A/N: Hello everyone, and Merry Christmas Eve to those who celebrate! Thank you to everyone who has read, favourited this story, and left feedback to the last chapter. I always appreciate it!

I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 46: A Tale of Two Brothers

With October finally here, along with it comes the first frosty nights of fall. While some of my Upper East Side friends use the cooling nights to hunker down and finish their work, others snuggle up in bed with their agendas to keep them warm. And then there are the homes that feel even colder inside than it is out. Word has it that the Montgomery household has entered a new Cold War. Anyone want to bet how long this war will go on for?

Ozzy sat at the kitchen table with The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevskycracked open. It was assigned reading for English class, and he's barely read past book three of twelve. He fanned the pages of the dense book and sighed. Somehow, he had to finish this book by Monday, a possibility that was slipping away along with his understanding of who was who in the Russian epic.

Ozzy tried focusing on the pages, but the words blended together. He had tried to power through the book last week, but he could barely read a page at a time before his thoughts began to drift. The thoughts turned to spirals, and the spirals became infinite vortexes.

Dash appeared and once his eyes fell on Ozzy, he turned around to leave.

"Hey, Dash? Wait a second!"

Dash paused and said nothing.

"Can't we, I don't know, talk?"

Dash had been giving him the silent treatment since the night of the fundraiser, and it was taking its toll on Ozzy. He could understand Dash was upset with him, but the guilt and remorse he felt for hurting Dash wouldn't relent. He began dragging his feet through his days again, and the temptation to seek alcohol and drugs got stronger by the day.

"There's nothing to talk about," Dash said. "You lied to me and went behind my back. I don't want anything to do with you."

"Dash, I said I'm sorry," Ozzy said. "What else can I do?"

"Leave me alone in peace. Unless you want to try stealing that too?"

"I didn't steal anything."

"Yes, you did. You stole my future with Evelyn the moment you ran away last year."

"Are you seriously still blaming me for you cheating with Jenny?"

"It was your fault! You're the one who was always in the way! And you wanted it that way, didn't you?"

"Are you fucked right now? That's not what I wanted at all!"

"That's bullshit!"

Ozzy shot up and slammed the table with his hands. "IT'S NOT BULLSHIT—"

"BOYS!" Ruby's voice warned. She and Philip rushed into the kitchen.

"What is going on here?" Philp asked. "Ever since the fundraiser, you've been at each other's throats."

"Ozzy started it," Dash said, crossing his arms.

Philip sighed. "Still acting like a petulant child Dash?"

Dash's face reddened.

"That's it. Both of you go to your rooms now," Ruby said.

Dash stomped up the stairs. Ozzy felt his mom's watchful gaze on him.

"What?" He said harshly.

Her eyes widened slightly but she kept a neutral face. The doorbell rang. Ozzy's mom swallowed, a muscle in her neck twitching.

"We'll talk about this later."

Ozzy's mom marched to the door while Philip starred at his argyle cladded feet. Ozzy trailed behind her to get to the staircase as she opened the door causing Ozzy to halt. A man with a trimmed beard, mop of curly hair, and tailored shirt tucked into his jeans smiled. He held a bouquet of red and orange dahlias in his arms.

"Alejandro. W-what are you doing here?" Ruby sputtered as she accepted the bouquet of flowers.

"I know I should have given more notice, but it was a very last-minute opportunity. My flight got rerouted, and I had a layover here for the weekend, so I came right over to see you." Alejandro's hopeful eyes drifted to Ozzy.

Ozzy's eyes found the floor while his hand gripped the banister. Out of all the times his father decided to show up, he couldn't have picked a worse time. His father had promised he would visit him in the summer while he was at the Ostroff Centre, and he never came.

"Alejandro. What a surprise." Philip offered a stiff hand to Alejandro. He eyed the flowers in his wife's arms.

"Please come inside," Ruby said. She carried the flowers into the kitchen while avoiding Philip's questioning gaze.

"I can come back if this a bad time," Alejandro said while following her into the kitchen.

"No, it's not a bad time at all," Ruby said. She set down the flowers, admired them, and started opening cupboards in search of a vase.

Ozzy still stood by the staircase. Did this mean he wasn't grounded? Were they just going to pretend that he and Dash didn't just come to blows in this very kitchen five minutes ago?

"Ozzy?" Ruby called.

Ozzy ambled to the kitchen still amazed at his uncanny resemblance to his father. His smile, hair, lean frame. He had tried to retain his memory of him from that night in New Hampshire, but the longer he stayed away, the fuzzier his memory of his father became.

"So what have you been travelling for?" Philip asked.

"Business," Alejandro said. "I had some major unexpected setbacks this summer."

"What is it you that you do again?" Philip pressed.

"I own a coffee company."

Alejandro wandered to the kitchen booth where Ozzy's homework was spread out forlorn. He picked up the book, checked its title, and tossed it back on the table.

"Listen, why don't you and Ozzy go out for lunch just the two of you?" Ruby said.

Ozzy was about to protest when Philip piped up. "That's a great idea."

Ozzy was starting to get the feeling that Philip didn't welcome his father's presence in his home and if that meant he and his father were out of his sight, he would be at ease.

"What do you say, hijo?"

Ozzy shrugged. He had no way out of this one. "Let's go."

Spotted: Queen B and her protégé shopping on Fifth Avenue. It seems like the leaves are not the only things changing color this season.

"I don't care what my therapist says, retail therapy is the best therapy," Blair said while dropping her bags in the trunk of the limo.

Evelyn dropped her bags beside Blair's. "It's certainly a good distraction."

Ever since the week of the fundraiser, Evelyn had spent every other afternoon with Blair. Evelyn confided in Blair, cried in front of Blair, ate croissants and watched Breakfast at Tiffany's with Blair, and now was purchasing an entire new wardrobe with Blair's approval. If you asked Evelyn a year ago if she knew befriending Blair was in her future, she would have laughed. She assumed they had nothing in common, but Evelyn realized there was more to Blair then she initially dismissed.

"Now," Blair clapped her hands together. "A good Queen has her own signature accessory. We need to find yours."

Evelyn also appreciated Blair's commitment to helping find her footing as Queen. Evelyn felt ready to take it on, and a helping hand from Blair enriched the experience.

"I know, but I don't have a signature!" Evelyn groaned.

"Nonsense. You just haven't found yours yet."

"Easy for you to say. You actually have style."

"Evelyn, my roommate Joy, bless her heart, doesn't have style. You do. Just because it's not identical mine, not that that would be a bad thing, doesn't mean you don't have your own unique style. You've hand-picked every single thing that will fill your new wardrobe. I wouldn't have let you buy any of these pieces if they weren't suited for you."

Evelyn had learned not to say that Blair was right in these moments. She always found a way to remind her that she said it.

"Fine. I'll take a look, but don't get your hopes up."

They entered Bendels, and Evelyn had flashbacks to her sophomore year when she went shopping with Chuck for the first time. Then, she didn't even feel worthy to walk the waxed floors of Bendels, but now, she knew that the purses on the ground floor were sorted by designer, and the shoes were displayed by collection. She didn't need to follow Blair around the store. She felt confident navigating it on her own now. She felt like she belonged in her own way.

"Alright, so it seems like Jenny used ties as her signature, so that's off the table."

"I don't think I'd pick that accessory anyway."

"Good. It's hideous."

They moved through a collection of scarves, headbands and scrunchies. Belts, earrings, and chunky bracelets followed.

"This is useless Blair. I don't like wearing too much jewelry. I prefer lighter pieces."

"We'll leave the statement necklaces for Serena then."

Evelyn froze at the mention of Serena. It reminded her of Carter, and then from Carter she thought about Dash, which then led her back to Ozzy. When she thought of Ozzy, she still felt guilt and shame over how she treated him. She couldn't believe she let her tunnel vision for revenge destroy her relationship with him. When she'd see him in class, she'd feel an intense longing for him. They sat beside each other in English still, but it felt like he was an ocean away.

"Have you talked to Serena?" Blair asked.

"Not since the fundraiser."

Serena had called her a couple times, but Evelyn didn't pick up. She was too embarrassed and humiliated to talk to Serena about the Carter situation.

"You should because she may be unreachable soon."

"Unreachable?"

"When Serena travels, she really embraces the moment and can be difficult to get a hold of. If you want to put what happened with Carter behind you, then you'll need to talk to her."

They drifted to the shoe section where a collection of combat and riding boots dominated the display cases. Evelyn drifted away from Blair who focused on looking at Louboutin's for herself, while Evelyn gravitated to a collection of sneakers. There was a rainbow of colors, and a variety of shapes and sizes on display. Evelyn picked up a slim white pair. The shoes were leather, white on the outside, tan on the inside, and were light in her hand.

"Do shoes count as an accessory?"

"Anne Wintour did always say a woman needs to find her signature pair of shoes and wear them to death. What did you find?"

Evelyn presented the shoe and Blair inspected it. "Frye. Good brand. That's authentic Italian leather. Try it."

"Really?"

"This is your signature. You won't know until you try it."

After Evelyn requested the shoe in her size, she slipped them on and tied up the soft laces. She stood up and looked at Blair.

"What do you think?"

"See for yourself first."

Evelyn approached the floor length mirror and saw the shoes. She wore a chunky crème cable knit sweater and dark rinse jeans. The white sneakers tied her look together and they were light and comfortable to walk in. Evelyn tried to imagine the shoes with her Constance uniform. She had seen most girls wear ballet flats or ankle boots to school. Never something as informal as sneakers.

"It's not a ballet flat or a stiletto, but…I like it. It feels right. It feels…like me."

"That's a signature."

"What do you think?"

"They're sophisticated for sneakers. Functional. Elegant. You."

"You approve?"

"You're the one who has to wear them not me."

"But you wouldn't be seen with me if you didn't like them, right?"

"Obviously," Blair rolled her eyes.

Evelyn smiled. "Alright. This is my signature."

"Good. Now you can use them to stomp over your subjects to keep them in line."

"I'm not going to stomp on anyone."

"You say that now until one of your minions stages a coup. You'll need rules and those rules need to be enforced. Just look what happened to Jenny."

Evelyn's face soured. "Rule number 1. We don't speak of Jenny Humphrey ever."

"Fine by me. I've already wasted enough air on her."

Evelyn took off the shoes and admired them. This was a new start. A new wardrobe. A new signature. A new rule. This time, she wasn't going to take it for granted.

Chuck stepped off the elevator at the Bass Penthouse late that morning. He ambled over to the bar cart, ready to pour himself a scotch. He marveled at the quietness of the penthouse, a rarity when he was living there.

"Chuck," Aunt Kim stood from the kitchen table. "What brings you here? Everyone's out."

"I came to see you, actually."

"Oh." Aunt Kim closed her laptop. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes actually. It occurred to me that we haven't really spent much time together. You are as much of an aunt to me as you are to Evelyn, but we're strangers to one another."

"That wasn't my intention," Aunt Kim said. "I was in college once too, and I know how consuming it was. I didn't want to be a bother."

"You're not a bother," Chuck said. "I was wondering if you'd like to go for lunch."

Aunt Kim smiled. "O-of course. I would love that."

"I have a lot of questions," Chuck said. "About you. About my mother. And about the night my mother died."

