Disclaimer: Had Gossip Girl been mine, Dan Humphrey would have met a brutal end.

"Come on Serena. It's been three days. You need to get out of this place." It had been three days. Three days since the date. Three days since those blasted divorce papers came. Three days since Nate had agreed to make that deal. It had been three days and Serena didn't leave her house. She didn't feel like eating and she definitely didn't feel like looking good and acting like Serena Van Der Woodsen. So Nate Archibald sat on her bed, her head in his lap, his hands tracing through her hair as uncontrollable tears spilled out of her eyes and left tear stains on his trousers.

"I don't feel like going anywhere." She told him in a small voice. Truth was he didn't feel like going anywhere either. He felt like lying down beside Serena, hold her hand and tell her that he would love her and value her and screw what Dan thinks because she doesn't deserve so much pain. Why didn't Nate do that? Because he was a coward. Serena's episode from three nights ago had him shaken to his very core. It took only a few moments to kill Serena's progress over Dan. Realizing how much her marriage meant to her had acted like a punch in the gut for Nate. Call him selfish, but that date had reminded him of his feelings. Their first kiss. Their first time. Their first dance. All of their firsts and Nate Archibald had been a mess of emotions. It was hard to decided who got struck by the divorce papers more. Serena had the freedom to show her emotions, poor Nate couldn't even do that. All he could do was pat Serena's head and act like a rock of a friend. When he only really was a man with a broken heart who wanted to kiss away all the pain off the girl he loved but he couldn't. In fact, he had decided to hand her back to man she loved. And try as he might he could never be that.

"Come on Serena. Your fridge needs restocking. Let's go to the supermarket, yeah?" Of course he knew which supermarket he was talking about. He was also aware as to what area of the supermarket they had to be on what time. They had someone waiting for them after all.

"I don't feel like it." Serena repeated. Nate sighed.

"Come on S. This isn't helping you any." He tried to reason.

"Nate…" She trailed off, sniffing.

"Get up. I am waiting for you at the door. Change and be there in five. All right?" He told her, attempting to get up.

Serena held on to the material of the trousers on his thigh. "Don't go."

"I am not going anywhere, S." Nate assured her. "I am waiting for you. I'll always wait for you. Meet me when you're ready." There was more to Nate's words than just grocery shopping and maybe Serena heard it, for she sat up and nodded.

"Okay. Grocery shopping it is, then.

"Good." Nate smiled, tracing patterns on her cheeks. "You have five minutes, okay?" Serena nodded again.

Five minutes later, Serena met Nate at the front door of her house. To anyone else, this would have been normal. To Nate Archibald it scared the stuffing out of him. Five minutes with Serena always meant at least half an hour. She was particular about the way she looked, even if they were just going grocery shopping. So when Serena stood in front of Nate in denim jeans, a baby pink top and her blonde hair tied up, Nate tried to hide his inner turmoil. Instead he just bent a bit forward until Serena could feel his breath against her neck and undid the tie on her hair.

"I like it when they're let loose." He whispered. "Come on." He took her by the hand and led her to the car.

All the way to the Super Market all Nate could wonder and scorn upon was the immense self-growth he had achieved in all these years. There was a Nate Archibald who always got what he wanted. And here he was, the same man, practically driving the love of his life in the arms of another man. Nate didn't know which version of himself he preferred. He clutched harder on the steering wheel as he saw Serena gaze out of the window, her eyes unfocused, lost in thought. He gritted his teeth. As much as Dan had tried to assure him that the divorce papers were not an attempt to force Nate into the deal, Nate felt it hard to not grab hold of Dan by his collar and shake him till he can see what he had done to the bouncing ball of sunlight that used to be Serena.

He shook his head, the deal was taken, and the deed done. There was no way he would backtrack on his decisions now. Besides, the little, selfish and hopeful part of his heart wished, that Serena wouldn't walk away this time. That part in his heart hoped and prayed that for once, this time, Serena chooses him. But that part was minute, and considered selfish, so every time that part tried speaking up, Nate would shush it. But he knew, that if someone up there actually listened to the prayers of this little part of his heart, he would probably be granted everything he had prayed for since he was sixteen.

The vehicle stooped with a screech and a jolt that brought Serena out of her reverie. She turned to look at Nate, eyes wide and heart thumping to see him smirking at her.

