NOTE: Some very minor spoilers/filming pictures details have been used, so for those completely unspoiled at all, don't read.

I know it's been a while since I've updated, so I thank you in advance for your patience. And I thank every one of you for reading and leaving reviews for this story. They are all very much appreciated! (Yes, indeed I am that Can Attack, but I don't know about 'eloquent'. More like ranty. :D) First, it's because I had been busy making fanvids, so LOL. Yes, I'm a dork. And it's all Dair's fault. Then I've been wavering between a few general ideas of how I want things to go down, and some parts of it I needed to decide on before writing this next chapter so the details would make sense in the long run. And hopefully, the next chapters will come quicker since I have a clearer picture in my head of things to come now. But anyway, here it is, finally, it's probably not as well written as I hoped it to be, I think some of the dialogue needs work, but still, hope you enjoy it. Oh, and just some mild coarse language.

Also, does anyone know how to add space in between paragraphs? I added stars for a line, but it disappears on the actual preview. And then all the paragraphs are so close together (and since I have time jumps and need those spaces, it's kind of annoying looking right now.)

Disclaimer: I don't own GG and any of its characters. Obvs.

2.28.11

Chapter 3: Detection?

That was a month ago. A magical time where everything – save for a near run-in with Nate – fell into place. Boy likes Girl. Girl likes Boy. It was that simple.

*****4 weeks later*****

Dan woke up with a headache and his phone ringing as if there was no tomorrow.

*SERENA CALLING* The phone flashed.

He threw his phone across the phone and it landed in a pile of dirty laundry in the corner, still ringing. The fact was that he couldn't bring himself to answer that call. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, but especially her. He did not want to hear her voice, he did not care to hear what she had to say, nor did he have any desire to say anything to her. He buried his head underneath his pillow and felt his anger bubble up all over again. How did everything change so quickly?

Serena snapped her phone shut. Why wasn't he picking up? She'd been calling since last night, but had yet to hear back from him.

"S, what's wrong? You look upset." Blair appeared at the doorway of their conjoining rooms.

"It's ok. I just can't seem to get a hold of Dan." Serena said, but not without spying for a reaction from Blair. There was none.

"It's early. Maybe he's still asleep. Right now, you need to get ready for the luncheon." Blair remarked brightly while she headed back into the bathroom. "So, come on, chop chop! We have a lot to do before Louis arrives." She shut the door and turned the tap on at the sink before Serena could see the tears starting to swell in her eyes. She smiled lifelessly at her reflection on the mirror. This was what she wanted, wasn't it?

"Louis! You didn't need to bring anything!" Blair kissed Louis on his cheek. "Though, these are exceptionally beautiful." She handed the flowers over to Dorota, who took them without a word. It wasn't that Dorota didn't like Louis, but…she knew Ms. Blair far too well not to see what was happening. And she didn't like it.

"Not as beautiful as you, mon cherie." Louis smoothly replied. "And Serena! You look lovely, as usual."

Serena smiled. "So, are you ready to meet the parents?"

Louis nodded. "No time like the present."

Eleanor and Cyrus came bustling out from the kitchen. "Blair, you didn't tell me our guest of honor has arrived! Prince Louis, welcome to my humble abode. It is truly an honor...Cyrus!"

"What?" Cyrus asked. He was in the midst of hugging Louis.

"So, let's have some lunch!" Eleanor exclaimed as she led the way to the dining room. Dorota looked on worriedly at Blair's perfected smile.

*****4 weeks earlier******

After Lily's bail, the family – well, Cece and William, to be specific – decided the best thing to do was to lay low and stay out of the limelight. So, Serena and their family were off to the Hamptons for the break, hoping to better avoid the paparazzi there. Dan thankfully had a huge term paper to write for his independent writing class – so Lily and Rufus didn't insist on him coming along. Rufus was grateful for any small bit of normalcy to focus on, and Dan keeping up his work at college was one. Dan would prepare their apartment for the arrival of their aunt and cousin instead, and hold down the fort in the city while they were gone. He would go up, he said, and visit them on the weekends. Chuck was off – dong something, not that Dan cared, as long as he wasn't around, and especially not around Blair. And Nate was MIA, probably spending most of his time with Raina as she dealt with her father.

