Chapter XXI
Tonight We Are Young, So Let's Raise a Bottle
Vanessa stared for a second, stunned at what she saw. Chuck and Blair had their lips mashed together, their fingers entwined in each other's hair. One part of Vanessa's mind contemplated throwing up, while another part of her mind was wondering if she was seeing things right. After all hadn't she heard from Dan that the great Blair Waldorf had vehemently declared to Serena she would not be going near Chuck Bass unless he said three little words. And Vanessa doubted very much Chuck had said them in the short span since the group had dispersed in the club. Well, well, well it looked like Blair's high standards weren't as unshakable as she tried to make them appear. Vanessa reached for her camera, and Blair thought coming from Brooklyn was embarrassing.
Before she could turn her camera back on record however, Chuck disengaged from Blair, whispering something in her ear she smiled and he turned to the crowd and dove disappeared. Vanessa frowned, slightly disappointed. She would love to have caught it on footage, but there was no real point teasing Blair without evidence. Blair was sure to just deny the whole thing, and Vanessa doubted her ability to play her. Sighing Vanessa shrugged at the opportunity lost and turned, she could still get some great shots of some other drunk privileged idiots she supposed.
Blair lent against the exit door, her fingers touching her tingling lips. She wished Chuck would hurry back with the drinks. She was surprised he had been the one to suggest it, but she was unusually hot, and her mouth felt dry, though those feelings might have been for another reason. Blair bit back a smile as she thought of the kiss, and no one here even noticed them. They were getting pretty good at this secret thing, no one would ever guess Blair Waldorf had conceded anything to Chuck Bass…
"B, what are you doing here?" Serena exclaimed loudly, startling Blair as she burst suddenly from the crowd and came to stand in front of her best friend, a big grin on her face and a pink cosmopolitan in her hand.
"S. I was just…taking a breather you know," Blair said, trying to remain composed and completely innocent looking. Her hand went to her curls, making sure they weren't too rumpled.
"A breather? You haven't even gone on the dance floor B." Serena pouted.
"Well I've been…" Blair said, making evasive hand gestures and trying to seem confident.
"Avoiding Chuck?" Serena filled in, laughing.
"Well…yes," Blair replied lamely, unsure of how she could reply negatively to the statement without arousing Serena's suspicion about what she had really been doing.
"I still can't believe he did Spitty Vicky," Serena scrunched up her nose in disgust, shuddering. She was always a bit more dramatic and loose with her tongue when under the influence. "I mean I know Chuck has low standards, but still! It's gross right?"
"Right," Blair echoed, feeling her cheeks redden.
"I bet you're even happier you're not with him now!" Serena exclaimed, trying to compensate as she saw Blair was downcast at yet another reminder of Chuck's true nature. "Come and dance with me B! Just like old times," Serena said impulsively in an attempt to cheer up her friend, grabbing Blair's hand.
"S. I don't really…" Blair began protesting weakly.
"I'm not taking no for an answer," Serena said determinedly. "We're young and tonight we have no worries! We are going have fun, okay!"
"Okay, okay Serena," Blair couldn't help laughing at the blonde's fierce look as she dragged Blair to the floor for some good old fashioned recklesness.
Chuck checked his watch, scowling as he saw the time. He tapped the bar fitfully with an impatient hand, feeling annoyed at the bodies pressing behind him as people waited to collect drinks, or order new ones. The thirst came upon him suddenly while with Blair, feeling the heat press against him in their small dark niche. But now he was at the bar he found the heat of the night club suffocating, he just wanted to go back to that small piece of darkness. But first he needed a drink, or two.
"I've been waiting for these for half an hour," Chuck couldn't help snapping at the bar tender when he finally came towards him with a tray full of three drinks.
"Sorry about that, it's really busy tonight," the older man said, putting down the tray in front of Chuck and keeping up a good customer service face though it was obvious he wouldn't mind punching the self-privileged jerk.
