Act II

"And wit was his vain frivolous pretence of pleasing others, at his own expense."

-'A Satire Against Mankind' by John Wilmot 2nd Earl of Rochester

Chapter XXIII

This Side Up

Nate fumbled with the loft key, as he tried to fit it in the lock and turn. It was three in the morning, and he'd attempted covert operations, silence the word as he made his way up the many, many stairs in the building. He thought he'd conducted himself like a stealthy ninja, in reality he'd knocked his foot several times, swore and probably woken up a few inhabitants in the apartments below as he figured out the broom closet was not, in actual fact, an elevator. His answer to the drama that had occurred at the suite had been to drink.

He'd drowned down at least three cocktails of god knows what, before he'd felt sufficiently unaffected by the spiting argument between Blair and Vanessa that had erupted after the relationship, or non-relationship bombshell hit. Chuck had disappeared and Blair was the only one out of the two to return with flaming eyes and vindictive venom, ready to rip apart the Brookly-nite who was coincidentally Nate's girlfriend. Nate knew he should have gone after Chuck, or tried to intercede between Blair and Vanessa, but he couldn't seem to find the energy. So instead he tried to make drinks and unsuccessfully shove them in everyone's hands, hoping it would fix all ills as Chuck seemed to imagine. All it did was garner him dirty looks and guilt which made him drown the drinks down in his friends place, as if in sacrifice. Nate was certainly no big drinker and his weapon of choice was usually a joint supplied by the ever connected Chuck, but right then he'd take any sort of drug to release the stressed tight ball in his stomach.

The results had not been endearing to Vanessa. In the end it had been Dan who somehow managed to calm Blair down enough to let Vanessa retreat back to her apartment in Brooklyn. Nate had offered to wait with her for the taxi, finally stirred into action from where he had been sitting watching wide eyed from the couch. Whatever her answer had been he'd stumbled down with her, all too aware his body had taken on that distinct alcoholic scent. They didn't say much as they had exited out of the looming Palace and stood on the side walk, Vanessa's hands wrapped tightly around her body. Nate knew he should have offered her his coat, but he was having difficulty extracting it from his own body, finally realising he wasn't wearing one.

Vanessa watched him with piercing eyes, until finally he turned to her.

"Are you all right?" it seemed like the right thing to say, the gentlemanly thing to say. His grandfather had always stressed that if you were anything in this world, above all you must be a gentleman.

"Fine," was her only reply. She didn't mince words, Vanessa. She was a visionary, allowing images and expression to speak for her. Dan was the words, sometimes Nate wished though that she would smile a bit more, perhaps giggle like a certain blonde upstairs…

"I'm sorry," it rolled heavily off his tongue, it seemed another appropriate phrase to utter.

"For what?"

"For not…you know…standing up for you with Blair…and stuff…" it sounded lame to his ears, like a mumbled reply he'd give to the teacher if she caught him eating glue…

"I don't need you to take care of me Nate," she shrugged, as if it was immaterial to her really. Nate knew it was true, Vanessa didn't need anyone… "Besides I wouldn't expect you to. I know what I have to do."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he felt something uneasy with the statement, as if it was an insult disguised so cleverly so he could not discern it from the wall behind.

"Just…I know how this world works now…how these people work… I know the type of language they understand," with that she gripped her camera bag tighter to her, she'd collected it hurriedly from the floor before she left, sweeping the tapes into it. The message was clear, she had the ammunition and she was prepared to pull the trigger if necessary.

"These people? You mean people like me…?"

She was silent at this, not responding, moving her gaze away from his face. All revenge came at a price…

"So you have it all figured out then huh?" he was bitter, he knew he was bitter and disproportionately angry.

"Look, we're both…tired and irritable…" she was clearly trying to placate him, taking in a deep breath, attempting to be the voice of reason. She reached out her hand to touch his arm, an unusually motherly gesture from her chipped painted nails.

