To my wonderful Beta, I thank you profusely. To my fans, I live for replies. After all, what writer doesn't?

-x-x-x-x-

Dan watched his boss as she scrubbed the counter.

Again.

He'd been working here for two weeks and she never washed the counter this much. He slowly and carefully reached out and took the rag from her. She looked up at him.

"Humphrey, what's the problem," Blair asked crossly.

"You tell me. That's the third time you've wiped down the counter in the lasts ten minutes. You're going to rub a hole in it at this rate."

"I didn't realize cleanliness was a problem."

"Blair, what's going on? You've been weird since we opened up this morning."

"I talked to Serena last night."

"Everything okay?"

"My mom's been asking to see me."

"See you," Dan raised an eyebrow. "Blair, do you mean you haven't seen her since you took off last fall?"

"Maybe. Sort of," Blair shrugged. "Okay, yes. I know her. She'll tell Chuck where I am."

"And would you except that as an excuse if it was Sabrina," Dan asked.

"You and Serena should really get back together. You both have the same internal speech writer."

"You mean we're good at making you feel guilty."

"Yes," Blair rolled her eyes. "And don't think I haven't had the same thought."

"So," Dan prompted.

"I hate you," Blair sulked.

"So, when?"

"I guess I'll have Serena set up a meeting in the next couple of days," Blair sighed. "I just hope I'm not making a huge mistake."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Serena stepped off the elevator and into the Waldorf penthouse.

"Miss Serena?"

"Hi Dorota. Is Eleanor here?"

"Mrs. Eleanor upstairs. I get," Dorota nodded. She paused at the bottom and looked back at Serena. "Miss Serena, Miss Blair is okay?"

"She's fine, Dorota."

"And her babies?"

Serena took a picture out of her purse, "That's them. Sebastian is in the dark green and Sabrina's in purple."

"I can keep," Dorota asked.

"Yes," Serena asked. "Is Eleanor in her office?"

"Yes," Dorota nodded.

"I'll just go up," Serena sad, squeezing Dorota's arm and then headed upstairs. She walked down the hall and stopped in front of Eleanor's office door. She knocked.

"Come in, Dorota," Eleanor said with her usual impatient tone.

Serena poked her head in, "Sorry, not Dorota."

"Serena," Eleanor looked up. "How are you my dear?"

"I'm good," Serena came further into the room. "I actually have some news."

"Blair? Is she alright?"

"She's fine," Serena assured her. "I finally convinced her to meet with you."

"What? How?"

"By applying a little guilt," Serena said. "How would she feel if Sabrina ran off and wouldn't talk to her?"

"You'd make a wonderful politician," Eleanor smiled.

"We'll see. There is one stipulation, Eleanor."

"I can't tell Chuck," Eleanor guessed.

"Right," Serena nodded. "Meet me at Penn Station tomorrow at five am. I'll give you the destination then."

"Tomorrow it is then."

-x-x-x-x-x

Blair set down a cup of coffee in front of her mother and then sat down across from her.

"This is an interesting place."

"Thank you." Blair heard her mother's judgmental tone but chose to ignore it.

"I would've expected a clothing store."

"If I'd opened a clothing store I might as well have hung a banner saying 'Here I am, Chuck. Come get me'," Blair rolled her eyes.

"A café is hardly a good place to raise children, Blair."

"And where should I raise them Mom? Your penthouse or perhaps a hotel suite in the Palace?"

"This isn't a proper place for a Waldorf," Eleanor said.

"Well then I guess it's a good thing I changed my name," Blair snarked at her.

"You may go by another name, but you're a Waldorf and those children deserve all the best you can give him."

"I am giving them my best Mom," Blair said. "And contrary to what you think, that doesn't mean that they need to have a penthouse on the Upper East Side, bottomless bank accounts, and designer wardrobes. They have a mom who puts them above her work and who knows them better than the nanny does."

"But no father. Chuck deserves a chance to be a part of these children's lives."

"Forget it, Mother," Blair shook her head. "I cannot trust Chuck, and I cannot allow anyone to be a part of my children's lives that I cannot trust."

"How can he regain your trust if you will not even give him a chance to try?" Eleanor inquired. "He's a miserable wreck without you and the children. He's not eating or sleeping. He's spent thousands, possibly millions to find you."

