Disclaimer: I do not own "Gossip Girl."

Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews and the comments! They make me grin. :D This chapter begins to set up our finale. :] In regards, to this chapters end, I must just say trust me, please. :P

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy.

***

Blair and Chuck exchange a look and then lead the way. Serena falls into step behind them, Nate silently follows her. They make it through the den without a word. The house is oddly silent, and they wonder vaguely where everyone's gone off to.

As if in answer, they find Cash and Sunny in the living room.

"Oh good," Nate says quietly, motioning towards the boys.

Sunny is standing on the sofa so he's eye-to-eye with Cash as he explains something with elaborate hand gestures, "… and then she left too!" He finishes grandly.

"She told you to go with her," Cash says, leaning his body back from the boy and watching him with an amused smirk, "All Annie is going to do is watch Gracie and Harm play, you could have gone with her and listened to a story or something…"

"But I can't. I can't leave guests!" Sunny cries, "Auntie B says!"

And they all exchange quick glances. "He means us," Serena says softly.

"Yeah— she says not to put your shoes on the sofa too," Cash points out wryly, gaze dropping for a moment to Sunny's sneakers sinking into the sofa, before adding, "And there are no guests, Sun. It's just us here today, no party."

"Nooo," Sunny drawls out the word, bouncing a little on the cushions, completely disregarding the shoes-on-sofa point. "I do…" and he signals towards them then, where they're standing behind Cash, "See! They're right there! Hi!" He adds, waving cheerily.

Chuck sighs. "Wonderful."

Blair turns her head towards Chuck and rests her forehead against his shoulder as she sighs too. The boy just does not understand the concept of subtlety.

Serena takes a step past them, coming forward towards Sunny. "Hi, sweetie. Remember—"

"There's nothing there, Sun," Cash says emphatically without even turning around; and then he starts moving away, "And just so you know, this imaginary friend act is only cute until they medicate you."

Sunny frowns at the words, his bottom lip coming out in a pout, as he watches the older boy move towards the staircase.

And Blair groans, lifting her head from Chuck's shoulder and releasing a loud and aggravated sigh. "Augh!" She screeches and then stamps her foot, hisses, "This is ridiculous!"

"Blair…" Serena says softly, seeing the melt-down coming; she reaches out and lays a hand on the other girl's arm, hoping to stave it off.

But Blair shrugs her off and steps away, starts pacing a little, "I cannot take this anymore! It's—"

"Are you gonna cry, B?"

Sunny's tremulous question breaks into the beginning of Blair's rant, halts her steps. They all look over at him. He's still standing on the sofa, but he's watching her with wide blue eyes.

Cash stops too; he's on the fourth step and he looks over at his little cousin with a worried frown.

"No buddy," Nate says firmly, approaching Sunny, "She's not gonna cry."

"Gracie cries sometimes after she stamps her foot like that..."

"Sunny," Cash says the younger boy's name softly. Sunny doesn't look over at him, his big, blue eyes stay fixed on Blair.

She releases a breath; draws in a deeper one and then assures him, "I'm not going to cry. It'd just—" she makes a waving motion with one hand, blows out a frustrated breath, "It'd be nice if one person you told about us would— would believe you, you know?"

Chuck steps towards her, catches her hand in his and lifts it, presses a kiss to the back of her wrist. She sighs, steps closer to him. And when his arms come around her, she relaxes in his hold.

Sunny blinks at them. "Oh," he says quietly; and then he shrugs, says, "Okay…" as he hops off the sofa and to the floor.

They watch as he turns and rushes over to where Cash is still standing on the steps, watching him with dark, concerned eyes.

Cash tracks his approach and when Sunny stands at the foot of the steps he arcs an eyebrow, says seriously, "You realize this is completely weird, right?"

Sunny shrugs again and skips up to the step where Cash is standing. "Cash?" He says plaintively as he grabs one the older boy's hand in both of his much smaller ones and tugs on it.

Cash lets him, says almost warily, "Yeah?"

"I gotta tell you somethin' and you gotta believe me, okay?"

Cash stares at him for a beat and then he rolls his eyes; breathes a quiet laugh and shakes his head, "Sunny…"

And the four of them watch curiously as Sunny tugs on his hand again, "No, really. You have to, okay?"

