Disclaimer: Don't own Gossip Girl!
Galas and Galoshes
Amfar's annual New York Gala was in full swing as paparazzi and reporters crowded outside of Cipriani in the chilly December air, desperate for the perfect shot of a vindicated Serena van der Woodsen.
Serena, fresh out of the Ostroff Center, was more than obliged to pose in her gorgeous Valentino gown. She flashed her pearly whites, twirled her long locks, and felt perfectly at home basking in the limelight. Inside of the opulent venue, however, Blair Waldorf wasn't feeling quite as cheerful.
Looking longingly at a tray of decadent desserts, the classically beautiful brunette contemplated her misfortune.
Blair simply wasn't Serena. She wasn't the girl everyone wanted to snap photos of, nor was she the carefree spirit that attracted the eyes of every man in the room.
I'm just me, Blair thought regretfully as she popped a chocolate-covered macaroon into her mouth and chewed.
She was reaching for another when a flurry of dark curls invaded her vision. "You okay?" Dan Humphrey asked, looking at Blair through concerned eyes.
Dan and Blair had grown close over the months as they planned and carried out their plot to take down Juliet Sharp. It had been a long, arduous task, but the duo had completed it together, and, in the process, learned a lot about one another. The copious amounts of time exposed to Humphrey had allowed Blair to grow comfortable around him, and so, currently, Blair wasn't too bothered by Dan's sudden intrusion into her private musings.
"About as okay as Lindsay Lohan in a drug den," Blair responded bluntly, before bringing her champagne flute to her lips and taking a generous sip. Blair could sense Dan studying her, and so she turned to him with a fake smile fixed on her lips. "Don't worry about me, Humphrey. I'm sure Serena's looking for a male counterpart to complete her Us Weekly tabloid shot."
Dan shook his head, lips parting into a crooked grin. "Uh, yeah. About that." He gestured with a thumb behind him, alluding to a radiant Serena being pulled into an intimate embrace by Carter Baizen near the venue's wide doors. "I'm kind of resigned to the fact that Serena only wants me when she's got nothing – or no one – better to do."
Blair smiled and rolled her eyes. "Come on, Humphrey. You've got to be blind if you can't see that Serena loves you."
"Serena also loves my best friend and my best friend's arch nemesis," Dan pointed out, quirking a brow emphatically. "Call me cynical, but I don't see a resolution any time in the near future."
"Touché," she agreed, before permitting herself a quiet chuckle. Blair reached for another macaroon and nibbled at it as she fell back into deep thought. Her trip down self-loathing lane didn't last long, because within a minute, Dan was prodding at her again.
"Tell me what's bothering you. Is it Chuck again?"
Blair sighed heavily and slammed the cookie down on the table. "No, Humphrey, it's not Chuck. And you know what? I'd prefer to sulk in silence, so I'd appreciate it if you'd scamper away now."
Dan shook his head. "Nope, no way. I know the name of that game. Come on, Blair, let's get out of here. If you don't have a better time with me than you're currently having here, then, uh… then I give you permission to call me Cabbage Patch for the rest of my life."
Smirking passively, Blair answered, "I was planning on doing that anyways."
"Touché," Dan threw back her words, before adding. "What do you say? Let's blow this pop stand – or should I say massive, Stepford Wife-filled event hall. Potato, potahto, am I right?"
Blair laughs. "So now you're a comedian? Don't quit your day job, Humphrey." Taking a moment to survey her surroundings, Blair realized that without Dan by her side, she was alone in a crowded room. She lifted her gaze to meet Dan's and gave him an expectant stare. "Alright, you've intrigued me. Let's get the hell out of here."
As the duo weaved through clusters of Manhattan's elite, Blair found herself actually looking forward to leaving Cipriani and all of its inhabitants behind. In fact, she decided she wouldn't mind leaving all of the Upper East Side behind; the sheer amount of media coverage surrounding Chuck Bass and his new girlfriend was enough to make Blair want to vomit. Shaking the thought of her ex-boyfriend out of her mind, Blair forced herself to focus on Dan's black coat as he led her through the crowd.
