Lenox Hill Hospital, New York
20th January 2008
Jenny blinked tiredly as she fought to return from the not quite blissful rest she'd been in. It frustrated her to find that her body was physically tired while her mind though rested felt like it was shrouded in fog.
Hearing a noise to her side Jenny turned her head, the movement forcing a groan to slip through her lips. Pausing for a moment, Jenny's eyes moved around the side of the room, truly taking in what she was seeing.
Along one wall there was a series of chairs - uncomfortable looking ones at that, each of which contained at least one sleeping person.
Craning her neck to the other side, she heard a sharp hissing accompanying an intake of breath and felt her own breath escape her. Cameron's body was somehow even more battered than it had been before.
Trying to remember what had landed them in the hospital, Jenny felt her head throb painfully and took that to mean it wasn't meant to be remembered yet. Refocusing on her friend, Jenny noticed that his bruises were in a more advanced stage of healing than they had been previously and briefly wondered how long they'd been in the hospital. Unfortunately her friend was now sporting a leg cast and when Jenny went to lift herself up she was surprised to find her wrist refused to cooperate given that from her thumb to her elbow was trapped in plaster.
Continuing to catalogue her injuries Jenny was surprised to find the throbbing in her head hadn't diminished and as she slowly moved her hand up her face, she felt a tear slip down her cheek when she encountered course bandages. Her attempt to sit up in bed ended with a quiet but pain filled cry as her skin felt like it was being stretched thinly over her stomach only being held together by a thread.
Frustration filled her as she tried once again to remember what had led to her being in this position. The last thing she recalled was being with Cameron at their hideaway burying the hatchet.
As her frustration was released in the form of tears, Jenny's eyes flicked back over to the row of chairs hearing movement. Unsurprisingly she was met with Dan's concerned brown eyes.
She watched as Dan carefully lifted Blair from his lap, placing her still sleeping form in his now vacated chair.
"Hey Jen," Dan's hand gently covered his sister's, unsure of where else he could touch her without hurting her further.
He didn't understand how this had all gone so horribly wrong. Before New Years his biggest problem revolved around someone finding out about his relationship with Blair. Now, he wouldn't even know where to start the list.
"What happened?" Jenny gasped in surprise at the raspy quality of her voice and fought to keep her anxiety down.
"Your 'secret' place wasn't able to survive the the wear and tear without the half yearly maintenance." Dan tried to keep his voice light. Still he couldn't help but breathe out a sigh of relief that Jenny and Cameron were technically alright, bruised and battered but alright. "I just… it could have been so much worse. How did you…"
Jenny felt a deep sadness at the loss of a significant part of her childhood, tears filling her eyes as she understood what her brother couldn't say. Couldn't acknowledge just how close that could have been. Still he deserved an answer and even though she couldn't remember the full explanation right now, she did know one thing. "Cameron. He may not have actually been a boy scout but you know his 'always prepared' motto is not a lie. I don't remember exactly what happened but Cameron saved us."
"That's my boy." As the two siblings turned to her, Julie wiped her tears away, moving forward she embraced her surrogate daughter as gently as she could.
"Julie, I'm so sorry." Tears bubbled to the surface despite Jenny being convinced there were no tears left to cry. Still, she let herself be comforted despite the fact that she was nearly positive that she should be blamed for their current state. After all, she was the one who had taken them back to their hideaway. She's not sure Cameron would have been able to do so without getting them lost. His sense of direction always was pathetic.
Julie brushed her hand through Jenny's hair, sad that she was thinking that way. "Hush. It's not your fault. I'm just glad you're both okay."
Not willing to fully accept the forgiveness, Jenny attempted to change the focus. "Why does it feel like everyone I know is here?"
Dan chuckled at his sister's question. It was a fair observation. "Because they all care about you Jen. Serena, Chuck and Eric were already on their way back to their city when they heard. They were on the way to see you both, you were just too busy getting injured to notice."
Julie's phone beeped and she looked at it wearily. "Cameron's dad got a few days of leave. It was supposed to be a surprise but that didn't work out so well. I um… I have to go meet him and explain what happened. I just couldn't do it over the phone."
Dan stood and walked with Julie to the door.
"Can you keep an eye on him for me?"
Nodding as he moved back to sit between both beds, Dan trained his eyes on two of the people he cared deeply for. "I promise, he'll be fine. Say hi to Nick for me."
Jenny let her eyes trail back to their sleeping guests once Julie had left. It was unbelievably surreal. At the beginning of the school year it felt like she had no friends and now she felt incredibly loved.
As her eyes stopped on Eric, she felt her eyebrows drawing together as she took in the dark bags under his eyes. It seemed as if he had transformed completely since she last saw him… two days ago.
"How long have we been here?"
Dan ran a hand over his face. "It's Sunday night. So nearly 24 hours."
Jenny face grew more troubled as she continued to analyse her friend. His eyes seemed drawn into his face, black rings circling them which were bound to get worse given that his sleep seemed so uneasy.
"He's had a lot to think about." Dan's voice was soft as he drew her from her thoughts and Jenny could hear the underlying worry in it.
"Do you think he's going to be okay?"
"I think the three of you are going to have a lot to talk about." Dan stroked her hair gently, mindful of the bandages. "But I think you're all going to be just fine."
As the nurse came into the room to check her over, Dan moved over to Cameron's side, repeating the same action, not wanting him to be awoken by a stranger. Feeling Cameron stir, Dan grabbed his hand, gently coaxing him into wakefulness.
"I feel like I'm decades older thanks to the two of you."
"Mmmm, you look it." Cameron's remark was so perfectly him, that Dan couldn't help but laugh.
Hearing the pain filled cough that accompanied Cameron's own attempt at a laugh had Dan frowning as he made a mental note. He knew Cameron well enough to know that he would try his best to convince everyone he was fine and despite that and they were going to have to be extra diligent in remembering that it is not the case.
Lost in the hustle and bustle that followed as the nurses and doctors set about Dan moved back towards the chairs, starting to wake up his friends knowing they all needed to go home and decompress. As he felt the crick in his neck, Dan decided they all needed to get some sleep in an actual bed as well and an educated guess told him they were all likely to take tomorrow off school no matter what he said.
