A/N: First of all, I'm sorry for the delay last time. I am aware it upset some of you who complained about the time I take to update my fics. I truly am sorry, I'd love to have tons of spare time to write everyday. Sadly, I don't. I am in my first year of college and a lot of things have been going on for me so far, not all of them nice. For those of you who gave up on the story, it saddens me a lot, I won't lie, but still it's your choice and what is left for me to say is that, despite the time I may take to update, this story is never on hiatus. I plan on finishing it, same as my other fic The Angel & The One so if you're still out there reading this, hang on... there's so much more to come!
PS: And always thanks to those of you who leave encouraging comments. I may not have the time to answer each of them but I do read all of them and they all make me happy to continue writing this story. Thank you very much for sticking with the story and me, you guys are my motivation.
Lillian Van Der Woodsen couldn't help but be a little too rough when adjusting the expensive white veil on her daughter's pretty golden head. "Such a pretty but reckless little head", Lily thought with sadness while she left her daughter's room. The late Mrs. Van Der Woodsen was still outraged over Serena's terrible behavior when she found out about her impending marriage to Mr. Archibald. The disobedient girl had very nearly been dragged back home by the guards and the coachman since she refused to get out of the carriage herself, causing the most scandalous scene and in the middle of the street nonetheless. Lily could only imagine the nasty things the neighbors might be speculating about the scene that had played out at plain sight and in broad daylight and refused to even guess on the sorts of gossips and murmurs which were surely now circulating all over the city. Just thinking about the tainted reputation of her family gave her the most unpleasant headache.
Lily was sincerely at a lost in regards of what to do about her young daughter. Despite seeing the pain in her eyes and the tears that came up whenever the marriage was mentioned, Lily couldn't feel sympathetic towards Serena. Lily knew too well what a forced marriage could bring and how unhappy it could make a woman but Serena had already done much damage to the Van Der Woodsen family, and if she kept it up it would not only damage her own reputation but her little brother's and even Lily's. She had already been accepting enough, Lily pondered sadly, but Serena's rebellious ways were quickly getting out of hand. Lillian Van Der Woodsen couldn't fathom why in the world her daughter was so hell bent on refusing Mr. Archibald's selfless marriage proposal when it was so obviously the easiest and most beneficial way out of her current shameful predicament. By being so stubborn, the only thing Serena would achieve was to scare Mr. Archibald off and if he was ever dissuaded from marrying her, the whole family would fall into disgrace. Serena had to understand! She had to stop being so selfish and immature for once in her life!
Serena knew everyone in her family was disappointed with her, she was completely sure of it. Lily always kept a stony silence and a cold gaze whenever she was in Serena's presence and wouldn't even deign to listen to her objections and opinions on the matter of her own marriage. Eric was too young to understand but still he avoided being alone with her and didn't talk to her anymore except for courtesies and polite greetings. She knew she had let them both down but she couldn't help it. Serena felt trapped. True, Mr. Archibald was being a responsible gentleman by proposing to her and therefore protecting her virtue and her family's name and she was grateful for it but she could not accept his proposal. Not with Blair being the only one to lose out of this bargain. Her best friend had already suffered too much because of her reckless and poor choices; she should be the one having to be punished for once, not that the realization brought her any pleasure or comfort. Besides, Serena was not even sure about her feelings for Nathaniel Archibald and she couldn't fathom the idea of spending her whole life next to a man she did not love or even truly know at all.
Nate had had the chance to see or talk to Serena ever since that disastrous afternoon in which he proposed to her in the stairs in front of her house and she rejected him. Nate preferred not linger on that memory and instead liked to think the last time he had seen Serena was that magical afternoon on the beach, lying in the warm sand, full of hidden caresses and wet kisses everywhere… Nate sighed, he was no fool and he knew that, for some reason, Serena was avoiding him.
As of late, however, Nathaniel Archibald had been quite busy talking business with his soon-to-be mother in law Lillian Van Der Woodsen and his parents. Lillian Van Der Woodsen, along with Mr. and Mrs. Archibald and himself were rather occupied planning Nate and Serena's wedding to the last detail. Nate's parents had only been too happy to hear the news that their son was soon to marry one of the prettiest young debutantes of the season, especially when they found out said debutante was the heir to the Van Der Woodsen fortune and her family no doubt had money to spare. Neither of his parents seemed extremely sad over the fact that their son got engaged to Lady Serena Van Der Woodsen instead of Lady Blair Waldorf. As soon as the two families had been introduced, a powerful alliance between them was born. Anne Archibald and Lillian Van Der Woodsen had become intimate friends and were always seen together as of late; meanwhile, Nate's father had already planned to invite the young Eric Van Der Woodsen on a hunting trip to the countryside sometime soon. Nate was dying to see his fiancée but Serena had carefully avoided showing up whenever he was around in her house – which was almost all the time these days – and she always sent some maid to excuse her whenever Nate approached her room or called on her. She had even managed to politely avoid attending the many dinners the Archibalds had invited her to.