A smirk appears on Cash's face as he looks at the younger boy, "Let me guess, your imaginary friends are real."

"They're not imaginary," Sunny tells him. And then looks over at them, standing beside the staircase, watching the two boys. "You're not, right?" He confirms gravely, like its important this time; because this time he's telling Cash.

"No," Blair says.

"We're not imaginary," Serena picks up.

Sunny looks back to Cash, "They're not imaginary. They're invisible," he says and then looks to the four of them again, "Right?"

"That's right," Nate says, nodding.

"We're invisible to everyone, but you," Chuck finishes.

Cash sighs at him, doesn't look convinced.

"They're invisible and they're lost. And they need help and nobody believes me… so I need help helping them," Sunny continues earnestly.

"And you want my help?" Cash concludes, managing to look doubtful and amused.

"Yes! Because they're real… just you can't see them… and I can. I don't why, but I can… and I need to help them get home...!" Sunny explains on a rush.

Cash stares at him again and then drops down to sit on the step, "Okay. So question for you..."

Sunny nods vigorously, "Okay! I'm ready."

"If I help you help them and they go home—that's it, then. They'll be gone, right?"

Sunny makes a face at him, says, "Well, yeah," in a voice brimming with duh and then glances at them quickly, "Right?"

Chuck nods. "Yes."

"We'll be gone from here," Nate confirms.

Sunny looks back to Cash and nods, says, "Yep. They'll be gone."

"No more having conversations by yourself in the middle of the living room…?"

Sunny blinks, "I guess not, but I'm not by myself, Cash—they're—"

"Okay then," Cash says, nodding, "You're in luck— I'm in."

And Sunny grins, cutting himself off, "You believe me?!"

Cash shrugs, "Sure."

The little boy swings his gaze towards Blair, "There! Cash believes me! And he's going to help us," he says firmly with a nod.

Blair stares at him, opens her mouth to speak and then shuts it again; shakes her head, "That's— that's great, Sunny…" she says wanly.

Beside her, Serena giggles. "I think if we'd just told him that from the beginning, we'd have made more progress by now…"

"Where are these invisible friends of yours right now?" Cash asks.

"Oh right here," Sunny says, motioning towards them. He pulls on Cash's hand again and the older boy stands, begins descending the steps with Sunny. "There's N, B, C, and S… and they look like—"

"I know who they look like, I've heard you tell it," Cash interrupts with an eye roll. "Who's the ring leader of your not-imaginary-just-invisible group of buddies?"

Sunny blinks up at him, slows his steps, "Huh?"

It's Cash now, tugging. He leads the little boy back to the sofa and then plops back on it. Releasing Sunny's hand and reclining on it, legs stretched out in front of him, ankles crossed, his gaze fixed on the small, blonde boy.

"Who's in charge?" He rewords for Sunny's benefit.

Sunny shrugs both shoulders and looks to the four of them. "I dunno… who's in charge?" He asks them.

They're all caught a bit unawares by the question; but its answer comes almost automatically. Two pairs of eyes shift to Blair, while one remains steadfastly fixed on Sunny.

Blair nods at Nate and Serena, benevolent in their acquiescence to her authority. And then she pokes Chuck in the ribs, shifting in his hold, "Hey!" She says.

He starts, looks over at her, "What?"

"Who's in charge?"

He smirks at her, "Is that a trick question?"

Nate and Serena can't help it; they instinctively exchange amused grins, because there's nothing quite like watching Chuck and Blair bicker.

"No, Bass, it's not a trick question," Blair snaps, "Who is in charge?"

He shrugs one shoulder, "Aren't I always?"

Sunny giggles.

"Hey!" Cash snaps, clapping his hands together to get the little boy's attention, "If I'm helping you, no having conversations with invisible people unless you tell me what's going on, got it?"

"Oh," Sunny says very seriously, looking over at him, "Okay. C says he's always in charge..."

"He is not in charge," Blair cries, pulling out of Chuck's hold. He lets her, watches with dark eyes glittering with amusement. She stands a pace away from him and glowers.

