Gossip Girl

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Gossip Girl here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite.

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SERENA SCRIPT-WRITING?

When your reputation is trashed most go into hiding, but not S, I have it on reliable information that everyone's favourite leggy blonde has been spotted soliciting screenwriting internships all across the City – and while her ideals are admirable we'd have thought S had learned by now, in a City where talk is everything and everyone is talking about you, you can not and will not make it. Sorry S but it looks as if the serene ship success has sailed for new shores,

Xoxo Gossip Girl

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"Mom," Serena called out, "Mom? Seriously Mom come-on I said I'd go shopping with you and I've been waiting like an hour – and I said I'd meet Nate afterwards," she paused and strained her ear to see if she could actually here her mother stirring: no such look, "Mom! Mom?" She at last heard footsteps and then frowned as Rufus, dressed in one of his pullovers and casual jeans slipped down the staircase looking in his own peculiar way stressed and yet completely tranquil – a balancing act that everyone had to perform in this family. "Is my Mom on the way down yet?"

"No," Rufus deflected, crossing the room to the Kitchen, pouring himself a mug of coffee and preceding to sip at it before continuing, "she…is obviously under a lot of strain right now Serena and I know that you thought a shopping trip might be the best thing to take her mind off it but…did you think about just talking to her? Just sitting and talking to her, I can do my best but I can't really relate…I hadn't seen Carol in…years – you on the other hand were a lot closer to her."

Serena frowned – a long, drawn out chat with her mother about feelings would mean blowing off Nate: she might say it would only take an hour but Serena knew her mother better, Lily Van Der Woodsen didn't do feelings in small measures, you either got the full tragic Opera of feelings or you got nothing it all – it was a product of being raised by Cece in the climate were etiquette was actually taught as a lesson – where you had to learn things like enunciation, Serena flinched at the thought of having to sit through one of those classes. "Fine I'll go see her," she pulled out her phone and called Nate, listening to the tone droning out and feeling ever sadder that she wouldn't get to spend the day with her boyfriend as she'd planned to, "hey look…I'm sorry but I'm gonna have to take a rain-check on today, something came up with my Mom about Carol? Let's…let's make it Dinner instead of lunch okay?" He murmured assent and hung-up – clearly she'd woken him up from a big night. She threw off her trench and strolled up the stairs, swinging round the banister and walking purposefully into her Mom's bedroom, Lily true to form was sat up in bed reading the New York Times, frowning disdainfully at one of the stories in it, she looked up and smiled warmly.

"Hello darling," she greeted in her I'm in the middle of something but I'll get right back to you voice before focusing once more upon Serena realizing she wouldn't take the brush-off, Serena advanced, seating herself on the end of the vast, luxurious bed, "I'm sorry about our little shopping trip but I'm just…taking things easily…has Carol left yet?"

Serena nodded, "Gossip Girl spotted her at the Airport yesterday, how are you…doing…with Carol and everything…we haven't really discussed it since you threw Blair and Louis that Gala?"

Lily paused – how exactly are you meant to fell after finding out that your own sister doesn't trust you enough to meet her actual daughter and that the con-artist she used also happened to extort money from your own mother – who though not exactly senile and innocent enough to be preyed upon at the same time hadn't deserved to be duped in that manner – and then proceeded to harass your own daughter and generally cause mayhem? Naturally she felt betrayed, hurt by Carol's actions but in a strange way her overriding emotion was regret: not regret for having let her children grow up in this world and let Carol think that, but regret that Carol was so insecure about how she had allowed that world to take her over she wouldn't let her own daughter anywhere near the Upper East Side, emulating one of the most common parental traits of being controlling. "It's difficult, naturally," she began strongly and then faltered, "me and Carol haven't really seen eye-to-eye in a long time Serena, she came back when it was important but she didn't exactly come back for the right reasons – she had an agenda that wasn't just being here, I'd love to say I wanted to make up with her and have everything go back to normal but I think…for now at least we have to shut her out of our lives, we can't go on like this – I can't go on like this."

Serena nodded approvingly, "That's exactly how I feel," Lily seemed to be…a little back to her old self now, "so are we still on for the shopping trip?"

"Of course," Lily affirmed warmly, "just let me get dressed."

She watched her daughter go and then paused, there was a lot more to her feelings to deal with but she was getting through it: just as everyone would have to eventually, and this was after all the only way she knew how. She threw open her wardrobe and began searching for a new outfit to wear out, something that said she was back, with a vengeance.

