[NYC]

Blaine was into his 7th day at Lennox Hill Hospital in New York. His accommodation that had been arranged for him was adequate; a one bedroom apartment in Queens, and Blaine loved taking strolls before or after his shifts, especially through Central Park with all the gorgeous autumn leaves. He was really enjoying his time in the city that never sleeps and relishing in the challenge of such a busy hospital. It was also nice to get out of Chicago for a bit.

Blaine was on his break and as he sat in the staff canteen eating a sandwich and flicking through a magazine, he received several text messages, all one after the other.

From: Sebastian
You haven't said a word to me in 10 days.
From: Sebastian
I'm sad :(
From: Sebastian
You can't ignore me forever B. You know you love me.
From: Sebastian
Do you want me to come over to NY and smother you with Smythe love?

Blaine couldn't help laughing at the last text. Despite being infuriating and annoying, nobody could deny that Sebastian was a pretty good friend. But Blaine was still pissed off about the heated conversation they had at the restaurant back in Chicago.

Kurt was a touchy subject for Blaine, so for Sebastian to just blurt out all his feelings on the matter, especially in front of their friends Nick and Jeff, was too much. But Blaine was unsure whether his continued avoidance of Sebastian was because he was an insensitive pig, or because everything he said was the truth and Blaine didn't want to tell him he was right.

'Hey Blaine.'

Blaine looked up to see one of the ED nurses, Chloe, sitting down opposite him. 'Hey Chloe.'

'How are you liking New York?'

Blaine smiled. 'Yeah loving it. Are you a native New Yorker?'

'I am, born and raised in Brooklyn.'

'Cool. That's much more exciting than Ohio.'

Chloe laughed and leaned over the table a little to get closer to Blaine. 'I saw on the rotas we finished at the same time today.'

'Oh right,' Blaine replied, swallowing thickly.

'I thought we could, you know... do something.'

'Oh... um...'

'I thought we could go to a bar... or my place,' Chloe flirted.

Blaine laughed nervously. 'Sorry... I'm flattered, really. But I'm gay.'

Chloe widened her eyes. 'Really?'

'Yep, one hundred per cent,' Blaine smiled.

'Oh right... sorry I didn't realise.'

'That's ok.'

'But you don't look gay.'

Blaine had experienced that comment a lot over the years. It kind of annoyed him that people still thought gay people had to look or sound a certain way. 'Well... er...'

'So have you never even been tempted by a woman?'

Well that was most definitely Blaine's cue to leave. 'Um, no I haven't... sorry my breaks over, I better get back downstairs.'

'Ok, see you in a bit,' Chloe smiled as Blaine gathered up his things and left.

Kurt was walking from the subway to his apartment after work when his phone buzzed. He stopped in the street on the corner of 77th Street and Park Avenue to check it out and beamed when he looked down to see a text from George.

From: George
Tonight, movie or dvd?

To: George
Is that your subtle way of asking me to come over to your place?

From: George
Maybe… is it working? ;)

To: George
Maybe… you'll have to just stay at home to wait and see :P

From: George
Tease! I'll have take-out menus ready just in case :)

When Kurt got to his apartment he checked his mail, had a long shower and then got dressed to go to George's apartment downtown. He was just fixing his hair in place with some spray when his phone rang. 'Hey Rach.'

'Hi Kurt, are you at home or work or-'

'I'm at home so it's ok to talk.'

'Cool... so how are things going with George?'

'Yeah really good,' Kurt replied. 'I'm just getting ready to go to his place.'

'Oh my God,' Rachel gasped. 'Is tonight the night? Are you staying over?'

Kurt laughed. 'I... I don't know. Maybe.'

Rachel squealed and Kurt had to hold his phone away from his ear for a moment. 'Ok Rach, no need to get excited.'

'I just want you to be happy Kurt and George seems sonice.'

'You've never met him.'

'I know... but from what you've said I'm getting this vibe you know?'

Kurt laughed. 'A vibe huh? Well I'll call you tomorrow and let you know how it went.'

