"I want more." Serena complained playfully, laughing as she pushed the small white plate that held the last crumbs of strawberry cheesecake to the middle of the alfresco table.

"The baby wants more." She added, knowing that it would soften her husband up. She pushed her blonde hair back off her face, distractedly tying her hair up in a loose ponytail. It was the beginning of a hot summer, a week after her twenty-first birthday; and she was uncomfortable and tired of being six months pregnant.

Dan laughed as Serena stabbed her fork into his cake, impatient with having to wait to order another; he wasn't willing to go up against his pregnant and extremely hormonal wife. They were in a quiet café in Brooklyn, having just finished visiting Rufus and Jenny and stalling the return to their lavish Upper East Side penthouse.

The restaurant Serena was currently trapped in was a far cry from the Brooklyn café she had regularly gone to with Dan during her pregnancy and Emily's infancy. The quiet clinks of china and muffled chatter did nothing to ease the stifling atmosphere of the room.

Her mother was having a one-sided conversation, oblivious to the fact that her daughter had stopped paying attention long ago, about an upcoming charity fundraiser. She was brought back to the table though when something kicked at her shin; Emily was sitting opposite her, an innocent smile adorning her face as looked at her mother, waiting for her to come up with an answer to the unheard question.

"Well Serena, what is it?" Lily's calm and controlled voice penetrated her mind again, and Serena looked at her mother confused; she couldn't admit she hadn't been listening so she needed to fake it.

"Yeah, that sounds great." She nodded enthusiastically, assuming the older blonde was still waffling on about the charity ball, for which Lily was chairing and Serena involved in. Emily giggled into her lemonade while Lily sighed, glaring at her daughter for her rudeness.

"The question was why was Daniel at your place?" Lily repeated, and Serena smiled sheepishly.

"He just wanted to talk." Before she told Lily the truth and potentially created unnecessary drama, she needed to think about it carefully and make a decision for herself.

"After seven years of silence?" Lily was instantly suspicious.

"We're both mature adults mother; it's not like we could avoid each other forever. We have Emily."

"I have you and Eric," She referred to Serena's younger brother who had been living in LA for the last couple of years. "I haven't spoken to your father in almost twenty years." The ex-ballerina pointed out, a smug expression crossing her face.

"Well I'm not you, am I mother?" Serena replied, stuffing her mouth with food so they wouldn't have to continue this conversation.

Serena took Emily and bolted from the afternoon tea, as soon as was deemed appropriate; heading straight to her best friend's apartment.

"S, what are you doing here?" The two blonde girls stepped out of the elevator into the foyer of the impressive Bass penthouse; almost instantly the younger girl dropped her mother's hand and raced off to find the two young Bass children.

Blair emerged from the formal living room where she had been taking a phone call to welcome her friend with a big hug.

"I need some advice." Serena let the smaller woman envelop her in the hug; Blair nodding understandingly as she led Serena towards the couches.

"I talked to Dan today." Serena started, speaking softly so she didn't alert the attention of her step-brother Chuck Bass, who was apparently in his study. Chuck and Dan had never once seen eye to eye and when given the opportunity constantly slandered the other.

"Dan? As in your ex-husband Dan?" Blair asked slowly, taking a sip of water that sat on the coffee table next to him. Serena shot her a who else would I be talking about look glare before continuing.

"Brian Goldberg wants to turn A Life to Love into a movie."

It took several long, silent beats before Blair could speak again. "Well, that's an interesting idea."

"Should I agree?" Serena asked quietly. "I mean, he always followed me for my shows. The least I could do is let him do this…" She let her thoughts trail off, from the expression Blair was giving her, she knew her friend would be horrified if she let Dan do it just because he had gone with her to Europe a couple of time.

Serena didn't stay long at her step-brother's and best-friends place after that conversation. Chuck had emerged from his study to announce Dorota was taking seven year old Charles and three year old Madeline to the park, with a funny look in his eyes and Serena had disappeared quickly with Emily; letting them do whatever they wanted in peace.

Now that she was back in her own apartment, leaning against the back of the lounge chair; she stared at her mahogany bookcase. A Life to Love was coated in a thick blanket of dust; it hadn't been touched in the seven years following her divorce to its widely successful and popular author.

She pulled it off the shelf now, blowing the dust off it; staring at the cover art as she suppressed a sneeze, trying to work up enough courage to actually open the pages that had once been well turned.

Dedicated to my Serena, the real Serena; without you this book would never have been. You are my everything and I can't wait to spend many more long years with you.

Serena's sapphire blue eyes slowly took in the dedication that was still inscribed in her mind, and would most probably remain their for the rest of her life. Sighing, she closed the book and positioned it again on the bookshelf.

She couldn't bring herself to read any more.

Dan had given up on any attempt to write something and was now settled into his couch, wearing only his old pair of track suit pants; his mind paying very little attention to what was actually playing on the wall mounted plasma screen in front of him.

Instead, he was thinking about tomorrow. Visiting his father and sister; both who stilled in Brooklyn, taking another attempt at this novel he was meant to be writing, and of course the decision Goldberg was waiting impatiently for.

"You should say yes to the movie." Serena had come to tuck her daughter in for the night, and without saying anything to her, Emily offered her opinion.

"Why's that?" Serena smiled. Emily still fantasized about her parents getting back together even though she didn't remember the time they had been a happy family; especially after the two marriages and two divorces that happened after Dan.

"Because, it's the story about how you and Daddy fell in love; it's a good story."

Serena smiled again, and nodded. She had made her decision as she'd walked towards her daughter's bedroom to say goodnight but it was still reassuring to hear Emily's opinion.

Bypassing the unfamiliar doorman with a small smile, Serena entered Dan's apartment lobby after dropping her daughter off at Constance Billards' gates Monday morning. She stepped into the waiting elevator and pressed the small, cool silver button that would take her to the top floor; hoping her ex-husband was home.

"Serena," The surprised voice that greeted her assured her Dan was indeed home, and she wouldn't have to make the dreaded journey twice. By the looks of him, he hadn't been expecting visitor's that morning. He was still in the track pants he had worn to bed the night before, the same pair he had been wearing for the last ten years; grasping at a large white mug, full of steaming hot coffee.

"Dan," Serena smiled hoping for a short truce. "I'm sorry for surprising you like this, I should have just called." There was tension in the room, the pair would have been more surprised if there wasn't.

Seven years was a long time, but not long enough for them to forget what they had said to each other.

"You should do the movie." She continued, wrapping her ivory coat around her tighter for security. "But I want control as well."

"Excuse me?" It was the first thing that came to the author's mind. She wanted to control the movie?

"That story wasn't just about you." Then Serena turned again and left without a single word.

Casey xXx

[Edited March 12 2010]