Chapter Twenty Three- It Was In Your Eyes
[Blair's P.O.V.]
To say I was in a mind warp would have been an understatement, my mind was on a complete trip as I didn't know what to do. Even though I was hung over that next morning, I can still remember Humphrey's proposal of marriage. What was he thinking? Was what I thought whenever I had a moment to stop and think. We were throwing around the word marriage like it was nothing, like it was something we were supposed to be doing at this point in our lives. We're still all so young but we're thinking marriage. After he had proposed, I did my best impersonation of being so out of it that anything I would have said would have made me look so incoherent that no one could possibly consider that a solid answer. I hated that I couldn't give him one but I just…I was a mess then and I'm a mess now. Staring out of my window, I can't help but feel like this is my crossroad in life…this is the point where I have to buckle down and ask the hard questions. Turning back to the sofa, I pulled my cell phone out to see that Chuck was wondering where I was. For the past couple of days he had been the perfect fiancée to my surprise, but of course I still got left with the brunt of the work with the wedding but now the wedding was starting to be more of my distraction. Hearing the door open, I begin to take a seat as I don't want to show any sign of anxiety.
"Thanks for coming" I said
"I thought it was time that we talked. Your pretty persistent though" Serena said as she put her purse down on the counter "So lets talk" she told me
"I need to know what this is though? Are we talking as friends or enemies?" I asked
"B…" Serena said before I just smiled
"I think I have my answer. Your initial nickname for me lets me know that your warming up" I smiled
"I'd whipe the smile B, I'm still mad" Serena replied as she walked over to sit across from me "But I do miss you, and with you being in this predicament…I think we should finally talk it out like to respective adults" she said
"Adults, look at us" I laughed "Why do we have to be adults so soon" I began to whine
"Because we've lived like adults our whole lives. Our learning curve was shorter and our accomplishments have to happen sooner than later" Serena said
"The burden of the Upper East Side" I replied as I began to play with my fingers
"Yes, the burdens we live with" Serena laughed "So…you have two guys. Two proposals. One choice" she then said
"Before I even get into that, we need to talk about one guy in particular" I said
"Dan Humphrey" Serena said
"Dan Humphrey" I replied
"Shall we get to the meat of the story or the build up of tension?" Serena asked sarcastically
[Dan's P.O.V]
Standing in the middle of the loft, I just stood there in that moment just looking on at all the memories that this place possessed. Trailing in behind me with his laptop in hand, Eliot wasted no time in lounging on the sofa as the walk up seemed to get to him. I hadn't really shared my news with him seeing as I myself was still reeling from the possibility of getting married to a girl that I would have never dreamed of in a million years that I would want to marry let alone love. Taking my own private tour of the loft that had become so much to me, I couldn't help but smile at all the memories that I had, all the things I learned as a teen from the things I'm still learning as a man. Looking back at Eliot who was now sitting up on his computer, I couldn't help but wonder what his stories would soon evolve into. I mean we all write about the girl, then the tragedy, but what do you write when your at a crossroad at your life. How do you write it when you have yet to determine how it will end.
