Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl or its Characters.
Chapter 15: Family Ties
"Are you sure that's what the text said?" Ben asked confused.
"See for yourself." Serena answered holding her phone up for Ben to see.
"Either I got to Blair or she has an end game." Ben frowned.
"I love how you know her so well already." Serena laughed lightly.
"I am just glad she brought it up. I really want to help Juliet but I didn't want to have to ask them to put her up, but it's the only place I could have thought of."
"I could have helped some way." Serena offered sincerely.
"I know you would have, but you and Juliet need to do a little more bonding since the whole drug thing, before your letting her stay with you. Please. She is my responsibility."
Serena looked up noticing they were approaching the motel they saw Juliet in front of.
"I just hope she is still here Ben. She could have gone somewhere else by now."
"I don't know where else she could go. Collin won't talk to her and if she dropped out of school or ran out of money she will be petrified to go back home to mom. No she has to be here."
Sure enough Ben and Serena pulled up to find Juliet sitting outside the motel on the bench with her bags. They watched Juliet look up and see them. Immediately she started grabbing her bags and took off down the sidewalk.
"Juliet!" Ben yelled jumping out of the cab and running after her.
"Please wait for us." Serena told the cabbie before jumping out and pursing the brother and sister.
Serena watched Ben catch up with his sister and literally grab a hold of her to stop her. Juliet was struggling and Serena could hear her shouting for him to let her go.
"Jules please stop!" Ben yelled.
"How did you know I was here?" She screamed still trying to free her wrists from her brother's grasp.
"Gossip Girl." Serena answered finally catching up with them.
When Juliet looked up at Serena, Serena could tell she had been crying.
"Great. That's just great Ben. You're with Serena now?" Juliet sobbed.
"Please just let me explain Jules. So much has happened since you left for school."
Serena took a step back, as Juliet glared at her.
"No. I'm not interested! And I can take care of myself!" Juliet said ripping her wrists free and picking up her carry on again.
"Obviously. The motel bench looks very comfortable." Ben answered rudely. Juliet turned her glare to him.
"If I tell you what happened you will want me to go to mom and that is not an option for me." Juliet answered.
"Try me Jules. I want to help. I know how mom can be. Please just let me help."
Serena watched Juliet struggle looking from her bags to Ben contemplating her options.
"Fine but can we get off the street. I don't want Gossip Girl to blast about me anymore. I hate New York."
"I know a really good coffee shop downtown." Serena offered kindly. Juliet looked up with a glare but softened it a little seeing Serena trying to be nice.
"That sounds fine." Juliet replied quickly.
Ben bent down and picked up Juliet's bigger carry on and led them back to the cab still waiting for them. When they arrived at the coffee shop Serena hated the tension that had slowly started to build ever since they caught up with Juliet. She wanted Juliet to understand that she was on her side, that she could help her, but Juliet had pretty much ignored her and would acknowledge her only if Ben would mention Serena.
"Spill Jules." Ben said putting her coffee down in front of her. It had taken them a while to get there drinks since the shop was busy. Ben had left Serena and Juliet at the table hoping that they would talk but he watched Juliet just ignore Serena and stare out her window.
"You first Ben. How did you and Serena hook up?" She said rather coldly. Serena could help but glare at Ben's sister and Ben got a little offended as well.
"We have not 'hooked up' Jules. Serena and I have just started seeing each other recently. She has really been an encouragement."
"Does mom know?" Juliet asked matter of factly.
"No not yet." Ben answered threw his teeth. Serena could tell that Juliet was pushing Ben's buttons.
"Didn't think so." She replied smartly.
"Listen Juliet." Serena started. "I know you don't like me, especially my family, and I feel completely horrible for everything that happened to Ben, but I had no idea. And Ben and I care about one another. I don't think there is a problem with us giving it a shot and seeing where we could take this."
Juliet looked Serena up and down thinking.
"You really care about my brother?" She asked Serena.
"Yes I do." Serena answered sincerely.
"Then leave him alone. Your family has done enough." Juliet replied rudely.
"Jules! If you love me you will give Serena a chance!" Ben shot angrily at his younger sister.
Juliet looked at her brother with a face mixed between a frown and a glare, then looked at Serena again, softened her glare.
"I'm sorry Ben. If it's what you want you know I will try." Juliet answered softly.
Ben seemed to let out the breath he had been holding and found Serena's hand under the table and squeezed it reassuringly. Serena squeezed back and smiled at him.
"That's all I ask." Ben smiled. Juliet smiled back faintly and then took a sib of her coffee.
"So how did you end up back in New York Juliet?" Serena asked breaking the silence. Serena watched Juliet start to glare but fight it back to a slight smile before she spoke.
"I can't tell you exactly how, but my money stopped coming in, and I had no choice but to drop out."
Ben frowned at Juliet but decided to let it drop for now. He would get more out of her later without Serena around.
"I thought you took out loans." He asked confused.
"No my credit is too bad and I didn't want to ask mom for help because she didn't want me going over abroad." Juliet answered.
"You told me you took out loans."
"I didn't want you to worry about me Ben. I had it covered."
"Yeah it looks like you have it covered alright." Ben remarked. Serena frowned at Ben's insincerity.
