A/N: I really do hope you enjoy this chapter. I am so happy that this story is really taking off now. I will update Turning Back The Hands Of Time sometime this weekend for those of you who are also following that story. Reviews are always loved!

The Lyin', The Bitch And The Cell Phone


Vanessa walked into the gallery, holding onto the strap of her purse for support. She was slightly worried because Dan had yet to return her earlier text message. She had tried to convince herself it was a risky plan as well, but she had a strong feeling that she should do this. Dan turned around abruptly at the sound of her footsteps on the hard-wood floor.

"Vanessa! Hey! I was just about to call you," he stammered.

He knew Vanessa was still really down and he really wanted to support her, but her plan had been one notch above insane.

"Really?" Vanessa asked. "You have that I-tried-to-delay-this-conversation-for-as-long-as-possible look on your face."

A wary smile appeared at her deduction. He never got anything past Vanessa. He motioned towards one of the tables, silently requesting for her to take a seat.

"Vanessa, you know I would support you through anything, but are you really sure you want to do this? It could become dangerous."

Dan had a very bad feeling about this. Vanessa propped her head up with her right hand. She could tell that he was uncomfortable with the situation. To be honest, she was skeptical of her plans as well, but she knew it was something her brother would have wanted her to do for him though.

"I know there could be dire consequences, but I need to know if my father was responsible for his death. Dan, what other way is there?" Vanessa inquired. "I know this is what Pete would have wanted me to do for him."

"I want to be there for you Vanessa and you know I will be if you decide to go through with this. I am simply suggesting that you be upfront with your father," Dan recommended.

Vanessa maintained her blank stare.

"I hate to admit this, but Bart Fairmont is not what most of humanity would classify as an honest man. I know he has never kept anything from me that would affect me personally in the past, but I think this time he will. Last night, I casually alluded to the idea of funeral plans for Pete and he blatantly shunned me," Vanessa clarified.

Dan chuckled, trying to lighten the mood of the conversation. "You have a point, but this whole super secret undercover master plan is so not what we do!"

Vanessa failed to see the humor in the situation.

"I realize that this may seem immature or out of character to you, but I have a strong vibe that this is what my brother wants me to do. I can still feel him here with me."

She paused slightly before continuing. "Besides, who do you propose we hire to do this instead? I mean, Bart most certainly has every certified PI in Manhattan eating out of the palms of his hands," Vanessa informed him.

Dan sighed.

"Let me ask you this, Vanessa. What exactly do you hope to achieve with mission impossible?"

"Well, if we find out he's innocent..."

"And if we don't?" Dan interrupted.

"Then, I will confront my father and give him a chance to give himself up," Vanessa replied.

"And if he doesn't? Give himself up I mean..."

Vanessa paused before giving him a response to his scenario.

"Then, I call the cops. You know that would be the right thing to do," Vanessa explained.

Dan nodded. He knew he would probably do the same in her situation. No one escaped the law. It didn't matter who was involved. A crime was still a crime. There were no personal emotions and judgments when a serious crime was involved.

"So, how do you plan on getting me a position at Fairmont Industries? It can't coincide with my classes."

Vanessa smiled when she realized Dan was going to support her plan.

"Don't worry! I made sure it would fit your schedule. I was going to get you that internship with Bart, but he filled the position this morning. He is looking for a new assistant for his secretary however..."

Dan gave her an utmost glance of disbelief.

"Who hires assistants for their secretaries?" Dan asked, dumbfounded by the very idea.

Vanessa laughed. "My father obviously and I'm sure his secretary will approve of you taking the job."

"I have to go through his secretary?"

"I am his secretary," Vanessa countered.

"Since when? You never took an interest in Fairmont Industries!"

"I know, but Bart always wanted me to take business at Yale instead of media studies. He was never going to leave Pete with the family business, so he was more than thrilled when I called him this morning and said I would love to be his personal assistant and help out around the company. It won't interfere with my classes either."

