GOSSIP GIRL TV SHOW Season 3+ (Jenny & Nate)

CHAPTER #16

As Nate drove, Eric said, "you had a great idea picking up all this fabric and Jenny's sewing machine. If anything will cheer her up, it's this stuff."

"I hope so. I'm glad she had you there for her too," Nate said as they waited for the light to change to green.

He felt so bad about how selfish he'd been. No one deserved the exile and drama Jenny had gone through lately. Nate only had himself to blame. He had encouraged Jenny's feelings for him and accepted her support. He didn't like when she schemed/manipulated and lied to people. That's what he had disliked in Blair, Vanessa and Serena.

"I know about her cutting," Eric said suddenly.

Nate looked at him in surprise, "how did you know that?"

"I saw the marks on her wrists. Remember I was in a psych ward for my suicide attempt a few years ago. I've seen it all." Eric explained.

Nate asked, "you're worried like I am that she's going to start doing that again, right?"

"Yup. She'll go back to it like an emotional crutch. Jenny uses it to control something. The pain from cutting is all hers, she owns it. She can stop it and start it. I'm sure she's struggling with her inner demons. She doesn't have a shrink in Brooklyn, so no one she trusts to tell how she feels."

"Why wouldn't she tell you?" Nate asked, slowing down to make a turn.

Eric smiled sadly, "we haven't been very close lately either.  And I did get Dan involved over the whole Chuck thing. Her trust in me is slowly rebuilding, but not quite there yet."

They looked at each other, both thinking the same thing and both hoping that one of them could get Jenny to open up. Jenny needed to tell someone how she felt or it would eat at her from the inside out. It would mentally destroy her a little piece at a time. They needed to get to her and help her soon.  As fast as Nate was driving, the trip was still going to be over four hours long. The reason they didn't take the helicopter was because they didn't want to alarm Rufus or any parental units, unless it was necessary. It was Friday night and they'd probably arrive early Saturday morning. Nate and Eric talked about a lot of things. But Serena was not a topic that Nate was ready to discuss with anyone.

"Want to stop and get something to eat or just do a drive thru and keep going?" Nate asked as his stomach grumbled with a dull roar.

Eric laughed, "drive thru sounds good and looks like we need gas too."

After stopping for gas and getting food, they were on their way again. Eric navigated and kept an eye out for cops. He suggested Nate invest in a radar detector. Nate laughed and said his Grandfather had connections if he really got a bad ticket.

"Yah and I'm sure Chuck has someone too.... Do you hate Chuck for sleeping with Jenny? I know you and Jenny were close once."

"I did at first, mostly because he took advantage of her vulnerability. But she wasn't completely innocent either. It happens, so I don't blame either of them. But their timing couldn't have been worse.  And I'm sure Chuck was pleased with himself for getting Jenny."

Eric asked, "why do you say that?"

Nate answered, "when Jenny first came to town, Chuck tried to seduce her. She turned him down. Then Dan had to pull Chuck off Jenny when he tried to force her to want him. That was back in Chuck's more evil days."

Eric nodded with understanding, "oh pre-Blair."

"Blair definitely brought out the best in Chuck."