Archive of Our Own ^beta

When Dan Humphrey quit The Spectator in a fit of moral outrage - he'd joined the newspaper business to be a writer, not a two-bit scandal mongerer - he’d sworn he'd never go back. He was meant for better things, for penning the next great American novel, but, well, that was easier said than done. What he had gotten published hadn’t exactly paid the bills and morals don’t seem quite so important now that he’s broke and desperate.

Thankfully, The Spectator does not seem to have left the state of near constant crisis in which he’d left it, meaning if he plays his cards right he’ll be able to maintain some dignity rather than go crawling back to Nate Archibald on his hands and knees. When he reads the Blair Waldorf story, not featured in any other paper and conspicuously missing from The Spectator's rushed out second edition, he sees his opportunity.

He’s been staying in a run down, dirt cheap hotel since he got back to the city but that obviously won’t do, so he goes to the Grand Plaza to wait, settling himself in the dining room and making sure to leave his name at the door. He’s on his third cup of coffee when Nate finally arrives, walking past his table then turning back with exaggerated surprise.

“Dan Humphrey? Is that you?”

Dan hides his victory as best he can, allowing himself only a wry grin as he says, “In the flesh.”

“What a coincidence,” Nate says, pulling out a chair and sitting down. “We were all just talking about you at the paper. You're really missed down there, you know.”

“Aw, I'm sure you're getting along just fine without me.” He means to be mocking but can’t help returning Nate's smile with a genuine one of his own. Despite his old money, obnoxious good looks, and complete inability to run a functioning newspaper, Dan could never quite manage to hate Nate Archibald as he felt he should.

“Oh sure. And it looks like you're doing well for yourself,” Nate says, glancing around the fine dining room of the Plaza.

“I’m doing all right,” Dan lies easily. “Just finishing up my book. It's all about my early hardships in the newspaper business.”

Nate’s smile falters. “You didn't say anything about The Spectator did you?”

“Feel free to sue me for libel.”

Nate sits back, frowning, and Dan leans in with mock concern. “How is the libel business these days?”

“Who told you?” Nate asks, slumping a little.

“It wasn't hard to figure out; no other papers ran the story. I just put two and two together. How much is she asking for?”

“Five million dollars.”

Dan snorts, unable to maintain his composure. “Seriously? Who does she think she is?”

“You have no idea.” Nate runs a hand through his hair with a sigh. “Look, you know why I'm here. You’re the best man we ever had on libel. What do you say to coming back?”

Dan makes a show of uncertainty, then shakes his head. “I'd love to help you out, but you know I hate this stuff. That's why I quit the paper in the first place. Besides, I've got a good thing going for me now.”

“Please, I'll make it worth your while,” Nate says hurriedly. “How much do you want?”

Dan bites back a smile and pretends to think. “$5,000 down and $45,000 when it's done.”

“You're kidding.”

“It's one percent of what the Waldorf girl is asking, and trust me, once I'm done with her she'll be happy to settle for five cents.” He shrugs. “But if you’d rather pay the five million, be my guest. It's not my problem.”

“This is extortion” Nate grumbles as he pulls out his checkbook. “5,000 to start right?”

The relief of having the check in his hand is overwhelming and he tucks it away quickly before Nate can change his mind. “So, let's get started then. Tell me what happened.”

“Our London correspondent said he spotted Blair with another girl’s husband at a garden party. We ran the story but then it turned out that she wasn’t even at that party, so we pulled it. It would have been fine, but the Waldorfs got their hands on one of the advance copies. It’s open and shut: pure libel.”

Dan nods along, thinking. “How much longer are they in London?”

“Til the end of the month, then they’re sailing back to New York.”

“Alright. I’ll head over as soon as possible so I can sail back with them.”

“And then what?”

Dan shrugs. “Anything can happen on a boat. Say she comes to my cabin-”

“No,” Nate says, looking amused at the thought, almost fond. “Not this girl.”

“You know her?”

“I used to.” He looks uncomfortable for a moment as he thinks over what to say. “We dated in high school but it ended... badly. She moved to Paris to live with her father halfway through junior year and I haven’t seen her since.”

Dan files that always and dismisses the objection with a wave of his hand. “It doesn’t have to be anything. Say she just comes over for a cocktail - perfectly innocent to her, to her father, to everyone but the private detective who'll radio my wife.”

“You're married?”

“No, but I will be. We’ll hire some girl to marry me for a couple of weeks, an aspiring actress or something. She'll make a big scene when I return and sue Blair Waldorf for alienation of affection.”

“Right,” says Nate, nodding slowly. “We call her a husband stealer, she denies it, then she actually does steal a husband, so we’re proved right on everything but the details and she settles out.”

“Exactly. We just need to find a girl to marry me. Someone we can trust.”

Nate’s eyes light up. “We can get Serena to do it!”

“Serena van der Woodsen?” He lets out an incredulous laugh at Nate’s excited nod. Dan doesn’t know Serena but he knows of her, everyone does. He's seen her gliding through the office on her way to visit Nate, looking like a movie star. “No one is going to believe she is married to me.”

“Why not?” Nate says, brow furrowing like he really can’t fathom why a rich, beautiful socialite wouldn’t marry some nobody reporter.

“Well for starters, half the city knows she's involved with you,” Dan points out. They were the golden couple; rumors of their inevitable engagement have been circulating for well over a year.

Nate waves that aside, not letting his enthusiasm be dampened. “We’ll just say we were only pretending to be together as a cover for her relationship with you.”

“No one will believe that.”

“Sure they will, we’ve done it before,” Nate says. Seeing Dan’s raised eyebrows, he shrugs. “Serena and I have a complicated history.”

“Okay,” Dan says, drawing the word out as he thinks it through. “So her family doesn't approve of me, you cover for us, but then we can't take it anymore and get married in secret. That might work.”

“It's perfect,” Nate says, and Dan can tell he’s seeing the headlines already. Dan can see them too: Blair Waldorf, Husband Stealer in bold, with pictures of Blair and Serena side by side. Blair could only come off looking worse by that comparison; no one would believe any man had strayed from Serena without encouragement.

“You're sure she'll do it?”

“Of course she will. Serena knows how important the paper is to me.”

“You know, when I said I wanted to get married someday, this isn’t what I had in mind.”

They’re at the courthouse and Serena is understandably having some reservations about marrying a total stranger. Nate’s talking her through it while Dan stands a few feet away, politely pretending he can’t hear them.

“I know, Serena, but we have to save the paper.”

“Of course. The paper,” she says, and Dan gets the distinct impression that this is not the first time she’s been asked to go above and beyond the call of duty.

