Serena found Henry in the guest bedroom clutching Mucky and curled up in a ball on the floor, her heart broke when she saw tears in the little boy's eyes.
"Hi sweetie," Serena said soothingly, kneeling on the floor next to him. Henry sniffed and hid his face in the monkey's fur. Serena took a deep breath and sat down next to him, reaching her arms around him to pull him onto her lap.
"I really didn't mean to Aunty S," he whimpered and Serena hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry."
"I know Henry, I know, its ok," she said softly with tears in her own eyes, stroking his hair and shushing him and in that moment she hated Dan, she hated him for screaming at that perfect little boy, she hated him for acting like he was innocent in all this, she hated him for not giving a second thought to what he said. "I'm sorry too, Dan shouldn't have said those things to you."
"Do you hate me?" he asked, his chocolate brown eyes shining as he searches hers for any traces of hate for him.
"No, of course not, I'll never hate you, not ever," she assured him pressing a kiss to his forehead. "That could have happened to anyone."
"Really?" Henry asked sniffing and Serena used one of her hands to wipe his tears.
"Yes, when I was you age my nanny helped me make breakfast for my mom," Serena started, recalling the memory as if it were yesterday, her father had left and she wanted to do anything to make her mom stop crying. "I put everything on a tray and carried it to her room but when I opened the door, I tripped over one of her shoes and everything went crashing to the floor."
"What she do?" Henry asked moving off Serena's lap and sitting on the floor in front of her so he could look at her properly.
"She was shocked at first but then she called my nanny to clean up and told me that it was ok to make mistakes sometimes as long as you learn from them," Serena said, she was pretty sure there was a lot of screaming as well but she wasn't going to tell Henry that the soothing words only came later and her deeply depressed mother refused to talk to her for a week over a few broken plates.
"I should listen to momma next time," Henry said looking down and Serena smiled at him and took one of his hands in hers.
"You should always listen to your mom sweetie," she reminded him.
"Aunty S?" he said in a questioning voice and Serena made a 'hmm' sound as he bit his lip, deep in thought about what he wanted to tell her. "I wish you married Uncle Nate instead."
Serena's breath caught in her throat, she tried to form the right words but there was nothing coming to mind except for her godson telling her that she made a mistake and married the wrong man. She knew she and Dan had issues and ever since they came back from their honeymoon, the reason's they broke up all those times in the past kept sneaking up on her but she buried them and ignored them because they've only been married a month, they could last longer than this, they should last forever. She hated that her mind kept running to Nate when she had doubts because she shouldn't be having doubts and she and Nate ended a long time ago, she kept hurting him, they were better as friends, she knew that.
There was a light knock on the door and Serena lifted her head up to see Dan standing there, Henry obviously did too because his body tensed and he quickly crawled behind Serena, pressing his face into her back and clutching the fabric of her dress.
"Henry, can I talk to you?" Dan asked, mouthing 'I'm sorry' to Serena, Serena glared at him for a long time, searching his face for any traces of anger and letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding when she found none.
"No Aunty S I don't want to," Henry said into her back when she tried to move. "Please don't make me."
Serena winced and turned so she could face him. "He's not going to yell at you ok, he's just going to say he's sorry," Serena told him and Henry shook his head. "Please hear what he has to say, for me, I'll be right outside the door if you need me ok?"
Henry's chin quivered for a moment but then he nodded his head and stood up straight with a mask on to rival those of a young Blair Waldorf, he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Dan looking so much like Chuck in that moment that if the circumstances were different Serena would have taken a picture and fawned over it with Blair.
Serena watched from the hallway, she could see Dan and Henry but she couldn't hear them, she didn't know how Dan was going to make this up to her nephew but she knew the man she loved, the man she married and he wasn't mean or rude to children, he was just stressed and he should be more careful but this wasn't his fault, he warned her that he was busy before Henry came over, she should have known better.
It took a few minutes but finally Dan held out his hand and Henry eyed it warily looking to her before nodding his head and walking out toward her with a smile on his face. Serena closed her eyes and let out a breath, she didn't know what she would do if Henry hated Dan as well.
"We're going to the park," Henry announced when they walked out of the room, Serena could see that he was hesitant to move to quickly and she hated that the little boy felt uncomfortable in her home.
