Author's Note: I've been working on this update for a while, trying to figure out exactly where I want to take this. I got some inspiration from the recent episodes of Gossip Girl, where we see Jenny being a conniving *itch. She really just needs to go away, and get those tacky hair extensions pulled from her head. I could rant for hours about my utter distaste for Jenny Humphrey, but I digress. As you may have guessed, she is going to be just as evil and cold-hearted in this fanfic as she is on the show. Hopefully you like it; the plan will start mostly in the next chapter which should be up within a week. Well, here it is. Hope it's not too boring. Title of this chapter is a song by Hinder; it's amazing, you should check it out.

Chapter Three: The Best Is Yet To Come

"If I could go back in time

Wouldn't change a damn thing in my life

Love the dumb things we do when we're young

But the best is yet to come"

He kept scrolling up and down Gossip Girl's homepage, unable to tear himself away from the latest picture and its disheartening caption. It was of Nate, in all his glory, leaving the Van der Woodsen home…a bright smile on his face and a spring in his step. How was he supposed to compete with Nathaniel Archibald? Nate had been after Serena for years, much longer than Dan ever had. Dan was trying his hardest to stay positive, and convince himself that Nate and Serena were merely close friends. But the more realistic side of him knew that they weren't just friends. From the things he had heard, the two had never been just friends. He finally forced his eyes away from the computer screen and closed the laptop. That was enough torture for one day.

"Let me guess, wallowing over the latest from Gossip Girl?" Jenny asked, a teasing smile on her face. She set her scarf down on the counter and walked over to the fridge. "I know you're into Serena, but her and Nate becoming a couple is practically unavoidable." she said seriously, wanting to talk some sense into her brother.

"Why thank you for the support, Jenny." he said sarcastically, his hands running over his face. "Maybe you're right." he finally admitted with a sigh.

"Aren't I always?" she asked with a smirk. "Serena is the first girl you've shown even remote interest in since Vanessa. Did you ever think maybe it's a rebound type thing?" Dan stiffened at the mention of Vanessa.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." He shook his head lightly, snatching his computer and hurrying off into his bedroom. Vanessa was still a sore spot for him…he had been in love with her and she had moved away. For months he held out hope that she'd come back to him; realize she loved him the way that he loved her. After years of longing for his best friend he had finally let it go…well, sort of. Jenny didn't move from her spot in the kitchen, deciding to let her brother wallow in his own misery.

"My day was wonderful, thanks for asking." she muttered sarcastically to herself. For a good two months Jenny had been trying to weasel her way into Blair's crowd, and so far she had been verbally lashed by Blair on multiple occasions, getting no step closer to the newly crowned Queen Bee of the Upper East Side. Today she had avoided her, not wanting to get in the line of fire, trying to come up with a foolproof scheme. Now it was becoming clearer…get Nate back into Blair's arms, get in with the in crowd. Not only would it land her in Blair's good graces, but it would also give her brother a chance to finally make his move on Serena. She smirked proudly to herself for thinking up such a brilliant plan. Operation Matchmaker was officially in progress.

--

Serena had decided to avoid starting school for a while, she had witnessed Blair's wrath before and it was not a pretty sight. She could only imagine how vicious Blair would get in this scenario. Her day had been spent shopping, anxiously awaiting any contact from Nate. Every time her phone vibrated she felt a flutter of excitement, only to be disappointed when the person on the other end of the phone wasn't him. She had been trying to decide how long to wait before telling people they were official. The best idea was to wait it out until Blair calmed down, but she didn't want to wait that long. She had waited long enough. Before she could change her mind she slipped her phone out of her pocket, dialing Nate's number.

"Hey you," Hearing his voice flow through the speaker made her heart skip a beat.

"Hey." she replied softly, trying her hardest not to sound like some giddy schoolgirl. "We really need to talk." Nate's heart dropped at her word choice. Had she changed her mind about the whole thing? Was she choosing to put Blair first and push their feelings aside?

"Okay…where are you? I'll meet you." There was a nervous edge to his voice that he couldn't disguise.

"Meet me at our café." Serena could tell that he was worried, and that was the last thing she wanted. "Don't worry; it'll be a good talk. I can't wait to see you…bye." Before he could respond she had hung up and was moving towards the café. Her nerves were bouncing around all over the place; she was about to take a huge step and she hoped he was ready for it. Nate quickly threw on a jacket before hurrying out of the apartment, nervous but more curious than anything. The café was a mere five minutes away so he walked, his feet moving a little faster than usual. As soon as he got there he looked for Serena, assuming she would be in their booth. It was towards the back of the café, more secluded. There was a flash of blonde and he smiled brightly, moving towards her.