"Whatever," Chuck muttered, still annoyed he grabbed one of the glasses and drained down whatever was in it. He'd forgotten what he ordered but it didn't really matter, he needed a kick again. Feeling the burning rush he shook his head to clear it. Picking up the other two glasses he turned around and started to head through the crowd again, pushing people out of his way without bothering to look at their faces. He hoped Blair had enough patience to wait for him, he would enjoy starting back from where they had left off.
"Chuck hey," a familiar voice shouted out a bit too loudly. Dan stumbled towards him, grabbing his arm for balance as he almost toppled forward. Nate came behind him, quickly grabbing onto the other boys borrowed jacket and pulling him up.
"Chuck hey, I was just telling Nate I have lots of friends…see didn't I tell you Nate? And Chuck is my friend, kind of, sort of, were acquaintances with a dark past…" Dan rambled
"What's wrong with him?" Chuck asked Nate ignoring Dan's speech.
"I think he had a few too many," Nate shrugged, his own eyes were rather bright, but his experience with Chuck meant he could handle more liquor than Humphrey at least.
"Clearly…" Chuck raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly as Dan continued to ramble. "This would be the perfect time to head to Victrola, do you think we have a chance of convincing the girls?"
"Not unless you want a broken cheek bone," Nate snorted.
"True," Chuck sighed.
"Have you seen Serena," Dan cut in here loudly. "I really, really, really want to dance with her."
"Still you find your entertainment where you can get it, don't you," Chuck smirked wickedly. "Come on Humphrey, I'll help you find Serena. Here take this," he shoved one of the drinks in Dan's hand, drowning the other one himself he shoved the empty glass into a passing girls hands. Ignoring her protests and dirty look he swung an arm over Dan and began leading him through the crowd, Nate followed behind.
"I'm not sure if he'll forgive you for this man," Nate muttered to Chuck.
"Relax Nathaniel, it will be fun," Chuck grinned wickedly.
"Hey Vanessa," Dan shouted out suddenly, waving madly. Chuck glanced to where Dan had his eyes set, repressing an eye roll. He saw the bohemian girl was standing against one of the tall round bar tables scattered around the edge of the dance floor. There were two older men standing next to her. She glanced up at the sound of Dan's voice, her eyes wide.
"What is Vanessa doing with those guys?" Chuck could practically hear the frown in Nate's voice. Before he could say anything the blonde boy had already started towards Vanessa, his brows heavily drawn in concern.
Sighing heavily Chuck grabbed Dan's arm and followed after Nate.
"How about you mind your own business," Chuck and Dan reached the group just in time to hear one of the men sneer at Nate, his diluted pupils showed he was very drunk, or very high, most likely both.
"How about you leave my girlfriend alone," Nate defended, he held Vanessa's hand in his own.
"Hey, hey man," the skinnier guy said, raising his hands up, placating. "We don't want any trouble here, we'll just take the camera and be on our way."
"You have no right to touch my camera," Vanessa protested as he held out his hand.
"You were filming us," the first guy growled. "We have every right. Now just give us the tape and go back to waitressing, or whatever it is you people do."
"I'm sorry but last I checked this was a public place, and filming privileged, self-absorbed, egotistical people acting like dumb asses in a public place wasn't against the law, although it will make for a great reality show," Vanessa snapped, losing her temper at the man's arrogance. "I'm thinking of calling it 'Rich people are dumbasses too,' a real eye opener for my fellow 'people'."
"Just give us the tape," the man grabbed for the camera. Vanessa quickly stepped back, holding the camera as far away as she could.
"Hey, hey, that's not nice," Dan stepped in here, almost tripping over his own feet to try and step between Vanessa and the guy. Chuck quickly grabbed him, pulling him back.
"Don't touch her," Nate snarled, stepping forward himself.
"All right, all right, I think we all need to calm down here," Chuck drawled, quickly letting go of Dan who was now steady on his feet and stepping in between Nate and the larger man. "We can talk about this like gentleman, can't we? Well…at least we can," he couldn't help adding the last jibe with a raised eyebrow as he examined the two older men's clothes.
