Gossip Girl: Chuck in Real Life (Episode 125)

Last week was all about Yale, but this week we're back to the Upper East Side and for the most part things are back to normal.

We begin with breakfast at the Van Der Woodsen household, well I guess it would be the Bass household now. Bart and Lily announce to the kids that they are setting new rules. These new rules include dinner together and an early curfew. Looks like those crazy party nights are over, or are they? Serena doesn't take the news so well, she's pissed that everytime her mom finds a new man his rules seem to be the holy grail. Eric isn't so upset, probably because he was too young to truly remember some of Lily's loves, he thinks the new rules may be just what the family needs to bring them together. By the way, Eric has finally gotten rid of those ridiculous looking highlights. I think I speak on behalf of all Gossip Girl fans when I say it's about time! As for Chuck, as you may expect, he's not very concerned because ultimately he's above the rules, at least in Bart's eyes. Chuck knows Serena is the real reason for all the new rules. Bart just doesn't want her out partying and getting snapped by the paparazzi because it would look back for him. It doesn't take long for Serena to figure this out though and she is sure to get back at Bart by dressing in a short, sexy dress and then leaving. As she's getting in the elevator and he's watching her speechless, she mentions that she may have forgotten to put on underwear. How Britney of her!

Vanessa spends her morning working to save a historic building that houses a bar from being destroyed. As it turns out there's quite a bit of history behind the bar, but we won't get into that, at least not yet. V's BFF, Dan, is still bromancing with Nate, and Nate is still on unfriendly terms with Chuck. Vanessa and Blair are still hating on each other, but Vanessa needs Blair and goes to her for help to save the historic building/bar. Of course, Blair doesn't want to help so V has to threaten to take the pics of Marcus and Catherine public. Believe it or not, V may be just as twisted as Blair, she just has a more silent approach. Anyway, Blair is really not happy with Vanessa now and challenges Chuck to take her down. Chuck is more than happy to accept the challenge, especially knowing that the reward will be getting to sleep with Blair.

Serena and Blair are having breakfast the next day, Eric and his new boyfriend, Jonathan, stop by. Serena is a little surprised as she had never met Jonathan before, who knows if she even knew about him. Over breakfast at the Humphrey household Jenny teases Dan that he has no guy friends. Dan takes offense and tries to prove her wrong by calling his new buddy, Nate. They make plans to play soccer later in the day. Dan thinks he has really proven something but it's true that before he and Nate became friends, umm, last episode, he really didn't have any guy friends. Not that it really matters though. Meanwhile, Chuck surprises Vanessa by making a surprise appearance at the historic building she's trying to save. He tells her that he's interested in buying it, but she blows him off figuring that he's upto no good and then someone throws something at him so he goes on his way fairly quickly.

Serena continues to fight with Lily about the new rules. I think Serena's completely right on this one. Maybe I'm forgetting something but wasn't Lily just upset with Bart for investigating her past? I think she needs to keep her eyes open, I don't trust Bart for a second.

Dan goes to meet with Nate for their soccer date. He forgets that Nate said to meet at the park and instead goes to Nate's house where he finds a "seized" notice by the front door. Dan goes around the house to a broken gate and goes into the house. He finds the place empty, no electricity but a sleeping bag and some clothes on the floor. Just then Nate calls telling him he's at the park wondering where Dan is, he tells him he's just running a little late. After their soccer game the convo turns to what's been going on with Nate's family lately. Nate mentions that his mom is staying in the Hampton's and he's just staying in NYC by himself, he doesn't mention that the house was actually seized and he's sleeping on the floor. Dan doesn't mention what he knows but instead calls Jenny and tells her about it and they cook up a plan to invite Nate over for dinner and persuade him to stay with them for a while. Dan invites Nate to dinner, Nate accepts.

After the incident at the building with Vanessa, Chuck goes back to Blair and tells her that he's going to give up. She is wearing lingerie and is able to convince Chuck to continue with their evil plan by just flashing him a little leg. Later, Vanessa meets with Chuck to discuss his offer. She says the building owner would like to meet with him, Chuck agrees. Much later, Chuck meets with the owner, they get along well. Chuck finds out that there is quite a bit of history in the building with many important people coming and going through the bar, like Joe Kennedy. It looks like Chuck and Bass Industries will soon be the new owner of the building and save it from being destroyed.

