As he walked into the terminal at the Capetown airport his head was filled with what he was going to say to her, would he tell her he still loved her? That he had never stopped? How could he do that after what he had written? As he walked up to the airline desk he asked the attendant for the next available flight.

"Well there is a flight leaving in two hours sir, will that do?"

"Yeah that'll work" Dan quickly retorted

After booking his seat Dan paid with the money his captain had given him, the ticket used all but 500 or 600 dollars of his savings from the last 15 months, but he knew that no matter the price it would be worth it, even if she screamed, yelled, even if she just told him to fuck off. There was one thing that he wasn't sure he could handle, crying, he could never bear to see or hear her crying, even back when they were in high school it absolutely tore him apart.

By this time Dan had made his way through security and was waiting near his gate when he heard the announcement

"… now boarding, Etihad flight 20035 to New York JFK, with a connection at Paris Charles de Gaulle…"

Wow Dan thought, was the world conspiring to torture him, or was it coincidence that he had to go through her favorite city on his way home where he may never be able to get her back. The flight to Paris was a restless one for Dan, and he knew the one home to New York would be worse as they touched down on Parisian soil, he felt a sense of foreboding building inside of him, he didn't know he would handle being in the place where it had all ended for them.

Dan skulked most of the layover away in the airport bar, drinking to distract himself from thinking about the last time he was in Paris…

"…Dan, maybe we shouldn't get back on that plane together."

"What the hell Serena! why not?"

"I just don't think I want to be with you anymore and I think it would be best if we weren't on the same plane back, or that you came to see me after you get back."

"Fuck Serena, I can't believe what I'm hearing, why are you doing this? Why here? Why now?"

"JESUS CHRIST DAN! I think you fucking know damn well why."

"I love you Serena, have since the day I met you, and I always will. I'm forever yours"

"Yeah well I don't love you anymore, maybe we can be friends in the future but not right now, I need to be away from you for a while"

"Bye"

And with that she walked into the gate and out of his life, presumably for good. What Dan didn't see was that as she walked her face was flooded by wave after wave of tears.

As Dan was walking back toward the gate he saw a row of high end boutique jewelry stores, he decided to spend the last of his money on a gift so he walked into the Harry Winston shop.

"ahh what may I help you with today sir?"

"Just looking for a gift today monsieur."

"Well sir I may be able to help more if you tell me who you are shopping for"

As Dan looked up to speak to the salesman he saw a very familiar face looking back at him from an advertisement across the store

"Her" Dan managed to choke out as he pointed at the picture of Serena

"ahh, and are you one of our spokeswoman's many suitors?"

"No…, just an old friend"

"Well did you have anything in mind for Ms. Van Der Woodsen?"

"something small, I would love if it had a snowflake or anything winter-y on it"'

"Well if you would follow me we do have a few things matching that description"

The salesman, who had introduced himself as Jacques, led Dan to a small case near the back of the store. As soon as he saw it he knew he had to get it for her, it was a small diamond brooch that featured two Christmas doves, one with a small sapphire for an eye, the other with a garnet, grasping a ribbon, centered between the doves was a small snowflake.

"I'll take that"

"A great choice sir, it's beautiful"

"Yeah, it is just like her"

"How will you be paying today?"

Knowing the Harry Winston name didn't come cheap Dan took a second to ponder that question himself.

"err, hadn't thought about that, I guess I could do a payment plan through your New York location, how big does the down payment need to be?"

"Around $500 dollars sir"

Dan pulled out his wallet and picked out the last of his cash to give to Jacques.

"Here it is all I have "

"You sure that she is just an old friend? Not many friends would spend their last dollar for a random gift"

"Yeah well she's very special to me"

"Okay just fill out this paperwork here and you can get on your flight"

"Thank you thank you very much" Dan said as he turned and left the store

"You're very welcome I'm sure Serena will love it" Jacques called as Dan was making his way down the hallway.

"You know her?" Dan called back, with a look of unbridled surprise on his face

Jacques just stood there and smiled at Dan before turning back into the store.

Dan got on the plane virtually penniless, semi-drunk and buoyed by the day's events, he was going to step into New York armed with a Harry Winston box and his heart on his sleeve.

The second flight went faster; somehow Dan even managed to sleep most of the way across the Atlantic…