Outfits Link:

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(Song:) Reverse of Shade - Windupdeads

There was a montage of Manhattan, the Upper East Side.

Brooklyn: (voice over from 1.02 The Wild Brunch) "If you want to be part of this world, Jenny..."

From 1.02 "The Wild Brunch", in Blair's room, Brooklyn looked at Jenny. "You need to decide if all this is worth it."

One Year

From 1.01 "Pilot", in the train station, Serena arrived back home.

Brooklyn: (voice over from 1.01 Pilot) "Oh, my God. You'll never believe what's on Gossip Girl. Someone saw Serena get off the train at Grand Central."

From 1.01 "Pilot", in Noe's room at the Ostroff Center, Noe had been in a coma, and her head was bandaged from a wound on her forehead.

Brooklyn: (voice over from 1.01 Pilot) "Everyone's thinking Noe's gonna come back, too."

52 Weeks

From 1.01 "Pilot", in Ostroff, Noe was waking up, looking at her family. "Who the hell are you people?"

Serena looked at Eric and Lily. "We're your family."

From 1.02 "The Wild Brunch", in Noe's room, Noe was sleeping in her bed, having nightmares, little flashes of memory. In the memory, William was driving, drinking from a vodka bottle. A car horn blared, headlights shining over them, the car about to wreck into them. The car hit them, making the car spin uncontrollably, glass shattering, tires screeching, tipping over, making Noe fall toward the open window, until they hit a brick building. Noe caught herself against the door, but her head crashed through the window, and a piece of glass embedded a little in her temple, leaving her to deal with the consequences she would have to face after the car crash.

Eric: (voice over from 1.01 Pilot) "Dad gets drunk and he wrecks his car and makes Noe lose her memory and leaves her for dead."

From 1.02 "The Wild Brunch", in the VDW apartment, Eric, Serena and Lily were talking.

"Well, she's been in there for almost a month, having been in a coma for most of it, but still," Lily told them. "The doctors said that she should be starting to get memories back soon, even if just in bits and pieces."

"But the doctor also warned us that the amnesia could change her personality and make her make rash, unbelievable decisions," Eric told her. "And it could be easier for us to help her control those impulses or thoughts if she's here at home with us."

Lily chuckled without humor. "Eric, you know Nevaeh's always been a rebel with urges like that. Yes, the amnesia could make it worse as the doctors warned us it could, but we could barely curb her impulses when she didn't have amnesia or brain damage. How do you expect us to handle it now that those might be amplified because of the car crash and because a piece of glass went through her temple to make her this way?"

From 1.16 "All About My Brother", at the hotel bar, Noe looked at Georgina, before she had known who she was. "Part of having traumatic brain injury is not just confusion, but lost of inhibition and impulse control. So everyone's worried that if I lash out, or do something stupid or unpredictable even when I'm sober. So even more worried about it when I'm drinking, even if I only drink to see if I can remember anything else."

From 1.13 "A Thin Line Between Chuck and Nate", at school, Noe smiled, laughing, happily hugging Nate. Nate smiled, picking her up and spinning her around, causing her to laugh, putting her down. They both laughed.

Noe: (voice over from 1.15 Desperately Seeking Serena) "Just feels familiar."

From 1.01 "Pilot", in the flashback to Shepherd wedding, Nate and Noe were hooking up.

Noe: (voice over from 1.15 Desperately Seeking Serena) "You said something happened between us before I lost my memory."

From 1.15 "Desperately Seeking Serena", outside the VDW/Bass apartment building, Noe and Nate were facing each other.

"One time, yes," Nate answered.

"Well, let's make this kiss something that I can't forget," Noe told him.

They smiled, kissing passionately and deeply. Noe wrapped her arms around his neck as he led her inside.

Noe: (voice over from 1.16 All About My Brother) "Would love to know what went down between us before the accident."

From 1.16 "All About My Brother", in Noe's room, Noe was remembering the kiss between her and Nate at the Shepherd wedding, but not yet remembering that they had hooked up that night.

Nate: (voice over from 1.16 All About My Brother) "I'll let you remember that on your own."

From 1.12 "School Lies", on Noe's balcony, Noe and Eric were talking.

"I've been trying so hard to convince everyone that I'm fine, but after everything that happened the last few days..." Noe trailed off.

"You don't have to keep trying to convince us, Noe," Eric told her. "It's okay that you're not okay after what happened to you."

Noe turned to face him, sighing. "Yeah, but I want to be okay, Eric. And I don't want anyone else to worry about me because they all have their own lives to deal with."

365 Days

From 1.01 "Pilot", in the hotel bar, Serena and Blair sat together.

"Thyra doesn't seem to be doing too good," Serena told her.

"Well, she moved in with me, Wyatt and our mom full time after her parents died," Blair explained. "Plane crash."

"Recent?" Serena asked.

"A month ago," Blair answered. "Brooklyn's been helping Thyra forget the pain."

From 1.01 "Pilot", at the Kiss on the Lips party, Thyra and Brooklyn sat at the bar.

Blair: (voice over from 1.01 Pilot) "And in Bass tradition, like Chuck and Dylan, that means get drunk and high or screw it out of your system."

"Keep drinking, Thy," Brooklyn told her. "I'll help you forget the pain for a while. Luckily, I'm a Bass, and we can keep up with the likes of you when it comes to this."

"Well, you're on, Brooklyn," Thyra told her.

Brooklyn grabbed her glass, clinking it with Thyra's, and they both finished their drinks in one shot, sharing a smirk.

From 1.18 "Much 'I Do' About Nothing", at the wedding venue, Blair, Thyra and Wyatt were talking with Alex, Nate and Howie.

"I hear that Eleanor finally adopted you, and you're now Blair and Wyatt's official adoptive sister, and still a surrogate sister with Nate and Alex," Howie told her. "Glad that you got adopted by the Waldorfs and still family with us Archibalds, Thyra. And Nate gets to be happy with Noe van der Woodsen, Alex with Hope Humphrey, and you, Blair and Wyatt with Brooklyn, Chuck and Dylan Bass. Aurora, Victoria and Matthew would be proud of their little Diamond."

Thyra managed a small smile. "Thank you. I'm glad that I get Blair, Wyatt, and Alex and Nate as siblings."

From 1.12 "School Lies", in Alex's room, Alex and Hope were talking.

"Starting to see why Gossip Girl calls you the Upper East Side's Romeo and calls me Brooklyn's Juliet," Hope told him. "I don't love you for the money, about any of this. I love you for you."

They both realized what she said, chuckling in shock but happiness.

Alex nodded, smiling a little. "I know."

"Nothing can tear us apart," Hope told him. "I promise."

Alex stepped closer, placing a hand on her cheek. "What you said before... I love you, too."

They both smiled, starting to kiss slowly and passionately, more heatedly and deep, pulling away, leaning their foreheads together, smiling.

From 1.01 "Pilot", in the hotel, Dan turned to look at Serena in surprise. "You'd really go out with some guy you don't know?"

Serena tilted her head in response. "Well, you can't be worse than the guys that I do know."

From 1.05 "Noe Exit", in the street, Serena and Dan shared their first kiss.

Rufus: (voice over from 1.01 Pilot) "Well, our kids were bound to meet."

From 1.01 "Pilot", in the gallery, Rufus looked at Lily. "It's a small island."

"Are you sure it's not some ploy you're using to get to me?" Lily asked.

A WHOLE SEASON/BOOK OF INTRIGUE

From 1.04 "Black Diamond Thyra", in the elevator at the Waldorf Apartment, Wyatt grabbed Dylan's head, bringing him closer to kiss him. Dylan pulled him back to kiss him again, this time more passionate.

Blair: (voice over from 1.02 The Wild Brunch) "My brother Wyatt dating Dylan Bass."

From 1.04 "Black Diamond Thyra", during the girl photoshoot, Brooklyn and Thyra smiled, laughing, looking at each other, nodding, kissing slowly but passionately in front of the fountain while Blair and Serena were taking pictures.

Blair: (voice over from 1.02 The Wild Brunch) "And my adoptive sister Thyra crushing on Brooklyn Bass."

From 1.07 "Victor/Victrola", in Chuck's limo, Blair looked at Chuck, sliding closer to kiss him. They continued to make out all over the limo, clearly doing more than just making out.

Thyra: (voice over from 1.02 The Wild Brunch) "If Nate isn't working, there is always Chuck. That way, we would all be dating the Basses."

From 1.08 "17 Candles", on the roof, Blair and Chuck were talking.

"Do you like me?" Blair asked.

From 1.08 "17 Candles", inside, Thyra and Brooklyn were walking down the hallway, pushing the door open, seeing Blair and Chuck kissing on the bed, stopping in shock, looking at each other in confusion.

Chuck: (voice over from 1.08 17 Candles) "Define like."

From 1.06 "The Handmaiden's Tale", in the street, Dan and Vanessa were walking together.

Dan: (voice over from 1.06 The Handmaiden's Tale) "I was with my friend Vanessa."

From 1.06 "The Handmaiden's Tale", at the ball, Dan looked at Serena. "We're very close, and she moved away to Vermont last year, and now she's back."

From 1.06 "The Handmaiden's Tale", at the ball, Vanessa looked at Dan. "You said you love me."

Dan looked down. "Loved you."

From 1.15 "Desperately Seeking Serena", outside school, Nate and Noe were talking.

"It means that I'm not stupid or completely damaged for the rest of my life," Noe told him.

Nate gave her a look. "Hey, you're not stupid. And everyone has damage."

"Not everyone has brain damage from glass going through their temple and having lost all their memories and having to get it all back," Noe replied. "Nate, the doctor said I might make stupid decisions that I can't always think through."

"Well, stick around the Upper East Side, and you'll see that practically everyone makes stupid decisions," Nate told her. Noe laughed lightly. Nate smiled. "So don't feel bad."

From 1.17 "Woman on the Verge", in the Waldorf Apartment, Dan looked at Serena. "Did something happen last night?"

Serena didn't look at him. "Yes."

Dan had tears in his eyes. "I'm done."

From 1.17 "Woman on the Verge", in the concert, Georgina looked at Hope. "Did you really think that someone like Alex Archibald could fall for someone like Hope Humphrey? Why would a guy with everything to lose fall for someone who has nothing to lose?"

"You talking about money?" Hope asked skeptically.

Georgina shook her head. "No, not just that. But if he ends up with the girl from the wrong side of the Brooklyn river, if he loses everything, then he's not gonna have much left with you, is he? But if he had someone like me... someone with money and resources and contacts... at least he'll be better off. You should definitely think about how your relationship could hurt Alex in the long run."

From 1.16 "All About My Brother", in the Waldorf Apartment, Jenny looked at Blair, Brooklyn and Thyra. "I lied, and I stole, and I lost the respect of my family. For what?"

"We tried to warn you," Brooklyn told her. "There's a price to pay. We always knew a girl like you couldn't afford it."

From 1.11 "Holiday Hope", in the VDW apartment, When Bart was proposing to Lily, Serena, Eric, Noe, Brooklyn and Dylan looked at them and each other in shock.

Bart opened the box to show the engagement ring. "Lily, would you do me the honor of being my wife?"

From 1.12 "School Lies", in the gallery, Lily looked at Rufus. "He proposed before we left, and I'm going to say yes. Take care, Rufus."

From 1.16 "All About My Brother", in the bridal shop, Lily was trying on the wedding dress, looking ravishing. Rufus was stunned.

Rufus: (voice over from 1.16 All About My Brother) "I'm sure you'll make a beautiful bride."

From 1.18 "Much 'I Do' About Nothing", outside the wedding, Dan and Serena were sitting together.

"I'm not who you thought I was, and you can't forgive that," Serena told him.

"I don't know how to make things go back to what they were," Dan told her.

From 1.18 "Much 'I Do' About Nothing", in the wedding venue, Dylan and Chuck were giving their speech, while there were flashes of Brooklyn/Thyra, Dylan/Wyatt, Blair/Chuck and Noe/Nate dancing and sharing passionate kisses during their dances, and Hope/Alex and Dan/Serena dancing without kissing.

Dylan: (voice over from 1.18 Much 'I Do' About Nothing) "In the face of true love, you don't just give up."

