Disclaimer: Gossip girl and it's characters are not mine, only little Lydia and darling Sebastian but that's enough.

A/N: Here's the sequel to temptation, it focusses mainly on Lydia and Seb but includes their parents. It's mainly Lydia's POV and when I wrote this story I had actress Elizabeth Harnois in mind as Lydia and for Seb I pictured actor Ben Barnes (he has amazing eyes) but you can imagine who you like! Let me know if you enjoy it and I'll continue:)

Also I should note that I'm not from the USA so I have no idea when their holidays fall, when school finishes, university stuff etc so pardon the inevitable errors.

This felt like the longest night of Lydia's life. Okay so that was being a bit dramatic but she couldn't help it. She loved Blair and Chuck, they were practically family to her but sitting across from their devil spawn, in the mood she was in now was torture.

"He is a straight A student now which is great although I don't know when he has time to study with his love life."

Chuck patted his son proudly on the back but upon seeing his wife's disapproving face and Lydia's scornful eyes he shut up.

Serena pleaded silently with her daughter to behave, she was by all accounts a shy kid who gave them no hassle but she wasn't afraid to speak her mind among those she knew. She was seventeen and stunning which gave her father sleepless nights. If it had just been love struck teenagers that were falling over themselves for her Dan wouldn't have minded, but work colleagues, postmen, males young and old melted at the sight of her. They then even fell harder when she turned out to be endearingly artless and kind. It was a father's worst nightmare and despite the fact Lydia didn't date anyone he was still overly protective which was mainly why she didn't bother with men, why invite the hassle when she had her own surveillance officer?

"How can you call it a love life?"

Seb stop smiling and faced his 'friend' unashamedly.

"Excuse me shorty?"

Lydia felt a pang of bitter nastalgia when she heard Seb's old affectionate nickname for her, she was rather petite for her age but now when he used it it was as a deliberate insult, wiping away any happy memories of it from their past. She ignored it though and continued with her verbal assault more passionately.

"Well there is no love involved right Seb? You just kind of take them out, use them and drop them. Sort of like a pair of old shoes rather than a love life."

Seb glared.

"What would you know? You don't date at all so you're not really qualified on the subject!"

"Guys seriously! Whatever your issues, this is thanksgiving dinner so quit it or you'll both wish you were orphans."

Lydia took Blair's warning and said no more but she was far from finished. After that the parents talked about their lives and about their children in proud whispers as said offspring weren't there. The teenagers picked at their food and shot each other fiery glances in between bites.

Adele who was seven and worshipped the ground Lydia walked on (she was like real-life barbie to her) was close to tears when she heard them fighting. They all used to hang out together once upon a time, now the only time she saw Lydia was at social functions where she avoided her brother and sometimes even Adele just to keep the peace.

When did it become like this? Lydia asked herself this so many times but she knew the answer and her mother had warned her it was coming.

"Lydia, you and Seb might not always be bosom buddies."

They both laughed at the use of her word bosom and her father rolled his eyes but smiled adoringly at them both anyway.

"Why not?"

Lydia, always the melodramatic one thought Serena was going to reveal Seb had a terminal illness or something. At fourteen, Lydia had believed only death would sever the connection they had nurtured all their lives.

"Because things change and guys as teenagers can be unpredictable and difficult. Right honey?"

Dan looked up from his paper.

"Well I can't say that's ever described me but I hear such males do exist."

It was Serena's turn to roll her eyes playfully but when Lydia began to cry again she stopped.

"It's okay you can always find new friends."

This was after the first time Seb had ever snubbed her, he had ignored her for days at school and only snapped at her when she encountered him. He also found a new group of rich friends to follow him around blindly. All the girls worshipped the ground he walked on and the guys were dying to be near him as if his finesse would rub off. She wanted to call him but her pride had gotten in the way, she wasn't going to chase him around desperately wanting answers. Maybe he had just gone off her? Got bored of her? She wanted to weep again at the idea. Seb was her best friend and he hated her!

Those initial few months after their estrangement were the hardest of Lydia's life. She was never lonely, her beauty and personality always recommended her to potential friends but she had to find out who she was when she wasn't with Seb and Bass-Humphrey get togethers were an awkward affair.

Blair had interrogated her son for weeks about his attitude towards Lydia until her husband had told her to butt out, for Lydia's sake Serena hung out with her best friend on her own as much as possible.

Eventually it got easier, hurt turned to resentment and Lydia found herself wondering what she had liked about Seb in the first place. She found faults in him everywhere - his ego, his shallowness, the way he treated girls. She was better off without him. What used to be still haunted her though, she had loved her childhood but now her memories of it were bittersweet and she was confused to the point of madness at what she had done to make it all this way.

