Summary: How will Serena react when she finds out she shares a sibling with Dan? Who will she turn to? This will eventually evolve into SereNate. Mentions of CB and the N-JBC
Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl; if I did, SereNate would be together from the beginning.
Hello my fellow Upper-East Siders, and my other less regal readers. It's just another rainy day in the city of dreams and another juicy story to tell. The highlights of our day would be Queen B's theatrical exit from the Palace hotel, teary eyed and still looking fabulous. Even after hijacking the Bass limo. Take it from us C, she's a keeper.
Oh but we cannot forget our resident 'It' girl, Serena van der Woodsen, she's got a secret to share about her new sibling. Of course when we find out all the details, I'll be sure to keep you posted!
Spotted: S and N holding hands and walking towards the Archibald townhouse. Do our eyes deceive us, or are they finally together? Has S forgotten lonely boy and moved on to better things? Only one way to find out!
You know you love me,
XOXO
Gossip Girl
After Dan confirms the latest Gossip Girl blast is in fact true, she can't believe it. She doesn't want to believe it, so she just gets up and leaves Dan sitting alone on a bench in Central Park. She can't face this right now. How can she face this at all? The man she so desperately loves shares a sibling with her and even Serena knows there are some lines you cannot cross; and this is one of those lines.
She doesn't know who to turn to. Going home would infuriate her further, how could her mother have kept such a secret from her? She cannot run to Blair because Blair has her own problems to deal with concerning the Basshole, her infamous stepbrother. She gets in the limo and tells the driver to drive to Park Avenue, and before she realizes it she's in front of the Archibald's townhouse. Serena sighs, this is absurd! She and Nate aren't even on speaking terms right now, how can she pour her heart out to someone who couldn't care less? But something in her so desperately wants to knock on the door so she settles for a compromise; she sits at the bottom of the steps leading up to the door.
XOXO
She doesn't know how long she sits there in the cold, her legs are covered in goose-pimples and she wishes she chose something a little more appropriate rather than fashionable. Her flimsy Burberry Prorsum trench and DKNY playsuit did not offer much in the way for warmth. She's snapped out of her regretful thoughts by an all too familiar voice.
"Serena?" Nate says, puzzlement clouding his voice. He has just come home from his three month anniversary date with Vanessa and when he spots Serena on his steps, cold and upset, he is worried. There has to be something very wrong for her to come to him. They weren't even on speaking terms these days.
When Serena sees Nate, she just can't hold it in anymore the tears just begin flowing uncontrollably. Nate walks towards Serena and sits beside her, his arm pulling her into his chest so that he can hug her closely. He sees the phone in Serena's hand open on a Gossip Girl blast regarding her and Dan and he remembers the latest news.
"I heard." Nate says quietly, not sure what to do, so he does the only useful thing he can think of: he takes off his jacket and places on Serena's cold legs. It's a small thing but it makes Serena smile nonetheless.
"I'm so sorry Nate. I don't want to bother you with my problems but I just didn't know where to go...Oh God, I knew this was a stupid idea, I mean we don't even talk like we used to..." Serena starts babbling frantically.
But Nate cuts her off. "You know, you can always count on me Serena. And as for the no talking thing? Well we can just start now!"
Serena lays her head in Nate's shoulder and sighs.
"I'm so tired, Nate. My life is confusing and I don't know who to go to half the time." She begins crying again and her tears soak Nate's Ralph Lauren shirt wet, but he don't even realize because he's too consumed by the worry of Serena's mental state.
Giving her shoulder a squeeze, he then pulls apart and invites her into the house. He grabs her hand and they walk up the stairs together and make their way into the grand townhouse towering before them.
"Everything looks the same here." Serena says when she looks around Nate's room. Serena walks around his room, stopping every now and then when she spots something that reminds her of her childhood spent at Nate's home when her mother was off jetting the world. Occasionally she would pick things up and stare intently at them. Whilst Nate was making his bed for Serena to lie in, Serena spots something especially memorable. She picks it up and turns to face Nate with a loving expression that was tainted with surprise.
"You still have this doll?" She says, holding up the rabbit doll for Nate to see.
Nate looks Serena and smiles.
"Of course, that was the first time I ever received a Valentine's Day present. You remember?"
Serena smiles too, how can she forget? It was the day Serena declared her undying love for a boy and gave Nate a doll and a kiss on the cheek.
"Do you still remember what you said to me?" Nate asks laughing at the memory.
Serena nods. "Oh yeah, it was the first time I declared my love for any guy!"
"Oh and it was also the first time I ever proposed to any girl." Nate says laughing with Serena as they reminisced on events long gone.
Serena's expression turned sombre almost as quickly as she had begun laughing.
"What happened to us, Nate? We used to be so close."
Nate walks toward Serena, the smile on his face long gone too.
