The Thin Pink Line Between Dan and Daddy

What if Blair was caught buying a pregnancy test in 1x13? An alternate version of 'The Thin Line Between Chuck and Nate'. Basically, I took the episode and threw it in the blender. Pairings include DS, CBN, and SB.

For Liz – Happy Early Birthday! I really tried to write Derena for you, but as you know very well, Chair has a way of taking over.

As always, I don't own anything. The characters, the plot, and much of the dialog are taken from Episode 1x13 of Gossip Girl.

Dan Humphrey was sitting at his desk, scrutinizing his last minute changes to his homework assignment before printing it out. He glanced over to the table by his bed to check the clock, when a framed photo caught his eye and he couldn't help but smile. It was a picture of Serena and him from Cotillion. She looked absolutely stunning that evening. But then again, when didn't she?

Sometimes Dan had to pinch himself to prove that he wasn't dreaming. Especially since he had been fantasizing about this for years. Serena van der Woodsen was HIS girlfriend. And while he had yet to admit it out loud, he was head-over-heels, crazy in love with her. He had never felt this way about anyone before. And it wasn't just her looks. It was so much more than that. It was HER.

Suddenly, he was brought back to reality by a sound coming from his computer.

"Well, look who finally got a little bit interesting," Dan said to no one in particular after reading the message and viewing the photo that popped into his inbox. Then a sly grin spread across his face as he began to type.

A little while later, on the Upper East Side, everyone's phones chirped and inboxes pinged simultaneously. That could only mean one thing: a Gossip Girl blast.

Immediately, the courtyard shared by Constance and St. Jude's was filled with gasps and ahhs, as people began to whisper in speculation.

Off to the side, Chuck Bass was in a state of shock. Again, he reread the blast for what had to be at least the fifth time, still unable to believe it. Sure, the blast didn't actually say much, but it's like the old saying goes, 'a picture is worth a thousand words'. And in this case, the picture was worth a whole hell of a lot more than that. Like possibly half the Bass fortune.

For this was a picture of Blair Waldorf holding a box in her dainty little hands. And there was no mistaking what was inside the box. A pregnancy test. The accompanying blast simply said, "Looks like the Virgin Queen isn't as pure as she pretended to be."

A million and one thoughts were running through Chuck's head, and surprisingly, they weren't all bad ones. If fact, Chuck felt a rush of warmth consume him, and although he would never admit it, a part of him was hopeful. Nevertheless, these feelings were accompanied by a flash of nausea and the instinct to run away. He took a deep drag from his cigarette, hoping that it would calm him down. That's when he saw the object, or objects, of his thoughts walking towards him. Chuck quickly tossed his joint to the ground and made his way over to Blair Waldorf.

"Ugh," Blair groaned in annoyance as she proceeded to walk in the direction of Constance. "What do you want Chuck?"

"We need to talk," and Chuck fell into stride with Blair.

"No, we don't," she stated coldly and just continued on her way. "I need to find Serena. So unless you can tell me where she is, we have nothing to say to one another."

"Blair," Chuck sighed. His hand then reached out to caress her stomach, wanting to know if he could tell by just a simple touch whether their connection remained, whether she was carrying his child or not.

"You CANNOT be touching me," Blair vehemently hissed as she swatted his arm away as if he was burning her. "Since you obviously aren't going to help me find Serena, I'm going to go. Have fun playing with yourself," and she picked up the pace as she walked in the direction of the Met Steps, leaving a gaping Chuck behind.

Seconds later, Chuck felt someone come up beside him.

"Was that Blair?" Nate asked, slightly out of breath, as if he had been running.

"Yeah," Chuck replied, not really paying any attention to the person speaking because he was absorbed in his own thoughts about Blair, her potential pregnancy, and what this could mean for his future.

"Man," Nate continued. "Did you see the blast?"

Chuck just nodded while he still stared at Blair as she disappeared in the distance.

"I can't believe this," Nate rambled on. "I don't know what I'm going to do if Blair's pregnant. I mean, we only did it once. And I was safe. I used a condom."

And that's when reality crashed down on Chuck. While he was caught up in the idea of Blair being pregnant with his child, he momentarily forgot about her dalliance with Nate the night of Cotillion. Simple mathematics told him that if she was in fact pregnant, it was most likely his, not Nate's. Yes, he made sure to handle his business, but there was that one time. They just couldn't help themselves. They got caught up in the moment.

"Chuck," and Nate nudged his friend. "Come on man, some advice would be nice."

Chuck turned to his friend and replied the only way he knew how, "Wanna go get high?"

And as the two best friends walked towards the park, Chuck took out his phone to send a quick tip to Gossip Girl. The thought of Nate and Blair together made him sick and he was finally going to do something about it.

'The Virgin Queen B? Do you mean the same Blair whose sheets were rumpled by two guys in one week?'

Serena was sitting on the Met Steps waiting for Blair with the other minions when the Gossip Girl blast came through. Like everyone else, she was shocked. She knew that Blair was hooking up with Chuck, but she assumed that Blair and Chuck were both smart enough to use birth control.

The whispers around her suddenly became quiet, which caused Serena to look up and see why. With determined steps, Blair Waldorf was walking towards her. Serena quickly rose to her feet and skipped down the steps to meet her best friend before the wolves could eat her alive.

"Blair," Serena exhaled as she swept her friend to the side, away from the crowds. "Are you okay?" she asked quietly, sincerely.

"I'm fine," Blair responded, not understanding the concern in Serena's voice. "Why wouldn't I be? You're the one I'm worried about."

"Me?" Serena pondered out loud. "Why?"

Blair then discretely whispered, "Because you might be carrying a Brooklyn baby inside of you."

"Excuse me?" an exacerbated Serena recoiled.

"You admitted that your period is late."

"Yes," confessed Serena. "But I've been very stressed with that English Lit paper and my mom's impending marriage to Bart Bass."

"And you're acting like a total bitch because you're not hormonal?" Blair asked.

"Maybe I am a total bitch," Serena countered.

"Please," Blair sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm the crazy bitch around here. You're not. You ARE Serena van der Woodsen. You're like Sunshine Barbie."

