Disclaimer : I do not own Gossip Girl

Serena sat at her desk at 'The Spectator', it had been a few weeks since she started working there with Nate as her partner in crime, now he was running the entire thing, an unwanted gift from his grandfather Nate had told her after Diana Payne left.

Running her hands through her hair she looked at the time, too early to be at work, the rest of the staff would only be coming into the office in an hour. She couldn't sleep, and she couldn't stay at Blair's and Ivy kicked her mother and Rufus out of that apartment so that was of bounds and she didn't want to go to Chuck and Nate's because Lola was there and she didn't want to be in the same room as Serena. She thought about moving into her old suite at the Empire, she wondered if it was still reserved for her, she'd have to ask Chuck later.

She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the door open and someone walk past her and put their things on the desk with a huge thump.

"Hey S," Nate said leaning down so he could say it right next to her ear. Nate didn't expect her to be so shocked that she'd jump out of her seat, quickly he wrapped his arms around her waist and steadied her before she fell.

"Jeez Nate, what is wrong with you?" Serena snapped, breathing heavily and closing her eyes realizing how harsh she was. "I'm sorry I just didn't expect anyone to be here this early," she mumbled dropping her head forward so it rested on his shoulder.

Nate was kneeling in front of her with his arms around her, tugging her into him the slightest bit figuring she looked like she needed a hug. "I didn't mean to scare you," he said with a slight chuckle. "Why are you here so early?"

"I … have nowhere else to go," she admitted. "I didn't really want to be around people either."

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked and she shook her head pulling out of his arms, he registered that he still had his arms around her so he cleared his throat and stood up uncomfortable. "Ok … oh I've got something for you."

Serena picked her head up to eye him and the box he was holding. "What is that?"

"I have no idea but it is addressed to you, Blair had it sent to me to give to you," Nate said and Serena nodded she was looking at the package but she made no attempt to take it from him. "You two not talking?"

"We're talking, we just don't have anything to talk about that isn't uncomfortable and about Dan," Serena said shrugging.

"So do you want to open this or are you just going to stare at it for the rest of the day," Nate said he really didn't know what to say to her and he didn't want to upset her further so the best thing for him to do was change the subject.

"Bring it here," Serena said rolling her eyes at him and holding her hands out to take the package. "I know this writing."

"You weren't expecting it?" Nate asked pulling a chair closer to her desk so he could see what it was, he couldn't recognize the writing on the box.

"Nope, looks kinda big, do you think maybe my grandmother sent something when she knew she was going to die?" Serena asked looking at him and he shrugged.

"Open it and find out," he said and she nodded, Nate made a move to stand but she grabbed his arm to keep him seated next to her.

Serena opened the box to find a laptop inside. "Ok … it's a laptop," Serena said frowning at the laptop. "Who's it from?"

"Hey check it out there's a note," Nate said pointing to the piece of paper taped to the side of the box.

"Nate," Serena gasped grabbing his arm. "This is from Gossip Girl, it's Georgina."

"Georgina is Gossip Girl?" Nate asked looking at the note. "How do you know, it's signed Gossip Girl."

"I know Nate, this is how Georgina writes her G's," Serena said biting her lip. "Around the time you guys found out about Pete, she sent me packages to make me look bad, they were signed G, written like this and when Blair got her invite to some secret society in NYU it was signed with the same G."

"Ok then let's see what's on the laptop," Nate said and Serena nodded but then she shook her head and closed the box.

"Nate do you really want to know?" she asked. "I mean if this is Gossip Girls laptop then this is everything we've wanted, remember when we tried to bring her down at the end of high school?"

Nate snorted, "Yeah I remember, that was a royal fail," he said remembering trying to lure Gossip Girl to meet them and ending up with their entire class and a few others that Gossip Girl has targeted.

"No more Gossip Girl, no more secrets, no more crazy stalker documenting every second of our lives. We can finally get some privacy!"

"Yeah but aren't you curious?" Nate asked.

"Sure I am, but I'm more interested in keeping my life out of the media more than reading what she's got on us," Serena said and Nate shook his head.

"Well I guess it would be a nice change," Nate said. "You may want to put that away, it's about time for people to start coming in."

"Do you think you can keep this from Chuck and Lola?" Serena asked opening her bag and stuffing the box into it.

"Now I know why girls carry such huge bags," Nate said as he watched her hide the boxed laptop in her bag. "How does everything fit in there?"

"The bag was pretty empty," Serena said rolling her eyes. "So are you going to keep my secret?"

"What, that you're the new Gossip Girl, sure," Nate smirked and nodded.

