Chapter Eleven:

He was fuming. First, he had come all the way to New York to get Liz and take her home and now he couldn't even find her. Then he had to deal with the updates from Gossip Girl about Liz being seen with all of these different guys. He wasn't sure what New York was doing to his Liz, but whatever it was, he didn't like it at all. And now, he wasn't sure if he wanted to bring Liz home or beat the shit out of this Chuck guy.

He heard a beep and angrily grabbed for his cell phone and opened the latest text from Gossip Girl. There was a picture of the rich boy himself. The picture was a little blurry but it was of a brunette girl that definitely wasn't Liz. Who did this guy think he was, kissing another girl when he had Liz around! Not that he wanted Liz to be kissing this Chuck guy, but she didn't deserve a guy who didn't keep their focus solely on her. Max ignored the irony of his statement considering his past relationship with Tess.

Another thing that Max couldn't understand as he drove past the New York state lines, was Liz's grandfather's hostility towards him. Jacob Van Leih was a sensible man, that he could tell right away, but what he couldn't figure out was why Jacob had told him to leave New York and stay away from Liz. It was clear that the two were not that close, after all, a grandfather should know whether or not his granddaughter prefers to be called Liz rather than Elizabeth.

Sighing, he opened a blank text message to send another note to Liz.

Liz dont wry bout that ahole Gossip Girl saw u with. Hes not worth it. Come home & well work us out. Luv u Max

After he hit the send button he could only hope that she would come to her senses and come home. It was obvious that finding her in New York was going to be impossible; it was just too big and her grandfather was going to be of no use to him at all. Tightening his grip on the steering wheel, he became even more determined to win her back. She belonged with him, but the longer she stayed in New York, the more work he was going to have when she finally did get back.

XOXO XOXO XOXO XOXO

Liz closed her eyes in frustration as she read the text message that Max had just sent her. She couldn't believe that Maria had actually told him about Gossip Girl, and it was obvious that she had, if he was mentioning the Gossip Queen of the Upper East Side in his attempts to get her to come back to Roswell.

"The second date went that well?" she heard her grandfather ask her as he took his seat across from her for their lunch date.

She looked up and smiled at him, "No, the date actually went much better than the first one. I enjoyed our time getting to know each other. He's not everything that I had originally thought about him. I'm beginning to have a feeling that the real Chuck Bass isn't someone that people get to see that often…and I think I got to see a little bit of him last night."

She could see the obvious skepticism in her grandfather's eyes; she would have to see if she could possibly work on his opinion of Chuck… provided Chuck proved to be worth it, which Liz was starting to see that he undoubtedly was.

"Then what has you in a less than pleasant mood this afternoon?" he asked her curiously.

She sighed and lifted her cell phone, "Max sent me another text message. Maria obviously told him about Gossip Girl, and I'm guessing he subscribed to her 'mailing list' because he mentioned that Gossip Girl has been talking about Chuck and I in her newest messages."

Jacob raised an eyebrow at her statement, before turning to the waiter and nodding in approval at the restaurant's wine choice. Then he turned his gaze to the menu and his attention back to his granddaughter, "Speaking of young Mr. Evans, it would appear that he didn't take the news of your…acquaintance…with young Mr. Bass too well. He stopped by my office yesterday."

Liz's eyes flew from the menu in front of her to her grandfather's face in shock, "Please tell me you are joking!"

Jacob lifted his eyes only and gave his head a slight shake, "Have you ever known me to joke about such things, Elizabeth?"

She sighed and picked up her glass of water. She took a sip hoping that the action alone would sooth her nerves and the tension that Max was inflicting on her even when he wasn't immediately around her, "Considering I don't recall ever having heard you joke, I'm going to go with a 'no'.

This is becoming ridiculous. I haven't been returning any of his messages, you would think that he would get it through his head by now that I don't want to talk to him. But to stoop so low as to take up your time when at your own office…" she shook her head as she trailed off. She wasn't even sure she could put into words how she was feeling towards Max's actions at the moment. It was past annoyance, it was past anger, it was past fed up.