Chuck: (voice over from 1.18 Much 'I Do' About Nothing) "Even if the object of your affection is begging you to."

Dylan raised his glass. "And not only is it just me, Chuck, Brooklyn and Dad anymore in this family. Thanks to them, we've become family with Noe, Serena and Eric, even though they already felt like family before." Noe, Serena and Eric smiled small smiles at that. "So, to the happy couple, and our family, twice as big as it was before."

Hope and Alex were talking.

"I know things are different now, Hope," Alex told her. "I don't want to lose you. Because I love you."

Hope smiled sadly. "I love you, too. But knowing that you need to be okay, too... If you lost all that, I wouldn't be able to help you, or help take care of you. And I don't know if can give you what you need or deserve if you lose everything."

"That's what this has been about?" Alex asked. "Hope, even if I lost everything, I would still have you, and that would be all that I need. I don't care about the rest."

"I know that you would give it all up if you had to, Alex, but I just want to make sure that you're happy and you're fine and you're safe, and that you and Nate and Anne are taken care of, too, and I don't know if I would be able to help with that," Hope admitted.

From 1.18 "Much 'I Do' About Nothing", in Hope/Jenny's room, Hope looked at Jenny. "Blair, Wyatt and Thyra got me an internship, and now you've got one too. Alex and I agreed to give each other some space over the summer to figure things out."

"Like if you're still together or not?" Jenny asked.

"Yeah," Hope answered.

From 1.18 "Much 'I Do' About Nothing", in the street, Noe and Serena were walking.

"So you and Nate are officially together?" Serena asked.

"Yeah," Noe answered. "I know that you were keeping Nate away at first after the accident because you were trying to protect me, the same reason why you had everyone keep the secret about what went down between us at the Shepherd wedding, but I remember the wedding now, and I remember how I felt for him, and we're making new memories together, and for the first time in a long time, I'm happy, Serena."

From 1.18 "Much 'I Do' About Nothing", in the Bass Suite, Amelia and Chuck looked at each other flirtatiously. Dylan and Brooklyn returned to find what was taking Chuck so long, seeing what he was doing, completely unsurprised but very annoyed and exasperated, exchanging a look.

Wyatt: (voice over from 1.18 Much 'I Do' About Nothing) "It's Brooklyn and Dylan. Chuck's not coming, they're starting their sibling vacation early."

From 1.18 "Much 'I Do' About Nothing", on the Bass helipad, Blair, Wyatt and Thyra were talking.

Blair read the text, scoffing. "How can I even be surprised, really? Fine. No Basses. Dylan and Brooklyn can deal with Chuck. Wyatt, Thyra, we're going to France."

Blair, Wyatt and Thyra smiled a bit, turning around, walking toward the helicopter.

From 1.18 "Much 'I Do' About Nothing", in the street, Nate and Noe were talking.

Noe shrugged. "You, me, Alex, Serena and Eric are gonna be in the Hamptons, my mom is always gonna be keeping an eye on me and making sure that I'm getting my checkups and meds, and I might as well be locked away again."

Nate chuckled. "Well, don't worry. No one can keep Noe van der Woodsen locked up for long."

They smiled.

THE STORY CONTINUES

(Song Ends)

X•O°X•O

Worlds Colliding (Gossip Girl)

X•O°X•O

Day One

Morning - Hamptons

There was a montage of the Hamptons.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Unlike the rest of us, sex and lies and scandal never take a vacation. Instead, they take the Long Island expressway and head east to the Hamptons. Some would say summer is their busiest season. Think Park Avenue, but with tennis whites and bain de soleil. The players change, but the game remains the same."

X•O°X•O

Van der Woodsen Hamptons House - Noe's Room

Noe was sitting on Nate's lap, facing him, kissing him as they were making out passionately. Nate pushed the shoulder of Noe's shirt down just a little to kiss her shoulder, running his hand up her thigh. "Mm. I've been waiting for this all day."

"Blame my siblings, step siblings and your brother," Noe told him, laughing, kissing him.

Nate kissed Noe's neck. "For denying me this? Absolutely."

Noe smiled, laughing, tilting her head back. Nate kissed down her neck, his hand on the small of her back to pull her closer. Noe held his head, smiling. They continued to make out passionately.

X•O°X•O

Beach

Chuck was sitting in a chair, lounging with three girls. "Girls, you don't know how thankful I am to have finally found a use for geometry in my daily life." The girls smiled, taking off their bikini tops. "Yes."

Dylan and Brooklyn were walking along the beach, in their swimwear, the Bass twins laughing, sobering up a little.

"I hate that Chuck made us miss a little vacation time with Wyatt and Thyra because he decided he didn't want to go with Blair after all," Brooklyn admitted. "It sucks, Dylan."

"It does suck," Dylan agreed. "But Thyra, Wyatt and Blair have been having fun, Brooklyn. And you gotta admit, so have you, me and Chuck. Especially with Serena, Noe, Eric, Nate and Alex."

Brooklyn sighed. "I guess. Yeah, having Serena, Noe and Eric as step siblings is awesome, and having Nate and Alex around is pretty cool too, but doesn't mean that I can't still be pissed at Chuck."

"You're always pissed at something, BB," Dylan told her.

Brooklyn smirked sarcastically. "Thanks, Dyl."

Chuck, Brooklyn and Dylan's phones went off. They checked their phones to see a Gossip Girl blast.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Spotted. Blair and Wyatt Waldorf and Thyra Diamond at Charles de Gaulle homeward bound. What could possibly make Queen B, the Black Diamond and Upper East Side's golden boy abandon their two dads before Labor Day?  We bet Brooklyn and Dylan Bass are part of the reason for W and T, Princess BB and the bi playboy, and that their brother Chuck wants to know."

Brooklyn and Dylan looked at each other happily, knowing that Thyra and Wyatt were coming back soon, laughing lightly.

Serena was walking across the beach alone, looking depressed, before giving a look to Chuck. Chuck raised his glass to Serena. Serena rolled her eyes, walking away toward Brooklyn and Dylan.

Alex, in swim trunks, walked across the sand, stepping into the ocean, looking across the water pensively.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Also Spotted. Chuck, Brooklyn and Dylan Bass on Cooper's Beach, with Serena van der Woodsen and Alex Archibald, while Nate and Noe have been tucked away in their own summer bliss, but Serena and Alex are both alone again, though we hear that things are heating up between Noe and Nate. And where there's smoke, there's usually fire. Though, sadly, Alex and Hope Humphrey are still separated over the summer, and as always, H2A are always sighted solo, while H20 is working her internship at Eleanor Waldorf Designs with little sister Jenny. But wonder what would happen if Serena knew that Humble Hope and Little J's big brother Lonely Boy wasn't so lonely anymore."

(Song Ends)

X•O°X•O

Brooklyn

Library

Dan was making out with a girl. "You know, I--I've been Harris's assistant all summer. How come I don't know you?"

The girl shrugged. "I was at his symposium at the 92nd Street Y in June."

Dan shook his head. "No way. No, if you were there, we would have met."

The girl took Dan's hand and a pen. "How about now, we can meet whenever you want?"

The girl wrote her number on Dan's hand, smiling, walking away.

Harris walked toward Dan. "I had my eye on her."

"I--I don't think she noticed, sir," Dan told him.

"I read from your favorite chapter," Harris told him. "Or did you not notice?"

"Uh, you know, I've heard that chapter so many times, sometimes I think I wrote it myself," Dan told him.

Harris took a drink. "Speaking of, where is that story of yours? You know, the one your internship requires you turn in?"

Dan nodded nervously. "Yeah, it's, uh, it's imminent."

"So is death," Harris replied. "Be more specific."

Dan shook his head. "I--I'm just doing a polish. It's basically done."

"Noah Shapiro at the 'Paris Review' is looking forward to it," Harris told him.

Dan smiled. "And calling him was an amazing thing to do for me. Really, thank you."

"I told him it would be even better than your piece in the 'New Yorker'," Harris told him. "Don't let me down."

Dan shook his head. "Oh, it'll be on your desk first thing in the morning, sir."

"Why don't you go home and finish now?" Harris asked, walking away.

Another girl walked up to Dan. "Hey."

"Hey," Dan replied.

"Where have you been hiding?" Girl 2 asked. "I thought you asked me to meet you here."

"You know what?" Dan asked. "Unfortunately, I-I-I have to go. Rain check for tomorrow?" He kissed Girl 2 on the cheek. "I'll make it up. I promise."

Dan walked away.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Well, well, well, Lonely Boy. Maybe dating and dumping Serena wasn't such a bad idea. Looks like it's time to give you a new nickname. Too bad Dylan Bass has already got the bi playboy, or we'd call you playboy."

X•O°X•O

Eleanor Waldorf Designs

Interns like Hope and Jenny were helping with the job, while models were wearing designs that were being fixed.

Laurel walked through the main room. "People, people, I'm worried. Eleanor returns next week, and we are still behind. Now since I have to go to that party this weekend, I won't be around, and therefore, neither will you, so you better get twice as much work done today, or you will regret it."

Hope and Jenny were sitting at their sewing stations to work on designs.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "As for Humble Hope and Little J, looks like this summer has been all work and no play. H20 has certainly poured everything of herself into this internship. Trying to stay busy and not think about Alex, haven't you, Hope?"

After finishing, Hope was putting her design away.

Laurel walked up to Hope. "You can't be finished. There's no way you could possibly be finished." Hope smiled thinly. "Don't you do anything when you leave here, Hope?"

Hope stood. "Actually, not really. All my friends are away, no boyfriend at the moment. So..."

Laurel chuckled.

Jenny stood, walking over to them since it was only a step or two away from her station. "Um, actually, I was hoping I could show you something I've been working on."

Jenny grabbed a garment bag.

"This isn't school," Laurel told her. "I don't look at your work."

Laurel's assistant looked at Jenny and Hope. "I was an intern once, too. It gets better."

Jenny showed a dress to Laurel.

"What is that?" Laurel asked.

"Oh, it's a dress I made for the white party," Jenny answered.

"For the vitamin water party?"  Laurel asked. "Who invited you?" She touched the dress. "Oh, lace? Ugh. It's not even white. It's bone. It's way too big for you. Don't you know how to fit? It's huge."

"Well, it's not actually for me," Jenny admitted. "It's for you. Um, I'm not going to the party, so... Hope has a dress designed, but she wasn't going to bring it because she was worried of what you could say..."

Laurel chuckled sarcastically, nodding. "Oh. Well, Hope's smarter than you. So you thought I might wear some holly hobbie frock made by an intern so that when I get photographed, your work ends up in the W?" Jenny smiled nervously. "If I'm gonna wear a custom anything, it's gonna matter." Jenny looked down, pissed. Hope sighed, but knowing that she couldn't really say anything given that they were both interns and could lose their internship if they said something wrong. Laurel looked between them. "Hope, I hope whatever dress you made is better than the one that Ginny made." Jenny was even more annoyed that she got her name wrong. Laurel handed a box to Jenny. "Since you did so well with repairing the trim on the dead stock, match these up." She looked at Jenny's dress. "Oh, and put that away. Eggshell gives me a migraine."

Laurel walked away.

Hope turned to Jenny. "I'm sorry."

Jenny scoffed.

X•O°X•O

Humphrey Loft - Living Room

Dan was sitting at the table, on his laptop, trying to work on a story that he hadn't even started yet.

Hope and Jenny sat down across from him. Jenny poured the buttons in the box that Laurel had given her over the table. Hope was helping Jenny match the buttons up even though she didn't have to.

"Well, I guess now's as good a time as any to order dinner," Dan told them. "What do you want? Indian?"

Hope shook her head. "Oh, it's too hot for Indian." She smiled. "How about Popsicles? Hey, where's Mom?"

"Oh, she and Alec had tickets to 'South Pacific'," Dan answered. He watched Hope and Jenny match up the buttons. "What is that, more homework?"

They didn't answer.

"Finish your story yet?" Jenny asked.

"Almost," Dan lied.

"Good," Jenny told him. "I'm hoping by reading it that maybe I can figure out why you and Serena, and Hope and Alex broke up anyway."

"I thought Hope told you why," Dan told her.

"She mentioned something about a chick named Georgina, but nothing else," Jenny answered.

