Fic: We Move Lightly (Part II)
Title: We Move Lightly
Pairing: Blair/Dan
Rating: T
Summary: Based off of some spoilers I've read. This takes place a few weeks after the midseason finale.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.
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Part II
They've been in Florida two weeks, and Blair already feels infinitely better.
Their days are slow and lazy and the opposite of what Blair had expected-boring. So far, spending time at the retirement community is just what she needs.
And Dan. He is just what she needs.
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Every morning, Blair wakes at half-past seven and after a cup of tea and some fruit, she walks the short distance to yoga. Her psychiatrist in New York had given her the idea, but the thought of meditating in silence had been the last thing she wanted to do. Too many thoughts had corrupted her mind and it had become inescapable.
Here, she welcomes the silence. The stress of her life is no longer at the forefront of her mind, and the practice of yoga is incredibly calming. By week two, meditating before her day commenced became more crucial than caffeine.
She hadn't gained much weight during her short pregnancy, but what she did gain was soon lost by her daily exercise. It's the first time in years she not only feels strong in her mind, but her body.
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While Blair does yoga, Dan plays checkers. And cards. And...swims in his grandfather's water aerobics class. When Blair raises her eyebrow at this activity, he defends it by saying, "We're bonding." She doesn't buy it, but does love seeing him in a bathing suit.
When he's not playing games, he writes and reads. He lets Blair do her thing, while he does his. He lets her heal in her own way and timeline.
He takes up one other activity, but Blair quickly ends it. Or...the Restful Pines board ends it.
On one particular morning, while waiting for Blair's yoga class to end, Dan tries to see how fast his grandpa's golf cart can go. It ends with Blair picking up Dan in the main office, given strict instructions to not allow him to drive golf carts anymore.
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Looking up from his book on their third week there, Dan's greeted by a flustered-looking Blair.
"I have a crazy idea," Blair rushes out. A hopeful, yet scared, gleam is in her eye.
"I'm intrigued."
"You know Alice? The lady who-"
"Lives on the corner," he nods. "Yeah. Sweet lady."
She smiles. "So sweet. But she was telling me yesterday that her newborn granddaughter Ruby has this heart defect, and she needs surgery."
Frowning, Dan says, "That's terrible. When's the surgery?"
Letting out a long sigh, Blair plops down on the couch beside him. "That's the thing...there is no surgery. Or, not until they can come up with the money."
"What do you mean?" he asks, setting his book on the table.
"Her son and daughter-in-law are working four jobs to cover the hospital bills they already have, Alice has been retired for fifteen years and is on limited savings, and their hospital can't help at all."
He lets out a breath. "Wow. What about insurance?"
Her silence gives him his answer.
"So how do you come into this? What's your crazy idea?"
At this, she finally breaks into a smile. "Well, I wanted to organize an event to help raise money for the surgery!"
He frowns again. "Blair...I don't want to make you upset, but are you sure about this? You've been away from all things baby for a few weeks, and you've been doing great. Do you really want to do this to yourself?"
She sighs. "I need to do this. We're not staying here forever! New York is full of babies and moms, as is the rest of the world." She runs a hand through her curls. "This can give me something to do besides yoga and going to the beach. Most importantly, this little girl needs this. My baby didn't have a chance, but this baby does."
He can't argue with that, so he gives a small smile. "I think it sounds like a great idea. I'll help in any way I can."
"Ah!" she shrieks, kissing his cheek. "Thank you!"
A grin spreads from ear to ear. "So how are you going to raise money?"
"Oh Daniel. Isn't it obvious?"
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It is.
So when the plans for "A New Start for Ruby's Heart: A Night of Fashion & Foxtrot" is announced, Dan isn't the least bit surprised.
He expects her to turn into Crazy Blair, the NYC girl who is a bossy and borderline-hellish event organizer. He figures every senior citizen in the community will get so fed up with her, they'll be the first people to ever be kicked out of Restful Pines.
But "low-key" is her motto in Florida, so that's just how she is.
The week leading up to the event is filled with days at the local shopping center. Blair gathers an enthusiastic group of volunteers and picks out their outfits for the fashion show. There is nothing Fashion Week about it-no labels or stilettos. No stress or freak-outs.
When Dan walks into Kohls to pick her up for lunch, he is immediately lost in the store. It's only when he hears his favorite laugh does he narrow down where she is. Darla, Alice, and Maggie are standing in front of Blair, mocking supermodels and their runway poses. Shaking his head, he walks closer to the group of women silently hoping one doesn't break a hip from strutting too much.
