Chapter 11

Chuck would honestly strangle Serena if he hadn't already caused so much damage to the few people who still cared about him. A welcome back party was about as high on his list of activities that he wanted to happen his first week back in New York as a slumber party with Dan Humphrey - who was surprisingly, but not regretfully absent from the lives of his former friends. He hadn't dared to mention it to Serena, but Nate said something about a falling out and a tell-all book. It seemed like Chuck had missed a lot in his absence from the city, but he could hardly be bothered to care about Humphrey's self-inflicted exile from the social circle that he'd never really fit into, anyway.

Lily was able, with the help of her more loyal attorneys, to secure Chuck's old penthouse at the Empire from Jack, so Chuck could have some privacy when Eva arrived instead of the two of them shacking up in Nate's guest bedroom. Fortunately the entire suite had been redecorated and redesigned some years ago because he wasn't sure if he'd be able to handle the memories that were sure to accompany his move. As it was, when he entered, he was hit hard with his very last moments in this room, and the images were so vivid that they nearly brought him to his knees. The furniture may be gone, the entire floor plan remodeled, but the ghosts of the past remained behind to haunt him.

Blair shivered at the loss of contact as he gently pulled out of her and collapsed beside her on the orange sofa. He briefly pondered his lack of protection, but he was certain Blair was on the pill. She was meticulous about safe sex, and he trusted her wholly. She was the one who shouldn't trust him, he thought shamefully. He'd purposefully -deceptively - steered her toward the sofa when their kiss grew in intensity. He selfishly wanted her, and he wasn't going to give up the opportunity to be with her again after so many weeks, but the bed was still sullied from Jenny. She'd taken the sheets in her merciful departure, but he couldn't explain the lack of linens to Blair. Either way, how twisted would it be to make love to his potential future wife in the same bed he'd just shared a pathetic rebound fuck? Not as twisted as having sex with the love of his life mere hour after sharing a bed with her nemesis.

She curled into his side, panting hard with sweat lining her forehead, still blissfully unaware of the dark thoughts dancing through his mind. She grinned wildly and whispered against his chest, "I love you, Chuck."

Guilt crept steadily into his chest and a lump formed in his throat. "I love you, too, Blair," he had to force the words from his mouth because his vocal cords were clogged with unspeakable betrayal. There had been plenty of nights that he'd slept with multiple women within the span of a few hours, but this was the first time that he hated himself for it.

When Blair didn't meet him at the top of the Empire State Building, his bleak state of despondency led him to his penthouse to drink away the sorrow. The feeling of hopelessness consumed him so completely that all he could think about was how to end it all. Nothing in life mattered anymore, and he would've done anything to just forget, anything to numb even a fraction of the pain that he felt, and when Jenny showed up just as heartbroken as he, her warm body provided the momentary escape that he needed.

He had thought Blair would never smile at him again, offer him a sweet kiss, moan his name in the throes of ecstasy, or whisper her affection into his ear. She was his only reason for existing, and now that she wasn't there to save him from the metaphorical ledge he was standing on, what was to prevent him from jumping?

But she returned to him, peonies in hand with a beautiful confession of love. He'd been too cowardly to confess his indiscretion and too selfish to take things slow with Blair. Who got a second chance like this? Certainly not him, so how could he possibly risk losing her again when she was so warm and real in his arms?

Initially, he blamed fate: there were so many moments that could've changed the outcome of that night. It was the most tragic moment of his life, but the brief time between her appearance in the suite and her realization at the hospital had been entirely bittersweet. He'd held her, felt her body pressed so intimately against his own, dreamed of a life with her, and for once, he was able to actually envision their future. He thought that if he could get the ring on her finger, it would erase all of his wrongdoings, and they could have a fresh start. He was fully committed to becoming a man worthy of her. He had plenty of practice hurting her, but from that night forward, he would spend every moment of his life proving to her how much he loved her.

All of his dreams came to an abrupt ending when Humphrey's fist collided with his face, and Blair finally saw him for who he really was - a monster who destroyed anything and everything in his path.

He immediately ran into the bathroom and dispelled the contents of his stomach into the toilet. He'd have to get used to living here, and suppressing unwelcome memories would be the only way to find peace. He found his way to the mini-bar and poured a glass of scotch, his first in nearly a year. He was scared - scared of Eva's reaction to the truth, scared of what this ridiculous party would bring, and scared of what life near Blair would look like. He felt lost, and alcohol would surely help to clear his head.