"Funny Natie," Serena said dryly. "So where is Lola today?"

"I think she's working or going to confront her mother," Nate said frowning as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Either way she was gone before I got out of the shower."

Serena nodded, Lola was her cousin but she wanted nothing at all to do with her family. Of course the Rhodes family was a little crazy but to cut them out of her life because they thought she was someone else was not right.

Nate was right a few minutes later a stream of employee's came in, chatting about the next story that they're going to get or discussing their families and their problems, the office was a bustle of activity and Serena felt like she was watching it in a dream, like she wasn't really there. She watched Nate grab everyone's attention and speak to them about what their assignments were, she saw him glance at her a few times but she didn't hear what he was saying.

"Ok you are officially freaking me out," Nate said and Serena snapped her head up to look at him, only then did she realize that everyone else was gone.

"I'm sorry I'm just a little distracted by everything that's going on," Serena said standing up and grabbing her bag. "Ok what am I in charge of today?"

"I didn't give you an assignment," Nate said with a smile. "The awesome thing about having one of your best friends as your boss is that they can let you off the hook once in a while."

"Nate… " Serena started but Nate cut her off.

"Go talk to Chuck or God knows maybe even Blair and Dan, take the day to visit Erik," Nate said. "Your mom will be more then delighted to see you, I think avoid the Lola drama but you need to stop thinking so hard, its driving me crazy."

Serena smiled and jumped into his arms, giving him a tight hug, "You're the best Nate," she said, squeezing him and he laughed as he returned her hug.

"Tell that to Chuck," he called after her as she left the office.

Serena let go of a breath as she left the office, it was too far from the empire where she knew Chuck would be so she decided to walk, she could think and hopefully relax. As she was walking into the Empire lobby she saw her father lead a blond woman to the bar, Serena frowned as she watched them, she barely had a chance to speak to her father since he returned to town. She walks toward them so she can say hi before going to see Chuck and she stops dead in her tracks when the blond he's with turns enough so Serena can see her face. Lola.

Jumping to hide herself from their view if they turned around Serena tried to figure out why her father would be having drinks with Lola? She wondered if Nate knew and then she wondered why Lola would be with her father if she wanted to stay far away from the Rhodes, he was basically part of them.

Serena almost ran to the private elevator that would take her directly to Chuck, the man at the reception looking at her funny but recognizing her enough to wave off the confused security guard, her heart racing as she tried to come up with reasons for her father and her cousins meeting.

"Serena," Chuck said as soon as she walked in, he was sitting on the couch, scotch in hand, reading the paper. "To what do I owe this pleasure."

"Nate gave me the day off," Serena said and Chuck nodded and gestured for her to sit.

"And you came to me? I'm not the entertaining type right now sis," Chuck said raising an eyebrow at her and she nodded absentmindedly. "Are you ok?"

"Do you have any idea why my father would be at the bar right now, with Lola? Or why Lola would even consider speaking with my father when she clearly wants nothing but Nate from this world," Serena asked and Chuck almost laughed.

"Jealous?" he asked and Serena glared at him. "Maybe she does want more from this world and since your father was in charge of Cece's financial things, she thinks she may have inherited more than he let on."

"No, I know that's not it," Serena said biting her lip. "She felt so strongly about our family and money, she wouldn't change that fast."

"She could have been acting," Chuck suggested smirking at Serena.

"Urg this is going to drive me crazy," Serena exclaimed blowing out a breath. "They probably just saw each other randomly, after all they are both staying here."

"That could be it," Chuck said shrugging and Serena sat up straight again.

"I actually came to ask you something," Serena said and Chuck nodded at her to continue. "My suite here, is it still available or is someone else using it?"

"It's all yours, I can have the maids clean it up and the Arthur get your thinks from the Waldorf penthouse by this afternoon," Chuck said placing the scotch on the counter and folding up his paper.

"Thank you," Serena said smiling at him. "You have no idea how much I need to get out of the Waldorf's."

"Blair and Dan's … activities keeping you awake at night?" Chuck asked with a frown and Serena made a disgusted face before burying her face in her hands.

"Ew," Serena said into her hands before glaring at Chuck. "Great now I'm going to have the weirdest images in my head."

"I didn't say what the activities were," Chuck smirked.

"You didn't have to," Serena groaned. "I actually haven't seen either of them since Cece's wake."

"Hiding out in Brooklyn then," Chuck said and Serena winced at the pain she heard in his voice.

"She came back I think but we've never crossed paths," Serena said shrugging. "Mom and Rufus were at a hotel but I think he wanted to move back into the loft so … anyway I just had to get out of there before I say or do something I regret."

