He holds Kurt through nightmares that don't wake him up, through shivers and soft gasping sobs, caressing Kurt's soft skin until the shaking eases and he passes back into a dreamless sleep.

There's a strange scar on Kurt's shoulder, marring the otherwise perfect skin. He never asks Kurt about it but every time they have sex, he presses soft kisses on the two parallel white lines hoping that love will heal what hate did.

He can never get over how careful Dave is around Kurt, even though they're all years out of High School and have a great mileage on their friendship.
"Making up for past sins", Dave says.
"He forgave you ages ago and he wouldn't want you to still feel this way."
"It's not guilt. It's love."

Puck and Lauren are possibly the most awesome couple they know and when the apartment next to theirs opens up and the Pizes move in, Sebastian throws them the party of the decade to celebrate. Puck spends his time smooching Lauren, grabbing Kurt's ass and tackling Sebastian at the most opportune times when not dancing and singing along with Sam and Mercedes. This is going to be so much fun.

Blaine comes into their life again and nearly ruins everything. Sebastian seethes and Kurt becomes cold and distant, closing himself off from everyone. He's stuck in the contract though and unless he wants to risk some serious lawsuits - which Sebastian is sure they might be able to afford - he's forced to work with his ex. Blaine is as obliviously hurtful as ever but after what he did, the casual touches and flirting are nothing but abhorrent.

When Sebastian comes home to a dead-eyed Kurt sitting in the corner of a dark room, he decides that enough is enough. After he manages to soothe and caress Kurt back into humanity and warmth and puts him to bed, he calls everyone -a fucking Glee telephone tree - and gathers his army. Enough of them are successful and have the lawyers and money to back them up when Kurt quits this job.

Blaine is waiting at their door two days after Kurt quits. He's obviously been ringing the doorbell but Kurt is safely ensconced next door with Lauren while they organize their breach-of-contract defense. Sebastian takes two steps and punches him. Blaine goes down hard, blood pouring from his nose.
"Leave."

After the lawyers assure them everything is taken care off, Sebastian takes Kurt on a holiday to the French Provence, taking advantage of the fact that it's July and the high time of the lavender blooming period to rent a car and drive them along the purple fields. The scents, the heat and the hypnotizing song of cicadas seem to slowly return Kurt to himself again.

There's one truly frightening night when Kurt's nightmare turns violent and he arches in Sebastian's arms, screaming and sobbing and sounding so desperately wounded it breaks his heart. When Kurt finally shocks awake, they cling to each other the rest of the night, silently.

After traveling a month in France, they accept Mercedes' invitation to join her in London for her European debut. Sam, who joined his lady love for the tour, pushing back his own recording dates, is as sweet and uncomplicated as always and welcomes them with open arms. He hugs Kurt long and hard and smiles brightly at Sebastian when Kurt kisses his cheek, laughing while he does so.

Kurt hits Bond Street and Savile Row like a freight train, before heading over to Regent Street and Piccadilly for retail therapy. He meets up with Sebastian again for lunch at the 'Sun in Splendour 'Pub on Portobello Road where they enjoy the food and atmosphere before they do the stereotypical thing and go antiquing together, arm-in-arm. Sebastian is oddly happy.

After London, they head to Brighton for the Pride Parade and Park Event and the GLBTQ Fiction meet. It's September but the weather is fantastic. They rent a room in a little B&B where everything is white and the pillows are strawberry-shaped and they have a view of the sea. They make love in the morning accompanied by the cries of the seagulls and the soft music coming from the bar on the corner of the street. They slowly discover the winding alleyways and boutiques of the Lanes and Sebastian literally squeals when he finds an honest-to-God Pirate sword in the Armoury which - considering Dave's birthday is coming up - he has to have. Mark Hawkins, one of the owners, promises to sort out shipping and customs for him and they have the 17th century small-sword sent back to New York. Two weeks later, they crow with laughter at Dave's stunned face during the Skype birthday session as he unwraps the sword and immediately decided to go Pirate for the rest of the evening..

New York seems to grow far away as the days turn into weeks and Kurt still doesn't talk of leaving Brighton. They explore the city, reveling at it's European atmosphere - where else could one go for a meal at an excellent Japanese restaurant and be served by a Parisian and a Flemish-speaking Bruxellois - and its laissez-faire style. Kurt seems to bloom and Sebastian swears he's growing even more beautiful than before all the shit started happening. He looks at peace.

After four months absence from the States, Sebastian's father frankly asks when they're planning to come back and he can't answer. He looks over at Kurt sitting on one of the Boardwalk benches, smiling at the sea, his cheeks glowing from the sharp bite of the wind where the thick scarf he's wearing didn't protect them and he's silent. His father sighs on the other end of the line.
"How is he?"
"Better. Healing. Less nightmares now."
The silence stretches. Alexander Smythe cares about Kurt and he cares about his son's happiness.
"Burt and Carole were hoping you'd come home for the holidays, we were planning on having a family fiesta. Violet is coming down from Chicago with Olivia and the children and Finn managed to convince Hannah that she could at least take two days off of work, so they're coming with little Christopher."
God knows he'd love to see his sister again and he thinks it would do Kurt a world of good to be surrounded by his family. He bites his lip. Suddenly the phone is taken from his hands.
"Hi Alexander, Kurt here, we'll join you for Christmas, okay. Yes. Yes, much better. I will. Yes, I love you too."
Kurt hands the phone back to him, eyes bright. Sebastian lets his hands rest on Kurt's small waist and pulls him into a kiss, cold noses bumping together.

tbc