Flashback Chapter

Both girl's treasured the days when their mom's only job was to be a mom, before her career became a major priority. On days when Dan worked, Serena would plan fun days with the girls. She would take them to tea parties with Blair or spend the entire day baking and decorating cupcakes . On the nights when he was working late she would doll them up. Serena would sit 6 year old Julia and 4 year old Brooke on the large bathroom counter and paint their faces with makeup. Sometimes she would even pull out the big guns and glue fake eye lashes on them. They would love those nights. Brooke kicked her bright pink toenails while sitting up on the dark marble counter top. Being so tiny she probably wouldn't have been able to get down on her own. Serena opened some drawers and began the beautification.

"Daddy doesn't like it so we'll wash it all off before he gets home." Serena would explain. After Serena had Julia, she took up photography like her mother before her. She found that her subject matter almost always involved her daughters. Eventually their house was decorated with many black and white pieces of art. Original Serena Vanderwoodsen's.

"This is me!, right mommy? this is me" Brooke stood up on the counter and pointed to a black and white picture of Serena. It was an incredibly artistic shot of a pregnant Serena, she did it for Vanity Fair. She was hesitant when they approached her about it but the shots came out amazing.

"Yes Brookie that's you…sit down."

She turned up the music and bobbed her head to the beat as she pinned both girl's hair back. Serena was the most involved mother that anyone on the Upper east side had ever seen. Baking for the school bake sale and volunteering with Brooke's kindergarten class. Serena even took the girls grocery shopping with her. It was unheard of, especially for the wife of someone who worked at Bass Industries to do her own grocery shopping. Most mother's had nannies and housekeepers to do the work. She and Dan had toyed with the idea of getting a nanny but they couldn't decide on it. Serena loved being at home with her girls and they both hated the idea of someone else raising them. Slowly she was getting offers to be in fashion shows from her old modeling agencies, once in awhile when Dan was around she would indulge in one or two but the constant traveling he did held her back quite a bit. Once movie offers came rolling in a few years later Serena was finally realizing she might regret it if she passes up the opportunities. Both Dan and Serena's lives became overwhelming and It wasn't fair to send the girls to Rufus or Lily every couple days. They had a babysitter come a couple times a week, her name was Sherry and the girls loved her, which upset Serena at times. Serena didn't hate Sherry but the words "My mommy doesn't do it like that!" screamed at the top of Brooke's lungs comforted her and sometimes put a smug look on her face.

Holding on to Brooke's chubby cheeks with one hand she applied shiny pink gloss to her lips.

"Go like this" Serena rubbed her lips together as an example. Brooke smudged hers together and smiled.

When she finished applying eyeshadow, blush, mascara, and curling Brooke's blonde hair she looked at herself in the mirror. "Do I look pretty Mummy?"

"Of course you look pretty, you're always pretty." she kissed her on the cheek as she pulled her off the counter and placed her on the ground with her sister. They both looked in the mirror and batted their lashes.

"Close your eyes." Brooke clasped both hands tightly to her head as Serena started spraying her hair with hairspray.

The front door opened and they heard Dan's keys jiggle as he put them on the front table. Serena turned off the music in a hurry. All three girls looked at each other and made little screams that they were going to get caught.

"Busssted!" Serena tickled Brooke until she cried. She threw Brooke on one hip and held on to Julia's hand as they skipped into the living room in front of the big window. She needed to take new headshots of Julia for the modeling agency Serena had enrolled her in. Everywhere they went people told her she should be a model so when Serena finally enrolled her she was picking up jobs like crazy. Much to Dan's displease Julia loved every minute of being in the spotlight.

"Smile big" Serena coached her as she took snapshots. Julia didn't have nearly as much makeup on as Brooke, she looked adorable in a pink dress with white tights, Serena had curled her hair to perfection. "Ok now, put your hand up under your chin." Julia did so.

"Perfect!" she snapped a couple more in black and white.

"Brookie, go find Daddy." Serena said giving her something to do other than watch Julia get attention.

Brooke, the little beauty pageant princess put her hands on her hips and strutted up to Dan who was looking through the mail. Looking up he noticed a tiny little girl wearing enough makeup to last Serena a month.

"Oh no" Dan dropped the mail back on the small table beside the door and moved away as if he was scared of her. Brooke with the most devious grin on her face ran to the door with her hands up in the air for him to pick her up. Dan dodged her.

"Where's my little girl?" he looked around and behind Brooke.

"Right here." she put her hands on her head and laughed like Serena.

"No,…" Dan shook his head "my little girl, is only 4 years old… and she's not allowed to wear makeup, you cant be." he explained casually walking down the hall pretending to look for her.

