Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl or its characters.

Chapter 34: Secrets and Schemes

Everything was happening too fast. The shouts and screams—people surrounding them—the sirens—Lily's sobs—she could feel Serena by her side and knew she was talking to her, but she couldn't bring herself to move. She felt numb.

Dan's words were the only thing that continued to pierce through.

Dimitri took him.

She squeezed her eyes shut letting the tears stream down her face and let her body fall the rest of the way to the ground. All she could see was Milo screaming and crying—all she could sense was his fear.

"Blair!"

She could hear Serena's worried voice trying to call her back to reality, but she didn't want to go back, she had no interest in it what so ever…so this is shock she thought.

XXXXX

The ambulance came 5 minutes later loading Dan's father quickly into the back.

"Dan I'll go with him!" Lily yelled from behind Dan. Dan turned to see Lily. "You need to stay and talk to the police. I'll call you immediately with details when we get there." Dan was about to protest but Lily placed a hand on his chest and motioned her head towards the side walk. Dan looked to see Serena and Nate talking to police and Jenny holding a lifeless Blair still huddled on the ground where they had found Rufus. "Be with your wife and bring your son home."

With that Lily climbed into the ambulance and left Dan. He hated to admit that Lily was ever right in any situation but she was. He quickly made his way over to Blair and Jenny. Jenny met his gaze as he approached. He could see the worry on her face.

"Blair?" Dan whispered kneeling down next to his wife.

She didn't respond.

"I think she's in shock Dan." Serena answered worried. "I've never seen her like this before."

Dan looked at his wife again. She was lying on the ground, tears glistening on her cheeks.

"Oh my God…" Blair suddenly whispered.

She suddenly shot forward. Dan looked in front of them and suddenly saw what she had seen. Milo's black batman cape was crumbled not 5 feet from them on the side of the street. Blair grasped for it, quickly pulling it to her chest, letting the sobs rack her body.

Dan walked over to her and kneeled down taking her into his arms. She welcomed his embrace burring her head into his shoulder.

"How?" She whispered into his chest. "Dan…how do we get him back?"

Dan pulled her tighter against him, kissing her forehead.

"I don't know…" He whispered. "…but we will."

XXXXX

Rufus had been in the ICU for 2 days in an induced coma. Whoever had abducted Milo had felt it necessary to beat Rufus within an inch of his life and that same animal had her son right now. The thought made Blair sick with rage.

The little bit of good news they had today at least was that Rufus was doing a lot better. Blair was not only relieved for Rufus's sake but was impatient for more details on the abduction. The police had been hanging around for the past 2 days as well, waiting for Rufus to wake—waiting to take a statement. Maybe that's what the Russian animal beat him—maybe they didn't want any loose ends. The thought sent shivers down her spine.

"Blair?"

Blair looked up to see Jenny sitting across from her. She smiled faintly.

"I'm ok." She nodded slowly. "Just thinking."

Jenny's brow furrowed worriedly.

"Dad or Milo?"

"Both."

Jenny hadn't left her and Dan's sides the past 2 days. None of them had done much sleeping, because how could you sleep comfortably in the hospital waiting room or police station?

"Hopefully we will get some leads from Dad." Jenny tried reassuringly leaning forward.

"I hope so." Blair sighed. "The police have been searching all over for that damn black van and nothing."

Jenny sighed as well and sat her magazine down, switching from her seat to the couch next to Blair. She took Blair's hand and squeezed it gently.

"We will find him."

Her words were spoken with firmness and determination. Blair looked up at Jenny and fought to keep her tears at bay. She wasn't exactly use to this close proximity with Jenny Humphrey just yet but was surprised at how natural it felt to let her new sister comfort her. She squeezed Jenny's hand back and forced a smile.

"Yes we will."

"Hey."

Blair and Jenny looked up from the couch to see Dan enter the waiting room. He smiled seeing the two of them.

"Hey." Blair smiled rising to kiss him in greeting.

"Dad's awake." He smiled.

"Just now?" Jenny asked standing quickly.

"Yes. They took Lily back with the detectives. Then we can see him." Dan sighed.

"And he's okay?" Jenny asked worried.

"They say that all of his vitals are stable and his brain activity has improved immensely."

"Thank God." Jenny sighed in relief. "I'm gonna go wait to go back."

