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Which apocalyptic scenario does not belong with the others？
“Hello？” Ruby snapped her fingers in front of Vanessa’s face； breaking her out of her reverie。
“I got that Filmmakers for Change grant to go to Indonesia for two years。 Everything paid for。” Vanessa grinned shyly。 Saying it made her feel better； more sure of herself。 The grant was an honor most young filmmakers only dreamed of。
“Oh my God！” Ruby squealed； hugging her。
“God！” Moxie yelled happily from the floor； the silver bow clutched in her chubby hands。 Ruby rolled her eyes。 “Piotr； Vanessa’s going to Indonesia！”
“Well； I mean； I got it； but—”
“But you are going；” Piotr said in his slow； careful English from the couch。
“There goes our free babysitting；” Ruby said mournfully。 “Just kidding；” she added quickly。
Vanessa smiled wanly。 Could she really do this？ The fellowship was for two years； and while theoretically she could visit home； she couldn’t imagine a trip back to the U。S。 would be cheap。 And two years was sort of a long time。 Moxie would be talking in full sentences by then。 What if she didn’t even remember Vanessa？
“Should I go？” she asked in a small voice she didn’t quite recognize as her own。
Ruby pursed her lips together as she sat down next to Piotr。 “Well； I met Piotr when I left for that SugarDaddy foreign tour。 I was scared too； but it all worked out so totally well。”
“Same for me；” Piotr said in his still heavily accented English。 “I came to the U。S。 because I fell in love。”
“Like that’s the only reason？ You also said you couldn’t wait to try New York City pizza。” Ruby shot Piotr a skeptical look。 “Vanessa； you’re twenty…one。 You need to get out and see the world！” Ruby said in her big…sister voice。
Vanessa nodded slowly。 She’d lived in New York for the past seven years of her life。 A change would be good。 But all she could think about was how far Indonesia was from Iowa…。
Here we go again。
on the street where b lives
Blair surveyed the brightly colored wooden block tower she’d built in the center of Yale’s nursery and nodded in satisfaction。 The Waldorf…Rose family had always opened presents first thing in the morning； and right now Tyler was in his room； setting up a bunch of DJ equipment he’d gotten； Aaron had taken the train to Scarsdale to visit his mom and friends from high school； Cyrus and Eleanor were grossly feeding each other eggs at the breakfast table； and Blair was happy to be hanging out with Yale。
“Yale； over here！” she cajoled。 Her sister sat in the corner； setting up her stuffed animals in an elaborate pile。 She had determined that none of the other stuffed toys liked the giraffe； so she’d relegated it to the far corner of the room。
It starts early。
Blair’s cell buzzed； skittering on the hardwood floor。 She glanced down at the display。 Chuck。 His flight had probably just landed； and Blair couldn’t wait to see him。
“Hello？” she asked。
“I want to talk！” Yale demanded； reaching for the phone。
“No；” Blair snapped； yanking the phone from Yale’s little hand。 “Hey；” she said sweetly as she settled into the pink glider by the dormer window in the corner。
“Merry Christmas； gorgeous；” Chuck said。
“Are you back？” Blair asked eagerly。 After so much time apart； she was looking forward to an uninterrupted month together。
“I’m at the Village apartment；” Chuck said； referring to the Cornelia Street one…bedroom his parents had bought him for his twenty…first birthday。 He’d barely lived in it at all； since he was at Oxford all year and they’d spent most of last summer in the south of France。 “Can you e over？ There’s something I want you to see；” he added mysteriously。
“Yale； go find Tyler；” Blair manded； leaving the nursery and heading next door to the guest room where she’d been staying。 “See you soon；” she said into the phone before hanging up。
Once Blair emerged showered； shaved； and wearing a black silk Theory high…necked silk dress that was just the right bination of nice and naughty； she took the elevator to the lobby and had the doorman catch one of the many empty cabs that was sailing down Central Park West。
The city looked beautiful； like the front of a holiday card。 Snow was beginning to fall； but the sun was shining brightly and reflecting the light off all of the Midtown skyscrapers。 Blair sighed happily。 She loved New York in the winter。 Anyone could love the city in the summer； when cafés set up tables outside and you could spend hours sitting on the steps of the Met drinking iced coffees。 But in the winter； you had to seek out the things that made New York magical： steak frites at Le Refuge； cuddling into a warm Searle peacoat； your hand intertwined with an adorable boy’s。
