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Chapter 26.
Serena took a deep breath as she entered the store where Blair insisted they meet at. They were supposed to do a little shopping before heading over to the Empire to meet Chuck, Nate, Dan and Eric so that they could further discuss the decorations to be done to the grand ballroom for the reception. It was mostly done - Lily had very specific instructions as to how she wanted the ballroom to look so really, all they are going to do was finalize and double check everything.
Serena smiles as she spots Blair holding several shopping bags, looking through various clothing on one side of the store.
"So, is there something you're not telling me?" Serena asks playfully as she sidles beside the brunette. Blair rolls her eyes, dropping what she was holding before turning to face Serena and they make their way to the shoes section of the store.
"Oh." It suddenly seemed as though something clicked in Blair's memory. "I hope you don't mind but I went shopping already." Blair said, almost apologetically, - both girls know she's not really sorry - holding up several shopping bags that she's carrying on both hands.
"It's fine. I don't mind." Serena insisted, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Anything else I need to know about?" She teased, bumping her shoulders against the brunette playfully.
"No, of course not. You know I tell you everything."
"Are you pregnant? Or at least, have you and Chuck like trying to get pregnant?" Serena blurts out suddenly, making Blair stop dead in her tracks. She glances at Serena who crossed her arms, waiting for an answer for Blair.
"What are you talking about, Serena?" Blair scoffs, as if the whole idea altogether was downright ridiculous.
"You do realize that we're at a baby store, right? And right now, you're looking at shoes for baby girls, so you really can't expect me not to ask that question, B."
"Well..." Blair drags out, scoffing once again. "Maybe I'm preparing for when you get pregnant and give birth to little Dans or little Serenas. Honestly though, I'd prefer you have little Serenas. We don't need another cabbage patch in Manhattan."
Serena eyes went wide as Blair practically dragged her out of the store and out of the mall where the Bass limo was waiting for them. Blair got in first gesturing for the blonde to hurry.
"What makes you think that me and Dan are -" Serena stops as she slid in the limo after Blair, not wanting to explain herself to her. "You know what, I am not the one who was looking at baby clothes and toys."
"You say that now but I know you want babies just as much as I do."
Serena was about to deny and say that she and Dan are not trying because in all honesty, they really haven't but Blair's phone suddenly rang and after showing her phone to Serena, - of course, Chuck was on the line - Blair answered the phone, stopping whatever it was that Serena was about to say.
And because Blair was busy talking to Chuck, she failed to notice the way Serena's smile faltered and the tears that Serena held back.
...
"Are we done with this conversation?" Serena asked exasperatedly as she and Blair walked inside the hotel lobby of the Empire where Chuck, Nate, Eric and Dan were waiting for them. "Please tell me we're done talking about this."
"What's going on guys?" Nate asked as he hugged the two girls.
"Well, Blair here was insisting that I should have kids already." She glances wearily at Dan who looked at her wide-eyed as soon as the words left her mouth.
"You can't blame me." Blair shrugged from her place next to Chuck. "Jenny told me that the last time she saw Dan at home as maybe about two weeks ago, so..."
"You know what, that - that is not true. Jenny and I just doesn't cross paths but I do go home." Dan insisted while Eric chuckled from beside him.
"Oh.." Blair starts in a somewhat challenging tone. "And when was the last time you actually slept in Brooklyn?" When Dan was silent and did not answer for quite a while, all of them except Serena smirked at him.
"See.." Blair exclaimed. "I rest my case."
"Wait, so are you..." Eric trailed off, saying just enough that everyone got what he was trying to ask her sister.
Serena immediately shot down the idea, shaking her head. "God, no!" She gives Blair a glare to which the brunette simply responded to by shrugging from Chuck's side. "I wasn't the one who was looking at baby clothes at the mall earlier."
"Is there something you wanna tell me Blair?" Chuck asked lowly, slightly glaring at her.
"What?" Blair feigned innocence. "No, there is nothing -"
"I thought we talked about this?" Chuck grumbled lowly, but not low enough apparently because they sure still heard it. Everyone else turned to them confused and a little bit worried.
"Are you guys -" Serena started but was cut off by Chuck.
"Let's get going, shall we?" Chuck said dismissively before leading the way towards the grand hall of the hotel. Dan looked at Serena curiously, to which she just shrugged in return. Dan puts an arm on her waist as he led the two of them and Eric to the grand hall where the others were waiting.
