Disclaimer: I do not own "Gossip Girl."


***


"Nate."

They watch as Serena steps away from Carter, the name soft on her lips. And how, across from her, Nate does not move, does not speak.

The dog continues to bark.

"Dad, it's the food— he smells it…" the girl says, tugging on the leash and looking up at her father. They can't see her face clearly, Nate's either, in the dimness of the night, but they can see that Nate pulls his gaze from Serena and glances down at her.

"That must be Annie," Blair whispers.

Beside her, her Serena doesn't speak; and beside Chuck, Nate doesn't either.

"Take him inside," the older Nate says; his voice is lower, less smooth than it is as a youth. Though they can't tell if this is a development of age or current circumstance.

The girl nods and pulls the large dog up the street. She's wearing a skirt, they see then as she approaches the lights of the house. It's long and a dull blue color, her top is beige and sleeveless, and her hair a dark brown that's pulled back from her face.

The dog is huge, almost half her height, and he's straining against the leash, intent on running around to the back of the house.

"Hi S," Annie says casually as she walks past the older woman and towards the steps, "Stranger," she acknowledges as she eyes Carter curiously.

"Kid," Carter returns the acknowledgement .

The dog takes an abrupt turn then and lunges towards Serena, dragging the girl with him.

"Hi Annie," Serena whispers, eyes drifting from Nate to the young girl; the dog is lumbering towards her, despite the pull Annie exerts on his leash.

Serena takes a step towards the pair and then bends down a little, "Hey Moonie," she whispers, rubbing the dog's head, smoothing his ears.

"He's excited," Annie says, yanking back on his leash with both hands and dragging him up the steps.

Serena nods at her and then watches as the girl pulls him towards the front door and disappears inside.

The expression on her face is achingly desolate as she shifts her gaze back to Nate.

He's watching her.

"Nate," she says again, voice still soft. She lifts one hand a little to motion weakly towards Carter, "This isn't…" but her voice is weary, hopeless; she doesn't expect he'll believe her. She finishes anyway, "It isn't what it… what you're thinking…"

And he steps towards her then; moves out of the shadows so they can see him more clearly.

He's wearing a blue polo shirt, jeans, and running sneakers; and he looks so absolutely normal it's a touch heartbreaking.

His blue eyes are hard, face tight, even though his expression is completely blank. "I'm sure it's not," he says, his gaze fixed on her face unflinchingly; "You're good about waiting for the ink to dry on divorce papers."

Serena flinches and her younger version gasps. Blair's grip tightens her, but she knows nothing she does is going to protect Serena from this.

The space around them is completely silent for a beat and then Carter sighs dramatically, "Well, on that note…" he says loudly, sending Nate a loaded look.

"Carter," Serena whispers, a warning in her voice.

"I was just taking my leave…"

"Don't leave on my account," Nate states; and the sarcasm in the words is heavy and touched with anger, but it's the veneer of civility that really has bite.

Carter smirks. "Believe me," he says lightly, "Despite how delightful this evening has been, I won't shed a tear to see it end." He slips back inside the car.

Serena moves out his way so he can shut the door and he smiles at her; that trouble instigating smile she's come to know too well, "Talk to you tomorrow, baby," he says as he turns the ignition on and the car roars to life.

A moment later, he's moving down the street and poking his head out of the window to look at Nate, "Always a pleasure, Nate," he adds with a one hand wave.

"Ass," Chuck mutters, glaring at the car as it disappears around the block.

No one responds, because just then, the older Serena takes a step forward. "Nate," She says carefully.

He shakes his head, tears his gaze away from her and moves towards the front steps. "Don't bother. I'm here to check on Sunny and that's it," he says, voice without inflection now, "Wasn't even expecting you to be here."

"Sunny? Why would you need to check on—" she stops, bites her lip like she's realizing how that might sound. He was the boy's father after all, and not used to being away from him. "He's fine." She finishes after a moment.

"Fine?" Nate repeats, surprise rippling over his voice; expression shifting into an expression of caution, "With a 102 fever and a cough that could be bronchitis?"

Serena's eyebrows shoot to her hairline, "What?!" She asks, surprise raising her voice.

