A/N: Thank you so much for everybody that reviewed last chapter! I really appreciate your kind words, love for the characters and crazy adventure they're about to go through! Hopefully this will continue as I'd love to hear everybody's thoughts!

Chapter 3: The Bass Connection

For the rest of the country, Thanksgiving is when families come together to give thanks. But on the Upper East Side the holiday thankfully returns to its roots; Lying, manipulation and betrayal. Have fun kiddies, remember that I'm always watching.

Chuck sauntered down the halls that morning. He felt relaxed from his morning pick me up and immediately spotted Nate. Without hesitation he approached him, jumping at the opportunity to talk to his ex-best friend.

After visiting Yale and mentioning that he was friends with Nate to his secret society, one of their father's was invested in the Captains scheme. For revenge, the secret society went out looking for him. But in order to save his best friend from possibly getting beat up and humiliated, Chuck "mistaken" Dan as Nate. Unfortunately, Nate found out and dumped Chuck on the spot, deciding it would be better to slum it with… Brooklyn. It was insulting actually.

"Archibald," Chuck called out smirking, "Haven't seen you around here lately."

"Why do you care?" Nate scoffed. His glittering green eyes hardened towards Chuck.

"Oh I don't. But you're not with the Humphreys anymore so obviously things are looking up. Which is too bad. I kind of liked watching you slum it." Chuck's eyes flashed with hurt. "I thought it would teach you who your friends really were."

"Well," Nate looks to the tile floors, pausing before looking back up, "I guess it has."

He gave a final parting glare before walking away wanting nothing to do with Chuck. Chuck staggered away, onlookers' snickering from the sidelines. He walked away at his usual pace like nothing happened.

After school that evening, Eric came home, schoolbags in hand. Eric gasped as he turned the corner into the Bass Penthouse, to see Bart sorting through a stack of mail.

"Bart! Your home early!"

"So are you. Chuck said he thought you were going out with Jonathan tonight." He looked up from the mail he was sorting through.

Eric shakes his head, "Yeah, so did I."

"So how were things when we were away?" Bart strode past him putting the newspaper and envelopes on the glass desk.

"Not too good. I don't think it's working out with Jonathan," Eric blurted.

Bart scrunches his eyebrows together. It seemed sudden that Eric brought this up and Bart continued to analyze him.

"Huh," was all he could say. Bart contemplated telling Eric the truth with hesitation.

Eric stood shifting from foot to foot.

"What do you know about someone at your school named Ben Suren?" He asked mysteriously.

"Uhm… He's the captain of Jonathan's swim team. Why?" Eric scrunched his brows together, and crossed his arms.

"Just," Bart began raising his eyebrows, "You might want to ask Jonathan what he was doing Monday night."

Chuck tilted his head to the right as his maid gently glided a razor blade over his cheek. It glided over his stubbly skin, making him feel clean once again. Fresh.

"Thank god you're home!" Eric exclaimed as he bursts through the door.

Chuck turns in his swivel chair startled but happy to see his brother. He brushed off the excess foamy shaving gel off his face with his towel. "My plans for the evening got held up at customs. Are you in trouble? I have to admit, I never thought I'd see you get your hands dirty brother."

"It's not me, it's Bart. Your dad just insinuated that Jonathan might be dating someone else. How and why would he know that?"

"He has a P.I on retainer like I do," Chuck stated casually. His maid handed him a martini glass and he clinks it with hers. He winked at her.

"I get that for business but for family and friends of family… it's just creepy."

"Not to worry." Chuck stands up in his purple robe. "Bart's people are top notch and very discreet, Now the real place he has is the safe with files on everybody from staff to senators," Chuck takes a sip of his drink and continued. "When I was thirteen, I found the most amazing surveillance photos of Gina. My hot Italian au-pair."

Eric nodded in understanding, "Those photos and Gina changed my life," Chuck looked past Eric with a smirk on his face, a glint in his eye. Eric could tell a video of memories floated through his dirty mind.

"Yeah but what if I don't want my life to change?"

Chuck looked back at Eric, out of his trance, giving a knowing look.

"What else does he know?" Eric asked.

A devious smile played on Chuck's lips. "How much do you want to find out?"

Lily finished placing her freshly picked flower centerpiece admiring it for the moment. Bart stood behind her in her shadow stern.

"The kids need to tell us things when it happens, not after they get caught," Bart said his hands in his pockets.

Lily sighed as Bart persisted. "The only way to protect them is to know what they're up to at all times. Don't you agree?"

"Yes but- in this case it's complicated," Lily placed a planter of flowers not making eye contact with Bart.

Eric tip toed toward the elevator as quietly as he could.

"Where are you off to?" his mom asked.

"Uh I just have to get to-" Eric fumbled on his words.

Lily crossed her arms, not buying his excuse. "It's Thanksgiving. It's one of two days of year you spend time with family-"

"I'm going to get the pie!" Eric interrupted her.

"Oh, well Eric you know everything we're going to eat is catered. We already have all the food prepared."

