Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope all of those celebrating the holiday are having good ones. Enjoy your day and this chapter. Thanks to my beta. Thanks to all of you who replied. I encourage everyone to do so.

x0x0x0x0x0x0

"Hello, Serena," Chuck said as he walked into his step-sister's room carrying a box.

"Ever heard of knocking," Serena looked annoyed as she made sure her robe was closed tight from his eyes.

"Yes, but there's the chance you wouldn't let me in and I need to talk to you."

"What about?"

"I have a favor to ask."

"Should I be afraid," she asked nervously.

"No," Chuck handed over the box. "I need you to send this to Blair. I want it to get there by Monday."

"It's a Valentine's Day present," Serena guessed as she took the box into her hands.

"Yes. Don't worry, there are no tracking devices attached."

"Promise," she eyed him skeptically.

"Yes," Chuck nodded with a slight chuckle.

"Okay. I'll make sure she gets it," Serena agreed.

"Thank you," Chuck said. "So, any big plans?"

"Well my back-up date currently has a boyfriend of his own, so I'm planless."

"You usually go out with Eric when you don't have a date on Valentine's Day?"

"Yes," Serena said defensively. "But since that's out of the question, I'll probably watch some corny movie. You doing anything?" Serena winced. "Sorry. Stupid question. Ignore me."

"I haven't been able to ignore you since we were six, Serena. Believe me, I've tried. But since my current choice of a Valentine is ignoring the fact that I exist, I'll probably be getting hammered on Monday night."

"Want some company?"

"Trading one brother for another?"

"Why not," Serena said with a shrug.

"Thanks, but I think if I spent Valentine's Day with you, Nate might kill me."

"Nate? Isn't he spending the night with his girlfriend?"

"You haven't heard? His girlfriend wasn't too happy when Nathaniel broke a bunch of dates with her to spend time with you, Eric, and Humphrey when Jenny died. They broke up last week."

"Ouch," Serena said. "Poor Nate. Well, then why don't all three of us do something? We had fun on Thanksgiving."

"You had fun on Thanksgiving. I spent the whole night trying to wrestle my alcohol back from you two."

"I promise to let you drink this time," Serena smiled. "In fact, I'll probably join you."

"What's the matter, Sis? Feeling a little lonely," Chuck asked with a smirk.

"Go away, I have to get dressed," Serena frowned at him. Seeing he was about to speak again, she pointed a finger, "One more word and B's present goes into the incinerator."

Chuck put his hands up, "Call me later about Monday." Then he left.

Serena waited until she heard the elevator ding and the doors close before she picked up her phone. Before she dialed she took one more precaution and shut and locked her door before she went into her bathroom.

"Thayer's Café," Blair's voice came over the phone after Serena had dialed the number.

"Hey, it's me. I know you're probably busy but can we meet on Sunday?"

"Yeah. Everything okay?"

"I have something I need to give you," Serena told her. "Besides I want to see my niece and nephew."

"And they will love seeing you," Blair smiled. "How about we meet at that restaurant near the station?"

"Twelve?"

"I will be there."

"Me too," Serena said. "Bye B."

"Bye S."

-x-x-x-x-

Chuck sat on his sofa looking over a bunch of papers that Lily had given him about Bass Industries in an attempt to get him interested in something besides his quest to locate Blair. He looked up when he heard the elevator doors open.

"You," Eleanor said in a stony voice. "What are you doing to find my daughter?"

"Eleanor," Chuck gasped in surprise.

"It's been months Charles. She's probably already had the baby. We don't know where she is. Even Harold hasn't heard from her."

"I assure you, I'm doing absolutely everything that I can to find her," Chuck responded defensively. "I've narrowed down the search to New Jersey."

"What the hell is my daughter doing in New Jersey? And what do you mean narrowed it down? New Jersey isn't that big Charles. You should be able to find one girl in a state that size."

"It's not as easy as it sounds," Chuck grumbled, "I have my men searching everywhere. She'll turn up."

"Charles, she has your child. She is my child. You know what I'm feeling right now. It's terror every time the phone rings. It's panic when you see a news report about an unidentified female found in an alley."

"Serena assures me she's in a safe area." Chuck replies.

"Serena? What does Serena have to do with anything," Eleanor asked sharply.

"Blair has been in contact with Serena, but there are conditions. Blair has threatened to cut off all communication if Serena reveals her whereabouts to me."

"She calls Serena but she doesn't call her own mother," Eleanor said as she sat down on the couch. Tears stung her eyes at the revelation. They'd never had the closest of relationships, but she thought she'd at least hear from her when her grandchild was born. Surely she deserved that courtesy.

