CHAPTER 3

All Serena could do was glance at Steven, her eyes filled with apologies. "Steven, I completely forgot that I invited my friends," she admitted. "Would it be alright if they joined us?"

"Of course, of course. The more, the merrier," Steven replied, planting a quick kiss on Serena's cheek. "I'll tend to the other guests. Why don't you catch up with your friends?"

Serena nodded, waiting for Steven to leave the room. With a subtle gesture, she motioned for the group witnessing her exchange with her new partner to follow her into the next room. Once they were all settled, she looked at them firmly and asked, "What the hell are you all doing here?"

Blair spoke up first, her tone confident. "We were looking for you."

Georgina chimed in, her expression mischievous. "To observe, of course."

Nate stepped forward, his voice filled with concern. "No, we're here to help you."

Chuck added in his signature nonchalant manner, "And to get you home, if needed."

Dan, a hint of sheepishness in his eyes, finally spoke up. "And, well, I was actually invited."

"What do you mean, invited?" Both Serena and Blair questioned in unison, their brows furrowing in confusion.

Georgina smiled, relishing the opportunity to share Dan's accomplishment. "Well, my protégé here," she gestured towards Dan with pride, "wrote David and David's love story. I must say, I am incredibly proud of him."

Blair's eyes widened with realization, having just recalled a post she had read on Gossip Girl. "Wait, Georgina is the mystery girl you went to Rome with?" Her voice unintentionally carried across the room, causing her to blush sheepishly, regretting the loudness of her inquiry.

Dan remained silent, caught between Serena's interruption and the incessant presence of their unexpected guests. "Please, just leave before it becomes even more complicated," Serena implored, a touch of frustration evident in her tone.

Suddenly, Steven's voice resonated through the room, calling out for Sabrina. Serena's sentiment echoed once more, "Too late."

Steven approached, his curiosity piqued by the animated conversation. "How's all the catching up going? I wouldn't have mind your friends to be here, Sabrina," he remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Blair teasingly chimed in, "That's so, Sabrina," while Nate added with a playful tone, "Sabrina just loves surprises." Dan couldn't resist joining in the banter, quipping, "She has so many surprises, you could practically write a book about it."

Blair giggled at Dan's retort, momentarily lightening the tension in the room. Georgina interjected, adding to the amusement, "The challenge would be deciding where to end the book."

Chuck, sporting a sly smile, interjected with a touch of charm, "I hope you don't mind us dropping by?"

Steven, maintaining his composure, replied with a calm chuckle, "Of course not. And it's Steven."

Serena's eyes rolled in response to the group's amusement. "Well, why don't we get my friends some drinks then," said Serena with a heavy sigh. They watched as Serena and Steven walked away from the clustered group, likely seeking a moment of respite.

Meanwhile, Dan, feeling the need to gain some clarity, gently grabbed Georgina's arm and pulled her aside, away from the trio. "Georgina, did you know Serena was going to be here?" he inquired, his tone filled with a mix of curiosity and concern.

Georgina couldn't resist a teasing smile. "Did I forget to mention that?" she replied, her voice playfully laced with mischief.

Dan's expression turned more firm as he emphasized their agreement to be truthful with one another. "Georgina, we agreed to be honest because we're friends. That includes not withholding important information," he stated, hoping for a genuine response.

Georgina's smile softened, her tone shifting to a more genuine tone of camaraderie. "You're right, Dan. We are friends, and I value our bond. Trust me when I say that my intentions were not to deceive you. Sometimes, certain situations require a bit of unpredictability and a touch of gullibility to achieve the best outcome."

From a distance, Blair's irritation grew as she observed Dan and Georgina engrossed in conversation. They couldn't disappear from her sight quickly enough. With a determined expression, she beckoned both Chuck and Nate to follow her into the garden, intending to reunite with Serena and reason with her.

Nate, attempting to break the tension, voiced his thoughts. "What a splendid house. Steven seems like a genuinely nice guy."

Chuck, usually reserved, finally chimed in, enlightening both Nate and Blair with his sharp observation. "Take a closer look, Blair. There's a beautifully decorated trellis, elegant chairs, and even a pastor nearby. This is undoubtedly a wedding."

Blair gasped in shock, her voice trembling with panic. "And did you see Serena in that white dress? Either she's the bride or she's just tacky. Regardless, we must stop this wedding!"