Tonight is the Bass-Van Der Woodsen "house warming" party. Before the party Serena finds out that Bart more or less disinvited Eric's boyfriend. This infuriates Serena. As the party is starting she confronts Bart about this and he tells her what happened. He says that he told Eric that he could invite his boyfriend, it was totally upto him, but of course we know that things are never cut and dry with Bart. We later find out that Bart had a talk with Eric about whether he would really want this to be his "coming out" party in front of all the important NYC people and a national magazine. Eric decided after that it would probably not be the best idea, and this is exactly what Bart wanted.

There are many other things going down at the housewarming party. He actually seems to be showing some affection toward Vanessa. Blair notices this and immediately glares at Vanessa. Chuck talks to Bart about investing in the historic building, Bart tells him no and refuses to invest in it. Apparently the current financial crisis must be starting to tighten the Bass purse strings a little bit. Vanessa overhears and talks to Chuck about it later. She starts to put down Bart, but now Chuck stands up for Bart and says he makes some good points. Vanessa is confused and decides to leave but as she turns away from Chuck he grabs her and asks her to please stay, and he says it in such a way that makes you actually think he cares for her. Is this the real Chuck Bass or is he just playing?

Serena and Eric are asked to do an interview with the national magazine covering the party. Lily had just mentioned to the reporters what a close family they were which really gets Serena going. She starts telling the reporters just how close they are, like when she was 11 years old and her mom's current boyfriend was a cokehead and left cocaine all over the place on Christmas morning -- it was definitely a white Christmas that year. The whole time Lily keeps trying to pull Serena away, finally Serena stands up and tells Lily that she figured it out; Bart isn't the problem, Lily is. Everyone is just standing and watching at this point, Serena leaves, Eric sits there not sure what to say or which side to take.

As they're leaving Blair lets Vanessa know that she was able to steal her phone during the party and deleted the pics of Marcus and Catherine. Then she informs her that the whole thing between Vanessa and Chuck was just a bet between her and Chuck. Vanessa doesn't believe her at first but then she starts to realize Blair isn't playing around, and Chuck confirms this a minute later when Vanessa asks him. He doesn't say anything to confirm it, but that's the thing, he doesn't say anything at all. Vanessa says she's not surprised and leaves. It's clear Blair just wanted to crush Vanessa right away because she was getting worried that Chuck may actually have feelings for Vanessa. And, now that Nate and Dan are bromancing it looks like Nate won't be hitting it off with Vanessa anytime soon. Just kidding.

Speaking of Dan and Nate, dinner goes sort of smooth at the Humphrey house. Dan had asked Jenny to keep the thing about Nate a secret but apparently she doesn't keep secrets to well because Rufus asks Nate about his family during dinner. Afterward, Nate helps Dan clean up and then decides he better go home. Dan tells him that he knows he's sleeping on the floor and everything, and he invites him to stay with them for a while. Nate is offended that he's just sort of charity case now and leaves. Dan feels bad, he just wants to help Nate. He talks to Rufus to get his opinion, Rufus tells him a good friend wouldn't give up.

Dan goes to Nate's to apologize and again to try to get him to stay with them for a while. As he gets there, Serena is also just getting there and they sit on the steps outside Nate's and talk. Serena tells Dan all about her family stuff and Dan gives her advice. She tells him sorry for everything that happened. Bart shows up a short time later to take Serena home.

Dan ends up getting Nate to come stay with them for a while. Nate actually seems to have swallowed his pride and is accepting that Dan is just a genuine friend looking to help him out with no judgment.

Serena goes home and she, Eric, Lily and Bart talk things out. Serena apologizes, Lily apologizes, they all apologize and accept each other's apologies like one big happy family, minus Chuck. Bart already got the national magazine to not run the story on them so there won't be any bad press. And, all seems to be... just peachy... in the Bass household. Seriously, they're just faking it, this won't last long and they'll be at each other's throats again.

Chuck skipped the Brady Bunch moment and instead chose to finally get the sex he's been craving with Blair. Blair has candles lit and is wearing lingerie, she tells him it's about time, he tells her that if she thinks that was long she has another thing coming. As they're making out he asks her to say those three words to him that she wanted him to say to her before. She refuses to say the words and says that she'll never tell him those three words. He says she'll never get to have him then. He then tells her that he's been chasing her for long enough, she can chase him for a while now, and he leaves.