*Hides face in shame* So sorry for the long wait! Hope you like the chapter!
Thank you: pLei4fun (haha glad you liked that scene! i love when embarrassing things happen to dan :), Chairytale Ending (don't worry, serenate is endgame for this story!), anabelle12 (haha that is 100 percent okay! i don't like him either!), chairfan (thanks! :), Sparkleyangel (you'll find out in the next chapter! any guesses?), QueenC (thank you so much! :), and hipskip11 (asjkhaksjd i know! they are perf!)
And GOOD NEWS! You will find out who the mystery man and woman are in the next chapter! Does anyone have any guesses?
Chapter 30: The Battle of Evermore
The pain of war cannot exceed the woe of aftermath,
The drums will shake the castle wall, the ring wraiths ride in black, Ride on.
Sing as you raise your bow, shoot straighter than before.
No comfort has the fire at night that lights the face so cold.
- "The Battle of Evermore" Led Zeppelin
Gossip Girl: Much to the delight of all my faithful readers, NYC's very own Prince Charles has now awoken from his deep sleep. But rumor has it there may just be a malicious dragon or two still waiting in the wings. You know you love me.
...
"It's time," he said coldly, motioning for the woman to come stand by his side. He gazed out into the city, eyeing the blue-windowed skyscrapers and the surrounding water.
"What does that mean?" she asked, her voice similarly frigid but with a slight quiver to it.
"We've been unsuccessful from afar. There are too many variables. We need someone right in the middle of things, a means to ensure that it won't go wrong this time."
"You want me to - to -"
"You won't be the one to do it," he assured, though it did nothing to comfort her. "But you will make sure that it goes off without a hitch for the man who will."
"And that man will be -"
"Yes," he answered, reading the look on her face. "And I know you don't like him -"
"I despise him, and I don't trust him," she cut in sharply, a scowl on her face.
"-but he's the best man for the job, and we can't fail again. We're already on a tight leash as it is, and we can't have that leash becoming a noose around our necks. All of our necks," he added pointedly, knowing she would recognize the threat in his words.
"I understand," said the woman, wishing that things could be different.
"Your flight leaves tonight." The man shifted his eyes back out the window. "By this time tomorrow, you'll be back in New York."
…
"When did he wake up? Why wasn't I informed immediately?" The blue eyes were frantic until they met another pair of eyes, familiar eyes of hazel.
"He just woke up, Bart," said Lily softly, patting his hand. "As did you. You've been asleep for the past few hours."
"Oh. Well have you seen him?"
Lily laughed, and it sounded like the tinkling of tiny silver bells. "As if I would willingly get in the middle of him and Blair. Apparently the nurse that was sent in to check on Chuck burst into tears when she saw how in love he and Blair are and how happy they were to see each other."
"Are all the nurses here pansies?" Bart scoffed. "The one I got was too scared to stick the needle in my vein, and I ended up doing it myself."
"Bart!" Lily chastised, her eyes widening partly in shock, partly in amusement. "You aren't supposed to do that."
"Come now, Lily, it's not as if Bass men are known for abiding by the rules," he said, giving her a wink.
She rolled her eyes. "I've heard that quite a few times over the years from your son. I'd hoped it would fade as he got older, but alas..."
"It's not going to happen," Bart finished for her, a grin on his face. "But he has Blair. She'll keep in line."
"That she will," agreed Lily, sliding her jacket off of her thin frame. "But who will keep you in line?"
"Well, you'll be able to," he said, "assuming you're planning to stay with Bass Industries."
"I - well - I hadn't thought about it much." She uncrossed her ankles and furrowed her brows. "I would like to. I quite enjoy the work, and it keeps me from turning into an old maid."
"You're far from being an old maid."
"Tell that to my daughter," Lily chuckled. "She was listening to a Pitbull on her phone the other day -"
"She was listening to a dog barking?"
"That's what I asked! She told me I was ancient. Apparently, a Pitbull is some sort of rapper."
Lily and Bart both laughed, the bells and baritone mingling in the air. Lily decided she quite liked the sound.
…
"He's awake! He's awake!"
Nate slowly lifted his heavy eyelids while lethargically stretching out his arms. He looked around and realized he had been sleeping on three chairs pushed together. There was a pillow under his head, but the plastic chairs were bare, explaining why he was aching in every part of his body except his head.
"We don't have time to dilly-dally! Did you not hear me? Chuck's awake!" Serena squealed in the same high-pitched tone. She was nearly buzzing with the anticipation of seeing her step-brother, and she tugged on a lock of Nate's dirty blond hair impatiently. "Aren't you excited?"
"Of course, but I'm sure he's enjoying his time reuniting with Blair," Nate said, his voice cracking as the sleep caught in his throat. "And he'll ask for us when he's ready."
