Hi Everyone! This chapter is about bonding between Blair and Alison.
I know that I didn't nail it. But I desperately wanted to post something.
Sorry for mistakes and errors.
I hope you will enjoy it despite the drawbacks.


One Day (Part 9)

Alison's house looked exactly the same as she remembered. The first and the last time Blair was there was right after Dan parents' divorce. Detached house with white elevation and matching fence. But indoors the décor was significantly different. Open kitchen and living room had new furniture and the color of the walls was changed. It was lighter and prettier. She liked it a lot.

She also liked that she could come here after all these years. Alison always told her that she was like a daughter to her. And she was always grateful for that. For having such a fabulous substitute of a mother. She received so much love and comfort and care from a person who really didn't have to do any of it. And a little break from a clamor of past events could be useful. But she still felt like intruder.

She resided in Dan's room. After she unpacked and accommodated a bit in new scenario. She went downstairs to Alison.

"I thought you were joking about three-course dinner." Blair said playfully seeing Alison bustled in the middle of a kitchen amongst all pans and ingredients.

She just greeted her with a huge, warm smile. "Oh no, no, no. You, my dear, are going to eat everything I serve you, because that swoon is never gonna happen again." She said more seriously pointing her finger at Blair.

Blair just looked down a little bit abashed but also strangely content that someone was sincerely taking an actual care of her for a change. "If so, I will help you." She rolled up her sleeves immediately.

"It's really unnecessary. Just accompany me and talk with me."

"We can talk while I'm doing something..." She said convincedly.

Alison looked at her skeptically. "Sweetie, last time when you were here, you cut your all fingers during peeling carrots." She said indulgently. "It's really ok when you just sit here with me." She smiled lovingly.

"But I can cook. Really." She had to learn it though. So she grabbed a knife and started to slice tomatoes quite skillfully. "See." Blair grinned proudly.

Alison just smiled back. "Ok." She shrugged her shoulders and got back to her task.

After some time of a light chatting Blair silenced for a moment and sighed. "I really want to apologize to you." She finally said.

Alison stopped wiping a plate and looked carefully at Blair. "What? Apologize to me?" She asked confused.

"You know… Philip. That I couldn't keep him safe… That he was taken from you…"

"What are you talking about?" Alison approached to her quickly.

"I should have done something to prevent it. Run away… or contact with you somehow. There were so many options. I just didn't try enough. And I'm so sorry." She sounded casual. She locked her eyes in bowl with vegetables.

"What are you talking about?" Alison inquired again more eagerly. She gripped Blair's arm and made her focus on her. "Look at me." She demanded. "This was not your fault, at all." She said, looking Blair straight in the eyes. Dan told her what really happened. "Any of it. It was not your fault. You have nothing to apologize for."

"I failed." She whispered sadly. Tears started filling her eyes. "I should have fought…" She added with resignation playing with a spoon blankly.

"Don't blame yourself, Blair." Alison said adamantly and wrapping her arm around Blair's waist, she guided her to a living room. "This was not your fault." She repeated again. "You were a child yourself and you needed support and help as well. You are the most aggrieved here." She smoothed Blair's hair and rubbed her thumbs over her cheeks.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Blair asked while tears ran down her face involuntarily. Alison shook her head no and smiled. "Because sometimes I think, that I can have some mental problems…" She confessed.

"You the most certainly do not have any mental problems." Alison said assuredly. "You were just hurt in the most terrible way… but you cope very well… and now you have people you can rely on again and you got back your son."

She hated crying and she hated self-pitying. But that's the only thing she was doing lately. She never had a person who she could talk honestly about it with. Her emotions just burst. "But I don't want to get him back. I want to have him all this time!" She cried. "He is mine!" She stressed. "Nothing is more mine than he is. I am his mother!" She exclaimed in sobs with the deepest regret and sadness she had all along. "I don't understand… even in the worst regimes they don't take away children from their mothers without justified reason."

