Charlie In Real Life
Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl in any way, and right now, I'm okay with that. Chuck and Blair are finally together!! Everyone rejoice!!
VERY previously on CIRL :(SO SORRY!!!):
- Charlie and Gabe played strip poker in her house and ended up not playing strip poker on the couch.
- C/B are in California with Matty because Chuck had business that needed to be taken care of. They left Charlie/Luke with Dorota, but Charlie tricked Dorota into going to visit her sick sister saying that Eleanor would come to stay with them.
- Luke follows Sophie, confronts her and David (A rival for Sophie's affections and a thorn in Luke's side) thinking she would be spending the night at his house and says "He must have welcomed your brazenness. Tell me, did you use him to appease your curiosity as well?" Alluding to when Sophie said she kissed him (each of their first kiss) out of curiosity. So Sophie is no longer speaking to him, though she allowed him to sneak into Vanessa's house and sleep over where she had been spending the night.
- Blair meets a man at a restaurant with Matty in Beverly Hills.
- On Charlie's insistence, Gabe agrees to go meet with Carter Baizen, his biological father so they can talk and Charlie receives a call from her best friend Evie, who is away with her parents on a business trip.
~This chapter is dedicated to Shelby! My friend and fellow author, Happy Birthday hun! From my Charlie to yours ;o)~
Chapter 25
"Evie, I should be furious with you, why haven't you answered any of my calls or texts?" asked Charlie as she settled herself back on the couch.
"I'm sorry, but my cell was confiscated by my father when it went off while his boss was making a speech, thank you very much by the way," said Eve dryly.
"Well forgive me, but what I had to tell you couldn't wait."
"Let me guess, you made up with Gabe?"
Charlie sighed, "Yes, you took all the fun out of telling you, how did you know?"
"Because you two are like magnates, you gravitate towards each other whether you want to or not."
She pursed her lips, though Eve did have a point, whether she wanted to admit it or not, and she didn't, "Enough about me, how has playing the model family been going?"
"Horrible, my father told his boss how much I simply love polo and I found myself quickly invited to attend his son's match, it was the single most excruciatingly boring experience of my life."
"That bad?" asked Charlie feeling for her, she had had to go to polo matches in the past as well, but she always managed to liven things up, though that always landed her on Gossip Girl and confined to her room for a week, or two.
"Worse, though I must confess the boss's son was easy on the eyes."
Charlie smirked, there was the Eve she knew and loved, "Tell me, did you get your father a promotion?"
"Of course not, what kind of a girl do you take me for?—I got him a pitch meeting," said Eve matter-of-factly.
"You slut!" said Charlie laughing, Eve's laughter filled the receiver then it died down, "It was all strictly platonic though, I assure you. All I did was flirt shamelessly and bat my eyelashes a few times in his direction."
"And I'm sure that's all it took."
"Of course," said Eve teasingly, "I'm going to be packing for the next hour. I can't wait to get—to your house," said Eve not trying to mask the fact that she spent as little time at home as possible, "How about you?"
"I'm waiting for Luke, he went MIA on me last night."
"And your parents didn't do anything?"
Charlie bit her bottom lip, "They're in California, they left us with Dorota but she had an emergency and I sort of implied that my grandmother would come stay with us", said Charlie guiltily.
"Implied? You either asked Eleanor or you didn't."
"I plead the fifth."
"Charlie! You are going to get in so much trouble when your parents get back."
"I know, but I couldn't help it. They treat me like I'm five years old, I don't need a babysitter."
"Yes, and clearly you don't, because all you did was—lose your brother!"
Charlie pulled the phone away from her ear, then pulled it back when Eve had lowered her voice, "I didn't lose him, he's on his way back home now. He stayed with Sophie in Vanessa's house."
"In Brooklyn?"
"Yes, I was just as surprised as you are."
"You must have been going out of your mind last night, did you get the PI on it?"
"No," said Charlie wearily, just knowing Eve would shout again, "I didn't notice he was missing because I got sidetracked with…Gabe."
"Charlie, your brother goes missing and you're too busy having sex to notice?"
"We didn't have sex," said Charlie defiantly, then thought about it, "Okay, so we didn't go all the way, but—"
"Ugh, Charlie, do not finish that sentence," said Eve, disgustedly, "Your parents are going to kill you, you do realize that, don't you?"
"I know I'll get in trouble, but they won't find out about Gabe and please no more lectures, I'm in a very good mood today."
"I bet," said Eve wryly, "But I'm happy that you're happy, so I gather Gabe is turning out to be a good boyfriend after all."
"Yes," said Charlie with a smile recalling the events of the previous night, "It was all a misunderstanding, he didn't cheat on me."
"I told you that's all it was, but you wouldn't listen to reason, what a shocker."
"Okay, okay, I give, you were right, Gabe is great," said Charlie smiling down at the bracelet he had given her, "And sweet, and considerate—"
"You're gushing, I don't believe I've ever heard you gush over a guy before."
"I'm not gushing," Charlie denied, sobering herself, "It's—it's purely physical."
"I think that is the biggest lie I've ever heard come out of your mouth, and it's you, so that's saying something."
"I'm not lying, that's all it is. Gabe's mouth is… a many splendored thing," said Charlie wryly, not liking the turn the conversation had taken, or what she was feeling at the moment.
