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There was a screen shot of a Gossip Girl article announcing Serena and Noe's return and Noe's amnesia, with a picture of them at the Ivy League Party in 1.03.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Gossip Girl here. Your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite."

From 2.02 "Never Been Marcused", by the elevators, Serena and Dan were kissing.

Serena: (voice over from 2.02 Never Been Marcused) "It feels so right to be together."

Dan: (voice over from 2.02 Never Been Marcused) "But you're having second thoughts."

From 2.02 "Never Been Marcused", on the beach, Dan and Serena were talking.

"I just think that we should think before we get back together," Serena told him.

From 2.02 "Never Been Marcused", by the elevator, Serena backed Dan into the wall behind him seductively. "What do you say we just forget thinking and follow our hearts?"

From 2.01 "Summer Kind of Wonderful", outside the white party, Alex and Hope leaned in unconsciously to meet halfway in a sweet, gentle kiss.

Alex: (voice over from 2.02 Never Been Marcused) "We agreed to give each other space over the summer, and summer's ending so we kept our deal."

From 2.02 "Never Been Marcused", in the Archibald Hamptons House, Hope and Alex were talking in the kitchen.

Alex put a hand to her cheek and they shared a sweet, passionate kiss. "So does this mean that we're back together?"

Hope smiled, laughing lightly. "I definitely think that it means that there's a chance we're back together."

Alex smirked in amusement, raising his eyebrows. "Oh, a chance?"

Hope nodded teasingly. "Yeah, definitely a chance."

From 2.01 "Summer Kind of Wonderful", outside the white party, Marcus revealed his British accent to Blair. "My name is actually Marcus Beaton. I'm British and a lord."

From 2.01 "Summer Kind of Wonderful", outside the white party, Chuck looked at Blair. "Please don't leave with him."

Blair had tears in her eyes. "Three words. 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. "That's all I needed to hear."

Blair and Marcus drove away.

From 2.01 "Summer Kind of Wonderful", at Eleanor's atelier, Hope and Jenny were sitting at their sewing stations to work on designs.

Hope: (voice over from 2.01 Summer Kind of Wonderful) "Eleanor's been in Paris for practically the whole summer, us summer interns have been having to answer to Laurel."

From 2.02 "Never Been Marcused", outside the Archibald Hamptons House, Nate, Alex and Anne were talking.

"They wanna take our money?" Nate asked.

"Not yet," Anne answered. "But they have frozen our accounts."

From 2.01 "Summer Kind of Wonderful", in the street, 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 Catherine watching Nate and Noe from across the way, looking at her curiously in confusion, wary. Catherine noticed Alex noticed her.

Alex: (voice over from 2.01 Summer Kind of Wonderful) "I saw this chick spying on Nate and Noe, and I confronted her about it because it wasn't the first time."

Alex confronted Catherine. "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?"

"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. "Whatever game you're playing, leave us out of it. We're both taken."

From 2.01 "Summer Kind of Wonderful", on a trail, Serena looked at Alex. "That's what you wanted to talk to Noe and Nate about?"

"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."

From 2.02 "Never Been Marcused", at the Hudson party, Serena, Blair, Thyra, Wyatt, Nate, Noe, Hope, Alex and Catherine stood together.

"Blair's dating Catherine's stepson," Serena told them.

From 2.02 "Never Been Marcused", in thee Hudson party, Blair, Thyra, Wyatt, Dylan and Brooklyn saw Catherine spying on Nate, Alex, Noe and Hope in the library.

"Now that we've seen you spying on Nate, Alex, Noe and Hope, I understand you have a stalker side, too," Thyra told her.

"I think what Thyra means is that I think you'll find it in your heart to take pity on me, and in spite of my common, lowly, unroyal ways, accept that I have true feelings for Marcus and that he has them for me, too," Blair told her.

"And that you would stop spying on Nate and Alex, Thyra's surrogate brothers, and their girlfriends Noe and Hope," Wyatt told them. "Noe being Brooklyn and Dylan's stepsister."

Brooklyn smirked, crossing her arms. "And to pay off for our silence of your stalkery ways, maybe you could pay for Nate and Alex's obsession and give them their lives back."

"I think that would be the best thing for all of us, don't you?" Dylan asked.

From 2.02 "Never Been Marcused", in Noe's room, Noe turned to face Nate. "Blair, Thyra, Wyatt, Brooklyn and Dylan told me that they saw the Duchess doing something she shouldn't have been doing. And in true Waldorf, Diamond and Bass fashion, they blackmailed her into getting this."

Noe handed Nate a yellow packet of money.

"Blair, Thyra, Wyatt, Brooklyn and Dylan did this?" Nate asked. Noe nodded. "What exactly did they see her do?"

"They said it was a secret they're willing to keep until you and Alex are standing on your feet again, and they said it was to protect me and Hope too, which I don't get, but whatever," Noe explained. 

In the closing, there was a screen shot of the Gossip Girl website, there was a picture of Marcus kissing Blair on the cheek.

The headline read: B Lands a Lord.

The caption underneath the picture read: Lordy lord lord. B snagged royalty. It only makes sense that Queen B would find her Prince Charming, and we couldn't be happier for the new couple. Lord is a definite upgrade from Chuck Bass. He has something Chuck is totally lacking: Class.

X•O°X•O

Worlds Colliding (Gossip Girl)

X•O°X•O

Day One

Morning

(Song:) Lights Out - Santigold

There was a montage of summer in the Upper East Side, including kids playing at a water park.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "In these last hazy days of summer, a few simple tips to beat the heat."

X•O°X•O

Palace - Bass Suite

Chuck was drinking alcohol.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "One, drink plenty of fluids."

X•O°X•O

Street

Hope and Jenny were carrying a lot of materials for the internship on the way to work.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Two, stay out of the sun."

X•O°X•O

Another Street

Dan and Serena were making out, mostly in hiding.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Three."

X•O°X•O

Waldorf Apartment - Thyra's Room

Thyra and Brooklyn were lying down in bed, making out passionately, laughing happily between kisses.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Limit all physical activity."

X•O°X•O

Wyatt's Room

Dylan and Wyatt were using the punching bag in Wyatt's room that they had set up after Wyatt's explosion of anger to help him with his issues during book one. After they were done using the punching bag, they started to make out.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "That is, within reason."

(Song Ends)

X•O°X•O

Living Room

Blair was trying to seduce Marcus into finally consummating their relationship, making out with him.

"I thought you wanted my help with this party you, Thyra and Brooklyn are hosting," Marcus told her.

"A back to school party for students and their parents," Blair told him. "It can wait."

"But someone could walk in," Marcus told her. "Thyra and Wyatt, or Dylan and Brooklyn--"

"So?" Blair asked. "Didn't you see 'Atonement'? That scene in the library when they're discovered?"

Marcus put a stop to her advances. "Mm, no. No, Blair. That's not you."

"It's not?" Blair asked.

"You're a delicate little flower, nothing like that tart Keira Knightley," Marcus told her.

Blair frowned. "It's just, we've been dating a while, and I thought..."

"I feel the same way, but you're very special to me," Marcus told her. "I want the moment to equal it." He kissed Blair on the head. "Now, the tea's getting cold."

Marcus walked away, leaving Blair looking hurt and disappointed.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "And if the heat's still too much, there's always a cold shower."

X•O°X•O

Thyra's Room

Thyra was getting ready to leave.

Brooklyn laid back on the bed, smirking, sitting up a little. "You're running out on me this time? Isn't it usually the other way around? Princess BB usually leaving the Black Diamond."

Thyra turned to face Brooklyn, smirking. "Yeah, but I've got to go talk to Nate and Alex. After we gave the money we blackmailed Catherine for and gave it to Noe, she gave it to Nate, and Nate now wants to talk to both me and Alex, and I've got to explain how we got that money."

Brooklyn nodded in understanding, smirking in amusement. "Good luck with that. I'm sure it won't be easy for Nate and Alex to hear that Lady Catherine's been spying on them and Noe and Hope for whatever reason."

"Right," Thyra agreed. "Gotta figure out how I'm gonna explain that one. Nate and Alex being like my brothers, of course I don't want them to get hurt, and I don't want Noe and Hope getting hurt either, Brooklyn."

"Well, you should take them shopping when you tell them," Brooklyn told her. "We got them that money for a reason, so they could use it. And you know that every time a transaction rings, an angel gets her billions. Though maybe not the Angel of Brooklyn, Humble Hope."

Thyra chuckled, leaning closer to kiss her. "Mm. I'll be back soon to help plan for the party. I'm sure Blair, Wyatt and Dylan can help until then."

"Blair?" Brooklyn asked. "Yes. Wyatt and Dylan? Maybe. But it's not as fun as planning a party with you, Thyra."

Thyra smiled, chuckling, shaking her head. "See you soon, Princess BB."

"Later, Thy-Di," Brooklyn replied.

Thyra chuckled, leaving the room. Brooklyn relaxed back into the bed for a moment.

X•O°X•O

Eleanor Waldorf Designs Atelier - Outside

Jenny was going inside.

Hope was staying outside for a moment while on the phone and carrying a bunch of stuff, accidentally dropping her phone.

Noe's voice was on the other line. "Hope? Are you okay?"

Hope barely managed to get her phone back up to her ear. "Yeah. Sorry. My phone slipped. I think my cheek got sweaty. What was I saying? Oh, right, right. How you think Nate is acting weird after Thyra, Brooklyn, Dylan, Wyatt and Blair managed to blackmail some money out of Catherine to pay Nate and Alex, which neither of us or them know the full story behind that, and while I've been working and haven't had a lot of time to talk to Alex lately, and you've been doing... whatever it is you're doing, Nate and Alex are trying to spare us their family drama, which is just more proof that Nate likes you and that he wants to make it work with you, and Alex and I are trying to make things work too."

Noe was in her room at the VDW/Bass apartment. "And calling Nate won't look desperate?"

"It might," Hope answered. "It will. It will, but in a cute, romantic way."

"What is wrong with me?" Noe complained. "I am so not the whiny, 'Should I call him?' girl."

Hope nodded in agreement. "Exactly. You are Nevaeh, the 'Do whatever she wants' girl, and you want to call him, so just do it."

Noe chuckled. "And what about you, Hope? You and Alex? Trying to make it work? Does that mean you guys are officially back together?"

"If I could ever slow down enough at this job and Alex still wants to be after all of this with his family, I think so," Hope answered.

Noe nodded in understanding. "Okay. Well, good luck."

"You too," Hope agreed. "I gotta go." They hung up. Hope dropped her phone again, looking at passing by people for help. "Hey, can s--can you guys pick that up, please? Please?"

Alex walked up to Hope, picking up her phone from the ground. "Need a little help with that?"

Hope smiled in relief to see him, grateful for the help. "Thank you. What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to come by, see how you were doing," Alex answered. "Seems like you needed a little help there."

"Yeah, more than a little," Hope answered. "I can't stay long, I gotta head inside soon."

"Oh, yeah, sure," Alex agreed. "You need help carrying?"

"I would love help, but I'm trying to prove people that I can do this mostly on my own," Hope answered. "Jenny's trying the on her own thing too, not even letting me help her, so..."

Alex nodded in amusement. "Got it. Well, I got to go meet Nate and Thyra, but maybe after we can meet up, tomorrow, after you get done here? You set up a nice romantic date at the gallery the other night, and I wanted to repay the gesture. Not that I can do much right now."

"Right," Hope agreed. "Alex, you don't have to do anything for me right now. I mean, with your family, you're more worried about them, and I get it. I mean, you should be. And I know that this is what I was worried about before and everything, that I didn't want to be a burden to you, or...." She cut herself off before the ramble could go too far, breathing a deep sigh of frustration. "It is too hot for me to ramble like that."

Alex couldn't help a small laugh. "Yeah, it is. And you're right, I am worried about my family, but you're not a burden to me, Hope. I still want to be with you, and do that whatever way I can. Okay?"

Hope smiled. "Okay."

Alex chuckled. "Okay." He leaned over the stuff that Hope was carrying to give her a sweet kiss that she returned, both smiling. A girl behind them saw the kiss, realizing who they were because of Gossip Girl, taking out her phone to take a photo of Hope and Alex kissing so she could send it in to Gossip Girl, before walking away. Alex looked at Hope after they pulled away. "See you tomorrow."

Hope nodded, smiling. "Tomorrow we will see."

Alex chuckled, walking away. Hope smiled, carrying her stuff into the atelier.

X•O°X•O

Store

Nate and Thyra were waiting, until Alex walked up.

"Hey, sorry," Alex told them. "Just got done talking to Hope, set up a date after she gets off work and everything."