Blair shut her eyes and shook her head before she looked back at her mother, "Is it too much to ask for you to be on my side in all this? I am your daughter. You gave birth to me. How about some loyalty, Mother?"

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I know you're right, but Charles is. . "

"Stop, Mother, I don't want to hear it," Blair snapped.

"That's too bad, Blair. You're a mother, but children need two parents."

"Because that worked out so well when you and Daddy tried it."

"Your father and I made a lot of mistakes but we tried."

"I know you did," Blair sighed. "But-"

"He told me to tell you that he loves you."

"I wish that was enough. Love has never been the problem for us, at least not since we graduated high school. It's about trust."

"Sweetheart, Charles wants to regain your trust. Why can't you let him?"

"He traded me for a hotel. He slept with Jenny Humphrey."

"And you've taken his children away from him. I'd say you're about even now."

"He had me worried sick all summer long," Blair cried. "The only Bass I could find was Jack."

"I somehow doubt that was done to hurt you."

"I can't trust him not to bail on us," Blair shook her head. "Mom, I'm glad to see you and I would love for you to meet your grandchildren but if you go to Chuck and tell him where I am you will never see us again."

"I will do as you ask, but Sweetheart, think about this long and hard. Chuck will not stop looking for you. How do you see this playing out? Are you going to run every time that he gets close, change your name and your children's names? Do you want your children to live on the run for the rest of their lives?"

"I don't know," Blair replied. She looked up when she heard the door jingle. "We're closed for fifteen more minutes. Can you come back?"

The kid in the doorway looked at her strangely.

"Look, I said we're closed. Please leave," Blair demanded impatiently. Her mother had tried the last of hers, and she was all out at the moment.

"Give me your money," the kid demanded.

"We don't have any," Blair said as she stood up from her chair. "We haven't opened up yet."

"Give me whatever is in your till," he continued to demand as he pulled out a gun and pointed it at the pair, who gasped in fear. "And the lady's jewelry." he added as he waved the gun towards Eleanor.

Blair made her way to the register and opened it up, "There's not much here."

"And the jewels," the man growled as he waved the gun towards Eleanor again as Blair handed him all the money in the till.

"Mom, give him your jewelry," Blair said.

Eleanor began taking of her jewelry with shaking hands. She handed over everything except her wedding ring.

"The ring too," the kid said.

"No," Eleanor shook her head defiantly.

"Mom," Blair gasped as she looked at her mother. They were both trembling in fear, but her mother's firm stand surprised everyone in the room.

"Cyrus gave me this."

"He can get you a new one."

"You cannot replace a wedding ring," Eleanor scoffed, even though her voice quivered with fear.

"And replacing a life is so much easier?"

"Give it here," the man demanded as he reached for the ring. Eleanor began struggling with him. Everything happened quickly as suddenly a gunshot rung out.

"Mom," Blair cried as the kid rounded on her. There was a bang and everything went black.

-x-x-x-x-

"Hello?"

"Dad?"

"Dan?"

"I need you," Dan said in a shaky voice.

"What's wrong?" Rufus asked as he heard his son's voice quiver.

"I-Blair-you and Lily need to come here."

"Where is here," Rufus asked. Dan had told him he was living in New Jersey, but not exactly where. It stunned him when Blair's name came out of his son's mouth. His son tolerated Blair, as she did him. Since she'd left New York, there was barely a word spoken about her except by those that she was closest with. His grief hadn't allowed him to care about her welfare or that of her children. He faintly remembered hearing she'd given birth to twins.

"Morristown Memorial Hospital," Dan said. "You should bring Serena and Nate."

"Are you alright? Is Jonathan okay?" Rufus asked, his voice turning frantic to equal Dan's.

"We're fine," Dan assured him quickly. "Dad, does Lily know how to get in touch with Cyrus?"

"I'm sure she does," Rufus responded. "My wife can get in touch with nearly everyone. She's extremely talented in that respect."

"That's good because she's going to need to call Harold Waldorf, too."

"Dan, what's going on?"

"Blair and Eleanor were shot today. Blair's in surgery and Eleanor's gone," Dan said as calmly as he could.

"Oh my god!" Rufus exclaimed. "We're on our way."

"Thanks Dad."