"Hey." he leaned down to whisper in her ear, his lips brushing against her earlobe. He felt her shiver and couldn't help but smirk when he saw the gentle blush creep onto her cheeks. Nate slid into the booth next to her, his knee pressing against hers. They hadn't really discussed how open they wanted to be with their relationship, so he was trying to make things look as friendly as humanly possible. However, with each passing moment, his willpower was wavering. "So, what did you want to talk about?" he asked curiously, deciding not to beat around the bush about it.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking…about us…" she said quietly, looking over at him. Serena wasn't sure exactly what to say, she wanted her wording to be perfect. "It's always been you, Nate… and I don't want to wait anymore. I want us to be together and I don't want to hide it from anyone." She was telling him everything he wanted to hear; he was floating on cloud nine. "I know that it's not going to be easy, far from it, but I want to stop pretending that we're only friends. I don't want to have to hide my feelings for you." His hand grasped her golden waves, pulling her mouth to his eagerly. He had waited a really long time for this, now he was finally going to be able to tell the world Serena was his. Her lips danced with his, surrounded by a passion that had been ignited many years ago. Her fingertips brushed against his cheek, her palm resting carefully on his jaw. One of his hands was gripping her waist, pulling her close to him, while his other hand was wrist deep in her hair. He swallowed her gentle moans, releasing a few groans himself as he felt his pants tighten considerably. Her hand brushed against his leg and he felt his inner thighs throb.

"Serena…" he mumbled, his forehead resting against hers.

"Natie…" she whispered back, her tone playful. Her fingertips brushed along his jaw, pressing her lips to his. "Maybe we should move this to a more private location." His eyes connected with hers, identical smiles slipping onto their features. He cupped her face in his hands, kissing her lips tenderly.

"Come on." he whispered, taking her hand in his. When he stood up he shifted his jeans carefully, wanting to conceal his excitement from the rest of the world. Serena squeezed his hand lightly, letting him lead her out of the café. Their fingers wove together as they walked down the street, their bodies bumping playfully into each other every now and then. They were so consumed with each other that they didn't notice the stares. Everyone was constantly watching them, but neither of them cared. People would always gossip, whether they had evidentiary support or not. Serena had kept her feelings buried for far too long. She had put being a good friend first, and she was ready to finally do something for herself. Besides, she had been Blair's best friend; she knew all of her tricks. Nothing Blair did would surprise her. The new couple finally got to Nate's apartment, laughing softly as they stepped through the revolving door, their bodies pressed together, lips aligned perfectly. And this was the picture Gossip Girl posted on her website less than five minutes later. Forbidden fruit is always the sweetest.

--

Blair snapped her phone shut in frustration, unable to deny it anymore. It was right there in black and white, no way around it. Nate and Serena were together. She blinked her eyes quickly, shaking her head in an effort not to cry. Blair had always wanted to be with Nate but constant worry had always played a role in their relationship, at least on Blair's side. The constant flirtation and longing glances hadn't gone unnoticed by Blair, merely swept under the rug. It was easier to pretend her best friend and boyfriend weren't falling in love in front of her very eyes. What she needed was a plan. There had to be some way she could wriggle between the two 'lovebirds.' However, the scheming lobes in her brain weren't working to their full capacity. In this situation she had to detach herself emotionally, which was easier said than done.

"Hi Blair." Her eyes darted up as she heard a voice she didn't recognize.

"Oh. It's you." she replied, disgust evident in her voice. This girl had been following her for days, it was getting pathetic. What the hell was her name? Julie? Jessica? Jane? Whatever, it wasn't of any importance to Blair. She lifted her cappuccino to her lips, taking a slow sip. "Are you going to stand there like a moron all day or are you going to speak? You're blocking my sunlight." Today was really not a good day; she was in no mood to deal with a sad wannabe.

"Uhm, yeah." Jenny said, suddenly forgetting what she had come here to say. "I want to help you get Nate back." Blair arched an eyebrow, suddenly interested in what this little girl had to say.

"I'm listening." She set her cup down gently on the table next to her, her hands clasped in her lap.

"Well, assuming you looked at the latest from Gossip Girl, it's not an easy task…but I thought of a plan." She stood there awkwardly, waiting for some sort of response from Blair. This was the most conversation she'd ever had with the Queen Bee, and she didn't know how it worked.

"Well? I'd love to sit here all day and watch you stand there like a lost puppy dog but I really don't have the time. Speak up or leave me alone." Jenny's eyes widened slightly at her tone, not yet adjusted to how rude Blair could get.

"Well, uhm, okay… so I figure they need to turn on each other…they need to have doubts. Obviously you trying to plant seeds of doubt won't work, since they'll be expecting it from you. But maybe I can do it? Then I can send him crawling back to you." Jenny finished her thought, biting her lip as she waited for approval.

"Hmm…" Her voice sounded like a low hum as she thought over the plan. "And how exactly do you intend to get closer to them? You're a nobody." Blair was a pro at the art of scheming, so she knew how to cover all the bases before agreeing to any sort of plan.