"Well, glad things are working for you and Hope, Alex," Thyra told him. "What about you, Nate? You and Noe?"

"Well, things would be going better if Noe and I knew exactly what was going on that you, Blair, Wyatt, Brooklyn and Dylan seem to know, Thyra," Nate answered. "And whatever has Alex and Serena acting strange."

Thyra sighed, taking a deep breath. "Okay, well, at the party, Blair, Wyatt, Brooklyn, Dylan and I saw Lady Catherine spying on you two, Noe and Hope, and we used that fact to blackmail her into giving us money and giving Blair and James/Not James/Marcus a chance, and to keep us quiet, but I had to tell you."

Nate frowned. "There's no way Catherine's been spying on us." Alex sighed, which Nate and Thyra both noticed. "Alex?"

"I may have caught Catherine spying on you and Noe a couple times in the Hamptons," Alex admitted. "I confronted her about it, and she came onto me, so I told Serena, and she told me not to tell Noe because she's getting back to normal, and we don't know how she could react to this kind of news yet. I mean, the damage from the accident."

"Noe's stronger than you guys think," Nate told them.

"We know, Nate," Alex told him. "It's just... the doctors always told us to be careful with what we could say to her because it could mess with her, so Serena and Lily make everybody keep things from her so that the worst case scenario doesn't come up. We don't know what could happen if Noe heard or saw the wrong thing."

Nate sighed, knowing that he had a point, but did not like the lying or secrets. "It's not like Noe can't handle it. We just have to be careful in telling her things, ease her into it."

"Right," Thyra agreed. "And right now until Catherine's gone, there's not gonna be much easing into anything. Nate, Alex, I think she's obsessed with you guys."

"I know that she's obsessed with Nate, Thyra," Alex told her. "I was hoping that it would end at the Hamptons. Never did I expect her to be here because of being Marcus's stepmother. Who apparently used to go by the name James, so everyone thought at first Blair was talking about James Baizen. I know that she came onto me because I was standing in the way of her obsession, and now..."

"Now she's got eyes on you two and Noe and Hope," Thyra told them. "You have to be careful."

"Well, we better hope that being careful gets us more money for our mom," Nate told them.

"What do you mean?" Thyra asked. "What happened to the money we got from Catherine for you?"

"It's gone," Nate answered. "I don't know what Mom did with it, but it had to be to help Dad in Dominica."

"Who all knows that Howie's in Dominica?" Thyra asked.

"Just the three of us and Noe and Hope," Nate answered. "And Mom, of course. And we can't get anymore of our family money until Dad's either caught and put in jail or he turns himself in."

"And now we have to worry about Catherine still spying on us in the city," Alex told them, bitter and sarcastic. "Great."

"I'm sorry," Thyra told them. "Brooklyn, Dylan, Blair, Wyatt and I can keep blackmailing her if we have to, but..."

"That's too dangerous, Thyra," Alex told her. "We have to find a better way. A way to get her out of our lives for good."

Nate's phone rang. He pulled it out, seeing who was calling, looking worried about how to tell Noe what was going on, but needing time to figure out the right way, also hating not being able to tell her right away, answering. "Hey, Noe."

Alex and Thyra looked at Nate, concerned and understanding.

Noe was still in her room. "Nate, hi. I hope it's okay that I'm calling. I mean, with all of the... problems and everything."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Nate answered. "Of course. Uh, thanks for all of the help. Alex and I are with Thyra right now, and she's explaining everything. We thanked her too, and now we may even need to thank Blair, Wyatt, Brooklyn and Dylan." Noe chuckled. "So, how are you? I heard Eric, Chuck and Dylan were driving you crazy again."

Noe smiled. "Yeah, good."

Nate couldn't help a smile too, relieved to be talking to her even given everything. "Hey, do you want to do something?"

"So you're no longer avoiding me?" Noe asked jokingly.

"No, I planned on avoiding you for the rest of the year," Nate told her sarcastically. Noe smiled, looking down. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to avoid you. It's just everything with Alex, our mom and everything else."

Noe nodded in understanding. "Yeah, no, I get it."

"Can I call you later?" Nate asked.

"Yeah, sure," Noe answered. "Bye."

They both hung up, smiling slightly. Thyra and Alex smiled at hearing the phone call.

Catherine was revealed to be hiding behind a wall, having been listening to the whole conversation, including where Nate and Alex's father was.

X•O°X•O

Street

Serena and Dan were walking together down the street, eating ice cream.

"A coming out party?" Dan asked.

"Well, sooner or later, people are gonna figure out we're dating," Serena pointed out. "We're not exactly the world's most covert secret couple.

They shared a kiss.

"Yeah, my dad and Jenny are getting a little curious about my new friend 'Clyde' that keeps calling and calling," Dan told her. "Hope's onto us since she and Noe saw us kissing at the Hudson party."

"Right," Serena agreed. "Noe's not buying the fact that we're not dating since she and Hope saw us kiss either. See? Come on. We tell everybody once, and then it's done. And now, thank you, universe, we have the perfect opportunity."

Dan nodded sarcastically. "Yeah, a party hosted by Blair Waldorf, Thyra Diamond and Brooklyn Bass. The biggest Dan Humphrey supporters in all of Manhattan. They, Chuck, Wyatt and Dylan have stated repeatedly that the only one of my family that they like is Hope. And at least Hope and Alex, they kissed at the white party, so people are already speculating that they're back together though no one knows for sure."

"What are you afraid of?" Serena asked.

"Right now?" Dan asked. "Heatstroke."

Serena walked away. "Dan."

Dan followed. "No, hey. No, no, no, I know. I know. Look, right now, things are just... they're so good between us. You know, if we just start telling people..."

"What?" Serena asked. "What could anybody possibly say that would change this?"

Dan turned to face her. "You're right. I'm in."

Serena smiled, and with a giggle, wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him. "Everything's gonna be fine."

A girl took a picture of Serena and Dan as they kissed again to send to Gossip Girl.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Let's hope so, S, because it looks like the coming out party for you, Lonely Boy and H2A just moved up."

X•O°X•O

VDW/Bass Apartment - Living Room

Chuck was leading a girl out of the apartment. "Rachel, I'll give you a call when I'm feeling better."

Noe was walking downstairs. Noe and Chuck got the Gossip Girl blast about Serena/Dan and Hope/Alex kisses that were caught in the street.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Spotted. S/Lonely Boy and H2A, locking lips like all is forgiven. Will round two be any different?"

Noe and Chuck exchanged a look.

X•O°X•O

Waldorf Apartment - Living Room

Blair and Brooklyn were planning the party with Dylan and Wyatt's help. Thyra was getting back to help plan, when they all got the Gossip Girl blast about Serena/Dan and Hope/Alex.

Blair made a face. "Ugh. I knew it."

"What?" Wyatt asked. "Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan and I helped Alex and Hope get back together, Blair."

"I'm not talking about Hope and Alex, Wyatt," Blair told him. "Good for them. I'm talking about Serena and the lowly Humphrey."

"Yeah, 'cause who could really be mad about Hope and Alex getting back together, Wyatt?" Dylan asked. "Besides Georgina Sparks."

Brooklyn smirked. "Right. G can bite it. Hope and Alex are back."

Thyra chuckled. "And you guys and everyone else in the Upper East Side are last to know. Alex told me and Nate that he and Hope are back together for real this morning. Noe already knew too."

Dylan smirked. "Of course you guys knew before us, Thyra."

X•O°X•O

Humphrey Loft - Living Room

Dan and Hope had just gotten home, and they knew about the Gossip Girl blast.

Jenny ran inside excitedly, squealing. "Hope! Dan!"

Jenny squealed again as she hugged Hope and Dan and the three were forced to spin around by the impact.

"Oh, sweaty hug," Hope complained. "You're sweaty. Thanks."

They pulled away.

"You guys are back together with Alex and Serena," Jenny told them. "You're back together, right? Those weren't doctored photos?"

"No, no, no, we are," Dan answered. "We just hadn't told anyone yet."

Jenny smiled. "Oh, this is awesome! You guys totally belong together." Her phone rang. She pulled it out. "This is a friend. Hold on." She walked away to answer. "Hello?"

Rufus walked in with groceries, looking at Dan and Hope. "I ran into Jenny out on the street. So the word's out, huh?"

"Apparently," Hope answered.

"I'm happy for you," Rufus told them. They smiled. "And you guys have worked out all your issues?"

"Me and Alex, yeah," Hope answered. "Before, I was just worried about being a burden since I wouldn't be able to help him or Nate if they lost everything, like they just did, and Alex proved that he doesn't care about that, and he just wants to be with me, so... I'm still worried, but Georgina's not in my head anymore, so nothing's really holding us apart anymore."

Rufus nodded in agreement. "Well, I'm glad to hear that you and Alex have worked it out, Hope. Dan? What about you and Serena?"

Dan lied with a nod. "Um, yeah. Yep. Got 'em all squared away."

Hope wasn't convinced.

"That's great," Rufus told them.

Hope smiled.

X•O°X•O

Sunset - Street

Nate and Noe were walking down the street, laughing.

"How is it that you're not hot?" Noe asked.

"Well, it is the Upper East Side," Nate told her. "I mean, I know it's been a while since you've been here during the summer, so maybe you don't remember what it was like." He covered his mouth. "Uh-oh. I said the R word."

Noe smiled, nudging him. "Ha. Hilarious. And it's okay, Nate. It's not a bad word to say."

Nate turned to face her. "So when am I gonna get to see you again? I mean, everything with my family's been so crazy. With Alex, our mom, even Thyra. But when you called today, it just felt like... like I could breathe again. So... I wanna do this. I want to make this, us, right, okay?"

Noe smiled, tilting her head. "Okay. Tomorrow night?"

"Uh, tomorrow, Alex and I have to take our mom to Blair, Brooklyn and Thyra's school party, so it won't be much of a date," Nate told her.

"Right," Noe agreed. "Serena and I are going too. Mom's not back yet, and Eric's hanging with a friend. Fine. Meet me at my place before the party tomorrow, and we'll go somewhere..." She tried to think of somewhere, but nothing came to her mind yet. "Unpredictable."

Nate smiled, taking Noe's hands. "Unpredictable in the midst of everything sounds really good to me, Noe."

Nate and Noe smiled, kissing slowly and passionately.

Catherine was watching them from across the street in her car.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Rumor is, Nate Archibald has a secret admirer that has her sights set on him, brother Alex, and Noe van der Woodsen and Hope Humphrey for a game. Careful, guys. Secrets don't keep long in this heat."

X•O°X•O

X•O°X•O

Day Two

Morning - Waldorf Apartment - Dining Room

Noe, Serena, Brooklyn, Thyra and Blair were here, planning the party.

"So the flowers won't arrive until 5:00," Brooklyn told them. "Did you get the order from the caterers?"

Thyra handed over the list. "Yep. Eleanor comes home today." She looked at Blair. "You excited she finally gets to meet Marcus?"

"And see why he's so wonderful?" Blair asked. "It's not often you find a man who's intelligent, sophisticated, has an appreciation for Golden Age Hollywood and is a gentleman to boot. You know, he hasn't pressured me about sex once. Not once."

"Wow," Serena said. "Sounds like you really like him."

Blair continued planning. "Yes, I do."

"And what about Brooklyn and Thyra?" Serena asked. "You two still going good?"

"As good as always, which is amazing," Brooklyn answered in a singsong voice.

Thyra smiled. "Better than amazing."

"Noe?" Serena asked. "You and Nate?"

"We met up and made a plan for a date later today, before the party, and I'm still trying to figure out what to do, since I promised something unpredictable," Noe answered.

"That sounds fun," Serena told her. She looked between them. "Do you see what I just did there? I expressed an interest in your relationships. Like I'm interested in Alex and Hope and Dylan and Wyatt, too. Look, I know you guys know about me and Dan, too. Even Dorota told me she was happy for me, and for Alex and Hope."

"I am happy for you," Noe told her honestly. "And Blair, Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan, Wyatt and Nate, and even Chuck are all happy for Alex and Hope."

"I know that, Noe," Serena told her. "But Blair, Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan, Wyatt and Chuck don't approve of Dan, though Nate and Alex can't really say anything since Alex is dating his sister Hope."

Blair scoffed. "True."

"And I know that Dan's not the 22nd lord of Westmorelandshire," Serena told them.

"Also true," Blair agreed.

"Why can't you guys support me?" Serena asked.

"Have you two talked about everything, all the very real reasons you broke up last year?" Brooklyn asked. "Reasons that were a lot more serious than Alex and Hope."

"Well, not completely," Serena answered.

