A/N- Hope everyone is having a great November! Enjoy!

Lost Weekend

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Chapter Ten

Spotted: Chuck Bass and Georgina Sparks making a Starbucks run in the late hours on Monday night. Being up at such an ungodly time makes sense for these two sinners, but what about B? It's nearly her birthday weekend, which means her second attempt at getting C on a plane bound for Europe. Any bets on how things will go down this time? Will Georgina's wicked ways ruin my new favorite couple's trip to the city of love?

Doesn't look like B's staying home pining for C though- my sources say B and S were spotted out with Serena's new flame Aaron, meeting up with his friends from RISD. Cute, if you can stand smoker breath and artful scruff. Yuck. I'll pass- but will B?

Georgina took a long sip from her Starbucks coffee (black, of course), watching Chuck.

"What?" He looked up from the spreadsheets he was working on, annoyed.

"I didn't say anything." She smirked.

"It's not going to work." He shook his head.

"You're not even curious?"

"No. My mother's dead. She has been for seventeen years. You're bluffing."

Chuck had never replied to her ominous text message about his mother, and hadn't contacted her the whole weekend. It was now Monday night, and still, not even the hint of a question about it.

"If you say so." Georgina shrugged, rifling through the photo shoots of the Victrola dancers Bart had professionally had done this past weekend. They were supposed to pick the best one for New York magazine, who was interested in doing a feature on the place.

Georgina slid one of the pictures over the spreadsheet Chuck was busy highlighting. "What about this one?"

It was a picture of Leslie, a new tall blond girl who had the distinction of being the only Victrola dancer who could do a dance with a flaming hula hoop. The picture showed Leslie on her back, legs spread in a V, with the hula hoop twirling around her ankle.

"It's nice." Chuck approved.

"She's Leslie, right?"

"Right."

"You fucked her yet?"

Chuck sighed. "I told you. I'm with Blair."

Georgina smirked. "Come on, Bass. You can drop the scandalized act. The Victrola girls have been telling me some pretty interesting stories about you."

"Ancient history, G. Don't get your hopes up."

"Right. Chuck Bass, a one-woman man. It keeps slipping my mind."

"Well, as slippery as your mind is, can we try and focus? I want to get out of here."

"Fine. Sorry. Work, work, work." Georgina saluted him, sliding the picture of Leslie back to her side of the table.

Chuck rubbed his eyes, feeling exhausted. His father was practically working them to the bone on this. But Friday was only four days away…a whole weekend, just him and Blair, thousands of miles away from Bart and Georgina and school. He sighed, feeling better.

"Can you hand me my purse?" Georgina cut into his thoughts.

Chuck grabbed her studded black bag, pushing it across the table.

"Thanks. My hair is driving me crazy." She got out a rubber band and pulled her mass of dark curls back into a messy bun, stretching her arms.

Chuck looked at her long, pale neck that was suddenly exposed. He had always had a thing about girls' necks. There was just something about them that was so delicate and feminine. Strange to think about anything belonging to Georgina being delicate.

Strange to think about Georgina at all, he thought, revolted with himself. Gross. Chuck's first reaction with all women was to find something sexually appealing about them. And then usually sleep with them.

But not anymore, he told himself firmly.

"You always want what you can't have." She said suddenly.

He looked up at her, alarmed. "Excuse me?"

"That should be the angle we take with the new burlesque club. Forbidden desire. You know, Victrola's all about escapism, but maybe the new place could be about everything taboo and not allowed. Make it look like an old speakeasy from the 20's…like an anti-prohibition theme."

"That does sound interesting." Chuck narrowed his eyes, imagining it.

"We could call it "Gatsby." Or something like that."

"That's a great book."

"Oh, I forgot. You always actually read the stuff we were assigned for class." Georgina grinned.

"I like reading." Chuck shrugged.

"Ugh. You're getting more boring by the second, Bass," She grimaced, flipping open her phone to read a new text message.

"Who's that? Your dealer?"

She laughed. "No. Just some friends. Are you doing anything this weekend? We were all going to drive-"

"Georgina. I don't know how much clearer I can make this. You and I…we're not friends. We're not going to hang out on weekends. I just work with you."

"You have something better to do?"

"Again, none of your business."

"Like go to Paris with Blair?"

He set down his pen, a little awed. "How the hell did you know that?"

"I have my ways, Chuck."

"Why do you care what I do on the weekends?"

"Oh, I just like knowing stuff," She said, raising one perfectly arched eyebrow, "So you and Blair- when's the wedding?"

"What do you mean?"

"Going to Paris together? Come on. It's Blair. She's probably had some crazy little fantasy about a guy taking her there since she was born.

"I see what you're doing." Chuck shook his head.

"What am I doing?" She leaned across the table, closer to him.

"Trying to make me think taking Blair to Paris is a bad idea. It's not going to work. I want to be with her. I…"

"Love her? Well, why wouldn't you? Neurotic bulimics are just so darn fun."

Chuck's brow furrowed. "What?"

"Oh, you didn't know about Blair's little 'problem?' I thought everyone did." Georgina said dismissively.

"Blair is not bulimic." Chuck said, confused.

"Sure she is."

"No, she isn't."

"Oh, okay. Sorry. Didn't mean to break your little dream-girl bubble. Keep thinking she's perfect and undamaged if you want." Georgina went back to her photos.

"Who told you she was?" Chuck demanded.

