A/N: So here I am, stuck with the flu (not swine btw) and this came into mind and I just couldn't let it go. Did this while sipping a delicious cup (mug, actually) of tea and warming up by the fireplace (heater). Enjoy! :)

P.S. It's set after season 3 episode 12.

xoxo

I Wanna Be With You

I try but I cant seem to get myself
To think of anything
But you
Your breath on my face
Your warm gentle kiss I taste the truth
I taste the truth

He sits there, watching the ever-so-gorgeous blonde, sleeping peacefully on the hospital bed. Can she get any more beautiful despite the cuts and bruises? He wondered at the thought.

She moves a bit but doesn't wake up. All that's heard is her soft, low breathing and the quiet beeping coming from the heart monitor.

He continues to stare, to wonder what would've happened if she hadn't made it, if she'd be gone from him forever. The thought eventually led to his now-present hatred for his cousin Tripp, the one relative Nate actually thought was real. Not just another pompous, rich bastard just like most of his relatives. He was a fraud; all that mattered to him was his image.

He rubbed his knuckles, still feeling the intensity from the punch he gave his cousin.

God, he wishes he would've made it to Serena sooner but with her it was always so complicated. She wouldn't have listened to him anyway. She basically rejected him after the wonderful Thanksgiving party they had.

But right now, at that moment, none of it mattered. At that moment, the only thing that did matter, that always mattered, was Serena, his Serena.

"Because ever since last week, ever since three years ago when you left...please stay here with me. Please give me a chance." The words lingered in his mind.

Please give us a chance. He thinks wishfully, hoping that one day, some day, it'd happen.

Of all people, didn't they deserve their chance to be with each other? They've been around almost full-circle, practically dating the whole city, but each other.

If they were in a perfect world, they would've been the ones that were paired up when they were children, not Blaire and Nate, but Serena and Nate. They wouldn't have had to go through a cycle of messes that caused them to fade away from each other. But it wasn't a perfect world.

Besides, if it were perfect, they wouldn't have had that amazing night after the Sheperd wedding. They've been through so many relationships, flings, etc. only to be led back to one another because no matter how many girls and guys that get in between them, somehow, some way, they'd always find their way back.

A nurse in her mid-40s walks in to check on her and flashes Nate a smile.

"She's lucky to have you by her side." She says in a voice loud enough for him to hear but not too loud to wake Serena up.

Nate grins, "thank you."

The nurse nods and says a quick 'you're welcome' before leaving the room.

The blonde socialite stirs a little and stops once she gets herself into a comfortable position. "Natie." She says in a barely audible voice, but he hears.

Hearing the nickname she used to call him by when they were children melts his heart. But then again it was Serena. She always had a knack for doing so.

He found it adorable that she hadn't lost her sleep talking habits and even more adorable that she said his name. Not Tripp's, not Carter's, not Dan, not even Chuck for that matter. (But we all know that would never happen, thank God.)

She said his name, well, his nickname at the very least.

He scoots himself closer to Serena, stroking her hair, gently enough so she wouldn't wake up. "I'm here." He says simply. Always.

He lightly touches the minor injuries on her face, not regretting having hit his own cousin for what he's done to her.

Her lids slowly open and she meets his gaze. "Hi." Her voice small, but still held the tone that Nate loved.

"Hey." He smiles.

"Were you here the whole night?" She asks, even though she did know the whole time that he was. For some reason, she wanted him to admit that he did.

"The whole night." He admitted. "I didn't want you to be alone when you woke up."

Concern was written in his eyes. "Are you feeling okay?"

She laughs, "I'm fine. It's nothing I can't handle."

There she was again, the girl of his dreams. She had the whole world right at her feet. In some way, regardless of what happened, he was proud of her. Her strength and her ability to brush things off, she is the most beautiful and alive person he's ever known.

"You always manage to get into some sort of mess, don't you?" He says jokingly, but with a matter-of-fact quality to the question.

"Nate," she began, serious this time, "I'm sorry. You were right about this whole thing. I should've listened to you."

"You don't need to apologize, Serena. I'm just glad you're okay." He says truthfully. It wasn't Serena's fault. Who was he to hold this against her? He also had his fair share of mistakes as well.

"Thank you." She flashes him one of those famous Serena van der Woodsen smiles.

"For what?"

"For staying with me."

Again, his heart warmed. It was incredible that she always had the ability to do that.

He furrows his eyebrows and his gaze becomes more serious, yet gentle.

"Serena, I'd do anything for you." It was true because at that moment, Nate Archibald was once again in love with the free-spirited girl he had known his whole life.

And one thing came to mind, he wanted to be with her.

xoxo

Don't forget to review! Comments, suggestions, etc.