Dan looked at Hope.

Hope shrugged. "I didn't know what to tell her, so I just said Georgina and that's it."

"Good," Dan told her. "Jenny doesn't need to know."

Jenny rolled her eyes, standing, walking away.

"Hey, I am helping you with these buttons, but I am not doing your homework for you," Hope told her.

Jenny ignored her. Dan smirked, looking at his laptop. The headline read: 5.19.08, but nothing else was written.

Dan stood. "Hope, Jen, I'm gonna head out and get some food. I'll be back in a bit."

Dan left.

X•O°X•O

Van der Woodsen Hamptons House - Chuck's Room

Chuck was looking in the mirror. 

Noe knocked on the doorway. "That's the first time I've seen you look in the mirror all summer. Figured if you did, you'd turn to stone. You must be pretty nervous about something if you're willing to take that risk."

"Ha ha, sis," Chuck told her. Noe looked at the yellow flowers on his bed. "I'm on my way out to Lily Pond. With the triplets returning to Rio, I thought I'd continue my tour of South America. I'm thinking Argentina."

"Then what are the flowers for?" Noe asked. "You wouldn't perhaps have overheard a recent phone call of Brooklyn and Dylan with Thyra and Wyatt, and Serena's with a certain best friend of hers, all of whom mentioned they're on their way out here on the jitney? Brooklyn and Dylan, who are on their way out to meet them and have what no doubt are epic reunions with Thyra and Wyatt."

"What's a jitney?" Chuck asked.

"If that's your way of saying no, then I'm glad to hear it, because Blair will never forgive you for what you did to her," Noe told him. "Ditching her at the heliport and leaving her to go with Thyra and Wyatt? Really?"

"Who told you that little piece of advice?" Chuck asked. "Your boyfriend Nate?"

Noe shook her head. "Nate didn't say anything. Brooklyn, Dylan and Serena did."

"Good thing Nate didn't, 'cause I don't think it's wise taking relationship advice from the guy who slept with his girlfriend's best friend's sister who turned into an amnesiac a year later," Chuck told her. "Call me crazy."

"Okay, Nate and I were drunk that night, and at least Nate did wait for me to remember what I felt for him," Noe replied. "It's this thing called waiting for the person you love."

Chuck walked to the bed, grabbing the flowers, turning to Noe. "Enjoy another night trying to remember most of your thoughts from way back when, Nevaeh."

Noe turned to face him as he walked out of the door. "Good luck on your suicide mission."

X•O°X•O

Night - Street

(Song:) Fell In Love Without You - Motion City Soundtrack

On the road, Brooklyn and Dylan were driven out to the jitney stop. Chuck was close behind in his own ride.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Spotted. Brooklyn, Dylan and Chuck Bass waiting for the jitney, for Thyra Diamond and Wyatt and Blair Waldorf, dozen roses in one hand, hearts in the other."

Brooklyn and Dylan were waiting anxiously, excitedly outside the jitney stop. Chuck walked closer from behind them, keeping his distance. They watched as Blair, Thyra and Wyatt stepped off the jitney.

Thyra and Wyatt saw Brooklyn and Dylan, the two couples smiling at each other.

Thyra and Brooklyn ran to each other, embracing, laughing, pulling away to look at each other, holding each other still as they were smiling and overjoyed to be reunited, sharing a passionate kiss.

Dylan and Wyatt walked closer to each other, beaming smiles as they were overwhelmed with happiness to be reunited, embracing, pulling away, laughing lightly. Wyatt grabbed Dylan by the back of the head, but they met halfway in a passionate kiss.

Blair watched Thyra and Wyatt reunite with Brooklyn and Dylan with a smile, knowing that they were happier than ever and completely right with the twins. She looked behind them to see Chuck, no longer smiling. A man named Marcus, pretending to be named James, stepped off the jitney behind Blair with their bags.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "You know what they say. Your loves are a good thing to come home for, but an even better thing to come home with."

Blair embraced Marcus, kissing him. Chuck looked heartbroken.

Thyra and Wyatt looked annoyed because they knew it was just a show for Chuck. Brooklyn and Dylan looked surprised and confused.

Marcus walked away. Blair looked at Chuck, smirking smugly, raising her eyebrows. Chuck turned to walk away. Blair watched him go, satisfied.

 Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Ain't karma a bitch? We know Blair Waldorf is."

(Song Ends)

X•O°X•O

X•O°X•O

Day Two

Morning - Hamptons

(Song:) Crazy - Jem

There was a montage of the Hamptons.

X•O°X•O

Van der Woodsen Hamptons House - Outside

Wyatt, Dylan, Brooklyn and Thyra were standing by the pool, in swimwear.

Wyatt stood at the edge of the pool, and when Dylan pushed him in, he gave a slight yell as he landed in the pool with a splash. "Oh, my God, what the hell, Dylan?"

Dylan laughed, jumping into the pool with a large splash. "Sorry, Wyatt. Couldn't resist."

Brooklyn pushed Thyra lightly into the pool too, who gave a little scream. "Looks like Dylan's not the only one who couldn't help himself, Thyra."

Thyra smiled, shaking her head. "Come and get it, Brooklyn."

Brooklyn smiled. "With pleasure."

Brooklyn jumped into the pool.

Wyatt/Dylan and Brooklyn/Thyra continued to laugh and have fun together as couples, the two couples embracing and kissing and splashing each other, all four of them playing around.

Serena, Blair and Noe were sitting on lounge chairs nearby, in swimwear, watching the two couples have fun in the pool, smiling, shaking their heads, happy for them .

Blair looked at Serena. "You didn't do anything all summer? Please don't tell me you just sat around watching 'The Closer' and eating takeout from Nick and Toni's."

"No," Serena answered. "Della Femina."

Blair rolled her eyes. "What about you, Noe? What about all those rumors I heard about you and Nate?"

"Some are true, some aren't," Noe answered.

"Well, at least one van der Woodsen sister was having fun," Blair told her. "You two are telling me that Serena didn't have any fun with anyone all summer?"

Serena smiled sheepishly. "Oh, there was this hot lifeguard that asked me out."

Noe gave her a look. "Yeah, but you turned him down."

Serena nodded in acknowledgement.

"What, are you crazy?" Blair asked. "A hot lifeguard is like Kleenex. Use once and throw away. You couldn't ask for a better rebound."

"I don't think I'm ready," Serena told them. "I--I still miss Dan sometimes. More than sometimes. All the time."

"The only thing lamer than dating Dan Humphrey is mourning Dan Humphrey," Blair told her. "Alex has an excuse to date Hope Humphrey and mourn Hope Humphrey, because she's actually a lot better than her brother and sister. She's not judgy, she's kinda fun, she actually likes to be there for people like us, and she's not a social climbing backstabber. Me, Noe, Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan, Wyatt, Nate and Chuck actually like Hope, compared to her siblings, but it's obvious how you and Alex feel about them. And the only reason you two are still sitting shivah is because you haven't gotten back out there and had your summer flings."

Chuck walked by on his phone. "Yeah, the triplets Esquerda'd, but not before teaching me some Portuguese tongue twisters. I'll see you."

Wanting to make Chuck jealous, Blair looked at Noe and Serena. "James is the classiest guy I've ever met, you know?"

"James?" Serena repeated. "As in James Baizen? Carter's brother?"

"No, James, as in my guy from France," Blair answered. "Forget about the Baizens. My James drinks gin martinis, and he speaks six languages, and he gave me this amazing Bulgari pearl choker with a gold 'B' clasp on it."

"Wait, I thought your dad gave you that," Noe told her.

Wyatt, Dylan, Brooklyn and Thyra got out of the pool, walking closer.

"Who's James?" Dylan asked. "You're not talking about James Baizen, are you?"

Blair sighed, a little annoyed because her plan to make Chuck jealous wasn't working. "Not James Baizen, kids. My James."

Brooklyn took the hint, laughing. "Oh, my God, B. He sounds amazing. Thyra and Wyatt didn't even mention this James. Who is not James Baizen."

Blair smiled, tilting her head back against her chair. "Oh, I know. He swept me off my feet. He's so charming. Plus he tells the best stories."

"You're lying," Chuck called her out.

Blair looked up. "I am not."

"Your eyes are doing that thing where they don't match your mouth," Chuck told her.

"I wasn't aware that robots got jealous," Wyatt told him. "Did they update your software while we were away?"

Chuck smirked sarcastically. "Come on, Wyatt. We all know this guy's just a prop Blair bought to try to hurt me like I hurt her."

"You didn't hurt me," Blair denied. Chuck raised his eyebrows skeptically. Blair looked at Serena, Noe, Wyatt, Dylan, Brooklyn and Thyra, who all looked awkward. "Well, I will admit, realizing that you stood me up at the helipad were mildly humiliating, but when Brooklyn and Dylan texted Thyra and Wyatt to tell us that you weren't gonna show, I rallied. Luckily, I made a friend on the trip over."

"Boring Ben, our dad's ex employee?" Dylan asked. "By the way, Chuck had him fired just for you."

"Well, I owe him everything," Blair told them. "He introduced me to James. You know, I think he might be the one."

"Prove it," Chuck told her.

Thyra rolled her eyes. "She doesn't have to prove anything. You're the one that hurt Blair, Chuck."

Blair smirked. "But if you want to get to know James better, I'll bring him to dinner tonight. I'll bet you'll like him just as much as I do."

"Oh, and if by that you mean I won't like him at all, then you're right," Chuck told her. "I'll see you at 7:00."

Chuck walked away.

Noe looked at Serena, speaking up to break the tension. "Now how about we go find that lifeguard? But we have to stop at Nate and Alex's first. Nate has something of mine that I need."

Dylan smirked. "I'm sure he does, Noe. Probably don't want Serena and Alex near the house though when you go get it."

Noe smirked sarcastically. "Bite me, Dylan."

Dylan shook his head. "No, Nate's got that covered."

Noe tossed ice at Dylan, causing them all to laugh.

(Song Ends)

X•O°X•O

On the Road

Rufus was in his tour bus as it drove down the road, on the phone.

Jenny's voice was on the other line. "Hey. How's Vermont?"

"Great," Rufus answered. "Vanessa and her parents were at last night's gig." Jenny was in her and Hope's room, making a white dress. "I didn't even know she was up here. When I asked her how Dan was doing, she didn't answer. I had hoped maybe that she could help him get over Serena this summer. Wish someone could help Hope get over Alex, too."

"I'm pretty sure Hope doesn't want to get over Alex because maybe she wants to get back together with him, and I don't think Dan needs any help in that department, and I think Vanessa noticed," Jenny told him.

"Is he still dating up a storm?" Rufus asked.

Jenny walked into the living room, sitting down. "Well, if you call a different girl every night dating."

"And Hope's still throwing herself into her work?" Rufus asked.

"Yeah, it's all she does anymore," Jenny answered. "She's 16 and already turning into a work-aholic. Kind of freaking me out. I'm a little worried about them, Dad."

"Are they there?" Rufus asked.

"They're still sleeping," Jenny answered. "Hope was up all night working on things for the internship, and working on her white dress, and Dan was out pretty late last night."

"Have them call me when they wake up," Rufus told her.  "Hey, you know, you haven't told me how your dress went over."

"Yeah, it's over," Jenny told him. "Uh, Laurel doesn't want to wear it to the party."

"Well, why don't you wear it?" Rufus asked. "And Hope's got her own white dress that she can wear to the party too."

Jenny scoffed a laugh. "Dad, as nice as it is that you're encouraging me and Hope to get our designs out there, the white party's, like, super exclusive. I mean, summer interns do not get to go. Last year, they even turned away Jack Johnson."

"Sounds like a party with taste," Rufus told her. "Also sounds like the kind of party the van der Woodsens would go to. Have you asked Noe or Eric about it?"

Jenny went back to work on her dress. "Yeah, that might be a little awkward, considering the last conversations we had. I sort of said some things I shouldn't have. Hope can ask Noe and Eric, but she hasn't asked them, so I don't know. You know, maybe I should have just come with you this summer. Eleanor's been in Paris for like the entire time, and Laurel's been so worried about everything. What if it was a waste?"

Rufus sat down. "It's not a waste if there's time to change it. Maybe you should start with Noe and Eric and then go from there."

