Chapter XVII
You, Use Your Heart As a Weapon
Serena lay on the soft outdoor lounge, her blonde hair fanned out behind her head. She arched her neck, enjoying the warm sun soaking into her skin, that was when it wasn't behind a cloud. Sighing slightly she wiggled, trying to get into a more comfortable position. She frowned as she felt a shadow cast over her, opening her eyes Chuck was revealed standing over her with an unamused look.
"What?" she asked, not prepared to move yet she wriggled her toes and stretched, enjoying the feeling. Things had been so hectic recently, it was nice to just lay here and be normal for a little while. What would have been better was if she had Blair or Dan there. But Blair was back in New York, panicking about the mockumentary that was due on Monday. And Dan…well he seemed to be brushing her off lately, each conversation they had was becoming more awkward and brief. A small wrinkle furrowed her brow as she frowned slightly at the thought, her worries returning.
"Father said we must all gather for lunch," Chuck proclaimed, in a bored tone. He had on a pair of Gucci sunglasses, even though they were unnecessary on the dim day.
"Euuurghhh," Serena groaned, forcing herself to get up. "I don't even know why they dragged us here?"
"For family bonding remember," Chuck drawled. "Though I'd prefer to try real bondage if you're up for it," he smirked.
"You're sick," Serena retorted automatically. "This is so ridiculous." She pouted, returning to her complaining as she stretched again and moved to the sliding doors into the house. She paused for a second to enjoy the plush carpet underneath her toes, then moved on."It's not even the season for the Hamptons anyway. It's borderline freezing."
"And yet you're wearing a bikini," Chuck noted wryly, strolling in after her. "Just hurry up, I want to get this over with…"
"What's the hurry? Don't tell me you've asked over 'company'?" Serena teased. After the words left her lips she regretted them immediately, knowing Chuck he'd probably launch into vivid detail, something she could do without.
"With father here?" Chuck asked, raising his eyebrows. "Hardly, you should know by now how he loves to be the hypocrite."
"So then what?" Serena asked as she headed for her room, her curiosity slightly peaked. Chuck had been awful quiet lately, breezing under the radar, hardly making a peek from his room. So if he didn't have company, what was he doing?
"There's a nice bar not far from here," he drawled. following behind her down the corridor, and pausing to lean against his own room door. "I enjoyed some fine company from my dear friend Scotch last night, I'd like to continue the acquaintance."
"Figures," Serena shook her head at Chuck, she should have known by the sunglasses, he was probably nursing a hangover. "So where's Eric?"
"Holed up in his room on his laptop. Didn't feel like joining me," Chuck said, as if unconcerned. The truth was he hadn't asked Eric, he had been trying to avoid the younger boy, and although he felt guilty about that, it was for the best right now. Eric was too perceptive for his own good, and it may have just been paranoia as a result of all the pot he had smoked over the years, but he felt sure that the younger boy would discover his secret with Blair if given the chance. Their 'relationship' was really something Chuck didn't want to analyse right now, he just wanted to enjoy it. Having Eric find out about it however was most likely going to cause over thinking, and Chuck was never one to enjoy self reflection.
"Still?" Serena asked, raising her eyebrows. She went over to the door to Eric's room, across from hers, banging on the door. "Hey, little brother, it's bonding time. You've got five minutes to get ready, or Bart's coming in after you."
"Leave him be," Chuck drawled, not bothering to keep his voice down as he smirked at Serena. "I'm sure he and Jonathon are enjoying some educated conversation over the net. What do kids call it now, sexting?"
"Ewwww," Serena scrunched up her nose, but couldn't help grinning slightly at the thought of Eric's face right then. "Do you think we should get Mom? I don't think this is healthy?"
"Well all the books do say we should let them 'experiment'," Chuck retorted, face deadpan. "Of course, five hours is kind of pushing it…"
"Do you think he has a girl in there?" Serena asked, wide eyed.
"Now that would certainly be experimental…" Chuck mused.
The door opened abruptly and Eric's face peaked out, not looking amused. "Fine, fine, I'm coming okay," he protested. "Will you two just stop speculating, I'm losing my appetite."
"What have you been doing in there anyway?" Serena asked, ruffling his hair before he could dodge her hand.
"Some of us actually have homework to do you know," Eric pointed out. "And speaking of, aren't you two seniors? Shouldn't you be doing some homework right now instead of harassing me?"
"There's some sun out, I desperately need to tan," Serena said defensively, pouting exaggeratedly.
"I've already done my homework," Chuck smirked at Eric's look. "And I've learnt from it that scotch is superior to all other alternatives."
"And this is the future of America," Eric shook his head in mock despair.
"Be that as it may, I find it hard to believe the future President of America was doing homework this whole time," Chuck said, raising his eyebrow inquisitively. "What else were you up to?"
"It's a mystery," Serena playfully gasped.
"Speaking of mysteries, what were you guys doing on Friday?" Eric returned with, knowing for certain it would get the two bored older teens off his back.
