Author's note:The following chapter is chock full of fluff...

Chapter 11: Forever

To say that Serena was angry would be an understatement. Dan was use to seeing her bubbly and sometimes even sad. She had her days of being bitchy but she rarely got angry; she was seething. Her hands were clenched at her side and she barely looked at him during the cab ride home. "So are you ever going to speak to me again?" he asked as they walked in the door.

Serena glared at him and said, "It depends on what you have to say for yourself."

Dan hung his head low. He knew what he had done was stupid, but when David had started talking about Serena it felt like something inside of him had snapped. To say that Dan had anger issues would simply be stating the obvious, but he had learnt to keep it in check. It only seemed to surface when it impacted those he cared for the most.

"Well do you have anything for yourself, Dan?" she said.

"Just that I love you and when someone hurts you I feel like I need to hurt them back."

She shook her head and all her anger dissipated when she saw the puppy dog look in his eyes. She was a sucker for that look. She just wanted to wrap him up and hold him tight. She understood his instinct to want to protect her, but sometimes she wished he wouldn't put himself in danger when he did so. "Come here, you idiot."

Dan held on tightly to her and simply gloried in this feeling of completeness of this moment. He was finally where he needed to be. With Serena he had found a piece of himself and then lost it and now that she was back, he was finally whole again. "I'm sorry I know hitting that guy was stupid."

"Its okay. Just promise me that you won't do this again. Just let it go, I have."

He took a deep breath and said, "I promise I'll try. Come on its been a long day for me."

Serena could feel his eyes on her as she went through her nightly ritual. She would emerge from the shower and slip on a pair of shorts and a tank top and apply her lotion. Then she sat at her boudoir and brushed her long tresses. She could see him looking at her with a look that she couldn't quite pinpoint. It was a combination of I-want-you-now and are-you-for-real. She turned and smiled at him. It took him less than 20 minutes to get ready for bed, but then again he was a man.

"Stop you're creeping me out."

"What I didn't say anything," Dan said.

"You're staring at me."

"You're gorgeous."

"You're still staring."

"You're still gorgeous," he said.

Serena giggled and hopped into bed next to him and wrapped herself snugly in his arms. "This is how its supposed to be Dan. Well, minus the bailing my boyfriend out of jail part."

"Have I apologized for that lately?"

"Frequently."

"Let me apologize again," he said as he captured her lips with his own "in another way."

Dan had it all planned out all he needed was for Serena to be out of the house for a few hours while he set everything up. It had taken him three weeks and half of his salary to find the perfect ring. He even managed to convince Blair to come with him and help him find just the right setting for the ring. This was something that had been 6 years in the making. They were still relatively young, but he didn't want to wait any longer. He was going to let Serena slip through his fingers ever again. This time they would be forever. Blair and Serena had just left for a spa day so that he would have enough time to get everything ready. He picked up his cell and said, "They're gone. Bring in the goods fellows."

Dan hung up and held the door open as Nate, Chuck, and Kevin carried in card board boxes. "Put them in the living room, guys."

"Couldn't you have handled this yourself, Humphrey?"Chuck asked in disdain. "These boxes aren't exactly heavy."

"You guys aren't here just for the heavy lifting. We'll be spreading these lovelies all over the apartment.

"What are you up to?"asked Nate.

"If all goes well you'll know soon enough."

Nate looked at him with a puzzled expression on his face. Chuck patted his friend on the back and shook his head. Sometimes Nate was a little slow on the uptake. But, Chuck knew what Dan was up to. He was a little surprised it had taken him so long to get off his ass. Dan, Nate, and Kevin started scattering a trail of roses leading to the bedroom as Chuck poured himself a whiskey and watched the others work.

"Aren't you going to help us?"asked an annoyed Dan.

"Humphrey, I've done enough man labor for a decade."

Dan rolled his eyes and started placing the candles in the bedroom. It took them a little over an hour to prep the apartment. When the guys left, Dan went to work preparing his famous pasta. He wanted this to be the most romantic night of her life.

Serena arrived back at the apartment weighed down by bags. She placed them in foyer and wondered why the lights were dimmed. "Dan. Dan are you home?"

"I'm in the dining room," he yelled from across the apartment.

"Dining room? Why are you in the dining room?

"Just come and see."

She walked across the apartment and noticed that the floor was covered in rose petals. Serena smiled to herself and wondered what kind of romantic surprise he had in store for her now. He was standing by the dining room table in his best shirt and pants and a silly apron tied on that said Kiss the Chef. "Cute Apron," she said as she kissed him on the cheek.

"Have a seat."

"My ask what the occasion is?"

"I just wanted to do something special for you."

Serena took a seat and waited as Dan served her is famous pasta and garlic bread. It was a lot more elaborate now compared to the first time he'd served it to her, but she didn't care. It could taste like a load of bricks and she'd still eat it because he did it for her and that meant more than any fancy gift could ever mean. They ate in comfortable silence. She tried to get him to tell her what exactly he had up his sleeve because she knew him well enough to know that he had something else up his sleeve. "The pasta is wonderful, Dan."

"I'm glad you like it."

"This whole evening is wonderful, but I feel a little under-dressed."

Dan took her hand and held it in his, "you look fantastic. You always do. Actually tonight is my way of showing you how much I love you and how much I've missed having you in my life."

"Don't you're gonna make me blush."

"Its true. I love being with you. Living together was a wonderful idea. I love you for your strength, your grace, and your beauty. You've helped me find home and its with you."

"You're really rolling out the cheesy lines tonight."

"Yeah, I know its corny. But, I'm in a corny mood."

Dan took out the small black box and placed it in her hands. "A long time ago you said that we were forever and that's all I'm asking you. Be my forever. Marry me?"

Serena voice caught in her throat. She was speechless. It was something she had been thinking about, but didn't want to rush. It had been barely six months since he had broken up with Julianna. But, she knew it was right; he was right.

"Say something. You're killing me here,"he said.

"Yes,. Yes Yes Yes."She said as she planted kisses all over his face.