Jenny nodded. "Thanks, Dad. See you Sunday?"

"You know it," Rufus answered.

Jenny smiled. "Okay, bye."

They hung up.

X•O°X•O

Bar

Harris was sitting at the bar.

Dan walked in.

"Not today, kid," the bartender told him.

"It's all right, Joe," Harris told him. "He's with me."

Dan walked over to Harris. "I'm sorry to interrupt you while you're working."

"You wouldn't be interrupting if you'd shown up on time," Harris told him. "Something tells me you're here empty handed."

Dan nodded. "All I need is, uh, one--one more day."

"What, the last 60 weren't good enough?" Harris asked.

Dan chuckled, about to sit down. "I'm sorry, sir, but I--I--"

"Don't sit," Harris told him. "You're not staying. You told me you were serious about writing."

Dan sighed. "I--I know. I tried to write. I did. But every time I sat down, it's just, there was something in the way. I couldn't focus."

Harris shook his head. "Excuses are for the unemployed, of which you are now one. If you won't do your homework, then neither will I. You'll get no letter of recommendation from me."

"W--working for you is very important to me," Dan told him.

"And yet, your actions have illustrated only the opposite," Harris replied. "Drop my spare key in the mail. That I'm sure you have time to do."

Dan sighed, walking out of the bar.

X•O°X•O

Humphrey Loft - Hope/Jenny's Room

Hope was working on her white dress, getting frustrated. "Why am I even making this for?"

Hope turned away, her gaze landing on a picture of her and Alex at cotillion the year before, quite obviously missing him and wanting to see him again, and suddenly realizing why she was making this dress, turning to look at the dress, considering her options and what she could have done, getting back to work on finishing the dress, with more determination this time.

X•O°X•O

Hamptons Beach

Eric was walking along the beach on his own. His phone started to ring. He pulled it out, looking to see that it was Jenny calling, answering. "If it's apology time, you're about three months late."

Jenny was at home. "Eric, wait."

"And let me guess," Eric told her. "You want something."

Jenny chuckled nervously. "Yeah, you're right. Um, does it help that the new me just answered that honestly?"

"Not really," Eric answered.

Jenny sighed. "Look, I know I acted like a complete and total raging bitch last year. But what you don't know is how bad I felt about it all summer. You and Noe were the only people that were friends with me for me, and I hurt you the worst."

Eric sighed. "Well, you did get yours in the end. And since it's not like I have many friends myself, I guess I could use every lying, manipulating, backstabbing one I can get." Jenny smiled. "What'd you have in mind?"

Jenny chuckled. "Well, do you happen to be in the Hamptons right now?"

 X•O°X•O

Archibald Hamptons House - Living Room

Noe and Serena were sitting downstairs.

Hearing a honk outside, Alex and Nate walked into the room.

Alex sighed. "Ooh. A honk instead of a knock. Did someone order a townie?"

Serena looked out the window. "Oh, God. The lifeguard's got a Camaro, and not in an ironic 'I've got a Camaro' way."

Noe stood, facing Serena. "Just go already."

Serena and Noe embraced.

Nate chuckled. "Rebound time, huh?"

Serena and Noe pulled away, looking at Nate and Alex.

Alex shrugged. "Well, then, good luck getting over Dan, Serena."

"Mm, you too, Alex, if you're trying to get over Hope," Serena agreed.

"Not sure if I am trying to get over Hope," Alex admitted. "But thanks."

Nate walked over to Noe, as they reached for each other's hands. "You ready to go?"

"Oh, yeah," Noe answered.

"Have fun, you guys," Alex told them. "But not too much fun."

"As opposed to you having no fun this summer, Alex?" Nate asked.

Alex smirked sarcastically. "Hilarious, Nate."

They chuckled.

X•O°X•O

Street

(Song:) Break It Down - Alana D

Nate and Noe were walking together down the street.

Noe smiled, looking around with a sigh. "Oh, God, I wish this summer wasn't ending. I forgot how much fun it is."

"Don't you have to go to that dinner tonight?" Nate asked.

"What, with Chuck, Brooklyn, Dylan, my grandmother, Eric, Blair, Thyra, Wyatt and Blair's new boyfriend James?" Noe asked.

"James Baizen?" Nate asked.

Noe shook her head. "That's what Serena, Brooklyn, Dylan, Chuck and I thought, but according to Blair, Wyatt and Thyra, no. Not James Baizen. And anyway, why would I go to a dinner like that? The only names on that list that don't give me a very hard time anymore are... drum roll please... Brooklyn, Dylan, Wyatt, Thyra and Eric." Nate chuckled. "I mean, Blair and Chuck are... Blair and Chuck."

"Yeah," Nate agreed in amusement.

"And after what my grandmother pulled at cotillion, using James Baizen's brother Carter to make me remember more... or trying to at least and making me freak out..." Noe trailed off, shaking her head. "I just don't really need any of the drama right now."

"Drama, with that circle of people?" Nate asked sarcastically. "Never would've guessed. Especially with Blair, Chuck, Dylan, Wyatt, Brooklyn and Thyra."

Noe smirked. "Ha ha."

"And James Baizen used to be tight with me, Chuck and Alex, and he did party with us, and gave Thyra, Brooklyn and Dylan their first drinks and joints," Nate explained. "But after what happened with Carter, and since it's been forever since we've seen or heard from James, just not sure about the Baizen brothers anymore."

"Well, Serena did say that James got me and Carter out of trouble before, so not sure what trouble we got into, but if James has a track record of getting Carter out of trouble, and me sometimes, or once, or whatever, can't be that bad," Noe told him.

They chuckled.

"Well, anything else you want to do tonight, since you don't want to go to dinner?" Nate asked. Noe pursed her lips, looking toward him. "Uh-oh. I don't like that look. Whenever you get that look, you get a very bad idea, and all of us end up getting in trouble."

Noe smiled, taking Nate's hands to pull him closer. Noe and Nate faced each other, kissing passionately.

Alex was walking along, seeing Nate and Noe kissing in the street, smirking in amusement, not surprised, shaking his head. He stopped when he saw a woman watching Nate and Noe from across the way, looking at her curiously in confusion, wary. The woman, Catherine, noticed Alex noticed her.

(Song Ends)

X•O°X•O

Van der Woodsen Hamptons House - Outside

Blair, Chuck, Wyatt, Dylan, Brooklyn and Thyra were at the dinner with Marcus/James, CeCe and Eric.

Chuck poured some drinks. "So, James, did you have a chance to meet Harold, and, uh... what is his boyfriend's name again?"

"Uh, Roman," Marcus answered. "Only briefly at the Chateau. Although Cat didn't seem to like me nearly as much." CeCe chuckled. "I have the scars to prove it."

"Well, you certainly have crammed an awful lot into such a short time together," Chuck told them. "I wonder, has Blair had a chance to share her favorite movies with you yet? 'Tiffany's', 'Roman Holiday', and of course, 'Charade'."

Chuck sat down.

Marcus looked at Blair. "Oh, I thought your third favorite was 'Funny Face'."

"It is," Blair told him. "I hate 'Charade'. Chuck, stop harassing him."

"Yeah, uh, 'how well do you know Blair Waldorf?' is kinda boring for those of us who actually know Blair Waldorf," Eric told them. "Right, Wyatt?"

Wyatt shrugged. "Yeah."

"Not to mention transparent," CeCe told them.

"Well, thank you, Grandma," Chuck told her sarcastically.

"Why is it when you say that word, it sounds like an insult?" CeCe asked. "Funny, it doesn't sound like an insult coming from Brooklyn and Dylan."

Brooklyn and Dylan smiled.

"Thank you, Grandma," Brooklyn told her.

Dylan looked at Chuck smugly, smirking, raising his eyebrows. "See?"

"Can we stop talking about this?" Thyra asked.

"No, no, I--I don't mind," Marcus told them. "I would like to learn as much as I can about Blair, and there's no better way to learn than through a quiz."

"Well, it's a shame you guys took a bus and not a limo," Chuck told them. "I don't know if you know this, but Blair loves a limo--"

Brooklyn and Dylan were annoyed with their brother's antics. "Chuck!"

Also annoyed with Chuck but thankful for the twins stepping it, Blair looked at Marcus. "Sweetie, will you please pass me the salt and pepper?"

Marcus reached out to grab the salt and pepper, revealing Blair's heart pin on his sleeve, exposing it directly to Chuck. Chuck looked shocked, while Blair watched his reaction.

"Uh, excuse me," Chuck told them. "I think I just lost my appetite."

Chuck stood, walking away.

"Will you excuse me?" Blair asked, standing, following.

"Well, that's not awkward at all," Thyra told them sarcastically, taking a bite of food.

Wyatt chuckled. "Right."

Blair followed Chuck into the yard. "Chuck."

Chuck turned to face her, stepping closer. "Look, I know what that pin means to you. You gave it to Nate the first time you said you loved him."

"Well, I asked for it back," Blair told him. "I thought James should have it now."

"Do you, uh, really feel the same way about him as you did Nate?" Chuck asked.

"I do," Blair lied.

Chuck tried not to show a hurt reaction. "I'll see you at school."

Chuck walked away.

Blair turned to watch him go, tears in her eyes, trying not to cry. She walked up to the others at the table, returning to her seat, grabbing Marcus's arm to remove her pin from his sweater sleeve. "Oh, my goodness. My pin must have gotten caught on your sweater by mistake."

Marcus looked curious. "Oh, wow. I didn't feel anything."

Blair sat down to eat. "Neither did I."

Realizing what Blair did, Thyra and Wyatt gave her a look, while Brooklyn and Dylan rolled their eyes.

X•O°X•O

Street

Nate and Noe were walking along, laughing and having fun, oblivious to Catherine watching them.

Alex walked up behind Catherine, surprising her. "Hey. What are you doing watching my brother and his girlfriend?"

Catherine jumped, turning to face him. Alex raised his eyebrows.

X•O°X•O

X•O°X•O

Alex looked at Catherine. "You're not very good at watching people, are you? At least not discreetly. This is like the third time I've seen you watching Nate and Noe."

Catherine shook her head unconvincingly. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I live in this area, and if you've seen me in this area, that's coincidence."

"Yeah, and what about at the beach or in town?" Alex asked. "What are you doing watching my brother and his girlfriend?"

Catherine feigned surprise. "He's your brother?"

Alex looked at her in annoyance. "Enough. You've been watching us enough to know that we're brothers, and definitely to know that Noe is Nate's girlfriend, so what the hell?"

Catherine took in Alex's male model like appearance, stepping closer. "Maybe I was just curious and intrigued by the looks of your brother. And your looks as well. How old are you?"

"Young enough to get your ass thrown in jail if you try anything," Alex answered. "I don't care if you like Nate, or if you're obsessed with him, or whatever, but he's with Noe, and we're both too young for you, so how about you just stop now?"

"Who says it's just Nate I'm interested in?" Catherine asked.

"I'd say that you're just trying to flirt with me to make me believe that you're not obsessed with my brother, and that's not working," Alex told her. "Either way, Nate has a girlfriend, and so do I, so back off."

"Really?" Catherine asked. "I haven't seen you with anyone."

Alex gave Catherine a look that proved his point that she had been watching them. Catherine pressed her lips together, realizing that he tricked her into admitting it without as many words.

"Whatever game you're playing, leave us out of it," Alex told her. "We're both taken. I know you don't like me nearly as much as you're obsessed with Nate and Noe, but leave them and me be."

Alex started walking away.

Catherine turned after him. "So I guess that means Nate and Noe will be at the white party, and you will be with... whatever girl you're with."

Catherine clearly didn't believe that Alex had a girlfriend.

Alex turned to face her, weirded out, but nodded in a lie to convince her. "Yeah. We will be. Goodbye. Hope that I won't see you watching us again."

Alex walked away. Catherine smirked in amusement.

X•O°X•O

Day Three

Morning - Sidewalk

Brooklyn, Thyra, Blair, Noe and Serena were walking together.

Blair rolled her eyes. "Damn that mother-Chucker. Ugh, he--he's totally right. I don't even like James."

"Thank you," Brooklyn told her. "I was waiting for that."

