Nate Archibald and Dan Humphrey were lunching at the pizzeria a couple of blocks away from Blair and Nate's apartment. Before Blair left for LA, she had asked Nate to give Dan and Serena the invitation to the New York Ballet Gala for tomorrow night. Nate has also helped Blair with planning the perfect romantic night for the couple. It was a late gift for their anniversary and they both wanted to make it special for their friends.

"So, she basically won't have a clue what we've planned for our date tomorrow night." Dan supposed after hearing the details of what Blair and Nate have come up with. "And this is all Blair's idea?"

"Unless you tell Serena beforehand, of course." Nate replied, taking another slice of pepperoni pizza from the box. "And I also helped with the reservations and choosing the dishes in the menu, among other things. Blair was in charge of the wine tasting and minor details. You know how she is when it comes to this kind of stuff."

"I really appreciate you both for doing this for us. I'm sure Serena would love it."

"Don't mention it. Besides, you and Serena have always been there for us to help us out with our problems. We're just showing our gratitude to your kindness and support."

Dan smiled, touched at his friends' thoughtfulness. After taking a sip of his root beer, he told Nate, "Serena called Chuck last night."

Nate cringed at the mention of his ex-best friend's name but managed to quickly change the look on his face and feign interest. "So… how is he? When is he coming back?"

"He's probably staying there for a couple more months. He told Serena that he's met someone."

Now this Nate really has to hear about, "Really? In a short span of two months?"

"He's dating a princess. It seems like he really likes her and that she's good for him, Serena says. Can you believe it? I couldn't resist teasing him about it so I called."

"What'd he say?" Nate tried to act nonchalant about it, wiping his greasy mouth with a napkin.

"Got mad at Serena for telling me. Told me to stay out of his business. Predictable," Dan chuckled and went on saying, "I think it's a good thing, man. It really means that he's completely over Blair and that he's already moving on."

Nate nodded, feeling relieved after hearing the news. "So… a princess, huh?"

"Alexis Figueroa, the daughter of Prince Alberto and Princess Sophia of Spain." Dan then told him the same thing Serena told Chuck about Alex.

"She's quite a good catch." If Chuck has truthfully moved on, he wouldn't have a problem trying to be friends with him again. Dan has really been a trustworthy friend and all that but the bond that he had with Chuck was different. Despite his atrocious ways, Chuck had been like a brother to him. He used to be the one he came for advice whenever he's confused about something (with all the drama going on his life before—his parents, Blair, etc).

"So anyways, when is Blair coming back?" Dan asked after taking a last bite of his pizza.

"In a few days… it depends on her work. She's been only gone for a day and I'm missing her already. She'd scold me if I call her up and ugh, I don't really wanna appear needy."

Dan smiled at his confession and said, "I know how you feel. Once you start a family, eventually, she'll lie low and focus on you more… I'm already hearing her talk about changing her career…"

Nate leaned back on his chair and replied, "Yeah, but I don't really wanna take that away from her and after what happened (losing the baby)… I'm not sure if she's ready yet."

Dan inquired, "What do you mean?"

"I know that it seems like as if she's over the whole thing and everything's been good between us…"

"But…?"

Nate finally admits, "I can't help but think that there's something she's not telling me. I'm not really sure but uhm, there seems to be something… off."

"Don't you think that you're only over thinking things?" Dan looks at his reaction and elaborates, "We can't deny the fact that what you've been through these past few weeks have been really difficult so I can understand why you would feel that way… All I'm saying is that, things just can't go back to normal just like that, you know? Give it a little more time. For now, just be happy about you and Blair being fine… your relationship having gotten stronger…"

Nate ponders this for a while until he agrees, "Yeah, I suppose you're right." He paused for a moment and then asked, "What about you and Serena? You two seem very secure in your relationship. How do you manage to maintain it?"

"We're not the perfect couple people perceive us to be. We have our moments too. We also argue a lot about petty things but uhm, we don't let the day pass without talking out our issues, no matter how minor it is. Communication is the key to making a relationship work."

"Maybe it'd be good if I voice out my concerns for her once she gets back."

"Yes, definitely."

"Do you want me to babysit the kids tomorrow night? You can take them to our place and pick them up in the morning so you could have your privacy." Nate grinned suggestively.

"No, you've done so much. Don't worry about it. Jenny has just come back from Brown for the weekend so she's got it covered but uhm… if you really are feeling lonely now that Blair's gone… they could use some company."

Alexis Figueroa arrived at her apartment just in time to make the necessary preparations for her date with Chuck. She looked up at the wall clock in the living room and it was exactly five o'clock in the afternoon which means that she has two hours to do her hair and make-up and decide what dress she's going to wear. But first and foremost, she went into the bathroom to have a quick shower.

Twenty minutes later, she was dressed in a white bathrobe, blow-drying her hair in front of the vanity mirror (her brother has a more manly version, of course) when she heard someone knocking on the door. After turning off the blow dryer and placing it back on the dresser with her brush, she walked out of the room into the main door and opened it.

Standing in front of her was Chuck Bass, holding a big package and a bouquet of flowers.

