"Yes, I want a giant inflatable dinosaur. Preferably a green one." Dan spoke into the phone, his back turned to Serena who was reading a magazine. "Yes, tomorrow. I know its short notice, but I'm willing to pay."

He and Serena had dropped Caden off at Blair's when they came back from Central Park and Dan was now planning Caden's birthday party. Well, he was trying to.

Dan tapped his pen impatiently on the legal pad and gritted his teeth. "Yes, a giant green inflatable dinosaur already blown up. Thank you." He hung up and rubbed his temples in an attempt to calm himself and not hurl the phone across the room.

"Dan?" Serena called tentatively, as she had watched him angrily call many places for Caden's party. He turned to look at her, the tension easing from his face. "Yeah?"

"Maybe you should take a break and let me do the calling." She offered, watching as he hopped off his stool.

"Yeah, maybe that's a good idea." Dan said, rubbing the back of his neck. He walked over to her and handed her the legal pad that had a list of numbers scribbled hastily on there.

"What do you have?" Serena asked, snapping into party-planning mode. Dan pointed to the checked off items. "I have the cake, a giant inflatable dinosaur, and yeah."

"What else do you need?" Serena ran a painted fingernail down the length of the paper and turned to look at Dan.

"I need..uh..wait, I think that's about it." Dan flushed, suddenly embarrassed.

"Oh." Serena slid the pad onto the coffee table and leaned her head back. "Have you gotten him a present?"

"Yeah, I bought it at the zoo today when you two were playing with the seals." Dan yawned and stretched his arms out. Serena giggled and leaned towards him. "Caden's really lucky to have you as a dad."

Dan flushed again. "Thanks. He means the world to me, and I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to him."

Serena nodded and the two lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. He reached for the magazine that she had been reading and their fingers brushed. Letting his fingers linger there for a moment longer, Dan turned his smoldering gaze to Serena.

"Hi," He whispered, even though the house was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

"Hey." She whispered back, her lips centimeters from his. She leaned over a little bit more and her lips grazed his, causing him to jerk backwards, eyes closed and groaning.

"Serena." Her name came out in a breathless gasp, showing her the effect she had on him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. No words were needed as the two rolled off the couch and onto the floor, their kiss never breaking.

"Serena.." Dan muttered as she fiercely attacked the buttons on his shirt. "We..can't."

"I'm your wife." She replied in a throaty whisper, tugging off his shirt. "Ravish me."

Dan succumbed to her and pressed his lips to hers with such a force that she was taken aback. He tangled a hand in her locks and peppered kisses all over her neck.

The phone rang and Dan ripped his mouth from Serena's. "Don't answer it." She whispered, her nails scrabbling down his chest.

"I have to." He picked himself up and answered the phone, ending its shrill noise.

"Hello?"

"Dan.." A choked voice said his name. It was Blair.

"Blair? What's wrong?" He asked urgently, because she had called him by his first name, not Cabbage Patch, not Brooklyn, but Dan. Serena stood up and walked over to him, her eyes searching his. "What's going on?"

He shushed her, focusing on what Blair was trying to say.

"Dan..something happened to Caden."

Dan snapped his attention back to the phone. "What?"

"We're in the hospital right now. Lenox Hill."

"Blair. What happened?" Dan roared into the phone, trying to steel himself.

"H-he got hit by a taxi. He's okay though, Nate took most of the hit. Caden broke his arm." By now Blair had calmed down enough to tell the story.

"We'll be there as soon as we can." Dan clicked off the phone and for the first time, Serena saw panic in his eyes.

"Dan, what's going on?" Serena asked, her voice small and timid as she handed him his shirt.

"Caden...he.." Dan tried to speak, but a lump in his throat prevented it. "He and Nate got hit by a taxi."

Serena's hand flew to her mouth. "Dan.."

"We need to go to the hospital. Now." He furiously buttoned his shirt, grabbing his wallet and keys at the same time.

He rushed out the door, Serena trailing behind him. He quickly hailed a taxi and opened the door for Serena. "Lenox Hill and step on it." Dan ordered, throwing three twenties at the driver.

Serena watched as Dan tried to contain himself despite the circumstances. She reached over and touched his arm, startling him.

"Hey, its going to be okay." She said in a soothing voice, although she too was wracked with worry. Over the last few days, she had gotten attached to Caden and now to find out that he had gotten hit by a taxi? And Nate! The person who she's known since kindergarten, he was practically her brother.

Dan leaned back in the vinyl seat and closed his eyes. "I can't.." His voice was shaky and he sounded like he was on the verge of tears. "I can't lose him, Serena. Or Nate. I.." He trailed off, unable to say anymore.

She edged closer to him and clasped his hand. "It's going to be okay," She repeated, her voice cracking. The two continued the ride in silence, only speaking when they arrived.

They stepped out of the taxi and rushed to the ER's reception desk.

Dan spoke quickly and urgently to the lady. "Could you tell me where Nate Archibald and Caden Humphrey are? They were in an accident."

She tapped something into the computer and patiently said, "Mr. Archibald is in room 1307 and Mr. Humphrey should be in room 1220."

"Thank you." Dan headed for the elevator with Serena trailing behind him. He pushed the button hurriedly and paced impatiently while Serena watched him. "Are we going to see Caden or Nate first?"

Dan stopped pacing and turned to look at her. "Caden. They're on the same floor and its quicker to get to Caden." He spoke as if he had been in the hospital many times.

The elevator dinged and they stepped in, Dan quickly pressing another button.

After fifteen seconds of pure torture, they exited the elevator and headed for Caden.

Dan saw Chuck sitting outside a room and rushed over to him. "Chuck!"

"Dan. Serena." His voice lacked the usual sarcasm and smugness.

"What happened?" Serena asked, taking in her step-brother's disheveled clothes.

"Nate, Caden and I were getting coffee when Nate saw Caden walking out into the street. We thought he was inside. Nathaniel...he ran after Caden and there was this taxi and he got hit." Chuck sank back down in the chair and pointed towards the door across from where he was sitting. "That's Nate's room. And there's Caden's." He pointed towards another door. "Blair's with Nate right now."

Dan glanced between the two doors, obviously torn which one to enter first. "Go see Caden." Serena suggested, placing one hand on Dan's shoulder. "I'll go see Nate."

"No." Dan spoke quietly. "I need you to come with me. Please."

"I'll go check up on Nathaniel then." Chuck said, standing up and walking briskly to the first door he gestured to.

Dan looked at Serena, silently pleading. Nodding she took his hand and together they walked into Caden's room.