With the parents' help, Dan managed to convince their friends to go home leaving Blair, Rufus and himself in the room. Sitting down in the chair he felt absolutely drained. This last month had really taken it out of him and he found himself wishing for simpler times.
As Blair's hand carded through his hair Dan found his eyelids drooping. Suddenly aware of how sore his head was, Dan rested it gently against his hand, massaging his temples in time with Blair's soft ministrations.
Blair watched with concerned eyes as Dan faded quickly. Even as his breathing slowed and quietened she maintained her movements wanting to soothe him as best she could.
Leaning forward slightly, Blair rested her spare hand on Jenny's watching as the younger girl seemed to sag with relief as if that was all she needed to drop the front she'd been insistent on keeping up.
"So the doctor has decided to discharge you both with strict instructions of bed rest for the next few days and only light activity for the following week." Rufus moved closer to Cameron as he watched the teen pale at the thought of being stationary for the foreseeable future. "It's okay Cameron, we'll see if your parents are okay with you crashing at the loft one night and we might send Jenny your way for another one. You two can keep each other company."
"Mr Humphr-" seeing the look he shot her Blair at least had the courtesy to look sorry before she corrected herself. "Sorry, Rufus… I was just thinking…"
It could have been funny to see Blair nervous had it not been so out of the ordinary and Jenny could see her father was having similar thoughts. The brunette girl never seemed to give it a second thought before speaking but as she struggled, Jenny couldn't help but worry about what it was that was holding her back.
Rufus was amazed to see the difference in the girl after Blair took a deep breath and straightened her back as if the physical movement was going to steel her nerves.
"I was thinking that it might be easier for all of you if Dan stayed at my place. We have a spare bedroom and I'm sure Dorota won't mind. That way Cameron's parents would be able to stay in Dan's room and I'm sure three pairs of eyes would be better than one."
All eyes turned to Dan, who despite being asleep seemed to feel them as he shifted slightly in the chair.
Rufus ran a hand through his hair as he contemplated the offer. He couldn't help but notice that Blair had deferred to her housekeeper as the deciding vote on Dan's admittance and wondered if Blair had even noticed her mother had been in the emergency waiting room with them before going home to get the place in order in case anyone needed to stay over.
"I think that's a very generous offer."
Hearing the unknown but serious voice from the doorway, Blair turned her head watching as Rufus moved forward and clasped the man on the back. She wasn't sure what she was expecting Cameron's father too look like but a six foot four, toned man was not it.
"It's good to see you Nick, even if the circumstances as less than ideal."
Nick looked at the man his son thought of as a second father with a half grimace. "Yes, well when have these two ever managed to keep themselves out of trouble?"
"Fair point. Having the three of us under one roof may increase the chances of us keeping them from getting worse though."
As Rufus turned to look at Blair unsure that she understood exactly what she was suggesting, he found himself staring into her determined eyes and knew he might as well accept now as he got the feeling she wasn't really going to give him much of a choice. "Alright, that's very kind of you Blair." Resting his hand on the brunette's shoulder, Rufus was amazed to see the strength that shone within her. "If I may, would you be able to do me one last favour." Feeling more than seeing her nod, Rufus moved his hand to run through Dan's hair, it pained him to see his son so exhausted. "Can you take him home now? He just needs someone to look after him and I can not think of anyone better for the job."
Despite herself, Blair felt her face heat up at the sincerity in Rufus' words. "We'll be out before you know it."
The Palace Hotel, New York
20th January 2008
Nate sighed as he heard Chuck pace up and down in the hallway.
"Chuck!" Though the exclamation was whispered, Nate wasn't surprised when his best friend appeared in the doorway.
"What!" Unlike his friend, Chuck's paid no mind to the sleeping brunette on the bed until he was silenced by Nate's furious glare.
"I know you're worried-"
When Nate was cut off by Chuck's cynical laugh he couldn't help but ask himself when his friend had become so involved in this relationship that Jenny's wellbeing was affecting him so deeply. Knowing the Van Der Woodsen ladies were undoubtedly crowding around Eric trying to offer him words of comfort, Nate knew it was up to him to diffuse the bomb that is Chuck Bass before he did something really stupid.
"Come here."
Chuck felt his eyebrows raise as he took in the raised right arm that his friend was offering - the left one currently taken up by a sleeping Vanessa. "Nathaniel, I love you and all but I just don't swing that way. I thought you'd know that by now."
Rolling his eyes at his friend's attitude, he wondered if it was ever going to be possible for the lot of them to somehow be emotionally stable. It seemed unlikely, they were all too fucked up for their own good. Honestly the lot of them had to be a psychologist's wet dream.
"Just shut up and come over here."
As he hesitantly took steps towards the spare room, Chuck felt his body start to shake as the shock of the last 24 hours started to wear off and reality sunk in.
Toeing off his shoes he thought back to his seventh birthday when Nate had done the same thing, of course Blair had been there too but her role had mainly been to stand guard at the door while they slipped into Chuck's room. Serena had been in charge of the distraction and wowing the room with her rendition of 'Ave Maria'. To this day Chuck would swear up and down that it was one of the worst sounds he had ever heard. But that day was the start of the non-judgemental breakfast club, it had solidified their friendship.
So as he allowed himself to breathe in Nate's weird Japanese aftershave and rest his head on his shoulder, smiling slightly as Nate's golden blonde locks tickling his cheek as Nate tried to catch his eye. Despite the utter lack of privacy Chuck was glad to see nothing had changed.
Nate chucked to himself as Chuck's breathing quickly changed to match Vanessa's. Peering down at two of the people he cared most about in the world, Nate took a moment to be grateful they were still with him. He wasn't going to lie, if there was one thing this whole mess with Georgina had taught him was that he'd rather be homeless, unpopular - well relatively unpopular due to his dating choices as of late - and surrounded by his loved ones than have everything and be alone.
The Waldorf Penthouse, New York
20th January 2008
Dan wasn't really sure how he'd managed to get back to Blair's, let alone in her bed. Rolling over, he found himself a hairsbreadth away from her peaceful face.
Unwilling to wake her just yet, Dan revelled in the closeness he felt as her leg intertwined with his.