"Blair only hooked up with him a week ago," Thyra explained. "She told me and Wyatt that she didn't want to get home without a guy. That it would kill her if Chuck knew that he'd ruined her summer."

"Oh, B, I'm so sorry," Serena told her. "Was it really bad?"

"Well, Thyra and Wyatt were okay, besides missing Dylan and Brooklyn, but I would be in my cabana at the Hotel du Cap, and there he would be," Blair told them. "Amid all the fireworks on Bastille Day, all I could see was that Chuck Bass-tard."

"So you, Wyatt and Thyra really missed Chuck, Dylan and Brooklyn," Noe told her. "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing's wrong with that," Brooklyn answered, smirking smugly. "Well, for Blair and Chuck, maybe, but I'm glad to hear that you missed me, Thyra, and I'm sure Dylan would be thrilled to hear that from Wyatt, too."

Thyra smirked at her teasing. "Don't get too full of yourself, Brooklyn. Then again, you Basses are always full of yourselves, just ask Dylan and Chuck, the bi playboy and plain playboy. Or Princess BB."

Brooklyn smirked. "You know it, Black Diamond."

Brooklyn and Thyra walked arm in arm, causing Blair, Serena and Noe to smile slightly.

X•O°X•O

Another Street

Chuck, Dylan, Wyatt, Nate and Alex were walking together.

"The limo's taking me back in an hour," Chuck explained. "You're welcome to join me."

"Chuck, you're not going to the white party?" Dylan asked. "Come on, pretty girls, white dresses."

"Unless there's a sprinkler, I don't care," Chuck told them. "Besides, it's tourist season in the city. Easy pickings."

Wyatt nodded sarcastically. "Okay. And you sure that's not the only reason that you don't wanna go. Like Blair and James?"

Chuck sighed. "Okay, and I don't want Blair throwing her callboy in my face."

"Right," Alex said in amusement. 

"What about you, Alex?" Nate asked. "I thought you were planning on ditching out on the white party since you didn't want to go with anyone."

"Well, I was," Alex agreed. "But I don't know anymore, Nate. Maybe I'll go."

"Good," Dylan told him. "You should go. Just because you're no longer dating Hope Humphrey does not mean that dating life is over for Alex Archibald."

Wyatt chuckled in amusement. "Not everyone is a playboy like you and Chuck, Dylan. Or a playgirl like Brooklyn. You Basses, I swear. I don't know how me, Thyra and Blair put up with it."

"Well, me and Brooklyn stopped being that way for you and Thyra, so I don't know what you're getting at, Wyatt," Dylan replied.

Wyatt and Dylan smiled, causing Chuck, Nate and Alex to smirk in amusement.

X•O°X•O

Street 1 (Girls)

The girls were walking along.

"At least I could have gotten a more interesting stand in than James," Blair told them. "You know how hard it is to find a good fake boyfriend on short notice?"

Brooklyn chuckled. "Well, he was smart and fun at tea yesterday, and he's really cute, too."

"You don't have to lie anymore, Brooklyn," Thyra told her. "He served his purpose."

Blair chuckled. "Now that Chuck is on his way back to the city, I can dump James just in time to go to the white party stag."

"Noe, how was things with Nate yesterday?" Thyra asked. "Alex have any interesting conquests?"

"Alex, no," Noe answered. "He's not over Hope, just like Serena's not over Dan. And I had fun with Nate yesterday."

Brooklyn gave Serena a look. "At least someone can have fun in the summer."

Serena smiled sarcastically. "Very funny, Brooklyn."

Noe laughed.

Brooklyn smirked. "Noe and Nate are doing good, and so are me, Thyra, Dylan and Wyatt. Alex and you can't get over Hope and Dan. The Blair/Chuck/James drama. But what about your date, Serena?"

"After a few hours with that guy, I needed life saving, not guarding," Serena told them.

"Baby steps, ma cheri," Blair told her. "Baby steps."

X•O°X•O

Street 2 (boys)

The boys were walking together.

"By the way, Alex, now that the summer's over, are you gonna go back to moping over Hope in person or finally get over her and move on with an Upper East Side chick?" Chuck asked. "Nate's doing good with Noe, Archibald. What do you think Nathaniel? Time for Alexander to move on, like you've clearly moved past friendship with Nevaeh."

Nate chuckled. "I think that that should be up to Alex."

"And I'm not moping, by the way," Alex told them. "I'm just not with anyone new."

"Yeah, it's not like Alex was always at his and Nate's house," Dylan agreed. "He was out and about at the beach a lot. Alone."

"So what if he was alone?" Wyatt asked. "Alex doesn't need to be with someone like Nate and Noe, or Brooklyn and Thyra, Blair and James, or you and me, Dylan. Or hooking up like Chuck and Dan. And neither do Serena and Hope."

"Thank you, Wyatt," Alex told him. "Maybe that'll shut Chuck and Dylan up."

Nate chuckled. "You know nothing can shut Chuck and Dylan up, Alex."

Chuck and Dylan smirked.

The girls walked around the corner in front of them, running right into the boys, the NJBC reunited in full.

"Good morning, girls," Dylan told them.

"Look at this," Brooklyn told them in amusement. "The gang's all here."

"Yep," Thyra agreed. "What did Wyatt call us?"

"The Non Judging Breakfast Club," Wyatt answered.

"Should probably just say NJBC for short," Serena told them.

They all smiled in agreement.

Thyra went to hug Nate and Alex instantly. "Nate. Alex."

Nate and Alex smiled, returning the embrace. "Hey, Thyra."

"I missed you guys," Thyra told them.

"We missed you too," Nate agreed.

The others smiled.

"Alex, what did you want to talk to me and Nate about?" Noe asked.

"I can't talk about that here," Alex told them.

"Talk about what?" Nate asked.

Walking along, Blair and Chuck stood behind everyone.

"So where's Princeton?" Chuck asked. "I'm surprised you let him get away."

"James goes to Georgetown, and unlike you, I don't lose something if I let it out of my sight," Blair replied.

"I don't know where you've been, but your boy toy is a Princeton man," Chuck told her. "He and I talked about it while you played dress up with Serena, Nevaeh, Thyra and Brooklyn last night."

Alex looked at Nate and Noe, putting on a wary smile. "So what did you two do last night? See anything interesting?"

"Yeah, tell us all about it," Brooklyn told them teasingly. "Can't get enough of Nate and Noe."

"You guys seriously wanna hear about us?" Noe asked in amusement.

"Well, hearing what happened with you and Nate last night is probably a lot more interesting than the dinner that me, Wyatt, Brooklyn and Thyra had with Blair, Chuck, Eric, James and CeCe, Noe," Dylan pointed out.

Wyatt nodded. "Yeah, things got awkward last night. Then again, things always get awkward or intense or both when it involves Blair and Chuck, and me, Brooklyn, Thyra and Dylan having to deal with their drama."

Serena smiled in amusement. "Yeah, you're probably right, Wyatt."

"You misheard, Chuck," Blair told him. "He's always going on and on about his crew division and his eating club. It's Georgetown all the way."

Chuck gave her a look. "I know he said Princeton."

"Georgetown," Blair told him.

"Princeton," Chuck replied.

"Georgetown," Blair retorted. "Girls, let's go."

Nate frowned in confusion. "Wait, Alex, what was it that you wanted to tell me and Noe?"

Alex sighed. "We can talk about it later."

Blair, Serena, Noe, Brooklyn and Thyra walked away, leaving Chuck, Alex, Nate, Dylan and Wyatt behind.

Chuck had a point to prove, sighing. "Wyatt, Dylan, you were at dinner last night with me, Blair and Eric. What college does James go to?"

"I think he said Princeton," Wyatt answered.

"Yeah, well, that's not what he told Blair," Chuck told them. "Let's do some research. I'm in the mood to be right."

Chuck walked away. Nate, Alex, Dylan and Wyatt exchanged a look, shaking their heads, rolling their eyes, sighing, following Chuck.

X•O°X•O

Humphrey Loft - Living Room

Dan and Hope were talking, eating breakfast, speaking over speakerphone on the home phone.

"I can't believe that I get a job working for my literary idol, and he--and he cans me, you know?" Dan asked. "I did everything he asked from picking up his dry cleaning to keeping him sober before noon, which was, believe me, the hardest thing I've ever done."

"Harder than finishing that story?" Hope asked sarcastically.

Dan shook his head. "I just couldn't write it, Hope. I-I-I don't know why."

Rufus was on the other line of the phone, in his tour bus. "You're talking to a guy who couldn't finish a new song in 12 years. I get it. So what is the story about anyway?"

"The dissolution of two relationships between people from two different worlds," Dan answered.

Hope knew that he was talking about Dan/Serena and Alex/Hope, nodding sarcastically. "Science fiction, huh?"

Dan chuckled. "Yeah."

"Well, if I can offer some fatherly advice from 300 miles away..." Rufus trailed off.

"I--I haven't finished the story because I haven't dealt with my feelings over the way I ended it with Serena," Dan told them.

"And I've been working nonstop to not think about the space that Alex and I said that we would give each other to figure out some things between us, and running myself into the ground with work is just a way of not dealing with what happened with Alex," Hope told them.

Rufus nodded. "Couldn't have said it better myself, even if you two had let me."

Dan sighed. "I've tried not to think about her all summer. I was afraid if I did, that I would--I would see that I made a huge mistake. So I've just been trying to distract myself the best I can."

"Yeah, by sleeping your way through many girls," Hope told him.

"Oh, like you've been doing any better, working nonstop to stop yourself from thinking about Alex to give you two that space you both wanted?" Dan replied.

"Well, you two have been running all summer, even if in different ways," Rufus told them. "Maybe it's time you stopped, and you turned around and faced it."

Hope considered this, more convinced to go with her plan, turning her head to look into her room where her white dress was waiting, pressing her lips together.

X•O°X•O

Van der Woodsen Hamptons House - Outside

Nate, Alex, Chuck, Dylan and Wyatt were outside with Eric.

Eric was playing croquet. "So not only did James Schiller not go to Princeton, he also didn't go to Georgetown. In fact, I couldn't find a record of him at any of the big schools."

"Since when did you become Sherlock Holmes?" Nate asked.

Eric smirked. "So you think James is--"

"An untalented Mr. Ripley?" Wyatt finished. "I already told you guys that he is in fact pretending to be Blair's boyfriend. We and Thyra met him a week ago."

"Thyra and Brooklyn are gonna have to stop Blair from killing you from telling us that, too, Wyatt," Dylan told him.

Wyatt shrugged. "I'll deal with it. Got you with me, Dylan."

The others smirked.

"If you want entree to the upper class, there's no easier mark than a wronged woman," Chuck told them. "It's time to call in the big guns." He walked away, making a call. "Mike, I need a background check on a James Schiller."

Eric looked stunned. "He's got a PI on speed dial?"

"Yeah, so do Brooklyn and Dylan," Alex answered.

Dylan smirked. "Yeah, a couple, actually."

Serena walked outside. "Alex."

Eric pointed at Serena. "I know that face. That face is not your friend."

"Bye," Dylan told them. "Good luck, Alex."

Wyatt, Dylan, Nate and Eric walked away.

Serena walked up to Alex. "My grandmother just informed me I'm gonna be your date to the white party this evening?" Alex sighed. "What's going on?"

X•O°X•O

Park 

Blair and Marcus were walking together, pushing bikes along.

"James..." Blair trailed off. "The past six days have been exactly what I needed them to be."

"Me too," Marcus agreed. "And there's something I've..."

"Me first," Blair told him. Her phone rang. "Sorry."

Blair checked her phone, reading a text from Chuck:

Looks like I'll be seeing you and 'Princeton' at the white party after all...

Annoyed, Blair put her phone away.

"Oh, what is it?" Marcus asked. "What did you want to say?"

Blair smiled. "I just wanted to ask if you'd like to come to the white party with me tonight."

"Sure," Marcus answered. "That--that'd be great."

X•O°X•O

Trail

Alex and Serena were walking together.

Alex looked around, exhaling. "Look, I saw this chick spying on Nate and Noe, and I confronted her about it because it wasn't the first time. And once I did, she came onto me pretty hard, and I told her I had a girlfriend and that I would be with her at the white party, but I didn't have anyone, so CeCe wanted to set you up with me. Don't take it up with me, take it up with your grandmother."

