Companion piece to The Last Goodbye. Focuses on Serenate & Chair. Random chapters, looking at different aspects of their lives.

Update:

Blair proposed to Chuck on the roof of the Empire. Chuck discovered that he has a younger half-brother. Serena moved to Greece for six months. Nate was struggling to let Serena go. Dan left for Morocco, to re-connect with Vanessa.

There will be no Humphrey in this story. I will mention him in later chapters, but only when necessary. (You'll see why.)

I apologize for any mistakes. I'm tired, and too lazy to read through to find any typos.

GET HIM TO THE GREEK

What if you move?
What if you hide?
There's only so much you can miss
Before we both collide

Last Day of Magic - The Kills

It was early July - the sun was out, New York was unbelievably humid, and Nate was in a bad mood.

"Why so grumpy, Archibald?"

Nate sipped at his cup of coffee as he watched Blair take a seat at the breakfast table, wearing only panties and Chuck's shirt.

"I'm fine," he insisted, but his tone suggested otherwise.

"Is this about Serena?" she asked, leaning back in her chair.

"No," he answered, too quickly. She cocked an eyebrow. "Fine. " He sighed. "Yes, it is."

"She's coming back in three months. You should be happy. I know how much you've missed her."

"I am happy," he replied. "But she's already been gone for three months. I don't know if I can make it through another three."

"I'm confused," Blair admitted. "She said you both got closure last year, at the Constance party, and you dated Lola for months - why are you suddenly so in love with her?"

"I've always been in love with her. She just hasn't always felt the same way."

Blair rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. She couldn't choose between you and Dan, even though she was convinced that Dan was the love of her life. And it was because you were there, in the back of her mind, and she couldn't let you go."

"That doesn't mean she's in love with me."

"No," Blair agreed. "But she definitely has lingering feelings for you, and with Dan out of the picture for good, this is your moment."

Nate was about to respond, but was cut off by Chuck's husky voice.

"What are you gossiping about?"

"Serena," Blair answered, as Nate said, "Nothing."

He smirked. "Don't bother, Nathaniel. You've always been a terrible liar." He sat down in the seat next to Blair and kissed her softly. "Good morning."

"Good morning," she replied, grinning against his lips.

"You're disgusting."

Blair laughed. "Don't be jealous, Nate."

He huffed and turned away from them, to fill up Monkey's bowl, just as the dog entered the kitchen. He made a bee-line for Blair, falling at her feet as she scratched him behind the ears.

"If you really miss her so much, you should fly out there," Chuck suggested, as he opened up his copy of the New York times.

"What?" Nate asked, shocked. "I can't just fly out there!"

"You can when your best friend owns a jet," Blair argued.

Nate paused, mulling over the idea. "You really think that's a good idea?"

Blair shrugged. "It's the best you've got," she reasoned, before warning him, "But be careful. In all of her emails, she's been talking about Alexio, or Nikandros, or Ephraim. If she is seeing someone, you can't get mad at her and leave. That's not fair."

"Why would I stay if she's with sleeping with some guy?" he shot back, frustrated. "Alexio." He scoffed. "What kind of name is that?"

"A greek one," Chuck replied. "You know, 'cause he's from Greece."

"Thank you for you for your input, Bass," Blair said, shooting him a look. "Just go. It's worth a shot, and who knows, maybe she'll come to her senses, ditch Alex, and have some fun with you." Blair winked at him.

Nate pulled a face. "Just because I can hear you having sex every night, doesn't mean you can talk about it freely, while I'm around."

Blair ignored him and continued to stroke Monkey. Chuck followed Nate out into the living room and sat next to him on the couch.

"I need to talk to you."

"What's up?" Nate asked, turning on the TV.

"I'm moving out."

Nate's eyes widened. "What? Why? This is your hotel!"

"I know that," Chuck said, rolling his eyes. "But Blair and I are getting married this winter, and we can't build a life together if we're living with my best friend, and her ex-boyfriend."

He had a point. "Where will you live? Where will I live?"

Chuck laughed. "Don't panic, Nathaniel. You can stay here. This is as much your apartment, as it is mine. And I have something arranged for us."

"What do you mean?"

"I bought us a penthouse."

"When?" Nate shouted, shocked by all this new information.

"Shut up!" Chuck hissed. "I'm surprising Blair today, so you need to keep your voice down."

"When?" Nate asked, quieter.

