As the elevator doors close, Blair feels the edges of her mouth tugged up into a smile and she brings her fingers to her lips. The amount of times she has smiled in Dan Humphrey's presence, or worse yet because of Dan Humphrey's presence, has reached a startlingly high number. She thinks about calling a town car to take her to the Ostroff Center because certainly, the only cause for this change has to be some sort of temporary insanity. Because why else would she have invited Dan Humphrey to go to Yale, her Yale, tomorrow? She essentially just signed up for a full day of Dan Humphrey. On a Saturday, no less, and completely free of any sort of academic benefit.

Wait, she did already go to a concert with him for fun, so does that mean she lost her mind long ago? She's not sure and she realizes she can't think any further about this without inducing an existential crisis. Because if anything would cause one, it's finding out that you enjoy Dan Humphrey's company and that you may just very well like him. Okay, too much, backtrack Blair. She marches up the stairs into her bedroom, desperate for a distraction. Then, she remembers her dinner plans with her father and Roman so she searches her closet and finds herself distracted by the swaths of fabric.

She finds herself only mildly annoyed with Roman's being there, in fact, multiple times during the evening she actually thinks he might be quite delightful. Until her dad looks over lovingly at him instead of paying attention properly to her and then she's irritated all over again. But maybe she should be happy he's so in love because being in love is rather wonderful. Not that she would know. She wonders idly if her dad really did like Dan and for some reason, it's important to her that he does. She furrows her brow, remembering that she forgot to tell Dan not to wear flannel. Damn, now he will show up in some lumberjack style shirt and the first time she ever steps foot on Yale's campus will be in the company of a hipster. What has she done? Is it too late to retract her invitation? Yes, far too late, Grace Kelly would never retract a social invitation so therefore Blair Waldorf shall not either.

Besides, Dan Humphrey could actually help her chances of getting in. "See Dean, I am very charitable and in fact, take it upon myself to befriend scholarship students from Brooklyn." Then, she tries on the statement, just to see how it sounds.

Dan Humphrey is my friend.

It's weird, it's foreign, yet somehow it's not. It feels like what she should have been saying all along.

But then, she remembers the way he reached out to her when he told her that he thought she was a good person. Her stomach had done an unnerving flip flop and she couldn't take the way he was looking at her. The way his eyes had gone soft and the way they searched her face, as though he was trying to peer into the depths of her soul. This is why she hates making friends or letting anyone in. It's uncomfortable and far too risky. Because there's no way he'd like what he would find simmering below the surface. All that lies beneath her well-maintained exterior is a whole lot of insecurity which is far from attractive.

Not that she wants Dan Humphrey to find her attractive. Because of course not.

She unzips her dress and climbs into a silk pajama set. Then she crawls into bed and thinks about putting on an Audrey Hepburn movie, to get the thoughts of Dan out of her head. But she doesn't. Instead, she does what she absolutely should not. Blair falls asleep to the memory of a boy from Brooklyn looking at her like she meant something.

"Blair, darling," Blair wakes to a sun-soaked room and the sound of her mother's shrill voice. "Your father will be here an hour, you better start getting ready."

Blair sits up, pulling her sleep mask off her forehead. "Good morning to you too mother."

Her mother sits down at the edge of the bed and pats her arm. "I am so sorry I won't be there for your first visit to Yale. But you'll have more fun with your father and Roman anyways. That always was more of your father's activity. Oh and also, when he called he mentioned you three would be picking up your friend in Brooklyn. Please tell me I misheard him."

Blair winces, remembering. "Dan is coming. I invited him."

Her mother frowns, "Interesting. Unexpected, really, I suppose." She seems to not know what else to say for a moment until she starts to pull Blair up. "Come on, then. Go get ready, you wouldn't want Daniel to see you in this state. We really should schedule you for a hair appointment."

Touching her hair self consciously, she says, "Thank you, mother, for the suggestion." She climbs out of bed and her mother kisses her on the cheek and says goodbye.

