Jenny had been doing remarkably well lately, and they had been growing closer and closer. With each passing day, he became more and more sure about being with her. He really hadn't felt like this before. He decided to test the waters one day, as they walked through the park, and asked her what her plans were for the summer.

"I don't know. I honestly haven't even thought about it. Probably the Hampton's spent the summer there last year, and I interned before that. But then again, I've never had to factor in a boyfriend." She nudged him playfully.

"Well, what would you say to traveling with me?"

"Where did you have in mind?"

"Wherever we want. My family has a place in France I haven't been to in years. That might be a pretty good place to start."

Jenny's eyes widened with excitement. "I've never even been out of the country."

"Really?" He looked at her in disbelief.

"I'm a Humphrey Nate. Unless it was on a tour bus, my family hasn't travelled much."

"Well, we have to fix that!" He was suddenly even more enthusiastic about taking her somewhere this summer. "Where do you want to go?"

"I wouldn't even know where to start." A worried look suddenly crossed her face. "But, we're going to have to talk to my dad. I don't know if he's going to be okay with it."

"We'll figure it out. Maybe if Dan and Vanessa came with us or something." Nate suggested.

"Maybe. I'll work on bringing it up to him."

"Let's cross that bridge when we get there." They spent the afternoon discussing the possibilities for their trip, and Nate dropped her off at the VDW, she tried to figure out how she would approach her dad. When she did broach the subject with him and Lily after dinner, he was quiet.

"You want to go to Europe with your boyfriend this summer?" He repeated her request, and she prepared for the fight. There was no way Rufus would be okay with this.

"I think it's a wonderful idea." Lily jumped in, knowing as well as Jenny how protective Rufus would be.

"I don't." Rufus responded. "I know you and Nate have been doing well lately, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you fly half way around the world alone with him."

"Dad, please?" She begged, and tried to keep any insubordination out of her voice. He definitely wouldn't let her go if he suspected she was trying to con him. "I'll be perfectly safe. His family has a house in France, so it would be fine!"

"That's not the point."

"You don't trust me." She didn't even ask. He glanced up at her, surprised by her tone.

"It's not you I don't trust."

"Nate knows what happened to me, better than most people. He's been nothing less than a perfect gentleman since, and he just wants me to have a great vacation. You can talk to Vanessa if you need a character reference. They backpacked through Europe together."

"Rufus, I think Jenny's right. I know you're very protective of her, and I am too." She looked at her step-daughter. "Jenny, sweetheart, I know I'm not your mom, but I do look at you like a daughter." She looked back at Rufus. "I have known Nate his whole life, and I trust him. I think this trip is a fantastic idea."

"I don't know about this." Rufus told Jenny, and she looked crushed.

"Jenny, how about your father and I discuss this." The young blonde nodded, and left them alone. Back in her room, she picked up the phone to call Nate. He didn't answer, so she left him a message, explaining what her dad had said. Not able to focus on school work, she plugged in her iPod. Enjoy the Silence by Anberlin played through her headphones and she noticed her sketchpad leaning up against her desk. She sat on her bed, and flipped through her old designs. She had made tremendous progress, but she hadn't touched anything fashion since she was raped. Blair had informed Eleanor of what happened to Jenny, and Eleanor left her door open to Jenny if she wanted to return. Jenny had thanked her, but was honest about needing more time to recover. She wasn't quite ready to go back to the fashion world, even if Agnes was no longer a part of it.

As she stared at the blank page, and image started to take form. She thought about what she had been through, what a toll it took on her, and how fashion had always been an outlet. She drew inspiration from her struggles, and now, she had a lot to draw from. She started to sketch the outline of a dress; full length, structured, harsh lines. From the front, it looked like couture armor. She pictured leather panels, fitted down to the knee, at which point it would flow gently, a softer material that whispered as it moved. She started a second sketch of the back, and she realized she wanted it to be completely backless. It would have prominent shoulders, and long sleeves, but she liked the idea of the open back. The front was like armor, protecting the heart, but the back was vulnerable. It was deceptive, and left an opportunity for someone, like Agnes, to come up and stab you in the back. She stared at the completed sketch, proud of herself. It really was a gorgeous design. She thought about making it a series, perhaps down to a more ready-to-wear look, inspired by this original. She felt a rush of affection for her work, and was reminded how much she missed fashion.