At least she had her other best friend Leanne.

"He's looking at you again."

Leanne and Lydia were eating lunch in the cafeteria surrounded by the usual gaggle of admiring males. Leanne didn't like the attention anymore than Serena, mainly because it wasn't anything to do with her and it got distracting. Lydia had learned to ignore and tune them out as if they were alone. She was completely oblivious to it most of the time anyway which only made them drool over her more.

"Is he glaring?"

"Sort of."

Leanne couldn't help herself drowning in Seb's deep brown eyes. He really was beautiful, with his flawless skin and angular jaw, don't even get her started on his body! Let's just say he definitely won the genetic lottery. His eyes were what caught most women and left them breathless though, soulful didn't even begin to describe them. Leanne felt herself getting hot and bothered just thinking about them so understandably she would have taken being glared at over invisibility any day. Leanne was pretty but next to Lydia she may as well have had gap tooth and a monobrow for all it mattered. She didn't really mind though, Lydia was her best friend and jealously never really occurred to her when her friend was so genuine.

"Just ignore him, I do. If he wants to be a prick than let him, I'm wasting no energy being affected by it."

That wasn't completely true, Lydia was affected by everything. She still got misty eyed watching nature programs where innocent zebras were being slaughtered by lions or when she accidently killed a spider. So having her once best friend stare daggers into her back definitely did something but she put on a brave face and ignored it.

"Hey Lydia."

Some of Seb's groupies were passing her table, they were so sweet and polite to her face but they were relentless backstabbers and gossipmongers. As far as they were concerned she had done something unforgivable to their darling Sebastian or maybe they were just jealous. Probably both.

"I still can't believe you guys used to be best friends."

Lydia sighed.

"Me neither."

She knew Leanne had an epic crush on Seb but then most females (and some males) did. Leanne wasn't great at concealing it, at least she knew Lydia would never tease her. Her avid interest Lydia's past with him was the most obvious indicator. She would get dreamy eyed when Lydia would reluctantly admit he was the best friend and most amazing gentlemen she knew until he became a teenager. Leanne felt she knew Seb somehow by knowing his past, she felt close to him.

"Can we not talk about him anymore? I want to enjoy my lunch in peace."

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

Nothing about her and Seb was okay anymore but if she was honest she was past caring, it was too exhausting to be so sensitive and easily hurt by him. It still happened but she hardened herself to it a little bit more everyday.

It was the subject of Leanne that had earned Seb Lydia's wrath on their thanksgiving dinner. She may have disliked him before but it could have been mended. The way he treated her best friend had earned him implacable hatred.

"You wouldn't think it to look at you."

Seb groaned but curiosity got the better of him. Fighting with Lydia was oddly arousing.

"What's that?"

"That you actually have no soul."

Seb rolled his eyes.

"Always the drama queen."

The parents were watching television in the lounge but Lydia had cornered Seb in the kitchen putting away dishes. For years she had stood by and took his attitude and avoidance but this wasn't about her anymore. He had wounded someone close to her and she was determined to let him know what she thought about it.

"How did you get like this? Maybe it's your grandfather's influence, he was never the gentleman."

"Don't you dare talk about my grandfather like that."

She knew it was mean considering how much he loved Bart but she wanted to provoke him and she knew where he was vulnerable.

"Oh so you do give a shit about something other than yourself?"

Seb glared.

"You are so righteous but one day you'll slip and learn to actually be a human being not some hall monitor all the time."

Lydia laughed.

"Everyone is a hall monitor compared to you. Ted Bundy looks like a freaking saint compared to you!"

She realised how harsh and stupid that sounded but when she got emotional she found it hard to control herself. Bully boy Leonard was evidence of that.

"You are so fucked up and it's none of your fucking business!"

Seb's hands turned into fists but he had no intention of hitting her, the wall would be the only victim, if any.

"Of course it's my business! You screw over my best friend, what did you think would happen? I think you did it all just to hurt me for some insane illogical reason."

"Don't flatter yourself."

Lydia sighed, she felt exhausted and close to tears as per their usual encounter.

"Okay whatever I'm going home."

A brief flicker of sympathy passed across Seb's features but not long enough to convince Lydia he was the same boy who was once so decent.

Later in the evening Seb was on his laptop when Chuck came into his room.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?"

Seb adored his father, he had no greater respect for anyone than his dad. They never told each other they loved them, it didn't need to be said unlike his mother who didn't stop telling him. He didn't relate to his mother so well although he didn't love her any less. However, there were often phases of teenage sullenness that even Chuck now had to contend with.