"It's called growing up Serena, people drift apart over time."
"I hate growing up." Serena says sadly, her eyes tearing up once again.
Nate holds Serena closely and guides her to his bed. Serena lies down in his bed and kicks back the covers; she pats a space next to her and slides over to give Nate some room.
"Come and lie down next to me Natie, tell me a bedtime story like old times" She says, her face tear stained and eyes so red and sad, he cannot possibly refuse.
He knows it's wrong and that he has a girlfriend, but this is his friend. A friend who he has known since infanthood and who has shared most of his memories with him.
She curls her toes, and snuggles in closer to his chest, relishing the warmth and signature scent of the sandalwood soap that his maid always stocked in his bathroom. For once in a very long time, she felt as though she was home.
As he lay next to Serena, her distinctive fresh floral smell taking over, his heart ached. He loved this girl lying next to her, and one of the only reasons he hadn't been speaking to her was because he thought his heart would end up broken. Turns out, he didn't need to speak to her for that to happen, all he had to do was look. She was everything he wanted, but could never have.
As though they were 15 again, she intertwined her legs with his, their bodies a mess of limbs and she rest her head on his chest. She needed this and she couldn't help herself. They lay there, the silence taking over. Nate couldn't help but think that the silence was deafening and that maybe they should be speaking, but before his thought is even finished he can hear Serena's light snores and sighs. She really was tired. He just stared at her tranquil features unable to look away and he doesn't really know how long he stared, but somewhere along the line he falls asleep, his cheek resting on her head.
XOXO
His cell-phone ringing awakens him from his peaceful slumber and he groans. Something always has to ruin the moment. He props himself up with his elbow, careful not to disturb Serena and leans forward to pick the phone up off the side.
"Hello?" Nate answers groggily, puzzled as to who would call him this early in the morning.
"Nate." He can hear Blair's concerned voice. "I just read the latest Gossip Girl blast about Serena and Dan. I couldn't find Serena, she must be devastated, although I'm not sure why. It is cabbage patch she is losing, not much really. Is she with you?"
Nate wants to leave and speak somewhere else where he won't disturb Serena, but even the slightest movement scares him. He doesn't want her to burst into another round of tears, leave him and run to Blair.
"Errmm, yeah but she's asleep. How did you know she was with me?" Nate all but whispers.
"Gossip Girl's 'spotted' column. I'm not quite sure when you two started speaking but I guess she had to turn to someone whilst I was busy with my drama..." Blair says uncertainly.
"Problems with the Basstard?" Nate says knowingly.
"That mother Chucker needs to get a grip! I don't even want anything to do with him anymore!" Blair says angrily.
"What's the problem this time?"
"The only problem is him!"
Nate shakes his head before realizing that Blair can't see him before saying something to cover up his stupidity.
"You know Blair, you and Chuck need to sort out your issues. You two always end up together anyways. Just save yourself and everyone around you and make up with the Basstard."
"I'll bet he pays you to say this. Either way I'm not having this conversation because I'm done with him!" Blair says before adding something about her best friend to signal that the conversation is definitely over. "I'm glad Serena is with you, she needs a good friend and in my state, I'd probably drive her to the point of insanity"
"Don't worry. I'll stay with her." Nate promises honestly.
After he hangs up, he finds a way of getting out of bed without disturbing Serena, putting a pillow under her head, and leaves the room in search of a change of clothes for Serena and breakfast.
After asking the cook to prepare pancakes, waffles and omelettes, he walks around the house in search of his mother before finding her in the dining room eating her breakfast and planning some society event.
"Morning Mom." Nate says, kissing his mother's cheek.
"Morning honey, I heard Serena is here? The maids could never keep secrets." Anne says smiling.
"Yeah. I hope that's okay. She's still asleep." Nate answers sheepishly.
"Oh darling, don't be so ridiculous. Why would there be a problem? I've always loved Serena as though she was my own daughter, regardless; she used to stay here all the time so I don't see why things have to change now. Not to mention I know you have a crush on her." Anne says with a knowing look on her face.
"Yeah, but that was a long time ago" Nate answers subconsciously because it's the truth although hidden by a tiny white lie, because he still does have a crush on her.
Anne looks at him with a bright smile on her face "So you did have a crush on her!"
Nate blushes and reminds his mother of his girlfriend, Vanessa and that he couldn't do that to her.
"Honestly Nathaniel, that girl isn't the right match for you. I don't know what you see in that low class hippie anyways."
"Mom! She's my girlfriend and I like her. Even you said you thought she was lovely" Nate said defensively.
Anne looks Nate again. "I haven't forgotten. She is a lovely girl. But just as a friend, you have nothing in common with her! She's an artistic, hippie type who lives in Brooklyn. You absolutely hate art, you live on the Upper East Side and might well be the opposite of a hippie."
