In Transit

Chapter Seven

Author: Bellakatalina

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I own not sadly.

"Cryptic words meander
Now there is a song beneath the song
One day you'll learn
You'll soon discern its true meaning
An interesting detachment
A listless poem of love sincere
Desire, despair
Overlapping melodies "

Maria Taylor

It was very early in the morning in France when Serena and Nate finally landed. A town car was already waiting for them when they exited the jet. Wordlessly, they grabbed the small bags, holding a change of clothes and a few necessities, as the changed vehicles.

The plane ride had remained awkward between the two. Although they had shared a few words with each other, it wasn't their comfortable friendship from before. Serena was still angry with Nate for using her to get the Buckely's. And although Nate didn't usually hold a grudge he wasn't going to apologize first this time. So, at the moment they had an unspoken truce to work together to find Blair.

"You should try and get some rest." Nate said as he looked at the bags forming under Serena's eyes. It had been a stressful day and she hadn't rested at all on the plane.

Serena nodded her head in agreement even though she wasn't sure she would be able to sleep. She closed her eyes and imagined scenarios of what would happen when they found Blair. Hoping it didn't go well would be optimistic at best. It was impossible to change Blair's mind when a plan was set, but hopefully Harold and Ramon would be helpful in getting her to return home.

"Do you think we should call Blair's father?" Serena asked unsure about showing up unannounced on their doorstep. Perhaps a few hours warning would be courteous.

Nate shook his head no as a reply. "It's still too early. Anyway, the less chance Blair has of finding out the better."

The less chance of her running away was his implied meaning.

XoXo.

Across the ocean in New York, Jack Bass rested fitfully at his suite in the Waldorf-Astoria. The cell phone resting on his nightstand rang quietly arousing him from his deep slumber interrupting dreams he didn't want to awake from. He shot an annoyed look at the phone before recognizing the number of his private investigator on the other end.

"You better have found something good." Jack threatened as a greeting.

"Not everything you were hoping for, but she closed out her bank accounts and a million dollar trust."

Jack rolled his eyes in annoyance. Of course she would have closed her accounts if she wanted to remain undiscovered. So far his P.I. had only given him proof for what he had assumed.

"We checked her phone records and the only calls have been for the French consulate, Mr. Anderson, her accountant, and Carter Baizen. I took the liberty of checking the phone records of Mr. Baizen since he was the only promising lead and discovered that he spoke to a Will Parker after speaking with Ms. Waldorf."

"William Parker?" Jack questioned confused. Why would he be in contact with Carter Baizen?

"Yes sir, William Parker Jr."

"Huh." Jack breathed out unsure of what to make of the new information. He racked his brain for any mention of the elder William mentioning his son. He knew he was a bit of a black sheep of the family. He had been cut off financially and disowned from the family after extensive trouble with drugs. "I want you to check and see if there has been any contact between him and his father, William Parker," he added as he moved to end the call.

"Wait, there's more you should know. He was arrested a few years ago for Identity Document Forgery, but the charges were dropped."

This would make things more interesting, he grinned. No wonder he hadn't found any information on Blair, yet.

"Well, she did always like to be chased." Jack replied. "Text me his number. I can take it from here." Jack smiled contently as he finally hung up the phone. He closed his eyes and thought back to the last time he had the privilege of chasing Waldorf.

When he got out of his shower with only a towel wrapped around him he wasn't surprised to find that she had left him- disappointed, yes, but not surprised.

He doubted she was even aware of how much restraint he had shown last night. Especially while she pushing her body against his in her sleep. He shook his head as if to try to erase the memories form his head. No, nothing between them could have happened last night. Not when she had called him Chuck, but she was going to be begging his own name when he touched her. She would be crying out for him not for his immature blood relative.

He was glad she had stayed the night. Seeing her in that morning with her sexy bed hair, swollen lips from the previous night and his button-up shirt would be in his memory for a very long time. Although, seeing her in sexy lingerie was equally arousing.

Jack had already known he would play her cat and mouse game, and it wouldn't be finished until she was moaning underneath him.

