Chapter Three
Spotted: Blair, Chuck, Nate and Serena all dining together at Gramercy Tavern. It has been five years since the foursome were spotted together. Serena has just jetted in back from an unknown location where she spent the last five years rebuilding her life.
"Serena!" Blair saw Serena walking through the door and waved her over to their table. Nate watched his beautiful blonde best friend walk towards the temple. She was wearing a long summer dress with heels and a hat which her hair was loosely flowing down. Chuck and Blair knew that Nate and Serena had unfinished business.
"Hey guys, have you guys ordered?" Serena sat down beside Nate as she took off her hat and fixed her hair. Serena still had her exquisite taste in clothes and it was hard to deny how amazing she looked.
"Yes, we have. So, tell us… are you back in the Upper East Side for good?" Blair asked eagerly. Serena had not said anything about moving back or being back for how long yet.
"Yes, I am. I am moving back, I already miss Australia though. It was such a good home for five years." Serena smiled sadly.
"Come on, S… I'm sure it wasn't as good as being back here in New York with your family and friends," Nate said.
"Ask Chuck and Blair. They had an amazing time when they've visited me over the past few years, and most recently, a few months ago."
"What? They went to Australia?" Nate said surprisingly. He looked at Chuck and Blair who both looked slightly uneasy.
"Yes, it was amazing, Nate. It had some of the best food and hotels. Chuck managed to get some business deals with some of the hotels in Melbourne. Henry loved the aquarium and zoo."
"Nate, if you were there, you would have loved it. Alcohol is much better there too, and they have some of the best sporting events that you would have loved."
"Hold up!" Nate was angry. His best friends went to visit Serena and they never told him. "How come I didn't know about this?"
Blair and Chuck looked at each other unsure of what to say.
"They said that you were on business trips in other cities. There was no point telling you because you seemed to always have a full schedule when they fly over." Serena stepped in. Blair looked at her thankfully.
"But, I could have made some arrangements and go with."
"Our trips have always been last minute." Blair quickly said.
"Guys, come on! I'm back, does it matter anymore?" Serena said calmly as she held Nate's hand. Serena could feel the sparks and warmth of Nate's hand. Nate was slowly calming down at the sound and feeling of Serena.
"Wait, did you guys know about Oliver?" Serena gulped. She always hid the fact that she was seeing Oliver from her best friends.
"No… when you actually mentioned that, Serena, how come you never told us about Oliver when we visited?" Blair asked curiously. Chuck didn't seem so much interested but he kept watching his best friend watch the woman Nate has always loved.
"Well…umm, because there was no need?"
"No need! S, we are your best friends! Something like this –"
"Blair, let's talk about something else. I'm sure Nate would like to listen to stories that Serena's told us." Chuck piped in. Serena mouthed a silent 'thank you' to Chuck.
"So are you back for a vacation or back to stay?" Nate asked sipping his coffee.
"I told my mother that I was back for good and some of my things are being shipped over as we speak."
They continued having lunch and catching up before Chuck and Blair had left to pick up Henry from school, leaving Nate and Serena together. Nate watched the blonde beauty who was sitting beside him eat a plate of steak and salad.
"You can eat that whole steak?" Nate was surprised – this was not the same girl that left him five years ago at the airport after pouring his heart out.
Serena nodded and smiled. "When I got to Australia, I had the most amazing food there and I was always eating… when Erik saw me the first time after moving, he was so surprised. I had literally added body weight and turned it into muscle – fat does not look good on my body frame.
"You still look beautiful though," Nate whispered. Serena and Nate locked eyes for a few seconds. Nate's eyes were sad – so sad that he never went to see her once, sad that she was with someone else, sad that he couldn't have her.
"Thank you, Nate. Blair was in shock when she saw me, but she liked it, so she jumped on board. While Chuck had business, Blair and I just ate, shopped and went to the gym." Nate sat there listening attentively. He could never be bored of Serena.
"I want to gelato, can we go get some?"
