Almost a Family Again

A/N: Here's you another chapter full of some good moments.

Disclaimer: I own Darcy, that is all. Nothing else.

Darcy arrived at the Empire. She had told Serena that they would meet up before they headed to family brunch. Darcy was excited to be invited to it. All she ever wanted since her mother died was family time. Like she use to do all the time when she was younger. Not to mention she always wanted siblings.

"Maybe you'd feel better if you moved back in with your mom while she's getting her treatment?" she heard Nate say as she walked in.

"And see Jenny's lying face first thing in the morning"

"Or better offer, since I live kind of down the streetish" Darcy said "I have a spare room"

"That is true. I crashed there myself once or twice"

"In high-school" she corrected.

"You should take her up on it Serena" Nate said.

"It's all yours if you want it" Darcy said "so ready for Brunch?"

They heard heels clicking.

"That is not the same girl Chuck came home with last night" Serena said.

"Has he talked to Lily yet? Darcy asked.

Serena shook her head.

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Nate asked.

"I already tried" Serena said.

"Have you?" Nate asked Darcy as both Nate and Serena looked at her.

"Um I don't think I'm the most appropriate person" she said.

"Or the best" Serena said.

"Judge away. Shame turns me on" Chuck said and Darcy grabbed his arm and pulled him into the bedroom. "Ellis I'm okay"

"You should come" she said sitting on the edge of his bed.

"I don't want to" he replied,

"Then I'll tell her you're thinking of her" Darcy replied getting up to leave

"It's not her I'm worried about Ellis." Chuck said and she turned to him. "It's you. You barely just went through this."

"I'm a big girl Bass. I can handle myself" she lied.

"And when you can't"

"Chuck Bass will be waiting at a bar for me so he can drown my sorrows" she said then kissed his cheek. "Now I should go. My first family brunch"

She gave him a weak smile and then left with Serena. On the way up in the Elevator to Lily's Serena turned to her.

"What did you and Bass talk about?"

"He's worried about me. You know my mom and all"

"He cares about you."

"We've gotten close since Bart died."

"Right Gossip Girl mentioned that"

"Eww. That was a onetime thing Sis" she laughed as the door opened and they walked out. Rufus was talking.

"Still using cooking as therapy?" Serena asked Rufus.

"Yeah" he said and turned to Darcy "Hi Darcy"

"Um Serena invited me"

"The more the merrier" he replied but she could tell he didn't mean it.

"Darcy!" Eric said.

"Hey" she replied.

"Morning everyone" Lily said joining them. "Look at all this food. It's obscene"

Serena and Eric fussed over her. Darcy remembered that her mother hated when her and her dad would fuss over her.

"Please, everyone relax." Lily said. "I just need the people who love to treat me like they always have"

"That's the number one thing you'll learn" Darcy said and everyone turned to her. "My mom was the same way"

"Has anyone heard from Chuck?" Rufus asked.

"He sends his best"

"He has the right idea. If he were here then I'd really worry" Lily said and Darcy smiled. The elevator dinged and her father walked in.

"Dad" Serena said

"What's he doing here?"

"I invited him and Darcy. Their family" Serena said and hugged him. William then walked over to Darcy and gave her a side hug.

"How are you sweetheart?" he said.

"The best way I know how. With an Ellis smile and attitude"

"That's my girl" he said and kissed the top of her head and then walked over to Lily and began to check on her while everyone prepared to eat. After he was done he turned to the group. "I hope you guys will join me at Doctors without Borders Gala tomorrow at Columbia. I must admit I feel a bit silly about the whole thing. Clearly Columbia has run out of Alumni to honor"

"Dad stop, you're amazing" Darcy commented.

"I'll be there. I hope you don't mind I invited Nate and Blair. I want you to get to know them.

Darcy glanced at her father and then away.

"Uh Nate Archibald?" he asked.

"Yeah he's my boyfriend" Serena said then looked at Darcy "Right you've already met."

"Hey it's okay. I'll meet him again." He said. "He's a good guy"

"I'll be there" Darcy said sitting down next to Eric.

"Maybe you can invite Charles. You two are close." Lily said.

"I'll try my best" she said and Serena glanced at her.

"I can't believe Darcy Ellis is my Sister?" Eric whispered to her.

"And Eric Van der Woodsen my brother." she whispered back.

After breakfast they sat in the living room talking. Their father said something about some stuff in Africa and Serena went on about Boarding school.

"I wasn't really into the party scene" Serena lied. Darcy wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"Unlike your sister then. I don't think there was a time she wasn't in trouble."

"She told me some wild stories. Like the car"

"Well I cared more about her then the car." William said and turned back to Serena "It looks like you've made some good choice Serena. Both of you"

"Being sober helps a lot" Darcy replied.

"Yeah how long now?" Serena asked.

"Almost a year."

"And I'm very proud. Your mother would be too" he said to her.

"As am I" Serena said.

Jenny was about to say something when Serena stood up.

"I have an announcement everyone" Serena said. "I've decided I'm moving back in that way I can be here with you mom and it would be really great to back in my old room"

"Well that's great" William said "because I talked to some of my partners and they've agreed to treat my other patients while I focus on you"

"That's great" Serena said.

"The whole family in the same city" Darcy smiled.

Later on that day Darcy sat in her room trying to find a dress for the gala. She picked one out and laid it on the bed when her father walked in.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked.

"Yeah always." She said turning to him.

"Eric's boyfriend Elliot? What do you know about him?"

"Eric really likes him. He lives in Blair's building and he seems really into Eric. They met at Nate's birthday party."

