Disclaimer: I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

A/N: Longer is better some say and this one is up there….make up a bit for being MIA thanks to work…school…and life's general nuisances…don't they know I just want to write…haha. Okay here's a new one for you guys. As always thanks for the wonderful love and reviews. Extremely glad that there are so many people enjoying different parts of this…I know this one was my CB-fic was a bit CB-lite in that last chapter…puzzled over that abit myself but NV and the flames of Georgie's revenge needed my attention for a bit….still glad everyone is enjoying this. Still having fun with it. Wifey gets huge props for the assist in catching all my sleep-deprived errs…Hugs all around. Kiss to my Wifey and Fam. Love you guys.

Chapter 14ஐ

Well, fuck. Dan mused. Caught off-guard for the second time on one day but at least he saw this one coming. Looking up into Nate Archibald's enraged visage, he had one last clear thought before the hit came. This is going to hurt like hell

Now he didn't exactly lose consciousness after that. Not in a true sense. But when the world stopped spinning, Dan found himself laid out on his ass, while the estranged couple yelled and gestured wildly, above him. Above him? He sat up, hands braced against the glossy, hardwood floor. His hand came up, ginger and testing as he held his jaw. Felt like he'd faced off with a goddamn freight train.

"…re you just come in here…"

"…ney paid for this damn place. I'll come in however the hell I wan…"

His head swam and vision blurred. Dan murmured, "Guys."

Still they carried on. For some reason their argument coming at him in bits and pieces, his belly roiling, nauseous and hollowed out.

"…ieve that you think I've been sleeping with Dan. It's not him. He wasn't even in town that first night. For godsakes. I can't believe you just did that."

"Uh, Vanessa." Dan blinked rapidly trying to clear his vision. "Nate."

"Stay out of this, Humphrey. I'm pissed at you as it is."

"Don't talk to him like that. You hit him remember. For no good reason." Vanessa said.

Nate laughed, "You absolutely right. Dan was helping at the scene of the fire while you were off fucking your boyfriend. Tell you what…give me the bastard's name and I'll hit him instead. How about that?"

"This isn't you." Vanessa said, "Why are you being like this?"

"I guess the other way wasn't doing me much good. No respect at work. Wife's a total bitch and an adulterous bitch at that." He said. Nate shook his head and started to walk away but as he stepped back, his shoe crunched down on the fallen gift box and tissue paper that had been discarded in the chaos. He grabbed up the gift that he'd chosen with such thought weeks before, wanting to reassure his wife that he wasn't going anywhere. If children were meant to come for them then he was all for it. He'd known she was devastated and feeling insecure. Nate had wanted her to know that they would be okay…even if that meant not having children that they'd made together. Hell, he'd even started looking into the possibility of adoption. Anything to fix what was broken, but now it was too late. He didn't have any hope left. Only her betrayal and hurt he didn't want to feel. "You went through my things."

She looked away as he scooped up the crumpled box and her gift. "Dan needed something to wear. He got mugged and his clothes…"

Nate wasn't listening. He didn't care. "And you thought you'd find him something in here?" He glared at her, waving the box in her view until she brought her eyes back to his furious expression.

"I know I shouldn't have opened it but it had my name on it and you were going to give it to me before…"

"Right before." He walked over to the fireplace with jerky movements and tossed both items into the flames. The box ignited immediately but the small, silver spoon shone, reflecting the hungry flame trying to consume it.

"Nate!" She pushed past him as he stood there, just watching. Vanessa wanted to extinguish the fire, retrieve her Christmas gift. She reached for the poker. It was important that she got it back somehow but Nate pulled her away from the lapping flames.

"Let it go."

"Hey!!" Dan called out, gaining annoyed glances from them both. At least until his face paled and he dry heaved his meager breakfast all over the Persian rug they'd gotten from Nate's grandmother. Feeling humiliated and disgusted as all hell, Dan took solace in the fact that finally the bickering couple granted him their attention.

"Dan!" Vanessa hurried over with her husband quick on her heels.

Nate crowded behind her bent form. "What the hell happened to him?"

"I told you he got mugged. You didn't exactly help by coming in here and hitting him." She said, "Dan, tough guy act is over. You're going to the hospital. Nate, help me get him up."