"Sure, there's one nearby the river in Central Park. Do you remember?"
"Of course! That was our secret place. Only we would go there, no one else." Serena giggled. They left the restaurant and walked to their 'special' place for some gelato. Serena ordered a berry flavoured whereas Nate ordered cookies 'n' cream. They were walking along Central Park just like old times.
"Tell me about Australia." Nate smiled warmly at his best friend.
"It's amazing. It's not crazy like New York where traffic is terrible and people just moving all the time. You could actually stand on the street and it isn't that bad. The food there is so good and they have so many traditional foods. They are big with this sport called AFL. It's short for Australian Football League, very different to NFL."
"That's cool. What are the people like?"
"They are so laid back and awesome to hang out with. I went to these festivals with my friends and had a beer."
"S! You drink beer?!"
"Oh yeah, they got me into it. I went to some live sporting matches and beer is what they drink."
"Oh, you have to take me there one day!"
"I promise I will, you will love it." They sat down on a park bench and just stared out to the front. Serena needed to tell him something that she has been holding in her for the last few weeks.
"Nate, I'm sorry for what happened at the airport five years ago….for breaking your heart." Nate was shocked. He didn't think Serena had remembered but not only that, would realise what she had done to him.
"S…it's alright. I moved on."
"How!? You told me you have loved me forever. You poured your heart out and all I did was say I had to leave for my flight."
"Chuck and Blair helped me."
*Flashback*
Nate was standing around nervously while his best friends were in the delivery room at the hospital. Chuck came out red-faced and smiling.
"Ready to meet our son?" Chuck and Blair's family cheered in joy and Nate gave him a big brotherly hug. Nate waited outside of the room while their families went in first to see the new bundle of joy that was in the family. Nate walked to the big gift shop and bought a box of flowers and a blue teddy bear for his little nephew. He walked back seeing the family had departed the room. He walked into Blair's luxurious recovery room, smiling.
"I bought flowers and a teddy bear just for you and the little man." Nate chuckled. Blair looked ragged and exhausted.
"What about me? I'm your best friend?" Chuck smirked
"I'll buy you a drink later. I'm sure after the delivery you need it."
"You have no idea," Chuck muttered. As they were chatting away, Chuck felt a vibration in his pocket. He pulled out his blackberry and smiled. He went over to the table and brought out his tablet.
"Blair, someone wants to see you." Chuck tapped his tablet. Chuck and Nate gathered around Blair and the newborn and stared at the screen – Serena's face had popped up.
"Congratulations B!" Serena squealed.
"Thank you S. Look Henry; it's your aunt Serena," Blair said in a babyish voice.
"Henry! What a beautiful name." Serena smiled. "Chuck, you are going to be an amazing father. Nate, you will be an amazing uncle." She gushed at the sight of her family.
"Henry needs his beautiful aunty too," Nate said quietly. Chuck and Blair looked at the broken man.
"When are you coming home S?" Blair asked.
"Hun, you ask me this every single time we talk…I told you, not for a while." Serena sighed.
"Sis, we miss you. Now that we have Henry, you can come back." Nate watched as the three of them bickered and hassled Serena about when she would come back.
"I can't. When it's summer here, it's winter there and it's too cold to go back. When it's winter here and summer there, I am far too busy,"
"I know…so you have said."
"I'm sorry guys. Nate will look after you guys. I'll call back in two weeks. I promise" Serena yawned. Nate watched as the screen went black. Blair sighed and placed Henry in his little bed.
"Nate, you have to let her go," Blair said bluntly.
"I have," Nate said in a clipped tone.
"No, you haven't. She's gone. She has moved on, it's time for you to move on to." Nate left the hospital and went back to his apartment. He picked up the phone…half an hour later, Nate was back to his playboy ways for one night.
*FLASHBACK END*
"Blair and Chuck made me realise that it was time to move on." Nate smiled. Serena looked at him with a sad smile.
They might be good at convincing themselves that they had moved on from each other, but everyone knew that they have barely begun.