Doesn't Matter Where You're Going.
Gossip Girl/Country Strong
Summary: Post-Season 3 Episode 17. After her break up with Chuck, Blair packs up and leaves the Upper East Side, for a place she never thought she would go. Texas. Changing her name and accent are easy, it's the running that's hard.
Chiles Stanton.
That sounded so...country compared to Blair Waldorf. It fit. Blair bounced her curls as she repeated her story. She was born and raised in a small Texas town, she was Miss Dallas. and it only took a couple of hundreds to get to be friends with the right people.
There was one man she couldn't seem to fool. When she had first introduced herself to him he looked her up and down with the same scrutiny Humphrey did her. Beau Hutton. What did he know, with his blue eyes and guitar. He didn't know her...but he did. He got under her skin. And when she choked at that county fair she blamed him. Blair always thought she couldn't sing, but she was wrong...she could, she just got nervous.
Tonight would be her big break. James Canter had told her she was the next big star. And she wanted to be a stark. Blair really did. And in this genre of music no one from the UES would ever hear her. She got her story down in the mirror singing under breath as she applied make up. "I've got friend's in low places where the whiskey drowns and the beer chases my blues away." That was when she heard the door open and saw those blue eyes that made her so mad. Instead of throwing on her New York Bitch Face. She put on her Sweet Country Girl act. "Well Hi Beau." When he condescendingly said, that she better be there to wish him good luck. She sucked it up and sighed. As the manager came in and Beau disparaged her talent to him, Blair breathed through her teeth. She could do this. She had been hiding this long...she could do this.
"Don't worry Beau, I'm not here to steal your invisible career, because you see,...I want one." Beau just looked at her with that same gaze that he always had before picking up his hat and placing it on his head. Once he was out of her room Blair breathed easy. "That's it Blair...be Chiles Stanton. Be the girl with talent that no one sees. Be the girl who's parents were school teachers. Be the big haired, big dress wearing girl...no more Blair Waldorf." She gathered herself and started for the audience to watch the end of Beau's set. When he jumped off stage with his guitar in hand walking toward her in that way...that just set her off. As if he was better than her. "So what are you waiting for Kilgore, you're band's up there already."
Her response was automatic. "I was Miss Dallas, dummy."
"Dallas, Kilgore, same difference, go and get that career."
She let out a breath and for some reason she looked at him for reassurance. "How do I look?"
"Like a Country Barbie."
The old Blair would have punched him or thought of some genius technique to get back at him, but Chiles Stanton wouldn't do that. "Thank you..." Turning she started toward the stage.
...Houston, Austin, and Dallas...
Kelly Canter wasn't anything like she pictured her. Sure Blair lied and said that she was her number one fan and that she had loved her since she was a little girl. The woman before her looked ill like Alcohol had taken away a lot from her. She was still blonde and pretty though. When the woman handed her back the CD she made a fool of herself in front of James.
That hadn't been on purpose. She had wanted desperately to impress her manager. She wanted him to see that she was a good investment. When he set her straight, Blair made her way over to the bus where the band was getting in. Beau was standing there, his smirk in place as she climbed in. He made a low whistle in the back of his throat as she climbed into the van. He made sure to sit behind her seeming to try his best to just annoy her the entire time they rode in the van.
Her set went off without a hitch. It was Kelly's that didn't go as planned. When Blair slipped and called Kelly crazy, Beau glared at her and yelled back that she didn't know anything. He made it sound like it was her fault. How? All she had done was ask James if she looked pretty. What was the harm in that? None.
Blair had been staring at flash cards in front of her. And although she knew all in information on them, she kept them because it's what Chiles would do. When Beau grabbed them trying to see what she was reading she explained in her best, "I'm Chiles Stanton and I'm better than you think."
When he seemed impressed she smiled. His band teased them telling them to just sleep together already. It was in Austin that they seemed to get closer...not quite friends, but they didn't seem to hate one another anymore. When he had turned her down for looking at song lyrics, she closed up and went back to her room.