"Hospital doesn't sound like such a bad idea." Dan admitted, miserably. He tried to stand but only hindered progress as Vanessa and Nate tried to get him on his feet. They finally got him over to the couch and sitting long enough for Vanessa to get him one of Nate's coats and a pair of shoes. Apparently she'd trashed the clothes and shoes that Dan had been wearing when he'd shown up, saying he smelled like he'd been rolling around in a garbage heap.

"What happened, Humphrey?" Nate demanded, the moment Vanessa left them alone. Partially to find out what the hell the other man had been up to before he'd gotten the shit kicked out of him and partly to keep some awareness in the man's suddenly glassy eyes. "Answer me, man. What went down today?"

Dan closed his eyes, wishing Nate would leave him the hell alone. When the room was spinning so damn much and he didn't feel like hurling, his throbbing head seemed to ache even that much more. Now Nate actually expected him to think in a coherent and complete sequence. Yeah, right. He blinked rapidly until the two Nates looking at him merged into one. That was good, wasn't it?

"Stay with me here, Humphrey. You went through the files." Nate said, worried about the sudden pallor of the other man's cheeks. He patted lightly against the other man's cheek remembering belatedly, when Dan winced, the damaged he'd done earlier, crashing his fist into the other man's face.

He'd expected to feel better doing that, putting all his frustrations into that one hit. Damned if it'd worked. Or hadn't. Whatever it hadn't changed a damn thing, except his hand hurt like hell and Humphrey looked…well like hell warmed over.

Dan cleared his throat, trying to sit up. His eyes locked onto Nate's. "The file. One of the files. I went to the house and I don't know. Bastard came out of nowhere and clocked me. Beat the hell out of me…then he was dragging me somewhere. Next thing I know I'm waking up in a fucking dumpster in the city…instead of…instead of…Jersey. I was in Jersey."

"What was in Jersey?"

"Our lead. The house. Fuck, man. My head is killing me. I can't think straight. It's all in my notes. The files." Dan told him.

"Where are they?" Nate asked, "Did you have them with you?"

"No." Dan started to shake his head, then he appeared to think better of the simple movement, reaching up a hand to his temple. "Everything's back at the hotel. He took my cell. I was going to call you and Chuck as soon as I knew if the house was a viable lead and..."

"And turns out it was." Nate finished for him as the other man grimace, shutting his eyes against the light in the room. "No more stunts like that, Humphrey."

"Stunts like what?" Vanessa demanded coming back into the living room, carrying a coat and shoes for Dan.

Nate looked around at her, "The mugging." He said without missing a beat. "I told him to go with it next time. Guy could've killed him over what…money? His cell?"

She turned back to Dan, "I can't believe you did that. Come on. Let's get you checked out."

The married couple again worked together, saying little to one another as they got Dan ready to head back into the elements. Vanessa waited in the foyer as Nate flagged down a cab, his breath fogging out heavy clouds in the freezing night air. When she hadn't been looking, he'd taken out his phone and was speaking rapidly into it. Every now and again, he glanced at her and at Dan, who they'd managed to prop up against the wall.

Dan shivered, and his chattering teeth brought her full attention back his way, instead of through the front door that she'd cracked open. "Sorry." She started to push it shut but saw her husband starting back up the steps to their front door, a waiting taxi idling at the curb.

Phone still at his ear, he neared thee door and Vanessa could've sworn that she heard him speaking to Chuck. Great so her friend was hurt and had who knew what wrong with him and Nate took the time to chitchat with his buddy.

"Was that Chuck? I thought you were calling your friend Paul…the medic."

At first it seemed that he was prepared to brush by her without a word but then he did speak, his eyes landing on Dan. Avoiding her gaze totally as he said, "I did. He says Dan might definitely have a concussion…like we thought. Paul said we'd better get him to the ER so they can get a CT and assess the rest of the damage."

Vanessa nodded but she was still very sure that she'd heard him talking to Chuck…about Dan? Why would Nate be calling his best friend at this hour and concerning Dan Humphrey no less. She wondered but didn't ask, intent for the moment on getting the pale man between them down the steps and into the waiting cab. The rest she could worry about later.

~ஐ~

After hanging up with his best friend, Chuck briefly debated on whether or not he should call Serena. She was already suspicious. She'd said as much to Nate earlier when she'd finally sounded the alarm on Dan still being MIA.

