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Chapter 14.
At two in the afternoon, Dan's phone suddenly rings, disturbing his peaceful sleep. Annoyed and with a huff, - who the hell disturbs his sleep anyway? Well, actually, he had two good guesses. - he snatched his phone off the table and answered the device.
"Hello?"
"Hey Dan!" He groans as soon as he heard Jenny's cheery voice.
"No."
"Oh, come on, Dan! You don't even know what I was going to say!"
"No."
"Dan!" She screeches and Dan's pretty sure she won't stop whining and calling him, and it's getting pretty irritating so he just sighs before giving in.
"Fine, what did you forget?"
"Why did you just assume that I'm calling you just because I forgot something?" She asks, but the tone of her voice gives it away, she did forget something. "I could just be concerned about your well-being and wanted to see how you were doing."
"Fine, then I guess I'll just continue my rudely interrupted sleep."
"Dan!" And he smirks, sensing Jenny's despair.
"Whatever you need, fine, I'll deliver it to you."
"My sketchpad, it's on my table. Thanks and hurry!"
He shakes his head when she hung up. He goes to Jenny's room, grabs the sketchpad hat she always somehow forgets - it's one of her most used things, why she always forgets to bring it with her kinda amuses him - before starting his way to where Jenny is.
...
"What the hell are you doing here, Humphrey?"
Of course, the first person that he'll see is the owner of the company. See, this is why Dan refuses to go near the building, he really doesn't want to in the same room as Blair Waldorf if he can help it.
"I'm not here for you, Blair. Believe or not, not everyone who comes here wants to talk to you, like me, for example." He completely ignores Blair's eye roll at him. "Is Jenny here? You know, the person I actually came to see."
"She's in her office." Blair gives him a sarcastic smile. "Make it quick, I don't want you lingering here."
"I don't plan to." He shouts over his shoulder to Blair before making his way to his sister's office.
"Are you sure you don't want to work for another company?"
Jenny looks up, amused at Dan. She shook her head, making Dan groan in protest as he makes his way closer to her. He plops onto one of the couches before handing her the sketchpad. She squealed happily, even clapped her hands in such delight, before thanking him numerous times.
"Seriously, there are a lot of companies you can work for."
"Dan, just because Blair's mad at you doesn't mean she has a problem with me." She answers, giving him a pointed look before going back to flipping through the pad.
"Yeah, but I'm not the one she banished from the city." Dan remarks, and even though Jenny knows he's just joking, she feels a little annoyed - and, okay hurt - that Dan would say that.
"At least, I'm not the one who cheated on her best friend with Georgina Sparks." Both were silent after that statement. They both realized that what they said was low, especially since they're siblings and they are supposed to have each other's backs. Well, they do, but sometimes they get super annoyed with one another and things like this happen.
"I'm sorry." Both Humphreys said at the same time. Jenny giggles and Dan flashed her a crooked grin.
"Well, I'm off."
"Hey Dan?" He turns to her. "You didn't happen to see Serena, did you?"
Suddenly it all makes sense to him. Why Blair didn't want him to even step in the building. Besides the obvious that she doesn't like him, she's also preventing Serena from seeing him. Because normally, when he visits Jenny at work and he comes across Blair, the brunette would simply roll her eyes at him and ignore him or, if he's lucky - which doesn't happen very often - the brunette would even have a decent conversation with him, so it was weird that she even talked to him earlier.
"No. I didn't even know she's here."
"Good!" Jenny nods, smiling at him. "You might want to hurry up and leave now before you see Blair catches you seeing her."
"Why?"
"Dan, just go." Jenny stands up and walks over to him. "On second thought, I'll walk you to the elevator to make sure your safe."
...
They were almost at the elevator, about to escape - and avoid the wrath that is Blair Waldorf - when Dan suddenly stops, hearing an unmistakable giggle - one that sounded like it belonged to a four year old.
"Dan, seriously." Jenny whispers harshly, tugging at his sleeve.
Then the door to Blair's office opens and out come Serena, being pulled by Henry, with Chuck and Blair on their heels. They are laughing at something Henry said, completely unaware of the Humphreys' presence. Jenny let out a loud sigh - well, so much for trying to avoid them - and made the three grown-ups look at their direction, while Henry went back inside his mother's office.
