AN: At the end of the chapter.


As the kaleidoscope of colors clears and the rapid spinning finally slows to a stop, Blair struggles to sit up. She lets a hand come up to her face in a failed attempt at blocking out the sunlight streaming through the open curtains. Squeezing her eyelids as tight as she can, she rolls toward the middle of the bed, attempting to bury herself in a mountain of pillows but fails. Instead of finding a deliciously comfortable cloud to sink into, she hits something solid.

She forces her bleary eyes open and stifles a scream as she sees tanned skin and a head of dark, unruly curls. "What the fuck?"

She sits up and clutches the sheets to her, glancing down to confirm that at least she's clothed lest she need to defend herself from the partially (and hopefully not fully) naked man beside her. She tentatively watches the stranger rouse himself from the fog of sleep, her breath caught in her throat. As he sits up fully, rubbing a hand over his forehead, a stream of memories enters her consciousness. "Where-"

He stops short as he looks at her in alarm, then with recognition. "Blair,"

As he says her name, his comes back to her. Dan. The guy with the book at the bar. Why the hell was she in bed with him? "What are you doing in my room?"

Upon asking the question, she realizes this isn't her room either. Because Serena isn't here and it's far larger than the one they had booked. This room is impressively at least 1,000 square feet bigger than the one she had slept in last night.

"I think- I- Oh, god." A hand is scrubbing over his features as though trying to wash away a memory. He slides out of bed and pulls on a shirt before turning to look at her. "I think we got married last night."

"What?" Blair stands up before feeling a sudden wave of dizziness and easing back down on the edge of the bed. She's about to tell him that's absurd but then she glances down at her hand and sees a platinum diamond eternity band resting on her ring finger. "Water, I need- Water. I think-" She covers her dry mouth. "I think I might be sick."

A bottle of Evian is handed to her and she easily downs half of it. She looks up to see Dan watching her in consternation. "Are you okay?"

She nods, "Thank you."

Feeling marginally better, she stands and looks around for something to wear other than the lacy chemise she has on. She finds a terry cloth robe hanging in the closet courtesy of the hotel and puts it on, figuring it's better than last night's discarded party dress on the floor. "I think I need a Vicodin before I can even begin to process this. Or at least an aspirin. And maybe a Bloody Mary. Toast, too."

"Is that all?" Dan smirks and Blair glares at him. Great, she married someone whose sense of humor never flees him, even during the most inappropriate of times.

"I'm so glad you find this all so amusing," Blair says sharply before reaching over to the phone on the nightstand. She dials and then speaks hurriedly into the phone. "What the fuck, Serena?"

"Good morning, newlywed." Serena sings brightly, then lowers her voice as she speaks in conspicuous tones. "How was the consummation?"

"S, this is not funny. What the hell did you let me do?" Blair barks angrily through the phone line. "I blame you for this fucking mess I woke up to that I have yet to even get the full scope of. So you can bring me up a change of clothes, the strongest pills you can find in your suitcase, and my phone. And wallet."

"Jeez," Serena stifles a laugh. "I'll be there in a minute."

"Don't you need my room number?" Blair asks in a rush before Serena can hang up.

"There's only one honeymoon suite, I'll find it." Serena replies and the line goes dead.

Dan is pacing the room, now looking just as anxious as she is. He apparently didn't lose his phone in the chaos of last night and is scrolling through it, as though seeking answers.

Blair eyes him, "So I take it your memory is less foggy than mine. Tell me what you know,"

He stills and nods slowly. "I remember," He pauses. "I remember sitting at the bar reading. You said something to me about the ambiance and then walked away a minute later. You, uh, you came back an hour or so later. You bought us drinks, we talked, this is where it gets hazy. I think you said we should go explore the city or it was a game-"

"A scavenger hunt," It starts to come back to Blair. "To find the most quintessential Vegas-landmark."

"Right," Dan agrees. "Then, we walked for a while until we got to-"

"The Little White Chapel." They say in unison with equally morose expressions.

Blair doesn't need him to continue because it all hits her in stunning clarity. She freezes in the middle of the room as the memory plays out. They had stood in front of the chapel and she had subtley quoted Breakfast at Tiffany's, predicatably. She had always thought it was utterly romantic that Holly Golightly had gotten married on a whim, no wonder she jumped so quickly into the dare without another thought. The Blair from last night probably thought she was only making her own narrative more cinematic.