From the bits and pieces that Dan had been able to tell them, it seemed that he was more like his father than he'd ever thought. Just as with that first fire before he'd even been born, Chuck now had blood on his hands. People had died in the recent fires. If not for Blair and the girls, Chuck would've wished that the bastard would stop effing around with the cat-and-mouse games and come right at him. Fucker.

Phone clenched in hand, Chuck debated calling his stepsister. She would asked questions that he had no intentions of answering. At least not yet. He'd call her once they knew more about Humphrey's circumstances. Once the other man was more lucid and had the fictitious details of his mugging down pat. For now though, he sent off a quick text, letting her know that Dan was alive and well.

"S,

Nathaniel tracked down your boyfriend. He's fine. Don't want to wake B. Will call in morning.

C."

His stepsister didn't keep him long in waiting as the cell vibrated in his hand. Feeling not the least bit of remorse he pressed the "End" button. "Sorry, sis. "

He'd already let her know that Humphrey was alive and well. Not much else he could say to her right now. He sure as hell had no intention of telling her what her former boyfriend had been up to in Jersey.

Blair watched through hooded lids, studying him as he came out. His expression intense, his eyes glued to the cell phone in his hand. It vibrated and she watched displeasure spread across his face. He cursed softly, jaw clenched.

"Want to talk about it?"

Chuck looked up, surprise clear in his expression. Phone still in hand he casually strolled back to the chair that he'd vacated only minutes before when Nate had called and she'd still been sound asleep. Damned if she was up. "You're awake." He said unnecessarily, his mouth curving. His features relaxed completely, absent was the worry and displeasure she'd seen etched in the beautiful angles as he'd come out clutching that phone in hand.

"Anything wrong?" She asked, looking pointedly from him to the darkened bathroom.

Chuck shook his head, "Nothing. Just business."

Her expression doubtful, she glanced at the wall clock just over his shoulder. She'd already checked, minutes ago when she'd woken up and found him gone. There had been no time to panic. Not when she could see slender panel of light slipping through where he'd left the bathroom door cracked open. She was soothed by the rumble of his voice echoing off the walls. His words had been indecipherable but that he was still there had been enough "Business, huh." Her brow arched.

"Yes, business overseas. Being head of Bass Industries is a 24/7 position, Waldorf." He said.

"I can imagine." She rolled her eyes, "Poor Chuck…head of a billion dollar company and forced to conduct business in that closet of a bathroom."

"Multi-billion dollar." He corrected, smirking as she unknowingly echoed his earlier thoughts.

"Sorry, I stand corrected." Blair's smile teased, her tone devoid of anything even close to resembling remorse. She sobered after a moment, thinking about the endless stream of questions that kept coming to her. She wasn't about to ask him about the women who'd come after her. Had any special one carved out a place in the heart that he'd clearly given to his daughters? She wouldn't ask. She couldn't know. She wasn't ready to burst their peaceful bubble. Not by letting the outside world in…not yet.

"You should still be asleep."

"Why? Am I keeping you from something?" The curve of lips remained firmly in place but the possible truth beyond that question left her with stirrings of unease.

She pushed those doubts to the back of her mind. He wanted to be here. Chuck could've quite easily have gone off for the night with Kat and Evie, free to conduct his business…spend those late night hours however he wished but instead he'd chosen to stay.

"No, nothing that won't hold." Chuck assured, leaning forward just as his cell vibrated again. As if to prove his words he held up the phone and hit the "end" button again. "See. It'll wait until morning."

Of course he hadn't let her see that it was her best friend calling again. He wanted to call her…text her. Tell her to damn well leave it alone for the night, but he couldn't very well do that with Blair's eyes on him.

Blair said. "I know I said so before…but I'm really glad that you stayed."

"Well, I couldn't very well abandon you on your first night, could I?" He smiled, "I'll remember that week you spent in the hospital when we were ten. You were driving everyone insane by that third day."

She frowned and then laughed. Of course. How could she have forgotten that week? She'd been all set for her trip to the Hamptons with Serena and the Archibald when her stupid appendix had chosen that most inconvenient time to nix her plans. Of course, she hadn't improved things by immediately going to Dorota and telling the woman just how badly she'd been feeling. She'd been so excited about the trip and worried that she wouldn't be allowed to go if it seemed that she was taking ill. Dorota would've had her on her back, in bed pouring bowl after bowl of chicken noodle soup down Blair's throat. Or at least she would've if it had turned out to be a cold or anthrax…anything but her stupid stupid appendix, acting up and ruining everything. Her bags had been packed but then Dorota had noticed her fever and the ache in her side had gotten worse.