Pressing a soft kiss to the back of her hand, Dan felt his eyes grow heavy again. As he slowly drifted back into the lands of dreams he felt all things Blair encompassing his senses and suddenly he felt more at peace than he had in weeks. When she was by his side he was sure it was going to be alright in the end. She gave him a confidence he was otherwise unable to access.
xoxoxoxo
Blair couldn't help but smile when she felt her hand trapped between Dan's hand and his cheek. It made her feel safe and wanted.
Peering into his equally sleepy eyes, Blair smiled and pressed her lips against his. "How are you feeling?"
As Dan shrugged Blair shuffled so she could wrap her arms around him. Supporting him.
"Do you remember the days when we only had to worry about school work?"
Dan chuckled at his girlfriend's statement, shaking his head as he acknowledged that their lives appeared to be everything but ordinary. His chuckle quickly changed to a moan of pain as his aching muscles were forced to stretch.
"Roll over." Blair's voice was soft and commanding as she peppered kisses to his shoulder.
Slowly moving, Dan eventually made it onto his stomach. Shifting uncomfortably, his breath halted as he felt Blair's bare skin settle on his hips.
Bending forward, Blair situated her hands on Dan's shoulders. As she began to kneed the knotted muscles she hoped they'd have a real course of action soon. All this waiting around was starting to get to her. But for now her goal was to get Dan relaxed enough to sleep through the night. Over 24 hours in a plastic hospital chair had definitely done its damage.
Pressing her lips to the now smooth section of skin, Blair felt Dan hum and shift underneath her as he let himself just feel.
Dan moaned as Blair attacked a particularly sensitive spot. Feeling himself stir as a result of her actions, he shifted trying to get some relief only to find himself more aroused as his actions caused her breasts to press against him.
He wasn't surprised to find that she had gotten into a comfortable enough rhythm that she had started humming to herself, while he had to bite his lip to keep himself under control.
Hearing Dan's panting, Blair paused for a moment before continuing. As she reached his lower back she grabbed some of the oil off her nightstand, warming it between her hands for a bit before she applied it to his skin. The hearty moan was music to her ears, it was as if a cooling balm had been applied to her soul, giving her a brief reprise from the memory of what she was going to have to do with Chuck if they ever made it to phase five.
Like this she could fool herself into forgetting that at some point Dan and her were going to have to stage a very public, very painful break up. One convincing enough that it would truly draw Georgina out.
Sure they'd snuck around before but this was different. She didn't want to return to nights of wondering where Dan was and if there was a chance he'd manage to sneak past Eleanor and spend the night with her.
Once she'd discovered the freedom that accompanied being in a publicly admitted relationship the last thing she wanted was to go back into hiding.
Running her hands the length of his back once more, Blair smiled satisfied when all she felt was very loose and relaxed muscle. Massaging his hips once more, Blair nipped the skin at his hipbone before she slipped her hands around him, finding his very erect shaft.
Dan pressed his face into the pillow knowing he definitely didn't want Dorota or Eleanor hearing him and go exploring. As Blair's hands expertly worked him, he knew he wasn't going to last long at all.
Nipping gently at his earlobe, Blair shivered as her breasts brushed against his back providing a jolt of pleasure.
He was unable to hold back his groan when he felt Blair rub herself against his hip searching desperately for some kind of relief. Reaching behind him, he ran his hand up her side until he found his goal.
Arching in pleasure as Dan's hand found purchase on one of her breasts, Blair increased the tempo.
As Dan came with a cry of pure ecstasy he bucked up, hitting Blair at just the right angle and causing her to explode. Finally feeling whole again, Blair allowed herself to collapse on top of him, desperately kissing his neck even as she tried to get her breath back.
The energy that buzzed through her system reignited the spark that she needed to put to bed if they were to get any sleep. Regardless of that her brain kept running overtime. Her own had been attacked - Penelope by drugs, Jenny had all but drowned and was now broken, Serena was spinning out of control a little bit further each day, Hazel was beside herself trying to accept that she held no fault in Andrew's accident. Chuck well, she figured he was in a similar state to herself at the moment. Dan had too much to process to truly deal with anything. Eric and Cameron had to focus on dealing with the fallout of Asher's attack and now Cameron's further injuries. All of which meant that Kati, Iz and Nate were left as the only sane ones in their group. Something which in and of itself was a point of concern.
As Dan's hand moved so that it settled on her hip, Blair let a few tears fall knowing she needed to deal with this before she could move on. Lifting her body as Dan moved into a more comfortable position, Blair lowered herself back onto his front. Her head fitting perfectly under his chin.
Feeling his hands run over her body, as if needing to reassure himself that she was alright as well as memorise the feel of her, Blair retuned the action. Her body felt alive wherever he was touching her and Blair knew there and then that they could do it. They would find a way to not only take Georgina down but survive through it. They had survived living a lie before, they could do it again. No matter how much it would hurt.
As she settled into both receiving and providing comfort, Blair reminded herself what they were fighting for and more importantly who they were fighting for.
The Humphrey Loft, New York
20th January 2008
"Home sweet home!" Cameron's voice echoed through the loft, his attempt to ease the tension failing miserably.
Julie shook her head, her hand itching to whack Cameron on the back of the head for his attitude about the situation but she quickly reminded herself that at least this situation was better than the alternative.
Dismissing her internal tirade, Julie stepped in behind her son, immediately noticing the small touches that she was sure Dan's girlfriend Blair had added such as the few throw blankets placed at the foot of the couch that she had never seen before.
What confused her the most was the clean smell that permeated through the loft. It wasn't that it usually smelt bad, it just usually smelt like a place inhabited by two teenagers and a single dad. Now it smelt surprisingly fresh.
Rufus frowned slightly as he tried to figure out what was different. Leading Jenny over to the couch he helped her lower herself before heading to the bedrooms determined to figure out what needed to be done before he showed his guests to their rooms. As his hand touched the handle of Dan's room, the knob turned and out walked a humming Dorota.
Unable to help the surprised yelp that left her as she bumped into a warm body, Dorota looked into the concerned eyes of Mr Humphrey before tugging out the headphones she'd put in. "Oh, Mr Humphrey. You startled me."
A smirk slowly creeped across his face as he stared at the Polish woman still standing in the doorway. "Ah, yes. Sorry about that." Running a hand over his face, Rufus tried to figure out a polite way of phrasing his question before deciding bluntness was probably the best option. "What are you doing here?"