"One, gross, and two, that's not how it goes, if you've forgotten, let me refresh your memory. I believe it's, love is a many splendored thing, and I think you've fallen into it, head first, or is it heart first?"
"Hello dear sister."
Charlie turned towards the foyer and watched Luke walk into the living room, she let out a sigh of relief, "Evie, I've got to go," she said quickly, for once, appreciative for Luke's interruption.
"Fine, deny it all you want, but that's not going to change the way you feel."
"I'll see you tomorrow, E," said Charlie snapping her cell shut and purposely ignoring Eve's last comment.
"I see my absence wasn't lamented upon," said Luke with a raised brow at her scanty attire.
Charlie rose, her lips pouting into an irritated frown as she closed her robe tighter, "If you ever do that to me again, I'll tell Mom and Dad every single misstep you have ever made."
"And I'll tell them yours," said Luke, putting his hands in his pocket nonchalantly, "I assure you they'll brush all of mine off as mere child's play, whereas yours—well, I doubt anything you did last night could be considered a product of childhood naïveté."
Charlie folded her arms defensively, "And I doubt they'll see any childish naïveté in you selling our villa in France to fund your schemes and countless escapades with Sophie, speaking of which, I still don't know how you pulled that off without Dad finding out."
Luke shrugged, "I know a guy—or two, and besides we never used it anyway, we always stay with Grandfather and Roman…at any rate—" he continued, pulling his scarf off looking so much like her father and not like the nearly eleven year old that he was, "It seems we have come to an impasse. I say, we make another one of our renowned Bass bonds and agree to forget any of this ever happened."
Charlie looked down and let out a forced laugh, "That's all this family ever does," she murmured then looked up to see Luke frowning and she shook her head, "Fine, whatever, just don't go anywhere else until Mom and Dad get back."
"You don't have to concern yourself on that account," he answered taking a seat on the couch, "I'll be sequestered in my room, I have some thinking to do."
This time, it was Charlie who frowned. Her brother looked…sad, she took a deep breath then let it out, knowing it was time to play the big sister role, "Okay, spill, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," said Luke broodingly as he took out his cell phone.
Charlie snatched it out of his hands and his angry eyes met hers, "It's not nothing, the last time I saw that look on your face—it has something to do with Sophie, doesn't it?" she asked as she took a seat next to him.
"Why, how perceptive of you," said Luke sarcastically as he made a grab for his phone, but failed.
"Just tell me what's wrong."
She saw Luke hesitate, but he gave in and started talking, "Normally, I can handle things on my own, but I've got a pest problem that's becoming quite vexing, no matter what I do, it remains, like a bad rash or that JC Penny on Lexington."
She rolled her eyes and Luke shrugged, "If they continue to build tasteless department stores such as those, my profits will dwindle on the resale value of my condo."
"What?" said Charlie in disbelief then shook her head, she didn't want to know, the less she knew the better, "Forget it, just get to the point," she insisted, getting ready to leave and let him sort out his own problems.
"Fine, there's this boy, David, I've tried to keep him away from Sophie, and nothing has worked. Do you have any suggestions?"
Charlie grinned, "I knew it, you do like her."
Luke's eyes narrowed, "This conversation is over."
Charlie laughed, "Alright, okay—," she said pulling him back when he tried to rise from the couch, "Well, in a few weeks the parents' association is gathering like they do every summer to discuss the upcoming school year and the student mixer is held right after. The headmaster along with all the teachers will be in attendance, so if you want to get rid of him for good, just get him kicked out of St. Jude's Primary. I'm sure you can think of something for him to appear guilty of that goes against the student's conduct code."
"Hmm—shrewd, underhanded, I like it," said Luke with a smirk, "Tell me, is this scheme from one of your majesty's memoirs?"
"Well, let's just say I wasn't given the throne simply because of our royal bloodline," said Charlie with a small smirk.
"Charlotte, I have to admit, I'm impressed. I can honestly say that I will no longer publicly deny we share the same parentage."
"Why thank you, Lucas. I'm extremely touched," said Charlie dryly, but grinned.
—
"I'm Michael Warner," said the man outstretching his hand.
Blair hesitated but ultimately took the man's hand, "I'm Blair Bass and this is my son Matthew," she said with a courteous smile, "Honey, say hello."
Matty's little mouth pouted and his blue eyes looked up at the man suspiciously, "Hi, I'm Matt Bass, do you know who my daddy is?"
"Matthew!" said Blair as her cheeks flamed, "That was very rude of you."
The man, Michael, didn't take offence, he simply laughed, "It's alright, but please, let's sit, join me."
Blair was going to politely turn him down, but Matt's little outburst changed her mind. Her irritation was sparked that Chuck was using her baby to keep men away, she thought, "It's the least we can do after Matthew—," she said giving her son a knowing look, "Made you spill your coffee."
They took a seat then there was an awkward silence. Blair had a nagging feeling that maybe she shouldn't have accepted.
"So Matthew, how old are you?" asked Michael as he accepted another coffee from a waitress.
"I'm five, do you got a wife?", asked Matt with raised brows.
"Matthew, that's enough," Blair warned.
