Chapter 12: Love is a battlefield

Jenny Humphrey was 26 year old and she had one stable relationship to her name. She'd never gotten over him yet he was still in her life. Jenny took out an old shoebox of memories and stared at the picture of her and Nate. They had broken up 6 years ago. She was still in design school and he had just broken up with Blair for what seemed like the umpteenth time. Jenny had been in love with him since she was fourteen years old. She knew the minute she set eyes on him that he was who she was meant to be with. Not unlike her brother who'd met his one and only at the same age, but unlike her brother fate had not been so kind to her. Atleast he had known what it was like to be loved by that one person. Jenny had Nate physically, but she felt like he was always emotionally disconnected from her. If only he could have drifted away and become just another an ex, but she was fated to be stuck with him especially since he was best friends with her brother. The other day she had gone over to Dan's to talk when he saw him cuddled up with Serena like the past ten years had not happened at all and somehow that had reopened old wounds. Why was it that he got his dream girl and her dream was so far from reach? Jenny put away the box of despair as Dan had dubbed it and put it back in her closet. Jenny Humphrey was not a wallower, she'd move on or at least that's what she had people believe. Her buzzer went off and a frantic Nate asked to be buzzed up.

"Nate what are you doing here?"

"I need your help."

"With what?"she asked.

"It's your brother or should I say Casey and your brother."

"What's going on?"she asked with concern. She had no idea why Nate was so concerned with the strange tension between her brother and his girlfriends bestfriend.

Nate looked down at his feet and realized that he hadn't told her. She had no idea and he'd hurt her enough the last thing he needed was to add to the list of hurt he'd administered to her. "this was a bad idea"

"Spill it Archibald."

"I, I, I'm seeing Casey."

Jenny tried to hide the shock. She wasn't homophobic not at all, but this was something that she had not expected and it seared through her like he had just placed a knife through her heart. "I need to sit down and you need to start from the beginning."

Jenny sat there and listened to him to talk about his confusion and how things just felt right with Casey and about Casey's jealousy over Dan. Part of her was numb as she listened to him to speak. Maybe this was for the best, maybe now she could finally let him go.

"Jen did you hear my question?"

"What, what question?"

"What should I do about Casey and Dan."

"Let me talk to Dan. They just need to hangout get rid of the tension."

Nate smiled at her and hugged her tightly. She clung to him as if she was finally saying goodbye to an old lover. When he left she collapsed in a heap on the floor. The pain was still there and so was the love, but atleast she could finally let go of the hope.

Blair stood with her hands placed daintly on her lap as she faced the judge. Carter was sitting to her right. He was being completely uncooperative and all she wanted to do was stick a knife in his gut. It was bad enough they had made this mistake.

"so, let me get this straight. You got married and consummated this marriage, but it wasn't under duress."

"It was your honor. Emotional duress."

"Could you clarify."

"He emotionally manipulated me. He plied me with compliments thus placing me in a vulnerable position."

The judge frowned and said, "let me get this straight you want an annulment on the grounds that he was kind to you and you view that as manipulation. Ms. Waldorf I suggest you hire a lawyer and stop wasting my time. If you want out of this marriage you'll have to get to agree to a divorce."

"A divorce. No, I will not be a divorcee."

"Then I suggest you relax and enjoy being a newlywood. Now please leave my office."

Carter and Blair stood outside the judges chamber. She was seething and Carter had a smile like a Cheshire Cat. "You did this on purpose."

"maybe. You're beautiful when you're angry."

"You're insane."

He watched as she stomped off. Being married to her was going to be entertaining and Carter enjoyed being entertained.

Blair turned around and said, "stop following me."

"I'm just going home with my wife."

"I am not your wife."

"I think the state of New York disagrees with you beautiful," he said. He followed her into the limo and she stared at him "don't call me beautiful."

"Why not it's the truth?"

"Well, I hate the truth."

Blair crossed her arms across her chest and looked out the window.

Serena was straddling Dan's hips as they sat on her couch. Her hands were caressing his face as she plied him with kisses. She couldn't get enough of him. The pair had been insatiable since they had gotten back together a few days earlier. Her assistant gave her a sly look when she returned to work on Monday. Dan had shown up later that day and they had sex on her office floor. Serena pulled up his shirt and threw it aside. "I can't get enough of you,"she said as she kissed a trail up his chest. Dan ran his fingers through her hair and nuzzled her neck as she temptd him with her touch. "Neither can I. We've got lots of time to make up for."

He removed his hands from her hair and played with the hem of her short dress which had ridden up to her waist. "You need to stop going commando. It drives me crazy."

"Maybe that's the point,"she said with a knowing smile.

He ran his hands across her thighs and reached up around her till he was cupping her ass. "Have I ever told you that you have a stellar ass. Its award winning."

Serena giggled and said, "you're ass isn't so bad either." He gripped her waist and pushed her closer so that she could feel his erection through his slacks. Serena was already getting wet with the anticipation of his touch. He flipped her on to her back and spread her legs. Dan ran his index finger along her core. Her wetness drove him a little wild. The knowledge that he could excite her like this was more than a little flattering. He used his fingers to rub the gentle folds as he watched her eyelids flutter with desire and her head jerk from side to side. He enjoyed teasing her till she was at his mercy. He dipped his head and replaced his finger with his tongue. The soft moans coming from her mouth and bucking of her hips told Dan that he was doing all the right things. "Oh Dan, more dan. I need more of you!"

