Safe

A/N This is a future fic. They're all about 25 or so. Everyone kinda gets explained throughout the story. The W Dair arc happened, but that lovely kiss did not. :D The prologue is kind of a mess, but I swear to you it does not jump around like this. I just wanted to be able to get the backstory into the story itself.

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the laptop I'm typing this on. Although, if the writers want to give me Dan Humphrey I'll happily accept.

Rufus, Lily, Jenny, Eric, Dan, Nate, Chuck and Blair all sat quietly in a private waiting room waiting for news from the doctors. These trips were becoming all too frequent lately.

Lily sat with her eyes closed wondering if her daughter could ever get her act together. It had been four years since Serena had dropped out from Columbia. Four years since she had begun her downward spiral. Another Saturday night, another night that Serena will escape a near overdose.

"I'm sure she'll be fine kids." Lily said. "You all should get some sleep tonight. I'll stay."

Dan nodded his head as he stood up grabbing his jacket. Four years ago, he finally decided to let go of his first love. It was the day when he had walked in on Serena after a major drug bender. He gave her an ultimatum that day. Get her life together or he was gone.

"Serena, you can't keep doing this to yourself. You need to get yourself together." He said as he kicked a syringe away from his path.

"Dan, just because I don't have the same goals-"

"Goals? You don't have any goals!" he interrupted.

"I have goals to enjoy life!" She stated.

"I can't keep doing this Serena. I can't worry about you every waking moment. So Serena." He said forcing her to look into his eyes. "It's either me or this." He said pointing to her room and lifestyle.

Serena stared into his eyes and looked down, unwilling to move.

"I guess that's my answer." Dan said as he stood up and walked out of her Upper East Side Apartment. When he felt the cool breeze hit him as he left the building he turned around half hoping to see her coming off the elevator. He waited there for thirty minutes. Then his hope was lost. He made a vow to himself that day. A vow that he would no longer allow the negativity that was Serena Van der Woodsen effect him.

Four years later and he was still here, trying to make sure that Serena would be okay.

Dan, Nate, Jenny, Chuck, Eric, and Blair made their way towards the elevator.

"Anybody want to head to The Empire for a drink?" Chuck asked, though he already knew the plan. The group had a Saturday night ritual at this point. Most Saturday nights, Serena would end up in the hospital and they would all end up at The Empire for drinks afterwards.

"Humphey! I can't believe you just told them that!" Blair said as she hit him on his arm.

"She thought you were into her!" Dan laughed.

"I thought she was stealing from the fashion department." Blair said trying to explain why she had tried getting an intern to take off her top.

"You could have just asked her if she was stealing instead of risking a lawsuit!" Dan added laughing. It was funny in hindsight.

Their sophomore year of college Dan and Blair found that they had more things in common than just Serena. They bonded over their love for art, cinema, and literature. So it was only natural to them when they graduated to join forces. They ended up starting an art magazine published quarterly.

Blair then decided that she wanted to branch off and do a high-end fashion magazine. As they were discussing how to keep her involved with the art magazine, Dan suggested that they also tackle this together as well. That was how the Waldorf-Humphrey magazine group was built.

"I still can't believe that you two manage to work together." Nate laughed. He had returned from Los Angeles last year when he found out his grandfather was ill.

"I've been in that office. There needs to be a sign, 'Beware of Flying Objects,'" Jenny giggled. She had finally returned to the city two years ago so that she could continue pursuing her fashion design career. She never expected her designing career to flourish this early. She especially did not expect that to happen thanks to Dan and Blair.

"Last time I was there I got drilled in the head by a stapler." Chuck added.

"You kind of deserved that one though." Dan laughed.

"I was suggesting that we have pork for lunch, not calling Blair pork chop." Chuck said.

"I don't think you eat pork." Dan laughed.

"For once Humphrey, can you just go along with what I'm saying?" Chuck groaned. Over the years Chuck and Dan had finally gotten along over family brunch. A year ago, there was a worker at The Empire that claimed Chuck had fired her because she refused to have sex with him. Those were dark days for Chuck, but Dan had written an article attesting to his character stating that yes, Chuck had made some mistakes in his past, but he had made changes in his life. With that article, the media attention swarming said circus disappeared allowing Chuck to save his name. That was the moment that Chuck really considered Dan a friend.

Blair however was another story. Chuck had finally won her back. Convinced her that he was ready for a serious relationship and that she was his forever. He was perfect for the first year of their relationship. Then, he had made one mistake. He had run into Eva on the streets of Manhattan and one drink had lead to another and he found himself back at her hotel room. Blair had found out via Gossip Girl and refused to ever speak to him again. The next time that he had spoken to her was the first time Serena had ended up at the hospital. They've been civil ever since, but there was still a part of him that longed for her. It didn't make it any easier that he saw her frequently due to his relationship with Dan.

"Well, I've got an early morning, so I must close up shop." Chuck groaned as he remembered his early flight to Japan.

"Yeah, and we're heading out to Miami tomorrow." Blair reminded Dan.

"Same time next week?" Eric asked. He had recently returned from college in San Francisco. He watched from afar as piece by piece his mother had been falling apart because of his sister.

"Let's hope not." Nate groaned.

"Want to share a cab?" Dan asked Blair as they got up to leave.

"May as well." Blair said grabbing her coat.

Dan had finally moved to the Upper East Side. Although, Blair would say because he liked it and Dan would say due to its proximity to the office. They've lived in the same building for the last year and a half.

"I'm going to run to the restroom. Meet you out there." Blair called as she made her way towards the restroom.

"Do you think she's ever going to get better? Blair asked Dan as they made their way into the elevator.

"She won't unless she wants to. There isn't much any of us can do for her anymore." Dan said as he pressed the button for her floor.

"I know that, but it just kills me to see my best friend do nothing with her life. " Blair continued.

"It kills us all." Dan sadly added as they made their way off the elevator and into her penthouse. "So I'll see you in the morning?" he asked.

"Yeah, what time will the car be here?" she asked.

"Ten. Hey," Dan said grabbing Blair's arm. "We have a big day tomorrow. I had to learn years ago to let go of her. Don't keep letting her affect your life too."

"I know, it's just that it keeps happening and every week it's the same story. Every time, I keep telling myself, 'this is it, she's finally going to learn,' but she doesn't." She said as the tears began to flow.

"Hey," Dan said pulling her into a hug. "I know, but like I said, she's going to have to figure this out on her own. The more we try to push her the further from recovery she'll be."

"I miss my best friend." Blair said as she rested her head on his chest.

"We all do." Dan answered as he held her tight. After a minute of standing there Dan lifted her chin so she would look at him. "I need you tomorrow Waldorf, get some rest."

She nodded slowly as she stared into his concerned brown eyes. She closed her eyes as she leaned into him for a kiss seeking solace in the one person that understood how she felt. In the one person that had always been there for her.

A/N I apologize, but this is my first time using and I'm still figuring out the formatting.