Chapter 11

Honestly, I don't think this chapter came out the way I wanted to write it. But I realized if I didn't get into writing this, I wouldn't be able to move ahead with the story. Ill update faster now. Thanks to those who are still reading.

It's been more than two months already since Dan had graduated from NYU. Dan hadn't really taken up a proper job, because, firstly he didn't really need to, as his book had made him quite rich and secondly, with a proper job, he wouldn't have been able to concentrate on his writing. He had been writing free-lance articles for many magazines like Vanity Fair, New Yorker, etc. Dan was enjoying this pace of life. Most of his weekdays were filled with writing, coffee, cigarettes, more writing and Serena. His weekends were spent mostly with his family or hanging out on double dates with Jenny and Nate.

Dan and Serena had been living in together for the last one and a half years, when Serena had asked him to take her with him to Brooklyn. But that had never happened. They never ended up moving back to Brooklyn, because somehow Dan felt that he didn't want to start a new chapter of his life with Serena, in the place, where everything reminded him of Blair. He wanted a fresh start and he knew that his loft would be the last place for starting over.

Serena and Dan decided and moved into a small but cozy apartment on the Upper West Side. It was a good location for both of them, as it was closer to Serena's school, Columbia, so it was easier for her to juggle between her school and work. For Dan, it was convenient, as he could meet his agent at any time and many of his book events and readings happened in Manhattan. More importantly, this way he was closer to his friends and family. He went out most days with Nate to play soccer. Even Jenny came to see him frequently. She was in Parsons now, although she still stayed with Rufus and Lily at home. In fact, Dan saw Chuck very often too, although he wouldn't go as far as to say they were friends, but at least now they tolerated each other.

Dan's world was almost complete. He had a loving and supportive family. His best friend was now dating his sister, and that made them even closer. Dan and Eric had become much closer, and Eric was almost like a blood brother to Dan now, although he didn't see much of him, except during the holidays. More than anything else, he had a girlfriend, Serena Vander woodsen, the kind of woman, men dreamt about, who was completely and madly in love with him. His career was going great, he was an acclaimed novelist, and his novel had made him famous beyond his imagination. He had also graduated at the top of his class from NYU. His life was almost perfect, but there was something missing in his life. He had everything, but still he felt something was vacant and hollow in his heart.


Dan was as usual was sitting in front of his laptop, trying to finish his new article for the Vanity Fair and he was on his fourth cup of coffee already at just eleven in the morning. Seriously, he thought, if there's one thing, he was addicted to, and it definitely would be to black coffee, maybe as much as Chuck was addicted to his scotch.

This very moment, his golden sparklingly beautiful girlfriend entered their home, with a very wide grin on her face. She came forward to him and sat on his lap and planted a very passionate kiss on his lips.

Dan smiled and said, "Wow, not that I mind this, but you seem exceedingly ecstatic about something today."

Serena broke their embrace and got up from his lap and said, "I don't need a reason to do that, but yes, I am really happy today and I guess you'll be happy or at least semi-happy if you hear what I have to tell you."

Dan was intrigued and he asked her in a bewildered tone, "Wow, what's that, something that will make you happy and me semi-happy?"

Serena almost shouted in ecstasy, "Chuck is getting married".

Dan exhaled a shocked "what?"

Serena replied with her voice still shrill but happy, "yeah, he is, he just proposed to Emily last night. I mean this is so surprising and so good. I mean they had been together only for a month, but he's ready to settle down with her. He told me he had found his centre in her. She makes him so happy. Iam just so happy for him, I mean it's Chuck, who would have thought he'd be getting married, and not just that, but be the first one among us getting married."

Dan was happy about the news too, that finally Chuck had managed to fall in love again. He had found his happiness, despite who he had been in the past and the things he had done, Dan felt that Chuck deserved every ounce of happiness that he could get and maybe Emily was the girl who could give him all that and more.

Dan stood up and ran a hand through his hair and said, "Wow, this is real great news. I mean iam surprised that Chuck Bass is getting married, but I guess he deserves to be happy too. You know I think I should go and congratulate him."

Serena walked up to Dan and put her arms around his neck and whispered, "Actually, Dan you can do that tonight. We are going to his engagement party."

Dan smiled and said, "Wow, people move really fast here. Don't tell me the wedding is next weekend now."