"Humphrey!" Serena's voice was glad, happy to see him. And he doesn't care if he suffers the wrath of Blair if he gets to hear her voice saying his name - or, rather surname - so gladly.
"You're still here?" Blair screeches.
"What the hell are you doing here, Humphrey?" Chuck asks and Dan can't help but stifle a laugh.
When everyone gives him a weird look and Serena asks why, he tells them that Blair and Chuck really are meant for each other because they happened to ask him the same question. Jenny hits his shoulder lightly and when he merely glances at her, she's motioning to the elevator, urging him to go already.
"Are you done with whatever you came for?" Blair asks with an eye roll.
"Yes, so I was just about to go."
"Dan, wait!"
"Serena!" Blair shrieks at the blonde, who just ignored her while her husband simply smirked beside her. Then, thankfully - at least, Dan is thankful - they heard something break from inside Blair's office following by Henry's cries. So, with one last glare at Dan, the Blair walks off to find her son, pulling Chuck along. Once the couple was out of sight, Dan turned to Serena.
"Do you need something?" Dan smiles warmly at her as Jenny slips out to her office, a knowing smirk etched on her face. "Because I am about to -"
"I'll go with you." She said it so fast, he's sure he heard wrong.
"What?"
"The elevator." Serena points out, gesturing to the lift. "There is only one elevator here. Unless you're too uncomfortable with sharing it with me, I -"
"No, no." Dan quickly shakes his head. "It's fine."
"Okay, then." Just then, the elevator opens again. Serena steps in quickly and when he made no move to get in, Serena grabs his hand and pulls him inside.
...
They just got out of the building - literally, just one step out - when he felt Serena's hand grasp his wrist so he spins around to face her. She smiling and he found himself smiling at her too, because when she smiles, the whole city suddenly seems brighter. More so, if her smile was for him.
"Are you free tonight?" He stares at her in disbelief for a couple and Serena even has to snap her fingers in front of him to get him out of his trance.
"Are you asking me out?" He asks as they continued to walk side by side.
"What? No, of course not." Serena giggles before continuing. "But I was wondering... Are you free for dinner, tonight?"
"You are asking me out." Dan smirks and earn himself a playful punch from the giggly blonde.
"No, no, no. I just wanted to thank you for taking care of me when I was sick and for cleaning out my apartment." She's looking at him with too much enthusiasm and it reminds him of a four year old - her four year old-like giggle helps.
"You know, a simple thank you would suffice." He points out.
"I know." She states. "But, still. I want to treat you out."
"Serena, I don't -"
"Just say yes." She sighs, still that smile on her face. "I won't take 'no' for an answer, you know?"
He finally nods because he realizes, she won't stop harassing him until he says yes. Because what Serena van der Woodsen wants, Serena van der Woodsen gets. He really should be used to that by now.
She squeals happily, hugging him a bit tight, which surprises him although she doesn't seem to think much about it. She pulls away just as a cab pulled up in front of them. She opens the door, about to get in, but she stops and turns to him again.
'So, you'll pick me up at eight?'
Suddenly, flashes of a younger Serena telling her mom that she made plans with a younger Dan just so she wouldn't have to go to the Kiss on the Lips party a younger Blair was throwing enters his mind followed by you'd really go out with some guy you don't know and well, you can't be worse than the guys I do know. It takes him a few moments before he realizes that Serena still looking at him and that she said those words out loud. He wonders if she remembers it too.
"What?"
"Fine." She rolls her eyes at him jokingly. "Since I 'asked you out', I'll pick you up at eight."
"No." Dan said - almost shouts, actually. "I'll pick you up."
"Great!" She states, by now inside the cab, slamming the door. She pokes her head out the window though. "Oh, and I changed my mind, pick me up at seven!"
.to be continued.
A/N: So here is the newest chapter of Forever. As of right now, I am still not finished with the next chapter, and so I would like some suggestions as to what will happen in Serena and Dan's date. I already have some things planned out but I could really use the help.
I really really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!
Oh, and for blakepennforever, maybe I'd get to write some Penn/Blake fic some other time because I don't have an idea what I'll write. But maybe one day, someday.
I'd like to hear your thoughts, though. Reviews are very much welcome and very much appreciated. Thanks guys! xx