I have to say I am a little disappointed in my legion of spies. Oh where, oh where, is information on one Chuck Bass and the girl who had earned herself a name? No pictures, no audio, no juicy gossip on the goings on of Chuck and Vanessa. I hate to say we may have dropped the ball on this one. Or maybe, just maybe, these two crazy kids haven't reconnected after all. No dinners, no drinks, no…well you know what. Perhaps I was wrong, or perhaps we'll just have to be patient. Who knows what goes on in Chuck Bass's mind? And who wants to know? Me. XOXO, Gossip Girl.

"Oh, come on," Blair sighed as her books fell from her hands and toppled onto the sidewalk. She knelt down reluctantly, her skirt rising, her stockings stretching, to retrieve her belongings. Blair's brown hair, minus her signature headband, gathered in her face and she continually blew it out of eyesight in order to continue her task. She was in a precarious position, one that she would have had her minions complete, but since her waitlisted approval to Yale they seemed few and far between these days.

The look of Blair from across the street was one to behold, one to laugh at. Her legs were awkwardly angled in a crouching position and her hair blocked her entire face.

"Maybe you should wear a longer skirt," Dan Humphrey called as he walked along the sidewalk on the other side of the street.

Blair tilted her head up and over to stare at him, her eyes narrowed, her mouth pursed. "My skirt is just fine, thank you."

Dan crossed toward her. "Than I guess you're just not used to picking up after yourself." He knelt down with her and began helping pick up the books. When they were done and Blair had a handful again Dan reached under her left arm and helped her stand.

"Thanks," Blair said sheepishly as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and continued on down the street.

Dan followed. "Why so many books?"

"I don't know anything about Serena," Blair returned.

Dan sighed heavily. "I was just asking about the books," he said as he turned back to cross the street away from her.

Blair stopped in her tracks. She questioned her intentions for only a moment and then followed.

"Ok, ok," Blair let out. "I'm trying to up my GPA. Yale's looking at me through the store window so I have to be on my best behaviour."

"That'll be tough for you," Dan said.

"You know, I didn't cross the street to be verbally insulted," Blair returned.

"Well no one asked you to cross," Dan said coldly.

"I think it's you who will have trouble with the best behaviour thing," Blair turned to walk away once more, but Dan caught her arm to stop her. While his touch was gentle Blair was unused to carrying so many books and once again they toppled over onto the ground.

Blair sighed and stomped one foot in frustration.

"Sorry," Dan said. "I got it."

Dan bent down and quietly picked up the books, handing one by one back to Blair. They last three books, the heaviest three, he kept for himself.

"Where are you headed?" Dan asked her.

Blair reluctantly answered. "New York public library."

"I'll walk you," he said and together they crossed the street once more and headed to the library.

They were silent at first, too silent. The walk was awkward. Blair was sure that passer-bys would think they were a couple. A boy carrying her books, it was all so cliché. But she couldn't turn back or turn him away. It had been days since she had a conversation with anyone besides Dorota or, dreadfully, Vanessa. Serena was too busy feeling sorry for herself and the girls were once again acting without her. And Chuck. Well, Chuck had set his sights on another. So it was Dan Humphrey or no one.

"How's Vanessa?" Blair suddenly asked.

"Vanessa? You want to know about Vanessa?" Dan said incredulously.

"Sure. Why not?"

"Nice try," Dan said. "You call me out on wanting dirt on Serena, but then cover up your desire to hear about Chuck? Blair, I thought you were better than that."

"I know. I don't know what's happening. My capabilities of persuasion and misdirection have been severely damaged by this Yale shunning," Blair said honestly. As she watched Dan smile, she quickly added, "but don't underestimate me. I'm not your friend or anything."

"Don't worry Blair. Mortal or not, you'll never be my friend," he returned.

"Good."

There was silence once more, but only for a moment. Dan knew it just could not last.

"So how's Vanessa?" she asked again.

"Chuck's fine," Dan said. "At least last I heard, he's fine. Well, he's still a conniving, manipulative, womanizing Bass, but for him I guess that's just fine."

"Do you know where he is?" Blair asked.

