Disclaimer: I do not own "Gossip Girl."
***
Serena doesn't reply to Chuck's jibe, watches instead the way her older self scowls at Blair.
"You're overreacting," the blonde states, "There won't be bloodshed."
"You need to get Carter out of my house," Blair snaps angrily, neither denying nor contradicting the statement, "Why is he even here?!" She continues as she walks back to the patio door and shuts it firmly.
The answer must come to her, because when she turns back to Serena her brown eyes have gone wide, disbelief covering her features, "Did you seriously ask me to make up the guest room for him?!" She shouts, fury in every syllable, "He is not staying here!"
"He really is a prospective client!" Serena defends, folding loose strands of her braid behind her ear, "It's been done before!"
Blair stalks back towards her best friend, eyes narrowed now, "If Bass Inc. were on the verge of bankruptcy and every property we owned were seized along with every shred of jewelry and scrap of clothing not on our person and there was a one-hundred percent chance that our entire family would be sleeping at a Motel 6 that night, Chuck would still refuse to work the Carter Baizen!"
Serena rolls her eyes and makes a face at Blair, "He would not," she says with an airy hand gesture, "Hesitate, maybe. But not outright refuse."
Blair glares at her and then whirls around, paces a few steps before coming back to her, drawing in a deep breath.
"You remain frustratingly dense, Serena," Blair spits.
"Look, Blair—"
"You need to get him out of this house, right now." Blair interrupts, her voice determinedly serious.
And that tone seems to set off alarms in Serena's mind. The woman's eyes widen, her expression becoming careful as she asks, "Why? What's going on?"
Blair answers promptly, "Gracie's up to something."
"What is it?"
"I don't know—"
Serena's eyebrows shoot upwards, "How do you not know!?" She cuts in before Blair finishes speaking.
And Blair scowls at her, "It's been a busy day! But you wouldn't know that would you?!"
Both Serena's wince at the sharp words and the younger Blair shifts closer to her Serena; reaches over and hooks her arm through her friend's. The four of them are huddled together, staring at the scene with wary interest.
The older Serena blows out a breath, looks down for a moment, before nodding and meeting Blair's gaze again. "Right, sorry… I just…" She trails off and the room is silent for a beat.
And the four of them can see it now, under the overhead lights of the game-room, they can see that her jeans are tight, but not skin-tight and that her blouse is bright, but not low cut; they can see the maturity in the planes of her face, the faint lines of aging, the way her gaze and stance speak of experiences and years gone by.
"It has to do with Nate," Blair tells her finally with less heat in her voice. She looks tired then, weariness flickering across her expression.
Serena brings a hand to her throat, surprise flitting across her features, "Wh—what about him?"
Blair's face is a touch grim as she explains. "Sunny thinks his Dad will be here to watch the stars. I can't reach Nate on his cell and there's no answer at his house." Blair gives that a minute to sink in and then she adds, "I wouldn't put it past Gracie to ask him to come, to lie even, particularly after your phone call this morning saying you were bringing a prospective client—"
"I did bring a prospective cli—"
"She didn't believe you. She thinks its code for new boyfriend."
Serena winces a little, but doesn't look away as Blair continues; "If he is coming here…" Blair shakes her head as she trails off, "I cannot have Nate and Carter in this house together— especially during a party, Serena. Can you understand that?"
Serena's eyes flash at an unspoken insinuation the four of them don't see and the air around women charges with tension.
"Of course I can understand it," Serena snaps, "You don't have to say it like it's something I would want!"
"I don't know what you want!" Blair snaps back, voice rising.
"And what's that supposed to mean!?" Serena yells.
"Oh, you're right; I am being unclear aren't I?" Blair concludes icily, taking a step towards the blonde, "Allow me to speak more plainly," her voice is frigid as she continues, "What the fuck are you doing with Carter again?!"
"Interesting choice of words, Blair."
Blair does nothing as undignified as whirl around to face him; but she does turn and straighten, lifting her chin to glare at the newcomer spectacularly.
They shift their gazes to him too. Carter Baizen is standing at the entryway to the room. He's wearing tan slacks, an un-tucked blue shirt, and a brown blazer; his hair is rumpled, his face is stubbled, and he's smirking at Blair like he knows his mere presence is enough to make her seethe.
Serena sighs. "Carter," she mumbles reproachingly, "I told you to wait in the living room."
"You should have told him to stay in whatever dank, two-star hotel you found him in."
