Sorry for such a short chapter.

Dan left the hospital as quickly as possible. He didn't even stop to simply peek into her room. He wanted out of that place. The atmosphere in the building seemed to wrap around his neck and choke him. He just wanted to escape the bad and even the good memories laying on that hospital bed. So, he ran.

He tore threw the hospital passing the reception desk in the main lobby and out the main doors. He didn't even bother hailing a taxi. He ran straight home, all thirty-five blocks, dodging people on the street. Not to mention, it was pouring outside, perfect to match Dan's mood. The people passing by all had newspapers or umbrellas covering their heads. They moved so briskly they hardly noticed Dan running down the sidewalk.

He didn't realize he was crying until he stepped out of the rain and into his house, when he wiped his cheek and fund wetness on the back of his hand. He sighed and then saw Nate cross the floor to him.

"What's wrong?" Nate asked his eyes filled with worry for his new best friend. Nate was staying at the Humphrey household while his mother tried to sort out their family's financial issues.

"You…you didn't hear?" Dan asked confused. He figured that Gossip Girl would've had posted this all over.

Nate shook his head.

"Se-Serena…she's…she's dead." This phrase caused Dan to cry again and he went to the couch and threw himself on it.

Nate starred at him wide eyed, shocked. "Serena's dead?!" He asked in disbelief.

Jenny suddenly came out of her bedroom door and had overheard Nate. "Serena Van der Woodsen dead?!" She exclaimed.

Dan nodded.

Jenny shook her head I denial. "No, Serena's not dead. She's not. She is Serena. Serena doesn't die."

Dan sobbed and he ran off into his bedroom. Jenny looked to Nate and he looked down at the floor, finding the faded, coffee stained carpet interesting.

"Nate?" Jenny asked softly. "Is what Dan saying…true?"

After a few moments of silence Nate looked up. Jenny saw the tear come out from the corner of his eye as he slowly look up. "From how Dan's reacting, …I bet it is."

Jenny finally realized, what was truly going on, and she too began to cry. Nate embraced her, hugging her tightly. They both held on to each other, for the rest of the night.

--X--3--O--

Dan sat on his bed, holding his head in his hands. He couldn't take the emotion that seemed to follow him wherever and whenever he was. He sighed and reached onto his desk and grabbed a big album full of pictures. He's been looking at this several times a day now.

He opened the cover, revealing pictures of his family years ago. His Dad and Mom sat on a picnic blanket in Central Park and Dan and Jenny sat on their laps. They were all wearing goofy grins on their faces. He turned the pages looking at more family pictures,

Dan then reached a certain point in the album where he knew his parents got a divorce. The pictures turned to just him, Jenny and his father. Even if it was their birthday, he could tell that they were all forcing their smiles.

He sighed and skipped a couple pages to the part that he really wanted to see. The first picture was Serena smiling happily. The next one was Serena hugging Cedric to her chest grinning. He couldn't take it. He placed the book on his lap and cried. He watched as tears fell from his eyes and splattered on the plastic page.

He was interrupted when there was a knock at his door, and Nate came in without an answer. He saw Dan's face and sat next to him on the bed.

Nate gazed at the open picture album on his friends lap. "I'm really sorry Dan." He said after a long moment of silence.

"Me too." Dan said quietly. "We were just starting to become friends again."

"Do…do you still love her?"

Dan shrugged. "It was an on and off relationship. They are always hard to let go of."

Nate nodded thoughtfully before standing up. He nodded to Dan before leaving Dan alone with his thoughts once more.

Dan sighed and flipped through more pages of the album. He saw Serena and him in the Hamptons. In several of the pictures they were kissing and his heart ached. He longed to hold Serena in his arms. He wanted to kiss the top of her head and smell the shampoo that she always used. What Dan really wanted was for Serena to be alive again.

Was that too much to ask for?

Review!