Disclaimer: 'Gossip Girl' belongs to Cecily von Ziegesar, Josh Schwartz, and the CW. No copyright infringement intended.
Author's Note: This story is AU as of 2x05. I've had this idea since I found out that Bart is a widower in the LB wedding articles – before the finale. And the idea for this story came right after 2x04. I don't like spoilers; therefore, I knew nothing about what happened in 2x05. And since I've had this idea for so long, I will not change it to make it fit. (It wouldn't work with the story, anyway.) This chapter helps explain why Chuck's in his mood.
Also: the ENTIRE chapter is a FLASHBACK!
March 1999 –
Seven-year-old Chuck Bass had just finished another boring day of second grade. He wasn't learning anything exciting in his classes.
Math was easy, especially when your dad is a billionaire businessman. Chuck already knew how to multiple. Everyone else was so slow to catch on; expect her, Blair Waldorf. She was almost as good as him. Almost. He smiled as he entered his UES apartment building and got into the elevator.
He didn't care about History. He and his best friend, Nathaniel Archibald, spent most of the time talking. Why did they even need the subject? It was history! Who cared about the past anywhere? It wasn't like it could be changed. Pointless if you asked him, which was probably why his teacher didn't call on him anymore. He continued his grin as the elevator door opened.
After he set down his backpack and shrugged off his blazer, his smile started to disappear. The apartment was eerily silent. His mother usually had someone running off to do something or another. No one was around, he was sure of it.
And that scared him. Because someone was always supposed to be around; his father made sure of it.
Chuck grabbed his backpack and blazer and began climbing the stairs to place his belongings in his room.
He wasn't worried, though. His mother probably just wanted a "normal" day. He knew his parents were not the same as his friends'. The Bass' were new money. His father had made his first million after they were already married.
"Mom?" he called out as he reached the second floor landing.
Silence.
It didn't worry him, though.
Misty Bass was not crazy enough – not depressed enough – to do this. So Chuck had nothing to worry about. He just made his way to his room. It was ajar and he lightly pushed, letting it swing open.
He gave a slight smile to no one as he saw his mother. She was just sleeping. She did that occasionally – slept in his bed; it never bothered him.
Chuck ignored the empty Vodka bottles and pills. They weren't anything new. Plenty of times Misty had passed out or needed pills to sleep. Granted, his father was always home when she over drank. And Bart Bass wouldn't be home for another three hours, so she was just sleeping. That's how it went around here.
His friends didn't know. Nate, Blair and Serena van der Woodsen. No reason to talk about unnecessary things. Besides, his family wasn't a mess like Serena's. Her mom was divorced and constantly dating someone new. Sometimes they talked about that, but usually parents were not the topic of discussion.
Chuck came closer to the bed. She was so peaceful looking.
"Mom?" he called again.
He was on the edge of the bed now.
Nothing.
He didn't really want to wake her from her nap because she would be extremely irritable.
Chuck bit his lip and moved his right hand to lightly shake her bare arm.
"Mom?"
And then he swallowed and moved his hand.
It burned; her icy skin burned him.
"Mom?!" he said louder and looked her over.
Slowly, he backed away from the bed.
He might have been only seven, but he wasn't stupid. He walked around the bed to where the phone lay. Grabbing it, he dialed his father's cell without looking at the digits.
Bart Bass was sitting in a board room, having a meeting about his recent real estate buy.
As a billionaire businessman, he always had his cell phone with him. So when he felt the vibration, he pulled out the device. 'Home', it read.
And sometimes he constantly kept his phone on for family emergencies.
He quickly excused himself and pressed 'Talk' the moment his foot crossed into the hallway.
"Hello?" he questioned, unsure who would be calling. It could be his wife; she didn't really care to pay attention to when his meetings were. Or it could be a member of the staff; easy enough to handle.
"Dad?" the young voice squeaked.
Bart looked at his watch. Or it could be his son after school. And that worried him.
"What is it, Charles? What's wrong?" he asked quietly while heading to his office.
"She's…" Chuck paused and Bart's heart rate began to increase. The young boy didn't continue.
"Who? Your mother?" Bart prompted.
The boy just nodded into the phone and somehow Bart received the message.