"Haven't you had this conversation with your father?"

"Yes. She died in childbirth supposedly. But he hasn't really elaborated. Never has. And no one seems to know what happened. Do you know anything?"

Aunt Kim paused. "I know that everyone has a different version of that story."

"Do you have yours?"

"Yes."

"Would you tell me it? The whole story?"

Aunt Kim's gaze dropped to her feet.

"I've always wondered what happened," Chuck continued. "I don't expect to uncover the whole truth, but I just need something to be more at peace with it. Now with Jack taking over Bass Industries, it just seems like whatever happened that night set in motion a series of events that are happening around me. Am I making any sense?"

"Of course, you are." Aunt Kim locked her gaze with his. "Are you sure you want to know? There's no going back once I tell you what happened."

Chuck paused and swallowed. This was it. The truth. He'd longed for so long for this moment, paid so many PIs to arrive this conclusion, and it was in plain sight all along. He felt his heart race from the uncertainty of what was about to be shared. He was nervous, but he was ready. He didn't want to waste this opportunity. It could be the only way to finding out what happened the night his mother died.

"I'm sure."

"Okay, then. The story starts in college. But first, I'll grab my coat, and we'll go for lunch. Then, I'll tell you everything."

Spotted: C learning money can't buy answers to everything, but it's who you know that does.

Ozzy sat across from his father and picked at the food on his plate. They were at a café a couple blocks away from the Montgomery home. His father slouched back on his seat; one leg crossed over the other. While he appeared as the picture of leisure in his relaxed posture, his foot that was crossed over his thigh shook.

Ozzy longed for this kind of time with his father for years. He longed for his father to be present, in the flesh, showing him the way to reach every milestone in his young life. After everything that happened in the spring, he waited every day for his father to return like he said he would. He didn't.

"So tell me," his father said. "what's new?"

Ozzy pushed the green leaves from his salad across his plate.

"Nothing really."

"Nothing at all? What about college applications?"

"We'll be going to visit campuses in a couple weeks."

"Which ones?"

"Columbia, NYU, Princeton, Northwestern, MIT, and Harvard." Ozzy rolled his eyes at that last one. His mom wanted him to humor her by touring that campus since his grandfather attended Harvard, making him a distant legacy.

"Do legacies apply if they skip a generation?" Ozzy had asked her.

"Of course," she said. "It could give you an advantage."

Both of his parents attended Columbia. His father finished. His mother dropped out. He probably had the best chance of getting into Columbia or NYU. Harvard was far out of his reach.

"Those are all good schools."

"I'm going to apply to more places, but those are the ones mom wants me to tour."

"That's good." His dad took a sip of his drink. "I didn't get to tour the campuses. I applied to schools outside Mexico to spite mi papa."

"Why?"

"He said no one would take me. I had to pay for the application costs, so I had to choose wisely. I could only afford to apply to five schools. UCLA, UC Berkley, Northwestern, University of Chicago, and Columbia. I thought Columbia was the greatest reach, but I applied anyway."

"But you did end up at Columbia," Ozzy said.

"They gave me the best scholarship. It covered the first year. I lied and told my dad that I had a free ride, and I enrolled. I was determined to leave."

"Was it so bad there?"

"No. Of course not. It's different. I knew that I wanted something more than what I could have there. I knew the world was a big place, and I wanted to explore it."

"What gave you the idea to come to the States?"

"My high school teacher. Maestro Hernandez. He had been to America to teach Spanish for a few years, and he loved it. Showed me pictures. Told me stories. I had seen it on our neighborhood TV. He said I should apply since my grades were good enough. He offered to help me study for the entry test and application essays, but enough about me. How's that friend of yours? Evelyn?"

Ozzy dropped his fork and sat back in his chair. "She's fine."

"Is she still seeing Dash?"

Ozzy crossed his arms. "No."

"Oh. What happened?"

Ozzy pushed his plate away. "I don't know."

His father looked at him cautiously. "I would think Evelyn would tell you if you were friends?"

"We're not anymore," Ozzy said sharply.

"I see." Ozzy's father foot began to shake more. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Why do you care?" Ozzy said. "It's not like you've ever been here to know what's happening in my life."

"Oscar, there's a lot that you don't understand—"

Ozzy shot up from his seat. "No, you don't understand. You said you'd visit me this summer and you never came. I waited every day for you to show up, and you couldn't be bothered. Let me guess, you had business to take care of? Family? A life to get back to? Before Evelyn tracked you down, you weren't ever going to show up, were you? And now you're here expecting me to tell you everything that's happening when I don't know if I'm ever going to see you again? You can't just show up now when you feel like being a father."

"I'm not just showing up. I am your father. I'm not just coming back. I'm looking to stay."

"You expect me to just believe that? How could I possibly believe you? I don't even know you."

Ozzy's father's foot stopped shaking. He starred up at Ozzy, silent. Ozzy, with his chest heaving and throat tightening, stepped away from the table and slammed the door behind him.

Chuck sat across from Kim eagerly waiting for her to begin. He took her to the Carlyle Hotel where they ordered drinks, both scotch, and a chicken sandwich for Aunt Kim and the seared cod for Chuck. Now, Chuck practically shooed the waiter away so Aunt Kim could finally tell him everything.

"So where did I say it began?"

"College."

"Right. College. Your mother was two years older than me and went to study at Columbia. She was the first in our family to go to school. She went through the usual milestones of college. Living in dorms, having a roommate, first boyfriend, going to parties, all of it. But what's relevant here is that she met your father."

"When?"

"Junior year for her. Senior for him. They met at an AIDS benefit that my sister hosted."

"Why would she host that event?"

"There was a lot of protesting about the issue on campus during the late eighties. My sister had a close connection to the cause."

"She didn't have it did she?"

"No. Her roommate from freshman year contracted it, and she got to see first-hand what her roommate went through, and she used that benefit to raise money for her and any other Columbia student who was affected."

"That's…"

"Altruistic? Yes. My sister was a passionate advocate for others who were most vulnerable. The way she told me the story, she said that she met your father there by accident. He thought the young entrepreneurs club was having their event in that room on campus. She kept running into him on campus after that and turned him down when he asked her to go out for dinner, but he eventually won her respect when she realized he was on a scholarship just like she was."

"And why is that important?"

Aunt Kim smiled. "Well, my sister assumed that your father came from money because of how he carried himself, but he was in fact quite humble. He was very driven and hardworking, and he realized that it didn't matter unless you knew the right people. In order to know the right people, you have to dress like them, talk like them, fully commit to their ways to be accepted. Your father understood this far quicker than most. Once she says she saw past her assumptions, that was it."

"They got together."

Aunt Kim nodded. "They started dating. Things fell into place for them then until they graduated. Your father started work as a trader. Your mother continued to model. He proposed, they married and after moved in together."

"Things fell into place," Chuck said.

"They fell into place," Aunt Kim said. "Your father was doing well as a trader. He started setting aside money to invest into property. I'm sure you know about how that happened."

Chuck nodded. Every time Bart wanted to wax on the importance of fiscal responsibility, he always used the example of the time he budgeted to save enough money to buy his first building.

"You came alone during that time too. I remember that time vividly because I got kicked out of my apartment in my senior year of school, and I moved in with your parents. We got closer, my sister appreciated the help once you were born, and well, you father probably thought it was a bit too close for comfort."

That didn't surprise Chuck. His father was distant when he was happy. Having his sister in law under the same roof as his growing family was too much.

"Things were going as well as they could be given the highs and lows of having a child, but now that I think in retrospect, there was a time that things definitively shifted."

"When was that?"

"When your father purchased his first building."

Blair sprinkled cinnamon over her cappuccino and carried it to the last unoccupied high-top table at a cafe. Evelyn followed with a hot chocolate in the one hand, the bag containing her new shoes in the other.

Hanging out with Evelyn this week provided a helpful distraction during her exile from Locke and Key. The new members were being indoctrinated through a series of bonding activities that week. It didn't require much involvement from most of the members aside from set up and clean up for events, but she still felt isolated from everyone. They all had their groups of friends, and she felt cast aside, a feeling she wasn't used to.

"I have to say," Evelyn said. "I really didn't think I would be able to buy a whole new wardrobe in one day."

"With enough money, you can buy enough of anything in a day. You could furnish a room, throw a party, plan a vacation. Anything."

Outfitting Evelyn was only one small part of Blair's plan. Now, she vowed to give Evelyn the tools to be an effective successor. She didn't do this with Jenny because she assumed she didn't need to and that backfired. After witnessing Jenny's implosion, she knew she needed to step in and give Evelyn direction. Evelyn's potential was evident; she just needed guidance and support to begin her reign with confidence.

"Plan a trip. That's an inspired idea," Evelyn said.

"Don't think too much about it. You're not going anywhere. You have a kingdom to rule now."

"I know, but a girl can dream right?" Evelyn said. She checked her phone and her dreamy smile turned to a frown.

"What is it?" Blair said snatching her phone. "Did Dash text you?"

"No. Wait, Blair—"

Blair scrolled through the phone to see that it was a Gossip Girl post of Ozzy walking alone. He looked contemplative, even angry. Evelyn had crossed her arms and sat back in her chair, her cheeks a faint pink.

"I got a notification from Gossip Girl. That's all."

"And Demi Lovato didn't go to rehab but took a vacation instead. Why are you looking at this when you told me you were trying to move on?"

"I don't know. We're not even talking or anything. I told you with how I handled things that our friendship is over. Scorched. It can't be repaired."

"If you care enough about each other, it can be. Trust me. Do you know how many fights Serena and I have had? Serena slept with my boyfriend too, remember? We were able to move past it."

"I know. It's different than you and Serena."

"Of course, it's different. Have you ever watched When Harry Met Sally?"

"No."

"I think you should."

"Why?"

"Because you'll learn that a boy and a girl cannot be friends. It's the law."

"That can't be true."

"Think about it. You and Dash were 'friendly' before you dated. You and Ozzy were 'friends' until the moment you invited his tongue down your throat."

"What are you suggesting?"

"I'm not suggesting anything. I'm just saying that it may not be the end of the world that Ozzy isn't your friend anymore."

Evelyn's face broke at the thought. Oh no. Blair felt like she was looking into a mirror. There was a time when she couldn't imagine a world without Chuck. It nearly destroyed her.

"Not a bad thing, Blair? It's been awful. I miss him all the time. He's there, across the hall, in my class, but now he feels out of my reach. I just want to talk to him again. Like really talk to him now because I completely took it for granted. I don't feel like I lost a casual acquaintance, Blair. I feel like I lost my best friend."

Blair realized that Evelyn was referring to both Ozzy and Jenny. She had lost both of them and Dash at the same time. She remembered when Serena left for boarding school and how she felt like she had a hole in her heart.

"Let me explain further," Blair said. "Everything happens for a reason. While it's not the end of the world that Ozzy isn't your friend anymore, that doesn't mean you can't be again. If two people care enough about each other, they always find their way back to each other."

"Are you talking about my brother now?"

Blair felt the tips of her ears burn. "Of course not. I'm talking about you."

She did believe what she said to Evelyn. That things happen for a reason. People leave and return to your life at the best and worst times and you learn to adapt to it. Before the fundraiser at Constance, she wasn't sure if she was ready to let go of Chuck from her life. Maybe she didn't have to. Like magnets, they'd always be attracted to each other.

