Who Knew.

Summary: Songfic. ONESHOT. TV. Based on Serena and Dan's relationship at the moment, how they thought they were forever while everyone else didn't believe Dan was good enough for Serena.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl, if I did I'd have D and S back together!

Thanks to EdieRose for beta-ing

*******

Dan lay on his bed in the loft apartment in Brooklyn. Brooklyn, the place that everyone thought wasn't good enough to be from, you couldn't possible date one of the elite UESiders if you were from Brooklyn! It was stupid, it was crazy. Why the hell did everyone think that? Why the hell did everyone think that he hadn't been good enough for Serena? He was approaching the time in his life where he was awaiting his college application letters, because he wasn't on buddy terms with the Dean he had to wait for his in the post. Unlike Serena, the person who was constantly on his mind, she got to know months ago if she got in, and no surprise, she did.

You took my hand,
You showed me how,
You promised me you'd be around,
Uh huh,
That's right,

He couldn't even begin to express how hard it had been to tell Serena to date Aaron. He knew he liked to mess around a bit, claiming all the girls were just models and that he never slept with any of them. He'd told her it was OK because he needed her to know that she could still come to him, that he'd always be there for her no matter what. In his opinion, she'd thrown it in his face when she made out with him in front of everyone, everyone talked about them. Gossip Girl posted pictures and he was supposed to just sit there and act like it didn't hurt him when in reality, the knife in his heart just kept twisting.

I took your words,
And I believed,
In everything,
You said to me,
Yeah huh,
That's right,

"Come on, please Aaron!" he heard her from the other side of the gallery, begging her so-called boyfriend to come to another family event.

If that had been him, he'd have gone in a second. But it wasn't, instead it was another guy in his own Dad's gallery! Why did she have to meet him here all the time, coming in looking gorgeous with the smile that made him fall for her in the first place? It made his heart physically hurt just to see here, never mind hearing her perfect laugh.

"Serena, I've got to finish this! I have to work!" Aaron shot back, annoyance evident in his voice.

Dan scowled. He had no right to talk to her like that. He had half a thought to go over there and defend her, but he wasn't her boyfriend. He was the ex, the one that her grandmother had once predicted that would become a cocktail anecdote. And he had; whenever Jenny would go to UES parties she'd say how they'd used to laugh at Serena and how she'd dated somebody who had no prospect, at least Jenny had a clothing line in the works. Dan looked down at the notebook that lay open, the second one he'd filled since Jenny had told him what the rest of the UES thought of him.

"Fine, whatever!" Serena yelled.

He heard her heels click against the floor as she marched out of the gallery, her head turned towards him as she went, a look of hurt in her perfect eyes.

If someone said three years from now,
You'd be long gone,
I'd stand up and punch them out,
Cause they're all wrong,
I know better,
Cause you said forever,
And ever,
Who knew?

"I like the line 'People had told him again and again that they wouldn't make it, she was out of his league and he hadn't a shot in hell of being able to keep up with her'. It's powerful," Rufus complimented as he read Dan's first draft of the novel he'd been working on.

"Familiar?" Dan asked, letting a small smile play his lips.

"Very," Rufus nodded.

They were standing at the coffee counter in the gallery. Serena and Aaron were around there somewhere, but Rufus was here to return Dan's story while Dan and Vanessa watched the cafe. Dan smiled at his dad, someone who truly believed in his story, and thought it could sell.

"So, overall impression?" Dan asked.

"Amazing," Rufus nodded. "Get Vanessa to look at it, get a girls perspective."

"Thank you," Dan told him sincerely.

"No problem, I need to go and get some deliveries, I'll see you and Jenny later," he smiled before leaving the gallery.

"Show me what, Humphrey?" Vanessa asked, coming up behind him.

"Here, it's the first draft," Dan told her, handing her a copy.

"Seriously, you're letting me read one of your stories?" she asked.

"Don't lose it!" he warned. "I'm going to meet an editor."

"I'm so proud of you!" Vanessa squealed loudly, hugging Dan tightly.

When Dan turned to leave he saw Serena looking at them, her expression mixed at first. He glimpsed hurt, sadness, anger and confusion before she smiled at him, giving him a small wave. Dan waved back.

"Wish me luck!" Dan smiled at Vanessa, trying to look cool and collected in front of Serena as he walked backwards out the gallery.

"Confidence!" Vanessa yelled after him.

Remember when we were such fools,
And so convinced and just too cool,
Oh no,
No no,
I wish I could touch you again,
I wish I could still call you friend,
I'd give anything,

"These characters are very deep and well written," The editor that wanted to publish his book complimented.

She was a young, very attractive woman. She was tall with long brown hair and horn-rimmed glasses, the kind that would play the sexy high school teacher or librarian in a film. She could have easily been a model or actress. She gave off an air of complete intelligence that some people would find intimidating.

"Thank you," Dan smiled at her.

"I love Christina and James, their story is amazing." She'd loved the book the minute she'd read it and she knew that the American female population would too.

"Yes Christina and James's story is one of legends," Dan muttered, it was no coincidence that the characters both shared the first letters of Dan and Serena's middle names. "So, are you in?" Dan asked her, looking at her with pleading eyes.

"One hundred percent, Mr. Humphrey," she smiled.

"It's Dan, and that's great news," Dan smiled.

"Well Dan, I think we should celebrate!" she smiled, waving at the waiter and ordering a bottle of champagne.

