A/N: Thank you so much to those of you who have reviewed, I appreciate it tons! Sorry it took me a while to update. I got caught up with schoolwork and such. Please review though, it totally motivates me to put aside my work and write!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

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"Grandfather."

The older Vanderbuilt looked up from his office desk where he had been shuffling papers around and conversing with his secretary. He gave her a brief nod, dismissing her from his office.

She grabbed some papers and gave a small smile to the visitor as she quickly made her way out.

"Nathaniel. Please, sit."

Nate sat down in the plush leather chair opposite of the desk his grandfather was sitting at.

"How are you doing? How's your mother?"

Nate hesitantly opened his mouth to speak, unsure of his grandfather's motives. "Fine. We're both fine."

"Good, good. I had spoken with your mother recently and she was still a bit upset about your father's absence. I assured her that you did the right thing, that this was best."

Nate nodded, but stared intently at the frame on his grandfather's desk. Inside was a picture of him and his grandfather when he had been eight years old. His grandfather had an arm slung around Nate's shoulders, while Nate smiled brightly at the camera, holding a football in his hand.

The older Vanderbuilt looked towards the picture Nate had directed his gaze at and smiled. "Tag football on Thanksgiving. You won the game for our family."

After staring at the picture for a few moments longer, Nate looked up to see his grandfather giving him the very same, slight smile that he had once given in the photo. Nate frowned as he realized that if his grandfather's smile was insincere now, then that very same smile in the photo was most likely just as cold and distant then. He had just been too oblivious to notice at his young age.

"Nathaniel. You've always wanted the best for our family, always helped in any way you could. Your loyalty and trust worthiness are rare qualities to find in most people. That's why I want you to join the Vanderbuilt empire. You're young, bright, and have new ideas that the company could make use of."

Nate looked at his grandfather with his mouth hanging slightly open before closing it and clenching his jaw. "I already said that I didn't want-"

"I know. You didn't want to join me in the political arena. This, however, is different. This is a business proposition, nothing political at all."

Nate shook his head in confusion, "Why now? And I know plenty of people who are loyal and know much more about business than I do."

The older Vanderbuilt smiled at Nate, belittling him with the expression before replying, "No one is as trustworthy as family. The Vanderbuilt empire is a family-based establishment. And why not now? You are just starting your future and what better way to start it than with some great career experience?"

Nate opened his mouth to speak, but his grandfather interrupted, "Think about this, son. Not only is our whole family relying on you and your fellow cousins, our future generation, to keep the Vanderbuilt legacy alive, but your mother is as well. Your mother is depending on you now. She's been shunned from many of her social circles after your father's indiscretions and this is the perfect way for her to gain an opening back into the world she loves. For her son to be a part of the Vanderbuilt company...why, she'd immediately have VIP entrance into the Upper East Side's exclusive social network. Your mother just hasn't been the same since she left it."

Nate continued looking at his grandfather with narrowed eyes before averting his gaze to the window. He took a deep breath before replying, "What would I do?"

His grandfather folded his hands on his desk and smiled what anyone else would have described as sinister, but to Nate, seemed completely normal. It was his grandfather's only smile.

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"I honestly don't know how I'm expected to live off of a 3 oz bottle of shampoo. And did you see what they did with my Chanel No. 5? They dumped it all out, Serena. That should be illegal. Who do they think they are? If we were going on the Bass jet-"

"But we can't be on the Bass jet because that would mean Chuck would know that we're not really going to Florida." Serena glared at Blair as she closed the overhead compartment above her plane seat.

Blair gave her an equally murderous glare before replying, "Well, Serena, we wouldn't have to be going through any of this if we had just been honest with Chuck in the first place and really gone to Florida."

Serena gave Blair an incredulous look. "Blair, do you really want to go to Florida?"

"Of course not, S. But do I really want to be flying commercial?"

Serena shook her head and flipped her hair over her shoulder before leaning back against the seat. She closed her eyes and prepared herself for a flight full of Blair's constant complaining. How Chuck put up with her, she didn't know. Heck, how she put up with Blair for so long was a miracle in itself.

"S? You better not be sleeping. You know how I feel about flying, let alone on something that rarely passes safety standards only realized after its been crashed and flown by inadequately certified pilots. Stay awake!"

