Serena has never been good at making important decisions. Running on the other hand? She's been excellent at that. Sometimes she feels like she's been running so long, she doesn't know how to stop. She's ended so many relationships in her life because it was the easiest thing to do. She's hurt people, hurt herself, by bolting when things get hard, and she knows she can't do it anymore.

The thing is she loves both Dan and Nate, like seriously loves them, just in totally different ways. When she thinks about Dan, she thinks of new beginnings, second chances, and butterflies she's never felt before. And really, it's an amazing feeling, having someone love you for who you are now, because they never knew who you then. He was her first real try at normal, and normal, it feels really nice. For the longest time she thought she could really make it work, really love this guy forever, but now, now she's not sure.

See the thing is, there's always been a Nate. He's her constant, her rock, he's always been there, through everything, wearing a smile, holding out a hand, even when he should have walked away. He gets her, gets why she is who she is, and he just shrugs it off, brushes her hair out of face, and stays. There have never been butterflies with Nate, but there have been goose bumps, and fire, lots of fire. He can melt her heart with a look, and turn the worst day ever, into one of the best, with just a simple phone call. It all means so much, and she knows, that they have so much more they need to explore.

She's eating her breakfast when she looks up to see Eric standing in the door smiling. "I received a text from Blair, saying there was drama in Serenaville…"

"I have a decision to make," she frowns. "I can't believe she texted you."

"Apparently I need to speak to you about doing the right thing…" Eric smiles. "So, this decision, am I to assume it's deciding between Nate and Dan?"

"You are good little brother," she nods. "I just didn't realize this would be so hard…"

"So you don't know who you want?" Eric asks.

Serena sighs, "Well, I believe I do, I mean, I'm almost positive that I do, it's just very hard to think about closing a door for good…"

"You make it sound so final." Eric smiles, "Do you really think either of those guys will walk away from you?"

"I don't know." She shrugs. "But everything will change," she sighs. "Because this time, this is it, really, really it, you know? So yeah, it is kinda final."

"Wow." Eric sighs.

"I know. Sometimes I wonder how I get myself into these messes…" Serena groans.

"I've been wondering that about you for most of my life,' Eric smiles.

"Not funny," Serena pouts. "This is a really tough thing for me to do…"

"Well if it helps, at least you are deciding between the two best guys you've ever dated," Eric shrugs. "You can't really go wrong as long as you follow your heart."

"Maybe, but no matter what I do, someone will be hurt, and it just sucks that I have to be the one that does that…"

"Well you are the one they are both in love with," Eric nods. "And while Blair sent me here to tell you who to choose, I will simply say this, you know who you love already, just be honest with yourself, and everyone involved and everything will work out."

"It's that simple?" Serena asks.

"Nothing is simple in Serenaville," he jokes. "But I'm sure over time things will work themselves out."

"I really hope so…" Serena nods. "I think maybe that's what's took me so long to decide. I don't want to lose either one of them."

"But you do love one of them, and doesn't he deserve to know that?"

"Yeah, I guess he does."

"And believe it or not, you do deserve to be in a happy healthy relationship."

Serena smiles at the comment, "I do don't I?"

"Yes, you do."

She makes plans with Nate for later in the day, and then gets a call from Dan to hang out that night. It's weird, kind of insane even, that all of this is happening, maybe, she thinks, the insane part is that it's all finally coming to an end.

When she gets to Nate's he opens the door with that huge smile of his and suddenly the day just feels nice. He wraps his arms around her and pulls her to him, and she laughs against him like she's done so many times before.

"So, hi." She smiles staring into his eyes.

"Hi yourself," he grins. "I was pretty stoked when you called… Was kinda worried things were going all weird for us again.." He begins.

"Weird?"

"Yeah," he speaks as he shuts the door behind her. "Because of the other night, but you know, maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that?" He speaks lowering his head. "Because now I've just made things all awkward right? Yeah, I really shouldn't have mentioned that…."

Serena just smiles at him, "You mean because we almost kissed? No, Natie, things are not awkward."

"Yeah? Good." Nate laughs. "Because I don't ever want things to be weird for us again. You're too important to me."

"I feel the same way," she smiles.

"And I just want to make sure you know I'm cool with doing things your way…" Nate adds with a smile.

"Really?" Serena asks.

"Well…" Nate smirks, "Most of the time."

"How would we do things if we did them your way?" She asks arching an eyebrow as his eyes widen a little..

"Serena.." He smiles dropping his head, "That's not a place we need to go right now."

"No?"

"No."

"Okay, if you say so."

"I do." Nate nods. "Because we're doing us, and we can't complicate that…You don't want to complicate it right?"

She's silent for a moment, because he's staring at her and she just wants to drink in the moment for some reason. "Yeah, right." She finally speaks.

"Right." He nods shuffling a bit to the side as he lets out a sigh. "So you look amazing, have I told you that yet? But you always look amazing…"

"Natie," she laughs and she knows she's blushing so she just looks away, "You always look amazing too."

"We were just born that way…" He jokes.

"You were maybe," she laughs. "This? It takes work."

"Not true," Nate laughs. "You wake up just as beautiful as you are now…" he speaks wrapping his arms around her waist loosely.

"Umhmm sure…"

"Ok, so maybe there was that one time…" He teases.

"One time?" Serena asks.

"I might have waked up and found you drooling in your sleep…" He grins. "Not your best moment, but you still looked adorable."

"I do not drool in my sleep Archibald!" She shrieks smacking him on the arm gently.