"patience,"he implored.

"No, I want you. All of you now!"

"I want to see you come for me first,"he said. Dan continued his ministrations till she was screaming out his name gasps. He watched as her face contorted and her skin became flushed. She was beautiful, but nothing was better than when she was flushed with passion. She was still amazed that he could do that to her so easily. She loved making love with their clothes on. It was thrilling and exhilarating. She sat up and decided that she was not going to wait to have more of him.

"Enough with the games, Humphrey,"she said as she undid his belt buckle and pulled his zipper down. She pulled his pants down. "Take it off."

Dan kicked off his pants and sat there in his boxers. She stuck her hand through the slit in his boxers and massaged his shaft watching has his face turned a slight pinkish hue. "Now,"she pleaded. She pushed his boxers down with her thumbs and said, "off." He obliged and watched her with hungry eyes as she straddled him. Serena gripped his shoulders as she rode him. He seemed to bring back a sort of wanton abandon in her. He pumped into her as she matched his thrusts by using the pressure of her hips. Dan loved the sight of her in her little dress as he thrust in and out of her. There was something a little secretive and dirty about fucking her while she was still clothed. As if she simply couldn't control her attraction to him, but he knew that this was more than just something dirty. Every time their bodies clided they were communicating. Sharing a little more of themselves. He held her gaze and kissed her gently which was a contrast to his speedy thrusts. It was as if his body would never tire of hers. Insatiable. That was the only way to describe his desire for her. They were both so caught up in the moment that neither of them heard the lock in the door and when he walked it was too late.

Casey standing in front of Serena's living room. He flushed and mumbled an apology before leaving. Serena dropped her head on Dan's shoulder and giggled. "That was a bit awkward."

"Does he just come in like that all the time?"Dan asked.

"Yeah."

"Oh I see,"he said. It wasn't that he was jealous it was just bound to make for some awkward moments. "Maybe you should go talk to him,"he said.

"I'll do it later. Now get back to work buster, "she said as she ground her hips. Dan slipped one strap down her shoulder and kissed her shoulder and then did the same with the other strap. He slid the dress down so that it was scrunched around her waist. He took one breast into his mouth and sucked till she started to fidget a bit. Dan grabbed her hips and gripped them as she ground into him. They matched each other rhythm for rhythm. He gloried in the feel of her inside him and soon he was getting close. He whispered, "Are you close?"

"Almost."

He pulled out of her and flipped her over so that she was on her hind legs holding on to one end of the couch. He reentered her and started to aggressively pound into her. He reached around her and teased her nipples. "hey, we got carried away. I'm sorry,"he said as he pulled out of her.

Serena turned around and said, "Let me take care of it."

She took him in his mouth and finished off the job letting seed drip down her mouth and on to her chest. "You're a goddess, "he mumbled.

"It's my fault. We just got a little carried away."

Dan stood in the middle of Serena's bedroom as she adjusted his tie. "Are you sure this is for the best. I mean I barely know the guy."

"Then get to know him. He's an important part of my life and I'm sure as soon as you guys get to know each other everything will be cool."

Dan looked at her skeptically, "We don't exactly have a lot in common."

"You'll never know till you try,"she said.

"Why do I have to wear a tie."

"Because you look nice and I'll thank you for wearing one later,"she said as she kissed him gently.

Dan met Casey at his apartment and the two men walked to a local sushi place together reluctantly. It was awkward and then Dan mumbled, "why does this feel like an awkward first date."

"Cause it's a mandate,"Casey said as he laughed.

He looked Dan once over and saw how uncomfortable he seemed in his jacket and tie. "Take the tie off. Its obviously not you."

Dan eagerly removed it and tucked it into his jacket pocket and said, "thanks."

"Sorry about the other day. I am just not used to having men over at that time. I guess we all have to kinda figure stuff out,"Casey said.

"Yeah."

"You're not much of a talker."

"Actually no, I am. I just don't know what to say."

"Its okay. I usually don't talk this much. Just don't hurt her."

"I can't imagine what you think of me. But, I'd never dream of hurting her."

"Well too late for that you did it already,"he said with more than a hint of anger.

"She didn't tell you what really happened did she?"Dan said frankly.

"I didn't leave her. She left me. I know what it looks like. I left her and broke her heart then spent a good part of my life fucking around, but that's not how it went down man. I think you need to talk to her."

"Why don't you talk to me then,"Casey said with curiosity.

"Well, its complicated but basically it involved our parents, a dead brother and idiotic kid who let her slip away. I tried I really did, but she was determined to let them win."

"What? You share a brother? Another Sake please."

Dan poured out the whole sordid tale. He wasn't sure if it was for him or Serena or simply to give Casey a little more perspective and reassure him that he wasn't out to hurt Serena, but it was more than a little cathartic. Casey was a good listener and he understood why Serena valued his friendship.

"Wow, that's some heavy shit,"he said.

"Yup."

"Two more sake onegai,"Casey said to the waiter. They'd been at the sushi bar for well over two hours, but he felt like not only had some of the awkwardness dissipated, but that he'd made a new friend.

When they came back to the building they were both laughing and stumbling. Serena looked at them and laughed. She loved seeing them getting along. The idea of their hating each other made her feel weird and she wanted Casey and Dan to get along because they both meant the world to her.