A/N: I apologize for the delay. I have been lacking inspiration for this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter and reviews are highly appreciated as always. The case is hardly mentioned in this chapter, but rest assured the suspense and drama will return in the next one.

Dinner Rush


"Could you please pass the peas Charles?" Eleanor asked, although the peas were evidently right in front of her.

Chuck threw a confused look over at Nate who was seated diagonally across from him at the other end of the table. Blair was to his left and Eleanor was to his right. It was beyond him why he was seated there, although Blair had finally figured out what her mother was up to. She never thought she would see the day where Eleanor Waldorf would try to pair her off with Chuck Bass.

"Thank you Charles," her mother beamed as he passed her the peas.

Blair rolled her eyes in response and Dan coughed uncomfortably. He knew Eleanor Waldorf had never truly approved of him, but he really wanted to impress her. This dinner had been the golden opportunity to show her exactly how much he cared for her daughter and Eleanor was busy trying to pair her off with Chuck Bass.

"Aaron," Eric started in an attempt to engage someone in conversation. "I went by the gallery the other day with a friend of mine and I have to say you are quite the photographer."

"Thank you," Aaron replied, ecstatic that someone was appreciating his work.

"Do you prefer working with buildings or people?" Eric asked.

"I would have to say people for sure. Actually, one of my most well received collections is a series I did on Serena."

Nate chocked on his drink. "That must have been quite a series then."

Serena rested her hand on his knee to reassure him that he had nothing to worry about as she sent a warning glance in Aaron's direction. Eric sat uncomfortably between the two. He wished he had never brought the subject up.

"It really was," Aaron responded, unfazed by the death look that his ex-girlfriend was currently giving him. "In fact, there are a few galleries overseas that are looking to showcase that very collection."

"Blair! I love that dress you're wearing," Serena commented, hoping to change the conversation. "Is it an Eleanor Waldorf original?"

Blair smirked at the expression of desperation on her best friend's face, but she saved her from her discomfort anyway.

"Thanks," Blair stated. "And yes it is."

"I'm thrilled you girls appreciate my designs, but Jenny actually lent a hand with this one."

Jenny smiled gratefully at the recognition.

"You have a lot of talent going for you Jenny," Nate interjected, causing Jenny to blush.

"Thank you," she murmured, thanking the heavens in silence that she had been seated directly across from him.

Serena tightened her hold on Nate's knee. She had heard rumors circling around awhile ago that Jenny was in love with Nate. They had only been rumors, but she still couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable with the situation.

"So," Eleanor started, interrupting her thoughts. "How is that investigation going Charles? I hope you find the murderer soon. We have all been so completely shaken by Peter's death."

Blair stifled a laugh as Dan turned to rectify her mother's mistake.

"Actually, his name was Pete. Pete Fairmont. Not Peter," Dan corrected her.

Eleanor turned to look at him briefly, a blank look upon her face.

"That's what I said," she countered.

"I must have heard wrong. My apologies," Dan muttered, although he was sure he had heard her correctly.

Blair turned to look at her boyfriend and gave him an encouraging smile. Dan returned her smile, but then continued to stare down at his food. It made her slightly angry that her mother was paying no attention to Dan, although it wasn't exactly anything new. She just wished her mother would give him a chance and get to know him like she did. Blair knew that what she had felt in that kiss with Chuck had been nothing more than a fluke. The boy before her loved her with everything he had and she knew he was the one for her. Chuck Bass was simply a distraction; a temptation.

"Yes, Pete's death was quite tragic, but we're working on it. Nate and I have a good handle on things. Actually, your daughter..." he trailed off as Blair dug her heel into his left foot.

Her mother would kill her if she found out that she was purposely involving herself in a homicide case. She sent Chuck a warning glance and he winced in pain before finishing off his sentence.

"...was distraught over his death as well. I'm glad to see that she's feeling better."

"I am," Blair assured him.