Evelyn buried her head in her hands. "I'm sorry. So much has happened so quickly, and I'm just trying to keep up with it all. There's been so much change, and I wasn't prepared for it. I just feel so alone."

"You're not alone, and no one's ever prepared for change. But you can count on me, okay?"

"Blair, thanks for today. And yesterday. And the day before that. Really. I don't know what I would have done without you these past two weeks."

"You don't need to thank me."

Evelyn sipped her hot chocolate. "Does it get better in college?"

"Life? Not really. Schools may change, but people don't."

"That's depressing."

"It's not depressing. It's living. Something we're both doing."

"I guess. Do you have any plans tonight? Any parties on campus?"

Blair scoffed. Joy had asked her several times this week to join her at the law society's mixer. Joy had said it would be a good opportunity to 'diversify' her resume.

"Not any that are worth my time. You?"

"Well, I could watch When Harry Met Sally."

"It would be very educational," Blair started. "Are there any parties happening in the city?"

"Not that I know of. There haven't been that many this year."

"What? There are no parties happening from Constance, St. Jude's, Trinity, or Chaplin?"

"Um…no?"

An idea struck Blair in that moment. "You helped plan parties with Jenny last year, right?"

"Right," Evelyn said, her intonation turning the word into a question.

"Queen Rule 101. There always needs to be adequately full social calendar. You don't need to plan every party, you can delegate for that, but you need to make sure the social calendar is full and varied."

"Okay. So what are you suggesting?"

"It's time to throw your first party as the new Queen of Constance tonight."

Ozzy stomped up the stairs and slammed his bedroom door. The further he walked away from his father, the angrier he became. So many years of restrained resentment and longing clashed together like a thunderstorm. He wanted to punch something. He wanted to yell. He wanted to tear his pillows, throw off his covers and he rip his sheets in two. He wanted anything that would feed the flames that erupted inside him.

Although he was angry in the moment, he was also tired. He was tired of always living in a state of transit where people came and went through a revolving door. They'd moved thirteen times from what he could remember, perhaps more that was hidden from him, where he had to start and stop, start and stop. Sometimes people swore they would keep in touch, but they never did. Now his father wanted to establish a routine of coming and going, and Ozzy didn't want it. Although he longed to have his father in his life, he didn't want the familiar ache of loss that came with constant movement.

In May, meeting his father felt like a dream. He was there at his lowest moment, a moment of intuition he thought, but it may have just been pure chance. He truly thought things were going to be different after that. He went against his instincts and believed that there would be a next time as promised. He didn't want a succession of finite times with his father. He wanted him to be constant.

A gentle knock rapped the door.

Ozzy sighed and sat on the edge of his bed. His mom opened the door slowly.

"What?"

"I heard you come home." His mom took a tentative step in the room and looked around.

"Where's you dad?"

"Who cares," Ozzy muttered.

"What did you just say?"

Ozzy took a sharp breath. "I said who cares! Who cares where he is, what he thinks, or what his intentions are."

His mom looked ready to react. Instead, she paused. "What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Ozzy, I know we've struggled to find a way to talk about these things in the past, but I want you to know that you have every right to feel what you're feeling, and I only ask because I want to be there for you."

Ozzy looked at her for a few moments. His mom's brow was furrowed, a crease formed between her eyes. Her red lips were pursed in concentration. She looked him in the eye and waited. She didn't turn back. She made no motion to leave. She was there. She was trying.

"Thank you," Ozzy said softly. "I'm just really angry at dad right now, and I don't know, maybe other things I haven't figured out. I told him that I'm not okay with him just coming whenever he feels like seeing me. He was there, pretending like we've known each other for years, when I don't even know the first thing he does when he wakes up in the morning or if he has a middle name. He just showed up today assuming we'd be thrilled that he even bothered to come. What if we weren't home? Would he have called? Left a message—"

"I hear what you're saying," his mom said. Ozzy noticed she picked it up from Jane's sessions. "And you have every right to feel that way, but there are two sides to every story."

"So, what, you're taking his side on this?"

"That's not what I meant at all—"

"Then what did you mean? Mom, he said he would visit me this summer. I waited every day for him to show up, and he didn't. And you know what? I don't need him. I've gotten by just fine without him. So, you can tell him he's not welcome back."

"I'm not going to do that."

"Why? Because you like his newfound attention? I don't think Philip cared for it."

"Ozzy," His mom said with warning.

"I'm just saying. Doesn't look like Philip likes him around here. He is your husband right because it doesn't seem like you spare a thought about him when dad's around."

"Are you done?"

Ozzy crossed his arms. "No."

"You're still grounded, and you will apologize to your father when he gets back."

"Me? Apologize?"

"Yes. You will be apologizing to each other. You might as well spend your time thinking about why you were especially rude to him today."

Once she shut the door behind her, Ozzy reached for one of his pillows and threw it at the door. Then, he threw another and another. He needed to apologize? His father was the one who needed to apologize to him.

Ozzy looked at the notebook that he'd almost finished filling out since he began his treatment at the Ostroff Centre. Five hundred pages. He picked it up and began ripping out the pages. He threw the empty notebook at the wall, the metal spiral imprinting the wall.

Ozzy was shaking now, looking to destroy more things in his path. It was so unfair. It wasn't his fault that his father abandoned him. It wasn't his fault that his mom was too proud to ask for his help. It wasn't his fault that Dash cheated on Evelyn. And it certainly wasn't his fault that Evelyn used him to get revenge on Dash. None of it was his fault.

Ozzy thought back to what Jane had told him a month ago during one of his first after school session. "You can't control what people do, but you can control how it makes you feel."

It was too late for that. He felt out of control again, and this time he felt more alone than ever. His mom was pissed at him. His dad was pissed at him. Dash was pissed at him. Philip was probably pissed at him too. And Evelyn—

Evelyn. What he would do to tell her everything right now. She would understand. She would listen.

But she couldn't be trusted now. He was just as disposable to her as he was to everyone else. He was nothing. He would always be nothing.

Ozzy fell back on his bed feeling a familiar emptiness steady his shaking body. The steady weight would drag him back down into the darkness he'd worked so hard to lift out of. Jane would call this a bad day. He'd had plenty of them over the past few months. This time, he didn't have hope that the bad day would be over. It would linger.

"His first building?"

Kim nodded. "And Bass Industries was born."

"After he bought that building?"

"Well, Bart always vowed that he wanted to get into commercial real estate, but given how expensive New York was, I didn't think it was ever realistic especially to break into the market before thirty."

"You didn't believe in him?"

"I wouldn't say that. I just thought his goals were unrealistic. My sister believed otherwise."

Chuck sat back in his chair and stroked his chin. "Once he paid off the place, he was able to start leveraging it as collateral to buy more buildings."

"To act as a credit line yes," Kim said. "It's high risk, but it clearly paid off."

"Clearly. So he bought it. Then what?"

"He incorporated Bass Industries and started rallying investors after he was done trading. He shared his vision and with his first purchase so young, some people bought into it."

"Who did?"

"His brother Jack, his friend Philip Montgomery, and a couple others."

"My Uncle Jack? He invested?"

"He wanted to have his hand in the pot. He didn't have much to invest at the time, but it was enough to make serious money over time. Think of it as him being one of the first people to invest in Google and keeping a stake in the company until today. He was at the right place at the right time."

"Did you know my Uncle very well?"

Aunt Kim cleared her throat. "I did. More than I cared to."

Chuck perked up at this. It sounded like Aunt Kim had no love loss for Uncle Jack. He didn't press and let her continue.

"As your father was busy building his empire, he was rarely home. As you can imagine, this caused many problems between him and your mother."

"Which you were a witness to," Chuck said.

Aunt Kim nodded. "Unfortunately. There were many fights and each apology came with an expensive gift."

"Let me guess. Jewelry?" Chuck said.

"How'd you know?"

"That's one of his most consistent methods from his playbook."

"I can't say I'm surprised," Aunt Kim said wryly. Kim took a sip of her tea.

"So what else happened?"

"From my perspective, their relationship continued to fracture. Building Bass Industries was your father's top priority. He eventually left his trading job to turn his attention to building his company full-time. I moved out on my own just before my sister got pregnant with Evelyn."

"Did you stay in the city?"

"Briefly. I soon moved to Connecticut, my home state. Then I met Travis, and we'd eventually marry. That's another story. I knew that things weren't going well when I'd visit. I have pictures at home. I'll bring them so you can see them next time."

"How did you know things weren't going well?"

"Bart was working all the time, and my sister told me that she felt like she was a single mother. He was away and working that often. While Bart disappeared, it seemed like Jack took his place."

Chuck thought back to the locket. The picture of his mother with Jack. He felt nauseous.

"What do you mean he took his place?" Chuck said.

"He was the one who was suddenly around playing house. If my sister ever needed anything, she'd call Jack. Who would go with her to her ultrasound appointments? Jack would. It was clear that they had grown close."

"Did my mom have an affair with Jack?"

Kim sighed. "I don't know. I asked her point blank, and your mother denied it."

"This is absolutely ridiculous. Didn't my father know that this was going on? Didn't he care?"

If Blair were cheating on him, he would not only want to know about it, but pull apart the guy limb from limb.

"I'm sure he did. You have to understand Chuck, that your father's priority was Bass Industries. The way he justified it to your mother was that it was his responsibility to provide for you all, and he knew that although it was tough then, it would get better. The life you have today was his vision for all of you. Don't doubt that your father didn't love your mother Chuck. Objectively, that's not true. From my perspective, I think your father's true love was Bass Industries."

"So let me see if I'm understanding this correctly," Chuck said. "My father started Bass Industries, bought his first building, started paying it down and raising capital, all the while my parent's marriage was failing, and Jack swooped in to make things a bigger mess. Is that correct?"

"I would have chosen different adjectives, but yes. That's what happened."

"Okay," Chuck said. "Now, I have one big question that I've always wondered as I've grown up."

"Which is?"

"Tell me. What happened the night that my mother died?"

"Thank you, Savannah. We'll be in touch," Blair said and hung up the phone. She picked up her clipboard and checked off one of the many items on her list.

"See? That's how you make sure you get the venue you want. We got lucky that the wedding was cancelled a week ago. Now," Blair said. "We have the venue, bartenders, and security booked…now we need to settle on a theme."

"Theme? How about underage high school party? Isn't that a theme?" Evelyn said from the Waldorf's living room couch.

"Now's not the time to be coy. I'm serious. This is the first party you will be hosting by yourself. It has to be big. Think of a theme." Blair checked her watch. "And did you summon your minions?"

Evelyn sighed. "Yes. They should be here any minute."

On cue, the elevator door pinged and a gaggle of high school girls emerged: Lila, Kate, and Sera (the latter to which Evelyn had little trust in). They halted when they saw Blair Waldorf, the legendary Constance Queen, in her element. Blair couldn't help but preen at the fact that her legacy remained at Constance. Her years of hard work and dedication not only paid off but were appreciated. The Locke and Key Society should take notes.

"Just in time ladies," Blair said. "We were just discussing a theme for tonight's party." Blair's phone rang in her hand. "Excuse me."

