Disclaimer: I do not own GG or the NJBC.

A/N: Finally, the new chapter is up! Sorry it took so long, but I have a lot of school stuff I'm supposed to work on. Thanks to all of the people who wrote reviews. It really means a lot to me! :D There will probably be two more chapters after this one.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker

NIGHT AFTER NIGHT IN THE DARK I'M ALONE

"I mean, what kind of idiot thinks it's a good idea to run down the sidewalk in three inch heels? I feel so stupid!" Serena wailed into the phone.

"It's okay, S," Blair said soothingly. "On the bright side, it seems that you made it pretty far before you fell! I heard that the ambulance picked you up more than fifteen blocks away from the restaurant. Quite an impressive feat!"

"Stop trying to cheer me up," the blonde moaned. "I'm a failure and I know it. I bet you Nate never wants to speak to me again! I totally embarrassed him in front of practically everyone in the Hamptons!"

"I'm sure he's not mad at you. It's not your fault that tree root was there!"

"Yeah, but it is my fault that I wasn't looking where I was going, and it's my fault that I was wearing stilettos! There's no hope for me."

"Seriously, S, there's no way he could be upset with you. He's probably just glad you're okay."

"Only because I freaked him out by suddenly falling on my face and screaming bloody murder!"

"Hey, you broke your leg. That hurts! You had every right to scream."

"But it was so embarrassing!" she groaned.

Blair felt Chuck tap her on the shoulder.

"Listen, I've got to go, S. It's all going to be fine. Have you even tried talking to Nate? I think you should give him a call. Apologize, if that's what you want to do. Talk to you later!"

Blair set the phone down and settled back into Chuck's arms.

"Okay, you can un-mute it now," she smiled. Almost instantly, the movie on the screen burst into sound. "Just in time for Moon River!" she squealed, kissing Chuck on the cheek. It was a good thing she had seen the movie before, because when he kissed her back, this time on the lips, all thoughts left her head and her surroundings blurred. She was only vaguely aware of knocking over the bowl of popcorn. After all, the maid service could vacuum it up later.

They pulled each other over to the bed, the movie now ancient history. All that mattered was each other. Blair's headband was the first thing to go, followed by Chuck's bow tie. Next came her little black dress, her ever-appropriate choice of attire for watching her favorite movie. Blair clutched Chuck tighter as kisses exploded across her throat. She was insatiable; so was he. That was just one of the many reasons why they were perfect for each other.

By the time they returned to the television, the movie was practically over. They were just in time to see Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard's final kiss. Blair and Chuck smiled at each other sheepishly. This was the twenty-second time that they had tried to watch Breakfast at Tiffany's this summer, and so far they hadn't managed to watch it once all the way through. They kept . . . getting distracted. And who could blame them?

They sat back on the couch anyway, holding hands to watch the credits. Chuck flipped open his phone. He had 15 missed calls. All from Nate. Chuck started to call him back, but before he could finish dialing Nate called again.

"Hey, it's Chuck," he answered.

"Hi, it's me again," Nate began mournfully. "This is what, the seventeenth time I've called you? But seriously, call me back. I need someone to talk to. Th–"

"Nate, you do realize that I answered the phone, right?" Chuck asked, amused.

"Huh?"

"I said that this is me. Not a recording."

"Oh."

"So what's going on?"

"Nothing, really."

"You called me sixteen times to talk about nothing?"

"No! Um, actually, it's Serena. You heard she broke her leg, right?"

"Yeah. Blair told me."

"Well, I feel so awful. Like it's all my fault! And now she's ignoring me and I feel so pathetic!"

He certainly sounded pathetic as well, but Chuck kept that comment to himself.

"I'm sure it's not on purpose–" he began.

"Serena has to wear a cast for six weeks. Of course she's angry at me! It's all my fault!"

"Six weeks, huh? Well, look on the bright side: you have an excuse to carry her around."

"Not if she hates me!" Nate moaned, but his cry fell on deaf ears. Next to Chuck, Blair had turned white. He snapped the phone shut, focusing his full attention on his girlfriend.

"Blair, is something wrong?"

She shook her head.

"No. Well, yeah, kind of. I just realized that Serena won't be able to walk for six weeks."

"And?" Chuck questioned, toying with her hair.

"And if she can't walk, she can't dance, and if she can't dance, she can't come to the gala with us! We were supposed to double!"

"What gala?" he asked, confused.

"The Midsummer's Night Gala, of course! I already had our dresses picked out and everything. It's this weekend, and there's no way we can go now."

"Could we go without Nate and Serena?" He was still playing with her hair, which made it very difficult to focus on the problem at hand.