By the time Eva arrived at the suite several hours later, Chuck was well beyond tipsy. It would seem that he had overestimated his tolerance after several years of sobriety. "Eva, Eva," he slurred as she walked through the door, "Welcome to my humble abode." He held out his arms to gesture around the room and let out an uncharacteristic chortle.

She chose to ignore his state of intoxication for the moment and looked around the penthouse, awe shining behind her bright eyes. "Henry," she gasped absently before correcting herself, "I mean…Chuck. Tell me everything."

He was shocked that Eva could be so incredibly understanding of his years of deception. He explained everything to her - well, the cliff's notes version because did she really need to know every single detail about his corruption? - and though she had initially seemed a little taken back by his dark past and even more so by his exorbitant bank account, she simply hugged him and said, "I'm not going to lie, it was hard to hear the things you've done, but I've seen the man you can be and I choose to believe in that man."

She couldn't quite understand why he'd been so willing to give up such a life of luxury for a life of poverty, but she had witnessed first hand the evil that money could bring. She even told him that she respected him for leaving a lifestyle that he thought was toxic to himself and those around him.

After some time, he sobered considerably, and she broached the topic that she was most curious about and he most dreaded. She spoke tentatively when she asked, "So, Blair…she was your girlfriend, and Serena is your sister?"

He nodded, the muscles in his jaw flexing uncomfortably, "Eva, my past is colorful. I don't want any of it to affect you."

"They're important to you, Chuck, and I enjoyed the time I spent with them in Paris," she placed her hand against his knee, "I know that it might be a little awkward, but you should have a relationship with your family. I just wish Blair hadn't lied to me -"

"Don't blame Blair," he softened when he saw her brows furrow, "I mean, blame me. Blair thought I was dead for years, and she was in shock. She hardly had time to process everything at the hospital."

"You're right," Eva agreed. She reminded herself that the brunette woman had been through quite an ordeal and judgment was both unfair and unhelpful. She swallowed the inferiority that she had constantly felt when Blair was around and committed herself to helping Chuck find forgiveness and healing in all of his relationships, even with his ex-girlfriend. They'd been together for six years; it was silly to think that he had anything to worry about. She sighed lightly, thinking about how much had changed in such a short time. How coincidental that all of the people in Paris, she had crossed paths with Blair and her daughter. She idly wondered aloud, "I hope Cora's doing okay. She was so frightened."

Chuck turned toward her and shook his head in confusion. He'd bombarded her with so many new names that she must have them mixed up. He couldn't think of a single name he'd mentioned, though, that sounded like that. "Cora?"

"Yes, Cora, Blair's daughter."

His heart slowed, one beat and then a second, after that it didn't seem to beat at all. He felt a chill creep slowly from the base of his spine up to his neck, engulfing him in cold shock. He sat stock still, his back stiffened straight, his legs glued to the seat. His hand found his sternum and rubbed hard, working to relieve the invisible ache ghosting through his chest.

A daughter? Blair's daughter? The thought was incomprehensible. His mouth went dry, and he reached blindly for the whiskey decanter on the table in front of him. With shaky hands, he filled his glass and threw it back in one gulp.

Eva watched helplessly as Chuck downed a second glass and then a third. She had no words for what she was witnessing because she'd never seen this side of the man sitting in front of her. He dropped the glass to the table with a loud thud and stood to his feet. He blinked at her for a few seconds before turning and wordlessly exiting the penthouse, the slamming of the door echoing mockingly in the still silence of the unfamiliar room.

XOXO

Nate awoke with a start to a loud, incessant banging coming from somewhere within the loft. He reached over and felt Serena breathing steadily beside him in her sleep, so he stood up, pulling his pajama pants on, and tiptoed quietly to the door. He moved slowly down the hallway and peeked around to the corner to find a disheveled Chuck slumped against the wall, whiskey bottle in hand. His rumpled trench coat dripped water onto the mahogany floors. Nate glanced out the window, noting the clear moonless sky; it hadn't rained all day.

His dark eyes were so murky that Nate would've missed the silent plea for help if he didn't know Chuck so well. He was in the beginning stages of a bender, a typical Bass-style spiral. "I tried to feed the ducks," he slurred in a way of explanation, "But then I realized I didn't have any bread, and there were no ducks."

"Come on," Nate extended a hand to his old friend, who eventually reached up and accepted it.