He just laughs at her as he pulls her over to the couch and they sit down, "I kinda think you do…"

"Ok maybe…Sometimes I swear you know too much about me…"

"That's not a bad thing," Nate smiles. "I love that you know? That we've literally grew up together, and when I think about all the amazing things in my life, you were somehow always there, always part of them…"

"Natie…" She whispers.

"It's true S, you are part of every chapter of my life," he shrugs.

She feels her heart speed up as she looks at him, "I don't think I've ever thought of it that way… Every chapter huh?" She asks. "Not all of those have been good." She frowns.

"Every book has its ups and downs…" He shrugs. "It's the way it ends that matters."

She lets out a tiny laugh, "Wow, that's very…deep."

"Hey, I can be deep!" He smirks. "I rock at deep."

"Yeah you do…" She speaks nodding her head. "Hey Natie?"

"Yeah?"

"This book, with all the chapters," she speaks slowly. "How does it end?"

There's just something about the way he looks at her, so honest and sincere that makes her heart melt. "I don't know," he shrugs honestly and then he tilts his head again and bites his lip a little, "You tell me."

All Serena can do is smile, because for the first time in a long time, she thinks she might actually know the answer to that one herself. "It ends great," she speaks, "But it's far from over…"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," she nods. "In fact I have a feeling the good stuff is just getting started."

Nate stares at her for a moment and tilts his head, "You know something I don't?" He asks.

"Maybe…" She grins.

"You want to let me in on it?"

"No," she laughs gently. "Not yet."

He just stares at her and she knows, more than ever before that she's made the right decision and honestly, it feels amazing.

She shows up at Dan's place early, because she's nervous, and really just wants to tell him what she's feeling. She knocks on the door and takes a deep breathe, because this is one of the hardest things she's had to do in a while.

When Dan opens the door he's smiling at her, and for a second she remembers when his smile used to make her heart flutter.

"Serena van der Woodsen early for once?" Dan jokes. "I think I'm in shock."

"Funny." She laughs.

"Seriously, this never happens." Dan smiles.

"Maybe I'm trying something new."

"New can be good," Dan nods.

Walking into Dan's place, she looks around. So many memories flood her mind and she knows it would be easy to get lost in them.

"Do you think," She begins looking over at Dan, "Do you think we could talk?"

"There's a sentence that never ends well," Dan speaks sticking his hands in his pockets. "So, what's going on?"

"I just, I've been thinking about a lot of things," she begins. "About things I've said, ideas I had, and I guess I realized, things weren't working the way I thought they would…"

"Serena, you're confusing me," Dan frowns. "What things?"

"Just being friends with you and Nate," she sighs. "I thought that could work."

"And you don't think it has?"

"Do you think it has?" She asks honestly.

"Well other than my obvious jealousy and Nate's insecurities I'd say it's worked quite well," he grins.

"Exactly."

"Did you really think you could just be friends with two guys who have been in love with you for years?" Dan asks her with a sad smile.

"I don't know…I thought, maybe…"

"It was easier than choosing perhaps?" Dan speaks causing her to nod.

"Yeah, it was." Serena frowns. "That makes me sound like a terrible person doesn't it?"

"Serena no," Dan speaks walking over and touching her arm. "You were put in a very confusing position."

"And I took the easy way out," she shrugs.

"Well to be fair, you did make a decision." Dan smiles.

"Yes, I picked you," She agrees, "And then I took it back."

"Blow to the ego, I'll admit," Dan jokes but the smile fades from his face quickly. "Have you decided again?" He asks.

Serena lets out a sigh, "I have."

There's a seriousness to Dan as he steps back and stares her in the eyes, "It's not me is it?"

"Dan…" She begins and then she drops her head, "No."

"I kinda thought this might happen." Dan swallows. "Nate, huh?"

"Yeah."

Dan nods his head, "For how long?"

She glares at him for a moment and then realizes that maybe his question is justified, "For good."

"Yeah? He's loved you for forever you know," Dan speaks honestly.

"I know."

"So can I ask, why him?"

"I love him." She says simply.

"Oh. So why didn't you choose him the first time?" Dan asks.

"I don't know," she frowns. "I guess maybe I was scared."

"Serena, you've dated him before, what was there to be scared of?"

"Loosing him for good," she shrugs. "I can't do that, he's…he's Nate, and I can't, not have in my life. I don't know how to do that," she answers honestly. "And maybe that's why I know now that he's the one I want to be with. If I can't imagine being without him, then I should be with him, you know?"

"I think I understand," Dan sighs.

"We know everything about each other," she shrugs, "We've seen each other go to deep dark places, and come back from them, and even through all of that, we still love each other. Dan, you are amazing, and I can't imagine my life without you in it either," she frowns, "But with Natie, it's more than that. He knows me, the simple me, the silly me, the me that doesn't think things through, and he loves me regardless. And I, I know him, all sides of him, and it just...works."

"Yeah, I see that." Dan nods.

"I'm sorry," Serena frowns. "Honestly, you don't know how long I fought with this, because what we had, it was special too…"

"You're in love with Nate," Dan speaks with a tiny smile. "It's okay Serena."

"It is?" She asks.

Dan laughs a little, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for another chance with you, but I don't want to be with someone that wants someone else," he answers. "Nate is a great guy, and I know he wants to make you happy."

"So are we….ok?" Serena asks.

"Yeah," Dan nods. "Serena, we're family, and you're always going to be one of my best friends. That won't change."

"Promise?" Serena asks with a smile.

"Of course I do," he speaks as he pulls her into a hug and with a smile on her face Serena knows now that everything is finally going to be alright.