"Chuck, where's your mother?" He entered his office without a glance at anyone around him.
"In bed," came the squeaky response. "Mine." He paused, but only long enough to take a deep breath. "Dad, she's…" he touched Misty's arm again, "cold."
Bart's heart stopped and he quickly sank into the couch he was standing in front of. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, to his 7-year-old son. No sound was made.
"Dad?"
Bart heard the panic in Chuck's voice and tried clearing his throat.
"How long?" he managed to ask. If it wasn't long, maybe –
"I just got home. Like two minutes ago. No one else is here. I think she told everyone to leave, Dad," he paused and took another deep breath. "I don't know," he answered the question.
Bart immediately stood up and left the office. "I'm on my way. Don't move her. Don't touch her. You're in your room? Leave. I'll be home in a few minutes," he told his son.
Chuck dropped his hand from his mother's body and backed away. "Okay."
Bart hung up and turned to his secretary, who looked at him questionably.
He called his limo driver and told him to be out front immediately, and then returned to the woman. "I have to head home. Please inform the gentlemen in the meeting to continue on without me and that I will get in touch at a later date." His voice was surprisingly calm.
"Yes, sir, Mr. Bass. And I'll reschedule your 4 o'clock, too."
"Thank you." And he left.
Once in the limo, Bart dialed another number, knowing his son wouldn't have.
"9-1-1. What's your emergency?"
Chuck put the phone down and started walking backwards towards the door, staring at his mother's pale body. He was going to do what his father told him – leave the room – but he couldn't stop watching her lifeless figure.
Watching made time speed up because the next moment, he heard his father's voice call out to him. And then Bart Bass was inside the room and his right hand was on Chuck's shoulder.
"Chuck," he breathed out, and then saw his wife lying in bed, her son's bed.
Bart removed his hand and walked over. Using the same hand that was just on his son's shoulder, he touched Misty's face. Ice cold. He swallowed.
Chuck just continued to stare, wondering what his father would do next. Because Big Bad Bart always had an answer, Chuck was sure of it. Especially when it came to Misty. Bart always made things better after one of her mood swings. Even if it was for a short amount of time.
Neither of the males heard the sirens outside or the elevator ding. But when someone called out, Chuck heard it. He looked at his father, who seemed to be captivated by the brunette woman's beauty.
Chuck finally left his room to see who had arrived.
Two EMTs and two police officers were heading towards the stairs and stopped when they saw the young boy halfway down.
He tried to smile. See, his father had it all planned. But no smile came because Chuck knew it was too late.
"Hello. Your father called. Said your –" an EMT, and stopped when Chuck pointed up the stairs.
"My mom," he gulped.
The group climbed the stairs.
"My dad's here," he led them back to his room.
The EMTs immediately went to the bed while the female cop turned to Chuck. The male went to Bart and picked up the bottle of Vodka and pills and began talking. The medics joined in.
"Charles, right?" the woman bent down to his eye level.
He nodded.
"You found her?" she prompted.
Chuck finally turned away from the group by his bed. The medics weren't doing anything. He looked at the cop. She had short dirty blond hair and a kind, soft smile. He nodded.
"Yeah. I got home and no one was here. Then I came to my room and saw my mom on my bed. And I touched her. She's cold," his voice cracked at the end and he tried to blink back tears.
They weren't doing anything. That meant she was dead, right?
"She's dead, isn't she?" he whispered to the cop.
"Does it happen often? The house being empty?" she asked instead of answering his question.
He shrugged. "Not really. My dad doesn't like it empty."
Before any more questions could be asked, Bart strolled over; his face blank.
"Are you done asking my son questions?"
The officer nodded and stood upright.
"Then I'm going to take him to a friend's house."
"But…but, Mom," Chuck pointed. He didn't want to leave her.
"I'm going to take you to the Waldorf's."
Chuck shook his head. "No. I don't want to go to Blair's! I want to be with Mom!" he shouted as the tears finally broke free.
"Will you give us a minute?" he turned to the other adults. They nodded and walked out of the room.
"Charles," Bart began, but Chuck ran from him and onto his bed, holding his ice cold mother. "No!"
"Mommy," he whispered.
TBC