Serena stumbled out of the Palace front doors and felt the cool night breeze against her face. She felt so hot, like her skin was on fire. It could the summer heat or the five vodka martini's she just had, she couldn't put her finger on it. She didn't know what to do, Georgina was intent on destroying her life Serena didn't know how much more she could take. She had managed to weasel her way into Dan's life, pretending to be a nice normal girl. Serena had no idea what her plan was; did she want to turn Dan against her or just make Serena sweat? Either way it was working, Serena's life was crumbling around her. if anyone found out her dark secret she would loose everything; her family, her friends, Dan. Serena fell back on an old remedy; drink to forget it all. She found herself torn somewhere between the person she wanted to be and the girl she'd give anything to stop herself becoming again. She'd been calling Dan over and over since she had left him, Georgina and Vanessa hours before but she couldn't seem to get through. She tried one last time before she stumbled into the road and flagged down a cab to take her to Brooklyn. Once on the other side of the bridge Serena realised she was out of cash, having spent it all on drink at the hotel bar.

"Thanks a lot!" she yelled as the cab drove away leaving her on some unknown street.

Serena looked around for something she might recognised but Brooklyn wasn't exactly her local area, she usually just followed Dan's lead. She spotted a sports bar on the opposite sidewalk and headed over. It was dark and dingy but Serena didn't care. She stumbled towards the bar and yelled at the bartender;

"Hey you! Do you take credit cards?" He nodded. "Great, vodka…make that a double." She murmured sliding onto a barstool.

"I'm gunna need to see some ID." He replied.

"Come on you can't be serious." Serena said genuinely shocked, she never got carded, never. Everyone knew who she was on the Upper East Side clubs and bars, then she remember she was along way away from there.

"No ID no drink." The guy said sternly. "Sorry."

"Look just gimme a drink okay?" Serena said stroking her fingers through her hair.

"Not before I see some ID, if not you're going to have to leave." He said pointing back to the door.

"Hey you listen okay you don't know who I am, just give me a dam drink!" She yelled back at him.

"No!" the bartender yelled back, "Now I aint gunna tell you again get out!"

"NO!" Serena yelled trying to lean over the bar but was pulled back a mystery pair of hands.

"Hey, hey! Easy now." Said a familiar voice behind her. "Don't worry Karl I'll take it from here."

The bartender nodded, "Okay but don't you bring her back here anytime soon."

"what the hell…" Serena said as she was spun around and lifted off the stool. She was shocked by her mystery rescuer. "Oh crap…"

"Nice to see you too Serena." Rufus replied. "Come on lets get you out of here." He said taking her by the arm.

Once outside Serena began to fully realise just how bad a situation she was in. "Oh my god…Dan's dad…your Dan's dad…"

"Yes Serena I'm Dan's dad, wow its take you six months to realise that." Rufus said jokingly as he led her down the street.

"No it's I'm all…I'm…" she didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry I'm not usually like this. I don't know how I got like this, I just had a really bad time lately."

"It's okay," Rufus said reassuringly. "Let's go back to the apartment, I think Dan's there."

"Okay." She said feeling better she would see Dan soon.

However ten minutes later they arrived back to a dark and empty apartment, Rufus propped Serena against the kitchen counter and snatched a scribbled note from the side.

"Ah Dan's gone to the movies with Jenny and Vanessa. Looks like we just missed them." Rufus said turning back to her. Serena felt deflated, she needed to see Dan. Rufus sensed her disappointment, "Hey why don't we have a coffee, they shouldn't be back too late."

Serena nodded and silently slipped onto a kitchen stool, resting her head against the cool surface. Rufus slid a cup next to her.

"I'm so sorry Mr. Humphreys." Serena said keeping her head down, "I never wanted you to see me like this…I didn't want anyone to see me like this again."

