Pictures are my bread and butter and none are more bountiful than those that show our favorite Upper East Side schemer Chuck Bass being delivered a crushing blow. Is it wrong to revel in the misery of others? If so this site would not exist. I mean, what's better than seeing a girl, a Brooklyn girl at that, leaving poor Chuck alone on a bench sad and confused? Well, maybe a picture of them kissing, but only because that would send our Queen B. over the edge. What does Chuck have up his sleeve? And where do he and V. stand? By the looks of it very, very far apart. XOXO, Gossip Girl.

"You didn't really love him," Jenny Humphrey said honestly, almost too honestly. "You liked him, yeah, but you two weren't meant to be."

"I like the way that sounds. I do. It makes this seem less painful, but it's really not," Vanessa said sadly. "The truth is he left me for Blair. He picked Blair Waldorf over me."

"Can you blame him?" Jenny asked.

Vanessa shot her a dirty, scornful look.

Vanessa and Jenny were sitting on a park bench near the Constance School, Jenny clad in her plaid uniform and white knee-highs, Vanessa wearing a frown. The snow was coming down heavier than usual for the end of winter. It seemed as if spring had come and gone in an instant.

"Thanks for all your help Jenny," she said mournfully.

"What? I mean, you and he weren't working out. Can you blame him for moving on?"

"I can when he did so without breaking up with me first. I can when the reason I found out about him and Blair is because of Gossip Girl!" Vanessa's voice grew ever louder causing passing citizens to glare her way.

"Point taken," Jenny conceded. "But I thought it was Chuck you wanted."

"Yeah, well that's over too."

"A picture tells a thousand words, right," Jenny said. "And that picture of you and Chuck on the bench. That's a good one."

"A good one?"

"Well, it does show the whole of the Upper East Side and Brooklyn that you're willing and capable of walking away from Chuck Bass. Just in case anyone thought otherwise," Jenny raised an eyebrow as she said the last part, signaling that the 'someone' she spoke of was her. Her and the entire Humphrey clan.

"Yes, I can leave him. He's not a bad addiction," she said. "He's just…just…"

"Chuck Bass," Jenny said soundly.

Together, both girls nodded their heads in agreement. There was just something about Chuck Bass.

"I have to go to class. Now that one Humphrey is in Yale I can't disappoint," Jenny joked, standing up and grabbing her school bag. The cold New York wind blew at her hair, the blond shag covering her dark eyes.

Vanessa pulled her own curls back and stood up to join Jenny on her walk to Constance.

"You don't have to walk me," she told her, putting her hand up to stop Vanessa.

"It's alright. I don't mind."

Jenny turned on her heels to face Vanessa, pushing her bangs back to look her friend in the eye. "I don't want to sound rude, but I don't think walking me to school is such a hot idea. Blair, Nate, Chuck. They could all be there and I think I've had my fill of appearing as a sidekick character on Gossip Girl."

Vanessa couldn't help but laugh a little at Jenny's comment. She couldn't fault Jenny for her caution and skepticism. Vanessa was unsure how she would react if she came face to face with a handholding Blair and Nate. Or what her body would do if she saw Chuck in the light of day once more. She couldn't even look at him the night before, instead walking away, leaving him behind. Jenny was crediting her with being full or resolve, of bravery, but Vanessa knew it was self-preservation. If she had looked at him, or spoken to him, Vanessa knew things would have gotten out of hand.

"Will we see you tonight for dinner?" Jenny asked Vanessa.

"I don't know," she responded. "I think maybe a Humphrey dinner might be too much."

"Nah. Good meat, great bread, maybe some wine if my dad's back is turned," Jenny teased.

"How about pasta?"

"I think I can arrange that," she told her. Jenny then tentatively weaved her way through traffic to the other side of the snow-covered street.

Vanessa watched her go; realizing Jenny had turned back and was shouting something to her. It took her a minute to hear over the sounds of the New York morning rush, but Jenny was yelling at her to "Smile!"

Vanessa did.

"Smile already," Eric told a sluggish Chuck Bass, who was lying in his bed, a scowl seemingly permanently painted on his face.