"Hello?"

"Blair. I've been trying to get ahold of you all afternoon. Where are you?" Joy said.

"I'm at my mom's place."

"I just wanted to know if you were coming to the law society mixer tonight."

Blair recoiled. "That's tonight?"

"I told you about it earlier this week. Do you want to come or not?"

"Well, I would. It's just that I'm helping Evelyn with some stuff, and I'm not sure when I'm going to be finished."

"Alright," Joy said. "It would be a shame if you didn't come though. We'd be meeting all of the senior execs who are in the process of applying to law schools and have connections. I know that's important to you."

"Which executives?"

"Oh, you know the President who's deferred his acceptance to Yale Law School, and the VP of marketing is eyeing Georgetown, but since you're busy you won't make it."

Blair checked her watch. "When is the mixer?"

"It starts after eight."

Blair wrestled with her options. She already offered to help Evelyn plan her party, but she knew deep down that she couldn't miss this opportunity. She was at a standstill at Locke and Key, so why should she waste her time idle? She could diversify with the law society; make important connections with older members who would go on to esteemed colleges for law. The more connections she had, the better.

"Okay, fine. I'll make it, but I won't get there until after nine."

"Great. I'll meet you there," Joy said.

Blair hung up with a renewed energy and focus. She could plan a party in her sleep at this point. Attending the law mixer would be an after party. This way, she wouldn't have time to worry about the mixer, and when she would get there, she wouldn't be alone. Joy would be there.

"Have we come up with any ideas?" Blair asked, returning to the group of girls.

"Oh I know," Kate said. "How about a harvest theme."

"How about not?" Evelyn said. "Halloween isn't for a couple more weeks, and it's too early for Thanksgiving, so a pilgrims and Indians theme is a no go for even more reasons than the one I just said."

Blair nodded her approval. Who knew the Bass had it in her all along?

"I know!" Lila said. "How about Oktoberfest themed? You know the festival where they drink beer and dress up in dirndl's?"

"I'm thinking something a bit more…mysterious," Evelyn said. "Everyone always celebrates Halloween, but what if tonight's theme is about the day before? Devil's night."

The room was silent, and all eyes were on Blair. "The only concern I have with that theme is that people will take it literally and try to prank and vandalize the venue we've chosen."

"That's true," Evelyn said. "I was thinking something about good and evil, temptation and restraint—"

"I've got it," Blair said. "Saints and Sinners."

"Blair that's perfect," Evelyn said. "Red or gold can be the dress code. You know, to represent the angel or devil in all of us. Kate, you are in charge of decorations, but make sure you call me before you make any purchases. Lila, you're in charge of food, and Sera…you are in charge of refreshments."

Sera looked as if she were stung by a skunk.

Evelyn stood and checked her watch. "We have approximately seven hours to plan this party. Let's get to it!"

The minions scurried to the elevator.

"Nicely done," Blair said. "Now let's discuss the guest list."

Ozzy remained sprawled on his bed for a long time after his mother left. He didn't know how much time had passed, but he knew it had been awhile due to the shift of sunlight outside his window. The sun light was strong in the morning and disappeared behind skyscrapers in the afternoon. He now lied there in the dark stewing over everything that had amassed that day.

He still didn't see why he had to apologize. He couldn't see the justification to it. His mind spun and spun, and even though Jane's voice reminded him that he should go for a walk or do something other than lay there to break the cycle of his spiraling thoughts, he didn't want to. He wanted to feel the weight, the absence of emotion, the empty void. There was a pleasure in feeling bad.

Ozzy rubbed his hands over his face. Why did he enable these thoughts? Why did he enjoy being in pain so much?

Another knock on his door. This time it was firm and brief.

Ozzy closed his eyes, pretending he was asleep. The door opened. the lights flickered on.

"You awake, hijo?"

"Yeah."

"Can we talk?"

Ozzy's eyes remained trained on the ceiling. Did he have much choice?

"Go ahead."

His father pulled his desk chair toward his bed and sat on it backwards. He stacked his forearms atop the back of the chair, and his leg began to bounce again.

"I didn't know you carried so much…resentment over the years. It's completely understandable why you feel that way of course. I just thought that I could tell you why I haven't been here with you because it isn't what you think. You can do what you want with it."

Ozzy was silent.

"The reason I left didn't have anything to do with you. Mi papa died very suddenly a few months after I graduated. I was still in New York with you and your mom trying to get a job, but the market was in turmoil after the bond crisis earlier that year. My parents and I weren't on speaking terms after they learned about your mother, me, and you. One of my sisters, Cristina, called me to tell me the news of Papá's passing. I went back for the funeral, and I couldn't leave."

"Why?"

"Papa was a miner. He did okay, but well, it wasn't going to be enough to support seven people."

"Seven?"

"I have six siblings. Four brothers and two sisters."

"Were you the oldest?"

"Yes. At the time, I was twenty-two. My brother Miguel was twenty and Santiago was eighteen. My other siblings were younger and needed care beyond what my mom could have provided. I had to step up. My student visa expired, and I didn't find a job in New York by then, so I was able to get an office job in Mexico City. I worked there during the day, worked in a restaurant waiting tables at night. I worked and worked to make enough to send to you and to everyone else back home."

"How exactly did you get into the business you're now in?"

He sighed. "I got into it because of my brother Miguel. You were probably three at the time. I started applying for work in America again when he got himself into trouble."

"What kind of trouble?"

"He didn't go to college after finishing high school. His friends were not good influences. He was introduced to different drugs at parties. That's where it started. He bought. Sold to make enough money to buy more. He was in a lot of debt, and he really jeopardized our family's safety. I stepped in and offered to pay off his debt."

"Why couldn't he do it?"

"He was, how do you say, wasn't…of sound mind."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I paid the debt and was making more than I was in Mexico City, so I stayed on. My boss, Fernando, took a liking to me. He was growing old and he didn't have any children to pass his business down to, so I bought him out. I've been running his… coffee company ever since."

Ozzy turned his head toward his father. He seemed sincere, and Ozzy didn't doubt he was being truthful. It still didn't sit right with him though. Yes, he was responsible for his family then, but what about him? Why did their needs take precedent over his?

"So you got everything together and just decided to live your life in Mexico?"

"No. I didn't fully take over the company until after September 11th. It was much harder to visit America let alone get citizenship. The borders closed. That changed everything."

"So, you decided you weren't coming back."

"I couldn't. Not immediately. I asked for you and your mom to move to Mexico, but we agreed it wasn't safe."

Ozzy lied there, motionless. He didn't know what to think. This didn't change how he felt. He just felt more languid.

"Is there anything else you want to know?" He father asked.

He always wondered if his father had another family in Mexico. Until then, he was too scared to ask because he wasn't sure he could handle the answer.

"Am I the only one?"

His father paused. "Yes. You're my only child."

"Did you marry anyone?"

"No. To the horror of mi mama. There have been other women in my life, but not marriage."

"Really?"

"Marriage is very sacred you know. Besides, I don't know what mama is complaining about. Everyone except Miguel and I are married with families, and I helped with that."

Ozzy turned his head away. All of this talk about his family was lost on him. He didn't know who any of these people were. He didn't know what they looked like. They were faded photographs that his father pulled out to show him, blurry and grainy.

His father looked around his bedroom. "Do you like it here?"

"It's okay."

"Would you rather be somewhere else?"

"I dunno. I've lived in so many places now. There are pros and cons to every place."

His father nodded. "I've always wanted to come back to New York to live. There's so much possibility."

"If you want to do it, why don't you?"

"Responsibilities. It's a part of being an adult. I wouldn't rush into it if I were you."

The door opened revealing an unkempt Dash. He eyed Alejandro suspiciously. "Your mom says for both of you to come downstairs for dinner."

"Thank you, Dash. We'll be right down," Alejandro smiled.

Dash disappeared and his father got up. Ozzy sat up, hot embers still burning up inside him.

"This doesn't change what I said to you earlier because none of what you said explained any of that," Ozzy said.

"What do you mean?"

"I shouldn't have to explain it to you," Ozzy said. "You went on and on about your family as if I know them, but I don't. How can you care so much about those people and prioritize them over me?"

"That's not what happened—"

"Save it. I don't want to hear anymore."

His father blinked twice, and he swallowed hard. His father stormed ahead of him, and Ozzy lingered behind. He didn't want to hurt his father this way, but he had been to too many counselling sessions with Jane where he worked through these feelings. He had to tell him. He didn't want to pretend for him that everything was okay when it wasn't. Not anymore.

Ozzy rubbed his hands over his eyes. He was starting to feel claustrophobic in this house. He needed a break. Jane always said a change of scene was good to get out of a repetitive frame of mind. Ozzy walked downstairs and pulled his phone out of his pocked. There was a text from Gossip Girl.

Calling all Upper East Side Angels and Devils! Word has it that Queen E is hosting a Saints and Sinners party at 583 Park Avenue tonight. Don your best red or gold apparel, and you may just be let in…if you're on the list. This is a party you won't want to miss.

You know what else would make him feel better? Alcohol. Some weed to dull the pain. For starters. He hadn't had any of that for months now. After the day he had, he hadn't wanted alcohol so much in a long time. He started to calculate a plan in his head. He didn't quite care that it was Evelyn's party. It didn't even cross his mind. He was fixated on free alcohol and access to any substance he could want, and he was determined to get his hands on it.

He pretended he was in better spirits at dinner while his father was pensive. Dash was sullen, and Philip was weary. He waited until they were over to excuse himself and say he was going for a walk around the block. His mother offered to go with him, but he declined.

"We'll have dessert when you're done," his mom said. He wasn't sure if she was still nervous of him leaving alone at any time since the runaway incident in the spring. He didn't blame his mother for not trusting him. Here he was sneaking out again.

Once he turned the corner at the end of their street, he hailed a cab.

"Everyone has a different story about what happened that night," Aunt Kim said.

"So I keep hearing," Chuck said. "What's yours?"

"I wasn't in the city that night," Aunt Kim said, her eyes downcast. "I should have been."

"Why weren't you in the city?"

"My sister and I weren't on the best terms towards the end," Aunt Kim said. "I didn't agree with her life choices, and I was very forthright about that. We didn't see eye to eye. We never really did."

Aunt Kim sighed. "It's something I've always regretted. We fought. I didn't talk to her for a week, not thinking much of it as we usually needed time to cool down before we picked up where we left off. We would try to work through it. I didn't realize that there wasn't going to be any time."

"So that night, you were in Connecticut?"

Aunt Kim nodded. "I got a call. Two in the morning from Bart at the hospital. My sister was going into early labor and there were complications. I came straight away. Was there by four in the morning."

"By the time I got there, Bart had to choose who to save," Aunt Kim said, her expression growing grave.

Chuck felt his stomach ache. Who to save. His mother or Evelyn. An impossible choice.

Aunt Kim eyes glistened. "We knew what Misty's wishes were if this situation were to ever come, and it came that morning."

"She went into an emergency C-section. Evelyn was born, healthy. Seven pounds, four ounces. Misty was initially stable, but not awake. Then, she started hemorrhaging. She passed around noon the next day."

Chuck felt a sting in his eye. He cleared his throat. "Were you there when she…"

Aunt Kim covered her face with her hands. Her shoulders shook. Chuck felt his eyes sting.

