A/N: I'm glad you guys are enjoying this, because at the moment this is probably the fiction I enjoy writing most. I'm really glad CS worked out so well. I wasn't sure at first, but they have great AU affinity. Anyway this chapter is called 'Nate' since as promised one by one Chuck and Serena's friends become aware of the aware and it's Nate's turn to shine first I guess.

Also this chapter is designed differently. I needed to creat more dialogue so Nate's mind could be better divulged and to depict the change in Serena in it's many forms. Hope you guys don't mind too much :)

And to answer your question: Yes Serena and Dan are still dating, but that might be changing soon…lol

XXX

It was before 7 when Serena got the call. Blair was not pregnant. This was met by a sleepy declaration of pleasure and a return to sleep. Nearly an hour later Serena would awaken with high spirits. She squirmed around giggling and turned to face Chuck in his arms. He appeared to be sleep but when Serena's lips gently brushed his, his eyes began to flutter open. He stared at her dreamily for a second before meeting her in a hot lazy kiss.

"'Morning gorgeous," He muttered against her mouth before leaning in for another kiss.

Serena crawled out of his embrace and still very much in the state of utter giddiness she climbed on top, straddling him.

"Good morning Bass."

"It is now."

Chuck smirked and with a tight grip on her hips moved her into a more preferable position. Serena moaned and arched her back, pressing herself down onto him.

"I have good news Bass. All is clear."

Chuck's grin widened and his finger tips now dug into the soft skin of her hips. She had twicked many of his pleasure senses. The physical conjoined to the immense relief and he was ready to skyrocket.

"How do you suppose we celebrate?"

And as he said that his hands peeled off the hips and ran up her torso coming to rest on her breasts.

"We should take the day off, go off to the Hamptons…I'm sure we can think of a few things to do there…"

Serena leaned down onto him, meeting his lips with hers, her breasts pressed against his chest.

"You want to skip school, for the whole day? Thought you had changed van der Woodsen."

Just as her tongue was shoved into his mouth, it was sneaked out and she was pulling back up, straddling him once again. She ran her hands along his chest, scratching him lightly with chocolate colored manicured claws.

"Or, better yet let's take the whole week off and go to Vegas."

Chuck smiled.

"That sounds like a plan."

"Hell yeah, it IS a plan."

Chuck chuckled. She was so darn adorable.

"But don't you think that people might suspect something? You wouldn't want that, now would you?"

A frustrated look was etched across Serena's face and she dropped off of him and onto her side on the bed. She groaned and rolled on her back, detangling her legs from him. Chuck smiled and sat up. She was so cute like this, hardly the mature woman she presented herself to be. He crawled onto her, settling himself between her legs.

"Fuck 'em."

Chuck said running his hand up her creamy thigh.

"Fuck 'em."

Serena echoed him, just as he entered her.

XXX

That morning proved to be a good one for Nate.

While Chuck and an early morning joint were not to be had, the day offered greater pleasures. These pleasures were namely Blair Waldorf being in an exceptionally good mood. Nate of course had no idea the source from which his girlfriend's merry behavior had sprung, but he had no intention to complain. Happy Blair meant a very happy Nate…happy Blair meant an extra playful morning rendezvous and a delicious promise of an afterschool delight. Happy Blair made Nate one hell of a happy teenage boy.

What made the rest of the male population of St. Jude happy teenage boys was the very sight of Serena.

True to her van der Woodsen blood, Serena roamed about as though she was the very definition of all that was fabulous. She would glide into the courtyard in that too short skirt, in a long slim limbed march; an encore to Aphrodite's first steps onto soil of what was Cyprus. Drooling teenagers were her effect in place of the goddess' sprouted vegetation.

Though her affect was familiar there was something alien in Serena's walk. It was a bounce, a foreign feature that resonated through her. A bounce that resonated to her blonde locks, setting in motion waves of silk. A bounce that resonated to her large breasts, making them spring about ever so tantalizing underneath that loose sequined sweater-shirt.

Unknown to her friends and her perverted admirers, this was mark to Serena when she was sexually satisfied and moreover when she was in the state of utter satisfaction.

Nate tried not to stare much as she approached 'em.

Blair was all eyes. She had noticed the recent change in her friend and found herself reasonably intrigued.