"I'm not a child Vanessa!" he snapped, dodging her hand with drawn brows and a boyish scowl.

"Well, you could have fooled me," she said, smiling slightly at the absurdity of it. His features didn't soften however, Nate was not an irritable person, when he was stirred to annoyance it often cooled with placating words and a sense of guilt. But he was drunk, and he didn't want to be reasonable and charming and gentlemanly tonight.

"My taxi's here," she finally stated into the awkward silence as the yellow beacon pulled up to the curb in front of them. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, see you tomorrow," he gave her that. As she slipped into the taxi he found himself quickly regretting his childish reaction, but there was no help for it now. He decided to hail another cab and head back to the Humphrey loft to sleep off the nausea. It was preferable then going back up to his absent friends suite where Blair was no doubt crying her eyes out, Serena trying to comfort her while Dan acted like the ever supportive boyfriend.

So here he was, fumbling with the loft key and trying to remember how locks worked at three in the morning. Far from the place he grew up and the people he knew. He would feel quite forsaken, if he wasn't feeling so sick. He wondered how Chuck did it, drowned glass after glass with barely a reaction, his friend seemed to become more charming as the night wore on, not less. Nate swore as the metal bit into his skin, he realised he was holding the key the wrong way, trying to jam the blunt side into the hole. He turned it around with some effort, attempting to slip it in once more. Before he could however the door swung open, Jenny standing there in cupcake pyjama pants and a pink tank top, her long blonde hair framing her wide eyed face. Nate stood there dumbly for a second, key held up in hand.

"Hey Nate…" Jenny finally said, her voice hoarse. Obviously he'd woken her from sleep.

"Sorry for…" he mumbled, not quite managing to finish the sentence.

"That's okay," she smiled, friendly.

"I hope I didn't…Rufus…" Nate couldn't seem to find quite the right words to insert in the right places, he just hoped Jenny understood fragmented sentences.

"He's out," the younger girl supplied, her demeanour changing slightly.

"Everything 'kay?"

"He's just out.." her tone implies that everything is not okay, and Nate feels slight concern, but before he could voice any half formed thoughts Jenny took his arm.

"You should sit down on the couch, you don't look too hot," she led him obediently to the old battered and lumpy thing in the living area. Nate realised he wasn't feeling that great, he wondered whether Rufus would be as compliant as Chuck if he vomited all over the rug. He slumped into the couch thankfully, resting his head against the uneven back.

"Did you have fun?" Jenny finally asked, suddenly all too aware of her bare shoulders as Nate glanced up at her with dopey blue eyes and that adorably smile.

"Yeah…sure…Dan's staying at Chuck's suite I think…"

"Chuck's?!" she can't help the exclamation, Dan Humphrey her dorky older brother staying over at Chuck Bass' suite. Sure, Dan stayed over at Serena's on occasion, but Chuck's place was practically famous among teenagers of the Upper East Side. Everyone knew the best parties were always at Chuck's. Jenny had seen the Gossip Girl blasts about the raucous night on the town, but she'd always viewed Dan as the outcast, connected only by his association with Serena, never truly welcomed by the other elite, beside Nate of course…Nate was different…

"Vanessa staying there too?" the question pops into her mind, unbidden and unwanted, but now it's voiced she notices a change in Nate's floppy demeanour. His grin turns into a worried frown.

"Nah…I think…she went home…You know Vanessa…" he is reserved, slightly worried and then he looks up at Jenny and he seems to grow more bold. "You know…uh you know Vanessa, right?"

"Sure… She's been Dan's best friend almost forever," Jenny answered, trying to understand his train of thought. She'd never really seen anyone drunk, though she knew Dan had been a couple of times by now at least. She doubted her brother looked like Nate though, so goofy and helpless like this, so adorable and kissable… She quickly drew her mind from those thoughts, trying to concentrate on what the older boy was mumbling.

