Disclaimer: I own Elizabeth, all the rest of the characters unless otherwise noted do not belong to me
~Drop your worries
You are gonna turn out fine.
Oh, you turn out fine.
Fine, oh, you turn out fine.
But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.
You gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.
I know it's hard, know it's hard
To remember sometimes,
But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.~
(Andy Grammer)
Chapter 109: Keep Your Head Up
They say in life there are two sides to every story but on the Upper East we always have three. There's his, hers but the most important is always mine.
Elizabeth walked into the Empire with coffee and saw Chuck at his bar in his robe. She handed him a coffee.
"What is this for?" he asked.
"Fuel" she said "You need some for cracking Diana's book and it's free since your girl owns a coffee shop. And did I mention that I love you."
"You didn't need to" he replied kissing her.
"How's cracking the book?" Nate asked and Elizabeth handed him a coffee.
"What is this for?"
"Free Coffee Nate" she said "Do I have to have a reason to give you guys coffee? I own a coffee shop therefore I have coffee to give"
"It's all a jumble of numbers and letters" Chuck said shaking his head at Elizabeth.
"Do you even know what you're looking for?" Elizabeth asked.
"A link to Jack"
"His secretary still hasn't heard from him?" Nate asked.
"Not in over a month. She thinks he found love in Phuket. I'm sure he's here. And if he's my father like I think he is the only way to get to the truth is to find him."
"So let's find him" Elizabeth said "Dad has Ella because he's sad and miserable and she brings him happiness. So I am all yours"
"You know how to break code?" Chuck asked showing her the book.
"Whoa that takes a whole different level of crazy to crack" she said then smiled.
"What?" they said.
"I think you might want to go see your ex-girlfriend" she replied to Chuck "I think she's the right amount of crazy for that"
"You okay with that?"
"This is about finding Jack" she said "And we need her"
Chuck looked down at it again and then got up and went to his room.
"You seriously okay with that?"
"Yeah" she replied. "I think that this time, nothing is getting in the way of us"
"Good" Nate replied "Because you both deserve happiness"
She smiled as Lola walked in.
"Hey, was I interrupting?" Lola asked.
"I was actually gonna head out" Elizabeth said and walked into Chuck's room to see him putting on a tie. "Need some help?"
"Always" he said and she started tying it for him. He was very good at tying a tie he just loved when she did it. She finished then kissed him. I'm gonna swing by the loft to just check on my dad and Ella."
"He's a big boy Elizabeth"
"I know I'm just worried about my dad. He doesn't do heartbreak well. My mom crushed his heart and then now this with Lily"
"Go check on him and then meet back here"
"Okay" she said "Good luck with Blair"
"Good luck with your dad" he said.
She headed to the loft and spotted Dan as Alessandra was leaving.
"Hey" she said.
"Don't you live somewhere else?" he asked.
"Don't you?" she replied.
"Fine" he said
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Alessandra wanted to meet about my book."
"And?"
"Blocked. I have to meet some lady for lunch which means I had to cancel on Blair."
Elizabeth went to say something but stopped herself.
"I'm sure she understood"
"She did" he replied "What are you doing here."
"Checking on Dad, he has my daughter"
"He already left."
"Damn him" she said "Well then I'm gonna go check on Serena. She's been acting weird lately and I just wanna make sure that even though our parents are on the verge of a huge spilt doesn't mean she and I still can't be sisters."
"Good luck" he said and she pulled her phone out and went to Gossip Girl noticing she was at the Spectator. She decided against that and figured she go back to the Empire and see if the boys had gotten anywhere on Diana.
She hailed a cab and went back to the Empire and spotted Nate and Lola going through papers.
"Any luck?" she asked sitting down.
"No" Lola said.
"This is the first record Andrew Tyler found any record of a Diana Payne in L.A." Nate said.
"Oh, the deed to her house." Lola said "Which she bought from Simon Callow"
The elevator dinged and Serena walked in.
"Hey, sorry to barge in. I just felt so bad that I struck out." Serena said.
"Don't worry about it. It's not your fault." Nate replied.
"Yeah. We're not really having any luck here, either."
"Well, I was thinking maybe since I'm the one that saw Diana transcribing, if I see the day planner again, that may jog my memory"
"Too bad Chuck has it" Nate said.
"Did he get any luck with figuring it out?" Elizabeth asked.
"Don't know" he replied as Chuck and Blair came in.
"Looks like we might have a lead thanks to Blair's powers of observation." Chuck said.
"But, unfortunately the entire clue trail hangs by the flimsiest of threads, Nate's long term memory" Blair replied.
"Uh oh" Elizabeth said and Nate glanced at her. Blair's phone rang and she looked at it.
"If you'll excuse me" Blair said "Hello?"
She walked away and they turned to Nate.
"So?" Elizabeth said as Chuck sat down next to her. Nate got out his phone and started browsing his candle.
"What?" Nate asked "I don't really remember a lot of what we did."
"Nathaniel, you must remember something Diana was doing that was unusual on those Saturdays" Chuck replied.
"Besides you of course" Blair said coming back in.
"Guys I'm looking" Nate said looking back at his phone.