"I could loan you some money Juliet until you get back on your feet." Serena offered sweetly.
"No offence Serena, but I really don't want your help." Juliet replied quickly.
"Serena what I think Jules is trying to say is that she would rather make the money on her own." Ben commented glaring at his sister.
"Right. On my own." Juliet smiled smugly.
"Of course. I understand." Serena smiled. She tried to act like she wasn't offended but she was a little.
"I think that I could get you a job this week at a restaurant. It's waitressing but it will do." Ben smiled.
"No thank you. I'm hitting the horse tracks tomorrow." Juliet answered.
"Ah no. You are not gambling Jules." Ben said. Serena could hear the hint of anger in his voice.
"Ah yes I am. I took care of myself just fine up until now. I'll bounce back." Juliet smiled taking another sip of her coffee.
"Sometime I wonder if we were raise by the same mother." Ben sighed heavily running his hand down his face in frustration.
"Why don't you try Ben's way first, and then if you aren't making enough money you can hit the horse tracks like you want. At least give it a couple weeks to a month, because we all know that Ben is not going to let you just walk away from this coffee shop knowing what you plan on doing with the rest of your money." Serena reasoned. Juliet looked at her contemplating and then looked at Ben.
"Fine. Two weeks. But Ben you have to let me do my thing after that." Juliet surrendered.
"Three weeks and I will then only if you haven't invested enough for your first semester payment." Ben argued. Juliet sighed heavily and rolled her eyes.
"Fine. But how will I save money when I have to get an apartment Ben? I might as well just go to the track today."
"No you will be staying with me so you can save your money." Ben smiled.
"Is your apartment big enough?" Juliet asked hesitantly.
"I'm living at the Humphrey loft and Dan said you could take his sisters old room."
Serena noticed how Ben didn't mention Blair's name and thought it wise. They would tackle the whole Blair and Dan thing later.
"Dan Humphrey? You're staying with him? Lily Humphrey's stepson? You might as well be part of the family Ben." Juliet snapped.
"Jules you said you would try. These people feel bad for what happened, and Rufus is actually a good guy." Ben reasoned.
"Whatever. Three weeks. That's it." Juliet sighed.
"Deal." Ben smiled.
They finished their drinks and then called another cab to take them back to the loft. Juliet had insisted on sitting in the front while Serena and Ben sat in the back.
"Did she answer?" Ben whispered to Serena.
"Not yet. She and Dan could be at a movie tonight. I think that's what they were planning on doing. She always turns her phone off in the theater." Serena answered softly.
"I just would rather have Jules unpack and get settled and then have a run in with Blair. I know she seemed nice about it via text but face to face is different." Ben sighed quietly. Serena frowned and pulled Ben into a hug.
"It will all work out. Blair is rough at first, but over time she softens."
"Yeah but how long will that take? And Jules doesn't seem to be in the most compromising of moods." He answered pulling Serena closer to him.
"This will all take time, but it will settle down. We just have to ride out the storm." Serena whispered reassuringly. Ben chuckled lightly and kissed the top of Serena's head.
"Your right. It's only a matter of time and if our families love us they will want us to be happy, and you are the only thing that makes me happy." Ben said a little louder.
"And you are the only thing that makes me happy." Serena smiled before leaning up and kissing Ben. She suddenly heard Juliet take in a sharp breath.
"Seriously guys—one step at a time. And I could have gone another week without seeing that." Juliet commented from the front seat. Serena and Ben laughed quietly.
The cab pulled up in front of the loft and Ben gathered Juliet's bags.
"You're sure that Dan is okay with this?" Juliet asked. "Last time I checked he really didn't like me too much."
"That was before we all knew that truth Juliet. Trust me Dan is okay with it." Serena answered. Serena's heart flutter with hop with Juliet actually smiled back.
They climbed the stairs to the second floor and Ben unlocked the loft door.
"Welcome to your new home." Ben smiled at Juliet. He looked up to find a confused look on Juliet's face and a worried look on Serena's. He turned around and felt panic at what he saw. Half eaten plates of pasta at the kitchen bar, an empty bottle of red wine and glasses at the coffee table, and then woman's shoes and black lace tights with men's shoes in the middle of the walk way to the dining room. Ben turned and signaled Serena to get Juliet out. Dan and Blair had decided to stay in.
"It looks like Dan has some female company." Juliet replied smartly.
"Yeah we should probably come back later." Serena said quickly pulling Juliet back towards the door.
Just then a half dressed Blair ran out of the bathroom towards Dan's bedroom giggling followed by a half dressed Dan chasing after her.
"Not as quick and stealth as I remember Humphrey!" Blair squealed.
"I'll show you stealth Waldorf!" Dan teased following her into the bedroom and slamming the door.
Ben, Serena, and Juliet all stood there shocked. Finally Juliet turned to Ben.
"THAT did NOT just happen!"
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Don't you love how fake Juliet is? She seems to have Ben and Serena eating out of her hand doesn't she? Will she succeed with Dan and Blair too? Or will Blair and Dan see right through her? And things are definitely getting crowded already huh? Thank you guys for reading! I am loving this story and enjoying writing it! Thank you so much for the reviews! They make me want to write more and more!