She had just returned to her room after getting a glass of water when her phone rang. It was Nate. "Hey!" She greeted him, sitting down on her bed.

"I got your message. What do you think your dad's going to say?"

"I honestly don't know. Lily seems to be on my side, so maybe she can convince him."

"I hope so. I really want to do this trip." He told her, and she could hear the enthusiasm in his voice.

"I know. I do, too. I'm keeping my fingers crossed."

"So what are you doing right now?"

She stared at the sketch on her bed. "I actually just finished a design. It's the first time I've sketched in months. It feels really good."

"That's great! I can't wait to see it. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks! I'm really happy."

They chatted for a while, before she finally conceded she needed to go to sleep. Both of their finals were coming up, and she figured sleep would distract her from worrying about what her dad decided.

It took a good deal of convincing, but Rufus finally agreed to let Jenny go to Europe with Nate, on the condition that she contact him in some form every day. Nate had even managed to get Chuck and Blair to join them. Their relationship was hanging by a thread, and Nate figured they could use the vacation. They would all take Chuck's plane to Nate's house in Nice, stay for a bit, and then Chuck and Blair would go their own way. The rest of the school year went by incredibly quickly, and Nate and Jenny were both unbelievably busy, between finals, and planning their trip. Jenny bragged shamelessly to her friends that Nate was taking her to his house in France over the summer, and despite keeping a level head at Constance, she got a unique pleasure out of making the mean girls drool over her life. She tried not to drag her boyfriend into it too much, but he was an incredible source of status for her, and it was one of the tools she used to keep herself ruler without succumbing to her previous pitfalls in that position. She was practically counting down the days until vacation, and Nate could see just how much she was looking forward to their trip. It was going to be a great summer.

About a week after they arrived in Nice, Nate and Chuck took the day to go sailing, needing some good old fashion boys time. Not so very long ago, they would have been terrified to leave Jenny and Blair alone, but the two had been getting along surprisingly well during the trip. Nate admitted to Chuck that it seemed too good to be true, to which Chuck responded with a shrug. He was as curious as anyone to see where this friendship went. Not long the boys left the house after breakfast, Blair heard a knock at her door. She was sitting on the bed reading French fashion magazines, and gave an absentminded "come in."

Jenny tentatively opened the door. "Blair, can I talk to you?" Blair nodded, and set the magazine aside. She noticed that Jenny looked remarkably uncomfortable.

"Is everything okay?"

"I think so. Yeah. I just…okay, this is really embarrassing, but I don't exactly have anyone else to go to."

"You're worrying me, Jenny."

"I'm sorry. I hope this isn't too awkward for me to ask you. If it is, it's totally fine. I can't believe I'm about to ask."

"Spit it out."

"Nate and I haven't had sex yet." Jenny blurted, and Blair gave her a shocked, if not incredibly amused look. "It's just…I haven't been ready. After everything that happened, I've been terrified."

"I'm glad to hear that. You shouldn't feel like you have to rush. How long has it been?" Blair asked, kindly. She was amused at Jenny's discomfort talking about it, but felt compassion for her struggle. Rape wasn't something you just got over.

"Almost four months."

"You and Nate have been together for two. Have you guys done anything?"

"Of course. I've gotten much more comfortable, and he's been very patient. We just haven't…gone all the way, yet."

"Do you want to?"

Jenny nodded. "I think we will soon." She took a deep breath. "I don't really have anyone I can talk to about this. I'm not comfortable talking to my mom or Lily, and definitely not Serena. I would call Vanessa, but she's in Haiti, I'm here, and I think that would be odd to talk about over the phone. I know you have a lot of experience, and may not judge me to harshly."

"No judgement. I think sex is important in any relationship, and I hope you guys get to that point."

"Is it weird for you? I mean, Nate is your ex." Blair laughed at the irony.

"Jenny, Nate slept with Serena before he slept with me, and I slept with his best friend. I have no place to judge Nate's sexual activity."

"That's what scares me. Well, one of the things. He's a lot more experienced than I am, not to mention with several people I know."

"J, everyone has history. It's not always with people close to you, but it doesn't matter." Jenny kept her eyes down. "I know Nate doesn't care that you're inexperienced. Believe me, there is something guys love about being a girl's first. It makes them feel special. And Nate loves you, which makes it even better for him."

Jenny's eyes snapped up to Blair's, and practically bugged out of her skull. "Nate loves me?" Disbelief colored Blair's expression as she took in Jenny's genuine shock.