"It's already 12:15, didn't Mom say we have to be there by 12:20?" Serena quickly said, turning to Chuck. It may have not been subtle, but whatever worked right? Eric could see Chuck forcefully refraining from rolling his eyes, but he did nod at Serena's look. Though Eric had been using the question as a way to get rid of them, he still felt a twinge of resentment that both of them were mum on the subject, as if he was a child who needed to be kept away from the adult secrets. "Well then you better hurry up and get ready smarty pants, because we have a family lunch to get to," Serena proclaimed brightly, quickly turning and heading to her room.
"Where?" Eric asked dumbly, but she had already closed her door.
"I suggest you don something fleuro purple," Chuck smirked, opening his own room door. "I'm sure Lilly and Father will love that."
"I'm gay not colour blind," Eric called after him as his door snapped shut. Turning to his own blue clad room he walked over to the laptop on his bed, quickly going to type on msn.
Eric: Hey I gtg, apparently we're having a 'family' lunch.
Dam: KK then. Have fun.
Eric: Yeah, sure, 'fun'.
Dam: I'm sure it can't be too bad. Ttyl.
Eric: Cya.
He logged off quickly, feeling a slight plummet in his stomach. He'd been talking to Damien a lot recently over the internet. The older boy had a good sense of humour, and understood stuff that sometimes went over Serena's head, or which Chuck simply raised a droll eyebrow at. It was nice to talk with someone who was actually interested in what Eric had to say, and wasn't avoiding him because of some secret they were keeping, which Chuck and Serena were both obviously doing.
As he stared at the generic desktop he contemplated just locking the room door and refusing to go to lunch. After all it did not bode pleasant for any of them. Though Serena and Chuck were talking now, Chuck was always significantly quiet when Bart was around. Not to mention the hidden tension between Bart and Lilly, which caused Serena to forcefully act happy, Lilly to laugh a lot, and Bart to have a permanently tense awkward almost smile on his face. And there would be Eric, who would have to sit like that for hours, trying to smoothly interject Lilly when she started picking on Serena, or distract Chuck when it looked like he was going to say something particularly obnoxious to Bart, more likely the more he drank.
Of course if Eric didn't go then he would most likely end up truly alone, seeing as they'd all kill each other.
Sighing heavily like a boy with the world on his shoulders, and thinking miserably of the awkward lunch that was sure to ensue, Eric went to his closet to grab the armour of the upper class, a pricey button down shirt and pants.
Spotted: Queen B exiting a taxi in Brooklyn? What an earth could she be looking for there? Perhaps a certain Lonely Boy? While Serena's away, her friends shall play, that is the ones with b's in front of them. xoxo GG.
"No elevator," Blair huffed to herself as she reached the door to Dan's loft. "Who has no elevator in their building in this day and age?" She pushed an errant piece of hair out of her face roughly, feeling eminently annoyed at the world. Not only had Chuck and Serena abandoned her to start this project alone, but now that Nate was staying at the Humphreys, and wasn't answering his phone, she had to take an unprecedented and unwanted trip to Brooklyn, on a Saturday of all things. It was safe to say that Blair was not in her most benevolent of moods right then.
Gingerly, Blair knocked on the door, trying to limit any contact with the clearly unsanitary surface and her soft hands. She waited a minute, hearing voices through the door, but nobody came to open it. Glaring murderously at the wood, Blair threw caution to the wind and hammered on it, her disgruntled mood overtaking her fussy nature, temporarily.
"Humphrey I know you're in there, I can hear you're cheap floorboards creaking," she snapped, her voice rising with annoyance. She went to bang harder on the door, but just as her fist went to meet wood it swung open. Dan stood there looking harassed in a grey shirt with a coffee stain near the collar. Blair hardly noticed however, annoyance over taking her. "Really, if you're not going to hire a doorman the least you can do is answer promptly, so you don't leave people waiting in this musty hallway. It probably has asbestos…" she sniffed superiorly.
"Look Blair…now isn't the best time," Dan said, shorter than usual. "I told you I can't do the film today…"
"I'm not here for you, I'm here for Nate," Blair snapped, annoyed at the way he was brushing her off, as if she would stoop to harass a Humphrey. "And i…"
"Dan, honey, who is that?" came a female voice from within, decidedly not Jenny.
"Uh…no one…" Dan mumbled, looking behind him into the loft. Blair glared at him, no one? A Brooklynite had just described her as no one? Before she could open her mouth with a biting protest, someone wrestled the door from Dan and opened it wider. A woman stood there…Blair remembered her from last Thanksgiving, Dan's mother wasn't it?
"Oh hello," she said, Blair used to noticing these things, saw her smile was rather strained. "We met last Thanksgiving didn't we? I'm Dan's mother and you are…?"
"She was uh…just leaving," Dan cut across, going to close the door.
"Dan, that is so rude," his mother protested, grabbing the door before he could slam it shut and frowning at him.
"Yes Dan, how could you be so ill bred?" Blair pronounced overly sweet, piercing Dan with a death glare. She then turned to his mother with a perfect smile and an out raised hand. "Hello again Mrs Humphrey I'm Blair Waldorf." She introduced herself, as well mannered as she could be to spite Dan.
"You can call me Alison," she corrected, taking Blair's hand and shaking it, her smile growing wider and more strained.