Once Aunt Kim caught her breath, she wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry about that. It still upsets me to go back and rehash it. I start thinking about what I could have done differently, what I should have said when I could…"

"That's understandable," Chuck said. "But what happened is not your fault."

Aunt Kim blew her nose. "I know, but it's just hard to accept."

"Where was I during all of this?"

"I think your Uncle Jack was looking after you."

It was a difficult image for Chuck to conjure. He'd never seen his uncle to have one paternal bone in his body. He was watching him as everything was happening?

"He brought you in the morning. You kept asking to see your mom. You were too young to understand what was going on of course, but we kept you away from it all."

Chuck sat back and began to put the pieces together. "So, my dad brought my mom to the hospital when she was going into early labor?"

"Yes."

"Where were they before she went into labor."

Aunt Kim chuckled. "Well, according to your father, they were on a walk in Central Park."

"You don't believe that, do you?"

"Well, it's hard to disprove. The only person who could prove the validity to that point is my sister."

"So what do you think?"

"I think it's a very odd coincidence that the night my sister went into labor was the same night your father's building caught fire."

Evelyn walked into 583 Park Avenue to discover it the hall to be decked out in red and gold. The tables glittered with gardenia flowers. Gold sashes hung from the ceiling, and everyone milling around wore an outfit with some red or gold outfit or accessory. Evelyn herself chose a metallic gold blouson dress with a pair of Manolo black pointed toe heels.

Blair appeared at her side. "Well, what do you think?"

"It's amazing," Evelyn said. "I can't believe it came together."

"With enough money, anything can come together for the right price," Blair said.

Evelyn tore her eyes away from the glittering chandeliers. "Blair, thank you. Seriously. I couldn't have done this without you."

Blair rested her arm on her shoulder. "Nonsense. Now moving forward, you can."

Evelyn grinned. In that moment, Blair looked like an old movie star. She was effortlessly elegant and poised. She looked like she belonged in the ballroom. She glided through the place with ease, and each question posed as a problem she had an easy answer. Before, Evelyn thought she was a rude, stuck-up, and superficial girl whom her brother was in love with for reasons she couldn't understand. Now, she saw Blair in a different light. She was fiercely loyal, determined, and assertive.

Under the chandeliers, she realized why she became Queen. Why every girl looked up to her and wanted to be her. She caught herself wanting to be like Blair Waldorf too. She too wanted to be poised, assertive, and in control. Everything in her life had felt so out of control lately, that Blair's methods of diligence and discipline were admirable. Evelyn never thought she'd have a friend in Blair Waldorf, but now she was so glad she did.

"I'll be leaving now," Blair said.

"Why?"

"While I was happy to lend a hand to you today, I think it's time for you to take over. This crowd is a bit too…" Blair looked around the room to see a stumbling junior crash into one of the tables, "high school for me."

"Thanks again, Blair," Evelyn said.

"What are friends for?"

"Friends?"

Blair rolled her eyes. "Don't make me repeat it now. Although, I am your superior still. Age wise."

"Of course," Evelyn said. She waived her hand to signal her minions to come to her. Blair marched to the exit but paused. She turned to see Evelyn swarmed by her minions and nodded with approval.

"Evelyn, this party is amazing!" Kate squealed in her sequined gold dress.

"Thank you, ladies, for helping bring it together," Evelyn said.

"I saw that there was a line of people trying to get in," Lila said.

"That's what happens when you send the blast to Gossip Girl," Sera said. "It attracts everyone and anyone."

"And the problem with that is?" Evelyn said.

Sera looked at her Valentino peep-toes. "Nothing."

"I thought so," Evelyn said. She spotted Eric in the distance. "Why don't you all go ahead and get a drink? I'll meet up with you in a bit."

Evelyn parted with her minions and shuffled through the crowds until she tapped Eric Van der Woodsen's shoulder.

"Eric," Evelyn said. "I'm glad you got my text and came."

Eric's lips formed a line. "I had to see for myself if this was all true. If you had completely transformed into Blair Waldorf."

"Eric, what are you talking about?"

"Look at you. Look at this. You drove Jenny away and have become the Queen of Constance ordering people around like servants."

"I didn't drive Jenny away. She made her own choice to leave."

"After you gave her an ultimatum?"

"Why are you defending her?" Evelyn said. "She's the one who hurt me! She's the one who started all of this!"

"And you finished it," Eric said. "I don't know who you are anymore."

"Eric," Evelyn said as he turned away. "Stop. Just wait. Please."

Eric halted. He turned; eyes guarded.

"I'm still me. This is just to keep order. Keep us out of harm's way. Me being in power is a benefit to you and me. Don't you see that?"

"No. Every girl that becomes Queen loses herself to the dark side. Jenny fell to it, and you're leaping right into it. Headfirst."

"I'm not leaping into it. Eric, this has all been inevitable. Whether I wanted to admit it to myself or not, I was going to be Queen of Constance, and this," She gestured to the whole room, "Is a part of it. You should know better than most."

"I do know better. I know what you sacrificed to get it."

"What do you mean? Dash and Jenny?"

"I wasn't talking about them," Eric said. "I'm talking about the two people who were most loyal to you that you took for granted."

Eric's eyes flitted away from hers and onto someone who had just entered the party wearing jeans and a red sweater. It was Ozzy. Evelyn's heartbeat began to race.

"I know that you used Ozzy to get back at Dash. I saw it happen, but you've been too busy being brainwashed by Blair Waldorf since then to notice."

"Eric, I can explain—"

"I've seen a lot of pettiness over the years, but that was really low. It wasn't just low, but cruel. I can't believe you would use someone who cared about you so carelessly. If you did that to Ozzy, who knows what you would do to me or anyone else you deemed was useful."

"Eric," Evelyn said, her eyes glassy. "I would never do anything like that to hurt you."

"How am I supposed to believe that?"

Evelyn rubbed her lips together and felt a thick tear slide down her face. "You don't think I feel bad about what I did to Ozzy? You don't think I know it was wrong? You don't think that if I could take it back, I would? Because I would! I know what I did was wrong, and I'm sorry for pushing you away and making you think I'm this monster, but I'm not. I'm not a monster, Eric."

Eric's voice turned soft. "I know you're not. But can you blame me for being worried? You've pushed everyone away since the Gossip Girl blast dropped, and now it feels like you traded me and Ozzy for being Queen."

"I'm not trading," Evelyn said. "Eric I would never trade your friendship for anything. You mean far too much to me."

"Not even for Morgenstern's ice cream?"

"Tempting, but no. I'm so sorry for pushing you away. I didn't deal with things how I should have, and I took you for granted. I promise you I won't fall to the dark side."

"You swear?"

"I swear. You can hold me to it."

"Okay. But if you start dipping a toe, I'm going to pull you back up."

"I would hope so," Evelyn said, smiling. "And I'll do better to be a better friend. To always be there for you too."

"Deal."

Eric offered his hand to shake, but Evelyn chuckled and threw her arms around him. Evelyn pulled back and said, "Shall we get a drink?"

"Jonathan already went and got me one. You go ahead." Eric motioned to the bar area where she could see the back of Ozzy's curly head.

She had to go talk to him. Make things right again. Face the consequences of her actions. Anything that she had to have him back in her life. Even with his back to her, Evelyn appreciated the broadness of his shoulders that were raised high enough to touch his ears. She remembered his firm grip, his hands running through her hair. His lips were wet and hungry. Evelyn wasn't sure if she longed for him because she didn't have him, or because she wanted him or both. Were they always headed in this direction? It certainly felt that way in Connecticut, but in New York that wasn't as clear.

Evelyn sprang toward him to find out.

Ozzy stumbled into Evelyn's party to find it full of his dressed-up classmates swaying to the beat of the music. He had to push through the throngs of people either dancing, drinking, or talking, and made it to the bar.

He turned his phone off on the way to the party. Now he faced a bartender with a wall of alcohol behind him asking what he wanted, and suddenly his mouth felt dry.

Five vodka shots later, and he was feeling clearer. His anger more focused. Visions of his father became blurrier. The thumping of the music vibrated under his feet. He could really go for a smoke. A hit. Something that could extend this high even longer. He turned to go outside to where the smokers were when he halted at the sight of Evelyn.

"Ozzy," She said, her eyes hopeful. "I'm surprised you came."

Ozzy let go of the empty shot glass and pushed it toward the bartender. He leaned back against the bar.

His words seemed to fail him in that moment. "Yeah, well…hi."

"Can we talk?"

"I'm not in the mood."

Ozzy turned toward the bartender again signaling for another shot, hoping Evelyn would take the hint. He also couldn't stand to face her, not when he was like this.

Evelyn sidled up beside him. "How many have you had?"

"Not enough," Ozzy said.

Evelyn snatched the shot away from him. "I thought you weren't drinking anymore?"

Ozzy signaled for another drink. "Special occasion."

"If something happened, you can talk to me you know. Not in here. We can go outside for a walk or something."

Ozzy accepted the shot from the bartender. "What for? So, you can find a way to use it against me again?"

"Ozzy, I made a mistake. A terrible, cruel mistake. I know what I did was wrong. I said I'm sorry. Can't you forgive me?"

Ozzy stared at the clear liquid that topped his glass. "It's always a mistake. After it's done it's easy to say you'll never do it again, but it happens. Again and again. People say they'll be there for you, but they leave. I want to believe you, Evelyn. I wanted to believe that you wanted me. I wanted to believe that my dad wanted me. But the thing is, belief in someone isn't enough. You just end up disappointed."

"What does your dad have to do with this?"

Ozzy took his shoot and slammed it on the counter. "Leave me alone."

He started stumbling away, but she followed. She always followed. A part of him expected it, the other part waited for her to leave him behind like everyone else did.

"What happened?" Evelyn grabbed the crook of his elbow to keep his walk steady, and she could keep up with his quick stride.

"I told you. Leave me alone."

"I get that you're mad at me, but don't you see? I'm always going to be here. Why else did you come here in the first place? I saw the Gossip Girl blasts from this afternoon."

"Free liquor," Ozzy said, trying to shrug her off.

"You didn't need to come my party for that. Listen, why don't we get out of here, get something to eat just the two of us."

"I don't need you to save me," He spat.

Evelyn flinched. "I-I'm not trying to save you—"

"Yes, you are. It's what you do. I don't want it. All I want is more alcohol and a good hit that I can find outside."

He waited for the words to register on her face. For her to see how terrible he truly was. Maybe that would deter her finally. Maybe that would be enough for her to leave like everyone else did. Her eyes widened slightly. She stared at him, speechless.

Then, she surprised him.

She stepped toward him and wrapped her arms around him. He was unprepared for the gesture, for her to walk in his arms so willingly, unconditionally. He felt her cheek rest on the crook of his neck, the smell of her shampoo overwhelmed him. His arms unconsciously wrapped around her soft frame, and suddenly everything didn't seem so bad.

When Evelyn pulled away, she sniffled and wiped her eyes. "I won't bother you anymore. Just…take care of yourself tonight."

Evelyn turned towards the crowded room without confirmation, promise, or expectation. He just felt winded. He didn't hold back. He showed her what his true out of control self-looked like, and she believed him. She saw it. Accepted it for what it was.

