So….it's been a while. I don't even want to look at the date that I put up the last chapter, but I am so sorry for the wait! I got a really short-notice chance to go travelling for a few months and I couldn't say no, or find the time to put this up before now. It's a little shorter than usual, but any other scenes would have taken away from the actual point of this chapter. 10 more to go now!
Dan chewed on his fingernails, nervously watching Nate's eyes scan over the magazine in his hands. They had made a deal, that when the next chapter come out, the one that covered Blair and Nate's relationship, that Nate would come to the gallery to read it. Dan had tried to warn him, tried to soften the blow, had reminded him that it had been heavily edited, but Nate had remained excited. But now, sitting opposite Dan, his brows were furrowed in an uncharacteristic frown.
"It's good." Nate said as he put the magazine down and took a sip from his coffee.
"What?" Dan asked in disbelief.
"I thought it was good." Nate shrugged. "I know I don't really know a lot about writing, or editing or…basic grammar, but I thought it was well-written."
"But…you were frowning. Are you…you thought it was well-written, great, but what about the content?"
"Oh, that's just my concentrating face." Nate waved his hand absentmindedly.
"Nate." Dan urged, knowing that something had bothered him.
"Dan, really I'm fine." He replied. "I guess I just…was I really that much of a dick?"
"It's not real." Dan stated confidently. "It's dramatized, you know that. That was not you."
"Dude, you called my character Nathan!"
"Yeah, okay, it's based on you but…it's not you."
"But it is. Some of those things did happen. I just never really thought about it all from Blair's point of view, you know?" Nate explained, rubbing the back of his neck as he leant back in his chair.
"Well…you cheated on her with her best friend, there's no way to look back on that as a good thing." Dan sighed. "But, we're good?"
"Yeah, sure." Nate reiterated. "How about you and Blair? Have you talked to her today?"
"No." He replied slowly, sensing that Nate was going to tease him about Blair. "Her dad's staying in town for a while, so she's spending every moment that she can with him. I'll see her tomorrow in rehearsal and I'm sure she'll be fine with it. She's been fine with all the others."
"Ah, yes. Rehearsal. I know how much you enjoy that." Nate said coyly.
"I haven't really thought about it." Dan ignored Nate's goading. "Yale is sending out admissions emails tomorrow, so worrying about that has taken up all my brain capacity."
"I'm sure it has. It must be all you can think about; if you got into Yale…if Blair's got into Yale…if next year the two of you will be at Yale together and-"
"You know it's not so smart teasing me about Blair considering Gossip Girl outed you and Serena last night." Dan cut in smugly, silencing Nate immediately. "Did you really think I wouldn't bring that up?"
"Right." Nate said slowly. "I wanted to talk to you about that, it's just that…Serena and I aren't really together, not yet. I wanted to have a conversation with you about it first and Serena wanted to talk to Blair and Gossip Girl just got there first."
"No, I know, I've been there. As you know." Dan responded, recalling Gossip Girl exposing his story on Blair before he could tell her himself.
"So, that conversation I wanted to have…I know that you and Serena have a history-"
"Yeah, a history." Dan interrupted. "Not a future. I think that ship had sailed even before we found out that we shared a sibling. And even though, it turns out that our…brother is dead, it's just not there between me and her anymore."
"Even so…there's a code."
"Nate, I'm currently interested in the girl that you dated since kindergarten. I think that makes us even. Besides, you and Serena…it's been a long time coming. I'm glad you guys could finally get the timing right."
"Thanks, man. Now back to you and Blair…." Nate smiled gleefully.
Nate eventually dropped it, but taunting Dan about his crush on Blair had almost become a daily activity of his. He would have got bored of it long ago if it wasn't for the daily rehearsals for the school play and Dan's weekly chapters on his Claire Carlyle story. Dan ignored it most of the time, because he could tell that Nate was genuinely rooting for him and Blair, but this week was different. Dan had barely slept waiting to hear from Yale, to find out if the future he had planned his whole life would be coming to fruition, or if all his dreams would be taken away in one short, perfunctory rejection. And, as much as he tried to deny it, he was also wondering if Blair would get in too. If they would be spending the next four years together, debating literature, going to art exhibits, arguing about old classic films vs. modern independent productions and maybe falling madly in love. Maybe Dan would get a little carried away imagining it during those nights he wasn't sleeping. Then he'd imagine the alternative, not getting in, being at square one. No, worse than square one. He'd be minus squares. Serving coffee at the gallery for the rest of his life while everyone else moved on, telling people about how he was almost a writer, but burnt his only bridges to protect his integrity and a girl who was now busy graduating summa cum laude at Yale and forgetting all about him. He could imagine no scenario where Blair didn't get in.
