Brooke was laying on Bella's bed flipping through the latest copy of Vogue while her friend tried on various outfits.
"What about this one?" she asked, placing a hand on her hip. Brooke looked up.
"I like it. I still prefer the fourth one though. Maybe the fourth dress with the shoes you're wearing now and the bag your mom got you for you birthday?"
"The Coach one? Hmmm…. You know, that could actually work! Really well in fact! I'll try it to be sure." Brooke smirked and went back to her magazine while Bella rummaged through her shelf of handbags.
"Et voilá! Qu'en penses-tu?" she asked in perfectly accented French.
"Très chique! I love it. What about you?"
"I really like it. Good job B."
"Your mom taught me well," Brooke shrugged with a smile.
"So where are you and Javi going?"
"I don't even know, he wouldn't tell me! He barely agreed to tell me the dress code which was dressy/casual!"
"I bet it's somewhere gorgeous though! I mean it is your one year anniversary!" Brooke swooned (In fact, she knew exactly where they were going seeing as Javier had texted her for her opinion.)
"On that note, how's Ethan?" Bella asked, slipping into a pair of pyjamas before plopping herself onto the bed beside her friend. Brooke shrugged.
"I don't really know. I mean, we went to the movies that one time and we've hung out together after school four or five times but I'm not sure what we are exactly. I think I might be okay with us just being good friends though, for now at least."
"You are barely fifteen," Bella agreed. The two fell into a comfortable silence until Bella broke it by bouncing up and down suddenly.
"Ohmigod I forgot to tell you!" she whispered loudly.
"What?" Brooke asked eagerly.
"Mom and I were having lunch the other day and her phone was on the table and I happened to glimpse messages from a guy called Kevin. I couldn't read them but naturally I was intrigued so i took her phone later on and had what was intended to be a quick flick through them- Brooke I think she likes him as in date likes him! They seemed kind of flirty or something!"
"What?!" Brooke shrieked. "Oh my God how could you forget to tell me that?! Who is he? How do you feel about it? Do you know what he looks like?!"
"No but I'll creep on her Facebook later and see if I can find anything. And I don't know, for a while I was kind of surprised but then I thought, hey, Dad has been dead for four years now, and Henry and I are home less and less… I think if she's ready than I have no objections- provided he's a nice guy, and he doesn't have kids I have to deal with! I mean, I want her to be happy, and four years is a while to be alone…"
"Hmm yeah, I guess," Brooke mused, thinking of her dad.
"And also I expect her to talk to us before she actually dates him, you know? But I'm happy for her…. Has your Dad ever mentioned moving on and dating someone else?" she asked tentatively.
"Whenever he's asked about it he's dismissive but now that you say it, maybe he's ready. I mean, it has been six years, and he's never so much as mentioned anything to Darcy or I. I hope we'er not the reason he's holding back…"
"Mmm…. Anyway, did you see Lauren on page six? Mom was raging!" Bella giggled, changing the subject.


Darcy was at dance class when Brooke finally got her Dad alone for long enough to talk about the whole dating situation. Her father was in his study so she went in with the irateness of offering to make him coffee.
"Hey Brookie, what's up?" Dan smiled, looking up from the keyboard.
"Nothing, just wondering if you wanted a coffee or anchoring?"
"Thanks sweetie, I think I'm okay for now. How was school today?"
"Good. We started Compositions today in English," Brooke answered, idling running her fingers along the spines f Dan's many books.
"Oh very nice. That was always my favourite," Dan said reminiscently.
"Mmm…"
"Everything okay?" Dan asked, noticing his daughter seemed distracted.
"Daddy, have you ever thought about dating again?" she blurted out suddenly. "Because if you have you know Darcy and I would be fine with it. We'd be happy for you I mean," she continued quickly.
"What?" Dan asked in surprise. "Where is this coming from?"
"Well it's just that Bella mentioned her mom might start dating again, and I wanted you to know that if the reason you haven't is because of us then don't worry, we're happy as long as you are."
"Well I- The thing is- Thanks. But you know, different people take different amounts of time and are at different stages in their lives. I didn't date because it was what felt right to me, both for my own reasons and because of you two. But yeah, I mean, maybe I'll decide soon that I am ready so thanks Brooke. It means a lot that you've thought about this and are giving me your blessing," he said, standing up from his chair and pulling his eldest into a hug.
"I love you Dad," Brooke said, voice muffled by her father's shirt.
"I love you too sweetheart," Dan said, kissing the top of her head. "And I'm so proud of the wonderful person you've become."


"So what's this I hear about you dating?" Dan teased as their phone conversation lulled.
"What?" Blair asked, oblivious to her daughter's snooping.
"Brooke told me today that she supported my decision to date again if I wanted to and said she and Bella had discussed you dating again," Dan explained.
"I haven't said anything to Bella," Bella said baffled.
"Oh. That's odd. Maybe they heard us in the kitchen the other night," Dan suggested, hearing the confusion in her tone. Hearing a bang from upstairs he looked up. He suddenly heard his name being bellowed.
"Sounds like you're needed," Blair said, hearing the shout from her end of the line.
"I'm sorry to leave you hanging," Dn apologised, already making his way upstairs.
"I have two kids too," Blair laughed. "And hey, I'll talk to Bella later and suss things out."
"You do that," Dan agreed. "I gotta go, talk to you later."
"Bye." Blair hung up the phone. Sitting with her mobile clasped in her hand she puzzled over what her friend had said.