Serena couldn't help but smile in spite of herself at Blair's words. That was until Blair continued talking.

"And we need to know if you're contaminated with Dan Humphrey's spawn."

Serena just shook her head from side-to-side at her best friend's argument, "Blair, he's my boyfriend, not the devil. Besides, I'm on birth control. You know that."

"And I also know you missed your last Depo shot," Blair disputed, her voice a little louder than she meant to. To make sure that no one overheard her, Blair started looking around to see who was near them. That's when she noticed everyone was staring at her and whispering.

"Did I miss something?" she asked cautiously. "Why are people staring at me? Is my hair okay?" and Blair immediately checked to see that her headband was in place.

"Uhm, didn't you see the Gossip Girl blast?" Serena questioned Blair tentatively. Come to think of it, she was a bit surprised that Blair hadn't mentioned it yet given the context of their conversation.

"Ugh, no," she answered. "My battery ran out so I left my phone at home charging."

That's when Blair started to get a little nervous. "Let me see your phone Serena."

Hesitantly, Serena handed over her phone and she prepared for Blair's imminent meltdown.

All of a sudden, Blair's mouth dropped open and all of the color left her face. Then she clinched ahold of Serena's arm and slowly released, "Oh. My. God."

"Blair," Serena said calmly, in an effort to get her friend to relax.

"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Blair demanded, as she began to physically shake at the implications of the Gossip Girl blast. She then bit out, "I was buying the test for YOU, and now everyone thinks I'm pregnant."

"Calm down Blair," Serena tried to coax Blair back from the edge.

"That's easy for you to say. You're not the one whose picture was posted on Gossip Girl buying a pregnancy test." Blair then shoved the phone back into Serena's hands. "I have to get out of here," and she turned and walked away.

Serena was focused so intently on searching the courtyard for Blair during the lunch break that she was completely taken for surprise when she was suddenly blinded by a pair of hands.

"Guess who?"

Serena felt herself relax and begin to smile upon the person's voice. Funny how this guy had a way of calming her when everything else seemed so out of control.

"Dan…" she giggled as she spun around and threw her arms around her boyfriend.

Dan then brought his lips to hers for a kiss which Serena eagerly returned. She reluctantly broke away a moment later to continue scanning the courtyard.

"Should I be jealous?" Dan quipped when it was obvious that Serena's mind was elsewhere.

"Of course not silly," laughed Serena as she place her hand on Dan's arm affectionately. The couple walked over to one of the tables and sat down. "I'm just trying to find Blair. I haven't seen her since this morning and I want to make sure that she's okay."

"She's probably gone into hiding because of the blast. Have you tried calling her?"

"Yes, and I've left her at least 10 messages and she still hasn't called me back." Then a defeated Serena turned into Dan's body seeking comfort and revealed, "I'm worried about her, Dan. What do you think I should do?"

"Just give her some time. Maybe you can go by her place after school?"

"That's a good idea," she nodded. "Rain check on our study date?"

"Sure," Dan brought his arms around Serena, engulfing her in a hug and placing a chaste kiss at her temple.

Serena snuggled further into Dan arms, reveling in the warmth he provided. She felt safe with Dan. Happy. Content. And that's why she just couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth – that Blair was actually buying the test for HER and that HER period was late.

Serena was brought out of her thoughts by Dan's words, "So, how about you let me distract you while we eat lunch?"

More than happy to push all her worries aside, Serena readily agreed with Dan's suggestion and gave him all her attention. The two lovebirds ate together while Dan carried on talking about the novel they were reading in his English Literature class and his interpretation of the most recent chapters.

After school finished, Serena went by the Waldorf penthouse to talk to Blair, however Blair already had a visitor. Nate was pacing back and forth in the sitting room, probably waiting for Blair to come downstairs. Serena couldn't imagine what Nate must be thinking, considering he and Blair just got back together. It suddenly dawned on Serena all of the negative implications the blast was going to have on Blair.

"Oh, hey Serena," Nate interrupted her thoughts. "Blair will be down in a couple of minutes."

"It's okay," Serena said as she started to eye the elevator, wanting to leave. She didn't really want to get in the middle of Nate and Blair right now, considering what he must have been thinking. "I'm sure you two have a lot to talk about. I'll just talk to Blair later on."

"Serena," Nate sighed as he plopped down on the sofa and buried his face in his hands. "What are we going to do if Blair is pregnant? We're too young to have a baby."

"Huh?" Serena was confused - why was Nate talking about he and Blair having a baby and why wasn't Nate mad about Blair potentially cheating on him?

"I mean, it was just the one time after Cotillion," Nate reasoned aloud and Serena's jaw dropped at this new piece of information that her best friend neglected to share with her. Nate then got up and resumed his path back and forth across the room.

"Shit," he moaned. "My parents are going to freak out. They'll probably make us get married."

Serena had to put a stop to Nate's crazy talk and incessant worrying, given that she knew there was no basis behind it.

"Nate, calm down. You know there's a huge possibility that Blair isn't pregnant, right?"

Again, Nate sat down on the sofa in an effort to relax, but he was still as stiff as a board.

"You're right," he replied as he nodded in agreement.

"Now, you two were safe, right?"

Nate didn't say anything; he just nodded to indicate 'yes'.

"Okay then," Serena said soothingly. "Chances are that Blair isn't pregnant and that this is just a false alarm. Don't let yourself get all worked up over nothing."

"Thanks Serena," and Nate began to loosen up and lean back against the cushions.

"No problem," and Serena pushed the call button for the elevator. "I'm going to go now, but tell Blair to call me later. And try not to worry too much, I'm sure this is all just some huge misunderstanding."

The elevator doors then opened and Serena stepped in, waving to Nate as the doors closed in front of her. Once alone inside the box, Serena leaned back against the wall and just shook her head from side-to-side in disbelief that Blair never told her about Cotillion with Nate.

Upon exiting the elevator, Serena pulled out her phone and dialed Dan's number.

"Hey there to you too. What are you doing right now?"

"…."

"Well, Blair was busy so I thought I would come over and we could have our study date?" Serena said flirtatiously.