"I am, I am." she followed after him upset in her little plastic high heels. Dan continued to walk into the house pretending to look for Brooke.

"Daddy…" she said with tears as she kicked her shoes off, and rubbed her lipstick off on her arm. she ran towards him.

"Daddy, look it's me…Brooke." she showed him rubbing off her lipstick on her arm. The little tears in her eyes were so worried. Dan smiled widely at her sad frown.

"Brooke who?" he asked her, upsetting her further to amuse himself.

"Brooklyn Jennifer Allison Humphrey!" she said loudly.

"Hmm, doesn't ring a bell…" he joked as he picked the little curly haired girl up, there was so much hair spray it bounced as a single object. Dan coughed at the smell of hairspray and Serena's perfume. He sat her on the bathroom counter, the same place she just had been beautified in. Getting a washcloth out he began to scrub the gunk off her face.

"Who did this to you?" he asked her.

"Mommy did"

"She did?" he sounded appalled.

Serena took her last shot and told Julia that it was time to get ready for bed.

"Daddy I looked so beauti-ful!." Brooke told him how she felt, she turned to look at herself in the mirror. Serena walked in with Julia.

"I brought you your next victim." Serena sat Julia up on the counter.

"Oh good, I thought I might have to hunt you down." he joked as he walked over to Serena and gave her a little kiss, he noticed her makeup was just like Brooke's.

"We'll get yours off later?" he asked looking down at her clothes. With a little smile, he hinted the things to come. She smiled back as if she was accepting the offer.

Dan inhaled loudly. "Brooke!, is that you under all that horrible makeup?, why didn't you say so?" Brooke rolled her eyes like the little drama queen she was.

"We were suppose to get it all off before you got home, but you came home earlier than we thought." Serena explained.

Dan laughed at Brooke, she was making funny faces. Serena took a couple more photos of Julia smiling, she then turned the camera up to Brooke who was laughing hysterically as Dan attempted to apply the lashes on himself. Brooke threw her head back and laughed so hard no noise came out, Dan chuckled seeing her this amused.

"What do you think?, am I pretty?" he asked Julia and Serena while batting his lashes. They both laughed.

"Maybe I need some lipstick…" he said.

"Daddy you don't need makeup, you're crazy!." Brooke explained with her little goofy voice.

"Neither do you." he kissed her on the forehead.

"Daddy look in the mirror with me!" she turned her little body to face the mirror. They both made crazy faces.

"Me and daddy has the exact same eyes, axes-hilly." she told Julia in a way to make her jealous. Serena smiled adoringly, she couldn't believe she used words like "actually" she picked up on everything, they had to be careful what they said around her. That was made apparent only a few weeks ago. The kindergarten teacher came up to Serena one day after class and asked her a question that caught Serena off guard.

"Serena, I have to tell you about Brooke today" Serena instantly was worried she did something wrong.

"Oh, no, what did she do?" her eyes watched her patiently.

"Oh nothing is wrong. She's hilarious." her teacher laughed a little.

"It's just….are you and your husband by any chance… trying to get pregnant?" she asked. Serena's face dropped.

"Actually…" Serena was caught off guard and laughed worriedly.

"Yeah" she nodded hesitatingly curious to how Brooke revealed that to her teacher.

"I don't want to get personal it's just that today, Brooke made a small production about eggs in the play kitchen today…she was playing the mommy and kept saying to Tommy, 'her husband',…that her eggs weren't 'fertiled' and telling him that he better come home from work and he better not be late or tired because she needs him to "fertell' her eggs" Serena covered her mouth, her eyes bulging. Oh god

"I just thought she was so funny. She kept yelling at him "I never waited so long for my eggs to be fertiled" Tommy was stirring a bowl of plastic eggs over the stove" she cracked up and Serena's mouth gaped open.

"I really don't think she knew what she was saying, she mentioned she needed them to be 'Fertiled" by the night so they will be ready for breakfast." Serena laughed loudly.

"We were saying that around her so she wouldn't know what we were talking about, but...Oh I'm sorry…we wont talk like that around her anymore."

"I cracked up immediately, she's always so entertaining, everyone in the staffroom just about rolled over when I told them"

"My husband is going to die!" Serena said.

Dan was fascinated with Brooke's discovery about her eyes, he knew her eyes were brown and he was certain she got that from him but Brooke was right, they were exact, not a shade darker not a shade lighter. A rich warm brown with a red undertone. He held her face and looked in them deeply.

"Just checking" he said after letting go.

