Chapter Seven
Spotted: Everyone is gathering at Lily's for dinner, but where is Serena? According to my sources, she left The Empire with tears running down her face – something tells me Serena can't face the truth and is running away again but she hasn't left the Upper East Side…dear oh dear, where is S?
Chuck walked into Lily's apartment with Blair carrying Henry for their fortnightly dinner. They could see everyone there including Nate and Juliet. Chuck and Blair were still annoyed Nate for his immaturity and insensitivity. It was fair for him to be angry because he didn't know what was happening with Serena, but he had no clue about what was happening with Serena.
"Hello, Charles, Blair and my dear Henry. Come and take a seat." Lily smiled and took Henry into her hands. Lily always treated Charles like her own son and would do anything to protect him especially after Bart's death and despite Henry not being her biological grandson; she spoilt him just like she would to any of her other future grandchildren.
"Where's Serena?" Blair asked looking around. Everyone sat down in their places and Greg sat next to Erik with a worried expression.
"I haven't seen her all day. She came back to the Empire after you all left then went out. I've been trying to call her." Oliver said.
"Has anyone been able to contact her?" Chuck asked.
"It's Serena. You know what she's like – she runs away from all her problems." Juliet scoffed.
"Shut it Juliet – you know nothing let alone what Serena is going through." Blair snapped.
"Blair, what are you talking about? What is wrong with Serena?" Lily asked. Blair looked at Lily then at Chuck. She wants to tell everyone about Serena's condition but it wasn't her place to say and most importantly she promised to keep it a secret. Chuck shook his head knowing that keeping it a secret is the best option for everyone.
"I'm sorry, Lily. It's not my place to tell." Blair smiled sadly as she looked at Oliver. Oliver gave her a grateful look. Blair had always liked Oliver and he was very loyal to Serena and looked after better than any other guy had – honestly, not even Nate.
"Okay, now I'm really worried!" Erik said. Oliver gave him a comforting smile.
They decided that it was best to continue having dinner without Serena. After dinner, everyone left but Erik and Greg decided to go looking for Serena. They were sure that Serena was in trouble. Chuck and Blair had given them a list of potential places that they could find her but with no luck.
Chuck and Blair were lying in bed with Henry when Blair's phone started ringing.
"Who's calling you at eight am in the morning love?"
"It's Erik. Hello Erik?"
"Blair! You and Chuck need to come to the Empire quick. We found Serena and it doesn't look good. Get Chuck to bring some food, water and aspirin. Hurry, we need your help." Erik panicked.
"Alright, we'll be right there as soon as we can." Blair climbed out of bed in a hurry and ran to the wardrobe.
"They found Serena; we need to go help her now. Dorota! We need you to look after Henry for a few hours." Blair shouted.
"Thank God you two are here. Oliver is upstairs with Serena now but he needs Blair's help to get her in the shower." Erik panicked. Chuck gave him a hug and soothing him to relax. Erik and Serena had always been close and no matter what trouble they were in, they would always be there for one another.
Blair walked in to see Oliver struggling to get Serena up.
"No, I just want to sleep" Serena moaned.
"Oh Blair, thank God you are here. We need to get Serena to shower and sober her up while I try and find her medication." They picked up Serena and brought her in the bathroom. Blair helped Serena take a bath while Greg helped get Serena some fresh clothes.
"What happened?" Chuck asked walking in with Erik.
"After dinner, we got really worried so we went to look for Serena everywhere including in the places on the list that you gave us. It took us all night to find her. She wasn't in a good way. When we found her, the bartender said she met some people and they were drinking all night non-stop. Someone spiked her drink and almost tried to take advantage of her but I got there in time to stop him. I mean, why would Serena do this to herself? She told me that whenever she did this years ago, something triggered it."
"She had a huge argument with Nate. It's a long story." Chuck said.
"Tell me now, I have enough time by the time Serena is sober."
"Oliver! I NEED YOU!" Blair screamed from the other side of the door. Oliver ran in and saw Serena having a fit – her body wouldn't stop shaking like she was having epilepsy seizure.
"Chuck! Call an ambulance now. Erik, call her family and tell them to meet us at the hospital. It's an emergency."
Blair and Chuck were extremely worried about what was happening to Serena but Greg was very calm and kept reassuring them that everything will be fine. All three of them knew this had something to do with her cancer.
Once Serena was admitted, Oliver and Blair were with her for several hours. All her family including Nate were there pacing around with an overwhelming feeling of worry and fear. Blair came out of the room with red, tired and puffy eyes from crying and lack of sleep. It was one of her worst looks.