"Well I don't like pumpkin pie so I thought we'd do something different. Have you ever tried bluebe-"

"Are you going to see Jonathan?" Bart cut in.

Eric sighed. "Maybe."

"Why? Is there anything wrong?" Lily asked.

"NO!" Bart and Eric barked in unison. They shared a knowing look.

"Okay, okay fine!" Lily waved her arms in surrender. She walked into the kitchen, just shaking her head.

Bart nodded to Eric as he left. Maybe he isn't so scary, Eric contemplated as he waited for the elevator to come. Lily scurried in the kitchen with the cooks while Bart ascended the staircase. He stopped and turned to Eric, "Remember Eric, its Ben Suren."

Bart's icy eyes stared at Eric before he turned back and continued up the staircase.

Nope, he's still scary, Eric decided as he entered the elevator.

Late that afternoon, Chuck was positioned in front of his long full length mirror in his bedroom. He observed his smirking reflection before adjusting his green bow tie before admiring himself. He could also see his step sister surge through his room talking a hundred miles a minute.

"My new boyfriend Aaron is on his way over to meet everyone and I want your word on something," Chuck adjusted his bow tie once more, before looking away from his floor length mirror.

"Are you talking about the dress?" Chuck gave her a once over, "I say higher," He tugged on her short silky dress smirking.

Serena smacks him on the arm, "Chuck! I want your word that you won't talk about the girl I used to be. I just got Aaron all to myself and if the one thing I have to do to keep it that way is to hide my recent history for a little while, then that's what I'm gonna do."

"I get it." Chuck smirks as he walks alongside her to the grand room in the Bass Penthouse. "You lied to him."

Serena's mouth formed an o, "What? No I didn't! I merely chose not to tell him everything I ever did."

Chuck looked at her unconvinced. He poured himself a glass of scotch before she continued, "It will come out naturally, over the course of the many conversations we're going to have as we're dating exclusively," Serena smiled brightly, satisfied with her reasoning.

"You have my word. Whatever that's worth," Chuck smirked before walking away to the staircase.

"Where are you going?" Serena smiles satisfied with her step-brother's cooperation.

"Eric's waiting for me in my father's study. We're having a business meeting."

Serena looked back at him confused as Chuck disappeared up the staircase. He entered Bart's office with his scotch in hand ready for business. Eric sat waiting in Bart's desk chair patiently.

Chuck approached the safe and leaned against the dark blue steel box. He gestured Eric to come over and he complied. Eric stopped in front of the safe and stared at it, studying it.

"Are you going to open it?"

Eric's arms are crossed. "I don't know," he said hesitantly.

Chuck rolled his eyes. "Let me tell you the combination, 8-7-69 my mother's birthday."

Eric sighed before gingerly stepping towards the safe, punching in the numbers. The door glided open to reveal what they were looking for.

"It's like the end of every heist movie ever made! Are those gold bars? I didn't think they made those! Hey is that a sac phone?" Eric exclaimed in awe.

"It's an encryption. It's a prototype, now put it back." Chuck motioned for Eric to put the device back.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Chuck reached into his pant pocket to get his phone. Initially confused at why this vermin was calling him, he decided to answer it. "I knew you'd come back for more."

"Chuck you knew how hard this call was for me to make." Vanessa's low voice grumbled.

"I'm listening."

"The FBI just came to see me," Vanessa spoke from the other end, "and Nate's in trouble."

"Here's an idea, tell somebody who cares."

"Chuck this is serious! He needs our help!"

Chuck paused, contemplating her plea before reluctantly asking, "Where are you?"

"The Gallery."

Chuck hung up the phone turning to Eric. "Sorry kid. I have to go do something. "

"Okay," Eric responded absentmindedly. His eyes were transfixed on the vault.

Before leaving, Chuck patted Eric firmly on his shoulder. "Happy hunting."

As soon as Chuck left the room, Eric pulled out four leather brown envelopes. Paper clipped to the surface were name tags: ERIC, LILY, SERENA, EVELYN.

Shocked, Eric took the four bundles out and began to read his.

After waiting for a half an hour in the dimly lit gallery, Nate stormed inside. He stopped, shocked to see Chuck siting at one of the café tables and Vanessa at the cafe bar. "You know when you called I thought it was an emergency. Obviously I was wrong."

"It's more like an intervention," Vanessa clarified.

Chuck stood up walking towards his ex-best friend, "There's someone you need to talk to."

A tall dark man in a blue suit came in, with a straight expression on his face. Nate looked at him with confusion. The man motioned for Nate to sit down.

"The FBI knows your dad is in town, and they think he's going to commit a crime that's even worse than fraud or embezzlement." Vanessa's eyes remain grave as she twirled the jagged ring on her finger.

"For what?" Nate inquired his green eyes more confused.

Chuck spoke up. "Like extortion? And kidnapping."

Nate looked at him in disbelief.

"When your dad escaped to Dominica he only had enough time to get enough money to set himself up. I mean, he should have found a job, reinvented himself. But instead, he lived the way he always lived. Now he's got nothing left."

