Sorry if you've been waiting for an update! This is so late, I know. I won't bore you with my excuses but let me assure you that I won't abandon this story. Thanks for your patience and please know how much I adore your reviews.

This leads directly off from the last chapter so, I know it's been a while (sorry again!), you may need to refresh your memory.


It was all a little too confusing for Dan. Blair accosting him a Monday morning, so early and unexpectedly, when his defences were at their lowest. It was a challenge to find a suitable response that didn't include just mooning at her.

"Come on. I haven't got all day. You've wasted enough of my time already." The prickle to her words was tempered by the growing smile on her lips. With Blair Waldorf looking ingenuously up at him, all sincerity and charm, he was putty in her hands. Dan could feel his face twisting up into a foolish grin, helpless against the curious little jig his heart was performing in his chest.

His mind tried to take the sensible path. "You know, I really shouldn't, I have class in an hour."

"Are you telling me that despite the fact I missed my class to find you, you will refuse to repeat the favour for me? I'm actually the one doing you the favour, you do realise?" She turned back to the bookshelf. "Maybe mid-terms are more important. Let's forget about it."

"No, Waldorf, of course I'll come. Let's go." She remained still as he picked up his satchel and overcoat from a nearby chair, warily watching his movements. He knew the narrowing of her eyes meant he was perilously close to having her change her mercurial mind on him. "You are very gracious."

As he rejoined her, he tried to catch her eye, but her guard had fallen once more. She turned on her heels and all Dan could do was follow her purposeful exit from the building. Trying to shrug on his overcoat and juggle his satchel as she moved through the swarm of students away from him. He wouldn't lose her, her cherry red coat bobbed like a beacon through the crowd. He could think she was doing it deliberately, just so he could admire the trim line of her ankles and the lilt to her walk. It was so unexpected, Blair's admissions to him. She hadn't laughed him out of the room. She had liked his story. It had made her think. She didn't despise him. In fact he could almost think she was flattered by his words.

She waited for him at the entrance to the library, tapping her foot impatiently on the steps. Dan fell in beside her and they continued together, mutely. She was more mysterious than ever. He was unsure how to handle this new development in their relationship. He knew about veiled like, fascination and relentless provocation…but after expressing, no, admitting their regard for one another, a level of reserve had settled between them. No matter, walking beside Blair in the clear morning sunlight was too great a pleasure to be disregarded.

She broke the silence. "So. If we are to be friends, we need to agree on the terms of engagement."

"Friends, huh? I thought friendship was an organic thing."

Her laugh was derisive. "If friendship is a plant, Humphrey, this one needs to be kept well pruned."

An image of Blair ruthlessly hacking at his father's rose bushes, his old gardening secateurs in her hand, fixed itself in his mind. Mirth undercut his retort. " Uh, I'm not sure the delicate little seedling that is this friendship, if one can call it that, could survive your type of gardening, Waldorf."

Her eyes flickered across to him. "Speak for yourself, the strongest things grow under the most adverse conditions." She took his arm, stilling his lips from uttering the words that sprang to them. "Stop distracting me! There are expectations and obligations that need to be fulfilled. You can't just go and hide in your dorm whenever the inclination takes you. I expect, for a start, for you to escort Serena and myself, with or without Nate, dancing once a week."

"Once a fortnight." He had to dissemble even if it was kind of half hearted. He hadn't danced with Blair since her party a month before and he had missed the opportunity to hold her close.

"A week. You had made such progress with your social niceties but you need more practice. I worry that you are regressing."

"Well, we can't have you fretting about my societal well being. Uh, I want unconditional access to your bookshelf in return."

"Agreed, but the irreplaceable ones do not leave my study, as you are aware. You are so ramshackle, Humphrey."

"I've never lost a book."

"And you will get little opportunity to lose mine." Blair pulled nearer as they stepped out onto the street, the icy February wind seeming to whip straight though them. But the warmth of her hands tucking into the crook of his elbow made it feel like midsummer.

He shifted his satchel, trying to shift her closer into his side without being overt. Happily his ploy worked. "OK, we'll have a regular study date. I'll bring my best manners if you'll get more of those cakes?"

"You have to earn those." She looked up at him, her nose and cheeks rosy in the cutting air. "A study timetable. We need to address where our study overlaps and work out a plan for the rest of semester. Do you have your diary with you? We need to schedule this properly."