"Of course," Blair corrected, remembering Dan's parents were separated, or divorced…not that it really mattered seeing as the only property to have been split was probably some old record and a poster of Rufus pre mullet… "I was just looking for Nate Archibald, he's staying here? We're supposed to be doing a school project together…"
"Oh, Nate," Alison's smile grew more natural, obviously Nate's charming smile and twinkling eyes had won her over in a heartbeat. Blair prevented herself from rolling her eyes, she wasn't exactly feeling endearing to Nate seeing as he'd caused her a trip to Brooklyn when he knew they were supposed to be working on the project. "Unfortunately he just popped out with Vanessa ten minutes ago…"
"Oh," Blair's polite smile abruptly disappeared. She had come all this way, to Brooklyn, for nothing?
"But I'm sure you can wait here," Alison offered.
"Oh n…" Blair began, taken off guard for once. Before she could continue however Dan interrupted.
"I don't think now is a good time," he asserted here, frowning at his Mom.
"Don't be silly Dan, come on Blair, I'm sure Rufus…well I'm sure nobody will mind. Come in," with that she assertively, almost desperately, took Blair by the arm and practically dragged her into the loft.
"Actually I think…" Blair began, feeling increasingly awkward.
"I'll whip something up for you, I'm sure your thirsty from your trip, you live on the Upper East side right?"
"Yes…" Blair replied, trying to resist the urge to cringe at what the Humphrey's called home. Was that lamp from The Reject shop? She shuddered at the thought.
"Blair," a squeak came from the breakfast bar. Blair looked over to be met with wide eyed Jenny Humphrey. She was sitting on one of the bar stools, nursing a bowl of ice cream with sprinkles on it. She looked as shocked as Blair felt.
"Jenny," Blair barely acknowledged the younger girl, assessing her with a critical eye. She hadn't heard much from Little J for the school year, hadn't spotted her in the corridors. Like a bug, once Blair squashed a rival she was oblivious of their existence, though she never did really forget. Jenny didn't look too bad, if Blair was honest. She was wearing a black dress with pink trim showing underneath. Her hair was cut in a fashionable punk look, and though she could do with less eye make up, if Blair was honest, the younger girl could get away with the look, she was only fifteen after all. Not that Blair would ever admit that to the little wannabe.
"What are you doing here…?" Jenny burst out with, then coloured slightly at Blair's raised eyebrow. No matter how much Jenny had matured secretly working at Eleanor's, she still felt like a nobody around the composed and perfect Blair.
"Blair's waiting for Nate," Alison supplied, that tense smile on her face once more. "I was just going to make her a smoothy, do you want one too honey?"
"Actually…I uh…" Jenny began awkwardly, avoiding her mother's eyes.
Before she had to give a definitive answer the doorknob rattled, and a second later opened. Rufus Humphrey entered the loft, and even Blair didn't fail to see that the usually laid back father looked like storm clouds were raging above his head.
"Rufus…I wasn't expecting you back so soon…"Alison supplied, awkwardly. Rufus barely looked at his ex-wife, his eyes trained on his blonde daughter.
"Well I didn't expect to come back until you'd left. But then I ran into Mistress Queller…" Rufus said, barely resisting the urge to grit his teeth. He hadn't even noticed Blair, his whole energy drawn towards his daughter.
"What?" Jenny asked, her eyes wide. Blair frowned slightly, she knew the headmistress quite well, and doubted she would be anywhere near Brooklyn. The only way Rufus could bump into her would be if he was hanging around the Upper East Side in his jeans and plaid shirt…But what on Earth would he be doing there?
"Jenny, why is she under the impression that for this whole semester you've been out of school with a bad case of mono?" Rufus demanded, piercing his daughter with interrogating eyes.
Well, well, well…maybe Brooklyn was more amusing then Blair had first thought. Who would have thought Little J had the guts to pull a stunt like that, for the whole semester. At least it explained why Blair hadn't spotted her in the halls. Blair looked at Jenny with raised eyebrows, along with Dan and her mother.
"I…I…" Jenny stuttered, like a deer in headlights. "Look Dad…it's not what it seems…"
"Not what it seems? I spend thousands of dollars to that school for you to get an education, and you haven't even been going? What were you thinking?" Rufus exploded, barely containing his anger and disappointment. Blair was slightly startled at his reaction, the little she had seen and heard about the Humphrey's father, the more she had envisioned him a hippy rockstar, laid back, sharing proverbs with his children. Not that she thought of it often, but the one time she had…
"Rufus," Alison interjected here, going to stand near Jenny. "Do you really need to yell at her like that? Can't we discuss this?"
"No offence Alison, but when Jenny's in Hudson you can parent her the way you want, right now she's under my roof, and I'm not going to just let this slide."
"Suggesting I would let it slide?" Alison asked, her cheeks growing red.
"I think it would be a good idea if you leave now…" Dan muttered, he had sidled towards Blair while his parents were busy arguing. His neck and ears were red, whether with embarrassment, anger, or a mixture of both, Blair couldn't tell.