"Well, when you do, if you're still together, I'll be happy for you," Brooklyn told her. "Till then, I think you're just fooling yourselves."

"Brooklyn's right, Serena," Thyra told her. "I just think you two need to talk. Hope and Alex already talked about everything, and they still are considering the state of Alex and Nate's family right now. I just think you and Dan should talk too."

Serena considered this.

Blair's phone rang. She looked at the Caller ID, glancing at Noe, leaving the room to answer her phone. "Duchess, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Noe stood, looking at the other girls. "Okay, I think you guys got this taken care of. I'm gonna go plan an unpredictable date with Nate."

"Good luck," Serena told her.

"You too, Serena," Noe told her. "But take Brooklyn and Thyra's advice. Talk to Dan. If things are fine after, then it'll be for the better."

Noe left the apartment.

In the other room, Blair was on the phone. "You're seriously liking Nate and intrigued by Alex, aren't you? Or just trying to get Alex out of the way to get to Nate? What do you want to do about Noe and Hope? Noe's a van der Woodsen and not easy to get rid of, but Hope's a Humphrey, so not that hard to. She lives in... Brooklyn. So..."

X•O°X•O

VDW/Bass Apartment - Living Room

Chuck, Dylan and Wyatt were sitting at the bar/counter.

Nate and Alex stepped out of the elevator.

Chuck offered them a blunt. "Smoke?"

"No, thanks," Wyatt answered. "I don't do that."

"And it's, uh, a little early for me," Nate agreed.

"Yeah, same," Alex agreed.

"Dylan?" Chuck asked.

Dylan smirked. "Light me up."

The boys chuckled.

"So how can we help, Nathaniel?" Chuck asked. "You and Alexander haven't been around much since last week."

"Yeah," Nate agreed. "About that, the money? Alex wasn't mad, he was just annoyed because he doesn't want anyone thinking that we need to be taken care of, but I was mad. And I, uh, I might have overreacted a little."

"A little?" Dylan repeated skeptically.

"Yeah," Alex answered. "And, hey, it took a lot for Nate to convince me to come up here, but he asked if we could take you up on the offer as a loan. I wasn't going to agree, but Thyra also talked me into it."

"Blair said that she, Brooklyn, Dylan, Thyra and Wyatt were getting the money from somewhere else for your family," Chuck told them. "Something to do with Nevaeh and Hope, too."

"Yeah, well, we don't know how many times we can use that card without something blowing up in our faces," Wyatt admitted.

Dylan looked at Nate and Alex. "And we'd love to accommodate you, but when you spurned our offer, we sent the money to our financial guides. It's tied up in bonds for six months."

Alex nodded in understanding. "Oh. Uh, no, that's cool. We'll just--we'll find another way. Good thing, too, because I didn't like coming here asking for it in the first place, but Nate and Thyra are kinda persuasive."

They chuckled in agreement.

"Is Noe here?" Nate asked.

"She was with Serena, Blair, Brooklyn and Thyra, planning for the party tonight, but she left to go plan something for you," Dylan answered. "Got a hot date with Noe tonight?"

"Before the party, yeah," Nate answered. "She wanted to do something unpredictable, whatever that means."

"Unpredictable sounds like the old Noe," Wyatt pointed out. "Who knows what it could mean with the new Noe."

The boys chuckled in agreement.

"Hmm, speaking of hot dates, I should probably get going," Alex told them. "I got to meet Hope after she gets off of internship work torture."

Chuck chuckled. "Yeah, saw that blast, Alexander. Congratulations are in order for you and Hope, too."

Alex smiled. "Yeah, thanks, Chuck. Never thought I'd hear you congratulate me on getting back with Hope, but thanks."

"Well, as Blair, Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan and Wyatt like to point out, Hope is the only Humphrey we can actually stand," Chuck pointed out.

"Yeah, Wyatt, Brooklyn, Thyra and I are waiting for a thank you for getting Hope to the party for you and being the reasons they got back together, Alex," Dylan told him.

"Alex and Hope already thanked us, Dylan," Wyatt told him in amusement.

"Yes, we did," Alex agreed. "Thank you, Wyatt."

"Another thank you wouldn't hurt," Dylan replied.

The boys smiled slightly.

"So, uh, have you seen Blair and Lord Fauntleroy recently?" Chuck asked, holding his head.

"Yes, since Blair's my sister, and Thyra's adopted sister," Wyatt answered with honest sarcastic.

"I've been around Blair and James/Not James/Marcus since I've been around Wyatt, Thyra and Brooklyn a lot at the Waldorf apartment," Dylan answered.

"Alex and I haven't," Nate answered. The boys looked at Chuck in concern. "Are you doing okay?"

Chuck hummed distantly. "I'll confess, I've been feeling a little off my game, but I'm expecting a return to form very soon."

A butler walked in. "Sir? The flight from Tokyo has landed."

A Japanese flight attendant walked in.

Chuck smirked. "So I can see." He walked toward the woman, and they bowed to each other in hello. "Konnichiwa."

Alex, Nate, Wyatt and Dylan rolled their eyes.

X•O°X•O

Eleanor Waldorf Designs - Atelier 

Hope, Jenny and other interns were working, fitting models and such.

Laurel was fanning herself off. "I know it's hot, but I need everything fitted and ready for Eleanor to inspect." Hope was done with the fitting, starting to clean. "Hope, you're seriously already done again? You're the first one to finish every single time."

Hope shrugged. "Guess I'm dedicated. And I'm cleaning the atelier like you asked."

"Good," Laurel told her. "Jenny, clean the bathrooms. Someone decided to give us a second look at breakfast."

Laurel walked away.

Hope was almost done with cleaning the atelier already.

Jenny was fitting a model. "Laurel believes in her interns paying their dues."

"You two must really want this," the model told her.

"Why?" Jenny asked sarcastically. "'Cause for the past three months, we've put up with midnight coffee runs, 15 hour days, cleaning up after the two in house bulimics, all so that Eleanor Waldorf will spend five minutes looking at our designs? Yeah. Yeah, we really do." She looked at the outfit she had fit the model into. "Uh, I feel like it's not right. Um..."

"Jenny, leave it alone," Hope told her.

"Just give me a second, Hope," Jenny told her, walking toward Laurel. 

Laurel was talking with a woman.

"Air France says Eleanor's plane's on time," the woman explained.

Laurel sighed. "Oh, all right, I'm gonna meet her at the penthouse. I think Blair, Brooklyn and Thyra are hosting a party. If the AC guy comes, call me." Jenny walked up to Laurel. "Yes?"

"I think there might be something wrong with the dress," Jenny told her.

They walked to check on the dress.

"No, this--this is what Eleanor designed," Laurel told her.

"Really?" Jenny asked. "Even--"

"Jen," Hope warned. "Stop."

Laurel crossed her arms. "Did you ever see 'Cinderella'?"

"The cartoon?" Jenny asked. "Sure."

"Remember the little birds that helped her dress?" Laurel asked. "Remember how they didn't offer their opinion? Try to imagine that you're one of those birds. Can you do that?"

Jenny nodded. "Yeah."

"Now fly away," Laurel told her.

Jenny went back to work. Hope sighed, shaking her head.

X•O°X•O

Park

Serena and Dan were walking together.

"They can be so infuriating," Serena told him. "Sometimes, I just want to... Okay, Noe, Brooklyn and Thyra are just looking out for me, but Blair? Okay, enough talking about them."

"No, don't stop on my account, please," Dan told her.

"I mean, obviously we have things to talk about," Serena told him. "And we'll talk about them, but it's no big deal, right? Oh, God, you--you agree with them."

Dan held her shoulders. "No. No, I don't. No, I don't. It--it's just, uh..."

Serena's phone rang. She pulled it out. "Wait, hold on. Oh, it's my mom. She's calling from Shanghai. Can I take this?"

"Oh, yeah, go," Dan answered.

"Sorry," Serena apologized, walking away to answer. "Hello?"

"Saved by the bell," Dan muttered.

Six girls stood behind Dan, all dressed like they idolized Serena, Noe, Blair, Brooklyn, Thyra and Hope, with the hair colors to match each. Blonde for Mini Serena and Mini Thyra, and brunette for Mini Noe, Mini Blair, Mini Brooklyn, and Mini Hope.

"Are you Dan Humphrey?" Mini Hope asked.

"Uh, yeah," Dan answered. "Can I help you?"

"How could you do it?" Mini Brooklyn asked.

"What?" Dan asked. "I'm sorry. I--I don't--"

"Get back together with Serena," Mini Brooklyn told him. "Don't you know she's just gonna lie to you again?"

"She doesn't respect you," Mini Blair told him. "She never will."

"Excuse me," Dan said. "Who--who are you?"

"We read about everything on Gossip Girl," Mini Thyra told him. "Your whole breakup? We're on your side." She looked at Mini Noe, Mini Serena and Mini Hope. "Except for them. She's a Noe, she's a Serena, and she's a Hope."

"And Noe and Hope would be happy for you and Serena, which is why we're happy for you," Mini Noe told him. She pointed at Mini Serena. "Except she's mad that you two are back together, but she's on Serena's side."

Mini Hope shrugged. "But we're happy Alex Archibald and Hope got back together." She pointed at Mini Serena. "Except for her since she's against the fact that both you and Alex were with Georgina, even though Alex was only with Georgina during a one night stand like forever ago when he was drunk, so that doesn't count. And I just want to shake Hope because she thought she wasn't good enough for Alex, but she's awesome."

"Okay, um, well, look, this is--" Dan started. "This is both creepy and none of your business. So if you could, uh, just go, please. You can just run along."

Serena walked back over. "I lost her. They were on a yacht with some Greek prince." She noticed the girls. "Hello."

"Yeah, ignore them," Dan told her.

"Serena, how could you forgive him after sleeping with Georgina?" Mini Serena asked.

"What?" Serena asked.

"Whoa, what?" Dan asked. "No. No, this is insane. I didn't sleep with Georgina. All right? Please go."

"But we're on your side," Mini Blair told him.

"Not me," Mini Serena told him.

Mini Noe pointed between herself and Mini Hope. "We're just happy that you two and Alex and Hope got back together."

Mini Hope pointed to Mini Brooklyn, Mini Thyra and Mini Blair. "And they're glad that Alex and Hope got back together too."

Mini Thyra pointed at Mini Serena. "And she's mad about both you and Alex and Hope getting back together."

"Yeah, because Dan and Alex's mouths kissed Georgina's, and Serena and Hope deserve more than that," Mini Serena told them.

"Oh, come on," Mini Brooklyn told her. "Alex and Georgina hooked up drunk at a party when they were in sixth grade. Alex didn't even like her, and it was ancient history until G wanted to use it against Hope."

"Well, it might be ancient history for Alex and Hope, but not for Dan and Serena," Mini Serena replied. "Since Dan kissed Georgina three months ago when he was technically still with Serena." She looked at Serena. "Think about that the next time--"

Serena stammered nervously, a little amused. "O--Okay. Yeah, th--that's enough. Now I'm telling you to go. Come on, get out of here. Shoo."

"Thank you," Dan told them.

The girls walked away.

Serena looked at Dan. "Wow. What was that?"

"That was, uh..." Dan trailed off. "Oh, that was Gossip Girl." Serena chuckled nervously. "So?"

"Well, maybe there are some things that, um, you know, we--we should talk about," Serena told him.

"Yeah," Dan agreed. "Well, I think so."

Serena stammered nervously. "Y-yeah, th-there's some stuff I have to do. Now, before the party."

"Okay," Dan agreed.

"So why don't we talk, um..." Serena trailed off.

"Yeah, we'll talk later when I pick you up," Dan told her.

"Yeah, perfect," Serena told him. "Okay."

"All right," Dan agreed. "That'll be good." They kissed. "Bye. I'll see you later."

Serena backed away. "Bye."

X•O°X•O

Ice Rink

Nate followed Noe into the ice rink. "This is your idea of unpredictable?"

Noe turned toward him, skating backwards on the ice. "Why? Not really your style, Archibald?"

Nate smiled at the teasing tone. "No, it's a good plan, but... I just didn't expect this."

"Well, that's why they call it unpredictable," Noe told him, smiling. She sighed. "And you're just not into this as much as I am."

"Noe, I'm sorry, there's just a lot going on," Nate told her.

"Maybe you just need to be properly distracted," Noe told him, pulling him on the ice, smiling.

Nate looked around. "There's no one even here."

"That's the point," Noe told him.

"So just the two of us?" Nate asked. "In an ice rink? Alone?"

"You've got a problem with that?" Noe asked.

Nate smiled, wrapping his arms around Noe's waist, pulling her closer. "I definitely don't got a problem with that."