Serena knew she had to talk to Blair sooner or later, to clear up this whole mistake and straighten the misunderstanding. She was resigned to be Mrs. Archibald soon enough – she couldn't see a way out of the marriage, especially when Lily was so supportive of it – but refused to get married before talking to her best friend one last time in regards to it. With that plan in mind, Serena decidedly sneaked out of her heavily guarded room that night through the window and prayed her plan worked out well. She made it to the stables without being recognized by the servants or seen by Lily, Eric or Nate Archibald – who, for some reason, was still in her house at such a late hour of night. She decided that a carriage would make too much noise, bring too much unnecessary trouble – she had no coachman –, and would be far too big to go unnoticed by either her family or the neighbors, so she jumped on her favorite mare and speedily headed to the Waldorf mansion. Thanking the Lord, Serena remembered Blair's home was not very far from hers. Soon enough, Serena was there.
Finding a place to hide her horse proved a little bit of a challenge but Serena managed nonetheless. She was sure that if she were to call on the door and politely ask to see Blair she was to be refused for sure, what with the terrible fight they'd had not so long ago on the very same mansion. There was no other option, Serena suddenly realized, than to climb in through Blair's window and force her to listen to what she so desperately wanted to tell her. Therefore, Serena braced herself and tried to climb but her dress and petticoats were fat too heavy for her to achieve her goal without falling. The blonde girl quickly rid herself of most of her clothing – which she carefully folded and left on a corner hidden behind a nearby bush – and stood in the chilly New York night clad in just her slip, stockings and shoes. Stubbornly, Serena looked up and proceeded to climb.
Blair was combing her long brown hair when she heard a weird crashing noise right outside her open bedroom window. She shrugged it off quickly and regretted having dismissed Dorota for the day for she suddenly felt the need to drink some chamomile to calm her edgy nerves. Indeed, Blair Waldorf felt positively on edge after the intimate night she had shared with Charles Bass not so long ago. She couldn't stop thinking about it every waking moment and not even in dreams she could escape his dark gaze, tempting caresses, and lusty lips. Blair softly moved her long tresses away from her slender neck and sighed. The love marks Chuck had imprinted upon her flawless skin still remained and refused to fade no matter how many creams and herbs Blair applied to her neck. She closed her eyes and delicately traced one of the marks with the soft tips of her fingers. Without really wanting or intending to, Blair let out a breathy and low moan. At that very moment she heard a loud thump noise but, this time, the sound that startled her was inside her room. Blair froze in place, her eyes glued to the mirror.
- Chuck? – Blair asked hesitatingly – You shouldn't be here – she added with a colder tone.
- Blair, it's me… Serena.
Blair whipped around so quickly that she almost lost her balance and fell from the chaise she was currently sitting in.
- You! How dare you?! – Blair asked outraged.
- Blair please, calm down and listen to me. Please, we don't have much time. What I have to say concerns you maybe as much as me. Also… it would mean a lot to me if you just tried to understand…
- The only thing I understand is that you are a cheap, lying seductress and that you Miss, are no Lady. Please leave my room now or else I'll be forced to call my mother's guards to escort you out. – Blair cut coldly – And I won't mind if everyone out in the street sees you clad in your underwear.
Serena blushed a fiery red color after hearing the insults Blair had just thrown her way and picturing the humiliation Blair threatened to put her through lest she left. She'd come here with the best intentions and the most sincere feelings, she had come to apologize and explain, but Blair was treating her with despise and cruelty and refusing to even hear her out. Serena Van Der Woodsen decided then that she wouldn't give up though, she wouldn't leave without saying what she'd come to say and if Blair wanted to make things hard by threatening and insulting her then so be it.
- You won't do such a thing. In fact, what's going to happen now is that you're going to sit quietly and listen to what I have to say.
Blair laughed coldly at Serena's words, not a trace of fun or rage left in her eyes, only icy detachment.
- And why would I do that?
- You will listen to me unless you want me to tell your mother and every other respectable person in town about your affair with Charles Bass. – answered Serena while giving Blair's purple neck bruises a pointed look.