Searching her closet for an outfit that says, I'm very admissible yet not pretentious, Blair scowls. There's just nothing quite right. Until her eyes land on a grey checked blazer. She pairs it with a ribbed white top and black button front skirt. Adding a pair of tights for a bit of modesty that she hopes the admissions board would appreciate, and stepping into her oxford pumps, she deems herself Yale-ready and heads out of her bedroom.

Her father and Roman are waiting downstairs in their sporty yet totally family-oriented SUV rental car. They wave enthusiastically as she steps out of the lobby doors and she can't decide if she's embarrassed or pleased. She tells them Dan's address and then realizes she didn't even have to glance at her phone to be able to recite the Brooklyn digits. She's fairly certain a horrified look remains etched across her face as they journey across the bridge and into an all too familiar realm. Dan is waiting outside, just like she instructed him to when they pull up at 8 AM. She feels her heart palpitate momentarily at the sight of him and then reassures herself the feeling is probably just due to anxiety about Yale.

"You didn't wear flannel," Blair notes, surprised as Dan opens the car door to reveal a well-tailored blazer over a tee shirt and dark denim.

"No, of course not. You'd kick me out of the car. Don't you think I know that by now, Waldorf?" The way he says it makes Blair feel like no one has ever known her better, even though it was just an off-hand remark. But still, she relishes the knowing smirk on his face, maybe a little too much.

"Lovely to see you again, Daniel." Harold calls from the driver's seat. "This is Roman, Roman, this is Daniel who Blair has told you so much about."

"Only that you have terrible taste in clothing and really need hair product," Blair whispers to Dan trying to ignore the burning sensation in her cheeks. She really wishes her dad would stop saying that she talks about Dan because she's certain she rarely does unless she really has to. Which happens to be a lot lately only because of their project.

"I'd expect nothing less," Dan says back. Then he calls upfront, "Nice to meet you, Roman. Thank you, both for letting me tag along."

"Of course, we couldn't let you miss this. It's Yale!" Harold says ecstatically, pride in his voice. Blair's pretty sure the only person equally passionate about the Ivy League has to be her dad. He did promise to buy her a bulldog as soon as her acceptance letter arrives.

"Have you showed him the itinerary, Blair?" Harold asks, driving towards the freeway.

"You made an itinerary?" Dan snorts, quietly enough that the front seat can't hear.

"Shut up, of course, I did. Some of us take our higher education plans quite seriously." Then, she raises her voice. "Not yet, dad, I'll do that now." Then she turns back to Dan. "I have to make an adjustment first. 8:10 AM, kick Dan Humphrey out of the car."

"8:11 AM, turn around to pick Dan Humphrey back because kicking him out of the car was not very Yale-like." Dan responds.

Blair holds back a laugh, feeling annoyed by his cleverness. "Here." She hands him the itinerary. "Be careful, I don't want your syrupy hands staining my only copy."

"When have I ever had syrup on my hands? Just because the Humphrey's have a penchant for breakfast foods, doesn't mean we go around with the evidence coating our exteriors." Dan replies, sounding offended.

"Ew, I don't want to know about anything coating your exterior." Blair wrinkles her nose.

Dan rolls his eyes and looks down at the itinerary.

"As you can see, we will mostly be on our own for the afternoon. That's when my dad will be meeting with the alumni association and showing Roman around. I thought we could tour the library and perhaps the dorms which I am not particularly excited about living in. Ugh, what if I get Nelly Yuki as my roommate?"

"You could get assigned a single." Dan reminds her.

"Dan, I got paired with you for a semester-long project, I'm not going to blithely assume I'll get what I want in college."

"Well, you don't seem to be too unhappy with that assignment given that you invited me to be here today, do you? So maybe you and Nelly will be best friends by the end of the semester if you end up being roommates."

"Are you saying you and I are best friends?" Blair teases.

"No, of course not." Dan says far too quickly, causing Blair to laugh.

"Damn, I'll have to return the necklace from Claire's I bought you. It was one of those half-heart ones that says 'Best' on one and then 'Friends' on the other."

