Chuck Bass left the apartment, feeling a mix of emotions— confusion, hurt and anger. He called his driver and lighted a cigarette outside the apartment building while waiting for the black Mercedes Benz. He was having a good time with them when suddenly, Nate stormed off and Blair got upset and asked him to leave. There was nothing he did to make Nate angry enough to walk out like that but he was sure it has got something to do with him and Blair.

Nate found himself at a bar a couple of blocks away from their apartment building. It was probably too early for him to drink something hard but he really wanted something to calm his nerves since the cigarettes were not helping. He was the only one in there and the bartender approached him, greeting him and asking for his order.

"Scotch on the rocks. You may leave the bottle there." He ordered not even bothering to acknowledge the guy.

The same feelings he felt when he received Gossip Girl's message about the best friend-girlfriend thing back in high school had returned. A pang of jealousy erupted, making him nauseous and sick to his stomach. He hated feeling this way. Flashes of Blair and Chuck kissing and holding hands flicked through his mind and he could not stop it. He downed one shot of scotch after another desperately trying to clear his mind.

Serena was sitting with Blair on the naked mattress while Vanessa sitting on the large chest in front of the four poster bed. Dan went to the guest room to check on the kids.

"He saw the box where I kept pictures of me and Chuck." Blair quietly said and the other girls immediately understood what she was talking about seeing the scattered pictures on the floor. They didn't really know that Blair keeps memories like that and Serena wanted to ask but didn't. She knew that her step brother and her best friend's relationship had been deep and serious and wondered whether Blair still has feelings for Chuck. "He saw the necklace."

"The one you wore to the Debutante Ball?"

"Yeah."

"He never knew it was given by Chuck."

"How come you never told him that? He had known about you and Chuck dating."

"Told him it was a birthday gift from Dad. Couldn't take back what I said. He'll see me wearing it once in a while and if he knew, he'd think I still have feelings for Chuck." She sighs for a dramatic effect, "I just really love the necklace but it doesn't mean…" And in her head, she was asking herself if she has really gotten over him.

"Yeah, I understand that, B. Don't worry about it. Nate will come around like he always does."

"It'll probably take him two or three days of brooding and staying silent. He'll go back and won't talk about it for a while."

"He sounds like a girl." Vanessa said in a lighthearted tone. "But you have to tell him as soon as he gets back. Beat him to it, you know."

"I remember the time you told me, 'Nate's a good guy' when you gave me back the video tape you took with me and Chuck arguing about… Well anyways, I don't know why you thought Nate was still a good guy when you knew he cheated on me with…" (AN: In the episode called 'School Lies", Chuck gave Vanessa 10,000 in exchange of the tape but she gave him a blank tape and gave away the money to some charity. She gave the tape to Blair instead and also gave Blair unsolicited advice about her love life.)

"I just thought Chuck's an ass and he doesn't deserve a girl like you even though you may have been a total bitch back then." Blair smiles and Vanessa goes on saying, "Nate, in contrast, he may have done a lot of mistakes but I saw that he really, really, cares about you and he's trying to learn from those mistakes and that well, he's a good person generally. You complement each other very well. That's why I was surprised when you chose to be with Chuck instead of fighting for him. Back then, Nate was unsure of himself but he gives you the liberty of doing what you want because he only wants you to be content. While you, on the other hand, you motivate him and constantly push him to do what's right because you only want what's best for him."

"I thought I just pushed him to do things he didn't want."

This time it was Serena who spoke up, "No, Blair. Like what Vanessa said, Nate wasn't just sure of what he wanted. We were really young back then. But you've been good to him, pushing him to be there for his dad, for his family in a time of need."

Blair smiled again and she was touched with the sincerity in the words of her friends. "I know. He's lucky to have me."

"You both are lucky to have each other."

"Come, I'm sure there are still a few donuts left. We can have some and finish off some stuff." Vanessa said standing up followed by both Serena and Blair.

Dan carried a sleeping Andy in his arms as Serena was holding her son's hand and their bags.

"Are you sure you're fine by yourself?" Dan whispered not wanting to wake his daughter.

Blair nodded and told them that she was just worried about Nate. He was supposed to be home by now.

"Have you tried calling him," asked Vanessa.

"He left his phone."

"He probably went to see Carter or Jeremy." Serena suggested. "Do you want me to call them?"

"No, it's fine. Don't worry about it. I'm sure we'd be able to work this out."

"Do you wanna come with us for dinner?" Her best friend proposed. "I just feel bad leaving you alone."

"Don't worry about it. I just wanna here when he comes home. I'll just order Chinese take-outs."

She kissed Andy's forehead and crouched to hug Paulo. "We can go to the zoo and eat ice cream next time, okay?" She said to which the little boy nodded then hugged Serena then Vanessa.

"Call me if you need anything, B."

"Yes. We can have dinner on Sunday here if everything goes well. Thank you so much for the help. I really don't know what I'd do without you guys."

"No problem, B." She paused, "Do you want me to give him the box back?"

"I think I should personally talk to him. But thanks, really. For everything."