“Hey, come on,” Nate says softly, putting his hands on her shoulders and running them down her arms until she uncrosses them. “It's only for a couple of weeks and I'll be with you the whole time. Dan’s leaving for London tonight and then we’ll have the honeymoon suite at the Plaza all to ourselves.”

“That does sound nice,” she admits. But then she sighs. “I’d just feel so awful doing this to Blair. She’s going to be so embarrassed.”

“Serena, she’s trying to sink the paper. If she wasn’t asking so much, I’d just pay it, but...”

“I know, I know. I guess I still feel guilty.” Dan perks up, journalistic instincts hungry to figure out this shared history.

“It’s been almost ten years. She can’t keep punishing us for what happened when we were sixteen.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Dan sees her turn to look at him over and pretends to be absorbed in examining the wallpaper.

“You're sure this is the only way? We can’t just talk to her?”

“You know Blair’s not going to listen to us and the lawyers say the case is open and shut. We have to make her settle.”

Serena sighs again. “All right. I'll do it.”

“Oh that's great! I'll go get the judge!”

Serena smiles at his pleasure and Nate gives her a quick kiss before rushing out of the room.

Dan and Serena are left in awkward silence, watching each other while pretending to look anywhere else, until Dan decides to break the ice.

“Thank you for doing this,” he says, walking over to her. “I know it's a lot to ask.”

“Yeah. But not because of you!” she clarifies hurriedly. “Just the whole situation. You seem very nice.”

Dan smiles, surprised to actually believe her and meaning it when he says, “Thanks. So do you.”

“Here they are,” Nate announces as he reenters the room, judge in tow.

“Oh, what a lovely couple,” he says kindly.

“If you say so,” says Dan, sharing an amused glance with Serena.

The ceremony is short and simple. Nate produces the rings, I do’s are exchanged, and then it’s done. It’s absurdly easy. Surely it should be more difficult to legally attach yourself to someone.

“Well, aren't you going to kiss the bride?” asks the judge after the moment of their being pronounced man and wife has passed uncelebrated.

Dan raises an eyebrow at Serena, who smiles and leans in to give him a quick, chaste kiss.

“Well that's that then,” says the judge, seeming satisfied.

From the courthouse, they go straight to the suite at the Plaza that is to be Serena’s prison for the next few weeks, an aspect of the arrangement it seems Nate had not quite made clear to her.

“You’re going to have to stay out of the public eye until Dan gets back and let’s face it, there’s no way for you to do that without avoiding the public entirely.”

“But what am I supposed to do all day?”

“I don't know,” Nate says distractedly. “Read? Knit?” Upon seeing her expression he changes tack, promising it won’t be for all that long and he’ll be there as often as he can, until she is somewhat mollified.

They have dinner sent up to the room and to Dan’s amazement, the meal is not as horrendously awkward as it has every right to be. Serena is just as charming as her reputation suggests and never turns up her nose at him the way he’d expect a girl like her to. She even exchanges an amused little glance with him when Nate starts nervously talking through the whole plan again.

“Alright, so you’ll call down to tell them we’re done eating and I’ll send the telegram calling you to London, which means we’ll have the waiter and the bellboy here to witness the touching goodbye scene.” He raises an eyebrow at them. “You will be able to make it touching, won’t you?”

“Of course, we’re madly in love,” Dan says and is gratified when Serena giggles.

They do manage a credible show for their little audience, Serena almost seeming to enjoy herself as she gasps and pouts at how this unexpected business trip is ruining her honeymoon.

“I’ll miss you every minute,” she declares.

“Every second,” he responds, trying not to laugh.

To his surprise she follows it up by kissing him again, a proper kiss, unlike the quick one at the wedding. The only thing to do is kiss her back. She really is quite a girl.

She walks him out and they add the elevator operator to their audience, making a big show of reluctantly pulling apart before the doors close to separate them. The bellboy is looking a bit weepy. Dan catches her flash smile at him before the doors close.

And stage one is complete.

Dan has a few days in London before the Waldorfs are set to leave for New York and is delighted at this chance to visit his sister on Nate Archibald’s dime. He hasn’t seen much of her in the years since she moved across the pond but she seems to be doing quite well for herself, proudly showing him around the city as he evades her questions on what exactly he’s doing there.

The rest of the time he spends in preparation, starting with “accidentally” losing his wedding ring. The private investigator his anxious wife had supposedly sent to follow him had arrived the day after he did; Dan spots him tailing him and they exchange nods. It’s the same guy Nate usually hires for these sorts of things, he knows the drill.

The day of the ship’s departure finds Dan hiding behind a newspaper, waiting for the scene he’d staged to begin. He spots the Waldorfs approaching through the crowded dock, recognizing Blair at once from her picture, sleek and poised as ever.

A steward intercepts them and pulls the father away just as Dan had paid him to. Within seconds Blair is swarmed by reporters and cameramen, searching for a statement on her enormous lawsuit.

Dan had told them to lay it on thick and they’re doing a good job of it, pushing in close, yelling their questions as flashbulbs burst in her eyes, but her composure remains unshaken.

“Turn her around for me,” calls out one of the cameramen and a reporter grabs her by the shoulder - Dan's cue to intercede.

“Hey, let go of her,” he says, pushing the man away. He pushes back and Dan takes a swing at him, the man obligingly going down with an impressive thump.

“Blair!” Her father is back already, hurrying in before Dan has the chance to introduce himself. “Are you alright? This is an outrage, you men ought to be arrested.”

“I'm fine, father, let's just get on the ship,” says Blair, quite unruffled, and arm and arm they walk away.

“Was that what was supposed to happen?” mutters one of the reporters.

“Not quite,” Dan admits. “You all did great though, thanks.” He can’t seem too friendly in case anyone’s watching, so he skips the goodbyes and boards the ship himself. She hadn't so much as looked at him, never mind thanked him. Not the most promising start.

The effort turns out not to have been a complete waste. Apparently Harold Waldorf had asked about the young man who had rescued his daughter and Dan is invited to join him for pre-dinner drinks.

Mr. Waldorf arrives several minutes late and seems half surprised to see Dan waiting for him. His memory returns upon introduction and he greets him fondly before ordering.

“Now young man, I wanted to thank you for what you did this morning. Quick thinking on your part.”

“Oh it was nothing,” Dan says humbly. “I rather enjoyed it actually, I’ve never gotten along with reporters. It's a nightmare for my publishers.”

“Publishers?”

“Yes, I’m a writer.”

“Indeed,” Mr. Waldorf says, nodding absently.

Dan is left unsure of how to proceed against this apathy as Mr. Waldorf's eyes wander the room. He brightens when they land on his daughter, sweeping in like a queen.