"I'll inform Lily first that we found Serena," suggested Nate, taking charge of their plan.

"I'll contact the Ostroff Center and ensure Serena's old room is prepared just in case," added Chuck, demonstrating his commitment to their mission.

Determined to locate Serena, Blair confidently declared, "And I'll personally search for Serena myself." The pieces were falling into place as they solidified their plan.

Together, they embarked on a quest to save Serena from what seemed to be an impending disaster. As the trio mobilized, their determination burned brightly, igniting the anticipation of a thrilling climax to their story.

From a distance, Serena's laughter echoed through the air as she shared a joyful moment with Steven. However, a hint of concern tinged Steven's expression, prompting him to gently address her apparent unease. "Is everything alright? You seem a bit nervous."

A small smile graced Serena's lips as she tried to reassure him. "Just wanting everything to be perfect. But I can't help but wonder when I'll have some precious alone time with you."

Steven's smile widened, reflecting his eagerness. "Not soon enough," he playfully responded. "Though I understand if you'd like to spend more time with your friends. So, are they fellow students from Vassar or perhaps from Wisconsin?"

Surprised by his inquiry, Serena momentarily paused, contemplating her response. "They're actually from Wisconsin," she finally revealed, her voice carrying a sense of fear.

"Oh my, I think I need to go over there," Steven remarked, waving to one of the attendants of the ceremony. "Will you be alright on your own?" he inquired, his concern evident as he looked at Serena.

"Of course, I'll hold down the fort," Serena responded with excitement, a playful tone in her voice.

As Steven made his departure, Dan Humphrey suddenly appeared within sight. Serena couldn't help but feel a blush rise to her cheeks in response to his newfound presence.

"Wisconsin? Seriously? Do you even know where that is on a map?" Dan teased, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

Regaining her composure, Serena interjected, "What I do know is that you told me you never wanted to see me again."

"I was cruel, wasn't I?" came the sound of guilt in Dan's voice.

Serena, recognizing the remorse in his tone, also felt the weight of her own actions. "Well, I did something terrible too," she admitted, her voice laden with shame.

"Yeah, well, we can move past that," Dan reassured her, his voice filled with sincerity.

"You look good, Dan," Serena complimented him, a fondness in her tone. "I like the new hairstyle too."

"Ah, yes, courtesy of Georgina," Dan replied, a hint of wry humor in his voice.

Serena couldn't help but be curious. "Are you two sleeping together again?" she asked, unable to resist prying.

"Oh god, no. I won't make that mistake again," Dan retorted. "She's actually my agent now. Trying to make me look good."

Serena couldn't help but laugh at Dan's response, a brief moment of levity amidst the tension that surrounded them both. "So, how are you doing?" she asked, her tone filled with genuine concern. "Have you been holding up since..."

Dan finished her sentence, his voice tinged with a mix of vulnerability and uncertainty. "Since Blair?" he replied, his words trailing off. "Yeah, it hasn't been easy. In fact, this is the first time I'm seeing her since our breakup, and I honestly don't know how I'm really doing." He paused, collecting his thoughts before turning the focus back to Serena. "And what about you? It seems Blair, Nate, and Chuck were completely clueless about your whereabouts this whole summer."

Serena's face flushed with a hint of shame as she contemplated her recent vanishing act. "I wanted a fresh start, and I found it with Steven. He genuinely cares about me."

Dan's skepticism couldn't be concealed, and he probed further. "Does he care about the real you, or Sabrina?"

Serena let out a heavy sigh, her admission tinged with regret. "You're right, Dan. I should have been honest with him from the beginning. I don't even know why I used that name. Your book has certainly complicated things."

Aware of the looming presence of Blair and Georgina, Dan shared his insight. "Knowing our friends and their tenacity, it's only a matter of time before they reveal the truth for you. I suggest you take control before this all blows up in your face, Serena."

Feeling the weight of her situation, Serena stood at the precipice of honesty and resolution. Serena had reluctantly agreed to Dan's suggestion, but only if he could manage to postpone whatever schemes Blair or Georgina had in mind. With that, they parted ways - Serena in search of Steven, and Dan on a mission to locate either Blair or Georgina, secretly hoping to find Georgina first. However, fate seemed to have other plans, as he stumbled upon all of them together with Chuck and Nate.

