A/N: Chapter back to back. I really love this chapter and the next two that follow it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed putting it together. Darcy has really been a fun character to write.

Disclaimer: I own Darcy that is all.

Masquerade Masquerade

Darcy sat on Blair's bed with Serena. Serena had convinced her to spend the night at Blair's with her. She was more surprised that Blair even wanted her there. Now they were sitting on the bed chatting. After her night with Austin a week prior she needed girl time and if that meant Blair Waldorf then she would live with it.

"Kati told me about custom corsets, crowns and wigs were involved" Serna said to Blair.

"Wigs?" Darcy asked. She was use to parties with wigs in Hollywood but she never expected the Upper East Side to have parties with wigs.

"It's a masquerade. The idea is to conceal your identity" Blair said.

"That's every day for me" Darcy commented.

"But I do have something special planned for Nate tonight" Blair said ignoring Darcy "It's a scavenger hunt. Nate starts the night with a clue which leads him to a lady in waiting, who gives him a clue to the…"

"Wait you have lady's now?" Serena asked.

"If he finds me before midnight when the mask comes off he can claim his prize."

"Which is?"

Blair raises her eyebrows at Serena.

"Oh right" Serena commented with a smile.

"Wait what?" Darcy asked.

"Me" Blair said a little snotty.

"Oh" Darcy replied.

"I just figured that after everything that's happened or not happened I should find some way to make it special"

"That's romantic" Darcy said.

"Darc is right Blair." Serena said then got silent. "Look if you don't want me to come tonight. I totally understand."

"What no I want you to come. Both of you. In fact I was hoping that you could both be one of my ladies. S would you give Nate the last clue?"

"Are you sure you want me to?"

"Tonight is all about starting over. I trust you and him"

"Then I'll be honored to serve you my queen."

"I'm in" Darcy said not about to say the same thing Serena did. That was her role back home so calling someone else queen or your highness was definitely not something she was gonna do.

"You're bring Dan right?" Blair asked Serena.

"Dan would never go somewhere he had to wear a mask and a tux."

"He likes you. He would wear a mask, a tux and one of my mother's dresses if it meant that he could go out with you."

"Are you worried he has a date?" Darcy asked.

"He's Dan Humphrey. Unlikely"

"Blair."

"What? Just call him" Blair said handing her the phone. Serena sighed and grabbed the phone dialing the number.

"So I am gonna head out, buy a dress for this thing."

"And a mask" Blair said.

"Actually I have a mask" Darcy said thinking about a mask her mother had given her.

Darcy got back to her room and went straight to her closet. At the top was a box that had a lot of her memorabilia from her and her mother's movies. She grabbed the red mask off the top and stared at it. She worshiped this mask. She remembered when her mother wore it on a movie. She had always wished to wear it one day and now tonight was the time. She went through all her dresses hoping to find the dress she knew would match it. She found it and laid it across her bed. She was getting ready to decide how she should put her hair when she heard a knock on the door.

"One minute" she said and ran toward the door and opened spotting Nate. "Hey"

"Hey, uh can I come in?"

"Yeah of course. I was just planning my outfit for tonight"

"You're coming tonight?"

"Yeah you're girlfriend invited me"

"One of her ladies?"

"Actually yeah. So you'll see me"

"Any hints"

"I actually don't know yet" she smiled. "Shouldn't you be getting ready?"

"Yeah I just I wanted to talk to someone"

"About what?" she asked sitting down and he sat down next to her.

"Chuck and I found drugs in my dad's study"

"As in?"

"Cocaine"

"Oh" Darcy said knowing that one well. Not anything she had tried but she had friends who did. Hell her uncle said he had tried it once too, or twice. "Maybe it's old. My uncle told me about things that him and my mom did as kids. Maybe The Captain is the same."

"It's not old. And it's actually makes sense. I think he's having some money problems."

"Have you asked him?"

"Yeah"

"I assume he lied and said he didn't"

"I just wish he would be honest"

"We all wish that from our parents."