Nate wrestled him free of his clothing, a feat that proved to be more difficult than he remembered and shoved him under the cold showerhead. He watched as Chuck sank to his knees and buried his head in his hands. After a few moments, he crumbled back against the wall, hissing when his flesh made contact with the cold tile.

Nate took a seat on the closed toilet and waited patiently until Chuck returned to a state of semi-consciousness. He finally asked, "What is it this time?"

"A child," Chuck mumbled, nearly incoherently.

"Eva's pregnant?" Nate tried to follow, surely an unplanned pregnancy, especially now, would send Chuck over the edge.

"Not Eva."

"I don't understa-" Nate suddenly recognized the flexing of Chuck's jaw, the darkness in his eyes, and the red marks against his neck where he'd clawed anxiously at his throat as if some invisible source was restricting his oxygen supply. He'd only seen Chuck in this state of emotional distress in two situations: after his father's death and after he lost Blair because of his deal with Jack. It always came back to them, so the only logical deduction Nate could make was that this was about Blair. "Blair's…you mean, Cora."

"Cora," Chuck repeated, nearly choking on his own saliva when a humorless laugh escaped his mouth.

Shit, Nate cursed internally. It's after three in the morning, and a drunk and emotional Chuck was enough of a burden, but now he had to be the one to discuss Cora with him. "C'mon," he reached over and turned off the faucet, pulling Chuck to his feet and handing him a towel, "Let's get you cleaned up, and we can talk."

An hour later, after Chuck passed out on the couch, Nate slid into bed behind Serena and wrapped his arms around her slim waist. She sighed groggily and asked, "Where've you been?"

"Chuck's here. He knows about Cora."

She shot up in bed suddenly wide awake, "Oh my God. How?"

"Apparently Eva mentioned something. He's drunk off his ass, Serena; he's clearly not handling this well."

"Blair's going to go ballistic. Cora doesn't even know -"

Nate placed his hand against her shoulder as she tried to leap from the bed as if she would actually be able to do anything about it at this time of night. "Hey, calm down," he soothed, "He's so drunk that he wasn't in the frame of mind to ask many questions. He knows Blair has a daughter; he knows she's five-years-old. That's all. I managed to side-step his rambling enough that he fell asleep before he asked about her father, but Blair's going to have to deal with this."

Serena settled back into bed, her mind reeling. The most logical step for her to take would be to tell Blair first thing in the morning and let her decide how to proceed. But the little voice in the back of her mind that desperately wanted her friend group reunited - the Non-Judging Breakfast Club, they'd once called themselves - reminded her that Blair would run, that she would never willingly talk to Chuck about Cora. If she told her that Chuck had found out, Blair wouldn't show up to the party - there was no way, and the distance would grow wider until eventually Chuck packed up and disappeared for good. But if Chuck confronted Blair at the party, then she would at least have to talk to him about Cora, right? She couldn't lie to his face; she couldn't deny her existence when he asked her point-blank.

It was deceptive and conniving, but she was going to force Blair to deal with this one way or another - in a public party where Blair couldn't hide and she'd have to face her past head on.

XOXO

Chuck awoke early with a nasty hangover; his mind was fuzzy, and he struggled to remember the night before. He checked his phone to be met with 14 missed calls from Eva. God, he was an ass. He rose from the couch and exited the suite quietly, hoping not to rouse Nate or Serena. He needed to get back to Eva and apologize. He'd left her alone without a word within hours of arriving in a country she'd never visited. He forced all thoughts of Blair to the back of his mind, unable to deal with another mental breakdown over his ex-girlfriend.

When he entered the penthouse at the Empire, his head was pounding, and he could nearly hear the blood rushing through his veins. He popped several pain killers and made his way into the bedroom where he found Eva curled up in a ball still dressed in her clothes from the day before. Her face was ruddied with the imprint of dried tears, and he sighed at the image of the pain he was already causing the woman who was supposed to be his first priority. He pulled the comforter over her shoulders, but she woke at the gentlest touch, and asked "Hen…Chuck? What happened?"

He sat on the edge of the bed and whispered, "I'm so sorry. I -"

"You didn't know she had a daughter, did you?" she observed quietly. It was honestly the only logical conclusion for his reaction the night before.