"I don't smile," Chuck told him.

"Well, then smirk," Eric responded. "It's been twenty-four hours. You haven't left this room. That's not like the Chuck Bass I know."

Chuck groaned as he pulled himself up off the pillows and then out of bed.

"I'm so proud," Eric told him mockingly. "No come downstairs for dinner."

"What are you my m-…." Chuck stopped before he finished his sentence, looking at Eric, silent, still.

Eric only smiled in response and nodded his head, a bow to him almost, as if recognizing what Chuck would have said if things had been different.

"I'll see you downstairs."

Chuck sighed heavily once Eric had gone and then sluggishly dragged himself to the shower in order to wash away a day's worth of self-remorse. Dinner with Lily and Eric and Serena sounded nice, well, perhaps not nice, but certainly calm. It sounded like something he could handle. Yet, Chuck wasn't interested in coping or handling, he was interested in doing.

Scrubbing away all the filth, all the shame, Chuck made a pact with himself to fix what he had done, to start over. He made a pact to take back his old, foolish words. He made a commitment to make things better.

Chuck had ruined things with Blair, but she now had Nate. Perhaps they were the golden couple, perhaps they were meant to be. But only for a moment. In the end, Blair and he would be together. Chuck knew it as soundly and truthfully as he knew his own name.

Vanessa, however, was another story. She had been a side plot in his struggles with his father, a character on the fringes who somehow, despite all the odds had thrust herself into his life and into the main story. She had become someone he had not expected to encounter, or to care for.

He had given up his chance with both women, he had told them "no", but now he was having second, third, and fourth thoughts.

The only way to ensure that everyone got what they wanted was to go back to Vanessa. The only way to ensure he wouldn't be alone while Blair and Nate had all the fun, was to convince Vanessa she was the one for him.

But was it real? Was she really the one?

Even a month after, Chuck could still taste her on his lips. While Blair might be his future, Vanessa certainly felt like a satisfying present. And a satisfying present might speed up the process to getting his future started.

"She's not here," Dan Humphrey told a waiting Chuck Bass who was standing in the hallway outside of his loft. He was clad in a suit, a dark, wool coat left open to reveal his red silk tie. Dan rolled his eyes at the sight. He knew what Chuck was up to.

"Well, she not at her home or the gallery," Chuck responded.

"I'm not her keeper and neither are you," Dan said as he stepped out into the hall with Chuck, so as to not arouse the suspicions of his dad or Jenny.

"What? I'm not invited in?" Chuck teased.

"I think our little arrangement is over," Dan said flatly.

"Why? Because Serena never came crawling back to you?" Chuck scoffed loudly.

"Keep it down alright," Dan told him.

"Don't want Papa Humphrey to hear?"

"No. I don't want Jenny to hear and then come out here and kick your ass for what you did to Vanessa."

Chuck smugly smiled. He then had to chuckle to himself. Apparently he did smile, when something called for it. "Does Little J know your part in all this?"

"I don't have a part in all this," Dan returned seriously. "I'll admit I wanted Serena, I wanted to feel connected to her again and I made some bad choices, but I had no idea you were planning to crush both their hearts. I thought I could keep Vanessa away from you if I brought Blair to you. But it turns out you're only satisfied if your on top of everyone."

"I do like it on top," Chuck snarled, "and I never heard Vanessa complaining."

Dan turned back to the door to ensure no one would interrupt them. "You never heard her because you weren't listening."

"No Humphrey, I never heard her because as much as she may appear to hate it, to hate me, she always comes back for more. Face it, I have something you'll never have."

"Alcoholism? Herpes? A superior sense of self not proven by any actual evidence?" Dan said. "Tell me Chuck, what is it that you have?"

"Two women."

"Well, I guess you've forgotten my romp in the costume closet with …."

"The teacher? Yes, I heard. And if it were someone else I might acknowledge the accomplishment, maybe even buy them a beer."

"But not for me?"

"No, not for you," Chuck told him.

"So you have nothing I don't or can't have," Dan said, resolute in his determination that those from the Upper East Side were not better than him and his Brooklyn family.