XoXo.

When Nate and Serena finally arrived at Harold's chateau it was clear that hoping it wouldn't go well had been far too optimistic as it appeared Blair had never arrived.

"Serena, Nate?" Harold had questioned surprised when he had been informed he had guests waiting in the salon. "Is everything all right, not that you aren't welcome here, but I wasn't aware you were in France, either of you." He added as he smiled warmly to know he was not put out by their visit.

"I'm sorry Mr. Waldorf, we'll explain everything later, but can we speak to Blair?" Serena asked as she heard Roman enter the room.

"Serena and Nate. What a surprise!" He exclaimed smiling at the unexpected guests. "What brings you here?"

Serena gave a small smile as Nate nodded his head in greeting when Harold interrupted, "Blair? Why would she be here?"

"She isn't?" Nate asked clearly confused.

"You haven't heard from her at all?" Serena demanded wondering if perhaps they should have checked in with Eleanor while they were in Paris instead of coming straight here.

Shaking his head he cleared his throat before asking, "What is going on?"

Serena looked at Nate hopefully for any suggestions as to what to do, but he merely shrugged his shoulders.

"We thought…we thought Blair was coming to stay with you." Serena said out loud realizing how absurd it sounded as it fell out of her lips that they had come all of the way here on an assumption.

Ramon looked at Harold with a mirroring expression, "Did she mention this to you?"

"When did she tell you this?" Harold asked ignoring Ramon's question.

"Well, she didn't." Nate said. "But she got a residency visa and we couldn't find her, so we assumed…"

Harold nodded his head, but his expression clearly indicated that he had no idea what was going on.

"Perhaps you should call Eleanor?" Ramon suggested to his partner.

"Yes, I think we had better…if you'll excuse me." Harold said as he left to call his ex-wife and sort out this mess concerning his daughter.

Ramon looked at the new guests unsure of what to do. "I'll go have to maids see to getting the guest rooms ready," He said leaving them alone.

"Maybe she hasn't arrived yet?" Nate suggested hopefully. "She is flying commercial, right? It could have taken her longer depending on when she took off or if she had a layover somewhere." He sounded as if he didn't believe the words he was saying.

"Maybe." Serena agreed weakly. "Can you call Chuck?" She asked not wanted to be the one to break the news that they truly had no idea where Blair could be.

Nate grabbed his phone, although not wanting this job either. The phone rang briefly before Chuck answered.

"Hey, Chuck."

"She isn't there, is she?" Chuck breathed out without further information.

"Harold's calling Eleanor now to see what she knows." He offered to somehow soften the blow.

"She won't be there either. Eleanor doesn't know anything." Chuck told him figuring a few things out finally.

"What do you know, Chuck?" Nate asked confused.

"It never made sense, did it? So maybe she would have left without telling us, but if she was moving to France why wouldn't she take her things? She doesn't want us to find her- that's why." Chuck explained the theory he had been thinking of recently. He had allowed himself to hope she would be there, but in his gut he new she wouldn't be found quite so easily if she didn't want to be.

"So what that's it?" Nate asked him getting angry by Chuck's lack of emotion.

"Hell no that's not it, but we can't just wonder around hoping to find her. We have to have a plan"

"Well, Chuck. What would you do if you didn't want to be found? How would you stay hidden?"

"Let me call Tyler and see what I can find out, I'll get back to you." Chuck said before hanging up and calling his personal P.I..

Serena looked at Nate having gotten the gist of the conversation.

"He o.k.?" Serena asked even though she knew he wasn't.

"He's calling his P.I. seeing what he can find out."

As they sat down on a couch wearily, Harold and Ramon reentered the salon to share their findings.

"Well, Eleanor is just as shocked as I am. Neither of us had any idea that she was thinking of coming to France. I thought everything was going wonderfully at NYU." Harold said not understanding what could be going on with his daughter.