Nate just wants to debate this, but Anne cuts him off even before he can begin
"Nate, you're young. You can be friends with whomever you like. Even this Vanessa girl. I don't mind. Honestly, it's not like you're going to marry her. The only kind of girl you can marry is one from our background. Old money families, Serena, Blair. You know what I mean."
Nate wants to defend Vanessa but somehow he can't bring himself to argue the truth. It's just how things ran around here. Old money families marry into other old money families.
" Mom, I don't want to talk about it. I have to find a change of clothes for Serena." Nate says changing the subject.
" Anytime you want to talk about it, is fine. My answer is not about to change." Anne says firmly. "And if you would like a change of clothes for Serena, walk into my wardrobe and there should be a closet full of clothes that I have outgrown, they might be a little outdates, but you should find something appropriate in there."
XOXO
Nate follows his mother's advice and picks up a pair of white cotton shorts, a floral print silk blend blouse and a pair of wedge sandals that his mother had put away neatly before walking out and towards his bedroom where Serena was asleep. But when he gets to his room, she is already awake, her hair a tangled mess and her makeup smudged and smeared, but she still looked breathtaking.
"You're up!" Nate says with a smile.
"Morning to you too." Serena says laughing.
Nate walks over toward her, and sits on the bed by her side. "So, how are you this morning? Feeling a little better?" Nate asks. His hand reaches for Serena's and holds it tight.
Serena looks at Nate and smile. "I am a little better than yesterday. But I'm so hungry."
"Well the cooks preparing breakfast, and I brought you up some clothes that my mother no longer wears. I hope they're ok." Nate says handing Serena the ensemble.
"Oh Natie. Thank you! I'll go get dressed and ready before breakfast" she says taking the outfit from Nate's hand and walking towards his bathroom.
She emerges a half hour later, her hair neatly pulled up in a loose bun and her face washed and clean, looking beautiful and taking Nate's breath away as usual.
"Well, if I may say so, I did a wonderful job with choosing the outfit" Nate says laughing.
"Yes you did Nate. But now, I think it's time for breakfast!" She says, laughing and racing Nate down the stairs like she used to when they were both five years old.
They end up stumbling over one another after reaching the dining room, laughing and smiling as though nothing was wrong. Anne sees them both as she is leaving and smiles.
"Hello Serena" She greets a glint in her eye as she walks forward and hugs Serena. "Oh those clothes look wonderful on you!"
"Thank you Mrs Archibald!" Serena says, her smile radiating throughout the room.
Nate pulls out a chair for Serena after Anne has left a room and mock curtseys when she sits down. She playfully punches him on the shoulder and tells him to sit down and stop acting like a three year old.
They sit together and help themselves to all the food the maids have laid out on the table.
"You want to talk about it?" Nate says, after a period of extended silence.
"I want to talk to you. But I can't. We are not the same and I don't know how I can ask you to do this for me?" Serena admits.
"Serena, I don't want you to worry about that trivial nonsense. I don't care how much we've changed because we are still Nate and Serena. Whenever you need me, I'm always going to be there. Don't ever forget that." Nate says.
Serena nods and smiles. She knows that she'll always have at least one person to take care of her no matter what.
"Glad that's sorted. After breakfast you can gather your belongings and I can take you back home." Nate says after picking up his plate and pushing it aside.
The smile on Serena's disappears and is replaced with a scowl.
"Nate, I don't want to go home"
"Serena your mom called last night. She's worried and wants to talk to you. She's home now" Nate says a worried expression clouding his face.
"There's nothing to talk about." Serena says pushing her plate away and getting up.
"Sooner or later you are going to have to have this conversation. You know that. It might be better if you have this conversation out of the way now so that your problems can be sorted out sooner." Nate reasons with her.
When Serena listens to Nate's reasoning, she knows he's right.
"I know but I don't know what to do."
Nate reaches for Serena's hand again. This time Serena just looks at Nate.
"Well first you can attend the 'family meeting'. Lily says Erik, Dan, Jenny and Rufus will be there." Serena wants to say something, but Nate doesn't let her.
"Serena, this problem has been there even since before you even born. It has already happened and there is nothing you can do to undo this. You just have to face it. You can't hide from it forever."
Serena agrees and nods. At this Nate pulls Serena's hand towards him and around his waist, forcing her into a hug which she willingly reciprocates. She melts into his arms and rests her head on his shoulder.
"Okay. I understand. But you will take me home, right?"Serena mumbles into his shoulder.
Nate smiles against her head and replies with a promise.
"I promise I will."
And they both stand there, in each other's arms, and their problems forgotten.
To be continued...
Will be updated soon. Review please!
Special thanks for my beta, Leighton c. thank you so much!