As their deadline for the app loomed nearer, Ella and Nate hardly spoke to each other. They were too busy, they told themselves, and they couldn't afford restarting the rumor mill. Ella thought it would have started churning out more venom after the Waldorf-Bass dinner party, but things had actually been pretty calm. Then again, Serena seemed to have decided they were new best friends and was showing up at the office more and more often to see her, justifying the invitation. If Ella was her new best friend, however, Serena didn't neglect her oldest friend.
"So... Blair's party turned out to be pretty fun, didn't it?" She asked the Tuesday after the soiree, having popped in unexpectedly while Dan was out bossing someone around.
"It was nice, actually. I still can't believe she sat me in front of Max Thompson, though," Nate laughed, drafting an email while they talked.
"You know how much Blair loves drama... Ella did pretty well, didn't she?" Serena asked casually.
"Max definitely got a heaping dose of that Vazquez charm, that's for sure," Nate agreed.
"Oh, Thompson is definitely coming after your girl at some point, but that's not what I meant. She fit right in with all those stuffy Upper East Siders," Serena continued.
"Well, I made sure she was never really by herself just in case, but she can definitely hold her own," Nate kept his eyes on the computer screen, suddenly fascinated by the billing report he was requesting.
"And that dress! Just perfect, it got Blair hook, line and sinker."
"It was a nice dress."
"And she looked... just, wow. You ended up taking her home, didn't you?" Serena idly scrolled on her phone. Nate looked up immediately.
"I dropped her off at her place, yeah..." These were a lot of pointed questions, even for Serena. "You seem pretty interested in Ella, you sure Dan doesn't have competition?"
Serena laughed. "I've only ever toed the line, I have no intention of a full cross over. I was just curious, the two of you seem like you get along so well."
"We do, she's a nice girl. Even better employee," Nate replied pointedly.
"Right... but what if she wasn't your employee?"
Nate finally stopped what he was doing all together and steepled his hands with an exasperated sigh.
"Serena..."
"Nate, I like her for you! There, I said it."
"Since when do you play matchmaker for me? And don't you think you've picked the worst possible person?" Nate asked incredulously.
"I didn't pick her, I was just observing what was already happening! You couldn't keep your eyes off her the entire night—."
"I was making conversation so she wouldn't feel left out, S."
Serena rolled her beautiful blue eyes. "Right. And she couldn't have just talked to me or Dan. Or taken a cab home."
"I—I was being polite! Why are you getting on my case for being nice?"
"Because you, kind and wonderful person that you are, still aren't that nice to just anybody!"
"She... We're friends," Nate insisted.
"She makes you laugh," Serena pointed out.
"Friends tend to do that," Was his rebuttal.
"You know, I thought we were friends, but if you can't even admit you have a tiny, unimportant crush on this woman then I don't know..." Serena flipped her hair loftily.
"You and I both know it wouldn't be tiny or unimportant if people found out I had feelings for her."
"Ah, so you admit that you have feelings for her!" She exclaimed jubilantly. Dan was going to eat his hat when she told him...
"Hypothetically! Hypothetically, if I had feelings for her, it would be a huge issue. Even she makes jokes about reporting me to HR, sometimes..."
"It wouldn't even occur to her to joke like that unless she's been thinking about you," Serena interjected.
Nate shook his head. "You're crazy."
She leaned forward, suddenly serious. "Alright forget all my craziness. Just think about this as a human being, detached from context... If you had the chance, would you ask her on a date?"
"This is pointless..." He groaned.
"Nate!" She insisted shrilly.
"Serena! We're not talking about this," Nate stood from his desk, with a genuine frustration that surprised her. He took a breath and looked out his window before speaking again, "I really need for you to drop this, S. Nothing can happen between Ella and me. You saw how the writers were treating her because of a rumor, imagine what an actual relationship would cost her."
Serena sighed, guilt creeping in. "I know... I'm sorry. It's just been such a long time since I'd seen you laugh that much."
Nate shrugged, finally turning around. He swept his hands as though to encompass the whole newsroom. "This is my whole life now. What I do here matters... I can't just give that up and I can't ask Ella to either, especially when she's still just starting out."
Serena nodded. "I understand, but who knows? Maybe someday..."
"I've never even kissed the woman," Nate laughed shortly. "I think we all just need to calm down with the predictions and let things happen as they should. Or, you know, not happen."
It was Serena's turn to groan. "Fine..."
"Promise me you won't meddle," Nate pushed.
"I don't meddle!" The blonde protested. Nate gave her a look.
"Fine, I promise... but I can't promise I won't invite her out with us sometimes. I really do like her."
"That's fine. I can't stop you from hanging out with her," Nate turned his attention back to the email.
"Maybe you should see somebody else, though, even if its not her," Serena advised him.
"I've got... people," Nate assured her. "I'm just not looking for a relationship right now."
"Well, whatever. What are your plans for the app launch?"
"I was actually going to talk to Blair about organizing something, a big company party with plenty of Manhattan's elite in attendance..."