Serena glanced over to Nate awkwardly unsure of how much she should say, "I don't think Blair is very…happy at NYU, and we've all just been so busy…"

Harold shook his hand to ward of any excuses Serena tried to give. "It doesn't matter Serena, I just want to find my daughter. Maybe we should go to New York?" Harold asked as he looked over at his partner.

"Of course." Ramon replied having assumed that as the only option. "We'll find her, don't worry. I'm sure she is just being Blair." He offered with a warm smile, although he too was worried.

"You two are welcome to fly back with us, Mr. Waldorf. There's plenty of room in the Bass jet." Nate offered.

"Thank you, Nathaniel. Why don't you two get some rest while we make arrangements, and we can be on our way after lunch?" He asked the tired teenagers who nodded in agreement. "We'll stop by Eleanor's before leaving." He added as Ramon took the teens to their guest rooms.

To: Chuck Bass

10:15 a.m.

Coming back to NYC with Harold and Ramon later tonight.

-N

Chuck glanced at the text message before closing it. He had been so preoccupied with wondering why Jack Bass had returned and what he was planning that he hadn't been concerned with the flaws in Blair being in France. Currently, his P.I. was checking to see if her passport had been swiped at any international checkpoints. If she had left the country he would know as soon as his P.I. did. Until then Chuck sipped at a glass of Scotch before falling asleep on an armchair in his lonely penthouse.

He dreamed of her in his sleep. He could hear his laugh as he chased her in his imagination.

"Bet you can't catch me, Bass." She taunted him as she ran down a hallway away from him, however he could see it in her eyes that she wanted him to catch her. Each time he would get close enough to touch her, he would reach his arm to grab her- already wanting to feel her warm body against him. As his arm would brush against her side and she would squeal in delight, but dart away out of his reach. "Bass?" she called after him when she eluded him once again by disappearing into another room. "I'll get you, Blair!" He exclaimed as he sent out to hunt her again, but not seeing any sign of her this time. He began to tire of the chase, slowing down momentarily to look for her. He checked the empty halls but he couldn't find any sign of her. "Blair?" Chuck called again. "Better hurry!" She answered, but her voice no longer held the cheerfulness from before. As Chuck looked ahead he finally saw her as a pair of arms wrapped around her middle and pull her tightly. "I've got you!" Jack Bass answered joyfully as Chuck watched in shock. "What? Blair, no!" Blair looked at him sadly, although she leaned into Jack's embrace. "I told you to hurry." She said softly before allowing Jack to carry her away. Chuck tried to run after her but he could no longer see her. "Blair?" He continued to call, but all he found was emptiness as he checked room after room.

Chuck's eyes popped open and he realized he had fallen asleep. His glass was shattered on the floor where it had fallen from his fingertips. "Fucking Jack Bass." Chuck muttered quietly to himself. As he grabbed his phone he realized he had been asleep longer than he had expected. Hopefully, Nate, Serena and Harold would be arriving in Paris soon. He wasn't looking forward to seeing Harold. He had left him responsible for his daughter and what had he done? Neglected her until she ran away. He closed his eyes in a grimace. He had far too many problems to before adding more to the pile.

Dialing number 6 on his speed-dial he heard the phone ring and ring worried he wouldn't get an answer. Finally a sleepy groan was heard.

"Yes?"

"Where is my uncle Jack currently?" Chuck demanded not caring what time it was.

"Hold on." The man demanded as he checked a laptop and another cell phone he used to keep in contact with his employees.

After a few moments Chuck was growing even more impatient, "Well do you know or don't you?"

"He's staying at the Waldrof-Astoria. He's been there since he arrived this evening. Anything else?"

But Chuck hung up instead. Sick bastard, he thought bitterly knowing Jack was only staying there to piss him off. Well, it was working.

He looked at his phone scrolling through his contacts list before stopping on Blair's name. His finger hovered there before pressing the green button.

"Hi this is Blair, you've just missed me, so leave me a message if you want me to call you back and I just might!"

Chuck cleared his voice before saying anything, "Blair…come home…please." He whispered softly knowing it was probably a silly attempt.