"Like you would ever step foot in a Claire's. It would be from Tiffany's, obviously." Dan corrects and Blair is pleased that he knows that. She can't think of anything witty to say back because she's now distracted by her own thoughts. So instead she snatches back the itinerary and smooths it out before tucking it back in her folder.

Her dad and Roman soon take over the conversation and she feels like the next two hours Dan is being interviewed by them. They ask him everything from his parents occupations to his sister's ambitions, he says fashion designer but Blair thinks he should have said 'Ruining Blair Waldorf's life.' She keeps waiting to see irritation take hold on his face from all the questioning but it never does. In fact, he looks somewhat happy to be chatting with them. So she chimes in every now and then and pretends Dan Humphrey didn't use to be her nemesis.

They arrive at Yale just a little over 2 hours after departing Brooklyn and it's every bit as magical as Blair hoped it would be. She practically skips across the campus as she takes in her future home. She always felt she was destined for this place and stepping across the cobblestone, she knows she was right.

"Isn't it the most amazing place you've ever been?" She asks Dan, wonder in her eyes.

"Yeah," He breathes. "It's pretty incredible."

She has this weird urge to squeeze his hand just then, but she doesn't. Because that would be weird. So instead she clutches her leather bound folder tighter to her chest and takes it all in.

The morning goes by in a rush. They report to the scheduled meeting place for the beginning of the seminar in which an advisor goes over Yale's history, principles, and the admission process. They then have a chance to speak one on one with the dean of admissions and even though Blair has been rehearsing exactly what she'd say since she could speak, she finds herself more nervous than she expected. As they sit in the waiting room, Dan seems to catch on to this because he unexpectedly places his hand on her arm and says, "I'm sure if anyone could be accepted on the spot, it's Blair Waldorf. So relax, you'll do great."

She stares down at his hand for a moment and then looks up and gives him an appreciative look. "Thanks," She tries to add, "You too," But it ends up coming out like a question.

She's finally called in and by the time the brief interview is over, she thinks it went rather well. She didn't accidentally kiss the Dean which she totally had a nightmare about so that in itself makes it a success. When she comes back into the lobby, Dan has a questioning look on her face. She answers it, "I think it went well. They said, 'Yale would be pleased to have a student like Blair Waldorf attend and we look forward to reading over your application.' But they probably say that to everyone."

"Well, I guess I'll find out. I'm next." Dan stands up, his name being called.

"Good luck," Blair says with feeling before he goes through the door into the dean's office.

Blair finds herself tapping her foot as she waits, a habit she hates in others. But she's oddly nervous for Dan and somehow has become invested in his pending acceptance into Yale. When he finally comes out and his face looks pleased, she breathes a sigh of relief. "I take it went okay?"

"I think so, or then again maybe they give everyone one hope as you suggested. He didn't say the same thing verbatim but he did say that 'Dan Humphrey would make an excellent student at Yale and he hopes that I'll receive an acceptance letter sooner rather than later."

"Oh my god," Blair freezes after they exit the office doors. "I think that's better than what he said to me. Right? That's totally better and more reassuring."

Dan laughs, "No, it's not. If anything it's equally reassuring."

Her face must still be full of panic because he stops laughing. "Blair, I promise, if I get into Yale then you definitely will. Come on, what was next on the itinerary? Touring the dorms right?" He doesn't wait for an answer and instead pulls her by the arm. She's still too stricken to respond so she just lets him guide her, mutely.

She's calmed down a bit by the time they reach the colleges, namely Pierson, the one she wants to be assigned to. "Do you think we'll be assigned to the same college?" She asks Dan as they step through the entrance.

"Thanks for assuming, I'll get in." Dan remarks in surprise and she gives him a look to say, don't make me rethink that. "I don't know, but I bet if we did you would demand a switch in an instant. You'd have your lawyers all over it. And your psychologist, right?"

"Not to mention my academic advisor," She smirks at him. Then she says, "Kidding. It might be kind of fun being in the same one as you. In fact, I might get bored from all the studying and need a form of entertainment. Torturing you never ceases to delight me."

"Of course it doesn't," Dan laughs. "Why is Pierson the best again?" He asks as they wander through.