"When Miss Blair brought Mr Dan back, she mentioned that he was staying for a while as you would have guests. I figured you would still be busy with Miss Jenny at the hospital and thought you might like a hand."
Jenny had been quietly listening to the conversation between her father and Dorota and with Julie's help she'd moved over to the pair. Carefully embracing Dorota, Jenny immediately understood what drew Blair towards the Polish woman. She literally dripped with maternal concern. "Thank you."
Letting herself be subject to Dorota's critical eye, Jenny let her own eyes bounce over Dorota's form finally determining what was out of place namely the jeans she was wearing. "Was today your day off?"
Surprising everyone in the room, Dorota looked down in what appeared to be shame. "Miss Eleanor gave me the week off. It seems I'm not accustomed to such freedom, I got bored." Without giving anyone else a chance to say anything, Dorota barrelled on. "Katherine sent some healing soup, it's in the fridge."
Seeming to know the minute the other woman was about to take off, Julie stepped in front of the door smirking slightly at the shocked face she got back. "Dorota was it?" Taking the silence as confirmation Julie smiled warmly at the shorter woman. "My name's Julie, I'm that idiot's mother."
Sharing a smile that was born after hours spent raising kids and watching them throw it back in your face every time they got themselves injured, Julie quickly manipulated the younger woman to the couch. "I'm afraid I don't know much about you or Katherine, though you seem to know enough to care not only about Jenny but my son too."
"I work for the Waldorfs." Dorota's voice was strong even as she averted her eyes unsure of what to make of the woman who was currently staring her down. She wasn't used to fearing people, even Eleanor didn't scare her, and with Blair Dorota let her believe she was scared of her as she was one of the few people that knew Blair was fully of insecurities and having control over people were one of the few things she used to abate those insecurities albeit only a temporary solution. Still, Dorota had been there for almost all of it. She'd seen Blair learn to walk, talk, potty train, laugh, make friends, have her first kiss. All the major events of her life.
Julie had a feeling Dorota was more than just an employee but decided to let it slide. "That's Blair's family right? She's a wonderful young woman. You must be proud."
"You should have seen her when she was seven, she was so tiny…"
Jenny smiled as Dorota got lost in her story, the tension seeping from her as she continued to recall memories she'd spent at Blair's side. Taking Cameron's hand they helped each other to her bedroom, leaving the door open enough so they could hear Dorota's tales.
Curling up on her bed, Jenny grasped Cameron's hand in her own as they let Dorota's voice soothe them.
Pulling the blanket over them, Cameron winced as pain shot through him at the move but hearing Jenny's steady breathing beside him he focused on trying to match his to hers. As Dorota's soft words flew through the loft they reminded Cameron of the bedtime stories his parents used to read him and that filled him with a sense of security he'd lacked in the last few weeks.
As sleep finally encroached on his mind, Cameron's last thought was at least things could only get better from here.
xoxoxoxo
"Stop moving." Cameron seriously considered pushing Jenny off the bed as she moved again in her sleep. Sure he had years of occasional sleepovers with her that told him that she was a restless sleeper but he figured having just been released from hospital would have worn some of that energy out.
Sighing as she kicked him again, he turned on his side, holding back a groan at the pain the movement caused and was surprised to see she was still out cold. Seeing her eyebrows furrowed in pain, Cameron manoeuvred his spare arm so that he could run his thumb over her forehead, whispering quiet soothing words to her as he did so.
Feeling the painkillers trying to draw him back under, Cameron fought them off until he saw Jenny was truly calmed. Returning back to his more comfortable position, Cameron tried to push back the sweaty hair from his forehead only to accidentally whack himself in the eye. Blinking back the tears, he released a frustrated breath wondering how much longer he was going to be confined to this bed.
The only upside from this mess was that his bruises from the altercation with Asher were impossible to feel under all his new injuries.
The Palace Hotel, New York
21st January 2008
Vanessa was pulled roughly from her dreams as she felt a large hard grope her breast. Reaching down she pulled the hand away from her body ready to chastise Nate for not keeping to his boundaries when she realised it wasn't the hand she was used to running her fingers over. Squinting at the clock she was surprised to find it was already midday and wondered who the hell was touching her.
Squirming out from under the tangle of limbs, Vanessa nearly lost her footing when she finally extricated herself from the bed. Instead of seeing the usually sprawled out body of her boyfriend, Vanessa was treated to a sight she was surprisingly not all that surprised to see. Chuck and Nate were spooning. It appeared in their three way spoon session, Nate was the middle spoon and Vanessa had been relegated to the littlest one.
Ignoring her mirth at the situation, Vanessa reached onto the side table and grabbed her phone. There was no need to let a perfectly good bargaining chip go to waste. Besides this might help remind Chuck to not be so grabby.
Slipping from the room, she kept her footsteps light as she headed towards the couch. Opening Nate's laptop she was surprised to find that his browser was open to Gossip Girl's website. Clicking on the map she was weirdly amazed to see her own face staring back at her from her location at the Palace, with Chuck, Nate and Serena's faces all next to her. It was surprising how easily she was able to forget that the leggy blonde lived here too.
Despite the act she liked to put on, Vanessa always felt a little forgotten since moving in with her sister. Especially given that the older Abrams loved having an empty bed and refrigerator. But as she looked around the impersonal hotel room she found herself in, Vanessa saw the beauty in the things her sister managed to do for her. After all on the mornings Ruby stumbled in, she always had a freshly backed muffin from Vanessa favourite bakery. Hell, Ruby had even bought her a coffee machine when she how irritable Vanessa was without it. She was trusted to look after herself - something Ruby herself had needed to runaway to get. Most importantly Ruby had the post it notes that she occasionally found on the fridge or in her bag or on the bathroom mirror that told her to keep living her life to the fullest and that her sister loved her.
She didn't have an absent parent like Chuck or a fugitive father like Nate. Her parents called her most nights to see how she was going. Her laptop was filled with pictures of her family smiling or caught in goofy moments. They were filled with life. As Vanessa let her mind wander she finally saw what it was that Nate had been trying to get her to understand for months and what Dan and Jenny had been trying to get her to see for even longer - Blair, Serena, Chuck and Nate were family. They were all they had when the world provided them with financial security instead of parents. Sure Blair had Dorota and Lily seemed reasonably involved in her children's lives but it was not the same as what most kids outside of the Upper East Side had.