Sunny giggles again. "B says he's not."

"And he's not," Blair confirms. Serena and Nate shake their heads a little bit; exchange another wry glance—that turns hesitant a moment later, though neither one looks away.

Cash frowns, "Where exactly is each person standing?"

"Oh," Sunny says again, tilting his head to one side, as he hops around the living room pointing them out, "Um… C is here and B is by him and then S is by her and N's right there…"

Cash nods and then he straightens a little and lifts his gaze to the space occupied by Blair. His dark eyes ending up fixed right on her face somehow, "Tell me," he says with soft emphasis, "Exactly what it is you need to disappear from here?"

The implication is clear; he wants them gone. And for a moment the living room is silent, Blair blinks at him, stares; because his gaze is so intent, it feels as if he could actually see her.

And then Chuck frowns. "No one said she was in charge."

Blair smirks, looks triumphant as she glances over at him, "Obviously, he inherits my acumen."

"Are they saying anything, Sunny?" Cash asks, brow furrowing a little; gaze still on Blair.

"C says no one said B was in charge… but B is in charge." He finishes with wide eyes.

Cash presses his lips together; and then shifts his gaze over from Blair, right onto Chuck. "Get over it. What do you want?" He asks with a thread of annoyance in his voice.

They're all quiet for a moment, a little stunned, the words, the demeanor, the fact that it's almost like he's looking at them; and then Nate breaks the spell, laughs as he reaches behind the girls and shoves Chuck in the shoulder, "Dude, he just huffed at you."

And Serena cant takes it, she giggles, says, "Oh my god," as she clutches her middle and laughs too, "I just cannot wait for this," she adds a little breathlessly, "He's like you. Both of you! And it's—it's wonderful…" she continues, straightening again.

Nate nods, clearly delighted.

And Blair glares at the both of them. "It's so wonderful that the two of you can put aside any discomfiture you might have in order to mock us for—for something," she says emphatically, "That hasn't happened— and might never!"

Serena nods at her, almost solemnly save for the glimmering laughter in her gaze. "Isn't it though?" She agrees.

"Sunny?" Cash says, but he's arching an eyebrow in Chuck's direction, "Give me the play-by-play, kid."

"Oh!" Sunny jumps at that, grinning, "N and S are laughin' 'cause they can't wait 'fore something. And B is mad at them and C is starin' at you."

"Great. So C," he says, a little sardonically, "Are you—or your little buddies, going to actually answer my question? Or should I leave you all to Sunny's devices?"

Serena releases another peal of laughter, "Oh he's a brat— it's perfect."

"Man, I wish he actually could see us."

"Well yes, Nate, it would be nice if someone could see us," Blair snaps.

"I can see you," Sunny chirps.

"And we are very grateful for that, sweetheart," Serena tells him with a big smile.

Sunny beams at her.

"Sunny," Cash says his name again, moving his gaze from the space Chuck occupied to the younger boy; he's starting to look a little exasperated, "I'm giving you a half hour with this helping-invisible-people thing, okay?" He looks at his watch, "Six minutes down."

Sunny frowns, "I didn't know about the timer! No fair."

Cash rolls his eyes again, "You gonna complain about it or speed up this process? I'm getting bored."

Sunny opens his mouth to respond, but Chuck cuts in.

"Tell Cash," he says carefully, "There's a necklace… belonging to… his mother. We need its history, specifically if there is anything about it that can induce time travel."

"Or curses," Serena adds.

Blair nods, "Or hallucinations."

Nate shrugs, "Or sparks…"

"Nate!" Blair hisses.

He blinks at her. "What?"

Sunny nods again, listening intently to them before looking over at Cash, "C says there's a necklace and they wanna know if it can—if it can… induce… time-travel… what's induce, Cash? And then— then S said or curses… and then B said—halluni—hallunitio--"

"Hallucinations," Blair repeats for him.

"Hallucin-tions, what are hallucin-tions, Cash? Or sparks, N said."

Cash stares at the younger boy for a beat and then he slumps back onto the sofa and throws his back, eyes going to ceiling. "You mean, hallucinations?"

"Yep!"

"Great."

"What are they, Cash?"

"When you see things that aren't there."