"Yey, why don't you go grab your ball and then we'll go?" Serena said enthusiastically reaching out to touch her godsons head as he walked past her to get to his bag before glancing at her husband. "Is everything sorted out?"
"I'm an ass, I'm sorry, I'll try not to do anything important next time the kid is around," he said lightly grabbing her arms and giving her a sheepish smile. "OK?"
"Ok," Serena said giving him a tight smile, she wasn't really ok with anything that was said before, the way Dan reacted to Henry's little accident, the admission that he didn't want kids, she knew when they were younger he wanted a family but after his success with his books and all the other changes in their lives, it only dawned on her then that she didn't know exactly how much he changed, she was still thinking about him as he was five years ago.
"Come on Aunty S, kick the ball back," Henry called out to her encouraging her to kick the ball to him.
She looked down at her shoes and sighed, she did not think this plan through well enough. She took a breath and kicked the ball covering her eyes quickly and peeking through her finger as it sailed through the air (barely missing Dan when he ducked) and landed by the tree next to Henry. The little boy giggled as he went to get it and Serena smiled before looking down at her shoes to assess the damage.
Serena was watching Henry when someone caught her eye, he was approaching them quietly, walking straight toward Henry. It took her a long moment to figure out who it was and she ran as fast as she could to her nephew and knelt down.
"Guess who came to see you," she said softly, turning him around and pointing him in the direction of the man.
"Uncle Nate!" Henry yelled, letting go of Serena's hands and taking of full speed so that he could jump into his Godfathers arms and Nate smiled like there was no other place in the world he would rather be.
"Do you think we will still be close to him in five years?" Nate asked holding a two month old Henry in his arms.
"Of course we will, Blair and Chuck will never keep us away from this little one," Serena said touching the infants cheek.
"I know they won't but what if we grow apart from the little family we created here?" he asked adjusting Henry when he squirmed a little in Nate's arms.
"We won't, I won't let you," she said with such finality in her voice that Nate couldn't help but believe her. "And I know you won't let me either."
Nate was about to reply when Henry started crying, the little wails turning into loud screams that made his godparents wince. Nate quickly got up and lay the little boy on his changing table, checking his diaper to make sure it wasn't the problem. "I think he's hungry."
"Got it," Serena said holding up a bottle and testing the liquid inside to make sure it was cool enough. "This is why mommy and daddy let us steal you for the day," Serena said in a baby voice when Henry finally stopped screaming because of the bottle in his mouth. "Coz you wake them up every hour like clockwork and they never get any sleep," Henry looked up at her like he understood and Serena was sure he was going to smile but his eyes just started to droop and she pouted. "Sleepy baby."
"We make a good team," Nate said leaning across the table and hi-fiving her before letting his eyes drift back to the baby. "I'm not even his dad and I feel the insane need to protect him and tell him about all the things he needs to watch out for in the world."
"That's how I know you're never going to leave him Nate," Serena said smiling at him before looking back down at the tiny boy. "Because you'd never abandon someone you love, no matter what the situation is."
Nate smiled to himself without taking his eyes of baby Henry and Serena knew that he knew she was thanking him for always being there for her, even when it was really hard for both of them she could always count on him.
Serena smiled at the memory, it was the day Blair finally decided to hire someone else to help them out, Chuck and Blair were so tired, even Monkey was looking at them pleadingly like he just needed some sleep, Dorota had a family emergency and most of their family was out of town when Nate and Serena stopped by and managed to convince Chuck and Blair to sleep for 12 straight hours and let them deal with the most precious boy any of them had ever laid their eyes on.
She grabbed Henrys ball and walked back to Dan as Nate made his way to them with Henry clinging to him. Nate's hair was cut really short and Serena realized that that was the reason she didn't recognize him right away, the last time he had his hair that short was when they were kids and his dad decided it would be a good look. It wasn't. But now she can't help but think it makes him look sexier, older.
"Look who's back," Dan commented sounding less than thrilled and Serena rolled her eyes, of all her friends she thought that he would at least warm up to Nate again.
"Hey guys," Nate said cheerily, before looking back at Henry and kneeling so he could set the boy on the floor. "Why don't you go play on the swing set while we talk here little man?"
