"Merry Christmas, Blaine."

"Christmas is in a few days."

"I'm not seeing you until next week, so for now, Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you, Amanda."

"This is our third session."

"Fascinating."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"You're the counselor."

"True."

"So?"

"You still haven't answered the question."

"I don't know."

"Exams are soon aren't they?"

"Unfortunately."

"Nervous?"

"I'm okay. I studied, but not as much as Kurt did when he was at Dalton."

"Did he study a lot?"

"Loads, I literally had to bring a boom box over to him and say I was Marley's ghost who was telling him to stop studying."

"This is a story I'd like to hear."

"It's Christmas themed as well."

"Brilliant."

"What's with the boom box?"

"I need you to sing with me."

Well that came out wrong.

"Well, rehearse with me."

Good save.

"I got a gig singing Baby Its Cold Outside at the King's Island Christmas Spectacular."

"Ah, a personal favorite."

This song is going on repeat for the rest of Christmas.

"Too bad they never let us sing together."

What.

"I mean as two artists."

Oh.

"So are you going to help me out here?"

"Anything to get me to stop reading about Charlemagne."

"Very good then."

As the starting notes of the song filled the room, Blaine spun around gently, snapping his fingers and gesturing at Kurt to begin singing.

The two began flirting shamelessly, Kurt walking around with his hands behind his back and a coy smile on his face while Blaine playfully chased him around. Both of their voices wove together perfectly and Blaine couldn't help thinking that everything seemed right.

Once they were done, they collapsed onto the plush sofa, smiling giddily at each other then turning away. Blaine felt like he was soaring.

"I think you're ready."

Thanks to you.

"Well for the record, you are much better than that girl's going to be."

Way to open your big mouth Mr Anderson.

"You two must've sounded incredible."

"We did. It was our first duet together."

"The start of something new."

Blaine didn't know how to reply.

"I'm going to let you out early."

"Why?"

"Firstly, we're having a decent conversation now, which is what I call progress."

"Hurrah."

"Secondly, it's Christmas. Go out there and enjoy yourself, have a snowball fight with some friends."

"I don't have friends."

"Everybody has friends."

"I don't."

"But you go to school right?"

"Yes, but I don't have any friends there."

"When Kurt was alive, did you have friends?"

"I suppose."

"So what happened?"

"Life."

"Life won't stop you from having friends."

"That's what you say."

"Do you want to talk about this next week?"

"It's not something to be discussed really."

"I'm surprised. You usually have so much to say."

"You force me to say what I say most of the time."

Amanda cracked a smile.

"But the topic of 'friends' isn't a big deal to me."

"It is to me."

"That's because you're my counselor."

"I'm not letting this slide."

To be honest, Blaine had plenty of friends before the accident. He had been the lead singer of the Warblers and was an important member of the Dalton council. He was close to all the Warblers and they were like his second family.

He was particularly close to Wes and Nick. After the crash, they were two of the few people who were truly there for Blaine when he needed them. They sat by him in the hospital as Blaine waited to be let inside Kurt's room, shaking with fear. They picked him up when they found him slumped in a bar, trying to drown his depression away. They burst the bathroom door open when they picked up their phones and both received texts form Blaine which carried the words I can't do it anymore and saved him just in time.

But Blaine had slowly pushed them away. He cut himself off the people around him and bottled up his feelings. He ignored Wes and Nick's phone calls and whenever one of them came over to his house, he simply didn't speak and stared out the window. Yet they still came occasionally, leaving a tin of cookies that would remain untouched or simply giving him a hug, even though it was never returned.

His classmates at McKinley worried about him, but he brushed them off like he did with Wes and Nick. He received many worried glances from Rachel and Mr Shue but he didn't speak to them. He quit Glee club, deciding to sit by himself in the far corner of the lunch room. Mike and Tina came over every day for two weeks to try and talk him out of it, but Blaine didn't move. Eventually they gave up but a few members of the Glee club gave him a pat on the shoulder or a graze of a fingertip once in a while.

Blaine had lost his spark. He was nothing, a cold empty shell of his former self. He rarely smiled and hadn't laughed properly since the accident. He had forgotten how to be happy.

"Hey, I got you something."

"You didn't have to."

"Shush Kurt."

Blaine took the carefully wrapped present from his drawer and gave it to Kurt.

"Oh," Kurt gasped as he touched the soft red scarf that Blaine had bought him.

"It's to keep you warm during the winter, when I'm not there to hold you. There's something else underneath."

Kurt took the scarf out to find an untouched copy of The Horrors' "Skying".

"I know how much you love the band. It's their new album."

Blaine saw the tears fall down Kurt's cheeks, "If you don't like the presents, I can return them."

"You idiot, I love them," Kurt said, hugging Blaine tightly. His tears fell on Blaine's sweater but left no stains on the fabric.

"Blaine, can you turn the music down?"

"It's not that loud."

"Look sweetie, I'm glad you're finally listening to some music but I can hear it all the way from the kitchen."

"Sorry."

"Is this a new band? I've never heard you play them before."

"It's Kurt's favorite band. I bought him the album for Christmas."

"Kurt is-"

"I bought him a red scarf as well, it compliments his skin tone. He always says that his clothes must either match his eyes, flatter his figure or compliment his skin tone."

"Kurt isn't here."

"He was sitting right beside me but he's gone now."

"Yes, he is gone Blaine. He's dead."

"He's not dead. He just disappeared, floated away. But he'll be back tomorrow."

"Kurt is dead."

"No he is not."

"He is. You were at the hospital when the heart monitor stopped. You were at the funeral. You saw them lower the coffin into the grou-"

"HE IS NOT FUCKING DEAD."

"You're right, I can't see him. I don't think I can see anything anymore. I'm taking you to see the counselor again tomorrow."

"I just went today."

"I don't care, you're going tomorrow."

"To Amanda right?"

"Yes. You like her?"

"She's the only one who treats me like I'm normal."