Casting her eyes downward towards her phone, she looked at the photo she had snapped seeing it for what it truly was. It was an expression of brotherly comfort. It was the feeling of security that they produced in each other that allowed for a level of vulnerability otherwise unheard of.
Vanessa headed out towards the kitchenette, saving the photo to her phone not for blackmail purposes as she'd intended it rather it was just in case Chuck or Nate ever needed a reminder of just what they were to each other.
A frown crossed her forehead momentarily as she noticed she'd received a text while she'd been asleep. Quickly grabbing her coat off the hook, Vanessa wrapped her scarf around her neck and silently slipped out of the room. They'd be fine without her for a while.
As she hurried towards the subway, Vanessa briefly wondered how Blair's minions had managed to get her number. Pausing as she realised she'd actually thought of real life people as 'minions' Vanessa shook her head convinced the Upper East Side craziness had to be contagious.
Brushing past people as she exited the station, Vanessa wasn't surprised to see the three girls looking like they were ready for a photo shoot. No one should be able to look that good while in winter coats.
Nevertheless they had managed to garner enough attention that Gossip Girl had already updated her map with their positions, along with a post questioning whether there was a following regarding the 'Maids in Waiting' without their Queen B. For a brief second Vanessa had a second of doubt about the whole Audrey and Georgina scheme. Maybe the fact that their every movement was tracked by an unknown Gossip Blogger had made them paranoid and they were putting more stock into this 'scheme' than was truly needed.
Those doubts were quickly abated once she spotted a certain red head lurking near the group of girls. It seemed Blair's minions had picked up a thing or two from her over the years.
"Oh good you're here."
Vanessa was dragged from her musings as Kati's voice hit her ears. Her tone somehow managing a perfect blend of sarcasm and actual gratitude. "Let's get this over with."
"Blair's furious but she won't give enough to explain why. So far we figured Dan's eye has been wandering and Serena seems to be on the end of that more often than not."
Running her hand over her face, Vanessa paused, trying to figure out how to deliver the news. "All I know from Dan is that Blair's gotten too clingy wanting to know his every move and it's getting to be too much for him. But I do think it's salvageable, he just needs someone to talk to but I'm trying to smooth things over between Chuck and Nate. Maybe one of you could? Hazel?"
The blonde cast her eyes down, feeling the eyes on her. "Don't get me wrong he's a nice guy and I'd love to help where I can but Drew's finally willing to give us another shot. I can't waste it."
"I could, I guess." The awkward statement was said with enough force to back up the offer.
Four sets of eyes moved over to the girl who was walking up to them. "Penelope?"
"You didn't think you could really have a secret meeting without me did you?" Shaking her finger at them, she pulled out her phone quickly sending a text. "First things first, they need to reconnect and that all starts with dinner at The Boathouse. There, tomorrow night at seven." Seeing their disbelieving stares, Penelope rolled her eyes, "what? Daddy knows a guy, besides I like nice Blair and if being nice to Dan means we get to keep her then so be it."
"Okay, next order of business. What has little J done that has Chuck and Nate at each other's throats?"
As Vanessa set about explaining that the situation wasn't as dire as everyone made it out to be, Penelope watched from the corner of her eyes as Audrey moved further away from the group, a large smile on her face as she put her phone to her ear. Moments later her phone buzzed with a message from Luke, the maître d at The Boathouse.
A vicious smile spread across the brunette's face as she continued to watch the redhead until she left the park. "All clear, phase one complete. Phase two is a go."
"Why did the plan get moved up? Blair and Dan aren't likely to have been too happy about that." Vanessa's question was filled only with curiosity as she looked to the others for answers.
"It was their idea, we're already down three with Jenny and Cameron physically out and then Blair changed her mind about including Eric in the plan. She wants him to focus on himself first." Kati's voice was subdued as she thought about how much pain her three friends were in emotionally and physically.
"The sooner this is over the better." As they nodded in agreement to Iz's statement, Hazel couldn't help but add her own opinion.
"It is adorable though that Blair didn't want to let Dan do this on his own. At least this way she gets to be present when phase two is played out."
As Vanessa looked over at the people she'd come to know a lot better over the last month, she noticed Hazel looked happier than she had in ages and there was no way it was just the result of finally having something to do. "That bit about Andrew was true wasn't it."
Surprising the rest of her friends, Hazel blushed fiercely as she murmured something about having dinner and a movie at his place tonight. "Both of us needed time to forgive the other but I think we're actually okay now."
Kati and Iz shared a glance as Penelope snickered slightly. In all the years they'd known Hazel not once had they seen the girl blush. They'd thought for a while that Hazel must of had some pretty deep feelings for Andrew but this was something else.
Throwing her arm around the blonde, Penelope started leading her out of the park. "Thankfully Audrey is only really obsessed with Dan and Blair and throwing in the bit about Serena should appease Georgina, I don't know how long Vanessa would have had to ramble for if Audrey hadn't left. We are going to need to figure out this Chuck, Nate and Jenny angle soon."
Kati and Iz shook their heads as they watched their friends wander off, hoping the two of them would be able to help the other heal. Turning towards Vanessa who was the only one left, Kati raised her eyebrow at the interloper who was slowly becoming more than that. "They'll be okay, right?"
Despite everything they'd been through Vanessa was still a little surprised to see the honest concern shining in Kati's eyes. Right now she wasn't sure who the other girl had in mind but Vanessa figured she was probably concerned about all her friends at the moment, which she knew now included both Dan and Jenny. "They'll all be fine, it's just going to take some time and patience."
The Waldorf Penthouse, New York
21st January 2008
Dan softly ran his finger over Blair's exposed skin, loving the goosebumps that arose in his wake. Listening to her soft breaths he wondered if it were possible for him to truly go through with this plan. He knew Penelope believed she needed revenge and they still hadn't gotten Chuck or Serena to divulge what it was the Georgina had over the blonde, though at this point he wasn't entirely sure that even Chuck knew. It seemed it was a secret Serena was willing to take to her grave, one that was going to come a lot earlier than she anticipated if she didn't start leaning on the comfort her friends were willing to give.
