Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Layla.

A/N: Another Chapters Yay! I really enjoyed this one. This is the last of Season 2 of course and can't wait till I get Season 3 up. Some interesting things are coming up including Layla's past with a certain someone.

Season 2 Episode 25

Like everything on the upper east side High school graduation is done a little differently. Who needs pomp and circumstance when you have paparazzi?

Layla sat with Blair and Serena at breakfast before there graduation ceremony.

"Ever since Gossip Girl broke my arrest It has been everywhere. Do you know eric found it in Pravda" Serena said putting down a paper.

"You're famous because you got arrested." Layla said.

"Of course this happened to you." Blair said.

"I just can't wait for this day to be over. The end of high school means the end of me on Gossip Girl."

"" No, she has plagued you more than anyone. You were her first blast ninth grade, if I remember correctly." Blair said.

"Oh yeah It involved a white dress some rain and a recently docked aircraft carrier?" Layla joked.

"Okay, let's just hope that my mug shot is The last thing she ever prints about me."

"Look on the bright side. S Gossip girl does not report on college So this is your last day to be under her rule."

"Okay can you just take my mind off of me? - Talk about anything."

"Did he say it like.." Blair started.

"Anything but…" Serena said.

"I love her, I lo-ove her, I love he-er" Blair asked talking about Chuck. During there talk after Prom talk, Layla and Serena mentioned that Chuck actually loved her.

"- I totally set myself up for that one." Serena said.

"I don't know why you're acting like this is new information. You know how Chuck feels about you.." Layla said.

"The problem isn't his 's his inability to express them to the right person. Who cares who he tells if he doesn't tell me?"

"Does he even know that you and Nate broke up?" Serena asked.

"Have you not told him? Or you Lay?"

"It's not like we stay up at night braiding each other's hair and having heart-to-hearts."Serena said

"I haven't told him" Layla said.

"Then why are we still here? We've already paid the check." Blair said picking up her purse.

They walked out the door paparazzi trying to take pictures of Serena. Layla and Blair posed before hopping into the limo.

Layla stood outside the school in the courtyard in her green gown.

"Hello fellow graduate," Riley said.

"Hey Ry, can you believe were graduating" Layla said excited.

"Its so surreal"

"Your family here?"

"My brother is, my father was busy, you?"

"My grandfather is here. But the most important person in my family is graduating with me so that's all I need."

Riley leaned in and hugged her.

"I am going to miss you next year" he said.

"I know, we have to keep in touch."

"Well yeah I have to see my favorite girl. Tell Sophie I'll come visit her"

Layla playfully pushed him away.

"I see Chuck, I'll talk to you later." Layla said.

"Are you too still pretending to date?"

"No" Layla smiled and then walked over to Chuck.

She went straight up to him and hugged him. He hugged her back.

"We made it. Surprisingly" Layla said.

"That we did" Chuck said letting her go.

"How are you?" she asked

"Good, a little upset my fake girlfriend broke up with me but I'll live."
"Good" Layla said.

"I saw you talking to Riley, some playful banter between the two."

"He doesn't like me like that."

"You like him?"

"No"

Chuck raised an eyebrow at her

"I'm done talking to you" She said walking away.

She spotted a familiar face in the crowd.

"Jason hey" She said walking over.

"Right you go here"Jason replied awkwardly.

"Well graduating"

"The gown gave that away."

"Right. What are you doing here?"

"I have a sibling here" he said.
"I thought you went to Dalton?"

"I did but my brother went here"

"Brother, right of course you are" Layla said figuring it out and then walked away.

"Everyone let's line up So we can make our way down please. Girls on on side boys on the other"

The all walked in. Her, Blair and Serena sitting at the very end

"Dear friends colleagues As we stand here today We bear witness to a bright new beginning." The headmistress started.

"Just standing in front of him I-I couldn't do it. I can't believe I chickened out." Blair said.

"It's okay B." Layla said.

"This is the beginning of something new. Now we can all move possibilities are endless after all." Serena said.

"Yes To great things." Layla said.

"So what if I'm not going to Yale? You were recently incarcerated And I'm afraid to talk to Chuck because he might hurt me again. Layla had a baby and isn't going to Juilliard this is our moment."

"Nobody can take that from us." Layla replied.

"I urge you to go out into the world and show them who you have become." The head mistress said.

Not so fast.`You're not graduating until I give you my are labels and labels Archibald- class Humphrey- the ultimate Waldorf-weakling. Layla Archibald-Liar And as for Serena Van der Woodsen After today you are officially irrelevant. Congratulations everyone You deserve it.

"Now please join me in welcoming the class of 2009 Class please stand."

"You were right can take this day away from girl is going down." Serena said.

Later that afternoon they all ended up back at the Van der Woodsens

"Gossip girl has ruined our graduation And it's only 2:00. We have to stop her." Serena said.

"Excuse me a sec" Layla said walking away from the group. She grabbed a drink and slammed it.

"Drinking early" she heard behind her.

"Riley hey"

"You okay Van der Bilt?"