Alex walked away.

Serena frowned in confusion, following him. "This woman was spying on Nate and Noe and then turned her attention to you when you confronted her about it? That's what you wanted to talk to Nate and Noe about earlier?"

"Yeah, but I didn't know how to tell them, especially Noe because I didn't know how she could react to this, given the damage from the accident," Alex answered.

Serena considered this, nodding. "Okay, good, don't tell her yet. At least not until we know what's going on, because I don't want Noe to worry, and I don't want to make things worse. She's finally getting back to normal, and I don't want anything to ruin that. So because of this girl, you need a cover because you said that you would have a girlfriend at the white party."

"Yeah," Alex agreed. "I know it's a lot to ask, Serena, but..."

"So you're going to get this woman off your back and off of Nate and Noe's, when she seems to have an obsession, so this could be stupid and potentially dangerous, Alex," Serena told him. "But since I've been stupid and dangerous in the past, I... I'm not one to talk, am I?" They faced each other. "It--it was probably gonna be an uneventful evening anyway." Alex chuckled. "Okay, fine. Just to get her off your back and Nate and Noe's. For your brother and my sister."

Alex nodded in agreement. "For Nate and Noe."

"Who is she, anyway?" Serena asked.

"I don't know," Alex admitted. "All I know is a name. Catherine."

"Pick me up at 5:00," Serena told him, giving Alex a slug in the chest.

They both smiled as Serena walked away.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Sometimes the stars align for two old friends to come together."

X•O°X•O

Bus Stop

Dan and Hope were getting off the bus.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "But sometimes they align for four old flames to totally combust."

Hope walked alone down the street to take in her surroundings of Hamptons.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Wonder what the sky holds for S, Lonely Boy, Alex and Hope tonight. Friendships or fireworks?"

X•O°X•O

X•O°X•O

Hope was walking down the street, looking around.

Brooklyn and Thyra walked around a corner, laughing together.

Hope heard them, turning to look at them. "Thyra? Brooklyn?"

Brooklyn and Thyra stopped when they saw her in surprise. "Hope?"

Hope smiled nervously. "Hey. Didn't expect to see you guys so soon."

"Hey," Brooklyn told her. "What are you doing here?"

Hope was so nervous she started to ramble again. "Um, since Eleanor's been in Paris for practically the whole summer, us summer interns have been having to answer to Laurel, and Jen wanted Laurel to wear one of her dresses to the white party for fashion, though she said no, and then I was making this white dress..." She gestured to the garment bag over her shoulder. "In this garment bag right here, in there, and I didn't know what I was making it for, until I realized yesterday because I was looking at a picture of me and Alex, and then this morning, when Dan and I were on the phone with our dad and our dad told us that we had been running all summer and that we needed to stop running and face our problems head on, so I decided to say 'screw fashion' and come here for the real reason why I wanted to come here, and...."

Brooklyn and Thyra smirked in amusement at her rambling.

 Thyra reached out to touch her shoulder to stop her. "Hope. If you came all this way to go to the white party for Alex, just say so."

Hope nodded nervously, licking her lips. "I came all this way to go to the white party for Alex. But I don't have an invitation. I just have this dress, and I am so not gonna be able to get ready in time."

Brooklyn chuckled. "Well, luckily for you, each attendee gets a plus one. And Thyra and I were about to go meet up with Dylan and Wyatt to go get ready. Would you like to come with us? We might be able to help you with your Alex situation, Hope."

Hope smiled. "You would? I mean, you don't have to. I don't want to be a burden or anything, or--" In a surprising show of restraint, Hope stopped another rant before it could go too far, nodding, smiling. "Thank you."

"Come on," Brooklyn told her. "We don't have a lot of time."

X•O°X•O

Waldorf Hamptons House - Living Room

Wyatt and Dylan were dressed in white suits.

"You're looking very snazzy tonight, if I do say so myself, Mr. Waldorf," Dylan told him.

Wyatt smiled. "Well, thanks, Bass. Dylan, don't you think that Brooklyn and Thyra should have been back by now? Blair already left with James, and Chuck, Nate, Noe, Alex and Serena should already be there, too."

"Well, for once, I think you should stop worrying about everyone else, and focus on yourself, Wyatt," Dylan told him. "Brooklyn and Thyra said that they would be back in a few minutes, and then we can go meet up with Blair, Chuck, Nate, Noe, Alex and Serena, and James, if James is even his real name, since we found out that he lied about who he was."

"No, we found out that he lied about where he went to college," Wyatt told him. "James could still be James, we just don't know yet."

"Well, excuse me for not trusting him," Dylan replied.

Brooklyn and Thyra walked in.

"Hey, Dylan," Brooklyn told him. "Wyatt. Look who we found wandering the streets of the Hamptons and taking in the view."

Hope slowly stepped into the room, managing a small smile.

Dylan and Wyatt were both surprised. "Hope."

"Hi, Wyatt," Hope told him. "Dylan. Brooklyn and Thyra said that they would be taking me to the Waldorf Hamptons house, but this is definitely not what I expected. Is Blair here? Or Serena, Noe, Nate, Alex or Chuck? And who's this James you were talking about?"

"No, no one," Wyatt answered. "James is Blair's fake boyfriend. Everyone got him confused with Carter Baizen's brother James, but not that James. Long story. What are you doing here?"

Thyra placed her hand on Hope's shoulder. "Let me answer that so that you don't start rambling again, because we need to hurry for the party." Hope chuckled, nodding. "Hope here came out on a whim with a white dress in hand that she made, realizing that she made it for the white party so that she could see Alex."

Brooklyn nodded in agreement. "Trying to use her internship as a cover because she was embarrassed about coming all the way out here for Alex."

Dylan smirked. "Aw. Hope Humphrey trying to get Alex Archibald back, huh?"

Hope shrugged sheepishly. "Maybe. I don't know. I just grabbed the dress, got on the bus and was here before I knew it. With Dan, by the way."

Brooklyn and Dylan gagged, causing Thyra and Wyatt to laugh, and Hope to give them an amused look.

"Well, how about it, Hope?" Wyatt asked. "I'm guessing Brooklyn and Thyra brought you here because they plan on bringing you to the white party with us and Dylan. For Alex. And I know for a fact that he's gonna be happy about that."

Hope nodded. "Okay. Let's do this."

Brooklyn smiled. "Oh, I like this new shade of confidence in you. Not like the Hope Humphrey that we know, but definitely something we can get used to."

"Come on," Thyra told her with a smile. "Let's get ready."

Dylan chuckled. "Yeah, we don't have all day."

"You can't come this far and not play Upper East Side princess for a day," Wyatt pointed out.

Hope smiled.

Thyra opened the garment bag to see Hope's dress, taking it out, which surprised and impressed her, Brooklyn, Dylan and Wyatt with how good it was. "Oh, my God. Hope, you have a real talent."

Hope laughed lightly. "Yeah?"

"Hell yeah," Brooklyn answered. "Might have to pay you for some outfits."

Hope laughed.

Dylan clapped his hands. "All right. Let's get to work."

Wyatt smiled. "All right."

(Song:) Google Me - Teyana Taylor

There was a montage of Thyra, Brooklyn and Hope getting ready in their dresses for the white party, getting their hair and makeup done very nicely, nails and accessories, to the point where they looked perfect. Dylan and Wyatt offered Brooklyn, Thyra and Hope their arms. Linking their arms together, Dylan, Brooklyn, Thyra, Wyatt and Hope walked out together.

X•O°X•O

White Party

There was a montage of people arriving to the white party. Some of the people were jumping into the pool to swim, wearing white bathing suits, with white pool floaties or blow up balls. Even the alcohol they were drinking was white.

X•O°X•O

Inside

Eric and Jenny walked together toward Noe.

"Hey, thanks again for giving me another chance," Jenny told them.

"Thanks for being worthy of it," Eric replied.

"You know you're on probation, right?" Noe asked.

"Yeah," Jenny answered.

Hope, Dylan, Wyatt, Brooklyn and Thyra walked in.

Jenny, Noe and Eric were surprised to see who was there. "Hope?"

"Yeah, it's me," Hope answered, a little nervous, but mostly at ease, looking around.

Noe walked closer so that she and Hope could embrace. "What are you doing here?"

"Cutting Hope off from having another ramble moment," Brooklyn told them. "Long story short, for Alex."

Jenny smiled. "Yay. I'm so happy for you."

"Hey, Eric," Hope told him.

"Hope," Eric replied as the two shared a hug.

"Jen, did you come all this way for fashion?" Hope asked.

"Yeah, and I figured you would, too," Jenny told her.

"The only thing more important than fashion is getting back the one you love," Thyra told them.

Dylan, Wyatt and Eric rolled their eyes, while Jenny, Hope, Noe, Thyra and Brooklyn smiled.

"Bye, Little J," Brooklyn told her. "Spent enough time around you."

"I'm guessing we'll see Brooklyn and Thyra by the nearest bar?" Noe asked sarcastically.

"Hilarious, sis," Brooklyn told her sarcastically. "But, hey, at least if Hope gets back with Alex, and you are still with Nate, you'll both be dating the Archibald brothers again, Noe."

Dylan smirked. "Hmm, yeah. Later, Eric, girls."

"See you guys," Wyatt told them.

Hope waved. "Bye. Thanks, guys."

"No problem," Dylan told her. 

"Yeah, you're like the only Humphrey we don't mind helping," Wyatt agreed.

Hope smiled. Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan and Wyatt walked away.

Eric looked amused. "Dylan and Wyatt helped you, too? Not just Brooklyn and Thyra?"

"Yeah, they all helped me with getting ready," Hope answered.

"Isn't that the dress you made?" Jenny asked.

"Yep," Hope answered. "Isn't that the dress you made?"

"Yep," Jenny answered.

Noe looked impressed. "You guys made these? They're awesome."

Further away, Laurel was talking with a group of people, stopping when she saw Jenny and Hope with Noe and Eric, looking surprised. Jenny and Hope walked by, smirking slightly.

X•O°X•O

Outside

Alex and Serena were walking through the party, chatting with some people. Nate and Noe walked outside as well.

Catherine was watching them, looking at the group she was with, including her husband. "Will you excuse me for a moment?" She walked by Alex, whispering to him. "You expect me to believe that that's your girlfriend? Not seeing a reason to stop my spy game with your brother, or you."

Catherine walked away.

Alex rolled his eyes, looking at Serena. "Get me drunk?"

Serena led him away. "Absolutely."

(Song Ends)

X•O°X•O

Van der Woodsen Hamptons House - Foyer

CeCe was putting on some jewelry while looking in the mirror, dressed for the white party. She heard a knock on the door, walking toward it, opening it, surprised to see Dan on the other side. "Daniel Humphrey. I can honestly say I'm surprised."

"Is--Is Serena here?" Dan asked. "Hope and I came all this way for her and Alex..."

"Well, I'm not surprised Hope has come here for Alex," CeCe told him. "But Serena is not here. She's gone ahead with Nevaeh and Eric to a party that I'm quite late for myself." She held up her necklace, asking for help. "Uh, could you... please?"

"Oh, oh, yeah," Dan answered. "Sure." They walked inside. Dan closed the door behind him. "Yeah, if you really want me to." He helped CeCe put her necklace on. "There you go."

CeCe turned to face him. "Thank you."

"Oh, you--you seem, uh..." Dan trailed off. "I--I don't know, you seem different."

"Well, certain things are in remission, Mr. Humphrey, not the least of which is my former attitude," CeCe told him. "Going through something like I did changes you. You can see things differently."

"Yeah?" Dan asked. "Like, uh, like what?"

"Like how the keys to someone else's happiness are not necessarily the same ones as for your own," CeCe answered. "Serena thinks she had me fooled this summer, but I know the truth. You are still in her heart. Just as I'm sure that Hope is still in Alex's."

Dan scoffed a bit. "Are--are you sure I'm at the right house?"

CeCe chuckled, grabbing a pamphlet for the white party to show Dan. "This party that you're about to take me to, it has a very strict dress code."

CeCe beckoned for Dan to follow her.

X•O°X•O

White Party

Marcus and Blair were walking through the party.