Smiling, Nate and Noe kissed sweetly.

Blair walked onto the ice. "What an unusual little date. Ice skating for the free-hearted. But then unusual pairings seem to be the order of the day."

"Blair, what are you doing here?" Nate asked.

"Being angry at you, for one," Blair told him. "Here I thought I'd surprise you by bringing Noe to tonight's party." She looked at Noe. "Serena told me about your little time estranged for the past week." She looked between the two. "When lo and behold, you two have rekindled your love in secret."

"You followed us to an ice rink to invite me to a party that you know that I'm already going to?" Noe asked skeptically.

"It's because I have a surprise, Noe," Blair told her. She looked at Nate. "Anne called me this morning. Poor thing has a migraine. When I thought of you and Alex coming all alone, I just wanted to do something nice by making sure that Noe and Hope would be there. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes," Nate and Noe answered together.

"Pretty much," Noe told her. She heard the bell ring from here, the door opening. "No, no one's supposed to be here."

Noe skated away, leaving Blair and Nate alone.

"Blair, what are you really doing here?" Nate asked. "Like Noe said, you already knew that she was going to the party, and Hope's obviously gonna be coming as Alex's date once he asks her. And you've never done anything when something wasn't in it for you."

"You think I'm just gonna sit back and watch my boyfriend's mother obsess over you and Alex when Dylan, Wyatt, Thyra and Brooklyn would kill me if I did?" Blair asked. "Guess again."

"So what are your plans?" Nate asked. "Make sure Catherine can see that Alex's with Hope and I'm with Noe? Doesn't seem to be working."

"Well, I have a plan that might work for you and Noe, and Alex and Hope," Blair told him. "What about it?"

"It's just as your plans go, it's kinda nice," Nate answered.

"A, don't be offensive," Blair told him. "B, you still can't tell Noe because Serena doesn't want her to freak out over what could push her over the edge."

"I'm aware," Nate replied. "I'm trying to find the right way to tell Noe so that doesn't happen."

"Good luck with that," Blair told him.

Noe skated back toward them. "Got rid of them."

"So can we look forward to seeing you two, and Alex and Hope tonight?" Blair asked.

"Sure," Nate answered. "We'll be there."

Noe shrugged. "Yeah, why not? Was already going anyway. What surprise are you talking about?"

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, silly," Blair told her. "Till tonight."

Blair turned around, walking away.

Noe turned toward Nate. "So can we have that proper distraction now?"

Nate smiled, chuckling. "Yes, please."

Noe chuckled, pulling Nate further onto the ice, spinning around. She let his hands go, skating away, spinning into the air, landing safely on the ice, still skating. Nate looked at Noe in awe like he couldn't take his eyes away.

X•O°X•O

Street

Blair walked away from the ice rink, making a call on her phone. "Duchess, it's me. I talked to Nate and Noe, they are coming, and Alex's bringing Hope. And for the record, whatever you're planning with them, if anything happens to Noe's mind state, you'll be the one paying again."

X•O°X•O

X•O°X•O

VDW/Bass Apartment - Living Room

The Japanese woman was leaving. Chuck and Dylan were  still here. Serena and Brooklyn walked in.

Brooklyn sat up on the counter. "Who was that?"

"A whiff of the far east," Chuck answered.

"Sometimes I envy you, the way you just--" Serena started. "Ew, what am I saying? You're disgusting."

"Relax," Chuck told them. "Nothing happened with Madame Butterfly."

Dylan scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"No, nothing happened," Chuck told them. "Same as nothing's been happening all week."

"What are you talking about?" Brooklyn asked. "You've had different girls every day."

Chuck gave them a look, causing them to realize and look incredulous.

Dylan smirked. "No."

"I'll take your incredulity as a compliment," Chuck told them.

Dylan laughed. "No, but, I mean, come on. You--you must have tried."

Chuck turned to the counter. "Everything. From the erotic to the pharmaceutical."

Brooklyn laughed. "I'm sorry. I'm not laughing. It's just so obvious.  You're not over Blair." Chuck gave her a look. "What? Come on. This is your body's way of telling you."

"I don't have a romantic bone in my body," Chuck told them, glancing down. "Least of all that one." He looked up at Brooklyn. "But you do raise an interesting idea. Clearly there's some sort of... blockage. Perhaps..."

"No, Chuck," Serena told him.

Chuck stood up straight. "One more go around, just to clear the pipes."

"You are not using Blair as sexual draino," Serena told him.

"I have to make myself presentable," Chuck told them. Dylan, Brooklyn and Serena exchanged a look, knowing they couldn't stop him from wanting to do this. "I have a party to attend." Chuck finished his drink, looking at Serena. "By the way, congrats on you and Humphrey. Already congratulated Alex for him and Hope. Water always finds its own level."

Chuck walked away.

Dylan sighed. "Great. Yeah, Serena, okay with you and Dan, I guess. Though I take personal pleasure in the fact that Alex and Hope are back together, mainly because the fact that Brooklyn, Wyatt, Thyra and I are the reasons why."

Brooklyn smirked. "You give yourself, me, Thyra and Wyatt way too much credit, Dylan. Hope and Alex are back together because they want to be."

"But we made it happen," Dylan replied.

Serena chuckled. 

Brooklyn shook her head. "Is Noe still out on her date with Nate?"

"Yeah," Serena answered. "And I think Hope's gonna be going on her date with Alex after her shift ends. Hey, Brooklyn? Dylan? Whatever you two, Thyra, Wyatt and Blair have been up to, I know it's about Catherine, Alex, Nate, Hope and Noe. But I just want to say--"

"Don't tell Noe because it could freak her out and mess with her recovery," Dylan finished. "We know. But like Nate keeps saying, Noe's stronger than you think, Serena."

"I know she is, we just have to find the right way to tell her so that it will come natural, or at least as natural as it can be, and it's not gonna make anything worse for her," Serena told them. "That's all."

Brooklyn sighed, nodding. "All right."

X•O°X•O

Eleanor Waldorf Designs - Atelier

Hope was finishing cleaning up the atelier.

Eleanor walked in, not noticed yet.

Jenny was still fitting the model. "I just think if we hemmed it and then got rid of all that stuff by the collar, right?"

"Yeah," the model agreed. "Oh, my God. That's so much better."

"Jen, why don't you just leave the dress alone?" Hope asked. "We're just interns here, and I really don't think you should be critiquing designs that could get you fired."

"What?" Jenny asked. "It doesn't matter, Hope. I just... I feel like the dress is trying too hard, and this part is so 90s."

Eleanor finally spoke up. "Actually, it does matter." Jenny and Hope turned to face her in surprise. "Interesting observation. And who are you?"

Jenny gasped, standing.

Hope stammered a bit nervously. "Uh, I'm..."

Eleanor pointed at Hope. "I know who you are. Blair, Thyra and Wyatt suggested you as an intern, Hope. I'm talking about the blonde."

"I'm Hope's sister, Jenny Humphrey," Jenny answered. "The  Parsons intern. Uh, I thought you were going home. Laurel went to go meet you."

"And I decided to come here," Eleanor told them. She looked at the man behind her with her bags. "You can, um, leave those and bring the rest of the bags to the apartment." The man did as told. Eleanor looked at Jenny. "So now interns have opinions.  I have been gone a while."

"Mrs. Waldorf, um, I hope that you don't think that I was trying--" Jenny started.

"That you were telling the model that has to wear my design all the many, many things that are wrong with it?" Eleanor asked. She sighed. "It's hot and late." She looked at the model. "We'll finish your fitting tomorrow."

The model walked away.

"Mrs. Waldorf, I'm--I'm so sorry," Hope told her. 

"What are you sorry for?" Eleanor asked. "I heard you trying to stop your sister."

"Just sorry for that," Hope answered. She gave Jenny a look. "That was completely unprofessional."

"I promise it will never happen again from me," Jenny told her. "I--I swear."

"I know you won't," Eleanor told her. "Not here at least. I need people around here that I can trust. Clean out your station."

"What?" Jenny asked. "No. No, please. You can't--"

Eleanor nodded. "Oh, yes, please, I can, and if you are still hoping for a letter of recommendation, you won't argue." She walked away. "Why is it so hot in here?"

Jenny looked heartbroken.

Hope looked unsurprised given what Jenny had been saying, but concerned and sympathetic for her sister. "Jen..."

"Just go, Hope," Jenny told her, a bit too rude. "You're finished cleaning and you got a date with Alex. You get to come back tomorrow."

X•O°X•O

Lakeside

(Song:) Falling - Dylan Brady

Alex was setting up a picnic for him and Hope, sitting down by the lakeside.

Hope was just getting here, rambling about work. "I'm so sorry I'm late. Eleanor just got back just as I was finishing cleaning up the atelier, and Jenny was criticizing her designs, telling me and the model she was fitting what was wrong with it, and Eleanor overheard her, and she fired her, but she let me stay because I was trying to stop Jen from saying those things in the place where we were both only interns and didn't have a voice to say anything bad about the dress, though Jen was right about the dress, it was just like really unprofessional, and I was trying to save her job, and I would have if it wasn't for Eleanor right there, and..."

Alex grabbed a water bottle to hand to her, knowing she would need it in the heat after that ramble. "Hope."

Hope took the water bottle. "Thank you." She started to drink, looking over the picnic. "Oh, my God." Alex chuckled. "This is great."

"Probably should've done it somewhere a little cooler," Alex told her.

"It's in the shade, so it's a little cooler," Hope told him. "And it's not like anywhere else in the city is cooler unless you go to an ice rink like Noe took Nate earlier."

Alex nodded in agreement. "That's true." They chuckled, sitting down to eat and drink. "I'm sorry to hear about Jenny, but sounds like she got fired because she didn't listen to you."

Hope sighed. "Yeah, maybe, but I still feel guilty for not being able to do more to keep her from being fired. I even apologized to Eleanor, who asked me why I was apologizing since she heard me tell Jen to stop."

"So even Eleanor Waldorf knows that Hope Humphrey apologizes too much for things out of her control," Alex told her teasingly. "Hmm."

Hope laughed. "I know, I know. I'm sorry." Alex gave her an amused look. Hope realized she did it again, putting her hands to her face, groaning in frustration teasingly, causing them both to laugh while they continued to eat the sandwiches Alex made for them. "This is so good. I needed this all day. Thank you."

Alex chuckled. "No problem."

"You know, I'm kinda worried about school starting back up soon," Hope admitted.

"Why?" Alex asked. "Because it'll take your focus away from being able to work at the atelier all day every day like you did all summer?"

"Kinda, yeah," Hope answered. "Laurel's always saying that I'm the first one to finish with the tasks and always commenting about my dedication, and now that Eleanor's back in the city, I want to show her that same dedication, but I can't do that if I'm gonna be at school all the time, but I don't wanna stop going to school either, but I want to be able to learn everything I need to do for my future and get into a good college and learn more. I mean, Jen's all into the fashion, and designing is my big passion, too, but fashion should not be the only thing that defines me. I want to be able to do that and do more. Just wish that I could find a balance between school and the internship."

Alex considered this. "Hmm. Well, you should talk to Wyatt. Even if he's only going into sophomore year like Jenny, Eric, Brooklyn, Dylan and Thyra, he's a genius. And you're really smart, too. I'm sure that Wyatt could help you figure out something."

Hope smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah," Alex answered. "You should definitely talk to Wyatt at the party tonight."

Hope nodded in agreement. "Okay. Wait, I'm invited to the party?"

"You just now realize that?" Alex asked in amusement.

"Well, I've been so busy at the atelier that I didn't know if I was actually invited or not," Hope admitted.

Alex smirked. "Wow, Hope."

They both laughed.

"And I'm gonna stop the work/sister/school talk right now," Hope told him. "I'm more worried about you. Are you okay? I mean, you, Noe and Nate said that Blair, Brooklyn, Dylan, Wyatt and Thyra had blackmailed Lady Catherine for money because they saw something that she didn't want them to see."

"Yeah, right now, me and Nate, we're fine, I think," Alex answered. "The money's already gone because of our mom, and Chuck, Dylan and Brooklyn can't sport a loan right now, and we're not asking Noe, Serena, Eric or Lily, because the whole thing of not wanting our friends to take care of us thing."

"Right," Hope agreed.

"And Blair, Wyatt, Thyra, Brooklyn and Dylan can't keep doing the blackmail thing because it could blow up in their faces, and yours, mine, Nate and Noe's," Alex admitted.

Hope frowned. "What? Why?"

Alex sighed, taking a deep breath. "You remember the woman I told you about that was stalking Noe and Nate at the white party, and then was hitting on me to distract me from her obsession with Nate, the reason why Serena and I kissed?"