"Has she always been this preachy, you know? I mean…like critical of everything that doesn't meet her moral code, like a preacher or something…?" it comes out a jumbled mess of sound and Jenny can't help giggling slightly, though she knows its mean. She just couldn't help imagining Vanessa in a preacher's outfit, standing on a pulpit expounding the Gospel according to Abrams. "You won't tell 'er I said that will you?" Nate looks up now, suddenly anxious, as if he realised who he was talking to.

"No, of course not," Jenny quickly put his mind to ease. "In actual fact, I do kind of know what you mean. Like, with this thing with my Dad and Eleanor's…she came into my room and talked to me about it, and all she ever said was how I should go back to school and not throw my future away on some career full of sexism that was all about objectifying people…It was like a sermon…"

"Sounds like her," Nate mumbled and gave a small chuckle. "Sometimes she can just be so…so judgmental you know. Like you can't live up to her standards or something, no one ever can unless they're poor…" he trailed off here, frowning, his eyes fixated on the blank TV.

Jenny wasn't sure how to reply to this. Technically, she was poor, compared to Nate. If there was a scale on the Upper East Side, it would go from Bart Bass to Rufus Humphrey, the latter being absolutely destitute. Of course, with Nate's current position he wasn't rolling in money, but he still had his mother and his grandfather and a humungous trust fund to look forward to.

Nate seemed to notice her silence, for he glanced up once more, slightly more conscious now of what he'd just said and to whom he said it. "Course she's amazing girl, right, you know. I'm just…we just had a fight and I'm cranky and…You won't say anything about this to her will you Jenny?"

Jenny hesitated for only a second, but she couldn't withstand those earnest blue eyes, so worried. "Of course I won't Nate," she pronounced.

"You're a good little girl Jenny, y'know that…"Nate smiled dopily. Jenny's heart sank at this sentiment, it certainly wasn't something she'd dreamed Nate would say to her. "I should probably crash, I'm feeling pretty beat," he said obliviously after a yawn overtook him. He stretched, his muscles bunching under his shirt. "You should probably get some rest too, we got school in the morning…"

"Yeah," she agreed quietly, but he wasn't waiting for her reply, bending down to slip his shoes off. "Good night Nate," she finally said.

"G'night," he murmured. With a lack of any other reason to stay Jenny headed for her room, glancing behind her as she got to the door to take one final glance at the blonde UES god on her couch. She sighed wistfully as she shut her door behind her, falling onto her pink, childish bed. She looked up at the dark ceiling, feeling like a complete fool and yet unable to help it. At least she had one consolation however, what she had been thinking for weeks, from conversations with Vanessa and over hearing Nate, was true. Vanessa and Nate were clearly not meant for each other and eventually they would fall apart. Jenny would be there to console Vanessa of course, she did care about the older girl who had almost been like a distant living sister…but then after a while… Dan was dating Serena and Nate seemed fine with it after all. People got over these things and started fresh…and once Vanessa moved on hopefully Nate would realise Jenny was so much more than just a good little girl….

Vanessa was almost back in Brooklyn before she realised that her camera bag was empty, save for the tapes she'd shoved carelessly in there. She bit her tongue so as not to swear loudly as she remembered she'd left the shiny silver contraption on the table in her hurry to leave that suite and Blair's venomous barbs. She contemplated for a few minutes about continuing on, leaving the camera for lost. But she couldn't afford another one, and she didn't trust it to be left over night in Chuck's suite, especially a Chuck who had reason to feel quite vengeful towards her. Sighing Vanessa directed the driver to turn around and head back to the Palace, as she counted the notes in her purse. She just had enough to take her back and home again, but it would be a tight squeeze. As she looked out the window at the city lights approaching once more, she wondered yet again why an earth she had agreed to help Dan.

She gave the money to the surly driver, parting from it with regret as she slipped out of the cab and onto the cool street, shutting the door perhaps harder than necessary. She looked back up at the hotel, which just last evening her, Nate and Dan had contemplated with mock trepidation. There was no fun in her heart right now, but she was resolved not to be a weakling, she was as good as any of these people. She would just go up to the suite, grab the camera and get out before any further shots could be fired. It shouldn't be contemplated at all… All the same she found herself taking out her phone and messaging Dan, just to ascertain there was still a neutral, if not friendly soldier up there with Serena and Blair.