"Gracie called this morning to—"

Serena blows out a breath and cuts him off, frustration in her voice, "Oh for the love of—" she shakes her head, "It's not true," she finishes.

It's Nate now, whose eyebrows rise, "What?"

Serena shakes her head, "It's not true. Sunny's fine. Gracie was just— she's mad at me I guess. Blair says she thought I was bringing back… a new boyfriend or something, so I guess she wanted you to—"

"And didn't you?" He asks, cutting her off.

She doesn't flinch this time, holds steady under that blue gaze, "No."

He stares at her, that dark blue gaze roving over her face, completely silent and still and serious in a way that Nate should never be.

It sends a shiver down their spines, all four of them; because the two people they're watching are un-recognizable somehow, have shared things and behaved in ways they can't imagine.

"I'm going to check on him anyway," Nate says, voice steady, low, "And then I'll leave."

She waits till he's turned away from her, until she could only see his profile, though they can see his face, "Because I'm here?" She asks.

It's flash, a fissure in the stony expression, but the sorrow is enough to almost make them look away—almost.

"Yes." He answers unequivocally.

And then moves towards the steps, Serena stays on the sidewalk, gaze on cement now. He's climbed the first two when she speaks once more, voice soft, timid, "You really believe I would do that?" She asks him.

And he stills, closes his eyes. "I'm not going to have this conversation."

Serena looks up then, fastens her gaze on his shoulders, and then shifts her body so her own back is to the street. "I know you're not a fan of the difficult conversation; but you can't just divorce me without one, Nate."

The anger that flickers across Nate's features before he turns back around to Serena has Blair's grip on her Serena tightening, "Honey…" she whispers, "Maybe we should—" but the girl, shushes her without taking her gaze off the scene unfolding before them.

"I considered the second wave of tabloids our difficult conversation," Nate says steadily.

"Right— because tabloids never lie," Serena snaps, anger in her voice now, "You believe I'd do that?" She says again, "To you? That I'd…" she has trouble saying it, but does, "Cheat on you…?"

"You make it hard to not believe it, Serena," he tells her and there's a touch of despair in his voice despite the steadiness, "I could chock the first media frenzy to misrepresented photos, but the second… and then you run off with him? Again, might I add-- like your week-long disappearance the first time wasn't enough. What am I supposed to belie—"

"No, no!" Serena cuts him off, eyes flashing, moving towards him them, "Don't you blame everything on me. I screwed up in May, that first time, I did. But then you left me! You took one look at those pictures and didn't even let me explain! You went straight to Vanessa!"

"Explain what?!" He shouts now, the mask falling away to reveal the hurt and betrayal, "You sent me and the kids away so you could run off with him! The tabloids didn't make that part up, Serena!" He continues stepping down towards her, "That's not something I read or believe! That's something I know!"

"I just said I screwed up in May!"

"And don't compare Carter to Vanessa!" He continues, "That's completely different!"

"You ran from me! Went to her instead of talking to me!"

"I have a child with her! It's kind of a link, Serena! And don't talk to me about running! You went right back to Carter!" He snarls, "And there's no link there!"

"Yes there is! It's just not a child!"

The shouted words echo in the quiet of the front yard, whirl around them, taunting, damning, as they stare at each other, both a little out of breath, both a little broken.

"See," he says, voice low now, raw almost, "You make it hard not to believe it."

She swallows hard, blinks quickly, "We're friends," she says carefully, "Just friends, Nate…like you and Vanessa… like you and Blair."

He scoffs, disbelieving. "Are you kidding? You want to compare?"

"Why not? Why shouldn't I be friends him? If you've got—"

"A kid with Vanessa!" Nate snaps, "Like I just said!"

"And with Blair?"

"What?"

"You were in a relationship with her for like eleven years…"

"As kids, Serena."

"First love."

He gapes at her.

"The only thing I did wrong with Carter was go to him without telling you," she says very slowly, very steadily, as she takes a step towards him.