"Yeah," Hope answered.

"That's Catherine," Alex explained.

Hope raised her eyebrows in shock. "What?"

"Yeah," Alex answered. "That's what Thyra, Brooklyn, Dylan, Blair and Wyatt saw her doing that they could blackmail her for. Spying on you and me..."

"And Nate and Noe," Hope finished. "Oh, my God."

"Yep," Alex agreed. "Serena's caught up on all of it, I think, by now, at least, and now you are, too. And Nate knows, and he's trying to help Serena find a right way to tell Noe..."

"Because of the damage from the car accident, the glass in her head," Hope finished. "Serena and Nate are worried if they can't find a right way to tell Noe about all this, that it could set her off."

"Yeah," Alex answered. "And we know that Noe can handle a lot, okay? Obviously. It's just this is hard for some of us to handle. I can't imagine what it could be like for her."

"Me neither," Hope agreed sadly. "But we need to find a right way soon before Noe finds out the wrong way. If one thing's for certain in Upper East Side, it's that nothing stays secret for long."

"Right," Alex agreed. "Nate said that Blair has a plan that might be able to help us tonight, by having Nate and Noe, and you and me go to the party tonight together, to send a message to Catherine that she can't be with Nate, and can't touch you, me or Noe. But Nate's kind of suspicious about Blair right now, so I don't know what is all going on, but..."

"If you need me at the party, I'll  go," Hope told him. "Say no more."

Alex chuckled, relieved at her instant reassurance. "Thank you, Hope."

Hope nodded. "Of course. Whatever happens tonight, we can deal with it together."

Alex and Hope smiled a bit, holding hands, worried but relieved to be doing it together, trying to change the subject to something less stressful.

"What would you like to do now?" Alex asked.

"You know, when I was younger, I would just lay down on a blanket like this in the grass and look up at the sky and count the stars at night, coming up with shapes in the stars, or if it was day like now, I would try and come up with shapes within the clouds," Hope answered.

Alex nodded, impressed. "Sounds interesting." Hope laid down on the blanket, looking up at the sky. "What, now?"

"Yes, now," Hope answered. "Come on, I'll show you how it's done."

Alex laid down next to her, looking up at the sky. "Amazing."

Hope smiled, pointing at the clouds. "Look, there's a kite, that looks like a pan, an elephant, a weight."

"You're good at this," Alex told her.

"Thank you," Hope told him. "Now you try."

Alex chuckled, pointing. "All right, that looks like a K." He pointed at another shape. "That looks like a hook, a man giving us a thumbs up." Hope laughed lightly. "A cross, a heart, a dog, a mask, a dinosaur."

Hope laughed. "Where do you see a dinosaur?"

"It's right there, clearly," Alex told her. "You're telling me you don't see that?"

"I think you're imagining things," Hope told him, sitting up.

Alex sat up. "Ooh, you better take that back."

Hope smiled, standing, backing away, shaking her head. "Nope. You're gonna have to make me."

Alex nodded. "All right."

Alex stood, chasing after her. Hope squealed with excitement and happiness, running. Alex caught up to her easily, lifting her in his arms, spinning her around. They both smiled, looking at each other happily as Alex slowly put her down. After another moment of longing looks, Alex placed either of his hands on her cheeks, kissing her deeply and passionately. Hope returned the kiss in kind, wrapping her arms around his neck to deepen the kiss sweetly. They were both laughing happily.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Looks like round two for Humble Hope and Alex is all about overcoming more obstacles than before, but filled with more sweet happiness than ever. Can H2A overcome the latest roadblock and keep that happiness alive, or will it all come crashing down again so soon after rekindling their lost love over the summer?"

(Song Ends)

X•O°X•O

Trail

Nate was going for a jog.

Marcus was walking, seeing him. "Nate!"

Nate stopped to talk. "Oh, hey."

"I thought that was you," Marcus told him. "A little warm for a run, isn't it?"

"Yeah, you know, I was just, um, had some things to think about," Nate explained.

"Are you and Alex bringing Noe and Hope tonight for Blair, Brooklyn and Thyra's party?" Marcus asked. "Dylan and Wyatt helped a bit, I hear."

"Yeah," Nate answered. "Uh, you headed down there now or what?"

"No, no," Marcus answered. "I promised the Duchess I'd pick her up."

Nate looked nervous, worried. "Oh, your mother's coming?"

"Oh, yes," Marcus answered. "Blair, Wyatt, Thyra, Dylan and Brooklyn won her over at the Hudson party." Nate nodded knowingly since Thyra had told him and Alex what happened. "She and Blair are fast friends. I always find them whispering in a corner.  It's a bit troubling, come to think of it." Nate was surprised by that however, looking like his suspicions of Blair were confirmed. Marcus shook his hand. "Anyway, uh, I'll see you tonight."

Nate nodded. "Thanks, man."

Marcus walked away. Nate took out his phone to call Noe.

Noe: (voicemail) "This is Noe. Leave a message after the beep."

Nate left a message. "Hey, Noe, it's Nate. Uh, listen, I'm so sorry, but about tonight, it's just, um..."

X•O°X•O

VDW/Bass Apartment - Living Room

Noe and Eric were sitting at the counter.

Already dressed for the party, Noe hung up after listening to the message that Nate cancelled their date.

"You okay?" Eric asked. "It's just, um, I thought you and Serena were leaving for the party."

Noe nodded. "Yeah, we're supposed to. I just got a message from Nate. Family drama, doesn't want to burden me, same old story. And I know that people are keeping secrets from me again to protect me, like they always did last year, but it seems like it's something new this time, and they don't want me to freak out. I just want to shake them, like I can handle it, you know?"

Serena walked in. "Hey, sorry, I know I'm late. I gotta go get ready for the party."

Noe shook her head. "It's okay."

Serena looked at Noe. "You're already ready."

"Yeah," Noe agreed. "Had a date planned with Nate. He's, uh, running late. I'll just... I'll meet you there."

"Okay,"  Serena agreed. "You sure?"

"Yeah," Noe answered. "Go get ready. See you there."

"Okay," Serena agreed, walking upstairs to go get ready.

Eric looked at Noe. "You know, if you really like Nate, you should call him. Tell him how you feel."

Noe nodded sarcastically. "The mature response. Tempting."

Eric chuckled. "Or if you're looking for something immature, you could tell him you left the phone at the ice rink and never got the message. I've seen you be very forgetful, no offense."

"Right," Noe agreed. She sighed, looking at Eric. "Why is it that when me and Serena have guy trouble, we go to you instantly?"

"Because you and Serena trust me enough to come to me instantly," Eric answered.

Noe smiled. "Thanks, Eric."

Eric smiled. "No problem, Noe."

X•O°X•O

Humphrey Loft - Living Room

Vanessa was sitting at the counter.

Rufus walked in with a box. "Hey."

"Hey," Vanessa replied.

"Did Hope and Dan leave for the party yet?" Rufus asked.

"Not yet," Vanessa answered.

"They're not still in their rooms reading one of those Dan/Serena, Hope/Alex  should they or shouldn't they threads, are they?" Rufus asked.

"Hope's finishing up a dress she's been working on for a while, so she has something to wear to the party, but the last I checked, Dan's been reading those," Vanessa answered.

Hope and Dan walked out into the room.

"Hey, sorry," Hope told them. "I'm ready to go."

"So how was public opinion on the Dan/Serena and Alex/Hope front?" Rufus asked.

"Oh, well, most people absolutely love Alex and Hope and wish them well and love that they're back together," Dan answered. "And it turns out most people think I'm an ass, but a passionate minority hold I'm just an idiot, so..."

Hope chuckled. "Well, they know what they're talking about."

"Hey," Dan complained.

Hope smirked. "You ready?"

"Yeah," Dan answered. "Let's go."

"Uh, you still positive you don't want me tagging along?" Rufus asked.

"Yeah, no offense, Dad, but I think you, me, Hope, Alex and Serena..." Dan trailed off. "Things are awkward enough for our family and Serena and Noe's family."

"Well, it's not like I'd have to be a whatever number wheel," Rufus told them. "I can bring a date." Hope raised an eyebrow. Dan laughed. "What?"

"No, it--it's not that you having a date is funny or--or completely outside of the realm of possibility," Dan told him. "Ju--just within the gates."

"One day, I might surprise you," Rufus told them.

"Well, wish that one day might be soon, because you deserve to be happy too, Dad," Hope told him.

Rufus was not surprised by Hope's reaction, but thankful, giving Dan a pointed look. "Thank you, Hope. Both of you, go."

Hope smiled. "See you later."

Dan and Hope walked out of the loft.

X•O°X•O

Night - Waldorf Apartment - Living Room

(Song:) Like Knives - The Fashion

The party was underway.

Marcus gave Catherine a wine glass. "Duchess, here. Sorry to leave you on your own."

Catherine smiled. "Oh, thank you, darling."

"My pleasure," Marcus replied.

Blair, Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan and Wyatt were nearby.

"Well, the ancestral home is next to Balmoral," Blair told them. "Marcus tells the funniest stories about Harry running naked across their lawn."

"Prince Harry?" Brooklyn asked.

"Only Harry I know is Nate and Alex's Uncle Harry van der Bilt, Anne's brother," Thyra admitted. "In fact, I've called him Uncle Harry since I was young while he was around when I was growing up with either Blair, Wyatt or Eleanor, or Anne, Howie, Nate and Alex, Harry would always be around and treat me like a niece."

"Where is Harry van der Bilt anyway?" Wyatt asked. "Can't he help Nate and Alex with their family?"

"He's out of the country," Thyra answered. "He doesn't know all of this is going on or he would help."

"Of course he would," Dylan agreed. "Harry van der Bilt could be a dick, but at least he was a good uncle to Nate and Alex, and you, Thyra."

"Can we please stop talking about Harry van der Bilt and talk about how I might change course of action when it comes to college?" Blair asked.

"But we've both been planning on Yale since we were young because that's where Dad went," Wyatt told her.

"I know, but Marcus keeps begging me to consider Oxford," Blair told them.

Chuck walked closer. "What a pity. So much wasted potential."

Brooklyn and Dylan gave him a look.

"Dylan and I already told Blair, Thyra and Wyatt what you were planning, Chuck, so don't try any sick tricks," Brooklyn told them.

Thyra pointed away. "Yeah, we should go."

"Don't do anything you'll regret, Chuck, or Brooklyn's gonna make you regret it," Dylan told him. "Thyra and Wyatt too if you hurt Blair."

They walked away.

Blair gave Chuck a cold look. "Brooklyn and Dylan told me what you wanted, and it disgusts me. They were serious about Thyra and Wyatt joining them to making you regret it if you do anything to mess up tonight."

"More about that later," Chuck told her. "I can't ruin tonight if you want it too. The thing that always fascinated me about you? The cool exterior, the fire below."

"You are living proof a person can't buy class," Blair told him.

"And you can't tell me Bertie Wooster is satisfying your needs," Chuck replied. "Titles aside, a suit of armor makes for a cold bedfellow."

"Not that it's any of your business, but Marcus and I have an amazing sex life," Blair lied.

"Is that so?" Chuck asked. "What names does he call you when you make love?" He turned Blair around to hold her from behind, holding her hand in his, tracing his finger along her neck. "Where does he put his hand?" He reached their hands down to touch her yellow dress. "Does he..." He took Blair's chin, turning her head to whisper in her ear. Their hands clutched the hem of her dress. "Have sex with me. Just once. That's all I need."

"You are disgusting, and I hate you," Blair told him.

"Then why are you still holding my hand?" Chuck asked.

Blair took her hand away, pulling out of his hold, turning to face him. "I have a party to host."

Blair walked away.

(Song Ends)

X•O°X•O

VDW/Bass Apartment - Living Room

Dan was waiting.

Serena walked toward him. "Hey, sorry I'm late."

"Oh, no, it's not a problem," Dan told her. "You--you look great, as always."

"Thank you," Serena told him.

The electricity hummed as the lights flickered.

"Oh, that's, uh, that's troubling," Dan told her.

"Maybe we should just go," Serena told him.

"Yeah," Dan agreed.

They walked toward the elevator, hitting the call button for it.

"Did I say you look nice?" Dan asked.

"Yeah," Serena answered. "Thanks again, though."

"Yeah, you're welcome," Dan told her.

"Did you do anything this afternoon?" Serena asked.

"No," Dan answered. "No. You?"

"No," Serena answered. "Chuck had a Japanese stewardess over today."

"Huh," Dan said. He hit the call button again. "It's a slow elevator."

