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

A/N: It's MAY. Wow. Can you believe long it took getting here but then again it feels like we were all waiting restlessly for the return of our favorite show and all of it's glorious drama…hmm then again we had hiatus after hiatus so nevermind. No rambling from me tonight. Too much to do. Last week of classes coming up. Yay. But three more eps to go people. :D. Thanks again for all of the reviews from before, your words are love. Kisses to Wifey and my girls.

Chapter 23

Hours after he'd promised to track down his best friend's husband, Dan had accomplished at least that part of his marching orders. It hadn't been hard. Nate had shown up at the suite looking for him.

The other man had looked about ready to explode. He'd warned Dan to stop keeping tabs on him, and couldn't have cared less about Dan's denials otherwise. Granted Dan had been fully aware of the late hours the other man kept and not because of he'd been waiting up and listening for the sound of Nate creeping in across the hall.

Dan was up, more than not, hours before dawn, when night still had a firm hold on the city. Some nights he needed to be out, high up in the night air. Looking down over the side from the balcony. He'd see the bridge and remember what life had been like before he'd left it all behind for Berkeley. Before he and Serena broke up. Made up. Broke up and made up again and again until they were left uncertain just what was holding them together.

Other nights found him sleepless and trying to write a novel that he'd given up on years ago. Something about being home again, left him inspired. He tried not to think to hard on how simply being back in the same city as Serena Van der Woodsen stirred old ambitions and feelings.

How could Dan help it hearing Nate's nocturnal comings and goings, when the hall outside was deathly quite during those hours. The echoing sound of a door shutting and retreating footsteps.

Dan hadn't been intentionally listening for the other man. If not for Vanessa's confirmation, he wouldn't even know for sure whether or not Nate was simply bunking at Bass' or if he was spending the night with some random chick.

It wasn't any of his business. Except, Vanessa had pulled him right smackdab into the middle of it all.

Hours after Nate had none too gently told him to butt out and miles away from New York City, the twosome stepped off an elevator. The whole Charlie Trout debacle still fresh in his mind from their little showing or coming out in New Jersey, he let Nate take the lead this time.

Dan pretended to fiddle with the visitors pass he'd traded his driver's license for at the security desk. He hung back, watching Nate flash his badge. Dan wasn't sure what did it, the badge or when the other man leaned against the counter, his smile and expression designed to charm and inspire trust. Whatever the other man was putting out there, drew an instantaneous reaction from the nurse.

The same as with the woman in Jersey. Her expression was flattered and bearing as if she couldn't wait to help.

Yep. They were definitely better off with Nate doing the talking, because if hte badge didn't get people talking, then years of Nate trading on his charm and good looks would.

"You and your partner came all the way down from New York? I thought Mildred was from Jersey?"

"She is," Nate said quickly, "but one of her properties in New York was broken into and vandalized. There was a fire and well…we just wanted to have a chat with Mrs. Franklin. See if she knows of anyone with a grudge. "

"Against Mildred? I don't think so." The nurse shook her head. "Not unless you want to question Mrs. Thompson in RM 237? She's been upset since old man Brody dumped her for Mildred. Of course, Mildred wouldn't give him the time of day but that makes Mrs. Thompson no nevermind."

Dan shook his head. So this was what he had to look forward to in another sixty years. He could just picture a tottering Nate, macking on everything in pantyhose and himself wrinkled, gray and still mooning over one Serena Van der Woodsen.

He heard something buzzing and flinched, his eyes shooting to Nate. The blonde was oblivious, wrapped up in his conversation with the nurse. The buzzing came again, felt the phone vibrating in his pocket. They'd left a message for Chuck, letting him know about their train ride to Baltimore.

The facility where Mildred Franklin's children had dumped her wasn't exactly…well a dump but it no. Now if only they could get a few minutes with the old lady to see if she knew anything about the fires. Maybe get some clue where her offspring might be.

Before they'd even set foot away from the Palace, Dan had been the first to jump on anything that might have Nate reaching for his phone. The other man had called in sick using the hotel phone and Dan put the call in to Chuck before the man's best friend could think to do so.

He'd been trying to figure out a way to get Vanessa's phone without raising Nate's suspicions. Yeah, not so easy. Hours and still the thing had yet to ring.

His own phone buzzed again, snagging his attention. Dan cursed silently when he saw Vanessa's name, his eyes going automatically to the back of Nate's head.

"Um…now's not a good time." He warned.

"Please tell me that you found him and you have my phone. Please."

