So this is just something that came to me today. I hope you guys like it, there should be five more updates on the four other men of Blair Waldorf's life.

Daniel Humphrey: Level 1

Dan didn't love Blair Waldorf, he never had. He actually didn't even like her and sometimes he hated her, but there was a time before Serena, and before the end of sophomore year when she ascended to the role of Queen and became calculating and cruel, that Dan Humphrey had had a brief infatuation with Blair Waldorf.

They had been twelve. Blair was just a doe-eyed brunette that was best known for who she was friends with rather than for herself. She had just started dating Nate Archibald, the golden buy of the Upper East Side, and maybe that had been why his interest had been peeked with the petite beauty. There was something that happened the day everyone found out Blair Waldorf was for a lack of a better term was 'going steady' with Nate. All the girls grew jealous of Blair. All of the sudden boys who'd always been preoccupied with Serena grew envious of Nate for dating Blair; they began to desire her for themselves. Dan had been one of those boys to a much lesser extent.

He had noticed her before, it was hard not to when she and Serena Van der Woodsen were inseparable, and everyone noticed Serena. Even walking in the bubbly blonde's shadow Blair had a way about her. It was calm and regal. Back then she wasn't the manipulative bitch that had sent away Dan's sister. She wasn't an angel; he knew that. She was still elitist, a snob, and yes even then she knew how to make people do what ever she wanted, but their had been an air of innocent sweetness to her; a naïveté that had captivated him for a brief time. Back then her curls weren't always perfect behind her signature headband. Her blouse wasn't buttoned to the top, and she didn't glare when she walked. She looked approachable and nice back then when Dan had cultivated a small crush on the far away brunette. He talked to Blair, long before he'd ever spoken to Serena at that fateful party. It was the only time he hadn't seen her linking arms with Serena or holding hands with Nate or whispering with Chuck Bass, who even at twelve had a dark and dangerous reputation about him.

Dan had gone into the library during lunch to get the only copy of a book that was far beyond his years, but caught his attention like no other. He approached the old, senile librarian.

"I wanted to read the collection of poems by Alexander Pushkin, but I can't find it." He said in his most polite voice.

"If it's not on the shelf then someone must have already borrowed it. I'm sorry Daniel." The librarian knew him by name because he so often spent his lunch break in here. Dan sighed and began to walk away.

"Who at this school would possibly be reading that book?" He asked himself aloud.

"Me." Came a soft voice beside him. He turned over and saw her, the beautiful brunette. Blair hadn't even looked up from the book as she addressed him. She had a pensive look on her face.

"You're reading the collection of poems by one of the greatest Russian writers in history?" Dan asked skeptically

"I believe I already said I was. Dan, right? If you find yourself constantly stating the obvious are you sure you should be reading these poems? They might go over your head." She said in a haughty tone.

"I was reading them yesterday." Dan said sitting across from her.

"And I'm reading them today, I left my copy at home."

"What are you even doing in the library? Don't you have a posse to join?"

"Posse? God you're weird. Why I'm in here is none of your business. We can't all live in this musty room because no one likes us." Her comment stung him and he furrowed his brow at her. "Sorry." She said after taking in his expression. "You caught me on a bad day."

"What happened?" He asked even though he knew he had no right to, but she fascinated him.

"Not that it's any of your business…but who are you going to tell. I'm in here because I'm currently without a single ally at this school." H cracked a smile at how she used 'ally' instead of 'friend'. "I'm glad my misfortune amuses you." Blair huffed.

"I'm sorry its just… you talk weird."

"By weird do you mean educated and mature?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean. Indubitably." He mocked. "But come on, I've seen you around, you have like a hundred friends."

"Those girls aren't my friends. Their just Serena's hanger-ons."

"Well what about Serena?"

"What about her? She is no longer my friend, and neither is Chuck."

"What about Nate?"

"I dumped him." Dan felt bad about how he perked up at this news, but he'd talked to Nate a few times. The guy was a moron, Blair was way to smart to waist her time with a guy like him.

"Why'd you dump him?"

"I dumped him and dismissed the rest of them because today is my birthday and not one of them remembered." She pouted.

"I'm sorry. Happy Birthday!" Dan offered weakly. Blair rolled her eyes at him. "Really, I am sorry. That sucks."

"Whatever, its fine. I can make new friends and find a new boyfriend." Dan bit back his tongue before he offered himself.

"You know Blair, you're really nice actually. I bet a ton of guys would totally want to be your…" Dan was cut off when Nate Archibald appeared at his side. Nate Archibald was tall and chiseled at twelve. He had sandy blonde hair and blue eyes that made every girl swoon over him, Blair Waldorf especially; except this time. This time she refused to even meet his gaze. Blair crossed her arms over her chest, turned her head the opposite direction of Nate and pouted petulantly.

"Blair, come one will you just talk to me." Nate pleaded.

"No." Was her quick and angry response.

" Look just listen. We didn't forget your birthday ok. We were pretending." Blair continued to ignore him. "We're throwing you a surprise party tonight, you can ask Dorota, she helped us plan it. Please don't be mad." Nate continued completely oblivious to Dan's presence. Blair turned to Nate meeting his gaze hesitantly.

"Really? You planned me a party?" Blair asked. The corners of her mouth pulled up into a small smile.

"Well technically Serena, Dorota, my mom and your dad planned it, but I helped invite everyone."

"That's so sweet." Blair said standing up to hug him.

"So you don't hate me?" Nate asked as he pulled her in closer.

"Of course not. I was being silly." Blair responded.

"So we're not broken up?" Nate asked hopefully.

"I guess not, but you better have bought me a really good present." Blair warned playfully. "I have to go forgive Serena."

"Good, she's in the bathroom crying. She totally thinks you hate her."

"Oh I better get over there quick." Blair turned toward Dan who had been listening to the whole interaction very uncomfortably. "Thanks for being so nice to me Dan. I should go."

"Wait." Nate said before pulling Blair into a kiss that was a little to long to be appropriate in public. He soon released her, and Blair Waldorf; the Upper East Side princess disappeared from the library. Nate turned to Dan finally acknowledging his existence. "Oh, hey dude. It was Dan right?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks for keeping my girl company. Blair can be a little dramatic sometimes."

"No problem."

"Ok, cool. Look I'd invite you tonight as like a thank you, but it's a sit down dinner thing and all the places and stuff are taken."

"I understand. Its cool, we just talked for a little bit."

"Well thanks again for doing that."

"Really, its fine. It was my pleasure." Nate seemed to pickup on Dan's interest in Blair from his word choice. It was funny, Dan hadn't pegged Nate for the observant type, but in the beginning of Blair and Nate's relationship Nate had been very aware, and very jealous of almost every boy that talked to Blair. Except for the one boy he really should have been watching that is.

"Well lets hope not too much of a pleasure." Nate said in a threatening tone. "We're back together, you heard her."

"Yeah I did. I didn't mean anything by it."

"Good, so I shouldn't see you sniffing around my girlfriend anytime soon. Or ever." Nate warned.

"Of course not." Dan responded, he hated how he completely backed down to Nate, but come on the guy was huge for his age and on like four sports teams.

"Then we're good." Nate smiled light-heartedly. "Later." Nate strolled out of the library; this was the first and only time he'd ever be in one.

Dan got up from his seat and picked up the book he had originally come in search of. He skimmed across the page she had been reading. It was opened to his favorite poem, "How Sweet It is…". He read the last three lines of the poem, the parallelism not lost on the bright young boy.

O, fairy, why… why have I seen you ever? –

Had known you, I got the Heavens bliss

And cursed my Eden in the flaming fervor.