(S02E13) "Only a masochist could love such a narcissist." - Blair

Wow! I finished watching the last new episode of Gossip Girl before the hiatus about 10 minutes ago and my jaw is still not back in its place. Talk about an emotional and action packed episode! Gossip columnist such as Kristin Dos Santos and Michael Ausiello warned us that "O Brother, Where Bart Thou?" was one of the best GG episodes and they weren't lying! Not only did Ed Westwick gave one of his best performances to date, but the reveal as to what Lily's secret is just sent the series in spin mode as a lot of twists and turns can be brought up with it.

Bart may not have been a major player in the series and fans will probably not write angry letters to The CW saying that they made the worst mistake in killing him off but you have to admit that his death caused major chaos that will felt throughout the rest of the season if not beyond.

Chuck, masterfully played by Ed Westwick -- especially this week -- was quite shaken up by the death of his father. It may be surprising to some that Chuck reacted so strongly considering the lack of relationship he had with his father, but remember that the young Bass' mother passed away meaning that he is, in a way, now all alone and that Bart recently made some effort to be a better father. We also have to keep in mind, as both CeCe and Lily said, that everybody mourns in their own way.

What I'm afraid now is what will happen next for Chuck. He is clearly not thinking straight and he is reacting, not acting. Seeing Chuck crash and burn may be entertaining for a while but as a fan of the character, I do not want to see him self-destruct more than he already has. He must find his way back to being in control and, to do so, he will have to rely on his family (aka his friends) like it or not.

In case you were wondering about the content of Chuck's letter to Blair, he tells her that he's sorry for everything, that she deserves much better and he asks her not to look for him. Quite frankly, I hope Blair doesn't follow his request. Chuck is in need of a shoulder to mourn on and Blair is the best to provide that at this time. Not only did she finally tell him she loves him but she truly accepts him with all his flaws. Since Blair is a resourceful girl, especially when teamed with Dorota, it's only a matter of time before she finds Chuck's hiding place.

Bart's death also had major impact on the Lily and Rufus pairing. As you know, I'm a Lily/Rufus shipper and truly hoped that Bart's death would mean that they would finally be able to get a second chance. I was all giddy inside for about 90% of this week's episode as it did look like they would be a couple once again. In the back of my brain, I always thought that Lily went to the institution because of her relationship with Rufus. I expected the secret to be that she ended up being a huge mess after their breakup (maybe a depression and/or self-mutilation) but never thought that the secret would end up being a deal breaker.

So when I watched this week's episode, I expected Lily and Rufus to get a few week of lovin' before the Upper East Side reality came knocking. Yeah I know, it was foolish of me to think that the last episode before the hiatus would end perfectly for Rufus and Lily. But somehow, I wanted the GG people to give us a tiny gift before parting ways for a few weeks. Looks like my list to GG Santa got lost in the mail.

So Lily went to the institution not because she had mental problems but because she was with child. It's not 100% certain that Rufus is the father but considering his strong reaction, it's pretty much a given that he is. This storyline is not the most original out there (90210 has a similar storyline going on) but seeing it unfold in Gossip Girl's world can make it quite interesting. Rufus may have said "I will never be with Lily" after learning of the secret but, somehow, I expect them to patch things up in the end ("the end" can actually be the series finale).

Lily hid a major secret from him; therefore, he has all the rights to be pissed. However, Rufus is a down-to-earth and sensible man, so once he learns her reasons and sees his now-adult child, things may look differently and Rufus may want to give Lily another chance. In any case, that's my wish. So GG Santa please hear my request and make it happen before the series end.

What do you think of Lily's secret? What repercussions do you think it will have in the lives of our favorite Upper East Siders? What will be Chuck's next move? Are you happy that Eleanor and Cyrus got married? Share your theories, opinions and ideas in comments below.

Gossip Girl will return with fresh episodes on January 5.