Disclaimer: I do not own "Gossip Girl."

***

They pick their way through unfamiliar room hesitantly, without much conversation. It's been a very long day and they are all feeling its weight; steps heavy, thoughts sluggish. Chuck and Blair are still holding hands, while Blair's other arm is linked through Serena's and Nate's shoulder is pressing into hers on the other side. They're leaning into one another, brushing arms with staggering steps as they glance at the pristine dining room and the photographs lining the walls.

There are vases with fresh flowers and decorative urns holding candles that will never be lit. The place immaculate and Blair wonders vaguely how large a staff this older version of herself has.

They turn into the kitchen in silence and find it equally silent.

It's huge. And oddly enough, bears a distinctly farmhouse décor to it; with one side of the room lined with large windows. During the day the room is likely to be filled with light, but at the moment the curtains are drawn over each one and the overhead lights bathe the room a delicate yellow glow.

There's a large circular table at its center, exposed wood and bare; and sitting at the table is Liam, dressed exactly as he'd been the last time they'd seen him and looking equally composed.

His light eyes are fixed on his mother, who's standing beside the table, arms at her sides; very still, while somehow giving the impression of fidgeting.

It doesn't look as if much has been said while Serena's been in the room.

Much… or anything at all.

"I don't know if I can watch this," Serena whispers, "I just want it all to stop…"

Blair nods, tugs at her friends arm while giving Chuck's hand a meaningful squeeze, "Okay, then we won't—"

"Are you waiting for an apology or something?" Liam's voice is completely blank; the cadence of it giving nothing but a question a mark away.

And Blair falls silent, knows her friend isn't moving.

"Of course not," his mother says softly.

One corner of Liam's mouth tilts upwards, but there's no humor on his face. He looks older than he should then, sitting in the homey kitchen, both hands on the table, looking up at his; looks like he's grown up already and knows what comes after happily ever after.

"No," he says, "I don't suppose you would."

And maybe he does.

She moves towards a chair and pulls it out, sits down without saying another word. And the kitchen is quiet for a beat. They are far enough removed from everyone, from the action going on, that there's simply no noise at all.

"Where did you go?" She asks when the silence stretches too thin.

"For a walk."

"To…?"

"Away," he answers simply, gaze pointed.

Hi s mother flinches a bit, but nods. "Point taken. You're not up for celebrating my return home."

"Are you even?" He asks, "Home?"

"Liam—"

"I mean now's when you take off to see the world free of children and husbands isn't it?" He continues, "At least it was last time."

"This time is not like last time!" Serena snaps. And then winces, regret flashing across her face, "And that's not what it was like last time either," she says more gently, "It wasn't about being free of you, Liam, it wasn't that at all…"

He shakes his head, scoffs a laugh, "Right." He's quiet for another moment and then continues, "You know, earlier… Gracie, she was telling me— talking to me, about that time I ran away… remember… like a year or so after you and Dad got divorced…"

"Of course I remember, Liam." Serena says when he trails off, "It was the most terrifying day of my life."

Liam doesn't respond to that, he blinks at her continues in that same neutral voice, "She thinks— that somehow that… fixed our life or something… and she's going to do the same thing—"

Serena's eyes widen, panic flaring in them, as she goes to speak.

But Liam shakes his head, "No, no, not by running away," he says quickly, "By…" he shrugs a little, trails off for a moment, before continuing, "I don't know actually… but she thinks… she thinks she can fix it… and it's…" he leans forward, gaze fixed on her face, "It's not fair, Mom," he says emphatically; and right then, it breaks, the blank expression, the neutral tone— there's a rippling of little boy in it and his mother sees it.

Her hand comes out towards him, falls atop one his on the table, and he doesn't pull away; continues to look into her face.

"I'm fourteen. I shouldn't have to… feel like… like I'm watching history repeat itself. I'm too young for that. And what Mom? In five years, Gracie gets to feel this way about Sunny? Get's to watch him try to fix up a family that's falling apart all over again..." he trails off then, like a well of words has run dry. Leans back, eyes dropping from her face, but his hand—it stays with hers.