"…."

"Great!" an excited Serena squealed. "I'm getting in a cab right now. See you soon."

That's how, an hour later, Serena found herself half-naked on Dan's bed supposedly studying. She knew she should be consumed with the guy whose lips were gently sucking on her neck, whose hands were roaming up her thighs. But instead she couldn't stop thinking about Blair and the Gossip Girl blast - she was nervous that when all the dust settled, that Blair might not forgive her for the public humiliation. Plus there was the fact that her best friend didn't feel she could confide in her about having sex with Nate. For these reasons, she was a million miles away from Brooklyn at the moment. And Dan was starting notice, so he pulled back.

"Everything okay?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"Uh huh," Serena nodded as she clasped her hands behind Dan's neck to pull him closer. "Now where were we?"

Again, Dan pulled back.

"Let's try this," he said as he rolled onto his side, propping himself up by his elbow so that he was facing Serena. "Why don't you tell me what is on your mind. Then it can be on our minds. And our minds can worry about what's on your mind together."

Serena couldn't help busting out into a fit of giggles at Dan's speech. "I have no idea what you just said."

"I don't either," Dan laughed at himself, before continuing a bit more seriously, "but what I'm saying now is, talk to me."

"I can't stop worrying about Blair," admitted Serena as she too turned to face her boyfriend. "This is just a huge mess."

"Serena, she's a big girl who got herself into this mess," Dan rationalized, not knowing that in reality, this could be HIS mess. "And if she is pregnant, that is something for her and Nate to deal with, not you."

"But she's my best friend," argued Serena. And Dan could tell by her shifty behavior that she was holding something back.

"What aren't you telling me?" Dan inquired. He reached to caress her arm and said softly, "You know you can tell me anything."

Serena knew she should trust Dan but she just couldn't tell him the truth. Not about this. The only guy who Serena knew she could trust with the whole truth and would never leave her was her brother Eric. Her own father didn't love her enough to stick around, so why would Dan when they had only been dating for a few months? This would scare him away. She didn't want to take any chances with Dan, especially since she didn't even think she was pregnant, so she opted to evade his questions.

"It's nothing. I just didn't realize that Blair and Nate were that serious already."

"I know," Dan agreed, hoping that she would open up to him some more. "Didn't they just get back together?"

And before Serena could answer, her phone started ringing. Hoping that it might be Blair, she dashed to answer it. However, she was disappointed to see it wasn't her.

"Hi Mom," she answered, as she sat up in the bed.

"…."

"But I was going to have dinner with Dan," Serena whined.

"…."

"Fine," she reluctantly caved to her mother's demands. "I'll be ready by 5:30."

Serena hung up the phone, got off the bed, and began buttoning her blouse. "My mother is insisting that I am home for dinner tonight. The Basses are coming over and she wants all of us to start bonding like a family. I still can't believe she's marrying that man."

Dan joined Serena on the side of the bed and watched as she pulled her boots on. Then he joked, "I'd be more concerned about having Chuck Bass as a step-brother."

"Eww," Serena groaned. "Why did you have to remind me of that?" and she playfully hit him, pretending to be annoyed. She then started fixing her hair in the mirror and talking to Dan's reflection. "Did I tell you we're moving in with them next week? I can't believe I'll be sharing a home with Chuck Bass of all people."

"My advice, make sure you have clean hand towels."

Serena whipped around to face Dan straight on and stomped her foot, "You're not helping things."

After chatting for a few more minutes, Serena gathered up her things and Dan walked down with her to the car that was conveniently waiting at the curb. They kissed and embraced, and promised to talk to each other before they went to sleep.

The table was quiet except for the clatter of silverware against china. To say things felt awkward was to put it mildly. There was something about being in Bart Bass's presence that was intimidating to Serena and Eric, so they didn't talk much. And Chuck wasn't his normal smarmy self this evening. He seemed preoccupied.

After the final course was cleared, Serena pushed out her chair and stood. "May I be excused? I have some homework that I need to finish."

Lily answered by simply nodding 'yes' before turning her attention back to Bart.

Within seconds of Serena's departure, Chuck rose and said, "I'll be right back. I need to, uhm," he paused to think of a legitimate sounding excuse, "ask Serena a quick question about our English assignment."

Chuck was not even five steps from the table when Bart called out with a chiding tone, "Charles."

"Don't worry Father," he answered reassuringly. "I won't be more than five minutes."

Chuck didn't even wait for a reply. He just strode down the hallway to Serena's room and lingered outside the door for a minute or so, in hopes that he wouldn't appear too desperate. That's when he recognized she was talking on the phone, and he tried to decipher whom she was talking to and what she was saying. He was hoping that she might be talking to Blair, so that he could learn the answer to his question without even having to ask it. But then he heard a loud sigh and the sound of the bed bouncing, and he knew he was out of luck because she was no longer on the phone. So he knocked on the door.

"What?" moaned Serena, not really in the mood for a visitor. It had been a long day and she just wanted to go to sleep and wake up to a new, drama-free day.

Chuck turned the knob, opened the door enough to stick his head through, and uttered, "Hey Sis."

"Ugh, what do you want Chuck?" grumbled Serena.

"Please, call me Brother," he replied trying to maintain some image of the classic Chuck Bass. "And I was wondering if you've talked to Blair at all today?"

Serena didn't know why she was surprised. She should have expected this. After all, as far as everyone else on the Upper East Side was concerned, Blair was the one who might be pregnant. And Chuck and Blair were having sex. That's when Serena looked a little more closely at Chuck, and she could see he was anxious. Still, she wasn't about to tell him the truth if she couldn't even tell Dan. Honestly, she couldn't even admit it to herself.

"I haven't talked to her since this morning," she divulged. "And I've left her at least 10 messages and still hasn't called me back."

"Oh, okay," he relented and he put his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels. "I was just wondering if she had taken the test or not. I was talking to Nate earlier and he was freaking…"

Serena interrupted Chuck before he could go any further.

"Chuck, I know you and Blair were sleeping together."

"What?" Chuck asked, pretending to be shocked by the accusation.

"I saw you two with my own eyes."