'I want all the details Kurt, well maybe not those details but-'

'Oh my God, I'm hanging up,' Kurt said, feeling his face warm up.

Kurt disconnected the call and finished doing his hair. Then he put his coat on and grabbed his overnight bag (just in case) before leaving his apartment and walking down the hallway to the elevator. When it arrived at his floor, his elderly neighbour Jean came out, limping.

'Hello Kurt, how are you?'

'Good thanks,' Kurt smiled and noticed Jean wincing as she moved. 'Um, are you ok? Have you done something to your legs?'

'Oh it's nothing,' Jean said, waving her hand dismissively.

'It doesn't look like nothing.'

'Just a bit of old age swelling that's all.'

Kurt looked at Jean with narrowed eyes. 'Let me take a look.'

'If you must,' Jean laughed and she pulled up one of her trouser legs.

'Jean your leg is practically blue,' Kurt gasped sternly. 'Come on; I'm taking you to the ER.'

'Oh no, don't be daft,' Jean replied.

'It's one block away, I'm not taking no for an answer. Remember last year when you kept ignoring those stomach pains?'

'It was only kidney stones.'

'Well who knows what would have happened if I hadn't nagged you for weeks to get it checked out?'

Jean smiled. 'You're very bossy Kurt Hummel, you're worse than my children.'

'Thanks,' Kurt said proudly.

'I'm not having you ruin your night for a silly old woman like me.'

'You're not, I was just popping out to buy myself a subway before watching tv all evening.'

'Dressed like that? Please, you've got some handsome young boy waiting for you.'

Kurt laughed and felt himself going red again. 'Look, I'll sit outside your door all night if I have to.'

Jean sighed. 'Ok. Give me five minutes to comb my hair; you never know what dreamy Doctor we might come across.'

Kurt returned his overnight bag to his own apartment before joining Jean again and escorting her the short walk to Lennox Hill Hospital. After filling out a couple of forms they sat down in the waiting room and Kurt sent George a text.

To: George
I'm really sorry, can't make it :( At the ER with one of my neighbours. Can we rearrange for later in the week?

Kurt turned his phone off and put it away in his coat pocket and then leaned down to wipe some dirt which had appeared at the front of one of his boots. He was just turning his feet in different directions to check for anymore dirt when a voice filled the waiting room.

'Alice Boardman please?'

The world stopped still as Kurt's entire body tensed and his heart went crazy. He slowly looked up from the floor at the voice he knew so well yet hadn't heard for a long time. And he wasn't mistaken; Blaine Anderson was standing at the reception desk with a clipboard in his hand. His hair was free of product and he looked amazing in green hospital scrubs and a stethoscope hung around his neck.

Kurt was just staring in shock as Blaine took a couple of steps forward and said the name again. 'Alice Boardman?'

His eyes wandered the waiting room and eventually they fell on Kurt. He did a double take and Kurt could literally see all the blood drain from Blaine's face. He looked down at his clipboard quickly and then a man stood up and walked over to say something to him. In a daze Blaine just nodded and moments later a woman came rushing out of the bathroom, apologising. Blaine told her it was fine and asked her to follow him through.

He chanced a quick glance at Kurt before disappearing through the door and Kurt's stomach did somersaults. Blaine. His Blaine was right here in New York, working at the hospital one block from his apartment.

Kurt could barely think properly, and what seemed like a lifetime later (which was just ten minutes) Jean was called through by a female doctor. She checked Jean over and ran a few tests, so now they were just awaiting the results. Kurt was lost in his own little world, thinking about Blaine when Jean broke the silence.

'You're very quiet.'

'Am I?' Kurt said, looking up from his seat. 'Sorry, just worried about you.'

'Oh don't be, tough as old boots me.'

Kurt laughed. 'You'll out live us all Jean.'

'Too right I will... I've not got you into trouble with your date have I?'

'No not all,' Kurt smiled. 'Would you like some water? I noticed a machine just around the corner.'

