"Sangre Azul"

By SnowyOwl17 and Tenshi noyo ryu taiga aka Peyton Leigh

Disclaimer: We do not own Roswell or Gossip Girl. The "Gossip Girl" we set up for this fic (the email) is in no way the real Gossip Girl.

Summary: When Liz Parker's parents get a divorce, she has to move all the way to NYC where she has to meet and blend in with Chuck Bass and the Upper East Side. Problem is, in New York, everyone loves a good scandal. And what bigger scandal is there than the Chuck Bass... taken? Seems like everyone's going to be watching Gossip Girl for this scoop.

Banner: i332.

Chapter Eighteen:

"Could you pass the crepes?" Lily Bass nee Van der Woodson asked her son Eric.

"Sure," He said as he reached over and passed them to her, "Here you go."

"Thank you, dear," She replied as once more the table was in silence.

Elizabeth couldn't help but fidget slightly in her seat next to Chuck. She sat across from Eric and far from Lily. Liz inconspicuously looked at the two empty chairs. One at the head of the table opposite Lily and one directly to the right of Lily. Elizabeth assumed that the chair to the right belonged to Chuck's infamous step-sister Serena. Elizabeth turned her head slightly to look at the doorway, wondering if Serena was ever going to come to brunch.

Did she not come because she knew that Elizabeth would be there? Did she hate Chuck's new girlfriend? He had said that he and Serena used to be very close, how much did Serena's opinion of her count to him? He had said that he had once been in love with her, was this Serena's way of saying that she was jealous?

Several thoughts raced through Elizabeth's head as the awkward silence continued.

Chuck, seeing Liz's face grow more and more panicked, smirked before slipping his hand into her own, under the table.

His touch immediately snapped her out of it and she squeezed his hand in thanks.

"So, Elizabeth," Lily started awkwardly, "I apologize for my husband not being here. He had an important business meeting in Shanghai."

"That's alright. I understand," Elizabeth replied with a small smile as she gripped Chuck's hand tighter, causing Chuck to wince slightly. Eric picked up on Chuck's pain and smiled as he realized that Elizabeth was apparently more nervous than her cool façade had shown.

"Where did you say you go to school?" Lily asked as she pushed her plate of barely touched fruit and crepes forward in a clear sign that she was finished.

"I start Constance in the fall," Elizabeth explained as she used her left hand to push her food around delicately with her fork. Her grandmother had ingrained in her mind the inappropriateness of allowing your utensils to make sound when touching the plate.

Lily caught that Elizabeth was using her left hand and realized that she must have been holding onto Charles' hand with her right, since she had previously been eating with her other hand. Lily allowed a small smile to grace her face. Perhaps this was what Serena and Eric had been talking about when they said that Chuck had changed…

"So, I hear that you just recently moved here. Where did you live before?" Lily asked as she folded her hands beneath her chin as she leaned on her elbows gracefully.

Elizabeth's eyes couldn't help but glance at the elbows on the table. Rule number three, never allow your elbows touch the table while eating. It is disgraceful, her grandmother's voice spoke in her head. However, since Elizabeth didn't put much stock in her grandmother's etiquette rules and since Lily was obviously finished eating, Elizabeth took care to lock her grandmother's voice away into the back of her mind.

"I live in Roswell," she replied.

"Oh, what school did you go to?" Lily asked curiously.

"I went to the public school there," Elizabeth replied, "My father didn't want me in a boarding school far away and the nearest private school was miles away."

"I see," Lily nodded. When Serena had gone to boarding school, her family had fallen apart. Lily could understand wanting to keep family together, "I'm very sorry. I know Chuck wanted you to meet Serena, but I'm afraid I have no idea where she is. She said she'd only be gone for an hour, but-"

"Mom, I'm back! Sorry, I'm late! Is she still here?" A voice called out from the living room.

"In here, Serena!" Lily called out as a tall blonde walked through the open walkway.

