A/N: Sorry I've been so bad about updating lately guys! I'll have some time over break and hopefully get some other chapters up, but in the mean time, at least I've updated this one! I was really happy with the response I got after posting it so I will definitely be continuing. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed and or complimented my writing in some way. It means so much to me. For the person who asked about Blair's pregnancy/ the divorce, that will be explained in this chapter!

xoxo Gia

A few days after his estranged ex-wife's party, he received a text informing him that W would like to write a piece about Risa Rogers as New York's newest talent and style icon. Dan immediately jumped to the conclusion that this was all some scheme on Blair's part to humiliate his new girlfriend, but the journalist checked out as credible so he passed the message along to Risa.

"Do you think I should do it?" A proud grin was plastered over her face as she browsed the fridge, settling on a vanilla yogurt.

Dan sat at his computer with Ella on his lap, babbling loudly. He looked up and smiled. "I think it's a great opportunity for you."

"Yeah?" She tilted her head to the side, "Honestly, I really wanted to do it. I just didn't know if it'd be too weird for you, working with your ex-wife."

"I don't think you'll even see her. She's really busy and doesn't involve herself in magazine pieces very much anymore."

Dan couldn't help but notice the look of disappointment that passed through Risa's eyes. He hated to think that his new girlfriend admired his ex-wife so much that she wanted to spend more time with her for any reason other than being forced against her will.

"You just," she started, "You said she used to edit your short stories. I was going to see if she could help with my new prison piece."

Risa had listened to the arguments. Back when they were still in "friend" territory, she had listened to his fights with Blair about where Ella would stay for holidays. She'd witnessed the broken promises and Blair manipulating him, using W as a buffer. She was at the New Years Eve party when Blair kissed one of her interns in front of more than fifty people and then snuck off to Lily's bedroom with him.

How Risa could want to form any sort of bond with Blair, professional or personal, Dan would never understand.

"I don't think she gets a lot of joy out of helping people with their writing anymore," he said and he felt like a dick for shooting down her idea again, but he believed it was for the best.

Dan was always doing what he thought was best.

He sometimes wondered if he'd made a mistake, asking Blair for a divorce. If she wasn't his soulmate, then he wasn't sure if soulmates existed. Was he selfish for leaving her? He asked himself that question frequently. He put his own happiness above Blair's, something he never thought he would do. But he genuinely thought that their separation would bring her happiness too.

After getting married, they had changed. Something had shifted within them. Maybe they had tried to grow up too fast. All he had known was that things weren't right between them, and he wasn't sure they could be fixed. Maybe that was what Blair held against him the most. He gave up.

"Sorry I brought it up," Risa shrugged and dropped her yogurt in the trash. Dan set Ella down on the ground and walked over to his girlfriend, letting his hands rest gently on her small waist.

He kissed along her jaw gently before meeting her eyes again. "Should I be offended that you'd rather have my ex-wife look over your story than me?"

"No," Risa huffed and pushed his chest away gently, "I just don't understand how you two can manage a professional relationship, but she and I can't."

Dan rolled his eyes. "Why don't we cross that bridge when we come to it?" He sighed deeply. "Besides, you're using the word "manage" very loosely."

They were always fighting. W had offered him a position writing opinion pieces and Blair waited weeks to tell him, hoping he wouldn't even find out about it. She didn't want to share W. Dan had refused the position for Blair's sake, if nothing else. Luckily his novels kept him busy enough that he didn't care about losing extra work.

Yet they were always being shoved together. Blair was always forced to consult Dan about his book releases and sometimes parties for his close friends. He would suggest eggshell table cloths and Blair would hiss that ivory would look better with the floral arrangements. Sometimes he wondered if she argued with him just for the sake of arguing.

"I'm just saying, she's a good connection to have," Risa pecked him on the lips before leaving the kitchen to take a shower. Dan was half tempted to join her if he didn't think she was pissed at him. Instead he walked to the living room and sat down on the carpet. Ella toddled over to him and shoved a toy giraffe in his face.

Dan laughed and took the toy in his hand. "Who is this?"

"Jaffy," she smiled, falling comfortably into the fold of his leg. "Jaffy, jaffy, jaffy."

He ran his fingers through her soft brown hair and laughed again. With the mess of their relationship, Dan was thankful for how beautiful and happy their daughter had grown to be. After the divorce she was the only thing good in his life.

"When mommy?" Her brown eyes looked up at him. She had her mother's eyes.

"Mommy will come soon."

Blair took Mondays off to spend the entire day with Ella since she was constantly overwhelmed with work the rest of the week, and Dan had her Friday-Sunday.

So when the door bell rang and he was greeted with Carter Baizen standing on his step, Dan was not pleased.

"Carter!" (Although Ella couldn't pronounce her r's, so it came out as Cawtuh)

"Hello beautiful," Carter lifted her into his arms and grinned his cheesy fucking grin that Dan hated ever since he showed up for tea when they were sixteen years old.

"No, no, no," Dan shook his head, letting Carter step into the house. "This was not the deal. Blair picks up Ella on Mondays, not her f-u-c-k buddy of the moment."

Carter snorted a laugh and Ella patted his face gently. "Hey, at least we f-u-c-k consistently. That shows commitment."

"If Blair's too busy to take care of her daughter today, that's fine. I can drop her off tomorrow."