Michael smiled, "It's okay, yes I actually do have a wife. She's working as we speak."
Blair instantly relaxed and her tension eased, "What does she do? I work at an architecture firm in New York."
"Really? We go to New York all the time. Maybe you and your husband can join us for dinner next time we're back on the east coast."
"Of course," said Blair with a smile then she signaled the waiter so that they would bring their order to the right table.
Michael smiled and took a sip of his coffee then he replaced it on the table, "My wife is a real estate agent. She's presently showing some houses to a new client, but I use the term loosely. Anything in the 90210 district doesn't constitute as a house in my book."
"And where do you live?" asked Blair out of curiosity.
"In a not-house right here in Beverly Hills," he said with a smile.
Blair laughed, "So it's the pot calling the kettle black, I see."
"Mommy, I want to go back to my hotel," the little boy interrupted.
Michael grinned, glancing at Matty, "You own your own hotel at five? That's quite an accomplishment."
"Yes, The Legacy is mine but I got lots of other hotels too. My daddy said so, right mommy?"
"Matthew, we will go back to the hotel after breakfast."
"But Mom—"
"You own The Beverly Hills Legacy Hotel?"
Blair shrugged then nodded, "My husband and I do," she answered as she smoothed Matty's hair into place.
"Bass, you're married to Charles Bass?"
Blair frowned, "Yes, do you know him?"
"Just by reputation."
Blair's eyes narrowed guardedly and Michael smiled, "Don't worry, everything I've heard of him is good. From what I gather he's a savvy businessman and a good investor."
"Well thank you, I'm sure Chuck would like to know he's as well respected in the west coast as he is in the east."
"Here's your pancakes," said the waitress putting down a plate in front of Matty "And your fruit, ma'am," she said then turned her back to adjust some plates on the desert cart behind her.
"Thank you," said Blair politely as she helped Matty with his fork.
"Please tell me you're eating more than that," said Michael motioning towards her plate.
"I'm fine with my fruit," said Blair, her tone, leaving no room for argument.
Michael shook his head, "My wife is the same way despite me always telling her she's beautiful as she is, though there are times when I ignore her and place a bowl of ice cream in her vicinity."
Blair smiled, "And does it work?"
"Most times, I can be very persuasive," said Michael as his blue eyes shined playfully.
Blair laughed thinking of Chuck, he had the same effect on her as Michael did on his wife.
"Your order will be out in just a moment—" said the waitress to Michael as she turned back towards their table then her eyes settled back on Matty, "Aren't you adorable and look at those eyes, just like your daddy."
Blair opened her mouth to correct her but a voice from behind the waitress beat her to it.
"He's not his father, I am," said Chuck in an icy tone as he came into full view in front of them.
—
"Why did you want to see me, Carter?" asked Gabe as he shrugged himself out of his hold, "Make it quick, you're lucky I showed up at all."
"And no doubt I owe it all to the beautiful Charlie, I presume?"
"Let's leave her out of this," Gabe snapped as he walked further in and leaned against the mantle, arms crossed.
"Fine, ease up Gabriel. I just wanted to talk to you."
"Why now? Why after all these years? What, did the guilt suddenly get to you, or did you just wake up one day and go hmm, I think I'll check up on Gabe, I'm sure he's noticed I've missed—his entire life," said Gabe gratingly as he suppressed the urge to take out all he was feeling on his father's face.
Carter looked down, "I deserve that. I haven't been a father to you at all and I admit it. I just want you to give me a chance. Come on Gabe, you're my boy," said Carter in a seemingly sincere tone as he put his hand on Gabe's shoulder, "My only son."
"That you know about," retorted Gabe as he brushed off Carter's hand again, "I wonder how many other women besides my mom you told to go to hell when—"
"I've already apologized for that," said Carter sharply, "There's nothing I can do about the past but we can do something about the here and now, I want to be your father—"
"I already have a father, a great one. Nothing has changed, I didn't need you in the past and I don't need you now."
"But I need you."
Gabe slowly brought his brown simmering eyes up from where he had them fixed on the floor to meet Carter's remorseful grey ones. He didn't know what to think. Back when he was a kid, all he had wanted was for his real dad to come back.
"Gabriel, I'm sorry. Look, I'll even apologize to your mother."
"My father won't let you anywhere near her," Gabe pointed out, and for once rancor wasn't laced with his words.
"Maybe he will, once I talk to him, thank him for the great job he did raising you."
Gabe frowned, "You would do that?"
"Of course I will," said Carter with a shrug, "If it meant you giving me a chance, I'd do anything."
Gabe swallowed hard, feeling like that seven year old boy again, waiting in the rain for his father to come pick him up, a father who never came, and how could he have? He'd been in jail, where he belonged.
"Gabe?" said Carter questioningly.
Gabe sighed and rubbed his eyes, banishing the memory, "Apologize to her first and if she thinks you're sincere, then we'll talk again," he concluded then nodded with finality at Carter and made his way towards the foyer, needing to leave, to be alone with his thoughts.
—
"How Hallmark of you," said Allison wryly as she walked into her living room, "Even I almost believed that performance."
"That was the point," said Carter as he poured himself a drink.
