Dan, Serena, Blair and Nate were all seated in the same table at one of the ballrooms in the Four Seasons Hotel. It was a charity event for the Breast Cancer Research Society that Serena has organized.

Dan said in response to Blair's question. "Serena's definitely the jealous type. She always gets pissed off whenever I had to work late at the office, because that means I'd be working with my boss. I don't understand why she feels that way because to me, she really is the most beautiful girl. I wouldn't dare look else where."

Blair teased him saying, "Oh, my dear Brooklyn Boy, of course you're allowed to look. Long as you don't touch."

Serena playfully slapped his hand, saying, "What he said is soooo not true! I get mad because he can't even pick up the phone to call and tell me. I'm just worried, that's all!" She pouted and rolled her eyes, "And besides, why would I even get jealous? His boss looks like a rip-off version of…"

"Stop getting defensive, S! You're only proving his claim true all the more," the brunette exclaimed. The other two men laughed at Serena's distress.

Dan came to Serena's aid and asked Blair in an effort to divert the attention from his wife to her. "Well… what about you, Blair? Don't you ever get jealous of the girls surrounding Nate?"

Blair shook her head keenly, "It's not like there are any." After she said that, she let out a laugh, making fun of him and turning to look at him to see his reaction.

He took her comment lightly and said, "That may be true but there was this time we were in a club, it was a month ago or so…"

"Which one?" The brunette interjected. "The opening of Rave, it's this new 20something bar in Times Square… house music makes me nauseous but it's hip and fun for some people," she informed the other couple and continued, "Or the Victoria's Secret victory party at Rogue?"

Nate quickly answered, "Yeah, it was the Victoria's Secret victory party at Rogue." He took a sip of his wine (it wasn't like he was going to get drunk with just that so Blair was fine with it) and went on, saying. "So anyways, we were at the club and she was mingling with some of the models. I was on my way to her to give them their drinks and then this girl starts coming on to me so I shrugged her away as politely as I could. I didn't want Blair to see me in that position but then I told her still, 'see that girl wearing whatever she was wearing at that time… couldn't remember… well, she just slapped my ass.' She just looked at the girl, gave her two thumbs up and yelled 'it's cool, you can have him for the night' with a wink."

They all erupted in laughter and Dan jokes, "Awww… man that hurts! Blair would want to give you away like a used doll."

The blonde added, "And what does it exactly mean by 'shrugged her away as politely as I could?'"

"Blair has gotten you under her spell. You've no way out of it," Dan said in conclusion. "What about you Nate? How do you feel about Blair getting all the attention from other guys?" Serena and Blair eyed him warningly.

"I think we all know the answer to that," Dan immediately countered. They all know Nate still has some issues with Chuck and Blair, his jealous streaks, how protective he is of her, etc.

It was Nate's turn to get on the defensive side of things this time. "A lesser man would get intimidated by the idea that he's dating someone like her and uhm, the whole deal that comes with it. But honestly, I'm proud of her and I support everything she does. When we're together and I see other guys looking at her, admiring her, I'm cool with that and I feel very lucky that I'm the one who's with her, you know. But if the guys try to do something else, now, that's another story."

"How come Nate always has the perfect answers for everything?" Dan said in a lighthearted tone mixed with wonder.

Serena nodded in agreement, saying, "We saw the interview and it was really great. The audience loved you both."

"Well… what can I say? He's perfect, isn't he?" Blair said, gazing and smiling at Nate.

Nate lifted her chin and gazed back into her eyes, "No, darling I'm not. You, on the other hand… You're perfect."

Serena squealed in delight at their sweetness when the couple shared a small kiss.

"I'm here. No need to turn green in envy." Dan told her as he kissed her, brushing her knees. Serena pulled back before they had the chance to deepen the kiss. As much as she wanted to engage in public displays of affection, they were just at the wrong place and the wrong time. She just settled with her hand on his lap and his hand on her knee. They can do anything they want as soon as they got home. She wishes this happens sooner.

"Sometimes I just find it hard to believe that I'm here with you. I know I'm an Archibald and I'm all that but when people see us, they look at me and I can tell they're thinking to themselves 'how did he manage to get her?' I feel like I'm the luckiest man on the world because of you. I love you so much." Nate tells Blair, holding her left hand with both of his hands.