And she's watching him, with this expression on her face, that's just different from any they've seen thus far. It's not an older variation of her frantic expression or anxious one, it's not sadness at the mess she's made or joy at seeing her baby, it's not the concern at not being believed or the relief of friendship on the mend— it's an expression of love so intense, that for a moment, they don't see it at all. And then it comes together so clearly it takes their breath away, it's their first glimpse of Serena as Mom.

"You're right," she says, and her voice whispers of unshed tears, "It's not fair. It's really not fair; and telling you that I'm sorry… it's not enough. I know that," she squeezes his hand a little, "I know how scary it—"

"I'm not scared," he cuts in, lifting his face; pale blue eyes burning hot on her face.

"Really?" She says, "Because I am. I'm so scared of just that, of history repeating itself." She confesses and they know it's a truth larger than Liam can see.

"Then why did do it? Huh? " He asks, and there's no belligerence in the question, only pure curiosity.

"Things are so much more complicated than you know, baby. Things… just… they get so interwoven, so tied together, it's hard to pick out just one reason. And I know… I know that doesn't make a lot of sense to you, isn't anywhere near good enough, but—"

"Dad said I could spend the rest of the summer with him… and Sylvia and the twins. They're in Kiev."

Serena's flow of words halts abruptly when Liam cuts her off; but she doesn't flinch. She waits for him to continue and when he doesn't she asks softly, "And what did you say?"

"That I'd think about it," he answers, nodding a little.

Serena nods a little too, bites her lower lip a little and says softly, "Henry would love that… to have you with him."

"Right," Liam agrees nodding again, but his voice is sharp, tight, and he's blinking quickly like maybe his mother isn't the only one fighting tears, "Him and his family."

"You're part of his family, Liam. You're his son."

"Come on, Mom. He has 25 year old wife and three-year-old twin boys—I'm a tiny bit superfluous… it was a courtesy offer."

Serena's hand tightens on his, "You are not. Henry adores you."

"Yeah, a few weeks out of the year and to babysit the boys so Sylvia doesn't have to feel like nannies are raising her kids."

"Liam—"

"I don't want to spend the summer with them," he says just as abruptly as he'd brought the offer up; his voice strained, "But I don't want to spend the summer like this either." He tells her.

And there's a catch in his voice now as he pulls his hand out from under hers, brings it up to rub at his face.

It's a gesture similar to Serena's earlier and the three of them glance quickly at their girl. She's still pale, eyes as wide-eyed as her adult version, but she's holding it together somehow.

The older version, not so much; she leans back then, eyes filling with tears, "The one good thing I ever did for Henry Braxton was you, Liam. And that is about the only thing both of us still agree on these days, so don't think things like that."

"What should I think then, Mom?"

The question is a deceptively casual one, they can see it in the way he's lifted his gaze to hers again. The way he stiffens a little in the chair, waits for a verdict on something they didn't quite catch.

She blinks away the tears. "I'm not leaving."

"Is that supposed to mean something? As far as I know, Carter has residences and business in the states."

She starts at the words, the first reaction of the like he's gotten, manages to look aghast suddenly as she asks shakily, "God Liam, have you been—? You can't be reading that—?"

"Not even Uncle Chuck can control all of the internet, Mom."

Serena looks wholly miserable for a moment; and then the expression fades and she shakes her head. "I'm not with Carter, Liam." Her voice is a whisper.

"Not with Carter the way you weren't with Dan Humphrey?"

The accusation is quiet, the resentment old; and Serena goes very still.

"That is a... fair question... from you," she acknowledges very softly, gaze resting on his face. "What happened with Dan while-- while your Dad and I were married..." she explains very seriously, very steadily, "Is not what is happening now with Carter and your Uncle Nate."

And he doesn't respond to the words, only stares at her.

"I'm not with Carter," she repeats, "I haven't been in a long time," her voice is hushed now, heavy in the air, "And if I have any say about it, this divorce isn't happening."

