Chapter One

Blair knew that she should have never left NYC. She placed her Chanel tote on the table in her penthouse, she realised that it wasn't really home anymore. The tables were thick with dust, as were the banisters and the drapes. There was even a cobweb in the doorway to the kitchen. Ugh. She made the fateful trip upstairs to her and Serena's room, or so it used to be. The beds were old and unused. It was cold.

Somehow, she felt like she didn't belong here. It didn't feel like home. On the streets of NYC, she was invincible, but in her own home, she felt like an outsider.

She knew where she wanted to go. But it was impossible.

Dan laughed and kissed the pretty girl on his right. Rose was perfect. She had the craziest hair in the whole world, and it was all the better to run his hands through. Her laugh was stupid and her teeth were askew. But she was adorable. They had everything in common. She was a writer, just like him, and she had similar taste in music, fashion, and society. They could sit for hours and just talk. It was amazing.

Dan felt so lucky he had found this girl. Especially after the year he'd had.

"Miss Blair?"

"Ah! Dorota!" Blair snapped up from her spot on the sofa. "Good, you can get started. I want the tables wiped, the sheets changed and something to eat, I'm starving."

"Miss Blair, can I–"

"No, Dorota, I need all of these chores done pronto. I'm going down to Barney's to get something to wear, I'm meeting Serena tonight for dinner."

"Miss Blair!" Dorota's sharp tone took Blair by surprise, and Dorota took the quick pause to say what she had wanted to all along. "Where is Mr Chuck?"

Blair looked uncomfortable for a moment before regaining her composure. "Quick, Dorota."

She left swiftly.

Dan looked around his loft. It had been so long since he'd been here. His past year in the UK had been one of the best of his life. Sitting in Trafalgar Square eating fish and chips whilst dodging the many tourists was a writer's dream - so many stories had flourished, many some of his best, many some of his worst.

He lay his bag down on the sofa, opened the fridge and closed it again. Of course there was nothing in there. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed Rose's number.

"Hello?" came the cute British accent at the other end.

"Hey! Well, I've just arrived, and I'm missing you already. Feel free to catch the first plane over here."

Rose laughed. "I can't, you know why. My bank is a horrific place at the moment. Oh! I have to go. The bloody postman's here. Talk to you later. Have a fab time. Bye!" The tone went dull.

Dan sighed, and put his phone on the counter. Truth was, he wasn't really missing Rose that much. Life over there had become a little... boring. It was... too perfect.

Opening the door to his bedroom brought back a wave of memories so harsh that he shut it almost immediately.

Rose was a distraction from the real world.

Rose was a distraction from Blair.

Blair. Dan put his head in his hands.

He needed a new distraction. The perfect idea occurred to him: dinner with Rufus. He hadn't heard from his dad in a while. Perfect.

Dan grabbed his phone, wallet, coat and scarf and left.

"Serena! Oh my god!" Blair couldn't get over the size of the diamond on her best friend's finger.

They were sitting in the latest restaurant on Fifth. They had a table right near the back, so Serena wouldn't be spotted.

"I know. Nate's a sweetie."

"A sweetie? A rich sweetie. You are so lucky!"

"Blair, Nate isn't half as rich as Chuck, remember?"

Chuck... right.

Blair sighed and fiddled with her ring on her thumb. "Chuck and I are complicated at the moment."

Serena looked confused. "I thought you said he was the love of your life?"

Blair hastily looked around, looking for a distraction, any distraction. "Um, yeah."

Then the last person Blair wanted to see walked into the restaurant.

Rufus and Dan sat down at a table near the back. It was a swanky restaurant on Fifth Avenue, and Dan guessed it was part of Rufus' new UES lifestyle. They sat down at the table and picked up the menus.

"So, Dan," Rufus started, putting his down, "how was England? I want to hear all about it. I haven't seen you since... well, it must have been–"

"Yeah, England was great!" Dan quickly interrupted, trying to avoid the subject of the last time he had been in NYC.

"Dan!" Blair cried.

He turned around swiftly for her to come crashing into his arms. The smell of her soft brown hair filled his nostrils and he held her close. "What's the matter?"

"I've hit rock bottom, Dan. Everyone hates me. I don't know what to do. I've lost everything."

"You still have me, remember?"

She smiled and nodded, tears brimming her eyes.

"If you need anything, I'll be there."

"Let's go away. Somewhere."

"Well where would you like to go?"

Blair thought for a moment. "Europe."

"Europe it is." He took her hand. "How about Italy?"

"Italy. Done."

They smiled and hailed a cab. Dan text Rufus briefly to say where they were going.

Blair couldn't keep her eyes off Dan. He looked so different. His hair was cut into a suave style, he was tanned, his eyes were bright, he was clean shaven and he had muscles, but wasn't too buff. He looked better than ever.

"Blair! What are you looking at?"

"Oh! Nothing, nothing..." Blair smiled. "Excuse me." She got up, smoothed her skirt down and made her way over to the bathroom, making sure she skirted around near Dan's table. Dan didn't seem to notice. He was engrossed in his conversation.

Dan couldn't believe he just saw Blair walk around his table. Why was she here? He craned his neck to survey the restaurant and spotted Serena on the far table. Ah.

"Sorry, Dad, I just need to use the little boys' room."

He got up before there was a reply and followed Blair into the waiting area beside the bathrooms.