As he continued to think over the events that had led to this point, he wondered how it was possible that he had come to think of most of the people they hung out with as close friends. Hell Chuck was dating his sister, something that was a big no-no in his books, someone he should be able to hate on principle alone, as if he needed anything further than the blatant disgust and bullying he'd withstood at Chuck's hand for the last few years. Yet somehow he found he was unable to hate the guy. Instead the smarmy bastard had somehow managed to evoke in Dan a strange feeling of kinship. He wasn't sure whether it was the sympathy each of them managed to draw out of Dan when he thought of their absentee parents in comparison with his own father or if there was something in the way Chuck fiercely protected Jenny - even from herself at times - and vice versa. Sure he'd made his mistakes and as a result received a few punches from Dan not to mentioned the fact that he knew Jenny wasn't one to hold back from verbally attacking the most hidden insecurity a person was capable of holding. Dan also wasn't above punching him again if the asshole got out of line once more but that being said he had come to feel a level of respect when he saw just how much Chuck protected those he cared about. Something Dan had come to realise the damaged brunette had extended to him.
He briefly wondered how different their lives could have been had the gang not allowed Jenny and himself access into their lives. He figured his parents probable still would have been together - however unhappily. Alison was not exactly lying when she'd shown up on their doorstep those months ago. He could see that his mother was trying, she'd made a mistake and she was trying to fix it, more for Jenny's sake than her own but fix it nonetheless. But Lily's involvement in their lives had just stirred up old feelings in both his parents. Ones of complete anger and jealousy in his mother that caused her to act in ways Dan was not sure he would ever completely forgive and caused his father to see the love that was long gone from his marriage. Despite the drama, Dan wouldn't have it any other way.
His thoughts then shifted to the brunette lying beside him. It hurt him to think of a world where they were not together but it wasn't exactly that foreign of an idea. That being said he knew how bitter she had been when they met. He was proud that he was able to help her heal and grow. She did the same for him. She saw him when no one else did. He knew her relationship with Eleanor was still strained but it had been healing slowly. He didn't feel the same overwhelming rage when he saw the older Warldorf, he even occasionally managed a smile in her direction.
Dorota and Katherine had become as much a part of his family as his father was, while Tyler and Alyssa were the other siblings he'd once longed to have. They were all bits of his life he hadn't known was missing until he'd met them and felt complete.
He had found that once he got to know the minions and their personalities they each had a lot to offer. Even Penelope - much to Blair's faux disgust each time he told her such. Hazel had more compassion in her little finger than most people had in their whole bodies. Kati and Is, while often appearing to share a brain, actually helped each other grow and try new things while simultaneously keeping each other grounded preventing them from getting lost in the craziness that surrounded them. And Dan knew he wasn't wrong in his belief that if you had ever seen Penelope throw a punch, you quickly learnt to take her calm diplomatic approach whenever she offered it.
Nate and Serena were something else entirely. The reformed pot-head was now dating his best friend and had better luck dealing with her than Dan himself did most days now. Something which he didn't particularly like to think about but couldn't ignore anymore. That year apart had caused a rift that Dan wasn't sure the two of them would ever be able to fix. And strangely he found that Nate was now on par with Vanessa in terms of who he would be willing to turn to. Something he never thought possible. Then again he had been pretty understanding when he had found out the truth about Blair and Dan, not to mention the fact that their relationship had started before the true termination of Blair's own relationship with Nate. It helped that Nate's natural charm had been able to combat Dan's own distrust of most things 'Upper East Side'.
Meanwhile Serena was the girl he was supposed to have fallen in love with. The carefree, bright, bubbly girl who drew the attention of everyone. The girl full of no mystery and too much mystery at the same time. She was her own contradiction and she continued to baffle him as he tried to fit her into his life as much as possible. Despite their arguments the blonde was Blair's best friend and he was not going to jeopardise that simply because he couldn't make sense of the damaged blonde. He'd recalled how quickly he had come to discover that Serena was not only not who she pretended to be but that he didn't want the fake or the real Serena. It wasn't that he hadn't believed the things Blair had said that winter evening in Paris rather that it was particularly difficult to put the two pictures of the blonde together until he himself had become aquatinted with Serena's darker side. And he'd found that neither side of the blonde drew him in the way the brunette wrapped in his arms did. He wasn't afraid to admit that sixteen year old him had been so overwhelmed by Serena that he hadn't truly seen the gift standing beside her. But he quickly reminded himself with a smile that didn't mean he hadn't noticed her. Lines upon lines of poetry ran through his head as he recalled all the words he'd put down on paper trying to capture the enigmatic person who already had his subconscious wrapped around her little finger. The shadow in the memory who was too complex for his mind to do her true justice.
It was almost startling when he realised just how much of his world now resided in the Upper East Side. Sure his Dad, Jenny, Cameron and Vanessa acted as an anchor to his past but he knew all of them had changed alongside him as a result of this new alliance.
Hearing his phone vibrate, Dan grabbed it off the bedside table reading the message Penelope sent him regarding his 'date' with Blair. He knew the plan and he knew how the night would end but he was determined that until the moment of no return he'd make sure Blair knew just how much he loved and cherished her to make up for all they would have to go through in the coming months.
It was daunting to realise that his school work didn't even register on his scale of problems at the moment. Sure he was keeping up with his studies, with both of Blair and himself occasionally letting their competitive sides show when they had the same assignment. He still maintained his grades and continued to surpass his teacher's expectations, Dartmouth was still in his sights but it was not where his thoughts drifted when they weren't drifting to Blair as it once was. Now his mind was filled with all things Georgina and the impending takedown. It was overwhelming.
He laughed slightly as his mind conjured up an image of him as Hercules and put Georgina in the place of one of the monsters.
"What's so funny?" Blair's question was layered with sleep and as Dan peered down at her she felt the warmth of his gaze fill her.
Rearranging them so they were facing each other, Dan moved his face forward kissing Blair softly but passionately, smiling slightly when she had to regain her breath. "I was comparing Georgina to a Hydra." Dan frowned momentarily, shaking his head as he let Blair in on his thoughts. "At first it was a humorous image but now I'm not so sure. I get the feeling that the analogy works in this case and I'm worried that if we cut off one head, two more will grow back. Take Audrey for example. I'm not sure how Georgina got her claws into her but it feels like each time I diffuse the situation with her, she becomes even more determined, like she's grown another head with which to obsess over us."