"Good idea!" Nate swore he could see the wheels were already turning in Serena's head and it made him smile to himself.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"A party?" Ella asked, eyes brightening.
"Yes, a big fancy party with a bunch of big fancy people for the launch," Dan confirmed. Ella decided to ignore his blatant lack of enthusiasm.
"How exciting! What's the dress code?"
"I don't know... you should probably just wear a dress," He suggested unhelpfully.
Ella gave Dan a look. "You'd think being married to Serena Van der Woodsen that some social grace would have rubbed off on you by now..."
Dan rolled his eyes, "I don't know! You should ask Nate, he's the one planning it."
"I'm sure Nate is busy, I'll just ask Serena," Ella replied quickly, before returning to the the web post they were editing. "I think the font looks perfect, but maybe we should change the title color--."
"El, are you not talking to Nate or something?" Dan asked.
"No, why?" Ella kept her eyes glued to the screen.
"Oh, I don't know... Maybe it's the fact you haven't said a word to him in two weeks! You keep making the interns carry messages to him and you won't go near his office..." Dan complained.
"What? That's not true, I spoke to him yesterday!"
"The meeting? You were giving a presentation, that doesn't constitute holding an actual conversation with him," Dan corrected her. He lowered his voice suddenly and leaned forward, "Did something happen at Blair's party?"
"No! Jesus, there's no winning with you people, is there? I talk to him and everyone thinks we're sleeping together, now I don't talk to him and it just has to be because I'm pissed at him..." She shook her head frustratedly.
"So... you admit you aren't talking to him on purpose?" Dan pressed. She narrowed her eyes at him.
"No. I don't even know what you're talking about-- besides, he's the one avoiding me, not the other way around," Ella hmphed.
Dan raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"
"Nothing!" Ella exclaimed, but Dan kept looking at her in that judgmental little way of his. She sighed. "Nothing, I'm serious. He just took me home and walked me up to my place..."
"And?"
"And nothing. Really," Ella insisted. "He was acting pretty friendly with me that night, though... Wasn't he?"
Dan nodded. "Yeah, we all noticed."
Ella felt her face heat up. "All of you being... Serena, Chuck, and Blair? Or did Nate say something?"
Dan knew about Serena's conversation with Nate, but also knew he couldn't say anything about it...
"Not Nate," he lied. "But it seemed pretty obvious that you guys were getting along perfectly well, and now it's like you're strangers."
"I don't know, I thought everything was good between us, especially since he was so nice keeping me company at the dinner party... I guess he must have thought I was flirting with him and now he's keeping his distance."
"Were you? Flirting with him, I mean?"
"Not really... I don't know..." She trailed off before looking her editor in the eye. "If I tell you something do you promise not to go blabbing to anyone about it? Even Serena?"
"Of course," Dan leaned forward. Was he telling the truth? Well, it depended on how juicy this new bit of gossip was going to be...
"I did actually think he seemed a little flirtatious that night," She whispered. "I mean, not really, but... You know, he actually carried me up to my apartment?"
"What?" Now Dan was incredulous.
"I was drunk and my elevator was broken and I almost ate it on the stairs so he threw me over his shoulder and just... carried me up," Ella laughed. "I thought that was kind of flirtatious, honestly, but nothing happened afterwards."
"Ella... do you like him?" Dan asked the question hesitantly. Unspoken sexual tension between his boss and his assistant he could handle. I mean, this was Nate they were talking about, he could have unspoken sexual tension with a potted plant if he looked at it long enough but... actual feelings? God damn it, what if Serena's meddling had cracked open a Pandora's box with these two? He told her they shouldn't have gotten involved...
"Obviously, he's a great boss and I always felt that we could be good friends..."
Dan gave her another look. Ella sighed.
"I don't know how I feel... I think he's so sweet and funny and..." She swallowed before she forced the word out, "...handsome, but we could never be together. Never."
"Why not?" When she gave him a look, he quickly amended. "Obvious reasons notwithstanding, I mean."
"He— He doesn't like me like that, Dan. He's just charming and it's hard not to let that blind you," She sighed. "And the obvious reasons are kind of insurmountable, aren't they? I'd never be taken seriously again. He'd be seen as some kind of skeevy perv for the rest of his life. It's a bad situation."
Dan couldn't argue with her. "If it's any consolation, I think he really does think of you as a friend and not just some... potential play thing."
"I'm not trying to push him away, Dan. But I think some space between us wouldn't be the worst thing right now."
"I guess... but the interns aren't carrying any more messages for you! You talk to him yourself from now on."
"Fine," Ella shrugged. "I'll just text Serena about the dress code then so I don't bother him..."
Dan groaned. "Texting Serena... how have you invaded every part of my life?"
A Cheshire grin spread across Ella's face.
"Don't even pretend like you don't love me. As a matter of fact," She gave him a look he'd come to know and fear.
"No, please, don't say it," Dan begged, moving to cover his ears.
"You know you love me," Ella said in her best Gossip Girl voice, "XO XO..."
"Agh kill me!" And with that Dan decided to take an impromptu coffee break.