"Maybe your right," Blair replied, feeling a twinge of sympathy for the Brooklynite, although her fingers were itching to notify Gossip Girl of Jenny's promising future career as trailer trash. After all everyone knew that's where you were headed if you didn't get into college, and it would be fitting revenge for all those things Jenny had said last year. Although Blair had won, she wasn't above rubbing Jenny's face in it.
She followed Dan discreetly towards the door while his parents continued to yell at each other, and Jenny sat at the bar stool, frozen and red.
"Don't forget tomorrow," Blair supplied to Dan as she exited through the wooden door, but he'd already closed it behind her as she turned around for his reply. She paused at the corridor entryway, moving from foot to foot. She could hear the elder Humphrey's voices through the wood, and though Blair had always maintained she was above eavesdropping, it wasn't like there was anyone around to catch her. Maybe she could get more details about Little J's fall from grace, it would be quite satisfying to know someone else's school career was more pathetic then hers was looking like right now. Impulsively, and carefully, she placed her ear close to the door, deciphering the noise.
"Alison you can't just come in here, and tell me what is good for my daughter," Rufus snapped.
"Don't you mean our daughter," Alison snapped right back.
"I don-" Rufus began, but before he could finish Dan's voice emanated, surprisingly loud, making Blair flinch slightly.
"CAN YOU TWO JUST STOP ALREADY!" he shouted.
Silence accompanied this, obviously the Humphrey's were as stunned by Dan's uncharacteristic outburst as Blair was. A door slammed a second later, a resonating exclamation mark.
Blair moved her ear away from the door, turning to look at it with wide eyes. That certainly hadn't been the kind of thing she expected to hear from the Brooklyn loft. Serena had always made the Humphrey's out to be like the Brady Bunch, but she guessed, as loathe as she was to admit it, Dan may have had more in common with the Upper East Siders then she could ever imagine. Blair stood there for a minute, her two sides warring with each other, but finally her sympathetic side won out, and much to her chagrin she found herself knocking on the loft door once more.
"Yes?" Alison said, slightly more aggressively than before. She blinked when she realised it was Blair.
"Hi, Mrs H…Alison…I just ummm…well this is kind of embarrassing, but I need to 'powder my nose'," she stage whispered the last part, playing up her awkwardness. "I know this isn't a good time…but the subway is such a long trip…" she counted on the fact the female Humphrey would be clueless that Blair had a gold card, and wouldn't be caught dead anywhere near the subway.
"Oh…of course, I'll just…" Alison trailed off, stepping aside in silent acquiesce. Blair entered the loft once more.
"Thank you so much," she gushed, but Alison was no longer looking at Blair, her attention instead planted on Rufus, who was talking to Jenny in clearly controlled calm tones, now on the couch.
"It's just right through there, right?" Blair said, pointing vaguely and playing up the sweet private school girl angle. "I won't be a moment."
"Sure…" Alison said, distracted now and frowning she went over to the couch, not even bothering to check where Blair was headed.
Just as Blair had hoped, she authoritively walked through the loft, while the other Humphrey's were busy having a heated, albeit quiet 'discussion'. Instead of the small door she presumed to be an old, unhygienic bathroom, she headed for Dan's room door, sliding in quickly and closing it behind her.
She turned and looked at the room. She had only been in there once, on Thanksgiving, and it was a lapse in judgment she tried to forget. She snorted unladylike as she noticed there were football sheets on his bed, and Cedric was wedged into the bookshelf, staring at her with eerily wide blue eyes. Resisting a shudder, Blair glanced around the small untidy room, but there was no Dan.
She shrugged, and was turning to go, quieting her conscience with the fact she had tried after all…that was when she noticed the open window.
Humphrey wouldn't would he? He didn't seem like the dramatic, suicidal type. Then again, he wrote broody stalking stories about Serena and then published them in the New Yorker, so who knew what he would do? Blair supposed she should go check, she would have to console Serena after all. Pursing her red lips, Blair teetered on her heels as she made her way around the discarded clothes on the floor, making sure not to touch a one with her Louis Voutons. Finally she reached the window, tentatively, scrunching her nose, she put her hand on the window sill and lent out, glancing out at the fire escape.
There he was, Humphrey sitting in his grey shirt and blue jeans on the fire escape, his head bowed and buried in his hands.
"You're not crying are you?" Blair asked, raising an eyebrow speculatively. Even that would be a bit much for a tortured writer, although she supposed it would prove he was committed. "I could get Cedric if you want."
"What do you want Blair?" Dan sighed wearily, looking up at the sound of her voice. He obviously wasn't in the mood for insulting banter. "I thought you had left, back to your perfect Upper East apartment."
"Well logically I should have," Blair pronounced, "But…seeing as Serena isn't here, and your badly dressed best friend had capitalized the time of the one person who can help me with this project today…I really didn't have much else to do then make sure you hadn't jumped out your window or something else Brooklyn like."
"What makes you think people from Brooklyn jump out their windows?" Dan asked, side tracked by the comment, his brows furrowed. "That doesn't even make sense."
"Well they have more cause then the people in the Upper East Side," Blair pointed out, snippily.
"Maybe you do have a point…" Dan muttered, turning his gaze back to staring forlornly at the red bricks of the atrocious building that sat beside his one.
