Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.

Here is a Valentine's Day gift to all of you. Enjoy!

"How's Serena?" Chuck asked his wife during their second check in.

"Still detoxing," Blair frowned, "Lily and I still aren't able to see her. The counselors said we should be able to see her tomorrow though. They say she's doing okay though. They also said to thank you for your generous donation to upgrade their facilities." There was a curious edge to her voice.

"I read they'd been doing some fundraising, and I thought I'd kick in a bit seeing as how they are treating my sister," he shrugged.

"Chuck Bass, you throw money at everything," she shook her head in amusement.

"I like to think I'm a bit more selective with my donations in my later years," he replied.

"It certainly beats the drug dealers and prostitutes you used to donation to," she teased.

"So true," he snorted. He knew her digs into his past life were merely her teasing him. There was no malice in her words. She'd made peace with his past self. He'd given it all up to find happiness with her.

"I was given the impression that it was a quite sizable donation," Blair replied, "How much was it?"

"Couple million," he shrugged.

"You do realize that's a lot of money to some people," she stated.

"Perhaps to those who don't have the last name Bass," he replied.

"You're such a snob," she smirked.

"Just keeping up with the love of my life," he tossed her a flirtatious wink.

"How was your day with the children?" Blair asked, "Did they behave?"

"Charlotte's riding lesson went as they always do. Brice wasn't thrilled with having to tag along for another week, but he'll grin and bear it," Chuck replied.

"And ballet?" Blair asked.

"She was mad you weren't available to do her hair," Chuck frowned, "The bun Dorota did fell out during a turn. It must have thrown off her balance as she landed on her backside."

"Aw," Blair moaned at not being there to comfort her daughter. Ballet was an activity she and Blair were supposed to share together. "She must have been embarrassed."

"I bought her a large dish of ice cream afterwards," Chuck replied, "It seemed to lift her spirits. Dorota on the other hand was mortified. She was apologizing to Charlotte every time I turned around. I had to give her the rest of the day off."

"She probably thought you were going to fire her for incompetence," Blair snickered.

"Where would she get such a ridiculous idea?" Chuck laughed, "You'd toss me out in the street before you'd toss out Dorota."

"It's who Dorota is," Blair replied, "I'll call her tomorrow and calm her down."

"I'm thinking Aiden is going to want to start riding lessons in a couple of years," Chuck stated, "He very much wanted to help Charlotte brush her horse after the lesson. Sadly he could only reach to the horse's belly, so he wasn't much help."

"You let our toddler son in a stall with a two ton horse that could have crushed him like a bug?" Blair was suddenly full of rage.

"Do you think I'm that careless with our boy?" Chuck shook his head in amusement.

Blair huffed in reply, "Did you get the Dramamine for Brice's cruise with Nate?"

"Stopped at the pharmacy after the ice cream parlor," Chuck assured her.

"What's the news on Uncle Jack?" Blair asked.

"Quietly put into cuffs this afternoon," Chuck replied, "I'm hoping to sneak away some time this week to pay him a visit…see if I can sniff out his plans."

"Be careful, Chuck," Blair advised him, "If he's going to prison for any significant amount of time, he's not going to have much to lose. That's when a person is most dangerous."

"I know," he assured her.

"I love you, Bass," Blair stated.

"I love you more," he replied.

"Not possible," she laughed, "We'll talk tomorrow."

"Can't come soon enough," he stated.

"You're such a sap," she teased.

"You love it," he was quick to reply.

"Darn it, I do," she stated, "Meet you in my dreams. Night, Bass."

"Night, Bass," he replied.


"What do you want?" Jack scowled at his nephew through the glass between the pair. "Here to gloat?"

"You couldn't just leave us alone, could you," Chuck scowled at his uncle, "You couldn't just let my family be happy."

"I did nothing to you or your wife," Jack said wife in a way a normal person would curse.

"You went after Serena," Chuck growled, "That's when it became my business. You come after anyone in my family, it becomes my business."

"She's not your family," Jack snapped, "I'm family, yet you've never treated me as anything but a second class citizen."

"We're not family," Chuck scoffed, "You've never treated me as such, so why would you expect me to do anything for you? You have done everything you could to get the upper hand on me since the day my father died. It's not going to work. It's never going to work, and now you're going to pay the price for your mistakes. I just need to know one thing…what was your plan here? You weren't targeting me or Blair. What was your ultimate goal?"