Allie rolled her brown eyes and reclined herself on the couch, "How much longer must you play the remorseful father? I'm getting bored, these displays are losing their appeal, and—you know what they say about idle hands…" she trailed off with a grin, admiring her manicure.
Carter frowned, "You do nothing, until I say you do."
Her eyes narrowed in annoyance, "Don't confuse yourself Baizen, you may be Gabriel's father, but you are not mine. I'll do what I want, when I want."
"I could never confuse myself with—oh, that's right, you don't know who your father is, do you?" asked Carter with a raised brow as he tipped the glass in her direction then brought it to his lips.
"And you do?" asked Allie through gritted teeth as she tightened her hold on the sofa's armrest.
"We've been through this before, of course I do, which is why you're going to be a good little girl and do as Uncle Carter says."
Allie scoffed, "Just hurry up, if my patience runs thin I might go crying to mommy."
He shrugged, "Georgina hasn't been very forthcoming when speaking of—your father, so I'd keep this little endeavor between us if I were you, otherwise, you'll never know."
"Carter—"
"Soon," he grated, "Soon you'll be able to bring Charlotte Bass down a few notches—or twenty if you'd like, and I'll be able to make her father's life a living hell."
"Why do you care so much?"
Carter finished his drink and dropped it on the bar, the sound of the glass reverberating throughout the room, "Because, he's the reason I went to prison."
—
"Chuck," said Blair with a tense smile, "I thought you were going to be tied up in meetings all morning."
"Clearly," said Chuck dryly as he shot a hard look in Michael's direction.
"Will this gentleman be joining you?" asked the waitress warily, looking at Chuck.
"This gentleman, is her husband, and no I won't be joining him and neither will my wife and child."
"Will you excuse us?" said Michael to the waitress who quickly nodded and made herself scarce.
"Chuck, stop overreacting. This is Michael Warner and we were only having breakfast with him to be courteous. Matty bumped into him and made Michael spill his coffee all over himself."
"How tragic," he retorted.
"I told mommy we should go back to our hotel but she didn't want to," said Matty innocently, his blue eyes big at the present argument.
"Matthew—"
"No, let him speak," Chuck said brusquely, "What? Are you afraid of what he'll say?"
"Chuck, stop it."
"Mommy, daddy, why are you fighting?" asked Matty in a small voice.
"Mr. Bass—" said Michael, attempting to calm the situation.
"If you hold any regard for your wellbeing, you'll keep your mouth shut. I'm talking to my wife and my son."
"What is wrong with you?" asked Blair sharply, her eyes seething as she glared at him.
"What's wrong with me?" asked Chuck, irate, "You're the one who waited until I was occupied at work to—"
"If you ever want to be allowed back into our home, you won't finish that sentence," she warned in a livid promise.
"Blair, I'm really sorry to have caused this," said Michael looking between them apologetically, "It wasn't my intention at all."
Blair looked down and shook her head, angry and mortified at the spectacle they had created. Everyone had stopped eating and were looking in their direction, "No, I'm the one who's sorry Michael, incredibly so," she said as she raised her head and met Michael's gaze, "I had hoped we could be friends, but I wouldn't want you or your wife exposed to this neanderthal. If he ever learns to act civilized then maybe we can have that dinner we talked about," said Blair her tone dull, flat, then grabbed Matty's hand and pulled him up with her as she rose from the table.
"Blair, wait—"
"Excuse us," she said ignoring Chuck and walking towards the exit, the only backwards glance came from Matty who looked dejectedly towards his father until he was whisked out the restaurant's doors.
—
Charlie picked up her cell for the eighth time that day. Gabe hadn't kept his word, he said he would be back, but he hadn't. It was nearing eight in the evening and still no word from him, she thought with increasing unease, she had called over and over all day in vain. Something was wrong, she just knew it. She didn't know how, but she did. It was in the way she couldn't sit still, it was in the way her heart raced and constricted with a small ache without cause, it was in everything in her, she thought as she looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes that had once been misted, narrowed and the internal clamor for her to do something peaked in a silent screech.
She quickly rose from her vanity and went to her end table, pulling open the drawer haphazardly and rummaging without care until she found the keys to her Benz. With the keys in hand, she rushed out towards her door, but stopped short at the doorway. She looked back, then retraced her steps to her vanity, grabbed a headband, then headed back out again.
—
Luke lounged on the couch, feeling much better than he had been that morning. With a plan in place, he just had to have patience, not his strongest suit, but the anticipation could be half the fun, he told himself with a smirk. Now, all he had to do was get Sophie to talk to him again, he thought, as the notion sobered him and the smile left his lips. He didn't like her refusing to utter a single word to him, with anyone else he could care less, but not her, not Sophie.
His cell phone rang and his breath caught as he quickly reached for it, nearly causing it to fall off the coffee table in the process. He gripped the phone firmly in his hand and slid it open, it wasn't Sophie, he thought ignoring the twinge of sadness, but it was the next best thing.
"Les Monroe, to what do I owe this great honor? When you got shipped off to boarding school in the middle of the year, you swore you would never speak to me again," said Luke with a grin.
"And with good reason," replied the boy, "It was your fault I got sent to that hell hole."
"Water under the bridge," said Luke dismissingly, "But I'm sure all the care packages I sent you were a great source of comfort," he soothed with sarcasm, knowing full well his best friend had wrought havoc at that boarding school with all the toys he had sent him.