"I don't have a diary."

Blair's expression was incredulous. "That is absurd. What is that thing you're constantly scribbling in?"

"I mean, I have a journal, of course, but I don't need an appointment diary, my memory is perfectly fine."

"Yes, Humphrey, for recollecting the mundanely unimportant things you do day in, day out. But…there's no point even trying to explain this. Just follow me."

Blair disappointingly pulled away from his side. "Keep up." Dan valiantly tried to match her pace. For someone who always looked languidly flawless, she sure could move fast.

"Waldorf, I can't just follow you around all day, I have class, things to do…" He was kidding himself, he could easily follow her around all day, and all night too if she wanted.

"Clearly not important enough to write down, so whatever it was you were going to do doesn't count."

He finally managed to fall back in step with her, wanting to pick her arm up again, take her hand; do anything to recreate the intimate contact. "Where are you taking me now? I know the way to your apartment, this isn't it."

"A short detour."

He tried to tease more information out of her but she remained mute. He could hear his words degenerating into meaningless blethering and she eventually stopped and turned to him, placing her finger over his lips. "Silence, Humphrey, I'm about to do you another favour, God help me, the least you can do is stop tormenting me with your misbegotten babble."

The pressure of her fingers made his mind fall still, all his circling thoughts abandoned for one simple touch. Her gloved hand against his cheek. When had he turned into such a romantic fool?

The stationers shop she led him to was, without doubt, the most amazing Dan had seen. There were few things he liked more than the scent of new leather bound books and crisp blank paper. He looked over the array of stationary, fingers running over the embossed samples of personalised notepaper. His battered moleskin was a sorry sight when compared to the glossy samples around him. But he wouldn't swap it for the world. He placed his hand into his pocket to run his fingers familiarly over the dog-eared binding, giving it an apologetic pat.

Blair had already commandeered an assistant to attend to her. He seemed to be displaying every diary in the shop for her approval.

His feet led him to her side, before she could get carried away. "Waldorf, you really have…uh…this is so unnecessary."

"I'm just ensuring that 'I forgot' won't be on the list of excuses you give me if you ever dare stand me up. This is the one." She passed him a soft brown leather bound pocket diary.

"It's beautiful, Blair. I'll admit, my focus has always been on quantity, not quality when it came to my stationary." His thumb rubbed over the glossy finish on the cover, a movement that he already could tell would become habitual.

"That is entirely evident, in fact, I'd say that you've put little focus on either of those considerations before."

He looked up, trying to catch her eyes. "Believe me, I'm learning the difference."

Blair's didn't meet his, instead she nodded to the clerk that she had made her choice. She picked out a few more purchases, pressed linen writing paper, embossed notepaper; no flimsy, tissue thin paper and pre-franked envelopes for Blair Waldorf. As she signed her account she indicated to the clerk to wrap everything separately. Dan was glad he had no idea what the diary had cost her. He'd have to refuse to accept it and then where would they be?

Blair directed him to hail a cab when their feet found the sidewalk again. Dan felt a little remiss he hadn't though of it himself. But he was so used to walking everywhere, or catching the occasional trolley or bus, he didn't really consider any other type of transport. And he had hoped to walk across the park with her, maybe enticing her arm back into his. Or, better still, her hand. Feet falling into step in the lazy winter sunlight. Perhaps it was time to try something else. "Catch the trolley with me? It's close and we'll be back at our apartment in no time." Her expression turned doubtful. "Come on, trust me?"

"I don't think so."

"Where is your sense of adventure, Waldorf?"

She poked him viciously in the side. "I am very adventurous, I just have a strong instinct for self preservation, and those things are death traps."

"I'll make sure nothing happens to you." The eyes that peered up at him were mutinous, but she said nothing, allowing him to take her arm and guide her along the sidewalk to a tram stop.

When the right car came along it took Dan a little coaxing to get her aboard. All the seats were taken, not that he thought he could possibly entice Blair to sit where hundreds of other pedestrian rumps had placed themselves before. The car was, to Dan's eyes, crowded with a fairly harmless array of middle class passengers but Blair gave off a strong aura of unease. He kind of enjoyed her discomfort. So often he was the one at a loss in any situation he found himself in with this girl, it was satisfying for once to find her uncertain.