He looked at the phone again before hitting redial knowing he could leave a better message than that.

"I'm sorry, but the voicemail you are trying to reach is full. Goodbye.

Chuck tossed his phone aside angrily. Getting up he walked across the room to the proposals for Mr. Parker deciding to go over it again. There wasn't anything he could currently do to find Blair until his P.I. had uncovered where Blair's passport had been used, or if she appeared in the TSA database, although that was going to take a little longer to figure out.

XoXo.

"Honestly, I don't know what goes on in that girls head." Eleanor sighed dramatically as she greeted the foursome. Cyrus was behind her greeting their guests a little more eagerly.

"So, you haven't heard from her at all, Mrs. Rose" Nate asked, unsure why they were there if she couldn't provide any assistance.

"We speak regularly." She responded as if being accused of something, but it was merely a reflex. "I've been so busy at the atelier I hadn't noticed anything unusual."

"Neither did I, Eleanor." Harold told her as he gently rested a hand on her shoulder.

"We've been calling her all morning, but can't get through. Her cell phone must be turned off." Cyrus added, and Harold and Roman nodded as well. They had also hoped Blair might answer their calls, but all of them had gone straight to voicemail.

"She actually left her phone at a coffee shop." Serena clarified.

"Hmm." Eleanor mumbled as she considered that piece of information. "So, maybe she isn't necessarily missing so much as avoiding?"

Serena and Nate stole a glance at each other at this. Harold had heard his daughter had been missing for less than a day and he was ready to fly back to New York to see what was wrong with his beloved daughter, but Eleanor was always a different story.

"But dear, we haven't been able to get through to the dorm either." Cyrus reminded his wife.

"Yes, yes but it is the weekend. No one will be there until Monday." She said explaining the case. "And honestly, Harold darling, you know Blair is more likely to confide in you than me about what is bothering her, so…"

"Just say it Eleanor," Harold sighed at his ex-wife.

"Well, Cyrus and I are flying to New York on Tuesday anyway, so we might as well wait until then to see if she is really missing or if she is just being dramatic again."

Harold opened his mouth to protest, but Cyrus beat him to it. "Don't you want to be there for Blair?"

"Of course I do, but if she isn't answering my calls, she clearly wants to be alone. She isn't technically missing until it has been three days. Maybe we should give her some space, and while we are giving her her space I can finish my designs at the atelier and then we can stay in New York a little longer have some proper family time." She added as an afterthought.

"Do what you feel is best." Harold added unimpressed with her excuses.

By the looks on Nate and Serena's faces it was easy to tell that they would rather be anywhere but in this room. Parents from the Upper East Side had an uncanny ability to justify not being a part of their children's life.

"Well, Mr. Waldorf we should probably get going then." Serena added as she glanced at her watch and seeing it was half-passed four. It would take them about an hour to get out of the city and to the airport.

Harold nodded along. "Eleanor, Cyrus. We will see you in New York in a few days."

"Of course." Eleanor replied hearing her phone ringing in the other room. "Cyrus, would you show them out?" She added softly not wanting to be impolite.

"Let us know the moment you hear anything!" Cyrus added as he walked them to the door.

"I promise." Serena vowed with a smile.

"I'm sorry, Harold. She's just been very tense lately." But, Harold just patted his back softly.

"No need to explain Eleanor to me." He said in jest as he exchanged a warm farewell following Serena, Nate and Roman to the waiting car.

XoXo.

Outside the Waldorf-Astoria, Jack was leaving for the day when a conspicuous looking man across the street caught his attention. He smirked before pulling out his cell phone.

To: Chuck Bass

10:38a.m.

Just a suggestion, but tell the guys you hired to try to blend in.

Nice try though.

JB

He was careful to lose the man as he went on his was to keep an appointment. He had to admit he was very impressed with Blair so far. She was doing an excellent job hiding herself, but all it was doing was getting him even more excited and turned on.

When he arrived at the secluded area in Central Park, he was able to identify Will Parker quickly. He was an unimpressive man of about 25 who clearly did not seem to be fairing well without his family money.