"I know"

Darcy put her hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, just talk to him again"
"I've tried"

"My father and I had a rough start and I was a bit out of control to get his attention, but once we sat down and discussed everything we got better. Now I can't imagine my life without him"

"But…"

"I know it's not the same situation. The point of that story was that talking helps" she smiled.

"Thanks"

"Now I really want to look good tonight so I need to get ready and so do you"

"Yeah thanks again for just listening. Chuck wanted to bump and Blair wasn't answering."

"Serena?"

"Uh…I..."

"It's complicated? Trust me I get it"

"Thanks Darc. God send as always."

"Go get dressed.

Later that night Darcy walked into the ball. She spotted Nate and headed his way.

"Wow" he complemented.

"Wow indeed" she heard behind her and turned to see the devil. She had one guess on who that was.

"Do I even ask if I'm correct?"

"Well we match. Does that make us soulmates?"

"In your dreams Bass, and even then I feel like I would have more sense not to go there"

"Come find me later for a dance" he said nodding at her and then walking away.

Darcy looked back at Nate and spotted him starring at Blair.

"You obviously know where she is. Are you even trying?"

"I ran into Serena after our talk"

"Oh. So what are you to do Archibald?"

"What do you suggest?"

"Well if you want Blair then be with her, and find Kati. If you don't then Serena's wearing yellow." Darcy said and Nate gave her a shocked look.

"Aren't you one of Blair's ladies?"

"Maybe for tonight but Nate I'm your friend not Blair's"

"I'm sure she enjoys that"

"It doesn't matter. You're my friend because I'm Darcy. The girl that drank with you in an ally. She wants to be my friend because I'm Darcy Ellis"

"What's the difference?"

"I wouldn't drink with Blair in an ally"

"Haha Ellis"
"I'm just a 17 year old girl whose dad moved her to a new city after losing her mother. Darcy Ellis is an A list actress who is the daughter of the late Olivia Ellis."

"Makes sense"

"Go find the girl you want."

"Thanks. Advice for you."

"Yeah"
"Avoid the Devil"

"Good advice" she laughed and Nate hugged her then walked away. She grabbed a drink off of a tray walking by her. Giving the guy she liked advice on girls isn't usually something one does. That deserves a drink. After a few drinks she decided she needed air and headed up to the roof. She liked roofs which always scared her parents. She found the door and opened it only to find Chuck Bass in only boxers.

"Who did you piss off?" she asked.

"Some girl left me up here." He replied which made Darcy laugh.

"Really?" she asked.

"Will you help me?"

"You so owe me." She said and they headed down the steps. Half way down a couple were pretty much about to do it and they stopped. Darcy eyed the tux on the floor next to them and turned to Chuck.

"No Ellis"
"It's that or you go like this."

"Fine" he said and she turned back toward the couple.

"Um since you two are not using this can my friend use it?"

"Sure" the guy grumbled. Darcy picked up the tux and handed it to Chuck.

"There I helped" she smiled and walked back into the ball and grabbed another drink and finished it off right before the mask came off.

She walked outside with Nate, Blair and Chuck. Blair handed Chuck a bracelet.

"What's this?" Chuck asked playing with it.

"A bracelet" Darcy joked.

"Funny"
"Your angel was Jenny" Blair said.

"Little Jenny Humphrey got me out of my clothes and I didn't even enjoy it. Quite the accomplishment."

"Good thing Darcy found you" Nate said.

"Or was it?" Darcy joked.

"I don't want to know what you had to do to get that tux" Blair said as a car pulled up. "This is me"

Blair walked up to the car and Nate followed her.

"No, you didn't find me by midnight. No happily ever after for you." Blair said and climbed in the car. Up head Kati and Is are helping a guy into a limo and laughing.

"At least someone's having a good night" Chuck commented on them.

"Well boys this is me" she said walking over to a car that she had called for.

"Sweet dreams Ellis"

"Don't think for a second that because I saw you in your boxers that I will be dreaming of you."

"I should get going too" Nate said. Darcy reached over and gave him a hug.

"If you want to talk you know where to find me. But call first incase it's the Devil knocking" she said then got in the car. She looked out the window at Nate and Chuck and waved good night. She felt horrible the advice she gave Nate about Blair but at the same time she really didn't.