Blair smiles at him, "I guess you're lucky that I'm silly enough to put up with you." She caresses his face with her right hand, "But I believe that I'm just as blessed to have you in my life. I love you more." She kissed him again, it was short and sweet.

'Someone to watch over me' by Frank Sinatrastarted playing in the background and Nate stood up in front of her and motioned his left hand for her to take, "Care for a dance?"

There's a saying old says that love is blind
Still we're often told "seek and ye shall find"

She placed her right hand in his and lets him lead her to the dance floor where no one else was dancing as the rest of the guests were still busy conversing and enjoying their dinner. "I'd love to."

So I'm going to seek a certain girl I've had in mind
Looking everywhere, haven't found her yet

He slides both of his hands to her waist, pulling her closer to him. "Isn't this our song playing?"

She's the big affair I cannot forget
Only girl I ever think of will regret

She wraps her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder. "This is your song for me."

I'd like to add her initial to my monogram
Tell me where's the shepherd for this lost lamb

He inhales the flowery scent of her hair with the mix of Chanel 5 she has sprayed on her neck.

There's a somebody I'm longing to see
I hope that she turns out to be
Someone who'll watch over me

They fit perfectly into each other's arms, swaying to the music. It was as if they were the only one standing in the middle of the room, with no one else. "Well… in that case, what's your song for me?"

I'm a little lamb who's lost in a wood
I know I could always be good
To one who'll watch over me

He doesn't know what he'd do without her. He doesn't even want to contemplate a life without her; but it's definitely going to make him feel utterly lost and alone. He'll be completely lost.

Although she may not the girl some men think of
As handsome to my heart
She carries the key

She can feel the rapid beating of his heart against her chest. She knows that she was the only one who can make him feel that way. "Listening to this song again, I think this one will also suffice. It suits you perfectly."

Won't you tell her please to put on some speed
Follow my lead, oh how I need
Someone to watch over me
Someone to watch over me

He needs her. She needs him. They're nothing without each other.

"This is definitely our song. It's so… us," he says, stroking the small of her back.

"I couldn't agree more." She said in finality, caressing the nape of his neck.

Serena and Dan join them along with other couples as the next song plays.

Last night, he didn't pay much attention to his surroundings because he was more preoccupied with what he was doing with Alex so it was only now when Chuck realized that the place where she is currently residing in was actually a bachelor pad. There was a black leather sofa in the living room, an oval center table, a black and white photograph on the wall, books and old records on the shelves. The entire place possesses a strong feel of masculinity. It was sleek and sophisticated and he finds it strange that a woman is living in it.

It piqued his interest in her even more. There was definitely something in her he can't put his finger on that has drawn him to her. He feels relaxed, as if he feels more like himself around her. He really can't explain but it was truly refreshing.

He finished with his breakfast and went to the kitchen sink to wash the dishes. After a few minutes, he heard the door open and turned around to see that Alex was back.

"Hey. I didn't think you'd be up. You were sleeping soundly like a baby. Anyways, I just got back to get something I forgot." She hurried to a study she has turned into an office beside the master's bedroom, rummaging through some things on the writing desk.

He followed her and posed, "Are you becoming absentminded because of me?" He found it amusing how impatient she was being at that time. "Nice place, by the way."

Ignoring his remark, she explained, "I'm looking for a flash drive. Everything's just in there. I have this big presentation today at two. " When she finally found what she was looking for, she went back to the living room and put the item into the Louie Vuitton bag she had placed on the sofa when she arrived earlier.

He followed her again into the adjoining bathroom in the master's bedroom and stood in the doorway. She gave him a brand new pink tooth brush, telling him, "My brother used to have a stash of them in the medicine cabinet."

He gave her a confused look.

"For girls who stay over the night…"

"So… Your brother used to live here?" He said. It was more of a statement actually.

She nodded and explained further, "He used to go to Oxford for College and he graduated last year. We switched apartments so he's the one who's living in my loft back in Manhattan now."

He joked, "For a moment, I thought you had a rich old benefactor or something."