"I figured this would bring you to earth," he said.

She smiled in spite of herself and shoved him in the upper-arm. "Jerk." She muttered.

He was picture of calm, that much you can credit Nate Archibald for, that morning. No matter the storm that was thrashing away at the pieces of his heart, his face was the picture of cool. Not a frown line on his forehead, not a hunch in his posture. As far as anyone can tell, including Serena, Nate Archibald had come to the supermarket in his dark jeans and black button down to do some serious grocery shopping. If only Serena was aware of the way his lungs felt heavy and his heart was having difficulty pumping the blood through his body and suddenly how hazy his vision had become and his palms were suddenly feeling too hot. If only Serena knew of his inner turmoil. If she only knew the way he loved her. If she only knew about the mistake he was about to commit.

But Serena knew nothing of the sort. She was only aware of her best friend walking next to her, convinced that her fridge needed restocking. He would pick some grocery, throw it in the cart and move forward without Serena having to say a word. He maneuvered the trolley from one aisle to another, as if he knew what the fridge needed. He probably did too. Serena felt her throat constrict. Why did this person, walking right next to her felt the need to take care of her so, when her own husband had rejected her? Would he run away too, once he realized that she is probably not as amazing as he was thinking she was? What would she do then?

"So, what became of Vogue?" His voice jolted her out of her thoughts.

"I don't know, they haven't replied yet." She told him, looking down.

"But your application was good. You don't need to worry too much. What will be, will be." He assured.

Serena nodded. What will be, will be. That's all that encouraged her to wake up in the morning. That and Nate. He had brought all of his work home, never visiting his office in the last three days. Serena sighed. If only Nate wouldn't make this so difficult. Blair and Chuck were there too. Blair had spent most of her last three days by her side and suddenly, Chuck had become the elder brother who brought ice cream for his sister when he returned from office. And Serena had no idea how she would have dealt with everything that was happening without those two. But with Nate, it was something different entirely. He would make her breakfast, wake her up, wait for her at the table as she freshened herself. He would then talk to her about the day. He would talk about anything and everything. His work, her application, what she would like to eat, he would watch crappy television with her and sometimes he would even get a smile on the hundreds of tragic jokes that he cracked. He would make her chicken soup and tuck her in bed and sit on the head of her bed while she slept and he worked on his files and then would fall asleep on her couch. In short, Nate Archibald had made his way in her heart and tried to fill that hole which had been empty ever since she was a kid and begged for love. What type of love… that was another question entirely. She walked with him and watched as he picked frozen items upon frozen items and the cart piled up. She smiled slightly. She sometimes found herself imagining what domestic life with Nate would look like, and every time she would steal herself away from that question.

"So, candy aisle?" Nate said.

"Why would I want to go the candy aisle?" She asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"Because it's candy Serena!"

"You remind me of Henry sometimes."

"I like Henry." He stuck his tongue out at her.

She laughed at that. Nate smiled too. But it wasn't just candy. It was a husband. A friend. A journalist. It was Dan and Nate knew he was waiting for them in the candy aisle. Serena would never know that his arrival won't be a mere co-incidence. She will never know that all of this was staged. All she will ever really get from this was an accidental meeting at a supermarket which will return to her all the happiness in the world. She will never know that lost thirty percent of his business and she will never know that he loved her. She will never know anything. In return Dan promised to never make her feel unloved. Things will go back to the way they were before the whole fiasco happened. Serena will never find out.

So when Nate turned the cart towards the candy aisle, he knew what awaited them. Serena didn't.

"Serena?" She turned around at the sound of her name. Turned around to see her husband walking towards her and in a moment of panic, Serena froze. All she could do was sense Nate standing next to her and Dan walking towards her and well, it was sixteen all over again.

Her tongue felt stuck to the roof of her mouth and try as she might she couldn't choke out the words, and before she knew what was happening, Serena felt the warmth of Nate's body moving away from her leaving her cold and her face was in Dan's palms and he was saying something which she couldn't make sense of. She blinked her eyes over and over t get a gist of what was happening around her and she turned around to look for Nate and he was standing so far away with is arms crossed. Serena suddenly felt like drowning and she wanted to reach out for Nate but she just couldn't and Dan was holding her and she should be joyous but she wasn't. And what was he even saying?