While she was there she turned on the TV watching New York News, and checking Gossip Girl just to check in on her friends back home. The only thing it told her was that Chuck had left for France, and Serena was with Nate again. Dan was mentioned in passing but not enough for it to have an impact on her. Sighing she was turning her phone off when she heard the knock on her door. Switching stations quickly she shuffled over to the door. Pulling it open...Beau's face surprised her. "Hey...so, are you going to invite me in or what?"
When she invited him in she took his song book from his back pocket reading it over, he really was talented. When she said she'd complete the lyrics for him. Beau looked at her like she had a third eye but nodded never the less. Blair could do this. She was Blair Waldorf she could do anything. When James had interrupted their drunken fun she had quickly hurried him away jumping back int Chiles' personality faster than she meant to. Talking to him like a girl who was always overlooked...in reality that was exactly what she was. Always in Serena Vander Woodsen's shadow...and now she was in the shadow of another blonde.
Kelly Canter.
When Beau had called her to pick up Kelly and him she hesitated. She wanted to hate the older woman for getting the attention of not one but both of the men there. Her husband...and her lover. Though it didn't seem like Beau really was that anymore. She came to the rescue in a taxi, sitting in the back seat listening to Kelly talk to her drunkenly ask her questions. The same lie about her parents tumbled from her lips. Her parents were school teachers.
When they got to the show, Beau was the first one up. Chiles was watching him waiting for her set. Beau wanted to sing with her...he made it clear when he said they'd be doing something different tonight. When he looked at her to make her come back on stage she shook her head, "No...Beau. What the hell are you doing?" His eyes said, 'Don't be scared..." And Blair took the chance trusting him. Give Into Me went off without a hitch. While Blair scuttled off stage to talk to some reporter or another, Beau was off to do something else it seemed.
Everyone else in the hotel was asleep...except for Blair. She was pacing outside of Beau's room. She wanted to talk to him, but what about she wasn't sure. She just...she didn't want to fight whatever this was between them.
She knocked on the door and instead of saying what she wanted to it was like her mouth wanted to betray her. "Dallas is gonna be canceled isn't it? She's crazy." Damnit Blair! That wasn't what you were supposed to say!
Beau's face seemed to say it all.
"She's not crazy. She's the only honest one here. Why are you here Chiles?"
Blair hated that he called her that. Something about his tone when he said Chiles...like he hated it. "I don't know." She looked down and he started to close the door, "I'm tired." She put her tiny foot in the way and blocked him from closing the door.
"Stop, wait." Beau glared at her opening the door a bit wider. "Wait what? You want to come in?" Blair growled, "Stop it!" Beau seemed to growl back. "Fine."
Blair licked her lips trying to figure out what to say next and she watched as Beau's eyes dropped to them. "Wait. Don't... don't make me say it." She muttered. Beau's face seemed impossibly close to her own. "Say what?"
"You're being very rude right now." She stated in a mater of fact tone. Beau's eyes became searching ones staring deeply into her brown ones.
"Tell me what you want."
"Nothing."
That was when the dam broke...He grabbed her by the back of her head and pulled her into his room for a kiss. Hands caught against his chest she melted against him her resolve quickly fading in a haze of lust and sweet kisses.
It was the gentlest sexual experience Blair Waldorf had ever had. Kelly had been right...Beau was gentle but at the same time his rough hands demanded her attention. Something, she would freely give him.
The morning light was the thing that woke Blair up. She opened her eyes to see Beau already awake next to her. "What if I told you I was never Miss Dallas?" His smile was evident as if he knew something she didn't know. "I'd probably like you even more...were you?" He asked as she chuckled and sat up slowly. Answer like Chiles...or Answer like Blair...Deciding for now Chiles was it she sat up and said, she choked...like always. Turning away so that he didn't see her lie she said that she couldn't think of an answer to one of the judge's questions saying that all she could think of was the planet in a big old sweater her Grandmother used to make. He chuckled and said softly. "I'm sure that'll keep the world nice and warm."
