A/N: So the story is TV based but I'm also going to put elements of the books in here too. (:

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Sunday came quicker than Blair would've liked. She glanced over at her clock at her bedside and it was roughly seven minutes past six in the morning. She didn't know why, but she didn't sleep. Usually, Chuck would have worn her out in more ways than one but as he wasn't present tonight, she was left with herself and her memories. She thought about the summer that had just passed. School began tomorrow and soon it was back to focusing on her future, although there was someone missing. Of course, she was never going to admit it. She'd had enough of humiliation to ever let her heart out like that again. Nate didn't even talk to her, and there she was, right there in front of him, smiling, practically commanding him out to talk but there he was, glued to his bar stool, his vacant eyes darting from Blair back to Vanessa.

She remembers a postcard she was going to send to Serena. She pulled it out of her drawer and scanned it.

Dear S,

Are you and Nate hooking up? You can tell me if you are. I won't be mad, I swear. Gossip Girl has been going crazy with your supposed romance. Serena/Nate summer watch 2008? It's like Gossip Girl has turned into Us Weekly. Well, let me know what the truth is. No matter what I won't care. Really, xo B.

P.S. But seriously, you can tell me the truth. I'm a big girl.

Except when she was writing that postcard, she didn't feel like a big girl. She felt like she was twelve years old again, worried at the prospect of the blond űber girl who could click her fingers and every boy and even some girls would have came running to beg for a chance stealing Natie away all over again. She would be angry. To say she'd care was an understatement. She shoved it back into the drawer and felt like calling Serena, demanding the truth once and for all.

But instead, she suppressed the twelve year old inside and remembered that Serena gad grown over the past year. If sleeping with Nate sent her running to boarding school once, she wouldn't do it again, right?

--

Nate flipped open his cell and scrolled down his contacts. Who to call? Of course there was a time when there was only one girl to call, but now she was being called by Chuck. Nate sighed. Vanessa was not a brunch girl. She was more of a cereal for breakfast girl. Of course, Serena, his best friend and overall best girl.

"Serena?" Nate voiced huskily down the phone. On the other line, Serena smiled. It had been a while…since the "incident" had occurred and she was hoping the tension between herself and Nate had summered a bit.

Blair's insecurity over Nate and Serena wasn't unfounded. They did sleep together. Once, during their summer in the Hamptons. Blair didn't know, because well, Blair was sleeping with Chuck by this stage. It was a complete disaster. They were making out, kissing each other ferociously, because they knew now that they could and Blair couldn't chop their heads off for it. Serena burst into tears. Not because the sex with Nate was necessarily bad, he was just the wrong guy. Nate had loved Serena, but she wasn't the one he wanted to be kissing and Serena never loved Nate back because she was still in love with Dan. And winning him back was not going to be easy because clearly, Vanessa loved Dan too. Messed up? Not in the slightest.

"Hey Nate," She said in her best 'we're best-buds' tone. "Brunch?"

"Yeah I was actually calling to see if you'd come with." He suggested. "You know that Blair's with Chuck and all that."

"No I actually didn't know about that." she replied sarcastically. Nate Archibald and his genius.

"Shut up, I pick you up okay?" He responded playfully.

"If you insist." She shot back. Serena smiled, the crying sex disaster was over and she and Nate were friends again. She had to admit, she was naked during the sex but the tears made her feel more naked than anything. But Nate smiled sympathetically, picked her up in his arms, gave her a robe and let her sleep. He wasn't going to make a big deal out of it, it's not like he and Serena hadn't slept together before. They just needed someone, anyone. And there they were the two of them, heartbroken and confused so they decided to heal themselves the only way they really knew how. Sex was uncomplicated, except when Serena's tears were involved.

"Hey," Nate began, "have you been talking to Blair lately?" He ventured. He couldn't stop thinking about last night, the film of Blair just standing there outside in the rain. He didn't know why he just didn't storm out there, grab her around her waist and press his lips to hers, rectifying everything. But then there was Chuck.