"No. Should I?"

"He's with her," Blair offered.

"Ok. I know you're upset, but "her" as you so delicately say is Vanessa and she's my friend," Dan said sternly.

"Well, then he's with Vanessa," Blair quipped back.

"Then why were you just asking me about him?"

Blair did not answer.

"And how do you even know they are together?" Dan asked, but then he quickly shook his head. "You know what, don't tell me. I don't think I want to know."

"Well, my capabilities of persuasion haven't been completely decimated," she said slyly looking at Dan's hands which held her books.

"This? This is just me being a nice guy," Dan returned as they found themselves standing at the steps of the New York public library.

"We're here, nice guy," she said sarcastically taking back her books and ascending the steps.

Dan suddenly felt the pang of familiarity, reliving his earlier conversation with Chuck. Yes, he was sure they had been talking about Vanessa, but the advice rang true no matter who was the subject. And he had a mission to complete. Perhaps this was the only way.

"Don't give up," he shouted out to her.

Blair turned around and quickly descended toward him. Dan was not prepared for that.

"Don't give up? Don't give up?" she shouted accusingly. "You told me last year to give up. You told me to let him go, that he didn't love me. You are Vanessa's confidant and yet here you are telling me to not give up on the man that she wants too. What are you doing? Are you trying to kill me Dan?"

Dan held his hands up as if trying to fend off her verbal assault with his own body. "Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down," she called as the people around them began watching the confrontation.

Dan once again gently took her arms and led her away from the steps. "I was wrong before," Dan said quietly. "I was wrong to tell you to let him go. No one, not anyone, has the right to tell you who to be with or who not to be with. I love Vanessa, I think you know that. She's what Serena is to you. But maybe, just maybe, she doesn't belong with Chuck."

Dan let go of her arm and began to walk away. Blair was left standing alone and confused. But she was determined, more determined than before. She knew what she had to do.

Dan turned the corner away from the library and found himself staring at the parked limo. Without question or hesitation he walked to the passenger side back door and entered.

"Did you do it?" Chuck Bass asked as he sipped his scotch.

"I don't feel right about this," Dan returned, gazing out the closed window as if the answers were on the other side.

Chuck passed a waiting glass of scotch to Chuck. "A toast," he announced.

"No," Dan told him. "No."

Dan opened the limo door and stepped back onto the street.

"Humphrey don't be foolish. We are both getting what we want," Chuck said, leaning over to talk with him while hanging out the door.

"See that's what I don't understand. I know what I want, but what is it that you want?" he asked.

"I want her to be happy," Chuck said.

"Blair or Vanessa?" Dan questioned.

"Both of them. And there's only one way to do that."

The limo door closed and the car took off down the street and out of sight.

"Was that Chuck?" Vanessa Abrams asked from her position standing behind Dan.

Dan whirled around, startled and embarrassed.

"Was it Chuck?" she asked again.

"Yes," Dan admitted.

"What were you doing?" she said. Dan knew she had no idea what was going on, no idea how he had the capacity to hurt her, intentionally or not. Suddenly both Chuck and Dan had the ability to break her heart.

"Nothing," Dan told her. "Just saying hi."

Vanessa raised her eyebrow in disbelief, but Dan cut her thoughts off. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I may be home schooled Dan, but I still use the library," Vanessa quipped.

Dan looked back at the library and then to Vanessa. "Let's get coffee first. Catch up," he offered.

"Yeah ok, but you're buying," she said laughing.

Dan nodded his head and then lead Vanessa away from the library to a local coffee shop.

"So, how's Chuck?" Dan asked, unable to quell his curiosity.

"Did I tell you about the phone call?" Vanessa asked. "Technology is going to be the end of me."

Dan felt guilty with that remark, but hid it well.

Well, well, well. Friends are becoming enemies and enemies are becoming friends. It's a mad, mad world and poor Vanessa and Blair are suddenly finding themselves on the same team. But don't let them know, it will all come out soon enough. And please, somebody, get your camera phones back to targeting Lonely Boy because something tells me he's about to get interesting. XOXO, Gossip Girl.