Chapter 4: Perfect
Hi there if you reading this story plz leave a comment?review if you want me to continueSo well did you see the GG reboot Trailer not good as Original but I'll watch.Perfect by 1D not Ed Sheeran one
And if you like cameras flashin' every time we go out,
oh yeah
,If you're looking for someone to write your breakup songs about,
Baby,I'm perfect,
Baby,we're perfect!
Previously on Takeaway ...
He gets outside and tells the valet to bring his car.
He makes a call while waiting.
His car comes and he gets inside and the receiver picks up.
"This is Rufus. Something serious has come up . Gather everyone except Dan,Serena and Nate and tell them to come to Lily's .It's very important or I wouldn't have called. We need to kill a scandal before it gets out and don't tell the three"
The receiver replies "Got it. Consider it done."
Present
Rufus sighed as he got off the phone. He had called Chuck. He didn't still like him but was civil. He told his driver to drive to Milan. As the car started to move he looked outside the window onto the passing skyscrapers and other vehicles as they became blur thinking what had happened on this exact day on the last year.
Serena and Dan had announced they were engaged and wanted to get married ASAP next month on the dinner party after the annual Columbia alumni event at Pierre Restaurant. He was happy for them and congratulated them. He was himself going to pop the question to Lisa , he had bought the perfect ring. Lisa wasn't there then, she was visiting her sister who had given birth to twins last week. He had went out drinking to the Palace then. An hour later when all his sorrows were vanished and he was tippy he went back to his penthouse at Flatiron Gramercy.
He entered his apartment to find someone on his couch as well .He narrowed his eyes. Lisa wasn't back till tomorrow evening , did she had a change of plans?
But Lisa wasn't blonde?
Boy, was he surprised to find his ex wife Lily Van der Woodsen sitting there, seeming to have made herself at home by popping open a '78 Chardonnay.
Lily saw him and slurred a bit."You were gone long,Humphrey"
He sobered up a bit and replied coldly. "It's none of your concern"
She raised a brow ."It is when you're concerned."
Now he got irritated.
"Lily, what are you doing here, much less getting drunk on my couch."
"You know I never thought we would not last, much less our kids getting married someday, I thought we would be forever." She looked at him with a soft expression.
He sighed and poured himself a drink and sat beside her.
"Neither did I, but here we are, we ourselves made that happen, it was our decision and the endgame of our mistakes. We are happier apart then together."
Lily seemed to have sobered a bit too.
"You really believe that?"
"Lily."
"Do you?"
He looked away and nonchalantly said.
"I do, like you had told either that or it would have been a messy divorce."
She immediately grabbed his face, forcing him to look in her eyes, she stared at him and he stared right back.
"Look into my eyes and say it, say 'We wouldn't have lasted, we wouldn't have fixed it' say 'I don't love you anymore' say it! Say it! Rufus!"
He looked into her pools of green irises.
"We.."
She pleaded him with her eyes not to,coz she knew he could, herself with some tears forming.He tried again but compelled with the tears and the hurt he was causing her.
He couldn't.
Not when she was like this,
broken,vulnerable and on verge of tears in front him.
Her being hurt was his kryptonite. His weakness.
So he looked away."What's the use, we are over Lily!"
"There is, I still..."
He looked right at her in an instant and stopped her, accusing with his pointer finger,anger in his eyes.
"DON'T "
"Why?"
"We aren't meant to be, its what just happens sometimes."
"So is it Lisa for you?"
"I didn't say that"
"Then what?"
"Lily it's our children, we only reconnected coz of them, if Serena wouldn't have lied and said she was going to a 'Lincoln Hawk' concert with Dan then you wouldn't have come to see me or we wouldn't have even met again and we tried but didn't work out , but they do , they split coz of us mainly all those years ago and now they know we're done, they are finally doing what they wanted."
"So we wouldn't have fallen in love if not because of them?"
"Exactly! We lived on the opposite sides of the bridge Lily, you would have never crossed that bridge if it weren't for just making me tick off or threaten to break my son up with you daughter."
"So you're saying you lied to me when you told me that you never fell out of love from me."
"I didn't lie."
"So, you would have continued loved me from the opposite side of the bridge without contracting me?"
"Yes if it weren't for Dan and Serena!"
"Oh, now you're being ridiculous!" Lily said making the face when she knows Rufus is saying bullshit.
Rufus clicks his tongue and retorts back. "I would have because trust me, you're high maintenance to contact to or talk to."
She hates it when he's right.
She changes the subject. Actually getting back to the topic."