"Don't be so dramatic," Blair huffed, "So your parents fight? Whose doesn't? Albeit our parents know how to do it in a more classy passive aggressive way, involving secretaries and door men…"
Dan snorted at this. "How about next door neighbours? Or is that just reserved for us over the bridge?"
Blair paused at this, unsure of how to reply.
"She's engaged," Dan suddenly pronounced, turning to look at Blair. His voice held bitterness, and fear, and was slightly choked. Blair felt nervous, what was she supposed to say to that? And worse, what if Humphrey cried? "To this prissy pretentious ass who lives next door to her. And you know when she decides to tells us…a month after he proposed…"
"Oh…" she managed quietly, allowing her sympathy to show through the impassive mask she usually wore. "That…that…"
"Sucks…" Dan supplied. "Yeah, it does…"
There was a long drawn out pause, where Dan glared at the red brick work, and Blair looked at him, feeling a tumult of emotions, one of them being empathy.
"I remember when Daddy told me…" she supplied, concentrating her own gaze on the bricks now as Dan looked up. "I was…I was so angry. I wanted to just scream, and tell him I hated him…I put the phone down and I wouldn't take his calls for weeks. And then I realised something, I missed him, and I didn't hate him, and even if what I wanted most in the world was for him and my Mom to get back together, when they were neither of them were happy…And then I thought maybe it was for the best. Because all he ever wanted for me, is to be happy, and I wanted him to be happy too..."
"So let me guess, you just fell head over heels for his new partner when you met, and you all lived happily ever after?" Dan asked sarcastically, frowning slightly.
"God no, I hated Roman…couldn't stand him…But then I actually got to know him, and he's actually sweet, and he makes Daddy happy," she shrugged. "He'll never replace my Mom, but he's important to my Dad, so I guess that makes him one part of my life too, by default."
There was a pause as Dan took these words in.
"So is Blair Waldorf actually advising me to give someone a chance?" Dan asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Well…either that or you could trip the new guy up when he's ice skating and break his leg first," Blair said, shrugging unconcerned.
Dan actually laughed at this, despite himself.
"Chuck, remove those sunglasses you look ridiculous," Bart said irritably. They were in one of the pricier restaurants in the Hamptons which stayed open out of season. Having just received their drinks they were contemplating their meals in silence. In reality Chuck was mulling over a glass of wine, which Bart had frowned at. Eric was harbouring a fruit juice and staying oddly silent, while Serena was occupied with her phone, frowning at something on the screen.
Chuck checked his watch sardonically, it had taken exactly three minutes since they sat down for Bart to start, he was beginning to lose his game.
"I don't know, I think they make me look distinguished," he drawled, smirking slightly.
"I think they make you look like a do… dag…" Eric supplied critically, changing tact as Lilly looked up.
"Shouldn't you have better fashion sense?" Chuck queried, but at Eric's mocking eyes he relented and removed the sunglasses, placing the expensive Gucci shades on the table. He knew, from Bart's clenched jaw, that he didn't fail to notice the heavy shadows under his eyes testament to his hangover, but he didn't comment.
"So Charles, I heard you got an A on your English paper," Lilly supplied the first real topic of conversation for the afternoon as she picked up the menu and surveyed it. Chuck glanced up from his glass lazily, to be met with a wide earnest smile from Lilly. His stomach jumped slightly at her almost proud look, and he straightened up somewhat, nearly returning her smile, the side of his mouth quirking up.
Before he could open his mouth to reply Bart interceded, glancing over from where he had been looking towards the door.
"He got an A minus," the stickler business man corrected Lilly. Chuck's half smile immediately disappeared, and he looked sullenly over at Bart with dark eyes.
"Still, a good achievement," Lilly tempered the situation, glancing over at Bart. "I remember in senior year, it was so hard to keep up with everything, not to mention the amount of things you kids have to do now… All these extracurricular activities you need on your transcripts to get even looked at…"
"It's not the extracurricular activities I have problems with, Lilly," Chuck drawled suggestively, not moving his eyes from Bart. "I think even my father can attest to that."
Bart opened his mouth, his cheeks turning slightly puce. Before he could say anything however he was interrupted.
"Bart Bass, fancy meeting you here?" an Australian voice sounded. All the Van der Woodsen Bass' looked up at this, to be met with a jovial man in a short sleeved shirt and shorts, followed by a woman in a slinky outfit and a tanned blonde boy.
"Henry, hello," Bart said, Chuck recognised his father's game face, that smile and firm hand shake as he rose and took Henry's out stretched hand.
"You here with your family too?" Henry asked, glancing at the table and smiling. Chuck raised his eyebrows derisively as he noticed the older man's gaze lingered on Serena. His trophy wife didn't fail to notice either, putting a protective hand on his arm.
"Yes, we're having a family half weekend," Bart explained, glancing over at the table then back at Henry.