"Charles, you are such a gentlemen. Your parents would have been so proud and to think that you've managed to become a detective at such a young age!" Eleanor complimented him.

Rufus frowned at her comments. He knew she was trying to pair her daughter off with Chuck Bass, but the way she was ignoring his son was unforgivable. His son loved Blair and despite his dislike for the girl, he had to admit that she had been good for him. She hadn't broken his heart ever – not once. Just as he was about to speak up on behalf of his son, Lily took his hand in hers and gave it a light squeeze. Rufus sighed and refrained from causing a scene, although he vowed to tell Eleanor exactly what he felt about her one of these days.

"All that training and hard work builds a lot of character I'm sure," Eleanor continued.

"It does," Chuck agreed. "I considered college at one point in time, but I realized it really wasn't for me."

"Well, college isn't for everyone," Eleanor replied confidently.

Blair gaped at her mother's response. Her mother had always been adamant about higher education and here she was bending the rules for Chuck Bass! Surely Eleanor Waldorf had gone off the deep end.

Serena could tell that it was her turn to save her best friend. Blair had a mixture of shock and discomfort on her face and she felt bad for Dan as well who looked downright miserable.

"Rufus, I just wanted to thank you for letting me into your English class on such short notice," Serena began, turning to look at her step-father.

Rufus caught on to what Serena was trying to do and truth be told, he was thankful for it.

"It was my pleasure Serena. However, I hope there won't be any disruptions on your part," he warned her.

"Of course not," Serena assured him. "Besides, the cold war between Blair and I is finally over."

"It was more like World War III," Dan said as-a-matter-of-factly.

Blair turned to glare at her boyfriend and he apologized immediately.

"Sorry," he whispered. "Foot in mouth disease."

Blair giggled and gave him a light kiss, accepting his apology. Serena smiled at the two and Chuck rolled his eyes in disgust, although no one noticed but Eric.

"I've started reading Pride and Prejudice," Serena continued. "I have to say I'm really enjoying it. In fact, I tried out for a role in the school play."

"I had no idea the drama department was doing it for a play this year. This is great! Perhaps, we could make it a point to watch the play as part of the curriculum," Rufus suggested.

"That sounds great," Blair added. "Actually, Dan and I tried out for the play as well."

"Delightful darling," Eleanor told her, although she was slightly annoyed that they had gotten off topic and by topic she meant Detective Bass.

"So Charles, does a promising young man like yourself have...a girlfriend?"

Eric chocked on his drink and began to cough uncontrollably. Chuck smirked at his younger brother's reaction as Serena patted him on the back to soothe him.

"Not at the moment, but I do have someone in mind."

Eleanor frowned at his response, but Lily was more than delighted at the news.

"Who's the lucky girl?" Lily questioned. "Young love is always so inspiring. When Rufus and I..."

"Mom!" Serena shouted, horrified that her mother had almost been prepared to share the stories of her past with the entire dinner table.

"So," Nate asked curiously. "Who is this mystery girl?"

Nate found it odd that Chuck had resorted to making someone up. He was probably trying to make Blair jealous. Nate shook his head at his best friend's behaviour. It was always about the game with him.

"Claire," Chuck responded.

Nate spit out his drink upon hearing her name. Couldn't he have been more original? Just thinking about Claire Waters was enough to make him gag.

"Are you alright Nate?" Jenny asked in concern as she handed him a napkin.

Serena took it from the younger girl's hand. "I've got it. Thanks."

Jenny pasted a fake smile on her face and continued to poke at her food.

"Claire?" Eleanor questioned.

"Yes, Claire…Waldass," Chuck confirmed as Nate breathed a sigh of relief when he realized exactly what game Chuck was playing at. "She comes from a prominent family and she's quite...charming. You might know her. She's a brunette, but what really hooked me in were her eyes."

Lily beamed at his confession and she smiled lovingly at Rufus who returned her smile. He had said the same thing to her when they were young. He had been entranced by her eyes.