[Flashback]
"I…I've been standing outside your building for about two hours now. I know that you've told me repeatedly that you love him, but I can't accept it…I won't accept it" I told her as the tears began to well up in my eyes as I looked on at her
"What do I have to do to make you understand that we just can't be together?" Blair asked me
"When I start to feel like this is really over because as much as your trying, I don't buy it still. I don't feel it nor buy that this thing between us is over" I replied as a moment of silence came between us
"I slept with him" Blair told me "I told him that we would work towards getting back on track" she said as I tried to process what she was telling me
"Then I forgive you. I forgive you, and we work hard as hell to repair…" I suggested just as she stopped my plan of action
"Humphrey, just give it up all ready. There is nothing we can do, what's done is done and that's all we have left in the tank" Blair said as I moved towards her "It was great, what we shared but we're not that couple" she told me as her words grew increasingly hard to shake off. Caressing her cheek, I could feel her try not to react to my touch but I knew how she felt when I touched her…she felt that peace that I felt whenever I felt her touch
"How can you tell me that this is it? I can feel you more than anything I've ever felt" I whispered to her as I moved in closer to where I held her face in both of my hands while I gently caressed her face as if it were the most precious thing I'd ever held "You just have to believe. Believe that we can do this. I know this is going to be hard but I have to believe that the prize in all of this is that we've found something that is worth it. I love you, and I know you love me…" I told her as she began to shake her head in protest
"Love can't be a reason to continue on. Other factors have to be weighed and we don't balance out" Blair said "We're too different" she said almost in tears
"And we make each other better in ways that no one else has done in a long time" I quickly replied "For once, can you stop pointing out the negatives and realize all the positives that could come from us just being Humphrey and Waldorf" I told her
"Humphrey and Waldorf of two different worlds" Blair replied softly
"That's what makes it interesting" I smiled as she tried to pull away from my embrace but I wouldn't allow her to
"Now is not the time to be funny" Blair said in almost whisper tone before I lifted her chin and leaned in to kiss her. I knew she was getting worked up over all that could go wrong so one of the things I had learned to do was kiss her when she began to worry too much
"How is that?" I asked after I broke the kiss as I held her face before giving her another quick kiss
"Your making this harder" Blair replied as I began to kiss her shoulder all the way up to her neck while my other hand gave me the access I needed
"I don't want you to think" I said in between kisses before finally capturing her lips with mine as she moaned into my lips, which allowed me to deepen the kiss as I slowly backed her up over to the staircase
"We shouldn't be doing this" Blair said as I turned her around trying to take the control away from her as he climbed the staircase both tugging at each others clothes on the way up to her room. When we had made it up to her room, I quickly relieved myself of my shirt as we backed over to the bed while she began to unbutton her shirt so that by the time my hands were free I quickly helped her relieved her of her shirt before laying her back on the bed.
Kissing and massaging her feet, I slowly massaged my way up her legs to the core of her pleasure point just showering her with kisses all over. Slowly pulling back, I pulled my pants down so that I was down to my boxers before I returned back to the destination I had left off at. Before she quickly pulled me up into a deep and intoxicating kiss. It took every fiber within me not to pull away but I had to do this in a methodical method that would ensure her the max in pleasure. Tugging at her underwear, I slowly lowered my head and began to kiss and nip at her core, which drove her into a fit of moans. Her cries of ecstasy was enough to make me go on as that's all it took to get me going.
Looking on at her bare body that I had grown to love without a doubt, I positioned myself to where she was more comfortable before I entering. Pulling me into a kiss, I could feel her hands running wild in my hair as I kissed her neck in a fit of passion. Slowing thrusting within her, every kiss intensified at meant more than the kiss before as I soft sounds of pleasure filled the others ear as we made love. Capturing her lips once again with mine, I thrusted with a slightly quicker motion knowing that the slower the better would be good for the both of us. Moaning into my kiss, I could feel her body trembling under me as she was reaching her peak as I just continued my slow thrust. Resting my forehead up against hers, we looked at each other for what felt like forever as we just made love to each other wondering if the other felt what the other was feeling in a deeper level than on the physical side. The sheets barely covered us as I thrusted to where I could feel the sweat on our bodies get on the sheets to give some cooling effect. Breaking away from our connection I lowered my head and began to nip at her breasts feeling as if every part of her body was something I had to explore to the fullest.
[Blair's P.O.V.]
It wasn't exactly a sisterly reunion, but it was enough to make me realize how much I missed S. For the most part, we talked about random things that was going on in our lives but then we would occasionally get back to my issues or should I say my proposals that I had to sift through. When things got a tad bit too heavy we order room service and just pigged out. Of course we were in a location that no one of our respective circles knew about because we didn't want to get bogged down by Gossip Girl posts that had the so called sworn enemies interacting again. She was still a bit upset about how things went down, but a year had passed and I was glad to see that our friendship was still powerful enough to survive even the biggest of shockers. I can't say I know where exactly my head is at because I was just so confused on everything.
