The next day Ed didn't see Emily until they were sitting together in detention after the school day had ended. Chuck had managed to negotiate their punishments down to merely one week of detention and fifty hours of volunteer service in school clubs and he had convinced the headmistress to label the offense as 'cutting classes' in their records instead of what the actual violation was.

Ed kept trying to catch her eye, hoping to see her pleasure at the lack of consequences for their actions, but she was pointedly ignoring him. He couldn't understand why she was so bitter. They had gotten away with getting caught basically unscathed because of his parents. She should be thrilled and eager to thank him.

He planned on confronting her as soon as detention was over, but the minute they were dismissed she practically ran out of the classroom. He called after her but she only sped up and pretended that she didn't hear him.

Finally, when she was just about to step into her waiting car, Ed managed to catch up to her and grab her arm, "Slow down there, Vanderbilt."

"I thought I told you not to touch me, Bass." She hissed as she pulled out of his grasp.

Ed's brow furrowed, "What the hell is your problem? I'm the one that got us out of trouble yesterday."

Her eyes dulled and she took a step into her car, "Yesterday never should have happened in the first place, or any other day before that. Just, please, leave me alone, Ed."

Before he could stop her, Emily closed the door and the vehicle pulled into traffic, leaving Ed standing on the curb trying to figure out what had happened to make her regret their entire relationship.

…

Later that evening, Chuck and Blair were walking down the stairs after checking on their children in various rooms around the apartment. They had just reached the living room when Chuck unexpectedly pulled Blair into his arms and began kissing her passionately.

"What time will the Archibald's be arriving this evening?" He asked with his forehead pressed against hers after their kiss had broken. Since Jenny was in Paris for the weekend working on her new clothing line, Blair had invited Nate and his daughters over for dinner that evening.

"Any minute." She whispered with her eyes still closed.

Chuck sighed and nuzzled his nose against her cheek gently, "So we don't have time to…"

"No, we don't." Blair said firmly as her eyes snapped open and she shoved him away playfully.

He growled and tightened his grip on her waist and pulled her even closer against him. He had just buried his face in her neck when the elevator dinged, signaling the arrival of their guests.

Chuck groaned in frustration and took a step away from his wife. She simply rolled her eyes at his dramatics, "Calm down," She said with a playful smirk, "It's not like you won't be getting any later tonight."

"Oh, I'm counting on it." He whispered huskily into her ear before he kissed her hair. He wrapped an arm around her waist possessively just as Nate and his two beautiful blonde daughters entered the room.

"Hi, Mr. Bass. Hi, Mrs. Bass, is Ricky upstairs?" Nate's youngest, Alison asked breathlessly.

Blair smiled kindly, "Yes, he is up in his room…" She trailed off at the end as the girl was already halfway up the staircase, calling out her thanks as she went.

She turned to Nate with a questioning look on her face, causing him to just shake his head and sigh, "I don't know. She mentioned something on the way over her about Kayla Van Weldon and immediate social destruction."

Blair's face immediately cleared in understanding, "Oh right, the girl who started the rumor about Alison and Fredrick having sex at her thirteenth birthday party."

Nate's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the mention of his thirteen year old daughter having sex, "What!"

Both Chuck and Blair had matching smirks on their faces at Nate's ignorance, but it was Chuck who was kind enough to set his mind at ease, "Don't worry, Archibald, it is just a rumor. Nothing really happened. Your daughter's virtue is still intact. Or, at least, it wasn't stolen by our son."

Nate buried his face in his hands, "How do you know about this?"
"We have to," Blair said simply, "With children like ours, it is completely necessary to stay aware."

At that moment the older Archibald daughter, Anne, cleared her throat impatiently, "Not that this conversation isn't fascinating to me," She said, "But can you just tell me where I can find Theo and Ed?"

"Oh, they should be in the library, I believe." Blair told her.

"Thanks." Anne said briskly before she walked out of the room with a determined gait.

As she left the room, Chuck gave his wife a dubious look.

"What?" She asked, seeing the look on his face.

"Are you sure that was the best idea; letting her find them without warning the boys first?"

Understanding washed over Blair and she seemed a bit concerned for a moment, "Yeah, probably," But then she just shrugged her shoulders, "Oh well, Edward deserves whatever she gives him anyway."

Nate was still completely in the dark about what they were talking about, "What the hell is going on here? Did the twins do something to Anne? I didn't think she had talked to them since she started school."

Chuck held up his hand to quiet Nate, "Just wait for it, Nathaniel."

