11-25-08

It is Thanksgiving Day. Dan was up late last night writing and has slept in. He wakes to the sound of his father shouting. When he gets up to go to the kitchen he walks past his sister's bedroom, and is shocked to find it completely ransacked.

Rufus is shouting again and this time Dan is able to catch the tail end of his conversation.

"This is not my fault Alison! If you really think you could have done a better job then maybe you shouldn't have abandoned your children for your pseudo-artist boy toy!" Rufus then throws his phone across the room and it smashes against the wall.

Dan tentatively approaches his seething father. "Hey Dad, is...everything okay?"

"No everything is not okay! Jenny is gone! She just left, in the middle of night without telling anyone where she was going!"

"What? How, she's only 15!"

"I know how old she is Dan! What I don't know is if I can find her and get her back here." Rufus walks into the kitchen and starts to aggressively make himself some coffee. Dan slides onto a barstool at the counter unsure of what to say. He has really been preoccupied lately with his pregnant girlfriend and regrettably has no idea what is going on with Jenny. At this moment he remembers his encounter with Jenny in the loft two months ago and now he feels guilty for never mentioning she was cutting school.

"So, was that, uh, Mom on the phone?" Dan ventures.

Rufus nods, his anger starting to cool.

"She's really upset huh?"

Rufus takes a long sip of his coffee before replying. "Well, we've got one kid who's run away from home and another who is becoming a teenage father. She seems to think these events reflect poorly on my parenting skills."

A thick silence ensues while each man considers the words just spoken. Dan is the first to break it. "You told her about the baby?"

"I can't believe you didn't," Rufus counters.

"I wanted to tell her in person. When she said she was coming home for Thanksgiving I just thought I'd wait."

"Yeah, well now she knows. And quite frankly, I'm not sure there's going to be a Thanksgiving in the Humphrey home this year."

Rufus then grabs a jacket and his coffee and storms out of the house to look for his daughter.

Dan sighs, thinking of how upset his mom must be. He pulls his phone out and sends a quick text to Serena before pouring himself some much-needed coffee.

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope your day is great. Love you forever.

Eric van der Woodsen is reading in his room when he is startled by a loud grunt. He ventures out into the hallway as the noises continue and discovers they are coming from his sister's bedroom. When he gets to the door, he hears his sister shout a swear word. Fairly certain that Dan isn't there and Serena's cries can only be of distress he decides to knock. As he does so the door swings open and he is treated to a view of his older sister standing in front of her full-length mirror, struggling to zip up a pair of tight pants. She lets out another grunt of frustration and Eric bursts into laughter.

Serena whirls around. "How long have you been standing there?!"

"Not long," Eric answers trying to suppress his snickering, "are you all right?"

"No, I am not all right!" Serena huffs, "I can't get my stupid pants to zip, and I haven't even worn these yet. Is it possible for clothing to shrink just hanging in your closet?"

Eric cocks an eyebrow. "Um, no. But it is possible for pregnant people to expand, particularly around the middle."

Serena's eyes get wide. She pulls up her shirt and looks down at her middle. Then she turns to one side and looks at it in her mirror. Sure enough, there is a gentle curve to her four months pregnant belly and she traces it up and down with her finger. "Oh, my god."

Eric smiles and walks into the room to get a closer look. "Yep, that's definitely your baby. Unless you've got a new binge eating habit I don't know about."

Serena suddenly bursts into tears and hugs Eric around the neck. He is unsure what to do and settles on giving her a pat on the back. "Hey, is this a happy cry or a devastated cry? I can't tell."

Serena pulls back wiping her eyes. "I don't know! Oh my god, I'm showing!" Her expression slowly melts into one of unmistakable horror. "Oh my god I'm showing. Everyone's gonna know, everyone's gonna see it and know and oh my god!" She sits on the edge of her bed and puts her face in her hands, bawling once more. Eric sits down next to her and rubs her back soothingly.

"Hey, don't panic okay? You really can't tell, like I said, it also looks like you had a lot to eat. Trust me, know one's gonna know you're pregnant unless you tell them."

"Are you sure?" Serena asks looking up at him hopefully.

Eric smiles. "Positive."