"Oh." Then Chuck just couldn't help himself, "So, you like to watch?" Besides, he felt more at ease now that he didn't have to keep up the façade.

"NO!" she exclaimed. "You're disgusting. I don't know what Blair was doing with you."

"Having the time of her life," he quickly and adamantly returned.

Serena noted a hint of defensiveness in his voice. And again she took in his demeanor. She was starting to realize that maybe there was a little bit more to Blair and Chuck than she originally thought. Maybe it wasn't just sex. At least as far as Chuck was concerned.

She didn't know why, but in that moment Serena sympathized with Chuck. She knew what it was like when your past actions defined you, when everyone only thought one way about you, when people let their preconceived image take hold. She wondered if whatever was going on with Blair had brought out a different side of Chuck than the one everyone saw, kind of like her relationship with Dan had with her.

"Listen Chuck," and Chuck's eyes bolted to Serena's face and she knew that she needed to help him. "I don't know if she's taken the test yet, but I really don't think Blair is pregnant. There is probably some other simple explanation for this entire situation."

"You're right," Chuck agreed as he looked down to his feet and shuffled them from side-to-side. "There must be some other explanation."

Serena didn't see the relief she expected to on Chuck's face, and that in itself told her a lot. Chuck then made to leave Serena's room, but right before he left he turned to Serena and with a disheartened laugh said, "You know, if Blair and I were ever going to have a baby, you'd be an aunt."

And with that, Chuck left an astounded Serena in her room. It was a good thing she was alone, because she was completely speechless.

Blair descended down the stairs and proclaimed, "Dorota, I'm leaving," and Dorota knew was code for 'get my coat and meet me by the elevator.' So the always-so-helpful maid did just that. She noted that her charge was determined, which much different than the devastated girl she was yesterday.

Blair did have a renewed spring in her step. She spent yesterday hiding from the world in the seclusion of her bedroom after the Gossip Girl blast. She refused to see anyone, including Nate when he stopped by to visit. She turned off her phone and computer, and settled in for an Audrey marathon. However, after watching 'Breakfast at Tiffany's', 'Roman Holiday', and 'Sabrina', she wasn't feeling any better. That's when she put on 'Gone With the Wind'. She was inspired by Scarlett's words and before going to bed kept repeating, "after all, tomorrow is another day".

Blair decided to act as if the Gossip Girl blast was no big deal. So what if the world saw a picture of her buying a pregnancy test. She had recently reconciled with her boyfriend of many years, so it would make sense that she and Nate would take the next step and finally have sex – even if it was just one time and it was not all the memorable. It's not like anyone would know about her liaison with Chuck. She had an image to maintain, and that would truly tarnish her reputation – even if she found herself craving that tasty Bass dish more and more these days.

That's why, about 15 minutes later, Blair was jumping out of a cab in the front of the Palace, Serena's temporary home. Following an unsettling five-minute elevator ride with a tourist who kept coughing, Blair finally found herself in the van der Woodsen's suite.

"Morning," an overly perky Blair Waldorf declared.

"Morning Blair," the always-chipper Eric answered while Serena just waited for whatever Blair was going to say next. Because she knew that look, and that look is not your friend.

"Anyone notice the weather today?" Blair asked with a tight smile plastered across her face.

"What?" a flabbergasted Serena replied, not expecting Blair to talk about the weather. She knew there had to be more to come.

"Take a look outside S. My First Response would be that the sky is a Clear Blue Easy."

"Blair!" Serena screeched as she grabbed her best friend's hand and started to pull her out of the dining room and towards her bedroom. Blair smirked, grabbed a strawberry, and started eating it on the way.

"How are you feeling this morning Serena? Any nausea?" Blair finished her strawberry and then took a sip of her cappuccino. "Oh, I would have gotten you one too, but I know you're aren't supposed to drink caffeine when you're pregnant."

"God, Blair," Serena bemoaned. "I'm not pregnant."

"That's good." Blair eased herself onto Serena's bed. She was overjoyed to hear that Serena was not going to be starring in her own version of '16 and pregnant'. But she still felt compelled to ask, "So you took a test?"

"I don't need to, okay. I just know."

"So you got your period then?" Blair continued to pester her best friend.

"No," was all Serena said before she looked away and started fiddling with her hair to avoid the look on Blair's face.

"Well, you're in luck," Blair countered and she reached into her bag. Serena turned around to see Blair pulling a pregnancy test from her purse. "I just happen to have a test with me. You can take it now."

"No!" declared Serena again as she snatched the test from Blair's hands.

"Whatever," dismissed Blair. Then she crossed her arms across her chest and stated, "I'm going to sit right here on your bed until you take it."

"Blair, please," she pleaded. "Why can't you just let this go?"

"Listen Serena, I understand that you're reluctant to burst your happy bubble, but I'm not giving up. This is too important." Blair reasoned, "If the situation were reversed and my period was late, you'd make me take the test."

Serena knew that what Blair was saying was true. And she knew she should take the test. But she was scared of the outcome. What if she really was pregnant? What would she do? What would people think? Most importantly, what would Dan think? What would he do? So Serena reacted and bit back at the person who was pushing her, "Maybe you should take a test too, given that you're sleeping with both Chuck and Nate now."

"Okay, I AM giving up," retorted Blair, shocked that Serena would attack her when she was trying to help her. But she wasn't about to leave without giving Serena something to think about. "Before you start planning your perfect life with Dan, don't you think you should.."

"I'm not pregnant Blair!" exclaimed Serena, to which Blair just rolled her eyes and left Serena's room.

Once the door slammed behind Blair, she pulled out her phone, found the number she was looking for, and began to text.

Blair stood waiting by the gate to Central Park. It was cold and windy this early Thursday morning, but she would not be deterred. This was not something she wanted to do, but she was running out of options. And she knew if she left things up to Serena, that disaster might ensue and who knows, Serena might flee the city again. Finally, she saw her last resort approaching.

"You summoned me," Dan mocked, unsure why Blair Waldorf would want to talk to him of all people given what was going on in her life right now.

"Yes, I did. We need to talk," she asserted, leaving no room for doubt that she was here for something serious.

