Blair hugged Serena tightly. "Sorry you had to be in there all by yourself. You're a genius, you know that?"

Serena smiled. "I know." She walked over to Chuck and handed him the small microphone he'd pinned to the inside of her dress. "Did you get all that?"

Chuck nodded. "Every last bit."

…

Lily sat calmly on the couch and tried to ignore the muffled yelling; she grimaced as she heard a door slam. Nate stomped out of Serena's room angrily and out of the front door.

Lily braced herself for Serena to get like she always did. She wouldn't come out of her room for days after a breakup or fight with Nate, and then she'd go out and go crazy.

Serena walked out of her room with her arms cross. "Oh. Hey. I didn't know you were here."

"I am. Are you all right? Please try not to let this affect you."

Serena looked at her like she was crazy. "Mom, relax, it was just a little fight. Couples fight."

Lily tried not to look too shocked. "Yes, they do."

"It's mostly Chuck he's mad at anyway. But enough about Nate, he'll come around. I'm starving. Wanna go out to lunch? Just you and me? We haven't done that in –"

Lily didn't let her daughter finish. "Yes! Of course! Let's go. You pick."

Serena felt guilty for ignoring her mom for so long. She smiled. "Let me just put my shoes on."

…

Serena knocked on Nate's door and then opened it slowly. He lay on his bed watching TV.

"I brought you a piece offering." She held out a cupcake to him but he shook his head. Serena placed it on the nightstand then kicked her shoes off. She climbed on the bed and curled up against him.

Nate lay still with his eyes fixated on the screen.

Serena pouted and kissed his cheek lightly. "I'm sowwy. Baby…don't be mad at me please. It all turned out okay. Natie…"

Nate slid one hand under her waist and pulled her on top of him. He pressed his forehead against hers. "It was dangerous and stupid. And I can't believe Chuck let you anywhere near that creep."

"I'm capable of making my own decisions. You're aware of that, right?"

"I know you are. But he promised he'd look after you."

"I'm a big girl. I can look after myself."

Nate let out a loud sigh. "I have to win at least one argument one of these days."

Serena pressed her lips against his softly. She smiled and snuggled against him. "Now all Chuck has to do is find Luke Murdoch."

…

Nate stretched his arm out across his bed only to feel the cold empty sheets. He frowned and rolled out of bed lazily then brushed his teeth and splashed water on his face. He walked downstairs and saw Serena sitting at the dining room table with his mother. "Morning."

Anne stood up and greeted him with a kiss. She rolled her eyes at the fact that he only wore boxers. "I was just on my way out. I will see you later."

Nate sat across from Serena and popped some fruit in his mouth. Serena smiled at him and rubbed her legs against his. Nate smiled back. "I thought you'd left."

Serena shook her head and walked over to sit on his lap. "Just came for some water and got roped into breakfast. She really hates me."

"My mom does not hate you." He kissed Serena's neck. "Not really."

Serena swung a leg around his to straddle him. "She's jealous that I take up so much of your time. It's understandable. He pressed his lips against hers and they parted immediately with her tongue massaging his. Serena and Nate's phones went off simultaneously, causing them to pull away from each other. Serena checked her phone and then jumped up immediately.

Nate looked at her expectantly. "What?"

"Chuck needs to talk to us...he's on his way here."

…

"The Murdoch boys went out of town for the weekend. He can all take a break and calm down. Let me know if you get any texts or whatever."

Serena didn't feel very relieved. She wanted to prove her innocence by catching the Murdoch's in their lies. She nodded anyway. Nate put a strong arm around her.

Chuck looked at Blair. "Since we'll have all this free time…I got my girlfriend and I tickets to the ballet." He gave her a small wink.

Blair smiled at him and threw her arms around him. "I can't believe you remembered!"

Chuck kissed her forehead. "Of course. I haven't had breakfast, wanna go get brunch?"

Blair nodded and looked over at Nate and Serena. Nate shook his head. "We just had breakfast," he looked at Serena, "But we can go if you want."

Serena shook her head. She wanted to be alone with Nate; she couldn't get enough of him lately. "We just ate. But you two have fun."

Serena turned to Nate after their friends were gone. "Let's get out of the city for the weekend."

Nate looked surprised. "Uh…okay. Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere. Can you just go somewhere with me, please? Like right now."

Nate looked conflicted. "Baby, I have things to do with weekend. I would love nothing more than to just pack up and go but I can't."

Serena nodded, she was disappointed but she understood. "You're last lacrosse game, right…"

Nate nodded. "My team is counting on me…it's my last game." He was nostalgic now that graduation was around the corner.

"Your game is tomorrow. Why don't I go ahead and you can meet me in the Hamptons after?"

Nate shrugged. "Or you could wait a day, come cheer me on, and then we can both leave."

Serena shook her head. She wouldn't let the one Friday they didn't have school go to waste. "I need to get out of here, Natie. Just meet me tomorrow, yeah?"