“Hello father,” she says affectionately, completely ignoring Dan as she approaches.

“Blair!” He beams up at her, then as an afterthought gestures towards Dan. “This is Mr. um...”

“Humphrey,” Dan supplies.

“Yes, of course. The man who rescued you this morning.”

“Oh, yes. Thank you,” she says, sparing him a glance.

“Mr. Humbert, uh, Humphrey is a writer,” Mr. Waldorf says, parroting the singular thing he’d bothered to learn.

“How amusing. What do you write?” Without waiting for an answer, she turns to speak to her father, as if the question were a toy Dan could be left to amuse himself with.

“Father you'll never guess who I just saw coming in here: Carol Rhodes and that insipid daughter of hers. We manage to avoid them all over Europe only to end up on the same ship with them back to New York. Unbelievable.”

Mr. Waldorf grimaces. “Now we're in for it. They'll be asking us to dinner.”

“Not if they don't see us. I've been ducking them all day.”

They carry on for a minute, Dan trying and failing to break in. It’s like he’s not even there.

Eventually the porter comes in and informs them it’s time for dinner

Mr. Waldorf stands to go, and Dan does as well, seemingly reminding them of his presence again.

“It was nice meeting you Mr. Humbert,” says Blair, already walking away, while her father wishes him a good evening.

He watches in resigned frustration as they make their way to the dining room and so sees them get intercepted by a pair of women who look of age to be the mother and daughter they had been dreading.

Seeing his opportunity, he quickly makes his way over.

“You're joining us for dinner aren't you,” the daughter is saying. “I won't take no for an answer.”

With barely feigned politeness, Blair says, “Well I'm sorry, but-”

“No, no excuses.”

Dan steps in. “There you are Waldorf, sorry I'm late. Shall we go into dinner now?”

He smiles down at Blair, who finally actually looks at him, measuring him up. He can see her weighing the known evil of the Rhodeses against the unknown dangers presented by a stranger. The odds come down in his favor.

“Yes, we’re dining with Mr. Humbert.” With an icy smile she introduces him to Carol Rhodes and her daughter Charlotte, both of whom are delighted to meet him.

“Why, let's all go into dinner together!” the daughter exclaims, smiling up at him.

“They're going to talk business,” excuses Blair smoothly.

“Yes, I’m a writer,” Dan supplies. “Mr. Waldorf and I are writing a book together.”

“Oh, well then I suppose we’ll leave you to it,” the mother says. “But Blair, you must have lunch with us tomorrow.”

Blair smiles and rolls her eyes once their backs are turned.

“Well, it seems we’re indebted to you again,” Mr. Waldorf says pleasantly. “Thank you.”

Dan smiles and gives a humble bow of his head. “I suppose we’ll have to have dinner together now.”

“I suppose,” says Blair. The way she’s looking at him makes him think he might have been better off being ignored.

They’re given a table for three and the Waldorfs quickly settle into conversation again with Dan once more on the outside.

“How was your evening?” The father asks. “Did you have drinks with those people from Plymouth?”

“No, I ran out on them. I simply can't be bothered with people you meet on boats.” Her eyes flick significantly in Dan’s direction.

He grins. “It's a good thing we met on the dock then.”

Her responding look is thoroughly unimpressed.

At least the father starts to warm to him. Dan asks for his wine recommendation and he takes happily to the topic. Dan doesn’t have to do much beyond listen attentively and occasionally throw in a question to set him off on one anecdote or another and by the second course he’s quite monopolizing Mr. Waldorf’s attention. Blair’s bored sneer becomes more and more pronounced as the dinner goes on and eventually Dan feels secure enough to address it.

“We’re boring you, aren’t we,” he says genially during a break in Mr. Waldorf’s storytelling. “Care for a dance?”

“Oh yes, you young people should go have fun,” her father insists before she can respond.

“I guess,” she sighs, taking his hand with an exaggerated grimace.

He ignores it and smiles at her as they join the dance floor. It’s crowded and they have to press rather close together, though Blair’s ramrod straight posture maintains as much distance as possible.

“I’m afraid I’m not a terribly good dancer,” Dan excuses with sheepish charm.

“Yes, I’d noticed,” she replies.

It surprises a laugh out of him. “Well, you dance wonderfully.”

“Hm. I was hoping for something original.”

“Life is so full of disappointments,” he commiserates before stumbling and turning to apologize to the lady he’d just trod on behind him.

Their path around the dance floor takes them past the Rhodes women, who immediately call out to them.

“Blair, darling! We can’t wait to see you at lunch tomorrow.”

“Well I’m afraid-”

“I’m sorry, but we can’t possibly work on our book without Blair,” Dan interjects apologetically. “She’s our inspiration.”

“Oh!” Miss Rhodes exclaims as Dan guides them away, further into the dance floor.

“I thought that was rather clever,” he says once they’re out of earshot.

“Yes, I thought you thought so,” Blair says, her smile icy. “Let’s sit down.”

He obligingly leads her back to their table, where she does not sit but instead collects her bag. “Will you both excuse me, I’m quite tired.”

“Oh. Well, see you tomorrow,” Dan says, helping her with her coat.

“I think not. I’m afraid I intend to spend the rest of the trip in my cabin with about a dozen good books.”

“You’re not feeling ill, are you dear?” her father asks.

“No, just find myself preferring my own company.” She smiles down at her father before wishing him good night then turns to Dan for a final, “Goodbye, Mr. Humphrey.”

Well. At least she’d gotten his name.

A few days later, tired of being cooped up in her room, Blair sends Dorota out to secure her a lounge chair on the deck which she claims after breakfast, settling down to read in a large floppy hat and sunglasses. She’d hoped the meager disguise would serve as protection from the Rhodeses or fortune hunters like the one who'd managed to weasel his way into their party the other night but it’s hardly ten minutes before the gentleman, if he could be called that, materializes beside her.

“Good morning. Catching up on your reading?”

“Trying to,” she responds, pointedly not looking up from her book.

He takes the seat next to her and leans in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Look, I could really use your help. It’s those Rhodes women, I’ve been trying to dodge them but they caught me. Cocktails and dinner tonight.”

“How nice. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”

“Oh come on,” he complains. She can see his grin from the corner of her eye. “It’s your turn to come through for me. After all, I inherited this problem from you.”

She concedes that with a little smile and he presses on.

“So, I’m going to tell them that you and your father will also join me for cocktails before dinner. Then you come in without your father and announce he wants to see me right away - a brilliant idea for our book, and that we’ll have to work the whole evening. How does that sound?”

“I suppose it would work,” she shrugs.

“It’s a plan then. Cocktails in my stateroom at 7:00.”