I left my camera upstairs; I'm heading up to the suite now. Can you hand it to me at the door?

It took only a few seconds for a reply to reach her, just as she entered the hotel elevator.

I picked it up for you. Me and Serena are heading up to her family suite, meet us up there?

Vanessa was sorely tempted to reply with a resounding no. But then she caught sight of herself in the elevator mirror and realised she was still wearing the dress she had borrowed from Serena, her own clothes buried on the floor in the blonde girls bedroom. To be fair it couldn't hurt to just go upstairs, grab her camera, change into something more comfortable, shove the tapes in Dan's hands and leave this opulent hotel forever…right? So she found herself typing two different letters.

KK

Sighing and dropping her phone back into her bag she pressed the button for the penthouse suite. She rested her head against the elevator wall, wishing for once that she had a rich father who could just buy her a new camera, so this night could just be over already. Her argument with Nate…was it an argument? Regardless, it made her feel anxious. Although she thought he was being completely ridiculous, she couldn't help a gnawing feeling that perhaps she had been rather insulting towards him these past couple of days, rather more critical than usual after seeing how close he and Serena really had been all these years. Vanessa had never thought she would be the jealous type, but she supposed there was a first for everything and the Upper East Side clearly did not bring out the best in people.

"Hey, how about a smile?" Dan asked as the elevator took him and Serena up to her family suite. He was holding Vanessa's camera in hand, taping Serena. He was sure his friend wouldn't mind him playing around with it for just a little while, after all she would soon have it back in her clutches when she came up to the suite.

Serena returned his own grin with a pout. There was a small crease of worry between her eyebrows and he knew she was thinking about Blair. The other girl had spent quite a while buried in Serena's arms, having practically collapsed into them after Vanessa and Nate had left. Dan had spent his time awkwardly 'looking for some tea' in Chuck's kitchenette as a way to give the two friends some privacy. Surprise, surprise, all Chuck had in there was empty bottles of scotch and a suspicious white packet kept in a can labelled sugar, which Dan highly doubted was the confectionary substance. Eventually Blair had collected herself enough to call a taxi, directing one final barb at Dan before Serena had helped her downstairs. Having safely deposited her friend in the yellow carriage, Serena had returned to Dan waiting awkwardly in Chuck's suite. It had been her tired suggestion that he stay the night upstairs, after all her parents were out. Picking up his coat from the chair Dan had noticed the camera, sitting on the coffee table. Knowing Vanessa would most likely execute him if he left it there, he had picked it up, turning it on in the elevator in the hopes of entertaining Serena with it. She seemed determined to have none of it, however.

"Dan, come on," she said, as he lent closer to her with the camera held aloft, gently pushing him away.

"But I need to chronicle this moment," Dan protested.

"What moment?" Serena asked quizzically, despite herself being pulled out of her anxiety with his earnestness.

"The moment I, Dan Humphrey am alone in an elevator with Serena van der Woodsen, who is voluntarily my girlfriend," Dan proclaimed. This elicited a smile from Serena, who laughed despite herself at Dan's look.

"Why on earth-" her sentence was interrupted by the sound of Dan's phone ringtone, piercing the golden moment with its generic notes.

"Hold that thought," he said, shoving the camera into the involuntary hands of Serena he fished the phone from his jean pocket, assuming it was Vanessa he pressed the answer icon, pressing the phone to his ear without glancing at it.

"Hey, Serena and I are almost up to the penthouse suite now," he answered, smiling self-consciously, as Serena in a lighter mood now, moved around him with the camera trained upon his face.

"Are you spending the night with Serena in her family suite?" Jenny's voice came through the phone.

