Je Suis Rose

Chapter Three - Where's Chuck?

Serena, Blair and I were sat outside the Bieres A LA PRESSION. It was nearly time to go home.

"I can't believe it's almost time to go back to New York already" Serena shook her head in disbelief.

"I know and you still haven't made you choice on whether to go back to Nate." Serena scowled at her "What if you go back with an uncertain heart there will be disaster and drama." I zone out of their conversation I was trying to get a hold of Mom but she wouldn't answer. The next thing I remember was Blair.

"Au Ravouir." she kissed my cheek

"Yeah, bye." I mumbled texting Lily

"You seem distracted, what's the matter?" I look up to the Blonde who had a look of concern on her face.

"I..." my phone rang

"Mom, finally I've been trying to get ahold of you." I rush out as my first sentence to her

"I know sweetheart. I know it's your last day but you did ask me to keep you informed. I got a very upsetting call from the Paris police."

"Is it Chuck, have they found him?" I ask

"They pulled a body out of the river and found your brothers wallet" I covered my mouth as tears began to rise I looked at Serena.

"Do they think it's him?" I ask. Serena took my hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Well, it would be a lot easier not to panic if someone had heard from him or he'd been paying the Empire bills." I looked back at Blair who had just left then took my hand back and raised a finger to my lips as if to say don't tell her. She nodded

"They need a family member to identify the body. If it's to much for you I will be there on the next flight."

"No, he's my brother. I'll do it. I also think it's best if we keep this family only at the moment, till we know more. If you can send me what you know I will get right on it."

"Of course dear. I will talk to you soon. Goodbye sweetheart." I hung up and wiped away my tears.

"I have to go." I got up and left

"Rosie, Rosie wait!" she pulled me to a stop. "What's going on tell me."

"It's Chuck. He's missing." I told her "He hasn't paid the bill on the Empire, no one has heard from him in three months, I was the last one to speak with him and now I have to go to the police because a body washed up with his ID."

"Oh my god."

"Blair cannot know, this stays with the family till I find out more. Now I have to go." I left her to go meet with the detective.

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The two of us walk into the room of the dead body, which is covered up. Be strong Rose, you have to be strong.

"The body was in no condition for fingerprints but we found this." he showed me an evidence bag with Chucks things.

"That's his." I recognised the wallet I had got for him last christmas

"We're testing the blood on the wallet, seen as you're his twin sister we would like a sample to compare not just to..." he gestured to the body

"Of course anything you need."

"Do you need a moment to gather yourself?" The detective asked me

"no amount of time will ever make this okay. Let's just get it over with." He lifted the sheet back and I gasped

"Oh thank god. It's not him. It's not my brother" The amount of relief that washed over me was immense.

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I got off the phone with Mom, Serena was already sat at the table as Blair came back.

"Okay, we love you too."

"Love, Dan or Love Nate?" Blair asked coming in with a handful of shopping bags. I sat next to Serena, okay I think now I need to tell Blair

"Love you Mom. Blair we need to talk." I tell her

"About what?" she wondered pouring us a drink.

"I went to the morgue today." I told her with a deep breath

"What is that a sex club?"

"As in where they keep bodies. I had to identify one because he had Chuck's ID" she scoffed "Don't worry it wasn't him."

"I'm not worried."

"Blair, I've been on and off the phone with my Mom Chuck's missing."

"Well consider him found he was on the Rue de Charente an hour ago." She told us nochantly

"You saw him? Here?"

"Gossip Girl said we were in Paris where else would he be?"

"Blair! This is serious. The police and Mom have been looking he hadn't paid an Empire bill all summer. His assets are about to be frozen." I exclaimed

"I could care less about his Bassets. Besides he's probably filtering his finances through some foreign government, to cover up the fact he's stalking me."

"Well what did he say when you saw him?" Serena questioned

"Nothing he limped away and I kept driving." I groaned in frustration

"You talk to her. I'm going to look for my brother. Oh and Blair while you sip on your tea think about this. I spent the past five hours thinking my brother was dead because I saw blood on his wallet and had to give my blood to make sure it was his. So instead of being so cold about this chomp on that fact." I grabbed my things and stormed out.