Author's Note: This story is a long time in the making and before I start, I want to thank Molly for being my inspiration. She's probably the only other person who is going to read this. And I also want to let everyone know that it's the beginning of the VanArchiBass revolution. Hop on board and don't be left behind!

Additionally, I was to give a brief description of the story. In this fiction, Bart and Lily never married. Rufus and Lily aren't together (but they were in the past). Serena never left town and Nate never dated Blair. Bart is still alive and Chuck is still living in his shadow. If you had any questions, I'm more than happy to answer them. I really hope you enjoy. I'll work on getting an update as soon as possible. If only I could be paid to stay home and write!

Thank you again for reading and please review. I love to hear your thoughts, even the not so nice ones, just don't be cruel. ** Rosie


Bad Romance
Chapter One
"Comatose"
Written: 10/29/09

Serena Van der Woodsen was a beautiful girl from the very first day she was born. With movie star good looks and a smile that let her get away with murder, she often got anything she wanted and never had to work for the things she wanted. She never went without thanks to the many loveless marriages her mother had been through. When she had been a young girl sitting at the top of a marble staircase watching another would be father walk out, she made a promise to herself, a promise that she would never become her mother. How could a woman fake love and break all the rules of marriages just to get money?

Sure Serena understood the world spun on the green bills but wasn't there better ways to get that? And why hadn't she ever thought about the consequences of marrying just for media attention? For someone who always got what she wanted, today was a day unlike any other. In fact, it wasn't one she could have imagined in her wildest dreams -- or nightmares, for that matter.

She looked in the full length mirror in front of her and let out a small sigh. Two dainty hands slipped fingertips along the elaborate yet simple designwork on the front of her white dress. Her mother had scores of women and men flown in to fix her hair into soft waves that framed her face perfectly, and to apply makeup so it looked like she wore none at all. How had it come to this? Serena had always been a very headstrong girl. She knew exactly what she wanted and refused to settle for less. But somewhere along the way, she somehow landed on a road that led her here. As she touched her dress in the room that was finally empty, she thought about the first couple times she sat in a room just like this watching her mother dress. She remembered thinking how beautiful she looked, like a fairytale princess--and that maybe, just maybe, this time the frog she kissed would turn into an actual prince.

Serena scoffed at herself and let out a slow breath. Her frog wouldn't turn into a prince. He was just a frog, a self-righteous, stuck up, son of a bitch frog.

The large mahogany door behind her opened and a pretty waifish brunette popped her head in. "S.." Blair Waldorf. She and Serena had been on again, off again best friends since they could remember. She looked perfect dressed in a red, tea length Gucci dress. This really was real, wasn't it? Serena tried

desperatly to smile but it fell short of her typical grin.

"Hey B." Her voice sounded tired, almost like she was trying to find a way, any way, out of this. But she had months to find a way out and all her attempts had failed. When her mother first sat her down to discuss this option, Serena had given a very resounding and resilliant no. There was no way she would let her own mother talk her into being the one thing she refused to be. But she kept trying and trying and finally, when her mother offered her the one thing she wanted more than anything, she couldn't refuse.

Her eyes dropped down to the large diamond ring on her finger. She had officially sold out. It was beautiful but it was a lie. Even the staged grand gesture when that dark haired boy that she despised went to his knee in front of her and asked her to marry him. She had dreamed about getting married one day, when she was in love. This was more than backwards.

Blair made a small opening in between the door and the wall to slip inside the room. She held white fabric in her hands and bit her bottom lip. She knew the pain in her best friends' eyes and she wanted to make it better but she didn't feel it was her place to change the decision Serena had already made. This was the bed that Serena made and now she was going to have to lie in it. Blair just wished that she would have told her why she was doing something so.. stupid. Instead of blurting out her concens, she smiled. "I brought your veil." When Serena didn't say a thing, she tried again. "Turn around. Let me see you."