When someone said count your blessings now,
'fore they're long gone,
I guess I just didn't know how,
I was all wrong,
They knew better,
Still you said forever,
And ever,
Who knew?

Dan and Heather, his editor, sat at the cafe in the diner, laughing and looking at the completed version of Dan's book. Literary magazines were already raving about it but all Dan could think about was Serena, how they hadn't spoken in months. Except once where she'd smiled at him politely. "My mom told me about the book, well done," she had said, but it had been so forced, like he'd hurt her somehow when she was the one flaunting her relationship everywhere.

"Vanessa!" Dan called her over, showing her the book.

"Wow!" she squealed, hugging Dan tightly and looking at the book, pride in her eyes.

"Doesn't it look fancy?" Heather asked, looking at the cover.

The font of the title was fancy while the background image was a picture of a man that looked a little like Dan sitting on a park bench. It was already set to sell well with all the buzz about it. Early copies had been released and all the reviews had been great.

Serena walked into the gallery, thinking she'd grab a coffee before she met Aaron. She was seriously thinking of ending it soon, their relationship wasn't going anywhere, they kept having the same fight and most importantly, she didn't love him. She knew she was still in love with Dan after all this time. When she looked into the cafe she saw Dan and Vanessa sat with a stunning brunette and she felt a sudden sadness go through her. Holding her head high she walked over to the counter.

"Hey," Vanessa smiled at her, coming over to serve.

"Hey, a large coffee please," Serena ordered, looking over at Dan with a wistful look on her face.

"Sure. He's done well, hasn't he!" Vanessa stated proudly.

"Yeah," Serena nodded.

"For what it's worth, he misses you," Vanessa told her, looking over at Dan as well.

"Well for what it's worth, I miss him too," Serena told her, taking her coffee from Vanessa.

"Are you still with Aaron?" she asked.

"Yeah, I have no idea why though." Serena shook her head. "I'm scared of being alone again so..."

"Yeah," Vanessa nodded as she watched Serena disappear off back into the gallery to wait for Aaron.

Yeah yeah,
I'll keep you locked in my head,
Until we meet again,
Until we,
Until we meet again,
And I won't forget you my friend,
What happened,

Dan stood outside of Serena's apartment, waiting for someone to answer the door. He couldn't believe what he was doing. He was stupid. He knew she'd just broken up with Aaron, he'd heard it from Jenny and Gossip Girl, not that that was the most reliable source. He rocked backwards and forwards slightly. He had a messenger bag slung over his shoulder, in it was his phone, an iPod, Cedric, a copy of his book, a different novel, money and other documents and important items. At the very bottom of the bag was a framed photograph.

"Dan?" Serena looked confused as she opened the door.

"Hey," Dan smiled. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Serena moved out the way so he could come in. "So...?"

"Can we please go to your room? What I want to talk to you about is...important," Dan begged her with his pleading eyes.

"OK..." Serena led him to her room.

"Here." Dan handed her a copy of his book. "It's a first edition, read the dedication."

Serena flipped through the pages, past the acknowledgements and to the page just before the title page. On it read 'For my real life Christina, you'll always be in my heart.'

"You're my Christina," Dan whispered, looking down at the floor.

"Wow. Dan I don't know what to say," she murmured.

"I'm leaving," Dan told her suddenly.

"What?!" Serena asked, surprised and upset.

"Well, there's my book tour and depending on how well it sells, I'll be going to England to promote it as well. I might come back for graduation but..." Dan trailed off helplessly.

"You're leaving?" Serena asked in a weak voice.

"I'm leaving, tonight." Dan told her. "In an hour I have to be at the airport where I'll board a plane to LA."

"LA?" Serena asked.

"LA," Dan repeated.

"Wow, that's a long way away." Serena mumbled sadly.

"I wish things could have been different between us. I still love you. I came here to say goodbye." Dan stood up, slinging the bag over his shoulder again and walking to the door, turning as he got to it.

"Me too," Serena stood up and walked over to him, embracing him in a tight hug.

Dan pulled away and crashed his lips down onto hers, kissing her passionately, putting all his fear, hurt, anger, love and loss into the kiss.

"I love you too," Serena told him, tears streaming down her face.

"Look after yourself." Dan kissed her cheek before he turned round, disappearing out of the door.

If someone said three years from now,
You'd be long gone,
I'd stand up and punch them out,
Cause they're all wrong and,
That last kiss,
I'll cherish,
Until we meet again,

Dan walked through the security checks, he felt numb, empty. He'd just walked away from the only person he could probably love with such a force. She was his inspiration, his gravity, his sun and without her he was empty. He handed his ticket to the flight attendant and sat down in the first class seat, courtesy of his publisher. He looked into his bag, moving Cedric to the side he pulled out the photo at the bottom. It was of him and Serena, obviously. They were in his room, laid on his bed, fast asleep, cuddled up in his arms. They looked so innocent and free, like they could face anything and come out unscathed. Unfortunately, they had their scars.

"That your girl?" the guy who'd just sat next to Dan asked him.

"Yeah," Dan nodded, still looking at her.

"She's very pretty, look after her," he told Dan.

"I will," Dan nodded.

And time makes,
It harder,
I wish I could remember,
But I keep,
Your memory,
You visit me in my sleep,
My darling,

Who knew,
My darling,
My darling,
Who knew,
My darling,
I miss you,
My darling,
Who knew,
Who knew,

Serena lay on her bed, eyes shut, dreaming of when her and Dan would see each other again....

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