Carter laughs, looks past Blair to Serena, "And you said I wouldn't be welcome here," he tisks teasingly as he enters the room more fully.
"Stop it," Serena says very seriously, shooting him a disapproving look. She shifts her gaze to Blair, "I want us to move past all this."
And Blair looks absolutely incredulous as she faces her friend again. "Move past it!?" She echoes, the pitch of her voice rising. "Serena! You left your husband and children for an entire week and showed up plastered across tabloids and blogs in the arms of your ex-husband!"
"Blair—"
"It does sound rather tawdry the way she says it doesn't it?"
Blair turns to him again, clapping her hands once as she snarls, "Silence from you!"
Carter arcs an eyebrow a little and continues to smirk at her.
Serena takes another step towards Blair, crosses her arms in front of her, "I told you what happened. I told you that was a lie."
And it is Blair's turn now to blow out a breath. She gives Carter one last paint-peeling glare and then turns her body towards Serena, giving him her back. "And I believe you, S. But it's not me you have to convince. It's your husband. And having Carter here does not go a long way towards that end."
Serena licks her lips, "I can't help it if Nate doesn't trust me."
Blair frowns, "If not you, than who can?"
Serena sighs, uncrosses her arms to bring them up at her sides in a helpless gesture, "What more can I say to him, B!? I've told him what I told you and—"
"And now you're here with Carter!" Blair snaps, eyes flashing suddenly in a rush of anger.
"I do have a purpose in being here," Carter offers behind them, moving to sit on an armrest and watch them.
Blair doesn't acknowledge him; dark eyes pinned on Serena, "How is that going to help the situation?" She continues.
"How did serving me with divorce papers help the situation!?" Serena hisses, looking as angry as Blair now.
"Ladies, your shrieking is unbecoming…"
"Stay out of this, you uncouth hobbit!" Blair hisses, her gaze rakes over his form, "Were there no razors in the corner of the world you stashed yourself in!?"
"Blair, stop, don't--"
"Oh am I being rude to a guest I didn't invite into my home, Serena?"
"More bitchy than rude, I'd say."
"Carter!" Serena shouts, "Stop it! I was going to bring Chuck to you. I need to talk to him in private before you two meet, that's why—"
"Oh sure, because Chuck's reaction to this will be so much more stellar than mine!" Blair says derisively.
Serena's face flushes with color at the tone, the words, and she abruptly looks near tears. Blair jerks back a little at the reaction. Carter stands, expression going serious, eyes concerned.
And Serena shakes her head, "I have to start somewhere, B," she says very softly, eyes meeting her sister's, "If I want to put everything right, I have to… to start somewhere."
The room silent for a moment and then Carter approaches her. "I'll talk to him," he says gently.
And Serena stiffens, eyes hardening, "You will not. That was our agreement," she tells him, "I let you help with this and you… stay out of that."
He sighs, touches her arm gently, "I want to—"
"I need you to stay out of it."
He drops his hand away from her. "But I'm not out of it, Serena," he answers softly, blue eyes fixed intently on her face.
She shakes her head at his words.
Blair is watching them with narrowed eyes.
"If the him you are referencing is Nate than I do believe you are both more delusional than I've given you credit for."
"I can see you've been a tremendous help in this situation," Carter snaps at his host, anger in his eyes.
"A situation you were the catalyst for," Blair snaps back.
Serena sighs, "Would you two—"
She doesn't finish her sentence. The patio door opens then, to admit Chuck, he's holding Sunny in his arms and speaking, "I believe the two of you—" his words end abruptly as his gaze zeroes in on Carter standing beside Serena instantly.
Everyone in the room tenses; the four onlookers included.
"—are not alone," Chuck finishes tightly as he very deliberately steps into the room and shuts the door behind him with his free hand. His gaze is flat and fastened on Carter and the room is oddly hushed for a moment.
"People are looking for you, Mommy!" Sunny announces into the quiet space, the only one not affected by the dismal atmosphere of the room, "We came to get you!"
Serena swallows hard, moves her gaze from her brother's frozen profile to her son's cheerful countenance.
But Sunny's gaze slips behind her before she can respond; slips to the four of them, "Oh, there you are!" He cries happily, "Did you see?! My mommy is here!" He continues excitedly.
"Oh Sunny," Serena whispers in soft consternation as she gazes at her future child; but no one has moved at Sunny's odd actions, no one has so much as glanced at him. The adults are preoccupied with each other.
"Our game," Blair reminds him quietly, giving Serena's arm a quick reassuring squeeze.