"I know I'm going to regret this, but lets break this down. Each guy, a positive and a negative" Serena said "Starting with Chuck" she said as she laid across the bed
"Positive, we're alike so he won't judge. Negative, business is like the other woman in our relationship" I replied
"Dan" Serena said
"Are you sure about this?" I asked unaware if this was the route she wanted to take
"Just go, I'd rather deal than ignore" Serena said "So just tell me" she told me
"Positive, he's really funny. Negative, he's a bit judgmental" I replied
"Oh, the Humphrey humor" Serena laughed "Chuck, again?" she asked
"Positive, protective. Negative, doesn't pay attention all the time" I said
"Humphrey, again" Serena asked
"Positive, can cook. Negative, procrastinator" I said "Is this really going to help? I mean they are both great guys and I just feel like their both being wasted on me. I could list negatives on top of negatives for Chuck, but he does have positives that I love. Then there is Dan, who is just a whole surprise in general to where I'm happy but wondering when is it going to end. Is what I have with Dan a mere fluke or is it the real thing?" I told her
"Look, this is not meant to make one guy better than the other because you can't help how you feel. But you have to start listening to your heart and understand that you can't play it safe anymore" Serena told me
"What do you mean? I take a risk either way" I replied
"Love isn't about playing it safe though. You've got to dive in and just be fearless to all the possibilities" Serena said
"Regardless if I'm fearless, someone gets hurt…someone that I care about gets hurt, and I'm the bitch that causes it" I told her
"I wouldn't go as far as calling yourself a bitch, but yeah, you'll feel that way for awhile" Serena laughed "I don't know what you expect for me to do?" she then asked
"To help me make a decision" I said "That and I…enjoy hanging out with my best friend" I replied
"It's been a long time since I've heard that title" Serena sighed
"It's been a long time since we've talked, but you'll always be my best friend S. No one will ever take your place, regardless of what goes on in our lives…it'll always be the two of us" I told her
"The strange thing about that whole statement is that I actually needed to hear that, makes me feel like your still there even when I swear that we couldn't be further apart" Serena said
"I just want you to know that I never meant for any of this to happen" I said
"Yeah, well decisions have been made and now we just have to move on from it all" Serena said
"I like that, moving on from it all" I smiled
"So I think you know what you have to do. You've always known in some odd way" Serena told me
"And what if I'm wrong?" I asked her
"Give yourself credit B, you're a lot smarter than you can even imagine" Serena said "Just go with your heart" she said
[Dan's P.O.V.]
[Flashback]
Turning my cell phone off, I leaned over to put it back on the nightstand before returning back to my naked embrace of Waldorf. Getting caught up in the beauty of her body, I began to trace the outline of her body while she lay asleep. How could she be so perfect? Was what I kept asking myself as I looked on at her body structure. Her beauty would be the thing of literary geniuses would take years to write and explain so the world could understand just how special she was to this my hand, I began to trace the outline of her shoulder blades all the towards the outer lining of her side down to her fingers. Placing a few kisses along the way, I could hear her begin to stir awake. At this moment, I don't want her to think or access what's taken place between us because I just want us to live in this moment here together as opposed to analyzing what should be done. Leaning in, I give her a few kisses as she finds herself slipping into my control like she had earlier that night.
