A/N: Hi, I'm really sorry that it took so long for me to write this chapter. I was thinking about it for a long time what I want happen to the rest of the story and finally decided. I also wanted to try a different writing style so i really hope you like the change of pace. I hope you really enjoy this chapter and please let me know how you feel about this chapter! Thank you for your support as always!

Chapter 9:

'After Charlie's demise, Clair turned her attention to Dylan but deep down he knew that she would always have Charlie in her mind. There were times when Dylan caught Clair looking at old photos of them together. At first he pretended he never noticed and soon after he started denying it telling himself that Clair is only mourning for a friend.

But soon he realized that Clair is really in love with Charlie still and that no matter what he did, Clair could never love Dylan like she did Charlie. Dylan would always be second compared to Charlie. It hurt him to know that even with all his efforts and sweet gestures someone like Charlie who did nothing for Clair still occupied her mind.

Dylan was investigating for another piece when he came across evidence that the Trout Enterprise was dealing several businesses under the table.'

"Okay, I read enough...this is good Humphrey but can you prove it?" the editor asked.

"Yeah, I'll have the evidence in a couple days" Dan said.

Blair woke up with no one next to her. She looked over at the empty space and blinked again. Dan was really out of her life now. The apartment felt empty now that he left. She wondered if she should move to another place now that she's not with him. Blair got ready and headed to the office. Surely Jenny must have heard by now and she was ready for Jenny to quit. Everything seemed normal when she got in. Katie greeted Blair with a smile and handed Blair her mail and folders.

"Jenny is waiting for you in your office" Katie said with a smile.

Blair nodded and took a deep breath before entering. Jenny turned her head and smiled. Blair returned the smile and placed her bag and coat away.

"Good morning Jenny, what can I do for you?" she asked as she sat down at her desk. She was so sure that Jenny would be telling her that she wants to quit.

"I wanted to go over the lookbook" Jenny said as she placed the book on her desk.

Blair was surprised by Jenny's response. She was expecting yelling and possible rampage. Blair even had a plan to take Jenny down on the spot.

"Are you sure?" Blair asked quirking her right eyebrow up.

Jenny nodded.

"Didn't Dan tell you about yesterday?" Blair asked.

"Yes and I don't care" Jenny said shrugging her shoulders

"Look whatever happened with you and Dan is between you two. I'm sure when you asked me to work for you it was because I was a good fashion designer and not because of my brother" Jenny said.

Blair smiled and continued the meeting. They went through the next season's designs and Jenny even helped with some improvements. There were fabric samples in the lookbook as Blair turned the page and she nodded approvingly.

"I like these ones" Blair pointed at the blue and red fabrics.

"Me too" Jenny said with a smile.

"Okay, why don't you start sewing these with the patterns and we can go over them again later" Blair said.

"Alright, I'll try to have them done by the end of the week" Jenny said as she gathered the lookbook.

Blair watched as Jenny left her office. The moment the door closed she leaned back and sighed. It went better than she had expected. Blair looked at the time and felt as if time was going by slowly. Chuck had asked Blair to dinner later tonight. She kept her head down and worked the rest of the day.

By the time she lifted her head up again, it was already 5pm. She smiled as she got up to leave. By the time she got to Bass Enterprise it was already 6pm. she made her way upstairs and ran into her secretary.

"Hi Blair, Chuck is just in a meeting. Did you want to wait inside his office?" her secretary said happily.

"Oh thank you…" Blair said as her voice trailed off. She didn't know his secretary's name.

'Shoot I should have asked Chuck' Blair thought.

"It's Emily" she said.

"Oh thank you Emily" Blair said as she walked into his office.

Blair sat down in front of the office and waited for Chuck to come back from the office. She saw a picture frame on his desk and turned it around to take a look. It was an old picture of him and her at Bart's wedding. They both looked happy in the picture and she couldn't help but smile. It was the day she confessed she wanted a relationship with him. The door opened and she quickly turned the picture around.

"As I said Alice, everything was in order I don't possibly know why you need to come all the way down here...Blair?" Chuck said as he set his eyes on her.

He checked the time and shook his head.

"I'm so sorry, I just got out of a meeting and I didn't realize what time it was" Chuck said with a frown.

He didn't want to keep Blair waiting today. Today was their first official date since she confessed she wanted to be with him again. Chuck wanted everything to be perfect. Blair looked at the young brunette with big doe eyes and looked back at Chuck. She didn't really know what to say.

"Its fine" she said getting up.

"Maybe I should wait outside and let you finish" she said with a smile.

"We're about done, are we Alice?" Chuck asked.

"Yes...you must be Blair Waldorf" Alice said as she walked closer to Blair.

"Yes...and you are?" Blair asked tilting her head.

"Alice Brown" she replied sticking her hand out.

"Nice to meet you" Alice continued as she shook Blair's hand.

Blair had a bad feeling from Alice already but she faked a smile and answered politely.

"Likewise" she said.

Alice whipped her body around and started heading to the door.

"Well everything seems to be in order now. Thank you for giving me the missing documents. I better be going now" Alice said as she walked past Chuck.

Blair watched as Alice left and felt something tugging at her heart. There was something off about Alice. Chuck walked towards Blair as she stood up.

"So who's she?" Blair asked.

Chuck wished that Alice hadn't stop by now.

"She's the CEO of Brown & Co." Chuck said.

"How come she knows about me?" Blair asked.

"Well you're a fashion designer, she probably saw you in the newspaper and knew right away" Chuck replied.

"Bass" Blair said sternly.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"I know when you're lying Bass, tell me the truth" she said crossing her arms.

Chuck hanged his head and took a deep breathe.

"Bass Enterprise and Brown & Co merged for about a year and last year we split off" Chuck said.

"And?" Blair said urging him to continue.

"Nothing else" Chuck replied.

"You expect me to believe that none of your female employees are brunettes but Alice just happens to be an exception?" Blair asked.

Chuck sighed and couldn't help but smile. Blair did know everything and nothing could ever get past her.

"Why are you smiling?" Blair asked quirking her right eyebrow.

"I forgot how observant you are" Chuck said reaching for her hand. He held it and felt the warmth of her fingertips against his.

"I didn't like Alice at first but soon we started going out and the day we unmerged was the day we also broke up" Chuck confessed.

Blair squeezed his hand. She didn't feel good hearing about that but what could she really do about it? In the span of five years, she had dated numerous guys and she ended up with Dan. Chuck didn't like hearing about that either. She swallowed her thoughts and smiled.

"Let's go to dinner" she said.

Dan was by the bar drinking his beer. The investigator he hired went and sat next to him. He took out an envelope in his pocket and threw it down on the table.

"I expect double" he said as he ordered a glass of scotch.

"Double?" Dan said as he choked on the word.

"Double or nothing" the investigator said.

Dan took out the envelope in his pocket and reached for the second he brought along in case of an emergency.

"This better be good" Dan said.

"Better than what you were looking for" the investigator said as he put the envelope full of cash into his pocket.

"What's so good about this?' Dan asked as he held the envelope in his hands.

"There's a woman named Alice Brown, just read what I found" the investigator said as he finished his drink and got up.

Dan carefully put the envelope in his jacket pocket and left.