He shakes his head, "It's not that simple, Serena. You didn't just not tell me; you hid it, went out of your way… and those pictures… they weren't retouched…"

Her breath hitches, hands coming out to her sides, her expression shifting into something like a plea, "Nate," she starts, "You have to understand, it was—"

She doesn't finish the explanation.

There's sudden and loud shrieking coming from the party; along with cries of my god and stop him and oddly enough, a shout of laughter. The music comes to a notable halt as familiar barking takes over and there's the distinct sound of metal crashing against metal as more shrieking takes place.

And the glance of alarm the older Nate and Serena exchange is completely devoid of hostility or misery, completely genuine.

And then they're running up the steps and into house, their conversation set aside for now. The four of them to leap back away from each other to avoid being walked through; they all exchange their own looks of alarm, before running up the steps as well.

"This is crazy," Blair complains as they rush through the foyer and into the living room, "All of it!"

"It's terrible," Serena corrects, her voice tight, "Everything is terrible."

"Serena," Nate tries as they walk through the bookroom and into the game-room, "Maybe it's not as bad as—"

"We're getting divorced!" She shouts at him as they spill out through the already open glass doors and onto the patio, "How much worse could it—"

"Oh my god," Blair spits, eyes going round in her face as they come to a stop on the lawn.

Two of the tables under the main tent have been overturned; chairs lie askew where people had toppled them in their rush to stand. Waiters are kneeling beside dropped champaign flutes and scattered silverware, the center of the dance floor has been cleared, people standing around the edges; because at its center is standing a large, somewhat shaggy, brown and white dog. He's got a light brown coat all over except for one white paw and one white ear; and he's panting, tongue lolling out in what looks like a grin, as he turns all around staring at people.

People who are standing around and gaping in horror at the untrained and large dog now in their midst; Nate and Serena had crossed the lawn and were standing beside Blair and Chuck now. Both of whom were sparing Nate quick, surprised glances despite the disorder unfolding before them.

Annie makes a squeaky sound then and tries to grab for her dog's leash, but the pup runs, dodging her grasp. Harm intercepts on the other side him, but the dog bounds past him, Gracie snags his collar, but he pulls out of her hold.

"He thinks we're playing a game!" Annie cries, and there's a thread of laughter in her voice despite the panic.

"Get that dog out here!" Blair shrieks, she's standing on the dance floor, her back to the musicians as she faces the unfolding mayhem.

"We're trying, Mom!" Harm yells as he makes another swipe at the dog. But the dog has built up too much momentum and the kids can't keep a hold on him.

"The kids won't be able to catch him," Nate whispers to the girls, "He's going too fast and he's too big."

"It's a menace." Blair whispers back heatedly, eyeing the dog with distaste.

"Moonie! Come here!" Annie yells running after him as the dog switches directions and lunges out of the tent.

"Moonie!!" Sunny cries delightedly, his laughter bright again as he hops up and down just outside the enclosure. The other children have stopped their games as well and are focusing on the dog; the possibilities of entertainment, of games, running through their minds at a fevered pace.

A fact that does not go unnoticed by their parents; the older guests are frowning now, looking concerned and exchanging hushed words, leaving the edges of the floor and moving back towards it's center.

Moonie leaps onto Sunny and the little boy giggles, stumbling back; would have fallen if Cash hadn't been right behind him.

"What is that thing!?" Cash yells as the dog barrels past him and starts running circles on the lawn.

"He's my dog!" Annie yells back, gaze shooting daggers at Cash; her dark hair is slipping from its pony-tale and curls are framing her face.

"Chuck!" The older Blair spits as she rushes to the edge of the tent, "Stop it!" She cries, pointing at the dog.

"Grab the dog!" A boy cries and suddenly all the children are surrounding Moonie and lunging for his collar or leash.

Chuck sends Blair a sardonic look. "Certainly," he says wryly; and then turns to Nate standing a few steps away, "Nice of you join us Nathaniel. Please see about your child's… animal, will you?"

Nate rolls his eyes and moves towards the children as he says, "He's her pet, Chuck."

"It's a menace, Nate!" Blair snaps in a perfect echo of her younger self. "Get it under control."

Nate sends her an exasperated look as he moves after the dog.