"Two women…"

"You said that."

"If only you'd let me finish," Chuck interjected. "Two women, one of whom is Vanessa Abrams, your childhood sweetheart. The other is Blair Waldorf, the symbol of the kind of women you'll never be able to get."

Dan rolled his eyes again and shook his head. "The fact that you think I want those things, those types of women proves you know nothing about me."

"I'm not trying to get to know you," he told him. "I'm trying to enlighten you to the luxuries of being me."

"Alright, well then tell me Chuck, if your life is so luxurious, so great, why is Blair with Nate and Vanessa is no where to be found?"

Chuck had no response for Dan. He wondered to himself, if things were more amazing with Chuck Bass, why was everyone leaving him? More accurately, why was he leaving everyone when he knew he was not meant to be alone? At least not now. Chuck could not reveal his concern or his doubt to Humphrey so her merely flicked his long, cashmere scarf around his neck and over his shoulder before walking away.

"Chuck Bass speechless!" Dan called after him. "Now that's a new one!"

Dan chuckled to himself, victory was his, as he turned back to the loft. Vanessa stood in the doorway, staring him down.

"What did he mean?"

Dan knew he had been caught. Vanessa had been hiding inside the Humphrey loft, having that delicious pasta dinner.

"What did he mean Dan? What was your part in all this?"

"I only wanted what was best for you V. I wanted you to be happy," he told her.

"It sounds like you wanted to be happy. It sounds like it had nothing at all to do with me."

She crossed her arms and pursed her lips at him, Dan knew such body language was a bad sign.

"Does it really matter now? I mean, he said "no" to you. He told you things were over. And now with Nate. I mean, God, Vanessa don't you think your time on that side of the river is over?"

"Who are you to make that decision for me?" She asked. "Who are you to tell me what I can and can't do?"

"I'm your best friend."

"So act like it."

"What do you think I've been doing for the past few months? Stealing files from private investigators, picking up the pieces after your attack, after your fall out with Chuck and his dad. Yes, I plotted with Chuck and there were meant to be fringe benefits it in for me, but all I wanted was for you to stay clear of him. I wanted to spare you the grief you're feeling now"

Vanessa only stood still, it all felt like a repeat of Chuck's outburst in her apartment only three weeks before. Somehow Vanessa was messing everything up. Somehow she was bringing everyone down with her.

"You decided you wanted to see it through. You wanted to be with him and you took the risk. Hell, V. I admire that about you, but you can't fault me for trying to protect you. It didn't work, granted, but it wasn't some devious Gossip Girl like plan to screw you."

"I guess no one wants to screw me anymore," Vanessa said shyly motioning to the empty space in the hallway that Chuck had occupied only moments before.

"Him? Of course he does. He's here looking for you isn't he?" Dan said. "And who wouldn't want a piece of you? Any man who would chose Blair Waldorf over Vanessa Abrams is crazy. He's just flat out crazy V."

She hung her head low, but Dan could tell there was a smile hiding behind her flush cheeks and mess of curly dark hair.

"Would you hate me if I told you I wanted him?" Vanessa asked without looking up to meet Dan's eyes.

There was silence for a moment, a minute, and Vanessa felt herself grow anxious and nervous and hot.

"I could never hate you."

She looked up and their eyes met, hers full of sadness, his full of understanding.

"If you want him, go. I've told you before to go for it and I've told you before to put on the brakes. The truth is, you aren't gonna listen to me or anyone else, so make the mistakes. If it's what you want, what you have to do, then go."

"And if it's not a mistake?" she asked.

Dan only shook his head and then brushed past her to go back inside.

"What makes you think this time will be different?" Jenny asked her, as she still stood in the hallway deep in thought.

Jenny was holding out Vanessa's coat, obviously having heard the entire conversation between her friend and her brother.

Vanessa looked at the coat and said, "Are you on my side about this?"

"No. But I'm not on Dan's either. I don't have a side," she said. "I just want to know what makes you think it will be different?"

"Because Blair is with Nate now. She's out of the picture."

"Blair will never be out of the picture," Jenny reminded her and Vanessa had to silently agree.

