It was the last ball of the year. The annual masked ball on New Year's Eve and Dan had no idea how he had scored an invitation. He and Serena were on a break after a rather large screaming fight. After only a day without her, he needed her back desperately. So he donned a tuxedo, flashed his invitation to the bouncer and marched straight to Blair.
"Evening Waldorf. You haven't seen Serena by any chance, have you?"
"Green dress, gold mask. She told me to tell you something if you came to find her."
"What?"
"She said that for tonight, you two don't know each other, okay?"
"I don't understand."
"Its a game Humphrey. Pretend you two are strangers that happen to find each other at a ball. Now if you'll excuse me, have you seen Chuck?"
Dan shook his head and thanked her, quickly fleeing to find Serena. Dodging past a group of giggling girls, he finally spotted her. She was standing alone by the bar, holding a flute of champagne to her lips. He walked up to her, ordered a glass himself and smiled at her, initiating the game. "What's a pretty girl like you doing by yourself?"
"What's a guy like you drinking by himself?" She shot back as the bartender handed him a glass of the bubbly.
He smiled and clinked glasses with her, letting the liquid flow down his throat. He set his glass down and took her free hand. "What's your name?" He murmured, brushing his lips against her gloved hand.
Her green eyes glittered behind her gold mask as her lips curled into a smirk. "Aren't you supposed to find out at midnight? After all, it is a masked ball."
"Good point, until then, will you dance with me?"
"I don't see any harm in that." She smiled, setting down a bill and taking his outstretched hand.
He bowed gallantly, making giggles erupt from her. She curtsied in return, letting him lead her onto the dance floor. "So out of all the people here, why me?"
His brows furrowed at her question. "Pardon?"
She smiled sweetly at him, stirring up more butterflies in his stomach. "There are tons of girls here in masks, what made you come over and choose me?"
Damn. She was intent on making the game difficult. He smiled disarmingly at her, brown eyes alight. "Well this may sound corny, but something drew me to you. This unexplainable force prodded me the second I saw you and I knew."
"Knew what?"
"Knew that you were the one I should be with."
"Be with? For what, another one night stand?"
His eyebrows shot up, disappearing behind his own mask. "No of course not. I'm surprised you would think that."
"Well we just met." She smiled as he nodded his head in agreement. "You never answered my question."
"I'm afraid my answer will frighten you off." He admitted, bowing his head. "Like you said, we just met."
"Please tell me, I want to know."
"And I want to know your name." He countered, dipping her.
"Yours as well."
He sighed dramatically, earning a small giggle from her. "Another thing to tack onto our list of wants."
"Am I on yours? For the record, I don't want much."
"I would suppose not." He muttered before he could stop the words from his mouth.
Her eyes narrowed and she looked more than displeased. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Well if you don't mind me saying, you seem like the sort of beautiful girl who has everything. Except maybe a boyfriend."
"I do mind, and not that its any of your business but I do have a boyfriend. Albeit one I am terribly angry at." She shot back.
"Care to explain why?"
"Don't you already know?" She spat, momentarily forgetting about the game.
"No." He muttered, trying his best to sound confused. He leaned in and his lips grazed her ear. "Are you forgetting about your own game, Serena?"
Smiling, she stamped on his foot, ignoring his groan. "Why don't you tell me?"
Dan forced a smile, taking her hand and pulled her into a nearby closet.
"What are you doing?" She hissed, slapping his hands away as he tried to remove her mask.
"I'm tired of this game, Serena. Why are we even doing this?"
"Because you're a fucking jackass." Serena poked him in the chest, making him take a step backwards almost running into a broom.
"What the hell did I do?"
"You ate all the fucking pie!"
"Serena," Dan did his best to hide his smile. "You're mad at me because of pie?"
"No," She frowned at him, looking away. "I made that pie as a surprise for you, you saw it and I told you not to touch it. Then, I leave the room and when I come back you're eating all the fucking pie!"
"I'm sorry, but darling, its just a pie." Dan slid his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly.
"It was supposed to be a surprise though." Serena murmured, not resisting as he took her mask off.
"I'll make it up to you, okay?" He pressed his lips to hers carefully, before pulling back and putting her mask back on.
"How?"
"You'll see, but first we have to get out of here." Dan laughed, pushing the door to the closet open.
The two stepped out onto the busy streets of Manhattan and soon they were zooming off to Brooklyn. "Where are we going?" Serena whispered, resting her head on Dan's chest.
"You'll see." He murmured, kissing her on the forehead.
"We're not going to Time's Square, are we? That place...is tainted. Reminds me of Aaron." Serena muttered, adjusting her mask.
"No, I think I know a better place to ring in the New Year."
"I trust you."
Within fifteen minutes, they were standing in the elevator leading up to the loft. "Weren't not...are we?" Serena questioned between kisses.
"No, we're going up to the roof." Dan smiled, checking his watch.
Dan undid his tie quickly, taking off her mask and wrapping the tie around her eyes as a makeshift blindfold. "What are you doing?" She giggled, trying to find a solid thing to hold on to, finally settling on his waist.
"Sshh, its a surprise." Dan smiled, taking off his own mask and tucking both into his pocket.
"You're not throwing me off the roof, are you?" Serena asked, worry clouding her voice.
"Would I do that to you, Serena?" Dan replied, kissing her cheek.
"I don't know, may-" She let out a shriek as he picked her up. "Dan, what are you doing!?"
"Serena, relax." Dan laughed, dropping her down on something soft. "Now don't move."
She nodded, hearing the familiar pop of champagne when it was opened. Next thing she knew, the blindfold was off, his jacket was around her shoulders and she was holding a glass of champagne. "You didn't really think I was going to throw you off and kill you, did you?"
"Well..I yelled at you about pie." Serena muttered, cheeks a bright red.
"No worries." Dan rolled his eyes, lying back on the soft bed.
"How did you get a bed up here anyway?"
"Heavy lifting?"
"Dan..you shouldn't have." She set down her glass and lay down next to him, turning her gaze away from the stars and to him.
"Its no problem. I had practice with the tree last year."
"That was a great present." Serena whispered, tracing her fingers over the stubble on his cheeks.
"Yours was better."
Serena giggled, facing the stars again. "Danny, why are there hangings around the bed?"
Dan blushed, cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink. "Er..privacy reasons."
"Sex on a rooftop? I didn't know you were that daring, Mr. Humphrey." She laughed again as his cheeks turned redder still.
"I wasn't...but..Serena.." He stammered, trailing off.
"You're so cute Dan." Serena laughed, sitting up and taking her phone out of her clutch when she heard it beep. "11:59. Shall we count down to the New Year together?"
"We shall." Dan sat up as well, arm securely around Serena's waist and holding his glass of champagne.
"5.."
"4.."
"3.."
"2.."
"1."
"Happy New Year Serena." Dan whispered, leaning into to kiss her.
"Happy New Year," She murmured, quickly taking a sip of champagne before pushing Dan back onto the bed. "Just so you know, I forgive you..about the pie."
So..er.. happy New Year :D. Its been a good one. I've met some wonderful people this year, hope you have too. Thanks to Leighton for...er..threatening to kill me when I told her that Dan might throw Serena off the roof. So..yeah, hope you review :D. If not, I'll just get champagne to drown my sorrows lol
Oh and thanks to Ben as well. For actually eating the pie ;)