At rehearsals the next day, unbelievably, his anxiety about Yale faded. They spent most of the afternoon going through his scenes with Serena, and a few group scenes too, but he still saw Blair around. The first break they got she rushed over to him, the latest issue of New York Magazine in her hands, folded open on the page of his latest chapter, red scribbles covering the page.
"Humphrey, this chapter was the worst yet." Blair crossed her arms. "In the first three, you had a sharp, distinctive tone, but now…you're losing your voice, it's gone from being satirical to theatrical. You're starting to take yourself too seriously, I had to take you down a notch or two."
Dan glanced down at the magazine in his hands, then back up at Blair who was waiting for a reply.
"I already told you that I don't have any input anymore." Dan said slowly. "But, I will read through your notes and take it on board."
"Good." Blair nodded triumphantly.
"But, while we're on the subject, I feel like I need to warn you about next week's-" Before Dan could finish, he was interrupted by the sound of his and Blair's phones bleeping simultaneously. Usually, concurrent text messages would indicate another bombshell from Gossip Girl, but this wasn't a text message. The emails were finally there.
Dan didn't notice at the time, too embroiled in finding out his own future, to notice Blair step away to show her minions the email.
"I got in!" She exclaimed. "I mean, of course I got in."
Dan took a deep breath, not really believing what he saw in front of him, until Blair wondered back over, a curious smile on her face. Dan looked up at her and grinned.
"What's wrong with your face?" She narrowed her eyes.
"You're going to have to get used this face, Blair. You'll be seeing it for the next four years. I got into Yale." He replied nervously, scared to say it because he still didn't quite believe it.
"Well, I suppose a congratulations are in order, Humphrey. Although, maybe I should reconsider my college choice seeing as Yale have clearly lowered their standards." She smiled shyly, then seemed to suddenly remember something. "I need to call Daddy!"
She pranced away, her phone gripped tightly in her hands as Dan watched her go. He still couldn't quite believe all this was happening.
A few hours later at the gallery, he still couldn't quite get his head around it. When he'd called his dad, Rufus had simply replied that he knew he could do it. Everyone was proud and had congratulated him, but Dan almost felt like he was floating. Like this wasn't quite reality. And that any moment he was going to hit the ground again. He was snapped out of his own thoughts when Rufus came in, guiding too men who looked quintessentially Upper East Side and not Rufus's usual crowd at all.
"Harold, come meet my son." Rufus beamed, ushering over the taller of the two men.
Dan instinctively shook his hand, not knowing who the man was or why he was there.
"Congratulations, Daniel. I hear you got into Yale." The man said with a gentle smile.
"Yeah." Dan replied, not sure what else to say. "Thank you."
"It's nice to know that they'll be a friendly face for my daughter in the Fall."
"Your…?" Dan trailed off, looking to Rufus for help.
"Dan, this is Harold. Blair's father." Rufus explained, not registering Dan's panic at this notion. He'd just met Blair's father for the first time.
"Oh." Dan said, his voice a little bit higher than usual.
"And this is my partner, Roman." Harold added, introducing the second man.
"Nice to meet you." Roman said in a thick French accent as he shook Dan's hand.
"So…" Dan paused, looking to Rufus again for help. "What's going on?"
"Oh, I met Harold and Roman at the dinner party last night. We got talking about art and when I told them about the gallery, they wanted to come see it for themselves." Rufus explained.
"Yes, and I am dying to see the fusion of Impressionism and modern street graffiti art that you were talking about." Roman exclaimed, bouncing on his heels like a child.
"That's right! I'll show you." Rufus said as he rushed out the room, he always got excited when he could get someone else excited about one of his artists.