He stumbled back to the bar, the only sturdy surface he could find. When the bartender asked if he wanted another drink, he declined. Ozzy turned around, searching for Evelyn in the crowds of people. She was gone.

Chuck stood up. "You think my father set the fire?"

"I didn't say that. The fire Marshall and police who investigated the site ruled out any negligent behavior. I'm just saying that it's a coincidence that those events happened the same night."

Chuck gripped the table to steady himself.

"Come on," Aunt Kim said. "Let's walk it off. You look a bit pale."

"So do you think my mom went to the building to see my dad?"

"I've asked myself that many times, Chuck. I don't know."

Suddenly, the pieces were fitting together. If his dad wasn't home, then he had to be at the building. If he was so dedicated to work like Aunt Kim said he was, then he wouldn't be anywhere else.

"Where was his office at that time?"

"On the second floor of that building."

Chuck felt nauseous again. Why would his mom go see his father that late at night? Did she know what he was up to? Was she trying to stop him? Did it trigger her early labor?

They walked back home. Aunt Kim made small talk while Chuck's mind kept spinning. Blair had said that Jack made her deliver him the blueprints for Bart's first building. Was that the key to figuring out how Bart set the fire? Was that why his father stepped down from Bass Industries? Did he set the fire? Was that the reason his mother died?

"Chuck, are you okay? I know that was a lot to process."

"I'm fine," He said. "Thank you for telling me everything that you know."

"I'm actually glad you asked. I know you're old enough now to process it. You have every right to know the truth."

"I appreciate that. Not everyone in our family sees it the same way."

"If you need anything else, and I mean anything, you can always come to me."

"Thank you. I'll remember that."

Aunt Kim hugged him, her arms sturdy. "Your mother would be so proud of the man you're becoming."

Chuck bowed his head. He'd done a lot of terrible things that she wouldn't be proud of in the past. Still, hearing that validation from his Aunt Kim made him feel good.

The doorman opened the door, and they waited for the next elevator to arrive.

"I assume Evelyn doesn't know anything?" Chuck said.

"Nothing. I think it's best that stays that way for now."

"I couldn't agree more," Chuck said. Although Evelyn did have the right to know the truth too, she was stuck in the middle of it all. Now wasn't the time to tell her what little he knew.

The elevator pinged, and Chuck pressed the P button for penthouse. He had many questions, some answers, and mostly resentments. How could his father lie to him all of these years? How could he make him believe that he was the reason that his mother died? If he kept lying about this, what else was he lying about?

His father had a lot of explaining to do.

At Schapiro Hall Lounge, everyone was in formal attire. It was a full room of aspiring lawyers, a couple faces familiar, most not. Blair waited at the lounge's entrance, finding herself feeling something she wasn't accustomed to: panic. She hadn't thought to prepare for this event, and she wouldn't have attended if she wasn't on probation at Locke and Key. It was a daunting task, a daunting crowd of high esteemed aspiring and established lawyers most if not all of whom her father didn't have connections to.

Blair swallowed her uneasiness and approached the crowd head on. She walked with a casual gait, noting the ill-fitting suits, too short ties, and hideous dress choices. Did anyone know how to dress here? She looked for someone, anyone to include her in a conversation, get her the lift her parents had always given her in these situations. The introduction.

Where was this coming from? Blair had never felt this nervous or uncertain in social settings before. Blair remained poised, a beacon of steadfast confidence. She continued to circle the room, refusing to stop by the punch bowl and admit social defeat.

"Blair! Over here!"

Joy waved her over. She spoke to a man with greying hair and glasses.

"Professor Briffault, this is my roommate Blair Waldorf."

Blair felt her inner turmoil calm. Who would have thought Joy would be the lift she needed in this room?

Blair offered her hand and said, "Pleasure to meet you."

"Professor Briffault was just talking about his work as Vice-Chair of Citizens Union of the City of New York."

"Oh really?" Blair said while feigning interest. "I haven't heard of that organization before. What is its objective?"

"We're committed to ensuring that New York City and State governments remain accountable, accessible, transparent, honest, and meet the highest ethical standards."

"What a noble cause," Blair said. "How did you get involved with Citizen's Union?"

And just like that, Blair began chatting with Professor Briffault for the next half hour. She laughed at his puny jokes, asked thoughtful questions, and had his encouragement by the end of the conversation.

"If you want to get involved with Citizen's Union, don't hesitate to reach out. Tell them you spoke to me," Professor Briffault had said.

Joy grinned as they walked to the refreshment table. "Glad you came?"

"You didn't tell me that some of the esteemed Columbia Law Faculty would also be attending tonight."

"I thought I did," Joy said scrunching her brows. "Well, now you know."

Had Blair known, she would have conducted a comprehensive research analysis on the faculty and found strategies to make inroads with them. Now, she felt rudderless on that pursuit.

"I have to say I'm impressed. Are the events always like this?"

"Not all of them. Seminars are held about topics likes how to get into law school, LSAT prep, prepping for logic games, mentorship sessions, and mixers like this."

"I should have joined this sooner," Blair said. She was so preoccupied with Locke and Key that she didn't pay enough attention to the other opportunities' campus had to offer.

"I thought the pre-law society focused on conducting mock trials," Blair said.

"That's mock trial club. I plan to join that next year," Joy said.

"Do you know any of the execs?"

"I only met a couple at the sign-up booth, but you'll see that they're the ones wearing blue pins with a picture of a scale on them."

Although she was exiled from the Locke and Key society, that didn't mean she couldn't find alternative ways to build her resume to rule Columbia campus. Besides, she wouldn't be able to brag about having a position in Locke and Key because it had to remain secret.

Blair stood tall and marched toward the first exec she could find. "Hello. I'm Blair Waldorf. I was wondering if you could tell me more about membership regarding the pre-law society…"

Evelyn held her phone to her ear as she walked up the staircase that overlooked the hall. Beneath her, she saw clusters of classmates dancing and laughing, all enjoying themselves immensely. Evelyn brushed away her remaining tears and walked down the open hallway where couples had disappeared to canoodle.

Evelyn gripped her phone tighter as she strained to hear the ringing at the other end of the line.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Taylor? Can you hear me? It's Evelyn Bass calling."

"Evelyn, thank God you called. Is Ozzy with you?"

"Um kind of. You see, I'm hosting a party at 543 Park Avenue, and he came. I just spoke with him, and he, well, he wasn't himself."

Ruby sighed. "I was worried when he said he left for a walk earlier this evening. I wanted to trust and believe that I was just overreacting, but I was told that there was a high chance there would be relapses before it stuck."

Evelyn gripped the railing and overlooked the hall, unable to spot him. She closed her eyes, wishing she didn't care what happened to him, that she didn't care that he was going to self-destruct and there was nothing more she could do about it. She shouldn't care, but now she cared for him more than ever.

"It adds up though," Ruby said. "I'm not sure if Ozzy told you, but his father surprised us with a visit today. As you can tell, it didn't go well, but I think it was more of a tipping of the scale so to speak. He and Dash have been fighting non-stop, and Alejandro certainly didn't help matters with his decision that he wanted to start parenting today."

Evelyn felt her stomach clench. She was the reason he and Dash were fighting. She was the reason Ozzy was relapsing. She felt a lump in her throat.

"Anyway, thank you for calling and telling us where he is. Dash suspected it, but we couldn't be sure. It's definitely a relief to say the least. Are you with him now?"

"Not physically, but he's in the room somewhere. I-I think you should come pick him up."

"I agree. I'll tell Philip and Alejandro the situation, and we'll figure out the best course of action from there. Thank you for calling, Evelyn. I really appreciate it."

"I thought you'd want to know."

Evelyn hung up and took a deep breath. She was worried for Ozzy. She still felt awful for what she did to him at the fundraiser. Without him, she felt significantly more alone and emptier. Beneath her, her first party was in full swing. Everyone was laughing, drinking, and dancing.

Evelyn pushed herself away from the balcony and turned to one of the shut doors that led into a smaller sitting room. With the door closed behind her, the music muffled, she felt better. It was quieter, and she could take a moment without having her minions swarming her.

The room had French provincial armchairs and a sofa around a large marble fireplace. There were two sets of double doors that led to other rooms on either side. The wainscoting walls warmed the room, and a crystal chandelier glittered.

A blonde-haired boy sat by the fireplace, swirling a glass of whisky in his hand.

"Evelyn Bass," He said, standing. "Just the person I was looking for."

Evelyn halted; her limbs turning into cement.

It was Thom Taylor.

Bart was reading the paper and drinking a glass of scotch when Chuck and Kim returned to the penthouse. Chuck's jaw clenched at the sight of him.

"Chuck. Kim. What a surprise," Bart said. Chuck interpreted this as what a surprise to see you two together.

"Chuck and I spent the afternoon together," Aunt Kim said. "Some bonding time if you will."

"That's wonderful," Bart said. His cool gaze eyed Aunt Kim suspiciously.

"I'm going to my room to rest for a bit," Aunt Kim said. "Please excuse me."

Chuck waited to hear the door close before he approached.

"I'm surprised. You and Nathaniel don't have plans tonight?"

"Not yet," Chuck said. "I actually want to talk to you about something important."

"Are you in some kind of trouble?" Bart said.

"No, but I suspect you are," Chuck said.

"What are you talking about?"

Chuck perched on the armrest of the couch. "I learned a lot today from Aunt Kim about Mom. What things were like when you started off. The beginnings of Bass Industries… and what happened the night mom died."

Bart was expressionless. "And?"

"There were a lot of coincidences from that night. You and mom weren't in a good place. Jack was involved. Mom died. Your building caught fire. It left me with a lot of questions."

"What do you want to know?"

"Don't pretend like you want to have a heart to heart about this. I learned a long time ago that you are incapable of telling the truth," Chuck said.

Bart sighed. "There's a lot you don't know, Chuck. It's complicated."

"That's always your excuse. It's complicated. As if it can't be explained."

"It's not a story that's suited to be shared around a campfire, okay? Chuck, trust me when I say it's better for you to know as little as possible."

"How can you say that? For years I believed that I was the reason that mom died. You never told me about Evelyn, and you never told me about how your first building caught fire. I still found out anyway, so why the secrecy?"

"Chuck. Why can't you just focus on school like everyone else does your age?"

"Because! In the spring, you resigned from Bass Industries out of the blue, taking my future away with it."

"Your future?"

"Bass Industries. Now that Jack's running it, he'll never let me anywhere close to it."

"You wanted to work at Bass Industries?"

Chuck cleared his throat. "I've been thinking about it."

Bart sat back and swirled his scotch. He drained the glass. "I had no idea you felt that way about Bass industries. I thought you wanted to get as far away from it as possible."

"I was in high school. I didn't know what I wanted."

"You're still young," Bart said. "Your mind could change."

"It could, or it couldn't. It can't sit right with you to know that your brother just scooped up your company and taking credit for everything you did."

Bart starred at his empty glass.

"What does Uncle Jack have on you?"

Bart remained silent. That was a louder answer to Chuck then words ever could be.

Chuck's phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a text from Evelyn.

COSMO

Chuck shot to his feet.

"Is something wrong?" Bart asked.