Nate nodded. "I promise." He kissed her forehead and pulled her in tightly.

…

Serena woke up because the sunlight poked its head through her curtains. She looked at the time and smiled. It was the first time she'd slept past noon is months. Nate's game must have been over by now. She pulled out her phone and dialed his number.

Nate's voice was muffled by what seemed like hundreds of voices talking in the backround. "We won!" Nate said something else she couldn't hear. There was a silence again. "Hello? Can you hear me?"

Serena nodded. "Yeah I can. Congratulations."

"The guys are throwing a big party tonight!"

Serena felt her face get hot. "And you're staying?"

There was some cheering in the background. "Listen, I'll see you tomorrow okay? I'm sorry to bail. I love you. Bye."

Serena heard the line end and tore her phone away from her cheek angrily. "Fuck you." She said to no one, because she was alone, so completely alone. She looked around the room and saw a old pile of cosmos. The first one had a heading that read, Why you don't need a man. She grabbed it under her arm and headed off to the beach.

…

Nate felt his head pounding as he rolled out of bed the next morning. He took some aspirin and dragged himself to the shower in Chuck's guest suite. He barely noticed the some of his friends sleeping wherever they found a comfortable surface.

Chuck chugged a glass of water and watched as the cleaning crew shot him dirty looks. Sorry for partying, he wanted to say.

They all made it to the breakfast table and reenacted their favorite moments from the game. Nate missed having some time alone with his guy friends, they could talk about sports and chew with their mouths open and whatever else he wanted.

Isaac was the first to get up. "I should get going. But thanks for letting me crash here. Archibald, good game, as always."

Chuck shook his head to object. "Come on, we were just gonna turn on the game."

Isaac smiled and nodded. "Fine, fine." He walked over to the door as he heard someone knock. "Oh…hi Serena."

Serena gave him a small smile. She walked inside and looked around the room at all the cups thrown around. "Fun night?"

Nate walked over to kiss her but Serena turned her face so he kissed the air. He let out a loud sigh, great. He could hear his friends stifle their laughter.

Serena looked at him. "Can we talk?"

Nate nodded and rolled his eyes behind her back. "Give us a sec." He followed her into an empty guest room and closed the door behind him. "I don't know why you're so pissed." He regretted opening the conversation with those words.

Serena shot him a dirty look. "Excuse me? You don't know why I'm upset about you ditching me to hang out with your bros?"

"I'm sorry. I just never get to see them and I hang out with you all the time."

"Oh. Okay. I'm sorry I'm such a burden on you! You're such an ass."

"That's not what I meant! Why do you always have to spin everything to make me sound like the asshole?"

"I don't that's exactly what you said! What did you mean then?"

Nate shook his head. "I just meant that I wanted to celebrate this moment with them. We won the championships, it's important."

"Why didn't you just tell me that? Why did I wait around all day until I had to call you?"

"Gee, I'm sorry. Lacrosse games can be a little time consuming. And so can awards ceremonies. I'm sorry I didn't call a time out just so I could pull out my phone and call you."

Serena glared at him. "Well you don't have to worry about making time for me in your obviously packed schedule anymore!"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't need a man to make me happy, Nate! I am a strong, independent woman! I can take care of myself!"

Nate was just confused now. "What? Stop, come here."

Serena crossed her arms and shook her head in defiance, like a child would. "No."

Nate reached out and pulled her toward him.

Serena pulled away harshly and stumbled backwards a bit, her phone fell out of her hands and slid under the bed. She shot Nate a dirty look and bent down to retrieve it.

"Sorry," Nate mumbled and bent to help look. He stuck his arm under the bed until the tips of his fingers felt something. It wasn't her phone but he strained to slide the box towards him. It was an old shoebox. The words Christian Louboutin were barely visible underneath the dust.

Serena found her phone. "I got it already."

Nate opened the box and felt his heart drop. "This is Georgina's…"

…

Serena jumped when someone banged on the door. Chuck opened it and stared at them. "We can hear you guys yelling. Could you just make up already? It's getting awkward out there."

Nate held the box securely behind him. "Just give us a sec, Chuck."

Chuck turned to leave but Serena's voice stopped him. "This room is dusty, Chuck. When was the last time anybody was here?"

Chuck shrugged. "No one ever comes in here anymore. It's the only guest room with no shower so one one wants to stay in it since all the other ones got renovated. I wouldn't have sex on that bed if I were you…" He closed the door behind him.

Nate turned to Serena. She looked just as terrified as he was. She bit her bottom lip and her eyes widened. "What's in it?"

"Pictures…notes…her diary."

Serena was glad she's brought her big tote. She opened it and he put the box in there. "Let's keep this between us, okay? I'll look at it and get back to you."

Nate nodded. He bit on his thumb nervously as she turned to leave. "Oh..Serena…are we okay?"

Serena looked confused for a second, she'd forgotten why they'd even been fighting. "Ofcourse." She walked back over and kissed him. "Come visit me tonight."