Marcus was talking about something that clearly bored Blair. "And all of that is to say what I wanted to talk to you about earlier, is that my feelings for you have deepened, and I... I can't help thinking that what I've done is something so terrible, so inappropriate--"

Seeing Chuck, Blair pulled James closer to her, laughing. "You're so funny."

Marcus frowned in confusion. "I'm--I'm sorry?"

Blair put an arm around his neck. "I could just listen to you all day."

"Did--Did I say something funny?" Marcus asked.

Chuck watched in jealousy as Blair kissed Marcus. Marcus turned to see Chuck looking at them, realizing Blair was trying to make him jealous, walking away. Chuck walked away. Blair looked from Chuck to Marcus, following after Marcus.

X•O°X•O

Elsewhere

(Song:) You Make Me Feel - Cobra Starships

Hope and Jenny were standing together, as Hope was looking for Alex.

Jenny looked at a man. "Vitamin water, please."

"What kind would you like?" the man asked.

"Uh, Rescue, please," Hope answered.

Laurel walked by, walking up to Hope and Jenny. "Make that three."

The man started to get them their drinks. "You got it."

"So, Ginny, Hope..." Laurel trailed off. "How did you manage to get in?" She looked at Jenny's dress in distaste. "And in that dress?" She looked at Hope's dress, curious. "And I'm guessing that's the one you made. Not as bad as Ginny's. You know, I checked at the door, and your names are not on the list, and they said you two were plus ones. But I told them that people like you couldn't possibly know anyone here."

"We actually know quite a few people here," Hope told her. "Noe, Serena and Eric van der Woodsen, Brooklyn, Chuck and Dylan Bass, Wyatt and Blair Waldorf, Thyra Diamond, Alex and Nate Archibald..."

"Alex is actually Hope's ex boyfriend," Jenny explained. "And, oh, look. Actually, here's someone we know coming right now."

Eric walked over to introduce a woman to them. "Hope, Jenny, this is Tinsley Mortimer, a friend of my mom's. Tinsley, these are my friends Hope and Jenny I told you about. And that's Laurel."

Laurel went to shake Tinsley's hand.

Tinsley ignored Laurel, shaking Hope and Jenny's hands. "Hope, Jenny, it's so nice to meet you two."

Jenny smiled excitedly. "It's nice to meet you too. I have a look book of photos from magazines that I cut out, and you're in, like, all of them. You have amazing taste."

Tinsley smiled. "That is so sweet. Thank you. You know, Eric said you two are aspiring designers." Eric looked at Hope and Jenny, smiling. "Are you wearing your own pieces?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, we are," Hope answered.

Jenny smiled.

Brooklyn and Thyra were watching from nearby while getting something to drink.

"Look at Hope work it," Thyra told her. "Not that I care about Jenny, but Hope is getting it."

Brooklyn chuckled. "Yep. Came for the guy, and Eric helps them with the job. Well, even if Hope doesn't get back with Alex, at least she'll have more to do with her work-aholic-ness."

Thyra looked at Brooklyn in amusement, tilting her head. "Come on. You know that Hope and Alex will get back together, Brooklyn. At least, I hope they do, no pun intended. Alex was really happy when they were together. And Nate's really happy with Noe."

"And you just want your surrogate brothers Alex and Nate to be happy," Brooklyn told her teasingly. "And Hope and Noe make them happy. Trust me, Thyra, I know."

Thyra smiled. "Yeah, and I just want Blair and Wyatt to be happy too. Blair's got this jealousy thing going on with James and Chuck, but Wyatt's really happy with Dylan."

"That they are," Brooklyn agreed. "And do. Whatever." They chuckled. "And just so you know, Chuck loves Blair, but I know he's scared to admit it. And Dylan's the happiest he's ever been with Wyatt. I mean, Dylan was literally what Gossip Girl calls the bi playboy, and had a few hookups like Chuck used to, but ever since getting with Wyatt, he's changed. Like Chuck's been changing because of his thing with Blair, but I don't know if it's for the good or the bad yet."

"Well, Chuck and Dylan aren't the only ones that changed, Brooklyn," Thyra told her. "Blair's been changing, but like you said, don't know if it's for the good or the bad yet. But Wyatt's changed, too. He's more confident, outgoing, he knows how to relax a little more. More like the rest of us NJBC as we called it earlier. And I've changed, too. Because of you. I'm not as sad or angry anymore. I'm happier than I've ever been. With you."

Brooklyn smiled. "And you change me just as much. I'm probably softer than I used to be."

Thyra scoffed a laugh. "Yeah, not that softer."

They laughed.

"But I've never been this happy," Brooklyn admitted. "And it's because of you, too, Thyra. With you."

Brooklyn and Thyra smiled, sharing a sweet, slow, but passionate kiss.

X•O°X•O

Elsewhere

Wyatt and Dylan were walking together, 

"Never thought that we would help Hope Humphrey into a white party to help her get back with Alex Archibald," Wyatt admitted. "Did you?"

Dylan shook his head in amusement, smirking. "Nope. But if Hope stops the mourning Alex, then I'm all for it. I mean, at least Alex wasn't moping around like Serena, but he wasn't moving on, either. If he gets back with Hope, then sooner the better I say. He just wasn't fun."

Wyatt gave him an amused look. "Or you could hope that Hope and Alex get back together because they're happier together."

Dylan shrugged. "Yeah, that too."

Wyatt chuckled, shaking his head. "What about you? Here with Chuck, Brooklyn, Noe, Serena, Eric, Nate and Alex. Did you have fun, bi playboy?"

"Not nearly as much fun as I would've had if you, Thyra and Blair had been here," Dylan answered. "Especially you, Wyatt. I mean, don't get me wrong. Thyra, Chuck and Brooklyn can party up a storm, and Noe and Serena used to. Nate and Alex can do it sometimes too. Blair and Eric don't do it though, at least not as much. Even though you don't party hard like some of us, I still missed you most... because, well, obviously."

Wyatt smiled at this response. "I missed you too, Dylan. Not just for the fun either. I love you."

"Love you too," Dylan replied.

Wyatt and Dylan smiled. Dylan pulled Wyatt into a kiss. They continued to kiss for a moment, finally pulling away.

"Wanna dance?" Wyatt asked.

"Hell yeah," Dylan answered.

Dylan and Wyatt smiled, going out to dance.

X•O°X•O

Elsewhere

Noe walked up to Nate. "Hey, Nate."

Nate looked Noe over, smiling. "Wow. Can't say that many people have ever seen you dress like that."

Noe tilted her head in amused confusion. "Is that supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Honestly, Noe..." Nate trailed off, stepping closer. "It's such a good thing that it's a bad thing."

Noe smiled. "I think I like the sound of that."

Nate chuckled. "Well, good, because it was meant as a compliment." Noe smiled, laughing. Nate smiled. They kissed slowly and passionately for a moment, pulling away, smiling. "Where have you been?"

"Uh, Eric and I got Jenny into the party," Noe explained.

Nate nodded. "Oh, that sounds cool."

"Yeah, she's on best friend probation," Noe explained. Nate chuckled. "But come to find out, that Hope came to the Hamptons, and Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan and Wyatt got her here into the party."

Nate raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Wait, Hope's here?"

"Yeah," Noe answered. "For Alex. I think she wants to get back together with him, or at the very least just see him."

Nate smiled. "Well, good. Alex'll be happy to hear that."

"Yeah, but it should be a surprise until Hope finds Alex, so..." Noe trailed off, putting a finger to her lips. "Shh."

Nate laughed lightly. "Yeah, you're probably right. Alex doesn't really like surprises, but I think he'll like Hope surprising him like that. Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan and Wyatt on a mission to help them get back together, huh?"

"Yeah, and that mission now includes you and me, Nate," Noe answered.

Nate smiled. "Guess it does." He offered a hand to Noe. "Wanna dance, Noe?"

Noe smiled. "I'd love to."

Noe took Nate's hand. Nate spun her around as they started to dance to the dance music.

(Song Ends)

X•O°X•O

Elsewhere

Blair walked up to Marcus. "Is something wrong?"

Marcus turned to face her. "You've been using me to make that guy jealous."

"I have not," Blair denied.

"It's no wonder you hate 'Charade'," Marcus told her. "It hits too close to home."

"You don't understand," Blair told him. "Chuck is an awful person. He does terrible things. He uses people."

"And... you think you're any different?" Marcus asked. Blair looked hurt. "I can't believe I've been so stupid. I bet you don't even like me at all."

"No," Blair answered. "No, not really. I mean... you're kind of boring."

"Am I?" Marcus asked. "Or are you just too interested in yourself to get to know me?" He looked behind Blair toward Chuck. "You two deserve each other."

Marcus walked away.

Chuck walked up to Blair. "You really know how to hurt people. I admire you for it."

Blair turned to face him. "This is all your fault. I would have never needed a James if you hadn't stood me up at the airport in the first place. You made me use him."

Chuck shook his head. "I didn't make you do anything. You were just you. Don't you see? We're the same. Stop trying to fight it."

"I will fight until my last dying breath," Blair replied. "Because any resemblance to you is something I would hate about myself."

Blair walked away.

(Song:) Paparazzi - Lady Gaga

People all over the party were mingling.

Hope walked through the party, looking around, but not seeing Alex.

Nate/Noe, Brooklyn/Thyra and Dylan/Wyatt, along with other couples, were dancing to the dance music.

Catherine was watching Nate and Noe, ogling over Nate. Serena and Alex walked by Catherine, and she fixed her gaze on Alex to cover up her obsession with Nate. Alex rolled his eyes.

Serena led Alex away. "Come on. Cheer up, Alex."

"She's still watching Nate and Noe," Alex told her.

"Yeah, and you," Serena told him. "Okay, that's it. She's officially not invited to book club next summer."

"She's not gonna leave us alone until she sees that we're both taken," Alex told her. "I mean, I know with me, it's just her covering up whatever thing she has for Nate, and she won't leave me alone since I'm pretty sure she knows I lied about having a girlfriend, even though you're here with me. Just wish I could sell it so she can leave me alone."

Serena got an idea, smiling. "You totally can."

Serena turned Alex's head to her, kissing him, starting to make out with him. Catherine looked stunned, appearing to believe the lie about Alex having a girlfriend, looking away, and no longer focused on Nate and Noe for the moment.

Hope rounded a corner, seeing Serena and Alex kiss, stopping where she was. On the other side of Serena and Alex was Dan, dressed for the white party. Serena and Alex pulled away, laughing at the joke and the fake kiss, until they saw Hope and Dan on either side feet away from them, all in shock and uncomfortable.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Spotted. Serena and Alex in a massive display of PDA. And that's exactly what Dan and Hope Humphrey are. Pretty damn angry."

(Song Ends)

X•O°X•O

X•O°X•O

Serena followed Dan. "No, no, no. Dan, Dan, wait."

"No, thank you," Dan told her.

"No, I--I didn't expect to see you," Serena told him. "Or Hope. You--you completely surprised me."

"Well, I have to say, you didn't," Dan told her. "Alex, huh? My sister Hope's ex, who she still loves and came out all this way for?"

"No, it--it's not what it looks like," Serena told him.

Dan turned to face her. "Let me guess, there's an explanation."

"Yes, of course," Serena answered. "I was just trying to help Alex make someone think that he was with a girlfriend to make her leave him alone."

"Who?" Dan asked. "Why?"

Serena tilted her head. "Well, I--I can't say."

"Why not?" Dan asked. "Oh, well, I'm sure you can't tell me that either."

"That's not the point," Serena told him.

"No, that's exactly the point," Dan told her. "It can never just be a simple answer with you. It can't just be 'I kissed Alex'. It has to be 'I--I kissed Alex because someone I can't name needed to see it for a reason I can't explain'. It's the same drama, different city." The two girls that Dan had been with in the library walked up to Dan as he turned to walk away from Serena. "Hi. What are you doing here?"

"I came with a date," Girl 1 told him. "I'm glad I did."

"Because since I know her date, the two of us got to meet," Girl 2 told him. 

Girl 1 nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and then we got to talking, and we figured out that the other night at Jeremiah Harris's reading, when you were making out with me..."

"You were supposed to be with me," Girl 2 finished. Serena was watching. Girl 1 and 2 poured their drinks, which were green and purple, all over Dan's suit. "Oops."