Something was very wrong. He remembered telling Evelyn to use this word if something was wrong. He GPS'd where her phone was. 543 Park Avenue. It wasn't far away.

"Chuck?" Bart asked.

"No. It's just Nate. We have plans now that are now time sensitive."

"Oh, okay. Say hello to Nathaniel for me," Bart said. "And Chuck?"

Chuck had already pressed the elevator button twice. "Yes?"

"I'll see what I can do. About Bass Industries."

After circling the ballroom aimlessly three times, Ozzy found himself where he started: at the bar. Ozzy glanced at the wall of bottles that gleaned under the chandeliers. He thought about what was being passed around outside or in the bathrooms. The more he told himself he shouldn't have any more, the more he wanted it. He tried to think of something else, to break the fixation, the desire to self-destruct.

The bartender asked what he would like.

"Water," He said. The words rolled off his tongue like a sharp pebble.

He should look for Evelyn. Apologize. That's what he needed to focus on.

He drank the water in one long sip. He saw one of Evelyn's friends crowded together whispering, and he approached them.

"Have you seen Evelyn?" He asked the group.

"Not for a while now," the one girl with blonde hair said.

He excused himself and noticed a staircase leading to a balcony above. He hadn't checked there yet. He was about to make his way there until a hand clamped his shoulder.

"What the—"

Dash appeared, releasing his grip. He had a bored expression on his face.

"What are you doing here?" Ozzy asked.

"Your parents are waiting outside. Let's go." Dash stuffed his fists in his jacket pockets. He took a look around the room, and Ozzy was sure they were looking for the same person.

"I can't."

"Why? Got to get in one more hit before we go?"

Ozzy's eyes hardened. "Fuck off. Tell my parents I'll be home soon."

"You can do that yourself," Dash said. "They're waiting outside."

"There's something I have to do first."

"Let me guess. It involves Evelyn?"

"It does," Ozzy said.

Dash scoffed and pulled out his phone from his pocket. "We'll, she's going to have to wait because your mom won't stop calling me."

"Fine."

Ozzy dragged his feet behind Dash, following his path out. Ozzy only stumbled a couple times, but it was enough to alert Dash, who grabbed him by the shoulder and guided him out. His grip was tight, perhaps ambivalent, but he didn't let go.

"Thom. This is a surprise since I don't recall inviting you tonight," Evelyn said with an even voice.

Thom drained his glass and set it on the mantle. "Didn't you know it's not a party until someone crashes?"

The double doors to the right opened revealing another person she hadn't invited in a red dress.

"Catherine? How did you get here?"

Catherine smirked. She held her phone in her hand, a set of keys in the other.

"Easy. Slipped the bouncer a couple bills. Nice venue by the way. Did you know one of my uncles owns it?"

Evelyn felt her hands become sweaty. "If I knew, I wouldn't have selected it."

"If all goes well, you won't be needing to think about that for the foreseeable future. And to think we actually planned to lure you up here where you walked here by yourself willingly."

Evelyn crossed her arms across her chest. "What do you want?"

Thom stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Isn't it obvious?"

Evelyn tightened her slick grip on her cellphone in her hand. "If you don't clear it up, I'll call security to escort you out immediately."

Thom chuckled. "Someone's uptight."

He stalked toward her, and with each step, Evelyn's heart began to race faster. She wanted to step back, run to the door, but she couldn't show her fear, not now.

"You and I have some business to discuss," Thom said. He turned to Catherine and gave her a nod. She smirked and walked back towards the doors she appeared from. Evelyn heard her turn the lock on the other side.

Evelyn's heart began to race. "I thought we already settled your debts."

Thom smirked. "My debts? You are the one who owes me. You are the one who was responsible for ruining my life!"

"I didn't tell you to become a dealer. It's not my fault that you were stupid enough to get caught."

"Oh, but it is your fault. You were the one who brought in Alejandro after Jenny couldn't pay for her mistake. You were able to walk away that night, but I didn't. Do you know what happened after you left?"

"I'm sure you're about to tell me."

"I was disowned. No trust, no family support, no nothing! That was because of you. My future was all planned out, and now it's gone because of you."

"You are delusional. You are the one who lied to your parents about dealing. You were the one risking everything to deal drugs which is illegal. You made those choices, and you suffered the consequences. That's not my fault. If you'll excuse me—"

Thom grabbed her arm. "Our family suffered a great humiliation that night, you know, paying someone like Alejandro to make him go away. My grandfather has never let me forget it. I've paid for my mistake all summer long. Now it's time for you to do the same."

"Let go of me."

Thom pulled her closer. Evelyn shrugged out of his grip and ran to the door. It was locked. She started banging on the door and began shouting for help.

"I don't think anyone can hear you. The music you chose was very loud."

Evelyn, heart pounding, felt her phone slip from the sweat in her hands. The walls felt like they were closing in on her, and she needed to think of a plan and fast. Shouting for help wouldn't do anything. No one knows where she was.

Then, she remembered. She remembered the one-word Chuck told her to use to alert him of these situations. With her back still to Thom, she sent the message, one clear and resounding word.

He pulled her away from the door, his grip bruising her forearm. Evelyn tried to pull away, her back hitting the door.

"There's nowhere to run. There's nowhere to hide, Bass. It's just you and me, now. Let's make a deal."

Chuck didn't wait for Arthur to open the limo door for him. He slammed it and walked through the plumes of cigarette smoke before he cut in front of a line of high schoolers waiting to get into the party.

"Excuse me, but you can't cut in front of us like that," A teenage girl, Chuck estimated was no older than fifteen, said.

"Yeah, who do you think you are anyway?" Her companion, a guy with the Trinity lavaliere on his lapel, asked.

He smirked. "If you even have to ask, then you don't deserve to be here. This is an emergency." Chuck turned to the stoic bouncer and continued, "Chuck Bass. My sister is running this event."

"You're not on the list."

"What do you mean I'm not on the list?"

"I'm sorry, but there's no Chuck Bass on the list."

"Let's see if you'll reconsider," Chuck said. He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a wad of bills. He slipped it casually onto the clipboard. "Am I on the list now?"

The bouncer inspected the bills and pocketed them. He removed the rope and allowed Chuck to pass. Once inside, Chuck abandoned the idea of scanning the dance floor or any other public space. If Evelyn was in trouble, it was more likely that she was in a secluded environment.

Chuck noted the staircase and started toward it. He saw two familiar faces, the only familiar faces in the crowds, and cut toward them. He clamped a hand on the taller one and yanked him back.

"What the—oh no." Dash's eyes darted around the room, waiting for a surprise attack.

Chuck, enjoying Dash squirm, turned his attention to Ozzy. "Have you seen my sister?"

"Yeah, like a half hour ago. I haven't been able to find her since. Why?"

"Why are you here looking for her?" Dash said.

Chuck swung his fist at Dash and felt it crack against his jaw. Dash was taller than him, and although he misjudged his distance, he got a clean shot at his cheek. His knuckles throbbed, and Dash crumpled, clutching his face.

Chuck shook his hand to ease the pain and said, "I wasn't asking you. I was asking him."

Ozzy crouched down to see if Dash was okay. "I think she could be upstairs."

He felt his chest restrict. He brushed past them and climbed up the stairs. He saw a line for the girl's bathroom and checked the men's bathroom. Then there was a row of rooms, probably used for storage, and he saw a girl with auburn hair lingering outside the first door along the corridor.

It was Catherine Baizen.

"Let go of me," Evelyn said. She tried to keep her voice calm and even despite hearing her heartbeat thud in her chest.

Thom smirked and let go. Evelyn slunk away from the door. As she lined the wall, trying to get away from Thom, he followed her, trapping her.

"What do you want?"

"For starters? Compensation. For your friend's mistake."

"Money? Don't you have enough of that?"

"After what happened, I've been cut off."

"Maybe that's for the best. You could learn something from it."

Thom grabbed Evelyn's wrist.

"Enough. Get me the money or else."

Evelyn struggled to wring herself free. Her breaths grew shorter, her palms began to sweat. "Or else what?"

Thom pulled her to him and kissed her hard. Their teeth clashed together, and Evelyn was so shocked that she couldn't even scream. His hands became claws, scratched and pulling at her dress.

"Stop—stop it!" Evelyn screamed. She found her footing and kneed him in the groin. Thom swore, his claws retracted from her, giving her enough time to get away.

Then, there was a pound on the door she originally entered from. A fierce, repetitive thump. Evelyn ran to it, trying to turn the jammed lock. She looked over her shoulder to Thom, who was slowly getting up again.

"Help! Please! Someone, help!" Evelyn shouted while trying to turn the lock.

"I'm here," she could hear her brother's voice through the door.

"I can't turn the lock," Evelyn wailed.

She could hear him try to use his body to break through the door but had no success.

"Try lifting the door up, and then turning the lock."

Evelyn lifted the doorknob, and the lock turned with ease.

"I got it! I got it!" Evelyn said.

She swung the door open, and she was met with her brother's eyes that scattered first to her, her torn dress, and then behind her. She felt her shoulders begin to sag in relief, but she noticed that Chuck didn't move. Evelyn expected him to rush past her and pummel Thom, but he rushed to her.

Evelyn looked over her shoulder and saw that Thom was gone.

"Evelyn," Chuck said carefully.

Evelyn started toward the fireplace. The double doors to the left were ajar. was a door to the next room. She hadn't noticed it before.

"He-he was here. He threatened me. He-he hurt me. Chuck, you believe me, don't you?"

"Of course, I do. I saw Catherine outside this door, and she bolted when she saw me."

Evelyn saw her reflection against the marble. Her hair was disheveled. Lipstick smeared. Dress ripped. She started to cry.

"Evelyn," Chuck said, his voice a whisper. He touched her shoulder, and she flinched.

Evelyn turned to face him, and with timid steps, fell into him. Chuck wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back gently.

"It's okay," He said. "You're safe now."

She nodded and held him tight. She was overwhelmed with so many feelings, she couldn't begin to process what just happened or would have happened if Chuck didn't arrive when he did.

She couldn't find the words to explain any of this. Instead, she asked, "Can we just go home?"

"The limo's waiting up front, but we'll use the side door."

Evelyn nodded and wiped away her tears.

"Here. This might help." Chuck removed the pins keeping her hair in place to conceal the rumpling of it. He also offered his pocket square to help clean up smudged mascara under her eyes.

Once cleaned, Evelyn took a deep breath and shook away the feel of Thom's claws off of her. Chuck offered her arm, and she grabbed onto him like a lifeline. They slowly walked the long way to their waiting limo.

Ozzy felt one more push from Dash as he stumbled out of the party. He turned once more to the door to see what Chuck was up to but couldn't because the bouncer was in the way. His stomach churned.

Why was Chuck here in the first place? Something had to be wrong if he was here.

"Come on," Dash said.

Ozzy dragged his feet behind Dash and walked away from the crowd of teens trying to get into the party. His parents stood ahead at the curb, in deep conversation. His mom turned when she saw Dash, and then fell on Ozzy.

"Ozzy, thank God," His mom sighed while giving him a hug. "You have to stop scarring me like this!"

"I'm sorry," Ozzy said.

"Do you have any idea how much you worried us? You can't just walk out like that when things aren't going your way."

"You seemed to prefer that method," Ozzy said.

