"Gossip Girl here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite." "Spoke with the parole board, gave my address." "That's where you'll be reporting." " I can't tell you how much this means." " Thanks to you, my brother is serving a five-year sentence." " I never accused Ben of any crime." "I saw the affidavit." " I didn't sign anything." " Then who did?" " Lily's selling Bass Industries." " I won't let you do this, Lily." "Since my mom isn't gonna help get Ben out of jail I wanna find the judge on the affidavit." "I would love to go, but this is something you need to do on your own." "I'm gonna be very busy writing, I'm seeing Nenette at the Film Forum." "I'm seeing Nenette at Film Forum." "Where has she been?" "And who am I?" "That's one secret I'll never tell." "You know you love me." "XOXO Gossip Girl." "It's a cold new year, Upper East Siders." "Time to donate that fall wardrobe to the help and to present the world with a better version of you which could mean facing your future and forgetting past mistakes." "Or finally settling on a brand new path." "But a new year doesn't wipe away old problems." "Well, welcome back." "All this for two weeks?" "I had no idea where my PI mission was gonna take me." "I had to be prepared." "For a night with Taylor Swift?" "Aside from forging affidavits that send innocent men to jail Judge Stephens also enjoys riding horses on his ranch in Virginia." " Someone did her research." " Apparently, not enough." "He wasn't there and no one knew where he was." "I had to pull an Erin Brockovich and go to the Litchfield County clerk's office to try to get a copy of the case." "How's this for irony...?" "Court records are public so you wore a push-up bra for no reason?" "No, the file was sealed because the case involved a minor." "Take me away from my problems." "Tell me, what'd you do over the break?" "Why?" "What did you hear?" "I ate leftovers and supervised Dorota taking down the tree and I finally settled on who I want to intern for this semester." "Indra Nooyi." "Forbes' number six most powerful woman in the world." "Wow, I'm impressed." "As she will be." "Once I figure out how to win her over before the internship deadline which, yes, is in three days." "Did you happen to see Dan over the break?" "Why would I?" "What's going on with you two anyway?" "I don't know." "I guess we'll find out how we both feel at family brunch." "Well, here's my advice:" "Have a little faith, and if that doesn't work, a lot of mimosas." " Hey, man, how was New Zealand?" " It was an extraordinary bust." "Jack was out of the country." "Sorry, man." "I knew you were counting on his help." "As fate would have it, I might've found one last ally." "My father's old friend, Russell Thorpe, is in town from Chicago." "He's hosting a party at Apella this afternoon." "I'm on my way to his field office to get a meeting." " Oh, yeah!" " Fifteen, all." "I hear you kept yourself entertained in my absence." "Nope, that's not me." "That's right, your father's out on parole." "How's it been?" "Forty-fifteen." "He's earned the right to blow off steam but it's been nothing but spas and restaurants and nightclubs." "Shouldn't he be concentrating on his future?" "Perhaps you should dock his allowance." "Oh, yeah." "Hey, Nate, need one more for a foursome." "You in, dude?" "That's not what it sounded like, but I should go." "Good luck." "You too." "Boom goes the dynamite." "People still use mailboxes?" "No, no, it's Vanessa's mail." "She's moving back into the dorms." "Welcome home." "So how was your break?" "What did you do?" " Why, what'd you hear?" " Nothing which, I'm afraid, is what I have to report from my road trip." "I'm sorry." "I know you were hoping for some closure." "Well, my mom's deviousness is the gift that keeps on giving." "So for now, at least, the past still lingers." "Was brunch a special occasion, or?" "I have an interview with Writers House." "It's a literary agency, for my internship." "That's the one good thing about being a freshman I don't have to think about that this year." "That and a lot of other things, it seems." "Dan, you knew my focus was fixing things for Ben." "I didn't realize I had an ultimatum." "You know, let's go inside." "It's cold out." "Hey, I wanted to call, but she wouldn't let me." "Are you telling me it's been a week and you still can't get me five minutes alone with Indra?" "She's only here for two days before heading to Chennai." " Her schedule's packed." " I've always wanted to go to India." "Can you get me a seat on her plane?" " Get