Alison grabbed solid hold of her and roamed her arms over Blair's back soothingly. She hugged her tight and let her cry out all of the feelings. "You are his mom." Alison said to Blair after a while. "You are the greatest mom he would ever have." She reassured her without any demur to his adoptive mother. She just objectively stated a fact. "You have no idea what I would do to make you, my children and grandchildren happy and safe..." She said with shaking voice. "I know how it is to lose a child…" She paused thoughtfully. "We cannot turn back the clock but we can start build something new. And you still have that chance."

Blair pulled away from her visibly calmer. "Thank you. And I'm sorry."

Alison waved her hand dismissively. "You are going to eat my dinner anyway." She smiled at her and wrapped her with a blanket. "Just stay here for a moment."

When she handed her a plate and sat across her on the couch and covered herself with the same blanket, to Blair's mind crossed one little thought that maybe how the mother and daughter interact with one another. They talk with each other. They cry together. They eat. They laugh. They spend time together. They have an actual relation. Maybe that's how it is. Maybe that's how it should be.

She didn't really know because she never had it with her biological mom. Maybe it's not blood bonds that makes us a family. At this point it sounded bizarre. She was a biological mom to somebody though. And Philip might think the same. It frightened her. She was frightened that he might not want her in his life.

"I really want to maintain a contact with Philip, but I don't know how." Blair said dejectedly.

"Call him, text him, e-mail him until he is done and starts to call you first." Alison replied simply and winked at Blair.

He rolled her eyes. "I want him to like me Alison. And I don't have any pretext to start a conversation… I don't want to nag him…"

Alison looked at her strangely. "Seriously? You do not need any excuses." She informed her. "Simple 'How are you?' should be enough for starters." Blair sighed tiredly. Apparently she needed another push. Alison took Blair's phone and threw it to her. "What are you waiting for?"

"Now?"

"Now." She said obviously.

"No." She shook her head. "I know how it's going to end. I'll write it, then I will wait for his answer anxiously. And what if he doesn't write back?"

"And what if he write back?" Alison put a plate on the table and sat up. "I didn't want to tell you that but…" Blair looked at her intrigued. "Rufus and Lily have a son. Older that Dan." She added.

"What?" She asked confused.

"They were together before Rufus met me."

"Oh. I didn't know…"

"She left him being pregnant..." She suspended her voice knowingly.

"What!?" She asked with realization. So this is how upper east side people deal with misalliance. There was not more suburban people than New York City elite. She couldn't be more bitter. She hated it so damn much. It's sickening.

"I don't know the details but Scott, their son, found them. And Rufus discovered it in their wedding day."

"Oh my god." Blair exhaled and covered her face with her hands.

"I don't want to upset you, quite opposite." She said lightly. "They all have a pretty good relationship now. you will see everything is going to be just fine."

"Yeah…" She said unconvinced. "It's just another reason for Dan to hate me." She said it out loud accidently.

Alison glanced over her sweetly. "And that's the problem. Because he does not hate you. He could never hate you." She paused and thought for a moment. "Dan has more common patterns with Rufus though, for example… his whole life he loves only one woman." She patted her knee. "Eat it up." She pointed at Blair's full plate. "Dessert is ready to serve."

Blair just took a bite absently and stayed there completely stunned.

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A week past quickly and pleasantly. Blair found herself as a good gardener. Alison wanted to plant some flowers in her border. They also renovated patio furniture so they could have nice breakfasts outside when the weather was getting better and better.

She watched Roman Holiday, twice, in local theater. That's the only movie they displayed there for like two week. She visited a vintage store which Alison recommended her as the only one worth an attention. Blair was skeptical but she didn't want to hurt Alison's feeling. And she must admit that she didn't squinch up her nose even once. She even bought a nice summer dress and a vanity bag.

She cooked. She relaxed.

And what the most important after a few text message sessions, she had absolutely unforced and very promising conversation with Philip.

On late Saturday morning Blair and Alison were sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee in their hands, relishing each other company in peaceful atmosphere.

"Oh it's Dan and Maddie." Alison said excitedly when a car parked on a driveway.

"Dan and Maddie?"

"Yeah… I didn't tell you they are coming?" Alison said innocently. Blair just squinted her eyes and looked at the woman.

"Grandma! Grandma! Grandma!" A tiny bowl of energy crawled in a full speed straight into her grandma's arms.