What would make this time different? Was she different? Was he?

"Honesty," Vanessa suddenly said. "Maybe if we're honest, maybe if I tell him how I feel about him, tell him that I'm falling for…."

Vanessa stopped herself once she saw the inquisitive look in Jenny's eyes. Was Vanessa actually falling for Chuck? Not just falling, but feeling love? No. No. No. But damn it was getting close.

"I'm gonna be honest with him. No more secrets, no more schemes, no more lies, no more back-stabbing. I'm just going to tell him how I feel and then see where we stand."

"Good plan," Jenny said passing Vanessa her coat.

Vanessa found herself running down the street away from the Humphrey loft, to the corner by the park that had become a familiar spot for her and Chuck. If he were anywhere near it would be there. It all felt so done, so overplayed. She had run to him so many times before, yet it hadn't ended the way it does in the movies. They hadn't made it to happy yet. Was she making a mistake?

If so, like Dan had said, it was hers to make.

Chuck Bass was standing in their spot, sipping something from a thermos, his shoulders hunched as if trying to use them to block the cold from his face.

"I thought it was spring," Vanessa said when she appeared before him, the look on Chuck's face unchanged; as if he knew she would come.

"Scotch?" he said, holding out the thermos.

"How civilized of you," she teased.

"What took you so long?"

"Oh no. You don't get to be all cute and sly with me," she told him seriously. "I think I've earned a little honesty."

"I think I've given it to you in spades."

"Then what are you doing here, what were you doing the other night on the bench? I thought we were over," she asked.

Staring at Vanessa Chuck felt instantly guilty. He was going to lie to her. He was going to try and apologize, try to convince her that they were meant to be. He was going to sacrifice her, again, for his own gain. Chuck felt the shower had done no good. He was still as dirty as he had been the day, the week, the month before.

The pact would never be fulfilled if he lied. Chuck had to be honest with her. She had asked for it after all.

"We were, but then Blair and Nate happened."

Vanessa suddenly realized Chuck hadn't come looking for her because he'd had a change of heart. He had come to her looking for an ally.

"I think we both know what needs to be done."

Vanessa only looked at him, her eyes a wash with disbelief.

"You want to be with me to make them jealous?" she asked incredulously.

"You make it sound garish."

"Isn't it?"

"You want honesty, this is it. I like you Vanessa, I like you a lot," he said, unconsciously licking his lips and taking in the memories of her taste, her smell, her touch. "I even like being with you, but maybe we weren't working because of Blair."

"And now she's not an issue," Vanessa tried to remind him.

"No. It's the natural order of things Vanessa. People like me end up with people like Blair."

"And people like me end up alone?" she asked.

"You end up with Nate," Chuck told her.

"That's a little ridiculous isn't it? Revolving couple doors."

"That's how it is up there," he said motioning to the Manhattan skyline.

"I wanted to tell you Chuck…I want to be honest about how I feel," she began.

"I understand. You and Nate are a better fit. And if we can pull this off we all get what we came here for."

Vanessa sighed. He was completely missing the point. She had come there for him. It had almost always been about Chuck. What was she to do now? Lie to him? All the lies were supposed to be over.

"So it's you and me?"

"You and me against everyone else," he said deviously. "You and me."

Vanessa couldn't help but feel something when he said those words, even if he meant them as a ploy to win another. Damnit, it was happening again. Jenny was wrong about her. Vanessa may never be able to leave Chuck in the past.

Chuck took another swig of his scotch, wondering if he was making the right decision. Could he pretend to be in love with Vanessa and not actually fall in love? Was Blair Waldorf worth all the trouble? Damnit, it was happening again. He was getting feelings and he knew this time they may last forever.

Spotted: Chuck Bass and Brooklyn V. sharing an intimate chat on the wrong side of the river. There are only two reasons a man like Chuck Bass travels to the outer burrows and one of them is surely for a roll in the preverbal hay. So what was Chuck doing late at night, talking to the girl he swore he'd left behind? My guess is the past is no longer the past. Sometimes rekindling old flames give you the best kind of fire. XOXO, Gossip Girl.