"What are you thinking?" I asked as I linked our fingers together after breaking the kiss
"I'm thinking and hoping that Darota didn't hear us" Blair laughed as I couldn't help but laugh
"I just hope no one heard us" I smiled as I leaned in to kiss her shoulder
"Absence not only makes the heart grow fonder, but it also makes the sex better" Blair teased "Almost make me think that you've been practicing" she added
"Ryan has been an excellent tutorer" I joked "If you were to run away anywhere, where would it be?" I asked as she just laughed to herself
"That's a random question" Blair said
"Yeah, it is, but I don't know…I just thought about it and figured I would ask" I told her
"Well running away for me is hard to do so because I've been to every place I wanted to go to" Blair replied
"Then what is your favorite place?" I asked
"Well, there is one place that I haven't been to that I would consider running away to if I just had to get away…" Blair said before I chimed in
"Shout out to southwest by the way" I joked
"Very funny" Blair said hitting me with a pillow as she moved over more towards the other side of the bed so she could stretch out "Florence, Italy. I would say that place would be pretty fun to go away to…to see the museums and the food" she smiled
"The Uffizi comes to mind when you mention Florence" I smiled as I grabbed her feet and began to massage them
"Definitely. The Pitti Palace is another place I would have to go to" Blair mentioned "What about you? Where would you run?" she asked
"I would go anywhere. I've lived my whole life in New York that any place would do. I guess with my job now I can see those possibilities" I told her
"Humphrey it shouldn't matter about your income, if you want to explore the world then make it a goal and just do it. Of course I've been fortunate enough, but even if I wasn't then I'd still have the same desire to want to know the world" Blair said
"That was a contradiction if I ever heard one" I laughed "Waldorf, I can't just up and wish to travel….traveling costs money" I told her
"As long as I've known you, you've always been hung up on money" Blair said "Stop worrying about the dollars and just focus on the desire. Desire is your biggest problem Humphrey" she stated
"I desire you" I quickly replied to her statement
"Your use to me" Blair replied as I slowly began to sit up in the bed
"How can you say that?" I asked "I'm more than use to you" I replied
"Humphrey, this thing between us is…it's something we've fallen into because we were lonely" Blair told me
"I highly doubt that. Now your just telling yourself what you need to so you can start to believe it" I told her
"I was afraid this was going to happen. I knew we shouldn't have done this" Blair said as she began to wrap her body with the sheets from the bed as she got up from the bed
"Waldorf, what are you talking about?" I asked
"This was a mistake. Us. The sex. This was a mistake" Blair stated
"And here we go again" I sighed as I put my head down
"Yes, here we go again" Blair replied "What was I thinking? We couldn't just have sex and have it be nothing. I was so stupid" she babbled to herself
"Come away with me?" I asked as she just froze and looked at me in disbelief "Recently I did something that I'm not exactly proud of, but it made me realize something. It made me realize that I just want you…I don't care about the drama of it all, I just want you. Not having you made me feel like I was a ghost of myself. So since you can't move on with us being in Gossip Girl territory, I've asked Perry if I could begin the promotion of my story that way by the time it goes to book I'll all ready establish myself" I told her
"Go away with you? To where?" Blair asked as I grabbed my boxers to slide on before I headed over towards her
"I don't care. Anywhere, just come with me. Let's figure us out and determine what we want from this relationship and stop letting people dictate it for us" I told her as she just began to shake her head
"No, no. We can't" Blair said as she turned away from me
"Why not?" I asked
"Because we can't run away from our problems, and we can't stop ignoring it" Blair said
"Tell me, tell me what we're ignoring that is causing you to be so hesitant about me and us?" I asked her
"Because nothing changes for me" Blair said as tears streamed down her face "I have to work things out with him, I owe him that" she said
"No, you don't owe Chuck a damn thing" I replied "You owe yourself to be happy, and I know I make you happy" I told her