"Fuck," Blair says, at last, sinking onto the edge of the bed.

"Yeah." Dan looks just as wrecked as she does.

There's a knock on the door and Blair rushes to it. She flings it open with her fiercest glare. "This is your fault."

"B," Serena smiles sweetly. "The game was your idea. You're the one that insists on high-stakes dares-"

"Sorry, 'dares'?" Dan asks from across the room, watching them.

"He doesn't know?" Serena raises an eyebrow.

"Give me that," Blair ignores her question and takes her weekender bag from Serena's arms. "Meet me down in the restaurant in fifteen. Save us a table,"

"Sure, I'll ask if they have any newlywed breakfast specials too. Maybe they have a table shaped like a heart for you two," Serena is kicked out of the room with a firm shove by Blair.

"I'm going to change and then we are going to figure out how the fuck to get out of this mess, over breakfast. In the meantime, please do some research to see if Tesla has invented a time machine yet. Because I could really use a redo of last night." With that, Blair slams the door to the bathroom.

She emerges fifteen minutes later with minimal makeup, a pair of dark skinny jeans, and a black cashmere sweater. Her monochromatic look is a perfect representation of her mood. Dan is lying on his back on the bed, fully dressed, with a glum expression on his face. Although she may not know his address or even his coffee preference, she at least knows that at this moment he is feeling exactly the same as she is.

"Come on," She instructs, grabbing her bag and opening the door for them to leave the room.

He does as he's instructed and follows her into the elevator. She presses the button for the restaurant while Dan leans into the wall with a heavy sigh. "How am I going to tell my parents? I have twenty texts from them asking where I am and what I did last night."

"That's your concern right now?" Blair's face creases. "Dan. We got married. On the very ground Britney fucking Spears once stood on. This is a mistake of colossal proportions."

The elevator descends and Blair's eyes widen suddenly. "I don't even know your last name!"

"It's Humphrey," Dan informs her calmly.

"Oh, god," Blair covers her mouth. "Humphrey? Thank god name changes aren't part of the whole marriage package. I think I'd change my first name if that was the case because the name Blair would forever be ruined if rejoined by the last name of Humphrey."

Dan looks offended and she feels a tiny prick of regret. His tone is sarcastic as he replies in a mumble. "Thanks,"

"Sorry," She says weakly before another couple enters the elevator. They fall silent as more people enter the elevator at the next floor. Once they reach the restaurant, they collectively step out, both with a sense of foreboding looming over their minds. Blair hands her bag to the hostess to be checked and gives her Serena's name. The hostess shows them to a table with all her friends already seated and she and Dan take the last two open seats.

"Congrats, Blair!" Nelly beams like a complete and total idiot. Penelope elbows Nelly sharply so Blair doesn't have to admonish Nelly herself. Instead, she simply levels her with a scowl.

"On the bright side," Serena attempts cheerfully, "Cyrus can probably get you out this, right?"

Blair sets her head in her hands, ignoring the menu being passed at her by Kati who sports a sympathetic expression. "Yes, ugh, but that means telling my mother."

"Who's Cyrus?" Dan asks from beside her.

"My stepfather, he's a lawyer." She explains further. "An entertainment lawyer slash former divorce lawyer, but he still has the necessary qualifications to issue an annulment."

"Annulment," Dan repeats back like it's a foreign word.

"Yes," Blair stares back. "Annulment. Of course. What? Did you think we were going to stay married?"

"Of course not." Dan says a little too sharply just as the waitress arrives. They all put in their food orders and then descend into another uncomfortable silence.

Blair didn't need to glance at the menu to know that the only thing her stomach could handle right now was bland oatmeal. The coffee she also ordered will probably only make her feel worse but copious amounts of caffeine are necessary to process the calamity of last night.

"So Dan, how much longer are you in Vegas for?" Serena puts on her most conciliatory of tones. The way she's peering between them makes Blair feel like she's a live soap opera.

"I fly back to New York, tomorrow morning." He glances at Blair. "I'm supposed to at least."

Blair though is staring at him like he just said he's Jupiter-bound because what she just heard cannot be right. "New York?"

"Yes," Dan confirms in consternation. "I live in Brooklyn. We never asked each other where we live, did we?"

Blair shakes her head. "I live on the Upper East Side."

"OMG!" Kati claps her hands together in wonder.

