A/N: Set after Finale Season 3, but without the Chenny hook up. Centered on Serena and Carter.
"Carter!" Serena said as she came out of the ladies room and her eyes fell on a guy who went towards the men's lounge. He glanced at her but didn't greet her back. He passed her without another word. Serena frowned at him as he did. She went back inside the club and looked for Blair who sat on the bar.
"Did you see that Carter's here?" Serena asked Blair who shook her head.
"Look, Serena, this evening was great but I'm tired. And Chuck's on his way to pick me up." Blair explained and Serena nodded.
"Okay. Good night, b." Serena returned as her eyes wandered back to the corner where she spotted Carter before.
"Serena, you should come home with us." Blair stated but Serena shook her head in return.
"Not before I found out why Carter didn't talk to me." Serena returned. She didn't really know why it bugged her that much but she just couldn't stand it when people were mad at her.
"He's not talking to you?" Blair quirked an eyebrow.
"No, he ignored me." Serena told her with a serious face.
Blair looked down at her phone. "I'm sorry, S. But Chuck's here…"
"Go!" Serena told her with a smile.
"Okay." Blair said with a happy face. She hugged Serena and walked out. Serena smiled after her absent-minded. She was truly happy that Chuck and Blair had found their way back to each other after everything and they were so happy.
A slow song sounded and Serena closed her eyes. She loved this song.
From a phone booth in Vegas Jessie calls at 5 a.m.
to tell me how she's tired of all of them
she says "Baby I've been thinking 'bout a trailer by the sea
we could go to Mexico – you. the cat and me
we'll drink Tequila and look for seashells
now doesn't that sound sweet"
oh Jessie you always do this every time I get back on my feet
"Carter!" Serena called after him as he passed her again. He went back to his spot on the bar where he sat alone, staring down at his drink. Serena jumped from her seat and walked towards him.
"Why are you ignoring me?" Serena demanded to know. Carter brought a hand to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Leave me alone, van der Woodsen. I fulfilled my purpose so why even bother." Carter said annoyed.
"What are you talking about?" Serena replied confused.
"Serena, just go. I'm seriously not tough enough today to handle your shit. Run to your daddy, Archibald or that loser from Brooklyn to annoy them." Carter said tired.
"Why are you so mad at me?" Serena snapped. Carter turned towards her with a death glare in his eyes.
"Who knows? Let's start by the fact that you threw me out of that damn limo last time I saw you after I spend months on finding YOUR dad. Just leave me alone." Carter seethed at her. Serena rolled her eyes, raised from her chair haughtily and left.
Next day
"Hey guys, sorry I'm late." Serena said as she dropped herself on a chair. The rest of the NJBC was already there.
"Hey, S. How was the evening last night going on after I left?" Blair asked.
"I went home soon after. I talked to Carter but he totally blew me off." Serena said.
"Carter?" Nate frowned.
"Yes, he was there too." Serena shrugged.
"Man, that guy has nerves. His cousin's funeral is today and he went out. Unbelievable." Nate shook his head.
"His cousin died?" Serena asked in disbelief. Nobody really knew how Carter worked beside his cousin Marc. He was the brother Carter never had.
"Yeah, Marc Baizen. Ever heard of him, sis?" Chuck asked.
"Oh my god." Serena whispered and dropped her spoon. She rose from her spot and walked towards the door.
"S, what are you doing?" Blair called after her but Serena didn't stop.
"I have to go." She answered Blair over her shoulder.
"Wait, I'll go with you." Blair called after her.
"So you two are going to hold Baizen's hand at the funeral?" Nate snapped at the two of them.
"Nate! You of all people should understand how a death can upset people." Serena yelled back through the whole restaurant, catching everyone's attention before she looked meaningful at Chuck.
"Wow, how really unobtrusive, sis." Chuck chuckled angrily.
They entered the church and spotted Carter immediately. He didn't sit with his family in the first banks but in one of the last. Obviously his family still hadn't forgiven him for all his stunts in the past.
Serena walked over to him and sat down beside him. Carter glanced over to her but didn't say a word. So did Blair. They watched the ceremony and the women who cried when they carried the coffin out of the chapel. At some point Serena took Carter's hand and squeezed it. But he didn't returned the gesture, he was like numb.
Later at graveyard, Serena stood at one side of Carter, Blair on the other. Blair looked at Carter from time to time in slight fear. Chuck was one thing when he was in this state but Carter was another. One thing for sure, he wasn't predictable at all. After years with Chuck, Blair could tell when he was about to freak. But Carter, well she never had really bother to get to know him better.
"Relax, Waldorf. I'm not Bass, I won't go crazy." Carter whispered to her and Blair nodded before she put her hand on the inside of his elbow.
After everyone left, Carter went closer to the grave and whispered for a while. Serena and Blair waited somewhat away for him. He came towards them.
"So, you watched the show. Now you, " he pointed at Blair "can run to Bass and tell him about the loser Carter and you, "pointing at Serena "can run to Archibald to do the same."
"Carter, you know exactly that Chuck wouldn't mock you about this. Beside, I was here because I owned you. You were there for me." Blair said in a nice, reassuring voice.
"And I broke up with Nate a long time ago." Serena throw in as if it would cheer him up.
"A long time? His party was in April. It's October now. Five months is such a long time for you, huh?" Carter snapped before he turned around and left.
Carter downed another whiskey when Blair took the place beside him.
"Waldorf, can we please stop the torturing for at least a day or two?" Carter said before he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I'm not here to torture you." Blair said honestly.
"What then? Is there no good TV show on tonight or is Bass out of town?" Carter mocked her.
"Look, you don't have to attack me. I'm just here for my best friend." Blair said in a soothing voice.
"Why isn't she here herself?" Carter asked Blair curious.
"Because it's Serena." Blair shrugged.
"That excuse isn't valid anymore. She just used me but I'm done with that now." Carter seethed in return. He wasn't in the mood for romance movie drama today. Or ever.
"If that's how you really feel, you should move on, Carter." Blair told him point blank.
"Rich, coming from you. Just look how much you've been through because of Bass. Yet, you're still with him." Carter returned.
"Well, it's true. I suffered but in the end, it was worth it." Blair said with a nod.
"You're never going to have a happy end with Bass, we both know it." Carter replied. Blair gulped but nodded.
"Maybe, but I'm willing to take that risk. If you're grown up enough to do so too, call her." Blair rose from her spot and left the bar.
Carter watched her leave before he sighed. He closed his eyes for a moment before he took his cell from his pocket. If Blair and Chuck could make it work, maybe there was really hope for him and Serena too. If he'd learned one thing these days was that life was definitely too short to wait too long.
END.
A/N: Please read! I know, I know. I promised a new Chair story but I wasted so much time, energy and ideas for another story I don't even have now anymore since I did it only as co-author and the person who started it told me today to gtfo. Piece of advice: NEVER EVER do that too. Co-authoring that is.
To the poll: Right now it looks like the Blair + older character is going to be Bart. Not happy with that? So go and vote on it.
Last question: Does anyone remember the The Unexpected Visitor story and want to read the make-over of it? It was my first story and it had terrible spelling and grammar mistakes but my writing improved and so did my English language knowledge so the make-over is quite good. Tell me what you think about that.
OH, and of course as always, please REVIEW.
The lyrics part above is from Joshua Kadison's "Jessie". I think that song matches Serena perfectly.