A/N: I try to come up with a creative way to say this every time, but I can't, so I will just say thank you! As per your request, I will try not to make this chapter too cheesy, but no guarantees. Enjoy this M rated chapter.

Chapter Three

Rufus has learned an interesting fact about Lily over the years. When his wife wants something or when something is very important to her, she doesn't always know how to communicate her feelings with him. Instead, she gets mopey and starts dancing around the issue in the hopes that he is smart enough to read through her smoke signals.

It's been two weeks since the whole second wedding should-we-or -shouldn't-we debacle. Lily hasn't brought it up since, but she hasn't exactly let it go either. Rather than telling him what she actually wants, because that would be too simple really, she has been dropping tiny bread crumbs for him to find and interpret. Today is no exception to this game they have been playing with each other over the past couple weeks, but Rufus is determined to drag it out of her. He hears the elevator doors ding open and snatches his unread magazine off the coffee table, waiting for his wife to come to greet him. She was at Bass all morning assisting Chuck in expanding the empire into Midtown. Her body is slumped over in exhaustion, but she still manages to smile as she walks towards him.

"Hi," She mumbles, setting her overflowing file down on the coffee table before placing a soft kiss on his lips.

"Hey, how did the meetings go?" Lily sits down and extends her legs, placing her feet in Rufus' lap. He looks down at her pedicured toes, intrigued by the way she is sitting. She sighs and leans back slightly so her back is up against a throw pillow.

"Long, boring, I just have some final modifications to Charles' business plan to make so we can close the deal." He nods and watches her lean over to grab the file, digging through her purse to find her reading glasses in the process. Rufus goes back to flipping through his magazine. "Is Alex asleep?"

"Yeah, she and Tyler had an adventurous day at school today. I am sure she will tell you all about it when she wakes up." Lily grins at her husband's anecdote about their daughter and flips over a piece of paper.

The couple sits in comfortable silence for a few minutes, each concentrating on the material in front of them. Lily is starting to get annoyed; she thought Rufus would get the hint already. Apparently, she needs to be a little more obvious. So, Lily loudly clears her throat and wiggles her feet that are resting on Rufus' legs. Rufus looks up from his magazine, catching his wife's gaze briefly before she buries her nose in the business file.

"Lil, are you trying to tell me something?" He asks. Lily slowly brings the folder away from her face, a doe-eyed expression washing over it.

"Oh...um...it's just…my feet hurt…" Rufus nods, he knows what Lily is asking him for, but he isn't going to give in that easily.

"I'm sorry Lil," He comments and pretends to be interested in the picture on the opposite page. Lily narrows her eyes at Rufus,

"I'm pregnant." Rufus merely grumbles, not seeming to care about her aching feet or the fact she is pregnant with his child. Lily tosses her file on the floor, business be damned, her husband is really starting to piss her off. "Are you being intentionally dense?" Rufus smirks and throws the magazine aimlessly on the carpeting, resting his hands over her feet.

"Yup, unless you have something you want to ask me." Lily huffs in defeat; she sees what Rufus is trying to get her to do. She sets her hand on his shoulder while using the other to take her glasses off.

"Rufus, my darling, would you pretty please rub my feet for me?"

"I would be happy to," Rufus grins widely at her glare. He is impressed with himself that he was able to beat her at her own game. Rufus digs his thumbs into the arches of her feet, seeing her close her eyes and moan softly. She bends her knees slightly and drops her head onto the armrest of the couch, folding her hands over her relatively flat abdomen.

"Rufus?" She murmurs with her eyes still closed.

"What Lil?"

"When was the last time we did something spontaneous?" His eyebrows spurt together at her question, wondering where this is coming from.

"Well, the last time we did something spontaneous, you ended up pregnant. You know, the bar, in Brooklyn a few months ago." Lily's eyes flutter open and she frowns.

"I really don't remember that night at all." Rufus laughs,

"That's because you were drunk." Her mouth drops open in an attempt to defend herself, but can't. The only thing she recalls about that particular night is saying goodnight to Alex.

"Fine, then why don't you refresh my memory since I was so intoxicated?"

"Gladly," Rufus says and moves his hands to the balls of her feet, "it was my turn to pick where we should go for our date night…"

About once a month, Lily and Rufus try to plan a night to themselves. They leave Alex with a babysitter, usually one of their older kids, and go out. It is Rufus' month to pick and he wants to do something out-of-character for them.

"Hey Lil?" Rufus yells as he sets Alex down on the floor.

"Up here Rufus," She calls back, presumably from their bedroom. Alex bolts up the stairs with her father closely following. Alex runs and jumps on their bed while Rufus turns the corner to find his wife trying to choose between two outfits.

"Are you excited for our date tonight?" Rufus asks, wrapping his arm around her waist. She turns and smiles at him, nodding profusely.

"I am I just don't know what to wear. Why won't you tell me where we are going?"

"All I will say is you should dress…younger. I don't think this is appropriate for where we are going." Rufus points to a sparkly, chocolate, one shoulder dress.

"Fine, I think I need Alex's help to choose an outfit. Can you go get dinner for us?" Rufus yells for Alex and gives Lily a goodbye kiss to the cheek.

"Hi mommy," Alex appears in the closet and starts digging through her mother's clothes within her reach. Lily turns and watches Alex work, an amused grin playing on her face.

"Do you know where daddy is taking me tonight?" Lily asks, although she shouldn't. Alex is well known for not being able to keep a secret.

"Nope but daddy say dat you don't need dese dwesses." Alex grabs a pair of jeans from a nearby cabinet and sets them on the floor. Lily starts reaching for a royal blue shirt, but Alex stops her. "No mommy, no."

"What?" Lily asks and spins around to see her daughter with her arms crossed.

"Not your colwer, red better." the three-year-old reaches for a crimson scoop neck tank and tugs on it. Lily takes it off the hanger and sets it by her jeans. Alex starts going towards Lily's array of jackets, searching for the perfect final touch to her mom's outfit. Lily trails behind Alex, wanting to see what her daughter comes up with without interfering. "Dis one mommy." Alex stands on her tip toes in an attempt to take the black leather jacket off its hanger.

"I love it Alex, thank you," Lily scoops Alex off the floor and smiles at the jacket her daughter chose. Lily wore this jacket over to Rufus' loft all those years ago when Eric went missing from the Ostroff Center. "I need to get ready, can you go play?"

"K mommy, I go play wif my toys." Lily sets Alex down and disappears into the bathroom.

After dinner, Serena arrives to watch Alex. Lily is upstairs finishing her ensemble.

"Rufus, where are you taking mom tonight?" Serena asks, noticing Rufus' outfit. He has reverted back to jeans and his flannel t-shirts he was wearing before he married Lily. Rufus turns to make sure Lily isn't behind him and picks Alex up.

"We are going to a bar in Brooklyn." Serena raises her eyebrows in shock, she is curious as to how this is going to play out.

"Are you trying to get my mom wasted?" Serena lowers her voice at the end so Alex can't hear, but she does anyway.

"Daddy, what's wasted?" Alex asks out of curiosity. Rufus glares at Serena who mumbles an apology.

"Nothing Alex, it just means that mommy is going to have a few drinks tonight."

"Oh, I like dwinks, my favwite is milk. Is mommy gonna have milk?"

"She might, I am going to have to ask her while we are gone."