"He already did, silly!" Serena laughed, this time grabbing his hand instead of his hair, much to Nate's relief. He loved Serena, but she wasn't always the most pleasant person to be woken up by. Well, except for sometimes when she would wake him up with hot, lingering kisses on his chest, or better yet, his - "NATE!" Serena yelled, breaking into his pleasant thoughts. "Am I going to have to go without you?"
"No." Carefully, Nate sat up with another pull of Serena's hand and grimaced as he heard various bones cracking. "But I'm going to have a hell of a time getting to the room."
"That's why we have elevators." Serena kept her hand in his as Nate limped beside her, still looking extremely unpleasant and in pain.
"Next time, I'm going home to sleep," he grumbled, though his mood wasn't nearly as foul as it appeared. He was so relieved Chuck was okay; he didn't know what he would do without his best friend. While normally easy going, Nate had been terrified for the past few days. He had taken to madly pacing back and forth in every hallway of every floor, his lips in a tight frown and his hands shoved in his pockets. He switched every hour and was now on a first-name basis with at least one concerned doctor on each level of the hospital. It was why he knew even as he said them, his words were lies. If Chuck was ever in another accident, Nate would remain at the hospital again, just like Chuck would for him, and probably end up knowing two doctors on every floor.
"We're here," squeaked Serena, eyeing the plain door in front of them. "Ready?"
Nate nodded, and she pushed open the door.
…
"Passports?"
"Check." Two voices said in unison.
"Hotel reservations?"
"Check."
"Phones?"
"Check."
"Guns?"
"Check."
The older man then leaned into the younger man's ear so that the woman wouldn't hear him. It helped that the private jet's engine was already running and provided a distracting sound on the runway. While their bosses were more often than not the source of their troubles, occasionally, there were perks, a luxury jet being one of them.
"And you have the extra item we discussed?" he murmured.
"Yes," said the young man, grinning in a way that made the woman shudder, despite her inability to discern the words being said. "I assure you, we won't be having any more trouble from our superiors. I'll handle it."
"Good," was the short reply. The woman was then addressed once more. "Will you be able to control yourself?"
"I'm always in control," she said snarkily, her voice a touch too sharp to be believable, but she hoped it was anyway.
"Sure you are, ice princess," laughed her New York-bound companion.
"Shut up."
"Now, now, you two, it won't do to fight amongst ourselves. There's too much at stake here for all of us. Just do your job, and get out. Are we clear?"
"Crystal." The young man flashed a set of fluorescent white teeth.
"Yes," agreed the woman, watching the jet with careful, hooded eyes.
"Then go. New York is waiting for you."
…
The blonds were greeted with the sight of two brunettes tangled into each other so closely, it was difficult to tell where one body began and the other ended.
"Chuck!" Serena immediately raced over and engulfed her adopted brother in an embrace.
"Serena - I just - recovered - are you - trying - to kill me?" Chuck choked out in gasps of air.
"Sorry!" she giggled. "I'm just so happy you're awake!"
"Hey, man," Nate said, giving Chuck a friendly slap on the shoulder. "You look like shit."
"Right back at you." Chuck eyed Nate's wild hair, which stuck up in random tufts, as well as his wrinkled and stained shirt and pants. "What did you do, trip into a trashcan?"
"Actually, I -"
"He refused to leave the hospital," Serena cut in, her voice a mix of annoyance and pride for her boyfriend. "I brought him clothes and soap, but he only showered and changed once."
"That's disgusting," Blair and Chuck said at the same time, Blair wrinkling her nose for added effect.
"Well, it's not as if hygiene is anyone's first priority when their best friend is in the hospital."
"Shouldn't be the last one either," Chuck countered, pointing out a particularly fragrant and unidentifiable red stain on Nate's pants.
"Ketchup," Nate said in explanation. "Jenny brought us burgers last night."
"Honestly, Nate, you couldn't at least change?"
"All right, can we please change the subject already? Yes, I don't exactly look my best, but none of us do, so -"
"I for one happen to think Blair looks beautiful," argued Chuck, kissing the corner of her upturned ruby mouth.
"Why thank you, Bass. Now, if I can have everyone's attention please -"
"Don't you always?"
"Not when you interrupt me, S. As I was saying before that rude interjection -" Serena snorted, but Blair plowed on. "I have an announcement to make. After everything we've been through, I wanted all of you to be here when I said it."
"The anticipation is killing us," Serena said sarcastically. Amused blue eyes met fiery brown ones.
"Okay, I'll just say it, throw caution to the wind," Blair said, appearing to be in the midst of convincing herself. She kept lifting her pinky nail as if to chew on it but resisted, instead playing with the fraying ends on the blanket strewn over her and Chuck.
"Go on, Blair," Nate encouraged, recognizing her nervousness.
"The doctor told me when I woke up." Blair closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant!"
…
Oh dance in the dark of night, Sing to the morning light.
The magic runes are writ in gold to bring the balance back. Bring it back.
At last the sun is shining, The clouds of blue roll by,
With flames from the dragon of darkness, the sunlight blinds his eyes.
Until next time - xoxo