"Oh… but—"

"I know... they're really there; just invisible…" Cash interrupts, "Okay," he lifts his head, "Which necklace of Mom's is it?"

"Oh! I drew a picture! I'll get it for you!"

Cash jumps up from the sofa. "Yeah, let me come with you… just in case," he says cryptically.

And to their surprise, Sunny frowns at him. "I was gonna come right back," he says, a little defensively.

"Uh-huh," Cash replies, dropping a hand on the little boy's head and steering him towards the steps, "Unless you saw a bird through the window, or the computer was on in Gracie's room, or your purple marker was on the floor, but the green one was put away…"

Sunny pouts. "I like them all to be the same…"

"See!" Blair whispers heatedly to Serena, "Told you— easily distracted."

Serena rolls her eyes and the four of them quietly follow the two boys upstairs. They enter Sunny's room in a single file and the little boy goes directly to his art table. "Here," he says and holds the picture out to Cash. "This is the necklace."

"Nice drawing," he says casually, "Did you actually show this to Mom?"

"Yes… and she was gonna tell be about it at brunch… but then Uncle Greg wanted to know about—"

"Yeah, Sun. I was there," Cash says turning right around and walking for the door, "I'm gonna find Mom. Try not to adopt anymore lost-futuristic-invisible-people while I'm gone, okay?"

Sunny giggles and nods, "Okay!"

And then he skips over to a cabinet and extracts what looks like a video game console.

"What are you doing?" Blair asks him, glancing quickly at Cash who's walking towards the door.

"Gonna play a game… do you want to play with me?"

Cash pauses, "I just told you I'm gonna—"

Sunny blows out a breath, "Not you," he says with emphasis.

And Cash turns around. "You're talking to them again?"

"Well, yeah. They're still here."

Cash takes a moment to calm himself, lips pressing together, and then he says slowly, "Right, of course…"

"But, Sunny…" Serena says carefully, "Why are you going to play a game, Cash is going to talk to your—"

"Oh Cash will fix it," Sunny nods at her, "I wanna play, Harm and Gracie are gone, I can play! You can play with me if you want!"

He looks at them expectantly.

"I think we're going to… do our own thing," Chuck says slowly, "For a while."

Sunny shrugs. "Okay, do you want me to come find you when Cash fixes it?"

"We'll find you," Serena says sweetly.

And Nate nods, "Thanks for your help, Sunny."

He grins at them. "Sure! I like to help!" And then he's off, running past Cash out of the room; his little feet thumping on the carpet as he runs towards the stairs.

"He's not supposed to run in the house," Blair sighs.

The three of them turn to her and stare.

It's Nate who rolls his eyes, "Seriously, Blair?"

"What? He's not." She defends.

Cash sighs into the empty room and then continues on his way out.

"We should follow him," Nate points out, moving after the boy.

Serena nods, says, "Yeah," quietly as she walks after Nate.

They don't look at each other exactly; still, their arms brush as he lets her precede him through the door.

"Are we going to do more with the two of them?" Blair asks softly as she and Chuck follow a few steps behind.

"Hmmm… more?"

"Yes, Chuck, you know, more. They're obviously in need of guidance…"

He glances at her, a small smile on his lips. "We could lock them in a closet together…" he teases softly, slipping his arm around her waist, "Worked for us…"

She stares for a beat and then laughs a little, a teasing smile on her own lips, "Right—because that turned out so well."

He shrugs a little as they walk down the hallway, "Hasn't it?"

And she blinks at him, her teasing smile turning tender. The closet had led them here, and here they'd been privy to a world where they worked and well; where they were in love with each other and good parents and just… together; more together than she'd dared to believe they ever could be.

"Yeah…" she says softly, as they reach the stairs, "I guess, in a way… it has," she shrugs a shoulder as they begin descending; "I suppose… there's hope for us yet…" she adds impishly.

He gives her a smile, the one she knows not many have seen, soft and real; and when he stops in the middle of the staircase to kiss her, she lets him and smiles against his lips.

"Are you two coming? Or are you just gonna stand there and make-out?" Nate calls. He and Serena are already across the living room, following Cash into the den.