"You don't have to explain it," Chuck said looking away and Serena bit her lip, here she was complaining about how this affected her when really it had hurt him so much more.

"How are you doing with everything?" Serena asked, she knew the things Blair said to Chuck and then the things she did to him and she hated it, they may not have always been close or liked each other but Chuck turned into an awesome big brother, one she'd always wanted but never had.

"I'm fine," he said standing. "Why don't I teach you how to play pool?"

"Who says I don't already know how to play," Serena challenged standing as well and welcoming the distraction he offered.

"Serena, my best friend is Nathaniel and unless you miraculously mastered the game since you two broke up, I'm pretty sure you have no idea how to play."

Serena rolled her eyes and grabbed a pool cue and held it in front of her, "You hit the white ball with the pointy end," she said and Chuck laughed.

"You have so much to learn."

That's how Nate found them hours later when he got off from work, "Hey, you teaching her how to play?" he asked.

"Yes and I think I'm getting it," Serena giggled and Nate laughed.

"You seem better," Nate said giving her a hug and then going over to slap Chuck on his back affectionately. "So do you."

"I was never bad Nathaniel," Chuck said with a smirk. "Take over, I'll order the food."

"Awesome," Nate said before turning to Serena who was leaning on her cue and smiling at them. "Let the master show you how it's done."

"I got the hang of this, I will beat you," Serena said as Nate set it up.

"Sure you will," he murmured setting the balls correctly in the triangle and moving to the other end to find the white ball to break it.

"How is Chuck, really," Serena asked when Chuck was out of hearing range and Nate picked his head up to look at her, she had this adorable worried expression on her face and he shook his head, he was dating her cousin he couldn't think like that. "That bad?"

"He's dealing, differently," Nate said with a frown stepping back so Serena could take a shot. "He never spoke about things but at least he showed emotion or he did something drastic that we could pull him out from, you know."

"But this time?" Serena prodded. "Oh look I got one in," she squealed when she sunk one of her balls.

"Well done," Nate smiled. "This time he's acting as if it never happened as if they didn't exist, he's acting like he's over it, I know he isn't."

"Me too," Serena said frowning when the ball she hit went in the wrong direction. "But what can we do?"

"Honestly, nothing," Nate said sinking a ball and walking around the table. "We're just going to have to wait until he needs us."

"Oh," Serena said frowning. "Hey, do you have any idea why Lola would be having drinks with my father?"

Nate stopped half way through aiming and turned to her. "Are you following her?"

"No!" Serena exclaimed, hurt that he would even think that. "Of course now, I saw them when I came here and I was just … curious."

It all just seemed so stupid now that she's asked Nate. "I have no idea, it was probably just a random meeting, they are both staying here and he is one of the few people she knows on the Upper East Side."

"Yeah maybe," Serena said quietly watching him sink the final ball.

"I won," he said lifting his arms up and making fists with a smug expression on his face.

"Yeah, yeah," Serena said punching his arm lightly then looking over at Chuck.

"I didn't say I would teach you to be good enough to beat him," Chuck said and Nate laughed.

"Another game?" Nate asked and Serena shook her head.

"Enough pool for a really, really long time," Serena said putting the cue onto the table.

"Come on, I'll show you how to hold it properly, knowing Chuck he didn't teach you that very important bit," Nate said handing her back her discarded cue stick and grinning at his best friend.

"I taught her well enough, this is Arthur," Chuck said when his phone rang. "Food will be here in 20 minutes."

"Thanks man," Nate yelled and then held the cue up and leaned over the side of the table showing Serena how to hold her fingers when she was aiming.

"I think I have it," Serena said a little unsurely, she was trying to copy Nate but when she hit the ball it didn't go as planned. "Ok maybe not."

"Here let me show you," Nate said with a slight laugh, he walked over to her and she got back into position to hit the ball. "Ok now do this with your fingers," he said reaching over and using his hand to curl her fingers under the cue using her thumb as leverage then he snaked his other hand around her body to hold her hand tight on the end of the stick. "Ok ready?" he asked and she nodded.

Her mind already going back to a different time, a different date with a different guy. Maybe Dan and Blair was affecting her more than she thought but then all of a sudden it only Nate's smell that she's inhaling, the familiar heat of his body wrapped partially around her, the sound of his voice as he coached her and she realized that none of this was about Dan at all, the only thing about him and Blair that was bothering her was the fact that Blair had taken him when he was supposed to be hers. In some ways she was a spoilt brat and what was hers was meant to stay hers, she missed the attention, the way he only thought of her before he only thought of Blair.