"Oh, but I'm not talking about—"
Sunny stops, because his Uncle is lowering him to the floor. "Go back to the party, Sunny," his Uncle orders firmly.
Sunny looks up at him, "But Uncle Chuck you said—"
"Do as I say now," Chuck interrupts and Sunny pouts, bottom lip puckering out and a frown appearing between his fair brows.
His gaze slides to his Mother. "Mommy—"
"You need to do as your Uncle says, baby," Serena tells him more gently, "We're going to…" she looks up then, between Chuck's darkly, glowering expression and Carter's carefully constructed bland one, before looking to her son once more, "To have a grown-up talk." She finishes.
Sunny's little frown deepens, "You're gonna have grown-up talk now? You jus' got here and—" Sunny blinks, gaze fixing on Carter then, "Who're you?" He wonders, voice brightening away from his complaint.
Carter starts a little, pulls his gaze from Chuck to skim Sunny's form before shooting Serena a quick look; and then he answers the little boy carefully, "My name is Carter."
The little boy smiles at him, "I'm Sunny!" He tells him.
Carter nods, "I know."
Sunny tilts his head, "You do?"
"Sunny, outside please," Blair tells him, "We're going to have our… talk… with Mister Baizen now." The formal address is calculated to tell Sunny to keep his distance from their guest.
Sunny shifts his gaze to his Aunt, looks about to speak.
"What is this!? Did the party move indoors or somet—" Cash's amused voice ends as abruptly as his father's had moments earlier, but he displays none of the restraint that had followed. "What are you doing here?!" He asks belligerently as he walks into the room.
The four of them jump apart quickly to avoid being walked through as the boy enters. He's dressed in for the party, hunter green shirt and light gray slacks, hair combed and vest buttoned; and the glare he has fastened on Carter is eerily reminiscent of his father's.
Carter sighs, waves a hand in the air, "I'm beginning to wonder the same thing, kid."
"Cash, take Sunny and go outside," Blair instructs her son; she's taken a step closer to Chuck, placed a hand delicately on his arm.
But Cash turns to Serena instead. "You broughthim with you?" He accuses.
Serena takes a step towards, "Cash, it's not—"
"Take Sunny and go outside," Chuck cuts in, his voice hard even as his eyes slide over to his son.
"They have to do grown-up talk," Sunny says a little sulkily, "Now."
"Oh I bet they do," Cash agrees meeting his Dad's gaze, voice dripping with sarcasm, as he walks over to the little boy and takes his hand.
Sunny pout again; then his gaze slides to the four of them who are still watching intently. He opens his mouth to speak to them, but Nate beats him to it. "Shh!" He says to the little boy.
And beside him, Chuck nods at the boy, "We're going to stay here," he tells him.
Sunny looks like he's about to argue, but Serena adds softly, with a forced grin, "Remember our game! Shhh!"
And Sunny stops, considers, and then nods as Cash begins to tug him from the room.
"Cash," the older Serena says softly, reaching out to touch his shoulder as he guides her son away.
He doesn't draw back from her touch, but his gaze is no less accusing, "Welcome home," he tosses the words at her with spite.
And Serena flinches a little. He's pushing the door open when Chuck grabs his arm, levels a look on his son they can't decipher. But Cash blinks, looks away, and a moment later he gives Serena a softer glance as he leaves the room.
"Well," Carter states neutrally when the silence stretches for a few seconds too long, "This is… comfortable."
Blair glares at him.
Chuck nails his gaze to his sister, "What is he doing here?" The words are low, ice cold and smooth.
And the hand Blair has on Chuck's arm tightens a little.
Serena licks her lips, "Chuck…" she begins and then trails off, hesitant under that darkly restrained glare.
Carter looks between them for a moment before speaking, "Look, Bass—"
And Chuck snarls. "I am not interested in anything you have to say."
Carter sends him a smirk; the edges of it patronizing. "I can always count on you for consistency in that matter."
Chuck takes a step towards him and Blair clamps down harder on his arm. "There are twenty to twenty-five people on that lawn who would love nothing more than for someone to come crashing through those glass doors in a spectacular display of vulgarity— we are above that," she hisses.
Chuck grits his teeth; forces himself to turn away and glares at Serena instead. "Serena," he says. And he's waiting for her to answer him.
"I wanted…" she beings quietly, then takes a deep breath and straightens her shoulders a little; begins again, her voice steady, even if the look in her eyes is no less hesitant, "There's an opportunity here that we would all be foolish to overlook."
