Anne van der Bilt stood in front of the second story window at her father's country house, staring out at her son and his long time best friend and now fiancé with her arms crossed. "Oh Anne leave it alone," William van der Bilt exclaimed when he saw what his daughter was doing. "You're supposed to have left these childish habits in high school."
"I know but he's my son, father," Anne said her eyes never leaving the sight in front of her. "My only baby."
"He's not a baby anymore," William said with a small proud smile that his daughter couldn't see. "He's a grown man, one fully capable of making his own decisions."
"He can make decisions about this family and the way he runs his law firm," Anne said turning to her father for the first time. "But I know what type of girl I want as a daughter-in-law and Serena van der Woodsen is not that girl."
"Give her a chance," William said looking out the window to see his grandson and his fiancé dancing to no music with over exaggerated moves and huge smiles on their faces. "Look at how happy he is."
Anne turned just in time to see Nate dip Serena and bring her back up in a fit of giggles. "How long do you think that's going to last? I accepted it when they dated before but she broke his heart and he wasn't the same after that."
"He's been better in the past two years that they've been together then he'd ever been without her," William said shaking his head.
"Blair Waldorf would have been perfect for this family, she has all the right values, the proper family structure and she would be perfectly suited for this family's image," Anne said letting out an exasperated sigh.
"Blair Bass is also married to Charles Bass," William said rolling his eyes. "I'm getting old now and I want to see my grandson get married before I die."
"You shouldn't say things like that father," Anna scolded reaching out to lay a hand on her father's arm.
"It's true Annie," he said using her childhood nickname. "I know Serena will keep him happy, they are perfect together, just think of the perfect little grandkids you'll get."
Anne sighed and looked back out at the blond couple now slow dancing, their bodies pressed together and their foreheads touching as they spoke to each other intimately. They looked like the picture of perfection Anne herself couldn't deny that and the fact that if they have children they will be exceptionally beautiful but she couldn't shake the feeling of dislike she had for Serena.
"I know you and Lily have this never-ending feud but Serena isn't Lily," William said to her and Anne frowned at her father's frankness. "This girl could care less about what society thinks about her."
"And that's what worries me," Anne exclaimed. "We are always being watched one slip-up from her and our reputation could be ruined."
"I think we should let Nathaniel decide that," William said as his daughter seethed at the union of her son to Serena. "She hasn't done anything damaging since she and Nathaniel got together again."
"I'm just saying that she isn't the right girl for him," Anne insisted and William sighed. "He could do so much better."
"Who would you rather have him with Anne?" William asked rubbing his forehead. "She's the one he loves."
"But does she love him?" Anne asked and William raised an eyebrow at his daughter. Of course he had his doubts as well but he watched Nate and his friends grow up in front of him, the four of them together, he saw how similar Nate and Serena were, how they connected even at such a young age, how they'd cling to each other a little tighter when things were wrong, even after Nate and Blair became a couple their bond never broke.
"Of course she does, just look at them," William said gesturing to the couple outside. "She hasn't done anything to show otherwise, she's been out of the bad media for a while, she said yes to Nathaniel's proposal, she plays the part she's expected to play at all our functions without complaining, face it Annie she's trying to be what our family expects of her for Nathaniel, let him be happy."
"Of course I want him to be happy," Anne said. "I just can't shake the feeling that she's going to somehow destroy him."
"Or maybe they'll stay this way and celebrate their 50th anniversary in Paris," William said but frowned when his daughter didn't look like she was any closer to accepting Serena as a daughter in law. "Nothing I say is going to stop you from thinking Serena is a bad choice is it."
"No," Anne said simply. "She's going to break his heart and there's nothing I can do about it because he doesn't listen to me anymore."
"Can you blame him?" William asked and Anne turned to him with a look of surprise painted on her face. "You did abandon the boy after Howard left the first time and you've barely been in contact with him, save for a few phone calls every now and again until he gave us the news that he was to change his surname."
"Stop making me sound so heartless father," Anne said looking back to Nate and Serena. "I am not the only one who made that mistake."
"Yes and I know what I did so I'm making up for it by not meddling in his love life," William said, he actually adored Serena, of course there were a million things that she'd done that should cause him to agree with his daughter but this girl had been coming to his home since she was a child and she found a way to grow on him the was Blair had never been able to.
"I'm not meddling father," Anne said and William raised an eyebrow. "Not yet."
"I forbid you from breaking them up or even trying to," William said sternly and Anne frowned at her father but nodded, she knew better than to go against him no matter how old she was.
"Hey guys," Nate said when he walked into the room with Serena on his arm. Anne and William had been staring at each other for so long that they didn't realize the kids had come back into the house. "What's going on? Looks serious."
"Nothing you need to bother yourself with Nathaniel," William said smiling at his grandson and Serena. "Let's go eat," he said when no-one said anything else, Serena looked a little uncomfortable so he smiled and gestured for her to go ahead of him. "After you dear," he said looking back to shoot his daughter a warning look before following the younger two down the hall.
Anne stood by the window with her arms crossed, she didn't like it. Nate was hers and she had his life planned and if they stuck to the plan everything would have been perfect, but of course Howard had to get into drugs and ruin their marriage and Nate had to fall in love with a girl that was the complete opposite of what she had planned for him.
It would be years before Anne truly accepted Serena as the perfect woman for her son, she would hate the girl when they had their fights but Serena always found ways to prove to everyone that she loved Nate more than anyone else ever could try to and she wasn't going to let their relationship end up like many of the other upper east side marriages. Only after her father had passed and her three perfect grandchildren were born and running around that she'd truly appreciate how much Serena made herself a part of her children and Nate's lives, how she supported them and kept them close something Anne herself could never do with just her one. It was something she'd always thank her father for preventing her from meddling in.
A/N ok so this is my interpretation of what Nate's mom and grandfather think of his relationship with Serena. Thank you so so much to ghj55 for this idea, I honestly would have never thought of it and I think it turned out pretty awesome hehe oh and before I forget thank you for the awesome reviews on the previous chapter or oneshot, i have no idea what to call them
So I wrote it this way because I always felt that Nate's grandfather, while a crazy old man who liked to mess around with everyone's business, liked Serena and would be happy with whoever Nate chose to be involved with as long as it didnt cause too much social drama and Anne just wanted a Blair for him lol I know it's probably not really what Anne would be like but she and Lily didnt get along so that had to cause some kind of bad feelings without Serena actually doing anything.
I love Anne, I wish they had more of her and Grandfather on the show but then they would need to include Nate more and the writers always find a way not to do that, ok I'm gonna stop rambling now
Please review and let me know what you think, if you want me to write about anything specific then please ask, oh and check out my other story thats still in progress 'Worth the Wait' its gotten a pretty good reaction so far, so read it and review please thank you!
Until next time (^^,)