Due to some requests and this damn persistent Dair-related muse, I have decided to continue this story, looking at Dan and Blair's relationship from Chuck's point of view. Takes place a week after the previous chapter. And for those new to the Dair fandom who perhaps haven't memorized their every line and interaction, the first part, an extract of Dan's book, is based on episode 3x18. Enjoy!

"Who else could love me after what I've become?" Belle's voice was even and steady, as it always was, throughout the time that Dylan knew her. But he sensed the vulnerability and acute anguish laced within the words, and even more surprisingly, Dylan realized this wasn't actually the first time he had seen the multifaceted inner turmoil of Belle Windsor.

As he walked away, Dylan was struck with the thought that despite Belle being the "Queen" of the Upper East side, and he being but a "Lonely Boy" from the wrong side of the bridge, they were a lot more alike than he cared to think. Though her slate was far from clean, in this instant, her only offense was for loving someone too much. Dylan could relate to harboring such levels of devotion, only to have it thrown back in your face time and time again; the fair-haired beauty delivering his fortuitous blows, still, and always, blissfully unaware of the effects she had on people.

With that in mind, the next time Dylan caught sight of Belle, he followed her longing gaze towards Belle's very own Sabrina: Claude Baylor. With his smooth accent and dark furrowing brows, it was easy for Claude to charm the leggy blonde at the bar. But Dylan could see the sidelong glances Claude casted towards Belle, always making sure that she was enduring through it.

Up until that very moment, Dylan had always believed that Belle and Claude were fated to be with each other, what with their unique ability to stylize superciliousness and flamboyancy, as well as their shared pastime in spreading minor tribulation among the UES. But Dylan quickly came to realize that what the two of them needed was not someone who would only escalate that drama –for they could generate enough strife independently. No, what Belle and Claude needed was someone to stabilize their already embellished lives; someone to ground them when the excitement got too out of control, and to remind them to find happiness among all the 'tragedy' people now tend to associate with 'epicness'.

And so Dylan found himself sliding next to the forlorn Belle, blurting out, "Just to clarify, I do think you deserve to be with someone who makes you happy". She came back with a quick, stinging retort, but Dylan didn't mind.

Because even if Belle believed she didn't deserve to be happy, Dylan thought he ought to let her know that someone in the world believed she did.

Chuck set the book he was reading down onto the table beside him. He realized he had been putting off reading the atrocity for days for good reason. He sat with his head in his hands for a while, before flinging the accused book flying across the room.

"People like me don't write books. We're written about." He had once said, and while he firmly stood by that statement, he could not feel comfortable with the fact that there, his most intimate and precious relationship lay, exposed for all the world to see in an unflattering light, and he had no forum to defend it.

Well, it didn't matter what the rest of the world thought. All that was important was that him and Blair knew that what they had was special and one-of-a-kind and …epic?

to remind them to find happiness among all the 'tragedy' people now tend to associate with 'epicness'.

Chuck shook his head, hoping that it would shake off the biting words of Dan Humphrey. He decided he needed to see Blair. Now.

Riding the elevator up to Blair's penthouse apartment, Chuck mused over the moments he had spent in its close confinements. It was those precious seconds in the elevator, where he spent many a time gathering his courage to open himself up to Blair, or masking his pain as the doors would close and he would walk out with another bitter rejection. Now he used the time to wonder what he hoped to accomplish by seeing her. Not a reconciliation, for he had chosen to let her go. Just a reaffirmation in what they once had. That there relationship really had been great and epic, and it wasn't always just sad and painful. That was all he wanted, right?

Chuck sauntered across Blair's lobby, slightly puzzled to find the absence of a bustling Polish Dorota. Shrugging it off, he moved up the sweeping staircase, but was stopped midway up, by the sight that lay just above him through the gaps in the banister. Dan Humphrey, or Hum-Drum-Humphrey as Chuck preferred, was leaning against Blair's closed door.

"You know I'm prepared to stay out here right?" Dan called through the door, met only with silence, "I brought a bagel which should at least last me through the day if I ration it properly."

Just as Chuck was preparing to intervene, Blair's door swung open, revealing the petite brunette dressed only in her silk robe, lines of weariness and tiredness and profound… grief (? Chuck couldn't quite put his finger on it) etched into her face.

"What do you want Dan? I thought we agreed not to see each other anymore."

From his barred view, Chuck could just frame half her face through the mahogany handrail, and he couldn't help but note how beautiful she was, even bare of any makeup.

"Dorota called me in a panic, telling me that you and Louis were over and that you hadn't left your room all week after you—" Dan broke off, choking on his next words.

"After I what, Dan?" Blair asked coldly, "Go on, spit it out then!" When Dan refused to comply, Blair bit out in a cruel tone Chuck had never heard on her before, "After I miscarried?"

If Chuck had been worried about feeling nothing before, he didn't have to worry about that now. He staggered back down the stairs under the wave of emotions that hit him. Ranging from confusion to pain to anger to resentment to anguish to love and worry; all of it, blow by mighty blow; as if all the feelings he had been trying to accumulate before, came crashing down on him all at once and then some. He clutched at his chest, feeling like he could claw his heart out if it meant extinguishing this excruciating pain.