Blair, feeling the honest fear and uncertainty running through Dan was quick to reassure him to the best of her abilities. No matter how unconventional they were. "First if we're going by Ancient Greek, it's Heracles. Secondly, I will be right beside you. The Iolaus to your Heracles. You will cut and I will cauterise Georgina's resources and then we will strike at her. We will take her head and place it under a great rock or, you know, something slightly more fulfilling."
Wrapping her hands around his neck, Blair watched as Dan nodded slowly, grateful she'd turned his nervous rambling into something that helped him make sense of a seemingly out of control situation.
Pulling herself up until she was straddling his waist, Blair reached for the bedside table, searching for the required protection.
"You do realise we are capable of doing things other than having sex?"
Blair smirked at him, silently questioning his status as a horny teenage boy before she bent down and kissed her way across his jaw and caught his earlobe between her teeth. "I know that. But once the plan starts, who knows when we'll get a chance to really do this again? I want to make our time now count."
Dan gasped as Blair raked her nails across his chest. His gasp quickly changed to as hiss and her had snaked further down her body, grasping him in her hand. "Blair!" The moan that followed his shout as her hand started moving promised that this time was going to be something they would remember whenever they were separated.
Sighing in relief as Dan's hands rested on her hips to hold her in place, Blair moved her free hand back to herself, running it over her breasts, down and around her belly button before settling on her clit.
As she continued to rub herself and Dan, she felt him move his body until he was able to latch onto her breast, running his tongue across the sensitive nub. She keened as he bit gently, the stubble that had started to grow back, tickling and scraping across her tender skin.
Moving his attention to her other breast, he fought down his own arousal determined to hear more of Blair's breathy gasps. Shifting his left hand so that it was splayed across her lower back, Dan manipulated his right hand into place, inserting one finger slowly into her.
The howl of pleasure that left her lips as his finger moved in and out surprised the both of them and as she watched Dan's eyes shine she knew she was in for a hell of a time.
There was little Dan loved more than watching Blair while she orgasmed. However watching the interchanging looks of frustration and pure want as he continued to bring her to the brink and then back her away from it, was one of them. As he continually changed the speed, angle and number of fingers used Blair's cries steadily rose.
Sweat poured off both of them as they both fought off their arousal, determined to drag this out as long as possible while simultaneously making it one of the most arousing sexual encounters for the other.
As Blair ran her nail along the underside of his penis she felt more than heard his breath catch. It wouldn't be long now. Moving her hand off herself with a groan of disappointment as she lost a fraction of the buzzing pleasure she was surrounded with, Blair quickly set about rolling the condom on to Dan.
Feeling his fingers encircle hers as they lined themselves up, Blair felt her breath catch as he was seated fully inside her. Finally relinquishing control, she allowed herself to be turned over and smiled as she felt safe being caged in his arms. "I love you."
Dan paused momentarily in his frenzied movements as he caught Blair's lips in a tender kiss. It wasn't like he didn't know she loved him but generally they let their bodies do the talking while having sex and any loving words were shared afterwards. Letting his lips flutter around her face, kissing any area of skin he could, Dan felt tears leave his eyes as he was overcome with emotions. "I love you more than anything or anyone else. Don't you ever forget that Blair."
Any further reply was cut off as Dan pistoned his hips into her and her lips parted in a soundless gasp.
They didn't last much longer but Blair managed to pull his down to her, claiming his lips with her own in a bruising kiss as they both reached the end of their ropes.
Their descent back to reality was abruptly cut off as Dan's stomach growled in protest at the lack of food and Blair was unable to help the laugh that escaped her. Rolling them over she gently eased herself off Dan, pressing her lips to his chest once more and tasting the salty sweat that covered his skin.
"Let's get you some food before your stomach decides to eat itself."
Dan shook his head as he watched Blair dress to the point where she wouldn't be completely embarrassed if someone was in the penthouse. Pulling on his own sweats, Dan pulled her back against him, kissing her gently before he thread his fingers through hers and let her lead him to the kitchen.
Outside Constance Billard/St. Jude's, New York
22nd January 2008
They'd managed school the following day with surprisingly little drama, most of the usual gossips seemed strangely subdued. Something that made little sense to Nate until he finally paid attention to the looks people were throwing him.
Bumping into Dan and jolting the writer from his thoughts, Nate turned to his friend and raised his concern, albeit in a slightly quieter voice than was usually heard from the noisy blonde. "I never realised just how many people at this school not only cared about Jenny but also apparently cared enough about both of our relationships to not openly stare when Gossip Girl has given us a temporary break from being in the spotlight. I want to feel sorry for Blair's minions having to be in the spotlight for a bit but I'm grateful for the reprise."
"You mean reprieve." Dan chuckled as he realised Nate had gotten the word wrong simply to give Dan something to focus on other than his obviously troubled thoughts. "It is a little disconcerting I'll give you that but I'm grateful for it either way. Besides I have bigger problems." Dan's eyebrows furrowed in concern as he tossed a glance at the athletic blonde hoping he'd understand.
"You can't seriously be worried about your date with Blair. You two have been together for ages. I mean you've been on dates with her before right?" Seeing Dan was on the verge of passing out, Nate quickly sobered his expression. "Ok, you haven't. No worries. Relax it'll be fine. It's Blair, you love her and she loves you, how much harder does it need to be?"
"I just, Paris, the Cotillion, parties, our meet ups and anniversaries. None of those have really been a date, they were more informal or way too formal. I don't know what I'm doing."
Unable to hold back a laugh at the terrified look that had overtaken Dan's face until he covered it with his hands, Nate threw his arm around his friend and lead him in the direction of Blair's.
The Waldorf Penthouse, New York
22nd January 2008
Dorota ducked as another dress was tossed onto the bed, the small smile on her face contrasting with Blair's freak out.
"Why is this so hard? It's just one date with Dan, one that isn't even going to end the way a date is supposed to." Blair's voice echoed out from her closet not sure if she was talking to herself or Dorota who was desperately trying to keep up with why her charge was freaking out.