"I'm sure it's nothing personal," Chuck tried to offer her comfort. "She probably figured you were in Paris, and she wanted news of New York."

"How would feel if your son or daughter chose a friend to stay in touch with instead of you?"

"I'm sure it is the most horrible feeling imaginable. I only hope that when the time comes, Sebastian and Sabrina feel they can come to either Blair or I," Chuck responded as his eyes drifted to the picture he had of his children that Serena gave him that he found time to frame.

"Twins," Eleanor said softly. "Blair's great-grandmother was a twin. Their names were Isabel and Stephen."

"Twins," Chuck nodded as he reached for the platinum frame to show her. "Sebastian is on the left and Sabrina on the right."

Eleanor held the frame, "He looks like you. I remember you as a baby Charles. You looked so much like Evelyn." She looked at him now. "You still do."

Chuck smiled slightly. Eleanor saw the exhaustion in his eyes and for the first time in months, she felt compassion for him.

"Charles, are you sleeping," Eleanor asked him.

"Not much," he sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. "I hear their cries in my sleep."

Eleanor covered his hand with hers, "They're okay and alive. Serena would've told us if something had happened. I know what your fears must've been when Blair was pregnant. I knew your mother and she was in poor health even before she was pregnant. But she so wanted a baby."

"So Lily told me," Chuck replied, "And every day while Blair was pregnant was torture, but this is so much worse. I have these two beautiful babies out there that I helped create, but I cannot be there for them. I swore to myself that if I was ever fortunate enough to be a father that I would be for my child what my father wasn't for me, but," he choked up and couldn't get anything else out.

"I don't think I ever knew a man more in love with his wife than Bart was with Evelyn," Eleanor admitted as she carefully put the photo down and covered both of his hands with hers. "A good part of him died when she did and unfortunately you paid the price for it. But what's happening now isn't your fault."

"It's completely my fault," he barked. "I traded Blair to my fucking uncle for this hotel. Then I slept with Jenny Humphrey when Blair was on her way to find me so we could get back together."

"Blair didn't see a lot of good things in my marriage to her father and because of that she probably stayed with Nathaniel longer than she should have because she thought he was solid. You did some awful things, yes. But Blair's had the rug pulled out from under her so many times, that I don't know how she ever made it this far without completely breaking down."

"She's the strongest person in the world, that's how," Chuck replied, "She's raising our children on her own with little to no financial support. I don't know how she's doing it, but she is."

"She is very strong and she loves you," Eleanor said.

"I don't know if that's true anymore."

"Oh I do. My baby loves you," Eleanor said. "I don't understand it and God knows I never encouraged it, but she does. If not for the relationship between Nathaniel and her lasting so long I think you might have been the one taking her to the prom. Trust me on this Charles. She loves you."

"And I love her. I fought myself for so long. I couldn't allow myself to be vulnerable because I didn't want to feel the way I do now, but I wouldn't trade a moment of our relationship together up until it went bad even knowing how much this hurts now. I promise you, Eleanor, I will bring her home."

"Well, maybe I can help," Eleanor said. "I think it's time for me to talk to Serena."

"I don't know if that's a good idea," Chuck shook his head. "She wants to help, but she won't risk losing Blair. I can't blame her for that."

"Neither can I," Eleanor said. "But I can ask for a meeting. She's still my daughter."

"If you see Blair, please tell her I love her," Chuck requested, his eyes desperate and sincere.

Eleanor nodded, "I will." She got to her feet and headed back towards the elevator. "Good bye Charles."

"Eleanor," Chuck nodded.

-c-c-c-c-

Serena pulled her hair back into a ponytail and picked up the package Chuck had given her. She had to get going if she was going to be on time.

"Serena," Lily called. "You have a guest."

"I'll be right there," Serena called out as she picked up her coat and headed out of her room.

She walked into the living room and stopped cold, "Eleanor?"

"I'm told you know where my daughter is," Eleanor responded coldly. "I demand you take me to her right now."

"Serena, is this true," Lily gasped in surprise.

"Uh, well," Serena stammered. "I know where she isn't."

"That's not good enough, Serena," Eleanor hissed. "Take me to her. Now!"

"I can't," Serena said. "Look, Eleanor, I think if Blair wanted you to know where she was she would've told you. She didn't. She told me. I'm sorry but I'm not going to betray her confidence."

"She's my daughter," Eleanor spit out as the tears began to cloud her vision. "I have a right to know where she is. I have a right to see my grandchildren."