"She's awfully stubborn though," Chuck continued. "We kissed just this once and she told me to forget it had ever happened."

Lily shook her head sympathetically as everyone tried to recall having met a person named Claire Waldass, but inevitably drew a blank. Only Nate, Eric and Blair knew exactly what was going on.

"Oh right! I remember Claire now," Nate began. "Too bad she has a boyfriend."

It was Dan's turn to speak up. "You kissed someone else's girlfriend?"

"Well, I'm sure there are many other suitable girls out there for someone such as yourself," Eleanor spoke up at the same time.

"You flatter me," Chuck said, returning her smile and purposely avoiding Dan's question.

Blair rolled her eyes, cursing him in silence over his reminder of their kiss.

"You kissed someone else's girlfriend?" Dan repeated.

Chuck turned to look at him. "Yes. Did you not get it the first time? It just sort of happened."

"Completely understandable," Eleanor and Lily chimed in unison.

"But," Blair interrupted. "I'm sure Claire feels guilty for what she did. We all make mistakes and honestly Detective Bass, you should have known better. Claire is very much in love with her boyfriend I'm sure."

"If I were her boyfriend, I wouldn't forgive her, especially since it sounds like she doesn't plan on telling her boyfriend what had happened anytime soon," Dan stated, causing Blair to shift uncomfortably in her seat.

"Is there a reason why we're talking about this over the dinner table?" Jenny voiced. "I mean, I don't mean to be rude, but this stuff is a little too personal, don't you think?"

She had no clear idea of what was going on, but she could tell that something was definitely going on between Chuck and Blair. There was something awfully weird about his ramblings on Claire Waldass. The look Eric gave her only confirmed her suspicions. Whatever was going on she was going to find out all the gory details and from Eric no less. If there was any chance that her brother would be hurt in the process, she would do everything and anything to protect him.

"Jenny is quite right. More wine?" Chuck offered Eleanor.

"Yes please," she replied.

"I'll get it," Dan interfered as he reached for the wine bottle and uncorked it.

Chuck reached for the bottle at the same time, but tipped it over instead, eliciting a scream from Blair. There was red wine all over her dress. Dan began to shout out apologies as Eleanor made a snide remark regarding his clumsiness. Chuck merely sat back and smirked at the scene before him. Eric and Nate both shook their heads at him in disapproval.

The incident had only served to fuel Jenny's suspicions and Aaron was the only one not paying attention to what had just transpired. He was too busy staring at Serena to notice anything.

"I'm fine everyone!" Blair raised her voice to get their attention. "I'm just going to head off to the washroom and clean myself up."

"I seem to have gotten a splash of wine on my shirt, so I would like to excuse myself as well," Chuck added.

Dan was still too embarrassed over what had happened to pay heed to their departing words, but Jenny sent Blair a warning glance, although the brunette failed to receive the message.


"Are you trying to ruin everything?" Blair accused him once they were in the bathroom. "Just forget it ever happened detective. You felt nothing. I felt nothing. I am very much in love with my boyfriend. We have clearly established all of this."

Chuck did not respond and his lips were on hers in a matter of seconds. Blair struggled to escape from his grasp and finally resorted to digging her heel into his foot once more. He yelped in pain and backed away from her, his eyes glazed over with slight fury.

"You need to stop doing that," he warned her as he grimaced in pain.

"Stop doing what?" she asked innocently.

It didn't take long for his lips to find hers again except this time, she did not pull away. Her body had taken over her mind, having conveniently thrown rationality out the window. Chuck trailed a string of kisses down to the nape of her neck and a moan escaped from her lips. He slid a strap of her dress off of her shoulder and placed a gentle kiss there as well. Unfortunately for him, that's when she came back to her senses.

"Stop," Blair protested.

Chuck pulled back abruptly. "What? We're inevitable Waldorf."