"I guess you guys don't need that annulment after all," Penelope remarks sarcastically. "Sounds super meant to be."

Blair shoots them all withering glares before turning back to Dan a little more relaxed than before. "That will make the legal process easier. We can just handle it back in the city. What time is your flight tomorrow?"

"Seven," Dan takes a sip of his coffee and Blair follows suit.

Blair looks at him, deciding. "So it wouldn't really make a difference if you left tonight instead, would it? Because if you were on my flight, we could get the process started. I can call my stepdad and find out what the first steps are. Then by the time we're back in New York, we'll be practically annulled."

"I don't think that's how it works, Blair. The legal pro-" Nelly pipes up and is quickly shushed with one glance from Blair.

"I guess," Dan replies hesitantly. "I mean I'd have to tell my parents. I'd have to switch my flight too-"

"I'll take care of the flight." Blair waves that concern off. "Just give me your original flight number, legal name as in whatever's on your ID, and I'll call the airline to inform them of your flight change."

"Daniel Randolph Humphrey." A collection of giggles break out at this and Blair gawks at Dan.

"Randolph?" She places her hand on her forehead. "I thought it couldn't get worse, but of course it did."

"What's your middle name then?" He challenges.

"Cornelia," Blair announces primly, folding her hands in front of her.

He raises an eyebrow, "That's just as bad. You realize that, right?"

"No, it's not."

"It really is."

"Okay!" Serena cuts in cheerily, with a wave of her mimosa flute. "It's too soon for you two to be fighting. You haven't even gone on your honeymoon yet!"

Dan and Blair each look over at her cuttingly and she makes an apologetic expression. "Alright, no wedding jokes, I get it."

"Thank god, the food is here." Isabel sighs in relief as the waitress makes her way with a huge tray of food. The distraction is a welcome reprieve from bickering, Blair decides, letting her focus shift away from her temporary husband.

After breakfast, Blair calls the airline and gets Dan booked in first class with her. Dan meanwhile goes to talk to his parents who she thankfully won't have to meet given that they're staying in a different hotel. She waves him off as he climbs into his taxi and watches the yellow car speed away with the man that is now properly known as her husband. Pushing away that though, she heads in the direction of her room. With the flights taken care of, all that's left is packing.

As she's attempting to zip her stuffed suitcase, Serena stands before her looking apprehensive. "You aren't really mad at me, are you?"

Blair doesn't bother to look up as her whole body tenses. "Of course, not. It was a game."

"B, I can tell when you're lying." Serena steps closer. "I didn't think you'd go through with it. But at least Dan doesn't seem so bad, he's cute, too."

That forces Blair to look up, sharply. "He's a stranger, S. I didn't even know his last name until this morning. And he's from Brooklyn!"

"Why did you choose him? Out of everyone in this city." Serena pushes down on Blair's suitcase with her Pilates-toned arms so it'll zip.

The suitcase closes and Blair stands, her hands on her hips. "He sat next to me at the bar earlier that night. It was easier than picking someone completely random."

Serena nods and stands up her own suitcase, grabbing the handle. "At least he's been easygoing about this. It should make the annulment stress-free."

"Really, Serena?" Blair feigns thoughtfulness. "You know that you mention, I have been overreacting about this whole thing. Being married to a stranger is NBD…" She glares. "My mother is going to kill me, by the way."

"It'll be kinda funny though, won't it?" Serena gives Blair a tentative smile. "I know how much you love horrifying your mom. This will top the time that you told your mom you were considering a state school."

Blair can't help but laugh in accordance and a fraction of her irritation dissipates. "She might have a heart attack when she finds out. Maybe I should find out her cholesterol levels to be safe before I tell her."

"See," Serena bumps her hip playfully. "There's a bright side, after all."

After gathering up their bags, the two head for the elevators. Blair hopes Dan is waiting for them on his floor as she instructed earlier. If she married someone unpunctual, well that might just be what makes her snap.

The elevator dings and Dan is waiting at the floor below. His duffel bag is slung over his arm and he gives her a polite smile as he steps in. "Ready?"

She is about to retort, having already conjured up about twenty different scathing responses ranging in length. But as she looks into his warm brown eyes, she cannot help but think that maybe, just maybe, this isn't so bad after all.


TBC...

Hope you all liked this chapter :) Thanks for reading!

Of course, a thank you is also owed to my beta, ASadAir!