"—doctors hypothesized it was all the stress I was under of keeping the baby a secret," Blair was babbling, her tone held a strange quality of lifelessness, "between dealing with the royal wedding, then Louis leaving me after I told him about Chuck, Serena avoiding me-"

"Blair-"

"And even you abandoning me-"

"Blair!" Dan took her into his arms, holding her tightly, "I'm so sorry." He murmured into her hair. "I'm so sorry."

Feeling her lack of response, Dan pulled back to take a good look at her. Blair's chocolate eyes seemed vacant and glassed over. He shook her slightly, but kept a firm grip on her shoulders for she seemed so fragile; as if a light breeze could blow her away and take her from him.

"Blair I can't even begin to imagine what you're dealing with, but you need to remember to take care of yourself. God, look at you, you need to eat something. I brought you a smoked salmon bagel, your favourite—"

"It was Chuck's." Blair murmured, looking up at Dan, "It must have been Chuck's. We were being punished for all the bad things we used to do-"

"Blair don't. Don't do this to yourself, I'm begging you. These things happen. Bad things happens to good people everyday. This is not your fault. Hey!" Dan grabbed the point of her chin, forcing her eyes to meet his, "This is not your fault Blair." He repeated seriously.

Her lip quivered. Tears slowly leaked out of the corner of her russet eyes. "Then why have I felt suffocated by this darkness for so long, Dan?"

"Because the world knows that it can throw it your way and you will still get through it Blair." He held her gaze, "You, Blair Cornelia Waldorf, are one of the strongest people I have ever met. I have seen you at your lowest points, and you have always managed to rise above them. And that's why I love you. Shrouded in darkness, but always persevering, remember? Is it lame of me to quote my own book?"

Blair managed to snort through her tears, though it came out more of a sob. Dan cupped her face in his hands.

"And that's why I love you in a way that I never loved anyone before, not even Serena." Dan told her tenderly, stroking her hair, "It's easy to smile when everything in life goes your way, but it's a true testament to those who can smile even when things do not."

Chuck had gathered himself enough to just peek at the scene before him. Blair had managed to give a weak smile, tears still dribbling down her chin. But that small smile spoke volumes to Chuck. And he moved away, feeling like an intruder in the private, intimate moment between Dan and Blair.

Chuck walked away, appreciating that him and Blair indeed shared something great and truly epic; it was an unforgettable and irreplaceable relationship; feelings would always be there between them. It was meant to be… in that time of their lives. When they lived for the games and their lives and bodies were dictated by the height of their passion and fervor. But that passion and love burned so brilliantly and so quickly, that it could never maintain that level of brightness. Maybe the two of them were meant to be some time in the distant future, when they had both grown beyond the darkness and hollowness their relationship had been corrupted with in their youth. But not now.

Now, they needed time and space to grow out of who they once were, to grow into the people they were meant to become, and they were only holding themselves back in desperately trying to cling together. Chuck had let her go more than once before, but never had it been so hard as it was in that moment. For all the other times, even when he pushed her to Louis, on some level deep inside of him, he knew she would eventually come back to him. Now, he didn't know, but he could still hope.

Upstairs, in each other's arms, Dan whispered into her hair, "Waldorf, you are good and beautiful just the way you are." She let the first genuine smile touch her lips in weeks. "So please eat something." He implored, offering his bagel.

Blair took a bite just to placate him, and it seemed to please him, so she tried to swallow another mouthful. "I told Louis about Chuck because you made me realize that I don't want my fairytale to be built on a foundation of lies. I naively thought that if he truly loved me, he could forgive my past mistakes and continue loving me." Blair looked at Dan meaningfully, "After all, it is your past that defines who you really are, and so real love, true love, would be knowing all those faults and loving them anyway."

Dan's eyes searched hers. "I agree." He said slowly.

"Well, I think I can probably get over your poor choice in clothes." She quipped nonchalant, but her eyes were telling.

Blair pondered over having previously lived her whole life wanting the attention scandals brought, as the status one gained on the Upper East Side was in direct relation to the number of hits one got on Gossip Girl; her whole life she had wanted to receive a dramatic proposal on top of the Empire State Building or be engaged to a Prince. But she had gotten all she wanted, and it still hadn't brought her complete happiness. As Blair met Dan's loving gaze, she smiled, slowly coming to realize that it was a brown paper bag containing lunch she had otherwise forgotten; a place of shelter when life got to be too much; and a simple smile, which she needed.

Authors Note: The End. For real this time. In this chapter I really just tried to encapsulate why I think Blair and Dan should be endgame. I just really believe that their relationship is a lot healthier than the 'epicness' of Blair and Chuck. I did it in a way that I hope wasn't demeaning to what Blair and Chuck had, because I can agree that they really loved each other at one point and feelings will always linger there. However, I also think that relationship constricts the characters' ability to grow, as they always seem to resort back to their old tricks in the end when they're with each other. This isn't the fault of any individual character, just that they bring it out of each other. On the other hand, I think Dan and Blair bring out the very best in each other, and all they do is mutually grow together, which is what a healthy, happy and long-lasting relationship should be in my opinion. I know it's not as black and white as I laid it out to be (I could go on and on), and I don't want this to turn into a heated Chair vs Dair argument, however I would be interested in hearing other people's respectful and articulate opinions. Reviews are appreciated!

XOXO