"Uhm, okay?" Dan hesitantly acquiesced. Then, in a classic Dan Humphrey act, he tried to crack a joke because he was nervous. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were going to tell me you were pregnant with my baby."

"You think this is funny?" Blair snapped. She wasn't really in the mood for small talk with Humdrum Humphrey.

"Jeez, Blair, calm down. It was just a joke."

"So you're a writer and a comedian. Serena is so lucky to have you," Blair sarcastically commented. She still didn't understand what Serena saw in this guy.

Before Dan could say anything else, Blair continued on. "Listen Dan, I really need to trust you. I'm hoping that deep down inside you're actually a decent person and won't make me regret this."

"Is this about Serena?" he finally asked what he assumed from the beginning – what else did he and Blair have in common? And from Blair's serious, no nonsense tone, he was starting to worry.

"The pregnancy test wasn't for me, it was for Serena. She won't take it. So given that if she's pregnant you're the fath.."

Blair's confession was interrupted by the beep of her phone, which she immediately opened to read the incoming text. Dan wasn't paying much attention given what Blair had just told him. Besides he knew what the text said. It was another Gossip Girl blast.

"Looks like the Virgin Queen isn't as pure as she pretended to be. If Blair Waldorf lied about that what else might she be lying about? Who's your Daddy, B? Baby Daddy that is? Two guys in one week? Talk about doing the nasty, or should I just say being nasty?"

"That Mother Chucker," hissed Blair under her breath as her plan for a new start blew up in her face. She started fidgeting with her things to prevent from crumbling in front of Dan Humphrey of all people. Seconds later, with her mask back in place, she faced Dan and said, "I have to go," before turning and taking off down the street.

Needless to say, she never did finish her sentence. But Dan knew all he needed to and he didn't know what to think.

The pregnancy test wasn't for Blair. It was actually for Serena.

Serena might be pregnant.

He might be a father.

This wasn't a part of his plan. Seriously not a part of his plan. But he realized in that moment that whatever Serena decides to do, that he wants to be there for her. That he has to be there for her. Because he loves her and that's what you do when you love someone. So he started walking towards school because he knew Serena would be there and he needed to talk to her.

"I don't know who it was," Chuck was casually saying to someone on the street when all of a sudden he felt two hands land on his back and push forward forcefully.

"You Basshole!" Blair yelled.

"Whoa!" Chuck turned and threw up his arms, a gesture meant to proclaim his innocence. Still, he couldn't prevent the smile that had crept onto his face. He always enjoyed himself when Blair was feisty.

"HOW…" Blair demanded as she pushed Chuck again, "COULD…" and again, "YOU…" and again. Finally causing Chuck to stumble backwards into the wall.

Chuck grasped Blair's wrists to prevent her from pushing him a fifth time and implored Blair to calm down. She continued to wrestle against his hold on her when he whispered, "You're going to make a scene."

"No! You are the one who started this by leaking details of MY sex life to Gossip Girl," she lectured and her face began to redden in anger. "What did you hope to accomplish? Huh? Everything was going fine," and she stomped her feet into the ground in frustration.

"You call that fine?" Chuck let go of Blair and was becoming outraged himself. He hated the idea of Blair and Nate together. Even though Nate was his best friend, he didn't think that he could make Blair happy. And he knew that Blair was lying to herself if she thought Nate would make her happy. "Do you want to be a Stepford wife?"

"You know nothing about my relationship with Nate," returned Blair in an effort to defend herself.

"There's no spark between you two. Never was," taunted Chuck. He just loved getting Blair riled up. "Like a green twig and a soggy match. A rusty hammer and an icy nail."

"Nate and I have plenty of spark," Blair challenged and then corrected herself, "Better than that. Fireworks."

"That was us," Chuck returned without missing a beat.

Their faces were so close, their eyes glued to each other. It's like they were in their own world. In fact, the two were so engrossed in their exchange that they missed the person walking up to them.

"Did you sleep with her? Huh?" Nate asked, inflamed by what the conversation he overheard implied. When Chuck didn't say anything in response, Nate launched himself at his best friend, pinning him on the back of a nearby car. "You son of a bitch I could kill you."

"Nate!" Blair screamed in hopes to stop the two men in her life from coming to blows. She didn't want to see either of them hurt. But if she were being honest with herself, she was very intrigued to hear what they had to say.

"Listen," Chuck begged, "can we talk about this without your hands around my neck?" All his hopes of telling Nate in his own time about his 'fling' with Blair were gone. Chuck knew from his reaction that Nate was pissed and that he was going to have to work to repair things.

"What'd you do?" Nate jabbed him. "Did you get what you wanted like you did with all those other girls?"

Chuck had had enough of being talked down to and belittled by Nathaniel Archibald in front of everyone. He was fucking Chuck Bass, and he didn't take shit from anyone. So he reacted.

"Yes Nathaniel. I took what Blair kept throwing at you and you kept throwing back."

Blair immediately started looking around, to see who had heard Chuck's admission. That she, Blair Cornelia Waldorf, had slept with Chuck Bass. She noted that the crowd was slowly increasing in size, with many of her classmates watching from the sidelines. Then she heard Nate continue to yell.

"Oh, so somehow you screwing Blair for sport is my fault?"

"It wasn't for sport," Chuck retaliated. He was starting to get defensive. What happened between him and Blair was certainly not for sport. It meant a hell of lot to him, so much so that he was willing to risk his friendship with Nate for it.

Blair was fed up with these guys discussing her like she wasn't even there. So she quickly interjected, "I needed someone and he was there." It was only after she stopped speaking that Blair realized she was defending Chuck against Nate – she just acted instinctively.

Nate then looked between the two of them before turning his attention back to Chuck and mockingly asked, "Oh, so you cared about her?"

"You guys were broken up," reasoned Chuck while at the same time not denying Nate's claim.

"For how long?" Nate questioned Chuck and Blair. "A week? An hour?"

"Longer than we were when you slept with Serena," Blair pointed out. She was furious that Nate was insinuating that she cheated on him, when she most certainly did not.