"DADDY!!" Sunny's shout distracts Nate and shifts direction, bending down and scooping the little boy up into his arms as the boy leaps towards him.

Nate smiles as the little arms go around his neck. "Hey buddy…" he says, and when Sunny pulls back an instant later he winks at him, "Let's catch a dog, huh?"

Sunny nods enthusiastically as a women asks, "Is it dangerous?" in a loud and shrill voice.

Nate makes a face at the little boy and set him down; Sunny laughs again and takes off towards Moonie and the kids. Nate moves after him at a slower pace, smiling affectionately.

"My boy has allergies!" Another woman shouts, "Matthew, baby, come here!"

"Does it bite!?" A man wonders, a little warily.

And Blair turns a little then, pulling her gaze from where she'd been watching Nate and Sunny, to send him, everyone else, an appeasing look from across the dance floor; with a gaze that's only a tad frayed at the edges she soothes, "Oh no, no! It's quite a… friendly… creature…"

"It's chasing my boy!"

"That woman needs to calm down," Serena says, frowning; just as her older counterpart moves towards the woman and says softly, "Please calm down, Em, the dog is harmless."

"Oh, enough!" Blair hisses and stalks off the platform across the lawn.

"Not a good idea, Blair," Chuck calls after her, even as he moves to follow.

The children had worked Moonie up into a whirl of panting and running; they're all laughing and someone is throwing the Frisbee around again.

"It looks fun," Nate comments quietly as the four of them move towards the children and dog. The kids are all grinning; even those not near the dog or playing with the Frisbee, just running with the others and laughing at the sight.

"Who names a dog Moonie?" Blair wonders wincingly.

"Nate!" The older Blair snaps as she walks faster, "I told you—"

"They're having fun," he cuts her off, shrugging a little.

"Stop it." She snaps, pointing at the dog.

"Moonie's a he," Nate tells her as he rolls his eyes and half-heartedly reaches for the dog. Moonie's following the Frisbee the kids are tossing back and forth over his head with erratic accuracy and brightly glowing eyes.

"Uncle Nate!" Harm shouts, "Hi!"

Nate grins at the boy, straightening and waving, and around him the rest of kids shout greetings.

"Who names a dog, Moonie?" Blair counters above the din of the children.

Annie stops running and looks at Blair with a grin, breathless, "It's short for Moonbeam," she informs her and then takes off again.

The kids are running to more open lawn now, farther away from the party area, the Frisbee flying a greater distance between each toss. Nate's running after them and Blair scowls before stalking behind him.

"Blair," Chuck says her name as he follows her, "Let Nathaniel wrangle the dog."

"He'll end up playing with them." She exclaims in exasperation. Chuck seems to consider this for a moment and then sighs, moving to follow her.

"This is night is a disaster," Blair whispers quietly, her hand slipping into Chuck's as they follow as well. They're moving slower, the four of them, the things they've seen weighing them down.

"This life is a disaster," Serena mumbles brokenly. Her gaze is fixed on the ground as they walk and no one says a word, because there's nothing to contradict her with.

Thus far, her life, seems like a disaster.

"Well, luckily, it isn't real," Chuck reminds them all, "We need to stop watching this slideshow and—"

"You're right!" Blair agrees ardently, nodding and pulling out of his hold as she turns around so she's ahead of them walking backwards. Her gaze scans their faces, "It's not real and we need to get— back or awake or whatever it is. Let's turn this projector off." She concludes with a decisive nod.

She turns back around, her pace quicker now, "We'll get Sunny and have him show the drawing to—"

The splash cuts her off, the shriek makes her freeze for a moment, but the fact that it was her that had shrieked had them all running towards the pool.

They come to a screeching halt when they come into view of it. The dog, Moonie, is in it.

"I'm wet!" Blair cries, concerned, just as the older Blair shouts, "I'm wet!" with considerable more hysteria.

Sunny giggles, his hair is sticking to his head and his face is dripping with water. He's at the edge of the pool peering into it with undisguised joy as the dog moves around.

"Oh my god," Nate whispers, while the older Nate is grinning. He's wet too, but doesn't look nearly as upset about it as Blair.

