Blair was back from Monaco while Bart had stayed for a couple of extra days. Bart had sent Tyler Manning to accompany her and she didn't think much of him, not until they arrived at her penthouse in an early afternoon.

Blair, tired and sleepy lay on her bed, in silence as she looked up to her ceiling. Monaco was nice but her mind kept wandering to that one night at Victrola. She remembered the faces that lusted over her body, the cheer that asked her to keep doing more but what she remembers most is Dan's eyes on him, so pure and honest as he looked at her. No one had ever given her that look before, the eyes that felt like it can peers through her soul. Blair closed her eyes as she remembered his tensing jaw when she dropped herself on the stage, like she could control him. She might even be imagining him pulled towards her as she stepped back. Blair could only see him in the sea of men, his eyes set on her and how she felt beautiful by him looking at her.

"Don't look at me like that," she whispered. She didn't need any more fantasy and that includes Dan Humphrey. But she realized that she hungered for that look before, old habits die hard. "Don't look at me…"

Blair went down for a quick lunch and she sees Chuck was there, with roses. She hated roses, it has thorns.

"What do you want, Chuck?" she passed him towards the kitchen.

"A congratulations for that amazing performance since you were gone so fast afterwards and a welcome back. I missed you," he puts the flower in front of her. "You're something Blair."

"Thanks, but I was only gone for 3 days" Blair said lazily as she dug in the simple lunch the cook prepared for her.

"You know, my father is not around this week, maybe you would want to go around town with me?" Chuck smiled his Cheshire smile. Blair thinks he had misunderstood something. The fact that she had danced in her undergarments in Victrola does not means she's into him or anything. "What do you say?"

"No thanks," Blair ate her breakfast quietly.

"Blair, I am trying here," Chuck said, sounding desperate.

"Then I ask you to stop trying, Chuck. The only reason you're here is because you can't fuck me and you're pissed your father fucked me," Blair left the kitchen and went to the living room. But Chuck took her by the arm, forcefully. "Ow, that hurts!"

"Come on Blair, stop the act. I know you like me, you danced in my club to pull me in," Chuck said, face a little too near. Blair tried to push him away but Chuck was insisting, putting more force in his grip. "I can get you, I can remove him from our lives."

"You're disgusting!" Blair tried to push him again but Chuck forced himself on her by trying to kiss her. "Chuck stop!"

"You're a whore, I'm sure you're used to this," Chuck pushed her until her back reaches the wall. Blair struggled but he was to strong. She squirmed when Chuck's lips touched her neck.

"Chuck! STOP!" she yelled. But seems like no one was coming.

"Mr. Bass?" they heard a voice calling him and they looked up. Tyler Manning, Bart's personal assistant was there. "I believe they need you in the office, not here."

"Go away, Manning. This is none of your business," Chuck still gripped Blair's arm.

"I believe it is. Mr. Bass Senior asked me to keep an eye on the company while he's away, and according to the staff there, you are late for today's meeting," Tyler had his face straight. "You know you were contracted to do the work in the company, not roam around your father's fiancé's house let alone do things to her."

"I said go away Manning!" Chuck yelled but that caught him off guard as Blair escaped and ran to her room locking the door. "Fuck you Manning, I'll make sure you get fired!" Chuck left the penthouse angrily, leaving Tyler alone in the penthouse, the one he used to call home once. He looked up to the stairs Blair had run up to.

"I'm so sorry Care Bear. It is all Daddy's fault," Harold let his guard down and his face softens.

Meanwhile, Blair tried to stay calm as she looked at herself in the mirror. "Calm down, Blair. That asshole almost got you but calm down, he didn't." Blair splashed her face with water as she looked at herself in the mirror. She suddenly thought of Dan's sincere eyes. How did he do it? Even she couldn't look at herself that long.

Blair decided to take her favorite walk to the park again. She needs to get out for a fresh air. She walked down the stairs and she sees Bart's assistant there.

"You're still here?" she asked the rather aged man.