Serena's phone vibrates on her bed and she quickly reaches for it. She smiles at the text from Dan and sends one back. "Happy Thanksgiving, wish I was with you, love you forever."

In an effort to try to appease their parents and avoid unnecessary drama they'd both reluctantly agreed to spend Thanksgiving weekend apart with their respective families which meant two whole days without each other.

It isn't too long before Rufus finds Jenny, sitting dejectedly on a sidewalk in Soho. She begrudgingly agrees to come home and talk to her parents. Alison arrives quickly from Hudson, to help Rufus talk some sense into her. When they get back to the loft Jenny is immediately whisked into her bedroom for a closed-door conversation with both her parents. Dan reads one of his baby books in his room and pretends he isn't listening.

After almost two hours the three Humphrey's emerge, Jenny red-eyed and defeated, the former spouses both showing solemn resolve. Over the small Thanksgiving dinner they decide to have, Dan is informed that following the end of the semester Jenny will be going to stay with Alison over the break and then transferring to a boarding school in Vermont called Waverly Academy. Apparently, their parents had been discussing this possibility for weeks due to Jenny's recent exploits and this latest stunt had made the decision for them. They eat dinner quietly; Dan tries to focus on his food while he feels his mother staring daggers at him. He knows she is dying to hammer him about Serena and the baby and he is trying to avoid it for as long as possible.

Alison manages to corner him while they are having dessert in the living room. She sits down next to him and looks at him pointedly saying, "Can we talk?" Dan sighs and puts down his piece of pie. "All right Mom, go ahead."

"How could you not tell me?" she asks, hurt evident in her voice.

"I was going to mom, honestly, I was going to do it today, I wanted to tell you in person."

"You've known for two months; you couldn't have come up to see me in all that time?"

Dan sighs but doesn't answer, and Alison decides to move on. "Honey, are you sure about this? About having a baby with your high school girlfriend?"

Dan bristles at her choice of words. "Yes, Mom, I'm sure. Serena is my whole world; I love her more than anything and we want to raise our baby together."

Alison is taken off guard by Dan's attitude. He sounds so confident and sure of himself. "I guess, I'm just sad to see you give up on your education, honey."

Dan's annoyance is building. "Who said I was giving up my education? We both still want to go to college; we'll just have to do it with our baby."

Alison's eyebrows raise. "Wow. You really think it's that easy to have a kid and go about your normal life?"

"No, Mom I don't think it's going to be easy. I think it's going to be the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, but it's worth it. Serena, will always be worth it."

Alison nods. "Okay. So, you love Serena, you want to stay with her, fine. I have to ask, have you two considered the options you have regarding the baby? You don't have to start a family at 17."

Dan stares at his mother, unable to believe she is saying this to him. "No Mom, we have not "considered all the options" because we only have one. We are having our baby together and we are going to be parents. Now we would like your support but we don't need it." Dan gets up and walks away without hearing another word from his mom. He has had enough of this conversation. He goes in his room and closes the door, his mind going to Serena. He hopes she is having a better time at her place.

Thanksgiving at the van der Woodsen-Bass residence is just winding down. The dinner was turned into a networking event with a handful of Bass Industries executives in attendance as well as some socialite friends of Lily's. Lily had all but threatened Serena's life if she mentioned that she was pregnant although Serena had no intention of bringing it up in the first place. Grandma Cece had surprised them all by making the trip down to spend the holiday with them.

While Lily and Bart are saying goodbye to the last of the guests near the door, Cece and Serena are together in the sitting room. The older woman is mixing her favorite after dinner cocktail, a simple gin and tonic.

"Would you like one dear?" Cece asked Serena, as she started on a second glass.

"Oh no thank you Grandma," Serena answers politely.

Cece comes to sit down with two cocktails in her hands anyway. "Don't be silly dear you love Gin!" She extends a drink to her granddaughter, who doesn't take it.

"I can't Grandma, I'm...only 17," Serena says nervously, hoping her grandmother will let it drop.

Cece laughs. "Well the company has gone now darling, no need to keep up appearances."

Serena doesn't know what has come over her, but she can't stop herself from saying, "I can't drink Grandma...I...I'm pregnant."

