A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. The interview and flashback are in italics. Enjoy =)
The morning sun seeped into the room. It filled the bare floor, as Serena woke to an empty bed. She dreamt Dan was with her, but knew the second she awoke Seth would be there. To her surprise she was all alone. She quickly got up and started running the shower. As the water began to get hot she thought of her conversation with Seth the night before.
"Why are you so mad Serena?"
"I did what you asked." Serena began ripping her clothes of out the closet.
"It worked. It got everyone off our backs."
"Yes, but now Dan thinks I slept with you."
"That was the plan. We needed him to keep his distance so that my mother would leave you alone." Seth tried to calm her down.
"I did it because, that day on the plane I felt sorry for you. Looking at your mom thinking how upset she would be. But she's a bitch who should know the truth."
"Serena, you and Dan are the only ones who know about the tumor. I could die, so let her be happy."
"Seth, I can't keep doing this." Serena threw her clothes on to the bed.
"You promised you wouldn't tell. Dan swore to me too."
"I won't tell, but I need to escape all this." Serena shrugged her shoulders. "Why do you even tell me and Dan?"
"Because, you two seemed like trusting people. Because I needed to tell someone who wouldn't judge me."
"Are you asking for pity now?" Serena began to cry.
"No. I'm asking you to pretend for one night more, and then I'm gone."
She wiped the water away from her face. She couldn't tell if she was crying. This whole experience began to leave her jaded. She had so many regrets. She should have minded her on business, but instead she got involved. She needed someone to talk to. Someone who wasn't connected in all of this. Blair.
She ran out of the shower and threw clothes on in a hurry. She looked through all of her packed bags for her phone. Finally she found it in one of the dresser draws. Serena tried to figured out the time difference so she wouldn't wake Blair. "Uh! Timezones suck!" Serena exclaimed. She just just to forget it and call anyway.
She prayed the voicemail wouldn't come on. "Blair please pick up."
"Hello?" A groggy voice answered.
"Blair! It's Serena."
"S, its 4 in the morning."
"I know, and I'm sorry, but I need you." Serena began to sound like she was in trouble.
"What did you do now? Rob a bank, marry an ex-con, stop me at any time."
"I lied to Dan."
"Story of your life. Tell me something new."
"I pretended that I slept with some guy so that Dan would back off and so that Seth's mom would leave him alone."
"Sounds like G all over again." Blair sat up in bed. "Why did you do it?"
"Because Seth asked me too. I felt like he needed me to lie again."
"You know, your life is worse than a soap opera. You can't expect me to pick up the pieces everytime you mess up."
"I just need reassurance, that what I did was right in some way."
There was a long break of silence. Like both of them were searching for something to say that would make it all better. Neither of them wanted to make something up just to heal Serena's pain.
Finally Blair broke the silence. "You know what you have to do."
"I should wait till Seth leaves and talk to Dan." Serena pouted.
"No. Talk to him now. Make sure he gets it before Seth leaves. Seth can tell Dan it was all a lie so that mommy dearest backs off."
They said their goodbyes and Serena hung up. She wished a snap of her fingers could change everything. She knew she had a to a big girl and change things. She put on her coat and got in a cab to Dan's hotel. She practiced what she would say in the cab. The words didn't seem like they were enough. Nothing was enough. Who was to say Dan would believe her. They lied to each other so many times before.
Through the outside curtain she could see Elaine was in the room. Serena slowly walked up to the room and listened at the door. The conversation seemed heated.
"Listen to me! You will lose everything if you take Serena form Seth."
"She doesn't belong to him!"
"My son has never been this happy. You will regret this."
"No offense lady, my record is pretty spotless. You can't find anything on me personally."
"You did a night in jail. No matter how Chuck's laywer tried to erase that night, I still found it." Elaine has victory written on her face. "You think Yale would want you then. There's also the people you're surrounded by, not Yale material.
Elaine left Dan with that thought as she left. Serena peaked in the door as she say Dan fall to the bed. She felt that his dreams were crushed, because of her. She couldn't talk to him tonight.
The next day.
Today was the day Seth was going back to war. Elaine had planned a huge brunch. She wanted to get every last moment with her child before he was sent away. She invited only the family to have coffee afterwards. They all said how much they loved Seth and how they would miss him. Same old smae old.
After everyone left, Serena wanted to just run up to her room. Avoid Elaine at all cost.
"Oh Serena! We have another visitor." Seth yelled up the steps.
Serena almost didn't come downstairs. She would fake sick, but when she heard Dan's voice she ran down.
"Dan wanted to drop off the article."
"Yea, I wanted Seth to see it before he left." Dan stuck his hands in his pocket and shrugged.
If you met a solider on the street you'd tip your hat or be gracious for a man or womanwho risks their life for yours. I got the pleasure to meet one of them. I felt an awe when I first saw him. He was rich, proper, kind, and very educated. A man with every opportunity knocking at his door, decides he wants more.
He goes on and on about his wonderful family and the support he continues to receive. But the one thing I found shocking was that he is not afraid.
"I could lie and say that I think about it all the time, but I don't. I have a great girl and a family who loves me. If I die out there then it was my time. I don't want to over analyze."
Personally, I would be out of my mind with fear. But with a girl like Serena Van der Woodsen, I guess the fear goes away. The tall blonde with the bubbly personality, smiles at you like you're the only person who has ever made her laugh. She lights up the room, and takes charge of everything. No wonder Seth is head over heels ofr this girl.
Here's hoping that his tour ends soon and he can come home safely to a home that loves him.
"That's just the introduction. The interview is within the next few pages. There's pictures of everything."
"Thank you Dan." Seth shook Dan's hand and lead him to the door.
"Wait. Did you mean all of this Dan?" Serena interjected.
"You didn't even read the half of it. I can't say anything bad about you Serena. Never could."
The three of them stood infront of the door in silence. They just looked at each other. They knew this whole thing was a mistake. The bus came to pick Seth up.
Serena hugged Seth. "Just, be happy Serena."
"I am."
"I'll take care of her." Dan put his arm around Serena.