"How about I shut you up," the older guy snapped, swinging wildly at Chuck. Luckily Chuck was able to dodge the wild swing, stumbling back into Dan.
"Nate," Vanessa cried out, going to grab Nate's arm as he lunged forward, but missing.
Chuck quickly recovered, diving forward he grabbed the back of Nate's shirt just in time. The people around them were pressing back now, trying to get out of the way of the impending fight.
"Nate come on," Chuck murmured, trying to drag his friend away as he stayed tensed and ready to spring at the other guy. The skinnier man had grabbed at his own friend, trying to pull him back as he flailed wildly.
"Okay, time to break it up," a loud voice shouted. A burly bald bouncer pushed his way through the blood hungry crowd, two other bouncers following behind him. One of the bouncers kindly assisted the skinny jerk with his friend, grabbing the guy around the chest with two muscle filled arms he pushed through the crowd, dragging him out. Another tanned bouncer put a hand on the skinny man's arm, leading him out. Chuck let go of the back of Nate's shirt, knowing the other boy would cool down now the catalyst was disposed of.
"You three too," the bald bouncer turned to Chuck, Nate and Dan, jerking his thumb in a no nonsense fashion towards the exit.
"But…" Vanessa began to protest for Nate.
"No buts missy. And if you want to keep that camera of yours I suggest you think of collecting your girlfriends and leaving soon, without this lot."
Vanessa gaped at him, for once at a loss for words.
"Now get out," the bouncer repeated, turning back to the three equally stunned boys.
"What?" Chuck finally found his voice to ask incredulously, unable to contain a sneer. "Do you know…"
"I don't care if you're the King's Uncle, there is no fighting in this club. Now I can lead you out or I can drag you out, kid," the bouncer faced Chuck's glare with steely eyes.
"Fine," Chuck drawled after a few minutes, settling the sleeves of his shirt, "We were bored anyway. Come on," without looking back to see if Nate and Dan were following he led the way out before the bouncer could put his hands on him, pushing past people in the crowd. Nate barely had a chance to glance at Vanessa before the bouncer began to herd him and Dan out.
Chuck didn't stop until the soles of his black shoes hit the edge of the sidewalk, glancing back he watched the bouncer herd Nate and Dan the rest of the way out of the club. He sneered as the bouncer as he stopped at the club's entrance, arms crossed, his eyes trained on Chuck, obviously he wasn't convinced they weren't going to try to get in again. As if Chuck would want to re-enter the dump.
A disgruntled Nate came to stand beside Chuck, Dan followed, just looking plain stunned, and slightly more sober.
"So…uh what do we do now?" Dan finally put into words the million dollar question as the other two boys silently stood there, glaring at the bouncer. At his words both he and Nate automatically looked at Chuck.
"I text Arthur I suppose," Chuck finally conceded, fishing his phone from his pocket. "We'll find somewhere better to spend our time and money. Somewhere a little more exclusive. What say you to Victrola boys?"
"What about Serena?" Dan demanded.
"And Vanessa?" Nate reminded.
"I'm sure they can take care of themselves," Chuck snapped in annoyance. His pride was hurt right then, he didn't really want to have to hear…
"Is Bohemian Brooklyn right Bass? Did you just get kicked out of one of New York's finest clubs, for brawling like the lower middle class?"
Chuck ground his teeth together, apparently it was too late. He glanced over to see the three girls standing there, having just exited the club. Blair was poised with a hand on her hip, a raised eyebrow and a superior smile on her face. Even in times of truce she couldn't let something as embarrassing as this slide, if he was honest with himself he probably would have done the same.
"Are you all right Dan?" Serena's concerned voice cut off whatever reply Chuck was about to formulate. She rushed towards Dan, all heels and blonde hair, wrapping her arms around her stunned boyfriend.
"Yeah, I'm fine, I didn't really do anything, I don't think. It was mainly Nate…" Dan fumbled.