"Of course," Rufus said. He hung up. "Lily? Where are you?"

"I'm right here, Rufus," Lily responded calmly. "Is everything alright, Dear?"

"Lils, I think you better sit down."

"Oh no," Lily said. "I hate it when conversations start like that."

"Start like what, Mom," Serena and Eric came in.

Rufus lost his voice as he looked to Serena.

"Rufus? Are you alright," Serena asked as she saw the tears forming in her step-father's eyes.

"There's something you three need to know."

"Rufus, you're scaring me," Lily announced.

"Dan just called."

"Is Jonathan alright," Lily asked.

"He's fine. Serena, did you know he's living near Blair?"

Serena suddenly looked very uncomfortable, "Uh, well, yes I did. She runs a café in Jersey, and Dan works for her."

"Well, something happened today."

"What?"

"There was a shooting. I'm sorry but Eleanor's gone."

"What about Blair," Serena gasped as tears sprung from her eyes.

"She's in surgery," Rufus said.

"We need to get to her," Serena choked out.

"Serena, you should call Nate. Lily, you need to get in touch with Cyrus and Harold."

"We can do that from the car," Serena announced.

"Tell Nate to meet us at the station," Eric said as he grabbed his coat.

"I'll be right back," Lily said. "I have to get my book so I can call Cyrus and Harold."

"And I'm calling Chuck," Serena announced.

"Serena," Rufus started.

"I am calling Chuck," Serena repeated. "He loves her and he deserves to know."

"That man deserves nothing," Rufus hissed.

"I am still calling him."

0g0g0g0g0g0g

"What is it, van der Woodsen," Chuck growled in annoyance when he answered her third call. He'd avoided the other two, but he was resigned to the fact that she'd keep calling until she said whatever she needed to.

"I need you to get in a car or on a train or in a plane," Serena said as she stared out the window of train she and her family were on. "And I need you to do it now."

"Where would I be heading?" Chuck inquired curiously.

"Morristown Memorial Hospital," Serena informed him with tears in her voice.

"Hospital, what's wrong? Is it Lily?" Chuck gasped.

Serena sighed, "No, Mom's fine. Chuck, it's Blair."

"What is it? What happened?" Chuck asked fearfully as he dashed towards the elevator.

"Chuck, she was shot," Serena told him quietly.

"What do you mean she was shot? You said she was living in a safe area," Chuck snarled.

"I don't know how it happened and do not yell at me right now, Chuck," Serena said. "I can't take being yelled at right now."

"I'm on my way," Chuck assured her as he hung up on her quickly and called for his helicopter to be ready as soon as he could get to the helipad. With any luck he'd be there before Serena and everyone else.

-x-x-x-x-

"You," Chuck said lowly when he saw Dan leaning against the wall of the waiting room. "What the hell are you doing here?" He could see the blood on Dan's shirt.

"I'm here for Blair. She's my boss," Dan stammered out.

"You've known how to find her," Chuck snarled as he brought his hand to Dan's throat and began choking him.

Dan's eyes went wide as he felt the air leave his body. He'd seen Chuck in a rage before but never like this.

"Chuck," Nate said appearing at his friends' sides. "Chuck! Stop it." He pulled his friend's hand away.

"Give me one reason I shouldn't knock you on your ass and then erase you from this planet," Chuck hissed at Dan. "How could you keep Blair and my children from me? Do you hate me that much?"

"My sister-"

"Don't," he barked. "Don't use Jenny as an excuse for what you've done. I didn't hold a gun to Jenny's head and force her into my bed. She made her own bed in all of this."

"Shut up," Dan snarled at him. "Blair and her kids are better off without you."

"Really? Eleanor is dead. Blair might join her. This could have been prevented if you had told me where she was. You have been nothing but a thorn in everyone's side since they day you entered our world. How we've tolerated you for this long is anyone's guess. Get out. You do not belong here, you never did."

"She's my boss and my friend," Dan said. "You see this? This is hers," he motioned to the blood on his shirt. "I had to hold a towel to her chest so she wouldn't bleed all over the floor of her café."

"Dan probably saved her life," Nate chimed in. "At least that is what the doctors are saying."

"And Eleanor?"