"Hold on" He grabbed a rail as the car lurched to a start. The jolt sent Blair careering against him, arms clutching at his chest as she tried to stop herself from falling. She gave a squeak of alarm and his free arm slipped around her waist. "I've got you. Grab the rail here to steady yourself."

Her eyes followed his gesture, lip curling in distaste. "I think not. These are new gloves." The trolley gave another lurch and Blair's fingers gripped his shoulder almost painfully. "Don't let go of me. If I fall here I will die of shame and then I'd have to kill you. Waldorf's do not fall over on trams."

"No, I guess they haven't had much opportunity to."

Her face dipped into his shoulder and he could feel her urgent whisper against his chest. "Are more people are getting on?"

He dropped his head to find her ear. "Yes, just think of yourself as communing with the people. Mingling with the commoners."

"That's how one contracts disease."

Passengers pressed up against them, making Blair shudder. Dan turned her not unwilling body toward the railing and placed one arm each side of her, stopping the growing crush from jostling her. She leaned back against the bar, looking up at him through her lashes.

The wall of his arms seemed to hold them in a cocoon all of their own "You know, I've never met a girl quite as precious as you like to be."

She blinked rapidly. "Maybe these other girls you met didn't know their own value. I don't doubt it, not if they were spending their time with you."

His lip curled up. "But you're spending time with me."

"I know. It's a sad irony." The smile Blair sent him nearly knocked him sideways. Her pliant body pressed closer into his overcoat, cheek dropping onto his lapel. "I'm hiding my head here, it's safer; someone might see me."

Dan tried to keep his eye on the passing scenery, to follow the route they were taking, but it was hard when he found his arm had slipped back around Blair's waist. He'd like to miss their stop just to continue in the warm intimacy for a just little longer, but he wasn't sure if she'd appreciate the poetry of the action as much as he would.

He moved his hand to ring the bell and Blair shifted from him, turning so they no longer faced each other. She let him take her arm to guide her through the crowd to the door. It would have been simpler to carry her. When they finally reached the sidewalk, she wouldn't meet his eyes, her air of hauteur returning, an untouchable young lady of fashion. "Come on, it wasn't that bad."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Blair wasn't sure how to reply to him. The trip had been appalling but the one redeeming feature she had found she was hardly going to admit to. "It was harrowing. I was a cowering mess."

"Cowering, huh? I see." Although clearly he didn't. They fell into silence. Blair mentally berated herself, every step to her door. Flirting…cuddling even…on a public trolley car! The Blair Waldorf she knew she was would never allow that to happen. Shamelessly pawing boys in public places was much more Serena's line. But she could still feel the coarse wool of his overcoat against her cheek and his strong grip around her waist. And it made her feel a little dizzy. She wasn't quite sure how it was, but Dan leaning into her, his hands pressed against the railing at her waist had turned her into a simpering fool. She had lost her head.

What Dan thought of it, if he thought at all, she couldn't tell. His face was pensive, jaw clenched. He offered her his arm but she didn't take it, needing to re-establish some kind of distance from him.

He said nothing until they were removing their coats in the warmth of Blair's apartment and even then his words were frustratingly abstracted. "So, um, no one else is here?"

She wondered at the absence of Dorota and lack the of Vanya's attentions at the door. It didn't displease her. "No, clearly not. Dorota must be running errands."

"I should just get the book and go."

She removed her cloche and turned to the mirror facing the coat closet. Pink nose and flattened hair. The damage the hat had done to her coiffure made her wince a little. She tousled her curls, watching Dan hovering uncomfortably in the glass. "Don't worry about your virtue, Humphrey, I'm sure she'll be back soon."

His eyes flashed and hers flicked back to her own reflection, witnessing the rapid glow that rose in her cheeks in response to her thoughtlessly provocative words. She wished she could read his mind; he was far too much of a gentleman, or perhaps a simpleton, to let on what he was thinking. He kept looking at her, and she couldn't help but slide her gaze back toward him and indulge in the unsolicited warmth flushing through her again. Christ, if he didn't do something, anything, soon she wouldn't be responsible for her actions.

She was all too aware of the space between them, as he followed her up the stairs to her study. Dan picked up a flyer lying on Blair desk. "The Columbia theatrical society? Waldorf, I had no idea you had a fancy to tread the boards."

