A/N: Thank you again for all the review and alerts. It blows me away that people have this as their one of their favorites. Thank you so much! Hope you guys like it. Please let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl or characters.

"Waldorf."

"Bass."

The two greeted each other as coldly as they had since their Hamptons summer began. Nate rolled his eye aware and annoyed at his two best friend's behavior. When asked Chuck admitted that the tension was caused after Blair had intervened a hook up with a hot new intern at Bass Industries. Nate was hoping that after hooking up with a few townies he would get over it and the trio would go back to normal. He had hoped that after spending the past year at his grandfather's that everything would be the same as before. This was their last summer before leaving for school and Nate was planning on making the most of it with those two whether they liked it or not.

Blair had prayed that Chuck would forgive her for ending things with him. If only he understood that it was all out of her control. Her whole life her parents and the Archibalds had planned their engagement. All of New York society new of their future together. The merging of the two families would be huge for both Blair's involvement in New York society but also Nate's future political career. The future she wanted was planned out, and she couldn't let her lust for Chuck get in the way. She was too close to having everything she ever especially since she'd be starting at Yale in just a couple of months.

Though her relationship with Chuck was strained to say the least, ever since Nate had returned they were closer than ever. He was almost like a new person with her. He had always been sweet and caring with her, but had also always treated her more like a best friend than the girlfriend she was suppose to be. However, this Summer he was being much more affectionate towards her. This fact alone solidified the fact to Blair that she had made the right decision. Chuck was licking his wounds now, but he would be fine she told herself. Everything is working out the way its suppose to.

"So Blair, Chuck and I were thinking about walking down to the pier. You should walk down with us. We'll grab ice cream cones." Blair looked at Nate's handsome smile and blue eyes and wanted to say yes, but then she glanced over to Chuck's dark eyes and saw a hint of pain in his expression. She quickly tore her eyes away from his.

"Actually, I am suppose to meet up with Serena to go shopping. You guys have fun."

"Okay, but tonight no excuses we're all getting together for dinner. Bring Serena. Chuck needs a dinner date. He's been moping around all Summer like a heartbroken puppy." Nate joked as he leaned in to kiss her goodbye. Blair shot her eyes to Chuck praying he read the "I'm sorry" in her expression. With that she left the boys to walk down to the pier as she made her way to meet up with Serena trying not to think of the idea of having to spend a whole evening with Chuck.

Nate and Chuck stopped once they got to the end of the pier beer bottles in hand and lean over the railing looking out at the horizon.

"I slept with someone last year while I was gone." Nate confessed keeping his head straight eyes focused out on the water.

Chuck chocked on his beer, and turned his head looking at his best friend not saying a word.

Nate continued, "She was a girl in my class. Tall, blond, we had a lot in common so we started hanging out after school and I guess one thing lead to another." He ran his hands through his sandy blond hair that he had let get shaggy for the Summer. "It was nice, you know? I mean not the sex...I mean YES the sex was awesome, but I meant hanging with her was nice. It was easy. There wasn't this whole family history thing that Blair and I have. All the pressure of having to be together. We just had a good time goofing off and hanging out and..."

"And fucking."

"Yes Chuck and fucking. I broke things off with her before prom. Knowing that I was coming back just made me feel guilty about the whole thing; even though Blair and I weren't officially together while I was gone. I just...I just feel like shit about hurting Blair." Nate took a long swig of his bottle and turned to Chuck to hear his response.

The breeze coming from the water blew Chuck's bangs across his forehead. He squinted his eyes while looking to Nate. "So you still want to be with Blair though? It seems like you were so happy with this other chick because she was everything Blair is not. I just don't understand why you come back and get right back together with Blair. Maybe you should play the field for awhile. Allow Blair to date around some. You guys are young, and you're getting ready to go off to school. Different schools might I add. Do you know how much untapped ass is out there waiting for you Archibald? They're gonna be lining up to have just one night with you."

"Haha, that's my boy!" Nate patted Chuck on the back. "Always looking out for me and my sexual conquests. I don't really have a choice though. Grandfather told me before I left to come out here that he wants me and Blair to make a "pre-engagement announcement" before we head off to school."

"What like a promise ring, Archibald? How chivalrous." Chuck scoffed in disgust.

"Yeah something like that I guess. He wants us to announce to society that we are planning on marring after graduation. That we are spending the next four years focusing on our educations and then after that we can focus on the wedding." Nate turned his back leaning on the rail facing away from the ocean now. "Its already decided my friend. So do me a favor and sleep with as many women as you can for me." He smiled at Chuck and then began walking back down towards the pier. "Come on, we need to get ready to meet the girls for dinner."

Chuck waited a moment before joining Nate. He felt paralyzed by the conversation he had just had. He knew in his heart that Nate and Blair should not be together. He knew no one could ever love Blair Waldorf the way he did, and he also wanted Nate to be with someone who he felt about the way Chuck did for Blair. He felt bad for his two friends who were forced into this life by their families who only saw how this arrangement would benefit them. He felt bad for himself because he was being forced to be an onlooker to the life he wish to God he could have.

