Author's note: Yes, I've updated again. Don't count on this being trend. Don't worry Casey and Dan will work it out.

Chapter 10: Delicate

It's not that we're scared its just that its delicate.

~Damien Rice

Serena sat at her desk with its barnished wood and curved edges and smiled softly to herself. For the first time in months, she was able to enjoy her new job and the fact that she had done this all on her own. She picked opened the drawer and took out the picture of Dan and heself from years ago. She touched the silver frame with her fingers and placed it on her desk. For weeks they'd been circling around what they were and just it had weeks earlier, Blair's words rang in her ears.

Ask yourself what you are so afraid of?

She still had no concrete answer to her friends well timed question. All she knew was that having Dan in her life made everything seem better. He'd re-established his position as her closest confidante which had left a little awkwardness between Casey and herself, but she reassured him that nothing could alter the bond, but deep down Serena knew that Casey understood. It felt like they were already together. He was the first thing she thought of when she woke up and the last thing on her mind before she nodded off. They took walks in the park, went shopping in the village, and had dinner at least 3 times a week. Dan was fully a part of her life now, both professionally and personally, but everytime their eyes locked and they got close to crossing that boundary again something held her back. She didn't know what it was, but all she knew was that she loved where they were. Serena stared at that picture and remembered the feeling of joy that filled her heart when he had come to fight for her, for him.

"But, that was his thing,"she thought to herself. Dan always seemed to want to do whatever it would take to keep her, to have her.

Her assistant came in and stood before her. She picked up the picture and eyed it curiously.

"Isn't that Mr. Humphrey? I didn't know you guys used to go out."the young woman asked.

Serena smiled and said, "Yes we did, but that was a long time ago."

"You look so happy in that picture what happened?"

"it's a long story. Is there something you needed?"

"I wanted to let you know that the VP wants the final chapters of Mr. Humphrey's book by the end of the month."

"Thank you. Tell her I'll take care of it, "Serena said.

The young woman stood there with her arms across her chest and a perplexed look on her face. "I don't mean to be rude, but you're stupid if you let him get away again. I can tell you really like him. I mean you have that old picture of you guys on your desk. Its sort of random if you ask me."

Serena said nothing. She went back to the papers she had been going over and attempted to ignore the girl's unsolicited advice. She was voicing what was evidently a very popular sentiment. She knew they were right. What the hell was she waiting for? Dan had made his move now it was her turn. The proverbial ball was in her court.

"Hannah, hold all my calls. Scratch that tell them I'll be back in the morning."

"What's going on?"

'I'm being smart Hannah just like you said."

Serena grabbed her purse and rushed out of the building and hailed a cab. She nervously wrung her hands as she waited for the cab to get to her destination. For ten years she lived in perpetual misery, no more. She was finally going to stop letting life happen to her and just grab her forever. She knew they had both made their share of mistakes, but for once their was nothing getting in their way.

I may have failed but I've loved you from the start. Hold your both because tonight will be the night I will fall for you all over again. Breathe me in, comes I'm yours to keep.

~Secondhand Serenade

Dan had just gotten out of the shower and was getting ready to do some work when he heard the incessant knocking on his door. It was the middle of the afternoon and he had no idea who it could be. He opened the door and found a slightly panic-stricken Serena standing before him. She grabbed his face and kissed him feverishly nearly knocking the wind out of him in the process.

"What's going on?"he asked as she peppered his face with kisses. He smiled as he held her to him.

"Not that I mind being acosted by your lips, but maybe you should come inside,"he said as he tried to suppress his laughter.

He guided her inside and closed the door. Serena let her bag drop to the floor and started to kiss him again. She attempted to pull up his tshirt, but Dan resisted. "Okay, you know I love the idea of lunchtime romp, but I thought you said you wanted to take things slowly."

"I think ten years is slow enough,"she said before plying him with kisses again. Dan's skin was flushed and the feel of her hands all over him was driving her wild, but he had to know where this was coming from.

"Serena stop. We need to talk first,"he said.

She held his face in her hands and kissed him gently. She missed this. She missed how he felt. "I love you,"she said.

Dan felt like he had been struck. His knees could barely support his weight. Those three words and how easily came floating from her lips was enough to destabilize him. "I need to sit down."