Her words seem to reverberate in the room for a moment.
And then the anger in Chuck's gaze shifts, expression changing somehow; and he blinks at her, "Are you telling me…" he trails off, gaze drifting to Carter, then back to Serena. "Are suggesting that I work with…" the concept seems to be too farfetched for him to even voice.
"He's the prospective client," Blair voices the thought he's having.
"As you know," Serena continues, "Carter's recently come into undeveloped property and he—"
Chuck shrugs Blair's hold off as he shakes his head and steps towards Serena, "You can't possibly be this naïve." He cuts in.
The soft words sting and she scowls at him, "You can't possibly be this unprofessional." She snaps.
"You want us, he and I, to work together?" His tone is still soft, truly disbelieving.
"She wants us to this all past us," Blair adds from behind Chuck.
"Past us?" Chuck echoes.
Serena doesn't back up, she stares at him as intently as he's staring at her.
"Do you hear yourself, Serena?" He asks her.
"She hears herself fine, Chuck," Carter states, "She's doing what you pay her to do, scouting opportunities that'll make you a shit load of money," he shrugs a little, "Which is what I could do…"
Chuck doesn't turn towards Carter; his gaze is fixed on Serena, expression dangerously calm, and when he speaks his voice matches it. "No," he says simply, "Consider the proposal rejected," and then a pause before he adds, "Get him outof my house."
"Chuck—"
"And if you want to go with him, you can."
Serena rears back, eyes filling with hurt and even Blair looks a little startled.
Carter glares, "Don't be a prick to her."
Chuck's face swivels towards him, but Serena moves to stand between them before her brother can speak; her face to him, her back to Carter.
"Be reasonable, Chuck—"
"Right. Like you were reasonable in bringing him here?" He hisses at her, "Where your children are?! He's bad news! I've told you this a hundred times!"
Serena stiffens. "Carter is my friend and we've done nothing wrong."
Beside Chuck, Blair makes a frustrated sound and frowns. "Why are you always like this," she huffs.
"Like what?!" Serena cries eyes wide.
"It's not what you've done that's the problem, Serena. It's what people think! What they're saying! And you never pay heed to what others say, to what they think!"
"Being a slave to society's standards doesn't work for me, Blair!"
"And neither does flaunting its every principle! Or are you happy with what you've done this summer?!"
"Enough!" Carter growls, "We didn't come here for this! Serena believed you both capable of putting our personal differences aside for a time to negotiate a mutually beneficial transaction. Obviously she overestimated your mental acuity."
They're standing face to face now; Chuck and Blair side-by-side, Carter just behind Serena and the tension in the room is palpable.
"No, that's not what I—" Serena's gaze is angry, hard, and it collides with Blair's, "You know I'm not happy with the way this has all…" she waves a hand, "Happened."
"And yet here you are," Chuck states, voice severe, "Perpetuating the events; giving credence to the rumors; feeding the gossip…"
"We've done—"
"The photographs were manufactured then?" Chuck's voice is low, silky, "You weren't together on a yacht in each other's arms?"
"It was a hug! His parents just died, it's allowed!"
"Is it allowed to travel under an assumed name? To leave your husband with no word—" Chuck cuts himself off abruptly, shook his head, "I'm not getting into this with you now," he says to her, restrained anger vibrating in his voice.
Serena laughs then, and it's scornful, "What's wrong, Chuck? Pissed that I outmaneuvered your PI's? Again."
"More like pissed that you made every trashy headline the world over! That you cheated on your husband!"
"Because god forbid anything reflect badly on BASS INC. right!?"
The room plunges into silence after her shout. It stretches and envelops them all until the heavy air threatens to suffocate them.
"And I didn't," Serena says finally, voice shaky with the weight of that silence, "I wouldn't. You know that."
"Ah, but darling," Carter murmurs when no one speaks further, he presses his hand to the small of Serena's back, "Chuck's always had a flair for the dramatic."
Blair scoffs at him, "Like you don't?"
It's the wrong thing to say.
Carter's lips quirk into a knowing smirk, his gaze slipping from angry to taunting as he looks to Blair, lets his eyes slide down the length of her and back to her face, "True. It is one of the… many things… we've shared."
And Chuck's eyes narrow to slits.
Serena whirls around to face Carter, her long braid whipping around her shoulders, and she smacks him on the arm, "Don't do that!" She reprimands.
He widens his eyes in faux innocence, "What?" The question and expression only hold up for couple seconds under Serena's disapproving gaze. And then he sighs, shrugs, looks almost repentant, except for the tiny smile, "It's habit," he offers.