Roman was right on Rufus's heels, but Harold had paused. Still standing opposite Dan. A lot of thoughts flashed through Dan's mind, had Blair told him about the Claire Carlyle stories? Was he furious? Was he going to sue him? He was a highly esteemed lawyer after all.
"Can I get you a cup of coffee?" Dan said the first thing that came into his head.
"Yes, a cappuccino please." Harold said as he sat on one of the stools. "Your dad told me about the special Humphrey cappuccinos and I have to try one for myself."
"He didn't tell you about the waffles too, did he?" Dan joked.
"No. But he did talk a lot about you last night. He's very proud of you. And that was even before he knew you'd gotten into Yale."
"You must be able to relate. Blair was so excited to call you when she found out she'd got in to Yale." Dan replied, calming as he handed Harold the cappuccino with his special nutmeg foam.
"Yes, I could barely understand her on the phone." Harold laughed. "You were there?"
"Yeah." Dan mumbled, still trying to feel out what Harold knew and how he felt about him. "It was in the middle of rehearsals for the school play."
"Oh, that's right." Harold nodded. "Blair told me all about it, complaining to no end about how she's been held back."
"Moaning about acting opposite me again?" Dan smiled politely, but still feeling very awkward.
"No, just the director. You…she had nothing but praise for."
"Blair Waldorf?" Dan asked in disbelief.
"Yes. She said how you're the only other person in the school who had the intelligence and understanding to depict this love story with her. Although, she quickly added that you were still nowhere near as smart as her."
Dan lingered, just absorbing that information. He smiled to himself, completely forgetting Harold's presence until Roman called him away to see a painting that was apparently just perfect for their dining room.
Dan had to keep from pinching himself every half hour. He'd got into Yale and Blair had said something nice about him. Her father had been completely different then he had imagined. Dan didn't know all that much about Harold because he had never been around, and the simple fact that he had moved to another country and effectively abandoned Blair had painted him in a pretty bad light in Dan's eyes. The only others things he knew about him was that he had gone to Yale, and that was the source of Blair's ambition to go there, and that he had been a very successful lawyer. So, he had expected another elitist snob, but he couldn't have been more wrong. Even Rufus got along with him, the two, along with Roman, had talked at the gallery for over an hour before Dan had to leave. That enough was evidence that Harold was not like the rest of the Upper East Side at all. He was warm and kind. Dan understood why Blair loved him so much, but still couldn't understand why he would ever leave.
All in all, it had been a good day and Dan was feeling the hopeful motivation that he hadn't really felt since before Christmas. He had a celebratory dinner with Rufus, Jenny, Lily, Serena and Eric. It was a little awkward to be with all of them as a family, but Dan accepted it pretty quickly, he had known that Rufus and Lily were completely committed to each other now, and he was sure that Lily would have another ring on her finger before the year was out whether Rufus would admit it or not. After they left, Dan had another sleepless night, but this was the good kind. He sat up writing about Blair. He was very proud of himself, but until he sat down to write and get some of the thoughts out of his head, he hadn't realized that he was proud of her too. Of her intelligence and relentless determinism. And with his new insight on her father, he had four thousand words down before sunrise.
He spent the next few days in his usual routine, school, then rehearsal, then work at the gallery, hanging out with Vanessa, going over and editing his work until he was happy with it and then was faced with the next 'family' event. This one was even more out of Dan's comfort zone, they were going to the opera. He went with Rufus and Jenny to the Van der Woodsen penthouse, so they could all leave together. Nate was also with them, which relieved Dan greatly. It wasn't the opera he was worried about, he was sure he'd enjoy it, it was the rubbing shoulders with Manhattan's elite. He knew Rufus was worried about it too, it would be his and Lily's first public outing as a couple, so they were all going to be on their very best behaviour tonight. Dan had something else on his mind too. He had perfected his latest piece on Blair, and, being true to his word, was going to hand it over to her as soon as her saw her. He knew she wouldn't read it, she still hadn't read any of his work that he had given her, but it still made him nervous to be so exposed in that way. He walked in beside Nate and Serena and immediately spotted Blair in the bar area with Harold.