Serena let out a laugh and said, "No, the wedding is not next weekend, but its two months later. There's not much time and we'll have to do so much before that. You know wedding planning takes so much precision and time, I mean I don't know how iam going to plan it."

Dan could see Serena getting tensed, and he rubbed her shoulder trying to relax her and said, "Serena, you can hire any wedding planner you want. I mean you can organize a wedding in a week with their help. Can't you?"

Serena said, "Yes, you can, but Dan that's not personal. We can't do that for Chuck. We are his family Dan. He's missed out on so much in life, but I want to make sure that his wedding is perfect. He deserves it. He does. But iam such a mess, on my own, I could never do it. There's only person who can organize it perfectly. "She finished her sentence, looking at Dan sheepishly.

Dan knew exactly who Serena was talking about, but he wanted to play along, because now he realized that Serena had staged the whole thing, because she wanted to actually warm him into something that she wanted. He just had to figure out what that was; because he knew Serena liked to beat around the bush all the time.

Serena looked up at Dan again, who was by now sitting on the couch with his cup of coffee. Serena went and sat next to him and said, "Dan, I know I shouldn't be doing this. But you know she's the only one who can do it perfectly. Chuck would want her here too. And more than that, Dan, I miss her; I've missed her every day for the last one and a half years." Serena said, almost crying.

Dan just sat there, he didn't know what to say, he didn't understand what Serena wanted of him right now.

Serena looked at him again and she knew that Dan was disturbed by the very thought of her. She quickly added, "Dan, you don't have to be friends with her or something. It's just time, she's back, back where she belongs. I want her to come back to her world. But you know, things were so complicated when she left. She made a lot of mistakes and I hated her for it, but she's my best friend, she's like my sister, Dan, I miss her. But I can't do this without you."

Dan just looked stunned and asked Serena, "What do you want from me Serena?"

Serena replied, "Nothing Dan, I just want you to know that just because I want to welcome her back, iam not ready to forget everything that happened in the past. But iam willing to give her another chance, but I don't want to do it if it's going to hurt you. I need you to be okay with this, because I can't do anything to hurt you. "

Dan held Serena's hands between hers and said, " if having her back makes you happy and if that's what you want, then iam okay with that Serena; because more than anything else in the world I just want to make you happy."

Serena almost jumped at Dan hearing this, she said, "Dan, really, are you sure about this? Oh my gawd, this is so exciting, it makes me so happy. Dan, you don't know how happy you've made me."

Dan was happy for her too, but he felt something bitter. Her being back in his world scared him. Knowing that she was back, kind of triggered a sharp pain in his chest. But he decided that never again would he let Blair Waldorf have the pleasure of walking all over him. He vouched that he wouldn't let Blair affect him in any manner. She had no place in his life and he would make sure of that.

Serena beaming with a smile said, "Dan, I have got to go now, I have things to plan. In fact, I have to still figure out what to wear for tonight's party. So I'll see you at the party directly." She kissed Dan's cheek and left.

Dan shut the door behind him. He still had to finish his article, but he knew no matter how hard he tried, he wouldn't be able to finish his article today. He didn't want to think of the past, of her, or anything related to her. He had been living a content life for the last few months, and she didn't have a right to come back and jumble it up again.


The evening came by quickly and Dan found himself dressed up for the party. Nate and jenny, along with Eric had come to pick him up for the grand engagement party.

Very soon, all four of them were at the party. Dan had to make many quick hellos and exchange pleasentries with a lot of people, but his eyes were scanning for that one bitchy brunette. At the other end of the room, he spotted Serena, who looked magnificent in a golden gown, which sort of reminded him of the one she wore at cotillion, when she had looked like a blazing star. He also realized that not only him, but almost every other person in the room was mesmerized by the dazzling golden beauty.

As Serena moved forward, from behind her, like a shadow emerged a tiny petite girl, wearing a smile that he recognized instantly. The very sight of her captured him; he couldn't remember a time, when she had looked more beautiful. She looked like a Greek goddess, in her pale off white gown, but seeing her like this, drove a sharp pain through his heart.

As soon as Blair stepped into the spotlight, she knew all eyes were on her, but not because she was dazzling like Serena, because everyone was wondering, why she was back. She scanned the room, but she knew her eyes were looking for the one person that she wanted to see more than anybody else in this moment.

At that very instant, when one of her mother's clients had dragged her to talk to her, she spotted him, across the room, staring back at her. Their eyes met for the briefest moment, before he withdrew his gaze and turned to talk to someone on his left. But she couldn't help staring at him.