"She was gone before I got there," Dan said quietly. "I saw a man running from the café as I walked to work. When I came in Blair was unconscious and bleeding profusely. Eleanor was gone."

"Leave," Chuck hissed. "Leave before I do something I cannot undo."

"You should have thought of that before you took my sister into your bed," Dan hissed as he held his ground.

"Okay, you two need to calm down," Nate got between them and held them apart as they lunged towards each other. "We're in a hospital. People are sick here. They do not need to hear you two trying to kill each other over what happened with Jenny and what Dan didn't or did tell you."

"Fine, stay, but stay out of my sight," Chuck snarled.

"Gladly," Dan said as he walked down the hall.

"You okay," Nate asked.

"How did you get here so fast?"

"I used your name and called one of the other helicopters Bass Industries keeps when Serena called me."

"How's Blair?" Chuck inquired, nearly in tears.

"Alive and in surgery," Nate told him. "That's all I know." He checked his watch. "I'm gonna go try Harold again. Lily gave me his number."

"And my children, where are they? Are they safe?" Chuck asked as he reached out to stop Nate from leaving

"Dan said something about a neighbor when I got here."

"Bring them to me," Chuck demanded. "Blair will want to see them when she gets out of surgery."

"Maybe we should wait until her surgery's over. She's lost a lot of blood. She may be unconscious for some time."

"I don't care," he hissed.

"Chuck, you may have to face the fact that she could-"

"Don't," Chuck warned him. "Don't say it. Don't even think it."

"You think I want to? I've known her as long as you have. I went out with her for a long time."

"Don't you pretend to have ever cared about her as much as I do," he snarled. "She is the love of my life and the mother of my children."

"In case you've forgotten, she could have been the mother of mine," Nate shot back at him.

"Never would have happen," he spat out.

"Oh really? Why not?"

"Because she's always belonged with me, even when she was with you, she was destined for me."

Nate didn't say anything for a moment. "You've always loved her, haven't you?"

"All my life," he nodded. "I cannot allow for the possibility that she won't pull through because then my life might as well be over."

"You can't do that," Nate said. "If she doesn't pull through it'll be a tragedy but you need to go on. You can't turn into Bart, Chuck. I won't watch your son and daughter grow up feeling about you the way you felt about Bart."

"Oh god, my children," he gasped as the tears began to rain down his cheeks. "I need to see them. Please."

"I'll get Dan to call the neighbor. With Eleanor gone and Harold not here, Lily's the grandparent in this situation and the closest family member they have."

"She's not the closest family member they have. I am," Chuck reminded him.

"And if I tell Dan to have them brought down because you want to see them, he'll laugh in my face and refuse."

"Point taken," Chuck conceded. "Whatever you have to do to get them here, please do it."

"I'll go find Dan," Nate said before he left.

-d-d-d-d-

"Thought I might find you out here," Serena said, sitting down next to him after she found him sitting in the frigid cold courtyard.

"Is she out of surgery," Chuck asked.

"Not yet. How are you holding up?"

"Don't even ask that question until she's out of surgery," he responded as his breathe came out as a white cloud.

"You know, this is where your kids were born," Serena told him.

"If you're looking to make small talk, it's going to be a one sided conversation. I have nothing in me right now," Chuck groaned.

"Just trying to keep you informed," Serena said. "I walked out this way when I left Blair on Christmas morning. I could see a million stars in the sky."

"I appreciate the effort," Chuck responded, "But I can't do this now. I can't take the reminder of what I missed and what I could possibly lose."

Serena bit her lip and put her hand on Chuck's shoulder, "I used to hate it when you called me 'Sis' in the beginning. But you've changed so much since you've joined our family. Blair has always brought out the best in you. I hope you never forget that."

"I never thanked you for telling me she was pregnant," Chuck said. "If you hadn't I'd be somewhere in Europe with Eva-"

"Was that her name?"

"And I'd have no idea this was happening."

"You'd have known," Serena responded, "You could pretend to be someone else for awhile, but we both know you'd have returned to her eventually. Blair is your soul mate."

"I just want her to be okay and I want her back home with me."

"And I hope you get your wish," Serena responded as she rubbed his shoulder gently.

"Nate loves you," Chuck said suddenly. "He loves you and he wants you back. So, if you love him don't waste time. Take it from me, tomorrow is not guaranteed.