best of shape。” Dan said flatly； hating the truth of the statement。
They all peered out at the swirling snow。 “Damn； dude；” Nate swore sympathetically。 Dan just glared at him in the rearview mirror。 Helpful。 Really helpful。
“We could stay at a hotel！” Jenny offered happily。 She loved hotels。 They could get two rooms： one for Dan and Serena and one for her and Nate。
“I have an idea…” Serena offered。 “Blair’s Newport house isn’t far from here。 It’s empty。 Her mom’s in California and her dad’s in France。 And I still remember the security code。”
Dan shook his head。 That was the thing about Serena。 Everything always worked out for her； so it never occurred to her that breaking into someone’s house could be a bad idea。 “I don’t think—” he began。
“Perfect；” Nate enthused。 “Man； I used to love that house。 Remember how we always used to play croquet on the lawn and talk in British accents？”
“Oh my God； yes！ And Blair would always get so petitive？” Serena rolled her eyes。 “I’m going to drive。 I know where it is；” she announced； already unbuckling her seat belt and climbing up front。
Wordlessly； Dan slid out of the driver’s seat and walked through the falling snow to the passenger door。
Buckle up！ The road ahead sounds seriously bumpy。
the more the merrier
“More wine； Blair…Bear？ After all； you’ve been legal in England for months！” Harold Waldorf held up a bottle of his vineyard’s C？tes du Rhone。 Blair sighed in contentment。 It was the perfect winter break： no drama； no one protesting her movie choices； and plenty of cozy time with her family and her fabulous boyfriend。
And who might that be？
“Thanks； Daddy；” she cooed； holding out her glass。 Harold wore a red cashmere sweater and tight jeans that； really； no man should ever wear； but he looked surprisingly good。 It was hard to remember a time when her dad was a straitlaced partner of a Park Avenue law firm and not a French vineyard–owning gay man with a partner named Giles and adopted twins from Cambodia named Pierre and Pauline。 As infants the twins had been named Ping and Pong； because of their cute round hairless heads； but as soon as Harold and Giles began applying to nursery school programs； they realized their son and daughter might be teased。
You think？
“‘For auld lang syne’…” Harold warbled as he stepped between the pieces of the elaborate train set the twins had gotten for Christmas spread out on the floor。 In the corner； Giles was having a tea party with the twins。
Blair contemplatively swirled the wine in her glass。 It was nice to be in Newport； where she’d spent so many of her childhood holidays。 Christmas had been perfect： They’d spent the morning opening presents underneath the gigantic Douglas fir； then taken turns helping Pauline and Pierre build their train set。 She’d gotten a pair of limited edition Chanel booties from her father； and she’d spent the afternoon curled up by the fire reading and drinking wine。 There’d been no unexpected surprises； and she liked it that way。
She was even looking forward to a quiet New Year’s。 No drama； no hangovers； and the only brushes with the past would be in the form of pleasant memories。 The house smelled like oranges and cinnamon； and if she closed her eyes she could imagine herself as a teenager； annoyed to leave New York—and Serena and Nate—for boring； lonely Newport。
“It’s good to have you back； Bear；” Harold told her。
It felt like she’d been gone forever。 Blair was spending her junior year at St。 Peter’s College in Oxford。 She’d pictured herself living in one of the Gothic buildings near campus； surrounded by posh classmates who kept flats in Sloane Square； attending thought…provoking lectures given by aged professors who drank scotch throughout their insightful monologues。 But as had so often happened in Blair’s life； things hadn’t quite turned out as she planned。 She’d been assigned to live in the basement of a dorm； where her hall mates were shrill girls from Mount Holyoke。 Blair hated the weather； hated the snooty Oxford students who considered her a second…class citizen because she was American； and hated the fact that most of the pubs in Oxford closed at 11 p。m。
It was almost like fate intervening one cold and rainy afternoon in mid…October。 She’d been riding a bike to the library； the idea of which she’d thought seemed cute and quaint。 What she hadn’t anticipated was how difficult it was to bike on cobblestone。 She wound up falling in the center of town。 She was sitting there miserably； soaked from the rain； knees skinned； when like a knight in shining armor； he appeared； just as he always had； she’d just never noticed him before…。
“These cookies are just delicious； Harold。” Chuck Bass ambled in from the kitchen； nibbling on one of the snowman…shaped sugar cookies Harold had baked with the twins。 He eased down onto the sofa next to Blair。
Blair smiled and squeezed Chuck’s hand。 It was Chuck who had rescued her that day； except instead of shining armor he wore Thomas Pink； and instead of a knight； he was an Oxford University scholar。 He’d transferred there after pleting two years at Deep Springs； and ever since their paths crossed that fateful day； they’d been practically inseparable。
“I’ll give you the recipe；” Harold offered； smiling at the pliment。 “As if you can really cook in those horrible dorms Blair’s plained to me about。 Many times；” he added with a teasing wink at his daughter。