"Grandchildren," Lily gasped.

"I might actually kill Chuck this time," Serena rubbed her forehead. "Or maybe I'll just encourage Rufus to off him. No, I'll find that blonde floozy he was with when I found him in Paris who I'm sure he left high and dry and-"

"Serena," Lily said. "Would you like to explain to me what's going on?"

"When you caught me coming in on Christmas morning I wasn't coming from the Waldorf's. I was coming from Penn Station. Blair called me on Christmas Eve because she'd gone into labor with her twins, Sebastian and Sabrina. I was there for their births."

"And you didn't think to call me or Charles?"

"Blair threatened to disappear if I told Chuck anything. She has the money to do it Eleanor."

"How could she possibly?" Eleanor scoffed.

"The trust fund from you and Harold and the one from her grandmother? Yeah, they're not sitting in some Parisian bank. They're under her new identity."

"Serena, if you know where Blair is, you need to tell Eleanor. You are in way over your head here, as is Blair."

"I'm sorry Mom, but no. I'm not doing that to Blair."

"Serena Cecilia," Lily started.

"Do you know how much crap Blair has forgiven me for over the years? I slept with Nate before I ran off to boarding school Mom! Blair had and still has every right to hate my guts. But she trusted me enough to call and tell me where she is. I'm not betraying that." She looked at Eleanor, "I will pass along your message that you want to see her and I'll let her make the decision. I'll let you know her response."

"I suppose that's the best I'm going to get."

Serena nodded, "Yes it is."

-x-x-x-x-

"Hey sorry I'm late," Serena sat down. "I missed the train I wanted and had to take the next one."

"It's okay," Blair responded. "Sebastian and Sabrina occupied themselves by people watching. They are the most curious little creatures you will ever meet." She reached out to tickle their chins which caused each to giggle bringing bright smiles to each woman's face.

"So, what's up," Blair asked of Serena.

"I have a delivery for you," Serena pushed the package she took out of her purse across the table to her friend. "Happy Valentine's Day from Chuck."

"What is it? A tracking device," Blair inquired as she stared at the beautifully wrapped box.

"He swears it's not," Serena said. "I'm actually dying to know what's inside. I know Valentine's Day isn't until tomorrow but can you open it now?"

Blair took the package and shook it slightly. The curiosity was too much. She had to open it. Tearing away the paper and putting it aside she lifted the lid off the box and gasped.

"Blair? What is it?"

She turned the box towards Serena.

"It's beautiful," Serena said. "But a butterfly mask? I don't get it."

"At the masked ball junior year he said he wouldn't need clues to find me and on my 17th birthday he said being around me gave him butterflies."

"That's pretty thoughtful for Chuck," Serena replied. "Romantic even."

"I gave him a mask for Christmas. It was half angel and half devil."

"You're the angel and he's the devil," Serena guessed.

"No. It was a reminder that while he shows his devilish side to most, he did have an angelic side and that I counted myself lucky to be one of the few who knew it and that as mad as I was I'd never forget it."

"There's a note," Serena handed her the piece of paper behind the mask.

Blair opened it.

I still wouldn't need clues to find you and you still give me butterflies. I'll never stop looking.

All my love,

Chuck

Blair teared as she folded the note and slipped it into her purse. His words were too personal to share, even with Serena.

"You're mother is in town," Serena stated tentatively.

"I wondered how long it would take before she came back to check on Chuck's progress."

"He told her I knew where you were."

"He's becoming desperate if he's joining forces with my mother."

"What do you expect," Serena snapped. "You're keeping his children from him!"

"I thought you were on my side."

"I am," Serena responded as she calmed down quickly.

"Did she come see you?"

"She wants a meeting."

"No," Blair shook her head instantly. "Not if she's working with Chuck. I can't risk her telling him how to find me."

"Blair, she is really worried about you," Serena told her. "And since she confronted me in front of my mother, there is going to be a lot of tension when I get home. Even more so than there has been."

"What do you mean?"

"Well things were calming down from Jenny and then Vanessa drops the mother of all bombs on Dan."

"Which is?"

"Well, I told you she had the baby right?"

"A little boy. Jonathan, right," Blair nodded

"Right. He looks exactly like Rufus. Anyway, Vanessa tells Dan that it's not that she doesn't want to have a family with him, but that she doesn't want a family at all right now. She got some offer to work on a film in South America months ago and she told them that she'd taken it."

"And what about her son?" Blair gasped, "Is she just going to leave him behind?"

"She had papers drawn up a few months ago relinquishing custody. She signed them the day before Jonathan was born."