"My knight in shining armour," Vanessa supplied, walking more sedately to stand beside Nate with a wry smile on her face.
"Is your camera all right?" Nate blurted out the first thing that came to his head.
"Yes, thanks for asking," Vanessa replied dryly, holding up the silver device. Chuck noticed its red record light was still on, typically. Before Nate could recover Vanessa flipped open the camera screen, turning it on Chuck.
"So Mr. Bass, where to next?" she pronounced.
Chuck glanced down the road, relieved to see a familiar black limo waiting at a nearby traffic light.
"First, my limo," he said, gesturing in the direction of the black beauty. "Then we'll see where the night takes us…" he left the sentence hanging, hoping to sound mysterious though he had no clue where to go to next.
"Hopefully not dragged out of another club," Blair commented, smiling sweetly. "Perhaps if you guys wait until it's late enough, they can take you out with the trash."
She received three very sour looks for her suggestion.
"What?" she asked with faux innocence.
Spotted: Could it be, the great King's of St Judes, Chuck Bass and Nathaniel Archibald 'escorted' out of a hotspot nightclub, with Lonely Boy? Better watch out boys, or you're not going to have any influential cred left. And we know influence is everything on the mean streets of the UES. xoxo GG.
"I'm starving," Serena pronounced. They were all seated in the limo again, slightly more rumpled then when they had exited it earlier that night, and apparently hungrier.
"There's a great all night diner in Brooklyn," Vanessa supplied, turning the camera to focus on Serena. "Best burgers in New York."
"What's it called?" Serena asked, interested. She was always up to try different things.
"It doesn't matter, we are not going there," Blair pronounced, decidedly.
"But I'm hungry," Serena reiterated, looking at Blair. "Come on B, it could be an adventure."
"No way," Chuck proclaimed. "If you want a burger get one from room service when we get home."
"But I'm sick of room service burgers," Serena whined.
"There is no way I am going to some seedy Brooklyn diner. So the only other option is McDonalds drive through!" Blair snapped, certain Serena would never stoop so low as to insist they drive Chuck's limo through the golden arches.
Apparently Blair was wrong…
"Four big Macs please," Serena yelled, practically hanging out the limo window to reach the intercom. "Are you sure you guys don't want anything?" she asked, turning back to Chuck and Blair sitting in the limo, both with matching crossed arms and disgusted faces.
"Serena just get back in the limo before anyone see's you!" Blair hissed, grabbing her friends arm and pulling her down.
"This is demeaning," Chuck muttered, shaking his head with contempt.
"And I've got it all on camera," Vanessa said, grinning wickedly as both Chuck and Blair gave her identical glares.
"Pass me the wine," Chuck ordered Dan, holding out his hand for the bottle.
"That's all right, no need to say please," Dan commented wryly, passing the bottle over.
Chuck tipped the bottle, hoping to fill up his empty glass. Only a few drops, the dregs of the bottle, came out.
"Seriously," Chuck growled, glaring at Dan in annoyance. "You drank the whole bottle?"
"Hey, there are seven of us in this limo man," Dan said, holding up his hands defensively. "I had like two glasses of that stuff."
"So we're at a McDonalds drive through, and we're out of alcohol?" Blair summarised, Chuck and her shared a knowing look. It was one of those times where they were on the exact same wave length.
"Arthur," Chuck called to his driver, leaning over Dan and Serena to tap on the glass. "As soon as Serena is done picking up her low grade meat, I need you to drive to the nearest bottle shop."
"So, wait, the local bottle shop is more upgrade than McDonalds?" Vanessa asked incredulously.
"It's a necessary evil," Chuck drawled, settling back down in his set.
"You wouldn't understand," Blair sniffed, settling the hem of her dress.
"Are these two serious?" Vanessa asked, turning the camera to Nate.
"'I've learnt to just enjoy the ride," Nate shrugged, grinning helplessly.
"And that, I think you should know Vanessa, that is Nathaniel's life philosophy," Chuck noted, smirking.