"And somehow, this is how we're going to miraculously find out if your father is guilty? How about we just leave this to the professionals?" Dan protested once more.

"Nate Archibald and Chuck Bass? Yeah, why didn't I think of that sooner?" Vanessa reasoned.

Dan sighed in defeat. "You have a point as always. When do I start?"

Vanessa grinned. "Tomorrow, but first, let's work out the details of our master plan."


Blair strode up the stairs, fanning herself to rid herself of the blush she had temporarily acquired. She took a calm breath before knocking on the door. There was no answer.

"Serena?" she whispered as she stepped into the room.

Serena spun around abruptly at the sound of her voice, sending her hair brush clattering to the floor.

"Blair? What are you doing here?" she asked.

Blair could see the genuine look of shock on her face.

"I sent you a text message before I came. Did you not know I was coming? I thought you wanted to work things out!" Blair answered, explaining her presence.

Serena rummaged through her purse. Where was her cell phone?

"Sorry B! I must have left it at the slumber party last night," she offered.

Inside, Serena was panicking. She knew she must have dropped it at the Palace. She could only pray that it had fallen out of her purse in the lobby or the elevator instead of in his room. Her mother would not be happy to know that she was a suspect in the murder of Pete Fairmont. She hoped her cell phone was in safe hands.

"I suppose you really have forgiven me S. I think this is the first time we haven't called each other by our endearing nicknames," Blair noted, smirking at the blond.

Serena broke into a fit of giggles.

"I do have to admit that we were quite creative with those."

Their laughter eventually subsided, reminding them of the issue at hand.

"Should we talk about it S?" Blair offered.

She knew her best friend was thinking about the slew of incidents that had occurred during senior year as well.

"Blair, I want to apologize for what I did. I was so stupid and unreasonable. You told me you were innocent and I still shut you out," Serena started.

"I honestly was innocent S. I only went out with Dan much later. There was never anything between us before that. I would never do that to you."

Serena smiled. "I know. I actually discovered the truth behind the misunderstanding a while ago. I was too stubborn to admit I was wrong. The consequences of what I did had been so severe. I had no idea how to make things right, you know?"

Blair returned her smile. "We'll leave the past in the past. Besides, I should thank you. You saved me from possibly spending the rest of my life with Robert."

Serena cringed at the reminder of Robert.

Blair laughed. "That bad S?"

Serena could only nod. Robert had been such a dull boyfriend. She had never even truly liked him. On an act of impulse, Blair walked over to wrap her best friend in a bear hug.

"I missed you S."

"I missed you too B," Serena responded, slowly pulling away from her tight embrace.

"You will never guess who my mother is trying to pair me off with," Blair shared, seating herself on the bed.

Serena quirked an eyebrow in her direction.

"Nate Archibald," Blair stated.

"Nate Archibald? I suppose that would make sense. He has money and he could protect you. Eleanor would love such a prospect for her daughter," the blond reasoned, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"Yeah, but he has a huge crush on you."

Serena stopped to stare at her best friend.

"What? How do you know?"

Blair rolled her eyes.

"It was obvious. He was sending me home last night and he started asking about you. He wanted to know if you were single."

Serena masked a smile. She still harbored slight feelings for Dan, but Nate had potential. He was always nice to her in high school. He did have a set of beautiful eyes.

"Serena, are you even listening to me?" Blair asked, snapping her fingers at the blond.

"Did you tell Eleanor Nate is interested in me? That will probably make her stop annoying you about it," Serena suggested.

"I hope so. I would sooner date Chuck Bass than Nate Archibald."

Blair clasped her hand over her mouth at the realization of her confession.

"Chuck Bass? Why are we mentioning Chuck Bass?" Serena questioned, confused at her sudden outburst.

Blair chocked back her words.

"I was offering an example Serena. He happens to be working with Nate now, so it was convenient to mention him."

Serena could sense that there was more to it than that, but who was she to draw conclusions? She decided to allow the subject of Chuck Bass to dissolve itself.

