Fool Me Twice

You Always Run

As soon as everyone announced they would help with the plan, Blair had brought out a stack of files with everyone's name in the room on it. Eric had distributed it to everyone.

"So, you're Blair's minion now?" Dan asked as Eric passed him his folder, which looked surprisingly thinner than others'.

Eric scoffed. "So what if I am? At least I'm not running away from her."

Before Dan could retort he had moved on. The folder contained notes on all 'suspicious' Constance and St. Judes students in their class who could be Gossip Girl. Dan was surprised the amount of research they had done. He had washed his hands off the scheme when he had come back from Aspen, but as usual nothing stopped Blair. He even felt a little guilty that he hadn't been there to help them.

"Okay" Blair said clapping her hands. "I have divided the suspects into High, Medium and Low category based on suspicion and I have grouped you into teams of two so you can keep an eye on those suspects in your file. It's pretty simple, you shadow them during the reunion and do not, no matter what, let them out of your sight."

Everyone looked at their files except Eric and Jenny. He was right, they had obviously planned this ahead in time. One look inside his file and he already had an objection with this plan.

"I'm not partnering up with Georgina!" he said.

Blair didn't even look up from what she was checking on Eric's computer.

"Partners are non-negotiable please." she said in matter-of-fact tone.

"What's your problem with me?" Georgina asked casually flipping through her file and sipping her wine.

"I don't strictly like you, you make me uncomfortable. And you can go rogue." he turned to Blair "You do realize she's not exactly a team player right?"

"None of us are, except in deep crisis mode and this is deep crisis." Blair sighed. "Humphrey you need a babysitter and she's the best we have."

"I don't need a babysitter!" he protested

All eyes were on him and he realised that he was the only one asking questions and demanding changes while everyone were reading their files, exactly as though he needed a babysitter. He gritted his teeth.

"I don't see a file in your hands. Who are you partnering with? I could be your partner." he said to Blair before he could think otherwise.

Blair stared at him in surprise, lips parted and eyes huge.

"I will be running the show." she said shaking her head. "I'm the ring master. Don't mess up the plan Humphrey!"

She went back to work again and he looked at Georgina to see her patting the seat next to her on the sofa. He made a face and turned back to his files. His file was definitely thinner than Georgina's. Why was that?

"So, we just keep an eye for these people and what hope for their Gossip Girl personality to show up?" Serena asked

Blair rolled her eyes. "The plan is more intricate than all of you knuckleheads can collectively grasp. What's in your file is on a strictly need to know basis. And no peeking! and no sharing!"

That piqued up Dan's interest. Of course nothing was simple when it came to Blair Waldorf.

The projector changes slides and Blair continued.

"We'll have the reunion in two weeks. You have two weeks to memorize the people you need to tail and do some pro bono research on them if you're in the mood. Whatever instructions are given in your file, follow that to the T. And we convene on the D-day and catch our tormentor! Simple." she smiled.