After hailing a cab and sitting for thirty minutes in traffic, the vehicle pulled up to a dank, brick building with no trace of human activity. Blair watched Dan skeptically as he got out of the taxi and held his hand out expectantly. Raising a brow, Blair accepted Dan's hand and let him lead her towards a dark metal door on the side of the building. "Humphrey…" she trailed off nervously as Dan pressed a thumb to a small white buzzer.
"Relax, Blair," Dan told her as he rubbed his hands together to warm them up.
Soon, the door was opened by a broad, heavy-set, college kid dressed like a snowman. "Five bucks, man. She's free," the kid slurred drunkenly as he gestured to a wide-eyed Blair. "Have fun, bro," he added, accepting a crumpled bill from Dan's hand.
The kid turned and started trudging up the stairs, his bulky snowman costume clearly giving him trouble in his inebriated state. Following close behind, Blair whispered to Dan, "I don't think violet Givenchy goes with this whole Winter Wonderland motif."
Dan gave her a reassuring smile. "It'll be fine, Blair. Most people are just here to have a good time."
The inside of the building turned out to be a giant, unused warehouse decorated from floor to ceiling in Christmas colors. Fake snow covered the stone ground and sparkly snowflake ornaments hung from strings that were tied to the otherwise barren roof. Looking around her, Blair was partly horrified and partly intrigued by her surroundings.
The people attending the party were mostly college-age kids (though a few under-agers had slipped in), and more than half of them were wearing ugly Christmas sweaters and obnoxious Santa hats. Blair suddenly felt super self-conscious as a kid wearing Rudolph antlers eyed her outfit. "Humphrey, maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Blair murmured, tugging gently at Dan's coat.
Blair's uneasiness was palpable, and Dan felt compelled to put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Hey, that holiday punch over there is lookin' pretty good to me right now. How about you?"
Tilting her head observantly, Blair snorted, "I think I'm gonna need it if I'm going to get through this night."
Dan steered her towards a long folding table that carried water tanks filled with different kinds of mixed drinks. Grabbing two red cups, Dan filled one with green punch and another with red. "Take your pick," he offered her with a lazy grin. "See? The options here are limitless!"
Blair gingerly reached for the cup of red punch. Peering down into her drink, Blair stated, "There better not be any pcp mixed in here. I don't trust these Brooklyn vagrants."
Laughing, Dan took a long sip of his and winced. "Wow," he commented, smacking his lips. "Strong."
"Great," Blair said, rolling her eyes. "If I die, Humphrey, it's on your conscience."
Watching as Blair took a careful sip of her beverage, Dan replied, amused, "Duly noted."
Two cups of red punch later and Blair was definitely feeling a heavy buzz. She kicked at the fake snow at the ground and gave Dan a high-pitched laugh. "You should have told me to wear galoshes, Humphrey! I've got snow in my Manolos!"
Dan was three cups and a beer in, and needless to say, he was feeling just as good as Blair. Bending down, he grabbed a fistful of 'snow' and tossed it into the air. As sprinkles of flakes floated back down to the floor, Byron Lee's reggae version of "Winter Wonderland" filled the warehouse. Offering a hand to Blair, Dan asked brusquely, "Wanna dance? I mean I know this isn't exactly the Taj Mahal, but considering we're in your idea of hell, I'd say this is, you know, pretty nice."
"Yeah," Blair smiled, taking Dan's hand, "it is." She leaned into him as he wrapped an arm around her waist. As the brunette pair swayed to the song in their own private rhythm, Blair murmured, "Thanks for tonight, Humphrey. I really needed it."
"Anytime," Dan returned warmly, closing his eyes and resting his head upon Blair's. "Anytime."
AN: Quickly written, inspired by DB scenes throughout season 3. Hope you enjoyed! I know I said I would update my multi-chaps sooner than later, but at this point, it's looking like later. Applying to grad schools doesn't give one much time for brainstorming, unfortunately!