Happy Birthday, Little J
(part1)
( Nate / Jenny )
written by: xblonderebellion (Jenni)

*I don't own the characters, settings, or any original storyline take from the CW's Gossip Girl. A/N: This takes place a year after Serena chooses Dan over Nate, and Jenny leaves for the "last time". Read bottom for first update!

N a t e

Nate watched as the slight breeze shuffled the colorful leaves. It was approaching Jenny's birthday, and he had yet to think of something special to do for her. What with all the drama the fights with Serena , he barely had had the time to think of anything else. Now that all he had was time, he couldn't help but let his mind wander, remembering the fleeting days he'd spent with the lovesick Jenny Humphrey.

"You are not my father, and you are not my brother so why do you care?" Jenny's eyes blurred with tears.

Nate couldn't answer. What was he supposed to say? That he when he walked in the room and saw Jenny dancing in her underwear while that "friend" of her's boyfriend watched, he'd felt something like protectiveness? Not to mention that it had taken him all his will-power to not let his eyes stray. He couldn't come up with the right words to express how he felt. What was it that he felt? Love? Lust? or just looking out for a friend?

No, what he felt couldn't be related to "Just friends". It had to be more. He stared at her, tracing in his mind her perfect lips. Should he kiss her?

But he didn't make the decision. Jenny did. Her heart fluttered as she set her lips on his, feeling the warmth of his perfect mouth. She stopped, pulled away, and stared at him. What the hell did she just do? She turned away, ready to flee and forget about what had happened.

Nate saw her hesitation. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back into a deep kiss, his heart bouncing so loudly he was sure she could hear. But they stayed locked in that position, neither wanting to let go of the other.

Nate shuddered as he remembered the lightheaded feeling of kissing Jenny. He'd only done it a few times, and he longed for one of her soft kisses now. He just couldn't bring himself to even talk to Jenny and say more than a few words to her. What was he supposed to say? That he missed her and loved her...

He saw a promising shop, all vintage clothing and jewelry, and stepped in, hoping to find luck here.

J E N N Y

"It's your birthday, Jenny! Don't be so down..." Jenny's best friend and step-brother, Eric, tried to cheer Jenny up.

"How can I not be? The only present I want is Nate. And I'm not going to get it. Looking at mounds of things and trying to force a smile won't help anything," Jenny sighed. And there wasn't even the guarantee of that. Blair Waldorf had ruined her reputation in the Upper East Side. Everyone hated her besides Eric and her family. She'd rather pick herself up and have her birthday with her Mom, where she at least had a few friends. But her dad had said she needed to stay here, where her "family" was. Also where the hate was.

"Jenny..."

"Whatever, Eric. I don't care. Just...leave me alone." Jenny walked away, her heels clicking against the linoleum. She slammed the door harder than she needed to, but she was too in the mood to care.

Jenny dumped herself on her bed, stuffing a pillow on her face to muffle her groans. Last year, she almost had Nate. Now she was further than ever from the only thing she ever wanted.

"Why?"

She still couldn't understand what Nate saw in Serena. She lied, hid things, she'd never be as open and lovable as Jenny. Jenny would never keep things from Nate, and wasn't that what Nate always freaked out about? Trust?

She thought mindlessly about Nate, how he'd always been supportive of everything. Her fashion, her new "look", everything. Why couldn't he be hear now?

N A T E

Nothing here works! Nate mentally screamed in his head. Just grab some stripper heels and go...

He couldn't help but care...so much. He felt that if he could get the perfect present for Jenny, it would make up for everything he'd done to her. He just...couldn't find something perfect. He'd searched through countless vintage and makeup stores, thinking of nothing else but "fashion". It was Jenny's passion. Too bad he hadn't paid enough attention to really figure out what kind of fashion Jenny liked.

He readjusted his bag on his shoulder, having appeared in front of Eleanor's. Jenny's former boss might have an idea of what Jenny would like.

The blonde beauty and her best friend strutted out, but maybe that wasn't the word.

Serena. Blair.

"Nate! I haven't seen you, in forever!" Serena gave one of her warm smiles, pulling down her sunglasses. Blair nodded politely, which was so un-Blairlike it was scary.

"Uh, yeah. How...how have you been?" Seeing his ex-girlfriend properly for the first time in a year really messed up his speech. He'd been head-over-heels for Serena van der Woodsen for the longest time, then they'd broken up, and the only time they'd spoken was when they saw each other at Columbia. Her long, blonde hair was darker and cropped up to her shoulders. Her blue eyes twinkled.

Nate remembered Serena for all the wrong reasons. Her perfect figure, her lovely personality... but then again, she wasn't perfect the way Jenny was.

