How long can we pretend?...

It was still dark when Nate woke up. He watched Serena while she slept, remembering the last time they had fallen asleep together. It had been sophomore year of college. In some ways, to Nate, it seemed like yesterday. In other ways, it felt like a lifetime ago.

She had rolled over and shook him awake. It was 9:15 "Natie!" She had announced. "I'm having one of my wild impulsive moments. I think it's time I try that surfing thing."

He had grinned. "Energetic, are we?"

"Very." She had answered, cocking an eyebrow.

"Maybe I could take care of that? Surfing doesn't really take up that much energy..."

And that had been it. Nate smiled at the memory. She used to hate sex in the morning, but every once in awhile he was able to talk her into it.

He looked out the window of the bedroom. The faintest hint of the sun broke over the tops of the other apartment buildings. Serena stirred next to him.

Nate pulled her closer to him, scared that if he didn't keep holding onto her, she'd disappear. He let his thoughts drift back to college. They'd graduated high school on top of the world. They'd been accepted to Brown and were both going.

Freshman year had been this blur of everything changing around them. Nate had felt like they were the only thing that had stayed the same. The first half of sophomore year had been fantastic. It was in April that he had gotten in the accident and everything had gone to shit.

He knew Serena blamed herself, and he knew he was still angry with her for leaving, but they hadn't come to terms with any of it yet.

It had been almost a comfort zone with Serena in Europe. The ball had been in her court. Now she was back and she had thrown the ball to him. And there wasn't much he could do with it when he was supposed to be engaged.

Correction, while he was engaged. Although, he didn't even want to think about Naomi right now.

Next to him, Serena stirred again. Nate looked at the clock. 7:15. Huh. Time flies when you're contemplating life. He watched Serena's eyes flutter open.

"Hey Nate." She whispered.

"Hey."

Serena bit her lip, not sure if she should go the tactful, awkward way and pretend they hadn't made out and fallen asleep together while he was engaged, or if she should just go for it. She decided to go for it.

"I like this. Waking up with you." Nate met her eyes and recognized the glint in them. He immediately tried to steel himself to her.

"I really, really missed you Nate." She said meaningfully. Nate knew she wanted to save the serious talk for later. It was all about sex now.

"Serena.."

"It's morning." She said. "You could never get me to do it in the morning."

"Once or twice." He said, not able to resist falling into her banter.

"Go for three."

"God, Serena, I missed you too." He said, reaching for her. She positioned herself on top of him and kissed him. He kissed back, pushing away his guilt.

Nate took a deep breath and started pushing away the clothes she had slept in. They went on kissing and undressing like this for a while, taking it slow. The buzz of the intercom from the kitchen interrupted them. Blair's voice rang out through the speaker.

"Naomi alert."

A/N: Yesss, I changed the name of Nate's fiance :) Molly was annoying me..