He shook his head slightly and reached for her hand, "I don't want to lie to you. Blair and I…our relationship was volatile, but at one point, I thought I was going to marry her. It's hard to hear about her life after I left, but I'm with you, Eva. I need you to understand that," he raised her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers gently. "My life is with you. Maybe going to this party isn't such a great idea. I'm sure Lily will understand-"

"Blair's important to you," she swallowed the jealousy building inside of her and added, "She should be a part of your life. I think it'll be good for us to go, Chuck."

He wondered how it could be possible for one woman to be so understanding no matter how many times he betrayed or deceived her. He was surprised to find that it almost irked him: she never challenged him; she never put him in his place or called him on his bullshit. He should've loved that side of her, but instead he just grew frustrated every time she forgave him when she should have hated him.

XOXO

Louis paced anxiously in front of Blair, letting the news she'd finally shared settle in. "So," he swore he could feel his eye starting to twitch, "let me get this straight. Your ex, the father of your daughter, who you were convinced was dead for the past six years, is suddenly back from the dead, here in New York, and you want us to go to a party in his honor tonight? Does that about sum it up?"

Blair nodded, watching his Adam's apple bob in his throat as he swallowed hard multiple times in a row, a habit that had always annoyed her. "Yeah," she grinned wryly, "That's about it."

"And you just expect me to be okay with this?" his voice quivered in exasperation. His accent always became thicker with agitation, and Blair found the sound to be a little irritating. She did her best to suppress her sarcasm because he had every right to react this way.

"No, but I'm engaged to you. If Chuck is going to be a permanent fixture back in New York, the best thing for our public persona is to appear friendly and cordial. We don't need any further speculation -"

"What about Cora, Blair? When he finds out, he's going to become a permanent fixture in our lives, not just New York -"

Blair's eyes turned cold, and she started perusing through her jewelry box to hide her vexation. "He doesn't know about her; he doesn't know that he's her biological father. I don't plan on telling him, so don't make this any harder than it needs to be."

It was the first bit of good news he'd heard from her since she dropped the bomb about Chuck's return. He couldn't help but feel like it was wrong for Blair to hide Cora from Chuck, but he'd read enough of the Gossip Girl posts to know the pull that Chuck Bass had over Blair. He needed to trust her, though; she'd chosen him. It was his canary diamond that rested on her finger and his body that graced her bed each night.

XOXO

Eva held tightly onto Chuck's arm as they arrived at the party; the lavish ballroom and glamorous decor was unlike anything she'd ever witnessed. Chuck had taken her earlier that day to purchase a dress - and not just any dress, a dress that cost three times the mortgage of their bakery. She felt like an imposter, but when she looked at him, she could still see the man she loved through the carefully coiffed hair, designer tux, and confident swagger. A newfound arrogance shone on his face, and he stood taller than he ever had before, ready to meet naysayers head-to-head, but at his core, she could see Henry. It brought her comfort to know that his heart was unchanged.

They approached Lily, who was shining brightly in an elegant vintage Valentino. She smiled affectionately the moment she saw them, and she immediately embraced Eva with a kiss to either cheek. "You must be Eva," she said sweetly, "Charles had told me so much about you. Welcome."

"Thank you," Eva returned her smile. "This is incredible."

Lily winked, "Just another Saturday evening on the Upper East Side. You better get used to it because we aren't letting him go now that he's back."

She leaned into Chuck with a soft hug, and whispered, "She's beautiful. This is your night. Show Manhattan what we've been missing."

He kissed her cheek and led Eva further into the ballroom. His eyes anxiously searched the crowd, but he managed to maintain a look of cool indifference to anyone who didn't know him intimately. He found Pete Holmberg and his wife conferring with a couple he didn't recognize, and he immediately assumed a manner of confident professionalism. He approached them with his head held high, fully prepared to kiss ass if needed. "Mr. Holmberg," he greeted cordially, "how are you, sir?"

"Charles," the older man acknowledged, giving him a skeptical once over before extending his hand, "When I say we were shocked about the news of your arrival…well, that would be the understatement of the year."

"Yes, sir, I completely understand that the board may feel some level of concern over my return, but I assure you that I have matured exponentially since my departure. I'm truly regretful of the hardship that my actions caused Bass Industries, but I am fully prepared to prove myself as a worthy and capable leader," he turned toward Eva, placing his hand on her lower back, "This is my girlfriend, Eva."

Across the room, Blair entered on the arm of Louis, her mind acutely aware of the quiet whispers speculating about the appearance of the Waldorf heir and her prince. None had expected they would actually show, but now that she was there, rumors were sure to run rampant.