Layla smiled at his new nick name for her.

"Just a stressful day" Layla said grabbing his hand and pulling over to the group.

"This is not my personal vendetta. She attacked all of us and was wrong." Serena said.

"Completely" Chuck said.

"Totally" Blair replied.

"Whats going on" Riley said whispering in Layla's ear.

"Gossip girl"

"Right, the blast at graduation"

' "Well I'm gonna go do some damage control just in case so don't wait for me." Nate said.

"Well what about you two?" Serena said staring at Chuck and Blair "Well out of everyone here You guys probably have the most secrets you're hiding"

"I'll gather intel." Blair said.

"I'll run some stats." Chuck replied.

"Lay,"

"I think she has spilled anything she has on me. So much for me being Secret Keeper" Layla lied.

Serena walked away.

"Are you sure your okay" Riley asked.

"Yeah, so hey um is your brother here by chance" Layla asked pretty sure Jason was Riley's brother.

"Um no he said he ran into an old fling and had to bolt."

"Oh, I was looking forward to meeting him" she lied. Well at least Gossip Girl was right about her.

Riley looked at her odd.

"I'm going to go get you another" Riley said grabbing her glass. She spotted Nate and ran over to him.

"Hey" Layla said to her brother.

"Have you seen your girlfriend?" Chuck said approaching them.

"You don't know?" Nate asked.

"What?" Chuck replied looking between Nate and Layla.

"Blair and I broke up."

"Oh" Chuck said. Nate walked away "They broke up"

"Yeah" Layla faked smiled and walked away.

The five of them sat on the steps.

"The number of posts in the last six months about Constance and St. Jude's is more than double of the next mentioned school. Number one on our hit list Would seem to indicate a personal connection." Chuck said

"I refuse to believe the students at our school are any worse than those at Horace Mann or Spence." Serena said.

"So Gossip Girl most likely goes to or went to Constance." Blair said.

"Yeah exactly. Why else the focus?" Layla said.

"Well, I would also assume that she is our age. The blasts all started when we were in the ninth grade. An upperclassman simply wouldn't care." Nate said.

"So you're saying Gossip Girl's a senior,like us?" Blair asked.

"Well,if she's a senior Then-then that means she's in the room right now." Serena said.

"So who could it be?" Chuck said pulling out his phone and showing pictures.

"Rebecca Sherman? No her head's always in a book." Blair implied "She's not paying enough attention."

"Okay" Chuck said pulling up another picture.

"Not her either." Layla said.

"Then I submit Nelly Yuki." Chuck said.

"Low profile Good with computers Many grudges mostly against me." Blair said.

"No I've been with her way too many times when Gossip Girl has sent out a blast. There's no way it's her. I'm gonna speed this up." Serena said pulling out her cell phone.

"What are you doing?" Blair asked.

"Sending a tip to Gossip Girl." Serena said "Chuck,get the room quiet for me."

"I'm way ahead of you." Chuck said getting up Layla right behind him "If I could have everyone's attention please."

Chuck put his arm around Layla.

"We'd like to thank you all for being here today."

A cell phone dinged and Johnathon reached in to grab his phone

"Jonathan?"

"What? Gossip girl is a guy?" Nate said.

Chuck grabbed the phone.

"It's him. Look" he said tossing it to Serena.

"What just happened? What's going on?" Eric said.

"Tell 'em who you are." Chuck replied.

Layla headed home and change for her brother's party. After she was all dressed she said goodnight to Sophie and the Nanny and went down stairs.

"Hey you ready for our party" Nate asked.

"Yeah" Layla replied.

"I can't believe you didn't tell Chuck, Blair and I broke up. I mean obviously you two were faking it."

"You knew it was fake?"

"Thanks for trying though. I know you well enough. If you two were actually dating you would have spent a lot more time with him "

"I was trying this whole being an adult and putting other people before myself"

"That's so un Layla of you"

"I know I hate it." Layla replied

"Was it just me or did I see Jason at Graduation"

"You saw him? Uh now I feel bad because I'm avoiding Riley"

"Why"

"Jason is his brother, half brother but still. How do I tell him that I dated his brother"

"Yeah that's going to be awkward. Lets gets going" Nate said putting his arm around her.

They arrived at the party. Layla found Dan and Vanessa and went to greet them Nelly Yuki stood there talking to them but ran as she was approaching.

"Was she just about to tell me she loved me?" Dan asked.

"I'm so glad we came." Vanessa replied.

"Hey guys" Layla said "Was Nelly Yuki about to tell you she loves you?"

"I think so"

"Makes sense, I should go make my rounds. Hosting a party means mingling" she said walking away. She spotted Riley entering "Ry, hey"

"Hey" Riley said.

"You disappeared earlier" Layla mentioned.

