A/N: Fiiinally I decided to write this. I've been wanting to write a Blyan fanfic for months now, but I never really had time or an idea of how I wanted to write it. Also, I wanted to focus on my Penn and Blake ff, but anyway, here it is. This chapter is set in February 2010, just before GL filming in March. (obviously I took some creative liberties, but that's why it's fanFICTION) Also, I'm not gonna slaughter Penn and Blake in this, as I don't think they had a bad breakup, so it's not gonna be all "I can't stand Penn. I wish I was with Ryan instead" it's a gradual buildup, so be patient!

"Okay. It's fine, Blake. You've got this. Breathe… Breathe… You're prepared; it's gonna be fine," Blake was repeating to herself in the mirror like a schizophrenic. She was about to leave for her first table read for Green Lantern, and never in her albeit short career, had she ever been so nervous. For a start, she hadn't yet met most of her co-stars, including her leading man, Ryan Reynolds, but she also knew she had a lot to prove. She definitely wasn't the most critically-acclaimed actor in the cast, and she had to prove that she deserved this role-to herself, if not to anyone else. Things always seemed to just come to Blake, without her really trying. Sure, she'd fought for the role of Krista in The Town, but other than that, things had gone pretty smoothly for her, and people had picked up on it. She was all too aware that most people didn't think much of her as an actress, and if she was being honest with herself, it got to her. Even though she didn't always want to be an actress, now that she was one, she gave it everything she had. To put your all into something, and still be told that you're good for nothing but your body was hurtful.

She always said she'd never Google'd herself, but the truth is: she did… most days. It was hard not to. And it became a vicious cycle: she'd type her name in… find some disheartening article… find a few more… and a few more, until either she got so down on herself that she had to close her laptop, or she had to go because it was her call-time at work. And the next day, she'd do the same thing again- half in the hope that one day, maybe…just maybe, she'd find something positive. Something really positive. Not about her hair, or her body, or her clothes… something that mattered. Something to build her self-esteem. Something that she'd only heard from the people close to her, whose job it was to say these things to her.

Maybe one day…

She shrugged it off, and put her jacket on, grabbed her enormous folder, containing her script and research for the role, and headed out the door. Today was going to be a good day!

New beginnings.

"Hey, nice to meet you. I'm Blake," she beamed at Mark Strong. She was early, and he was the first person to arrive. She'd done her research on all the cast, too, so she wouldn't look stupid. Like when she was filming The Town, and had no idea that Ben Affleck even knew Matt Damon.

"Great to finally meet you, Blake. How are you?" He said in his thick British accent.

"I'm really good. Super excited to meet everyone and finally get started."

"Me too," he smiled. He admired her enthusiasm. There was something about her that put him in a great mood; she had a certain way about her. "You're aptly named, Blake," he laughed a deep laugh.

"Thank you… I think!"

"It's a good thing! I wish I had as much energy so early in the morning."

"I think it's just the adrenaline. Plus, I probably shouldn't say this, but I was really excited to meet you. I loved you in Sherlock Holmes," she said geekily.

"Well that's very sweet of you. I appreciate it."

By 9am, almost everyone had arrived and filtered into the meeting room, and gathered round the large roundtable.

Everyone but Ryan.

While they were waiting for him to arrive, Geoff Johns, the co-producer and creative consultant, used the time to brief the cast, and run them through the plans for the day. Everyone was in high spirits and getting to know each other when Ryan stumbled through the door unceremoniously, dropping his folder on the floor.

"Well, I mean, there you go. That pretty much sums up my morning," he laughed, after a delay of staring at his folder on the ground. "So sorry to keep you guys waiting; my wife was being an asshole. You know, Marvel vs. DC. I think she was taking the whole rivalry a bit too seriously when she slashed my tires."

The room broke the silence with laughter, deciding his good humor excused his tardiness. Ryan put his things down at his seat and went round the table, introducing himself to everyone, before getting back to his allocated seat next to Blake.

"Hi, nice to meet you, Blake. Ryan."

"Hey," she chirped, shaking his hand enthusiastically. "So good to finally meet you."

He sat down, and she caught herself staring at him. It was completely involuntary, and she snapped out of it as soon as she realised, but there was something about his eyes which caught her attention. It wasn't like they were big- in fact, they were quite the opposite, but they were friendly, and honest, and…

And so were her boyfriend's.

'All I know is we said hello, and your eyes look like coming home...

All I know is a simple name... but everything has changed...'

The first half of the table read had gone smoothly, and the cast were let off for lunch. The director, Martin Campbell had instructed Blake and Ryan to spend the lunch hour together, so they could get to know each other better before the group reconvened after the break. There were more team-building activities planned for the afternoon, but considering their roles in the movie, it was most important for Blake and Ryan to be comfortable with each other.