Despite the unfortunate circumstances, this was still her wedding. She'd always wanted to share this time before the wedding with her best friend so she turned and tried to push the impending nuptials out of her mind for the time being. It was her wedding day and damnit she was entitled to have some kind of fun. She turned slowly so the fabric didn't catch then raised her eyes to look at Blair. "Is it wrong that I actually like the dress?" HE had picked it out for her. One day a week earlier, she had found a large box on her bed with a card that read: 'I don't get to see you in it yet but I look forward to seeing you out of it.' Yep. Definitely a full frog.

"Oh, S.." Blair moved her hand and touched her chest with it as she looked at the intricate stitching and the exquisite details of the dress. It was incredible. "Not at all. It's lovely." It looked like it had been made just for her and no one else. It fit every curve of her body perfectly like the hands of a lover.

Her lips gave a small tug into an even smaller smile as Serena lowered her eyes and looked over the dress again. Part of her was really nervous. There were so many guests in attendance and she was going to have to walk out there and lie to them all with a pretty smile on her face. But go figure that Blair would be able to bring a smile to her face even though all the muck. Picking up the bottom of her dress, Serena stepped down from the circular box and then opened her arms.

In moments, Blair was stepping in and gave her a tight hug. "It's going to be okay, S." She rubbed her hand along Serena's back and held her a little closer then usual. She knew this wasn't what Serena wanted but what was she supposed to do about it? Absolutely nothing. "I'm always going to be right here." She meant every word of it, but she also knew that it was something Serena probably needed to hear about now.

Unbeknownst to either of them, the door had opened again and a flustered blonde woman stood in the doorway. "You better not be crushing that veil. It was specifically made to match that dress." Lily van der Woodsen was tall and sometimes intimidating, especially when she had that exact look on her face. She was stoic, strong and steeled from the many loveless relationships she's been in throughout her life. She walked in the room, heals clicking on the marble floor as she walked up to the two embracing teenagers.

Her daughter was a fresh faced eighteen year old that was about the make the best move for her life. The merging of these two families would bring about an amazing media tidal wave. Then with all the added interest, his company would take off and if the girl was smart, she would stay married to him for as long as she could manage and get herself a comfortable life. He was more than able to provide her with that. One day her daughter would learn that silly little ideals about love and marriage were just fairy tales parents tell thier children. The world didn't care if you were in love. It would stomp you right into the ground, but if you had money and power, you could have everything.

She waved out her hand to break the two up and took the veil from Blair's hands. "You need to line up. It's just about time."

Serena wanted to beg Blair to stay but she had made a big girl decision and like it to not, she was going to have to live up to her end of it. When Blair turned to look at her, she just smiled. "I'll see you out there." she said softly, leaning in to kiss her cheek and whisper a 'thank you' into her ear.

Reluctantly, Blair nodded and turned away. She didn't even give a glance towards Lily. She was sure that woman had something, if not everything, to do with this whole horrible situation. Now she had more important things to think about however, like how to look happy in the pictures when she knew it was killing her best friend to do this.

Watching Blair leave was difficult, but the second the door shut, Serena felt a part of her go cold. She turned from her mother and stepped back up on the box to look at herself in the mirror. It had been a long time since she could talk to her mother like she was just a mother. It seemed now more like she was talking to a publicist. They didn't care about how you were feeling, they just cared about getting things done. Her face stoned slightly as she brushed her fingers through her hair and set it forward over her shoulders. Then she held out one hand, not even making eye contact with her mother. "Can I have my veil?" She just wanted to get this overwith.

Lily stepped forward, ignoring her daughter's cold tone and outreached hand easily. She walked around Serena as she pat down the Mantilla veil and went to work despite being sure that she was the last person her daughter wanted right now. "I know this isn't what you wanted, but you have no idea how good this is going to be for you. It seems hard but it's not. It's just a signed piece of paper, that's all." Well one day, Lily surmised, one day Serena would understand.

