A/N: A two-part chapter, since it's a rather long one. Couldn't resist writing a dair-centric chapter to honor my OTP of OTPs. Maybe some time in the future they can have a fling. lol :) MAJOR reference from Season 2 Dair scene. Stay tuned and if you're lucky, I may just be able to release part 2 tonight!

"Ryan, do you think I'm self-absorbed?" complained Seth. It was Saturday morning, the day after one of the best nights of his life, but for some reason, Seth was feeling groggy and moody. It probably had something to do with the one too many glasses of spiked punch he had at the dance to provide himself with liquid courage, but he had a sneaking suspicion that Blair's comments were also a plausible culprit. Not that her comments made any sense. Me? Self-absorbed? Seth thought. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Still, he would appreciate some confirmation from – well, his only friend at this point, considering Blair wasn't speaking to him after their falling out last night.

"Are you seriously asking me this, Seth? Because that would require you actually listening to me when I talk," Ryan answered with his infamous poker face.

"What do you mean, Ryan? Come on, I'm a caring friend," Seth cajoled. "Tell me your troubles, Ryan. I'm all ears. Oh wait – but first, tell me. Did Marissa say anything to you about Summer after our epic dance together last night? Hmmmm? Because I have a feeling that I completely swept her off her feet," Seth exclaimed, looking smug.

"Oh, not self-absorbed at all," Ryan muttered under his breath.

"Hmmm?"

"Nothing. And the answer is nothing. Marissa didn't say anything. You want to know? Ask her yourself." He handed Seth his phone.

"Uh. Nope. I've learned enough from Blair Waldorf's playbook that calling a girl after a first date – dance, whatever, screams desperation and is the number one faux-pas for boys – men – waiting to score a second date," Seth replied, hands up in the air.

"Oh, so you take dating advice from Blair, now. Who, by the way, you blew off after um, I don't know, one minute at the dance after using her to get to Summer," Ryan looked at him knowingly.

"Actually, Ryan, she was the one who came up with the plan in the first place, so you could hardly say I used her to get to Summer. And second of all, the only reason why she took me was so that she could have a date, so technically, she used me," Seth said defensively.

"Whatever. Not interested in knowing what's going on between you crazy kids," Ryan aimed the remote at the TV and turned it on, hoping to block Seth out.

"Nothing's going on between me and Blair." Seth reached over and turned off the TV while Ryan glared at him. "But, something might be going on between me and Summer if you give Marissa a call and find out for me if Summer said anything," Seth coaxed, passing Ryan the phone with a sly smile on his face.

"No, Seth. I'm not doing that," Ryan replied, once again flashing Seth his signature look. Seth pleaded with Ryan, putting his hands together and doing his best imitation of Blair's doe-eyed expression when she wanted something really badly. Ryan finally sighed and dialed Marissa's number.

Meanwhile, Blair was already starting her day on the East Coast, having flown in to visit Serena back in Manhattan. She knew it was risky returning to New York so soon after the triangle between her, Nate and Chuck, but she really needed to see her best friend after the horrible the night she had. And since there was no distress that a short flight couldn't solve, she immediately had Dorota make some phone calls to get her on a private jet late last night.

"Serenaaaaa, are you ready yet?" Blair called upstairs. Blair was waiting forever for Serena to get out of the shower so they could start their day.

"Almost!" Serena called down. "Keep yourself company! Read a magazine or something!" Blair rolled her eyes and tapped her foot impatiently. She didn't fly overnight for six hours to wait for Serena van der Woodsen to doll herself up in order to impress Dan Humphrey. Not that she hadn't already expected that she would have to share the day with Lonely Boy from Brooklyn. Those two seemed to be inseparable lately. Just then, the lift at the Van der Woodsen penthouse sounded and Dan Humphrey walked out, flannel shirt and all.

"Blair?" Dan said inquisitively, pausing. "What are you doing here? And where's your headband?"

Blair ignored his last remark. "Relax. I'm not kidnapping your girlfriend. I know you guys have a date planned today. Don't mind me while I tag along," she said to him, feigning a smile.

"Mind? Why would I mind?" Dan replied, widening his eyes in sarcasm. Sarcasm, Blair observed as she watched Dan Humphrey sit as far away from Blair as possible while he waited for Serena. Just like Seth Cohen, she thought to herself. She continued to study him while he casually leafed through one of Serena's Vogue magazines. Dark brown eyes, pale complexion, curly hair, socially awkward – Blair shivered. The resemblance was uncanny. She smiled ironically to herself as she remembered that it was the reason why she had chosen to speak to Seth on her first day of Harbor. Funny that she could become friends with someone like Seth Cohen while she normally found Dan Humphrey so unbearable.

"So Daniel," Blair asked, trying to strike a polite conversation, "how's Little J doing at Constance without her Queen Bee? Has she successfully taken over the MET steps yet?"