X•O°X•O

Waldorf Apartment - Living Room

(Song:) Closer - Ne-Yo

Nate, Alex and Hope arrived., walking out of the elevator, seeing Blair.

"Where's Noe?" Blair asked.

"Not walking into your trap, or whatever it is," Nate told her.

"I'm just here to talk to Wyatt, but I'm not in the mood to be part of whatever game you and Catherine are playing, Blair," Hope told her.

Blair sighed. "Oh, please. You'd really think that I'd want to completely set Noe up for a fall when I know what could happen? I'm just making Catherine think that I'm helping her get what she wants with you, Noe, Alex and Nate, Hope. Believe it or not, I'm looking out for all of you, including you, because even if I hate to admit it, I agree with with Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan and Wyatt. I like the Humble Humphrey. Like we all thought, she's obsessed with Nate and wants him for herself, and to do that, she has to break up him and Noe. And she wants payback on Alex for stopping her from getting to Nate."

"Let me guess, by trying to break me and Hope up?" Alex asked sarcastically. "Great."

"Whatever reason you're pretending to play along for, I just hope it's worth it," Nate told her.

Seeing them talking, Catherine walked closer. "Nathaniel, Alexander, so glad that you came, and with Hope. Seems like forever since I've seen you or heard from you."

"So you use our friends for some power play to prove you're the one in control, huh?" Alex asked.

"I don't like sharing my toys, especially if I've paid for them," Catherine told them. "Where's Nevaeh? I was looking forward to seeing her, too."

"Hope, go," Alex told her. "Talk to Wyatt. We got this." Hesitating, Hope walked away. Catherine tried to walk after her. Alex stopped her. "No, stop it. Leave her alone."

"I don't know where we're gonna get the money from, but you listen--" Nate started.

Catherine ran her hands on Nate's shoulders, holding his hands. "Okay, no, Nate, listen. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It was out of jealousy of Noe. And I admit, me wanting to get to Alex and Hope was in revenge for Alex keeping me from you. Please don't do something we'll all regret."

Nate scoffed. "No."

Noe was behind Nate and Alex. "Nate? Alex?" They turned to see her, both worried about her finding out like this. Noe saw that Catherine was holding Nate's hands. "Oh, my God."

The electricity powered completely down, all over town, leaving Serena and Dan trapped in the elevator in the VDW/Bass apartment building.

Brooklyn walked through the crowd, everyone having their phones for light or candles lit. "Everyone, stay calm. I'm sure the power will be back on in a second."

Noe looked at Nate, shaking her head, starting to walk away.

Nate followed her. "Noe."

Catherine tried to stop him. "Nate."

Alex stopped her from stopping Nate. "Back off. Nate, go. Get Noe."

Nate went after Noe.

"It'll be fine," Thyra told everyone.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Sorry to break it to you, Black Diamond Thyra, but this party took a page from your book and just went over to the dark side."

X•O°X•O

X•O°X•O

Servants were passing out candles.

"It's a city wide black out, but we have candles," Dylan told them. "Everything's fine."

Hope and Wyatt were talking in the dark, with their phones lighting their space.

"So you're now more determined than ever to prove your dedication to the internship with my mother since she just got back, and you don't want to drop out of school to do it, but you also don't want school to keep you away from doing your intern job or keep you from reaching your dream job," Wyatt stated. "That about right?"

"Yes, exactly," Hope answered.

"Okay," Wyatt said. "Well, Alex sent you to the right person. I think I know of a way that you can do both. Be an intern full time and still be a student without dropping out."

"Really?" Hope asked.

"Yeah," Wyatt answered. "The school's setting up an independent study program for 11th and 12th graders. I know because I'm part of the student council."

"Independent study?" Hope repeated. "That would be perfect. Um, how do I sign up for that?"

"Well, the program starts on the first day of school, so I can help you sign up then," Wyatt answered. "I'm sure they'll let you into the independent study course since your GPA and grades are one of the highest of your grade class. Second, I think. Already got a national scholar award for how well you did on the PSATs, so imagine what award you could get for the actual SATs this year."

Hope looked at him curiously. "How do you know that much about my academic life?"

"I like to know everything about the smartest people in Constance and St. Jude's," Wyatt answered. "To see if I've got any real competition. In the senior class, the only competition I'm worried about is Nelly, since Blair's my sister and she's close behind Nelly. Out of your class, you're the only one I was worried about before we became..."

Hope smiled. "Aw, you almost said friends."

"Don't let that go to your head," Wyatt replied. Hope smirked. "And then I'm the best in both schools. You, Nelly and Blair are up there, too, though. Dan's a little bit behind. Luckily for me, though? Thyra, Serena, Noe, Nate, Alex, Chuck, Dylan and Brooklyn never really cared too much about school."

Hope smiled in amusement. "Right. But if you could help me sign up on the first day of school, I would be eternally grateful. I still care about school, and I want to do my best, but I still care about my work too, and I also want to do my best at that."

Wyatt smirked. "Well, look at that. Hope Humphrey does have an overachieving bone in her body."

Hope tilted her head in response. "I learn from the best, Wyatt Waldorf."

Wyatt smiled. "Good answer. Guess we can really become friends for real."

They laughed lightly.

Brooklyn, Thyra and Dylan walked over to them.

"What are you two laughing about?" Brooklyn asked. 

"Yeah, inquiring minds want to know," Thyra told them. "Kind of feeling cheated, Hope. Thought you and I would get closer first, considering that you're dating one of my surrogate brothers. With you dating Alex and Noe dating Nate, it's like we're family already, huh?"

"Wouldn't go that far, Thyra," Hope told her. "At least not yet."

"Yeah, yet," Dylan repeated. "Though you should know we all basically gave Alex the congratulations on getting back together with you, Hope. Even Chuck."

"Chuck?" Hope repeated in surprise. "I believe that you and Brooklyn would be the Basses to deliver congrats on me and Alex, Dylan. But Chuck?"

"Yeah, we couldn't believe it either," Brooklyn told her. "Then again, even more shocking, he gave Serena the congratulations on getting back together with Dan. And you know how we all feel about your brother, Hope."

"Yeah, that's one way of putting it," Hope agreed.

"So what are you two bonding over?" Thyra asked.

"Wyatt said that he could help me get an independent study sign up on the first day of school since it's just starting the program," Hope answered. "I wanted to be able to focus on school and my work with the same level of focus, and dedicate myself to both..."

"So I helped Hope find a solution," Wyatt finished. "Trust me, Mother will be impressed by the level of dedication."

"Yeah, I stopped listening when school and work were brought up in the same sentence," Dylan told them.

They all laughed lightly.

Alex walked up to them. "Hey, guys, have you seen Noe?"

"No, no one's seen Noe, since there's no light," Wyatt answered. "What's going on?"

Alex swallowed worriedly. "Noe's here. She knows. At least a little bit, she hasn't had time to get the full explanation because we're trying to keep her away from Catherine. She just saw Catherine holding Nate's hands, so she probably thinks that Nate's cheating on her right now, because that's what Catherine wanted Noe to think."

Hope stood worriedly. "Oh, my God."

"Come on, split up," Brooklyn told them. "We gotta find her."

They all went their separate ways.

X•O°X•O

Elsewhere

Noe was trying to leave the apartment to get out of the building, but Marcus stopped her from leaving because it could be dangerous outside in the blackout.

Nate was looking for Noe, finding her with Marcus. "Noe."

"Nate, thank goodness," Marcus told him. "Would you please tell your young lady she can't go outside in the blackout?"

"Yeah, well, I am," Noe replied, trying to leave.

Marcus blocked Noe's path. 

Nate caught Noe's arm. "No, it's okay, Marcus. I got it, I got it." Noe turned to Nate. "Just come with me, please."

X•O°X•O

Dining Room

Nate led Noe into the room, closing the doors.

Noe was trying very hard to stay calm. "I can't believe this. I--I just got to get out of here."

"Noe..." Nate trailed off worriedly. "Look, it's not what it looks like, okay?"

Noe scoffed, looking away. "Of course it's not. Next thing I know, you're gonna be saying, 'it's not you, it's me'." She held her head, clearly in pain from being overwhelmed. Nate stepped closer to try and help, but Noe held up a hand for him to wait. She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Are you sleeping with Catherine?"

"No," Nate answered. "But--"

"No, Nate," Noe told him. "There are no 'but's." Her voice broke as she tried not to get overly emotional because she didn't know what she could do if she did. "You lied to me." She shook her head. "I'm so stupid."

Noe turned for the door.

Nate caught her arm. "No, you're not." Noe turned to face him. "I want to tell you everything, Noe, I do. I just..."

"Keeping secrets like this from me because you think I can't handle it, like everybody else is doing," Noe told him. "But I can handle it, Nate."

"And what happens if you can't?" Nate asked.

"I'm never going to find out if I can if you guys keep sheltering me, am I?" Noe replied. "Please. Tell me everything. I don't care what Serena says."

Nate sighed, nodding in agreement. 

X•O°X•O

Living Room

The others were all out here. Blair, Thyra and Brooklyn stood together.

"Now if everyone will just get a drink and a candle," Thyra told them. "I'm sure the power will be back in a minute."

Brooklyn sighed. "Blair, did you lure Nate, Alex, Noe and Hope here for Catherine?"

"So that I could try and get them out from under her crazy obsession, but this blackout and them disappearing got in the way of that," Blair answered.

"Because Noe saw Catherine holding Nate's hand and disappeared when the black out started," Thyra explained. "Alex, Hope, Dylan and Wyatt are looking for them right now. Noe's probably freaking out, which is probably Catherine's goal."

Catherine walked downstairs.

Brooklyn sighed. "Speak of the devil."

"Girls, have you seen Nate?" Catherine asked.

"Um, no, it's a blackout," Brooklyn told her with honest sarcasm.

"Noe showed up," Catherine explained. "They went off somewhere together. Now I can't find them, or Alex and Hope."

"Honestly, Catherine, so what?" Blair asked. "If they want to be together, you can't stop them. Just deal with it."

"I wouldn't expect you to understand," Catherine told them.

"Aging beauty enjoying her last hurrah before the surgeries start falls for a hot young guy," Thyra told her. "It's called a cliche. What's twisted about this though, is that you're dragging Alex, Hope and Noe into this twisted game, too, not just Nate."

Catherine smirked sarcastically. "Tell me, Thyra. Are you and Brooklyn together everything you could possibly hope for?"

"Yes, absolutely," Thyra answered.

"Without a doubt," Brooklyn agreed.

Catherine looked between them. "I see that you both mean that. That there's not one thing that is missing for either of you, is there? That one thing you tell yourselves you can live without? That you'd happily sacrifice for the rest? Or you, Blair, with Marcus? I'm sure you are missing something in that relationship, even if Brooklyn and Thyra don't have a relationship where they have to sacrifice something they love to be together. But you? You're gonna sacrifice it every day for the rest of your life. This game with Nate, Noe, Alex and Hope? It makes me feel alive. I'm not gonna give that up."

Catherine walked away, leaving Blair, Brooklyn and Thyra to consider her words.

X•O°X•O

VDW/Bass Apartment Building - Elevator

Serena and Dan were trapped in the elevator during the blackout.

Dan was using the emergency phone. "Yeah, my name's Dan Humphrey. Yeah, uh, the elevator's stuck. Okay. Okay, all right, thank you." He hung up. "Well, it's a citywide blackout, so the guy says we just have to wait, hope the power comes back on soon." He took off his tux jacket, seeing Serena was trying to hold her tongue from saying something. "What? No, no, I know when you're thinking of something. Just tell me."

"No, it--it's nothing," Serena told him.

Dan tilted his head. "Serena."

"Well, you--you probably should have mentioned my name," Serena told him.

"Are you kidding?" Dan asked.

"Just forget it," Serena told him.

"No, seriously, you think that there's, like, a box that says, 'open in event of Serena van der Woodsen emergency'?" Dan asked.

Serena shrugged. "I live in the building. That's all."

"No, it's a citywide blackout, so there--there must be hundreds of people stuck in elevators right now," Dan pointed out.

"Okay, if you're not gonna call them, can we not talk about it?" Serena asked. "You're making it hotter."

Dan turned back to the phone. "Okay, why not?"

"No, Dan--" Serena started.

Dan made the call again. "Yeah, hey, it's Dan Humphrey again. Uh, Humph--Humphrey, the guy in the elevator. Yeah, I know, I know. But I forgot to say that I'm with Serena van der Woodsen. Okay, thanks." He hung up, looking awkward. "Well, they're gonna send someone, so..."