"And so does he" Blair replied "I didn't lie before. Chuck and I have taken that next step in our relationship because we're trying to rebuild our relationship" she said
"No your trying to make something work that just doesn't" I replied
"That's your opinion" Blair said
"If you love me, if you really love me then please…what do I have to do? Tell me what I need to do in order to make you give us a shot, to at least realize that I could make you happy" I asked her
"You're a great guy, and I'd only be the death of you Humphrey" Blair said
"Stop making it seem like a damn tragedy when this isn't" I replied
"It is, isn't it. I mean someone always gets hurt in situations like this" Blair told me
"Not in this situation. It's not too late" I replied
"This isn't that story" Blair said
"So this is it" I said beginning to process that there was nothing I could do to convince her "If I leave, we're over" I told her
"It has to be" Blair replied
[End of Flashback]
"Earth to Dan, hello" Eliot said as he threw a pillow at me which caused me to turn my attention towards him
"What were you saying?" I asked
"I just read you my opening for my next chapter, what'd you think?" Eliot asked
"Oh, it was good" I replied
"I'd be dumb to accept that answer since you clearly weren't listening to me" Eliot replied "You've been all wonky since Waldorf had her whole hangover night at the apartment" he said
"I've just had a lot on my plate is all" I shrugged
"With the double time you have to put in?" Eliot asked
"Yeah, its been getting to me the past couple of days" I sighed
"You've been doing good with the articles for the New Yorker, you almost make me want to attend Waldorf's wedding to the Chuck dude…but weddings aren't my thing" Eliot replied
"I do my best" I replied
"Is that all there is though, just the pressure of all the writing?" Eliot asked knowing that eventually he was going to find out so I might as well just tell him
"I asked Waldorf to marry me" I revealed as he nearly dropped his lap top in shock
"What?" Eliot asked "I thought you two were mad at each other or just friends…hell I thought she was marrying someone else?" he asked
"She is, but things are different now. We're different now" I replied
"Yeah, she's engaged and your not…that's a big difference I can think of" Eliot replied
"Things are different in the sense that…I still love her" I replied "It was the only way I could show her and at least fight for her, so I just asked her to marry me" I said
"Did you have a ring?" Eliot asked
"I bought a ring that morning, I was like a walking zombie that whole morning but when I bought it, I knew it was right" I told him "I love her and I just want to be with her, so if that means raising the stakes of what we could be then I'll raise them as high as can be" I told him
"Okay, I didn't need the whole epic love story. I get how you feel about her" Eliot laughed "Besides, I think its pretty cool that the two people I have grown to consider my friends are like some super couple in a sense" he said just as my cell phone began to vibrate from a text message
"It's her. It's Waldorf" I replied as I opened up the text to read it
"Did she give you an answer?" Eliot asked
"No, she wants to meet" I said as I walked over to grab my coat while Eliot undid the cords to his lap top so that we could leave
"You can just go ahead, I'll meet up with you later on" Eliot said before that's all I needed to hear before taking off.
[Blair's P.O.V]
Sitting in my room, I looked over my appearance once more as if to remember this moment. Remember the decision that I was going to make. Looking on at the picture frame that held a moment that at one point in my life I thought was the greatest moment, I reached over to grab a picture of Chuck and I together. I couldn't help but smile because in that moment I realized how much I loved him, how much I would have given for us to last…now, I was faced with that chance again, that chance at forever. Putting the picture back, I just began to look on at the pictures that had formed a collage on my mirror of the original four. We lived the life of luxury but dealt with our personal strifes in the darkest of manners. How we ever turned out to at least be decent people surprises me to the point where I have to pinch myself at times. Watching S go was hard but I was glad that we were better than the last time she left, we were better in general. Hearing the last arrival, I took a deep breath and slowly got up from my seat and headed downstairs. I could hear them spewing their quick witted insults at each other as I descended the staircase before they turned their attention towards me.