Georgina couldn't contain her excitement as she exclaimed, "You won't believe what I've discovered!"

Blair, ever the sharp observer, quipped, "Looks like Nate Archibald to me."

Nate chimed in, "I caught her snooping around in Serena's room."

Blair's mind instantly raced. "Perfect. We need to put a stop to this wedding. We have to find Dan. Maybe he's with Serena."

"That might be easier than we think," Nate revealed. "He's right behind you."

Blair turned around, facing Dan, who appeared taller than usual. His presence made her knees go weak, and they engaged in a silent but intense gaze. The moment, however, was short-lived as Chuck interrupted with a fake cough. Georgina took this opportunity to pat herself on the back and relish in the amusement of the situation.

Curious, Chuck asked, "Do you need something, Humphrey?"

"Well, Serena filled me in on everything, and..." Dan began, only to be interrupted by Blair.

"What exactly did she explain? That she's never been happier in her entire life? That she's found true love for the first time? Oh, please," Blair scoffed.

As the music played softly in the background, the air was thick with tension. Serena gave Steven a nervous glances, knowing that their party was about to be overshadowed by a familiar source of chaos. Just as Steven voiced to raise everyone's glass the guests turned their heads in surprise, their curiosity piqued by this unexpected twist. Among them, Blair, always one to thrive on drama, couldn't resist making herself the center of attention. She marched down the aisle, determination in her eyes, ready to seize the spotlight.

"No! No, there will be no raising of glasses," Blair's voice reverberated through the room, drawing all eyes towards her. Her words hung in the air, both forceful and desperate, as she made her way towards the couple.

Georgina, not one to be left behind, swiftly joined in the commotion. She followed Blair, eager to add her own contribution to the unfolding spectacle. As she caught up with Blair, she couldn't help but taunt her.

"Yea, that is a definite no, everybody," Georgina chimed in, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She couldn't resist teasing Blair, amused by her obliviousness to the significance of this sacred ceremony.

Blair's voice carried a mix of fervor and concern as she addressed Serena and Steven. "You cannot marry her!" Her words were filled with a protectiveness that she couldn't suppress, despite the disapproving glances from the crowd.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, as she saw Georgina on pursuit, her voice laced with equal parts frustration and defiance. "I've got this!"

Georgina smirked, her confidence unwavering. "Public humiliation is really more of my forte," she replied, a hint of mischief in her voice.

Blair's voice resonated with urgency as she directed her words towards Steven. "You don't even know her," she declared, her voice quivering with a mix of concern and revelation. With a single statement, she peeled away the layers hiding Serena's true identity. "Her name's Serena. Serena Vanderwoodsen."

Taking advantage of the brewing chaos, Georgina stepped in, a crafty smile playing on her lips. Addressing the crowd, she shared her own knowledge of Serena's troubled past. "Sabrina-Serena has a history of mental imbalance, drug use, and promiscuity," she divulged, her voice dripping with a mix of amusement and scorn.

Serena clasped her eyes shut, her cheeks ablaze with embarrassment. She longed for an escape from the unfolding humiliation, whispering to herself in despair, "Kill me now." In that moment, she became acutely aware of the judgmental gaze of the onlookers and the irrevocable impact this revelation would have on her life.

Steven led Serena and her friends to a private room, seeking clarity amidst the chaos. Frustrated, he demanded answers. "What's going on? Why are the maid of honor's friends ruining this wedding?"

Serena pleaded, "Can we talk alone?"

Blair interjected, "No more lies, Serena."

Serena turned to Dan, insisting, "I told you I was fine."

But Dan challenged her, saying, "Actually, no you didn't."

Blair added, "Humphrey's right, you disappeared. We had no contact."

Serena shot back, hurt in her eyes. "Isn't that what you wanted? You kicked me out and said you never wanted to speak to me again." Serena then addressed Nate and Chuck, "And you two, too busy to even send a text?"

Chuck defended himself, "I spent the summer in the middle east, dealing with my fathers… affairs. It's serious."

Serena declared, "I'm serious about turning my life around."

He couldn't help himself of the revlation he just found out. Interrupting, Dan asked Blair, "You two spent the summer apart?"

Blair struggled to respond as Serena continued. Serena recounted her struggles, starting with being revived by paramedics. Georgina commented, "You hit rock bottom."

