Hey everyone alright here's the fourth chapter I hope you all like it…
Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah I forgot this in my last chapter so here it goes… I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING
Blair decided to go to work the next day instead of being stuck at home, pretending to be sick.
As she entered W the first person, like always, to come up to her was Epperly, except this time she had a smile on her face.
"Good Morning Blair," She said airily.
Blair wanted to punch that happiness off her face but she simply plastered a smile on her lips and continued walking with her boss.
The same boss who is marrying the man she loves… GET IT TOGETHER BLAIR!
"Epperly, what can I do for you today."
"Actually Blair I think you can take the day off, spend some time with… whoever your friends are."
Blair looked down and saw the ring she had dreamt of on the other woman's long fingers; she needed work to distract her but with Epperly as her boss it just wouldn't do.
"Very well I'll leave you to whatever business you have to attend to," Blair dismissed her as though she was of no importance, even if her boss, and walked out through the doors of W.
As she did, she wondered why Epperly hadn't discussed her engagement, but then again Epperly was not the flamboyant type.
Nate's Point of View:
What was wrong with her?
Over the last two phone conversations, not to mention the diner experience, Nate had noticed some sort of sadness oozing out of the once together Blair Waldorf.
She seemed detached.
He should call her; make sure she's okay…
Blair picked up on the second ring, like always, "Blair Waldorf."
Nate smiled, "By not I would have thought you had memorized my number."
"Nate… Hi."
There it was again that slight hesitation or that sadness from her voice that she was trying to conceal, all of these stirred feelings for her.
"Blair, are you alright? I mean do you want to talk?" Nate said trying to get her to tell him anything.
"Yes, I'm fine, why? Nate you really are something, here you are asking if I'm fine, while the truth is you have got your pronouns mixed up. Come on today we are going wedding hunting, and no before you say anything, you are not going to be the groom who does nothing the whole entire duration of wedding planning. Archibald it's spring let's get outside and wedding plan!" Blair said in a rush yet her voice calm.
It was like some switch went off inside Blair's brain that told her to hide her feelings and remain fine on the outside. Or at least that is what Nate thought after her complete change in tone of voice.
"Alright we're do we meet?"
"We do not meet anywhere I'm right outside your door and I'm walking in," She said lightly.
"What you're already…" But she had cut him off, hanging up the phone.
She walked into his apartment looking exactly like the old Blair, had he been dreaming about her not looking alright.
He always was shocked by how she seemed to be more put together, more absolutely amazing, each time he saw her.
Like she could take on the world all at once, but he knew that behind that she was fragile, ever so fragile and that was why he had fell in love with her in the first place.
He hadn't loved her just for her confidence; he loved her for that delicate and deep character inside.
"Nate what on earth are you gawking at?" Blair said waving a hand in front of his face.
Nate looked down, "Sorry just thinking."
Blair smiled, "Nate, you're too hard to read, I can never guess what you're thinking about."
Nate smiled, "I could say the same thing for you."
Blair furrowed her eyebrows (he loved it when she did that), "That is not true you always know what I'm feeling."
Nate moved closer putting a hand on hers, "I wish I knew now, are you sure you're alright?"
Blair moved her hand away from his and it felt like someone had hit him in the gut, "Yeah, Nate I'm fine."
Nate shook his head, "Then I'll drop it, sorry."
Blair then, almost like it was despite what she was feeling, took his face in her hands, "No don't be sorry it's nice that you are worried about me, it's nice that you care."
Nate took her hands and held them, "I'll always care."
Blair then took a step back, moving her hands out of his for the second time and for the second time Nate felt a fist in his gut.
"Alright, enough of me, you are getting married so although Epperly will be planning the decorum and her dress and well almost everything. You will be there to support her, and get a really nice tuxedo."
Nate looked down again at his countertop; why did Blair pull away from him, twice?
"Nate, hello, alright follow me," She said walking toward his bedroom.
Nate followed curiosity getting the best of him.
"Blair, do you have some great interest in my bedroom?"
Blair clapped her hands together, "Okay role play, I'm Epperly and you're well you're still Nate."
Nate smirked, "Alright, but what are we doing?"
"I'm teaching you support, now cue Epperly." Blair did a weird acting hand sign and then stood on her tiptoes, as Epperly was much taller.
Nate closed his eyes envisioning Epperly and then opened them again realizing that he would only see Blair, his Blair. He would play along though, wondering what she was going to do.
Blair straightened up and put a hand to her neck saying in a lower voice, "Hi sweetie, how was your day?"
Nate laughed out loud, "Seriously Blair?"
Blair gave him a look, "Not Blair, Epperly, your fiancée. Now act as you would with her."
Nate hid a grin, "Oh fine, just a lot of business, nothing much. How are you?"
Blair, still on tiptoes, walked over to him and sat on top of him, still in character, "Oh lord, the wedding it's all so hard. I had to literally fight a girl for a dress."
Nate rubbed her shoulder up and down; he would do that with Blair, not with Epperly.
"I'm sorry, did you get the dress?"
Blair hit him, "Wrong, do not bring up the dress as if it is more important that your soon to be wife's feelings, just soothe her and hold her, compliment her. Support, get it?"
"Yes, master, I understand," He joked.
"Epperly, honey, I'm so sorry. Do not worry, everything will be fine." He said bringing BLAIR closer; he wasn't even trying to imagine Epperly.
"But Nate, I just am so tired" Blair said snuggling into his shoulder; he liked her this close to him.
"I know and you have been working so hard at W and for the wedding, is there anything I can do?" He whispered into her ear, his lips brushing her collar bone.
"Just be there, please." It was Blair again; something told Nate that Blair was saying this.
So he moved her even closer if possible and they stayed like that, holding each other for a while until Blair stirred.
She moved quickly away from his arms as if shocked, "And that is exactly how you will support Epperly, A for effort Nate." Blair joked shakily.
"Blair, I'm sorry… I just…"
"Nate, we were just role playing, don't worry." Blair said cutting him off.
"Yeah, just role playing." Nate said looking Blair up and down.
"Okay, next Archibald we will have to throw a surprise engagement party for your girlfriend. She needs a break." Blair said, changing the subject.
They spent the rest of the day like that, planning his engagement party, just talking and that felt right. He hadn't talked with Blair in ages.
It felt like some weight had been lifted off his chest.