"It's okay, I've seen much worse back in the old days," he said, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Serena shook her head and reached out for her coffee, "I wouldn't know where to start…everything's a mess and I don't know what to do…Georgina's back…and she knows…and if everyone found out I don't know what I'd do…"

Rufus tried to make sense of what she was saying but Serena was rambling like a madwoman, "Have you spoke to your mother about any of it?"

Serena shook her head again, "No…she wouldn't understand…no one would."

"What about Dan?"

"NO!" she yelled, "especially Dan, he would never look at me the same again…" she said as she began to cry.

Rufus was seriously concerned about what had happened, he had no idea what Serena was talking about but right all he was sure about was she was scared and distressed. He thought it best not to push her any further, instead he walked around top her side of the counter and hugged her. Serena clung to him tightly, it felt so good to have some fatherly comfort, she missed her own dad so much and none of her step-fathers ever really did the affectionate thing. Not that she would have wanted them too, the thought of hugging Bart Bass turned her stomach. But Rufus wasn't like any of them, he wasn't like a dad at all really as he held her close with his strong arms wrapped around her tightly. He certainly didn't look like anyone else's dad she knew, with his long hair, boyish stubble and tender smile. She could understand why her mom had fallen for him.

Rufus swayed slightly as he held the sobbing Serena tight, he was gradually getting to used to the dramas of teenage girl world now. Although 'girl' wasn't the word he would have used to describe Serena, Jenny was a girl, Vanessa was a girl but Serena was more like a woman in his eyes. A beautiful young woman at that, she certainly had her mothers assets but she was different than Lily, not so guarded and cold but more fragile and delicate, as if she needed someone to protect her.

Serena pressed herself closer to Rufus, instinctively moving her hands up his back and resting them at the bottom of his neck, gently fingering his hair. She raised her wet face off his chest and slowly, eyes closed tilted her head up to his gently pressing her lips against his. Rufus stood frozen for a second in disbelief that Serena was kissing him but only for a second as he quickly returned the kiss. Serena began to melt as his tongue attacked hers making her purr with delight, her moans seemed to awaken Rufus to the severity of what he was doing. Against all his desires he broke the kiss.

"No, no, no…" he said pushing Serena back against the breakfast bar. "We can't…I mean you're Dan's…and I'm his…" Rufus shook his head violently. "we can't."

Serena raised her fingers to her lips, "I'm sorry, I don't know what made me do that I just…I wanted…I'm sorry."

"It was bad." Rufus said not looking at her.

"Really?" Serena said thinking the opposite.

"No not the kiss, the kiss was…" Rufus tried to think of an adjective but there were no words to describe what he just felt. "But the whole thing…Dan…this would destroy him, he loves you so much."

Serena nodded as silent tears fell down her cheeks, "I'm going to go."

"I think that's best."

Serena gathered her bag and coat and headed towards the door, her legs felt as if they weren't working, she was unsure if it was the alcohol or because her body was still humming from Rufus's kiss. Rufus followed her to the door, hypnotised by her hips as she swaggered in front of him. Serena stopped at the door and took a deep breath before turning back to face him.

"Thank you…" she said quietly, "For helping me."

"Don't worry." He replied silently willing her to leave so this feeling would go away.

Serena nodded and turned back to the door, her heart pounding in her chest as she went to pull back the handle but an arm came from behind her and slammed it shut. Rufus grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and pinned her against the door forcing his lips on Serena's. she responded eagerly running her hands up and down his body as Rufus lifted her into the air, Serena wrapped her legs around his waist tightly as he continued to devour her lips as he staggered away from the door and towards the bedroom. Rufus carried Serena as if she weighed nothing. They knew it was wrong, that they would be hurting so many people they loved but in that moment they didn't care. They both had been needing something, someone.

