Title: A Great Big World

Author: Whenpigsfly84

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or make any money from this piece of fiction. Any songs in this story are owned by their original creators.

Pairings: Blaine/Kurt

Rating: PG-13, mild swearing

Genre: Drama, Angst, Romance

Chapter 1:

It had been nearly two years since Blaine had left New York, had finally accepted that he was going to have to live his life without Kurt. After their breakup, nothing in New York held anything but painful memories for Blaine, even his education at NYADA that he'd fought so hard for was more a daily torture than anything he wanted to put himself through. His parents had been very disappointed that he would drop out of school over someone, and had firmly advised him to move on and find a new path quickly before he turned into one of those beggars on the side of the freeway. Blaine didn't seriously think that just because he dropped out of school that things would get that bad, but he did get the drift that his parents weren't going to let him stay in their house, on their dime for long. Unforuntately, Ohio didn't hold anything but lingering ghosts of his past, every time he turned around something else reminded him of Kurt and he felt like he was slowly going crazy.

Once he'd left New York he'd stopped talking to the old Glee Club group, except for Sam who had threatened to call his parents and hunt him down like a dog if he didn't return his texts, emails and calls. He'd been really sad to hear about Blaine's latest falling out with Kurt and had been torn between reassurring him that once Kurt had some time to think it through he'd be begging Blaine to take him back and encouraging Blaine to move on from someone who clearly didn't know how lucky a guy they were to have his best friend. Sam promised not to tell anyone that he'd talked to Blaine, to pretend he didn't know anything about the breakup, Blaine leaving school or moving back to Ohio. Sam didn't talk much to the others so he figured unless someone cornered him he'd be able to keep quiet fairly easily. Which of course meant avoiding Rachel and Mercedes like rabid dogs; those two could smell gossip on someone a mile away and would hound you until you broke.

Blaine didn't tell anyone, when he moved out to Los Angeles, California a few months later; desperate for a fresh start that didn't have anything to do with Kurt or the Glee Club. He'd convinced his parents that the education and job opportunities were much better out there and he wouldn't get distracted from either if he was that far away from everyone he knew. He eventually told Sam where he was, though he was vague on the details letting him know he was fine, but still moving around and wouldn't know for a while where he was settling down yet. Blaine hated lying to his best friend but it had been much easier doing all this without all his old friends butting in and trying to give him well meaning advice, especially if it ended with, "you really need to call Kurt and talk to him."

So, now Blaine was back in Ohio, this time at the behest of his parents who had called him to make sure he hadn't wound up a penniless beggar on some beach in California and to see if he wanted to come back and spend the holidays with them. At first Blaine had wanted to flat out refuse their offer, he'd decided that once he got to California he was not going back to Ohio, ever. But his parents hadn't seen him in two years and it was family tradition to spend the holidays together. Blaine had given in, grabbed a flight that nearly sent him back account into shock since it was late November and prime holiday travel time, and found himself cringing as he stepped off the plane.

Once again the only person who knew he was back in town was Sam, who promised to keep his secret, though he confided in Blaine that Rachel had been on his case about eight months back asking where he was and why he'd suddenly disappeared. Sam had feigned ignorance, but Rachel was too damned smart and knew she wouldn't buy his lies for long. So Blaine thanked Sam adn made his return reservations for as soon after Christmas as possible and decided to lay low until then. It'd be all over if he accidently ran into someone he knew at one of his old haunts, and the thought of seeing Kurt again made his stomach clench painfully.

It was the call at 2am on Christmas morning that was Blaine's undoing. Two years of tears, frustration, anger and several thousand miles of distance all thrown out the window in a mere matter of minutes.

"Blaine, you've gotta get to the hospital. There was an accident; he shouldn't have even been driving. We told him it was too late but he said he wanted to be home for Christmas morning," Sam brokenly relayed.

Scrubbing his other hand over his face to try and wake up, Blaine cluctched the cell phone to his ear. "Who Sam? What are you talking about?"

"It's Kurt, he hurt really badly. The doctors aren't sure he's going to pull through; his car was t-boned and flipped into a ditch. They had to use the Jaws of Life to get him out..."

Sam's breathing was ragged on the other end of the line and Blaine realized he wasn't breathing at all, afraid to miss a single word. Blaine closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"I can't Sam..."

"Blaine I know he hurt you, and trust me I still haven't totally forgiven him myself for making you flee to the other side of the country. But this is Kurt, and you'd never get over it if you didn't come see him if he dies."

Sam was right of course, he could always cut through to the heart of the matter adn clear the fog of emotion away from a situation for Blaine. It was often hard to hear at times, but he'd much rather be truthful with himself than live in a lie. And maybe he didn't even need to see Kurt, he could go to the hospital and be there for emotional support for Sam and anyone else who needed it.