Her eyes seemed even bigger as she stared up at her father in adoration, her smile innocent. She was almost child-like. It was a side of her that Dan had never seen before, another piece of the Blair Waldorf jigsaw puzzle. He took a deep breath and headed over to them. Harold saw him first and instantly went to shake Dan's hand as he greeted him. Blair looked between the two of them, confused by their familiarity.
"Good evening, Daniel." Harold greeted. "Are you here with your family? I must say hello to Rufus."
"Yeah, he's around here somewhere. I just wanted to come over and say hello and…" Dan paused as he reached inside his jacket and turned his attention to Blair. "I wanted to give you the next chapter on Claire Carlyle. The real one."
Blair looked nervous, and slightly embarrassed and Harold's face turned curious. Dan knew he'd have questions for her, once she left.
"Daddy, I told you Dan is a writer didn't I?" Blair explained to her dad as she took the folded up papers from Dan. "Well, he sometimes gives me his work to edit. I do have the best critical mind of anyone he knows."
"I'm sure." Harold smiled, knowing that she was hiding something.
"Anyway, I should get back to my family." Dan said politely, wanting to excuse himself from the situation as soon as he could. "Have a good evening."
Dan didn't see either of the Waldorf's again in the mass of the networking socialites before the opera began. In fact, he didn't see anyone he recognized, so he'd stuck pretty close to Nate and Serena. Which was a bit awkward not only because he was a third wheel, but because he knew that Serena still hadn't fully forgiven him for everything yet. The whole thing felt strange. There he was, in a designer suit that Lily had given him at the opera, with what was apparently going to be his new family, and Nate Archibald who had fast become his best friend. And he was going to Yale. Everything had changed so quickly, that Dan hadn't really stopped to think about it yet. He didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. His mind wondered during the opera and he found himself gazing into the crowd adjacent to him. Then his eyes cast over Blair's glossy curls adorned with her trademark hairband and he snapped out if immediately. He stared at her face, studying her transfixed expression, her wonder. A lot had changed. But as he saw the passion in Blair's eyes, he thought about how glad he was to be able to see her this way. That he had stopped looking at her as everything he hated about the Upper East Side. That he could really see her now. And that was a good thing. In fact, it was the change that Dan was most grateful for and wouldn't give back for the world.
"So, you're officially an Upper East Sider now?" Vanessa teased him at the gallery the next day. "Joining the Van der Woodsen's, going to the opera, getting into Yale."
"Exactly. I'm going to Yale, far away from the Upper East Side." Dan replied, snatching the society pages from her which had pictures from the night before of the new Humphrey-Van der Woodsen family. "And I did invite you to come to the opera with us, remember?"
Vanessa put her hands up in mock surrender, before they heard footsteps and simultaneously looked up to see Harold walk into the gallery.
"Daniel, I was looking for you." He greeted as he strode in.
"Oh, Mr Waldorf. It's good to see you." Dan said nervously, earning an eyebrow raise from Vanessa as soon as he had said the Waldorf name. "Back for another cappuccino?"
"No, actually I wanted to talk to you about Blair." Harold said, leaning across the counter.
"I'm just going to…go to the bathroom." Vanessa quickly scrambled out of the room, Dan watching helplessly as she fled, before turning back to Harold and swallowing nervously.
"I badgered Blair all morning and finally got her to tell me the truth about what you've been writing."
"You did?" Dan swallowed again, his mouth had suddenly gone very dry.
"Yes, and I also managed to convince her to let me read them."
"You did?" Dan said again, his voice more strained this time. Harold remained quiet, as Dan shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "And….did you like them?"
"I did." Harold smiled and Dan could finally breathe again. "Blair still hasn't read them herself, but…it's very clear to me that you are very deserving of that place in Yale's English program."
"Did you…tell Blair that?" Dan asked nervously.
"No, I haven't." Harold replied slowly, sensing both Dan's disappointment and relief. "Actually, I'm meant to be meeting her at the Met now for a Velasquez exhibit, but something's come up. Perhaps you could meet her there to excuse my absence and accompany her in my place?"
"Vanessa's here, so I suppose I could leave the gallery for a few hours." Dan replied, sharing a knowing look with Harold, before he practically sprinted out of the gallery, eager to see Blair again.