She refused to believe it until she'd seen his lifeless body in that casket. Shot. In Prague. In a dark alley. Dying alone, heartbroken, because of a ring for her. It overwhelmed her. Every step she took in this city, on her island, would haunt her with images of him. Every limo that passed her, every guy in a bow-tie, every damn hotel.
So she left. Very unfashionably, from one moment to the other, without saying much of goodbye. Serena knew of course, and she cried a lot when Blair seemed to have no tears left. Serena would tell Eleanor and Cyrus the next moment and they wouldn't even be surprised.
She would call them later in the day and her mother told her that she was proud of her and that she was worried but not concerned. Blair would thank her and hang up without telling her where she went and how.
On the second day after leaving New York she would step out of the bus, having enough of public transportation adventures for a lifetime when her Louboutins touch the ground of Gotham. A city she read about a lot and although it was much closer than Paris or Milano she'd never been here before.
She took her two Luis Vuitton suitcases and hailed a cab, telling the driver to bring her to the best five star hotel the city had to offer. And he did. Once she booked a suite for the next two weeks , showered and dressed, she walked out on the streets, deciding to take a stroll.
Gotham was supposed to be a crime-free city after all. That batman helped everyone in danger. She chuckled a bit at the thought. She never really bought the stories but then again, what did it matter now?
Blair reached a street corner and spotted an exclusive looking restaurant. It took her a moment to realize that she hadn't eat in two days now. And since she forgot to put a jacket on, the restaurant with its dimmed yellow light looked even more inviting.
Bruce Wayne had never been a guy to stay away from the spotlight. At least that was what he wanted people to believe. Always in the middle of every crowd, surrounded by many society people.
But when Rachel died, all of it stopped to matter. Who gave a damn about society opinions?
He felt lost. He didn't leave the house except for moments when Gotham needed Batman. Those were the moments he felt alive again because she had known that the city needed him. It meant a lot to her so he went after each criminal. He was harder, meaner, less tolerant. The underground learned about that soon, so they backed off a bit. Without Joker or anyone else around to distract Batman it was too dangerous to get caught and take a detour to jail.
It took Lucius a lot of effort to get him dressed properly and out for an evening.
A part of him was thankful, he really needed distraction. So he walked into his favorite restaurant. Of course it was full, as usual, but there was always a table available for Bruce Wayne. He owned the building after all.
Demanding a table for one in a corner, window side so he could look out in the city, he took a seat and ordered a neat whiskey. Having an eye on the sky, just in case.
It was when someone caught his attention. She looked like the innocence and the sin at the same time.
"I'm sorry Miss, but we're full for tonight." the gentleman at the entrance told her apologetic and politely. Blair forced a smile. Usually, she'd just give him a bitchy answer, telling him that she knew the game, and that she demanded one of the special spare tables. But she wasn't up for it tonight.
"Cameron." A dark husky voice called from a sidetable. It caught Blair's attention. "If the Lady wants, she can sit here." the man offered the chair on his opposite.
Blair hesitated for a moment. Eventually she took the offer.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. You're new to the city, aren't you? I've never seen you before."
"It's a big city. You can't possibly know everyone here."
"That's true. But an extraordinary beauty like you? I would have remembered."
This would usually be the moment she'd get up and leave. But something about him intrigued her.
"Now after the pleasantries, what's your name?" Blair asks with a smile.
"Bruce Wayne and yours?"
"I'm Blair Waldorf."
They share a nice meal and have a good conversation. That's why Blair agrees to meet him again. To make sure she really does, he puts his suit jacket around her shoulders before ordering one of his cars to take her back to the hotel.
As soon as she's in, she almost makes a run to the free internet computers in the lobby. Something Blair Waldorf usually wouldn't touch in a million years.
She googles him. After the third page about his life's story, she closes them and goes to her room in defeat.
Billonaire. Dead parents. Bad boy. Owns half of the buildings in Gotham. Gigolo.
Blair sighs when she drops on the bed. The more things change, the more they stay the same, no? Of course she would run away from New York to a whole other city and find that city's version of Chuck.
We're magnetic.
"You were right, Bass. But that magnet does not only work for the two of us, it seems."
She comes by at his office the next day, bringing his jacket back. They make plans for the night.
They go out to restaurants, cinemas, art galleries each night that month. At two or three occasions Bruce has to leave from one moment to the other for mysteries reasons but Blair decides not to doubt him.
She soon learns that he has all the features she enjoyed so much when she was with Chuck and then some more. Yes, he was a bit older, almost ten years, but that didn't matter. It just made him that much more attractive for her.