"I bet you twenty bucks that my mother won't come back d-r-u-n-k." Serena spells it out so she won't get caught this time. Rufus sets Alex on the floor while Lily is coming down the steps.

"Alright, deal," Rufus and Serena shake hands while Lily picks Alex up. Rufus turns to see his wife wearing something totally uncommon for her.

"Mom, you look…different." Serena comments, raising her eyebrows at Lily's outfit choice. Lily blushes as she walks toward Serena and Rufus.

"Alex picked it out for me. Have fun with Alex, Serena, I love you." Lily says and presses a kiss on Alex's cheek.

"I wuv you too mommy." Rufus wraps an arm around Lily's waist. Alex is passed to Rufus so he can kiss her goodnight and say I love you before handing her over to Serena.

Rufus and Lily take a taxi to his favorite bar in Brooklyn, a little dive bar near his gallery. Lily smirks as Rufus opens the cab door for them, holding his hand out for her to take. They sit at the bar and Lily slides her coat off, hanging it over the chair. Rufus orders them some beers to start off with. He knows that a few beers isn't going to get Lily drunk, but he will change to hard liquor in time.

"Lil, what do you say we do some shots?" Rufus asks. Lily quirks an eyebrow,

"Are you trying to get me drunk Humphrey?" He orders them shots of Patron and sets one in front of her.

"What? No, I thought it would be fun." Rufus holds up his glass and Lily picks up hers.

"Fine, I will do shots with you if you can pick me up." He sets his glass down on the bar counter.

"Pick you up? In case you have forgotten, I am your husband." Lily nods and flips her golden hair over her shoulder.

"Well, pretend you are not. Come on; give me your best corny pick up line. I will only make fun of you a little bit." Rufus gives her an adorable grin and hops off the bar stool. Lily turns to look at him, wondering what he is going to say. Rufus steps back a little and then approaches her.

"Hi, do you know how much a polar bear weighs?" He asks, leaning on the counter slightly. Lily laughs and looks at Rufus like he is insane.

"No, how much?"

"Enough to break the ice, Rufus Humphrey," He holds his hand out for Lily to shake. She giggles and shakes his hand.

"Very nice to meet you Rufus, I'm Lily." Rufus chuckles and reclaims his seat next to her. He leans over to brush a kiss to her cheekbone.

"Did I say you could kiss me? After all, we just met," Lily says coyly. Rufus winks at her and picks his glass up again. This time, Lily follows suit and presses it against her lips.

"Let's play a game Dan taught me." Rufus says before she downs the drink.

"What is it?" Lily is willing to do whatever Rufus wants since he arranged this night for them. It's nice to step out of her comfort zone every once and a while.

"It's called 'I never'." Lily nods, she has heard from Serena how to play this game.

"Fine, you go first." Rufus smirks, already having his first sentence in mind.

"I never slept with Bart Bass." Lily sneers at him and downs her shot. Rufus tells the bartender to just keep the shots coming, they are going to need them.

"I never slept with Alison Humphrey." Rufus takes his drink.

"I never had more than 13 people on my list."

"Bastard," Lily mutters and tips her drink back. Rufus laughs and rubs her shoulder. "Oh, I never had someone fall asleep on me while having sex."

"I never had someone high five me after."

"Low blow my darling. I never…left a hickey for our daughter to find." Rufus sighs and takes his shot, but is confused when Lily doesn't take hers.

"Uh…Lil, you did that too."

"Nuh uh, when?"

"Last Christmas…under that mistletoe the kids insisted that we stood under. You had too much of CeCe's spiked eggnog."

"Crap," Lily blushes and downs her shot.

Several more rounds of 'I never' and Lily has swallowed a lot more alcohol than Rufus.

"Are you ready to admit defeat Lil?" Rufus asks. Lily nods and downs her final shot.

"You wanna know something Rufus?" Lily doesn't wait for his response, "you are the best husband I have ever had, and trust me I have had a lot." Rufus smirks at her, mission accomplished, he thinks as he looks at his very inebriated wife.

"Alright Lil, time to go," Rufus grabs her jacket off the chair and swings it over her shoulders. He holds his hand out for Lily who half glides, half falls off of the bar stool. She turns to wave at the bartender while Rufus slides a hundred across the counter.

Rufus escorts her into a cab, holding onto her hand tightly so she doesn't try to exit the moving vehicle.

"Why do we never come here? I love Brooklyn," Lily declares and turns to face Rufus who shakes his head.

"You are so drunk right now."

"Nope, you are," Lily taps her finger on his nose and giggles. Rufus lets go of her hand to coil an arm around her. The taxi drops them off in front of the apartment complex. Rufus is busy handing the driver the fare while Lily is aimlessly strolling around near the street. He comes up behind her and clasps her hand, dragging her into the building. Lily spots Vanya and runs over to him, hugging him tightly.

"Hello Ms. Lily," The poor doorman has never seen her like this. Rufus laughs and snags Lily's hand, mumbling an apology to Vanya.

"You are a very nice man Vanya, Dorota is very lucky to have you. You just open those doors so well, she must be proud." Rufus waves goodbye to the doorman while taking Lily into the elevator. Halfway up, Lily reaches behind her and presses the red button, halting the elevator's progress to the top.

"Lil, what are you doing?" Rufus asks, noting her devilish smile. She advances toward him, looping her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a passionate kiss. She pulls back and bites her lower lip. "You know people can see us, right?" Rufus really doesn't care, but Lily would if she wasn't drunk off her ass at the moment. She waves her hand grandly in the air.

"I don't mind." His retort is silenced by her lips crashing onto hers with the air of a desperate woman who wants him now. He tugs at her purse, hearing it hit the elevator floor with a loud thud. She grins as his lips lower towards her neck. Lily watches Rufus step out of their embrace for a quick moment, unzipping his jeans swiftly. He reaches for her again, wrapping his arm around her slender waist, reaching lower for her jeans. He yanks her pants off and tosses them near her purse. Rufus walks them backwards and presses her up against the wall, kissing her fervently

Lily counters by separating their lips and using her hands to tug his boxers down so they are pooled at his feet with his jeans. Rufus steps out of them and kicks them aside. He stamps a kiss to her lips before reaching down to slide her panties down her slender legs as they join the ever increasing pile of shed clothing.

"I told you this was going to be a fun night." Rufus mutters against her skin, pressing a kiss to her temple as his hands meanders in between her thighs. Lily doesn't respond, but, instead, leans her pelvis into his touch. She is getting lost in the sensation of Rufus skillfully maneuvering his fingers inside of her.

"We have to hurry," finally tumbles out of Lily's mouth. Rufus catches the hint and his hands abandon her thighs, moving to get a firm grip on her waist as he enters her with one fluid motion. A muffled cry of passion escapes Lily's mouth and lands on the side of Rufus' cheek as the incredible sensation of him filling her so completely with one stroke sends a tremble down her spine.

He starts to pump in and out of her with a strong rhythm that makes her gasp even more. His right palm is now pressed firmly onto the wall behind her. His left arm hooks around her leg, making sure that she never falls out of his grasp. Nuzzling her cheek with the stubble of his jaw, Rufus moves his lips to Lily's again. His tongue slips into her mouth and dares her to keep up with his pace before releasing her from their kiss. Her head drops down to rest against his shoulder as her hips flexed in time with his. Lily's soft whimpers bounce off the fabric of Rufus' flannel T-shirt as he twists slightly, going in at a different angle. She bites down on the curve of his neck, mere inches from the collar bone. Rufus groans and grabs a fist of her hair, tilting her head up so he can kiss her fiercely.