Ever so slowly, Dan took one step and then another, backpedaling until he could barely decipher Nate's conversation with the nurse. "Yes and no. I'm with Nate now."

"And my phone?"

"Are you sure that he even has it." Dan frowned over his shoulder. Seriously? Hours and not one call. On the entire train ride down, his nerves had been stretched to breaking, waiting for the thing to come to life and tip Nate off that something was very, very wrong.

"Yes! He grabbed it this morning…our phones were sitting together and he took it. God. I didn't even realize it until he was already gone."

"And you still haven't told me what he was doing there, bright and early. Nevermind. I don't need details." Dan shook his head. "Look. This thing hasn't gone off even once all morning."

"I reported it stolen. The phone company turned it off."

"Oh. Well problem solved, then."

"No. Problem not even close to being solved. Dan, come on." Vanessa begged.

"Fine. I'll call you when I get it." He hung up and almost walked right into Nate as he turned back. "Hey…man. Buddy. Hey." Shit.

Nate stared at him, his eyes flat and mouth compressed.

How much exactly had the man heard? "Um, how'd it go? Can we see her?"

"Yeah, but only for a few minutes. And the nurse doesn't know how much help the Franklin woman will be. She's got Alzheimer's. Lost in her own world more than not." Nate shrugged, "Who was that?"

"What?" Phone still clutched in his hand, he pretended not to be fully aware of what Nate referred to.

"On the phone. Who'd you suddenly get the overwhelming need to talk to?" Nate demanded. His voice hushed and almost conversational, not wanting to invite questions or obstacles from the staff at Franklin's nursing home.

"What? That…that was my editor. Woman's been calling me all morning. She wants my ass back in Chicago."

The suspicious glint in Nate's eyes didn't let up. "That was Serena, wasn't it?"

What? Serena. "I'm sorry?"

"Fuck. It was Serena." Nate shook his head. "I thought we agreed to leave her out of this as much as possible. You can't keep her in the loop. It's too dangerous."

"You think that I know that." Dan retorted. "For days, I've been avoiding spending time with her because of how dangerous my life has suddenly become. Don't lecture me, man."

"So that was a Serena look-a-like who dropped by your suite with breakfast this morning." The other man nodded as if reaching some great moment of understanding. "Sure sounded like Serena when I talked to her."

"I didn't invite her over. She stopped by and I figured it was safe enough." Dan told him. Yes, he'd given in earlier. Just a few hours locked in his suite, away from prying eyes with ill intentions. "And I haven't told her anything. She's probably gotten more out of you and Chuck if you want the truth."

"Keep it that way."

"And don't order me around. I'm not one of Chuck's hirelings. I'm here for my own reasons." He reminded, "Now, if we're done here could we please go badger the old lady."

The other man seemed to relax after that and Dan felt the tension seep away from him. At least until Nate held out his hand. "I need your phone."

"Fuck, man. I told you it was my editor." He started to suggest Nate use his own damn phone but then remembered that this was the last thing that they needed to happen.

"Look, I left my phone back at the Palace. I just wanted to check in with Chuck, see if he's heard anything from Mike yet."

Damn he couldn't exactly say no, or dial Chuck's number himself.

"Gentlemen, you should really come along. Mildred's been fairly lucid today. It's comes and goes, though." The nurse called out to them.

Thank you god. "We should go. We can call Bass on our way back up."

"Yeah, I guess so." Nate nodded thoughtfully.

Even though he'd promised to help his best friend, Dan felt like shit. Vanessa fucked up and he was the one sneaking around and lying his ass off. Once Nate's back was turned he made sure to erase Vanessa's recent call from his "call log."

Shit.

~ஐ~

There was no time for panic didn't really set in. Not at first. She wasn't in her room. He'd checked twice. Her room. Jenny's. Even the old woman's. Estelle. Blair loved to bitch and moan about the old woman latching on to her, joining her daily circuit around the wing with their twin, metallic walkers. But she wasn't there and Estelle hadn't seen

The nurses were no fucking help. At first, he couldn't find anyone and then none of the floor nurses seemed to know where she might have gone. They suggested that perhaps, Blair's psychologist had moved up their appointment and relocated the session to her office, rather than Blair's room.

Control slipping, Chuck forced himself to wait as the nurses put the call through to the woman's office, only to find that Blair's appointment had been cancelled. Chambers wasn't in his office.

It was the worse case scenario. His fears made real.

Had McCarty or his partner, this mysterious Olivia George, carted Blair away right under everyone's noses?