"I am so sorry Serena! I have no idea what got into me! I shouldn't have done that." Dan was apologizing over and over again. "I know the divorce papers were over the line but let's forget about it. Let's start our life again, that's what you wanted, right?"

And Serena had no idea what she wanted anymore. Because here she was, a mess from the previous days which she had spent crying over a dead marriage and her husband was ready to take her back and suddenly she was feeling hollower than she had ever felt in her life. She turned to look at Nate only to find him not looking in her eyes and she had no idea what to do.

"Let's start over S!" Even after knowing the truth, Nate was impressed by Dan. Either he was a great actor or he was actually terribly sorry. Nate was ready to hedge his bets on the former. He didn't know when, but sympathy for Dan had turned to anger and Nate had to hold back all his anger to not smack him right across the face. The only thing holding his anger was his sheer determination to not look Serena in the eye, because the emotions there, positive or negative, would break whatever was left of his resolve.

"Serena? Are you listening to me?" She turned her head back to look at Dan and tried to clear head.

"Yeah, yeah I am." She said. And that was all it took for tears to start pricking her eyes.

"Let's start over?" He asked.

"Start over?" Excuse Serena, but she was in state disoriented enough to only produce monosyllabic responses and repeat words.

"Yes! Let's do that. We'll give us another shot alright?"

It was this phrase; "another shot" which brought senses back to Serena and all she registered then was the shortage of oxygen in the large supermarket and before anyone knew what was happening she had taken Nate by the hand and walked out.

She walked into the parking lot and took the keys from Nate's pockets to unlock the car. She then threw herself in the back seat, leaving the door wide open. Taking it as an invitation to join her, Nate slipped in the seat and shut the door behind him with a "Bang!"

He turned to look at her and opened his mouth to say something before Serena beat him to it.

"He can't do that!" She screamed at him. "He can't just walk into my life and pretend that the last two months didn't happen! That he didn't send those divorce papers."

"Serena –"

"No! Don't you dare try to reason this out with me. Do you hear me? Don't you dare do that Nate Archibald!" She took a break to catch her breath. "What does he think I am? He can't just leave me on the way and come back whenever he feels convenient."

"I understand –"

"No you don't! This is my life. It is a mess, but it's my fucking life, Nate. And it doesn't work this way!"

"Listen to me –"

"You listen to me! Tell him to leave. Tell him to leave right now!"

Nate would have done exactly that. Hell, he wanted to exactly that but he saw Serena shivering, he saw her trying to hold back her tears and he had seen her that night when the papers had arrive – devastated and broken.

So he hooked a thumb under her cheek and forced her to look at him. "I will tell him to do that, if you look me in the eye and tell me you want that."

And Serena just stared at him; she had no idea what she wanted anymore. Sure she was angry at Dan for pulling the stunt he just pulled but hadn't she prayed for this over and over? For him to realize that their marriage could still work? And now, when he had done that, did she really want Nate to tell him to leave? Confused and emotionally exhausted she threw her arms around Nate's torso and hid her face in his chest. She immediately felt his hands in her hair, trying to calm her down.

"Why now? After all this time. It's not fair!"

"No, it's not fair. Nothing's fair." He whispered in her hair, swallowing the gulp forming in his own throat.

Serena moved away to look at him. "Nate, this isn't right."

"But, do you want this?" He asked back. She moved her eyes away from him. What was she supposed to tell him?

"Serena," she heard his voice again and she looked in his eyes again. "Tell me you want me to tell him to go away. And nothing could stop me from doing that. Look me in the eye and tell me that." And in that moment, Nate prayed that she would. If only she would.

But she didn't. She again broke eye-contact. Because how could she tell Dan to walk away? Wasn't that was what supposed to happen? Dan and Serena. It was supposed to be that way. The rich girl and the kid from Brooklyn. It was just supposed to happen. Nate sighed and she looked at him at the sound of that. And then suddenly, the night of their date played like a movie in front of her. The dance, the kiss, the conversation and everything that happened in between. But what importance did that hold in competition with something that was supposed to be.

Apparently she wasn't the only one thinking about their date. "If I won that bet that night," his voice was think, "I want this from you. I want you to do what you feel like doing right now, in this moment."