"I have somewhere I have to be Blair. Would it be alright if I caught up with you later?"

Serena really wanted to spend some time with Blair. They had a lot of catching up to do, but she really needed to retrieve her phone from the hotel. It was a matter of life or death. She still needed to destroy the evidence. The sooner she did it, the better. The difficult part would be tracking down the evidence.

"Where are you headed to S?"

"I was planning to pick up my cell phone. I have a feeling Penelope has it," Serena explained.

Blair nodded.

"I think I should probably head home anyway. It would be awkward to stay here. Lily and Rufus are currently being questioned by Detective Bass."

Serena gasped. "Why are they suspects? Is he planning to question me next?"

Blair could detect a hint of panic in her voice.

"Relax Serena. You have nothing to worry about. You had nothing to do with the murder. Besides, Chuck Bass is delusional. He thinks I killed Pete as well and I only stumbled upon the body!"

Serena smiled at her attempt to calm her, but her nerves refused to absolve. She went over to the dresser and grabbed her purse, heading for the door.

"Thanks Blair. Anyway, I better see Penelope now. I think she has another party to host tonight."

Blair followed her best friend down the stairs. She had an inkling that Serena was keeping something from her, but who was she to draw conclusions? Serena would tell her in time. They both needed time to adjust to the sudden renewal of their friendship anyway.


"I understand Mr. Humphrey that you had no idea who Pete Fairmont was until last night?"

"I knew who he was, but I have never had any previous contact with him," Rufus replied.

Chuck could sense a slight discomfort in his voice.

"You have had no contact with him at all Mr. Humphrey? What about you Mrs. Humphrey?" he pressed, turning his full attention towards her.

"Neither of us have had any contact with Pete Fairmont," Rufus interjected, answering the question for his wife.

Chuck had done enough research last night to know that Pete had been blackmailing the Humphreys. He was unable to find out what exactly he had blackmailed them with however. He knew it would be a bad idea to confront them now. It was better if he discovered it on his own.

"Is my husband in any danger detective?" Lily asked, her eyes filled with concern.

Chuck rubbed his forehead.

"We do not presume at the moment that Mr. Humphrey was the intended target. We are fairly certain that Pete Fairmont was meant to be the victim. However, is there anyone that would hold a grudge against you Mr. Humphrey?"

Rufus shook his head as Lily said, "Todd Jenkins could be after my husband."

Rufus sent Lily a glare as Chuck made a note of the name.

"Todd Jenkins. What would he have against Mr. Humphrey exactly?"

"Allison divorced him recently. Rufus helped her with the divorce. He was an abusive and possessive man. He could have a grudge against my husband," Lily clarified.

"Allison is your first wife. Is that correct Mr. Humphrey?"

Chuck held in a groan. He had another suspect to add to his list. Truthfully though, he was almost positive that Pete had been the intended victim. The room was immaculate when his team had examined the crime scene. The murderer knew what he or she was doing. Pete Fairmont had definitely been the target.

"Yes, that is correct," Rufus responded, still unhappy that Lily had mentioned him.

Allison did not need to be involved under any circumstances.

"Detective Bass, will you please look into this. I am really worried for my husband," Lily pleaded.

Chuck offered her a confident smile as he spotted Blair Waldorf in the corner of his eye. Their eyes met momentarily as she waltzed by the living room. He needed to talk to her.

"I will do what I can," Chuck assured her as he stood up to leave. "Thank you for your time. I may need to do some further questioning later, but this will do for now."

"You have our full cooperation," Lily promised as Rufus shook his hand.

Chuck smirked as he left the Humphreys in the living room. With or without their cooperation, he was planning to discover what Pete Fairmont had been blackmailing them with. Nothing ever escaped his skepticism, but for now, all he could think about was Blair.


Blair swiveled around as she felt his hand grasp her arm.

"Can I help you with something detective?"