Nate then turned his anger on Blair. "All this time I felt so bad for everything I've done. And when you said you wanted to leave the past in the past, I didn't know we were talking about your past."

"Oh," Blair confronted him. "So when we're talking about your past, we can just sweep it under the rug. But now that we're talking about my past, that's impossible and we can't move forward? You're such a hypocrite."

Nate was shocked by Blair and couldn't find the words to counter her argument. Finally, he said disgustingly, "You know, you and Chuck deserve each other."

"HaHa," Blair laughed condescendingly and looked Nate up and down. "Well, I sure as hell deserve better than you."

And with that, a defiant Blair turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Chuck, Nate, and the crowd to watch her depart.

Chuck then made an effort towards Nate.

"Look I'm sorry," he apologized. "Alright I know how long you and I have been best friends, okay."

"No it's not okay Chuck," Nate rebuffed him and ordered, "From now on you stay away from me."

"Nate," Chuck reached out to his best friend in hopes that they could at least start to mend some fences.

"Did you hear what I said?" Nate asked. "You stay away from me Chuck," and then Nate started to walk in the opposite direction.

When Chuck turned around, he saw all the faces of the crowd staring at him. He was mad and embarrassed, so he shouted, "Show's over!" as he got into his limo.

It was between 3rd and 4th periods when Dan finally spotted Serena. She was at the gates to the school, pacing left and right, up and down the road. Ever since Blair had told him that Serena might be pregnant, it was all he could think about. He couldn't concentrate on his classes, just on what he was going to say when he saw her. With a plan in place, he approached his girlfriend.

"Serena," he called out as he made is way to the gates. "I'm so glad I finally found you."

"Oh, hey Dan," Serena said nonchalantly, like it was no big deal that she hadn't yet seen her boyfriend that morning. She immediately turned back to the job at hand and resumed her search.

"I'm doing great. Thanks for asking," the sarcasm was evident in Dan's voice. "And how are you doing this fine day?"

"Uhh, great," Serena answered the question she hadn't even really heard Dan ask. It was like he wasn't even there.

"So, I was thinking after school we could go to Bergdorf's," Dan wanted to see if she was actually listening to him. He added, "I hear the next season's Louboutins have arrived."

"Sure, sounds good," affirming to Dan what he already thought.

Dan couldn't figure out if Serena was ignoring him intentionally or not. Was she mad at him because she might be pregnant? Shit - was she mad at him because she ACTUALLY was pregnant? Maybe she was worried he'd find out and be mad at her, so she was avoiding being around him at all so she wouldn't slip up. Or maybe it was just something else all together. Whatever the case may be, Dan couldn't take it any longer.

"Serena," and Dan reached out to touch her, to make sure he had her attention. At this she finally turned and looked into Dan's eyes. "We need to talk."

"Can it wait?" she sighed. Serena had a lot on her mind and she knew she wouldn't be a very attentive audience to Dan at the moment. She was consumed with worry over Blair after seeing the blast that morning, not to mention what she heard regarding the showdown between Blair, Chuck, and Nate. She felt absolutely horrible, about what she said to Blair this morning when she was just trying to be a good friend. And because she knew this all came back to her. Blair had taken a public bullet for her and she needed to make it up to her. At least apologize to her.

"No, it can't," Dan claimed. He wasn't going to let this go. They needed to talk about the pregnancy test now, not nine months from now when they wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

"Listen, I need to find Blair. No one's seen her since the blast went out."

"I'm sure she's fine," griped Dan. Sometimes, he just didn't understand Serena's relationship with Blair. But he did have to commend Blair, through this debacle she showed how much she cares and what a good friend she can be to Serena.

"Dan," Serena maintained. "There's more going on than you realize. Blair…"

"Blair isn't pregnant," he interrupted and Serena's face quickly shot up to meet Dan's. At last, Dan had her interest. Now was the time, so he gently whispered, "However, you might be."

"Dan…" Serena released, apologetically. She knew she should have told him sooner. Dan had given her no reason not to trust him, but something was holding her back.

"Wait, me first," Dan cut her off. "I'm sorry that you didn't feel that you could tell me. No matter what you decide, I want you to know that I'm here for you because I, I," he stuttered, "I love you."

There. He said it. Dan had finally spoken the words out loud that he had been thinking for a while now. He loves Serena. He felt a rush of exhilaration in that moment because he was excited to see where his confession took them.

"Dan I'm not pregnant. So you don't have to say that." Serena frantically spit out before Dan could say much else. She knew she was lying, but she had to make him stop. For some reason, hearing Dan say those precious words made her trust him less.

"Hey, that's good news," Dan mumbled. "The no baby part."

Not that he wasn't happy about what Serena had just told him, but it wasn't exactly what he was hoping to hear come out of her mouth after he just told Serena he loved her. He imagined her Serena throwing her arms around him, kissing him, and saying the same words back to him. Not the blank, scared face that was staring back at him.

"Serena, did you hear what I just told you?" Dan cupped her face in his hands, looked into her eyes. Then he calmly and clearly said, "I love you. And not just because I thought you were pregnant. And not like the way you love some random guy who picks up your lit paper or some girl who likes your hair."

"Oh," Serena hesitated. She was not expecting this at all. And she didn't know what to say. She bit her lip and nervously said the first thing that popped into her head. "Okay."

"Okay?!" Dan grilled her. This was not how things were supposed to go. He was embarrassed and mad. He had just poured his heart out to Serena and got nothing in return. "The response is NOT okay."

Dan then turned and left a shell-shocked Serena at the gates of the school. She couldn't believe what just happened. And she couldn't figure out why Dan telling her that he loved her scared her to death. More than ever, she needed to patch things up with Blair because she needed her best friend.

"Knock, knock," Serena chimed as she slowly opened Blair's door and poked her head through. When she didn't see Blair at first, she started glancing around the room. Then Blair walked out of her closet with an armful of clothes, looked Serena dead in the eyes, and didn't say a word. She just continued on to the suitcase on her bed.

"Blair, what's going on?" Serena was surprised to see her best friend packing. Especially since she hadn't mentioned a word to Serena about taking a trip. "Where are you going?"