"Will?" Jack asked as he walked toward him.

"What do you need?" He asked unsure of what the purpose of this meeting would be. He had merely been told to be at this location and that it would be profitable for him if he did.

"I hear you can create fake documents?" He asked to which Will nodded yes. "How much?"

Will looked at him trying to decide if he would be willing to pay or not. It didn't matter he needed the money.

"A grand for a document."

"I think you made some for a friend of mine yesterday?" Jack asked but didn't get very much of a response from Will.

"So?" He asked not caring at all.

"I want to know her new name." He said to which Will laughed.

"Kind of defeats the point, don't it?"

"I'll tell you what, Will." Jack said as he took an envelope out of his jacket pocket. "I can give you six grand and get her new name or I can turn you in to the cops. What'd ya say? " He offered condescendingly with his smirk.

Will's eyes narrowed contemplating his answer.

"Her new name is Sabrina Bailey." He said as he snatched the money out of Jack's hand. "And I don't ever want to fucking see you again."

"Not so fast." Jack said as he pulled the money away. "Any idea where Blair went?"

"Blair?" He asked confused.

"Yeah. Blair Waldorf. The brunette from yesterday." Jack told him exasperated. Will's eyes lit up for a moment in clarity.

"I don't do names or details. I get cash they get what they want." Jack let go of the money and let him walk away.

Quickly, Jack grabbed his phone and dialed his P.I. "Start searching for anything you can on Sabrina Bailey, her new name." He said.

Jack could not wipe the shit-eating grin off his face. He was going to find her before Chuck even knew where to start looking for breadcrumbs. And then, he was going to make her his.

XoXo.

(FLASHFORWARD)

"Do you really think she won't come back?" Serena asked worriedly. "She needs to be here. She needs to pay her respects." Serena said sadly.

"The funeral is tomorrow. She still has time to come back," Nate replied. Blair would come back for this if anything would do it, it was a tragedy like this.

Although, Chuck was worried about the grieving process as well he was much more worried about what this new information would mean for Blair. Would it be safe for her to return? Was she even aware of how much trouble she was in?

No matter what she chose, he would stand by her. She had stood by him when her father had died, so he could stand by her through this.

"We should go check on the caterers," Serena added trying to get the bottle of Scotch out of Chuck's hand.

"Don't we hire people to do that, Sis?" Chuck asked as he gulped down a sip.

"C'mon man, you don't want the first time you see her to be while you are drunk." Nate added. Although he didn't answer he put the bottle down.

XoXo.

It had barely been a day and she didn't know what to do. She had been tempted to pick up the phone so many times that she finally took a pair of manicure scissors from the complimentary items in the bathroom and cut the cord so she wouldn't even have a choice.

They probably don't even notice you're gone, she thought bitterly. Chuck of course would have noticed the previous morning, but he probably just thought she was still mad. No she wasn't mad- she was just sorry. Sorry she wasn't strong enough to be a better person for Chuck. This is what she could give him, though. She could leave and give him the opportunity to be a great man. It wouldn't take much because she always knew he had what it took. They all did. She loved her makeshift family so much.

She looked around the hotel room for something to distract her, but found nothing. Being alone seemed to make the time go by more slowly, but time was all she had now. Blair moved to the bar and pulled out the bottle of '95 Dom she asked to be there. Right now she would toast to her old life. To each and every failure she had created, then she could figure out how to move from there.

To Chuck she thought as she poured her first glass, He deserved the first toast for everything she had put him through.

She brought the bubbly drink to her lips, but never remembered it tasting so bitter before.


A/N So, I had kinda given up on this because of the lack of feedback on the last chapters, but then I got a review from someone who called me a liar and it just made me laugh. It's not fair to give up on a story because of a lack of feedback because that means I'm doing something wrong to not receive them. Anyway, this chapter is for everyone who reviewed the last chapter and for the person who called me a liar. This time I won't make any comment on how long it'll take for me to update because having to agree that I was a liar isn't fun :)