Upon closer surveillance slight hints to Serena's enhanced sexuality were noted. She came with a bubbly air and sugary smiles and tights replaced by high socks, a hitched up skirt and one too many buttons left open on that sweater-shirt. She gave only a wave and had a quick hug for Blair. Then she was gone. Off into the crowd with a flash of lace panties as the wind blew at her skirt.

"What is up with that girl?" Blair muttered later that day, turning on her stomach to face Nate.

"Serena?"

"She's been acting so very conspicuous for weeks now."

"Conspicuous how?"

Blair looked exasperated. She appreciated Nate's concern for herself, but she was not a fool. He was a guy and she had no delusions as to his not having detected her friend's obviously upped sexuality.

"I could only assume that Brooklyn has received an upgrade of sorts," she muttered finally, now drawing closer on top of Nate.

"Upgrade huh?" Nate grinned at the look in her eye. He let his hands run down the length of her figure before pulling her, clad only in bed sheets, fully on top of himself. "I think we should try for that."

After an afternoon well spent loitering about in Blair's bed, Nate was finally off to his promised engagements at the van der Bass House. He arrived at the doors just as Serena had.

"Nate! Are you staying for dinner?"

"Excuse me?"

Serena took hold of a fistful of his hair and tugged.

"Ow. What the hell Serena?"

"In our house, how long are you staying over? Chuck said—"

"Yeah yeah. I'm spending the night. Dad is coming home and mom is taking him to dine with a bunch of her sorority sisters and their husbands...thought I'd give them a bit of privacy."

Serena gave him a small smile, but he wasn't in the mood to talk about it. Maybe later. He shrugged her off and tried his best not to betray his thoughts as she walked him in.

"Well I hope you're up for a night of ridiculously bad movies, Chuck promised to watch Tango and Clash with me."

"Isn't this the kind of thing Dan should be doing, now that you have a boyfriend and all."

"Do you watch old Hepburns with Blair?"

"No, but—"

"Exactly. Chuck and I like the same things. Classic French flicks, 90s action, 40s Grant…Besides Dan is too pretentious for Stallone."

Nate stopped dead in his tracks. Serena blushed under his gaze. She had never talked this way of Dan before.

"He has better taste," she explained lamely.

"Yeah. I bet."

They walked up the stairs in silence. And parted at the wide white doors. Or so Nate thought.

"Want me to say Hi to your brother for you?" Nate had joked when he saw her lingering at the doorway.

Startled, Serena blinked at him a few times.

"Funny. I'll see when dinner is served. Later loser."

"Later slut."

And then he turned where he stood watching her descending back. They hadn't used these terms of parting in so long. They hadn't broken through their formal shell since her return, since they had become intimate at Sheppard wedding. God he missed her.

XXX

"Just do it Chuck. I bet you'll get a bunch of freebees."

"What is it that Charles should do Eric?"

Bart Bass stared between his son and his step-son in interest. Chuck and Eric grinned at each other.

"Modeling."

It was Serena that answered.

"Modeling? Charles, I never knew that you had any interest in the department."

"I don't father. I'm not even tall enough you see."

"Well you're only 16. How bout you start by finishing your milk."

Lily gave Bart a look before turning back to their children.

"So then what is this about modeling we hear Charles?"

It was now with Serena whom Chuck exchanged a look with.

"I've gotten an offer from some dude who is in charge of the teeny bopper Calvin Klein advertisement. He wants me to be a part of their spring campaign. They want young models, so guys who are 5'7-10"."

"Can you imagine my absolute shock that Chuck would be getting a modeling offer over me?"

"What do you mean darling."

Serena feigned a tragic sigh.

"It was this morning at San Ambroeus . Chuck and I were out for croissants and lattes when the Calvin Klein guy approached our table. He gave me one quick dismissive look before turning all googly eyed at Charles and offering it to him. He was practically drooling. You had to see this guy gushing on and on in his fake French accent about how Chuck is so very exotic and striking and a bunch of mispronounced adjectives in French. It was quite—"

Nate had dropped his utensils onto his plate with a loud resonating clank. The whole table stared at him, before awkwardly resuming the conversation at hand.

Nate had been listening to Serena with bated breath; shocked that she would be out for breakfast with Chuck. Shocked that she would ever be out with Chuck. Hadn't she completely broken off that relationship since her return? What in the world was up with her lately?

