Hey everyone! Sorry for the late update, but I just got back from a week-long and much-needed vacation :) I really didn’t know what to do with Bart’s character (the outcome of what happened in the last couple chapters), but I also didn’t want him to go to jail. I hope what I wrote makes sense and that you guys enjoy it. The story probably won’t go on longer than this chapter…maybe another couple chapters if you guys want me to continue :) Let me know but for now, this is the last chapter.

Chapter XXII

Eight days had gone by since Chuck and Nate had, had their showdown in front of the school. Bart had spent every waking minute with his lawyer, trying to figure a way out of the mess he had created for himself while Chuck had remained inside his suite and had shunned away the outside world. As hard as Blair had tried to get him to leave his suite and get back to his life, he had stubbornly refused to listen to her. After telling her he loved her, Chuck had immediately pulled away from her and kept to himself, drowning himself and his misery in alcohol and darkness.

On her way to school that morning, Blair stopped at his suite and knocked on his door. Hearing no answer, she opened the door with her key and walked inside.

“Chuck?” she called out, but still received no answer.

Walking towards his bedroom, she noticed how everything had been tossed around the room with pieces of broken glass on the ground in the corner by his dresser. Looking around herself with a slight gasp, she finally saw him lying in bed with his eyes open, staring at the ceiling above him. He seemed unshaven and had not showered since she had last seen him three days ago.

“Chuck?” she called his name again but he remained quiet, oblivious to her presence.

Gazing at him sadly, she moved to the side of the bed and sat down, placing her hands on his chest to get his attention. He slowly moved his head so his eyes were on her and it took him a moment to realize she was really there.

“Hey,” he said as she smiled at him.

“Hey back,” she replied. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?”

“No,” he replied absently.

“Chuck, you have to get out of this place,” she began as he looked away from her again. “Honey, you can’t keep doing this to yourself. You’ve locked yourself up in here for the past eight days. Your father’s been locked up with his lawyer for the past week. Doing this isn’t going to bring him out any sooner.”

Sighing in frustration, he pulled the covers off of his body and rose to his feet, facing her with his top bare.

“Don’t you think I know that?” he asked, agitated by her. “I know that, Blair. I just need some time to get my head right. I’m sorry I’m not getting over everything according to your schedule, but I just need some more time. It just feels like everything in my life is going down the drain.”

“But this isn’t helping,” she exclaimed. “Let the people who care about you help you through this.”

“Like who?” he asked angrily. “My father? He’s in jail in case you didn’t notice. Nate? Last time I checked, he was dead to me. My mom? Nope, she’s really dead.”

“I meant me,” Blair said sadly as he gazed at her. “I’m still here and I know things are rough right now but I’m still here. We said I love you, remember?”

His shoulders dropped slightly and his eyes saddened by her words, but he said nothing. She gazed at him for another moment before rising to her feet and sighing sadly, turning her face away from him so he wouldn’t see the tears that had formed in her eyes.

“I have to go to school,” she stated. “You remember school, right? That building that you go to, to get the education you need to graduate? Maybe you should think about swinging by too.”

“Blair…,” he began, but she grabbed her purse and walked out of his bedroom, clearly hurt by the way he had been treating her.

He watched her leave until the door to his suite was shut and he sighed in frustration. Falling back down on his bed, he ran his hands through his hair and closed his eyes. Not five minutes had passed before he heard another knocking on his door.

“Blair?” he called out, rushing to his door and swinging it open.

But the person staring back at him was not his girlfriend.

“Father,” he exclaimed after the initial shock had worn off. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in jail.”

“The court allowed me to come and see you,” he began, walking inside the suite. “Chuck, they reached a verdict.”

“What do you mean?” Chuck began worriedly. “You’re telling me that this isn’t going to trial?”

“Despite everything, I still have a few friends in high places,” Bart said with a slight chuckle. “We came to a quiet understanding with the government.”

Taking a deep breath, Chuck took a single step back as his frame visibly tensed.

“What did they say?” he asked quietly.

“I’m not going to jail,” Bart replied as a look of relief washed over Chuck’s face. “The truth is that they can’t really prove anything. It was all hearsay and since then the Dean’s wife made a statement that she had lied to her husband because she wanted his attention or something to that effect.”

“Why would she do that?” Chuck asked. “Did you leave that good of an impression on her?”

Bart simply chuckled at his son’s words and shrugged.

“The school and the Dean have come to an understanding and he is to resign. They don’t put up with scandals like this but firing him wouldn’t appear good to the outside eye either so he’s quietly resigning and moving away with his wife,” Bart continued.