"A bad one," Serena points out.
And then she turns back to Chuck, "I thought this was something we could do to… to heal," she says to him, "I'm trying to—"
"I know what you're trying to do, Serena," he says more softly, "I just think you're starting from the wrong angle."
Blair sighs then. "We've been in here too long. People will— I'm going to… go out there…" she says slowly, "You need to… sort this out," she gives Chuck a pointed look, "Calmly," she glances to Serena quickly, "Rationally," she lets her gaze skim over Carter, "And quickly." And then she leaves them, closing the door behind her until it clicks.
Chuck stares at them; his gaze going from Serena to Carter and back again. Serena draws in a deep breath, "It'd be good for all of us…"
"You really expect me to believe this is about real-estate?" He asks her when she trails off.
And suddenly, it's like Carter's is no longer present.
"Remember who you're talking to, S," Chuck continues, voice burning with a sentiment they can't quite define.
But Serena does, she lifts her chin a little, "I'm not using you, Chuck. It's undeveloped beachfront property in a prime locale that has—"
"It's the backing of Bass Inc. on a venture that lends legitimacy to your little escapes this season."
Serena stares at him in silence; and they realize with some surprise, that Chuck was not entirely off point. "Is that something you'd object you?" She wonders, "Giving me that legitimacy? Helping me polish some of the tarnish off of my name?"
"As I said, you've approached this from the wrong angle."
Carter scoffs behind Serena, "In other words he'd need Natie's permission."
Chuck's jaw clenches and Serena turns her head a little to give Carter a narrow-eyed look. "This is why you were to wait in the living room," she says lowly.
Carter rolls his eyes and steps towards Chuck, "Look, regardless of her motivations the facts are the same—"
"I know I said I wasn't interested in—"
"Oh for the— you know, what?! Neither am I!?" He snaps; before turning to Serena, expression frustrated, "I'll find another way to help you fix this, but I'm done here!" He growls as he slides past her and towards the doorway.
"Carter!" She grabs his arm and he shrugs her off.
"He's trying to help me, Chuck!" She shouts, turning back to her brother.
"He's helped you enough!"
"It's not like that!" She shakes her head, face twisted in a mix of anger and grief, "And you know it! You're just—"
"You lied to us, to Nate!"
"Because you wouldn't understand! You've never liked Carter! None of you have!"
"Maybe we have good reason not to!"
"And maybe I have good reason to!"
"Where are you going!?" Chuck shouts the question, stepping towards her as Serena rushes to the doorway. There's a touch of alarm in his voice, around his eyes as he watches her.
"To give him the car keys, Chuck," she spits at him over her shoulder, "Or did you really think you'd managed to kick me out!?"
She's gone then and he's scowling at the doorway, "As if I'd be that lucky!" He shouts after her and then promptly sends a lamp crashing to the floor with a sweep of his hand. He's breathing hard and muttering fuck as he runs that same hand through his hair.
Nate and Blair and Chuck stare at his older equivalent with wide eyes; Serena moves past them without a word.
Nate blinks, "Where're you—"
"Do you really need to ask?" His best friend tells his friend as Blair moves off after the blonde… or blondes, as the case is. Nate blinks at him and Chuck shakes his head, grabs his arm and they follow the girls.
Following the older Serena through house leads them to the living room they'd first found, past the closet where they'd first appeared, and into a foyer they hadn't seen. She leaves the door open and all four of them follow her outside, descending the steps and meeting on the sidewalk.
The night sky is full of stars now, twinkling gently above, and the dim sounds of music and chattering can be heard coming from the back of the house.
Carter's slumped in the driver's side of light blue jaguar, door open, feet planted on the ground and looking up at the house.
He straightens when he sees Serena. "Took you long enough," he mutters, "You're holding up my dramatic exit—I was gonna burn rubber, make the tires squeal." He waggles his eyebrows at her as she approaches.
"Don't be cute with me," Serena snaps, "That, in there, could have gone a helluva lot better if you'd stayed where I told you to. Or at the very least kept silent."
"Coulda gone a helluva lot worse too."
She shakes her head, comes to a stop directly in front of him. He holds out his hands, she drops the keys she'd plucked from her pocket into his palm. "I'm not going with you."
"I didn't expect you too."
"I'm not happy with you, you purposefully goaded—"
"You think there was ever a chance he and I would work together? Really?"
