The 4 times Dan Punched Chuck and the 1 Time He Punched Back
Disclaimer: Not even Blair's master plotting could get me Gossip Girl
Summary: For every time Dan punched Chuck and for the one time he retaliated. The first three chapters will cover the three canon punches while the fourth will be my try on episode 4x18. This will end in Dair. Anything directly quoted from an episode will be in bold.
3rd Punch: Except that Chuck is a problem, again and again. Somehow though the third time doesn't happen for another three years. It happens in the hospital on what should've been a happy day. He does it for Jenny, he thinks. It's complicated, his motives, in a way the previous two were not. He doesn't analyze it too much because he's pretty sure he doesn't want to acknowledge that Jenny was not the only person he was protecting.
It starts with Eric's frightened, worried voice, "Jenny's here. She needs help."
Dan knows that. Jenny has needed help for a while now. He doesn't even recognize his baby sister anymore. The problem is she doesn't want help. The only reason Dan didn't totally blow Eric off is his tone. Something about the way he spoke said that this, whatever she got herself into now, is serious.
"She's in the chapel," Eric informs.
He stands up from his waiting room chair and walks briskly to the chapel. He really doesn't want to know what is going on now but she is still his baby sister no matter what she does. She could be on drugs, she could be pregnant, she could have a STD, or she could've killed someone. Dan isn't ruling anything out.
"Jenny? Are you in here?" Dan calls out entering the chapel.
There is no answer but Dan can hear her crying. He instantly understands why Eric is so worried. She is sitting there hunched over with her blond hair hanging in tangles everywhere, mascara and eyeliner is smeared down her face by the stream of tears, and a painful progression of sobs erupt from her throat. Jenny has hit rock bottom.
"I told Eric not to tell anyone," she says in broken whispers.
Dan sits down beside her, pulling her into a hug. That is all it takes for the whole story to come spilling out of her mouth. Chuck. She slept with Chuck. Blair showed up.
Of course, Blair had shown up. Dan knew she was going to forgive Chuck. On the way to the hospital with Dorota, Blair had told him that if he really wanted to, if he really loved her, he should go after Serena. When he asked her about the sudden change of heart, Blair replied that she was going back to Chuck. Dan can't help the stab of pity he feels for Waldorf. He can't imagine what it is like to be in love with Chuck.
"I'm going to kill him this time," Dan swears getting up and stomping his way out of the hospital.
Jenny follows behind him begging him not to do this but he's determined. It's not just about Jenny this time. It's about Chuck, about everyone he hurts. Dan won't let him get away with this. He has to learn that there are consequences for his actions.
This time is different for a number of other reasons. For one, Dan has time to contemplate what he's about to do. Not that it helps; he just gets angrier with time.
They exit out the south side of the hospital and Dan sees that luck is on his side. Chuck is right there with Blair. That's the other reason this time is different, Blair. Whatever else Dan thinks about Blair, he doesn't want to see Chuck betray her again.
Dan squashes that side of his anger though because it's complicated and confusing instead focusing on Jenny. Chuck slept with his baby sister.
He approaches Chuck quickly from the side, Jenny still behind him, pleading. He swings his arm in full arc straight at Chuck's face. His fist connects so hard that the force knocks Chuck Bass to the ground.
Blair gapes at him in shock, looking from him to Chuck.
"What the hell are you doing?" she yells at him, accusingly.
Dan points at Chuck like he is some kind of vermin that needs exterminating and bites out the accusation, "You, tell her."
And then it all unravels. The truth, the betrayal, the accusations, the rage, the hurt, the apologies, and the banishment.
Dan leaves Blair with one final sentiment before leaving with the rest of the van der Humphrey's.
"This begins and ends with Chuck."
And it does. He finally did the unthinkable, the inexcusable. After trying once three years ago, Chuck had finally taken her first time away from her. Jenny was a child and he stole that from her. Dan thought Chuck had grown up, apparently not. It was as if as the years passed Dan's opinion of Chuck grew worse and worse. The good part about that, Dan figures is it couldn't possibly get any worse than this.
Dan makes it all the way to the car before he decides he just wants be alone, in Brooklyn. It's where he retreats to after every major scandal. He leans into the car and tells his family he'll come over later but that he's tired and just wants to go back to the loft.
While he waits for a cab to pick him up, Blair exits the hospital. Her head is held high but Dan knows that it's just for appearances. She sees him and walks over, determination radiating in every step. Any passerby would have no idea that she had just had her heart broken into itty-bitty pieces.
She comes up and stands side-to-side with him, neither looking at each other.
"I'm waiting for my driver," she explains.
"I'm waiting for a cab," he replies, not sure if he should even speak.
Dan can see her nod out of the corner of his eye.
Seconds that feel more like minutes pass as they stand there. Eventually Blair quietly whispers, "Thank you."
"I destroyed your happily ever after," Dan mutters, a bit confused. He wants to tell her he didn't do it for her. But even in his head he can tell it's a half-lie.
"I don't think Chuck is capable of happily ever after. It would've come out eventually. If not that, something else, there would always be something else with him. It's best I know now," Blair says, the anguish in her voice undisguisable.
He thinks they're having a moment here. It wasn't there first. They have a sort of understanding with each other. Dan thinks that as his opinion of Chuck has worsened, at least Blair's has drastically improved.
"You do deserve better," Dan reminds her, repeating the words he spoke to her at Dorota and Vanya's wedding.
He watches her out of the corner of his eye as she nods again, a couple of tears dripping down her face. Somehow Dan knows she doesn't want him to see that so he stays facing forward even as her car pulls up and she gets in. He does hope she's okay though.
Moments later his cab pulls up and Dan gives him the address to the loft. He's had more than enough of the Upper East Side for one night. He's not ready anyway to talk to Jenny. He's pretty sure though that only thing that will save her this time is getting out of the Upper East Side.
When he gets back to the loft, Dan skips the ice, ignoring his bruised hand, and heads straight for the sanctuary of his room. The foolish, naïve part of him thinks that if he can just go to sleep he'll wake up and today will never have happened.
To Anyone Who Cares: I hope everyone likes it! Please review! So I lied there was a bit of Dair here too but I thought it seemed realistic. So I'm really hoping I can get the last chapter out tomorrow before the new episode since it will be my attempt at what happens in 4x18 but who knows. Thank you so much Jess, Kat, AugustaRose, and nuevaviva for reviewing!