"I guess I walked into that one."

"Speaking of walking in, ever heard of knocking?"

"What were you planning to jerk off to internet porn?"

Seb groaned, usually he valued his father's openness but right now he found it grating.

"No but a basic level of privacy might be nice."

Chuck was undeterred.

"Fair enough."

"So what do you want?"

Chuck sighed.

"You used to talk to me about stuff like school and girls and I just want to remind you you still can okay?"

Chuck hated pulling the father card, most of the time they were more like friends who often ganged up on their mother who was more prudish when it came to teenage issues. Seb smiled at that since his dad had confided once that Blair had been the poster girl for outrageous behaviour in her time.

"I know."

Chuck didn't want to ask if Seb was having sex even though Blair wanted to know, she found her son's dating habits rather deplorable and was just dying to lecture him into propreity. Chuck however knew the answer to that question and an affirmative reply was not what Blair wanted to hear so he never asked. Of course they had had the cringe-worthy 'talk' which had satisfied Chuck he wasn't going to be a grandfather anytime soon. Seb did seem to run through girls with disconcerting speed that rivalled even Chuck's reputation as a Casanova. However Chuck was not one to judge and only wanted his son to learn for himself and live his own life and the mistakes that went with it.

"Good."

There was an awkward silence, obviously there were going to be no open-hearted confessions tonight.

"Did mom send you up here?"

"Sort of."

"Okay, I'd rather it be you than her."

"What son doesn't? Don't worry though it's not the traumatic sex talk again."

"Thank god, it's a bit late anyway."

Chuck wasn't surprised and Seb wasn't surprised at that, which is probably why he had said it so nonchalantly.

"Anyway, I'm not going to pry into why you and Lydia are at each others throats even though it's top priority for your mother. However, it affects us when you can't have a civil conversation at social events. Whatever you are fighting about from now on keep it to yourselves."

"Or what?"

Chuck frowned.

"You really want to ask? Seb with a trust fund like yours you have a lot to lose."

Seb nodded. He knew his parents wouldn't cut him off but he also knew he was being an ass so he let it drop.

As soon as Lydia returned home early from the thanksgiving fiasco she called Leanne who was still crying.

"Hey hun."

"What did he say?"

"Not much."

Leanne began to cry harder, not sure whether that was positive or negative but distraught anyway.

"How could he just dump me? I love him!"

"No you don't."

Lydia wondered bitterly how many other girls had thought the same thing, cried over the same rejection. Seb really was an affront to all sensible women.

"What?"

"You love what he represents, how he looks, the way he acts but that's not him, not really. Be grateful though, loving someone like him will be poison for whoever is unlucky enough to fall for him."

"I do love him! How do you know how I feel?"

"I'm not saying you don't think so, but you have to know someone to love them and no one truly knows Sebastian Bass, not even me."

Leanne took this into consideration before quietly replying.

"My hearts feels broken nonetheless. I gave him my virginity and two days later he ends it! He didn't even give me a proper reason and then I see him with Becky Rutherford attached to his face!"

Lydia shuddered at the idea of being so manipulated and used.

"You're better than him."

"I know but then why do I still want to crawl back to him and beg him to try again?"

"It's what Seb does best and you're not the first so don't worry it will pass."

Leanne was practically sobbing down the phone, if Lydia was a crappy friend she would have reminded her that she had warned her about Seb, hell everyone in school knew what he was like but she kept quiet. Even Lydia who practically hated his guts couldn't help but admire his way with words, his charming smile and now that he had grown his hair out quite long he had a sexy bad boy air about him that was a cross between Christian bale and Johnny Depp. He was the holy grail of dating opportunities but it always came with a price which was usually a giddy ascension where you felt like the only woman in the world before a rapid fall from notice.

"It will be okay Leanne I promise."

She knew that better than anyone. Mercifully a call on the other line spared her from listening to her friend's wailing.

"Hello?"

"Hey Lydia it's Nate."

Nate was supposed to be in Australia with his wife but he did check in a lot with his friends. He was due back in the country in a week after years overseas for business. She hadn't seen him since she was about thirteen at his wedding.

"Hey how are you?"

"I'm pretty good yourself?"

"Yeah hanging in there. I just wanted to wish you guys a happy thanksgiving."

"Thank you and happy thanksgiving to you too. Mom and dad are still at Blair's."

"Ah okay, aren't you supposed to be there too?"

Lydia sighed.

"Wild horses couldn't drag me back there tonight."

Nate chuckled lightly.

"Bad night?"

"Something akin to torment I'd say."