"Blair, what the hell is he doing here?" Chuck asked as I stood before the both of them
"I asked him here" I replied "I asked you both here tonight" I then stated
"Why?" Dan asked
"Because I've made my decision" I said
"Decision about what?…I'm still not understanding why Humphrey is here" Chuck said in a bit of confusion
"Because, I asked her to marry me" Dan stated as I looked on at Chuck to see a bit of disbelief in his eyes
"Oh, that's classic. Humphrey proposing marriage. Don't you think your asking the wrong girl?" Chuck laughed
"No, I think I asked the right one" Dan replied becoming annoyed with Chuck by the minute
"What the hell type of future do you possibly think you can offer her?…I can give her things you couldn't dream of giving her, so please enlighten me on what made you think that you could compete with me" Chuck told him
"I love her, plain and simple. I don't want to give her the tokens that money can buy….I just want her" Dan said as he never tore his gaze away from him
"What'd you do? Read that in one of your literary books somewhere?" Chuck asked
"Will you two stop?…its like hearing four year olds fight" I replied
"Then why don't you put Humphrey out of his misery and tell him you decline his offer" Chuck said as a moment of silence came between us all which made things harder by the minute
"I don't accept your proposal" I told Dan as he just stood there staring into my eyes as if he was trying to read me of some sort while Chuck just laughed
"Great, now that we've made the decision. We can get back to our normal lives" Chuck smiled in pure delight at his victory
"And I don't accept your proposal either" I said to Chuck, who's smile soon faded, when he heard the statement
"You've got to joking. We're suppose to be married in less than two months, and now you pull this crap" Chuck said
"What's going on here Blair?" Dan asked with concern in his voice
"I just can't do this anymore" I said trying to hold back the tears "It feels like I'm in constant tug of war between the two of you" I told them both before I turned towards Chuck "I love you, but I feel like I'm forgetting the reasons as to why when I have this constant threat hanging over my head that your going to do hurt Dan all in the sake of winning me, and I can't go on like that" I told him
"Hurt me? Chuck was going to hurt me?…do tell this information?" Dan laughed
"It's true Humphrey" I told him as he looked at me with even more confusion
"What were you holding over her Bass?" Dan asked sternly as Chuck looked at me in contemplation on whether he should tell Dan or just torture him with the unknowing
"Tell him or I will" I said to Chuck
"I'm a shareholder in your magazine" Chuck replied as Dan just laughed
"Makes sense, I mean that's the exact twisted thing you would do" Dan replied
"Yeah, well I own you pretty much Humphrey and with the possible shareholders jumping ship soon…I suggest you keep the third highest share holder happy" Chuck said as Dan just glared at him
"Ross. Ross told him about us, he was the insider for Chuck and hold the second highest shareholding. If I didn't end things with you then Chuck and Ross were going to force Perry to get rid of you" I said to Humphrey
"And this is what you held over her?" Dan asked Chuck
"She had a choice and she chose. I did nothing!" Chuck yelled at him before Dan took a moment to just laugh to himself before punching Chuck
"Chuck!" I said coming to his aid as Dan looked on in confusion
"You don't own me Bass, and you never will. So if that's what you have on her then you might as well give it up because I'd quit before I'd let you torture her with your sick and twisted notion of love" Dan replied
"I'll destroy you Humphrey, I swear to God I will make your life a living hell!" Chuck yelled as he resisted my help as he got up from the floor
"I'm in hell all ready!" Dan yelled "There's nothing more you can do to me that I haven't experienced, so go ahead!" he replied angrily
"We can work. No more threats, no Humphrey…we can work, you just have to give us a shot" Chuck turned to tell me as I just looked from him to Humphrey
"You just got finished telling Dan that you'd destroy him, how exactly will there be any threats when you just made one?" I asked him finding what he just said a complete contradiction
"Because I love you. I love you in ways that he never will. We've shared something that people search over a lifetime to find, and I know you can't just walk away from that" Chuck told me
"Your better than this. You were never like this" I said softly to Chuck as he reached out to grab my hand
"You make me better. I can be better with you by my side" Chuck told me as we just looked at each other for what felt like hours. Hearing Dan's laugh of disapproval, he just threw his hands up as if he were giving up all together
"You've got to be kidding me" Dan said to himself
"Look, I'm sorry. I just can't anymore. I can't do this anymore" I said breaking away from Chuck's embrace before I made my way over to the elevator
"What does this mean Waldorf?" Dan asked
"I don't know. I just need time to figure all of this out" I replied as they both looked at me with confusion
"Your leaving?" Chuck asked as he walked over towards me
"I need time to think, and I can't do this here" I said
"So there is still a chance? There is still a chance that we can fix us?" Chuck asked with a bit of hope
"I don't know" I said turning my head slightly to tell him before the elevator doors opened up and I made my on looking on at both of them. The two guys that had a piece of my heart that I was reluctant to take back so quickly. I know that this sounds like a dumb ending, but in my heart I knew. I still know, who it has always been. With time it will show, and I just have to trust that I made the right decision. As the elevator doors closed, I felt my heart begin to race and record pace as I was slowly walking away into the unknown.