But that morning, Dan was not thinking about any of that. He had a date with Blair, again, this time at a nondescript café in the middle of Brooklyn. And he was excited. To say the least.

Blair was running late. She ran into the café, with a giant hat on her to conceal her identity, out of breath, and looking positively radiant.

Dan meanwhile, sat calmly at the café bar, sipping on a coffee. He looked up and smiled at the hat. Of course she'd be wearing one the size of Alaska. Can she even see under that?

"Blair! Finally."

Blair ran up to him and pressed her fingers against his lips, which should annoy Dan, but he'd be lying if he said that didn't turn him on. It was amazing how every little thing Blair did turned him on. "Shhhhhh! Don't say my name out loud! No one can see me here!"

Dan made a face. "Relax, Blair. There's no one around here. Look." Blair looked around. The café was empty. She hated it when Dan was right.

"Fine." She muttered.

She proceeded to sit down next to him, but Dan had other plans. He stood up and wrapped his arms around her. Throwing her hat on the counter, he grasped her tiny face with both hands and reached forward for a kiss.

"That – is how you say hello, Blair."

Blair smacked his face lightly. "Take your grubby hands off me!" She said with an unmistakable smile. "We're making a scene here."

"It wouldn't be if you'd just stop hitting me." Dan quipped.

"That's it. You need to leave!" Blair said angrily, but it dissipated as soon as Dan pouted. Impossibly, she was charmed by one Dan Humphrey. She hugged him close and he relented easily. Two love birds, so focused on one another they failed to see a tiny shadow lurking in the back corner.

Later, they embarked on a shopping trip Blair carefully planned to avoid any possibility of being spotted. And if spotted, she already had a perfect exit strategy in mind.

"Charity work!" Blair exclaimed.

"You do realize that shopping is not charity work, don't you?"

"If I'm shopping for myself, then I'm simply boosting the economy with my spending. But today, we're shopping for you. And –," She patted his chest, " – that is charity work."

"What's wrong with my outfit today?"

She looked him straight in the eye. "Do we really have to go there?"

"I'm not some Ken doll you play dress up with! I'm a human being! And… I like my clothes."

"And yet, you haven't worn Vanessa's scarf or your grandfather's tie since…"

"I have!" Dan interjected. Then his cheeks flushed. He hadn't realized it, but…somehow he had stopped wearing them because Blair said she hated it. He had been in denial for a very long time.

"Ah ha! Plus, I'm not talking about a whole new wardrobe – you can't afford that anyway! – but just a few small pieces to spark up your existing outfits. That's all. Something that will enhance your look."

"I have a look?" Dan asked, amused.

"Well, you don't look completely terrible all the time. I guess that's a look."

"Are you saying I look good?"

"Don't flatter yourself! Come on, let's go!" Her enthusiasm infected him, even as he swallowed back a groan at the thought of shopping.

Dan hated shopping. In fact, he detested it. Of course, he had never shopped with Blair before. Now? Dan, as he admired the pink tie Blair picked out for him in his mirror, decided that shopping with Blair might be his favorite thing in the world. Even if it meant that he spent the bulk of what he earned in the past 2 months in one day.

It was like watching an animal in its natural habitat. He loved the way she could glance around a shop and immediately find the one thing in it that he would like. He loved her extensive knowledge of fashion and her love and enthusiasm of it. He loved the way he had her full and undivided attention as she placed tie after tie over his head. He loved the way she could tell in an instant whether something would look good on him or not. He loved the way her eyes crinkle in thought weighing the pros and cons of a particular sweater for him. He loved the way her face lighted up at the sight him in a pair of jeans he now owned and loved. He loved that she took the time to consider the value of each piece – making sure that each item looked great, functional with his old wardrobe, AND didn't cost a fortune. He loved that despite all her previous objections of things in plaid, she picked out a plaid shirt that could please both him and her. It was her way of showing she cared; it was her way of showing just how well she knew him. And he loved all of that.

