Chapter One - Welcome to New York

Blaine Anderson stood in the lobby of a hotel his parent's had made him reservations at. Dripping wet from the rain, he'd wanted nothing but to crawl into bed and sleep. It'd been a long drive up to New York, the radio in the rental car had died about half way down and he'd been forced to sit in silence as he didn't want to strain his voice. He staggered up to the front counter, shaking his jacket free of excess rain water. With the amount that fell from his sleeves, he knew his phone was either drowning in his pocket or floating away in the gutters somewhere.

"Good afternoon! How can I help you sir?" The bellboy turned to face Blaine with a smile on his face. "Do you have a reservation?"

"Hi, uh, yes. Anderson. My parents called and made the reservation last week." Blaine turned back around, realizing he had forgotten his suitcase in the taxi he'd taken from the rental service. "I'll be right back!"

Blaine ran out of the lobby through the revolving doors. The rain had gotten heavier, causing whatever progress he'd made in drying himself off a waste of time. He looked around the street, hundreds of people making a mad dash to get out of the rain anyway they could, a house pet that had somehow managed to get out in the torrential downpour, but his cab was gone. A stream of swears danced across his tongue as he stormed back into the hotel. So far, he hated New York.

"Something the matter?" the bellboy questioned him as he returned to the counter.

"I just need to get my room."

"Okay sir. Anderson, was it?"

"Yes." Blaine answered, trying once again to relieve his dripping jacket of water and, once again, failing to do so.

The bellboy punched the keyboard a couple times before looking back towards Blaine. "I'm sorry sir, but we're not showing that you have any reservations here."

"I'm sorry?"

"Our computer has every reservation for the past year stored in it's database. We're not showing that you have any reservations."

"No, there has to be a mistake. We've had these reservations made for a week." A whine was growing in Blaine's voice.

"I'm sorry sir, but without reservations, there's no way I can let you into your room."

Blaine turned from the counter, swearing again under his breath. What was he supposed to do? His wallet was in his suitcase in the taxi, even if he'd had it he wouldn't have enough to cover a night in any New York hotel. Maybe he could find the taxi again, but that would have to wait until the morning. He reached down into his pocket, hoping that his cell phone had somehow survived the tsunami. When he finally reached it, he switched the phone on. Nothing. Fantastic.

"Do you have anyone local you can call? We have a phone here if you need to use it." The bellboy felt bad for him, but there wasn't anything he could do without risking his job.

Blaine thought to himself. The only numbers he could remember off of the top of his head were his parents' numbers. They'd be asleep by now, it was one in the morning. He let out a sigh and threw his hands on his head, the melted gel attaching itself to his fingers. There was only one person he could actually hope to get an answer from at this hour. He turned back around and nodded. "I think I know a person."

The bellboy smiled and placed a cordless phone on top of the marble counter. "Take your time." he said before disappearing behind a curtain hung behind him.

Blaine picked the phone up, his hand beginning to shake as he pressed the numbers, the only other numbers he'd remembered by heart. He raised the phone to his ear as a thousand doubts crossed his mind. What if he didn't answer? What if he was mad? What if he said no? He shook the thoughts out of his mind.

"Hello?" a tired voice answered the phone followed by a yawn.

"Hi Kurt."