Dan and Blair watched Jenny leave the waiting room, and then Dan sat on the couch pulling Blair down next to him. She snuggled close against him, burying her head into his chest as his arm cradled around her shoulders. It was the most contact they had had since their wedding day. She didn't realize just how much she had needed him until he was there holding her. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent letting the familiarity calm her nerves. She felt him relax under her embrace as well. His lips brushed her forehead lightly.

"What if Rufus doesn't know anything else…what if he can't remember? What if the police can't find Milo?" Blair whispered against Dan's chest. She felt him sigh deeply, tightening his hold on her.

"Then we take things into our own hands." He answered matter of factly.

She looked up at him then, meeting his eyes. She saw the anger and pain—the sadness.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" She asked quietly.

"Yes."

"Dan? Blair?"

Dan and Blair looked up to see Serena and Nate walk into the waiting room.

"Hey." Blair smiled getting up to hug her best friend.

"Jenny just told us he is awake." Serena sighed in relief. "So he is going to be okay?"

"His doctors are saying so." Dan smiled reassuringly.

"Has he said anything about Milo's abduction?" Nate broke in.

"Were waiting to hear." Blair answered. "The detectives are back with Lily now."

"Hopefully he can give them some more information." Nate sighed.

"What do we do if he can't?" Serena asked looking at Dan and Blair.

Blair looked at Dan not sure how to answer.

"Come on you guys." Nate broke it. "We know you have a game plan."

"And we want to help." Serena finished.

"Well I don't know if you'll like it." Dan sighed running his hand though his hair.

"What do you mean?" Serena asked.

"Ben." Blair answered. Serena looked at her confused.

"What does Ben have to do with any of this?"

"He went to prison with Dimitri." Dan answered.

"He also told us some information about Dimitri blaming the Irish Mob for the money that he stole." Blair added.

"You want leverage on Dimitri." Nate said more so to himself.

"No." Blair glared warningly. "We NEED it. If we are going to have any chance of getting Milo back we need to have something to bargain with—to blackmail with."

"You guys do understand you are talking about getting in between the Russian and Irish Mobs right?" Serena frowned.

"Yes." Dan answered immediately. "That's why we don't expect you and Nate to help. It might get dangerous."

"Might?!" Serena scolded. "Why don't you two just go to the police with this information? Maybe they…"

"We can't." Blair interrupted Serena shaking her head.

"Why not?" Nate asked.

"The police had patrols at the entrances to the park where we were having our reception as a precaution…" Dan started.

"Yeah it was nice of them." Nate added with a nod.

"The only entrance to the park that was left unguarded was where Rufus and Lily's town car was parked." Blair finished.

Serena and Nate shared a worried look of understanding.

"You think Dimitri has someone on the inside." Serena sighed heavily.

"I don't think." Dan frowned. "I know."

"You can't tell me that it was a coincidence." Blair sighed. "And we have no idea who we can trust. I mean one of the detectives could be in his pocket and everything Rufus is saying right now could be compromised."

"Dimitri will always stay one step ahead the bastard." Dan practically growled with hate. Blair hugged him, her head resting on his arm in comfort.

"This isn't happening." Serena shook her head.

"What about Cyrus?" Nate broke in. "I mean maybe he can give insight to who is bought and who isn't?"

"I spoke to him last night." Dan answered. "He said that knows for sure that Liv is safe—our attorney—but he isn't sure about anyone at the station."

"There are a couple of cops who he knows to be good cops but can't confirm if they are safe or not." Blair added.

"Then I say we go to those good cops." Serena answered standing up.

"But we don't know if they…" Dan started.

"Ben." Serena said cutting him off.

"Ben?" Blair asked confused.

"Well you said it yourself—"Serena answered. "Ben served in prison with Dimitri. Maybe he can give us insight to Dimitri's connections and who is to be trusted."

"So you're in?" Blair asked, a smile starting to form on her face.

"Where else would I be." Serena smiled back.

Blair surged forward and hugged Serena fiercely relieved to have her best friend on board. Nate stepped forward and hugged Dan too.

"Whatever you guys need man. We're here." Nate assured Dan.

"Thanks Nate." Dan smile patting Nate's back firmly. "We know for sure we can trust you."