He'd cut his day short. His mind full of Whoregina and Prague. Wondering what excuses he'd make to Blair for breaking with their routine and who he could get to spend the night in his place. His dear sister was of course the logical choice. Hell, he'd have settled for Eleanor if necessary. Now she was gone.

It wasn't fair. For five years, he'd been forced to go on with the business of life and fatherhood without her. Then suddenly she was back and things were started to settling, giving Chuck a taste of how things were supposed to be from the very start.

He couldn't just stand there. He needed to call someone. Nate. He'd call his best friend. They could get an APB out on Blair and McCarty. Maybe even Whoregina. Was Chambers another of the bad guys? He'd had the man checked out but nothing came with guarantees. Things were missed and connections overlooked.

Chuck was on the verge of pulling his phone out when he remembered that Nate and Dan were hours away in Baltimore, chasing a lead on the Franklin woman. That was fine. He'd kept up with many of his father's old connections and made some of his own since taking over Bass Industries. He could have the cops out looking for Blair in minutes.

But what if it was already too late? Chuck pushed away from the nurses' station, giving free rein to the panic scrapping across his belly and firing through his blood until it was all he could see…all he could feel.

Blair. Where in the hell was she?

~ஐ~

Everything was falling into place.

All the things that she'd wanted, that she'd hoped for were finally coming to fruition.

That alone made her afraid. She wasn't a fool. In the past, every single time that she'd been sure of all of her "perfect" plans, something or someone invariably came along to twist and shake all of her fantasies, dreams of happily ever after.

Every single time, somehow all of her plans always managed to go straight to hell. Whether it was having her Prince fall in love with her best friend. Or having her visions of a romantic Tuscan getaway with Chuck disintegrate before her very eyes. In past, every time that Blair thought she had everything all figured out and that "hey, this is it. This is what I want. What's meant to be" life came along with other ideas.

Like Bart dying, after she and Chuck finally decided that they couldn't bear waiting for some undefined moment in the "future." Getting pregnant with the twins and throwing her dreams of Yale into jeopardy. Then getting it all figured out in her mind if not practice, how she'd juggle motherhood and academia, only to have it all taken away.

Blair threw her head back, sunlight caressing her face in the softest of kisses. Her life was slowly getting back on track. Unlike other days, she couldn't quite silence that nagging voice that wondered what was going to come along to mess this up.

No, she rallied against that voice, her own doubts. Maybe she couldn't expect things to fall perfectly in line with the fairytale life that she'd dreamed up, listening to Dorota at night before bedtime. Nothing worth having was easily won. She understood that after her tumultuous relationship with Chuck and every other hurdle that life decided to throw at her.

But she wanted them. She wanted to be apart of what Chuck had built without her. Yes, she was terrified of reaching for him, for that life and having it snatched away but damned if she wasn't willing to fight to keep it.

More than her place as Queen. More than she'd ever wanted Yale. It was her mother's love and approval all wrapped in one but she understood that her babies would never make her work for it. She knew that no badly how many times she screwed up, she was "Mommy." Chuck had given her something wonderful, in just the fact that he'd made certain that Evie and Kat knew their mother. Made her someone in their minds that they could so readily accept and love. And for that she'd love him forever. For that she was willing to do whatever necessary to hold on to that life.

Damn fate and anyone who tried to take them away from her. She was done with fantasizing and making plans. This was her family and she wasn't letting that go. Not for all the world.

"Are you okay?"

Blair turned to face the man sitting at her side and forced away the fierce mood that had taken hold of her expression and manner. She flashed a quick, easy smile at her doctor and set about putting him at ease. "I'm fine."

"You sure? This wasn't too much?"

She shook her head, turning her face up to worship the sun's return to her world. Sunlight and cool air danced across her skin, raising gooseflesh, pleasure at the mere sensation pulling a sigh from her. She glanced across the courtyard, her gaze following the threesome moving from one part of the hospital's small playground to the next. From the slide to the merry-go-round to swings and back again. She wanted that. The simple things that had never been hers or that she'd taken for granted in the past. Moments like watching her daughters and Dorota at play. Or brief kiss of sunlight on her skin. She shivered at the feeling.

"Cold?"

"Not even a little." She said, looking down at her jean-clad legs and the coat that her best friend had thought to pick up when she'd gone on her little shopping spree the day before.

Another win for her bestie, pulling through for her right on time. Blair wondered if Serena had had an inkling of the doctor's news or this surprise. Not only did she get a free day, out in the open-air but it seemed that before the clock struck midnight announcing the New Year, she would have new digs.

