Love Has Many Guises - Continuation
Alternate Ending - Starts Here
Alternate Ending - Starts Here
Against her better judgment she may have cleared her diary one evening, and donning on a black beret and matching trench Burberry coat followed them to a bar. She also may have paid Nelly Yuki a visit a few days later and told her in no uncertain terms to back off.
It seems Nelly snitched on her, because Dan is currently in her office, livid and accuses her of still being the high school bully.
"Fine date Nelly Yuki I'm not stopping you!"
"Even if I wanted to, which I don't. Nelly's too scared stiff of what you'll do to her."
"You don't get to do this to me Blair, you just don't."
With that parting shot he walks out of her office, slamming the door behind him.
Luckily she sent her secretary on an errand when Dan came bounding in, it wouldn't do to be the fodder of office gossip.
After calming down a few hours later, she feels really bad. Her jealousy got the best of her. She had not banked on him finding out. She really doesn't want to lose the friendship that they've forged over the past eight months.
Later that night around 9pm after putting the kids to bed and with Marie on alert, she goes over to Dan's place.
To say that she is persona non grata is an understatement. Dan refuses to buzz her into the building, telling her sternly to go home via the intercom. Using the opportunity of another resident exiting the building, Blair lets herself in and makes her way to his floor.
He opens his front door after her repeated knocks, there is a scowl on his face. Blair can't help feeling sheepish as she rushes into his apartment before he decides to shut the door in his face.
"Blair..."
"Dan, just hear me out ok, please."
He shuts the door and ushers her into the living room.
She sits on the leather sofa while Dan sits on the chaise. She apologizes first and then explains why she did it. Dan doesn't understand, her confessions catches him unawares as he doesn't believe he gave her any indication that they were anything other than friends.
"Is there any chance you would ever forgive me or see me that way again?"
Dan thinks there is too much water under the bridge for there to be anything between them. In addition, it is too soon after his wife's death to start contemplating another relationship. A part of him doesn't want to take that chance again, he doesn't want to risk his heart. If not for Emily coming into his life when she did, he isn't sure what would have become of him.
"But, I've changed Dan."
"Have you? Because I just saw a glimpse of the old Blair. All you had to do was ask and I would have told you if Nelly and I were an item. You didn't have to do what you did."
"Dan if you could just give us a chance, I know there is something there."
Dan removes his glasses and rubs his eyes. He puts back his glasses and fixes his eyes on hers, "I'm sorry, I can't give you the answer you want."
She nods in acquiesce and sees herself out.
Piecing her heart together this time is more excruciating than the last time. She has never felt more defeated in her life.
Like Dan promised that event does not change their relationship, they maintain cordiality for their kids sake. However, Blair ensures that she is absent from most of the Waldorf-Meyers-Collins-Humphreys hang outs sessions to spare her hurt pride. If the kids notice anything they do not mention it.
As the months go by she begins to join them gradually. Things are still a bit awkward between them.
The year flies by quickly and it is Thanksgiving. The kids are eager to spend their first thanksgiving together, so Dan and Blair agree to celebrate the holiday together. Thanksgiving will be taking place at Blair's, her house is bigger and could accommodate all their families. Dan vetoes hiring a catering service, he wants it to be a traditional thanksgiving, she gives in without a fight.
Her parents and step parents arrive on the eve before thanksgiving laden with gifts for the children.
On thanksgiving Dan, Joe, Rufus and Alison arrive at 7am laden with ingredients for the food and gifts for everyone.
Dan and Rufus take over the kitchen and make breakfast for everyone. While the rest of the adults makes small talk in the living room and Cyrus plays with the children.
Breakfast is a riotous affair thanks to three excited children however, the house is full of laughter and lots of waffles. After Breakfast, Dan and Rufus return to the kitchen to finish preparing their thanksgiving meal. Blair and her father join them, baking fours portion of their famous pumpkin pie with help from the kids.
They leave Dan and Rufus in the kitchen and return to the living room to sip champagne with the rest of the adults while the kids go off to play in the garden.
Her mother complains repeatedly about the lack of catered service, the fact that she has to serve herself and the obvious lack of Hors d'oeuvres to accompany her champagne. Blair hides in the kitchen to avoid anymore tongue lashing and keeps herself occupied by bossing Dan and Rufus about and eating copious amounts of leftover waffles.
Thanksgiving is a resounding success and everyone is stuffed. The adults relax in the main living room with glasses of sherry, while the kids watch cartoon in the adjoining sitting room. Dan and Blair clear the dinning table and clean the kitchen. Once they finish they join the adults in the living room. The conversations are light and airy, and in between they watch old movies.