So you're doing it for them?"
"Yeah, like all those years ago you did by marrying Bart, as much I want to be with you I can't jeopardize them again only to know to it's not gonna work it out with you, coz what will be different."
She angrily looked at him to his absolute poker face.
"What?" He didn't have a clue what was going in her mind. He used to read her like a book. But now, all he reads is emptiness.
"As much I hate to say it you're right but I need to try."
He was confused now. "Try what?"
"This."
Without warning she kissed him.
He was in shock but slowly his eyes closed, he then relaxed into the kiss and he kept his glass on the side table and grabbed his waist to pulls her closer and kissed her back, entering her mouth with his tongue meeting her in the middle dueling for control and dominance. She moans happily savouring his taste after what feels like an eternity. She tries to pull him on top of her as she lays back on the couch but that triggers Rufus and he pulls back in a hurry and gets off the couch walking backwards, breathing heavily and crashes with the center table with wine bottle and it spills across his cashmere carpet in what feels to them in a slow motion. Lily herself breathless is in shock about how easy it is for them to go back to the old ways. So much tension and energy surrounding them. Rufus sits on the table not bothering about the wine spill and loosens his tie as he feels he is choking. Lily licks her lips taking the last of his taste. Oh, how she has missed him and his taste these 5 years. After what feels like an eternity, Rufus speaks up not meeting her eyes, suddenly interested in the red on the white cashmere carpet.
"You should--"
"Right, I know leave but not before talking what--"
Rufus looks up and interrupts her. "What happened was, it was a moment of weakness and we comforted each other which fueled up our old desires."
"Never call a women old, Humphrey."
He looks up in irritation at her failed attempt to lighten the mood."
Well just clarifying facts,we're old, for god's sake we are 49 Lil, we are not 19 anymore! And mostly not that almost famous rock star and his photographer slash groupie slash girlfriend! Please embark that in your mind that was 30 years ago!" He heaves with light breathlessness
When he looks up, he sees hurt in her eyes. Lily Rhodes was nothing but vulnerable but with him everything goes out the window. He knows that. But he must do what is right. Let them be.
She gets up abruptly and takes her clutch fallen on the carpet but not mixed with the wine and starts to leave. He rubs his face and chases her quickly.
She almost nears the elevator but he pulls her arm and turns her around and grabs her face.
He looks deep in her eyes and speaks."Lily we had our turn now it's their time,our time is over, I do love you and always will probably,you are the first great love of my life and will never compare to anyone else, I don't want to live without you but I can and we have to do this for them. Maybe knowing them it won't last or does last forever. If it's forever then I'll come for you and we will just go away together, change our names get new passports and have a life away as not to embarrass them we both have enough sources and money to do that, I promise you and vow to God this, I'll come for you ,I will, be it a relationship,engagement or a marriage I'll fight till my last breath, but you have to wait a bit more coz I'm still healing about what happened between us few years ago and Dan and Serena being very serious."
Lily was shocked and shunned to hear this. Tears in both of their eyes yearning for their love.
"Will you wait for me a bit more?"She smiles and some tears rolls but Rufus immediately wipes them with his thumbs.
"It's been 30 years, what's a bit more for forever with you."
Rufus smiles back and kisses her temple slowly and longingly. He then assurely asks again."You did hear about if Dan and Serena work out, about the running away part right?"
She slowly whispers ,hugs him and keeps her head on his left shoulder in a fashion never did
"I would come with you, it would be better that way."
He jokes then. "You better coz its not going to be some road trip with some BB reservations that would easily be cancelled."
She laughs at his joke about that time when they were going to go away but she didn't as Serena convinced her not to and she ended up saying yes to Bart's proposal. She was such a fool thinking she could replace the love of Rufus' with some other guy.
But she was going to do it again. Its better if he hears from her not any sketchy tabloid or article.
She backs a bit and clears her throat ."I never really answered your first question about why I was really here getting drunk on your couch waiting for you."
He tilts his head and furrows his eyebrows. "Lily you don't have to."
She sighs and speaks again. "I want to. William proposed."
Rufus sighs, folds his arms and closes his eyes. The familiar scenario had happened after '07 Christmas.Nothing new. Been there. Done that.
"And you wanted me to hear from you. I know we have had this conversation before too."
She replies with a elongated "Yes."
With that the ding of the elevator is heard and Rufus kisses her forehead and lets her go. He flinches a bit to grab her hand again to not let her go. He moves his hand forward to pull her back but closes it in a fist tightly.