“In your stateroom?” She almost laughs. He must think she was born yesterday.

“Yes, see, the barroom is too close to the dining room. They’d find us out.”

“Oh, I see.” She gives a pretty little sigh before smiling up at him. “I guess I do owe you. Your stateroom at 7:00.”

He really does look relieved as he thanks her, she almost wants to believe him. Placed on the windswept deck of a ship rather than in a stately dining room his general scruffiness is almost appealing.

Of course, when she finds the Rhodeses and tells them Dan Humphrey is having cocktails in his stateroom, it’s the first they’ve ever heard of it. They’re delighted to accept her secondhand invitation and very obliging when she asks them to pass on that she has a headache and so will unfortunately be unable to make it herself. Really, it’s almost too easy.

As dinner approaches, Blair situates herself on deck, directly in the path between Mr. Humphrey’s stateroom and the dining room.

She settles by the railing, pretending to look out over the water as she waits. He'll be deliciously annoyed but do his best not to show it. He'll ask about her headache, knowing full well she'd never had one, and she'll say she feels much better now, thank you, then apologize for abandoning him while not sounding the least bit sorry. She'll all but rub his face in how she'd won, and will of course continue to win, and he'll grit his teeth and bear it because he wouldn’t dare offend her and her millions. And so the game continues. They were all the same, these fortune hunters.

Finally she spots him out of the corner of her eye. And there’s the annoyance, shifting into something more pleasant as he approaches her.

“Ah, the inevitable Mr. Humphrey,” she greets him. “How was the cocktail party?”

“Delightful.”

He’s doing an admirable job of maintaining his composure. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come,” she prods. “I trust the Rhodeses consoled you.”

“I actually found them quite charming. Far superior to many people one meets on boats.”

She smiles at the jab. “I suppose Charlotte is rather pretty, in a common sort of way. Rich too.” With any luck he’ll switch his attentions to that far more attainable target, though it’s hardly likely. Any fortune hunter worth his salt would know Charlotte Rhodes is merely a poor relation, a shadow of Serena. Blair can’t stand her.

“It was her manner I found appealing,” he says mildly.

“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” she says, feeling strangely as though she’s losing ground.

He presses his advantage. “Yes, I’m actually glad you didn’t come.”

“Oh? Why this change of heart?”

“You’re just so... fragile.”

“Fragile?” It’s not at all what she’d expected and strikes her as deeply unpleasant, much more so than a stronger insult might have.

“Yes, I mean sues for five million dollars over a slight in a newspaper. That fascinates me. Five million.”

“Oh, that?” she says airily, wondering why her gut is churning. He isn’t supposed to be talking to her like this.

“It gave me a whole new light on you. I thought, who is this woman, to earn such a precious reputation? Must have done something quite extraordinary for her good name to be worth that much. Is she Joan of Arc? Florence Nightingale?”

“Aren’t you being a little absurd?” she snaps.

“Aren’t you?” He shakes his head and has the gall to look almost amused. “Don’t worry. I know now you’re much too fine for the likes of me. So delicate, so valuable, you should probably be kept behind glass.”

She slaps him. How dare he speak to her that way? He’s the liar here. She doesn’t owe him anything.

“I hope you didn’t hurt your wrist,” he says with a mocking smile. “I couldn’t possibly afford the damages.”

“And that was it?”

“Didn’t see her for the rest of the trip,” Dan confirms.

“Great. So all of this was for nothing,” Nate says, pacing in frustration while Serena watches on in concern.

“Not for nothing. I may not have seen her but I did see her father. He’s invited me up to their lake house this weekend.”

“Just you and him?” Serena asks dubiously.

“Blair will be there. And my suspicious wife can drive up one night to find us practically alone in the country.”

“Oh... okay, that could work,” Nate says. “That could work. Her father said for sure she’d be there?”

“He didn’t say anything. But she will be.”

“How do you know?” Nate demands.

“Because I got the last word.”

Dan and Serena spend the rest of the week together in the hotel suite having their “honeymoon.” She remains surprisingly good company, laughing when he tells her he hadn’t expected her to be nice.

“I’m guessing Blair wasn’t very nice, was she?” It’s almost wistful, the way she says it.

“No. But I suppose I wasn’t either.”

Serena sighs. “I wish there was another way. But I know how hard it is to talk Blair down from anything.”

“What’s the story with you three anyway?”

“Oh we all grew up together. And then I ruined everything, as always.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.”

Serena gives him a grateful little smile but shakes her head. “Nate and Blair were practically engaged in high school. She was my best friend and I took him like she didn’t even matter. And the worst part is I-” she looks down, voice small, “I don’t even think it was worth it.”

“But Nate obviously loves you,” Dan points out. “Do you really think he should be married to Blair Waldorf right now?” He has trouble seeing it somehow, though of course Nate is just the sort of man that a girl like Blair would marry.

“I don’t know. But at least we’d still be friends.”

It’s incredible that after all these years she’s still mourning that cold, vindictive girl he’d met on the boat. But then, perhaps it’s not so strange. He finds himself quite eager to see Blair again too.

“I can’t believe you invited that weasel up here,” Blair hisses to her father as the shameless Mr. Humphrey is shown up to his room.

“Oh, he’s a charming young man. And a first class writer, I will say.”

“If he’s first class, I’ll travel steerage.”

“Why did you even come if you dislike him so much? I thought you had a whole weekend planned in town?”

“I could hardly leave my favorite father out to get eaten by wolves!”

“He’s hardly a wolf, dear,” he says, patting her hand.

“His ratty sheep’s clothing doesn’t change what he is,” she maintains. “I don’t trust him for a minute and neither should you.”

They take the boat out on the lake to go fishing, Blair insisting on joining even though she hates it. She hasn’t gone out on the lake since she was practically a child, coming up here with Nate and Serena. Memories bubble up as they cut across the water: pressing into Nate as he helped her cast a line, the panicked shrieks whenever they actually managed to catch anything, collapsing into giggles with Serena, their hair tangling in the breeze. They’d spend whole days out here and every night her father would make them flapjacks, allowing them each to take turns flipping them.

Blair keeps her gaze fixed out over the water. She doesn’t like remembering things like this. Things that make her miss them.

Dan Humphrey is in easy conversation with her father, confessing to never having been fishing before and gratefully accepting advice. It had been a mistake to spend the rest of the voyage sulking in her cabin and leaving her father at the mercy of this social climbing schemer. Clearly he’s given up on landing her, he’s hardly looked at her since he arrived, but he must have another angle, an oil rig or an invention, some fantasy or another to be invested in it. With the last young man who’d caught her father’s attention it had been an emerald mine. Sooner or later he’ll show his hand and she’ll be ready for him when he does.