Her maid could be overdramatic at times but when she'd seen how worried Dorota the feeling became infectious to her ten-year-old self and Blair admitted to feeling 'slightly under the weather,' reluctantly divulging the symptoms that barely registered for her as anything more than the cancellation of her big plans. Within minutes Dorota had been on the telephone with Blair's pediatrician. They'd called her parents on the way to the hospital.

Blair rolled her eyes now. Poor Dorota. The craziest part of it all was that if she'd said something at the beginning she'd have been able to have the surgery and go home within a day or so…maybe even still make the trip along with Serena, Nate and Chuck. Instead she'd ended up with an infection and holed up in that stupid hospital room for days on end.

Her father had cut his business trip short to come be with her, while Eleanor called that second day after she was admitted, admonishing for not saying something sooner. B hadn't minded the reprimand; for once her mother seemed anything but distracted by work and her friends. Mostly work, though. Unlike her father, the woman didn't return to New York until days after Blair was back home, convalescing per Dorota's no-nonsense orders. Blair feeling guilty about making her worry before didn't complain overmuch at all the coddling…or the damn soup.

Serena had ended up going with the Archibalds without her best friend, and Chuck…Chuck had given some excuse or another why he couldn't go either. He'd stayed with her then, too. "You didn't go with them." She said now, her eyes narrowed and tone lightly accusing, "You told me that you got caught smoking and Bart grounded you."

He cocked an eyebrow. Despite his many sins even starting when they'd been that young, it never seemed that his father took notice…and if he did then it was a rare occasion when he took steps to rectify any and all of Chuck's "unbecoming behavior."

With Lily who knew where, Anne Archibald hadn't wanted to leave Serena and Eric behind…even if they'd be at the apartment with Dorota. So her best friend had gone. Granted they'd talked throughout the day on the telephone and would've stayed up all night doing the same if the stupid hospital switchboard didn't cut off her room phone at 8pm on the dot…every single night. She'd charmed, complained, and threatened but nothing had won her way on this. Dorota and Chuck came to visit her everyday. She and Chuck joked, watched movies, and played with the chessboard he'd come toting in that third day, challenging her to a war of the minds.

They'd both lost and won, finding equal ground with one another, both coming out with their share of "spoils" and favors. He'd kept his word when he lost, wearing nothing but purple for that entire next week. And he'd actually seemed to like it…go figure. Blair had done her part when she'd lost, sitting through not one but all three of the Godfather movies back-to-back, pretending to be grossed out and bored but loving every scintillating, violently bloody moment. Well except for the horse…she shuddered now the image in her head. Despite that she'd had a good time. With Chuck Bass. All that she was missing with Nate and Serena completely forgotten.

Sure she spoke with her best friend and boyfriend on the phone but they always seemed about to go off and for fun at the beach or ice cream and she was stuck in that stupid hospital room. Chuck made things better. He wasn't able to smuggle ice cream to her hospital room, but he'd done something that had meant far more to her ten-year-old self. Once she admitted to him how truly horrible and lonely the nights in the cool, unfamiliar place truly was and again he'd stayed. He'd hidden once visiting hours were over and the night nurse peeked in to check on her. He'd stuck around and they'd sat through the last period of a Rangers game and more than half of My Fair Lady before the nurse came back and found him still there.

"Thank you, Chuck." She told him now, for all those years ago. Their friendship before thing became so murky and complicated with feelings that they weren't supposed to feel for one another. For the attraction that they'd both had sort of an unspoken agreement never…ever to acknowledge. At least not until just onenight…that first night, turned everything on its ear. All of their good intentions and her good sense.

Get involved with Chuck Bass? As if. If someone had even hinted at what she and Chuck were to become, she'd have had the troubled fool carted straightaway to the Ostroff Center for immediate treatment and intensive therapy. Intensive.

It all changed the night he looked at her. Really looked at her up on that stage and she felt sexy. And beautiful. That in itself had been a high…one beyond belief. It wasn't until much later that she'd realized just what kind of trouble they'd gotten themselves into. Things got real. Painful.

Shaking off thoughts of things past she forced her attention back to what he was saying. "…after you and the girls blow through that massive itinerary."