Cece blinks at her, silently, mouth slightly agape. Serena starts to ramble. "Dan and I...we-we got back together after the White Party and well, we had a happy accident." She smiles nervously.

Cece remains silent but is now looking at her shrewdly with pursed lips. Serena opens her mouth to say something else when Lily enters the room.

"Well that was a lovely evening don't you think?" Lily says, "Ooh, mom would you make me one of those?"

Serena looks from her mother to her grandmother and then down at her fingers.

"Serena was just telling me some very interesting news." Cece says to her daughter. Lily glares at Serena. "Oh. Well, I'd hoped we could make it through the day without discussing that, but great now you know. Now I definitely need a drink." She makes a beeline for the cocktail cart.

"I'd just like to know what your plans are for the baby?" Cece asks.

"I'm keeping it" Serena answers. "Dan and I are committed to each other and we want to raise our baby together."

Cece is quiet another moment and then breaks into a smile. "Well, looks like we have something to celebrate! Lily, pour the young lady some club soda and make me another martini!"

"Mother!" Lily exclaims. Cece gives her a look that stops her and Lily does what she's told.

The next day Cece, Lily and Serena all go out shopping together. Serena takes the opportunity to buy about a dozen new ponchos and over-sized sweaters, determined to hide her bump for as long as possible. She really isn't ready for anyone else to know about her baby yet.

When they get back to the penthouse they decide to dig into some leftover dessert. They are eating pumpkin pie in the living room.

"So darling, how has pregnancy been treating you?" Cece asks, casually sipping a cup of tea.

Serena is in the middle of a bite and is taken off guard by the question, she swallows before answering. "Not that great to be honest. I had to get on medication to stop all the puking and I think I'm starting to show already." She pats herself on the stomach that isn't entirely filled with food.

"Yes, well...your grandmother and I wanted to talk to you about that." Lily says seriously.

Serena is confused. "Um, okay?"

Lily looks at Cece who decides to jump in. "Your mother and I had a little idea that we wanted to share with you. What would you think about coming to spend some time with me in Montecito this winter?"

"You mean, like a vacation?" Serena asks.

"Well, maybe more like a semester." Cece answers.

Serena's eyebrows knit together; she is very confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Serena, we appreciate that you're having a lot of, feelings, about this baby but we aren't sure if you've fully considered the ramifications of becoming a parent at this stage of your life," Cece answers.

"We want you to think about having the baby adopted once it's born," Lily finishes.

Serena is dumbfounded. Lily keeps talking. "We can have you go stay with grandma for a few months and then after you have the baby and give it to great parents you can come home and have your life back. No one ever has to know about it."

Serena's heart starts pounding in her chest and her arms wrap around her stomach. She can't believe what her mother has just said to her and the tone in which she'd said it. Like it would be the easiest thing in the world for her to give away her and Dan's baby and pretend it didn't exist. "You want me to drop out of school, leave Dan and give our baby to some stranger?"

Lily takes on a sympathetic expression. "Well, not drop out exactly, just homeschool in California. We'll tell everyone you're studying abroad. Look, I know this is going to be hard honey, but you've got to do what's best for the baby."

"What's best for the baby or what's best for you!?" Serena shoots back, a fire lighting in her eyes. "You just don't want your stuck-up friends to find out that your teenage daughter got pregnant!"

"What I want is for you to make a smart decision for once in your life!" Lily snaps, "Do you really think you have any business raising a child while you're still one yourself!"

Serena feels herself start shaking, the pressure building in the back of her eyes from unshed tears. "You really think I'll be that bad a mother? That I don't deserve to keep my own baby?" she whispers, her voice quivering.

After a long pause Lily sighs and says, "Serena, please just think about what we've suggested. I really think it is the right thing to do, for everyone."

Serena feels like the walls are closing in on her. She feels like her baby is being taken from her before it is even born. Her ears start to go fuzzy, her heart thuds in her chest and tears leak out of the corners of her eyes. She is moments away from a full-blown panic. She knows what she needs or rather, who she needs.

She starts shaking her head vigorously, yells "NO!" and is up and out the door before anyone can stop her.