me her itinerary." " It's being faxed over." "Make a decision, Laurel, or I'll make the last one you'll hear." " What are you girls doing?" " Solidifying the details of my internship." "Oh, honey, that reminds me." "I was thinking, why not work with me at Waldorf Designs?" "You love fashion." "I also love a good pot-au-feu but that doesn't mean that I'm gonna build a career around it." "Fine." "Well, I have a monster of a day." "You know how many women would kill to work with your mother?" "Yes, and they're the Jenny Humphreys of the world." "Indra's itinerary." "This isn't hers, it's my mother's." "And Indra's on it." "My mother is dressing her for a party this afternoon." "Dorota." "Mr. Thorpe can't meet at noon so you can push or he can cancel, whichever you'd prefer." "Thought so." "If I could impose on you to pop back to the office and tell Mr. Thorpe, Chuck Bass is here." "I'll take a coffee and today's Pravda if it'll be a few minutes." " I'm sorry, who are you?" " Chuck Bass." "I flew in from New Zealand, got the invitation to Mr. Thorpe's party." "Thought I'd stop by early to discuss business." "Would you mind telling me what this is regarding?" "I don't usually expose my private matters to assistants." ""Assistant."" "I prefer the term "secretary," don't you?" " Why not call things as you see them?" " Couldn't agree more." "So since I'm sure your boss will see me if you tell him I'm here..." "That won't be possible." "Let me save your job, sweetheart, and tell you why it is possible." "I'm trying to block the potential sale of Bass Industries, my dead father's legacy." "Since Mr. Thorpe and my father were associates when they were starting out I'm sure he'd like the opportunity to help intervene." "I meant that won't be possible because Mr. Thorpe hasn't touched down from Chicago yet." "And I probably shouldn't tell you this, but..." "I'm listening." "In my position here, I'm privy to certain information and it appears you may be out of the loop." "The potential sale of Bass Industries is very real." "There's a deal on the table and it's fast-tracked to close in 24 hours." "I'm guessing I'll be seeing you at my boss' party later?" "I'm sorry for ambushing you guys, but we need to start talking again." "All of us." "Dan, how's that internship search going?" "That's right." "Maybe I can help." "I can call one of my friends at Condé Nast." "Hmm, maybe you could forge your signature on the cover letter." "Serena." " Talking's going great." " I wanna know how many times you got your hair done this week while an innocent man sat in prison." "I'm handling this in a way that is best for this family." "And we're not gonna discuss it anymore." "Okay." "I'm gonna make sure she's okay." "And I'm not hungry anymore, so I'll see you at home." "She'll come around, just give her time." " Thank you for trusting me." " Mm." "I'm gonna go get our check and coats." "Judge Stephens, hi." "I hope you enjoyed your time in the city but you can return to the ranch now, I'll take it from here." "Crazy question, but why isn't Ben just going after Lily himself?" "He knows she'll go to the cops and tell them what Juliet did to me." "Oh, you mean kidnap and drug you." "Look, however wrong it was enough harm has been done to their family by ours." "It's a lot to take on by yourself, that's all." "You know, I am tired and this crusade has taken me away from other things." "Well, you wanna go somewhere and talk?" "Or not talk?" " Serena, a moment?" " Now is not a good time." "Unfortunately, time is why I'm here." "Unless we stop her your mother is going to sell Bass Industries in 24 hours." "I think I have a plan that can get us both what we want." "Well, we've waited this long, what's a few more hours?" "Sure." "My interview's at 2:30, so..." "Okay, we'll meet at Waldorf's at 2 and then cab down there together." "Watch your back, Lily." "These kids are definitely not all right." "As I see it, we have two distinct goals." "I wanna block the sale of Bass Industries you wanna get old Ben out of jail." "Yet, a singular strategy may satisfy us both." " Which is?" " Blackmail." "I can't pressure her unless I have evidence." "While you were brunching I took the liberty of checking the safe at the house." "Did you know she has a safety-deposit box at the Dorset Bank on Madison?" "No." "I know you've spent your entire life not wanting to become your mother but desperate times..." " You getting soft, kid?" " I'm getting bursitis." "That was mile nine." " We should head back." " I feel like I'm 20 again." "I am 20, I