"I always have Dan. I never stopped. I was stopped. We were stupid. Ten years haven't changed a damn thing and I know you feel the same. I guess I was just so scared to go their again to let myself feel this again, "she said.

Dan held out his hand and said, "Come here."

He held her tightly taking in her sweet scent and said, "I love you too. I'm scared too. I don't want us to mess this up again."

"We won't because we know what its like not to be in each others lives."

"I never want to know what that's like ever again," he murmured into her hair.

He held his hand in hers and led her to his bedroom. The bed was still unmade and his clothes were scattered on the floor, but he didn't care. He looked her in the eyes and gently removed her blazer and let it drop to the floor. Dan bent his head and kissed the spot between her neck and her collarbone which elicited a gentle moan from her lips. He tugged her blouse from her skirt and undid the buttons one at a time. Serena stood there motionless staring at him, totally caught up in the magic of the moment. Eventually she reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it off of him. He was beautiful. The years had been generous to him. He was still slender, but his muscles were more refined.

"you're beautiful,"Dan muttered as he peeled the blouse from her shoulders. Serena started to work eagerly at his belt buckle, but he stopped her and said, "take it easy, we have all the time in the world."

Serena smiled and said, "we have forever."

He removed her skirt and picked her up and placed her on the bed. She looked up at him eagerly as he loosened her stalking from her garterbelt. "God, you're killing me with this get up."

"Its just a garter dan."

"its fucking sexy."

She started to laugh that laugh he loved so dearly. He made quick work of her stalking and soon her panties had joined the rest of her clothing. Dan spread her legs and used his tongue to elicit the sweetest moans from her lips. He loved to hear the sound of his name on her lips, but above all he loved to bring her joy. She was his first lover and only love. Soon she was wriggling between his touch begging him to put her out of her misery.

"Now Dan,"she begged.

"shh, patience."

Dan stripped off the rest of his clothes and positioned his body above her. There eyes never strayed from each other as he entered her in one fell swoop. Soon they were moving in unison, matching each other thrust for thrust, moan for moan. Dan moved the hair from her face and smiled. This was how it was meant to be. For the first time in years he felt complete.

I want to know what love is I know you can show me

Nate Archibald was happy. He was content for the first time in ages. He'd spent so many years drifting from relationship to relationship searching for that feeling, eventually he'd stopped looking. It was elusive and something he was convinced that wasn't meant to be a part of his journey. But, in a little over a month, he'd managed to find love. Love was all that he'd ever wanted and sought. Either he never felt it for that person or it was never returned. He once believed Blair was his one true love, but they could never seem to get their act together and there always seemed to be something in the way. From his relationship with Vanessa, to her relationship with Chuck. Nate felt love for her, but he knew now that he wasn't in love with her or atleast not anymore.

"What are you thinking,"Casey asked?

"I'm thinking that this feels so right,"Nate said.

Casey put his paper down and kissed Nate on the cheek. Casey had branded himself single for life ages ago, but there was something about Nate that made him want to settle down. He felt at ease with him and he had this way of quenching his every desire. With Nate in his life, he had no desire to go and seek out sexual satisfaction in the arms of another which what he normally did. Two weeks usually marked the point when he became bored with whomever he was dating and wanted to simply move on. But, it had been a month and he had no desire to run.

'So, I really think we should tell Serena."

Nate felt a bit apprehensive at the idea of her knowing. She would probably think it was nothing short of a joke, but she probably already knew since she'd told Dan. The two of them were practically attached at the hip lately. "She probably already knows."

"What do you mean?"

"I told Dan a little while ago and they've been really close lately."

"Oh him again,"Casey said with frown.

"Do you not like him?"Nate asked. The last thing he needed was for Casey to hate his bestfriend.

"No, no that's not it. I just, I guess he's always around and I'm not used to it."

"Is this about Serena?"

"Yeah, we never hang out anymore cause she's always with him,"Casey said with a pout."

Nate hugged him and said, "don't worry Dan. He's a cool guy. They're just in love. Always have been. You just need to get to know him is all."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Casey he's my bestfriend and if this is going to work, you're going to have to figure out a way to get over your issues with him."