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Blair remained seated with Louis on the sofa beside the Prince, he was sat upright in his bed but anyone could tell he was a dead man on borrowed time, his face was bathed in sweat which was refusing to abate despite how many times she dabbed at his forehead, he couldn't see very well and his vital organs were shutting down: the stroke that had set off the chain reaction had simply been the first attack upon his body, now the rest of the structure was caving in around it, and she could see that Louis was devastated and visibly shaken – as he should have been. For her part, Blair wasn't entirely all that moved by the Prince – she didn't know him all that well – besides the prospect of Louis replacing him in a day or two had her on a knife edge, she might actually be his Consort, they would be married and actually be Monarch's…she would eclipse Kate Middleton – she would be the most beautiful, gorgeous, raved about Royal on the planet. All it took was one death. She came crashing down from her dream as she returned to the nightmarish reality, his chest was rising slower now, Princess Sophie had been taken away on the Prince's orders: she was not to see him die, the Doctor's thought he might be strong enough for a little longer but they thought he would be dead within the hour, perhaps sooner, depending on how long his heart lasted. He waved and Louis took it as a silent order to leave too, Blair rose too but the old man feebly raised his hand and she stopped and settled onto the sofa regarding the old man. He waited till Louis had left them and closed the door and then Blair moved closer, he seemed calmer somehow.

"I had hoped that I had raised Louis to be a smart man, unfortunately he's a fool who let a stupid infatuation get out of hand," Blair hadn't expect the fiery verbal slap in the face but she didn't respond – the man was after all dying, "what are you Blair? A New Yorker who in our terms is virtually penniless and is in love with a man who is standing trial for conspiracy," Blair flinched and she wouldn't if the old man, barely able to see had noticed her do it, "and my son actually wants to marry you…because your pregnant and your having his heir – very well played Miss Waldorf." He want quiet and Blair wondered whether he might be gone, "Louis knows Blair, deep down or else he will do soon, my wife won't allow him to marry someone like you, she's smarter than he is and than I am, she is also a better judge of character-"

"-Princess Sophie said she approved of our marriage-"

"-to approve is not the same as acceptance," he retorted, "surely you should know by now Blair that what we say and what we actually feel is something else entirely, she simply does not want to annoy her son, she probably thought he might have tired and grown out of you by now-"

"-we are engaged and nothing is going to change that." Blair interjected and then frowned, a single tone was droning in the room, the door flew open and Louis burst in, tears in his eyes and dropped to his father's side, clutching at his hand desperately, devastated, as though it might suddenly return to him and all would be averted – but there was no coming back from death, the hand flopped lifelessly and Louis turned to Blair, full of tears, she dropped to the floor beside him and cleared the tears from his eyes and stroked at him affectionately, kissing him softly on the cheek and then rising to leave him: she would go and attend to Princess Sophie – or was that Dowager Princess now? – Blair shook the thought out of her mind, she didn't have time to dwell on things like that, she had to be a good fiancée and Princess-to-be.

"Blair," Louis called out, and she stopped on her heel, worried that his father might have said something to him, come back to life for a moment, "what…what did he say to you?" Louis asked, his voice breaking at one point as he stifled a sob.

"He wanted," she paused – there simply wasn't a possibility she was saying what he had really said, "he said…he was glad that you would have me to help you, to help guide you…he gave us his blessing to be together, to be married Louis…he also told me to promise to tell his grandchild about him, and about what he meant to you, to Monaco." She had carried off the lie perfectly, and it was hardly the most difficult she had had to tell yet, and she was almost certain it wouldn't be the last.

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Duplicity is something we like to think we know a little about, but duplicity in pursuit of peace? How lame. Looks as if N decided to play negotiator – between S and Lonely Boy that is. And talking of duplicity, everyone's favourite damsel never-in-distress G just got off the train at Grand Central, and she looks amazing – I guess those country yoga retreats can work wonders, all though we're left wondering whether G's sun salutation was just a distracting disguise?

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"And Nate set me up," Serena said, rolling her eyes skyward again, this really wasn't turning into a great day, "of course he did…because I wasn't stupid enough to see this coming." She slumped onto the bench out of resignation to her fate – she'd half considered sprinting away from Dan at lightning speed and disappearing: despite her towering heels, but then she'd thought better of it, she was here now she could make do and confront the elephant in the City – Dan's expose and his feelings toward her that had been so very publically and painfully expressed when it had been published.

"Yeah well…if it makes you feel any better I didn't know either," Dan said taking the seat beside her, looking out toward the lake which they'd walked around so many times before, "do you think he knew that this was our spot?" Dan quizzed, Serena surveyed the bench, it was indeed their bench where they'd spent so many afternoons just watching the ducks swim by on the lake, in each others arms – back then things had seemed so simple, now they actually had lives to lead, ones that mattered and were going places, different places, places that if they didn't intervene they wouldn't be able to get to each other from. They were both going to stay in the City for the time being obviously but even that wasn't necessarily close.

She shrugged, "I never told him about it but that doesn't mean he didn't know…I mean we spent so many afternoons here all those days ago."

"Yeah…we did," Dan admitted, dwelling upon his memories of those days for a few minutes, "I guess you know why he set us up though right?"