Maybe when she had children of her own. Then her mind went alight with the thought of giving these two powerful families an heir. She played it over in her head as she fixed the veil on top of her daughters golden locks. "There." She said finally, pulling the ends over Serena's shoulders. "It's perfect. You make the most beautiful bride."

Serena couldn't stand her mother sometimes. "I really think you don't get to be the beeming mother when you're the one who forced me into this in the first place."

"Oh come now. Don't be so dramatic." Lily shook her head. "I didn't force you into anything. You're a big grown up girl, Serena. You made this decision yourself. I just presented it to you."

She was shocked at how cavalier her mother sounded. Then again, when you spent your life used to no one loving you, maybe your heart just dies. "If you see a difference." After this, Serena didn't want to see her mother again for a long time. She looked at the older woman in the mirror with a surly expression crossing her features. "You know I want to find my father more than anything so you used it against me to make me do this."

"No darling, that's where you're wrong. You had every oppurtunity to say no."

Serena's jaw clenched, "You said you'd tell me where he is if I did this."

Lily nodded slowly. She hadn't the heart yet to tell Serena that she wasn't going to hold up her end of the bargain. But she wouldn't have to, not until a year had passed. That gave her plenty of time to think of something viable. Just as Lily opened her mouth to speak, a knock sounded at the door. Perfect timing.

However, Lily looked towards the door like a bug. "What?" she hissed.

The voice that came from the other side of the door made Serena's stomach tighten into a million knots. With her mother long forgotten to her, Serena pulled up the dress so it didn't brush the ground and walked towards the door. She pushed it open and peeked out. After checking both up and down the hallway, sure it was empty, she pushed the door open the rest of the way and stepped into the open arms of Nate Archibald. She crushed herself against his chest and couldn't even find any words.

The two of them had been tapdancing around a relationship when she had accepted the marriage proposal of another man. Nate had actually been the only person she told about the truth behind the deceitful marriage. She couldn't stand the heartbroken look on his face when she told him about the wedding. It had been a hard pill to swallow at first but Nate hadn't been able to ditch the feelings he had for her. And walking away was out of the question. Just seeing her again sparked that fire inside of him to life, flames licking at every part of him. With her in his arms now, he could only let out a shaky sigh. Seeing her in a wedding dress, walking down the aisle to marry a man that wasn't him was going to be very difficult.

Having to pretend he was happy about it would be even harder.

His blue eyes closed and while his mouth was close to her ear, he whispered through the veil. "You look stunning." He wanted to ask her to just run away with him, right now, but he had to respect her decision. And he kept reminding himself it was just for publicity, and would end after a year. Then they could go on with each other, the way he saw it.

"You're ruining her dress." Lily's voice was like a punch in the stomach.

The last thing Serena wanted to do was let go of Nate. He made her feel safe when he held her, like nothing in the world could touch them. She was reluctant to let him go at all but after a moment, she stepped back out of his warm embrace. Instantly her body felt cold, skin begging to feel his touch again. She ignored her mother's presence entirely. Instead she let herself dive into those incredible, oceanic eyes of his. She felt consumed and wanted nothing more than to take this dress off and let him touch every last part of her body. But the wave of desire was ebbed by the beginning notes of the wedding march she heard echoing down the hallways of the ornate building.

She hesitated but forced herself to speak. "I have to go."

Nate looked down at his shoes for a moment and then back up to her face. He had to pull himself together. He had to do things right. She wanted to do this, needed to do it, and he would let her. But that didn't mean he was going anywhere. He was still madly and passionately in love with her. "I know." He said finally. "I should probably be up there with the other suits anyway."

But neither of them moved. Neither of them wanted to, and for the tiniest sliver of a moment, Lily could see what she was putting her daughter through. She had been in love once herself. You felt alive as though you'd never lived before. Every breath you took tasted sweeter than all the others before this feeling consumed you. But she had to push that away. That wasn't what she was going to focus on. Love didn't pay bills. Love didn't give you a good home, or power, or safety. Money did. Wealth. That's what really mattered in this world of the elustrious Upper East Siders.

