Babydoll - they call her. Their little bundle of joy. Maddie's got quite the temper but is just as serene as her Mom.
When Serena and Dan look down at their tiny daughter laying in her wooden crib, they realize that they may have peeked in life. It won't get any better than this. They should've called her Hope – they think – because that's what she means to them. She's brought hope and light into their lives. For once, things come easy to Dan and Serena. They're able to let go of their messed up past of endless break-ups, hook-ups, denials and things they'd rather just forget. Living with Maddie is easy for them. They love each other eternally, love their daughter infinitely.
'Serenaaaaaaa!' Dan hollers out in a high-pitched voice that makes Serena cringe.
She comes running into Maddies room, thinking something's wrong with her.
Instead she find's Dan who has Maddie in both his hands but sticks out his arms as far from his body as possible.
'Seriously, Dan?' Serena says annoyed 'Again? You need to get over this, it's just poop. And your daughter's to say the least' She says as she takes Maddie from him and puts her on her changing table.
'Daddy is so silly, huh?' Serena pouts cutely at Maddie before she gives her a kiss on the nose, then undoes her diaper. 'God, Maddie you've outdone yourself' she laughs at her daughter.
'Dan will you please get her bathing tub ready, we need to give her a bath.' she hollers, not realizing Dan was standing behind her.
'OK OK, Boss' Dan hollers back before placing a soft kiss on her earlobe, then leaving the room.
Maddie loves water, Dan and Serena knows it calms and soothes her. When they place her in the bathing tub, Maddie gives them her cutest smile, à la Serena van der Woodsen with a hint of the typical Dan Humphrey smirk.
'Babydoll, you're so cute' Dan says as he gently tucks Maddie in her ash-pink piggie towel and dries her off.
Dan places her on Serena's chest in the nursing chair, where Maddie finds her place within seconds. Serena puts a very content Maddie in her little crib after feeding her and kisses her goodnight before finally leaving the room.
She snuggles up to Dan who's already in their bed reading a book. She looks up to him, the exact same way she did when they were just 16. Full of hope and love and joy. She just rests her head on his chest while he's still reading his book. They lay like that for a while, until they hear little baby screams through the baby monitor. Serena raises her eyebrow at Dan and smirks, so he lays his book on the night stand and gets up.
'Ok, ok, I'm going, I think I owe you for the poop incident' he says cutely.
Minutes later he comes back with Maddie and her snuggle blanket in his arms.
'Guess someone wants a sleepover with Mommy and Daddy' Serena exclaims as she sees the two. She taps on the bed for Dan to come and takes Maddie from him. She places her in between them, then turns off the lights.
Dan rests one hand on Serena's hip, hovering over Maddie, and with the other hand he gently rubs Serena's forehead.
'I love you' Serena whispers.
'I love you, too' Dan says quietly just as Maddie exhales loudly.
'And you too, Babydoll' Dan and Serena say in unison.
"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day."
a/n: Here it is. The Final Chapter. This story has been such a great journey for me and I can't believe it's over now. Took more than a year. I'd like to say thank you to all people who followed this story and always left nice and/or critical comments. I hope you like the ending to this story and it doesn't disappoint. I felt like it should be a short chapter, just for closure.
This chapter is dedicated to Pardos, she knows why. Have an amazing time at college, buddy. I finished my story, yours is next. ;) Lots of luh.
