Chuck and Jenny stood outside the loft door, staring at it, hands interlaced, both hearts pounding against their chests.

"Are you ready," he asked her softly.

"No…are you?"

"No."

She looked at him and sighed, "my father doesn't like your father…you know that right, so the whole 'I'm Chuck Bass' won't work on him. He's already not going to like you because of your father."

Chuck closed his eyes for a moment, "thank you Bart," he murmured.

"Also, you have to remember, I'm his only daughter, and the youngest, so he's going to be a bit more on edge and defensive than compared to how he acts with Serena. And no offense or anything, but you aren't an immediately likable person to us Brooklyner's, so don't expect that charm of your's to work."

"You think I'm charming," he asked raising an eyebrow.

Looking up at him with blushing eyes she nodded, "quite," she whispered before pressing her lips lightly against his.

The door to the loft was suddenly opened and Rufus stared at them as they broke apart, "exactly how long have you two been standing out here," he asked.

"Um," Jenny started, biting her lip.

Rufus gave her a grin and shook his head, "forget it, just come in," he said motioning to them, throwing his arm around Jenny's shoulders.

"Make yourself at home," he called towards Chuck as he steered his daughter towards the kitchen.

"He's older than you Jenny," Rufus murmured.

"So? Mom's older than you by two years," she retorted.

"Touché," he said with a nod, "so you tell me what I need to know now so there are no surprises while we eat."

"There really aren't any surprises dad, he's just a normal boy," she said with a smile as she looked over at Chuck looking at the pictures on the wall.

Jenny could tell he was slightly on edge, but this was a new surrounding for him, and one he was going to have to get used to if he wanted to stay with her.

"Hey," Rufus called out to him as he pulled the pot off the stove, "do you mind setting the table," he asked nodding towards the pile of plates and silverware.

Chuck looked at him for a moment, "set the table…"

"You know what dad, I'll do it. He's our guest, he doesn't have to do anything," the blond said quickly grabbing up the plates and heading for the table.

"You have to remember that not all of us have people to do things like this for us," she muttered as she passed him.

Rufus wasn't far behind her with the food, "I don't care if you're a bit nervous Chuck, whatever you are feeling will go away because I really outdid myself with the chili tonight."

"Aw dad, can you please not hype dinner? You're starting to get cocky about it, and then I'm going to have to remind you about those cookies you burnt a few weeks ago."

Rufus chuckled as he piled the food onto their plates and then took his seat, watching as Jenny and Chuck took their's.

"Fine, I won't, but this will still be the best chili he's ever had."

"Actually Mr. Humphrey, it's the only chili I've ever had, we don't exactly get this where I come from."

"First of all, call me Rufus, and where do you come from that doesn't get chili?"

"Well…Rufus…I live at The Palace; the five star chef there would probably be offended if I asked him to make me chili."

"You live at The Palace? So, you go to St. Jude's then…with Dan?"

Chuck nodded.

"So why haven't I heard of you before?"

"Um, well…"

"He and Dan don't really run in the same circle dad. Plus, you know how Dan refuses to make any friends with guys at his school."

Never mind the fact both Jenny and Dan had avoided telling Rufus that Chuck was a Bass.

"Well, I just hope you don't have a bad influence on my daughter, she got enough of that from Blair," Rufus said, eating.

Chuck nodded slowly and started to pick at his food, but began to eat it none the less. The rest of the meal passed by without any disturbance, it was when they were cleaning up that things got a bit tense.

"So, do you know Bart Bass' kid," Rufus asked offhandedly as he washed the dishes.

Jenny's head shot up from the plate she was putting away and looked over at Chuck who was staring at her father, amused.

"I may have met him, once or twice," he said with a shrug, "what of him?"

"Well, Dan told me about this brush that Jenny had with him once at a party; it happened on his first date with Serena actually."

"Dad can we please not talk about this," she asked looking down.

"No, let him continue," Chuck said raising his hand.

"Well, my naïve daughter decided to trust this boy and followed him up to the roof where, according to Dan, he probably would have raped her if he hadn't shown up."

"Is that so," he asked looking towards Jenny.

"I guess, you should have seen the way Jenny was when Dan was telling me this. Sitting there muttering to herself that she was so stupid for trusting him. And in a few weeks she was calling him every possible insulting name in the book."

"Was she now?"

"Chuck," she protested.

"You know, I've never actually seen Jenny get angry. Never heard her swear either. She's a pretty upright girl, you sure this was the same girl?"

He laughed lightly and nodded, "yeah, I couldn't believe the profanities that were coming out of her mouth either. If a single guy can do that do my daughter…well let's just say I'd like to meet that lying scumbag and teach him a thing or two."

Jenny cleared her throat and grabbed up her purse, "you know dad, I really think it's time Chuck and I go."

Rufus looked at her confused, "why?"

Chuck slipped his arm around Jenny's waist, "because your daughter's lying scumbag of a boyfriend needs to take her to go meet his father…Bart Bass."

With that, he led her towards the door and headed out, leaving Rufus in a stunned silence.