"Sir, we're here," Arthur's weary voice sounded through the limo's small intercom.
Chuck glanced out of the window. They were parked in front of a liquor store, the neon sign casting a sick glow over the front of the sliding doors. A grubby man was standing near the doors, smoking.
"Anyone care to come?" Chuck queried, glancing at the others in the limo.
"Scared Bass?" Blair queried.
"Scared, maybe. Protective of his face, definitely," Dan commented as he looked out of the limo's tinted window and took in the sight of the suspicious bottle shop. One hand still held his empty McDonald's wrapper, a pickle the only testament of his burgers existence.
"I'll come," Serena declared impulsively as she pinched the pickle from Dan's wrapper, popping it into her mouth and looking at him with innocent blue eyes as he glanced at her.
"Nathaniel?" Chuck asked, turning to his best friend, who had his head buried in his hands.
"I don't think I should have eaten that burger man," Nate groaned, looking up with a slightly pale face.
"Does Nate get car sick?" Vanessa queried, she had left the camera to rest on her lap, her hands hovered over Nate's back hesitantly.
"I told you not to eat that stuff," Blair said superiorly.
"Come on," Chuck commanded Serena, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. He swung the door open. Serena climbed over Dan before he could protest, following after Chuck into the fresh air.
"So what's your plan?" Serena asked Chuck, quickly catching up to him as he walked purposefully towards the entrance, his eyes trained on the sliding doors.
"Plan?" he asked, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, you know, are we going for seduction, or bribery?"
"It really has been too long since you've done this, hasn't it," Chuck commented dryly, pausing in his stride he reached into his pant pocket, pulling out a hologramed card he held it up to Serena.
"I think I still have mine from ninth grade too," Serena laughed, grabbing it out of his hand and examining it.
"Please, I had this made last month," Chuck snorted at her ineptitude.
"Charles Bass?" Serena queried, raising her own eyebrows. "Don't you think it would have been smarter to use a pseudonym?"
"It hasn't failed me yet, sis," Chuck drawled, plucking the card from her fingers and shoving it back into his pocket. "Now hurry up before that guy asks us for money."
"You always carry a clip in your pocket," she muttered under her breathe, eyeing the scruffy guy subtly.
"Yeah, but he doesn't need to know that," Chuck retorted, striding confidently towards the shop entrance again.
They passed the smoking man without incident, though Serena could feel his eyes following them into the store. She felt slight relief as the doors slid open and they passed over the entrance. Chuck had his sights only on one thing, he went straight for the counter, Serena had to double her steps to keep up.
The sales assistant was a thin haired man with thick glasses, wearing the unflattering bright orange shirt of the store. He was absorbed in the pages of a magazine, not even bothering to look up as Chuck and Serena reached the counter and stood in front of him, he didn't even show a sign he recognised their presence.
Chuck, losing his patience, slapped his hand down on the cheap silver bell, eliciting a demanding ring from it.
"What?" the guy asked in a monotone, looking up reluctantly from the magazine.
"Give me your most expensive wine," Chuck demanded shortly, not bothering with niceties.
"No card, no bottle," the guy said, unimpressed, pointing at the large sign hanging on the counter expressing those exact words in large red print.
Chuck's jaw tensed, but he complied, grabbing the card out of his pocket he smacked it onto the counter.
"There, now the wine…" Chuck drawled, raising his eyebrows.
The guy glanced down at the card, picking it up he held it up to the light, raising his eyebrows. Then he gave a small snort, and threw it back on the counter derisively. Without a word he turned back to his magazine, leaving both Chuck and Serena momentarily stunned.
"Hey, I showed you my card," Chuck growled, snapping his fingers in front of the guys face.
"I'm sorry I should have been clearer," the guy said looking up, bored. "No real card, no bottle."
"That is real," Chuck protested angrily.
"Yeah, really expensive I'm sure," the guy snorted again. "But next time maybe you should make sure they put the hologram on the right way up."
"Look here…" Chuck growled, his voice going dangerously low. Serena could tell he was losing his temper, never a good thing.