"Hi sunshine!"

"Hi mom." Dan appeared right after Maddie with a big, pink bag hung over his shoulder.

"Hi sunshine!" Alison said to him while they kissed and hugged lightly in greeting. He laughed and pulled back.

"Hi Blair." He waved his hand to Blair who stood behind them uneasily.

"Yeah hi Blair." A little girl repeated cheerfully after her uncle.

"Hi." Blair said with a smile.

"You are uncle's friend."

"Uhm yes, I suppose I am." Blair said carefully to a girl.

"And you are on vacation here."

"Yes. You can say so."

"Uncle's friends are my friends so…" Maddie flashed Blair a grin. "We are friends." She stated. "And I think we should go tomorrow to the theater. They always play A Little Mermaid on Sunday."

A girl waited for her answer still safely placed in Alison arms. "Sure." Blair said looking at Alison and Dan. "If your grandma agrees, of course."

"I don't mind." Alison said immediately perching Maddie on the bench. "You are probably hungry."

"Yeah I'm starving." Maddie said exhaustedly.

"Maybe if you didn't wake us at dawn and make me drive here so early in the morning we could eat and prepare as normal people." Dan said playfully to his niece. "And…" He finally put her bag on the ground. "What did you pack? Bricks."

"Only necessities." She said proudly. "Do you expect me to spend time here only in one outfit?" She asked arching her brows. She knew he didn't have an answer to that so she just grabbed a waffle and started eating.

"Ladies…" He sighed and sat next to Maddie.

"Is that complain?"

He looked at her with open mouth. "Is that complain?" He repeated and started to tickle her giving her a fit of the giggles.

Alison just laughed happily, while Blair tried to control her facial expression. She would probably smile like an idiot otherwise. She already couldn't express how much she liked their family. It's going to be so hard to be parted from them. "So that's why you two didn't comb your hair today…"

"We didn't have time." They both said simultaneously and gave each other a five.

Alison just shook her head helplessly. "Dan maybe you could take Blair to Zelda hmm?" Alison asked him casually. Blair immediately grew alarmed. "She is thrown back only at me…"

"Alison." Blair warned her.

"Actually… maybe it's a good idea." Dan offered while Alison nodded decidedly.

"Maybe not…" Blair started awkwardly.

"It is a good idea." Maddie chimed in quickly.

"It's just a local pub, not a big deal but..."

"It's Dan's pub." Blair furrowed her brows. It's getting interesting. "They play live music and every single band wants perform there. Opening this place was revolutionary for this town." Alison added jokingly. "It's even more trendy than Brooklyn itself." She teased.

Dan rolled his eyes in annoyance. "This is not my claim to fame, mom. I was just a fourth for bridge." He grabbed a waffle from a plate . "So?" He finally asked Blair.

"Well if it beats Brooklyn… I think I have no choice." She told him playfully.

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After two hours of trying on very limited pickings of Blair's wardrobe, she and Maddie finally chose appropriate outfit for tonight. And when Maddie wished Blair a handsome front man as a better date, Dan actually questioned his input into her raising.

Zelda was a really nice place. More prestigious than she initially thought. And her intuition about taking a better care of her look didn't defeated her.

They had to squeeze through a crowd to get to the entrance and then to the bar.

"Dan Humphrey?!" A bartender exclaimed surprised. "How nice you finally reign us with your attendance." He said sarcastically. Dan rolled his eyes, a countless time this day, and protectively pulled Blair closer to him. "Not alone." A man noticed suggestively.

"This is my friend Blair." He introduced her. "And this is Tom, my annoying copartner, Jenny's brother-in-law and Maddie's uncle."

"Oh." She gasped. "Nice to meet you." She said sincerely.

"Well, a pleasure is all mine." Tom said while they shook their hand over a counter. Dan couldn't refrain a glare.

"It's really lovely here."

"Yeah it is. So tell me one thing… how did you convince Madeleine to let him go out with another woman?" He knowingly tilted his head in Dan's direction. "She is very possessive when it comes to him." He added mockingly.

Blair laughed lightly. "I did absolutely nothing."