"Blair, if you don't shut up soon, I'm going to tell you about the failed attempt of a plane leaving JFK to take off two days ago."

Blair's head whipped away from Serena towards the window as she looked frantically around to see if the runway looked unsuitable in anyway. A flight attendant made her way down the aisle, smiling politely at passengers. Blair stood up and grabbed the attendant's wrist, alarming the attendant as she asked, "Is the plane okay? Have the engines been checked? No broken wings? Enough fuel? Because my father and step-father are both very prominent lawyers and if anything should happen to me, your asses will be sued in a matter of-"

"Miss! Please calm down. I assure you that the pilots have been given the okay. Now if you would please let go of me. I can get you something to relieve your anxiety if you'd like?"

Blair let go of the woman's wrist before looking around to find all of the people seated around her looking at her with their mouths hanging open. Blair smoothed her dress down and quietly sat down, shaking her head 'no' to the flight attendant.

The flight attendant gave her a tight smile before continuing her way down the aisle.

Blair chanced a glance up at Serena only to find her looking at Blair in shock.

"What? I had to make sure!"

Serena was about to open her mouth, but was cut off as an attendant's voice came on over the speaker instructing everyone to fasten their seat belts and prepare for take off. Blair pulled on her seat belt until it was almost bruising her waist. She grabbed onto the arm rests, knuckles white from her firm grip, and closed her eyes, willing herself to remain calm. Why did she listen to Serena? She could have been home laying in bed with Chuck right now, in post-coital bliss, ordering her favorites off Bendel's website. The thought of Chuck instantly remind her of the fact that he had no idea she was really on her way to Europe. A pang of guilt was added to her feelings of fear and anxiety, only making her feel more sick.

Why, oh why was she such a horrible girlfriend?

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Chuck watched as more and more items were brought into his suite, ranging from handles of alcohol to strip poles.

"Mr. Bass, where would you like this?" one of the party rental guys asked.

Chuck looked over at the item the guy was struggling to hold up. It was a big fondue fountain in the shape of a naked woman and chocolate was currently spilling out the statue's lips and breasts. Chuck cringed at the tacky display and pointed to his bar.

He was going to kill Nathaniel. He hung up the call after it went to Nate's voicemail for what seemed like the millionth time. He didn't want to have the party in the first place. The whole thing was Nate's idea and Nate wasn't even there to set up the ordeal.

If only Blair could see what Chuck's suite looked like at the moment. She'd probably break up with him right then and there. Another mover came through the doorway, dropping an item off on the floor. Chuck looked up, startled, fearing that it was somehow Blair coming into his suite. Maybe she changed her mind about the trip and came back to see him.

Chuck rolled his eyes at the absurdity of it all and considered calling Blair. He knew she was on a plane right now with no service, but he wanted to leave her a voicemail. The fact that he considered doing this made him a sap, but what could he do? Blair Waldorf had changed him. The fact that Chuck didn't find any of the party rentals amusing or the fact that he didn't find having a repeat of "The Lost Weekend" enticing was proof in itself. But he wouldn't have it any other way.

Chuck smiled as he scrolled over Blair's name in his phonebook and found the picture of her glaring at him that he had attached to her number. He pressed call and waited for her voicemail so he could leave a message.

Chuck smirked after hearing her recorded greeting, walking into the bathroom for some privacy.

"Hey, baby. Just wanted to let you know that I've been thinking about you. Actually thinking about that special goodbye you gave me last night. If I had known farewells were treated in such manner, why I would have suggested you go on a few more trips. But then again, I have felt rather lonely without your presence. I've been left with only the memory of you purring in my ear and the image of those luscious lips parting from the undeniable pleasure I gave you...over and over and over again. Try not to become too sexually deprived while you're away, although, that might work well for me when you get back. I do love when you're exceptionally eager. Stay safe and call me if you need anything. Love you, Waldorf."

Chuck grinned as he pressed end, but his grin quickly faded and turned into a grimace when he came out of the bathroom. There in front of him was one of the movers hanging his head to the side, with his mouth open in an attempt to catch the flowing chocolate coming out of the fondue statue's breast.

Nathaniel was a dead man.