"Bella, can you come in here for a sec?" she called, making her way up the staircase.
"Is it important?" Bella called back. "I'm kinda in the middle of something."
"What is it?" Blair asked. "Can I help?"
"Nah, just homework," Bella replied, opening her bedroom door. "I'm coming now." She followed Blair into her room and sat on the bed. "What's up?"
"I was just on to Dan."
"What's new," Bella smirked nervously.
"True," Blair smiled. "Anyway, he told me that Brooke told him that she was ready for him to start dating if that was what he wanted." Bella blushed.
"That's nice of her."
"Isn't it?" Blair agreed. "But the thing is he's never mentioned it. And then he said that you'd told her I might be dating again. Any idea where that came from?"
"I have no idea- Well, um- Okay fine, I saw messages on your phone from I guy called Kevin and I guess they seemed kind of…" she shuddered, "flirty?"
"Well," Blair blushed, "I um… There's nothing going on between Kevin and I at the moment, nor has there been."
"But would you like there to be?" her daughter asked curiously.
"I- You know how much I loved, love your father. I will always love him, no matter what. But I don't want to be alone forever. And I won't be, because I have you guys. But I know that next year you'll be starting college, and your brother will be almost finished and you guys have your own lives to live, which makes me so happy. But it also scares me. My husband is dead, and so is one of my best friends. Who do I grow old with? I guess what I'm trying to ask is how you would feel if I did start to date again? Because I would never want to do anything that made you uncomfortable or resent me."
"Mom I love you. And I want you to be happy. And if that means dating again then I am all for it. You're too young to be alone. If you're ready to date then date. You deserve a second chance." Blair felt tears pricking at the corners' of her eyes and dabbed them with her hand quickly.
"Oh mom, don't cry!" Bella laughed, wrapping her arms around her mother.
"I guess I'm just wondering what I ever did to deserve you, and your brother. Because I was a horrible teenager compared to you," she joked.
"Now that I believe," Bella smirked.
"Hey, do you want to come and watch a movie and eat Ben and Jerry's with me?" Blair asked stroking her daughter's cheek.
"I shou- Yeah, I'd love to," she smiled. "Let me just go put on pyjamas, you go pick a movie."
"Will do. Actually you know what, I'm going put on my pjs too. See you downstairs in five minutes?"
"You bet!" Bella stood and went into her own room again. Hearing her mother close her bedroom door she closed her own and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Javi?" she whispered. Her boyfriend relaxed, coming out of her walk in closet.
"Everything okay?" he asked, sitting on her bed and patting the space beside him.
"I'm so sorry but I think I should be with my mom this evening," she said apologetically. If Javi was disappointed he didn't show it.
"Sure. I should get going anyway. Homework and whatnot. I think I have a test next week I should get studying for... Are we still on for tomorrow night thought?" he asked with a grin.
"You bet! I can't wait! Can you please tell me where you're taking me?" Bella begged.
"And ruin the surprise? You wish!" he joked, standing up and making his way to the door. "Is the coast clear?"
"Mom is in her room and Henry is at soccer practice."
"Well in that case, I'll take my leave. See you tomorrow," he half whispered, hand on the doorknob.
"See you tomorrow. Love you," Bella said, leaning in and kissing her boyfriend sweetly.
"Te amo," Javi replied tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, before sticking his head out of her door and looking right and left before darting down the stairs and frantically pushing the elevator button. Thankfully it was only a few floors down so it came quickly before he could be discovered. Bella meanwhile changed from her Constance uniform and into her pyjamas and slippers.
"Ready sweetheart?" Blair asked, sticking her head in the door.
"Yep." She flicked off her light switch. "Hey mom? I love you." Blair smiled at her daughter, who was the perfect mix of herself and Chuck.
"Oh sweetheart, I love you too. And by the way? Tell Javier to say goodbye next time."
"Wha- How did you know?" Bella asked blushing furiously. Blair laughed.
"Oh please, I was seventeen once. But I hope nothing-"
"Stop talking," Bella said, turning beetroot. "We didn't- We haven't..."
"Well if you ever do want to talk about-"
"Mom please stop!" her daughter begged, mortified.
"I just want you to be able to talk to me because I couldn't talk to my mother about these things at your age... Or any age."
"Okay but please can we change the subject?"
"Sure," Blair agreed. "What movie will we watch?"


AN: Apologies for the hiatus, anyone who reads this will know that I'm unfortunately not a very reliable updater (hence my preference for writing oneshots. which I only realised after starting this multi-chapter). I know there was no Dan/Blair interaction really in this chapter but I felt it was important that we see Blair with her kids as well as Dan with the girls. Anyway, I'm so grateful to those of you that are still reading this, and I'd love to know what you think!