Chapter 2

What was he doing? He wasn't sure anymore. After Blair told him she was done he was lost. When he was invited to the masquerade night he thought maybe, just maybe someone wanted him. Someone had invited him to this and he was curious and slightly excited that someone had thought of him, well someone other than Blair. Again she came into his mind. She had been doing that a lot lately. The memories were killing him. So to help get her off his mind he found a distraction. Elle. She was beautiful, older and a seductress. He thought she would do the job. That was until she started to tell him about his dad and how she had meant to invite Bart Bass, and not his son. Then she just became another money hungry slut. And he could tell one when he saw one, lord knows he had met enough in his life. What the fuck was he doing??? She wasn't there for his money. Shit she was there when he was a mess, hanging out with other women. She wasn't stupid he knows she knew what he was doing. And still! She was there, holding her hand out welcoming him in supporting him, throwing him parties. And what did he do?? Fuck everything up, seems to be his specialty these days. What was he going to do now? Here he is alone, lonely, and missing something in his life. Something, or should he say someone that was the most important thing to him. Blair. Why can't he tell her how he feels? Why!? He was scared. Well he was done being scared he was done being alone. It was time. It was time he went and got his girl back.

The table erupted with laughter. "Blair it is so good to see you again! I did miss your stories!" James Vanderbilt spit out through his laughter.

"Mr. Vanderbilt thank you! It has been my pleasure!" she laughed back. "Please Blair call me James. Nathanial it is so good of you to invite Blair over for dinner while I am here. I must say I was worried about you, but this confirms you have your head on straight," James Vanderbilt expressed as he patted his grandson on the back.

Blair looked at Nate and he had the biggest grin on his face. She smiled at the handsome expression that her being here gave him. It was so nice to see that smile. Heck it was nice to see any smile. It had been a while since she had seen a man smile in her company, and it felt good. It was warming and nice.

After dinner everyone dispersed to the sitting room. Nate mother and his grandfather had already gone into the room when Nate grabbed Blair's arm. "You are amazing!! I can't believe it. You would think I was the Vanderbilt poster child! I tell you my grandpa seems like he is on cloud 9!"

"Oh Nate please" she smiled "it was nothing, I am just a girl of many talents and getting families to adore me just happens to be one of them."

"Well you have outdone yourself this time I must say" Nate stared at her for a moment after he spoke. "It feels good doesn't it?"

"What feels good Nate?" She knew what he meant, but wanted to hear him say it.

"You know us...this... just feels..."

"Familiar" she finished his sentence.

"Ya... exactly. Familiar and nice" he looked down at her and smiled a little corner of the mouth smile.

"Should we complete tonight's mission?" he said to her while motioning with his arm to enter the sitting room.

"Lets" She went first but when she passed by him she couldn't help but look up and smile.

An hour later she was leaving. Everyone wanted her to stay, but it was a school night and she needed to get home. Well that was what she was going to let them believe anyway. Had this been anywhere else and under other circumstances she would have stayed at least another hour or so. But she knew this was important for Nate, so she left early to make herself look more respectable. And it worked. As she was walking about she heard them tell Nate to walk her out and then to come out to dinner Friday night for Grandpa's last night in town before he retreated to his home in the Bahamas's for the rest of the winter.

Nate closed the door behind him and as Blair was putting on her gloves said, "So Friday night? "

"Ya Friday night" she answered him.

She turned to leave when Nate said "Blair?"

"Ya Nate" she sounded slightly surprised.

"I had fun tonight…in there... with you." He sounded slightly nervous.

" Ya I did too Nate" At that moment she felt spontaneous she walked back up the step and put her hands on Nate's shoulders and gave him a small , slightly lingering kiss on the cheek. When she pulled back away she looked at his face and saw his smile. What a nice smile, what a nice kiss. A very nice, sweet, innocent kiss. Innocent kisses. That is going to be what she will expect with Nate... nice, sweet, innocent time. And she looked forward to it because her life had been anything but that lately.

As she started to walk down towards central park to hail a cab she could have sworn out of the corner of her eye she saw a black limo slowly rounding the corner. "Stop being paranoid Blair" she said to herself. "This is only a figment of your imagination."

"What the fuck?" he said to himself. He did not just see what he thought he did. With his new revelation about his life and the expression of love he was about to tell Blair he became a little nervous. The only thing he could think of that would make him feel more confident is to visit his best friend, Nathanial Archibald. But much to his surprise when his limo pulled up to Nate's cross street he screamed at his driver to stop. At that moment he saw the woman he pined after and let slip through his fingers talking with his best friend on the stoop of Nate's house. No not just talking...holy shit. She just leaned into him for a kiss on the cheek. He has to be dreaming because they haven't really spoken unless I am around. What is going on? He wasn't going to let this one go.

Feeling as if someone was following her Blair had almost gotten to the park when she saw a limo pull up beside her. She turned to look and heard "looking for a ride? " Holy Shit.

tbc