He helps Blair out of the car, then speeds to where Nate is pacing, only later remembering he should have waited for Vanessa.
Nate is shaking, and Dan knows it wasn't just from the cold. He knows what Serena van der Woodsen can do to a man.
He doesn't wait for polite chit-chat or worried exchanges; he knows what he needs to know; who he needs to see. She's asleep.
It's okay. He'll wait.
The beeping noise in the room lets him know she's okay; her heart beats the same way as it always did when she slept. And the memory brings a strange pang in his strange heart.
He sits and waits. He's always there, and he always will be. Whenever she needs him. Whatever she needs him for. He sees the cuts on her forehead, and he wishes he could heal them. He sees the bruises underneath her eyes, and he wishes he could fade them. He gazes over the limp corners of her mouth, and he wishes he could lift them, make her smile, the girl he would always love. In some way or the other.
She stirs, and he holds her frail hand between both of his in less than an instant. He's there when she wakes up, and only much later would he rejoice over the fact that his was the first face she saw. She opens her eyes, slowly, heavily, and blue mixes with brown almost immediately. It always does.
His heart flutters and he can't help it.
'Dan?' She remembers. Good.
He brings her hand to his lips and kisses it, every knuckle in turn. He sweeps hair from her face, and cups her cheek, and allows his thumb to caress the darkness beneath her eyelashes. And he feels love for this girl which he has loved for a very long time, but a different kind of love.
'You're here...' She responds, barely squeezing his hand.
'Of course I am. God... I was so worried about you.'
'Is Tripp okay?'
He shakes his head; how typical of her to worry about anyone else but herself.
'He's far too well. Except for maybe a broken nose. Nate took care of that.'
'Nate? Where is he?'
He felt a different kind of love. Consuming, eternal, powerful, unfinished... The kind of love that allowed him to let her go. The kind of love that assured him this wasn't their last goodbye.
'He's outside... He's a mess, Serena.'
She closes her eyes, breathes in, holds it for a second, then exhales.
'I should have stayed with him. I should have never gotten into that car with Tripp when he asked me not to...'
'He's in love with you. You should give him a chance.'
Dan loves her too. He would always love her. In some way or the other. And right now, he loves her enough to allow her to live and love, so that when they reunite, they last.
You and I are forever.
There is no rush to get there.
A/N: This is just because I remembered the hospital scene from season 3, and it really annoyed me that Dan was chasing for Vanessa, while Serena was lying in a hospital bed! This is my take on what should have happened . Enjoy!