"I guess, but it wouldn't be as much fun!" she sighed.

"Are you trying to say that I can't . . . entertain you?" he smirked.

She grinned, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

"Well, when you put it that way, I think I'd be delighted to go to the ball with you, Mr. Bass." He kissed the tip of her nose. One thing led to another, and it was beginning to look like they would have to put the bed to use again when Chuck's phone rang.

Blair tugged her dress back up.

"Is that Nate again? Let me talk to him."

Chuck shrugged, handed her the phone, and went right back to what he had been doing.

"Hey, Nate, it's Blair," she said, gasping oddly as Chuck bestowed kisses across her knees.

"Hi, Blair, it's Nate," he said morosely.

"I knew that," she pointed out, biting her lip as Chuck peeled off her stockings with his teeth. "You're calling about Serena, right? Well, I just talked to her, and she feels really bad. She thinks you're angry at her, so she's been avoiding you. She's really embarrassed." Blair exhaled loudly as Chuck's kisses began to creep up her thigh.

"Are you sure?" Nate asked dubiously.

"Positive," she breathed, weaving her fingers into Chuck's hair. "Go talk to her. You'll be glad you did." She closed the phone and let out the cry she had been restraining. Chuck was definitely right about the whole screaming thing, and she would be glad to admit it. Just as long as he didn't move.

Nate stared at his phone. He could've sworn he had heard an odd sort of shriek from Blair before he had hung up. It was definitely weird, but he knew by now to have a don't-ask-don't-tell policy where Chuck and Blair were involved. He took a deep breath. He was going to go talk to Serena before he changed his mind and chickened out again.

Serena freaked out when she saw him walk in her door. She tried to hide under the bed, but Nate spotted her.

"Serena, what are you doing?" he asked, confused. She grabbed the side of the bed and pulled herself up sheepishly.

"Um, just looking for a shoe. That I, uh, lost."

"I hope you find it," he said weakly.

She nodded. They stared at each other for a few moments until Nate broke the silence.

"I cooked some ramen noodles for you," he said, holding the plastic container out. "My mom used to make them for me when I was sick. Not that you're sick, you know. Especially not in the adjective sort of way. But I thought you might like them."

She took the container from his hands and smiled strangely.

"Thanks. You know, I've never had those before."

"You haven't?" he asked, surprised.

"No," she shrugged. "Never." She looked at the container again.

"Do you want to eat them?" he asked, embarrassed.

"Oh, yeah. Right. Here, can you help me over to that table?" she gestured. "I didn't get my crutches yet."

"Sure, of course!" he nodded, picking her up delicately, almost like he was afraid she would break. He carried her over to the table and helped her into the chair.

"Thanks," she said, patting him on the back. He stepped back, grinning like an idiot. She took a tentative bite.

"It's good!" she smiled. Nate nodded, relieved. He watched her finish chewing and swallow. It made him feel strangely wonderful inside.

"So, are you going to just stand there and watch me eat?" she asked jokingly. He chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess." He made a mock-serious face and watched her intently. Serena giggled.

"Would you like some?" she offered.

"No, it's all for you!" he protested. She nodded and kept eating. He watched her for a few more minutes, but then couldn't contain himself.

"Serena, I have to know. How angry are you at me?"

She set down her fork, surprised.

"Me, angry at you? You're the one who should be angry at me!"

"I could never be angry at you!" he blurted. "I mean—that is to say—Serena, I love you! I've loved you ever since we were little, even the whole time I was going out with Blair. Forever!"

Serena froze. Nate was staring at her expectantly with the most heartbreakingly sincere expression on his face. He was waiting for a response that she couldn't give to him.

"Wow, Nate, I—I don't know what to say!" she said shakily. "I, uh, li–" She stopped mid-sentence and groaned pathetically. "Ow! Ow! My leg! I must have twisted it!"

"Oh my God!" Nate cried, his declaration of love practically forgotten. "What should I do?"

Serena winced a few times. "Could you—could you take me to Blair's? She'll know what to do. Remember how she hurt her leg in that field hockey game a while ago?"

Nate paused, confused.

"Shouldn't you go to a hospital?"

"Oh, no," she said quickly. "I wouldn't want to, uh, impose! You know, on all of the poor people with brain tumors . . ." she trailed off.

"Blair's! I got it!" he said, nodding to himself. "Come on, let's go!" He swung her over his shoulders and raced out the door. Serena let out the breath she hadn't realized she been holding. That had been close. Really close.

But the next time, she knew she would have to give him a response.

you know you love me
xoxo

A/N: Thanks for reading, please revieeeeeew! :D