Princess Bass - Nate Archibald

15

Nate jumped to his feet when he heard the front door of Chloe's suite open, he was waiting up for her on the couch. He sees Charli in his car seat that she was carrying, awake and smiling right at him. Chloe looks at him with no emotion, she heads into the kitchen and he follows like a puppy. She keeps Charli in his car seat, putting him on the kitchen island while she warms up milk that she had pumped earlier that week. He awkwardly stands behind the island, waiting for her to speak to him. Charlie holds his arms out for him, making baby noises so he could pick him up. Nate smiles softly, unbuckling his seatbelt and taking him in his arms. It felt like forever since he held Charli, when really he held him this morning. It felt like today had been a whole month, all he wanted to do was sleep with the love of his life in his arms. Chloe turned around, trying not to smile as she sees her two boys smiling at each other. Nate cradles Charli, as Chloe gives him his bottle. He holds it for his son, rocking him.

"Chuck told me what happened." Chloe spoke first, Nate felt relief in his heart. "That still doesn't make me feel better." His heart began racing again. "The way you looked at her in that picture...it was like it was all real."

"No." Nate shook his head. "It was nothing. I felt nothing. And I want nothing with her. You're my all. I'm so sorry for everything."

"Why didn't you just come to me?" She was frustrated that this all happened, it could've been avoided if her stupid brother would've just took no for an answer. "Why didn't you stop by like how you said you were going to do after you were out?"

"I thought you told Chuck it was okay. It was stupid of me to just go along with it. I should've called, or texted. I don't blame you if you want to leave me, maybe you deserve someone like Dan." He wanted to throw himself out of the window for even admitting that, but that's how he felt.

"Dan is only my friend, and although he was doing it for all of the wrong reasons, he was trying to comfort me today and I appreciate it because I was really hurt from what I saw on Gossip Girl." Chloe sighed, leaning against the island. "I'm sorry for what happened between he and I. I'm sorry for making you feel that he treats me better than you, because he doesn't. Nobody will take your place in my heart. I love you, more than I love anything in this world. Except Charli of course." They both look down at Charli, he was sleep peacefully with an empty bottle in his mouth. "Nothing will break us apart. Our family is too strong."

"No matter how big or small of a fight we have," He gets closer to Chloe.

"We'll always be a family."

Chuck drank his sorrows away at the bar downstairs. He truly had no one. Blair needed her time to grow herself, without Chuck. Nate was angry with him for lying to him. And he felt like Chloe wanted nothing to do with him.

The next week it felt like Nate was walking on eggshells. Chloe had been on edge lately, last time she hadn't talk to Chuck for this long was when he was lying unconscious somewhere in Paris. Her mother also would be going to prison now any day after admitting her doing in putting an innocent man in prison. Nate had accidentally dropped something and Chloe cussed him out for it but he understood why she was acting like this.

"Listen you can't keep doing this." Nate stopped Chloe from walking out of the door. "You can't bury yourself in work, can't keep lashing out, you and I both know why you're doing this. So just put your differences aside and talk to your brother." She had been leaving early and coming home late while renovating her new building. Even taking Charli with her some days so he wouldn't forget her. "It's not healthy honey, I'm just trying to help."

"I'm fine." Chloe smiles tightly. "I'm just working, it's what I always do. Besides, you haven't talked to him either." She crossed her arms, arching her eyebrow. "What he did was uncalled for, you don't do that to someone you love. You don't do that to family." She shook her head, looking past Nate to see Charli playing in his playpen that was set up in the living room. "I won't be out for long, I just need to get my dress for photos today." Today was the photo shoot for modern royalty. Chloe had her own page along with a page with her brother posing for Bass Industry. She gave Nate a kiss before leaving. He sighs watching her leave, coincidentally Chuck opened his front door as well. He gave Nate a look of guilt, Nate shuts the door and walks over to his son.