Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay. I hope you liked this chapter. I know it's a bit cheesy, but a little cheese doesn't hurt. I have 2 more chapters and an epilogue.

Chapter 19: Forever is just around the corner

Dan nervously paced in the foyer, stopping to check his watch every two minutes as he waited for Serena to come downstairs. "Are you ready yet?"

"I'll be down in a sec,"she yelled from upstairs.

"You said that twenty minutes ago."

Serena came down the stairs. She wore a floor length blue dress and you could see the small swell of her belly. Dan smiled up at her. It was true what they said about pregnant women. She was glowing, but then again, Serena always glowed. She personified sunshine. Looking at her always made him think of a warm summers day. "You need to relax,"she said as she kissed him on the cheek.

"Aren't you nervous?"

"I am? But, I know it's going to be okay," she said as she grabbed her purse and followed him out the door.

At the doctor's office Dan fidgeted as Serena casually flipped through the parenting magazine she held in her lap. She laughed at him and continued to browse through the magazine. "Did you know that talking to the baby speeds up their language development?"

"No, I didn't," Dan said as he looked around nervously.

Serena grabbed his hand and said, "Stay still. You're making me nervous."

"I'm sorry. I can't help it. How can you be so calm?"He asked.

She smiled at him and said, "It's easy. I have you."

A woman in white lab coat came into the waiting room and called her name. Dan and Serena followed her into one of the rooms. Dan sat beside her as the woman set up the ultra sound. "Is this first your baby?"she asked.

"Yes, it is."

She pointed to the monitor and said, "do you see that small shape over there. That's your baby. The heartbeat is strong and the she's a good size"

Dan and Serena looked at each other with tears in their eyes. "She? It's a girl," Serena cried. Dan held her hand and kissed the top of her head.

"Everything looks okay here. A copy will go to the doctor and a copy to yourselves. Do you want me to print it for you or would you rather do it yourselves?"

"We'd love a copy now," Dan said.

When they got home, they were immediately barraged by phone calls and visitors who were there to share in their joy. Serena had immediately called Blair to let her know that she was having a little girl and her friend made a comment about how she had to ensure that her Brooklyn genes remained dormant while she reminded her that they were going to raise their baby there. Lily arrived with Vanya, Dorota and enough food to last a week. Nate arrived with Jenny in tow and a suspicious grin on his face.

"You guys didn't have to all come," Dan said.

"Of course we did. This is a momentous occasion," Nate said.

"The baby hasn't been born yet."

Jenny smacked her brother and said, "Where is your sense of celebratory glee. You are going to be a father and we're here to celebrate this with you. Don't be a dufus."

"I'm not a dufus," Dan protested.

Nate came up to him and wrapped his arm around Dan's shoulder and said, "No, you're just a downer, but that's why we love you man."

Serena touched her belly and smiled as she chatted with her mother about baby names and the benefits of having a nanny. "I don't want a nanny. I want to take care of her myself."

"That's commendable dear, but babies are a lot of work."

"Like you would know," Serena muttered under her breath

"I heard that. I know I wasn't the best mother, but I thought we'd moved past all of that," Lily said.

"I'm sorry and we are working on it. It's just not all water under the bridge yet. I'm going to find Dan," she said before walking away from what was bound to turn into another fight.

She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. She layed her head on his shoulder and said, "let's go upstairs."

He nodded and followed her to their bedroom. She sat on the bed and said, "I'm exhausted. Lie down with me."

"What about our guests?"He asked.

"They'll be fine. Blair has it under control."

He removed Serena's shoes and massaged her feet as she lay back on the bed. Dan loosened his tie and kicked his own shoes off and joined her. He lay behind her with his hands on her belly. "Let's get married soon,"he whispered.

'Why?"

"I don't want a big wedding. Just me, you and a justice of the peace,"he said.

"That sounds romantic. We can have a big party after it's done. Blair and Nate can be our witnesses."

"And Jenny,"he added.

"And Casey."

Serena turned to face him. "So, when do we do it."

"Saturday, I'll make all the arrangements."

Dan knew that if he didn't invite his father and Serena's mother to the wedding it would only cause more friction in their damaged relationship, so he called Blair to handle the decorations while he called them to let them in on their plans. His father thought it was an excellent idea while Lily didn't understand why they didn't wait until the baby was borne so they could do it properly. He told her that this is what they wanted and at the end of the day it was their life. Dan invited Vanessa and her husband, but they couldn't make it in time. His cousin Evan was coming and the guest list had managed to stay under twenty. He let Serena in on the changes and she hugged him tightly before kicking him out of the house. So, he was at Hugo Boss with Nate trying on Tuxes and other suits while the girls got themselves ready.

"I can't believe you guys finally got your shit together," Nate said.

"You didn't exactly help matters."

"I was a non-issue," Nate replied.

"Touche."

Dan looked at his reflection in the mirror and grimaced. He hated tuxedos. He always felt like a fish out of water in them, so he opted for a simple black suit instead. He found one that fit so well that it seemed to have been tailored just for him. "So, what do you think?"