"Okay," Chuck says, lifting his head, "That is a trick question."

Nate rolls his eyes and Serena giggles a little.

Blair laughs, slips her hand into his, "Come on…"

He lets her lead him and they catch up to Nate and Serena in the den. Cash is opening a door, easy to miss, since it's the same color as the wood around it, as the bookshelves lining the walls. They all look around at each other.

"How big is this house?" Nate wonders.

"Am I supposed to believe we all live here?" Blair asks, sounding utterly horrified suddenly.

Serena laughs. "Like a summer-long slumber party, B!"

The brunette groans, "Oh god," as Cash walks into the room with barely a knock.

Serena shoots Blair a narrow eyed look as they follow him inside. "You don't sound pleased."

"We're horrified," Chuck answers for her.

They're in a small room now, decorated in hues of blue and accents with floral wallpaper. A desk dominating one side of it, a sofa the other and a coffee table somewhere in between; an armchair flanks on side of the desk, poised in front of it and a bookshelf dominates one wall.

The older Blair is sitting behind the desk, her husband is leaning against its edge in front of her; and they both look up as their son walks in.

Cash starts a little, "Dad…" he says a bit surprised, "What are you—"

"You're supposed to knock and wait for a response, Cash," his father cuts in.

"Right…" he says in half-hearted agreement, "But, I'm on a mission," he continues, walking forward and giving his mother a grin.

She presses her lips together, leans back in her chair; and she eyes her eldest son skeptically, "A mission? Is that what we're calling them, these days?"

There's a heavy thread of doubt in her voice, underlined with a hint of amusement.

Cash straightens a little, says, "It's about Sunny," in a more serious tone.

Blair purses her lips, "You're on a mission with Sunny?"

"I'm helping him," Cash says with a shrug.

"And why, pray tell, are you doing that?" Chuck questions wryly.

Cash shrugs a little, "Nothing better to do… plus, he's going around the house talking to himself—kinda weird, ya know?"

His parents exchange a look; and then Blair nods, "We know."

"Exactly, so, as he puts it— I'm helping him help them."

Chuck shakes his head, "Leave him be, he'll grow out of it in a few weeks."

"I can get him to grow out of it today," Cash says firmly.

"Cash," Blair begins, straightening a little.

"No, really!" He says stepping forward and putting one hand on the desk, "He says they just wants to know about this necklace…" he extends the drawing to her.

Blair takes it and nods, sets it down on the flat surface as she says carefully, "I know," and then her eyes go to Chuck for a moment; before flitting back to their son, "We've talked about this and decided that—"

Cash frowns, "Talked to who?"

"Whom," Blair corrects off-handedly before answering, "Each other, and consulted with Greg— we're just going to let it play out…"

"Oh that's a bad idea," Serena murmurs softly.

"We'll be here forever," Nate complains.

Cash shakes his head, "But he said if we just tell him the history of the necklace, then these invisible people would go away…" he explains.

Blair nods, stands up and moves slowly around the desk to stand by Chuck. "Right…" she agrees, "Or he could imagine another…" she pauses here, chooses his word, "Mission… needed for these new friends to go home…"

"We don't want to fan the flames," Chuck adds when Blair's voice trails off.

"But he's fanning them on his own," Cash argues.

His mother sighs, "Cash—"

Cash shakes his head, looks a little disbelieving, "He just wants to know the history of the necklace…"

"We're aware," Chuck says steadily, "And I did have that faxed over—"

The boy's face clears, brightens a little, and they feel themselves perk up a bit too.

"Good!" He says, "Then we can just—"

"But," his father cuts in, "We're going to give it a few days… see if this doesn't just fade away now that things are settling down."

Cash stares at them.

"A few days," Blair hisses at the three of them, "We cannot stay here for days."

"Things are settling down?" The boy asks, tilting his head to one side.

His mother smiles a little, "The shriek at brunch was a happy one."

"Oh," Cash says simply; he looks thoughtful for a moment, eyes still on his Mom.

"Am I to assume you're regretting not checking your mp3's this morning?" She asks him a little cheekily.