"Gym, Gym, bangs, trimmed. Gym" Lola said reading his phone.
"Sounds about right" Elizabeth replied.
"Very funny" Nate said. "Diana and I barely spent any time outside of the office. We just never went on any real dates and we just were working and…you know…"
"Okay I think that's my excuse to leave" Serena said. "I promise I'll keep searching"
"Need any help?" Elizabeth asked standing up.
"No it's okay I've got it" Serena said and walked away.
Elizabeth and Blair exchanged confused looks then both looked at Nate.
"Nate, we have tried this the easy way." Blair said then looked in her bag. "Oh my god the book is gone"
"Wasn't it just in your bag?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yeah" Blair replied as the elevator dinged.
"Serena!" Elizabeth, Blair and Lola all said and ran toward hers.
They got to her just in time. They all went into the living room.
"S. I can't believe you'd go behind our backs like this" Blair said.
"Why are you protecting Diana?" Nate said.
"Diana told me if I got her book back, then she would give me Gossip Girl's real phone number. I finally have a chance to see who she really is. And that's more important to me then helping Nate kick Diana out of 'The Spectator'"
"More important than me finding my father?" Chuck asked.
"What?"
"Diana lied to me. She's not my mother and I think she's covering for my father. Well my real father Jack"
"Oh, Chuck, I'm so sorry. I didn't know"
"The book is the only chance I have of tracking Jack down"
"Well what can I do?"
"Be with us, not against us" Blair said.
"You have me 100%" Serena said and handed the book over.
"Great" Elizabeth said as her phone rang. She spotted Drew's name. "I should get this. Band stuff"
She walked into her room and shut the door.
"Hey"
"Hey, so I think tonight we should meet. We leave in a week and we need to make sure that everything is prepared and ready to go. Is Ella coming with us or?"
"My dad said he was gonna take her for the summer. My mom is gonna have her for a month too."
"Okay" he said.
"But tonight I can't meet. I have plans. I think"
"You think?"
"I'm helping Chuck with something" she said.
"Oh?"
"It's a group thing" she replied "I'll call you in the morning"
"Okay" he replied and they hung up.
"Some childhood memories never fade" Chuck said and she sat down.
"What did I miss?" she asked and he grabbed her hand.
"Got it." Blair said "Thanks Dorota."
Blair wrote some stuff down and looked at everyone.
"Okay, now if I'm right, and we all know I am then this is tonight's number" Blair said showing them a paper.
"And exactly who does it call?" Elizabeth asked.
"Only one way to find out?" Chuck replied and Blair put it into a phone and handed it to Chuck. He put it on speaker phone.
"How can I help you" a women said.
"Yes, I'm interested in the event tonight"
"Yes, how many?"
Chuck looked around the room, Nate, Blair and Elizabeth all put a finger up.
"Four"
"Four it is. Will I need to send a car?"
"No the address will be fine" Chuck said.
"The Vardin House in Briarcliff Manor. See you at 9 o'clock." The lady on the other line said and hung up.
"Does anyone have any idea what we're about to get ourselves into."
"I'm excited to find out" Elizabeth replied.
"Hopefully Jack will be there." Chuck replied
"And maybe someone who can tell us who Diana Payne really is" Nate said. "I'm gonna get Arthur to pull the car around"
Elizabeth stood up and walked over to the bar and poured 2 scotches and handed one to Chuck.
"What is this for?" he asked taking it.
"You're about to find out if Jack Bass is your father along with Ella's grandfather" she replied. "Thought you might need it"
"And why are you drinking?" he asked.
"Because you are" she replied "It's our thing right? We all started over a glass of scotch"
He leaned over the bar and kissed her and she smiled.
"Let's go" he replied.
They later got in the limo and headed up.
"If you're wondering Liz, I did text Dan and told him not to wait up" Blair replied.
"I didn't say anything" she replied and glanced at Chuck "What you tell or don't tell Dan is none of my business"
"So Europe tour?"
"Yeah, it's a big one and our band is more popular in Europe then here"
"Nervous?"
"No, the stage is my safe haven" she replied "I'm just gonna miss Ella all summer. Hopefully my dad will make a surprise visit and bring her"
They arrived at the house and there were half naked women everywhere with business men.
"Wow" Elizabeth said looking around.
"This is not what I was expecting at all" Nate said.
"Same" Elizabeth replied grabbing Chuck's arm as they walked through.
"This is a sex club" Blair replied.
"It's more of a roving brothel" Chuck said. "My father, well Bart…belonged"
"That's how you knew the lockbox code" Nate said
"Wait like with the girl in the picture? With the house our senior year?" Elizabeth asked letting go of Chuck's arm catching on to what Nate was talking about.
"I think so" Nate replied then looked at Chuck who was looking around.
"Jack's here. We just have to find him."
"How can you be sure?" Blair said.
"It's the perfect place for a degenerate like him to hide in. It's also the kind of event he wouldn't miss for the world"
"Wouldn't blame him" Nate said and Elizabeth looked at him "But what on earth does this have to do with Diana?"
"Maybe she's the madam" Elizabeth said and they looked at her. "Joking"
"Find out and you'll have her out of 'The Spectator' by sunrise" Chuck replied as a women approached them.
