met many people who would be willing to go up against Eve Bass and even less who would put her down like you just did."

"She doesn't scare me."

"She shouldn't. You can hold your own." He complimented.

Bree looked at him and realised how good looking he was. It wasn't obvious like some people it was more of a beauty that you had to look carefully to appreciate. He had a sharp bone structure but this was juxtaposed with his soft brown eyes. His smile was drawing her in and they way he was talking about her was putting her under his spell.

"I haven't seen you around before." Bree stated finally regaining the use of her voice. She berated herself for being so shy he would think she was just a stupid kid if she kept that up.

"I just got back from boarding school." He told her. "I'm starting at St. Judes on monday."

"Guess we'll be seeing quite a bit of each other then."

"I guess so." When he spoke it was like liquid fire and every part of him interested her. He was mysterious but he didn't seem dangerous, he just seemed nice.

"I'm Sean." He told her.

"Bree." She replied.

"It was nice to meet you Bree. I'll see you around." He kissed her on the cheek and although she was disappointed that he was leaving, the kiss he had given almost turned her into a puddle of goo. She didn't know what was wrong with her, a boy had never had this type of effect on her before. She didn't know what was happening but she was sure his smile was emblazoned on her brain for eternity. When Taylor found her to go home, she was still smiling like an idiot. An idiot who could not wait for school on monday. It was accurate to say that Bree was officially crushed out.

XOXO

When Chuck got nothing back from three P.I.'s he realised that unless he wanted to leave it alone he would have to ask Blair herself. He knew that this would release her from the hold that her ex-husband held over her but he was afraid that whatever this secret was, it was going to ruin all they had built over the past few months. It would ruin the progress he was making. Judging from the way Mark had spoken it was something that he would not take kindly to and this alone already freaked him out slightly. What could Blair possibly have done that she would have hidden so protectively.

The only thing that Mike did tell him was that after her first summer away she was rarely seen outside of her father's vineyard. This was also the time that she supposedly met Mark as when she came out of 'hiding' they were already engaged.

Before Chuck could make a final decision his phone rang and Blair asked him to come over. It seemed as if she had made her choice. She had chosen her children and he understood it, he didn't want her anywhere near Mark and knew she probably felt the same way about her children. Although it did hurt him that she had made the decision so quickly, it had only been one day after all.

He mentally prepared himself as he made his way to her building. She had definitely sounded worried on the phone and that just added to the anxiety he was feeling. When he arrived she rushed to greet him and pulled him in for a tight hug. He got the feeling that this may be some sort of goodbye. At the very least a goodbye to the careful equilibrium they had constructed for their shaky friendship.

"Where are Bree and Will?" He asked as a way to start conversation.

"They both stayed with friends' last night." She answered smiling softly while pulling him by the hand to the library.

Blair found this room comforting and part of her was still trying to protect her secret. This way it would almost be completely confined to this room and she could escape it by just closing the door and locking it away.

Blair sat next to Chuck and tried to gather her thoughts, she had planned what she was going to say in bed last night but it had all escaped her now that she was with him. She didn't know how she was going to tell him.

"Blair, what's going on?" Chuck asked.

"Chuck, there's something I need to tell you. I don't want to, I never wanted to, it's something I wanted to forget but Mark's not letting me."

"So he was telling the truth. He does have something on you." Chuck let out a breath, deciding to let her know that he heard them talking.

"How did you-"

"I came by yesterday morning. I caught the end of your conversation." He informed her carefully detaching himself from the situation and making sure his walls were up, ready for the blow that was sure to come.

"You didn't find anything did you? From your P.I.?"

"No. You've kept it well hidden."

"I'm so sorry Chuck." She told him. "I never wanted this."

"Just tell me." He snapped, getting impatient. He hoped that Blair was overreacting and this was not as bad as she thought it was. She always did try and hide things that he found perfectly acceptable.

Blair almost melted from the feelings that were building up inside of her. She didn't know where to look either. She wanted to stare at the floor, keep her eyes on the door for a quick escape, look at her hands anything to avoid looking at him but she knew that he deserved her telling him this to his face and not just in person. She sucked in a breath and looked him straight in the eyes.

"I had Jack's baby."

OMFG!!!! DUN DUN DUN!!! lol.

Initially, I hadn't planned on this but I thought I needed some GG scandal in this story and what else brings scandal to Chair like Jack Bass. And I know all of you will be working out the months and seeing that it doesn't add up but it will all be explained in the next chapter which you will hopefully not have to wait long for.

If you don't like it, I'm sorry but I wanted to add some meaty drama to this story, it's not a large part of the plot but I didn't want to fall to easily or quickly into a day by day family saga b/c personally I would get bored.

Again very short and I apologise but these three chapters could probably have been split into two but I wanted it this way so it would have the most dramatic impact. ;]

Hope you enjoyed it and I will update soon. And how good am I, two updates in two days? Shall I make it three in a row? It's a possibility if you share the love.

Would love to hear what you think even if it is anger but please not too much hate.