"Quite the coincidence isn't it," Lilly smiled tightly, taking up her champagne glass and drinking. So she too saw through Bart's barely guised attempt to mix business and pleasure. Of course she was too well bred to say anything, Chuck on the other hand…
"This is uh…Lily my wife," Bart introduced, stilting slightly at Lily's look but regaining his smooth composure in a blink of an eye. "Next to her is Serena, Eric and…"
"Chuck Bass, nice to meet you sir." Chuck proclaimed to the slightly overweight business man, rising and settling his shirt. "Unfortunately I really need to get going,"
"What-" Bart said, caught off guard temporarily. He glared at Chuck, his cold blue eyes clearly telling him to sit down and shut up. Chuck merely smiled, playing the prissy boy, something he had learnt from Blair.
"I have another assignment I have to do, you know how I much I want to chase that A plus father," Chuck gave his father a sour grin, challenging him to cause a scene by contesting his son's 'diligent commitment' to study.
"Oh, come on son, I'm sure you can stay and have a drink…a soft drink of course," Henry amended, clearly he hadn't noticed the almost empty wine glass on Chuck's table.
"Unfortunately it's really important, nice to meet you of course," Chuck drawled, "Serena, Eric, Lilly, always the pleasure." He noted, turning and strolling out before anyone else could protest, or Bart could find his voice.
As soon as he was out the door he had his purple phone out, texting Arthur to come pick him up. Clearly this whole 'family bonding' trip had merely been a ruse for Bart to intercept a fellow business mogul. There was really no need for Chuck to be there at all, especially since he could think of a better place where he would be far more welcome…
Blair sighed, checking the time in her apartment's elevator. It was already three in the afternoon, there was no way she could get anything done on her project, even if she called Nate. She had been justifying this to herself from the trip all the way from Brooklyn, but it went against her perfectionist grain. She knew one day would never be enough to get everything they needed on camera for the assembly, and definitely would not be enough time to edit with any sort of professionalism. And yet, for once Blair just couldn't care about being perfect. Just this once she wanted to sit down and watch Breakfast at Tiffany's and not worry about failing, or Yale, or anything really.
She sighed heavily as the elevator door slid open, this time in relief. Slumped, she left the elevator, taking off her shoe's carelessly and leaving them on the floor for Dorota to pick up. She walked towards the kitchen, and that's when she heard the voice which stopped her in her tracks.
"So, Chuck, what college is it exactly you're planning to go to after school?" Eleanor's interrogative voice sounded clearly through the house. Blair paused for a second, her face paling and her pink lips standing out in contrast. Then she immediately rushed to the dining room doors, swinging them open without a thought.
"Chuck," she exclaimed in shock, as she saw the familiar boy sitting at the dining table stiffly next to Eleanor, with a plate of untouched cucumber sandwiches in front of him, courtesy of Dorota no doubt.
"Blair, there you are," Eleanor commented. "Chuck has just been waiting for you." With that she raised her eyebrows in obvious query. "I didn't know you two were on again?"
"We're not," Blair burst out quickly, going over to the chair she grabbed Chuck and pulled him up. "I mean…he's just here about some school work." She pressed her fingernails into his arm, and he grimaced.
"Well then," Eleanor said, looking at the two of them, trying to understand her daughter's odd behaviour. "You can still stay for dinner Chuck. I would love to hear more about your plans for the future."
"Please mother, Chuck has his own hotel full of people who want to serve him dinner. He doesn't want to stay," Blair pronounced, as she began dragging Chuck towards the door.
"Nonsense," Eleanor proclaimed, "I'm sure Charles wouldn't mind staying for dinner, would you?"
"No, you wouldn't, would you Chuck," Blair glared at him.
"I…" Chuck began, but Blair didn't let him finish, thinking on her feet.
"Is that the phone I hear, it's probably Bart Chuck, we should go answer it. Mother you should stay and enjoy the sandwiches, I'm sure your tired." with that she dragged Chuck the rest of the way out of the dining room door, slamming it shut behind them just as Eleanor proclaimed, "I don't hear the phone?"
"What the hell were you thinking?" she hissed as she dragged Chuck the rest of the way to the elevator and slammed the button for it. She turned her dark eyes towards him, her cheeks flushed.
"What's are you thinking?" Chuck asked, retrieving his arm from her. "I was merely coming to visit you…"
"Aren't you supposed to be in the Hamptons?" Blair demanded, glancing furtively towards the dining room doors, which thankfully were still closed.
"I left early," Chuck brushed the query aside. "I didn't expect your mother to be home. Where were you?" he narrowed his eyes at her.
"Out," Blair retorted, it was hardly worth it getting into her lapse in judgment about going to Brooklyn. "You have to leave, now!"
"What's the rush? I just got here," he drawled, leaning forward to place his lips on hers.
"Not now," Blair hissed, grabbing his shirt and pushing him into the elevator which had just opened. "My mother could see."
"Wouldn't want that, would we," Chuck commented, his eyes hardening and his jaw clenching despite himself.
"We already talked about this," Blair snapped, exasperated, barely paying attention to him as she looked towards the doors that was the precarious barrier between them and her mother. "Don't you have a party to organize anyway?" she glanced over at Chuck and noticed his intense gaze, his dark face.
"Look, we'll see each other tomorrow okay," she relented. "But right now you need to leave." With that she pressed the button, not allowing him to voice whatever he was thinking. The doors slid shut on his dark gaze just as the dining room door opened. Blair quickly turned, composing her face.