feel like I'm gonna puke up a lung." " Don't you have things to do?" " Like what?" "Something on your mind?" "Just making sure you're concentrating on the future." "Your terms of parole are specific." "A job, for one." "I know what the terms are which was why my PO already has an interview set up for me this afternoon." "Really?" "Why didn't you tell me?" "That's fantastic." "I thought it'd be a nice surprise." "After I get this job, what do you say I take you out to celebrate?" "I told Chuck I'm going to this Thorpe party." " Russell Thorpe?" " Yeah." "But a celebratory dinner sounds like a good afterparty." "Maybe you could pick up the check." "The pay grade I'm at, I hope you don't mind a halal cart." "You look beat." "Listen, uh, I'll see you later, all right?" "Yeah, sure." "Excuse me." "Excuse me, excuse me." "I was wondering..." " Elevator's coming up." " Okay." "Thank God, showtime." "What are you doing here?" "Hello to you too." "I told you that it was just one movie on one lonely holiday break, that's it." "I'm here to see Serena." "Oh." "Well, she's not here to see you." " Shocker." " Where is she?" "She's off scheming with Chuck." "Disguises are involved." "It can't end well." "I'll wait." "I'm sure she'll be back." "She knows I have an interview to get to." "You do know "powerful woman" is not actually a career, right?" "And neither is Serena van der Woodsen but 10 bucks says that you'll miss your interview waiting for her, yet again." "Ten bucks, whatever scheme you're cooking up blows up in your face." " Loitering lounge is upstairs." " Already there, sister." "No, Laurel, the schedule was not sent over." "I can't have the office falling apart now I am in over my head with fittings." "What?" "I'm sorry about what I said earlier, it was the stress talking." "I thought about it and I really would love to intern with you." "Really?" "Well, that is just great, dear." "And since you seem to have your hands full I thought maybe I could accompany you on your fittings for the Midwestern Mogul party." "Well, perhaps it might be more efficient for you to have your own assignment rather than accompanying me." " Even better." "Why not...?" " Patti Blagojevich." "I'm going to assume that that noise was a sneeze and that you meant to say, "Indra Nooyi."" "Ha-ha-ha." "Indra?" "Don't be silly." "She is a huge new client and you are just an intern." "But you can deliver this to Patti and you can style her." "God knows she needs it." " But..." " Darling, I am thrilled." "Tell Indra's people that her Eleanor Waldorf fitting has been moved up a half hour." "Relax, you're a spitting image." "Remind me to kill you later for that." "The teller we need to talk to is named Julie." " She's new." "I'd remember her." " And who do we say you are, my son?" "Is it weird hearing you say that turns me on?" "This better be worth the therapy." "Let's get this over with." "Yeah, hi, this is Dan Humphrey." "I am caught in some brutal traffic." "Can I reschedule?" "No, I didn't realize he was deciding today or I wouldn't have put myself in this position." "Okay." "Thank you." "Will Lonely Boy ever learn that S can't tell time especially when she's wasting someone else's?" "All I have in my pile are divorce papers, jewelry and nudes of my mother in her groupie days." "Swap piles?" "I knew there'd be nothing." "What did you expect to find in here, anyway?" "A gun, the smoking kind." "Oh, my God." "You found a copy of the affidavit." "Any expert would be able to prove that this is not mine." "Not that we'll ever need to call one." "The threat alone is enough." "Looks like Serena may have found Ben's "get out of jail free" card." " We have her." " Wanna make the call or should I?" "No." "Later." "In person." "I like the way you think, Mom." "Charles." "I assume you weren't upstairs playing Rufus' guitars." "If you didn't want me in the family safe, you should've changed the combination." "Well, I'm just curious, what were you hoping to find?" "A way to stop you from disposing of the last remaining bit of my father." "Is that what you think?" "Why else would you be selling Bass Industries?" "Because it's in trouble, Charles." " What are you talking about?" " You read the papers." "Real estate, hotels." "Even in Manhattan, no one's impervious." "Why wouldn't you tell me?" "Because I thought we could ride it out, refinance or something." "I was hoping I could turn it around and wouldn't have to tell you." "Then you disappeared, and by the time you got back, it was an inevitability." "You expect me just to accept