"Ah yes, I would like to make sure you were okay, miss," he smiled at her. Blair smiled back. She never thought of him, just that Tyler Manning had been Bart's assistant since forever. Thinking back, she felt he's the only one giving her a genuine smile, the only one that didn't judge her for her background. Tyler Manning was always so polite around her, didn't even whisper an insult around her, that she discovered, maybe there is such good man in her world.

'I'm fine. I mean Chuck is always the asshole around here. I should know better," Blair said. "He didn't really have a meeting, did he?"

"He should have," Tyler looked down.

"Well, thank you, Mr. Manning. If it weren't for you I couldn't imagine what he would do," Blair smiled sweetly at him. Harold had actually saw Chuck coming up and he decided to stay around. He never liked the younger Bass, or honestly any of the Bass clan.

Tyler bids goodbye when Blair entered the cab and left for the park. Somehow, Blair felt giddy even with such unfortunate events happened not too long ago. She looked back and sees Tyler Manning looking over at her. At least there is one genuinely nice man out there.

Blair stepped into the park and breathed fresh air, and then she realized the same guy she thought of in the morning was right there in front of her. Dan Humphrey.

"If Chuck sent you here, tell him the event this morning didn't help at all," Blair rushed past him, walking down the park. Dan followed her.

"Event this morning?" Dan was confused.

Blair sees Dan's confused face and she realized he didn't know anything.

"Nothing, it's just…" Blair said. "Tell him I am not interested, okay."

"Are you still dancing in Victrola?" he asked her suddenly and her mind flew into the memory of his reaction to her dancing. She would like that memory to be erased but nothing was working. "If you are, Chuck will always think you're interested."

"You know that wasn't the point I performed there," Blair turned to him and suddenly she felt her headband was taken away. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry, this thing distracted me," Dan said. "Well, anyway, I told him that but Chuck had this bubble around him, and in this bubble, you are madly in love with him."

"Why are you here?" Blair asked as she took her headband from him, but not wearing it.

Dan sighed as he pulled out the crumpled paper from his pocket, "To return this." Blair realized it was the cheque she gave him. "

"I thought I made it clear that…"

"I'm not here to help you," Dan cuts her, stands on his two feet. "I'm here to work for Chuck Bass, and all this following you was to work for Chuck, none of it was supposed to benefit you. So I give this back and hopefully, you'll find somebody else to do the job." Dan said it, he had heard himself loud and clear but somehow, it felt like he was lying.

"This cheque means you're paid to work, not helping," Blair started.

"Sorry but I just don't like the job. It's too personal," he ignored the fact that he had gone through her family database.

Blair stared at him and there he was, his sincere eyes that peers right through her. It was actually different from the first set of eyes he had used when they first met. At first, his eyes were shielded by the shadows and she didn't see it well under the dark. The second time she never really thought about it but looking back she only sees him pitying her. But the third time, it started to soften and she didn't know what made him warmer, and it keeps softening every time she sees him.

"You're staring," Dan said and Blair quickly removed her eyes off him. Blair start to walk away and she looked back to see Dan just standing there. She wanted to walk off but she walked back towards him. He didn't seem too shocked. "Yes?"

"I want to ask you something," Blair said, because she was curious.

"Go ahead," Dan said.

"What do you think of me?" she wasn't exactly sure why she asked that, but maybe the answer would lead to some kind of explanation to his sincere eyes while he's watching her. She could see him confused. "Not the whore, not the Bart Bass mistress, just… Me. Blair."

Dan was really confused as he looked down to find an answer. "Um, you are…" he couldn't really find words for it. Blair was waiting. For what? Only God knows. Dan smiled and for once a sincere smile from him. He looked at her when he said, "Basically everything I hate about the Upper East Side."

Blair chuckled at his answer, somewhat satisfied. "Why would anyone hate the Upper East Side?"

"Well, people like you like to put labels on others, or like in your case, you just labeled yourself as a whore and Bart Bass' mistress. When in the end, your only label is your name, and what your name represents, that's up to you, don't you think?" the same words Rufus had used when Dan had once judged too much.

Blair looked at him, content to not smile even further so she settled with a smirk. "Well, what do you think my name represent me then?"