Dinner that night had gone better than anticipated by all. Chuck and Blair remain more subdue allowing the two bubblier dinner companions to take over most of the conversation. After dinner Serena suggested a walk on the beach in the moonlight. Serena and Nate were playing at the water's edge splashing and laughing while Chuck and Blair stayed back walking further up the shoreline with their shoes in their hands. Neither said anything both just enjoying being next to each other. Alone for the first time since their fight in Blair's kitchen. Blair stopped to look up at the moon over the water the wind blowing her hair away from her face. Chuck watched Blair in the moonlight noting that she had never looked more beautiful and the he felt a pain so sharp in his foot he fell to the sand with a yelp.

"Oh my God, Chuck are you okay?" Blair dropped down to his level trying to figure out what was causing his pain.

Breathlessly Chuck responded, "I don't know! Oh God it hurts!" He was grabbing his foot in agony. It was then that Blair noticed an annoyed looking crab scuffling away from Chuck. Blair couldn't help herself as she started laughing uncontrollably at Chuck.

In between laughs she was able to get out "Oh Chuck, Oh God; it was just a crab that pinched you." She was laughing so hard tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was having trouble breathing. "Hahahaha the way you fell to the ground Oh God. You should have seen yourself!"

"Oh yeah Waldorf?" With that he pounced on Blair tickling her under her ribcage. "You think that's funny do you?"

"Oh no Chuck, please stop" She squirmed laughing in hysterics as he continued to tickle her. "I can't breath, I can't breath." They were having so much fun rolling around in the sand, Blair pinned underneath Chuck that they didn't notice Serena and Nate walking up towards them.

"Well it looks as if someone kissed and made up." Nate commented on the two laying in the sand.

Both of them shot their gaze up to Nate who was smiling down on them. Chuck then realized he was still laying on top of Blair so he quickly jumped up brushing the sand off himself trying to distance himself from her. Nate picked Blair up off the sand.

"Yeah, well Chuck got pinched by a crab, and it was funny then one thing lead to another." Blair stated defensively not wanting Nate to suspect anything.

"Well thank you Chuck for providing entertainment to my beautiful girlfriend who wouldn't come down to the water with me." Nate said as he wrapped his arm around Blair bringing her in for a quick peck. Blair's eyes dropped down to her feet. She couldn't look at Chuck at that moment. She felt so uncomfortable being intimate with Nate in front of him.

"Yeah B. Come down to the water with us. I promise its not cold, and you only have to stick your feet in. It'll feel good." Serena tried to convince Blair to play in the water's edge with them.

"Actually, I'm feeling pretty tired. I think I'm going to head home for the night. You guys have a good time."

At the same time all three of her friends said, "I'll walk back with you." Nate shot Chuck a curious glance while Serena repeated, "I'll walk back with you B." Linking her arm in Blair's they headed for home leaving the two boys standing in the sand.

"So how long have you and Chuck been hooking up?" Serena asked as casually as she could.

Blair stumbled slightly shocked at the questions. "I have no idea what you're talking about Serena. Chuck and I are not hooking up. I am dating Nate." She tried to sound offended at the suggestion.

"Oh B. It's so obvious that you two have feelings for each other. The way he was starring at you throughout dinner. Like you were the dish he wanted to devour. He is crazy about you. Its written all over his face. Is that why you guys are fighting? Did something happen before Nate returned?" Serena stopped walking to look Blair in the face trying to get her friend to open up to her. She could tell this Summer had been stressful for Blair and she was concerned.

Blair exhaled, "Okay so we hooked up while Nate was gone. But now Nate's back and NO ONE can know about it. You cannot say anything to anyone."

"But if you have feelings for him you need to talk to Nate. If you guys truly have a connection and want to be together maybe Nate would understand. He loves you both so much. We were talking about your friendship tonight on the beach. He feels very blessed to have the two of you in his life."

"Well he wouldn't feel so blessed if he knew I've been sleeping with his best friend for the past six months so lets just drop it okay. Nate can never know." Blair started walking again at a quicker pace eager to get home.

"Wait, what?" You've been having an affair with Chuck for the last six months?" Serena stood dumbfounded then took off to catch up with her friend.

"Duh Serena didn't I just say that we hooked up."

"Hooking up is one things but a six month love affair. Oh my gosh B, you guys are in love." Serena linked her arm thru Blair's again.

"Ugh Serena, don't romanticize this. It was a mistake. I mixed up feelings of friendship with something more. Anyways, even if I wanted to be with Chuck I couldn't be so there's no point in even talking about it." Serena heard the heartbreak in the last part of Blair's statement. So she let it drop for now. Her heart hurt for her friend that was so obviously in love with another man, but she didn't know how to make B see that she was wrong for thinking there was nothing she could do about it. The two girls spent the rest of their walk in silence. Serena didn't comment on the sniffles she heard coming from her petite friend. She only wrapped her arm around her shoulders offering silent comfort.