A WASP dinner later and Chuck, Serena, and Nate were sprawled about the expensive van der Bass furniture. They fell easily in place, reminiscent of old days when they got sky high and spent the day roaming the city and night on a coach with greasy Chinese and a Charley Chaplin marathon. This was back in junior high, before the sex and the hormones, before when there was only dope. Or just Nate, Serena, and Chuck with bottles of vodka.

Serena was all grins. She popped in the DVD and settled between the boys, drawing those long legs in and close to her chest. She would move around in the process of the film, but never would the legs reach Nate. Never would she turn and acknowledge Nate. Her lack of attention only intensified his.

Nate watched her; he saw her laugh a little too hard at the Stallone's prison mate. He saw Chuck catch her eye and her blush. He saw her pointed tongue and the tickle war that was ensued.

Nate paused the movie, scolding them in his own underplayed irritability. It was in vain. Chuck and Serena just laughed him off. And on they went till pretzel fragments were scattered all over and beer and scotch splattered everywhere. And so came the time to settle and go back to the flick.

Nate kept on watching her. And there it was. His final clue.

It was just a moment but enough for Nate to grasp. Perhaps he was not as clueless as how he was previously pegged. It was during the prison escape. In a moment of pure adrenaline Serena grasped Chuck's arm, her fingers leaving white marks…and there was no reaction.

From here on Nate watched with knowing eyes. Saw them arguing a mile a minute over the bad cop good cop scene. Saw the flickering of pretzels and the hair pulling…Chuck tugging a fistful of blonde only to bring her face close. Nate saw the hesitation on both sides, a moment as his hazel eyes would lock gaze with her wide blue ones. Then a flutter of lashes and it was done. And she would return his favor, with a deadly manicured pinch to his thigh.

"Enough."

The mischievous pair turned to stare at him both, raised eyebrows and a confused smirk. Chuck robbed unconsciously at the recently wounded, throbbing spot on his leg. Nate looked only at Serena.

"I get it okay. You're fucking him. I get it."

And then there was silence. Jarred only by the villainous sounds of the television screen. Nate knew it was time to leave. And he did. Leaving Serena frozen and clutching handfuls of the cushioned sofa and Chuck with a cold hard look on his face. Nate had left, but Chuck would follow him.

"Fucking is not it. And you can keep your mouth shut."

Chuck had caught up right outside the door and pressed him up against a wall. Nate laughed in response, and he trembled slightly as he did.

"Get the hell off of me Chuck."

And Chuck did, but not because he was ordered to.

Nate was taking this badly, he was scaring Chuck. Attempting his most gentle voice he said his friend's name. But Nate only laughed, somewhat more darkly this time.

"Don't Nathaniel me Chuck. This is the second time you're fucking a girl I love. This isn't a damn competition Bass, why don't you back off and find—"

Chuck punched him. Except he didn't. He punched the wall behind Nate, swearing in agony at his throbbing bloody fist.

Nate stared at him with startled eyes.

"You have no right—you have no say…"

Their eyes locked and Nate nearly shuddered at the fury radiating from the hazel pair before him.

"Leave. I don't want to see you right now. Stay the hell away."

Nate shoved past him and did as told.

Chuck returned and before having reached the living parlor he crossed paths with Lily, his bleeding hand having caught her attention. She made an audible gasp and a moment later Serena rushed in and reacted the same.

"Nate and I were messing around," he muttered.

The women exchanged a look, and the elder of the two was soon removing her neck tie and wrapping it around the hand of her step-son. She led Chuck into the nearest bathroom while Serena set off to get gauze and disinfectant.

"You can curse you know," Lily joked, having taken note of his gritting teeth as she applied the disinfectant.

Chuck smiled gratefully at her and let out a whole string. Serena laughed.

"What's going on?"

Bart having finally finished that urgent phone call, he was able to note the absence of his wife, son, and step-daughter. He now found them emerging from the bathroom with solemn faces. His eyes fell to Chuck's freshly patched hand.

"Just an accident," Lily said quickly having caught Bart's eye. She attempted at Serena smile and turned to Chuck with a hint of a wink.

"Boys playing around," Serena reiterated.

Bart stared doubtfully at the two blondes and looked at Chuck with a mixture of annoyance and concern.

"Are you alright?"