"I need a drink," Blair declared, more to herself than Louis.

"Martini?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"Would you like me to get you a martini?" he emphasized slowly, eyes boring into her suspiciously. She hadn't been herself all day, and he could read the anxiety written in her expression.

"Uh, no. Dom '95."

Louis scoffed at her oddly specific request, "And if they don't have -"

"They'll have it," she cut him off tersely, and he didn't question her confident assertion.

He left for the bar, and Blair's eyes searched the masses for a mess of blonde hair - Nate or Serena would do. She needed the comforting presence of a familiar figure, and Louis's company just served to exacerbate her anxiety. Her vision was blurry, her hands shook, and she didn't recognize a single face for several moments.

She finally found the blonde hair fixed into a messy-chic bun and breathed a sigh of relief until she realized the figure next to her belonged to the blonde from Paris. Eva, and with his hand resting on her low back, Chuck.

She found herself frozen in place. When she thought of all the different scenarios of what would happen when she saw Chuck at the party, her mind hadn't considered that he would actually have a date. His hand massaged slow circles into Eva's skin at the exposed back of her dress, and he whispered something against her ear, pulling back with a grin dancing across his lips. It was the gesture of a man in love.

Blair's stomach lurched violently, and she found herself in immediate need of a toilet. She backed up and tripped over a young waiter carrying hor d'oeuvres, causing his tray to clank against the floor, glasses shattering loudly as they crashed to the marble floor. "I-I'm sorry," she murmured quietly and turned to run from the room.

Chuck looked up from his conversation with Serena as the commotion from the other side of the room momentarily distracted the party-goers around him. His heart sank into his chest as he saw Blair looking helplessly around the room before retreating to the bathroom. He felt torn, looking between the bathroom door and Eva. She seemed to sense his hesitancy, and she stepped back slightly, dropping his hand from hers. "Go," she whispered quietly.

He walked with an uncharacteristic uncertainty to his gait, not sure what he would do once he made it to his intended destination; all he knew was that he was being drawn toward her. Seeing her in distress made his heart beat erratically, and he had to know that she was okay.

When he finally made it to the other side of the room, Blair exited the restroom, looking far more composed than she had mere moments earlier. She held her head high and smoothed the front of her gown. Her gaze landed on Chuck, who'd stopped in his tracks when she opened the door. He'd been half a second from entering the ladies' restroom in front of everyone without a second thought.

He finally walked slowly toward her, and she could feel every change in her breathing as her lungs reacted to his proximity. When he was within several inches of her, he greeted her simply, "Hi."

"Hi," she returned with a slight grin.

"Dance with me?" he offered. It probably wasn't the wisest choice given the tension between them and the attendees in the crowd.

She tentatively placed her hand in his, her breath hitching in her throat when she felt his skin on hers for the first time since that night so many years ago. He led her to the dance floor, and she felt like she was drowning among the throng of people around her. She felt her chest rising and falling with each ragged intake of breath. It was like a dream, but he felt so real with his arms wrapped around her waist, his chest pressed closely to hers. Her mouth was dry, her eyes wet with unshed tears, and she finally dared a glance up at his face. She faltered for a moment at what she found staring back at her. She wasn't sure what it was specifically - the soft glint in his eyes that spoke of one hundred silent emotions, the slight furrow of his brow that he always donned when he was studying her, or the sad lines settled onto his lips indicating some form of regret and nostalgia - but staring back at her through hooded eyes was her Chuck. The Chuck who only existed around her, the vulnerable Chuck who loved her so fiercely it made her weak in the knees.

She reached her arms around his neck, her fingers subconsciously stroking against the hair at the back of his head. "So, you decided to stick around, huh?" she asked softly.

"Someone convinced me that I belong in New York," he returned with a smirk.

"Wise decision, Bass," she offered weakly, suddenly at a complete loss for words. She could feel his breath against her neck, causing a cold chill to run over her spine.

He instinctively pulled her closer. His hands gripped her waist a little too tightly, and he noticed how her hips were a bit rounder than when he'd left. Her body boasted womanly curves that only came with motherhood, and images of Blair glowing in the late stages of pregnancy, Blair giving birth, and Blair nursing her infant daughter danced through his mind. He felt his body heating with frustration as he recalled his conversation with Nate the night before. Blair's daughter was five years old. In the haze of alcohol, he didn't pay much attention to the illogical timeline, but now he couldn't stop thinking about what it meant: Blair moved on within weeks, if not days, of breaking up with him. His eyes landed on Louis, still in line at the bar, and his carefully controlled countenance cracked under the realization. He felt his bitterness turn to anger the more he thought about it. He glowered at her and couldn't stop himself from asking, "Who's watching Cora tonight?"

