Chapter 1

Blair is in her royal chambers at Louis' castle in Monaco. The walls are adorned with emblems painted with the purest gold. An exquisite Monet that Louis recently acquired for her is hanging over her bed. Blair is sitting in the middle of the gigantic room plopped down in tired heap surrounded by dresses. Chanel had sent over a gown in the most divine shade of antique rose. Alexander McQueen sent her a copy of Pippa Middleton's maid of honor dress in turquoise. Why that silly designer thought Blair would wear something someone else already wore was beyond her. What were these designers thinking? She was Blair Waldorf. True, she was a commoner by royal standards but she was about to become a princess in a few short months. That was every girl's fantasy right? To be like Kate Middleton? But she had no time to be "princessy." She was always at these royal appearances. Some of them were just downright ridiculous! Was it really necessary that she attend the grand opening of a booth selling coconut head figurines? Louis said it was important to connect to the people, that public service was a privilege. But coconuts that looked like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie was not on the agenda she had imagined. Plus, where was Henry-the-coconut-guy able to find coconuts in Monaco? Although, there had been a coconut that looked a lot like Dan that she couldn't resist buying.

"Miss Blair…" Dorota started.

"Dorota! How many times have I told you I purchased that Humphrey of a coconut as a joke! I simply wanted to mail to Dan so he could see what he's going to look like in 50 years!" shouted Blair.

"But Miss Blair," Dorota continued…."we were not talking about Lonely Boy and his likeness to funny coconut. Maybe you mistake the voices in your head. Is stress of the wedding perhaps. How about this dress called the 'Pip-pa'?"

"I WILL NOT LOOK LIKE A COMMON COMMONER WHO DANCES HER AROUND IN HER BRA WHEN SHE HAD DOWNTIME" said Blair. "I need you to…..oh! Your Majesty! How are you this morning?"

"Quite fine Blair," said Princess Sophia as she waltzed into Blair's bedroom. "Have you decided on an appropriate gown for tonight? I do hope you go with the gown Alexander McQueen sent over. It has such a simple and elegant silhouette."

"Of course Your Majesty! I just about to try it on one more time to make a final decision" Blair rushes to say as Dorota rolls her eyes.

"And Blair," continued Princess Sophia, "you have been doing very well with our princess lessons. I am very impressed with how well-read you are and it is one of the attributes I like most about you. I need you to pay close attention to me. At the gala tonight is a man named Carver St. James. He is a very important figure in Monaco's government and has made life difficult for my poor Louis since your engagement. You must make sure you impress him. He despises Americans, but loves American literature."

"That doesn't make sense," Blair thought aloud. "How does that even work?"

"Blair, do not ask me to explain what's in the mind of Carver St. James. Regardless, I have brought you some recently published works by American authors that have received wonderful reviews for their brilliance. Make sure you read them by tomorrow. Carver St. James is staying at the palace for a week after tonight's gala and tomorrow night he has requested to dine with you alone at dinner " said Princess Sophia.

"By tomorrow? But that's impossible! There's five books here" shouted Blair.

"Blair, if you have time to buy badly carved coconuts like that funny one that looks like that Don Humfy I met in New York, surely you have time to read a few books," said Princess Sophia with disappointment and disdain.

"It's Dan Humphrey, and the books won't be a problem," said Blair through clenched teeth.

"Good. I'm glad. And do start with the first book. I myself read the few chapters and found it quite enjoyable, even though I think American literature is poorly written. See you tonight at the gala in that beautiful turquoise Alexander McQueen gown. I forgot to mention, Pippa Middleton will be attending as well, and she mentioned she would love to meet you because you are a girl with such a unique sense of style." After her final goodbyes, Princess Sophia glided out of the room, leaving Dorota petrified for the imminent outburst she knew Blair would have.

Blair tried her best to control her anger. She silently walked over the books and hastily grabbed the first book from the stack of books Princess Sophia had left for her. She fingered the title. "Inside" by Davis Hunter.

Chapter 2

Later that night after the gala….

"Humphrey," giggled Blair, "since when do you have Roman Holiday in your movie queue?"

"Well, I was going to go with an old classic like Dr. Strangelove but I know you love your Audrey Hepburn and who am I to deny a future princess her Hepburn fix?" retorted Dan.

"Well Humphrey, I'm surprised you lasted through the whole movie. I used to dream about Roman Holiday all the time, but I haven't dreamt about it since Chuck was in it," replied Blair.

"Ch-Ch-Chuck? You still dream about Chuck?" stuttered Dan.

Oh no! How could she let that slip out! She was tempted to bang the phone against her head.

"What are you the dream police Humphrey? You mean to tell me you don't still dream about Serena?" Wow, when Blair said Serena, she didn't realize she said her name in such an angry tone.

"Dream police, that's a lame comeback Blair, even for you" said Dan with uncontrollable laughter.

After Dan stifled his laughter, he said to Blair "Well, why don't you tell me about your dream. Maybe your dream had an underlying message."

"What? Are you trying to be a therapist?" replied Blair.

"Well Waldorf, as much as it pains me to admit, I actually have grown to understand that convoluted brain of yours" said Dan.

"Ok then. Well I was Audrey Hepburn and my hair was short like she had cut it in the movie. Louis was Gregory Peck. We were driving around on his motorcycle. All of a sudden, its Chuck instead of Louis and I get surprised and scared and he has this creepy evil look in his eye," said Blair quickly.