'Yes that would be great.'

'Back in a minute,' Kurt said and he got up and walked out of the cubical. He reached the water machine and was about to grab a plastic cup when he spotted Blaine at the nurses' station, leaning on the desk and talking on the phone. Kurt's heart jumped into his throat and he abandoned the water and slowly walked towards his ex-boyfriend.

The past half hour had allowed them both time to calm down a little and Kurt hoped he was doing the right thing by approaching Blaine instead of pretending they never saw each other.

As he got nearer the nerves started to kick in big time. Blaine was using his left hand to play with the phone cord and Kurt couldn't help noticing he had no rings on his fingers. So no husband in the picture? Were hospital staff even allowed to wear rings? Why should it even matter to Kurt if Blaine was married?

'...yeah and the scan was inconclusive so if you could come down and take a look?... Yep bloods look good and he's showing some signs of responsiveness... great, thanks Pete.'

Blaine put the phone down and then consulted a form before scribbling something down on it. He stood up quickly, took a couple of steps but stopped as he caught sight of Kurt standing there.

'Kurt,' he whispered.

'Hi,' was all Kurt could manage to say with Blaine's eyes boring into his. He tried to ignore the pounding of his heart as he tried again. 'You er… you looked busy so I didn't want to interrupt or-'

'No no it's fine, I wasn't busy... I mean I was busy but not too busy to um... sorry... hi. I'm still in shock I think.'

'Me too.'

'Are you ok?' Blaine asked with a caring voice. 'Are you being treated for something?'

'Oh no, I brought a neighbour in.'

'That's good,' Blaine said and then he back tracked looking guilty. 'I'm sorry, I don't mean it's good about your neighbour, just good you're not-'

'Blaine it's ok, I know what you meant,' Kurt laughed.

'Sorry,' Blaine replied. 'I talk nonsense when I'm nervous.'

'I remember,' Kurt smiled. 'So um... I thought you were in Chicago.'

'I was- I mean I am… in Chicago. I was given a two month rotation here and it was too good an opportunity to pass up.'

'This is crazy... I live one block away; I pass this place all the time.'

'Really? Small world huh?'

'Yeah,' Kurt agreed and they lapsed into silence as they just continued staring at each other. Another voice made them both clear their throats and look away.

'Blaine, are the bloods back on Mrs Richards?'

Blaine turned to the other Doctor with a smile. 'They weren't twenty minutes ago, but I'll chase it up,' he replied. 'That RTA on 68th has had them backed up for the past hour.'

'Thanks, let me know when they're through.''

The Doctor walked away and Blaine looked back to Kurt. 'I'm really sorry... I have to...'

'Of course, sorry I'm totally in your way.'

'You don't need to apologise... it's... it's great to see you Kurt. You look really good.'

'You too,' Kurt said, feeling himself blushing a little.

'Look... er, maybe we could um...'

'Coffee?' Kurt blurted out and Blaine nodded before looking up at the clock on the wall to check the time.

'My shift finishes in two hours... shall I meet you in Starbucks on 78th? Unless you need be somewhere or you have plans or-'

'I'll be there,' Kurt laughed, interrupting Blaine's ramble.

'Ok.'

Blaine walked off and Kurt returned to the water machine in a daze. Blaine was still as cute, adorable and goofy as he was in High School. He hadn't changed at all and Kurt had such an overwhelming need to hug him. To feel that boy, no man, in his arms again. With a heavy heart he filled two cups with water and returned to Jean, who asked him, 'Did you get lost?'

'Sorry I took so long, they ran out of plastic cups.'

As soon as he got a moment to himself, Blaine locked himself in a bathroom and leaned his head back against the door. He closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, breathing deeply. This day had not turned out as he had planned. Go to work. Take a stroll down to Times Square. Go home. One person had effectively rendered him a nervous wreck.

Kurt.