this?" "Go on with my day?" "If I sell now, I can control how we sell it and to whom." "A private buyer's made a very generous offer." "The company will stay intact, and so will your father's name." "The money from the sale will give you a chance to build a future and who knows, maybe even buy it back some day." "If this deal gets messed up..." "Bass Industries will go to the highest bidder someone who will fire the employees, cheapen the brand." "Exactly." "This buyer's committed to maintaining the company's integrity, your father's integrity." "And I know he'd want you to be a part of the next phase." "Is it Russell Thorpe?" "You don't have to say, I know it's him." "The important thing is that you believe me when I tell you I don't want your father's legacy to die." "I'm trying to save what's left of it." "In 24 hours you'll see." "And hopefully, Serena will see some things too." "Yes, Penelope, you will stand in the cold and hail me a cab." "Call me when it's curbside." "And show some leg if you have to." "I'm already late for Indra." " Is Dan still here?" " No, he left 20 minutes ago." " Where were you?" " I feel terrible about standing him up but we found a copy of the affidavit." "B, I think I can get Ben out of prison." "You didn't know him." "He was a good man before all this happened." "They're all good men before something happens to them, S." "Some of them stay good, no matter how they're treated." "I thought you hated Dan." "I do." "So very much." "But whatever it is you see in him, he seems to see in you as well." "I know you wanna focus on Ben but maybe you're avoiding your future, not fixing your past." " I thought we were gonna meet later." " We'll have to pause that." "I think Lily is trying to do the right thing by the company and by your inmate too." "She says she'll prove it in 24 hours." "Of course she did." "Well, there's something I have to do anyway so one more day." "Who is this Russell Thorpe exactly?" "His name sounds familiar." "Oh, um, he and Bart started out in real estate about the same time." "He ended up settling in Chicago." "Comes into town once a year, throws a garish party so we all know he still exists." " I wish we didn't have to go, but..." " But nothing." "According to this invitation, it's gonna be a wingding." "Why aren't you dressed?" "Uh, shirt, pants." "Yeah, I'm dressed." "Look, I know you disapprove of me, but can't you please do so in a tuxedo?" "The sale of Bass Industries is in a delicate stage and it's vital that we at least present a unified family front." "Fine." "Then it's just us." "Hello?" "May I speak to Mrs. Humphrey, please?" "This is the concierge at the Palace." "She just left." "Can I take a message?" "It seems that the guest Mrs. Humphrey was hosting, John Stephens left a pair of cufflinks in his room when he checked out this morning." "Uh, I'm sorry, you mean Judge John Stephens?" "Dorota, have you seen the dress marked for Indra Nooyi?" "And what is Patti Blagojevich's dress still doing here?" "Uh-oh." "Where is Blair?" " No one is answering in her room." " Thus the reason I need your services." " Let's see that master key card." " It's against hotel policy..." "Listen, Harvey?" "Ms. Nooyi was expecting me." "Silence on the other side of the door could mean one of two things:" "She neglected her appointment which a woman of her professionalism is not wont to do or she's lying there, having choked on one of her own snack chips while you're standing here quibbling about policy." "As I thought." "Spotted:" "B using old tricks to get to one Nooyi." "Ms. Nooyi?" "Indra?" "Assistants?" "Anyone?" "But it seems that someone got an SOS to the CEO." "Sorry, B, that internship has sailed." "Hey." "Nice tie." "You changed it." "I'm really sorry." "I swear I thought I would make it in time." "Did you miss your interview?" "Yeah, but it was my fault for thinking you'd show up." "I really can't get into this, I'm on my way out." "Where you going?" "James Franco's giving a reading of some of his short stories and the Writers House agent is gonna be there." "So I'm gonna go and try to woo him." "The agent, not James Franco." "Well, why don't I go with you as your date and then after you impress the hell out of the agent, we can have that talk?" "You did come to Brooklyn to apologize, and you are dressed for a party, so..." "Hold on." " Hey, Eric, what's up?" " Know that judge you were looking for?" "Mom was hiding him at the Palace while you were gone." "Guess when he checked out." "This morning, after brunch?" "Hey, shall we?" "Let