"Jenny! What?! No…I…what are you doing up so late?!" Dan blustered, his grin disappearing as he realised who was on the other line.

"What are you doing out so late?" Jenny countered with. "Nate just got home a little while ago and I rang to see if you had been mugged or not. Apparently not so much… What do you think Dad's going to think, after that whole pregnancy scare thing last year and everything!?"

"I'm almost eighteen!" Dan decided to ride upon his mature high horse, "And what I do…or don't do… is none of your business. Now you should go to bed already, you've got school tomorrow."

"I promise not to tell Dad you were out so late without his permission, if you promise to help me o-"

"Jenny I am not helping you to convince Dad that you should leave school and join Blair's mother's minion factory!" Dan hissed, turning to face the corner now in an attempt at some privacy as he argued with his little sister, as only siblings could.

"That is so not what I'm doing! If you would jus-"

"Just drop it Jenny," Dan sighed, "Your sixteen, in two years you can do whatever you want, but right now you should just concentrate on graduating, okay? Can't you see this is really upsetting Dad?"

"As if my life decisions are what's really upsetting Dad," Jenny said, her tone bitter. Dan felt a heavy clinch in his chest, he knew his parent's divorce hadn't been easy on his younger sister and now with their mother's impending nuptials… He wondered if perhaps he had been too harsh on her…

"But you know, Dan, you're right. I'll just be a good girl and go to school, while you sneak into your girlfriends bedroom and knit, or whatever saintly thing it is you're doing with Serena, right?" Jenny finished with, erasing the sympathetic thoughts in Dan's mind. The sarcasm in her tone couldn't be more pronounced if she had dipped it in sauce.

"I'm a mature adult, Jenny. I'm old enough to make responsible decisions about my life!" Dan snapped with annoyance. "Perhaps once you grow up, you can too!"

"Oh that's real ma-" Jenny began, but he didn't let her finish, taking the phone from his ear he hung up, pressing the screen harder than entirely necessary.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Serena asked tentatively as Dan shoved the phone back into his pocket. She held the camera limply at her side now.

"Uh…yeah…yeah sure, just Jenny doing her thing and playing the frustrating little sister… Now where were you…" in one smooth move he extracted the camera from her, holding it up as he lent closer to her. "Oh that's right, you were about to expound all my virtues that have led you to choose to be in an elevator with me."

"Was I now?" Serena smiled slightly as she lent in to give him a kiss.

The elevator eventually reached its destination after what seemed like an age of Vanessa left alone in the metal box with her own thoughts. It slid open and Vanessa walked out, trying on a smile she stepped out into the luxury of the Van der Bass suite.

"Hey," she called as she turned the corner and stepped into the open living area, near the couch. "The-" whatever she was about to say died on her lips as she saw Serena was leaning over someone who was laying on the couch, Dan standing there slightly stunned, with her camera limply in his hand lying helplessly at his side.

Serena didn't even glance up at the sound of Vanessa's entrance; she was attempting to shake the limp form on the couch. Dan seemed to snap into some kind of action however, turning his eyes to her.

"I'm not sure now's the best time…" he murmured, stepping forward and without seeming to know what he was doing really he shoved the camera into Vanessa's hand. She noted that the red record button was still on, but didn't pay much attention to it as she turned back to the couch.

"What's going on?" Vanessa asked Serena now, walking closer to the couch to see who was occupying it, her camera held up automatically as a barrier. She paused as she saw Chuck lay there, oddly pale, there was something white on the table and a half empty tumbler of scotch and what looked like a packet of pink pills which had spilled all over the floor, like smarties or something…

"Chuck, Chuck come on you have to wake up," Serena's seemed to find her voice now as she realised shaking him was futile, she turned to slapping him on the face, hoping the shock would stir him into consciousness. "Chuck, Chuck…"

"Should we call an ambulance?" Vanessa asked through her suddenly dry mouth, the hand with her camera had fallen to her side limply. She'd never really witnessed anything like this before, the most she'd seen was her sister after a party, passed out on the couch and snoring like an avalanche, not limp and pale like this, lying almost lifeless... She fumbled with her bag with her free hand, trying to find her phone.