"You mean how's my little sister doing without her archenemy making her life miserable? Great, actually," Dan replied earnestly. Blair seemed a little taken aback, and kept quiet. Dan, being the nice guy that he was, and realizing that she looked a little hurt after his remark, decided to meet her halfway and softened his tone a little. "What about you, Blair? Why are you here? I heard you were having a little trouble adjusting in California."

"You mean Serena told you that I didn't have any friends?" Blair asked defensively. She knew that this conversation wasn't going anywhere, but she just couldn't seem to let her guard down, even though she knew that Dan Humphrey didn't have bad intentions. Dan seemed to read into her thoughts and approached her.

"No, she didn't say that. I meant that you wouldn't be here if nothing was wrong," Dan replied, sitting next to Blair. "So, what happened?"

Blair observed Dan's expression and saw a look of genuine concern register across his face. For some reason, perhaps due to all the time she had been spending with Seth, she felt closer to Humphrey somehow, that she could confide in him in a way that she couldn't even do so with Serena. She sighed heavily before allowing herself to speak.

"There's…a bit of a situation back at home," Blair explained slowly. "This is really stupid, but…I've been spending a lot of time with this guy who's not really my type." Blair paused, watching Dan's reaction.

"Uh-huh…go on."

"Well, the thing is, we're friends, and we talk a lot about a lot of things, and – "

" – aaaand you like him," Dan cut in. Blair looked as if she had been slapped in the face.

"What? No! Where did you get that idea?" Blair spat out, looking flustered.

"Uhhh…from basically everything from that look on your face to the way you're talking about him, to the way you structured your sentence to imply that nothing was going on, even though something clearly is?" Dan laughed a little as he answered.

Blair looked away, avoiding eye contact. "Well, something isn't going on, because he's into someone else," Blair said with a pout.

"Well, that's a change of scenery. Blair Waldorf giving up before she gets what she wants?"

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, that the Blair Waldorf I know, would not let anything, or anyone stand in her way of getting something if she really put her mind to it," Dan answered honestly. "Look Blair, you and I may not be the best of friends, and we may not see eye to eye on a lot of things, but you're Serena's friend, and I do want to see you happy. You obviously have feelings for this guy, whether or not you're willing to admit it to me. But at least you should admit it to him. Put yourself out there for once."

"But what if he laughs at me and says no? What if he just tells me that it will never be me and I find out that it was one-sided all along? Then I'll just look stupid." Blair asked in a small voice, feeling as vulnerable as ever. She couldn't believe she was asking Dan Humphrey of all people such embarrassing questions. Seemed that these types of confessions were turning into a bit of a trend lately for Blair.

Dan shrugged. "He might. He might not. The thing is, you don't know that's true. You have to decide what's most important to you – keeping your pride and getting nothing, or taking a risk and maybe – maybe having everything." His eyes bore into hers and Blair shivered. Since when did Dan Humphrey become so wise and insightful?

"Well, I don't even know whether he is what I want. After everything I've been through with Nate, and then…Chuck," she practically spat out his name as just mentioning him made her feel sick to her stomach, "I just don't know whether I'm ready to jump into another relationship."

"It doesn't hurt to tell him all of this, and just to talk to him, Blair," Dan said gently. He couldn't help but noticed that this Blair Waldorf seemed younger than usual, and more likeable. More – human.

Blair drew in a deep breath, as if trying to calm herself. "Well, I never thought I would say this, but…you're right, Dan. I've just been too weak to confront my own feelings, and I've tried so hard to run away from them that I've run all the way to the other side of the country!" They both laugh as Blair stares at her feet. "But this has to stop. No more running. I ran from Gossip Girl and the people at St. Jude's and Constance after the way I screwed things up with Nate. And I ran from my mom when she was having problems with her marriage with my dad. And now, I am running away in order to avoid confronting what I have – or at least might have – with Seth." She looked him right in the eye. "But I am a Waldorf. And Waldorf women are not cowards. I'm going back to Newport, and I'm going to tell him exactly how I feel." Blair got up quickly and collected her jacket and her mini overnight bag that she had with her for the short trip.

"Wait – aren't you going to wait for Serena?" Dan asked, getting up after her.

"Carpe diem, right?" Blair asked cheerfully. "Tell Serena I said good-bye." She made her way to the door, when Dan interrupted her.

"Hey, mind letting me know what's so special about this guy that made the legendary Blair Waldorf fall for him?" Blair spun around and stood about three feet apart from Dan Humphrey, whom, before today, was qualified as one of her least favorite people on earth. She was ever-so-grateful for his enlightening advice, but wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of knowing that the boy she had feelings for had reminded her of…well, him. She supposed she had always known in the bottom of her heart that she was looking for the kind of love that Dan Humphrey provided Serena with – a pure, simple love. And she was going to get it.

"Don't worry about it, Humphrey. Take care of my best friend, will you?" With that, she turned and walked straight out the door, making a few calls to arrange the first flight out of New York. Because when Blair Waldorf set her mind to something, not even flying across three time zones could get in the way.