AN: Thanks so much for the reviews! You all are great!

UPDATE: the last part is a flashback, sorry if that was confusing!

SPOTTED: Everyone who is anyone at the Waldorf end of summer dinner. Was that K sneaking out back to make out with a waiter? Someone needs to tell her summer is over and it's time for an upgrade. B was wearing one of her mother's gorgeous frocks but all the silk and lace in the world couldn't cover up her shock when S arrived. And from the look of N's wrinkled suit, we'd say S came at just the wrong time. Better luck next time B. But B wasn't the only one surprised by S's arrival, even her mother seemed shocked. Not quite the homecoming you were hoping for, S? The only one excited to see her was L or was that just meant to distract us from that kiss she had with C? Didn't you learn your lesson the first time around?

Lita couldn't believe that before she'd even gotten home from Blair's house, Gossip Girl had already posted on her site again. The ride home had been rather annoying; her parents had asked her a million questions about Serena's return and Lita hadn't been able to answer any of them. Serena had barely given her a hug before she disappeared out the door again. Lita tried not to be hurt but she really didn't understand Serena at all. How could she just walk away from all of her friends then come back so nonchalantly?

"I heard Serena's back!" Lita's younger sister appeared at the door of her bedroom, dressed for bed and eating a chocolate chip cookie.

Lita rolled her eyes and closed her laptop. "Yeah, how'd you know that?"Mena jumped onto Lita's bed and sprawled out. "Watch the crumbs, Mena."

"Tina heard about it from her sister and then she sent me a text. She also said that you and Chuck are dating. Are you or are you two just hooking up?"

"You've been watching way too much television. Mommy and Daddy would be so upset if they heard you talking like that. You're ten." Lita left her desk and lay down next to her sister. "And shouldn't you be in bed by now? You've got school tomorrow."

"So do you." Mena stuck her tongue out. "And you didn't answer my question. Are you and Chuck dating? Tina said her sister said you and Chuck kissed."

"No." Lita couldn't believe her little sister was such a gossip. "It wasn't that kind of a kiss, okay? It was a friend kiss."

"I saw you two kiss a bunch of times when we were in Brazil."Mena giggled. "And at the airport. You two were kissing and touching and-"

"Okay, it's seriously time for you to go to bed now."Lita pointed to the door, feeling completely embarrassed.

"Oh man, you're no fun."Mena groaned and rolled off of the bed, dragging her feet as she walked to the door. "One more thing."

"What's that?" Lita asked, she didn't think she could handle anything else.

"Chuck's waiting for you in the kitchen. I told him to wait down there because you were probably in your room waxing your mustache." Mena ran out the door – just dodging the pillow Lita threw at her.

Sure enough, Lita found Chuck waiting for her in the kitchen. He was sitting at the island counter eating a chocolate chip cookie and drinking a glass of milk. "Someone is regressing back to their childhood."

Chuck grinned. "Your sister insisted that I have a bedtime snack. She also told me about your medical problem, you know, the one that causes you to grow a mustache every night."

Lita sat down on a stool across from him. "I'm surprised you didn't notice it earlier. Most guys I kiss complain about it."

"Have you been kissing a lot of guys lately?" Chuck was joking but he didn't like the thought of it.

"No, just this one guy."Lita broke off a piece of his cookie and ate it.

"Yeah, is he wonderfully charming and terribly handsome?" Chuck asked in a cocky tone.

"He's alright," Lita shrugged. "if you like the brooding type."

Chuck laughed at her last comment. "You know what they say about the brooding types, right?"

"They're always up to no good?"

"No…"Chuck leaned across the table. "Try again."

Lita leaned in and pretended to think. "They're desperate for girls to give them attention?"

"I don't know about desperate…"He frowned.

"Oh yeah, totally desperate." Lita teased.

"So then take pity on me." Chuck kissed her cheek. "You really looked beautiful tonight."He kissed her other cheek. "I kept starring at you at dinner."He stretched to kiss her forehead. "I wish we could have just snuck away." Her chin was next. "Now, I am desperate. May I please have a proper kiss?"

"I suppose…" She cupped his cheek gently with one of her hands and let their mouths meet. Soft testing kisses turned into deeper lingering ones. It was Chuck who finally pulled away.

"Lita…" He tried to calm himself down, he felt like a prepubescent boy touching a girl for the first time. "We should talk."

"This is new, Chuck Bass wanting to talk." Lita started to sit back down but Chuck pulled her in for another kiss.

"Trust me, I'd rather be doing other things." Chuck sighed. "I just think we should talk about what's going on between us."

Lita nodded in agreement. "What is going on?"

Chuck shrugged.

They sat in silence, looking at each other for long minutes. "It would have to be different this time." Lita said finally, when she worked up the courage.

"We're different people now, more mature." Chuck noted.

"Yeah?" Lita looked him in the eyes, searching for something. "You think so?"

"I'm positive." Chuck stood and walked around the counter and turned Lita so she was facing him. "We want it to be different, so it will be." He brushed her hair back over her shoulder, letting his finger toy with her tight curls.

"I believe you."

a year ago...

Chuck watched Lita sitting at lunch with Blair, Serena, and Georgina. The other girls were laughing hysterically about something, talking with excitement, interrupting each other and laughing some more but Lita looked like she was only half paying attention to them. Chuck felt a pang of guilt; he knew why she was so upset. He'd said the cruelest things to her the night before and she'd forgiven him but he was sure that it hadn't erased the hurt. He knew something had to change, they couldn't keep doing this- hurting each other and then pretending everything was okay, just to keep up appearances.

"You wanna skip?" Nate suddenly appeared at Chuck's side. "I've got some pot."

Chuck didn't want to feel guilty anymore. "Sure, let me just send a text first."

Chuck took out his phone while Nate waited.

L- It was fun for a while but I don't want to do this anymore. sorry.

She'd thank him in the long run.

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