"And there we go," Nate said softly as the ball slipped into the socket. "You'll be a pro in no time."

She only realized that her face had tuned and her lips were almost on Nate's when the elevator made a noise and broke them apart.

"Serena, why are you here," Lola asked glaring at her. "And in my boyfriends arms?"

"Nathaniel was always touchy feely when it came to teaching people how to play pool," Chuck smirked as he walked back into the room, saving Nate and Serena from fumbling to come up with an excuse. "Sis I hope you don't mind, it's taking Arthur a little longer than expected to move your things."

"You're moving?" Nate asked recovering from his momentary shock to stare at her.

"Yeah," Serena said with a half smile. "I'm moving here, into my old suite, I can't stay at Blair's without making things worse and I can't go to my mom's because Ivy kicked them out so I just think I need to be alone for a while."

"So you'll be here a lot then," Lola asked not too happy with the fact that Serena will be so close and Serena frowned at her.

"I'll visit," Serena said, why did this girl hate her so much. "Sometimes."

"That's all I need to know," Lola said stalking off to Nate's room, Nate groaned and ran after her.

"That was interesting," Chuck said from behind Serena making her jump. "You're jumpy today sis."

"I know, sorry, I'm just going to go, forget the food," Serena said grabbing her coat and bag. "Call me when my suite's ready."

Serena didn't wait for Chuck to answer as she left their room, she got out of the empire and walked straight to the park, she needed to clear her head.

Back at the Empire Chuck looked amused at the entire situation, she may not realize it but Serena van der Woodsen was still in love with Nate, he saw the looks and the way they reacted when they touched. He may delude himself into thinking he was falling for her cousin but Nathaniel was still completely taken by Serena and Chuck doubted that would ever change. This should be fun he thought sitting back and watching as a confused Nate came walking into the main room after Lola dragged her bags to the elevator without so much as a goodbye.

"Lola's going to stay at some apartment Serena's dad helped her find, said I should go there if I want to see her," he said scratching his head. "Where's Serena?"

Chuck shrugged, "She walked out, told me to forget dinner and call her when her stuff's in her suite."

"I don't get why Lola is so against getting to know Serena," Nate said.

"The ex girlfriend and the new girlfriend, cousins, you really know how to choose them don't you?" Chuck asked smirking. "Foods here," he said when the elevator came up again.

Nate paid and took the food from the delivery guy dropping it on the table. "So what do you think I should do?"

"Really Nathaniel, you're asking me?" Chuck laughed and Nate nodded. "Choose one obviously, you can't be with the cousin if you're in love with my sister."

Nate watched him dig into his food and frowned, "Why do you think I'm still in love with Serena," Nate asked.

"What do you call the sparks at the pool table Nathaniel?"

"One friend teaching the other friend how to play pool," Nate said it came out sounding like more of a question, using his chopsticks to push his food around inside the box.

"Even you can't be that oblivious," Chuck said with a slight frown. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food."

"Haha," Nate said dryly. "Apparently I am because I don't see it."

Chuck rolled his eyes at Nate and continued to eat while his friend thought back to the pool lesson earlier on.

Serena was watching the ducks when Chuck sent her a message to say everything was ready, letting out a relieved sigh she stood and made her way back to the Empire, she didn't know what she would have done if she stayed at the penthouse and Blair and Dan were there, it would have been the most awkward of situations. Even though she figured out that her anger toward Blair and Dan was more of a knee-jerk reaction than her still loving him.

Serena sat down in front of the TV and switched it on, it was more background noise than anything else because her thoughts were swimming around, everything was confusing her, Georgina sending her the laptop, her grandmothers death and Ivy's involvement, Lola's hatred of her and their family there was so much that was going on and that didn't even touch the Blair and Dan situation or her new realization that she may still have feelings for Nate. If she acted on them then that would turn Lola further away from her, if she left it alone, she knew it would eat her alive, why did this happen to her?

She figured she'd push them away, she'd focus on all the other problems she had, if Nate and Lola broke up and she still felt something then they could figure it out together but if they lived happily ever after, Serena would have to find another way of dealing with it, on the plus side Lola didn't seem to ever want anything to do with her so she may not even see them all that often, not seeing him would help her in getting over him.

So it was a huge surprise to her when she opened the door to find Nate and Lola standing in front of her.

A/N hey guys this story will most likely be a 3 shot or something really short, Nica asked if I could write something with Nate Serena and Lola, I havent watched alot of the fifth season so everything isnt perfect so if you find any errors with the story compared to the show just take it as AU thanks

Ok so please review and let me know what you think, Until next time (^^,)