"I'm not your friend or anything, but I think any Blair in this world should not be wearing headbands," Dan took the headband from her. "I don't know what is going on with you and your dad but I think instead of avoiding, he's trying to keep you. So I don't think it's fair to only have him try, you should too. Maybe his words would mean more if you heard him from him, rather than from me."

Blair looked down to her Louboutin. "Don't you think he'll hate me for… putting this label on myself?"

Dan looked at her. "I don't think any dad could hate their children." Again, Rufus Humphrey came back to his mind and it hurts. The father that left them, it didn't mean he didn't love him and Jenny. He was forcing himself for too long that maybe death was the proper way to love his children. Dan never understood it, not even now, he would never understand the concept of loving someone and leaving them at the same time. Somehow he gets it, but in a way he couldn't grasp it.

The moment he sees his dad hanging, he knew about the debts, the pain of getting it all done without a wife beside him, the damned soul because his wife cheated on him, the tired mind every day and every night just to get by, Dan knew exactly why Rufus hangs himself. But in some way it didn't make sense for his dad to do such thing. Which was the exact point that made him gone mad.

Blair looks up and sees Dan went silent. "Hey," she slowly held his hand unconsciously because Dan Humphrey was in tears and he didn't even realize it. "Are you okay?" Dan looked down at her small hands, it was warm and gentle. Then he sees her brown doe eyes, worried. Slowly he felt her other hand reached for his face and they traced the cheeks that was wet with tears. He realized he was crying. The pain of those unresolved feelings was coming to him all at once, but instead of wailing in pain like he always does, he cried, because it was the first time love had come into the equation between him and his dad.

Blair sees a man who was hurt, a man who was crying, who needs some kind of embrace. Without notice, Blair pulled him into a warm embrace and slowly, she heard him crying. She had the feeling this is the first time it happened as she can only see such cold person before. She ignored the staring people gave as they were exactly right in front of the Central Park entrance. She just held him, because at this time, it was about him.

Blair knew this type of men, the ones who needed caress, the ones who needed gentle warmness. She might be there to serve before but she knew what those men needed from her. It wasn't just sex, some of those men tried to find refuge in an embrace. The exact person Dan was right now. She hated seeing him cry. For some reason it hurt her too. The only way she knew how might be damned on her as she is engaged, but she couldn't care about Bart Bass' image now. Thus she pulled Dan into the place where she once lived.

Dan sees himself walking into an old apartment while Blair was still holding his hand. He followed her numbly as she whispered 'It will be fine' again and again like a mantra. Blair opened the gate and she bids hello to the owner who was rather shocked she was there.

"I thought they took you back," the old lady said.

"They did but I just need some time off, if that's okay, Patty," Blair smiled and Patty lets them in. "Which one is empty?"

"Your old room should be fine," Patty eyed Dan and she smirked. "Well, this one is a looker."

"Thanks Patty," Blair kept holding Dan's hand and leads him into a room, her old room, the room where she always satisfies. Blair lets Dan to sit on the bed while he just stares at her as she locked the door. She looked at him and she smiled. "This is the only way I know of."

"Way?" Dan said.

Slowly, Blair took her coat off and let it slide to the floor. She walked slowly towards Dan while unbuttoning her blouse, the same expression she had when she was dancing. Seduction. Teasing. She dropped her blouse and let him enjoy the view. Slowly she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his forehead, his eyes, his cheek, his nose and then his lips. It was slow but sensual as she felt him kissing her back and his hands roams to her back as he pulled her in, making her straddle him as she felt the need in his kiss. She was supposed to be the strong one here but his kisses made her weak somehow that she slowly melted into him. She followed through as he placed her on the bed, kissing her more.

Dan wasn't expecting this but his body reacted themselves. He kissed her neck and liked that it made her moan with pleasure. Slowly he bit her neck, knowing it will leave a mark. His hands roams around her bosoms and he squeezed it, making her high. He felt her hands pulling his buttons one by one and led his shirt off to the floor. Her nails grazed his abs and he groaned at that. He was dizzy, he was lustful, he was putting through energy towards his kisses. Then he made a wrong move by looking at her, where suddenly he felt his heart beating so fast.

He was falling for Blair.

