Serena grabbed a suitcase and started packing. She called her manager and told her she needed some time off. She thought about calling Nate but decided against it, she didn't know what to say to him.

She was almost done packing when she heard her door open and close. Nate was standing in her doorway a couple of seconds later. "You're packing?"

Serena froze.

He knew what was going on. "You're running away?"

She looked at the floor.

"You can't keep doing this."

"It's the only thing I'm good at."

"Please stay." He'd said that many times before. "Stay, for me."

"Don't…."

He looked at her. "I am. I am asking. It's my turn to be selfish." He grabbed her hand.

She turned away from him and looked at him through the mirror in front of her. "I don't think I can."

She saw his eyes water and he turned around and walked away. She felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest. It was different this time. She was out of excuses. She dropped the clothes in her hands and ran after him, he had just gotten on the elevator. "Nate!" Serena looked around the room and ran frantically down the emergency stair exit. Her legs didn't even feel like her own and she ran down and down the stairs. She burst through the doors on the bottom floor just as the elevator reached the bottom. "Natie!"

Nate walked out of the elevator and Serena ran to him, almost knocking him over.

Nate looked at her, he was waiting for her to say something.

Serena was still catching her brain. She had no idea what to say, she wished she had a speech prepared. "I want to be with you. I just…I don't know what I'm doing but I know that I love you." She buried her face in his chest.

Nate stroked her hair. "I don't know what I'm doing either. I just want you to be happy."

She looked at him. "Come with me. Let's go away for a few days. Just you and me?"

He looked surprised. "Okay. Wherever you want. Just don't leave me."

She held him tightly. "I'm not leaving you. Not anymore. I promise."

…

Serena stood on the porch of their hotel room in Santa Barbara. They were right on the beach. "This is gorgeous."

Nate stood behind her. "You're gorgeous. I can't believe you're here with me."

She turned around and wrapped her arms around him. "You forget how much I love you."

He turned away. "You make it easy for me to forget."

She took his face in her hands. "Last time I tried to remind you, you broke up with me, remember?"

"I was scared you'd break my heart. For the hundredth time."

"Are you still scared?"

"Yes."

She was confused. "Why are we here then?"

"Because you're worth it. I'm yours. I don't think I could change that even if I wanted to."

She kissed his cheek. "I'm yours too Natie."

Nate looked at her. "For now. You change your mind often."

She looked into his eyes and shook her head. "Every single part of me. I'm all yours. I've loved you for as long as I can remember. I know I've hurt you before but I'm ready this time, for good."

He took a piece of grass from the potted plant and got down on one knee. "Marry me?"

Serena's eyes widened him. "What?"

His heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest but he had never been more sure of anything in his whole life. "Marry me."

"Nathaniel…"

"You don't have to say yes. Just think about it."

"Yes."

"Okay. Take your time."

"No. I mean yes I'll marry you!"

"What?" He looked up at her.

She nodded and smiled.

He laughed. "I know it's not a diamond ring." He tied the piece of grass carefully around her finger.

She smiled. "I love it." He picked her up and kissed her over and over again.

She laughed. "Be careful! You'll rip my ring."

…

Serena and Nate spent the past week holed up in their hotel room. It was just the two of them and no one else mattered. But it was time to get back to the real world.

Nate had a lot of work to catch up on so he looked over some files while he was having dinner with Serena. He saw the piece of grass around her finger and smiled. "I brought you something." He pulled a small box out of his pocket and held it out to her. "It's the Vanderbilt ring."

Serena frowned and Nate gave her a concerned look. "It's beautiful. I'm just sad that this ring has to go."

He laughed. "It's a piece of grass."

"It's not just a piece of grass!" She smiled at herself. "Take it off carefully."

He took it off slowly and replaced it with the gorgeous ring.

"Wow. This is beautiful." She took the grass ring from him and put it in the small box. "I'm keeping this one too."

He laughed again. "Okay."

"Can you make it to lunch with Blair tomorrow? I wanted us both to tell her."

He shook his head. "If I could I would babe. You go ahead and tell her. I just have so much work to catch up on."

Serena nodded. "Alright, fine." She kissed his cheek. "Come to bed soon."

…

Serena scribbled on a napkin while she waited for Blair at their usual lunch spot. She signed different versions of her name: Serena van der Woodsen, Serena Archibald, Serena Vanderbilt, Serena van der Woodsen-Archibald, Serena van der Woodsen-Archibald-Vanderbilt. She frowned. That was way too long.

"Sorry I'm late."

Serena crumpled up the napkin and looked up at Blair. "Hey!"

She sat down. "How was your vacation with Nate?"

She smiled at her. "I actually have news for you." She grabbed her glass with her left hand.

Blair's jaw dropped. "What! The Vanderbilt ring?"

Serena nodded.

Blair was in shock. She wasn't sure how to react at first but Serena was glowing and bouncing it her seat from all the excitement. "I'm happy for you, S! Where's Nate?" She went around the table to give her friend a hug.

"He's behind at work so he couldn't make it."

Blair suddenly frowned. "Oh my God. We have so much to do."

"Yup." Serena leaned back in her chair. "I'm the luckiest girl in the world. Nate is not only the most gorgeous man I've ever seen he's also kind and amazing and he makes me feel like…Blair?"

Blair's mind already long gone. She was making mental lists in her head. "We need the best wedding planner of the city. Have you picked a dress? Flowers? A color scheme? Oh my God. We need a location. Have you picked the date? Invitations. Holy crap."

"Blair! Breathe! Nate and me were thinking about a small ceremony in the Hamptons. Like in August so it's not so humid. And just invite you and Chuck and our parents."

"Oh." Blair was disappointed. "What about the reception?"

Serena smiled at her. "Now that will be amazing. I'm sure you'll find the best planner in town. If you accept to be my maid of honor, of course."

"Yes! I will!" Blair pictured her dress. "How can we be sitting here when we have so much to do? August is 3 months away!"

Serena smiled. "Blair, we haven't even told anyone. You're the first to know. And I'm hungry. Let's eat for now. Okay?"

Blair felt like she'd just had 4 espresso shots. It was her turn to bounce in her seat. "Okay. But after this we're going to look at invitations!"

…

Nate stopped by Chuck's place after work. They hadn't really spoken much in the past couple of weeks.

Chuck looked at him. "Come to give me another black eye?"

Nate shook his head. "I don't know what to say, man. Obviously you're not accepting my apology."

Chuck shrugged. "What do you want?"

"I want my best friend to be standing next to me at my wedding."

Chuck gave him a confused look. "What?"

Nate smiled. "I asked Serena to marry me."

Chuck's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his sockets. "What?"

"I'm asking you to please forgive me and to be my best man."

Chuck flashed Nate a smile and hugged him. "Nathaniel. I'm going to throw you the best Bachelor party this city has ever seen. Put me in touch with all your Columbia buddies and I'll take care of everything."

Nate laughed. "Alright…this should be interesting."

Chuck was already bouncing ideas around in his mind. "Interesting? No. It's going to be epic."