Double Identity
Summer is coming to a close, and as everyone knows, Paris, like the Upper East Side, empties out in August, leaving behind only the tourists and the dreamers, lamenting the imminent return to real life.
***
Lily had called Ella and she put it on speaker.
"Hey, Mom." Ella said.
"I'm sorry to bother you on your last day, girls. I got a very upsetting phone call from the Paris police." Lily said.
"Oh, if it's about Blair pushing me in the fountain, I'm not pressing charges." Ella replied.
"They pulled a body out of the river and found Charles' wallet." Lily said and the two blondes looked at each other.
"Oh my god. You don't think it's him, do you?" Serena asked.
"Well, it would be a lot easier not to panic if someone had heard from him or he had been paying the Empire bills. Listen, um, girls, they need a family member to identify the body. If it's too much for you. I will be on the next flight."
"No, no. We're here. We can do it."
"Thank you. Listen, let's just keep this between us three. I don't want to worry anyone until we know for sure what's going on." Lily said,
"Yeah, we agree."
***
"Blair, I just hung up with my mom, and Chuck is missing." Ella said.
"Well, consider him found. He was on the Rue de Charenton an hour ago." Blair told.
"Wait, you saw him? Here?"
"Gossip Girl said I was in Paris. Where else would he be?"
"My mom and the police are looking everywhere. He hasn't paid an Empire bill all summer. His assets are about to be frozen." Ella explained.
"I could care less about his Bass-ets. And besides, he's probably filtering his finances through some foreign government so that I won't know he's stalking me." Blair said.
"So what did he say when you saw him?"
"Nothing. He limped away, and I kept driving."
"That doesn't sound very stalker-ish."
"It's Chuck. It's probably part of some elaborate scheme."
"He did have blood on his wallet, and you said you saw him limping. Don't you think we should at least make sure he's okay?" Ella asked.
"I'm sorry he pissed off the wrong pickpocket. But I've been waiting for this date all summer. I'm not gonna let him ruin it." Blair replied.
"I'm sure Louis would understand if you're
a little late."
"Look, I can't talk to him, E. You don't know what it was like, seeing him, even through the car window. Trust me, the only thing wrong with Chuck is that I'm gonna be happy without him." Blair said and walked away.
***
Ella had found out where Chuck was staying.
"I had a feeling you'd linger." Chuck said.
"I'm not gonna leave. Did you do something to that man? If it was self defence, I'm sure they would understand."
"I never touched that thief."
"So is Blair right? Is this another one of
your games?" Ella asked.
"Do I look like I'm playing?" Chuck asked.
"I know more than anyone what it's like to want to reinvent yourself. But just because people are mad at you doesn't mean you should disappear. Lily is really worried about you." Ella told him.
"I'm sure she'll come to celebrate my absence, as will all the people who've wished me gone since the day I was born."
"I know things were bad in New York. But if you don't come home, you'll lose the Empire. You'll lose everything you ever cared about."
"I already lost the only thing I cared about. They can have everything else." Chuck said.
"I don't know what you told that girl, but you can't turn your back on who you really are." Ella said.
"I'm going to see an old associate, picking up a passport with my new name on it. After today, there is no Chuck Bass."
"I'm staying at Eleanor and Cyrus's when you realise that's not true." Ella told him and he walked off.
***
Ella left a message. "Blair, call me back. Remember when I told you not to worry about Chuck? Well, I was wrong."
Spotted - one American leaving Paris. Au revoir, l'enfant terrible.
"B, you know I wouldn't bother you if it wasn't serious. I need your help." Ella left another message and she called back.
"Finally. Inspector Chevalier, of course. Okay, I'll be right there."
***
"I didn't even know you were here. Why are you here?" Ella asked.
"Why are you?" Blair asked.
"I see that you have found Monsieur Bass's stolen property." The man said.
"Mr Bass's property? The ring is his?"
"That's why I'm here. Inspector Chevalier asked me to claim it." Ella said.
"The thieves couldn't pawn such a valuable piece at their usual haunts in Prague, so they came to Paris to try to return it for the cash. Harry Winston knew Monsieur Bass was the original purchaser. That's when they called us. And the body you saw was one of the thieves." Inspector explained.
"So why was chuck's blood on the wallet?"
"Monsieur Bass would not let go of the ring. He fought them hard, so they shot him."
"Chuck was shot?" Blair asked with fear in her eyes.
***
"You know that ring was meant for you. He was gonna propose to you on top of the Empire State Building." Ella said.
"I can't care about that. It doesn't change what he did instead. Jenny Humphrey."
"B, I understand how much he hurt you. He knows how much he hurt you. That's why he signed over the Empire and everything he owes to Lily." Ella said.
"Well, hopefully she can run it without entering the human flesh trade."
"Blair, he's changing his name. His
landlady said he's on his way to the train station. This is Chuck we're talking about. He really could just disappear."
"If you're so turn up about it, stop him."
"You and I both know you're the only one that can do that." Ella told her.
"If you'll excuse me, I have a ball to attend."
"Blair. Blair, he almost died holding on to that ring and to the hope of you."
"I forgave him for something that no one else in the world would ever get over. Then he turned around and did the one thing he knew I could never let go." Blair said.
"But you don't need to forgive him. You don't even need to talk to him again after today. But I know you, and you will always regret it if you do nothing and just let him disappear."
***
They got in the car and made it to the station. Blair got out and started running.
"I knew he was too good to be true. Who is she?" The girl asked.
Just as every summer ends, all tourists come home, all dreamers wake up, and new problems are born. And just like that, a pretty girl's ugly secret is revealed. But no matter what the new season brings, we'll always have Paris. Bisou, bisou, Gossip Girl.