Chuck smirked. "I need to have a word with you."

Blair continued to glare at him. "Is this an order detective?"

"Why not?" Chuck answered, shrugging his shoulders. "I might as well put my authority to good use."

Serena let out a cough to regain their attention. She honestly had no idea what was happening between Chuck and Blair at the moment. They never spoke to each other much in high school, but she could sense the tension between them. She secretly hoped that Blair was not falling for a Bass. The results could be detrimental to the well-being of humanity. She shivered at the very thought of a Waldorf and a Bass procreating.

"You can head out first Serena. I'll catch up with you later," Blair stated without taking her eyes off of Chuck for even a split second.

Chuck held the intensity of her glare as he maintained his grip on her arm, neither of them willing to move. Serena shook her head and disappeared into the elevator. The tension in the air was suffocating her.

Blair spoke up the moment the elevator doors had closed.

"You really need to stop showing up around me randomly detective and please keep your hands to yourself," she requested, shaking off his hand.

Chuck laughed. "I think you need to stop showing up around me randomly Miss Waldorf."

Blair glowered in his direction as the elevator arrived back at the penthouse. She was secretly glad that Serena had left first. An elevator ride with her and Chuck would have been a complete nightmare. She slipped into the elevator with Chuck close on her heels. He stood at the opposite end of the elevator as they started their descent towards the ground.

"I actually wanted to apologize for framing you as a suspect. I hope you know it comes with the job," Chuck explained.

He glanced nervously in her direction. Chuck Bass hardly ever apologized to anyone, but for some reason, he felt compelled to do so with Blair.

Blair could only stare at the realization of his apology. Chuck frowned at her response. He had been hoping for more of a reaction from her.

"You also need to stop asking questions about this case Blair. I know Nate confided in you last night about some very confidential information," Chuck continued.

Blair sneered at him upon hearing this. "Are you afraid of a little competition detective?"

Chuck grinned. "You really have no idea how dangerous this murderer is do you?"

Blair scoffed. "I think I can handle it."

This had to be the longest elevator ride ever. Blair shifted uncomfortably from side to side. Was the elevator shrinking?

"You think you can handle it. Really? What happens when you come too close to revealing his identity Blair?"

He took a step towards her. Blair noticed this and took a step back only to be stopped by the mirrored wall behind her.

"What happens when the murderer knows you know who he is Blair?" he asked, taking yet another step in her direction.

Blair swallowed at his proximity. How long did it take for the elevator to arrive at the ground floor? There had to be something wrong with the mechanics.

"What happens when this cold-blooded killer wants to silence you forever?" Chuck continued, smirking at her discomfort.

Chuck reached for her arms and pinned them on either side of her head.

"What if he pinned you against the wall like this and threatened to kill you Blair?" he whispered.

Blair struggled slightly, but remained still when she realized Chuck was much stronger than she was. She would never be able to escape from his grasp, so she could only glower at him.

"I can handle it," Blair reiterated.

Chuck laughed. "You sure?"

He tightened his hold on her as he lost himself in the sound of her steady breathing. There was something about those lips that made him lose control. He leaned in subconsciously as the elevator doors opened, forcing him to release his hold on her.

Blair took the opportunity to duck out of the elevator. She felt like she could breathe again. That had been a close one. She had had a sudden urge to kiss him and she almost had. She turned around one last time to address him before leaving the building.

"Detective Bass, I can handle it. Besides, how come you seem to be so sure that the murderer was a man? Would you have trouble handling a woman?" Blair questioned, throwing him a sarcastic smile.

With that, she swiftly left the building without sending another glance in his direction.

Chuck stood rooted to the ground. He needed to stop losing his control when he was around her. He was a professional, but somehow he always seemed to forget that tiny detail in the presence of Blair Waldorf. His thoughts were interrupted by the familiar ring tone of his cell phone.

He flipped it open to take the call. "Detective Bass."

"Detective Bass? You are never going to believe what I found out."