Letting out a deep moan, Lily feels her leg being raised up higher in its bent position by Rufus just as her orgasm starts to chase through her. The motion follows closely by Rufus' own orgasm, who is trying to balance holding Lily up while convulsing around her. Basking in their afterglow, Rufus eases Lily to her feet in order to collect their clothing. They quickly redress and assess each other, looking for any unruly tendrils or missed buttons.

"You good?" Rufus asks, walking over to push the button. Lily smoothes down a strand of hair and nods. The elevator starts moving again and drops them off at their penthouse. Between her already drunken state and ecstatic high from their tryst in the elevator, Lily feels like the luckiest woman alive.

"Mom, Rufus," Serena says and gets off the couch, setting her bowl of grapes down on the coffee table. Lily bounces over to her daughter and kisses her fully on the cheek. Rufus stands back with his hands in his pockets, he is about to collect twenty dollars from his stepdaughter.

"Thank you for watching Alex, I love you and you are my favorite child right now, but don't tell Eric, it's a secret," Lily whispers conspiratorially and laughs a little too loud for the quiet penthouse. "Oh, are those grapes?" Serena turns to look at Rufus who is making his way toward Lily.

"Mom, are you drunk?" Serena asks. Lily's cheeks heat up as she pops a few grapes in her mouth.

"Yeah," She covers her mouth, but a laugh still seeps through the cracks of her fingers. Serena shoots Rufus an impressed look just as Lily starts heading toward the liquor cabinet.

"Come on honey, let's get you to bed," Rufus intercepts Lily by the fridge and gets a firm grip on her hand. Lily starts to protest, but shrugs it off.

"Okay, night Serena," Serena waves to Lily and watches while Rufus brings his wife upstairs. He opens the master bedroom door and closes the door behind him, leaving her to her own devices. Rufus then walks back downstairs where Serena is waiting with his money.

"Here you go Rufus; I am impressed that you were able to get my mother totally wasted." Rufus pockets the twenty with an arrogant smile.

"Let's just say that I know your mother very well. Anyway, thanks so much for watching Alex." Serena steps into Rufus' hug and then exits the penthouse. Rufus goes back upstairs, gently opening the door to the master bedroom. Lily is already fast asleep, fully clothed, with her boots hanging over the edge of the bed. He disappears into the closet to change before taking Lily's boots off and climbing into bed next to her.

"You intentionally got me drunk just to win twenty dollars from my daughter?" Lily asks in disbelief after Rufus wraps up his story.

"I did not force drinks down your throat Lil, you were more than willing to participate. What brought this conversation up anyway?" Lily looks away from him, focusing more on the corner of the coffee table instead. "Lily…I know when you aren't telling me the whole story." Lily sighs as Rufus stops massaging her feet.

"Alright, fine, I will confess that…maybe, just maybe, I want to renew our vows, but I don't want it to be…lame…I guess is the right word." She seems embarrassed by her admission, like she usually does when she opens up to him. Rufus nods in understanding.

"Okay, well, how do we not make it cheesy?"

"Um…it could be small."

"Wait, you, Lily Rhodes, Van der Woodsen blah, blah, blah, Humphrey, wants to something small? Whatever happened to there are certain expectations to being Lily Bass?" Lily rolls her eyes at him.

"I don't have the time or the energy to plan a big event. We could just have it at the loft with the kids."

"Oh, we could write our own vows." Lily's eyes widen,

"I had a hard enough time writing my vows the first time; I don't know if I could do it again." Rufus laughs at Lily's honesty.

"Don't worry Lil, just as long as it doesn't turn into the 'you are the wind beneath my wings' I think we will be okay." Lily laughs and shakes her head.

"I don't think you have to worry about that from me, you are the more sentimental one out of the two of us." Rufus gives her a duh look that Lily chooses to ignore.

"Okay, when are we going to have this wedding thing? I need to shop."

"Of course you do. How about we invite the kids over tomorrow to tell them and then have this thing this weekend?" Lily nods and bends forward to place a kiss on the corner of his mouth.

"There is just one more thing to talk about," Rufus trails off, hoping that Lily will catch on.

"What?"

"Are we going to invite your mother?" Lily groans and tosses her head back into the armrest.

"I don't that would be a wise decision. Have you ever seen CeCe in Brooklyn? It's weird enough that I venture across the bridge." Lily shivers at the thought.

"So that's why you want to have our vows renewed at the loft, you know CeCe wouldn't go there." Lily averts his gaze, making Rufus think that his assumption is correct.

"That might be a reason. What about your mother? Should we invite her?" Lily feels Rufus tense slightly; she knows that he doesn't have the best relationship with his parents all stemming from their teenage years when Rufus decided to pursue music with his band. His parents disagreed, but Rufus was too stubborn to listen. Lily had to remind him of that when he was struggling with Jenny's yearning for a career in fashion.

"I don't know Lil, I mean it would be hard for her to get here and she doesn't really like us being together." Lily purses her lips, recognizing the similarity with CeCe.

"Does she still refer to me as that woman with those husbands?" Rufus chuckles and reaches for his wife, pulling her up against him to drop a kiss to her head.

"I think you moved up to that woman with my two children after Alex was born."

"Lovely," Lily quips and turns to plant a kiss on his lips.

"Yeah well, I was thinking that we could invite CeCe and my mother up for some upcoming holiday. We should tell them about the baby eventually." Lily nod in concurrence and yawns. She reaches for her file, but Rufus snatches it from her.

"Rufus!" Lily says in her trademark tone.

"Go get some sleep, you can finish this later." He can see Lily mentally contemplating whether she should argue with him or just do what he says.

"Fine, only because you gave me a foot massage." Lily wraps her arm around his neck to kiss him fully. He parts their lips briefly to kiss her deeper prior to him pulling away. She winks at him and heads upstairs to catch some shut eye before Alex wakes up.

Rufus stays downstairs to text their kids to inform them that there is, once again, a mandatory family dinner tomorrow. He realizes that the kids are going to think there is another announcement to be made. Rufus sets his phone on the table and goes upstairs to his office to get some work done.

Alex sneaks out of her bedroom a few hours later and runs into her parent's bedroom. She struggles to get on the bed, but manages, digging her knee into Lily's leg into the process.

"Hi mommy! Daddy's cookin' dinner." Alex informs her mother while getting under the covers with her. Lily hooks her arms around her daughter, bringing her into her arms.

"I'm glad daddy is making us dinner instead of me."

"Yeah I would be 'fraid to eat." Alex admits and laughs as her mom tickles her.

"Daddy told me you had fun with Tyler today at school. What did you do?"

"We pwayed wif toys and learned some words. I colwer too but I give Tywer my picture." Lily slides out of bed and takes Alex, setting her down on the floor. Alex bolts downstairs while Lily goes to the bathroom. When she gets down the stairs, Rufus already has dinner laid out on the table for them. Lily helps Alex set up her food and then takes a seat next to Rufus.

"So Alex, we have some news to share with you," Rufus starts, winking at Lily. Alex swallows her bite and waits for a response from her parents. The last time they started a conversation like this her parents told her that they were going to have a baby.

"What's goin on mommy and daddy is it da baby?" Alex asks with curiosity.

