Chapter Twenty Seven: There Might Be Blood

Nat had picked out the dress for her. It was somehow within her price range but yet acceptable for an Upper East Side party. She didn't know how she did it. She could kiss her.

She was some sort of expert shopper. She'd usually ask Jeremy for his help (he was practically her personal stylist anyway) but he had been distracted lately. She didn't particularly mind, it was fun shopping with Nat, Van would give her a speech about consumerism and commercialism and Jeremy would grow distracted by something and leave her alone totally out of her league, with Nat it had been an adventure in a way. She hadn't gone shopping since her mother left, her mother had loved clothes (she often wondered if that was where Jeremy had gotten it from, although their mother didn't have the same taste for high fashion he did), she oo'ed and ahh'ed over fabrics and colours and patterns and although she never quite kept up with what was actually in style at the time she always managed to pick out something that was perfect.

"So, uh, when does this party start Danni?" Jeremy asked, hovering over her shoulder "you don't want to be late"

He'd been acting strange for days now, on edge, buzzing as if he'd consumed far too many cups of coffee.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked him.

His eyes widened, like a deer caught in the headlights but he soon regained his composure.

"Nothing" he said before disappearing back behind his closed bedroom door "absolutely nothing"

….

"You made it" Andrew said as she walked into the Collins apartment. Their expensive looking modern home was packed full of partygoers clad in expensive clothes, holding fancydrinks and conversing like they'd all known each other for years. She'd been so confident about her dress in the beginning but now felt like a little girl playing dress up in her mother's clothes.

"I want you to meet some people" he told her taking her hand and leading her into the crowd.

…..

He didn't particularly want to attend tonight's gala but his mother was being honoured and his sister was out of town leaving him to represent the Van Der Woodsen children by himself. He'd planned on bringing Blaine with him but he was working on getting into Yale which somehow involved Charlotte.

He'd thought about asking Danni but they'd barely spoken since that night at the gallery and he was pretty sure that the Collins party was that night.

He'd used to get along with Andrew Collins, they used to run in the same circle meaning that they used to drink together. He seemed nice enough, a little rebellious but weren't they all. They just didn't seem like each other's type, he couldn't fathom the two of them fitting together.

…

She'd been introduced to several friends of the Collins's family, each were highly successful, CEO's, presidents, celebrities, after talking to a man who was overly proud of his yacht and had insisted on showing them photo upon photo Andrew lead her towards his parents.

"Danielle, dear" Mrs Collins greeted.

She was the perfect picture of an Upper East Side mother, she was of relatively average height although her pair of black heels made her look statuesque, her blonde hair that Andrew had seemingly inherited had been neatly pulled back in a bun at the back of her head, she was wearing a knee length black dress that fitted her perfectly, one hand rose to the toy with the string of delicate pearls around her neck while the other grasped her glass tightly.

"We're glad you decided to come" Mr Collins added. Although Andrew had his mother's hair colour he mostly resembled his father, looking at him was like looking seeing into the future.

"You must show her around Andrew" Mrs Collins said "give her the full tour'

….

Nat had called not long before the gala had started, he'd been in the process of shrugging on his suit coat when his phone had rung. The happy sounding ringtone she'd picked out for herself weeks ago caught his attention and quickly answered.

"I have this friend" she started "who knows something about another friend's family that they probably shouldn't, the friend will probably hate her if she doesn't tell her and she really doesn't want her to hate her but she really doesn't think she should tell on the friend's family, any ideas?"

"I have no idea what you just said Nat" he admitted "you're not making much sense"

"It doesn't matter" she said sighing on the other end of the phone "just promise me you'll back me up if things go south?"

"Promise" he replied even though he knew he shouldn't have. He still had no idea what she was talking about although he had a feeling he'd soon find out.

….

She forced a smile onto her face as Andrew showed her the third bathroom. She wasn't feeling well at all. Her head and muscles was aching, she felt hot and she had begun to feel dizzy. In all honesty she just wanted to go home and crawl into bed but didn't want to appear rude, just another hour or two she told herself.

"It's, uh, it's lovely" she told him even though it looked just the same as the others

"We should probably be heading back to the party" he said, taking her hand and squeezing it gently "do you want a drink?"

…..

The gala was just as he expected, boring. He was happy for his mother but just wished that he wasn't the only Van Der Woodsen around to support her. He'd struck up a few conversations with a few different people, mostly about the fact that his mother and step-father were receiving an award.

He spotted Nat talking to someone by the door and was thankful for the presence of someone his age that he actually knew. He headed over to her.

"Hey I didn't think you were coming" he said "what changed your mind?"

It was only then that he noticed that the person he was talking to was Jeremy Humphrey.

"No" he started, pieces falling into place "this-this isn't the friend's family member you were talking about is it?"

"You dobbed me in?" Jeremy asked, turning to Nat, eyes wide in surprise.

"No, not exactly" Nat said in her own defence.

"Will someone please tell me what is going on?" Sebastian asked.

"I'll explain everything later, I've got to go" Jeremy simply replied walking away from the both of them.

"Should I be worried?" Sebastian asked Nat who merely sighed.

…

The lights flickered off as Bart and Lily were receiving their award. The crowd begun to murmur as they looked around in surprise. The image on the screens around the room changed from a picture of his mother and step-father to a black screen announcing in white lettering 'introducing J Humphrey designs'

Pop/Rock music came over the speakers as models in black trench coats (which they soon took off revealing Jeremy's designs underneath) filed into the room, climbed up on the stage and begun throwing Jeremy's business cards out into the crowd.

Well at least the guests look pleased even if Rufus Humphrey who Sebastian had just spotted didn't.

….

Her phone rang. She tried to read the name on the caller ID but the letters all blurred together. The world begun to spin around her, she could just hear Andrew calling out her name before her legs gave out and she fell face first into a glass coffee table.

…

He spotted Rufus and Jeremy arguing outside the hotel as he and his mother walked outside. In her opinion Jeremy's fashion show had greatly improved the night but from the look on Rufus face as he talked to his son he obviously didn't agree. His mother left him standing by the door as she went over to talk to them. She didn't have a chance to say much at all as Rufus's phone begun to ring. Sebastian took this chance to join them, hoping that the phone call had brought good news that would cheer Rufus up.

"I'll lecture you later" he told his son "we have to leave now"

"I'm not going" Jeremy argued, standing tall, crossing his arms over his chests.

"You're sisters in hospital" he told him, he didn't sound angry any more.

He dropped his arms, his mouth falling open in shock.

"What?" Sebastian asked, voice filled with panic "is she okay?"

"I don't know" Rufus admitted as he begun heading for the Palace gates Jeremy trailing alongside behind him.

"We'll come with you" Lilly offered as she and Sebastian followed them.