" Where were you last night ?" Serena demanded as soon as he entered the dining room and he was slightly taken aback by her sudden onslaught.
" None of your business." He answered simply as he sat and pulled a napkin into his lap.
" We were supposed to have a family dinner together. Mom was really upset that you didn't show." She glared at him from across the table as he poured himself a cup of coffee and added more than a little sugar to it.
" Shit," He muttered under his breath. He had completely forgotten about the dinner. And he had been at Eden with Blair for the third night in a row. It wasn't his fault he hadn't remembered. It seemed lately Blair was all he could think about. He hadn't intentionally hurt Lily's feelings. She was the last person he wanted upset with him.
" I'm sorry. I forgot. I'll make it up to her." He told his stepsister with every bit of sincerity.
She blinked at him in surprise. " Really ?"
He smirked indignantly. " Yes, really. I would have been here. I meant to be. I've just been a little preoccupied lately."
" With what ?" She asked, suddenly more interested in what he had to say than in yelling at him, which suited him just fine, even if he wasn't planning on telling her anything.
" Work."
" Bullshit."
He shrugged. " If you say so."
" I know so. There's something going on and I want to know what it is." She answered crossing her arms over her chest.
" Nothing is going on," He waved her off as he bite into a croissant. "except breakfast."
She sat back and took a sip of her own coffee. " What happened with you and Blair ? Why is she back with Nate ?"
He tried to hide any reaction he might have made at hearing her name. Though it was difficult. More difficult than he imagined it might be. He found himself wanting to smile, just from the sound of it. " Nothing is happening with Blair and I. We decided it was best for everyone if she went back to Nate and put us behind her."
" Bullshit." She repeated.
And again he shrugged. " If you say so."
He brought his cup to his lips and held it there upon hearing her next words. " You know what I don't understand ? Why is it that whenever you disappear, Blair is gone, too ?"
He forced himself to take a drink before setting the cup back down. " I don't know what you mean."
She sighed audibly and leaned forward resting her chin on her hand. " Bullshit." She said the word more slowly this time, drawing it out and adding a sing-song quality to it.
" Really, you have a staggering vocabulary." He chided her as he tried to ignore the look she was giving him.
" Okay, how about this ? I don't believe you. I don't believe you don't know exactly what I'm talking about. I don't believe you've stopped seeing Blair and I don't believe you would do this to your best friend." She answered quickly.
" I'm not doing anything to my best friend. I'm not seeing Blair and I really don't know what you are going on about."
He grabbed his cup and stood, retreating from the room before any more could be said. He almost made it to his room when he realized she was following him.
Turning on her at his doorway and gave her a withering look that clearly said he didn't want to talk anymore. " Why are you following me ? Haven't we had a discussion a million times about boundaries ?"
She shrugged. " That was when you were overstepping my boundaries, not when I was overstepping yours. It's different from this side."
" No it isn't." He made to shut the door, but she slipped past him before he could and went to sit in the middle of his bed, crossing her legs Indian style and making herself comfortable.
" See normally I wouldn't dare climb into the middle of your bed. Normally I wouldn't know what might be crawling around in here under the blankets, but since you haven't slept in this bed in at least three nights, and since you haven't had one of your skanky whores in here in at least three months, I figure I'm safe here." She teased.
" I assume you have a point ?" He asked as he went to the black leather chaise lounge under the window and stretched out.
" Why haven't you been home in days ?" She continued to badger him.
" I've been home."
" Only long enough to grab a shower and breakfast in the mornings and a change clothes after work. Then you leave again and you're gone all night."
He raised his eyebrows and gave her his famous leer. " My, you really are keeping quite close tabs on me. Is there something you want to tell me ?"
She balled up one of his scarves that was laying on his nightstand and threw it at him. He caught it easily. " You wish."
" Afraid not. That boat has sailed. You had your chance." He informed her.
She sat up. " Okay, see that's what I mean. The old Chuck would have been sitting right here beside me doing your best to make my robe gape so you could catch a glimpse of my breast."
He smirked. " Wow, you really do like yourself a lot."
" And you used to be right here with me. Now you're all sullen and brooding and preoccupied. What is with you ?"