It is time to go but, Belle and Joe don't want to be parted yet. Dan agrees to her suggestion of a sleepover. Joe and Belle jump up and down in excitement upon hearing the news.
"What is that racket?" screeches Eleanor from the living room.
"Only your very excited granddaughter mother."
Dan stays to help put the kids to bed, after that he, Rufus and Alison bid them good night. Not soon afterwards everyone else retires for the night.
Blair is in her bedroom going through the mock up for their spring/summer campaign when she hears a knock on her bedroom door.
"Come in."
Cyrus had seen the light under her door and decided to pop in to say one final goodnight before he retires for the night.
Sitting across her on the bed, Cyrus says, "You and Dan have pretty good routine going on there."
"Our kids spend a considerable amount of time together Cyrus, there is nothing to sniff around for."
"The young man seems to know his way around this place and not to mention the way you behave in each other's vicinity."
"Cyrus there isn't anything between us. Well not on my part anyway, Dan doesn't see me that way."
For the first time she confides in someone other than her therapist about what happened years ago. She also brings him up to speed on current events.
"If there is one thing I know its love and that young man looked like he had a bag full for you."
"Oh Cyrus, you old fool..."
"This old fool knows what he saw and it was two people in sync and in love."
"If things are the way you say they are my only advice is to ask you to give him time; let him come to you when he is ready."
Thanksgiving goes and then it's Christmas. Christmas departs and then it is the New Year, which quickly becomes Spring. Blair gives up hope of him coming to her. Cyrus is a delusional old fool, his words are nothing but, fallacy.
Their life is the same as what it was before, family hang outs, coffee and watching movies twice a week. On Thursday after viewing a movie at Film Forum, they decide to go for drinks and take a stroll down to "The Meatpacking District".
Somewhere in between the movie theatre and 7th Avenue, Dan's hand intertwines with hers and he doesn't let go. Even if she wanted to be coy about it, she doesn't let herself, she's too old for games. She doesn't hide the fact that she likes him holding her hand. And if she moves a bit closer and they are bumping shoulders, he doesn't show it.
They end up in a place called 675; it's a mishmash of exposed brick, bright paintings, wacky decorations, mishmash furniture, pool tables and secluded alcoves. George Thorogood's version of 1 Bourbon, 1 Scotch, 1 Beer is streaming through the speakers and theynsettle into one of the alcoves with drinks and each other. The night flies by, she can hardly remember what they were talking about, not that their conversation was not scintillating, it was difficult trying to have a conversation in a loud and crowded bar. Her mind is also in a bit of a fog, she is in cloud nine right now as they spent most of the night flirting.
They give up trying to make conversation in the loud bar and head to her house. The kids are sound asleep. Hanging their coats in the cloakroom they make their way into the living room and end up sitting on the rug, sipping Shiraz and watching movies on TV.
It's time for Dan to go despite her many protestations. It's a school night and DAN has work tomorrow. They say their good night at the front door; Blair can't see him out properly as she has no shoes on.
Dan leans into her personal space and kisses her. Blair kisses him back with gusto.
There are uncountable kisses after that and they start to date after that.
They keep the changes in their relationship between themselves and decide to take things slowly. There was no use confusing the kids unless they were absolutely confident of what their future is.
Their schedule changes slightly, there is an increase in the number of coffee and movie dates but, nothing too drastic. Blair looks forwards to their dates with a glee she hasn't mustered since she was seventeen. They have coffee daily after dropping the kids of at school. She doesn't get to see him alone every evening but, they see each other twice a week, they alternate between watching movies or actual dates.
With all their kids safely tucked in at her place under the watchful eye of Marie on a Friday evening, Dan makes Blair a candlelit dinner at his place. As they tuck into their meal, sipping red wine and making flirty conversation between courses. Blair can't help but lean over the table to kiss Dan's lips and whisper, "I love you" in between kisses. It is easier saying it this time.
Dan doesn't say it back. He smiles at her words and kisses her with gusto. That is the only answer she needs.
Dan's "I love you" comes a few weeks later while they are sitting on the benches at Columbia sipping coffee. They are engaged in a random argument about movie directors when he says it. She is too gob smacked to say anything or breathe.
They have a registry wedding a year later during the Thanksgiving holiday. They wanted something quiet, unpretentious and family oriented. After three weddings, Blair has had enough of razzmatazz. There isn't a dry eye in the room, except for the kids who are hooting and hollering in excitement. Dorota cries throughout the ceremony, she can't seem to hold back the tears of joy.
It's been eighteen years getting here and this is the only place she ever wants to be, being married to the man she loves.
The End