"No," Serena said firmly, "No, he's fine, see he's stirring…we just have to get him upstairs and splash some water on him…he'll be fine…" True to her word Chuck's eyelids were flickering, opening to show diluted pupils that were trying to concentrate. His head lolled as his body attempted to move.

"Serena maybe…" Dan began, stepping forward now.

"No ambulance!" Serena replied firmly. "Please Dan," a meaningful look passed between the two of them and Dan seemed to relent with understanding.

"Okay," Dan held up his hands with a placating gesture. "I was just going to suggest that we use the bathroom downstairs?"

"No," Serena repeated, glancing now towards a door, biting her lip anxiously now, "I don't want to disturb Eric." She shared another meaningful look with Dan, who relented at her blue eyes.

"I guess I'll get him upstairs then…" Dan noted resignedly. He went to Chuck's side, grabbing onto his arm and attempting to lift him up. Chuck was a dead weight however, making an indistinguishable noise. "Come on Chuck, a little help wouldn't go astray," Dan grunted.

"Here, I'll help," Serena said, attempting to assist Dan in his struggles to lift Chuck. Vanessa watched all this blankly, unsure of what to do, should she try and push Chuck up or would her assistance just hinder the two?

"Chuck, Bart's going to be home any second…" Serena finally snapped at him as they attempted to pull at his dead weight. This penetrated Chuck's haze somewhat, he seemed to attempt to help now and Serena and Dan managed to lift him off the couch and into a very shaky standing position, with one of his arms slung over Serena's neck and the other over Dan's.

"Okay, he is heavy!" Dan grunted, attempting not to buckle under the weight.

"Can I do anything?" Vanessa found her voice again enough to query as Serena and Dan made progress towards the stairs while Chuck's head sporadically lolled on his neck, like a rag dolls. You could tell he was attempting to help, but he was barely able to keep on his feet.

"Just stay behind us," Serena instructed authoritatively as they reached the bottom of the staircase and Vanessa trailed behind. It was a serious side of her Vanessa had never been privy to.

It took a few times for them to get Chuck up the stairs. Vanessa had to shove Chuck's vest clad back a few times to keep him from toppling backwards down the stairs and taking Serena and Dan with him, all on top of Vanessa. She didn't fancy the thought of ending up on a newspaper cover, death from falling down the stairs and being squashed by Chuck Bass, not an appealing way to go. Finally they managed to get to the landing, and Vanessa took the lead now, opening a door Serena instructed to her as the other two dragged Chuck through it. And then she stepped into Chuck Bass' room. It wasn't somewhere she'd ever imagine being, or somewhere she desired to be.

As Serena and Dan managed to drag Chuck the last few steps to the bathroom and deposit him into the shower Vanessa stood awkwardly at the door, watching and wondering what exactly she was doing here. She had just come to get her clothes, her camera and not look back. But here she was, helping someone she didn't even like who had clearly been doing very illegal substances. Instead of doing the responsible thing and calling an ambulance they were attempting to revive him with a shower hose. It seemed all rather surreal to Vanessa, but Serena didn't even blink, and Dan followed her dutifully, trying to keep Chuck upright as Serena struggled with the taps. Something made a noise and Vanessa glanced down, her camera light was flashing, the battery obviously drained almost to extinction. Automatically Vanessa brought it up to examine it, about to click it off, when there was a sudden shout from the shower cubicle. Serena had clearly managed to wrangle the taps open, the cold water burst forth in a violent gush, right onto the lethargic Chuck's head. He spluttered, flailing his arms and almost knocking Dan over.