me call you back." "Yeah, I just need to make a quick detour first." "Looks like Serena's ablaze on a path to punishment." "Suit up, Lily." "Your baby's out for blood." "Why don't you get us some drinks, I'll be just a minute." "Hey, what are you doing here?" "I thought you went to Brooklyn." " I did." "Have you seen Chuck?" " No." "Have you seen Indra Nooyi?" "No." "But I do see your mother and she doesn't seem too happy to see you." "Gotta go." "Bye." "What are you doing, here with your family?" " Serena." "You?" " I got a call this afternoon." "I'm looking for my dad who skipped a job interview he was required to go to by his parole officer." "Oh, and what did he skip it to do?" " Eat a Chicago Superdawg?" " Psh." "Mr. Bass." " Looking dapper." " Thank you." "Raina." "Someone wanted to say hello." "Mr. Thorpe, it's a pleasure to finally meet you, sir." "Call me Russell." "I see you've met my daughter." " Raina Thorpe." " Mm-hm." "Wharton grad, Thorpe Enterprises' vice president and a most trusted advisor to her proud and aging papa." "You said you were his assistant." "You said that." "I said, I prefer the term "secretary."" "Which I do, for those whom it actually refers to." "Raina never lies." "It's her best quality." "I highly doubt that." "Actually, ahem, I know it's premature, Russell, but I came here to shake the hand of the man who's buying Bass Industries." " What's that?" " I understand your need for discretion." "While I wasn't happy the company was being sold I was heartened to learn it would be my father's old friend at the helm." "Son, I'm not the buyer." "And I was good friends with your father, until he kicked me out of every deal he could and pushed me out of New York." "If I'd known in time that his company was for sale I would have bought it cheap, dismantled it for parts and hosted a fire sale." "Dan." " This party doesn't seem like your speed." " Are you kidding?" "There are actually beers behind the bar I can pronounce." " I'm here with Serena." " Oh, she didn't tell me she was coming." "She wasn't, but Eric called her and here we are." "Hi, Mom." "I'm so sorry I'm late, but I couldn't find my cufflinks so I just borrowed the ones that Judge Stephens left at the Palace." " Uh, what's going on?" " Dan, when you see Serena please tell her to stop whatever it is she's planning on doing before she destroys our family." "I can't believe your nerve." "What were you planning to do?" "Lobby Ms. Nooyi for a job in the changing room?" "No, I was going to wait until after." "Meetings in underwear tend not to be taken seriously." "You would jeopardize my business to pursue a career you thought of five minutes ago based on some power list?" "I'm sorry I lied to you, but your dress was going to look stunning on her no matter who zipped it up in the back." "I have to take my future into my own hands." "Otherwise..." "Otherwise, what?" "You'll be forced to follow in my footsteps?" "No, that's fine, dear." "Now that I realize your childish games are actually who you are and not a phase I wouldn't want someone like you wanting to be like me." "And you are fired." "There you are." "What's wrong?" "Let's say my patience is as strained as your mother's credibility." " What did she do?" " She misled me." "The question is why." "You know why, to serve her own best interests, always." "I found out that she paid off the judge twice." "Once, years ago, to notarize my signature and recently, to disappear so I couldn't hold him accountable." "You have the affidavit?" " Let's go find my mom." " Wait, I've got a better idea." "We need to fire a warning shot." "That guy is a journalist for The Post." "Give it to him, tell him to ask questions start with your mother." "That way she'll know we're serious." " What are we doing?" " One more minute." " No, no more minutes." " I'll head off Lily." "Look, she can't keep getting away with this." "It's not fair." "Fair?" "My agency meeting was important today." "It was my last shot." "I know, but you'll get another chance." "No, I won't." "Normal people don't get an endless number of chances no matter the situation." "That's just you." "Whatever it is you're planning to do is it worth it?" "Or are you gonna walk out the door with me right now?" "I'm sorry." "It seems like love can't compete with the allure of war." "Find your seats, honored guests." "Justice is served." "What's in the envelope you just gave the Post reporter?" "Bet it's a copy of the affidavit." "You can have Judge Stephens release Ben." "And cancel the sale of Bass Industries." "If