"I don't want to do this." Serena whispered to him, hoping that her mother couldn't hear. These words were just for Nate. He was the only one who mattered in this moment, the only one who's feelings she cared about. Serena was resilliant. She could take all the slings and arrows on herself and still get up and stand tall, but when someone she loved was hurt--it was her kryptonite, her only real weakness.

"I know." Nate said again, but there was no stopping it. He slowly brought his hand up to the side of her face beneath the veil and touched her cheek. It was warm and pink from a blush that sprinkled along her face. His thumb rounded the apple and then turned back down. He let out a small sigh. "You really do look beautiful." She had completely taken his breath away. Slowly he leaned and tilted his head to the side so he could press his lips against the other side of her face. For a moment though, he just rest there, his head against hers.

All too soon, he was moving away and gave her a smile that she could tell he was faking. The edges of it were dipping down and it looked cracked. It didn't even reach his eyes, which was where he always smiled. As he disappeared down the hallway, her mother soon took her place. "Now come on. It's time."

Closing her eyes, Serena wished that she would have some sudden revelation. That somehow she would just know what she needed and she could call this whole wedding off. But nothing came to her. Everything was blank and she was out of options. "I'm ready." She said, taking a slow breath and letting it out. She raised her chin as she was taught and she walked from the bride's room to the open doors. Eric was waiting there for her and smiled as she walked up to him.

"Does this mean I have to call you Mrs. Bass?" He asked jokingly to get a small laugh out of her.

"Why are you so weird?" She asked with another giggle. That was much better.

Leave it to her brother to make her laugh before doing something she wanted nothing more than to run away from.

Eric smiled and offered his arm to her. Of course there was no father to walk her down the aisle, but there would be for the next wedding. Serena was sure of that. She would be married for one year, get divorced and her mother would tell her where to find her father. Then when she was ready to marry someone for real, he could escort her down the aisle. They rounded the corner and looked in at the hundreds in attendance. Her mother called that a 'small reception'. Flowers decorated the ends of each row and candles were used instead of sunlight. The melody from the pianist hummed through the air like millions of butterflies flapping thier wings. It was tender and romantic.

Amidst the whispers and gasps of aww, Serena smiled and started to walk slowly down the aisle. She followed the line of flower petals up towards the bridal party that stood in wait for her. She saw the supportive smile on Blair's face but found herself turning to look at Nate who had made it back in line. He was handsome, like an actor in old black and white films. Timeless.

Timeless, Chuck Bass thought. That was the word. As he watched Serena walk down the aisle, he realized that she looked absolutely timeless. He had never seen her in this kind of light before. And so what if this was a fake marriage, he was sure she would still be held to fulfilling her wifely duties. He suddenly had a strong desire to discover what she wore under the wedding dress. He could already imagine kneeling in front of her, her ankle on his shoulder as he slowly slid the garter down what he was sure were long and soft legs.

A grin crossed his face, almost the same smart ass, self satisfying smile that he always wore. Perhaps this whole year wouldn't be a complete loss. He was, afterall, getting a ton of media attention, which would shine brightly on his new business venture. And it also seemed to impress his father who sat in the first row with a smile on his face that Chuck hadn't seen in years. Good. This definitely wouldn't be a complete waste.

At the end of the aisle, Eric gave his sister a kiss on her cheek and then held her hand out to Chuck, who curled his fingers around hers and lifted her hand to his lips. "You look good enough to eat." Then he feathered a kiss on the back of her hand but never took his eyes off of her. It was all a big game, and nobody knew how to play that game better than Chuck Bass.

"Touch me and I'll knee you so hard, your pathetic excuse for manhood will pop out of your mouth," she hissed quietly while never dropping the happy smile from her face. She had alot of practice pretending to be happy.

Chuck grinned even wider, "Sounds kinky."

Game on.