AN: Alot of you were wondering where Nate was in all of this and all have to say is that he wasn't in the delivery room. He definitely steered clear of that. Enjoy!
After Katherine had been passed from Nate to Jenny to Blair to Rufus to Lily and then back to Serena she had finally fallen asleep. Her delicate blond eyelashes fluttered constantly with the movements of sleep. Serena herself was also slowly falling into her first sleep since Kate (as Jenny had nicknamed her) had been born a mere hour ago. And although Dan would have loved to spend the rest of the night just talking with Serena he also couldn't help staring at his beautiful wife with his beautiful daughter in her arms.
Soon the nurses came in to usher everyone out until tomorrow and they all waved goodbye, barely whispering their farewells in case of awakening mother and daughter. And so it went like that for the next day and half. Visitors in, visitors out, Kate passed from one to the other while the exhausted Serena only got up to go to the bathroom. On the second day in the hospital Dan and Serena were told they could take their daughter home.
'She is absolutely ready. What a strong little girl you've got.' Dr. Allan passed Kate back to Serena after he finished weighing her. Serena was sitting in a very uncomfortable wheelchair in the middle of her hospital room waiting to leave. Dan squeezed her shoulder from behind her and Serena turned around to look up at him.
'She's beautiful babe. You couldn't have done better.' Dan praised Serena.
Just as Dr. Allan left the room to complete the paperwork Serena reached for Dan's hand. She gradually brought it towards her lips and placed a kiss on his palm.
'Thank you. And I love you.' Serena replied simply for those were all the words she needed.
Dan bent down and kissed Serena's jaw tenderly. While placing pecks along her jaw line he circled around so that he was facing Serena. Making sure he didn't bump Kate he took both sides of Serena's face and kissed her deeply. He moved his right hand to the base of her neck and lightly stroked her cheekbones with his left.
'Let's go home.' Dan murmured into Serena's ear. He felt Serena nod against his cheek as he stood up to wheel her out.
Serena hoisted Kate higher up into the crook of her elbow and adjusted her hat. Kate stirred silently underneath Serena's touch and Serena smiled down. Dan pushed the chair forward out the door. The nurses who had attended to Serena nodded and said their goodbyes. Dr. Allan waved and wished them luck as Dan steered the chair to the elevator.
By the time they reached the car Kate was wide awake and crying loudly. Serena and Dan clicked her into her car seat and tried to quiet her down. But it was no use. Half way home they realized that their daughter and the lungs of an opera singer.
'I wonder if this means she's going to mumble constantly like you.' Serena joked.
'And why would that be a bad thing?' Dan asked as he turned onto their street.
'I never said it would be a bad thing.' Serena reached her hand onto Dan's shoulder from the back row. 'That's one of the many reasons I fell in love with you.'
Dan turned his head and kissed Serena's hand. 'Eyes on the road mister!' Serena cautioned somewhat jokingly.
'But I can't take my eyes off you.' Dan wooed.
Serena stroked her finger along Dan's cheekbone, nudging his head so that he was facing the road. 'That was a little cheesy don't you think?'
'A little bit but I believe that a relationship without cheese is not a relationship.'
'Good, because I would really like a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch.' Serena played.
'There you go, you're catching on.'
'I am.' Serena fell back in her seat and peered over at Kate. 'She's asleep again.'
'Ah, maybe instead of grilled cheese when we get home we can sleep as well.'
'Sounds like a brilliant plan to me.' Serena agreed.
Dan pulled the car up to the curb and quickly jumped out. He opened the door for Serena and then they both walked around to the other side, arm in arm. Dan pulled out Kate and they both took a moment to take it all in.
'It seems like just yesterday that we saved Jenny from Chuck at the Kiss on the Lips ball.' Dan reminisced.
'Chuck? Really Dan? We were having a nice family moment and you bring Chuck into it?' Serena hit him on the arm. 'But you're right, things go by so fast.'
'And know we have a gorgeous girl to show off.' Dan said. He unlocked the door to their place and they walked in. 'This is home Kate. This is where you're going to live.'
'This is where we are going to live.' Serena added. 'But before we do that we sleep.'
Dan put the carrier on the counter and unstrapped Kate. Serena crossed her fingers she wouldn't wake up. Dan carried her into their bedroom where he gently placed her into her cot right next to the bed. By the time he had changed into his pyjamas Serena was already fast asleep still in her clothes. Dan crawled in beside her and kissed her closed eyes. Her eyelashes fluttered under his lips and she rolled over to face him but didn't wake.
'I'll love you forever Serena Humphrey.' Dan whispered before he fell asleep.
AN: So I'm planning next chapter to be the last unless one of you guys is extremely completely oppposed by that. And it will probs be pretty far in the future.
Review! I love it when you do! (that rhymed)