Blair turned and looked him, that smile of his that was so addictive still in place. "Do you still like me?"
"I still like you." His voice was that low rumble that made her knees quiver. "I'm serious, Beau." She said as she climbed back on top of his chest. Beau smiled, "I still like you."
Blair bit her lip and looked up at him, there was truths untold in her eyes and she knew he could see it. "But I'm not what I seem." He rubbed her back softly and smiled. "Well maybe that's what I like about you. D'you ever think of that?" She stared at him shaking her head slightly.
"No." Resting her chin on his chest he continued. "You know maybe that's what makes you different from all those other pretty pennies out there." She kissed him then, unable to resist knowing she had to tell him...she had to tell him everything.
Blair sat up a bit and looked down at him. "I need to be completely honest with you then...My name...it's not Chiles Stanton...and I'm not from Texas..." The smile that came to his lips was wide, did he know? How? "I know...Blair Waldorf from New York, right? Watch the news, I pay attention...I also know Miss Dallas." Blair wanted to be angry, but he looked at her with his eyes honest. "I'm not going to tell anyone, but when it's just you and me...you're Blair...and I'm Beau." Blair nodded, "Deal."
He cupped her face and smiled. "So...was that story about the earrings true?" Blair nodded, "Yes...that part was very true..." He nodded and moved to get up from the bed. "Come on...we have to get ready to go to Dallas." Blair nodded and moved to get up throwing on her clothes quickly.
When they were finally alone in her dressing room he handed her a small blue velvet box. Her breathing was unsteady as she opened the box finding two diamond star shaped earrings in the box. "You can't afford these." Blair knew that he couldn't trying to hand them back to him. "Don't worry about that." He handed them back to her smiling all the while. "I can't take these." He stared into her eyes, "Put them on, Blair. I want to see them on." Sighing she quickly turned to put them on. "Better than gold balls?" She nodded. "Yeah..."
She was taking it in when he said, "I'm leaving after this show. Heading to California." Blair looked at him. "Why?" He ran a hand through his hair softly. "There's an opportunity for me out there. And you...if your interested." She bit her lip. "What about Music? That's where you belong." He shook his head. "Nope, we can go and sing at the bar that just lost it's Saturday night lineup. We could write during the day...and make an album. You never have to go back to New York unless you want to."
New York...she hadn't thought about it since he had brought up her past. She sighed, "I've never been to California before." He smiled brightly, "So come with me..." She nodded before kissing him. "Okay..."
A stage hand came in to tell them that it was time for Beau's Set. Blair had thoughts of New York running in her head. Beau left and Kelly came in saying that she had some things she wanted to tell her. Blair wrote down everything she said...even though she knew some of it. Like not drinking anything carbonated. When she said, don't be afraid to fall in love. Blair looked up...it was as if she knew too.
Kelly smiled. "You're going to have to find a way to tell people about your parents cause they aren't school teacher's are they?" Blair felt like she had been caught biting her lip she shook her head. "No." When Kelly went on asking if they had been in Prison before and Blair just went with what Chiles would say. She went with the lie...the only one who needed to know who she was was Beau. And he knew...
When Kelly died, Blair went to her funeral. Off in the distance she could see Beau and his truck, but he didn't come over to her. She wanted to go over to him, but as she started over to him but he was in his truck and gone before she could even get over there. She didn't go back to New York and she didn't claim fame either. She took her time to find herself and finally she made it to California.
Walking into the bar she heard his voice and hoped that she wasn't dreaming. He was finishing Timing is Everything when she pressed her fingers against the door. He said he was going to sing Chances Are when she walked in. He looked up and saw her a grin spread across her lips. "Well God Damn." When he said that he'd like to bring her on stage she walked right over to him smiling knowing exactly what he was doing. The opening cords to Give Into Me rolled off his tongue and she joined in time that look was still in his eyes and she knew...nothing had changed...they're love had remained the same.
"Welcome home, Blair..."