Author's Note: I wanted to thank everyone for their reviews. I know some stuff may seem very strange, but keep in this mind this is an AU story. Remember above all else I'm a DS fan first and all my drama always leads back to them. Every chapter will not have flashbacks, but some will. Chapter 3-Shock and Awe part 2

Serena fidgeted as Dan looked at her in confusion and shock. She didn't know what to say or do. She had a feeling he would eventually figure out who she was, but she was hoping to delay that moment as long as possible. Now, she was stuck sitting behind her desk with a dumbstruck Dan gaping at her as if somebody had ripped his tongue out and he'd lost the ability to speak.

"Dan, I know you are surprised to see me, but we really have a lot to get through."

He shook his head and said, "you're right. I just wasn't expecting to see you. How, have you been?"

"Okay. I've been just fine, "she said tightly. The last thing she wanted was for the meeting to become a rehash of the past. They had a shared past, but above all they both had a jobto do. Just seeing him felt like someone was stabbing her in the heart. He looked good. She could see that the years had been good to him and all she wanted to do was flip back the years and go back to that day. She had waited for him to make her take it back because she was too paralyzed by fear to make that move. How was she to explain exactly how far from okay she really was? The fact was he could never really know. Too much time had past between them; too much pain.

Serena looked out the window of her small dorm room watching as the rain pelted the glass. It had been 6 months and she had heard nothing from him. She let the tears fall down her face. Even the knock on her door couldn't drag her from her trance.

"Hey, S you wanna grab something to eat. Hey, you okay?"Casey said as he turned her to face him. He saw the tears and wondered what was going on.

"Its really over, Case."

"What's over?"

"Nevermind, its too complicated to explain," she said as she wiped the last of the tears from her face.

"Its so good to see you, S"he said as he smiled back at her. He noticed a small picture frame on her desk and asked, "may I?" before picking it up. It was a picture of her and a tall striking man with auburn hair.

"So, you're married? Congratulations Serena. I'm sure he is great guy, "Dan said with a touch of regret in his tone. She really had moved on and he was still lonely boy. The woman, the publicity would never change the fact that something's never changed. While Serena had been building a life with a partner, he still remained the same lonely guy that she'd met years before. He'd never found that person that he could feel settled with. Actually that was lie, he had found her but she'd slipped through his fingers when he was still a boy.

"um, Dan its, not..."

"What his name?"he asked.

Oh crap he thinks I'm married. Think fast Serena. Think Fast.

"Uh, Casey. His name is Casey, "she said as she cringed at the blatant lie.

"I'm so happy for you. Well, why don't you read the rest of the chapters and you can email me a time for us to go over your thoughts. I have to go meet my agent soon anyway."

"Okay, I'll get back to you, "Serena said as she walked him to the door. He hugged her tightly and she took in his scent as if she was memorizing it for prosperity. In that instant she knew that she'd never let go of him.

Serena sat in her apartment later that evening with a bowl of popcorn and bad movie when her neighbour and good friend popped in for his nightly visit.

"Clueless and buttered popcorn. Either you've been dumped or fired."

"Neither."

"Then what is it? I let my ex think I got married."

Casey's eyes bugged and said, "what? Married? How the hell did that happen?"

Serena stuffed a mouthful of popcorn in her mouth and mumbled, "It gets better. He thinks I'm married to you."

"Okay, I think I need a drink. But, how and who is this guy?"he asked dumbfounded.

"Its Dan Humphrey."

"The writer? I thought you guys ended back in highschool. Why is he suddenly clueless worthy?"

"He, he. Its a long story."

"OMG he's the one you're were moping for wasn't it? I should have put two and two together. He's the asshole orignale. The reason you've been dating a string of artsy losers."

"He's not an asshole. Dan is just Dan, "she said as she reached for her diet soda.

"So, why does he think we're married?"Casey asked as he popped a few pieces of popcorn in his mouth."

"Well, he's kind of my new client. Apparently my predecessor was his editor and I couldn't get out of it. He didn't recognize me at first and then he saw that pic of us and just sort of assumed."

"And you didn't correct him because you wanted to make him jealous."

"No, no thats not it at all."

"Serena."

"Well maybe just a little. God, Casey how am I going to get out of this."

"It's no big deal. Just let him think it's true. Anyways, it's just while you're doing this book stuff. Once it's done, he's out of your hair."