"Actually. She let me go out with Blair. They are best friends now. I'm not her favorite anymore."

"I see." He took a careful look of Blair.

"Could you please find at least one chair somewhere?" He had to break that pantomime.

"Well VIP corner is always in your disposal mister Humphrey."

"Does I have my own VIP corner?" Tom nodded with a bit of laugher. "I will never forget that day." He added jokingly. That's probably the only coveted place on the planet where he could just come in and have a sit.

They occupied a separated table in the corner where they could hear music without a noise and presence of the people. Tom brought them drinks and patted Dan on his shoulder. He pushed him away. "Is that a harsh friendship or…" Blair asked.

"No. We like each other. He is just a local prankster, what can be annoying. But it's good."

Blair nodded. "Does he have contact with Maddie?"

"Yes. When she is at my mom, she visits him." Blair nodded again. "How are you doing?" He asked simply.

She looked up at him and took a breath. "Good. Really good. I've spoken with your mom. She really is amazing woman. She helps me a lot… that's why I want to thank you… that I can spend some time away from… from my life."

"It's really nothing."

"It is. You and your mom are not oblige to do that for me so… thank you again." He nodded in acceptance and sipped his drink slowly. "And you? How are you doing?" She asked shyly.

"Um. I'm fine." He replied shortly.

Sensing that he didn't want to talk about himself she quickly changed a subject. "So Zelda? I believe you were in charge of naming this place?" She deducted smugly.

He squinted and laughed satisfied. "How you can possibly know that?" He asked faking his amazement.

"Well, it quite literary."

He sighed heavily. "Yeah. Actually it's because of the quote from Zelda Fitzgerald's gravestone."

"So we beat on boats against the current borne back ceaselessly into the past." Blair cited it fluently.

"Yeah. That's my life." He laughed and then he looked at her like she was the only person on earth. "Oh how I missed our compatibility." He flinched a bit. He probably didn't want to say that. "You just listen to me and quote my mind… or The Great Gatsby as a reflect of my mind." He laughed silently again. "None of my friends would even know who is Zelda Fitzgerald." He finished his second and last drink. For the first time silence was unbearable.

"Are you happy Dan?" She asked shamefully. She surmised that he wasn't. Nobody was apparently. But the question hung in the air and was serious.

"Always something push me back to the past. Unfinished businesses. Mysterious disappearance." He paused while she looked down. "Now when we get our closure, maybe it will be better." He said with a hint of hope or regret, she couldn't distinguish. He looked away and seemed to be distant in his thoughts in that moment.

"You don't want to get married, have children?"

"I don't think this is destined for me." He said surely. "I was married." He confessed. "But it didn't last long. Fortunately we both were very aware that it was mistake. We barely knew each other and we didn't love each other. That was not a material for a marriage." He admitted plainly.

"So why you did it?" It's been 18 years. But guts in her stomach twisted unpleasantly. She didn't want to even imagine him with someone else. But she needed to know. His previous outlook on life and commitment was rather clear. It was important. It was not something you were doing ad hoc.

He thought for a moment. "Well, my social life didn't exist at time. Jenny was pregnant and the happiest in her life. Scott began his career. Dad and Lily were like those elder couples, steadfastly in love. They still are by the way. Mom finally found her place. Even Lily's children got some stabilization. I wanted that too." He never was more honest with himself, with anybody. Blair just nodded her head in understanding. "You?" He looked at her curiously.

"I did want that once, a long time ago." Blair said truthfully. "Now I don't know…" She trailed off.

After that they switched to more comfortable topics. Art, literature, cinematography, current affairs. She couldn't recall even the one time when she had such a fulfilling conversation, with a person who actually had something to say.

He also asked her to dance. Just so she couldn't say that he didn't entertain her enough. And they came back home in the middle of the night.

"Thank you for tonight. I really had a good time." She thanked him when they entered a living room.

"Me too." He returned a compliment. "Good night, Blair."

"Good night, Dan." She said it back with noticeable disappointment. She would really like to be with him just for a little bit longer. Dan left in the living room. The bedding was prepared for him on the couch.

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Next day Blair woke up after noon. And when she came into the kitchen Alison and Maddie were cooking dinner.

