Chapter 13 B

Chuck took a deep breath to try and calm himself down a bit. Something Elizabeth must have noticed seeing as she took his hand in hers under the table and gave it a slight squeeze and gave him a reassuring smile. He returned her smiled stiffly, but was pulled out of him thoughts by Jacob, "So, Charles, do you plan on taking over your father's business?" He repeated, scowling. Jacob Van Leih hated having to repeat himself.

Chuck nodded and set down his fork, "Yes, sir. Last year he began to actively involve me in a project, which he plans to have me continue doing throughout the next five years until I graduate from college. And each year will progressively have more active involvement on my part."

Jacob nodded. He wasn't exactly thrilled that Charles seemed to be on the path of a young man that he would deem appropriate for his granddaughter. The Bass real estate business, though new money, was still a flourishing business and could seemingly hold its own against the older businesses that were still in high demand. It would appear that young Mr. Bass was on his way to a bright future that could both compliment his granddaughter's future and still provide her with a stable stepping stone for her personal interests as well.

"Charles, you seem like a bright young man. However, I am afraid that there are some…less than admirable…things being said about you. Would you care to explain that?" Jacob raised an eyebrow as he finished his question.

Chuck sighed and set down his fork.

"Grandfather!' Elizabeth exclaimed as she brought her hand up to her face and sent him a look that said, 'I am SO sorry!'

He gave her a small smile to help keep her a little less embarrassed or nervous. He wasn't exactly sure which was going through her head at the moment. Chuck was faced with a very awkward and difficult question and so he decided to answer it doing what he did best: He lied through his teeth, "I'm afraid that I don't know everything that is being said about me, sir. Truthfully, I was surprised that there were obviously such disappointing things being said about me when Elizabeth mentioned it herself. I am aware that I have done some…questionable…things in my past and possibly a few in the near past that I probably shouldn't have done," he took a moment to think about what to say next.

He took a sip of his drink to get rid of the parched feeling in his throat before speaking again, "All I can say about the things I have done in the past is that when I reached the beginning of my teenage years I rebelled quite strongly against my father and his wishes for me and I think that in some ways I have still been doing so up until recently. I enjoyed working the project last year and with my father's new marriage to Lillian Van der Woodsen I now have a younger sibling that I am responsible for looking out for and even an older sister to think about. Both Serena and Eric are important to me and I try to make sure that nothing happens to them. I can't say that I am happy about what is being said about me, but I feel that, while clearing up the misconceptions about myself is important, I have other equally, if not more important obligations to my family that need to be taken care of first."

"And those obligations would be learning your father's business and helping your new siblings?" Jacob asked, keeping his surprise at bay. That was definitely not the answer he had expected to get from Charles.

Chuck nodded, "Yes, sir."

Jacob resisted the urge to sigh in annoyance. However, he caught his granddaughter's eyes which seemed to say, 'You promised to give him a chance! What are you doing?' He wasn't sure how to explain to her that he was just trying to protect her. Even though he trusted her judgment he still had heard far too many displeasing things about this young man. She would be mad at him, but eventually she would get over it.

"Charles, my granddaughter says that you are not everything that I have heard, and so far you seem to be proving her right…but I have to ask…with all of the conquests that you've had over the years how am I to know that my granddaughter is not just another?" Jacob demanded.

"Grandfather!"

"Jacob, really!"

He ignored both his granddaughter's and his wife's protests at his question. Dinner was nearly over and he wanted to know what young Mr. Bass's intentions was toward his granddaughter…it was not an unreasonable question. He fully believed that, were his ex son-in-law Jeffery, here he would have supported the question 100%.

"As I've said, sir, most of what you have probably heard about me was due to the rebellious nature I had towards my father and I am afraid that lack of a steady relationship is a result of that nature. I am not sure how I can prove to you that I see Elizabeth differently than I have other girls in the past. I know that there has only been one other girl that has refused to take any of my crap, for lack of a better word, and that would be my new step-sister, Serena and by extension her best friend Blair," he said seriously. He was hopping beyond hope that the whole craziness that went down with Blair at the end of the school year had not made it back to Mr. Van Leih.