"No sweetie the baby is fine. Daddy and I have decided that we are going to take your advice and get married again at the loft." Alex claps her hands in delight,

"Yay! I so smart. Mommy are you gonna wear a dwess?"

"Of course, we can go pick one out soon, okay?"

"K mommy, I help you look good. Can Tywer come to your weddin?" Lily says yes at the same time Rufus says no. Lily glances at Rufus, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Uh...well, I guess daddy and I will have to talk about Tyler coming." Lily says for them both, wondering what Rufus' problem with Tyler is. She is guessing that it just has to do with him being an overprotective father. Alex sighs and sticks her lower lip out, complete with batting of the eyelashes. Rufus isn't going to fold as easily as if it were Lily.

"Alex, mommy and I will see okay?" Rufus says in a stern voice. Alex concedes and gives a pint-size glare at her father while wolfing down her pasta. Lily's teeth skim across her lower lip so she won't laugh at the look Alex is giving her husband. Lily is well aware of the fact that Alex probably will rebel against them just like Serena and Jenny did. Hopefully, that won't come for a long time.

After Lily and Rufus clean up dinner, Alex insists that they watch a movie together before she goes to bed. Lily protests at first because she wants to talk to Rufus about the whole Tyler situation, but they can have that conversation later. Alex gets situated on the floor while Rufus cuddles with Lily on the couch.

"You and I need to talk," Lily whispers to him, making sure first that Alex is fully engrossed in the movie. Rufus' eyes lower down to her, knowing what she wants to discuss.

"Okay, later," Rufus rakes his fingers through her shiny golden tresses briefly as Lily drops her head onto his chest. He slinks his free hand under the blanket and splashes it across her abdomen, rubbing it soothingly with his thumb. Lily smiles softly and reroutes her attention back on the movie.

When the movie is over, Alex understands that it is time for her to go to bed. She stands up to give Lily a kiss goodnight and then follows Rufus into her bedroom. Lily separates from them to go into the master bedroom. She changes into a light pink chemise and slides into bed to wait for Rufus.

Rufus strides into their bedroom and sits on his wife's side of the bed, causing her to move over towards the middle.

"Rufus, why don't you want Tyler to come to our get together this weekend?" Rufus sighs and combs a piece of hair out of Lily's eyes.

"It's not that I don't want him to come, I don't think Alex should be that close to him." Lily rolls her eyes,

"Oh come on Rufus, she is three-years-old, don't be absurd."

"This isn't about how old she is it's about setting limits for her, which you seem to be incapable of doing." Lily's mouth drops open and she backs into the pillows, away from Rufus.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You don't ever say no to her. I don't want to seem like the bad parent because I do."

"I am trying to give Alex the best life that I can, don't hold that against me." Lily's voice gets dangerously low at the end of her sentence.

"She needs to learn that she can't get whatever she wants."

"And she will, but I am not going to prevent her from having the life that she deserves. What, do you want Alex to be like Jenny and Dan who hated this world because they couldn't afford it?" Lily's mouth clamps shut after realizing the depth of the words she just spoke. Rufus stands up and shakes his head at her, not even believing what he is hearing.

"I gave my kids everything that I could and you know that." Rufus turns to leave,

"Rufus, wait, I didn't mean…" Lily starts, but Rufus is already near the door. He stops, pivots on his feet to face her,

"I am going out for a few hours." He leaves her in their bedroom and heads downstairs toward the elevator. Rufus can't be here anymore, he doesn't need to hear Lily criticizing him for his parenting skills, especially when it comes to money. He fully comprehends that they come from two different worlds, but the societal lines have never been as distinct in their marriage as they are now.

Lily lets Rufus go; there is no point in trying to stop him. She regrets what she just said to him, he didn't deserve that. He is a great father regardless of his financial status. She honestly didn't mean to say that to Rufus, she was just angry. She got defensive when he said that she is powerless to set boundaries for Alex. Many people on the Upper East Side disapproved of Lily for not doing that with Serena and she didn't want to hear it from her own husband. Still, that is no excuse for the things that she said to Rufus.

Great job Lily; you did a great job of pushing your fifth husband away. Lily thinks to herself and feels tears prick at the corner of her eyes. She uses the back of her hand to wipe away a tear tumbling from her eyelid. She has no right to cry, she is the one who hurt Rufus.

Rufus enters a bar near the apartment complex. He slumps into a seat and orders a scotch from the bartender. Rufus takes a sip and debates whether he should go back to the penthouse tonight. He realizes that if he goes back, she will apologize, but a part of him wonders why she said it. Was it the truth? Did he inadvertently hurt his kids by sending them to the Upper East Side for school? Rufus shakes the thought out of his head, both of his children have graduated, there is no use in mulling over that now. He is more worried about his marriage and whether they used that fight as an excuse to push each other away, something they are very good at after being with each other for so long.

Lily waits a little over an hour before she calls her husband. She sets her book down on the nightstand and reaches for her phone. Not shockingly, Rufus sends her to voicemail.

Hi this is Rufus Humphrey, I'm not here right now, but if you leave a message I'll be sure to get back to you.

"Hi Rufus, it's me, probably the last person you want to hear from right now. I just want you to know that I am so sorry and I love you. Please come home, our bed is cold without you in it. Okay…bye." Lily lets her iPhone fall onto the bedside table and she turns over, extending her arm to grab Rufus' pillow.

Rufus pays for his tab and steals his phone off the bar counter. He sighs when he sees that he has a voicemail from his wife. Against his better judgment, he listens to it and softens. Lily is never the first one to admit fault, but she is doing that here. Maybe it's worth hearing her out before running away. She is obviously sorry and he has forgiven her for a lot worse. Rufus muses on the conversation they had in their bedroom while walking back to the penthouse. Right as he opens the door, Vanya swiftly advances towards him.

"Mr. Rufus, Ms. Lily has been calling for you all night." This is news to Rufus,

"She has?" Vanya nods and informs him that Lily has been checking almost every half hour to see if he has come back. "Thank you Vanya, I think I am going to see my wife."

"Here, for Ms. Alex," Vanya produces a lollipop out of his pocket and hands it to Rufus. Rufus mumbles thanks again and takes the elevator to the penthouse.

He is half expecting Lily to be waiting on the couch for him, but all the lights downstairs are turned off. So, Rufus does a quick check on Alex to make sure she is still sleeping before opening the door to the master bedroom. Lily is cocooned around his pillow on his side of the bed. Rufus can tell that she was crying by the tear tracks running down her cheeks. He should probably let her sleep, but he just wants to alleviate this tension between them right away. Rufus gingerly sits down on her side of the bed and puts a hand on her back, massaging it gently.

"Hmmm…" Lily stirs and slowly, her eyes flutter open. She shoots up like a spring when she discovers her husband is sitting beside her. Her arms loop around his neck and she buries her head into his neck. "Rufus, I am so, incredibly sorry. You are a wonderful father and I am an idiot. I'm sorry."

Rufus coils his arms around her back, sensing tears pool onto his t-shirt. He pulls her back slightly, cupping her face with his hands.

"Lil, it's okay, I know now that you didn't mean to hurt me."

"I didn't, but I still shouldn't have said what I said." He kisses her on the forehead and brings her close to his lap.

"We are doing it again you know," Rufus comments. Lily furrows her eyebrows and looks up at him.