Chuck attempted at a grin, but it came out looking more like a grimace.

Serena caught his eye from the corner of hers. She placed a slim arm around his shoulders, guiding him away muttering something about offered help in the search of his calculus text. Serena gave Bart a farewell smile and walked Chuck to his room, where she closed the door and pressed back against it with closed eyes. She gave a shaky breath.

"I told him to keep quiet."

Serena looked to see that he was now sitting on the bed, watching his bandaged arm with great interest.

"He won't say anything to—"

"Chuck, what the hell happened?"

Chuck looked up to stare into her eyes, but looked away quickly and if she wasn't hallucinating, he bore a hint of a blush.

Finally he spoke.

"I punched the wall."

"Why?"

Chuck didn't answer.

Serene sighed and joined him on the bed. He looked at her and she smiled. She then wrapped her arms around his waist and perched against him, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Let's just go to bed," she suggested letting out a heavy yawn.

He gave her a small nod and turned out the lights.

And they passed out quickly, there on top of his bed covers, grasping at each other for warmth.

XXX

It was the next morning when Nate had caught up with her. He had been waiting around in the girl's hall knowing that Serena would come early. And she had. She knew what had to be done, and it was better done with sooner than late.

Nate approached with blazing eyes. And Serena offered only a half hearted smile. A smile he did not return, for Nate was in no mood for pleasantries.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Nate this isn't any of your—"

"I thought you had changed Serena. All that shit about wanting to do better…" Nate then stepped closer and said in lower voice, "screwing Chuck in place of me is going in the opposite direction, don't you think?"

Serena's eyes hardened. She restrained herself from slapping him.

"Back off Nate. This doesn't concern you," she hissed through gritted teeth.

Nate grimaced but did not step back.

"What about Dan? I'm sure this concerns him. His perfect little girlfriend fucking Chuck Bass, bet he'll love that."

Nate shuddered at his own words and caught Serena's eye. She looked down, blinking back the tears that threatened to flow.

"I'm sorry, it's just—it's reminiscent of…"

Serena nodded at the ground. She wiped desperately at the her cheeks, drying the droplets that had escaped her.

"I can't—I'm not—"

"Serena?"

"I'm not her," she chocked out finally, "I'm not his golden girl."

"But you can—"

"No. I can't, not anymore. I can't take his scrutinizing me and judging me and…I'm not as intelligent or as well read and I can never compete with Vanessa no matter how many damn Guitar Heroes I win. I can't do this Nate. I am who I am."

Nate watched her, his own color having disappeared.

Serena went on, her voice still chocked and her face white as a ghost.

"I grew up in a psycho house and am now in an even more psychotic one. I didn't have Allison and Rufus in my life; nurturing and modeling…I want to do better. I do. But I can't pretend Nate, not like this."

Serena watched him with desperate eyes now, her lips trembling.

"I need Chuck."

There was a moment of silence. Then Nate stepped away. He was more shaken than before. But he regained balance and stepped forth again, this time even closer.

"You don't need him," he muttered twirling a strand of blonde around his finger. Serena stood frozen. "I'm here for you S. I'll always be here for you."

Their lips touched for an instant before Serena shoved him away. She was trembling from head to toe. She burned in fury.

"How dare you. Damn it Nate I wish Chuck had slugged you. You damn well deserve it—you—"

"Don't pretend you didn't want it Serena. You could've stopped me sooner—"

"I stopped you soon enough."

She shoved him again and he looked up at her with a pair of hurt baby blues. And she understood.

Taking in a deep breath, she began again in a softer voice.

"You love Blair Nate. Don't mess this up."

"I just…"

"You're just angry at Chuck. You're trying to get him back."

Nate looked up at her, pleading almost.

"It's not—"

"This isn't going to help anyone Nate. Sure, you'll get your revenge on Chuck and I'll get a stab at Blair for having you…but that's as far as we'll get."

Serena reached down for his hand, squeezing it gently.

"In the end you'll just lose the both, Chuck and Blair. And I will too."

Nate gave a submissive nod, having become docile at her words.

"This never happened and you know nothing."

Nate nodded again and with one last look he descended down the hall.

Once he had disappeared from view, Serena dashed into the bathroom. She locked herself in a cubicle and dissolved into a mass of tears, her body trembling with every sob.