She opened a closet filled with his brother's clothes and picked out a light blue dressed shirt and handed it to him. "You're about the same height and built so here, you can take a shower and change into these. Have you eaten yet? I'm so sorry about the cereals; it's the only decent food I can find 'coz I haven't gone to the grocery yet." She looked at him and suggested, "My meeting's been cancelled this morning anyway so we can grab a quick bite."

Before he was able to make a reply, they both heard knocking on the door. "I'll get that. It must be my brother's cleaning lady."

Alex opened the door and was surprised to see who the visitor was. He was about 6'2, wearing a pair of white pants and black shirt underneath his black jacket. He had jet black hair and tanned complexion. In a cold voice, she said, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. I'm so sorry, Lex. I didn't mean to do it, I swear! I just love you so much…" He said in a soft voice but his expression changed at once when he saw there was another man in the loft.

"Who is it?" Chuck yelled to her as he walks back into the foyer.

The man came into his view and he heard him say, "I'm her boyfriend. Who the hell are you? What the fuck are you doing with my girlfriend?" He turned to Alex and angrily demanded, "Is he what you came here for?"

The man advanced towards Chuck and Alex came in the middle and pushed him away. "Stop it, Chase! He's just a friend." He grabbed her arms and shoved her and she hit the wall behind her.

"What the fuck is your problem, man?" Chuck came to her defense and moved aggressively towards Chase.

"So… you must be Alex's new boy toy, huh?" Chase throws him a hard punch on the face and Chuck was about to reciprocate when Alex tried to stop them (again) from hitting each other.

"Just leave us alone for a while, Chuck, please. I'll deal with him." She pleads for him to leave, pulling him towards the door.

"I'm not leaving you here with that guy." He was firm when he said that.

"Don't you get it, man? She doesn't want you here so get your ass out of here before I throw you another punch!" Chase yelled at him.

In a soft voice, Alex said, "Please, Chuck, just go. He's not going to do anything. He only came here to talk."

"I'm just gonna be outside. You have five minutes." He glared at Chase. With that, he left, not minding to close the door behind him. It was Chase who shut the door.

He didn't want to listen in on their conversation but his curiosity got the better of him and he stood behind the door. It took him by his surprise to find out that Alex still has a boyfriend and this said boyfriend was such a total jerk. He couldn't get mad at Alex right now for lying to him. Right now, he was more concerned.

"You don't have the right to come here and act the way you did. You and me… we're already over! It's been two months. I'm trying to move on with my life so why don't you do the same?" He heard her say behind the door.

"Yes, it's been only two months and you've already found some random guy you just met as my replacement? What the hell, Lex! How could you just leave me hanging like that? I thought we were gonna fix things?"

"What part of my breaking up with you, did you not understand?" She paused and looked down at the floor and then back to him. "I tried so hard to make things work but I can't do it anymore. I'm really tired, Chase. I'm tired of putting up with you. You've hurt me so much."

He moved towards her, trying to hold her waist but she pulled away from him. "I'm so sorry, Lex. I didn't mean to, I swear! I was just really angry and I couldn't control it in myself anymore at the time… Please find it in yourself to forgive me! I love you and I can change. If you give me another chance, I'm going to prove it to you... I can… We'll start over."

"No amount of reasoning can justify hitting a woman to the point of black and blue and treating her like a whore." She swallowed hard after saying it. "I've given you a lot of chances and I'm done. I'm done waiting on you, hoping for you to change. So please, if you do really love me, you'll let me go. Stop calling me, stop trying to get back with me because…" She takes a deep breath and says, "I don't love you anymore..."

Chase kept silent for a whole minute. "If this is what you really want, then so be it."

She expected him to apologize more, beg her to come back to him but she was finally relieved when he didn't. It was probably because of what she has just said that he realized they were really over.

"I just… I just wanna let you know that I still love you before I go."

With that, he turned the door knob and left, ignoring Chuck's presence by the hallway.

Her tears were flowing out from her eyes like rain drops falling from the skies. Chuck saw her as he went back inside and asked in a low voice, "Are you okay?" She managed to nod and wiped the tears from her face with her hands.