"Doing what?"

"What we did before our last wedding, getting into petty arguments because we can't compromise on something."

"Oh, right, we are great at doing that huh?" Lily tilts her head to look up at him, thrilled to see a smile on his face. He compresses a kiss to her temple.

"Mhmm…the best, we can tell Alex that Tyler can come." Lily laughs despite everything that has transpired between them tonight.

"Great, I am glad that you can see it my way." Without preamble, Rufus roughly pushes her into the pillows so he is hovering over his wife. Lily gasps as his lips mesh into hers. She drapes her arms around his neck, feeling herself melt into his kiss. "Let's get these clothes off of you," Lily whispers, ducking away from him and tugs at his shirt, yanking it off his torso and throwing it off the bed. She then works to get his jeans and belt off, chucking them where his shirt lies. He is clad only in his boxers and rolls them over, wanting to get Lily's nightgown off before he is completely naked.

He slips each strap off of her shoulder, using his hands to bring it down her chest, abdomen, hips, legs and toes. Rufus moves his hands to her breasts, stopping when he hears Lily whimper.

"Ow…Rufus, that hurts."

"I'm sorry, I thought I was doing it softly," Rufus diverts his hands to her hips. She shakes her head,

"It's fine," Rufus rolls them over so he can place feather light kisses to both of her breasts. Lily dips her head back for a second, but tries to focus on slipping his boxers off. He hums and inches his fingers toward her underwear, looping his finger around the fabric. He seductively smirks at her while the panties skim down her long legs. Lily laughs at the lust sparkling in his eyes and hooks her arm around the nape of his neck to bring him down for a kiss. They roll over again while kissing. Rufus gently guides Lily into him, starting out with slow, gentle thrusts.

"You feel so good," Rufus mumbles, lifting her pelvis up so she can plunge in deeper. Lily grinds out her husband's name between her teeth and digs her fingernails into his back. He moves his lips to the side of her face, keeping up the pace, saying her name with a hushed breath, feeling her tighten around him as her orgasm races through her. He moves his right hand to the small of her back as he exhales loudly into the air surrounding them, sensing his climax coming from the soles of his feet up into his stomach making his knees weak, his balance thrown off by earth shattering ecstasy he is experiencing.

"Damn," Rufus helps Lily ease off of him. Their tryst was quick, but very satisfying. Lily's laughter bounces off his skin.

"I take it I'm forgiven?" She asks, placing a tempting kiss on his jaw.

"Definitely." Lily giggles and opens up the covers for them. Rufus scoots her closer to him, giving her a sweet goodnight kiss.

The next morning, after Lily drops off Alex at school, she comes back to the penthouse. A hot bowl of oatmeal is already set out for her on the counter. She smiles and sits at the table to eat her breakfast while Rufus is taking a shower.

When Rufus is done getting ready a while later, he sees Lily flipping through the file she didn't get to finish yesterday. She takes off her reading glasses and advances towards him.

"Rufus, baby…" Lily starts, but is cut off by a loud exhale from her husband.

"What do you want Lil?" He extends his arms so they are resting on the apex of her hips, drawing her closer to him.

"How do you know that I want something?"

"You only call me baby when you really need a favor from me." Lily shakes her head,

"I do not!" Rufus gives her his classic Lily look, complete with a quirk of the eyebrow.

"Really? So you calling me baby has no strings attached?" Lily's cheeks turn a rosy hue and she stutters slightly.

"N-N-Not exactly, I was wondering if you would go grocery shopping for me. You know how much I hate it and I could pick up Alex for you. Please?"

"I guess, just don't call me baby." Lily crosses her arms,

"I thought you liked it when I did that."

"No because that term of endearment usually involves me doing something for you."

"Fine, then don't call me sweetie. It makes me feel like a child."

"Agreed," Rufus and Lily shake hands before locking lips.

"I think we should just stick to what we usually call each other. You know, Rufus, Lily, Lil, my darling, darling, sweetheart, honey, etc…" Rufus nods in agreement.

"So I can't call you pumpkin or honeybuns?" Lily glares at him.

"No, you can't."

"Why not, cupcake?"

"Rufus!" Rufus laughs as Lily hits him on the arm. He smiles and plants a kiss on her lips.

"I have to get some stuff done before I have to pick up Alex. You go to the grocery store cuddlemuffin," Lily slaps him on the ass before turning to walk upstairs.

"You are going to pay for that later Lil!" Rufus yells after her, hearing her giggle all the way to their room.

Lily picks Alex up while Rufus goes to the grocery store. Alex insists on going shopping for Lily's dress, but the toddler is forced to take a nap because her older siblings are coming for dinner.

"Mommy, I don't wanna nap! I not tired." Alex insists, although her drooping shoulders tell a different story.

"Honey, I promise we can go shopping tomorrow since you don't have school. Okay? Come on, we can watch a movie in my room."

"Alwight, I guess movie is good," Lily flings Alex over her shoulders, carrying her fireman-style up to the master bedroom. Alex's infantile laughter echoes through the empty penthouse. Lily and Alex climb into bed and turn on a Disney movie Alex has seen a hundred times. Just like Lily thought, her three-year-old passes out immediately and she follows pretty quickly after that.

By the time Lily and Alex are fully awake, Alex is adamant on changing into her new floral dress. Lily helps her re-do her hair before getting redressed herself. Rufus is busy cooking dinner when all of their kids start pouring in, sans Scott and Chuck who are busy with other things.

"Hey kids," Lily says excitedly, dropping Alex on the floor so she can greet her siblings. Lily brushes a kiss to each of her and Rufus' children and goes over to stand by her husband.

"Another mandatory family dinner, what is going on?" Serena asks, wondering what could be up with her mom and stepfather now.

"Don't tell me, you found out you are having twins," Eric chips in. Rufus and Lily shoot each other horrified glances.

"No way, it's nothing like that, darling." Lily says while getting herself a drink out of the fridge. Rufus hands Alex a spoon to help stir the bolognaise to keep her occupied.

"Dinner is ready; we will tell you in a second." The kids clamor to get their food and sit down in their usual spots. Jenny assists Alex with grabbing her dinner and setting her up in the high chair. Lily watches their kids interact as Rufus coils his arms around her from behind, rubbing her stomach briefly.

"I am surprised the kids are all getting along, I thought there was a cold war brewing between Dan and Serena." Lily comments, leaning back into his frame.

"I hope there isn't, but even if there is, we don't need to be a part of it. Shall we go tell them?" Rufus steps away from her, offering his hand.

"We could torture them a little longer." Rufus laughs as their fingers interlock. They sit down in their usual seats next to each other and smile at the annoyed expressions on their children's faces.

"Dad, Lily, would you please tell us what is going on?" Jenny asks while stirring her food around her plate.

"Okay, since it was Alex's idea, we thought she could be the one to tell you. Alex?" Rufus asks his three-year-old, apparently disrupting his daughter's meal.

"Ah K daddy, I tell dem. Mommy and daddy are gettin' m-muh- mommy what's dat word again?" Alex asks Lily,

"Married," Lily fills in for her, smiling at their kids shocked faces.

"Yeah and Tywer's comin too!" Alex exclaims with enthusiasm.

"Who's Tyler? Her boyfriend?" Serena asks Rufus and Lily. Rufus frowns and Lily laughs.