"Chuck, Chuck," Serena said, quickly putting a hand on his arm. "Calm down okay, he…" she quickly glanced at the shop assistant's badge, "Phil is just trying to do his job. No need to be a jerk about it." She made sure to widen her blue eyes as Chuck glared at her, willing him to understand.
"Whatever," Chuck sneered, jerking his arm out of Serena's grip. "You can ask Phil to drive you home." Serena watched him grab the ID off the counter and storm out, thinking his acting skills were incredibly good, or she was going to find Dan waiting on the street outside, sans a limo.
"Your boyfriends really something, huh," Phil commented dryly.
"He is not my boyfriend," Serena quickly corrected, turning back to the counter. "He's my…brother. And yeah, he can be a jerk, on occasion. I guess it's just been hard, with my mum's recent re-marriage and everything…" she put a slight hitch in her voice, biting her lower lip and looking at Phil under her lashes.
"I see…" Phil said, watching Serena with something akin to sympathy. "Your parents are divorced huh? That sucks."
"Yeah, it does," Serena ran with it, taking up a strand of hair with her finger and leaning slightly closer to Phil. "I've never really met anyone who understands..."
"Yeah, well…" Phil looked slightly flustered.
"It just seems like the only thing that seems to make the pain go away is having fun, you know, losing myself…" Serena continued. "But I think I've gotten a bit too deep this time. I mean, some of my friends…well I thought they were my friends…anyway they want me and my brother to do stuff for them, or they're going to post these really embarrassing photos of me all over the internet. That's why he was such a jerk, he's just really stressed out because he thinks he has to be, like my Dad now or something…he's so stupid right?"
"I guess he just wants to look out for you…" Phil replied, looking sympathetic.
"I just know he's going to get into so much trouble, he's going to think he has to fight to protect my honour or something idiotic like that," Serena gave a slightly broken laugh, making sure her eyes were wide so they looked almost on the point of tears. Those acting classes her Mom had forced her to take in eighth grade were really paying off.
"Maybe you should talk to somebody about this…Maybe tell the police about those people…" Phil said, slightly awkward now, obviously unsure about how to deal with a teenage girl on the verge of tears.
"There's no one really to talk to, and the stuff their asking us to do is really juvenile…Actually they said they'd leave us alone if we did this final thing…" here it was, Serena's moment of truth. She looked at Phil with all she had, knowing her blue eyes and quivering lip were almost irresistible as she saw his captivated face. Then she quickly looked down at the counter, as if she was too embarrassed to meet his eye.
"Maybe you could help me out Phil…see they just want me to bring out a bottle of something, anything, and then they'll give me those stupid photos. I know it's a lot to ask, but if you could just do this one favour for me…I'd be eternally grateful…" she allowed her voice to go slightly breathy at the end, reminded of countless nights pretending to be Ivannah with Georgina and scamming drinks off helpless males. She pushed aside her slight guilt that Phil had no clue what he was getting into that night, glad she couldn't see his face.
There was a moment of silence, as Serena waited with bated breath for him to inevitably fold.
"No card, no bottle," Phil stated, monotone.
"What?" Serena exploded, looking up now in complete shock and disbelief.
"How stupid do you think I am, really?" Phil asked, looking at her with raised eyebrows and an unimpressed look. "Now I suggest you and your 'brother,' who is no doubt waiting outside, get out of here before I the call the cops."
Serena felt sufficiently chastised, obediently turning without another word, she made her way towards the sliding doors, her cheeks burning. Maybe Chuck was right, she really had been out of the game longer than she had thought.
"So what did you get?" Chuck asked. He and Blair stepped forward from where they had been standing against the wall near the door.
"Nothing," Serena couldn't help pouting slightly.
"Did you play the 'helpless girl being extortioned by evil peers' card?" Blair interrogated.
"Yes, and the divorce card," Serena said.