The dog is paddling around, the Frisbee floating innocuously on the surface and the kids standing around, grinning too.

Harm, Annie, and another boy, standing closer to the pool, are wet as well. While Cash, Gracie, another young girl, and two boys stand a bit farther back, dry, and watching with unabashed glee.

"It's just water," the older Nate says carefully, approaching Blair as he runs a hand through his hair, "Take a step back from the edge for me, Sun."

Sunny nods, and does as he's told, while mimics, "Yeah, just water!"

"It's chlorinated water!" Blair shouts at Nate. Her hair is dripping and the blouse is clinging to her. "My hair is wet! My shoes!"

Chuck's standing a pace away from her. And Nate shoots him a look before motioning towards the pool. "That thing should be closed."

"Or your dog should be leashed and muzzled."

"Help me get him out."

Chuck doesn't even hesitate. "No."

"Chuck—"

"No means no, Nathaniel." He says as he carefully approaches Blair. He's removing his jacket and draping it over her shoulders when he adds, "Cash, help your uncle."

And Cash laughs, completely amused, "No sir, time is up!" He informs him delightedly and then promptly turns around strolls back to the house.

He walks right past the four of them and for a moment all their gazes follow him. And then the older Blair speaks.

"What time?" She asks Chuck, adjusting his jacket around her.

"Nothing."

She sighs, frustrated, "You made a deal." She concludes. Chuck smirks at her, arcs an eyebrow, but doesn't respond.

"I'll help you , Uncle Nate," Harm says, moving towards him, "I'm already wet."

"Me too," Annie agrees, stepping closer to the edge of the pool.

"Yeah," Gracie adds quickly, shooting Annie a look, "Me too."

Annie smiles faintly as she kneels down and touches the water, "You're not wet."

Gracie stares at her. "I didn't say I was." She retorts.

Annie shrugs noncommittally and turns her attention to her dog, "Come 'ere, Moonie…" she calls him, splashing a little water, "Come here, boy…"

"Why did you bring a dog to my house in the first place?!" Blair shouts suddenly, "What are you even doing here!?"

"You're really rolling out the welcome mat there, Blair," Nate teases and then levels a look on Chuck, "You're going to let the kids help me…"

"I'll help too!" The boy beside Harm says eagerly, "I'm wet."

"You will not help, Matthew!" Blair snaps, "Go to your mother!" And then she elbows Chuck, "Help him."

"Where's Liam?"

"He went for a walk," Gracie informs them, "Like twenty minutes ago."

Nate sends a pointed look at Chuck and waves a hand towards the pool. And receives a dark glare in return, but Chuck moves towards the pool.

"Oh my," someone says.

And everyone in the area shifts to look over. A small group of the guests, the most daring surely, have wandered over and are now studying the scene with varying degrees of astonishment and distress.

"Nothing to worry about!" Blair calls out, pulling up a rather wan smile, "Just some… excitement…" she presses on, "For the children…"

"Exactly as I told you all!" Serena jumps in, appearing behind the group, "Just some fun, you all know how kids can be!" She turns towards the kids, most of who are in her family and scans their faces quickly, "Aren't you all having fun!? Isn't Moonie just wonderful?!"

"Yes! Mommy, Yes!" Sunny cries loudest of all, but the other kids agree, nodding and smiling.

"Right," Serena agrees, glad to have established that as she turns back to the adults, "Let's get back to the music then, shall we? Because Em, that skirt was made for a dance… and oh, Donald, you must dance with me!" She continues, chirping niceties as she guides the small group away.

And all the while, Chuck and Nate have been fishing Moonie out of the pool, they notice then.

"I cannot believe you made me do that," Chuck gripes quietly at Nate, sending him a dirty look as the older Chuck and Nate haul the dog out of the water to much applause from the kids.

"I didn't make you," Nate contradicts, "The little kids were gonna do it!"

Moonie barks and Annie drops in front of him to rub his floppy ears.

"You shouldn't have brought a dog with you to a party," Blair reprimands him softly.

And Serena looks around at the three of them askance, "Guys." She says, but there's a touch of a smile on her lips, a breath of relief in her voice; because she needs this, to be reminded of the present, of how things are now; needs the lightheartedness to counter the intensity.