"No Sewena, Tywer's my fwend 'cause Daddy say boys have dem cooties," Alex informs her older half-sister with an eye roll. Rufus beams proudly at his daughter.

"Do you really like weddings that much mom?" Eric asks out of curiosity, making Serena and Rufus laugh. Lily's mouth splits open,

"Yeah, well…Rufus and I aren't exactly getting married again; we are just renewing our vows." Lily puts her hand on Rufus' thigh, rubbing it.

"No offense, but isn't that kind of corny?" Dan poses to his dad and stepmother.

"We are desperately trying not to make it lame. No rings, no white wedding dress; we just want to renew our vows at the loft…tomorrow night," Rufus explains.

"Tomorrow night? How are you guys going to pull together a wed…?" Serena trails off, remembering that's what they did the first time.

"We got the guests, the food, the person who is going to officiate us, but the only thing we don't have is music and my dress," Lily says.

"Why don't you get Panic dad? I'm sure they would drop by," Dan suggests. Rufus nods,

"That is a great idea Dan, what do you think Lil?" Rufus turns toward his wife.

"Yeah that sounds great. Serena, Jenny and Alex will you girls help me pick my dress out tomorrow?" Lily asks their daughters.

"Yeah mommy, we get you a pwetty dwess," Alex reassures her mother. Jenny and Serena nod in unison. Lily is surprised that Jenny didn't offer to design her dress, but she is guessing her stepdaughter doesn't want to work under the time constraint again.

"Are you guys going to write your own vows?" Eric asks Lily and Rufus.

"We are going to try," Lily confesses, still nervous because she had such a tough time writing her vows the first time around. She ended up throwing her pre-written vows in the garbage moments before they were supposed to get married. Hopefully, she won't have to wing it this time.

"I wish you luck and you can always run them by me," Serena winks at Lily, referring to how her mother almost repeated her vows from her marriage to Klaus to Rufus. Lily shrugs while Rufus looks at her, looking for an explanation.

"I'll tell you later," Lily whispers in his ear and starts to stand up. "Who wants desert?" She looks down at Rufus who is smirking at her. Lily has a terrible feeling that her husband is about to retaliate for their previous conversation.

"I'll get it sweet cheeks, you just sit down," Rufus kisses Lily's forehead as her cheeks flame. Rufus disappears into the kitchen while Lily glares at his back.

"Do we even want to know what that is about?" Dan asks Lily.

"Your father and I had a discussion earlier and that was his way of getting back at me." Lily explains to their children. Rufus comes back with the chocolate cake Lily made, dispersing pieces around the table.

"Did you make this with your Easy Bake Oven mom?" Serena asks teasingly.

"No, I gave that to Alex." Lily winks at Alex who gives her a toothy grin back.

After desert, the kids stick around to play some board games before leaving. Rufus puts Alex to bed while Lily goes into the master bedroom to take a shower. When she gets out Rufus is already in bed waiting for her.

"Hey," Lily slides into bed and kisses the curve of his mouth. He drapes an arm around her shoulder and puts the notebook on the nightstand, out of Lily's line of sight. "What are you working on?" Rufus slings his arm around her, resting his hand on her thigh.

"My vows, have you written yours?"

"No…not yet, I will write them on the way to the loft tomorrow." Lily says, only half-joking. Rufus laughs because he is well aware that she isn't kidding. He gently pushes her out of bed, handing her a piece of paper.

"Go, write your vows and I will see you later," Rufus puts his hand on her cheek and plants a soft kiss on her lips. Lily smiles against his lips and kisses him.

"Wait, why do I have to go?"

"I got in bed first," Lily glares at him and slips out of their bed. She lopsidedly grins over her shoulder and goes downstairs to sit at her desk. Lily fills out some tedious paperwork for Bass before she starts thinking about starting her vows. She is struggling, once again, to evoke her deepest feelings about her relationship with Rufus.

Three hours later, Rufus turns over in bed, expecting to accidently roll onto Lily. She isn't there though; her side of the bed is empty. He is curious as to why he didn't notice this before, he was probably too wrapped up in writing his vows. He pulls back the covers and pads downstairs, looking around for his wife. He finds Lily curled up on the couch, fast asleep with a pen and paper sitting in her lap.

"Lil, honey, wake up," Rufus shakes her leg, seeing her eyes flutter open.

"Huh, oh Rufus, what time is it?" Lily uses her palms to sit higher on the couch.

"Late, did you write anything?" Rufus snatches the piece of paper off her lap before she can stop him.

"Rufus! You aren't supposed to know what I wrote." Lily tries to grab the paper from him. Rufus scans it and furrows his eyebrows when all he sees on the paper is Rufus Humphrey…

"Well you know my name, that's a start," Rufus teases her, but Lily doesn't find it funny.

"Maybe we shouldn't be doing this; I have no idea what to say." He notices her distress and brings his arm around her shoulders, dragging her close to him.

"Here I think I know what you can say."

"No, Rufus, I don't want you to have to write my vows for me. That would defeat the whole purpose."

"Just hear me out and you can decide what you want to use." Lily shrugs and places her head onto his chest. Rufus dramatically sighs to begin,

"When I first met Rufus Humphrey, I thought he was the most handsome man I have ever seen in my life. I was just so lucky that he took the time out of his day just to say hi to me…" Rufus trails off when Lily starts to snicker. "What? Is that not what you were thinking of saying?"

"No, I was thinking more along the lines of when I first saw Rufus Humphrey he was just so entranced by my beauty that just he kept staring at me. So, I thought I would take pity on him and say hi." Rufus chuckles and shakes his head at his wife. Her smile dissolves when she discovers that she still doesn't have anything to say.

"Lil, it's going to be fine, I am confident that you will come up with something."

"What if I don't? What do I do then?" Lily asks as Rufus stands up.

"Uh…say I love you and then that's it. Come on, let's go to bed." Lily accepts his hand and stands up. Rufus leads her to their bedroom, keeping a firm grip on her hand. They get back under the covers and kiss each other goodnight. Lily stays awake longer than Rufus, listening to him softly snore. She is still terrified that she has only written down two words, both of which are her husband's name. Hopefully, it will come to her in the moment. Regardless, Rufus is saying his vows to her first whether he knows it or not.

The next morning, Lily gets up with Alex so she can get the toddler ready in time to meet Serena and Jenny shopping. There isn't much time to waste today, she still has to write her vows, finalize all the little details for their vow renewal ceremony and pick out the perfect dress.

"Mommy, you gettin married today!" Alex informs her mother with a bright smile. Lily and Rufus agreed that it isn't worth the effort to try and explain to Alex that they aren't technically getting married, just renewing their vows. The concept might be a little too advanced for their three-year-old.

"Yes I am sweetie! Are you excited?" Lily watches Alex do her routine check in the mirror to make sure that everything is up to her standards.

"Yup! It's gonna be so much fun mommy," Alex steps back and takes her mother's hand in her own, escorting her downstairs.

Rufus turns when he hears his wife's heels click down the stairs. Alex is already bounding toward him, requesting a waffle before they go.

"Lil, do you want something to eat?" Rufus asks, setting his coffee mug on the counter. Lily shakes her head, she has already thrown up twice this morning and the day has barely started.

"No, I am fine. Alex, eat fast, we need to go soon okay?" Rufus looks up in concern,

"Lil, have something to eat." His eyes flicker down to her abdomen, then up to her face. Lily sighs in defeat,

"Fine, can you put some toast in for me? I'll be right back." Lily races upstairs, presumably to their bathroom to throw up again.