The girls walked away.

Serena had her arms crossed, not amused by the hypocrisy from Dan, clearing her throat. Dan turned to face her.

Serena smirked. "No, wait. No, no, let me guess. You can explain."

Dan sighed.

X•O°X•O

Elsewhere

Hope was walking away.

Alex sighed, walking after her. "Hope. Hope, wait. Can you wait for a second?"

Hope sighed, stopping to talk for a moment. "Serena? You kissed Serena?"

"Okay, that was completely unplanned, and I definitely didn't think that you would be here, or that the kiss would happen," Alex admitted. "It's just... this thing is going on, with Nate and Noe, and this chick that was watching us and wouldn't leave us alone until she believed that Noe and Nate are not gonna be touched by whatever obsession she has, and if she didn't believe that I had a girlfriend, and so Serena kissed me to make her believe it, and from what I saw, it worked, because I haven't seen her spying on us, since. Then again, after the kiss, I saw you and that's been the thing that held my undivided attention, so I don't know if it actually worked or not."

Hope looked at him in confusion. "Uh, what?"

Alex sighed, confused and exasperated. "I don't know how else to explain it. That's the best I could. Just... me and Serena? It's not a thing, and it's never gonna be a thing. Okay?"

Hope looked at him for a moment. "Yeah, I guess. But what?"

Alex chuckled. "I don't even know completely. I just found this girl watching Nate and Noe, and it's not the first time, so I confronted her about it, and then she came onto me, and Serena wanted to help end the spying, so..."

Hope nodded in amusement, weirdly. "Okay."

They couldn't help but chuckle.

"What are you doing here?" Alex asked.

Hope was nervous again. "Well, I was just doing the every day summer intern thing and Jenny and our boss Laurel brought up the white party, and Jen and I had both made a dress for the party, and I didn't even know why I was making my dress until I saw a picture of you and me, and it hit me that I wanted to go to see you, and the next morning, my dad told me and Dan to stop running like we had been running all summer. I mean, I was drowning myself in work, and Dan was sleeping his way through the women on the other side of the Brooklyn river, so we both headed out here on a bus because we realized that we wanted to get back with you and Serena, and Brooklyn and Thyra found me wandering the streets, and they took me to the Waldorf Hamptons home, where they, Wyatt and Dylan helped me get ready, and then we were here, and Eric introduced me and Jen to Tinsley Mortimer for fashion stuff while I was looking for you, and then I finally found you, and you were kissing Serena, and--"

Alex reached out to take her hands, stunned by all the words in the ramble, but smiling because it was the first ramble he had heard from Hope since before the summer started. "Hope. Breathe."

Hope breathed deeply, smiling at hearing Alex say that again for the first time in a long time. "Okay. I missed you saying that."

Alex smiled. "Well, I missed saying it. The rambles..."

Hope nodded in agreement. "The rambles." They laughed lightly. "I just thought that, with this amazing and on the spot gesture to come out here for the party and see you, thought it would be a crazy romantic gesture, and..."

"It is," Alex agreed. "It is."

Hope and Alex smiled a bit, while Hope was still catching her breath, both laughing lightly.

X•O°X•O

Inside - Kitchen

Serena was helping Dan with the stains in his suit jacket.

Dan sighed. "So I... I-I-I went a little overboard."

"A little?" Serena repeated sarcastically.

"Yeah," Dan answered. "It's true. I did. And I hate that I'm even able to say this, but that's, um, that's not the first time something like that has happened. I, uh, I haven't been able to get you out of my head all summer. I--I was hoping when I saw you, I would know that we did the right thing, but I--I don't feel that way. I don't feel that way at all."

Serena looked hopeful but not willing to get her hopes up. "Can we not talk about this right now? Um, right now, I just need to make sure my grandfather's suit from the '70s isn't ruined forever."

"Yeah," Dan agreed.

Serena made a face. "More than it already was by being my grandfather's suit from the '70s."

They laughed.

"I miss that little laugh of yours," Dan admitted.

Serena smiled. "Shh. Just... shh."

Dan sighed. "Let's get out of here. We can talk."

Serena nodded in agreement. "Okay. I just have to say goodbye to a dozen people first. Do you want to--"

"Yeah, I'll--I'll meet you at the beach," Dan offered. "I'll wait there."

Serena smiled, starting to walk away. "Okay."

Dan grabbed the suit jacket, turning around to see CeCe there. CeCe smiled at him. Dan smiled in return before walking away.

X•O°X•O

Outside

Hope and Alex went to sit down together.

"I'm sorry for doing the barging thing," Hope told him. "I hate doing the barging thing."

Alex chuckled. "And Humble Hope back at it with the rambling and the apologies." Hope couldn't help a smile. "Knew I could get a smile. Missed it." Hope licked her lips. "And I don't mind you doing the barging thing. Kinda wish you had done it sooner."

Hope chuckled. "Yeah. Me too. I just... sprung up and surprised you, huh?"

"Yeah, not something you do often, but I like this surprise," Alex answered. "You should do surprises like this more often."

Hope smiled. "Hmm, I don't know. Whenever I do surprises, there's usually a surprise waiting for me on the other side, like just now. And that leads to misunderstandings and arguments."

"True," Alex agreed. They looked at each other happily. "I missed you, Hope."

Hope looked down to realize that they were holding hands without realizing it at first. She looked up at him, smiling, biting her lip. "I missed you, too, Alex."

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "When words get in the way, there's really only one thing left to do."

After another moment of looking at each other, Alex and Hope leaned in unconsciously to meet halfway in a sweet, gentle kiss.

Alex smiled. "You wanna get out of here?"

Hope laughed, nodding. "Yes. But, um, I should definitely tell Jen since we were dealing with our boss, and..."

"Yeah," Alex agreed. "And I've got Brooklyn, Dylan, Wyatt and Thyra to thank, clearly."

Hope smiled, laughing. "Yeah, clearly. While you're at it, you should probably thank Noe and Eric, too. They wanted to help a little with Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan and Wyatt setting us back up."

Alex nodded in agreement. "Then I will thank Noe and Eric, too."

Hope and Alex smiled, standing, walking back toward the party together. Catherine saw them in the distance, realizing the Serena/Alex kiss was faked.

Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan and Wyatt were further away, standing with Noe, Nate, Jenny and Eric, who had seen Hope and Alex kiss and talk, cheering lightly.

Hope and Alex smiled at their reactions to their kiss and moment, shaking their heads as they walked closer.

X•O°X•O

Elsewhere

Marcus was standing alone.

Blair walked over to join him. "You were right. I used you as a weapon against Chuck. I didn't need you to be interesting, so I didn't listen when you talked. I just needed you to look good, which you do."

Marcus scoffed.

Chuck was watching from farther away, when his phone rang. He pulled it out to answer. "Just in time. What's the dirt on non-James Schiller?"

Marcus led Blair to a space where they could talk alone. "I'm afraid we have something in common."

Blair smiled. "Well, I look good too."

Marcus couldn't help but chuckle. "Uh, not just that. Um, it's what I was trying to tell you earlier. I haven't been honest with you."

Blair tilted her head. "Okay, spill it."

"I don't go to Georgetown or Princeton or any school for that matter," Marcus confessed, turning to face Blair. "I'm afraid I slipped up on that detail." He dropped his American accent to adapt his natural British one. "My name is not James. My name is actually Marcus Beaton. I'm British... and a lord."

Blair looked stunned by this information. "What?" Chuck was watching. "Well, why didn't you tell me before?"

"Well, most women I meet only like me for my title," Marcus answered. "I vowed the next time to pretend to be a common American and see what happened. But after a couple of days with you, I was afraid if I told you the truth, you'd hate me for lying in the first place."

Blair smiled sweetly, tilting her head. "No, not quite, my lord. Um, the title is great and all, but what I'd like more than anything is a little honesty for a change... from both of us."

Marcus reached out for her hand. "When you told me I was boring before? No one ever tells me things like that. I liked it. Tell me... oh, what else do you think about me?"

They started to walk, arm in arm.

Blair chuckled. "Keep talking in that accent, and I'll come up with something."

X•O°X•O

X•O°X•O

Alex walked up to Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan, Wyatt, Noe and Eric, while Nate stood with them as well. "Seems that I have you guys to thank, huh?"

Hope walked closer, standing with Jenny.

Dylan smirked. "Damn right, buddy."

They all laughed.

"Seems like you guys are good now," Wyatt told them.

"Don't know what we are yet, but definitely better," Hope answered. "Thank you."

"Thanks," Alex agreed.

Thyra smiled. "You're welcome, Alex. Just want you and Nate to be happy, and you're happiest with Hope and Noe."

Nate and Alex looked at Noe and Hope, who both smiled.

Nate chuckled. "Thanks, Thyra."

Brooklyn smirked, tilting her head. "Aw. Make ups all around then."

Laurel walked by, seeing Hope and Jenny. "So, I hear Tinsley offered to help you two find an internship if you want one."

"Yeah, she did," Jenny answered.

"We said thanks, but we're actually learning a lot where we are right now," Hope told her. "I didn't think it was right to leave just yet, and apparently neither did Jen."

Laurel nodded with a newfound respect for the Humphrey sisters. "Well, enjoy the rest of your weekend, Hope. And Jenny. I'll see you two Monday?"

Jenny nodded. "We look forward to it."

Laurel walked away.

"Do you think she meant any of that?" Eric asked.

"No, probably not," Jenny answered.

Hope smiled. "But at least she knows your name now, right?"

The group laughed lightly.

X•O°X•O

Parking Lot

In front of the building with the white party, Blair was waiting. Chuck walked toward her.

Blair turned to face him. "Chuck, aren't you done trying to destroy my night?"

"Look, I should never have abandoned you," Chuck told her. "I knew I made the wrong decision as soon as your plane took off with Thyra and Wyatt, while I stayed with Brooklyn and Dylan. I distracted myself all summer, hoping I wouldn't feel it, but I still do."

"And?" Blair asked.

"I was scared," Chuck confessed. "Scared that if we spent that much time together, just us... you'd see..."

"See what?" Blair asked.

"Me," Chuck answered. "Please don't leave with him."

"Why?" Blair asked. "Give me a reason, and 'I'm Chuck Bass' doesn't count."

"'Cause you don't want to," Chuck told her.

"Not good enough," Blair told him.

"'Cause I don't want you to," Chuck told her.

Blair shook her head. "That's not enough."

"What else is there?" Chuck asked.

Blair had tears in her eyes. "The true reason I should stay right where I am and not get in the car. Three words. Eight letters. Say it, and I'm yours."

Chuck tried to say it, but couldn't. "I.. I..."

Blair shed a tear, whispering, heartbroken, but trying to move on. "Thank you. That's all I needed to hear."

Marcus pulled up in his car. Blair put on a fake smile to hide the hurt, walking toward the car, getting inside. Marcus drove them away.

(Song:) Fell In Love Without You - Motion City Soundtrack

Chuck was left alone, hurt.

X•O°X•O

Party

Alex and Hope were leaving the party together, smiling as they were catching up with each other over things they had missed over the summer.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "They say summer love is fleeting."

Nate and Noe were walking together, holding hands, smiling and laughing.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "But sometimes what starts as a fling can lead to the real thing."

X•O°X•O

Night - Beach

Dan was sitting at a bonfire on the beach, looking through his journal. Serena walked toward him with high heels in hand.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "A simple trip to the beach could be all it takes to clear our heads and open our hearts and write a new ending to an old story."

X•O°X•O

White Party

Chuck was inside, pouring himself a drink.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "There are those who got burned by the heat. They just want to forget and start over."

Dylan and Wyatt walked outside, laughing lightly.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "While there are others who want each moment to last forever."

Brooklyn and Thyra were walking, holding hands, smiling at each other.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "But everyone can agree on one thing. Tans fade, highlights go dark, and we all get sick of sand in our shoes."

There was a montage of kisses between Noe/Nate, Alex/Hope, Dylan/Wyatt, Thyra/Brooklyn and Dan/Serena, relaxing into embraces as fireworks started to burst into the sky.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "But the end of summer is the beginning of a new season, so we find ourselves looking to the future. You ain't seen nothing yet. XOXO, Gossip Girl."