"You're early or did I hear you wrong? You said 7, right?" She said, motioning her hand for him to get inside. She was worried that she might have heard what he said last night wrong and now it's too late for her to finish getting dressed up and everything.

"I came early to give you this." He handed her the bouquet of flowers first and she put it on a vase placed on the black grand piano in the middle of the room after thanking him for his thoughtfulness. After she did that, he followed her back into her room and laid the package on the bed, asking her to open it.

There was a peach chiffon dress by Yves Saint Laurent with layers and layers of frills in the skirt part, inside the package, with a note saying: A dress fit for a princess. –C

"It's your color and… it's not a nude dress," he said, hoping that she loved the dress.

Did he say that because he wanted her to feel that he'd really take good care of her and treat her like a princess…? Or does he already know?

She took the dress out and amazement filled her eyes. It was really beautiful. She was at a loss for words. "Chuck… I don't know what to say… Thank you so much."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He sat next to her, looking straight at her green eyes.

She gave him a puzzled look and he elaborates, "About the 'being a princess thing.' I kind of felt… dense and stupid. I mean, how could I have not known? But I'm not mad… just a little upset maybe." About the 'being a princess thing'? Now that just sounds lame, he silently thought. The truth is, he doesn't want to make a big deal out of it but he doesn't like the feeling of being lied to or being the last one to know (sort of). He had been honest to her about a lot of things and although he completely understood why she didn't tell him about her psycho-ex, he had expected her to be open about this kind of stuff.

She placed her hand on top of his and in a soft voice; she spoke, "I'm really sorry. I just didn't know how to tell you. It's not like I can introduce myself as 'Hi! I'm the crowned princess of Spain' because I'm not anymore. I still am my parent's daughter and I know who I am and all that but I'm trying to live a different life from what I've grown accustomed to."

He jokes, trying to lighten the situation. "I should just google who I date from now on; know a thing or two before I take her out."

She touched his face with her other hand and said, "I'm really sorry. I didn't want to lie to you; however that may have been to you." She added saying, "You're not the only one who didn't know at first. Some of my co-workers still have no idea. I think I've done a great job at blending in the crowd."

"You will always stand out to me. Real princess or not" He lifted her chin and kissed her on her lips.

After breaking away from the kiss, she smiled at him and promised, "I'll tell you everything you want to know about me from now on. All you have to do is ask. But right now, I have to make myself presentable for tonight." She stood up and went towards the vanity mirror, picking up her blow-dryer and combing her hair again.

"You'd be the best-looking girl in the room, I'm sure." She blushed at his compliment, looking at his reflection on the mirror.

"So, uhm, how did you find out about it?"

He placed his right ankle on his left knee and replied, "My sister called me up after we talked."

"You have a sister and you told her about me?" She inquired in a surprised tone mixed with a hint of curiosity. She then teased him remarking confidently, "Wow. You must really like me enough to mention me to a family member."

"Step sister, actually and I also have a step brother. You went to boarding school with her, apparently. Serena Van der Woodsen. Humphrey now, since she's married." Quoting Serena, he told her what his step sister thought of her. "She said you were really nice, without the air of superiority and pompousness that royals held."

"Really? Wow. Small world. I don't really remember her. It's hard to keep up with all the faces and names you encounter…"

"How could you not know that if you've lived in Manhattan?" Everybody knows him in New York.

"Well, I moved to Manhattan from LA after Chase and I broke up and for the two whole months that I stayed there, I never got myself acquainted with the high society slash celebrity gossip news." She was now finished drying her hair and it looked full, shiny and soft as it had always been. "I really didn't have an idea who you were until I googled you," she confessed, letting out a lighthearted laugh at the revelation.

He smirked and with a look of interest, he asked, "So… what did you find out?"

"It was actually my brother who warned me about you," she replied coolly.

He didn't want to show his puzzlement but it was evident. "Your brother?" He asked quizzically.

"You don't wanna know how he found out. But anyways, I don't care what other people are saying about you." She turned to him and gave him a reassuring look. Then she faced herself back to the vanity mirror and started applying moisturizer.

He really wanted to know what she has read about him on the Internet and what her brother thought of him even though he already has an idea. So he inquired, "I'm really curious though… So clearly, there were no mentions of my family background on the web? I thought that all private matters about anyone can be read from there." He then wondered if Alex has seen the rumors about him and Blair before he left New York.

"I've read more about your business affairs, like how you are trying to expand your hotel enterprise to Europe. You're only about 24 or 25 and you've been already very successful at running an empire of hotels and restaurant." She paused to take a look of his reaction and said, "Really, I'm impressed at your accomplishments."

Usually he'd feel high and mighty and be conceited about it, but instead, he only smiled and said, "I still have a lot to learn and my father, Bart Bass… He's still practically the CEO of the company." He brought up the topic of the conversation again, not wanting to let it go, he demanded, "What else did you read about?"

