Disclaimer: 'Gossip Girl' belongs to Cecily von Ziegesar, Josh Schwartz and the CW. No copyright infringement intended.
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. I just can't write Serena. And, as always, for Juliette.

"Serena Celia van der Woodsen!"

The teen over-dramatically rolled her eyes at the use of her full name. She crossed her arms in front of her chest as she waited for the reprimand, but nothing happened.

"What?" she shouted, impatiently.

And all the anger from seconds ago seemed to have left Lily's body. Instead, her green eyes glistened with wetness. She blamed the hormones; she was ready to give it to her daughter for her stunt in from of the entire family, but Lily was at a loss for words.

Serena's eyes widen, and she took a step back, unprepared for the sudden 180 turn the argument had taken. "Mom?" she asked gently, worried.

Lily blinked back the wetness. Crying never solved anything; not that she was on the verge of crying, mind you.

The pregnant woman took a calming, deep breath before gently, yet sternly, resuming the conversation she needed with her daughter. "I understand that this is difficult for you, Serena," she paused. "It isn't easy for me either. This is a change for everyone. We are a family. Bart is not going anywhere." Neither am I. "I know my previous relationships have left you with doubt, but I love him; he loves me. We are committed to being a family and having this baby."

The teenager stared at her mother. Serena was so caught up in her own crisis – her breakup and senior year – that she hadn't really taken into consideration her mother's point of view.

Who was this scarier for?

Someone going off to college in a year, or someone carrying the baby for nine months and raising it for 18 years?

Serena closed the gap between them and hugged her mother tightly. "I'm sorry. You're right," she sighed in acceptance. "I guess I'm just still in shock." She paused and said innocently, "But could you maybe talk to your husband. It's really not fair. I get that he's doing this for you and the baby, but what about the rest of us? I want to eat and drink what I like, when I like, in my own home." Never mind how easy it was to obtain anything that Bart deemed inappropriate; it was the principal of the matter.

"I will have a word with him about changes being made," Lily agreed. "We'll get through this together. This is it; for real this time." And for all the times Lily said that phrase to her children, she had never wanted it as much as she did now. Maybe it was the pregnancy, maybe it was real love; it didn't matter the reason, only that it stuck this time.

"I hope so. Not just because of the baby, but because I don't actually hate the van der Basses. Even if Chuck hurt my best friend and Bart is imposing on my daily needs."

Lily nodded. "We will get through this. Everything will work out. For the family; for you. Okay?"

Serena nodded. "I promise if you do."

"I will. Now how about we return to breakfast. I should eat something before the morning sickness hits," Lily smiled. Why not joke about it; she'd be bent over the toilet in half an hour anyway.

The blondes smiled and returned to the dining table.

The Basses were gone, and Eric and Blair were conversing quietly.

"What happened out here?" Lily frowned.

The brunettes turned. "Everything okay?" Blair questioned.

Serena smiled. "Hormones all over the place. We talked. I need Starbucks though."

Blair began to stand as Lily asked, again, where her husband and stepson were.

"Chuck went to Nate's, and Bart had a business call. He went to his office," Eric answered, picking at a croissant.

Lily nodded at the explanation, "All right."

"Hey, Eric, come with." Blair pulled the boy up and looped her arm through Serena's before walking away with the siblings. But not without catching Lily's mouthed thank you.

Lily grabbed her orange juice as the elevator signaled the absence of children. She smiled while walking to her husband's office. Knocking once, she walked in without waiting for a reply. Bart looked up from the computer, continuing his business call while watching her. She leaned against the door frame and sipped from her glass.

The response was immediate. Once their eyes locked, he told the associate a swift good-bye. She smiled (smirked) behind her glass.

"The kids are gone," she pushed away from the door frame and sauntered over to her husband. She set the glass on the center of the desk. He simultaneously turned his chair to face her. She took the action as an invitation and sat on his lap and wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling his head down for a kiss.

"How long do we have?" he murmured against her lips in between kisses.

"Serena, Blair and Eric went to Starbucks, and the girls were planning on shopping, I suspect. They'll probably drag Eric along. Charles is with Nate?"

Bart nodded. "Won't be home all day, I'm sure."

"Then what shall we do with ourselves all alone?" she pouted innocently.

His eyes glazed over. "That right there, Mrs. Bass, is how you ended up pregnant."

"Is it?" she batted her eyelashes.

He growled deep in his throat as he stood up and moved her off him and onto the desk. "Yes, it is," he replied before attacking her.

.tbc.