Whatever his scheme is, he’s surprisingly subtle about it, especially given how obvious he’d been in his attentions towards her on the ship. He’s quite focused on fishing and seems genuinely embarrassed at how bad he is at it. Blair’s not even trying and even she’s caught something.

“Oh for goodness sake,” she says as he once again tries and fails to cast his line, the lure plopping in a few feet from the boat. It’s not entirely his fault he’s doing so badly, her father had given a good deal of advice but little of it had been practical and he now seems too absorbed in his own thoughts to bother with Dan any more.

“Here,” she says, moving over to adjust his grip. “You have to maintain tension.”

“Right.” He looks surprised she’s talking to him and she supposes she is too. He certainly doesn't deserve it.

His next cast is actually successful and she gives him a satisfied nod. A peaceful silence settles over the water in which Blair tries to suppress the memory of lying down in the boat to enjoy the sunshine, her head in Serena’s lap.

Thankfully it’s broken by Dan’s cry of, “Hey I think I got something!”

“Well then reel it in, Humphrey!”

She watches him struggle until she can’t help taking pity and intervening. Unfortunately it isn’t mere incompetence that’s hampering him; he does seem to have actually hooked something rather large and even after she has him sorted out it takes both of them to get it into the boat.

Dan yelps as they both get splashed with lake water by the fish thrashing around at the end of the line. Blair can’t help laughing at how utterly at a loss he looks. There’s something absurdly familiar about the moment despite it’s bright and shining newness.

“Well! That’s just about the finest trout that’s ever come out of this lake,” her father says encouragingly.

“What do I do with it?” Dan asks helplessly.

Her father unhooks the fish for him and gets it on ice before declaring they should end on a high note and go in. Blair half expects Dan to attempt to capitalize on this victory but isn’t entirely surprised when he persists in his easy going geniality, sensibly putting it all to luck and Blair’s assistance.

Back on shore, her father hurries back to the house to hand the fish over to the cook. Blair ought to hurry too and get cleaned up - her hair is absolutely ruined and there’s a distinct smell of fish hanging over all of them, but she finds herself matching her pace to Dan’s instead.

“I was actually hoping you’d be here this weekend,” he tells her as they walk.

“Were you?” she replies, gratified.

“Yes, I wanted to apologize. For my behavior on the ship. I shouldn’t have made up that story about the Rhodeses, it was stupid of me.”

“Quite. But you found the experience rather revelatory if I’m not mistaken.”

“Not so much as a drink with you would have been, I’m sure.” His tone is complimentary, rousing her suspicion.

“You’ve changed your tune once again, Mr. Humphrey. You seemed quite disillusioned with me when we last spoke.”

“Well I suppose I’ve seen another side to you up here. You’re not as bad as all that.” He gives her an apologetic smile. “And to be perfectly honest I was more upset with myself over my failed scheming than I was with you. I’m sorry for not simply asking you for a drink as I ought to have.”

”Well I never would have accepted,” she says primly.

He grins. “Yes, I’m afraid I knew that.”

There’s something rather wonderful in the way he’s looking at her, even though she knows she’s in a frightful state. He certainly is. But perhaps he’s not completely horrible looking.

They part when they reach the house and Blair retreats to her room to clean and change. It hadn’t been a bad day, she decides. She ought to come up to the lake house more often now that she’s back in New York. It’s not as though it’s haunted.

She rejects the first two outfits Dorota sets out even though there’s no one here that matters. Dinner is usually frightfully informal at the lake house anyway though the company is always such that Blair’s never minded. She finds she doesn’t mind now either.

They have the fish Dan caught as well as the traditional flapjacks. Blair feels a peculiar twinge at the sight of the griddle set up at the table.

Dan seems quite delighted by the incongruous combination. “The Humphreys are great fans of breakfast foods at any time of day,” he explains. “You should see our Sunday brunches.”

“Well then you’ll have to flip some for us!” her father urges.

Dan obliges and acquits himself admirably.

“Why, I believe we’ve finally found something you’re good at, Mr. Humphrey!” she teases.

Blair takes a turn after him and he makes a show of surprise at her competence. “Not a sight I’d ever thought to see.”

“I’ve got depths you’ve never dreamed of,” she admonishes.

She finds she’s stopped waiting for him to reveal some ulterior motive. Was it so impossible that he really had only come here in the hopes of seeing her again? She can’t say she minds the idea. She thinks now that she would have enjoyed the voyage much more if she hadn’t spent the whole time avoiding him. Perhaps she had hoped to see him again too.

Her father always turns in early in the country and it isn’t long until he’s wishing them goodnight. Blair could excuse herself too but instead she turns to Dan. “What do you say to a swim?”

“A swim?”

“Out to the floating dock. You do swim, don’t you?”

He laughs at that. “Almost as well as I dance.”

“I suppose you’ll drown then. Meet me by the lake in half an hour?”

He looks taken aback in a way Blair finds most agreeable. “I - well, yes. Alright.”

The floating dock is a roofed structure a little ways off shore, well stocked with towels and couches, even a radio. She and Serena had spent the whole night out there once, swimming back in the early morning cold and waking everyone up when they stumbled inside, soaked through and freezing.

She and Dan race each other out, though neither of them says they’re doing so. He’s a decent swimmer after all but still has to resort to splashing and grabbing to put up a fight. She wins anyway.

‘Pretty palatial,” Dan observes once he’s pulled himself up on the dock.

“I guess,” Blair shrugs, throwing a towel at him. “We used to have the most lovely time up here, every minute completely filled. Like today.”

“Today’s been perfect,” he says simply.

“Yes, it has.” She takes a seat on one of the couches, tucking her legs up under her and looks at him expectantly until he joins her.

“You’re different here,” he observes. “Not like you were on the ship.”

“I feel different,” she admits. “More like I used to be.”

“Oh? And what was that girl like?”

“Less suspicious for one thing,” she says dryly. “You know I thought I had you all figured out. Just another fortune hunter chasing his payday. You knew who I was when you rescued me on the dock, admit it.”

“Yes, I did,” he says quietly.

“Most people do,” she assures him. “Then you told me off and seemed quite finished with me but I still thought you must be up to something. I came up here so sure I’d catch you out.”

His face falls and she hurries to say, “I don’t mean to offend you. Really, this is just my way of saying, well, that I hope we can be friends.”

She sticks out her hand, waggling it when he hesitates.

He’s strangely somber when it takes it, giving it a firm shake. “Friends,” he confirms.

“So you forgive me for suspecting you?” she presses.