"If you really are so concerned about what rumor or scandal I might have read about you then all I can say is that, again, I don't care about what people thought or wrote about you. I'd rather listen to your side on things so I didn't want to read about anything else." She took her Chanel compact on the dresser and started applying the powder on her face. "You know… I'd never be able to finish on time if you don't let me."

He let out a sigh of relief and asked, "Is black your original hair color?"

She nodded and approached him, pulling him out of the bedroom. "Just go outside and watch TV or something."

"But I'm more interested to watch you in the process of getting ready for a big night."

"It's a tedious task of curling your eyelashes, applying mascara and eye make-up, blushing your cheeks, etc."

"But I wanna see you in your undergarments." He gave her a naughty grin.

She just gave him a threatening look that made him finally leave. "Just call me if you need help with zipping up your dress."

Forty five minutes later, Chuck has already fallen asleep on the couch when he was awakened by Alex pinching his cheeks with her left hand and her right hand holding a pair of silver strappy stilettos. She smiled down at him as he rubbed his eyes.

"Zip me up?" She asked, turning her back at him and holding her hair up.

He did what he was told to do and stood up, turning her around and taking in her appearance. The dress he bought her earlier fit her perfectly; it was as if it was custom-made only for her. She still had her bedroom slippers on but she looked like a goddess with her rosy pink lips and cheeks and her green eyes glimmering. He was speechless.

"So… how do I look?" She gave him an inquiring look, posing for him in her fluffy peach dress. When he didn't reply, she pouted and said, "You don't like it?"

"You look… divine, marvelous, stunning… I can just go on and on," he finally replied and then placed a small kiss on her cheek. Taking the pair of shoes from her hands, he let her sit on the couch and he kneeled in front of her. He slipped the first pair on her left feet, hooking it up on her ankle and did the same with the other pair.

"I didn't know you have a foot fetish," she remarked, looking pampered and surprised.

"I only want to be at your service, princess." He said, taking a gentlemanly bow in front of her at which, she giggled.

"I'll just get my clutch and we can go. Don't wanna be late for the business dinner." She winked at him and returned to the bedroom in order to get her things.

Twenty minutes later, they were at a rooftop of the hotel where Chuck is currently staying. They have a magnificent scene of the city— the lights, buildings and towers in the background and there was a table for two waiting for them. Chuck led her to it and pulled out a chair for her. He immediately noticed her confusion and explained, "My sister was right. I needed to take a break from work so I cancelled the meeting with the Japs… I wanted to take you out on a romantic dinner. It's my first time to ravish a real princess, you know and I only wanted to give you the best."

"So you weren't at work the whole day?"

"Nope. I made a reservation, bought you the dress… I had a lot of choices to choose from, by the way. It was hard to pick which one would suit you the best. I thoughtfully planned out this evening for us and that, my dear, is what kept me busy the whole day."

She smiled at his sweetness and said with her face glowing in happiness, "You really know how to make a girl feel special."

He took her hand and kissed it, saying, "Right now, you are the most special girl to me. You make me happy and I want to be the one who can bring a smile on your face."

Earlier that day, he had read Blair's letter for the last time. He remembered the text message he had sent her, the one she mentioned in her letter:

I Love you, ...

I don't know what

I'm gonna do without you.

I miss you so much

When we're apart.

Not just today, but always.

I love you more.

It was a week before she found him on bed with another woman, before they had broken up, when he had sent her that text message professing his love for her. And what an odd way to show her his love, he thought bringing to mind what had happened. You do not dare do something that could deeply hurt the person you love but he did, anyway. He caved into his temptations and he can never bring back the time to change the past and do the right thing. If he found someone to love again, he promised himself that he will never repeat the same mistake twice.

Even though Blair's letter has said a lot of things about the relationship they used to have in contrast to what she has now and also brought out questions, if they were truly happy at all where they stand; all he could do was let go of that hope and move on with his life. Alex was here, eager to take the next step with him.

So he put the letter back in the box one last time and finally said goodbye to the memories. If Blair couldn't throw everything away and burn it herself, then he would have to do it himself. For only then, he will be able to make new memories with another.

The waiter snapped him back into reality, bringing them their food and drinks. He smiled at Alex and she smiled back. Somehow, he felt that she knew what he had been thinking about and what he was feeling with the way she was looking at him. Tonight, he wants to focus on her and give her a wonderful time, exploring more the connection they share with each other.

Blair Waldorf had overslept and now she was running ten minutes late to the infomercial shoot. She didn't have the time to dry her hair so after a quick shower and getting dressed, she went outside the hotel she's staying in and immediately got in the car that came to pick her up. If there was one thing she couldn't let herself get away with, it was tardiness. Pleased that the odds were in here favor, she arrived at the set at 9:30 am. Thirty-five minutes late wasn't so bad, she told herself.

After grabbing a cup of coffee from one of the assistants, she hurried into the dressing room, bumping into someone along the way and spilling the beverage into her white chemise. The guy tried to wipe the mess he had made with his towel, muttering words of apology. If looks could kill, he would have dropped dead at that minute but once she saw who the offending person was, her expression changed into a look of shock.

She remained motionless in an instant and gasped, "Carter Baizen?"