She dropped her arms from his shoulders, bile stirring in the pit of her stomach. "How did you -" she stuttered quietly.

"So tell me, Blair," he prodded scornfully, "Was it Nate? Or better yet, your Prince Charming over there?" The softness in his eyes was gone, fully replaced with pure hatred. He ignored the shock and hurt written all over her face because suddenly the weight of all of the emotions he'd carried for the past two weeks crushed his spirit, and he delivered the last question with so much contempt he didn't recognize his own voice, "How long did you think I was dead before you were fucking another man?"

The din of the sharp slap against his skin collided with the slow waltz, and several patrons turned to stare at them. Chuck's jaw clenched tightly, and Blair's hand stung from the impact. The blind rage coursing through her veins was so intense that she didn't care if the entire state watched the spectacle. She lowered her voice and spat, "I'll guarantee you, it was a whole hell of a lot longer than you waited before screwing Jenny Humphrey."

She turned to run out of the building, and he figured he should memorize the image of her retreating figure because it was unlikely she'd ever speak to him again after tonight.

Serena and Nate watched the entire event unfold in slow motion before their eyes as one watches a collision - as onlookers who are helpless to stop the carnage. Guilt and regret formed into a lump in Serena's throat, and she immediately took off after Blair, while Nate approached a still seething Chuck. He called to Eva to have Arthur take her home and dragged his friend off of the dance floor.

"What the hell was that?" Nate demanded, gripping Chuck's arm tightly.

"That was me realizing that Blair never gave a shit about me," the muscles in his neck jumped, veins protruding from the skin on his clenched fists.

"What are you talking about?"

"Cora's five, right? That means Blair either cheated or got pregnant within weeks of -"

Nate sighed, "I should slap you myself."

"What?" Chuck wasn't ready to listen to reason, but he'd calmed considerably at Nate's declaration.

"You're an idiot, that's what," Nate all but yelled, "You don't have a fucking clue what Blair has been through since you've been gone - what she had to go through alone because you're such a coward."

"Stop talking in riddles and just say what you want to say," Chuck growled.

"No, it's not my place. You need to hear it from Blair," he started to walk away, but turned back to add, "That is if she even talks to you again."

Chuck took one last glance over his shoulder to see Lily standing in the corner pinching the bridge of her nose. Her right hand rested above her heart, and he knew that somehow he'd royally fucked up. There was something they weren't telling him, but it seemed that his reaction to Blair was entirely unjustified.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Pete Holmberg shaking his head in disapproval, but he didn't have time to worry about that. He needed to find Blair.

XOXO

Serena reached Blair just as she slipped into the black town car that she and Louis had arrived in. She scooted in beside her before Blair could object. "B -"

Tears streamed ceaselessly down Blair's cheeks and she choked out, "I don't know how he found out about her, but I knew this was a bad idea."

"Blair, I -" she exhaled and readied herself for Blair's reaction, "He found out last night."

"What are you talking about?"

"He showed up to the apartment, drunk and distraught. Eva mentioned Cora, and he lost it. Nate didn't tell him anything else besides her age. I swear, that's all."

Blair scowled in disbelief, "Why are you just now telling me this?"

"I just -" she started, contemplating the true reason that she had withheld such vital information from Blair, "I don't know. I just wanted you two to talk. I figured if he knew about Cora, you would have no choice but to talk to him, to tell him -"

"Stop the car!" Blair screamed at the chauffeur.

"What?" Serena questioned, tears spilling over her blue eyes.

"Get out," Blair demanded.

"No, Blair, I -"

"I said get out," Blair shoved her toward the door, "Now!"

Serena reluctantly climbed out of the car, barely catching the image of Blair slumping into the seat with a desperate sob released against the leather bench.

A/N: Okay, try not to hate Chuck too much here. Easier said than done, I know. He's overwhelmed with a lot of changes and emotions all at once, and he doesn't handle it well. He also doesn't have the whole story, so he's reacting irrationally and emotionally and falling back on old habits. He's too overwhelmed to even consider the truth that is staring him right in the face - Cora's real father. He tends to assume the worst.