"Blair! How is she?" Lily asked with a hint of fear in her voice.
"She's better now. They were able to get rid of the alcohol and drug of her system and is doing better." What Blair had said was partly true except of the bit about her cancer.
"What happened?" Rufus asked.
"It's not my place to say."
"Come on Blair, this is Serena's life we're talking about here," Nate grumbled. Blair shot him an angry look.
"Like you give a damn! This was your fault to start with. If you hadn't yelled at her, she wouldn't even be in this mess." Blair snapped. The doctor came out of the room with Oliver behind him not saying anything. Oliver also looked exhausted.
"What is he doing here?" Oliver asked coldly.
"He is Serena's family. He needs to be here." Lily said.
"Serena wants to see her family. She needs to speak to you." Lily nodded firmly as she, Rufus and Erik walked in. Nate walked behind Erik but Oliver stopped him by pulling his arm away.
"She doesn't want to see you," Oliver said tiredly.
"Why the hell not?" Nate was furious. How dare this guy tell him off for not letting him see Serena? Her childhood friend?
"Cause' she doesn't want to see you. She told me what happened. I suggest you go back to your little trophy girlfriend."
"It wasn't my fault! It was partly her fault!"
"It was your fault! You accused her of being selfish but you have absolutely NO idea the hell she has been through the last year and yet you dare to yell at her for being selfish and heartless."
"What could Serena be dealing with that isn't normal?" Nate retorted.
"SHE HAS CANCER GOD DAMMIT!" Oliver shouted. Nate stumbled back with shock. "Now get the hell out of her before I do something I regret. Come back when you're ready to apologise wholeheartedly"
Nate looked at his two best friends and they were giving him cold expressions. They were disappointed in him and he was disappointed in himself. Maybe he accused Serena of all those things because he was bitter that she came back with someone.
Serena was trying to move her body but it was just too stiff and hard to move. Her eyes started fluttering open and colour started coming into her vision.
"Serena?" She heard voices and movement around her but she just couldn't move her body or squeeze the person's hand that was interlaced with hers.
"W-water" She croaked. Her eyes were finally 20/20 vision and saw her family and best friends around her but she couldn't see Nate and immediately she wondered why he wasn't there until she remembered what he had said to her, she pushed him out of his mind.
Serena finally faced her fear and time came to tell her family that she had cancer.
"Serena, why didn't you tell us you had cancer?"
"I thought it was easier to keep it a secret. Mum, you only came to visit me once in the last five years I've been away. Erik visited me twice a year but it wasn't enough. Chuck and Blair were the only ones who saw me enough that I thought was worth telling."
"Serena, we're your family. We would've helped you in any way you can. We all would've made changed to be with you more."
"No, you would not have, mother." Serena snapped. "You're too busy living in a high society life to leave Manhattan to spend time with me in a totally foreign country."
"Serena, that's not fair to your mother," Rufus said calmly.
"Serena, tell her about your condition," Oliver whispered in her ear.
"I have acute lymphoblastic leukemia– it's a type of cancer that infects my bone marrow and blood. Thankfully, it never made past stage 1 because I was diagnosed and treated quickly two years. In the two years, I had two rounds of chemotherapy over a span of nine months and a bone marrow transplant before I went into remission. Last night after dinner with Blair, Chuck and Nate… I went for a walk and I got a phone call from my oncologist back in Australia saying that the cancer was back and I needed chemotherapy AND radiotherapy this time."
The doctor who was looking after Serena came in with an emotionless expression.
"Good evening everyone. I would like to speak to Serena alone please."
"It's alright Doctor, I've told them about my condition. You can say whatever you need to in front of them." He nodded firmly.
"Serena, it seems that you have another lump that is linked to your cancer. This time it's on your back. I know your doctor said you need more chemo but this time you need another surgery to get rid of the lump before starting chemo."
Oliver squeezed Serena's hand. It was like the last two years all over again.
It had been a week post-Serena being readmitted to hospital further testing, Nate was still avoiding Serena like a plague. Her family was still visiting and Greg was still sitting by her bedside looking after her.
"Serena, there's something we need to talk about." Those were the infamous words that Serena hadn't heard in a very long time. Serena looked at Oliver worriedly.
"I've been offered a job back in Australia working for Fox Sports."
"Oliver! That's amazing! I'm so proud of you! I'm so excited! About time you got the phone call back! I'll call my boss and let her know that I'll be coming back! We should look at a new place together!" Serena rambled on excitedly.
"Serena, I'm not taking you back with me," Oliver said sombrely. Serena immediately stopped rambling and could feel the tears starting to well up in her eyes.