Jacob took her hand into his and grabbed her full attention in the process. He gave her a small reassuring smile, "Elizabeth, he is a boy that has been infatuated with you since he was just a small child. You were his safety net and he has destroyed that safety net and he is trying desperately to get it back. I don't expect him to give up anytime soon. But in the mean time, do not let it consume your life."

She gave her grandfather's hand a reassuring squeeze and smiled, "Don't worry, grandfather, I'm not. My date with Chuck last night has just proven to me even more that I can do better than Max Evans. And that I am ready for that to happen. I am ready to find a guy that I deserve."

Jacob released her hand as the waiter came back with his glass of wine and took their orders. After that was done he folded his hands on top of the table and looked at his granddaughter, "And you believe that Chuck Bass is better than Max Evans? Even with everything that everyone knows about him? His constant revolving penthouse door of women?"

She gave her grandfather a smile, "I know what his reputation is, in case you have forgotten, that was one of my concerns that I had brought to discuss with you. But after last night, I'm not so sure that everything that is said about him is entirely true. I am well aware that it was only one successful date in which I am getting to know him, but I have a feeling that there is more to Chuck Bass than meets the eye and that's enough for me right now."

He continued to frown at his granddaughter. He could see the beginnings of more than a simple crush forming in her eyes as she spoke of young Mr. Bass. It was not a development that he was overly pleased with, "Had I known that the date you spoke of was with Charles Bass, I would not have encouraged your pursuit with him any longer," he held up his hand to stop her when she began to speak.

"That being said, it is clear that you have taken a liking to him. As far as I am concerned, your judgment has been rather sound in the past and I am going to once again trust your judgment on this," he finished seriously.

She rewarded him with a smile, "It's nice to know that you still trust my judgment, even after this Max debacle."

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Was this how Max was when you began dating him?"

She shook her head negatively, "No, he's changed since then. Sometimes, I don't even know if I'm looking at the same person that I started dating in the beginning."

He nodded and held out his hands in a 'well there you go' kind of way, "Then my trust still stands. Your judgment has changed in regards to him since the beginning and it is a judgment that I agree with. I don't think he is who you thought he was in the beginning either."

She smiled at him and felt a bubble of hope grow in the pit of her stomach, "Then you will trust that I know what I am doing with Chuck? You will give him a chance? Try and ignore what others say about him before you judge him?"

He was silent as he took in her questions. He could see that it was something that she wanted. And while he wanted to give her this, seeing as how she was never one to ask for much from him other than his honesty, he also didn't want to make false promises to her. That was something the two of them agreed upon firmly, false promises meant nothing.

"I'll tell you what…bring him to dinner so that your grandmother and I can get to know him away from all of the gossip and opinions that everyone else has formed about him and we'll go from there, how does that sound?" he asked calmly.

She smiled at him widely and nodded, "That sounds fair."

He nodded, "Good. Call your grandmother later and work out a time with Charles."

She smiled and nodded again just as the food came.

Jacob gave the waiter a small nod in acknowledgement for the food's arrival and the two continued on with their lunch.

The rest of lunch was a relaxing and comfortable silence for the both of them to take some time out and think away from work or other issues, such as Max Evans, and just enjoy one another's company. When it was over, Jacob paid the bill and they prepared to go their separate ways.

As they stood outside of the restaurant saying goodbye, Liz pulled her grandfather into a warm embrace, "Thank you for everything, Grandfather."

He returned the hug and gave her a smile, "You are welcome, Elizabeth."

Things keep getting more and more interesting between the New Girl and UES's favorite bad boy. This interesting development is sure to bring new and exciting gossip. Chuck Bass, going domestic? Stay tuned for the latest.

Who am I? Now that's a secret I'll Never tell.

You Know You Love Me

XOXO

Gossip Girl