He starts a little, eyes going wide, "Mom!" He cries, almost indignant, "You know I don't—"

She rolls her eyes at him. "Honestly. You think the staff doesn't report it's every movement to me? I do pay them, Cash. Your wiring was removed when the tents were dismantled last night."

And Cash's expression falls; caught out and disappointed, "Mom..." he complains.

"Your Mom can't allow that sort of thing," Chuck tells him, a smirk hovering over his lips,

Cash's lips pucker in an almost pout as he ducks his head, says, "I know."

"And yet I keep finding out about it, Cash," his mother points out. And it's right there in the dry tone of her voice, in the way her dark eyes are inspecting his face critically— the problem is she keeps finding out about it.

The almost pout shifts into the real thing and Chuck laughs a little, "Buck up," he tells his son, "You'll thank her someday— women are sneaky, gotta learn to be sneakier…"

"Chuck!" Blair snaps, and swats him the shoulder; but still, there's a smile in her quirking her lips as she looks back at her son, "That is not what I'm saying…"

Chuck winks at his son from beside Blair, "Of course it isn't."

"Spying on people is wrong," Blair continues.

And Nate scoffs, looks over at his own Blair, "Is this surreal or what?"

"No one is speaking to you, Nate," the younger Blair snaps at him.

"It is," the older Chuck agrees and there's a smug note in his voice his son can't pick up on; but his wife does and she shoots him a narrow eyed look.

"So," Blair continues, "We're just going to let Sunny's imagination do away with these friends of his in the same way it conjured them up—on its own."

Cash shakes his head again, "But he's like really into this—"

"We know," his father cuts in, "That's exactly why—"

"No, no," Cash interrupts, stepping closer to the pair, looking up at them with dark, imploring eyes, "You have to listen to him about it… it's—it's crazy… the way he describes them…"

"Yes," Chuck tries again, "We know; that's exactly why—"

Cash presses on without pausing, "What they're doing, what they say— he's telling me that C and B are arguing about who's boss and come on," he says making a motion with his hand, "We know who C and B are supposed to look like so it's like they're you and that's totally something you do..."

Neither parents denies the truth of that statement and a moment later his mother sighs softly, "Perhaps… he's just a perceptive child," she says quietly.

Cash gapes at her, "Sunny!?"

The younger Chuck and Blair laugh; even as Nate and Serena frown at them.

Chuck's counterpart turns his head to smirk at his wife. He doesn't say anything and she looks over at him with a blank expression. It cracks a moment later and she breathes a laugh. Slowly after a beat, she shifts her gaze back to Cash, "I know he's not traditionally perceptive, but he must have picked up on our patterns of behavior… there's no other explanation."

"Then why not just give him what he wants so he'll cut it out?"

Chuck sighs, his smirk fading as he looks at his son again, "Because if his wants change this thing won't end anytime soon—and we need it to."

"He's coming up with curses, Dad, and time-travel. I don't see it ending anytime—"

"He's… wha—what?" Blair's softly stammered words are accompanied with a waver in her stance and it's enough to halt her son's sentence and have her husband reaching over for her.

She's gone oddly pale and Chuck frowns into her face, studying her, concerned. "What's wrong?" He asks softly.

She swallows hard, shakes her head; but the gaze she's watching Cash with is almost startled.

"Mom…?"

Chuck's holding her arm, an arm wrapped her waist, "Blair, what—"

"No, no…" she says, "It's nothing—just…" she shakes her head again, "He's just… Sunny— he's just got quite an imagination, that's all…" her voice trails off, her gaze glazing over, no longer resting on Cash—focused instead on the space beyond him.

Chuck glances at his son and Cash nods, backs up from them.

"Here," he says to Blair, tugging her a little towards the armchair, "Why don't you sit do—"

She shakes her head, doesn't budge as she says, "No, I'm fine," and then her gaze sharpens on Cash, "He said that? Time travel…?"

Cash looks hesitant now; he licks his lips before answering, nodding a little, "Yeah, and curses and hallucinations… he said he was repeating what they said…"

Blair nods; looks over at Chuck, "Maybe Cash is right?"

"He is?"

"I am?"

They speak together and the surprise in their voices makes them sound startlingly alike.

