Author Note: As always, thank you to those of you who reviewed and/or favorited my story.
Disclaimer: Blair and Chuck's vows do not belong to me - they are taken from Donna and David's wedding in the Beverly Hills: 90210 series finale.
Gossip Girl = not mine
…
The Next Day: Chuck and Blair's Wedding…
Chuck smiled happily, took Blair's hands in his and looked at her adoringly, "When was it that we fell in love? Because the truth is, I can't picture a time when I wasn't in love with you. I always knew you were the one that could look into my eyes and see my soul. I don't question your commitment to us. And I know that there isn't anything that we can't work through. And I accept you, as my partner and as my best friend above all others. It's a miracle to find the kind of peace and happiness that you've given me. And in honour of that miracle, I pledge before our family and friends, to love and cherish you forever."
Blair smiled in awe at his declaration; she took a deep breath, "Chuck. I look at you and I see my best friend. Your energy and your passion, inspire me in ways I never thought possible. Your inner beauty is so strong, that I no longer fear being myself. I no longer fear at all. I never thought that I could find someone to love that would love me back unconditionally. And then I realized that although we were often apart, you were always with me, and you were my soul mate. You give me purpose, when I feel I have none. Without you, my soul would be empty, my heart broken, my being incomplete. I thank God every day that you were brought into my life. And I thank you for loving me."
"Chuck," the priest continued, "do you promise to love and cherish Blair in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," Chuck stated happily. Blair smiled back equally ecstatic.
"Blair, do you promise to love and cherish Chuck in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"
Blair grinned happily at Chuck, "I do."
"If anyone here can give good cause as to why these two should not be married let them speak now or forever hold their peace."
Blair let go of Chuck's hand and gave everyone the death glare.
Everyone laughed happily, as no objections were made.
"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife."
Chuck and Blair stared at the priest expectantly.
The priest laughed, "You may now kiss your bride."
Chuck pulled Blair into a heated kiss, as cheers and applause enveloped the two lovers.
…
Dan hugged Jenny, "are you sure you have to go."
"I have to get back to work," Jenny insisted, "or they'd lost without me."
Rufus put a hand on her shoulder, "you'll call, right?"
Jenny blinked back tears at that. She really had been horrible to them. She should have never shut her family out the way that she had. She threw her arms around her father, "every day. I promise."
"I hope that you're not going to throw yourself into your work," Dan lectured. "We should all mourn mom together."
"I'll be back," Jenny promised, "you won't even realize that I'm gone."
"I doubt that," Rufus stated quietly.
Jenny shot him a look, "don't make me feel guiltier."
"Then don't leave," Dan explained.
…
"Nathaniel," Chuck greeted, but it sounded more like a warning.
"The wedding was beautiful," Nate noted.
Chuck shot him a hard look, "what are you doing?"
"I'm going to get myself a drink," Nate replied, oblivious.
Chuck sighed in frustration and then smacked Nate behind the back of his head.
"Awh!" Nate turned to look at him, "what the hell man!"
"Jenny is leaving," Chuck reminded. "What happened to winning her back?"
Nate frowned, "...I keep hurting her."
Chuck grimaced. Nate's voice sounded so selfloathing and broken that it made him wince.
"I don't mean to," Nate continued, " I don't want to… Maybe it would be better if we just went our separate ways."
Chuck nodded and stared at Nate for a good long beat. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," he smarted.
Nate made a face at him.
"If Blair and I thought that way, we would have never made it to the alter," Chuck enlightened, " If you want to rob yourself of the happiness that you deserve, then be my guest – but again, you'll be hurting Jenny."
Nate scowled.
"Just end this cycle of hurt Nate," Chuck advised, "you and Jenny will never be happy, because deep down inside you both know that the best time you've ever had, is when you are with each other."
…
Oh god! This was so clichéd.
But he didn't care.
He had to make things right.
He had been so stupid.
Nate sprinted through the airport and headed for the terminal heading to London.
His heart beat wildly. He scanned the area and ignored the feeling of eyes on him, and the cell phones pointed at him.
This could end badly, Nate realized. Jenny could shun him. He couldn't blame her if she did. She had laid her heart on the line and he had gone right ahead and stomped all over it again. Why was he always so clueless when it came to her.
Nate swerved suddenly, almost stumbling over the fourteen year old girl who made it no secret that she was recording his every move. If Jenny told him where to shove it, then his humiliation would be exposed for the world to see.
A flash of blonde hair stopped him dead in his tracks.
He didn't even have to see her face, he knew who it was.
He took off after her, "Jenny! Jenny! Jenny wait!"
Jenny spun around, and it was almost as if everything in the airport had come to a standstill. "Nate? Nate what are you doing here. "
Everyone in the airport was full on gawking now.
But Nate didn't care.
"Don't go," he begged.
Jenny blinked, unsure that she had heard him right, "what?"
"Don't go," he repeated.
"Don't go?" Jenny asked incredulously, and although she had heard the words, her brain just didn't seem to comprehend it. "Nate, I-I- I don't understand."
"I don't want you to leave," Nate pleaded, "I don't want you to ever leave."
Jenny averted her gaze from his.
He looked at her breathlessly, "you don't believe me, do you?"
Jenny shook her head and refused to look him in the eyes, "I want to."
Nate took a deep breath, "I love you."
Jenny snapped her head up and met his gaze again in shock.
"Believe me. Don't believe me," Nate continued, "I don't care, but I've said it." He smiled a brilliant smile, "I said it," he stated proudly, "I finally said it."
Jenny felt her heat erupt painfully.
"No one has ever made me feel the way that you do," Nate explained, he took her hand in his and stared so deep into her eyes, she could have sworn he saw her soul, "and that scared me. You scare me. The way you make me feel scares me. I think about you all the time. Even you're right here with me." Nate touched his heart.
Jenny struggled to keep herself together.
"I can't escape it, I've tried. Trust me. I've tried," Nate revealed. "But it's too late you're already a part of me."
He took her hand in his again, "I won't let you go. Not this time. You know me. Better than I know myself. "
Jenny blinked away fat tears.
"Jenny," Nate touched her face, his voice was a murmur now, "you complete me."
If he hadn't been holding her hands, she was positive that she might have lost her balance and hit the floor.
"And if you leave…" the pain in his voice was unmistakable, "my life will be empty. I'll never be happy. I've never been happy. I've never known true happiness until I met you."
Jenny took a calming breath.
"I love you Jenny," Nate declared; he held his breath. Her reply would either heal him or kill him.
Jenny smiled and blinked away tears of joy, she through her arms around him happily, "I love you too Nate."
Nate grinned and wrapped his arms around her – vowing to never let her go as he did so.
For the first time, in a long time, they were finally back where they both belonged and that was with each other.
*** THE END ***