Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
"If the first thing out of your mouth is how stupid I'm being, I'm going to slap you," Serena told her best friend when they met for their ritual Monday morning shopping spree.
"Then I won't say it," Blair took her seat and ordered her usual coffee. She definitely needed the caffeine jolt that day. Aiden had been up and down all night with nightmares, likely from the run in with Jack they'd had over the weekend.
"And don't think it," Serena added before taking a sip of her cappuccino.
"Honestly, I don't think you're stupid," Blair responded sincerely, "I think you're vulnerable, and Jack took advantage. Once upon a time, I was vulnerable. I'd poured my heart out to Chuck and then woke up the next morning with an empty bed and a shattered heart. Jack happened upon me and took advantage of me the same way. He can be very charming when he wants to be."
"You think he's using me to get to Chuck's company," Serena replied.
"I think he's using you," Blair confirmed, "I'm not really sure what his target is. Chuck and I have theories but no conclusive proof."
Serena pulled an envelope out of her purse and pushed it towards Blair.
"What's this?" Blair turned the envelope over to read the return address. It was unfamiliar, but it sounded like a law firm.
"Divorce papers," Serena replied, "Some lackey delivered them to me at my hotel room last night."
"Already!" Blair gasped, "Dan only found out on Friday."
"I guess he found a lawyer willing to work through the weekend. Bet that will end up costing me a pretty penny," Serena replied, "He wants our apartment and most of the assets we've acquired during our marriage, reimbursement of attorney fees, and he's asking for alimony."
"Alimony!" Blair exclaimed, "What for?"
"Apparently he's become 'accustomed' to our lifestyle since we were married, and since the prenup is null and void, he's going after everything he can," she explained.
"He never acclimated to any lifestyle," Blair scoffed, "That's just ridiculous."
"What can I do?" Serena shrugged.
"Have you talked to Dan since this all came out?" Blair asked, "Is there no hope of reconciliation?"
"I haven't," she shook her head, "What would I even say if I did? Sorry, I cheated on you?"
"That would be where I'd start," Blair responded, "There is also the part where you explain why. You've been a mess since…"
"Don't even say it," Serena cut her off, "I don't want yet another reminder of the children that I've lost. This has nothing to do with that."
"You don't believe that any more than I do," Blair replied, "The loss of those children applies directly to what is going on now. You haven't allowed yourself to grieve. You've been walking around in a fog for months. What happened was truly awful; I wish you never had to deal with any of it, but you haven't dealt with it. Dan tried to help you. I've tried to help you. Lily tried to help you. You don't want our help. You want to push everyone away and just avoid it. You're doing what you've always done. You're running away again, only this time it isn't to boarding school, it's to Jack Bass."
"What do you know!" Serena hissed, "This didn't happen to you. You've always had the perfect life."
"Are you serious!" Blair gasped, "You think my life has been perfect! Have you forgotten how ignored I was by my parents growing up? How I was criticized by my mother on the rare occasions that she was around? What about my father leaving my mother for another man? Have you forgotten how my boyfriend slept with my best friend? Or that I used to purge every meal that I ate? Have you forgotten that I couldn't get the man that I love to admit he had any sort of feelings for me for nearly two years? You are not the only one that has had a rough life, Serena."
"Yet you're married to a wonderful man and have three equally wonderful children," Serena shot back.
"Because I never ran away," Blair replied, "I fought for Chuck. I fought for a life with him and for a future with him and a family with him. It could have been so easy to just run away, but then I wouldn't have all that I do. Life is complicated, Serena. It can be messy and painful and mistakes can be made along the way. If you want to save your marriage, then fight for it. If Dan truly loves you, he can get past this."
"Could you get past this if Chuck cheated on you?" Serena shot back.
"It would break my heart," Blair admitted while a tear trailed down her cheek, "But I couldn't just run to the nearest divorce attorney without fighting with everything that I have to save my marriage first."
"That's just further proof of how different we are," Serena sniffled, "I guess I don't see that my marriage is worth saving. Dan obviously agrees."
"Is this really something you want to give up on so quickly?" Blair pressed.
"Dan does," Serena stated as she tapped the papers.
"Dan isn't the only one in your marriage," Blair reminded her, "What do you want?"