"Serena, they are exactly the same." he told her, he almost felt guilty for not knowing. She was four years old and he hadn't noticed that in four entire years.

"Yeah, I thought you knew that." she said. Julia looked over.

"Well Julia and I have the same colour" Serena said turning into the mirror. They looked in the mirror, they were close but not exact. Julia's had flecks of darker blue where Serena's didn't. Brooke ignored them and giggled as Dan tickled her. Dan moved over to Julia and began taking the small amount of makeup off of her.

"Hi sweet pea" he said smiling as Serena carried Brooke to her room to change into pyjamas.

"Daddy how many more sleeps now?" she asked excitedly. Dan's eyes widened as he thought.

"5 more sleeps and you are the birthday girl!" he kissed her on the cheek and put toothpaste on her toothbrush for her. Serena stood behind Brooke and watched her brush her teeth making sure she did a good job. Eventually taking the brush from her she did the back teeth for her. Brooke began to whine and ask why she couldn't do it herself.

"Well, honey you don't get the back teeth" she let her know.

Dan looked at her and gave her a faint smile. When the girls were both free of war paint and tucked into bed with a story and a kiss, Dan and Serena snuck away for some alone time. They hadn't had much of that in some time. Sometimes they stopped and looked at each other not believing what their lives had turned into. Years ago they worried about gossip girl and SATS. Now they worried about bedtimes, nightmares and teeth brushing. The were thrust into a world of Flintstone vitamins, kindergarten and little mermaid.

"Looks like we're free." Dan said locking the door of their bathroom quickly. He picked her up and she laughed as he placed her on the counter. She slowly undid the buttons of her blouse. It had been forever since she felt his skin on hers and didn't want to wait any longer. Dan slowly wiped away her makeup, he teased her with kisses.

"Dan, I looked so pretty." she being coy. Crossing her arms, he slowly rubbed her lipstick off studying every little line in her bottom lip.

"Well now you look sexy." his lip vibrated on hers as he spoke softly.

The lightness of the kiss was a tease and she was bothered by it. Wrapping her legs around his waist she closed her eyes as he placed soft kisses all up her neck. Dan placed his hand on the back of her neck and teased her lower lip even though Serena urged him to kiss more passionately. When he finally kissed her the way she wanted she ran her tongue along his tongue lightly and took his hands, placing them inside her blouse.

"I've wanted to do this all week." she breathed with his hands finally feeling her up.

"I thought about it all day." he whispered in her ear while moving his hand from her breasts to her legs.

He ran his hands up her long legs, reaching up her skirt until he found the seam where her leggings met her skin. Slowly he pulled one off at a time and threw them on the ground without his mouth leaving hers.

"This is going to be so good…" Serena breathed.

"Shh, you'll jinx it."

Dan picked Serena up and took her into the bedroom, he laid he down gently on the bed. Serena's hair laid golden and beautiful, contrasted by the dark comforter. They laid together under the covers as Dan slowly pulled off Serena's clothes. They kissed like they were in high school again, with the same passion and desire that they had when they first got together. Serena began undoing his pants, Dan stopped her. "Let's take it slow." Serena smiled "You have to be up early." she tried to justify her urge of getting right to business. "I don't care, we haven't done this in so long and we deserve it." Serena smiled and ran her fingers through his hair as he placed kisses on her chest. It felt so good to be able to take it slow. No pressure, it had been nothing about pressure for the last couple months, trying to have another baby was pressure, Julia and Brooke just happened, this time it was hard work and they eventually stopped trying. It would happen when it was meant to happen and they left it up to fait. Dan pulled Serena on top of him and she left kisses on his collarbone and neck while tickling his bare chest with her golden curls.

"Mommy!" a tiny voice called.

Serena cringed, it was inevitable, she threw the covers back and Dan let go of her. Before she even had a chance to get out the door, she called again.

"Mommy" this time in more of a cry. She looked at Dan with a frown and slipped out of bed, a cry like this usually meant Serena would be awhile. She threw on her housecoat and opened the door into the hall. Dan shielded his eyes from the light in the hall way. They left them on for the girls at night. In under 2 minutes Serena was getting back into bed.

"She just needed one more hug and kiss axes-hilly" she told Dan, mimicking her 4 year old.

"Oh what a coincidence that's exactly what I need too." he said as he pulled her into him.

"Oh axe-hilly?" she asked laughing.

"No, I want a little more than that axe-hilly." he said back, Serena moved herself on top of him, she continued kissing him until a small voice disturbed them again.

"Daddy" she called just loud enough to make out. Dan and Serena froze and looked at each other. Moving her off him slowly, he managed to lay her down gently and give her a little kiss just in time before Brooke called again.