"Thanks sweetheart"

"Speaking of Nate. Go easy on him. I broke up with him and he didn't know about me and Serena. None of us did to be fair."

"I will for you. Plus I like Nate. He's a good kid."

"That he is and still my best friend."

"Are you going to invite Chuck? You two have gotten closer lately. Especially since the Nate break up."

"Dad, were just friends."

"Serena said he's worried about you."

"Wow my family sucks." She laughed. "I'm gonna ask him. As friends. Plus I know it would mean the world to Lily if he came."

"You're a good person" her dad said "By the way. That dress looks amazing."

She looked at the dress and smiled as her phone rang.

"I'll leave you to that" he said and left.

"Hello" she said.

"I hate her!" Serena yelled.

"I'm assuming were referring to the little blonde that was staying in your room?"

"How'd you know?"

"What's going on?"

"Rufus insists I stay in Chuck's old room"

"His high school bedroom? I'm sure it could tell some wild stories"

"That's gross"

"If it makes you feel any better. He crashed here a lot senior year."

"Not really"

"Not sexual trust me" Darcy said "hey the offer to live with Dad and I is still on the table. No Jenny here"

"Sounds tempting but I want to be close to my mom"

"Alright but it's always open" Darcy said. "I'll see you tomorrow at the gala"

The next day Darcy arrived at the Empire. Bra's everywhere.

"Blair's talk didn't work so they sent in the big guns"

"I don't know what you're talking about" she said "But I do need a favor. One you can cash in whenever you want."

"Ellis and a favor. I usually benefit from those"

"That's what I thought" she laughed.

"What do you want Ellis?"
"A date. To the gala honoring my father"

"The same one Lily will be at?" he said eyeing her.

"Coincidentally yes. But Bass please. You're my only hope" she said with a puppy dog face.

"Fine, but when I cash it in it will be for something good"

"I don't expect anything less" she smiled then kissed his cheek.

"I'll see you there"

"Bass"

"I'll be there"

"Promise?"

"Promise"

She arrived at the gala and ran into some girls who were being rude to Blair.

"Hey Blair" Darcy said.

"I didn't know you were friends with Darcy Ellis" a girl said.

"Blair and I" Darcy said and looked at Blair "Were practically sisters"

Blair gave her a faint thank you smile.

"Now me and my best friend are gonna go to the bar. You have a problem with that" Darcy said and they all shook their head and she guided Blair away.

"You didn't have to" Blair said.

"I wanted too. You see for some reason I have this thing where I feel like only I can be a raging bitch to you. Plus you're my sister's best friend and two of my friends' ex-girlfriend. Were bounded for life."

"Good to know."

"Now do me a favor and drink this for me" Darcy said handing her a champagne flute. She then picked up a water and turned to see Chuck talking to Lily. "See you around Blair."

She walked away and over to him slipping her arm through his.

"You always did know how to clean up nice" she commented.

"As do you" he said checking her out.

"Thank you" she smiled.

"You and Blair playing nice at the bar?"

"I saved her form Columbia mean girls so she had a drink for me" she said and turned to him "Thank you for coming"

"Of course" he said "Anything for you"

She smiled at him and they walked around.

*William and Serena*

Serena walked over to her father.

"I want to talk to you about something."

"Sure" he replied. "Please sit."

"You and Darcy have this honest relationship and it got me thinking about my past. That contest I won at boarding school. It was for drinking absinthe and that was probably one of my tamer nights. The truth is Darc and I aren't that different after all. Both wild past and I myself have been part of more than one scandal."

"Serena, you know I don't care about any of that. To be honest I knew all that. Well not all but I knew you and Darcy were similar. I may not have been around but I did check up on you time to time. Why do you think I moved Darcy here?"

"So you keep a close eye on her without being here?"

"Yeah. With all three of my kids in the same city it was easy on me."

"You were at cotillion? Darcy mentioned that her dad was there in disguise but left quickly"

"Yeah" he said.

"Once moms better you'll still be around more right?"

"Of course. I mean I do have my patients around the world but I always find time to come to the city."

"Good" she said as they heard the announcer announce him.

"That's my cue"

William went up on the stage

"Thank you, thank you Dean. So I had this whole speech prepared for you but then my daughter Serena came to me. She was so honest and brave that it made me realize that I need to be honest too. I made a lot of personal sacrifices to become a doctor. One of them being my family and when my oldest daughter Darcy turned 12. I stopped that for a while. When my late wife died of cancer 3 years ago I went back to my old habits. I hadn't realized I was doing it until lately. So now I'm promising my family that I'm gonna be there from now on. No more big events missed. Always here because I love them."

After the speech Darcy approached her father and hugged him.

"That was a great speech Mr. Van der Woodsen." Chuck said shaking his hand.

"Well I was inspired by my children" he said "You personally know how amazing this one is."

"Definitely an inspiration" Chuck said and Darcy blushed.

"So will I see you at home or at Lily's?"

"Lily's" he said.

"I'm actually gonna head out" Chuck said then kissed her cheek "I'll see you tomorrow at work."

"Of course" she said and he walked away.

"Shall we then?" her dad said holding out his arm. She smiled and took it. "So how was your date?"

"Dad!"

"Joking Darc" he said.

They met up with Serena and headed to Lily's. Eric and Lily sat on the couch.

"I was just telling mom about my date with Elliot" Eric said "Thank you"

"Well I did have help from Darcy"

"Don't listen to him. He did it all by himself" Darcy said sitting down next to Eric. She looked around at them It was nice to have family again. She knew her mother was watching down on them happy that they were happy but Darcy knew then cancer was getting to her. As much as she enjoyed this new family she needed to get away as well.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this lovely chapter.