"Hey!" Jenny suddenly interrupted. "I hate to break up this love fest but the detectives are looking for you two." She smiled nodding to Dan and Blair.

Dan and Blair quickly followed Jenny out and down the hallway to the nurses' station.

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey." One of the detectives greeted. "I'm detective Gardner and you already know Detective Collins. We just got done speaking to your father."

"How is he?" Dan asked.

"Alert and responsive." Detective Collins answered. "But a bit foggy on the events of that night."

"Foggy?" Blair asked curiously.

"Well he was able to give us a description of the male who attacked him but not of the others, and not about how many." Detective Gardner answered.

"He did say that the van had a Chicago licenses plate so we will look into that." Detective Collins answered with a reassuring smile.

"Thanks." Blair forced herself to smile back.

"Well, we'll let you know when we know anything." Detective Gardner spoke up. "And in the meantime we will keep an officer on guard while your father heals."

"Thank you Detectives." Dan said shaking their hands. "Please do keep us informed."

XXXXX

Blair waited until Detective Gardner and Collins were in the elevator before turning to Dan.

"I don't like that Detective Gardner."

Dan chuckled lightly to himself.

"I knew you were going to say that."

"Well I don't." Blair huffed defensively. "He just doesn't seem…"

"Honest?" Dan finished quizzically.

"Real." Blair finished.

"Dan! Blair!"

Dan and Blair turned to see Serena running towards them.

"What is it?" Dan asked worried. "Is it dad?"

"No he's okay. It's the news."

"The news?" Blair asked confused.

"Yes. Someone leaked information. Milo's face is all over the news."

"What!" Blair shrieked flying past Serena and down the hallway.

It was true. As soon as she got to the waiting room she found Jenny and Nate watching news coverage, their latest family picture plastered all over. Dan came up behind her. She could feel the tension in his body behind her.

"How…?" Dan said more to himself.

"I might have an idea." Blair answered. "This was meant as a distraction..."

"Distraction?" Serena asked.

"What better way to preoccupy and distract Dan and I then to have the media stock us?" Blair growled between her teeth.

"You're right." Serena sighed in realization. "And I know exactly would pull a stunt like this."

"Georgina." Blair nodded in agreement. "Do you still have Ben's number?"

"Yeah I think."

"Call him. This is war."

XXXXX

The RV was a smooth ride much to Georgina's surprise. She had originally wanted to fly but Dimitri had squashed any and all of those hopes with a simple Russian "no", but she was happy so far with the arrangement—all except the spoiled rotten little boy sleeping in the back bedroom. What had Dan and Blair done to her child? All he did was cry and cry and cry. Good lord! You think he would have been excited to see her—excited to see Dimitri, but all he did when she told him who Dimitri was, was pout and cry for Dan!

No it would take time and Milo would get use to them, wouldn't he? They were his family, not Blair and Dan.

They had stopped at a gas station to fuel up, Dimitri barking orders for it to be quick. She loved when he took charge, and loved more seeing the fear it sparked into the men that served him. She watched him, his long strides, as he came towards her RV. He opened the door meeting her eyes with a wide grin.

"Is he sleeping?"

"Finally." Georgina huffed walking over to the door. "He cried himself to sleep though."

"Ah…" Dimitri noted closing the door behind him. "It will get better, eh?" He said pulling her to him.

"He doesn't know me anymore." Georgina frowned. "It's frustrating. I want to comfort him but I can't."

"Georgina—we knew it would take time to bring him back to us." Dimitri pointed out. "It's going to take time to erase the past and bring him into our future."

Georgina pulled away from Dimitri and walking over to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine.

"You didn't see him—you didn't hear him cry for Blair and Dan—and he kept saying something about his cape?"

Dimitri could hear the helplessness in her voice.

"My love."

His voice spoke deep behind her. His arms playfully circled her waist and pulled her against him. She could feel his excitement against her and felt a spike of need in answer. She turned and kissed him passionately, her hands sliding roughly up his shoulders and into his hair pulling just enough to make him grunt in response. He suddenly spun her and slammed her up against the bathroom door making her shriek in surprise.

"Happy are we?" She playfully thrusted against him.

"Very." He growled before kissing her neck. "I finally have my family reunited."

She gasped as his mouth made wet trails down her neck to her collar bone.

