There were very few things that could tempt Blair Waldorf out of the warmth of her apartment in the middle of one of the coldest Decembers New York had seen in a while. Especially at 9.30 pm.
So passers by could be forgiven for being so shocked to see the former Queen Bee skating around one of central parks many ice rinks, accompanied by Chuck, Serena and Nate.
The late night skate or 'late skate' as Serena had dubbed it took place every year on last day of school. This year, what with college replacing school, it had been agreed that on the day Serena returned to the city they would take to the ice. For the past four years the rink had been closed early just for them.
Which was possibly a good idea when Nate got on the ice. Never one to enjoy strapping two blades to the bottom of his feet he often found himself sat on the cold ice, watching Serena and Blair hold a race around him and Chuck attempting to trip one of the girls up.
This year was no exception. Though his backside was becoming quite numb and his trousers were wet through, Nate enjoyed the spectacle of his three best friends racing around the ice. Blair flew past him, screaming in excitement as she headed towards the laughing Serena at an alarming rate. Chuck skated behind her slowly, trying to decide whether it was worth helping out the two girls who were in danger of becoming a tangled mess on the ice.
He turned to where Nate was rubbing his gloved hands together. With one agile movement Chuck skated up to Nate.
"As much as I'm enjoying being the sole antagonist in the girl's eyes, I really need help in keeping the girls from actually managing any skating tonight."
"Dude, I can't stand up without falling back on my ass, how am I meant to help in taking the girls out?"
"How should I know? Skate into them and bring them down?" Chuck held out his hand and dragged Nate up from his position on the floor. "How is it that we've been ice skating every year since we were six and you still can't manage it?"
Nate shrugged as he watched the girls on the other side of the rink. "Guess I just don't have the co-ordination."
"If you spent less time watching Serena and more time watching where you were going I'm sure you'd manage."
"What?" Nate whipped round to face Chuck, only to find him skating back to the girls, looking like he had been born on the ice. He huffed before making a vain attempt to follow his best friend.
On the other side of the rink Blair and Serena shrieked as Chuck barely avoided colliding with them as he sped past them on the ice. He laughed as they spun round to face him.
"One of these days you'll go too fast and collide with the barrier." Blair raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend as she joined him at the wall.
"Hopefully." Serena added, sticking her tongue out at her best friend and step brother as they kissed. She turned round just as Nate reached the trio.
He cautiously slowed down, bringing himself to a wobbly stop at Serena's side. He made a funny face at Chuck and Blair.
"Must you two always be attached at the face? We realise you're loves young dream but it's becoming ever so slightly gross."
Blair pulled away from Chuck and glared at Nate. "At least I'm not pining silently for my best friend."
"Seriously you fancy Chuck? Natie I'm so surprised!" Serena mocked as she lightly hit Nate in the arm.
"Ah yes it is a shock indeed isn't it sis. Only yesterday he finally admitted it to me." Chuck shook his head ruefully, "It's a shame I have a girlfriend. Nate is after all, such a catch."
Nate looked from person to person, trying to take in what was going on. Blair caught his eye and raised her eyebrow.
"Don't worry; I don't harbour any suspicions about your true feelings for my boyfriend." She paused, "though if you did like him, I wouldn't blame you, he could turn any bloke."
"Wait B, if you don't mean Chuck, who do you mean?"
"Seriously S, you can't be that blonde."
"Me?" Serena exclaimed as Nate said "Serena?"
Chuck began to clap slowly, enjoying the look of mild horror mixed with hope on his two friends faces.
"Oh don't worry Nate, Serena totally returns your feelings. Why else would she have ended things with Baizen?" Blair smiled sweetly, ignoring the death glare her best friend was now giving her. "I was going to be subtle about all of this, plan how I was going to hook you up together privately. But I just think that everyone needs to be open with their feelings."
She looked between Nate and Serena, waiting for one of them to respond or to jump each others bones. A slight look of confusion appeared on Serena's face, whilst Nate seemed to be battling with homicidal thoughts towards Blair and his hope that Serena really did like him back.
"Seriously you guys are acting like you're five." Chuck shook his head at the two silent blondes. "It's not like you haven't shared intimate acts. That we all know happened." He added quickly, seeing the look on Blair's face.
"So let me get this straight. Blair thinks I like Serena."
"And she also thinks I broke up with Carter for Nate."
Blair nodded slowly, wondering where this was all going.
"Oh good so we're all on the same page." Serena looked back to Blair. "Hey B, wanna race?"
Chuck stopped Blair with his hand and turned to Serena. "How about girls V boys, loser buys the hot chocolate."
Nate raised a hesitant arm, "er guys, can we not ignore the fact that I tend to fall over if I go at more than 3 miles an hour?"
"We could choose not to ignore it, or we could just ignore it and race anyway. At least then we have a better chance of beating you boys." Without another backwards glance Blair and Serena set of across the ice, their laughter floating back to Chuck and Nate.
"They do that every year."
"That, my dear friend, is because we have shown them a weakness." Chuck shrugged as he watched the girls reach the other side. "You should know never to show those two any weakness, or you end up being forced to go to the theatre to see the nutcracker every year."
"Or sitting in the middle of the ice rink every year because three of your friends can skate and you still struggle with walking sometimes."
Chuck laughed at his friend and gestured across the ice to where Blair and Serena were playing ice hockey with the kit left over by the St Judes' ice hockey team. "Come on; let's go stick you in goal where you don't need to move as much."
The boys slowly made their way across the ice, with Chuck holding Nate up by the arm as he wobbled every few meters.
"We've decided to break with tradition this year. Instead of girls v boys Blair has said we should do Van Der Bass v the 'cool team'."
"Aw Blair, I never knew you thought I was cool." Nate grinned at Blair as she threw him a stick.
"Well Nate you have your amazing goalkeeping skills to thank for that. Serena is terrible in goal, as our defeat for the past few years has proven."
"I am not terrible, it's just that there is nothing more terrifying that Chuck Bass heading towards you with that look in his eyes."
"As many young women around Manhattan can only agree." Blair smiled at her boyfriend as she mocked him.
"Eww, I meant the scary look he has. Normally when he's attempting to destroy someone's life."
"Don't worry Serena; Blair is terrible at hitting the puck. She has a habit of tapping it."
"I do not!"
"Enough with the protesting, it's time to play."
Chuck and Blair stood face to face over the puck, sticks in hand. Serena and Nate retreated to the safety of the goals.
From either end of the small area Nate and Serena began counting down from 3. On the word 'GO' Blair whacked the puck towards Serena, who ducked out of the way as it flew towards her head.
"What was that S? I tap the puck?"
Chuck grinned at Nate as Serena made a face at Blair.
She launched the puck back into the middle where it met Chucks stick. Within a second Blair made a tackle the likes of which had not been seen since she had battled it out against Serena on the field during Ivy week.
Two cheers came up from either goal, both shouting encouragement to their team mates.
Much to Blair's consternation Chuck was able to reclaim the puck and scored a point for his side.
After ten minutes of the most violent play seen this side of the park the four friends replaced the hockey kit and moved across the ice to the exit. The Nate/Blair team had beaten the Chuck/Serena combination by a fraction of a point and so were owed a free drink in the Palace bar.
After the girls claimed their free hot chocolate of course.
Thoughts? I decided to deviate a bit from the three 'traditions' in the title and give the NJBC some more fun...