Nate smiled, she was so much like her mother, mountains out of molehills but in the most endearing way.

"What happened?"

"You don't really want to know you must have better things to do than listen to me rant on on an overseas call."

"Humour me."

"Okay."

Completely forgetting Leanne's breakdown on the other line Lydia went into details while Nate listened and gave advice. Since late in her childhood Nate had made an effort to get to know Lydia after neglecting her in the past and now she found herself chatting with him for two hours before her parents came home and took over.

"My daughter hasn't been keeping you from anything has she?"

Nate laughed.

"Not at all your daughter is as engaging as always, it's easy to forget she's only seventeen."

Serena smiled.

"Don't I know it, she's top of her class, can cook better than me and knows more about world politics than Dan which says a lot."

"I thought I heard her getting a little cynical earlier."

Nate laughed to show he was only joking but truthfully he couldn't believe where the shy little girl went. She was just as lovely as before but far more outspoken and if he dared believe it, bitter. To be all that at seventeen was impressive.

"So happy thanksgiving Nate I almost forget you'd call considering in Australia it's just another day."

"That's where my surprise comes in. I'm not in Australia."

"What exotic locale are you in now?"

"Home, which isn't that exotic but the only place I want be."

"That's so great! Are you jet lagged?"

"Insanely so but I just had thanksgiving dinner with my parents which was nice."

"Hows Rachel?"

Rachel was Nate's wife, they had a tumultuous relationship at best. She came from old money so his parents approved but she was insecure and neurotic to an almost unmanageable level. A life of high society had made her overly paranoid and jealous about everything when every other wife was having some sort of sordid affair and all thinking about trying for one which her husband. Nate at thirty six was as effortlessly handsome and charming as he had been as a teenager which was part of the problem.

"She's okay I think."

"You think?"

"We're getting a divorce."

"Oh no!"

Serena tried to feign sympathy but the truth was she didn't get on with Rachel when Nate still lived in NY due to her past with him. Rachel saw her as a competitor and acted accordingly, it was only when Rachel made some unfair remarks about her daughter being a wallflower that Serena stopped trying to be nice. Dan and Nate even got along now so she thought it was weird Rachel couldn't at least pretend to be civil.

"Yeah it's been expected, we were making each other miserable which is sad because we used to be so happy. Some things just don't work out."

His resigned tone told Serena he had processed it all a long time ago.

"I'm sorry."

"Me too but at least I'm back among friends."

"Exactly and if you're not too tired you'd be welcome to come to brunch tomorrow, we still have the turkey my mother gave us, I could make it into some soup!"

"I wouldn't miss it."

Lydia was beyond excited, Nate was coming around! He always brought her and Seb something from his travels. Lydia loved to be regaled about his exciting trips abroad where he usually found himself in some laughable situation or mishap usually due to Rachel's culture ignorance. Lydia was no fan of Mrs. Nate Archibald so she enjoyed hearing about the humiuliating blunders she usually found herself in having lived with too much money and not enough common sense. Nate getting divorced was the smartest thing she thought he had done in a while.

"Nate's here Lydia!"

Lydia quickly threw on a strappy peach dress that she thought suited the occasion and bounded down the stairs happily.

"Hey Nate!"

Nate looked up at her as if she were a stranger. Shock and anxiety were temporarily evident in his expression before it changed to happiness.

"Little Lydia is quite the young lady!"

Lydia couldn't help blushing and fiddling with her hands self-consciously.

"Mom has made so much turkey soup I think I could take it to the local shelter and feed all the homeless of New York."

Nate laughed and draped his arm casually around her as he led her into the dining room.

"I don't doubt it. Anyone else invited?"

"Like who?"

The innocence in Lydia's eyes made Nate's heart leap unusually. It was only brotherly affection he convinced himself.

"Like a boyfriend."

Lydia rolled her eyes but she couldn't help feeling something rise up in her when she felt Nate's warm grasp. What was that?"

"Why do you all assume I have to be being romanced by someone?"

Dan came in with the dishes.

"You tell him sweetie, no boy is good enough for my daughter so we have decided to wait until she's at least thirty or I'm dead for her to start dating."

They all laughed and sat down to brunch when Lydia added:

"Who knows? I could surprise you all and be a lesbian."

Nate tried his best not to imagine Lydia having a lesbian affair with another beautiful woman but he was only human, a sick depraved one at that.

There was a change in the air, Lydia could feel it although she couldn't put her finger on what it was. She didn't believe in fate or destiny but whether it was the return of a prodigal brother or her blow up with Seb, she definitely felt the excitement of possibility around her.