"Which is the only reason why I'm bothering to speak to you at all."
"Please, can we get past the part where I'm supposed to be groveling, because it's not going to happen. I grovel for no one, we've been friends for six years, I thought you'd have that ingrained by now."
"Oh, you and I both know that's not exactly true. There is one person, and how fares our golden girl these days?" asked Les, as Luke rolled his eyes, knowing with certainty the grin that must be plastered on Les' face, "My—Sophie is fine," said Luke, his frustration amounting.
"Why Lucas, was that a Freudian slip?"
"No it wasn't," said Luke in a clipped tone, out of everyone in his school Les had been the only one who could spar with him verbatim. Luke was the first in not only his class, but his grade, and Les, was—had been second, "Why don't you ask about your own golden girl? I'm sure you're dying for details since, from what I remember Janie bid you a very good riddance the last time we were all together."
There was silence at the other line and Luke grinned, "How has she been?" asked Les, dropping the teasing tone.
"As she always is. Your plain Jane is the same buzzkill she ever was. She's currently in The Hamptons with her family for the week."
"Don't call her that."
"Why Les, is that a trace of annoyance I hear in your voice?" asked Luke with a smirk.
"Of course it is, she's my friend—our friend in case you've forgotten."
"Of course I haven't forgotten, I call her plain Jane as a term of endearment as do you, if I'm not mistaken."
"It's different, when I call her that—"
"How so?"
"It just is."
"What a genius retort, I think the time you've spent at that boarding school of yours has caused you to lose a few IQ points."
"Ex-boarding school, and even if I'd lost a few or a dozen, I'd still have a higher one than you."
"I hate to burst your bubble, but there was a mix up at St. Jude's Primary, they sent your results here and you got mine, but let's not dwell over spilt milk, shall we?"
"You're lying—"
"Luke, I'm going out, I don't know how long I'll be, but I want you to swear you won't go anywhere."
Luke looked up and frowned as he saw Charlie walk into the living room with a the wary look on her face, "Hang on a second," he said into the phone then turned his attention to his sister, "What's wrong?"
"I'm not sure there's anything wrong—not yet, just promise me you won't go anywhere, I need you to give me your word and mean it this time."
"Fine," he said quickly, and meant it, "Are you going to look for Gabe?"
"How'd you know?"
"By the pitiful look on your lovely face," said Luke dryly as he put Les on hold and punched a set of numbers into his phone, after one ring, it was answered, "It's me," he said getting straight to the point, "Gabriel Knight, find him," his gaze remained locked on Charlie as she looked at him puzzled, but he ignored her, heard what he needed then slid his phone shut, "He's at Abe and Arthur's on 14th street, attempting to beat the Guinness World Record of downing the most shots in one sitting."
"You have a tail on him?" asked Charlie in disbelief.
"And paws, and legs, and a puppy dog head," said Luke sarcastically, "I believe Gabriel is as guarded as our commander in chief, you didn't think I would let my only sister go gallivanting up and down New York City unprotected with a guy I hardly know, did you?"
"Luke," said Charlie angrily to which he rolled his eyes, "I will say this one last time, I'm the older sibling."
"That's subjective," said Luke as he suppressed a smirk.
"That's a fact and what's more, I already have one overbearing father, I don't need another one."
"I look out for her wellbeing and she gets angry, such ingratitude, teenagers these days," he countered with a mock disapproving shake of his head.
"Luke!"
"You do know you're wasting precious time, I can just hear Gabriel's liver giving out on him," Charlie's face paled and he instantly regretted his hasty riposte, "Look, I was—"
"I'm leaving," said Charlie quickly, "I'll be back as soon as I can," she said as Luke watched her walk towards the foyer, "Tell Les I said hello."
Luke frowned, "How did you—"
"And quit arguing over who misses the other more, oh, and yes, he can stay over tonight," said Charlie as she shut the front door behind her.
Luke quickly put Les off hold and put the phone to his ear, "You're back in New York?"
"What took you so long? And what part of ex-boarding school didn't you understand? My parents decided the punishment had run its course and graciously allowed me to return to St. Jude's."
"You got kicked out, didn't you?"
"Not officially," answered Les with a laugh, "But my parents had to give one hell of a donation so that being expelled wouldn't go on my permanent record and hurt my chances of getting into the upper level St. Jude's and in turn, Princeton, my father's beloved alma mater."
"Have you spoken to Charlie today?
"No, why?"
"How did my sister know I was talking to you?" asked Luke as he voiced his thoughts aloud.
"Easy, Luke, she's Charlie Bass," Les quipped.
The look of confusion fled Luke's face and was replaced by astonishment, his sister had one upped him.
"…or it could be the fact that I've been lounging in your room for the past hour waiting for you to decide to get off your sorry ass and notice me."
Luke laughed and tossed his phone, rising off the couch as he raced to his room.
—
"Sweetheart, what would you like to eat for dinner?" asked Blair as she looked over at Matty as they left Disney World in a limo.
Matty shifted in his booster seat and rested his chin on his hand, "I don't want to eat Mommy, I'm not hungry," he answered quietly with a despondent look on his face.