"Fine. Me and Dan...we fell apart." Serena answered the unspoken question in Nate's words.

"Yeah?" Nate questioned under his breath. Serena didn't seem to hear.

"Oh. Have you met someone...?" It wasn't like Serena to question anything. But Nate knew the real reason behind her wondering. She wanted a rebound, someone to run back to, and Nate was the perfect person. The sweet, broken-hearted ex-boyfriend. And Nate wished he could go back to the way things were with Serena. He'd forget everything. But he was already in to deep with Jenny - he'd always been hiding his feels for her. Now, he let them out, and it was too late to lock them up again.

"Actually," Nate started, feeling happier that he had admit to himself that he loved Jenny Humphrey, "I haven't. But, I'm thinking about asking someone on a date."

"Oh," Serena van der Woodsen noted casually.

"Who?" Blair had spoken, and she was taken the first step her best friend wouldn't.

Nate smiled to himself. "Jenny. Humphrey. I'm sure you remember her." He grinned, and stepped aside gesturing for them to continue on their way. Instead, he walked towards the nearby flower-shop, remember that roses were Jenny's favorite flowers.

S E R E N A

"What game is he playing?" Blair and Serena had just arrived at The Empire. Blair couldn't except the fact that Nate was over Serena.

"Serena, maybe he isn't playing a game. Maybe he really likes her." Serena sighed, discouraged.

"Jenny Humphrey." Blair sneered, disgusted. Who'd chose her over Serena?

Serena shook her head. Dan, Nate. Nate, Dan. Since Dan left her for Vanessa, she had no one. It had been her choice to leave Nate. So where did Jenny fit in? She knew that they had had a small fling. And she played damsel in distress more than enough times. And he'd been Prince Charming. But Jenny? She couldn't believe it either.

"I'm getting him back. It's...Jenny. She's the one who ruined our relationship in the first place. If it wasn't for her...I'd be happy. At least as close to happy as I can get." Serena replied.

"Yeah. And I'm going to help you. No doubt Nate still has feelings for you - he's trying to hide it."

J E N N Y

"Jenny! It's almost time...are you ready?" Rufus, Jenny's dad leaned in the doorway.

"Do I have to go?" Jenny mumbled through her pillow. She'd stayed in that position for the last two hours.

"Yes, Jenny. Everyone's there." Rufus leaned against the doorframe.

"Then they must not know it's my birthday party," Jenny sat up, " 'Everyone' hates me."

"Not true."

"Whatever. I'm ready," she slipped her feet into some black heels laying on the floor.

"Looking like that?" her dad wrinkled his eyebrows.

"Yes. I don't have to get all dolled up for the worst day of my life, do I?" It was a rhetorical question. She stood up, adding some makeup to her pale face. "Let's go."

N A T E

"Where is she?" Nate asked under his breath.

"I don't know. Where's Blair?" Chuck questioned. He spotted the brunette, and ran over to meet her.

He's changed. Almost the lovesick puppy Nate was.

Nate saw Jenny, her blonde hair seemed darker in the dim light. He pushed his way through the crowd to meet her.

J E N N Y

"Dad. Please. I'm here. I can go now, right? No one will even notice," Jenny protested as she was half-dragged across the living room.

"It's your party. Of course they'll notice," Rufus explained quickly, stopping to peck Lily's cheek.

"Like I said before. No one knows why they're here. It's a party. It doesn't matter whose. It's just...a party," Jenny frowned.

"Don't be like that, Jenny," Rufus looked at his daughter. "Look, Serena's here!"

"Yay, Serena's here!" Jenny said sarcastically. She glanced around at the people, hardly recognizing anyone. Her eyes landed on the most handsome Nate Archibald.

"Na-" Jenny began, but he saw him running towards Serena...and then they pulled together in a kiss.

N A T E

"Jenny!" He called out when he saw Jenny walking with Rufus, but the Serena turned around instead. "Uhm, Serena, what are-"

Serena smiled lightly, holding out her hands and the confused Nate. She pulled Nate into a kiss, and was glad he didn't let go.

Suddenly, he heard Jenny calling his name, but she stopped in midsentence. He turned, mentally kicking himself.

Jenny sighed, "Nate."

And the look on her face was unbearable.

TBC...

U P D A T E ; ;

Hello! Yes, my first "story" on my new account...I'm glad to be back!

And honestly, the sucked crap. My writing was horrible, and the reason is because I wrote it while watching the latest TVD on thursday and then when I watched PLL online. So...I couldn't think of any good word choices because watching TVD and PLL is totally intense.

I am working on a TVD story and a new crossover. Look out for part 2!

Review, please?

-Jenni