A/N: I know this chapter is super super super short, but I haven't published anything in quite awhile. This chapter and the next one were supposed to be together, but I wanted to publish what I had done and hopefully I'll have the next chapter done in the next few days. I haven't really had motivation to get these chapters done; but they are necessary to set up what is going to happen. I just want to skip ahead to what happens after. Hahaha. Anyways, I hope this little chapter is okay and can hold you over until I get more finished!

Also, I would like to just establish that C&B have had a tense relationship with Nate for as long as they have been friends with Serena. He thinks they are immature and Blair just thinks he is a jerk who is no good for Serena. Under normal circumstances Chuck would be indifferent, but he doesn't like the way Nate talks down to both him and Blair and he is also worried about Serena. So yea, the distrust/bad feelings are more deeply rooted than just this chapter.

Enjoy!

……….

After Valentine's Day, Dan and Nate moved back into the Humphrey's house for a little while. Dan was recording a new album in the city and he was playing shows in the surrounding area, so they needed to stay in one place for a few months.

Serena was thrilled that they were back for an extended period of time and spent a lot of her spare time hanging out with them. But Blair and Chuck were worried that all the time spent with Nate would only lead to a broken heart for their friend, and in the end they were right.

One night in April, Nate arrived back at the Humphrey's house with a girl. She was a typical college girl, with a low cut shirt, bleach blonde hair, and too much make-up. Serena was anything but friendly to the girl, and after yet another backhanded comment about the girl's hooker-like resemblance, Nate's potential conquest decided to make an early exit. Nate tried to stop her, but she told him she didn't feel very welcomed so it was probably best if she left.

After the girl was gone, Nate stormed into the kitchen where Serena was sitting casually, doing some homework. "Thanks a lot, Serena." He spat angrily.

"Excuse me?" she asked in genuine confusion.

"Don't act all innocent. You have no right to talk down to the girls I bring over and drive them away."

Serena looked at him with wide eyes and shook her head, "Nate, I didn't mean to-"

"Like hell you didn't!" Nate interrupted bitterly, "I know you're like in love with me or whatever, but that doesn't give you the right to act like a complete bitch to the girls that I hang out with."

"Nate, I-"

"You know, I thought if I ignored it you would get over your little crush, and we could still chill together with Dan, but I was wrong. You're just another stupid, immature teenager that I don't need to waste my time with."

"Look, Nate I'm sorry." Serena pleaded with tears in her eyes.

"Whatever," Nate said as he ran his hand through his hair, "It was a mistake to ever be friends with you in the first place. Just stay out of my business and don't talk to me again."

The tears began to silently trail down Serena's face as she watched Nate walk out of the room and up the stairs. A sob escaped as she pressed one hand to her mouth and reached with her other one to grab her keys so she could get out of the house.

A few minutes later, Serena was knocking on the door at Chuck's house, where she knew Blair was helping him with his history homework. Misty opened the door with a stack of work papers in her hands. She barely glanced up from her reading before pointing Serena in the direction of Chuck's bedroom. Misty had never been very involved or interested in her son's social life, but she had seen Blair and Serena around enough to just let them in without asking any questions about the time of day or their appearance, so she didn't comment on Serena's disarray or her red eyes and smudged make-up.

Serena knocked on Chuck's door before pushing it open. She found her two friends sitting on the bed with books and notes spread around them. Blair was sitting on the edge of the bed; reading over some notes while Chuck was lying back on the pillows with a book opened, face down on his chest. They both looked up when the door opened and Blair stood up, "S, what are you doing here?" She looked at her friend's distraught face and her brow quickly furrowed, "Serena? Serena, what's wrong?" Blair pulled Serena to her and sat next to her on the bed.

Serena rested her head on Blair's shoulder as Blair slowly stroked her hair, "N-Nate, he-, he hates me." Serena gasped between sobs, "He-, he doesn't want any-, anything to do with me ev-ever again."

"Oh, Sweetie, I'm so sorry." Blair said as she wrapped her arms tightly around the blonde and held her as she broke down. Over her head, Blair and Chuck locked eyes. Chuck nodded decisively and without exchanging a single word, they both immediately understood that Nate would need to be destroyed and soon.