It was a relief to have something to consider other than Dan's proximity. "I don't really, but Vanessa Abrahms is directing it. My vengeance has cooled enough to be served I think."

He chuckled. "I wondered when that was going to come back up. Let me know if I can help. Although I'm sure my assistance is last thing you need."

'The auditions are next Friday, but I'm still forming my plan. You can give me moral support though. Where is your diary?"

"You haven't given it to me yet."

Blair patted her pockets to locate the small book and sat down at her desk. She tested the nib of her pen on the block of blotting paper next before turning to the first page and writing in her decorative script – Daniel Humphrey.

Dan paused in his perusal of her bookshelf. "You know, it might be wise for me to put my actual class timetable in there before you start scheduling my whole week." His fingers ran over the book spines to find the title he was looking for.

"I know your timetable, Daniel." He looked a little startled but said nothing. But, to her gratification, it made him abandon the shelf and pull up a chair next beside her, peering over her shoulder to watch what she wrote. Her cursive became self consciously more ornate. Please return to 1136 5th Avenue.

Her lip quirked at the quick intake of breath from Dan next to her. "You could have just directed that to my hall."

"But Daniel, people will be far more likely to return it to 5th Avenue rather than some decrepit student dormitory."

"Maybe, but I'm more likely to lose it at Columbia. There's convenience to consider?" She ignored him, flipping the pages forward until she found the current month and continued to write.

Friday 22nd – 2pm, "The Importance of Being Earnest", auditions, don't be late.

Saturday 23rd – 9pm, Pick up Blair and Serena, black tie.

"Where am I taking you?"

"I haven't made up my mind yet, but it's always better to over dress than under dress." The look of misgiving on Dan's face made her chuckle.

Wednesday 20th – Library 4pm, meet Blair (we are doing French Romantics – You have a reading list to get through).

Dan laughed aloud. "Beyond Les Miserables? I'm not sure I'll even get though that by then."

"Well, you had better start now. Go on. I'll finish here."

"No, I think I should just sit here and keep my eye on you."

Blair opened her own desk diary, noting the common dates she had put in Dan's diary and adding a few more to his. He continued to talk but she lost track of the direction of his conversation. She had sat this closely to Humphrey before. But never had she been so aware of him. She tried to discern the different aromas of him; hair pomade; damp wool; bay rum. Masculine, comforting smells. Her father had never smelt like this, he was always more exotic. Civet and ambergris, not soap and hot water. But the homely inviting unfamiliarity of Dan's scent made her close her eyes and draw in deep breath as she listened to the resonant notes of his voice.

Her lashes flickered open when she realised he had ceased talking. His hooded eyes focussing on her mouth. His face so near; she refused to allow herself to move in closer. She would wait forever, poised before him. He just had to lean forward, could anything be so easy? Not for Humphrey, always over thinking. Never knowing when to take action.

The boyish bewilderment on his face almost made her toss away all her resolutions and press her lips toward him. But she stayed herself, eyes locked with his, the diary held between them. His face was like an open book and she could read every thought. His indecision was a torment. She was so used to taking what she wanted, or needed, with little hesitation. His slow pace, the overt way he held an idea in his mind and turned it over, peering at every side before he would act. His manner of prolonging the moment made her want to weep in aggravation, to accuse him of weakness of character, but she couldn't be so uncharitable. If she was honest it was one of her favourite things about him. His consideration and the solidarity of his choice. His complete lack of whimsy.

He wanted to be sure and she wanted his surety. She didn't want him to kiss her just because she was convenient; she wanted him to want to kiss her. And he did, she knew it, and she found she could wait. His proximity was stimulating enough.

Dan stood up and the disappointment that Blair felt was so solid, she could have almost thrown it at him. But before she could put words to the thought, he took her hands and pulled her to her feet. His dark eyes looked so gravely at her she almost asked him what was wrong.

Finally he lowered his head to hers and her mind could at last fall still. His lips moved so sweetly against hers. It was so simple, so right, to press in against him. Revisiting all the promise of the first time they had kissed.

His face was still cold from the chill air outside and Blair revelled in the tenderness of his mouth and the friction of his skin against her own. Her hands crept under his jacket. She could wish there was less fabric there, that she could follow the soft promise of his skin further. The combination of Humphrey's lips and his long lean body against hers could almost undo her. She wanted to just crawl inside his shirt.

