Traveling on December 31st isn't never smooth. They have to book train tickets to Nice, because there is not even a seat available on any plane from Paris to anywhere else in the state. Her father tells her to rent a car, but she doesn't drive and Dan for sure doesn't know how to drive to Nice. He says "we'd kill each other if we have to take that long road trip". She kisses his cheek in approval and they decide to go with a train.
Even though Dan thinks she would complain and would criticize the entire trip, she is unusually calm. As a matter of fact he thinks she's totally fine with their seats and the train. Yes, there is a little smile on her lips. They are traveling in business class and there is nothing to complain about, except maybe that they are leaving Paris in 9PM which means they would travel for the next almost eleven hours and are about to spend the New Year's Eve in a train sleeping car.
"You don't mind it?" – He asks her.
"It's really not a big deal. And it would be nice for once to spend the New Year's in a completely different way. No gowns, no make up…"
Since it's a night travel, they have tickets for a sleeping car. It's pretty narrow, but clean and they have everything they need – clean sheets, blankets, pillows. Dan lies down on the bottom bed and she hops on the top one. The rhythmical sound of the train doesn't help them fall asleep so they talk.
"What time it is?" – She asks.
"Almost eleven" – Dan mumbles.
"Great" – And he knows she is already a bit pissed off.
"We can walk through the train, maybe there are people actually having a party, what you say?"
"No, it's ok…"
They are getting silent again. Few long moments later she says.
"Don't you miss New York?"
"No. Do you?"
"At times."
"Well, call it a cliché, but you are the New York I need. Maybe I'll get annoyed from France and Europe, and I'll crave Brooklyn and New York accents, but for now…"
"When did you give up Serena?" – She snaps.
"Do we have to mention her?"
"I'm just asking" – She mumbles with her face half in the pillow. He takes a sharp breath.
"In "W" I guess. I mean, I was hardly even thinking about her. You were constantly there, annoying me…" – She already knows this, he thinks. But he knows that when Blair wants to say something, he has to start the topic and open his cards first. It gives her the feeling that she won't be the only one embarrassing herself. And he doesn't care, as long as he can do something for her.
"You know…After I married Chuck…I cried my eyes out that night. There wasn't even a proper first wedding night." – A light chuckle comes out of her mouth. – "It was the very first time I knew I fucked it up with you" – He sits up in his bed, trying to process the brand new information. He knew she wasn't happy with Chuck, but he never thought the initial root of that was him personally.
"I tried to write a sequel to Inside. You know…just for me, where the damn Dylan Hunter actually gets the girl and they get married, having a beautiful baby girl. And just from selfish reasons I wrote that the girl looks so much like Dylan, of course with Clair's mannerisms and dictator habits. I came to the middle with the writing and I realized…People don't like smooth written novels. Then I remembered that I will never publish it, so I kept writing the chapters whenever I felt miserable or lonely"- As he speaks, he can see her legs swinging down and she jumps down from the bunk bed. Before he knows she straddles him. Of course he welcomes her when she kisses him, but he isn't sure where it leads.
"Here?" – He manages to whisper in between kisses.
"Yes"
"But…"
"You think the elevator was more discreet?" – She giggles. And he gives in. They kiss a lot. A lot. He takes of her top pajama first and starts kissing her torso, her neck, her lips and she does the same with his black v-neck t- shirt. It's dark in the sleeping car, just occasionally the railroad lights are enlightening their bodies. It's a calm and pretty emotional love making, just as it should be when you go back with the love of your life after more than long time. He holds her firmly in his arms, she has her legs around his waist and they aren't loud. Just a few quiet sighs and moans that are escaping their mouths are killing the silence and the sound of the train. She doesn't remember when was the last time she felt so free and so connected at the same time. Dan keeps looking at her as if she is the source of light on this world.
"Happy New Year" – She whispers.
"With this start, it really is. Happy New Year to you too" – He whispers, kissing her while still making love to her.
….
When Blair wakes up, it's almost dawn. The bed is too small for them, but Dan is holding her so firmly she actually doesn't even notice that she might fell down on the floor. It may not be too comfortable for the two of them, but she has no intention to go back in her bed. His face is calm, his lips spread a bit and she can feel his breath rhythmically coming out. She smiles and gently traces a finger on his lower lip.
"Let's make that sequel real" – She whispers.