"All right….let the great Dan Humphrey do his thought provoking dream analysis. Ok, well Roman Holiday is about someone who is royalty and a commoner who basically distract themselves around town and fall in love, even if they know they can't end up together. So in a way, you're actually Gregory Peck and Louis is actually Audrey Hepburn," starts Dan.

Dan continued on, "But you like to create your own movie endings. So in your dream version of Roman Holiday, Audrey and Gregory beat the odds and end up together. I think the reason Chuck appeared in your dream was because that's what you thought your destiny was. Audrey's character knew her destiny was to become queen and she wouldn't have been taken seriously if she married a commoner because she lived in a different time and that's why she knew she couldn't be with Gregory's character. In your dream, you felt like you couldn't end up with Louis at the end because your destiny lied with Chuck."

"Dan, you do know I'm getting married to Louis and it sounds like you're trying to convince me that I should be with Chuck," retorted Blair.

"NO THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEAN. Um…..I mean, no that's not what I mean. Roman Holiday is about a couple is a self-enclosed dream world. Because you've always thought you and Chuck belonged together, you overlooked everything he ever did or said. You knew he wasn't good for you but you felt like you weren't good enough for someone else to love you. When dream Blair saw dream Chuck in the dream, she panicked and felt scared. Dream Chuck saw that and he didn't care, he continued to go down a dangerous path," finished Dan.

"Dan…..do you think I'm making a mistake by marrying Louis because I should be with Chuck?" asked Blair in a whisper.

Blair had asked a question that scared Dan. He thought she shouldn't be with Chuck because he was ruining Blair. She was a beautiful inquisitive woman. He found something new to love about her every day. When she was with Chuck, she turned in the female-version of Chuck Bass. But he also didn't think she should be with the Prince. True, he was good-looking. He was smart and kind and really loved Blair. And yea, he was a Prince. But he didn't love Blair like Dan loved Blair. Dan loved the fact that Blair was a total Upper East Sider but she had this enormous heart. She put on a tough-girl act but deep down, she wanted to be liked for her good heart, not her power.

"Well Blair, I'm going to be honest with you. I think you feel attached to Chuck because he was a big part of your life. You two grew up together, well you did anyways, the same can't be said about Chuck. He loved you when you thought no one else was capable of loving him and you loved him when he thought he wasn't worthy of anyone's love because he hadn't had his father's or mother's love or approval. I know I'm rambling but you need to listen to me. I'm not saying you didn't love him or he didn't love you. But your genuine love for him turned into obligated love. You were so focused on Blair and Chuck and Chuck and Blair that that was all you could see. It might have been a great love but was in great in all areas?" said Dan.

"What do you mean? What the heck is 'It might have been a great love?' What do you mean 'if' it was 'great in all areas'?" asked Blair.

"What I'm saying is when you love someone, you love their character, their personality, their mind, their quirks, their good parts, their bad parts, and their looks of course. You have to be attracted to them emotionally, intellectually, and physically. You have to ask yourself, did you love Chuck in every way or just in some ways?" asked Dan.

"I don't know anymore. I always thought I would know who I'm meant to be with when I find a guy who makes me feel safe. I never felt safe with Chuck. I always felt like I had to watch my back. Louis makes me feel safe but sometimes I feel like I'm too safe," said Blair.

"Well maybe you need a third option," said Dan jokingly (but totally serious at the same time).

"You could always make me laugh Humphrey. Hey Humphrey, have you read a book called Inside by Davis Hunter? Princess Sophia wants me to read it to impress some hoity toity politician. I'm probably going to start it when I get off the phone with you," said Blair.

"Well, you don't have to read that. I read a book review on it. It didn't seem that interesting. Why don't you read Twilight instead?" said Dan in a rushed voice.

"I doubt I will impress a member of the Monaco government by quoting Twilight. Hey can you tell me what's new on Gossip Girl? Since that whole debacle with Serena printing GG postings and giving them to my future mother-in-law, GG is banned here in Monaco so the public can't look information on my past life," said Blair.

"Blair I don't read Gossip Girl, that's for chicks," replied Dan.

"Geez Humphrey you can be so difficult sometimes. Well you've wasted enough of my time. Same time next week?" asked Blair.

"Most definitely. Good night," said Dan.

Dan gazed on his computer screen. He hadn't left his loft since the GG blast from this morning.

Good morning! Gossip Girl here. It seems that Lonely Boy is the famous Davis Hunter. Well I labeled him the ultimate insider, I didn't think I would be passing my crown and title to him. But now he is truly the prince of the UES. Out of all the new information coming out of his hot-of-the-press bestseller book is something I'd love to share with you. It seems that Davis Hunter is in love with a girl named Bethany Walden. Apparently, and I quote, "Davis used to see Bethany as everything he hated about the UES distilled into one 95-pound, doe-eyed, bon-mot tossing, label-whoring package of girly evil. Now he sees them as Elizabeth and Darcy, from Bethany's favorite book, Pride and Prejudice. They were both too prideful to admit that he could love a girl who was associated with upper society and that she could love a boy who wasn't born into money. There were both too prejudice against the other's upbringing to realize that's why they meshed so well." Hmmmmmm….Davis Hunter loves Bethany Walden. Or, to be as accurate as possible, Dan Humphrey loves Blair Waldorf.