Blair is well prepared for this question and by the time she finishes telling him all the reasons, the first and foremost being the architecture. She tells him that history is the foundation of Yale and for that reason, she wants to be placed in one of the old yet renovated colleges instead of the new. He just nods along mostly and by the time they've explored them all, she thinks she has him convinced.

"Library now, right?" Dan asks when they've concluded their tour.

"Yes, and I must say, I appreciate your dedication to the itinerary," Blair notes as they walk the path toward the Beinecke Library.

"I can't wait to see the book tower. The rare book collection is one of the main reasons why I want to go to Yale." Dan says as they approach.

"Really? I did always wonder why Yale for you. Didn't you want to go to Dartmouth at one point?"

"I didn't know you knew that." Dan looks at her in surprise. "But yeah, briefly. Then, I did more research and Yale sort of won me over."

"Well, here it is," Blair says as they push open the doors to the library. Once they reach the book tower, they both stare up in awe. "It is pretty amazing. I could see why it would make you want to apply."

"Did you know it has over 180,000 rare books?" Dan asks as his eyes stay fixed on the glass-encased books before them.

"I did. But it's still a cool fact." She adds when he looks a little disappointed that she already knew. "Come on, let's go look at the exhibits."

It's nearing the time they set to meet up with Harold and Roman for lunch but they have just enough time left to search the French History aisle of the library. Blair leads the way through the aisle, running her finger over the books idly as Dan trails behind. As they both scan the titles, no real particular book in mind, Blair turns to Dan.

"It's sort of odd," She begins, catching Dan's attention. "How completely normal it feels to be on Yale's campus in the library on a Saturday with Dan Humphrey."

"And to not be complaining about it?" Dan suggests, sitting down against the shelves. Blair follows suit, smoothing out her skirt as she sits beside him.

"Exactly. Like when did that happen?" Blair laughs, resting her head back gently on the books.

"Probably about the time when you realized the only way we would ever get through this project was by working together and not against one another."

Blair tilts her head. "I guess. Or you theory was right and all that pretending to be nice really did trick me into actually being nice to you."

"Or… It's just that you were actually nice all along." Dan meets her eyes and she fights the urge to close herself off with some scathing remark like last time he broached this subject. Dan seems to sense this because he winces and says, "Sorry, I know we agreed to not press on that subject. Let's stick with that the niceness comes from the ulterior motive of wanting to get a good grade."

"Dan," Blair begins, softening. "That's not it at all. Or I mean, maybe at first it was but…" She doesn't need to finish because Dan just says he knows.

"You really do surprise me, sometimes." He says next.

"How so?" Blair challenges.

Dan begins, a faint smile on his lips, "Inviting me here, going to my dad's concert, and you know, the thing with Jenny and the dress."

Blair just nods and they sit in silence for the next 5 minutes, only a small gap between them. Blair's mind is elsewhere, she keeps going back to that day he reached out to her and said he thought she was a good person. She finally lets herself say the words. "I did it because of you."

Dan seems taken aback by the sudden break of their companionable silence. So Blair supplies, "The dress." before continuing, "I kept imagining your face if I sold Jenny out to Hazel. You'd make that judgey, disappointed expression, you know the one, don't deny it. It's the way you always looked at me before all of this." She gestures to the books in front of them, referring vaguely to the project. Then, drops her voice an octave, "I just didn't want you to look at me like that ever again."

Dan's brown eyes look at her so softly she can barely maintain eye contact. "Blair," When he says her name like that, she can't take it anymore. Her eyes drop to the ground and she doesn't even realize he's filled the distance between them. Her lips respond to the feel of his against them. It's tentative and delicate, but once Blair realizes what they are doing, she kisses him more urgently. She brings her hand to his shoulder and feels his hand come to her cheek. She refuses to question the fact that she's kissing Dan Humphrey. She won't let her own thoughts ruin this moment. The moment in which everything has changed. So she just keeps her eyes closed, and pulls him in closer.


TBC

Expect another update by next Monday. Thank you for reading if you're still with this story! I really do appreciate each review and reader :)