It was a totally novel feeling. Blair knew what it was to be aroused, she'd got her hands on enough erotic literature to know there was far more scope than the blessed little that Dorota and Eleanor had told her. A number of petting sessions had given her a pretty good impression of male anatomy. And Serena's very un-virginal stories had opened her eyes entirely. But for all Blair's sophisticated manner, she was mostly innocent to the physicality of romance. The pang of desire that pulsed through her was something she was entirely unprepared for.

The sound of the door below alerted her hyper sensitive ears. Thinking of the various responses the current scenario would win from them, Serena's titillation, Dorota's consternation or Vanya's mortification; Blair couldn't decide which would be worse. She wavered. Dan just took advantage of her pause, his lips straying, finding the pulse point on her neck. Any thought of moving out of the circle of his arms was forgotten. She let her head drop to the side, a quiver of sensation fluttering over her. Why didn't there seem to be any air left in the room?

It was the giggles that alerted both of them, stopping Blair's abandon dead. She reluctantly unfolded herself from him. "Blair, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" The look on his face said everything but. He didn't look apologetic, he looked exultant, a smile playing around the corners of his mouth. Her eyes kept flicking to his lips like they were magnetised. This wasn't how it was meant to be, he was meant to be at her mercy, not the other way round. The shuffle of feet on the staircase. "I should go."

It was probably for the best. This had been what she had been aiming for but, now she had met her objective, she needed to regroup. She felt too exposed. "Perhaps that would be best." The words came breathlessly and her hand automatically went to her hair, smoothing the ruffled locks, vexed at how her skin flamed under his appraising gaze.

She turned to the window behind her, trying to will the scarlet from her cheeks. Hoping whoever had returned home would fail to notice her lack of serenity. Dan stood at the opened door, awaiting her. She picked up the diary from the desk. "Already forgetting?"

Dan smiled as he reached to take it from her, his eyes warm. "Sorry. I was kind of distracted." His thumb tracing over the inside of her wrist. "Thank you for your gift. You don't know how I value it."

Blair bit her lip and his eyes immediately tracked to her mouth again. All she could think of was pressing him against wall, his hips against hers, and his lips back in place at her neck. She stepped into the hallway before she could slam the door and give into her folly. He had to go.

Just in time. She could hear quiet voices, her feet following to find Dorota and Vanya on landing of the staircase. Dorota carried flowers and looked flushed, prettier than Blair had seen her before. Her footman's eyes were admiring. They both looked a little disconcerted when they become conscious that Blair and Dan were approaching. Dorota's hands clutched her posy close to her ample bosom. "Miss Blair, why are you here, you have class, no?"

"I had more important things to do today." She could see Dorota's speculative eyes on Dan, so she looked pointedly at Vanya and raised her brow. "I was just seeing Daniel out, he needed to borrow a novel for his literature class." She looked down at his hands loosely holding the diary. "The book, Humphrey, you forgot to take the book. And your bag." Her words came flatly.

He gave a small start. "Uh…I did…they're in your study…I'll just go and get them."

"No, wait. Vanya, collect Mr Humphrey's satchel and the copy of Les Miserables from my study."

Vanya shook the stupefied expression off his face. "Yes, Miss." He scrambled up the stairs leaving the three of them in silence.

Dorota's hands fluttered. "Vanya help me carry my things. Shopping…"

"Of course." Blair was dubious, but she knew direct questions would only invite equally invasive ones from Dorota. She would wait. She was probably mistaken anyway. A countess and a footman? Sacre bleu, she was definitely mistaken.

At last she felt the blush draining from her face. It was safe enough to look at Dan again. He was staring at the floor, acute discomfort written on his rigid features. "Dorota, I feel that Vanya may be struggling with deciphering which of Hugo's novel's Daniel wishes for. Please escort Mr Humphrey downstairs while I assist him. Daniel, excuse me."

Her footman stood stolidly before the bookshelf in her study, his expression half worry, half confusion. "Vanya, we are waiting. Take Mr Humphrey his bag and I will find the book."

Blair retrieved the novel easily and descended the staircase once more. Dorota and Vanya were either side of Dan, plainly both wishing to be elsewhere. Dan stood in his coat, his hat in his hands, meeting her eyes candidly as she looked down from the landing. All she wanted to do was depart with him.

She could hardly wait until Wednesday.