"Where is Charles going?" Eleanor asked from the doorway.
"Oh, you know…home…" Blair said vaguely, as if it was nothing to her.
"And what was it he came for again?" Eleanor asked, watching her daughter carefully as Blair bent down distractedly to pick up the shoes she had discarded on the floor, for want of anything better to do.
"I told you mother, he just wanted to discuss a project we have to do tomorrow…I mean a project we're all doing, including Serena, Nate and I," she clarified quickly, looking up at her mother.
"I was quite surprised to come home and find him waiting in the entrance room," Eleanor commented. "I thought you two weren't talking?"
"That was ages ago mother," Blair huffed, making a show of rolling her eyes at Eleanor's ignorance. "We're friends now."
"Well, I hope friend's is all you are," Eleanor commented dryly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Blair asked heatedly, looking at her mother now, who was watching her carefully. Eleanor could be quite selfish, but sometimes she saw more than Blair gave her credit for.
"It's just I thought you had sworn off talking to him forever?" Eleanor stated airily. "You were screeching about it all over the house just a month ago."
"Things change…" Blair replied defensively.
"Perhaps…"Eleanor said, smiling almost sadly at her daughter. "But boys like him never do…"
"Well you don't have to worry mother, nothing serious is going on between us, nor will it ever!" Blair stated calmly and cooly. "Now if you don't mind, I have homework to do." Walking away on her dignity, though she was shoeless, Blair made her way up the stairs. Eleanor didn't say anything further, just sighed and returned to her cucumber sandwiches. She didn't really need to anyway, Blair's heart had already plummeted, defeating her resolution to ignore the truth in her mother's words.
Spotted: C's limo picking him up in front of the Waldorf's, shortly after he arrived? My guess is it isn't Eleanor he was there to see. Unfortunately no one told this Lothario that the lady he seeks is down in Brooklyn, slumming it. Oh what an intricate web we weave… xoxo GG
"What," Serena exclaimed aloud, staring at her mobile screen in shock at the post.
"Huh?" Brent asked, looking over at Serena lazily with filmy blue eyes. Serena almost choked on his pot smelling breath. After she had read the post about Blair visiting Dan in Brooklyn she had barely believed it. After all, what were the chances of that? But then throughout the lunch, where she'd hardly noticed anything, she kept on thinking about how distant Dan had been recently. How he'd rejected her offer to stay in New York for his mother's visit. How him and Blair seemed to have been talking more often recently.
So when Brent, the son of some business associates of Bart's, had asked her if she wanted to hang out on the beach with him after lunch, she had jumped at the chance. After all he was easy on the eyes and had an adorable accent, and she was only sitting on the beach talking right? Except it turned out Brent was more interested in smoking a joint and talking about surfing then anything interesting, and all Serena could think about was the last time she had been on a beach with a boy… Serena had been contemplating making up an excuse when she checked Gossip Girl and read the blast.
"Nothing," Serena quickly excused, snapping her phone shut as Brent continued to look at her with vague curiosity.
"Okay then," he grinned dopily. "Are you sure you don't want a hit?"
"Umm…" Serena hesitated, looking at the white joint in his tan fingers and biting her lip. Why shouldn't she? After all it seemed all her other friends were busy keeping secrets and meetings? She might as well have some fun, what business was it of anyone's?
"If you're not sure if you'll like taste…" Brent stated, trailing off. Then abruptly he lent over, his lips looming close to Serena's.
"What are you doing," Serena shrieked in shock, quickly pushing him away and getting up unsteadily on the shifting sand.
"What?" Brent asked dumbly, looking up at her clueless.
"I have a boyfriend," Serena exclaimed.
"So?" Brent blinked slowly, shrugging.
"I just…I have to go," Serena said, shaking her head she quickly grabbed her Havana's from the sand and made her way towards the steps back up to the pavement, and far away from Brent.
"See you," Brent called after her dopily, waving a lazy hand. Serena didn't bother to look back, glad no one had been there to witness her stupidity.
"I am the sporting King," Nate proclaimed as he made his way to the landing of the Humphrey's loft.
"I'm sorry, and who beat who in air hockey?" Vanessa demanded, pushing him playfully.
"Air hockey isn't a real sport," Nate protested, grabbing Vanessa gently and pulling her closer. "Besides, I totally let you win."
"No you didn't," Vanessa protested, smiling despite herself at Nate's blue eyed gaze.
Before he could lean in to kiss her the loft door swung inwards.
"Hi guys," a small voice sounded, Jenny stood there, looking at them with solemn blue eyes.
"Jenny, hey?" Vaness said, immediately disengaging from Nate's embrace awkwardly. "How…were things with your Mom?"
"She's gone," Jenny provided, "But uh…Dan went for a walk an hour ago and he hasn't come back. Dad went out to look for him, he was wondering if when you got back you could…"
"Help look?" Vanessa finished. "Sure, I mean he's probably gone to Bello's," she said. "I'll ring your Dad and go, if you don't mind staying here…?" she turned to Nate now, as if just remembering he was there.