[Dan's P.O.V.]
Truth. Truth is a bitch. Truth hurts in every form possible. Truth is just a pain, plain and simple. Watching Waldorf leave, I knew in that moment that it had to be over. I couldn't keep doing this to myself, not when there was something else out there for me. I know it sounds so cliché but I have to believe that what ends, something else will start up soon after. Knowing the truth all in all about what Chuck had over her has given me a sense of closure because at least she knew that when it came down to it, I'd choose her…knowing all the repercussions, I'd choose her and never look back. Of course the next time I see Ross, that'll be interesting because I never thought he'd be the one to be Chuck's inside man, but then I have resolved to think that the next time…I'll be better. I'll do whatever it takes to make the magazine work, with or without him on board…and that's a promise. I was well on my way back to the apartment, when I found myself looking out at the sky wondering where Waldorf could be, wondering if she'd get her happily ever after now that her option was off the table. Giving the driver a few more dollars, I just told him to keep driving because I just wasn't ready to go home quite yet. I had accepted her absence, and the more I drove the more I realized that it was really over but it didn't mean that I was ready to get out and live a life knowing that it was over and that I had to move on. Keeping moving, that's what I kept telling myself as I just stared out the window of the taxi. It felt like hours before I finally told the driver to stop because in some odd way I felt at peace with my new found look on my new world. Like a zombie, I felt myself going through the motions but it somehow made sense in my mind and I was fine with it in some weird way. I was fine, and I was going to be.
"What are you doing here?" Blair asked as she walked over towards me as I stood in the waiting area of the next boarding flight
"Florence, Italy" I replied as I held up my ticket "I remembered" I told her as she just looked on with confusion
"What does Florence have to do with anything?" Blair asked
"That's the place you wanted to run to. We were in your room, and I asked…where would you run to" I told her as her eyes began to water
"You do remember" Blair said weakly
"I remember every moment with you" I smiled as I took a step towards her "But the thing is, you never asked me" I said
"Humphrey…" Blair started to say before I cut her off
"You" I replied as the tears started to turn into water works at this point
"Don't say that. Don't say it unless you mean it Humphrey because I know you've probably written this down somewhere" Blair tried to reason but as I stepped closer the words seemed to escape her
"This past year I've been to more places than I ever could imagine, and a Brooklyn boy like me should be in awe of the places but nothing…nothing was like the feeling I had when I was with you. I can't say that I planned to love you or even wanted to, but I do. I'm not a prince nor a businessman or anything you've ever dreamed of being with but I am someone that can and will love you, and I have to believe that trumps everything" I told her before I extended my hand out to the side of her cheek as I began to caress it "So its you. You're the place I run to because this past year whenever I felt like it was all too much…it was you that calmed me, it was you that believed in me and made me realize that there's more to a story than Serena van der Woodsen. I must have dreamed about you a million times and one, but it was when I saw your face again that I realized it" I just smiled at her
"I needed time Humphrey" Blair said after a moment of silence
"No, you needed to know that it'll be fine. You needed to make your choice and know that I could handle the consequences. You needed to know that I'd still choose you if I lost what I had worked for. You needed to make the decision for yourself and know that you were honest this time" I told her "It took me a while but I finally understand. So its Florence, Italy….the place you wanted to run away to" I then said
"But I'm not running away" Blair replied
"I know. I'm just going after my desire" I said as a smile came to her face and just seeing that smile come upon her face just made my heart melt into a million pieces "And I've always wanted to go to Italy" I said before I smiled at her towards the end just as she took a moment to think
"Flight 236 for Florence, Italy is now boarding" The announcement said as we both just looked at each other
"So what do you think Waldorf?" I asked her as the silence only grew from this moment on. My heart was leaping, it was begging to have a reason to beat again and with each moment she took, a moment of my life passed away.