"You looked distracted so I just went home. Better now"

"Tons" She said as her phone buzzed

Serena Van Der Woodsen Just couldn't leave well enough she had to find out the truth about me I'm going to tell you the truth about everyone. Every gossip bomb I've got is about to drop And if you've got a problem with that,take it up with wonder why Miss Carr left town? A little bee told me Dan Humphrey had sex with her During the school the sparks between Humphrey's sis and Nate? During a hot photo God it stopped at pg-13 Or someone could have ended up in jail like her brother.

"Is that true?" Dan said.

"What? You were in jail?" Jenny asked her brother.

And as for Blair Waldorf say "uncle."We hear she kept it in the Bass family on new year' rumor has it Chuck spent some time in Brooklyn- Metaphorically speaking of course.

"You slept with Jack?" Chuck asked.

"You slept with Vanessa?" Blair asked.

Layla Archibald was cheated on only to cheat on Dan with her baby daddy.

Dan looked over at her.

Serena Van Der Woodsen here's looking at you.

Layla walked over to Dan but he walked away from her.

"Great" she said.

"You never told me you were cheated on" Riley said.

"Yeah I don't want to talk about it" Layla said walking out side ignoring all the conversations going on.

"Why not?" Riley asked following her.

"Because it happened last year and I just want to forget about it"

"Well just know I'm here when you do."

"Thanks Ry, you have been the best this year."

"I'm just glad I met the coolest girl in New York when I moved here"

"The coolest"

"Defiently, you have to be to live in this Gossip Girl world, being pregnant. Letting go of your one true love."

"Make me promise that next school year I will not get involved with Chuck Bass"

"Or Dan"

"No Dan, No Chuck. To new exciting things."

"New exciting things" Riley said raising up his glass.

They sat out there for a while just in silence. Layla didn't want to talk and Riley respected that. Her phone buzzed.

SERENA:MEET ME AT THE OAK ROOM.

"I better go, Serena wants to meet with me"

"Well I'll be in North Carolina all Summer hanging with friends so next year"

"Yeah" she said hugging him.

She walked down to the Oak Room and walked in. Serena and Nate sat there not paying attention.

"It's already been over an hour. The bar's closing soon." Nate said and then looked up "Layla is Gossip Girl"

"What no, please I never would of said the things I said about myself" she said walking over.

"True, she would of never said she slept with Carter" Serena said.
"Don't remind me"
"Whoa Whoa whoa. Wait Wait Dan is gossip girl" Nate said causing the girls to look over and see Dan. Layla looked at him wondering but then shook it off.

"Gossip girl? You crazy" Dan said.

"Then what are you doing here?" Serena asked.

"I loopt you. Are you waiting for Gossip Girl?"

"And I know you don't approve."

"I'm gonna go close the tab." Nate said.

"I'll help" Layla said following Nate.

"You tell Ry that you dated his brother." Nate asked her when they got to the other side.

"I was going to until that blast that I was cheated on. I'm just glad she chose that."

"There's more than that out there" Nate asked.

"Yeah. Stuff that I think only Chuck and Serena's knows but I don't know, there might be things neither one of them know. Actually there is a thing neither one knows and Gossip Girl might."

"Well you two are friends now so no need to worry. But if you want to talk."
"My brother is there."

"Yeah" Nate said giving her a side hug "Oh, my God."

Blair walked in.

"Oh, that makes sense." Dan said as they walked over to him and Serena.

"Wait they're a team." Nate said as Jenny walks in.

"Team of what" Blair asked.

"Wait Why are you all here?" Serena asked as more people came in.

"I got a text saying to meet you." Blair said.

"Yeah - So did I." Jenny said.

"So did I." Layla said. "That's why I showed up"

You wanted to meet gossip girl. Well look around. You just did. I'm nothing without while most high school friendships fade It's my hope that what happened today will bond you forever. Now that all my secrets are out. You have a clean slate, Until college. Congratulations.I'm coming with you.

"Drinks on me." Serena said.

"Yes" Nate said.

Layla walked over to Dan.

"Hey, I'm sorry about what she said about me" Layla said "About what I did."

"I should of known" Dan sai "You're Layla and Chuck."

"I was going to tell you"

"I know"

"Its actually why I avoided you for so long"

"I know"

Layla hugged him. Dan hugged her back

"What are you doing this summer" he asked her.

"I don't know yet but hit me up if you want to hang out" she smiled and then kissed his cheek.

"I'll see you around Juliet"

"Right back at you Romeo" she walked away still smiling.

A week later Layla stood in front of the mirror looking over a sun dress she just bought.

"Wow" She heard behind her

"Hey Ry, I thought you were taking off for North Carolina?"

"I am but I wanted to stop by and see you first"

"Aww, you had to say good bye to the coolest girl"

"Yeah, but I also had to say good bye to my favorite girl" Riley said walking over to Soph "Bye Soph, keep an eye on your mama. No Chuck and No Dan for her okay. You report to me if she does"

"You're funny" Layla said.

"Have a fantastic summer"

"I'm going to the hamptons."

"Bye Van der Bilt"

"Bye Mason" she said hugging him.

Layla watched him walk out of the room and then turned back to the mirror. This summer was definely going to be better than last year.