She looked at him blankly as he waited…the fallen silence full of expectation. He frowned, studying her when she didn't say anything, for once appearing to be at a lost. "You okay?"

"Don't look so worried." Blair told him. "I'm fine. Now what's this about Kat and Evie's list?" She turned her head, looking to the bedside table where they'd left the list she and the girls had compiled. She reached for it, smiling a little as she read it through. They'd had Chuck playing secretary, his familiar handwriting scrawling across the page, marred by words crossed out and rewritten only to be crossed out again as she and the twins flitted from one thing to another. Assuring him that they'd made up their changeable minds until he'd had enough. Of course the minute that she and girls turned on him, their eyes wide, pleading innocence and their way, his feigned impatience was gone as if it'd never been.

"You've got your list with the girls but I was wondering if there was anything else you had in mind for your first day out of this place." He said. "Granted, it's going to be a few weeks before we can get you home. Harold and I are going to speak with your doctors tomorrow…maybe try to get you moved back to your room at the private hospital where you've been. Everyone there is familiar with your case and the girls know it….the place is a hospital but not like here." Chuck said.

Blair tried to listen attentively but her mind circled around and around the word "home." She was dying for and dreading that particular talk. When the physical rehab was over and done with, what then? Did she just go back to live in her old bedroom with her mother and Cyrus down the hall? Would she move in with her daughters and their father and just have an insta-family? How would things work out if she didn't move in with Chuck? There were big questions like custody and what she wanted to do with the rest of her life.

Before, she'd had her sights set on Yale pre-law even with the twins in tow. She'd wanted it. Now there was nothing in place for her. Only questions of "what now".

The future yawned open and terrifying. What did she want? She looked at the boy she'd known. The man he'd become. She wanted him. She wanted home with him.

His cell phone vibrated filling the silence as she left him waiting again. He offered a quick apology before reaching for it and cursing. "B, I need to take this one."

"It's okay." She told him, she waved a dismissive hand.

"I'll be right back. In the meantime, I want you thinking about my question. Anything you want to do that first night. Anything at all."

"I'm going to hold you to that." A smirk started but fell away as headed not for the bathroom but started leaving the room. "What do you think I'm going to indulge in a little corporate espionage? You don't have to leave the room. I promise. I won't leak any trade secrets."

"I'll be just outside the door." He promised bringing the phone to his ear. "Chuck Bass."

"Seriously, not like you'd be disturbing me, either. I'm wide awake." Blair muttered sourly to the empty room as he'd already shut the door behind him. Through the slender panel of glass she watched as Chuck listened intently, his expression darkening. He didn't look worried now. He looked highly pissed off. Giving her excuse to further put off any thoughts beyond the immediate future and "what now." Instead she pretended she could read lips…more than once though she could've sworn that he said her name…no wait. That was her name.

Why would Chuck be discussing her when he was supposed to be talking business? Why even lie at all?

~ஐ~

Serena was seriously considering the idea of calling her mother or Eric and watch the kids while she headed over to the hospital long enough to wring Chuck's neck. First he'd sent her that stupid text that barely told her anything at all. And then he wouldn't answer his damn phone. Unbelievable.

She'd been worried out of her mind over the past few hours and all she got was a quickly typed message. And Nate. She'd couldn't even get him. He probably had orders from Chuck not to take her calls. What the hell were those two hiding? And the brief text had merely said that "her boyfriend" had been tracked down. Her boyfriend. Chuck had grown up a lot since the twins were born but on rare occasions he reminded her too much of how he'd been back in high school. Before Blair. Concerned only with what served his purposes, uncaring of who got hurt in the bargain.

They'd said that Dan had been found who knew in what state. Last she'd heard, Nate had been calling hospitals and morgues. Then finally her stupid phone alerted her to some new tidbit. A call from her brother and old friend to tell her that she'd been worrying over nothing? No, that was asking too much.

Fuming, she snatched up her cell again. Instead of trying her stubborn ass of a brother, she decided to try Nate just one more time. And her call went straight to his voice mail after the third ring. "Oh. Oh. Okay. You guys want to do it that way. That's fine." She dialed a different number.

"Serena?" The sleepy, disgruntled voice greeted her. Well, at least someone seemed to be taking her calls today. Though he didn't sound very pleased to hear from her. Granted it was late. Really late.

"Thank God. I need you." She said, "You need to get here like now."