Sure another hospital room, but one step closer to home and family. Getting stronger and deciding where she needed to go and what she wanted to do with herself, once she was back in top form and recovered from five years of just lying in that bed while life slipped right on by without her. Damn she was afraid to want. Afraid to watch this new dream, or rather revived wish to be smothered away.

"Want to talk about it?" Chambers broke into her thoughts again, pulling her gaze to his face.

"Huh?"

"You've been a tad quieter than your usual self. Hell, who am I kidding? You've been less than your demanding and talkative self, Blair. Penny for your thoughts," he joked, his expression open and waiting.

Biting back a sharp retort, Blair tried not focusing too hard on how much she abhorred that expression and concentrate on the sentiment behind it.

Teeth sinking into her bottom lip, she felt the pull of those dark uncertain thoughts. Suppose she made a mess of things again. "I'm just wondering what happens tomorrow."

"Well, if you're really worried about leaving St. Vincent's I'm sure that your stay could be prolonged. As I informed your parents we do have one of the foremost physical rehab facilities on the east coast....I know your friend thinks he knows what's best I've got to say that as your doctor taking you out of here for that place Bass is..."

Her forehead puckered, she did nothing to mask her sudden displeasure. "Wait! Before you utter another word that will end in me plotting your demise...please tell me that you're not planning to make me stay here any longer than necessary."

Will's answer was immediate, "No. Of course not. This is completely your decision and up to you. Not your parents or anyone else. What do you want, Blair?"

I want to go home, everything inside cried out in silence. "I want to get out of here." she murmured, uncaring of the thread of desperation in that simple declaration.

"Mommy, did you see? Did you see? Hey, watch this."

Blair looked up guiltily. No, she hadn't seen. Too wrapped up in herself and her fears. She fought the urge to cringe as her mother's face popped up on the heels of that thought. God.

What in hell was she doing? Moping when it was a beautiful day out. One that Dorota had arrived in the nick of time to allow Blair to spend with her daughters. She should be over there with Evie and Dorota, not dreaming up all the things that could go wrong.

Her eyes found Kat and Dorota by the swings again, the maid kneeling to knot loose shoestrings. The woman wasn't looking down at her handywork, her wide eyes were on another point and her entire body stiff, ringing alarm through Blair's blood before that accented voice even called out sharply. "Evie, not that way."

Heart speeding before she even laid eyes on the spectacle her other child made, standing tall at the top of the slide, that familiar Bass grin firmly in place before her daredevil kicked her sneakers over the edge.

Blair was on her feet, aches and tired muscles of an hour before, already forgotten. Metal creaked and buckled, her little girl's sock clad feet sliding, slipping across the cold, metal surface. It all happened quickly and was over almost before Blair could blank or draw breath not that she did either.

Too far away. That was all she knew. All Blair could think. What could go wrong? All the ways that small body was instantly breakable. She tried not to think about her earlier revelation. Fate having its way when she'd finally found what was "meant to be." Life laughing at her plans to have her family, come hell or highwater.

"Did you see me? Did you, Mommy?"

She was running. Her feet pounding across the short distance, and her breath came in quick puffs that had nothing to do with her quick sprint. "Evelyn Bass."

Evie's obvious pleasure in her successful stunt fled, her eyes blinking with her confusion and worry as she caught sight of her mother's bloodless feature and dark eyes. The child took a hesitate step in Blair's direction but didn't reach out, her teeth worrying her bottom lip.

A punch to the belly. That was what it felt like, seeing her baby's glance of uncertainty. A look that she aimed at Dorota and not Blair, seeking reassurance that all was still well in her world.

"Baby, I'm sorry." Blair schooled her expression, recognizing too much of her younger self in that telling glance. She started in forward, her steps steady and sure even if her hands quaked "Mommy overreacted. You just really scared me. That's all."

A slow nod was Blair's first reward and then that pink bow mouth was smiling, her eyes focused on a point over her mother's shoulder. Relief flaring in Evie's eyes.

"Blair!"

Of course. He'd seen it, hadn't he? Watched her standing immobile and useless when something truly wrong could've happened to one of their babies.

She'd barely turned, apologies and fears realized, on the tip of her tongue. Chuck didn't give her a chance, though. His arms wrapped tightly about her, unknowingly offering comfort to her frayed nerves. Bair didn't want to move. Didn't want him to let her go. Just as Evie sought out Dorota's reassurance, Blair leaned close to her children's father, wanting to burrow in deep.

This wasn't about her though, "Chuck," she whispered, her breath coming in short puffs and making her suddenly away of just how tightly he was holding on to her. "I can't breathe."

