Disclaimer: Okay, still nothing. Although I'd love some. Enjoy! :)

Chapter 5.

Escape.

If there is one thing Serena van der Woodsen is good at, escaping would be it.

She had done it a lot of times. When she'd go to Blair's everytime she and her mom fought when she was little, when she asked Nate or Dan (when they were dating) to take a walk in the park whenever she and Blair fought, when she went to Georgina then went to boarding school after the Sheppard wedding and the Pete incident, when she went missing for the whole summer after the Sheppard Divorce Party, when she left New York when her marriage failed.

She had done it bunch of times, so she figured, why not do it again?

Technically, she thought, she can't exactly leave the country, let alone the city because her mom would kill her had she not helped with the wedding preparations or not attend the wedding at all. But she wants to escape, try to forget, try to ignore the aching feeling on her chest as soon as she stepped out of Butter.

So, at the struck of 12, two hours after Chuck and Blair left, one hour after Nate left (which took Serena almost twenty minutes to convince him to seeing that he was so insistent on staying with her), she strapped on the heels she was wearing earlier and went to the club.

Upon arriving there, she already saw two - or was it three? - guys checking her out. She paid no attention to those guys and headed straight to the bar. She hastily ordered for some shots and to keep'em coming. This is what she wants, what she needs, to forget.

One of the guys that was checking her out earlier finally worked up the courage to talk to her when she was on her fourteenth - fifteenth? She wasn't sure. She lost count after seven, she thinks - drink and now she's giggly and probably couldn't even see straight anymore.

The guy, who she now knows as Jordan, asks if she wants to dance and she agrees, lets Jordan wrap his arms around her waist as he steadies her as they made their way to the dance floor. And as soon as they're there, right at the very center, they started dancing. His arms are wrapped around her waist, hands running up and down her back and she's got her arms tight around his neck, her fingers messing with the tips of his hair.

She notices that Jordan's got dark, curly hair, deep shade of brown eyes, and he's got that muscular build that's almost like Dan and - - Stop. She cannot be still thinking about Dan. She went out to let loose, to have fun, to enjoy and not think about that.

But she can't help it, her mind is clouded with thoughts of Dan and it's all because of this guy in front of her, dancing with her that just happens to remind her of her ex-husband. So, she kisses him.

At first, he stayed still but not two seconds after she kissed him, he eagerly responded, kissing her back fiercely, forcefully, shoving his tongue down her mouth. She allows his tongue to pry her mouth open and pretty soon their tongues are battling each other.

Somehow he manages to back her against the wall, mouth never leaving hers and hands groping her waist. Then he pins her hands on the wall as his mouth leave hers to plant wet, sloppy kisses on her jaw and her neck. She groans, hands escaping his hold on it and grips them on his hair tighter than before. He raises one of her legs against him so that he can run his hand up and down on it and his left hand starts pushing her dress down, unzipping it at the same time.

All of a sudden, she feels the loss of contact from him and as she opens her eyes, she sees Jordan being punched by someone with dark, curly hair.

"You stay the hell away from her!"

Dan.

It took two guys to pry Dan off of Jordan. As soon as Jordan was able to stand up, he gives Serena a little wink before heading out, muttering curses under his breath.

Dan looks at her as soon as Jordan was out of sight. He looks mad, tired and worried. He gazes at her for a minute longer before he took her hand and dragged her out of the club.

...

"What the hell Serena! What the hell were you doing?!"

Serena looks down ashamed of being caught by Dan Humphrey of all people. It finally sinks down to her what was happening just a few minutes prior to Dan's arrival.

"What - Why are you here?"

Dan lifts his head up to glare at her. She's got her head hung low and Dan can't help but smile at her because at least she realized her mistake and just because she looks too darn cute. But her smile faded when he registers her question.

"Why am I here? Serena, your brother's worried sick about you! Nate called me at one in the morning asking for help to find where the hell you are because Eric called him up saying you weren't answering your phone and that when he went to your place, you're fucking missing! Serena, I'm here to freaking save you!"

She scoffs at Dan's final words. Save, really? She doesn't need to be saved. She's fine. She can handle herself, she's done it for two years.

"Nate's - -"

"Looking for you in Manhattan with Chuck and Eric. Don't worry, I already called them up." Dan snorts a little before turning to Serena once more. "Do you even realize where the hell you are? You're in Brooklyn for god's sake!"

Serena slowly reaches out, taking his hand in hers making him jump a little. She grips it tightly, thumbs caressing the back of his palm.

"Sorry."

He looks at her and he sighs. He grabs her left hand with his right hand and pulls her into a hug, this time surprising the blonde.

"I'm just glad you're safe." He murmurs into her ear before letting go, one hand remaining on hers.

She stood there as she watched Dan hail a cab. As soon as one pulled over which surprised them both because no taxis usually seen at this hour, Dan tugs on her arm, puling her in the cab.

"Let's go."

"Where we going?"

Dan smiles down at her as he felt her head drop on his shoulder.

"Let's get you home." He smiles, giving the driver the directions to Serena's apartment.

...

Escape.

Something she's good at. Something she's been doing her entirely life.

But when it comes to Dan Humphrey, she thinks she won't be able to escape him after all.

.to be continued.

A/N: Hi! So, it's still a Saturday here where I live so technically it is still the second week of January. I would've posted earlier in the week but we had our examinations then so I was studying hence the not posting earlier part. (I hope I get good grades! Wish me luck, please! :) ) You guys can expect a new chapter by the last week of January, probably the 30th, if not the 31st.

Hope you guys enjoyed! Oh, reviews are very welcome and appreciated! Thanks! :)