He stands there as she enters the elevator, staring at her till the door closes fully and she disappears completely. He backs away to call Dylan to replace the carpet.
The next day is worse but expects it when he reads his e-New York Times.
Flashed on the front page:-
The Van der Woodsens' are taken!
In the press release earlier today both Serena Van der Woodsen and Lily Van der Woodsen ne Rhodes
announced their engagement to Daniel Humphrey and William Van der Woodsen respectively. Daniel
is the son of the Famous art gallery owner of Rosewood Rufus Humphrey also the ex...
He stopped at that and rubbed his temple and closed his iPad and threw it carelessly to the center table. The carpet had been replaced in the morning with a similar one. But you could notice it was a bit brighter shade of white with cream colour mixed.
He unsubscribed the Times when they announced the dates of the wedding.
Lisa came back and saw the change in the carpet and queried but Rufus brushed it off saying the new hire of the decorator said it fit better.
Of course it was a lie. He didn't even had a 'decorator'.
The house was designed with the help of Jenny, Bex and his taste.
Present
Lily sat on her familiar couch at Milan Condominium's penthouse and celebrated the night's turnout by drinking some Scotch.
Rufus had rejected her.
Again.
She was on her third glass when she heard the elevator.
Ding!
She turned to look at her late night visitors turning out to be Charles,Blair with Jack and Georgina?
She composed herself and hid the Scotch glass under the Page Six magazine and put the tumbler behind the couch.
It was a hard night.
Blair spoke first."Hello Lily. Hasn't Rufus arrived yet?"
God,they knew about them! Lily thought.
Chuck sighed, he helped Blair to sit on a chair, Jack and Georgina made themselves comfortable on the bar stools near the kitchen nook with a smirk on their faces. Lily still wasn't comfortable with Jack in the room but after what he had done for Blair and Chuck she was as civil as she could. Chuck sat beside Lily putting a hand on her shoulder.
Lily now was worried. "Charles, what is it?"
Chuck looked at her longingly. "Let me fill you up with the updates of the alumni event."
When the driver announced the arrival he got hold of his thoughts and exited and told the driver to take the night off as he knew it would be an all nighter for this thing. The driver insisted to call him if he needs a ride home. Rufus declined the offer saying he maybe be staying the night due to a big meeting. The driver nodded and went his way.
Rufus looked at what once he called his home, the banner of 'MILAN' flashing itself proudly. He sighed and shook his head and headed inside.
Vanya was there to open the door.
He smiled and greeted Rufus.
"Mr. Humphrey! Didn't thought you would come tonight, Mr and Mrs Bass along with some more associates went upstairs!"
Vanya said in his thick European accent. He always liked this guy. His doorman on the Park Avenue is completely stiff and professionally. He hates him.
Rufus smiled."Well no worries Vanya, I'm actually going to meet them. So adiós!"
Vanya cheekily smiled back and gave Rufus the way.
Rufus made his way and got in the elevator.
Chuck was about finished when the elevator rang again, with Rufus arriving absorbing the scene, not very pleased seeing Jack there.
"What's he doing here?! Shouldn't you be in Australia or something." Rufus said coldly filled with anger voice.
Lily rubbed her temple a migraine starting to form. "Rufus..please"
Jack got up and raised his hands up in surrender and cheekily said. "Take a chill pill Mr. Ex-husband I'm just here to help you too."
Rufus took a breath. "Fine. But as soon as you're not needed, leave the premises immediately."
Jack gave him a serious look and gave him a salute. "You got it "
Rufus walked towards Lily and Chuck and sat across them beside Blair.
"So, Chuck gave you the info?"
She nodded her head.
Blair who was mysteriously quite now spoke up." I think the best thing will be to call the three and sit them down and make them sort this out."
Georgina tauted her. "Didn't you heard, they were at each other's throat, the best is to send Serena and Dan somewhere away to figure it out and leave Nate here as far away."
Rufus spoke up then."Yes, but first we all need to fire our iPhones' up and call everyone from the media to keep it on the down low, because if it comes out they all will be destroyed especially Serena."
Blair nodded and agreed with Rufus."Rufus, is actually right first, we need to do damage control as much as we can then think of handling them out."
Serena was distraught.
The best friend and the wife. History had repeated itself.
But it made her think of her decisions.
If I ended up with Dan, a part of me will always love Nate.
It was pure fucking bitching cruel irony.
She headed out of the Palace bar into her town car.
She had come here to drink up and finally think of her life. Her choice was Dan because he had done all for her out of love. Or so what she told herself. What kind of a lover writes a blog,makes her miserably and her friends, almost kills them and destroys their life?