His Kurt, his High School boyfriend/sweetheart whatever you wanted to call it, had turned up at his place of work. Blaine couldn't get over how gorgeous Kurt was, of course he'd seen photos in Vogue and online, but it person he was still as breathtakingly stunning as that first meeting on the stairs of Dalton. His pulse had sky rocketed from that first moment in the waiting room and still hadn't returned to a normal level.

Blaine felt sick. In an hours time he was finishing his shift and going to meet Kurt at Starbucks. What if he made a fool of himself? What if he said the wrong thing? What if he just stared like some crazy lunatic and couldn't get any words out?

He pulled his phone out from his pocket and almost called Sebastian, but then thought against it. He really wasn't sure if Sebastian's kind of advice was what he needed right now (most likely to drag Kurt back to his apartment and fuck him). He then contemplated calling Nick or Jeff, but was sure they'd just scream down the phone in excitement and jump to the conclusion that 'Klaine' was back on.

'Get a grip Blaine... get a grip,' he whispered to himself. 'It's just coffee.'

So instead, Blaine put his phone away and sighed in exasperation before leaving the bathroom and returning to the patient he was currently treating.

Kurt felt sick with nerves. He stared at the coffee sitting on the table in front of him but couldn't bring himself to take a sip. He couldn't remember a time when he felt this apprehensive about seeing someone. He'd only seen and had a conversation with Blaine two hours ago and yet he felt like a teenager going on their first date.

Kurt looked out of the window at the people passing by on the street, and upon seeing someone talking on their phone he remembered turning his phone off back in the waiting room. So he took it out and turned it on. Sure enough there were three text messages from George waiting for him.

From: George
Oh no, are you ok? Do you want me to come to the hospital?
From: George
Kurt?
From: George
You've probably turned your phone off, text me as soon as you can.

To: George
Sorry I didn't reply sooner. Yeah I'm fine; it was my neighbour that needed the ER. I'll call you tomorrow :)

Kurt had debated whether to tell George he'd bumped into an old friend and was out for coffee, but in the end decided not to and just kept it vague and brief. He was still looking at his phone when a voice made him jump. 'Kurt?' Looking up, Kurt saw Blaine standing there, smiling and looking nervous. 'Sorry Kurt, I didn't mean to make you jump.'

'No it's ok. Hi.'

'Hi,' Blaine replied. He put a coffee down on the table, took his coat off and sat down in the chair opposite Kurt.

'I'm sorry, I didn't notice you come in.'

Blaine smiled. 'You were busy texting so I got myself a coffee.'

'Oh right.' Kurt couldn't help noticing Blaine's hands again, which were either side of his coffee mug. Still no ring.

'How's your neighbour?' Blaine asked.

'Ok. They've admitted her but she'll be fine.'

'That's great.'

'Um, Blaine… I have a really important question to ask you.'

'Shoot,' Blaine replied, feeling apprehensive.

'What happened to the hair gel?'

Blaine laughed and reached a hand up into his hair, messing it up more than it already was. 'I guess the older I got the more I embraced the curls.'

'It really suits you,' Kurt said sincerely and Blaine felt his heart swell and heat rush to his cheeks.

'Thanks.'

'So... Dr Anderson huh?'

Blaine smiled bashfully. 'I finish med school next May. It's been a long but rewarding experience.'

'What happened to wanting a broadway career? I was quite surprised when Finn said you'd gone off to med school.'

Blaine looked down into his coffee and shrugged. 'It was just a dream, and they generally don't come true... well except for Rachel Berry. I saw her in Phantom last year, she was incredible.'

'She never said,' Kurt replied, feeling a little angry but Blaine shook his head.

'No I didn't seek her out or anything… how's Vogue? You must love it there.'

'Yeah I do. I love my job, it's great.'

'Must be nice surrounded by such beautiful people and things all day.'

Kurt nodded, not quite sure if Blaine was taking the piss or if he was just making genuine conversation, so he decided to change the subject. 'How's Chicago?'

Blaine smiled. 'I really like it there, and life is certainly never dull when you're living with Sebastian Smythe. His domestic skills are non-existent.'