Blair rolled her eyes。 “I was thinking about moving to a flat in town when we get back。 We could probably find something on College Street。” Right now； Chuck lived with a bunch of his rowing buddies in a house on the mortifyingly named Titmarsh Lane。 It would be nice to have a little more privacy； and a bigger bed。
And a better mailing address？
“If that’s okay with you； Daddy；” Blair added。
“Wonderful；” Harold said。 He’d always trusted Blair pletely。
Blair sighed happily and nuzzled closer to Chuck。 She couldn’t believe this was the same Chuck Bass she’d known growing up。 He was sweet and sensitive and got along well with everyone。 Blair imagined them settling down in Sloane Square。 She’d be a barrister； he’d work as a banker in Canary Wharf； and they’d have three children with adorable accents and picnic in Kensington Gardens on weekends。
“Moving in already。 Sounds serious！” Harold said with a twinkle in his eye。
“I apologize for your meddling dad；” Giles piped up from his tea party in the corner。 “That’s why I prefer hanging out with the knee…high set。” Giles ruffled Pierre’s dark hair。
Suddenly； the sound of the doorbell filled the house。
“Did we order something？” Giles asked。
Blair threw the plaid blanket from her knees； ran to the entryway； and flung open the door； half expecting to find a singing messenger or some over…the…top surprise that Chuck or her generous father had planned for her as a post…Christmas surprise。 A car？ A pony？ A private plane to sweep them all off to St。 Barts for New Year’s？
Instead； her eyes fell on Serena van der Woodsen； Nate Archibald； that younger girl who’d been kicked out of Constance for extreme sluttiness； and her shaggy…haired older brother； who she’d heard Serena was actually seeing。 It was like a band of carolers gone wrong。
What。 The。 Fuck？ Was this some sort of joke？ A hallucination from too many glasses of red wine and not enough exercise？
Or a late visit from the Ghosts of Christmas Past？
“What the hell are you doing here？” Blair asked rudely。 The shaggy…haired guy awkwardly shifted his weight from foot to foot； as if he had to pee。
“We’ll leave。 Sorry for the confusion；” he said quickly； turning on the sole of his ugly loafer。
Serena finally managed to clear her throat。 Of course she’d suggested staying at Blair’s house； but the thought that Blair might actually be here hadn’t even occurred to her。 “Yeah； we’ll find a hotel in town。” Serena glanced nervously at Blair； whose veins were throbbing at her temples。 This was not how she wanted to see her former best friend for the first time after a year apart。 Blair had gone to Oxford to get away from Serena； and now here she was； standing on her doorstep like a stalker。
“Hey guys！” Chuck said； sidling up next to Blair。 Serena tried to stop the gasp that formed in her throat。 What was Chuck Bass doing here？ Chuck’s hand rested protectively on Blair’s petite shoulder。 Was he… with Blair？ “Dan Humphrey； long time no see；” he said enthusiastically； reaching out a hand。
“Hi Chuck；” Dan muttered； limply shaking Chuck’s hand。 He hadn’t thought it was possible for the night to get any weirder； but apparently； it could。 What the fuck was his Riverside Prep nemesis doing here； in a pair of cashmere pajamas？
“Who do we have here？” Harold boomed as he strode down the entryway。 “Serena van der Woodsen and Nate Archibald！ Why didn’t you tell me they were ing； Bear？” Harold cried； kissing Serena on both cheeks and leaning in to clap Nate on the back。 “e in； e in！” Harold escorted everyone inside； pumping hands enthusiastically as if he were an ambassador。
To a very hostile country？
“Thanks； sir！” Serena said weakly as she shuffled into the house。 She didn’t really have a choice。
“So； what brings you this way？” Harold asked； throwing more logs onto the crackling fire and settling back into his leather wingback chair as if preparing for an all…night chat。 Jenny； Nate； and Dan all clustered around Serena； delegating explanation responsibilities to her。
“Mr。 Waldorf； I’m really sorry to intrude。 This is my boyfriend； Dan Humphrey。” Serena emphasized the word boyfriend。 Maybe if Blair knew she wasn’t with Nate； she’d soften a little。 “And his sister； Jenny。 Jenny was visiting colleges and ran into Nate on a tour of Brown。 And we were all driving back to the city and got stuck in the snow。” She shrugged； as if that explained everything。
Blair narrowed her eyes。 Of course Serena would play the Miss Innocent card； as if they’d just happened to be driving right past the Newport house。 Newport wasn’t exactly in Brown’s backyard。
“So you just ran into each other？” Blair asked icily。
“Yeah。” Nate tried to catch Blair’s eye。 In his time at Deep Springs； he’d almost forgotten how pretty she was。 Her hair framed her small； fine…featured face； her eyes were bright； and she wore a black sweater that hugged her petite frame。 Nate forced himself to glance away。 She looked happy now。 The last thing he wanted to do was get in the way。 “We can leave。 Blair； we’ll leave；” he repeated quietly； trying to let Blair know that he wasn’t here to fuck up her life。
Again。
“In this weather？ Nonsense！ We’re thrilled to have you。 I see Pierre and Pauline have already made a friend！” Harold nodded to the corner； where Jenny was kneeling on the Oriental…carpeted floor； patiently asking the twins about their train set。 “It’s almost their bedtime。 Almost my bedtime； too；” Harold chuckled； draining the last of his wine。 “But we have plenty of food； and we all know Blair has plenty of clothes to share with the girls。 Our house is your house； so please； make yourselves at home。 It’ll be like a big pajama party！”