He shakes his head. “Don’t apologize for that. You should suspect me. There are a lot of bad apples out there.”

“Believe me, I know. I’m sure you’ve read some of those twisted news stories about my romances. And not-romances.”

“There won’t be anymore twisted news stories,” he promises.

She can’t help laughing at that. “It’s hardly up to you. Just think of what they could make of this! You and me, alone on a raft.”

They’re angled towards each other on the couch and she thinks just how easy it would be for him to kiss her. He ought to kiss her. She’s sure she’s looking particularly lovely in the moonlight.

She swears he inches closer, but then he’s turning away, saying, “We should probably be going in then. It’s getting late.”

Well, it’s hardly a bad thing if he wants to do things the proper way. Shows he’s learned his lesson. “If you say so,” she sighs, following him to her feet. The moment they’re close enough she gives him a short shove right into the water.

She smiles down at him sweetly as he comes up sputtering. “I’m giving you a head start.”

Dan catches Serena and the private investigator just as they’re turning up the road towards the house, hurriedly telling them that Blair wasn’t there after all and they’d better turn back before Mr. Waldorf gets suspicious.

“I really thought she’d come,” Serena says, gazing wistfully towards the lake.

“I’m sorry you made the drive for nothing. Tell Nate I’ll talk to him as soon as I get back to the city.”

Serena nods and thankfully, blessedly, they turn around.

Once he’s successfully sneaked back to his room, Dan collapses onto the luxurious bed, wondering what on earth’s happened to him. His first mistake had been speaking to her. He really hadn’t planned to, all that was required was for them to be in the same house for the night and the case would have been closed. But she’d looked so fetching out on the boat, cheeks flushed and laughing after she’d helped him catch the fish, so far from the icy perfection she’d been the first time they’d met. She’d looked like the kind of girl who might have been best friends with Serena, the kind who had a heart that could be broken.

He’d never liked this business, that’s why he’d left in the first place, but he’d never hated it so much as when Blair Waldorf was apologizing for distrusting him. He can’t do this to her, not now that he knows even just a part of her. And, selfishly, he doesn’t want to give her up just yet.

“I say we run with it,” Nate says once they’ve reconvened in the city.

“But it didn’t work,” Serena points out from her perch above him on the back of the sofa.

“I think we’ve got enough,” Nate insists. “I mean, ever since he comes back from his business trip your husband is cold, distant, then he tells you he’s going away on business to Washington and instead goes to the Waldorf’s lake house. Clear cut alienation of affection, she’ll have to settle.”

“Except she wasn’t even there,” Dan says firmly. “It’ll be no trouble for her to prove it and then where will we be?”

“Well I don’t see what other option we have! It’s not like we can really catch you alone together, I mean, doesn’t she hate you?”

“I’m sure another opportunity will come up. The father still likes me, I can use that. Just give me some time.”

“The more time this takes the longer Serena has to stay married to you,” Nate objects.

“Oh, I don’t mind,” Serena says with a shrug.

Nate frowns. “You don’t?”

“Well, I’ll be glad not to be living in hiding anymore, but in the meantime Dan and I have been getting along splendidly. I’m sure he’ll figure something out.”

In truth he already has plans to see Blair again. Their second day by the lake had been just as perfect as the first and she’d invited him to join her at the museum to continue the art debate they’d fallen into. The next day it’s a trip to the cinema, then breakfast at her penthouse, walks through Central Park. Not a day goes by that he doesn’t see her. They’re probably the best days of his life. Or would be if the libel suit and everything that comes with it weren’t still hanging over his head.

He brings it up to her as often as he can get away with, mostly in the guise of teasing, poking fun at their disagreement on the ship. She’s able to detect the pretense of it, finally interrupting him one day as he speculates on what she’s going to do with her five million dollars to note in surprise, “It really bothers you, doesn’t it?”

“Well, to be honest it does.”

“Because I’m so awful,” she says with sarcasm that does little to mask her genuine question. “So fragile.”

“Never awful,” he assures her with complete sincerity. “It just seems like a lot of trouble over one line item in one paper. I never would have heard that rumor in the first place if it weren’t for your lawsuit. And it’s not like you need the money.”

“It’s not about the money.”

“Then what is it about?” he asks, wondering if she’ll admit it.

“It’s the principle of the thing,” she says loftily. “They ought to face consequences.”

“You could have made your point with a lot less. The amount you’re asking for will probably bankrupt them.”

“Good. That rag isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.”

“You don’t mean that,” he says, wanting it to be true more than believing it.

She looks momentarily troubled then gives a little sigh and rolls her eyes, saying, “Well if it bothers you so much I suppose I could drop it. It hardly matters to me either way.”

“Really?” he says, smiling broadly in victory and relief.

“I’ll consider it,” she chides, though she looks pleased that he’s happy. “Now can we please move on to more important issues. Namely my charity gala this weekend. You are coming, aren’t you?”

“If you want me there,” he says, surprised. “That’s rather public, isn’t it?”

Her eyebrows arch. “What, are you ashamed of me?”

He laughs. “Of course not. I rather thought you were ashamed of me.” So long as she really does drop the suit by then, there’ll be no harm in appearing together so openly.

“Naturally I am, but you’ll never become presentable if you stay a hermit. This party will be the perfect opportunity to introduce you into society. So, I’ve made you an appointment at a tailor.” She takes a gold embossed business card out of her purse, printed with the name and address. “Come by my apartment afterwards and we’ll talk strategy.”

He dutifully follows her instructions, showing up at her apartment that afternoon with a new suit and a smile on his face.

He’s greeted by her maid Dorota as he exits the elevator, anxiously telling him, “Miss Blair said to show you in right away, but she has surprise guest.”

“Well, I’ll just pop in and let her know I’m here,” he says, heading toward the drawing room. He draws short at the sound of a familiar voice.

“Look, Blair, I’m sorry for everything that’s happened between us, truly, but you can’t do this,” Nate is saying. “It’s not just me you’re hurting, there are hundreds of people who work at the paper that’ll be out of a job if you go through with the lawsuit.”

“Why thank you for bringing that to my attention,” Blair replies with a deadly sweetness that makes Dan’s heart sink. “Of course I wouldn’t want anyone else to suffer for your mistakes. I’ll be sure to set the whole five million in a trust for them.”

“But -“

“That is all you’re concerned about, right? Those poor, poor people who’ll be out of a job? Well, you don’t need to worry, they’ll be well taken care of.”

Dan looks into the room to see Blair back in her full ice queen glory and Nate utterly at a loss in the face of it.

Blair spots him hovering at the door and smiles, perhaps more brilliantly than she would have if Nate hadn’t been there to see. “Dan!” she says fondly.