"Last week," he answered. "I'd been searching with a realtor for the past month, but a two-level penthouse on 5th went up for sale last week, with a view that overlooks the Met. I had to buy it."

"Overlooks the Met? Blair's gonna love it."

Chuck smirked. "I know."

"I'm happy for you, man," Nate said, patting him on the shoulder. "But I'm going to miss having you around."

"Don't get all weepy on me," Chuck teased. "We'll still see each other all the time."

"Chuck!" Blair yelled from the kitchen. "Can we order room service? I want pancakes."

Chuck reached for the phone, sighing. "I'll have to hire a cook when we move. The only food she can make is pumpkin pie, and she still needs Dorota's assistance."

Nate laughed and flipped over to ESPN as Chuck ordered Blair's pancakes, and bacon and eggs for himself.

The following day, as Chuck and Blair were in the limo, heading to a viewing of the penthouse, Nate called Chuck, panicked.

"I don't think I can do this."

"You flew to Europe just to see her. You can't bail, now."

Nate sighed. "You're right. But what if she doesn't want to see me?"

Blair snatched the phone out of Chuck's hand. "Nate, man up. Knock on the door, and stay composed. Don't blurt out your feelings as soon as you see her - you need to build up to that. Test the waters, first."

"'Test the waters'? What does that even mean?"

"Keep things casual. You're visiting her as her friend, so you need to begin with some innocent flirting, and progress from there, until you're sure she won't panic, when you tell her how you feel."

"Okay," Nate sighed. "This is going to be so much harder than I imagined."

Blair laughed. "Bye, Nate. And good luck!"

She hung up the phone and passed it back to Chuck, before grinning at him. "I can't wait to see your surprise!"

He laughed and took her hand in his. "We're almost there."

Blair watched the buildings lining Fifth Avenue pass her by, frowning as they pulled to a stop, opposite the Met.

"Why are we here?" she asked, looking around, as they exited the limo.

"Because your surprise is here."

He pulled her along, as he walked to the entrance of the building.

"Chuck," she said, drawing out his name. "Did you buy us an apartment?"

"Maybe," he replied, coyly.

He pushed the Penthouse button in the elevator.

"The penthouse!" she exclaimed, smiling.

Blair had so many questions she wanted to ask, and could barely contain her excitement.

As soon as they entered the suite, Blair gasped, her heels clicking along the marble floor as she rushed over to the large window.

"This view if perfect!" she said, sighing as she looked down at the museum. "I've really missed those steps."

Chuck laughed and pulled her away from the window. "Why don't you take a look around?"

She wandered around the first floor, admiring the fireplaces, the grand staircase, and the archways that connected the foyer and the dining room, to the living room.

"Oh, Chuck. It's so beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it. But this only the first floor. The second is pretty great, too."

They looked around the four guest bedrooms, first. They all had large windows that allowed lots of light into the rooms, and had enough space for a king-size bed, in each.

"I was thinking that these rooms could be reserved for our future children," she smiled softly at him, and his plans for their future, "and the master bedroom, down the hall, will be our bedroom."

The master bedroom was situated at the corner of the building, and had two walk-in closets - one for each of them. Plush carpet lined the floors, there was another ornate fireplace, and they had a large balcony, with views of the museum, below.

It was perfect; everything Blair could have wished for, and more.

"We can have a decorator in by the end of the week, and you can discuss color schemes, and fabrics," Chuck informed her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "This is incredible. I can't believe you bought this for us."

He shrugged. "We're going to be married; we need our own home."

She kissed him again, smiling against his lips. "When can we move in?"

"Well, I've already signed all the neccessary paperwork, so we can move in as soon as the decorators are finished."

She laughed, giddy, and looked around their new bedroom. "I was thinking purple, for this room. What do you think?"

He smiled. "That sounds perfect."

Nate had finally worked up the courage to speak to Serena, and softly knocked on the door, to her rented cottage.

"Coming!" she shouted, as she rushed over, to open it. She threw the door open and stopped in shock, before throwing her arms around Nate. "Nate! What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd come visit you," he explained, wrapping his arms around her waist.

She pulled back and smiled at him, keeping her fingers linked behind his neck. "It's so good to see you!"

He smiled at her, taking in her appearance. She was more blonde, and tan, and relaxed, than the last time he had seen her. She was perfect.