"How could she do such a thing? This is her child. She carried him for nine months. How could she even think of leaving him?"

"She wants something besides being a mom right now," Serena said. "Dan's defending her and I think Rufus is going to end having either a stroke or a heart attack from the crap that's happened to his kids lately."

"He's definitely gone through a lot. How is Dan doing with all of this?"

"I don't know," Serena shook her head. "Vanessa has been his best friend for a lot longer than she was his girlfriend and I think that this is making him think that he didn't know her at all."

"Yet he continues to defend her," Blair shook her head, "That makes no sense."

"She's the mother of his child. What is he suppose to do?" Serena inquired. "Chuck's defending you."

"Our situations are nothing alike," Blair responded defensively.

"I know," Serena said calmly. "I just think Dan's feeling like he got the short end of the stick in all this. Vanessa ignored him for months and he missed most of her pregnancy. She didn't even call him until after the baby was born. Then she tells him she's not staying and that raising Jonathan is going to be completely on him. I feel bad for him."

"Let's talk about something positive. How's Nate?" Blair decided to change subjects.

"He was recently dumped by his last girlfriend," Serena said.

"So it's time for you to swoop in and heal his broken heart," Blair suggested.

"I don't want to be his rebound girl," Serena shook her head.

"No," Blair shook her head. "That girl and all the girls from last summer were his rebounds. You are the one he wants to score with."

"Then I want to be more than a quick score to him. I want a future with him, but I don't know if we're in the same place. I really hurt him last summer."

"You had help and if he can still hang out with Humphrey, he can forgive you. And you know as well as I do you'd be more than a quick score to him. Serena, he cashed in his V-card with you while he had a girlfriend. That means something."

"I don't know what that means to him," she sighed, "He went back to you after it happened."

"Because you left," Blair replied. "He would have broken up with me in a second if you'd given any hint that there was a future with you."

"Why do you still talk to me? You had and have every right to hate me forever."

"Because you're my best friend and while guys are gonna come and go, I know that you're the one person who will always love me no matter what," Blair smiled. "And it led me to Chuck and to these two adorable little babies that I would trade my life for."

"You know I will right? That I will always love you no matter what?"

"Yes and I will always love you, no matter what," Blair told her.

-x-x-x-x-

Blair wiped down the counter and yawned. It was late on a blisteringly cold February evening. She wanted to close as quickly as she could so she could get back to her children. She had a baby monitor hooked on her belt as she cleaned up the last of the garbage from that day.

She heard the door jingle and sighed. She knew she should've locked the door first.

"Sorry, we're closed," she said without looking.

"Blair," a confused voice inquired.

"Humphrey, what in the hell are you doing in my café," Blair exclaimed as she recognized the voice and then the face in front of her as she turned towards him.

"I wanted some coffee and this was the only place open," he said.

"I always stay open late. It helps get business from the community college down the street, but even cramming co-eds know to stay inside on a night as cold as this."

"It looks like you're closing down. I can leave," Dan offered as he turned towards the door.

"Stop," Blair said. "Did Serena tell you where I was?"

"Does she know how to find you?" Dan asked in surprise, "I was under the impression that there had been no contact from you since you did your little disappearing act last fall."

"How about that, she can keep a secret," Blair chuckled in amusement.

"I guess so," Dan said with a nod.

"You look half frozen. I threw out the coffee but how about some hot chocolate?"

"Anything warm would be great," Dan replied as he took the seat she was offering.

"Cake of the day was apple. I have a couple of pieces left. You interested," Blair said as she put some cups out and warmed up the water through the coffee maker and put some mix in cups.

"Not if you made it," he shook his head.

"I think you'll be surprised," Blair laughed as she set a piece in front of him along with a cup of hot chocolate.

Dan looked at it skeptically and then shrugged, "You only live once." He took a bite and chewed. "This is good."

"Thank you. You should try my sour cream pound cake," Blair smiled as she took the seat across from him. "The locals claim I put cocaine in it because it's so addictive."

"Never saw you as a baker," he shrugged as he dove into the cake. It actually tasted so much better than he was letting on. "I figured that was what Dorota was for."

"Cookbooks and cooking classes are amazing inventions," Blair smiled tiredly. "So, I hear congratulations are in order. Jonathan, right?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "And congratulations to you, though I know nothing more than the fact that you obviously aren't still pregnant."

"Twins on Christmas day," Blair smiled. "Sabrina Rose and Sebastian Nathaniel."

"Jonathan's middle name is Rufus for my dad," Dan smiled.

