Chapter 10

You read about people waking up in the hospital. It's always the same. The soft beeping, the unfamiliar bed, the white room, the pain. All the cliché's I would try to avoid if I was writing about someone in this situation. Until now.

Because not until now did I realize how true every single one of those things was.

It took me a few minutes to become accustomed to the surroundings. It was only after I had comprehended where I was that the pain registered.

I felt weak, bruised. One of my eyes was swollen slightly so it was harder to see. My body was in pain all over, so I couldn't tell if it was anything more serious.

Once I got over the pain, I could focus on the why.

Serena!

I felt my heartbeat pick up and I pushed myself up as best I could.

"Hey!" I called out.

My voice cracked from lack of use.

"Hey!" I said again, trying to be louder.

Apparently it worked.

The door swung open and three terrified looking people rushed in.

"Dan!" Jenny called, "Are you ok?"

She was closely followed by my dad and a doctor.

"Where's Serena?"

"Dan," the doctor said, "She's here, but you can't worry about her. We need to talk about you."

"Am I injured?" I demanded ferociously, "Any broken bones? Gun shots? If not then let me go!"

"Dan," my dad also chimed in, "Calm down. Serena is being treated. And Nate's in the room next door. And Chuck was out in the waiting room refusing to be admitted. So as soon as we know if you're ok, you're going to explain why."

"Tell him I'm fine," I demanded of the doctor.

I knew I was being rude, but the scene of busting the fragile Serena through the window and the confusion of the guns and punches was playing through my head.

"You do seem to be ok," the doctor said, "No broken bones or gun shots. But we can't let you get up yet."

"I'm fine!" I exclaimed, "Nothing even happened to me! I got in a fight, that's all. I don't need to be hospitalized for a few punches!"

Frustration tore through me, threatening to be released on whoever defied me next.

"We weren't sure," Jenny spoke up, "We had no idea what actually happened to you."

"Chuck and I were in this house," I said quickly, "We knew Serena was there so we were rescuing her. She was a mess. Oh God, I have to see her!"

"We know about the house," my dad said, "That's why I need an explanation. Last time I heard the police had arrested six guys for marijuana possession, from the house you were found by!"

"Dad," Jenny said, "Not now! He should be allowed to see Serena!"

I couldn't take it anymore. No one had even told me what happened to her.

I threw the blanket off my lap and slowly swung my legs over the bed.

"Let's see if you can support yourself," the doctor suggested, walking to my side.

He lightly touched my arm which made me more determined to stand on my own.

I still hurt, but I was fine. They had overreacted by putting me in here.

"We'll get you're release forms," the doctor decided, finally, "But you may not be able to see Serena yet. A doctor is still with her."

Finally, I got away from them, out to the waiting room.

There was Chuck.

"Hey Humphrey," he said, "Are you all recovered from those punches?"

"What happened?" I asked, ignoring his rudeness, "Why don't I remember?"

"Well," Chuck drawled, "You hit the ground pretty hard after the gunshot."
"Did they shoot Serena!"

"No."

For once Chuck answered with a straight answer. Was it possible he was actually not going to be a dbag for a minute?
"When the gun fired, you and Serena dropped. You must have hit your head on the ground while trying to not land on Serena who was already weaker than she ever has been. Before the guy in the house could fire again the police were shooting back. A bunch of them stormed the house right as the ambulance was arriving. It's pretty self explanatory from there."

"Was Serena conscience?"

"Yes," Chuck replied, "But she looked bad. I don't think she'd eaten much or..."

The thoughts of what could have happen came crashing through my mind. Had they starved her? Beaten her? Or worse...

A sick feeling crept rapidly all the way from the pit of my stomach into my mouth. The sickness was all through me, and I needed to know what they had done to her.

"They all got arrested," Chuck went on, "The police have had tips about them before but have never been able to find or catch them."

I nodded solemnly, then turned away. I walked back to the room where I had woken up and Jenny, my dad, and the doctor were just coming out. All my papers had been signed, and I could go. But there was no way in hell I was leaving.

"Dan," my dad started.

"I can't dad," I said quietly, "Ask Chuck if you have too."

I kept walking until I reached the door to Nate's room.

"Dan!" he exclaimed, "Thank goodness! What's going on? Is Serena ok?"

"I don't know man," I replied, "They won't let me see her yet."

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," I answered, "I took about half the beating you did."

"I'm so sorry," Nate went on, "This is all my fault. Why would they take her?"

"They had her strapped to a bed," I said quietly, trying not to let the image overwhelm me, "She looked so weak and thin and her eyes...they were hurt and terrified."

"She was only there for a day," Nate said thoughtfully, "How the hell did they break her so fast?"

I could tell he immediately regretted it.

"Dan, I'm sorry," he stammered, "I shouldn't have. I just meant-"

I cut him off.

"It's fine. She will be ok. The guys were arrested. We're all safe."

But truthfully, Nate had only vocalized what I had been thinking the whole time.

Serena was so strong and independent. What did they do to her?

"I never thought Serena would get hurt," Nate went on, "We've been best friends for a long time, and I love her. Like a sister."

"I know," I said back, "And don't worry about that. I'm glad Serena has you as a best friend."

A soft knock at the door interrupted our little moment.

"Dan Humphrey?" a nurse said, opening the door, "I was told you were first on the list to see Miss Van der Woodsen."

I turned quickly.

"Tell her I'm sorry!" Nate called, but I was already rushing out the door.

The nurse led me to the room where Serena was and opened the door.