"Enough with the attitude," his mother snapped. Alejandro came up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. For that moment, they looked picture perfect; like a couple who'd been together for years.

"Oscar, can I talk to you alone?"

"Fine."

Alejandro led them around the corner and onto a quieter side street. He stood under the first lamp post, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"I'm sorry," his father said. "I'm sorry for today. I had no idea how much I upset you."

Ozzy looked at his shoes. His body began to sway.

"I should have listened to you instead of trying to explain myself. I just thought I owed it to you, but that didn't mean you wanted it. Not now anyway."

"Thanks," Ozzy said.

"If you don't want me here, then I'll leave. I'll honor your wishes."

Ozzy looked up at his father who glowed under the streetlamp. He wanted to tell him off, push his father as far away as he could. But that wasn't what he wanted. If he pushed his father away now, he wouldn't see him again.

"I didn't say I didn't want you here," Ozzy said. "You just came at the absolute worst time. I've always wanted you here, but not just sometimes, all the time."

"I understand."

"I know that wasn't always an option, but if you do have an option, I'd want you to choose me instead of them. I should come first."

Ozzy's father nodded.

"But it's too late for that."

"Too late? Mi hijo, you're just going to give up like that?"

"I'm going to college next year. I'll be on my own and everything."

"Just because you go to school doesn't mean you've grown up. You've got a long way to go."

"Whatever. It doesn't matter. It's over."

"Do you always give up on people this easily?"

"What? I don't give up on people. It's only a matter of time before they disappoint you."

"Everyone?"

He shrugged.

"I wouldn't write off Dash or Evelyn that easily."

"Maybe you would if you knew them better."

"Really? You're telling me that Dash doesn't care about you? You know he was the one who found where you were and insisted that he come find you himself? He…he also gave me some perspective on how you're feeling."

"Dash hates me."

"He wouldn't be here if he hated you."

Ozzy looked back to where Dash stood beside his mom. He leaned against the limo, his arms crossed, eyes watchful. There was no way what his father said was the true. Dash probably came to see if he had another shot with Evelyn or to expose that he was trying to hook up with Evelyn again or something equally dumb.

Ozzy kicked a couple pebbles away. "Whatever."

"Why are you both fighting anyway?"

"It's a long story."

"It's about a girl isn't it?"

"Dash cheated on Evelyn and lied about it until she found out. They broke up and then…Evelyn used me to get back at Dash."

"How did she use you?"

"Well…she hooked up with me and planned it so that Dash would see it."

His father's expression was unreadable. "Well that explains a lot."

"What does it explain?"

"You're both fighting over the same girl. That never ends well with brothers."

"We're not brothers."

"The point is that competition destroys brotherhood. It could be over money. Business. A woman. I know Evelyn is a perfectly nice girl, and I can see why you like her, but Dash is your brother. He's family. That comes first. Letting Evelyn come in between you two will destroy your relationship."

"Isn't the damage already done?"

"You're jumping to conclusions again. Have you tried to work on it with Dash?"

"Yes. I apologize, and he gets mad and starts attacking me."

"Have you ever wondered why he's attacking you?"

"Well, no."

"Have you ever wondered if maybe Dash is threatened and is projecting that on you?"

"Dash threatened? Of me?"

"In my experience, people attack others most often when they're threatened or insecure."

Ozzy looked over his shoulder to Dash. There was no way he felt threatened of Ozzy. How could he feel threatened by him? He was a loner, crippled by depression and substance abuse. He spent his summer in rehabilitation while he was building his resume in South Korea. He was affable and charming. He had a stable childhood growing up in the city. He couldn't understand why someone like Dash could ever be threatened by him.

Ozzy thought of the nature of his attacks. They were about Evelyn. He was threatened by his relationship with Evelyn, but it was more than that. He thought back to when this all started. That night in May when he ran away. Yes, Dash cheated on Evelyn with Jenny. Dash blamed him for being driven to do that. Maybe that wasn't the problem. Evelyn chose him over Dash. She left him to find Ozzy. This was the problem. But there was something missing. Something that could explain it.

It dawned on him. He wasn't just threatened by his relationship with Evelyn. He was threatened by the fact that Evelyn left him for Ozzy like his mother left him and his father for another man.

"I need to talk to Dash," Ozzy said.

His father nodded his approval. "I'll go get him."

Dash looked initially confused when Alejandro told him, but he ambled forward hesitantly.

"Are you ready to go?"

"No. We need to talk."

Dash began to roll his eyes and said, "Talking never ends well with us, does it?"

"I'm serious Dash. This is important. For real this time."

Dash dropped his smirk. "Okay. What is it?"

"I'm sorry for not being honest with you about how I felt about Evelyn. I'm not talking about what happened in May or what happened at the fundraiser, I'm talking about the time you asked me if I liked her last year because you did and wanted to do something about it. I'm saying this because this is really where the problem started isn't it? I was lying to myself, and I lied to you then. I was wrong."

Dash was silent.

"I know we've both made a lot of mistakes since then, but I think we can both move beyond them. This only works if you want it to or if you just want to stay mad at me indefinitely."

"I don't want to be mad like this all the time," Dash said. "Look, I'm sorry for blaming you for what I did. I'm mad at myself for completely self-sabotaging my relationship. It's just frustrating though."

"Why is it frustrating?"

"Because I know that you'll get a second chance. I won't."

"Dash—"

"Stop. You know it, and I know it. You could mess up a hundred times and she'd still give you another chance. You want us to move past this?"

"Yeah."

"Then we have to agree on something. Neither of us can ever be involved with Evelyn. Ever."

"Ever?"

Dash shrugged. "It's the only way this'll work."

Ozzy felt his throat close up. There's no way he could agree to that. Not after everything that's happened. Not now that his feelings for Evelyn were clear to him.

"I don't think I can agree to that."

"Those are the terms."

"So, because you can't be with Evelyn anymore, I can't either?"

"So, you do want to be with her," Dash said.

"That's not the point."

"That is the point. You like her. I like her. And if we want to move on we have to put her behind us."

Ozzy noticed his father was watching their conversation attentively. He had to choose. Dash or Evelyn. His father suggested that he choose family, but he wasn't so sure. Despite what Dash thought, he didn't have any more second chances with Evelyn. He couldn't even be friends with her anymore. He couldn't see her as a friend anymore. She meant far too much to him for that. But he couldn't throw away his last opportunity, his first real opportunity to feel something more.

"I think we both have to at least try," Dash said.

Ozzy pushed away his thoughts about Evelyn. He had to try, and this was the only way they could get past this.

"Okay. We'll try it."

Evelyn didn't say a word on the way home. Her mind was still spinning from her encounter with Thom. Her wrists were sore, her head pounded, and her eyes felt heavy. Evelyn leaned her cheek against Chuck's shoulder, his arm wrapped around her. He didn't ask questions. He provided the steady beat of his heart and reassuring breathes calmed her.

As they waited for the elevator, Evelyn adjusted Chuck's suit jacket, and stuffed her hands in the pockets. She looked at her shoes, gold high heels that glittered in the light. Chuck had warned her that something like this could happen. That she could get hurt, but she didn't listen to him. She didn't listen to anyone.

"Chuck?"

"Yes."

"You were right. I got carried away. With Dash, Catherine, Jenny, and then Ozzy. I thought I could just plan this on my own and it all would work out. I guess you can say I told you so."

"Trust me, I didn't want to be right about this," Chuck said. "I just don't understand. Why didn't you come to me? I would have helped you. Especially with hurting Dash."

"I didn't want your help. I needed to do this on my own. I don't regret that. I really thought I could handle this all on my own."

"I understand. It was lonely wasn't it?"

"It was," Evelyn said softly. "I'm sorry for shutting you out."

"It's okay. I know there are some things that you don't…feel comfortable talking to me about, but I just want to make sure that you realize that there will always be someone in our family that you can depend on."

"I see what you're saying. I was taking everyone for granted."

Chuck nodded. "It's okay. Really. You've been through a lot."

"It's not that I didn't want you guys to not care, I just knew that no one had gone through what I was going through, and it would be hard for you to relate, and I just wasn't in any capacity to explain the situation over and over again. But then I ran into Blair and—"

"Blair Waldorf?"

"That's the only Blair I know. Why does that make you jealous that she spends time with me now and not you?"

"Of course not. I just didn't think you two had anything in common."

"It turns out we both know what it's like to be cheated on. I would never have predicted that that was what brought us together."

"That's-that's good."

"You don't sound pleased."

"I'm perplexed."

They stepped into the elevator. Evelyn leaned against the wall closest to the buttons and folded her arms across her chest.

"Thank you for coming tonight," Evelyn said.

"You don't need to thank me. Next time, I hope you call me before you find yourself in a situation like that."

"I will. I promise."

"What was that insect's name again?"

"Thom Taylor."

Chuck's jaw tightened. "Leave him to me. I'll take care of him."

"Do I want to know?"

"Probably not."

"Okay then."

The elevator chimed. Chuck stood aside so Evelyn was able to get off the elevator. She looked around for a familiar face waiting. The penthouse was empty. Evelyn's heart sank.

"I didn't tell anyone," Chuck said. "I didn't want to worry anyone unnecessarily."

Evelyn kicked off her heels. She ran her hand through her wavy hair and sighed. She closed her eyes. Why was it that she wished everyone was awake now? When everyone was around, she felt swarmed. Now, she felt lonely.

She walked into the kitchen where Aunt Kim's allergy medication was stashed beside the sink. She picked it up and put it down.

"Do you need anything else?" Chuck asked.

"No," Evelyn said. "Thank you, Chuck. For everything."

Evelyn wrapped her arms around Chuck, and she felt cocooned.

"Are you sure you don't need anything?"

She knew what she needed, and she was ready to confront it.

"No but thank you. I'm going to wash up and go to sleep."

"Good night."

Evelyn waved and disappeared down the hallway. She walked beyond her bedroom and stopped across the aisle to Chuck's. She knocked and opened the door to a dark room. The lamp light flickered on, and her Aunt squinted to see her.

"Evelyn? Is something wrong?"

Evelyn closed the door behind her. "I'm sorry for waking you."

Aunt Kim sat up. Her hair looked longer when worn down. It made her features softer, younger. "What's wrong sweetheart?"

Evelyn felt her eyes sting. She sat on the bed beside Aunt Kim, laid her head down on the pillow and began talking.

As Helen Keller once wrote: "Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full with opportunities to overcome it." While money may solve material woes on the Upper East Side, our UES's have to find opportunities to overcome personal suffering just like the rest of us. That opportunity may be confiding in someone. It may mean changing learned behaviors. It may mean facing past demons. No matter what opportunity presents itself, you've got to find the will to grab it and never let go.

You Know You Love Me,

XOXO Gossip Girl

A/N: And there you have it! Chuck gets closer to the truth, Evelyn/Blair bond, Ozzy's father returns, Blair continues to carve her own path, and Bart is ready to take action to get Bass Industries back.

So what's coming up next? The next chapter will be titled "Good Bass Hunting". Evelyn, Ozzy, and Dash will be off touring college campuses while Chuck and Blair will be brought back in each other's orbits through Locke and Key.

Happy holidays everyone, and see you all in 2020!

Till Next Time,

XOXO EZ11