With that, the Humphreys together with Vanessa left as Blair sighed sadly. She looked at the apartment and everything fell into place. At the kitchen, she looked for something to eat at the refrigerator when it was only filled with bottles of mineral water, beer and yogurt. They needed to go to the grocery as soon as they can, she noted. She had wanted to cook dinner for Nate and her when he gets back but she decided to go out and grab something to eat quickly. Slipping on her suede ankle boots again and changing into a Ralph Lauren white turtle neck top, she locked the door of their apartment and left.

Chuck Bass was waiting for the Humphreys to get home and finally, he sees his stepsister and his niece arrive. After settling back into the apartment, Vanessa helping Dan set the dinner table; he was waiting for Serena to tell him what happened with Blair and Nate.

"So, what was the fight all about that Blair just had to kick me out of their abode?"

Serena looked at him, contemplating on whether she should tell him the truth or not. She doesn't want his stepbrother to think that he still stands a chance with Blair.

"I don't know. She wouldn't tell me. She must have been mad about what you did to the pots. You arranged them in a very disorderly manner and you know how Blair—"

"Cut the crap, Serena. Don't make stupid excuses." Chuck said in a cold voice, glaring at her.

"Don't you dare give me that attitude in my home!" She snapped back, pointing her index finger to him.

"I'm sorry, okay! I just don't know what happened out there. I didn't do anything at all. Nate and I were finally getting along and Blair… She's been very nice to me even if I find that hard to believe." Chuck mumbled the words looking at the floor and back to Serena.

"I know, Chuck. I know." Serena finally gave in and explained what really happened, why Nate had stormed off like that. "She says she wants to talk to you soon."

"She still keeps the photos, huh? And the gifts?" Chuck said almost grinning.

She nodded and said, "She probably wanted to give it to you back a long time ago but you went away."

"I think I already know the rest of the story."

"I'll never understand why you had to leave without even saying goodbye. Even if you were… being you…"

"Being a pain in the ass sometimes?"

"Not just sometimes but yeah. Even if you were being an ass, we've missed you and Blair had been depressed for a while."

"But she went to Nate again..."

"It wasn't like that." Serena defended her friend. Blair and Chuck dated on and off for almost two years. They didn't exactly break up but when Blair found out that Chuck had been drinking nonstop and sleeping around the summer before college started, she realized that Chuck was never going to change and that she no longer saw a future for them. They just knew it was over although Chuck apologized and tried to get her back but when she was firm about her decision, he left. They were supposed to go to Yale together. "And you still haven't answered my question. Why did you leave just like that?"

He was silent for a while, mulling over the right words to explain himself. "I left because she didn't want me anymore. Whenever Nate screwed up, he just has to wear a cashmere sweater, use his charms and all is forgiven. They'd get back together. It's a fucking cycle. But when I made a mistake, sure she did forgive me…"

"But she didn't take you back?" She hit him hard and said angrily, "You idiot! You didn't exactly do anything to show her that you want her back so bad and it was your fault to begin with. How stupid can you get? Cheating on Blair when you said you wanted to change? I warned her and she never listened. You were gonna hurt her in the end and you did. I was the only one there to pick up the pieces."

"I know I've been stupid. I didn't know better and I'm suffering for it now. Don't you see? She was the love of my life and it pains me so much to know that I let her go. I thought about visiting her in Yale a lot of times and when I finally did, Nate and her already got back together. I thought about what could have happened if I got to her before Nate did. A lot of times, I did."

Serena was shocked to hear Chuck confess his feelings and they were both silent for a while until she finally spoke again, "If you love her so much, you just have to be content seeing her happy even if her happiness was with someone else and have the faith that in the long run, you'll find your own happiness too."

"Yes. That's what she told me."

It was ten-thirty in the evening when an intoxicated Nate found his fiancé sleeping peacefully on their bed. The sound of his footsteps and loud breathing had woken her up.

"Nate, you're home. I was worried sick about you." Blair eyed him thoughtfully. His hair was a mess and his shirt was wrinkled. "Where have you been?"

Nate ignored her words and pushed her back onto the bed. He reeks the smell of alcohol mixed with second hand smoke and she takes this in as tries to push him off of her. "Nate, you're drunk." She manages to utter the word trying to make him stop but he aggressively forces himself on her, pinning both her wrists down above her head.

"Nate! Stop! You're hurting me." Her pleas were ignored as Nate just took off his shirt and unbuckled his pants. She was tearing up already but she remained powerless under him. He ripped off her night gown lusting over her like a mad man. She felt him kiss her on the lips hard, on her neck, on her stomach, groping her breasts and she struggled no more. He explored her with his fingers inside her before he entered her. The bed squeaks as he pumps harder and harder as she can only squeeze the sheets above her head.

The following morning, having had a sleepless night, she glanced at the body lying next to her. He was lying on his back, sleeping soundly almost looking like an angel. Her eyes letting out tears she's been holding back for so long. She sits up, trying hard to remain quiet, wanting not to wake him up until she sees the cause of their fight on the dresser. Getting up and making as little movement as possible, she looks at the pictures and put them back on the box.

For the second time around, she wonders if she really has gotten over Chuck. After hiding 'Pandora's box' in the closet where Nate would not see, she shakes the feelings off in the shower, scrubbing the woes away.

AN: Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Although I must say it's becoming a bit heavy. I really want you guys to keep on tuning. Please read and review.