The words whirl in the silent kitchen for a moment.

And then Liam's expression shifts, softens away from blank and into something approaching longing. "I want to believe you."

Serena nods and the tears back now. "I know you do."

And he looks away from her as they fall quiet again. One of her tears falls, rolls down her cheek, and she brushes it away quickly before he can see it, draws in a deep breath, looks about to speak.

When he lifts his eyes to her, "Some party, huh?" He asks softly.

She blinks, a flicker of not-yet-hope flashing across her face, "I to—told Blair not to, that it wasn't necessary or… appropriate…"

Liam's lips tilt upwards a little, "Good excuse for cake though."

And she smiles a little, releases a quick breath that sounds like relief, "Cake doesn't need an excuse— you know that."

He nods; the smile a little firmer on his face, "I guess leaving your welcome home party kinda sent a message, huh?"

She shrugs a little, tilts her head a bit.

"S'not a completely… accurate… message…" he continues, "I mean, not if…" he takes a deep breath, "If you're really here to stay…"

And Serena's standing from her chair then, reaching over to pull Liam up from his and into her arms. "I am." She's whispering fiercely as she hugs him tight.

His arms come around her and his face presses into her shoulder as he closes his eyes and let's himself be held.

"Mom…" Liam says, moments later.

"I promise," Serena says.

"Okay, good... but— too tight, let go..."

"Oh!" She cries, jumping back a little, a hand coming up to wipe wetness from her face, "Sorry… I just…"

He nods; the smile lighter now as he asks dryly, "You're not crying are you?" Even though he can see quite clearly that she is.

She smiles, sniffles a little, "Of course not."

He rolls his eyes.

"Are you going to tell me where you went tonight?" She asks suddenly and the mood shifts again, steadies away from sadness and tension, into familiarity and caring.

Liam rolls his eyes. "Nowhere, seriously… I just went for a walk around town."

"Did the walk end at Candice's?" Serena asks a little teasingly as she leans back against the edge of the table.

Liam frowns. "No!" He huffs, "Why does everyone keep asking me about her?"

Serena laughs. "Because you've never gone with a girl during the summer."

"Gone with a girl? Mom? What decade are you from?"

"Hey!" Serena cries and seems about to defend herself further when Annie comes rushing into the kitchen.

Chuck manages to leap aside just before she walks through him, muttering a quick, "Fuck," at the close call.

The girl comes to halt abruptly, squeaking, "Oh sorry," when she sees Serena and Liam obviously in conversation, "B told me I could get water for Moonie from the refrigerator. I didn't mean to… interrupt."

"Annie?" Liam says, eyes widening.

As Serena nods at the child, "Of course, go ahead. You're not interrupting."

The girl gives Liam a strange look and says, "Yeah…" warily as she moves towards the appliance; nodding at Serena and saying, "Thanks."

"What are you— " Liam cuts himself off, realizing how rude that question would sound. Instead he shoots a quick, questioning look at his mother, who offers him a small smile in return.

"What am I what?" Annie asks over her shoulder as she peers into the refrigerator.

"Nothing…" he says and then contradicts himself with, "What's a moonie."

She straightens with three bottles of water in her hands and bumps the door shut with her elbow, "Moonie's my dog. He's staying in the pool-house tonight."

At that Serena starts— just a tiny bit, "Staying?" She echoes.

Annie nods moving to leave, "Yeah, Dad said it's late so we're gonna stay tonight." She pauses, looks at Serena, "That's cool right?"

Serena's breath comes out a tiny laugh and she lifts a hand a little, "Yeah, of course it is…"

Annie nods and continues on her way out, "'kay, see ya later."

It's Nate this time who has to shift so as not to be walked through. He goes to stand next to Chuck who gives him a long-suffering look which he returns heartily. The girls pay them both little to no attention, gazes fixed on Liam and his mother.

The older Serena and Liam watch Annie go with the same intensity they are being watched with; and then Liam fixes a concerned look on his mother, "Why's Annie here? What's going on?"