Blair readjusted the strap of her dress before offering him a response.

"I'm sorry, but I've never...I mean, I have a boyfriend. This can't be happening. It shouldn't be happening. I'm sorry if I led you on, but this has to stop," she persisted. "I'm going to return before anyone gets suspicious. The wine stain isn't going to come out anyway."

And with that, she left him standing there with only his thoughts to accompany him.


"So Serena, which role did you try out for in Pride and Prejudice?" Aaron asked the moment Chuck and Blair had left the table.

"Jane Bennett. I really hope I get the part. She's my favorite character."

"I'm surprised Serena," Rufus interrupted. "Most readers favor Elizabeth's character. I look forward to hearing your thoughts in our class discussion on Monday."

"Oh me too," Serena assured him.

"My favorite character is Mr. Bingley," Nate shared.

"Mine too," Jenny echoed.

Serena smiled. "Actually, once I get the part, Nate has even offered to run lines with me."

Lily beamed upon hearing this. She was thrilled by the idea that her daughter was dating a detective and Detective Archibald at that.

"I could help you run lines as well," Aaron offered.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks," Serena responded politely.

"Which roles did you and Blair try out for Dan?" Eric asked, relieving the tension.

"Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy of course," Blair informed him as she returned to the table.

"Did you manage to get the stain out?" Dan asked, his voice still laced with a sincere apology.

Blair kissed him on the cheek. "Obviously not, but don't worry about it. Dorota will work her magic later."

Dan nodded. "It would be great if Blair and I got the parts."

"Well, I'm sure they'd let you play Mr. Collins instead if you failed to land the role. I'm sure Mr. Collins would suit you as well if not better," Eleanor suggested.

"With all due respect Eleanor," Rufus spoke up. "I think my son would play Mr. Darcy very well."

"Well of course," Eleanor replied, waving off the disdain in his voice. "I for one find myself drawn to the character of Mrs. Bennett."

"What a surprise," Dan murmured, sarcasm evident in his voice.

"Well, I happen to like Mr. Bennett," Cyrus announced.

It was the first time he had spoken throughout the entire dinner and everyone turned their attention towards him.

"Mr. Bennett only wants his daughters to be happy," he explained. "Unlike Mrs. Bennett who wants to pair her daughters off with prominent men, Mr. Bennett wants them to find love. I for one think Mr. Collins would have been a fine match for Elizabeth as long as she had loved him too."

Cyrus purposely looked at Dan upon finishing his thoughts and Dan smiled appreciatively at his attempt at support.

"What's taking Chuck so long?" Eric wondered out loud.

"He's probably still trying to get the stain out himself. He's even more stubborn than Blair evidently," Nate offered.

"Not to mention the fact that wine stains are hard to get out," Serena added. "I should know."

Nate laughed and kissed her on the forehead, causing Jenny's eyes to flash with jealousy.

"So, what did I miss?" Chuck asked as he returned to the table.

"Still didn't get that wine stain out, did you?" Nate teased.

Chuck shook his head. Truthfully, he hadn't even tried to get it out. He had merely stood frozen in the same spot that Blair had left him contemplating about how people like Dan Humphrey had possibly managed to land a girl as amazing as Blair Waldorf.

"We were chatting more about Pride and Prejudice, but can we change the topic please?" Jenny begged.

"I would have to agree," Chuck responded. "I've never even read that book."

"Not that you would appreciate it," Blair mentioned casually.

Chuck remained silent and once again the air was filled with tension.

"Dessert anyone?" Dorota interrupted as she came bearing a plate of delicious delights.

There was a chorus of relieved yeses as Dorota began to pass out the desserts. Chuck and Blair remained unresponsive and continued to stare at one another. No one noticed the intensity of their gaze except for Eric of course and when Chuck casually rested his hand on her right knee, Blair let him keep it there for just a moment before swatting it away, once again engaging herself in the current conversation of the dinner table.