"As we both know, Serena isn't the same girl that left a year ago. She seems a lot less interested in being in the spotlight…" she let her sentence trail off, letting Blair make her own assumptions.

"So…new Serena would be more than happy to talk to a low life like you; especially once everyone else shuts her out." She leaned forward in her seat, a satisfied grin dancing on the edges of her lips. "Don't get too excited, but if this plan works…there may be room for you in the inner circle." Jenny felt a burst of excitement, but managed to keep herself calm. Inside she was jumping around for joy and shrieking like a five year old on Christmas morning.

"So you like it?" she asked, a proud smirk on her face.

"Just because you came up with a decent idea doesn't mean you're the new queen of the upper east side." she responded bitterly. "In fact, it doesn't even mean that we're friends." Blair's group was very elite, and not just anyone was allowed in. Blair looked Jenny up and down for a moment. If this plan worked, Jenny needed a complete makeover. She was trying to dress maturely but came off looking like a cheap prostitute. And her hair? It looked like it had been glued to her head one clump at a time. "Put the plan in motion as soon as possible. Keep me updated on the results. We'll go from there." Her hands gripped her coffee mug, lifting it to her lips; she was finished with this conversation. When she set the cup down, Jenny was still standing there. "Is there more?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"No, that's it."

"Then why are you still here? Shoo." She flicked her hand at her, motioning her away. Blair glared at her until she finally turned.

"I won't let you down." Jenny said before walking away, leaving Blair in peace. She bit her lip softly, hoping that her idea would work. There was nothing Blair wanted more than to have Nate back, and to have Serena wish she never crossed Blair Waldorf.

--

Serena curled into Nate's side, her hair a tousled mess, her cheeks a light pinkish red. Her breathing was shallow as she tried to get the oxygen pumping back into her lungs. Nate was taking some slow deep breaths, a content smirk on his face, his lips pressing into her messy blonde curls gently.

"You know…I was gonna suggest that we take this slow." she said, the corner of her mouth turning up lightly. A chuckle fell from Nate's lips and he tugged her closer, skin pressing against skin.

"Well if you think about it…we've taken this pretty damn slow." he replied after a few moments of thought. "I've wanted to be with you since we were 6 years old." Her eyebrows arched at his words and she shifted her body so she was looking into his eyes, the sheet draped over her lower back.

"You did not…" she said, her tone slightly curious. His gaze connected with hers and he nodded his head firmly.

"I did." How could he not? Serena had always been the most amazing girl he ever knew; always had been, always would be. There was no way around it for him. Add in the fact that she was right next to him through every important moment of his life. For every birthday celebration she would sit next to him, her hand clasped in his underneath the table, waiting with a smile as he made his wish and blew out the candles. The first time he drove after getting his license, she was sitting in the passenger seat encouraging him the whole way. When his parents argued and he needed an escape, her house became like his own. The first time he got high, the first time he got drunk, she was there…right next to him, giggling at some feeling neither could fully explain. Hell, even when he lost his virginity, she was the girl he lost it to. It had always been him and Serena; even though she had tried to avoid it, he always knew. "We always just sort of fit, ya know? We were practically attached at the hip." His hand slid down her body, his fingertips moving over her hipbone. Her breathing quickened, her hand resting on his chest lightly. "I was pretty obvious about my infatuation…always making up excuses to come see you; losing track of time on purpose so I could spend the night." A surprised smile slipped onto her face.

"You would do that on purpose?" She wasn't sure how she could have been so naïve. It was blatantly obvious Nate had had feelings for her, but she never knew they had always run so deep. "That's the sweetest thing I've heard all day." she whispered, her lips brushing against his. "I've always had a crush on you…my mom would tease me every now and then when she caught me doodling your name in my notebooks." A bright blush crept onto her cheeks; she couldn't believe that she was admitting this right now.

"You doodled my name?" he asked, the pleasant surprise evident on his face.

"Oh yeah. Usually surrounded by little hearts." She looked over at him for a moment, biting her lip nervously. "You aren't allowed to make fun of me."

"I would never even think of it." he whispered against her lips, kissing her eagerly. They had never really talked about their past this in depth. He was finally learning that the feelings he thought were so unrequited were actually reciprocated. She was finally getting to fully understand how he felt about her. With his words and his actions, she had full faith in their relationship. They had waited this long and she wasn't going to let Blair Waldorf ruin it.

"It's kinda funny, don't ya think?" she asked with a playful grin.

"What?" he asked in response, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean, we both liked each other for years…yet you somehow ended up with Blair." Her hand skimmed through his hair, feeling a pang of guilt when she said Blair's name. "But now it's exactly how it should be…we've waited a long time for this." Nate grinned at her, cupping her cheek in his palm.

"Definitely worth the wait."

A/N: Reviews are wonderful. Subscriptions and favorites are good too!