"Serena. She kind of swore me to secrecy, but now that you and Blair are practically picking out china patterns…"

"Stop saying that!" Chuck said, his head spinning.

Georgina looked up, her dark blue eyes flashing with anger. "Or what?"

They were interrupted by the sound of an elevator door opening, and the familiar sound of Blair and Serena's laughter.

"Chuck! We come bearing gifts-" Serena called, stepping into the conference room at Bart's office Chuck and Georgina were using.

Serena stopped dead when she saw Georgina, her eyes losing all life.

"Hey, Serena!" Georgina said, as if running into her oldest, best friend shopping or something.

Serena's jaw clenched. She turned to Blair. "B, I'm just going to wait outside."

"That's fine." Blair said, obviously not very pleased Georgina was there either.

Chuck got up, kissing Blair on the cheek. "Hey, beautiful. This is a surprise."

"I thought you might be lonely but…obviously not." Blair said, looking at Georgina who wasn't even trying to disguise the fact she was watching Blair and Chuck's interaction.

"Don't worry, B. I'm keeping him company." Georgina said, holding the pictures of the Victrola girls like they were a hand of cards.

Blair ignored her, turning back to Chuck and handing him the plastic bag Serena had come in with. "Serena and I got Chinese with Aaron and his friends, and we brought you the left-overs. I thought you might be hungry after working so late."

Georgina smirked. And Chuck didn't think they acted like an old married couple already?

"That was nice of you." He took it gratefully, realizing his stomach was growling.

"It does happen occasionally." She smiled.

"So Aaron and his friends, huh? Guy friends?" Chuck crossed his arms.

"Mostly."

"I'm sure they loved you."

"Some of them were pretty cute." She smiled mischievously.

"Should I be worried?"

She looked at him with narrowed eyes, and they both heard her unspoken question without her even looking at Georgina.

Should I?

Georgina was watching them calmly.

"Can you give us a minute?" Chuck said to Georgina, stating the obvious.

"Oh, just pretend I'm not here." She waved her hand flippantly.

They looked back at each other, annoyed. Blair and Chuck were many things, but bad-mannered was not one of them. They didn't understand people who just chose to have bad social graces.

"Call me whenever you get done?" Blair sighed, giving up on getting a second alone with him.

"It might be late."

"I don't care. I have to tell you something about--" She almost said 'this weekend' but stopped herself, "—our project."

"Okay. I will."

Blair shot one more annoyed look at Georgina, who seemed completely nonplussed by their displeasure with her presence. What a bitch.

"Chuck and I really have a lot of work to get done." Georgina said with a wicked little smile.

Fine. Blair smiled back, big and fake. "Oh, I'm sorry. You're right. I'll just get going," She held her hands up like a surrender, "Chuck? Just one more thing."

"What?" He turned to her.

Blair grabbed him, kissing him hard and long enough to leave Chuck staggered when she broke away. Even Georgina looked a little taken aback—not an easy reaction to get out of her.

"Bye, Chuck." Blair patted his arm, giving Georgina a little wave and leaving.

"Blair." He stammered in lieu of an actual coherent response.

She walked out of the room, smirking. She found Serena in the hallway, shaking her head.

"What was that, B?"

"Simple, S. After that kiss, that little witch will be the last thing he'll be thinking about tonight." Blair said, very satisfied with herself as she linked her arm through her Serena's.

"Or you just got him really turned on to go hang out with Georgina Sparks." Serena pointed out.

Blair looked at her friend, alarmed. "You're right. I should not plot this quickly! I do not think things through!"

Serena laughed. "I was just kidding. I think you're fine."

"Chuck and I really have a lot of work to get done," Blair imitated Georgina, making a face, "What work? Ugh. I think if I murdered her, the jury couldn't convict."

"Ah, yes. The old "trying-to-steal-my-boyfriend" loophole." Serena giggled.

"You know I could sell it."

"I don't have a doubt in my mind. Just keep telling yourself, B- four more days til Paris. Four more days til Paris." Serena chanted it like a mantra as they got on the elevator.

Blair closed her eyes, trying to find her inner lady who had class and poise and didn't fantasize about rending Georgina limb from limb. "You're right. What would Audrey do?"

"There you go," Serena put her arm around Blair proudly, "My little B's all grown up."

"Your little B is still feeling homicidal. Let's go before I make you an accessory to my crimes."

"Being an accessory to your crimes is like my lot in life." Serena laughed.

"True." Blair grinned, checking her phone as it vibrated with a new text message.

It was from Chuck.

I wish I was with you. Can't wait until Friday.

Blair felt her cheeks grow hot. She could almost hear his voice in her ear.

Could this weekend just get here already?

Agreed, B! Even those of us who aren't jetting to Paris with a billionaire on Friday are ready for this week to end- and it's only Monday. ::sigh:: But I guess B and all of us have just got to find some inner strength to wait it out.

Besides I should be thankful I don't have G breathing down my boyfriend's neck, spilling all the secrets of my past. Now that G's dropped the bulimia-bomb, will C dare to bring it up? And what does G really know about the elusive (and deceased?) original Mrs. Bass? Will Chuck ever cave to Georgina's devious and no doubt depraved wishes? Or will he actually get on the plane with B this time? Better blow out your candles and not tell anyone your birthday wish, B-- I've heard that makes them not come true…

You know I'll be watching. And telling all, of course. Until then…XOXO Gossip Girl.

A/N- Reviews=love.