"Hi, I'm Josephine. You look like you need a friend" she said grabbing Chuck's arm.
"He has a friend" Blair said. Nate and Elizabeth looked at each other and laughed.
"Then why don't I show you the bedrooms?" the lady said. "Both of you?"
"Yeah, lets…let's look around" Chuck said then they followed them. Nate and Elizabeth both laughed.
"You just gonna let him go off with them"
"I trust him" she said.
"Shall we go find Diana?"
"Yeah" she said
"Serena and Lola up ahead" he said and they walked toward them.
"What are you two doing here?" she asked.
"And why are you dressed as waitresses?"
"The bouncer at the door asked if we were 'India's girls'"
"So we just went with it, and then he pointed us to the dressing room and told us to change. But full disclosure…we actually GPS'ed Gossip Girl's phone, and it lead us here"
"Wait India's girls? Who's India?" Nate asked.
"Maybe she's the madam" Elizabeth said and the girls looked at her. "What? There has to be a madam to all this. There is always a Madam"
They still gave her a weird look.
"I read" she replied.
"I bet if we find India we find out how Diana fits into all of this" Lola said.
"Or we just find Gossip Girl and make her tell us Diana's secret" Serena said as Elizabeth's phone rang.
"Who's calling you?" Nate asked.
"Brother" she said hitting ignore "I'll call him back later."
"There she is" Nate said.
"India?" Elizabeth asked.
"No Diana" he said "Okay let's split up. We'll look for India, Serena you go find Gossip Girl and Liz you go find Chuck and Blair. See if they've found Jack"
"Okay" Elizabeth said.
"Stay away from Diana if you can if she even knows that we're here"
"This isn't my first rodeo." Serena said taking a cocktail tray "Thank you"
"It's mine" Lola said "And it's awesome"
"Like acting. You'll be good at it" she replied then looked at Nate. "Good luck. Keep me updated."
"Back at cha" he replied kissing her cheek and they separated.
After a while she wasn't having any luck and her brother kept calling her. She stepped outside and answered.
"Hey sis" he said.
"Hey" she replied "What's up?"
"Where are you?"
"Why?" she asked.
"Dad's curious?"
"Liar. Dad would've called me if he was worried cause he has Ella. So what are you calling about?"
"I saw Blair leave the Empire with Chuck."
"Yeah, and?"
"What if somethings going on?"
"I know for a fact that nothing is because I'm dating him" she said "I am with them both along with Nate, Serena and Lola"
"Why?"
"Because I'm helping him out with something. As is Blair. Its okay Dan, stop worrying. You are gonna push her away by doing this"
"Promise" he said.
"Dan I pinky promise."
"Okay" he replied and hung up.
"Liz" Blair said walking over.
"Hey"
"Have you seen Chuck? We got separated"
"No. I was looking for you guys but couldn't find you and then my brother called checking on you"
"I told him not to wait up that I'm okay."
"He saw us. Well he saw you and Chuck get in the limo not long after I did"
"Oh no"
"We will get you back. We just need to find the others."
"Nate was with Lola when I last saw him" Blair said and they spotted Chuck on the phone and walked toward him.
"Nate's not answering. Probably already left with Lola. Have you seen Serena?" he asked them.
"No I haven't" Blair said.
"Elizabeth?"
"No" she replied.
"Chuck" Blair said.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing. I'm sorry" she replied.
"You look like you just found out Jack Bass is your father"
"Can we just go please" Blair said.
"I agree" Liz said opening the limo door.
"After everything we've been through, there's no room for secrets, nor should there be" Chuck said "Whatever it is, you can tell me Blair."
"I'll leave you two to talk" Elizabeth said kissing him and climbing into the limo and shutting the door. Moments later the limo door opened and Blair climbed in.
"Where's Chuck?"
"He's gonna stay. There is something he has to do" she said. "He told me to tell you he'd be home soon and he will explain. He promises"
"Thank you" Elizabeth replied.
"You and Chuck are happy right? You're in love? I'm not just imagining that, you're not pretending to make Nate and me jealous again?"
"Chuck and I being together has nothing to do with you and Nate. I promise you that. We are happy and in love. I think we have been for a while now. It just took a while to get here but I'm glad we are."
"Good" Blair said and it got silent.
"Arthur will you take us to Brooklyn?" Elizabeth asked.
"Are we waiting for Mr. Bass?"
"He said for us to go ahead. He'll find another ride home"
"Okay Miss. Humphrey" Arthur said and they took off.
They arrived in Brooklyn and they climbed out.
"You coming up?" Blair asked.
"No. I think you need time with Dan" Elizabeth said then got back in the limo. She arrived at the Empire and went into Chuck's room and changed for bed and laid there waiting for him to come home. Her phone buzzed and she looked at it.
: Bart's alive.
Gossip Girl here
Your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite.
Spotted-Blair Waldorf headed back to Brooklyn. Haven't we paid the toll enough for that relationship?
Of course, everybody knows that on the Upper East Side, nothing lasts forever. And when one door closes The only question is, who's waiting behind it?
X.O.X.O Gossip Girl