"I was talking to her last night as a matter of fact," she told him, Nate perked up slightly, "I think she misses you, Nate. Why don't you just talk to her? You two have a history too big to ignore." She advised him softly.

Why didn't he just talk to her? She was right in front of him last night but he was paralyzed, unable to get up.

"Well I can talk to her today." He replied. "I'll see you later." He clicked off and ran his left hand through his brown hair, highlighted with blond streaks by the summer sun.

Why didn't he just talk?

--

Blair and Chuck were sitting with Kati and Isabelle at their table, waiting on Nate and Serena to join them. Bart Bass was hosting this particular brunch, along with his wife Lily. Serena hadn't really warmed up to the whole van der Bass situation just yet; Chuck hadn't grown any less annoying. But he was loyal, she'd give him that. And Eric liked having an older brother, so she'd put up with it, as long as this marriage lasted more than five minutes.

Nate and Serena walked into the room, together and Blair's eyes caught Nate's. And they stayed there for a while until she broke contact with another gulp of champagne.

"Hey," she murmured to Chuck, tugging his hand, and pressing her lips to his. She didn't know why she was doing it, but kissing Chuck right here and right now seemed like the only option.

"Okay, please, stop it!" Serena whined, slapping Blair on the arm as she took her place next to Blair at their table.

"Nathaniel," Chuck began in that smug tone of his, "any interest in catching up later? It's like you've fallen on the face of the earth."

"Sure." Nate drawled.

"You don't sound all that enthusiastic." he commented, "I'm sure you'll be enthusiastic with a few drinks in you." He said, handing over a bottle of champagne over to him. Nate cracked it open and poured him and Serena each a glass.

"Hey Blair." Nate said, directly to her. Blair took her eyes off Chuck.

"Hey." Was all she was able to manage. She tore his eyes away from him to Serena and asked, "There I was thinking cabbage patch would be accompanying you. Where is the virgin?" She demanded.

Serena gave her the eyebrow. Dan wasn't really Blair's favorite topic of conversation, why so desperate to change the subject, B?

"I still haven't talked to him." She admitted. Nate gave her a look as if to say "and you're commanding me to talk to Blair?"

"Cabbage patch is old," Chuck interjected, "Gossip Girl's Nate and Serena love watch two thousand and eight kept me very entertained, I must admit." He commented, looking at Nate suggestively. In Chuck mind, Nate and Serena were doing each other every night just as he and Blair were, and eventually they'd admit it because they belonged together.

Chuck's warped view of the Upper East Side was still very warped.

Blair flinched and was reminded of her postcard and the possibility of Nate and Serena, which was why Dan Humphrey had become a hot topic. The sooner D and S got back together, N would be alone and he'd come crawling back to B. And C could hook up with V, or whatever. Chuck had half the Upper East Side to keep him company.

Blair straightened Chuck's bow tie and Nate couldn't look. His stare averted to the ceiling.

"You don't mind if Nate and I go out by ourselves this evening, do you?" Chuck whispered to her.

"You won't be out yourselves. It's a day before school starts, Serena and I are coming too, right S?" She told Serena a little louder. Serena flicked her hair back. She looked empty and wistful.

"Yeah, sure whatever." She replied casually. She was planning on maybe making a trip over to the Humphrey apartment this evening, but what was the point? He'd probably make a film with Vanessa or whatever he did now that Serena was gone. The guilt of sleeping with Nate was still eating her up inside and she didn't know how long it could remain a secret for.

"Fine, we're all going out tonight then and we're going to have a fucking amazing time!" Chuck made a toast and everyone clinked glasses.

Nate couldn't find much to celebrate.

Neither could Blair.

--

Not that you're the one
Not to say I'm right
Not to say today
And not to say a thing tonight

But suffice it to say
We're leaving things unsaid
We sing ourselves to sleep
Watching the day lie down instead

And we are leaving some things unsaid
And we are breathing deeper instead

Unsaid – The Fray.

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So not a lot happened in this chapter, I just wanted some build-up before all the secrets come out ;) I hope you liked and feedback is much appreciated. Oh and the postcard is actually off the GG website! I wanted a bit of authenticity in there. (: