An Inevitable Past

Chapter 16: The Way Back Home

November 09, 1800

"I'll see you tomorrow, waiting at the altar, I hope?" Blair played with the lapels of his coat. They had just finished eating lunch, and now they stood in front of the Waldorf mansion.

"You will." Chuck prevented his voice from breaking. He hoped nothing horrible would happen tomorrow, too. Blair deserved to have the most perfect wedding day. She had worked so hard to make it seem like everyone's expectations.

"Bye, Chuck. I love you." She says, and kisses him softly, smiling at his response.

"I love you, too, Waldorf." He tried to hide the pain in his eyes, but thought he failed to do so when he saw Blair's expression change. She was about to say something when he spoke first. "Now go." He chuckles and holds her hand until she was too far away to be able to grasp onto it. Chuck's heart aches at the sight of her running from him.

He swore to himself that he would never forget the look on Blair's face whenever she was happy and smiling. Whenever she pouted because of his sarcastic remarks, and the way they would kiss after declaring their undying love for each other. All of those memories were taped to his heart.

She made him not want to go and just stay here forever, but he knew he had to. He had a feeling staying here without completely knowing the reason as to why he got here in the first place was not right. He needed explanations.

And he was settled to get them. He should have known. He should have thought deeply about it. Looking back at his conversation with Andrew, it was time to give Mr. Brown a visit.

"According to my research, it was first seen at an abandoned mansion by a Mr. Will Brown."

"Drive, Arthur. To the Villager's market. And hurry." Chuck said in a stern voice, scaring his driver for what he was about to do. He drove anyway and in a faster speed than usual.

Chuck was starting to put the pieces of the puzzle together. The canvas, the painting, the sessions, the surprise.

"Took you long enough to figure it all out. Tell me, Mr. Bass. What is the reason for your presence here?" Chuck looked at the man in front of him. Mr. Brown was an 81 year old man, sometimes reffered to as Willie to some of his close companions. He had been selling headbands and fabrics for most of his life. His wife died not too long ago in January, leaving him and his two sons alone. Striving to live, he lived a hard life. His sons, Jeffrey and Jerrick, were both jobless as they are both uneducated and careless.

"Mr. Brown. I know that you know what my secret is. Do you have anything to do with whatever this is I have gotten myself into?" Chuck furrowed his eyebrows, stepping closer.

Mr. Brown looked down and did not say anything for a while. He eventually invited Chuck into his home. It was a small place, but adequate enough for three people to sleep in.

"Do you remember the day of the auction? The day you spotted the mysterious painting?" Chuck's mouth opened a little at his words. He really did have something to do with this. If he didn't, he wouldn't have known about the painting he was trying to locate, more so the auction that happened in 2009.

"Yes. My father invited me to that." Chuck answered.

"I was there. I was. . . how do I say this." Mr. Brown looked away for a while, trying to find the words.

". . . changing identities." Chuck tilted his head in confusion, not exactly understanding what he meant. "I was the auctioneer that day. I was also Mr. Jones, and for a while I was Andrew, too. Your loyal P.I. I followed you everywhere until you were convinced that you had to find out more about the portrait. It's because of this necklace." Mr. Brown says, and Chucks stands up in shock. The necklace was simple, but it had weird engravings in it he couldn't understand.