...
"Finally!" Serena exclaimed as soon as Eric finished explaining to all of them what their mother specifically wanted as decorations to the hall. Serena gives her inputs every now and then but other than that, Eric does most of the talking. The rest of the NJBC even butts in with their comments every once in a while. Meanwhile, Dan struggled to put every detail on his small notebook.
"You got all that man?" Nate asked as they watch Dan write the last few things he needed.
"Yeah." Dan declares, snapping his notebook shut and glancing up at all of them. "All good man." He pats Nate on the back before making his way over to Serena, who was teasing Eric about his date with Jonathan later that evening.
"Alright, then." Chuck announces, wrapping his arms around his wife. "We better get going. I still have a meeting to attend to." Then he turned to his best friend. "Nate, man, you coming?"
Nate, who was now having a conversation with Dan, Serena and Eric, glanced up at the pair and held a finger up, indicating to give him a minute. He hugged Serena and patted both Eric and Dan on their backs before making his way towards the couple.
Just when they were about to leave the grand hall, Blair stopped, pulling Chuck with her and turned to Serena.
"Serena!" Blair called out. Serena looked their way and raised a questioning eyebrow at her best friend. "You're helping me decorate at home this weekend right?"
"This weekend?" Serena questions.
"Ugh." Blair sighs. "Sometimes I forget you were gone for two years." The brunette shakes her head slightly before continuing. "It's Mothers' Day this Sunday. And if you don't happen to remember, we celebrate Mothers' Day at our home, with Lily and my mom and everyone else. So, you're helping me decorate."
"O - kay." Serena stammers out, a mixture of worried, amused and confused expression on her face.
"Great, I'll see you tomorrow to discuss the plans and we'll decorate on Sunday morning. We're having brunch together." Then Blair looks at Dan and lets out a sigh. "Bring Humphrey along if you must. The little Humphrey's invited as well."
"Will Rufus be joining us this weekend?" Chuck asks, nodding at his sister's boyfriend.
"Uhh.. No - no. He has plans, I think." Dan mutters.
"Gee, you never do spend time at home, don't you?" Blair comments sarcastically at Dan before turning to Serena again. "I'll see you, S."
"Uhh, bye Blair." Serena called back, pretty sure that Blair couldn't hear her anymore.
"So.." Eric claps his hands together, bringing the couple's attention over to him. "I should get going. I promised Jenny we'd meet at home before my date tonight."
"Ohhh," Serena starts, already intrigued. Beside her, Dan shakes his head, amused at her before wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "She gonna help you get ready? What you need make-up or something?"
"No." Eric states, swatting Serena's arm that's trying to mess up his hair. "We're just gonna hang until Jonathan comes over, you know watch movies and stuff like that."
"Ooh, serious best friend bonding."
"Oh yeah, it's a Thursday. You guys hang out together every Thursday night, right?" Dan quipped.
"Yeah, but since I'm going on a date with Jonathan tonight, we're spending the afternoon together." Eric agrees and after a few more meaningless conversation, he gets a text from Jenny. "Well, that's Jenny. I should get going. I'll see you guys."
"Bye Eric." Serena hugged him before he walked away, typing something on his phone - probably texting Jenny.
"So, what now?" Serena asks Dan as they make their way outside the Empire. When Dan doesn't give her an answer, she turns to him and nudges him lightly. "Dan?"
They stopped in front of the vespa and Dan was about to hand Serena her helmet, when he suddenly stopped, a confused look on his face when he was Serena's.
"What?" Dan asks.
"You really love this thing, don't you?" She giggles as she takes the helmet out of Dan's hands.
"You hungry?" Dan asks, settling himself on the vespa.
Serena gives her an incredulous look.
"Always." She replies, climbing behind him.
.to be continued.
A/N: I suck at following my own timeframe. I know I said two weeks, so I apologize. So for the next chapter, I'm going to say it's coming soon. Well, hopefully. I'm trying.
Anyways, umm... A million thanks for all your wonderful, lovely comments as per usual. I love you guys so much.
And as always, I apologize for any mistakes.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'm looking forward to hearing - or, reading what you think about this chapter, so, reviews are highly encouraged and greatly appreciated!
Love you guys! xx