On the 29th date night he asks her to come up to his penthouse with him for a coffee. Blair knows exactly that she'll never get coffee up there but she decides to go with him.
I just want you to be happy. Bruce made her happy.
They spent the night and it's sweet and tender and desperate and rushed – all at once. It just feels right for both of them.
"The night you came into that restaurant, I thought you were an angel." he whispers lightly into her ear and it makes her smile. He holds her a bit closer to his chest and she pushes her back fully against him.
"I wore black though."
"The most beautiful dark angel I've ever seen."
He didn't know where that line had came from. Neither did she. Yet it felt like ghosts from the past were watching them, putting words in their mouth but also approved of this.
For a moment, Blair swore she'd seen Chuck's face in the enormous glass walls – with a smirk on his face.
Bruce dreamed that night. He hadn't in a while. He dreamed that Blair and Rachel had a picknick with him and he was really happy for him to have found himself such a nice girl.
The next morning, he gives Blair a speech about how short life can be and that she should move in with him. She refuses but agrees to rent an apartment in the building when one gets free.
Around noon, the Wayne tower has a new inhabitant. It had cost him a lot of money and power but he found a way. it truly touched Blair.
The first anniversary of Rachel's death. He hadn't told Blair much about her and he hadn't breathe a word what day it was. So he takes her to the movies anyway, he thinks about Rachel all night.
They go home and he doesn't talk much. Blair decides to try her old tricks to get him into talking.
"Rachel…" he moans, his eyes closed, laying press on top of her. Her eyes shut open and she pushed his shoulders hard.
"Get off!" she snaps.
He opened his eyes and looked confused for a moment before he realized what had happened. She pushes him away, gets up, put on her robe and turns around to look at him. Waiting for an apology but it never comes.
"Don't pretend that you didn't think about him the whole time." is all she ever gets to hear.
A door is closed soon after.
He calls her the next day. She won't pick up.
He shows up late at night at her doorstep a week later. She pretends not to be there even though there's light in every room.
He asks the doorman if he'd seen her and he says no. Only deliveries going upstairs for her.
He starts to hang out in her hallway, hoping to finally see her here. Nothings helps so he brings up his strongest weapon.
"Master Wayne sends me to bring you these." Lucius offers with a smile after he rang the bell about fifteen times.
Blair stars at the flowers. She knew he meant well. She told him that peonies had been her favorite flowers but now she couldn't stand the sight of them anymore. They reminded her too much.
So he chose other flowers. She appreciated it. She even appreciated him not trying to corner her with red roses. But, well, the yellow roses he picked instead weren't exactly better. So Blair gives Lucius an apologetic smile and just closes the door.
She'd been in her apartment for too long. So decided to take a walk. It's already dark outside but she can't be inside any longer.
To avoid him at all costs she decides against the bright light street of the noble part of town.
Soon, when she feels some drunken pals walking behind her, she regrets it. She walks faster so they start to run.
Then it all happens really fast. One of those guys grabs her, holding her, she screams, so another one slaps her across the face. This must be a nightmare she thinks but before anything worse can happen, a dark figure appears, punching those ugly creatures down and then pick her up bridal side.
Batman. She looks him in the eyes and it's too much for her. She passes out.
"Blair. Wake up." he pleas in her ear. He's holding her like a baby and rocks her softly. When she opens her eyes, the first thing she lays eyes on is his face. And she feels safe and loved and home. She takes a look around and sees that they're back in his penthouse.
"Thank you for saving me." she whispers in return, having a hard time to hold her eyes open.
"You're welcome, " he smiles, pressing his face in the crook of her neck. "more than. Get some sleep, I'll hold you and make sure nothings happens to you. Ever again."
She allows herself to fell asleep in his arms. His sure, strong arms.
She wakes up the next morning, they lie in his bed, him still holding her and his eyes fixed on her. He looked like hadn't slept all night long. Blair returns the glare and waits for him to speak up.
"Blair, I never thought about her when we were together. That one night, her first anniversary, I'm sorry that I made you feel second best. You never were to me."
She had forgotten about it when he saved her last night. So she gives him a smile and a nod.
"Now I've found myself another bad boy billionaire with a heart of gold. My therapist would call me weak for not being able to move on, I assume." she teases.
"I love you." he breathes.
"I love you too, Batman." she smirks and he laughs.
"You know, you don't get nearly enough credit for your wit." he returns.
"I've heard that one before." she agrees with a spark in her eyes.