Disclaimer: Gossip Girl isn't mine.
AN: This idea just popped in my head, and it needed to be written. It's a one-shot. Please review and let me know what you think.

Third Wheel

They were at it again, talking and bickering non-stop. Nate wondered if they noticed that he was still here. As much as he tried, he could never join the conversation when Chuck and Blair were in this mode. He felt as though he was a third wheel.

"Taylor and Ryan look lovely together. They should be together!" Blair said passionately.

Chuck snorted. "Yeah, because the hero belongs to be with an obsessive compulsive psycho," he said sarcastically.

"She's not a psycho—"

"No, she's just a stalker. She had a stick shoved up her ass. Anyway, Marissa was hotter."

"Who are Taylor and Marissa?" Nate finally piped in.

Nate couldn't help but notice the looks he got. Blair's brow was furrowed as she stared at him with disbelief. Chuck simply gave him a "what-an-idiot" look.

They explained who those people were and right after they did, they continued with their debate, once again forgetting about him. Who wants to talk about a silly TV show anyway?

- 0 -

It was happening again and it was annoying Nate. They were all having Christmas dinner, him with his parents, Blair with Eleanor, Chuck and Serena with Bart and Lilly.

They sat around the dinner table at the van der Woodsen - Bass suite enjoying their soup and salad. Nate was beside Blair while Chuck sat across them.

Blair looked beautiful in her black dress. Her hair was piled atop her head and Nate noticed her diamond earrings. He had never seen them before. Her mother must have given it to her for Christmas. He thought nothing of it and continued to eat his salad.

"Those are beautiful earrings, Blair," Mrs. Archibald said.

Blair unconsciously touched an earring. "Thank you, Mrs. Archibald."

"Nate has good taste!" Eleanor said.

Nate's wine glass stopped halfway to his mouth and he looked at Blair, stunned. "Oh! Nate didn't give this to me. A friend of mine did."

Nate wasn't so sure but he swore he saw Blair and Chuck share a look. But it was so quick that he must have imagined it.

"Well whoever gave it to you does have good taste," Chuck told Blair.

Blair raised an eyebrow. "Is that a compliment from you, Bass?"

Chuck shrugged nonchalantly. "Give credit where credit is due."

"Wow, Bass. That's a lot coming from you," she said with a smirk.

Nate was surprised at how they seemed to forget that there were other people on the table, following their conversation.

Chuck shrugged once again. "And it looks good on you, Waldorf."

Nate saw Blair smile, a soft but genuine smile. He must be losing his mind because she was blushing.

- 0 -

As soon as Nate picked up Blair for their dinner, she already seemed busy. Her phone was in her hand, and throughout the ride it kept beeping. She also had this perpetual smile on her face, and the reason, he was sure, was not him.

"Is everything all right?" he asked when they were seated. They were at Nate's favorite restaurant.

"Hmmm…? Oh, yeah. Everything's fine," Blair said with a smile. "I'm just making shopping plans with Serena tomorrow." She picked up her menu. "Let's order."

Nate accepted her answer and looked at his own menu. She ordered baked salmon while he had steak.

During their dinner, Blair pushed her food around her plate. But they talked about everything…but more of nothing. Their conversation was so strained that he wanted to bolt.

Soon it was over and Blair excused herself to go to the toilet. While waiting, he heard Fergie's song "Clumsy" playing. It was her phone ringing. Curious, he picked it up and checked who was calling.

Chuck's name was blinking on her screen while Fergie sang,

"You got me slippin oh, tumbling oh, sinking oh, fumbling oh
Clumsy cuz I'm fallin in love, in love
So in love with you."

Nate felt his chest constrict. It was nothing, right? Blair simply loved the song. It didn't mean anything.

When Blair came back, she checked her phone and her eyes lit up like the Rockefeller Christmas tree.

- 0 -

Nate pressed "one" on his speed dial and called Blair. It took a while before she answered her phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Blair!"

"Hey, Nate!" He could hear the smile in her voice.

He got up from his bed and went to his bathroom. "So I was thinking maybe you'd like to go out for dinner tonight," he said nervously. "You wanted to try this new Japanese place, right?"

Blair hesitated. "Oh, well, Nate…I'm sorry, Chuck already offered to go with me. I said yes because you said you didn't want to go," she explained to her boyfriend.

Nate's stomach drop and he felt dampness in his eyes. He was losing her. "Chuck?"

"But you can come with us if you want," she offered.

He'll take it. "Ok."

Blair looked gorgeous in her red dress and black pumps, and she was wearing her diamond earrings.

They met Chuck at the restaurant and the place was packed. The only table Chuck had reserved for them was for two. By the window, Blair sat directly across Chuck while Nate sat on the third seat.

"Want some more soy sauce?" Chuck asked her.

She nodded. "Yes, please. Thank you."

Chuck poured soy sauce into the small dish. "Wasabi?" he asked, scooping some of the green paste.

"Yes, but not too much."

Chuck grinned. "You don't want it hot?"

Blair looked at him under her lashes. "Of course I do," she said saucily.

And Nate nearly choked on his green tea.

- 0 -

When they broke up, Nate wasn't surprised that Blair spent a lot of her time with Chuck. She laughed and smiled a lot, and the hard glint in her eye was now gone. She was radiant and glowing…without him.

He also noticed that she carried herself a bit differently. Blair was still poised and elegant, but the way she moved was also…sexy.

Nate wanted her back, but she turned him down. She was with Chuck now.

On their wedding a few years later, he was the best man, Serena was the maid of honor. They watched Chuck whisper in her ear while she looked at him with love in her eyes and a smile on her face. They were still oblivious to everyone but each other.

End