"How could he not fall for that?" Blair demanded, as if it was a personal affront to her, which Serena supposed it almost was seeing as Blair had invented both those angles for Serena when they were in ninth grade.
"What is Dan doing?" Serena asked, frowning slightly as she noticed her boyfriend was standing a little away from the open door of the limo, which Nate was hanging out of, talking to the man who had been smoking outside the store.
"Making friends," Chuck noted.
"Like will attract like I suppose," Blair sniffed.
Serena frowned at both of them, and then walked towards her boyfriend without another word.
"Dan hey," she said, quickly entwining his finger with his, and looking at him with quizzical eyes.
"Hey Serena," Dan said, grinning, though the effects of the alcohol had worn off somewhat, he still looked slightly dopey. "You will never guess who I just met. This is Christopher Grant, he was published in the New Yorker a few years ago and is friends with…"
"That's great," Serena said, unintentionally cutting Dan off as she took in the guy's unshaven face and holey clothes. Serena was all for meeting new people, but in the middle of the night in front of a local bottle shop was a bit much, even for her. "But I think we've got to get going really soon, before Chuck and Blair melt."
"Oh… well did you manage to get what you wanted?" Dan queried.
"No, actually. Chuck's ID didn't pass muster," she decided to leave out the part about her failed flirtation, it was only a bit of fun after all.
"I can buy you something if you want," the man..Christopher, spoke up, looking at them both.
"Really, you don't have to…" Dan said awkwardly.
"I don't mind," Christopher shrugged. "As long as you guys can spare a twenty."
"Well then…uh…Serena?" Dan glanced at her, unsure of how to proceed. Serena glanced at Chuck and Blair, they were both hissing about something, obviously arguing yet again. Nate was sitting half out of the limo, trying to get as much fresh air as she could to counter act the burger. She wasn't sure where Vanessa was, probably inside the limo tinkering with her camera. The decision appeared to be left to her.
"I guess…it wouldn't hurt…" she said, biting her lip slightly and turning back to Christopher. "Do you have any money on you Dan…my clutch is in the limo?" She turned to her boyfriend.
"Uh…yeah I think I have…something…But what do you want?"
"Just go in there and pick whatever tastes good," Serena smiled encouragingly.
"Don't forget my twenty kid," Christopher commented, "Now come on, I've got to meet up with James Addleman in half an hour."
He started towards the door, Dan blinked for a second, then followed behind. Serena watched them enter the bottle shop, feeling inexplicably apprehensive.
"Where's Humphrey going with hobo of the year?" Blair asked, her and Chuck had made their way over to where Serena was standing, both curious by Dan's entrance into the store.
"To get us something to drink," Serena supplied, biting her lip harder, and keeping her eyes trained on the door.
"Well it better be something good," Chuck commented.
Twenty minutes later, Serena was just about to suggest to Chuck and Blair they stage a rescue, when she was relieved to see Dan come out of the shop. Christopher was next to him with a brown paper bag in hand. They paused at the door, exchanging words, then Dan passed a green note to Chrisopher and he passed him the bag, turning and walking away without a second glance.
Dan came towards Serena, Chuck and Blair, paper bag held in hand victoriously and a grin on his face.
"That guy is mental," he laughed, coming towards them. "He gave me Addleman's card…"
"Spare us the anecdote," Chuck drawled, grabbing the paper bag. "What wine did you buy?"
"Well actually I couldn't afford wine…" Dan began, he didn't need to continue however. From the bag Chuck pulled out the alcohol bottle, staring at it for a second.
"Karkov?" disgust dripped from the very word, he looked at Dan as if he had personally offended him. Without another word he pushed the bag back into Dan's hand and turning headed for his limo.
"What? It was all I could afford?" Dan defended.
A/N: I guess this big night out is going to span three chapters. Sorry for any grammar or spelling errors, I'm too tired to edit. I hope you liked, please review if you read. ; )
Thank you so much: TerraBeth, ellibells, ggreviewer, teddy bear, sallysally and jojo.4ever for reviewing the last chapter, you guys are champs ; ).