"All the arrangements have been made?" She asked breathlessly as his kisses trailed farther south.

"Yes." Dimitri smirked in response. He then suddenly ripped her blouse open, buttons flying, revealing her breasts. "And you alerted the media?"

"Yes…" She purred arching her back in need as Dimitri's mouth closed around her nipple, sucking and biting. "Oh God…" She moaned helplessly as she felt his hands find her center.

Suddenly there was a quick knock at the door. Dimitri growled.

"What is it?!"

"We have news!"

Dimitri sighed, but kissed Georgina in farewell.

"I will be back." He promised as he took one final look at her, the lust in his eyes making her pull him back into another deep kiss.

"Hurry." She whispered releasing him.

XXXXX

"This better be good." Dimitri warned slamming the RV door behind him.

His brothers Alik and Leo shared a look of concern but Leo stepped forward.

"The father—Rufus. He woke up."

Dimitri glared at his brother.

"I told you to handle him—to send a message."

"I thought I had." Leo said between his teeth.

"Go back and finish it."

XXXXX

Blair sighed helplessly as she looked out the hospital window at the camera crews and news vans stationed outside of the hospital. They had all been told to go away but none had. It had been 2 days when she and Dan had tried to escape out the back of the hospital with the help of the hospital staff but had been discovered only moments later but a camera man who was taking a leak behind the garbage bin. Within moments they had been surrounded and ran back inside. She looked up at the television in Rufus's room to see the scene of her and Dan for the 50th time playing on a loop running back into the hospital.

They were calling it The Central Park Abduction. At least the police had released Dimitri and Georgina's pictures and were requesting for help on a nationwide scale. Someone might see them right?

"B?"

Blair looked up to see Serena standing beside her.

"Hi." She smiled faintly.

Serena looked out the window.

"They aren't leaving anytime soon."

"Nope." Blair sighed.

"I know you hate the attention and think it's a hindrance but maybe you and Dan should consider the benefit of having the media on your side."

Blair looked at her for a moment and then laughed.

"How is it a benefit? Ben won't even talk to us because of all the attention we are getting."

"He didn't say that." Serena defended.

"He didn't have to." Blair glared.

"He said he would try."

"Yeah which means he can't help."

Blair turned away from Serena and looked over through the clear glass window to see Rufus sleeping and Lily reading next to him. The officer at the door nodded at her. She smiled back. At least Rufus was okay right?

"Where's Dan?" Serena asked suddenly.

"Sleeping." Blair sighed. "I tried but I couldn't. My mind won't stop."

"B you have to rest. When's the last time you slept?"

"I won't rest until I have Milo in my arms." Blair glared at her best friend. Serena backed off sensing her best friend's hostility. Blair sensing this instantly felt bad. "I'm sorry Serena…I just…I'm just…"

"It's ok." Serena assured her with her sweet smile. "B you don't have to apologize. What you're going through…"

"I know but your only trying to help…I guess I just don't know what to do and you know how much I hate feeling helpless—and we don't trust the police, so that leaves us, and how can we do anything with media reporting our every move?"

Suddenly they heard Lily scream.

Blair looked into Rufus's room to see Lily crumpled on the floor and a huge man standing over her.

"HELP!" She screamed running towards Rufus's room, Serena right behind her.

The police officer was on the ground too. One look at him and Blair knew he was dead. His neck had been broken. She quickly fumbled for the gun on his holster and aimed it at the large Russian male.

"FREEZE!" She screamed, her voice shaking.

The Russian looked at her and grinned.

"Hello Blair."

"I SAID FREEZE!"

"What are you going to do? Shoot me?" He teased.

Before Blair knew what she was doing, she pulled the trigger making Serena scream and the Russian duck, the round hitting right above his head.

Then the place was swarming with police.

"GET DOWN! GET DOWN! NYPD!"

Suddenly Dan was there pulling the gun from her shaking hands. She sunk to the ground; his arms her only refuge, and watched as the police took the Russian man into custody.

XXXXX

Ahhh the plot thickens! And Blair has enough! Who would have ever thought she would shoot a gun right? Craziness! Thank you thank you thank you for all the comments and follows! You warm my heart! So sorry this took me a little longer- I had my first exam this week and had to get that out of the way! Stay tuned! Comments loved and welcomed!