He was quiet. "Um, you do know what time it is, don't you? And who you're talking to…are you drunk again. A little too much holiday cheer."

"Now is not the time to mess with me, Eric. Tell your boyfriend that your sister is having an emergency and get your butt over here."

"What's wrong?" He demanded, his voice devoid of sleep as worry suddenly took hold.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Everything. I'm sorry. I just need to take care of something. Do you think that maybe you could come over and hang around the apartment. I've got all the kids with me. Chuck stayed at the hospital with Blair."

Eric sighed, it was long-suffering and all too familiar. No way could he take Chuck's side this time around. She didn't care how much Eric idolized their stepbrother. Chuck was beyond wrong this time. He knew she'd been worried out of her mind. Both he and Nate knew it. They lied to her, promising that nothing was wrong and then avoided her calls.

"Eric. Please just get here and I'll try to explain."

He was quiet and then she heard him murmuring in the background. "Let me get dressed. I'll be there in 10." Eric finally said.

"Thanks, Eric."

"You owe me. Favor #257." Eric said, "I don't want any bullshit excuses when I call you on them. See you soon."

Serena hung up feeling only slightly better. She was still unbelievably pissed at Chuck and Nate…and Dan too for that matter. The three of them were up to no good and she was going to damn well find out all that entailed.

~ஐ~

After almost an hour waiting for someone to see Dan and dodging Serena's calls, Nate slipped away from his estranged wife and her best friend. The hotel had finally called him back with news on Dan's missing rental. His voice calm, though that was the very last thing that Nate was feeling, he quickly reassured the panicking hotel employee that Dan was alive and well, despite the state the car had been found in. He got off as quickly as he could, warning the man not to let anyone into Mr. Humphrey's hotel room until he could get there.

Fuck. He hit speed dial for his best friend. Chuck picked up almost immediately, practically growling into the phone. "What?"

Brows scrunched in confusion, Nate was dumbstruck, forgetting for a moment why he was even calling. What the hell was up with Chuck? "It's me. Are you okay?"

His best friend was quiet for a beat and Nate could hear him taking a steadying breath. What the hell was going on? When next he spoke, Chuck still sounded upset, but not the ramped up fury that'd given Nate pause. "Oh just sunshine and effing rainbows, Nathaniel." He spat and then cursed fluently. Chuck took another breath before apologizing. "Damn. I'm sorry. Shit."

"What's wrong? Did something happen with Blair?"

"No…yes. Not exactly."

Nate sighed, "Now, I'm worried."

"I just go the call from one of my guys. I've got him out looking for McCarty."

"Wait. That doctor you hired? What the hell are you looking for him for? Do you think he's behind the fires?" Nate frowned, confused as to what McCarty had to do with anything. Chuck had been desperate when nothing seemed available to help bring Blair back to them…he'd been willing to pay anything, do just about…anything. Shit….Shit. He and Serena knew about Chuck's foray into alternative medicine and research projects, but he'd thought that Chuck had written that quake McCarty off months ago. After the man had tried talking Chuck into giving Blair the drug he'd been working on…side effects and all. Now she was awake…her sudden recovery a miracle. Or something else. Son-of –a-bitch.

"Chuck…you didn't. Tell me you didn't." Nate said. His best friend had been livid when the fucking doctor had pushed to try the experimental drug on Blair. He hadn't been willing to take any chances of what the damn stuff would do to her. Had something changed so drastically? Before he would've never even had needed to ask for his friend's reassurance but nothing else seemed to be making sense these days.

"Of course not, Nathaniel."

Thank god. He sighed out his relief. "Well, glad to hear that." Nate said. "Wait. You're looking for him, though. Why? You think he still managed to get the meds to her somehow?"

"I don't know." Chuck said, sounding more tired than angry now. He sounded utterly exhausted. Just the way Nate felt when he thought of Vanessa, the miscarriages, her attitude over the past few months and now the affair. It was just too damn much. "If there's the possibility that she was given something to bring her back…I want to know. I need to know so that we can get her checked out…be made aware of all of the possibilities and ramifications. I just got her back, man. That heart attack scared the ever living fuck out of me. We just go her back and I won't let Kat and Evie go another day with their mother…not when I can help it."

"What the hell are you going to do?"

"I just want to talk to him. Have him inform her doctors of any information they need. That's all." Chuck said, "I actually really want to kill the effer, but I'll settle taking his files. For now. My people tracked him from Sydney to another lab in Ontario but the trail's days old and who knows where he might be now."