“So what’s going to happen to you?” Chuck asked.

“I don’t have to go to jail and that’s the best news, son,” he said with a soft smile. “But this is my final warning. I am indefinitely on probation until the government claims otherwise and if I do skip the border again, I will go to jail.”

“So that’s it then? You’re free?” Chuck asked, his eyes widening like a child’s on Christmas morning.

“Not entirely,” Bart cut in.

“What do you mean? I thought you just said you weren’t going to jail,” Chuck stated with a frown.

“I meant I’m not going to a prison like Rikers,” Bart replied and sighed. “Charlie, they’re sending me to a place up town. It’s like a country club, really, but I have to sit down with a therapist twice a week and do a lot of community service and join an

out-reach program. Our lawyer here is really good. He got them to believe that I wouldn’t have done everything I had if it weren’t for me being devastated by the death of your mother. The truth really isn’t so far-fetched though.”

Chuck stared at his father in silence as Bart cleared his throat and took a step towards his son.

“Losing your mother…it hurt a lot,” he began. “Every time I’d look at you, I’d see her and it killed me so I pulled away and put distance between us. Eventually the distance turned to bitterness, anger and resentment and that’s where we are today. I don’t hate you, Charlie. The truth is that I love you more than anything else in the world. I’m just sorry that it took me all these years and for me almost losing you to finally realize it.”

Chuck looked away from his father as his eyes began to form tears. Bart placed his hands on his son’s shoulders and forced him to look back.

“I love you,” he said more firmly as Chuck slowly nodded, willing his tears not to fall. “I’m so sorry for everything I’ve put you through. I know you’ll probably never forgive me, but this place they’re sending me is going to be good for both of us, I think. Plus, it keeps me out of jail and you can visit whenever you want. You know, if you want to.”

With that, Bart released his shoulders and leaned back but Chuck surprised them both and pulled his father in for a tight embrace. Bart stood frozen at first, but his face soon melted into a sad smile and he hugged back.

“Of course I’ll visit,” Chuck said, leaning away. “You’re not going to jail, dad. That is the best news.”

“You hardly ever call me that,” Bart suddenly stated as Chuck frowned.

“What?” he asked in return.

“Dad,” he said with a light laugh. “It’s usually Sir or father…but never dad. I like the way it sounds.”

They shared a smile before their lawyer interrupted their moment.

“Bart, we have to get going,” he said as the elder Bass nodded.

“I’ll give you a call as soon as we arrive,” he said and walked to the door as Chuck nodded. “Thank you for never giving up on me.”

“You’re my dad. I can’t even if I want to,” Chuck replied as Bart smiled at his choice of words and nodded.

“I’ll see you,” he said and walked out into the hallway as Chuck watched them go.

Once they had disappeared inside the elevator, Chuck closed his door and slowly walked back into his bedroom. Stopping at his bathroom, he leaned his hands on the sink and stared at his reflection in the mirror. So much had happened in his life lately and it had already begun taking its toll on his worn-out eyes. Leaning back, he grabbed his towel and moved towards his shower.

Blair had gone to her first two classes with her head everywhere but the present. Once the bell rang, she gathered her things and left the classroom with Serena. Placing her things in her locker, the two girls walked outside the main doors to get some fresh air during their spare period.

“Did you see Chuck?” Serena asked as they leaned their backs on a railing.

“This morning,” Blair replied, wrapping her arms around her small frame.

“How was he?” Serena asked.

Shrugging her shoulders, Blair looked away but her friend was able to see the hurt in her eyes.

“Did you guys have a fight?” Serena said as Blair nodded.

“He’s just in such a dark place right now,” she replied with a sigh. “And he won’t let me help him. I mean, he told me he loved me and I told him I loved him. Ever since then, he’s been distant and he keeps pulling away.”

“You just need to give him some time,” Serena said, touching her friend’s shoulder in comfort. “He does love you, Blair. Anyone can see that.”

Smiling at her friends words, she looked to the street just as a limousine pulled to a stop in front of the building. Frowning slightly, she was surprised when she saw Chuck step out of the backseat and head towards them.

“Speak of the devil,” Serena said with a smile as they walked midway down the stairs and waited for him to reach them.

As he drew closer, Blair realized that he had shaven and looked completely different from the man she had seen that morning.

“What are you doing?” she asked when he was close enough to hear her.