Blair shrugs at her, "Well, it's true," she says unrepentantly, sending Nate a warning look, as if to say, if this really is our future, don't do it next time around.

"Alright, guys!" Nate calls standing, keeping a firm grip on Moonie's leash, "Show's over… get back to your parents…"

Grumbling greets this announcement.

"Aw! Can't we play with the dog some more!"

"Yeah! Please!"

"We'll be more careful!"

"Let's stick to soccer, shall we?" Chuck responds, standing as well, "And I believe dessert will be served soon…" he adds enticingly.

The kids hesitate. Harm sighs softly and then starts back towards the tents. Following his lead, the other kids do the same.

"Go on with Harm and Gracie and Annie, Sunny," Blair instructs.

"Oh okay!" He agrees brightly, "You're all wet Auntie B and you too Dad! And you Uncle Chuck and you Harm and me and—"

"Yeah, Sunny, we get it," Gracie cuts in, taking his head.

He giggles, "You're not wet."

"I'm careful."

Harm pauses beside Annie, "You coming?"

She nods, "Dad… leash?"

"No, I'm gonna put him in the pool house for now."

"Excuse me!" Blair shrieks.

Nate sends her a smile, "I could put him in the house…"

"You could—" she looks truly horrified at the thought.

"Pool house is fine, Nathaniel." Chuck points out.

"Okay," Annie agrees, pats Moonie on the head. He's calmer now and licks her hand as she moves past.

"Oh gross," Gracie mutters.

Annie rolls her eyes.

"What's gross?" Sunny asks as they all move away.

"I can't believe you brought that beast here during a party, Nate." Blair continues.

"He's not a beast. He's a Boxer and St. Bernard mix puppy Vanessa got for Annie about ten months ago," Nate corrects as Moonie sits on his foot. "And I had no idea you were having a party," he finishes.

"Or that my dear sister had returned from abroad either, I presume…" Chuck states, eyes intent on his friends face.

Nate's entire expression goes hard at the words. "No. Not that either."

The night is quiet for a moment; the music is being played again, but conversation hasn't picked up enough to create a din of sound over it yet. The distant sound of crickets hums in the background, along with Moonie's occasional pant.

Blair sighs, shivers in the cool night air, "Okay… I need to… change…" she says, pulling Chuck's jacket closer around herself.

Chuck moves towards her; nodding. "Yes. As do I."

Nate blinks at them; and then his lips quirk in vague amusement, "You do?"

"My sleeves are wet," Chuck points out.

And Nate looks down at himself. The entire front of his shirt and pants, along with his sleeves and hair are wet. When he looks up the quirk has turned into a smile, "How hard for you… by all means, go change."

Chuck smirks at him.

Blair nods, very primly, and turns towards the house. "Put the creature away safely and then…" she pauses as Chuck moves in beside her, lets him take her arm, before looking over shoulder at Nate, "And then help Serena host, will you? Assuage some of the gossip, please…"

They see Nate tense, but the older Chuck and Blair don't. The two of them are moving as one towards the house and they don't look back; don't see Nate look out over the pool with an expression as bleak as Serena's had been desolate and they don't see the way he slowly modulates it into one of unreadable blankness.

"God," Serena whispers, looking away from the older Nate, eyes filling with tears, "Nate…" she whispers to hers, shifts her gaze to meet his, "I'm so sorry…"

He shakes his head and takes a step towards her, "You haven't done anything, S. We don't know what's going on here and—"

"I don't want to know what's going on here," Serena says suddenly, fiercely, "I want to get out of here. I want to—to close my eyes and have this all vanish the way it appeared. I hate this and—and—"

"So let's put an end to it." Blair says firmly with a decisive nod.

And then she's leading them back to the party, leaving the older Nate truly alone to do his brooding.

The party seems to be fully in swing once more with the help of some music, Serena's smile, and copious amounts of champaign.

The kids are playing a somewhat lackluster game of soccer; or sitting at tables with their parents now. And they notice that there are few absent faces among them, Matthew for one, and his mother, as well as the little who'd stood with Cash and Gracie.