"Woah, woah man, calm down," Dan exclaimed trying to dodge out of the way of the now alert Chuck. Chuck ignored him, with great force he managed to push Dan aside, who stumbled into Vanessa, and scramble out of the cubicle, just in time to practically collapse onto his knees in front of the toilet and expel his stomach contents. Vanessa's camera had clattered to the floor just as he reached the toilet bowl and she felt her own stomach churn at the sound of his retching.

"Chuck…?" Serena finally enquired timidly as there was a lull, turning off the shower and stepping out of the cubicle to look down at the doubled over boy.

Chuck muttered something that sounded a lot like an expletive telling her to do rather unpleasant things, before the retching began again. Vanessa thought that was sign of life enough, she quickly retrieved her camera from the floor and backed out the door. Dan glanced over and hearing some more violent retching seemed to decide that was the best option. Grabbing Serena's hand he led her out of the bathroom, closing the door behind them.

"Do you think it's safe to leave him alone?" Serena asked anxiously, biting her lip once more and turning her eyes to Dan. It was like Vanessa was an invisible entity. She contemplated saying something wry, but Dan beat her to it.

"Well at least we know he's not going to slip into a coma…" this as they heard another expletive in between retching. "Perhaps we should just leave him to it? I think he's going to be in there for a while…"

"Okay…" Serena said somewhat doubtfully. "Can I borrow your phone Dan?"

"Uhhh…I'm not sure if that's such a great idea…" Dan said. Vanessa resisted sighing at the indecipherable exchange between Dan and Serena, there was obviously something they wanted to talk about and she was clearly just getting in the way. There would once have been a time when she could understand every little quirk in Dan's face, but now…

"I'll be heading home then…" Vanessa said decidedly. "If I could just grab my clothes from your room Serena?"

"Yeah, sure…" Serena murmured distractedly.

"Uh…see you…" Dan muttered.

"Sure," Vanessa replied without much enthusiasm. She immediately headed for Serena's room, the one inexplicably next to Chuck's. Locating her clothes in the corner she used Serena's bathroom to change, hanging the dress back up on the discarded hanger on the floor where Serena had thrown it, she placed it on the plush chair which cost more than Vanessa's wardrobe and desk combined. Grabbing her camera and camera bag she headed out the door, Dan and Serena were markedly absent from the landing. Vanessa shrugged, attempting to be nonchalant as she headed down the staircase and to the elevator for hopefully the last time that night. She hoped Dan and Serena enjoyed the symphony of Chuck's retching; because she was out of there and well on her way to forgetting this night ever happened…

Jenny awoke to the sound of banging on the loft door. She had fallen on her bed, fully clothed, fuming about Dan and evidently had drifted into a doze. Thoughts of sleep were erased however at the sound of the door. She glanced over at her clock, it was two in the morning, shouldn't everyone be asleep by now? She was sorely tempted to grab her pink pillow, shove it over her face and ignore the door. But then she remembered that Dan still hadn't come home by the time she had locked herself in her room, and Nate was no doubt still passed out on the couch. She'd heard Rufus come in a few hours ago. Typically he'd checked in on Jenny, opening her room door to ensure she was in her bed and not gallivanting around the streets at night, of course he probably hadn't bothered with saintly Dan. Rising and rubbing her blurry eyes she stumbled towards her room door, swinging it open. Nate was still on the couch, snoring softly, he turned slightly as the knocking grew in intensity, but didn't stir otherwise.

Sighing Jenny managed to unlock the door after fumbling with the locks slightly, swinging it open. Vanessa stood there, her hand up to bang once more. Her clothes were dishelved and she had heavy shadows under her eyes, a very different image from the girl in the expensive dress posted on Gossip Girl just a few hours ago. She looked as surprised to see Jenny open the door as Jenny was to see her.

"Jenny, hey," she said, her voice was hoarse and tired.

"Vanessa…Is something wrong, Dan…?"

"No, no everything's fine, I just…is Nate here?" she glanced distractedly behind Jenny into the loft.

"Uh…yeah…he's just, he's sleeping, he seemed really tired…" Jenny positioned her thin frame to hinder Vanessa's view, trying to make it look unintentional as she did so.

