A/N Thank you LoveLike, waylandfan01 and MarkandLexiefan for the reviews! This chapter is longer than any of the others I think I hope you guys enjoy it!

Chapter 10

"Well do you have anything to say for yourself?" Dan asked Serena who continued to stare at him, Vanessa was at his side a few seconds later.

"W-w-what?" Serena stammered trying to figure out what Dan was blaming her for while her head was clouded with thoughts of Nate.

"I asked why you where alone with Nate again," he said turning his attention to Nate who stared right back arms crossed over his chest, eyebrows raised, not intimidated by Dan at all. "As if the Gossip Girl blast wasn't enough," he said coldly.

"Come on man," Nate said shaking his head at Dan who shot Nate a look to say stay out of it.

"Dan I told you we were going out for dinner," she said looking at him now. "Since when do you read Gossip Girl?"

"Not the point, the point is I don't see Blair and Chuck anywhere," Dan said looking around.

"They are otherwise occupied," Nate said cringing a little at what he said and Serena almost giggled.

This time Vanessa looked at Nate as if to say shut up. Dan turned his attention back to Serena, "So you decided to be with Nate instead of coming to meet me at the fair?"

"I didn't see you ditching the fair to do something I want to do," she said her anger surfacing.

"Something like what? Hang out with Blair, Chuck and Nate? I can see them welcoming me right away," he said.

"Standing right here," Nate said taking a step forward.

"No I don't mean that," Serena said placing a hand on Nate's arm to keep him form lunging for Dan. "I mean go to parties, go to the beach, do things couples do, talk maybe," she screamed.

"We spoke and I thought you enjoyed coming with us to the fair and to dinner," he said looking down at Serena's hand, which hadn't left Nate's arm.

"No Dan if you didn't realise I was bored out of my mind and I wanted alone time with you I didn't want to be surrounded by so many people, you barely acknowledged I was there," she said he fingers digging into Nate's arm, who just stood there silently watching her but not moving his arm.

"That's not true, you know what Serena I can't deal with this tonight, I'm tired I'll call you tomorrow," he said looking at her. "I don't want to fight."

"No, you know what Dan screw this, it's over for good this time, we shouldn't have tried again, we were over the first time and this was a waste of a good summer. If you don't want my drama then don't try to come back into my life ever again," she screamed, the queen in her kept the tears from spilling out and the hurt from showing on her face so she just looked angry. Dan had no idea she was about to cry but Nate did, he was watching her carefully so he could do something if her mask didn't hold until this conversation was over.

"Serena wait," Dan called as she turned to walk away, he started to walk toward her when Nate stepped in his way.

"I warned you," Nate said before punching Dan and walking after Serena leaving Vanessa to help him up.

"Nate what was that," Serena asked once they got into the car, she was almost whispering and he knew how hurt she was.

"I'll explain later, lets just get you home first," he said slowly sneaking a look at her, when he saw her tears any feeling of regret or guilt for punching Dan vanished, it was worth it now.

When they finally got back Serena went straight to the room and locked the door, Nate sighed and left the food for Chuck and Blair on the kitchen counter then he retreated back to his room. He tried to get some sleep but he couldn't help but worry about her in the room next door. If he asked her about it she would push him away, now he just had to wait for her to get to him. Giving up on sleeping he put the TV on then plugged in the PS3, if he were not getting any sleep he might as well keep himself occupied.

About an hour into playing the game he heard her room door open and saw her come to his door, her mascara was smudged and her eyes were red, her hair was in a messy bun and she was an absolute mess but he couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked. Slowly she walked toward him, unsure of herself. He pulled the covers back and let her get in holding her close to him and whispering words of comfort as she cried into his chest.

She fell asleep there, exhausted from the events of the night, he switched the TV off and moved carefully so he didn't wake her as he got under the covers as well finally falling of to sleep.

It was about 3 am when she woke again, she looked at him sleeping so peacefully. They were both sleeping on their sides facing each other. Slowly her eye's drifted to his hand, as she reached for it he stirred and woke up looking at her with concern in his eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you," she said shyly.

"You didn't, I was worried about you S," he said rubbing her arm. "Was kinda awake."