Her eyes were closed, just as they were when we found her tied to that bed. She was covered in blankets, so I couldn't see what shape she was in. Her messy hair had been pulled back, out of her face and I could now see a few scratches on her cheeks.

She was connected to an IV and a few other machines. The image scared me to death.

"Serena."

I had never whispered so quietly in my life, but she heard me.

Her eyes snapped open and she slowly turned her head to me.

The nurse, who I had forgotten was in the room, slowly backed out and shut the door.

"Oh my gosh," I mumbled.

I stepped forward, throwing myself into the chair by her bed. I reached under the blanket and pulled her delicate hand into mine.

"Dan," she smiled, "Hey."

"Hey," I said back, quietly, "Serena, holy shit."

"Don't be scared," she demanded weakly, "I'm fine. Just a little weak right now."

"I don't even," I started, "Serena, I'm so sorry. I should have found you faster. I shouldn't have left this morning or something! Ugh!"

"Please," she said, "Just tell me what happened."

"They arrested those disgusting jackasses," I told her, "Chuck apparently had cops on his call because they showed up right on time. When that gun went off..."

I felt a soft finger running across mine hand. Damn, I should be the one comforting her.

I quickly broke into the full story of what had happened on our end.

"Nate," she breathed, "Is he...did they?"

"Nate's across the hall," I said, "He's ok. He's blaming himself for this, and he says he's really sorry. But physically, he just got beat up."

"Oh thank goodness!" Serena let out, "Dan, they told me..."

"Serena," I cut in, "I know I shouldn't pressure you, but I really need to know. Can you tell me what happened?"
I saw emotions run across her beautiful face and my free hand instantly reached out to it. I brushed a loose hair back to its place, and ran my hand gently across the long scratch on her cheek bone.

"What did they do to you?"

Her eyes closed softly as she prepped herself to talk about what happened.

"They came out of nowhere," she started, "I was leaving the hotel and I was going to call Blair. I had my phone out so I wasn't looking where I was going. I don't know how they did it, but within 10 seconds my mouth was taped shut and I was being pushed in to a van. We were in the middle of a New York street, but no one noticed than I was being kidnapped. It started then. We were in the van, driving for a long time. They told me I was collateral damage to send a message. They said I had my friend Nate to thank. And then they told me...they said they'd killed him, Dan. They told me Nate, one of my best friends was laying in an alley somewhere, dead."

The tears had begun to stream as she remembered the feelings when they told her they had killed Nate. I encouraged her to go on.

"Then it got worse," she admitted, "They seemed to think Nate was my boyfriend, but that didn't matter. They knew I had a lot of friends and that someone would come after me. They said terrible things Dan. They just kept going on about everything they would do to a person who came to save me. I think they wanted to make sure I didn't try to contact anyone, and it was working. When I imagined Nate dead, and the thought of them hurting you, cause I knew you'd come."

My girlfriend broke off again, and I moved closer to her, squeezing her hand.
Not only had they physically hurt her, they had done everything to emotionally abuse her as well.

"By the time we got to their house, I was worn out from sobbing," she told me, "I hated it. I hated looking so weak, but something about the way they talked to me just broke me down. They put me on the bed and tied me down as soon as we got there. I kicked at the guy tying me up and he slapped me...and the rest of it. Well it's a blur. I remember trying to taunt them back. I told them someone would find them and the police were going to come and kill them all. Some of them looked desperate enough that I could flirt some information out of them, but I never got very far. They hit me. When I'd try to fight back or harass one of them, they hit me and..."

Tears were now freely spilling down her face and she broke off with a sob. That nasty feeling was filling me up again as I tried to read further into the expression on Serena's face.

I was basically in the bed now, I needed to be close to her. She flung her arms around my neck and buried her head in my shoulder.

"Serena," I whispered into her hair, "Baby."

She turned her face upward and stared into my eyes.

The bright blue of hers, pierced through the glimmering tears and an overwhelming feeling passed through me.

"I should have done something!" she sobbed, "I felt so weak. Dan,"

"Serena!" I said, full of determination, "Did they rape you?"

Her eyes continued to stare into mine. We were as close as possible without straining the tubes she was on too much. For a moment we simply looked, reading each other.

I couldn't really think or block the buzzing from my ears as I waited...

"No."

"No?" I questioned, warding off the relief that fought to get through me.

"No," she said again, shaking her head, "One of them tried, but the main guy shut him down. I swear, Dan."

But I already believed her. I could see it in her face, and she saw the relief in mine.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I should have tol - "

I pressed my lips onto her, and gently pushed her back into a completely laying position.

"Sssh," I demanded, "I'm so sorry. I love you. But you need to rest. You need to get some more food in your system and you need to sleep."

She nodded and slunk down in the bed, never letting go of my hand.

"Dan," she whispered, closing her eyes, "Don't leave."

I kissed the top of her head, and slid my chair even closer so I could rest my head comfortable beside hers, while still sitting.

I knew my dad and Jenny were out there worrying and waiting for me. And Chuck was probably still out there, doing who knows what. Nate was feeling guilty in the other room, and probably couldn't wait to get out of the bed, and apologize some more. And by now, I'm sure Blair was on her way, ready to raise hell until she could see Serena.

Not to mention Serena's mom, Eric, Nate's mom, Vanessa.

But right now none of that mattered.

Right now it was just Serena and I, helping each other. Being strong for each other. And no matter who came to see her, or what the doctors said, I was not leaving her side.

Got kinda serious there, but hey it had to happen. Hopefully you guys are ok with the more serious twist and whatnot. Please let me know! Especially so I know if I should add a few more chapters or what.