"Right…" Vanessa looked slightly regretful. "Well I have to get home anyway, I have the early shift. I just came to drop these off for Dan, for his assembly in the morning. You'd be able to give it to him right?"

She fumbled in her bag without waiting for a reply, fishing out some camera tapes. "Despite repeatedly reminding myself to give it to him I kind of got distracted …But I know they're in safe hands with you." She smiled at Jenny, shoving the tape labelled MOCKUMENTARY in black bold print into her hands. "They'll work on most standard cameras, and remind him he has to play them on silent with this," she dug out a CD and shoved it into Jenny's fingers as well, "Playing over it."

"Going retro?" Jenny commented.

"We didn't have time to edit the audio in," Vanessa supplied, forcing a smile.

"Well it's pretty late…" Jenny noted as Vanessa seemed to be stuck to the floor for a few minutes longer in silence, glancing over Jenny's shoulder again.

"Right…," Vanessa responded, she seemed to be struggling with something, coming to a decision, she dug her hand back into her bag, pulling out another tape. "Would you be able to give this to Nate and tell him…you know what just give it to him, I think he'll understand…" She held out the tape and Jenny took it, glancing down at it curiously. "But don't get them mixed up okay?" Vanessa stipulated.

"Don't worry," Jenny assured her, looking up now and giving Vanessa a sweet smile, "They're safe with me."

"Thanks Jenny, I know I can trust you. You're a good girl, you know that?"
It was an odd earnest statement from Vanessa, Jenny felt only annoyance at it however, it echoed Nate's statement too closely. "Well I better get going, goodnight..."

"Same," Jenny kept on smiling as Vanessa turned and walked away, closing the door behind her and glancing down at the tapes she had been given. Ascertaining that Nate was still asleep on the couch she made her way back to her room, the tapes weighing in her hands. She closed the door behind her and went to her laptop, brushing her hand over the mouse pad to wake It up. It droned dully as she searched her draw, finally coming up with an old video camera.

She didn't think twice about it as she slipped the labelled tape into it, her curiosity overcoming any qualms of conscience. She grabbed her earphones, putting the small green buds into her ear and playing the tape. Cringe worthy acting came up on the screen, clearly assembly fodder it was edited like a typical school project. If she wasn't so annoyed at him right then she probably would have laughed at Dan's attempts to act with the campy dialogue. Then Nate flicked across the screen, his attempts even more feeble though they didn't detract from his boyish grin. After a few more minutes of the terrible acting Jenny turned the tape off, placing it on the desk and trying the next tape. What she saw on the screen this time made her eyes widen. There was the immaculate Blair Waldorf who had banished her to social oblivion, doing shots from a common bar glass, there was Chuck, who'd belittled her, looking un-composed and out of control and there was her oh so responsible preaching big brother, drinking copious amounts with the kind of people he'd warned her from his whole life… Serena, Nate and Vanessa were there as well…Jenny fast forwarded through the footage, watching embarrassing scene after embarrassing scene…And then she got to Dan and Serena in the elevator, the conversation between them playing over again, Dan hanging up on her and dismissing Jenny as his 'annoying little sister,' as if it was typical…Of course he dismissed Jenny, just like Vanessa, just like Nate saw her…

Something stirred in Jenny as a plan began to formulate in her mind, a small excited smile creeping over her face. This was one of those times where clearly being perceived as a good Little Jenny Humphrey from Brooklyn was advantageous.

A/N: I sense trouble brewing on the horizon. Sorry it took so long. Thanks for all the reviews, almost at 200! Please R&R : ). I've also added a prologue, tell me what you think. Heads up even though I've put the prologue in the begining of the story (ie. as chapter 1) and it's showing up in the begining on my preview, it still hasn't formatted on the public one, but it's meant to go at the start of the story and hopefully it will sort itself out : ).

Chapter picture: google 'Serena Dan elevator' should be the second picture.