not, I'll tell the truth, and the Post will have a cover story." "Excuse me, is this what I think it is?" " There's an explanation." " No need." "I get it." "I know how bad the job market is these days." "Can you please tell this Dan Humphrey that while I'm very flattered I don't have the power to hire anyone." "Print's a dying medium." "He switched the envelopes." " Hmm." " That's my boy." "I need a drink." "My son was actually looking for an internship, not a job." " What the hell were you trying to do?" " Get Ben out of prison, Mom." " What, by putting me in?" " I wasn't gonna press charges." "Well, it wouldn't be your choice, it would be the district attorney's." "The information about Ben and the affidavit can never get out, ever." "Now, can you just trust me when I say I'm handling it?" "I still have friends in this town, some are at this party." "Why are you so upset?" "Because you skipped your job interview today, Dad." "Lucky for you, I covered." "I told your PO you twisted your ankle on our jog got him to reschedule it for tomorrow." "Nate, I went to the damn interview, okay?" "I walked into that waiting room in my suit and tie and I realized I was there to beg for a janitor's job." "Along with half a dozen other ex-cons who probably don't have a high school education." " Do you know how that makes me feel?" " Not good, I'm guessing." "I'm here to reignite old business connections." "To remind people that before everything that went down, I was good at what I did." "I'm gonna make you proud of me, I promise." "That's what you said right before you got caught." "I thought I saw you storm out 10 minutes ago." "Well, on top of everything else, they can't find my coat." "It doesn't take a genius to figure out your scheme blew up in your face." "You owe me 10." "Serena disappointed you twice today, so you owe me 20." "Coat checker." "What's wrong?" "It's not the coat checker." "I'm sorry, are we friends?" "Of course not." "Ahem." "Oh, excellent." "Thank you." "I had a horrible fight with my mother." "I tried to be Indra Nooyi and while I admit that choice may have been a bit random the other choice was to be my mother, and I didn't want that." "Why not?" "You care about fashion more than most people care about, well, anything." "You used to send girls home crying from Constance for wearing tights as pants." "Well, somebody had to." "It was for the greater good." "Like my suggestion that you take off that tie and shove it in your pocket right now." "You're an evil dictator of taste, Blair." "Why deny that just because it's what your mother does?" "And by the way, this tie was my grandfather's." "If only he'd been buried in it." "I didn't lie to you, Charles." "Are you familiar with the sin of omission?" "You seemed calmed by the idea of Thorpe as a buyer." "I needed to keep things smooth for another 24 hours so that this deal would close without incident, but it looks like I've failed." "The buyer just called." "Somehow he heard about the scene that just transpired the little war between me and my children and he's backing out." "Over a family squabble?" "All he had to do was hear that you and I were in a standoff." "He's concerned there would be problems between us at every step of the acquisition." "So my father's life's work is heading for the auction block?" "Pray it goes to someone who doesn't chop it up." "Thank you all for coming and a special thanks to the folks who came in from Chicago where we've enjoyed a great run." "But a wise man once told me "if you stay in one place long enough, you'll never go anywhere" which is why my daughter and I are very pleased to announce that Thorpe Enterprises is packing up and moving east to New York City." "I was planning to get settled before I dove into business but I'm a restless man." "So I've decided to set my sights high on a company that has just this minute, come back up on the block my dear departed friend's Bass Industries." "Looks like Page Six of this party will read:" ""The world according to Thorpe."" "So cheers, to new friends and inevitable enemies." "Forget your usual suspects, Upper East Siders..." " I look forward to facing you all." " Hear, hear." "...there's a new family in town." "Come to twist the knife further?" "You were right." "I used you and I shouldn't have, I'm sorry." "Don't be." "I've watched you struggling to find your path and I guess I just hoped that you would want to follow mine." "But like any self-respecting daughter of an egocentric mother would be repelled by the thought of being anything like