Nate’s head snaps around and his eyes widen at the sight of him.

Dan tries to fix a casual smile on his face as he enters the room. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Oh it’s no trouble, Mr. Archibald was just leaving.”

“Right,” Nate says standing and approaching Dan. He holds his hand out with a disconcertingly bright smile. “It’s Humphrey, isn’t it? The writer?”

“That’s me,” Dan says, shaking the offered hand and giving an equally fake smile in return.

“Have you heard of him?” Blair asks, surprised and little impressed.

“We’ve been thinking of getting him to do some work for us down at The Spectator,” he answers, still staring Dan down. “It’d be quite different from what he’s doing now, of course.”

Dan attempts to laugh this off. “I don’t think that’s really my line.”

“Is that so? Well, too bad.” He claps Dan on the shoulder, still smiling. “It was great seeing you here.” With a nod to Blair, he heads out.

“What was that all about?” Dan asks her, trying to keep up a pretense of good cheer.

“He’s the editor of that awful paper,” she says dismissively, though she looks somewhat rattled. “Came here begging me to drop the suit which of course I won’t.”

“But weren’t you going to?” he asks desperately.

“I’ve changed my mind.”

“Are you sure, you-“

“I’m done talking about this,” she says sharply. “Now come here. Let me look at you.”

Dan excuses himself as soon as possible, inventing a forgotten meeting with his publisher. He has no doubt Nate’s already sent for Serena to come catch him out and indeed, once he emerges from the building Nate is still there, lurking across the sidewalk.

“What were you doing up there?” Dan says, furious as he approaches him.

“Me? What about you? You said you hadn’t seen her!”

“I’ve been convincing her to drop the case! I almost had her before you came tromping in.”

“A likely story,” Nate scoffs. “You think I don’t know what you’re doing?” He’s angrier than Dan’s ever seen him. Through countless crises down at the paper, Nate’s never lost his temper like this, no matter how badly someone had screwed up. Dan’s never really appreciated that before.

“What am I doing?” he demands, confused as to what has inspired this outrage.

“Serena’s on her way. If you’d just stayed up there with Blair we could have finished this, but no, you keep dragging it out to get more time with her!”

The accusation isn’t unfair, and Dan is about to admit it when Nate continues, “Well you may be married to her but she’s still my girl! I’m going to marry her someday.”

“What, Serena?” Dan says, baffled.

“Of course Serena! You’re in love with her!” He says it like it’s obvious, like anyone would be, and Dan supposes he can’t really blame him. But even so...

“I’m not! I - I’m not in love. With Serena,” Dan protests, spluttering in a way he’s afraid is not terribly convincing.

A taxi pulls up and deposits the girl in question right in front of them. “Oh, Dan!” she says, smiling at him. He wishes she wouldn’t. “Aren’t you supposed to be upstairs?”

“He is,” Nate fumes, “But not only is he not following through with the plan, he’s been seeing Blair and lying to us about it for weeks.”

Dan sighs in frustration. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to go ahead with the story when there was a chance I could get her to drop the suit without it.”

“Oh, Dan, I love that idea!” Serena says and in her excitement, quite unfortunately, grabs hold of his arm. “It would be so nice to fix this without having to drag her name through the mud.”

Nate is watching them with a pained look on his face. “Since when can Blair be convinced to do anything?” he mutters.

“She’s not really as cold as all that,” Dan says.

“Well since you’re so friendly I’m sure you’ll be expected at her party this weekend,” Nate retorts. “Everyone will see you there together and that’ll be all the proof we need.”

With that he turns and stalks off, leaving Dan to grapple the unavoidable fact that he’s right.

Serena turns to him, frowning. “What was that all about?”

Blair’s party is a smashing success, if she does say so herself. She may not have lived in the city for any extended period following high school, but she still has enough connections here to pull together quite the soirée. There’s no better way to announce that she’s here to stay.

She keeps catching herself looking for Dan even though she’d specifically instructed him to arrive late, knowing his tendency to show up horrifically early. It’s ridiculous, missing some penniless striver amongst the crème de la crème of New York society. Any yet, no one else seems worth her time.

Case in point, Charlotte Rhodes catches her unawares and successfully traps her into conversation.

“Why Miss Waldorf, it’s the most amazing thing,” she says after breezing through compliments to the party and Blair’s gown. “You know my cousin, Serena?”

“Yes, I know Serena,” Blair replies testily. As if anyone didn’t.

“Well, you won’t believe it, but she’s married!”

She’s right, Blair doesn’t believe it. There is no way that Serena van der Woodsen, the perpetual favorite of gossip columns and scandal sheets, can have gotten married without the entire city hearing of it.

“And you’ll never guess to who.” Charlotte leaves an expectant pause, like she really thinks Blair would deign to start offering up names. At an impatient arch of Blair’s eyebrows, she exclaims, “Dan Humphrey! You remember, that man who was on the crossing with us back from London.”

“What on earth are you talking about,” Blair snaps. She must have misheard or gone momentarily insane or something.

“I know, it seems incredible, doesn’t it? I never would have guessed he was married. And to Serena! He was quite good looking but still, can you imagine?”

Blair stares at her, uncomprehending. It has to be some sort of practical joke. Some petty attempt to get back at Blair for freezing her out. But it only could be if Charlotte knew she was involved with Dan, which she hasn’t exactly made public.

“The family doesn’t approve, of course,” the girl is saying, as if she has any right to class herself among the van der Woodsens. “They had to marry in secret. We only found out because her brother was worried at not seeing her for so long and finally got it out of her.”

It almost makes sense when she frames it like that - a secret romance - but every particle of Blair is telling her it’s wrong.

Charlotte gives her a conspiratorial smile. “It’s all strictly confidential, but I thought I could tell you, since you and your father seemed so close to him on the ship. Did you know anything about it?”

Blair sends her running with a harsh dismissal and tries to steady her breathing. It’s ridiculous, absolutely absurd. This cannot be happening to her again. With Nate at least she’d always suspected he’d harbored feelings for Serena but she's never even thought of Dan and Serena in the same sentence. It simply isn't possible.

But if it was true then... then Serena had him first. He was hers before he was ever Blair’s.

She sees him suddenly, in his new suit and haircut, face breaking out into a smile as he catches sight of her. It can’t be true, it just can’t. He can’t be married to Serena and look at her like that.

“Well, how do I look?” he asks as he comes over, opening his arms and offering himself for inspection.

Wonderful. “Awful,” she says.

He laughs. “Well it’s your own fault, you chose it.”

Blair can’t even think coherently, let alone speak. Even the sight of him is distressing, sending her gaze roaming anywhere else, which is how she sees her.

