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Meanwhile, Vanessa ditches yet another day of homeschooling (does she actually ever attend to her studies?) to canvass Manhattan's elitist prep school in hopes of securing enough signatures to grant a rundown bar landmark status. What's a girl without a cause?

"Charity is for diseases and endangered species" Blair deadpans when approached by a clipboard wielding Vanessa. Seems Humphrey's BFF has learned a thing or two by lurking around the periphery of Constance Billard when she blackmails our struggling Queen Bee with a certain Kodak moment into gathering 1,000 signatures for her latest pet project. Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?

We love it when Blair and Chuck team up, especially when it means toying with the "troll," as Blair sardonically refers to Vanessa. The plan is simple: Chuck woos Vanessa, uses his money and family name to save her beloved speakeasy and then pulls the rug out beneath her on both fronts. Everybody wins. Blair can stick it to Vanessa for having the gall to play the Marcus card and Chuck can hurt Dan for stealing Nate's loyalty. What could possibly go wrong?

For starters, Chuck and Vanessa get off on the wrong foot (big surprise) and coupled with getting unceremoniously doused with an iced drink, Chuck practically gives up on the charade. Blair must up the ante to keep him in the game to destroy Vanessa and offers herself as the ultimate prize (not that we think she minds).

Things start to get a little hairy when Chuck falls in love with the bar and its fabled roster of mad, bad and dangerous to know patrons and starts eying Vanessa with more affection than his usual callous disdain. We know Chuck desires deep down to shed his cad exterior, but it's difficult to break out of the box others put you in, especially when contending with a daddy complex. And Vanessa's newfound appreciation of his oft unseen humanity might just be a little too alluring for Chuck to resist – much to our dismay.

Things culminate at the Bass/Van der Woodson housewarming party. Serena bares her teeth, divulging her mother's less-than-stellar dating history in front of a bevy of reporters after accusing Bart of derailing Eric's plan to escort his boyfriend to the soirée. Bart chews out Chuck, putting the kibosh on buying the bar in front of Vanessa. Blair, consumed with jealously, confiscates Vanessa's purse, erases the incriminating evidence herself and tells Vanessa all the sordid details of the bet so Chuck only has to close the deal with one brunette.

For a moment it looks like both Chuck and Blair will consummate their game of cat and mouse, but mid-make-out, Chuck pauses to demand Blair utter the three words he couldn't at the end of the summer. When Blair refuses to let her guard down long enough to confess her true feelings, Chuck departs presenting a new challenge for the girl used to getting whatever she wants. Now, the pursued must become the pursuer.

Dan and Nate: roomies? Yep! When Dan discovers that Nate has been secretly camping out on the floor of his house, sans electricity and despite the glaring eviction notice on the porch, Humphrey follows his family's tradition of butting in. Nate initially scoffs at his generosity, but eventually comes around. Dan and Serena serendipitously meet on Nate's front stoop and apologize for all the drama incurred since the breakup heard 'round the world.

Whew! So much to fit in a one-hour episode. Will Nate fit in with the Humphrey way of life? Will Chuck use Vanessa to torture Blair? What was your favorite line? Hint: ours occurred during Chuck and Blair's rendezvous. Let us know in the comments!