"Isn't it obvious?" Jenny just stared.

"Please don't joke around with me." She implored, and Blair took her hands firmly.

"Listen to me, Jenny. I've known Nate my entire life, and I thought I had seen him in love; first with me, and then with Serena. Both don't even come close. I've never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you. The way he talks about you, and the way he acts around you tells me everything I need to know. If you're afraid that he doesn't want you, than your fears are unfounded."

"I feel terrible making him wait."

"Don't ever feel bad about withholding sex. It's a powerful tool for manipulation." Jenny gave Blair a look, and she sighed. "I know that's not what you're doing, and Nate understands that. He knows what you've been through, probably better than anyone else, and if I know Nate, he would be horrified if he ever pushed you into something you're not ready for."

"I know. He's been so patient and caring." Blair gave her a knowing smile, and Jenny blushed. "He's never told me he loved me though."

"He's probably waiting for the right time." Jenny nodded. "Is that what you came here for? Reassurance about Nate?"

"Well, yes and no." Jenny confessed. "I trust him, and we've been getting pretty close to actually having sex, but…I have no idea what I'm doing. He has so much more experience, and I feel like I'm going to make a fool of myself. I was hoping you could give me some pointers." Blair wanted to laugh, but she knew it would be in bad taste. Jenny was sincere, and Blair didn't want to embarrass her further.

"First things first. Are you on birth control?"

Jenny nodded. "I started right after I was raped. I was paranoid, and I didn't want to take any chances in the future."

"Good. Secondly, you just said you trusted Nate, so you need to keep reminding yourself of that. He knows how big of a deal this is for you, and I know he wants to do it right. Have you guys talked about exactly what you're comfortable with?"

"A little bit, just as we've progressed. I really need help though. I don't know what I'm doing."

"The best thing you can do is relax. I don't want to scare you, but rarely is a girl's first time all that great. I know your experience is a little different than most, but just be prepared for it to be a little awkward. I'm sure you guys have gotten more and more comfortable with each other's bodies, so you really should be fine. Just be open with Nate about what you're okay with, and let him take the reins for the first few times, until you get comfortable."

"Okay, but what do I do when…" Jenny launched into a million questions and Blair had a feeling she wasn't going to get back to her magazine for a while. She secretly enjoyed this-having Jenny Humphrey needing her advice. For years, Jenny had been a trailblazer, basically overtaking Blair. It was gratifying for her to have to ask for Blair's help. They spent the better part of the day talking, and getting along oddly well, which they both noted with surprise. Jenny was actually a little disappointed to see Chuck and Blair depart a few days later. She couldn't say she would ever crave their company, but they were shockingly nice to have around; as long as it was in small doses.

Following dinner the second night after Chuck and Blair departed, Nate asked Jenny to join him for a walk. The sun was setting over the ocean, and the air was warm. It was incredibly romantic, and Jenny couldn't believe this was her life. "I think this has been the best summer vacation I've ever had." Jenny commented when they got back.

"It's only a few weeks in." He teased her, as they entered their bedroom. They were occupying the Master Bedroom, which had a large balcony and an unbelievable view of the city side and the ocean. Even after two weeks there, Jenny couldn't get used to it. She opened the doors wide and leaned against the railing of the balcony, letting the light breeze cool her. It felt like heaven.

"I know. But already it's been so great. I thought nothing could compare to last year, when I spent my first summer in the Hampton's. Eric and I had so much fun, and I didn't realize it could get even better. This is like a dream."

Nate came up and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "I know. It feels so right to be here with you." She sighed as he pressed his lips to her shoulder, and turned so she could kiss him. As they got heated, she started pushing him into the bedroom.

"I want to try something new." She told him, and his eyes danced.