“Thanks；” Blair said when the cab turned off Sixth Avenue and onto Cornelia Street。 Cornelia was Blair’s middle name。 It felt like destiny。
She stood in front of the five…story brick building and pressed buzzer number two； stamping her feet against the cold。 Chuck buzzed her in and she quickly ran up the steps； surprised to see him standing in front of the black apartment door。
“Hi！” Blair threw her arms around his broad shoulders。 He wore a pair of khakis and a dark blue button…down； and his hair was a little longer than it had been at Thanksgiving。
“Merry Christmas；” Chuck breathed。 He kissed her and Blair eagerly kissed him back。 “Your present’s inside。 It’s a surprise；” he breathed into her ear。 It was then that she realized Chuck was tying a blindfold over her eyes。
Now that’s what I call a Christmas present。
Blair readjusted the blindfold so it wouldn’t flatten her hair。 Chuck placed his hands on her shoulders and directed her inside。 Blair heard the pop of a champagne cork。 Was that the surprise？
“You can take it off。”
Blair reached up and swept the blindfold； which was actually one of Chuck’s flamingo pink ties； off her forehead。 She blinked in surprise。 Before； the one…bedroom apartment had been decorated in blacks and grays； with leather couches and ottomans and chrome tables and silver lighting fixtures。 Now； it was decorated in shades of pewter and lavender； the walls painted a soft dove color。 An antique silver mirror hung over the fireplace； and there were fresh…cut flowers on the long walnut dining room table。
“To us；” Chuck said simply； handing Blair a glass of champagne。 “Wele home； Blair…Bear。” Besides her dad； Chuck was the only person who ever called her Blair…Bear。
“Why… what…” Blair trailed off。 The apartment was beautiful； but what did it mean？ Did he mean he wanted her to move in with him？ She’d never really thought about where she’d live when she moved to the city after college； but she’d always assumed it would be on the Upper East Side。
“Since we’ll both be back in the city for good once we graduate； our apartment should feel more like our home。 If there’s anything you don’t like； the decorator will work with you。 This is just the beginning。 I can’t wait for us to live together。” Chuck cupped her chin and kissed her。
Blair pulled away。 “It’s very nice；” she said faintly； glancing around the living room。 She tried to imagine sitting at the head of the table； hosting dinner parties。 Setting up Fresh Direct deliveries and carefully placing perishables in the Sub…Zero refrigerator in the sunny south…facing kitchen。 Taking showers together in the morning and then picking out clothes in the side…by…side closets in the bedroom。
It was the life Blair had always wanted… but did she really want it so soon？ It was one thing to live together for a few months in Oxford； but another to live together for the foreseeable future。 Did this mean they were engaged？ Suddenly； her mind flashed back to the conversation with Chuck’s mom。 Everything was moving too quickly。 “I think I need to sit down；” Blair choked； settling on a lavender…upholstered wingback chair。
Chuck held out a champagne flute and perched on the chair arm。 “Here you go。 Merry Christmas；” he said； brushing his lips against her cheek。
“Merry Christmas！” Blair parroted； clinking her champagne flute a little too forcefully against Chuck’s。
Would she have rather he kept on the blindfold？
the trouble with fairy tales is that they always end
On the day after Christmas； Jenny stood outside her apartment building； stamping her tiny feet on the sidewalk to keep warm。 She wore knee…high boots and her favorite red wool coat。 Her dark brown hair was loose around her shoulders； and even though her ears were freezing； there was no way in hell she’d risk hat…head。
Nate was going to pick her up any second to see The Nutcracker； and she didn’t want to bring him upstairs and subject him to her dad。 Rufus meant well； but he could be overprotective； and didn’t entirely approve of Nate。 Rufus remembered all too well how hysterical Jenny had been when they’d broken up her freshman year of high school； and no amount of explaining would convince him that Nate was different now。
A town car glided down the street and came to a stop in front of her building。 Nate rolled down the back window； and Jenny’s heart thudded against her chest。 Most of the time Nate was jus