Elizabeth had seen pictures of the Serena Van der Woodson on Gossip Girl and in the tabloids, but Serena appeared to be so much more beautiful and tall and leggy and, just 'wow', in person. Suddenly, Elizabeth felt a little insecure. This was the woman Chuck used to love? The one he lives with? The one he professed to care deeply about, even now? Liz had never felt so small and ugly and completely un-special as she did the moment Serena Van der Woodson walked through the door.

"Hey! You're still here! I'm Serena," the blonde smiled vibrantly as she sat down at her chair just as a maid came in holding a plate for Serena's breakfast.

Serena wasted no time in scooping up huge amounts of eggs, sausage and fruit. She grabbed a crepe and started spreading massive amounts of butter and powdered sugar on it.

"How do you eat like that?" Eric asked, his face twisted in disgust as she shoveled a fork full of eggs in her mouth.

"I work it off," Serena smirked as she winked at her little brother.

Charles chuckled as Lily sighed, "Serena, is that really necessary?"

"What, mom. Eric's more than old enough to know about these kinds of things," Serena smiled.

Elizabeth smiled as the tight, uncomfortable air around brunch was broken the moment Serena sat down. Despite her envy and small insecurity, she was glad that she was able to meet Serena.

"So, what did I miss?" Serena asked as she plopped a blueberry in her mouth.

"We were just discussing Elizabeth's schooling," Lily answered.

Serena made a face, "Bor-ring!"

Lily sighed as she dropped her napkin in her lap and leaned back for Serena to take control of the conversation, even as a small, proud smile worked its way onto her lips.

"You are going to Constance, aren't you?" Serena asked as she turned to face Chuck's new girlfriend.

"I thought school was boring?" Lily inquired smilingly.

"Mo-om?" Serena replied as she rolled her eyes.

Elizabeth let out a small giggle, causing everyone's eyes to turn to her, "Yes, I am."

"Good. We should definitely bond and tell embarrassing stories about Chuck," Serena stated matter-of-factly.

"Really, sis, is that necessary?" Chuck asked with a raised brow.

"First, don't call me 'sis'," She hissed as she kicked out at Chuck's knee causing a grunt, "Second, of course it is. We want to make sure Liz, can I call you Liz?" She asked and returned to Chuck after receiving a nod, "Knows what she's getting into when she's dating you. In fact, I don't think she even knows about your foundation," Serena smiled tauntingly.

"Foundation?" Lily and Chuck asked in unison.

"Yes, the Chuck Bass Foundation for Teens with Genital Herpes," Serena smirked as she took a succulent bite of a strawberry.

"There isn't one," Chuck scowled.

"Oh, yes there is. Blair told me about it. Apparently, Vanessa used the money you gave her when you bought that blank tape to start a foundation in your honor. Isn't that sweet of her?" Serena smirked.

Eric started laughing hysterically at Chuck's displeased face while Lily herself had to hide her smile behind her napkin. Elizabeth turned her head so that her boyfriends couldn't see the large grin spread across her face.

"I had wondered what Brooklyn's little girlfriend on the side had done with my money," Chuck scowled as he mentally went over all the different revenge scenarios he could think of for little Miss Brooklyn V.

Serena's smile faded slightly at the mention of Dan, "Well, now you know," She said as she mustered up a smile that seemed faker than her other ones. She turned to Elizabeth, "Wanna get out of here? We could go shopping and I can tell you all the dirt you'll ever need on Chuck Bass," She laughed.

"Shopping sounds good," Elizabeth agreed as the two girls stood up to grab their coats.

"Wait a second, don't I get a say in this?" He asked smoothly.

"No," The two girls replied before looking at each other and smiling widely.

Liz went to get her coat from the maid and as Serena went to follow, she gasped as Chuck grabbed her elbow and turned her to face him.

"If you scare Elizabeth off or figure out a way to get her to hate me, I swear…" Chuck's eyes had turned to ice as he glared at his "sister".

"You really like her?" Serena asked as she tilted her head and looked up at him.

"…Yeah…" Chuck admitted with a sigh as he let go of her arm and lifted his hand and ran it across his hair.