"What's that?" She kissed him with his back against the wall, and then dropped down to her knees in front of him. She started undoing his pants and he realized what she was doing. "Jen, are you sure?" She gazed up at him from under her lashes and nodded. As uncomfortable as it had been to ask Blair for advice, the girl was a goldmine. She had given Jenny several tips, and Jenny was eternally grateful now that the moment had arrived. When she finally got him out of his pants, she took time just to touch him. It was the first time she had seen him this explicitly, and though she didn't have much to compare to, she was impressed. She stroked her finger up and down his length, and felt him grow harder and harder under her touch. She suddenly felt incredibly powerful, and flicked her tongue out to touch his tip. He tensed up and released a slow breath. Mustering her courage, she wrapped her hand firmly around and took him in her mouth. She was incredibly nervous, and was amazed her hand wasn't shaking. She was determined though. She wanted to break down her own barriers, and satisfy Nate after all his patience with her. It took her a little bit of time to get the hang of it, but soon she found a rhythm and went with it. Whatever she was doing seemed to be working, because she could literally feel him building towards a climax. Blair had cautioned her about what it was like, and she had tried to mentally prepare. Nate warned her that he was about to come, in case she didn't want him to in her mouth. She gritted her teeth so to speak, and when he came, she was ready. She didn't even think, just swallowed, and wiped her mouth when she was finished. It took her a few moments process what she had just done, and Nate was still coming down from his climax. When his scattered thoughts came back, he pulled up his pants, lifted her to her feet and kissed her thoroughly.

"You amaze me." He told her when they finally broke apart.

"Was it okay? I've never…" He put a finger to her lips to silence her, and hugged her, his lips next to her ear.

"You were phenomenal. I didn't expect that at all."

"That was the idea." She admitted, and felt relieved it had gone so well. "I have to admit, I was terrified. I wanted to do it for you, though."

"Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I feel really good right now. You've been so patient with me, and I wanted to do something for you."

"I wish I could return the favor. When you're ready." He assured her, and she hugged him tighter.

"I'm getting there. I'm sorry it's taking me so long."

"Please stop apologizing. You blew me away, and I just want to bask in it and enjoy being with you. Whatever you want to do, I'm yours." He told her. "How about a drink?"

She nodded. "That sounds really nice." She went to sit on one of the balcony chairs, and a few minutes later, Nate joined her with two glasses of wine.

"What are you thinking about?"

"You." She told him, very matter of fact.

"That was your first time?" He inquired, and she nodded. "I'm happy it was with me." He told her, a sincere smile on his face. "It intimidates me that you haven't been with anyone else, voluntarily at least. That's a whole other story. But it also means so much to be that I'm your first. I want to make this special for you. When your ready, you tell me what you want, and I'll take care of it."

"How did I get so lucky?" She asked and he just smiled. They spent another half an hour chatting over wine before she yawned and they decided to go to bed. She had taken to sleeping in his shirts since the first time she spent the night at his place, and he wasn't complaining. He loved seeing her come out of the bathroom wearing something of his. When they finally crawled into bed, he spooned her, and they could hear the distant sound of the waves. The only light in the room came from the moon and the city lights reflecting on the ocean. He couldn't ever remember being this happy, and suddenly, he realized something he wanted to say to her.

"Jenny?" He propped up on his elbow.

"Mmm?"

"I need to tell you something."

"Tell me something." She responded, her voice breathy.

"I love you." He felt her stiffen next to him, and he felt a pang of anxiety.

She turned over so that she could look at him, and her eyes were full of wonder, and even a little disbelief. "What?"

He looked her straight in the eye and repeated himself. "I love you, Jenny Humphrey." She stared into his eyes for a few beats, and he could feel her heartbeat speed up.

"I love you too, Nate." She whispered, and he kissed her ever so gently. He couldn't believe how good it felt to say those words, and he knew he meant them. She kissed him back, and something clicked in her. She drew upon the bravery that helped her earlier and rolled on top of him, straddling his hips as she kissed him. Taking a chance, she ground her hips against him and he moaned into her mouth. She let go of his lips and sat up, gazing down at him and the love she saw in his eyes. In that moment, she had no doubt that he wanted her, and she wanted him. She felt a burning inside her, and made up her mind. She grabbed the hem of her shirt, and started to lift it up when Nate stopped her.

"Are you sure?" He asked, and she nodded. Keeping eye contact with him, she pulled the shirt over her head and tossed it aside. He stared at her naked body in absolute awe. Gently, he reached up and touched her softly. He slid his hands slowly up from her hips to her waist, up her stomach and to her breasts. When his fingers skimmed her nipples, her eyes closed and she let out a sigh.

"Nate." She whispered his name, and he felt himself grow harder as he touched her. Her eyes snapped open as she felt him press up against her bum, and they were wide with astonishment. He sat up and pressed his lips against hers. Her hands played around his waist and began pulling his shirt up. He helped her get it over his head, and their lips connected again. He was incredibly gentle as he touched her, and she felt her desire growing. It felt amazing to be touched like that, and feeling daring, she dragged her nails down Nate's back. His arms tightened around her, and before she knew it, he flipped them over so that she was on her back. She skimmed her hands over the planes of his chest, and he pulled away, sitting up in front of her.