Serena looked at him and her voice was suddenly small. "Why are you picking his side?"

That was Nate's answer. Serena would always be an unanswered prayer. "Aren't I picking your side? Aren't you on his side too?"

Serena hugged him again. Her head rested on her chest and Nate tried to take from that moment as much as he possibly could. Trying to memorize her feel, her scent forever.

He pulled away before it all became too much and tucked her hair behind her ear. Offering her his hand, he said the word that broke his heart. "Come on, Dan is waiting."

She took his hand.

They walked hand in hand in the supermarket and then Nate gave her hand in Dan's and moved back. He then silently said, "Take care of her." With that, Nate Archibald walked out of the supermarket, alone and he didn't look back once.

That night, Blair Waldorf-Bass found Nate in his home; with a half empty bottle of vodka in his hand and reeking of alcohol.

"You didn't have to do that." She greeted him.

Nate just snorted in greeting.

"No, you look at me!" Blair said, forcing him to make eye contact. "You took care of her all this time! He can't just walk in and take her away like that."

"He just did." Nate said through slurred words.

"She is not a commodity Nate! All of you can't do this to her." Blair chided. "And give that bottle to me!" She reached for the vodka but Nate pulled the arm towards him and took another swig, wincing at the sensation caused by the alcoholic liquid as it slipped down his throat.

"Nate –"

"I miss her, Blair." If Blair hadn't seen his lips move, she might never have known that those words were ever said.

"Then why didn't you stop her?" She asked him, supping his cheek.

"I gave her the option Blair. And she chose to walk away with him again." His voice broke and a tear escaped and Blair Waldorf-Bass felt her heart breaking for the man sitting in front of her. She hugged him then because she had absolutely no idea what else to do.

"Oh Nate!" She felt his on her neck and felt his chest contract and relax as Nate tried to control his wreck of a body.

"Why again? Ever since we were sixteen." He said over and over. Blair just patted his hair and tried to comfort him as best as she could. But her eyes felt wet and her hands shook and she asked herself the same question. Why again? He chased this girl since he was sixteen. No! Since he was nine and that girl always ran to the boys that were oh so wrong for her leaving this man with his heart so full of love alone and stranded. And she had just done it again. Blair had no idea how to explain to Serena that no man does for another woman what Nate did for her and it should be enough! His love should be enough God damn it!

Nate moved away from her and wiped his eyes. "Nate –"

"Remember Michelle?" He suddenly asked, referring to one of his poor attempts at a relationship. Blair nodded. "You know why we didn't work out?" He questioned again. "She told me that I didn't look at her the way I looked at Serena." And with that Nate Archibald started laughing. Hysterical laughing.

"You know what's funny Blair?" He tried standing up and stumbled. Blair tried to come forward to help him but he held his hand in front of him. Gaining composure, he said "the funny thing is that I can't! I can't look at anyone the way I look at her. And you know what's even funnier? SHE NEVER NOTICED IT!"

Blair let a sob escape and tears started flowing freely down her face. Because she knew! She knew Nate never looked at anyone the way he looked at Serena. She always knew. She knew because she had spent years craving that look from him which he only reserved for Serena. And Blair couldn't stop the tears from flowing because how can Serena not notice it?

"I love her Blair," he whispered. "I love Serena. Why doesn't she love me?" And his voice was so broken so desperate that Blair threw her arms around his neck and sobbed.

"I am so sorry Nate! I am so sorry!" She whispered. Nate pulled away again and took another swig. He sat down on his couch with his head bowed and his elbows on his knees and by the way his shoulders shivered, Blair knew that he was crying.

Blair hated the UES then. Nate Archibald, the only man who hadn't turned plastic. The man with feelings and emotions and morals sat there like a lost warrior and Blair wondered if the UES had finally beat him. Because Lord knew Nate had fought this battle ever since he lost his parents to the society that they came from.

And then Blair hated herself because she always knew that what Nate had for Serena, he could never have or anyone else. And yet, her sixteen year old self had been the person that had torn them apart. Her sixteen year old selfish self which had pushed Serena towards Dan and then left. Was she the reason that a man with so much love in his heart was left so lonely?

She hated Dan Humphrey for crossing paths with Serena. She hated him for loving her. Hated Dan Humphrey for hurting her two best friends. Hated him because can't he see that he'll never love Serena the way Nate did?