her." "That is not true." "Mother, you are brilliant and resilient and a businesswoman and an artist." "I'd be crazy not to want to be like you." "Really?" "But you are not a designer, you are a, um..." "A dictator of taste." "Exactly." "I love that." " Who said that?" " A friend of mine." "Well, if only there was a person who did that for a living someone for you to aspire to." "There is." "Editrix of a high-fashion magazine." "So we'll strategize in the morning?" "I realized I didn't really need to be in possession of this." "Thank you, I guess." "I would say I'm sorry about today but in my head, that just sounds inadequate." "You don't need to apologize." "It's not your fault I drop everything to make myself available." "I don't mean to take you for granted." "It's just, if we're being completely honest..." "We are." "I think that maybe sometimes I test you." "You know, I keep thinking that if things get too hard, you'll give up on me." "But you never do." "And I never will." "If you really need me ever, I am there." "But there's a reason you didn't insist I come with you over break." "And why you didn't try to make me stay?" "So where does that leave us?" "With one last shot." "If we ever do jump in again, that'll be it." "We either sink or swim." "We won't get another chance." "Now, when that time comes, we'd better make damn sure we're ready." "Yeah." "We should." " Nate, I can't talk right now." " Yes, you can." "Your parole officer just called me because he didn't know where you were." "You don't get a job, they're gonna send you back." "Kid, I'm in an interview right now." "Yeah, at this time of night?" "Sure, Dad, whatever you say." "Sorry about that." "Just my son." "Anyway, you were saying?" "Well, I've been gone for a while and we've been hard-pressed to find just the right financial guy to introduce us to NYC." "I know you've still got a lot of friends, family connections." "What do you think?" "In the new year, we resolve to do things we've only dreamed of doing and not to do other things ever again." "I hope your visits don't become a habit." "I don't think you'll be seeing me for a while." " Heading home to Brooklyn?" " No." "Actually, I was gonna catch Monsieur Hulot's Holiday at the Walter Reade." "Try to cheer myself up." "Oh." "Well, I do enjoy myself some Tati." "Though, if you're trying to improve your mood my coming with you would defeat that purpose." "It is pretty funny." "Even you couldn't kill that much comedy." "I still require you to sit two seats away." "Works for me, keeps your paws off my popcorn." "Wait here while I change." "We may surprise ourselves as we face the future or be surprised when cleaning up the past." "Hi, I'm here to see Ben Donovan." "I know it's late, but I really need to talk to him." "Sorry, you just missed him." "Mr. Donovan was released." "What?" "How?" "His parole was moved up by a Judge Stephens." "When did this happen?" "Says here the paper was filed a couple days ago." "Just went through this evening." "So Russell Thorpe seems nice." "Oh, my God." "It's not just his disloyalty or deviousness, it's his pomposity." "And the fact that you slept with him?" " How did you know...?" " I remembered where I knew the name." "It's from the time when we exchanged our lists." "Well, that was a long time ago, and it was fleeting." "Just when you thought you'd escaped another major scandal today." "Dishonesty may help some make a few good amends while others are left to wonder if they can handle the truth." "What are you doing here?" "Riverpark's one of the only bars I like in New York." "And I came to offer you an apology." "Today at the office, the identity game I'm usually more straightforward than that which leads me to my next point." "Edge of my seat." "My father reported your family's fight to the buyer during the party." "Scared him off so he could go after it himself." "While I'm impressed with your honesty, I can't say I like the information." "Or your relationship to it." "It's just business." "Right now I'm trying to focus on whatever pleasure I can." "If you can separate the two, so can I." "My car is just outside." "I'll wait five minutes before taking off." "If I go home alone, I'll never bring it up again." "And whether you kick things off by sleeping with the enemy or trying your best to remake a former friend..." "Serena." "You're still here." "Just waiting for the bus." "What are you even doing here?" "Are you free for coffee?" "I'm free for anything." "one thing's for sure:" "Anything is possible." "XOXO, Gossip Girl."