"Dan!" Blair calls, flashing a radiant smile. She meets him halfway and immediately leans in to kiss him. It's short, soft, and perfect.
He's startled because, well...that's the first time she's done that since they came here. Blair, however, doesn't bat an eye. She's so caught up in her excitement of his arrival and her elderly friends, she doesn't even seem to notice she's done it.
"Don't they look wonderful?" she asks him dreamily, her gaze moving back to the dressed-up women.
"They really do," he replies, but his eyes are on Blair and Blair only. She hasn't looked this happy in months. He doesn't want it to stop.
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The event is nothing short of a hit. It's the most exciting night the community has ever seen and, Dan thinks proudly, it's all because of Blair.
The great hall is decorated with string lights and bright colors, illuminating the space and creating a jolly aura. Each model looks so dazzling their husbands nearly have heart attacks. Walkers and canes are set to the side for the night, quickly forgotten as the band plays hits from their youth. Amazingly, ticket and raffle sales add up and-paired with a donation from Blair Waldorf-they raise enough money to cover the surgery.
"I'm exhausted!" Blair says, finally joining Dan at a table.
Laughing, he says, "I bet. Cake?" he offers, holding up his fork with a generous size bite on it.
After pursing her lips in thought, she obliges with a knowing smile. "Mmm," she hums. "That's so good."
She has frosting on her lip and he leans over to kiss it off. She happily melts into the kiss, sweeping her tongue against his. He tastes of icing and chocolate and she feels tingly down to her toes.
When she pulls away, she matches her eyes with his. She can't believe she's wearing a low-brand dress, in the great hall of a retirement community, kissing Dan Humphrey. But she's here and she can't imagine being anywhere else.
"There you are dear!" a shaky, older voice says, snapping Blair and Dan out of their moment.
Blair turns to Alice with a smile, but Dan sees it falter when her eyes drop to Alice's arms.
"There's someone I'd like you to meet. Blair, this is Ruby." The baby is nestled in a blanket, sound asleep and utterly adorable. Blair takes in a deep breath and tightens her fingers around Dan's.
With wet eyes, Alice says, "You saved her life Blair. I can never thank you enough."
Tears fall down Blair's cheeks as her eyes stay on the little girl. Dan's the only one who knows the real reason behind the tears, but the night is too happy to dwell on the truth.
"Would you like to hold her?"
"Oh, um..." Her eyes travel to Dan, who gives an encouraging smile. "Yes. I would love to."
Once the baby is settled carefully in her arms, Blair snuggles her closer, enjoying her warmth. "She's really beautiful," she says to a bashful Alice. "You're a lucky grandmother."
After gaining her composure, Blair turns to Dan. "Can you please go in my purse and bring me the present inside it?"
He comes back a minute later with a small box and hands it to Alice at Blair's word. Alice gasps once she opens it and pulls out a small pair of red sparkly mary-janes.
"I thought Ruby needed her own ruby slippers," Blair says, a wide grin on her face. They all ooh and ahh over the tiny baby feet after they put them on, and she's even proud of herself that just weeks after losing her own, she's holding a baby.
The sight of Blair with Ruby in her arms, after all she's been through, make Dan's heart swell. Swell with pride, adoration, awe, love.
Love.
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The hall is empty by ten o'clock, and all that's left is Dan and Blair. After fielding many questions, and discussing it over dinner, they decide to leave by the end of the week. Their families want them home and they need to return to the real world.
"Dance with me?" Dan asks, holding out a hand for her to take.
She nods and accepts his hand, then settles into the warmth of his body. Dan takes out his phone and presses play to "Moon River," and after slipping it onto the table next to them, he slowly leads them into a dance. It's slow and romantic and safe and comfortable...everything she's used to him being. At the thought of all of this ending in a few days, Blair wraps herself tighter around him, savoring everything she can.
Dan saved her. He pulled her out of the swallowing and suffocating waters and brought her back to life. She knows where his heart is-how he feels about her. She's never felt more loved than in the past few weeks with him.
Her heart, however, has been so broken, she knows it'll be awhile before it's full and healed again.
But she knows this: what she has with Dan is the closest thing she's ever felt to love. And one day, she'll finally get there with him.
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end.
A/N: I'd love to know your thoughts! :)