But most of all she thought she loved him more but she didn't.
She loved Nate more.
He was the first great love of her life not Dan. She was already in love before Dan. Before the Sheppard's wedding.
She got in her car and told the driver to got home. Her real home.
They were almost done.
Chuck handled the most calling BBC,MSNBC,EW,E! and NY times.
Lily handled Page Six, Washington Post and TMZ
Rufus searched Serena's name and called and paid off every single trashy site with the scandal's story
Blair was onto Bloomingdales ,W and EBT.
Jack and Georgina got the list of the media representatives that was working that event and called the person up.
Finally Rufus was on the call with a trashy site called UES all day!
When they heard the elevator again.
Lily looked at Chuck silently asking if he had called someone else. He shook his head no.
It was Serena.
"Mom, I hope you don't mind--" Serena was engrossed in her phone but looked up to see all of them.
She knew immediately why they were at her mother's this late at night.
She shook her head and scanned everyone's faces.
"I think have a pretty good idea why you all are here."
Lily got up headed to Serena and surprisingly hugged her.
Serena was shocked at her mother's move but let herself hug back and slowly started crying.
They hugged for a few more moments before Lily kissed her temple and broke the hug and took Serena to her room.
Meanwhile Jack and Georgina exchanged looks in admiration, Chuck walked to Blair and sat beside her and wrapped His arm around her.
Rufus and Chuck exchanged looks and Rufus smiled nodding his head and thanked Chuck for his help. Chuck smiled back and nodded as if saying 'No problem'
Lily then returned to find Jack and Georgina gone but Blair Chuck and Rufus still there.
Lily sat beside Rufus and he rubbed her back.
Blair smiled at the exs comforting each other but cleared her throat.
"So now?"
The trio looked at Lily for the answer.
"Chuck calls Nathaniel and Rufus will call Daniel and I will have a talk with them. Now. Charles tells Nathaniel to arrive in 15 and Rufus tells to Dan come in now as Dan might be in the building itself and they don't clash beforehand."
Lily says to them calmly and Chuck and Rufus get on their phones.
Lily then gets up and goes to the kitchen and opens the drawer containing her pills for migraine and pops two.
Chuck gets off his call and goes to Lily.
He speaks softly."Lily, if you want you can skip this cruise, they will call us next year."
Lily smiles and answers."Of course not, Charles I'm going."
Chuck frowns. "But how will you, you're supposed to leave tonight"
Lily opens her mouth to say they will figure out a way.
But as if on cue Rufus comes from the behind and speaks up.
"Don't worry about that, the first day comprises of meetings on the Cannes Town Hall of greetings and introductions of all and the ideas and topics of discussions its not that important. They spent the night in Cannes and leave in the morning for the cruise. I have my private jet, not that you don't have the Bass jet to shift dates and accommodate us tomorrow."
Chuck nods and leaves to talk to Blair about it.
Lily smiles and Rufus smiles back and comes to her and wraps his arms around her and she leans back.
She whispers then, "Thank you."
"You don't need to thank me Lil."
She broadens her smiles as she hears him call her 'Lil'. She loves it when he calls her that. Her father and him were the only ones that called her that. William had tried it once and she had bit his head off on it, back when she first married him.
They stay like that, well, till Dan arrives.
Dan arrives sulking to, why the hell did his father call him here when he had a pounding head and bruised knuckles which he had wrapped with crape bandage for now.
But as soon as he entered his soon-to-be ex-wife's home and found his ex girlfriend with her husband looking not very pleased with him and his dad which had now broken his embrace with his ex-wife. Christ, it was like Greek Mythology all over again.
It became very clear to as to why he was being summoned there.
Lily came with her cold and distant eyes while staring at him, followed closely by his father.
"Hello, Daniel, you may already know per se why you're ambushed here. Please take a seat."
Dan nervously sat opposite to Chuck and Blair.
Lily sat where on the small cushioned stool in a 90 to Dan. Rufus sat by the kitchen nook.
Lily began. "So tell us what led to this misfortune twist between the three beloved friends."
Dan rolled his eyes and started the rumble with his consistent nervous tick and the gestures of his hands.
He started how he had returned from the Annual Culture Fundraiser held in Washington DC as Serena was sick and found Serena acting out of the blue about how imperfect they are. He tried to convince her otherwise but she didn't.
So one day he found her, drunk after he returned from his office after submitting a teaser for his upcoming novel.