Blair nods, eyes on her husband's face, "Might as well just give it to him, he's been asking since last night and you went to the trouble of getting it…"

Chuck stares at her for a moment; arms still around her and expression still concerned, his dark eyes roving over her feature for another moment, before nodding slowly, agreeing.

He looks over at Cash, "In my office, on the desk, green folder."

Cash lights up.

And the four of them relax, unconsciously breathing a little easier.

"See," the younger Blair whispers, leaning in towards Chuck, "I am in charge."

Chuck frowns at her, "You're obviously light-headed—I'm being polite."

"No, obviously, I'm in ch—"

"Would you two stop!" Serena says, waving a hand between them, "It doesn't matter…"

Nate nods. "Yeah, we're getting the information—that's what—"

"Thanks, Dad!" Cash says then, cutting Nate off. The boy shoots his Dad a quick grin and turns towards the door.

His mother clears her throat lightly before he can take one step.

And he pauses, looks back to her and tilts his head again. "And you too, Mom, thank you," he adds, a genuine thread of sweetness in his voice.

She smiles at him, warm and completely charmed with her eldest son, "I expect this will be Sunny's last day with his invisible friends, then," she says, calling his early boast.

And he smiles back, self-assured. "I've got it covered."

She arcs her eyebrows as she nods and Cash heads for the door.

The four of them shift away from the door so he won't walk through them as he heads for it. His hand is on the knob when his father speaks, tone soft and amused wrapped in a bundle of careful warning, "Oh and Cash," he says, "In the future, please wipe your fingerprints off of my safe— you know how I feel about smudges."

Cash freezes, turns around slowly, and blinks at his father with guileless dark eyes inherited directly from the man, as he says, "Huh?" With a little furrow between his brows.

Beside her husband, Blair stifles a laugh; not for one moment buying it.

Chuck smirks at his son, "That's right—now cover your mission as you call it. Check in with me before lunch…"

Cash maintains his slightly befuddled expression as he nods and turns back towards. He leaves the room quietly and Serena motions towards the doorway, "Should we…?" She wonders.

"Yeah, in a minute," her Blair says; her eyes fixed on her older self.

The older Blair shifts out of her husband's hold, leans back on the surface of the desk a little, "He was in your safe?"

Chuck nods, "Yes."

"What'd he take?"

"No idea."

Blair starts a little, eyes widening, "Seriously?" She asks, the beginnings of a grin on her face.

And Chuck nods back at her, turning towards her so they're facing one another— that same grin stretching across his own expression, "Yeah…"

"Chuck," she says, blinking at him, "That's…" she trails off.

He nods again, says, "Yep…" and then he kisses her. Both smiling and clearly delighted.

"You two are so odd," Nate complains, "Like always apparently..."

Serena nods, looks at her own Chuck and Blair, "You're like proud of him… for like… being devious…"

"Well," the younger Blair says primly, "Why wouldn't we be? It shows a shrewd competence."

"So what just happened there?" The older Chuck wonders, pulling back from his wife and cutting off any response the blonde might have had for her best friend.

"Hm?" Blair wonders innocently, not doing a much better job of it then Cash had done a moment ago.

But Chuck humors her. "When Cash was talking? You went pale, wavered on your feet…"

"Oh that…"

"Yes, that," he says carefully, reaches out and tucks a lock of her hair behind her ear, "What happened?"

"Nothing," she hedges, "I'm just a little… tired…"

He nods. "I'm sure you are," he agrees, "And now that the Archibald's are through with their little production, we can let them have all children for a week or so, but that's not—"

Blair blinks, "Really?"

And Chuck allows the interruption; nods and smiles sweetly at her, "I say we're due for a vacation…"

Her eyes light up, because some things will always excite her. "How long do you think you could get away?" She wonders.

"A week," he says firmly.

And her smile widens. "I like the sound of that…" she tells him; then arcs an eyebrow, "How exactly are you going to pull that off?"

He shrugs. "It's summer schedule anyway; let me worry about it. You tell me what just happened? Because I know it wasn't tiredness…"

She narrows her eyes at him. "It could be tiredness, Chuck. You don't know—"

"Blair…" he cuts in.