Once he had made his way up the stairs, he pulled her into a tight embrace and a passionate kiss. Blair was surprised at first, but quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. Serena watched them with a light laugh before taking a few steps back to allow them some privacy. Leaning back to get some air, they touched their foreheads with one another and sighed contently.

“Chuck…,” she began breathlessly as they gazed up at one another.

“I’m sorry,” he said, cutting her off. “I do love you, Blair, and I’m sorry for this past week.”

“It’s okay,” she said, easily forgiving him. “Is everything okay, though?”

“My father’s not going to jail,” he replied happily as her eyes widened in surprise. “He got off with a final warning because they couldn’t really prove anything anyway. He’s still on probation and he’s getting sent upstate to this country-club style place where he has to meet a therapist twice a week and do some community service, but otherwise he’s free.”

“Oh my God,” Blair exclaimed, embracing him once more. “Chuck, that’s amazing.”

“I know,” he replied, leaning back. “You know, a part of me thought that he would skip the country to avoid the risk of going to jail, but he didn’t. He stepped up and took responsibility for what he did.”

“He did it for you,” she said as he smiled at her.

“I know,” he finally admitted as Blair’s smile widened.

“He loves you, Chuck,” she said and kissed him again before holding the sides of his face. “So do I.”

He gazed at her with a spark in his eyes and was about to pull her to him once more but they were interrupted by someone who cleared his throat from the bottom of the steps. Looking down, they both noticed Nate standing there with his head bent slightly down. Sighing heavily, Chuck left her side and walked to the bottom of the stairs as the surrounding students watched them.

“I heard about your father,” he said as Chuck nodded. “I’m really happy that things worked out for you guys.”

Chuck simply stared at him as Nate sighed and stared sadly at his friend.

“Are you ever going to forgive me?” he asked quietly.

“No,” Chuck replied without hesitation as Nate looked away in dismay.

Sighing, Chuck ran a hand over his face.

“I don’t know…maybe,” he exclaimed. “One day…maybe.”

Nodding, Nate smiled wryly as Chuck glanced behind them at the awaiting cab.

“Are you going somewhere?” he asked as Nate glanced at the cab and then back at his friend.

“Yeah, I’m heading to London to stay with my Aunt and Uncle for a while,” he replied.

The news took Chuck by surprise and hurt reappeared on his face.

“You don’t have to go to the other side of the world,” he began.

“Actually, I do,” Nate replied and shrugged. “Someone pointed out to me that I’m hardly a shell of the person I used to be. I’ve changed and I’ve become bitter and angry and that’s not who I am. We’ve been best friends all our lives and look at what I almost did to you…what I did do to you.”

“Nate, I…,” Chuck began, but couldn’t find the words. “Look, I don’t forgive you but I don’t want you to leave either.”

Nate looked up at his friend in surprise as Chuck sighed.

“You’re a brother to me and you always have been,” he stated. “I’ll forgive you one day. Not now but…one day.”

Assured by his words, Nate smiled happily as Chuck looked away in slight discomfort.

“Thank you,” Nate began. “But I really do need to go. Chuck, through everything…through it all, you’ve been the one constant thing in my life. You’re my best friend and my brother and I’m sorry for what I did to you. The fact that you’ll forgive me one day is enough hope for me. But I need to get away and find myself again, you know? I need to return to the person I used to be…the person you’d turn to when things got rough and the person who was loyal and caring.”

Looking down sadly, Chuck nodded as Nate took a step closer to him.

“I love you, man,” he said quietly. “I need you to know that and that I’m really sorry for everything.”

With that, he turned towards Blair who stood at the top of the stairs staring down at them with Serena.

“Blair,” he began and smiled softly as she stared down at him with residual hurt in her eyes. “I can’t really begin to apologize for everything I’ve done. Just know that deep down I do regret hurting you…and if I could take it back…if I could take it all back, I would. I’d do things differently. But I can’t and all I really have to offer is that I’m sorry. I just hope that one day you can forgive me. You too, Serena.”

Without another word, he turned and walked away from the small group of people, never once looking back at them as tears formed in his eyes. Blair and Serena each stepped down to Chuck’s either side and they stared at Nate’s retreating back as he stepped into his cab and eventually disappeared. Standing next to one another, they slowly turned to face each other realizing that it would be the three of them. Nodding confidently, they each turned and walked through the many watchful eyes and stepped inside their school building. As Serena walked a little ahead of them with a small smile on her lips, Chuck and Blair walked down the hallway holding hands, smiling softly at one another. Although their lives were imperfect, Blair realized in that moment as they smiled at one another that everything was perfect.