Dan sat in his comfy armchair alone, a sweating beer on his lap and conflicting thoughts running through his mind. He thought bitterly about how he used to envy Nate, the clean-cut, handsome, popular, relaxed, athletic high school boy that could get any girl he wanted with a crook of his finger, and often entertained more than one at a time. That was the one thing that was always constant. No matter how great Dan's life was going – when he was dating Serena was a particular high point in his otherwise mundane life – Nate's life was better, more dramatic. Dan was inferior to the effortlessly charming Nate Archibald, who could do no wrong, he was with Raina now and still retained his friendship with Chuck. Dan chuckled when he thought of the distress he went through trying to keep Vanessa's heart intact while dating Serena, what was the point? Why couldn't he just do what he wanted and ignore the consequences?

He reclined contemplating, he was veering on a self-pity party. Charlie had left; Blair judging from the blast that had just popped up on Gossip Girl was going full steam ahead with her now public relationship with her Prince. It was unfair how a girl could still be so beautiful regardless of all the other unattractive attributes they possessed. Her skin looked unfairly soft and feminine even under the incessant bright flashes from the paparazzi, a silly grin on her pink painted lips. She truly resembled a princess with brunette tendrils blowing in the wind, the skirts of her pale dress swirling enchantingly. Luis was obviously the man for her, not conniving like Chuck or mediocre like Dan. He sighed, flicking through the myriads of channels his new broadband had to offer, sometimes he felt the choice was mindboggling and longed for simpler times, but then he realised that he would like the option of watching a re-run of Chuck as he was doing right now.

Charlie was pretty, in a non-Upper-East-Side-way, yet still elegant and genuinely nice. She seemed so cautious and conscious, he really hoped this new life worked out for her, although it didn't work out for Jenny. If he didn't know better he would have thought that she liked him, her eyes went really wide and she giggled lightly at almost everything he said. Dan knew he wasn't that funny. He regretted the way Serena had discovered his secret friendship and that Blair hadn't enjoyed their kiss at all.

He didn't much remember it, but was egotistical enough to want to be a good kisser. He remembered the clean, fragrant scent she wore and the taste of a vanilla sealant on her perpetually pouting lips. That was all, it was very brief and sudden, a lot of the memory had been distorted by shock; he had kissed Blair Waldorf.

Earlier tonight, however, their elaborate act had left a more lasting impression, her cheeks were really soft like she used a rare cream imported from Poland because of the illegal ingredients. Plus. She had kissed him back, single-mindedly, true out of deference to Luis and a desire to maintain their relationship's secrecy, but it was hard not to be affected when she eagerly met his lips. Dan saw it as his chance, which he'd blown. Nate wouldn't have blown it. Chuck probably would have but he'd make up for it with expensive presents and stalking.

His cell phone rang vociferously, vibrating on the table. "Yes," he snapped it open, trying to make his tone as polite and affable as possible, but if it was Vanessa he would tell her what he thought, colourfully.

"Hello, Humphrey," a very familiar droll voice greeted, sounding almost bored.

"I thought you'd be enjoying your happily ever after," he stood, pacing without realising, slightly ashamed of his defeatist attitude, he was not the loser Blair proclaimed him to be just because he had a few less millions in his savings account.

"I am," her voice was calm and decisive, "I just wanted to say thank you . . .," she ignored the disbelieving pause because she felt it was a n insult to her character, "I appreciate what you did and so does Luis, you're a good friend . . .," another awkward pause filled only by her sigh, "Seriously, Dan I owe you one, okay? Stop acting like I've just told you that I'm actually a leprechaun under all this good breeding."

"Er, okay, it's appreciated," he made a funny face, "And you're welcome."

"Right," the lapse in their interaction was this time due to a loss of something to say.

"Well, er how is Serena?" he inexpertly reopened the conversation.

"She's . . . Serena."

"What now? I swear you guys cannot go one day without fighting over something, it's always a competition with you two, I actually find it amazing your still friends, especially when she's such a nice person," Dan joked, venturing into the kitchen and fixing himself a coffee, he might watch a horror flick, he always found Carrie pretty freaky.

"Oh, I should have known you'd take her side, you want to watch that pedestal Humphrey, the higher your unattainable it-girl is the harder she has to fall. Is it really so hard to believe that she's not as perfect as you think she is? You're taking bias to an astronomic level." Blair grumbled, rhetorically, for she knew how she came off next to Serena, being an it girl took more than just golden looks, it took style, poise and attitude. Serena was an it girl because she believed she was an it girl and despite the fathomless love she held for her best friend, Blair was tired of her believing she was better. This was her time, things were working according to plan.

"You know, that's not possible, she must be a saint to remain friends with you," he retorted, stirring his coffee noisily, "Is she mad then, upset, indifferent?" he prompted.

"You still care?"

"I've known her for a really long time now, we're not getting back together, and that's totally done now. Been there, done that, still going to therapy to rebuild by low self esteem, but we still see a lot of each other. I don't want things to be awkward," he explained haltingly. He suddenly realised that Serena was single and for once he did not care. Scary.

"Well that ship has definitely sailed, I got the feeling that she doesn't like the idea of us becoming friends, I mean, it does go against the laws of nature. Maybe she has a point," she said teasingly, well partially teasing, maybe.

"Right," he nodded to himself, "And when people ask you can just tell them that it was your good deed, after all being from Brooklyn that automatically makes me a charity case."

"Maybe charity case is a little far, but your wardrobe is pitiful, I dread to think what you would have worn to the Pink Party if I had not chosen your outfit, which you owe me for, Thomas Pink does not come cheap."

"I'll return it, and do you not realise that I have been dressing myself since I was three years old."

"More's the pity," Blair smiled, "I have to go, Luis wants to order some food, he's surprisingly down to earth for royalty, at least more than I am."

Dan chuckled, "Ah, that's a wrong of the world that will soon be righted, nobody deserves the title of royalty like you do, after all you always walk everywhere like you own the place. Like Constance, oh those days really do bring a tear to my eye."

"I'm going to ignore your petty insults, because unlike you I have plans that don't involve my part-reject part-criminal family and I'm craving ice cream. So I'll see you," she hung up.

The smile stayed tugging at the edge of his lips long after their conversation ended, he closed his brown eyes contentedly, it was really late now. He didn't know what Serena was doing or what Charlie was doing but he knew Blair was most probably celebrating. The weirdest thing of all was that he had no idea what Vanessa was doing, sleeping would be the logical conclusion, but what he found really concerning was that he was glad. Dan Humphrey had really changed