Author's Note: I know it's not that great, but this is my third Nate and Blair fanfic and I'm determined to actually finish this through the end. Comments are more than welcome and highly appreciated.

When Nate was dating Blair he always had a plan. At the time he hated it- he was going to propose to her in Paris, they would get married at St. Patrick's Cathedral, and would later have two children (a boy that looked just like Nate and a girl that looked just like Blair). Now at twenty four he would give anything to be on that path again.

Blair was engaged to Hugh Whitney, a red haired man from a very respectable family. Hugh had been unnoticed by Blair when she was attending NYU, but he always held a flame for her during their English class. When he didn't see her on campus sophomore year he was disappointed. It was "fate", according to Blair, that he stopped her from walking into ongoing traffic.

"I was texting Serena, not paying attention to anything when suddenly I felt two hand around my waist. I was just about ready to take out pepper spray until I realized I had seen him before. I assured him I wasn't going to walk and asked him to promptly release me. He did and that's how I met the love of my life."

He had heard that story so many times it was engrained in his head. He accepted the fact that it was romantic but it didn't change the fact that Hugh was the completely wrong guy for her, certainly not the love of her life.

He, himself, was married to Meredith. She could easily have been described as the perfect woman. She was five food seven, blond, with long legs and a gorgeous face. She was smart, sweet, and naïve. They had met in college and were engaged shortly after graduation.

They don't talk much and have nothing in common, but she was a nice fit. At least that's what his grandfather had said, "She'll be the perfect campaign wife and after all she's a Presbyterian." Sometimes he thought that he may love Meredith but overall he knew that he would never love anyone as much as he loved, loves Blair.

He is standing in a recruiting office for the military. He's not entirely sure why but it feels right. He's never been smart and he's in a stale marriage and interning for Chelsea Clinton. He doesn't look forward to his life. He simply just lives it and it feels like forever.

He signs up to be a marine and the first call he makes is to Blair. She doesn't answer.

"Blair, it's Nate. I have an announcement to make. Invite the whole gang to my apartment tonight. Meredith will make dinner."

And Blair's arrives at the newlywed's home at a quarter after seven. It's perfectly decorated and looks like it came out of a magazine. Meredith is wearing a red Tommy Hilfiger dress that compliments the Archibald family ring perfectly. The blond Grace Kelly look alike kisses Blair on the cheek and accepts the pastries that Blair brought over.

Blair even with Hugh at her side feels awkward. She suspects that she's the fat cheerleader out of the two. She fixes her hair after making this judgment.

Meredith makes small talk about her work as a non- profit lawyer, of course she is, and how Nate wants to buy a puppy but she's really not ready for that just yet.

All while Blair's hands are entwined in her fiancée's. He's he only reason she's able to bear this at all and she keeps holding his hand tighter and tighter.

Serena and Chuck arrived together, they had started working together and had become the best of friends. Though Chuck had done his best to move on he still cringed at the sight of Blair and Hugh holding hands.

"Waldorf. How's it been?" He went over to hug her and he was able to feel the band of her engagement ring through his blazer.

"I've missed you. We haven't seen each other in forever."

"That's because you've been crazy planning your wedding. I've barely even seen you", Serena chimes into the conversation.

The next ten minutes are spend in easy conversation, but they're all wondering where exactly Nate is.

"He said he'd be here at seven thirty. Well, either way. I should take the pork out of the stove." Meredith assesses.

Blair almost screams of glee. Meredith cooked pork. Nate hadn't eaten pork since they had seen "Babe" together in grade school. Maybe perfect Meredith wasn't all that perfect. Was it possible Nate had never told her about this? Did Blair know the hostess' husband better than her?

"Why are you smiling?" Hugh asks his beautiful fiancée.

"No reason. I think I'm going to help Meredith in the kitchen."

Hugh is left with Serena and Chuck. By this point Serena has already had three glasses of whiskey and Chuck has put himself into a depression.

"Blair is really something, isn't she?" Blair hears Chuck say while she's on her way to prove something to Meredith. She almost feels bad for Chuck. Even after she broke up with him her freshmen year in college he had still loved her. She wasn't making it up either, he had told her several times when he was drunk. But she was with Hugh who is loved., maybe not as much as Nate but that was an entirely different matter.

"Why are you making Nate pork?"

"Why not?" Meredith was more confused than she'd ever been. "Nate loves pork."

"Really? Maybe he's changed." But Blair refused to be wrong about this. "I've got it. Does he finish the pork really quickly but not touch his sides?"

"How'd you know about that?"

"He's not really eating the pork, just hiding them. Oh and does he clean the dishes those nights?"

"He says that I shouldn't have to do things after I've made his favorite."

"That's because he doesn't want you to see that he hasn't eaten it."

Meredith was on the verge on tears, "Why would he lie about that? I don't even really like pork."

And of course it's then that Nate arrives. He enters the restaurant worthy kitchen to see his wife crying. He goes to comfort her, but she pushes him away.

"Nate, I made pork but you don't like pork so can you just order pizza?" she says never really looking at his face.

Nate drags Blair into the next room.

"What did you do to my wife?"

"I just told her the truth. You don't eat pork. I know you better than anyone."

"And she started crying?"

"She's a very fragile person." Nate doesn't say anything. He looks at his ex girlfriend and as much as he wants to be mad he can't be. Her blue eyes and pout make it impossible. He leans towards her and hugs her.

"I have something to tell you. I wanted to do it at dinner, but that probably won't be for a while."

"Why can't you just tell me now?" Blair asks.

"I'm going to Iraq. I'm going to be a marine."

Blair cries the whole night. She doesn't want to lose Nate to anyone let alone a war she doesn't believe in. She tries her best to stop. It's not like her to cry in public but she can't help it. Hugh tries to comfort her but he can't. As much as he tries to be her perfect man, he's not. He's just a replacement.

"Blair, can we just take about this?" Hugh asks through her locked bathroom door.

He doesn't get an answer and only hears her cries through the door.