"She had a last minute meeting and should be done in an hour. She just didn't want you and Risa to be stuck here if you had other things to do."

Dan couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment at how happy Ella was around Carter. Sure, she liked spending time with Risa, but that was because Risa was nice and fun to be around. He couldn't imagine the same was true for Carter, and yet, Ella seemed to think so.

"Fine," Dan started slipping Ella's shoes on and let out a deep sigh. "But call me as soon as you get to the penthouse. And no sugar, she's already had enough today."

"I got it."

Ella kissed Carter's cheek and clapped her hands. Dan flinched.

"Don't worry, Humphrey. She knows who her father is," Carter laughed and grabbed Ella's bag, making his way to the town car.

"Very funny, Baizen." He rolled his eyes and Carter put Ella in the car, sliding in next to her.

When Blair had initially gotten pregnant, it was during their period of separation. The three of them were uncertain if the baby was Dan's or Carter's. When the paternity test identified Dan as the father, he wanted to be disappointed, but he couldn't help but be thrilled about the idea of Blair having his baby. She was still the love of his life, after all.

As soon as Dan was back inside, he dialed Blair's office.

"Sorry, Mr. Humphrey. Ms. Waldorf is still in her meeting."

"Can you have her call me as soon as she's out?"

"After the meeting she's called the car around so she can go straight home to see her daughter," the assistant cleared her throat, "Your daughter."

Dan hung up.

"It wasn't so much that he wanted to replace her. No, that wasn't it at all. Rather, he wanted to not want her because everything in his head was begging him to stay the fuck away while everything in his heart was just begging him to stay." (pg. 45)

The next day was the interview and Dan had hesitantly agreed to escort Risa to the W offices for moral support. As soon as they arrived on the correct floor, people started flocking around and Dan noticed Blair at the back of the crowd, smirk on her face.

"Jenna Williamson, I'll be interviewing you," the peppy redhead stuck her hand out to Risa and Dan smiled as they both made their way to the conference room. He stood awkwardly for a few moments. For once, the hype was not centered around Dan and his writing. It may or may not have bothered him.

Blair approached him after everyone cleared out and smiled. "Keep me company. I need your opinion on the McQueen tribute party."

Dan rolled his eyes and followed her down the long hallway that he used to chase her down, hands sliding up her skirt before stumbling into her office. There was a time that he couldn't help but grab any part of her in his reach. They would barely make it into her office before her blouse was ripped open, her skirt hiked up around her waist. It bothered him that those urges still lingered as he followed her now.

"I'm sorry for sending Carter yesterday. That was terribly irresponsible," Blair looked at him apologetically and he found himself narrowing his eyes back at her. "What?" She asked innocently.

"You never apologize," he laughed. "About anything. Ever."

"Well then you should revel in this moment. It won't happen again."

Dan smiled. "Carter picking up Ella or you apologizing?"

"Both."

"Speaking of Carter, have you two considered having an actual relationship? I mean, it might make things easier to understand for our two year old daughter."

Blair laughed and shook her head, organizing a few files on her desk.

"I'm not going to have a relationship with Carter."

"Why not?" Dan asked.

She shrugged simply. "I'm still in love you with you,"

"What?" his breath caught in the back of his throat.

Blair pulled a book from her shelf, opening it carefully. Her eyes skimmed the pages until the finally found the passage she was searching for. Dan rolled his eyes when he realized she was looking at his first book, Inside.

Blair cleared her throat and quoted the page, "the feeling of loving her; limbs heavy, heart bruised, a dizziness that comes with the bubbles of champagne… or a kick to the spine. Page seventy four."

"That was a long time ago, Blair," Dan sighed and part of him felt incredibly sad. "I don't feel that way anymore."

"Are you sure?"

He doesn't answer her.

Dan stood in the background as Randolph, the photographer snapped countless pictures of Risa posing in ridiculous outfits that Dan didn't think she'd ever wear.

There were some days he didn't think he'd ever understand the fashion world.

But she looked beautiful nonetheless and as a few interns whispered about her next to him, he couldn't help but feel a tad jealous. For once, the crowd at W wasn't pushing him for details about his next novel or begging him to join their writing staff. It may be selfish, but he had gotten used to the popularity his book and short stories had brought him. It's the same notoriety he never experienced in high school.

Risa stuck another pose and then waved to him excitedly and he grinned back, glancing over his shoulder as Blair's heels came clicking into the room.

They both watched the photoshoot in silence for a few minutes and Dan didn't think he'd ever fully understand his relationship with Blair. Even when they were dating, he was constantly stumbling over himself to clarify whether she was actually his girlfriend or just the girl he took to dinner and fucked when she let him.

"She looks good," Blair nodded in Risa's direction.

"She does."

"She's no Blair Waldorf," She said quietly, dryly.

Dan smiled, eyeing her carefully. "Well, there can only be one, after all."

There was something about Blair's close proximity that sent the hairs on his neck straight up. He desperately hoped there would be a day when he didn't feel the nervous, excited, gripping, sexual tension that always seemed to radiate when she was near. If they were still together, he would've taken her on the desk in her office by now.

Thank god those days were past them.

"Stop staring at my lips, Humphrey," Blair snapped, somewhat amusedly. "People around here will get the wrong idea about us."

Dan regained focus and laughed nervously. "I think most of the people around here already have the wrong idea about us."

"They don't know us," Blair said softly.

Those words tortured Dan the entire way home.