"Fine, I'll accept that" Blair just laughed "But I get the window seat" she said before I moved in closer to kiss her. I could feel her smile against my lips as if this were her dream come true, and all I kept thinking about was I couldn't wait until our next kiss.
"I can't oblige that. It'll have to be a toss up" I told her once I broke the kiss and we began to walk over to the line that formed to board the plane
"Toss up, please. I'm getting the window seat" Blair replied
"That's what you think Waldorf" I replied
"That's what I know Humphrey" Blair laughed "I'm in front of you so clearly I'm getting the window seat" she told me as they checked out tickets
"Did you really turn down my marriage proposal though?" I asked her as we towards the tunnel
"Maybe" Blair said "I had to make you sweat" she said
"Who says I came for you, I could have come because I'm finally taking your advise and just doing it" I told her
"You came for me, you gave me that whole sappy speech. Trust me, you're here for me" Blair said
"Look who's full of themselves" I laughed
"Call it a woman's intuition" Blair smiled
"I call it delusion" I quickly replied "We're also using my movie queue on the plane because your movie selections have just gotten atrocious" I stated as I grabbed ahold of her hand
"I'm not into your stop and think type of movies where the constant question throughout the movie is should I or why didn't I" Blair replied
"Fine, we'll half and half on the Netflix…but no Breakfast at Tiffany's on the flight" I stated
"No, Citizen Kane on the flight" Blair replied
"You can't be serious. That's the best movie of all time" I said in disbelief
"The best movie to fall asleep to. I need something entertaining Humphrey, I feel like that movie is your life but in extreme slow motion" Blair said
"Two weeks in Italy together, why do I have a feeling only one of us is going to return?" I asked
"May you rest in peace Humphrey" Blair laughed as she happily got her window seat as I had been reduced to the aisle seat with the seat in between us empty
"Does this oblige your rule?" I asked
"A seat away, it'll have to do. But at night you'll have to sit here because your shoulder will be my pillow" Blair told me
"I wouldn't have it any other way" I laughed as she pulled her lap top out and began to go to Netflix "So if you declined my proposal, does that mean your giving me my ring back…I mean that would make it now three rings that I've given you" I said
"I'll think about it" Blair said as she didn't tear her attention away from the computer
"What do you mean you'll think about it?" I asked "You turned me down" I said
"I declined that proposal. Who's to say what the future holds" Blair smirked
"Then I should get the ring back for the future holdings" I replied
"I'm not giving the ring back" Blair replied
"Your so stingy" I quickly replied
"Your so cheap" Blair fired back
"I'm not the one holding a ring hostage. I gave you two" I stated
"You snooze, you lose" Blair replied as she just laughed at me "Your so gullible Humphrey" she continued to laugh as I just smiled at her "How'd you know?" she asked as she reached to hold my hand
"Know what?" I asked
"To find me. I thought I gave you every reason back there to just let me go" Blair said
"It was in your eyes" I smiled as I gripped on to her hand "I wasn't letting you go this time" I said as I looked down at our hands linked together
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The story isn't over, trust there is more drama to come :) Thank you all once again who read and review, the feedback means so much to me and help in writing the story.
The next two chapters will deal with them being in Florence, Italy...away from the cruel Upper East Side for a while. They'll be dealing with if they should or should not get married so it'll be very light hearted and romantic, but the real question will be will they get married since that's a question I'm trying to figure out because I swear each day it keeps changing. Once again thank you and enjoy