She smiled at him and took his right hand into both hers. "You didn't have to punch him you know, your super hero phase passed once we turned six."

He chuckled a little, "I'm always your hero," he said looking into her deep blue eyes, searching to see if she really was ok.

"Thank you," she whispered kissing his hurt hand. They lay in silence for a little longer after that just looking into each others eyes. "I think it was the same as you and Blair," she finally said looking down at his hand still in hers. "You know, I loved him but was never in love with him I just kept fooling myself and I wanted to believe that I was getting the fairytale Blair always wanted."

He nodded and waited for her to continue, when she finally looked back at him it looked as if she would cry at any second and the anger bubbled inside him again he just wanted to punch Dan until he realised what he had done, how he screwed up something Nate wished he had.

"Don't," she said watching him closely, her hands tightening around his. "He isn't worth it."

"S, I asked him to do one thing for me," he said through clenched teeth, staring at her. "One simple thing, I asked him not to hurt you."

"You asked him not hurt me," she asked quietly and he nodded his anger dissipating as she touched his face. "I don't deserve you."

"Serena," Nate started but she cut him of.

"I tried to be with him to get over everything happening with you, I tried to not want to throw up when I saw you and Blair together and then when you broke up, Dan and I were in too deep. I thought, I thought I loved him and maybe I did and then you got together with Vanessa, I threw myself deeper into the relationship allowing myself to be hurt by him and Natie it hurt so bad," she said. "After the breakup Blair and Chuck tried to get us together and I think they're still trying but I don't know if I can be with you, I'm too afraid I'll end up messing it up with you, I can't lose you, ever."

By the time she was done she was sobbing again and Nate put his arms around her pulling her closer and for the second time comforting her until she calmed down. "Hey, you will never lose me, even if you do break my heart, which you did," he said and they both laughed a little, "See you still didn't lose me, I'm here I'm yours," he said putting his finger under her chin and lifting it up so her eyes could meet his.

"I love you," she said suddenly and softly looking straight into his eyes and got closer to him putting her head on his chest as she had done so many times before, she didn't expect him to say it back, she knew that in the morning he would wake up and she would be gone but for these few moments she just wanted to be in his arms to be held by him without the guilt.

He was in shock, he had never heard her say that to anyone except Blair and Erik and he knows she must have said it to Dan as well but as he lay in bed holding onto the girl he's always loved he cant move he cant breath he feels as if he's going to pass out from the lack of oxygen.

He doesn't know how much time has past but he tightens his grip around her and she responds so he knows she's awake, "Serena," he whispers and she lifts her head just a little to look into his eyes. "Don't leave, in the morning when I wake up, I want you to still be here," he begs her quietly.

"Why," she asks her voice hoarse and throat thick, she looks as if she is going to cry again but he thinks she doesn't have anymore tears left.

He pulls her up so their eyes meet properly, "Because I love you too, Serena van der Woodsen, I've been in love with you since before I could remember and I wish I was stronger because if I was I wouldn't have been so afraid to come after you, I wouldn't have been afraid of your rejection," he let his hand run down her side. "I could've saved you from this pain."

"You're strong now," she said looking into his eyes, a small smile playing on her lips. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to be strong enough to wait a few days, you just got out of another try with Dan," he said smiling at the little frown she looked at him with. "I'm going to wait for you and I'm going to fight for you."

"You have nothing and no-one to fight silly, I'm yours," she said. "I've always been."

"I know but everything just happened a little fast and a few hours ago you were in a relationship with him, so maybe after you've worked through this properly we can give it a try ok? Because I really really want to be with you," he said running his finger across her cheek and into her hair, she nodded a little disappointedly, he noticed and smiled at her before softly kissing her lips, he felt her smile as their lips moved together and when he pulled away she still had that smile on her face, her eyes closed a few more seconds before she opened them to look into his. "I'm waiting for you," he kissed her forehead and whispered goodnight drawing her as close as possible to him, he only fell asleep after her and he hoped that what he woke up she would still be right there in his arms.

Unfortunately when Nate woke up in the morning she was gone.

A/N So there are maybe two more chapters left in this story I'm not gonna make it toooooo long, quite a bit happened in this chapter so please review and tell me what you think about it! (^^,) Thank you