All three stood there, listening intently, for what Nate wasn't really sure until he heard the distinct sound of a palm hitting the skin of another's cheek followed by his daughter's angry yell, "How could you, you self absorbed bastard!"

Nate's head whipped around to Chuck and Blair, expressing his unvoiced plea for an explanation.

"Edward has been involved in a sort of, ahem, relationship, with Emily Vanderbilt," Blair explained patiently, "Yesterday they were caught in a fairly compromising position at the school."

"Ah," Nate nodded in understanding, "So, are you going to go in there and stop them?" He asked, gesturing towards the other room where a heated argument was still obviously going on.

"No," She said with a sly grin, "I think Anne has it under control."

…

"What the fuck is your problem, Archibald?" Ed asked angrily as he rubbed his stinging cheek.

Theo was holding Anne's arm, trying to restrain her, but she pulled out of his grasp and pointed a finger at the other boy with a murderous glare, "My problem? What about you, Bass? How could you do that to Emily?"

Ed rolled his eyes, "You make it sound like I forced her into it. News flash, Blondie, your cousin was just as eager as I was to christen that particular closet." He shoved his hands into his pockets and returned Anne's stare, "Plus, it's not like we even got into any trouble over it. I made sure of that."

Anne snorted and shook her head bitterly, "You forget, Edward, that not all parents are quite as understanding as Chuck and Blair are."

Ed's brow furrowed with concern, "What are you talking about, Archibald?"

"I'm talking about the fact that my Aunt Maureen has decided to move down to Washington to be with Uncle Trip full time and she has decided that Emily needs to come with her so she can get away from all the bad influences she has gotten involved with here."

"Bad influences? Emily is like the definition of prim and proper. If anyone is on the straight and narrow path in this city it is her."

"Yes, well hanging out with her hard-partying cousin and one of the Bass twins is cause enough for concern for Maureen and she has decided to nip the problem in the bud."

Ed ran his hand through his hair, "Shit."

"Yeah, shit." Anne said condescendingly, "Did you really think you both would get away with getting caught completely unscathed? Your parents might be used to all your antics, but the Vanderbilts have a completely different set of expectations for their children."

Ed was barely listening to her at that point. "I have to go," He said, grabbing his blazer off a nearby chair and rushing out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Anne asked, but he was already out the door.

"He's going to see her," Theo explained, "This isn't just a fling to him."

Anne stared at him with wide eyes for a moment before she shook her head, "I will never understand your family."

…

Emily was busy packing her bags when she heard a quiet knock on her door. Thinking it was one of the maids coming to help her, she called out for them to come in.

"You can just start packing that bag over there." She instructed, pointing across the room without looking behind her.

"Don't go."

Emily froze, dropping the shirt she was in the midst of folding. She spun around and saw Ed Bass standing in her door way. "What are you doing here?" She hissed, rushing forward and closing the door, "My parents will kill you and me if they see you here."

"I can't believe they are doing this to you." He said as he paced over to the window and looked out onto the street below, "It is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. You've never even been in trouble before."

Emily sighed, "Yes, well, not all parents expect the worst from their children and let them get away without any consequences in life."

Ed turned and took her hands in his, "Please," He said earnestly, "I don't want you to go."

She pulled away from him angrily, "Well that is too bad. You don't get a say in the matter. I don't even get a say. Do you think I want to move to DC? I love it here. It is my senior year. I am the queen of Constance. New York is my home. I don't want to go, but I messed up and now I have to deal with the fallout."

"Emily-"

"No." She cut him off, "You and I, this thing between us, was nothing more than a mistake. We had our fun but obviously now it is over. And to be honest, it really wasn't worth all the trouble it caused me. So, if you would, can you please just go before you cause even more problems for me?"

Ed's face morphed into a hard, cold mask, "Fine." He said as he walked out of the room. But he paused just as he reached for the doorknob and looked back to her, "Just for the record, I am sorry, about everything." He looked down, "I never-, I didn't-, I'm just really sorry."

Without waiting for her reply, Ed opened the door and left. As soon as he was gone Emily sat down on the edge of her bed and buried her face in her hands.

….

A/N: Hi, just one quick word about Chuck and Blair before I get any complaints, I know most of the stuff concerning them has been pretty light-hearted and fluffy, but that is just because right now everything in their family is pretty much perfect so they have no reason not to be all teasing and fun. But when they start to deal with more drama and serious stuff then you will really see them being more serious and leaning on each other.

Plus, in another like two or three chapters the flashbacks are going to start, so I'm sure many of you are excited for that!

Okay, that's it. Please review!