And then, Blair hated Serena. Because really, what else was left for Nate to do in order to show her that he loved her? God knows this man had tried everything. He had destroyed himself to make her whole and it was about time someone took care of him because this person in front of her cannot be a martyr in the war he held with their society. His love can't lose to the power that their society ran after.

So she sat down at his feet and looked up at him. "I am sorry, Nate." She said through tears.

"What are you sorry for?" He asked her in his thick voice which was so unlike his real voice that Blair felt her heart break some more.

"For coming between you and her. All those years ago. I knew you loved her Nate! But I was so selfish and I am sorry!"

Nate just shook his head and bent down beside her. "We were kids then Blair. You honestly want to beat yourself up on that."

"No, no! I shouldn't have forbidden you to see her. You were so broken and I knew and I shouldn't have –"

"So you're apologizing to me because I cheated on you?"

"No! I am apologizing to you because you should never have cheated on me! I should've let you go when I realized that your love wasn't mine."

"Blair! Don't be stupid. This is just dumb all right."

"No it –"

"Yes it is! Look Bass, she doesn't love me. And that's it. It is not your fault!" He almost screamed at her this time.

"But if –"

"There are a thousand 'ifs' and 'buts' Blair. And she doesn't love me. And nothing can change that." Tears left his eyes and this time it was Nate who hugged her. Because he didn't want his friend to feel responsible for what had happened. Chuck and her were the only two people left in his life and he couldn't afford to lose them too. Not today.

The door of his house opened again. "I heard about what happened –"

Blair and Nate moved apart at the sound of Chuck's voice. Chuck Bass stood on the threshold of Nate's main door to see the two people he loved the most in his life crying in each other's arms and Chuck was assured that Dan Humphrey was indeed a bastard.

He took long steps towards the two of them and gave Nate his hand to raise him up, while Blair stood alongside. He notices the half empty bottle in Nate's hand and looked him in the eye.

"You're coming to my home. And you're staying there tonight." Chuck informed him in his no-nonsense tone.

"I don't want Henry to see me like this." Nate muttered, rubbing his eyes.

"Look here, Archibald. You're just as important to me as Henry is. Do you hear me? Nate looked at Chuck, feeling an emotion that he hadn't felt in years. The feeling of being taken care of. "You're staying at my home. You're my brother Nate and I won't let you self-destruct like this!"

Nate suddenly felt that this was how families were supposed to be. The way his parents were never to him. All this emotion was too much for Nate Archibald to handle and he collapsed on his couch with tears in his eyes and Chuck hugged him. And Chuck knew that hiding his emotions might be his way of showing his manliness, but embracing emotion the way Nate was right now required strength that only few men can muster. Blair sat on his other side and made sure that Nate felt loved. Because he had long been neglecting himself and it was time someone assured him that everything will be okay in the end. They were three quarters of the NJBC and they wouldn't let Nate bear it all alone.

A/N: Late update. I realize that, yes. I am sorry!

Anyways, about this chapter. Yeah, Serena left him again. Why? I will tell you soon. About the last scene and why Nate was crying so much: We need to understand that it's not just about Serena leaving him. This man had avoided his emotional well-being for quite some time now and with Serena leaving him againa and Blair and Chuck showing so much concern, he just broke down. He probably wouldn't have had he been sober but I like men who show emotion so there!

The chapter was shorter because I didn't want the angst to bore you guys.

A long time ago, someone reviewed that they want to see the Serena/Chuck Brother/Sister dynamic. The next chapter will contain that and alot of NJBC action. It shall be updated within the next week and a half hopefully because I have already started work on it. So there! :D

To anyone and everyone who will read this chapter, let it be known that I love John Green and for some unfathomable reason if any of you have not read his books, you should! He actually rips your heart apart and dances the tango on it. And I read it because I am a masochist like that.

This story WILL NOT be abandoned, unless I die. The story contains around four more chapters maybe.

Next chapter will be a bit more Serena-centric though.

Please don't abandon me and kindly read and review! I will love you if you review! Please let me love you.

Any grammatical errors found will be corrected in the next 24 hours.

Also Jennifer Lawrence is a darling.

This is it then, Ciao.