Blair turned around in the mirror once more, a smile claiming her face as she felt the black lace that hugged her body. "Perfect."
As she moved back out towards her freshly made bed, Blair swept her hair up so that a few strands fell into her face and quickly secured the others into place. Now that she'd settled on the dress it seemed everything was falling into it's natural place.
Leaving her makeup light, she turned back to Dorota noticing that the woman appeared to be muttering a Polish prayer while she hung Blair's clothes back up. Frowning she rolled her eyes at Dorota's flair for drama as she searched for the perfect earrings. "It wasn't that bad."
"Wasn't that bad." Dorota mocked as she nodded once at Blair's outfit in approval before she exited the room. "Hopefully Mr Nate has had better luck with Mr Dan."
Eleanor chuckled as she passed Dorota in the hall. It was with growing amusement that she moved between the two room listening to her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend panic about this date. She didn't want confirmation of how far Dan and Blair's relationship had gone but she figured they were much more familiar with each other than what this level of nervousness was representing. Nonetheless it was quite an amusing sight to witness.
Slowly pushing her daughter's bedroom door open, Eleanor's breath caught in her throat as she saw Blair. She looked radiant. There was a joy in her eyes, beneath the worry of course, that Eleanor realised she hadn't really seen there since before Serena left. Sure she'd caught more glimpses of it since Blair had started this relationship with Dan just before Christmas, if the billboard ad was anything to go by, but it was so clear now. It was amazing to see the way that Blair's skin glowed in the black dress and she had to admit the young woman before her was a far cry from the girl Eleanor had forced into a white lace dress when the Archibalds had been over. "You look stunning."
Blair blushed slightly as she turned towards her mother fixing her earring into place. "Thanks." Blair rocked awkwardly as she realised she had no idea what to say to her mother now.
Both women released a breath of air as there was a knock at her bedroom door before Nate poked his head in to check Blair was actually ready. He really couldn't believe how much of a girl Dan had been when it came to his outfit tonight. Nate wanted those two hours back, well he did until he remembered all the laughs that Dan's behaviour had caused and he for one wasn't going to fight the happy feeling that had instilled in him. "She's all good."
Nate stepped aside as Dan stepped into the room, his dress shirt sleeves had been rolled up to the elbows in perfect Humphrey fashion and Blair couldn't help but chuckle as she took in the black converse that covered his feet. He was still her Humphrey through and through.
Finally feeling at ease for the first time all night. Dan moved forward and took Blair's hand, grabbing her coat from it's place over her chair as he lead them from the room saying their thanks and goodbyes as they went.
As they lost themselves in a friendly argument about the benefits of synesthesia and whether Beethoven really had the condition, Dan couldn't remember a time when he felt more at peace. Feeling a smidgen of uncertainty regarding what was going to have to happen later in the evening, he let his side of the argument drop for a second before resuming but that was all Blair had needed.
His nostril's were suddenly surrounded by her scent and his heart beat quickly in his chest as Blair pressed herself against him. Her lips softly claiming his own. "I love you. Remember that no matter what."
Nodding once he parroted her words. "No matter what."
Finally reaching the restaurant, Dan helped Blair out of her jacket and reclaimed her hand in his. Once seated they talked quietly, expressing their love through little gestures as they made their way through dinner and were presented with the desert menu. Dan frowned, it was time.
Without any warning, their quiet words and sweet nothings were traded in for hurtful barbs and underhanded insults that rose in volume as they continued. The sound in the whole restaurant suddenly cutting of after an echoing slap filled its walls. "How could you?" Her words were surprisingly quiet and tears filled Blair's eyes as the stinging in her hand made itself known.
Pushing herself out of her chair, she grabbed her coat off the back of her chair and violently put it on, running from the restaurant as she wiped at her eyes.
Dan's face was flaming red as he pulled out enough money to cover their food and a large tip, tossing it down on the table before he repeated Blair's hasty exit.
Bumping into a petite body at the front of the restaurant Dan steadied the other girl barely taking the time to look at her face instead noting the silver G necklace that was in the same place as it was last time. Apologising he shielded his face from the rest of the patrons and quickly continued in the opposite direction to his girlfriend.
Hearing the chiming of his phone, he fished it out reading Gossip Girl's post before a smile crossed his lips.
"Phase two complete." Blair's voice carried over to him and he walked over to her, pulling her into his arms as she tucked her head against his chest. "No matter what."
Dan repeated the phrase as he kissed the crown of her head. "I better head to Chuck's now. He'll be expecting me."
Blair stiffened as she pulled back, pressing her cool hand to his cheek before she replaced it with her lips, gently kissing the red mark hoping this all paid off in the end.
Despite his statement, Dan stayed with Blair holding her until reinforcements arrived in the form of Nate and Dorota. As one they split and headed in different directions, Dan and Blair tossing a glance over their shoulders as they went.
"Come on man. It'll all be alright. And before you know it you guys can have great pretend make up sex."
Unable to keep the bitter laugh from tumbling out of him, he hoped Nate was right and that he wouldn't have to feel that cold fear that had frozen him as it travelled down his spine when he watched Blair walk away from him.
Nate flipped his phone open wincing at the photo someone had captured right as Blair's hand made contact with Dan's cheek. "Gotta admit that must have hurt though."
Spotted: Trouble in Paradise, say it ain't so. Queen B and our favourite Brooklynite having it out at The Boatyard. This once great ship seems to be struggling to stay afloat.
Lets hope the show wasn't as painful to watch as it appears in the photo sent in by Little_Mermaid_91.
XOXO Gossip Girl
Nate shook his head as he noticed a poll along the side which had suggestions of what it was that lead to the fight, followed by a second poll regarding who the new couples will be if Dan and Blair broke up. Nate wasn't sure if he should be complimented or offended that 'he and Dan' were coming second to 'Chuck and Dan' with 'Blair and Carter' of all people coming in third.
Closing his phone, Nate threw his arm around Dan's shoulder not in the least bit uncomfortable when Dan's head fell to rest against his chest. Dan needed him right now and he was not going to let his friend down regardless of the possibility of their pairing being bumped up to first if a Gossip Girl follower spotted them. This was his chance to truly start over and be the friend Blair and Dan both knew he could be.
He just hoped he was able to help enough to guide his friends so that they make it through the next few phases.