"Yeah well if my father's poor, what the point going to live with him? I mean we don't have any money!"

"But the Vanderbuilts do," Chuck looked at his friend, attempting to put the resentment each of them had aside.

"Yeah look, why would my parents pay for us to go live with him? I mean they can't even help us live here?"

Nobody said a word and avoided Nate's questioning looks. "I mean they hate my dad."

"Maybe that's why they'd give him money," Vanessa answered, "To leave without you or your mom."

"We've been monitoring you father's calls. He's trying to get in touch with your grandparents," The man interjects.

"Wait if this is true than why didn't you just come tell me this yourself?"

"We didn't know if you or your mother knew what was going on," Nate scoffed, "After all, she helped him escape in the first place."

"But I told him I didn't think you would just leave New York-"

"Especially without saying goodbye to your friends," Chuck spat bitterly.

Nate looked away, and Chuck looked on. "I'll let you three talk it over."

The man stood and left the three together.

Nate inhaled deeply, "This is just too much."

"There's still a chance for the Captain to get away if you. But, you can also end it all now."

"How?"

Chuck spoke up, "By turning your father in."

Lily, Serena and Eric stormed down the stairway of the Van der Bass penthouse. Eric had told them about the files that Bart had been keeping away from them and Serena and Lily were livid.

"Dinners almost ready," Bart announced before his eyes drifted to the brown envelops clasped in Lily's arms, "What going Lily?"

"You first," Lily spat. She cradled all four files in her hands, as both of her children stood behind her, arms crossed.

Bart's eyes locked on the files. "Where did you get those?"

"It doesn't matter," Lily turned to Serena, "Did you read these?"

"Not yet," Serena and Eric replied in unison.

"You weren't supposed to-"

"Find them," Lily interrupted, "I can't believe this. You did this to me and I dealt with it. But the kids? My kids-"

"Mom you knew about this?" Serena asked.

"We'll talk about that later," Lily hissed. She turned back to Bart.

"I'm just trying to protect them. If you're going to let your son and daughter go where they please than they need to be protected. Please, someone needs to look after them," Bart reasoned.

"There's a difference between looking out for them and treating them like criminals in their own home! How do you expect them to trust us if we don't trust them?"

Bart looked down as Lily sighed, "Come on kids lets go."

Lily went to the front closet hand her kids their coats. "Where are you going?"

"Oh-well, this day is about family and if you are not for this family, I'm going to take mine and spend it with them," Lily turned to leave and hit the elevator button.

"Oh, while we're doing that," she pulled out the one file handing the other three to Serena, "Why don't you spend time with your own family then?"

Bart snatched the file from her hands as the Van der Woodsen's entered the waiting elevator. Bart looked down at the file EVELYN. Maybe he would take her up on that offer.

"Hey, we were hoping you'd be here," Vanessa said as she and Chuck approached Nate outside of his family home. FBI agents surrounded the perimeter of his family home, inspecting it and moving furniture back in the place.

"My mom just signed the papers in the dark. We've got our house back, now we only need some electricity," Nate replied. A look of elation shines over his face before turning serious, "But look, I can't thank you guys enough."

Chuck stepped away giving Nate and Vanessa a moment until she left with a big grin on her face.

"By the way, I'm glad you stayed too," Chuck smirked.

"Thanks man," Nate smiles back opening his arms to give him man hug.

Chuck pushes a hand to Nate's chest his nose crinkling in disgust, "No. Let's get drunk instead."

They both chuckle before heading out to the nearest bar. Like old times.

As the holiday comes near I like to list all the things I'm thankful for. I'm thankful that no matter how dark things might get, old friendships can still be rekindled. I'm thankful for new relationships to show us how far we've come from who we were. And how close we get when we are our real selves. I'm thankful to know that no matter whatever they say, you can go home again. Whether it's your home or not.

Bart Bass sat in his private black stretch limo. In his lap, was the brown file Lily had given back to him. He opened the latch to see the case sheets but photos of a young girl from infancy to pre-teen. Her slightly wavy dark brown hair cascaded around her small shoulders framing her long tanned face. She smiled brightly back at him through the photo, her big cold blue eyes stared back at him.

Bart ran his fingers down her face, as if he were touching her. He closed his eyes holding the eight by ten photo securely in his hand. He opened his electric blue eyes feeling for his phone, knowing exactly what he needed to do.

"Andrew, its Bart Bass. I need a follow up of the Ainsley case. I'd really like to know. I need to know how I can get my daughter back."

But you know what I'm most thankful for? That even in the most giving of days whatever's given is never enough. People always want to know more. Be careful what you fish for.

You know you love me,

Xoxo Gossip Girl

A/N: For Vanessa haters, this is probably the only chapter she will be featured in because I have no plans of her involvment in this story. Also, I changed the story of Eric trying to cover for Jenny to relate it more to my story for those that wondered about it.

Next chapter will jump to the Snowflake Ball, so CB will have interactions similar to the episode. Hope you liked it and please review!