Henry raised an eyebrow but nodded and Nate smiled and watched him go. Serena looked at Nate curiously and then looked back toward her nephew when Nate turned to them to make sure he didn't slip out of their sight. "Everything ok Nate?" Serena asked even before she greeted him because there had to be a reason for him to send the little boy away.
Nate took them both by surprise when he grabbed Dan by his shirt and hoisted him up so his feet where barely touching the ground, Serena was keeping one eye on Henry and one eye on the two men next to her as Nate spoke.
"He is 4 years old, I don't care who you are or what you were doing, I don't care about the amount of work you have to redo because of him or the amount of patience you need because it's been years since you've had a child around, if you ever raise your voice to him again, I'll make sure you pay," Nate growled letting him go, Serena stared at him shocked, her eyes still moving toward the play area as Henry went down the slide, she thought she was going to smile because as much as she already told Dan what she thought she couldn't do what Nate just did. Nate took a breath and looked to Serena. "Nice to see you again S."
"Hey Nate," Serena called as he started to walk away from them, breaking out of the state of shock both she and were in. "Welcome back."
Nate smiled at her as he caught the ball she threw to him, from the look in his eye she knew he would take over now with Henry and someone will come by later to get the little boys bag and toys. She shook her head and smiled at her godson's sweet attitude to Dan after he apologized, he knew that as soon as he mentioned it to Nate Dan would be punished and Henry wouldn't have had to do anything himself.
Serena grabbed her bag and glanced over at her husband who was fuming, but they were in public, at the park really close to a lot of children if he were to cause a scene now it would look really bad and if there's one thing that Dan hates its bad press. As soon as they passed through the door of their apartment the screaming started, Dan was furious at Nate and Henry and everyone else in the world. She let him rant a little, having her own inner turmoil to contend with.
"Dan did you mean what you said earlier?" she asked later when he was working on his laptop in his office, he'd calmed down and as far as Serena knew everything was forgotten, the next time Nate and Dan saw each other they'd pretend.
"I said a lot of things earlier sweetheart," he said looking up at her and Serena winced at the term of endearment, she wasn't sure how he had intended it to come out but it ended up sounding sardonic.
"About kids Dan, did you mean what you said about being glad we don't have a child," Serena said wrapping her arms around her body. "Do you not want kids?"
"I have my writing and books and you have … those parties and events that you enjoy planning, so with everything going on do you really think we'll have time to raise a kid," Dan asked looking at her as if this was just one of those joking future talks they sometimes had.
"I don't have to do that and you work from home most of the time anyway I think we'll have enough time," Serena said a little desperately, with a hopeful smile on her face and he realized she was serious.
"Maybe someday, not right now, I want to do so much and be more established before bringing a child into this world," Dan said letting her know that children were not the plan for their near future but he wasn't abandoning the idea. "We aren't ready yet, you remember how bad I was with Henry, I'm sure with practice I'll get better but for now I think we should just enjoy the quiet."
"I guess you're right," Serena said rubbing her arms and taking a breath. "I'm going to wash up, you better be in bed when I get out," she warned jokingly and he nodded and laughed.
Serena walked quickly to the bathroom and shut the door, the smile that was plastered on slipping off her face really quickly, he didn't want a baby especially not right now, she swallowed the lump in her chest and blinked back tears as she walked over to the sink. She picked up the stick on the counter and stared at the little pink plus sign, she let her heart soar for a moment before it all came crashing down on her again.
A/N : The part in italics is a flashback for anyone who was confused, hey guys I'm like a day late so you can't be too mad with me hehe, this chapter was the last I had written when I wrote ahead and I spent so much time editing and trying to get it right and I'm still a little unsure about how it is but I really hoped you enjoyed it
So I got this review that made me want to make Dan more of an ass then he already is but I realized that some of you do actually like him and its not fair to you or this story to really mess with the idea of his character that I have and first part where he apologizes so I just added in a little Nate threatening hehe coz a lot of you guys asked for protective Natie and I love writing protective Nate :D
Please review and let me know what you think, I'm really nervous about this chapter especially since it has both Nate and Serena and maybe not the way you pictured it ... From now on there will be more NS interaction, the previous chapters were just to set everyone up and let you know where they all stood
If there are any problems with this chapter or if you have any other ideas please please tell me
Thank you so much to all of you for the support, you guys are amazing
Until Next Time (^^,)