"Don't you thi…" Nate began, about to offer to look too, but Vanessa had widened her eyes slightly, looking at Jenny then back at Nate. "Oh…uh yeah sure, I'll stay here in case he gets back…" he said a beat too late.
"I'll see you later," Vanessa said, quickly pecking him on the cheek then rushing to the stairs, her phone in her hand.
Nate watched her go almost forlornly.
"You can go, you know, I'll be fine," Jenny commented quietly, turning to head into the loft.
"Vanessa knows Dan better, I'll just get in the way," Nate pointed out, following her and closing the door behind them. He brushed aside the nagging thought that was probably true. "Besides, I'm starving," he quickly commented. "Do you want me to make you anything?"
"No thanks, I'm not hungry," Jenny said, going to the kitchen and picking up an empty glass.
"I'll get that for you," Nate said, going to take the glass from her .
"It's fine, I've got it," Jenny snapped uncharacteristically, jerking away from his hand. The glass slipped from her grip and fell on the floor, shattering.
"No, no, no," Jenny exclaimed, quickly bending down to pick up the pieces.
"It's okay, it was my fault," Nate said, bending down too, and frowning slightly at the frantic way Jenny was trying to pick the shards up.
"No, you don't understand, it's my Mom's favourite coffee mug," Jenny said.
"Jenny it's okay, you can buy her another one," he said quickly taking her hands in his. "Calm down."
And suddenly, to his shock, Jenny started sobbing.
"Hey, hey, come on, I'll pick it up, its okay." Nate said, trying to use a soothing voice he guided Jenny up. "Let's go sit down, huh?" he led her towards the couch, feeling way out of his depth as they he sat her down and she continued to sob, tears smudging the black liner around her eyes, making dark trails down her cheeks. He quickly grabbed the tissue box from the table and handed it to her.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Nate asked awkwardly after a minute, once Jenny's sobs had subsided.
"Not really…" Jenny hiccupped, tears still falling. "My Mom is remarrying some douche, my Dad found out I've been skipping school to work at Eleanor's and I'm crying in front of Nate Archibald…"
"You wouldn't be the first," Nate said, smiling encouragingly. It was the first thing that popped into his head, and oddly something he thought Chuck would say. It seemed to do the trick, Jenny laughed slightly, though it was more of a sob.
"I thought this year would be different," Jenny said, wiping her nose with the crumpled white tissue. "I mean, I knew my parents wouldn't get together, but I still kind of hoped, you know…"
"Yeah, I know…" Nate replied, thinking of his own parents. His mother who was playing pretend, and his father who had disappeared off the face of the earth. There was no chance of his parent's ever being on the same continent together, let alone returning to the way things were, but he still couldn't help that slight bit of hope that one day, maybe, things would go back to normal…
"And maybe I could handle it better, Mom remarrying, if only Dad would let me stay at Eleanor's…School is hell…but at Eleanor's I found somewhere I belong. It's the best thing that ever happened to me, and I'm good at it Nate. But Dad won't even listen."
"Maybe you just have to give him time…" Nate supplied. "Sometimes, parents can't get over what they want for you. You've just got to show him that this is what you want, this is what's best for you. My whole family was set on me going to Dartmouth, but when I made a stand, and showed them that Columbia was what I wanted, they learnt to accept it over time…"
"I don't think my Dad will ever change his mind, no matter how much time he gets," Jenny said sadly. "But thanks anyway Nate."
Impulsively she leant over and hugged him, Nate sat there stunned.
"I'm sorry," Jenny said, quickly disengaging. "I act so stupid sometimes…"
"Hey, it's okay," Nate said, quickly putting his hand on her thin shoulder. "It's fine Jenny.."
Jenny looked up at him. She never knew how mature Nate could be. Sure she admired his looks like any other girl in Constance, but the time she'd been spending with him in the loft had shown her he was more than looks. He was sweet, and kind, and bothered to care about her, Jenny Humphrey...
Without realising it Jenny found herself inching closer to Nate, her eyes transfixed with his clear blue ones.
"Found him drinking black coffee at Bello, as I predicted," Vanessa's voice suddenly sounded, making Jenny jump and jerk away from Nate.
"Vanessa, Dan, hey," Nate said, rising quickly as the two appeared through the doorway.
"Do anything interesting while we were away?" Vanessa asked, smiling broadly at the two of them.
Jenny tried to force away her blush, if Vanessa only knew what she was thinking about Nate right then her smile wouldn't have been half as friendly.
A/N: Took forever, I've had stupid exams, but I made it a nice long one so hopefully it makes up for it a bit. If not, here have a peony lol.
Please R&R. BIG THANKS to all those who have reviewed! You keep this story alive! = ). I hope I I didn't disappoint, I'm trying to get into the groove of writing again, so it might be a bit OOC. Also sorry for any repetitive words or grave grammatical errors = S.
Next chapter: some filming happens, and not all of its entirely scripted.
Inspiring picture: Well apparently never, ever, in the history of Gossip Girl, has Chuck Bass ever worn sunglasses...so we'll just have to settle for this eye candy. Google: 'talking gossip girl leighton ed ad korea'. (I know strictly it isn't Chuck and Blair, and has nothing to do with this chapter, but the actors are occasionally good to look at too lol.)