As he sat there in his office he looked at his perfect family. Two little kids who would grow to be just like mommy and daddy. A little girl, his little girl, had blonde hair and dark eyes and the little boy was a reflection of him. He knew his family was immaculate, but his heart didn't belong to her, the woman in the picture. She was too perfect for him, too demanding. If anything, she was the exact opposite person he said he would marry as child. He also knew that he made a promise to her that he would be there for her whenever she needed him. And after Chuck said it was over and left she was a mess.
He had asked her if she wanted to go get drinks and forget about how fucked up her life was back then. And she agreed, of course they both didn't know what would happen after a few glasses of champagne, shots, and whiskey would do.
Just as soon as they found out Blair was expecting they got married; and just a mere eight and a half months later they welcomed Addison Samantha Archibald. She was the most gorgeous thing he ever saw...besides his one true love of course. He promised Addison he would never leave her unprotected and promised himself that she would be his only child, but little did he know Blair was off the pill and was planning on getting pregnant again.
For her, he was her perfect husband. He worked, brought in the money, he loved her (or so she thought), and together they made beautiful offspring. Two years later Noah Ian was born, and although he did love his new child he insisted that Blair remove her uterus. And so she did.
He dreaded his life. Although it may sound harsh, being there that night was his biggest mistake. Sometimes at work, like today, he sits there think of the "could haves" and the "what if's," realizing he lives a lie. His only inspiration is his two children, which he dearly loves even though they aren't the children of his first love. Now-a-days, he gets nothing done and sits there, thinking about
HER. About how his life with her would be different and about how much happier he would be.
He feels like an ass because he knows that Blair loves him and he knew he didn't feel the same. But he did absolutely nothing to stop her from committing the biggest mistake of her life.
Instead of having those stupid, life-changing, sorry-ass drinks he should have told her to go after the man she loved then. Things would have been different, and they would indeed. But now, it's too late for that, for "should haves."
"It's over," he whispers to himself. He was tired of Blair, he loved her, he really did, but not like that. As a wife, let's just say she sucked the life out of him.
He kept his promise to Addison and picked her up from school early that day. She was old enough to understand this, he was sure of it, "Hey Bugs, there's no easy way for me to say this but...I'm moving somewhere else, without Mommy." She was quiet for a minute.
"So you're going to leave me with Mommy? And what about Ian?" her voice was cracking. He sat there, looking at her knowing this would destroy his entire family.
"Sweetie, I made a promise to you...I will never leave you. You are coming to live with me in the Hamptons for a while. It'll be like a small break," he explains.
He saw that she was more calmed, but she still didn't like the idea of him leaving her mom, but it was understandable. He didn't know one child that was okay with it. "And Ian can come if mommy let's him," he stated.
"Why Nate? Why do you want to ruin our perfect life?" Blair cried that night in their bedroom.
"Blair...," he thought cautiously, "Blair, I love you. Just not as anything more than a sister. I can't continue living a lie," he explained packing his things.
"What are you doing?" she spoke loudly.
"Packing. I'm going to leave...move to the Hamptons while we go through this divorce."
"What about your baby girl? And Ian?" she reminded him, "You made a promise to Addison!"
"She's coming with me; I already let her know. She's okay, but she's upset that Ian is staying here. I told her he would stay here with you, but if you -"
"NO! He's staying here! With me!" Blair screams. "Now, get out!"
"Fine, I'll come back tomorrow morning for Addison," he replied. And with that he left their penthouse and he went to New Jersey, Dan's house, in his white Escalade.
Dan had married Vanessa and together they had the only pair of twins in their circle of friends. Of course only Dan, Vanessa, Blair, and he got married.
"Nate ma man!" Dan opened the door. Nate immediately saw Declan and Stephen run to their father's side. He saw they were a happy family. They legit had the perfect family.
"Hey...I left Blair," he blurted out.
"Wow...didn't expect that one. Well, want to come in?" he asked. "Hey guys, why don't you go to the playroom?" And with that they were alone drinking coffee in the dining room.
"What happened?" Dan asked.
"Well I got married to the wrong person..." Dan was confused, "I married Blair because she got pregnant after a one night-stand with me."
"Well aren't you just full of surprises! Why did you have sex with her? Why were you with her anyways?"
"She had just broken up with Chuck and she needed someone to talk to. We got together and started drinking and well she got pregnant. And sense Eleanor would kill her if she got pregnant out of wedlock I married her."
It took a while for Dan to take it in, "Well, I always thought that you and Serena had something strong, but she moved out of the city. She didn't tell me where exactly."
"I guess you're wrong, especially after I married her best friend," Nate chuckled.
"Ha, how ironic. Damn man you're so fucked..." Dan stated.
"Oh and she kicked me out, so can I stay here for the day?" Nate asked, "If it's okay with Vanessa of course. Wait, where is she?"
"She's with her mom this week. So it's just me, the kids, and now you."
"Thanks!" He spoke and they did their awkward handshake and they couldn't help but laugh at the memories it brought.
That night, Nate laid in bed thinking about the past. The past that involved Serena and him living happy. The past that he longed for everyday. The past he so desperately wished was the present. He knew he had lost her once he married Blair; he didn't regret it because he now had two beautiful kids, but he wished he had them with Serena. He soon drifted to sleep thinking of his dream girl.
"Hey Nate, wake up man," Dan shook him, "I'm going to take the kids out for breakfast. Do you want to come?"
"No, but thanks for the offer; I have to head back to the city and pick up Addison. Want to come? I'll drive and then we can all go for breakfast," Nate suggested.
"Yeah sure, sounds good."
"If you want you can spend the weekend with us in the Hamptons?"
"We'll have to see about that man..." Dan said apprehensively.