Serena blinked, shocked at his honesty, "Wow… Don't worry, Chuck. If you haven't scared her off yet, I don't think my stories will."

"Haha," He replied sarcastically, "Actually…" He trailed off in thought, "This would give me the perfect opportunity…"

Serena's eyes narrowed as Liz walked back to them.

"What?" Elizabeth asked.

"Ohh, nothing," Chuck smiled as he leaned over to kiss Serena on the cheek and Elizabeth on the mouth, "I just need to go get a new phone and call an… acquaintance of mine…"

"A new phone?" Serena questioned.

"An acquaintance?" Liz asked at the same time.

"Hmm… Enjoy your shopping, ladies," Chuck evaded as he waved the two off as they walked out the door.

Liz and Serena both stared as the door slammed shut in their face.

"Well, okay then," Serena said before grabbing Liz's hand and dragging her to the elevator, "So, where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere," she replied.

Almost three hours later found Elizabeth and Serena laughing hysterically on a park bench, bags surrounding them almost entirely.

"And then Chuck… Chuck goes, 'how much for the night?' and she just goes 'Excuse me!!!' and slapped him across the face," Serena managed out between hysterical laughter.

"God, I don't know if I find the fact that he was trying to solicit a so-called prostitute hysterical or completely horrifying and disgusting!" Elizabeth cried as she clutched at her sides in laughter.

"Find it both, I always do!" Serena sighed as she tried to force her body to calm down, "You know, I really like you. Not at all what Chuck usually brings home," She sneered in disgust.

"Thanks," Elizabeth smiled before looking at the blonde in concern, "But what about… I thought you were really good friends with Chuck's ex, Blair?"

Serena's smile was wiped off her face and Elizabeth instantly felt remorseful for even bringing it up.

"Yeah, we are, but… I don't know. I guess… you're just so much better for him. Blair made him content. Someone that was like him, but you make him a different person. A completely different person."

"I don't want to change him," Liz said worriedly.

"But it's a good thing!" Serena hastened, "He… Chuck had a rough childhood and he doesn't know how to deal with things, so he drinks or sleeps around, but he doesn't do that with you. He actually… deals with his emotions? I don't know. He's just different."

Elizabeth remembered the day before when Chuck was drunk and talked about his life… Maybe, he was different…

"What about you?" Elizabeth asked, changing the subject.

"What?" Serena asked with a confused smile.

"What do you think of Blair?" She asked, genuinely curious what Chuck's ex was like.

Serena put on a bright smile, "Oh, Blair's great. We've been friends forever. She's like the Queen of the Upper East Side, so she's always in the know. And she's always got my back."

Elizabeth frowned, "O…kay…"

"What?" Serena asked as she turned to face her.

"It's just that… I mean, I don't really know you or anything, but all morning you've been all bright and happy and I guess… sparkly?" Elizabeth laughed, "But then you started talking about Blair and it's like you… toned down. Like in two seconds, you made yourself invisible."

Serena sat in thought about Elizabeth's words. She had never really considered it before, but Serena knew that she did tone it down… for Blair. Blair loved the attention and Blair was Serena's best friend, so of course Serena did what she could to help her.

Serena turned over and saw that Elizabeth was looking at her with knowing eyes, "She's my best friend," She explained meekly.

"Shouldn't your best friend want you to be you?" Elizabeth asked before standing up, "Alright, I'm starving. Let's head back to the Palace and see if we can't get Chuck to buy us some lunch," She laughed as if their talk never happened.

Serena smiled in appreciation before frowning in thought. She had a lot to think about tonight…

Spotted: New Girl and S bonding down the streets of 5th Ave. But what we want to know is how long that will last. Summer is coming to a close and with it comes Queen B, back to take her thrown. And she definitely won't appreciate Serena's friendliness with the enemy. Soon, all of New York will get to see if Chuck and Elizabeth's summer scorcher will freeze in the waking of Waldorf's ice cold heart.

Until then,

XOXO

Gossip Girl