"I don't know," Serena replied after several minutes of thought.
"Is furthering this affair with Jack what you want?" Blair pressed on.
"I don't know," Serena stated after several more minutes of thought.
"Before you just sign those papers, you need to have a serious talk with yourself," Blair advised her.
"I've loved Dan for so long," Serena added tearfully.
"I know," Blair took Serena's hand, wiping away a stray tear that fell down her own cheek.
"I'm too depressed to shop," Serena sighed.
"How about a walk through Central Park instead?" Blair suggested, "The fresh air might clear your head."
"That sounds like a good idea," Serena nodded.
Blair paid for their coffees and entwined her arm into her best friend before guided her towards the park. Serena seemed so lost; Blair wasn't even sure she could have found the park, despite the size and close proximity.
"Dan sent Serena divorce papers," Blair told her husband after she returned from her long walk with her best friend.
"That didn't take long," he sighed.
"He's being an ass," Blair stated.
"Children nearby," Chuck pressed his finger to her lips, "Specifically the one that likes to parrot everything we say."
"It's still true," Blair replied before Aiden darted into the room and jumped into his mother's arms.
"Hi, Mommy," he stated as he hugged her tight, "I miss you."
"I missed you too," she kissed his forehead after taking a few moments to inspect his black eye. The swelling was gone, but he was still slightly bruised. "Did you have a fun day with Daddy?"
"I ride horsey," he announced merrily.
"A horsey, huh," Blair turned to eye her husband. That sounded like something that they should have discussed beforehand like they'd done before Charlotte rode for the first time.
"It was a small horsey," Chuck assured her, "And a spur of the moment thing."
"Did you have fun on the horsey?" Blair asked.
"Yes," he nodded his head.
"Where are Brice and Charlotte?" she asked.
"They bad," Aiden stated.
"They bad?" Blair inquired, "Are they being punished?"
Aiden nodded.
"Do I want to know?" Blair asked her husband.
"It was a little sibling pushing and shoving," Chuck explained, "Nothing too extreme but punishable."
"Uh-oh," she smirked. She waited for Aiden to parrot her as he always did when she said the phrase. He didn't disappoint. "You have such a sweet voice, Peanut," she laughed. She made sure to encourage her youngest to talk as much as she could. It was only recently that he became brave enough to do so. Until then he'd been too shy to talk more than a few words at a time. Their pediatrician had assured them it was completely normal, especially when they had older siblings that were chatterboxes like Charlotte.
"Aiden, go tell Charlotte and Brice that their punishment is over," Chuck instructed his son as Blair returned him to his feet.
"Okay," he stated as he scurried out of the entryway to carry out his father's orders.
"So a horsey, huh," Blair glared at him with her hands on her hips.
"I know I should have consulted you," he began, "But they were offering beginning rides at Charlotte's stable, and those dark eyes of his just sucked me in. You know how hard they are to resist."
"No more pony rides without consulting me," she jabbed her finger into his chest, "You better have pictures."
"Of course I have pictures," he pulled his phone from his pocket and flipped through it until he found the pictures to show her.
"He's so photogenic," she smiled while looking through picture after picture. There were even a few of Brice on a horse, though he wasn't as enthused as their youngest.
"We have a beautiful family," he agreed while reclaiming his phone.
"I didn't see Daddy on a horse," she teased.
"I'll leave the horse riding to the children," he chuckled, "I'm into a more adult ride."
"Later," she sighed, "I'm too upset with another member of your gender at the moment to focus on sex."
"We need to change that," he replied.
"Later okay?"
"I'm holding you to that," Chuck kissed her cheek as he made the obvious observation, "You're a little light in the bags, Beautiful. You were gone several hours, so there should be at minimum ten bags to show for it."
"We didn't go shopping," Blair replied, "Serena wasn't feeling up to it. We wandered around Central Park for most of the day. I'm really worried, Chuck. She hardly said a word to me the entire time. We have to do something."
"I don't know what you think we can do here," Chuck replied.
"There has to be something," she insisted, "I'm afraid for my friend."
"Afraid," his voice quivered with nervousness, "How? Is Serena in danger of hurting herself?"