"I hope you realize that I can never take you anywhere nice ever, now that I've spent it all on me?" Dan fell on his bed amidst all the new clothes strewn on the bed. Blair followed suit and fell on top of him.

"(sigh) I suppose I am to be punished because you spent the better half of your life wasting money of L.L. Bean pants?"

"They were good pants! Warm." Dan flipped her over so he was on top of her. They stared into each other's eyes.

"We're going to wrinkle all the shirts." Blair breathed.

"I don't care." Dan whispered, and kissed her passionately.

"Nice tie." She noted as she took it off teasingly. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You don't say." He kissed her again. And again. Letting the tension build up.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"The door…" Blair mindlessly said, enthralled at what Dan was doing to her neck.

"They'll leave." Dan murmured.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

*KNOCK KNOCK*

The both sat up abruptly, their heads dizzy with anticipation. "Wha – Who?" Blair asked with a hint of panic in her voice.

"Wait here. Don't worry. It's probably nothing." Dan stood up and straightened his clothes.

"Lipstick."

"Thanks." Dan wiped his mouth gently. "Good?"

Dan watched Blair looked him up and down and wished he could just kill whoever's knocking.

"Yes."

*KNOCK KNOCK*

Dan closed the door to the bedroom and ventured to the front door. It better not be Vanessa again.

Holy crap.

"Chuck." Dan's mind raced. . Motherfuck.

"Entertaining someone?" Chuck scowled, annoyed by the wait.

"No, no...of course not." Dan made no move to invite him in.

"Your lack of manners still astounds me, Humphrey."

"I would invite you in, but it's not like we're friends now, are we?" Dan firmly held the door and his stance. No freaking way was Chuck coming through that door.

"This isn't a social call. I'm here because there's something I wanted to ask you."

Dan gulped. There was no way he could know, was there? "Ab..about what, exactly?" He stuttered. Chuck didn't notice, or if he did, he didn't acknowledge it.

"I need a copy of your research on my father. It would do you no good to refuse me."

Relief. "I wasn't about to. Happy to help, as a matter of fact." Dan happily chirped, trying not to sound too excited.

Chuck scowled again. "Well then…could you perhaps give it to me now? Time is of the essence." Dan didn't move.

"Oh. Um. Well, I'm in the middle of something here. I will email you the research as soon as possible."

Something caught Chuck's eye. Behind Dan, on the counter. A handbag. An all too familiar looking handbag. He shook the thought away. Yeah, right. As if.

"Make sure you get it to me by the end of the day." Chuck huffed and walked away.

"Thank you, Dan." Dan mumbled under his breath. He shut the door and locked it securely. Phew. He took off his sweater and noticed his tshirt was soaked in sweat.

In the hallway, Chuck pondered for a moment before he dialed a number. He walked back to the door and waited. Not a sound, and definitely not a sound of a phone ringing. He breathed easier.

"Hi Chuck. Is everything ok?" Blair's quiet voice came out of the phone. Chuck pressed his ear to the door. Silence. Of course.

"Blair. I need your help. Can we meet at your place now?"

"Oh. I'm not at home right now. I'm … at the movies. Is it important?" She whispered.

"It can wait. Thanks for being here."

"Of course. We are friends, after all." And with that, she hung up before he could say anything else. His heart stung a little, but as Chuck stared at the Humphrey door, he was satisfied. Nah, he was just imagining things. It was ridiculous, really.

*VANESSA*

A text from Vanessa? Chuck dismissed it as he went back into his limo. He had more important things to do than to indulge in Punky Brewster's musings right now.

"Arthur, let's head back to the city."

To be continued