"Hi Blair!" Maddie said brightly. "Have you get enough sleep? How was the party? Did you meet someone interesting?" She bombarded her with question. Blair laughed because she knew that the girl was just concerned about her well being.

"I'm fine, thank you sweetheart." She smoothed her messy hair. She resembled Jenny so much, except the hair. Maddie has definitely thicker and darker hair. "And I've indeed met someone." A girl looked at her with interest. "Your other uncle, Tom."

"Yeah?" She clapped her hand excitedly. "He is cool too."

"I guessed, he must be." She looked around a room. "Speaking of uncles… where is Dan?"

"He had to go back to New York. He has work tomorrow morning. He left about 20 minutes ago." Alison explained.

"Oh." Her smiled faded.

"He didn't want to wake you up." She assured her. "Maddie has a school break right now. We can spend some girly time together."

"Yeees!" Maddie called out excitedly.

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Maddie was a blessing. She occupied Blair's time, Blair's mind. And she loved every single moment of it. Distance of walking around beat her record and reached a result counting in sea miles. She learned how to paint on the canvas and watched A Little Mermaid too many times. She also found out that Maddie loved Minnie Mouse to the point of having pajama, sheets and towels with a print with that particular Disney character and how much she adored Dan and how amazing father he was. What was not surprising at all. Blair attached to her so much, that she was sure she would not be able to survive another separation.

And unluckily that day came sooner than later.

When Dan came back for Maddie, Blair decided that it was a right time to go back to the city and face reality again. After a dinner Dan joined to her while she did a dishes.

"Did you check your e-mail box lately?" He asked her expectantly.

"No."

"Um. Ok."

"Should I?"

"I will finish it." He just said.

She went upstairs and checked her phone. She didn't even realize how much she abandoned her professional life until she saw her inbox. She looked through for something interesting and saw messages from Nate… and Philip.

She squealed.

Officially this was the best day of her life. She grinned from ear to ear and even jumped contentedly holding her phone close to her chest.

Nate passed her an enormously good news. She did not owe his father even a penny.

And Philip invited her on his high school graduation ceremony in Paris.

Could it be more perfect day?

Urgently she ran down the stairs to Dan. "And? What we are going to do?" She asked him in one breath.

"I think that we should go." She nodded quickly. She obviously thought the same. "I also thought that maybe we should go there together. It will be easier this way, I suppose." He offered awkwardly. "I mean… I can take care of the tickets and… and everything." He paused. "If you want me to, of course."

"Sure. Of course yeah."

"What's up guys?" Alison asked when she and Maddie walked in.

"Nothing." They said together at the same time.

"Actually we should get going." Dan said regretfully. "Where is your bags?" He asked Blair.

"Upstairs." She said blankly.

"Ok. Would you show me where?" He asked Maddie and extended his hand. A little girl caught his hand and led him up the stairs.

"Are you ok?" Alison asked her with concern.

"Yes. I'm just… I don't wanna go."

"Then don't." She said simply knowing that it's not that simple.

Blair sighed. "I have to. Sabine and Therese will finally realize their threats about killing me when I don't come back for work." She joked a little bit. "I want to thank you Alison." She handed her a gift box.

"I don't' need presents Blair. You are like my own daughter, you know that." She nodded shyly. It's Burberry cashmere scarf. "I can't accept it." Alison shook her head.

"Please. It's the only thing I can do. It's still not enough but I really hope you will like it."

"You can come here whenever you want. You can call me or whatever… Understood."

"Understood." Blair said obediently with a bit of laugher.

They embraced each other tightly. "I want you to be happy. And I want him to be happy." Alison said into Blair's ear. "I want it so damn much." She looked at her and continued. "Together or separately. Simultaneously or asynchronously. I don't care. But you two deserved it like nobody else."

"Thank you Alison, for everything." She hugged her the last time.

When Dan and Maddie arrived back. And when they said goodbye to Alison. Dan took girls' bags and went outside to the car. Blair lifted Maddie taking her in her arms and they followed Dan.

They looked like a tiny family.

And maybe they even started to feel that way.

All three of them waved to Alison before they drove away.

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tbc