She sat in a corner crying her eyes out and Dan after many pleas got her talk and she told how she had slept with Nate but only did coz she felt boring as to tied to a man. Dan out of his love forgave her.
But Serena was too broken. So she slept with Nate again. This time Dan found out when he found Nate's suit jacket with that Vanderbilt logo. He questioned but Serena dodged it.
He had enough so he went to live in SoHo Grand for a while.
But the fighting increased and after visiting Lily they decided to try once more with a clean slate.
At this, Rufus and Lily both shook their heads and Lily turned back to meet Rufus' gaze and he meet hers. Both looking in understanding and felt sorry at their children repeating their own mistakes.
Just as about to tell what had happened at Columbia, Nathaniel Archibald emerged from the elevator and quickly trying to flee. But Chuck caught him and led him to sit beside Dan. They both exchanged glares but were quiet and pouting like some 5 year olds.
Chuck cleared his throat and told Dan to proceed. Blair had fallen asleep on his chest.
Dan then begin...
Serena and Dan were exchanging briefs about Dan's next novel with Jonathan Karp as Nate from behind a pillar nearby gestured to Serena that they needed to talk.
Serena politely excused herself and told she needed a drink and left both the dreamers to express their dream. But she didn't saw Dan's eyes following her way.
Serena reached where Nate was standing .
Nate gulped his champagne and began."You said you were going to leave him?!"
Serena narrowed her eyes and folded her arms "Yes, but I need to give it a last shot."
Nate got irritated and retorted back with mockery."So I'm just your playtoy?"
Serena was about to reply but out of nowhere an arm grabbed her and lead her back to the hall.
Arm now came clear, which belonged to Dan.
And then well Dan and Nate argued over Serena and rest is history but Dan was the first to provoke a shove to Nate's chest hardly.
Everyone was now silent as Chuck spoke up.
"So, what's your decision Dan?"
Dan ran a hand in his hair.
And finally told them his answer. "I can't do it. Not anymore."
With that he got up and left.
Clearly, it was the inevitable end of Dan and Serena. This time for good and permanent.
Nate also got up and Chuck escorted him out and exchanged few words with him.
Just as he was about to reach the elevator. Rufus called his name. "Nate, wait."
Rufus got up, Lily's curious eyes following scared he is going to bash up Nate for his son's honor.
Rufus then inquired. "Did Serena approach you? Or was it a moment's weakness thing."
Nate then quirked his right brow.
"For me, it was an instant out-of-nowhere seen-this-coming-moment, but yes now I think about this Serena dropped without a viable reason."
Lily perked up. "Rufus, are you accusing my daughter planned this."
Rufus sighed and shook his head. "People, sometimes in their alone time think about the choices they have made, mostly of their lovers. How they wished it was different. Maybe Serena was too." He looked away in a nostalgic way.
Lily knew what he was talking about. He had told her about how he used to think of her during his marriage to Alison. Rosewood was proof of it.
That's where Chuck spoke. "Maybe. Maybe not."
Lily shook her head in approval and then Nate finally left.
Chuck lightly shook Blair and woke her up and then they bide their goodbyes. Lily thanked them for their help and walked them to the elevator.
Lily turned back to find Rufus, on the couch who seem to have found her tumbler from behind and poured himself a drink.
"Do me a favour and pour me one too."
Rufus smiled and poured some Scotch in another glass ; neat, no rocks, she liked it plain and hard. He looked at her as if asking if he was right and she nodded jerkily as if not believing he remembered and handed her it as she sat beside him.
"So, pick you tomorrow morning at 8?"
She smiled and answered, teased him "Breakfast date isn't my fav, Humphrey, but for you, I'll think about it."
He tilted his head as if scolding her a bit. "Lily..."
"But you said once..."
"I know I remember but now's not the time, a lots going on."
She looked away and took a long sip of her drink.
He reached out and pulled her chin and made her look towards him."Not today, but someday, it's not the time to rehash the details of our relationship."
A smile broke out of her on the familiar line, of course he remembers everything after all we are soulmates and he is the only love of my life.
Then he took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead and quietly left.
Leaving Lily to dream about that "someday"
Now she felt, how he must have felt when she married Bart.
But she deserved it.
They deserved time.
Coz the time needs to be perfect this time.
As it was the last time they were going to try.
Break it or make it kinda situation.
And she sure as will try to make it to the end.
No offense to any Greeks reading this book.
Jus giving my Percy mind.Sorry took so long to update I had writer's blockand was busy exploring my new Ship Haylijah from The OriginalsAnd my new Celebrity Worship Daniel Gilles