"What makes Elizabeth different than my past is that she is not one to deal with my less than admirable moments. She's the first one to point it out when I'm being a jerk. She's determined to get what she wants but at the same time, picks her battles accordingly. While, she is careful to take into consideration what others say, she is also willing to get to know a person before forming her own opinion about someone. She has a sensible and reasonable head on her shoulders and even in the short time that I have known her, she seems to have begun rubbing off on me," he said sincerely. Yet he refused to look over at Elizabeth. Here he was telling her grandfather things that he had not even told her yet.

He wasn't entirely sure what was happening to him. This wasn't like him; he wasn't one to put his heart on his sleeve for the world to see. He had learned a long time ago that when you did that you risked getting hurt more than you wanted to.

He just sat there looking at her grandfather and trying with all of his strength to keep from panicking right then and there. He was getting emotionally attached to Elizabeth far faster than he had expected himself to. This wasn't even close to the debacle that had happened with Blair mere months ago…and yet here he was sitting at the Van Leih formal dining room table, palms sweaty and his nerves rattled farther than he had ever had them before.

Jacob looked at the young man in front of him. He could see that something had the boy rattled, though Charles did an excellent job at hiding it from his granddaughter and wife. As a lawyer, it was easy for him to spot when the opposition was getting nervous, anxious and the like.

While Charles had not expressed how intelligent his granddaughter was, Jacob was pleased to note that Charles had picked up on things that most his age probably wouldn't have. He could tell from the description Charles had given that the young man knew his granddaughter was beautiful, but had had the decency not to use that as a reason as to why she was different from the others.

As much as he hated to admit that it appeared that he was wrong about Charles Bass he was also pleased that his granddaughter's judgment was as sound and trustworthy as it had always been. He would still keep his eye out on the young man as he continued to court his granddaughter, but that would have been protocol no matter who she dated.

He had to admit, quite reluctantly, that Charles Bass would not be leaving his granddaughter's life anytime soon.

He nodded his head and picked up his glass of wine that he had switched to for dinner, "Hmm," Jacob titled his head contemplatively, "Charles, you hurt her and I won't be a pleasant man to deal with."

Chuck nodded silently, more scared than he'd like to admit, and turned back to his dinner. He was still too on edge to look at Elizabeth.

Dinner was finished about thirty minutes later and Chuck and Elizabeth were getting ready to leave. After saying goodbye and complimenting the meal the two left the penthouse and stepped out into the hallway, where Chuck could finally breathe.

Elizabeth turned to him and looked at him in concern, "Chuck, are you okay?"

He took a deep breath and turned to look at her, "I think so," he trailed off slightly.

She looked down and took his hand in hers and gave it a tight squeeze, "Do you want to take me home and give yourself a chance to clear your head? I know this is all new to you and my grandfather wasn't exactly easy to deal with."

He gave a crooked smile, "He cares about you, Elizabeth. I would have been more worried if he had been easy on me. He's the man in your life while your father can't be. It's understandable. "

She sighed and looked up at him with concern in her eyes, "I know that. But that doesn't mean it is any easier on your nerves. Trust me I have two male best friends back in Roswell. I've seen them after a meet the parents' dinner."

He looked at her skeptically, but went with it anyway. He doubted anyone felt as scared as he did 'cause as far as Chuck knew, no one had sat down with Jacob Van Leih and had an boyfriend introduction with him. Chuck quickly changed his train of thought, "What about your father?"

She smiled and laughed at that, "My grandfather will probably call him tonight and tell him about the entire dinner. It won't be that bad if or when you meet him."

Chuck nodded and stayed silent for a few moments and then gave her a soft kiss, "Are you sure you don't mind if I take you home?"

She smiled at him, "We've already had dinner. And you're still walking me to my door and giving me a kiss good night. I could think of a lot of ways that this night could end worse."

He nodded and pressed another kiss to her lips before wrapping his arm around her waist and leading her out of the building and to his car to bring her home. His nerves were still vibrating at 100 mph, or at least that was what it felt like, but he would save his grand freak out for when he got back home. He didn't want to worry her anymore than she already appeared to be.

What's this, Chuck Bass meeting the family? Looks like New Girl is better at playing with the sharks than originally thought. But doesn't she know that the fiercest shark hasn't even landed back in UES yet? If she keeps playing in the infested waters she going to get bit when Queen B returns…

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

You Know You Love Me.

XOXO

Gossip Girl