"What was wrong with the tux?"Nate asked.

"It's not me."

Nate simply shrugged and said, "Whatever you want. It's your day."

After they bought their suits, they made their way over to the flower shop to pick up the arrangements that Blair had asked them to get. Dan knew something was going on with Nate and Jenny, but he didn't want to intrude. He tried to bring up the subject several times, but he kept backing down. In the car on the way back to Brooklyn, Dan finally got up the nerve to broach the delicate subject.

"So, what's the deal with you and Jenny?"Dan asked.

"How long have you been itching to ask me that?"

"A couple of days," Dan said as he chuckled.

"We're dating. I was going to tell you, but it's still so new. I care about her Dan."

He punched his friend in the arm playfully and said, "I know you do. I was just wondering how long it would take before you admitted how you felt."

"You knew?"Nate asked.

"Yeah, it was sort of obvious, but then you started liking boys and I was starting to rethink my assumptions and maybe you liked me instead."

"Funny. You think you're so clever."

"I don't think, I know."

Nate rolled his eyes and grabbed dan's head and put him in a choke hold. "Can't breathe."

Blair marched up to them as they scuffled in front of the house. "What are you doing Nate? I need a breathing groom or Serena will kill me."

"Yeah, you don't want to be responsible for making my child fatherless do you?"

"Shut up Humphrey," Nate and Blair said simultaneously.

Blair pushed the two into the bedroom on the bottom floor. They were given a little an over hour to get ready before the ceremony began. The dining room was decorated with chairs and a small aisle for Serena to make her way to the make-shift alter. There were flowers placed at the alter and in various places down the aisle. It wasn't fancy, but it was still beautiful.

Serena looked at her reflection as she placed the veil on her head. Her hair was styled in beautiful curls. She wore a simple ivory dress that she found in a dress shop downtown. It was floor length and made of chiffon. She couldn't believe she was about to marry Dan, the only man she had ever really loved. It was hard to believe that all of this had happened in a little over a year. It seemed that destiny had a plan for them. Serena laid her hand on her stomache and said, "Hey kid. The big day is here. We're gonna be an official family soon. Me, you and Dan. I hope you look like your daddy."

"Are you talking to the baby?"Blair asked.

"Yeah, the doctor said it's good for the baby."

Blair wrapped her arms around her friend. "I can't believe this is happening. You're getting married and having a baby."

"It's perfect. I'm so happy B."

"I know you are. I'm glad you found Humphrey again."

"Really?"

"Yes. He maybe Brooklyn, but he loves you and you're different with him and God were you two a mess when you were apart."

"Yeah we were. So, this is it. You ready to escort me down that aisle."

"I still can't believe you want me to do that," Blair said. She was touched by Serena's offer when she had asked her the other day.

"Well Casey is my mate of honor and you're family."

Dan watched as Casey came down the aisle with his cousin who felt more than a little uncomfortable about escorting a guy down the aisle. He joined Nate and Dan at the front and nodded awkwardly at Casey. Dan tried to keep from laughing. Only Serena would find it appropriate to have a guy as her maid of honor. The music changed and Blair and Serena made their way down the aisle. Dan could not take his eyes off of her. She was beautiful. His breath hitched and his eyes watered as she inched towards him. He reached for her hand and said, "Hey beautiful."

"Hey baby," she said as she held tightly to his hand. He kept his eyes locked on hers as they both listened to the minister drone on about the sanctity of marriage.

"The bride and groom wish to recite their own vows. We'll begin with the groom, Daniel J. Humphrey."

Dan took a small paper out of his breast pocket and read, "When I was fourteen years old I found something so beautiful and so rare that I didn't know what to do with it. I found true love. All it took was two words from your beautiful lips and I was a goner. Over the years, I grew to know who you were and that love only expanded over time. A love that comes that early, brings risk and pain, but I wouldn't trade a moment of loving you for it brought me here today. You are the reason that I am the man that I am today. I promise to love you forever and to take care of you."

Serena wiped the tears from eyes and looked over to Casey who handed her a small slip of paper. "Dan, my love, my heart, my soul. Loving you is never easy and not just cause you're a pain in the ass. Loving you saved me. You came into my life when I was so lost. You pulled me to shore and made me feel safe. I promise to be your harbor until I breathe my last breath. I promise to love you with all my heart until the end of time."

"With those words I pronounce you husband and wife."

They danced their first dance in the middle of their living room with Serena's head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and said, "I am glad we did it this way."

"Me too. Although, I was rather fond of my Vera Wang dress."

"I prefer you like this. You're beautiful Mrs. Humphrey."

"Why thank you Mr. Humphrey."

On the other side of the room blair was sipping champagne when Dan's cousin even came up to her. "You did a great job putting this altogether at the last minute."

"And you are?"

"Evan Michaels, Dan's cousin."

Blair raised her eyebrows. "I see. I didn't know Humphrey had such well-groomed relatives."

"It's a recessive gene,"he quipped.

"It better be,"she said before putting down her glass of champagne and following him out to the dance floor as Chuck watched from across the room.