"That's really sweet," Blair replied. "I'd happily show them off, but they're asleep upstairs in my apartment."

"You live here," Dan asked.

"Yes," Blair nodded. "I actually like it. The commute's short and I don't have to invest in Nannies."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I thought nannies would be a prerequisite for you," Dan replied.

"We're a long way from Manhattan, Humphrey," Blair shrugged, "Things are a lot different now than they were before."

"Yeah, I guess they are," Dan said looking around. "This place is pretty cool."

"Thanks."

"I think my dad and Lily were at that concert," Dan pointed to a Bon Jovi poster.

"I play him a lot," Blair said.

"Being from Jersey and all, I'm sure they're a crowd pleaser."

"Yes, and I actually play a lot of country too. Believe it or not, Rascal Flatts is really popular."

"I could see that," Dan replied, "Not really my cup of tea, but they're tolerable. I prefer Lincoln Hawk myself."

"They're over there," Blair admitted. "I keep them for the older crowd that comes in."

"You do not," Dan grinned.

"You should see their faces when I tell them that my best friend's stepfather is none other than Lincoln Hawk's lead singer." Blair giggled.

"Any autograph requests?"

"Once in a while yes," Blair nodded.

"Dad will love that," Dan laughed, "I'll have to bring him out here sometime."

"As long as he doesn't tell Lily," Blair said quietly. "And that brings me to my next question. Do you plan on telling anyone you saw me?"

"If you mean Chuck, no," Dan responded. "That man deserves nothing from me."

"Right. Dan, I should have said it first and you might not want to hear it from me but I am so sorry about Jenny. I know she and I didn't get along but I would never wish what happened to her on anyone."

Dan sat quietly, unable to respond. He was still fighting through his grief, and the constant reminders around Manhattan and Brooklyn were not helping matters.

"What are you going to do once you get Jonathan," Blair asked him. "Are you going to go home to your dad? I'm sure he and Lily would be glad to have you."

"To tell you the truth, I don't know what I'm going to do," he admitted, "Being in New York is suffocating. I think perhaps I need a change of scenery. This town seems nice. Quiet, at least."

Blair looked at him carefully, "My night cashier quit on me last night."

"How about a job?" Dan inquired, "I can get you references if you need."

"I think you're pretty reliable. You always came to Serena's rescue when she needed you," Blair said. "You're a fast learner and you like music and books. I think you might work out. You do know how to make something other than waffles, right?"

"If you can learn to bake, I'm sure I can manage something," Dan teased.

"Funny," Blair smiled. "There a lot of apartments around here. Most of them are above businesses. I know of a few that are empty."

"That would be great," Dan responded as he gives Blair a grateful look.

"So, Vanessa's really leaving," Blair asked as she shook her head in disbelief.

"As soon as she can," Dan nodded.

"How could a mother leave her own child," Blair snarls as the rage filled her.

"It's a great opportunity," Dan felt compelled to defend Vanessa to Blair.

"It's abandonment," Blair said. She saw no grey area in this matter. "She's going to miss so much."

"This will open so many doors for her professionally," Dan continued to defend her.

"We're going to have to agree to disagree on this one," Blair responded calmly. "Because you'll never convince me this is anything but a mother abandoning her child for her own selfish reasons."

"Deal," Dan said. "We're meeting in the morning at some restaurant down the street, but I think I'll need to find a place to sleep for the evening."

"My sofa is comfortable," Blair stated.

"Are you offering?" Dan inquired with a raised eyebrow. Never in a million years did he think that Blair Waldorf would do anything nice for him let alone give him a job, help him find a place to live, and give him a place to crash for the night.

"Unbelievably yes," Blair nodded. "It's late and the nearest hotel is about a mile walk. The buses stopped running twenty minutes ago and since I know you can't drive, I doubt you have a car. So your options are sleeping on my sofa or walking in middle of the night down a potentially icy road to the hotel. And I'm sure you realize it's about five below outside without factoring in the wind chill?"

"The couch it is," Dan accepted her offer quickly before she had the thought of rejecting him.

"Could you lock the door," Blair asked as she got up from the table and turned the chair to rest on top of it.

"Whatever you say, Boss," Dan chuckled.

"Kinda like the way that sounds coming from you Humphrey," Blair smiled.

"This could be the beginning of an interesting friendship," Dan shook his head.

"How very Bogart of you, Humphrey," Blair responded in amusement.

"Funny," Dan nodded. "So, since I work for you does that mean I get to choose some of the music you sell?"

"Don't push it," Blair told him.