A moment later Rufus lay Serena down on the soft cotton of his bed as she sighed in delight as he moved his hot kissed slowly down her neck, his hands caressed her supple breast under the material of her shirt, he could feel her nipples hardening underneath. Rufus moved his kisses from her neck to her collarbone and down to the top of her chest but then paused before he reached her breast. He looked up at Serena as if he was waiting for permission. Serena sat up forcefully pushing Rufus upwards with her and with a smirk pulled her shirt up over her head and tossed it to one side. Rufus stared at her beautiful perfection for a moment but was quickly knocked onto his back as Serena hurriedly undid the buttons oh his chequered shirt revealing his bare chest. Serena reciprocated the fiery kisses Rufus had given her, trailing them up and down his abdomen until finally reaching the top of his jeans. She could see the bulge in his jeans grow as she lowered the kisses, she looked up at Rufus who seemed uncontrollably flustered already and with a wicked smile speedily unbuckled his belt before removing both his jeans and underwear. The fresh air help ease Rufus's tension but he didn't have long to relax as Serena took all of him into her mouth.

Rufus cried out in lust as Serena sensuously moved her mouth up and down, playing with him with her tongue causing Rufus to write above her. he felt as if he wouldn't last much longer if she continued torturing him like this. Serena eventually released him and returned to their battle of kisses. Rufus pulled her back up towards him and rolled her once again onto her back. Now it was his turn to torture her. he quickly set about removing the remainder of Serena's clothes making her as naked as he was. Rufus trailed hot opened mouth kisses back along her collarbone and finally reached her soft round breasts. Serena moaned roughly as Rufus sucked her rigid pink nipple whilst sliding his hand up her inner thigh. Serena tensed in his arms as his hand travelled higher until finally finding her at her hot centre. Serena gasped loudly as Rufus thrust his fingers forward into her, she scratched at his back and moved slowly against the movement of his fingers.

Rufus knew it was time, neither of them would be able to hold out much longer. Slowly he removed his fingers and carefully steadied himself above her, he looked into her wild eyes and kissed her gently one last time before finally driving himself forward inside her. Serena threw her head back and moaned as Rufus began to slowly build up a steady faster rhythm, her body moving perfectly in time with his. She could hear Rufus's harsh breath against her ear in between his kisses on her neck. She had been with a lot of guys before and some of them had been good but Rufus was better. Better than Nate, better than Dan. Serena didn't know if it was the older man thing or because he'd had plenty of experience with groupies on the road but Serena was completely taken over him. She clung tightly to his chest as she felt her release growing with his until eventually she could take no more. She cried out loudly as her world burst into light around her, Rufus following her within seconds. They fell against each other, their chests heaving both in awe from what had just happened.

Rufus's eyes twitched as the first rays of the morning sun filtered through his bedroom blinds. Slowly he rolled over but found only an empty space beside him. No note, not nothing, no Serena. Apart of him wondered if it had all been a dream. He shook his head threw on some clothes and wandered back into the kitchen.

"Morning father." Dan chirped from the kitchen sink.

Rufus felt a deep pang of guilt in his heart at the sight of his son, remembering his betrayal from just a few hours ago. "Morning son, coffee?" he asked trying to force himself to be normal.

"over there." Dan replied pointing to the pot, "So?"

"So what?" Rufus asked pouring himself a cup.

"Aren't you going to tell me what the hell happened last night?" Dan asked seriously.

Rufus spun around, fear filling his entire body, "Wh…what are you talking about?"

Dan turned away from his father and pulled a used cup from the sink, "A lip stick stained coffee cup. Now either you're secretly dressing up in drag when Jen and I are out of the house or…there's a new lady in your life." Rufus breathed a deep sigh of relief, "So…who is she?"

Rufus stared at Serena's stained cup then shook his head, "Don't worry son no one you know."

Rufus knew he would never be able to forgive himself, he knew he had betrayed his son in the worst way possible but he couldn't shake the feeling inside. Last night he had felt more alive than he had in over twenty years and he knew he would never feel that way again. He knew when he'd woken up and she was gone that he'd never see Serena again. Last night was enough, it had to be, she was his son's girlfriend…