He looked so handsome and he was impeccably dressed. He looked like any upper east sider , but he was still Dan, Dan from Brooklyn. She was seeing him almost after two years and he looked a bit older than the last time she saw him, but he looked so much more attractive now. She didn't want to stop looking at him and every part of her desired him in that very moment.

Blair just wanted to run into his harms and kiss him wildly, tear that suit off his body and give herself to him right there. Just as she was picturising these crazy things in her head, reality hit her.

As there he was with his arms around the golden girl, kissing his girlfriend lovingly right in front of everybody.

Seeing them like this, Blair felt an explosion of pain. She just wanted to run away or even worse claw Serena's eyes out, but she couldn't do any of those things. She had no right to be hurt or mad at this, she wasn't here for this. She was here for her old life. She was here for herself. Not for her. Not for him. But why did it hurt so much? She knew she would see them like this, but she still expected that somewhere he would hold on to her.

She hated being this stupidly presumptuous, but she knew just moments back, Dan's eyes had told her something else. His eyes conveyed that she still affected him. She just had to confirm it. She just wanted to be assured that she still mattered to him, even if only to hate her. She could have him hate her, but not be indifferent to her. But she was ready to wait to find out the truth.


Dan had noticed Blair looking at him, but he turned away from her just as quickly, because locking eyes with her had shaken him. He wondered even if looking at her for moment had totally unnerved him, how would he deal with her being back.

Just as he was lost in his thought, Jenny came to him and in an almost accusing tone she said, "Dan, did you know, she's back. I mean what is she doing here?"

Dan just looked at jenny and he knew Jenny probably hated no one more than Blair, but he knew it wasn't all because of him. Blair threatened Jenny in a way no one had, and Jenny wasn't ready to part with her queen status now.

Just as Jenny was looking up to Dan for an answer, a very jovial Nate came up behind Jenny, clutching her waist and softly kissing her cheek.

Nate said excitedly looking at Dan, "let's go man…Serena is about to raise a toast to them. Jenny, bdw, Serena was asking for that gift or whatever. "

Jenny suddenly looked flustered and said, "Oh shit, I forgot about that. I have to go help Serena out before calamity strikes."

Dan was glad that Nate had managed to get rid of jenny. Even though Nate loved jenny, he knew there were times she could be overbearing and he was a real good friend to Dan. He knew Dan must have been feeling unsettled seeing Blair back and on top of being interrogated by jenny about it, was the last thing his friend needed right now. So Nate stepped up as a friend, to save his best friend from his (Dan) sister and his girl friend.

Nate looked up at Dan and said, "Hey, man hope you're holding up fine."

Dan looked perplexed, he didn't know, what he was confused about that Nate had gotten this smart or he'd become this transparent, but whatever it was, he was touched with Nate's concern.

Dan smiled at Nate and said, "yeah Nate, iam holding up fine. I mean why wouldn't I be?"

Nate just smiled at Dan because he knew Dan wouldn't admit it. So he just let it go and said, "okay, but man, we should really go upfront because if we miss Serena's toast, we'll never hear the end of it."

Dan let out a small laugh at Nate's impersonation of a mad Serena and they both set forth to the centre stage of the party.


Two hour later, with the party being in full swing, Dan found himself alone at the bar with a scotch in his hand. Dan had avoided looking at her all night. Somehow he felt, that even after almost two years, he wasn't ready to face her just yet. He didn't understand why she affected him so much even now, they hadn't been together for more than three months, and she hadn't cared about him one single bit, but her sheer presence in a room filled with hundreds of people totally unhinged him even after two years.

Just as he was finishing his last drink of the night, he felt somebody pull up a chair next to him on the bar.

He didn't even have to turn sideways to know it was her.

He just sat there, with his glass in his hand, fighting within himself to say something to her. But he couldn't.

Suddenly she spoke up in a voice that was quiet yet, it had that unmistakable Blair Waldorf spite to it,

"I see Humphrey, 6 years in this world and you're still a social misfit."

Just as those words left her mouth, Dan turned to her and in his signature Humphrey sarcasm said

"I wish I could say it's good to see you Waldorf, but it isn't."

As soon as he finished his words, he took the last swig of his drink and left the bar, leaving her alone, not turning back to look at her once, because he didn't know if he could have survived another moment being so close to her.