She ushered him inside, and got him a beer from the fridge, as he made himself comfortable on her couch.

"I hope you don't mind me turning up, like this."

She smiled. "Of course, not. It's nice to see a familiar face."

They fell into an easy conversation, and Nate caught her up on all the recent events, back home.

"I'm really proud of Blair for taking control, and propsing to him. She's wanted a life with Chuck for so long, and she was the only thing standing in the way of that happening."

"Yeah, it's really great," Nate agreed. "I don't think I've ever seen them, so happy. They're going to check out the penthouse Chuck bought them, today."

"He bought them a penthouse? But what about his suite at the Empire?"

"I'm still staying there," he explained. "But they're trying to do things right, this time, and I guess Chuck wanted them to have a 'marital home'."

She giggled. "They're so cute. I really miss them, both."

"They miss you," Nate replied. "Especially, Blair. She's refused to do any wedding planning, until you return. I think she regrets pushing you away, when she planned her wedding to Louis."

"Well, that entire relationship was a mess," Serena said, sadly. "This is different. This is it for them."

Nate smiled. "Yeah, it is. Kind of makes me wonder, though."

"Wonder what?"

"How Chuck Bass managed to find his soulmate, and settle down, before I did. I mean, he's going to be somebody's husband, at the age of twenty-two. Blair Waldorf's husband, no less. At seventeen, I always thought that was where I'd end up."

"I don't think anything has worked out, the way we thought it would."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No," she answered. "Not at all."

Serena showed him to the guest bedroom, and told him to change into something lighter. It was mid-afternoon, which meant it was very hot, and if Serena was going to drag him around a large street market, for hours, he didn't want to be walking around in jeans.

She linked her arm through his as they strolled through the streets, exploring the market stalls. Serena bought some fresh strawberries, and they snacked on them as they looked around.

"So, this is what you do now? Walk around markets, buying beaded jewellery that Blair wouldn't approve of, and eating fresh fruit."

"Sometimes," she admitted. "But I also come here to buy ingredients, and spices. And there's a rag market, every two weeks."

"Wait," Nate said, coming to a stop. He turned to her, confused. "You buy ingredients? But you can't cook!"

"I've been learning," she explained. "Nik taught me the basics, and I've been experimenting with different spices, and stuff. It's fun."

"Nikandros?" he blurted out, annoyed.

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"Blair mentioned him," he explained, trying to sound casual.

"Oh. Right."

They walked back to her cottage, and Serena stopped by the cottage before her's, to drop off some gifts. She'd told him all about Maya and Nora, the seven year-old twin sisters, who lived in the neighboring cottage. She adored them, and would always buy things for them at the market.

He watched, smiling, as the two dark-haired girls pulled Serena into a hug. She laughed and crouched down to their level, to pull them closer.

"They're cute," he said, as they left the cottage, Serena still waving at the girls.

"Yeah, they're so sweet. Their mom's really nice, too. She invites me over for dinner, every Sunday."

"Wow. You've made a whole new life for yourself, here."

She smiled, nodding. "I really love it."

"Are you ever going to come back to New York?"

"Of course," she responded. "New York is my home. I love this place, but I miss you guys, and I can't just stay away from you. You're my family."

"I guess you're right. We pretty much raised each other."

"Oh, no," Serena disagreed. "I'm not being held repsonsible for Chuck. Who knows why he turned out, the way he did."

Nate laughed. "Come on. You love him, really."

"Yeah," she admitted, sighing. "I do."

When they entered the cottage, Serena went straight to the kitchen, and placed what she had bought, on the kitchen island.

"We're going out tonight," she informed him.

"We are?"

She grinned. "I'm taking you to my favorite beach bar. It's really chill. There's good music, good alcohol, and I know the owner, so we'll definitely get some free drinks." She walked out of the kitchen, patting him on the chest as she passed. "We're leaving in an hour. I know how long it takes you to do your hair, so you should start getting ready."

He rolled his eyes, but did as she said.

Blair lay across the bed, pouting, with her head resting on her arms. Chuck was in the bathroom, brushing his teeth, but he could hear her huffing, in their bedroom.

"I can't believe we have to wait a month for the decorators to be finished. I want to move in, now!"

He laughed and turned the bathroom light off, before lying next to her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her on top of him. She giggled as he swung her round.

"It's only two weeks; fourteen days until we have our own home," he reasoned.