"What makes you think I would tell you anything about anything?" Jack snorted, "What's my incentive?"

"Always playing an angle," Chuck laughed out, "It's always about what is in it for you…How about this? You're going away for quite awhile. I can make your life in lock up comfortable or miserable."

"You don't have that kind of pull," Jack scoffed.

"That's where you're wrong," Chuck stated, "For my wife's benefit, I've made a few friends in the criminal detention industry. You give me answers, the real answers and I'll see to it that you have a plush space in minimum security. You mess with me, I will find the darkest corner for them to stick you. From the charges the feds have brought against you, you're going away for a long while, perhaps even for the rest of your life. If it was me, I'd want to be comfortable, but that's for you to decide."

"Go to hell, Nephew," Jack growled.

"You take some time to think it over," Chuck replied, "I'll be back. Pretty sure you aren't going anywhere."

Chuck exchanged a few words and a handshake with one of the prison guards before leaving all while his uncle watched on.


"Hi, Daddy," Aiden eagerly greeted his father when Chuck returned from his trip downtown.

"Hey, Buddy," Chuck lifted his son into his arms, "Did you have a good nap while I was gone?"

"Yes," the brunette headed boy bobbed his head.

"Is your brother back from his cruise with Uncle Nate yet?"

"No," the boy's head shook from side to side this time.

"Where's your sister?" Chuck asked.

"Reading," Aiden stuck out his lip to pout, "She not read to me."

"I'll read to you," Chuck set him on his feet and patted his rump. "Go find a book and meet me in my office. I'm going to check in with Charlotte."

Aiden darted off on his mission.

"Hi, Daddy," Charlotte smiled brightly up at her father over her book.

"Still reading Anne of Green Gables?" he asked while bending over to kiss her cheek.

"No, I finished that last week. This is the next one in the series," she turned the book so her father could see the cover and the title.

"When Brice gets back, we're going out to dinner," Chuck advised her, "I'll be in my office reading to Aiden."

Charlotte nodded her head and returned her attention to her book and the adventures that awaited her.

Chuck found Aiden already sitting in his office chair, turning the pages of his book like he was actually reading. Chuck couldn't resist snapping a picture and sending it to his wife before making his son aware of his presence known.

"What are we reading, Buddy?" Chuck lifted his son into his arms.

"Peter Pan," Aiden made himself comfortable in his father's lap.

"Again," Chuck laughed while opening the book and beginning the story. Peter Pan had quickly become his son's favorite book. He asked to have it read to him nearly every week. He could virtually recite it word for word.

Nearing the end of the story, the elevator chimed the arrival. Chuck quickly ended the story and set Aiden on his feet before going to greet his oldest son and best friend.

"How was the cruise?" Chuck asked.

"It was so cool, Dad," Brice began, "I got to steer the ship and help raise and lower the sails. Can I go again next week?"

"We'll see about that," Chuck offered his best friend a handshake.

"Go change your clothes, Buddy," Chuck suggested, "We need to take Barty for his walk."

"Okay," Brice motioned to dart out before stopping abruptly. "Thank you, Uncle Nate." He quickly hugged his uncle before running out.

"You're welcome any time, Buddy," Nate called after his godson before turning towards his best friend. "Heard anything about how Serena's doing?"

"Blair texted me this morning. They were finally able to see her. She's a little out of sorts and emotional, but she's hanging in," Chuck replied, "She kept thanking Blair and Lily for getting her into treatment."

"Hopefully it sticks," Nate frowned. "She's better than what's she's been doing to herself."

"Unca Nate," Aiden darted into the entryway and leapt into Nate's arms.

"Hey, Buddy," Nate picked him up.

"We having pizza," Aiden told his uncle.

"Hot dogs," Chuck corrected his son, "We already had pizza this week."

"Hot dogs," Aiden corrected himself and then batted his lashed in his uncle's direction, "You come?"

"How do I turn down that offer?" Nate was immediately sucked in by his godson's hypnotic eyes.

"You don't," Chuck laughed, "Blair and I have tried and failed so many times."

"Where's Charlotte?" Nate bounced Aiden about until the little boy asked to be put down.

"She's reading," Chuck replied.

"I didn't know kids still read books," Nate snorted.