Lily sighs in defeat as the door slams behind Serena. She looks over at Cece who has a curious smile on her face. "What on earth are you smirking at mother?" Lily snaps.

"She's stronger than you are," Cece replies softly, and then gracefully takes another sip of her tea.

Dan's parents are arguing again and Dan has sequestered himself to his bedroom to try to block out the shouting. He has his headphones in and doesn't hear the knock at the front door. No one in the house hears it until the visitor knocks insistently for the fourth time. Rufus tells Alison to lower her voice as he goes to answer it. When he does so, he is greeted by a shaking Serena van der Woodsen.

Serena's whole body is vibrating with the effort of holding back tears. When she'd heard the yelling from inside the Humphrey home she'd almost turned around and left but her need to see Dan won out. When the door swings open that is all she could force out. "I need to see Dan."

Rufus stares at her for a second, taking in her distressed appearance.

"Yeah, sure, he's in his room." He speaks gently and steps back to let her in the apartment.

"Thank you" she squeaks. She slips past him and makes a beeline for Dan's bedroom.

Dan is lounging on his bed when Serena enters without knocking. He immediately sits up and his reflexive smile drops as he registers the look on her face. She quietly takes off her coat, drapes it over his desk chair and climbs onto the bed with him. She puts her arms around him and lays her head on his chest. Then she loses it.

Dan is totally bewildered by her sudden sobbing and he cuddles her in his arms and holds her tight. She cries hard and clings to him, he stays silent and lets her get out whatever she is feeling.

After several minutes he decides to try to find out what happened. "Hey baby, why don't you take a breath and tell me what's wrong?"

She coughs a little before answering. "I told my grandma that I'm pregnant. Now her and my mom want me to...to put our baby up for adoption."

"What?"

"They came up with this whole plan to ship me off to California, so no one would find out, and then basically said I'll be a terrible mom and that giving the baby away would be the 'right thing to do'."

Dan is silently fuming and thinking of the conversation he'd had with his own mother. Serena takes his silence to mean he is considering what she said and looks into his eyes fearfully.

"You...you don't want to give our baby away do you?" she asks, and immediately chokes on another sob.

"No! God no!" he responds at once, "Not in a million years. This is OUR baby Serena. Yours and mine and one is taking it away from us. We're gonna be a family and you are gonna be a fantastic mom."

Serena shuffles further up his chest and buries her face in the crook of his neck. "My grandma even pretended to be happy for me, I never should have told her." Her tears come back in earnest and Dan lets her cry a bit longer, now knowing how hurt she must feel.

After a while she calms down, and remembers something important. "Hey, speaking of our baby," she murmurs, "I think I'm getting a little belly."

"Let me see," he whispers back.

Serena smiles, wipes her eyes and turns over onto her back, pulling her dress up to show him her stomach. "That was there before I ate, I swear," she jokes. Dan slides his hand over her new curve and grins ear to ear. "Hi baby," he coos, "Daddy and Mommy love you so much." He leans down and kisses her right on the belly button, causing her to giggle. Then he leans up and kisses her lips. "Daddy loves Mommy so much too." Serena beams and put her arms around his neck. She pulls him down on top of her and kisses him some more. He keeps rubbing her belly while they kiss and after a few moments his hand dips into her leggings and starts rubbing her someplace lower. Serena loves his touch and bites her bottom lip with pleasure. He moves his hand and presses his pelvis flush against hers. Her legs wrap around him reflexively. Then she hears a door slam and is suddenly reminded of the number of people currently in the loft, probably within earshot.

"Dan, we can't..." she breathes.

"Why not...I want you," he breathes back.

"Your whole...family is here...they'll hear us..."

"I don't care..." Dan is far too worked up for his own good and doesn't want to take his hands off her. Serena, however, is far too self-conscious to let this go any further.

"Dan..." She gently squeezes his bicep; which Dan knows is his cue to cool his jets. He sighs and rolls off her onto his back, she turns on her side and puts her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs "feeling your belly just got me so...hot for you. Is that weird? Does that make me a perv?"

Serena giggles. "Maybe," she replies, rubbing his cheek with her finger, "but you're my perv."