Serena sighs, moves to lean back against the car; turns her head to look down at him, her long braid slides over one shoulder and she looks beautiful there, standing under the moonlight. "I still think there's a chance Chuck'll reconsider," she says carefully, "Especially when he sees the actual proposal and the investors we lined up—"
"What Chuck?" Carter cuts in voice hinting at teasing despite the seriousness in his eyes, "Not the one in there; because that one—"
"No, not that Chuck," Serena cut in, quirking her lips a little, "The one in there probably felt a little ambushed—since you were just there without giving me a chance to prep him."
"Ah," he responds noncommittally as he reaches out and takes her hand in his.
She lets him; smiles a little, "Would you still do it, if I got him to agree?"
"If the terms were agreeable," he concedes.
She rolls her eyes. "Well you can't stay here… go register at the Inn and I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
"Yes, Ma'am. I love it when you give the orders," he teases.
And she laughs a little, lightly, and scrunches up her nose at him. "I mean it… don't drive into the city or anywhere else. Just go to bed and sleep. It's been a long day…"
He nods. "And what will you be doing tonight?"
"Mingling," she said on sigh, "And then trying to smooth things over with Blair, talking to Gracie… coloring with Sunny…" she shrugs, "I'll leave Chuck and Liam for tomorrow—neither are too happy with me."
"Nor is the tinier C. Bass."
She frowns. "Right…" She quiet for a moment and then continues, "He probably saw a paper or something…Blair told me she kept them away from the younger kids… but Cash is… too much like her… and Chuck…together."
They're quiet for a moment and then he says dryly, "Sounds like a lovely little hybrid,"
She smirks.
"And lots of work," he finishes more sincerely.
She shrugs a little, doesn't respond; tilts her head back to study the stars.
He squeezes her hand, drawing her attention back to him. "Serena…" he begins, gaze on her face, but the words trail off.
"It's my fault, Carter," she tells him honestly, simply, "I handled it badly… fell into my old ways. I don't blame you and you shouldn't blame yourself."
Seconds slip by after her statement, slow and oddly restful; they watch as she tilts her back towards the stars and he keeps his eyes on her profile.
And then he says wryly, "I was just going suggest a bribe… sport cars always worked for me."
And she laughs again, a little brighter this time, dropping her gaze to his face, "Ah yes, bribing my child and nephew into liking me… why didn't I think of that…"
"Not devious enough, my dear."
The smile leaves her face abruptly. "I'm devious enough," she answers and Carter is silent.
There's truth to those words then, they realize. They're still standing at the base of the steps, facing the quiet couple, eyes and ears fixated on the outpouring of sentences and gestures that are revealing a world to them.
"Thanks for coming…" Serena says then, "For trying to…help."
He stands out of the car at those words, still holding her hand, meets her blue eyes with his. "It'll work out," he says gently, lifts his other hand to tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, "You'll see. He doesn't really want a divorce."
Her breath is a laugh awash in sadness, "Says ex-husband number two."
Carter shakes his head and there's a surprising amount of tenderness in his gaze as he responds, "You and I are different. We always had a shelf-life of sorts… you know that."
"Do I?"
He nods at her, touches her cheek sweetly with his knuckles, "Almost, but not quite a match."
Her lips tilt upwards a little, but it's too weary to be a smile. She leans forward and he slips his arms around her in a hug, "When you say things like that," she whispers, "You make me think you could've been a poet."
"Or working for Hallmark."
She giggles softly, closing her eyes.
"It'll be okay soon, Serena." He comforts.
They might have stayed that way for a moment more or a minute more, but a dog barked then. Loud and nearby and they jumped apart, startled, heads turning in that direction.
Serena pales so quickly, it looked as if she were going to sway.
The four of them turn to look too, see immediately why Serena had lost all color.
"Oh no," Blair whispers, taking hold of her Serena's hand again; noting that the girl doesn't look much better than the older Serena, pale and wide-eyed.
"Shit," Nate mutters and Chuck nods his agreement with the sentiment; this was looking bad.
He was down the street, close enough to see, but not to hear and that was damning right there. He'd just parked and there was a little girl with him wrangling with the leash of a large dog—who was still barking.
"Okay," Carter murmurs, dropping both of his arms to his sides and looking between Serena and her husband, "Well, maybe not soon exactly…" he amends.
Beside him, Serena doesn't respond, her gaze is locked with Nate's.
***
Author's Note: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. I am sorry for the delay! Answers will be coming in the next chapter, really! (Because YoungBlair is a bit frustrated. ;)) Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! :)