"Charlotte does," Chuck laughed, "She likes books better than movies and television. Blair and I fully encourage her."

Barty came to the entryway to sniff out the visitor to the household and wait for his afternoon walk.

"Hey there, Barty," Nate knelt down to pet the dog. Aiden threw his arms around the dog's neck and was treated with a thorough licking to his face. "Ready for a walk, boy?"

Barty barked happily just as Brice came in with the pup's leash.

"Mind if I take the walking duty?" Nate asked Chuck.

"Have at it," Chuck replied.

"I go too," Aiden jumped up and down eagerly.

"As long as you stay close to Uncle Nate," Chuck told his youngest.

"Okay," Aiden quickly latched onto Nate's hand.

"We'll be back in a bit," Nate took off with the boys.


"How's Serena?" Chuck asked Blair when they connected later in the evening.

"She's settling in," Blair replied, "Lily and I will be coming home tomorrow…that is if my thoughtful husband will send the jet for us."

"Consider it done," Chuck smiled, "Anything to get you home sooner. Are you sure it's okay to leave Serena so soon?"

"She says she's okay," Blair sighed, "We can't realistically stay the entire time she's in treatment. It wouldn't do her any good anyways. Her doctors say that she needs to do the work, and Lily and I being here is more of a crutch. Serena's decided on a ninety day program, so it's going to be awhile."

"She's not using treatment as an excuse to hide away, is she?" Chuck asked.

"The doctors recommended it," Blair replied, "I think there is more going on than she's told us or what your PI has sniffed out."

"Did you want my guy to dig in a bit more?" Chuck asked.

"No," Blair shook her head, "I want Serena to be the one to tell us, and it's for her to decide if and when."

"Okay," Chuck nodded.

"Did you see Jack?" Blair asked.

"Yes, I managed to get away for a bit," Chuck replied.

"And," Blair was quick to prompt him.

"He hasn't told me yet when his agenda was," Chuck responded. "He wants something in return."

"Figures," Blair rolled her eyes and snorted, "What does he want, a full pardon?"

"Not going to happen," Chuck shook his head, "I did offer something though."

"Why are you playing into that man's hands?" Blair groaned, "Chuck, he's made our lives miserable for years. He deserves nothing but an eight by eight cell and a girlfriend named Bubba."

"There's the woman I married," Chuck laughed, "I've offered him minimum security. He doesn't need to know it's likely where he's going anyways for his blue collar crime, but I also let him know I could use my pull to get him somewhere less comfortable."

"He could share a cell with that bastard Samy Weston up in Attica," Blair hissed out.

"A fitting punishment indeed, for the both of them," Chuck replied.

"Have you thought anymore about the charitable endeavor I mentioned a few weeks ago?" Blair batted her lashes.

"It's already in the works," Chuck nodded.

"Since when?" her eyes went wide in surprise.

"Trade secrets, Beautiful," he sent her a wink.

"So full of surprises," she laughed, "Don't tell the children I'm coming home. I want to surprise them."

"What time are you going to be home?" Chuck asked.

"Hopefully mid to late afternoon," Blair stated, "Lily and I are going to see Serena one more time and then head home."

"We'll be anxiously waiting," Chuck replied.

"I'll keep you posted on our day," Blair replied, "Oh, how did sailing go?"

"Brice had a great time," Chuck stated, "He wants to go again next week."

"So no seasickness?" Blair asked.

"It wasn't mentioned, so the medication must have done it's job," Chuck replied.

"Good," Blair responded, "God, I miss you."

"It's only been a few days," he reminded her.

"That's irrelevant," she waved off his mention, "I miss you. I miss the children. I even miss Barty."

"You love our dog. Admit it," he teased her.

"Yes, I do," Blair signed, "So long as he stays out of my shoes…Are you sleeping okay?"

"It helps being in my own bed," Chuck replied, "Aiden takes up most of the bed. For such a small child, he's very good at spreading himself out."

"I didn't have that problem when he slept with me," Blair giggled.

"I'm used to it," he replied, "You hog the bed too."

"I do not," she protested.

Chuck laughed in reply. "I'd better get ready for bed."

"Yeah, I should too," Blair replied, "Bright side, tomorrow we sleep together."

"The hours can't come soon enough."

"Love you, Bass."

"Love you, Bass," Chuck echoed.

TBC…