Serena smiled as though she knew but she didn't want to say – reluctance might have summed her up pretty accurately at that point, "Dan I'm sorry I've been distant and haven't accepted your apology…I know you have your opinions and everything but…you kinda can't really apologize and then go, but I still don't like you. People don't live like that and they don't remain friends by insulting one another…I mean our friendship has been…a rollercoaster…and I want more than anything just to go back to being friends, being able to talk to one another easily and relax around one another…but…we can't really do that till you look back at yourself and know that you're in the wrong."

Dan nodded sincerely.

"You know I used to get a flutter every time you called me, or I saw you, or we even just exchanged a word in the hallway, it was like there was this tiny little butterfly in my stomach that just flapped madly every time it saw you…that was how I knew I was in love, then we broke up…a few times," Serena smiled at that memory…they hadn't exactly been able to stay away from one another for very long in those days, "we both matured and I just reassessed how I saw you and retreated into what I thought I knew about people like you…and I wrote about it…at the worst possible times…when I was unhappy…or angry…or in a dark place…and it wasn't fair. What I thought were my opinions weren't my opinions…they were coloured by a negative emotion so I reacted negatively…and I…I guess I'm trying to say that I'm sorry for what I wrote about you and how I portrayed you, and for saying that I actually believed in what I'd written. I just guess sometimes I spend so much time living in the world of fiction that I forget all about the facts."

Serena nodded comprehendingly, somewhere deep within him she could see that innocent glimmer of hope that she had always seen when he used to shave his hair and just read depressing poetry all the time or watch art-films or spend all his time holed up in Brooklyn – not that she didn't think that was a respectable way to live your life, she was sure he was happy there, but venturing out into the City had broadened his horizons as hers had been broadened when she had spent summers abroad in other parts of the world. There was that innocence still within him, the quality that had attracted her to him, at first as a boyfriend and now as a friend, he was a good guy. It had just taken him a while to get back to that.

"We're cool," she replied after realizing she'd left him to dwell on her reaction for a little while, "do you feel like taking a walk?" she asked standing up and Dan nodded, Serena then paused as she stood up and rummaged in her coat-pocket for her now vibrating phone, the ringtone blaring out loudly, causing people all around to look at them, not that she blushed under pressure as she answered it.

Serena's face went through several expressions before she finally said, "Oh my god," she paused, there was more chatter on the end of the phone, "oh my god B…I'll…I'll be on the next flight I guess…you don't want me to fly out? Okay I'll just wait at this end then for more news." She put the phone away and then grinned at Dan ecstatically and he gave her one of his I have no idea what excitement you're going through looks and she threw her arms around him in a hug. "Well okay there is some bad news, Louis's Dad just passed away," Dan interjected with a sad noise but Serena continued beaming regardless, "which means Louis's coronation is like in a week but before that they're getting married – we're going to a Wedding Dan – a Royal Wedding!"

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"What are you doing here?" Chuck asked as he picked up on the phone on his side of the glass, Georgina was simply beaming at him from the other side, "For one thing you tried to tear apart my family and for another I already hate you-"

"-because Blair hated me?" Georgina smiled at him malevolently, "Please Chuck move on from the lovesick Puppy act, it's depressing and more than a little pathetic, I mean she is marrying Louis Grimaldi in a few days and then she's going to be King: or don't you get CNN in here?"

Chuck frowned at her, part of him wanted to smash through the glass and kill her so she'd stop terrorizing all their lives and just leave them alone, but the other wanted to here what she had to say about Blair: how pathetic did that make him? She wasn't going back to Grimaldi, she had promised they had been lovers that theirs would be the most passionate affair on record – she couldn't have chosen Louis…she wouldn't do that to him, she wouldn't. Would she?

"Since you don't know she left for Monaco yesterday, in fact I'm told she even ducked out of dinner with Serena and now the Prince of Monaco's died, so that means Blair will be Queen or Princess or whatever just as soon as there's a coronation ceremony." she grinned at him ever more sadistically.

"What do you want Georgina?"

"Well I really want to see you stand for trial, and I just wanted to come and tell you that I found something that will ensure that little Eric goes down with you too – I have to say I do love being a bitch, especially when it means I can come back to the City and ruin all your lives," Georgina stood up and then bent down and kissed the glass, a blood-red lips outline being framed on the glass, she pulled out her lipstick and scrawled an XOXO before picking up the phone and completing, "you know you love me." She strolled out purposefully, she had just caused Chuck unimaginable pain and now she'd left him to stew. Delightful.

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We've seen G walk out of a lot of places although we can't say we've ever seen her at a prison before – and the only person even worth visiting in there has to be Chuck Bass which leaves us with two possibilities – either the Upper East Side has just been introduced to the most unlikely romantic rendezvous since records began or G has some delicious dirt that she's so excited to dish she just had to tell the Bass in person. And as for B looks as if she managed to make Mission Monaco a miraculous success – she's going to be a Wedding Belle, and with her beast behind bars looks as if this Beauty is going to have a Ball,

Xoxo Gossip Girl

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Hope you liked Chapter 4,

5 might be a little time,

Reviews and responses welcome,

Acrobat

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