"No, not like that," Blair shook her head, "I'm just afraid of the habits she'll fall back on. You remember the party girl as well as I do. I don't have the time to scour the entire city for her night after night, anymore. We're parents. Those children are our number one, two and three priorities."
"I'll get my people on her," Chuck replied, "I'll keep them at a safe distance so she doesn't know they are there, but they can keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't get in too much trouble."
"I'd hate that it might come to that, but it's probably a good idea," Blair replied.
"What if this does go that way?" Chuck thought, "We can't have our children exposed to those influences."
"We won't have any other choice than to keep her away from them," Blair agreed as fresh tears sprung to her eyes.
"Let's cross that bridge only if we have to," Chuck stated as she stepped into his arms.
"What's the matter, Mommy?" Charlotte bounced into the entryway.
"It's grownup stuff, Sweetheart," Blair stated wiped her eyes.
"It's always grownup stuff," Charlotte whined.
"That's because we're grownups," Chuck laughed before kissing her forehead.
"I don't want to grown up," Charlotte repeated herself from days earlier.
"Please don't," Chuck smirked and kissed her again.
"I drew Aunt Serena a picture," Charlotte unfolded a piece of paper to show her mother.
"You can give it to her tonight," Blair patted her daughter's head.
Chuck looked at Blair curiously.
"Serena's having dinner with us," Blair explained, "And Charlotte, I don't want you to bring up Dan, okay?"
"Okay," Charlotte nodded.
"And tell your brothers too," Blair added.
Charlotte darted out of the room to complete her assignment. She never missed a chance to tell her brothers what to do.
"We're having a dinner guest?" Chuck lifted an eyebrow.
"It cheered her up when I talked about the children," Blair replied, "I figured an evening with her adorable niece and nephews would help, and maybe we could get her out of the hotel."
"You want Serena to stay with us," he guided her into their bedroom so they could talk in private. There was less of a chance of the children interrupting them in their bedroom than the entryway, and their conversation was rapidly becoming inappropriate for little ears.
"Not permanently," she added quickly, "Just for a little while, until she gets a handle on what she's planning to do."
"And we can get Jack out of the picture," Chuck closed the bedroom door behind them.
"Yes, that would be an added bonus," she nodded, "Has your PI dug up anything on him and his agenda yet?"
"Nothing on his agenda, but he didn't leave Bass as voluntarily as he led us to believe," Chuck responded, "He was given an ultimatum by the South Pacific Director of Operations. Either he quit voluntarily or be forced out against his will. Apparently his work ethic was suspect."
"Shocking!" Blair gasped in mock surprise, "You mean having the Bass name doesn't equal a free pass to do whatever you feel like it."
Chuck laughed while Blair kicked off her shoes.
"So he's become someone else's headache," Blair sighed.
"Near as I can tell, the venture capital firm that he works for is legitimate," he added, "His involvement isn't as essential as he perhaps thinks."
"And Bass isn't anywhere on their radar?"
"No," Chuck shook his head, "It took a few calls, but I was able to confirm that they aren't targeting Bass. It would require more time and energy than any firm has, not to mention actual capital. A curious side effect of my inquiry, I was offered a job with the firm as well."
"Which you promptly turned down," Blair added, "So it's not Bass that he's after, and as few morals as he has, I don't believe he'd target our children."
"Agreed," Chuck nodded, "It's either Lily or you and me. I don't believe his feelings for Serena are as genuine as she may believe."
"I want to shake her until she realizes that Jack is using her," Blair stated.
"You may be shaking her for quite awhile," Chuck responded, "She's stubborn, like we all are."
"Aunt Serena, I made this for you," Charlotte greeted her aunt when she arrived for dinner with her drawing held high.
"Awe, Charlee, this is beautiful," Serena accepted the drawing, "You are such a talented artist."
"Are you feeling better?" Charlotte wrapped her arms around her godmother's waist.
"I am now," she hugged her niece tight, "You give the best hugs."
"Aunt Serena, I don't like Humphrey anymore," Charlotte added, "He's a stupidhead."
"I agree," Serena nodded, "Where is everyone?"
"Mommy and Daddy are in their bedroom," Charlotte stated, "Dorota and Brice took Barty for a walk, and Aiden is still sleeping."