Blair felt horrible. She shouldn't have argued with Chuck in front of Matty, she thought with regret. No matter what she did, her son remained in the same mood. Not even a day spent in Disney World had perked him up, "Matty, honey, look at mommy," said Blair as she scooted over to him and ran a hand through his hair caressingly. Matty's normally bright blue eyes looked up at her, they had dulled somehow, "I don't want you to be upset or think that the argument your father and I had was your fault, because it wasn't."
"Yes it was," said Matty as his eyes filled, "Now you don't love each other anymore," he said then his bottom lip trembled and he sniffed as tears made their way down his flushed cheeks.
Blair's own eyes watered as she quickly unbuckled him and pulled him onto her lap, holding him close, "Shhh, baby, don't cry. That's not true," she said soothingly as she blinked back her tears, "I still love daddy and he still loves me. Nothing will ever change that, I promise."
Matty sniffled and pulled back to look her in the eyes, "Do you promise, promise? Daddy says you really mean something when you're brave enough to say it twice."
Blair smiled and swiped a finger under her eyes, "I promise, promise, promise—I will always love your father and he will always love me."
Matty wiped his cheeks and smiled then wrapped his small arms around Blair's neck tightly, "Mommy?" he said, his voice slightly muffled by Blair's curls, "Yes, sweetheart?" she answered as she rubbed his back, "I promise, promise I love you from the top of my head to my tippy toes."
Blair laughed and hugged him tightly back, "And I promise, promise I love you past the heavens, past space, past the entire universe, and back again."
Matty broke the embrace and his blue eyes wide in wonder locked with his mother's, "Whoa, that's a lot," he said with a big grin, "No," said Blair as she caressed his cheek and smiled, "It's not nearly enough."
"Mrs. Bass? We've arrived at the hotel."
Blair turned and looked at the driver slightly startled as he held the door open for them, she hadn't even realized they had stopped moving, "Thank you," she said quickly as the driver made a move to reach for Matthew and assist her.
"It's alright Neil, let me," came the unmistakable voice of her husband.
"Daddy!" shouted Matty happily, practically throwing himself into his father's arms.
"Matty," said Chuck gruffly as he hugged him tight, "I really missed you today, son."
"I missed you too and so did mommy, right mommy?" asked Matty as he shifted in his father's arms to look back at her.
Blair smoothed her skirt out as she stepped away from the limo and met Chuck's remorseful, pleading gaze, "Of—of course I did," said Blair reassuringly at Matty as Chuck looked down with a pained look on his face, "Look, we need to talk," said Chuck as his eyes rose back to meet Blair's, "Why don't I go up and leave Matthew with the nanny I hired for the day while you wait for me at the bar, I've had it cleared out."
She looked at Matty's cheerful face then back at Chuck and agreed, "Fine, just don't be long."
—
Charlie got out of her car and tossed her keys to the valet. She just wanted to get to Gabe, something had gone wrong, and if it had went wrong, it was all her fault. She pushed him to go see his father, she thought frustratingly, why had she done that? He probably didn't even want to see her, no, of course he doesn't, weren't all those unanswered calls evidence enough? Said a mocking voice from within her.
She brushed her thoughts away as she walked into the restaurant, bypassing the maître d and the people dining, then ran up an elegant spiral staircase to get to the bar, where she saw Gabe sitting alone, building a pyramid with the shot glasses he had used.
"Gabe?" she said hesitantly.
He turned to her and his bloodshot eyes widened, then darkened, "What are you doing here?"
Charlie almost took a step back at his callous tone, but kept her resolve and slid onto the barstool next to him, "I came to talk to you," she said quietly.
"I don't want to talk, I just want—Hey!—," said Gabe motioning towards the bartender, "Another shot over here, make it a double."
"Gabe, please, don't do this—"
"Charlie—," said Gabe tersely then exhaled, "Just go home," he said as levelly as he could.
"I'm not going anywhere—"
"Charlie—"
"No—"
"Dammit!" he cursed as he slammed down the shot glass he had been given, making the contents slosh over and spill on the counter.
Charlie's breath caught and her eyes filled with tears, she had never seen him this way before, this cold and unfeeling.
The bartender came quickly to clean the mess up, but Gabe waved him away, "Leave it," he said as he turned to Charlie.
"Gabe, please—," she pleaded as her voice broke.
"Fuck," he sighed as his hands circled her waist and he pulled her onto his lap, burying his face in her curls and nuzzling the pulse point at her neck, "I'm sorry," he said hoarsely, "I'm so sorry, baby."
Charlie exhaled deeply and swallowed the lump in her throat, "It's okay," she said as she caressed the hair at the nape of his neck, "Just talk to me, tell me what's wrong."
"Me—," he answered gruffly, "I'm wrong, I'm messed up—all wrong."
"No, you're not," Charlie insisted as she twisted in his arms and put her hands on either side of his face, making him meet her gaze, "You're not," she repeated, "You're stubborn and pigheaded and infuriating beyond belief," said Charlie in mock sternness then gave a choked laughed, "But you're also thoughtful and sweet and I…," said Charlie as she trailed off, her heart skipping and her stomach fluttering. She took a sharp intake of breath as Gabe's eyes bore into her, "And—and—if that's what being wrong or messed up entails—," said Charlie finding her voice, but losing something much more important, "Then sign me up, because I'll be right there with you."