"Sorry, man." Nate said.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sorry. Didn't mean to bite your head off earlier?" Chuck said, "How's Humphrey?"

"He's with the doctor now getting checked out." Nate said, "Listen. I just got the call from his hotel. They found his rental car. In the Bronx. Damn thing had been torched all to hell, hours ago. The hotel just now received notification and called me back." He was quiet before adding, " They mentioned me and Dan to the arson detective."

"Fuck." His friend said, "Just gets better and better."

I'm heading over to the hotel now." Nate said, "Miller and my Lieu will have my ass if they knew I'd given Dan those files or that we were working under the radar like this."

"Getting you in trouble is the last thing I wanted." Chuck said, "I just wanted to protect what was left of my father's memory. He could be a real bastard…most of the time, but he worked hard…he's the reason I have this legacy and name to pass on to the girls."

"I know, man. I know." He nodded, understanding. Thinking of the Captain. Chuck had been there for him even when they hadn't been on the best of terms. First at his parents' wedding and then when the Captain had come back. "They won't get anything from me. Not until you're ready. But I need those files. Without them…I'm just an old friend of Dan's worried when he didn't show up where he should've been. And the mugging story stands."

"Thank you."

"I've got your back." Nate smiled, feeling a new burst of adrenaline shot through him. Reviving him. "I'd better go. The guy told me that the detectives were heading over to check out Dan's room. I'll call you when it's done."

The two old friends disconnected with that. Instead of moving for the door so that he could get to hotel as quickly as possible, Nate's feet carried him back in the direction of the exam area. Where he'd left Dan and Vanessa. He was halfway there and about to head turn for the nearest exit when his wife rounded the corner. Her uncertain eyes landing on his face. Her worry for Dan clear in her expression and the remorse that he didn't want to see was there, as well.

"They're taking him up for a head CT." She told him, motioning back from the direction she'd come.

He nodded. Hands shoved in his pockets. Eyes watching her as she moved closer to him.

"He's still awake. Just kinda of out of it, you know? But the doctors want to take a look anyway and they said something about frostbite…he'll be okay, though. He'll be okay." She said, her words more for herself than the man staring at her as he would a stranger. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the blur of tears that she didn't need him seeing. Wrapping her arms about her middle, Vanessa looked away from the man she'd married. "Sorry. Give me a minute, would you?"

Nate's heart pulled as she looked away, her dark eyes wet and lost. He wasn't sure which of them was more surprised as he moved forward and pulled her against him. Wrapping her close, just for a moment. Just a minute, he told his rebelling mind, as it replayed all of her sins. He stood there just holding her until self-preservation kicked in and reminded him of the hurt she'd caused and the fact that his best friend was counting on him.

"I need to go." He said, his chin buried against her dark hair.

She pulled back slowly, watching him with confused eyes. "What?"

"I've got an emergency and just wanted to let you…Dan know that I needed to take off for a bit. I'll be back to check on him, though." Nate dropped his arms away from her and step back. Once. Twice.

She nodded. "Yea. Okay."

Denying himself one last lingering look at his wife, Nate walked away. Needing to get away.

"Nate." She stopped him.

He didn't turn. Didn't speak. Only stood there, unmoving. Waiting.

"Be careful."

Still he didn't say a word, only giving her a jerky nod before going on his way. Putting thoughts of her at the back of his mind, as he'd done since finding out about her and her lover. Turning to thoughts of the investigation and Dan's possible lead. The hotel. He needed to get to the hotel before the detectives beat him there.

~ஐ~

True to his word, Eric arrived quickly, questions in his eyes and was only slightly miffed at being brushed off with promises of explanations to come. She did stop long enough to warn him about calling Chuck to their stepbrother know that she was coming for him.

Serena had had it with both Nate and Chuck. She damn well wanted answers and they were going to give them to her, whether they liked it or not. And once she saw that Dan was okay with her own eyes, she intended to give him a piece of her mind, as well.

What the hell was it with the men in her life? They were all turning out to be deceiving jerks. She was pissed and she was scared.

Probably why Eric hadn't made more then even the briefest of attempts at badgering answers from her once he saw the look on her face. The doorman greeted her politely as usual but didn't comment on the hour or ask her about her day as he would usually have done so. Even the cabbie on the ride over was beyond quiet, turning off the loud music he'd been playing when she complained. She felt bad for letting her bad mood backlash onto innocent parties but thought of Carter, Nate, Dan, and Chuck and just became even more pissed off.