Gracie is out on the dance floor, with Harm. He's twirling her around and she's grinning, her hair flying around her in a cascade of glossy waves. The adults around them smiling indulgently.

"Oh how sweet," Serena murmurs, trying to point it out to Blair; but the brunette is on a mission; her gaze barely skims the dance floor before she zeroes on a golden blonde head sitting on the ground.

Annie's sitting with him, cross-legged, and speaking in a hushed, suspenseful tone, "… and the giant's hand came down towards them, closer and closer, until it blocked the rays of the sun…"

"Oh no!" Sunny gasped, blue eyes wide and fastened on her face.

"Jess and Leslie scrambled to hide, to find shelter somewhere where the giant couldn't—"

"Sunny we need you to come with us," Blair spoke over Annie's story telling.

"Oh!" Sunny cried, hopping to his feet, "This is Annie!" He told them happily and the young girl promptly closed her mouth and turned around to look for the newcomer—and saw no one.

"We know," Chuck tells him, "Shhh, remember."

"I'm not talking about you."

"Sunny," Annie says very slowly, "What are you doing?"

The boy looks to her and bites his lip.

"Tell her you're playing a game," Nate says.

"Oh no, N, I wouldn't play a game while Annie's telling a story." Sunny says gravely.

"Sunny." Annie says his name again, alarm in her voice. She reaches out and takes his hand, pulling him towards where she's sitting. "What're you doing?" She asks again.

But Sunny's gaze are on the four of them, not his sister.

"We're going to get the kid put on medication," Serena mutters.

Chuck shrugs one shoulder, "Can't be helped."

"Come with us," Blair tells him again, "We need you to help us now. We need to find your Auntie B."

"Oh! Right!" He nods and pulls out of Annie's grasp. "I have to go Annie. Later, tell me, the story, okay?"

"Go!?" She's looking up at him from her sitting position with flat-out concern now, "Go where?"

"Inside," Nate answers for Sunny.

"Inside," Sunny parrots perfectly, sending Nate a quick grin.

"Inside for what?"

"To get something for your Mommy," Chuck says.

Sunny tilts his head to one side, gaze going to Chuck, "But I'm not supposed to lie."

Chuck rolls his eyes, "Wonderful… tell her to get something, then."

"To get something," He says dutifully.

But he's already succeeded in upsetting Annie. She moving to stand up when Blair huffs and says, "Tell her you're a big boy and can do this yourself."

"OH!" Sunny looks quite happy suddenly, "I'm a big boy, Annie, I can do this myself." He says with pride.

And then he's off through the tent towards the house with the four of them falling closely behind. They're approaching the patio when a voice stops them.

"So what does N look like, kiddo?"

"Uncle Eric!" Sunny lights up and whirls around to launch himself towards his Uncle, "You're here!"

And the four of them gape at Eric Van der Woodsen, all grown up. Dark, brown hair cut short, clean shaven, and easily over six feet tall, he's wearing tan shorts and a silver polo shirt and tossing Sunny high up in the air.

"It's Eric!" Serena says unnecessarily and can't keep the smile from creeping across her face at the sight of him.

"He's wearing shorts," Blair notes wryly.

The little boy giggles as Eric settles him against his chest. "Well?" He asks.

"Daddy is here and Mommy and we're going to watch the stars later." Sunny informs his Uncle.

Eric nods, "Sounds like a good plan. And N? Your friend, right? What does he look like?"

"Oh… like Daddy, I guess… but different."

"Different…?"

"Yes..." Sunny nods and then his eyes widen, "Oh down! Down!" He cries and wiggles to be set on the ground, "I'm helping him…"

"Ah, I see." Eric says, nodding as he bends to set the boy down, "Later, we're going to talk about your new friends, okay? Maybe tomorrow… you and me and Greg, does that sound good?"

"Where is Uncle Greg?" Sunny wonders.

Eric smiles at him. "He's coming."

"Okay, I'll tell you about them later!" Sunny agrees and continues into the house. Eric's eyes follow him all the way inside.