It’s hardly a rare occurrence; Blair’s caught sight of her in dozens, if not hundreds, of photographs dotted through newspapers and magazines over the last decade or so. She has a face made for pictures. But it’s nothing like seeing the real thing. Blair had forgotten the glow Serena has about her, the way she just effortlessly lights up a room.

Blair hadn’t invited her but that never stopped Serena from appearing where she wished. Perhaps she had tagged along with her mother or her brother. Or her husband. She appears to be looking for someone in the crowded ballroom and Blair dreads what might happen if her gaze lands on Dan.

She grabs him by the arm and pulls him toward the double doors that lead out to the balcony. “Come on, I need some air.”

It’s dark and quiet once Dan closes the doors behind them. Blair steadies herself on the railing, gripping it tight.

“Is everything alright?” Dan asks softly. It's hideous, suspecting him.

“Yes,” she says, trying to smile. It’s no use. She has to know. “It’s silly, ridiculous really," she starts. "There’s just this question. It’s - well, I have to ask... to ask...”

He’s looking at her expectantly and she can’t get the words out. They’re too awful to say aloud. She blurts out the first thing that comes into her head. “Will you marry me?”

Dan blinks. “What?”

“Will you marry me?” Blair repeats, warming to the idea. He can't marry her if he's married already. “You do love me, don’t you?” He’d never told her so, but she knows he does. Or, thought she knew.

He still looks surprised but his face softens at that. “Yes, I love you.”

She wants so badly to believe him. “Then let’s get married. Now. Tonight.”

He looks troublingly alarmed. “What’s the rush?”

“Why wait?” she demands. “Why shouldn’t we get married tonight?”

“But, is that really what you want?” he asks. He looks concerned, but is it for her or for himself? “Wouldn’t you like to do it properly, you know, a real wedding?”

“Of course it’s what I want, I’m the one asking,” she says imperiously. It isn’t at all what she wants but once she’s got him at the altar, once she’s sure, she can demure and change her mind and he’ll never have to know she doubted him. “Now tell me, yes or no. And don’t explain. If it’s no, don't - don’t explain.”

He’s very quiet and for a moment she’s afraid, not about Serena, but that she’s pushed him too far. But then he steps forward and kisses her in the moonlight, holding her face so gently in his hands. “Yes.”

There’s a justice of the peace known to keep late hours and it isn’t long before a cab is dropping them off in front of his building.

“Well?” Dan asks, looking at her anxiously. She hardly knows what to say.

Before she can answer, another taxi pulls into the spot theirs just vacated and Serena steps out. Her eyes meet Blair’s and freeze her to the spot. She couldn’t move if she tried.

“Serena!” Dan startles. “What are you doing here?”

“I saw you leave the party and I followed you,” she answers. She takes in their surroundings. “Where are we?”

A town car pulls up to the curb beside them and out leaps Nate. “Aha!” he says at the sight of the three of them. He too gives a curious look to the building behind them. “Wait, what are you doing here?”

“We were getting married,” Dan says dryly.

“What?” Nate and Serena exclaim in unison.

“You can’t get married! You’re already married,” Nate objects.

Dan shakes his head. “No, I’m not.”

Nate gapes at him, looking over to Blair then back. “You’re seriously just going to lie to her?” he demands, furious.

“I’m not -“ Dan insists and Nate cuts him off with a punch that sends him sprawling.

Blair and Serena both gasp, Blair going to her knees to help Dan up and Serena grabbing hold of Nate’s arm.

“Serves you right,” Blair tells Dan as she frets over him.

“Blair,” Nate says, and when she meets his eyes she's faced with the sweet earnestness she’s adored since the moment she met him. “I know you don’t trust me and I can’t blame you, but he’s been lying to you from the start. He is not a good guy, Blair, you can’t marry him, you can’t.”

“Nate,” Serena reprimands and he gives her a wounded look.

“Serena, he can’t marry her when he’s already married to you!”

“But he isn’t married to me.” She looks over and exchanges a little smile with Dan. “We got it annulled.”

Nate stares. “What? When?”

“Yesterday.”

“But - why didn’t you tell me!”

“I was going to tonight, and Dan was going to tell Blair.”

That part was already accomplished. He’d spilled the whole story in the car ride over as she wavered between outrage and giddy relief. She’s still not sure where she’s landed, though watching Nate and Serena, she’s beginning to find the whole thing rather funny.

“But I thought you were in love with him,” Nate says plaintively. “I saw you chasing after him tonight.”

“I wasn’t chasing him, I was chasing Blair!”

Serena looks over to her and Blair feels her breath catch. “B,” she starts, the nickname immediately making her feel sixteen years old again. “I wanted to tell you how sorry I am. For everything - Nate, and high school, and agreeing to this stupid scheme. I know you’ll never forgive me but please don’t let my mistakes get in the way of any happiness you’ve found here.”

There’s a reason Blair has spent the last ten years avoiding them. When Nate showed up at her apartment she’d practically melted at the sight of him and had tried to make herself as cold as possible to compensate. She knew once she saw them face to face it would only be a matter of time before she forgave them and she hadn’t wanted that. She wanted to hold onto the anger.

“I’m hardly blameless,” she admits now. “I’ve been rather vindictive, I’m afraid.” She gives the two of them a tentative smile. “I’ll drop the suit, of course.”

“You will?” Nate says, transferring his relieved disbelief from Serena to Blair.

“Well, I do owe you for how gallantly you swooped in and tried to save me. “Blair Waldorf Marries Bigamist” could have made quite the headline for your paper.”

“Hey,” Dan objects and she gives him a consoling pat on the cheek.

Watching them, Serena asks, “Wait, so, are you really getting married?”

They all look to Blair for the answer and seeing those three faces, so familiar and dear, fills her with a happiness she thought she’d lost with childhood. She gives a little sigh. “On second thought I’d much rather have a proper wedding after all. I really can’t do without the dress, or the flowers,” and, with a look to Serena, “or a maid of honor.”

Serena’s eyes widen and a smile soon follows, lighting up her whole face. Nobody smiles like Serena does, not in the entire world.

“I’ve missed you, S,” she confesses.

Serena reaches out and gives her hand a squeeze. “Missed you too, B.”

Blair beckons Dan over and fusses with his hair, a complete mess after his fall.

“So I take it I’m forgiven?” he says wryly, though there’s a note of uncertainty in it.

She places her hands on his shoulders and gives his cheek a quick kiss. “Don’t worry. You’ll have ever so long to make it up to me.”

She loops one arm through his and the other through Serena’s, who on her other side snags Nate in the same way.

“Come on then,” she says. “I think it’s high time we got back to the party.”