"If you must know, I am going to France," Blair coldly stated. She didn't even turn around to face Serena; she just folded her clothes and placed them in the suitcase. "Tonight."

"I didn't know you were visiting your father," Serena was trying to keep the conversation flowing, to keep Blair talking to her. She was hoping to find an opening to make amends.

"Well now you do," Blair matter-a-factly stated. She was not about to show Serena any kindness after the events of the past couple of days. She made every effort to be a good friend, she faced public humiliation at Serena's expense, and now her life had blown up in her face. "Is there a reason you're here?"

"To apologize," Serena quickly answered Blair with the true reason behind her visit. And then she added, "And to convince you to stay."

"So go ahead," goaded Blair. She wanted to see Serena back up her words. "Apologize."

"Blair, I am so sorry," Serena sincerely apologized as she put her hands on Blair's to stop her friend from packing and to gain her full attention. "About the blast. Both of them. I just never expected the situation to get so far out of control."

"And," Blair prodded. Serena was breaking through her walls without much effort because at the moment, Blair really needed her best friend. She had been through a personal hell in the past 24 hours, but she still wanted more.

"I'm sorry about what I said this morning." This is what Blair was waiting for. "I'm the last person who should be judging you about Chuck and Nate."

Blair replied with a simple, "Apology accepted."

"That was easy." Serena was staggered by Blair's quick acceptance of her apology. She was certain that Blair would have made her work for it a little bit harder.

Before Blair could say anything to take back what she had said, she was enveloped by two long arms and pulled into a tight hug. She had to shut her mouth quickly; otherwise, she knew from past experience, she would have a mouthful of blonde hair. It was only a second or two before Blair returned her bestie's hug.

That's when the tears started to form in her eyes and Blair mumbled, "I'm so embarrassed."

Serena pulled back and grabbed Blair by both arms. She looked her friend in the eyes because she knew her best friend and Serena wanted to make sure that Blair knew she was here for her.

"So what," Serena defiantly exclaimed. "You're a Waldorf remember. People don't tell you who you are – you tell them."

Something Serena said must have gotten to Blair, because suddenly she was standing up straight, righting her shoulders, and a proud, stoic look had overtaken her face. Serena knew the world better watch out – Blair Waldorf was back!

"Clean slate?" Serena tentatively asked, hopeful.

"Clean slate," confirmed Blair as they both sat down on the side of the bed.

With renewed confidence Blair raised the question that had gotten them into this whole mess from the beginning. "Now please tell me you took the test and that in nine months we'll be sitting on some beach drinking daiquiris, not in some hospital surrounded by crying babies?"

Serena was coy and started biting her bottom lip. She looked away to avoid Blair's piercing glare. She didn't know how to tell Blair that she still hadn't taken the test.

"SERENA!" Blair shouted. "Just pee on the damn stick already!"

"It's not that easy Blair," huffed Serena.

"Oh, I think it is," contested Blair. Serena's constant attempts at evading reality were getting old. "Do you want me to show you how it's done?"

"I'm scared," confessed Serena. She really needed to talk to Blair about this.

"I would be too if I thought I was pregnant with Dan Humphrey's baby," Blair muttered under her breath.

"Blair," Serena sighed, this is not what she needed at the moment.

"I'm sorry," Blair quickly apologized. She knew this was serious. So she wrapped her arm around her best friend and encouragingly added, "Hey, whatever the outcome, we'll get through this together."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"I just don't know what I'll do if I am pregnant?" Serena started to explain. "I mean, Dan said he'll be there for me no matter what I decide. But how can I be sure?"

"Serena, you have to trust him," Blair couldn't believe she was defending Humdrum Humphrey. "You'd be blind not to see the guy is crazy about you."

"I'm such an ass," Serena moaned as she threw her head down into Blair's lap.

"What else happened?" enquired Blair while rubbing Serena's back in an effort to calm her down. At this, the words poured out of Serena's mouth.

"He told me he loved me and all I did was stand there like a stupid mute," she raised her head and continued speaking very animatedly with her hands. "I mean, why wouldn't I want to hear those words come out of his mouth, but it made me trust him less, which is crazy."

"So, you didn't say it back to him?"

"All I said was 'Okay'," Serena admitted and she shook her head in disappointment. "I really should have come up with a better response to I love you."

"Ya think?" a shocked Blair answered. But then she reasoned, "Look, you don't have to be a genius to figure out the trust thing. Every time your mom brought home some new guy who said I love you they would end up married and then divorced. And your dad makes mine look like Father of the Year. Doesn't leave you with a strong sense of trust," Serena nodded in agreement and listened as Blair continued. "But Dan's not one of those guys. At least from everything you've told me."

"You're right," Serena agreed. "I need to trust Dan."

"And if he hurts you," Blair added as a mischievous smile crept onto her face. "I'll make sure he pays."

At this, both girls shared a laugh, which brought genuine smiles to both of their faces.

"Since we're talking about trust," Serena interrupted their moment of peaceful silence. "I can't believe you didn't tell me about you and Nate."

"Ugh, Nate," Blair huffed and rolled her eyes. "You were just so hard on me about Chuck I didn't want to be judged for sleeping with them both."

"I understand," Serena responded honestly. Then she took advantage of the small opening she saw to talk to Blair about something else that had been on her mind since the previous night. "Speaking of Chuck, we had an enlightening conversation last night."

"Really?" Blair's interest was piqued and it was written all over her face. Serena began to think this might not have been a one-sided affair at all.

"He left me with the distinct impression that whatever went on between the two of you meant something to him. He even talked about the possibility of you two as a future couple."

Blair's mouth fell open at Serena's revelation. She then grabbed her best friend's arms and insisted that she give her all the details.

The car came to an abrupt stop on the helipad. There was already another car parked further ahead and there were people transferring what appeared to be luggage from the car to the helicopter. A person stood leaning against the car, smoking a cigarette, and staring back at the lights of the city.

"Chuck!" Blair yelled as she jumped out of the back seat and slowly made her way towards him.

"What do you want Blair?" Chuck sighed while stubbing out his cigarette with the heel of his shoe. Blair arriving was the last thing he expected.