"Where would your Auntie B go to change her dress?"Serena wonders once they're in the game-room.

Sunny giggles, "To her room!" He says and then he's running through the house; towards the staircase they assume.

"There should be a no running rule in this house," Blair says as they rush after the little boy.

"Oh, there is!" He calls back to her laughingly, but doesn't slow down a single step as they run through the living room.

"Oh wonderful," Blair says, rolling her eyes as the reach the staircase and begin ascending.

Sunny leads them down a hallway, where they find an additional three steps up that lead to a closed door.

"This is Auntie B's room…"

"Okay, go in and show her the picture," Blair says, motioning towards the door.

"Maybe later," Sunny says sweetly, looking from the door to Blair.

Blair frowns, "No, Sunny, not later, now."

"Blair," Serena says quietly, a soft warning that she can't loose her patience with this small boy.

And Blair huffs a little.

"Sunny, you want to help us don't you?" Serena asks him gently.

"Yes!" Sunny nods. His hair was dry now and curling a little at the edges, his bright blue fixed on Serena's face, "I like to help."

"Then go on in there and show Auntie B the picture," Nate encourages, smiling wide.

Sunny's smile dims, "But I can't—"

"Yes, you can." Blair says, "We'll come with you, we'll tell you what to say…"

Chuck reaches for the doorknob and tries to open the door himself. "It's locked," he says.

"Locked?" Nate echoes.

"Yes, Nathaniel."

"Sunny—"

"It's not," Sunny says and reaches for the doorknob himself.

"Good, then go on in and—"

Sunny twists the knob, without pushing the door open and looks up at Chuck, "See," he says, but his little brows are drawn together as he continues, "But I'm not supposed to—"

Blair's reaching over his head before he finishes and pushing the door open; and a moment later they're all tumbling through it.

For an instant, a breath in time, the entire scene is frozen. The entire room, the master suite certainly, is decorated in shades of mahogany and deep violet; an enormous bed dominating one side of it, the other balanced by armoires and sofas and armchairs.

But it's the couple residing in that armchair that commands their attention.

Chuck's sitting at the edge of it with Blair on his lap, his shirt gone and the jacket he'd lent her tossed on the floor. Her legs are wrapped around his waist, his arms enfolding her; she's in nothing but her lingerie, the dress discarded near the jacket, and her head is thrown back, eyes closed, as Chuck's mouth makes its way up from her collar bone towards her mouth in a trail of warm kisses.

"Whoa…" Nate mutters as the older Blair gasps, her gaze flying open at the sound of the opening door. She wrenches herself around to face it, nearly toppling off of Chuck's lap.

"Sunny!" She shouts, panicked; trying to scramble off Chuck's lap without falling to the floor. Chuck's hold on her loosens, but it doesn't disappear, as he mutters, "Crap," and then adds loudly, "Hallway, Sun!"

And Sunny makes a squeaky sound and walks right through Blair, Nate, and Chuck as he rushes to do as he's told; they move too, as quickly as he does, and a moment later the little boy is shutting the door hard behind him and leaning back against it.

"We're not supposed to go in there when the door's closed!" He tells them a moment later, "It's a rule!"

And they stare at him; mouths still a little agape.

"My eyes," Serena moans suddenly, a hand coming up to her face, "I need brain bleach."

Nate laughs a little. Sunny pushes away from the door at that, looks at them intently, in the same way he'd been watching Annie as she told him a story.

Chuck smirks, eyes gleaming as he reaches for Blair.

She frowns, tosses her hair back as she evades his touch, "Don't give me that look, Chuck Bass."

The smirk widens and he reaches for her again, "Finally, something in this future I can get on board with…"

And Serena giggles then, because Chuck's pulling Blair towards him and she's given up the struggle; a smile touching her lips as she rolls her eyes a little and lets him wrap his arms around her waist, "You would enjoy the corrupting of a youth most…" She teases.

The door opens then and the older Blair is standing there, freshly changed into a navy dress with white trimming, hair neatly pulled back away from her face and eyeing Sunny with a long-suffering expression. "Now Sunny," she says, "What's so important you broke a priority rule for?" She asks dryly.


***