X•O°X•O

Eleanor Waldorf Designs - Atelier

Jenny had been in the middle of cleaning out her station when the blackout started, and she was about to leave, walking up to where Eleanor was shining a flashlight on her dress that Jenny had been critiquing earlier. "Um, I guess I'm gonna go now."

"Oh, please," Eleanor told her. "I am not sending you out into a blackout. You can stay until the lights come back on."

Jenny nodded. "Okay, thanks."

Eleanor was trying to work while holding the flashlight in one hand. "As--as long as you're here, come here. Hold this." Jenny walked over to hold the flashlight. "I just--I cannot--I cannot decide about this neckline."

"Really?" Jenny asked. "I think it's cute."

"Why don't you try telling the truth?" Eleanor asked. "It's not like I can fire you twice."

Jenny sighed. "Well, it looks like a pilgrim at a funeral. Uh, I'm sorry."

"You're absolutely right," Eleanor agreed.

"I am?" Jenny asked.

"Yeah," Eleanor answered. "Don't let it go to your head."

Jenny smiled.

X•O°X•O

Waldorf Apartment - Dining Room

Nate and Noe were sitting down.

Nate was explaining everything. "Alex said that Catherine's been spying on us since the Hamptons, that once he tried to stop her, she focused on him a little, and he thought it would stop after we got back here to the city, after the kiss with Serena, but then she was here too. Blair, Thyra, Wyatt, Brooklyn and Dylan conned Catherine into giving me and Alex the money in the first place because Catherine was spying on you, me, Alex and Hope in the library. After that, Catherine got worse, and she had Blair invite you, me, Hope and Alex for the party, so that she could drive a wedge between you and me because of her obsession, and between Hope and Alex in revenge for Alex trying to keep her from her obsession. But our mom still thinks Chuck, Dylan and Brooklyn are lending us the money, so just sending it through us."

"So borrowing money from your sons' friends, your girlfriend's step siblings is fine, but she has no idea about the woman obsessing over you two," Noe told him, a lot calmer now that she had gotten the truth, overwhelmed.

Nate was impressed but not necessarily surprised with the way she was reacting to it, relieved. "You're taking it really well compared to the way that everyone thought you would."

"Everyone thought that I would freak out," Noe told him. "You should've known that I could've handled it."

Nate nodded in agreement. "And I said that you're stronger than they think, that you could handle it, but everyone was trying to find the right way to tell you so that it wouldn't come to worst case scenario."

"And you were hoping that it would be after Catherine was gone so that she couldn't make things worse on me," Noe told him.

"Yes," Nate answered.

"Nate..." Noe trailed off. "We have to end this."

"And we will, Noe," Nate told her. "I just don't want Catherine anywhere near you when it happens. I don't know what she could do to you."

Noe managed a small smile, putting a hand to Nate's cheek. "Hey. I'll be here when you get back."

Nate kissed Noe's hand, looking at her, still holding her hand.

X•O°X•O

Living Room

Everyone else was here.

Marcus was on the phone. "I see. Oh, just a moment." Blair walked up to Marcus, kissing him passionately. "Blair, I'm on with the building manager."

"I need you," Blair told him, continuing to kiss him.

"What?" Marcus asked. "Has something happened? Everyone seems quite calm."

Blair sighed. "No. I need you now."

Blair continued to kiss him.

"Blair," Marcus said. "Blair, there's a blackout. We have guests. We can't desert them."

"I need you to make me feel alive," Blair told him.

"What are you--what are you talking about?" Marcus asked.

"Just meet me up in my bedroom, okay?" Blair asked, walking away.

Chuck watched Blair go,having heard and seen everything.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Looks like Lady B is determined to have it all. Question is, who with?"

Dylan and Wyatt were looking.

"Damn it," Dylan said. "Why does it have to be in the middle of a damn blackout? I'm just hoping that Nate's with Noe right now, and that that psycho bitch stays away from her."

Wyatt looked at him curiously. "You're really starting to care for Noe, Serena and Eric like your family, aren't you?"

Dylan looked embarrassed by that. "Shh. Don't tell anyone."

Wyatt chuckled. "No, it's a good thing, Dylan. You, Brooklyn and Chuck caring about people other than your family and yourselves, even if it's step family, and your friends, is a good thing."

"I guess," Dylan agreed. "Just don't like people thinking that I have weaknesses. Like you and my family, but I'm not gonna hide them either. Just gonna make damn sure that anyone who tries to exploit or hurt those weaknesses gets the killer of paybacks."

Wyatt nodded in agreement. "Damn right. We just have to find something else to use against Catherine and send the royal bitch packing to keep her from Nate, Alex, Noe and Hope."

Dylan was impressed. "Damn. You might love seeing the more caring side to me, Wyatt, but I love seeing the more manipulative and calculating, Upper East Sider to you, golden boy."

"Well, thank you, bi playboy," Wyatt replied. "We might be seeing more of that side to me this year."

Dylan smirked. "Would it be bad for me to say, 'Good. I'm looking forward to that'?"

"Bad?" Wyatt asked. "Maybe. But guess that means it's bad I'm kinda looking forward to not holding back that side of me anymore."

Dylan pulled Wyatt closer. "Good. Don't hold back anymore. Does you no good to, trust me. Let's make that bitch wish that she never started this game with Nate and Noe or dragged Alex and Hope into it, too."

Wyatt and Dylan smirked, sharing a kiss.

X•O°X•O

Elsewhere

Alex and Hope were looking, running into Nate as he stepped out of the dining room.

Alex sighed in relief. "Nate, hey. Have you seen Noe? Hope, Brooklyn, Thyra, Dylan, Wyatt and I've been looking everywhere."

"Yeah, she's in there," Nate answered. "Trying to keep Catherine away from her so Noe agreed to stay in there."

Hope nodded in understanding. "Oh, good. I'll go wait with her."

"Would you?" Nate asked, relieved by the offer.

"Yeah," Hope answered. "Make sure she's not alone and that she's okay."

"Thank you, Hope," Nate told her.

Hope nodded. "No problem."

Alex put a hand on Hope's. "We'll be back soon."

Hope nodded, walking into the dining room, while Nate and Alex walked away to find Catherine or their friends.

Catherine stepped out of hiding from nearby, watching Nate and Alex go, smirking, turning to the dining room where Hope and Noe would be.

X•O°X•O

Dining Room

Hope walked in. "Noe?"

Noe turned to face her. "Hope?"

"Yeah," Hope answered. "Are you okay?"

Noe scoffed. "Define 'okay'."

"Right," Hope agreed sadly. "Did Nate tell you everything?"

"As far as I know," Noe answered. "This whole game that Catherine started with Nate and me and Alex..."

Catherine walked in from behind Hope. "While it's true that it started with Nate and Alex..." Noe and Hope turned to face her in alarm. "It's the two of you I was looking for."

Catherine smirked. Noe and Hope glared.

X•O°X•O

X•O°X•O

Catherine stepped closer. "Noe, Hope, I've been waiting a long time to get you two alone. Oh, I see. You're thinking, 'look at this awful women who's playing a game of four teenagers'."

"Nate told me everything," Noe told her. "I think what you're doing is disgusting."

"And here you two are, waiting for Nate and Alex," Catherine told them. "You must really care for them. I've never seen you with Alex in the Hamptons, Hope. But all those times I would see Nate and Noe out in the Hamptons, having the summer of their lives. I fell in love with him at the first sight of him. The only trouble is... he never knew I existed. And then Alex saw me, and he was as breathtaking as his brother, but I just longed for Nate more. But playing a game like this with the four of you made my summer."

"Yeah, well, there's a word for situations like these," Hope told her, leaning closer to whisper the next word. "Obsession."

Catherine inhaled sharply, pointing at them. "See, that's where you're wrong. You have no idea how I feel about Nate, and what I would do to get him, and to pay Alex back for trying to keep me from him in the first place. You want me to tell you?"

Noe and Hope just looked at her, glaring, both a little nervous.

X•O°X•O

Blair's Room

Blair was sitting alone in the dark, with only a candle lit for light. She heard the door open behind her. "Marcus, is that you?"

Chuck was the one there, speaking in a British accent. "Blow out your candle."

Blair seemed to know that it was Chuck, but she stood and blew out the candle. Chuck made his way over to Blair, and they started to make out passionately in the dark.

X•O°X•O

Eleanor Waldorf Designs - Atelier

Jenny and Eleanor were still working on the dress with only light provided by the flashlight Jenny was holding.

"I spent the last month going around and meeting with the--the stores and the boutiques that carry my clothes," Eleanor explained. 

"That must have been so exciting," Jenny told her.

Eleanor shook her head. "I felt like a fat cheerleader. As a designer, your worst fear is becoming irrelevant. Then I come back here and find out the teenage intern tells me that exact thing."

"I'm really sorry," Jenny told her.

Eleanor nodded. "Maybe that is exactly what I needed to hear."

"You know, the first real dress my sister Hope ever bought for me was one of yours?" Jenny asked.

Eleanor chuckled. "Just spare me the pity."

"It's true," Jenny told her. "It was for my birthday. Hope said she bought it from... well, from a consignment store, 'cause that was the only way she could afford it. I was 12, so Hope was 13. And I just wore it around the apartment for months. It was one of the first things that made me want to become a designer, like Hope wanted to, but she started when she was younger."

Jenny had focused the light on Eleanor as she was fanning herself off.

"Jenny," Eleanor said.

"Yeah?" Jenny asked.

Eleanor tapped the dress. "The light."

Jenny turned the light back on the dress. "Oh, sorry."

X•O°X•O

VDW/Bass Apartment Building - Elevator

Serena and Dan were standing in the elevator, still trapped.

"What do you want, Dan, for me to never say my name?" Serena asked.

"I'm not gonna get into this now," Dan told her.

"We thought we could avoid dealing with last year," Serena told him. "Well, this is fate telling us we can't." Dan jumped up toward the ceiling hatch. "What are you doing?"

Dan sighed. "I'm getting out of here."

"No, someone's coming," Serena told him. "The man said so."

"Right, because someone always comes to save Serena van der Woodsen," Dan told her.

Serena looked away. "That's not fair."

Dan pulled himself up. "I know it's not. That's the point."

"Fine," Serena said. "You know what? Life's not fair, because it doesn't fit with the way you, Dan Humphrey, think things should be. But why are you always right?"

Dan shook his head, trying to pull himself out of the elevator. "No, I never--I never said..." When Dan fell and hit hard, Serena gasped and knelt at his side. "Oh, that hurt."

"Are you okay?" Serena asked.

Dan sat up, groaning in pain. "Ow. Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Serena asked.

Dan nodded. "I'm sorry."

(Song:) I Can Feel A Hot One - Manchester Orchestra

Serena looked at him sadly.  "I forgive you for Georgina."

Dan nodded. "And I forgive you. But... I don't know."

Serena turned to sit back against the wall. "We keep having the same fight. At Bart's brunch a year ago, at the wedding."

"Where we talked about the fight at Bart's brunch," Dan agreed.

"And now here," Serena finished. "I can't change who I am, Dan."

Dan shook his head. "Me neither. So what happens now?"

Serena knew that it was over, nearly crying. "I don't really feel like talking."

Dan looked away. "Yeah. Me neither."

Serena leaned her head on Dan's shoulder.

X•O°X•O

Waldorf Apartment - Dining Room

Nate and Alex returned to the room with lit candles.

"Hope?" Alex asked. "Noe? We couldn't find her."

"Noe?" Nate asked. "Hope?"

The lights turned on, revealing Catherine in the room.

"Your friends had to leave," Catherine told them. "Is there something that you wanted to tell me?"

Nate and Alex both glared at Catherine, worried about what she said or did to Noe and Hope.

X•O°X•O

Living Room

Brooklyn held up her arms to celebrate. "Power's back on!"

Everyone clapped, some cheering.

Brooklyn and Thyra looked at each other, thinking about what Catherine said about them, not having to sacrifice what they loved since they both loved everything the other did. They smiled, sharing a kiss.

Dylan and Wyatt walked downstairs, sitting down to cool off from the heat, looking at each other, smiling, kissing.

X•O°X•O

Blair's Room

Marcus walked in, seeing Chuck and Blair making out passionately. "Blair."

Chuck and Blair pulled apart instantly.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Spotted. Lady B acting not so ladylike. Hope you kept the receipt for that tiara, B."

(Song Ends)

X•O°X•O

X•O°X•O

Blair walked up to Marcus. "Oh, my God, oh, my God."

"Blair, what is this?" Marcus asked.

Blair shook her head. "You don't understand. I thought it was you. I--He had an accent."

Chuck was fixing his tie. "Please. You knew exactly who it was."

Marcus stepped forward to punch Chuck in the face.