Serena sighed, "That's why I wanted a fresh start, without any of you. And as for pretending to be somebody else, will this just explains that." With those words, she walked away, leaving her friends pondering their fractured relationships.

Blair found Serena at the garden standing alone with only her thoughts keeping her company. She struggled to decide if she should walk over and talk to her. But her heart decided she wantend to make peace with her best friend.

"What are you still doing here?" Serena asked.

"You didn't think I'd leave with out you or atleast leave without saying I'm sorry." Blair responded but continued. "However complicated our friendship got, I shouldn't have let you go." A small smile forming on her face. "Best friends forever right? Maybe it's time to admit we'll always be stuck with each other."

"I appreciate the kind words. I know it's hard coming from you." Serena responded with a caring smile on her face. "But I don't want to be stuck with you. I want a fresh start."

Serena's unexpected rejection cut Blair deeply, sending waves of disbelief and hurt crashing through her. It seemed unfathomable that Serena no longer wanted her presence in her life. In her anguish, Blair found solace in her instinctive defense mechanism, retaliating with a sharp retort aimed at Serena. She proclaimed that Manhattan belonged to her, asserting her dominance before swiftly walking away, seeking solace in her solitude.

As Blair hurriedly made her escape, her emotions still raw, she found herself unexpectedly colliding with Dan Humphrey. The collision halted both of them in their tracks, their eyes meeting in a moment of suspended time. Whether it was mere chance or a twist of fate, they stood there in mutual surprise, their gazes locked and uncertain of how long this strange encounter had been unfolding.

Blair's legs felt weak beneath her, the weight of Dan's presence reverberating through her. Her voice trembled as she attempted to speak. "Dan, how... I haven't heard from you," she managed to say, her voice cracking with vulnerability.

Dan hesitated, his own emotions swirling within him. Yet, as he recalled the advice he had once given Blair, 'I didn't say anything then, but I wish I had because even if it didn't change anything she'd know how I felt.' And so he found a glimmer of courage by that statement alone. "I don't believe you," he started, "that you chose Chuck. I don't like but I begrudgingly accepted."

Blair's eyes brimmed with tears, their friendship hanging in the balance. "Dan, please don't do this," she pleaded, a plea laced with desperation.

"And then I discover that you're not even with him," Dan interjected, his disbelief evident.

Blair shook her head, attempting to explain. "I am... with him. Or at least, I will be. We made a pact," she assured him, her voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty.

Dan's face contorted with a mix of frustration and sadness. "So, I didn't lose you to Chuck. I lost you to the idea of Chuck?" His words hung heavy in the air, carrying a profound sense of disappointment.

A flicker of shame crossed Blair's face as she grappled with her emotions. "Well, when you put it that way..." she faltered, struggling to find the right words to explain herself.

"Blair, you had someone who loved you unconditionally," Dan's voice wavered, his own tears threatening to spill over. "Someone who treated you right and wanted to be with you every day. And you threw it all away to let Chuck Bass decide when he's ready for you?"

Blair stood there, speechless, as Dan's words sank in. Something within her shifted, as if a switch had been flipped, stirring a newfound sense of realization. She couldn't quite comprehend the whirlwind of emotions coursing through her at that very moment.

"You believe that you and Chuck have an epic love, but all I see are excuses," Dan continued, his voice filled with a mix of sorrow and longing.

Blair felt a surge of emotions envelop her, her heart caught in the tug-of-war between two loves. Tears welled in her eyes as she grappled with the choices she had made, the consequences of losing sight of what truly mattered.

"Dan, I... I don't know what to say," Blair finally managed to utter, her voice laden with a mixture of regret, confusion, and the dawning realization that perhaps she had been blind to what had been right in front of her all along.

Blair Waldorf, engrossed in conversations with Serena and Dan, remained unaware of a lurking presence. A sly observer, relishing the chance to witness Blair's vulnerability, seized the opportunity to capture these pivotal moments and sent a tip to Gossip Girl. The message, accompanied by a compelling photos, read: "Two breakups in one location." Within minutes, Gossip Girl unleashed the scandalous story, igniting chaos in the Upper East Side.

POOR B, LOOKS LIKE SHE JUST GOT DUMPED

BY THE LOVE OF HER LIVES AND

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CHUCK BASS.

-XOXO, GOSSIP GIRL

Georgina's plans were now in motion and she couldn't be happier.