" Maybe I've grown up. You should try it. It isn't so bad once you get used to it." He commented dryly.
" If growing up means turning into Nate, I'll pass. God, the next thing I know, you'll have your bangs grown out."
He snatched upright and leveled her with a warning look. " I am not Nate."
She just smiled at him in return. " Why so touchy, Chuck ?" She shifted when he refused to look away from her and the smile fell from her face. " Look, I know you really love Blair. And I know that she's back with Nate. All I'm saying is, if you're having a hard time dealing with that, I'm here for you."
He blinked at her in astonishment. " What ?" He asked, trying to determine if she was really serious.
" I mean it. You are one of my best friends. Actually, you're more than that, your my brother and you've been there for me more times that I'll admit out loud. So if you need someone to talk to or a shoulder to cry on, whatever. I'm here for you." She told him completely sincere.
" Wow, I didn't think you'd noticed that we pulled your ass out of the fire all those times." He answered.
" Don't be an ass. I'm serious. Of course I noticed. You and Nate and Blair were always there for me."
I settled back into the chair and took a sip of his coffee. " I appreciate the offer, but I'm fine. Really, I'm fine."
She sat up and beamed a smile at him. " I knew it !" She exclaimed.
" You knew what ?"
" You are still seeing her."
" No, I'm not." He insisted.
" Then you wouldn't be fine. I know you, Chuck. You don't take rejection that well. If you really weren't still seeing her you'd be drowning in Scotch, wallowing with some whore or plotting your revenge." She told him without any doubt that she was right.
And she was. She had him and she knew it. How could he deny that ? Everything she said was true. He had no idea what he'd do if he really lost Blair, but he knew as well as she did that he wouldn't be fine.
" I told you, I've grown up."
" No one can change that much." She answered.
" Leave him alone, Serena." Lily voice came from his bedroom door.
She turned to her mother quickly. " Mom, you don't understand -"
" I understand better than you do. Now go. Eric was looking for you. Something about a shopping trip." Lily interjected, cutting her off.
Serena gave him an angry glare before bounding off the bed and out of the room.
A moment later Lily was perched on the side of the bed looking at him critically.
" You missed dinner." She said quietly.
" I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I promise I'll make it up to you. I'll take everyone out one night this week." He answered.
" That sounds lovely. On everyone's behalf I accept." She smiled, but it fell away quickly. " How did things go with Nate the other night ? I haven't seen you since that day in your office so I haven't had a chance to ask."
He shifted, sitting up and setting his cup down on the glass top table beside him. " Things went exactly like I planned."
" So he's going to ask her to marry him ?" She asked sadly.
" Any day now." He answered.
" Oh, Chuck. I really wish both of you would reconsider this whole plan. This can't end well." She reached out and touched his knee and for a moment he was once again fixated on the maternal gesture.
" You know I can't do that. We don't have any other option." He replied.
" I know." She nodded. " I just wish there was some way out of this so no one would be hurt. Especially not you."
He shrugged. " Nate's the one that's going to lose her in the end. He's the one you should be worried about."
Lily smiled again. " Nataniel has enough people looking out for him. And you can't pretend with me. I know this is killing you."
He nodded slightly. " Okay. I'll give you that. I had to sit and listen to them setting up a lovely little family brunch last Sunday and it was horrible. Then all that morning all I could think about was her and Nate and her mother, lounging around enjoying their peaceful morning. It was the first time in months that I've been drunk before noon."
She patted his leg. " Next time, tell me. We'll go do something together. If you're both determined to see this through, then I'm determined to help you however I can."
He blinked at the strange burning sensation that suddenly hit his eyes. " Why ?" He asked, completely confused by her.
" Because I want to." She answered simply. " I've grown quite fond of you, Charles. Besides I'd do the same for Eric or Serena."
" But they're your children." He insisted.
" So are you." She told him as she stood and squeezed his shoulder before leaving quietly.
A moment later, the door jerked opened and he bolted up in surprise.
Serena stood there with her arms crossed over her chest and a smug look on her face.
" I knew it !" She cried triumphantly.
