Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl by way of books or show, because if I did own the show: Season 5 would have been completely different and Dan would have never been Gossip girl or if he was he wouldn't have gotten to have an endgame of Derena. Serenate and Rufly all the way!

Chapter 2

Previously:

They turn towards her door at the sound of her mother calling up,

"Serena Van der Woodsen! Blair come down, it's Serena!"

Blair takes a deep breath before squaring her shoulders, "Here we go."

Blair was the picture of poise and grace as she walked down the stairs from her bedroom with Chuck, following behind her. They go their separate ways once they reach the ground floor. Chuck to the bar for a refill and Blair, down the hallway to greet Serena.

As Blair pushes open the door leading from the kitchen to the entertaining area, she takes a look around, spotting Nate to her right with a look on his face that she had never seen when he looked at her. It took only a second for her to realize that this was his face whenever he looked at Serena, and that he didn't even see Blair, his girlfriend of so many years, in this moment, he only saw her.

Blair turns her head to the left and pauses as she sees Serena for the first time in a year. This was Serena Van der Woodsen, with hair that shines even when it's not in the sun and an air of effortless perfection that takes Blair hours to get. Even though she'd been traveling for hours, she still managed to look gorgeous. This was Blair's best friend in the entire world, or so she'd thought before last year, and even before the big revelation, Blair had already accepted that as much as she loved her best friend, she equally hated her too.

Blair put on her big society smile that came so naturally, and gave Serena as big a hug as was expected of her.

"Hi, Oh my gosh, Serena! I've missed you! Come, we're about to have dinner!" She gushed happily.

"I'll set up a place at the table next to Blair…" Eleanor added as they started to lead Serena in the direction of the dining room.

"Actually, there's somewhere I need to go," Serena interjected as she took a step back towards the exit.

"You're leaving?" Blair inquired surprised. Maybe there was nothing to worry about, if she wasn't even going to be able to stay for dinner. Maybe she was just staying for a weekend visit… for the first time in a year.

"Yeah, I don't feel too well. I just wanted to come by and say hi." Serena explained apologetically.

Blair looked down at her hands, the classic look of disappointment at her supposed best friend's departure. Inside though, she was jumping for joy since it meant that she didn't have to see that look on Nate's face for the rest of the evening.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow." Serena said, waving at Blair before making her quick exit.

Blair let a small smile form on her face before pausing as she took in Serena's parting words. Understanding registered in her eyes as she realized that she did, in fact, have something to worry about.

"School… So I guess she's back for good." She slowly made her way over to Kati and Iz as she spoke aloud to herself, realizing her mistake when they both looked over to her in surprise and asked; "Didn't you know she was coming?"

"Of course I did. I just wanted it to be a surprise." She stated with an easy smile, quickly covering her mistake. Blair left them without another word, effectively dismissing them, before she was joined by her mother.

"It's such a shame that Serena couldn't stay for dinner, she always seemed to have brought vibrancy and life to a party, don't you agree, Dear?"

Blair mentally scoffed before she plastered a smile on her face and looked to her mother.

"Yes, Serena always had a vibrancy to her, Mother."

"Blair, are you wearing one of my creations?" Eleanor asked, just realizing what her daughter was clothed in tonight.

Blair's smile turned more genuine as she nodded, "Yes, I hope you don't mind-"

Eleanor smiled with pride. "Nonsense…Although next time, let me know you're going to wear one of them, so we have time to make sure that it's properly fitted. Not everyone is blessed to have a metabolism like Serena's."

Luckily, Eleanor was then greeted by one of her guests and led them over to the dining room; dismissing Blair- as easily as Blair had done to Kati and Iz not five minutes ago- unaware of the pain in Blair's eyes that she quickly concealed along with the moisture forming behind her lids.

No one had the ability to cut Blair down, without even trying, quite like her mother.

As Blair closed her eyes and took a deep cleansing breath, she felt someone come up beside her. When she opened them, she saw a glass of gin martini in front of her.

"I figured you could use one of these." She takes it quickly and drinks it down in two single gulps before handing it back to him. Chuck, after taking the glass and putting it on a nearby table, turned to her, while leaning against the nearby wall. Silently asking what her next move was.

Having already decided, she sends him a coy smile- her mother's words pushed to the back of her mind- and makes her way over to Nate. She wraps her arms around his neck, pressing her body against him as she leans up and whisper into his ear, "I have a surprise for you. Meet me at the Palace tomorrow night?"

Blair smiles as Nate looks over at her and nods. She gives him a lingering kiss as conformation. Serena may be back for good, but Blair refused to let her take anything else from her. Everything will be perfect after tomorrow night, when she finally gives her virginity to Nate, he won't ever think about Serena again.

Word is that S bailed on B's party in under 90 seconds, and didn't even have one lemon cello. Has our bad girl really gone good? Or is it all just part of the act? Why'd she leave? Why'd she return? Send me all the deets. And who am I? That's one secret I'll never tell…

You know you love me

xoxo Gossip Girl

A/N: I'm absolutely ecstatic about the reception and feedback to this story, it's my first one ever so I was freaking out so much when I posted the first chapter. The plan is to have a chapter a week since I am a college student and school is going to start in a couple of weeks and I for one love it when a FF writer gives me a time to wait for the next update; so I'm making it a personal mission to follow through! :D

I'd like to send a personal thank you to: scarlett2u, Chairytale Ending, Sparkleyangel and Joy for their reviews and: Annie01, VanityKillsME, bowtie-bass, ficread, k4yz, livelovelaugh9704, BekaRoo and porcupineapple for putting this story on alert and favorites. I'd love to also send a shout out to my Beta EvelynBass who I also Beta for on her story Return Someday, which I personally just love to pieces and I know she'd love it if you would go check it out!

I love you all and I'll be back in about a week with more Serena and Blair, Chuck and some Nate, and an introduction of little Jenny Humphrey. If you guys continue to inspire me with your love I may even go ahead and get a head start on the 4th chapter and get both chapters out earlier than planned because chapter 3 is basically done. :D

-Plei4fun