"So, what do you fancy?" Ryan asked as they walked out of the building.

"Sushi?" she proposed.

"Oh no… you're one of those girls."

"What!?"

"Sushi isn't food!"

Blake rolled her eyes at him. "One of those guys, I see," she countered. "How about we avoid our first fight and just go for a burger?" she laughed.

"I think that's probably a smart idea. When it comes to food, I don't mess around."

"Food was my first love," Blake said with a completely straight face. "Don't test me."

They laughed together and headed to the first In-N-Out burger they could find. They were in LA, so they didn't have to walk very far.

Ryan ordered a bacon double cheeseburger, and Blake just played safe with a chicken burger. It wasn't a pissing contest.

Blake got her purse out to pay for her meal, but Ryan quickly handed over the money before she could, grinning at her as he took the tray to go and sit down.

"I was gonna pay for that…" she said matter-of-factly as they sat down.

"Can't let a woman pay. It's not very gentleman-like," he shrugged.

"It's a burger, Ryan…" Blake laughed.

"Just a weird thing I have. Can't let a woman get her purse out… no problem with getting it out for her, if I'm strapped for cash… she just can't get it out herself," he joked.

"Wow. And they say chivalry is dead," she chuckled. "Well, thank you anyway."

"You're welcome. So… my wife's actually a fan of your show," he said whilst trying to keep a straight face. It wasn't exactly his kind of thing. 'Thirty three year old man' wasn't really the target market.

"Oh really?" Blake felt a little uncomfortable at the mention of Gossip Girl. It wasn't that she wasn't grateful, or didn't appreciate the show, because she did. Almost everything she had now, she owed to Gossip Girl. Even her relationship with Penn. The show had given her so much, in so many different ways, and she was extremely appreciative, but it was her reaction when the show was mentioned which gave people the impression that she wanted nothing to do with it, and was embarrassed by it. The truth was: she knew shows like Gossip Girl weren't taken seriously or respected in the grand scheme of things. Sure, at the Teen Choice Awards, she's in her element, and her work is appreciated on that level, but when you're surrounded by Oscar-nominated actors, it's difficult to be enthusiastic about your experiences when they've done so much more. It was one thing Blake really needed to work on internally. She'd accomplished a lot, and she needed to start being able to be more proud of herself for it.

"Yeah, I can't say I watch it with her, but I hear it's a pretty big show."

"Yeah, we're in our fourth season now, so we're doing pretty well," she smiled. She didn't feel intimidated by Ryan. He was really easy to be with. He had a lot to be arrogant about, but he was one of the most humble guys she'd ever met. He didn't take himself too seriously, and she liked that about him.

"Wow, that's great. I was only on Two Guys and a Girl for three years, but it's a blast working on a TV show. It's just that family atmosphere you don't really get on a movie."

"Yeah, it's so much fun. I'm basically paid to be with my boyfriend and my friends all day. It could be a lot worse!"

"Oh, your boyfriend's on the show, too? How does that work out?" he laughed a little, suggesting on-set lovers tiffs.

"Actually, really well," she smiled proudly. "People always wonder how we don't get sick of each other, but I guess if you really love someone, you wanna spend as much time as you can with them. I just think there's something fundamentally wrong with a relationship if you don't enjoy each other's company."

She talks a lot, he thought to himself. Cute.

She was right. The fact that he even assumed Blake and her boyfriend would have problems working together said a lot about his own relationship. He loved Scarlett. He did. But he missed that feeling of wanting to spend every waking hour with the one he loved.

They spent the rest of their hour talking about their interests outside of acting, and Ryan was engrossed by the passion Blake put into her words. He didn't even really need to be listening to her; her body language and her gestures and facial expressions were engaging enough. There was this amused look on his face as he listened to her. She really was something else.

"Your second name is Lively, right?" he asked right after she'd finished gushing about the cake she made last week.

"Yeah… why?"

Ryan smiled to himself. "Nothing… just suits you," he laughed.

"Oh gosh. That's twice in one day. Maybe I should tone it down."

"No, not at all. It's a great thing. Nothing more awkward than trying to get to know a reserved co-star. I'm pretty fucking awful at having any sort of serious conversation, so I'd just like to thank you for laughing at my shitty jokes, and helping my ego."

Blake laughed that trademark laugh of hers, and they got up to get ready to head back. "Well, I'm looking forward to starting filming. I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun."

'Hey babe. How was your day? I hope it all went well. I'll call you tonight. Love you x'

Blake smiled at her phone as she read the text from Penn. She was staying at her parents' home LA for the night, before her flight back in the morning, while Penn was in New York for Gossip Girl. It had only been a couple of days since she'd seen him, but she still missed him like crazy.

'It went really well! Everyone's so lovely, and Ryan's really nice too. I miss you. Can't wait to see you tomo. Love you- B"