"Well, how about you and I go wake up Aiden," Serena suggested, "I think it is best if we left Mommy and Daddy alone."
"Yes, it is," she nodded in agreement as she took Serena's hand and led her to Aiden's room where they woke the grouchy tot. It took a bowl of ice cream to cheer him up. After the sugar rush, the three returned to the living area where Dorota set up the art table for a coloring marathon before she'd left with Brice and Barty for their walk.
"Serena, how long have you been here?" Blair came to a skidding halt in the living room when she saw Serena sitting at the children's art table, coloring with both Charlotte and Aiden.
"Two pictures worth," Serena held up the drawings she'd colored.
"You should have told us you were here," Blair knelt next to the table to look over the work of her children.
"And interrupt you and your husband in the bedroom, I don't think so," Serena replied, "Charlotte and Aiden have been entertaining me."
"Where's Brice?" Blair inquired.
"Walking Barty," Charlotte chimed in.
"Still," Blair frowned after a glance at her watch, "Brice must have talked Dorota into doing a second lap through the park. He should have been home by now."
"This is you, Mommy," Aiden held up a squiggly lined picture for his mother.
"I think it's upside down, Sweetheart," Blair chuckled as she turned the picture around, "My skirt almost came up over my head."
"That only happens with Daddy," Charlotte chimed in.
"Charlee!" Serena gasped in surprise.
"What?" Charlotte shrugged. She couldn't understand why her godmother was so outraged by what she said. It was such a common occurrence in her house that she never thought twice about it.
"Chuck and I have a proposition for you," Blair announced as Aiden set down his picture and went to hug his mother. Blair took over his chair and sat him in her lap.
"I'm listening," Serena replied.
"I know how much you hate living in hotels," Blair began, "Chuck and I thought you could take over one of our guest rooms for as long as you need before you find a new residence. Obviously, you could come and go as you please. The only rule we have is no overnight guests."
"I do hate hotels," Serena nodded, "Are you sure it's a good idea for me to stay here? I'm sure I'll get on Chuck's nerves within a few hours."
"Minutes," Chuck amended when he joined the quartet in the room, "But when has that ever been a deterrent before?"
"You want to keep me away from Jack," Serena concluded.
"That's not our decision to make," Blair replied, "You are an adult. Who you see is your business."
"Daddy's Uncle Jack looks like Grandpa Bart," Charlotte chimed in.
"How do you know, Peanut?" Serena inquired.
"We saw Daddy arguing with him," Charlotte explained.
"When?" Serena pressed for details.
"After 'The Lion King'," Charlotte explained, "Aiden was being Simba."
Aiden chimed in with a lion's growl to prove it.
"Jack said that he would go out of his way to avoid you while he was in town," she looked at her best friend with confused eyes, "He promised he wasn't here to make trouble for either of you."
"Then I'm curious why he approached us," Blair stated.
"He told me just this morning that he hasn't seen you since he came back to town," Serena added.
"That's not true," Charlotte chimed in.
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Serena sighed, "I've always had horrible taste in men, just like my mom."
"Don't beat yourself up, S," Blair gave her a sympathetic smile, "He can be very convincing."
"I wonder what else he's told me that isn't true," Serena thought out loud.
"At least you're finding all this out now," Blair offered up a way for Serena to look on the brighter side, "Maybe you can still save your marriage."
"I think that is over," Serena tapped at the table, "Maybe it would be best if I started fresh."
"Here, Aunt Serena," Charlotte handed her godmother a fresh page and a few crayons to color with.
"Thanks, Peanut," Serena smiled.
"Are you going to be starting over here, or in a hotel?" Blair inquired.
"Stay here, Aunt Serena," Charlotte jumped up and down eagerly, "We can have slumber parties every night."
"That does sound like fun," Serena picked up on her niece's infectious energy, "I'll stay, but the minute that I start to get on everyone's nerves, I'm gone."
Charlotte threw her arms around her aunt's neck and hugged her tight. "We can have a slumber party tonight."
"Maybe tomorrow night," Blair amended, "Aunt Serena has to go back to her hotel and pack tonight."
"Tomorrow," Serena kissed her goddaughter's forehead in hopes of wiping the pout away.
TBC…