Gabe smiled and took her face in his hands, as she had to him and crushed his mouth to hers. Charlie responded completely, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer, he tasted of heat, and alcohol, and something else that was uniquely him, something she was afraid she would never get enough of.
Gabe brushed his lips over hers again and again, as if to consume her, consume them both in the intensity of it all. Charlie moaned, a guttural sound from the back of her throat as her hands grazed down his neck, leaving a few streaked scratches in its wake.
"Excuse me—," came a voice and a cough to break up the haze they were in.
Charlie broke the kiss, her breath coming in short gasps as she shifted on Gabe's lap then met the irritated gaze of the bartender and she blushed crimson, "I—I'm sorry," she apologized quickly as she looked around, relieved that no one else had been around to notice.
"Don't apologize," said Gabe as he looked at the bartender, "Remember the figure I told you?" The bartender looked at Charlie then back at Gabe skeptically, then nodded with hesitance, "Well, consider it doubled, all you have to do is go take a break."
"I—I'm not authorized—," stuttered the bartender.
"Decide quickly, this offer has an expiration date and it's going sour in 3, 2—"
"Fine," said the bartender irritatingly as he tossed a towel down on the bar then walked around it, "But if you consume any more alcohol that's extra," he warned then walked down the spiral staircase.
After they were alone, their eyes locked again, "What happened today? What made you…?" asked Charlie motioning towards the half built pyramid of shot glasses.
"I—I talked with Carter," said Gabe as he looked down.
"And—and what did he say? Was he horrible to you?" asked Charlie as her own gaze lowered, "Of course he was, and it was all my fault you went to see him. No wonder you didn't want to see me or take any of my calls," she said as she attempted to rise off his lap.
"No," said Gabe quickly tightening his hold on her, "Nothing was your fault, nothing could ever be, not when you're the reason for everything that's right in my life."
Charlie smiled, feeling—just…feeling, and whatever it was, it was all encompassing.
"When I went to see Carter, it went well—well, as well as could be expected. He wants to start over and be a part of my life," he said loosening his grip on her waist, assured that she wasn't going anywhere.
Charlie frowned, "Then why—"
"Because I'm angry at him and myself, I don't want to give him a chance. He left me and my mother to fend for ourselves, he didn't give a damn about us. Why should I give a damn about him now?"
Charlie looked away her emotions raw, she didn't know what to say, she didn't have the right words to tell him.
"You—you don't know what it was like not having a father, not knowing why he left, why my mother wasn't enough, why I wasn't enough for him to—to care—to stay."
Charlie felt something on her cheeks and brought her hand up and realized, she was crying.
"Hey don't—," said Gabe in a gentle tone as he wiped her tears with his thumbs, "Don't do that, not over me, and especially not over him."
"I—," she said as her voice shook. She wanted to tell him everything. Tell him how angry and confused she was. How every time her early childhood or her birth came up, the subject was quickly changed. How no one ever spoke of her parents' relationship before she was born, how no one in her family would give her any answers as to why her father hadn't been there, and when they did, his absence was chalked up to a misunderstanding, but a misunderstanding wouldn't have taken him nearly half a decade to return.
"Charlie?"
"I'm fine," she said as she wiped her tears and smiled reassuringly, she couldn't tell him, not yet. She didn't want to share that with Gabe until she could get answers—and that was something she had to do by herself, "Did you tell Carter you would give him a chance or—"
"I told him to apologize to my mother first and then we would see. He sounded sincere, but—I can't, I don't want to believe him. I don't want to feel anything for him—,"
"But you do," said Charlie simply, knowing it was the truth.
Gabe sighed and rubbed his neck, "Look, we've already wasted enough time talking about a guy that doesn't deserve it. Why don't I take you home?"
"You're not taking me anywhere in your inebriated state, why don't I drive us both back to my house?"
Gabe smirked, "Is that an invitation to spend the night?"
Charlie grinned, "Possibly."
"And where exactly would I possibly be sleeping, because you know I have no objections to taking the couch."
Charlie laughed and pulled herself up off his lap, "You can take the couch if you'd like, but we have several perfectly adequate guest rooms available for your slumbering pleasure," she said with a smile as she took his hand and he rose on slightly unsteady feet.
"Hmm, the pleasure part sounds promising," said Gabe with a grin, "But I don't think slumbering is in my immediate future, not when I know you'll be a few feet away, sleeping all alone in that big bed of yours."
Charlie looked at him haughtily, "Well, slumbering better be in your immediate future because we won't have the penthouse to ourselves."
"Well, I could pay you a quick visit, we could share a—mid-night snack."
"Sounds appetizing," said Charlie teasingly as she looked into his dark mischievous eyes, "But alas, it's an invitation I'll have to decline."
"Decline?" he said, sounding wounded, "I don't even get a reschedule?"
"Fine," said Charlie as she raised her brow saucily, "I'll just have to find where I can…fit you in,"
"Oh, I'm sure I can find a couple of open slo—"
"Ugh—you're so crass," said Charlie interrupting him.
"I'm simply taking your lead, Bass," he said with a smirk as he motioned towards the spiral staircase then let her precede him as she hid a grin and they made their way down it.