"Why is mommy actin cwazy daddy?" Alex asks as she watches her father pour the batter into the waffle maker. Rufus lifts his daughter onto the counter, resting an arm on each side to secure her.

"Your mom is just nervous and she is probably going to be cranky so we will have to be extra nice to her today." Rufus puts her down so he can slide two pieces of toast into the toaster before Lily comes back downstairs. Alex goes to hoist herself into her booster seat, buckling herself in. She is going to heed her daddy's warning and be extra nice to her mommy. Lily comes back downstairs and accepts her toast with orange juice graciously. Alex tries to guzzle her waffle down swiftly, but only manages to get syrup everywhere. Lily wipes her clean and swallows the rest of her orange juice in one gulp.

"Alex, go get your coat on please," Lily says while setting her daughter free from the seat. Alex rushes over to the coat closet and grabs her coat along with her mom's bigger, heavier one.

"I probably won't see you until later; I have to pick up Scott at the bus station and my suit. I think the boys and I are just going to get the loft ready and meet the caterers." Rufus says while easing Lily's coat onto her shoulders. She turns to face him, setting her palms on his shoulders.

"Okay I have to write my vows and pick out the perfect dress. Eleanor was furious when I chose not to wear her design. You have no idea how much I want a drink right now." Lily admits as Rufus cups his hands around her hips.

"Lil, were you this frazzled at our actual wedding?"

"Oh, you have no clue. Poor Serena had to calm me down, but I managed...barely." He rolls his eyes and pecks her on the lips.

"I'll see you later, love you."

"Mhmm, love you too," Lily mumbles against his lips and turns to pick Alex up, allowing her to hug and kiss her father. They head to Barney's, meeting up with Serena and Jenny to find the perfect dress. Rufus swipes his wallet off the counter and goes to pick Scott up at the bus stop in Chinatown.

Lily is, of course, having trouble finding the perfect dress. Serena and Jenny recognize that Lily is just being picky because she is nervous. Alex doesn't seem to care and orders Serena to bring any dress she chooses into the dressing room for her mother to try on.

"So, Lily, have you written your vows yet?" Jenny asks while looking at two differently styled pink dresses.

"No, I am still working on it." Serena hears what Lily says and turns to face her.

"Mom, you have to write them."

"I started writing them Serena, but I haven't finished them yet." Lily grabs a jade green dress of the hanger and disappears into the fitting room. She looks at the array of dresses she and her daughters have picked out, each one a different color on the spectrum. She sighs and grabs the first one to try on.

Rufus meets Scott at the bus station and then goes to Men's Warehouse with Dan and Eric to choose their suits.

"We don't have to match do we?" Eric asks.

"No, just pick whatever you guys want. If Lily asks, just tell her it was my idea." Rufus says, nudging his stepson toward a black suit coat.

"I think you should wear a tuxedo that would be interesting." Dan comments and points to a mannequin wearing one.

"If I am more dressed up than Lily, she will murder me. We specifically agreed on not putting too much into the party tonight, although the look on her face would be kind of funny." Rufus is already picturing his wife's trademark pissed off look; finger on the forehead, lips pursed, one hand slung across her torso and already abandons the idea of showing up in a tux.

"What about this one?" Lily asks, this being her sixth dress that she has tried on so far. She steps out in a sky blue, floor-length dress with a sweetheart neckline.

"No, mom, I don't think that is your color," Serena says.

"I agree I like everything about that dress, but that color." Jenny pipes in and looks to Alex to give the final opinion.

"No way mommy, try anoder one." Alex's commentary is blunter than Serena and Jenny's. The toddler doesn't mince words when she doesn't like something which makes shopping for a dress extremely difficult.

"Alex, the only dresses you like are the ones you picked out," Serena tells her three-year-old half sister in amusement.

"I know Sewena, dats why I got dem dwesses silwy." Alex remarks as if that is obvious. Lily checks the time on her phone, she needs to decide on a dress so she can get Alex fed and down for a nap before it's time to get ready. She sorts through the dresses, not wasting time on the ones that don't really appeal to her. Lily picks the jade green dress that she chose to try on. Immediately when she slips the dress on, she knows that is the one she wants to wear.

"What do you girls think?" Lily asks, doing a full twirl around. The dress is similar to the blue one she just had on, but it's a tad shorter and has rhinestone detailing at the top.

"I like that one the best; I think you should definitely get that one." Serena speaks up for everyone.

"Yeah I agree, that is the best one we have seen so far," Jenny says. Alex nods her head in agreement, it isn't one she chose, but her mom does look great in it.

"Perfect! I'll go change and then we can get some lunch," Lily goes back into the fitting room to redress into her original clothes.

"Dad, what are we doing here? I thought Lily didn't want another ring," Dan says as the boys step into the jewelry store.

"I'm not getting her another ring; I just want to see if they have any different wedding bands. Lil says hers slides a little," Rufus tells his son while surveying the store. He chats with a worker at the store and buys another wedding band for his wife.

Lily and Alex take the car back to the penthouse. Jenny and Serena are going to get ready and meet at the loft later on. Alex is too wound up to sleep, but Lily is more insistent than usual that her daughter needs to take a nap.

"Mommy, I don't wanna nap, I pfink you should go get married now," Alex tells her mother with a twinkle in her eye. Lily shakes her head,

"That doesn't come until after you take a nap. Go, I will be there in a minute," Lily nudges her daughter towards the stairs. Alex frowns, but heads upstairs to potty and then climbs into her bed. Lily reads her daughter a story before going into her own bedroom to work on her vows.

Everything she comes up with is either way too cheesy or not meaningful enough. Lily is having a hard time striking that balance which is very frustrating for her. The downstairs trashcan is filled with crumpled up balls of paper that Lily was working on. She groans and throws the notebook off the bed. Lily has half of her vows written and will just have to come up with the rest later. Right now, she just needs a few hours to nap.

Alex wakes up a few hours later and goes into her parent's room. Her mother is fast asleep on her father's side of the bed.

"Mommy, wakey wakey!" Alex hits Lily's thigh over the blankets. Lily grumbles and pops one eye open. Lily lifts Alex high in the air and then sets her on her lap. Lily tickles Alex under her chin until she gives in. "Okay mommy, stop pwease!"

"Alright, we should probably start getting ready," Lily gets out of bed and helps Alex get dressed.

"Mommy can you do my hair?" Alex asks, tugging on her blonde ponytail. Lily French braids Alex's hair and gives her firm instructions not to ruin her dress before they can leave. She then goes into the master bedroom to change into her dress and fix her hair into a braided bun.

Rufus is starting to get anxious; his wife is running a little late. Nothing out of the ordinary for her, but today is a different. He breaks the rule of not communicating with her to call her cell phone.

"Where the hell is my phone?" Lily grumbles and throws the blankets off the bed, hearing her phone clunk on the floor. "Hello?" She snaps into the phone, not bothering to check who is calling.

"Hello to you too cranky," Rufus says, his voice sounding airy. Lily sighs and sits down on her bed so she can put her heels on.

"Sorry my darling, I know I am running late. Alex and I will be there soon. Are the kids there?"

"Almost everyone is here, except for you," Rufus reminds her.