"That's too long!" she moaned. "Can't you pay the decorators more, to make them work faster?"

"I'm already paying them more than I should be, to make sure they finish in two weeks!"

She sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. I just really love our home, and once we start living there, we really are building our futures, together."

"I'm excited about moving in, too. But I want our house to be perfect, which means we have to allow the decorators enough time, to do a good job."

She rolled off of him, and moved under the comforter. "I hate it when you're right."

He smirked and slid in beside her. "Are we really going to bed? It's only ten."

"I thought we could watch a movie," she said, turning on the TV.

He rested his head against her chest, as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Did I tell you that Diana has a business meeting in New York, next week? She's bringing Josh with her."

"That's great," she said, smiling. "How long are they staying?"

"Only a week. But I get to see him - that's all that matters."

"Have you told him about our engagement?"

"Yeah. He was really excited about going to a wedding, and he said he was proud of me, for making you my girlfriend."

He grinned as Blair laughed and leaned down to kiss him.

"We can show him the penthouse, while he's here. His room won't be decorated, but some of the furniture will be in. And you can take him to the toy store. He needs his own things, for when he stays."

Chuck sat up, frowning in confusion. "His room?"

She smiled. "I told the decorators to turn one of the guest rooms into Joshua's bedroom. I thought it would be nice for him, to have somewhere to stay, when he visits."

Chuck nodded, a small smile, lifting the corners of his lips. "Thank you, for doing that. It's a great idea. I don't know why I didn't think of it."

"You were too busy, thinking about our future children." She laughed when he cheeks turned uncharacteristically pink. "Did you really think I'd let that slide?"

She ran her fingers along his cheek and smiled. "I think it's sweet that you thought about that. I like knowing that we're finally on the same page, when it comes to what we want in the future."

She kissed him softly, and then turned the TV off.

"I thought you wanted to watch a movie."

"Not anymore," she said, moving to sit on top of him. "I have something much more fun, in mind."

He smirked and ran his hands up her sides, pushing up her nightgown. "Is that so?"

Nate leaned back in his hammock, as he watched Serena dance. They made eye contact, and she grinned, before running over to him.

"Don't you love this place?" she asked, as she lay next to him.

He wrapped a piece of her hair around his finger. "Yeah. It's awesome."

There was a bar situated inside the cliff, and hammocks hung from trees, right across the beach. In front of the bar, people danced and sat around the bonfire, and above them, people dived from the cliff, to the sea, below.

"I loved coming here on my own, but it's so much better with you. You're always fun, Nate. That's what I love about you."

He smiled and continued to twirl her hand around his finger.

"How long are you staying for?"

"As long as I check in with the Spectator, every couple days, I can stay until November, when you leave."

She clapped her hands together, in delight. He laughed, watching her silly, tipsy behavior. She acted like a child, when she was drunk.

"We're going to have the best time!" she informed him. "There's so many great places to go, and we can take Maya and Nora out, for the day!"

They continued to swing, gently, on the hammock, as Serena listed off her plans for them.

"I'm so glad you're here," she said, suddenly. She turned to him and traced her finger along his cheekbone. "I missed you, Natie."

He laughed at her somber tone. "You were only gone for three months."

"No," she argued. "I don't just mean this summer. I've missed you since the Constance ball, last year. I've missed you since I left for Paris, two years ago. I was so stupid."

"Hey," he murmured. "That's in the past. Forget about it."

"Right," she whispered. "Forget about it."

She slowly leaned forward, and pressed her lips to his. He responded immediately, moving over her and pushing her back into the hammock. She pulled at his hair, moaning as he pressed his weight into her.

"We should get out of here," she whispered, as he kissed along her neck.

"Yeah," he agreed, breathless. "We really should."

Nate woke first, the following morning. He squinted as the sun streaming in through the window, and turned away from the light, towards Serena. She was lay on her stomach, her hair spilling across her shoulders, and the bed sheet riding low on her back.

He ran his fingers along her spine, and watched her smile, lazily.

"Morning," she whispered.

"Morning," he whispered back, brushing the hair from her eyes. "You feeling okay?"

She nodded. "I didn't drink as many margaritas, as I thought."

He smirked. "You were pretty tipsy."

"I'm on vacation. I'm supposed to be having a good time," she reasoned.

"Speaking of having a good time," he began. "What are we doing today?"

"Whatever we want, Natie."