She sighs, gives up the argument and shrugs a little; looks oddly uncertain suddenly, "I don't know… I just…" she drops her gaze for a moment, lost in thought. He watches her, eyes on her profile, "He said that—about the time traveling and I just—got the strangest sense of… I don't know… deja'vu or something…"

She lifts her gaze then, looks right into his eyes, "You don't feel like that? Like his imagination is… uncanny? Surreal even?"

He shakes his head, "Love, it's just a phase he's going through…"

"I know," she agrees, "But the necklace, Chuck-- I know I haven't worn it…"

He sighs a little, takes both her hands in his and listens.

She continues, "… and it just feels a little eerie to me, is all… and when Cash said those words—it felt like… like I'd heard them before, like I'd seen that scene before—the way he was looking at us and you standing beside me—it was all like a—a dream memory…"

"You have seen that scene before, love," Chuck teases gently, pulls her closer to him, tilts his face against hers, "Cash is alwayslooking at us like that, trying to get us to believe something,"

She smiles, closes her eyes as she turns into him, "This is true…" she murmurs.

"Sunny's… perceptive, like you said," Chuck continues, lips moving against her skin, "Not traditionally so, but still. And this will all be nothing more than a strange memory in a matter of days."

Her smile widens as she says lowly, "I'm being silly…"

He lowers his lip to her jaw line, presses soft kiss towards her mouth, "Too tense," he said, "I can help…"

"Hmm, you are good at… helping…"

"Okay!" Serena says brightly, a laugh in her voice as she makes a sharp turn away from the kissing couple and towards the door, "Time to go!"

"Right behind you," Nate mutters, shaking his head with a smile.

And she looks behind her then, catches his gaze with hers; and it stops her, the sight of his grin, the blue of his eyes, the tufts of his hair standing at an angle— the way he is right behind her, bumping into her because she's literally stopped moving to stare at him…

"Hey—you're slowing down the get-a-way, Van der Woodsen," he teases; soft and only a touch hesitant.

And she can't take her eye off his smile. "Nate…" she says his name and has no idea what comes next, but he's waiting for her, those big blue eyes fastened on her face. She licks her lips, "I—"

And right then the door opens into them, right through them; they jump back together, screeching a bit. Serena falls back into him and he says, "Whoa…" steadying her as he balances himself.

"Not so eager to get away now, are you!" Blair says laughingly as she and Chuck back away from the woman now tumbling through the door.

It's the adult Serena, all long blonde hair and laughter. She's changed into a yellow tank-top and white shorts and she's bursting into the room like a flood of warm summer sunshine; washing over both occupants and completely impossible to ignore.

"Bla—" she cuts herself off, "Oh! Chuck! You're here…!" He tone deflates with each word.

The older Chuck and Blair both look up, a little mussed, a little dazed— and then Chuck sighs; straightens away from Blair, "Yes, I'm here. Is that surprising? I live here."

Serena shrugs, a sliver of intensity sliding over her jubilant demeanor, "Whatever," she dismisses him; and he blinks, seems to remember then that she's upset at him. Blair stands from the edge of the desk; Chuck takes a step back to give her space.

"Why doesn't anyone knock before coming into my office?" The older Blair gripes softly with a sigh.

Serena laughs and comes towards her, "Because no one can wait to see you!" She offers cheerfully as she drapes her arms Blair's shoulders.

Blair leans back from the hug, "What do you want?" She asks the other girl skeptically.

Serena shakes her head, "No really," she says, squeezing her a little, turning the brunette towards her, "I couldn't wait to see you."

A smile tugs at Blair's mouth, "No really," she says laughingly, "What do you want?"

"You remember my wedding?" Serena chirps. And it's the second time they've heard her ask this question.

Blair stares at her for a beat and then draws in a deep breath, the smile stretching in place as she answers calmly, "Of course, I ruined perfectly good Dior that day."

Her husband chuckles; Serena doesn't spare him a look.

Her gaze is all for Blair; bright blue eyes sparkling with joy fixed on her best friends face, "We want to do it again," she tells her.

Blair laughs a little, shakes her head at her sister, "You what? You want to do what again?"

Serena's smile is wide as she responds, "Nate and I— we want to get married again."

***