Serena sighs and shrugs, "I presume Nate has her this weekend."

"So he's here then… I didn't know that…" Liam says thoughtfully.

"That's alright… he didn't know I was here."

The boy's eyes widen, "Oh."

Serena nods, "Yep…" and then she teases, "See what happens when you walk out of Blair Bass Soirée early...?"

He laughs a little, shakes his head, "Gracie's doing, huh?"

Serena nods. "Told him Sunny was sick with bronchitis."

"Wow."

"I hope that's a, you're-horrified-by-your-little-sister's-behavior wow."

"Oh definitely," Liam says nodding and offers her a quick smile. Before asking, "You gonna talk to her tonight?"

Serena nods slowly, "Kind of a must."

And Liam grins suddenly. "This party is kind of a bust for you." He teases back.

"Kind of?" She says on a laugh, "Cake doesn't exist worth tonight," she grumbles good-naturedly as she straightens from the edge of table.

His smile doesn't waver when she slips an arm around his shoulders starts to tug him out of the room.

The four of them shift to allow them passage, Blair's arm still linked through Serena's; the boys are standing together on the other side.

Liam is almost as tall his mother, another three inches and he's there; but for now, she can still tilt her head onto his gently, still give his shoulders a loving squeeze.

He sighs a little. But a moment later he says, "Mom…" softly, his voice achingly sincere as he cuts his gaze to her a little bashfully, "I..." he trails off.

And she nods, "I know, baby. It's okay…" her words pause, though their steps don't and then she's saying very carefully, "I'm just glad you believe me."

"Sure," he tells her as they leave the kitchen, before adding, "This time," carefully.

And they hear Serena assure him, "There's only going to be this time." Before they're both out of sight and out of hearing range.

Blair's breath leaves her on a rush the moment the two are gone. She shifts her gaze to stare at her best friend and when she finds Serena's eyes fixed blankly ahead she yanks the girl towards one of the chairs, "My god!" she exclaims, "Sit down! I have to sit down, so you must have sit down… my god!"

But Blair doesn't sit down. She pushes Serena into one the chairs and then she paces. "We need to get out of here." She says resolutely.

"Yeah, Blair, we know." Nate snaps.

She whirls on him, "You could try saying something helpful! Instead of talking about sparks!"

"I'm just telling you what I saw!"

"There's no need for either of you to shout," Chuck says calmly, interposing himself between the two of them.

"I'm not shouting!" Blair yells, "I'm just—"

"Serena…" Nate says, moving around Chuck and Blair and towards the blonde. She's standing and walking towards the exit.

"Where are you going?" He asks, coming up to her, touching her shoulder gently.

She stops and looks up into his face. "It's like… my own personal train wreck, Nate. I can't look away."

And then she's moving again, leaving them in the kitchen without another word. Nate shoots a panicked behind him at Chuck and Blair before moving after Serena quickly.

"Hey!" He calls after her, slipping into step with her, "No splitting up remember."

She doesn't speak or acknowledge him as they walk though the dining room; Chuck and Blair following a couple paces behind, exchanging worried glances.

They're walking through the game-room, noting the quiet lawn through the patio doors, the caterers cleaning up, the stage dismantled— party was over it would seem, when Serena sends Nate sharp look. "How can you be okay with this?"

His expression is a little wary as he answers, "I'm not," he says emphatically, "I'm just... I think it'll be okay, the future, the two of us... we're just... always going to be okay, okay?"

She doesn't respond, shifts her gaze forward and just keeps walking, so he does too; keeps walking and speaking, "But all of us getting out of here," he continues, "Bothers me more than—"

"Oh my god."

Serena's soft exclamation, her abrupt stop, bring his words to a halt and he looks away from her face to see where her gaze has fastened.

Behind them, Chuck and Blair stop too. And a moment later Blair gasps and says, "This cannot be good," as Chuck sighs roughly and says, "Wonderful," with sarcasm slathered over every syllable.

Because standing at the center of the living room into which they have just walked, are Chuck, Blair, Serena, and Nate— the adults.

***