—
Blair sat at the empty bar nursing a drink she knew she would not consume. She wasn't angry with Chuck anymore. She was just hurt. It hurt to think that he didn't have faith in her, in their marriage, that he'd believe she'd cheat on him.
"I'm sorry, sorry," said Chuck with a half smile he wasn't committed to.
Blair turned to him and gave the same sort of smile as he took the barstool next to her, "You've been talking to Matthew, I see," she said as she abandoned the drink altogether.
"Yes," he nodded as he took the drink from her and stared at its contents, "He asked me if I still loved you and—it hurt like hell that he needed the reassurance."
"I know, he—he cried earlier about that, I tried to explain—"
"Stop," said Chuck interrupting her, "You shouldn't have had to explain anything. It's my fault. I was a bastard, I acted like…my father," he said as his eyes darkened and he brought the glass to his lips, taking a sip, wishing the burn he felt as the alcohol went down his throat would consume him, he deserved it.
Blair frowned, she didn't like when he compared himself to Bart, it hurt her to think that after all the years since his death, all the years since they married, he could still cast a shadow over Chuck, over their marriage, "Chuck, you're not your father. After all this time, why can't you see that? You love, you care, you feel—you'd sacrifice anything for us. Your father never could, nor could he see that potential in you," she said as her eyes misted.
Chuck closed his eyes and exhaled deeply as he shook his head, "I don't deserve you, I never have. Once in a while I wake up in a sweat from a nightmare, thinking I'm back in some foreign country, high, alone, not being able to find my way back to you and the children."
Blair's breath caught, "But it's just a bad dream, and I'm right there with you when you wake. I'll always be right there next to you," said Blair huskily.
"Do you promise, promise?"
Blair laughed through her tears, "Yes, I promise, promise."
Chuck smiled as he caressed Blair's cheek and laced his fingers through her tumbling curls, "I'm so sorry. I went crazy when I saw you there laughing with him—"
"Chuck, he's just someone I met. How could you think I would—"
"It wasn't you, it was me. I got scared, I felt replaced."
"Replaced?" said Blair incredulously, "By a total stranger?"
"That total stranger is a decent guy and—," said Chuck as he went into his pocket, "I got his card," he said handing to her, "So that we could both have dinner with he and his wife the next time they're in New York."
Blair smiled as she took the card, "You didn't have to do that."
"I wanted to, I was an idiot. I just—I feel like I never have enough time for you and the children anymore. I'm always working late hours, and sometimes the work bleeds into the weekend."
"Chuck—"
"Time is—it's one of the few things in this life I can't buy and I'm losing it, with you, with the kids."
"We know how hard you work and we understand the time it takes, I'm proud of you, the kids are proud of you."
"Charlie?" asked Chuck dully.
Blair bit her bottom lip, "Of course she is. She loves you and I know she's very proud of you."
"I feel like I'm slowly losing her," said Chuck as his throat closed in on him.
"No you're not. You could never lose her."
Chuck cleared his throat and rose from the barstool, "I came to find you earlier today to tell you I signed the deal in record time, we can go home ahead of schedule. If we fly out tonight, we can be back home before breakfast. We can spend the whole day together as a family."
Blair smiled and rose from her seat, kissing his lips languidly, the butterflies still raging after all these years, she thought as she pulled back and grinned, "Let's go home."
Chuck smirked as he took her hand, "Do you think the children behaved themselves?"
"Of course they did, if not we would have gotten a call from Dorota," said Blair with assurance as they left the bar hand in hand to go back up to their penthouse suite to pack for their trip home.
A/N: I know, I know, I'm the worst author on the face of the planet. I failed to update this in MONTHS. I apologize and apologize again. I'm really so very sorry to all my readers. I just lost it with CIRL. I couldn't find my flow and everything I wrote, I would promptly erase. I tried to push myself and it would come out all wrong, so I decided to step away from it for a while, and it worked. I'm now totally back on. I know I said I wouldn't lag with an update before, but I'm promising it again now. If I don't fulfill my promise, feel free to flood my PM box and tell me, though I know that won't happen. I know exactly where I want to take the story and what I want to do with it. So if you want me to keep writing, I will, but I'll only do it if you review and tell me, because otherwise I won't know, though I know I deserve your desertion :(
To show how committed I am, I'm even letting you in on a secret. I'm planning a Luke/Sophie ten chapter or so spin off of when they are 16 because I think they deserve their own spotlight and chance, so if you want me to write it when CIRL is finished, tell me in the review, and I will. I've posted two pics of 16 year old Luke in my photobucket account, so you can see I'm serious, go check it out if you want. There is also a pic of C/B at the bar with a quote of Chuck's that he said to Blair in the scene (Warning it's a pic from an upcoming episode of GG, so don't look at it if you don't want to be spoiled)
I'll end this now epically long A/N and say again how sorry I am and say how many more things there are to come in the next chapter, the spoiler posted on my profile will come about in the next chapter too, more Charlie/Gabe more Luke/Sophie more Chuck/Blair (will they catch Gabe and Charlie together?), Carter/Allie (pic posted of her now too), and a little of Les and Janie thrown into the mix (pics of them to come soon).
XoXo Chrys