"Bass," Chambers stepped forward, earning a glare from the other man.

Enough already. Their little games and masculine powerplays were far from amusing at that point. She wanted to tell Chambers to back off and Chuck to get over it. She wasn't interested in the other man. She just wanted him, but the Basshole should know it and know it well by now. Blair didn't have time to soothe male egos, she wanted to coddle her daughter and reassure herself of their footing.

Blair pulled away, her head craning until she spotted Evie with Dorota and her twin sister. The maid was helping the child back into her shoes. "I need to check on Evie." She told Chuck, his hand a tight vise around her arm.

He looked at her then. His eyes finally meeting hers, confusion surfacing as her words sank in. He glanced in the twins' direction, his body relaxing after a moment's study. Chuck demanded, "What happened?"

Wait, so he hadn't witnessed their youngest daughter, scaring the living hell out of Blair and then apparently, Blair returning the favor. "Are you telling me that you just missed Evie's version of Tom Cruise in Risky Business. Minus the tighty-whities and Ray-bans of course?"

Brow furrowed, he glanced from Blair to the girls and back again, trying to decipher what he'd just walked in on. The honest truth was that Chuck hadn't seen or heard anything beyond Blair standing there. Safe and sound, despite his worse imaginings. He knew that he should alert security, let them know that they could call off the search of the hospital that he'd insisted on.

"Miss Evie, scare Dorota and her Mama, both." The maid confirmed, "She decide to take up surfing without the water."

"It was fun." Evie peeked up though long lashes, suddenly shy as she looked at her mother, shifting back from one foot to the next. "Sorry, Mommy."

"It's fine. Just don't do anything like that again." Blair held out a hand and the girl came without hesitation. "We should take this inside. Mommy's had quite enough fresh air for one day. Besides, we have to tell your father about our surprise."

"Another one? Hmm, I must have been a very good boy this year." He whispered, still something worrisome and distracted in him manner.

A fact that Blair saw quite clearly with Evie's fingers tucked firmly in one hand. "Are you okay?" What exactly had left him so grabby? Whatever it was had shaken him, that much she could see.

"Fine," he lied, turning away from her and letting go long enough to scoop Kat into his arms. "Hey, Baby."

"Chuck." Blair lips quirked, inquiring and displeased all at once.

He ignored her, "So which of my girls is going to spill the beans about this 'surprise' your mother is teasing me with. I have to say. I'm a little wounded. All of you ganging up on your old man, not fair at all."

"Stop trying to lay a guilt trip, Bass. You're avoided my question. What happened?" Blair stepped close, her words low enough for his ears alone. "You looked...worried before. Something's happened. Tell me what."

"Blair."

"Now." She stomped her foot, keeping her tone light and expression clear, not wanting a repeat of her earlier predicament with Evie. "What's wrong?"

"You were gone, okay?" He hissed, "Satisfied. Come on, you wanted to go inside, remember?"

Dumbfounded. That was the word. The perfect embodiment of what his admission left her feeling. He stalked off with Kat and Blair was sure that she would've stood rooted to that spot surprise warring with wonder and awful delight. Evie wasn't one to be left behind so she pulled Blair along.

Vaguely, she heard Will make his excuses, other patients that he'd neglected long enough he said. She did roll her eyes at Chuck's cheerful send-off.

She wondered how he'd feel when Blair told him her news about tomorrow. The transfer to the private hospital. One step closer to home and then her plans for the coming evening.

Blair smiled, anticipation seeping into her. The events of minutes before a surreal memory. No plans. No fairytales and fantasy. It was real. It was hers. She leaned down, brushing butterfly kisses across the soft, flesh of Evie's knuckles. "Love you, Baby." She said the words, feeling good just because she could.

She was secure that they returned that soul-deep adoration she felt whenever they were close or in her mind. That bond unbroken even after so long apart. Now, all she wanted was to be the one they looked to for reassurance.

The one true test, letting her know that shed avoided her mother's less than stellar track record in motherhood. Don't let me screw this up, she pled silently, squeezing gently on the small hand within her own.

ஐTBCஐ

A/N: Okay so a lot of introspection here for most of the characters. Relatively shorter than the others and alot of set up for what's coming but there were a few things. Some drama, Chuck's mini meltdown. Blair's own insecurities. Nate & Dan being Nate & Dan. Hope you liked this chapter and as always let me know what you think. A lot of interesting things coming up in the next few, so stay tuned. Later. ;)

Courtneyஐ