"Did you hear everything?"

He moved closer to her and nodded. "I'm sorry… I was just worried he might… do something stupid."

When she didn't respond and he couldn't think of something to say, he pulled her in an embrace, gently brushing her back with his hands. She was sobbing as quietly as she could in his arms. This reminded him of Blair. Blair never sobbed hard or loud enough, she wouldn't even shed a tear if she could.

"Shhh…. Shhh… Everything's going to be fine…" He hushed at her, stroking her silky straight hair.

It took her five minutes until she stopped crying. He got her a glass of water as she sits down at the sofa.

They both remained quiet there, sitting on the couch. He figured he should open up first before he gets her to confide in him. He started to speak, "Blair was the love of my life and I never told anyone that, not even her. I know she knows it but still, I wished I was able to tell her that. If only I weren't too bummed about letting out my feelings…"

She looked at him and asked, "What happened to her?"

"She's now engaged with my ex-best friend, Nate. They're really happy. His fiancé bought them a huge apartment and I even helped them with moving in before I left."

"It seems like you really love her and you care for her still…"

"I loved her. I just have to accept things and move on. She's happy and I should be, too."

"Why didn't it work? Why is love never enough?"

"It was my fault. I slept with another girl when I was with her. I cheated on her and I made her believe that I have changed. I apologized and she forgave me but I was so disgusted at myself for hurting her… I couldn't bring myself to face her for a while. I wanted to get her back but I was scared of hearing her say she hates me… even if she did forgive me… I was scared of getting rejected. I wasn't man enough, brave enough to try. When I finally had the courage to, it was late. She already got back together with Nate."

"Nate? Your ex-best friend?" She asked.

Chuck nodded and explained to her what happened to the three of them back in high school, from the start of his affair with Blair to the destruction of his friendship with Nate.

"We just have to accept that some things are not meant to be," she softly said. "But who knows? Maybe in the future, you can be good friends again and when that time comes, you've also found someone who makes you happy."

Chuck nodded, hoping for the best as well.

A long moment of silence came again between them. By opening up his feelings to her, he hoped that he was able to establish trust and a deeper bond between them.

Breaking the stillness, she spoke, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it sooner."

"It's okay. I completely understand."

"I went here because I was running away from him. We'd fight about something and he'd hit me. I'd leave and he'd apologize. I'd stay and everything's going to be okay for a while until we fight again. It became a cycle that's been hard to break."

"What finally made you decide to leave?"

"It was when he stopped hurting me physically and the abuse became verbal. I can take the physical pain, really, but the nasty things he says about me, for some reason, it's what hurts me more. Sometimes I'd think it was my fault, that I deserved what I got from him. Then I realized that I was turning into a monster in order to get even with him. I learned how to fight back and sometimes, I carried the harsh words/attitude to my friends, family and co-workers. It took me a while until I realized that the relationship brought out the worst in me, that all the pain wasn't worth it."

"It's easier to blame yourself but the truth is it's not your fault. You're a beautiful and an amazing woman. I don't understand why you stayed longer with someone who treats you like crap. You don't deserve to be treated that way." He really wondered how someone as smart as her can stay in a destructive relationship.

"I wanted to see more of him, way beyond what he does to hurt me. I had this notion that everything will change, that the abuse would eventually stop. I was afraid that I will get blamed for letting myself in that situation. He always twists everything around in such a way that I'd end up feeling guilty"

He moved in closer to her and hugged her again, softly whispering into her ears, "You shouldn't feel guilty about anything. You did nothing wrong. What he did was wrong and he should be punished for that. But right now, I'm here. I'm going to protect you. I'll take good care of you."

She found security in his arms. She felt safe. It was as if they were both brought together to heal each other's heart.

AN: I hope you like this chapter. I know you may not like the idea of Chuck being involved with someone else other than Blair but this is N/B-centric. I really hope you like Alex's back story as well. In the next chapters, I'm thinking about having one of the characters engage in an affair.

I wanna hear more ideas from you because I'm kind of lacking the imagination to continue with the story so please, guys, I need your help!

I also wanna thank those who constantly read and review and those who have added this to their favorite stories.