She looked at him sceptically and said, "I guess you're right."

Dan was sitting on his couch with his little sister trying to explain everything that was happening, but he barely had time to register it all. Serena was married and not to him. It was like in that moment a piece of his heart broke. A part of him had held on to the notion that one day they'd find their way back to each other, but now he knew that would never happen.

"Fate is cruel Jenny."

"I can't believe she's your new editor. That's fate Dan."

"Have you not heard a word that I've said. She's married."

Jenny laughed and said, "its not like thats stopped you before."

"Low blow. I had no idea she was married and I ended it when I found out."

"Like you end all your relationships with a text,"Jenny said mockingly.

"Its effective and it avoids tears and awkwardness."

"It's cold, "Jenny said.

"It's clean and efficient."

"You say tomato, I say tomata. Now, what are you going to do about Serena?"

Dan looked at his sister quizzically, "nothing. I told you she's married and I do not breakup marriages."

"Who are you kidding? You're still in love with her. You've been in love with her this whole time. You've never let her go Dan. Plus with the two of you its like nothing and no one can stop you anyways. It's only a matter of time before fate forces your hand Dan.'

"You make me sound pathetic Jen,"he said as he went to pour her another cup of coffee.

"That because when it comes to her you are. I don't get it, but she's always had this crazy hold over you. The only time you've been happy is when you were with her. I just, I just want you to be happy again Dan."

A few weeks had past since Dan and Serena's initial encounter. They had managed to come up with a routine that seemed to work for them both, but could best be described as avoidance. Dan worked diligently at his loft and couriered in his chapters for her to edit and then she messengered them to his place. They had managed to reduce their interaction to daily emails and telephone calls, but Serena knew that they weren't getting far and there were still a lot of hurdles with his prose. Dan continued to ignore her suggestions and she continued to send back the same notations. It was also difficult because she knew that his heroine was a fictionalized version of herself. For the first time, she was beginning to see what he thought of her and it wasn't entirely pleasant. He depicted her as a rich girl who was afraid to love. She hated to think that this was what he thought of her so, she emailed and scheduled an appointment. They needed to have a brainstorming session because this was not the sort of heroine readers would warm to. The reason that his first novel had done so well is the fact that he was able to give all his characters a warmth that was missing from these chapters.

What happened to him? When did he become so cold?"she thought to herself. It was like the Dan Humphrey she had fallen in love with had died and was replaced with a methodical, unfeeling man who used people like paper napkins. But, she refused to believe that this was what he had been reduced to.

When he came in she was waiting with her notes and a file of suggestions for him to use as he reworked his chapters.

"Hey, so you wanted to see me,"Dan asked.

"Please take a seat. I don't know how to say this. But, I've sent you a bunch of edits and all you've done is table my suggestions."

"I'm not changing my book for you, Serena. It's my work. My voice, "he said.

"I understand that, but my job is to help you fine tune that voice."

"No, you're job is to proofread my work and make sure my grammar and punctuation is top notch. This is my work not yours."

Serena took off her glasses and tried not to break them into smithereens. "My job is to make sure this book is good, "she picked up his last book and said, "this was brilliant, but these chapters are absolute crap Dan. They lack heart. Technically there is nothing wrong with it except for the fact that your hero is an asshole and your heroine is a frigid bitch."

Dan looked at her in disbelief. He couldn't be hearing what he thought he was hearing. He felt his temper bubbling to the surface. "How dare you? What do you know about writing?"

Serena got up and slapped him across the face. "How dare you. I got this job because I know what I am doing."

Dan touched his cheek in shock and looked at her in shock.

"You slapped me, "he said.

"Well, you insulted me."

"You called my work crap."

"You called me unprofessional."

Dan started laughing hysterically and before he knew it Serena had joined in. They stood there laughing for minutes before they both got a hold of their sudden bout of mirth.

"let's start again. Dan, I'm on your side. I believe in you, but these chapters are not your best work."

He sat down on the small couch and sighed, "so, I guess we make it good."

"We have no choice."

Serena handed him a fresh legal pad and said, "we better get started."

"what's this for?"

"For you take notes, I have a few changes in my mind."

He simply nodded and said, "Do you have a pen and a cappuccino. I can't work without coffee."

Serena smiled and summoned Leah to get them two cappuccinos'.