"No, no, no." Serena pouted for him to stay.

"I'll be right back." he promised her as he opened the door and blinded Serena.

"I'll be waiting" she whispered placing her hands over her eyes.

Dan walked into the bright pink room.

"What's up sweets." he sat on her bed. Her sweet little voice made Dan laugh. She had such a funny way about her. She spoke in clear concise sentences like an adult would but had a little voice that got carried away and stumbled over herself.

"Daddy I cannot go to sleep today." she said shaking head.

"Why not?" he asked with his head tilted.

"I don't know why,… I just don't know why." she said with a confused face.

"Can I sleep in you and mommies room.?" she asked almost knowing he was going to say no.

"I don't think so." he whispered sympathetically making it clear that he wasn't the one calling the shots. He always felt bad for telling her no. This was the exact reason that Serena and him hadn't been intimate in weeks. They needed to start cracking down on keeping the girls in their own rooms. Brooke's lip quivered.

"You know what, It might be okay " Dan gave in so easily. Knowing that Serena would be angry with him, he decided to convince her it was a good idea to stay in her own bed.

"but if you come sleep with me and Mommy you cant bring Mr. Pig." he explained picking up an adorable pink pig with a raincoat on, Brooke carried him everywhere.

"He might get scared without you." Dan said.

Brooke's face looked at her pig and Dan had his fingers crossed that this would work.

"It's ok pig, I'll stay with you." she hugged her pig. Her voice making a slight lisp when she said with. Dan exhaled relieved, now Serena wouldn't constantly be on his case about being too easy going with Brooke.

He smiled at her and put Mr. Pig beside her.

"Say Yellow" Dan said, he did this to her about a dozen times a day because it made him laugh.

"Lello" she said in the most adorable voice he had ever heard.

"Say it again.?" he laughed.

"No" she looked embarrassed and slinked down under the covers. Dan smiled at her little face.

"Ok goodnight baby, he lifted the covers up to her chin.

"I'm not a baby" she said as if it were the worst thing to be called in the world.

He leaned in and gave her a kiss, "You're my baby." he said in away that would crush him if she didn't agree. Brooke didn't say anything.

"I love you." he looked right into her eyes.

"I lub you too." she said sweetly with a kiss.

As he pulled away from her, her little pink finger nailed hands reached up to hold his face. Brooke pulled his eye open with one hand on his eyebrow and one hand over his nose. Dan leaned in to her and stayed like this as she inspected his eye as if she was a doctor and something was wrong. When she was done with his left eye she pushed his head over so she could see into his right eye. Dan stayed silent as she studied.

"ok, I was just checkin'." she said as she let go. Dan kissed her forehead and they gave each other butterfly kisses. Brooke giggled.

As Dan walked out of Brooke's room he couldn't help but smile. She was just too adorable sometimes. He left Brooke's door open about a inch and tip-toed into the hall.

"Daddy?" Dan heard Julia who's room was beside Brooke's. He wondered if he'd ever get back to Serena.

"Hey, you're still awake?" whispering as he peeked his head in.

"Daddy, are you working tomorrow?" she asked sadly.

"Yeah, I have to work all day tomorrow" he disappointedly as he sat down on her purple comforter.

"ok, have a good day at work Daddy…and wear your new suit" she sat up and hugged him. She was proud of that suit. Serena let her choose out of three in the store that day. Dan felt guilty for hardly being home.

"Of course I will, have a fun day with mommy" he kissed her on the cheek and walked back into his bedroom.

Getting into bed with Serena he could smell her perfume, he rested his hand on her shoulder, she was sound asleep. Tomorrow, Dan thought to himself.

When Dan woke up a 6 am he was careful not to wake anyone up.

Quickly he wrote a note and left it on his pillow.

Sorry about last night…meet me at the Palace at 9 tomorrow night for some well deserved alone time.

Xoxo I love you

Dan.

Present

It was 3 in the morning when the phone rang. Dan and Serena both sat up in bed.

"The Bass Residence?" Dan groaned to Serena after seeing the call display.

"Hello" he answered.

Serena's face watched his intently to see his reaction.

"Yea…oh did you? Yeah, I'll be right over." he didn't sound pleased and Serena followed him out of bed and down the upstairs hall way.

"Who was that?, what's…wrong?" she whispered tiptoeing past the room Holly was sleeping in. Dan opened Brooke's bedroom door and turned on the light to reveal her large but empty bedroom.

"That's what's wrong." he said giving Serena a sarcastic smile.

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Hope you liked this Chapter. Don't forget to review and let me know what you thought.