"Let it all out," she said as she stroked her cheeks. "Let everything out on me, don't cry anymore."

They kissed again and in one stroke, her bra was on the floor and his pants were gone. Slowly Dan bites her nipples and she went crazy. His hand reached her centre and Blair was anticipating it. She felt his finger playing with her clit and slowly she arched her body as she felt the sensation of it. Slowly, he pulls her underwear off and she nudged for him to take his boxers off. He did and she sees that he was already hard. While Dan continued playing with her clit, she touched him and Dan groans at the sense of it. Blair lets go to grip the sheets as she felt his finger inside her.

It might be a minute of two but Dan kept pumping and she thinks she's going insane. He stopped and Blair looked at Dan. She felt him caressing her cheeks and with his low voice, he said, "Look at me."

Blair did, even if the sensation of him entering kept her wanting to close her eyes and feel it, she looked at him, at his eyes which was filled with the sadness she saw him with before. Blair cupped his face as he slowly thrust in and out of her, eyes on his. She felt like if she breaks the contact she will see him cry again when she opens her eyes. Dan rested his forehead on hers as his thrust gains momentum. Slowly he kissed her, which was when the eye contact stopped, but the new contact tells her that he was letting it all out, letting his sorrow out, letting his pain be removed.

Blair couldn't help but cry out as his thrusts moves faster. She was sure her nails had scratched his back as she felt the pleasure. Dan felt her hand called for his as they intertwined. She puts his hand on her heart and it was beating fast. He was getting close, but he waits for her. Blair shuts her eyes and she was getting higher. Right when he couldn't handle it no more, Blair caught into her high. Dan dropped himself beside her and tried to keep his breathing normal. He looked at her who was looking straight up. She looked at him and he sees that warm brown eyes again. The one he dared to look since the first time he met her in Victrola.

But it was gone when Blair suddenly stood up and took her clothes. "That was the only way I knew how, to console a man who is in pain." Blair buttons up her blouse and she left Dan, who wasn't surprised at all.

Dan closed his eyes and sighed. He didn't even glance at the door Blair had vanished into. He was just thinking, "This is bad."

Blair ran down the stairs as she tried hard to stop her hearth from beating, where she runs into Patty.

"Easy kitty, you'll kill someone with that speed," Patty said as she straightens her blouse.

"I'm sorry, I'm just…." Blair didn't know what was wrong.

"My my, kitty. You are flushed," Patty touched Blair's cheeks. "And had that worried look on your face."

"What?" Blair looked at the 56 years old host.

"Oh my, did that young man do anything to you?" Patty asked.

"No, I mean it was mutual, and you know…"

"I mean to your heart. Because looks like you're in too deep now kitty," Patty smiled while she cups Blair's cheeks. "It's been a long time since I saw this face since that Marcus throw you away."

"No, I'm not…"

"Relax. Patty won't tell any one. But one thing kitty has to understand, is that when you deserve the good one," Patty smiled. Both of them heard the door upstairs opens. "Talk!" With that Patty disappears and Blair was left dumbfounded, waiting for Dan to come down.

"Oh, you're still here," Dan said, as he lazily approached her. He scratched his head as he stands right in front of her. "That was something."

"Yeah, I mean…" Blair was speechless as she once again looked down. Suddenly she sees his hand that caressed her, his hands that had touched her, that same hand filled with dollar bills extended to her.

"Thank you, I really needed that. Hope this was enough," Dan said as she looked up. The sincere eyes was gone, only to be replaces by a cold gaze. Before he knew it, Blair's hand few to his cheeks, and he wasn't shocked by that.

Blair was shocked, as she suddenly held her hands up to her mouth. She gasped at what she had done. She sees Dan emotionless and he looked back at her with the same cold eyes. He took her hand and shoved the money. He left without looking back and it was like Marcus all over again.

She shouldn't have opened her heart.

Blair's legs loses all of its energy as she sat down on the floor. She wanted to cry, but she finds her tears had dried up.

To Be Continued

Yeah I feel pervy. Sorry for the delay. I was on vacation in Bali. So here's another week, as I am off to organize my university's Matriculation Day. Thanks for the reviews and keep reviewing!