She ignored his question, but instead posed one of her own. "Going somewhere? Perhaps running to Monaco again?"

"Actually," Chuck drawled as he closed the few remaining steps between himself and Blair. There was no denying that he was drawn to her. "Tuscany."

"I hear it's quite beautiful there this time of year," Blair said with a slight tilt of her head, exposing the nape of neck to Chuck. She could feel her heart beating inside her chest. It was now or never. She had to take a risk. "Do you have room for one more person?"

Chuck couldn't believe his ears. He wasn't sure if he heard Blair correctly or if he was just hearing what he wanted to hear. Was she really asking if she could come with him? Was she really here for him? He needed clarification.

"Do you need a lift to JFK?" he asked casually, burying the hope inside of him.

"Actually," Blair dragged her response out to tantalize Chuck just a little bit longer. "I was hoping to go to Tuscany."

Chuck could no longer deny Blair's intentions. It was obvious. She wasn't just playing him.

"What are you saying Blair?" Chuck uttered softly as he leaned in closer to the object of his affection.

A huge smile spread across Blair's face and she answered back eagerly, happily, "I'm all in."

Dan looked up from his desk when he heard the door to the loft open. He was surprised to see Serena standing there in front of him.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked, obviously pleased that she was here. They had not spoken since earlier in the day, when he walked away from her after his embarrassing 'I love you' incident. He overreacted and he knew it, so Dan was very happy that Serena was here so that he could make things right between them.

"I need to know why you love me?"

Dan stood up and walked closer to Serena. He smiled and steadily replied, "Because I do."

"I really want to trust you when you say those words Dan," Serena admitted. "So maybe if I knew why, I'd stop being so scared of hearing them. Afraid to say them." She quietly confessed.

"Okay," Dan wasn't sure what Serena wanted him to say, so he settled in for one of his long-winded explanations in hopes that he covered everything. "If you need to know why…"

"It has to do with my parents," Serena blurted out. She needed to be honest with Dan, "My mom and her many marriages. My dad leaving when I was a little girl."

When Dan saw that Serena was serious, that she genuinely needed an explanation, he continued, "I love you because you make no apologies for who you are. Sure, you may be the beautiful, rich, UES 'It' girl that everyone thinks you are, but you are so much more than that. I love you because you value your relationships. You will do anything for the people you love. Whether that be protecting your brother during Ivy Week. Or leaving in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner when your best friend calls you with a crisis." Then he took Serena's hands in his, rubbed his thumbs over the backs of her hands while he looked straight into her eyes, "Or dating Lonely Boy from Brooklyn when everyone thinks he's beneath you. Serena, that's how amazing you are and just some of the reasons I love you."

Serena couldn't help but tighten her grip on Dan's hands. She felt the tears begin to form in the corners of her eyes. Dan was opening his heart to her. He was being honest with her. He trusted her. And she knew she couldn't let this go on any longer without telling him the truth.

"You're amazing too," she said sincerely. "For being able to say all those things. And because you just are."

Serena leaned in to kiss Dan on the lips. A kiss he eagerly returned as he brought his hands up to cup her face. After a minute or so, Serena raised her hands up and encapsulated Dan's.

This was the moment of truth for Serena. She could either tell Dan the truth or continue lying and just hope that everything would work itself out okay. With a tight hold on him, she stared into his loving brown eyes and confessed, "I love you too. But there is something else I need to tell you."

Dan felt like he was floating on cloud nine. Serena didn't run away or freak out when he told her he loved her this time. Instead, she returned the sentiment. Serena van der Woodsen loves him. Nothing else mattered, because he knew they could work through anything. Their love was worth it.

"Serena, I'm not going anywhere," Dan reassured her. He wanted Serena to know that she could tell him anything. "You can trust me."

Serena took a deep breath and revealed, "I lied earlier when I told you I wasn't pregnant."

The smile Dan had been sporting for the past few minutes vanished from his face, his cheeks lost their color, and he swore, "Oh my God!" Then he dropped her hands and ran them through his hair and began to pace. "So you ARE pregnant?"

"NO!" she swiftly exclaimed as she reached out to stop Dan. His pacing made her nervous. Then she had to correct herself, "I mean, I don't know. I never took the test."

"So it's still possible that you aren't pregnant?" a worried, but now hopeful Dan asked.

"Yes."

"Well, we need to know," he asserted and Serena knew he was right. "Can you still take a test?"

"Of course," affirmed Serena. Then she pulled the pregnancy test that Blair had given her that morning out of her purse. Seeking Dan's comfort, she asked, "If I take it now, will stay with me?"

"I promise I won't leave your side." Dan held Serena's hand again and kissed her on the cheek. Then he added, "Except for maybe when you actually pee on the stick."

After what felt like a lifetime but was in reality less than five minutes, Dan heard the toilet flush and he immediately stood up. He was sitting in a chair facing the bathroom door drumming his feet nervously on the floor until that moment. He next heard the sound of the faucet running and then Serena exited the bathroom.

He jumped on her right away, "So?"

"I don't know," divulged Serena. "The instructions say to wait three minutes." She then glanced at the timer on her phone, "and we still have two and a half minutes left."

Dan plopped back into the chair and gasped, "Oh."

"So what do we do now?" Serena timidly asked. She couldn't remember being more nervous about anything in her life. The results of this test could change her life, as well as Dan's life, forever. The gravity of the situation was weighing on her tremendously so she looked to Dan, the man she loved, for the answer.

Dan held out his hand to Serena and gestured for her to come closer. When she was close enough, he wrapped his arm around her and eased her onto his lap.

For what was probably the first time in his life, Dan was at a loss for words. His mind was buzzing and he couldn't focus on much of anything. But he knew that whatever the result of the test was, he and Serena would get through it together because they loved each other. So he cradled Serena in his lap and simply said, "We wait. Together."

THE END.

A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIZ! I gave you Derena and Chair, and left Nate single for all the girls to fight over (or maybe for you and I to fight over).

I must thank Maryl for reading this over (in it's various stages) and urging me to continue. If anyone still cares, I now promise to work on my unfinished fics.