Kurt's stomach dropped, he felt light headed and physically sick. Of all the people for Blaine to end up settling down with, he goes for the guy who almost blinded him in one eye? 'You live with Sebastian?' Kurt whispered and Blaine's eyes widened when he realised he made it sound as though they were a thing.

'Oh god, not like that,' he clarified quickly. 'We're roommates. He's in Law School.'

The relief that washed over Kurt was hugely welcome and he resisted saying 'Phew' out loud. 'I kind of heard you two had made amends in your senior year but… wow. Roommates with Sebastian huh?'

'I know,' Blaine laughed. 'Who would have thought it? But in all seriousness, underneath it all he's a great guy and a loyal friend. Although I'm not sure his list of five hundred boyfriends would agree with me.'

Kurt so desperately wanted to ask where on that list Blaine was but didn't think he could stomach more emotional blows right now. 'Do you get back to Ohio much?'

'A few times a year,' Blaine nodded. 'How about you?'

'Once or twice a year. Dad and Carole come and visit too whenever they can.'

'How is your Dad?'

Kurt thought for a moment as he stared at his coffee. 'He's ok. He had a mini stroke type thing a couple of years ago and he gets tired quicker... but yeah he's-'

'You're worried about him?' Blaine interrupted and Kurt looked into his eyes and felt himself welling up. 'Kurt there's no reason why your Dad won't be around for many years to come.'

'I know, I just... anyway, how about your family? How's Cooper?'

Blaine rolled his eyes and laughed. 'Cooper is mad as ever. I heard that Finn and Rachel finally got back together.'

'Yeah, everyone's really happy for them.'

Blaine considered not asking the next question, but went with it anyway. 'Do you think if they hadn't broken up after High School they would have made it?'

Kurt was taken aback by the question, but it was more than valid. Finn and Rachel even still bickered over that conundrum. 'No,' he said finally to Blaine. 'I don't think they would have. Rachel was pretty ambitious and determined when her broadway career started taking off. I don't think they could have survived that.'

'Well things always turn out for the best I guess,' Blaine smiled.

'Y-yeah, I suppose they do.'

'You know, Nick and Jeff got married.'

'Oh my God,' Kurt beamed. 'That's amazing. Do you seem them much?'

'All the time,' Blaine nodded. 'Nick is at the same Law school as Sebastian and Jeff works as a PA.'

'Oh wow, I'm so happy for them. They make such a cute couple.'

'Yeah,' Blaine agreed and he stared at his coffee thoughtfully.

Kurt took a deep breath before saying what he said next. He really didn't want to know the answer if Blaine said yes, but it had to be asked. 'Well we're kind of skirting around a big issue, and I don't even why so... are you with someone? Boyfriend?'

'No,' Blaine answered straight away, looking at Kurt. 'It's hard to meet guys when you're stuck in a hospital twelve hours a day.'

'Right,' Kurt said calmly but internally he was squealing with delight. He broke eye contact as he asked, 'Are you not curious about whether I'm with someone?'

Thoughts pretty please? :)
(*hands out Christmas cake and mince pies*)

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE, if you'd like to get me a present please leave your comments about this chapter… and send me chocolate haha :)

Sorry for the little cliff hanger at the end :X My bad! But YAY they've finally met again *claps* Will Kurt tell Blaine about George?! What will happen after their coffee meeting?! Ooooh... ;) The next chapter is going to feature Kurt and Blaine spilling all to Rachel and Sebastian through text messages so our boys will be getting advice on what they should do (or whether to just go their separate ways).

Thank you so much to the 5 people who left comments on the last chapter, it really means so much. You're the best and I'm so glad you're enjoying this story so far *hugs* and bonjour to my French reader :)

*Edit* I'm putting this story on hold for the time being, mainly because there appears to be little interest from readers and as I have another story on the go at the same time, it makes sense not to put time and effort into something people don't find enjoyable so I'm concentrating on 'The Curious Case Of Blaine Anderson' :)