"Alright, Alex and I are leaving now. See you soon, bye," Lily grabs an ebony clutch and starts piling her stuff in. She sees out of the corner of her eye, Alex dragging both of their coats into the master bedroom. Lily laughs and takes her coat off her daughter's hands. "Okay Alex, we need to go see daddy." Alex puts her coat on while Lily puts on hers.

Lily and Alex take the town car to the loft. About twenty minutes into the drive, Lily realizes she forgot her written vows at home, in her room.

"Oh my god," Lily whispers and bangs her head against the back of the limo.

"What's wrong mommy?" Alex asks, turning her head to look at Lily.

"Nothing sweetie, I just…forgot my vows." The limo turns the corner and the loft comes into view. Lily realizes that it's too late to tell their driver to go back to the penthouse. She gets Alex out of the car seat and takes her into the loft. Rufus and their kids along with Eleanor, Cyrus, Nate, and Blair are waiting. Rufus beams widely at her, but it disintegrates when she doesn't smile back.

"Rufus, I need to talk to you," Lily says to him quietly, ignoring all of the other guests. Rufus puts her hand on the small of her back and leads her into his bedroom.

"Lil, you look beautiful," Rufus kisses her cheek. Lily manages a miniscule grin,

"I forgot my vows at the penthouse; I don't know what to do. I am freaking out here Rufus. I have to go back and get them…" Rufus puts his hands on her bare arms, gliding them up and down.

"Hey, it's okay, I'll go first and you winged it last time, you'll be fine." He puts his hands on top of hers.

"What if I screw up and say the wrong thing?"

"Impossible," Rufus stamps a kiss on her lips and grabs her hand. Lily reluctantly follows him out of the bedroom and they hold hands until they stand in front of the person Chuck found to officiate them. They take off their rings and hand them to the officiator. Rufus and Lily clasp each other's hands and turn to face their guests.

"So, who is going first?" The officiator asks the couple. Lily clears her throat and nudges toward their guests.

"She's just shy so I guess I will say mine first." Rufus says eliciting laughter from everyone. "Lil, I have loved you for over twenty five years and I still love you very much. You are the most complicated and stubborn person I have ever met, but I couldn't imagine my life without you in it. I promise to always cook you waffles and chili, to annoy you with my snoring and to never give up on us." Lily tears up slightly and laughs.

"I'm only crying because I'm pregnant, you marshmallow," Lily whispers and breaks contact to wipe away a tear. Rufus slides her wedding band on, smiling when she realizes that he bought her a new one.

"Uh huh, sure Lil, your turn," Rufus mumbles to her, grabbing her hand again. Lily shakes her head and begins when prompted by the officiator. Serena and Jenny wink at each other, excited to see what Lily wrote.

"Rufus, I love you. Even though there are times when I want to beat you with your waffle maker, but then I would think I look terrible in orange. Nobody looks good in orange, maybe if the jumpsuits in jail were purple…" Lily trails off when Rufus squeezes her hand. She sighs and lets out a laugh, causing everyone in the room to giggle uncomfortably. "I'm rambling and nervous, but what I am trying and failing to say is I love you more than anyone and thank you so much for putting up with me." Lily finishes her speech and puts Rufus' old wedding ring on his finger.

"So by the power vested in me you two are officially husband and wife… still. You may kiss your wife," The officiator says and steps back. Rufus dips Lily down and pulls her in for a passionate kiss. Lily instinctively drapes her arms around her husband and parts their lips for a deeper kiss. The kids grumble and Serena puts her hand over Alex's eyes. Rufus eventually brings Lily to her feet, wrapping an arm firmly around her waist.

"Not enough!" Cyrus cries and the couple kisses again briefly. They separate when their kids groan. Rufus smiles against Lily's lips,

"Let's eat!" Rufus announces and brings his wife over to where the caterers set up the food.

"Mommy, when's Tywer comin?" Alex asks, tugging on Lily's dress. Lily scoops Alex off the floor,

"Soon sweetie, do you want some food?" Rufus hands Lily a plate full of finger food for her and Alex to share. Alex takes the plate and runs away, leaving Rufus and Lily to chat with their kids.

"Scott, I am so glad you could make it," Lily tells their son and hugs him.

The loft door opens, revealing Tyler and his parents. Alex jumps off Chuck's lap to greet her friend. Lily and Rufus walk over to chat with the little boy's parents.

"Hi Tywer, want some food?" Alex asks, ever the hostess. Alex and Tyler ask Serena and Dan to help them reach the food on the table.

During the meal, Panic arrived to play at the loft. The food is taken away to clear the room for everyone to dance. Rufus finds his wife chatting with Eleanor and asks her to dance.

"Hmmm…I guess," Lily takes Rufus' hand and they walk to the middle of the loft, which has been cleared out.

"So, I tell you to say whatever comes to your mind and you talk about beating me with a waffle maker?" Rufus inquires as they twirl around the loft. Lily looks away and blushes.

"Hey! Give me credit; I turned it around at the end."

Alex sees her parents dancing and other couples starting to join in. She wants to dance as well, so she goes over to Tyler.

"Tywer, let's dance," Alex grabs her friend's hand and mimics what she sees her parent's doing. Lily looks over Rufus' shoulder and a closed-lipped smirk forms on her mouth.

"Rufus, look," Lily whispers, her lips against his ear. Rufus spins them around, frowning when he spots his three-year-old daughter dancing with Tyler. "Leave them alone and dance with me." She captures his attention with a soft kiss on the lips.

"Fine, but if Tyler grabs her ass, I am not responsible for my actions." Rufus says, just to hear her laugh.

"You are ridiculous," Lily shakes her head and brushes another kiss to her lips. Chuck approaches them,

"Sorry to cut in, but I was wondering if I could steal Lily." Lily is touched and leaves her husband to dance with her adopted son.

"Hi Charles, I am so glad you could make it," Lily tells Chuck.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss another one of your weddings," He says in his usual sarcastic manner. "Plus Blair threatened to dress in flannel if I didn't come." Lily giggles at her son's confession.

"That does sound like something Blair would do. I think I am on thin ice with the other Waldorf right now." Lily and Chuck share a laugh as the song ends.

Chuck walks over to Blair who is talking with Serena and Nate. Lily heads over to where her husband is standing with their children. Alex comes over holding hands with Tyler.

"Mommy and daddy?" Alex asks in a tiny voice. Rufus turns at the sound of his daughter's voice, letting her into the circle. He bypasses the fact that his daughter is holding hands with a boy and focuses on Alex's main objective.

"Yes sweetie, do you need something?" Rufus asks.

"Tywer and I wanna get married too!" Alex exclaims with a big smile. Lily tries not to laugh at the shocked expression on her husband's face and clasps his hand. Everyone around them bursts into laughter at the sight of Rufus and Lily's little girl.

"No. NO. There is no way…Lil, take care of this; I'm going to get a drink." Rufus leaves his wife alone to clean up the mess. Lily manages to deter her toddler into marrying and walks over to her husband, who is nursing a glass of scotch.

"Well, at least this wasn't boring honey." Lily comments and presses a kiss to his pouting lips.

A/N 2: There you have it, 12 thousand and something words, hope you like and want more! Next chapter, Rufus forgets something EXTREMELY important which doesn't sit too well with Lily. Also, start thinking about which gender you guys want, I'm letting you pick. Reviews are greatly appreciated, thanks for reading!