"Jenny, I need to know you're sure about this. Please, don't feel like you have to."

"I'm sure." Her eyes were sparkling in the darkness, and she took his hand in hers, pressing her lips to his palm. "Nate Archibald, I want you to make love to me." He felt his heart soar, and he nodded.

"Good. Because I love you, Jenny, and that's exactly what I want to do." He told her, and her smile lit up the room.

"I love you, too." In that moment, Nate was actually incredibly grateful for his experience level. He wanted to make this a wonderful experience for Jenny, and despite the throbbing in his groin, he was determined to make tonight about her. He was deathly afraid to hurt her, so he was as delicate as he possibly could be. He kicked the covers off the bed, and after giving her a deep kiss on the lips, started kissing his way down her body. He stopped to suckle at each of her breasts and reveled in the way her body arched up to him. Just before he reached her panties, he paused.

"Are you okay?" He asked, knowing he was venturing into new territory.

"Please don't stop, Nate." She breathed and he grinned. He hooked his fingers into her lace panties and teased her, swirling his finger around, but never entering her. Her hands gripped the sheet beneath her, and when he met her eyes, they were as wide as saucers, blood rushing to her cheeks. Ever so slowly, he slid a finger into her, and she tightened at the intrusion.

"Relax." He told her, and kissed her hip. She slowly complied, and he twirled his finger around inside her. She squirmed, and he heard her breathing speed up. He slid his finger out, and then back in much faster. She gasped. "Okay?"

"Yes." She replied, breathless. She was already wet, but he wanted to ease her into it. He slid his finger in and out a few times before adding a second. He was rewarded with a moan from her, and he started thrusting faster and faster. "Oh my god." She gasped as he continued. He could feel her building, tightening around his finger. He pulled out and slid her panties down her leg, slipping his tongue along her inner thigh. She trembled under his touch. reached over to the night stand to get a condom. Carefully, he rolled it on and hovered over her.

"Jenny, this is probably going to hurt. Are you ready?" She nodded, her hands on his shoulders. As gently as he could, he eased into her. She winced, and bit her lip. "Are you okay?" He asked again, and she replied with a brief "yes." Her hands tightened on his shoulders, and he began sliding in and out, slowly, going a little deeper each time. She began to move her hips, meeting him thrust for thrust, and he fought to hold in his release. Gradually, her body tightened, and he had a feeling she was very close to her orgasm. He sped up, faster and faster and found it harder and harder to focus on being gentle. He was losing his mind being inside her. Her hands were at the small of his back, pulling at his body each time he thrust into her. She felt the tension in her body build to a tipping point, and when she thought she couldn't contain it any longer, Nate whispered "let go." She did and almost screamed as she felt herself fall to pieces, riding out the waves of her orgasm. It was just seconds later that Nate let himself release, and he came inside her, panting from the effort. He practically collapsed on top of her, and when he found his way back to the present, he could hear her saying his name, over and over. He kissed her thoroughly, and pulled out of her slowly. She whimpered when he slid out, and he got up quickly to trash the condom. When he came back, she was sitting up, her back to him. He reached out and touched her softly, sitting on his knees next to her.

"How do you feel?" He asked, and she just nodded, not quite able to find words yet. Looking closer, he saw a tear on her cheek an he panicked. "Jenny, please tell me you're okay."

"I'm okay." She finally managed, turning to him. She placed a gentle hand on the side of his face. "I love you, Nate." He reached up a hand and tenderly wiped the tear away.

"I love you." He told her. She closed her eyes and smiled, sighing. He laid down and pulled her to his side. Their legs tangled together and she rested her head on his chest, his arms around her, stroking her hair and her bare skin. "You did great." He told her, and he felt a chill run through her. He reached down and grabbed the duvet, pulling it up over them.

"Thank you, Nate."

"For what?"

"For this. For being so careful with me." He pressed his lips to the top of her head in response.

"Just sleep, my angel." He whispered, and a few minutes later, she had dozed off, her breathing evening out. He was exhausted as well, and the experience replayed in his mind over and over as he fell asleep, his love wrapped safely in his arms.