So consumed with what she wanted to say to her stepbrother, Serena was barely aware of the carbide whizzed by. Soon enough she was handing over her fare and rushing into the hospital. Shoulders squared. She stabbed at the elevator call button. She'd get him out of Blair's room and then she'd let him have it.

"Serena?"

She glanced around, staring blankly at the dark-haired woman standing at her side.

Vanessa smiled, "Nate called you about Dan. The doctors just took him…."

Serena stared at her. Vaguely aware of her words. Dan. He was there. He was with the doctors. They hadn't told her. No one had called and told her anything. Just like that all of the night's frustrations boiled over. Her mother's innocent words. Her last telephone conversation with Carter. And though she was pissed at him, the look on Nate's face the past few days. Her open hand swung out and flesh met flesh…nerve-endings stinging and burning as the loud sound resounded through the mostly empty corridor. A nurse looked up from the chart she'd been reviewing, taking in the scene with sudden interest.

"Serena, what the hell?" Vanessa brought a hand to her burning cheek.

The blonde felt illicit satisfaction at the red mark left by her hand. Bitch. That bitch. What'd she mean 'what the hell.' "Don't try to play me, Vanessa."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know." Serena informed her, finding a most welcome source to unload all of her fury. "I know."

They both stood there breathing hard, chests heaving. Vanessa's hand still covering her cheek as those two words sank in. What they meant. What the blonde knew. The anger seeming to vibrate off of Serena. Serena knew the truth.

~ஐ~

Nate flashed his badge. "Are you Williams? We spoke earlier on the phone about my friend Dan."

"Yes, yes." The older man glanced at Nate's badge. "Mr. Humprhey's friend. Glad to finally meet you. You said that he is in hospital."

"Yes, I just left him there. He was mugged earlier tonight and the bastards took the car." Nate told him.

"Oh, I'm most sorry to hear that." Williams said, looking sufficiently mournful. "I do hope that he'll be okay."

"The doctor's are thinking it's a concussion." Nate said, "He did ask me to stop by and pack up a few of his things. They stole his room key though…so." He waited expectantly.

"Of course. I'll take you up myself." Williams said after a moment, glancing again at the badge still in Nate's hand. He opened a drawer and coded a new cardkey for Dan's room.

Nate forced himself to relax. Not appearing as if he were in any rush. He wanted to be out of there before the detectives arrived. He'd find some way to distract Williams long enough so that he could get the files out of sight. Send him looking for Dan's shaving kit maybe while he packed up Dan's overnight bag. Soon enough they were outside of the hotel room and Williams let them in. Neither man moved. Surveying the carnage that'd taken place on the other side of the door. Williams moved before Nate but he stopped the older man from going inside.

"No. Stay here." Nate order, "Can't have you touching anything."

"The detectives….I should call them."

Nate latched on to that. "Yeah, you do that. Call them. I'll secure the scene while you do that. I don't want anyone in here…not until the detectives and backup arrives."

The older man nodded quickly and then dashed off, with one last look around the wrecked hotel room. Television busted. Picture frames hanging lopsided on the walls. The mattress even hung off to the side.

After Williams disappeared down the hall, Nate secured the door. Then, methodically went over every inch of the room, gun drawn and gripped securely in his hands. He stepped over the smashed pieces of what had once been Dan's laptop…the harddrive sleeve gaping and empty. He found no remaining sigh of the intruder. Unfortunately he also found not a trace of the case files that he'd left with Dan.

"Shit!" Nate foot shot out and he kicked at the already destroyed laptop. He grabbed his phone.

Chuck didn't answer immediately, and his voice was hushed as he answered, "Nathaniel."

"Chuck. We've got a problem. A big fucking problem."

ஐTBCஐ

A/N: So sorry wanted to post this earlier but then the ep came on and got caught up but here it is now…..So the Serena knows the truth..what oh what will she do with it. Poor abused Dan, boy can't catch a break. NV's hurting. B wants home…she wants Chuck but what is he hiding from her. Just when things are looking up for our intrepid trio and their investigation…things get straight effed up now don't they. I will update as soon as possible. As always let me know what you're thinking. Nothing but love guys.

Courtneyஐ