"Marcus!" Blair chided.

Marcus and Blair both gave a look to Chuck before leaving the room.

X•O°X•O

Living Room

Marcus stormed down the stairs.

Blair chased after him. "Marcus, wait."

Marcus turned to face her. "Did you really not know it was him?" Dylan, Wyatt, Thyra and Brooklyn, and the rest of the guests, looked up at them from down below. "Can you honestly tell me that?"

After a moment of hesitation, Blair answered with the truth. "No, I knew it was him."

"Thank you," Marcus told her, turning to finish going downstairs.

"But I want you," Blair told him.

Marcus turned back. "No, Blair, you want my title, the idea of who I am. But you clearly want him, which--which makes me a fool, because I actually did want you. I do want you."

"Then show me," Blair told him emotionally. "I'm not some delicate little flower. Show me you want me."

They kissed in front of everyone. Chuck walked downstairs from behind Blair, glaring at the kiss.

X•O°X•O

Eleanor Waldorf Designs - Atelier

Eleanor was still working, not noticing that the power was back on.

Jenny sighed, turning the flashlight off.

"Jenny, what are you doing?" Eleanor asked.

"Well, the lights are back on," Jenny pointed out.

Eleanor looked up. "Oh. I didn't even notice."

Rufus walked in. "Jenny?"

"Dad?" Jenny asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Making sure you're okay," Rufus answered. "I tried calling, but..."

"Oh, yeah, my phone died," Jenny explained. "Sorry. Why are you wearing a jacket? It's like 100 degrees."

"Well, I was on a..." Rufus trailed off, gesturing out.

A woman walked closer.

Jenny looked at him in surprise. "On--on a date?"

Rufus nodded, taking off his jacket. "Yeah, I was gonna tell you guys. I've been dating. Clare, Jenny. Jenny, Clare."

Clare smiled nervously but politely. "Hi. I've been looking forward to meeting you. Just not when I was all gross and sweaty."

"I made her walk here from the village," Rufus explained.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, and I'm sorry," Jenny told her.

Eleanor stood, walking closer. "Jenny, what's going on?"

"Oh, it's my dad and his date," Jenny answered. "Uh, they wanted to see if I was okay."

"Yes," Eleanor answered. "Oh. I probably should give Blair, Wyatt and Thyra a call."

"So you finished?" Rufus asked. "You can come back with us?"

"Um, yeah, I guess I'm done," Jenny answered. 

Eleanor shook her head. "No. No, you aren't. You can't leave. We haven't finished the dress yet."

"Well, the lights are back on," Jenny told her. "I mean, aren't I fired?"

"You got fired?" Rufus asked.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Eleanor told her. "Maybe your father and his... date could get us some sandwiches and some coffee. We'll be working pretty late."

Jenny smiled in relief, turning to look at Rufus and Clare. "Do you guys mind? Please."

"No," Rufus answered. "Sure. So why'd you get fired?"

"Jenny, come, look," Eleanor told her.

"Um, I'll tell you later," Jenny told him. "Thank you."

X•O°X•O

Waldorf Apartment - Living Room

(Song:) I Can Feel A Hot One - Manchester Orchestra

By the elevator, Noe was trying to leave.

Nate ran up to her. "Noe. What, where are you--where are you going?"

Noe's voice broke. "I looked for you, but I just--I had to get out. Hope is looking for Alex. Did you end it?"

"No, not yet, but I was just g--" Nate started.

"Okay, good," Noe told him. "Don't."

"What, did Catherine say something to you and Hope?" Nate asked.

"She really loves you, Nate, and all the money and all that, that's your and Alex's business, but she loves you, and--and I don't really know where your head's at right now, but..." Noe trailed off, unable to finish, looking away, tears in her eyes, looking nearly hysterical but struggling to stay calm. "You should be with her."

"Are you saying that I should stay with her?" Nate asked.

"And do whatever she says," Noe told him. "And I mean everything, okay? Doesn't matter what it is. Don't worry about me, because... it's over." Nate looked at her with hurt and surprise. Noe backed away. "It's done."

The elevator doors opened.

Noe walked inside a hurry.

"What?" Nate asked. "No, Noe, stop, wait. Why are you doing this?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," Noe told him.

"It matters to me," Nate told her. Noe pushed the elevator button to close the doors on him, while Nate was worried about her mindstate and whatever Catherine said to her. "Noe!"

Hope was watching from the crowd, looking so sad to see Noe and Nate both have to go through that.

Alex found Hope in the crowd. "Hey, Hope. Where did Noe go?"

"She went home after Catherine talked to us," Hope answered. "Noe just left, trying not to freak out, after she broke up with Nate, and she wouldn't let me help her. She said that she was going home so she could get help from Serena and Eric."

"What?" Alex asked worriedly. "What did Catherine say to you two?"

"Just what we thought she would say," Hope answered. "She had something to hold over our heads to make us break up with you and Nate, so that she could take Nate from Noe, and so she could make you suffer for trying to stop her game of obsession by breaking things off with me, or me breaking things off with you."

Alex realized where this was going, sighing, shaking his head. "Hope... whatever she said to you, you can tell me."

"Not here," Hope told him. "Not now. Whatever we thought we could do about her, we were naive, Alex." She saw Catherine watching from nearby, putting on a show for her. "And we thought that we could fix things from last year, but we can't." Alex noticed Catherine, and realized what Hope was doing. "I can't talk to you right now, and I don't know when I can. If ever. Goodbye, Alex."

"Hope, wait," Alex told her.

Hope walked away, toward the elevator.

Nate saw Hope passing him on her way to the elevator. "Hope, did Catherine say anything to you and Noe?"

"You should talk to Alex, Nate," Hope told him, walking into the elevator to leave.

Nate walked toward Alex, looking worried for Noe. Alex knew that Hope was putting on a show for Catherine. All four of them had been hurt in this game and all emotionally exhausted from the obsession.

Catherine walked up to them. "You should know better not to get in my way now, Alex. Tomorrow, Nate owes me lunch."

Nate shook his head. "What did you say to Hope and Noe? Noe was fine until you talked to her, and now she's freaking out."

Catherine chuckled. "Didn't take much to get her like that. You should choose women not so mentally unstable."

"Well, that leaves you out, you crazy bitch," Alex told her. "Noe's not crazy. She's just like this because of a car accident and a piece of glass going through her head. You have no such excuse. Hope and Noe are better than you have ever been and ever will be."

Catherine smirked sarcastically. "That may be true, but they both left you two tonight, didn't they? You want to keep Noe's mentality safe, or as safe it is now, Nate? Stay away from her."

Nate and Alex glared at Catherine for threatening Noe like that. Catherine smirked, walking away.

X•O°X•O

VDW/Bass Apartment Building - Elevator

Serena and Dan were face to face when the elevator doors finally opened.

"I'm scared," Serena admitted.

Dan nodded. "I know, me too."

"When I step out of here, it's over," Serena told him.

"I--I think--I think it was already," Dan admitted. "It just took us this long to realize and get used to the idea." Tearfully, Serena kissed him goodbye, stepping out of the elevator. "Serena... I still..."

Serena nodded. "I know. Me too." The elevator door closed between them as it took Dan away. "I love you."

X•O°X•O

On the Road - Limo

In the back of the limo, Chuck and a girl were making out.

Chuck stopped. "This isn't going to work."

"I thought you said you were better," the girl told him.

"I am," Chuck answered. "Just not for you."

X•O°X•O

Waldorf Apartment - Wyatt's Room

Wyatt and Dylan were sitting down, just relaxing in bed next to each other instead of the usual make out, being close without needing it.

"This is the first time we could just lay here together without making out, huh?" Wyatt asked. "Is it torture for you?"

Dylan chuckled. "It actually feels like heaven. Ironic since you're the Upper East Side's golden boy."

"And you're the devilish Bass bi playboy," Wyatt replied. "I've been showing more of a devil side and you've been showing more of a caring side. Two sides to both of us that are growing."

"Yep," Dylan agreed. "And I love both sides."

Wyatt smiled. "Me too."

X•O°X•O

Thyra's Room

Thyra was lying in bed, hanging up her phone.

Brooklyn peaked in from the doorway. "You okay?"

Thyra sat up. "Not really. Nate and Alex both said that after Catherine talked to Noe and Hope, they broke up with them Looks like whatever Catherine had over Noe and Hope's heads was enough to scare them away from Nate and Alex. And it looks like Catherine nearly pushed Noe off an edge tonight."

Brooklyn nodded, looking angry and protective. "That's it. The second that we get something that we can use against that bitch, she's gone. She's gonna regret ever continuing her game of obsession on Nate, Alex, Noe and Hope here, or starting it to begin with."

Thyra nodded in agreement. "Hell yeah."

Brooklyn sat down, holding Thyra's hands. "But we'll get that bitch soon. Okay? Let's just try to cool off for tonight. Just be here together."

Thyra nodded. "I can get with that."

Brooklyn and Thyra laid down facing each other on the bed, looking at each other somberly.

X•O°X•O

VDW/Bass Apartment Building - Balcony

Serena, Eric and Noe were out together on the balcony, talking. 

Eric looked from Serena to Noe. "You sure you're both okay?"

Serena nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, it was the right thing to do. You know, I, uh, I can't finish. I'm more worried about you, Noe."

"Of course you are," Noe told her. "Why else would everyone keep secrets from me still?"

"Noe, why did you tell Nate to be with that woman?" Eric asked. "I thought you, you know, I thought you liked him. And I thought Hope liked Alex and that she wanted to get back with him, not break up again."

Noe nodded. "I do like Nate, and Hope does love Alex. That's--that's why we did it."

Serena looked at Noe in confusion. "I don't understand."

Noe hesitated, looking away. "Catherine told me that if Hope and I didn't leave Nate and Alex, and they didn't do what she said--everything that she said--she would..." Noe looked at them. "Go to the FBI and tell them where Nate and Alex's dad is hiding out." Serena and Eric looked at Noe in disbelief and realization. Noe nodded, tears in her eyes. "So... Hope and I really didn't have a choice."

Serena looked at Noe in realization. "We already know Hope loves Alex. You're totally in love with Nate. Aren't you?"

Noe sniffled, slowly, barely shaking her head. "It doesn't matter anymore."

Noe looked away, not wanting to talk about it anymore. Eric wrapped an arm around Serena and Noe on either side of him. Serena and Noe both leaned their heads on Eric's shoulders, wrapping their arms around Eric and each other.

X•O°X•O

Humphrey Loft - Outside

Hope and Dan stood outside to try to cool off.

"Oh, am I crazy or it it actually getting cooler?" Dan asked.

Hope sighed shakily. "About time. You sure you're okay? With Serena?"

"Yeah," Dan answered. "And you? I'm--I'm sorry. I can't--I cannot believe that Nate and Alex Archibald are like catnip for cougars."

"It's not funny," Hope told him. "Catherine nearly drove Noe over an edge tonight, and it could still happen if we're not careful. That's why I put on the show of breaking up with Alex in front of her, and if we screw this up, then who knows what she could do."

"I know," Dan agreed. "And I'm sorry. Okay? I'm worried, too. It's just... Wow. Poor Noe. And I'm sorry about her and Nate, and you and Alex."

"You cannot tell anyone, remember?" Hope asked.

"Hey, who would I tell?" Dan asked. "Who would I tell except everyone I've ever met?" Hope gave him a look. "I won't. I won't. Do you think Alex knows that you were just putting on a show for Catherine when you broke up with him?"

"I don't know," Hope admitted. "I hope so. And it's not like I can go right up to him and say 'I didn't really wanna break up with you, just had to because the psycho stalker that wants payback for you stopping an obsession of hers with your brother and his girlfriend is watching'. She'll always be watching me to make sure I keep breaking Alex's heart to pay him back for getting in the way of her getting rid of Noe the first time so she could get to Nate."

"Yeah, I have no idea what you just said, but I think I get the gist," Dan told her. Hope rolled her eyes. "Hey. Hope, you'll figure it out. Wyatt Waldorf said that you are one of the smartest people in school, alongside him and Blair and Nelly Yuki. If anyone can figure it out, I think it's you, Wyatt and Blair."

"You really think so?" Hope asked.

"Hell yeah," Dan answered.

Hope sighed, nodding, more reassured by that, but was still emotional and overwhelmed by what happened that night. Dan reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. Hope turned out to look over the river. Dan put an arm around her as the two siblings looked across the water.

Gossip Girl: (voice over) "Love may fade with the season, but some relationships, friendships, or family relations are year round. And sibling relationships can be unbreakable. Like you and me. You know you love me. XOXO. Gossip Girl."